337 research outputs found
A comparison of March and April soybean planting dates in south-central Illinois
One of the biggest issues with ultra-early planting of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is the lack of research that has been conducted. This study is designed to increase the knowledge base of soybean planting dates by looking at ultra-early (March) versus early (April) planted soybean in south-central Illinois. Field research was conducted in two fields, near Morrisonville, IL over the 2017 and 2018 growing season. In 2017, the March planted soybean required 19 days to gain 121 GDD for emergence to start. Compared to the April planting date where emergence was in 7 days with 123 GDD accumulation. In 2018, it took 38 days and 122 GDD for the March planted soybean to start emergence. In comparison, the April planting had emergence in 11 days at 125 GDD accumulation. There was no significant grain yield difference (p = 0.7090) for soybean planted in March compared to soybean planted in April. Overall, the mean grain yield for the March planting date was 89.02 bu/acre while mean grain yield for the April planting date was 89.25 bu/acre over the course of a two year period. The biggest influence on grain yield was year over the two year period (p \u3c 0.001). Yet, not when we look at variety by year interaction (p = 0.2852). In conclusion, this study found that, planting soybean ultra-early, March, compared to early, April, did not increase yields
: Pressure-dependent Changes In Light Curve Phase In Brown Dwarfs From Simultaneous and Observations
We present /IRAC Ch1 and Ch2 monitoring of six brown dwarfs during 8
different epochs over the course of 20 months. For four brown dwarfs, we also
obtained simulataneous /WFC3 G141 Grism spectra during two epochs and
derived light curves in five narrow-band filters. Probing different pressure
levels in the atmospheres, the multi-wavelength light curves of our six targets
all exhibit variations, and the shape of the light curves evolves over the
timescale of a rotation period, ranging from 1.4 h to 13 h. We compare the
shapes of the light curves and estimate the phase shifts between the light
curves observed at different wavelengths by comparing the phase of the primary
Fourier components. We use state-of-the-art atmosphere models to determine the
flux contribution of different pressure layers to the observed flux in each
filter. We find that the light curves that probe higher pressures are similar
and in phase, but are offset and often different from the light curves that
probe lower pressures. The phase differences between the two groups of light
curves suggest that the modulations seen at lower and higher pressures may be
introduced by different cloud layers.Comment: 34 pages, 22 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Cloud Atlas: Weak Color Modulations Due to Rotation in the Planetary-mass Companion GU Psc b and 11 Other Brown Dwarfs
Among the greatest challenges in understanding ultracool brown dwarf and exoplanet atmospheres is the evolution of cloud structure as a function of temperature and gravity. In this study, we present the rotational modulations of GU Psc b—a rare mid-T spectral type planetary-mass companion at the end of the L/T spectral type transition. Based on the Hubble Space Telescope/WFC3 1.1–1.67 μm time-series spectra, we observe a quasi-sinusoidal light curve with a peak-to-trough flux variation of 2.7% and a minimum period of 8 h. The rotation-modulated spectral variations are weakly wavelength-dependent, or largely gray between 1.1 and 1.67 μm. The gray modulations indicate that heterogeneous clouds are present in the photosphere of this low-gravity mid-T dwarf. We place the color and brightness variations of GU Psc b in the context of rotational modulations reported for mid-L to late-T dwarfs. Based on these observations, we report a tentative trend: mid-to-late T dwarfs become slightly redder in J − H color with increasing J-band brightness, while L dwarfs become slightly bluer with increasing brightness. If this trend is verified with more T-dwarf samples, it suggests that in addition to the mostly gray modulations, there is a second-order spectral-type dependence on the nature of rotational modulations
artcat: Sample-size calculation for an ordered categorical outcome
We describe a new command, artcat, that calculates sample size or power for a randomized controlled trial or similar experiment with an ordered categorical outcome, where analysis is by the proportional-odds model. artcat implements the method of Whitehead (1993, Statistics in Medicine 12: 2257–2271). We also propose and implement a new method that 1) allows the user to specify a treatment effect that does not obey the proportional-odds assumption, 2) offers greater accuracy for large treatment effects, and 3) allows for noninferiority trials. We illustrate the command and explore the value of an ordered categorical outcome over a binary outcome in various settings. We show by simulation that the methods perform well and that the new method is more accurate than Whitehead’s method
Cloud Atlas: Rotational Spectral Modulations and potential Sulfide Clouds in the Planetary-mass, Late T-type Companion Ross 458C
Measurements of photometric variability at different wavelengths provide
insights into the vertical cloud structure of brown dwarfs and planetary-mass
objects. In seven Hubble Space Telescope consecutive orbits, spanning 10
h of observing time}, we obtained time-resolved spectroscopy of the
planetary-mass T8-dwarf Ross 458C using the near-infrared Wide Field Camera 3.
