Bulk and integrated acousto-optic spectrometers for radio astronomy

The development of sensitive heterodyne receivers (front end) in the centimeter and millimeter range, and the construction of sensitive RF spectrometers (back end) enable the spectral lines of interstellar molecules to be detected and identified. A technique was developed which combines acoustic bending of a collimated coherent light beam by a Bragg cell followed by detection by a sensitive array of photodetectors (thus forming an RF acousto-optic spectrometer (AOS). An AOS has wide bandwidth, large number of channels, and high resolution, and is compact, lightweight, and energy efficient. The thrust of receiver development is towards high frequency heterodyne systems, particularly in the millimeter, submillimeter, far infrared, and 10 micron spectral ranges

Acousto-optic spectrometer for radio astronomy

A prototype acousto-optic spectrometer which uses a discrete bulk acoustic wave Itek Bragg cell, 5 mW Helium Neon laser, and a 1024 element Reticon charge coupled photodiode array is described. The analog signals from the photodiode array are digitized, added, and stored in a very high speed custom built multiplexer board which allows synchronous detection of weak signals to be performed. The experiment is controlled and the data are displayed and stored with an LSI-2 microcomputer system with dual floppy discs. The performance of the prototype acousto-optic spectrometer obtained from initial tests is reported

Teachers' Ratings of Relationships with Students: Links to Student and Teacher Characteristics

This exploratory study examined the associations between teacher-student relationship ratings and characteristics of students and teachers. A sample of fifth grade teachers (N = 115) and their students (N = 2070) were studied. Hierarchical linear modeling was employed to explore the associations between variables while taking both individual characteristics and classroom context into account. An investigation of within-teacher variation indicated that males, Asian students, Hispanic students, FARM eligible students, and students with high prior internalizing scores generally received lower closeness scores. A between-teacher (level-2) model was created to gain a better understanding of the influence of classroom context on teacher reports of closeness with their students. Classroom context was found to play a significant role in relationship ratings for students in general and also for subpopulations of students (i.e., male, high prior externalizing, or high prior internalizing). Teacher self efficacy was positively associated with relationship closeness. Longitudinal data were used to explore the association between the ratings that teachers had provided during previous years (with prior students) and ratings of closeness with their current students. Results indicated that teacher ratings of their previous students during prior years were a significant positive predictor of how their current relationships were rated. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed

Intracellular lucifer yellow injection in fixed brain slices combined with retrograde tracing, light and electron microscopy.

The present paper contains a full methodological description of iontophoretic Lucifer Yellow injections in fixed brain slices in mammals. In brief, cortical tissue was either perfused or immersion-fixed in paraformaldehyde. After Vibratome sectioning, tissue slices were transferred to epifluorescence microscopes equipped with long distance objectives. Under visual guidance, neurons were selectively impaled with Lucifer Yellow-filled electrodes and intracellularly injected until all dendrites appeared brightly fluorescent. Excellent dendritic staining was obtained in both perfusion-fixed cat visual cortex and immersion-fixed human brain biopsies. Dendritic spines, varicosities and growth cones could be readily discerned. Filling of axonal collaterals was, however, incomplete. Callosally projecting neurons in cat visual cortex were retrogradely traced with a mixture of the fluorescent tracers Fast Blue and DiI. Subsequently the morphology of labelled cells was determined by intracellular Lucifer Yellow injection. Although the Fast Blue fluorescence had become undetectable in filled neurons the granular red appearance of DiI was still discernible. Hence the neuronal composition of even relatively sparse projections can be demonstrated. To obtain permanent preparations, dye-filled neurons were immersed in a diaminobenzidine solution and irradiated with epifluorescent illumination until all visible fluorescence had faded. Photo-oxidation resulted in the intracellular formation of a homogeneously distributed brown reaction product visible with the light microscope. Brief osmication enhanced the staining contrast, thus providing a Golgi-like image. Subsequent electron microscopy of photo-converted cells showed the fine granular nature of the electron opaque reaction product, thus revealing numerous cytological features. The precipitate was homogeneously distributed throughout the entire cytoplasm and nucleus, extending into dendrites and axon. Any apparent leakage of the label into the extracellular space was not observed. Intracellular staining in fixed tissue yields a high number of neurons with extensive filling of dendritic arbors. Photo-oxidation provides stable, non-fading preparations with the option of subsequent electron microscopy. In addition, the technique can be combined with immunocytochemistry and a variety of fluorescent tracer substances. These features, combined with its high selectivity and relative methodological simplicity, render the method to be a promising alternative to classical neuroanatomical approaches

