399 research outputs found
MEMS-based Speckle Spectrometer
We describe a new concept for a MEMS-based active spatial filter for
astronomical spectroscopy. The goal of this device is to allow the use of a
diffraction-limited spectrometer on a seeing limited observation at improved
throughput over a comparable seeing-limited spectrometer, thus reducing the
size and cost of the spectrometer by a factor proportional to r0/D (For the
case of a 10 meter telescope this size reduction will be approximately a factor
of 25 to 50). We use a fiber-based integral field unit (IFU) that incorporates
an active MEMS mirror array to feed an astronomical spectrograph. A fast camera
is used in parallel to sense speckle images at a spatial resolution of lambda/D
and at a temporal frequency greater than that of atmospheric fluctuations. The
MEMS mirror-array is used as an active shutter to feed speckle images above a
preset intensity threshold to the spectrometer, thereby increasing the
signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the spectrogram. Preliminary calculations
suggests an SNR improvement of a factor of about 1.4. Computer simulations have
shown an SNR improvement of 1.1, but have not yet fully explored the parameter
space.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, presented at SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and
Instrumentation, 24 - 31 May 2006, Orlando, Florida US
The small-scale Structure of the Magellanic Stream as a Foundation for Galaxy Evolution
The Magellanic Stream (MS) is the nearest example of a gaseous trail formed
by interacting galaxies. While the substantial gas masses in these kinds of
circumgalactic structures are postulated to represent important sources of fuel
for future star formation, the mechanisms whereby this material might be
accreted back into galaxies remain unclear. Recent neutral hydrogen (HI)
observations have demonstrated that the northern portion of the MS, which
probably has been interacting with the Milky Way's hot gaseous halo for close
to 1000~Myr, has a larger spatial extent than previously recognized, while also
containing significant amounts of small-scale structure. After a brief
consideration of the large-scale kinematics of the MS as traced by the
recently-discovered extension of the MS, we explore the aging process of the MS
gas through the operation of various hydrodynamic instabilities and
interstellar turbulence. This in turn leads to consideration of processes
whereby MS material survives as cool gas, and yet also evidently fails to form
stars. Parallels between the MS and extragalactic tidal features are briefly
discussed with an emphasis on steps toward establishing what the MS reveals
about the critical role of local processes in determining the evolution of
these kinds of systems
Patterns of Sustainable Innovation in the Building Industry. Towards a Strategic Management Perspective on Environmental, Social, and Economic Values.
L'abstract Ăš presente nell'allegato / the abstract is in the attachmen
Recommended from our members
The Fourth-Century AD Expansion of the Graeco-Roman Settlement of Karanis (Kom Aushim) in the Northern Fayum*
The Graeco-Roman town of Karanis, founded during the Ptolemaic Period in the north-eastern Fayum in the third century bc and long thought to have been abandoned in the third century ad actually saw a substantial expansion during the fourth century AD. With the creation of an 3 extension towards the west and the expansion of the eastern part, the town grew in both directions. We argue that this expansion may be related to a sudden rise of the water level in Lake Moeris (Lake Qarun), perhaps linked to a catastrophic dam breach in the eastern part of the Fayum, and the subsequent relocation of the inhabitants of the low-lying settlements north and east of the lake
Integrated approach to sustainable building design programming
This paper aims at analysing the relationship between aesthetic and technological
aspects in the design process. âSustainabilityâ is often a label associated
mainly to technological systems aimed at achieving energy efficiency,
without considering architectural quality of spaces or environmental and sustainable
performances as a holistic approach. Since buildings are working as
systems and not as simple sums of elements, this paper proposes an integrated
building design methodology, which embeds and merges technological,
environmental and esthetical aspects.
To this end, the paper presents the design teaching and research experience
carried out with the students of final atelier of the Master of Sustainability, at
the Polytechnic of Turin in 2014. In this atelier students were asked to design
a building for the Architecture Faculty for The University of Melbourne. During
this final atelier, a number of tools were applied throughout the overall design
development to helps students in developing projects able to integrate aesthetic,
environmental and technological aspects. For instance, one of these
tools was the site microclimate matrix, which is a valid instrument for precisely
defining master plans organizations, or placing volumetric solutions on
sites, following a decision making process based on site-specific functional,
technological and environmental aspects. This tool, as well as others that
were adopted in the atelier, demonstrated to provide students the ability of
developing projects characterised by efficient technical solution and high creative
architectural designs
A turn-key Concept for active cancellation of Global Positioning System L3 Signal
We present a concept, developed at the National Astronomy and Ionosphere
Center (NAIC) at Arecibo, Puerto Rico, for active suppression of Global
Positioning System (GPS) signals in the 305 m dish radio receiver path prior to
backend processing. The subsystem does not require an auxiliary antenna and is
intended for easy integration with radio telescope systems with a goal of being
a turnkey addition to virtually any facility. Working with actual sampled
signal data, we have focused on the detection and cancellation of the GPS L3
signal at 1381.05 MHz which, during periodic test modes and particularly during
system-wide tests, interfere with observations of objects in a range of
redshifts that includes the Coma supercluster, for example. This signal can
dynamically change modulation modes and our scheme is capable of detecting
these changes and applying cancellation or sending a blanking signal, as
appropriate. The subsystem can also be adapted to GPS L1 (1575.42 MHz), L2C
(1227.6 MHz), and others. A follow-up is underway to develop a prototype to
deploy and evaluate at NAIC.Comment: Presented at the RFI mitigation workshop, 29-31 March 2010,
Groningen, the Netherlands. Accepted for publication by the Proceedings of
Scienc
Nature-inspired optimization of hierarchical porous media for catalytic and separation processes
Hierarchical materials combining pore sizes of different length scales are highly important for catalysis and separation processes, where optimization of adsorption and transport properties is required. Nature can be an excellent guide to rational design, as it is full of hierarchical structures that are intrinsically scaling, efficient and robust. However, much of the âinspirationâ from nature is, at present, empirical; considering the huge design space, we advocate a methodical, fundamental approach based on mechanistic features
- âŠ