Digital all-sky polarization imaging of partly cloudy skies.

Science.gov (United States)

Pust, Nathan J; Shaw, Joseph A

2008-12-01

Clouds reduce the degree of linear polarization (DOLP) of skylight relative to that of a clear sky. Even thin subvisual clouds in the "twilight zone" between clouds and aerosols produce a drop in skylight DOLP long before clouds become visible in the sky. In contrast, the angle of polarization (AOP) of light scattered by a cloud in a partly cloudy sky remains the same as in the clear sky for most cases. In unique instances, though, select clouds display AOP signatures that are oriented 90 degrees from the clear-sky AOP. For these clouds, scattered light oriented parallel to the scattering plane dominates the perpendicularly polarized Rayleigh-scattered light between the instrument and the cloud. For liquid clouds, this effect may assist cloud particle size identification because it occurs only over a relatively limited range of particle radii that will scatter parallel polarized light. Images are shown from a digital all-sky-polarization imager to illustrate these effects. Images are also shown that provide validation of previously published theories for weak (approximately 2%) polarization parallel to the scattering plane for a 22 degrees halo.

Integrated wide-band low-background amplifiers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Il'yushchenko, I.I.

1980-01-01

Ways of increasing stability and reproduction of characteristics of wide-band integral amplifiers that would to the least extent increase their background noises, are discussed. Considered are some certain flowsheets of integral wide-band amplifiers with low background noise of foreign production which differ from one another by construction of inlet cascades as well as by the applied feedback type. The principal flowsheets of the amplifiers and their main performances are presented. The analysis of the data obtained has revealed that microcircuits made of cascades with a common emitter and local combined feedback are most wide-band among all the considered microcircuits [ru

Measuring the color and brightness of artificial sky glow from cities using an all-sky imaging system calibrated with astronomical methods in the Johnson-Cousins B and V photometric systems

Science.gov (United States)

Pipkin, Ashley; Duriscoe, Dan M.; Lughinbuhl, Christian

2017-01-01

Artificial light at night, when observed at some distance from a city, results in a dome of sky glow, brightest at the horizon. The spectral power distribution of electric light utilized will determine its color of the light dome and the amount of light will determine its brightness. Recent outdoor lighting technologies have included blue-rich light emitting diode (LED) sources that may increase the relative amount of blue to green light in sky glow compared to typical high pressure sodium (HPS) sources with warmer spectra. Measuring and monitoring this effect is important to the preservation of night sky visual quality as seen from undeveloped areas outside the city, such as parks or other protected areas, since the dark-adapted human eye is more sensitive to blue and green. We present a method using a wide field CCD camera which images the entire sky in both Johnson V and B photometric bands. Standard stars within the images are used for calibration. The resulting all-sky brightness maps, and a derived B-V color index map, provide a means to assess and track the impact of specific outdoor lighting practices. We also present example data from several cities, including Las Vegas, Nevada, Flagstaff, Arizona, and Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Deepest Wide-Field Colour Image in the Southern Sky

Science.gov (United States)

2003-01-01

" (HDF-N in the northern and HDF-S in the southern sky, cf. e.g. ESO PR Photo 35a/98 ), but the field-of-view is about 200 times larger. The present image displays about 50 times more galaxies than the HDF images, and therefore provides a more representative view of the universe . The WFI CDF-S image will now form a most useful basis for the very extensive and systematic census of the population of distant galaxies and quasars, allowing at once a detailed study of all evolutionary stages of the universe since it was about 2 billion years old . These investigations have started and are expected to provide information about the evolution of galaxies in unprecedented detail. They will offer insights into the history of star formation and how the internal structure of galaxies changes with time and, not least, throw light on how these two evolutionary aspects are interconnected. GALAXIES IN THE WFI IMAGE ESO PR Photo 02b/03 ESO PR Photo 02b/03 [Preview - JPEG: 488 x 400 pix - 112k] [Normal - JPEG: 896 x 800 pix - 1.0M] [Full-Res - JPEG: 2591 x 2313 pix - 8.6M] Caption : PR Photo 02b/03 contains a collection of twelve subfields from the full WFI Chandra Deep Field South (WFI CDF-S), centred on (pairs or groups of) galaxies. Each of the subfields measures 2.5 x 2.5 arcmin 2 (635 x 658 pix 2 ; 1 pixel = 0.238 arcsec). North is up and East is left. Technical information is available below. The WFI CDF-S colour image - of which the full field is shown in PR Photo 02a/03 - was constructed from all available observations in the optical B- ,V- and R-bands obtained under good conditions with the Wide Field Imager (WFI) on the 2.2-m MPG/ESO telescope at the ESO La Silla Observatory (Chile), and now stored in the ESO Science Data Archive. It is the "deepest" image ever taken with this instrument. It covers a sky field measuring 36 x 34 arcmin 2 , i.e., an area somewhat larger than that of the full moon. The observations were collected during a period of nearly four years, beginning in

Clear-sky classification procedures and models using a world-wide data-base

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Younes, S.; Muneer, T.

2007-01-01

Clear-sky data need to be extracted from all-sky measured solar-irradiance dataset, often by using algorithms that rely on other measured meteorological parameters. Current procedures for clear-sky data extraction have been examined and compared with each other to determine their reliability and location dependency. New clear-sky determination algorithms are proposed that are based on a combination of clearness index, diffuse ratio, cloud cover and Linke's turbidity limits. Various researchers have proposed clear-sky irradiance models that rely on synoptic parameters; four of these models, MRM, PRM, YRM and REST2 have been compared for six world-wide-locations. Based on a previously-developed comprehensive accuracy scoring method, the models MRM, REST2 and YRM were found to be of satisfactory performance in decreasing order. The so-called Page radiation model (PRM) was found to underestimate solar radiation, even though local turbidity data were provided for its operation

Five years of Project META - An all-sky narrow-band radio search for extraterrestrial signals

Science.gov (United States)

Horowitz, Paul; Sagan, Carl

1993-01-01

We have conducted a five-year search of the northern sky (delta between 30 and 60 deg) for narrow-band radio signals near the 1420 MHz line of neutral hydrogen, and its second harmonic, using an 8.4 x 10 exp 6 channel Fourier spectrometer of 0.05 Hz resolution and 400 kHz instantaneous bandwidth. The observing frequency was corrected both for motions with respect to three astronomical inertial frames, and for the effect of Earth's rotation, which provides a characteristic changing Doppler signature for narrow-band signals of extraterrestrial origin. Among the 6 x 10 exp 13 spectral channels searched, we have found 37 candidate events exceeding the average detection threshold of 1.7 x 10 exp -23 W/sq m, none of which was detected upon reobservation. The strongest of these appear to be dominated by rare processor errors. However, the strongest signals that survive culling for terrestrial interference lie in or near the Galactic plane. We describe the search and candidate events, and set limits on the prevalence of supercivilizations transmitting Doppler-precompensated beacons at H I or its second harmonic. We conclude with recommendations for future searches, based upon these findings, and a description of our next-generation search system.

Planck 2013 results. XI. All-sky model of thermal dust emission

CERN Document Server

Abergel, A; Aghanim, N; Alina, D; Alves, M I R; Armitage-Caplan, C; Arnaud, M; Ashdown, M; Atrio-Barandela, F; Aumont, J; Baccigalupi, C; Banday, A J; Barreiro, R B; Bartlett, J G; Battaner, E; Benabed, K; Benoît, A; Benoit-Lévy, A; Bernard, J -P; Bersanelli, M; Bielewicz, P; Bobin, J; Bock, J J; Bonaldi, A; Bond, J R; Borrill, J; Bouchet, F R; Boulanger, F; Bridges, M; Bucher, M; Burigana, C; Butler, R C; Cardoso, J -F; Catalano, A; Chamballu, A; Chary, R -R; Chiang, H C; Chiang, L -Y; Christensen, P R; Church, S; Clemens, M; Clements, D L; Colombi, S; Colombo, L P L; Combet, C; Couchot, F; Coulais, A; Crill, B P; Curto, A; Cuttaia, F; Danese, L; Davies, R D; Davis, R J; de Bernardis, P; de Rosa, A; de Zotti, G; Delabrouille, J; Delouis, J -M; Désert, F -X; Dickinson, C; Diego, J M; Dole, H; Donzelli, S; Doré, O; Douspis, M; Dupac, X; Efstathiou, G; Enßlin, T A; Eriksen, H K; Falgarone, E; Finelli, F; Forni, O; Frailis, M; Fraisse, A A; Franceschi, E; Galeotta, S; Ganga, K; Ghosh, T; Giard, M; Giardino, G; Giraud-Héraud, Y; González-Nuevo, J; Górski, K M; Gratton, S; Gregorio, A; Grenier, I A; Gruppuso, A; Guillet, V; Hansen, F K; Hanson, D; Harrison, D; Helou, G; Henrot-Versillé, S; Hernández-Monteagudo, C; Herranz, D; Hildebrandt, S R; Hivon, E; Hobson, M; Holmes, W A; Hornstrup, A; Hovest, W; Huffenberger, K M; Jaffe, A H; Jaffe, T R; Jewell, J; Joncas, G; Jones, W C; Juvela, M; Keihänen, E; Keskitalo, R; Kisner, T S; Knoche, J; Knox, L; Kunz, M; Kurki-Suonio, H; Lagache, G; Lähteenmäki, A; Lamarre, J -M; Lasenby, A; Laureijs, R J; Lawrence, C R; Leonardi, R; León-Tavares, J; Lesgourgues, J; Levrier, F; Liguori, M; Lilje, P B; Linden-Vørnle, M; López-Caniego, M; Lubin, P M; Macías-Pérez, J F; Maffei, B; Maino, D; Mandolesi, N; Maris, M; Marshall, D J; Martin, P G; Martínez-González, E; Masi, S; Massardi, M; Matarrese, S; Matthai, F; Mazzotta, P; McGehee, P; Melchiorri, A; Mendes, L; Mennella, A; Migliaccio, M; Mitra, S; Miville-Deschênes, M -A; Moneti, A; Montier, L; Morgante, G; Mortlock, D; Munshi, D; Murphy, J A; Naselsky, P; Nati, F; Natoli, P; Netterfield, C B; Nørgaard-Nielsen, H U; Noviello, F; Novikov, D; Novikov, I; Osborne, S; Oxborrow, C A; Paci, F; Pagano, L; Pajot, F; Paladini, R; Paoletti, D; Pasian, F; Patanchon, G; Perdereau, O; Perotto, L; Perrotta, F; Piacentini, F; Piat, M; Pierpaoli, E; Pietrobon, D; Plaszczynski, S; Pointecouteau, E; Polenta, G; Ponthieu, N; Popa, L; Poutanen, T; Pratt, G W; Prézeau, G; Prunet, S; Puget, J -L; Rachen, J P; Reach, W T; Rebolo, R; Reinecke, M; Remazeilles, M; Renault, C; Ricciardi, S; Riller, T; Ristorcelli, I; Rocha, G; Rosset, C; Roudier, G; Rowan-Robinson, M; Rubiño-Martín, J A; Rusholme, B; Sandri, M; Santos, D; Savini, G; Scott, D; Seiffert, M D; Shellard, E P S; Spencer, L D; Starck, J -L; Stolyarov, V; Stompor, R; Sudiwala, R; Sunyaev, R; Sureau, F; Sutton, D; Suur-Uski, A -S; Sygnet, J -F; Tauber, J A; Tavagnacco, D; Terenzi, L; Toffolatti, L; Tomasi, M; Tristram, M; Tucci, M; Tuovinen, J; Türler, M; Umana, G; Valenziano, L; Valiviita, J; Van Tent, B; Vielva, P; Villa, F; Vittorio, N; Wade, L A; Wandelt, B D; Welikala, N; Yvon, D; Zacchei, A; Zonca, A

2014-01-01

This paper presents an all-sky model of dust emission from the Planck 857, 545 and 353 GHz, and IRAS 100 micron data. Using a modified black-body fit to the data we present all-sky maps of the dust optical depth, temperature, and spectral index over the 353-3000 GHz range. This model is a tight representation of the data at 5 arcmin. It shows variations of the order of 30 % compared with the widely-used model of Finkbeiner, Davis, and Schlegel. The Planck data allow us to estimate the dust temperature uniformly over the whole sky, providing an improved estimate of the dust optical depth compared to previous all-sky dust model, especially in high-contrast molecular regions. An increase of the dust opacity at 353 GHz, tau_353/N_H, from the diffuse to the denser interstellar medium (ISM) is reported. It is associated with a decrease in the observed dust temperature, T_obs, that could be due at least in part to the increased dust opacity. We also report an excess of dust emission at HI column densities lower than...

Gaia, an all-sky survey for standard photometry

Science.gov (United States)

Carrasco, J. M.; Weiler, M.; Jordi, C.; Fabricius, C.

2017-03-01

Gaia ESA's space mission (launched in 2013) includes two low resolution spectroscopic instruments (one in the blue, BP, and another in the red, RP, wavelength domains) to classify and derive the astrophysical parameters of the observed sources. As it is well known, Gaia is a full-sky unbiased survey down to about 20th magnitude. The scanning law yields a rather uniform coverage of the sky over the full extent (a minimum of 5 years) of the mission. Gaia data reduction is a global one over the full mission. Both sky coverage and data reduction strategy ensure an unprecedented all-sky homogeneous spectrophotometric survey. Certainly, that survey is of interest for current and future on-ground and space projects, like LSST, PLATO, EUCLID and J-PAS/J-PLUS among others. These projects will benefit from the large amount (more than one billion) and wide variety of objects observed by Gaia with good quality spectrophotometry. Synthetic photometry derived from Gaia spectrophotometry for any passband can be used to expand the set of standard sources for these new instruments to come. In the current Gaia data release scenario, BP/RP spectrophotometric data will be available in the third release (in 2018, TBC). Current preliminary results allow us to estimate the precision of synthetic photometry derived from the Gaia data. This already allows the preparation of the on-going and future surveys and space missions. We discuss here the exploitation of the Gaia spectrophotometry as standard reference due to its full-sky coverage and its expected photometric uncertainties derived from the low resolution Gaia spectra.

CORRECTION OF THE TEMPERATURE EFFECT IN 1020 NM BAND OF SUN-SKY RADIOMETER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Li

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Aerosol is an important part of the earth-atmosphere system. It can directly and indirectly influence solar radiation and then affect the energy balance of earth-atmosphere system. AERONET, as the largest ground-based observation network, provides multi-parameters of aerosol from more than 600 hundred sites using sun-sky radiometer, which contains 9 channels from 340 nm to 1640 nm. Among which, 1020 nm channel is greatly influenced by the temperature. In this paper, a new correction method of 1020 nm band is introduced. The new method transfers the temperature correction coefficient of the master radiometer to the comparative one. The filed calibration experiment shown that the temperature correction coefficient obtained by this method is close to the result from the temperature controlled chamber, and the difference is about 2.1 %. This new method is easy-to-use, and its accuracy is comparable to the standard one. It is more applicable for large-scale instrument calibration. In principle, this method is applicable to all bands of the sun-sky radiometer.

Correction of the Temperature Effect in 1020 NM Band of Sun-Sky Radiometer

Science.gov (United States)

Li, K.; Li, Z.; Li, D.; Xie, Y.; Xu, H.

2018-04-01

Aerosol is an important part of the earth-atmosphere system. It can directly and indirectly influence solar radiation and then affect the energy balance of earth-atmosphere system. AERONET, as the largest ground-based observation network, provides multi-parameters of aerosol from more than 600 hundred sites using sun-sky radiometer, which contains 9 channels from 340 nm to 1640 nm. Among which, 1020 nm channel is greatly influenced by the temperature. In this paper, a new correction method of 1020 nm band is introduced. The new method transfers the temperature correction coefficient of the master radiometer to the comparative one. The filed calibration experiment shown that the temperature correction coefficient obtained by this method is close to the result from the temperature controlled chamber, and the difference is about 2.1 %. This new method is easy-to-use, and its accuracy is comparable to the standard one. It is more applicable for large-scale instrument calibration. In principle, this method is applicable to all bands of the sun-sky radiometer.

MOXE: An X-ray all-sky monitor for Soviet Spectrum-X-Gamma Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Priedhorsky, W.; Fenimore, E. E.; Moss, C. E.; Kelley, R. L.; Holt, S. S.

1989-01-01

A Monitoring Monitoring X-Ray Equipment (MOXE) is being developed for the Soviet Spectrum-X-Gamma Mission. MOXE is an X-ray all-sky monitor based on array of pinhole cameras, to be provided via a collaboration between Goddard Space Flight Center and Los Alamos National Laboratory. The objectives are to alert other observers on Spectrum-X-Gamma and other platforms of interesting transient activity, and to synoptically monitor the X-ray sky and study long-term changes in X-ray binaries. MOXE will be sensitive to sources as faint as 2 milliCrab (5 sigma) in 1 day, and cover the 2 to 20 KeV band.

All-Sky Interferometry with Spherical Harmonic Transit Telescopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shaw, J.Richard [Canadian Inst. Theor. Astrophys.; Sigurdson, Kris [British Columbia U.; Pen, Ue-Li [Canadian Inst. Theor. Astrophys.; Stebbins, Albert [Fermilab; Sitwell, Michael [British Columbia U.

2013-02-01

In this paper we describe the spherical harmonic transit telescope, a novel formalism for the analysis of transit radio telescopes. This all-sky approach bypasses the curved sky complications of traditional interferometry and so is particularly well suited to the analysis of wide-field radio interferometers. It enables compact and computationally efficient representations of the data and its statistics that allow new ways of approaching important problems like map-making and foreground removal. In particular, we show how it enables the use of the Karhunen-Loeve transform as a highly effective foreground filter, suppressing realistic foreground residuals for our fiducial example by at least a factor twenty below the 21cm signal even in highly contaminated regions of the sky. This is despite the presence of the angle-frequency mode mixing inherent in real-world instruments with frequency-dependent beams. We show, using Fisher forecasting, that foreground cleaning has little effect on power spectrum constraints compared to hypothetical foreground-free measurements. Beyond providing a natural real-world data analysis framework for 21cm telescopes now under construction and future experiments, this formalism allows accurate power spectrum forecasts to be made that include the interplay of design constraints and realistic experimental systematics with twenty-first century 21cm science.

ESASky: All the sky you need

Science.gov (United States)

De Marchi, Guido; ESASky Team

2018-06-01

ESASky is a discovery portal giving to all astronomers, professional and amateur alike, an easy way to access high-quality scientific data from their computer, tablet, or mobile device. It includes over half a million images, 300,000 spectra, and more than a billion catalogue sources. From gamma rays to radio wavelengths, it allows users to explore the cosmos with data from a dozen space missions from the astronomical archives of ESA, NASA, and JAXA and does not require prior knowledge of any particular mission. ESASky features an all-sky exploration interface, letting users easily zoom in for stars as single targets or as part of a whole galaxy, visualise them and retrieve the relevant data taken in an area of the sky with just a few clicks. Users can easily compare observations of the same source obtained by different space missions at different times and wavelengths. They can also use ESASky to plan future observations with the James Webb Space Telescope, comparing the relevant portion of the sky as observed by Hubble and other missions. We will illustrate the many options to visualise and access astronomical data: interactive footprints for each instrument, tree-maps, filters, and solar-system object trajectories can all be combined and displayed. The most recent version of ESASky, released in February, also includes access to scientific publications, allowing users to visualise on the sky all astronomical objects with associated scientific publications and to link directly back to the papers in the NASA Astrophysics Data System.

An All-Sky Portable (ASP) Optical Catalogue

Science.gov (United States)

Flesch, Eric Wim

2017-06-01

This optical catalogue combines the all-sky USNO-B1.0/A1.0 and most-sky APM catalogues, plus overlays of SDSS optical data, into a single all-sky map presented in a sparse binary format that is easily downloaded at 9 Gb zipped. Total count is 1 163 237 190 sources and each has J2000 astrometry, red and blue magnitudes with PSFs and variability indicator, and flags for proper motion, epoch, and source survey and catalogue for each of the photometry and astrometry. The catalogue is available on http://quasars.org/asp.html, and additional data for this paper is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.4225/50/5807fbc12595f.

SUZAKU OBSERVATIONS OF THE EXTREME MeV BLAZAR SWIFT J0746.3+2548

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Shin; Sato, Rie; Takahashi, Tadayuki; Edwards, Philip G.; Kataoka, Jun; Madejski, Greg; Romani, Roger; Sikora, Marek; Tavecchio, Fabrizio; Sambruna, Rita; Pursimo, Tapio

2009-01-01

We report the Suzaku observations of the high luminosity blazar SWIFT J0746.3+2548 (J0746) conducted in 2005 November. This object, which, with z = 2.979, is the highest redshift source observed in the Suzaku Guaranteed Time Observer period, is likely to show high gamma-ray flux peaking in the MeV range. As a result of the good photon statistics and high signal-to-noise ratio spectrum, the Suzaku observation clearly confirms that J0746 has an extremely hard spectrum in the energy range of 0.3-24 keV, which is well represented by a single power-law with a photon index of Γ ph ≅ 1.17 and Galactic absorption. The multiwavelength spectral energy distribution of J0746 shows two continuum components, and is well modeled assuming that the high-energy spectral component results from Comptonization of the broad-line region photons. In this paper, we search for the bulk Compton spectral features predicted to be produced in the soft X-ray band by scattering external optical/UV photons by cold electrons in a relativistic jet. We discuss and provide constraints on the pair content resulting from the apparent absence of such features.

Recent Characterization of the Night-Sky Irradiance in the Visible/Near-Infrared Spectral Band

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Carolynn; Wood, Michael; Bender, Edward; Hart, Steve

2018-01-01

The U.S. Army RDECOM CERDEC NVESD has made numerous characterizations of the night sky over the past 45 years. Up until the last four years, the measurement devices were highly detector-limited, which led to low spectral resolution, marginal sensitivity in no-moon conditions, and the need for inferential analysis of the resulting data. In 2014, however, the PhotoResearch Model PR-745 spectro-radiometer established a new state of the art for measurement of the integrated night-sky irradiance over the Visible-to-Near-Infrared (VNIR) spectral band (400-1050nm). This has enabled characterization of no-moon night-sky irradiance with a spectral bandwidth less than 15 nanometers, even when this irradiance is attenuated by heavy clouds or forest canopy. Since 2014, we have conducted a series of night-sky data collections at remote sites across the United States. The resulting data has provided new insights into natural radiance variations, cultural lighting impacts, and the spectrally-varying attenuation caused by cloud cover and forest canopy. Several new metrics have also been developed to provide insight into these newly-found components and temporal variations. The observations, findings and conclusions of the above efforts will be presented, including planned near-term efforts to further characterize the night-sky irradiance in the Visible/Near-Infrared spectral band.

THE 70 MONTH SWIFT-BAT ALL-SKY HARD X-RAY SURVEY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baumgartner, W. H.; Tueller, J.; Markwardt, C. B.; Skinner, G. K.; Barthelmy, S.; Gehrels, N. [NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Astrophysics Science Division, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Mushotzky, R. F. [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Evans, P. A., E-mail: whbaumga@alum.mit.edu [X-Ray and Observational Astronomy Group/Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH (United Kingdom)

2013-08-15

We present the catalog of sources detected in 70 months of observations with the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) hard X-ray detector on the Swift gamma-ray burst observatory. The Swift-BAT 70 month survey has detected 1171 hard X-ray sources (more than twice as many sources as the previous 22 month survey) in the 14-195 keV band down to a significance level of 4.8{sigma}, associated with 1210 counterparts. The 70 month Swift-BAT survey is the most sensitive and uniform hard X-ray all-sky survey and reaches a flux level of 1.03 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -11} erg s{sup -1} cm{sup -2} over 50% of the sky and 1.34 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -11} erg s{sup -1} cm{sup -2} over 90% of the sky. The majority of new sources in the 70 month survey continue to be active galactic nuclei, with over 700 in the catalog. As part of this new edition of the Swift-BAT catalog, we also make available eight-channel spectra and monthly sampled light curves for each object detected in the survey in the online journal and at the Swift-BAT 70 month Web site.

THE 70 MONTH SWIFT-BAT ALL-SKY HARD X-RAY SURVEY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumgartner, W. H.; Tueller, J.; Markwardt, C. B.; Skinner, G. K.; Barthelmy, S.; Gehrels, N.; Mushotzky, R. F.; Evans, P. A.

2013-01-01

We present the catalog of sources detected in 70 months of observations with the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) hard X-ray detector on the Swift gamma-ray burst observatory. The Swift-BAT 70 month survey has detected 1171 hard X-ray sources (more than twice as many sources as the previous 22 month survey) in the 14-195 keV band down to a significance level of 4.8σ, associated with 1210 counterparts. The 70 month Swift-BAT survey is the most sensitive and uniform hard X-ray all-sky survey and reaches a flux level of 1.03 × 10 –11 erg s –1 cm –2 over 50% of the sky and 1.34 × 10 –11 erg s –1 cm –2 over 90% of the sky. The majority of new sources in the 70 month survey continue to be active galactic nuclei, with over 700 in the catalog. As part of this new edition of the Swift-BAT catalog, we also make available eight-channel spectra and monthly sampled light curves for each object detected in the survey in the online journal and at the Swift-BAT 70 month Web site

Wide-band tracheids are present in almost all species of Cactaceae.

Science.gov (United States)

Mauseth, James D

2004-02-01

Wide-band tracheids (WBTs) have been found in seedlings of most species of cacti that have fibrous wood in their adult bodies. Consequently, this cell type is now known to be present in almost all cacti. Earlier studies of adult plants revealed WBTs to be present only in cacti with globose or short, broad bodies, whereas all species with large columnar or long slender bodies had fibrous wood without WBTs. However, even these species produce WBTs during the first several months after germination. In species with fibrous wood in their adult bodies (species with large or slender bodies), seedlings undergo a phase transition in wood morphogenesis after a few months and stop producing the juvenile (WBT) wood and begin producing adult (fibrous) wood. If adult plants have an intermediate size, the phase transition is delayed and the plant produces WBT wood for several years. Species with globose bodies repress the phase transition completely and never switch to producing adult (fibrous) wood. Because WBTs are so widespread, they probably originated only once in Cactaceae, not multiple times as suggested earlier, or there may have been just a single origin in the Cactaceae/Portulacaceae clade.

Reflective all-sky thermal infrared cloud imager.

Science.gov (United States)

Redman, Brian J; Shaw, Joseph A; Nugent, Paul W; Clark, R Trevor; Piazzolla, Sabino

2018-04-30

A reflective all-sky imaging system has been built using a long-wave infrared microbolometer camera and a reflective metal sphere. This compact system was developed for measuring spatial and temporal patterns of clouds and their optical depth in support of applications including Earth-space optical communications. The camera is mounted to the side of the reflective sphere to leave the zenith sky unobstructed. The resulting geometric distortion is removed through an angular map derived from a combination of checkerboard-target imaging, geometric ray tracing, and sun-location-based alignment. A tape of high-emissivity material on the side of the reflector acts as a reference that is used to estimate and remove thermal emission from the metal sphere. Once a bias that is under continuing study was removed, sky radiance measurements from the all-sky imager in the 8-14 μm wavelength range agreed to within 0.91 W/(m 2 sr) of measurements from a previously calibrated, lens-based infrared cloud imager over its 110° field of view.

Three gangliogliomas: results of GTG-banding, SKY, genome-wide high resolution SNP-array, gene expression and review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Li-Xin; Holland, Heidrun; Kirsten, Holger; Ahnert, Peter; Krupp, Wolfgang; Bauer, Manfred; Schober, Ralf; Mueller, Wolf; Fritzsch, Dominik; Meixensberger, Jürgen; Koschny, Ronald

2015-04-01

According to the World Health Organization gangliogliomas are classified as well-differentiated and slowly growing neuroepithelial tumors, composed of neoplastic mature ganglion and glial cells. It is the most frequent tumor entity observed in patients with long-term epilepsy. Comprehensive cytogenetic and molecular cytogenetic data including high-resolution genomic profiling (single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-array) of gangliogliomas are scarce but necessary for a better oncological understanding of this tumor entity. For a detailed characterization at the single cell and cell population levels, we analyzed genomic alterations of three gangliogliomas using trypsin-Giemsa banding (GTG-banding) and by spectral karyotyping (SKY) in combination with SNP-array and gene expression array experiments. By GTG and SKY, we could confirm frequently detected chromosomal aberrations (losses within chromosomes 10, 13 and 22; gains within chromosomes 5, 7, 8 and 12), and identify so far unknown genetic aberrations like the unbalanced non-reciprocal translocation t(1;18)(q21;q21). Interestingly, we report on the second so far detected ganglioglioma with ring chromosome 1. Analyses of SNP-array data from two of the tumors and respective germline DNA (peripheral blood) identified few small gains and losses and a number of copy-neutral regions with loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in germline and in tumor tissue. In comparison to germline DNA, tumor tissues did not show substantial regions with significant loss or gain or with newly developed LOH. Gene expression analyses of tumor-specific genes revealed similarities in the profile of the analyzed samples regarding different relevant pathways. Taken together, we describe overlapping but also distinct and novel genetic aberrations of three gangliogliomas. © 2014 Japanese Society of Neuropathology.

Gaia , an all sky astrometric and photometric survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carrasco, J.M.

2017-01-01

Gaia space mission includes a low resolution spectroscopic instrument to classify and parametrize the observed sources. Gaia is a full-sky unbiased survey down to about 20th magnitude. The scanning law yields a rather uniform coverage of the sky over the full mission. The data reduction is a global one over the full mission. Both sky coverage and data reduction strategy ensure an unprecedented all-sky homogeneous spectrophotometric survey. Certainly, that survey is of interest for future on-ground and space projects (LSST, PLATO, EUCLID, ...). This work addresses the exploitation of the Gaia spectrophotometry as standard photometry reference through the discussion of the sky coverage, the spectrophotometric precision and the expected uncertainties of the synthetic photometry derived from the low resolution Gaia spectra and photometry.

Coherently combining data between detectors for all-sky semi-coherent continuous gravitational wave searches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goetz, E; Riles, K

2016-01-01

We present a method for coherently combining short data segments from gravitational-wave detectors to improve the sensitivity of semi-coherent searches for continuous gravitational waves. All-sky searches for continuous gravitational waves from unknown sources are computationally limited. The semi-coherent approach reduces the computational cost by dividing the entire observation timespan into short segments to be analyzed coherently, then combined together incoherently. Semi-coherent analyses that attempt to improve sensitivity by coherently combining data from multiple detectors face a computational challenge in accounting for uncertainties in signal parameters. In this article, we lay out a technique to meet this challenge using summed Fourier transform coefficients. Applying this technique to one all-sky search algorithm called TwoSpect, we confirm that the sensitivity of all-sky, semi-coherent searches can be improved by coherently combining the short data segments, e.g., by up to 42% over a single detector for an all-sky search. For misaligned detectors, however, this improvement requires careful attention when marginalizing over unknown polarization parameters. In addition, care must be taken in correcting for differential detector velocity due to the Earth’s rotation for high signal frequencies and widely separated detectors. (paper)

TWO MICRON ALL SKY SURVEY PHOTOMETRIC REDSHIFT CATALOG: A COMPREHENSIVE THREE-DIMENSIONAL CENSUS OF THE WHOLE SKY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bilicki, Maciej; Jarrett, Thomas H.; Cluver, Michelle E.; Steward, Louise; Peacock, John A.

2014-01-01

Key cosmological applications require the three-dimensional (3D) galaxy distribution on the entire celestial sphere. These include measuring the gravitational pull on the Local Group, estimating the large-scale bulk flow, and testing the Copernican principle. However, the largest all-sky redshift surveys—the 2MASS Redshift Survey and IRAS Point Source Catalog Redshift Survey—have median redshifts of only z = 0.03 and sample the very local universe. All-sky galaxy catalogs exist that reach much deeper—SuperCOSMOS in the optical, the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) in the near-IR, and WISE in the mid-IR—but these lack complete redshift information. At present, the only rapid way toward larger 3D catalogs covering the whole sky is through photometric redshift techniques. In this paper we present the 2MASS Photometric Redshift catalog (2MPZ) containing one million galaxies, constructed by cross-matching Two Micron All Sky Survey Extended Source Catalog (2MASS XSC), WISE, and SuperCOSMOS all-sky samples and employing the artificial neural network approach (the ANNz algorithm), trained on such redshift surveys as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, 6dFGS, and 2dFGRS. The derived photometric redshifts have errors nearly independent of distance, with an all-sky accuracy of σ z = 0.015 and a very small percentage of outliers. In this way, we obtain redshift estimates with a typical precision of 12% for all the 2MASS XSC galaxies that lack spectroscopy. In addition, we have made an early effort toward probing the entire 3D sky beyond 2MASS, by pairing up WISE with SuperCOSMOS and training the ANNz on GAMA redshift data currently reaching to z med ∼ 0.2. This has yielded photo-z accuracies comparable to those in the 2MPZ. These all-sky photo-z catalogs, with a median z ∼ 0.1 for the 2MPZ, and significantly deeper for future WISE-based samples, will be the largest and most complete of their kind for the foreseeable future

Probing the mysteries of the X-ray binary 4U 1210-64 with ASM, PCA, MAXI, BAT, and Suzaku

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coley, Joel B.; Corbet, Robin H. D.; Mukai, Koji; Pottschmidt, Katja, E-mail: jcoley1@umbc.edu [University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Cir, Baltimore, MD 21250 (United States)

2014-10-01

4U 1210-64 has been postulated to be a high-mass X-ray binary powered by the Be mechanism. X-ray observations with Suzaku, the ISS Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI), and the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer Proportional Counter Array (PCA) and All Sky Monitor (ASM) provide detailed temporal and spectral information on this poorly understood source. Long-term ASM and MAXI observations show distinct high and low states and the presence of a 6.7101 ± 0.0005 day modulation, interpreted as the orbital period. Folded light curves reveal a sharp dip, interpreted as an eclipse. To determine the nature of the mass donor, the predicted eclipse half-angle was calculated as a function of inclination angle for several stellar spectral types. The eclipse half-angle is not consistent with a mass donor of spectral type B5 V; however, stars with spectral types B0 V or B0-5 III are possible. The best-fit spectral model consists of a power law with index Γ = 1.85{sub −0.05}{sup +0.04} and a high-energy cutoff at 5.5 ± 0.2 keV modified by an absorber that fully covers the source as well as partially covering absorption. Emission lines from S XVI Kα, Fe Kα, Fe XXV Kα, and Fe XXVI Kα were observed in the Suzaku spectra. Out of eclipse, the Fe Kα line flux was strongly correlated with unabsorbed continuum flux, indicating that the Fe I emission is the result of fluorescence of cold dense material near the compact object. The Fe I feature is not detected during eclipse, further supporting an origin close to the compact object.

Weather and atmosphere observation with the ATOM all-sky camera

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jankowsky Felix

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The Automatic Telescope for Optical Monitoring (ATOM for H.E.S.S. is an 75 cm optical telescope which operates fully automated. As there is no observer present during observation, an auxiliary all-sky camera serves as weather monitoring system. This device takes an all-sky image of the whole sky every three minutes. The gathered data then undergoes live-analysis by performing astrometric comparison with a theoretical night sky model, interpreting the absence of stars as cloud coverage. The sky monitor also serves as tool for a meteorological analysis of the observation site of the the upcoming Cherenkov Telescope Array. This overview covers design and benefits of the all-sky camera and additionally gives an introduction into current efforts to integrate the device into the atmosphere analysis programme of H.E.S.S.

Review of wide band-gap semiconductors technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Haiwei

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Silicon carbide (SiC and gallium nitride (GaN are typical representative of the wide band-gap semiconductor material, which is also known as third-generation semiconductor materials. Compared with the conventional semiconductor silicon (Si or gallium arsenide (GaAs, wide band-gap semiconductor has the wide band gap, high saturated drift velocity, high critical breakdown field and other advantages; it is a highly desirable semiconductor material applied under the case of high-power, high-temperature, high-frequency, anti-radiation environment. These advantages of wide band-gap devices make them a hot spot of semiconductor technology research in various countries. This article describes the research agenda of United States and European in this area, focusing on the recent developments of the wide band-gap technology in the US and Europe, summed up the facing challenge of the wide band-gap technology.

Uncertainties of parameterized surface downward clear-sky shortwave and all-sky longwave radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gubler, S.; Gruber, S.; Purves, R. S.

2012-06-01

As many environmental models rely on simulating the energy balance at the Earth's surface based on parameterized radiative fluxes, knowledge of the inherent model uncertainties is important. In this study we evaluate one parameterization of clear-sky direct, diffuse and global shortwave downward radiation (SDR) and diverse parameterizations of clear-sky and all-sky longwave downward radiation (LDR). In a first step, SDR is estimated based on measured input variables and estimated atmospheric parameters for hourly time steps during the years 1996 to 2008. Model behaviour is validated using the high quality measurements of six Alpine Surface Radiation Budget (ASRB) stations in Switzerland covering different elevations, and measurements of the Swiss Alpine Climate Radiation Monitoring network (SACRaM) in Payerne. In a next step, twelve clear-sky LDR parameterizations are calibrated using the ASRB measurements. One of the best performing parameterizations is elected to estimate all-sky LDR, where cloud transmissivity is estimated using measured and modeled global SDR during daytime. In a last step, the performance of several interpolation methods is evaluated to determine the cloud transmissivity in the night. We show that clear-sky direct, diffuse and global SDR is adequately represented by the model when using measurements of the atmospheric parameters precipitable water and aerosol content at Payerne. If the atmospheric parameters are estimated and used as a fix value, the relative mean bias deviance (MBD) and the relative root mean squared deviance (RMSD) of the clear-sky global SDR scatter between between -2 and 5%, and 7 and 13% within the six locations. The small errors in clear-sky global SDR can be attributed to compensating effects of modeled direct and diffuse SDR since an overestimation of aerosol content in the atmosphere results in underestimating the direct, but overestimating the diffuse SDR. Calibration of LDR parameterizations to local conditions

Uncertainties of parameterized surface downward clear-sky shortwave and all-sky longwave radiation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Gubler

2012-06-01

Full Text Available As many environmental models rely on simulating the energy balance at the Earth's surface based on parameterized radiative fluxes, knowledge of the inherent model uncertainties is important. In this study we evaluate one parameterization of clear-sky direct, diffuse and global shortwave downward radiation (SDR and diverse parameterizations of clear-sky and all-sky longwave downward radiation (LDR. In a first step, SDR is estimated based on measured input variables and estimated atmospheric parameters for hourly time steps during the years 1996 to 2008. Model behaviour is validated using the high quality measurements of six Alpine Surface Radiation Budget (ASRB stations in Switzerland covering different elevations, and measurements of the Swiss Alpine Climate Radiation Monitoring network (SACRaM in Payerne. In a next step, twelve clear-sky LDR parameterizations are calibrated using the ASRB measurements. One of the best performing parameterizations is elected to estimate all-sky LDR, where cloud transmissivity is estimated using measured and modeled global SDR during daytime. In a last step, the performance of several interpolation methods is evaluated to determine the cloud transmissivity in the night.

We show that clear-sky direct, diffuse and global SDR is adequately represented by the model when using measurements of the atmospheric parameters precipitable water and aerosol content at Payerne. If the atmospheric parameters are estimated and used as a fix value, the relative mean bias deviance (MBD and the relative root mean squared deviance (RMSD of the clear-sky global SDR scatter between between −2 and 5%, and 7 and 13% within the six locations. The small errors in clear-sky global SDR can be attributed to compensating effects of modeled direct and diffuse SDR since an overestimation of aerosol content in the atmosphere results in underestimating the direct, but overestimating the diffuse SDR. Calibration of LDR parameterizations

Ultra wide band antennas

CERN Document Server

Begaud, Xavier

2013-01-01

Ultra Wide Band Technology (UWB) has reached a level of maturity that allows us to offer wireless links with either high or low data rates. These wireless links are frequently associated with a location capability for which ultimate accuracy varies with the inverse of the frequency bandwidth. Using time or frequency domain waveforms, they are currently the subject of international standards facilitating their commercial implementation. Drawing up a complete state of the art, Ultra Wide Band Antennas is aimed at students, engineers and researchers and presents a summary of internationally recog

The "All Sky Camera Network"

Science.gov (United States)

Caldwell, Andy

2005-01-01

In 2001, the "All Sky Camera Network" came to life as an outreach program to connect the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS) exhibit "Space Odyssey" with Colorado schools. The network is comprised of cameras placed strategically at schools throughout Colorado to capture fireballs--rare events that produce meteorites.…

RELIABLE IDENTIFICATIONS OF ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI FROM THE WISE, 2MASS, AND ROSAT ALL-SKY SURVEYS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edelson, R.; Malkan, M.

2012-01-01

We have developed the ''S IX '' statistic to identify bright, highly likely active galactic nucleus (AGN) candidates solely on the basis of Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS), and ROSAT all-sky survey (RASS) data. This statistic was optimized with data from the preliminary WISE survey and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and tested with Lick 3 m Kast spectroscopy. We find that sources with S IX 95% likelihood of being an AGN (defined in this paper as a Seyfert 1, quasar, or blazar). This statistic was then applied to the full WISE/2MASS/RASS dataset, including the final WISE data release, to yield the ''W2R'' sample of 4316 sources with S IX 2 , permitting construction of AGN samples in any sufficiently large region of sky.

STARS4ALL Night Sky Brightness Photometer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaime Zamorano

2017-06-01

Full Text Available We present the main features of TESS-W, the first version of a series of inexpensive but reliable photometers that will be used to measure night sky brightness. The bandpass is extended to the red with respect of that of the Sky Quality Meter (SQM. TESS-W connects to a router via WIFI and it sends automatically the brightness values to a data repository using Internet of Things protocols. The device includes an infrared sensor to estimate the cloud coverage. It is designed for fixed stations to monitor the evolution of the sky brightness. The photometer could also be used in local mode connected to a computer or tablet to gather data from a moving vehicle. The photometer is being developed within STARS4ALL project, a collective awareness platform for promoting dark skies in Europe, funded by the EU. We intend to extend the existing professional networks to a citizen-based network of photometers. 

SWIFT GRB GRB071010B: OUTLIER OF THE E srcpeak - E γ AND E iso - E srcpeak - t srcjet CORRELATIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urata, Yuji; Lee, Induk; Ip, Wing Huen; Huang, Kuiyun; Im, Myungshin; Deng Jinsong; Liping Xin; Qiu Yulei; Wei Jianyan; Zheng Weikang; Krimm, Hans; Ohno, Masanori; Sugita, Satoshi; Tashiro, Makoto; Yamaoka, Kazutaka

2009-01-01

We present multi-band results for GRB071010B based on Swift, Suzaku, and ground-based optical observations. This burst is an ideal target to evaluate the robustness of the E src peak - E iso and E src peak - E γ relations, whose studies have been in stagnation due to the lack of the combined estimation of E src peak and long-term optical monitoring. The joint prompt spectral fitting using Swift/Burst Alert Telescope and Suzaku/Wide-band All-sky Monitor data yielded the spectral peak energy as E src peak of 86.5 +6.4 -6.3 keV and E iso of 2.25 +0.19 -0.16 x 10 52 erg with z = 0.947. The optical afterglow light curve is well fitted by a simple power law with temporal index α = -0.60 ± 0.02. The lower limit of temporal break in the optical light curve is 9.8 days. Our multi-wavelength analysis reveals that GRB071010B follows E src peak - E iso but violates the E src peak - E γ and E iso - E src peak - t src jet at more than the 3σ level.

Assimilating All-Sky Himawari-8 Satellite Infrared Radiances: A Case of Typhoon Soudelor (2015)

OpenAIRE

Honda, Takumi; Miyoshi, Takemasa; Lien, Guo-Yuan; Nishizawa, Seiya; Yoshida, Ryuji; Adachi, Sachiho A.; Terasaki, Koji; Okamoto, Kozo; Tomita, Hirofumi; Bessho, Kotaro

2018-01-01

Japan’s new geostationary satellite Himawari-8, the first of a series of the third-generation geostationary meteorological satellites includingGOES-16, has been operational since July 2015. Himawari-8 produces highresolution observations with 16 frequency bands every 10 min for full disk, and every 2.5 min for local regions. This study aims to assimilate all-sky every-10-min infrared (IR) radiances from Himawari-8 with a regional numerical weather prediction model and to investigate its impac...

X-band COSMO-SkyMed wind field retrieval, with application to coastal circulation modeling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Montuori

2013-02-01

Full Text Available In this paper, X-band COSMO-SkyMed^© synthetic aperture radar (SAR wind field retrieval is investigated, and the obtained data are used to force a coastal ocean circulation model. The SAR data set consists of 60 X-band Level 1B Multi-Look Ground Detected ScanSAR Huge Region COSMO-SkyMed^© SAR data, gathered in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea during the summer and winter seasons of 2010. The SAR-based wind vector field estimation is accomplished by resolving both the SAR-based wind speed and wind direction retrieval problems independently. The sea surface wind speed is retrieved by means of a SAR wind speed algorithm based on the azimuth cut-off procedure, while the sea surface wind direction is provided by means of a SAR wind direction algorithm based on the discrete wavelet transform multi-resolution analysis. The obtained wind fields are compared with ground truth data provided by both ASCAT scatterometer and ECMWF model wind fields. SAR-derived wind vector fields and ECMWF model wind data are used to construct a blended wind product regularly sampled in both space and time, which is then used to force a coastal circulation model of a southern Tyrrhenian coastal area to simulate wind-driven circulation processes. The modeling results show that X-band COSMO-SkyMed^© SAR data can be valuable in providing effective wind fields for coastal circulation modeling.

The All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN) Light Curve Server v1.0

Science.gov (United States)

Kochanek, C. S.; Shappee, B. J.; Stanek, K. Z.; Holoien, T. W.-S.; Thompson, Todd A.; Prieto, J. L.; Dong, Subo; Shields, J. V.; Will, D.; Britt, C.; Perzanowski, D.; Pojmański, G.

2017-10-01

The All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN) is working toward imaging the entire visible sky every night to a depth of V˜ 17 mag. The present data covers the sky and spans ˜2-5 years with ˜100-400 epochs of observation. The data should contain some ˜1 million variable sources, and the ultimate goal is to have a database of these observations publicly accessible. We describe here a first step, a simple but unprecedented web interface https://asas-sn.osu.edu/ that provides an up to date aperture photometry light curve for any user-selected sky coordinate. The V band photometry is obtained using a two-pixel (16.″0) radius aperture and is calibrated against the APASS catalog. Because the light curves are produced in real time, this web tool is relatively slow and can only be used for small samples of objects. However, it also imposes no selection bias on the part of the ASAS-SN team, allowing the user to obtain a light curve for any point on the celestial sphere. We present the tool, describe its capabilities, limitations, and known issues, and provide a few illustrative examples.

Second ROSAT all-sky survey (2RXS) source catalogue

Science.gov (United States)

Boller, Th.; Freyberg, M. J.; Trümper, J.; Haberl, F.; Voges, W.; Nandra, K.

2016-04-01

Aims: We present the second ROSAT all-sky survey source catalogue, hereafter referred to as the 2RXS catalogue. This is the second publicly released ROSAT catalogue of point-like sources obtained from the ROSAT all-sky survey (RASS) observations performed with the position-sensitive proportional counter (PSPC) between June 1990 and August 1991, and is an extended and revised version of the bright and faint source catalogues. Methods: We used the latest version of the RASS processing to produce overlapping X-ray images of 6.4° × 6.4° sky regions. To create a source catalogue, a likelihood-based detection algorithm was applied to these, which accounts for the variable point-spread function (PSF) across the PSPC field of view. Improvements in the background determination compared to 1RXS were also implemented. X-ray control images showing the source and background extraction regions were generated, which were visually inspected. Simulations were performed to assess the spurious source content of the 2RXS catalogue. X-ray spectra and light curves were extracted for the 2RXS sources, with spectral and variability parameters derived from these products. Results: We obtained about 135 000 X-ray detections in the 0.1-2.4 keV energy band down to a likelihood threshold of 6.5, as adopted in the 1RXS faint source catalogue. Our simulations show that the expected spurious content of the catalogue is a strong function of detection likelihood, and the full catalogue is expected to contain about 30% spurious detections. A more conservative likelihood threshold of 9, on the other hand, yields about 71 000 detections with a 5% spurious fraction. We recommend thresholds appropriate to the scientific application. X-ray images and overlaid X-ray contour lines provide an additional user product to evaluate the detections visually, and we performed our own visual inspections to flag uncertain detections. Intra-day variability in the X-ray light curves was quantified based on the

Fermi-LAT and Suzaku observations of the radio galaxy Centaurus B

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katsuta, J.; Tanaka, Y. T.; Stawarz, Ł.; O’Sullivan, S. P.; Cheung, C. C.

2013-01-01

Centaurus B is a nearby radio galaxy positioned in the southern hemisphere close to the Galactic plane. Here, in this work, we present a detailed analysis of about 43 months of accumulated Fermi-LAT data of the γ-ray counterpart of the source initially reported in the 2nd Fermi-LAT catalog, and of newly acquired Suzaku X-ray data. We confirm its detection at GeV photon energies and analyze the extension and variability of the γ-ray source in the LAT dataset, in which it appears as a steady γ-ray emitter. The X-ray core of Centaurus B is detected as a bright source of a continuum radiation. We do not detect, however, any diffuse X-ray emission from the known radio lobes, with the provided upper limit only marginally consistent with the previously claimed ASCA flux. Two scenarios that connect the X-ray and γ-ray properties are considered. In the first one, we assume that the diffuse non-thermal X-ray emission component is not significantly below the derived Suzaku upper limit. In this case, modeling the inverse-Compton emission shows that the observed γ-ray flux of the source may in principle be produced within the lobes. This association would imply that efficient in-situ acceleration of the radiating electrons is occurring and that the lobes are dominated by the pressure from the relativistic particles. In the second scenario, with the diffuse X-ray emission well below the Suzaku upper limits, the lobes in the system are instead dominated by the magnetic pressure. In this case, the observed γ-ray flux is not likely to be produced within the lobes, but instead within the nuclear parts of the jet. In conclusion, by means of synchrotron self-Compton modeling, we show that this possibility could be consistent with the broad-band data collected for the unresolved core of Centaurus B, including the newly derived Suzaku spectrum.

THE SUZAKU VIEW OF 3C 382

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sambruna, R. M.; Gliozzi, M.; Tombesi, F.; Reeves, J. N.; Braito, V.; Ballo, L.; Reynolds, C. S.

2011-01-01

We present a long (116 ks) Suzaku observation of the broad-line radio galaxy (BLRG) 3C 382 acquired in 2007 April. A Swift BAT spectrum in 15-200 keV from the 58 month survey is also analyzed, together with an archival XMM-Newton EPIC exposure of 20 ks obtained one year after Suzaku. Our main result is the finding with Suzaku of a broad Fe K line with a relativistic profile consistent with emission from an accretion disk at tens of gravitational radii from the central black hole. The XIS data indicate emission from highly ionized iron and allow us to set tight, albeit model-dependent, constraints on the inner and outer radii of the disk reflecting region, r in ≅ 10 r g and r out ≅ 20 r g , respectively, and on the disk inclination, i ≅ 30 0 . Two ionized reflection components are possibly observed, with similar contributions of ∼10% to the total continuum-a highly ionized one, with logξ ≅ 3 erg s -1 cm, which successfully models the relativistic line, and a mildly ionized one, with logξ ≅ 1.5 erg s -1 cm, which models the narrow Fe Kα and high energy hump. When both these components are included, there is no further requirement for an additional blackbody soft excess below 2 keV. The Suzaku data confirm the presence of a warm absorber previously known from grating studies. After accounting for all the spectral features, the intrinsic photon index of the X-ray continuum is Γ x ≅ 1.8 with a cutoff energy at ∼200 keV, consistent with Comptonization models and excluding jet-related emission up to these energies. Comparison of the X-ray properties of 3C 382 and other BLRGs to Seyferts recently observed with Suzaku and BAT confirms the idea that the distinction between radio-loud and radio-quiet active galactic nucleus at X-rays is blurred. The two classes form a continuum distribution in terms of X-ray photon index, reflection strength, and Fe K line width (related to the disk emission radius), with BLRGs clustered at one end of the distribution

First observations from a CCD all-sky spectrograph at Barentsburg (Spitsbergen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. A. Chernouss

2008-05-01

Full Text Available A digital CCD all-sky spectrograph was made by the Polar Geophysical Institute (PGI to support IPY activity in auroral research. The device was tested at the Barentsburg observatory of PGI during the winter season of 2005–2006. The spectrograph is based on a cooled CCD and a transmission grating. The main features of this spectrograph are: a wide field of view (~180°, a wide spectral range (380–740 nm, a spectral resolution of 0.6 nm, a background level of about 100 R at 1-min exposure time. Several thousand spectra of nightglow and aurora were recorded during the observation season. It was possible to register both the strong auroral emissions, as well as weak ones. Spectra of aurora, including nitrogen and oxygen molecular and atomic emissions, as well as OH emissions of the nightglow are shown. A comparison has been conducted of auroral spectra obtained by the film all-sky spectral camera C-180-S at Spitsbergen during IGY, with spectra obtained at Barentsburg during the last winter season. The relationship between the red (630.0 nm and green (557.7 nm auroral emissions shows that the green emission is dominant near the minimum of the solar cycle activity (2005–2006. The opposite situation is observed during 1958–1959, with a maximum solar cycle activity.

All-sky search for short gravitational-wave bursts in the first Advanced LIGO run

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Abernathy, M. R.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Phythian-Adams, A.T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R. X.; Adya, V. B.; Affeldt, C.; Agathos, M.; Agatsuma, K.; Aggarwal, N.T.; Aguiar, O. D.; Aiello, L.; Ain, A.; Allen, B.; Allocca, A.; Altin, P. A.; Ananyeva, A.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Appert, S.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Areeda, J. S.; Arnaud, N.; Arun, K. G.; Ascenzi, S.; Ashton, G.; Ast, M.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; Avila-Alvarez, A.; Babak, S.; Bacon, P.; Bader, M. K. M.; Baker, P. T.; Baldaccini, F.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S. W.; Barayoga, J. C.; Barclay, S. E.; Barish, B. C.; Barker, R.D.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barta, D.; Bartlett, J.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Basti, A.; Batch, J. C.; Baune, C.; Bavigadda, V.; Bazzan, M.; Beer, C.; Bejger, M.; Belahcene, I.; Belgin, M.; Bell, A. S.; Berger, B. K.; Bergmann, G.; Berry, C. P. L.; Bersanetti, D.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Bhagwat, S.; Bhandare, R.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Billman, C. R.; Birch, M.J.; Birney, R.; Birnholtz, O.; Biscans, S.; Bisht, A.; Bitossi, M.; Biwer, C.; Bizouard, M. A.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blackman, J.; Blair, C. D.; Blair, D. G.; Blair, R. M.; Bloemen, A.L.S.; Bock, O.; Boer, M.; Bogaert, J.G.; Bohe, A.; Bondu, F.; Bonnand, R.; Boom, B. A.; Bork, R.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Bouffanais, Y.; Bozzi, A.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Braginsky, V. B.; Branchesi, M.; Brau, J. E.; Briant, T.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Brockill, P.; Broida, J. E.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, A.D.; Brown, D.; Brown, N. M.; Brunett, S.; Buchanan, C. C.; Buikema, A.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cabero, M.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Cahillane, C.; Bustillo, J. Calderon; Callister, T. A.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Canepa, M.; Cannon, K. C.; Cao, H.; Cao, J.; Capano, C. D.; Capocasa, E.; Carbognani, F.; Caride, S.; Diaz, J. Casanueva; Casentini, C.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglia, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C. B.; Baiardi, L. Cerboni; Cerretani, G.; Cesarini, E.; Chamberlin, S. J.; Chan, M.; Chao, D. S.; Charlton, P.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Cheeseboro, B. D.; Chen, H. Y.; Chen, Y; Cheng, H. -P.; Chincarini, A.; Chiummo, A.; Chmiel, T.; Cho, H. S.; Cho, M.; Chow, J. H.; Christensen, N.; Chu, Qian; Chua, A. J. K.; Chua, S. E.; Chung, E.S.; Ciani, G.; Clara, F.; Clark, J. A.; Cleva, F.; Cocchieri, C.; Coccia, E.; Cohadon, P. -F.; Colla, A.; Collette, C. G.; Cominsky, L.; Constancio, M., Jr.; Conti, L.; Cooper, S. J.; Corbitt, T. R.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Cortese, S.; Costa, A.C.; Coughlin, M. W.; Coughlin, S. B.; Coulon, J. -P.; Countryman, S. T.; Couvares, P.; Covas, P. B.; Cowan, E. E.; Coward, D. M.; Cowart, M. J.; Coyne, D. C.; Coyne, R.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Cripe, J.; Crowder, S. G.; Cullen, T. J.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, A.L.; Cuoco, E.; Dal Canton, T.; Danilishin, S. L.; D'Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Dasgupta, A.; Costa, C. F. Da Silva; Dattilo, V.; Dave, I.; Davier, M.; Davies, G. S.; Davis, D.; Daw, E. J.; Day, B.; Day, R.; De, S.; Debra, D.; Debreczeni, G.; Degallaix, J.; De laurentis, M.; Deleglise, S.; Del Pozzo, W.; Denker, T.; Dent, T.; Dergachev, V.A.; Rosa, R.; DeRosa, R. T.; DeSalvo, R.; Devenson, J.; Devine, R. C.; Dhurandhar, S.; Diaz, M. C.; Di Fiore, L.; Giovanni, M.G.; Di Girolamo, T.; Di Lieto, A.; Di Pace, S.; Di Palma, I.; Di Virgilio, A.; Doctor, Z.; Dolique, V.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Dorrington, I.; Douglas, R.; Alvarez, M. Dovale; Downes, T. P.; Drago, M.; Drever, R. W. P.; Driggers, J. C.; Du, Z.; Ducrot, M.; Dwyer, S. E.; Edo, T. B.; Edwards, M. C.; Effler, A.; Eggenstein, H. -B.; Ehrens, P.; Eichholz, J.; Eikenberry, S. S.; Eisenstein, R. A.; Essick, R. C.; Etienne, Z.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.C.; Evans, T. M.; Everett, R.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fair, H.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, X.M.; Farinon, S.; Farr, B.; Farr, W. M.; Fauchon-Jones, E. J.; Favata, M.; Fays, M.; Fehrmann, H.; Fejer, M. M.; Galiana, A. Fernandez; Ferrante, I.; Ferreira, E. C.; Ferrini, F.; Fidecaro, F.; Fiori, I.; Fiorucci, D.; Fisher, R. P.; Flaminio, R.; Fletcher, M; Fong, H.; Forsyth, S. S.; Fournier, J. -D.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Frey, V.; Fries, E. M.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Gabbard, H.; Gadre, B. U.; Gaebel, S. M.; Gair, J. R.; Gammaitoni, L.; Gaonkar, S. G.; Garufi, F.; Gaur, G.; Gayathri, V.; Gehrels, N.; Gemme, G.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; George, J.; Gergely, L.; Germain, V.; Ghonge, S.; Ghosh, Abhirup; Ghosh, Archisman; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gill, K.P.; Glaefke, A.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gondan, L.; Gonzalez, R.G.; Castro, J. M. Gonzalez; Gopakumar, A.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Gossan, S. E.; Lee-Gosselin, M.; Gouaty, R.; Grado, A.; Graef, C.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.M.; Greco, G.; Green, A. C.; Groot, P.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Guidi, G. M.; Guo, X.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, M. K.; Gushwa, K. E.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hacker, J. J.; Buffoni-Hall, R.; Hall, E. D.; Hammond, G.L.; Haney, M.; Hanke, M. M.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hanson, P.J.; Hardwick, T.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Hart, M. J.; Hartman, M. T.; Haster, C. -J.; Haughian, K.; Healy, J.; Heidmann, A.; Heintze, M. C.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hemming, G.; Hendry, M.; Heng, I. S.; Hennig, J.; Henry, J.A.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Heurs, M.; Hild, S.; Hoak, D.; Hofman, D.; Holt, K.; Holz, D. E.; Hopkins, P.; Hough, J.; Houston, E. A.; Howell, E. J.; Hu, Y. M.; Huerta, E. A.; Huet, D.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Indik, N.; Ingram, D. R.; Inta, R.; Isa, H. N.; Isac, J. -M.; Isi, M.; Isogai, T.; Iyer, B. R.; Izumi, K.; Jacqmin, T.; Jani, K.; Jaranowski, P.; Jawahar, S.; Jimenez-Forteza, F.; Johnson, W.; Jones, I.D.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; Junker, J.; Kalaghatgi, C. V.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.H.; Kanner, J. B.; Karki, S.; Karvinen, K. S.; Kasprzack, M.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, S.; Kaur, T.; Kawabe, K.; Kefelian, F.; Keitel, D.; Kelley, D. B.; Kennedy, R.E.; Key, J. S.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khan, I.; Khan., S.; Khan, Z.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kijbunchoo, N.; Kim, Chunglee; Kim, J. C.; Kim, Whansun; Kim, W.; Kim, Y.M.; Kimbrell, S. J.; King, E. J.; King, P. J.; Kirchhoff, R.; Kissel, J. S.; Klein, B.; Kleybolte, L.; Klimenko, S.; Koch, P.; Koehlenbeck, S. M.; Koley, S.; Kondrashov, V.; Kontos, A.; Korobko, M.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D. B.; Kraemer, H.C.; Kringel, V.; Krishnan, B.; Krolak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, R.; Kuo, L.; Kutynia, A.; Lackey, B. D.; Landry, M.; Lang, R. N.; Lange, J.; Lantz, B.; Lanza, R. K.; Lartaux-Vollard, A.; Lasky, P. D.; Laxen, M.; Lazzarini, A.; Lazzaro, C.; Leaci, P.; Leavey, S.; Lebigot, E. O.; Lee, C.H.; Lee, K.H.; Lee, M.H.; Lee, K.; Lehmann, J.; Lenon, A.; Leonardi, M.; Leong, J. R.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levin, Y.; Li, T. G. F.; Libson, A.; Littenberg, T. B.; Liu, J.; Lockerbie, N. A.; Lombardi, A. L.; London, L. T.; Lord, J. E.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J. D.; Lovelace, G.; Luck, H.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynch, R.; Ma, Y.; Macfoy, S.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Magana-Sandoval, F.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Malvezzi, V.; Man, N.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Mansell, G. L.; Manske, M.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Marka, S.; Marka, Z.; Markosyan, A. S.; Maros, E.; Martelli, F.; Martellini, L.; Martin, I. W.; Martynov, D. V.; Mason, K.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Masso-Reid, M.; Mastrogiovanni, S.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Mavalvala, N.; Mazumder, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McCormick, S.; McGrath Hoareau, C.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McManus, D. J.; McRae, T.; McWilliams, S. T.; Meacher, D.; Meadors, G. D.; Meidam, J.; Melatos, A.; Mendell, G.; Mendoza-Gandara, D.; Mercer, R. A.; Merilh, E. L.; Merzougui, M.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Messick, C.; Metzdorff, R.; Meyers, P. M.; Mezzani, F.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Middleton, H.; Mikhailov, E. E.; Milano, L.; Miller, A. L.; Miller, F.A.; Miller, B.; Miller, J.; Millhouse, M.; Minenkov, Y.; Ming, J.; Mirshekari, S.; Mishra, C.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moggi, A.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Montani, M.; Moore, B.C.; Moore, J.C.; Moraru, D.; Gutierrez Moreno, M.; Morriss, S. R.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, G.; Muir, A. W.; Mukherjee, Arunava; Mukherjee, S.D.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukund, N.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Muniz, E. A. M.; Murray, P.G.; Mytidis, A.; Napier, K.; Nardecchia, I.; Naticchioni, L.; Nelemans, G.; Nelson, T. J. N.; Gutierrez-Neri, M.; Nery, M.; Neunzert, A.; Newport, J. M.; Newton-Howes, G.; Nguyen, T. T.; Nissanke, S.; Nitz, A.; Noack, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; Normandin, M. E. N.; Nuttall, L. K.; Oberling, J.; Ochsner, E.; Oelker, E.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J.; Oh, S. H.; Ohme, F.; Oliver, M. B.; Oppermann, P.; Oram, Richard J.; O'Reilly, B.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Ottaway, D. J.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Pace, A. E.; Page, J.; Pai, A.; Pai, S. A.; Palamos, J. R.; Palashov, O.; Palomba, C.; Pal-Singh, A.; Pan, H.; Pankow, C.; Pannarale, F.; Pant, B. C.; Paoletti, F.; Paoli, A.; Papa, M. A.; Paris, H. R.; Parker, W.S; Pascucci, D.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patricelli, B.; Pearlstone, B. L.; Pedraza, M.; Pedurand, R.; Pekowsky, L.; Pele, A.; Penn, S.; Castro-Perez, J.; Perreca, A.; Perri, L. M.; Pfeiffer, H. P.; Phelps, M.; Piccinni, O. J.; Pichot, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pillant, G.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pitkin, M.; Poe, M.; Poggiani, R.; Popolizio, P.; Post, A.; Powell, J.; Prasad, J.; Pratt, J. W. W.; Predoi, V.; Prestegard, T.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L. G.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Puerner, M.; Qi, H.; Qin, J.; Qiu, S.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E. A.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raja, S.; Rajan, C.; Rakhmanov, M.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Razzano, M.; Re, V.; Read, J.; Regimbau, T.; Rei, L.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Rew, H.; Reyes, S. D.; Rhoades, E.; Ricci, F.; Riles, K.; Rizzo, D.M.; Robertson, N. A.; Robie, R.; Robinet, F.; Rocchi, A.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J. G.; Roma, V. J.; Romano, R.; Romie, J. H.; Rosinska, D.; Rowan, S.; Ruediger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Ryan, K.A.; Sachdev, P.S.; Sadecki, T.; Sadeghian, L.; Sakellariadou, M.; Salconi, L.; Saleem, M.; Salemi, F.; Samajdar, A.; Sammut, L.; Sampson, L. M.; Sanchez, E. J.; Sandberg, V.; Sanders, J. R.; Sassolas, B.; Sathyaprakash, B. S.; Saulson, P. R.; Sauter, O.; Savage, R. L.; Sawadsky, A.; Schale, P.; Scheuer, J.; Schmidt, E.; Schmidt, J; Schmidt, P.; Schnabel, R.B.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schoenbeck, A.; Schreiber, K.E.C.; Schuette, D.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwalbe, S. G.; Scott, J.; Scott, M.S.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sequino, V.; Sergeev, A.; Setyawati, Y.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaffer, T. J.; Shahriar, M. S.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Sheperd, A.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Shoemaker, D. M.; Siellez, K.; Siemens, X.; Sieniawska, M.; Sigg, D.; Silva, António Dias da; Singer, A; Singer, L. P.; Singh, A.; Singh, R.; Singhal, A.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Smith, B.; Smith, J.R.; Smith, R. J. E.; Son, E. J.; Sorazu, B.; Sorrentino, F.; Souradeep, T.; Spencer, A. P.; Srivastava, A. K.; Staley, A.; Steinke, M.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steinmeyer, D.; Stephens, B. C.; Stevenson-Moore, P.; Stone, J.R.; Strain, K. A.; Straniero, N.; Stratta, G.; Strigin, S. E.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sun, L.; Sunil, S.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B. L.; Szczepanczyk, M. J.; Tacca, M.D.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tapai, M.; Taracchini, A.; Taylor, W.R.; Theeg, T.; Thomas, E. G.; Thomas, M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thrane, E.; Tippens, T.; Tiwari, S.; Tiwari, V.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toland, K.; Tomlinson, C.; Tonelli, M.; Tornasi, Z.; Torrie, C. I.; Torya, D.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trifiro, D.; Trinastic, J.; Tringali, M. C.; Trozzo, L.; Tse, M.; Tso, R.; Turconi, M.; Tuyenbayev, D.; Ugolini, D.; Unnikrishnan, C. S.; Urban, A. L.; Usman, S. A.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; Valdes, G.; van Bakel, N.; van Beuzekom, M.G.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.F.F.; Vander-Hyde, D. C.; van der Schaaf, L.; van Heijningen, J. V.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vardaro, M.; Varma, V.; Vass, S.; Vasuth, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P.J.; Venkateswara, K.; Venugopalan, G.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Vicere, A.; Viets, A. D.; Vinciguerra, S.; Vine, D. J.; Vinet, J. -Y.; Vitale, S.; Vo, T.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Voss, D. V.; Vousden, W. D.; Vyatchanin, S. P.; Wade, A. R.; Wade, L. E.; Wade, MT; Walker, M.; Wallace, L.; Walsh, S.; Wang, G.; Wang, H.; Wang, M.; Wang, Y.; Ward, R. L.; Warner, J.; Was, M.; Watchi, J.; Weaver, B.; Wei, L. -W.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.M.; Wessels, P.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whiting, B. F.; Whittle, C.; Williams, D.; Williams, D.R.; Williamson, A. R.; Willis, J. L.; Willke, B.; Wimmer, M. H.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Woehler, J.; Worden, J.; Wright, J.L.; Wu, D.S.; Wu, G.; Yam, W.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yap, M. J.; Yu, Hang; Yu, Haocun; Yvert, M.; Zadrozny, A.; Zangrando, L.; Zanolin, M.; Zendri, J. -P.; Zevin, M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, M.; Zhang, T.; Zhang, Y.; Zhao, C.; Zhou, M.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, S.J.; Zhu, X. J.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.

2017-01-01

We present the results from an all-sky search for short-duration gravitational waves in the data of the first run of the Advanced LIGO detectors between September 2015 and January 2016. The search algorithms use minimal assumptions on the signal morphology, so they are sensitive to a wide range of

DISCOVERY OF A HALO AROUND THE HELIX NEBULA NGC 7293 IN THE WISE ALL-SKY SURVEY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yong; Hsia, Chih-Hao; Kwok, Sun

2012-01-01

We report the discovery of an extended halo (∼40' in diameter) around the planetary nebula NGC 7293 (the Helix Nebula) observed in the 12 μm band from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer all-sky survey. The mid-infrared halo has an axisymmetric structure with a sharp boundary to the northeast and a more diffuse boundary to the southwest, suggesting an interaction between the stellar wind and the interstellar medium (ISM). The symmetry axis of the halo is well aligned with that of a northeast arc, suggesting that the two structures are physically associated. We have attempted to fit the observed geometry with a model of a moving steady-state stellar wind interacting with the ISM. Possible combinations of the ISM density and the stellar velocity are derived from these fittings. The discrepancies between the model and the observations suggest that the stellar mass loss has a more complicated history, including possible time and angle dependences.

Wide Band to ''Double Band'' upgrade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasper, P.; Currier, R.; Garbincius, P.; Butler, J.

1988-06-01

The Wide Band beam currently uses electrons obtained from secondary photon conversions to produce the photon beam incident on the experimental targets. By transporting the positrons produced in these conversions as well as the electrons it is possible to almost double the number of photons delivered to the experiments per primary beam proton. 11 figs

Fermi-LAT and Suzaku Observations of the Radio Galaxy Centaurus B

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katsuta, Junichiro

2012-01-01

CentaurusB is a nearby radio galaxy positioned in the Southern hemisphere close to the Galactic plane. Here we present a detailed analysis of about 43 months accumulation of Fermi-LAT data and of newly acquired Suzaku X-ray data for Centaurus B. The source is detected at GeV photon energies, although we cannot completely exclude the possibility that it is an artifact due to incorrect modeling of the bright Galactic diffuse emission in the region. The LAT image provides a weak hint of a spatial extension of the γ rays along the radio lobes, which is consistent with the lack of source variability in the GeV range. We note that the extension cannot be established statistically due to the low number of the photons. Surprisingly, we do not detect any diffuse emission of the lobes at X-ray frequencies, with the provided upper limit only marginally consistent with the previously claimed ASCA flux. The broad-band modeling shows that the observed γ-ray flux of the source may be produced within the lobes, if the diffuse non-thermal X-ray emission component is not significantly below the derived Suzaku upper limit. This association would imply that efficient in-situ acceleration of the ultrarelativistic particles is occurring and that the lobes are dominated by the pressure from the relativistic particles. However, if the diffuse X-ray emission is much below the Suzaku upper limits, the observed γ-ray flux is not likely to be produced within the lobes, but instead within the unresolved core of Centaurus B. In this case, the extended lobes could be dominated by the pressure of the magnetic field.

Fermi-LAT and Suzaku Observations of the Radio Galaxy Centaurus B

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Katsuta, Junichiro; /Stanford U., HEPL /KIPAC, Menlo Park; Tanaka, Y.T.; /Hiroshima U.; Stawarz, L.; /JAXA, Sagamihara /Jagiellonian U., Astron. Observ.; O' Sullivan, S.P.; /Australia, CSIRO, Epping; Cheung, C.C.; /NAS, Washington, D.C.; Kataoka, J.; /Waseda U., RISE; Funk, S.; /Stanford U., HEPL /KIPAC, Menlo Park; Yuasa, T.; Odaka, H.; Takahashi, T.; /JAXA, Sagamihara; Svoboda, J.; /European Space Agency

2012-08-17

CentaurusB is a nearby radio galaxy positioned in the Southern hemisphere close to the Galactic plane. Here we present a detailed analysis of about 43 months accumulation of Fermi-LAT data and of newly acquired Suzaku X-ray data for Centaurus B. The source is detected at GeV photon energies, although we cannot completely exclude the possibility that it is an artifact due to incorrect modeling of the bright Galactic diffuse emission in the region. The LAT image provides a weak hint of a spatial extension of the {gamma} rays along the radio lobes, which is consistent with the lack of source variability in the GeV range. We note that the extension cannot be established statistically due to the low number of the photons. Surprisingly, we do not detect any diffuse emission of the lobes at X-ray frequencies, with the provided upper limit only marginally consistent with the previously claimed ASCA flux. The broad-band modeling shows that the observed {gamma}-ray flux of the source may be produced within the lobes, if the diffuse non-thermal X-ray emission component is not significantly below the derived Suzaku upper limit. This association would imply that efficient in-situ acceleration of the ultrarelativistic particles is occurring and that the lobes are dominated by the pressure from the relativistic particles. However, if the diffuse X-ray emission is much below the Suzaku upper limits, the observed {gamma}-ray flux is not likely to be produced within the lobes, but instead within the unresolved core of Centaurus B. In this case, the extended lobes could be dominated by the pressure of the magnetic field.

Exploring the diffuse interstellar bands with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Ting-Wen; Ménard, Brice; Zhu, Guangtun

2015-10-01

We use star, galaxy and quasar spectra taken by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to map out the distribution of diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) induced by the Milky Way. After carefully removing the intrinsic spectral energy distribution of each source, we show that by stacking thousands of spectra, it is possible to measure statistical flux fluctuations at the 10-3 level, detect more than 20 DIBs and measure their strength as a function of position on the sky. We create a map of DIB absorption covering about 5000 deg2 and measure correlations with various tracers of the interstellar medium: atomic and molecular hydrogen, dust and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). After recovering known correlations, we show that each DIB has a different dependence on atomic and molecular hydrogen: while they are all positively correlated with N_{H I}, they exhibit a range of behaviours with N_{H_2} showing positive, negative or no correlation. We show that a simple parametrization involving only N_{H I} and N_{H_2} applied to all the DIBs is sufficient to reproduce a large collection of observational results reported in the literature: it allows us to naturally describe the relations between DIB strength and dust reddening (including the so-called skin effect), the related scatter, DIB pair-wise correlations and families, the affinity for σ/ζ-type environments and other correlations related to molecules. Our approach allows us to characterize DIB dependencies in a simple manner and provides us with a metric to characterize the similarity between different DIBs.

Next generation x-ray all-sky monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Priedhorsky, W. C.; Peele, A. G.; Nugent, K. A.

