Light-in-flight digital holography display

We present a digital speckle-pattern interferometric setup that can be operated at TV frame rates (30 ms) to display the locus of the points at which the optical-path difference between the reference and object beams is within the coherence length. Experimental results are shown

Chemiluminescent Tags for Tracking Insect Movement in Darkness: Application to Moth Photo-Orientation

The flight tracks of Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) flying toward a 5 watt incandescent light bulb were recorded under low light conditions with the aid of a camera-mounted photomultiplier and a glowing marker technique. Small felt pads bearing a chemiluminescent (glowi ma­erial, Cyalume®, were affixed to the abdomens of free-flying moths. insects orienting to a dim incandescent bulb were easily visible to the naked eye and were clearly captured on videotape. On their initial approach to the light source, M. sexta were found to orient at a mean angle of -0.220 ± 2.70 (mean ± SEM). The speed of the initial approach flight (OA ± 0.03 m/s) was significantly faster than the speed immediately after passing the light (0.29 ± 0.02 m/s; t =6.4, PM. sexta initially fly approximately at a light source and only after passing it, do they engage in circular flight around the source. M. sexta flight to lights does not entirely match any paths predicted by several light orientation mechanisms, including the commonly invoked light compass theory

Flight Tests, Performances and Flight Certification of a Twin-Engine Light Aircraft

This paper deals with flight test activities performed on P2006T, a twin-engine light aircraft recently designed and produced by Tecnam. Research activities and flight tests have been conducted during the flight certification of P2006T for the normal category under CS-23. All the acquired data and flight results presented have been focused on both aircraft certification and on aircraft performances, stability and flight qualities measurement. The data have been acquired through a light, accurate and reliable flight instrumentation available at DIAS (Department of Aerospace Engineering). Some flight data about aircraft leveled speed, stall speed, climb characteristics and ground performances (take-off and landing) will be presented. After preliminary flight tests, winglets have been designed and added to the final configuration in order to obtain good climb performances also in OEI (One Engine Inoperative) conditions. Accurate stall tests have been performed in all configurations and influence of both entry-rate and load factor on stall speed have been highlighted. Excellent ground performances have been measured with short take-off and landing distances compared with similar airplanes. All measured flight performances can be considered very good for this aircraft category and have been used to demonstrate aircraft safety and to obtain CS23 certification

Seasonal activity of caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) in the Börzsöny Mountains, North Hungary

Trichoptera were collected by light trapping in the Börzsöny Mountains in 1996,1998 and 1999 at Bernecebaráti and Királyrét. Caddisflies were listed into the following flight period types: short, medium or long flight activity, and autumn or summer species. The weekly flight activity patterns of some caddisfly species and their comparison are discussed

Changing of flight phenology and ecotype expansion of the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn.) in Hungary Part

The studies aimed to acquire the widest possible information on the annual flight in Hungary of the European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The investigations used biomathematical (Part 1) and graphical (Part 2) evaluation to document changes in the individual population number.The study was conducted in Hungary using ECB moth capture records from the Plant Protection Information System black light trap system (1991–2004). We have drawn conclusions on the appearance of annual flights and the tendency of alterations in flight direction by means of light trap results in four different areas in Hungary. We calculated the flight peak quotients, the individual population numbers of the second flight peak, the distinctions of individual numbers of two flight peaks in this part.As previously published, alterations in flight direction of ECB flights began at different times in Hungary. In the current study, a gradual disappearance of the univoltine ecotype and gradual appearance of the bivoltine ecotype ECB in Hungary is confirmed by the data obtained between 1991–2004. Flight peak quotients and data concerning the second flight peak have confirmed change this process, too: the appearance of a second flight peak in Northwestern Hungary from 1995–1996 (FP = 1.27), the more significant appearance of flights in August in Western Hungary (FP = 1.05) and Northeastern Hungary (FP = 1.45), and a three and four times more individual number of the second flight peak in Southeastern Hungary (FP = 3.44). Flight peak quotients, individual population numbers of the second flight peak, the tendency towards a difference in population number of the two peaks, and size of increase of these values demonstrates the southeastern-northwestern presence of the bivoltine ecotype in Hungary

Time-of-flight imaging of invisibility cloaks

As invisibility cloaking has recently become experimental reality, it is interesting to explore ways to reveal remaining imperfections. In essence, the idea of most invisibility cloaks is to recover the optical path lengths without an object (to be made invisible) by a suitable arrangement around that object. Optical path length is proportional to the time of flight of a light ray or to the optical phase accumulated by a light wave. Thus, time-of-flight images provide a direct and intuitive tool for probing imperfections. Indeed, recent phase-sensitive experiments on the carpet cloak have already made early steps in this direction. In the macroscopic world, time-of-flight images could be measured directly by light detection and ranging (LIDAR). Here, we show calculated time-of-flight images of the conformal Gaussian carpet cloak, the conformal grating cloak, the cylindrical free-space cloak, and of the invisible sphere. All results are obtained by using a ray-velocity equation of motion derived from Fermat's principle.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, journal pape

The effect of cave illumination on bats

Artificial light at night has large impacts on nocturnal wildlife such as bats, yet its effect varies with wavelength of light, context, and across species involved. Here, we studied in two experiments how wild bats of cave-roosting species (Rhinolophus mehelyi, R. euryale, Myotis capaccinii and Miniopterus schreibersii) respond to LED lights of different colours. In dual choice experiments, we measured the acoustic activity of bats in response to neutral-white, red or amber LED at a cave entrance and in a flight room – mimicking a cave interior. In the flight room, M. capaccinii and M. schreibersii preferred red to white light, but showed no preference for red over amber, or amber over white light. In the cave entrance experiment, all light colours reduced the activity of all emerging species, yet red LED had the least negative effect. Rhinolophus species reacted most strongly, matching their refusal to fly at all under any light treatment in the flight room. We conclude that the placement and light colour of LED light should be considered carefully in lighting concepts for caves both in the interior and at the entrance. In a cave interior, red LED light could be chosen – if needed at all – for careful temporary illumination of areas, yet areas important for bats should be avoided based on the precautionary principle. At cave entrances, the high sensitivity of most bat species, particularly of Rhinolophus spp., towards light sources almost irrespective of colour, calls for utmost caution when illuminating cave entrances

The Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment (CIBER): A Sounding Rocket Payload to Study the Near Infrared Extragalactic Background Light

The Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment (CIBER) is a suite of four instruments designed to study the near infrared (IR) background light from above the Earth's atmosphere. The instrument package comprises two imaging telescopes designed to characterize spatial anisotropy in the extragalactic IR background caused by cosmological structure during the epoch of reionization, a low resolution spectrometer to measure the absolute spectrum of the extragalactic IR background, and a narrow band spectrometer optimized to measure the absolute brightness of the Zodiacal light foreground. In this paper we describe the design and characterization of the CIBER payload. The detailed mechanical, cryogenic, and electrical design of the system are presented, including all system components common to the four instruments. We present the methods and equipment used to characterize the instruments before and after flight, and give a detailed description of CIBER's flight profile and configurations. CIBER is designed to be recoverable and has flown twice, with modifications to the payload having been informed by analysis of the first flight data. All four instruments performed to specifications during the second flight, and the scientific data from this flight are currently being analyzed

Astronaut operations requirements document for the White Light Coronagraph experiment s-052 for the Apollo Telescope Mount

Information necessary for successful performance of the observer's function in the White Light Coronagraph portion of the Apollo Telescope Mount experiments is presented. The pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight operations required to perform the S-052 experiment are described. A discussion of the scientific objectives of the experiment and a description of the hardware are provided