2,041 research outputs found
Extensions of tempered representations
Let be irreducible tempered representations of an affine Hecke
algebra H with positive parameters. We compute the higher extension groups
explicitly in terms of the representations of analytic
R-groups corresponding to and . The result has immediate
applications to the computation of the Euler-Poincar\'e pairing ,
the alternating sum of the dimensions of the Ext-groups. The resulting formula
for is equal to Arthur's formula for the elliptic pairing of
tempered characters in the setting of reductive p-adic groups. Our proof
applies equally well to affine Hecke algebras and to reductive groups over
non-archimedean local fields of arbitrary characteristic. This sheds new light
on the formula of Arthur and gives a new proof of Kazhdan's orthogonality
conjecture for the Euler-Poincar\'e pairing of admissible characters.Comment: This paper grew out of "A formula of Arthur and affine Hecke
algebras" (arXiv:1011.0679). In the second version some minor points were
improve
Extending the Canada-France brown Dwarfs Survey to the near-infrared: first ultracool brown dwarfs from CFBDSIR
We present the first results of the ongoing Canada-France Brown Dwarfs
Survey-InfraRed, hereafter CFBDSIR, a Near InfraRed extension to the optical
wide-field survey CFBDS. Our final objectives are to constrain ultracool
atmosphere physics by finding a statistically significant sample of objects
cooler than 650K and to explore the ultracool brown dwarf mass function
building on a well defined sample of such objects. Candidates are identified in
CFHT/WIRCam J and CFHT/MegaCam z' images using optimised psf-fitting, and we
follow them up with pointed near infrared imaging with SOFI at NTT. We finally
obtain low resolution spectroscopy of the coolest candidates to characterise
their atmospheric physics. We have so far analysed and followed up all
candidates on the first 66 square degrees of the 335 square degrees survey. We
identified 55 T-dwarfs candidates with z'-J > 3:5 and have confirmed six of
them as T-dwarfs, including 3 that are strong later-than-T8 candidates, based
on their far-red and NIR colours. We also present here the NIR spectra of one
of these ultracool dwarfs, CFBDSIR1458+1013 which confirms it as one of the
coolest brown dwarf known, possibly in the 550-600K temperature range. From the
completed survey we expect to discover 10 to 15 dwarfs later than T8, more than
doubling the known number of such objects. This will enable detailed studies of
their extreme atmospheric properties and provide a stronger statistical base
for studies of their luminosity function.Comment: A&A, Accepte
Spitzer Mid-Infrared Photometry of 500 - 750 K Brown Dwarfs
Mid-infrared data, including Spitzer warm-IRAC [3.6] and [4.5] photometry, is
critical for understanding the cold population of brown dwarfs now being found,
objects which have more in common with planets than stars. As effective
temperature (T_eff) drops from 800 K to 400 K, the fraction of flux emitted
beyond 3 microns increases rapidly, from about 40% to >75%. This rapid increase
makes a color like H-[4.5] a very sensitive temperature indicator, and it can
be combined with a gravity- and metallicity-sensitive color like H-K to
constrain all three of these fundamental properties, which in turn gives us
mass and age for these slowly cooling objects. Determination of mid-infrared
color trends also allows better exploitation of the WISE mission by the
community. We use new Spitzer Cycle 6 IRAC photometry, together with published
data, to present trends of color with type for L0 to T10 dwarfs. We also use
the atmospheric and evolutionary models of Saumon & Marley to investigate the
masses and ages of 13 very late-type T dwarfs, which have H-[4.5] > 3.2 and
T_eff ~ 500 K to 750 K.Comment: To be published in the on-line version of the Proceedings of Cool
Stars 16 (ASP Conference Series). This is an updated version of Leggett et
al. 2010 ApJ 710 1627; a photometry compilation is available at
http://www.gemini.edu/staff/slegget
A Markovian event-based framework for stochastic spiking neural networks
In spiking neural networks, the information is conveyed by the spike times,
that depend on the intrinsic dynamics of each neuron, the input they receive
and on the connections between neurons. In this article we study the Markovian
nature of the sequence of spike times in stochastic neural networks, and in
particular the ability to deduce from a spike train the next spike time, and
therefore produce a description of the network activity only based on the spike
times regardless of the membrane potential process.
To study this question in a rigorous manner, we introduce and study an
event-based description of networks of noisy integrate-and-fire neurons, i.e.
