386 research outputs found
3.5 kW coherently combined ultrafast fiber laser
An ultrafast laser based on the coherent beam combination of four ytterbium-doped step-index fiber amplifiers is presented. The system delivers an average power of 3.5 kW and a pulse duration of 430 fs at an 80 MHz repetition rate. The beam quality is excellent (M2<1.24·1.10), and the relative intensity noise is as low as 1% in the frequency span from 1 Hz to 1 MHz. The system is turn-key operable, as it features an automated spatial and temporal alignment of the interferometric amplification channels
A Massive Spiral Galaxy in the Zone of Avoidance
We report the discovery of a very HI-massive disk galaxy, HIZOA J0836-43, at
a velocity of v_hel = 10689 km/s, corresponding to a distance of 148 Mpc
(assuming H_0=75 km/s/Mpc). It was found during the course of a systematic HI
survey of the southern Zone of Avoidance (|b| < 5 deg) with the multibeam
system at the 64m Parkes radio telescope. Follow-up observations with the
Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) reveal an extended HI disk. We derive
an HI mass of 7.5 x 10^10 Msun. Using the HI radius, we estimate a total
dynamical mass of 1.4 x 10^12 Msun, similar to the most massive known disk
galaxies such as Malin 1. HIZOA J0836-43 lies deep in the Zone of Avoidance (l,
b = 262.48 deg, -1.64 deg) where the optical extinction is very high, A_B =
9.8. However, in the near-infrared wavebands, where the extinction is
considerably lower, HIZOA J0836-43 is clearly detected by both DENIS and 2MASS.
Deep AAT near-infrared (Ks and H-band) images show that HIZOA J0836-43 is an
inclined disk galaxy with a prominent bulge (scale length 2.5 arcsec or 1.7
kpc), and an extended disk (scale length 7 arcsec or 4.7 kpc) which can be
traced along the major axis out to a radius of 20 arcsec or 13.4 kpc (at 20
mag/arcsec^2 in Ks). The HI disk is much more extended, having a radius of 66
kpc at 1 Msun/pc^2. Detections in the radio continuum at 1.4 GHz and at 60
micron (IRAS) are consistent with HIZOA J0836-43 forming stars at a rate of ~35
Msun/yr. We compare the properties of HIZOA J0836-43 with those of the most
HI-massive galaxies currently known, UGC 4288, UGC 1752 and Malin 1, all of
which are classified as giant low surface brightness galaxies.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 17 pages, 11 figures, 7 tables,
version with high-resolution figures available at:
http://frodo.as.arizona.edu/~jdonley/massive
Probing for Exoplanets Hiding in Dusty Debris Disks: Disk Imaging, Characterization, and Exploration with HST/STIS Multi-Roll Coronagraphy
Spatially resolved scattered-light images of circumstellar (CS) debris in
exoplanetary systems constrain the physical properties and orbits of the dust
particles in these systems. They also inform on co-orbiting (but unseen)
planets, systemic architectures, and forces perturbing starlight-scattering CS
material. Using HST/STIS optical coronagraphy, we have completed the
observational phase of a program to study the spatial distribution of dust in
ten CS debris systems, and one "mature" protoplanetrary disk all with HST
pedigree, using PSF-subtracted multi-roll coronagraphy. These observations
probe stellocentric distances > 5 AU for the nearest stars, and simultaneously
resolve disk substructures well beyond, corresponding to the giant planet and
Kuiper belt regions in our Solar System. They also disclose diffuse very
low-surface brightness dust at larger stellocentric distances. We present new
results inclusive of fainter disks such as HD92945 confirming, and better
revealing, the existence of a narrow inner debris ring within a larger diffuse
dust disk. Other disks with ring-like sub-structures, significant asymmetries
and complex morphologies include: HD181327 with a posited spray of ejecta from
a recent massive collision in an exo-Kuiper belt; HD61005 suggested interacting
with the local ISM; HD15115 & HD32297, discussed also in the context of
environmental interactions. These disks, and HD15745, suggest debris system
evolution cannot be treated in isolation. For AU Mic's edge-on disk,
out-of-plane surface brightness asymmetries at > 5 AU may implicate one or more
planetary perturbers. Time resolved images of the MP Mus proto-planetary disk
provide spatially resolved temporal variability in the disk illumination. These
and other new images from our program enable direct inter-comparison of the
architectures of these exoplanetary debris systems in the context of our own
Solar System.Comment: 109 pages, 43 figures, accepted for publication in the Astronomical
Journa
Generation of three-cycle multi-millijoule laser pulses at 318 W average power
The generation of three-cycle multi-millijoule pulses at 318W power is reported by compressing pulses of a Yb-fiber chirped pulse amplifier in a 6 m long stretched flexible hollow fiber. This technique brings high-power lasers to the few-cycle regime. (c) 2019 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreemen
13CI in high-mass star-forming clouds
We report measurements of the 12C/13C abundance ratio in the three galactic
regions G 333.0-0.4, NGC 6334 A and G 351.6-1.3 from observations of the 12CI
3P2-3P1 transition and the hyperfine components of the corresponding 13CI
transition near 809 GHz. These transitions were observed simultaneously with
the CO 7-6 line emission at 806 GHz with the AST/RO telescope located at the
South Pole. From a simultaneous fit to the 12CI 3P2-3P1 transition and the HF
components of the corresponding 13CI transition and an independent estimate of
an upper limit to the optical depth of the 12CI emission we determine intrinsic
12CI/13CI column density ratios of 23+-1 for G 333.0-0.4, 56+-14 for NGC 6334 A
and 69+-12 for G 351.6-1.3. As the regions observed are photon dominated, we
argue that the apparent enhancement in the abundance of 13C towards G 333.0-0.4
may be due to strong isotope-selective photodissociation of 13CO, outweighing
the effects of chemical isotopic fractionation as suggested by models of PDRs.
