11 research outputs found
The 2017 May 20 stellar occultation by the elongated centaur (95626) 2002 GZ
We predicted a stellar occultation of the bright star Gaia DR1
4332852996360346368 (UCAC4 385-75921) (m= 14.0 mag) by the centaur
2002 GZ for 2017 May 20. Our latest shadow path prediction
was favourable to a large region in Europe. Observations were arranged in a
broad region inside the nominal shadow path. Series of images were obtained
with 29 telescopes throughout Europe and from six of them (five in Spain and
one in Greece) we detected the occultation. This is the fourth centaur, besides
Chariklo, Chiron and Bienor, for which a multi-chord stellar occultation is
reported. By means of an elliptical fit to the occultation chords we obtained
the limb of 2002 GZ during the occultation, resulting in an ellipse with
axes of 305 17 km 146 8 km. From this limb, thanks to a
rotational light curve obtained shortly after the occultation, we derived the
geometric albedo of 2002 GZ ( = 0.043 0.007) and a 3-D
ellipsoidal shape with axes 366 km 306 km 120 km. This shape
is not fully consistent with a homogeneous body in hydrostatic equilibrium for
the known rotation period of 2002 GZ. The size (albedo) obtained from
the occultation is respectively smaller (greater) than that derived from the
radiometric technique but compatible within error bars. No rings or debris
around 2002 GZ were detected from the occultation, but narrow and thin
rings cannot be discarded.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS (8-Dec.-2020), 15 pages, 9 figure
Costs and benefits of automation for astronomical facilities
The Observatorio Astrof\'isico de Javalambre (OAJ{\dag}1) in Spain is a young
astronomical facility, conceived and developed from the beginning as a fully
automated observatory with the main goal of optimizing the processes in the
scientific and general operation of the Observatory. The OAJ has been
particularly conceived for carrying out large sky surveys with two
unprecedented telescopes of unusually large fields of view (FoV): the JST/T250,
a 2.55m telescope of 3deg field of view, and the JAST/T80, an 83cm telescope of
2deg field of view. The most immediate objective of the two telescopes for the
next years is carrying out two unique photometric surveys of several thousands
square degrees, J-PAS{\dag}2 and J-PLUS{\dag}3, each of them with a wide range
of scientific applications, like e.g. large structure cosmology and Dark
Energy, galaxy evolution, supernovae, Milky Way structure, exoplanets, among
many others. To do that, JST and JAST are equipped with panoramic cameras under
development within the J-PAS collaboration, JPCam and T80Cam respectively,
which make use of large format (~ 10k x 10k) CCDs covering the entire focal
plane. This paper describes in detail, from operations point of view, a
comparison between the detailed cost of the global automation of the
Observatory and the standard automation cost for astronomical facilities, in
reference to the total investment and highlighting all benefits obtained from
this approach and difficulties encountered. The paper also describes the
engineering development of the overall facilities and infrastructures for the
fully automated observatory and a global overview of current status,
pinpointing lessons learned in order to boost observatory operations
performance, achieving scientific targets, maintaining quality requirements,
but also minimizing operation cost and human resources.Comment: Global Observatory Control System GOC
J-PLUS: The javalambre photometric local universe survey
ABSTRACT: TheJavalambrePhotometric Local UniverseSurvey (J-PLUS )isanongoing 12-band photometricopticalsurvey, observingthousands of squaredegrees of theNorthernHemispherefromthededicated JAST/T80 telescope at the Observatorio AstrofĂsico de Javalambre (OAJ). The T80Cam is a camera with a field of view of 2 deg2 mountedon a telescopewith a diameter of 83 cm, and isequippedwith a uniquesystem of filtersspanningtheentireopticalrange (3500â10â000 Ă
). Thisfiltersystemis a combination of broad-, medium-, and narrow-band filters, optimallydesigned to extracttherest-framespectralfeatures (the 3700â4000 Ă
Balmer break region, HÎŽ, Ca H+K, the G band, and the Mg b and Ca triplets) that are key to characterizingstellartypes and delivering a low-resolutionphotospectrumforeach pixel of theobservedsky. With a typicaldepth of AB âŒ21.25 mag per band, thisfilter set thusallowsforanunbiased and accuratecharacterization of thestellarpopulation in our Galaxy, itprovidesanunprecedented 2D photospectralinformationforall resolved galaxies in the local Universe, as well as accuratephoto-z estimates (at the ÎŽâz/(1 + z)âŒ0.005â0.03 precisionlevel) formoderatelybright (up to rââŒâ20 mag) extragalacticsources. Whilesomenarrow-band filters are designedforthestudy of particular emissionfeatures ([OâŻII]/λ3727, Hα/λ6563) up to zâ<â0.017, theyalsoprovidewell-definedwindowsfortheanalysis of otheremissionlines at higherredshifts. As a result, J-PLUS has thepotential to contribute to a widerange of fields in Astrophysics, both in thenearbyUniverse (MilkyWaystructure, globular