2,613 research outputs found
Computational localization microscopy with extended axial range
A new single-aperture 3D particle-localization and tracking technique is presented that demonstrates an increase in depth range by more than an order of magnitude without compromising optical resolution and throughput. We exploit the extended depth range and depth-dependent translation of an Airy-beam PSF for 3D localization over an extended volume in a single snapshot. The technique is applicable to all bright-field and fluorescence modalities for particle localization and tracking, ranging from super-resolution microscopy through to the tracking of fluorescent beads and endogenous particles within cells. We demonstrate and validate its application to real-time 3D velocity imaging of fluid flow in capillaries using fluorescent tracer beads. An axial localization precision of 50 nm was obtained over a depth range of 120μm using a 0.4NA, 20× microscope objective. We believe this to be the highest ratio of axial range-to-precision reported to date
Self-Calibration of Cameras with Euclidean Image Plane in Case of Two Views and Known Relative Rotation Angle
The internal calibration of a pinhole camera is given by five parameters that
are combined into an upper-triangular calibration matrix. If the
skew parameter is zero and the aspect ratio is equal to one, then the camera is
said to have Euclidean image plane. In this paper, we propose a non-iterative
self-calibration algorithm for a camera with Euclidean image plane in case the
remaining three internal parameters --- the focal length and the principal
point coordinates --- are fixed but unknown. The algorithm requires a set of point correspondences in two views and also the measured relative
rotation angle between the views. We show that the problem generically has six
solutions (including complex ones).
The algorithm has been implemented and tested both on synthetic data and on
publicly available real dataset. The experiments demonstrate that the method is
correct, numerically stable and robust.Comment: 13 pages, 7 eps-figure
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory: Instrumentation and Online Systems
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a cubic-kilometer-scale high-energy
neutrino detector built into the ice at the South Pole. Construction of
IceCube, the largest neutrino detector built to date, was completed in 2011 and
enabled the discovery of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos. We describe here
the design, production, and calibration of the IceCube digital optical module
(DOM), the cable systems, computing hardware, and our methodology for drilling
and deployment. We also describe the online triggering and data filtering
systems that select candidate neutrino and cosmic ray events for analysis. Due
to a rigorous pre-deployment protocol, 98.4% of the DOMs in the deep ice are
operating and collecting data. IceCube routinely achieves a detector uptime of
99% by emphasizing software stability and monitoring. Detector operations have
been stable since construction was completed, and the detector is expected to
operate at least until the end of the next decade.Comment: 83 pages, 50 figures; updated with minor changes from journal review
and proofin
Extended depth-of-field imaging and ranging in a snapshot
Traditional approaches to imaging require that an increase in depth of field is associated with a reduction in
numerical aperture, and hence with a reduction in resolution and optical throughput. In their seminal
work, Dowski and Cathey reported how the asymmetric point-spread function generated by a cubic-phase
aberration encodes the detected image such that digital recovery can yield images with an extended depth of
field without sacrificing resolution [Appl. Opt. 34, 1859 (1995)]. Unfortunately recovered images are
generally visibly degraded by artifacts arising from subtle variations in point-spread functions with defocus.
We report a technique that involves determination of the spatially variant translation of image components
that accompanies defocus to enable determination of spatially variant defocus. This in turn enables recovery
of artifact-free, extended depth-of-field images together with a two-dimensional defocus and range map
of the imaged scene. We demonstrate the technique for high-quality macroscopic and microscopic imaging
of scenes presenting an extended defocus of up to two waves, and for generation of defocus maps with an
uncertainty of 0.036 waves
Fast Determination of Soil Behavior in the Capillary Zone Using Simple Laboratory Tests
INE/AUTC 13.1
Creating Airy beams employing a transmissive spatial light modulator
We present a detailed study of two novel methods for shaping the light
optical wavefront by employing a transmissive spatial light modulator (SLM).
Conventionally, optical Airy beams are created by employing SLMs in the
so-called all phase mode. In the first method, a numerically simulated lens
phase distribution is loaded directly onto the SLM, together with the cubic
phase distribution. An Airy beam is generated at the focal plane of the
numerical lens. We provide for the first time a quantitative properties of the
formed Airy beam. We derive the formula for deflection of the intensity maximum
of the so formed Airy beam, which is different to the quadratic deflection
typical of Airy beams. We cross-validate the derived formula by both
simulations and experiment. The second method is based on the fact that a
system consisting of a transmissive SLM sandwiched between two polarisers can
create a transmission function with negative values. This observation alone has
the potential for various other wavefront modulations where the transmission
function requires negative values. As an example for this method, we
demonstrate that a wavefront can be modulated by passing the SLM system with
transmission function with negative values by loading an Airy function
distribution directly onto SLM. Since the Airy function is a real-valued
function but also with negative values, an Airy beam can be generated by direct
transfer of the Airy function distribution onto such an SLM system. In this
way, an Airy beam is generated immediately behind the SLM. As both new methods
do not employ a physical lens, the two setups are more compact than
conventional setups for creating Airy beams. We compare the performance of the
two novel methods and the properties of the created Airy beams
A new low magnetic field magnetar: the 2011 outburst of Swift J1822.3-1606
We report on the long term X-ray monitoring with Swift, RXTE, Suzaku, Chandra
and XMM-Newton of the outburst of the newly discovered magnetar Swift
J1822.3-1606 (SGR 1822-1606), from the first observations soon after the
detection of the short X-ray bursts which led to its discovery, through the
first stages of its outburst decay (covering the time-span from July 2011,
until end of April 2012). We also report on archival ROSAT observations which
witnessed the source during its likely quiescent state, and on upper limits on
Swift J1822.3-1606's radio-pulsed and optical emission during outburst, with
the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) and the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC),
respectively. Our X-ray timing analysis finds the source rotating with a period
of P=8.43772016(2) s and a period derivative \dot{P}=8.3(2)x10^{-14} s s^{-1} ,
which entails an inferred dipolar surface magnetic field of B~2.7x10^{13} G at
the equator. This measurement makes Swift J1822.3-1606 the second lowest
magnetic field magnetar (after SGR 0418+5729; Rea et al. 2010). Following the
flux and spectral evolution from the beginning of the outburst, we find that
the flux decreased by about an order of magnitude, with a subtle softening of
the spectrum, both typical of the outburst decay of magnetars. By modeling the
secular thermal evolution of Swift J1822.3-1606, we find that the observed
timing properties of the source, as well as its quiescent X-ray luminosity, can
be reproduced if it was born with a poloidal and crustal toroidal fields of
B_{p}~1.5x10^{14} G and B_{tor}~7x10^{14} G, respectively, and if its current
age is ~550 kyr.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures; new observations added; ApJ in pres
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