Towards NGC 6334 A and G 351.6-1.3 these effects appear to be balanced, similar
to the situation for the Orion Bar region observed by Keene et al. (1998).Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, submitted to A&A Letter
Consistency of cosmic microwave background temperature measurements in three frequency bands in the 2500-square-degree SPT-SZ survey
We present an internal consistency test of South Pole Telescope (SPT)
measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature anisotropy
using three-band data from the SPT-SZ survey. These measurements are made from
observations of ~2500 deg^2 of sky in three frequency bands centered at 95,
150, and 220 GHz. We combine the information from these three bands into six
semi-independent estimates of the CMB power spectrum (three single-frequency
power spectra and three cross-frequency spectra) over the multipole range 650 <
l < 3000. We subtract an estimate of foreground power from each power spectrum
and evaluate the consistency among the resulting CMB-only spectra. We determine
that the six foreground-cleaned power spectra are consistent with the null
hypothesis, in which the six cleaned spectra contain only CMB power and noise.
A fit of the data to this model results in a chi-squared value of 236.3 for 235
degrees of freedom, and the probability to exceed this chi-squared value is
46%.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figures, current version matches version published in
JCA
Exoplanet Diversity in the Era of Space-based Direct Imaging Missions
This whitepaper discusses the diversity of exoplanets that could be detected
by future observations, so that comparative exoplanetology can be performed in
the upcoming era of large space-based flagship missions. The primary focus will
be on characterizing Earth-like worlds around Sun-like stars. However, we will
also be able to characterize companion planets in the system simultaneously.
This will not only provide a contextual picture with regards to our Solar
system, but also presents a unique opportunity to observe size dependent
planetary atmospheres at different orbital distances. We propose a preliminary
scheme based on chemical behavior of gases and condensates in a planet's
atmosphere that classifies them with respect to planetary radius and incident
stellar flux.Comment: A white paper submitted to the National Academy of Sciences Exoplanet
Science Strateg
SPT-3G: A Next-Generation Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization Experiment on the South Pole Telescope
We describe the design of a new polarization sensitive receiver, SPT-3G, for
the 10-meter South Pole Telescope (SPT). The SPT-3G receiver will deliver a
factor of ~20 improvement in mapping speed over the current receiver, SPTpol.
The sensitivity of the SPT-3G receiver will enable the advance from statistical
detection of B-mode polarization anisotropy power to high signal-to-noise
measurements of the individual modes, i.e., maps. This will lead to precise
(~0.06 eV) constraints on the sum of neutrino masses with the potential to
directly address the neutrino mass hierarchy. It will allow a separation of the
lensing and inflationary B-mode power spectra, improving constraints on the
amplitude and shape of the primordial signal, either through SPT-3G data alone
or in combination with BICEP-2/KECK, which is observing the same area of sky.
The measurement of small-scale temperature anisotropy will provide new
constraints on the epoch of reionization. Additional science from the SPT-3G
survey will be significantly enhanced by the synergy with the ongoing optical
Dark Energy Survey (DES), including: a 1% constraint on the bias of optical
tracers of large-scale structure, a measurement of the differential Doppler
signal from pairs of galaxy clusters that will test General Relativity on ~200
Mpc scales, and improved cosmological constraints from the abundance of
clusters of galaxies.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures. To be published in Proceedings of SPIE Volume
9153. Presented at SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2014,
conference 915
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