The MAORY laser guide star wavefront sensor: design status

MAORY will be the multi-adaptive optics module feeding the high resolution camera and spectrograph MICADO at the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) first light. In order to ensure high and homogeneous image quality over the MICADO field of view and high sky coverage, the baseline is to operate wavefront sensing using six Sodium Laser Guide Stars. The Laser Guide Star Wavefront Sensor (LGS WFS) is the MAORY sub-system devoted to real-time measurement of the high order wavefront distortions. In this paper we describe the MAORY LGS WFS current design, including opto-mechanics, trade-offs and possible future improvements

MORFEO enters final design phase

MORFEO (Multi-conjugate adaptive Optics Relay For ELT Observations, formerly MAORY), the MCAO system for the ELT, will provide diffraction-limited optical quality to the large field camera MICADO. MORFEO has officially passed the Preliminary Design Review and it is entering the final design phase. We present the current status of the project, with a focus on the adaptive optics system aspects and expected milestones during the next project phase

The GRAVITY+ Project: Towards All-sky, Faint-Science, High-Contrast Near-Infrared Interferometry at the VLTI

The GRAVITY instrument has been revolutionary for near-infrared interferometry by pushing sensitivity and precision to previously unknown limits. With the upgrade of GRAVITY and the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) in GRAVITY+, these limits will be pushed even further, with vastly improved sky coverage, as well as faint-science and high-contrast capabilities. This upgrade includes the implementation of wide-field off-axis fringe-tracking, new adaptive optics systems on all Unit Telescopes, and laser guide stars in an upgraded facility. GRAVITY+ will open up the sky to the measurement of black hole masses across cosmic time in hundreds of active galactic nuclei, use the faint stars in the Galactic centre to probe General Relativity, and enable the characterisation of dozens of young exoplanets to study their formation, bearing the promise of another scientific revolution to come at the VLTI.Comment: Published in the ESO Messenge

MAORY for ELT: preliminary design overview

MAORY is one of the approved instruments for the European Extremely Large Telescope. It is an adaptive optics module, enabling high-angular resolution observations in the near infrared by real-time compensation of the wavefront distortions due to atmospheric turbulence and other disturbances such as wind action on the telescope. An overview of the instrument design is given in this paper

The MAORY first-light adaptive optics module for E-ELT

The MAORY adaptive optics module is part of the first light instrumentation suite for the E-ELT. The MAORY project phase B is going to start soon. This paper contains a system-level overview of the current instrument design

Neuroendocrine cells of nasal mucosa are a cellular source of brain-derived neurotrophic factor

There is growing evidence for extensive interaction between sensory neurons, immune and mucosal epithelial cells during airway inflammation and hyperreactivity. This neuro-immune cross-talk (neurogenic inflammation) involves different groups of mediators, which include the neurotrophin family (nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 and -4). Neurotrophins modulate airway inflammation by enhancing sensory nerve excitability and production of neuropeptides, and by interaction with different immune cell types. In the present study, it was questioned whether airway epithelial cells express BDNF, and if proinflammatory cytokines (tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta and interferon-gamma) and a glucocorticoid (budesonide) affect this expression. Primary cultures of nasal epithelial cells were used. It was found that BDNF was stored in chromogranin A-containing secretory granules of specialised epithelial cells, i.e. neuroendocrine cells, and was secreted in a polarised manner. Apical secretion appears to be constitutive, whereas basolateral secretion is markedly enhanced upon stimulation with cytokines. This enhanced basolateral secretion was not due to enhanced synthesis and was not affected by inhibitors of the processing enzymes, such as furin and the metalloproteinases involved in the maturation of BDNF, but was considerably diminished by budesonide. Therefore, airway mucosa might contribute to neurogenic inflammation through increased secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor by neuroendocrine cells under inflammatory conditions

Les Acrididae des îles Eparses (Orthoptera, Caelifera)

Acrididae from the Scattered Islands (Orthoptera, Caelifera). The Scattered Islands are an administrative entity grouping French low altitude islets in South Western Indian Ocean. Until now, seven Acrididae were known from at least one of these islands. Fieldworks organized by the Muséum d’Histoire naturelle de la Réunion, the Insectarium de la Réunion and the CIRAD-Réunion, allowed updating this checklist. Four additional species were recorded from at least one of these islands : Diabolocatantops axillaris saucius (Burmeister, 1838), Acrida madecassa (Brancsik, 1893), Acrotylus patruelis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1838) and Oedaleus virgula (Snellen van Vollenhoven, 1870).Les îles Eparses constituent une unité administrative regroupant des îlots français de basse altitude du sud-ouest de l’océan Indien. A ce jour, sept espèces d’Acrididae étaient signalées sur au moins une de ces îles. Une série de missions menées par le Muséum d’Histoire naturelle de la Réunion, l’Insectarium de la Réunion et le CIRAD-Réunion, permettent de compléter l’inventaire des Acrididae de ces îles. Quatre espèces additionnelles sont signalées sur au moins une de ces îles : Diabolocatantops axillaris saucius (Burmeister, 1838), Acrida madecassa (Brancsik, 1893), Acrotylus patruelis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1838) et Oedaleus virgula (Snellen van Vollenhoven, 1870).Parnaudeau Raphaël, Rochat Jacques, Franck Antoine, Gasnier Sophie, Cazanove Grégory, Hugel Sylvain. Les Acrididae des îles Eparses (Orthoptera, Caelifera). In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 118 (1),2013. pp. 111-117

Laboratory experiments confirm the polarization of auroral emissions.

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