Kn 26, a New Quadrupolar Planetary Nebula

Once classified as an emission line source, the planetary nebula (PN) nature of the source Kn 26 has been only recently recognized in digital sky surveys. To investigate the spectral properties and spatio-kinematical structure of Kn 26, we have obtained high spatial-resolution optical and near-IR narrow-band images, high-dispersion long-slit echelle spectra, and intermediate-resolution spectroscopic observations. The new data reveal an hourglass morphology typical of bipolar PNe. A detailed analysis of its morphology and kinematics discloses the presence of a second pair of bipolar lobes, making Kn 26 a new member of the subclass of quadrupolar PNe. The time-lap between the ejection of the two pairs of bipolar lobes is much smaller than their dynamical ages, implying a rapid change of the preferential direction of the central engine. The chemical composition of Kn 26 is particularly unusual among PNe, with a low N/O ratio (as of type II PNe) and a high helium abundance (as of type I PNe), although not atypical among symbiotic stars. Such an anomalous chemical composition may have resulted from the curtail of the time in the Asymptotic Giant Branch by the evolution of the progenitor star through a common envelope phase.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Colour importance driven half-toning

Importance driven half-toning (IDH) presents a method for reduced resource rendering of gray scale images. This approach uses an image pyramid to distribute drawing primitives to different areas of the image based on an importance function. The original paper showed how a wide variety of effects can be achieved using a combination of importance functions and drawing primitives. In this paper we show that by storing multiple pyramid representations of the image we can use different geometric primitives in different areas of the image. The application of IDH to colour is then explored. We show that each of the red, green, and blue bands of the image can be used as bases for IDH. We show some images that are obtained in this manner. Finally we introduce a drawing mode based on a teaching drawing style (Esgrafiado with black ink) where a black layer is scratched off a coloured background. The resulting system provides the artist with a large number of parameters with which to render stylized images. We conclude the paper with some examples of our technique being applied to standard images.Eje: ImágenesRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

An importance driven genetic algorithm for the halftoning process

Most evolutionary approaches to halftoning techniques have been concerned with the paramount goal of halftoning: achieving an accurate reproduction of local grayscale intensities while avoiding the introduction of artifacts. A secondary concern in halftoning has been the preservation of edges in the halftoned image. In this paper, we will introduce a new evolutionary approach through the use of an importance function. This approach has at least two main characteristics. First, it can produce results similar to many other halftoning techniques. Second, if the chosen importance function is accordingly changed, areas of the image with high variance can be highlighted.III Workshop de Computación Gráfica, Imágenes y Visualización (WCGIV)Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Reconstructing land's appearance

An important and largely area of computer image generation is that related with geographic information. Geographic data can be used for analysis, design and evaluation in natural-resource assessment, regional planning, and large-area landscape design. While Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has focused on delivering traditional cartographic representations, some people demands others aspects be covered: the use of "appropiate" representations to help viewers to understand the information. This is the case of the visualization of the land's topography and how the changes on it affect its appearance. Strangely, the combination of GIS and visualization area still remains unexplored. The elds seem to complement on another, yet they have developed in parallel and the interaction between them is important in providing usable interactive systems. This paper presents a visualization approach of a topographic surface spatially inter- polated from Topographic Reliefs. We hope this will help people with no background in scientific visualization orient themselves to the image.Área: Procesamiento de Imágenes - Tratamiento de Señales - Computación Gráfica - VisualizaciónRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

The triple-shell structure and collimated outflows of the planetary nebula NGC 6891

Narrow-band H$\alpha$ and [N {\sc ii}] images and high-dispersion spatially-resolved echelle spectroscopy of the planetary nebula NGC 6891 are presented. These observations show a great wealth of structures. The bright central nebula is surrounded by an attached shell and a detached outer halo. Both the inner and intermediate shells can be described as ellipsoids with similar major to minor axial ratios, but different spatial orientations. The kinematical ages of the intermediate shell and halo are 4,800 and 28,000 years, respectively. The inter-shell time lapse is in good agreement with the evolutionary inter-pulse time lapse. A highly collimated outflow is observed to protrude from the tips of the major axis of the inner nebula and impact on the outer edge of the intermediate shell. Kinematics and excitation of this outflow provide conclusive evidence that it is deflected during the interaction with the outer edge of the intermediate shell. At the same time, both the kinematics and the morphology of the intermediate shell appear to be affected by this interaction.Comment: To be published in MNRAS, 9 pages, 5 figure