We found spectrophotometric variability with a peak-to-peak signal of
2.620.02 % (in the 1.10-1.60~m white light curve). Using three
different methods, we estimated a rotational period of 6.751.58~h for the
white light curve, and similar periods for narrow - and - band light
curves. Sine wave fits to the narrow - and -band light curves suggest a
tentative phase shift between the light curves with wavelength when we allow
different periods between both light curves. If confirmed, this phase shift may
be similar to the phase shift detected earlier for the T6.5 spectral type 2MASS
J22282889-310262. We find that, in contrast with 2M2228, the variability of
Ross~458C shows evidence for a {color trend} within the narrow -band, but
gray variations in the narrow -band. The spectral time-resolved variability
of Ross 458C might be potentially due to heterogeneous sulfide clouds in the
atmosphere of the object. Our discovery extends the study of spectral
modulations of condensate clouds to the coolest T dwarfs, planetary-mass
companions.Comment: Accepted in ApJ
artbin: Extended sample size for randomized trials with binary outcomes
We describe the command artbin, which offers various new facilities for the calculation of sample size for binary outcome variables that are not otherwise available in Stata. While artbin has been available since 2004, it has not been previously described in the Stata Journal. artbin has been recently updated to include new options for different statistical tests, methods and study designs, improved syntax, and better handling of noninferiority trials. In this article, we describe the updated version of artbin and detail the various formulas used within artbin in different settings
Cloud Atlas: High-Contrast Time-Resolved Observations of Planetary-Mass Companions
Directly-imaged planetary-mass companions offer unique opportunities in
atmospheric studies of exoplanets. They share characteristics of both brown
dwarfs and transiting exoplanets, therefore, are critical for connecting
atmospheric characterizations for these objects. Rotational phase mapping is a
powerful technique to constrain the condensate cloud properties in ultra-cool
atmospheres. Applying this technique to directly-imaged planetary-mass
companions will be extremely valuable for constraining cloud models in low mass
and surface gravity atmospheres and for determining the rotation rate and
angular momentum of substellar companions. Here, we present Hubble Space
Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 near-infrared time-resolved photometry for three
planetary-mass companions, AB Pic B, 2M0122B, and 2M1207b. Using two-roll
differential imaging and hybrid point spread function modeling, we achieve
sub-percent photometric precision for all three observations. We find tentative
modulations () for AB Pic B and 2M0122B but cannot reach
conclusive results on 2M1207b due to strong systematics. The relatively low
significance of the modulation measurements cannot rule out the hypothesis that
these planetary-mass companions have the same vertical cloud structures as
brown dwarfs. Our rotation rate measurements, combined with archival period
measurements of planetary-mass companions and brown dwarfs do not support a
universal mass-rotation relation. The high precision of our observations and
the high occurrence rates of variable low-surface gravity objects encourage
high-contrast time-resolved observations with the James Webb Space Telescope.Comment: Accepted for publication in AAS Journa
Cloud Atlas: Discovery of Rotational Spectral Modulations in a Low-mass, L-type Brown Dwarf Companion to a Star
Observations of rotational modulations of brown dwarfs and giant exoplanets
allow the characterization of condensate cloud properties. As of now rotational
spectral modulations have only been seen in three L-type brown dwarfs. We
report here the discovery of rotational spectral modulations in LP261-75B, an
L6-type intermediate surface gravity companion to an M4.5 star. As a part of
the Cloud Atlas Treasury program we acquired time-resolved Wide Field Camera 3
grism spectroscopy (1.1--1.69~m) of LP261-75B. We find gray spectral
variations with the relative amplitude displaying only a weak wavelength
dependence and no evidence for lower-amplitude modulations in the 1.4~m
water band than in the adjacent continuum. The likely rotational modulation
period is 4.780.95 h, although the rotational phase is not well sampled.
