Characterizing faint galaxies in the reionization epoch: LBT confirms two L<0.2L* sources at z=6.4 behind the CLASH/Frontier Fields cluster MACS0717.5+3745

We report the LBT/MODS1 spectroscopic confirmation of two images of faint Lyman alpha emitters at $z=6.4$ behind the Frontier Fields galaxy cluster MACSJ0717.5+3745. A wide range of lens models suggests that the two images are highly magnified, with a strong lower limit of mu>5. These are the faintest z>6 candidates spectroscopically confirmed to date. These may be also multiple images of the same z=6.4 source as supported by their similar intrinsic properties, but the lens models are inconclusive regarding this interpretation. To be cautious, we derive the physical properties of each image individually. Thanks to the high magnification, the observed near-infrared (restframe ultraviolet) part of the spectral energy distributions and Ly-alpha lines are well detected with S/N(m_1500)>~10 and S/N(Ly-alpha)~10-15. Adopting mu>5, the absolute magnitudes, M_1500, and Ly-alpha fluxes, are fainter than -18.7 and 2.8x10^(-18)erg/s/cm2, respectively. We find a very steep ultraviolet spectral slope beta=-3.0+/-0.5 (F_lambda=lambda^(beta)), implying that these are very young, dust-free and low metallicity objects, made of standard stellar populations or even extremely metal poor stars (age<~30Myr, E(B-V)=0 and metallicity 0.0-0.2 Z/Zsolar). The objects are compact (< 1 kpc^(2)), and with a stellar mass M* < 10^(8) M_solar. The very steep beta, the presence of the Ly-alpha line and the intrinsic FWHM (<300 km/s) of these newborn objects do not exclude a possible leakage of ionizing radiation. We discuss the possibility that such faint galaxies may resemble those responsible for cosmic reionization.Comment: Accepted by ApJL; 6 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, emulateapj forma

Dramatic improvement of strain hardening and ductility to 95% in highly-deformable high-strength duplex lightweight steels

Ferrite + austenite duplex lightweight steels have been actively developed by adding low-density Al for overcoming a limitation of stiffness deterioration by a traditional approach to obtain a weight reduction. Multiple-stage deformation mechanism in lightweight steels, i.e., simultaneous formation of deformation-induced martensite and deformation twin and additional plasticity by twinning, has been nominated as an attractive strategy, but shows a steady flow behavior with early plastic instability. Here, we present a newly designed Fe-0.3C-9Mn-5Al steel in order to obtain an optimal level of stability of austenite and a resultant outstanding combination of tensile strength and ductility, e.g., 874 MPa and 72%, together with sufficiently high strain hardening. These enhanced properties are attributed to the decreased austenite stability by controlling the austenite size and alloying partitioning due to variation in austenite fraction inside duplex microstructures. The present work gives a promise for structural applications requiring both reduced specific weight and remarkable deformability. ? 2017 The Author(s).114Ysciescopu

Atmospheric phenomena data processing and display

Several related efforts which deal with the analysis and display of data pertaining to various atmospheric phenomena are reported. Spectrometer data analysis, with refinements to the preexisting programs, is discussed. A discussion of a Monte Carlo simulation of a photon transfer problem is presented. Raw data gathered in the field by a high-flying U2 aircraft is usually pulse code modulated (PCM). Techniques to reduce the data into a computer-amenable format are described. Several utility programs and other work are outlined

Proposal for encoding the Kayah Li script in the BMP of the UCS

This is a proposal to encode the Kayah Li script in the international character encoding standard Unicode. The script was published in Unicode Standard version 5.1 in March 2008. Kayah Li was invented in 1962 to write Eastern and Western Kayah Li languages of Myanmar and Thailand

Developments in Retirement Provision: Global Trends and Lessons from Australia and the US

Retirement systems should be conceived of as long-term financial contracts under which workers' contributions today are exchanged for benefits paid to the elderly tomorrow. Such contracts are said to be well-managed if the transactions are handled in an affordable, reliable, and efficient manner. Yet all pension systems are forced to operate under a multitude of constraints including participants' ability and willingness to save; the availability of assets with which to convert current saving into future retirement benefits; the limitations of imperfect capital markets; political influences imposed by stakeholders; county macroeconomic conditions; and as we are becoming increasingly aware, global business cycles. If pensions are to continue to meet the needs of an aging world, it is imperative to prepare for emerging challenges as these systems evolve through time. In these remarks we first show how global demographic change is driving pension change throughout the world. Next we describe and compare developments in old-age provision over the last decade in Australia and the United States, and outline the key issues facing retirement systems in both nations. There are many differences between the experiences of the two countries, but as we shall show there are also common themes. Finally we identify key pension reform design issues facing Australia and the US in the upcoming decades.

Software reliability: Repetitive run experimentation and modeling

A software experiment conducted with repetitive run sampling is reported. Independently generated input data was used to verify that interfailure times are very nearly exponentially distributed and to obtain good estimates of the failure rates of individual errors and demonstrate how widely they vary. This fact invalidates many of the popular software reliability models now in use. The log failure rate of interfailure time was nearly linear as a function of the number of errors corrected. A new model of software reliability is proposed that incorporates these observations

A radar data processing and enhancement system

This report describes the space position data processing system of the NASA Western Aeronautical Test Range. The system is installed at the Dryden Flight Research Facility of NASA Ames Research Center. This operational radar data system (RADATS) provides simultaneous data processing for multiple data inputs and tracking and antenna pointing outputs while performing real-time monitoring, control, and data enhancement functions. Experience in support of the space shuttle and aeronautical flight research missions is described, as well as the automated calibration and configuration functions of the system

The Lyman Continuum escape fraction of galaxies at z=3.3 in the VUDS-LBC/COSMOS field

The Lyman continuum (LyC) flux escaping from high-z galaxies into the IGM is a fundamental quantity to understand the physical processes involved in the reionization epoch. We have investigated a sample of star-forming galaxies at z~3.3 in order to search for possible detections of LyC photons escaping from galaxy halos. UV deep imaging in the COSMOS field obtained with the prime focus camera LBC at the LBT telescope was used together with a catalog of spectroscopic redshifts obtained by the VIMOS Ultra Deep Survey (VUDS) to build a sample of 45 galaxies at z~3.3 with L>0.5L*. We obtained deep LBC images of galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts in the interval 3.27<z<3.40 both in the R and deep U bands. A sub-sample of 10 galaxies apparently shows escape fractions>28% but a detailed analysis of their properties reveals that, with the exception of two marginal detections (S/N~2) in the U band, all the other 8 galaxies are most likely contaminated by the UV flux of low-z interlopers located close to the high-z targets. The average escape fraction derived from the stacking of the cleaned sample was constrained to fesc_rel<2%. The implied HI photo-ionization rate is a factor two lower than that needed to keep the IGM ionized at z~3, as observed in the Lyman forest of high-z QSO spectra or by the proximity effect. These results support a scenario where high redshift, relatively bright (L>0.5L*) star-forming galaxies alone are unable to sustain the level of ionization observed in the cosmic IGM at z~3. Star-forming galaxies at higher redshift and at fainter luminosities (L<<L*) can be the major contributors to the reionization of the Universe only if their physical properties are subject to rapid changes from z~3 to z~6-10. Alternatively, ionizing sources could be discovered looking for fainter sources among the AGN population at high-z.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in A&