that is based on the computation of the spike times. We show that the firing
times of the neurons in the networks constitute a Markov chain, whose
transition probability is related to the probability distribution of the
interspike interval of the neurons in the network. In the cases where the
Markovian model can be developed, the transition probability is explicitly
derived in such classical cases of neural networks as the linear
integrate-and-fire neuron models with excitatory and inhibitory interactions,
for different types of synapses, possibly featuring noisy synaptic integration,
transmission delays and absolute and relative refractory period. This covers
most of the cases that have been investigated in the event-based description of
spiking deterministic neural networks
The SPHERE data center: a reference for high contrast imaging processing
The objective of the SPHERE Data Center is to optimize the scientific return
of SPHERE at the VLT, by providing optimized reduction procedures, services to
users and publicly available reduced data. This paper describes our motivation,
the implementation of the service (partners, infrastructure and developments),
services, description of the on-line data, and future developments. The SPHERE
Data Center is operational and has already provided reduced data with a good
reactivity to many observers. The first public reduced data have been made
available in 2017. The SPHERE Data Center is gathering a strong expertise on
SPHERE data and is in a very good position to propose new reduced data in the
future, as well as improved reduction procedures.Comment: SF2A proceeding
The VLT/NaCo Large program to probe the occurrence of exoplanets and brown dwarfs in wide orbits: I- Sample definition and characterization
Young, nearby stars are ideal targets to search for planets using the direct
imaging technique. The determination of stellar parameters is crucial for the
interpretation of imaging survey results particularly since the luminosity of
substellar objects has a strong dependence on system age. We have conducted a
large program with NaCo at the VLT in order to search for planets and brown
dwarfs in wide orbits around 86 stars. A large fraction of the targets observed
with NaCo were poorly investigated in the literature. We performed a study to
characterize the fundamental properties (age, distance, mass) of the stars in
our sample. To improve target age determinations, we compiled and analyzed a
complete set of age diagnostics. We measured spectroscopic parameters and age
diagnostics using dedicated observations acquired with FEROS and CORALIE
spectrographs at La Silla Observatory. We also made extensive use of archival
spectroscopic data and results available in the literature. Additionally, we
exploited photometric time-series, available in ASAS and Super-WASP archives,
to derive rotation period for a large fraction of our program stars. We
provided updated characterization of all the targets observed in the VLT NaCo
Large program, a survey designed to probe the occurrence of exoplanets and
brown dwarfs in wide orbits. The median distance and age of our program stars
are 64 pc and 100 Myr, respectively. Nearly all the stars have masses between
0.70 and 1.50sun, with a median value of 1.01 Msun. The typical metallicity is
close to solar, with a dispersion that is smaller than that of samples usually
observed in radial velocity surveys. Several stars are confirmed or proposed
here to be members of nearby young moving groups. Eight spectroscopic binaries
are identified.Comment: 64 pages with Appendix, 15 figures, accepted to A&
Osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells seeded on melt based chitosan scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the growth patterns and osteogenic differentiation of human bone
marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) when seeded onto new biodegradable chitosan/polyester scaffolds.
Scaffolds were obtained by melt blending chitosan with poly(butylene succinate) in a proportion of 50% (wt)
each and further used to produce a fiber mesh scaffold. hBMSCs were seeded on those structures and cultured for
3 weeks under osteogenic conditions. Cells were able to reduce MTS and demonstrated increasing metabolic
rates over time. SEM observations showed cell colonization at the surface as well as within the scaffolds. The
presence of mineralized extracellular matrix (ECM) was successfully demonstrated by peaks corresponding to
calcium and phosphorus elements detected in the EDS analysis. A further confirmation was obtained when carbonate
and phosphate group peaks were identified in Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) spectra. Moreover, by reverse
transcriptase (RT)-PCR analysis, it was observed the expression of osteogenic gene markers, namely, Runt related
transcription factor 2 (Runx2), type 1 collagen, bone sialoprotein (BSP), and osteocalcin. Chitosan-PBS (Ch-
PBS) biodegradable scaffolds support the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs cultured at
their surface in vitro, enabling future in vivo testing for the development of bone tissue engineering therapies.Ana Costa-Pinto was supported by a grant (SFRH/24735/2005) from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology "Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia" (FCT). This work was partially supported by the EU Integrated Project GENOSTEM (Adult Mesenchymal Stem Cells Engineering for connective tissue disorders: from the bench to the bedside, LSHB-CT-2003-5033161), and the European Network of Excellence EXPERTISSUES (NMP3-CT-2004-500283). The authors would like to acknowledge to the School of Health Sciences of the University of Minho for the opportunity of using its facilities
A New Approach to Background Subtraction in Low-Energy Neutrino Experiments
We discuss a new method to extract neutrino signals in low energy
experiments. In this scheme the symmetric nature of most backgrounds allows for
direct cancellation from data. The application of this technique to the Palo
Verde reactor neutrino oscillation experiment allowed us to reduce the
measurement errors on the anti-neutrino flux from % to %. We
expect this method to substantially improve the data quality in future low
background experiments such as KamLAND and LENS.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure
Uncovering the Orbit of the Hercules Dwarf Galaxy
We present new chemo--kinematics of the Hercules dwarf galaxy based on Keck
II-- DEIMOS spectroscopy. Our 21 confirmed members have a systemic velocity of
kms and a velocity dispersion
kms. From the strength of
the Ca II triplet, we obtain a metallicity of [Fe/H]= dex and
dispersion of dex. This makes
Hercules a particularly metal--poor galaxy, placing it slightly below the
standard mass--metallicity relation. Previous photometric and spectroscopic
evidence suggests that Hercules is tidally disrupting and may be on a highly
radial orbit. From our identified members, we measure no significant velocity
gradient. By cross--matching with the second \textit{Gaia} data release, we
determine an uncertainty--weighted mean proper motion of
mas yr,
mas yr. This proper motion is slightly
misaligned with the elongation of Hercules, in contrast to models which suggest
that any tidal debris should be well aligned with the orbital path. Future
observations may resolve this tension.Comment: Submitted to MNRAS. 17 pages, 14 figure
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