Radiative transfer modelling for the NOMAD-UVIS instrument on the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter mission

The NOMAD (Nadir and Occultation for MArs Discovery) instrument is a 3-channel (2 IR, 1 UV/Vis) spectrometer due to fly on the 2016 ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter mission. A radiative transfer model for Mars has been developed providing synthetic spectra to simulate observations of the UVIS channel in both solar occultation and nadir viewing geometries. This will allow for the characterization and mitigation of the influence of dust on retrievals of ozone abundance

An early warning indicator for atmospheric blocking events using transfer operators

The existence of persistent midlatitude atmospheric flow regimes with time-scales larger than 5-10 days and indications of preferred transitions between them motivates to develop early warning indicators for such regime transitions. In this paper, we use a hemispheric barotropic model together with estimates of transfer operators on a reduced phase space to develop an early warning indicator of the zonal to blocked flow transition in this model. It is shown that, the spectrum of the transfer operators can be used to study the slow dynamics of the flow as well as the non-Markovian character of the reduction. The slowest motions are thereby found to have time scales of three to six weeks and to be associated with meta-stable regimes (and their transitions) which can be detected as almost-invariant sets of the transfer operator. From the energy budget of the model, we are able to explain the meta-stability of the regimes and the existence of preferred transition paths. Even though the model is highly simplified, the skill of the early warning indicator is promising, suggesting that the transfer operator approach can be used in parallel to an operational deterministic model for stochastic prediction or to assess forecast uncertainty

Systematic characterization of thermodynamic and dynamical phase behavior in systems with short-ranged attraction

In this paper we demonstrate the feasibility and utility of an augmented version of the Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo method for computing the phase behavior of systems with strong, extremely short-ranged attractions. For generic potential shapes, this approach allows for the investigation of narrower attractive widths than those previously reported. Direct comparison to previous self-consistent Ornstein-Zernike approximation calculations are made. A preliminary investigation of out-of-equilibrium behavior is also performed. Our results suggest that the recent observations of stable cluster phases in systems without long-ranged repulsions are intimately related to gas-crystal and metastable gas-liquid phase separation.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

Small Engine Component Technology (SECT)

A study of small gas turbine engines was conducted to identify high payoff technologies for year-2000 engines and to define companion technology plans. The study addressed engines in the 186 to 746 KW (250 to 1000 shp) or equivalent thrust range for rotorcraft, commuter (turboprop), cruise missile (turbojet), and APU applications. The results show that aggressive advancement of high payoff technologies can produce significant benefits, including reduced SFC, weight, and cost for year-2000 engines. Mission studies for these engines show potential fuel burn reductions of 22 to 71 percent. These engine benefits translate into reductions in rotorcraft and commuter aircraft direct operating costs (DOC) of 7 to 11 percent, and in APU-related DOCs of 37 to 47 percent. The study further shows that cruise missile range can be increased by as much as 200 percent (320 percent with slurry fuels) for a year-2000 missile-turbojet system compared to a current rocket-powered system. The high payoff technologies were identified and the benefits quantified. Based on this, technology plans were defined for each of the four engine applications as recommended guidelines for further NASA research and technology efforts to establish technological readiness for the year 2000

The SONYC survey: Towards a complete census of brown dwarfs in star forming regions

SONYC, short for "Substellar Objects in Nearby Young Clusters", is a survey program to provide a census of the substellar population in nearby star forming regions. We have conducted deep optical and near-infrared photometry in five young regions (NGC1333, rho Ophiuchi, Chamaeleon-I, Upper Sco, and Lupus-3), combined with proper motions, and followed by extensive spectroscopic campaigns with Subaru and VLT, in which we have obtained more than 700 spectra of candidate low-mass objects. We have identified and characterized more than 60 new substellar objects, among them a handful of objects with masses close to, or below the Deuterium burning limit. Through SONYC and surveys by other groups, the substellar IMF is now well characterized down to ~ 5 - 10 MJup, and we find that the ratio of the number of stars with respect to brown dwarfs lies between 2 and 6. A comprehensive survey of NGC 1333 reveals that, down to ~5MJup, free-floating objects with planetary masses are 20-50 times less numerous than stars, i.e. their total contribution to the mass budget of the clusters can be neglected.Comment: to appear in the proceedings of the conference 'Brown dwarfs come of age', May 20-24 2013, Memorie della Societa Astronomica Italian

The Carina Flare: What can fragments in the wall tell us?

$^{13}$CO(J=2--1) and C$^{18}$O(J=2--1) observations of the molecular cloud G285.90+4.53 (Cloud~16) in the Carina Flare supershell (GSH287+04-17) with the APEX telescope are presented. With an algorithm DENDROFIND we identify 51 fragments and compute their sizes and masses. We discuss their mass spectrum and interpret it as being the result of the shell fragmentation process described by the pressure assisted gravitational instability - PAGI. We conclude that the explanation of the clump mass function needs a combination of gravity with pressure external to the shell.Comment: 19 pages, 14 figures, accepted by A&

Mechanism of enhanced light output in InGaN-based microlight emitting diodes

Micro-light emitting diode (LED) arrays with diameters of 4 to 20 mum have been fabricated and were found to be much more efficient light emitters compared to their broad-area counterparts, with up to five times enhancement in optical power densities. The possible mechanisms responsible for the improvement in performance were investigated. Strain relaxation in the microstructures as measured by Raman spectroscopy was not observed, arguing against theories of an increase in internal quantum efficiency due to a reduction of the piezoelectric field put forward by other groups. Optical microscope images show intense light emission at the periphery of the devices, as a result of light scattering off the etched sidewalls. This increases the extraction efficiency relative to broad area devices and boosts the forward optical output. In addition, spectra of the forward emitted light reveal the presence of resonant cavity modes [whispering gallery (WG) modes in particular] which appear to play a role in enhancing the optical output