4,560 research outputs found
The generalized F-statistic: multiple detectors and multiple GW pulsars
The F-statistic, derived by Jaranowski, Krolak & Schutz (1998), is the
optimal (frequentist) statistic for the detection of nearly periodic
gravitational waves from known neutron stars, in the presence of stationary,
Gaussian detector noise. The F-statistic was originally derived for the case of
a single detector, whose noise spectral density was assumed constant in time,
and for a single known neutron star. Here we show how the F-statistic can be
straightforwardly generalized to the cases of 1) a network of detectors with
time-varying noise curves, and 2) a population of known sources. Fortunately,
all the important ingredients that go into our generalized F-statistics are
already calculated in the single-source/single-detector searches that are
currently implemented, e.g., in the LIGO Software Library, so implementation of
optimal multi-detector, multi-source searches should require negligible
additional cost in computational power or software development.Comment: 6 pages, 0 figures, submitted to PRD; section IV substantially
enlarged and revised, and a few typos correcte
Angular Resolution of the LISA Gravitational Wave Detector
We calculate the angular resolution of the planned LISA detector, a
space-based laser interferometer for measuring low-frequency gravitational
waves from galactic and extragalactic sources. LISA is not a pointed
instrument; it is an all-sky monitor with a quadrupolar beam pattern. LISA will
measure simultaneously both polarization components of incoming gravitational
waves, so the data will consist of two time series. All physical properties of
the source, including its position, must be extracted from these time series.
LISA's angular resolution is therefore not a fixed quantity, but rather depends
on the type of signal and on how much other information must be extracted.
Information about the source position will be encoded in the measured signal in
three ways: 1) through the relative amplitudes and phases of the two
polarization components, 2) through the periodic Doppler shift imposed on the
signal by the detector's motion around the Sun, and 3) through the further
modulation of the signal caused by the detector's time-varying orientation. We
derive the basic formulae required to calculate the LISA's angular resolution
for a given source. We then evaluate for
two sources of particular interest: monchromatic sources and mergers of
supermassive black holes. For these two types of sources, we calculate (in the
high signal-to-noise approximation) the full variance-covariance matrix, which
gives the accuracy to which all source parameters can be measured. Since our
results on LISA's angular resolution depend mainly on gross features of the
detector geometry, orbit, and noise curve, we expect these results to be fairly
insensitive to modest changes in detector design that may occur between now and
launch. We also expect that our calculations could be easily modified to apply
to a modified design.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, RevTex 3.0 fil
Design and implementation of a compliant robot with force feedback and strategy planning software
Force-feedback robotics techniques are being developed for automated precision assembly and servicing of NASA space flight equipment. Design and implementation of a prototype robot which provides compliance and monitors forces is in progress. Computer software to specify assembly steps and makes force feedback adjustments during assembly are coded and tested for three generically different precision mating problems. A model program demonstrates that a suitably autonomous robot can plan its own strategy
Interleaved lexical and audiovisual information can retune phoneme boundaries
To adapt to situations in which speech perception is difficult, listeners can adjust boundaries between phoneme categories using perceptual learning. Such adjustments can draw on lexical information in surrounding speech, or on visual cues via speech-reading. In the present study, listeners proved they were able to flexibly adjust the boundary between two plosive/stop consonants, /p/-/t/, using both lexical and speech-reading information and given the same experimental design for both cue types. Videos of a speaker pronouncing pseudo-words and audio recordings of Dutch words were presented in alternating blocks of either stimulus type. Listeners were able to switch between cues to adjust phoneme boundaries, and resulting effects were comparable to results from listeners receiving only a single source of information. Overall, audiovisual cues (i.e., the videos) produced the stronger effects, commensurate with their applicability for adapting to noisy environments. Lexical cues were able to induce effects with fewer exposure stimuli and a changing phoneme bias, in a design unlike most prior studies of lexical retuning. While lexical retuning effects were relatively weaker compared to audiovisual recalibration, this discrepancy could reflect how lexical retuning may be more suitable for adapting to speakers than to environments. Nonetheless, the presence of the lexical retuning effects suggests that it may be invoked at a faster rate than previously seen. In general, this technique has further illuminated the robustness of adaptability in speech perception, and offers the potential to enable further comparisons across differing forms of perceptual learning
The Cosmological Constant and Advanced Gravitational Wave Detectors
Interferometric gravitational wave detectors could measure the frequency
sweep of a binary inspiral [characterized by its chirp mass] to high accuracy.
