71,279 research outputs found
Cosmology with the lights off: Standard sirens in the Einstein Telescope era
We explore the prospects for constraining cosmology using gravitational-wave
(GW) observations of neutron-star binaries by the proposed Einstein Telescope
(ET), exploiting the narrowness of the neutron-star mass function. Double
neutron-star (DNS) binaries are expected to be one of the first sources
detected after "first-light" of Advanced LIGO and are expected to be detected
at a rate of a few tens per year in the advanced era. However the proposed ET
could catalog tens of thousands per year. Combining the measured source
redshift distributions with GW-network distance determinations will permit not
only the precision measurement of background cosmological parameters, but will
provide an insight into the astrophysical properties of these DNS systems. Of
particular interest will be to probe the distribution of delay times between
DNS-binary creation and subsequent merger, as well as the evolution of the
star-formation rate density within ET's detection horizon. Keeping H_0,
\Omega_{m,0} and \Omega_{\Lambda,0} fixed and investigating the precision with
which the dark-energy equation-of-state parameters could be recovered, we found
that with 10^5 detected DNS binaries we could constrain these parameters to an
accuracy similar to forecasted constraints from future CMB+BAO+SNIa
measurements. Furthermore, modeling the merger delay-time distribution as a
power-law, and the star-formation rate (SFR) density as a parametrized version
of the Porciani and Madau SF2 model, we find that the associated astrophysical
parameters are constrained to within ~ 10%. All parameter precisions scaled as
1/sqrt(N), where N is the number of cataloged detections. We also investigated
how precisions varied with the intrinsic underlying properties of the Universe
and with the distance reach of the network (which may be affected by the
low-frequency cutoff of the detector).Comment: 24 pages, 11 figures, 6 tables. Minor changes to reflect published
version. References updated and correcte
Femtosecond Resolution Experiments at Third-Generation Light Sources: a Concept Based on the Statistical Properties of Synchrotron Radiation
The paper describes a new concept of visible pump/X-ray probe/slow detector
experiments that could be performed at third-generation synchrotron light
sources. We propose a technique that would allow time resolution up to
femtosecond capabilities to be recovered from a long (100 ps) X-ray probe
pulse. The visible pump pulse must be as short as the desired time resolution.
The principle of operation of the proposed pump-probe scheme is essentially
based on the statistical properties of the synchrotron radiation. These
properties are well known in statistical optics as properties of completely
chaotic polarized light. Our technique utilizes the fact that, for any
synchrotron light beam there exist some characteristic time (coherence time),
which determines the time-scale of the random fluctuations. The typical
coherence time of soft X-ray synchrotron light at the exit of monochromator is
in the femtosecond range. An excited state is prepared with a pump pulse and
then projected with a probe pulse onto a final ion state. The first statistical
quantity of interest is the variance of the number of photoelectrons detected
during synchrotron radiation pulse. The statistics of concern are defined over
an ensemble of synchrotron radiation pulses. From a set of variances measured
as a function of coherence time (inversely proportional to monochromator
bandwidth) it is possible to reconstruct the femtosecond dynamical process.Comment: 54 pages, 20 figure
Shot noise limited characterization of femtosecond light pulses
Probing the evolution of physical systems at the femto- or attosecond
timescale with light requires accurate characterization of ultrashort optical
pulses. The time profiles of such pulses are usually retrieved by methods
utilizing optical nonlinearities, which require significant signal powers and
operate in a limited spectral
range\cite{Trebino_Review_of_Scientific_Instruments97,Walmsley_Review_09}. We
present a linear self-referencing characterization technique based on time
domain localization of the pulse spectral components, operated in the
single-photon regime. Accurate timing of the spectral slices is achieved with
standard single photon detectors, rendering the technique applicable in any
spectral range from near infrared to deep UV. Using detection electronics with
about ps response, we retrieve the temporal profile of a picowatt pulse
train with fs resolution, setting a new scale of sensitivity in
ultrashort pulse characterization.Comment: Supplementary information contained in raw dat
Precise control of broadband frequency chirps using optoelectronic feedback
