2,525 research outputs found
Optimizing Pulsar Timing Arrays to Maximize Gravitational Wave Single Source Detection: a First Cut
Pulsar Timing Arrays (PTAs) use high accuracy timing of a collection of low
timing noise pulsars to search for gravitational waves in the microhertz to
nanohertz frequency band. The sensitivity of such a PTA depends on (a) the
direction of the gravitational wave source, (b) the timing accuracy of the
pulsars in the array and (c) how the available observing time is allocated
among those pulsars. Here, we present a simple way to calculate the sensitivity
of the PTA as a function of direction of a single GW source, based only on the
location and root-mean-square residual of the pulsars in the array. We use this
calculation to suggest future strategies for the current North American
Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) PTA in its goal of
detecting single GW sources. We also investigate the affects of an additional
pulsar on the array sensitivity, with the goal of suggesting where PTA pulsar
searches might be best directed. We demonstrate that, in the case of single GW
sources, if we are interested in maximizing the volume of space to which PTAs
are sensitive, there exists a slight advantage to finding a new pulsar near
where the array is already most sensitive. Further, the study suggests that
more observing time should be dedicated to the already low noise pulsars in
order to have the greatest positive effect on the PTA sensitivity. We have made
a web-based sensitivity mapping tool available at http://gwastro.psu.edu/ptasm.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, accepted by Ap
Optimization of NANOGrav's Time Allocation for Maximum Sensitivity to Single Sources
Pulsar Timing Arrays (PTAs) are a collection of precisely timed millisecond
pulsars (MSPs) that can search for gravitational waves (GWs) in the nanohertz
frequency range by observing characteristic signatures in the timing residuals.
The sensitivity of a PTA depends on the direction of the propagating
gravitational wave source, the timing accuracy of the pulsars, and the
allocation of the available observing time. The goal of this paper is to
determine the optimal time allocation strategy among the MSPs in the North
American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) for a single
source of GW under a particular set of assumptions. We consider both an
isotropic distribution of sources across the sky and a specific source in the
Virgo cluster. This work improves on previous efforts by modeling the effect of
intrinsic spin noise for each pulsar. We find that, in general, the array is
optimized by maximizing time spent on the best-timed pulsars, with sensitivity
improvements typically ranging from a factor of 1.5 to 4.Comment: Accepted by Astrophyiscal Journa
Optimal detection of burst events in gravitational wave interferometric observatories
We consider the problem of detecting a burst signal of unknown shape. We
introduce a statistic which generalizes the excess power statistic proposed by
Flanagan and Hughes and extended by Anderson et al. The statistic we propose is
shown to be optimal for arbitrary noise spectral characteristic, under the two
hypotheses that the noise is Gaussian, and that the prior for the signal is
uniform. The statistic derivation is based on the assumption that a signal
affects only affects N samples in the data stream, but that no other
information is a priori available, and that the value of the signal at each
sample can be arbitrary. We show that the proposed statistic can be implemented
combining standard time-series analysis tools which can be efficiently
implemented, and the resulting computational cost is still compatible with an
on-line analysis of interferometric data. We generalize this version of an
excess power statistic to the multiple detector case, also including the effect
of correlated noise. We give full details about the implementation of the
algorithm, both for the single and the multiple detector case, and we discuss
exact and approximate forms, depending on the specific characteristics of the
noise and on the assumed length of the burst event. As a example, we show what
would be the sensitivity of the network of interferometers to a delta-function
burst.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures in 3 groups. Submitted for publication to
Phys.Rev.D. A Mathematica notebook is available at
http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/~avicere/nda/burst/Burst.nb which allows to
reproduce the numerical results of the pape
Internet Interconnection Techno-economics: A Proposal for Assured Quality Services and Business Models
The Internet is constructed by means of complex business interconnection agreements among multiple networks. However, the most commonly used agreements do not contain explicit Quality of Service reference. In this study a business rationale for Assured Service Quality (ASQ) inter-network services is presented and potential business models for their realization are proposed and analyzed. It is argued that ASQ products and business models could greatly enhance the health of the Internet interconnection ecosystem. A business model design framework that encompasses the key strategic decisions that would enable ASQ provisioning and generic collaboration is also provided. This framework is then elaborated using a number of off-net content delivery scenarios. Conclusions are hence drawn on the role of ASQ and ASQ-driven business models for the sustainable development of the "Future Internet"
Optimization of NANOGrav\u27s Time Allocation for Maximum Sensitivity to Single Sources
Pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) are a collection of precisely timed millisecond pulsars (MSPs) that can search for gravitational waves (GWs) in the nanohertz frequency range by observing characteristic signatures in the timing residuals. The sensitivity of a PTA depends on the direction of the propagating GW source, the timing accuracy of the pulsars, and the allocation of the available observing time. The goal of this paper is to determine the optimal time allocation strategy among the MSPs in the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) for a single source of GW under a particular set of assumptions. We consider both an isotropic distribution of sources across the sky and a specific source in the Virgo cluster. This work improves on previous efforts by modeling the effect of intrinsic spin noise for each pulsar. We find that, in general, the array is optimized by maximizing time spent on the best-timed pulsars, with sensitivity improvements typically ranging from a factor of 1.5 to 4
