508,867 research outputs found
gamma-sky.net: Portal to the Gamma-Ray Sky
Gamma-sky.net is a novel interactive website designed for exploring the
gamma-ray sky. The Map View portion of the site is powered by the Aladin Lite
sky atlas, providing a scalable survey image tesselated onto a
three-dimensional sphere. The map allows for interactive pan and zoom
navigation as well as search queries by sky position or object name. The
default image overlay shows the gamma-ray sky observed by the Fermi-LAT
gamma-ray space telescope. Other survey images (e.g. Planck microwave images in
low/high frequency bands, ROSAT X-ray image) are available for comparison with
the gamma-ray data. Sources from major gamma-ray source catalogs of interest
(Fermi-LAT 2FHL, 3FGL and a TeV source catalog) are overlaid over the sky map
as markers. Clicking on a given source shows basic information in a popup, and
detailed pages for every source are available via the Catalog View component of
the website, including information such as source classification, spectrum and
light-curve plots, and literature references.
We intend for gamma-sky.net to be applicable for both professional
astronomers as well as the general public. The website started in early June
2016 and is being developed as an open-source, open data project on GitHub
(https://github.com/gammapy/gamma-sky). We plan to extend it to display more
gamma-ray and multi-wavelength data. Feedback and contributions are very
welcome!Comment: 6th International Meeting on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy,
Heidelberg, 2016. 6 pages, 5 figures. Website: http://gamma-sky.ne
Vehicle Localization Kalman Filtering for Traffic Light Advisor Application in Urban Scenarios
The recent advancements in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) have revealed significant potential for enhancing traffic management through Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADASs), with benefits for both safety and environment. This research paper proposes a vehicle localization technique based on Kalman filtering, as accurate positioning of the ego-vehicle is essential for the proper functioning of the Traffic Light Advisor (TLA) system. The aim of the TLA is to calculate the most suitable speed to safely reach and pass the first traffic light in front of the vehicle and subsequently keep that velocity constant to overcome the following traffic light, thus allowing safer and more efficient driving practices, thereby reducing safety risks, and minimizing energy consumption. To overcome Global Positioning Systems (GPS) limitations encountered in urban scenarios, a multi-rate sensor fusion approach based on the Kalman filter with map matching and a simple kinematic one-dimensional model is proposed. The experimental results demonstrate an estimation error below 0.5 m on urban roads with GPS signal loss areas, making it suitable for TLA application. The experimental validation of the Traffic Light Advisor system confirmed the expected benefits with a 40% decrease in energy consumption compared to unassisted driving
Pareto Optimization of a Laser Wakefield Accelerator
Optimization of accelerator performance parameters is limited by numerous
trade-offs and finding the appropriate balance between optimization goals for
an unknown system is challenging to achieve. Here we show that multi-objective
Bayesian optimization can map the solution space of a laser wakefield
accelerator in a very sample-efficient way. Using a Gaussian mixture model, we
isolate contributions related to an electron bunch at a certain energy and we
observe that there exists a wide range of Pareto-optimal solutions that trade
beam energy versus charge at similar laser-to-beam efficiency. However, many
applications such as light sources require particle beams at a certain target
energy. Once such a constraint is introduced we observe a direct trade-off
between energy spread and accelerator efficiency. We furthermore demonstrate
how specific solutions can be exploited using \emph{a posteriori} scalarization
of the objectives, thereby efficiently splitting the exploration and
exploitation phases
A molecular dynamics simulation of DNA damage induction by ionizing radiation
We present a multi-scale simulation of early stage of DNA damages by the
indirect action of hydroxyl (OH) free radicals generated by electrons
and protons. The computational method comprises of interfacing the Geant4-DNA
Monte Carlo with the ReaxFF molecular dynamics software. A clustering method
was employed to map the coordinates of OH-radicals extracted from the
ionization track-structures onto nano-meter simulation voxels filled with DNA
and water molecules. The molecular dynamics simulation provides the time
evolution and chemical reactions in individual simulation voxels as well as the
energy-landscape accounted for the DNA-OH chemical reaction that is
essential for the first principle enumeration of hydrogen abstractions,
chemical bond breaks, and DNA-lesions induced by collection of ions in clusters
less than the critical dimension which is approximately 2-3 \AA. We show that
the formation of broken bonds leads to DNA base and backbone damages that
collectively propagate to DNA single and double strand breaks. For illustration
of the methodology, we focused on particles with initial energy of 1 MeV. Our
studies reveal a qualitative difference in DNA damage induced by low energy
electrons and protons. Electrons mainly generate small pockets of
OH-radicals, randomly dispersed in the cell volume. In contrast,
protons generate larger clusters along a straight-line parallel to the
direction of the particle. The ratio of the total DNA double strand breaks
induced by a single proton and electron track is determined to be 4
in the linear scaling limit. The tool developed in this work can be used in the
future to investigate the relative biological effectiveness of light and heavy
ions that are used in radiotherapy.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Physics in Medicine
and Biolog
Optical and infrared properties of V1647 Orionis during the 2003-2006 outburst. I The reflection nebula
Aims: The recent outburst of the young eruptive star V1647 Orionis has
produced a spectacular appearance of a new reflection nebula in Orion (McNeil's
nebula). We present an optical/near infrared investigation of McNeil's nebula.
