Deep solar ALMA neural network estimator for image refinement and estimates of small-scale dynamics

The contrasts and magnitude of observable signatures of small-scale features degrade as angular resolution decreases. High-cadence time-series of synthetic observable maps at 1.25 mm were produced from 3D magnetohydrodynamic Bifrost simulations of the solar atmosphere and degraded to the angular resolution corresponding to observational data with the Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA). The Deep Solar ALMA Neural Network Estimator (Deep-SANNE) is an artificial neural network trained to improve the resolution and contrast of solar observations. This is done by recognizing dynamic patterns in both the spatial and temporal domains of small-scale features at an angular resolution corresponding to observational data and correlated them to highly resolved nondegraded data from the magnetohydrodynamic simulations. A second simulation, was used to validate the performance. Deep-SANNE provides maps of the estimated degradation of the brightness temperature, which can be used to filter for locations that most probably show a high accuracy and as correction factors in order to construct refined images that show higher contrast and more accurate brightness temperatures than at the observational resolution. Deep-SANNE reveals more small-scale features and estimates the excess temperature of brightening events with an average accuracy of 94.0% relative to the highly resolved data, compared to 43.7% at the observational resolution. By using the additional information of the temporal domain, Deep-SANNE can restore high contrasts better than a standard two-dimensional deconvolver technique. Deep-SANNE is applied on observational solar ALMA data. The Deep-SANNE refined images are useful for analysing small-scale and dynamic features. They can identify locations in the data with high accuracy for an in-depth analysis and allow a more meaningful interpretation of solar observations.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic

The Sun at millimeter wavelengths -- II. Small-scale dynamic events in ALMA Band 3

Solar observations with the Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA) facilitate studying the atmosphere of the Sun at chromospheric heights at high spatial and temporal resolution at millimeter wavelengths. ALMA intensity data at mm-wavelengths are used for a first detailed systematic assessment of the occurrence and properties of small-scale dynamical features in the quiet Sun. ALMA Band 3 data (~ $3$ mm / $100$ GHz) with spatial resolution ~ $1.4$ - $2.1$ arcsec and a duration of ~ $40$ min are analysed together with SDO/HMI magnetograms. The temporal evolution of the mm-maps is studied to detect pronounced dynamical features which are connected to dynamical events via a k-means clustering algorithm. The physical properties of the resulting events are studied and it is explored if they show properties consistent with propagating shock waves. For this purpose, observable shock wave signatures at mm wavelengths are calculated from one- and three-dimensional model atmospheres. There are 552 dynamical events detected with an excess in brightness temperature ($\Delta T_\text{b}$) of at least $\geq 400$ K. The events show a large variety in size up to ~ $9$ arcsec, amplitude $\Delta T_\text{b}$ up to ~ $1200$ K with typical values between ~ $450$ - $750$ K and lifetime at FWHM of $\Delta T_\text{b}$ between ~ $43$ - $360$ s, with typical values between ~ $55$ - $125$ s. Furthermore, many of the events show signature properties that suggest that they are likely produced by propagating shock waves. There are a lot of small-scale dynamic structures detected in the Band 3 data, even though the spatial resolution sets limitations of the size of events that can be detected. The amount of dynamic signatures in the ALMA mm data is very low in areas with photospheric footpoints with stronger magnetic fields, which is consistent with the expectation for propagating shock waves.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 17 pages, 15 figure

Scenarios as Radical Alternatives: The Case of Aquaculture in the Finnish Archipelago Sea

The method of constructing scenarios is neither straightforward nor unproblematic. We propose first of all the term epistemic closure for representing the necessary methodological limitations of scenario construction. Whenever a particular kind of epistemic closure becomes a habit within some field of scenario-making, we use the term conventional scenarios. The problem with conventional scenario-making is that its analysis of the future is restricted – it can only register the events and trends that its particular approach allows it to see. There is a risk of highly contingent developments, for which there is no preparation in society. Therefore, we want to emphasize the importance of constructing unconventional scenarios, that is, scenarios that are not based on conventional epistemic closure. Our second argument concerns the wide range of variance in future development. Social evolution includes events and developmental trajectories that are impossible to discern with any approach that represents development in a linear fashion. Most scenarios consider the past to be a model for the future, in which existing trends are projected into the future. We call these scenarios trend-based. Other scenarios – called Event-based scenarios – acknowledge that the future is contingent in relation to our knowledge, and focus more on the fact that the pattern of change can change. To illustrate our methodological arguments, a small case study on the future of aquaculture in the archipelago of southwestern Finland is included in the text.Keywords: scenario methodology, contingency, aquaculture, Finlan

