598 research outputs found
All-Sky Near Infrared Space Astrometry
Gaia is currently revolutionizing modern astronomy. However, much of the
Galactic plane, center and the spiral arm regions are obscured by interstellar
extinction, rendering them inaccessible because Gaia is an optical instrument.
An all-sky near infrared (NIR) space observatory operating in the optical NIR,
separated in time from the original Gaia would provide microarcsecond NIR
astrometry and millimag photometry to penetrate obscured regions unraveling the
internal dynamics of the Galaxy.Comment: 7 page
On the Location of the Gamma-ray Emission in the 2008 Outburst in the BL Lacertae Object AO 0235+164 through Observations across the Electromagnetic Spectrum
We present observations of a major outburst at centimeter, millimeter,
optical, X-ray, and gamma-ray wavelengths of the BL Lacertae object AO
0235+164. We analyze the timing of multi-waveband variations in the flux and
linear polarization, as well as changes in Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA)
images at 7mm with 0.15 milliarcsecond resolution. The association of the
events at different wavebands is confirmed at high statistical significance by
probability arguments and Monte-Carlo simulations. A series of sharp peaks in
optical linear polarization, as well as a pronounced maximum in the 7 mm
polarization of a superluminal jet knot, indicate rapid fluctuations in the
degree of ordering of the magnetic field. These results lead us to conclude
that the outburst occurred in the jet both in the quasi-stationary "core" and
in the superluminal knot, both parsecs downstream of the supermassive black
hole. We interpret the outburst as a consequence of the propagation of a
disturbance, elongated along the line of sight by light-travel time delays,
that passes through a standing recollimation shock in the core and propagates
down the jet to create the superluminal knot. The multi-wavelength light curves
vary together on long time-scales (months/years), but the correspondence is
poorer on shorter time-scales. This, as well as the variability of the
polarization and the dual location of the outburst, agrees with the
expectations of a multi-zone emission model in which turbulence plays a major
role in modulating the synchrotron and inverse Compton fluxes.Comment: Accepted for Publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. 7
pages (including 5 figures). Minor corrections with regard to previous
version, as proposed by the refere
Location of the Gamma-Ray Flaring Emission in the Parse-Scale Jet of the BL Lac Object AO 0235+164
We locate the gamma-ray and lower frequency emission in flares of the BL Lac
object AO 0235+164 at >12pc in the jet of the source from the central engine.
We employ time-dependent multi-spectral-range flux and linear polarization
monitoring observations, as well as ultra-high resolution (~0.15
milliarcsecond) imaging of the jet structure at lambda=7mm. The time
coincidence in the end of 2008 of the propagation of the brightest superluminal
feature detected in AO 0235+164 (Qs) with an extreme multi-spectral-range
(gamma-ray to radio) outburst, and an extremely high optical and 7mm (for Qs)
polarization degree provides strong evidence supporting that all these events
are related. This is confirmed at high significance by probability arguments
and Monte-Carlo simulations. These simulations show the unambiguous correlation
of the gamma-ray flaring state in the end of 2008 with those in the optical,
millimeter, and radio regime, as well as the connection of a prominent X-ray
flare in October 2008, and of a series of optical linear polarization peaks,
with the set of events in the end of 2008. The observations are interpreted as
the propagation of an extended moving perturbation through a re-collimation
structure at the end of the jet's acceleration and collimation zone.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of High Energy Phenomena in
Relativistic Outflows III (HEPRO III, IJMPCS). 6 page
Electronic prescribing systems in hospitals to improve medication safety: a multimethods research programme.
