12,811 research outputs found
Rational-operator-based depth-from-defocus approach to scene reconstruction
This paper presents a rational-operator-based approach to depth from defocus (DfD) for the reconstruction of three-dimensional scenes from two-dimensional images, which enables fast DfD computation that is independent of scene textures. Two variants of the approach, one using the Gaussian rational operators (ROs) that are based on the Gaussian point spread function (PSF) and the second based on the generalized Gaussian PSF, are considered. A novel DfD correction method is also presented to further improve the performance of the approach. Experimental results are considered for real scenes and show that both approaches outperform existing RO-based methods
Seismic Ray Impedance Inversion
This thesis investigates a prestack seismic inversion scheme implemented in the ray
parameter domain. Conventionally, most prestack seismic inversion methods are
performed in the incidence angle domain. However, inversion using the concept of
ray impedance, as it honours ray path variation following the elastic parameter
variation according to Snell’s law, shows the capacity to discriminate different
lithologies if compared to conventional elastic impedance inversion.
The procedure starts with data transformation into the ray-parameter domain and then
implements the ray impedance inversion along constant ray-parameter profiles. With
different constant-ray-parameter profiles, mixed-phase wavelets are initially estimated
based on the high-order statistics of the data and further refined after a proper well-to-seismic
tie. With the estimated wavelets ready, a Cauchy inversion method is used to
invert for seismic reflectivity sequences, aiming at recovering seismic reflectivity
sequences for blocky impedance inversion. The impedance inversion from reflectivity
sequences adopts a standard generalised linear inversion scheme, whose results are
utilised to identify rock properties and facilitate quantitative interpretation. It has also
been demonstrated that we can further invert elastic parameters from ray impedance
values, without eliminating an extra density term or introducing a Gardner’s relation
to absorb this term.
Ray impedance inversion is extended to P-S converted waves by introducing the
definition of converted-wave ray impedance. This quantity shows some advantages in
connecting prestack converted wave data with well logs, if compared with the shearwave
elastic impedance derived from the Aki and Richards approximation to the
Zoeppritz equations. An analysis of P-P and P-S wave data under the framework of
ray impedance is conducted through a real multicomponent dataset, which can reduce
the uncertainty in lithology identification.Inversion is the key method in generating those examples throughout the entire thesis
as we believe it can render robust solutions to geophysical problems. Apart from the
reflectivity sequence, ray impedance and elastic parameter inversion mentioned above,
inversion methods are also adopted in transforming the prestack data from the offset
domain to the ray-parameter domain, mixed-phase wavelet estimation, as well as the
registration of P-P and P-S waves for the joint analysis.
The ray impedance inversion methods are successfully applied to different types of
datasets. In each individual step to achieving the ray impedance inversion, advantages,
disadvantages as well as limitations of the algorithms adopted are detailed. As a
conclusion, the ray impedance related analyses demonstrated in this thesis are highly
competent compared with the classical elastic impedance methods and the author
would like to recommend it for a wider application
A Spitzer Transmission Spectrum for the Exoplanet GJ 436b, Evidence for Stellar Variability, and Constraints on Dayside Flux Variations
In this paper we describe a uniform analysis of eight transits and eleven
secondary eclipses of the extrasolar planet GJ 436b obtained in the 3.6, 4.5,
and 8.0 micron bands using the IRAC instrument on the Spitzer Space Telescope
between UT 2007 June 29 and UT 2009 Feb 4. We find that the best-fit transit
depths for visits in the same bandpass can vary by as much as 8% of the total
(4.7 sigma significance) from one epoch to the next. Although we cannot
entirely rule out residual detector effects or a time-varying, high-altitude
cloud layer in the planet's atmosphere as the cause of these variations, we
consider the occultation of active regions on the star in a subset of the
transit observations to be the most likely explanation. We reconcile the
presence of magnetically active regions with the lack of significant visible or
infrared flux variations from the star by proposing that the star's spin axis
is tilted with respect to our line of sight, and that the planet's orbit is
therefore likely to be misaligned. These observations serve to illustrate the
challenges associated with transmission spectroscopy of planets orbiting
late-type stars; we expect that other systems, such as GJ 1214, may display
comparably variable transit depths. Our measured 8 micron secondary eclipse