1997-01-01

We set forth a conceptual design for x-ray all-sky monitor based on lobster-eye wide-field telescopes. This instrument, suitable for a small satellite, would monitor the flux of objects as faint as 2x10 -15 W/m 2 (0.5-2.4 keV) on a daily basis with a signal-to-noise of 5. Sources would be located to 1-2 arc-minutes. Detailed simulations show that crosstalk from the cruciform lobster images would not significantly compromise performance. At this sensitivity limit, we could monitor not just x-ray binaries but fainter classes of x-ray sources. Hundreds of active galactic nuclei, coronal sources, and cataclysmic variables could be tracked on a daily basis. Large numbers of fast transients should be visible, including gamma-ray bursts and the soft x-ray breakout of nearby type II supernovae. Long-term x-ray measurements will advance our understanding of the geometries and perhaps masses of AGN, and coronal energy sources in stars

SkyProbeBV: dual-color absolute sky transparency monitor to optimize science operations

Science.gov (United States)

Cuillandre, Jean-Charles; Magnier, Eugene; Sabin, Dan; Mahoney, Billy

2008-07-01

Mauna Kea (4200 m elevation, Hawaii) is known for its pristine seeing conditions, but sky transparency can be an issue for science operations: 25% of the nights are not photometric, a cloud coverage mostly due to high-altitude thin cirrus. The Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) is upgrading its real-time sky transparency monitor in the optical domain (V-band) into a dual-color system by adding a B-band channel and redesigning the entire optical and mechanical assembly. Since 2000, the original single-channel SkyProbe has gathered one exposure every minute during each observing night using a small CCD camera with a very wide field of view (35 sq. deg.) encompassing the region pointed by the telescope for science operations, and exposures long enough (30 seconds) to capture at least 100 stars of Hipparcos' Tychos catalog at high galactic latitudes (and up to 600 stars at low galactic latitudes). A key advantage of SkyProbe over direct thermal infrared imaging detection of clouds, is that it allows an accurate absolute measurement, within 5%, of the true atmospheric absorption by clouds affecting the data being gathered by the telescope's main science instrument. This system has proven crucial for decision making in the CFHT queued service observing (QSO), representing today 95% of the telescope time: science exposures taken in non-photometric conditions are automatically registered for being re-observed later on (at 1/10th of the original exposure time per pointing in the observed filters) to ensure a proper final absolute photometric calibration. If the absorption is too high, exposures can be repeated, or the observing can be done for a lower ranked science program. The new dual color system (simultaneous B & V bands) will allow a better characterization of the sky properties above Mauna Kea and should enable a better detection of the thinner cirrus (absorption down to 0.02 mag., i.e. 2%). SkyProbe is operated within the Elixir pipeline, a collection of tools

RAPID SPECTRAL CHANGES OF CYGNUS X-1 IN THE LOW/HARD STATE WITH SUZAKU

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamada, S.; Makishima, K. [Cosmic Radiation Laboratory, Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Negoro, H. [Department of Physics, College of Science and Technology, Nihon University, 1-8 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8308 (Japan); Torii, S.; Noda, H. [Department of Physics, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Mineshige, S. [Department of Astronomy, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan)

2013-04-20

Rapid spectral changes in the hard X-ray on a timescale down to {approx}0.1 s are studied by applying a ''shot analysis'' technique to the Suzaku observations of the black hole binary Cygnus X-1, performed on 2008 April 18 during the low/hard state. We successfully obtained the shot profiles, covering 10-200 keV with the Suzaku HXD-PIN and HXD-GSO detector. It is notable that the 100-200 keV shot profile is acquired for the first time owing to the HXD-GSO detector. The intensity changes in a time-symmetric way, though the hardness changes in a time-asymmetric way. When the shot-phase-resolved spectra are quantified with the Compton model, the Compton y-parameter and the electron temperature are found to decrease gradually through the rising phase of the shot, while the optical depth appears to increase. All the parameters return to their time-averaged values immediately within 0.1 s past the shot peak. We have not only confirmed this feature previously found in energies below {approx}60 keV, but also found that the spectral change is more prominent in energies above {approx}100 keV, implying the existence of some instant mechanism for direct entropy production. We discuss possible interpretations of the rapid spectral changes in the hard X-ray band.

The USNO-UKIRT K-band Hemisphere Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Dahm, Scott; Bruursema, Justice; Munn, Jeffrey A.; Vrba, Fred J.; Dorland, Bryan; Dye, Simon; Kerr, Tom; Varricatt, Watson; Irwin, Mike; Lawrence, Andy; McLaren, Robert; Hodapp, Klaus; Hasinger, Guenther

2018-01-01

We present initial results from the United States Naval Observatory (USNO) and UKIRT K-band Hemisphere Survey (U2HS), currently underway using the Wide Field Camera (WFCAM) installed on UKIRT on Maunakea. U2HS is a collaborative effort undertaken by USNO, the Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, the Cambridge Astronomy Survey Unit (CASU) and the Wide Field Astronomy Unit (WFAU) in Edinburgh. The principal objective of the U2HS is to provide continuous northern hemisphere K-band coverage over a declination range of δ=0o – +60o by combining over 12,700 deg2 of new imaging with the existing UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Large Area Survey (LAS), Galactic Plane Survey (GPS) and Galactic Cluster Survey (GCS). U2HS will achieve a 5-σ point source sensitivity of K~18.4 mag (Vega), over three magnitudes deeper than the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS). In this contribution we discuss survey design, execution, data acquisition and processing, photometric calibration and quality control. The data obtained by the U2HS will be made publicly available through the Wide Field Science Archive (WSA) maintained by the WFAU.

VLITE Surveys the Sky: A 340 MHz Companion to the VLA Sky Survey (VLASS)

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Wendy; Clarke, Tracy; Brisken, Walter; Cotton, William; Richards, Emily E.; Giacintucci, Simona; Kassim, Namir

2018-01-01

The VLA Low Band Ionosphere and Transient Experiment (VLITE; ) is a commensal observing system on the Karl G. Janksy Very Large Array (VLA) which was developed by the Naval Research Laboratory and NRAO. A 64 MHz sub-band from the prime focus 240-470 MHz dipoles is correlated during nearly all regular VLA observations. VLITE uses dedicated samplers and fibers, as well as a custom designed, real-time DiFX software correlator, and requires no additional resources from the VLA system running the primary science program. The experiment has been operating since November 2014 with 10 antennas; a recent expansion in summer 2017 increased that number to 16 and more than doubled the number of baselines.The VLA Sky Survey (VLASS; ), is an ongoing survey of the entire sky visible to the VLA at a frequency of 2-4 GHz. The observations are made using an "on-the-fly" (OTF) continuous RA scanning technique which fills in the sky by observing along rows of constant declination. VLITE breaks the data into 2-second integrations and correlates these at a central position every 1.5 degrees. All data for each correlator position is imaged separately, corrected and weighted by an appropriately elongated primary beam model, and then combined in the image plane to create a mosaic of the sky. A catalog of the sources is extracted to provide a 340 MHz sky model.We present preliminary images and catalogs from the 2017 VLASS observations which began in early September, 2017, and continued on a nearly daily basis throughout the fall. In addition to providing a unique sky model at 340 MHz, these data complement VLASS by providing spectral indices for all cataloged sources.

A Space View of Radar Archaeological Marks: First Applications of COSMO-SkyMed X-Band Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fulong Chen

2014-12-01

Full Text Available With the development of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR in terms of multi-band, multi-polarization and high-resolution data, space radar remote sensing for archaeology has become a potential field for research. Nevertheless, the archaeological detection capability of this technology has so far not been fully assessed. This paper is a pioneering effort to assess the potential of satellite SAR X-band data in the detection of archaeological marks. We focus on the results obtained from a collaborative contribution jointly carried out by archaeologists and remote sensing experts in order to test the use of COSMO-SkyMed data in different contexts and environmental conditions. The methodological approaches we adopted are based on two different feature-enhancement procedures: (i multi-temporal analysis performed to reduce noise and highlight archaeological marks; (ii single-date analysis to assess the ability of the single SAR scene to detect archaeological features like with optical remote sensing. Results from multi-temporal data analysis, conducted using 40 scenes from COSMO-SkyMed X-band Stripmap data (27 February to 17 October 2013, enable us to detect unknown archaeological crop, soil, and shadow marks representing Luoyang city, dating from the Eastern-Han to Northern-Wei Dynasties. Single-date analyses were conducted using COSMO-SkyMed Spotlight scenes acquired for Sabratha (Libya and Metapontum (southern Italy. These case studies were selected because they are characterized by diverse superficial conditions (desert and Mediterranean area and archaeological marks (crop, soil and shadow. The results we obtained for both of them show that even a single SAR X-band acquisition is a feasible and effective approach for archaeological prospection. Overall, the methodological approach adopted demonstrated that both multi-temporal and single-date analysis are suitable for the enhancement of archaeological and palaeoenvironmental features.

Using All-Sky Imaging to Improve Telescope Scheduling (Abstract)

Science.gov (United States)

Cole, G. M.

2017-12-01

(Abstract only) Automated scheduling makes it possible for a small telescope to observe a large number of targets in a single night. But when used in areas which have less-than-perfect sky conditions such automation can lead to large numbers of observations of clouds and haze. This paper describes the development of a "sky-aware" telescope automation system that integrates the data flow from an SBIG AllSky340c camera with an enhanced dispatch scheduler to make optimum use of the available observing conditions for two highly instrumented backyard telescopes. Using the minute-by-minute time series image stream and a self-maintained reference database, the software maintains a file of sky brightness, transparency, stability, and forecasted visibility at several hundred grid positions. The scheduling software uses this information in real time to exclude targets obscured by clouds and select the best observing task, taking into account the requirements and limits of each instrument.

[Auditory training with wide-band white noise: effects on the recruitment (III)].

Science.gov (United States)

Domínguez Ugidos, L J; Rodríguez Morejón, C; Vallés Varela, H; Iparraguirre Bolinaga, V; Knaster del Olmo, J

2001-05-01

The auditory training with wide-band white noise is a methodology for the qualitative recovery of the hearing loss in people suffering from sensorineural hearing loss. It is based on the application of a wide-band white modified noise. In a prospective study, we have assessed the modifications of the recruitment coefficient in a sample of 48 patients who have followed a program of 15 auditory training with wide-band white noise sessions. The average improvement of the recruitment coefficient expressed in percentage is a 7.7498%, which comes up to 23.5249% in the case of a binaural recruitment coefficient. From our results, it can be deduced that the auditory training with wide-band white noise reduces the recruitment. That is to say, the decrease of the recruitment in high intensities both binaurally and in all ears.

Planck 2013 results. XI. All-sky model of thermal dust emission

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abergel, A.; Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.

2014-01-01

This paper presents an all-sky model of dust emission from the Planck 353, 545, and 857 GHz, and IRAS 100 mu m data. Using a modified blackbody fit to the data we present all-sky maps of the dust optical depth, temperature, and spectral index over the 353-3000 GHz range. This model is a good repr...

Performance characteristics of a perforated shadow band under clear sky conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brooks, Michael J. [School of Mechanical Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban (South Africa)

2010-12-15

A perforated, non-rotating shadow band is described for separating global solar irradiance into its diffuse and direct normal components using a single pyranometer. Whereas shadow bands are normally solid so as to occult the sensor of a pyranometer throughout the day, the proposed band has apertures cut from its circumference to intermittently expose the instrument sensor at preset intervals. Under clear sky conditions the device produces a saw tooth waveform of irradiance data from which it is possible to reconstruct separate global and diffuse curves. The direct normal irradiance may then be calculated giving a complete breakdown of the irradiance curves without need of a second instrument or rotating shadow band. This paper describes the principle of operation of the band and gives a mathematical model of its shading mask based on the results of an optical ray tracing study. An algorithm for processing the data from the perforated band system is described and evaluated. In an extended trial conducted at NREL's Solar Radiation Research Laboratory, the band coupled with a thermally corrected Eppley PSP produced independent curves for diffuse, global and direct normal irradiance with low mean bias errors of 5.6 W/m{sup 2}, 0.3 W/m{sup 2} and -2.6 W/m{sup 2} respectively, relative to collocated reference instruments. Random uncertainties were 9.7 W/m{sup 2} (diffuse), 17.3 W/m{sup 2} (global) and 19.0 W/m{sup 2} (direct). When the data processing algorithm was modified to include the ray trace model of sensor exposure, uncertainties increased only marginally, confirming the effectiveness of the model. Deployment of the perforated band system can potentially increase the accuracy of data from ground stations in predominantly sunny areas where instrumentation is limited to a single pyranometer. (author)

From Narrow to Wide Band Normalizer for LHC

CERN Document Server

Vismara, Giuseppe

1997-01-01

The narrow band normalizer (NBN) based on the phase processor is working to full satisfaction in the LEP BOM system for almost 10 years. Recently a new idea for a wide band normaliser (WBN) based on a time processor exploiting a single oscillation period has been developed. The position information is converted into a time difference between the zero crossing of two recombined and shaped electrode signals. It appears that the NBN can be easily adapted to perform as a wide band processor. To do so, the BP filter and the 90° Hybrid are replaced by low pass filter and delay lines. A prototype based on the present NBN has been developed and tested to prove the feasibility of the new idea. The paper gives an overview of the advantages and limitations of the BOM NB processor. It summarizes the useful LHC parameters and describes the specifications for the beam position acquisition system. After describing the basic principles, it analyzes in detail all the blocks of the processing chain and presents the measurem...

A PRECISION MULTI-BAND TWO-EPOCH PHOTOMETRIC CATALOG OF 44 MILLION SOURCES IN THE NORTHERN SKY FROM A COMBINATION OF THE USNO-B AND SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY CATALOGS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madsen, G. J.; Gaensler, B. M.

2013-01-01

A key science driver for the next generation of wide-field optical and radio surveys is the exploration of the time variable sky. These surveys will have unprecedented sensitivity and areal coverage, but will be limited in their ability to detect variability on time scales longer than the lifetime of the surveys. We present a new precision, multi-epoch photometric catalog that spans 60 yr by combining the US Naval Observatory-B (USNO-B) and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 9 (DR9) catalogs. We recalibrate the photometry of the original USNO-B catalog and create a catalog with two epochs of photometry in up to five different bands for 43,647,887 optical point sources that lie in the DR9 footprint of the northern sky. The recalibrated objects span a magnitude range 14 ≲ m ≲ 20 and are accurate to ≈0.1 mag. We minimize the presence of spurious objects and those with inaccurate magnitudes by identifying and removing several sources of systematic errors in the two originating catalogs, with a focus on spurious objects that exhibit large apparent magnitude variations. After accounting for these effects, we find ≈250,000 stars and quasars that show significant (≥4σ) changes in brightness between the USNO-B and SDSS DR9 epochs. We discuss the historical value of the catalog and its application to the study of long time scale, large amplitude variable stars and quasars

2MASS - The 2 Micron All Sky Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinmann, S. G.

1992-01-01

This paper describes a new sky survey to be carried out in three wavebands, J(1.25 m), H(1.65 m), and K(2.2 m). The limiting sensitivity of the survey, 10 sigma detection of point sources with K not greater than 14 mag, coupled with its all-sky coverage, were selected primarily to support studies of the large-scale structure of the Milky Way and the Local Universe. The survey requires construction of a pair of observing facilities, one each for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Operations are scheduled to begin in 1995. The data will begin becoming publicly available soon thereafter.

Light-pollution measurement with the Wide-field all-sky image analyzing monitoring system

Science.gov (United States)

Vítek, S.

2017-07-01

The purpose of this experiment was to measure light pollution in the capital of Czech Republic, Prague. As a measuring instrument is used calibrated consumer level digital single reflex camera with IR cut filter, therefore, the paper reports results of measuring and monitoring of the light pollution in the wavelength range of 390 - 700 nm, which most affects visual range astronomy. Combining frames of different exposure times made with a digital camera coupled with fish-eye lens allow to create high dynamic range images, contain meaningful values, so such a system can provide absolute values of the sky brightness.

The sloan digital sky survey-II supernova survey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frieman, Joshua A.; Bassett, Bruce; Becker, Andrew

2008-01-01

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey-II (SDSS-II) has embarked on a multi-year project to identify and measure light curves for intermediate-redshift (0.05 < z < 0.35) Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) using repeated five-band (ugriz) imaging over an area of 300 sq. deg. The survey region is a stripe 2.5° wide...

The Sondrestrom Research Facility All-sky Imagers

Science.gov (United States)

Kendall, E. A.; Grill, M.; Gudmundsson, E.; Stromme, A.

2010-12-01

The Sondrestrom Upper Atmospheric Research Facility is located near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, just north of the Arctic Circle and 100 km inland from the west coast of Greenland. The facility is operated by SRI International in Menlo Park, California, under the auspices of the U.S. National Science Foundation. Operating in Greenland since 1983, the Sondrestrom facility is host to more than 20 instruments, the majority of which provide unique and complementary information about the arctic upper atmosphere. Together these instruments advance our knowledge of upper atmospheric physics and determine how the tenuous neutral gas interacts with the charged space plasma environment. The suite of instrumentation supports many disciplines of research - from plate tectonics to auroral physics and space weather. The Sondrestrom facility has recently acquired two new all-sky imagers. In this paper, we present images from both new imagers, placing them in context with other instruments at the site and detailing to the community how to gain access to this new data set. The first new camera replaces the intensified auroral system which has been on site for nearly three decades. This new all-sky imager (ASI), designed and assembled by Keo Scientific Ltd., employs a medium format 180° fisheye lens coupled to a set of five 3-inch narrowband interference filters. The current filter suite allows operation at the following wavelengths: 750 nm, 557.7 nm, 777.4 nm, 630.0 nm, and 732/3 nm. Monochromatic images from the ASI are acquired at a specific filter and integration time as determined by a unique configuration file. Integrations as short as 0.5 sec can be commanded for exceptionally bright features. Preview images are posted to the internet in near real-time, with final images posted weeks later. While images are continuously collected in a "patrol mode," users can request special collection sequences for targeted experiments. The second new imager installed at the Sondrestrom

SYMBIOTIC STARS IN X-RAYS. III. SUZAKU OBSERVATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nuñez, N. E. [Instituto de Ciencias Astronómicas de la Tierra y del Espacio (ICATE-UNSJ, CONICET), Av. España (S) 1512, J5402DSP, San Juan (Argentina); Nelson, T. [Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455 (United States); Mukai, K. [CRESST and X-ray Astrophysics Laboratory, (NASA/GSFC), Greenbelt, MD 20 771, USA. (United States); Sokoloski, J. L. [Columbia Astrophysics Lab, 550 W120th St., 1027 Pupin Hall, MC 5247 Columbia University, 10027, New York (United States); Luna, G. J. M., E-mail: nnunez@icate-conicet.gov.ar [Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio (IAFE, CONICET-UBA), Av. Inte. Güiraldes 2620, C1428ZAA, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2016-06-10

We describe the X-ray emission as observed by Suzaku from five symbiotic stars that we selected for deep Suzaku observations after their initial detection with ROSAT, ASCA , and Swift . We find that the X-ray spectra of all five sources can be adequately fit with absorbed optically thin thermal plasma models, with either single- or multi-temperature plasmas. These models are compatible with the X-ray emission originating in the boundary layer between an accretion disk and a white dwarf. The high plasma temperatures of kT > 3 keV for all five targets were greater than expected for colliding winds. Based on these high temperatures as well as previous measurements of UV variability and UV luminosity and the large amplitude of X-ray flickering in 4 Dra, we conclude that all five sources are accretion-powered through predominantly optically thick boundary layers. Our X-ray data allow us to observe a small optically thin portion of the emission from these boundary layers. Given the time between previous observations and these observations, we find that the intrinsic X-ray flux and the intervening absorbing column can vary by factors of three or more on a timescale of years. However, the location of the absorber and the relationship between changes in accretion rate and absorption are still elusive.

SYMBIOTIC STARS IN X-RAYS. III. SUZAKU OBSERVATIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuñez, N. E.; Nelson, T.; Mukai, K.; Sokoloski, J. L.; Luna, G. J. M.

2016-01-01

We describe the X-ray emission as observed by Suzaku from five symbiotic stars that we selected for deep Suzaku observations after their initial detection with ROSAT, ASCA , and Swift . We find that the X-ray spectra of all five sources can be adequately fit with absorbed optically thin thermal plasma models, with either single- or multi-temperature plasmas. These models are compatible with the X-ray emission originating in the boundary layer between an accretion disk and a white dwarf. The high plasma temperatures of kT > 3 keV for all five targets were greater than expected for colliding winds. Based on these high temperatures as well as previous measurements of UV variability and UV luminosity and the large amplitude of X-ray flickering in 4 Dra, we conclude that all five sources are accretion-powered through predominantly optically thick boundary layers. Our X-ray data allow us to observe a small optically thin portion of the emission from these boundary layers. Given the time between previous observations and these observations, we find that the intrinsic X-ray flux and the intervening absorbing column can vary by factors of three or more on a timescale of years. However, the location of the absorber and the relationship between changes in accretion rate and absorption are still elusive.

Proceedings of wide band gap semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moustakas, T.D.; Pankove, J.I.; Hamakawa, Y.

1992-01-01

This book contains the proceedings of wide band gap semiconductors. Wide band gap semiconductors are under intense study because of their potential applications in photonic devices in the visible and ultraviolet part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and devices for high temperature, high frequency and high power electronics. Additionally, due to their unique mechanical, thermal, optical, chemical, and electronic properties many wide band gap semiconductors are anticipated to find applications in thermoelectric, electrooptic, piezoelectric and acoustooptic devices as well as protective coatings, hard coatings and heat sinks. Material systems covered in this symposium include diamond, II-VI compounds, III-V nitrides, silicon carbide, boron compounds, amorphous and microcrystalline semiconductors, chalcopyrites, oxides and halides. The various papers addressed recent experimental and theoretical developments. They covered issues related to crystal growth (bulk and thin films), structure and microstructure, defects, doping, optoelectronic properties and device applications. A theoretical session was dedicated to identifying common themes in the heteroepitaxy and the role of defects in doping, compensation and phase stability of this unique class of materials. Important experimental milestones included the demonstrations of bright blue injection luminescence at room temperatures from junctions based on III-V nitrides and a similar result from multiple quantum wells in a ZnSe double heterojunction at liquid nitrogen temperatures

LoFASM: A Low Frequency All Sky Monitor for Radio Transients and Student Training

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-02

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: The Low-Frequency All- Sky Monitor (LoFASM) is an innovative new radio astronomy observatory. Designed and built by...Feb-2015 Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited Final Report: LoFASM: A Low Frequency All Sky Monitor for Radio Transients and Student...reviewed journals: Number of Papers published in non peer-reviewed journals: Final Report: LoFASM: A Low Frequency All Sky Monitor for Radio Transients and

A daytime measurement of the lunar contribution to the night sky brightness in LSST's ugrizy bands-initial results

Science.gov (United States)

Coughlin, Michael; Stubbs, Christopher; Claver, Chuck

2016-06-01

We report measurements from which we determine the spatial structure of the lunar contribution to night sky brightness, taken at the LSST site on Cerro Pachon in Chile. We use an array of six photodiodes with filters that approximate the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope's u, g, r, i, z, and y bands. We use the sun as a proxy for the moon, and measure sky brightness as a function of zenith angle of the point on sky, zenith angle of the sun, and angular distance between the sun and the point on sky. We make a correction for the difference between the illumination spectrum of the sun and the moon. Since scattered sunlight totally dominates the daytime sky brightness, this technique allows us to cleanly determine the contribution to the (cloudless) night sky from backscattered moonlight, without contamination from other sources of night sky brightness. We estimate our uncertainty in the relative lunar night sky brightness vs. zenith and lunar angle to be between 0.3-0.7 mags depending on the passband. This information is useful in planning the optimal execution of the LSST survey, and perhaps for other astronomical observations as well. Although our primary objective is to map out the angular structure and spectrum of the scattered light from the atmosphere and particulates, we also make an estimate of the expected number of scattered lunar photons per pixel per second in LSST, and find values that are in overall agreement with previous estimates.

Imaging and mapping the impact of clouds on skyglow with all-sky photometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Jechow, Andreas; Kolláth, Zoltán; Ribas, Salvador J; Spoelstra, Henk; Hölker, Franz; Kyba, Christopher C M

2017-07-27

Artificial skyglow is constantly growing on a global scale, with potential ecological consequences ranging up to affecting biodiversity. To understand these consequences, worldwide mapping of skyglow for all weather conditions is urgently required. In particular, the amplification of skyglow by clouds needs to be studied, as clouds can extend the reach of skyglow into remote areas not affected by light pollution on clear nights. Here we use commercial digital single lens reflex cameras with fisheye lenses for all-sky photometry. We track the reach of skyglow from a peri-urban into a remote area on a clear and a partly cloudy night by performing transects from the Spanish town of Balaguer towards Montsec Astronomical Park. From one single all-sky image, we extract zenith luminance, horizontal and scalar illuminance. While zenith luminance reaches near-natural levels at 5 km distance from the town on the clear night, similar levels are only reached at 27 km on the partly cloudy night. Our results show the dramatic increase of the reach of skyglow even for moderate cloud coverage at this site. The powerful and easy-to-use method promises to be widely applicable for studies of ecological light pollution on a global scale also by non-specialists in photometry.

All-sky LIGO search for periodic gravitational waves in the early fifth-science-run data.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, B P; Abbott, R; Adhikari, R; Ajith, P; Allen, B; Allen, G; Amin, R S; Anderson, S B; Anderson, W G; Arain, M A; Araya, M; Armandula, H; Armor, P; Aso, Y; Aston, S; Aufmuth, P; Aulbert, C; Babak, S; Baker, P; Ballmer, S; Bantilan, H; Barish, B C; Barker, C; Barker, D; Barr, B; Barriga, P; Barsotti, L; Barton, M A; Bartos, I; Bassiri, R; Bastarrika, M; Behnke, B; Benacquista, M; Betzwieser, J; Beyersdorf, P T; Bilenko, I A; Billingsley, G; Biswas, R; Black, E; Blackburn, J K; Blackburn, L; Blair, D; Bland, B; Bodiya, T P; Bogue, L; Bork, R; Boschi, V; Bose, S; Brady, P R; Braginsky, V B; Brau, J E; Brinkmann, M; Brooks, A F; Brown, D A; Brunet, G; Bullington, A; Buonanno, A; Burmeister, O; Byer, R L; Cadonati, L; Cagnoli, G; Camp, J B; Cannizzo, J; Cannon, K C; Cao, J; Cardenas, L; Cardoso, V; Caride, S; Casebolt, T; Castaldi, G; Caudill, S; Cavaglià, M; Cepeda, C; Chalkley, E; Charlton, P; Chatterji, S; Chelkowski, S; Chen, Y; Christensen, N; Clark, D; Clark, J; Clayton, J H; Cokelaer, T; Conte, R; Cook, D; Corbitt, T R C; Cornish, N; Coyne, D C; Creighton, J D E; Creighton, T D; Cruise, A M; Cumming, A; Cunningham, L; Cutler, R M; Danzmann, K; Daudert, B; Davies, G; Debra, D; Degallaix, J; Dergachev, V; Desai, S; Desalvo, R; Dhurandhar, S; Díaz, M; Dickson, J; Dietz, A; Donovan, F; Dooley, K L; Doomes, E E; Drever, R W P; Duke, I; Dumas, J-C; Dwyer, J; Echols, C; Edgar, M; Effler, A; Ehrens, P; Ely, G; Espinoza, E; Etzel, T; Evans, M; Evans, T; Fairhurst, S; Faltas, Y; Fan, Y; Fazi, D; Fejer, M M; Finn, L S; Flasch, K; Foley, S; Forrest, C; Fotopoulos, N; Franzen, A; Frei, Z; Freise, A; Frey, R; Fricke, T T; Fritschel, P; Frolov, V V; Fyffe, M; Garofoli, J A; Gholami, I; Giaime, J A; Giampanis, S; Giardina, K D; Goda, K; Goetz, E; Goggin, L M; González, G; Gossler, S; Gouaty, R; Grant, A; Gras, S; Gray, C; Gray, M; Greenhalgh, R J S; Gretarsson, A M; Grimaldi, F; Grosso, R; Grote, H; Grunewald, S; Guenther, M; Gustafson, E K; Gustafson, R; Hage, B; Hallam, J M; Hanna, C; Hanson, J; Harms, J; Harry, G M; Harstad, E D; Haughian, E; Hayama, K; Hayler, T; Heefner, J; Heng, I S; Heptonstall, A; Hewitson, M; Hild, S; Hirose, E; Hoak, D; Holt, K; Hosken, D; Hough, J; Huttner, S H; Ingram, D; Ito, M; Ivanov, A; Johnson, B; Johnson, W W; Jones, D I; Jones, G; Jones, R; Ju, L; Kalmus, P; Kalogera, V; Kamat, S; Kanner, J; Kasprzyk, D; Katsavounidis, E; Kawabe, K; Kawamura, S; Kawazoe, F; Kells, W; Keppel, D G; Khalaidovski, A; Khalili, F Ya; Khan, R; Khazanov, E; King, P; Kissel, J S; Klimenko, S; Kocsis, B; Kokeyama, K; Kondrashov, V; Kopparapu, R; Koranda, S; Kozak, D; Kozhevatov, I; Krishnan, B; Kwee, P; Landry, M; Lantz, B; Lazzarini, A; Lei, M; Leonor, I; Li, C; Lin, H; Lindquist, P E; Littenberg, T B; Lockerbie, N A; Lodhia, D; Lormand, M; Lu, P; Lubinski, M; Lucianetti, A; Lück, H; Machenschalk, B; Macinnis, M; Mageswaran, M; Mailand, K; Mandel, I; Mandic, V; Márka, S; Márka, Z; Markosyan, A; Markowitz, J; Maros, E; Martin, I W; Martin, R M; Marx, J N; Mason, K; Matichard, F; Matone, L; Matzner, R; Mavalvala, N; McCarthy, R; McClelland, D E; McGuire, S C; McHugh, M; McIntyre, G; McKechan, D; McKenzie, K; Mehmet, M; Melissinos, A; Mendell, G; Mercer, R A; Meshkov, S; Messenger, C J; Meyers, D; Miller, A; Miller, J; Minelli, J; Mitra, S; Mitrofanov, V P; Mitselmakher, G; Mittleman, R; Miyakawa, O; Moe, B; Mohanty, S D; Moreno, G; Mors, K; Mossavi, K; Mowlowry, C; Mueller, G; Muhammad, D; Mukherjee, S; Mukhopadhyay, H; Mullavey, A; Müller-Ebhardt, H; Munch, J; Murray, P G; Myers, E; Myers, J; Nash, T; Nelson, J; Newton, G; Nishizawa, A; Numata, K; Ochsner, E; O'Dell, J; Ogin, G; O'Reilly, B; O'Shaughnessy, R; Ottaway, D J; Ottens, R S; Overmier, H; Owen, B J; Pan, Y; Pankow, C; Papa, M A; Parameshwaraiah, V; Patel, P; Pedraza, M; Penn, S; Perraca, A; Petrie, T; Pinto, I M; Pitkin, M; Pletsch, H J; Plissi, M V; Postiglione, F; Principe, M; Prix, R; Quetschke, V; Raab, F J; Rabeling, D S; Radkins, H; Raffai, P; Rainer, N; Rakhmanov, M; Ramsunder, M; Reed, T; Rehbein, H; Reid, S; Reitze, D H; Riesen, R; Riles, K; Rivera, B; Robertson, N A; Robinson, C; Robinson, E L; Roddy, S; Rogan, A M; Rollins, J; Romano, J D; Romie, J H; Rowan, S; Rüdiger, A; Ruet, L; Russell, P; Ryan, K; Sakata, S; Sancho de la Jordana, L; Sandberg, V; Sannibale, V; Santamaria, L; Saraf, S; Sarin, P; Sathyaprakash, B S; Sato, S; Saulson, P R; Savage, R; Savov, P; Scanlan, M; Schediwy, S W; Schilling, R; Schnabel, R; Schofield, R; Schutz, B F; Schwinberg, P; Scott, J; Scott, S M; Searle, A C; Sears, B; Seifert, F; Sellers, D; Sengupta, A S; Sergeev, A; Shapiro, B; Shawhan, P; Shoemaker, D H; Sibley, A; Siemens, X; Sigg, D; Sinha, S; Sintes, A M; Slagmolen, B J J; Slutsky, J; Smith, J R; Smith, M R; Smith, N D; Somiya, K; Sorazu, B; Stein, L C; Strain, K A; Stuver, A; Summerscales, T Z; Sun, K-X; Sung, M; Sutton, P J; Takahashi, H; Tanner, D B; Taylor, R; Taylor, R; Thacker, J; Thorne, K A; Thorne, K S; Thüring, A; Tokmakov, K V; Torres, C; Torrie, C; Traylor, G; Trias, M; Ugolini, D; Urbanek, K; Vahlbruch, H; Van Den Broeck, C; van der Sluys, M V; van Veggel, A A; Vass, S; Vaulin, R; Vecchio, A; Veitch, J D; Veitch, P; Villar, A; Vorvick, C; Vyachanin, S P; Waldman, S J; Wallace, L; Ward, H; Ward, R L; Weinert, M; Weinstein, A J; Weiss, R; Wen, L; Wen, S; Wette, K; Whelan, J T; Whitcomb, S E; Whiting, B F; Wilkinson, C; Willems, P A; Williams, H R; Williams, L; Willke, B; Wilmut, I; Winkler, W; Wipf, C C; Wiseman, A G; Woan, G; Wooley, R; Worden, J; Wu, W; Yakushin, I; Yamamoto, H; Yan, Z; Yoshida, S; Zanolin, M; Zhang, J; Zhang, L; Zhao, C; Zotov, N; Zucker, M E; Zur Mühlen, H; Zweizig, J

2009-03-20

We report on an all-sky search with the LIGO detectors for periodic gravitational waves in the frequency range 50-1100 Hz and with the frequency's time derivative in the range -5 x 10{-9}-0 Hz s{-1}. Data from the first eight months of the fifth LIGO science run (S5) have been used in this search, which is based on a semicoherent method (PowerFlux) of summing strain power. Observing no evidence of periodic gravitational radiation, we report 95% confidence-level upper limits on radiation emitted by any unknown isolated rotating neutron stars within the search range. Strain limits below 10{-24} are obtained over a 200-Hz band, and the sensitivity improvement over previous searches increases the spatial volume sampled by an average factor of about 100 over the entire search band. For a neutron star with nominal equatorial ellipticity of 10{-6}, the search is sensitive to distances as great as 500 pc.

Panchromatic cooperative hyperspectral adaptive wide band deletion repair method

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Bitao; Shi, Chunyu

2018-02-01

In the hyperspectral data, the phenomenon of stripe deletion often occurs, which seriously affects the efficiency and accuracy of data analysis and application. Narrow band deletion can be directly repaired by interpolation, and this method is not ideal for wide band deletion repair. In this paper, an adaptive spectral wide band missing restoration method based on panchromatic information is proposed, and the effectiveness of the algorithm is verified by experiments.

All-sky radiance simulation of Megha-Tropiques SAPHIR microwave ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

used as input to the RTTOV model to simulate cloud-affected SAPHIR radiances. ... All-sky radiance simulation; Megha tropiques; microwave SAPHIR sensor; radiative transfer; data ... versions of these non-linear processes (Ohring and.

Photosynthetically-active radiation: sky radiance distributions under clear and overcast conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grant, R.H.; Heisler, G.M.; Gao, W.

1996-01-01

The photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), defined as the wavelength band of 0.400 μm to 0.700 μm, represents most of the visible solar radiation. Although the proportion of global irradiance that originates from diffuse sky radiation is higher for PAR than for all solar shortwave radiation, it is often assumed that the PAR diffuse sky radiation is distributed identically to that of all shortwave solar radiation. This assumption has not been tested. PAR sky radiance measurements were made in a rural area over a wide range of solar zenith angles. The distribution of PAR sky radiance was modeled using physically-based, non-linear equations.For clear skies, the normalized sky radiance distribution (N) was best modeled using the scattering angle (ψ) and the zenith position in the sky (Θ) as N (Θ, ψ) = 0.0361 [6.3 + (1 + cos 2 Θ / (1 - cos ψ)] [1-e -0.31 sec ( Θ]. The angle Ψ is defined by cos ψ = cos Θ cos Θ * + sin Θ sin Θ * cos Φ, where solar zenith angle is Θ* and the difference in azimuth between the sun and the position in the sky is Φ. Modeling of the overcast sky depended on the visibility of the solar disk. The translucent middle/high cloud overcast conditions (cloud base greater than 300 m above ground level) were best modeled as: N(Θ∗, ψ) = 0.149 + 0.084Θ∗ + 1.305e −2.5ψ while the translucent low cloud overcast conditions (cloud base less than 300 m above ground level) were best modeled as: N(Θ∗, ψ) = 0.080 + 0.058Θ∗ + 0.652e −2.1ψ . The obscured overcast sky condition (solar disk obscured) was best modeled as: N(Θ) = 0.441 [1 + 4.6cos Θ] /[1 + 4.6]. The unit of N for all equations is π Sr −1 , so that integration of each function over the sky hemisphere yields 1.0.These equations can be applied directly to the sky diffuse irradiance on the horizontal, I diff , to provide radiance distributions for the sky. Estimates of actual sky radiance distribution can be estimated from N a (Θ, ψ) = I diff N(Θ, �

Wide-band slow-wave systems simulation and applications

CERN Document Server

Staras, Stanislovas

2012-01-01

The field of electromagnetics has seen considerable advances in recent years, based on the wide applications of numerical methods for investigating electromagnetic fields, microwaves, and other devices. Wide-Band Slow-Wave Systems: Simulation and Applications presents new technical solutions and research results for the analysis, synthesis, and design of slow-wave structures for modern electronic devices with super-wide pass-bands. It makes available, for the first time in English, significant research from the past 20 years that was previously published only in Russian and Lithuanian. The aut

GLAST and Suzaku. Study on cosmic-ray acceleration and interaction in the cosmos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamae, Tuneyoshi

2007-01-01

The Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) is an international and multi-agency mission scheduled for launch in the fall of 2007. The Large Area Telescope (LAT), the primary instrument of the mission, will survey the high energy sky found to be very dynamic and surprisingly diverse by its predecessor the Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET). GLAST-LAT will have a much improved sensitivity when compared with EGRET and extend the higher energy coverage to ∼300 GeV. The instrument is now mounted on the spacecraft and undergoing a suite of pre-flight tests. Data analysis software has been tried out by collaborators in two rounds of 'Data Challenges' using simulated observations including backgrounds. The instrument performance and observational data on selected sources presented here have been obtained through the Data Challenges in the collaborative efforts. There are features in the GLAST-LAT observation possibly unfamiliar to X-ray astronomers: 1) GLAST will operate mostly in the survey mode; 2) the foreground objects (gas, dust, and star-light) become gamma-ray sources; 3) multiple sources will be 'confused' because of the wide point-spread-function. The last two features will pose a challenge for analysis on extended Galactic sources such as supernova remnants and pulsar wind nebulae: multi-wavelength study with X-ray instruments like Suzaku and atmospheric Chrenkov telescopes will become essential to dig out the underlying physics. (author)

A Design of Wide Band and Wide Beam Cavity-Backed Slot Antenna Array with Slant Polarization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huiying Qi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Design of antenna array under the limitation of restricted size is a challenging problem. Cavity-backed slot antenna is widely used because of its advantages of small size, wide band, and wide beam. In this paper, a design of wide band and wide beam cavity-backed slot antenna array with the slant polarization is proposed. To obtain wide band and wide beam with limited size, the inverted microstrip-fed cavity-backed slot antenna (IMF-CBSA is adopted as the element of 1 × 4 antenna array. The slant polarized antennas and their feeding networks are adopted because of their simple structures. The performance of the proposed antenna array is verified by the simulations and experiments. The measured VSWR < 2 bandwidth is 55% at the center frequency 21.8 GHz, and the gain is larger than 12.2 dB. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed design achieves wide band and beam with the size of 68 mm × 56 mm × 14.5 mm.

The broad-band X-ray spectrum of IC 4329A from a joint NuSTAR/Suzaku observation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brenneman, L. W.; Madejski, G.; Fuerst, F.

2014-01-01

We have obtained a deep, simultaneous observation of the bright, nearby Seyfert galaxy IC 4329A with Suzaku andNuSTAR. Through a detailed spectral analysis, we are able to robustly separate the continuum, absorption, and distant reflection components in the spectrum. The absorbing column is found...... also updated our previously reported measurement of the high-energy cutoff of the hard X-ray emission using both observatories rather than justNuSTAR alone: Ecut = 186±14 keV. This high-energy cutoff acts as a proxy for the temperature of the coronal electron plasma, enabling us to further separate...

Suzaku Observation of the Dwarf Nova V893 Scorpii: The Discovery of a Partial X-Ray Eclipse

Science.gov (United States)

Mukai, Koji; Zietsman, E.; Still, M.

2008-01-01

V893 Sco is an eclipsing dwarf nova that had attracted little attention from X-ray astronomers until it was proposed as the identification of an RXTE all-sky slew survey (XSS) source. Here we report on the po inted X-ray observations of this object using Suzaku. We confirm V893 Sco to be X-ray bright, whose spectrum is highly absorbed for a dwar f nova. We have also discovered a partial X-ray eclipse in V893 Sco. This is the first time that a partial eclipse is seen in Xray light c urves of a dwarf nova. We have successfully modeled the gross features of the optical and X-ray eclipse light curves using a boundary layer geometry of the X-ray emission region. Future observations may lead to confirmation of this basic picture, and allow us to place tight co nstraints on the size of the X-ray emission region. The partial X-ray eclipse therefore should make V893 Sco a key object in understanding the physics of accretion in quiescent dwarf nova.

ROTSE All-Sky Surveys for Variable Stars. I. Test Fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akerlof, C.; Amrose, S.; Balsano, R.; Bloch, J.; Casperson, D.; Fletcher, S.; Gisler, G.; Hills, J.; Kehoe, R.; Lee, B.

2000-01-01

The Robotic Optical Transient Search Experiment I (ROTSE-I) experiment has generated CCD photometry for the entire northern sky in two epochs nightly since 1998 March. These sky patrol data are a powerful resource for studies of astrophysical transients. As a demonstration project, we present first results of a search for periodic variable stars derived from ROTSE-I observations. Variable identification, period determination, and type classification are conducted via automatic algorithms. In a set of nine ROTSE-I sky patrol fields covering roughly 2000 deg2, we identify 1781 periodic variable stars with mean magnitudes between m v = 10.0 and m v = 15.5. About 90% of these objects are newly identified as variable. Examples of many familiar types are presented. All classifications for this study have been manually confirmed. The selection criteria for this analysis have been conservatively defined and are known to be biased against some variable classes. This preliminary study includes only 5.6% of the total ROTSE-I sky coverage, suggesting that the full ROTSE-I variable catalog will include more than 32,000 periodic variable stars. (c) (c) 2000. The American Astronomical Society

Design studies of the Ku-band, wide-band Gyro-TWT amplifier

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Sang Wook; Lee, Han Seul; Jang, Kwong Ho; Choi, Jin Joo; Hong, Yong Jun; Shin, Jin Woo; So, Jun Ho; Won, Jong Hyo

2014-02-01

This paper reports a Ku-band, wide band Gyrotron-Traveling-wave-tube(Gyro-TWT) that is currently being developed at Kwangwoon University. The Gyro-TWT has a two stage linear tapered interaction circuit to obtain a wide operating bandwidth. The linearly-tapered interaction circuit and nonlinearly-tapered magnetic field gives the Gyro-TWT a wide operating bandwidth. The Gyro-TWT bandwidth is 23%. The 2d-Particle-in-cell(PIC) and MAGIC2d code simulation results are 17.3 dB and 24.34 kW, respectively for the maximum saturated output power. A double anode MIG was simulated with E-Gun code. The results were 0.7 for the transvers to the axial beam velocity ratio (=alpha) and a 2.3% axial velocity spread at 50 kV and 4 A. A magnetic field profile simulation was performed by using the Poisson code to obtain the grazing magnetic field of the entire interaction circuit with Poisson code.

Designing Phononic Crystals with Wide and Robust Band Gaps

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Zian; Chen, Yanyu; Yang, Haoxiang; Wang, Lifeng

2018-04-01

Phononic crystals (PnCs) engineered to manipulate and control the propagation of mechanical waves have enabled the design of a range of novel devices, such as waveguides, frequency modulators, and acoustic cloaks, for which wide and robust phononic band gaps are highly preferable. While numerous PnCs have been designed in recent decades, to the best of our knowledge, PnCs that possess simultaneous wide and robust band gaps (to randomness and deformations) have not yet been reported. Here, we demonstrate that by combining the band-gap formation mechanisms of Bragg scattering and local resonances (the latter one is dominating), PnCs with wide and robust phononic band gaps can be established. The robustness of the phononic band gaps are then discussed from two aspects: robustness to geometric randomness (manufacture defects) and robustness to deformations (mechanical stimuli). Analytical formulations further predict the optimal design parameters, and an uncertainty analysis quantifies the randomness effect of each designing parameter. Moreover, we show that the deformation robustness originates from a local resonance-dominant mechanism together with the suppression of structural instability. Importantly, the proposed PnCs require only a small number of layers of elements (three unit cells) to obtain broad, robust, and strong attenuation bands, which offer great potential in designing flexible and deformable phononic devices.

Designing Phononic Crystals with Wide and Robust Band Gaps

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Yanyu [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Jia, Zian [State University of New York at Stony Brook; Yang, Haoxiang [State University of New York at Stony Brook; Wang, Lifeng [State University of New York at Stony Brook

2018-04-16

Phononic crystals (PnCs) engineered to manipulate and control the propagation of mechanical waves have enabled the design of a range of novel devices, such as waveguides, frequency modulators, and acoustic cloaks, for which wide and robust phononic band gaps are highly preferable. While numerous PnCs have been designed in recent decades, to the best of our knowledge, PnCs that possess simultaneous wide and robust band gaps (to randomness and deformations) have not yet been reported. Here, we demonstrate that by combining the band-gap formation mechanisms of Bragg scattering and local resonances (the latter one is dominating), PnCs with wide and robust phononic band gaps can be established. The robustness of the phononic band gaps are then discussed from two aspects: robustness to geometric randomness (manufacture defects) and robustness to deformations (mechanical stimuli). Analytical formulations further predict the optimal design parameters, and an uncertainty analysis quantifies the randomness effect of each designing parameter. Moreover, we show that the deformation robustness originates from a local resonance-dominant mechanism together with the suppression of structural instability. Importantly, the proposed PnCs require only a small number of layers of elements (three unit cells) to obtain broad, robust, and strong attenuation bands, which offer great potential in designing flexible and deformable phononic devices.

A catalogue of clusters of galaxies identified from all sky surveys of 2MASS, WISE, and SuperCOSMOS

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Z. L.; Han, J. L.; Yang, F.

2018-03-01

We identify 47 600 clusters of galaxies from photometric data of Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS), Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), and SuperCOSMOS, among which 26 125 clusters are recognized for the first time and mostly in the sky outside the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) area. About 90 per cent of massive clusters of M500 > 3 × 1014 M⊙ in the redshift range of 0.025 < z < 0.3 have been detected from such survey data, and the detection rate drops down to 50 per cent for clusters with a mass of M500 ˜ 1 × 1014 M⊙. Monte Carlo simulations show that the false detection rate for the whole cluster sample is less than 5 per cent. By cross-matching with ROSAT and XMM-Newton sources, we get 779 new X-ray cluster candidates which have X-ray counterparts within a projected offset of 0.2 Mpc.

Wide applicability of high-Tc pairing originating from coexisting wide and incipient narrow bands in quasi-one-dimensional systems

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumoto, Karin; Ogura, Daisuke; Kuroki, Kazuhiko

2018-01-01

We study superconductivity in the Hubbard model on various quasi-one-dimensional lattices with coexisting wide and narrow bands originating from multiple sites within a unit cell, where each site corresponds to a single orbital. The systems studied are the two-leg and three-leg ladders, the diamond chain, and the crisscross ladder. These one-dimensional lattices are weakly coupled to form two-dimensional (quasi-one-dimensional) ones, and the fluctuation exchange approximation is adopted to study spin-fluctuation-mediated superconductivity. When one of the bands is perfectly flat and the Fermi level intersecting the wide band is placed in the vicinity of, but not within, the flat band, superconductivity arising from the interband scattering processes is found to be strongly enhanced owing to the combination of the light electron mass of the wide band and the strong pairing interaction due to the large density of states of the flat band. Even when the narrow band has finite bandwidth, the pairing mechanism still works since the edge of the narrow band, due to its large density of states, plays the role of the flat band. The results indicate the wide applicability of the high-Tc pairing mechanism due to coexisting wide and "incipient" narrow bands in quasi-one-dimensional systems.

Effects of multiple scattering and atmospheric aerosol on the polarization of the twilight sky

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ugolnikov, Oleg S.; Postylyakov, Oleg V.; Maslov, Igor A.

2004-01-01

The paper presents a review of a number of wide-angle polarization CCD-measurements of the twilight sky in V and R color bands with effective wavelengths 550 and 700nm. The basic factors affecting (usually decreasing) the polarization of the twilight sky are the atmospheric aerosol scattering and multiple scattering. These effects were distinguished from each other, and a method of multiple-scattering separation is discussed. The results are compared with the data of numerical simulation of radiative transfer in the atmosphere for different aerosol models. The whole twilight period is divided into different stages with different mechanisms forming the twilight-sky polarization properties

RELIABLE IDENTIFICATIONS OF ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI FROM THE WISE, 2MASS, AND ROSAT ALL-SKY SURVEYS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Edelson, R. [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-2421 (United States); Malkan, M., E-mail: rickedelson@gmail.com [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1547 (United States)

2012-05-20

We have developed the ''S{sub IX}'' statistic to identify bright, highly likely active galactic nucleus (AGN) candidates solely on the basis of Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS), and ROSAT all-sky survey (RASS) data. This statistic was optimized with data from the preliminary WISE survey and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and tested with Lick 3 m Kast spectroscopy. We find that sources with S{sub IX} < 0 have a {approx}>95% likelihood of being an AGN (defined in this paper as a Seyfert 1, quasar, or blazar). This statistic was then applied to the full WISE/2MASS/RASS dataset, including the final WISE data release, to yield the ''W2R'' sample of 4316 sources with S{sub IX} < 0. Only 2209 of these sources are currently in the Veron-Cetty and Veron (VCV) catalog of spectroscopically confirmed AGNs, indicating that the W2R sample contains nearly 2000 new, relatively bright (J {approx}< 16) AGNs. We utilize the W2R sample to quantify biases and incompleteness in the VCV catalog. We find that it is highly complete for bright (J < 14), northern AGNs, but the completeness drops below 50% for fainter, southern samples and for sources near the Galactic plane. This approach also led to the spectroscopic identification of 10 new AGNs in the Kepler field, more than doubling the number of AGNs being monitored by Kepler. The W2R sample contains better than 1 bright AGN every 10 deg{sup 2}, permitting construction of AGN samples in any sufficiently large region of sky.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Wisconsin soft X-ray diffuse background all-sky Survey (McCammon+ 1983)

Science.gov (United States)

McCammon, D.; Burrows, D. N.; Sanders, W. T.; Kraushaar, W. L.

1997-10-01

The catalog contains all-sky survey of the soft X-ray diffuse background and the count-rate data from which the maps were made for the ten flights included in the survey. It contains 40 files in the machine-readable version and includes documentation and utility subroutines. The data files contain different band maps (B, C, M, M1, M2, I, J, 2-6 keV) in a 0 degree-centered Aitoff projection, in a 180-degree-centered Aitoff projection, in a north polar projection, and in a south polar projection. Lookup tables in the form of FITS images are provided for conversion between pixel coordinates and Galactic coordinates for the various projections. The bands are: B = 130-188eV C = 160-284eV M1 = 440-930eV M2 = 600-1100eV I = 770-1500eV J = 1100-2200eV 2-6keV = 1800-6300eV (51 data files).

All-sky analysis of the general relativistic galaxy power spectrum

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Jaiyul; Desjacques, Vincent

2013-07-01

We perform an all-sky analysis of the general relativistic galaxy power spectrum using the well-developed spherical Fourier decomposition. Spherical Fourier analysis expresses the observed galaxy fluctuation in terms of the spherical harmonics and spherical Bessel functions that are angular and radial eigenfunctions of the Helmholtz equation, providing a natural orthogonal basis for all-sky analysis of the large-scale mode measurements. Accounting for all the relativistic effects in galaxy clustering, we compute the spherical power spectrum and its covariance matrix and compare it to the standard three-dimensional power spectrum to establish a connection. The spherical power spectrum recovers the three-dimensional power spectrum at each wave number k with its angular dependence μk encoded in angular multipole l, and the contributions of the line-of-sight projection to galaxy clustering such as the gravitational lensing effect can be readily accommodated in the spherical Fourier analysis. A complete list of formulas for computing the relativistic spherical galaxy power spectrum is also presented.

The broad-band X-ray spectrum of IC 4329A from a joint NuSTAR/Suzaku observation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brenneman, L. W.; Elvis, M. [Harvard-Smithsonian CfA, 60 Garden St., MS-67, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Madejski, G. [Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (United States); Fuerst, F.; Harrison, F. A.; Grefenstette, B. W.; Madsen, K. K.; Rivers, E.; Walton, D. J. [Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Matt, G.; Marinucci, A. [Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Università Roma Tre, via della Vasca Navale 84, I-00146 Roma (Italy); Ballantyne, D. R. [Center for Relativistic Astrophysics, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332 (United States); Boggs, S. E. [Space Science Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Christensen, F. E.; Craig, W. W. [DTU Space-National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Elektrovej 327, DK-2800 Lyngby (Denmark); Fabian, A. C. [Institute of Astronomy, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom); Hailey, C. J. [Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Stern, D. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Zhang, W. W. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2014-06-10

We have obtained a deep, simultaneous observation of the bright, nearby Seyfert galaxy IC 4329A with Suzaku and NuSTAR. Through a detailed spectral analysis, we are able to robustly separate the continuum, absorption, and distant reflection components in the spectrum. The absorbing column is found to be modest (∼6×10{sup 21} cm{sup −2} ), and does not introduce any significant curvature in the Fe K band. We are able to place a strong constraint on the presence of a broadened Fe Kα line (E{sub rest}=6.46{sub −0.07}{sup +0.08} keV with σ=0.33{sub −0.07}{sup +0.08} keV and EW=34{sub −7}{sup +8} eV), though we are not able to constrain any of the parameters of a relativistic reflection model. These results highlight the range in broad Fe K line strengths observed in nearby, bright, active galactic nuclei (roughly an order of magnitude), and imply a corresponding range in the physical properties of the inner accretion disk in these sources. We have also updated our previously reported measurement of the high-energy cutoff of the hard X-ray emission using both observatories rather than just NuSTAR alone: E {sub cut} = 186 ± 14 keV. This high-energy cutoff acts as a proxy for the temperature of the coronal electron plasma, enabling us to further separate this parameter from the plasma's optical depth and to update our results for these parameters as well. We derive kT=50{sub −3}{sup +6} keV with τ=2.34{sub −0.11}{sup +0.16} using a spherical geometry, kT = 61 ± 1 keV with τ = 0.68 ± 0.02 for a slab geometry, with both having an equivalent goodness-of-fit.

Attractive electron correlation in wide band gap semiconductors by electron-photon interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeda, Hiroyuki; Yoshino, Katsumi

2004-01-01

We theoretically demonstrate attractive electron correlation in wide band gap semiconductors by electron-photon interaction. At low temperature, wavevectors of electromagnetic waves absorbed in wide band gap semiconductors cannot be neglected for wavevectors of electron waves; that is, electromagnetic waves affect the movements of electrons. In particular, attractive interaction occurs between two electrons when one electron changes from a valence band to a conduction band and the other electron changes from a conduction band to a valence band

Multiband Diagnostics of Unidentified 1FGL Sources with Suzaku and Swift X-Ray Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Takeuchi, Y.; Kataoka, J.; Maeda, K.; Takahashi, Y.; Nakamori, T.; Tahara, M.

2013-10-01

We have analyzed all the archival X-ray data of 134 unidentified (unID) gamma-ray sources listed in the first Fermi/LAT (1FGL) catalog and subsequently followed up by the Swift/XRT. We constructed the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) from radio to gamma-rays for each X-ray source detected, and tried to pick up unique objects that display anomalous spectral signatures. In these analyses, we target all the 1FGL unID sources, using updated data from the second Fermi/LAT (2FGL) catalog on the Large Area Telescope (LAT) position and spectra. We found several potentially interesting objects, particularly three sources, 1FGL J0022.2-1850, 1FGL J0038.0+1236, and 1FGL J0157.0-5259, which were then more deeply observed with Suzaku as a part of an AO-7 program in 2012. We successfully detected an X-ray counterpart for each source whose X-ray spectra were well fitted by a single power-law function. The positional coincidence with a bright radio counterpart (currently identified as an active galactic nucleus, AGN) in the 2FGL error circles suggests these sources are definitely the X-ray emission from the same AGN, but their SEDs show a wide variety of behavior. In particular, the SED of 1FGL J0038.0+1236 is not easily explained by conventional emission models of blazars. The source 1FGL J0022.2-1850 may be in a transition state between a low-frequency peaked and a high-frequency peaked BL Lac object, and 1FGL J0157.0-5259 could be a rare kind of extreme blazar. We discuss the possible nature of these three sources observed with Suzaku, together with the X-ray identification results and SEDs of all 134 sources observed with the Swift/XRT.

NCenter wide band neutrino beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stutte, L.G.

1985-01-01

This memo describes the physical properties of the currently operating N-Center wide band neutrino beam---commonly called the triplet train, following a past tradition of a triplet lens configuration. In reality, in order to gain a larger momentum acceptance and to minimize the angular divergence of the beam, a quadruplet beam (4 lenses) employing point-to-parallel optics at a central momentum of 300 GeV was built. 6 refs., 13 figs., 1 tab

SPIDERS: selection of spectroscopic targets using AGN candidates detected in all-sky X-ray surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Dwelly, T.; Salvato, M.; Merloni, A.; Brusa, M.; Buchner, J.; Anderson, S. F.; Boller, Th.; Brandt, W. N.; Budavári, T.; Clerc, N.; Coffey, D.; Del Moro, A.; Georgakakis, A.; Green, P. J.; Jin, C.; Menzel, M.-L.; Myers, A. D.; Nandra, K.; Nichol, R. C.; Ridl, J.; Schwope, A. D.; Simm, T.

2017-07-01

SPIDERS (SPectroscopic IDentification of eROSITA Sources) is a Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV (SDSS-IV) survey running in parallel to the Extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) cosmology project. SPIDERS will obtain optical spectroscopy for large numbers of X-ray-selected active galactic nuclei (AGN) and galaxy cluster members detected in wide-area eROSITA, XMM-Newton and ROSAT surveys. We describe the methods used to choose spectroscopic targets for two sub-programmes of SPIDERS X-ray selected AGN candidates detected in the ROSAT All Sky and the XMM-Newton Slew surveys. We have exploited a Bayesian cross-matching algorithm, guided by priors based on mid-IR colour-magnitude information from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer survey, to select the most probable optical counterpart to each X-ray detection. We empirically demonstrate the high fidelity of our counterpart selection method using a reference sample of bright well-localized X-ray sources collated from XMM-Newton, Chandra and Swift-XRT serendipitous catalogues, and also by examining blank-sky locations. We describe the down-selection steps which resulted in the final set of SPIDERS-AGN targets put forward for spectroscopy within the eBOSS/TDSS/SPIDERS survey, and present catalogues of these targets. We also present catalogues of ˜12 000 ROSAT and ˜1500 XMM-Newton Slew survey sources that have existing optical spectroscopy from SDSS-DR12, including the results of our visual inspections. On completion of the SPIDERS programme, we expect to have collected homogeneous spectroscopic redshift information over a footprint of ˜7500 deg2 for >85 per cent of the ROSAT and XMM-Newton Slew survey sources having optical counterparts in the magnitude range 17 < r < 22.5, producing a large and highly complete sample of bright X-ray-selected AGN suitable for statistical studies of AGN evolution and clustering.

The Einstein All-Sky IPC slew survey

Science.gov (United States)

Elvis, Martin; Plummer, David; Fabbiano, G.

1989-01-01

The construction of the Einstein All-Sky Imaging Proportional Counter (IPC) slew survey is considered. It contains approximately 1000 sources between 10(exp -12) and 10(exp -10) erg/sq cm/s with a concentration toward the ecliptic poles and away from the galactic plane. Several sizable samples of bright soft X-ray selected objects for follow-up ROSAT and ASTRO-D observations and statistical study are presented. The survey source list is expected to be available by late 1989. Both paper and remote access online data base versions are to be available. An identification program is considered.

Finding counterparts for all-sky X-ray surveys with NWAY: a Bayesian algorithm for cross-matching multiple catalogues

Science.gov (United States)

Salvato, M.; Buchner, J.; Budavári, T.; Dwelly, T.; Merloni, A.; Brusa, M.; Rau, A.; Fotopoulou, S.; Nandra, K.

2018-02-01

We release the AllWISE counterparts and Gaia matches to 106 573 and 17 665 X-ray sources detected in the ROSAT 2RXS and XMMSL2 surveys with |b| > 15°. These are the brightest X-ray sources in the sky, but their position uncertainties and the sparse multi-wavelength coverage until now rendered the identification of their counterparts a demanding task with uncertain results. New all-sky multi-wavelength surveys of sufficient depth, like AllWISE and Gaia, and a new Bayesian statistics based algorithm, NWAY, allow us, for the first time, to provide reliable counterpart associations. NWAY extends previous distance and sky density based association methods and, using one or more priors (e.g. colours, magnitudes), weights the probability that sources from two or more catalogues are simultaneously associated on the basis of their observable characteristics. Here, counterparts have been determined using a Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) colour-magnitude prior. A reference sample of 4524 XMM/Chandra and Swift X-ray sources demonstrates a reliability of ∼94.7 per cent (2RXS) and 97.4 per cent (XMMSL2). Combining our results with Chandra-COSMOS data, we propose a new separation between stars and AGN in the X-ray/WISE flux-magnitude plane, valid over six orders of magnitude. We also release the NWAY code and its user manual. NWAY was extensively tested with XMM-COSMOS data. Using two different sets of priors, we find an agreement of 96 per cent and 99 per cent with published Likelihood Ratio methods. Our results were achieved faster and without any follow-up visual inspection. With the advent of deep and wide area surveys in X-rays (e.g. SRG/eROSITA, Athena/WFI) and radio (ASKAP/EMU, LOFAR, APERTIF, etc.) NWAY will provide a powerful and reliable counterpart identification tool.

THERMAL AND CHEMICAL EVOLUTIONS OF GALAXY CLUSTERS OBSERVED WITH SUZAKU

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kosuke Sato

2013-12-01

Full Text Available We studied the properties of the intracluster medium (ICM of galaxy clusters to outer regions observed with Suzaku. The observed temperature dropped by about ~30% from the central region to the virial radius of the clusters. The derived entropy profile agreed with the expectation from simulations within r500, while the entropy profile in r > r500 indicated a flatter slope than the simulations. This would suggest that the cluster outskirts were out of hydrostatic equilibrium. As for the metallicity, we studied the metal abundances from O to Fe up to ~0.5 times the virial radius of galaxy groups and clusters. Comparing the results with supernova nucleosynthesis models, the number ratio of type II to Ia supernovae is estimated to be ~3.5. We also calculated not only Fe, but also O and Mg mass-to-light ratios (MLRs with K-band luminosity. The MLRs in the clusters had a similar feature.

Night-sky brightness monitoring in Hong Kong: a city-wide light pollution assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Pun, Chun Shing Jason; So, Chu Wing

2012-04-01

Results of the first comprehensive light pollution survey in Hong Kong are presented. The night-sky brightness was measured and monitored around the city using a portable light-sensing device called the Sky Quality Meter over a 15-month period beginning in March 2008. A total of 1,957 data sets were taken at 199 distinct locations, including urban and rural sites covering all 18 Administrative Districts of Hong Kong. The survey shows that the environmental light pollution problem in Hong Kong is severe-the urban night skies (sky brightness at 15.0 mag arcsec(- 2)) are on average ~ 100 times brighter than at the darkest rural sites (20.1 mag arcsec(- 2)), indicating that the high lighting densities in the densely populated residential and commercial areas lead to light pollution. In the worst polluted urban location studied, the night-sky at 13.2 mag arcsec(- 2) can be over 500 times brighter than the darkest sites in Hong Kong. The observed night-sky brightness is found to be affected by human factors such as land utilization and population density of the observation sites, together with meteorological and/or environmental factors. Moreover, earlier night skies (at 9:30 p.m. local time) are generally brighter than later time (at 11:30 p.m.), which can be attributed to some public and commercial lightings being turned off later at night. On the other hand, no concrete relationship between the observed sky brightness and air pollutant concentrations could be established with the limited survey sampling. Results from this survey will serve as an important database for the public to assess whether new rules and regulations are necessary to control the use of outdoor lightings in Hong Kong.

Suzaku observation of the eclipsing high mass X-ray binary pulsar XTE J1855-026

Science.gov (United States)

Devasia, Jincy; Paul, Biswajit

2018-02-01

We report results from analysis performed on an eclipsing supergiant high mass X-ray binary pulsar XTE J1855-026 observed with the X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (XIS) on-board Suzaku Observatory in April 2015. Suzaku observed this source for a total effective exposure of ˜ 87 ks just before an eclipse. Pulsations are clearly observed and the pulse profiles of XTE J1855-026 did not show significant energy dependence during this observation consistent with previous reports. The time averaged energy spectrum of XTE J1855-026 in the 1.0-10.5 keV energy range can be well fitted with a partial covering power law model modified with interstellar absorption along with a black-body component for soft excess and a gaussian for iron fluorescence line emision. The hardness ratio evolution during this observation indicated significant absorption of soft X-rays in some segments of the observation. For better understanding of the reason behind this, we performed time-resolved spectroscopy in the 2.5-10.5 keV energy band which revealed significant variations in the spectral parameters, especially the hydrogen column density and iron line equivalent width with flux. The correlated variations in the spectral parameters indicate towards the presence of clumps in the stellar wind of the companion star accounting for the absorption of low energy X-rays in some time segments.

UWB Filtering Power Divider with Two Narrow Notch-bands and Wide Stop-band

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Feng; Wang, Xin-Yi; Zou, Xin Tong; Shi, Xiao Wei

2017-12-01

A compact filtering ultra-wideband (UWB) microstrip power divider (PD) with two sharply rejected notch-bands and wide stopband is analyzed and designed in this paper. The proposed UWB PD is based on a conventional Wilkinson power divider, while two stub loaded resonators (SLRs) are coupled into two symmetrical output ports to achieve a bandpass filtering response. The simplified composite right/left-handed (SCRLH) resonators are employed to generate the dual notched bands. Defected ground structure (DGS) is introduced to improve the passband performance. Good insertion/return losses, isolation and notch-band rejection are achieved as demonstrated in both simulation and experiment.

The all-sky 408 MHz survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haslam, C.G.T.; Salter, C.J.; Stoffel, H.

1981-01-01

A brief outline of the results of this survey is presented. The 408 MHz All-sky Survey has been made from four radio continuum surveys observed between 1965 and 1978, using the Jodrell Bank MKI telescope (Haslam et al., 1970), the Effelsberg 100 metre telescope (Haslam et al., 1974) and the Parkes 64 metre telescope (Haslam et al., 1975). A detailed description of the survey data reduction and calibration methods, with preliminary astronomical results will soon be published (Haslam et al., 1980a) and a second paper will give an atlas of maps at the full survey resolution of 51' arc between half power points (Haslam et al., 1980b). A map, smoothed to a gaussian beam with resolution between half power poitns of 3 0 , is presented. (Auth.)

PePSS - A portable sky scanner for measuring extremely low night-sky brightness

Science.gov (United States)

Kocifaj, Miroslav; Kómar, Ladislav; Kundracik, František

2018-05-01

A new portable sky scanner designed for low-light-level detection at night is developed and employed in night sky brightness measurements in a rural region. The fast readout, adjustable sensitivity and linear response guaranteed in 5-6 orders of magnitude makes the device well suited for narrow-band photometry in both dark areas and bright urban and suburban environments. Quasi-monochromatic night-sky brightness data are advantageous in the accurate characterization of spectral power distribution of scattered and emitted light and, also allows for the possibility to retrieve light output patterns from whole-city light sources. The sky scanner can operate in both night and day regimes, taking advantage of the complementarity of both radiance data types. Due to its inherent very high sensitivity the photomultiplier tube could be used in night sky radiometry, while the spectrometer-equipped system component capable of detecting elevated intensities is used in daylight monitoring. Daylight is a source of information on atmospheric optical properties that in turn are necessary in processing night sky radiances. We believe that the sky scanner has the potential to revolutionize night-sky monitoring systems.

Improved analysis of all-sky meteor radar measurements of gravity wave variances and momentum fluxes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. F. Andrioli

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The advantages of using a composite day analysis for all-sky interferometric meteor radars when measuring mean winds and tides are widely known. On the other hand, problems arise if this technique is applied to Hocking's (2005 gravity wave analysis for all-sky meteor radars. In this paper we describe how a simple change in the procedure makes it possible to use a composite day in Hocking's analysis. Also, we explain how a modified composite day can be constructed to test its ability to measure gravity wave momentum fluxes. Test results for specified mean, tidal, and gravity wave fields, including tidal amplitudes and gravity wave momentum fluxes varying strongly with altitude and/or time, suggest that the modified composite day allows characterization of monthly mean profiles of the gravity wave momentum fluxes, with good accuracy at least at the altitudes where the meteor counts are large (from 89 to 92.5 km. In the present work we also show that the variances measured with Hocking's method are often contaminated by the tidal fields and suggest a method of empirical correction derived from a simple simulation model. The results presented here greatly increase our confidence because they show that our technique is able to remove the tide-induced false variances from Hocking's analysis.

Exposure measuring techniques for wide band mobile radio-communications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trinchero, S.; Benedetto, A.; Anglesio, L.; D'Amore, G.; Trinchero, D.

2004-01-01

The paper illustrates the limits and performances of different experimental monitoring techniques, which are applied to digitally modulated radiofrequency electromagnetic fields used for mobile telecommunications. Different experimental set-ups have been developed, verified and applied for the analysis and characterisation of wide band probes and narrow band measuring procedures. (authors)

A Multi-Polarization Study on Ship Detection over X-Band Full-Resolution COSMO SkyMed SAR Data

Science.gov (United States)

Migliaccio, Maurizio; Nunziata, Ferdinando; Sorrentio, Antonio; Ferrara, Giuseppe

2011-03-01

Ship detection over marine Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images is a key application for global monitoring for environment and security. In this paper, a physically-based filter which exploits a proper combination of GK parameters is conceived to unambiguously observe ships over sea surface in HV-polarized Single Look Complex (SLC) SAR data. Experiments accomplished over a meaningful set of X-band SLC CosmoSkyMed StripMap SAR data confirm the physical soundness of the proposed approach.

Head and hand detuning effect study of narrow-band against wide-band mobile phone antennas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bahramzy, Pevand; Pedersen, Gert Frølund

2014-01-01

Wide-band (WB) and narrow-band (NB) antennas in terms of performance are compared, when interacting with the user’s right head and hand (RHH). The investigations are done through experimental measurements, using standardised head phantom and hand. It is shown that WB antennas detune more than NB ...

Spectral and Spatial UV Sky Radiance Measurements at a Seaside Resort Under Clear Sky and Slightly Overcast Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandmann, Henner; Stick, Carsten

2014-01-01

Spatial measurements of the diffusely scattered sky radiance at a seaside resort under clear sky and slightly overcast conditions have been used to calculate the sky radiance distribution across the upper hemisphere. The measurements were done in the summer season when solar UV radiation is highest. The selected wavelengths were 307, 350 and 550 nm representing the UVB, UVA and VIS band. Absolute values of radiance differ considerably between the wavelengths. Normalizing the measured values by use of direct solar radiance made the spatial distributions of unequal sky radiance comparable. The results convey a spatial impression of the different distributions of the radiance at the three wavelengths. Relative scattered radiance intensity is one order of magnitude greater in UVB than in VIS, whereas in UVA lies roughly in between. Under slightly overcast conditions scattered radiance is increased at all three wavelengths by about one order of magnitude. These measurements taken at the seaside underline the importance of diffuse scattered radiance. The effect of shading parts of the sky can be estimated from the distribution of sky radiance. This knowledge might be useful for sun seekers and in the treatment of people staying at the seaside for therapeutic purposes. © 2013 The American Society of Photobiology.

Polarization patterns of the twilight sky

Science.gov (United States)

Cronin, Thomas W.; Warrant, Eric J.; Greiner, Birgit

2005-08-01

Although natural light sources produce depolarized light, patterns of partially linearly polarized light appear in the sky due to scattering from air molecules, dust, and aerosols. Many animals, including bees and ants, orient themselves to patterns of polarization that are present in daytime skies, when the intensity is high and skylight polarization is strong and predictable. The halicitid bee Megalopta genalis inhabits rainforests in Central America. Unlike typical bees, it forages before sunrise and after sunset, when light intensities under the forest canopy are very low, and must find its way to food sources and return to its nest in visually challenging circumstances. An important cue for the orientation could be patterns of polarization in the twilight sky. Therefore, we used a calibrated digital camera to image skylight polarization in an overhead patch of sky, 87.6° across, before dawn on Barro Colorado Island in Panama, where the bees are found. We simultaneously measured the spectral properties of polarized light in a cloudless patch of sky 15° across centered on the zenith. We also performed full-sky imaging of polarization before dawn and after dusk on Lizard Island in Australia, another tropical island. During twilight, celestial polarized light occurs in a wide band stretching perpendicular to the location of the hidden sun and reaching typical degrees of polarization near 80% at wavelengths >600 nm. This pattern appears about 45 minutes before local sunrise or disappears 45 minutes after local sunset (about 20 minutes after the onset of astronomical twilight at dawn, or before its end at dusk) and extends with little change through the entire twilight period. Such a strong and reliable orientation cue could be used for flight orientation by any animal with polarization sensitivity that navigates during twilight.

Protecting Dark Skies as a State-Wide Resource

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Lori E.; Walker, Constance E.; Hall, Jeffrey C.; Larson, Steve; Williams, Grant; Falco, Emilio; Hinz, Joannah; Fortin, Pascal; Brocious, Dan; Corbally, Christopher; Gabor, Paul; Veillet, Christian; Shankland, Paul; Jannuzi, Buell; Cotera, Angela; Luginbuhl, Christian

2018-01-01

The state of Arizona contains the highest concentration of research telescopes in the continental United States, contributing more than a quarter of a billion dollars annually to the state's economy. Protecting the dark skies above these observatories is both good for astronomy and good for the state's economy. In this contribution we describe how a coalition of Arizona observatories is working together to protect our dark skies. Efforts date back to the creation of one of the first Outdoor Lighting Codes in the United States and continue today, including educational outreach, public policy engagement, and consensus building. We review some proven strategies, highlight recent successes and look at current threats.

Noctilucent cloud particle size determination based on multi-wavelength all-sky analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Ugolnikov, Oleg S.; Galkin, Alexey A.; Pilgaev, Sergey V.; Roldugin, Alexey V.

2017-10-01

The article deals with the analysis of color distribution in noctilucent clouds (NLC) in the sky based on multi-wavelength (RGB) CCD-photometry provided with the all-sky camera in Lovozero in the north of Russia (68.0°N, 35.1°E) during the bright expanded NLC performance in the night of August 12, 2016. Small changes in the NLC color across the sky are interpreted as the atmospheric absorption and extinction effects combined with the difference in the Mie scattering functions of NLC particles for the three color channels of the camera. The method described in this paper is used to find the effective monodisperse radius of particles about 55 nm. The result of these simple and cost-effective measurements is in good agreement with previous estimations of comparable accuracy. Non-spherical particles, Gaussian and lognormal distribution of the particle size are also considered.

Wide field-of-view dual-band multispectral muzzle flash detection

Science.gov (United States)

Montoya, J.; Melchor, J.; Spiliotis, P.; Taplin, L.

2013-06-01

Sensor technologies are undergoing revolutionary advances, as seen in the rapid growth of multispectral methodologies. Increases in spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution, and in breadth of spectral coverage, render feasible sensors that function with unprecedented performance. A system was developed that addresses many of the key hardware requirements for a practical dual-band multispectral acquisition system, including wide field of view and spectral/temporal shift between dual bands. The system was designed using a novel dichroic beam splitter and dual band-pass filter configuration that creates two side-by-side images of a scene on a single sensor. A high-speed CMOS sensor was used to simultaneously capture data from the entire scene in both spectral bands using a short focal-length lens that provided a wide field-of-view. The beam-splitter components were arranged such that the two images were maintained in optical alignment and real-time intra-band processing could be carried out using only simple arithmetic on the image halves. An experiment related to limitations of the system to address multispectral detection requirements was performed. This characterized the system's low spectral variation across its wide field of view. This paper provides lessons learned on the general limitation of key hardware components required for multispectral muzzle flash detection, using the system as a hardware example combined with simulated multispectral muzzle flash and background signatures.

Band-engineering of TiO2 as a wide-band gap semiconductor using organic chromophore dyes

Science.gov (United States)

Wahyuningsih, S.; Kartini, I.; Ramelan, A. H.; Saputri, L. N. M. Z.; Munawaroh, H.