clusters, 2D IFU-likestudies, stellarpopulations of nearby and moderate-redshiftgalaxies, clusters of galaxies) and at highredshifts (emission-line galaxies at zâââ0.77,â2.2, and 4.4, quasi-stellarobjects, etc.). Withthispaper, wereleasethefirstâŒ1000 deg2 of J-PLUS data, containingabout 4.3 millionstars and 3.0 milliongalaxies at râ< â21mag. With a goal of 8500 deg2 forthe total J-PLUS footprint, thesenumbers are expected to rise to about 35 millionstars and 24 milliongalaxiesbytheend of thesurvey.Funding for the J-PLUS Project has been provided by the Governments of Spain and AragĂłn through the Fondo de Inversiones de Teruel, the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO; under grants AYA2017-86274-P, AYA2016-77846-P, AYA2016-77237-C3-1-P, AYA2015-66211-C2-1-P, AYA2015-66211-C2-2, AYA2012-30789, AGAUR grant SGR-661/2017, and ICTS-2009-14), and European FEDER funding (FCDD10-4E-867, FCDD13-4E-2685
Spike patterning in oxytocin neurons:Capturing physiological behaviour with Hodgkin-Huxley and integrate-and-fire models
Integrate-and-fire (IF) models can provide close matches to the discharge activity of neurons, but do they oversimplify the biophysical properties of the neurons? A single compartment Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) model of the oxytocin neuron has previously been developed, incorporating biophysical measurements of channel properties obtained in vitro. A simpler modified integrate-and-fire model has also been developed, which can match well the characteristic spike patterning of oxytocin neurons as observed in vivo. Here, we extended the HH model to incorporate synaptic input, to enable us to compare spike activity in the model with experimental data obtained in vivo. We refined the HH model parameters to closely match the data, and then matched the same experimental data with a modified IF model, using an evolutionary algorithm to optimise parameter matching. Finally we compared the properties of the modified HH model with those of the IF model to seek an explanation for differences between spike patterning in vitro and in vivo. We show that, with slight modifications, the original HH model, like the IF model, is able to closely match both the interspike interval (ISI) distributions of oxytocin neurons and the observed variability of spike firing rates in vivo and in vitro. This close match of both models to data depends on the presence of a slow activity-dependent hyperpolarisation (AHP); this is represented in both models and the parameters used in the HH model representation match well with optimal parameters of the IF model found by an evolutionary algorithm. The ability of both models to fit data closely also depends on a shorter hyperpolarising after potential (HAP); this is explicitly represented in the IF model, but in the HH model, it emerges from a combination of several components. The critical elements of this combination are identified
The 2017 May 20 stellar occultation by the elongated centaur (95626) 2002 GZ32
We predicted a stellar occultation of the bright star Gaia DR1 4332852996360346368 (UCAC4 385-75921) (mV = 14.0 mag) by the centaur 2002 GZ32 for 2017 May 20. Our latest shadow path prediction was favourable to a large region in Europe. Observations were arranged in a broad region inside the nominal shadow path. Series of images were obtained with 29 telescopes throughout Europe and from six of them (five in Spain and one in Greece) we detected the occultation. This is the fourth centaur, besides Chariklo, Chiron, and Bienor, for which a multichord stellar occultation is reported. By means of an elliptical fit to the occultation chords, we obtained the limb of 2002 GZ32 during the occultation, resulting in an ellipse with axes of 305 ± 17 km à 146 ± 8 km. From this limb, thanks to a rotational light curve obtained shortly after the occultation, we derived the geometric albedo of 2002 GZ32 (pV = 0.043 ± 0.007) and a 3D ellipsoidal shape with axes 366 km à 306 km à 120 km. This shape is not fully consistent with a homogeneous body in hydrostatic equilibrium for the known rotation period of 2002 GZ32. The size (albedo) obtained from the occultation is respectively smaller (greater) than that derived from the radiometric technique but compatible within error bars. No rings or debris around 2002 GZ32 were detected from the occultation, but narrow and thin rings cannot be discarded. © 2021 2020 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society
The 2017 May 20 stellar occultation by the elongated centaur (95626) 2002 GZ32
