434 research outputs found
Background Simulations of the Wide Field Imager of the ATHENA X-Ray Observatory
The ATHENA X-ray Observatory-IXO is a planned multinational orbiting X-ray
observatory with a focal length of 11.5m. ATHENA aims to perform pointed
observations in an energy range from 0.1 keV to 15 keV with high sensitivity.
For high spatial and timing resolution imaging and spectroscopic observations
the 640x640 pixel^2 large DePFET-technology based Wide field Imager (WFI) focal
plane detector, providing a field of view of 18 arcsec will be the main
detector. Based on the actual mechanics, thermal and shielding design we
present estimates for the WFI cosmic ray induced background obtained by the use
of Monte-Carlo simulations and possible background reduction measures.Comment: IEEE NSS MIC Conference 2011, Valencia, Spai
Imaging Molecules from Within: Ultra-fast, {\AA}ngstr\"om Scale Structure Determination of Molecules via Photoelectron Holography using Free Electron Lasers
A new scheme based on (i) upcoming brilliant X-ray Free Electron Laser (FEL)
sources, (ii) novel energy and angular dispersive, large-area electron imagers
and (iii) the well-known photoelectron holography is elaborated that provides
time-dependent three-dimensional structure determination of small to medium
sized molecules with {\AA}ngstr\"om spatial and femtosecond time resolution.
Inducing molecular dynamics, wave-packet motion, dissociation, passage through
conical intersections or isomerization by a pump pulse this motion is
visualized by the X-ray FEL probe pulse launching keV photoelectrons within few
femtoseconds from specific and well-defined sites, deep core levels of
individual atoms, inside the molecule. On their way out the photoelectrons are
diffracted generating a hologram on the detector that encodes the molecular
structure at the instant of photoionization, thus providing 'femtosecond
snapshot images of the molecule from within'. Detailed calculations in various
approximations of increasing sophistication are presented and three-dimensional
retrieval of the spatial structure of the molecule with {\AA}ngstr\"om spatial
resolution is demonstrated. Due to the large photo-absorption cross sections
the method extends X-ray diffraction based, time-dependent structure
investigations envisioned at FELs to new classes of samples that are not
accessible by any other method. Among them are dilute samples in the gas phase
such as aligned, oriented or conformer selected molecules, ultra-cold ensembles
and/or molecular or cluster objects containing mainly light atoms that do not
scatter X-rays efficiently.Comment: 18 pages, 11 figure
Science with the EXTraS Project: Exploring the X-ray Transient and variable Sky
The EXTraS project (Exploring the X-ray Transient and variable Sky) will
characterise the temporal behaviour of the largest ever sample of objects in
the soft X-ray range (0.1-12 keV) with a complex, systematic and consistent
analysis of all data collected by the European Photon Imaging Camera (EPIC)
instrument onboard the ESA XMM-Newton X-ray observatory since its launch. We
will search for, and characterize variability (both periodic and aperiodic) in
hundreds of thousands of sources spanning more than nine orders of magnitude in
time scale and six orders of magnitude in flux. We will also search for fast
transients, missed by standard image analysis. Our analysis will be completed
by multiwavelength characterization of new discoveries and phenomenological
classification of variable sources. All results and products will be made
available to the community in a public archive, serving as a reference for a
broad range of astrophysical investigations.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure. Refereed Proceeding of "The Universe of Digital
Sky Surveys" conference held at the INAF - Observatory of Capodimonte,
Naples, on 25th-28th November 2014, to be published in the Astrophysics and
Space Science Proceedings, edited by Longo, Napolitano, Marconi, Paolillo,
Iodic
Background study for the pn-CCD detector of CERN Axion Solar Telescope
The CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) experiment searches for axions from the
Sun converted into photons with energies up to around 10 keV via the inverse
Primakoff effect in the high magnetic field of a superconducting Large Hadron
Collider (LHC) prototype magnet. A backside illuminated pn-CCD detector in
conjunction with an X-ray mirror optics is one of the three detectors used in
CAST to register the expected photon signal. Since this signal is very rare and
different background components (environmental gamma radiation, cosmic rays,
intrinsic radioactive impurities in the set-up, ...) entangle it, a detailed
study of the detector background has been undertaken with the aim to understand
and further reduce the background level of the detector. The analysis is based
on measured data taken during the Phase I of CAST and on Monte Carlo
simulations of different background components. This study will show that the
observed background level (at a rate of (8.00+-0.07)10^-5 counts/cm^2/s/keV
between 1 and 7 keV) seems to be dominated by the external gamma background due
to usual activities at the experimental site, while radioactive impurities in
the detector itself and cosmic neutrons could make just smaller contribution.Comment: Comments: 10 pages, 9 figures and images, submitted to Astroparticle
Physic
Parallel evolution of histophagy in ciliates of the genus Tetrahymena