2017-07-01

Bond-engineering as applied to semiconductor materials refers to the manipulation of the energy bands in order to control charge transfer processes in a device. When the device in question is a photoelectrochemical cell, the charges affected by drift become the focus of the study. The ideal band gap of semiconductors for enhancement of photocatalyst activity can be lowered to match with visible light absorption and the location of conduction Band (CB) should be raised to meet the reducing capacity. Otherwise, by the addition of the chromofor organic dyes, the wide-band gab can be influences by interacation resulting between TiO2 surface and the dyes. We have done the impruvisation wide-band gap of TiO2 by the addition of organic chromophore dye, and the addition of transition metal dopand. The TiO2 morphology influence the light absorption as well as the surface modification. The organic chromophore dye was syntesized by formation complexes compound of Co(PAR)(SiPA)(PAR)= 4-(2-piridylazoresorcinol), SiPA = Silyl propil amine). The result showed that the chromophore groups adsorbed onto TiO2 surface can increase the visible light absorption of wide-band gab semiconductor. Initial absorption of a chromophore will affect light penetration into the material surfaces. The use of photonic material as a solar cell shows this phenomenon clearly from the IPCE (incident photon to current conversion efficiency) measurement data. Organic chromophore dyes of Co(PAR)(SiPA) exhibited the long wavelength absorption character compared to the N719 dye (from Dyesol).

ASHI: An All Sky Heliospheric Imager for Viewing Thomson-Scattered Light

Science.gov (United States)

Buffington, A.; Jackson, B. V.; Yu, H. S.; Hick, P. P.; Bisi, M. M.

2017-12-01

We have developed, and are now making a detailed design for an All-Sky Heliospheric Imager (ASHI), to fly on future deep-space missions. ASHI's principal long-term objective is acquisition of a precision photometric map of the inner heliosphere as viewed from deep space. Photometers on the twin Helios spacecraft, the Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) upon the Coriolis satellite, and the Heliospheric Imagers (HIs) upon the Solar-TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) twin spacecraft, all indicate an optimum instrument design for visible-light Thomson-scattering observations. This design views a hemisphere of sky starting a few degrees from the Sun. Two imagers can cover almost all of the whole sky. A key photometric specification for ASHI is 0.1% differential photometry: this enables the three dimensional reconstruction of density starting from near the Sun and extending outward. SMEI analyses have demonstrated the success of this technique: when employed by ASHI, this will provide an order of magnitude better resolution in 3-D density over time. We augment this analysis to include velocity, and these imagers deployed in deep space can thus provide high-resolution comparisons both of direct in-situ density and velocity measurements to remote observations of solar wind structures. In practice we find that the 3-D velocity determinations provide the best tomographic timing depiction of heliospheric structures. We discuss the simple concept behind this, and present recent progress in the instrument design, and its expected performance specifications. A preliminary balloon flight of an ASHI prototype is planned to take place next Summer.

DATA QUALITY EVALUATION AND APPLICATION POTENTIAL ANALYSIS OF TIANGONG-2 WIDE-BAND IMAGING SPECTROMETER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Qin

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Tiangong-2 is the first space laboratory in China, which launched in September 15, 2016. Wide-band Imaging Spectrometer is a medium resolution multispectral imager on Tiangong-2. In this paper, the authors introduced the indexes and parameters of Wideband Imaging Spectrometer, and made an objective evaluation about the data quality of Wide-band Imaging Spectrometer in radiation quality, image sharpness and information content, and compared the data quality evaluation results with that of Landsat-8. Although the data quality of Wide-band Imager Spectrometer has a certain disparity with Landsat-8 OLI data in terms of signal to noise ratio, clarity and entropy. Compared with OLI, Wide-band Imager Spectrometer has more bands, narrower bandwidth and wider swath, which make it a useful remote sensing data source in classification and identification of large and medium scale ground objects. In the future, Wide-band Imaging Spectrometer data will be widely applied in land cover classification, ecological environment assessment, marine and coastal zone monitoring, crop identification and classification, and other related areas.

Data Quality Evaluation and Application Potential Analysis of TIANGONG-2 Wide-Band Imaging Spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, B.; Li, L.; Li, S.

2018-04-01

Tiangong-2 is the first space laboratory in China, which launched in September 15, 2016. Wide-band Imaging Spectrometer is a medium resolution multispectral imager on Tiangong-2. In this paper, the authors introduced the indexes and parameters of Wideband Imaging Spectrometer, and made an objective evaluation about the data quality of Wide-band Imaging Spectrometer in radiation quality, image sharpness and information content, and compared the data quality evaluation results with that of Landsat-8. Although the data quality of Wide-band Imager Spectrometer has a certain disparity with Landsat-8 OLI data in terms of signal to noise ratio, clarity and entropy. Compared with OLI, Wide-band Imager Spectrometer has more bands, narrower bandwidth and wider swath, which make it a useful remote sensing data source in classification and identification of large and medium scale ground objects. In the future, Wide-band Imaging Spectrometer data will be widely applied in land cover classification, ecological environment assessment, marine and coastal zone monitoring, crop identification and classification, and other related areas.

X-RAY-EMITTING STARS IDENTIFIED FROM THE ROSAT ALL-SKY SURVEY AND THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agueeros, Marcel A.; Newsom, Emily R.; Anderson, Scott F.; Hawley, Suzanne L.; Silvestri, Nicole M.; Szkody, Paula; Covey, Kevin R.; Posselt, Bettina; Margon, Bruce; Voges, Wolfgang

2009-01-01

The ROSAT All-Sky Survey (RASS) was the first imaging X-ray survey of the entire sky. Combining the RASS Bright and Faint Source Catalogs yields an average of about three X-ray sources per square degree. However, while X-ray source counterparts are known to range from distant quasars to nearby M dwarfs, the RASS data alone are often insufficient to determine the nature of an X-ray source. As a result, large-scale follow-up programs are required to construct samples of known X-ray emitters. We use optical data produced by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to identify 709 stellar X-ray emitters cataloged in the RASS and falling within the SDSS Data Release 1 footprint. Most of these are bright stars with coronal X-ray emission unsuitable for SDSS spectroscopy, which is designed for fainter objects (g > 15 [mag]). Instead, we use SDSS photometry, correlations with the Two Micron All Sky Survey and other catalogs, and spectroscopy from the Apache Point Observatory 3.5 m telescope to identify these stellar X-ray counterparts. Our sample of 707 X-ray-emitting F, G, K, and M stars is one of the largest X-ray-selected samples of such stars. We derive distances to these stars using photometric parallax relations appropriate for dwarfs on the main sequence, and use these distances to calculate L X . We also identify a previously unknown cataclysmic variable (CV) as a RASS counterpart. Separately, we use correlations of the RASS and the SDSS spectroscopic catalogs of CVs and white dwarfs (WDs) to study the properties of these rarer X-ray-emitting stars. We examine the relationship between (f X /f g ) and the equivalent width of the Hβ emission line for 46 X-ray-emitting CVs and discuss tentative classifications for a subset based on these quantities. We identify 17 new X-ray-emitting DA (hydrogen) WDs, of which three are newly identified WDs. We report on follow-up observations of three candidate cool X-ray-emitting WDs (one DA and two DB (helium) WDs); we have not

IACHEC CROSS-CALIBRATION OF CHANDRA , NuSTAR , SWIFT , SUZAKU , XMM-NEWTON WITH 3C 273 ANDPKS 2155-304

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Madsen, Kristin K.; Forster, Karl [Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Beardmore, Andrew P.; Page, Kim L. [X-ray and Observational Astronomy Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH (United Kingdom); Guainazzi, Matteo [Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, 3-1-1, Yoshinodai, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-5201 (Japan); Marshall, Herman L.; Miller, Eric D. [Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Stuhlinger, Martin [European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC), P.O. Box 78, E-28691 Villanueva de la Caada, Madrid (Spain)

2017-01-01

On behalf of the International Astronomical Consortium for High Energy Calibration, we present results from the cross-calibration campaigns in 2012 on 3C 273 and in 2013 on PKS 2155-304 between the then active X-ray observatories Chandra , NuSTAR , Suzaku , Swift, and XMM-Newton . We compare measured fluxes between instrument pairs in two energy bands, 1–5 keV and 3–7 keV, and calculate an average cross-normalization constant for each energy range. We review known cross-calibration features and provide a series of tables and figures to be used for evaluating cross-normalization constants obtained from other observations with the above mentioned observatories.

Fully inkjet printed wide band cantor fractal antenna for RF energy harvesting application

KAUST Repository

Bakytbekov, Azamat

2017-06-07

Energy harvesting from ambient RF signals is feasible, particularly from the GSM bands such as 900MHz, 1800MHz and the 3G band at 2.1GHz. This requires a wideband receive antenna which can cover all these bands with decent gain performance and an omnidirectional radiation pattern. In this work, a novel Cantor fractal antenna has been designed which fulfills the above mentioned performance requirements. Antenna has been realized through a combination of 3D inkjet printing of plastic substrate and 2D inkjet printing of metallic nanoparticles based ink. The stable impedance and radiation performance of the antenna over a bandwidth of 0.8GHz to 2.2GHz (93 %) shows the feasibility of its employment in wide band energy harvesting applications.

SkyMapper Southern Survey: First Data Release (DR1)

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Christian; Onken, Christopher A.; Luvaul, Lance C.; Schmidt, Brian P.; Bessell, Michael S.; Chang, Seo-Won; Da Costa, Gary S.; Mackey, Dougal; Martin-Jones, Tony; Murphy, Simon J.; Preston, Tim; Scalzo, Richard A.; Shao, Li; Smillie, Jon; Tisserand, Patrick; White, Marc C.; Yuan, Fang

2018-02-01

We present the first data release of the SkyMapper Southern Survey, a hemispheric survey carried out with the SkyMapper Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory in Australia. Here, we present the survey strategy, data processing, catalogue construction, and database schema. The first data release dataset includes over 66 000 images from the Shallow Survey component, covering an area of 17 200 deg2 in all six SkyMapper passbands uvgriz, while the full area covered by any passband exceeds 20 000 deg2. The catalogues contain over 285 million unique astrophysical objects, complete to roughly 18 mag in all bands. We compare our griz point-source photometry with Pan-STARRS1 first data release and note an RMS scatter of 2%. The internal reproducibility of SkyMapper photometry is on the order of 1%. Astrometric precision is better than 0.2 arcsec based on comparison with Gaia first data release. We describe the end-user database, through which data are presented to the world community, and provide some illustrative science queries.

Kinetics of singlet and triplet excitons in a wide-band-gap copolymer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Loi, MA; Gadermaier, C; List, EJW; Leising, G; Graupner, W; Bongiovanni, G; Mura, A; Pireaux, JJ; Kaeriyama, K

2000-01-01

Transient and photomodulation spectroscopy is used in order to determine decay times and densities of both emitting and absorbing species in the wide band-gap semiconductor poly-2,5-diheptyl-1,4-phenylene-alt-2, S-thienylene (PDHPT). The wide band gap of this material is a consequence of the large

Multislot microstrip antenna for ultra-wide band applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noor M. Awad

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper designs of both planar ultra-wide band (UWB antenna and UWB antenna with two rejected bands are given. The antenna consists of a rectangular patch etched on FR4-substrate with 50 Ω feed line. The rectangular patch has one round cut at each corner with one slot in the ground plane. The simulated bandwidth with return loss (RL ⩾ 10 dB is 3.42–11.7 GHz. The rejected bands are the WLAN and X-bands, achieved by inserting slots in the patch and the feed. The simulated results of the proposed antenna indicate higher gain at the passbands while a sharp drop at the rejected bands is seen. The radiation pattern is of dipole shape in the E-plane and almost omnidirectional in the H-plane. The high frequency structure simulator (HFSS is used to design and simulate the antennas behavior over the different frequency ranges. Measurements confirm the antenna characteristic as predicted in the simulation with a slight shift in frequencies.

A prototype for the PASS Permanent All Sky Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Deeg, H. J.; Alonso, R.; Belmonte, J. A.; Horne, K.; Alsubai, K.; Collier Cameron, A.; Doyle, L. R.

2004-10-01

A prototype system for the Permanent All Sky Survey (PASS) project is presented. PASS is a continuous photometric survey of the entire celestial sphere with a high temporal resolution. Its major objectives are the detection of all giant-planet transits (with periods up to some weeks) across stars up to mag 10.5, and to deliver continuously photometry that is useful for the study of any variable stars. The prototype is based on CCD cameras with short focal length optics on a fixed mount. A small dome to house it at Teide Observatory, Tenerife, is currently being constructed. A placement at the antarctic Dome C is also being considered. The prototype will be used for a feasibility study of PASS, to define the best observing strategies, and to perform a detailed characterization of the capabilities and scope of the survey. Afterwards, a first partial sky surveying will be started with it. That first survey may be able to detect transiting planets during its first few hundred hours of operation. It will also deliver a data set around which software modules dealing with the various scientific objectives of PASS will be developed. The PASS project is still in its early phase and teams interested in specific scientific objectives, in providing technical expertise, or in participating with own observations are invited to collaborate.

New improved algorithm for sky calibration of L-band radiometers JLBARA and ELBARA II

KAUST Repository

Dimitrov, Marin

2012-03-01

We propose a new algorithm for sky calibration of the L-band radiometers JLBARA and ELBARA II, introducing the effective transmissivities of the instruments. The suggested approach was tested using experimental data obtained at the Selhausen test site, Germany. It was shown that for JLBARA the effective transmissivities depend strongly on the air temperature and decrease with increasing air temperature, while for ELBARA II such strong dependence was not observed. It was also shown that the effective transmissivities account for the antenna and feed cable loss effects, and for the variations of the radiometer gain due to air temperature changes. The new calibration algorithm reduces significantly the bias of brightness temperature estimates for both radiometers, especially for JLBARA. © 2012 IEEE.

New improved algorithm for sky calibration of L-band radiometers JLBARA and ELBARA II

KAUST Repository

Dimitrov, Marin; Kostov, K. G.; Jonard, Franç ois; Jadoon, Khan; Schwank, Mike; Weihermü ller, Lutz; Hermes, Normen; Vanderborght, Jan P.; Vereecken, Harry

2012-01-01

We propose a new algorithm for sky calibration of the L-band radiometers JLBARA and ELBARA II, introducing the effective transmissivities of the instruments. The suggested approach was tested using experimental data obtained at the Selhausen test site, Germany. It was shown that for JLBARA the effective transmissivities depend strongly on the air temperature and decrease with increasing air temperature, while for ELBARA II such strong dependence was not observed. It was also shown that the effective transmissivities account for the antenna and feed cable loss effects, and for the variations of the radiometer gain due to air temperature changes. The new calibration algorithm reduces significantly the bias of brightness temperature estimates for both radiometers, especially for JLBARA. © 2012 IEEE.

The History of the CONCAM Project: All Sky Monitors in the Digital Age

Science.gov (United States)

Nemiroff, Robert; Shamir, Lior; Pereira, Wellesley

2018-01-01

The CONtinuous CAMera (CONCAM) project, which ran from 2000 to (about) 2008, consisted of real-time, Internet-connected, fisheye cameras located at major astronomical observatories. At its peak, eleven CONCAMs around the globe monitored most of the night sky, most of the time. Initially designed to search for transients and stellar variability, CONCAMs gained initial notoriety as cloud monitors. As such, CONCAMs made -- and its successors continue to make -- ground-based astronomy more efficient. The original, compact, fisheye-observatory-in-a-suitcase design underwent several iterations, starting with CONCAM0 and with the last version dubbed CONCAM3. Although the CONCAM project itself concluded after centralized funding diminished, today more locally-operated, commercially-designed, CONCAM-like devices operate than ever before. It has even been shown that modern smartphones can operate in a CONCAM-like mode. It is speculated that the re-instatement of better global coordination of current wide-angle sky monitors could lead to better variability monitoring of the brightest stars and transients.

The WATCH All-Sky Monitor for the Granat Project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brandt, Søren; Lund, Niels; Rao, A. R.

1990-01-01

The Watch X-ray all-sky monitor, which is designed to localize strong X-ray sources and follow their development, is examined, focusing on the addition of four Watch units to the Granat satellite project. The components of the Watch instrument are described and the capabilities and potential...... scientific returns of the Granat project are discussed. The applications of the Watch monitor are given, including the study of time variations of known sources and the detection and localization of new, transient sources....

The Infrared Sky - Science from 2MASS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skrutskie, Michael

2002-01-01

The Two Micron All Sky Survey has imaged 100% of the celestial sphere in the near-infrared J (1.2 μm), H (1.6 μm) and Ks (2.2 μm) photometric bands. Pipeline processing of these data has produced catalogs containing 500 million stars and 1.5 million extended sources which will be released later this year. The catalogs are characterized by great photometric uniformity (1%) and precision (2-3%) around the sky as well as good astrometric accuracy (100 mas). This talk will focus on some of the initial scientific results enabled by this database ranging from brown dwarfs in the solar neighborhood to large scale structure in the early universe.

Suzaku And Multi-Wavelength Observations of OJ 287 During the Periodic Optical Outburst in 2007

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seta, Hiromi; /Saitama U.; Isobe, N.; /Kyoto U.; Tashiro, Makoto S.; /Saitama U.; Yaji, Yuichi; /Saitama U.; Arai, Akira; /Hiroshima U.; Fukuhara, Masayuki; /Tokyo U. /Grad. U. for Adv. Stud., Nagano; Kohno, Kotaro; /Tokyo U.; Nakanishi, Koichiro; /Grad. U. for Adv. Stud., Nagano; Sasada, Mahito; /Hiroshima U.; Shimajiri, Yoshito; /Tokyo U. /Grad. U. for Adv. Stud., Nagano; Tosaki, Tomoka; /Grad. U. for Adv. Stud., Nagano; Uemura, Makoto; /Hiroshima U.; Anderhub, Hans; /Zurich, ETH; Antonelli, L.A.; /INFN, Rome; Antoranz, Pedro; /Madrid U.; Backes, Michael; /Dortmund U.; Baixeras, Carmen; /Barcelona, Autonoma U.; Balestra, Silvia; /Madrid U.; Barrio, Juan Abel; /Madrid U.; Bastieri, Denis; /Padua U. /INFN, Padua; Becerra Gonzalez, Josefa; /IAC, La Laguna /Dortmund U. /Lodz U. /Lodz U. /DESY /Zurich, ETH /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /Padua U. /INFN, Padua /Siena U. /INFN, Siena /Barcelona, IEEC /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /Barcelona, IEEC /Madrid U. /Zurich, ETH /Wurzburg U. /Zurich, ETH /Madrid U. /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /Zurich, ETH /Madrid U. /Barcelona, IFAE /IAC, La Laguna /Laguna U., Tenerife /INFN, Rome /Dortmund U. /Udine U. /INFN, Udine /INFN, Padua /Udine U. /INFN, Udine /Barcelona, IEEC /Madrid U. /Udine U. /INFN, Udine /Udine U. /INFN, Udine /Udine U. /INFN, Udine /IAC, La Laguna /Madrid, CIEMAT /Sierra Nevada Observ. /Zurich, ETH /Padua U. /INFN, Padua /Wurzburg U. /Barcelona, IFAE /UC, Davis /Barcelona, IFAE /Barcelona, IFAE /Madrid U. /Barcelona, Autonoma U. /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /IAC, La Laguna /Laguna U., Tenerife /Barcelona, IFAE /IAC, La Laguna /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /Barcelona, Autonoma U. /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /SLAC /IAC, La Laguna /Laguna U., Tenerife /Zurich, ETH /Wurzburg U. /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /Zurich, ETH /INFN, Rome /UC, Davis /Siena U. /INFN, Siena /Turku U. /Padua U. /INFN, Padua /Udine U. /INFN, Udine /Padua U. /INFN, Padua /Zurich, ETH /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /DESY /Sofiya, Inst. Nucl. Res. /Udine U. /INFN, Udine /Wurzburg U. /INFN, Rome /Padua U. /INFN, Padua /Barcelona, IFAE /Barcelona, IFAE /Siena U. /INFN, Siena /Wurzburg U. /Madrid U. /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /Barcelona, IEEC /Sierra Nevada Observ. /Barcelona, IFAE /Madrid U. /Turku U. /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /UC, Santa Cruz /Madrid U. /Siena U. /INFN, Siena /Barcelona, IEEC /Turku U. /Padua U. /INFN, Padua /Zurich, ETH /Siena U. /INFN, Siena /Sierra Nevada Observ. /Udine U. /INFN, Udine /INFN, Trieste /Padua U. /INFN, Padua /Sierra Nevada Observ. /Padua U. /INFN, Padua /Barcelona, IFAE /Barcelona, IFAE /Dortmund U. /Barcelona, IEEC /ICREA, Barcelona /Barcelona, IFAE /Zurich, ETH /Barcelona, Autonoma U. /Wurzburg U. /Padua U. /INFN, Padua /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /INFN, Rome /Sierra Nevada Observ. /DESY /Padua U. /INFN, Padua /Udine U. /INFN, Udine /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /Pisa U. /INFN, Pisa /Barcelona, IFAE /Barcelona, IEEC /Turku U. /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /Lodz U. /Lodz U. /Wurzburg U. /Siena U. /INFN, Siena /Zurich, ETH /Turku U. /INFN, Rome /Sofiya, Inst. Nucl. Res. /Barcelona, IFAE /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /DESY /ICREA, Barcelona /Barcelona, IEEC /Siena U. /INFN, Siena /Sofiya, Inst. Nucl. Res. /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /Munich, Max Planck Inst. /Barcelona, IEEC /Sierra Nevada Observ. /Barcelona, IFAE /Barcelona, Autonoma U.

2011-12-01

Suzaku observations of the blazar OJ 287 were performed in 2007 April 10-13 and November 7-9. They correspond to a quiescent and a flaring state, respectively. The X-ray spectra of the source can be well described with single power-law models in both exposures. The derived X-ray photon index and the flux density at 1 keV were found to be {Lambda} = 1.65 {+-} 0.02 and S{sub 1keV} = 215 {+-} 5 nJy, in the quiescent state. In the flaring state, the source exhibited a harder X-ray spectrum ({Lambda} = 1.50 {+-} 0.01) with a nearly doubled X-ray flux density S{sub 1keV} = 404{sub -5}{sup +6} nJy. Moreover, significant hard X-ray signals were detected up to {approx} 27 keV. In cooperation with the Suzaku, simultaneous radio, optical, and very-high-energy {gamma}-ray observations of OJ 287 were performed with the Nobeyama Millimeter Array, the KANATA telescope, and the MAGIC telescope, respectively. The radio and optical fluxes in the flaring state (3.04 {+-} 0.46 Jy and 8.93 {+-} 0.05 mJy at 86.75 Hz and in the V-band, respectively) were found to be higher by a factor of 2-3 than those in the quiescent state (1.73 {+-} 0.26 Jy and 3.03 {+-} 0.01 mJy at 86.75 Hz and in the V-band, respectively). No notable {gamma}-ray events were detected in either observation. The spectral energy distribution of OJ 287 indicated that the X-ray spectrum was dominated by inverse Compton radiation in both observations, while synchrotron radiation exhibited a spectral cutoff around the optical frequency. Furthermore, no significant difference in the synchrotron cutoff frequency was found between the quiescent and flaring states. According to a simple synchrotron self-Compton model, the change of the spectral energy distribution is due to an increase in the energy density of electrons with small changes of both the magnetic field strength and the maximum Lorentz factor of electrons.

WATCHDOG: A COMPREHENSIVE ALL-SKY DATABASE OF GALACTIC BLACK HOLE X-RAY BINARIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tetarenko, B. E.; Sivakoff, G. R.; Heinke, C. O.; Gladstone, J. C.

2016-01-01

With the advent of more sensitive all-sky instruments, the transient universe is being probed in greater depth than ever before. Taking advantage of available resources, we have established a comprehensive database of black hole (and black hole candidate) X-ray binary (BHXB) activity between 1996 and 2015 as revealed by all-sky instruments, scanning surveys, and select narrow-field X-ray instruments on board the INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory, Monitor of All-Sky X-ray Image, Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer, and Swift telescopes; the Whole-sky Alberta Time-resolved Comprehensive black-Hole Database Of the Galaxy or WATCHDOG. Over the past two decades, we have detected 132 transient outbursts, tracked and classified behavior occurring in 47 transient and 10 persistently accreting BHs, and performed a statistical study on a number of outburst properties across the Galactic population. We find that outbursts undergone by BHXBs that do not reach the thermally dominant accretion state make up a substantial fraction (∼40%) of the Galactic transient BHXB outburst sample over the past ∼20 years. Our findings suggest that this “hard-only” behavior, observed in transient and persistently accreting BHXBs, is neither a rare nor recent phenomenon and may be indicative of an underlying physical process, relatively common among binary BHs, involving the mass-transfer rate onto the BH remaining at a low level rather than increasing as the outburst evolves. We discuss how the larger number of these “hard-only” outbursts and detected outbursts in general have significant implications for both the luminosity function and mass-transfer history of the Galactic BHXB population

RXTE All-Sky Monitor Localization of SGR 1627-41

OpenAIRE

Smith, Donald A.; Bradt, Hale V.; Levine, Alan M.

1999-01-01

The fourth unambiguously identified Soft Gamma Repeater (SGR), SGR1627-41, was discovered with the BATSE instrument on 1998 June 15 (Kouveliotou et al. 1998). Interplanetary Network (IPN) measurements and BATSE data constrained the location of this new SGR to a 6 deg segment of a narrow (19") annulus (Hurley et al. 1999; Woods et al. 1998). We present two bursts from this source observed by the All-Sky Monitor (ASM) on RXTE. We use the ASM data to further constrain the source location to a 5'...

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey COADD: 275 deg2 of deep Sloan Digital Sky Survey imaging on stripe 82

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Annis, James; Soares-Santos, Marcelle; Dodelson, Scott; Hao, Jiangang; Jester, Sebastian; Johnston, David E.; Kubo, Jeffrey M.; Lampeitl, Hubert; Lin, Huan; Miknaitis, Gajus; Yanny, Brian; Strauss, Michael A.; Gunn, James E.; Lupton, Robert H.; Becker, Andrew C.; Ivezić, Željko; Fan, Xiaohui; Jiang, Linhua; Seo, Hee-Jong; Simet, Melanie

2014-01-01

We present details of the construction and characterization of the coaddition of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Stripe 82 ugriz imaging data. This survey consists of 275 deg 2 of repeated scanning by the SDSS camera over –50° ≤ α ≤ 60° and –1.°25 ≤ δ ≤ +1.°25 centered on the Celestial Equator. Each piece of sky has ∼20 runs contributing and thus reaches ∼2 mag fainter than the SDSS single pass data, i.e., to r ∼ 23.5 for galaxies. We discuss the image processing of the coaddition, the modeling of the point-spread function (PSF), the calibration, and the production of standard SDSS catalogs. The data have an r-band median seeing of 1.''1 and are calibrated to ≤1%. Star color-color, number counts, and PSF size versus modeled size plots show that the modeling of the PSF is good enough for precision five-band photometry. Structure in the PSF model versus magnitude plot indicates minor PSF modeling errors, leading to misclassification of stars as galaxies, as verified using VVDS spectroscopy. There are a variety of uses for this wide-angle deep imaging data, including galactic structure, photometric redshift computation, cluster finding and cross wavelength measurements, weak lensing cluster mass calibrations, and cosmic shear measurements.

Wide-band coherent receiver development for enhanced surveillance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpson, M.L.; Richards, R.K.; Hutchinson, D.P.

1998-03-01

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been developing advanced coherent IR heterodyne receivers for plasma diagnostics in fusion reactors for over 20 years. Recent progress in wide band IR detectors and high speed electronics has significantly enhanced the measurement capabilities of coherent receivers. In addition, developments in new HgCdTe and quantum well IR photodetector (QWIP) focal plane arrays are providing the possibility of both active and passive coherent imaging. In this paper the authors discuss the implications of these new enabling technologies to the IR remote sensing community for enhanced surveillance. Coherent receivers, as opposed to direct or thermal detection, provide multiple dimensions of information about a scene or target in a single detector system. Combinations of range, velocity, temperature, and chemical species information are all available from a coherent heterodyne receiver. They present laboratory data showing measured noise equivalent power (NEP) of new QWIP detectors with heterodyne bandwidths greater than 7 GHz. For absorption measurements, a wide band coherent receiver provides the capability of looking between CO 2 lines at off-resonance peaks and thus the measurement of lines normally inaccessible with conventional heterodyne or direct detection systems. Also described are differential absorption lidar (DIAL) and Doppler laboratory measurements using an 8 x 8 HgCdTe focal plane array demonstrating the snapshot capability of coherent receiver detector arrays for enhanced chemical plume and moving hardbody capture. Finally they discuss a variety of coherent receiver configurations that can suppress (or enhance) sensitivity of present active remote sensing systems to speckle, glint, and other measurement anomalies

Short timescale variability in the faint sky variability survey

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Morales-Rueda, L.; Groot, P.J.; Augusteijn, T.; Nelemans, G.A.; Vreeswijk, P.M.; Besselaar, E.J.M. van den

2006-01-01

We present the V-band variability analysis of the Faint Sky Variability Survey (FSVS). The FSVS combines colour and time variability information, from timescales of 24 minutes to tens of days, down to V = 24. We find that �1% of all point sources are variable along the main sequence reaching �3.5%

SkyProbe: Real-Time Precision Monitoring in the Optical of the Absolute Atmospheric Absorption on the Telescope Science and Calibration Fields

Science.gov (United States)

Cuillandre, J.-C.; Magnier, E.; Sabin, D.; Mahoney, B.

2016-05-01

Mauna Kea is known for its pristine seeing conditions but sky transparency can be an issue for science operations since at least 25% of the observable (i.e. open dome) nights are not photometric, an effect mostly due to high-altitude cirrus. Since 2001, the original single channel SkyProbe mounted in parallel on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) has gathered one V-band exposure every minute during each observing night using a small CCD camera offering a very wide field of view (35 sq. deg.) encompassing the region pointed by the telescope for science operations, and exposures long enough (40 seconds) to capture at least 100 stars of Hipparcos' Tycho catalog at high galactic latitudes (and up to 600 stars at low galactic latitudes). The measurement of the true atmospheric absorption is achieved within 2%, a key advantage over all-sky direct thermal infrared imaging detection of clouds. The absolute measurement of the true atmospheric absorption by clouds and particulates affecting the data being gathered by the telescope's main science instrument has proven crucial for decision making in the CFHT queued service observing (QSO) representing today all of the telescope time. Also, science exposures taken in non-photometric conditions are automatically registered for a new observation at a later date at 1/10th of the original exposure time in photometric conditions to ensure a proper final absolute photometric calibration. Photometric standards are observed only when conditions are reported as being perfectly stable by SkyProbe. The more recent dual color system (simultaneous B & V bands) will offer a better characterization of the sky properties above Mauna Kea and should enable a better detection of the thinnest cirrus (absorption down to 0.01 mag., or 1%).

Detecting TLEs using a massive all-sky camera network

Science.gov (United States)

Garnung, M. B.; Celestin, S. J.

2017-12-01

Transient Luminous Events (TLEs) are large-scale optical events occurring in the upper-atmosphere from the top of thunderclouds up to the ionosphere. TLEs may have important effects in local, regional, and global scales, and many features of TLEs are not fully understood yet [e.g, Pasko, JGR, 115, A00E35, 2010]. Moreover, meteor events have been suggested to play a role in sprite initiation by producing ionospheric irregularities [e.g, Qin et al., Nat. Commun., 5, 3740, 2014]. The French Fireball Recovery and InterPlanetary Observation Network (FRIPON, https://www.fripon.org/?lang=en), is a national all-sky 30 fps camera network designed to continuously detect meteor events. We seek to make use of this network to observe TLEs over unprecedented space and time scales ( 1000×1000 km with continuous acquisition). To do so, we had to significantly modify FRIPON's triggering software Freeture (https://github.com/fripon/freeture) while leaving the meteor detection capability uncompromised. FRIPON has a great potential in the study of TLEs. Not only could it produce new results about spatial and time distributions of TLEs over a very large area, it could also be used to validate and complement observations from future space missions such as ASIM (ESA) and TARANIS (CNES). In this work, we present an original image processing algorithm that can detect sprites using all-sky cameras while strongly limiting the frequency of false positives and our ongoing work on sprite triangulation using the FRIPON network.

A U-Shaped Slot UWB Antenna with Flexible and Wide Tunable Dual Notch Band

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Zhongmin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A coplanar waveguide (CPW fed ultra-wideband (UWB antenna with flexible and wide tunable dual bandnotched characteristics is proposed in this paper. The dual band-notched function is achieved by using an U-shaped slot inserted into the ellipse radiation patch and by using an elliptic parasitic slit placed near the ground plane. The wide tunable band-notched characteristic is implemented by adjusting the length of U-shaped slot and by adjusting the length of ellipse parasitic slit. The design aims to achieve wide reconfigurable band-notched features on the UWB antenna. The simulated results indicate that the proposed antenna has a wide bandwidth (VSWR under 2 from 2.9GHz to 12.6GHz with fractional bandwidth of 125%, and has a wide tunable notch band center frequency from 4.5GHz to 12.4GHz.

Wide-band neutrino beams at 1000 GeV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malensek, A.; Stutte, L.

1983-01-01

In a previous publication, S. Mori discussed various broad-band neutrino and antineutrino beams using 1000 GeV protons on target. A new beam (SST) has been designed which provides the same neutrino flux as the quadrupole triplet (QT) while suppressing the wrong sign flux by a factor of 18. It also provides more than twice as much high energy antineutrino flux than the sign-selected bare target (SSBT) and in addition, has better neutrino suppression. While it is possible to increase the flux obtained from the single horn system over that previously described, the conclusion which states any horn focussing system seems to be of marginal use for Tevatron neutrino physics, is unchanged. Neutrino and antineutrino event rates and wrong sign backgrounds were computed using NUADA for a 100 metric ton detector of radius 1.5 meters. Due to radiation considerations and the existing transformer location, the horn beam is placed in its usual position inside the Target Tube. All other beams are placed in Fronthall. Thus, for the wide-band Fronthall trains a decay distance of 520 meters is used, versus 400 meters for the horn train

Fireballs in the Sky

Science.gov (United States)

Day, B. H.; Bland, P.

2016-12-01

Fireballs in the Sky is an innovative Australian citizen science program that connects the public with the research of the Desert Fireball Network (DFN). This research aims to understand the early workings of the solar system, and Fireballs in the Sky invites people around the world to learn about this science, contributing fireball sightings via a user-friendly app. To date, more than 23,000 people have downloaded the app world-wide and participated in planetary science. The Fireballs in the Sky app allows users to get involved with the Desert Fireball Network research, supplementing DFN observations and providing enhanced coverage by reporting their own meteor sightings to DFN scientists. Fireballs in the Sky reports are used to track the trajectories of meteors - from their orbit in space to where they might have landed on Earth. Led by Phil Bland at Curtin University in Australia, the Desert Fireball Network (DFN) uses automated observatories across Australia to triangulate trajectories of meteorites entering the atmosphere, determine pre-entry orbits, and pinpoint their fall positions. Each observatory is an autonomous intelligent imaging system, taking 1000×36Megapixel all-sky images throughout the night, using neural network algorithms to recognize events. They are capable of operating for 12 months in a harsh environment, and store all imagery collected. We developed a completely automated software pipeline for data reduction, and built a supercomputer database for storage, allowing us to process our entire archive. The DFN currently stands at 50 stations distributed across the Australian continent, covering an area of 2.5 million km^2. Working with DFN's partners at NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, the team is expanding the network beyond Australia to locations around the world. Fireballs in the Sky allows a growing public base to learn about and participate in this exciting research.

SHARPENDING OF THE VNIR AND SWIR BANDS OF THE WIDE BAND SPECTRAL IMAGER ONBOARD TIANGONG-II IMAGERY USING THE SELECTED BANDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Q. Liu

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The Tiangong-II space lab was launched at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center of China on September 15, 2016. The Wide Band Spectral Imager (WBSI onboard the Tiangong-II has 14 visible and near-infrared (VNIR spectral bands covering the range from 403–990 nm and two shortwave infrared (SWIR bands covering the range from 1230–1250 nm and 1628–1652 nm respectively. In this paper the selected bands are proposed which aims at considering the closest spectral similarities between the VNIR with 100 m spatial resolution and SWIR bands with 200 m spatial resolution. The evaluation of Gram-Schmidt transform (GS sharpening techniques embedded in ENVI software is presented based on four types of the different low resolution pan band. The experimental results indicated that the VNIR band with higher CC value with the raw SWIR Band was selected, more texture information was injected the corresponding sharpened SWIR band image, and at that time another sharpened SWIR band image preserve the similar spectral and texture characteristics to the raw SWIR band image.

ATLAS: A High-cadence All-sky Survey System

Science.gov (United States)

Tonry, J. L.; Denneau, L.; Heinze, A. N.; Stalder, B.; Smith, K. W.; Smartt, S. J.; Stubbs, C. W.; Weiland, H. J.; Rest, A.

2018-06-01

Technology has advanced to the point that it is possible to image the entire sky every night and process the data in real time. The sky is hardly static: many interesting phenomena occur, including variable stationary objects such as stars or QSOs, transient stationary objects such as supernovae or M dwarf flares, and moving objects such as asteroids and the stars themselves. Funded by NASA, we have designed and built a sky survey system for the purpose of finding dangerous near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). This system, the “Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System” (ATLAS), has been optimized to produce the best survey capability per unit cost, and therefore is an efficient and competitive system for finding potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs) but also for tracking variables and finding transients. While carrying out its NASA mission, ATLAS now discovers more bright (m day cadence. ATLAS discovered the afterglow of a gamma-ray burst independent of the high energy trigger and has released a variable star catalog of 5 × 106 sources. This is the first of a series of articles describing ATLAS, devoted to the design and performance of the ATLAS system. Subsequent articles will describe in more detail the software, the survey strategy, ATLAS-derived NEA population statistics, transient detections, and the first data release of variable stars and transient light curves.

Comparison of auroral ovals from all-sky camera studies and from satellite photographs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bond, F.R.; Akasofu, S.I.

1979-01-01

A comparison is made of the statistical auroral ovals determined by all-sky camera photographs with DMSP photographs for different degrees of geomagnetic activity. It is shown that the agreement between them is excellent. (author)

WorldWide Telescope and Google Sky: New Technologies to Engage Students and the Public

Science.gov (United States)

Landsberg, R. H.; Subbarao, M. U.; Dettloff, L.

2010-08-01

New, visually rich, astronomical software environments coupled with large web-accessible data sets hold the promise of new and exciting ways to teach, collaborate, and explore the universe. These freeware tools provide contextual views of astronomical objects, real time access to multi-wavelength sky surveys, and, most importantly, the ability to incorporate new data and to produce user created content. This interactive panel examined the capabilities of Google Sky and WorldWide Telescope, and explored case studies of how these tools have been used to create compelling and participatory educational experiences in both formal (i.e., K-12 and undergraduate non-science majors classrooms), and informal (e.g., museum) settings. The overall goal of this session was to stimulate a discussion about future uses of these technologies. Substantial time was allotted for participants to create conceptual designs of learning experiences for use at their home institutions, with feedback provided by the panel members. Activities included technical discussions (e.g., mechanisms for incorporating new data and dissemination tools), exercises in narrative preparation, and a brainstorming session to identify potential future uses of these technologies.

All-sky search for gravitational-wave bursts in the first joint LIGO-GEO-Virgo run

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abadie, J.; Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Adhikari, R.; Ajith, P.; Anderson, S. B.; Araya, M.; Aso, Y.; Ballmer, S.; Betzwieser, J.; Billingsley, G.; Black, E.; Blackburn, J. K.; Bork, R.; Brooks, A. F.; Cannon, K. C.; Cardenas, L.; Cepeda, C.; Chalermsongsak, T.; Chatterji, S.

2010-01-01

We present results from an all-sky search for unmodeled gravitational-wave bursts in the data collected by the LIGO, GEO 600 and Virgo detectors between November 2006 and October 2007. The search is performed by three different analysis algorithms over the frequency band 50-6000 Hz. Data are analyzed for times with at least two of the four LIGO-Virgo detectors in coincident operation, with a total live time of 266 days. No events produced by the search algorithms survive the selection cuts. We set a frequentist upper limit on the rate of gravitational-wave bursts impinging on our network of detectors. When combined with the previous LIGO search of the data collected between November 2005 and November 2006, the upper limit on the rate of detectable gravitational-wave bursts in the 64-2048 Hz band is 2.0 events per year at 90% confidence. We also present event rate versus strength exclusion plots for several types of plausible burst waveforms. The sensitivity of the combined search is expressed in terms of the root-sum-squared strain amplitude for a variety of simulated waveforms and lies in the range 6x10 -22 Hz -1/2 to 2x10 -20 Hz -1/2 . This is the first untriggered burst search to use data from the LIGO and Virgo detectors together, and the most sensitive untriggered burst search performed so far.

Application of simple all-sky imagers for the estimation of aerosol optical depth

Science.gov (United States)

Kazantzidis, Andreas; Tzoumanikas, Panagiotis; Nikitidou, Efterpi; Salamalikis, Vasileios; Wilbert, Stefan; Prahl, Christoph

2017-06-01

Aerosol optical depth is a key atmospheric constituent for direct normal irradiance calculations at concentrating solar power plants. However, aerosol optical depth is typically not measured at the solar plants for financial reasons. With the recent introduction of all-sky imagers for the nowcasting of direct normal irradiance at the plants a new instrument is available which can be used for the determination of aerosol optical depth at different wavelengths. In this study, we are based on Red, Green and Blue intensities/radiances and calculations of the saturated area around the Sun, both derived from all-sky images taken with a low-cost surveillance camera at the Plataforma Solar de Almeria, Spain. The aerosol optical depth at 440, 500 and 675nm is calculated. The results are compared with collocated aerosol optical measurements and the mean/median difference and standard deviation are less than 0.01 and 0.03 respectively at all wavelengths.

Planck early results. VIII. The all-sky early Sunyaev-Zeldovich cluster sample

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poutanen, T.; Natoli, P.; Polenta, G.

2011-01-01

We present the first all-sky sample of galaxy clusters detected blindly by the Planck satellite through the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect from its six highest frequencies. This early SZ (ESZ) sample is comprised of 189 candidates, which have a high signal-to-noise ratio ranging from 6 to 29. Its ...

Examining Dense Data Usage near the Regions with Severe Storms in All-Sky Microwave Radiance Data Assimilation and Impacts on GEOS Hurricane Analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Min-Jeong; Jin, Jianjun; McCarty, Will; El Akkraoui, Amal; Todling, Ricardo; Gelaro, Ron

2018-01-01

Many numerical weather prediction (NWP) centers assimilate radiances affected by clouds and precipitation from microwave sensors, with the expectation that these data can provide critical constraints on meteorological parameters in dynamically sensitive regions to make significant impacts on forecast accuracy for precipitation. The Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center assimilates all-sky microwave radiance data from various microwave sensors such as all-sky GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) radiance in the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) atmospheric data assimilation system (ADAS), which includes the GEOS atmospheric model, the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) atmospheric analysis system, and the Goddard Aerosol Assimilation System (GAAS). So far, most of NWP centers apply same large data thinning distances, that are used in clear-sky radiance data to avoid correlated observation errors, to all-sky microwave radiance data. For example, NASA GMAO is applying 145 km thinning distances for most of satellite radiance data including microwave radiance data in which all-sky approach is implemented. Even with these coarse observation data usage in all-sky assimilation approach, noticeable positive impacts from all-sky microwave data on hurricane track forecasts were identified in GEOS-5 system. The motivation of this study is based on the dynamic thinning distance method developed in our all-sky framework to use of denser data in cloudy and precipitating regions due to relatively small spatial correlations of observation errors. To investigate the benefits of all-sky microwave radiance on hurricane forecasts, several hurricane cases selected between 2016-2017 are examined. The dynamic thinning distance method is utilized in our all-sky approach to understand the sources and mechanisms to explain the benefits of all-sky microwave radiance data from various microwave radiance sensors like Advanced Microwave Sounder Unit

SCUSS u- BAND EMISSION AS A STAR-FORMATION-RATE INDICATOR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Zhimin; Zhou, Xu; Wu, Hong; Fan, Zhou; Jiang, Zhao-Ji; Ma, Jun; Nie, Jun-Dan; Wang, Jia-Li; Wu, Zhen-Yu; Zhang, Tian-Meng; Zou, Hu [Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100012 (China); Fan, Xiao-Hui; Lesser, Michael [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Jing, Yi-Peng [Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Li, Cheng; Shen, Shi-Yin [Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Science, 80 Nandan Road, Shanghai 200030 (China); Jiang, Lin-Hua, E-mail: zmzhou@bao.ac.cn [Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

2017-01-20

We present and analyze the possibility of using optical u- band luminosities to estimate star-formation rates (SFRs) of galaxies based on the data from the South Galactic Cap u band Sky Survey (SCUSS), which provides a deep u -band photometric survey covering about 5000 deg{sup 2} of the South Galactic Cap. Based on two samples of normal star-forming galaxies selected by the BPT diagram, we explore the correlations between u -band, H α , and IR luminosities by combing SCUSS data with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer ( WISE ). The attenuation-corrected u -band luminosities are tightly correlated with the Balmer decrement-corrected H α luminosities with an rms scatter of ∼0.17 dex. The IR-corrected u luminosities are derived based on the correlations between the attenuation of u- band luminosities and WISE 12 (or 22) μ m luminosities, and then calibrated with the Balmer-corrected H α luminosities. The systematic residuals of these calibrations are tested against the physical properties over the ranges covered by our sample objects. We find that the best-fitting nonlinear relations are better than the linear ones and recommended to be applied in the measurement of SFRs. The systematic deviations mainly come from the pollution of old stellar population and the effect of dust extinction; therefore, a more detailed analysis is needed in future work.

Suzaku observation of TeV SNR RX J1713.7-3946

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Tadayuki; Tanaka, Takaaki; Uchiyama, Yasunobu

2007-01-01

We report on results from Suzaku broadband X-ray observations of the Galactic supernova remnant (SNR) RX J1713.7-3946 with an energy coverage of 0.4-40 keV. With a sensitive hard X-ray measurement from the HXD PIN on board Suzaku, we determine the hard X-ray spectrum in the 12-40 keV range to be described by a power law with photon index Γ=3.2±0.2, significantly steeper than the soft X-ray index of Γ=2.4±0.05 measured previously with ASCA and other missions. We find that a simple power law fails to describe the full spectral range of 0.4-40 keV and instead a cutoff power law with hard index Γ=1.96±0.05 and high energy cutoff ε c =9±1 keV provides an excellent fit over the full bandpass. (author)

Transistorized wide band pulse amplifier; Amplificateur d'impulsions a large bande et a transistors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Girard, J; Savinelli, H [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France).Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires; Hazoni, Y [Atomic Energy Commission (Israel)

1960-07-01

A simple wide band amplifier is described below, having a stability better than 1{sup 0}/00 deg{sup -1} centigrade, a current gain of 10{sup 3}, bandwidth of 30 MHz, and a signal to noise current ratio of about 100. This amplifier has been studied to answer the necessity of a fast transistor head amplifier for nuclear detectors, having in mind pile up and overloading problems. (author) [French] Un amplificateur simple, a large bande, est decrit ci-apres, il a une stabilite meilleure que le 0/00 par degre centigrade, un gain en courant de 10{sup 3} une largeur de bande de 30 MHz, et un rapport signal sur bruit en courant d'environ 100. Cet amplificateur a ete etudie pour repondre a la necessite de l'amplification des impulsions provenant de detecteurs nucleaires, ayant a l'esprit les problemes d'empilement et de saturation. (auteur)

GASS: THE PARKES GALACTIC ALL-SKY SURVEY. I. SURVEY DESCRIPTION, GOALS, AND INITIAL DATA RELEASE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClure-Griffiths, N. M.; Calabretta, M. R.; Ford, H. Alyson; Newton-McGee, K.

2009-01-01

The Parkes Galactic All-Sky Survey (GASS) is a survey of Galactic atomic hydrogen (H I) emission in the Southern sky covering declinations δ ≤ 1 0 using the Parkes Radio Telescope. The survey covers 2π steradians with an effective angular resolution of ∼16', at a velocity resolution of 1.0 km s -1 , and with an rms brightness temperature noise of 57 mK. GASS is the most sensitive, highest angular resolution survey of Galactic H I emission ever made in the Southern sky. In this paper, we outline the survey goals, describe the observations and data analysis, and present the first-stage data release. The data product is a single cube at full resolution, not corrected for stray radiation. Spectra from the survey and other data products are publicly available online.

A Systematic Search for Solar Wind Charge Exchange Emission from the Earth's Exosphere with Suzaku

Science.gov (United States)

Ishi, D.; Ishikawa, K.; Ezoe, Y.; Ohashi, T.; Miyoshi, Y.; Terada, N.

2017-10-01

We report on a systematic search of all the Suzaku archival data covering from 2005 August to 2015 May for geocoronal Solar Wind Charge eXchange (SWCX). In the vicinity of Earth, solar wind ions strip an electron from Earth's exospheric neutrals, emitting X-ray photons (e.g., Snowden et al. 1997). The X-ray flux of this geocoronal SWCX can change depending on solar wind condition and line of sight direction. Although it is an immediate background for all the X-ray astronomy observations, the X-ray flux prediction and the dependence on the observational conditions are not clear. Using the X-ray Imaging Spectrometer onboard Suzaku which has one of the highest sensitivities to the geocoronal SWCX, we searched the data for time variation of soft X-ray background. We then checked the solar wind proton flux taken with the WIND satellite and compared it with X-ray light curve. We also analyzed X-ray spectra and fitted them with a charge exchange emission line model constructed by Bodewits et al. (2007). Among 3055 data sets, 90 data showed SWCX features. The event rate seems to correlate with solar activity, while the distribution of SWCX events plotted in the solar magnetic coordinate system was relatively uniform.

A Unifying Perspective on Oxygen Vacancies in Wide Band Gap Oxides.

Science.gov (United States)

Linderälv, Christopher; Lindman, Anders; Erhart, Paul

2018-01-04

Wide band gap oxides are versatile materials with numerous applications in research and technology. Many properties of these materials are intimately related to defects, with the most important defect being the oxygen vacancy. Here, using electronic structure calculations, we show that the charge transition level (CTL) and eigenstates associated with oxygen vacancies, which to a large extent determine their electronic properties, are confined to a rather narrow energy range, even while band gap and the electronic structure of the conduction band vary substantially. Vacancies are classified according to their character (deep versus shallow), which shows that the alignment of electronic eigenenergies and CTL can be understood in terms of the transition between cavity-like localized levels in the large band gap limit and strong coupling between conduction band and vacancy states for small to medium band gaps. We consider both conventional and hybrid functionals and demonstrate that the former yields results in very good agreement with the latter provided that band edge alignment is taken into account.

All-sky photogrammetry techniques to georeference a cloud field

Science.gov (United States)

Crispel, Pierre; Roberts, Gregory

2018-01-01

In this study, we present a novel method of identifying and geolocalizing cloud field elements from a portable all-sky camera stereo network based on the ground and oriented towards zenith. The methodology is mainly based on stereophotogrammetry which is a 3-D reconstruction technique based on triangulation from corresponding stereo pixels in rectified images. In cases where clouds are horizontally separated, identifying individual positions is performed with segmentation techniques based on hue filtering and contour detection algorithms. Macroscopic cloud field characteristics such as cloud layer base heights and velocity fields are also deduced. In addition, the methodology is fitted to the context of measurement campaigns which impose simplicity of implementation, auto-calibration, and portability. Camera internal geometry models are achieved a priori in the laboratory and validated to ensure a certain accuracy in the peripheral parts of the all-sky image. Then, stereophotogrammetry with dense 3-D reconstruction is applied with cameras spaced 150 m apart for two validation cases. The first validation case is carried out with cumulus clouds having a cloud base height at 1500 m a.g.l. The second validation case is carried out with two cloud layers: a cumulus fractus layer with a base height at 1000 m a.g.l. and an altocumulus stratiformis layer with a base height of 2300 m a.g.l. Velocity fields at cloud base are computed by tracking image rectangular patterns through successive shots. The height uncertainty is estimated by comparison with a Vaisala CL31 ceilometer located on the site. The uncertainty on the horizontal coordinates and on the velocity field are theoretically quantified by using the experimental uncertainties of the cloud base height and camera orientation. In the first cumulus case, segmentation of the image is performed to identify individuals clouds in the cloud field and determine the horizontal positions of the cloud centers.

COMMON PROPER-MOTION WIDE WHITE DWARF BINARIES SELECTED FROM THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrews, Jeff J.; Agüeros, Marcel A.; Belczynski, Krzysztof; Dhital, Saurav; Kleinman, S. J.; West, Andrew A.

2012-01-01

Wide binaries made up of two white dwarfs (WDs) receive far less attention than their tight counterparts. However, our tests using the binary population synthesis code StarTrack indicate that, for any set of reasonable initial conditions, there exists a significant observable population of double white dwarfs (WDWDs) with orbital separations of 10 2 -10 5 AU. We adapt the technique of Dhital et al. to search for candidate common proper-motion WD companions separated by 12,000 spectroscopically confirmed hydrogen-atmosphere WDs recently identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Using two techniques to separate random alignments from high-confidence pairs, we find nine new high-probability wide WDWDs and confirm three previously identified candidate wide WDWDs. This brings the number of known wide WDWDs to 45; our new pairs are a significant addition to the sample, especially at small proper motions ( –1 ) and large angular separations (>10''). Spectroscopic follow-up and an extension of this method to a larger, photometrically selected set of SDSS WDs may eventually produce a large enough dataset for WDWDs to realize their full potential as testbeds for theories of stellar evolution.

SPHEREx: Probing the Physics of Inflation with an All-Sky Spectroscopic Galaxy Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Dore, Olivier; SPHEREx Science Team

2018-01-01

SPHEREx, a mission in NASA's Medium Explorer (MIDEX) program that was selected for Phase A in August 2017, is an all-sky survey satellite designed to address all three science goals in NASA’s astrophysics division: probe the origin and destiny of our Universe; explore whether planets around other stars could harbor life; and explore the origin and evolution of galaxies. These themes are addressed by a single survey, with a single instrument.In this poster, we describe how SPHEREx can probe the physics of inflationary non-Gaussianity by measuring large-scale structure with galaxy redshifts over a large cosmological volume at low redshifts, complementing high-redshift surveys optimized to constrain dark energy.SPHEREx will be the first all-sky near-infrared spectral survey, creating a legacy archive of spectra. In particular, it will measure the redshifts of over 500 million galaxies of all types, an unprecedented dataset. Using this catalog, SPHEREx will reduce the uncertainty in fNL -- a parameter describing the inflationary initial conditions -- by a factor of more than 10 compared with CMB measurements. At the same time, this catalog will enable strong scientific synergies with Euclid, WFIRST and LSST

Automated Meteor Detection by All-Sky Digital Camera Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Suk, Tomáš; Šimberová, Stanislava

2017-12-01

We have developed a set of methods to detect meteor light traces captured by all-sky CCD cameras. Operating at small automatic observatories (stations), these cameras create a network spread over a large territory. Image data coming from these stations are merged in one central node. Since a vast amount of data is collected by the stations in a single night, robotic storage and analysis are essential to processing. The proposed methodology is adapted to data from a network of automatic stations equipped with digital fish-eye cameras and includes data capturing, preparation, pre-processing, analysis, and finally recognition of objects in time sequences. In our experiments we utilized real observed data from two stations.

Ground-based search for the brightest transiting planets with the Multi-site All-Sky CAmeRA: MASCARA

Science.gov (United States)

Snellen, Ignas A. G.; Stuik, Remko; Navarro, Ramon; Bettonvil, Felix; Kenworthy, Matthew; de Mooij, Ernst; Otten, Gilles; ter Horst, Rik; le Poole, Rudolf

2012-09-01

The Multi-site All-sky CAmeRA MASCARA is an instrument concept consisting of several stations across the globe, with each station containing a battery of low-cost cameras to monitor the near-entire sky at each location. Once all stations have been installed, MASCARA will be able to provide a nearly 24-hr coverage of the complete dark sky, down to magnitude 8, at sub-minute cadence. Its purpose is to find the brightest transiting exoplanet systems, expected in the V=4-8 magnitude range - currently not probed by space- or ground-based surveys. The bright/nearby transiting planet systems, which MASCARA will discover, will be the key targets for detailed planet atmosphere observations. We present studies on the initial design of a MASCARA station, including the camera housing, domes, and computer equipment, and on the photometric stability of low-cost cameras showing that a precision of 0.3-1% per hour can be readily achieved. We plan to roll out the first MASCARA station before the end of 2013. A 5-station MASCARA can within two years discover up to a dozen of the brightest transiting planet systems in the sky.

A Method for Deriving All-Sky Evapotranspiration From the Synergistic Use of Remotely Sensed Images and Meteorological Data

Science.gov (United States)

Leng, Pei; Li, Zhao-Liang; Duan, Si-Bo; Tang, Ronglin; Gao, Mao-Fang

2017-12-01

Evapotranspiration (ET) is an important component of the water and energy cycle. The present study develops a practical approach for generating all-sky ET with the synergistic use of satellite images and meteorological data. In this approach, the ET over clear-sky pixels is estimated from a two-stage land surface temperature (LST)/fractional vegetation cover feature space method where the dry/wet edges are determined from theoretical calculations. For cloudy pixels, the Penman-Monteith equation is used to calculate the ET where no valid remotely sensed LST is available. An evaluation of the method with ET collected at ground-based large aperture scintillometer measurements at the Yucheng Comprehensive Experimental Station (YCES) in China is performed over a growth period from April to October 2010. The results show that the root-mean-square error (RMSE) and bias over clear-sky pixels are 57.3 W/m2 and 18.2 W/m2, respectively, whereas an RMSE of 69.3 W/m2 with a bias of 12.3 W/m2 can be found over cloudy pixels. Moreover, a reasonable overall RMSE of 65.3 W/m2 with a bias of 14.4 W/m2 at the YCES can be obtained under all-sky conditions, indicating a promising prospect for the derivation of all-sky ET using currently available satellite and meteorological data at a regional or global scale in future developments.

Observing floods from space: Experience gained from COSMO-SkyMed observations

Science.gov (United States)

Pierdicca, N.; Pulvirenti, L.; Chini, M.; Guerriero, L.; Candela, L.

2013-03-01

The COSMO-SkyMed mission offers a unique opportunity to obtain all weather radar images characterized by short revisit time, thus being useful for flood evolution mapping. The COSMO-SkyMed system has been activated several times in the last few years in occasion of flood events all over the world in order to provide very high resolution X-band SAR images useful for flood detection purposes. This paper discusses the major outcomes of the experience gained, within the framework of the OPERA Pilot Project funded by the Italian Space Agency, from using COSMO-SkyMed data for the purpose of near real time generation of flood maps. A review of the mechanisms which determine the imprints of the inundation on the radar images and of the fundamental simulation tools able to predict these imprints and help image interpretation is provided. The approach developed to process the data and to generate the flood maps is also summarized. Then, the paper illustrates the experience gained with COSMO-SkyMed by describing and discussing a number of significant examples. These examples demonstrate the potential of the COSMO-SkyMed system and the suitability of the approach developed for generating the final products, but they also highlight some critical aspects that require further investigations to improve the reliability of the flood maps.

AMSR2 all-sky radiance assimilation and its impact on the analysis and forecast of Hurricane Sandy with a limited-area data assimilation system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun Yang

2016-06-01

Full Text Available A method to assimilate all-sky radiances from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2 was developed within the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF model's data assimilation (WRFDA system. The four essential elements are: (1 extending the community radiative transform model's (CRTM interface to include hydrometeor profiles; (2 using total water Qt as the moisture control variable; (3 using a warm-rain physics scheme for partitioning the Qt increment into individual increments of water vapour, cloud liquid water and rain; and (4 adopting a symmetric observation error model for all-sky radiance assimilation.Compared to a benchmark experiment with no AMSR2 data, the impact of assimilating clear-sky or all-sky AMSR2 radiances on the analysis and forecast of Hurricane Sandy (2012 was assessed through analysis/forecast cycling experiments using WRF and WRFDA's three-dimensional variational (3DVAR data assimilation scheme. With more cloud/precipitation-affected data being assimilated around tropical cyclone (TC core areas in the all-sky AMSR2 assimilation experiment, better analyses were obtained in terms of the TC's central sea level pressure (CSLP, warm-core structure and cloud distribution. Substantial (>20 % error reduction in track and CSLP forecasts was achieved from both clear-sky and all-sky AMSR2 assimilation experiments, and this improvement was consistent from the analysis time to 72-h forecasts. Moreover, the all-sky assimilation experiment consistently yielded better track and CSLP forecasts than the clear-sky did for all forecast lead times, due to a better analysis in the TC core areas. Positive forecast impact from assimilating AMSR2 radiances is also seen when verified against the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF analysis and the Stage IV precipitation analysis, with an overall larger positive impact from the all-sky assimilation experiment.

Electronic materials with a wide band gap: recent developments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Detlef Klimm

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The development of semiconductor electronics is reviewed briefly, beginning with the development of germanium devices (band gap Eg = 0.66 eV after World War II. A tendency towards alternative materials with wider band gaps quickly became apparent, starting with silicon (Eg = 1.12 eV. This improved the signal-to-noise ratio for classical electronic applications. Both semiconductors have a tetrahedral coordination, and by isoelectronic alternative replacement of Ge or Si with carbon or various anions and cations, other semiconductors with wider Eg were obtained. These are transparent to visible light and belong to the group of wide band gap semiconductors. Nowadays, some nitrides, especially GaN and AlN, are the most important materials for optical emission in the ultraviolet and blue regions. Oxide crystals, such as ZnO and β-Ga2O3, offer similarly good electronic properties but still suffer from significant difficulties in obtaining stable and technologically adequate p-type conductivity.

Multiband photometry and spectroscopy of an all-sky sample of bright white dwarfs

Science.gov (United States)

Raddi, R.; Gentile Fusillo, N. P.; Pala, A. F.; Hermes, J. J.; Gänsicke, B. T.; Chote, P.; Hollands, M. A.; Henden, A.; Catalán, S.; Geier, S.; Koester, D.; Munari, U.; Napiwotzki, R.; Tremblay, P.-E.

2017-12-01

The upcoming NASA Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will obtain space-based uninterrupted light curves for a large sample of bright white dwarfs distributed across the entire sky, providing a very rich resource for asteroseismological studies and the search for transits from planetary debris. We have compiled an all-sky catalogue of ultraviolet, optical and infrared photometry as well as proper motions, which we propose as an essential tool for the preliminary identification and characterization of potential targets. We present data for 1864 known white dwarfs and 305 high-probability white dwarf candidates brighter than 17 mag. We describe the spectroscopic follow-up of 135 stars, of which 82 are white dwarfs and 25 are hot subdwarfs. The new confirmed stars include six pulsating white dwarf candidates (ZZ Cetis), and nine white dwarf binaries with a cool main-sequence companion. We identify one star with a spectroscopic distance of only 25 pc from the Sun. Around the time TESS is launched, we foresee that all white dwarfs in this sample will have trigonometric parallaxes measured by the ESA Gaia mission next year.

Inkjet-Printed Ultra Wide Band Fractal Antennas

KAUST Repository

Maza, Armando Rodriguez

2012-05-01

In this work, Paper-based inkjet-printed Ultra-wide band (UWB) fractal antennas are presented. Three new designs, a combined UWB fractal monopole based on the fourth order Koch Snowflake fractal which utilizes a Sierpinski Gasket fractal for ink reduction, a Cantor-based fractal antenna which performs a larger bandwidth compared to previously published UWB Cantor fractal monopole antenna, and a 3D loop fractal antenna which attains miniaturization, impedance matching and multiband characteristics. It is shown that fractals prove to be a successful method of reducing fabrication cost in inkjet printed antennas while retaining or enhancing printed antenna performance.

COMMON PROPER-MOTION WIDE WHITE DWARF BINARIES SELECTED FROM THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrews, Jeff J.; Agueeros, Marcel A. [Department of Astronomy, Columbia University, 550 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Belczynski, Krzysztof [Astronomical Observatory, University of Warsaw, Al. Ujazdowskie 4, 00-478 Warsaw (Poland); Dhital, Saurav [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, 6301 Stevenson Center, Nashville, TN 37235 (United States); Kleinman, S. J. [Gemini Observatory, Northern Operations Center, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); West, Andrew A. [Department of Astronomy, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215 (United States)

2012-10-01

Wide binaries made up of two white dwarfs (WDs) receive far less attention than their tight counterparts. However, our tests using the binary population synthesis code StarTrack indicate that, for any set of reasonable initial conditions, there exists a significant observable population of double white dwarfs (WDWDs) with orbital separations of 10{sup 2}-10{sup 5} AU. We adapt the technique of Dhital et al. to search for candidate common proper-motion WD companions separated by <10' around the >12,000 spectroscopically confirmed hydrogen-atmosphere WDs recently identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Using two techniques to separate random alignments from high-confidence pairs, we find nine new high-probability wide WDWDs and confirm three previously identified candidate wide WDWDs. This brings the number of known wide WDWDs to 45; our new pairs are a significant addition to the sample, especially at small proper motions (<200 mas yr{sup -1}) and large angular separations (>10''). Spectroscopic follow-up and an extension of this method to a larger, photometrically selected set of SDSS WDs may eventually produce a large enough dataset for WDWDs to realize their full potential as testbeds for theories of stellar evolution.

A lobster-eye on the x-ray sky

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peele, A. G.; Zhang, W.; Gendreau, K. C.; Petre, R.; White, N. E.

1999-01-01

We propose an x-ray all-sky monitor for the International Space Station (ISS) that will be ten times more sensitive than past monitors and that opens up a new band of the soft x-ray spectrum (0.1 -3.0 keV) for study. Taking advantage of the power telemetry and space available on the ISS we can use a telescope geometry and detectors that will provide better than 4 arc minute resolution of the entire sky in a 1.5 hr duty cycle. To achieve this sensitivity and resolution we use focusing optics based on the lobster-eye geometry. We propose two approaches to the construction of the optics. The first method, well within the reach of existing technology, is to approximate the lobster-eye geometry by building crossed arrays of planar reflectors, this gives great control over the reflecting surface but is limited in terms of resolution at the baseline 4 arc minute level. The second method is to use microchannel plates: this technology has the potential to greatly exceed the baseline resolution and sensitivity but is yet to be fully demonstrated. A simultaneous development of both approaches with selection of the superior candidate at the end of the development phase is suggested. The instrument is made of a number of modules based on a 2x2 cooled CCD detector array that covers an area of 6x6 cm 2 at the focal plane. Using optics with a radius of curvature of 0.75 m this gives each module a field of view of 9 deg. x 9 deg. The modular approach gives us enormous flexibility in terms of physical arrangement on the ISS so that we may take advantage of clear lines of sight and also in terms of built-in redundancy. We estimate that ∼50 such modules give us instantaneous coverage of 1/10 of the sky. The scientific case for this mission is almost too broad to state here. The instrument we describe will allow investigation of the long term light curves of thousands of AGN, it will detect thousands of transients, including GRBs and type II supernova, and the stellar coronae of

A new all-sky map of Galactic high-velocity clouds from the 21-cm HI4PI survey

Science.gov (United States)

Westmeier, Tobias

2018-02-01

High-velocity clouds (HVCs) are neutral or ionized gas clouds in the vicinity of the Milky Way that are characterized by high radial velocities inconsistent with participation in the regular rotation of the Galactic disc. Previous attempts to create a homogeneous all-sky H I map of HVCs have been hampered by a combination of poor angular resolution, limited surface brightness sensitivity and suboptimal sampling. Here, a new and improved H I map of Galactic HVCs based on the all-sky HI4PI survey is presented. The new map is fully sampled and provides significantly better angular resolution (16.2 versus 36 arcmin) and column density sensitivity (2.3 versus 3.7 × 1018 cm-2 at the native resolution) than the previously available LAB survey. The new HVC map resolves many of the major HVC complexes in the sky into an intricate network of narrow H I filaments and clumps that were not previously resolved by the LAB survey. The resulting sky coverage fraction of high-velocity H I emission above a column density level of 2 × 1018 cm-2 is approximately 15 per cent, which reduces to about 13 per cent when the Magellanic Clouds and other non-HVC emission are removed. The differential sky coverage fraction as a function of column density obeys a truncated power law with an exponent of -0.93 and a turnover point at about 5 × 1019 cm-2. H I column density and velocity maps of the HVC sky are made publicly available as FITS images for scientific use by the community.

Suzaku observations of low surface brightness cluster Abell 1631

Science.gov (United States)

Babazaki, Yasunori; Mitsuishi, Ikuyuki; Ota, Naomi; Sasaki, Shin; Böhringer, Hans; Chon, Gayoung; Pratt, Gabriel W.; Matsumoto, Hironori

2018-06-01

We present analysis results for a nearby galaxy cluster Abell 1631 at z = 0.046 using the X-ray observatory Suzaku. This cluster is categorized as a low X-ray surface brightness cluster. To study the dynamical state of the cluster, we conduct four-pointed Suzaku observations and investigate physical properties of the Mpc-scale hot gas associated with the A 1631 cluster for the first time. Unlike relaxed clusters, the X-ray image shows no strong peak at the center and an irregular morphology. We perform spectral analysis and investigate the radial profiles of the gas temperature, density, and entropy out to approximately 1.5 Mpc in the east, north, west, and south directions by combining with the XMM-Newton data archive. The measured gas density in the central region is relatively low (a few ×10-4 cm-3) at the given temperature (˜2.9 keV) compared with X-ray-selected clusters. The entropy profile and value within the central region (r clusters. These features are also observed in another low surface brightness cluster, Abell 76. The spatial distributions of galaxies and the hot gas appear to be different. The X-ray luminosity is relatively lower than that expected from the velocity dispersion. A post-merger scenario may explain the observed results.

Wide-band CMOS low-noise amplifier exploiting thermal noise canceling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruccoleri, F.; Klumperink, Eric A.M.; Nauta, Bram

Known elementary wide-band amplifiers suffer from a fundamental tradeoff between noise figure (NF) and source impedance matching, which limits the NF to values typically above 3 dB. Global negative feedback can be used to break this tradeoff, however, at the price of potential instability. In

Suzaku View of the Swift/BAT Active Galactic Nuclei (I): Spectral Analysis of Six AGNs and Evidence for Two Types of Obscured Population

Science.gov (United States)

Eguchi, Satoshi; Ueda, Yoshihiro; Terashima, Yuichi; Mushotzky, Richard F.; Tueller, Jack

2009-01-01

We present a systematic spectral analysis with Suzaku of six AGNs detected in the Swift/BAT hard X-ray (15-200 keV) survey, Swift J0138.6-4001, J0255.2-0011, J0350.1-5019, J0505.7-2348, J0601.9-8636, and J1628.1-5145. This is considered to be a representative sample of new AGNs without X-ray spectral information before the BAT survey. We find that the 0.5-200 keV spectra of these sources can be uniformly fit with a base model consisting of heavily absorbed (log NH >23.5/sq cm) transmitted components, scattered lights, a reflection component, and an iron-K emission line. There are two distinct groups, three "new type" AGNs (including the two sources reported by Ueda et al. 2007) with an extremely small scattered fraction (f(sub scat) or equal to 0.8 where omega is the solid angle of the reflector), and three "classical type" ones with f(sub scat > 0.5% and R or approx. 30deg. We infer that a significant number of new type AGNs with an edge-on view is missing in the current all-sky hard X-ray surveys. Subject headings: galaxies: active . gamma rays: observations . X-rays: galaxies . X-rays: general

RXTE All-Sky Monitor Localization of SGR 1627-41

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, D. A.; Bradt, H. V.; Levine, A. M.

1999-09-01

The fourth unambiguously identified Soft Gamma Repeater (SGR), SGR 1627--41, was discovered with the BATSE instrument on 1998 June 15 (Kouveliotou et al. 1998). Interplanetary Network (IPN) measurements and BATSE data constrained the location of this new SGR to a 6(deg) segment of a narrow (19('') ) annulus (Hurley et al. 1999; Woods et al. 1998). We report on two bursts from this source observed by the All-Sky Monitor (ASM) on RXTE. We use the ASM data to further constrain the source location to a 5(') long segment of the BATSE/IPN error box. The ASM/IPN error box lies within 0.3(') of the supernova remnant (SNR) G337.0--0.1. The probability that a SNR would fall so close to the error box purely by chance is ~ 5%.

The taxonomic distribution of asteroids from multi-filter all-sky photometric surveys

Science.gov (United States)

DeMeo, F. E.; Carry, B.

2013-09-01

The distribution of asteroids across the main belt has been studied for decades to understand the current compositional distribution and what that tells us about the formation and evolution of our Solar System. All-sky surveys now provide orders of magnitude more data than targeted surveys. We present a method to bias-correct the asteroid population observed in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) according to size, distance, and albedo. We taxonomically classify this dataset consistent with the Bus and Binzel (Bus, S.J., Binzel, R.P. [2002]. Icarus 158, 146-177) and Bus-DeMeo et al. (DeMeo, F.E., Binzel, R.P., Slivan, S.M., Bus, S.J. [2009]. Icarus 202(July), 160-180) systems and present the resulting taxonomic distribution. The dataset includes asteroids as small as 5 km, a factor of three in diameter smaller than in previous work such as by Mothé-Diniz et al. (Mothé-Diniz, T., Carvano, J.M.Á., Lazzaro, D. [2003]. Icarus 162(March), 10-21). Because of the wide range of sizes in our sample, we present the distribution by number, surface area, volume, and mass whereas previous work was exclusively by number. While the distribution by number is a useful quantity and has been used for decades, these additional quantities provide new insights into the distribution of total material. We find evidence for D-types in the inner main belt where they are unexpected according to dynamical models of implantation of bodies from the outer Solar System into the inner Solar System during planetary migration (Levison, H.F., Bottke, W.F., Gounelle, M., Morbidelli, A., Nesvorný, D., Tsiganis, K. [2009]. Nature 460(July), 364-366). We find no evidence of S-types or other unexpected classes among Trojans and Hildas, albeit a bias favoring such a detection. Finally, we estimate for the first time the total amount of material of each class in the inner Solar System. The main belt’s most massive classes are C, B, P, V and S in decreasing order. Excluding the four most massive

The ROSAT All-Sky Survey view of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC)

Science.gov (United States)

Pietsch, W.; Denner, K.; Kahabka, P.; Pakull, M.; Schaeidt, S.

1996-01-01

During the Rosat all sky survey, centered on the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), 516 X-ray sources were detected. The field was covered from July 1990 to January 1991. The X-ray parameters of the sources, involving position, count rates, hardness ratios, extent, and time variability during the observations, are discussed. Identifications with objects from optical, radio and infrared wavelength allow the LMC candidates to be separated from the foreground stars and the background objects.

Atmospheric extinction coefficients and night sky brightness at the Xuyi Observation Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Hui-Hua; Liu Xiao-Wei; Zhang Hua-Wei; Xiang Mao-Sheng; Yuan Hai-Bo; Zhao Hai-Bin; Yao Jin-Sheng

2013-01-01

We present measurements of the optical broadband atmospheric extinction coefficients and the night sky brightness at the Xuyi Observation Station of Purple Mountain Observatory. The measurements are based on CCD imaging data taken in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's g, r and i bands with the Xuyi 1.04/1.20 m Schmidt Telescope for the Xuyi Schmidt Telescope Photometric Survey of the Galactic Anti-center (XSTPS-GAC), the photometric part of the Digital Sky Survey of the Galactic Anti-center (DSS-GAC). The data were collected during more than 140 winter nights from 2009 to 2011. We find that the atmospheric extinction coefficients for the g, r and i bands are 0.69, 0.55 and 0.38 mag/airmass, respectively, based on observations taken on several photometric nights. The night sky brightness determined from images with good quality has median values of 21.7, 20.8 and 20.0 mag arcsec −2 and reaches 22.1, 21.2 and 20.4 mag arcsec −2 under the best observing conditions for the g, r and i bands, respectively. The relatively large extinction coefficients compared with other good astronomical observing sites are mainly due to the relatively low elevation (i.e. 180 m) and high humidity at the station.