This analysis is aimed at determining the morphology, temporal evolution and
nature of the nebula and its connection to the outburst.
Method: We performed multi epoch B, V, R, I, z, and K imaging of McNeil's
nebula and V1647 Ori as well as K_S imaging polarimetry. The multiband imaging
allows us to reconstruct the extinction map inside the nebula. Through
polarimetric observations we attempt to disentangle the emission from the
nebula from that of the accretion disk around V1647 Ori. We also attempt to
resolve the small spatial scale structure of the illuminating source.
Results: The energy distribution and temporal evolution of McNeil's nebula
mimic that of the illuminating source. The extinction map reveals a region of
higher extinction in the direction of V1647 Ori. Excluding foreground
extionction, the optical extinction due to McNeil's nebula in the direction of
V1647 Ori is A_V ~ 6.5 mag. The polarimetric measurement shows a compact high
polarization emission around V1647 Ori. The percentage of K_S band linear
polarization goes from 10 -- 20 %. The vectors are all well aligned with a
position angle of 90 +/- 9 degree East of North. This may correspond to the
orientation of a possible accretion disk around V1647 Ori. These findings
suggest that the appearance of McNeil's nebula is due to reflection of light by
pre-existing material in the surroundings of V1647 Ori. We also report on the
discovery of a new candidate brown dwarf or protostar in the vicinity of V1647
Ori as well as the presence of clumpy structure within HH 22A.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, in pres
Multi-wavelength modeling of the spatially resolved debris disk of HD 107146
(abridged) We aim to constrain the location, composition, and dynamical state
of planetesimal populations and dust around the young, sun-like (G2V) star HD
107146}. We consider coronagraphic observations obtained with the Advanced
Camera for Surveys (HST/ACS) onboard the HST in broad V and broad I filters, a
resolved 1.3mm map obtained with the Combined Array for Research in
Millimeter-Wave Astronomy (CARMA), Spitzer/IRS low resolution spectra, and the
spectral energy distribution (SED) of the object at wavelengths ranging from
3.5micron to 3.1mm. We complement these data with new coronagraphic high
resolution observations of the debris disk using the Near Infrared Camera and
Multi-Object Spectrometer (HST/NICMOS) aboard the HST in the F110W filter. The
SED and images of the disk in scattered light as well as in thermal reemission
are combined in our modeling using a parameterized model for the disk density
distribution and optical properties of the dust. A detailed analytical model of
the debris disk around HD 107146 is presented that allows us to reproduce the
almost entire set of spatially resolved and unresolved multi-wavelength
observations. Considering the variety of complementary observational data, we
are able to break the degeneracies produced by modeling SED data alone. We find
the disk to be an extended ring with a peak surface density at 131AU.
Furthermore, we find evidence for an additional, inner disk probably composed
of small grains released at the inner edge of the outer disk and moving inwards
due to Poynting-Robertson drag. A birth ring scenario (i.e., a more or less
broad ring of planetesimals creating the dust disk trough collisions) is found
to be the most likely explanation of the ringlike shape of the disk.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Optical Efficiency Calibration for Inhomogeneous IACT Arrays and a Detailed Study of the Highly Extended Pulsar Wind Nebula HESS J1825-137
Very High Energy (VHE) γ-ray astronomy using Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) is entering an era of hybrid arrays (such as H.E.S.S. II and CTA), comprising telescopes of varied specifications to enhance the accessible energy range and angular resolution. New algorithms for telescope optical efficiency calibration are developed and adapted for multi-type arrays, for both absolute light yield calibration using muons, and for relative calibration through comparison of shower images. In comparison to previous methods, the stability and flexibility of these algorithms are considerably improved. These will play an important role for the future CTA observatory. The use of multi-type IACT arrays in providing an increased understanding of astrophysical objects and environments is demonstrated through an in-depth study of the Pulsar Wind Nebula HESS J1825-137, known to be highly extended with the presence of strong energy dependent morphology. In particular, measurements of HESS J1825-137 across the entire available energy range allow the particle transport inside the nebula to be constrained, favouring advection over diffusion as the dominant mechanism. Together with X-ray data, a map of the magnetic field of the nebula can be made through spectral modelling. It will also be shown that HESS J1825-137, at 100 pc across, is one of the biggest pulsar wind nebulae to have been discovered yet
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