A study of fundamental limitations to statistical detection of redshifted H i from the epoch of reionization

In this paper, we explore for the first time the relative magnitudes of three fundamental sources of uncertainty, namely, foreground contamination, thermal noise, and sample variance, in detecting the H I power spectrum from the epoch of reionization (Eo

Low-Frequency Radio Recombination Lines Away From the Inner Galactic Plane

Diffuse radio recombination lines (RRLs) in the Galaxy are possible foregrounds for redshifted 21~cm experiments. We use EDGES drift scans centered at $-26.7^o$~declination to characterize diffuse RRLs across the southern sky. We find RRLs averaged over the large antenna beam ($72^o \times 110^o$) reach minimum amplitudes between right ascensions~2-6~h. In this region, the C$\alpha$ absorption amplitude is $33\pm11$~mK (1$\sigma$) averaged over 50-87~MHz ($27\gtrsim z \gtrsim15$ for the 21~cm line) and increases strongly as frequency decreases. C$\beta$ and H$\alpha$ lines are consistent with no detection with amplitudes of $13\pm14$ and $12\pm10$~mK (1$\sigma$), respectively. At 108-124.5~MHz ($z\approx11$) in the same region, we find no evidence for carbon or hydrogen lines at the noise level of 3.4~mK (1$\sigma$). Conservatively assuming observed lines come broadly from the diffuse interstellar medium, as opposed to a few compact regions, these amplitudes provide upper limits on the intrinsic diffuse lines. The observations support expectations that Galactic RRLs can be neglected as significant foregrounds for a large region of sky until redshifted 21~cm experiments, particularly those targeting Cosmic Dawn, move beyond the detection phase. We fit models of the spectral dependence of the lines averaged over the large beam of EDGES, which may contain multiple line sources with possible line blending, and find that including degrees of freedom for expected smooth, frequency-dependent deviations from local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) is preferred over simple LTE assumptions for C$\alpha$ and H$\alpha$ lines. For C$\alpha$ we estimate departure coefficients $0.79<b_n\beta_n<4.5$ along the inner Galactic Plane and $0<b_n\beta_n<2.3$ away from the inner Galactic Plane.Comment: 25 pages, 14 figures, 3 tables, submitted to AA

A Bayesian approach to modelling spectrometer data chromaticity corrected using beam factors -- I. Mathematical formalism

Accurately accounting for spectral structure in spectrometer data induced by instrumental chromaticity on scales relevant for detection of the 21-cm signal is among the most significant challenges in global 21-cm signal analysis. In the publicly available EDGES low-band data set, this complicating structure is suppressed using beam-factor based chromaticity correction (BFCC), which works by dividing the data by a sky-map-weighted model of the spectral structure of the instrument beam. Several analyses of this data have employed models that start with the assumption that this correction is complete. However, while BFCC mitigates the impact of instrumental chromaticity on the data, given realistic assumptions regarding the spectral structure of the foregrounds, the correction is only partial. This complicates the interpretation of fits to the data with intrinsic sky models (models that assume no instrumental contribution to the spectral structure of the data). In this paper, we derive a BFCC data model from an analytic treatment of BFCC and demonstrate using simulated observations that, in contrast to using an intrinsic sky model for the data, the BFCC data model enables unbiased recovery of a simulated global 21-cm signal from beam-factor chromaticity corrected data in the limit that the data is corrected with an error-free beam-factor model.Comment: 26 pages, 8 figures; accepted for publication in MNRA

Functional characterisation of a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit from the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus

Open Access funded by Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Under a Creative Commons license This work was supported by a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (UK) Industrial CASE studentship award (BBSSM200411428) to K.L. with co-funding from Pfizer Animal Health, UK. We thank Dr. Andy Ball for help with rearing of ticks.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Interactive ozone and methane chemistry in GISS-E2 historical and future climate simulations

The new generation GISS climate model includes fully interactive chemistry related to ozone in historical and future simulations, and interactive methane in future simulations. Evaluation of ozone, its tropospheric precursors, and methane shows that the model captures much of the largescale spatial structure seen in recent observations. While the model is much improved compared with the previous chemistry-climate model, especially for ozone seasonality in the stratosphere, there is still slightly too rapid stratospheric circulation, too little stratosphere-to-troposphere ozone flux in the Southern Hemisphere and an Antarctic ozone hole that is too large and persists too long. Quantitative metrics of spatial and temporal correlations with satellite datasets as well as spatial autocorrelation to examine transport and mixing are presented to document improvements in model skill and provide a benchmark for future evaluations. The difference in radiative forcing (RF) calculated using modeled tropospheric ozone versus tropospheric ozone observed by TES is only 0.016Wm⁻². Historical 20th Century simulations show a steady increase in whole atmosphere ozone RF through 1970 after which there is a decrease through 2000 due to stratospheric ozone depletion. Ozone forcing increases throughout the 21st century under RCP8.5 owing to a projected recovery of stratospheric ozone depletion and increases in methane, but decreases under RCP4.5 and 2.6 due to reductions in emissions of other ozone precursors. RF from methane is 0.05 to 0.18Wm⁻² higher in our model calculations than in the RCP RF estimates. The surface temperature response to ozone through 1970 follows the increase in forcing due to tropospheric ozone. After that time, surface temperatures decrease as ozone RF declines due to stratospheric depletion. The stratospheric ozone depletion also induces substantial changes in surface winds and the Southern Ocean circulation, which may play a role in a slightly stronger response per unit forcing during later decades. Tropical precipitation shifts south during boreal summer from 1850 to 1970, but then shifts northward from 1970 to 2000, following upper tropospheric temperature gradients more strongly than those at the surfac

Multimodal Microscale Imaging of Textured Perovskite-Silicon Tandem Solar Cells.