Data analysis of gravitational-wave signals from spinning neutron stars. IV. An all-sky search

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Astone, Pia; Borkowski, Kazimierz M.; Jaranowski, Piotr; Krolak, Andrzej

2002-01-01

We develop a set of data analysis tools for a realistic all-sky search for continuous gravitational-wave signals and we test our tools against simulated data. The aim of the paper is to prepare for an analysis of the real data from the EXPLORER bar detector; however, the methods that we present apply both to data from the resonant bar detectors that are currently in operation and the laser interferometric detectors that are in the final stages of construction and commissioning. With our techniques we shall be able to perform an all-sky coherent search of 2 days of data from the EXPLORER detector for a frequency bandwidth of 0.76 Hz in one month with 250 Mflops computing power. This search will detect all the continuous gravitational-wave signals with the dimensionless amplitude larger than 2.8x10 -23 with 99% confidence, assuming that the noise in the detector is Gaussian

COSMO-SkyMed and GIS applications

Science.gov (United States)

Milillo, Pietro; Sole, Aurelia; Serio, Carmine

2013-04-01

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing have become key technology tools for the collection, storage and analysis of spatially referenced data. Industries that utilise these spatial technologies include agriculture, forestry, mining, market research as well as the environmental analysis . Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is a coherent active sensor operating in the microwave band which exploits relative motion between antenna and target in order to obtain a finer spatial resolution in the flight direction exploiting the Doppler effect. SAR have wide applications in Remote Sensing such as cartography, surface deformation detection, forest cover mapping, urban planning, disasters monitoring , surveillance etc… The utilization of satellite remote sensing and GIS technology for this applications has proven to be a powerful and effective tool for environmental monitoring. Remote sensing techniques are often less costly and time-consuming for large geographic areas compared to conventional methods, moreover GIS technology provides a flexible environment for, analyzing and displaying digital data from various sources necessary for classification, change detection and database development. The aim of this work si to illustrate the potential of COSMO-SkyMed data and SAR applications in a GIS environment, in particular a demostration of the operational use of COSMO-SkyMed SAR data and GIS in real cases will be provided for what concern DEM validation, river basin estimation, flood mapping and landslide monitoring.

The VLA Sky Survey (VLASS): Description and Science Goals

Science.gov (United States)

Lacy, Mark; Baum, Stefi Alison; Chandler, Claire J.; Chatterjee, Shami; Murphy, Eric J.; Myers, Steven T.; VLASS Survey Science Group

2016-01-01

The VLA Sky Survey (VLASS) will cover 80% of the sky to a target depth of 70muJy in the 2-4GHz S-band of the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. With a resolution of 2.5 arcseconds, it will deliver the highest angular resolution of any wide area radio survey. Each area of the survey will be observed in three epochs spaced by 32 months in order to investigate the transient radio source population over an unprecedented combination of depth and area, resulting in a uniquely powerful search for hidden explosions in the Universe. The survey will be carried out in full polarization, allowing the characterization of the magneto-ionic medium in AGN and intervening galaxies over a wide range of redshifts, and the study of Faraday rotating foregrounds such as ionized bubbles in the Milky Way. The high angular resolution will allow us to make unambiguous identifications of nearly 10 million radio sources, comprised of both extragalactic objects and more nearby radio sources in the Milky Way, through matching to wide area optical/IR surveys such as SDSS, PanSTARRS, DES, LSST, EUCLID, WFIRST and WISE. Integral to the VLASS plan is an Education and Public Outreach component that will seek to inform and educate both the scientific community and the general public about radio astronomy through the use of social media, citizen science and educational activities. We will discuss opportunities for community involvement in VLASS, including the development of Enhanced Data Products and Services that will greatly increase the scientific utility of the survey.

The Transient High Energy Sky and Early Universe Surveyor

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, P. T.

2016-04-01

The Transient High Energy Sky and Early Universe Surveyor is a mission which will be proposed for the ESA M5 call. THESEUS will address multiple components in the Early Universe ESA Cosmic Vision theme:4.1 Early Universe,4.2 The Universe taking shape, and4.3 The evolving violent Universe.THESEUS aims at vastly increasing the discovery space of the high energy transient phenomena over the entire cosmic history. This is achieved via a unique payload providing an unprecedented combination of: (i) wide and deep sky monitoring in a broad energy band(0.3 keV-20 MeV; (ii) focusing capabilities in the soft X-ray band granting large grasp and high angular resolution; and (iii) on board near-IR capabilities for immediate transient identification and first redshift estimate.The THESEUS payload consists of: (i) the Soft X--ray Imager (SXI), a set of Lobster Eye (0.3--6 keV) telescopes with CCD detectors covering a total FOV of 1 sr; (ii) the X--Gamma-rays spectrometer (XGS), a non-imaging spectrometer (XGS) based on SDD+CsI, covering the same FOV than the Lobster telescope extending the THESEUS energy band up to 20 MeV; and (iii) a 70cm class InfraRed Telescope (IRT) observing up to 2 microns with imaging and moderate spectral capabilities.The main scientific goals of THESEUS are to:(a) Explore the Early Universe (cosmic dawn and reionization era) by unveiling the Gamma--Ray Burst (GRBs) population in the first billion years}, determining when did the first stars form, and investigating the re-ionization epoch, the interstellar medium (ISM) and the intergalactic medium (IGM) at high redshifts.(b) Perform an unprecedented deep survey of the soft X-ray transient Universe in order to fill the present gap in the discovery space of new classes of transient; provide a fundamental step forward in the comprehension of the physics of various classes of Galactic and extra--Galactic transients, and provide real time trigger and accurate locations of transients for follow-up with next

Dark Skies as a Universal Resource: Citizen Scientists Measuring Sky Brightness

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, C. E.; Isbell, D.; Pompea, S. M.

2007-12-01

The international star-hunting event known as GLOBE at Night returned March 8-21, 2007 in two flavors: the classic GLOBE at Night activity incorporating unaided-eye observations which debuted last year, and a new effort to obtain precise measurements of urban dark skies using digital sky-brightness meters. Both flavors of the program were designed to aid in heightening the awareness about the impact of artificial lighting on local environments, and the ongoing loss of a dark night sky as a natural resource for much of the world's population. To make possible the digital GLOBE at Night program, NSF funded 135 low-cost, digital sky-quality meter (manufactured by Unihedron). With these, citizen-scientists took direct measurements of the integrated sky brightness across a wide swath of night sky. Along with related materials developed by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), the meters were distributed to citizen-scientists in 21 U.S. states plus Washington DC, and in 5 other countries, including Chile, where NOAO has a major observatory. The citizen- scientists were selected from teachers, their students, astronomers at mountain-top observatories, International Dark-Sky Association members and staff from 19 small science centers. Most sites had a coordinator, who instructed local educators in the proper use of the meters and develop a plan to share them as widely as possible during the 2-week window. The local teams pooled their data for regional analysis and in some cases shared the results with their schools and local policymakers. Building upon the worldwide participation sparked by the first GLOBE at Night campaign in March 2006, the observations this year approached 8500 (from 60 countries), 85% higher than the number from last year. The success of GLOBE at Night 2007 is a major step toward the International Year of Astronomy in 2009, when one goal is to make the digital data collection into a worldwide activity. In this presentation, we will outline

Searching for the 3.5 keV Line in the Stacked Suzaku Observations of Galaxy Clusters

Science.gov (United States)

Bulbul, Esra; Markevitch, Maxim; Foster, Adam; Miller, Eric; Bautz, Mark; Lowenstein, Mike; Randall, Scott W.; Smith, Randall K.

2016-01-01

We perform a detailed study of the stacked Suzaku observations of 47 galaxy clusters, spanning a redshift range of 0.01-0.45, to search for the unidentified 3.5 keV line. This sample provides an independent test for the previously detected line. We detect a 2sigma-significant spectral feature at 3.5 keV in the spectrum of the full sample. When the sample is divided into two subsamples (cool-core and non-cool core clusters), the cool-core subsample shows no statistically significant positive residuals at the line energy. A very weak (approx. 2sigma confidence) spectral feature at 3.5 keV is permitted by the data from the non-cool-core clusters sample. The upper limit on a neutrino decay mixing angle of sin(sup 2)(2theta) = 6.1 x 10(exp -11) from the full Suzaku sample is consistent with the previous detections in the stacked XMM-Newton sample of galaxy clusters (which had a higher statistical sensitivity to faint lines), M31, and Galactic center, at a 90% confidence level. However, the constraint from the present sample, which does not include the Perseus cluster, is in tension with previously reported line flux observed in the core of the Perseus cluster with XMM-Newton and Suzaku.

Long term variability of Cygnus X-1. V. State definitions with all sky monitors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grinberg, V.; Hell, N.; Pottschmidt, K.; Böck, M.; Nowak, M.A.; Rodriguez, J.; Bodaghee, A.; Cadolle Bel, M.; Case, G.L.; Hanke, M.; Kühnel, M.; Markoff, S.; Pooley, G.G.; Rothschild, R.E.; Tomsick, J.A.; Wilson-Hodge, C.A.; Wilms, J.

2013-01-01

We present a scheme for determining the spectral state of the canonical black hole Cyg X-1 using data from previous and current X-ray all sky monitors (RXTE-ASM, Swift-BAT, MAXI, and Fermi-GBM). Determinations of the hard/intermediate and soft state agree to better than 10% between different

The night sky companion a yearly guide to sky-watching 2008-2009

CERN Document Server

Plotner, Tammy

2007-01-01

The Night Sky Companion is a comprehensive guide to what can be explored in the heavens on a nightly basis. Designed to appeal to readers at all skill levels, it provides a digest for sky watchers interested in all types of astronomical information.

A Suzaku, NuSTAR and XMMNewton} view on variable absorption and relativistic reflection in NGC 4151

Science.gov (United States)

Beuchert, T.; Markowitz, A.; Dauser, T.; Garcia, J.; Keck, M.; Wilms, J.; Kadler, M.; Brenneman, L.; Zdziarski, A.

2017-10-01

We disentangle X-ray disk reflection from complex line-of-sight absorption in NGC 4151 using Suzaku, NuSTAR, and XMMNewton}. Extending upon Keck et al. (2015), we develop a physically-motivated baseline model using the latest lamp-post reflection code relxillCp_lp, which includes a Comptonization continuum. We identify two components at heights of 1.2 and 15.0 gravitational radii using a long-look simultaneous Suzaku/NuSTAR observation but argue for a vertically extended corona as opposed to distinct primary sources. We also find two neutral absorbers (one full-covering and one partial-covering), an ionized absorber (log ξ=2.8), and a highly-ionized ultra-fast outflow, all reported previously. All analyzed spectra are well described by this baseline model. The bulk of the spectral variability on time-scales from days to years can be attributed to changes of both neutral absorbers, which are inversely correlated with the hard X-ray continuum flux. The observed evolution is either consistent with changes in the absorber structure (clumpy absorber in the outer BLR or a dusty radiatively driven wind) or a geometrically stable neutral absorber that becomes increasingly ionized at a rising flux level. The soft X-rays below 1 keV are dominated by photoionized emission from extended gas, which may act as a warm mirror for the nuclear radiation.

A new method of derived equatorial plasma bubbles motion by tracing OI 630 nm emission all-sky images

Science.gov (United States)

Li, M.; Yu, T.; Chunliang, X.; Zuo, X.; Liu, Z.

2017-12-01

A new method for estimating the equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) motions from airglow emission all-sky images is presented in this paper. This method, which is called 'cloud-derived wind technology' and widely used in satellite observation of wind, could reasonable derive zonal and meridional velocity vectors of EPBs drifts by tracking a series of successive airglow 630.0 nm emission images. Airglow emission images data are available from an all sky airglow camera in Hainan Fuke (19.5°N, 109.2°E) supported by China Meridional Project, which can receive the 630.0nm emission from the ionosphere F region at low-latitudes to observe plasma bubbles. A series of pretreatment technology, e.g. image enhancement, orientation correction, image projection are utilized to preprocess the raw observation. Then the regions of plasma bubble extracted from the images are divided into several small tracing windows and each tracing window can find a target window in the searching area in following image, which is considered as the position tracing window moved to. According to this, velocities in each window are calculated by using the technology of cloud-derived wind. When applying the cloud-derived wind technology, the maximum correlation coefficient (MCC) and the histogram of gradient (HOG) methods to find the target window, which mean to find the maximum correlation and the minimum euclidean distance between two gradient histograms in respectively, are investigated and compared in detail. The maximum correlation method is fianlly adopted in this study to analyze the velocity of plasma bubbles because of its better performance than HOG. All-sky images from Hainan Fuke, between August 2014 and October 2014, are analyzed to investigate the plasma bubble drift velocities using MCC method. The data at different local time at 9 nights are studied and find that zonal drift velocity in different latitude at different local time ranges from 50 m/s to 180 m/s and there is a peak value at

THE 37 MONTH MAXI/GSC SOURCE CATALOG OF THE HIGH GALACTIC-LATITUDE SKY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hiroi, Kazuo; Ueda, Yoshihiro; Hayashida, Masaaki; Shidatsu, Megumi; Sato, Ryosuke; Kawamuro, Taiki [Department of Astronomy, Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Sugizaki, Mutsumi; Serino, Motoko; Matsuoka, Masaru; Mihara, Tatehiro [Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Nakahira, Satoshi; Tomida, Hiroshi; Ueno, Shiro [ISS Science Project Office, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), 2-1-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8505 (Japan); Kawai, Nobuyuki; Morii, Mikio [Department of Physics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551 (Japan); Nakajima, Motoki [School of Dentistry at Matsudo, Nihon University, 2-870-1 Sakaecho-nishi, Matsudo, Chiba 101-8308 (Japan); Negoro, Hitoshi [Department of Physics, Nihon University, 1-8-14 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8308 (Japan); Sakamoto, Takanori [Department of Physics and Mathematics, Aoyama Gakuin University, 5-10-1 Fuchinobe, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5258 (Japan); Tsuboi, Yohko [Department of Physics, Chuo University, 1-13-27 Kasuga, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8551 (Japan); Tsunemi, Hiroshi, E-mail: hiroi@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp [Department of Earth and Space Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043 (Japan); and others

2013-08-15

We present a catalog of high Galactic-latitude (|b| > 10 Degree-Sign ) X-ray sources detected in the first 37 months of data of the Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image/Gas Slit Camera (MAXI/GSC). To achieve the best sensitivity, we develop a background model of the GSC that well reproduces the data based on the detailed on-board calibration. Source detection is performed through image fits with a Poisson likelihood algorithm. The catalog contains 500 objects detected with significances of s{sub D,4-10keV} {>=} 7 in the 4-10 keV band. The limiting sensitivity is Almost-Equal-To 7.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -12} erg cm{sup -2} s{sup -1} ( Almost-Equal-To 0.6 mCrab) in the 4-10 keV band for 50% of the survey area, which is the highest ever achieved in an all-sky survey mission covering this energy band. We summarize the statistical properties of the catalog and results from cross matching with the Swift/BAT 70 month catalog, the meta-catalog of X-ray detected clusters of galaxies, and the MAXI/GSC 7 month catalog. Our catalog lists the source name (2MAXI), position and its error, detection significances and fluxes in the 4-10 keV and 3-4 keV bands, the hardness ratio, and the basic information of the likely counterpart available for 296 sources.

A Regional, Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration for Dark-Sky Protection in Flagstaff, Arizona

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Jeffrey C.

2018-01-01

Flagstaff, Arizona is home to almost $200M in astronomical assets, including Lowell Observatory's 4.3-meter Discovery Channel Telescope and the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer, a partnership of Lowell, the U. S. Naval Observatory, and the Naval Research Laboratory. The City of Flagstaff and surrounding Coconino County have comprehensive and effective dark-sky ordinances, but continued regional growth has the potential to degrade the area's dark skies to a level at which observatory missions could be compromised. As a result, a wide array of stakeholders (the observatories, the City, the County, local dark-sky advocates, the business and tourism communities, the national parks and monuments, the Navajo Nation, the U. S. Navy, and others) have engaged in three complementary efforts to ensure that Flagstaff and Coconino County protect the area's dark skies while meeting the needs of the various communities and providing for continued growth and development. In this poster, I will present the status of Flagstaff's conversion to LED outdoor lighting, the Mission Compatibility Study carried out by the Navy to evaluate the dark-sky effects of buildout in Flagstaff, and the Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) presently underway among all the aforementioned stakeholders. Taken in sum, the efforts represent a comprehensive and constructive approach to dark-sky preservation region-wide, and they show what can be achieved when a culture of dark-sky protection is present and deliberate efforts are undertaken to maintain it for decades to come.

SkyProbe, monitoring the absolute atmospheric transmission in the optical

Science.gov (United States)

Cuillandre, Jean-charles; Magnier, Eugene; Mahoney, William

2011-03-01

Mauna Kea is known for its pristine seeing conditions, but sky transparency can be an issue for science operations since 25% of the night are not photometric, mostly due to high-altitude cirrus. Since 2001, the original single-channel SkyProbe has gathered one exposure every minute during each observing night using a small CCD camera with a very wide field of view (35 sq. deg.) encompassing the region pointed by the telescope for science operations, and exposures long enough (40 seconds) to capture at least 100 stars of Hipparcos' Tychos catalog at high galactic latitudes (and up to 600 stars at low galactic latitudes). A key advantage of SkyProbe over direct thermal infrared imaging detection of clouds, is that it allows an accurate absolute measurement, within 5%, of the true atmospheric absorption by clouds affecting the data being gathered by the telescope's main science instrument. This system has proven crucial for decision making in the CFHT queued service observing (QSO), representing today 80% of the telescope time: science exposures taken in non-photometric conditions are automatically registered for being re-observed later on (at 1/10th of the original exposure time per pointing in the observed filters) to ensure a proper final absolute photometric calibration. The new dual color system (simultaneous B&V bands) will allow a better characterization of the sky properties atop Mauna Kea and will enable a better detection of the thinner cirrus (absorption down to 0.02 mag., i.e. 2%). SkyProbe is operated within the Elixir pipeline, a collection of tools used for handling the CFHT CCD mosaics (CFH12K and MegaCam), from data pre-processing to astrometric and photometric calibration.

Growth of Wide Band Gap II-VI Compound Semiconductors by Physical Vapor Transport

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Ching-Hua; Sha, Yi-Gao

1995-01-01

The studies on the crystal growth and characterization of II-VI wide band gap compound semiconductors, such as ZnTe, CdS, ZnSe and ZnS, have been conducted over the past three decades. The research was not quite as extensive as that on Si, III-V, or even narrow band gap II-VI semiconductors because of the high melting temperatures as well as the specialized applications associated with these wide band gap semiconductors. In the past several years, major advances in the thin film technology such as Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) and Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) have demonstrated the applications of these materials for the important devices such as light-emitting diode, laser and ultraviolet detectors and the tunability of energy band gap by employing ternary or even quaternary systems of these compounds. At the same time, the development in the crystal growth of bulk materials has not advanced far enough to provide low price, high quality substrates needed for the thin film growth technology.

All-dielectric band stop filter at terahertz frequencies

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Shan; Chen, Lin

2018-01-01

We design all-dielectric band stop filters with silicon subwavelength rod and block arrays at terahertz frequencies. Supporting magnetic dipole resonances originated from the Mia resonance, the all-dielectric filters can modulate the working band by simply varying the structural geometry, while eliminating the ohmic loss induced by the traditional metallic metamaterials and uninvolved with the complicated mechanism. The nature of the resonance in the silicon arrays is clarified, which is attributed to the destructive interference between the directly transmitted waves and the waves emitted from the magnetic dipole resonances, and the resonance frequency is determined by the dielectric structure. By particularly designing the geometrical parameters, the profile of the transmission spectrum can be tailored, and the step-like band edge can be obtained. The all-dielectric filters can realize 93% modulation of the transmission within 0.04 THz, and maintain the bandwidth of 0.05 THz. This work provides a method to develop THz functional devices, such as filters, switches and sensors.

The 60 Month All-Sky Burst Alert Telescope Survey of Active Galactic Nucleus and the Anisotropy of Nearby AGNs

Science.gov (United States)

Ajello, M.; Alexander, D. M.; Greiner, J.; Madejeski, G. M.; Gehrels, N.; Burlon, D.

2014-01-01

Surveys above 10 keV represent one of the best resources to provide an unbiased census of the population of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We present the results of 60 months of observation of the hard X-ray sky with Swift/Burst Alert Telescope (BAT). In this time frame, BAT-detected (in the 15-55 keV band) 720 sources in an all-sky survey of which 428 are associated with AGNs, most of which are nearby. Our sample has negligible incompleteness and statistics a factor of approx. 2 larger over similarly complete sets of AGNs. Our sample contains (at least) 15 bona fide Compton-thick AGNs and 3 likely candidates. Compton-thick AGNs represent approx. 5% of AGN samples detected above 15 keV. We use the BAT data set to refine the determination of the log N-log S of AGNs which is extremely important, now that NuSTAR prepares for launch, toward assessing the AGN contribution to the cosmic X-ray background. We show that the log N-log S of AGNs selected above 10 keV is now established to approx. 10% precision. We derive the luminosity function of Compton-thick AGNs and measure a space density of 7.9(+4.1/-2.9)× 10(exp -5)/cubic Mpc for objects with a de-absorbed luminosity larger than 2 × 10(exp 42) erg / s. As the BAT AGNs are all mostly local, they allow us to investigate the spatial distribution of AGNs in the nearby universe regardless of absorption. We find concentrations of AGNs that coincide spatially with the largest congregations of matter in the local (much < 85 Mpc) universe. There is some evidence that the fraction of Seyfert 2 objects is larger than average in the direction of these dense regions..

A GPU-Based Wide-Band Radio Spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Chennamangalam, Jayanth; Scott, Simon; Jones, Glenn; Chen, Hong; Ford, John; Kepley, Amanda; Lorimer, D. R.; Nie, Jun; Prestage, Richard; Roshi, D. Anish; Wagner, Mark; Werthimer, Dan

2014-12-01

The graphics processing unit has become an integral part of astronomical instrumentation, enabling high-performance online data reduction and accelerated online signal processing. In this paper, we describe a wide-band reconfigurable spectrometer built using an off-the-shelf graphics processing unit card. This spectrometer, when configured as a polyphase filter bank, supports a dual-polarisation bandwidth of up to 1.1 GHz (or a single-polarisation bandwidth of up to 2.2 GHz) on the latest generation of graphics processing units. On the other hand, when configured as a direct fast Fourier transform, the spectrometer supports a dual-polarisation bandwidth of up to 1.4 GHz (or a single-polarisation bandwidth of up to 2.8 GHz).

O2 atmospheric band measurements with WINDII: Performance of a narrow band filter/wide angle Michelson combination in space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ward, W.E.; Hersom, C.H.; Tai, C.C.; Gault, W.A.; Shepherd, G.G.; Solheim, B.H.

1994-01-01

Among the emissions viewed by the Wind Imaging Interferometer (WINDII) on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) are selected lines in the (0-0) transition of the O2 atmospheric band. These lines are viewed simultaneously using a narrow band filter/wide-angle Michelson interferometer combination. The narrow band filter is used to separate the lines on the CCD (spectral-spatial scanning) and the Michelson used to modulate the emissions so that winds and rotational temperatures may be measured from the Doppler shifts and relative intensities of the lines. In this report this technique will be outlined and the on-orbit behavior since launch summarized

Photon path length distributions for cloudy skies – oxygen A-Band measurements and model calculations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Funk

2003-03-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses the statistics underlying cloudy sky radiative transfer (RT by inspection of the distribution of the path lengths of solar photons. Recent studies indicate that this approach is promising, since it might reveal characteristics about the diffusion process underlying atmospheric radiative transfer (Pfeilsticker, 1999. Moreover, it uses an observable that is directly related to the atmospheric absorption and, therefore, of climatic relevance. However, these studies are based largely on the accuracy of the measurement of the photon path length distribution (PPD. This paper presents a refined analysis method based on high resolution spectroscopy of the oxygen A-band. The method is validated by Monte Carlo simulation atmospheric spectra. Additionally, a new method to measure the effective optical thickness of cloud layers, based on fitting the measured differential transmissions with a 1-dimensional (discrete ordinate RT model, is presented. These methods are applied to measurements conducted during the cloud radar inter-comparison campaign CLARE’98, which supplied detailed cloud structure information, required for the further analysis. For some exemplary cases, measured path length distributions and optical thicknesses are presented and backed by detailed RT model calculations. For all cases, reasonable PPDs can be retrieved and the effects of the vertical cloud structure are found. The inferred cloud optical thicknesses are in agreement with liquid water path measurements. Key words. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (radiative processes; instruments and techniques

Photon path length distributions for cloudy skies – oxygen A-Band measurements and model calculations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Funk

Full Text Available This paper addresses the statistics underlying cloudy sky radiative transfer (RT by inspection of the distribution of the path lengths of solar photons. Recent studies indicate that this approach is promising, since it might reveal characteristics about the diffusion process underlying atmospheric radiative transfer (Pfeilsticker, 1999. Moreover, it uses an observable that is directly related to the atmospheric absorption and, therefore, of climatic relevance. However, these studies are based largely on the accuracy of the measurement of the photon path length distribution (PPD. This paper presents a refined analysis method based on high resolution spectroscopy of the oxygen A-band. The method is validated by Monte Carlo simulation atmospheric spectra. Additionally, a new method to measure the effective optical thickness of cloud layers, based on fitting the measured differential transmissions with a 1-dimensional (discrete ordinate RT model, is presented. These methods are applied to measurements conducted during the cloud radar inter-comparison campaign CLARE’98, which supplied detailed cloud structure information, required for the further analysis. For some exemplary cases, measured path length distributions and optical thicknesses are presented and backed by detailed RT model calculations. For all cases, reasonable PPDs can be retrieved and the effects of the vertical cloud structure are found. The inferred cloud optical thicknesses are in agreement with liquid water path measurements.

Key words. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (radiative processes; instruments and techniques

An open-structure sound insulator against low-frequency and wide-band acoustic waves

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhe; Fan, Li; Zhang, Shu-yi; Zhang, Hui; Li, Xiao-juan; Ding, Jin

2015-10-01

To block sound, i.e., the vibration of air, most insulators are based on sealed structures and prevent the flow of the air. In this research, an acoustic metamaterial adopting side structures, loops, and labyrinths, arranged along a main tube, is presented. By combining the accurately designed side structures, an extremely wide forbidden band with a low cut-off frequency of 80 Hz is produced, which demonstrates a powerful low-frequency and wide-band sound insulation ability. Moreover, by virtue of the bypass arrangement, the metamaterial is based on an open structure, and thus air flow is allowed while acoustic waves can be insulated.

THE PPMXL CATALOG OF POSITIONS AND PROPER MOTIONS ON THE ICRS. COMBINING USNO-B1.0 AND THE TWO MICRON ALL SKY SURVEY (2MASS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roeser, S.; Demleitner, M.; Schilbach, E.

2010-01-01

USNO-B1.0 and the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) are the most widely used all-sky surveys. However, 2MASS has no proper motions at all, and USNO-B1.0 published only relative, not absolute (i.e., on the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRS), proper motions. We performed a new determination of mean positions and proper motions on the ICRS system by combining USNO-B1.0 and 2MASS astrometry. This catalog is called PPMXL (VO access to the catalog is possible via http://vo.uni-hd.de/ppmxl), and it aims to be completed from the brightest stars down to about V ∼ 20 all sky. PPMXL contains about 900 million objects, some 410 million with 2MASS photometry, and is the largest collection of ICRS proper motions at present. As representative for the ICRS, we chose PPMX. The recently released UCAC3 could not be used because we found plate-dependent distortions in its proper motion system north of -20 0 declination. UCAC3 served as an intermediate system for δ ≤ -20 0 . The resulting typical individual mean errors of the proper motions range from 4 mas yr -1 to more than 10 mas yr -1 depending on observational history. The mean errors of positions at epoch 2000.0 are 80-120 mas, if 2MASS astrometry could be used, 150-300 mas else. We also give correction tables to convert USNO-B1.0 observations of, e.g., minor planets to the ICRS system.

Retrieval of Garstang's emission function from all-sky camera images

Science.gov (United States)

Kocifaj, Miroslav; Solano Lamphar, Héctor Antonio; Kundracik, František

2015-10-01

The emission function from ground-based light sources predetermines the skyglow features to a large extent, while most mathematical models that are used to predict the night sky brightness require the information on this function. The radiant intensity distribution on a clear sky is experimentally determined as a function of zenith angle using the theoretical approach published only recently in MNRAS, 439, 3405-3413. We have made the experiments in two localities in Slovakia and Mexico by means of two digital single lens reflex professional cameras operating with different lenses that limit the system's field-of-view to either 180º or 167º. The purpose of using two cameras was to identify variances between two different apertures. Images are taken at different distances from an artificial light source (a city) with intention to determine the ratio of zenith radiance relative to horizontal irradiance. Subsequently, the information on the fraction of the light radiated directly into the upward hemisphere (F) is extracted. The results show that inexpensive devices can properly identify the upward emissions with adequate reliability as long as the clear sky radiance distribution is dominated by a largest ground-based light source. Highly unstable turbidity conditions can also make the parameter F difficult to find or even impossible to retrieve. The measurements at low elevation angles should be avoided due to a potentially parasitic effect of direct light emissions from luminaires surrounding the measuring site.

CHARACTERIZING THE MID-INFRARED EXTRAGALACTIC SKY WITH WISE AND SDSS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan Lin; Donoso, E.; Tsai, Chao-Wei; Cutri, R.; Jarrett, T.; Stern, D.; Assef, R. J.; Eisenhardt, P.; Blain, A. W.; Stanford, S. A.; Wright, E.; Bridge, C.; Riechers, D. A.

2013-01-01

The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) has completed its all-sky survey in four channels at 3.4-22 μm, detecting hundreds of millions of objects. We merge the WISE mid-infrared data with optical data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and provide a phenomenological characterization of WISE extragalactic sources. WISE is most sensitive at 3.4 μm (W1) and least sensitive at 22 μm (W4). The W1 band probes massive early-type galaxies out to z ∼> 1. This is more distant than SDSS identified early-type galaxies, consistent with the fact that 28% of 3.4 μm sources have faint or no r-band counterparts (r > 22.2). In contrast, 92%-95% of 12 μm and 22 μm sources have SDSS optical counterparts with r ≤ 22.2. WISE 3.4 μm detects 89.8% of the entire SDSS QSO catalog at S/N W1 >7σ, but only 18.9% at 22 μm with S/N W4 > 5σ. We show that WISE colors alone are effective in isolating stars (or local early-type galaxies), star-forming galaxies, and strong active galactic nuclei (AGNs)/QSOs at z ∼ 0.8 and W2 –2 . (2) Selection of dust-obscured, type-2 AGN/QSO candidates. We show that WISE W1 – W2 > 0.8, W2 6 (Vega) colors can be used to identify type-2 AGN candidates. The fraction of these type-2 AGN candidates is one-third of all WISE color-selected AGNs. (3) Selection of ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) at z ∼ 2 with extremely red colors, r – W4 > 14 or well-detected 22 μm sources lacking detections in the 3.4 and 4.6 μm bands. The surface density of z ∼ 2 ULIRG candidates selected with r – W4 > 14 is 0.9 ± 0.07 deg –2 at S/N W4 ≥ 5 (the corresponding, lowest flux density of 2.5 mJy), which is consistent with that inferred from smaller area Spitzer surveys. Optical spectroscopy of a small number of these high-redshift ULIRG candidates confirms our selection, and reveals a possible trend that optically fainter or r – W4 redder candidates are at higher redshifts.

Multifunctional Antenna with Reconfigurable Ultra-Wide Band Characteristics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Verma

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In this paper a multifunctional antenna is presented which offers an ultra-wideband (UWB operation, an UWB operation with two switchable notches and reconfigurable dual-band operation for WiMAX and WLAN applications, respectively. Total seven functions/states could be achieved from a single antenna using an electronic switching. The antenna uses dual slots on the ground plane to provide a wide bandwidth, ranging from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz. U-Shaped slot and C-Shaped printed strip in the ground are used to generate two notches at 3.6 GHz(WiMAX and 5.2 GHz (WLAN/ WiFi bands, respectively. Moreover, four parasitic strips are added in the feed side to make antenna functional at either3.6 GHz or 5.2 GHz or both. Total Five PIN diodes are required to obtain seven operations from the proposed antenna. Seven structures are fabricated and measured to verify the seven states and results are found in good agreement with estimated results obtained from the simulation.

IS THE TWO MICRON ALL SKY SURVEY CLUSTERING DIPOLE CONVERGENT?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bilicki, Maciej; Chodorowski, Michal; Jarrett, Thomas; Mamon, Gary A.

2011-01-01

There is a long-standing controversy about the convergence of the dipole moment of the galaxy angular distribution (the so-called clustering dipole). Is the dipole convergent at all, and if so, what is the scale of the convergence? We study the growth of the clustering dipole of galaxies as a function of the limiting flux of the sample from the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS). Contrary to some earlier claims, we find that the dipole does not converge before the completeness limit of the 2MASS Extended Source Catalog, i.e., up to 13.5 mag in the near-infrared K s band (equivalent to an effective distance of 300 Mpc h -1 ). We compare the observed growth of the dipole with the theoretically expected, conditional one (i.e., given the velocity of the Local Group relative to the cosmic microwave background), for the ΛCDM power spectrum and cosmological parameters constrained by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe. The observed growth turns out to be within 1σ confidence level of its theoretical counterpart once the proper observational window of the 2MASS flux-limited catalog is included. For a contrast, if the adopted window is a top hat, then the predicted dipole grows significantly faster and converges (within the errors) to its final value for a distance of about 300 Mpc h -1 . By comparing the observational windows, we show that for a given flux limit and a corresponding distance limit, the 2MASS flux-weighted window passes less large-scale signal than the top-hat one. We conclude that the growth of the 2MASS dipole for effective distances greater than 200 Mpc h -1 is only apparent. On the other hand, for a distance of 80 Mpc h -1 (mean depth of the 2MASS Redshift Survey) and the ΛCDM power spectrum, the true dipole is expected to reach only ∼80% of its final value. Eventually, since for the window function of 2MASS the predicted growth is consistent with the observed one, we can compare the two to evaluate β ≡ Ω m 0.55 /b. The result is β = 0.38 �

Wide frequency independently controlled dual-band inkjet-printed antenna

KAUST Repository

AbuTarboush, Hattan F.

2014-01-08

A low-cost inkjet-printed multiband monopole antenna is presented. The unique advantage of the proposed antenna is the freedom to adjust and set the dual-band of the antenna independently over a wide range (148.83%). To demonstrate the independent control feature, the 2.4 and 3.4 GHz bands for the wireless local area network (WLAN) and worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) applications are selected as an example. The measured impedance bandwidths for the 2.4 and 3.4 GHz are 15.2 and 23.7%, respectively. These dual-bands have the ability to be controlled independently between 1.1 and 7.5 GHz without affecting the other band. In addition, the proposed antenna can be assigned for different mobile and wireless applications such as GPS, PCS, GSM 1800, 1900, UMTS, and up to 5-GHz WLAN and WiMAX applications. The mechanism of independent control of each radiator through dimensional variation is discussed in detail. The antenna has a compact size of 10 × 37.3 × 0.44 mm3, leaving enough space for the driving electronics on the paper substrate. The measured results from the prototype are in good agreement with the simulated results. Owing to inkjet printing on an ordinary paper, the design is extremely light weight and highly suitable for low cost and large volume manufacturing. © The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2013.

The GMRT 150 MHz all-sky radio survey. First alternative data release TGSS ADR1

Science.gov (United States)

Intema, H. T.; Jagannathan, P.; Mooley, K. P.; Frail, D. A.

2017-02-01

We present the first full release of a survey of the 150 MHz radio sky, observed with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) between April 2010 and March 2012 as part of the TIFR GMRT Sky Survey (TGSS) project. Aimed at producing a reliable compact source survey, our automated data reduction pipeline efficiently processed more than 2000 h of observations with minimal human interaction. Through application of innovative techniques such as image-based flagging, direction-dependent calibration of ionospheric phase errors, correcting for systematic offsets in antenna pointing, and improving the primary beam model, we created good quality images for over 95 percent of the 5336 pointings. Our data release covers 36 900 deg2 (or 3.6 π steradians) of the sky between -53° and +90° declination (Dec), which is 90 percent of the total sky. The majority of pointing images have a noise level below 5 mJy beam-1 with an approximate resolution of 25''×25'' (or 25''×25''/ cos(Dec-19°) for pointings south of 19° declination). We have produced a catalog of 0.62 Million radio sources derived from an initial, high reliability source extraction at the seven sigma level. For the bulk of the survey, the measured overall astrometric accuracy is better than two arcseconds in right ascension and declination, while the flux density accuracy is estimated at approximately ten percent. Within the scope of the TGSS alternative data release (TGSS ADR) project, the source catalog, as well as 5336 mosaic images (5°×5°) and an image cutout service, are made publicly available at the CDS as a service to the astronomical community. Next to enabling a wide range of different scientific investigations, we anticipate that these survey products will provide a solid reference for various new low-frequency radio aperture array telescopes (LOFAR, LWA, MWA, SKA-low), and can play an important role in characterizing the epoch-of-reionisation (EoR) foreground. The TGSS ADR project aims at

Anisotropy in the Microwave Sky at 90 GHz: Results From Python III

OpenAIRE

Platt, S. R.; Kovac, J.; Dragovan, M.; Peterson, J. B.; Ruhl, J. E.

1996-01-01

The third year of observations with the Python microwave background experiment densely sample a $5.5^o\\times 22^o$ region of sky that includes the fields measured during the first two years of observations with this instrument. The sky is sampled in two multipole bands centered at $l \\approx 92$ and $l \\approx 177$. These two data sets are analyzed to place limits on fluctuations in the microwave sky at 90 GHz. Interpreting the observed fluctuations as anisotropy in the cosmic microwave backg...

Planck intermediate results XXIX. All-sky dust modelling with Planck, IRAS, and WISE observations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Alves, M. I. R.

2016-01-01

We present all-sky modelling of the high resolution Planck, IRAS, andWISE infrared (IR) observations using the physical dust model presented by Draine & Li in 2007 (DL, ApJ, 657, 810). We study the performance and results of this model, and discuss implications for future dust modelling....... The present work extends the DL dust modelling carried out on nearby galaxies using Herschel and Spitzer data to Galactic dust emission. We employ the DL dust model to generate maps of the dust mass surface density Sigma(Md), the dust optical extinction A(V), and the starlight intensity heating the bulk...... of the dust, parametrized by U-min. The DL model reproduces the observed spectral energy distribution (SED) satisfactorily over most of the sky, with small deviations in the inner Galactic disk and in low ecliptic latitude areas, presumably due to zodiacal light contamination. In the Andromeda galaxy (M31...

Suzaku observations of low surface brightness cluster Abell 1631

Science.gov (United States)

Babazaki, Yasunori; Mitsuishi, Ikuyuki; Ota, Naomi; Sasaki, Shin; Böhringer, Hans; Chon, Gayoung; Pratt, Gabriel W.; Matsumoto, Hironori

2018-04-01

We present analysis results for a nearby galaxy cluster Abell 1631 at z = 0.046 using the X-ray observatory Suzaku. This cluster is categorized as a low X-ray surface brightness cluster. To study the dynamical state of the cluster, we conduct four-pointed Suzaku observations and investigate physical properties of the Mpc-scale hot gas associated with the A 1631 cluster for the first time. Unlike relaxed clusters, the X-ray image shows no strong peak at the center and an irregular morphology. We perform spectral analysis and investigate the radial profiles of the gas temperature, density, and entropy out to approximately 1.5 Mpc in the east, north, west, and south directions by combining with the XMM-Newton data archive. The measured gas density in the central region is relatively low (a few ×10-4 cm-3) at the given temperature (˜2.9 keV) compared with X-ray-selected clusters. The entropy profile and value within the central region (r < 0.1 r200) are found to be flatter and higher (≳400 keV cm2). The observed bolometric luminosity is approximately three times lower than that expected from the luminosity-temperature relation in previous studies of relaxed clusters. These features are also observed in another low surface brightness cluster, Abell 76. The spatial distributions of galaxies and the hot gas appear to be different. The X-ray luminosity is relatively lower than that expected from the velocity dispersion. A post-merger scenario may explain the observed results.

Solar Wind Charge Exchange Contribution To The ROSAT Sky Survey Maps

Science.gov (United States)

Uprety, Y.; Chiao, M.; Collier, M. R.; Cravens, T.; Galeazzi, M.; Koutroumpa, D.; Kuntz, K. D.; Lallement, R.; Lepri, S. T.; Liu, W.;

Widely tunable narrow-band coherent Terahertz radiation from an undulator at THU

Science.gov (United States)

Su, X.; Wang, D.; Tian, Q.; Liang, Y.; Niu, L.; Yan, L.; Du, Y.; Huang, W.; Tang, C.

2018-01-01

There is anxious demand for intense widely tunable narrow-band Terahertz (THz) radiation in scientific research, which is regarded as a powerful tool for the coherent control of matter. We report the generation of widely tunable THz radiation from a planar permanent magnet undulator at Tsinghua University (THU). A relativistic electron beam is compressed by a magnetic chicane into sub-ps bunch length to excite THz radiation in the undulator coherently. The THz frequency can be tuned from 0.4 THz to 10 THz continuously with narrow-band spectrums when the undulator gap ranges from 23 mm to 75 mm. The measured pulse THz radiation energy from 220 pC bunch is 3.5 μJ at 1 THz and tens of μJ pulse energy (corresponding peak power of 10 MW) can be obtained when excited by 1 nC beam extrapolated from the property of coherent radiation. The experimental results agree well with theoretical predictions, which demonstrates a suitable THz source for the many applications that require intense and widely tunable THz sources.

A LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF ISOLATED NEUTRON STARS DETECTED IN THE ROSAT ALL-SKY-SURVEY BRIGHT SOURCE CATALOG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, Monica L.; Rutledge, Robert E.; Letcavage, Ryan; Shevchuk, Andrew S. H.; Fox, Derek B.

2010-01-01

Using new and archival observations made with the Swift satellite and other facilities, we examine 147 X-ray sources selected from the ROSAT All-Sky-Survey Bright Source Catalog (RASS/BSC) to produce a new limit on the number of isolated neutron stars (INSs) in the RASS/BSC, the most constraining such limit to date. Independent of X-ray spectrum and variability, the number of INSs is ≤48 (90% confidence). Restricting attention to soft (kT eff < 200 eV), non-variable X-ray sources-as in a previous study-yields an all-sky limit of ≤31 INSs. In the course of our analysis, we identify five new high-quality INS candidates for targeted follow-up observations. A future all-sky X-ray survey with eROSITA, or another mission with similar capabilities, can be expected to increase the detected population of X-ray-discovered INSs from the 8-50 in the BSC, to (for a disk population) 240-1500, which will enable a more detailed study of neutron star population models.

Sky camera imagery processing based on a sky classification using radiometric data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alonso, J.; Batlles, F.J.; López, G.; Ternero, A.

2014-01-01

As part of the development and expansion of CSP (concentrated solar power) technology, one of the most important operational requirements is to have complete control of all factors which may affect the quantity and quality of the solar power produced. New developments and tools in this field are focused on weather forecasting improving both operational security and electricity production. Such is the case with sky cameras, devices which are currently in use in some CSP plants and whose use is expanding in the new technology sector. Their application is mainly focused on cloud detection, estimating their movement as well as their influence on solar radiation attenuation indeed, the presence of clouds is the greatest factor involved in solar radiation attenuation. The aim of this work is the detection and analysis of clouds from images taken by a TSI-880 model sky. In order to obtain accurate image processing, three different models were created, based on a previous sky classification using radiometric data and representative sky conditions parameters. As a consequence, the sky can be classified as cloudless, partially-cloudy or overcast, delivering an average success rate of 92% in sky classification and cloud detection. - Highlights: • We developed a methodology for detection of clouds in total sky imagery (TSI-880). • A classification of sky is presented according to radiometric data and sky parameters. • The sky can be classified as cloudless, partially cloudy and overcast. • The images processing is based on the sky classification for the detection of clouds. • The average success of the developed model is around 92%

Wide-band IR imaging in the NIR-MIR-FIR regions for in situ analysis of frescoes

Science.gov (United States)

Daffara, C.; Pezzati, L.; Ambrosini, D.; Paoletti, D.; Di Biase, R.; Mariotti, P. I.; Frosinini, C.

2011-06-01

Imaging methods offer several advantages in the field of conservation allowing to perform non-invasive inspection of works of art. In particular, non-invasive techniques based on imaging in different infrared (IR) regions are widely used for the investigation of paintings. Using radiation beyond the visible range, different characteristics of the inspected artwork may be revealed according to the bandwidth acquired. In this paper we present the recent results of a joint project among the two research institutes DIMEG and CNR-INO, and the restoration facility Opificio delle Pietre Dure, concerning the wide-band integration of IR imaging techniques, in the spectral ranges NIR 0.8-2.5 μm, MIR 3-5 μm, and FIR 8-12 μm, for in situ analysis of artworks. A joint, multi-mode use of reflection and thermal bands is proposed for the diagnostics of mural paintings, and it is demonstrated to be an effective tool in inspecting the layered structure. High resolution IR reflectography and, to a greater extent, IR imaging in the 3-5 μm band, are effectively used to characterize the superficial layer of the fresco and to analyze the stratigraphy of different pictorial layers. IR thermography in the 8-12 μm band is used to characterize the support deep structure. The integration of all the data provides a multi- layered and multi-spectral representation of the fresco that yields a comprehensive analysis.

Exploring ESASky

Science.gov (United States)

De Marchi, Guido; ESASky Team

2017-06-01

ESASky is a science-driven discovery portal for all ESA space astronomy missions. It also includes missions from international partners such as Suzaku and Chandra. The first public release of ESASky features interfaces for sky exploration and for single and multiple target searches. Using the application requires no prior-knowledge of any of the missions involved and gives users world-wide simplified access to high-level science-ready data products from space-based Astronomy missions, plus a number of ESA-produced source catalogues, including the Gaia Data Release 1 catalogue. We highlight here the latest features to be developed, including one that allows the user to project onto the sky the footprints of the JWST instruments, at any chosen position and orientation. This tool has been developed to aid JWST astronomers when they are defining observing proposals. We aim to include other missions and instruments in the near future.

THE ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH DATA RELEASES OF THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY: FINAL DATA FROM SDSS-III

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alam, Shadab; Albareti, Franco D.; Prieto, Carlos Allende; Anders, F.; Anderson, Scott F.; Anderton, Timothy; Andrews, Brett H.; Armengaud, Eric; Aubourg, Éric; Bautista, Julian E.; Bailey, Stephen; Basu, Sarbani; Beaton, Rachael L.; Beers, Timothy C.

2015-01-01

The third generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-III) took data from 2008 to 2014 using the original SDSS wide-field imager, the original and an upgraded multi-object fiber-fed optical spectrograph, a new near-infrared high-resolution spectrograph, and a novel optical interferometer. All of the data from SDSS-III are now made public. In particular, this paper describes Data Release 11 (DR11) including all data acquired through 2013 July, and Data Release 12 (DR12) adding data acquired through 2014 July (including all data included in previous data releases), marking the end of SDSS-III observing. Relative to our previous public release (DR10), DR12 adds one million new spectra of galaxies and quasars from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) over an additional 3000 deg 2 of sky, more than triples the number of H-band spectra of stars as part of the Apache Point Observatory (APO) Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE), and includes repeated accurate radial velocity measurements of 5500 stars from the Multi-object APO Radial Velocity Exoplanet Large-area Survey (MARVELS). The APOGEE outputs now include the measured abundances of 15 different elements for each star. In total, SDSS-III added 5200 deg 2 of ugriz imaging; 155,520 spectra of 138,099 stars as part of the Sloan Exploration of Galactic Understanding and Evolution 2 (SEGUE-2) survey; 2,497,484 BOSS spectra of 1,372,737 galaxies, 294,512 quasars, and 247,216 stars over 9376 deg 2 ; 618,080 APOGEE spectra of 156,593 stars; and 197,040 MARVELS spectra of 5513 stars. Since its first light in 1998, SDSS has imaged over 1/3 of the Celestial sphere in five bands and obtained over five million astronomical spectra

The Eleventh and Twelfth Data Releases of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: Final Data from SDSS-III

Science.gov (United States)

Alam, Shadab; Albareti, Franco D.; Allende Prieto, Carlos; Anders, F.; Anderson, Scott F.; Anderton, Timothy; Andrews, Brett H.; Armengaud, Eric; Aubourg, Éric; Bailey, Stephen; Basu, Sarbani; Bautista, Julian E.; Beaton, Rachael L.; Beers, Timothy C.; Bender, Chad F.; Berlind, Andreas A.; Beutler, Florian; Bhardwaj, Vaishali; Bird, Jonathan C.; Bizyaev, Dmitry; Blake, Cullen H.; Blanton, Michael R.; Blomqvist, Michael; Bochanski, John J.; Bolton, Adam S.; Bovy, Jo; Shelden Bradley, A.; Brandt, W. N.; Brauer, D. E.; Brinkmann, J.; Brown, Peter J.; Brownstein, Joel R.; Burden, Angela; Burtin, Etienne; Busca, Nicolás G.; Cai, Zheng; Capozzi, Diego; Carnero Rosell, Aurelio; Carr, Michael A.; Carrera, Ricardo; Chambers, K. C.; Chaplin, William James; Chen, Yen-Chi; Chiappini, Cristina; Chojnowski, S. Drew; Chuang, Chia-Hsun; Clerc, Nicolas; Comparat, Johan; Covey, Kevin; Croft, Rupert A. C.; Cuesta, Antonio J.; Cunha, Katia; da Costa, Luiz N.; Da Rio, Nicola; Davenport, James R. A.; Dawson, Kyle S.; De Lee, Nathan; Delubac, Timothée; Deshpande, Rohit; Dhital, Saurav; Dutra-Ferreira, Letícia; Dwelly, Tom; Ealet, Anne; Ebelke, Garrett L.; Edmondson, Edward M.; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Ellsworth, Tristan; Elsworth, Yvonne; Epstein, Courtney R.; Eracleous, Michael; Escoffier, Stephanie; Esposito, Massimiliano; Evans, Michael L.; Fan, Xiaohui; Fernández-Alvar, Emma; Feuillet, Diane; Filiz Ak, Nurten; Finley, Hayley; Finoguenov, Alexis; Flaherty, Kevin; Fleming, Scott W.; Font-Ribera, Andreu; Foster, Jonathan; Frinchaboy, Peter M.; Galbraith-Frew, J. G.; García, Rafael A.; García-Hernández, D. A.; García Pérez, Ana E.; Gaulme, Patrick; Ge, Jian; Génova-Santos, R.; Georgakakis, A.; Ghezzi, Luan; Gillespie, Bruce A.; Girardi, Léo; Goddard, Daniel; Gontcho, Satya Gontcho A.; González Hernández, Jonay I.; Grebel, Eva K.; Green, Paul J.; Grieb, Jan Niklas; Grieves, Nolan; Gunn, James E.; Guo, Hong; Harding, Paul; Hasselquist, Sten; Hawley, Suzanne L.; Hayden, Michael; Hearty, Fred R.; Hekker, Saskia; Ho, Shirley; Hogg, David W.; Holley-Bockelmann, Kelly; Holtzman, Jon A.; Honscheid, Klaus; Huber, Daniel; Huehnerhoff, Joseph; Ivans, Inese I.; Jiang, Linhua; Johnson, Jennifer A.; Kinemuchi, Karen; Kirkby, David; Kitaura, Francisco; Klaene, Mark A.; Knapp, Gillian R.; Kneib, Jean-Paul; Koenig, Xavier P.; Lam, Charles R.; Lan, Ting-Wen; Lang, Dustin; Laurent, Pierre; Le Goff, Jean-Marc; Leauthaud, Alexie; Lee, Khee-Gan; Lee, Young Sun; Licquia, Timothy C.; Liu, Jian; Long, Daniel C.; López-Corredoira, Martín; Lorenzo-Oliveira, Diego; Lucatello, Sara; Lundgren, Britt; Lupton, Robert H.; Mack, Claude E., III; Mahadevan, Suvrath; Maia, Marcio A. G.; Majewski, Steven R.; Malanushenko, Elena; Malanushenko, Viktor; Manchado, A.; Manera, Marc; Mao, Qingqing; Maraston, Claudia; Marchwinski, Robert C.; Margala, Daniel; Martell, Sarah L.; Martig, Marie; Masters, Karen L.; Mathur, Savita; McBride, Cameron K.; McGehee, Peregrine M.; McGreer, Ian D.; McMahon, Richard G.; Ménard, Brice; Menzel, Marie-Luise; Merloni, Andrea; Mészáros, Szabolcs; Miller, Adam A.; Miralda-Escudé, Jordi; Miyatake, Hironao; Montero-Dorta, Antonio D.; More, Surhud; Morganson, Eric; Morice-Atkinson, Xan; Morrison, Heather L.; Mosser, Benôit; Muna, Demitri; Myers, Adam D.; Nandra, Kirpal; Newman, Jeffrey A.; Neyrinck, Mark; Nguyen, Duy Cuong; Nichol, Robert C.; Nidever, David L.; Noterdaeme, Pasquier; Nuza, Sebastián E.; O'Connell, Julia E.; O'Connell, Robert W.; O'Connell, Ross; Ogando, Ricardo L. C.; Olmstead, Matthew D.; Oravetz, Audrey E.; Oravetz, Daniel J.; Osumi, Keisuke; Owen, Russell; Padgett, Deborah L.; Padmanabhan, Nikhil; Paegert, Martin; Palanque-Delabrouille, Nathalie; Pan, Kaike; Parejko, John K.; Pâris, Isabelle; Park, Changbom; Pattarakijwanich, Petchara; Pellejero-Ibanez, M.; Pepper, Joshua; Percival, Will J.; Pérez-Fournon, Ismael; P´rez-Ra`fols, Ignasi; Petitjean, Patrick; Pieri, Matthew M.; Pinsonneault, Marc H.; Porto de Mello, Gustavo F.; Prada, Francisco; Prakash, Abhishek; Price-Whelan, Adrian M.; Protopapas, Pavlos; Raddick, M. Jordan; Rahman, Mubdi; Reid, Beth A.; Rich, James; Rix, Hans-Walter; Robin, Annie C.; Rockosi, Constance M.; Rodrigues, Thaíse S.; Rodríguez-Torres, Sergio; Roe, Natalie A.; Ross, Ashley J.; Ross, Nicholas P.; Rossi, Graziano; Ruan, John J.; Rubiño-Martín, J. A.; Rykoff, Eli S.; Salazar-Albornoz, Salvador; Salvato, Mara; Samushia, Lado; Sánchez, Ariel G.; Santiago, Basílio; Sayres, Conor; Schiavon, Ricardo P.; Schlegel, David J.; Schmidt, Sarah J.; Schneider, Donald P.; Schultheis, Mathias; Schwope, Axel D.; Scóccola, C. G.; Scott, Caroline; Sellgren, Kris; Seo, Hee-Jong; Serenelli, Aldo; Shane, Neville; Shen, Yue; Shetrone, Matthew; Shu, Yiping; Silva Aguirre, V.; Sivarani, Thirupathi; Skrutskie, M. F.; Slosar, Anže; Smith, Verne V.; Sobreira, Flávia; Souto, Diogo; Stassun, Keivan G.; Steinmetz, Matthias; Stello, Dennis; Strauss, Michael A.; Streblyanska, Alina; Suzuki, Nao; Swanson, Molly E. C.; Tan, Jonathan C.; Tayar, Jamie; Terrien, Ryan C.; Thakar, Aniruddha R.; Thomas, Daniel; Thomas, Neil; Thompson, Benjamin A.; Tinker, Jeremy L.; Tojeiro, Rita; Troup, Nicholas W.; Vargas-Magaña, Mariana; Vazquez, Jose A.; Verde, Licia; Viel, Matteo; Vogt, Nicole P.; Wake, David A.; Wang, Ji; Weaver, Benjamin A.; Weinberg, David H.; Weiner, Benjamin J.; White, Martin; Wilson, John C.; Wisniewski, John P.; Wood-Vasey, W. M.; Ye`che, Christophe; York, Donald G.; Zakamska, Nadia L.; Zamora, O.; Zasowski, Gail; Zehavi, Idit; Zhao, Gong-Bo; Zheng, Zheng; Zhou, Xu; Zhou, Zhimin; Zou, Hu; Zhu, Guangtun

2015-07-01

The third generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-III) took data from 2008 to 2014 using the original SDSS wide-field imager, the original and an upgraded multi-object fiber-fed optical spectrograph, a new near-infrared high-resolution spectrograph, and a novel optical interferometer. All of the data from SDSS-III are now made public. In particular, this paper describes Data Release 11 (DR11) including all data acquired through 2013 July, and Data Release 12 (DR12) adding data acquired through 2014 July (including all data included in previous data releases), marking the end of SDSS-III observing. Relative to our previous public release (DR10), DR12 adds one million new spectra of galaxies and quasars from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) over an additional 3000 deg2 of sky, more than triples the number of H-band spectra of stars as part of the Apache Point Observatory (APO) Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE), and includes repeated accurate radial velocity measurements of 5500 stars from the Multi-object APO Radial Velocity Exoplanet Large-area Survey (MARVELS). The APOGEE outputs now include the measured abundances of 15 different elements for each star. In total, SDSS-III added 5200 deg2 of ugriz imaging; 155,520 spectra of 138,099 stars as part of the Sloan Exploration of Galactic Understanding and Evolution 2 (SEGUE-2) survey; 2,497,484 BOSS spectra of 1,372,737 galaxies, 294,512 quasars, and 247,216 stars over 9376 deg2; 618,080 APOGEE spectra of 156,593 stars; and 197,040 MARVELS spectra of 5513 stars. Since its first light in 1998, SDSS has imaged over 1/3 of the Celestial sphere in five bands and obtained over five million astronomical spectra.

The eleventh and twelfth data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: Final data from SDSS-III

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alam, Shadab; Albareti, Franco D.; Prieto, Carlos Allende; Anders, F.; Anderson, Scott F.; Anderton, Timothy; Andrews, Brett H.; Armengaud, Eric; Aubourg, Éric; Bailey, Stephen; Basu, Sarbani; Bautista, Julian E.; Beaton, Rachael L.; Beers, Timothy C.; Bender, Chad F.; Berlind, Andreas A.; Beutler, Florian; Bhardwaj, Vaishali; Bird, Jonathan C.; Bizyaev, Dmitry; Blake, Cullen H.; Blanton, Michael R.; Blomqvist, Michael; Bochanski, John J.; Bolton, Adam S.; Bovy, Jo; Bradley, A. Shelden; Brandt, W. N.; Brauer, D. E.; Brinkmann, J.; Brown, Peter J.; Brownstein, Joel R.; Burden, Angela; Burtin, Etienne; Busca, Nicolás G.; Cai, Zheng; Capozzi, Diego; Rosell, Aurelio Carnero; Carr, Michael A.; Carrera, Ricardo; Chambers, K. C.; Chaplin, William James; Chen, Yen-Chi; Chiappini, Cristina; Chojnowski, S. Drew; Chuang, Chia-Hsun; Clerc, Nicolas; Comparat, Johan; Covey, Kevin; Croft, Rupert A. C.; Cuesta, Antonio J.; Cunha, Katia; Costa, Luiz N. da; Rio, Nicola Da; Davenport, James R. A.; Dawson, Kyle S.; Lee, Nathan De; Delubac, Timothée; Deshpande, Rohit; Dhital, Saurav; Dutra-Ferreira, Letícia; Dwelly, Tom; Ealet, Anne; Ebelke, Garrett L.; Edmondson, Edward M.; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Ellsworth, Tristan; Elsworth, Yvonne; Epstein, Courtney R.; Eracleous, Michael; Escoffier, Stephanie; Esposito, Massimiliano; Evans, Michael L.; Fan, Xiaohui; Fernández-Alvar, Emma; Feuillet, Diane; Ak, Nurten Filiz; Finley, Hayley; Finoguenov, Alexis; Flaherty, Kevin; Fleming, Scott W.; Font-Ribera, Andreu; Foster, Jonathan; Frinchaboy, Peter M.; Galbraith-Frew, J. G.; García, Rafael A.; García-Hernández, D. A.; Pérez, Ana E. García; Gaulme, Patrick; Ge, Jian; Génova-Santos, R.; Georgakakis, A.; Ghezzi, Luan; Gillespie, Bruce A.; Girardi, Léo; Goddard, Daniel; Gontcho, Satya Gontcho A.; Hernández, Jonay I. González; Grebel, Eva K.; Green, Paul J.; Grieb, Jan Niklas; Grieves, Nolan; Gunn, James E.; Guo, Hong; Harding, Paul; Hasselquist, Sten; Hawley, Suzanne L.; Hayden, Michael; Hearty, Fred R.; Hekker, Saskia; Ho, Shirley; Hogg, David W.; Holley-Bockelmann, Kelly; Holtzman, Jon A.; Honscheid, Klaus; Huber, Daniel; Huehnerhoff, Joseph; Ivans, Inese I.; Jiang, Linhua; Johnson, Jennifer A.; Kinemuchi, Karen; Kirkby, David; Kitaura, Francisco; Klaene, Mark A.; Knapp, Gillian R.; Kneib, Jean-Paul; Koenig, Xavier P.; Lam, Charles R.; Lan, Ting-Wen; Lang, Dustin; Laurent, Pierre; Goff, Jean-Marc Le; Leauthaud, Alexie; Lee, Khee-Gan; Lee, Young Sun; Licquia, Timothy C.; Liu, Jian; Long, Daniel C.; López-Corredoira, Martín; Lorenzo-Oliveira, Diego; Lucatello, Sara; Lundgren, Britt; Lupton, Robert H.; III, Claude E. Mack; Mahadevan, Suvrath; Maia, Marcio A. G.; Majewski, Steven R.; Malanushenko, Elena; Malanushenko, Viktor; Manchado, A.; Manera, Marc; Mao, Qingqing; Maraston, Claudia; Marchwinski, Robert C.; Margala, Daniel; Martell, Sarah L.; Martig, Marie; Masters, Karen L.; Mathur, Savita; McBride, Cameron K.; McGehee, Peregrine M.; McGreer, Ian D.; McMahon, Richard G.; Ménard, Brice; Menzel, Marie-Luise; Merloni, Andrea; Mészáros, Szabolcs; Miller, Adam A.; Miralda-Escudé, Jordi; Miyatake, Hironao; Montero-Dorta, Antonio D.; More, Surhud; Morganson, Eric; Morice-Atkinson, Xan; Morrison, Heather L.; Mosser, Benôit; Muna, Demitri; Myers, Adam D.; Nandra, Kirpal; Newman, Jeffrey A.; Neyrinck, Mark; Nguyen, Duy Cuong; Nichol, Robert C.; Nidever, David L.; Noterdaeme, Pasquier; Nuza, Sebastián E.; O’Connell, Julia E.; O’Connell, Robert W.; O’Connell, Ross; Ogando, Ricardo L. C.; Olmstead, Matthew D.; Oravetz, Audrey E.; Oravetz, Daniel J.; Osumi, Keisuke; Owen, Russell; Padgett, Deborah L.; Padmanabhan, Nikhil; Paegert, Martin; Palanque-Delabrouille, Nathalie; Pan, Kaike; Parejko, John K.; Pâris, Isabelle; Park, Changbom; Pattarakijwanich, Petchara; Pellejero-Ibanez, M.; Pepper, Joshua; Percival, Will J.; Pérez-Fournon, Ismael; Pe´rez-Ra`fols, Ignasi; Petitjean, Patrick; Pieri, Matthew M.; Pinsonneault, Marc H.; Mello, Gustavo F. Porto de; Prada, Francisco; Prakash, Abhishek; Price-Whelan, Adrian M.; Protopapas, Pavlos; Raddick, M. Jordan; Rahman, Mubdi; Reid, Beth A.; Rich, James; Rix, Hans-Walter; Robin, Annie C.; Rockosi, Constance M.; Rodrigues, Thaíse S.; Rodríguez-Torres, Sergio; Roe, Natalie A.; Ross, Ashley J.; Ross, Nicholas P.; Rossi, Graziano; Ruan, John J.; Rubiño-Martín, J. A.; Rykoff, Eli S.; Salazar-Albornoz, Salvador; Salvato, Mara; Samushia, Lado; Sánchez, Ariel G.; Santiago, Basílio; Sayres, Conor; Schiavon, Ricardo P.; Schlegel, David J.; Schmidt, Sarah J.; Schneider, Donald P.; Schultheis, Mathias; Schwope, Axel D.; Scóccola, C. G.; Scott, Caroline; Sellgren, Kris; Seo, Hee-Jong; Serenelli, Aldo; Shane, Neville; Shen, Yue; Shetrone, Matthew; Shu, Yiping; Aguirre, V. Silva; Sivarani, Thirupathi; Skrutskie, M. F.; Slosar, Anže; Smith, Verne V.; Sobreira, Flávia; Souto, Diogo; Stassun, Keivan G.; Steinmetz, Matthias; Stello, Dennis; Strauss, Michael A.; Streblyanska, Alina; Suzuki, Nao; Swanson, Molly E. C.; Tan, Jonathan C.; Tayar, Jamie; Terrien, Ryan C.; Thakar, Aniruddha R.; Thomas, Daniel; Thomas, Neil; Thompson, Benjamin A.; Tinker, Jeremy L.; Tojeiro, Rita; Troup, Nicholas W.; Vargas-Magaña, Mariana; Vazquez, Jose A.; Verde, Licia; Viel, Matteo; Vogt, Nicole P.; Wake, David A.; Wang, Ji; Weaver, Benjamin A.; Weinberg, David H.; Weiner, Benjamin J.; White, Martin; Wilson, John C.; Wisniewski, John P.; Wood-Vasey, W. M.; Ye`che, Christophe; York, Donald G.; Zakamska, Nadia L.; Zamora, O.; Zasowski, Gail; Zehavi, Idit; Zhao, Gong-Bo; Zheng, Zheng; Zhou (周旭), Xu; Zhou (周志民), Zhimin; Zou (邹虎), Hu; Zhu, Guangtun

2015-07-20

The third generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-III) took data from 2008 to 2014 using the original SDSS wide-field imager, the original and an upgraded multi-object fiber-fed optical spectrograph, a new near-infrared high-resolution spectrograph, and a novel optical interferometer. All of the data from SDSS-III are now made public. In particular, this paper describes Data Release 11 (DR11) including all data acquired through 2013 July, and Data Release 12 (DR12) adding data acquired through 2014 July (including all data included in previous data releases), marking the end of SDSS-III observing. Relative to our previous public release (DR10), DR12 adds one million new spectra of galaxies and quasars from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) over an additional 3000 deg² of sky, more than triples the number of H-band spectra of stars as part of the Apache Point Observatory (APO) Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE), and includes repeated accurate radial velocity measurements of 5500 stars from the Multi-object APO Radial Velocity Exoplanet Large-area Survey (MARVELS). The APOGEE outputs now include the measured abundances of 15 different elements for each star. In total, SDSS-III added 5200 deg² of ugriz imaging; 155,520 spectra of 138,099 stars as part of the Sloan Exploration of Galactic Understanding and Evolution 2 (SEGUE-2) survey; 2,497,484 BOSS spectra of 1,372,737 galaxies, 294,512 quasars, and 247,216 stars over 9376 deg²; 618,080 APOGEE spectra of 156,593 stars; and 197,040 MARVELS spectra of 5513 stars. Since its first light in 1998, SDSS has imaged over 1/3 of the Celestial sphere in five bands and obtained over five million astronomical spectra.

SCANDI – an all-sky Doppler imager for studies of thermospheric spatial structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. L. Aruliah

2010-02-01

Full Text Available A new all-sky Fabry-Perot Interferometer called the Scanning Doppler Imager (SCANDI was built and installed at Longyearbyen in December 2006. Observations have been made of the Doppler shifts and Doppler broadening of the 630 nm airglow and aurora, from which upper thermospheric winds and temperatures are calculated. SCANDI allows measurements over a field-of-view (FOV with a horizontal radius of nearly 600 km for observations at an altitude of 250 km using a time resolution of 8 min. The instrument provides the ability to observe thermospheric spatial structure within a FOV which overlaps that of the EISCAT Svalbard radar and CUTLASS SuperDARN radars. Coordinating with these instruments provides an important opportunity for studying ion-neutral coupling. The all-sky image is divided into several sectors to provide a horizontal spatial resolution of between 100–300 km. This is a powerful extension in observational capability but requires careful calibration and data analysis, as described here. Two observation modes were used: a fixed and a scanning etalon gap. SCANDI results are corroborated using the Longyearbyen single look direction FPI, and ESR measurements of the ion temperatures. The data show thermospheric temperature gradients of a few Kelvins per kilometre, and a great deal of meso-scale variability on spatial scales of several tens of kilometres.

A multi-sensor data-driven methodology for all-sky passive microwave inundation retrieval

Science.gov (United States)

Takbiri, Zeinab; Ebtehaj, Ardeshir M.; Foufoula-Georgiou, Efi

2017-06-01

We present a multi-sensor Bayesian passive microwave retrieval algorithm for flood inundation mapping at high spatial and temporal resolutions. The algorithm takes advantage of observations from multiple sensors in optical, short-infrared, and microwave bands, thereby allowing for detection and mapping of the sub-pixel fraction of inundated areas under almost all-sky conditions. The method relies on a nearest-neighbor search and a modern sparsity-promoting inversion method that make use of an a priori dataset in the form of two joint dictionaries. These dictionaries contain almost overlapping observations by the Special Sensor Microwave Imager and Sounder (SSMIS) on board the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F17 satellite and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board the Aqua and Terra satellites. Evaluation of the retrieval algorithm over the Mekong Delta shows that it is capable of capturing to a good degree the inundation diurnal variability due to localized convective precipitation. At longer timescales, the results demonstrate consistency with the ground-based water level observations, denoting that the method is properly capturing inundation seasonal patterns in response to regional monsoonal rain. The calculated Euclidean distance, rank-correlation, and also copula quantile analysis demonstrate a good agreement between the outputs of the algorithm and the observed water levels at monthly and daily timescales. The current inundation products are at a resolution of 12.5 km and taken twice per day, but a higher resolution (order of 5 km and every 3 h) can be achieved using the same algorithm with the dictionary populated by the Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI) products.

A multi-sensor data-driven methodology for all-sky passive microwave inundation retrieval

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Takbiri

2017-06-01

Full Text Available We present a multi-sensor Bayesian passive microwave retrieval algorithm for flood inundation mapping at high spatial and temporal resolutions. The algorithm takes advantage of observations from multiple sensors in optical, short-infrared, and microwave bands, thereby allowing for detection and mapping of the sub-pixel fraction of inundated areas under almost all-sky conditions. The method relies on a nearest-neighbor search and a modern sparsity-promoting inversion method that make use of an a priori dataset in the form of two joint dictionaries. These dictionaries contain almost overlapping observations by the Special Sensor Microwave Imager and Sounder (SSMIS on board the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP F17 satellite and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS on board the Aqua and Terra satellites. Evaluation of the retrieval algorithm over the Mekong Delta shows that it is capable of capturing to a good degree the inundation diurnal variability due to localized convective precipitation. At longer timescales, the results demonstrate consistency with the ground-based water level observations, denoting that the method is properly capturing inundation seasonal patterns in response to regional monsoonal rain. The calculated Euclidean distance, rank-correlation, and also copula quantile analysis demonstrate a good agreement between the outputs of the algorithm and the observed water levels at monthly and daily timescales. The current inundation products are at a resolution of 12.5 km and taken twice per day, but a higher resolution (order of 5 km and every 3 h can be achieved using the same algorithm with the dictionary populated by the Global Precipitation Mission (GPM Microwave Imager (GMI products.

Review of all-sky camera data for the period Sep. 1 to Dec. 1, 1976

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-02-01

The auroral and cloud conditions are presented in the form of a numerical code, in coordinate tables, the coordinates representing the date and universal time respectively. The compilation is intended to be a guide to available all-sky camera films, copies of which are supplied at self-cost prices by the Auroral Observatory. (JIW)

Active Galactic Nuclei at all wavelengths and from all angles

Science.gov (United States)

Padovani, Paolo

2017-11-01

AGN are quite unique astronomical sources emitting over more than twenty orders of magnitude in frequency, with different electromagnetic bands providing windows on different sub-structures and their physics. They come in a large number of flavors only partially related to intrinsic differences. I highlight here the types of sources selected in different bands, the relevant selection effects and biases, and the underlying physical processes. I then look at the ``big picture'' by describing the most important parameters one needs to describe the variety of AGN classes and by discussing AGN at all frequencies in terms of their sky surface density. I conclude with a look at the most pressing open issues and the main new facilities, which will flood us with new data to tackle them.

ALMACAL I: FIRST DUAL-BAND NUMBER COUNTS FROM A DEEP AND WIDE ALMA SUBMILLIMETER SURVEY, FREE FROM COSMIC VARIANCE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oteo, I.; Ivison, R. J. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ UK (United Kingdom); Zwaan, M. A.; Biggs, A. D. [European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Smail, I., E-mail: ivanoteogomez@gmail.com [Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy, Department of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE UK (United Kingdom)

2016-05-01

We have exploited ALMA calibration observations to carry out a novel, wide, and deep submillimeter (submm) survey, almacal. These calibration data comprise a large number of observations of calibrator fields in a variety of frequency bands and array configurations. By gathering together data acquired during multiple visits to many ALMA calibrators, it is possible to reach noise levels which allow the detection of faint, dusty, star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) over a significant area. In this paper, we outline our survey strategy and report the first results. We have analyzed data for 69 calibrators, reaching depths of ∼25 μ Jy beam{sup −1} at sub-arcsec resolution. Adopting a conservative approach based on ≥5 σ detections, we have found 8 and 11 DSFGs in ALMA bands 6 and 7, respectively, with flux densities S {sub 1.2} m {sub m} ≥ 0.2 mJy. The faintest galaxies would have been missed by even the deepest Herschel surveys. Our cumulative number counts have been determined independently at 870 μ m and 1.2 mm from a sparse sampling of the astronomical sky, and are thus relatively free of cosmic variance. The counts are lower than reported previously by a factor of at least 2×. Future analyses will yield large, secure samples of DSFGs with redshifts determined via the detection of submm spectral lines. Uniquely, our strategy then allows for morphological studies of very faint DSFGs—representative of more normal star-forming galaxies than conventional submm galaxies—in fields where self-calibration is feasible, yielding milliarcsecond spatial resolution.

Hard X-Ray Properties of the Merging Cluster Abell 3667 as Observed with Suzaku

Science.gov (United States)

2008-08-01

3667 as Observed with Suzaku Kazuhiro NAKAZAWA Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo , Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 nakazawa...of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo , Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 Kazuo MAKISHIMA Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo , Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113

Based on graphene tunable dual-band terahertz metamaterial absorber with wide-angle

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Mulin; Cheng, Yongzhi; Cheng, Zhengze; Chen, Haoran; Mao, Xuesong; Gong, Rongzhou

2018-05-01

We present a wide-angle tunable dual-band terahertz (THz) metamaterial absorber (MMA) based on square graphene patch (SGP). This MMA is a simple periodic array, consisting of a dielectric substrate sandwiched with the SGP and a continuous metallic film. The designed MMA can achieve dual-band absorption by exciting fundamental and second higher-order resonance modes on SGP. The numerical simulations indicate that the absorption spectrum of the designed MMA is tuned from 0.85 THz to 1.01 THz, and from 2.84 THz to 3.37 THz when the chemical potential of the SGP is increasing from 0.4eV to 0.8eV. Moreover, it operates well in a wide-angle of the incident waves. The presented THz MMA based on the SGP could find some potential applications in optoelectronic related devices, such as sensor, emitter and wavelength selective radiators.

Ultrathin triple-band polarization-insensitive wide-angle compact metamaterial absorber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shang, Shuai; Yang, Shizhong; Tao, Lu; Yang, Lisheng; Cao, Hailin

2016-01-01

In this study, the design, realization, and characterization of an ultrathin triple-band polarization-insensitive wide-angle metamaterial absorber are reported. The metamaterial absorber comprises a periodic array of modified six-fold symmetric snowflake-shaped resonators with strip spiral line load, which is printed on a dielectric substrate backed by a metal ground plane. It is shown that the absorber exhibits three distinct near-unity absorption peaks, which are distributed across C, X, Ku bands, respectively. Owing to the six-fold symmetry, the absorber is insensitive to the polarization of the incident radiation. In addition, the absorber shows excellent absorption performance over wide oblique incident angles for both transverse electric and transverse magnetic polarizations. Simulated surface current and field distributions at the three absorption peaks are demonstrated to understand the absorption mechanism. Particularly, the absorption modes come from the fundamental and high-order dipole resonances. Furthermore, the experimental verification of the designed absorber is conducted, and the measured results are in reasonable agreement with the simulated ones. The proposed ultrathin (∼0.018λ 0 , λ 0 corresponding to the lowest peak absorption frequency) compact (0.168λ 0 ×0.168λ 0 corresponding to the area of a unit cell) absorber enables potential applications such as stealth technology, electromagnetic interference and spectrum identification.

