The On The Fly Imaging Technique

The On-The-Fly (OTF) imaging technique enables single-dish radio telescopes to construct images of small areas of the sky with greater efficiency and accuracy. This paper describes the practical application of the OTF imaging technique. By way of example the implementation of the OTF imaging technique at the NRAO 12 Meter Telescope is described. Specific requirements for data sampling, image formation, and Doppler correction are discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 13 figures, accepted A&

Cosmic Ray in the Northern Hemisphere: Results from the Telescope Array Experiment

The Telescope Array (TA) is the largest ultrahigh energy (UHE) cosmic ray observatory in the northern hemisphere TA is a hybrid experiment with a unique combination of fluorescence detectors and a stand-alone surface array of scintillation counters. We will present the spectrum measured by the surface array alone, along with those measured by the fluorescence detectors in monocular, hybrid, and stereo mode. The composition results from stereo TA data will be discussed. Our report will also include results from the search for correlations between the pointing directions of cosmic rays, seen by the TA surface array, with active galactic nuclei.Comment: 8 pages 11 figure, Proceedings of the APS Division of Particle and Fields (DPF) Meeting, Aug 2011, Brown University, Providence, RI, US

Possible Signature of Low Scale Gravity in Ultra High Enegry Cosmic Rays

We show that the existence of low scale gravity at TeV scale could lead to a direct production of photons with energies above 10^22 eV due to annihilation of ultra high energy neutrinos on relic massive neutrinos of the galactic halo. Air showers initialized in the terrestrial atmosphere by these ultra energetic photons could be collected in near future by the new generation of cosmic ray experiments.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

BL Lacertae are probable sources of the observed ultra-high energy cosmic rays

We calculate angular correlation function between ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECR) observed by Yakutsk and AGASA experiments, and most powerful BL Lacertae objects. We find significant correlations which correspond to the probability of statistical fluctuation less than $10^{-4}$, including penatly for selecting the subset of brightest BL Lacs. We conclude that some of BL Lacs are sources of the observed UHECR and present a list of most probable candidates.Comment: Replaced with the version accepted for publication in JETP Let

A multi-scale multi-frequency deconvolution algorithm for synthesis imaging in radio interferometry

Aims : We describe MS-MFS, a multi-scale multi-frequency deconvolution algorithm for wide-band synthesis-imaging, and present imaging results that illustrate the capabilities of the algorithm and the conditions under which it is feasible and gives accurate results. Methods : The MS-MFS algorithm models the wide-band sky-brightness distribution as a linear combination of spatial and spectral basis functions, and performs image-reconstruction by combining a linear-least-squares approach with iterative $\chi^2$ minimization. This method extends and combines the ideas used in the MS-CLEAN and MF-CLEAN algorithms for multi-scale and multi-frequency deconvolution respectively, and can be used in conjunction with existing wide-field imaging algorithms. We also discuss a simpler hybrid of spectral-line and continuum imaging methods and point out situations where it may suffice. Results : We show via simulations and application to multi-frequency VLA data and wideband EVLA data, that it is possible to reconstruct both spatial and spectral structure of compact and extended emission at the continuum sensitivity level and at the angular resolution allowed by the highest sampled frequency.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figure

Galactic Anisotropy as Signature of ``Top-Down'' Mechanisms of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays

We show that ``top-down'' mechanisms of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays which involve heavy relic particle-like objects predict Galactic anisotropy of highest energy cosmic rays at the level of minimum $\sim 20$. This anisotropy is large enough to be either observed or ruled out in the next generation of experiments.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, LaTeX. Final version appeared in Pisma Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fi

Susy QCD and High Energy Cosmic Rays 1. Fragmentation functions of Susy QCD

The supersymmetric evolution of the fragmentation functions (or timelike evolution) within N=1 $QCD$ is discussed and predictions for the fragmentation functions of the theory (into final protons) are given. We use a backward running of the supersymmetric DGLAP equations, using a method developed in previous works. We start from the usual QCD parameterizations at low energy and run the DGLAP back, up to an intermediate scale -assumed to be supersymmetric- where we switch-on supersymmetry. From there on we assume the applicability of an N=1 supersymmetric evolution (ESAP). We elaborate on possible application of these results to High Energy Cosmic Rays near the GZK cutoff.Comment: 36 pages, 12 fig

APECS - The Atacama Pathfinder Experiment Control System

APECS is the distributed control system of the new Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) telescope located on the Llano de Chajnantor at an altitude of 5107 m in the Atacama desert in northern Chile. APECS is based on Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) software and employs a modern, object-oriented design using the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) as the middleware. New generic device interfaces simplify adding instruments to the control system. The Python based observer command scripting language allows using many existing software libraries and facilitates creating more complex observing modes. A new self-descriptive raw data format (Multi-Beam FITS or MBFITS) has been defined to store the multi-beam, multi-frequency data. APECS provides an online pipeline for initial calibration, observer feedback and a quick-look display. APECS is being used for regular science observations in local and remote mode since August 2005.Comment: 4 pages, A&A, accepte

Early antibiotic use and incidence of necrotising enterocolitis in very preterm infants: a protocol for a UK based observational study using routinely recorded data

Introduction Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) remains a major contributor to preterm mortality and morbidity. Prolonged duration of antibiotic therapy after delivery is associated with later NEC development but recent evidence suggests that absence of antibiotic treatment after delivery may also increase NEC risk. We will explore this controversy using a large pre-existing dataset of preterm infants in the UK. Methods and analysis: This is a retrospective cohort study using data from UK National Neonatal Research Database (NNRD) for infants born 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2020. Eligible infants will be <32 weeks gestation, alive on day 3. Primary outcome is development of severe NEC, compared in infants receiving early antibiotics (days 1–2 after birth) and those not. Subgroup analysis on duration of early antibiotic exposure will also occur. Secondary outcomes are: late onset sepsis, total antibiotic use, predischarge mortality, retinopathy of prematurity, intraventricular haemorrhage, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, focal intestinal perforation and any abdominal surgery. To address competing risks, incidence of death before day 7, 14 and 28 will be analysed. We will perform logistic regression and propensity score matched analyses. Statistical analyses will be guided by NEC risk factors, exposures and outcome presented in a causal diagram. These covariates include but are not limited to gestational age, birth weight, small for gestational age, sex, ethnicity, delivery mode, delivery without labour, Apgar score, early feeding and probiotic use. Sensitivity analyses of alternate NEC definitions, specific antibiotics and time of initiation will occur. Ethics and dissemination: We will use deidentified data from NNRD, which holds permissions for the original data, from which parents can opt out and seek study-specific research ethics approval. The results will help to determine optimal use of early antibiotics for very preterm infants. Implications: This data will help optimise early antibiotic use in preterm infants. Trial registration number: ISRCTN55101779

The Pierre Auger Observatory: Results on Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays

The focus of this article is on recent results on ultra-high energy cosmic rays obtained with the Pierre Auger Observatory. The world's largest instrument of this type and its performance are described. The observations presented here include the energy spectrum, the primary particle composition, limits on the fluxes of photons and neutrinos and a discussion of the anisotropic distribution of the arrival directions of the most energetic particles. Finally, plans for the construction of a Northern Auger Observatory in Colorado, USA, are discussed.Comment: Proceedings of the International Workshop on Advances in Cosmic Ray Science, Waseda University, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, March 2008; to be published in the Journal of the Physical Society of Japan (JPSJ) supplemen