Költözési szándék és lakóhelyi szuburbanizáció a budapesti agglomerációban

Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and subsequent generation of IL-1β is initiated in macrophages upon recognition of several stimuli. In the present work, we show that gain-of-function gene variants of inflammasome components known to predispose individuals to inflammatory disorders have a host-protective role during infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. By isolation of macrophages from patients and healthy blood donors with genetic variants in NLRP3 and CARD8 and subsequently infecting the cells by virulent M. tuberculosis, we show that these gene variants, combined, are associated with increased control of bacterial growth in human macrophages

PROMOTING EFFECT OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF ROOT TUBER OF Gloriosa superba L. ON MELON GROWTH AND FRUIT QUALITY

We present the first step towards a brain computer interface (BCI) for communication using real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The subject in the MR scanner sees a virtual keyboard and steers a cursor to select different letters that can be combined to create words. The cursor is moved to the left by activating the left hand, to the right by activating the right hand, down by activating the left toes and up by activating the right toes. To select a letter, the subject simply rests for a number of seconds. We can thus communicate with the subject in the scanner by for example showing questions that the subject can answer. Similar BCI for communication have been made with electroencephalography (EEG). The subject then focuses on a letter while different rows and columns of the virtual keyboard are flashing and the system tries to detect if the correct letter is flashing or not. In our setup we instead classify the brain activity. Our system is neither limited to a communication interface, but can be used for any interface where five degrees of freedom is necessary.©2010 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or to reuse any copyrighted component of this work in other works must be obtained from the IEEE. Anders Eklund, Mats Andersson, Henrik Ohlsson, Anders Ynnerman and Hans Knutsson, A Brain Computer Interface for Communication Using Real-Time fMRI, 2010, Proceedings from the 20th International Conference on Pattern Recognition (ICPR), 3665-3669. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ICPR.2010.894</p

Characterisation of shock wave signatures at millimetre wavelengths from Bifrost simulations

Observations at millimetre wavelengths provide a valuable tool to study the small scale dynamics in the solar chromosphere. We evaluate the physical conditions of the atmosphere in the presence of a propagating shock wave and link that to the observable signatures in mm-wavelength radiation, providing valuable insights into the underlying physics of mm-wavelength observations. A realistic numerical simulation from the 3D radiative Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code Bifrost is used to interpret changes in the atmosphere caused by shock wave propagation. High-cadence (1 s) time series of brightness temperature (T$_\text{b}$) maps are calculated with the Advanced Radiative Transfer (ART) code at the wavelengths $1.309$ mm and $1.204$ mm, which represents opposite sides of spectral band~$6$ of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). An example of shock wave propagation is presented. The brightness temperatures show a strong shock wave signature with large variation in formation height between $\sim0.7$ to $1.4$ Mm. The results demonstrate that millimetre brightness temperatures efficiently track upwardly propagating shock waves in the middle chromosphere. In addition, we show that the gradient of the brightness temperature between wavelengths within ALMA band $6$ can potentially be utilised as a diagnostics tool in understanding the small-scale dynamics at the sampled layers.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in Philosophical Transactions A of the Royal Societ

The Sun at millimeter wavelengths I. Introduction to ALMA Band 3 observations

We present an initial study of one of the first ALMA Band 3 observations of the Sun with the aim to characterise the diagnostic potential of brightness temperatures measured with ALMA on the Sun. The observation covers 48min at a cadence of 2s targeting a Quiet Sun region at disk-centre. Corresponding time series of brightness temperature maps are constructed with the first version of the Solar ALMA Pipeline (SoAP) and compared to simultaneous SDO observations. The angular resolution of the observations is set by the synthesized beam (1.4x2.1as). The ALMA maps exhibit network patches, internetwork regions and also elongated thin features that are connected to large-scale magnetic loops as confirmed by a comparison with SDO maps. The ALMA Band 3 maps correlate best with the SDO/AIA 171, 131 and 304 channels in that they exhibit network features and, although very weak in the ALMA maps, imprints of large-scale loops. A group of compact magnetic loops is very clearly visible in ALMA Band 3. The brightness temperatures in the loop tops reach values of about 8000-9000K and in extreme moments up to 10 000K. ALMA Band 3 interferometric observations from early observing cycles already reveal temperature differences in the solar chromosphere. The weak imprint of magnetic loops and the correlation with the 171, 131, and 304 SDO channels suggests though that the radiation mapped in ALMA Band 3 might have contributions from a larger range of atmospheric heights than previously assumed but the exact formation height of Band 3 needs to be investigated in more detail. The absolute brightness temperature scale as set by Total Power measurements remains less certain and must be improved in the future. Despite these complications and the limited angular resolution, ALMA Band 3 observations have large potential for quantitative studies of the small-scale structure and dynamics of the solar chromosphere.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures; accepted for publication in A&