123,045 research outputs found
Reflectance spectroscopy in planetary science: Review and strategy for the future
Reflectance spectroscopy is a remote sensing technique used to study the surfaces and atmospheres of solar system bodies. It provides first-order information on the presence and amounts of certain ions, molecules, and minerals on a surface or in an atmosphere. Reflectance spectroscopy has become one of the most important investigations conducted on most current and planned NASA Solar System Exploration Program space missions. This book reviews the field of reflectance spectroscopy, including information on the scientific technique, contributions, present conditions, and future directions and needs
Optical Synoptic Telescopes: New Science Frontiers
Over the past decade, sky surveys such as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey have
proven the power of large data sets for answering fundamental astrophysical
questions. This observational progress, based on a synergy of advances in
telescope construction, detectors, and information technology, has had a
dramatic impact on nearly all fields of astronomy, and areas of fundamental
physics. The next-generation instruments, and the surveys that will be made
with them, will maintain this revolutionary progress. The hardware and
computational technical challenges and the exciting science opportunities are
attracting scientists and engineers from astronomy, optics, low-light-level
detectors, high-energy physics, statistics, and computer science. The history
of astronomy has taught us repeatedly that there are surprises whenever we view
the sky in a new way. This will be particularly true of discoveries emerging
from a new generation of sky surveys. Imaging data from large ground-based
active optics telescopes with sufficient etendue can address many scientific
missions simultaneously. These new investigations will rely on the statistical
precision obtainable with billions of objects. For the first time, the full sky
will be surveyed deep and fast, opening a new window on a universe of faint
moving and distant exploding objects as well as unraveling the mystery of dark
energy.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figure
A Thousand Invisible Cords Binding Astronomy and High-Energy Physics
The traditional realm of astronomy is the observation and study of the
largest objects in the Universe, while the traditional domain of high-energy
physics is the study of the smallest things in nature. But these two sciences
concerned with opposite ends of the size spectrum are, in Muir's words, bound
fast by a thousand invisible cords that cannot be broken. In this essay I
propose that collaborations of astronomers and high-energy physicists on common
problems are beneficial for both fields, and that both astronomy and
high-energy physics can advance by this close and still growing relationship.
Dark matter and dark energy are two of the binding cords I will use to
illustrate how collaborations of astronomers and high-energy physicists on
large astronomical projects can be good for astronomy, and how discoveries in
astronomy can guide high-energy physicists in their quest for understanding
nature on the smallest scales. Of course, the fields have some different
intellectual and collaborative traditions, neither of which is ideal. The
cultures of the different fields cannot be judged to be right or wrong; they
either work or they don't. When astronomers and high-energy physicists work
together, the binding cords can either encourage or choke creativity. The
challenge facing the astronomy and high-energy physics communities is to adopt
the best traditions of both fields. It is up to us to choose wisely.Comment: Why "Fundamentalist" Physics Is Good for Astronomy (in response to
the paper of Simon White, arXiv:0704.2291
Research Objects: Towards Exchange and Reuse of Digital Knowledge
What will researchers be publishing in the future? Whilst there is little question that the Web will be the publication platform, as scholars move away from paper towards digital content, there is a need for mechanisms that support the production of self-contained units of knowledge and facilitate the publication, sharing and reuse of such entities.

 In this paper we discuss the notion of _research objects_, semantically rich aggregations of resources, that can possess some scientific intent or support some research objective. We present a number of principles that we expect such objects and their associated services to follow
Investigations for Ergonomic Presentation of AIS Symbols for ECDIS
Empirical investigations were carried out in a research project for the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building, and Housing to evaluate the presentation of AIS target information on ECDIS. The investigations were performed at three international simulation centres. The features, colour and fillingjsize of AIS symbols, as well as the influence of the ECDIS display category on the detection of AIS targets were the main issues of the investigations. Results show that blue (5-52 colour token RE5BL) is the most suitable colour of the tested colours for the presentation of AIS targets under all ambient light conditions on the tested IHO S-52 colour tables
Microgravity: A Teacher's Guide With Activities in Science, Mathematics, and Technology
The purpose of this curriculum supplement guide is to define and explain microgravity and show how microgravity can help us learn about the phenomena of our world. The front section of the guide is designed to provide teachers of science, mathematics, and technology at many levels with a foundation in microgravity science and applications. It begins with background information for the teacher on what microgravity is and how it is created. This is followed with information on the domains of microgravity science research; biotechnology, combustion science, fluid physics, fundamental physics, materials science, and microgravity research geared toward exploration. The background section concludes with a history of microgravity research and the expectations microgravity scientists have for research on the International Space Station. Finally, the guide concludes with a suggested reading list, NASA educational resources including electronic resources, and an evaluation questionnaire
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