depths are consistent with a constant value, and we place a 1 sigma upper limit
of 17% on changes in the planet's dayside flux in this band. Averaging over the
eleven visits gives us an improved estimate of 0.0452% +/- 0.0027% for the
secondary eclipse depth. We combine timing information from our observations
with previously published data to produce a refined orbital ephemeris, and
determine that the best-fit transit and eclipse times are consistent with a
constant orbital period. [ABRIDGED]Comment: 26 pages, 18 figures, 7 tables in emulateapj format. Accepted for
publication in Ap
Estimating the location of the open-closed magnetic field line boundary from auroral images
The open-closed magnetic field line boundary (OCB) delimits the region of open magnetic flux forming the polar cap in the Earth’s ionosphere. We present a reliable, automated method for determining the location of the poleward auroral luminosity boundary (PALB) from far ultraviolet (FUV) images of the aurora, which we use as a proxy for the OCB. This technique models latitudinal profiles of auroral luminosity as both a single and double Gaussian function with a quadratic background to produce estimates of the PALB without prior knowledge of the level of auroral activity
or of the presence of bifurcation in the auroral oval. We
have applied this technique to FUV images recorded by the
IMAGE satellite from May 2000 until August 2002 to produce
a database of over a million PALB location estimates,
which is freely available to download. From this database,
we assess and illustrate the accuracy and reliability of this technique during varying geomagnetic conditions. We find that up to 35% of our PALB estimates are made from double Gaussian fits to latitudinal intensity profiles, in preference to single Gaussian fits, in nightside magnetic local time (MLT) sectors. The accuracy of our PALBs as a proxy for the location of the OCB is evaluated by comparison with particle precipitation boundary (PPB) proxies from the DMSP satellites. We demonstrate the value of this technique in estimating the total rate of magnetic reconnection from the time variation of the polar cap area calculated from our OCB estimates
Transit spectrophotometry of the exoplanet HD189733b. I. Searching for water but finding haze with HST NICMOS
We present Hubble Space Telescope near-infrared transit photometry of the
nearby hot-Jupiter HD189733b. The observations were taken with the NICMOS
instrument during five transits, with three transits executed with a narrowband
filter at 1.87 microns and two performed with a narrowband filter at 1.66
microns. Our observing strategy using narrowband filters is insensitive to the
usual HST intra-orbit and orbit-to-orbit measurement of systematic errors,
allowing us to accurately and robustly measure the near-IR wavelength
dependance of the planetary radius. Our measurements fail to reproduce the
Swain et al. absorption signature of atmospheric water below 2 microns at a
5-sigma confidence level. We measure a planet-to-star radius contrast of
0.15498+/-0.00035 at 1.66 microns and a contrast of 0.15517+/-0.00019 at 1.87
microns. Both of our near-IR planetary radii values are in excellent agreement
with the levels expected from Rayleigh scattering by sub-micron haze particles,
observed at optical wavelengths, indicating that upper-atmospheric haze still
dominates the near-IR transmission spectra over the absorption from gaseous
molecular species at least below 2 microns.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in A&
Fast and accurate modelling of longitudinal and repeated measures neuroimaging data
Despite the growing importance of longitudinal data in neuroimaging, the standard analysis methods make restrictive or unrealistic assumptions (e.g., assumption of Compound Symmetry—the state of all equal variances and equal correlations—or spatially homogeneous longitudinal correlations). While some new methods have been proposed to more accurately account for such data, these methods are based on iterative algorithms that are slow and failure-prone. In this article, we propose the use of the Sandwich Estimator (SwE) method which first estimates the parameters of interest with a simple Ordinary Least Square model and second estimates variances/covariances with the “so-called” SwE which accounts for the within-subject correlation existing in longitudinal data. Here, we introduce the SwE method in its classic form, and we review and propose several adjustments to improve its behaviour, specifically in small samples. We use intensive Monte Carlo simulations to compare all considered adjustments and isolate the best combination for neuroimaging data. We also compare the SwE method to other popular methods and demonstrate its strengths and weaknesses. Finally, we analyse a highly unbalanced longitudinal dataset from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative and demonstrate the flexibility of the SwE method to fit within- and between-subject effects in a single model. Software implementing this SwE method has been made freely available at http://warwick.ac.uk/tenichols/SwE
They are Small Worlds After All: Revised Properties of Kepler M Dwarf Stars and their Planets
