Optimizing baryon acoustic oscillation surveys – I. Testing the concordance ΛCDM cosmology

We optimize the design of future spectroscopic redshift surveys for constraining the dark energy via precision measurements of the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), with particular emphasis on the design of the Wide-Field Multi-Object Spectrograph (WFMOS). We develop a model that predicts the number density of possible target galaxies as a function of exposure time and redshift. We use this number counts model together with fitting formulae for the accuracy of the BAO measurements to determine the effectiveness of different surveys and instrument designs. We search through the available survey parameter space to find the optimal survey with respect to the dark energy equation-of-state parameters according to the Dark Energy Task Force Figure-of-Merit, including predictions of future measurements from the Planck satellite. We optimize the survey to test the LambdaCDM model, assuming that galaxies are pre-selected using photometric redshifts to have a constant number density with redshift, and using a non-linear cut-off for the matter power spectrum that evolves with redshift. We find that line-emission galaxies are strongly preferred as targets over continuum emission galaxies. The optimal survey covers a redshift range 0.8 < z < 1.4, over the widest possible area (6000 sq. degs from 1500 hours observing time). The most efficient number of fibres for the spectrograph is 2,000, and the survey performance continues to improve with the addition of extra fibres until a plateau is reached at 10,000 fibres. The optimal point in the survey parameter space is not highly peaked and is not significantly affected by including constraints from upcoming supernovae surveys and other BAO experiments.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figure

Diisopropylamide and TMP turbo-grignard reagents : a structural rationale for their contrasting reactivities

A neutral dimeric molecule in crystal form, the diisopropylamido turbo-Grignard reagent "(iPr2N)MgCl⋅LiCl" (see structure; blue N, red O, green Mg, yellow Cl, black C) separates into several charged ate species in dynamic exchange with each other in THF solution as determined by a combination of EXSY and DOSY NMR studies

Error Analysis and Uncertainty Quantification for the Heterogeneous Transport Equation in Slab Geometry

We present an analysis of multilevel Monte Carlo techniques for the forward problem of uncertainty quantification for the radiative transport equation, when the coefficients ({\em cross-sections}) are heterogenous random fields. To do this, we first give a new error analysis for the combined spatial and angular discretisation in the deterministic case, with error estimates which are explicit in the coefficients (and allow for very low regularity and jumps). This detailed error analysis is done for the 1D space - 1D angle slab geometry case with classical diamond differencing. Under reasonable assumptions on the statistics of the coefficients, we then prove an error estimate for the random problem in a suitable Bochner space. Because the problem is not self-adjoint, stability can only be proved under a path-dependent mesh resolution condition. This means that, while the Bochner space error estimate is of order $\mathcal{O}(h^\eta)$ for some $\eta$, where $h$ is a (deterministically chosen) mesh diameter, smaller mesh sizes might be needed for some realisations. Under reasonable assumptions we show that the expected cost for computing a typical quantity of interest remains of the same order as for a single sample. This leads to rigorous complexity estimates for Monte Carlo and multilevel Monte Carlo: For particular linear solvers, the multilevel version gives up to two orders of magnitude improvement over Monte Carlo. We provide numerical results supporting the theory

Designer Cosmology

We highlight the flexibility of the IPSO experiment-design framework by contrasting its application to CMB, weak lensing and redshift surveys. We illustrate the latter with a 10 parameter MCMC D-optimisation of a dark energy redshift survey. When averaged over a standard dark energy model space the resulting optimal survey typically has only one or two redshift bins, located at z<2. By exploiting optimisation we show how the statistical power of such surveys is significantly enhanced. Experiment design is aided by the richness of the figure of merit landscape which means one can impose secondary optimisation criteria at little cost. For example, one may choose either to maximally test a single model (such as \Lambda CDM) or to get the most general model-independent constraints possible (e.g. on a whole space of dark energy models). Such freedom points to a future where cosmological experiments become increasingly specialised and optimisation increasingly important.Comment: 5 pages, 5 colour figures, ApJ Styl

Refining the relationship between the mechanical demands on the spine and injury mechanisms through improved estimates of load exposure and tissue tolerance

The low back loading to which an individual is exposed has been linked to injury and the reporting of low back pain. Despite extensive research on the spine and workplace loading exposures, statistics indicate that efforts to date have not led to large reductions in the reporting of these injuries. One possible cause for the apparent ineffectiveness of interventions may be a poorly defined understanding of the mechanical exposures of the spine during work related activities. There are sophisticated models that can predict spine loads and are responsive to how an individual moves and uses their muscles, however the models are complex and require extensive data collection to be implemented. This fact has prevented these models from being employed in industrial settings and the simplified surrogate methods that are being employed may not be predicting load exposures well. Therefore, this work focused on examining surrogate methods that can produce estimates of spine loading equal to our most complex laboratory based models. In addition, our understanding of spine tolerance to combined motion and load has been based upon in-vitro work that has not accurately represented coupled physiologic compression and flexion or has not investigated potentially beneficial loading scenarios. The result has been a lack of clear data indicating when motion should be treated as the primary influence in injury development or when load is the likely injury causing exposure. As a result, research was conducted to determine the interplay between load and motion in cumulative injury development, as well as investigating the potential of static rest periods in mitigating the effects of cumulative compression. Study one examined the potential utility of artificial neural networks as a data reduction approach in obtaining estimates of time-varying loads and moments equal in magnitude to those of EMG-assisted and rigid link models. It was found that the neural network approach under predicted peak force and moment exposures, but produced strong predictions of average and cumulative exposures. Therefore this method may be a viable approach to document cumulative loads in industrial settings. Study two compared the load and moment estimates from a currently employed, posture match based ergonomic assessment tool (3DMatch) to those obtained with an EMG-assisted model and those predicted with a rigid link modeling approach. The results indicated that 3DMatch over predicted peak moments and cumulative compression. However, simple correction approaches were developed which can adjust the predictions to obtain more physiologic estimates. Study three employed flexion/extension motion with repetitive compression loading profiles in an in-vitro study, with both load and motion profiles being obtained from measures in study 1. It was found that at loads above 30% of a spine’s compressive tolerance, repetitive flexion/extension would not lead to intervertebral disc injury prior to an endplate or vertebral fracture occurring. However, as loads fall below 30% the likelihood of experiencing a herniation increases, while the overall likelihood of an injury occurring decreases. Comparison to relevant studies indicated that while repetitive flexion did not alter the site of injury it appeared to degrade the ability of the spine to tolerate compression. Finally, study four employed dynamic compression while the spine was maintained in a neutral posture to investigate the effects of ‘rest’, or periods of static low level loading, on altering the amount of load tolerated prior to injury. It was found that there was a non-linear relationship between load magnitude and compressive tolerance, with increasing load magnitude exposures leading to decreasing cumulative load tolerances. Periods of low level static loading did not alter the resistance of the spinal unit to cumulative compression or impact the number of cycles tolerated to failure. In summary, this work has examined methods that may allow for better predictions of spine loading in the workplace without the large data demands of sophisticated laboratory approaches. Where possible, suggestions for optimal implementation of these surrogates have been developed. Additionally, in-vitro work has indicated a load threshold of 30%, above which herniation is not likely to occur during dynamic repetitive loading. Furthermore, the insertion of static rest periods into dynamic loading scenarios did not improve the spine’s failure tolerance to loading, indicating that care should be exercised when determining optimal loading paradigms. In combination, the applied methods that have been developed and the information regarding injury development that has been obtained will help to refine our understanding of the exposures and tolerances that define mechanical injury in the spine

Genesis and Classification of Arctic Coastal Plain Soils, Prudhoe Bay, Alaska

A soil survey was conducted over some 140 km2 of oil field at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska during the 1974 and 1975 field seasons. The survey involved both field study and laboratory characterization of the typical soils. Soil-land form relationships were studied, and soil genesis was hypothesized. Soil genesis, morphology and classification were found to be closely related to geomorphic processes including: (1) the thaw lake cycle, (2) patterned ground formation and (3) differential loess deposition. The U.S. Department of Agriculture-Soil Conservation Service classification system, Soil Taxonomy, was tested relative to these soils, and some classification modifications were proposed involving: (1) the definition of the pedon, (2) recognition of the pergelic temperature regime at the suborder level and (3) the definition of organic soil material. Several classification modifications of a minor nature were developed involving the establishment of new taxa at the subgroup level.U.S. Tundra Biome Programme of the International Biological Programme.Prudhoe Environmental Subcommittee.University of Alask

Rapid, substrate-independent thickness determination of large area graphene layers

Phase-shifting interferometric imaging is shown to be a powerful analytical tool for studying graphene films, providing quantitative analysis of large area samples with an optical thickness resolution of ≤0.05 nm. The technique is readily able to identify single sheets of graphene and to quantitatively distinguish between layers composed of multiple graphene sheets. The thickness resolution of the technique is shown to result from the phase shift produced by a graphene film as incident and reflected light pass through it, rather than from path-length differences produced by surface height variations. This is enhanced by the high refractive index of graphene, estimated in this work to be nG = 2.99 ± 0.18.The authors wish to acknowledge the Australian Research Council for financial support

Optimizing future imaging survey of galaxies to confront dark energy and modified gravity models

We consider the extent to which future imaging surveys of galaxies can distinguish between dark energy and modified gravity models for the origin of the cosmic acceleration. Dynamical dark energy models may have similar expansion rates as models of modified gravity, yet predict different growth of structure histories. We parameterize the cosmic expansion by the two parameters, $w_0$ and $w_a$, and the linear growth rate of density fluctuations by Linder's $\gamma$, independently. Dark energy models generically predict $\gamma \approx 0.55$, while the DGP model $\gamma \approx 0.68$. To determine if future imaging surveys can constrain $\gamma$ within 20 percent (or $\Delta\gamma<0.1$), we perform the Fisher matrix analysis for a weak lensing survey such as the on-going Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) project. Under the condition that the total observation time is fixed, we compute the Figure of Merit (FoM) as a function of the exposure time \texp. We find that the tomography technique effectively improves the FoM, which has a broad peak around \texp\simeq {\rm several}\sim 10 minutes; a shallow and wide survey is preferred to constrain the $\gamma$ parameter. While $\Delta\gamma < 0.1$ cannot be achieved by the HSC weak-lensing survey alone, one can improve the constraints by combining with a follow-up spectroscopic survey like WFMOS and/or future CMB observations.Comment: 18 pages, typos correcte

Soil formation on Holocene moraines in the cirque de Troumouse, Pyrenees

Factors affecting rates and degree of soil formation on Holocene moraines are discussed with reference to moraine sequences in the Cirque de Troumouse, French Pyrenees. In particular, the role of time, slope position and post-depositional history are evaluated for three moraines ranging in age from c. 5000 to c. 1000 yr BP. Soil profile development, as determined by visual criteria, indicates differences in soil development between moraines of different age as well as between soils developed on the same moraine but occupying different slope positions. Particle size analysis and soil chemical analyses confirm that microtopography exerts a strong control on the extent and rate of soil formation, and must therefore be considered when sampling and describing soil chronosequences on glacial moraines.[es] Se discuten los factores que afectan a las tasas y al grado de formación del suelo en morrenas Holocenas, con referencia a la secuencia de morrenas en el Circo de Troumouse, Pirineo francés. En particular, se evalúa el papel del tiempo, la posición de la pendiente y la historia postdeposicional para tres morrenas ordenadas en edad desde c. 5000 a c. 1000 años BP. El desarrollo del perfil del suelo, determinado por criterios visuales, indica diferencias de desarrollo del suelo entre morrenas de diferente edad así como entre suelos desarrollados en la misma morrena, pero ocupando diferentes posiciones de la pendiente. Análisis granulométricos y químicos del suelo confirman que la microtopografía ejerce un fuerte control en la extensión y en la tasa de formación del suelo y, por tanto, deberla ser tenida en cuenta en los muéstreos y descripciones de las cronosecuencias del suelo en morrenas glaciares. [fr] On discute les facteurs qui affectent les taux et le degré de formation du sol en moraines Holocènes, avec référence à la séquence de moraines du Cirque de Troumouse, Pyrénées français. En particulier, on évalue le rôle du temps, la position de la pente et l'histoire postdépositionelle pour trois moraines ordonnées chronologiquement de c. 5000 à 1000 ans av. J.C.. Le développement du profil du sol, déterminé selon des critères visuels, ' signale des différences de développement du sol entre des moraines d'âge différent de même qu'entre des sols formés dans la même moraine, mais qui occupent différentes positions de la pente. Des analyses granulométriques et chimiques du sol confirment que la microtopographie exerce une forte influence sur l'étendue et les taux de formation du sol et par conséquent, elle devrait entrer en ligne de compte dans les échantillonnages et les descriptions des chronoséquences du sol en moraines glaciaires