3,828 research outputs found
High-contrast imaging at small separation: impact of the optical configuration of two deformable mirrors on dark holes
The direct detection and characterization of exoplanets will be a major
scientific driver over the next decade, involving the development of very large
telescopes and requires high-contrast imaging close to the optical axis. Some
complex techniques have been developed to improve the performance at small
separations (coronagraphy, wavefront shaping, etc). In this paper, we study
some of the fundamental limitations of high contrast at the instrument design
level, for cases that use a combination of a coronagraph and two deformable
mirrors for wavefront shaping. In particular, we focus on small-separation
point-source imaging (around 1 /D). First, we analytically or
semi-analytically analysing the impact of several instrument design parameters:
actuator number, deformable mirror locations and optic aberrations (level and
frequency distribution). Second, we develop in-depth Monte Carlo simulation to
compare the performance of dark hole correction using a generic test-bed model
to test the Fresnel propagation of multiple randomly generated optics static
phase errors. We demonstrate that imaging at small separations requires large
setup and small dark hole size. The performance is sensitive to the optic
aberration amount and spatial frequencies distribution but shows a weak
dependence on actuator number or setup architecture when the dark hole is
sufficiently small (from 1 to 5 /D).Comment: 13 pages, 18 figure
Foraging movements of emperor penguins at Pointe Géologie, Antarctica.
International audienceThe foraging distributions of 20 breeding emperor penguins were investigated at Pointe Ge´ologie, Terre Ade´lie, Antarctica by using satellite telemetry in 2005 and 2006 during early and late winter, as well as during late spring and summer, corresponding to incubation, early chick-brooding, late chick-rearing and the adult pre-moult period, respectively. Dive depth records of three post-egg-laying females, two post-incubating males and four late chick-rearing adults were examined, as well as the horizontal space use by these birds. Foraging ranges of chick-provisioning penguins extended over the Antarctic shelf and were constricted by winter pack-ice. During spring ice break-up, the foraging ranges rarely exceeded the shelf slope, although seawater access was apparently almost unlimited. Winter females appeared constrained in their access to open water but used fissures in the sea ice and expanded their prey search effort by expanding the horizontal search component underwater. Birds in spring however, showed higher area-restricted-search than did birds in winter. Despite different seasonal foraging strategies, chick-rearing penguins exploited similar areas as indicated by both a high ‘Area-Restricted-Search Index' and high ‘Catch Per Unit Effort'. During pre-moult trips, emperor penguins ranged much farther offshore than breeding birds, which argues for particularly profitable oceanic feeding areas which can be exploited when the time constraints imposed by having to return to a central place to provision the chick no longer apply
Comparaison de techniques d’identification des Erwinia et des Pseudomonas responsables de la pourriture molle
Trois méthodes, soit la caractérisation physiologique, l'utilisation de systèmes miniaturisés d'identification (API 20E, API NFT et Biolog) et l'analyse du profil électrophorétique des protéines sécrétées, ont été expérimentées afin de déterminer une technique précise et rapide d'identification des Pseudomonas et des Erwinia responsables de la pourriture molle. L'analyse des patrons électrophorétiques des protéines sécrétées est une méthode très efficace pour identifier les différentes espèces pectinolytiques de Pseudomonas fluorescents. Le système Biolog reconnaît efficacement le P. marginalis et le P. viridiflava. Le système API NFT est efficace pour l'identification du P. marginalis, du P. viridiflava et du P. syringae. C'est le système API 20E qui s'est avéré le plus efficace pour l'identification des Erwinia. L'électrophorèse des protéines sécrétées et le système API NFT permettent une identification rapide et efficace des Pseudomonas, tandis que pour les Erwinia, seul le système API20E est performant.Three methods, namely physiological characterization, the use of miniaturized identification Systems (API 20E, API NFT, and Biolog) and the analysis of the electrophoretic profile of proteins secreted by the bacteria, were used in order to determine a precise and quick identification technique for the Pseudomonas and Erwinia species causing soft rots in several plant species. The analysis of the electrophoretic profile of the proteins secreted is a very efficient method of identification for the various pectinolytic species of fluorescent Pseudomonas. The Biolog System accurately recognizes P. marginalisand P. viridiflava. The API NFT System is efficient for the identification of P. marginalis, P. viridiflava and P. syringae. The API 20E System was found to be the most reliable System for identifying Erwinia species. The electrophoresis of proteins secreted and the API NFT system allow a quick and efficient identification of Pseudomonas species, while for Erwinia species, only the API 20E System is efficient