We classified the reddest () stars observed by the NASA
mission into main sequence dwarf or evolved giant stars and determined the
properties of 4216 M dwarfs based on a comparison of available photometry with
that of nearby calibrator stars, as well as available proper motions and
spectra. We revised the properties of candidate transiting planets using the
stellar parameters, high-resolution imaging to identify companion stars, and,
in the case of binaries, fitting light curves to identify the likely planet
host. In 49 of 54 systems we validated the primary as the host star. We
inferred the intrinsic distribution of M dwarf planets using the method of
iterative Monte Carlo simulation. We compared several models of planet orbital
geometry and clustering and found that one where planets are exponentially
distributed and almost precisely coplanar best describes the distribution of
multi-planet systems. We determined that M dwarfs host an average of
planets with radii of 1-4 and orbital periods of
1.5-180 d. The radius distribution peaks at and is
essentially zero at , although we identify three giant planet
candidates other than the previously confirmed Kepler-45b. There is suggestive
but not significant evidence that the radius distribution varies with orbital
period. The distribution with logarithmic orbital period is flat except for a
decline for orbits less than a few days. Twelve candidate planets, including
two Jupiter-size objects, experience an irradiance below the threshold level
for a runaway greenhouse on an Earth-like planet and are thus in a "habitable
zone".Comment: MNRAS, in press. Tables 1, 3, and 4 are available in electronic form
in the "anc" director
HATS-11b and HATS-12b: Two transiting Hot Jupiters orbiting sub-solar metallicity stars selected for the K2 Campaign 7
We report the discovery of two transiting extrasolar planets from the
HATSouth survey. HATS-11, a V=14.1 G0-star shows a periodic 12.9 mmag dip in
its light curve every 3.6192 days and a radial velocity variation consistent
with a Keplerian orbit. HATS-11 has a mass of 1.000 0.060 M, a
radius of 1.444 0.057 M and an effective temperature of 6060
150 K, while its companion is a 0.85 0.12 M, 1.510 0.078
R planet in a circular orbit. HATS-12 shows a periodic 5.1 mmag flux
decrease every 3.1428 days and Keplerian RV variations around a V=12.8 F-star.
HATS-12 has a mass of 1.489 0.071 M, a radius of 2.21
0.21 R, and an effective temperature of 6408 75 K. For HATS-12,
our measurements indicate that this is a 2.38 0.11 M, 1.35 0.17
R planet in a circular orbit. Both host stars show sub-solar metallicity of
-0.390 0.060 dex and -0.100 0.040 dex, respectively and are
(slightly) evolved stars. In fact, HATS-11 is amongst the most metal-poor and,
HATS-12 is amongst the most evolved stars hosting a hot Jupiter planet.
Importantly, HATS-11 and HATS-12 have been observed in long cadence by Kepler
as part of K2 campaign 7 (EPIC216414930 and EPIC218131080 respectively).Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, 6 tables, submitted to A
The stellar host in blue compact dwarf galaxies: the need for a two-dimensional fit
The structural properties of the low surface brightness stellar host in blue
compact dwarf galaxies are often studied by fitting r^{1/n} models to the outer
regions of their radial profiles. The limitations imposed by the presence of a
large starburst emission overlapping the underlying component makes this kind
of analysis a difficult task. We propose a two-dimensional fitting methodology
in order to improve the extraction of the structural parameters of the LSB
host. We discuss its advantages and weaknesses by using a set of simulated
galaxies and compare the results for a sample of eight objects with those
already obtained using a one-dimensional technique. We fit a PSF convolved
Sersic model to synthetic galaxies, and to real galaxy images in the B, V, R
filters. We restrict the fit to the stellar host by masking out the starburst
region and take special care to minimize the sky-subtraction uncertainties. In
order to test the robustness and flexibility of the method, we carry out a set
of fits with synthetic galaxies. Furthermore consistency checks are performed
to assess the reliability and accuracy of the derived structural parameters.
The more accurate isolation of the starburst emission is the most important
advantage and strength of the method. Thus, we fit the host galaxy in a range
of surface brightness and in a portion of area larger than in previous
published 1D fits with the same dataset. We obtain robust fits for all the
sample galaxies, all of which, except one, show Sersic indices n very close to
1, with good agreement in the three bands. These findings suggest that the
stellar hosts in BCDs have near-exponential profiles, a result that will help
us to understand the mechanisms that form and shape BCD galaxies, and how they
relate to the other dwarf galaxy classes.Comment: 22 pages, 15 figures (low resolution), accepted for publication in
A&A. A higher resolution version of the figures can be provided upon reques
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