Electronic prescribing (ePrescribing) systems allow health-care professionals to enter prescriptions and manage medicines using a computer. We set out to find out how these ePrescribing systems are chosen, set up and used in English hospitals. Given that these systems are designed to improve medication safety, we looked at whether or not these systems affected the number of prescribing errors made (mistakes such as ordering the wrong dose of medication). We also tried to see whether or not the systems were good value for money (or more cost-effective). Finally, we made recommendations to help hospitals choose, set up and use ePrescribing systems. We found that setting up ePrescribing systems was very difficult because there is a need to take into consideration how different pharmacists, nurses and doctors work, and the different work that needs to be carried out for different diseases and medical conditions. We recorded a link between the implementation of ePrescribing systems and a reduction in some high-risk prescribing errors in two out of three study sites. Given that the error reductions corresponded to the warnings triggered by the system, we concluded that the system is likely to have caused the error reduction. Prescribing errors may lead to adverse events that lead to death, impaired quality of life and longer hospital stays. The cost of an ePrescribing system increased in proportion to reduced errors, reaching £4.31 per patient per year for the site that experienced the greatest reduction in prescribing errors (i.e. site S). This estimate is based on assumptions in the model and how much a health service is willing to pay for a unit of health benefit. To help professionals choose, set up and use ePrescribing systems in the future, we produced an online ePrescribing Toolkit (www.eprescribingtoolkit.com/; accessed 21 December 2019) that, with support from NHS England, is becoming widely used internationally
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Progress in Antiproton Production at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider
Fermilab Collider Run II has been ongoing since 2001. During this time peak luminosities in the Tevatron have increased from approximately 10 x 10{sup 30} cm{sup -2}sec{sup -1} to 300 x 10{sup 30} cm{sup 02}sec{sup -1}. A major contributing factor in this remarkable performance is a greatly improved antiproton production capability. Since the beginning of Run II, the average antiproton accumulation rate has increased from 2 x 10{sup 10}{anti p}/hr to about 24 x 10{sup 10}{anti p}/hr. Peak antiproton stacking rates presently exceed 28 x 10{sup 10}{anti p}/hr. The antiproton stacking rate has nearly doubled since 2005. It is this recent progress that is the focus of this paper. The process of transferring antiprotons to the Recycler Ring for subsequent transfer to the collider has been significantly restructured and streamlined, yielding additional cycle time for antiproton production. Improvements to the target station have greatly increased the antiproton yield from the production target. The performance of the Antiproton Source stochastic cooling systems has been enhanced by upgrades to the cooling electronics, accelerator lattice optimization, and improved operating procedures. In this paper, we will briefly report on each of these modifications
Astro2020 Activity, Project of State of the Profession Consideration (APC) White Paper: All-Sky Near Infrared Space Astrometry. State of the Profession Considerations: Development of Scanning NIR Detectors for Astronomy
Gaia is a revolutionary space mission developed by ESA and is delivering 5 parameter astrometry, photometry and radial velocities over the whole sky with astrometric accuracies down to a few tens of micro-arcseconds. A weakness of Gaia is that it only operates at optical wavelengths. However, much of the Galactic centre and the spiral arm regions, important for certain studies, are obscured by interstellar extinction and this makes it difficult for Gaia to
deeply probe. This problem can be overcome by switching to the Near Infra-Red (NIR) but this is not possible with silicon CCDs. Additionally, to scan the entire sky and make global absolute parallax measurements the spacecraft must have a constant rotation and this requires the detectors operate in Time Delayed Integration (TDI) mode or similar
Exoplanet Science Priorities from the Perspective of Internal and Surface Processes for Silicate and Ice Dominated Worlds
The geophysics of extrasolar planets is a scientific topic often regarded as
standing largely beyond the reach of near-term observations. This reality in no
way diminishes the central role of geophysical phenomena in shaping planetary
outcomes, from formation, to thermal and chemical evolution, to numerous issues
of surface and near-surface habitability. We emphasize that for a balanced
understanding of extrasolar planets, it is important to look beyond the natural
biases of current observing tools, and actively seek unique pathways to
understand exoplanet interiors as best as possible during the long interim
prior to a time when internal components are more directly accessible. Such
pathways include but are not limited to: (a) enhanced theoretical and numerical
modeling, (b) laboratory research on critical material properties, (c)
measurement of geophysical properties by indirect inference from imprints left
on atmospheric and orbital properties, and (d) the purpose-driven use of Solar
System object exploration expressly for its value in comparative planetology
toward exoplanet-analogs. Breaking down barriers that envision local Solar
System exploration, including the study of Earth's own deep interior, as
separate from and in financial competition with extrasolar planet research, may
greatly improve the rate of needed scientific progress for exoplanet
geophysics. As the number of known rocky and icy exoplanets grows in the years
ahead, we expect demand for expertise in 'exogeoscience' will expand at a
commensurately intense pace. We highlight key topics, including: how water
oceans below ice shells may dominate the total habitability of our galaxy by
volume, how free-floating nomad planets may often attain habitable subsurface
oceans supported by radionuclide decay, and how deep interiors may critically
interact with atmospheric mass loss via dynamo-driven magnetic fields
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