BACKGROUND: Species of Tetrahymena were grouped into three complexes based on morphological and life history traits: the pyriformis complex of microstomatous forms; the patula complex of microstome-macrostome transformers; and the rostrata complex of facultative and obligate histophages. We tested whether these three complexes are paraphyletic using the complete sequence of the small subunit rDNA (SSrDNA). RESULTS: In addition to the 16 species of Tetrahymena whose SSrDNA sequences are known, we sequenced the complete SSrDNA from the following histophagous Tetrahymena species; Tetrahymena bergeri, Tetrahymena mobilis, Tetrahymena rostrata, and Tetrahymena setosa as well as the macrostome species Tetrahymena vorax. We also included a ciliate tentatively identified as Lambornella sp., a parasite of the mosquito Aedes sp. We confirmed earlier results using SSrDNA, which showed two distinct clusters of Tetrahymena species: the australis group and borealis group. The genetic distances among Tetrahymena are in general very small. However, all nodes were supported by high bootstrap values. With the exception of T. bergeri and T. corlissi, which are both histophagous and group as sister species, all other histophagous Tetrahymena species are most closely related to a bacterivorous species. Furthermore, Lambornella sp. and T. empidokyrea, both mosquito parasites, are sister species, although there is a considerable genetic distance between them. CONCLUSIONS: There has been parallel evolution of histophagy in the genus Tetrahymena and the three classical species complexes are paraphyletic. As the genus Lambornella arises within the Tetrahymena clade, it is not likely a defensible one
KINEMATIC PROFILE OF THE ELITE HANDCYCLIST
A handcycle is a relatively new sports equipment that is a combination of the traditional race wheelchair and a hand operated bicycle crank (Abel, Schneider, Platen, & Struder, 2006). The high mechanical efficiency of this geared fixed-frame racing cycle in comparison to a manual wheelchair can potentially increase the distance a person with a loss of lower limb function can travel. To guide the optimal setup for the handcyclist the influence of crank length (Goosey-Tolfrey, Alfano, & Fowler, 2008; Kramer, Hilker, & Bohm, 2009) and crank configuration (Faupin, Gorce, Meyer, & Thevenon, 2008a; Mossberg, Willman, Topor, Crook, & Patak, 1999) have been investigated. Actual neither research has been done on the upper body kinematics of elite athletes nor on relations between kinematics and performance. The aim of this study was to provide first sport specific information in this area with regards to athletes competing at an international level
Status of a DEPFET pixel system for the ILC vertex detector
We have developed a prototype system for the ILC vertex detector based on
DEPFET pixels. The system operates a 128x64 matrix (with ~35x25 square micron
large pixels) and uses two dedicated microchips, the SWITCHER II chip for
matrix steering and the CURO II chip for readout. The system development has
been driven by the final ILC requirements which above all demand a detector
thinned to 50 micron and a row wise read out with line rates of 20MHz and more.
The targeted noise performance for the DEPFET technology is in the range of
ENC=100 e-. The functionality of the system has been demonstrated using
different radioactive sources in an energy range from 6 to 40keV. In recent
test beam experiments using 6GeV electrons, a signal-to-noise ratio of S/N~120
has been achieved with present sensors being 450 micron thick. For improved
DEPFET systems using 50 micron thin sensors in future, a signal-to-noise of 40
is expected.Comment: Invited poster at the International Symposium on the Development of
Detectors for Particle, AstroParticle and Synchrotron Radiation Experiments,
Stanford CA (SNIC06) 6 pages, 12 eps figure
Properties of the background of EPIC-pn onboard XMM-Newton
We have investigated the background properties of EPIC-pn onboard XMM-Newton
to establish the background subtraction method. Count rates of the background
vary violently by two orders of magnitude at the maximum, while during the most
quiet period, these are stable within 8 % at a 1 level. The overall
spectrum is dominated by particle events above 5 keV, and its spatial variation
is also found. The long-term variation of the background is also investigated
with CAL CLOSED data, where the filter wheel was in closed position with the
internal calibration source illuminating the sensitive area. The average
background count rate decreased by 20 % from March 2000 to January 2001, but it
regained in February 2001. For the modeling of the background spectrum, we
investigate relations between the 2.0--7.0 keV count rate and some
characteristic parameters. The 2.0--7.0 keV background count rate shows a good
correlation with the count rate of events outside the field of view. This
correlation is usable for the modeling of the background.Comment: 9 pages, submitted to A&
An XMM-Newton study of the sub-structure in M87's halo
The high signal to noise and good point spread function of XMM have allowed
the first detailed study of the interaction between the thermal and radio
emitting plasma in the central regions of M87. We show that the X-ray emitting
structure, previously seen by ROSAT, is thermal in nature and that the east and
southwest extensions in M87's X-ray halo have a significantly lower temperature
(kT= 1.5 keV) than the surrounding ambient medium (kT= 2.3 keV). There is
little or no evidence for non-thermal emission with an upper limit on the
contribution of a power law component of spectral index flatter than 3 being
less than 1% of the flux in the region of the radio lobes.Comment: 6 pages, 8 color figures, to be published in A&A, number 36
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