Halide perovskite/crystalline silicon (c-Si) tandem solar cells promise power conversion efficiencies beyond the limits of single-junction cells. However, the local light-matter interactions of the perovskite material embedded in this pyramidal multijunction configuration, and the effect on device performance, are not well understood. Here, we characterize the microscale optoelectronic properties of the perovskite semiconductor deposited on different c-Si texturing schemes. We find a strong spatial and spectral dependence of the photoluminescence (PL) on the geometrical surface constructs, which dominates the underlying grain-to-grain PL variation found in halide perovskite films. The PL response is dependent upon the texturing design, with larger pyramids inducing distinct PL spectra for valleys and pyramids, an effect which is mitigated with small pyramids. Further, optimized quasi-Fermi level splittings and PL quantum efficiencies occur when the c-Si large pyramids have had a secondary smoothing etch. Our results suggest that a holistic optimization of the texturing is required to maximize light in- and out-coupling of both absorber layers and there is a fine balance between the optimal geometrical configuration and optoelectronic performance that will guide future device designs

Low-frequency observations of the moon with the murchison widefield array

A new generation of low-frequency radio telescopes is seeking to observe the redshifted 21cm signal from the epoch of reionization (EoR), requiring innovative methods of calibration and imaging to overcome the difficulties of wide-field low-frequency radio interferometry. Precise calibration will be required to separate the expected small EoR signal from the strong foreground emission at the frequencies of interest between 80 and 300MHz. The Moon may be useful as a calibration source for detection of the EoR signature, as it should have a smooth and predictable thermal spectrum across the frequency band of interest. Initial observations of the Moon with the Murchison Widefield Array 32 tile prototype show that the Moon does exhibit a similar trend to that expected for a cool thermally emitting body in the observed frequency range, but that the spectrum is corrupted by reflected radio emission from Earth. In particular, there is an abrupt increase in the observed flux density of the Moon within the internationally recognized frequency modulated (FM) radio band. The observations have implications for future low-frequency surveys and EoR detection experiments that will need to take this reflected emission from the Moon into account. The results also allow us to estimate the equivalent isotropic power emitted by the Earth in the FM band and to determine how bright the Earth might appear at meter wavelengths to an observer beyond our own solar system

The Murchison Widefield Array: Design Overview

The Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) is a dipole-based aperture array synthesis telescope designed to operate in the 80-300 MHz frequency range. It is capable of a wide range of science investigations, but is initially focused on three key science projects. These are detection and characterization of 3-dimensional brightness temperature fluctuations in the 21cm line of neutral hydrogen during the Epoch of Reionization (EoR) at redshifts from 6 to 10, solar imaging and remote sensing of the inner heliosphere via propagation effects on signals from distant background sources,and high-sensitivity exploration of the variable radio sky. The array design features 8192 dual-polarization broad-band active dipoles, arranged into 512 tiles comprising 16 dipoles each. The tiles are quasi-randomly distributed over an aperture 1.5km in diameter, with a small number of outliers extending to 3km. All tile-tile baselines are correlated in custom FPGA-based hardware, yielding a Nyquist-sampled instantaneous monochromatic uv coverage and unprecedented point spread function (PSF) quality. The correlated data are calibrated in real time using novel position-dependent self-calibration algorithms. The array is located in the Murchison region of outback Western Australia. This region is characterized by extremely low population density and a superbly radio-quiet environment,allowing full exploitation of the instrumental capabilities.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in Proceedings of the IEE

An analysis of baseline data from the PROUD study: an open-label randomised trial of pre-exposure prophylaxis

Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has proven biological efficacy to reduce the sexual acquisition of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The PROUD study found that PrEP conferred higher protection than in placebo-controlled trials, reducing HIV incidence by 86 % in a population with seven-fold higher HIV incidence than expected. We present the baseline characteristics of the PROUD study population and place the findings in the context of national sexual health clinic data. Methods: The PROUD study was designed to explore the real-world effectiveness of PrEP (tenofovir-emtricitabine) by randomising HIV-negative gay and other men who have sex with men (GMSM) to receive open-label PrEP immediately or after a deferral period of 12 months. At enrolment, participants self-completed two baseline questionnaires collecting information on demographics, sexual behaviour and lifestyle in the last 30 and 90 days. These data were compared to data from HIV-negative GMSM attending sexual health clinics in 2013, collated by Public Health England using the genitourinary medicine clinic activity database (GUMCAD). Results: The median age of participants was 35 (IQR: 29–43). Typically participants were white (81 %), educated at a university level (61 %) and in full-time employment (72 %). Of all participants, 217 (40 %) were born outside the UK. A sexually transmitted infection (STI) was reported to have been diagnosed in the previous 12 months in 330/515 (64 %) and 473/544 (87 %) participants reported ever having being diagnosed with an STI. At enrolment, 47/280 (17 %) participants were diagnosed with an STI. Participants reported a median (IQR) of 10 (5–20) partners in the last 90 days, a median (IQR) of 2 (1–5) were condomless sex acts where the participant was receptive and 2 (1–6) were condomless where the participant was insertive. Post-exposure prophylaxis had been prescribed to 184 (34 %) participants in the past 12 months. The number of STI diagnoses was high compared to those reported in GUMCAD attendees. Conclusions: The PROUD study population are at substantially higher risk of acquiring HIV infection sexually than the overall population of GMSM attending sexual health clinics in England. These findings contribute to explaining the extraordinary HIV incidence rate during follow-up and demonstrate that, despite broad eligibility criteria, the population interested in PrEP was highly selective. Trial registration: Current Controlled TrialsISRCTN94465371. Date of registration: 28 February 2013