We predicted a stellar occultation of the bright star Gaia DR1 4332852996360346368 (UCAC4 385-75921) (mV = 14.0 mag) by the centaur 2002 GZ32 for 2017 May 20. Our latest shadow path prediction was favourable to a large region in Europe. Observations were arranged in a broad region inside the nominal shadow path. Series of images were obtained with 29 telescopes throughout Europe and from six of them (five in Spain and one in Greece) we detected the occultation. This is the fourth centaur, besides Chariklo, Chiron, and Bienor, for which a multichord stellar occultation is reported. By means of an elliptical fit to the occultation chords, we obtained the limb of 2002 GZ32 during the occultation, resulting in an ellipse with axes of 305 ± 17 km à 146 ± 8 km. From this limb, thanks to a rotational light curve obtained shortly after the occultation, we derived the geometric albedo of 2002 GZ32 (pV = 0.043 ± 0.007) and a 3D ellipsoidal shape with axes 366 km à 306 km à 120 km. This shape is not fully consistent with a homogeneous body in hydrostatic equilibrium for the known rotation period of 2002 GZ32. The size (albedo) obtained from the occultation is respectively smaller (greater) than that derived from the radiometric technique but compatible within error bars. No rings or debris around 2002 GZ32 were detected from the occultation, but narrow and thin rings cannot be discarded
The miniJPAS survey: a preview of the Universe in 56 colours
International audienceThe Javalambre-Physics of the Accelerating Universe Astrophysical Survey (J-PAS) will soon start to scan thousands of square degrees of the northern extragalactic sky with a unique set of optical filters from a dedicated m telescope, JST, at the Javalambre Astrophysical Observatory. Before the arrival of the final instrument (a 1.2 Gpixels, 4.2deg field-of-view camera), the JST was equipped with an interim camera (JPAS-Pathfinder), composed of one CCD with a 0.3deg field-of-view and resolution of 0.23 arcsec pixel. To demonstrate the scientific potential of J-PAS, with the JPAS-Pathfinder camera we carried out a survey on the AEGIS field (along the Extended Groth Strip), dubbed miniJPAS. We observed a total of deg, with the J-PAS filters, which include narrow band (NB, Angstrom) and two broader filters extending to the UV and the near-infrared, complemented by the SDSS broad band (BB) filters. In this paper we present the miniJPAS data set, the details of the catalogues and data access, and illustrate the scientific potential of our multi-band data. The data surpass the target depths originally planned for J-PAS, reaching between and for the NB filters and up to for the BB filters ( in a ~arcsec aperture). The miniJPAS primary catalogue contains more than sources extracted in the detection band with forced photometry in all other bands. We estimate the catalogue to be complete up to for point-like sources and up to for extended sources. Photometric redshifts reach subpercent precision for all sources up to , and a precision of % for about half of the sample. (Abridged
The miniJPAS survey: A preview of the Universe in 56 colors
International audienceThe Javalambre-Physics of the Accelerating Universe Astrophysical Survey (J-PAS) will scan thousands of square degrees of the northern sky with a unique set of 56 filters using the dedicated 2.55 m Javalambre Survey Telescope (JST) at the Javalambre Astrophysical Observatory. Prior to the installation of the main camera (4.2âdeg2 field-of-view with 1.2 Gpixels), the JST was equipped with the JPAS-Pathfinder, a one CCD camera with a 0.3âdeg2 field-of-view and plate scale of 0.23 arcsec pixelâ1. To demonstrate the scientific potential of J-PAS, the JPAS-Pathfinder camera was used to perform miniJPAS, a âŒ1 deg2 survey of the AEGIS field (along the Extended Groth Strip). The field was observed with the 56 J-PAS filters, which include 54 narrow band (FWHMââŒâ145 Ă
) and two broader filters extending to the UV and the near-infrared, complemented by the u,âg,âr,âi SDSS broad band filters. In this miniJPAS survey overview paper, we present the miniJPAS data set (images and catalogs), as we highlight key aspects and applications of these unique spectro-photometric data and describe how to access the public data products. The data parameters reach depths of magABâââ22â23.5 in the 54 narrow band filters and up to 24 in the broader filters (5Ï in a 3âł aperture). The miniJPAS primary catalog contains more than 64â000 sources detected in the r band and with matched photometry in all other bands. This catalog is 99% complete at râ=â23.6 (râ=â22.7) mag for point-like (extended) sources. We show that our photometric redshifts have an accuracy better than 1% for all sources up to râ=â22.5, and a precision of â€0.3% for a subset consisting of about half of the sample. On this basis, we outline several scientific applications of our data, including the study of spatially-resolved stellar populations of nearby galaxies, the analysis of the large scale structure up to zââŒâ0.9, and the detection of large numbers of clusters and groups. Sub-percent redshift precision can also be reached for quasars, allowing for the study of the large-scale structure to be pushed to zâ>â2. The miniJPAS survey demonstrates the capability of the J-PAS filter system to accurately characterize a broad variety of sources and paves the way for the upcoming arrival of J-PAS, which will multiply this data by three orders of magnitude.Key words: surveys / techniques: photometric / astronomical databases: miscellaneous / stars: general / galaxies: general / cosmology: observationsâ miniJPAS data and associated value added catalogs are publicly available http://archive.cefca.es/catalogues/minijpas-pdr20191