Juvenile growth and crown morphological plasticity of eastern white pines (Pinus strobus L.) planted along a natural light gradient: Results after six years
Underplanting white pine (Pinus strobus L.) is a promising method to reduce competition and protect against white pine weevil (Pissodes strobi (Peck)) damage. However, shading caused by over-story trees can reduce growth, vigor and survival of white pine. The objective of this study was to determine tile effects of a light gradient on the growth and overall crown morphology of white pine saplings planted in 3-meter strips within a hardwood forest some six years earlier. In 1994, we measured total height and diameter, leader length (in 1994) and numerous crown morphological variables. We then estimated the light environment above the crown of 63 young white pine saplings representing six families of close provenance. White pine grew well (i.e., >20 cm in height/year) for the first six years when planted at light levels between 10 and 66% of full sunlight. Total height and diameter after six years tended to decline more sharply below 30% full sunlight, confirming earlier experiments made in controlled conditions. No significant changes in crown morphology were evident along the light gradient. This lack of crown morphological plasticity presumably contributes to limiting the ability of while pine to grow and compete in a very low light environment. Various silvicultural options are discussed in light of the results obtained in this study
A Southern Hemisphere origin for campanulid angiosperms, with traces of the break-up of Gondwana
Background
New powerful biogeographic methods have focused attention on long-standing hypotheses regarding the influence of the break-up of Gondwana on the biogeography of Southern Hemisphere plant groups. Studies to date have often concluded that these groups are too young to have been influenced by these ancient continental movements. Here we examine a much larger and older angiosperm clade, the Campanulidae, and infer its biogeographic history by combining Bayesian divergence time information with a likelihood-based biogeographic model focused on the Gondwanan landmasses. Results
Our analyses imply that campanulids likely originated in the middle Albian (~105 Ma), and that a substantial portion of the early evolutionary history of campanulids took place in the Southern Hemisphere, despite their greater species richness in the Northern Hemisphere today. We also discovered several disjunctions that show biogeographic and temporal correspondence with the break-up of Gondwana. Conclusions
While it is possible to discern traces of the break-up of Gondwana in clades that are old enough, it will generally be difficult to be confident in continental movement as the prime cause of geographic disjunctions. This follows from the need for the geographic disjunction, the inferred biogeographic scenario, and the dating of the lineage splitting events to be consistent with the causal hypothesis
Optimizing the Model of the Viking-400 UAS
This project intends to update and redesign imperfections in the scanned 3D CAD model of the Viking 400 aircraft. This aircraft, similar to the Sierra-B UAS, will carry payloads of scientific instruments for research purposes. The goals of this project are to modify the current scanned model such that it better represents the physical qualities of the aircraft, as well as creating the features that are missing from the model. As the model was imported from a different software, many of the critical surfaces did not accurately reflect the actual aircraft. Those parts of the model were redesigned entirely so that they can be edited for future use, as well as correctly representing the aircraft as it is now. Additionally, parts of the aircraft that did not appear in the scanned model were designed and added to the new model. In order to prioritize ease of use for future missions, the model has been reorganized in a logical fashion that enables modification of specific parts of the aircraft. The organization of this model imitates the drawing tree of the Sierra-B, with the intention of maintaining a functional system of redesign, analysis, and implementation. Ultimately, this project will be a catalyst for making Viking 400 into a functional aircraft and increasing scientific research in airborne vehicles
