25 research outputs found
Mining the ESO WFI and INT WFC archives for known Near Earth Asteroids. Mega-Precovery software
The ESO/MPG WFI and the INT WFC wide field archives comprising 330,000 images
were mined to search for serendipitous encounters of known Near Earth Asteroids
(NEAs) and Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs). A total of 152 asteroids (44
PHAs and 108 other NEAs) were identified using the PRECOVERY software, their
astrometry being measured on 761 images and sent to the Minor Planet Centre.
Both recoveries and precoveries were reported, including prolonged orbital arcs
for 18 precovered objects and 10 recoveries. We analyze all new opposition data
by comparing the orbits fitted before and after including our contributions. We
conclude the paper presenting Mega-Precovery, a new online service focused on
data mining of many instrument archives simultaneously for one or a few given
asteroids. A total of 28 instrument archives have been made available for
mining using this tool, adding together about 2.5 million images forming the
Mega-Archive.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomische Nachrichten (Sep 2012
EURONEAR - Recovery, Follow-up and Discovery of NEAs and MBAs using Large Field 1-2m Telescopes
We report on the follow-up and recovery of 100 program NEAs, PHAs and VIs
using the ESO/MPG 2.2m, Swope 1m and INT 2.5m telescopes equipped with large
field cameras. The 127 fields observed during 11 nights covered 29 square
degrees. Using these data, we present the incidental survey work which includes
558 known MBAs and 628 unknown moving objects mostly consistent with MBAs from
which 58 objects became official discoveries. We planned the runs using six
criteria and four servers which focus mostly on faint and poorly observed
objects in need of confirmation, follow-up and recovery. We followed 62 faint
NEAs within one month after discovery and we recovered 10 faint NEAs having big
uncertainties at their second or later opposition. Using the INT we eliminated
4 PHA candidates and VIs. We observed in total 1,286 moving objects and we
reported more than 10,000 positions. All data were reduced by the members of
our network in a team effort, and reported promptly to the MPC. The positions
of the program NEAs were published in 27 MPC and MPEC references and used to
improve their orbits. The O-C residuals for known MBAs and program NEAs are
smallest for the ESO/MPG and Swope and about four times larger for the INT
whose field is more distorted. The incidental survey allowed us to study
statistics of the MBA and NEA populations observable today with 1--2m
facilities. We calculate preliminary orbits for all unknown objects,
classifying them as official discoveries, later identifications and unknown
outstanding objects. The orbital elements a, e, i calculated by FIND_ORB
software for the official discoveries and later identified objects are very
similar with the published elements which take into account longer
observational arcs; thus preliminary orbits were used in statistics for the
whole unknown dataset. (CONTINUED)Comment: Accepted in Planetary and Space Science (Aug 2011
Country-Level Aid Coordination at the United Nations: Taking the Resident Coordinator System Forward
Making energy efficiency pro-poor : insights from behavioural economics for policy design
This paper reviews the current state of behavioural economics and its applications to energy efficiency in developing countries. Taking energy efficient lighting in Ghana, Uganda and Rwanda as empirical examples, this paper develops hypotheses on how behavioural factors can improve energy efficiency policies directed towards poor populations. The key argument is that different types of affordability exist that are influenced by behavioural factors to varying degrees. Using a qualitative approach, this paper finds that social preferences, framing and innovative financing solutions that acknowledge people’s mental accounts can provide useful starting points. Behavioural levers are only likely to work in a policy package that addresses wider technical, market and institutional barriers to energy efficiency. More research, carefully designed pre-tests and stakeholder debates are required before introducing policies based on behavioural insights. This is imperative to avoid the dangers of nudging
Impact of the Agricultural Use on the Biodiversity of a \u3cem\u3eFestuca Rubra\u3c/em\u3e Meadow
Technological inputs into meadow ecosystems trigger significant changes in the sward. In this paper we present the effect of organic and mineral fertilisation on the biodiversity of a Festuca rubra meadow