Photonic band gap properties of one-dimensional Thue-Morse all-dielectric photonic quasicrystal

Science.gov (United States)

Yue, Chenxi; Tan, Wei; Liu, Jianjun

2018-05-01

In this paper, the photonic band gap (PBG) properties of one-dimensional (1D) Thue-Morse photonic quasicrystal (PQC) S4 structure are theoretically investigated by using transfer matrix method in Bragg condition. The effects of the center wavelength, relative permittivity and incident angle on PBG properties are elaborately analyzed. Numerical results reveal that, in the case of normal incidence, the symmetry and periodicity properties of the photonic band structure are presented. As the center wavelength increases, the PBG center frequency and PBG width decrease while the photonic band structure is always symmetrical about the central frequency and the photonic band structure repeats periodically in the expanding observation frequency range. With the decrease of relative permittivity contrast, the PBG width and the relative PBG width gradually decreases until PBG disappears while the symmetry of the photonic band structure always exists. In the case of oblique incidence, as the incident angle increases, multiple narrow PBGs gradually merge into a wide PBG for the TE mode while for the TM mode, the number of PBG continuously decreases and eventually disappears, i.e., multiple narrow PBGs become a wide passband for the TM mode. The research results will provide a reference for the choice of the material, the incident angle for the PBG properties and its applications of 1D Thue-Morse PQC.

Infrared Sky Imager (IRSI) Instrument Handbook

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morris, Victor R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2016-04-01

The Infrared Sky Imager (IRSI) deployed at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility is a Solmirus Corp. All Sky Infrared Visible Analyzer. The IRSI is an automatic, continuously operating, digital imaging and software system designed to capture hemispheric sky images and provide time series retrievals of fractional sky cover during both the day and night. The instrument provides diurnal, radiometrically calibrated sky imagery in the mid-infrared atmospheric window and imagery in the visible wavelengths for cloud retrievals during daylight hours. The software automatically identifies cloudy and clear regions at user-defined intervals and calculates fractional sky cover, providing a real-time display of sky conditions.

Wide-band CMOS low-noise amplifier exploiting thermal noise canceling

OpenAIRE

Bruccoleri, F.; Klumperink, Eric A.M.; Nauta, Bram

2004-01-01

Known elementary wide-band amplifiers suffer from a fundamental tradeoff between noise figure (NF) and source impedance matching, which limits the NF to values typically above 3 dB. Global negative feedback can be used to break this tradeoff, however, at the price of potential instability. In contrast, this paper presents a feedforward noise-canceling technique, which allows for simultaneous noise and impedance matching, while canceling the noise and distortion contributions of the matching d...

Dynamics of Gradient Bioceramic Composite Coating on Surface of Titanium Alloy by Wide-Band Laser Cladding

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

LIU Qi-bin; ZOU Long-jiang; ZHU Wei-dong; LI Hai-tao; DONG Chuang

2004-01-01

The gradient bioceramic coating was prepared on the surface of titanium alloy using wide-band laser cladding. The dynamics of gradient bioceramic composite coating containing hydroxyapatite (HA) prepared with mixture of CaHPO4*2H2O and CaCO3 under the condition of wide-band laser was studied theoretically. The corresponding mathematical model and its numerical solution were presented. The examination experiment showed that HA bioceramic composite coatings can be obtained by appropriately choosing wide-band laser cladding parameters. The microstructure and surface morphology of HA bioceramic coating were observed by SEM and X-ray diffraction. The experimental results showed that the bioceramic coating is composed of HA, β-TCP, CaO, CaTiO3 and TiO2. The surface of bioceramic coating takes coral-shaped structure or short-rod piled structure, which helps osteoblast grow into bioceramic and improves the biocompatibility.

Current Status of The Low Frequency All Sky Monitor

Science.gov (United States)

Dartez, Louis; Creighton, Teviet; Jenet, Fredrick; Dolch, Timothy; Boehler, Keith; Bres, Luis; Cole, Brent; Luo, Jing; Miller, Rossina; Murray, James; Reyes, Alex; Rivera, Jesse

2018-01-01

The Low Frequency All Sky Monitor (LoFASM) is a distributed array of cross-dipole antennas that are sensitive to radio frequencies from 10 to 88 MHz. LoFASM consists of antennas and front end electronics that were originally developed for the Long Wavelength Array by the U.S. Naval Research Lab, the University of New Mexico, Virginia Tech, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. LoFASM, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, will initially consist of 4 stations, each consisting of 12 dual- polarization dipole antenna stands. The primary science goals of LoFASM will be the detection and study of low-frequency radio transients, a high priority science goal as deemed by the National Research Council’s ASTRO2010 decadal survey. The data acquisition system for the LoFASM antenna array uses Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology to implement a real time full Stokes spectrometer and data recorder. This poster presents an overview of the LoFASM Radio Telescope as well as the status of data analysis of initial commissioning observations.

Energy Impacts of Wide Band Gap Semiconductors in U.S. Light-Duty Electric Vehicle Fleet.

Science.gov (United States)

Warren, Joshua A; Riddle, Matthew E; Graziano, Diane J; Das, Sujit; Upadhyayula, Venkata K K; Masanet, Eric; Cresko, Joe

2015-09-01

Silicon carbide and gallium nitride, two leading wide band gap semiconductors with significant potential in electric vehicle power electronics, are examined from a life cycle energy perspective and compared with incumbent silicon in U.S. light-duty electric vehicle fleet. Cradle-to-gate, silicon carbide is estimated to require more than twice the energy as silicon. However, the magnitude of vehicle use phase fuel savings potential is comparatively several orders of magnitude higher than the marginal increase in cradle-to-gate energy. Gallium nitride cradle-to-gate energy requirements are estimated to be similar to silicon, with use phase savings potential similar to or exceeding that of silicon carbide. Potential energy reductions in the United States vehicle fleet are examined through several scenarios that consider the market adoption potential of electric vehicles themselves, as well as the market adoption potential of wide band gap semiconductors in electric vehicles. For the 2015-2050 time frame, cumulative energy savings associated with the deployment of wide band gap semiconductors are estimated to range from 2-20 billion GJ depending on market adoption dynamics.

ON-SKY DEMONSTRATION OF A LINEAR BAND-LIMITED MASK WITH APPLICATION TO VISUAL BINARY STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crepp, J.; Ge, J.; Kravchenko, I.; Serabyn, E.; Carson, J.

2010-01-01

We have designed and built the first band-limited coronagraphic mask used for ground-based high-contrast imaging observations. The mask resides in the focal plane of the near-infrared camera PHARO at the Palomar Hale telescope and receives a well-corrected beam from an extreme adaptive optics system. Its performance on-sky with single stars is comparable to current state-of-the-art instruments: contrast levels of ∼10 -5 or better at 0.''8 in K s after post-processing, depending on how well non-common-path errors are calibrated. However, given the mask's linear geometry, we are able to conduct additional unique science observations. Since the mask does not suffer from pointing errors down its long axis, it can suppress the light from two different stars simultaneously, such as the individual components of a spatially resolved binary star system, and search for faint tertiary companions. In this paper, we present the design of the mask, the science motivation for targeting binary stars, and our preliminary results, including the detection of a candidate M-dwarf tertiary companion orbiting the visual binary star HIP 48337, which we are continuing to monitor with astrometry to determine its association.

First low-frequency Einstein@Home all-sky search for continuous gravitational waves in Advanced LIGO data

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R. X.; Adya, V. B.; Affeldt, C.; Afrough, M.; Agarwal, B.; Agatsuma, K.; Aggarwal, N.; Aguiar, O. D.; Aiello, L.; Ain, A.; Allen, B.; Allen, G.; Allocca, A.; Altin, P. A.; Amato, A.; Ananyeva, A.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Antier, S.; Appert, S.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Areeda, J. S.; Arnaud, N.; Ascenzi, S.; Ashton, G.; Ast, M.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; AultONeal, K.; Avila-Alvarez, A.; Babak, S.; Bacon, P.; Bader, M. K. M.; Bae, S.; Baker, P. T.; Baldaccini, F.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S. W.; Banagiri, S.; Barayoga, J. C.; Barclay, S. E.; Barish, B. C.; Barker, D.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barta, D.; Bartlett, J.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Basti, A.; Batch, J. C.; Baune, C.; Bawaj, M.; Bazzan, M.; Becsy, B.; Beer, C.; Bejger, M.; Belahcene, I.; Bell, A. S.; Berger, B. K.; Bergmann, G.; Berry, C. P. L.; Bersanetti, D.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Bhagwat, S.; Bhandare, R.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Billman, C. R.; Birch, J.; Birney, R.; Birnholtz, O.; Biscans, S.; Bisht, A.; Bitossi, M.; Biwer, C.; Bizouard, M. A.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blackman, J.; Blair, C. D.; Blair, D. G.; Blair, R. M.; Bloemen, S.; Bock, O.; Bode, N.; Boer, M.; Bogaert, G.; Bohe, A.; Bondu, F.; Bonnand, R.; Boom, B. A.; Bork, R.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Bouffanais, Y.; Bozzi, A.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Braginsky, V. B.; Branchesi, M.; Brau, J. E.; Briant, T.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Brockill, P.; Broida, J. E.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, D. A.; Brown, D. D.; Brown, N. M.; Brunett, S.; Buchanan, C. C.; Buikema, A.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cabero, M.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Cahillane, C.; Bustillo, J. Calderon; Callister, T. A.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Canizares, P.; Cannon, K. C.; Cao, H.; Cao, J.; Capano, C. D.; Capocasa, E.; Carbognani, F.; Caride, S.; Carney, M. F.; Diaz, J. Casanueva; Casentini, C.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglia, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C. B.; Baiardi, L. Cerboni; Cerretani, G.; Cesarini, E.; Chamberlin, S. J.; Chan, M.; Chao, S.; Charlton, P.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Chatterjee, D.; Cheeseboro, B. D.; Chen, H. Y.; Chen, Y.; Cheng, H. -P.; Chincarini, A.; Chiummo, A.; Chmiel, T.; Cho, H. S.; Cho, M.; Chow, J. H.; Christensen, N.; Chu, Q.; Chua, A. J. K.; Chua, S.; Chung, A. K. W.; Chung, S.; Ciani, G.; Ciolfi, R.; Cirelli, C. E.; Cirone, A.; Clara, F.; Clark, J. A.; Cleva, F.; Cocchieri, C.; Coccia, E.; Cohadon, P. -F.; Colla, A.; Collette, C. G.; Cominsky, L. R.; Constancio, M., Jr.; Conti, L.; Cooper, S. J.; Corban, P.; Corbitt, T. R.; Corley, K. R.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Cortese, S.; Costa, C. A.; Coughlin, M. W.; Coughlin, S. B.; Coulon, J. -P.; Countryman, S. T.; Couvares, P.; Covas, P. B.; Cowan, E. E.; Coward, D. M.; Cowart, M. J.; Coyne, D. C.; Coyne, R.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Cripe, J.; Crowder, S. G.; Cullen, T. J.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Dal Canton, T.; Danilishin, S. L.; D'Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Dasgupta, A.; Costa, C. F. Da Silva; Dattilo, V.; Dave, I.; Davier, M.; Davis, D.; Daw, E. J.; Day, B.; De, S.; DeBra, D.; Deelman, E.; Degallaix, J.; De Laurentis, M.; Deleglise, S.; Del Pozzo, W.; Denker, T.; Dent, T.; Dergachev, V.; De Rosa, R.; DeRosa, R. T.; DeSalvo, R.; Devenson, J.; Devine, R. C.; Dhurandhar, S.; Diaz, M. C.; Di Fiore, L.; Di Giovanni, M.; Di Girolamo, T.; Di Lieto, A.; Di Pace, S.; Di Palma, I.; Di Renzo, F.; Doctor, Z.; Dolique, V.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Dorrington, I.; Douglas, R.; Alvarez, M. Dovale; Downes, T. P.; Drago, M.; Drever, R. W. P.; Driggers, J. C.; Du, Z.; Ducrot, M.; Duncan, J.; Dwyer, S. E.; Edo, T. B.; Edwards, M. C.; Effler, A.; Eggenstein, H. -B.; Ehrens, P.; Eichholz, J.; Eikenberry, S. S.; Eisenstein, R. A.; Essick, R. C.; Etienne, Z. B.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T. M.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fair, H.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, X.; Farinon, S.; Farr, B.; Farr, W. M.; Fauchon-Jones, E. J.; Favata, M.; Fays, M.; Fehrmann, H.; Feicht, J.; Fejer, M. M.; Fernandez-Galiana, A.; Ferrante, I.; Ferreira, E. C.; Ferrini, F.; Fidecaro, F.; Fiori, I.; Fiorucci, D.; Fisher, R. P.; Flaminio, R.; Fletcher, M.; Fong, H.; Forsyth, P. W. F.; Forsyth, S. S.; Fournier, J. -D.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Frey, V.; Fries, E. M.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Gabbard, H.; Gabel, M.; Gadre, B. U.; Gaebel, S. M.; Gair, J. R.; Gammaitoni, L.; Ganija, M. R.; Gaonkar, S. G.; Garufi, F.; Gaudio, S.; Gaur, G.; Gayathri, V.; Gehrels, N.; Gemme, G.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; George, D.; George, J.; Gergely, L.; Germain, V.; Ghonge, S.; Ghosh, Abhirup; Ghosh, Archisman; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gill, K.; Glover, L.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gomes, S.; Gonzalez, G.; Castro, J. M. Gonzalez; Gopakumar, A.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Gossan, S. E.; Gosselin, M.; Gouaty, R.; Grado, A.; Graef, C.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Greco, G.; Green, A. C.; Groot, P.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Gruning, P.; Guidi, G. M.; Guo, X.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, M. K.; Gushwa, K. E.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hall, B. R.; Hall, E. D.; Hammond, G.; Haney, M.; Hanke, M. M.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hannuksela, O. A.; Hanson, J.; Hardwick, T.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Hart, M. J.; Haster, C. -J.; Haughian, K.; Healy, J.; Heidmann, A.; Heintze, M. C.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hemming, G.; Hendry, M.; Heng, I. S.; Hennig, J.; Henry, J.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Heurs, M.; Hild, S.; Hoak, D.; Hofman, D.; Holt, K.; Holz, D. E.; Hopkins, P.; Horst, C.; Hough, J.; Houston, E. A.; Howell, E. J.; Hu, Y. M.; Huerta, E. A.; Huet, D.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Indik, N.; Ingram, D. R.; Inta, R.; Intini, G.; Isa, H. N.; Isac, J. -M.; Isi, M.; Iyer, B. R.; Izumi, K.; Jacqmin, T.; Jani, K.; Jaranowski, P.; Jawahar, S.; Jimenez-Forteza, F.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; Junker, J.; Kalaghatgi, C. V.; Kalogera, V.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Karki, S.; Karvinen, K. S.; Kasprzack, M.; Katolik, M.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, S.; Kawabe, K.; Kefelian, F.; Keitel, D.; Kemball, A. J.; Kennedy, R.; Kent, C.; Key, J. S.; Khalili, Y.; Khan, I.; Khan, S.; Khan, Z.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kijbunchoo, N.; Kim, Chunglee; Kim, J. C.; Kim, W.; Kim, W. S.; Kim, Y. -M.; Kimbrell, S. J.; King, E. J.; King, P. J.; Kirchhoff, R.; Kissel, J. S.; Kleybolte, L.; Klimenko, S.; Koch, P.; Koehlenbeck, S. M.; Koley, S.; Kondrashov, V.; Kontos, A.; Korobko, M.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D. B.; Kraemer, C.; Kringel, V.; Krishnan, B.; Krolak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, R.; Kumar, S.; Kuo, L.; Kutynia, A.; Kwang, S.; Lackey, B. D.; Lai, K. H.; Landry, M.; Lang, R. N.; Lange, J.; Lantz, B.; Lanza, R. K.; Lartaux-Vollard, A.; Lasky, P. D.; Laxen, M.; Lazzarini, A.; Lazzaro, C.; Leaci, P.; Leavey, S.; Lee, C. H.; Lee, H. K.; Lee, H. M.; Lee, H. W.; Lee, K.; Lehmann, J.; Lenon, A.; Leonardi, M.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levin, Y.; Li, T. G. F.; Libson, A.; Littenberg, T. B.; Liu, J.; Lo, R. K. L.; Lockerbie, N. A.; London, L. T.; Lord, J. E.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J. D.; Lovelace, G.; Lueck, H.; Lumaca, D.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynch, R.; Ma, Y.; Macfoy, S.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Hernandez, I. Magana; Magana-Sandoval, F.; Zertuche, L. Magana; Magee, R. M.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Man, N.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Mansell, G. L.; Manske, M.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Marka, S.; Marka, Z.; Markakis, C.; Markosyan, A. S.; Maros, E.; Martelli, F.; Martellini, L.; Martin, I. W.; Martynov, D. V.; Mason, K.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Masso-Reid, M.; Mastrogiovanni, S.; Matas, A.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Mavalvala, N.; Mayani, R.; Mazumder, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McCormick, S.; McCuller, L.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McManus, D. J.; McRae, T.; McWilliams, S. T.; Meacher, D.; Meadors, G. D.; Meidam, J.; Mejuto-Villa, E.; Melatos, A.; Mendell, G.; Mercer, R. A.; Merilh, E. L.; Merzougui, M.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Messick, C.; Metzdorff, R.; Meyers, P. M.; Mezzani, F.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Middleton, H.; Mikhailov, E. E.; Milano, L.; Miller, A. L.; Miller, A.; Miller, B. B.; Miller, J.; Millhouse, M.; Minazzoli, O.; Minenkov, Y.; Ming, J.; Mishra, C.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moggi, A.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Montani, M.; Moore, B. C.; Moore, C. J.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morriss, S. R.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, G.; Muir, A. W.; Mukherjee, Arunava; Mukherjee, D.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukund, N.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Muniz, E. A. M.; Murray, P. G.; Napier, K.; Nardecchia, I.; Naticchioni, L.; Nayak, R. K.; Nelemans, G.; Nelson, T. J. N.; Neri, M.; Nery, M.; Neunzert, A.; Newport, J. M.; Newton, G.; Ng, K. K. Y.; Nguyen, T. T.; Nichols, D.; Nielsen, A. B.; Nissanke, S.; Nitz, A.; Noack, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; Normandin, M. E. N.; Nuttall, L. K.; Oberling, J.; Ochsner, E.; Oelker, E.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J. J.; Oh, S. H.; Ohme, F.; Oliver, M.; Oppermann, P.; Oram, Richard J.; O'Reilly, B.; Ormiston, R.; Ortega, L. F.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Ottaway, D. J.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Pace, A. E.; Page, J.; Page, M. A.; Pai, A.; Pai, S. A.; Palamos, J. R.; Palashov, O.; Palomba, C.; Pal-Singh, A.; Pan, H.; Pang, B.; Pang, P. T. H.; Pankow, C.; Pannarale, F.; Pant, B. C.; Paoletti, F.; Paoli, A.; Papa, M. A.; Paris, H. R.; Parker, W.; Pascucci, D.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patricelli, B.; Pearlstone, B. L.; Pedraza, M.; Pedurand, R.; Pekowsky, L.; Pele, A.; Penn, S.; Perez, C. J.; Perreca, A.; Perri, L. M.; Pfeiffer, H. P.; Phelps, M.; Piccinni, O. J.; Pichot, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pillant, G.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pitkin, M.; Poggiani, R.; Popolizio, P.; Porter, E. K.; Post, A.; Powell, J.; Prasad, J.; Pratt, J. W. W.; Predoi, V.; Prestegard, T.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prix, R.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L. G.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Puerrer, M.; Qi, H.; Qin, J.; Qiu, S.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E. A.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raja, S.; Rajan, C.; Rakhmanov, M.; Ramirez, K. E.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Razzano, M.; Read, J.; Regimbau, T.; Rei, L.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Rew, H.; Reyes, S. D.; Ricci, F.; Ricker, P. M.; Rieger, S.; Riles, K.; Rizzo, M.; Robertson, N. A.; Robie, R.; Robinet, F.; Rocchi, A.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J. G.; Roma, V. J.; Romano, R.; Romel, C. L.; Romie, J. H.; Rosinska, D.; Ross, M. P.; Rowan, S.; Ruediger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Ryan, K.; Rynge, M.; Sachdev, S.; Sadecki, T.; Sadeghian, L.; Sakellariadou, M.; Salconi, L.; Saleem, M.; Salemi, F.; Samajdar, A.; Sammut, L.; Sampson, L. M.; Sanchez, E. J.; Sandberg, V.; Sandeen, B.; Sanders, J. R.; Sassolas, B.; Sathyaprakash, B. S.; Saulson, P. R.; Sauter, O.; Savage, R. L.; Sawadsky, A.; Schale, P.; Scheuer, J.; Schmidt, E.; Schmidt, J.; Schmidt, P.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schoenbeck, A.; Schreiber, E.; Schuette, D.; Schulte, B. W.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwalbe, S. G.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Seidel, E.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sequino, V.; Sergeev, A.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaffer, T. J.; Shah, A. A.; Shahriar, M. S.; Shao, L.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Sheperd, A.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Shoemaker, D. M.; Siellez, K.; Siemens, X.; Sieniawska, M.; Sigg, D.; Silva, A. D.; Singer, A.; Singer, L. P.; Singh, A.; Singh, R.; Singhal, A.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Smith, B.; Smith, R. J. E.; Smith, R. J. E.; Son, E. J.; Sonnenberg, J. A.; Sorazu, B.; Sorrentino, F.; Souradeep, T.; Spencer, A. P.; Srivastava, A. K.; Staley, A.; Steinke, M.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steinmeyer, D.; Stephens, B. C.; Stone, R.; Strain, K. A.; Stratta, G.; Strigin, S. E.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sun, L.; Sunil, S.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B. L.; Szczepanczyk, M. J.; Tacca, M.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tapai, M.; Taracchini, A.; Taylor, J. A.; Taylor, R.; Theeg, T.; Thomas, E. G.; Thomas, M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thorne, K. S.; Thrane, E.; Tiwari, S.; Tiwari, V.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toland, K.; Tonelli, M.; Tornasi, Z.; Torrie, C. I.; Toyra, D.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trifiro, D.; Trinastic, J.; Tringali, M. C.; Trozzo, L.; Tsang, K. W.; Tse, M.; Tso, R.; Tuyenbayev, D.; Ueno, K.; Ugolini, D.; Unnikrishnan, C. S.; Urban, A. L.; Usman, S. A.; Vahi, K.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; Valdes, G.; Vallisneri, M.; van Bakel, N.; van Beuzekom, M.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.; Vander-Hyde, D. C.; van der Schaaf, L.; van Heijningen, J. V.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vardaro, M.; Varma, V.; Vass, S.; Vasuth, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P. J.; Venkateswara, K.; Venugopalan, G.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Vicere, A.; Viets, A. D.; Vinciguerra, S.; Vine, D. J.; Vinet, J. -Y.; Vitale, S.; Vo, T.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Voss, D. V.; Vousden, W. D.; Vyatchanin, S. P.; Wade, A. R.; Wade, L. E.; Wade, M.; Walet, R.; Walker, M.; Wallace, L.; Walsh, S.; Wang, G.; Wang, H.; Wang, J. Z.; Wang, M.; Wang, Y. -F.; Wang, Y.; Ward, R. L.; Warner, J.; Was, M.; Watchi, J.; Weaver, B.; Wei, L. -W.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.; Wessel, E. K.; Wessels, P.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whiting, B. F.; Whittle, C.; Williams, D.; Williams, R. D.; Williamson, A. R.; Willis, J. L.; Willke, B.; Wimmer, M. H.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Woehler, J.; Wofford, J.; Wong, K. W. K.; Worden, J.; Wright, J. L.; Wu, D. S.; Wu, G.; Yam, W.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yap, M. J.; Yu, Hang; Yu, Haocun; Yvert, M.; Zadrozny, A.; Zanolin, M.; Zelenova, T.; Zendri, J. -P.; Zevin, M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, M.; Zhang, T.; Zhang, Y. -H.; Zhao, C.; Zhou, M.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, S. J.; Zhu, X. J.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.; Anderson, D. P.

2017-01-01

We report results of a deep all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves from isolated neutron stars in data from the first Advanced LIGO observing run. This search investigates the low frequency range of Advanced LIGO data, between 20 and 100 Hz, much of which was not explored in initial LIGO.

Dark-Skies Awareness

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Constance E.

2009-05-01

The arc of the Milky Way seen from a truly dark location is part of our planet's natural heritage. More than one fifth of the world population, two thirds of the United States population and one half of the European Union population have already lost naked eye visibility of the Milky Way. This loss, caused by light pollution, is a serious and growing issue that impacts astronomical research, the economy, ecology, energy conservation, human health, public safety and our shared ability to see the night sky. For this reason, "Dark Skies” is a cornerstone project of the International Year of Astronomy. Its goal is to raise public awareness of the impact of artificial lighting on local environments by getting people worldwide involved in a variety of programs that: 1. Teach about dark skies using new technology (e.g., an activity-based planetarium show on DVD, podcasting, social networking on Facebook and MySpace, a Second Life presence) 2. Provide thematic events on light pollution at star parties and observatory open houses (Dark Skies Discovery Sites, Nights in the (National) Parks, Sidewalk Astronomy) 3. Organize events in the arts (e.g., a photography contest) 4. Involve citizen-scientists in naked-eye and digital-meter star hunting programs (e.g., GLOBE at Night, "How Many Stars?", the Great World Wide Star Count and the radio frequency interference equivalent: "Quiet Skies") and 5. Raise awareness about the link between light pollution and public health, economic issues, ecological consequences, energy conservation, safety and security, and astronomy (e.g., The Starlight Initiative, World Night in Defense of Starlight, International Dark Sky Week, International Dark-Sky Communities, Earth Hour, The Great Switch Out, a traveling exhibit, downloadable posters and brochures). The presentation will provide an update, describe how people can become involved and take a look ahead at the program's sustainability. For more information, visit www.darkskiesawareness.org.

Sky Compass Orientation in Desert Locusts-Evidence from Field and Laboratory Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Homberg, Uwe

2015-01-01

Locusts are long-range migratory insects. At high population density, immature animals form marching hopper bands while adults take off and form huge swarms of millions of animals. At low population densities animals are solitarious, but likewise migrate, mostly during the night. Numerous studies aimed at predicting locust infestations showed that migrations both as hopper bands and as adults are largely downwind following seasonal shifts of the tropical convergence zone taking the animals to areas of rainfall. Only a few studies provided evidence for active orientation mechanisms, including the involvement of a sun compass. This scarcity of evidence stands in contrast to recent neurobiological data showing sophisticated neuronal adaptations suited for sky compass navigation. These include a special dorsal eye region with photoreceptors suited to analyze the polarization pattern of the sky and a system of topographically arranged sky compass neurons in the central complex of the brain. Laboratory experiments, moreover, demonstrated polarotaxis in tethered flying animals. The discrepancy of these findings call for more rigorous field studies on active orientation mechanisms in locusts. It remains to be shown how locusts use their internal sky compass during mass migrations and what role it plays to guide solitarious locusts in their natural habitat.

Planck early results. XXIII. The first all-sky survey of Galactic cold clumps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poutanen, T.; Natoli, P.; Polenta, G.

2011-01-01

We present the statistical properties of the Cold Clump Catalogue of Planck Objects (C3PO), the first all-sky catalogue of cold objects, in terms of their spatial distribution, dust temperature, distance, mass, and morphology. We have combined Planck and IRAS data to extract 10342 cold sources...... dark clouds where the latter have been catalogued. These cold clumps are not isolated but clustered in groups. Dust temperature and emissivity spectral index values are derived from their spectral energy distributions using both Planck and IRAS data. The temperatures range from 7K to 19K...

The Low Band Observatory (LOBO): Expanding the VLA Low Frequency Commensal System for Continuous, Broad-band, sub-GHz Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Kassim, Namir E.; Clarke, Tracy E.; Helmboldt, Joseph F.; Peters, Wendy M.; Brisken, Walter; Hyman, Scott D.; Polisensky, Emil; Hicks, Brian

2015-01-01

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) are currently commissioning the VLA Low Frequency Ionosphere and Transient Experiment (VLITE) on a subset of JVLA antennas at modest bandwidth. Its bounded scientific goals are to leverage thousands of JVLA on-sky hours per year for ionospheric and transient studies, and to demonstrate the practicality of a prime-focus commensal system on the JVLA. Here we explore the natural expansion of VLITE to a full-antenna, full-bandwidth Low Band Observatory (LOBO) that would follow naturally from a successful VLITE experience. The new Low Band JVLA receivers, coupled with the existing primary focus feeds, can access two frequency bands: 4 band (54 - 86 MHz) and P band (236-492 MHz). The 4 band feeds are newly designed and now undergoing testing. If they prove successful then they can be permanently mounted at the primary focus, unlike their narrow band predecessors. The combination of Low Band receivers and fixed, primary-focus feeds could provide continuous, broad-band data over two complimentary low-frequency bands. The system would also leverage the relatively large fields-of-view of ~10 degrees at 4 band, and ~2.5 degrees at P band, coupling an excellent survey capability with a natural advantage for serendipitous discoveries. We discuss the compelling science case that flows from LOBO's robust imaging and time domain capabilities coupled with thousands of hours of wide-field, JVLA observing time each year. We also touch on the possibility to incorporate Long Wavelength Array (LWA) stations as additional 'dishes' through the LOBO backend, to improve calibration and sensitivity in LOBO's 4 band.

Active Galactic Nuclei at All Wavelengths and from All Angles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Padovani, Paolo, E-mail: ppadovan@eso.org [European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München (Germany)

2017-11-07

AGN are quite unique astronomical sources emitting over more than 20 orders of magnitude in frequency, with different electromagnetic bands providing windows on different sub-structures and their physics. They come in a large number of flavors only partially related to intrinsic differences. I highlight here the types of sources selected in different bands, the relevant selection effects and biases, and the underlying physical processes. I then look at the “big picture” by describing the most important parameters one needs to describe the variety of AGN classes and by discussing AGN at all frequencies in terms of their sky surface density. I conclude with a look at the most pressing open issues and the main new facilities, which will flood us with new data to tackle them.

Impact ionisation rate calculations in wide band gap semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrison, D.

1998-09-01

Calculations of band-to-band impact ionisation rates performed in the semi-classical Fermi's Golden Rule approximation are presented here for the semiconductors GaAs, In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As and Si 0.5 Ge 0.5 at 300K. The crystal band structure is calculated using the empirical pseudopotential method. To increase the speed with which band structure data at arbitrary k-vectors can be obtained, an interpolation scheme has been developed. Energies are quadratically interpolated on adapted meshes designed to ensure accuracy is uniform throughout the Brillouin zone, and pseudowavefunctions are quadratically interpolated on a regular mesh. Matrix elements are calculated from the pseudowavefunctions, and include the terms commonly neglected in calculations for narrow band gap materials and an isotropic approximation to the full wavevector and frequency dependent dielectric function. The numerical integration of the rate over all distinct energy and wavevector conserving transitions is performed using two different algorithms. Results from each are compared and found to be in good agreement, indicating that the algorithms are reliable. The rates for electrons and holes in each material are calculated as functions of the k-vector of the impacting carriers, and found to be highly anisotropic. Average rates for impacting carriers at a given energy are calculated and fitted to Keldysh-type expressions with higher than quadratic dependence of the rate on energy above threshold being obtained in all cases. The average rates calculated here are compared to results obtained by other workers, with reasonable agreement being obtained for GaAs, and poorer agreement obtained for InGaAs and SiGe. Possible reasons for the disagreement are investigated. The impact ionisation thresholds are examined and k-space and energy distributions of generated carriers are determined. The role of threshold anisotropy, variation in the matrix elements and the shape of the bands in determining

Irrigated Grassland Monitoring Using a Time Series of TerraSAR-X and COSMO-SkyMed X-Band SAR Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad El Hajj

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to analyze the sensitivity of radar signals in the X-band in irrigated grassland conditions. The backscattered radar signals were analyzed according to soil moisture and vegetation parameters using linear regression models. A time series of radar (TerraSAR-X and COSMO-SkyMed and optical (SPOT and LANDSAT images was acquired at a high temporal frequency in 2013 over a small agricultural region in southeastern France. Ground measurements were conducted simultaneously with the satellite data acquisitions during several grassland growing cycles to monitor the evolution of the soil and vegetation characteristics. The comparison between the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI computed from optical images and the in situ Leaf Area Index (LAI showed a logarithmic relationship with a greater scattering for the dates corresponding to vegetation well developed before the harvest. The correlation between the NDVI and the vegetation parameters (LAI, vegetation height, biomass, and vegetation water content was high at the beginning of the growth cycle. This correlation became insensitive at a certain threshold corresponding to high vegetation (LAI ~2.5 m2/m2. Results showed that the radar signal depends on variations in soil moisture, with a higher sensitivity to soil moisture for biomass lower than 1 kg/m². HH and HV polarizations had approximately similar sensitivities to soil moisture. The penetration depth of the radar wave in the X-band was high, even for dense and high vegetation; flooded areas were visible in the images with higher detection potential in HH polarization than in HV polarization, even for vegetation heights reaching 1 m. Lower sensitivity was observed at the X-band between the radar signal and the vegetation parameters with very limited potential of the X-band to monitor grassland growth. These results showed that it is possible to track gravity irrigation and soil moisture variations from SAR

Banded all-optical OFDM super-channels with low-bandwidth receivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Binhuang; Zhu, Chen; Corcoran, Bill; Zhuang, Leimeng; Lowery, Arthur James

2016-08-08

We propose a banded all-optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (AO-OFDM) transmission system based on synthesising a number of truncated sinc-shaped subcarriers for each sub-band. This approach enables sub-band by sub-band reception and therefore each receiver's electrical bandwidth can be significantly reduced compared with a conventional AO-OFDM system. As a proof-of-concept experiment, we synthesise 6 × 10-Gbaud subcarriers in both conventional and banded AO-OFDM systems. With a limited receiver electrical bandwidth, the experimental banded AO-OFDM system shows 2-dB optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) benefit over conventional AO-OFDM at the 7%-overhead forward error correction (FEC) threshold. After transmission over 800-km of single-mode fiber, ≈3-dB improvement in Q-factor can be achieved at the optimal launch power at a cost of increasing the spectral width by 14%.

Deep Full-sky Coadds from Three Years of WISE and NEOWISE Observations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meisner, A. M. [Berkeley Center for Cosmological Physics, New Campbell Hall 341, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Lang, D. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics and Dunlap Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4 (Canada); Schlegel, D. J., E-mail: ameisner@lbl.gov [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720 (United States)

2017-10-01

We have reprocessed over 100 terabytes of single-exposure Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer ( WISE )/NEOWISE images to create the deepest ever full-sky maps at 3–5 microns. We include all publicly available W1 and W2 imaging—a total of ∼8 million exposures in each band—from ∼37 months of observations spanning 2010 January to 2015 December. Our coadds preserve the native WISE resolution and typically incorporate ∼3× more input frames than those of the AllWISE Atlas stacks. Our coadds are designed to enable deep forced photometry, in particular for the Dark Energy Camera Legacy Survey (DECaLS) and Mayall z-Band Legacy Survey (MzLS), both of which are being used to select targets for the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument. We describe newly introduced processing steps aimed at leveraging added redundancy to remove artifacts, with the intent of facilitating uniform target selection and searches for rare/exotic objects (e.g., high-redshift quasars and distant galaxy clusters). Forced photometry depths achieved with these coadds extend 0.56 (0.46) magnitudes deeper in W1 (W2) than is possible with only pre-hibernation WISE imaging.

THE IBIS SOFT GAMMA-RAY SKY AFTER 1000 INTEGRAL ORBITS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bird, A. J.; Hill, A. B. [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Bazzano, A.; Fiocchi, M.; Ubertini, P. [IAPS/INAF (Italy); Malizia, A.; Sguera, V.; Bassani, L. [IASF/INAF, Bologna (Italy); Winkler, C. [ESA-ESTEC, Research and Scientific Support Dept., Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ, Noordwijk (Netherlands)

2016-03-15

Here we report an all-sky soft gamma-ray source catalog based on IBIS observations performed during the first 1000 orbits of INTEGRAL. The database for the construction of the source list consists of all good-quality data available, from the launch in 2002, up to the end of 2010. This corresponds to ∼110 Ms of scientific public observations, with a concentrated coverage on the Galactic Plane and extragalactic deep exposures. This new catalog includes 939 sources above a 4.5σ significance threshold detected in the 17–100 keV energy band, of which 120 sources represent previously undiscovered soft gamma-ray emitters. The source positions are determined, mean fluxes are provided in two main energy bands, and these are both reported together with the overall source exposure. Indicative levels of variability are provided, and outburst times and durations are given for transient sources. A comparison is made with previous IBIS catalogs and catalogs from other similar missions.

Equatorial All Sky Imager Images from the Seychelles during the March 17th, 2015 geomagnetic storm.

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, B.

2015-12-01

An all sky imager was installed in the Seychelles earlier this year. The Seychelles islands are located northeast of Madagascar and east of Somalia in the equatorial Indian Ocean. The all sky imager is located on the island of Mahe (4.6667°S, 55.4667°E geographic), (10.55°S, 127.07°E geomagnetic), with filters of 557.7, 620.0, 630.0, 765.0 and 777.4 nm. Images with a 90 second exposure from Seychelles in 777.4nm and 630.0nm from the night before and night of the March 17th geomagnetic storm are discussed in comparison to solar wind measurements at ACE and the disturbance storm time (Dst) index. These images show line-of-sight intensities of photons received dependent on each filters wavelength. A time series of these images sometimes will show the movement of relatively dark areas, or depletions, in each emission. The depletion regions are known to cause scintillation in GPS signals. The direction and speed of movement of these depletions are related to changes observed in the solar wind.

Wide Band and Wide Azimuth Beam Effect on High-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar Radiometric Calibration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong Jun

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Passive corner reflectors and active transponders are often used as man-made reference targets in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR radiometric calibration, With the emergence of new radar systems and the increasing demand for greater accuracy, wide-band and wide-beam radars challenge the hypothesis that the Radar Cross Section (RCS of reference targets is constant. In this study, the FEKO electromagnetic simulation software is used to obtain the change curve of the target RCS as a function of frequency and aspect angle while incorporating high-resolution point-target SAR simulation, and quantitatively analyzing the effect of the modulation effect on SAR images. The simulation results suggest that the abovementioned factors affect the SAR calibration by more than 0.2 dB within a fractional bandwidth greater than 10% or azimuth beam width of more than 20°, which must be corrected in the data processing.

A SOUTHERN SKY AND GALACTIC PLANE SURVEY FOR BRIGHT KUIPER BELT OBJECTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheppard, Scott S.; Udalski, Andrzej; Kubiak, Marcin; Pietrzynski, Grzegorz; Poleski, Radoslaw; Soszynski, Igor; Szymanski, Michal K.; Ulaczyk, Krzysztof; Trujillo, Chadwick

2011-01-01

About 2500 deg 2 of sky south of declination -25 0 and/or near the Galactic Plane were surveyed for bright outer solar system objects. This survey is one of the first large-scale southern sky and Galactic Plane surveys to detect dwarf planets and other bright Kuiper Belt Objects in the trans-Neptunian region. The survey was able to obtain a limiting R-band magnitude of 21.6. In all, 18 outer solar system objects were detected, including Pluto which was detected near the Galactic center using optimal image subtraction techniques to remove the high stellar density background. Fourteen of the detections were previously unknown trans-Neptunian objects, demonstrating that the southern sky had not been well searched to date for bright outer solar system objects. Assuming moderate albedos, several of the new discoveries from this survey could be in hydrostatic equilibrium and thus could be considered dwarf planets. Combining this survey with previous surveys from the northern hemisphere suggests that the Kuiper Belt is nearly complete to around 21st magnitude in the R band. All the main dynamical classes in the Kuiper Belt are occupied by at least one dwarf-planet-sized object. The 3:2 Neptune resonance, which is the innermost well-populated Neptune resonance, has several large objects while the main outer Neptune resonances such as the 5:3, 7:4, 2:1, and 5:2 do not appear to have any large objects. This indicates that the outer resonances are either significantly depleted in objects relative to the 3:2 resonance or have a significantly different assortment of objects than the 3:2 resonance. For the largest objects (H < 4.5 mag), the scattered disk population appears to have a few times more objects than the main Kuiper Belt (MKB) population, while the Sedna population could be several times more than that of the MKB.

Suzaku  Observations of Heavily Obscured (Compton-thick) Active Galactic Nuclei Selected by the Swift/BAT Hard X-Ray Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Tanimoto, Atsushi; Ueda, Yoshihiro; Kawamuro, Taiki; Ricci, Claudio; Awaki, Hisamitsu; Terashima, Yuichi

2018-02-01

We present a uniform broadband X-ray (0.5–100.0 keV) spectral analysis of 12 Swift/Burst Alert Telescope selected Compton-thick ({log}{N}{{H}}/{{cm}}-2≥slant 24) active galactic nuclei (CTAGNs) observed with Suzaku. The Suzaku data of three objects are published here for the first time. We fit the Suzaku and Swift spectra with models utilizing an analytic reflection code and those utilizing the Monte-Carlo-based model from an AGN torus by Ikeda et al. The main results are as follows: (1) The estimated intrinsic luminosity of a CTAGN strongly depends on the model; applying Compton scattering to the transmitted component in an analytic model may largely overestimate the intrinsic luminosity at large column densities. (2) Unabsorbed reflection components are commonly observed, suggesting that the tori are clumpy. (3) Most of CTAGNs show small scattering fractions (<0.5%), implying a buried AGN nature. (4) Comparison with the results obtained for Compton-thin AGNs suggests that the properties of these CTAGNs can be understood as a smooth extension from Compton-thin AGNs with heavier obscuration; we find no evidence that the bulk of the population of hard-X-ray-selected CTAGNs are different from less obscured objects.

Component masses of young, wide, non-magnetic white dwarf binaries in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7

Science.gov (United States)

Baxter, R. B.; Dobbie, P. D.; Parker, Q. A.; Casewell, S. L.; Lodieu, N.; Burleigh, M. R.; Lawrie, K. A.; Külebi, B.; Koester, D.; Holland, B. R.

2014-06-01

We present a spectroscopic component analysis of 18 candidate young, wide, non-magnetic, double-degenerate binaries identified from a search of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 (DR7). All but two pairings are likely to be physical systems. We show SDSS J084952.47+471247.7 + SDSS J084952.87+471249.4 to be a wide DA + DB binary, only the second identified to date. Combining our measurements for the components of 16 new binaries with results for three similar, previously known systems within the DR7, we have constructed a mass distribution for the largest sample to date (38) of white dwarfs in young, wide, non-magnetic, double-degenerate pairings. This is broadly similar in form to that of the isolated field population with a substantial peak around M ˜ 0.6 M⊙. We identify an excess of ultramassive white dwarfs and attribute this to the primordial separation distribution of their progenitor systems peaking at relatively larger values and the greater expansion of their binary orbits during the final stages of stellar evolution. We exploit this mass distribution to probe the origins of unusual types of degenerates, confirming a mild preference for the progenitor systems of high-field-magnetic white dwarfs, at least within these binaries, to be associated with early-type stars. Additionally, we consider the 19 systems in the context of the stellar initial mass-final mass relation. None appear to be strongly discordant with current understanding of this relationship.

Investigating the Relationship between X-Band SAR Data from COSMO-SkyMed Satellite and NDVI for LAI Detection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonino Maltese

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Monitoring spatial and temporal variability of vegetation is important to manage land and water resources, with significant impact on the sustainability of modern agriculture. Cloud cover noticeably reduces the temporal resolution of retrievals based on optical data. COSMO-SkyMed (the new Italian Synthetic Aperture RADAR-SAR opened new opportunities to develop agro-hydrological applications. Indeed, it represents a valuable source of data for operational use, due to the high spatial and temporal resolutions. Although X-band is not the most suitable to model agricultural and hydrological processes, an assessment of vegetation development can be achieved combing optical vegetation indices (VIs and SAR backscattering data. In this paper, a correlation analysis has been performed between the crossed horizontal-vertical (HV backscattering (s°HV and optical VIs (VIopt on several plots. The correlation analysis was based on incidence angle, spatial resolution and polarization mode. Results have shown that temporal changes of s°HV (Δs°HV acquired with high angles (off nadir angle; θ > 40° best correlates with variations of VIopt (ΔVI. The correlation between ΔVI and Δs°HV has been shown to be temporally robust. Based on this experimental evidence, a model to infer a VI from s° (VISAR at the time, ti + 1, once known, the VIopt at a reference time, ti, and Δs°HV between times, ti + 1 and ti, was implemented and verified. This approach has led to the development and validation of an algorithm for coupling a VIopt derived from DEIMOS-1 images and s°HV. The study was carried out over the Sele plain (Campania, Italy, which is mainly characterized by herbaceous crops. In situ measurements included leaf area index (LAI, which were collected weekly between August and September 2011 in 25 sites, simultaneously to COSMO-SkyMed (CSK and DEIMOS-1 imaging. Results confirm that VISAR obtained using the combined model is able to increase the feasibility

SUZAKU BROADBAND SPECTROSCOPY OF SWIFT J1753.5-0127 IN THE LOW-HARD STATE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reynolds, Mark T.; Miller, Jon M.; Homan, Jeroen; Miniutti, Giovanni

2010-01-01

We present Suzaku observations of the Galactic black hole candidate Swift J1753.5-0127 in the low-hard state (LHS). The broadband coverage of Suzaku enables us to detect the source over the energy range 0.6-250 keV. The broadband spectrum (2-250 keV) is found to be consistent with a simple power-law (Γ ∼ 1.63). In agreement with previous observations of this system, a significant excess of soft X-ray flux is detected consistent with the presence of a cool accretion disk. Estimates of the disk inner radius infer a value consistent with the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO; R in ∼ g , for certain values of, e.g., N H , i), although we cannot conclusively rule out the presence of an accretion disk truncated at larger radii (R in ∼ 10-50R g ). A weak, relativistically broadened iron line is also detected, in addition to disk reflection at higher energy. However, the iron-K line profile favors an inner radius larger than the ISCO (R in ∼ 10-20R g ). The implications of these observations for models of the accretion flow in the LHS are discussed.

The Fermi All-Sky Variability Analysis: A List of Flaring Gamma-Ray Sources and the Search for Transients in our Galaxy

Science.gov (United States)

Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; Albert, A.; Allafort, A.; Antolini, E.; Baldini, L.; Ballet, J.; Barbiellini, G; Bastieri, D.; Bechtol, K.;

Sky compass orientation in desert locusts – evidence from field and laboratory studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uwe eHomberg

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Locusts are long-range migratory insects. At high population density, immature animals form marching hopper bands while adults take off and form huge swarms of millions of animals. At low population densities animals are solitarious, but likewise migrate, mostly during the night. Numerous studies aimed at predicting locust infestations showed that migrations both as hopper bands and as adults are largely downwind following seasonal shifts of the tropical convergence zone taking the animals to areas of rainfall. Only a few studies provided evidence for active orientation mechanisms, including the involvement of a sun compass. This scarcity of evidence stands in contrast to recent neurobiological data showing sophisticated neuronal adaptations suited for sky compass navigation. These include a special dorsal eye region with photoreceptors suited to analyze the polarization pattern of the sky and a system of topographically arranged sky compass neurons in the central complex of the brain. Laboratory experiments, moreover, demonstrated polarotaxis in tethered flying animals. The discrepancy of these findings call for more rigorous field studies on active orientation mechanisms in locusts. It remains to be shown how locusts use their internal sky compass during mass migrations and what role it plays to guide solitarious locusts in their natural habitat.

Variable X-ray sky with Lobster Eye Telescopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hudec, R.; Pina, L.; Inneman, A.; Sveda, L.

2004-01-01

The variable X-ray sky requires wide-field monitoring with high sensitivity. We refer on novel X-ray telescopes with high sensitivity as well as large field of view. The results are very promising, allowing the proposals for space projects with very wide-field Lobster-eye X-ray optics to be considered. The novel telescopes will monitor the sky with unprecedented sensitivity and angular resolution of order of 1 arcmin. They are expected to contribute essentially to study and to understand various astrophysical objects such as AGN, SNe, GRBs, X-ray flashes, galactic binary sources, stars, CVs, X-ray novae, various transient sources, etc

Fireballs in the Sky: An Augmented Reality Citizen Science Program

Science.gov (United States)

Day, Brian

2017-01-01

Fireballs in the Sky is an innovative Australian citizen science program that connects the public with the research of the Desert Fireball Network (DFN). This research aims to understand the early workings of the solar system, and Fireballs in the Sky invites people around the world to learn about this science, contributing fireball sightings via a user-friendly augmented reality mobile app. Tens of thousands of people have downloaded the app world-wide and participated in the science of meteoritics. The Fireballs in the Sky app allows users to get involved with the Desert Fireball Network research, supplementing DFN observations and providing enhanced coverage by reporting their own meteor sightings to DFN scientists. Fireballs in the Sky reports are used to track the trajectories of meteors - from their orbit in space to where they might have landed on Earth. Led by Phil Bland at Curtin University in Australia, the Desert Fireball Network (DFN) uses automated observatories across Australia to triangulate trajectories of meteorites entering the atmosphere, determine pre-entry orbits, and pinpoint their fall positions. Each observatory is an autonomous intelligent imaging system, taking 1000 by 36 megapixel all-sky images throughout the night, using neural network algorithms to recognize events. They are capable of operating for 12 months in a harsh environment, and store all imagery collected. We developed a completely automated software pipeline for data reduction, and built a supercomputer database for storage, allowing us to process our entire archive. The DFN currently stands at 50 stations distributed across the Australian continent, covering an area of 2.5 million square kilometers. Working with DFN's partners at NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, the team is expanding the network beyond Australia to locations around the world. Fireballs in the Sky allows a growing public base to learn about and participate in this exciting research.

Fireballs in the Sky: an Augmented Reality Citizen Science Program

Science.gov (United States)

Day, B. H.; Bland, P.; Sayers, R.

2017-12-01

Fireballs in the Sky is an innovative Australian citizen science program that connects the public with the research of the Desert Fireball Network (DFN). This research aims to understand the early workings of the solar system, and Fireballs in the Sky invites people around the world to learn about this science, contributing fireball sightings via a user-friendly augmented reality mobile app. Tens of thousands of people have downloaded the app world-wide and participated in the science of meteoritics. The Fireballs in the Sky app allows users to get involved with the Desert Fireball Network research, supplementing DFN observations and providing enhanced coverage by reporting their own meteor sightings to DFN scientists. Fireballs in the Sky reports are used to track the trajectories of meteors - from their orbit in space to where they might have landed on Earth. Led by Phil Bland at Curtin University in Australia, the Desert Fireball Network (DFN) uses automated observatories across Australia to triangulate trajectories of meteorites entering the atmosphere, determine pre-entry orbits, and pinpoint their fall positions. Each observatory is an autonomous intelligent imaging system, taking 1000×36Megapixel all-sky images throughout the night, using neural network algorithms to recognize events. They are capable of operating for 12 months in a harsh environment, and store all imagery collected. We developed a completely automated software pipeline for data reduction, and built a supercomputer database for storage, allowing us to process our entire archive. The DFN currently stands at 50 stations distributed across the Australian continent, covering an area of 2.5 million km^2. Working with DFN's partners at NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, the team is expanding the network beyond Australia to locations around the world. Fireballs in the Sky allows a growing public base to learn about and participate in this exciting research.

Disaggregation of remotely sensed soil moisture under all sky condition using machine learning approach in Northeast Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, S.; Kim, H.; Choi, M.; Kim, K.

2016-12-01

Estimating spatiotemporal variation of soil moisture is crucial to hydrological applications such as flood, drought, and near real-time climate forecasting. Recent advances in space-based passive microwave measurements allow the frequent monitoring of the surface soil moisture at a global scale and downscaling approaches have been applied to improve the spatial resolution of passive microwave products available at local scale applications. However, most downscaling methods using optical and thermal dataset, are valid only in cloud-free conditions; thus renewed downscaling method under all sky condition is necessary for the establishment of spatiotemporal continuity of datasets at fine resolution. In present study Support Vector Machine (SVM) technique was utilized to downscale a satellite-based soil moisture retrievals. The 0.1 and 0.25-degree resolution of daily Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM) L3 soil moisture datasets from Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) were disaggregated over Northeast Asia in 2015. Optically derived estimates of surface temperature (LST), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and its cloud products were obtained from MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) for the purpose of downscaling soil moisture in finer resolution under all sky condition. Furthermore, a comparison analysis between in situ and downscaled soil moisture products was also conducted for quantitatively assessing its accuracy. Results showed that downscaled soil moisture under all sky condition not only preserves the quality of AMSR2 LPRM soil moisture at 1km resolution, but also attains higher spatial data coverage. From this research we expect that time continuous monitoring of soil moisture at fine scale regardless of weather conditions would be available.

Atmospheric and Fog Effects on Ultra-Wide Band Radar Operating at Extremely High Frequencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Balal, Nezah; Pinhasi, Gad A; Pinhasi, Yosef

2016-05-23

The wide band at extremely high frequencies (EHF) above 30 GHz is applicable for high resolution directive radars, resolving the lack of free frequency bands within the lower part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Utilization of ultra-wideband signals in this EHF band is of interest, since it covers a relatively large spectrum, which is free of users, resulting in better resolution in both the longitudinal and transverse dimensions. Noting that frequencies in the millimeter band are subjected to high atmospheric attenuation and dispersion effects, a study of the degradation in the accuracy and resolution is presented. The fact that solid-state millimeter and sub-millimeter radiation sources are producing low power, the method of continuous-wave wideband frequency modulation becomes the natural technique for remote sensing and detection. Millimeter wave radars are used as complementary sensors for the detection of small radar cross-section objects under bad weather conditions, when small objects cannot be seen by optical cameras and infrared detectors. Theoretical analysis for the propagation of a wide "chirped" Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave (FMCW) radar signal in a dielectric medium is presented. It is shown that the frequency-dependent (complex) refractivity of the atmospheric medium causes distortions in the phase of the reflected signal, introducing noticeable errors in the longitudinal distance estimations, and at some frequencies may also degrade the resolution.

Search for neutrino point sources with an all-sky autocorrelation analysis in IceCube

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Turcati, Andrea; Bernhard, Anna; Coenders, Stefan [TU, Munich (Germany); Collaboration: IceCube-Collaboration

2016-07-01

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a cubic kilometre scale neutrino telescope located in the Antarctic ice. Its full-sky field of view gives unique opportunities to study the neutrino emission from the Galactic and extragalactic sky. Recently, IceCube found the first signal of astrophysical neutrinos with energies up to the PeV scale, but the origin of these particles still remains unresolved. Given the observed flux, the absence of observations of bright point-sources is explainable with the presence of numerous weak sources. This scenario can be tested using autocorrelation methods. We present here the sensitivities and discovery potentials of a two-point angular correlation analysis performed on seven years of IceCube data, taken between 2008 and 2015. The test is applied on the northern and southern skies separately, using the neutrino energy information to improve the effectiveness of the method.

INFRARED SPECTRA AND PHOTOMETRY OF COMPLETE SAMPLES OF PALOMAR-GREEN AND TWO MICRON ALL SKY SURVEY QUASARS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shi, Yong [School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Rieke, G. H.; Su, K. Y. L. [Department of Astronomy And Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Ogle, P. M. [Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Balog, Z., E-mail: yshipku@gmail.com [Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)

2014-10-01

As a step toward a comprehensive overview of the infrared (IR) diagnostics of the central engines and host galaxies of quasars at low redshift, we present Spitzer Space Telescope spectroscopic (5-40 μm) and photometric (24, 70, and 160 μm) measurements of all Palomar-Green (PG) quasars at z < 0.5 and Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) quasars at z < 0.3. We supplement these data with Herschel measurements at 160 μm. The sample is composed of 87 optically selected PG quasars and 52 near-IR-selected 2MASS quasars. Here we present the data, measure the prominent spectral features, and separate emission due to star formation from that emitted by the dusty circumnuclear torus. We find that the mid-IR (5-30 μm) spectral shape for the torus is largely independent of quasar IR luminosity with scatter in the spectral energy distribution (SED) shape of ≲0.2 dex. Except for the silicate features, no large difference is observed between PG (unobscured—silicate emission) and 2MASS (obscured—silicate absorption) quasars. Only mild silicate features are observed in both cases. When in emission, the peak wavelength of the silicate feature tends to be longer than 9.7 μm, possibly indicating effects on grain properties near the active galactic nucleus. The IR color is shown to correlate with the equivalent width of the aromatic features, indicating that the slope of the quasar mid- to far-IR SED is to first order driven by the fraction of radiation from star formation in the IR bands.

Treasures of the Southern Sky

CERN Document Server

Gendler, Robert; Malin, David

2011-01-01

In these pages, the reader can follow the engaging saga of astronomical exploration in the southern hemisphere, in a modern merger of aesthetics, science, and a story of human endeavor. This book is truly a celebration of southern skies.  Jerry Bonnell, Editor - Astronomy Picture of the Day The southern sky became accessible to scientific scrutiny only a few centuries ago, after the first European explorers ventured south of the equator. Modern observing and imaging techniques have since revealed what seems like a new Universe, previously hidden below the horizon, a fresh astronomical bounty of beauty and knowledge uniquely different from the northern sky. The authors have crafted a book that brings this hidden Universe to all, regardless of location or latitude. Treasures of the Southern Sky celebrates the remarkable beauty and richness of the southern sky in words and with world-class imagery. In part, a photographic anthology of deep sky wonders south of the celestial equator, this book also celebrates th...

Sky Mystery

Science.gov (United States)

Rubincam, David P.

2017-01-01

I saw something extraordinary on Wednesday, 25 September 2013, at about 10:10AM local time, while in a parking lot at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland USA (located in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., about 20 km northeast of the White House). I looked northeast at about a 45 degree angle at a cirrus cloud. The cloud was elongated horizontally from my perspective. T o my surprise I saw a band of ripples rapidly pass from right to left along the axis of the cloud. The ripples appeared dark, like a bar code, with the bars being almost vertical (see Figure 1). There appeared to be approximately 10 bars in the band. Each bar was a few degrees in length. I estimate that each bar was about 1/10 to 1/4 degree in width and the white spaces between them about the same width. I guessed that the angular speed of the band passing along the cloud was about 1/2 to 1 degree per second. A half-moon was in another part of the sky; looking at the Moon later helped me make the estimates. After a few seconds at most the band disappeared. Then a second band repeated the performance. I kept watching to see if this was going to be a periodic phenomenon, but no further bands appeared; just the two. Of course there may have been other bands passing across the cloud before I started looking. About 30 seconds to a minute after the bands disappeared, a low-flying jetliner on the usual northeast to southwest route passed almost exactly through the spot where I had seen the bands. I estimate the jetliner was a bit bigger than the full moon. My first thought was that maybe there was something wrong inside my eyes. But looking at other clouds revealed no bands. So what caused the bands? They do not seem to have been due to the exhausts on top of the nearby building, with the cloud acting as a backdrop: one would expect a continuous, disorganized shimmering instead of two separate organized bands. Moreover, there would be no reason for bands to stop unless the exhausts

Full-sky survey searching for ultra-narrow-band artificial CW signals: analysis of the results of Project META

Science.gov (United States)

Lemarchand, Guillermo A.

1996-06-01

Project META (Megachannel ExtraTerrestrial Assay), a full-sky survey for artificial narrow-band signals, has been conducted from the Harvard/Smithsonian 26 m radiotelescope at Agassiz Station and from one of the two 30 m radiotelescopes of the Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomia (IAR). The search was performed near the 1420 MHz line of neutral hydrogen, and its second harmonic, using two 8.4 X 10(superscript 6) channel Fourier spectrometers of 0.05 Hz resolution and 400 kHz of instantaneous bandwidth. The observing frequency was corrected both for motions with respect to three astronomical inertial frames, and for the effect of Earth's rotation, which provides a characteristic changing signature for narrow-band signals of extraterrestrial origin. Among the 6 X 10(superscript 13) spectral channels searched in the northern hemisphere, Horowitz and Sagan reported 37 candidates events exceeding the average threshold of 1.7 X 10(superscript -23) W m(superscript -2), while in the southern hemisphere among 2 X 10(superscript 13) spectral channels analyzed we found 19 events exceeding the same threshold. The strongest signals that survive culling for terrestrial interference lie in or near the Galactic Plane. The first high resolution southern target search around 71 stars (-90 degrees intelligence. It is showed that these narrow-band non-repeating 'events' found by Project META can be generated by (a) radiometer noise fluctuations, (b) a population of constant galactic sources which undergo deep fading and amplification due to interstellar scintillation, consistent with ETI transmissions and (c) real, transient signals of either terrestrial or extraterrestrial origin. The Bayesian test shows that hypothesis (b) and (c) are both highly preferred to (a), but the first two are about equally likely. Using this analysis we discuss the best observing strategies to determine the real origin of these 'events'.

2014 Australasian sky guide

CERN Document Server

Lomb, Nick

2013-01-01

Compact, easy to use and reliable, this popular guide contains everything you need to know about the southern night sky with monthly astronomy maps, viewing tips and highlights, and details of all the year's exciting celestial events. Wherever you are in Australia or New Zealand, easy calculations allow you to estimate local rise and set times for the Sun, Moon and planets. The 2014 Australasian Sky Guide also provides information on the solar system, updated with the latest findings from space probes. Published annually since 1991, the Sky Guide continues to be a favourite with photographers,

The effect of clear sky radiation on crop surface temperature determined by thermal thermometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Svendsen, H.; Jensen, H.E.; Jensen, S.E.; Mogensen, V.O.

1990-01-01

By numerical integration of Planck's radiation function, a relationship between emitted radiation from a black body in the wavelength band 8–14 μm and the corresponding surface temperature was obtained. Using this relationship, an equation was developed relating the temperature error at different temperatures to the crop surface emissivity and clear sky radiation. It is concluded that the temperature error to be expected from neglect of clear sky radiation in the wavelength band 8–14μm in radiometric crop surface temperature determination is < 0.2 and 0.1 °C for crops with an emissivity > 0.96 and 0.98, respectively, for a leaf temperature range from 0 to 30°C

Performance analysis for a chaos-based code-division multiple access system in wide-band channel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ciprian Doru Giurcăneanu

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Code-division multiple access technology is widely used in telecommunications and its performance has been extensively investigated in the past. Theoretical results for the case of wide-band transmission channel were not available until recently. The novel formulae which have been published in 2014 can have an important impact on the future of wireless multiuser communications, but limitations come from the Gaussian approximations used in their derivation. In this Letter, the authors obtain more accurate expressions of the bit error rate (BER for the case when the model of the wide-band channel is two-ray, with Rayleigh fading. In the authors’ approach, the spreading sequences are assumed to be generated by logistic map given by Chebyshev polynomial function of order two. Their theoretical and experimental results show clearly that the previous results on BER, which rely on the crude Gaussian approximation, are over-pessimistic.

THE FERMI ALL-SKY VARIABILITY ANALYSIS: A LIST OF FLARING GAMMA-RAY SOURCES AND THE SEARCH FOR TRANSIENTS IN OUR GALAXY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ackermann, M. [Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, D-15738 Zeuthen (Germany); Ajello, M. [Space Sciences Laboratory, 7 Gauss Way, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-7450 (United States); Albert, A. [Department of Physics, Center for Cosmology and Astro-Particle Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Allafort, A.; Bechtol, K.; Blandford, R. D.; Bloom, E. D.; Bottacini, E. [W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Antolini, E.; Bonamente, E. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita degli Studi di Perugia, I-06123 Perugia (Italy); Baldini, L. [Universita di Pisa and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa (Italy); Ballet, J. [Laboratoire AIM, CEA-IRFU/CNRS/Universite Paris Diderot, Service d' Astrophysique, CEA Saclay, F-91191 Gif sur Yvette (France); Barbiellini, G. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Trieste, I-34127 Trieste (Italy); Bastieri, D. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Padova, I-35131 Padova (Italy); Bellazzini, R.; Bregeon, J. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa (Italy); Bouvier, A. [Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics, Department of Physics and Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Brandt, T. J. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Brigida, M. [Dipartimento di Fisica ' ' M. Merlin' ' dell' Universita e del Politecnico di Bari, I-70126 Bari (Italy); Bruel, P., E-mail: majello@slac.stanford.edu, E-mail: allafort@stanford.edu, E-mail: rolf.buehler@desy.de [Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet, Ecole polytechnique, CNRS/IN2P3, Palaiseau (France); and others

2013-07-01

In this paper, we present the Fermi All-sky Variability Analysis (FAVA), a tool to systematically study the variability of the gamma-ray sky measured by the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. For each direction on the sky, FAVA compares the number of gamma-rays observed in a given time window to the number of gamma-rays expected for the average emission detected from that direction. This method is used in weekly time intervals to derive a list of 215 flaring gamma-ray sources. We proceed to discuss the 27 sources found at Galactic latitudes smaller than 10 Degree-Sign and show that, despite their low latitudes, most of them are likely of extragalactic origin.

THE FERMI ALL-SKY VARIABILITY ANALYSIS: A LIST OF FLARING GAMMA-RAY SOURCES AND THE SEARCH FOR TRANSIENTS IN OUR GALAXY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; Albert, A.; Allafort, A.; Bechtol, K.; Blandford, R. D.; Bloom, E. D.; Bottacini, E.; Antolini, E.; Bonamente, E.; Baldini, L.; Ballet, J.; Barbiellini, G.; Bastieri, D.; Bellazzini, R.; Bregeon, J.; Bouvier, A.; Brandt, T. J.; Brigida, M.; Bruel, P.

2013-01-01

In this paper, we present the Fermi All-sky Variability Analysis (FAVA), a tool to systematically study the variability of the gamma-ray sky measured by the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. For each direction on the sky, FAVA compares the number of gamma-rays observed in a given time window to the number of gamma-rays expected for the average emission detected from that direction. This method is used in weekly time intervals to derive a list of 215 flaring gamma-ray sources. We proceed to discuss the 27 sources found at Galactic latitudes smaller than 10° and show that, despite their low latitudes, most of them are likely of extragalactic origin.

Observation of the Coma cluster of galaxies with ROSAT during the all-sky survey

Science.gov (United States)

Briel, U. G.; Henry, J. P.; Boehringer, H.

1992-01-01

The Coma cluster of galaxies was observed with the position sensitive proportional counter (PSPC) during the ROSAT all sky survey. We find evidence for substructure in this cluster. Diffuse X-ray emission is detected from the regions of the NGC 4839 and 4911 subgroups at 6 percent and 1 percent of the total cluster emission respectively. There may be emission associated with the NGC 4874 and 4889 subgroups as well. The NGC 4839 group appears to be in the process of merging with the cluster. These X-ray data show that at least some of the groups previously found in projection are in fact physical objects possessing potential wells deep enough to trap their own X-ray gas. Because of the unlimited field of view of the all sky survey and the low background of the PSPC, we were able to measure the azimuthally averaged surface brightness of Coma out to approximately 100 arcmin, twice as far as was previously possible. Given the validity of our mass models, these new X-ray data imply that within 5/h(50) Mpc the binding mass of the Coma cluster is 1.8 +/- 0.6 x 10 exp 15/h(50) solar mass, and the fraction of cluster mass contained in hot gas is 0.30 +/- 0.14h(50) exp -3/2. Furthermore, the binding mass is more centrally concentrated than is the X-ray gas.

Seasonal Variations of Mesospheric Gravity Waves Observed with an Airglow All-sky Camera at Mt. Bohyun, Korea (36° N

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong Ha Kim

2010-09-01

Full Text Available We have carried out all-sky imaging of OH Meinel, O2 atmospheric and OI 557.7 nm airglow layers in the period from July of 2001 through September of 2005 at Mt. Bohyun, Korea (36.2° N, 128.9° E, Alt = 1,124 m. We analyzed the images observed during a total of 153 clear moonless nights and found 97 events of band-type waves. The characteristics of the observed waves (wavelengths, periods, and phase speeds are consistent with internal gravity waves. The wave occurrence shows an approximately semi-annual variation, with maxima near solstices and minima near equinoxes, which is consistent with other studies of airglow wave observations, but not with those of mesospheric radar/lidar observations. The observed waves tended to propagate westward during fall and winter, and eastward during spring and summer. Our ray tracing study of the observed waves shows that majority of the observed waves seemed to originate from mesospheric altitudes. The preferential directions and the apparent source altitudes can be explained if the observed waves are secondary waves generated from primary waves that have been selected by the filtering process and break up at the mesospheric altitudes.

Multi-band emission in a wide wavelength range from tin oxide/Au nanocomposites grown on porous anodic alumina substrate (AAO)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norek, Małgorzata; Michalska-Domańska, Marta; Stępniowski, Wojciech J.; Ayala, Israel; Bombalska, Aneta; Budner, Bogusław

2013-01-01

The photoluminescence (PL) properties of tin oxide nanostructures are investigated. Three samples of different morphology, induced by deposition process and various geometrical features of nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) substrate, are analyzed. X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy (XPS) analysis reveals the presence of two forms of tin oxide on the surface of all studied samples: SnO and SnO 2 . The former form is typical for reduced surface with bridging oxygen atoms and every other row of in-plane oxygen atoms removed. The oxygen defects give rise to a strong emission in visible region. Two intense PL peaks are observed centered at about 540 (band I) and 620 (band II) nm. The origin of these bands was ascribed to the recombination of electrons from the conduction band (band I) and shallow traps levels (band II) to the surface oxygen vacancy levels. Upon deposition of Au nanoparticles on the top of tin oxide nanostructures the emission at 540 and 620 nm disappears and a new band (band III) occurs in the range >760 nm. The PL mechanism operating in the studied systems is discussed. The tin oxide/Au nanocomposites can be used as efficient multi-band light emitters in a wide (from visible to near infrared) wavelength range.

Sky brightness and color measurements during the 21 August 2017 total solar eclipse.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruns, Donald G; Bruns, Ronald D

2018-06-01

The sky brightness was measured during the partial phases and during totality of the 21 August 2017 total solar eclipse. A tracking CCD camera with color filters and a wide-angle lens allowed measurements across a wide field of view, recording images every 10 s. The partially and totally eclipsed Sun was kept behind an occulting disk attached to the camera, allowing direct brightness measurements from 1.5° to 38° from the Sun. During the partial phases, the sky brightness as a function of time closely followed the integrated intensity of the unobscured fraction of the solar disk. A redder sky was measured close to the Sun just before totality, caused by the redder color of the exposed solar limb. During totality, a bluer sky was measured, dimmer than the normal sky by a factor of 10,000. Suggestions for enhanced measurements at future eclipses are offered.

HARMONIC IN-PAINTING OF COSMIC MICROWAVE BACKGROUND SKY BY CONSTRAINED GAUSSIAN REALIZATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jaiseung; Naselsky, Pavel; Mandolesi, Nazzareno

2012-01-01

The presence of astrophysical emissions between the last scattering surface and our vantage point requires us to apply a foreground mask on cosmic microwave background (CMB) sky maps, leading to large cuts around the Galactic equator and numerous holes. Since many CMB analysis, in particular on the largest angular scales, may be performed on a whole-sky map in a more straightforward and reliable manner, it is of utmost importance to develop an efficient method to fill in the masked pixels in a way compliant with the expected statistical properties and the unmasked pixels. In this Letter, we consider the Monte Carlo simulation of a constrained Gaussian field and derive it CMB anisotropy in harmonic space, where a feasible implementation is possible with good approximation. We applied our method to simulated data, which shows that our method produces a plausible whole-sky map, given the unmasked pixels, and a theoretical expectation. Subsequently, we applied our method to the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe foreground-reduced maps and investigated the anomalous alignment between quadrupole and octupole components. From our investigation, we find that the alignment in the foreground-reduced maps is even higher than the Internal Linear Combination map. We also find that the V-band map has higher alignment than other bands, despite the expectation that the V-band map has less foreground contamination than other bands. Therefore, we find it hard to attribute the alignment to residual foregrounds. Our method will be complementary to other efforts on in-painting or reconstructing the masked CMB data, and of great use to Planck surveyor and future missions.

First all-sky search for continuous gravitational waves from unknown sources in binary systems

OpenAIRE

Aasi, J.; Abbott, B.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T.; Abernathy, M.; Accadia, T.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R.; Affeldt, C.; Agathos, M.; Aggarwal, N.

2014-01-01

We present the first results of an all-sky search for continuous gravitational waves from unknown spinning neutron stars in binary systems using LIGO and Virgo data. Using a specially developed analysis program, the TwoSpect algorithm, the search was carried out on data from the sixth LIGO Science Run and the second and third Virgo Science Runs. The search covers a range of frequencies from 20 Hz to 520 Hz, a range of orbital periods from 2 to ~2,254 h and a frequency- and period-dependent ra...

Electrostatic tuning of Kondo effect in a rare-earth-doped wide-band-gap oxide

KAUST Repository

Li, Yongfeng; Deng, Rui; Lin, Weinan; Tian, Yufeng; Peng, Haiyang; Yi, Jiabao; Yao, Bin; Wu, Tao

2013-01-01

As a long-lived theme in solid-state physics, the Kondo effect reflects the many-body physics involving the short-range Coulomb interactions between itinerant electrons and localized spins in metallic materials. Here we show that the Kondo effect is present in ZnO, a prototypical wide-band-gap oxide, doped with a rare-earth element (Gd). The localized 4f electrons of Gd ions do not produce remanent magnetism, but interact strongly with the host electrons, giving rise to a saturating resistance upturn and negative magnetoresistance at low temperatures. Furthermore, the Kondo temperature and resistance can be electrostatically modulated using electric-double-layer gating with liquid ionic electrolyte. Our experiments provide the experimental evidence of tunable Kondo effect in ZnO, underscoring the magnetic interactions between localized and itinerant electrons and the emergent transport behaviors in such doped wide-band-gap oxides.

Electrostatic tuning of Kondo effect in a rare-earth-doped wide-band-gap oxide

KAUST Repository

Li, Yongfeng

2013-04-29

As a long-lived theme in solid-state physics, the Kondo effect reflects the many-body physics involving the short-range Coulomb interactions between itinerant electrons and localized spins in metallic materials. Here we show that the Kondo effect is present in ZnO, a prototypical wide-band-gap oxide, doped with a rare-earth element (Gd). The localized 4f electrons of Gd ions do not produce remanent magnetism, but interact strongly with the host electrons, giving rise to a saturating resistance upturn and negative magnetoresistance at low temperatures. Furthermore, the Kondo temperature and resistance can be electrostatically modulated using electric-double-layer gating with liquid ionic electrolyte. Our experiments provide the experimental evidence of tunable Kondo effect in ZnO, underscoring the magnetic interactions between localized and itinerant electrons and the emergent transport behaviors in such doped wide-band-gap oxides.

Predicting Downward Longwave Radiation for Various Land Use in All-Sky Condition: Northeast Florida

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chi-Han Cheng

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Accurate estimate of the surface longwave radiation is important for the surface radiation budget, which in turn controls evaporation and sensible heat fluxes. Regional land use changes can impact local weather conditions; for example, heterogeneous land use patterns and temporal changes in atmospheric circulation patterns would affect air temperature and water vapor pressure, which are more commonly used as inputs in existing models for estimating downward longwave radiation (LWd. In this study, first, we analyzed the cloud cover and land use covers impacts on LWd. Next, LWd on all-sky conditions were developed by using the existing land use-adapted model and cloud cover data from the region of Saint Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD, FL. The results show that factors, such as, seasonal effects, cloud cover, and land use, are of importance in the estimation of LWd and they cannot be ignored when developing a model for LWd prediction. The all-sky land use-adapted model with all factors taken into account performs better than other existing models statistically. The results of the statistical analyses indicated that the BIAS, RMSE, MAE, and PMRE are −0.18 Wm−2, 10.81 Wm−2, 8.00 Wm−2, and 2.30%; −2.61 Wm−2, 14.45 Wm−2, 10.64 Wm−2, and 3.19%; −0.07 Wm−2, 10.53 Wm−2, 8.03 Wm−2, and 2.27%; and −0.62 Wm−2, 13.97 Wm−2, 9.76 Wm−2, and 2.87% for urban, rangeland, agricultural, and wetland areas, respectively.

Candidate isolated neutron stars and other optically blank x-ray fields identified from the rosat all-sky and sloan digital sky surveys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agueros, Marcel A.; Anderson, Scott F.; /Washington U., Seattle, Astron. Dept.; Margon, Bruce; /Baltimore, Space Telescope Sci.; Haberl, Frank; Voges, Wolfgang; /Garching,; Annis, James; /Fermilab; Schneider, Donald P.; /Penn State U., Astron. Astrophys.; Brinkmann, Jonathan; /Apache Point Observ.

2005-11-01

Only seven radio-quiet isolated neutron stars (INSs) emitting thermal X rays are known, a sample that has yet to definitively address such fundamental issues as the equation of state of degenerate neutron matter. We describe a selection algorithm based on a cross-correlation of the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (RASS) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) that identifies X-ray error circles devoid of plausible optical counterparts to the SDSS g {approx} 22 magnitudes limit. We quantitatively characterize these error circles as optically blank; they may host INSs or other similarly exotic X-ray sources such as radio-quiet BL Lacs, obscured AGN, etc. Our search is an order of magnitude more selective than previous searches for optically blank RASS error circles, and excludes the 99.9% of error circles that contain more common X-ray-emitting subclasses. We find 11 candidates, nine of which are new. While our search is designed to find the best INS candidates and not to produce a complete list of INSs in the RASS, it is reassuring that our number of candidates is consistent with predictions from INS population models. Further X-ray observations will obtain pinpoint positions and determine whether these sources are entirely optically blank at g {approx} 22, supporting the presence of likely isolated neutron stars and perhaps enabling detailed follow-up studies of neutron star physics.

Inferences of all-sky solar irradiance using Terra and Aqua MODIS satellite data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Houborg, Rasmus Møller; Søgaard, Henrik; Emmerich, W.

2007-01-01

-sky solar irradiance components, which links a physically based clear-sky model with a neural network version of a rigorous radiative transfer model. The scheme exploits the improved cloud characterization and retrieval capabilities of the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard...... contrasting climates and cloud environments. Information on the atmospheric state was provided by MODIS data products and verifications against AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) data demonstrated usefulness of MODIS aerosol optical depth and total precipitable water vapour retrievals for the delineation...... and become unusable above approximately 60° latitude. However, in principle, the scheme can be applied anywhere on the globe, and a synergistic use of MODIS and geostationary satellite datasets may be envisaged for some applications....

Polarization-dependent diffraction in all-dielectric, twisted-band structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kardaś, Tomasz M.; Jagodnicka, Anna; Wasylczyk, Piotr, E-mail: pwasylcz@fuw.edu.pl [Photonic Nanostructure Facility, Institute of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 5, 02-093 Warszawa (Poland)

2015-11-23

We propose a concept for light polarization management: polarization-dependent diffraction in all-dielectric microstructures. Numerical simulations of light propagation show that with an appropriately configured array of twisted bands, such structures may exhibit zero birefringence and at the same time diffract two circular polarizations with different efficiencies. Non-birefringent structures as thin as 3 μm have a significant difference in diffraction efficiency for left- and right-hand circular polarizations. We identify the structural parameters of such twisted-band matrices for optimum performance as circular polarizers.

Investigation on cored-eutectic structure in Ni60/WC composite coatings fabricated by wide-band laser cladding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Qunshuang, E-mail: maqunshuang@126.com; Li, Yajiang, E-mail: yajli@sdu.edu.cn; Wang, Juan, E-mail: jwang@sdu.edu.cn; Liu, Kun, E-mail: liu_kun@163.com

2015-10-05

Highlights: • Perfect composite coatings were fabricated using wide-band laser cladding. • Special cored-eutectic structure was synthesized in Ni60/WC composite coatings. • Cored-eutectic consists of hard carbide compounds and fine lamellar eutectic of M{sub 23}C{sub 6} carbides and γ-Ni(Fe). • Wear resistance of coating layer was significantly improved due to precipitation of M{sub 23}C{sub 6} carbides. - Abstract: Ni60 composite coatings reinforced with WC particles were fabricated on the surface of Q550 steel using LDF4000-100 fiber laser device. The wide-band laser and circular beam laser used in laser cladding were obtained by optical lens. Microstructure, elemental distribution, phase constitution and wear properties of different composite coatings were investigated. The results showed that WC particles were partly dissolved under the effect of wide-band fiber laser irradiation. A special cored-eutectic structure was synthesized due to dissolution of WC particles. According to EDS and XRD results, the inside cores were confirmed as carbides of M{sub 23}C{sub 6} enriched in Cr, W and Fe. These complex carbides were primarily separated out in the molten metal when solidification started. Eutectic structure composed of M{sub 23}C{sub 6} carbides and γ-Ni(Fe) grew around carbides when cooling. Element content of Cr and W is lower at the bottom of cladding layer. In consequence, the eutectic structure formed in this region did not have inside carbides. The coatings made by circular laser beam were composed of dendritic matrix and interdendritic eutectic carbides, lacking of block carbides. Compared to coatings made by circular laser spot, the cored-eutectic structure formed in wide-band coatings had advantages of well-distribution and tight binding with matrix. The uniform power density and energy distribution and the weak liquid convection in molten pool lead to the unique microstructure evolution in composite coatings made by wide-band laser

Spinning projectile's attitude measurement with LW infrared radiation under sea-sky background

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Miaomiao; Bu, Xiongzhu; Yu, Jing; He, Zilu

2018-05-01

With the further development of infrared radiation research in sea-sky background and the requirement of spinning projectile's attitude measurement, the sea-sky infrared radiation field is used to carry out spinning projectile's attitude angle instead of inertial sensors. Firstly, the generation mechanism of sea-sky infrared radiation is analysed. The mathematical model of sea-sky infrared radiation is deduced in LW (long wave) infrared 8 ∼ 14 μm band by calculating the sea surface and sky infrared radiation. Secondly, according to the movement characteristics of spinning projectile, the attitude measurement model of infrared sensors on projectile's three axis is established. And the feasibility of the model is analysed by simulation. Finally, the projectile's attitude calculation algorithm is designed to improve the attitude angle estimation accuracy. The results of semi-physical experiments show that the segmented interactive algorithm estimation error of pitch and roll angle is within ±1.5°. The attitude measurement method is effective and feasible, and provides accurate measurement basis for the guidance of spinning projectile.

Extracted atmospheric impairments on earth-sky signal quality in tropical regions at Ku-band

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Saegh, Ali Mohammed; Sali, Aduwati; Mandeep, J. S.; Ismail, Alyani

2013-11-01

Atmospheric condition variations were shown to have a major effect on the earth sky signal quality at Ku band. Moreover, such variations increased in the tropical regions as compared to temperate areas due to their different weather parameters. With the increase of recent satellite communication technology applications throughout the tropical countries and lack of information regarding the atmospheric impairments analysis, simulation and mitigation techniques, there is an ever increasing need for extracting a unique and accurate performance of the signal quality effects during highly natural tropical weather impairments. This paper presents a new method developed for proper analysis with distinctive and highly realistic performance evaluation for signal quality during the atmospheric conditions variations in 14 tropical areas from the four continents analyzed based on actual measured parameters. The method implementation includes signal attenuation, carrier to noise ratio, symbol energy to noise ratio, and symbol error rate at different areas and different modulation schemes. Furthermore, for improvement in analysis in terms of covering more remarkable regions in tropics, the paper provides new measurements data with analysis for certain region in tropics used as a test bed and to add measurement data of such area to the world's data base for future researchers. The results show a significant investigation and performance observation in terms of weather impairments in tropical regions in general and each region in that area in particular regarding the signal attenuation and error rates accompanied for several transmission schemes.

The Reflection Component from Cygnus X-1 in the Soft State Measured by NuSTAR and Suzaku

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tomsick, John A.; Nowak, Michael A.; Parker, Michael

2014-01-01

The black hole binary Cygnus X-1 was observed in late-2012 with the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and Suzaku, providing spectral coverage over the ~1-300 keV range. The source was in the soft state with a multi-temperature blackbody, power-law, and reflection components along...

The Second Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

CERN Document Server

Abazajian, Kevork; ̈ueros, Marcel A. Ag; Allam, Sahar S.; Anderson, KurtS. J.; Anderson, Scott F.; Annis, James; Bahcall, Neta A.; Baldry, Ivan K.; StevenBastian; Berlind, Andreas; Bernardi, Mariangela; Blanton, Michael R.; BochanskiJr., John J.; Boroski, William N.; Briggs, John W.; Brinkmann, J.; Brunner, Robert J.; ́ari, Tam ́asBudav; Carey, Larry N.; Carliles, Samuel; Castander, Francisco J.; Connolly, A. J.; Csabai, Istvan; Doi, Mamoru; Dong, Feng; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Evans, Michael L.; Fan, Xiaohui; Finkbeiner, Douglas P.; Friedman, Scott D.; Frieman, Joshua A.; Fukugita, Masataka; Gal, RoyR.; Gillespie, Bruce; Glazebrook, Karl; Gray, Jim; Grebel, Eva K.; Gunn, James E.; Gurbani, Vijay K.; Hall, Patrick B.; Hamabe, Masaru; Harris, Frederick H.; C.Harris, Hugh; Harvanek, Michael; Heckman, Timothy M.; Hendry, John S.; Hennessy, Gregory S.; Hindsley, Robert B.; Hogan, Craig J.; Hogg, David W.; Holmgren, Donald J.; Ichikawa, Shin-ichi; Ichikawa, Takashi; Ivezic, Zeljko; Jester, Sebastian; Johnston, David E.; Jorgensen, AndersM.; Kent, Stephen M.; Kleinman, S. J.; Knapp, G. R.; Kniazev, Alexei Yu.; Kron, Richard G.; Krzesinski, Jurek; Kunszt, Peter Z.; Kuropatkin, Nickolai; Q.Lamb, Donald; Lampeitl, Hubert; Lee, Brian C.; Leger, R. French; Li, Nolan; Lin, Huan; Loh, Yeong-Shang; Long, Daniel C.; Loveday, Jon; Lupton, Robert H.; Malik, Tanu; BruceMargon; Matsubara, Takahiko; McGehee, Peregrine M.; McKay, Timothy A.; AveryMeiksin; Munn, Jeffrey A.; Nakajima, Reiko; Nash, Thomas; Neilsen, Eric H. Jr.; JoNewberg, Heidi; Newman, Peter R.; Nichol, Robert C.; Nicinski, Tom; Nieto-Santisteban, Maria; Nitta, Atsuko; Okamura, Sadanori; O'Mullane, William; Ostriker, Jeremiah P.; Owen, Russell; Padmanabhan, Nikhil; Peoples, John; Pier, Jeffrey R.; Pope, Adrian C.; Quinn, Thomas R.; Richards, Gordon T.; Richmond, Michael W.; Rix, Hans-Walter; Rockosi, Constance M.; Schlegel, David J.; Schneider, Donald P.; Scranton, Ryan; Sekiguchi, Maki; Seljak, Uros; Sergey, Gary; Sesar, Branimir; Sheldon, Erin; Shimasaku, Kazu; Siegmund, Walter A.; Silvestri, Nicole M.; Smith, J. Allyn; ́c, Vernesa Smolči; Snedden, Stephanie A.; AlbertStebbins; Stoughton, Chris; Strauss, Michael A.; SubbaRao, Mark; Szalay, Alexander S.; Szapudi, Istv ́an; Szkody, Paula; Szokoly, Gyula P.; Tegmark, Max; Teodoro, Luis; Thakar, AniruddhaR.; Tremonti, Christy; Tucker, Douglas L.; Uomoto, Alan; Vanden Berk, Daniel E.; Vandenberg, Jan; Vogeley, Michael S.; Voges, Wolfgang; Vogt, Nicole P.; M.Walkowicz, Lucianne; Wang, Shu-i; Weinberg, David H.; West, Andrew A.; White, Simon D.M.; Wilhite, BrianC.; Xu, Yongzhong; Yanny, Brian; Yasuda, Naoki; Yip, Ching-Wa; Yocum, D. R.; York, Donald G.; Zehavi, Idit; Zibetti, Stefano; Zucker, Daniel B.

2004-01-01

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey has validated and made publicly available its Second Data Release. This data release consists of 3324 square degrees of five-band (u g r i z) imaging data with photometry for over 88 million unique objects, 367,360 spectra of galaxies, quasars, stars and calibrating blank sky patches selected over 2627 degrees of this area, and tables of measured parameters from these data. The imaging data reach a depth of r ~ 22.2 (95% completeness limit for point sources) and are photometrically and astrometrically calibrated to 2% rms and 100 milli-arcsec rms per coordinate, respectively. The imaging data have all been processed through a new version of the SDSS imaging pipeline, in which the most important improvement since the last data release is fixing an error in the model fits to each object. The result is that model magnitudes are now a good proxy for point spread function (PSF) magnitudes for point sources, and Petrosian magnitudes for extended sources. The spectroscopy extends from 38...

Sky-Radiance Models for Monte Carlo Radiative Transfer Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, I.; Dalimonte, D.; Santos, J. P.

2012-04-01

Photon-tracing can be initialized through sky-radiance (Lsky) distribution models when executing Monte Carlo simulations for ocean color studies. To be effective, the Lsky model should: 1) properly represent sky-radiance features of interest; 2) require low computing time; and 3) depend on a limited number of input parameters. The present study verifies the satisfiability of these prerequisite by comparing results from different Lsky formulations. Specifically, two Lsky models were considered as reference cases because of their different approach among solutions presented in the literature. The first model, developed by the Harrisson and Coombes (HC), is based on a parametric expression where the sun geometry is the unique input. The HC model is one of the sky-radiance analytical distribution applied in state-of-art simulations for ocean optics. The coefficients of the HC model were set upon broad-band field measurements and the result is a model that requires a few implementation steps. The second model, implemented by Zibordi and Voss (ZV), is based on physical expressions that accounts for the optical thickness of permanent gases, aerosol, ozone and water vapour at specific wavelengths. Inter-comparisons between normalized ^LskyZV and ^LskyHC (i.e., with unitary scalar irradiance) are discussed by means of individual polar maps and percent difference between sky-radiance distributions. Sky-radiance cross-sections are presented as well. Considered cases include different sun zenith values and wavelengths (i.e., λ=413, 490 and 665 nm, corresponding to selected center-bands of the MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer MERIS). Results have shown a significant convergence between ^LskyHC and ^LskyZV at 665 nm. Differences between models increase with the sun zenith and mostly with wavelength. For Instance, relative differences up to 50% between ^ L skyHC and ^ LskyZV can be observed in the antisolar region for λ=665 nm and θ*=45°. The effects of these

Sky cover from MFRSR observations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Kassianov

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The diffuse all-sky surface irradiances measured at two nearby wavelengths in the visible spectral range and their modeled clear-sky counterparts are the main components of a new method for estimating the fractional sky cover of different cloud types, including cumuli. The performance of this method is illustrated using 1-min resolution data from a ground-based Multi-Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MFRSR. The MFRSR data are collected at the US Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM Climate Research Facility (ACRF Southern Great Plains (SGP site during the summer of 2007 and represent 13 days with cumuli. Good agreement is obtained between estimated values of the fractional sky cover and those provided by a well-established independent method based on broadband observations.

SkyNet: Modular nuclear reaction network library

Science.gov (United States)

Lippuner, Jonas; Roberts, Luke F.

2017-10-01

The general-purpose nuclear reaction network SkyNet evolves the abundances of nuclear species under the influence of nuclear reactions. SkyNet can be used to compute the nucleosynthesis evolution in all astrophysical scenarios where nucleosynthesis occurs. Any list of isotopes can be evolved and SkyNet supports various different types of nuclear reactions. SkyNet is modular, permitting new or existing physics, such as nuclear reactions or equations of state, to be easily added or modified.

Wide-band fanned-out supercontinuum source covering O-, E-, S-, C-, L- and U-bands

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, H.; Latif, A. A.; Awang, N. A.; Zulkifli, M. Z.; Thambiratnam, K.; Ghani, Z. A.; Harun, S. W.

2012-10-01

A wide-band supercontinuum source generated by mode-locked pulses injected into a Highly Non-Linear Fiber (HNLF) is proposed and demonstrated. A 49 cm long Bismuth-Erbium Doped Fiber (Bi-EDF) pumped by two 1480 nm laser diodes acts as the active gain medium for a ring fiber laser, from which mode-locked pulses are obtained using the Non-Polarization Rotation (NPR) technique. The mode-locked pulses are then injected into a 100 m long HLNF with a dispersion of 0.15 ps/nm km at 1550 nm to generate a supercontinuum spectrum spanning from 1340 nm to more than 1680 nm with a pulse width of 0.08 ps and an average power of -17 dBm. The supercontinuum spectrum is sliced using a 24 channel Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG) with a channel spacing of 100 GHz to obtain a fanned-out laser output covering the O-, E-, S-, C-, L- and U-bands. The lasing wavelengths obtained have an average pulse width of 9 ps with only minor fluctuations and a mode-locked repetition rate of 40 MHz, and is sufficiently stable to be used in a variety of sensing and communication applications, most notably as cost-effective sources for Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) networks.

Solar irradiance forecasting at one-minute intervals for different sky conditions using sky camera images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alonso-Montesinos, J.; Batlles, F.J.; Portillo, C.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The solar resource has been predicted for three hours at 1-min intervals. • Digital image levels and cloud motion vectors are joint for irradiance forecasting. • The three radiation components have been predicted under different sky conditions. • Diffuse and global radiation has an nRMSE value around 10% in all sky conditions. • Beam irradiance is predicted with an nRMSE value of about 15% in overcast skies. - Abstract: In the search for new techniques to predict atmospheric features that might be useful to solar power plant operators, we have carried out solar irradiance forecasting using emerging sky camera technology. Digital image levels are converted into irradiances and then the maximum cross-correlation method is applied to obtain future predictions. This methodology is a step forward in the study of the solar resource, essential to solar plant operators in adapting a plant’s operating procedures to atmospheric conditions and to improve electricity generation. The results are set out using different statistical parameters, in which beam, diffuse and global irradiances give a constant normalized root-mean-square error value over the time interval for all sky conditions. The average measure is 25.44% for beam irradiance; 11.60% for diffuse irradiance and 11.17% for global irradiance.

Wide-band residual phase-noise measurements on 40-GHz monolithic mode-locked lasers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsson, David; Hvam, Jørn Märcher

2005-01-01

We have performed wide-band residual phase-noise measurements on semiconductor 40-GHz mode-locked lasers by employing electrical waveguide components for the radio-frequency circuit. The intrinsic timing jitters of lasers with one, two, and three quantum wells (QW) are compared and our design......-QW laser. There is good agreement between the measured results and existing theory....

Planck 2013 results. XXI. Power spectrum and high-order statistics of the Planck all-sky Compton parameter map

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Armitage-Caplan, C.

2014-01-01

We have constructed the first all-sky map of the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (tSZ) effect by applying specifically tailored component separation algorithms to the 100 to 857 GHz frequency channel maps from the Planck survey. This map shows an obvious galaxy cluster tSZ signal that is well matched w...

Sky Localization of Complete Inspiral-Merger-Ringdown Signals for Nonspinning Black Hole Binaries with LISA

Science.gov (United States)

McWilliams, Sean T.; Lang, Ryan N.; Baker, John G.; Thorpe, James Ira

2011-01-01

We investigate the capability of LISA to measure the sky position of equal-mass, nonspinning black hole binaries, including for the first time the entire inspiral-merger-ringdown signal, the effect of the LISA orbits, and the complete three-channel LISA response. For an ensemble of systems near the peak of LISA's sensitivity band, with total rest mass of 2 x l0(exp 6) Stellar Mass at a redshift of z = 1 with random orientations and sky positions, we find median sky localization errors of approximately approx. 3 arcminutes. This is comparable to the field of view of powerful electromagnetic telescopes, such as the James Webb Space Telescope, that could be used to search for electromagnetic signals associated with merging black holes. We investigate the way in which parameter errors decrease with measurement time, focusing specifically on the additional information provided during the merger-ringdown segment of the signal. We find that this information improves all parameter estimates directly, rather than through diminishing correlations with any subset of well-determined parameters.

PROBING THE DARK AGES AT z ∼ 20: THE SCI-HI 21 cm ALL-SKY SPECTRUM EXPERIMENT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Voytek, Tabitha C.; Natarajan, Aravind; Peterson, Jeffrey B. [McWilliams Center for Cosmology, Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States); Jáuregui García, José Miguel; López-Cruz, Omar, E-mail: tcv@andrew.cmu.edu [Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Optica y Electrónica (INAOE), Coordinación de Astrofísica, Luis Enrique Erro No. 1 Sta. Ma. Tonantzintla, Puebla, 72840 Mexico (Mexico)

2014-02-10

We present first results from the SCI-HI experiment, which we used to measure the all-sky-averaged 21 cm brightness temperature in the redshift range 14.8 < z < 22.7. The instrument consists of a single broadband sub-wavelength size antenna and a sampling system for real-time data processing and recording. Preliminary observations were completed in 2013 June at Isla Guadalupe, a Mexican biosphere reserve located in the Pacific Ocean. The data was cleaned to excise channels contaminated by radio frequency interference, and the system response was calibrated by comparing the measured brightness temperature to the Global Sky Model of the Galaxy and by independent measurement of Johnson noise from a calibration terminator. We present our results, discuss the cosmological implications, and describe plans for future work.

Probing the accretion disk and central engine structure of NGC 4258 with Suzaku and XMM-Newton observations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reynolds, C.S.; Nowak, M.A.; Markoff, S.; Tueller, J.; Wilms, J.; Young, A.J.

2009-01-01

We present an X-ray study of the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus (AGN) in NGC 4258 using data from Suzaku, XMM-Newton, and the Swift/Burst Alert Telescope survey. We find that signatures of X-ray reprocessing by cold gas are very weak in the spectrum of this Seyfert-2 galaxy; a weak, narrow

OI Fluorescent Line Contamination in Soft X-Ray Diffuse Background Obtained with Suzaku/XIS

OpenAIRE

Sekiya, Norio; Yamasaki, Noriko Y.; Mitsuda, Kazuhisa; Takei, Yoh

2014-01-01

The quantitative measurement of OVII line intensity is a powerful method for understanding the soft X-ray diffuse background. By systematically analyzing the OVII line intensity in 145 high-latitude Suzaku/XIS observations, the flux of OI fluorescent line in the XIS spectrum, contaminating the OVII line, is found to have an increasing trend with time especially after 2011. For these observations, the OVII line intensity would be overestimated unless taking into consideration the OI fluorescen...

Experimental investigation of 1 GW repeatable ultra-wide band pulse radiating source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meng Fanbao; Ma Hongge; Zhou Chuanming; Yang Zhoubing; Lu Wei; Ju Bingquan; Yu Huilong

2001-01-01

The single cycle pulse of 1.6 GW peak power with 20 Hz repetition-rate was generated. It radiated a peak power of more than 500 MW with a coaxial biconical antenna. The technological problems of the insulation and energy loss during generating and radiating high peak power ultra-wide band (UWB) pulse have been resolved. The experiments show that the material insulation and dispersion in sub-nanosecond pulse should be investigated deeply

Experimental investigation of 1 GW repeatable ultra-wide band pulse radiating source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fanbao, Meng; Hongge, Ma; Chuanming, Zhou; Zhoubing, Yang; Wei, Lu; Bingquan, Ju; Huilong, Yu [China Academy of Engineering Physics, Chengdu (China)

2000-11-01

The single cycle pulse of 1.6 GW peak power with 20 Hz repetition-rate was generated. It radiated a peak power of more than 500 MW with a coaxial biconical antenna. The technological problems of the insulation and energy loss during generating and radiating high peak power ultra-wide band (UWB) pulse have been resolved. The experiments show that the material insulation and dispersion in subnanosecond pulse should be investigated deeply.

Observations of MCG-5-23-16 with Suzaku, XMM-Newton and Nustar

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zoghbi, A.; Cackett, E. M.; Reynolds, C.

2014-01-01

MCG-5-23-16 is one of the first active galactic nuclei (AGNs) where relativistic reverberation in the iron K line originating in the vicinity of the supermassive black hole was found, based on a short XMM-Newton observation. In this work, we present the results from long X-ray observations using...... Suzaku, XMM-Newton, and NuSTAR designed to map the emission region using X-ray reverberation. A relativistic iron line is detected in the lag spectra on three different timescales, allowing the emission from different regions around the black hole to be separated. Using NuSTAR coverage of energies above...

Northern Sky Galactic Cosmic Ray Anisotropy between 10 and 1000 TeV with the Tibet Air Shower Array

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amenomori, M. [Department of Physics, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki 036-8561 (Japan); Bi, X. J.; Chen, W. Y.; Ding, L. K.; Feng, Zhaoyang; Gou, Q. B.; Guo, Y. Q.; He, H. H.; Hu, H. B.; Huang, J. [Key Laboratory of Particle Astrophysics, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Chen, D. [National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); Chen, T. L.; Danzengluobu; Hu, Haibing [Department of Mathematics and Physics, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000 (China); Cui, S. W.; He, Z. T. [Department of Physics, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050016 (China); Feng, C. F. [Department of Physics, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China); Feng, Z. Y. [Institute of Modern Physics, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China); Hibino, K. [Faculty of Engineering, Kanagawa University, Yokohama 221-8686 (Japan); Hotta, N. [Faculty of Education, Utsunomiya University, Utsunomiya 321-8505 (Japan); Collaboration: Tibet AS γ Collaboration; and others

2017-02-20

We report on the analysis of the 10–1000 TeV large-scale sidereal anisotropy of Galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) with the data collected by the Tibet Air Shower Array from 1995 October to 2010 February. In this analysis, we improve the energy estimate and extend the decl. range down to −30°. We find that the anisotropy maps above 100 TeV are distinct from that at a multi-TeV band. The so-called tail-in and loss-cone features identified at low energies get less significant, and a new component appears at ∼100 TeV. The spatial distribution of the GCR intensity with an excess (7.2 σ pre-trial, 5.2 σ post-trial) and a deficit (−5.8 σ pre-trial) are observed in the 300 TeV anisotropy map, in close agreement with IceCube’s results at 400 TeV. Combining the Tibet results in the northern sky with IceCube’s results in the southern sky, we establish a full-sky picture of the anisotropy in hundreds of TeV band. We further find that the amplitude of the first order anisotropy increases sharply above ∼100 TeV, indicating a new component of the anisotropy. All these results may shed new light on understanding the origin and propagation of GCRs.

The First Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

CERN Document Server

Abazajian, Kevork; Agüeros, Marcel A.; Allam, Sahar S.; Anderson, Scott F.; Annis, James; Bahcall, Neta A.; Baldry, Ivan K.; Bastian, Steven; AndreasBerlind; Bernardi, Mariangela; Blanton, Michael R.; Blythe, Norman; Bochanski, John J.; Boroski, William N.; Brewington, Howard; Briggs, John W.; Brinkmann, J.; Brunner, Robert J.; Budavari, Tamas; Carey, Larry N.; Carr, Michael A.; Castander, Francisco J.; Chiu, Kuenley; Collinge, Matthew J.; Connolly, A. J.; Covey, Kevin R.; Csabai, István; J.Dalcanton, Julianne; Dodelson, Scott; Doi, Mamoru; Dong, Feng; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; L.Evans, Michael; Fan, Xiaohui; Feldman, Paul D.; Finkbeiner, Douglas P.; Friedman, Scott D.; Frieman, JoshuaA.; Fukugita, Masataka; Gal, Roy R.; Gillespie, Bruce; Glazebrook, Karl; F.Gonzalez, Carlos; Gray, Jim; Grebel, Eva K.; Grodnicki, Lauren; Gunn, James E.; K.Gurbani, Vijay; Hall, Patrick B.; Hao, Lei; Harbeck, Daniel; Harris, Frederick H.; C.Harris, Hugh; Harvanek, Michael; Hawley, Suzanne L.; Heckman, Timothy M.; Helmboldt, J. F.; Hendry, John S.; Hennessy, Gregory S.; Hindsley, Robert B.; Hogg, David W.; J.Holmgren, Donald; Holtzman, Jon A.; Homer, Lee; Hui, Lam; Ichikawa, Shin-ichi; Ichikawa, Takashi; Inkmann, John P.; ˇ, Zeljko Ivezíc; Jester, Sebastian; Johnston, David E.; Jordan, Beatrice; Jordan, Wendell P.; Jorgensen, Anders M.; Juríc, Mario; Kauffmann, Guinevere; M.Kent, Stephen; Kleinman, S. J.; Knapp, G. R.; Kniazev, Alexei Yu.; Kron, Richard G.; JurekKrzesinski; Kunszt, Peter Z.; Kuropatkin, Nickolai; Lamb, Donald Q.; Lampeitl, Hubert; Laubscher, Bryan E.; Lee, Brian C.; Leger, R. French; Li, Nolan; Lidz, Adam; Lin, Huan; Loh, Yeong-Shang; Long, Daniel C.; Loveday, Jon; Lupton, Robert H.; Malik, Tanu; BruceMargon; McGehee, Peregrine M.; McKay, Timothy A.; Meiksin, Avery; A.Miknaitis, Gajus; Moorthy, Bhasker K.; Munn, Jeffrey A.; Murphy, Tara; Nakajima, Reiko; Narayanan, VijayK.; Nash, Thomas; Neilsen, Eric H. Jr.; Newberg, Heidi Jo; Newman, Peter R.; Nichol, Robert C.; Nicinski, Tom; Nieto-Santisteban, Maria; Nitta, Atsuko; MichaelOdenkirchen; Okamura, Sadanori; Ostriker, Jeremiah P.; Owen, Russell; NikhilPadmanabhan; Peoples, John; Pier, Jeffrey R.; Pindor, Bartosz; Pope, Adrian C.; R.Quinn, Thomas; Rafikov, R. R.; Raymond, Sean N.; Richards, Gordon T.; Richmond, Michael W.; Rix, Hans-Walter; Rockosi, Constance M.; Schaye, Joop; Schlegel, David J.; P.Schneider, Donald; Schroeder, Joshua; Scranton, Ryan; Sekiguchi, Maki; Seljak, Uros; Sergey, Gary; Sesar, Branimir; Sheldon, Erin; Shimasaku, Kazu; Siegmund, Walter A.; Silvestri, Nicole M.; Sinisgalli, Allan J.; Sirko, Edwin; Smith, J. Allyn; Smolčíc, Vernesa; Snedden, Stephanie A.; Stebbins, Albert; Steinhardt, Charles; Stinson, Gregory; Stoughton, Chris; Strateva, Iskra V.; Strauss, Michael A.; SubbaRao, Mark; Szalay, Alexander S.; Szapudi, István; Szkody, Paula; Tasca, Lidia; Tegmark, Max; Thakar, Aniruddha R.; Tremonti, Christy; Tucker, Douglas L.; Uomoto, Alan; Vanden Berk, Daniel E.; Vandenberg, Jan; Vogeley, Michael S.; WolfgangVoges; Vogt, Nicole P.; Walkowicz, Lucianne M.; Weinberg, David H.; West, Andrew A.; White, Simon D.M.; Wilhite, Brian C.; Willman, Beth; Xu, Yongzhong; Yanny, Brian; JeanYarger; Yasuda, Naoki; Yip, Ching-Wa; Yocum, D. R.; York, Donald G.; L.Zakamska, Nadia; Zehavi, Idit; Zheng, Wei; Zibetti, Stefano; Zucker, Daniel B.

2003-01-01

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey has validated and made publicly available its First Data Release. This consists of 2099 square degrees of five-band (u, g, r, i, z) imaging data, 186,240 spectra of galaxies, quasars, stars and calibrating blank sky patches selected over 1360 square degrees of this area, and tables of measured parameters from these data. The imaging data go to a depth of r ~ 22.6 and are photometrically and astrometrically calibrated to 2% rms and 100 milli-arcsec rms per coordinate, respectively. The spectra cover the range 3800--9200 A, with a resolution of 1800--2100. Further characteristics of the data are described, as are the data products themselves.

All-sky search for high-energy neutrinos from gravitational wave event GW170104 with the Antares neutrino telescope

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Albert, A.; André, M.; Anghinolfi, M.; Anton, G.; Ardid, M.; Aubert, J.-J.; Avgitas, T.; Baret, B.; Barrios-Martí, J.; Basa, S.; Belhorma, B.; Bertin, V.; Biagi, S.; Bormuth, R.; Bourret, S.; Bouwhuis, M.C.; Brânzas, H.; Bruijn, R.; Brunner, J.; Busto, J.; Capone, A.; Caramete, L.; Carr, J.; Celli, S.; Cherkaoui El Moursli, R.; Chiarusi, T.; Circella, M.; Coelho, J.A.B.; Coleiro, A.; Coniglione, R.; Costantini, H.; Coyle, P.; Creusot, A.; Díaz, A.F.; Deschamps, A.; De Bonis, G.; Distefano, C.; Di Palma, I.; Domi, A.; Donzaud, C.; Dornic, D.; Drouhin, D.; Eberl, T.; El Bojaddaini, I.; El Khayati, N.; Elsässer, D.; Enzenhöfer, A.; Ettahiri, A.; Fassi, F.; Felis, I.; Fusco, L.A.; Gay, P.; Giordano, V.; Glotin, H.; Grégoire, T.; Gracia-Ruiz, R.; Graf, K.; Hallmann, S.; van Haren, H.; Heijboer, A.J.; Hello, Y.; Hernandez-Rey, J.J.; Hößl, J.; Hofestädt, J.; Hugon, C.; Illuminati, G.; James, C.W.; de Jong, M.; Jongen, M.; Kadler, M.; Kalekin, O.; Katz, U.; Kießling, D.; Kouchner, A.; Kreter, M.; Kreykenbohm, I.; Kulikovskiy, V.; Lachaud, C.; Lahmann, R.; Lefèvre, D.; Leonora, E.; Lotze, M.; Loucatos, S.; Marcelin, M.; Margiotta, A.; Marinelli, A.; Martínez-Mora, J.A.; Mele, R.; Melis, K.; Michael, T.; Migliozzi, P.; Moussa, A.; Navas, S.; Nezri, E.; Organokov, M.; Pavalas, G.E.; Pellegrino, C.; Perrina, C.; Piattelli, P.; Popa, V.; Pradier, T.; Quinn, L.; Racca, C.; Riccobene, G.; Sánchez-Losa, A.; Saldaña, M.; Salvadori, I.; Samtleben, D.F.E.; Sanguineti, M.; Sapienza, P.; Schüssler, F.; Sieger, C.; Spurio, M.; Stolarczyk, Th.; Taiuti, M.; Tayalati, Y.; Trovato, A.; Turpin, D.; Tönnis, C.; Vallage, B.; Van Elewyck, V.; Versari, F.; Vivolo, D.; Vizzoca, A.; Wilms, J.; Zornoza, J.D.; Zúñiga, J.

2017-01-01

Advanced LIGO detected a significant gravitational wave signal (GW170104) originating from the coalescence of two black holes during the second observation run on January 4th, 2017. An all-sky high-energy neutrino follow-up search has been made using data from the Antares neutrino telescope,

Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer All-Sky Monitor Localization of SGR 1627-41

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Donald A.; Bradt, Hale V.; Levine, Alan M.

1999-07-01

The fourth unambiguously identified soft gamma repeater (SGR), SGR 1627-41, was discovered with the BATSE instrument on 1998 June 15. Interplanetary Network (IPN) measurements and BATSE data constrained the location of this new SGR to a 6° segment of a narrow (19") annulus. We present two bursts from this source observed by the All-Sky Monitor (ASM) on the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer. We use the ASM data to further constrain the source location to a 5' long segment of the BATSE/IPN error box. The ASM/IPN error box lies within 0.3 arcmin of the supernova remnant G337.0-0.1. The probability that a supernova remnant would fall so close to the error box purely by chance is ~5%.

Photonic band edge assisted spontaneous emission enhancement from all Er3+ 1-D photonic band gap structure

Science.gov (United States)

Chiasera, A.; Meroni, C.; Varas, S.; Valligatla, S.; Scotognella, F.; Boucher, Y. G.; Lukowiak, A.; Zur, L.; Righini, G. C.; Ferrari, M.

2018-06-01

All Er3+ doped dielectric 1-D Photonic Band Gap Structure was fabricated by rf-sputtering technique. The structure was constituted by of twenty pairs of SiO2/TiO2 alternated layers doped with Er3+ ions. The scanning electron microscopy was used to check the morphology of the structure. Transmission measurements put in evidence the stop band in the range 1500 nm-1950 nm. The photoluminescence measurements were obtained by optically exciting the sample and detecting the emitted light in the 1.5 μm region at different detection angles. Luminescence spectra and luminescence decay curves put in evidence that the presence of the stop band modify the emission features of the Er3+ ions.

Artificial light alters natural regimes of night-time sky brightness

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Thomas W.; Bennie, Jonathan; Inger, Richard; Gaston, Kevin J.

2013-01-01

Artificial light is globally one of the most widely distributed forms of anthropogenic pollution. However, while both the nature and ecological effects of direct artificial lighting are increasingly well documented, those of artificial sky glow have received little attention. We investigated how city lights alter natural regimes of lunar sky brightness using a novel ten month time series of measurements recorded across a gradient of increasing light pollution. In the city, artificial lights increased sky brightness to levels six times above those recorded in rural locations, nine and twenty kilometers away. Artificial lighting masked natural monthly and seasonal regimes of lunar sky brightness in the city, and increased the number and annual regime of full moon equivalent hours available to organisms during the night. The changes have potentially profound ecological consequences.

On the influence of cloud fraction diurnal cycle and sub-grid cloud optical thickness variability on all-sky direct aerosol radiative forcing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Min, Min; Zhang, Zhibo

2014-01-01

The objective of this study is to understand how cloud fraction diurnal cycle and sub-grid cloud optical thickness variability influence the all-sky direct aerosol radiative forcing (DARF). We focus on the southeast Atlantic region where transported smoke is often observed above low-level water clouds during burning seasons. We use the CALIOP observations to derive the optical properties of aerosols. We developed two diurnal cloud fraction variation models. One is based on sinusoidal fitting of MODIS observations from Terra and Aqua satellites. The other is based on high-temporal frequency diurnal cloud fraction observations from SEVIRI on board of geostationary satellite. Both models indicate a strong cloud fraction diurnal cycle over the southeast Atlantic region. Sensitivity studies indicate that using a constant cloud fraction corresponding to Aqua local equatorial crossing time (1:30 PM) generally leads to an underestimated (less positive) diurnal mean DARF even if solar diurnal variation is considered. Using cloud fraction corresponding to Terra local equatorial crossing time (10:30 AM) generally leads overestimation. The biases are a typically around 10–20%, but up to more than 50%. The influence of sub-grid cloud optical thickness variability on DARF is studied utilizing the cloud optical thickness histogram available in MODIS Level-3 daily data. Similar to previous studies, we found the above-cloud smoke in the southeast Atlantic region has a strong warming effect at the top of the atmosphere. However, because of the plane-parallel albedo bias the warming effect of above-cloud smoke could be significantly overestimated if the grid-mean, instead of the full histogram, of cloud optical thickness is used in the computation. This bias generally increases with increasing above-cloud aerosol optical thickness and sub-grid cloud optical thickness inhomogeneity. Our results suggest that the cloud diurnal cycle and sub-grid cloud variability are important factors

Design Considerations for Autocalibrations of Wide-Band ΔΣ Fractional-N PLL Synthesizers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaewook Shin

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Autocalibration of VCO frequency and loop gain is an essential process in PLL frequency synthesizers. In a wide tuning-range fractional-N PLL frequency synthesizer, high-speed and high-precision automatic calibration is especially important for shortening the lock time and improving the phase noise. This paper reviews the design issues of the PLL auto-calibration and discusses on the limitations of the previous techniques. A very simple and efficient auto-calibration method based on a high-speed frequency-to-digital converter (FDC is proposed and verified through simulations. The proposed method is highly suited for a very wide-band ΔΣ fractional-N PLL.

The Suzaku observation of the nucleus of the radio loud active galaxy Centaurus A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markowitz, Alex

2007-01-01

A Suzaku observation of the nucleus of the radio-loud AGN Centaurus A in 2005 has yielded a broadband spectrum spanning 0.3 to 250 keV. The hard X-rays are fit by two power laws, absorbed by columns of 1.5 and 7x10 23 cm -2 respectively. The spectrum consistent with previous suggestions that the power-law components are X-ray emission from the sub-pc VLBI jet and from Bondi accretion at the core, or are consistent with a partial covering interpretation. The soft band is dominated by thermal emission from the diffuse plasma and is fit well by a two-temperature collisional ionization emission model, plus a third power-law component to account for scattered nuclear emission, kpc-scale jet emission, and emission from X-ray Binaries and other point sources. Narrow fluorescent emission lines from Fe, Si, S, Ar, Ca and Ni are detected. The width of the Fe Kα line yields a 200 light-day lower limit on the distance from the black hole to the line-emitting gas. K-shell absorption edges due to Fe, Ca, and S are detected. The high metallicity ([Fe/H]=+0.1) of the circumnuclear material suggests that the accreting material could not have originated in the metal-poor outer halo unless enrichment by local star formation has occurred. Relative element abundances are consistent with enrichment due to local star formation processes. (author)

Impulse radio ultra wide-band over multi-mode fiber for in-home signal distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Caballero Jambrina, Antonio; Rodes, Roberto; Jensen, Jesper Bevensee

2009-01-01

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a high speed impulse radio ultra wide-band (IR-UWB) wireless link for in-home network signal distribution. The IR-UWB pulse is distributed over a multimode fiber to the transmitter antenna. Wireless transmitted bit-rates of 1 Gbps at 2 m and 2 Gbps at 1.5 m...

The study of response of wide band gap semiconductor detectors using the Geant4

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hussain Riaz

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The energy dependence on the intrinsic efficiency, absolute efficiency, full energy peak absolute efficiency and peak-to-total ratio have been studied for various wide band gap semiconductor detectors using the Geant4 based Monte Carlo simulations. The detector thickness of 1-4 mm and the area in 16-100 mm2 range were considered in this work. In excellent agreement with earlier work (Rybka et al., [20], the Geant4 simulated values of detector efficiencies have been found to decrease with incident g-ray energy. Both for the detector thickness and the detector area, the increasing trends have been observed for total efficiency as well as for full-energy peak efficiency in 0.1 MeV-50 MeV range. For Cd1-xZnxTe, the detector response remained insensitive to changes in relative proportions of Zn. For various wide band gap detectors studied in this work, the detection efficiency of TlBr was found highest over the entire range of energy, followed by the HgI2, CdTe, and then by CZT.

A SUZAKU OBSERVATION OF NGC 4593: ILLUMINATING THE TRUNCATED DISK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markowitz, A. G.; Reeves, J. N.

2009-01-01

We report results from a 2007 Suzaku observation of the Seyfert 1 AGN NGC 4593. The narrow Fe Kα emission line has a FWHM width ∼ 4000 km s -1 , indicating emission from ∼> 5000 R g . There is no evidence for a relativistically broadened Fe K line, consistent with the presence of a radiatively efficient outer disk which is truncated or transitions to an interior radiatively inefficient flow. The Suzaku observation caught the source in a low-flux state; comparison to a 2002 XMM-Newton observation indicates that the hard X-ray flux decreased by 3.6, while the Fe Kα line intensity and width σ each roughly halved. Two model-dependent explanations for the changes in Fe Kα line profile are explored. In one, the Fe Kα line width has decreased from ∼10,000 to ∼4000 km s -1 from 2002 to 2007, suggesting that the thin disk truncation/transition radius has increased from 1000-2000 to ∼>5000 R g . However, there are indications from other compact accreting systems that such truncation radii tend to be associated only with accretion rates relative to Eddington much lower than that of NGC 4593. In the second model, the line profile in the XMM-Newton observation consists of a time-invariant narrow component plus a broad component originating from the inner part of the truncated disk (∼300 R g ) which has responded to the drop in continuum flux. The Compton reflection component strength R is ∼ 1.1, consistent with the measured Fe Kα line total equivalent width with an Fe abundance 1.7 times the solar value. The modest soft excess, modeled well by either thermal bremsstrahlung emission or by Comptonization of soft seed photons in an optical thin plasma, has fallen by a factor of ∼20 from 2002 to 2007, ruling out emission from a region 5 lt-yr in size.

A-Train Aerosol Observations Preliminary Comparisons with AeroCom Models and Pathways to Observationally Based All-Sky Estimates

Science.gov (United States)

Redemann, J.; Livingston, J.; Shinozuka, Y.; Kacenelenbogen, M.; Russell, P.; LeBlanc, S.; Vaughan, M.; Ferrare, R.; Hostetler, C.; Rogers, R.;

Sky light polarization detection with linear polarizer triplet in light field camera inspired by insect vision.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wenjing; Cao, Yu; Zhang, Xuanzhe; Liu, Zejin

2015-10-20

Stable information of a sky light polarization pattern can be used for navigation with various advantages such as better performance of anti-interference, no "error cumulative effect," and so on. But the existing method of sky light polarization measurement is weak in real-time performance or with a complex system. Inspired by the navigational capability of a Cataglyphis with its compound eyes, we introduce a new approach to acquire the all-sky image under different polarization directions with one camera and without a rotating polarizer, so as to detect the polarization pattern across the full sky in a single snapshot. Our system is based on a handheld light field camera with a wide-angle lens and a triplet linear polarizer placed over its aperture stop. Experimental results agree with the theoretical predictions. Not only real-time detection but simple and costless architecture demonstrates the superiority of the approach proposed in this paper.

Tropospheric haze and colors of the clear twilight sky.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Raymond L; Mollner, Duncan C

2017-07-01

At the earth's surface, clear-sky colors during civil twilights depend on the combined spectral effects of molecular scattering, extinction by tropospheric aerosols, and absorption by ozone. Molecular scattering alone cannot produce the most vivid twilight colors near the solar horizon, for which aerosol scattering and absorption are also required. However, less well known are haze aerosols' effects on twilight sky colors at larger scattering angles, including near the antisolar horizon. To analyze this range of colors, we compare 3D Monte Carlo simulations of skylight spectra with hyperspectral measurements of clear twilight skies over a wide range of aerosol optical depths. Our combined measurements and simulations indicate that (a) the purest antisolar twilight colors would occur in a purely molecular, multiple-scattering atmosphere, whereas (b) the most vivid solar-sky colors require at least some turbidity. Taken together, these results suggest that multiple scattering plays an important role in determining the redness of the antitwilight arch.

Joint density of states of wide-band-gap materials by electron energy loss spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, X.D.; Peng, J.L.; Bursill, L.A.

1998-01-01

Kramers-Kronig analysis for parallel electron energy loss spectroscopy (PEELS) data is developed as a software package. When used with a JEOL 4000EX high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) operating at 100 keV this allows us to obtain the dielectric function of relatively wide band gap materials with an energy resolution of approx 1.4 eV. The imaginary part of the dielectric function allows the magnitude of the band gap to be determined as well as the joint-density-of-states function. Routines for obtaining three variations of the joint-density of states function, which may be used to predict the optical and dielectric response for angle-resolved or angle-integration scattering geometries are also described. Applications are presented for diamond, aluminum nitride (AlN), quartz (SiO 2 ) and sapphire (Al 2 O 3 ). The results are compared with values of the band gap and density of states results for these materials obtained with other techniques. (authors)

Properties of the Variation of the Infrared Emission of OH/IR Stars I. The K Band Light Curves

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyung-Won Suh

2009-09-01

Full Text Available To study properties of the variation of the infrared emission of OH/IR stars, we collect and analyze the infrared observational data in K band for nine OH/IR stars. We use the observational data obtained for about three decades including recent data from the two micron all sky survey (2MASS and the deep near infrared survey of the southern sky (DENIS. We use Marquardt-Levenberg algorithm to determine the pulsation period and amplitude for each star and compare them with previous results of infrared and radio investigations.

Meteor Shower Forecast Improvements from a Survey of All-Sky Network Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Moorhead, Althea V.; Sugar, Glenn; Brown, Peter G.; Cooke, William J.

2015-01-01

Meteoroid impacts are capable of damaging spacecraft and potentially ending missions. In order to help spacecraft programs mitigate these risks, NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office (MEO) monitors and predicts meteoroid activity. Temporal variations in near-Earth space are described by the MEO's annual meteor shower forecast, which is based on both past shower activity and model predictions. The MEO and the University of Western Ontario operate sister networks of all-sky meteor cameras. These networks have been in operation for more than 7 years and have computed more than 20,000 meteor orbits. Using these data, we conduct a survey of meteor shower activity in the "fireball" size regime using DBSCAN. For each shower detected in our survey, we compute the date of peak activity and characterize the growth and decay of the shower's activity before and after the peak. These parameters are then incorporated into the annual forecast for an improved treatment of annual activity.

On the independent points in the sky for the search of periodic gravitational wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahay, S.K.

2009-01-01

In the search of the periodic gravitational wave we investigate independent points in the sky assuming the noise power spectral density to be flat. We have made an analysis with different initial azimuths of the Earth for a week data set. The analysis shows significant difference in the independent points in the sky under search. We numerically obtain an approximate relation to make a trade-off between computational cost and sensitivities. We also discuss the feasibility of the coherent search in small frequency band in reference to advanced LIGO. (authors)

Conjugation of fiber-coupled wide-band light sources and acousto-optical spectral elements

Science.gov (United States)

Machikhin, Alexander; Batshev, Vladislav; Polschikova, Olga; Khokhlov, Demid; Pozhar, Vitold; Gorevoy, Alexey

2017-12-01

Endoscopic instrumentation is widely used for diagnostics and surgery. The imaging systems, which provide the hyperspectral information of the tissues accessible by endoscopes, are particularly interesting and promising for in vivo photoluminescence diagnostics and therapy of tumour and inflammatory diseases. To add the spectral imaging feature to standard video endoscopes, we propose to implement acousto-optical (AO) filtration of wide-band illumination of incandescent-lamp-based light sources. To collect maximum light and direct it to the fiber-optic light guide inside the endoscopic probe, we have developed and tested the optical system for coupling the light source, the acousto-optical tunable filter (AOTF) and the light guide. The system is compact and compatible with the standard endoscopic components.

The new Wide-band Solar Neutrino Trigger for Super-Kamiokande

Science.gov (United States)

Carminati, Giada

Super-Kamiokande observes low energy electrons induced by the elastic scattering of 8B solar neutrinos. The transition region between vacuum and matter oscillations, with neutrino energy near 3 MeV, is still partially unexplored by any detector. Super-Kamiokande can study this intermediate regime adding a new software trigger. The Wide-band Intelligent Trigger (WIT) has been developed to simultaneously trigger and reconstruct very low energy electrons (above 2.49 kinetic MeV) with an e_ciency close to 100%. The WIT system, comprising 256-Hyperthreaded CPU cores and one 10-Gigabit Ethernet network switch, has been recently installed and integrated in the online DAQ system of SK and the complete system is currently in an advanced status of online data testing.

Low-noise wide-band amplifiers for stochastic beam cooling experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leskovar, B.; Lo, C.C.

1982-01-01

Noise characteristics of the continuous-wave wide-band amplifier systems for stochastic beam cooling experiments are presented. Also, the noise performance, bandwidth capability and gain stability of components used in these amplifiers are summarized and compared in the 100 MHz to 40 GHz frequency range. This includes bipolar and field-effect transistors, parametric amplifier, Schottky diode mixer and maser. Measurements of the noise characteristics and scattering parameters of variety GaAs FETs as a function of ambient temperature are also given. Performance data and design information are presented on a broadband 150-500 MHz preamplifier having noise temperature of approximately 35 0 K at ambient temperature of 20 0 K. An analysis of preamplifier stability based on scattering parameters concept is included

Final Report: Rational Design of Wide Band Gap Buffer Layers for High-Efficiency Thin-Film Photovoltaics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lordi, Vincenzo [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2016-09-30

The main objective of this project is to enable rational design of wide band gap buffer layer materials for CIGS thin-film PV by building understanding of the correlation of atomic-scale defects in the buffer layer and at the buffer/absorber interface with device electrical properties. Optimized wide band gap buffers are needed to reduce efficiency loss from parasitic absorption in the buffer. The approach uses first-principles materials simulations coupled with nanoscale analytical electron microscopy as well as device electrical characterization. Materials and devices are produced by an industrial partner in a manufacturing line to maximize relevance, with the goal of enabling R&D of new buffer layer compositions or deposition processes to push device efficiencies above 21%. Cadmium sulfide (CdS) is the reference material for analysis, as the prototypical high-performing buffer material.

A deep Suzaku observation of the Galactic Ia supernova remnant G306.3-0.9

Science.gov (United States)

Tachibana, K.; Sawada, M.; Uchida, H.; Ito, Y.; Matsumura, H.; Bamba, A.; Tsuru, T.; Tanaka, T.

2017-10-01

The supernova remnant (SNR) G306.3-0.9 was discovered by Swift in 2011. Its relatively small size confirmed by Chandra implies the SNR is young (Reynolds et al. 2013). XMM-Newton (Combi et al. 2016) and Suzaku (Sezer et al. 2017) discovered strong Fe-Kα, and established a type-Ia origin of the SNR. Recent studies of young Ia SNRs have revealed Fe has lower ionization state than intermediate mass elements (IME) . This implies they maintain a stratified ejecta structure. However, previous studies of G306.3-0.9 assumed Fe and IME have a common ionization timescale. We reanalyzed the Suzaku data with the latest calibration database to study the nature of Fe ejecta and to estimate the age. Spectrum analysis showed the Fe-Kα centroid is 6.47±0.01 keV (O-like), which results in higher electron temperature (>3 keV) and lower ionization state (˜1.5×10^{10} s cm^{3}) for Fe than IME. The Hydrogen absorption column density is (1.2-1.3)× 10^{22} cm^{-2}, leading to the conclusion that the distance of the SNR is ˜ 20 kpc and the age is ˜ 8.5 kyr. The SNR is the first example of still stratified ejecta in the late Sedov phase.

Wide band ENDOR spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendonca Filho, C.

1973-01-01

The construction of an ENDOR spectrometer operating from 0,5 to 75 MHz within a single band, with ore Klystron and homodine detection, and no fundamental changes on the electron spin resonance spectrometer was described. The ENDOR signal can be detected both by amplitude modulation of the frequency field, or direct detection of the ESR output, which is taken to a signal analyser. The signal-to-noise ratio is raised by averaging rather than filtering avoiding the use of long time constants, providing natural line widths. The experimental apparatus and the spectra obtained are described. A discussion, relating the ENDOR line amplitudes with the experimental conditions is done and ENDOR mechanism, in which there is a relevant presence of cross relaxation is proposed

SkyNet: A Modular Nuclear Reaction Network Library

Science.gov (United States)

Lippuner, Jonas; Roberts, Luke F.

2017-12-01

Almost all of the elements heavier than hydrogen that are present in our solar system were produced by nuclear burning processes either in the early universe or at some point in the life cycle of stars. In all of these environments, there are dozens to thousands of nuclear species that interact with each other to produce successively heavier elements. In this paper, we present SkyNet, a new general-purpose nuclear reaction network that evolves the abundances of nuclear species under the influence of nuclear reactions. SkyNet can be used to compute the nucleosynthesis evolution in all astrophysical scenarios where nucleosynthesis occurs. SkyNet is free and open source, and aims to be easy to use and flexible. Any list of isotopes can be evolved, and SkyNet supports different types of nuclear reactions. SkyNet is modular so that new or existing physics, like nuclear reactions or equations of state, can easily be added or modified. Here, we present in detail the physics implemented in SkyNet with a focus on a self-consistent transition to and from nuclear statistical equilibrium to non-equilibrium nuclear burning, our implementation of electron screening, and coupling of the network to an equation of state. We also present comprehensive code tests and comparisons with existing nuclear reaction networks. We find that SkyNet agrees with published results and other codes to an accuracy of a few percent. Discrepancies, where they exist, can be traced to differences in the physics implementations.

Flying Drosophila orient to sky polarization.

Science.gov (United States)

Weir, Peter T; Dickinson, Michael H

2012-01-10

Insects maintain a constant bearing across a wide range of spatial scales. Monarch butterflies and locusts traverse continents [1, 2], and foraging bees and ants travel hundreds of meters to return to their nests [1, 3, 4], whereas many other insects fly straight for only a few centimeters before changing direction. Despite this variation in spatial scale, the brain region thought to underlie long-distance navigation is remarkably conserved [5, 6], suggesting that the use of a celestial compass is a general and perhaps ancient capability of insects. Laboratory studies of Drosophila have identified a local search mode in which short, straight segments are interspersed with rapid turns [7, 8]. However, this flight mode is inconsistent with measured gene flow between geographically separated populations [9-11], and individual Drosophila can travel 10 km across desert terrain in a single night [9, 12, 13]-a feat that would be impossible without prolonged periods of straight flight. To directly examine orientation behavior under outdoor conditions, we built a portable flight arena in which a fly viewed the natural sky through a liquid crystal device that could experimentally rotate the polarization angle. Our findings indicate that Drosophila actively orient using the sky's natural polarization pattern. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transparent wide band gap crystals follow indirect allowed transition and bipolaron hopping mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feroz A. Mir

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Recently, we carried out structural, optical and dielectric studies on micro-crystals of Oxypeucedanin (C16H14O5, isolated from the roots of plant Prangos pabularia (Mir et al. (2014 [3,4]. The obtained trend in frequency exponent (s with frequency (ω indicates that the universal dynamic response is followed by this compound. From optical absorption spectroscopy, the optical band gap (Eg was estimated around 3.76 eV and system is showing indirect allowed transition. Using Eg in certain relation of s, a close value of s (as much close obtained by fitting ac conductivity was obtained. This method was further used for other similar systems and again same trend was obtained. So a general conclusion was made that the high transmitting wide band insulators or semiconductors may follow bipolaron hopping transport mechanism.

Dark Sky Protection and Education - Izera Dark Sky Park

Science.gov (United States)

Berlicki, Arkadiusz; Kolomanski, Sylwester; Mrozek, Tomasz; Zakowicz, Grzegorz

2015-08-01

Darkness of the night sky is a natural component of our environment and should be protected against negative effects of human activities. The night darkness is necessary for balanced life of plants, animals and people. Unfortunately, development of human civilization and technology has led to the substantial increase of the night-sky brightness and to situation where nights are no more dark in many areas of the World. This phenomenon is called "light pollution" and it can be rank among such problems as chemical pollution of air, water and soil. Besides the environment, the light pollution can also affect e.g. the scientific activities of astronomers - many observatories built in the past began to be located within the glow of city lights making the night observations difficult, or even impossible.In order to protect the natural darkness of nights many so-called "dark sky parks" were established, where the darkness is preserved, similar to typical nature reserves. The role of these parks is not only conservation but also education, supporting to make society aware of how serious the problem of the light pollution is.History of the dark sky areas in Europe began on November 4, 2009 in Jizerka - a small village situated in the Izera Mountains, when Izera Dark Sky Park (IDSP) was established - it was the first transboundary dark sky park in the World. The idea of establishing that dark sky park in the Izera Mountains originated from a need to give to the society in Poland and Czech Republic the knowledge about the light pollution. Izera Dark Sky Park is a part of the astro-tourism project "Astro Izery" that combines tourist attraction of Izera Valley and astronomical education under the wonderful starry Izera sky. Besides the IDSP, the project Astro Izery consists of the set of simple astronomical instruments (gnomon, sundial), natural educational trail "Solar System Model", and astronomical events for the public. In addition, twice a year we organize a 3-4 days

The Missing Link: Early Methane ("T") Dwarfs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Leggett; Geballe; Fan; Schneider; Gunn; Lupton; Knapp; Strauss; McDaniel; Golimowski; Henry; Peng; Tsvetanov; Uomoto; Zheng; Hill; Ramsey; Anderson; Annis; Bahcall; Brinkmann; Chen; Csabai; Fukugita; Hennessy; Hindsley; Ivezic; Lamb; Munn; Pier; Schlegel; Smith; Stoughton; Thakar; York

2000-06-10

We report the discovery of three cool brown dwarfs that fall in the effective temperature gap between the latest L dwarfs currently known, with no methane absorption bands in the 1-2.5 µm range, and the previously known methane (T) dwarfs, whose spectra are dominated by methane and water. The newly discovered objects were detected as very red objects in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey imaging data and have JHK colors between the red L dwarfs and the blue Gl 229B-like T dwarfs. They show both CO and CH(4) absorption in their near-infrared spectra in addition to H(2)O, with weaker CH(4) absorption features in the H and K bands than those in all other methane dwarfs reported to date. Due to the presence of CH(4) in these bands, we propose that these objects are early T dwarfs. The three form part of the brown dwarf spectral sequence and fill in the large gap in the overall spectral sequence from the hottest main-sequence stars to the coolest methane dwarfs currently known.

Multifrequency observations of KAZ 102 during the ROSAT all-sky survey

Science.gov (United States)

Treves, A.; Fink, H. H.; Malkan, M.; Wilkes, B. J.; Baganoff, F.; Heidt, J.; Pian, E.; Sadun, A.; Schaeidt, S.; Bonnell, J. T.

1995-01-01

The bright quasar Kaz 102, which lies in the vicinity of the North Ecliptic Pole, was monitored during the ROSAT All Sky Survey for 121.5 days from 1990 July 30 to 1991 January 25. In the course of the survey, optical photometry with various filters was peformed at several epochs, together with UV (IUE) and optical spectrophotometry. The spectral energy distribution in the 3 x 10(exp 14) -3 x 10(exp 17) Hz range is obtained simultaneously among the various frequencies to less than or = 1 day. No clear case of variability can be made in the X-rays, while in the optical and UV variability of 10%-20% is apparent. An analysis of IUE and Einstein archives indicates a doubling timescale of years for the UV and soft X-ray flux. The X-ray photon index, which in 1979 was rather flat (Gamma = 0.8(+0.6 -0.4), in 1990/1991 was found to be Gamma = 2.22 +/- 0.13, a typical value for radio-quiet quasars in this energy range. The overall energy distribution and the variability are discussed.

Proposal of a wide-band mirror polarizer of slow neutrons at a pulsed neutron source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikitenko, Yu.V.; Ostanevich, Yu.M.

1992-01-01

The new type wide-band mirror-based neutron polarizer to be operated at a pulsed neutron source is suggested. The idea is to use a movable polarizing mirror system, which, be the incoming beam monochromatized by the time-of-flight, would allow one to tune glancing angles in time so, that the total reflection condition is always fulfilled only for one of the two neutron spin eigenstates. Estimates show, that with the pulsed reactor IBR-2 such polarizer allows one to build a small-angle neutron scattering instrument capable to effectively use the wave-length band from 2 to 15 A. 9 refs.; 1 fig

Ultra Wide Band RFID Neutron Tags for Nuclear Materials Monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nekoogar, F.; Dowla, F.; Wang, T.

2010-01-01

Recent advancements in the ultra-wide band Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and solid state pillar type neutron detectors have enabled us to move forward in combining both technologies for advanced neutron monitoring. The LLNL RFID tag is totally passive and will operate indefinitely without the need for batteries. The tag is compact, can be directly mounted on metal, and has high performance in dense and cluttered environments. The LLNL coin-sized pillar solid state neutron detector has achieved a thermal neutron detection efficiency of 20% and neutron/gamma discrimination of 1E5. These performance values are comparable to a fieldable 3 He based detector. In this paper we will discuss features about the two technologies and some potential applications for the advanced safeguarding of nuclear materials.

2013 Australasian sky guide

CERN Document Server

Lomb, Nick

2012-01-01

Compact, easy to use and reliable, this popular guide contains everything you need to know about the southern night sky with monthly star maps, diagrams and details of all the year's exciting celestial events. Wherever you are in Australia or New Zealand, easy calculations allow you to determine when the Sun, Moon and planets will rise and set throughout the year. Also included is information on the latest astronomical findings from space probes and telescopes around the world. The Sky guide has been published annually by the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, since 1991. It is recommended for photogr

Weak wide-band signal detection method based on small-scale periodic state of Duffing oscillator

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Jian; Yan, Xiao-peng; Li, Ping; Hao, Xin-hong

2018-03-01

The conventional Duffing oscillator weak signal detection method, which is based on a strong reference signal, has inherent deficiencies. To address these issues, the characteristics of the Duffing oscillatorʼs phase trajectory in a small-scale periodic state are analyzed by introducing the theory of stopping oscillation system. Based on this approach, a novel Duffing oscillator weak wide-band signal detection method is proposed. In this novel method, the reference signal is discarded, and the to-be-detected signal is directly used as a driving force. By calculating the cosine function of a phase space angle, a single Duffing oscillator can be used for weak wide-band signal detection instead of an array of uncoupled Duffing oscillators. Simulation results indicate that, compared with the conventional Duffing oscillator detection method, this approach performs better in frequency detection intervals, and reduces the signal-to-noise ratio detection threshold, while improving the real-time performance of the system. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61673066).

Preliminary Inter-Comparison between AHI, VIIRS and MODIS Clear-Sky Ocean Radiances for Accurate SST Retrievals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xingming Liang

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Clear-sky brightness temperatures (BT in five bands of the Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI; flown onboard Himawari-8 satellite centered at 3.9, 8.6, 10.4, 11.2, and 12.3 µm (denoted by IR37, IR86, IR10, IR11, and IR12, respectively are used in the NOAA Advanced Clear-Sky Processor for Oceans (ACSPO sea surface temperature (SST retrieval system. Here, AHI BTs are preliminarily evaluated for stability and consistency with the corresponding VIIRS and MODIS BTs, using the sensor observation minus model simulation (O-M biases and corresponding double differences. The objective is to ensure accurate and consistent SST products from the polar and geo sensors, and to prepare for the launch of the GOES-R satellite in 2016. All five AHI SST bands are found to be largely in-family with their polar counterparts, but biased low relative to the VIIRS and MODIS (which, in turn, were found to be stable and consistent, except for Terra IR86, which is biased high by 1.5 K. The negative biases are larger in IR37 and IR12 (up to ~−0.5 K, followed by the three remaining longwave IR bands IR86, IR10, and IR11 (from −0.3 to −0.4 K. These negative biases may be in part due to the uncertainties in AHI calibration and characterization, although uncertainties in the coefficients of the Community Radiative Transfer Model (CRTM, used to generate the “M” term may also contribute. Work is underway to add AHI analyses in the NOAA Monitoring of IR Clear-Sky Radiances over Oceans for SST (MICROS system and improve AHI BTs by collaborating with the sensor calibration and CRTM teams. The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI analyses will be also added in MICROS when GOES-R is launched in late 2016 and the ABI IR data become available.

Night sky luminance under clear sky conditions: Theory vs. experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kocifaj, Miroslav

2014-01-01

Sky glow is caused by both natural phenomena and factors of anthropogenic origin, and of the latter ground-based light sources are the most important contributors for they emit the spatially linked spectral radiant intensity distribution of artificial light sources, which are further modulated by local atmospheric optics and perceived as the diffuse light of a night sky. In other words, sky glow is closely related to a city's shape and pattern of luminaire distribution, in practical effect an almost arbitrary deployment of random orientation of heterogeneous electrical light sources. Thus the luminance gradation function measured in a suburban zone or near the edges of a city is linked to the City Pattern or vice versa. It is shown that clear sky luminance/radiance data recorded in an urban area can be used to retrieve the bulk luminous/radiant intensity distribution if some a-priori information on atmospheric aerosols is available. For instance, the single scattering albedo of aerosol particles is required under low turbidity conditions, as demonstrated on a targeted experiment in the city of Frýdek-Mistek. One of the main advantages of the retrieval method presented in this paper is that the single scattering approximation is satisfactorily accurate in characterizing the light field near the ground because the dominant contribution to the sky glow has originated from beams propagated along short optical paths. - Highlights: • Urban sky glow is interpreted in terms of city emission function. • Luminance function in a suburban zone is linked to the City Pattern. • Single scattering approximation is applicable in modeling urban sky glow. • Information on aerosols represents valuable inputs to the retrieval procedure. • Sky glow patterns vary with light source distribution and spectral emission

Anisotropy in the Microwave Sky at 90 GHz: Results from Python III

Science.gov (United States)

Platt, S. R.; Kovac, J.; Dragovan, M.; Peterson, J. B.; Ruhl, J. E.

1997-01-01

The third year of observations with the Python microwave background experiment densely samples a 5.5d × 22° region of sky that includes the fields measured during the first 2 years of observations with this instrument. The sky is sampled in two multipole bands centered at l ~ 87 and l ~ 170. These two data sets are analyzed to place limits on fluctuations in the microwave sky at 90 GHz. Interpreting the observed fluctuations as anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background, we find flat-band power estimates of δTl ≡ [l(l + 1)Cl/(2π)]1/2 = 60+15-13 μK at l = 87+18-38 and δTl = 66+17-16 μK at l = 170+69-50. Combining the entire 3 year set of Python observations, we find that the angular power spectrum of fluctuations has a spectral index m = 0.16+.20-.18 and an amplitude δTle = 63+15-14 μK at le = 139+99-34 for the functional form δTl = δTle(l/le)m. The stated uncertainties in the amplitudes and spectral index represent 1 σ confidence intervals in the likelihood added in quadrature with a 20% calibration uncertainty and an estimate of the effects of a +/-0.05d uncertainty in the measured beamwidths. The limits of l are determined from the half-maximum points of the window functions.

Infrared Sky Surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Stephan D.

2009-02-01

A retrospective is given on infrared sky surveys from Thomas Edison’s proposal in the late 1870s to IRAS, the first sensitive mid- to far-infrared all-sky survey, and the mid-1990s experiments that filled in the IRAS deficiencies. The emerging technology for space-based surveys is highlighted, as is the prominent role the US Defense Department, particularly the Air Force, played in developing and applying detector and cryogenic sensor advances to early mid-infrared probe-rocket and satellite-based surveys. This technology was transitioned to the infrared astronomical community in relatively short order and was essential to the success of IRAS, COBE and ISO. Mention is made of several of the little known early observational programs that were superseded by more successful efforts.

Testing an inversion method for estimating electron energy fluxes from all-sky camera images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Partamies

2004-06-01

Full Text Available An inversion method for reconstructing the precipitating electron energy flux from a set of multi-wavelength digital all-sky camera (ASC images has recently been developed by tomografia. Preliminary tests suggested that the inversion is able to reconstruct the position and energy characteristics of the aurora with reasonable accuracy. This study carries out a thorough testing of the method and a few improvements for its emission physics equations. We compared the precipitating electron energy fluxes as estimated by the inversion method to the energy flux data recorded by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP satellites during four passes over auroral structures. When the aurorae appear very close to the local zenith, the fluxes inverted from the blue (427.8nm filtered ASC images or blue and green line (557.7nm images together give the best agreement with the measured flux values. The fluxes inverted from green line images alone are clearly larger than the measured ones. Closer to the horizon the quality of the inversion results from blue images deteriorate to the level of the ones from green images. In addition to the satellite data, the precipitating electron energy fluxes were estimated from the electron density measurements by the EISCAT Svalbard Radar (ESR. These energy flux values were compared to the ones of the inversion method applied to over 100 ASC images recorded at the nearby ASC station in Longyearbyen. The energy fluxes deduced from these two types of data are in general of the same order of magnitude. In 35% of all of the blue and green image inversions the relative errors were less than 50% and in 90% of the blue and green image inversions less than 100%. This kind of systematic testing of the inversion method is the first step toward using all-sky camera images in the way in which global UV images have recently been used to estimate the energy fluxes. The advantages of ASCs, compared to the space-born imagers, are

The UKIRT Hemisphere Survey: definition and J-band data release

Science.gov (United States)

Dye, S.; Lawrence, A.; Read, M. A.; Fan, X.; Kerr, T.; Varricatt, W.; Furnell, K. E.; Edge, A. C.; Irwin, M.; Hambly, N.; Lucas, P.; Almaini, O.; Chambers, K.; Green, R.; Hewett, P.; Liu, M. C.; McGreer, I.; Best, W.; Zhang, Z.; Sutorius, E.; Froebrich, D.; Magnier, E.; Hasinger, G.; Lederer, S. M.; Bold, M.; Tedds, J. A.

2018-02-01

This paper defines the UK Infra-Red Telescope (UKIRT) Hemisphere Survey (UHS) and release of the remaining ∼12 700 deg2 of J-band survey data products. The UHS will provide continuous J- and K-band coverage in the Northern hemisphere from a declination of 0° to 60° by combining the existing Large Area Survey, Galactic Plane Survey and Galactic Clusters Survey conducted under the UKIRT Infra-red Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) programme with this new additional area not covered by UKIDSS. The released data include J-band imaging and source catalogues over the new area, which, together with UKIDSS, completes the J-band UHS coverage over the full ∼17 900 deg2 area. 98 per cent of the data in this release have passed quality control criteria. The remaining 2 per cent have been scheduled for re-observation. The median 5σ point source sensitivity of the released data is 19.6 mag (Vega). The median full width at half-maximum of the point spread function across the data set is 0.75 arcsec. In this paper, we outline the survey management, data acquisition, processing and calibration, quality control and archiving as well as summarizing the characteristics of the released data products. The data are initially available to a limited consortium with a world-wide release scheduled for 2018 August.

Novel X-ray telescopes for wide-field X-ray monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hudec, R.; Inneman, A.; Pina, L.; Sveda, L.

2005-01-01

We report on fully innovative very wide-field of view X-ray telescopes with high sensitivity as well as large field of view. The prototypes are very promising, allowing the proposals for space projects with very wide-field Lobster-eye X-ray optics to be considered. The novel telescopes will monitor the sky with unprecedented sensitivity and angular resolution of order of 1 arcmin. They are expected to contribute essentially to study and to understand various astrophysical objects such as AGN, SNe, Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), X-ray flashes (XRFs), galactic binary sources, stars, CVs, X-ray novae, various transient sources, etc. The Lobster optics based X-ray All Sky Monitor is capable to detect around 20 GRBs and 8 XRFs yearly and this will surely significantly contribute to the related science

Investigation on wide-band scattering of a 2-D target above 1-D randomly rough surface by FDTD method.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Juan; Guo, Li-Xin; Jiao, Yong-Chang; Li, Ke

2011-01-17

Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm with a pulse wave excitation is used to investigate the wide-band composite scattering from a two-dimensional(2-D) infinitely long target with arbitrary cross section located above a one-dimensional(1-D) randomly rough surface. The FDTD calculation is performed with a pulse wave incidence, and the 2-D representative time-domain scattered field in the far zone is obtained directly by extrapolating the currently calculated data on the output boundary. Then the 2-D wide-band scattering result is acquired by transforming the representative time-domain field to the frequency domain with a Fourier transform. Taking the composite scattering of an infinitely long cylinder above rough surface as an example, the wide-band response in the far zone by FDTD with the pulsed excitation is computed and it shows a good agreement with the numerical result by FDTD with the sinusoidal illumination. Finally, the normalized radar cross section (NRCS) from a 2-D target above 1-D rough surface versus the incident frequency, and the representative scattered fields in the far zone versus the time are analyzed in detail.

[The effect of technological parameters of wide-band laser cladding on microstructure and sinterability of gradient bioceramics composite coating].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qibin; Zhu, Weidong; Zou, Longjiang; Zheng, Min; Dong, Chuang

2005-12-01

The gradient bioceramics coating was prepared on the surface of Ti-6Al-4V alloy by using wide-band laser cladding. And the effect of technological parameters of wide-band laser cladding on microstructure and sinterability of gradient bioceramics composite coating was studied. The experimental results indicated that in the circumstances of size of laser doze D and scanning velocity V being fixed, with the increasement of power P, the density of microstructure in bioceramics coating gradually degraded; with the increasement of power P, the pore rate of bioceramics gradually became high. While P = 2.3 KW, the bioceramics coating with dense structure and lower pore rate (5.11%) was obtained; while P = 2.9 KW, the bioceramics coating with disappointing density was formed and its pore rate was up to 21.32%. The microhardness of bioceramics coating demonstrated that while P = 2.3 KW, the largest value of microhardness of bioceramics coating was 1100 HV. Under the condition of our research work, the optimum technological parameters for preparing gradient bioceramics coating by wide-band laser cladding are: P = 2.3 KW, V = 145 mm/min, D = 16 mm x 2 mm.

Dark Sky Education | CTIO

Science.gov (United States)

Calendar Activities NOAO-S EPO Programs CADIAS Astro Chile Hugo E. Schwarz Telescope Dark Sky Education ‹› You are here CTIO Home » Outreach » NOAO-S EPO Programs » Dark Sky Education Dark Sky Education Dark Sky Education (in progress) Is an EPO Program. It runs Globe at Night, an annual program to

Chemical synthesis of Cd-free wide band gap materials for solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sankapal, B.R.; Sartale, S.D.; Ennaoui, A. [Hahn-Meitner-Institut, Berlin (Germany). Department of Solar Energy Research; Lokhande, C.D. [Shivaji University, Kolhapur (India). Department of Physics

2004-07-01

Chemical methods are nowadays very attractive, since they are relatively simple, low cost and convenient for larger area deposition of thin films. In this paper, we outline our work related to the synthesis and characterization of some wide band gap semiconducting material thin films prepared by using solution methods, namely, chemical bath deposition and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR). The optimum preparative parameters are given and respective structural, surface morphological, compositional, optical, and electrical properties are described. Some materials we used in solar cells as buffer layers and achieved remarkable results, which are summarized. (author)

The Python Sky Model: software for simulating the Galactic microwave sky

Science.gov (United States)

Thorne, B.; Dunkley, J.; Alonso, D.; Næss, S.

2017-08-01

We present a numerical code to simulate maps of Galactic emission in intensity and polarization at microwave frequencies, aiding in the design of cosmic microwave background experiments. This python code builds on existing efforts to simulate the sky by providing an easy-to-use interface and is based on publicly available data from the WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe) and Planck satellite missions. We simulate synchrotron, thermal dust, free-free and anomalous microwave emission over the whole sky, in addition to the cosmic microwave background, and include a set of alternative prescriptions for the frequency dependence of each component, for example, polarized dust with multiple temperatures and a decorrelation of the signals with frequency, which introduce complexity that is consistent with current data. We also present a new prescription for adding small-scale realizations of these components at resolutions greater than current all-sky measurements. The usefulness of the code is demonstrated by forecasting the impact of varying foreground complexity on the recovered tensor-to-scalar ratio for the LiteBIRD satellite. The code is available at: https://github.com/bthorne93/PySM_public.

BlueSky Cloud Framework: An E-Learning Framework Embracing Cloud Computing

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Bo; Zheng, Qinghua; Qiao, Mu; Shu, Jian; Yang, Jie

Currently, E-Learning has grown into a widely accepted way of learning. With the huge growth of users, services, education contents and resources, E-Learning systems are facing challenges of optimizing resource allocations, dealing with dynamic concurrency demands, handling rapid storage growth requirements and cost controlling. In this paper, an E-Learning framework based on cloud computing is presented, namely BlueSky cloud framework. Particularly, the architecture and core components of BlueSky cloud framework are introduced. In BlueSky cloud framework, physical machines are virtualized, and allocated on demand for E-Learning systems. Moreover, BlueSky cloud framework combines with traditional middleware functions (such as load balancing and data caching) to serve for E-Learning systems as a general architecture. It delivers reliable, scalable and cost-efficient services to E-Learning systems, and E-Learning organizations can establish systems through these services in a simple way. BlueSky cloud framework solves the challenges faced by E-Learning, and improves the performance, availability and scalability of E-Learning systems.

Modelling and Display of the Ultraviolet Sky

Science.gov (United States)

Daniels, J.; Henry, R.; Murthy, J.; Allen, M.; McGlynn, T. A.; Scollick, K.

1994-12-01

A computer program is currently under development to model in 3D - one dimension of which is wavelength - all the known and major speculated sources of ultraviolet (900 A - 3100 A ) radiation over the celestial sphere. The software is being written in Fortran 77 and IDL and currently operates under IRIX (the operating system of the Silicon Graphics Iris Machine); all output models are in FITS format. Models along with display software will become available to the astronomical community. The Ultraviolet Sky Model currently includes the Zodiacal Light, Point Sources of Emission, and the Diffuse Galactic Light. The Ultraviolet Sky Model is currently displayed using SkyView: a package under development at NASA/ GSFC, which allows users to retrieve and display publically available all-sky astronomical survey data (covering many wavebands) over the Internet. We present a demonstration of the SkyView display of the Ultraviolet Model. The modelling is a five year development project: the work illustrated here represents product output at the end of year one. Future work includes enhancements to the current models and incorporation of the following models: Galactic Molecular Hydrogen Fluorescence; Galactic Highly Ionized Atomic Line Emission; Integrated Extragalactic Light; and speculated sources in the intergalactic medium such as Ionized Plasma and radiation from Non-Baryonic Particle Decay. We also present a poster which summarizes the components of the Ultraviolet Sky Model and outlines a further package that will be used to display the Ultraviolet Model. This work is supported by United States Air Force Contract F19628-93-K-0004. Dr J. Daniels is supported with a post-doctoral Fellowship from the Leverhulme Foundation, London, United Kingdom. We are also grateful for the encouragement of Dr Stephen Price (Phillips Laboratory, Hanscomb Air Force Base, MA)

A Supplementary Clear-Sky Snow and Ice Recognition Technique for CERES Level 2 Products

Science.gov (United States)

Radkevich, Alexander; Khlopenkov, Konstantin; Rutan, David; Kato, Seiji

2013-01-01

Identification of clear-sky snow and ice is an important step in the production of cryosphere radiation budget products, which are used in the derivation of long-term data series for climate research. In this paper, a new method of clear-sky snow/ice identification for Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is presented. The algorithm's goal is to enhance the identification of snow and ice within the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data after application of the standard CERES scene identification scheme. The input of the algorithm uses spectral radiances from five MODIS bands and surface skin temperature available in the CERES Single Scanner Footprint (SSF) product. The algorithm produces a cryosphere rating from an aggregated test: a higher rating corresponds to a more certain identification of the clear-sky snow/ice-covered scene. Empirical analysis of regions of interest representing distinctive targets such as snow, ice, ice and water clouds, open waters, and snow-free land selected from a number of MODIS images shows that the cryosphere rating of snow/ice targets falls into 95% confidence intervals lying above the same confidence intervals of all other targets. This enables recognition of clear-sky cryosphere by using a single threshold applied to the rating, which makes this technique different from traditional branching techniques based on multiple thresholds. Limited tests show that the established threshold clearly separates the cryosphere rating values computed for the cryosphere from those computed for noncryosphere scenes, whereas individual tests applied consequently cannot reliably identify the cryosphere for complex scenes.

Wide-band gap devices in PV systems - opportunities and challenges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sintamarean, Nicolae Cristian; Eni, Emanuel-Petre; Blaabjerg, Frede

2014-01-01

have an important role in the cost reduction. To increase the efficiency of PV systems, most of solutions for PV inverters have moved to three-level (3L) structures reaching typical efficiencies of 98% due to low switching losses of 600V Si IGBT or MOSFET and reduced core losses in the filter......The recent developments in wide band-gap devices based GaN and SiC is showing a high impact on the PV-inverter technology, which is strongly influenced by efficiency, power density and cost. Besides the high efficiency of PV inverters, also the mechanical size, the compactness and simple structure......) three-phase PV-inverter topologies in terms of efficiency, thermal loading distribution and costs. Moreover the above mentioned PV-inverters are built and tested in laboratory in order to validate the obtained results....

Investigations of the Background Stratospheric Aerosol Using Multicolor Wide-Angle Measurements of the Twilight Glow Background

Science.gov (United States)

Ugolnikov, O. S.; Maslov, I. A.

2018-03-01

The first results of multiwave measurements of twilight background and the all-sky camera with a color (RGB) CCD matrix conducted in the spring and summer of 2016 in Central Russia (55.2° N, 37.5° E) have been discussed. The observations reveal the effect of aerosol scattering at heights of up to 35 km, which is substantially enhanced in the long-wave part of the spectrum (R band with an effective wavelength of 624 nm). An analysis of the behavior of the sky color during light period of twilight with allowance for the absorption by ozone in the Chappuis bands make it possible to restore the angular dependences of the intensity of the aerosol scattering of the light. This is used to determine the parameters of the lognormal distribution of aerosol particles over their sizes with a mean radius of 0.08 μm and a width of 1.5-1.6 for the stratospheric height interval.

Photometric Assessment of Night Sky Quality over Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Li-Wei; Duriscoe, Dan M.; White, Jeremy M.; Meadows, Bob; Anderson, Sharolyn J.

2018-06-01

The US National Park Service (NPS) characterizes night sky conditions over Chaco Culture National Historical Park using measurements in the park and satellite data. The park is located near the geographic center of the San Juan Basin of northwestern New Mexico and the adjacent Four Corners state. In the park, we capture a series of night sky images in V-band using our mobile camera system on nine nights from 2001 to 2016 at four sites. We perform absolute photometric calibration and determine the image placement to obtain multiple 45-million-pixel mosaic images of the entire night sky. We also model the regional night sky conditions in and around the park based on 2016 VIIRS satellite data. The average zenith brightness is 21.5 mag/arcsec2, and the whole sky is only ~16% brighter than the natural conditions. The faintest stars visible to naked eyes have magnitude of approximately 7.0, reaching the sensitivity limit of human eyes. The main impacts to Chaco’s night sky quality are the light domes from Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Farmington, Bloomfield, Gallup, Santa Fe, Grants, and Crown Point. A few of these light domes exceed the natural brightness of the Milky Way. Additionally, glare sources from oil and gas development sites are visible along the north and east horizons. Overall, the night sky quality at Chaco Culture National Historical Park is very good. The park preserves to a large extent the natural illumination cycles, providing a refuge for crepuscular and nocturnal species. During clear and dark nights, visitors have an opportunity to see the Milky Way from nearly horizon to horizon, complete constellations, and faint astronomical objects and natural sources of light such as the Andromeda Galaxy, zodiacal light, and airglow.

Indium oxide—a transparent, wide-band gap semiconductor for (opto)electronic applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bierwagen, Oliver

2015-01-01

The present review takes a semiconductor physics perspective to summarize the state-of-the art of In 2 O 3 in relation to applications. After discussing conventional and novel applications, the crystal structure, synthesis of single-crystalline material, band-structure and optical transparency are briefly introduced before focussing on the charge carrier transport properties. The issues of unintentional n-type conductivity and its likely causes, the surface electron accumulation, and the lack of p-type conductivity will be presented. Intentional doping will be demonstrated to control the electron concentration and resistivity over a wide range, but is also subject to compensation. The control of the surface accumulation in relation to Schottky and ohmic contacts will be demonstrated. In the context of scattering mechanisms, the electron mobility and its limits will be discussed. Finally, the Seebeck coefficient and its significance will be shown, and ferromagnetic doping of In 2 O 3 will be critically discussed. With this overview most if not all ingredients for the use of In 2 O 3 as semiconductor material in novel or improved conventional devices will be given. (invited review)

Statistical study of auroral omega bands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Partamies

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The presence of very few statistical studies on auroral omega bands motivated us to test-use a semi-automatic method for identifying large-scale undulations of the diffuse aurora boundary and to investigate their occurrence. Five identical all-sky cameras with overlapping fields of view provided data for 438 auroral omega-like structures over Fennoscandian Lapland from 1996 to 2007. The results from this set of omega band events agree remarkably well with previous observations of omega band occurrence in magnetic local time (MLT, lifetime, location between the region 1 and 2 field-aligned currents, as well as current density estimates. The average peak emission height of omega forms corresponds to the estimated precipitation energies of a few keV, which experienced no significant change during the events. Analysis of both local and global magnetic indices demonstrates that omega bands are observed during substorm expansion and recovery phases that are more intense than average substorm expansion and recovery phases in the same region. The omega occurrence with respect to the substorm expansion and recovery phases is in a very good agreement with an earlier observed distribution of fast earthward flows in the plasma sheet during expansion and recovery phases. These findings support the theory that omegas are produced by fast earthward flows and auroral streamers, despite the rarity of good conjugate observations.

"Dark Skies, Bright Kids" -- Astronomy Education and Outreach in Rural Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

Zasowski, Gail; Johnson, K.; Beaton, R.; Carlberg, J.; Czekala, I.; de Messieres, G.; Drosback, M.; Filipetti, C.; Gugliucci, N.; Hoeft, A.; Jackson, L.; Lynch, R.; Romero, C.; Sivakoff, G.; Whelan, D.; Wong, A.

2010-01-01

In the hills of central Virginia, the extraordinarily dark nighttime skies of southern Albemarle County provide a natural outdoor classroom for local science education. Until recently, this rural area lacked the financial and educational support to take full advantage of this rare and valuable natural resource. With funds provided by the NSF, a team of volunteers from the University of Virginia introduced a new program this fall called "Dark Skies - Bright Kids," which promotes science education at the elementary school level through a wide range of activities. The program volunteers (comprising undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, and faculty) have sought to develop a coherent schedule of fun and educational activities throughout the semester, with emphases on hands-on learning and critical thinking. For example, students learn about the constellations by making star-wheels, about rocketry by building and launching rockets, and about comets by assembling miniature analogs. Additional activities include stories about the scientific and cultural history of astronomy, visits by professional astronomers and popular book authors, and astronomy-themed exercises in art, music, and physical education. These projects are designed to make astronomy, and by extension all science, accessible and appealing to each student. Family involvement is important in any educational environment, particularly at the elementary school level. To include the students' families and the larger community in "Dark Skies," we hold weekly telescope observing sessions at the school. Here, all interested parties can come together to hear what the students are learning and view astronomical objects through a small telescope. We hope that this well-received program will soon expand to other disadvantaged schools in the area. The "Dark Skies" team is proud and excited to have an impact on the scientific literacy of the students in these starry-skied communities!

Finding Clusters of Galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey using Voronoi Tessellation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rita S.J., Kim

2001-01-01

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey has obtained 450 square degrees of photometric scan data, in five bands (u', g', r', i', z'), which the authors use to identify clusters of galaxies. They illustrate how they do star-galaxy separation, and present a simple and elegant method of detecting over-densities in the galaxy distribution, using the Voronoi Tessellation

The Sky at Night

CERN Document Server

Moore, Patrick

2010-01-01

For more than 50 years now Sir Patrick Moore has presented the BBC Television series Sky at Night; not a month has been missed – a record for any television series, and a record which may never be broken. Every three years or so a book is published covering the main events in both astronomy and space research. This is the 13th volume, not only a record of the programmes but also of the great advances and discoveries during the period covered - eclipses, comets, and the strange chemical lakes of Titan, for instance, but also anniversaries such as the fifteenth “birthday” of the Hubble Space Telescope, and not forgetting the programme celebrating the Sky at Night’s 50th year, attended by astronaut Piers Sellars and many others who appeared on the programme over the years. All the chapters are self-contained, and fully illustrated. In this new Sky at Night book you will find much to entertain you. It will appeal to amateurs and professionals alike.

Proposal of a wide-band mirror polarizer of slow neutrons at a pulsed neutron source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikitenko, Yu.V.; Ostanevich, Yu.M.

1993-01-01

The new type of wide-band mirror-based neutron polarizer, which is to be operated at a pulsed neutron source, is suggested. The idea is to use a movable polarizing mirror system, which, with the incoming beam monochromatized by the time-of-flight, would allow one to tune glancing angles in time so that the total reflection condition is always fulfilled only for one of the two neutron spin eigenstates. Estimates show that with the pulsed reactor IBR-2 such a polarizer allows one to build a small angle neutron scattering instrument capable of effectively using the wavelength band from 2 A with a rather high luminosity (time-averaged flux at sample position being up to 10 7 n/s/cm -2 ). (orig.)

Sky Detection in Hazy Image.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yingchao; Luo, Haibo; Ma, Junkai; Hui, Bin; Chang, Zheng

2018-04-01

Sky detection plays an essential role in various computer vision applications. Most existing sky detection approaches, being trained on ideal dataset, may lose efficacy when facing unfavorable conditions like the effects of weather and lighting conditions. In this paper, a novel algorithm for sky detection in hazy images is proposed from the perspective of probing the density of haze. We address the problem by an image segmentation and a region-level classification. To characterize the sky of hazy scenes, we unprecedentedly introduce several haze-relevant features that reflect the perceptual hazy density and the scene depth. Based on these features, the sky is separated by two imbalance SVM classifiers and a similarity measurement. Moreover, a sky dataset (named HazySky) with 500 annotated hazy images is built for model training and performance evaluation. To evaluate the performance of our method, we conducted extensive experiments both on our HazySky dataset and the SkyFinder dataset. The results demonstrate that our method performs better on the detection accuracy than previous methods, not only under hazy scenes, but also under other weather conditions.

Wide frequency independently controlled dual-band inkjet-printed antenna

KAUST Repository

AbuTarboush, Hattan F.; Shamim, Atif

2014-01-01

.2 and 23.7%, respectively. These dual-bands have the ability to be controlled independently between 1.1 and 7.5 GHz without affecting the other band. In addition, the proposed antenna can be assigned for different mobile and wireless applications

Dielectric-based subwavelength metallic meanders for wide-angle band absorbers.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Su; Qiao, Wen; Ye, Yan; Zhou, Yun; Chen, Linsen

2015-01-26

We propose nano-meanders that can achieve wide-angle band absorption in visible regime. The nano-meander consists of a subwavelength dielectric grating covered by continuous ultra-thin Aluminum film (less than one tenth of the incident wavelength). The excited photonic resonant modes, such as cavity mode, surface plasmonic mode and Rayleigh-Wood anomaly, are discussed in detail. Nearly total resonant absorption due to funneling mechanism in the air nano-groove is almost invariant with large incident angle in transverse magnetic polarization. From both the structural geometry and the nanofabrication point of view, the light absorber has a very simple geometrical structure and it is easy to be integrated into complex photonic devices. The highly efficient angle-robust light absorber can be potential candidate for a range of passive and active photonic applications, including solar-energy harvesting as well as producing artificial colors on a large scale substrate.

Neon dewar for the X-ray spectrometer onboard Suzaku

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujimoto, R. [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), JAXA, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Sagamihara 229-8510 (Japan)]. E-mail: fujimoto@isas.jaxa.jp; Mitsuda, K. [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), JAXA, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Sagamihara 229-8510 (Japan); Hirabayashi, M. [Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. (SHI), 5-2 Sobiraki-cho, Niihama 792-8588 (Japan); Narasaki, K. [Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. (SHI), 5-2 Sobiraki-cho, Niihama 792-8588 (Japan); Breon, S. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Boyle, R. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Di Pirro, M. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Volz, S.M. [NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546-0001 (United States); Kelley, R.L. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2006-04-15

The X-ray spectrometer (XRS) onboard Suzaku is the first X-ray microcalorimeter array in orbit. The sensor array is operated at 60mK, which is attained by an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator and superfluid liquid helium. The neon dewar is a vacuum-insulated container for the XRS. The requirements for the XRS dewar are to maintain the detector and the cryogenic system under the mechanical environment at launch ({approx}15G), and to attain a lifetime of 3 years in a near-earth orbit. It is characterized with adoptions of solid neon as the second cryogen and a mechanical cooler, design optimization of the support straps for the neon tank to reduce the heat load as much as possible, and shock absorbers to mitigate the mechanical environment at launch. Microphonics from the mechanical cooler was one of the concerns for the detector performance, but the ground test results proved that they do not interfere with the detector. After about 1 month in orbit, its thermal performance showed that the dewar potentially achieves its design goals.

Single-mode optical fiber design with wide-band ultra low bending-loss for FTTH application.

Science.gov (United States)

Watekar, Pramod R; Ju, Seongmin; Han, Won-Taek

2008-01-21

We propose a new design of a single-mode optical fiber (SMF) which exhibits ultra low bend sensitivity over a wide communication band (1.3 microm to 1.65 microm). A five-cladding fiber structure has been proposed to minimize the bending loss, estimated to be as low as 4.4x10(-10) dB/turn for the bend radius of 10 mm.

An accuracy assessment of an empirical sine model, a novel sine model and an artificial neural network model for forecasting illuminance/irradiance on horizontal plane of all sky types at Mahasarakham, Thailand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pattanasethanon, Singthong; Lertsatitthanakorn, Charoenporn; Atthajariyakul, Surat; Soponronnarit, Somchart

2008-01-01

The results of a study on all sky modeling and forecasting daylight availability for the tropical climate found in the central region of the northeastern part of Thailand (16 deg. 14' N, 103 deg. 15' E) is presented. The required components of sky quantities, namely, global and diffuse horizontal irradiance and global horizontal illuminance for saving energy used in buildings are estimated. The empirical sinusoidal models are validated. A and B values of the empirical sinusoidal model for all sky conditions are determined and developed to become a form of the sky conditions. In addition, a novel sinusoidal model, which consists of polynomial or exponential functions, is validated. A and B values of the empirical sinusoidal model for all sky conditions are determined and developed to become a new function in the polynomial or exponential form of the sky conditions. Novelettes, an artificial intelligent agent, namely, artificial neural network (ANN) model is also identified. Back propagation learning algorithms were used in the networks. Moreover, a one year data set and a next half year data set were used in order to train and test the neural network, respectively. Observation results from one year's round data indicate that luminosity and energy from the sky on horizontal in the area around Mahasarakham are frequently brighter than those of Bangkok. The accuracy of the validated model is determined in terms of the mean bias deviation (MBD), the root-mean-square-deviation (RMSD) and the coefficient of correlation (R 2 ) values. A comparison of the estimated solar irradiation values and the observed values revealed a small error slide in the empirical sinusoidal model as well. In addition, some results of the sky quantity forecast by the ANN model indicate that the ANN model is more accurate than the empirical models and the novel sinusoidal models. This study confirms the ability of the ANN to predict highly accurate solar radiance/illuminance values. We believe

The Mythology of the Night Sky

Science.gov (United States)

Falkner, David E.

The word "planet" comes from the Latin word planeta and the Greek word planes, which means "wanderer." When the ancient Greeks studied the night sky they noticed that most of the stars remained in the same position relative to all the other stars, but a few stars seem to move in the sky from day to day, week to week, and month to month. The Greeks called these rogue stars "wanderers" because they wandered through the starry background.

Celestial polarization patterns sufficient for Viking navigation with the naked eye: detectability of Haidinger's brushes on the sky versus meteorological conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Horváth, Gábor; Takács, Péter; Kretzer, Balázs; Szilasi, Szilvia; Száz, Dénes; Farkas, Alexandra; Barta, András

2017-02-01

If a human looks at the clear blue sky from which light with high enough degree of polarization d originates, an 8-shaped bowtie-like figure, the yellow Haidinger's brush can be perceived, the long axis of which points towards the sun. A band of high d arcs across the sky at 90° from the sun. A person can pick two points on that band, observe the yellow brushes and triangulate the position of the sun based on the orientation of the two observed brushes. This method has been suggested to have been used on the open sea by Viking navigators to determine the position of the invisible sun occluded by cloud or fog. Furthermore, Haidinger's brushes can also be used to locate the sun when it is below the horizon or occluded by objects on the horizon. To determine the position of the sun using the celestial polarization pattern, the d of the portion of the sky used must be greater than the viewer's degree of polarization threshold d* for perception of Haidinger's brushes. We studied under which sky conditions the prerequisite d > d* is satisfied. Using full-sky imaging polarimetry, we measured the d-pattern of skylight in the blue (450 nm) spectral range for 1296 different meteorological conditions with different solar elevation angles θ and per cent cloud cover ρ. From the measured d-patterns of a given sky we determined the proportion P of the sky for which d > d*. We obtained that P is the largest at low solar elevations θ ≈ 0° and under totally or nearly clear skies with cloud coverage ρ = 0%, when the sun's position is already easily determined. If the sun is below the horizon (-5° ≤ θ Viking navigation based on Haidinger's brushes is most useful after sunset and prior to sunrise, when the sun is not visible and large sky regions are bright, clear and polarized enough for perception of Haidinger's brushes.

Educating for the Preservation of Dark Skies

Science.gov (United States)

Preston, Sandra Lee; Cianciolo, Frank; Wetzel, Marc; Finkelstein, Keely; Wren, William; Nance, Craig

2015-08-01

The stars at night really are big and bright deep in the heart of Texas at the McDonald Observatory near Fort Davis, Texas. Each year 80,000 visitors from all over the world make the pilgrimage to the Observatory to attend one of the three-times-a-week star parties. Many experience, for the first time, the humbling, splendor of a truly dark night sky. Over the last several years, the Observatory has experienced dramatic increases in visitation demonstrating the public’s appetite for science education, in general, and interest in the night sky, in particular. This increasing interest in astronomy is, ironically, occurring at a time when most of humanity’s skies are becoming increasingly light-polluted frustrating this natural interest. Dark skies and knowledgeable education and outreach staff are an important resource in maintaining the public’s interest in astronomy, support for astronomical research, and local tourism.This year Observatory educators were inspired by the observance of the International Year of Light to promote healthy outdoor lighting through its popular Astronomy Day distance learning program. This program reaches tens of thousands of K-12 students in Texas and other states with a message of how they can take action to preserve dark skies. As well, more than a thousand Boy Scouts visiting during the summer months receive a special program, which includes activities focusing on good lighting practices, thereby earning them credits toward an astronomy badge.The Observatory also offers a half-a-dozen K-12 teacher professional development workshops onsite each year, which provide about 90 teachers with dark skies information, best-practice lighting demonstrations, and red flashlights. Multi-year workshops for National Park and State of Texas Parks personnel are offered on dark sky preservation and sky interpretation at McDonald and a Dark Skies fund for retrofitting lights in the surrounding area has been established. The Observatory also uses

Development of wide-band, time and energy resolving, optical photon detectors with application to imaging astronomy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, A.J.; Cabrera, B.; Romani, R.W.; Figueroa-Feliciano, E.; Nam, S.W.; Clarke, R.M.

2000-01-01

Superconducting transition edge sensors (TESs) are showing promise for the wide-band spectroscopy of individual photons from the mid-infrared (IR), through the optical, and into the near ultraviolet (UV). Our TES sensors are ∼20 μm square, 40 nm thick tungsten (W) films with a transition temperature of about 80 mK. We typically attain an energy resolution of 0.15 eV FWHM over the optical range with relative timing resolution of 100 ns. Single photon events with sub-microsecond risetimes and few microsecond falltimes have been achieved allowing count rates in excess of 30 kHz per pixel. Additionally, tungsten is approximately 50% absorptive in the optical (dropping to 10% in the IR) giving these devices an intrinsically high quantum efficiency. These combined traits make our detectors attractive for fast spectrophotometers and photon-starved applications such as wide-band, time and energy resolved astronomical observations. We present recent results from our work toward the fabrication and testing of the first TES optical photon imaging arrays

CFHT's SkyProbe: True Atmospheric Attenuation Measurement in the Telescope Field

Science.gov (United States)

Cuillandre, J.-C.; Magnier, E. A.; Isani, S.; Sabin, D.; Knight, W.; Kras, S.; Lai, K.

Developed at the Canada France Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), SkyProbe is a system that allows the direct measurement of the true attenuation by clouds. This measurement is performed approximately once per min, directly on the field viewed by the telescope. It has been possible to make this system relatively inexpensively due to low cost CCD cameras available on the amateur market. A crucial addition to this hardware is the recent availability of a full-sky photometry catalog at the appropriate depth: the Tycho catalog from the Hipparcos mission. A very important element in the SkyProbe data set creation is the automatic data analysis pipeline, Elixir, developed at CFHT for the improved operation of the CFHT wide-field imagers CFH12K and MegaCam. SkyProbe's FITS images are processed in real time, and the pipeline output (a zero point attenuation) provides the current sky transmission to the observers and aids immediate decision making. These measurements are also attached to the archived data, adding a key tool for future use by other astronomers. Specific features of the detector, such as intra pixel quantum efficiency variations, must be taken into consideration since the data are strongly undersampled.

The Eighth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: First Data from SDSS-III

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aihara, Hiroaki; /Tokyo U.; Prieto, Carlos Allende; /Laguna U., Tenerife; An, Deokkeun; /Ewha Women' s U., Seoul; Anderson, Scott F.; /Washington U., Seattle, Astron. Dept.; Aubourg, Eric; /APC, Paris /DAPNIA, Saclay; Balbinot, Eduardo; /Rio Grande do Sul U. /Rio de Janeiro Observ.; Beers, Timothy C.; /Michigan State U.; Berlind, Andreas A.; /Vanderbilt U.; Bickerton, Steven J.; /Princeton U.; Bizyaev, Dmitry; /Apache Point Observ.; Blanton, Michael R.; /New York U., CCPP /Penn State U.

2011-01-01

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) started a new phase in August 2008, with new instrumentation and new surveys focused on Galactic structure and chemical evolution, measurements of the baryon oscillation feature in the clustering of galaxies and the quasar Ly{alpha} forest, and a radial velocity search for planets around {approx}8000 stars. This paper describes the first data release of SDSS-III (and the eighth counting from the beginning of the SDSS). The release includes 5-band imaging of roughly 5200 deg{sup 2} in the Southern Galactic Cap, bringing the total footprint of the SDSS imaging to 14,555 deg{sup 2}, or over a third of the Celestial Sphere. All the imaging data have been reprocessed with an improved sky-subtraction algorithm and a final, self-consistent recalibration and flat-field determination. This release also includes all data from the second phase of the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Evolution (SEGUE-2), consisting of spectroscopy of approximately 118,000 stars at both high and low Galactic latitudes. All the more than half a million stellar spectra obtained with the SDSS spectrograph have been reprocessed through an improved stellar parameters pipeline, which has better determination of metallicity for high metallicity stars.

4U 1626-67 as Seen by Suzaku Before and After the 2008 Torque Reversal

Science.gov (United States)

Camero-Arranz, A.; Pottschmidt, K.; Finger, M. H.; Ikhsanov, N. R.; Wilson-Hodge, C. A.; Marcu, D. M.

2012-01-01

Aims. The accretion-powered pulsar 4U 1626-67 experienced a new torque reversal at the beginning of 2008, after about 18 years of steadily spinning down. The main goal of the present work is to study this recent torque reversal that occurred in 2008 February. Methods. We present a spectral analysis of this source using two pointed observations performed by Suzaku in 2006 March and in 2010 September. Results. We confirm with Suzaku the presence of a strong emission-line complex centered on 1 keV, with the strongest line being the hydrogen-like Ne Lya at 1.025(3) keV. We were able to resolve this complex with up to seven emission lines. A dramatic increase of the intensity of the Ne Lya line after the 2008 torque reversal occurred, with the equivalent width of this line reaching almost the same value measured by ASCA in 1993. We also report on the detection of a cyclotron line feature centered at approximately 37 keV. In spite of the fact that an increase of the X-ray luminosity (0.5-100keV) of a factor of approximately 2.8 occurred between these two observations, no significant change in the energy of the cyclotron line feature was observed. However, the intensity of the approximately 1 keV line complex increased by an overall factor of approximately 8. Conclusions. Our results favor a scenario in which the neutron star in 4U 1626-67 accretes material from a geometrically thin disk during both the spin-up and spin-down phases.

The Intercomparison of X-Band SAR Images from COSMO‑SkyMed and TerraSAR-X Satellites: Case Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simone Pettinato

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The analysis of experimental data collected by X-band SAR of COSMO-SkyMed (CSK® and TerraSAR-X (TSX images on the same surface types has shown significant differences in the signal level of the two sensors. In order to investigate the possibility of combining data from the two instruments, a study was carried out by comparing images collected with similar orbital and sensor parameters (e.g., incidence angle, polarization, look angle at approximately the same date on two Italian agricultural test sites. Several homogenous agricultural fields within the observed area common to the two sensors were selected. Some forest plots have also been considered and used as a reference target. Direct comparisons were then performed between CSK and TSX images in different acquisition modes. The analysis carried out on the agricultural fields showed that, in general, the backscattering coefficient is higher in TSX Stripmap images with respect to CSK-Himage (about 3 dB, while CSK-Ping Pong data showed values lower than TSX of about 4.8 dB. Finally, a difference in backscattering of about 2.5 dB was pointed out between CSK-Himage and Ping-Pong images on agricultural fields. These results, achieved on bare soils, have also been compared with simulations performed by using the Advanced Integral Equation Model (AIEM.

Suzaku Reveals Helium-burning Products in the X-Ray-emitting Planetary Nebula BD +30 3639

Science.gov (United States)

Murashima, M.; Kokubun, M.; Makishima, K.; Kotoku, J.; Murakami, H.; Matsushita, K.; Hayashida, K.; Arnaud, K.; Hamaguchi, K.; Matsumoto, H.

2006-08-01

BD +30 3639, the brightest planetary nebula at X-ray energies, was observed with Suzaku, an X-ray observatory launched on 2005 July 10. Using the X-ray Imaging Spectrometer, the K lines from C VI, O VII, and O VIII were resolved for the first time, and the C/O, N/O, and Ne/O abundance ratios were determined. The C/O and Ne/O abundance ratios exceed the solar value by factors of at least 30 and 5, respectively. These results indicate that the X-rays are emitted mainly by helium-shell-burning products.

Measurement of the nucleon structure function in the deep inelastic neutrino-iron scattering with a wide-band neutrino beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flottmann, T.

1982-01-01

In this thesis the nucleon structure function xF 3 is determined from the inclusive measurement of the deep inelastic neutrino nucleon charged current interaction. The data were taken in the CERN wide band neutrino beam using the detector of the CERN-Dortmund-Heidelberg-Saclay collaboration. This detector serves at the same time as target, as hadron energy calorimeter and as muon spectrometer. One major aspect of this work was to study the possibility of using high statistics wide band beam data for structure function analysis. The systematic errors specific to this kind of beam are investigated. To obtain the differential cross sections about 100000 neutrino and 75000 antineutrino events in the energy range 20-200 GeV are analysed. The differential cross sections are normalized to the total cross sections, as measured in the narrow band beam by the same collaboration. The calculated structure function xF 3 shows significant deviations from scaling. These scaling violations are compared quantitatively with the predictions of quantum chromodynamics. (orig.) [de

Dwarfs Cooler Than M: The Definition of Spectral Type L Using Discoveries from the 2-Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS)

Science.gov (United States)

Kirkpatrick, J.; Reid, I.; Liebert, J.; Cutri, R.; Nelson, B.; Beichman, C.; Dahn, C.; Monet, D.; Gizis, J.; Skrutskie, M.

1998-01-01

Before the 2-Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) began, only six objects were known with spectral types later than M9.5 V. In the first 371 sq. deg. of actual 2MASS survey data, we have identified another twenty such objects spectroscopically confirmed using the Low Resolution Imaging Spectrograph (LRIS) at the W.M. Keck Observatory.

Field measurements of the global UV-B radiation: a comparison between a broad-band radiometer and a Brewer spectrophotometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anav, A.; Moriconi, M.L.; Di Menno, M.; Giannoccolo, S.

1996-01-01

The spectral responsivity shape plays an important role in the prospect of a wide use of broad-band meters in the UV-B monitoring. As most UV-B broad-band meters have a responsivity approximating an erythemal action spectrum, a measurement campaign was planned to verify if such an instrument could be successfully used to measure the unfiltered global irradiance. A Yankee radiometer mod. UV-B 1 and a Brewer spectrophotometer, considered as a reference meter, were compared for this purpose. A short theoretical treatment of the Yankee radiometer response and some results of the comparison are shown. Only clear-sky days data are selected so that the UV-B radiation reaching the ground could be modelled as the sum of the direct and isotropic diffuse components. The comparison results show a good agreement between the two instruments and confirm the capability of a broad-band UV-B radiometer of correctly measuring the global irradiance

Broadband X-ray spectra of the ultraluminous x-ray source Holmberg IX X-1 observed with NuSTAR, XMM-Newton, and Suzaku

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Walton, D. J.; Harrison, F. A.; Grefenstette, B. W.

2014-01-01

We present results from the coordinated broadband X-ray observations of the extreme ultraluminous X-ray source Holmberg IX X-1 performed by NuSTAR, XMM-Newton, and Suzaku in late 2012. These observations provide the first high-quality spectra of Holmberg IX X-1 above 10 keV to date, extending the...

Modeling of Wide-Band-Gap Semiconductor Alloys

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Lambrecht, W

1998-01-01

.... The band structure and the total energy properties of LiGaO2 were studied in relation to its possible role as a substrate for GaN growth and as a model system for cation ordering on wurtzite based lattices...

BANYAN. V. A SYSTEMATIC ALL-SKY SURVEY FOR NEW VERY LATE-TYPE LOW-MASS STARS AND BROWN DWARFS IN NEARBY YOUNG MOVING GROUPS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gagné, Jonathan; Lafrenière, David; Doyon, René; Malo, Lison; Artigau, Étienne [Département de Physique, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128 Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7 (Canada)

2015-01-10

We present the BANYAN All-Sky Survey (BASS) catalog, consisting of 228 new late-type (M4-L6) candidate members of nearby young moving groups (YMGs) with an expected false-positive rate of ∼13%. This sample includes 79 new candidate young brown dwarfs and 22 planetary-mass objects. These candidates were identified through the first systematic all-sky survey for late-type low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in YMGs. We cross-matched the Two Micron All Sky Survey and AllWISE catalogs outside of the galactic plane to build a sample of 98,970 potential ≥M5 dwarfs in the solar neighborhood and calculated their proper motions with typical precisions of 5-15 mas yr{sup –1}. We selected highly probable candidate members of several YMGs from this sample using the Bayesian Analysis for Nearby Young AssociatioNs II tool (BANYAN II). We used the most probable statistical distances inferred from BANYAN II to estimate the spectral type and mass of these candidate YMG members. We used this unique sample to show tentative signs of mass segregation in the AB Doradus moving group and the Tucana-Horologium and Columba associations. The BASS sample has already been successful in identifying several new young brown dwarfs in earlier publications, and will be of great interest in studying the initial mass function of YMGs and for the search of exoplanets by direct imaging; the input sample of potential close-by ≥M5 dwarfs will be useful to study the kinematics of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs and search for new proper motion pairs.

Spin-dependent recombination processes in wide band gap II-Mn-VI compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godlewski, M.; Yatsunenko, S.; Khachapuridze, A.; Ivanov, V.Yu.

2004-01-01

Mechanisms of optical detection of magnetic resonance in wide band gap II-Mn-VI diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) are discussed based on the results of photoluminescence (PL), PL kinetics, electron spin resonance (ESR) and optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) and optically detected cyclotron resonance (ODCR) investigations. Spin-dependent interactions between localized spins of Mn 2+ ions and spins/magnetic moments of free, localized or bound carriers are responsible for the observed ODMR signals. We conclude that these interactions are responsible for the observed rapid shortening of the PL decay time of 4 T 1 → 6 A 1 intra-shell emission of Mn 2+ ions and also for the observed delocalization of excitons in low dimensional structures

Swift captures the spectrally evolving prompt emission of GRB070616

Science.gov (United States)

Starling, R. L. C.; O'Brien, P. T.; Willingale, R.; Page, K. L.; Osborne, J. P.; de Pasquale, M.; Nakagawa, Y. E.; Kuin, N. P. M.; Onda, K.; Norris, J. P.; Ukwatta, T. N.; Kodaka, N.; Burrows, D. N.; Kennea, J. A.; Page, M. J.; Perri, M.; Markwardt, C. B.

2008-02-01

The origins of gamma-ray burst (GRB) prompt emission are currently not well understood and in this context long, well-observed events are particularly important to study. We present the case of GRB070616, analysing the exceptionally long-duration multipeaked prompt emission, and later afterglow, captured by all the instruments on-board Swift and by Suzaku Wide-Band All-Sky Monitor (WAM). The high-energy light curve remained generally flat for several hundred seconds before going into a steep decline. Spectral evolution from hard to soft is clearly taking place throughout the prompt emission, beginning at 285s after the trigger and extending to 1200s. We track the movement of the spectral peak energy, whilst observing a softening of the low-energy spectral slope. The steep decline in flux may be caused by a combination of this strong spectral evolution and the curvature effect. We investigate origins for the spectral evolution, ruling out a superposition of two power laws and considering instead an additional component dominant during the late prompt emission. We also discuss origins for the early optical emission and the physics of the afterglow. The case of GRB070616 clearly demonstrates that both broad-band coverage and good time resolution are crucial to pin down the origins of the complex prompt emission in GRBs. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Dr Francesca Tamburelli who died during its production. Francesca played a fundamental role within the team which is in charge of the development of the Swift X-Ray Telescope (XRT) data analysis software at the Italian Space Agency's Science Data Centre in Frascati. She is sadly missed. E-mail: rlcs1@star.le.ac.uk

A wide field X-ray camera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sims, M.; Turner, M.J.L.; Willingale, R.

1980-01-01

A wide field of view X-ray camera based on the Dicke or Coded Mask principle is described. It is shown that this type of instrument is more sensitive than a pin-hole camera, or than a scanning survey of a given region of sky for all wide field conditions. The design of a practical camera is discussed and the sensitivity and performance of the chosen design are evaluated by means of computer simulations. The Wiener Filter and Maximum Entropy methods of deconvolution are described and these methods are compared with each other and cross-correlation using data from the computer simulations. It is shown that the analytic expressions for sensitivity used by other workers are confirmed by the simulations, and that ghost images caused by incomplete coding can be substantially eliminated by the use of the Wiener Filter and the Maximum Entropy Method, with some penalty in computer time for the latter. The cyclic mask configuration is compared with the simple mask camera. It is shown that when the diffuse X-ray background dominates, the simple system is more sensitive and has the better angular resolution. When sources dominate the simple system is less sensitive. It is concluded that the simple coded mask camera is the best instrument for wide field imaging of the X-ray sky. (orig.)

SURVEYING THE DYNAMIC RADIO SKY WITH THE LONG WAVELENGTH DEMONSTRATOR ARRAY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lazio, T. Joseph W.; Clarke, Tracy E.; Lane, W. M.; Gross, C.; Kassim, N. E.; Hicks, B.; Polisensky, E.; Stewart, K.; Ray, P. S.; Wood, D.; York, J. A.; Kerkhoff, A.; Dalal, N. Paravastu; Cohen, A. S.; Erickson, W. C.

2010-01-01

This paper presents a search for radio transients at a frequency of 73.8 MHz (4 m wavelength) using the all-sky imaging capabilities of the Long Wavelength Demonstrator Array (LWDA). The LWDA was a 16-dipole phased array telescope, located on the site of the Very Large Array in New Mexico. The field of view of the individual dipoles was essentially the entire sky, and the number of dipoles was sufficiently small that a simple software correlator could be used to make all-sky images. From 2006 October to 2007 February, we conducted an all-sky transient search program, acquiring a total of 106 hr of data; the time sampling varied, being 5 minutes at the start of the program and improving to 2 minutes by the end of the program. We were able to detect solar flares, and in a special-purpose mode, radio reflections from ionized meteor trails during the 2006 Leonid meteor shower. We detected no transients originating outside of the solar system above a flux density limit of 500 Jy, equivalent to a limit of no more than about 10 -2 events yr -1 deg -2 , having a pulse energy density ∼>1.5 x 10 -20 J m -2 Hz -1 at 73.8 MHz for pulse widths of about 300 s. This event rate is comparable to that determined from previous all-sky transient searches, but at a lower frequency than most previous all-sky searches. We believe that the LWDA illustrates how an all-sky imaging mode could be a useful operational model for low-frequency instruments such as the Low Frequency Array, the Long Wavelength Array station, the low-frequency component of the Square Kilometre Array, and potentially the Lunar Radio Array.

The pre-launch Planck Sky Model: a model of sky emission at submillimetre to centimetre wavelengths

CERN Document Server

Delabrouille, J.; Melin, J.-B.; Miville-Deschenes, M.-A.; Gonzalez-Nuevo, J.; Jeune, M.Le; Castex, G.; de Zotti, G.; Basak, S.; Ashdown, M.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Banday, A.; Bernard, J.-P.; Bouchet, F.R.; Clements, D.L.; da Silva, A.; Dickinson, C.; Dodu, F.; Dolag, K.; Elsner, F.; Fauvet, L.; Fay, G.; Giardino, G.; Leach, S.; Lesgourgues, J.; Liguori, M.; Macias-Perez, J.F.; Massardi, M.; Matarrese, S.; Mazzotta, P.; Montier, L.; Mottet, S.; Paladini, R.; Partridge, B.; Piffaretti, R.; Prezeau, G.; Prunet, S.; Ricciardi, S.; Roman, M.; Schaefer, B.; Toffolatti, L.

2012-01-01

We present the Planck Sky Model (PSM), a parametric model for the generation of all-sky, few arcminute resolution maps of sky emission at submillimetre to centimetre wavelengths, in both intensity and polarisation. Several options are implemented to model the cosmic microwave background, Galactic diffuse emission (synchrotron, free-free, thermal and spinning dust, CO lines), Galactic H-II regions, extragalactic radio sources, dusty galaxies, and thermal and kinetic Sunyaev-Zeldovich signals from clusters of galaxies. Each component is simulated by means of educated interpolations/extrapolations of data sets available at the time of the launch of the Planck mission, complemented by state-of-the-art models of the emission. Distinctive features of the simulations are: spatially varying spectral properties of synchrotron and dust; different spectral parameters for each point source; modeling of the clustering properties of extragalactic sources and of the power spectrum of fluctuations in the cosmic infrared back...

Sky coverage modeling for the whole sky for laser guide star multiconjugate adaptive optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lianqi; Andersen, David; Ellerbroek, Brent

2012-06-01

The scientific productivity of laser guide star adaptive optics systems strongly depends on the sky coverage, which describes the probability of finding natural guide stars for the tip/tilt wavefront sensor(s) to achieve a certain performance. Knowledge of the sky coverage is also important for astronomers planning their observations. In this paper, we present an efficient method to compute the sky coverage for the laser guide star multiconjugate adaptive optics system, the Narrow Field Infrared Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS), being designed for the Thirty Meter Telescope project. We show that NFIRAOS can achieve more than 70% sky coverage over most of the accessible sky with the requirement of 191 nm total rms wavefront.

NuSTAR, XMM-Newton and Suzaku Observations of the Ultraluminous X-Ray Source Holmberg II X-1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Walton, D. J.; Middleton, M. J.; Rana, V.

2015-01-01

We present the first broadband 0.3-25.0 keV X-ray observations of the bright ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) Holmberg II X-1, performed by NuSTAR, XMM-Newton, and Suzaku in 2013 September. The NuSTAR data provide the first observations of Holmberg II X-1 above 10 keV and reveal a very steep high...

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Stripe 82 Imaging Data: Depth-Optimized Co-adds Over 300 deg$^2$ in Five Filters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Linhua; Fan, Xiaohui; Bian, Fuyan; McGreer, Ian D.; Strauss, Michael A.; Annis, James; Buck, Zoë; Green, Richard; Hodge, Jacqueline A.; Myers, Adam D.; Rafiee, Alireza; Richards, Gordon

2014-06-25

We present and release co-added images of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Stripe 82. Stripe 82 covers an area of ~300 deg(2) on the celestial equator, and has been repeatedly scanned 70-90 times in the ugriz bands by the SDSS imaging survey. By making use of all available data in the SDSS archive, our co-added images are optimized for depth. Input single-epoch frames were properly processed and weighted based on seeing, sky transparency, and background noise before co-addition. The resultant products are co-added science images and their associated weight images that record relative weights at individual pixels. The depths of the co-adds, measured as the 5σ detection limits of the aperture (3.''2 diameter) magnitudes for point sources, are roughly 23.9, 25.1, 24.6, 24.1, and 22.8 AB magnitudes in the five bands, respectively. They are 1.9-2.2 mag deeper than the best SDSS single-epoch data. The co-added images have good image quality, with an average point-spread function FWHM of ~1'' in the r, i, and z bands. We also release object catalogs that were made with SExtractor. These co-added products have many potential uses for studies of galaxies, quasars, and Galactic structure. We further present and release near-IR J-band images that cover ~90 deg(2) of Stripe 82. These images were obtained using the NEWFIRM camera on the NOAO 4 m Mayall telescope, and have a depth of about 20.0-20.5 Vega magnitudes (also 5σ detection limits for point sources).

Planck 2013 results. XXI. All-sky Compton parameter power spectrum and high-order statistics

CERN Document Server

Ade, P.A.R.; Armitage-Caplan, C.; Arnaud, M.; Ashdown, M.; Atrio-Barandela, F.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Banday, A.J.; Barreiro, R.B.; Bartlett, J.G.; Battaner, E.; Benabed, K.; Benoit, A.; Benoit-Levy, A.; Bernard, J.P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bielewicz, P.; Bobin, J.; Bock, J.J.; Bonaldi, A.; Bond, J.R.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F.R.; Bridges, M.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Butler, R.C.; Cardoso, J.F.; Carvalho, P.; Catalano, A.; Challinor, A.; Chamballu, A.; Chiang, L.Y.; Chiang, H.C.; Christensen, P.R.; Church, S.; Clements, D.L.; Colombi, S.; Colombo, L.P.L.; Comis, B.; Couchot, F.; Coulais, A.; Crill, B.P.; Curto, A.; Cuttaia, F.; Da Silva, A.; Danese, L.; Davies, R.D.; Davis, R.J.; de Bernardis, P.; de Rosa, A.; de Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Delouis, J.M.; Desert, F.X.; Dickinson, C.; Diego, J.M.; Dolag, K.; Dole, H.; Donzelli, S.; Dore, O.; Douspis, M.; Dupac, X.; Efstathiou, G.; Ensslin, T.A.; Eriksen, H.K.; Finelli, F.; Flores-Cacho, I.; Forni, O.; Frailis, M.; Franceschi, E.; Galeotta, S.; Ganga, K.; Genova-Santos, R.T.; Giard, M.; Giardino, G.; Giraud-Heraud, Y.; Gonzalez-Nuevo, J.; Gorski, K.M.; Gratton, S.; Gregorio, A.; Gruppuso, A.; Hansen, F.K.; Hanson, D.; Harrison, D.; Henrot-Versille, S.; Hernandez-Monteagudo, C.; Herranz, D.; Hildebrandt, S.R.; Hivon, E.; Hobson, M.; Holmes, W.A.; Hornstrup, A.; Hovest, W.; Huffenberger, K.M.; Hurier, G.; Jaffe, T.R.; Jaffe, A.H.; Jones, W.C.; Juvela, M.; Keihanen, E.; Keskitalo, R.; Kisner, T.S.; Kneissl, R.; Knoche, J.; Knox, L.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lacasa, F.; Lagache, G.; Lahteenmaki, A.; Lamarre, J.M.; Lasenby, A.; Laureijs, R.J.; Lawrence, C.R.; Leahy, J.P.; Leonardi, R.; Leon-Tavares, J.; Lesgourgues, J.; Liguori, M.; Lilje, P.B.; Linden-Vornle, M.; Lopez-Caniego, M.; Lubin, P.M.; Macias-Perez, J.F.; Maffei, B.; Maino, D.; Mandolesi, N.; Marcos-Caballero, A.; Maris, M.; Marshall, D.J.; Martin, P.G.; Martinez-Gonzalez, E.; Masi, S.; Matarrese, S.; Matthai, F.; Mazzotta, P.; Melchiorri, A.; Melin, J.B.; Mendes, L.; Mennella, A.; Migliaccio, M.; Mitra, S.; Miville-Deschenes, M.A.; Moneti, A.; Montier, L.; Morgante, G.; Mortlock, D.; Moss, A.; Munshi, D.; Naselsky, P.; Nati, F.; Natoli, P.; Netterfield, C.B.; Norgaard-Nielsen, H.U.; Noviello, F.; Novikov, D.; Novikov, I.; Osborne, S.; Oxborrow, C.A.; Paci, F.; Pagano, L.; Pajot, F.; Paoletti, D.; Partridge, B.; Pasian, F.; Patanchon, G.; Perdereau, O.; Perotto, L.; Perrotta, F.; Piacentini, F.; Piat, M.; Pierpaoli, E.; Pietrobon, D.; Plaszczynski, S.; Pointecouteau, E.; Polenta, G.; Ponthieu, N.; Popa, L.; Poutanen, T.; Pratt, G.W.; Prezeau, G.; Prunet, S.; Puget, J.L.; Rachen, J.P.; Rebolo, R.; Reinecke, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Renault, C.; Ricciardi, S.; Riller, T.; Ristorcelli, I.; Rocha, G.; Rosset, C.; Rossetti, M.; Roudier, G.; Rubino-Martin, J.A.; Rusholme, B.; Sandri, M.; Santos, D.; Savini, G.; Scott, D.; Seiffert, M.D.; Shellard, E.P.S.; Spencer, L.D.; Starck, J.L.; Stolyarov, V.; Stompor, R.; Sudiwala, R.; Sunyaev, R.; Sureau, F.; Sutton, D.; Suur-Uski, A.S.; Sygnet, J.F.; Tauber, J.A.; Tavagnacco, D.; Terenzi, L.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Tristram, M.; Tucci, M.; Tuovinen, J.; Umana, G.; Valenziano, L.; Valiviita, J.; Van Tent, B.; Varis, J.; Vielva, P.; Villa, F.; Vittorio, N.; Wade, L.A.; Wandelt, B.D.; White, S.D.M.; Yvon, D.; Zacchei, A.; Zonca, A.

2014-01-01

We have constructed the first all-sky map of the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (tSZ) effect by applying specifically tailored component separation algorithms to the 100 to 857 GHz frequency channel maps from the Planck survey. These maps show an obvious galaxy cluster tSZ signal that is well matched with blindly detected clusters in the Planck SZ catalogue. To characterize the signal in the tSZ map we have computed its angular power spectrum. At large angular scales ($\\ell 500$) the clustered Cosmic Infrared Background (CIB) and residual point sources are the major contaminants. These foregrounds are carefully modelled and subtracted. We measure the tSZ power spectrum in angular scales, $0.17^{\\circ} \\lesssim \\theta \\lesssim 3.0^{\\circ}$, that were previously unexplored. The measured tSZ power spectrum is consistent with that expected from the Planck catalogue of SZ sources, with additional clear evidence of signal from unresolved clusters and, potentially, diffuse warm baryons. We use the tSZ power spectrum to ...

Building on the International Year of Astronomy: The Dark Skies Awareness Program

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, C. E.; Sparks, R. T.; Pompea, S. M.

2010-08-01

The International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) offered opportunities to create exemplary educational programs in astronomy, such as those through the cornerstone project, Dark Skies Awareness (DSA). The preservation of dark skies is important for many reasons including astronomy, energy conservation, wildlife conservation, and even human health. Light pollution is a growing concern, yet it is one of the easiest global environmental problems citizen scientists can address on a local level. The Dark Skies workshop imparted the skills necessary for participants to lead activities at their home institution for conserving dark skies. Workshop participants experienced the hands-on activities, which are suitable for use in a variety of settings including museums, science centers, planetariums, schools, university outreach efforts, and astronomy club events. Participants were immersed in activities that illustrate proper lighting, light pollution's effects on wildlife, and how to measure the darkness of your skies. Several citizen science projects were highlighted, including GLOBE at Night, the Great World Wide Star Count, and How Many Stars. These programs enlist the help of students and the general public to collect data on the night sky conditions in their community and contribute to a worldwide database on light pollution. The data can be analyzed using various online tools. A CD of activities, a light shielding demonstration, a book, a two DVD set with a planetarium show, and many other resources are included in a Dark Skies Education Kit, which workshop participants received at the close of the workshop.

Dark Skies are a Universal Resource. So are Quiet Skies!

Science.gov (United States)

Maddalena, Ronald J.; Heatherly, S.

2008-05-01

You've just purchased your first telescope. But where to set it up? Certainly not a WalMart parking lot. Too much light pollution! In the same way that man-made light obscures our night sky and blinds ground-based optical telescopes, man-made radio signals blind radio telescopes as well. NRAO developed the Quiet Skies project to increase awareness of radio frequency interference (RFI) and radio astronomy in general by engaging students in local studies of RFI. To do that we created a sensitive detector which measures RFI. We produced 20 of these, and assembled kits containing detectors and supplementary materials for loan to schools. Students conduct experiments to measure the properties of RFI in their area, and input their measurements into a web-based data base. The Quiet Skies project is a perfect complement to the IYA Dark Skies Awareness initiative. We hope to place 500 Quiet Skies detectors into the field through outreach to museums and schools around the world. Should we be successful, we will sustain this global initiative via a continuing loan program. One day we hope to have a publicly generated image of the Earth which shows RFI much as the Earth at Night image illustrates light pollution. The poster will present the components of the project in detail, including our plans for IYA, and various low-cost alternative strategies for introducing RFI and radio astronomy to the public. We will share the results of some of the experiments already being performed by high school students. Development of the Quiet Skies project was funded by a NASA IDEAS grant. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

All-optical photonic band control in a quantum metamaterial

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Felbacq, D.; Rousseau, E. [University of Montpellier, Laboratory Charles Coulomb UMR CNRS-UM 5221, Montpellier (France)

2017-09-15

Metamaterials made of periodic collections of dielectric nanorods are considered theoretically. When quantum resonators are embedded within the nanorods, one obtains a quantum metamaterial, whose electromagnetic properties depend upon the state of the quantum resonators. The theoretical model predicts that when the resonators are pumped and reach the inversion regime, the quantum metamaterial exhibits an all-optical switchable conduction band. The phenomenon can be described by considering the pole stucture of the scattering matrix of the metamaterial. (copyright 2017 by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

BROADBAND SPECTROSCOPY USING TWO SUZAKU OBSERVATIONS OF THE HMXB GX 301-2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suchy, Slawomir; Markowitz, Alex; Rothschild, Richard E. [Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0424 (United States); Fuerst, Felix; Kreykenbohm, Ingo; Wilms, Joern [Dr. Karl Remeis Sternwarte and Erlangen Center for Astroparticle Physics, Sternwartstr. 7, 96049 Bamberg (Germany); Pottschmidt, Katja [Center for Space Science and Technology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 (United States); Caballero, Isabel, E-mail: ssuchy@ucsd.edu [CEA Saclay, DSM/IRFU/SAp-UMR AIM (7158), CNRS/CEA, University Paris 7, Diderot, Gif sur Yvette (France)

2012-02-01

We present the analysis of two Suzaku observations of GX 301-2 at two orbital phases after the periastron passage. Variations in the column density of the line-of-sight absorber are observed, consistent with accretion from a clumpy wind. In addition to a cyclotron resonance scattering feature (CRSF), multiple fluorescence emission lines were detected in both observations. The variations in the pulse profiles and the CRSF throughout the pulse phase have a signature of a magnetic dipole field. Using a simple dipole model we calculated the expected magnetic field values for different pulse phases and were able to extract a set of geometrical angles, loosely constraining the dipole geometry in the neutron star. From the variation of the CRSF width and energy, we found a geometrical solution for the dipole, making the inclination consistent with previously published values.

Maps of the Southern Millimeter-wave Sky from Combined 2500 deg$^2$ SPT-SZ and Planck Temperature Data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chown, R.; et al.

2018-03-28

We present three maps of the millimeter-wave sky created by combining data from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) and the Planck satellite. We use data from the SPT-SZ survey, a survey of 2540 deg$^2$ of the the sky with arcminute resolution in three bands centered at 95, 150, and 220 GHz, and the full-mission Planck temperature data in the 100, 143, and 217 GHz bands. A linear combination of the SPT-SZ and Planck data is computed in spherical harmonic space, with weights derived from the noise of both instruments. This weighting scheme results in Planck data providing most of the large-angular-scale information in the combined maps, with the smaller-scale information coming from SPT-SZ data. A number of tests have been done on the maps. We find their angular power spectra to agree very well with theoretically predicted spectra and previously published results.

Solar Resource Assessment with Sky Imagery and a Virtual Testbed for Sky Imager Solar Forecasting

Science.gov (United States)

Kurtz, Benjamin Bernard

In recent years, ground-based sky imagers have emerged as a promising tool for forecasting solar energy on short time scales (0 to 30 minutes ahead). Following the development of sky imager hardware and algorithms at UC San Diego, we present three new or improved algorithms for sky imager forecasting and forecast evaluation. First, we present an algorithm for measuring irradiance with a sky imager. Sky imager forecasts are often used in conjunction with other instruments for measuring irradiance, so this has the potential to decrease instrumentation costs and logistical complexity. In particular, the forecast algorithm itself often relies on knowledge of the current irradiance which can now be provided directly from the sky images. Irradiance measurements are accurate to within about 10%. Second, we demonstrate a virtual sky imager testbed that can be used for validating and enhancing the forecast algorithm. The testbed uses high-quality (but slow) simulations to produce virtual clouds and sky images. Because virtual cloud locations are known, much more advanced validation procedures are possible with the virtual testbed than with measured data. In this way, we are able to determine that camera geometry and non-uniform evolution of the cloud field are the two largest sources of forecast error. Finally, with the assistance of the virtual sky imager testbed, we develop improvements to the cloud advection model used for forecasting. The new advection schemes are 10-20% better at short time horizons.

THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY DATA RELEASE 7 SPECTROSCOPIC M DWARF CATALOG. I. DATA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

West, Andrew A.; Morgan, Dylan P.; Andersen, Jan Marie; Covey, Kevin R.; Schluns, Kyle; Jones, David O.; Bochanski, John J.; Pineda, J. Sebastian; Bell, Keaton J.; Kowalski, Adam F.; Davenport, James R. A.; Hawley, Suzanne L.; Schmidt, Sarah J.; Hilton, Eric J.; Bernat, David; Muirhead, Philip; Rojas-Ayala, Barbara; Schlawin, Everett; Gooding, Mary; Dhital, Saurav

2011-01-01

We present a spectroscopic catalog of 70,841 visually inspected M dwarfs from the seventh data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For each spectrum, we provide measurements of the spectral type, a number of molecular band heads, and the Hα, Hβ, Hγ, Hδ, and Ca II K emission lines. In addition, we calculate the metallicity-sensitive parameter ζ and identify a relationship between ζ and the g - r and r - z colors of M dwarfs. We assess the precision of our spectral types (which were assigned by individual examination), review the bulk attributes of the sample, and examine the magnetic activity properties of M dwarfs, in particular those traced by the higher order Balmer transitions. Our catalog is cross-matched to Two Micron All Sky Survey infrared data, and contains photometric distances for each star. Finally, we identify eight new late-type M dwarfs that are possibly within 25 pc of the Sun. Future studies will use these data to thoroughly examine magnetic activity and kinematics in late-type M dwarfs and examine the chemical and dynamical history of the local Milky Way.

Measuring high-resolution sky luminance distributions with a CCD camera.

Science.gov (United States)

Tohsing, Korntip; Schrempf, Michael; Riechelmann, Stefan; Schilke, Holger; Seckmeyer, Gunther

2013-03-10

We describe how sky luminance can be derived from a newly developed hemispherical sky imager (HSI) system. The system contains a commercial compact charge coupled device (CCD) camera equipped with a fish-eye lens. The projection of the camera system has been found to be nearly equidistant. The luminance from the high dynamic range images has been calculated and then validated with luminance data measured by a CCD array spectroradiometer. The deviation between both datasets is less than 10% for cloudless and completely overcast skies, and differs by no more than 20% for all sky conditions. The global illuminance derived from the HSI pictures deviates by less than 5% and 20% under cloudless and cloudy skies for solar zenith angles less than 80°, respectively. This system is therefore capable of measuring sky luminance with the high spatial and temporal resolution of more than a million pixels and every 20 s respectively.

Tracking the complex absorption in NGC 2110 with two Suzaku observations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rivers, Elizabeth; Markowitz, Alex; Rothschild, Richard [Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0424 (United States); Bamba, Aya [Department of Physics and Mathematics, Aoyama Gakuin University, 5-10-1 Fuchinobe, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5258 (Japan); Fukazawa, Yasushi [Department of Physical Science, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526 (Japan); Okajima, Takashi [NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Reeves, James [Astrophysics Group, School of Physical and Geographical Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG (United Kingdom); Terashima, Yuichi [Department of Physics, Ehime University 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577 (Japan); Ueda, Yoshihiro, E-mail: erivers@caltech.edu [Department of Astronomy, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan)

2014-05-10

We present spectral analysis of two Suzaku observations of the Seyfert 2 galaxy, NGC 2110. This source has been known to show complex, variable absorption which we study in depth by analyzing these two observations set 7 yr apart and by comparing them to previously analyzed observations with the XMM-Newton and Chandra observatories. We find that there is a relatively stable, full-covering absorber with a column density of ∼3× 10{sup 22} cm{sup –2}, with an additional patchy absorber that is likely variable in both column density and covering fraction over timescales of years, consistent with clouds in a patchy torus or in the broad line region. We model a soft emission line complex, likely arising from ionized plasma and consistent with previous studies. We find no evidence for reflection from an accretion disk in this source with contribution from neither relativistically broadened Fe Kα line emission, nor from a Compton reflection hump.

Tracking the complex absorption in NGC 2110 with two Suzaku observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rivers, Elizabeth; Markowitz, Alex; Rothschild, Richard; Bamba, Aya; Fukazawa, Yasushi; Okajima, Takashi; Reeves, James; Terashima, Yuichi; Ueda, Yoshihiro

2014-01-01

We present spectral analysis of two Suzaku observations of the Seyfert 2 galaxy, NGC 2110. This source has been known to show complex, variable absorption which we study in depth by analyzing these two observations set 7 yr apart and by comparing them to previously analyzed observations with the XMM-Newton and Chandra observatories. We find that there is a relatively stable, full-covering absorber with a column density of ∼3× 10 22 cm –2 , with an additional patchy absorber that is likely variable in both column density and covering fraction over timescales of years, consistent with clouds in a patchy torus or in the broad line region. We model a soft emission line complex, likely arising from ionized plasma and consistent with previous studies. We find no evidence for reflection from an accretion disk in this source with contribution from neither relativistically broadened Fe Kα line emission, nor from a Compton reflection hump.

A SYSTEMATIC STUDY OF THE THERMAL AND NONTHERMAL EMISSION IN THE SUPERNOVA REMNANT RCW 86 WITH SUZAKU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsubone, Yoshio; Sawada, Makoto; Bamba, Aya; Katsuda, Satoru; Vink, Jacco

2017-01-01

Diffusive shock acceleration by the shockwaves in supernova remnants (SNRs) is widely accepted as the dominant source for Galactic cosmic rays. However, it is unknown what determines the maximum energy of accelerated particles. The surrounding environment could be one of the key parameters. The SNR RCW 86 shows both thermal and nonthermal X-ray emission with different spatial morphologies. These emission originate from the shock-heated plasma and accelerated electrons respectively, and their intensities reflect their density distributions. Thus, the remnant provides a suitable laboratory to test possible association between the acceleration efficiency and the environment. In this paper, we present results of spatially resolved spectroscopy of the entire remnant with Suzaku . The spacially resolved spectra are well reproduced with a combination of a power-law for synchrotron emission and a two-component optically thin thermal plasma, corresponding to the shocked interstellar medium (ISM) with kT of 0.3–0.6 keV and Fe-dominated ejecta. It is discovered that the photon index of the nonthermal component becomes smaller when decreasing the emission measure of the shocked ISM, where the shock speed has remained high. This result implies that the maximum energy of accelerated electrons in RCW 86 is higher in the low-density and higher shock speed regions.

Passive unmanned sky spectroscopy for remote bird classification

Science.gov (United States)

Lundin, Patrik; Brydegaard, Mikkel; Cocola, Lorenzo; Runemark, Anna; Åkesson, Susanne; Svanberg, Sune

2011-11-01

We present a method based on passive spectroscopy with aim to remotely study flying birds. A compact spectrometer is continuously recording spectra of a small section of the sky, waiting for birds to obscure part of the field-of-view when they pass the field in flight. In such situations the total light intensity received through the telescope, looking straight up, will change very rapidly as compared to the otherwise slowly varying sky light. On passage of a bird, both the total intensity and the spectral shape of the captured light changes notably. A camera aimed in the same direction as the telescope, although with a wider field-of-view, is triggered by the sudden intensity changes in the spectrometer to record additional information, which may be used for studies of migration and orientation. Example results from a trial are presented and discussed. The study is meant to explore the information that could be gathered and extracted with the help of a spectrometer connected to a telescope. Information regarding the color, size and height of flying birds is discussed. Specifically, an application for passive distance determination utilizing the atmospheric oxygen A-band absorption at around 760 nm is discussed.

AN X-RAY VIEW OF THE JET CYCLE IN THE RADIO-LOUD AGN 3C120

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lohfink, Anne M.; Reynolds, Christopher S.; Mushotzky, Richard F.; Tombesi, Francesco [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-2421 (United States); Jorstad, Svetlana G.; Marscher, Alan P. [Institute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Miller, Eric D.; Nowak, Michael A. [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Kavli Institute for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Aller, Hugh; Aller, Margo F.; Miller, Jon M. [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 830 Dennison Building, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1042 (United States); Brenneman, Laura W. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA (United States); Fabian, Andrew C., E-mail: alohfink@astro.umd.edu [Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom)

2013-08-01

We present a study of the central engine in the broad-line radio galaxy 3C120 using a multi-epoch analysis of a deep XMM-Newton observation and two deep Suzaku pointings (in 2012). In order to place our spectral data into the context of the disk-disruption/jet-ejection cycles displayed by this object, we monitor the source in the UV/X-ray bands, and in the radio band. We find three statistically acceptable spectral models: a disk-reflection model, a jet model, and a jet+disk model. Despite being good descriptions of the data, the disk-reflection model violates the radio constraints on the inclination, and the jet model has a fine-tuning problem, requiring a jet contribution exceeding that expected. Thus, we argue for a composite jet+disk model. Within the context of this model, we verify the basic predictions of the jet-cycle paradigm, finding a truncated/refilling disk during the Suzaku observations and a complete disk extending down to the innermost stable circular orbit during the XMM-Newton observation. The idea of a refilling disk is further supported by the detection of the ejection of a new jet knot approximately one month after the Suzaku pointings. We also discover a step-like event in one of the Suzaku pointings in which the soft band lags the hard band. We suggest that we are witnessing the propagation of a disturbance from the disk into the jet on a timescale set by the magnetic field.

Day/night whole sky imagers for 24-h cloud and sky assessment: history and overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Shields, Janet E; Karr, Monette E; Johnson, Richard W; Burden, Art R

2013-03-10

A family of fully automated digital whole sky imagers (WSIs) has been developed at the Marine Physical Laboratory over many years, for a variety of research and military applications. The most advanced of these, the day/night whole sky imagers (D/N WSIs), acquire digital imagery of the full sky down to the horizon under all conditions from full sunlight to starlight. Cloud algorithms process the imagery to automatically detect the locations of cloud for both day and night. The instruments can provide absolute radiance distribution over the full radiance range from starlight through daylight. The WSIs were fielded in 1984, followed by the D/N WSIs in 1992. These many years of experience and development have resulted in very capable instruments and algorithms that remain unique. This article discusses the history of the development of the D/N WSIs, system design, algorithms, and data products. The paper cites many reports with more detailed technical documentation. Further details of calibration, day and night algorithms, and cloud free line-of-sight results will be discussed in future articles.

An Innovative Collaboration on Dark Skies Education

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Constance E.; Mayer, M.; EPO Students, NOAO

2011-01-01

Dark night skies are being lost all over the globe, and hundreds of millions of dollars of energy are being wasted in the process.. Improper lighting is the main cause of light pollution. Light pollution is a concern on many fronts, affecting safety, energy conservation, cost, human health, and wildlife. It also robs us of the beauty of viewing the night sky. In the U.S. alone, over half of the population cannot see the Milky Way from where they live. To help address this, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory Education and Public Outreach (NOAO EPO) staff created two programs: Dark Skies Rangers and GLOBE at Night. Through the two programs, students learn about the importance of dark skies and experience activities that illustrate proper lighting, light pollution's effects on wildlife and how to measure the darkness of their skies. To disseminate the programs locally in an appropriate yet innovative venue, NOAO partnered with the Cooper Center for Environmental Learning in Tucson, Arizona. Operated by the largest school district in Tucson and the University of Arizona College of Education, the Cooper Center educates thousands of students and educators each year about ecology, science, and the beauty and wonders of the Sonoran Desert. During the first academic year (2009-2010), we achieved our goal of reaching nearly 20 teachers in 40 classrooms of 1000 students. We gave two 3-hour teacher-training sessions and provided nineteen 2.5-hour on-site evening sessions on dark skies activities for the students of the teachers trained. One outcome of the program was the contribution of 1000 "GLOBE at Night 2010” night-sky brightness measurements by Tucson students. Training sessions at similar levels are continuing this year. The partnership, planning, lesson learned, and outcomes of NOAO's collaboration with the environmental center will be presented.

A Study of Sasin-Animal Sky Map on Chonmunryucho

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong-Jin Yang

2003-03-01

Full Text Available Chon-Mun-Ryu-Cho, written (edited by Lee Sun-Ji during the period of King Se-Jong, is a representative astronomy book of Cho-Sun (A.D. 1392 -1910 Dynasty. We find and study in the first page of the book; the description of 28 oriental constellations as a Sasin (four mythical oriental animals-animal sky map which is not widely known yet. The map consists of four groups of constellations, each of which represents the Sasin: Chang-Ryong (dragon, Baek-Ho (tigers with Ki-Rin [Oriental giraffe], Ju-Jak (Chinese phoenix, Hyun-Mu (a tortoise interwined with a snake. Each group (animals spans 2˜7 of 28 oriental constellations As we know from the illustration of the Chon-Sang-Yol-Cha-Bun-Ya-Ji-Do a representative sky map of Cho-Sun Dynasty, astronomy in Cho-Sun Dynasty is closely related to that in Go-Gu-Ryer (B.C. 37 -A.D. 668 Dynasty. Since these Sasin-animals appear in most mural paintings of Go-Gu-Ryer tombs, visualization of sky with these animal constellations could have been established as early as in Go-Gu-Ryer Dynasty. We also reconstruct this ''A Sasin-animal Korean sky map'' based on the shapes of the Sasin and Ki-Rin from Go-Gu-Ryer paintings and 28 oriental constellations in Chon-Sang-Yol-Cha-Bun-Ya-Ji-Do.

Toward long-term all-sky time domain surveys-SINDICS: a prospective concept for a Seismic INDICes Survey of half a million red giants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michel Eric

2015-01-01

Full Text Available CoRoT and Kepler have brought a new and deep experience in long-term photometric surveys and how to use them. This is true for exoplanets characterizing, stellar seismology and beyond for studying several other phenomena, like granulation or activity. Based on this experience, it has been possible to propose new generation projects, like TESS and PLATO, with more specific scientific objectives and more ambitious observational programs in terms of sky coverage and/or duration of the observations. In this context and as a prospective exercise, we explore here the possibility to set up an all-sky survey optimized for seismic indices measurement, providing masses, radii and evolution stages for half a million solar-type pulsators (subgiants and red giants, in our galactic neighborhood and allowing unprecedented stellar population studies.

Thermally controlled mid-IR band-gap engineering in all-glass chalcogenide microstructured fibers: a numerical study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barh, Ajanta; Varshney, Ravi K.; Pal, Bishnu P.

2017-01-01

Presence of photonic band-gap (PBG) in an all-glass low refractive index (RI) contrast chalcogenide (Ch) microstructured optical fibers (MOFs) is investigated numerically. The effect of external temperature on the position of band-gap is explored to realize potential fiber-based wavelength filters....... Then the temperature sensitivity of band-gaps is investigated to design fiber-based mid-IR wavelength filters/sensors....

First Study on the Occurrence Frequency of Equatorial Plasma Bubbles over West Africa Using an All-Sky Airglow Imager and GNSS Receivers

Science.gov (United States)

Okoh, Daniel; Rabiu, Babatunde; Shiokawa, Kazuo; Otsuka, Yuichi; Segun, Bolaji; Falayi, Elijah; Onwuneme, Sylvester; Kaka, Rafiat

2017-12-01

This is the first paper that reports the occurrence frequency of equatorial plasma bubbles and their dependences of local time, season, and geomagnetic activity based on airglow imaging observations at West Africa. The all-sky imager, situated in Abuja (Geographic: 8.99°N, 7.38°E; Geomagnetic: 1.60°S), has a 180° fisheye view covering almost the entire airspace of Nigeria. Plasma bubbles are observed for 70 nights of the 147 clear-sky nights from 9 June 2015 to 31 January 2017. Differences between nighttime and daytime ROTIs were also computed as a proxy of plasma bubbles using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) receivers within the coverage of the all-sky imager. Most plasma bubble occurrences are found during equinoxes and least occurrences during solstices. The occurrence rate of plasma bubbles was highest around local midnight and lower for hours farther away. Most of the postmidnight plasma bubbles were observed around the months of December to March, a period that coincides with the harmattan period in Nigeria. The on/off status of plasma bubble in airglow and GNSS observations were in agreement for 67.2% of the total 768 h, while we suggest several reasons responsible for the remaining 32.8% when the airglow and GNSS bubble status are inconsistent. A majority of the plasma bubbles were observed under relatively quiet geomagnetic conditions (Dst ≥ -40 and Kp ≤ 3), but there was no significant pattern observed in the occurrence rate of plasma bubbles as a function of geomagnetic activity. We suggest that geomagnetic activities could have either suppressed or promoted the occurrence of plasma bubbles.

Ultra-Wideband Optical Modulation Spectrometer (OMS) Development: Study of the Optical Setup of a Wide-Band Optical Modulation Spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Tolls, Volker; Stringfellow, Guy (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The purpose of this study is to advance the design of the optical setup for a wide-band Optical Modulation Spectrometer (OMS) for use with astronomical heterodyne receiver systems. This report describes the progress of this investigation achieved from March until December 2001.

Influence of Sky Conditions on Estimation of Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density for Agricultural Ecosystem

Science.gov (United States)

Yamashita, M.; Yoshimura, M.

2018-04-01

Photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD: µmol m-2 s-1) is indispensable for plant physiology processes in photosynthesis. However, PPFD is seldom measured, so that PPFD has been estimated by using solar radiation (SR: W m-2) measured in world wide. In method using SR, there are two steps: first to estimate photosynthetically active radiation (PAR: W m-2) by the fraction of PAR to SR (PF) and second: to convert PAR to PPFD using the ratio of quanta to energy (Q / E: µmol J-1). PF and Q/E usually have been used as the constant values, however, recent studies point out that PF and Q / E would not be constants under various sky conditions. In this study, we use the numeric data of sky-conditions factors such cloud cover, sun appearance/hiding and relative sky brightness derived from whole-sky image processing and examine the influences of sky-conditions factors on PF and Q / E of global and diffuse PAR. Furthermore, we discuss our results by comparing with the existing methods.

Sky Mining - Application to Photomorphic Redshift Estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Nayak, Pragyansmita

severity every day, alternative method "Photometric redshift" has been studied in the past. It uses the brightness of the object viewed through various standard filters, each of which lets through a relatively broad spectrum of colors. However, these methods are bound by the degeneracy problem (objects with different color profiles have the same redshift) which leads to low predictive accuracy. As part of our study, we are looking beyond color attributes to identify other measured attributes as degeneracy resolvers as well as generate estimators that are highly accurate; termed as "Photomorphic redshift" estimators. The present study investigates the photometric information of the objects such as color and magnitude (= observed flux) and morphology attributes such as shape, size, orientation and concentration in the different wavelengths. The specific type of magnitude used in this study are the PSF, Fiber and Petrosian magnitude. The morphology attributes are the ratio of Fiber to Petrosian magnitude, concentration index and Petrosian radius. All these attributes are in the five bands ugriz of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Machine learning techniques based on Naive Bayes (NB), Bayesian Network (BN) and Generalized Linear Model (GLM) are researched to better understand their applicability, advantages and resulting predictive performance in terms of efficiency and accuracy. Note: The SDSS Data Release (DR) 10 data was used in the executed experiments (total of 700,777 galaxies with forty-five attributes associated with each galaxy). The significant findings of the present work are as follows: 1. Magnitude and morphology attributes have been found to be successful degeneracy resolvers. 2. Magnitude and morphology attributes have been found to be better redshift estimators than color attributes alone. 3. Naive Bayes, Bayesian Network and GLM have been found to be viable redshift estimation methods. Attribute selection is an important factor in computational performance

A Survey of Variable Extragalactic Sources with XTE's All Sky Monitor (ASM)

Science.gov (United States)

Jernigan, Garrett

1998-01-01

The original goal of the project was the near real-time detection of AGN utilizing the SSC 3 of the ASM on XTE which does a deep integration on one 100 square degree region of the sky. While the SSC never performed sufficiently well to allow the success of this goal, the work on the project has led to the development of a new analysis method for coded aperture systems which has now been applied to ASM data for mapping regions near clusters of galaxies such as the Perseus Cluster and the Coma Cluster. Publications are in preparation that describe both the new method and the results from mapping clusters of galaxies.

The VLA Low-band Ionosphere and Transient Experiment (VLITE)

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Tracy; Peters, Wendy; Brisken, Walter; Giacintucci, Simona; Kassim, Namir; Polisensky, Emil; Helmboldt, Joseph; Richards, Emily E.; Erickson, Alan; Ray, Paul S.; Kerr, Matthew T.; Deneva, Julia; Coburn, William; Huber, Robert; Long, Jeff

2018-01-01

The VLA Low-band Ionosphere and Transient Experiment (VLITE, http://vlite.nrao.edu/ ) is a commensal low-frequency observing system that has been operational on the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) since late 2014. The separate optical paths of the prime-focus sub-GHz dipole feeds and the Cassegrain-focus 1-50 GHz feeds allow both systems to operate simultaneously with independent correlators. The initial 2.5 years of VLITE operation provided real-time correlation of 10 antennas across the 320-384 MHz band with a total observing time approaching 12,000 hours. During the summer of 2017, VLITE was upgraded to a total of 16 antennas (more than doubling the number of baselines) with enhanced correlator capabilities to enable correlation of the on-the-fly observing mode being used for the new NRAO VLA Sky Survey (VLASS).We present an overview of the VLITE system, including highlights of the complexities of a commensal observing program, sparse-array challenges, and scientific capabilities from our science-ready data pipeline. In the longer term, we seek a path to broadband expansion across all VLA antennas to develop a powerful new LOw Band Observatory (LOBO).

Anthracene-containing wide-band-gap conjugated polymers for high-open-circuit-voltage polymer solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Xue; Li, Cuihong; Lu, Zhen; Li, Guangwu; Mei, Qiang; Fang, Tao; Bo, Zhishan

2013-07-25

The synthesis, characterization, and photophysical and photovoltaic properties of two anthracene-containing wide-band-gap donor and acceptor (D-A) alternating conjugated polymers (P1 and P2) are described. These two polymers absorb in the range of 300-600 nm with a band gap of about 2.12 eV. Polymer solar cells with P1:PC71 BM as the active layer demonstrate a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.23% with a high Voc of 0.96 V, a Jsc of 4.4 mA cm(-2) , and a comparable fill factor (FF) of 0.53 under simulated solar illumination of AM 1.5 G (100 mW cm(-2) ). In addition, P2:PC71 BM blend-based solar cells exhibit a PCE of 1.42% with a comparable Voc of 0.89 V, a Jsc of 3.0 mA cm(-2) , and an FF of 0.53. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A SUZAKU SEARCH FOR NONTHERMAL EMISSION AT HARD X-RAY ENERGIES IN THE COMA CLUSTER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wik, Daniel R.; Sarazin, Craig L.; Finoguenov, Alexis; Matsushita, Kyoko; Nakazawa, Kazuhiro; Clarke, Tracy E.

2009-01-01

The brightest cluster radio halo known resides in the Coma cluster of galaxies. The relativistic electrons producing this diffuse synchrotron emission should also produce inverse Compton emission that becomes competitive with thermal emission from the intracluster medium (ICM) at hard X-ray energies. Thus far, claimed detections of this emission in Coma are controversial. We present a Suzaku HXD-PIN observation of the Coma cluster in order to nail down its nonthermal hard X-ray content. The contribution of thermal emission to the HXD-PIN spectrum is constrained by simultaneously fitting thermal and nonthermal models to it and a spatially equivalent spectrum derived from an XMM-Newton mosaic of the Coma field. We fail to find statistically significant evidence for nonthermal emission in the spectra which are better described by only a single- or multitemperature model for the ICM. Including systematic uncertainties, we derive a 90% upper limit on the flux of nonthermal emission of 6.0 x 10 -12 erg s -1 cm -2 (20-80 keV, for Γ = 2.0), which implies a lower limit on the cluster-averaged magnetic field of B>0.15 μG. Our flux upper limit is 2.5 times lower than the detected nonthermal flux from RXTE and BeppoSAX. However, if the nonthermal hard X-ray emission in Coma is more spatially extended than the observed radio halo, the Suzaku HXD-PIN may miss some fraction of the emission. A detailed investigation indicates that ∼50%-67% of the emission might go undetected, which could make our limit consistent with that of Rephaeli and Gruber and Fusco-Femiano et al. The thermal interpretation of the hard Coma spectrum is consistent with recent analyses of INTEGRAL and Swift data.

Wide band gap p-type windows by CBD and SILAR methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sankapal, B.R.; Goncalves, E.; Ennaoui, A.; Lux-Steiner, M.Ch

2004-03-22

Chemical deposition methods, namely, chemical bath deposition (CBD) and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) have been used to deposit wide band gap p-type CuI and CuSCN thin films at room temperature (25 deg. C) in aqueous medium. Growth of these films requires the use of Cu (I) cations as a copper ions source. This is achieved by complexing Cu (II) ions using Na{sub 2}S{sub 2}O{sub 3}. The anion sources are either KI as iodine or KSCN as thiocyanide ions for CuI and CuSCN films, respectively. The preparative parameters are optimized with the aim to use these p-type materials as windows for solar cells. Different substrates are used, namely: glass, fluorine doped tin oxide coated glass and CuInS{sub 2} (CIS). X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and optical absorption spectroscopy are used for structural, surface morphological and optical studies, and the results are discussed.

Wide band gap p-type windows by CBD and SILAR methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sankapal, B.R.; Goncalves, E.; Ennaoui, A.; Lux-Steiner, M.Ch.

2004-01-01

Chemical deposition methods, namely, chemical bath deposition (CBD) and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) have been used to deposit wide band gap p-type CuI and CuSCN thin films at room temperature (25 deg. C) in aqueous medium. Growth of these films requires the use of Cu (I) cations as a copper ions source. This is achieved by complexing Cu (II) ions using Na 2 S 2 O 3 . The anion sources are either KI as iodine or KSCN as thiocyanide ions for CuI and CuSCN films, respectively. The preparative parameters are optimized with the aim to use these p-type materials as windows for solar cells. Different substrates are used, namely: glass, fluorine doped tin oxide coated glass and CuInS 2 (CIS). X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and optical absorption spectroscopy are used for structural, surface morphological and optical studies, and the results are discussed

Tomographic local 2D analyses of the WISExSuperCOSMOS all-sky galaxy catalogue

Science.gov (United States)

Novaes, C. P.; Bernui, A.; Xavier, H. S.; Marques, G. A.

2018-05-01

The recent progress in obtaining larger and deeper galaxy catalogues is of fundamental importance for cosmological studies, especially to robustly measure the large scale density fluctuations in the Universe. The present work uses the Minkowski Functionals (MF) to probe the galaxy density field from the WISExSuperCOSMOS (WSC) all-sky catalogue by performing tomographic local analyses in five redshift shells (of thickness δz = 0.05) in the total range of 0.10 methodology reveals 1 - 3 regions of the GNC maps in each redshift shell with an uncommon behaviour (extreme regions), i.e., p-value < 1.4%. Indeed, the resulting MF curves show signatures that suggest the uncommon behaviour to be associated with the presence of over- or under-densities there, but contamination due to residual foregrounds is not discarded. Additionally, even though our analyses indicate a good agreement among data and simulations, we identify 1 highly extreme region, seemingly associated to a large clustered distribution of galaxies. Our results confirm the usefulness of the MF to analyse GNC maps from photometric galaxy datasets.

Long term variability of Cygnus X-1. V. State definitions with all sky monitors

Science.gov (United States)

Grinberg, V.; Hell, N.; Pottschmidt, K.; Böck, M.; Nowak, M. A.; Rodriguez, J.; Bodaghee, A.; Cadolle Bel, M.; Case, G. L.; Hanke, M.; Kühnel, M.; Markoff, S. B.; Pooley, G. G.; Rothschild, R. E.; Tomsick, J. A.; Wilson-Hodge, C. A.; Wilms, J.

2013-06-01

We present a scheme for determining the spectral state of the canonical black hole Cyg X-1 using data from previous and current X-ray all sky monitors (RXTE-ASM, Swift-BAT, MAXI, and Fermi-GBM). Determinations of the hard/intermediate and soft state agree to better than 10% between different monitors, facilitating the determination of the state and its context for any observation of the source, potentially over the lifetimes of different individual monitors. A separation of the hard and the intermediate states, which strongly differ in their spectral shape and short-term timing behavior, is only possible when data in the soft X-rays (probability of Cyg X-1 remaining in a given state for at least one week to be larger than 85% in the hard state and larger than 75% in the soft state. Intermediate states are short lived, with a 50% probability that the source leaves the intermediate state within three days. Reliable detection of these potentially short-lived events is only possible with monitor data that have a time resolution better than 1 d.

Sky Subtraction with Fiber-Fed Spectrograph

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Myriam

2017-09-01

"Historically, fiber-fed spectrographs had been deemed inadequate for the observation of faint targets, mainly because of the difficulty to achieve high accuracy on the sky subtraction. The impossibility to sample the sky in the immediate vicinity of the target in fiber instruments has led to a commonly held view that a multi-object fibre spectrograph cannot achieve an accurate sky subtraction under 1% contrary to their slit counterpart. The next generation of multi-objects spectrograph at the VLT (MOONS) and the planed MOS for the E-ELT (MOSAIC) are fiber-fed instruments, and are aimed to observed targets fainter than the sky continuum level. In this talk, I will present the state-of-art on sky subtraction strategies and data reduction algorithm specifically developed for fiber-fed spectrographs. I will also present the main results of an observational campaign to better characterise the sky spatial and temporal variations ( in particular the continuum and faint sky lines)."

Adnyamathanha Night Skies

Science.gov (United States)

Curnow, Paul

2009-06-01

Aboriginal Australians have been viewing the night skies of Australia for some 45,000 years and possibly much longer. During this time they have been able to develop a complex knowledge of the night sky, the terrestrial environment in addition to seasonal changes. However, few of us in contemporary society have an in-depth knowledge of the nightly waltz of stars above.

BRIGHTNESS AND FLUCTUATION OF THE MID-INFRARED SKY FROM AKARI OBSERVATIONS TOWARD THE NORTH ECLIPTIC POLE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pyo, Jeonghyun; Jeong, Woong-Seob; Matsumoto, Toshio; Matsuura, Shuji

2012-01-01

We present the smoothness of the mid-infrared sky from observations by the Japanese infrared astronomical satellite AKARI. AKARI monitored the north ecliptic pole (NEP) during its cold phase with nine wave bands covering from 2.4 to 24 μm, out of which six mid-infrared bands were used in this study. We applied power-spectrum analysis to the images in order to search for the fluctuation of the sky brightness. Observed fluctuation is explained by fluctuation of photon noise, shot noise of faint sources, and Galactic cirrus. The fluctuations at a few arcminutes scales at short mid-infrared wavelengths (7, 9, and 11 μm) are largely caused by the diffuse Galactic light of the interstellar dust cirrus. At long mid-infrared wavelengths (15, 18, and 24 μm), photon noise is the dominant source of fluctuation over the scale from arcseconds to a few arcminutes. The residual fluctuation amplitude at 200'' after removing these contributions is at most 1.04 ± 0.23 nW m –2 sr –1 or 0.05% of the brightness at 24 μm and at least 0.47 ± 0.14 nW m –2 sr –1 or 0.02% at 18 μm. We conclude that the upper limit of the fluctuation in the zodiacal light toward the NEP is 0.03% of the sky brightness, taking 2σ error into account.

The Rainbow Sky

CERN Document Server

Buick, Tony

2010-01-01

The world is full of color, from the blue ocean and the yellow daffodils and sunflowers in green carpeted meadows to the majestic purple mountains in the distance and brightly hued coral reefs off the edges of tropical coasts. But what is color, exactly? Why do we see things in different colors? Do we all see the same colors? Like the surface of our planet, the sky above us offers us an endless palette of color, a visual feast for the eyes. Besides atmospheric phenomena such as sunsets and rainbows, there are the many varied worlds of the Solar System, which we can spy through our telescopes, with their subtle colorings of beige and blue and green. Faraway star systems have suns that come in shades ranging from red and yellow to blue and white. Scientists even often use "false colors" to enhance the features of images they take of structures, such as the rings of Saturn and Jupiter’s clouds. This book, with its clear explanations of what makes the sky such a colorful place and in its great wealth of picture...

Planck early results. XIX. All-sky temperature and dust optical depth from Planck and IRAS. Constraints on the "dark gas" in our Galaxy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poutanen, T.; Natoli, P.; Polenta, G.

2011-01-01

An all sky map of the apparent temperature and optical depth of thermal dust emission is constructed using the Planck-HFI (350μm to 2 mm) andIRAS(100μm) data. The optical depth maps are correlated with tracers of the atomic (Hi) and molecular gas traced by CO. The correlation with the column dens...

Thermography hogging the limelight at Big Sky

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Plastow, C. [Fluke Electronics Canada, Mississauga, ON (Canada)

2010-02-15

The high levels of humidity and ammonia found at hog farms can lead to premature corrosion of electrical systems and create potential hazards, such as electrical fires. Big Sky Farms in Saskatchewan has performed on-site inspections at its 44 farms and 16 feed mills using handheld thermography technology from Fluke Electronics. Ti thermal imaging units save time and simplify inspections. The units could be used for everything, from checking out the bearings at the feed mills to electrical circuits and relays. The Ti25 is affordable and has the right features for a preventative maintenance program. Operators of Big Sky Farms use the Ti25 to inspect all circuit breakers of 600 volts or lower as well as transformers where corrosion often causes connections to break off. The units are used to look at bearings, do scanning and thermal imaging on motors. To date, the Ti25 has detected and highlighted 5 or 6 problems on transformers alone that could have been major issues. At one site, the Ti25 indicated that all 30 circuit breakers had loose connections and were overeating. Big Sky Farms fixed the problem right away before a disaster happened. In addition to reducing inspection times, the Ti25 can record all measurements and keep a record of all the readings for downloading. 2 figs.

Implementation and Investigation of a Compact Circular Wide Slot UWB Antenna with Dual Notched Band Characteristics using Stepped Impedance Resonators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yingsong Li

2012-04-01

Full Text Available A coplanar waveguide (CPW fed ultra-wideband (UWB antenna with dual notched band characteristics is presented in this paper. The circular wide slot and circular radiation patch are utilized to broaden the impedance bandwidth of the UWB antenna. The dual notched band functions are achieved by employing two stepped impedance resonators (SIRs which etched on the circular radiation patch and CPW excitation line, respectively. The two notched bands can be controlled by adjusting the dimensions of the two stepped impedance resonators which give tunable notched band functions. The proposed dual notched band UWB antenna has been designed in details and optimized by means of HFSS. Experimental and numerical results show that the proposed antenna with compact size of 32 × 24 mm2, has an impedance bandwidth range from 2.8 GHz to 13.5 Hz for voltage standing-wave ratio (VSWR less than 2, except the notch bands 5.0 GHz - 6.2 GHz for HIPERLAN/2 and IEEE 802.11a (5.1 GHz - 5.9 GHz and 8.0 GHz - 9.3 GHz for satellite and military applications.

Wide band design on the scaled absorbing material filled with flaky CIPs

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yonggang; Yuan, Liming; Gao, Wei; Wang, Xiaobing; Liang, Zichang; Liao, Yi

2018-02-01

The scaled target measurement is an important method to get the target characteristic. Radar absorbing materials are widely used in the low detectable target, considering the absorbing material frequency dispersion characteristics, it makes designing and manufacturing scaled radar absorbing materials on the scaled target very difficult. This paper proposed a wide band design method on the scaled absorbing material of the thin absorption coating with added carbonyl iron particles. According to the theoretical radar cross section (RCS) of the plate, the reflection loss determined by the permittivity and permeability was chosen as the main design factor. Then, the parameters of the scaled absorbing materials were designed using the effective medium theory, and the scaled absorbing material was constructed. Finally, the full-size coating plate and scaled coating plates (under three different scale factors) were simulated; the RCSs of the coating plates were numerically calculated and measured at 4 GHz and a scale factor of 2. The results showed that the compensated RCS of the scaled coating plate was close to that of the full-size coating plate, that is, the mean deviation was less than 0.5 dB, and the design method for the scaled material was very effective.

The Transient High Energy Sky and Early Universe Surveyor (THESEUS)

Science.gov (United States)

Amati, Lorenzo; O'Brien, Paul T.; Götz, Diego

2016-07-01

The Transient High Energy Sky and Early Universe Surveyor (THESEUS) is a mission concept under development by a large international collaboration aimed at exploiting gamma-ray bursts for investigating the early Universe. The main scientific objectives of THESEUS include: investigating the star formation rate and metallicity evolution of the ISM and IGM up to redshift 9-10, detecting the first generation (pop III) of stars, studying the sources and physics of re-ionization, detecting the faint end of galaxies luminosity function. These goals will be achieved through a unique combination of instruments allowing GRB detection and arcmin localization over a broad FOV (more than 1sr) and an energy band extending from several MeVs down to 0.3 keV with unprecedented sensitivity, as well as on-board prompt (few minutes) follow-up with a 0.6m class IR telescope with both imaging and spectroscopic capabilities. Such instrumentation will also allow THESEUS to unveil and study the population of soft and sub-energetic GRBs, and, more in general, to perform monitoring and survey of the X-ray sky with unprecedented sensitivity.

Dark Skies Awareness Cornerstone Project for the International Year of Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, C. E.; Pompea, S. M.; Iya Dark Skies Awareness Working Group

2010-12-01

Programs that were part of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009) Dark Skies Awareness (DSA) Cornerstone Project have been successfully implemented around the world to promote social awareness of the effects of light pollution on public health, economic issues, ecological consequences, energy conservation, safety and security, nightscape aesthetics and especially astronomy. In developing the programs, DSA Cornerstone Project found that to influence cultural change effectively — to make people literally look up and see the light — we must make children a main focus, use approaches that offer involvement on many levels, from cursory to committed, and offer involvement via many venues. We must make the programs and resources as turn-key as possible, especially for educators — and provide ways to visualize the problem with simple, easily grasped demonstrations. The programs spanned a wide range; from new media technology for the younger generation, to an event in the arts, to various types of educational materials, to the promotion of dark skies communities, to national and international events and to global citizen science programs. The DSA Cornerstone Project is continuing most all of these programs beyond IYA2009. The International Dark-Sky Association as well as the Starlight Initiative is endorsing and helping to continue with some of the most successful programs from the DSA. The GLOBE at Night campaign is adding a research component that examines light pollution’s affects on wildlife. Dark Skies Rangers activities are being implemented in Europe through the Galileo Teacher Training Program. The new “One Star at a Time” will engage people to protect the night sky through personal pledges and registration of public stargazing areas or StarParks, like the newest one in Italy. The Starlight Initiative’s World Night in Defence of the Starlight will take place on the Vernal Equinox. DSA will again oversee the Dark Skies portion of Global

THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY QUASAR LENS SEARCH. V. FINAL CATALOG FROM THE SEVENTH DATA RELEASE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inada, Naohisa; Oguri, Masamune; Kayo, Issha; Fukugita, Masataka; Shin, Min-Su; Strauss, Michael A.; Bahcall, Neta A.; Morokuma, Tomoki; Rusu, Cristian E.; Kochanek, Christopher S.; Richards, Gordon T.; Schneider, Donald P.; York, Donald G.; Frieman, Joshua A.; Hall, Patrick B.; White, Richard L.

2012-01-01

We present the final statistical sample of lensed quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Quasar Lens Search (SQLS). The well-defined statistical lens sample consists of 26 lensed quasars brighter than i = 19.1 and in the redshift range of 0.6 < z < 2.2 selected from 50,826 spectroscopically confirmed quasars in the SDSS Data Release 7 (DR7), where we restrict the image separation range to 1'' < θ < 20'' and the i-band magnitude differences in two images to be smaller than 1.25 mag. The SDSS DR7 quasar catalog also contains 36 additional lenses identified with various techniques. In addition to these lensed quasars, we have identified 81 pairs of quasars from follow-up spectroscopy, 26 of which are physically associated binary quasars. The statistical lens sample covers a wide range of image separations, redshifts, and magnitudes, and therefore is suitable for systematic studies of cosmological parameters and surveys of the structure and evolution of galaxies and quasars.

Effect of the position of the visible sky in determining the sky view factor on micrometeorological and human thermal comfort conditions in urban street canyons

Science.gov (United States)

Qaid, Adeb; Lamit, Hasanuddin Bin; Ossen, Dilshan Remaz; Rasidi, Mohd Hisyam

2018-02-01

Poor daytime and night-time micrometeorological conditions are issues that influence the quality of environmental conditions and can undermine a comfortable human lifestyle. The sky view factor (SVF) is one of the essential physical parameters used to assess the micrometeorological conditions and thermal comfort levels within city streets. The position of the visible sky relative to the path of the sun, in the cardinal and ordinal directions, has not been widely discerned as a parameter that could have an impact on the micrometeorological conditions of urban streets. To investigate this parameter, different urban streets that have a similar SVF value but diverse positions of visible sky were proposed in different street directions intersecting with the path of the sun, namely N-S, NE-SW and NW-SE. The effects of daytime and night-time micrometeorological variables and human thermal comfort variables on the street were investigated by applying ENVI-met V3.1 Beta software. The results show that the position of the visible sky has a greater influence on the street's meteorological and human thermal comfort conditions than the SVF value. It has the ability to maximise or minimise the mean radiation temperature (Tmrt, °C) and the physiological equivalent temperature (PET, °C) at street level. However, the visible sky positioned to the zenith in a NE-SW or N-S street direction and to the SW of a NW-SE street direction achieves the best daytime micrometeorological and thermal comfort conditions. Alternatively, the visible sky positioned to the NE for a NW-SE street direction, to the NW and the zenith for a NE-SW street direction and to the zenith for a N-S street direction reduces the night-time air temperature (Ta, °C). Therefore, SVF and the position of the visible sky relative to the sun's trajectory, in the cardinal and ordinal directions, must be considered during urban street planning to better understand the resultant micrometeorological and human thermal

Causality and skies: is non-refocussing necessary?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bautista, A; Ibort, A; Lafuente, J

2015-01-01

The causal structure of a strongly causal, null pseudo-convex, space-time M is completely characterized in terms of a partial order on its space of skies defined by means of a class of non-negative Legendrian isotopies called sky isotopies. It is also shown that such partial order is determined by the class of future causal celestial curves, that is, curves in the space of light rays which are tangent to skies and such that they determine non-negative sky isotopies. It will also be proved that the space of skies Σ equipped with Low’s (or reconstructive) topology is homeomorphic and diffeomorphic to M under the only additional assumption that M separates skies, that is, that different events determine different skies. The sky-separating property of M is sharp and the previous result provides an answer to the question about the class of space-times whose causal structure, topological and differentiable structure can be reconstructed from their spaces of light rays and skies. These results can be understood as a Malament–Hawking-like theorem stated in terms of the partial order defined on the space of skies. (paper)

Reward banding to determine reporting rate of recovered mourning dove bands

Science.gov (United States)

Tomlinson, R.E.

1968-01-01

Reward bands placed on the other leg of certain regularly banded immature mourning doves (Zenaidura macroura) were used to develop information on reporting rates of recovered dove bands. Reports from 15 widely separated sections of the United States showed considerable variation in recovery rate of doves both with and without reward bands. The overall percentages of banded doves that were reported as recovered were 9.69% for those with reward bands and 3.83% for controls. The bandreporting rate for states influenced by publicity was 66%; that for states not influenced was 32%.

BROADBAND SPECTROSCOPY USING TWO SUZAKU OBSERVATIONS OF THE HMXB GX 301–2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suchy, Slawomir; Markowitz, Alex; Rothschild, Richard E.; Fürst, Felix; Kreykenbohm, Ingo; Wilms, Jörn; Pottschmidt, Katja; Caballero, Isabel

2012-01-01

We present the analysis of two Suzaku observations of GX 301–2 at two orbital phases after the periastron passage. Variations in the column density of the line-of-sight absorber are observed, consistent with accretion from a clumpy wind. In addition to a cyclotron resonance scattering feature (CRSF), multiple fluorescence emission lines were detected in both observations. The variations in the pulse profiles and the CRSF throughout the pulse phase have a signature of a magnetic dipole field. Using a simple dipole model we calculated the expected magnetic field values for different pulse phases and were able to extract a set of geometrical angles, loosely constraining the dipole geometry in the neutron star. From the variation of the CRSF width and energy, we found a geometrical solution for the dipole, making the inclination consistent with previously published values.

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey-II Supernova Survey: Technical Summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frieman, Joshua A.; /Fermilab /KICP, Chicago /Chicago U., Astron. Astrophys. Ctr.; Bassett, Bruce; /Cape Town U. /South African Astron. Observ.; Becker, Andrew; /Washington; Choi, Changsu; /Seoul Natl. U.; Cinabro, David; /Wayne State U.; DeJongh, Don Frederic; /Fermilab; Depoy, Darren L.; /Ohio State U.; Doi, Mamoru; /Tokyo U.; Garnavich, Peter M.; /Notre Dame U.; Hogan, Craig J.; /Washington U., Seattle, Astron. Dept.; Holtzman, Jon; /New Mexico State U.; Im, Myungshin; /Seoul Natl. U.; Jha, Saurabh; /Stanford U., Phys. Dept.; Konishi, Kohki; /Tokyo U.; Lampeitl, Hubert; /Baltimore, Space Telescope Sci.; Marriner, John; /Fermilab; Marshall, Jennifer L.; /Ohio State U.; McGinnis,; /Fermilab; Miknaitis, Gajus; /Fermilab; Nichol, Robert C.; /Portsmouth U.; Prieto, Jose Luis; /Ohio State U. /Rochester Inst. Tech. /Stanford U., Phys. Dept. /Pennsylvania U.

2007-09-14

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey-II (SDSS-II) has embarked on a multi-year project to identify and measure light curves for intermediate-redshift (0.05 < z < 0.35) Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) using repeated five-band (ugriz) imaging over an area of 300 sq. deg. The survey region is a stripe 2.5 degrees wide centered on the celestial equator in the Southern Galactic Cap that has been imaged numerous times in earlier years, enabling construction of a deep reference image for discovery of new objects. Supernova imaging observations are being acquired between 1 September and 30 November of 2005-7. During the first two seasons, each region was imaged on average every five nights. Spectroscopic follow-up observations to determine supernova type and redshift are carried out on a large number of telescopes. In its first two three-month seasons, the survey has discovered and measured light curves for 327 spectroscopically confirmed SNe Ia, 30 probable SNe Ia, 14 confirmed SNe Ib/c, 32 confirmed SNe II, plus a large number of photometrically identified SNe Ia, 94 of which have host-galaxy spectra taken so far. This paper provides an overview of the project and briefly describes the observations completed during the first two seasons of operation.

Low Band Gap Polymers for Roll-to-Roll Coated Polymer Solar Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bundgaard, Eva; Hagemann, Ole; Manceau, Matthieu

2010-01-01

connected cells were prepared with a total module active area of 96 cm2. The devices were tested for operational stability under simulated sunlight (AM1.5G) and natural sunlight, and the photochemical stability of the polymer was examined using a combination of UV−vis and IR spectroscopy.......We present the synthesis of a low band gap copolymer based on dithienothiophene and dialkoxybenzothiadiazole (poly(dithienothiophene-co-dialkoxybenzothiadiazole), PDTTDABT). The optical properties of the polymer showed a band gap of 1.6 eV and a sky-blue color in solid films. The polymer...... around a 1:2 mixing ratio. Roll-to-roll coated polymer solar cell devices were prepared under ambient conditions employing solution processing in all steps including the metallic back electrode that was printed as a grid giving semitransparent solar cell devices. Solar cell modules comprising 16 serially...

All-weather calibration of wide-field optical and NIR surveys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burke, David L. [SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (United States); Saha, Abhijit; Claver, Jenna; Claver, Chuck [National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Tucson, AZ 85718 (United States); Axelrod, T. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85718 (United States); DePoy, Darren [Texas A and M University, College Station, TX 77843 (United States); Ivezić, Željko; Jones, Lynne [Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Smith, R. Chris [Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Casilla 603, La Serena (Chile); Stubbs, Christopher W., E-mail: daveb@slac.stanford.edu [Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2014-01-01

The science goals for ground-based large-area surveys, such as the Dark Energy Survey, Pan-STARRS, and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, require calibration of broadband photometry that is stable in time and uniform over the sky to precisions of a percent or better. This performance will need to be achieved with data taken over the course of many years, and often in less than ideal conditions. This paper describes a strategy to achieve precise internal calibration of imaging survey data taken in less than 'photometric' conditions, and reports results of an observational study of the techniques needed to implement this strategy. We find that images of celestial fields used in this case study with stellar densities ∼1 arcmin{sup –2} and taken through cloudless skies can be calibrated with relative precision ∼0.5% (reproducibility). We report measurements of spatial structure functions of cloud absorption observed over a range of atmospheric conditions, and find it possible to achieve photometric measurements that are reproducible to 1% in images that were taken through cloud layers that transmit as little as 25% of the incident optical flux (1.5 magnitudes of extinction). We find, however, that photometric precision below 1% is impeded by the thinnest detectable cloud layers. We comment on implications of these results for the observing strategies of future surveys.

Biocompatibility of a functionally graded bioceramic coating made by wide-band laser cladding.

Science.gov (United States)

Weidong, Zhu; Qibin, Liu; Min, Zheng; Xudong, Wang

2008-11-01

The application of plasma spray is the most popular method by which a metal-bioceramic surface composite can be prepared for the repair of biological hard-tissue, but this method has disadvantages. These disadvantages include poor coating-to-substrate adhesion, low mechanical strength, and brittleness of the coating. In the investigation described in this article, a gradient bioceramic coating was prepared on a Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy surface using a gradient composite design and wide-band laser cladding techniques. Using a trilayer-structure composed of a substratum, an alloy and bioceramics, the coating was chemically and metallurgically bonded with the substratum. The coating, which contains beta-tricalcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite, showed favorable biocompatibility with the bone tissue and promoted in vivo osteogenesis.

Novel Low Loss Wide-Band Multi-Port Integrated Circuit Technology for RF/Microwave Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Simons, Rainee N.; Goverdhanam, Kavita; Katehi, Linda P. B.; Burke, Thomas P. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

In this paper, novel low loss, wide-band coplanar stripline technology for radio frequency (RF)/microwave integrated circuits is demonstrated on high resistivity silicon wafer. In particular, the fabrication process for the deposition of spin-on-glass (SOG) as a dielectric layer, the etching of microvias for the vertical interconnects, the design methodology for the multiport circuits and their measured/simulated characteristics are graphically illustrated. The study shows that circuits with very low loss, large bandwidth, and compact size are feasible using this technology. This multilayer planar technology has potential to significantly enhance RF/microwave IC performance when combined with semi-conductor devices and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).

Update on the Commensal VLA Low-band Ionospheric and Transient Experiment (VLITE)

Science.gov (United States)

Kassim, Namir E.; Clarke, Tracy E.; Ray, Paul S.; Polisensky, Emil; Peters, Wendy M.; Giacintucci, Simona; Helmboldt, Joseph F.; Hyman, Scott D.; Brisken, Walter; Hicks, Brian; Deneva, Julia S.

2017-01-01

The JVLA Low-band Ionospheric and Transient Experiment (VLITE) is a commensal observing system on the NRAO JVLA. The separate optical path of the prime-focus sub-GHz dipole feeds and the Cassegrain-focus GHz feeds provided an opportunity to expand the simultaneous frequency operation of the JVLA through joint observations across both systems. The low-band receivers on 10 JVLA antennas are outfitted with dedicated samplers and use spare fibers to transport the 320-384 MHz band to the VLITE correlator. The initial phase of VLITE uses a custom-designed real-time DiFX software correlator to produce autocorrelations, as well as parallel and cross-hand cross-correlations from the linear dipole feeds. NRL and NRAO have worked together to explore the scientific potential of the commensal low frequency system for ionospheric remote sensing, astrophysics and transients. VLITE operates at nearly 70% wall time with roughly 6200 hours of JVLA time recorded each year.VLITE data are used in real-time for ionospheric research and are transferred daily to NRL for processing in the astrophysics and transient pipelines. These pipelines provide automated radio frequency interference excision, calibration, imaging and self-calibration of data.We will review early scientific results from VLITE across all three science focus areas, including the ionosphere, slow (> 1 sec) transients, and astrophysics. We also discuss the future of the project, that includes its planned expansion to eVLITE including the addition of more antennas, and a parallel capability to search for fast (complement NRAO’s 3 GHz VLA Sky Survey (VLASS). Revised pipelines are under development for operation during the on-the-fly operation mode of the sky survey.

A Galaxy Zoo - WorldWide Telescope Mashup: Expanding User Defined Exploration

Science.gov (United States)

Luebbert, Jarod; Sands, M.; Fay, J.; Smith, A.; Gay, P. L.; Galaxy Zoo Team

2010-01-01

We present a new way of exploring your favorite Galaxy Zoo galaxies within the context of the sky using Microsoft Research's WorldWide Telescope. Galaxy Zoo has a fantastic community that is eager to learn and contribute to science through morphological classifications of galaxies. WorldWide Telescope is an interactive observatory that allows users to explore the sky. WorldWide Telescope uses images from the world's best telescopes, including the galaxies of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. WorldWide Telescope provides a fantastic sense of size and distance that is hard to experience in Galaxy Zoo. Creating tours from favorite galaxies directly from Galaxy Zoo aims to solve this dilemma.The incorporation of Galaxy Zoo and WorldWide telescope provides a great resource for users to learn more about the galaxies they are classifying. Users can now explore the areas around certain galaxies and view information about that location from within WorldWide Telescope. Not only does this encourage self-motivated research but after tours are created they can be shared with anyone. We hope this will help spread citizen science to different audiences via email, Facebook, and Twitter.Without the WorldWide Telescope team at Microsoft Research this project would not have been possible. Please go start exploring at http://wwt.galaxyzoo.org. This project was funded through the Microsoft Research Academic Program.

Suzaku Observations of 4U 1957+11: Potentially the Most Rapidly Spinning Black Hole in (the Halo of) the Galaxy

Science.gov (United States)

Nowak, Michael A.; Wilms, Joern; Pottschmidt, Katja; Schulz, Norbert; Maitra, Dipankar; Miller, Jon

2011-01-01

We present three Suzaku observations of the black hole candidate 4U 1957+11 (V 1408 Aql) - a source that exhibits some of. the simplest and cleanest examples of soft, disk-dominated spectra. 4U 1957+ II also presents among the. highest peak temperatures found from disk-dominated spectra. Such temperatures may be associated with rapid black hole spin. The 4U 1957+11 spectra also require a very low normalization, which can be explained by a combination of small inner disk radius and a large distance (> 10 kpc) which places 4U 1957+ 11 well into the Galactic halo. We perform Joint fits to the Suzaku spectra with both relativistic and Comptonized disk models. Assuming a low mass black hole and the nearest distance (3 Stellar Mass, 10 kpc), the dimensionless spin parameter a* = Jc/GM(sup 2)> or approx. 0.9. Higher masses and farther distances yield a* approx. = 1. Similar conclusions are reached with Comptonization models; they imply a combination of small inner disk radii (or, equivalently, rapid spin) and large distance. Low spin cannot be recovered unless 4U 1957+11 is a low mass black hole that is at the unusually large distance of > or approx.40 kpc. We speculate whether the suggested maximal spin is related to how the system came to reside in the halo.

Characterizing the zenithal night sky brightness in large territories: how many samples per square kilometre are needed?

Science.gov (United States)

Bará, Salvador

2018-01-01

A recurring question arises when trying to characterize, by means of measurements or theoretical calculations, the zenithal night sky brightness throughout a large territory: how many samples per square kilometre are needed? The optimum sampling distance should allow reconstructing, with sufficient accuracy, the continuous zenithal brightness map across the whole region, whilst at the same time avoiding unnecessary and redundant oversampling. This paper attempts to provide some tentative answers to this issue, using two complementary tools: the luminance structure function and the Nyquist-Shannon spatial sampling theorem. The analysis of several regions of the world, based on the data from the New world atlas of artificial night sky brightness, suggests that, as a rule of thumb, about one measurement per square kilometre could be sufficient for determining the zenithal night sky brightness of artificial origin at any point in a region to within ±0.1 magV arcsec-2 (in the root-mean-square sense) of its true value in the Johnson-Cousins V band. The exact reconstruction of the zenithal night sky brightness maps from samples taken at the Nyquist rate seems to be considerably more demanding.

The First Data Release of the All-sky NOAO Source Catalog

Science.gov (United States)

Nidever, David L.; NOAO Data Lab

2018-06-01

Roughly three quarters of the sky has been imaged with NOAO's telescopes from both hemispheres. While the large majority of these data were obtained for PI-led projects and surveys only a fraction have been released to the community via well-calibrated and easily accessible catalogs. We have remedied this by creating a catalog of sources from most of the public data taken on CTIO-4m+DECam as well as KPNO 4m+Mosaic3. The first data release (DR1) of this catalog, called the NOAO Source Catalog (NSC), contains 2.9 billion unique objects, 34 billion individual measurements, covers ~30,000 square degrees, has depths of ~23rd magnitude in most broadband filters with ~1-2% photometric accuracy and astrometric accuracy of ~2 mas. The NSC will be useful for exploring stellar streams, dwarf satellite galaxies, distant galaxies as well as variable stars and other transients. DR1 is now available through the NOAO Data Lab (datalab.noao.edu).

Deep sky observing an astronomical tour

CERN Document Server

Coe, Steven R

2016-01-01

This updated second edition has all of the information needed for your successful forays into deep sky observing. Coe uses his years of experience to give detailed practical advice about how to find the best observing site, how to make the most of the time spent there, and what equipment and instruments to take along. There are comprehensive lists of deep sky objects of all kinds, along with Steve's own observations describing how they look through telescopes with apertures ranging from 4 inches to 36 inches (0.1 - 0.9 meters). Binocular observing also gets its due, while the lists of objects have been amended to highlight only the best targets. A new index makes finding targets easier than ever before, while the selection of viewing targets has been revised from the first edition. Most of all, this book is all about how to enjoy astronomy. The author's enthusiasm and sense of wonder shine through every page as he invites you along on a tour of some of the most beautiful and fascinating sites in the deep ...

Light pollution: Assessment of sky glow on two dark sky regions of Portugal.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, Raul Cerveira; Pinto da Cunha, José; Peixinho, Nuno

2016-01-01

Artificial light at night (ALAN), producing light pollution (LP), is not a matter restricted to astronomy anymore. Light is part of modern societies and, as a consequence, the natural cycle day-night (bright-dark) has been interrupted in a large segment of the global population. There is increasing evidence that exposure to certain types of light at night and beyond threshold levels may produce hazardous effects to humans and the environment. The concept of "dark skies reserves" is a step forward in order to preserve the night sky and a means of enhancing public awareness of the problem of spread of light pollution worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the skyglow at two sites in Portugal, the Peneda-Gerês National Park (PNPG) and the region now known as Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve. The latter site was classified as a "Starlight Tourism Destination" by the Starlight Foundation (the first in the world to achieve this classification) following a series of night sky measurements in situ described herein. The measurements at PNPG also contributed to the new set of regulations concerning light pollution at this national park. This study presents the first in situ systematic measurements of night sky brightness, showing that at the two sites the skies are mostly in levels 3 to 4 of the Bortle 9-level scale (with level 1 being the best achievable). The results indicate that the sources of light pollution and skyglow can be attributed predominantly to contamination from nearby urban regions.

Education for Life in the Sky.

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Charles E.

1981-01-01

The need to educate people about the sky as both a psychological and physical environment is discussed, including a formal curriculum schema (sky as habitat, sky as transport, influence on culture) and informal curriculum, with such topics as recreation, pollution, mythology, and clouds. (DC)

Dark Skies are a Universal Resource: Programs Planned for the International Year of Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Constance E.; US IYA Dark Skies Working Group

2008-05-01

The dark night sky is a natural resource that is being lost by much of the world's population. This loss is a growing, serious issue that impacts not only astronomical research, but also human health, ecology, safety, economics and energy conservation. One of the themes of the US Node targeted for the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) is "Dark Skies are a Universal Resource". The goal is to raise public awareness of the impact of artificial lighting on local environments by getting people involved locally in a variety of dark skies-related events. To reach this goal, activities are being developed that: 1) Teach about dark skies using new technology (e.g., an activity-based planetarium show on DVD, podcasting, social networking) 2) Provide thematic events on light pollution at star parties and observatory open houses (Dark Skies Teaching Sites, Astronomy Nights in the (National) Parks, Sidewalk Astronomy Nights) 3) Organize events in the arts (e.g., a photography contest) 4) Involve citizen-scientists in unaided-eye and digital-meter star counting programs (e.g., GLOBE at Night, "How Many Stars?” and the Great World Wide Star Count) and 5) Raise awareness about the link between light pollution and public health, economic issues, ecological consequences, energy conservation, safety and security (e.g., The Great Switch Out, Earth Hour, National Dark Skies Week, traveling exhibits and a 6-minute video tutorial on lighting issues). To deliver these programs, strategic networks have been established with the ASP's Night Sky Network's astronomy clubs, Astronomy from the Ground Up's science and nature centers and the Project and Family ASTRO programs, as well as the International Dark-Sky Association, GLOBE and the Astronomical League, among others. The poster presentation will outline the activities being developed, the plans for funding, implementation, marketing and the connections to the global cornerstone IYA project, "Dark Skies Awareness".

EXPLORING THE VARIABLE SKY WITH LINEAR. III. CLASSIFICATION OF PERIODIC LIGHT CURVES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palaversa, Lovro; Eyer, Laurent; Rimoldini, Lorenzo [Observatoire Astronomique de l' Université de Genève, 51 chemin des Maillettes, CH-1290 Sauverny (Switzerland); Ivezić, Željko; Loebman, Sarah; Hunt-Walker, Nicholas; VanderPlas, Jacob; Westman, David; Becker, Andrew C. [Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, P.O. Box 351580, Seattle, WA 98195-1580 (United States); Ruždjak, Domagoj; Sudar, Davor; Božić, Hrvoje [Hvar Observatory, Faculty of Geodesy, Kačićeva 26, 10000 Zagreb (Croatia); Galin, Mario [Faculty of Geodesy, Kačićeva 26, 10000 Zagreb (Croatia); Kroflin, Andrea; Mesarić, Martina; Munk, Petra; Vrbanec, Dijana [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Bijenička cesta 32, 10000 Zagreb (Croatia); Sesar, Branimir [Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Stuart, J. Scott [Lincoln Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 244 Wood Street, Lexington, MA 02420-9108 (United States); Srdoč, Gregor, E-mail: lovro.palaversa@unige.ch [Saršoni 90, 51216 Viškovo (Croatia); and others

2013-10-01

We describe the construction of a highly reliable sample of ∼7000 optically faint periodic variable stars with light curves obtained by the asteroid survey LINEAR across 10,000 deg{sup 2} of the northern sky. The majority of these variables have not been cataloged yet. The sample flux limit is several magnitudes fainter than most other wide-angle surveys; the photometric errors range from ∼0.03 mag at r = 15 to ∼0.20 mag at r = 18. Light curves include on average 250 data points, collected over about a decade. Using Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) based photometric recalibration of the LINEAR data for about 25 million objects, we selected ∼200,000 most probable candidate variables with r < 17 and visually confirmed and classified ∼7000 periodic variables using phased light curves. The reliability and uniformity of visual classification across eight human classifiers was calibrated and tested using a catalog of variable stars from the SDSS Stripe 82 region and verified using an unsupervised machine learning approach. The resulting sample of periodic LINEAR variables is dominated by 3900 RR Lyrae stars and 2700 eclipsing binary stars of all subtypes and includes small fractions of relatively rare populations such as asymptotic giant branch stars and SX Phoenicis stars. We discuss the distribution of these mostly uncataloged variables in various diagrams constructed with optical-to-infrared SDSS, Two Micron All Sky Survey, and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer photometry, and with LINEAR light-curve features. We find that the combination of light-curve features and colors enables classification schemes much more powerful than when colors or light curves are each used separately. An interesting side result is a robust and precise quantitative description of a strong correlation between the light-curve period and color/spectral type for close and contact eclipsing binary stars (β Lyrae and W UMa): as the color-based spectral type varies from K4 to F5, the

Derivation of Sky-View Factors from LIDAR Data

Science.gov (United States)

Kidd, Christopher; Chapman, Lee

2013-01-01

The use of Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging), an active light-emitting instrument, is becoming increasingly common for a range of potential applications. Its ability to provide fine resolution spatial and vertical resolution elevation data makes it ideal for a wide range of studies. This paper demonstrates the capability of Lidar data to measure sky view factors (SVF). The Lidar data is used to generate a spatial map of SVFs which are then compared against photographically-derived SVF at selected point locations. At each location three near-surface elevations measurements were taken and compared with collocated Lidar-derived estimated. It was found that there was generally good agreement between the two methodologies, although with decreasing SVF the Lidar-derived technique tended to overestimate the SVF: this can be attributed in part to the spatial resolution of the Lidar sampling. Nevertheless, airborne Lidar systems can map sky view factors over a large area easily, improving the utility of such data in atmospheric and meteorological models.

Piezo-phototronic Effect Enhanced UV/Visible Photodetector Based on Fully Wide Band Gap Type-II ZnO/ZnS Core/Shell Nanowire Array.

Science.gov (United States)

Rai, Satish C; Wang, Kai; Ding, Yong; Marmon, Jason K; Bhatt, Manish; Zhang, Yong; Zhou, Weilie; Wang, Zhong Lin

2015-06-23

A high-performance broad band UV/visible photodetector has been successfully fabricated on a fully wide bandgap ZnO/ZnS type-II heterojunction core/shell nanowire array. The device can detect photons with energies significantly smaller (2.2 eV) than the band gap of ZnO (3.2 eV) and ZnS (3.7 eV), which is mainly attributed to spatially indirect type-II transition facilitated by the abrupt interface between the ZnO core and ZnS shell. The performance of the device was further enhanced through the piezo-phototronic effect induced lowering of the barrier height to allow charge carrier transport across the ZnO/ZnS interface, resulting in three orders of relative responsivity change measured at three different excitation wavelengths (385, 465, and 520 nm). This work demonstrates a prototype UV/visible photodetector based on the truly wide band gap semiconducting 3D core/shell nanowire array with enhanced performance through the piezo-phototronic effect.

NASA Science Engagement Through "Sky Art"

Science.gov (United States)

Bethea, K. L.; Damadeo, K.

2013-12-01

Sky Art is a NASA-funded online community where the public can share in the beauty of nature and the science behind it. At the center of Sky Art is a gallery of amateur sky photos submitted by users that are related to NASA Earth science mission research areas. Through their submissions, amateur photographers from around the world are engaged in the process of making observations, or taking pictures, of the sky just like many NASA science instruments. By submitting their pictures and engaging in the online community discussions and interactions with NASA scientists, users make the connection between the beauty of nature and atmospheric science. Sky Art is a gateway for interaction and information aimed at drawing excitement and interest in atmospheric phenomena including sunrises, sunsets, moonrises, moonsets, and aerosols, each of which correlates to a NASA science mission. Educating the public on atmospheric science topics in an informal way is a central goal of Sky Art. NASA science is included in the community through interaction from scientists, NASA images, and blog posts on science concepts derived from the images. Additionally, the website connects educators through the formal education pathway where science concepts are taught through activities and lessons that align with national learning standards. Sky Art was conceived as part of the Education and Public Outreach program of the SAGE III on ISS mission. There are currently three other NASA mission involved with Sky Art: CALIPSO, GPM, and CLARREO. This paper will discuss the process of developing the Sky Art online website, the challenges of growing a community of users, as well as the use of social media and mobile applications in science outreach and education.

Secrets to Successful Earth and Sky Photography

Science.gov (United States)

Tafreshi, Babak A.

In the absolute silence of a desert night, surrounded by an arena of celestial beauties, a gentle breeze shifts the tiny grains of sand around me. There is a patchy glow of light visible all across the eastern horizon. It is gradually ascending over the sand dunes. The glow represents billions of stars in our home galaxy rising above the horizon of our planet. I have seen such dream-like starry scenes from many locations; from the boundless dark skies of the African Sahara when the summer Milky Way was arching over giant sandstones, to the shimmering beauty of the Grand Canyon under moonlight, and the transparent skies of the Himalayas when the bright stars of winter were rising above where the highest peak on Earth (Mt. Everest) meets the sky. These are forever-engraved moments in my memory. Astrophotography is not only about recording the celestial world. It can lead you to a life of adventure and discovery (Fig. 1).

A Comprehensive Spectral Analysis of the X-Ray Pulsar 4U 1907+09 from Two Observations with the Suzaku X-Ray Observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Rivers, Elizabeth; Markowitz, Alex; Pottschmidt, Katja; Roth, Stefanie; Barragan, Laura; Furst, Felix; Suchy, Slawomir; Kreykenbohm, Ingo; Wilms, Jorn; Rothschild, Richard

2009-01-01

We present results from two observations of the wind-accreting X-ray pulsar 4U 1907+09 using the Suzaku observatory, The broadband time-averaged spectrum allows us to examine the continuum emission of the source and the cyclotron resonance scattering feature at approx. 19 keV. Additionally, using the narrow CCD response of Suzaku near 6 ke V allows us to study in detail the Fe K bandpass and to quantify the Fe Kp line for this source for the first time. The source is absorbed by fully-covering material along the line of sight with a column density of N(sub H) approx. 2 x 10(exp 22)/sq cm, consistent with a wind accreting geometry, and a high Fe abundance (approx. 3 - 4 x solar). Time and phase-resolved analyses allow us to study variations in the source spectrum. In particular, dips found in the 2006 observation which are consistent with earlier observations occur in the hard X-ray bandpass, implying a variation of the whole continuum rather than occultation by intervening material, while a dip near the end of the 2007 observation occurs mainly in the lower energies implying an increase in NH along the line of sight, perhaps indicating clumpiness in the stellar wind

All-sky-imaging capabilities for ionospheric space weather research using geomagnetic conjugate point observing sites

Science.gov (United States)

Martinis, C.; Baumgardner, J.; Wroten, J.; Mendillo, M.

2018-04-01

Optical signatures of ionospheric disturbances exist at all latitudes on Earth-the most well known case being visible aurora at high latitudes. Sub-visual emissions occur equatorward of the auroral zones that also indicate periods and locations of severe Space Weather effects. These fall into three magnetic latitude domains in each hemisphere: (1) sub-auroral latitudes ∼40-60°, (2) mid-latitudes (20-40°) and (3) equatorial-to-low latitudes (0-20°). Boston University has established a network of all-sky-imagers (ASIs) with sites at opposite ends of the same geomagnetic field lines in each hemisphere-called geomagnetic conjugate points. Our ASIs are autonomous instruments that operate in mini-observatories situated at four conjugate pairs in North and South America, plus one pair linking Europe and South Africa. In this paper, we describe instrument design, data-taking protocols, data transfer and archiving issues, image processing, science objectives and early results for each latitude domain. This unique capability addresses how a single source of disturbance is transformed into similar or different effects based on the unique "receptor" conditions (seasonal effects) found in each hemisphere. Applying optical conjugate point observations to Space Weather problems offers a new diagnostic approach for understanding the global system response functions operating in the Earth's upper atmosphere.

SARAS MEASUREMENT OF THE RADIO BACKGROUND AT LONG WAVELENGTHS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patra, Nipanjana; Subrahmanyan, Ravi; Sethi, Shiv; Shankar, N. Udaya; Raghunathan, A.

2015-01-01

SARAS is a correlation spectrometer connected to a frequency independent antenna that is purpose-designed for precision measurements of the radio background at long wavelengths. The design, calibration, and observing strategies admit solutions for the internal additive contributions to the radiometer response, and hence a separation of these contaminants from the antenna temperature. We present here a wideband measurement of the radio sky spectrum by SARAS that provides an accurate measurement of the absolute brightness and spectral index between 110 and 175 MHz. Accuracy in the measurement of absolute sky brightness is limited by systematic errors of magnitude 1.2%; errors in calibration and in the joint estimation of sky and system model parameters are relatively smaller. We use this wide-angle measurement of the sky brightness using the precision wide-band dipole antenna to provide an improved absolute calibration for the 150 MHz all-sky map of Landecker and Wielebinski: subtracting an offset of 21.4 K and scaling by a factor of 1.05 will reduce the overall offset error to 8 K (from 50 K) and scale error to 0.8% (from 5%). The SARAS measurement of the temperature spectral index is in the range −2.3 to −2.45 in the 110–175 MHz band and indicates that the region toward the Galactic bulge has a relatively flatter index

Results of the deepest all-sky survey for continuous gravitational waves on LIGO S6 data running on the Einstein@Home volunteer distributed computing project

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Abernathy, M. R.; Acemese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Phythian-Adams, A.T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R. X.; Adya, V. B.; Affeldt, C.; Agathos, M.; Agatsuma, K.; Aggarwa, N.; Aguiar, O. D.; Aiello, L.; Ain, A.; Allen, B.; Allocca, A.; Altin, P. A.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Arceneaux, C. C.; Areeda, J. S.; Arnaud, N.; Arun, K. G.; Ascenzi, S.; Ashton, G.; Ast, M.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; Babak, S.; Bacon, P.; Bader, M. K. M.; Baker, P. T.; Baldaccini, F.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S. W.; Barayoga, J. C.; Barclay, S. E.; Barish, B. C.; Arker, Bd.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barta, D.; Bartlett, J.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Basti, A.; Batch, J. C.; Baune, C.; Bavigadda, V.; Bazzan, M.; Bejger, M.; Be, A. S.; Berger, B. K.; Bergmann, G.; Berry, C. P. L.; Bersanetti, D.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Bhagwat, S.; Bhandare, R.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Birch, M.J.; Birney, R.; Biscans, S.; Bisht, A.; Bitoss, M.; Biwer, C.; Bizouard, M. A.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blair, C. D.; Blair, D. G.; Blair, R. M.; Bloemen, S.; Bock, O.; Boer, M.; Bogaert, J.G.; Bogan, C.; Bohe, A.; Bond, C.; Bondu, F.; Bonnand, R.; Boom, B. A.; Bork, R.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Boutfanais, Y.; Bozzi, A.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Braginsky, V. B.; Branchesi, M.; Brau, J. E.; Briant, T.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Brockill, P.; Broida, J. E.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, A.D.; Brown, D.; Brown, N. M.; Brunett, S.; Buchanan, C. C.; Buikema, A.; Bulik, O.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cabero, M.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, C.; Cahillane, C.; Bustillo, J. Calderon; Callister, T. A.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Cannon, K. C.; Cao, J.; Capano, C. D.; Capocasa, E.; Carbognani, F.; Caride, S.; Diaz, J. Casanueva; Casentini, C.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglia, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C. B.; Baiardi, L. Cerboni; Cerretani, G.; Cesarini, E.; Chamberlin, S. J.; Chan, M.; Chao, D. S.; Charlton, P.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Cheeseboro, B. D.; Chen, H. Y.; Chen, Y; Cheng, C.; Chincarini, A.; Chiummo, A.; Cho, H. S.; Cho, M.; Chow, J. H.; Christensen, N.; Chu, Q.; Chua, S. S. Y.; Chung, S.; Ciani, G.; Clara, F.; Clark, J. A.; Cleva, F.; Coccia, E.; Cohadon, P. -F.; Colla, A.; Collette, C. G.; Cominsky, L.; Constancio, M., Jr.; Conte, A.; Conti, L.; Cook, D.; Corbitt, T. R.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Cortese, S.; Costa, C. A.; Coughlin, M. W.; Coughlin, S. B.; Coulon, J. -P.; Countryman, S. T.; Couvares, P.; Cowan, E. E.; Coward, D. M.; Cowart, M. J.; Coyne, D. C.; Coyne, R.; Craig, K.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Cripe, J.; Crowder, S. G.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, Laura; Cuoco, E.; Dal Canton, T.; Danilishin, S. L.; D'Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Darman, N. S.; Dasgupta, A.; Costa, C. F. Da Silva; Dattilo, V.; Dave, I.; Davier, M.; Davies, G. S.; Daw, E. J.; Day, R.; De, S.; DeBra, D.; Debreczeni, G.; Degallaix, J.; De laurentis, M.; Deleglise, S.; Del Pozzo, W.; Denker, T.; Dent, T.; Dergachev, V.A.; De Rosa, R.; DeRosa, R. T.; DeSalvo, R.; Devine, R. C.; Dhurandhar, S.; Diaz, M. C.; Di Fiore, L.; Giovanni, M. Di; Di Girolamo, T.; Di Lieto, A.; Di Pace, S.; Di Palma, I.; Di Virgilio, A.; Dolique, V.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Douglas, R.; Downes, T. P.; Drago, M.; Dreyer, R. W. P.; Driggers, J. C.; Ducrot, M.; Dwyer, S. E.; Edo, T. B.; Edwards, M. C.; Effler, A.; Egizenstein, H. -B.; Ehrens, P.; Eichholel, J.; Eikenberry, S. S.; Engels, W.; Essick, R. C.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T. M.; Everett, R.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, O.; Fair, H.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, X.; Fang, Q.; Farinon, S.; Farr, B.; Far, W. M.; Favata, M.; Fays, M.; Fehrmann, H.; Fejer, M. M.; Fenyvesi, E.; Ferrante, I.; Ferreira, E. C.; Ferrini, F.; Fidecaro, F.; Fiori, I.; Fiorucci, D.; Fisher, R. P.; Flaminio, R.; Fletcher, M.M.; Fournier, J. -D.; Frasca, J. -D; Frasconi, F.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Frey, V.; Fritsche, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Gabbard, H. A. G.; Gair, J. R.; Gammaitoni, L.; Gaonkar, S. G.; Garuti, F.; Gaur, G.; Gehrels, N.; Gemme, G.; Geng, P.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; George, J.; Gergely, L.; Germain, V.; Ghosh, Abhirup; Ghosh, Archisman; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gi, K.; Glaetke, A.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gondan, L.; Gonzalez, Idelmis G.; Castro, J. M. Gonzalez; Gopakumar, A.; Gordon, N. A.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Gossan, S. E.; Lee-Gosselin, M.; Gouaty, R.; Grado, A.; Graef, C.; Graff, P. B.; Granata, M.; Granta, A.; Gras, S.; Cray, C.; Greco, G.; Green, A. C.; Groot, P.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Guidi, G. M.; Guo, X.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, M. K.; Gushwa, K. E.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hacker, J. J.; Hall, B. R.; Hall, E. D.; Hammond, G.; Haney, M.; Hanke, M. M.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hanson, J.; Hardwick, T.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Hart, M. J.; Hartman, M. T.; Haster, C. -J.; Haughian, K.; Heidmann, A.; Heintze, M. C.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hemming, G.; Hendry, M.; Heng, S.; Hennig, J.; Henry, J.A.; Heptonsta, A. W.; Heurs, M.; Hild, S.; Hoak, D.; Hofman, D.; Holt, K.; Holz, D. E.; Hopkins, P.; Hough, J.; Houston, E. A.; Howel, E. J.; Hu, Y. M.; Huang, O.; Huerta, E. A.; Huet, D.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Indik, N.; Ingram, D. R.; Inta, R.; Isa, H. N.; Isac, J. -M.; Isi, M.; Isogai, T.; Lyer, B. R.; Fzumi, K.; Jaccimin, T.; Jang, D.H.; Jani, K.; Jaranowski, P.; Jawahar, S.; Jian, L.; Jimenez-Forteza, F.; Johnson, W.; Jones, I.D.; Jones, R.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; Wads, k; Kalaghatgi, C. V.; Kalogera, V.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Kapadia, S. J.; Karki, S.; Karvinen, K. S.; Kasprzack, M.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, S.; Kaur, T.; Kawabe, K.; Kefelian, F.; Keh, M. S.; Keite, D.; Kelley, D. B.; Kells, W.; Kennedy, R.E.; Key, J. S.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khan, I.; Khan, S.; Khan, Z.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kijbunchoo, N.; Kim, Chi-Woong; Kim, Chunglee; Kim, J.; Kim, K.; Kim, Namjun; Kim, W.; Kimbre, S. J.; King, E. J.; King, P. J.; Kisse, J. S.; Klein, B.; Kleybolte, L.; Klimenko, S.; Koehlenbeck, S. M.; Koley, S.; Kondrashov, V.; Kontos, A.; Korobko, M.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D. B.; Kringe, V.; Krishnan, B.; Krolak, A.; Krueger, C.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, R.; Kuo, L.; Kutynia, A.; Lackey, B. D.; Landry, M.; Lange, J.; Lantz, B.; Lasky, P. D.; Laxen, M.; Lazzaro, C.; Leaci, P.; Leavey, S.; Lebigot, E. O.; Lee, C. H.; Lee, K.H.; Lee, M.H.; Lee, K.; Lenon, A.; Leonardi, M.; Leong, J. R.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levin, Y.; Lewis, J. B.; Li, T. G. F.; Libson, A.; Littenberg, T. B.; Lockerbie, N. A.; Lombardi, A. L.; London, L. T.; Lord, J. E.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J. D.; Liick, H.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynch, R.; Ivia, Y.; Machenschalk, B.; Maclnnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Magafia-Sandoval, F.; Zertuche, L. Magafia; Magee, R. M.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Malvezzi, V.; Man, N.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Manse, G. L.; Manske, M.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Marka, S.; Marka, Z.; Markosyan, A. S.; Maros, E.; Martelli, F.; Martellini, L.; Martin, I. W.; Martynov, D. V.; Marx, J. N.; Mason, K.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Masso-Reid, M.; Mastrogiovanni, S.; Matiehard, F.; Matone, L.; Mavalvala, N.; Mazumder, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McCormick, S.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McManus, D. J.; McRae, T.; McWilliams, S. T.; Meacher, D.; Meadors, G. D.; Meidam, J.; Melatos, A.; Mende, G.; Mercer, R. A.; Merilh, E. L.; Merzougui, M.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Messick, C.; Metzdorff, R.; Meyers, P. M.; Mezzani, F.; Miao, H.; Miche, C.; Middleton, H.; Mikhailov, E. E.; Milano, L.; Miller, A. L.; Miller, A.; Miller, B. B.; Miller, J.; Millhouse, M.; Minenkov, Y.; Ming, J.; Mirshekari, S.; Mishra, C.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moggi, A.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Montani, M.; Moore, B.C.; Moore, C. J.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morriss, S. R.; Mossavi, K.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, G.; Muir, A. W.; Mukherjee, Arunava; Mukherjee, S.D.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukund, N.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Murphy, D. J.; Murray, P.G.; Mytidis, A.; Nardecehia, I.; Naticchioni, L.; Nayak, R. K.; Nedkova, K.; Nelemans, G.; Nelson, T. J. N.; Gutierrez-Neri, M.; Neunzert, A.; Newton, G.; Nguyen, T. T.; Nielsen, A. B.; Nissanke, S.; Nitz, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; Normandin, M. E. N.; Nuttall, L. K.; Oberling, J.; Ochsner, E.; O'Dell, J.; Oelker, E.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J. J.; Hang, S.; Ohme, F.; Oliver, M.; Oppermann, P.; Ram, Richard J.; O'Reilly, B.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Ottaway, D. J.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Pai, A.; Pai, S. A.; Palamos, J. R.; Palashov, O.; Palomba, C.; Pal-Singh, A.; Pan, H.; Pankow, C.; Pannarale, F.; Pant, B. C.; Paoletti, F.; Paoli, A.; Papa, M. A.; Paris, H. R.; Parker, W.S; Pascucci, D.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patricelli, B.; Patrick, Z.; Pearlstone, B. L.; Pedraza, M.; Pedurand, R.; Pekowsky, L.; Pele, A.; Penn, S.; Perreca, A.; Perri, L. M.; Phelps, M.; Piccinni, . J.; Pichot, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pillant, G.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pitkin, M.; Poe, M.; Poggiani, R.; Popolizio, P.; Post, A.; Powel, J.; Prasad, J.; Predoi, V.; Prestegard, T.; Price, L. R.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prix, R.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L. G.; Puncken, .; Punturo, M.; Purrer, PuppoM.; Qi, H.; Qin, J.; Qiu, S.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E. A.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raja, S.; Rajan, C.; Rakhmanov, M.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Razzano, M.; Re, V.; Read, J.; Reed, C. M.; Regimbau, T.; Rei, L.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Rew, H.; Reyes, S. D.; Ricci, F.; Riles, K.; Rizzo, M.; Robertson, N. A.; Robie, R.; Robinet, F.; Rocchi, A.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J. G.; Roma, V. J.; Romano, R.; Romanov, G.; Romie, J. H.; Rowan, RosiliskaS.; Ruggi, RiidigerP.; Ryan, K.; Sachdev, Perminder S; Sadecki, T.; Sadeghian, L.; Sakellariadou, M.; Salconi, L.; Saleem, M.; Salemi, F.; Samajdar, A.; Sammut, L.; Sanchez, E. J.; Sandberg, V.; Sandeen, B.; Sanders, J. R.; Sassolas, B.; Saulson, P. R.; Sauter, E. S.; Savage, R. L.; Sawadsky, A.; Schale, P.; Schilling, R.; Schmidt, J; Schmidt, P.; Schnabe, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schonbeck, A.; Schreiber, K.E.C.; Schuette, D.; Schutz, B. F.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sequino, V.; Sergeev, A.; Setyawati, Y.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaffer, T. J.; Shahriar, M. S.; Shaltev, M.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Sheperd, A.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Shoemaker, D. M.; Sielleez, K.; Siemens, X.; Sieniawska, M.; Sigg, D.; Silva, António Dias da; Singer, A.; Singer, L. P.; Singh, A.; Singh, R.; Singhal, A.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Smith, R. J. E.; Smith, N.D.; Smith, R. J. E.; Son, E. J.; Sorazus, B.; Sorrentino, F.; Souradeep, T.; Srivastava, A. K.; Staley, A.; Steinke, M.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steinmeyer, D.; Stephens, B. C.; Stone, R.; Strain, K. A.; Straniero, N.; Stratta, G.; Strauss, N. A.; Strigin, S. E.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sunil, Suns; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B. L.; Szczepariczyk, M. J.; Tacca, M.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tapai, M.; Tarabrin, S. P.; Taracchini, A.; Taylor, W.R.; Theeg, T.; Thirugnanasambandam, M. P.; Thomas, E. G.; Thomas, M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thrane, E.; Tiwari, S.; Tiwari, V.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toland, K.; Tomlinson, C.; Tonelli, M.; Tomasi, Z.; Torres, C. V.; Tome, C.; Tot, D.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trifire, D.; Tringali, M. C.; Trozz, L.; Tse, M.; Turconi, M.; Tuyenbayev, D.; Ugolini, D.; Unnikrishnan, C. S.; Urban, A. L.; Usman, S. A.; Vahlbruch, H.; Valente, G.; Valdes, G.; van Bake, N.; Van Beuzekom, Martin; Van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.F.F.; Vander-Hyde, D. C.; van der Schaaf, L.; Van Heilningen, J. V.; Van Vegge, A. A.; Vardaro, M.; Vass, S.; Vaslith, M.; Vaulin, R.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P.J.; Venkateswara, K.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Vicere, A.; Vinciguerra, S.; Vine, D. J.; Vinet, J. -Y.; Vitale, S.; Vo, T.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Voss, D. V.; Vousden, W. D.; Vyatchanin, S. P.; Wade, A. R.; Wade, L. E.; Wade, MT; Walker, M.; Wallace, L.; Walsh, S.; Vvang, G.; Wang, O.; Wang, X.; Wiang, Y.; Ward, R. L.; Wiarner, J.; Was, M.; Weaver, B.; Wei, L. -W.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.; Weliels, P.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whiting, B. F.; Williams, D.R.; Williamson, A. R.; Willis, J. L.; WilIke, B.; Wimmer, M. H.; Whinkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; De Witte, H.; Woan, G.; Woehler, J.; Worden, J.; Wright, J.L.; Wu, D. S.; Wu, G.; Yablon, J.; Yam, W.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yu, H.; Yvert, M.; Zadrozny, A.; Zangrando, L.; Zanolin, M.; Zendri, J. P.; Zevin, M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, M.; Zhang, Y.; Zhao, C.; Zhou, M.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, S.J.; Zhu, X.; Zucker, M. E.; Zuraw, S. E.; Zweizig, J.

2016-01-01

We report results of a deep all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves from isolated neutron stars in data from the S6 LIGO science run. The search was possible thanks to the computing power provided by the volunteers of the Einstein@Home distributed computing project. We find no significant

Predicting daylight illuminance on inclined surfaces using sky luminance data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, D.H.W.; Lau, C.C.S.; Lam, J.C. [City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon (China). Dept. of Building and Construction

2005-07-01

Daylight illuminance, particularly on vertical surfaces, plays a major role in determining and evaluating the daylighting performance of a building. In many parts of the world, however, the basic daylight illuminance data for various vertical planes are not always readily available. The usual method to obtain diffuse illuminance on tilted planes would be based on inclined surface models using data from the horizontal measurements. Alternatively, the diffuse illuminance on a sloping plane can be computed by integrating the luminance distribution of the sky 'seen' by the plane. This paper presents an approach to estimate the vertical outdoor illuminance from sky luminance data and solar geometry. Sky luminance data recorded from January 1999 to December 2001 in Hong Kong and generated by two well-known sky luminance models (Kittler and Perez) were used to compute the outdoor illuminance for the four principal vertical planes (N, E, S and W). The performance of this approach was evaluated against data measured in the same period. Statistical analysis indicated that using sky luminance distributions to predict outdoor illuminance can give reasonably good agreement with measured data for all vertical surfaces. The findings provide an accurate alternative to determine the amount of daylight on vertical as well as other inclined surfaces when sky luminance data are available. (author)

Direct Aerosol Radiative Forcing from Combined A-Train Observations - Preliminary Comparisons with AeroCom Models and Pathways to Observationally Based All-sky Estimates

Science.gov (United States)

Redemann, J.; Livingston, J. M.; Shinozuka, Y.; Kacenelenbogen, M. S.; Russell, P. B.; LeBlanc, S. E.; Vaughan, M.; Ferrare, R. A.; Hostetler, C. A.; Rogers, R. R.; Burton, S. P.; Torres, O.; Remer, L. A.; Stier, P.; Schutgens, N.

2014-12-01

We describe a technique for combining CALIOP aerosol backscatter, MODIS spectral AOD (aerosol optical depth), and OMI AAOD (absorption aerosol optical depth) retrievals for the purpose of estimating full spectral sets of aerosol radiative properties, and ultimately for calculating the 3-D distribution of direct aerosol radiative forcing. We present results using one year of data collected in 2007 and show comparisons of the aerosol radiative property estimates to collocated AERONET retrievals. Use of the recently released MODIS Collection 6 data for aerosol optical depths derived with the dark target and deep blue algorithms has extended the coverage of the multi-sensor estimates towards higher latitudes. Initial calculations of seasonal clear-sky aerosol radiative forcing based on our multi-sensor aerosol retrievals compare well with over-ocean and top of the atmosphere IPCC-2007 model-based results, and with more recent assessments in the "Climate Change Science Program Report: Atmospheric Aerosol Properties and Climate Impacts" (2009). For the first time, we present comparisons of our multi-sensor aerosol direct radiative forcing estimates to values derived from a subset of models that participated in the latest AeroCom initiative. We discuss the major challenges that exist in extending our clear-sky results to all-sky conditions. On the basis of comparisons to suborbital measurements, we present some of the limitations of the MODIS and CALIOP retrievals in the presence of adjacent or underlying clouds. Strategies for meeting these challenges are discussed.

Dark Skies Awareness Programs for the International Year of Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Constance E.; US IYA Dark Skies Working Group

2009-05-01

The arc of the Milky Way seen from a truly dark location is part of our planet's cultural and natural heritage. More than 1/5 of the world population, 2/3 of the United States population and 1/2 of the European Union population have already lost naked-eye visibility of the Milky Way. This loss, caused by light pollution, is a serious and growing issue that impacts astronomical research, the economy, ecology, energy conservation, human health, public safety and our shared ability to see the night sky. For this reason, "Dark Skies” is a cornerstone project of the International Year of Astronomy. Its goal is to raise public awareness of the impact of artificial lighting on local environments by getting people worldwide involved in a variety of programs that: 1) Teach about dark skies using new technology (e.g., an activity-based planetarium show on DVD, podcasting, social networking on Facebook and MySpace, a Second Life presence) 2) Provide thematic events on light pollution at star parties and observatory open houses (Dark Skies Discovery Sites, Nights in the (National) Parks, Sidewalk Astronomy) 3) Organize events in the arts (e.g., a photography contest) 4) Involve citizen-scientists in naked-eye and digital-meter star hunting programs (e.g., GLOBE at Night, "How Many Stars?", the Great World Wide Star Count and the radio frequency interference equivalent: "Quiet Skies") and 5) Raise awareness about the link between light pollution and public health, economic issues, ecological consequences, energy conservation, safety and security, and astronomy (e.g., The Starlight Initiative, World Night in Defense of Starlight, International Dark Sky Week, International Dark-Sky Communities, Earth Hour, The Great Switch Out, a traveling exhibit, downloadable posters and brochures). The poster will provide an update, describe how people can continue to participate, and take a look ahead at the program's sustainability. For more information, visit www.darkskiesawareness.org.

Potential of X-Band TerraSAR-X and COSMO-SkyMed SAR Data for the Assessment of Physical Soil Parameters