343 research outputs found
Multi-messenger astrophysics in the gravitational-wave era
The observation of GW170817, the first binary neutron star merger observed in
both gravitational waves (GW) and electromagnetic (EM) waves, kickstarted the
age of multi-messenger GW astronomy. This new technique presents an
observationally rich way to probe extreme astrophysical processes. With the
onset of the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration's O4 observing run and wide-field
EM instruments well-suited for transient searches, multi-messenger astrophysics
has never been so promising. We review recent searches and results for
multi-messenger counterparts to GW events, and describe existing and upcoming
EM follow-up facilities, with a particular focus on WINTER, a new near-infrared
survey telescope, and TESS, an exoplanet survey space telescope.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, proceedings from TAUP 202
Modeling Progressive Failure of Bonded Joints Using a Single Joint Finite Element
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90634/1/AIAA-55313-740.pd
Mild Sensory Stimulation Completely Protects the Adult Rodent Cortex from Ischemic Stroke
Despite progress in reducing ischemic stroke damage, complete protection remains elusive. Here we demonstrate that, after permanent occlusion of a major cortical artery (middle cerebral artery; MCA), single whisker stimulation can induce complete protection of the adult rat cortex, but only if administered within a critical time window. Animals that receive early treatment are histologically and behaviorally equivalent to healthy controls and have normal neuronal function. Protection of the cortex clearly requires reperfusion to the ischemic area despite permanent occlusion. Using blood flow imaging and other techniques we found evidence of reversed blood flow into MCA branches from an alternate arterial source via collateral vessels (inter-arterial connections), a potential mechanism for reperfusion. These findings suggest that the cortex is capable of extensive blood flow reorganization and more importantly that mild sensory stimulation can provide complete protection from impending stroke given early intervention. Such non-invasive, non-pharmacological intervention has clear translational potential
Improved high-order bending analysis of double curved sandwich panels subjected to multiple loading conditions
Design requirements for the Wide-field Infrared Transient Explorer (WINTER)
The Wide-field Infrared Transient Explorer (WINTER) is a 1x1 degree infrared survey telescope under devel- opment at MIT and Caltech, and slated for commissioning at Palomar Observatory in 2021. WINTER is a seeing-limited infrared time-domain survey and has two main science goals: (1) the discovery of IR kilonovae and r-process materials from binary neutron star mergers and (2) the study of general IR transients, including supernovae, tidal disruption events, and transiting exoplanets around low mass stars. We plan to meet these science goals with technologies that are relatively new to astrophysical research: hybridized InGaAs sensors as an alternative to traditional, but expensive, HgCdTe arrays and an IR-optimized 1-meter COTS telescope. To mitigate risk, optimize development efforts, and ensure that WINTER meets its science objectives, we use model-based systems engineering (MBSE) techniques commonly featured in aerospace engineering projects. Even as ground-based instrumentation projects grow in complexity, they do not often have the budget for a full-time systems engineer. We present one example of systems engineering for the ground-based WINTER project, featuring software tools that allow students or staff to learn the fundamentals of MBSE and capture the results in a formalized software interface. We focus on the top-level science requirements with a detailed example of how the goal of detecting kilonovae flows down to WINTER’s optical design. In particular, we discuss new methods for tolerance simulations, eliminating stray light, and maximizing image quality of a fly’s-eye design that slices the telescope’s focus onto 6 non-buttable, IR detectors. We also include a discussion of safety constraints for a robotic telescope
The Dynamic Infrared Sky
Opening up the dynamic infrared sky for systematic time-domain exploration
would yield many scientific advances. Multi-messenger pursuits such as
localizing gravitational waves from neutron star mergers and quantifying the
nucleosynthetic yields require the infrared. Another multi-messenger endeavor
that needs infrared surveyors is the study of the much-awaited supernova in our
own Milky Way. Understanding shocks in novae, true rates of supernovae and
stellar mergers are some other examples of stellar evolution and high energy
physics wherein the answers are buried in the infrared. We discuss some of the
challenges in the infrared and pathfinders to overcome them. We conclude with
recommendations on both infrared discovery engines and infrared follow-up
machines that would enable this field to flourish in the next decade.Comment: Astro2020 Science White Paper for Decadal Surve
Spike Timing Dependent Plasticity Finds the Start of Repeating Patterns in Continuous Spike Trains
Experimental studies have observed Long Term synaptic Potentiation (LTP) when a presynaptic neuron fires shortly before a postsynaptic neuron, and Long Term Depression (LTD) when the presynaptic neuron fires shortly after, a phenomenon known as Spike Timing Dependant Plasticity (STDP). When a neuron is presented successively with discrete volleys of input spikes STDP has been shown to learn ‘early spike patterns’, that is to concentrate synaptic weights on afferents that consistently fire early, with the result that the postsynaptic spike latency decreases, until it reaches a minimal and stable value. Here, we show that these results still stand in a continuous regime where afferents fire continuously with a constant population rate. As such, STDP is able to solve a very difficult computational problem: to localize a repeating spatio-temporal spike pattern embedded in equally dense ‘distractor’ spike trains. STDP thus enables some form of temporal coding, even in the absence of an explicit time reference. Given that the mechanism exposed here is simple and cheap it is hard to believe that the brain did not evolve to use it
Noninvasive laser-induced photoacoustic tomography for structural and functional in vivo imaging of the brain
Imaging techniques based on optical contrast analysis can be used to visualize dynamic and functional properties of the nervous system via optical signals resulting from changes in blood volume, oxygen consumption and cellular swelling associated with brain physiology and pathology. Here we report in vivo noninvasive transdermal and transcranial imaging of the structure and function of rat brains by means of laser-induced photoacoustic tomography (PAT). The advantage of PAT over pure optical imaging is that it retains intrinsic optical contrast characteristics while taking advantage of the diffraction-limited high spatial resolution of ultrasound. We accurately mapped rat brain structures, with and without lesions, and functional cerebral hemodynamic changes in cortical blood vessels around the whisker-barrel cortex in response to whisker stimulation. We also imaged hyperoxia- and hypoxia-induced cerebral hemodynamic changes. This neuroimaging modality holds promise for applications in neurophysiology, neuropathology and neurotherapy
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