3,837 research outputs found
Rightsizing LISA
The LISA science requirements and conceptual design have been fairly stable
for over a decade. In the interest of reducing costs, the LISA Project at NASA
has looked for simplifications of the architecture, at downsizing of
subsystems, and at descopes of the entire mission. This is a natural activity
of the formulation phase, and one that is particularly timely in the current
NASA budgetary context. There is, and will continue to be, enormous pressure
for cost reduction from both ESA and NASA, reviewers and the broader research
community. Here, the rationale for the baseline architecture is reviewed, and
recent efforts to find simplifications and other reductions that might lead to
savings are reported. A few possible simplifications have been found in the
LISA baseline architecture. In the interest of exploring cost sensitivity, one
moderate and one aggressive descope have been evaluated; the cost savings are
modest and the loss of science is not.Comment: To be published in Classical and Quantum Gravity; Proceedings of the
Seventh International LISA Symposium, Barcelona, Spain, 16-20 Jun. 2008; 10
pages, 1 figure, 3 table
Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation Anisotropy Induced by Cosmic Strings
We report on a current investigation of the anisotropy pattern induced by
cosmic strings on the cosmic microwave background radiation (MBR). We have
numerically evolved a network of cosmic strings from a redshift of to
the present and calculated the anisotropies which they induce. Based on a
limited number of realizations, we have compared the results of our simulations
with the observations of the COBE-DMR experiment. We have obtained a
preliminary estimate of the string mass-per-unit-length in the cosmic
string scenario.Comment: 8 pages of TeX - [Color] Postscript available by anonymous ftp at
ftp://fnas08.fnal.gov:/pub/Publications/Conf-94-197-A, FERMILAB-Conf-94/197-
Isolating Geometry in Weak Lensing Measurements
Given a foreground galaxy-density field or shear field, its cross-correlation
with the shear field from a background population of source galaxies scales
with the source redshift in a way that is specific to lensing. Such a
source-scaling can be exploited to effectively measure geometrical distances as
a function of redshift and thereby constrain dark energy properties, free of
any assumptions about the galaxy-mass/mass power spectrum (its shape, amplitude
or growth). Such a geometrical method can yield a ~ 0.03 - 0.07 f_{sky}^{-1/2}
measurement on the dark energy abundance and equation of state, for a
photometric redshift accuracy of dz ~ 0.01 - 0.05 and a survey with median
redshift of ~ 1. While these constraints are weaker than conventional weak
lensing methods, they provide an important consistency check because the
geometrical method carries less theoretical baggage: there is no need to assume
any structure formation model (e.g. CDM). The geometrical method is at the most
conservative end of a whole spectrum of methods which obtain smaller errorbars
by making more restrictive assumptions -- we discuss some examples. Our
geometrical approach differs from previous investigations along similar lines
in three respects. First, the source-scaling we propose to use is less
demanding on the photometric redshift accuracy. Second, the scaling works for
both galaxy-shear and shear-shear correlations. Third, we find that previous
studies underestimate the statistical errors associated with similar
geometrical methods, the origin of which is discussed.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Ap
Advanced techniques for determining long term compatibility of materials with propellants
A method for the prediction of propellant-material compatibility for periods of time up to ten years is presented. Advanced sensitive measurement techniques used in the prediction method are described. These include: neutron activation analysis, radioactive tracer technique, and atomic absorption spectroscopy with a graphite tube furnace sampler. The results of laboratory tests performed to verify the prediction method are presented
Cosmic Shear of the Microwave Background: The Curl Diagnostic
Weak-lensing distortions of the cosmic-microwave-background (CMB) temperature
and polarization patterns can reveal important clues to the intervening
large-scale structure. The effect of lensing is to deflect the primary
temperature and polarization signal to slightly different locations on the sky.
Deflections due to density fluctuations, gradient-type for the gradient of the
projected gravitational potential, give a direct measure of the mass
distribution. Curl-type deflections can be induced by, for example, a
primordial background of gravitational waves from inflation or by second-order
effects related to lensing by density perturbations. Whereas gradient-type
deflections are expected to dominate, we show that curl-type deflections can
provide a useful test of systematics and serve to indicate the presence of
confusing secondary and foreground non-Gaussian signals.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures; PRD submitte
A Demonstration of LISA Laser Communication
Over the past few years questions have been raised concerning the use of
laser communications links between sciencecraft to transmit phase information
crucial to the reduction of laser frequency noise in the LISA science
measurement. The concern is that applying medium frequency phase modulations to
the laser carrier could compromise the phase stability of the LISA fringe
signal. We have modified the table-top interferometer presented in a previous
article by applying phase modulations to the laser beams in order to evaluate
the effects of such modulations on the LISA science fringe signal. We have
demonstrated that the phase resolution of the science signal is not degraded by
the presence of medium frequency phase modulations.Comment: minor corrections found in the CQG versio
A Test of the Copernican Principle
The blackbody nature of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation
spectrum is used in a modern test of the Copernican Principle. The reionized
universe serves as a mirror to reflect CMB photons, thereby permitting a view
of ourselves and the local gravitational potential. By comparing with
measurements of the CMB spectrum, a limit is placed on the possibility that we
occupy a privileged location, residing at the center of a large void. The
Hubble diagram inferred from lines-of-sight originating at the center of the
void may be misinterpreted to indicate cosmic acceleration. Current limits on
spectral distortions are shown to exclude the largest voids which mimic cosmic
acceleration. More sensitive measurements of the CMB spectrum could prove the
existence of such a void or confirm the validity of the Copernican Principle.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Characterization of Photoreceivers for LISA
LISA will use quadrant photo receivers as front-end devices for the phase meter measuring the motion of drag-free test masses in both angular orientation and separation. We have set up a laboratory testbed for the characterization of photo receivers. Some of the limiting noise sources have been identified and their contribution has been either measured or determined from the measured data. We have built a photo receiver with a 0.5 mm diameter quadrant photodiode with an equivalent input noise of better than 1.8 pA/(square root of)Hz below 20 MHz and a 3 dB bandwidth of 34 MHz
Local variations in spatial synchrony of influenza epidemics
Background: Understanding the mechanism of influenza spread across multiple geographic scales is not complete. While the mechanism of dissemination across regions and states of the United States has been described, understanding the determinants of dissemination between counties has not been elucidated. The paucity of high resolution spatial-temporal influenza incidence data to evaluate disease structure is often not available. Methodology and Findings: We report on the underlying relationship between the spread of influenza and human movement between counties of one state. Significant synchrony in the timing of epidemics exists across the entire state and decay with distance (regional correlation = 62%). Synchrony as a function of population size display evidence of hierarchical spread with more synchronized epidemics occurring among the most populated counties. A gravity model describing movement between two populations is a stronger predictor of influenza spread than adult movement to and from workplaces suggesting that non-routine and leisure travel drive local epidemics. Conclusions: These findings highlight the complex nature of influenza spread across multiple geographic scales. © 2012 Stark et al
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