20 research outputs found
Keck Interferometer Nuller Data Reduction and On-Sky Performance
We describe the Keck Interferometer nuller theory of operation, data reduction, and on-sky performance, particularly as it applies to the nuller exozodiacal dust key science program that was carried out between 2008 February and 2009 January. We review the nuller implementation, including the detailed phasor processing involved in implementing the null-peak mode used for science data and the sequencing used for science observing. We then describe the Level 1 reduction to convert the instrument telemetry streams to raw null leakages, and the Level 2 reduction to provide calibrated null leakages. The Level 1 reduction uses conservative, primarily linear processing, implemented consistently for science and calibrator stars. The Level 2 processing is more flexible, and uses diameters for the calibrator stars measured contemporaneously with the interferometerâs K-band cophasing system in order to provide the requisite accuracy. Using the key science data set of 462 total scans, we assess the instrument performance for sensitivity and systematic error. At 2.0 Jy we achieve a photometrically-limited null leakage uncertainty of 0.25% rms per 10 minutes of integration time in our broadband channel. From analysis of the Level 2 reductions, we estimate a systematic noise floor for bright stars of ~0.2% rms null leakage uncertainty per observing cluster in the broadband channel. A similar analysis is performed for the narrowband channels. We also provide additional information needed for science reduction, including details on the instrument beam pattern and the basic astrophysical response of the system, and references to the data reduction and modeling tools
The dusty AGB star RS CrB: first mid-infrared interferometric observations with the Keck Telescopes
We report interferometric observations of the semi-regular variable star RS
CrB, a red giant with strong silicate emission features. The data were among
the first long baseline mid-infrared stellar fringes obtained between the Keck
telescopes, using parts of the new nulling beam combiner. The light was
dispersed by a low-resolution spectrometer, allowing simultaneous measurement
of the source visibility and intensity spectra from 8 to 12 microns. The
interferometric observations allow a non-ambiguous determination of the dust
shell spatial scale and relative flux contribution. Using a simple
spherically-symmetric model, in which a geometrically thin shell surrounds the
stellar photosphere, we find that ~30% to ~70% of the overall mid-infrared flux
- depending on the wavelength - originates from 7-8 stellar radii. The derived
shell opacity profile shows a broad peak around 11 microns (tau ~ 0.06),
characteristic of Mg-rich silicate dust particles.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
Milliarcsecond N-Band Observations of the Nova RS Ophiuchi: First Science with the Keck Interferometer Nuller
We report observations of the nova RS Ophiuchi (RS Oph) using the Keck
Interferometer Nuller (KIN), approximately 3.8 days following the most recent
outburst that occurred on 2006 February 12. These observations represent the
first scientific results from the KIN, which operates in N-band from 8 to 12.5
microns in a nulling mode. By fitting the unique KIN data, we have obtained an
angular size of the mid-infrared continuum of 6.2, 4.0, or 5.4 mas for a disk
profile, gaussian profile (FWHM), and shell profile respectively. The data show
evidence of enhanced neutral atomic hydrogen emission and atomic metals
including silicon located in the inner spatial regime near the white dwarf (WD)
relative to the outer regime. There are also nebular emission lines and
evidence of hot silicate dust in the outer spatial region, centered at ! 17 AU
from the WD, that are not found in the inner regime. Our evidence suggests that
these features have been excited by the nova flash in the outer spatial regime
before the blast wave reached these regions. These identifications support a
model in which the dust appears to be present between outbursts and is not
created during the outburst event. We further discuss the present results in
terms of a unifying model of the system that includes an increase in density in
the plane of the orbit of the two stars created by a spiral shock wave caused
by the motion of the stars through the cool wind of the red giant star. These
data show the power and potential of the nulling technique which has been
developed for the detection of Earth-like planets around nearby stars for the
Terrestrial Planet Finder Mission and Darwin missions.Comment: 41 pages, 10 figure
The near-infrared size-luminosity relations for Herbig Ae/Be disks
We report the results of a sensitive K-band survey of Herbig Ae/Be disk sizes
using the 85-m baseline Keck Interferometer. Targets were chosen to span the
maximum range of stellar properties to probe the disk size dependence on
luminosity and effective temperature. For most targets, the measured
near-infrared sizes (ranging from 0.2 to 4 AU) support a simple disk model
possessing a central optically-thin (dust-free) cavity, ringed by hot dust
emitting at the expected sublimation temperatures (T_sub~1000-1500K).
Furthermore, we find a tight correlation of disk size with source luminosity R
propto L^(1/2) for Ae and late Be systems (valid over more than 2 decades in
luminosity), confirming earlier suggestions based on lower-quality data.
Interestingly, the inferred dust-free inner cavities of the highest luminosity
sources (Herbig B0-B3 stars) are under-sized compared to predictions of the
optically-thin cavity model, likely due to optically-thick gas within the inner
AU.Comment: Accepted by Astrophysical Journal; 24 pages, 4 figures, 4 table
Workshop on Fairness, Accountability, Confidentiality, Transparency, and Safety in Information Retrieval (FACTS-IR)
This workshop explores challenges in responsible information retrieval system development and deployment. The focus is on determining actionable research agendas on five key dimensions of responsible information retrieval: fairness, accountability, confidentiality, transparency, and safety. Rather than just a mini-conference, this workshop is an event during which participants are expected to work. The workshop brings together a diverse set of researchers and practitioners interested in contributing to the development of a technical research agenda for responsible information retrieval
Proceedings of FACTS-IR 2019
These are the accepted papers for FACTS-IR 2019, the Workshop on Fairness, Accountability, Confidentiality, Transparency, and Safety in Information Retrieval attached to SIGIR 2019. The workshop was held on July 25 in Paris, France
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Toward patient-tailored summarization of lung cancer literature*
As the volume of biomedical literature increases, it can be challenging for clinicians to stay up-to-date. Graphical summarization systems help by condensing knowledge into networks of entities and relations. However, existing systems present relations out of context, ignoring key details such as study population. To better support precision medicine, summarization systems should include such information to contextualize and tailor results to individual patients.This paper introduces âcontextualized semantic mapsâ for patient-tailored graphical summarization of published literature. These efforts are demonstrated in the domain of driver mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A representation for relations and study population context in NSCLC was developed. An annotated gold standard for this representation was created from a set of 135 abstracts; F1-score annotator agreement was 0.78 for context and 0.68 for relations. Visualizing the contextualized relations demonstrated that context facilitates the discovery of key findings that are relevant to patient-oriented queries
Recommended from our members
Toward patient-tailored summarization of lung cancer literature*
As the volume of biomedical literature increases, it can be challenging for clinicians to stay up-to-date. Graphical summarization systems help by condensing knowledge into networks of entities and relations. However, existing systems present relations out of context, ignoring key details such as study population. To better support precision medicine, summarization systems should include such information to contextualize and tailor results to individual patients.This paper introduces âcontextualized semantic mapsâ for patient-tailored graphical summarization of published literature. These efforts are demonstrated in the domain of driver mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A representation for relations and study population context in NSCLC was developed. An annotated gold standard for this representation was created from a set of 135 abstracts; F1-score annotator agreement was 0.78 for context and 0.68 for relations. Visualizing the contextualized relations demonstrated that context facilitates the discovery of key findings that are relevant to patient-oriented queries