Classification of bad pixels of the Hawaii-2RG detector of the ASTROnomical NearInfraRed CAMera

ASTRONIRCAM is an infrared camera-spectrograph installed at the 2.5-meter telescope of the CMO SAI. The instrument is equipped with the HAWAII-2RG array. A bad pixels classification of the ASTRONIRCAM detector is proposed. The classification is based on histograms of the difference of consecutive non-destructive readouts of a flat field. Bad pixels are classified into 5 groups: hot (saturated on the first readout), warm (the signal accumulation rate is above the mean value by more than 5 standard deviations), cold (the rate is under the mean value by more than 5 standard deviations), dead (no signal accumulation), and inverse (having a negative signal accumulation in the first readouts). Normal pixels of the ASTRONIRCAM detector account for 99.6% of the total. We investigated the dependence between the amount of bad pixels and the number of cooldown cycles of the instrument. While hot pixels remain the same, the bad pixels of other types may migrate between groups. The number of pixels in each group stays roughly constant. We found that the mean and variance of the bad pixels amount in each group and the transitions between groups do not differ noticeably between normal or slow cooldowns.Comment: 11 pages, 7 Figures, 3 table

Assessment of News Items Objectivity in Mass Media of Countries with Intelligence Systems: the Brexit Case

The role of mass media in society keeps the problem of manipulative influence distinction and the contiguous phenomena, chief among which is objectivity and authenticity of news items, current. The research provides a detailed study of the information broadcasting mechanisms in the media area, defines the problems, impeding an impersonal reproduction and disclosure of information, clarifies the verification methods, and gives their topology. In this research, we examined how the mass media of different countries presented the same event to the public. The publications of four mass media, concerning such an event as the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Brexit), have been determined as an object of the analysis. The chosen mass media refer to the countries, which are not the direct participants of that process: Russia, the USA, and Ukraine. D. Brewer’s criteria were used to define the objectivity of the news items. A relative sentiment of the news, which became the objective analysis basis, has been identified using linguistic rate with Eureka Engine intelligence system. The obtained results predominantly confirmed the hypothesis, that the mass media of different countries would represent the process of the UK withdrawal from the EU according to the country’s policy and interpret the facts in their favor. All the four mass media demonstrate the partiality when broadcasting the current situation in the matter of Brexit. The concepts being the semantic kernel elements of mass media publications have emotional coloring. The sentiment analysis of the publications resulted in the conclusion that only one of the four mass media gave a neutral assessment of the Brexit situation. The other three held to the political stance of their edition or government. The research results indicate that the problem of mass media objectivity remains relevant. The correctional impact on public opinion through mass media is extremely high. Therefore, forming the personal attitude toward the situation or event should occur with using several verifications methods and mass media sources at once

Assessment of News Items Objectivity in Mass Media of Countries with Intelligence Systems: the Brexit Case

TThe role of mass media in society keeps the problem of manipulative influence distinction and the contiguous phenomena, chief among which is objectivity and authenticity of news items, current. The research provides a detailed study of the information broadcasting mechanisms in the media area, defines the problems, impeding an impersonal reproduction and disclosure of information, clarifies the verification methods, and gives their topology. In this research, we examined how the mass media of different countries presented the same event to the public. The publications of four mass media, concerning such an event as the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Brexit), have been determined as an object of the analysis. The chosen mass media refer to the countries, which are not the direct participants of that process: Russia, the USA, and Ukraine. D. Brewer’s criteria were used to define the objectivity of the news items. A relative sentiment of the news, which became the objective analysis basis, has been identified using linguistic rate with Eureka Engine intelligence system. The obtained results predominantly confirmed the hypothesis, that the mass media of different countries would represent the process of the UK withdrawal from the EU according to the country’s policy and interpret the facts in their favor. All the four mass media demonstrate the partiality when broadcasting the current situation in the matter of Brexit. The concepts being the semantic kernel elements of mass media publications have emotional coloring. The sentiment analysis of the publications resulted in the conclusion that only one of the four mass media gave a neutral assessment of the Brexit situatio

Multi-Wavelength Monitoring of the Changing-Look AGN NGC 2617 during State Changes

Optical and near-infrared photometry, optical spectroscopy, and soft X-ray and UV monitoring of the changing-look active galactic nucleus NGC 2617 show that it continues to have the appearance of a type-1 Seyfert galaxy. An optical light curve for 2010-2017 indicates that the change of type probably occurred between 2010 October and 2012 February and was not related to the brightening in 2013. In 2016 and 2017 NGC 2617 brightened again to a level of activity close to that in 2013 April. However, in 2017 from the end of the March to end of July 2017 it was in very low level and starting to change back to a Seyfert 1.8. We find variations in all passbands and in both the intensities and profiles of the broad Balmer lines. A new displaced emission peak has appeared in Hβ. X-ray variations are well correlated with UV-optical variability and possibly lead by ̃2-3 d. The K band lags the J band by about 21.5 ± 2.5 d and lags the combined B + J bands by ̃25 d. J lags B by about 3 d. This could be because J-band variability arises predominantly from the outer part of the accretion disc, while K-band variability is dominated by thermal re-emission by dust. We propose that spectral-type changes are a result of increasing central luminosity causing sublimation of the innermost dust in the hollow bi-conical outflow. We briefly discuss various other possible reasons that might explain the dramatic changes in NGC 2617.Fil: Oknyansky, V. L.. Sternberg Astronomical Institute; RusiaFil: Gaskell, C. M.. Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics. University of California. Santa Cruz; Estados UnidosFil: Mikailov, K. M.. Shamakhy Astrophysical Observatory, National Academy of Sciences. Pirkuli; AzerbaiyánFil: Lipunov, V. M.. Sternberg Astronomical Institute. M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University ; RusiaFil: Shatsky, N. I.. Sternberg Astronomical Institute. M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University; RusiaFil: Tsygankov, S. S.. Tuorla Observatory, Department of Physics and Astronomy. University of Turku.; FinlandiaFil: Gorbovskoy, E. S.. Sternberg Astronomical Institute. M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University; RusiaFil: Tatarnikov, A. M.. Sternberg Astronomical Institute. M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University; RusiaFil: Metlov, V. G.. Sternberg Astronomical Institute. M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University; RusiaFil: Malanchev, K. L.. Sternberg Astronomical Institute. M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University; RusiaFil: Brotherton, M.B.. University of Wyoming; Estados UnidosFil: Kasper, D.. University of Wyoming; Estados UnidosFil: Du, P.. Institute of High Energy Physics. Chinese Academy of Sciences; ChinaFil: Chen, X.. School of Space Science and Physics. Shandong University; ChinaFil: Burlak, M. A.. Sternberg Astronomical Institute. M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University; RusiaFil: Buckley, D. A. H.. The South African Astronomical Observatory; SudáfricaFil: Rebolo, R.. Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias; EspañaFil: Serra-Ricart, M.. Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias; EspañaFil: Podestá, R.. Universidad Nacional de San Juan; ArgentinaFil: Levato, O. H.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Instituto de Ciencias Astronómicas, de la Tierra y del Espacio. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Instituto de Ciencias Astronómicas, de la Tierra y del Espacio; Argentin