TEE, a simple estimator for the precision of eclipse and transit minimum times

Context: Transit or eclipse timing variations have proven to be a valuable tool in exoplanet research. However, no simple way to estimate the potential precision of such timing measures has been presented yet, nor are guidelines available regarding the relation between timing errors and sampling rate. Aims: A `timing error estimator' (TEE) equation is presented that requires only basic transit parameters as input. With the TEE, it is straightforward to estimate timing precisions both for actual data as well as for future instruments, such as the TESS and PLATO space missions. Methods: A derivation of the timing error based on a trapezoidal transit shape is given. We also verify the TEE on realistically modeled transits using Monte Carlo simulations and determine its validity range, exploring in particular the interplay between ingress/egress times and sampling rates. Results: The simulations show that the TEE gives timing errors very close to the correct value, as long as the temporal sampling is faster than transit ingress/egress durations and transits with very low S/N are avoided. Conclusions: The TEE is a useful tool to estimate eclipse or transit timing errors in actual and future data-sets. In combination with an equation to estimate period errors (Deeg 2015), predictions for the ephemeris precision of long-coverage observations are possible as well. The tests for the TEE's validity-range led also to implications for instrumental design: Temporal sampling has to be faster than transit in- or egress durations, or a loss in timing-precision will occur. An application to the TESS mission shows that transits close to its detection limit will have timing uncertainties that exceed 1 hour within a few months after their acquisition. Prompt follow-up observations will be needed to avoid a `loosing' of their ephemeris.Comment: Accepted by A&A. Version 2 with updated timing uncertainties of TESS mission due to correction of a figure in Sullivan et al. 201

Voltage-sensitive dye imaging reveals tonotopic organization of auditory cortex spontaneous activity

Imaging neural activity across a large (several mm) cortical area with high temporal and spatial resolution is desirable, for example in the auditory system to measure cortical processing across a broad frequency spectrum. Voltage-sensitive dye imaging (VSDI) has a unique combination of properties making this possible, but so far studies have been limited to studying simple sparsely-presented sensory stimuli. We demonstrate the feasibility of long-acquisition VSDI (using the dye RH-1691) in auditory cortex while presenting complex time-varying acoustic stimuli or silence. Using a dense array of partially-overlapping 50 ms tone pips (8 frequencies per octave spanning six octaves), we obtained high-resolution spectrotemporal receptive fields (STRFs) simultaneously across the majority of the guinea pig primary auditory cortical fields (A1 and DC). Long epochs of spontaneous activity were also measured, permitting a comparison of spontaneous activity patterns with functional architecture. By grouping all pixels in areas A1 and DC according to sound frequency preference (obtained from STRFs), we reveal that spontaneous activity (such as cortical spindles) show complex spatial patterns, which are organized according to sound frequency preference within and across cortical areas. More specifically, spontaneous activity correlation decreases as frequency preference diverges within A1 or DC; but additionally, pixels in A1 are also highly correlated with (even far-away) pixels in DC sharing similar frequency preference. These properties of patterned cortical spontaneous activity constrain mechanistic hypotheses regarding their genesis. Beyond these observations, the feasibility of VSDI with continuous stimulation or silence permits measuring population activity during long-lasting sound patterns, which is necessary for examining cortical dynamics and sensory-context dependent processing