The observed chirp mass is the intrinsic chirp mass of the binary source
multiplied by , where is the redshift of the source. Assuming a
non-zero cosmological constant, we compute the expected redshift distribution
of observed events for an advanced LIGO detector. We find that the redshift
distribution has a robust and sizable dependence on the cosmological constant;
the data from advanced LIGO detectors could provide an independent measurement
of the cosmological constant.Comment: 13 pages plus 5 figure, LaTeX. Revised and final version, to appear
in Phys. Rev.
Gravitational Waves from coalescing binaries: Estimation of parameters
The paper presents a statistical model which reproduces the results of Monte
Carlo simulations to estimate the parameters of the gravitational wave signal
from a coalesing binary system. The model however is quite general and would be
useful in other parameter estimation problems.Comment: LaTeX with RevTeX macros, 4 figure
Neural correlates of phonetic adaptation as induced by lexical and audiovisual context
When speech perception is difficult, one way listeners adjust is by reconfiguring phoneme category boundaries, drawing on contextual information. Both lexical knowledge and lipreading cues are used in this way, but it remains unknown whether these two differing forms of perceptual learning are similar at a neural level. This study compared phoneme boundary adjustments driven by lexical or audiovisual cues, using ultra-high-field 7-T fMRI. During imaging, participants heard exposure stimuli and test stimuli. Exposure stimuli for lexical retuning were audio recordings of words, and those for audiovisual recalibration were audio–video recordings of lip movements during utterances of pseudowords. Test stimuli were ambiguous phonetic strings presented without context, and listeners reported what phoneme they heard. Reports reflected phoneme biases in preceding exposure blocks (e.g., more reported /p/ after /p/-biased exposure). Analysis of corresponding brain responses indicated that both forms of cue use were associated with a network of activity across the temporal cortex, plus parietal, insula, and motor areas. Audiovisual recalibration also elicited significant occipital cortex activity despite the lack of visual stimuli. Activity levels in several ROIs also covaried with strength of audiovisual recalibration, with greater activity accompanying larger recalibration shifts. Similar activation patterns appeared for lexical retuning, but here, no significant ROIs were identified. Audiovisual and lexical forms of perceptual learning thus induce largely similar brain response patterns. However, audiovisual recalibration involves additional visual cortex contributions, suggesting that previously acquired visual information (on lip movements) is retrieved and deployed to disambiguate auditory perception
Gravitational Radiation Instability in Hot Young Neutron Stars
We show that gravitational radiation drives an instability in hot young
rapidly rotating neutron stars. This instability occurs primarily in the l=2
r-mode and will carry away most of the angular momentum of a rapidly rotating
star by gravitational radiation. On the timescale needed to cool a young
neutron star to about T=10^9 K (about one year) this instability can reduce the
rotation rate of a rapidly rotating star to about 0.076\Omega_K, where \Omega_K
is the Keplerian angular velocity where mass shedding occurs. In older colder
neutron stars this instability is suppressed by viscous effects, allowing older
stars to be spun up by accretion to larger angular velocities.Comment: 4 Pages, 2 Figure
New concepts for the old challenge of African relapsing fever borreliosis
Relapsing fever, caused by spirochaetes belonging to the genus Borrelia, was once the cause of worldwide epidemic disease. This was largely through infection with the louse-borne form of the disease, caused by Borrelia recurrentis (louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF)). During the last century, we have witnessed the demise of this infection, largely owing to improved standards of living and the introduction of the insecticide DDT, resulting in a reduction in the incidence of the body louse, the vector for relapsing fever. In areas of extreme poverty this disease persists, causing a significant burden of disease. It is now looking probable that this infection is caused by a louse-adapted variant of Borrelia duttonii, transmitted by Ornithodoros moubata ‘soft’ ticks in East Africa. Like LBRF, infection still causes impact, particularly affecting young children and pregnant women. Over recent years, the true burden of relapsing fever caused by infection with the closely related Borrelia crocidurae, transmitted by Ornithodoros sonrai ticks, has only just begun to emerge. Here, the current state of knowledge concerning relapsing fever in Africa is reviewed
Prospects for gravitational-wave observations of neutron-star tidal disruption in neutron-star/black-hole binaries
For an inspiraling neutron-star/black-hole binary (NS/BH), we estimate the
gravity-wave frequency f_td at the onset of NS tidal disruption. We model the
NS as a tidally distorted, homogeneous, Newtonian ellipsoid on a circular,
equatorial geodesic around a Kerr BH. We find that f_td depends strongly on the
NS radius R, and estimate that LIGO-II (ca. 2006-2008) might measure R to 15%
precision at 140 Mpc (about 1 event/yr under current estimates). This suggests
that LIGO-II might extract valuable information about the NS equation of state
from tidal-disruption waves.Comment: RevTeX, 4 pages, 2 EPS figures. Revised slightly, corrected typo
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