424 research outputs found
CLOVER - A new instrument for measuring the B-mode polarization of the CMB
We describe the design and expected performance of Clover, a new instrument
designed to measure the B-mode polarization of the cosmic microwave background.
The proposed instrument will comprise three independent telescopes operating at
90, 150 and 220 GHz and is planned to be sited at Dome C, Antarctica. Each
telescope will feed a focal plane array of 128 background-limited detectors and
will measure polarized signals over angular multipoles 20 < l < 1000. The
unique design of the telescope and careful control of systematics should enable
the B-mode signature of gravitational waves to be measured to a
lensing-confusion-limited tensor-to-scalar ratio r~0.005.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures. To appear in the proceedings of the XXXVIXth
Rencontres de Moriond "Exploring the Universe
Bayesian modelling of clusters of galaxies from multi-frequency pointed Sunyaev--Zel'dovich observations
We present a Bayesian approach to modelling galaxy clusters using
multi-frequency pointed observations from telescopes that exploit the
Sunyaev--Zel'dovich effect. We use the recently developed MultiNest technique
(Feroz, Hobson & Bridges, 2008) to explore the high-dimensional parameter
spaces and also to calculate the Bayesian evidence. This permits robust
parameter estimation as well as model comparison. Tests on simulated Arcminute
Microkelvin Imager observations of a cluster, in the presence of primary CMB
signal, radio point sources (detected as well as an unresolved background) and
receiver noise, show that our algorithm is able to analyse jointly the data
from six frequency channels, sample the posterior space of the model and
calculate the Bayesian evidence very efficiently on a single processor. We also
illustrate the robustness of our detection process by applying it to a field
with radio sources and primordial CMB but no cluster, and show that indeed no
cluster is identified. The extension of our methodology to the detection and
modelling of multiple clusters in multi-frequency SZ survey data will be
described in a future work.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, submitted to MNRA
Bayes-X: a Bayesian inference tool for the analysis of X-ray observations of galaxy clusters
We present the first public release of our Bayesian inference tool, Bayes-X,
for the analysis of X-ray observations of galaxy clusters. We illustrate the
use of Bayes-X by analysing a set of four simulated clusters at z=0.2-0.9 as
they would be observed by a Chandra-like X-ray observatory. In both the
simulations and the analysis pipeline we assume that the dark matter density
follows a spherically-symmetric Navarro, Frenk and White (NFW) profile and that
the gas pressure is described by a generalised NFW (GNFW) profile. We then
perform four sets of analyses. By numerically exploring the joint probability
distribution of the cluster parameters given simulated Chandra-like data, we
show that the model and analysis technique can robustly return the simulated
cluster input quantities, constrain the cluster physical parameters and reveal
the degeneracies among the model parameters and cluster physical parameters. We
then analyse Chandra data on the nearby cluster, A262, and derive the cluster
physical profiles. To illustrate the performance of the Bayesian model
selection, we also carried out analyses assuming an Einasto profile for the
matter density and calculated the Bayes factor. The results of the model
selection analyses for the simulated data favour the NFW model as expected.
However, we find that the Einasto profile is preferred in the analysis of A262.