Invalid Forensic Science Testimony and Wrongful Convictions

This is the first study to explore the forensic science testimony by prosecution experts in the trials of innocent persons, all convicted of serious crimes, who were later exonerated by post-conviction DNA testing. Trial transcripts were sought for all 156 exonerees identified as having trial testimony by forensic analysts, of which 137 were located and reviewed. These trials most commonly included testimony concerning serological analysis and microscopic hair comparison, but some included bite mark, shoe print, soil, fiber, and fingerprint comparisons, and several included DNA testing. This study found that in the bulk of these trials of innocent defendants - 82 cases or 60% - forensic analysts called by the prosecution provided invalid testimony at trial - that is, testimony with conclusions misstating empirical data or wholly unsupported by empirical data. This was not the testimony of a mere handful of analysts: this set of trials included invalid testimony by 72 forensic analysts called by the prosecution and employed by 52 laboratories, practices, or hospitals from 25 states. Unfortunately, the adversarial process largely failed to police this invalid testimony. Defense counsel rarely cross-examined analysts concerning invalid testimony and rarely obtained experts of their own. In the few cases in which invalid forensic science was challenged, judges seldom provided relief. This evidence supports efforts to create scientific oversight mechanisms for reviewing forensic testimony and to develop clear scientific standards for written reports and testimony. The scientific community can through an official government entity promulgate standards to ensure the valid presentation of forensic science in criminal cases and thus the integrity and fairness of the criminal process

Molecular crystal global phase diagrams. II. Reference lattices

In the first part of this series [Keith et al. (2004). Cryst. Growth Des. 4, 1009-1012; Mettes et al. (2004). Acta Cryst. A60, 621-636], a method was developed for constructing global phase diagrams (GPDs) for molecular crystals in which crystal structure is presented as a function of intermolecular potential parameters. In that work, a face-centered-cubic center-of-mass lattice was arbitrarily adopted as a reference state. In part two of the series, experimental crystal structures composed of tetrahedral point group molecules are classified to determine what fraction of structures are amenable to inclusion in the GPDs and the number of reference lattices necessary to span the observed structures. It is found that 60% of crystal structures composed of molecules with T_d point-group symmetry are amenable and that eight reference lattices are sufficient to span the observed structures. Similar results are expected for other cubic point groups

Invalid Forensic Science Testimony and Wrongful Convictions

This is the first study to explore the forensic science testimony by prosecution experts in the trials of innocent persons, all convicted of serious crimes, who were later exonerated by post-conviction DNA testing. Trial transcripts were sought for all 156 exonerees identified as having trial testimony by forensic analysts, of which 137 were located and reviewed. These trials most commonly included testimony concerning serological analysis and microscopic hair comparison, but some included bite mark, shoe print, soil, fiber, and fingerprint comparisons, and several included DNA testing. This study found that in the bulk of these trials of innocent defendants - 82 cases or 60% - forensic analysts called by the prosecution provided invalid testimony at trial - that is, testimony with conclusions misstating empirical data or wholly unsupported by empirical data. This was not the testimony of a mere handful of analysts: this set of trials included invalid testimony by 72 forensic analysts called by the prosecution and employed by 52 laboratories, practices, or hospitals from 25 states. Unfortunately, the adversarial process largely failed to police this invalid testimony. Defense counsel rarely cross-examined analysts concerning invalid testimony and rarely obtained experts of their own. In the few cases in which invalid forensic science was challenged, judges seldom provided relief. This evidence supports efforts to create scientific oversight mechanisms for reviewing forensic testimony and to develop clear scientific standards for written reports and testimony. The scientific community can through an official government entity promulgate standards to ensure the valid presentation of forensic science in criminal cases and thus the integrity and fairness of the criminal process

Structural Health Monitoring and Condition Assessment of Chulitna River Bridge

INE/AUTC 12.29 (Training Report) and INE/AUTC 12.30 (Sensor Selection and Field Installation Report

Signals for Low Scale Gravity in the Process γγ→ZZ\gamma \gamma \to ZZ

We investigate the sensitivity of future photon-photon colliders to low scale gravity scenarios via the process $\gamma\gamma \to ZZ$ where the Kaluza-Klein boson exchange contributes only when the initial state photons have opposite helicity. We contrast this with the situation for the process $\gamma \gamma \to \gamma \gamma$ where the $t$ and $u$ channel also contribute. We include the one-loop Standard Model background whose interference with the graviton exchange determines the experimental reach in measuring any deviation from the Standard Model expectations and explore how polarization can be exploited to enhance the signal over background. We find that a 1 TeV linear collider has an experimental reach to mass scale of about 4 TeV in this channel.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figure