The minimum relative amplitude in the white light curve measured over the whole
wavelength range is 2.410.14\%. We report an unusual light curve with
seemingly three peaks approximately evenly distributed in rotational phase. The
spectral modulations suggests that the upper atmosphere cloud properties in
{LP261-75B} are similar to two other mid-L dwarfs of typical infrared colors,
but differ from that of the extremely red L-dwarf WISE0047
Spitzer Space Telescope Mid-IR Light Curves of Neptune
We have used the Spitzer Space Telescope in 2016 February to obtain high cadence, high signal-to-noise, 17 hr duration light curves of Neptune at 3.6 and 4.5 μm. The light curve duration was chosen to correspond to the rotation period of Neptune. Both light curves are slowly varying with time, with full amplitudes of 1.1 mag at 3.6 μm and 0.6 mag at 4.5 μm. We have also extracted sparsely sampled 18 hr light curves of Neptune at W1 (3.4 μm) and W2 (4.6 μm) from the Wide-feld Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)/NEOWISE archive at six epochs in 2010–2015. These light curves all show similar shapes and amplitudes compared to the Spitzer light curves but with considerable variation from epoch to epoch. These amplitudes are much larger than those observed with Kepler/K2 in the visible (amplitude ~0.02 mag) or at 845 nm with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in 2015 and at 763 nm in 2016 (amplitude ~0.2 mag). We interpret the Spitzer and WISE light curves as arising entirely from reflected solar photons, from higher levels in Neptune's atmosphere than for K2. Methane gas is the dominant opacity source in Neptune's atmosphere, and methane absorption bands are present in the HST 763 and 845 nm, WISE W1, and Spitzer 3.6 μm filters
A Study of the Diverse T Dwarf Population Revealed by WISE
We report the discovery of 87 new T dwarfs uncovered with the Wide-field
Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and three brown dwarfs with extremely red
near-infrared colors that exhibit characteristics of both L and T dwarfs. Two
of the new T dwarfs are likely binaries with L7+/-1 primaries and mid-type T
secondaries. In addition, our follow-up program has confirmed 10 previously
identified T dwarfs and four photometrically-selected L and T dwarf candidates
in the literature. This sample, along with the previous WISE discoveries,
triples the number of known brown dwarfs with spectral types later than T5.
Using the WISE All-Sky Source Catalog we present updated color-color and
color-type diagrams for all the WISE-discovered T and Y dwarfs. Near-infrared
spectra of the new discoveries are presented, along with spectral
classifications. To accommodate later T dwarfs we have modified the integrated
flux method of determining spectral indices to instead use the median flux.
Furthermore, a newly defined J-narrow index differentiates the early-type Y
dwarfs from late-type T dwarfs based on the J-band continuum slope. The K/J
indices for this expanded sample show that 32% of late-type T dwarfs have
suppressed K-band flux and are blue relative to the spectral standards, while
only 11% are redder than the standards. Comparison of the Y/J and K/J index to
models suggests diverse atmospheric conditions and supports the possible
re-emergence of clouds after the L/T transition. We also discuss peculiar brown
dwarfs and candidates that were found not to be substellar, including two Young
Stellar Objects and two Active Galactic Nuclei. The coolest WISE-discovered
brown dwarfs are the closest of their type and will remain the only sample of
their kind for many years to come.Comment: Accepted to ApJS on 15 January 2013; 99 pages in preprint format, 30
figures, 12 table
- …