The AMS experiment: Results and perspectives

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) experiment operates since May 2011 on board of the International Space Station to search for primordial antimatter, to study the light anti-matter components in the Cosmic Rays (CR) and to perform a precision study of the CR composition and energy spectrum. More than 60 billion events have been collected by the instrument up to now thanks to its large acceptance and the long exposure time. In this contribution we will discuss the most recent results, reviewing the instrument design and performances as well as the data analysis procedures enabling their achievement

Penetrating particle ANalyzer (PAN)

PAN is a scientific instrument suitable for deep space and interplanetary missions. It can precisely measure and monitor the flux, composition, and direction of highly penetrating particles ($> \sim$100 MeV/nucleon) in deep space, over at least one full solar cycle (~11 years). The science program of PAN is multi- and cross-disciplinary, covering cosmic ray physics, solar physics, space weather and space travel. PAN will fill an observation gap of galactic cosmic rays in the GeV region, and provide precise information of the spectrum, composition and emission time of energetic particle originated from the Sun. The precise measurement and monitoring of the energetic particles is also a unique contribution to space weather studies. PAN will map the flux and composition of penetrating particles, which cannot be shielded effectively, precisely and continuously, providing valuable input for the assessment of the related health risk, and for the development of an adequate mitigation strategy. PAN has the potential to become a standard on-board instrument for deep space human travel. PAN is based on the proven detection principle of a magnetic spectrometer, but with novel layout and detection concept. It will adopt advanced particle detection technologies and industrial processes optimized for deep space application. The device will require limited mass (~20 kg) and power (~20 W) budget. Dipole magnet sectors built from high field permanent magnet Halbach arrays, instrumented in a modular fashion with high resolution silicon strip detectors, allow to reach an energy resolution better than 10\% for nuclei from H to Fe at 1 GeV/n

Feature extraction and signal processing for nylon DNA microarrays

BACKGROUND: High-density DNA microarrays require automatic feature extraction methodologies and softwares. These can be a potential source of non-reproducibility of gene expression measurements. Variation in feature location or in signal integration methodology may be a significant contribution to the observed variance in gene expression levels. RESULTS: We explore sources of variability in feature extraction from DNA microarrays on Nylon membrane with radioactive detection. We introduce a mathematical model of the signal emission and derive methods for correcting biases such as overshining, saturation or variation in probe amount. We also provide a quality metric which can be used qualitatively to flag weak or untrusted signals or quantitatively to modulate the weight of each experiment or gene in higher level analyses (clustering or discriminant analysis). CONCLUSIONS: Our novel feature extraction methodology, based on a mathematical model of the radioactive emission, reduces variability due to saturation, neighbourhood effects and variable probe amount. Furthermore, we provide a fully automatic feature extraction software, BZScan, which implements the algorithms described in this paper

Synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of a compound library of triazolylcyclitols

AbstractA small library of compounds was prepared by a combination of toluene dioxygenase (TDO)-catalyzed enzymatic dihydroxylation and copper(I)-catalyzed Hüisgen cycloaddition. Some compounds were obtained by coupling an alkyne and a conduritol derivative, while more complex structures were obtained by a double Hüisgen reaction of a dialkyne and two molecules of the cyclitol. The compounds were fully characterized and subjected to preliminary biological screening

Hybrid simulation of Titan's interaction with the supersonic solar wind during Cassini's T96 flyby

By applying a hybrid (kinetic ions and fluid electrons) simulation code, we study the plasma environment of Saturn's largest moon Titan during Cassini's T96 flyby on 1 December 2013. The T96 encounter marks the only observed event of the entire Cassini mission where Titan was located in the supersonic solar wind in front of Saturn's bow shock. Our simulations can quantitatively reproduce the key features of Cassini magnetic field and electron density observations during this encounter. We demonstrate that the large-scale features of Titan's induced magnetosphere during T96 can be described in terms of a steady state interaction with a high-pressure solar wind flow. About 40 min before the encounter, Cassini observed a rotation of the incident solar wind magnetic field by almost 90°. We provide strong evidence that this rotation left a bundle of fossilized magnetic field lines in Titan's ionosphere that was subsequently detected by the spacecraft.Fil: Feyerabend, Moritz. Georgia Institute Of Techology; Estados UnidosFil: Simon, Sven. Georgia Institute Of Techology; Estados UnidosFil: Neubauer, Fritz M.. Universitat Zu Köln; AlemaniaFil: Motschmann, Uwe. Deutsches Zentrum Fur Luft- Und Raumfahrt; Alemania. Technische Universitat Braunschweig; AlemaniaFil: Bertucci, Cesar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciónes Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Edberg, Niklas J. T.. Instiutet For Rymdfysik; SueciaFil: Hospodarsky, George B.. University Of Iowa; Estados UnidosFil: Kurth, William S.. University Of Iowa; Estados Unido

Detecting the orientation of magnetic fields in galaxy clusters

Clusters of galaxies, filled with hot magnetized plasma, are the largest bound objects in existence and an important touchstone in understanding the formation of structures in our Universe. In such clusters, thermal conduction follows field lines, so magnetic fields strongly shape the cluster's thermal history; that some have not since cooled and collapsed is a mystery. In a seemingly unrelated puzzle, recent observations of Virgo cluster spiral galaxies imply ridges of strong, coherent magnetic fields offset from their centre. Here we demonstrate, using three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamical simulations, that such ridges are easily explained by galaxies sweeping up field lines as they orbit inside the cluster. This magnetic drape is then lit up with cosmic rays from the galaxies' stars, generating coherent polarized emission at the galaxies' leading edges. This immediately presents a technique for probing local orientations and characteristic length scales of cluster magnetic fields. The first application of this technique, mapping the field of the Virgo cluster, gives a startling result: outside a central region, the magnetic field is preferentially oriented radially as predicted by the magnetothermal instability. Our results strongly suggest a mechanism for maintaining some clusters in a 'non-cooling-core' state.Comment: 48 pages, 21 figures, revised version to match published article in Nature Physics, high-resolution version available at http://www.cita.utoronto.ca/~pfrommer/Publications/pfrommer-dursi.pd

Characterization of SiPM optical modules for detection of atmospheric shower Cherenkov emission

Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) will be used in the focal planes of part of the telescopes of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), the next generation of Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes (IACT). Optical modules made of 4×4 SiPMs have been developed by Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) and assembled in INFN laboratories, to be integrated on the prototype of a Schwarzschild-Couder MediumSized Telescope (SCT) proposed for CTA. As of today, a selection of 36 modules out of 56 working modules is ready for the integration on the telescope camera