NGC 6309, a Planetary Nebula that Shifted from Round to Multipolar

We present new narrow-band Ha, [N II], and [O III] high-resolution images of the quadrupolar planetary nebula (PN) NGC 6309 that show in great detail its bipolar lobes and reveal new morphological features. New high- and low-dispersion long-slit spectra have been obtained to help in the investigation of the new nebular components. The images and spectra unveil two diffuse blobs, one of them located at 55 arcsec from the central star along the NE direction (PA= +71) and the other at 78 arcsec in the SW direction (PA= -151). Therefore, these structures do not share the symmetry axes of the inner bipolar outflows. Their radial velocities relative to the system are quite low: +3 and -4 km/s, respectively. Spectroscopic data confirm a high [O III] to Ha ratio, indicating that the blobs are being excited by the UV flux from the central star. Our images convincingly show a spherical halo 60 arcsec in diameter encircling the quadrupolar nebula. The expansion velocity of this shell is low, 66 km/s. The software SHAPE has been used to construct a morpho-kinematic model for the ring and the bipolar flows that implies an age of 4,000 yrs, the expansion of the halo sets a lower limit for its age 46,000 yrs, and the very low expansion of the blobs suggests they are part of a large structure corresponding to a mass ejection that took place 150,000 yrs ago. In NGC 6309 we have direct evidence of a change in the geometry of mass-loss, from spherical in the halo to axially-symmetric in the two pairs of bipolar lobes.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, Accepted for publication in MNRA

Comparación de la precisión diagnóstica de la tomografía computarizada de haz cónico y tres sistemas radiográficos intraorales en la detección de lesiones de caries in vitro.

Objective: The objective of the study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of cone beam computed tomography and three intraoral radiographic systems in the detection of in vitro caries lesions. Material and Methods: One hundred teeth (46 molars and 54 premolars) were evaluated, including 176 proximal surfaces and 90 occlusal surfaces, with or without dental caries lesions. Digital images of all teeth were obtained using specific intraoral radiographs, VistaScan DürrDental®phosphor-plate radiography, XIOS XG Sirona® digital sensor radiography, and CBCT I-CATTM. Observers evaluated the images for the detection of caries lesions. The teeth were clinically sectioned and stereomicroscopy served as a validation tool. The relationship of sensitivity and specificity between all systems was determined through the ROC curve using Az values. Results: The values of the area under the curve (Az) selected for the CBCT I-CATTM system were 0.89 (0.84-0.93), for conventional radiography 0.71 (0.66-0.76), digital sensor radiography 0.74 (0.70-0.78) and digital radiography with phosphor-plates 0.73 (0.69-0.77). Statistically significant differences were found between the CBCT I-CATTM system and intraoral radiographic systems (p<0.01). The sensitivity and specificity values for the CBCT I-CATTM were 0.84 and 0.93 respectively. Conclusion: CBCT has a high sensitivity and specificity compared to intraoral radiographic systems for the diagnosis of dental caries lesions in vitro.Objetivo: El objetivo del estudio fue comparar la precisión diagnóstica de la tomografía computarizada de haz cónico y tres sistemas radiográficos intraorales en la detección de lesiones de caries in vitro. Material y Métodos: Se evaluaron 100 dientes, 46 molares y 54 premolares; 176 superficies proximales y 90 superficies oclusales, con o sin lesión de caries dental. Se obtuvieron imágenes digitales de todos los dientes utilizando radiografías intraorales convencionales, radiografía con placas de fósforo VistaScan Du?rrDental®, radiografía con sensor digital XIOS XG Sirona® y CBCT I-CATTM. Tres observadores evaluaron las imágenes para la detección de lesiones de caries. Los dientes se seccionaron clínicamente y la estereomicroscopía sirvió como herramienta de validación. Se determinó relación de sensibilidad y especificidad entre todos los sistemas a través de la curva ROC utilizando valores Az. Resultados: Los valores de área debajo de la curva (Az) obtenidos para el sistema CBCT I-CATTM fueron de 0.89 (0.84-0.93), para radiografía convencional 0.71 (0.66-0.76), radiografía con sensor digital 0.74 (0.70-0.78) y radiografía digital con placas de fósforo 0.73 (0.69-0.77). Se encontró diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre el sistema CBCT I-CATTM y todos los sistemas radiográficos convencionales y digitales (p<0.01). Los valores de sensibilidad y especificidad para el CBCT I-CATTM fueron 0.84 y 0.93 respectivamente. Conclusión: La CBCT tiene una alta sensibilidad y especificidad en comparación a los sistemas radiográficos intraorales en el diagnóstico de lesiones de caries dental in vitro

Improvement of a Parallel System for Image Processing

Digital images are digital signals captured through different means. Sometimes these captured images contain variations combined with the original signal, this variations are called noise. Echo is a particular kind of noise with characteristics that turns it into a very interesting problem to solve. The echo detection process and its subsequent elimination from a digital Image involves extensive mathematical calculations. Differents Parallel approaches taking advantage of new architectures can be implemented to solve this problem. Nevertheless these approaches have time depending characteristics, so the Processing time is still the critical point. One improved version of a Parallel one may be implemented by using a different algorithm and some other techniques that much more reduce the Processing time. In this work, the authors discuss their earlier work, the present approach and the future directions of this experimental application. Finally the resulting values are sketched.Sistemas Distribuidos - Redes ConcurrenciaRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI