923 research outputs found
Estimating hyperparameters and instrument parameters in regularized inversion. Illustration for SPIRE/Herschel map making
We describe regularized methods for image reconstruction and focus on the
question of hyperparameter and instrument parameter estimation, i.e.
unsupervised and myopic problems. We developed a Bayesian framework that is
based on the \post density for all unknown quantities, given the observations.
This density is explored by a Markov Chain Monte-Carlo sampling technique based
on a Gibbs loop and including a Metropolis-Hastings step. The numerical
evaluation relies on the SPIRE instrument of the Herschel observatory. Using
simulated and real observations, we show that the hyperparameters and
instrument parameters are correctly estimated, which opens up many perspectives
for imaging in astrophysics
Optimizing ISOCAM data processing using spatial redundancy
We present new data processing techniques that allow to correct the main
instrumental effects that degrade the images obtained by ISOCAM, the camera on
board the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO). Our techniques take advantage of
the fact that a position on the sky has been observed by several pixels at
different times. We use this information (1) to correct the long term variation
of the detector response, (2) to correct memory effects after glitches and
point sources, and (3) to refine the deglitching process. Our new method allows
the detection of faint extended emission with contrast smaller than 1% of the
zodiacal background. The data reduction corrects instrumental effects to the
point where the noise in the final map is dominated by the readout and the
photon noises. All raster ISOCAM observations can benefit from the data
processing described here. These techniques could also be applied to other
raster type observations (e.g. ISOPHOT or IRAC on SIRTF).Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, to be published in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Supplement Serie
Interacting Dirac Materials
We investigate the extent to which the class of Dirac materials in
two-dimensions provides general statements about the behavior of both fermionic
and bosonic Dirac quasiparticles in the interacting regime. For both
quasiparticle types, we find common features for the interaction induced
renormalization of the conical Dirac spectrum. We perform the perturbative
renormalization analysis and compute the self-energy for both quasiparticle
types with different interactions and collate previous results from the
literature whenever necessary. Guided by the systematic presentation of our
results in Table~\ref{Summary}, we conclude that long-range interactions
generically lead to an increase of the slope of the single-particle Dirac cone,
whereas short-range interactions lead to a decrease. The quasiparticle
statistics does not qualitatively impact the self-energy correction for
long-range repulsion but does affect the behavior of short-range coupled
systems, giving rise to different thermal power-law contributions. The
possibility of a universal description of the Dirac materials based on these
features is also mentioned.Comment: 19 pages and 12 Figures; Contains 6 Appendice
SPIRE-FTS observations of RCW 120
The expansion of Galactic HII regions can trigger the formation of a new
generation of stars. However, little is know about the physical conditions that
prevail in these regions. We study the physical conditions that prevail in
specific zones towards expanding HII regions that trace representative media
such as the photodissociation region, the ionized region, and condensations
with and without ongoing star formation. We use the SPIRE Fourier Transform
Spectrometer (FTS) on board to observe the HII region RCW 120.
Continuum and lines are observed in the m range. Line intensities
and line ratios are obtained and used as physical diagnostics of the gas. We
used the Meudon PDR code and the RADEX code to derive the gas density and the
radiation field at nine distinct positions including the PDR surface and
regions with and without star-formation activity. For the different regions we
detect the atomic lines [NII] at m and [CI] at and m,
the ladder between the and levels and the
ladder between the and levels, as well as CH in absorption. We find gas temperatures in the range K for
densities of , and a high column density on the order
of that is in agreement with dust
analysis. The ubiquitousness of the atomic and CH emission suggests the
presence of a low-density PDR throughout RCW 120. High-excitation lines of CO
indicate the presence of irradiated dense structures or small dense clumps
containing young stellar objects, while we also find a less dense medium
() with high temperatures (K).Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, accepted by A&
Aromatic emission from the ionised mane of the Horsehead nebula
We study the evolution of the Aromatic Infrared Bands (AIBs) emitters across
the illuminated edge of the Horsehead nebula and especially their survival and
properties in the HII region. We present spectral mapping observations taken
with the Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) at wavelengths 5.2-38 microns. A strong
AIB at 11.3 microns is detected in the HII region, relative to the other AIBs
at 6.2, 7.7 and 8.6 microns. The intensity of this band appears to be
correlated with the intensity of the [NeII] at 12.8 microns and of Halpha,
which shows that the emitters of the 11.3 microns band are located in the
ionised gas. The survival of PAHs in the HII region could be due to the
moderate intensity of the radiation field (G0 about 100) and the lack of
photons with energy above about 25eV. The enhancement of the intensity of the
11.3 microns band in the HII region, relative to the other AIBs can be
explained by the presence of neutral PAHs. Our observations highlight a
transition region between ionised and neutral PAHs observed with ideal
conditions in our Galaxy. A scenario where PAHs can survive in HII regions and
be significantly neutral could explain the detection of a prominent 11.3
microns band in other Spitzer observations.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Can Reflection from Grains Diagnose the Albedo?
