811 research outputs found
A look at motion in the frequency domain
A moving image can be specified by a contrast distribution, c(x,y,t), over the dimensions of space x,y, and time t. Alternatively, it can be specified by the distribution C(u,v,w) over spatial frequency u,v and temporal frequency w. The frequency representation of a moving image is shown to have a characteristic form. This permits two useful observations. The first is that the apparent smoothness of time-sampled moving images (apparent motion) can be explained by the filtering action of the human visual system. This leads to the following formula for the required update rate for time-sampled displays. W(c)=W(l)+ru(l) where w(c) is the required update rate in Hz, W(l) is the limit of human temporal resolution in Hz, r is the velocity of the moving image in degrees/sec, and u(l) is the limit of human spatial resolution in cycles/deg. The second observation is that it is possible to construct a linear sensor that responds to images moving in a particular direction. The sensor is derived and its properties are discussed
Uniform apparent contrast noise: A picture of the noise of the visual contrast detection system
A picture which is a sample of random contrast noise is generated. The noise amplitude spectrum in each region of the picture is inversely proportional to spatial frequency contrast sensitivity for that region, assuming the observer fixates the center of the picture and is the appropriate distance from it. In this case, the picture appears to have approximately the same contrast everywhere. To the extent that contrast detection thresholds are determined by visual system noise, this picture can be regarded as a picture of the noise of that system. There is evidence that, at different eccentricities, contrast sensitivity functions differ only by a magnification factor. The picture was generated by filtering a sample of white noise with a filter whose frequency response is inversely proportional to foveal contrast sensitivity. It was then stretched by a space-varying magnification function. The picture summmarizes a noise linear model of detection and discrimination of contrast signals by referring the model noise to the input picture domain
Fourier Decomposition of RR Lyrae light curves and the SX Phe population in the central region of NGC 3201
CCD time-series observations of the central region of the globular cluster
NGC~3201 were obtained with the aim of performing the Fourier decomposition of
the light curves of the RR~Lyrae stars present in that field. This procedure
gave the mean values, for the metallicity, of [Fe/H]
(statistical) (systematical), and for the distance, ~kpc (statistical) (systematical). The values found from two
RRc stars are consistent with those derived previously. The differential
reddening of the cluster was investigated and individual reddenings for the RR
Lyrae stars were estimated from their curves. We found an average value
of . An investigation of the light curves of stars in
the {\it blue stragglers} region led to the discovery of three new SX~Phe
stars. The period-luminosity relation of the SX~Phe stars was used for an
independent determination of the distance to the cluster and of the individual
reddenings. We found a distance of 5.0 kpcComment: To appear in Revista Mexicana de Astronom\'ia y Astrof\'isica,
Octuber 2014 issue, Vol 50. 17 pages, 10 figure
The window of visibility: A psychological theory of fidelity in time-sampled visual motion displays
Many visual displays, such as movies and television, rely upon sampling in the time domain. The spatiotemporal frequency spectra for some simple moving images are derived and illustrations of how these spectra are altered by sampling in the time domain are provided. A simple model of the human perceiver which predicts the critical sample rate required to render sampled and continuous moving images indistinguishable is constructed. The rate is shown to depend upon the spatial and temporal acuity of the observer, and upon the velocity and spatial frequency content of the image. Several predictions of this model are tested and confirmed. The model is offered as an explanation of many of the phenomena known as apparent motion. Finally, the implications of the model for computer-generated imagery are discussed
Spectral evolution of star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud: I. Blue concentrated clusters in the age range 40-300 Myr
Integrated spectroscopy of a sample of 17 blue concentrated Large Magellanic
Cloud (LMC) clusters is presented and its spectral evolution studied. The
spectra span the range ~3600-6800A with a resolution of ~14A FWHM, being used
to determine cluster ages and, in connection with their spatial distribution,
to explore the LMC structure and cluster formation history. Cluster reddening
values were estimated by interpolation, using the available extinction maps. We
used two methods to derive cluster ages: (i) template matching, in which line
strengths and continuum distribution of the cluster spectra were compared and
matched to those of template clusters with known astrophysical properties, and
(ii) equivalent width (EW) method, in which new age/metallicity calibrations
were used together with diagnostic diagrams involving the sum of EWs of
selected spectral lines (KCaII, G band (CH), MgI, Hdelta, Hgamma and Hbeta).
The derived cluster ages range from 40Myr (NGC2130 and SL237) to 300Myr
(NGC1932 and SL709), a good agreement between the results of the two methods
being obtained. Combining the present sample with additional ones indicates
that cluster deprojected distances from the LMC center are related to age in
the sense that inner clusters tend to be younger. Spectral libraries of star
clusters are useful datasets for spectral classifications and extraction of
parameter information for target star clusters and galaxies. The present
cluster sample complements previous ones, in an effort to gather a spectral
library with several clusters per age bin.Comment: 13 pages, 22 figures. Accepted for publication in A&
CCD Washington photometry of four poorly studied open clusters in the two inner quadrants of the galactic plane
Complementing our Washington photometric studies on Galactic open clusters
(OCs), we now focus on four poorly studied OCs located in the first and fourth
Galactic quadrants, namely BH 84, NGC 5381, BH 211 and Czernik 37. We have
obtained CCD photometry in the Washington system and passbands down
to 18.5 magnitudes for these four clusters. Their positions and
sizes were determined using the stellar density radial profiles. We derived
reddening, distance, age and metallicity of the clusters from extracted
color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs), using theoretical isochrones
computed for the Washington system. There are no previous photometric data in
the optical band for BH 84, NGC 5381 and BH 211. The CMDs of the observed
clusters show relatively well defined main sequences, except for Czernik 37,
wherein significant differential reddening seems to be present. The red giant
clump is clearly seen only in BH 211. For this cluster, we estimated the age in
(1000) Myr, assuming a metallicity of = 0.019. BH 84 was
found to be much older than it was previously believed, while NGC 5381 happened
to be much younger than previously reported. The heliocentric distances to
these clusters are found to range between 1.4 and 3.4 kpc. BH 84 appears to be
located at the solar galactocentric distance, while NGC 5381, BH 211 and
Czernik 37 are situated inside the solar ring.Comment: 30 pages, 9 figures, 10 table
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