Tracking the phase-transition energy in disassembly of hot nuclei
In efforts to determine phase transitions in the disintegration of highly
excited heavy nuclei, a popular practice is to parametrise the yields of
isotopes as a function of temperature in the form
, where 's are the measured yields
and and are fitted to the yields. Here would be
interpreted as the phase transition temperature. For finite systems such as
those obtained in nuclear collisions, this parametrisation is only approximate
and hence allows for extraction of in more than one way. In this work we
look in detail at how values of differ, depending on methods of
extraction. It should be mentioned that for finite systems, this approximate
parametrisation works not only at the critical point, but also for first order
phase transitions (at least in some models). Thus the approximate fit is no
guarantee that one is seeing a critical phenomenon. A different but more
conventional search for the nuclear phase transition would look for a maximum
in the specific heat as a function of temperature . In this case is
interpreted as the phase transition temperature. Ideally and would
coincide. We invesigate this possibility, both in theory and from the ISiS
data, performing both canonical () and microcanonical ()
calculations. Although more than one value of can be extracted from the
approximate parmetrisation, the work here points to the best value from among
the choices. Several interesting results, seen in theoretical calculations, are
borne out in experiment.Comment: Revtex, 10 pages including 8 figures and 2 table
The Solar Neighborhood. XIX. Discovery and Characterization of 33 New Nearby White Dwarf Systems
We present spectra for 33 previously unclassified white dwarf systems
brighter than V = 17 primarily in the southern hemisphere. Of these new
systems, 26 are DA, 4 are DC, 2 are DZ, and 1 is DQ. We suspect three of these
systems are unresolved double degenerates. We obtained VRI photometry for these
33 objects as well as for 23 known white dwarf systems without trigonometric
parallaxes, also primarily in the southern hemisphere. For the 56 objects, we
converted the photometry values to fluxes and fit them to a spectral energy
distribution using the spectroscopy to determine which model to use (i.e. pure
hydrogen, pure helium, or metal-rich helium), resulting in estimates of
effective temperature and distance. Eight of the new and 12 known systems are
estimated to be within the NStars and Catalogue of Nearby Stars (CNS) horizons
of 25 pc, constituting a potential 18% increase in the nearby white dwarf
sample. Trigonometric parallax determinations are underway via CTIOPI for these
20 systems.
One of the DCs is cool so that it displays absorption in the near infrared.
Using the distance determined via trigonometric parallax, we are able to
constrain the model-dependent physical parameters and find that this object is
most likely a mixed H/He atmosphere white dwarf similar to other cool white
dwarfs identified in recent years with significant absorption in the infrared
due to collision-induced absorptions by molecular hydrogen.Comment: 33 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in the Astronomical
Journa
Cepheid models based on self-consistent stellar evolution and pulsation calculations: the right answer?
We have computed stellar evolutionary models for stars in a mass range
characteristic of Cepheid variables (3) for different
metallicities representative of the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds
populations. The stellar evolution calculations are coupled to a linear non
adiabatic stability analysis to get self-consistent mass-period-luminosity
relations. The period - luminosity relation as a function of metallicity is
analysed and compared to the recent EROS observations in the Magellanic Clouds.
The models reproduce the observed width of the instability strips for the SMC
and LMC. We determine a statistical P-L relationship, taking into account the
evolutionary timescales and a mass distribution given by a Salpeter mass
function. Excellent agreement is found with the SMC PL relationship determined
by Sasselov et al. (1997). The models reproduce the change of slope in the P-L
relationship near days discovered recently by the EROS
collaboration (Bauer 1997; Bauer et al. 1998) and thus explain this feature in
term of stellar evolution. Some discrepancy, however, remains for the LMC
Cepheids. The models are also in good agreement with Beat Cepheids observed by
the MACHO and EROS collaborations. We show that most of the 1H/2H Beat Cepheids
have not yet ignited central helium burning; they are just evolving off the
Main Sequence toward the red giant branch.Comment: 18 pages, Latex file, uses aasms4.sty, accepted for publication in
ApJ Letter
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