Sensitivity limits of an infrared heterodyne spectrometer for astrophysical applications

A discussion and an evaluation of the degradation in sensitivity is given for a heterodyne spectrometer employing a HgCdTe photodiode mixer and tunable diode lasers. The minimum detectable source brightness is considered as a function of the mixer parameters, transmission coefficient of the beam splitter, and local oscillator emission powers. The degradation in the minimum detectable line source brightness which results from the bandwidth being a function of the line width is evaluated and plotted as a function of the wavelength and bandwidth for various temperature to mass ratios. It is shown that the minimum achievable degradation in the sensitivity of a practical astronomical heterodyne spectrometer is approximately 30. Estimates of signal-to-noise ratios with which infrared line emission from astronomical sources of interest may be detected are given

Synthesis and properties of phosphate cancrinite (PO4-CAN) a synthetic counterpart of depmeierite

Phosphate cancrinite (PO4-CAN) has been synthesized under mild hydrothermal conditions at 473 K using kaolin, sodium orthophosphate-dodecahydrate and strong alkaline conditions (8 M NaOH solution). Cancrinite crystals of rod-like habit and maximum lengths up to 2 μm were observed and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MAS NMR) of the nucleus 31P, thermogravimetry (TG/DTG) and heating experiments under open conditions in a furnace were additionally performed. The empirical formula Na8[SiAlO4]6(PO4)0.58(CO3)0.13(H2O)4.6 was calculated from EDXS analyses and TG data under consideration of a minor carbonate content, detected by FTIR spectroscopy. PO4-CAN is stable up to 800 °C before thermal destruction rapidly occurs at 825 °C. The final product of TG analyses at 1000 °C is a mixture of a nepheline-like phase and the phosphate content of the initial cancrinite sample. XRD and FTIR results of the synthesis product are in good agreement with literature data of the rare mineral depmeierite

Inherent noise can facilitate coherence in collective swarm motion

Among the most striking aspects of the movement of many animal groups are their sudden coherent changes in direction. Recent observations of locusts and starlings have shown that this directional switching is an intrinsic property of their motion. Similar direction switches are seen in self-propelled particle and other models of group motion. Comprehending the factors that determine such switches is key to understanding the movement of these groups. Here, we adopt a coarse-grained approach to the study of directional switching in a self-propelled particle model assuming an underlying one-dimensional Fokker–Planck equation for the mean velocity of the particles. We continue with this assumption in analyzing experimental data on locusts and use a similar systematic Fokker–Planck equation coefficient estimation approach to extract the relevant information for the assumed Fokker–Planck equation underlying that experimental data. In the experiment itself the motion of groups of 5 to 100 locust nymphs was investigated in a homogeneous laboratory environment, helping us to establish the intrinsic dynamics of locust marching bands. We determine the mean time between direction switches as a function of group density for the experimental data and the self-propelled particle model. This systematic approach allows us to identify key differences between the experimental data and the model, revealing that individual locusts appear to increase the randomness of their movements in response to a loss of alignment by the group. We give a quantitative description of how locusts use noise to maintain swarm alignment. We discuss further how properties of individual animal behavior, inferred by using the Fokker–Planck equation coefficient estimation approach, can be implemented in the self-propelled particle model to replicate qualitatively the group level dynamics seen in the experimental data

RF spectrometers for heterodyne receivers

Several types of spectrometers developed for radio astronomy receivers which utilize RF filters, multiple oscillators and mixers, digital autocorrelators and acoustic/optic devices are considered. The RF spectrometer developed at GSFC to provide wide bandwidths (greater than 1 GHz) as well as high resolution (5MHz) is described. The 128 channel filter bank is divided into high and low resolution sections. The high resolution section is tunable by providing a second mixer ahead of the filter bank. This is necessary because infrared receivers which use gas lasers as local oscillators are only tunable to specific laser frequencies. To compensate for astronomical Doppler shifts and molecule frequency differences a second local oscillator and mixer is needed. A diagram of the RF section of the filter bank is shown. The RF spectrometer is shown to be the best means of achieving ultra-wide bandwidths for infrared heterodyne receivers. For high resolution with a large number of channels, the acousto/optical spectrometer is the principle instrument, particularly for balloon or space flight applications

Crystal structure of distrontium praseodym gallium pentaoxide, Sr2PrGaO5

GaO5PrSr2, tetragonal, I4/mcm (No. 140), a = 6.8441(2) Å, c = 11.2534(4) Å, V = 527.1 Å3, Z = 4, R(P) = 0.035, wR(P) = 0.052, R(I) = 0.038, T = 295 K. © by Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag