366 research outputs found
Radio imaging of core-dominated high redshift quasars
VLA imaging at kiloparsec-scale resolution of sixteen core-dominated
radio-loud QSOs is presented. Many objects appear to display variable radio
emission and their radio morphologies are significantly smaller than those of
steep-spectrum quasars, consistent with these objects being observed at sight
lines close to their (relativistic, 4-7) jet axes. The
usefulness of the radio source orientation indicator R_V, being defined as
ratio of radio core and rest frame optical V-band luminosity, is confirmed.Comment: 11 pages, 11 postscript figures, uses aa.cls 4.03 for LaTeX2e To
appear in Astronomy and Astrophysic
Design and evaluation of mobile games to support active and reflective learning outdoors
This thesis explores the use of situated, location-based mobile games for supporting learning in the field, to determine how these types of activity can support learners with reference to specific curricular aims, beyond just providing highly engaging and motivating activities. A software toolkit was developed to support the design and deployment of situated mobile learning activities. This was used to design and deploy mobile learning activities for two field studies. The first study used the critical incident technique to identify specific benefits and problems arising from outdoor mobile learning. We found that whilst learners were highly engaged by an outdoor learning activity facilitated by mobile devices, they were engaged only in the surface level of the activity and did not reflect on what they were doing. The second study comprised a grounded theory analysis of learner behaviour in the context of a location-based, enquiry-led learning game designed to overcome the problems found in Study 1 and in other projects. We present an analysis of learner interactions with the environment during an enquiry-led learning activity. Compared to an equivalent paper-based activity, the game helped to coordinate the learners’ activities and unexpected results from game actions prompted learners to reflect on their actions and what they observed. The physical environment also prompted discussion and reflection, but we saw specific problems arising from learners becoming distracted by their previous experience of the environment and by the proximity of environmental features. We discuss these findings and present implications for the design of future mobile learning games
Interaction Issues in Computer Aided Semantic\ud Annotation of Multimedia
The CASAM project aims to provide a tool for more efficient and effective annotation of multimedia documents through collaboration between a user and a system performing an automated analysis of the media content. A critical part of the project is to develop a user interface which best supports both the user and the system through optimal human-computer interaction. In this paper we discuss the work undertaken, the proposed user interface and underlying interaction issues which drove its development
Design and evaluation of mobile games to support active and reflective learning outdoors
This thesis explores the use of situated, location-based mobile games for supporting learning in the field, to determine how these types of activity can support learners with reference to specific curricular aims, beyond just providing highly engaging and motivating activities. A software toolkit was developed to support the design and deployment of situated mobile learning activities. This was used to design and deploy mobile learning activities for two field studies. The first study used the critical incident technique to identify specific benefits and problems arising from outdoor mobile learning. We found that whilst learners were highly engaged by an outdoor learning activity facilitated by mobile devices, they were engaged only in the surface level of the activity and did not reflect on what they were doing. The second study comprised a grounded theory analysis of learner behaviour in the context of a location-based, enquiry-led learning game designed to overcome the problems found in Study 1 and in other projects. We present an analysis of learner interactions with the environment during an enquiry-led learning activity. Compared to an equivalent paper-based activity, the game helped to coordinate the learners’ activities and unexpected results from game actions prompted learners to reflect on their actions and what they observed. The physical environment also prompted discussion and reflection, but we saw specific problems arising from learners becoming distracted by their previous experience of the environment and by the proximity of environmental features. We discuss these findings and present implications for the design of future mobile learning games
Radio Jet Feedback and Star Formation in Heavily Obscured Quasars at Redshifts ~0.3-3, I: ALMA Observations
We present ALMA 870 micron (345 GHz) data for 49 high redshift (0.47<z<2.85),
luminous (11.7 < log L(bol) (Lsun) < 14.2) radio-powerful AGN, obtained to
constrain cool dust emission from starbursts concurrent with highly obscured
radiative-mode black hole (BH) accretion in massive galaxies which possess a
small radio jet. The sample was selected from WISE with extremely steep (red)
mid-infrared (MIR) colors and with compact radio emission from NVSS/FIRST.