We demonstrate the generation of wideband frequency sweeps using a semiconductor laser in an optoelectronic feedback loop. The rate and shape of the optical frequency sweep is locked to and determined by the frequency of a reference electronic signal, leading to an agile, high coherence swept-frequency source for laser ranging and 3-D imaging applications. Using a reference signal of constant frequency, a transformlimited linear sweep of 100 GHz in 1 ms is achieved, and real-time ranging with a spatial resolution of 1.5 mm is demonstrated. Further, arbitrary frequency sweeps can be achieved by tuning the frequency of the input electronic signal. Broadband quadratic and exponential optical frequency sweeps are demonstrated using this technique
One way Doppler extractor. Volume 1: Vernier technique
A feasibility analysis, trade-offs, and implementation for a One Way Doppler Extraction system are discussed. A Doppler error analysis shows that quantization error is a primary source of Doppler measurement error. Several competing extraction techniques are compared and a Vernier technique is developed which obtains high Doppler resolution with low speed logic. Parameter trade-offs and sensitivities for the Vernier technique are analyzed, leading to a hardware design configuration. A detailed design, operation, and performance evaluation of the resulting breadboard model is presented which verifies the theoretical performance predictions. Performance tests have verified that the breadboard is capable of extracting Doppler, on an S-band signal, to an accuracy of less than 0.02 Hertz for a one second averaging period. This corresponds to a range rate error of no more than 3 millimeters per second
Frequency Comb Assisted Diode Laser Spectroscopy for Measurement of Microcavity Dispersion
While being invented for precision measurement of single atomic transitions,
frequency combs have also become a versatile tool for broadband spectroscopy in
the last years. In this paper we present a novel and simple approach for
broadband spectroscopy, combining the accuracy of an optical fiber-laser-based
frequency comb with the ease-of-use of a tunable external cavity diode laser.
This scheme enables broadband and fast spectroscopy of microresonator modes and
allows for precise measurements of their dispersion, which is an important
precondition for broadband optical frequency comb generation that has recently
been demonstrated in these devices. Moreover, we find excellent agreement of
measured microresonator dispersion with predicted values from finite element
simulations and we show that tailoring microresonator dispersion can be
achieved by adjusting their geometrical properties
Visualization on colour based flow vector of thermal image for movement detection during interactive session
Recently thermal imaging is exploited in applications such as motion and face detection. It has drawn attention many researchers to build such technology to improve lifestyle. This work proposed a technique to detect and identify a motion in sequence images for the application in security monitoring system or outdoor surveillance. Conventional system might cause false information with the present of shadow. Thus, methods employed in this work are Canny edge detector method, Lucas Kanade and Horn Shunck algorithms, to overcome the major problem when using thresholding method, which is only intensity or pixel magnitude is considered instead of relationships between the pixels. The results obtained could be observed in flow vector parameter and the segmentation colour based image for the time frame from 1 to 10 seconds. The visualization of both the parameters clarified the movement and changes of pixel intensity between two frames by the supportive colour segmentation, either in smooth or rough motion. Thus, this technique may contribute to others application such as biometrics, military system, and surveillance machine
Mid-infrared upconversion spectroscopy based on a Yb:fiber femtosecond laser
We present a system for molecular spectroscopy using a broadband mid-infrared
laser with near infrared detection. Difference frequency generation of a
Yb:fiber femtosecond laser produced a mid-infrared (MIR) source tunable from
2100-3700 cm^-1 (2.7-4.7 microns) with average power up to 40 mW. The MIR
spectrum was upconverted to near-infrared wavelengths for broadband detection
using a two-dimensional dispersion imaging technique. Absorption measurements
were performed over bandwidths of 240 cm^-1 (7.2 THz) with 0.048 cm^-1 (1.4
GHz) resolution, and absolute frequency scale uncertainty was better than 0.005
cm^-1 (150 MHz). The minimum detectable absorption coefficient per spectral
element was determined to be 4.4 x 10^-7 cm^-1 from measurements in low
pressure CH_4, leading to a detection limit of 2 parts-per-billion. The
spectral range, resolution, and frequency accuracy of this system show promise
for determination of trace concentrations in gas mixtures containing both
narrow and broad overlapping spectral features, and we demonstrate this in
measurements of air and solvent samples.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure
Contribution to Efficient Use of Narrowband Radio Channel
Předkládaná práce se soustředí na problematiku využívání úzkopásmového rádiového kanálu rádiovými modemy, které jsou určené pro průmyslové aplikace pozemní pohyblivé rádiové služby, specifikované v dominantní míře Evropským standardem ETSI EN 300 113. Tato rádiová zařízení se používají v kmitočtových pásmech od 30 MHz do 1 GHz s nejčastěji přidělovanou šířkou pásma 25 kHz a ve většině svých instalací jsou využívána ve fixních nebo mobilních bezdrátových sítích. Mezi typické oblasti použití patří zejména datová telemetrie, aplikace typu SCADA, nebo monitorování transportu strategických surovin. Za hlavní znaky popisovaného systému lze označit komunikační pokrytí značných vzdáleností, dané především vysokou výkonovou účinnosti datového přenosu a využívaní efektivních přístupových technik na rádiový kanál se semiduplexním komunikačním režimem. Striktní požadavky na elektromagnetickou kompatibilitu umožňují těmto zařízením využívat spektrum i v oblastech kmitočtově blízkým jiným komunikačním systémům bez nutnosti vkládání dodatečných ochranných frekvenčních pásem. Úzkopásmové rádiové komunikační systémy, v současnosti používají převážně exponenciální digitální modulace s konstantní modulační obálkou zejména z důvodů velice striktních omezení pro velikost výkonu vyzářeného do sousedního kanálu. Dosahují tak pouze kompromisních hodnot komunikační účinnosti. Úpravy limitů příslušných rádiových parametrů a rychlý rozvoj prostředků číslicového zpracování signálu v nedávné době, dnes umožňují ekonomicky přijatelné využití spektrálně efektivnějších modulačních technik i v těch oblastech, kde je prioritní využívání úzkých rádiových kanálů. Cílem předkládané disertační práce je proto výzkum postupů směřující ke sjednocení výhodných vlastností lineárních a nelineárních modulací v moderní konstrukci úzkopásmového rádiového modemu. Účelem tohoto výzkumu je efektivní a „ekologické“ využívání přidělené části frekvenčního spektra. Mezi hlavní dílčí problémy, jimiž se předkládaná práce zabývá, lze zařadit zejména tyto: Nyquistova modulační filtrace, navrhovaná s ohledem na minimalizaci nežádoucích elektromagnetických interferencí, efektivní číslicové algoritmy frekvenční demodulace a rychlé rámcové a symbolové synchronizace. Součástí práce je dále analýza navrhovaného řešení z pohledu celkové konstrukce programově definovaného rádiového modemu v rovině simulací při vyšetřování robustnosti datového přenosu rádiovým kanálem s bílým Gaussovským šumem nebo kanálem s únikem v důsledku mnohacestného šíření signálu. Závěr práce je pak zaměřen na prezentování výsledků praktické části projektu, v níž byly testovány, měřeny a analyzovány dvě prototypové konstrukce rádiového zařízení. Tato finální část práce obsahuje i praktická doporučení, vedoucí k vyššímu stupni využitelnosti spektrálně efektivnějších komunikačních režimů v oblasti budoucí generace úzkopásmových zařízení pozemní pohyblivé rádiové služby.he industrial narrowband land mobile radio (LMR) devices, as considered in this dissertation project, has been subject to European standard ETSI EN 300 113. The system operates on frequencies between 30 MHz and 1 GHz, with channel separations of up to 25 kHz, and is intended for private, fixed, or mobile, radio packet switching networks. Data telemetry, SCADA, maritime and police radio services; traffic monitoring; gas, water, and electricity producing factories are the typical system applications. Long distance coverage, high power efficiency, and efficient channel access techniques in half duplex operation are the primary advantages the system relays on. Very low level of adjacent channel power emissions and robust radio receiver architectures, with high dynamic range, enable for a system’s coexistence with various communication standards, without the additional guard band frequency intervals. On the other hand, the strict limitations of the referenced standard as well as the state of the technology, has hindered the increase in communication efficiency, with which the system has used its occupied bandwidth. New modifications and improvements are needed to the standard itself and to the up-to-date architectures of narrowband LMR devices, to make the utilization of more efficient modes of system operation practically realizable. The main objective of this dissertation thesis is therefore to find a practical way how to combine the favorable properties of the advanced nonlinear and linear digital modulation techniques in a single digital modem solution, in order to increase the efficiency of the narrowband radio channel usage allocated to the new generation of the industrial LMR devices. The main attention is given to the particular areas of digital modem design such as proposal of the new family of the Nyquist filters minimizing the adjacent channel interference, design and analysis of the efficient algorithms for frequency discrimination, fast frame and symbol
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