The Bayes-X software, which is implemented in Fortran 90, is available at
http://www.mrao.cam.ac.uk/facilities/software/bayesx/.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figure
A 6-12 GHz Analogue Lag-Correlator for Radio Interferometry
Aims: We describe a 6-12 GHz analogue correlator that has been developed for
use in radio interferometers. Methods: We use a lag-correlator technique to
synthesis eight complex spectral channels. Two schemes were considered for
sampling the cross-correlation function, using either real or complex
correlations, and we developed prototypes for both of them. We opted for the
``add and square'' detection scheme using Schottky diodes over the more
commonly used active multipliers because the stability of the device is less
critical. Results: We encountered an unexpected problem, in that there were
errors in the lag spacings of up to ten percent of the unit spacing. To
overcome this, we developed a calibration method using astronomical sources
which corrects the effects of the non-uniform sampling as well as gain error
and dispersion in the correlator.Comment: 14 pages, 21 figures, accepted for publication in A&
A 6-12 GHz Analogue Lag-Correlator for Radio Interferometry
Aims: We describe a 6-12 GHz analogue correlator that has been developed for
use in radio interferometers. Methods: We use a lag-correlator technique to
synthesis eight complex spectral channels. Two schemes were considered for
sampling the cross-correlation function, using either real or complex
correlations, and we developed prototypes for both of them. We opted for the
``add and square'' detection scheme using Schottky diodes over the more
commonly used active multipliers because the stability of the device is less
critical. Results: We encountered an unexpected problem, in that there were
errors in the lag spacings of up to ten percent of the unit spacing. To
overcome this, we developed a calibration method using astronomical sources
which corrects the effects of the non-uniform sampling as well as gain error
and dispersion in the correlator.Comment: 14 pages, 21 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Pleasure and pedagogy: the consumption of DVD add-ons among Irish teenagers
This article addresses the issue of young people and media use in the digital age, more specifically the interconnection between new media pleasures and pedagogy as they relate to the consumption of DVD add-ons. Arguing against the view of new media as having predominantly detrimental effects on young people, the authors claim that new media can enable young people to develop media literacy skills and are of the view that media literacy strategies must be based on an understanding and legitimating of young people's use patterns and pleasures. The discussion is based on a pilot research project on the use patterns and pleasures of use with a sample of Irish teenagers. They found that DVDs were used predominantly in the home context, and that, while there was variability in use between the groups, overall they developed critical literacy skills and competences which were interwoven into their social life and projects of identity construction. The authors suggest that these findings could be used to develop DVDs and their add-on features as a learning resource in the more formal educational setting and they go on to outline the potential teaching benefits of their use across a range of pedagogical areas
Looking for the S-Z Effect towards Distant ROSAT Clusters of Galaxies
We report on observations of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect towards X-ray ROSAT
clusters taken with a double channel (1.2 and 2 mm) photometer installed at the
focus of the 15m SEST antenna in Chile. This paper describes the first results
obtained for the high-z clusters S1077, A2744 and S295. Marginal detections
were found for A2744 and at 1 mm for S1077. We discuss these data in terms of
contamination of sources along the line of sight and give a constraint on the
amplitude of the kinematic effect.Comment: 17 pg Latex file (using aasms4.sty) gzip'd tar'd uuencoded file
including 1 ps figure, ApJ Letter in pres
Activation of XerCD-dif recombination by the FtsK DNA translocase
The FtsK translocase pumps dsDNA directionally at âŒ5âkb/s and facilitates chromosome unlinking by activating XerCD site-specific recombination at dif, located in the replication terminus of the Escherichia coli chromosome. We show directly that the Îł regulatory subdomain of FtsK activates XerD catalytic activity to generate Holliday junction intermediates that can then be resolved by XerC. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Îł can activate XerCD-dif recombination in the absence of the translocase domain, when it is fused to XerCD, or added in isolation. In these cases the recombination products are topologically complex and would impair chromosome unlinking. We propose that FtsK translocation and activation of unlinking are normally coupled, with the translocation being essential for ensuring that the products of recombination are topologically unlinked, an essential feature of the role of FtsK in chromosome segregation
Radio Sources in Galaxy Clusters at 28.5 GHz
We present serendipitous detections of radio sources at 28.5 GHz (1 cm),
which resulted from our program to image thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect
in 56 galaxy clusters. We find 64 radio sources with fluxes down to 0.4 mJy,
and within 250 arcseconds from the pointing centers. The spectral indices (S ~
\nu^-\alpha) of 54 sources with published low frequency flux densities range
from -0.6 to 2 with a mean of 0.77, and a median of 0.84. Extending low
frequency surveys of radio sources towards galaxy clusters CL 0016+16, Abell
665, and Abell 2218 to 28.5 GHz, and selecting sources with 1.4 GHz flux
density greater than 7 mJy to form an unbiased sample, we find a mean spectral
index of 0.71 and a median of 0.71. We find 4 to 7 times more sources predicted
from a low frequency survey in areas without galaxy clusters. This excess
cannot be accounted for by gravitational lensing of a background radio
population by cluster potentials, indicating most of the detected sources are
associated with galaxy clusters. For the cluster Abell 2218, the presence of
unsubtracted radio sources with 28.5 GHz flux densities less than 0.5 mJy, can
only contribute to temperature fluctuations at a level of 10 to 25 \muK. The
corresponding error due to radio point source contamination in the Hubble
constant derived through a combined analysis of 28.5 GHz SZ images and X-ray
emission observations ranges from 1% to 6%.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, to appear in April 1998 issue of A
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