748 research outputs found
Emlékezés Horváth Barnára (1896-1973, a Magyar Tudományos Akadémia levelező tagjára = Remembering Barna Horváth (1896-1973), Corresponding Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Pushing the limits: K2 observations of the trans-Neptunian objects 2002 GV31 and (278361) 2007 JJ43
We present the first photometric observations of trans-Neptunian objects
(TNOs) taken with the Kepler space telescope, obtained in the course of the K2
ecliptic survey. Two faint objects have been monitored in specifically designed
pixel masks that were centered on the stationary points of the objects, when
their daily motion was the slowest. In the design of the experiment, only the
apparent path of these objects were retrieved from the detectors, i.e. the
costs in terms of Kepler pixels were minimized. Because of the faintness of the
targets we employ specific reduction techniques and co-added images. We measure
rotational periods and amplitudes in the unfiltered Kepler band as follows: for
(278361) 2007 JJ43 and 2002 GV31 we get P_rot=12.097 h and P_rot=29.2 h while
0.10 and 0.35 mag for the total amplitudes, respectively. Future space
missions, like TESS and PLATO are not well suited to this kind of observations.
Therefore, we encourage to include the brightest TNOs around their stationary
points in each observing campaign to exploit this unique capability of the K2
Mission -- and therefore to provide unbiased rotational, shape and albedo
characteristics of many objects.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters, 5.2 pages in emulateapj
style, misspelled 2007 JJ43 designation correcte
Evidence for fresh frost layer on the bare nucleus of comet Hale--Bopp at 32 AU distance
Here we report that the activity of comet Hale--Bopp ceased between late 2007
and March, 2009, at about 28 AU distance from the Sun. At that time the comet
resided at a distance from the Sun that exceeded the freeze-out distance of
regular comets by an order of magnitude. A Herschel Space Observatory PACS scan
was taken in mid-2010, in the already inactive state of the nucleus. The albedo
has been found to be surprisingly large (8.10.9%{}), which exceeds the
value known for any other comets. With re-reduction of archive HST images from
1995 and 1996, we confirm that the pre-perihelion albedo resembled that of an
ordinary comet, and was smaller by a factor of two than the post-activity
albedo. Our further observations with the Very Large Telescope (VLT) also
confirmed that the albedo increased significantly by the end of the activity.
We explain these observations by proposing gravitational redeposition of icy
grains towards the end of the activity. This is plausible for such a massive
body in a cold environment, where gas velocity is lowered to the range of the
escape velocity. These observations also show that giant comets are not just
the upscaled versions of the comets we know but can be affected by processes
that are yet to be fully identified.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Determination of confusion noise for far-infrared measurements
We present a detailed assessment of the far-infrared confusion noise imposed
on measurements with the ISOPHOT far-infrared detectors and cameras aboard the
ISO satellite. We provide confusion noise values for all measurement
configurations and observing modes of ISOPHOT in the 90<=lambda<=200um
wavelength range. Based on these results we also give estimates for cirrus
confusion noise levels at the resolution limits of current and future
instruments of infrared space telescopes: Spitzer/MIPS, ASTRO-F/FIS and
Herschel/PACS.Comment: A&A accepted; FITS files and appendices are available at:
http://www.konkoly.hu/staff/pkisscs/confnoise
PACS photometer calibration block analysis
The absolute stability of the PACS bolometer response over the entire mission
lifetime without applying any corrections is about 0.5% (standard deviation) or
about 8% peak-to-peak. This fantastic stability allows us to calibrate all
scientific measurements by a fixed and time-independent response file, without
using any information from the PACS internal calibration sources. However, the
analysis of calibration block observations revealed clear correlations of the
internal source signals with the evaporator temperature and a signal drift
during the first half hour after the cooler recycling. These effects are small,
but can be seen in repeated measurements of standard stars. From our analysis
we established corrections for both effects which push the stability of the
PACS bolometer response to about 0.2% (stdev) or 2% in the blue, 3% in the
green and 5% in the red channel (peak-to-peak). After both corrections we still
see a correlation of the signals with PACS FPU temperatures, possibly caused by
parasitic heat influences via the Kevlar wires which connect the bolometers
with the PACS Focal Plane Unit. No aging effect or degradation of the
photometric system during the mission lifetime has been found.Comment: 15 pages, accepted for publication in Experimental Astronom
Main-Belt Asteroids in the K2 Engineering Field of View
Unlike NASA's original Kepler Discovery Mission, the renewed K2 Mission will
stare at the plane of the Ecliptic, observing each field for approximately 75
days. This will bring new opportunities and challenges, in particular the
presence of a large number of main-belt asteroids that will contaminate the
photometry. The large pixel size makes K2 data susceptible to the effect of
apparent minor planet encounters. Here we investigate the effects of asteroid
encounters on photometric precision using a sub-sample of the K2 Engineering
data taken in February, 2014. We show examples of asteroid contamination to
facilitate their recognition and distinguish these events from other error
sources. We conclude that main-belt asteroids will have considerable effects on
K2 photometry of a large number of photometric targets during the Mission, that
will have to be taken into account. These results will be readily applicable
for future space photometric missions applying large-format CCDs, such as TESS
and PLATO.Comment: accepted for publication in AJ, 6 page
Discovery of the spectroscopic binary nature of six southern Cepheids
We present the analysis of photometric and spectroscopic data of six bright
Galactic Cepheids: GH Carinae, V419 Centauri, V898 Centauri, AD Puppis, AY
Sagittarii, and ST Velorum. Based on new radial velocity data (in some cases
supplemented with earlier data available in the literature), these Cepheids
have been found to be members in spectroscopic binary systems. V898 Cen turned
out to have one of the largest orbital radial velocity amplitude (> 40 km/s)
among the known binary Cepheids. The data are insufficient to determine the
orbital periods nor other orbital elements for these new spectroscopic
binaries.
These discoveries corroborate the statement on the high frequency of
occurrence of binaries among the classical Cepheids, a fact to be taken into
account when calibrating the period-luminosity relationship for Cepheids.
We have also compiled all available photometric data that revealed that the
pulsation period of AD Pup, the longest period Cepheid in this sample, is
continuously increasing with Delta P = 0.004567 d/century, likely to be caused
by stellar evolution. The wave-like pattern superimposed on the parabolic O-C
graph of AD Pup may well be caused by the light-time effect in the binary
system. ST Vel also pulsates with a continuously increasing period. The other
four Cepheids are characterised with stable pulsation periods in the last half
century.Comment: accepted by the MNRAS, 11 pages, 16 figures, 18 tables, a part of the
data can be downloaded from the online version of this articl
Data concerning the soil temperature conditions of rice stand with flooding water cover different depths
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