Twenty-six sources are detected at 870 microns, and we find that the sample has
large mid- to far-infrared luminosity ratios consistent with a dominant and
highly obscured quasar. The rest-frame 3 GHz radio powers are 24.7 < log P3.0
GHz (W/Hz) < 27.3, and all sources are radio-intermediate or radio-loud. BH
mass estimates are 7.7 < log M(BH) (Msun) < 10.2. The rest frame 1-5 um SEDs
are very similar to the "Hot DOGs" (Hot Dust Obscured Galaxies), and steeper
(redder) than almost any other known extragalactic sources. ISM masses
estimated for the ALMA detected sources are 9.9 < log M(ISM) (Msun) < 11.75
assuming a dust temperature of 30K. The cool dust emission is consistent with
star formation rates (SFRs) reaching several thousand Msun/yr, depending on the
assumed dust temperature, however we cannot rule out the alternative that the
AGN powers all the emission in some cases. Our best constrained source has
radiative transfer solutions with ~ equal contributions from an obscured AGN
and a young (10-15 Myr) compact starburst.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figures. To appear in Astrophysical Journal. Update on
Sept 14 to correct the ALMA proposal id. to ADS/JAO.ALMA#2011.0.00397.S and
to add a missing acknowledgemen
Conformational effects on the pro-S hydrogen abstraction reaction in cyclooxygenase-1: an integrated QM/MM and MD study
A key step in the cyclooxygenase reaction cycle of cyclooxygenase 1 (COX-1) is abstraction of the pro-S hydrogen atom of the arachidonic acid by a radical that is formed at the protein residue Tyr-385. Here we investigate this reaction step by a quantum-mechanics/molecular-mechanics approach in combination with molecular-dynamics simulations. The simulations identify the hydrogen abstraction angle as a crucial geometric determinant of the reaction, thus revealing the importance of the cyclooxygenase active site for calculating the potential energy surface of the reaction
A New Population of High-z, Dusty Lyα Emitters and Blobs Discovered by WISE: Feedback Caught in the Act?
By combining data from the NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission with optical spectroscopy from the W. M. Keck telescope, we discover a mid-IR color criterion that yields a 78% success rate in identifying rare, typically radio-quiet, 1.6 ≾ z ≾ 4.6 dusty Lyα emitters (LAEs). Of these, at least 37% have emission extended on scales of 30-100 kpc and are considered Lyα "blobs" (LABs). The objects have a surface density of only ~0.1 deg^(–2), making them rare enough that they have been largely missed in deep, small area surveys. We measured spectroscopic redshifts for 92 of these galaxies, and find that the LAEs (LABs) have a median redshift of 2.3 (2.5). The WISE photometry coupled with data from Herschel (Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA) reveals that these galaxies are in the Hyper Luminous IR galaxy regime (L IR ≳ 10^(13)-10^(14) L_☉) and have warm colors. They are typically more luminous and warmer than other dusty, z ~ 2 populations such as submillimeter-selected galaxies and dust-obscured galaxies. These traits are commonly associated with the dust being illuminated by intense active galactic nucleus activity. We hypothesize that the combination of spatially extended Lyα, large amounts of warm IR-luminous dust, and rarity (implying a short-lived phase) can be explained if the galaxies are undergoing brief, intense "feedback" transforming them from an extreme dusty starburst/QSO into a mature galaxy
Faint Infrared Flares from the Microquasar GRS 1915+105
We present simultaneous infrared and X-ray observations of the Galactic
microquasar GRS 1915+105 using the Palomar 5-m telescope and Rossi X-ray Timing
Explorer on July 10, 1998 UT. Over the course of 5 hours, we observed 6 faint
infrared (IR) flares with peak amplitudes of mJy and durations
of seconds. These flares are associated with X-ray
soft-dip/soft-flare cycles, as opposed to the brighter IR flares associated
with X-ray hard-dip/soft-flare cycles seen in August 1997 by Eikenberry et al.
(1998). Interestingly, the IR flares begin {\it before} the X-ray oscillations,
implying an ``outside-in'' origin of the IR/X-ray cycle. We also show that the
quasi-steady IR excess in August 1997 is due to the pile-up of similar faint
flares. We discuss the implications of this flaring behavior for understanding
jet formation in microquasars.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
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