Can Mindfulness Address Maladaptive Eating Behaviors? Why Traditional Diet Plans Fail and How New Mechanistic Insights May Lead to Novel Interventions
Emotional and other maladaptive eating behaviors develop in response to a diversity of triggers, from psychological stress to the endless external cues in our modern food environment. While the standard approach to food- and weight-related concerns has been weight-loss through dietary restriction, these interventions have produced little long-term benefit, and may be counterproductive. A growing understanding of the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms that underpin habit formation may explain why this approach has largely failed, and pave the way for a new generation of non-pharmacologic interventions. Here, we first review how modern food environments interact with human biology to promote reward-related eating through associative learning, i.e., operant conditioning. We also review how operant conditioning (positive and negative reinforcement) cultivates habit-based reward-related eating, and how current diet paradigms may not directly target such eating. Further, we describe how mindfulness training that targets reward-based learning may constitute an appropriate intervention to rewire the learning process around eating. We conclude with examples that illustrate how teaching patients to tap into and act on intrinsic (e.g., enjoying healthy eating, not overeating, and self-compassion) rather than extrinsic reward mechanisms (e.g., weighing oneself), is a promising new direction in improving individuals\u27 relationship with food
Detection, Localization and Characterization of Gravitational Wave Bursts in a Pulsar Timing Array
Efforts to detect gravitational waves by timing an array of pulsars have
focused traditionally on stationary gravitational waves: e.g., stochastic or
periodic signals. Gravitational wave bursts --- signals whose duration is much
shorter than the observation period --- will also arise in the pulsar timing
array waveband. Sources that give rise to detectable bursts include the
formation or coalescence of supermassive black holes (SMBHs), the periapsis
passage of compact objects in highly elliptic or unbound orbits about a SMBH,
or cusps on cosmic strings. Here we describe how pulsar timing array data may
be analyzed to detect and characterize these bursts. Our analysis addresses, in
a mutually consistent manner, a hierarchy of three questions: \emph{i}) What
are the odds that a dataset includes the signal from a gravitational wave
burst? \emph{ii}) Assuming the presence of a burst, what is the direction to
its source? and \emph{iii}) Assuming the burst propagation direction, what is
the burst waveform's time dependence in each of its polarization states?
Applying our analysis to synthetic data sets we find that we can \emph{detect}
gravitational waves even when the radiation is too weak to either localize the
source of infer the waveform, and \emph{detect} and \emph{localize} sources
even when the radiation amplitude is too weak to permit the waveform to be
determined. While the context of our discussion is gravitational wave detection
via pulsar timing arrays, the analysis itself is directly applicable to
gravitational wave detection using either ground or space-based detector data.Comment: 43 pages, 13 figures, submitted to ApJ
Hard X-ray Morphological and Spectral Studies of The Galactic Center Molecular Cloud Sgr B2: Constraining Past Sgr A* Flaring Activity
Galactic Center (GC) molecular cloud Sgr B2 is the best manifestation of an
X-ray reflection nebula (XRN) reprocessing a past giant outburst from the
supermassive black hole Sgr A*. Alternatively, Sgr B2 could be illuminated by
low-energy cosmic ray electrons (LECRe) or protons (LECRp). In 2013, NuSTAR for
the first time resolved Sgr B2 hard X-ray emission on sub-arcminute scales. Two
prominent features are detected above 10 keV - a newly emerging cloud
G0.66-0.13 and the central 90" radius region containing two compact cores Sgr
B2(M) and Sgr B2(N) surrounded by diffuse emission. It is inconclusive whether
the remaining level of Sgr B2 emission is still decreasing or has reached a
constant background level. A decreasing Fe K emission can be best
explained by XRN while a constant background emission can be best explained by
LECRp. In the XRN scenario, the 3-79 keV Sgr B2 spectrum can well constrain the
past Sgr A* outburst, resulting in an outburst spectrum with a peak luminosity
of derived from the
maximum Compton-scattered continuum and the Fe K emission consistently.
The XRN scenario is preferred by the fast variability of G0.66-0.13, which
could be a molecular clump located in the Sgr B2 envelope reflecting the same
Sgr A* outburst. In the LECRp scenario, we derived the required CR ion power
and the CR ionization rate
. The Sgr B2 background level
X-ray emission will be a powerful tool to constrain GC CR population.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Ap
Modulation of Lysenin’s Memory by Cu\u3csup\u3e2+\u3c/sup\u3e Ions
Lysenin is a pore-forming protein extracted from the red earthworm E. fetida, which forms voltage-gated channels in artificial and natural lipid membranes. A prominent feature of the channels is their memory, originating in the conductance hysteresis that occurs during the application of slow oscillatory voltages. In this work, we showed this innate memory was strongly influenced by the addition of small amounts of Cu2+ ions. After Cu2+ addition, the lysenin channels previously closed by an applied voltage showed a stronger preference for the closed state, indicative of major changes in kinetics and equilibrium. However, the physiology behind this shift is still obscure. To fill this gap in our knowledge, we employed electrophysiology measurements to identify the changes in the closing and opening rates of lysenin channels exposed to Cu2+ ions and step voltages. We found Cu2+ simultaneously reduced the closing rates and increased the reopening rates, leading to a more prominent hysteretic behavior and improved memory. These findings may constitute the starting point on investigations of the memory of brainless microorganisms, and potential applications to bioelectronics and development of smart biological switches and nano-valves
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