Formalism and quality of a proper motion link with extragalactic objects for astrometric satellite missions

The accuracy of the link of the proper motion system of astrometric satellite missions like AMEX and GAIA is discussed. Monte-Carlo methods were used to simulate catalogues of positions and proper motions of quasars and galaxies to test the link. The main conclusion is, that future satellite missions like GAIA may be ``self-calibrated'' by their measurements of QSOs, while additional measurements from radio stars or HST-data are needed to calibrate the less deep reaching astrometric satellite missions of AMEX type.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, LaTeX A&A style, 7 pages, 4 figure

Abundances in Stars from the Red Giant Branch Tip to the Near the Main Sequence in M71: I. Sample Selection, Observing Strategy and Stellar Parameters

We present the sample for an abundance analysis of 25 members of M71 with luminosities ranging from the red giant branch tip to the upper main sequence. The spectra are of high dispersion and of high precision. We describe the observing strategy and determine the stellar parameters for the sample stars using both broad band colors and fits of H$\alpha$ profiles. The derived stellar parameters agree with those from the Yale$^2$ stellar evolutionary tracks to within 50 -- 100K for a fixed log g, which is within the level of the uncertainties.Comment: Minor changes to conform to version accepted for publication, with several new figures (Paper 1 of a pair

Remarks on separating words

The separating words problem asks for the size of the smallest DFA needed to distinguish between two words of length <= n (by accepting one and rejecting the other). In this paper we survey what is known and unknown about the problem, consider some variations, and prove several new results

Photometric and kinematic studies of open star clusters. III. NGC 4103, NGC 5281, and NGC 4755

We present CCD photometry and proper motion studies of the three open star clusters NGC 4103, NGC 5281, and NGC 4755 (kappa Cru). By fitting isochrones to the colour magnitude diagrams, we found that all three objects are young open star clusters with ages of at most t=45 Myr. They are located at distances from approx. 1600 pc to 2200 pc, derived from distance moduli (m-M)_0 ranging from 11 mag to 12 mag. We combined membership determinations based on proper motions and statistical field star subtraction to derive the initial mass function (IMF) of the clusters. The shape of the IMFs could be represented by power laws with exponents of Gamma=-1.46 +/- 0.22 for NGC 4103, Gamma=-1.60 +/- 0.50 for NGC 5281, and Gamma=-1.68 +/- 0.14 for NGC 4755, when - as a reference - Salpeter's (1955) value would be Gamma=-1.35. These results agree well with other IMF studies of open star clusters.Comment: 16 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

A proper motion study of the globular cluster M10

We present the first proper motion study of M10 (NGC6254). Absolute proper motions of about 532 stars in the field of the globular cluster M10 were determined with respect to Hipparcos and ACT reference stars. In addition to photographic plates of Bonn and Shanghai also wide field CCD observations as second epoch plates were used. The wide field CCD observations show an accuracy comparable to that of the photographic plates. A good coincidence of the solutions based on reference stars from Hipparcos and from ACT was found. Our final proper motions allow a sufficient separation of cluster and field stars. Two population II Cepheids were confirmed to be members of M10. The absolute proper motion of M10 was determined and combined with its distance from the Sun and its radial velocity. The space motion and metallicity of M10 indicates the characteristics of a halo object with an orbit reaching to a maximal z-distance of less than 3kpc.Comment: 5 pages, LaTeX, incl. 2 PostScript figures. Accepted for publication by Astronomy & Astrophysics (main journal

Coherence resonance in a network of FitzHugh-Nagumo systems: interplay of noise, time-delay and topology

We systematically investigate the phenomena of coherence resonance in time-delay coupled networks of FitzHugh-Nagumo elements in the excitable regime. Using numerical simulations, we examine the interplay of noise, time-delayed coupling and network topology in the generation of coherence resonance. In the deterministic case, we show that the delay-induced dynamics is independent of the number of nearest neighbors and the system size. In the presence of noise, we demonstrate the possibility of controlling coherence resonance by varying the time-delay and the number of nearest neighbors. For a locally coupled ring, we show that the time-delay weakens coherence resonance. For nonlocal coupling with appropriate time-delays, both enhancement and weakening of coherence resonance are possible

The Magic Number Problem for Subregular Language Families

We investigate the magic number problem, that is, the question whether there exists a minimal n-state nondeterministic finite automaton (NFA) whose equivalent minimal deterministic finite automaton (DFA) has alpha states, for all n and alpha satisfying n less or equal to alpha less or equal to exp(2,n). A number alpha not satisfying this condition is called a magic number (for n). It was shown in [11] that no magic numbers exist for general regular languages, while in [5] trivial and non-trivial magic numbers for unary regular languages were identified. We obtain similar results for automata accepting subregular languages like, for example, combinational languages, star-free, prefix-, suffix-, and infix-closed languages, and prefix-, suffix-, and infix-free languages, showing that there are only trivial magic numbers, when they exist. For finite languages we obtain some partial results showing that certain numbers are non-magic.Comment: In Proceedings DCFS 2010, arXiv:1008.127

Unary probabilistic and quantum automata on promise problems

We continue the systematic investigation of probabilistic and quantum finite automata (PFAs and QFAs) on promise problems by focusing on unary languages. We show that bounded-error QFAs are more powerful than PFAs. But, in contrary to the binary problems, the computational powers of Las-Vegas QFAs and bounded-error PFAs are equivalent to deterministic finite automata (DFAs). Lastly, we present a new family of unary promise problems with two parameters such that when fixing one parameter QFAs can be exponentially more succinct than PFAs and when fixing the other parameter PFAs can be exponentially more succinct than DFAs.Comment: Minor correction