Experimentally based numerical models and numerical simulation with parameter identification of human lumbar FSUs in traction

Numerical simulation of the behaviour of human lumbar spine segments, moreover, parameter-identification of the component organs of human lumbar FSUs are presented in traction therapies, by using FEM analysis. First, a simple 2D model, than a refined 2D model, and finally a refined 3D model were applied for modeling lumbar FSUs. For global numerical simulation of traction therapies the material constants of component organs have been obtained from the international literature. For local parameter identification of the component organs, an interval of the possible material moduli has been considered for each organ, and the possible combinations of real moduli were obtained, controlling the process by the measured global deformations. In this way, the efficiency of conservative traction therapies can be improved by offering new experimental tensile material parameters for the international spine research

Scanamorphos: a map-making software for Herschel and similar scanning bolometer arrays

Scanamorphos is one of the public softwares available to post-process scan observations performed with the Herschel photometer arrays. This post-processing mainly consists in subtracting the total low-frequency noise (both its thermal and non-thermal components), masking high-frequency artefacts such as cosmic ray hits, and projecting the data onto a map. Although it was developed for Herschel, it is also applicable with minimal adjustment to scan observations made with some other imaging arrays subjected to low-frequency noise, provided they entail sufficient redundancy; it was successfully applied to P-Artemis, an instrument operating on the APEX telescope. Contrary to matrix-inversion softwares and high-pass filters, Scanamorphos does not assume any particular noise model, and does not apply any Fourier-space filtering to the data, but is an empirical tool using purely the redundancy built in the observations -- taking advantage of the fact that each portion of the sky is sampled at multiple times by multiple bolometers. It is an interactive software in the sense that the user is allowed to optionally visualize and control results at each intermediate step, but the processing is fully automated. This paper describes the principles and algorithm of Scanamorphos and presents several examples of application.Comment: This is the final version as accepted by PASP (on July 27, 2013). A copy with much better-quality figures is available on http://www2.iap.fr/users/roussel/herschel

Empirical relations for cluster RR Lyrae stars revisited

Our former study on the empirical relations between the Fourier parameters of the light curves of the fundamental mode RR Lyrae stars and their basic stellar parameters has been extended to considerably larger data sets. The most significant contribution to the absolute magnitude M_v comes from the period P and from the first Fourier amplitude A_1, but there are statistically significant contributions also from additional higher order components, most importantly from A_3 and in a lesser degree from the Fourier phase phi_51. When different colors are combined in reddening-free quantities, we obtain basically period-luminosity-color relations. Due to the log T_eff (B-V, log g, [Fe/H]) relation from stellar atmosphere models, we would expect some dependence also on phi_31. Unfortunately, the data are still not extensive and accurate enough to decipher clearly the small effect of this Fourier phase. However, with the aid of more accurate multicolor data on field variables, we show that this Fourier phase should be present either in V-I or in B-V or in both. From the standard deviations of the various regressions, an upper limit can be obtained on the overall inhomogeneity of the reddening in the individual clusters. This yields sigma_E(B-V)}< 0.012 mag, which also implies an average minimum observational error of sigma_V > 0.018 mag.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, 11 tables, accepted in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Description of two-electron atoms with correct cusp conditions

New sets of functions with arbitrary large finite cardinality are constructed for two-electron atoms. Functions from these sets exactly satisfy the Kato's cusp conditions. The new functions are special linear combinations of Hylleraas- and/or Kinoshita-type terms. Standard variational calculation, leading to matrix eigenvalue problem, can be carried out to calculate the energies of the system. There is no need for optimization with constraints to satisfy the cusp conditions. In the numerical examples the ground state energy of the He atom is considered