By radiation transfer models with a realistic power spectra of the projected
density distributions, we show that the optical properties of grains are poorly
constrained by observations of reflection nebulae. The ISM is known to be
hierarchically clumped from a variety of observations (molecules, H I,
far-infrared). Our models assume the albedo and phase parameter of the dust,
the radial optical depth of the sphere averaged over all directions, and random
distributions of the dust within the sphere. The outputs are the stellar
extinction, optical depth, and flux of scattered light as seen from various
viewing angles. Observations provide the extinction and scattered flux from a
particular direction.
Hierarchical geometry has a large effect on the flux of scattered light
emerging from a nebula for a particular extinction of the exciting star. There
is a very large spread in both scattered fluxes and extinctions for any
distribution of dust. Consequently, an observed stellar extinction and
scattered flux can be fitted by a wide range of albedos. With hierarchical
geometry it is not completely safe to determine even relative optical constants
from multiwavelength observations of the same reflection nebula. The geometry
effectively changes with wavelength as the opacity of the clumps varies. Limits
on the implications of observing the same object in various wavelengths are
discussed briefly.
Henry (2002) uses a recipe to determine the scattered flux from a star with a
given extinction. It is claimed to be independent of the geometry. It provides
considerably more scattering than our models, probably leading to an
underestimate of the grain albedos from the UV Diffuse Galactic Light.Comment: 27 pages, including 7 figures. Accepted by Ap
Dust processing in photodissociation regions - Mid-IR emission modelling
Mid-infrared spectroscopy of dense illuminated ridges (or photodissociation
regions, PDRs) suggests dust evolution. Such evolution must be reflected in the
gas physical properties through processes like photo-electric heating or H_2
formation. With Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) and ISOCAM data, we study
the mid-IR emission of closeby, well known PDRs. Focusing on the band and
continuum dust emissions, we follow their relative contributions and analyze
their variations in terms of abundance of dust populations. In order to
disentangle dust evolution and excitation effects, we use a dust emission model
that we couple to radiative transfer. Our dust model reproduces extinction and
emission of the standard interstellar medium that we represent with diffuse
high galactic latitude clouds called Cirrus. We take the properties of dust in
Cirrus as a reference to which we compare the dust emission from more excited
regions, namely the Horsehead and the reflection nebula NGC 2023 North. We show
that in both regions, radiative transfer effects cannot account for the
observed spectral variations. We interpret these variations in term of changes
of the relative abundance between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs,
mid-IR band carriers) and very small grains (VSGs, mid-IR continuum carriers).
We conclude that the PAH/VSG abundance ratio is 2.4 times smaller at the peak
emission of the Horsehead nebula than in the Cirrus case. For NGC2023 North
where spectral evolution is observed across the northern PDR, we conclude that
this ratio is ~5 times lower in the dense, cold zones of the PDR than in its
diffuse illuminated part where dust properties seem to be the same as in
Cirrus. We conclude that dust in PDRs seems to evolve from "dense" to "diffuse"
properties at the small spatial scale of the dense illuminated ridge.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Star formation triggered by the Galactic HII region RCW 120: First results from the Herschel Space Observatory
By means of different physical mechanisms, the expansion of HII regions can
promote the formation of new stars of all masses. RCW 120 is a nearby Galactic
HII region where triggered star formation occurs. This region is well-studied -
there being a wealth of existing data - and is nearby. However, it is
surrounded by dense regions for which far infrared data is essential to obtain
an unbiased view of the star formation process and in particular to establish
whether very young protostars are present. We attempt to identify all Young
Stellar Objects (YSOs), especially those previously undetected at shorter
wavelengths, to derive their physical properties and obtain insight into the
star formation history in this region. We use Herschel-PACS and -SPIRE images
to determine the distribution of YSOs observed in the field. We use a spectral
energy distribution fitting tool to derive the YSOs physical properties.
Herschel-PACS and -SPIRE images confirm the existence of a young source and
allow us to determine its nature as a high-mass (8-10 MSun) Class 0 object
(whose emission is dominated by a massive envelope) towards the massive
condensation 1 observed at (sub)-millimeter wavelengths. This source was not
detected at 24 micron and only barely seen in the MISPGAL 70 micron data.
Several other red sources are detected at Herschel wavelengths and coincide
with the peaks of the millimeter condensations. SED fitting results for the
brightest Herschel sources indicate that, apart from the massive Class 0 that
forms in condensation 1, young low mass stars are forming around RCW 120. The
YSOs observed on the borders of RCW 120 are younger than its ionizing star,
which has an age of about 2.5 Myr.Comment: 5 pqges, 3 figures, accepted by A&A (Special issue on the Herschel
first results
Optical properties of graphene
Reflectance and transmittance of graphene in the optical region are analyzed
as a function of frequency, temperature, and carrier density. We show that the
optical graphene properties are determined by the direct interband electron
transitions. The real part of the dynamic conductivity in doped graphene at low
temperatures takes the universal constant value, whereas the imaginary part is
logarithmically divergent at the threshold of interband transitions.Comment: 5 pages,4 figure
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