236 research outputs found
The radius and mass of the subgiant star bet Hyi from interferometry and asteroseismology
We have used the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) to measure
the angular diameter of beta Hydri. This star is a nearby G2 subgiant whose
mean density was recently measured with high precision using asteroseismology.
We determine the radius and effective temperature of the star to be
1.814+/-0.017 R_sun (0.9%) and 5872+/-44 K (0.7%) respectively. By combining
this value with the mean density, as estimated from asteroseismology, we make a
direct estimate of the stellar mass. We find a value of 1.07+/-0.03 M_sun
(2.8%), which agrees with published estimates based on fitting in the H-R
diagram, but has much higher precision. These results place valuable
constraints on theoretical models of beta Hyi and its oscillation frequencies.Comment: 3 figures, 3 tables, to appear in MNRAS Letter
openWAR: An Open Source System for Evaluating Overall Player Performance in Major League Baseball
Within baseball analytics, there is substantial interest in comprehensive
statistics intended to capture overall player performance. One such measure is
Wins Above Replacement (WAR), which aggregates the contributions of a player in
each facet of the game: hitting, pitching, baserunning, and fielding. However,
current versions of WAR depend upon proprietary data, ad hoc methodology, and
opaque calculations. We propose a competitive aggregate measure, openWAR, that
is based upon public data and methodology with greater rigor and transparency.
We discuss a principled standard for the nebulous concept of a "replacement"
player. Finally, we use simulation-based techniques to provide interval
estimates for our openWAR measure.Comment: 27 pages including supplemen
Long-Baseline Interferometric Multiplicity Survey of the Sco-Cen OB Association
We present the first multiplicity-dedicated long baseline optical
interferometric survey of the Scorpius-Centaurus-Lupus-Crux association. We
used the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer to undertake a survey for new
companions to 58 Sco-Cen B- type stars and have detected 24 companions at
separations ranging from 7-130mas, 14 of which are new detections. Furthermore,
we use a Bayesian analysis and all available information in the literature to
determine the multiplicity distribution of the 58 stars in our sample, showing
that the companion frequency is F = 1.35 and the mass ratio distribution is
best described as a power law with exponent equal to -0.46, agreeing with
previous Sco-Cen high mass work and differing significantly from lower-mass
stars in Tau-Aur. Based on our analysis, we estimate that among young B-type
stars in moving groups, up to 23% are apparently single stars. This has strong
implications for the understanding of high-mass star formation, which requires
angular momentum dispersal through some mechanism such as formation of multiple
systems.Comment: 7 figures, 5 tables, accepted for publication in MNRA
VW LMi: tightest quadruple system known. Light-time effect and possible secular changes of orbits
Tightest known quadruple systems VW LMi consists of contact eclipsing binary
with P_12 = 0.477551 days and detached binary with P_34 = 7.93063 days
revolving in rather tight, 355.0-days orbit. This paper presents new
photometric and spectroscopic observations yielding 69 times of minima and 36
disentangled radial velocities for the component stars. All available radial
velocities and minima times are combined to better characterize the orbits and
to derive absolute parameters of components. The total mass of the quadruple
system was estimated at 4.56 M_sun. The detached, non-eclipsing binary with
orbital period P = 7.93 days is found to show apsidal motion with U
approximately 80 years. Precession period in this binary, caused by the
gravitational perturbation of the contact binary, is estimated to be about 120
years. The wide mutual orbit and orbit of the non-eclipsing pair are found to
be close to coplanarity, preventing any changes of the inclination angle of the
non-eclipsing orbit and excluding occurrence of the second system of eclipses
in future. Possibilities of astrometric solution and direct resolving of the
wide, mutual orbit are discussed. Nearby star, HD95606, was found to form loose
binary with quadruple system VW LMi.Comment: 4 figures. accepted to MNRAS on July 31, 200
The future of enterprise groupware applications
This paper provides a review of groupware technology and products. The purpose of this review is to investigate the appropriateness of current groupware technology as the basis for future enterprise systems and evaluate its role in realising, the currently emerging, Virtual Enterprise model for business organisation. It also identifies in which way current technological phenomena will transform groupware technology and will drive the development of the enterprise systems of the future
Oblique decision trees for spatial pattern detection: optimal algorithm and application to malaria risk
BACKGROUND: In order to detect potential disease clusters where a putative source cannot be specified, classical procedures scan the geographical area with circular windows through a specified grid imposed to the map. However, the choice of the windows' shapes, sizes and centers is critical and different choices may not provide exactly the same results. The aim of our work was to use an Oblique Decision Tree model (ODT) which provides potential clusters without pre-specifying shapes, sizes or centers. For this purpose, we have developed an ODT-algorithm to find an oblique partition of the space defined by the geographic coordinates. METHODS: ODT is based on the classification and regression tree (CART). As CART finds out rectangular partitions of the covariate space, ODT provides oblique partitions maximizing the interclass variance of the independent variable. Since it is a NP-Hard problem in R(N), classical ODT-algorithms use evolutionary procedures or heuristics. We have developed an optimal ODT-algorithm in R(2), based on the directions defined by each couple of point locations. This partition provided potential clusters which can be tested with Monte-Carlo inference. We applied the ODT-model to a dataset in order to identify potential high risk clusters of malaria in a village in Western Africa during the dry season. The ODT results were compared with those of the Kulldorff' s SaTScanâą. RESULTS: The ODT procedure provided four classes of risk of infection. In the first high risk class 60%, 95% confidence interval (CI95%) [52.22â67.55], of the children was infected. Monte-Carlo inference showed that the spatial pattern issued from the ODT-model was significant (p < 0.0001). Satscan results yielded one significant cluster where the risk of disease was high with an infectious rate of 54.21%, CI95% [47.51â60.75]. Obviously, his center was located within the first high risk ODT class. Both procedures provided similar results identifying a high risk cluster in the western part of the village where a mosquito breeding point was located. CONCLUSION: ODT-models improve the classical scanning procedures by detecting potential disease clusters independently of any specification of the shapes, sizes or centers of the clusters
The Palomar Testbed Interferometer
The Palomar Testbed Interferometer (PTI) is a long-baseline infrared
interferometer located at Palomar Observatory, California. It was built as a
testbed for interferometric techniques applicable to the Keck Interferometer.
First fringes were obtained in July 1995. PTI implements a dual-star
architecture, tracking two stars simultaneously for phase referencing and
narrow-angle astrometry. The three fixed 40-cm apertures can be combined
pair-wise to provide baselines to 110 m. The interferometer actively tracks the
white-light fringe using an array detector at 2.2 um and active delay lines
with a range of +/- 38 m. Laser metrology of the delay lines allows for servo
control, and laser metrology of the complete optical path enables narrow-angle
astrometric measurements. The instrument is highly automated, using a
multiprocessing computer system for instrument control and sequencing.Comment: ApJ in Press (Jan 99) Fig 1 available from
http://huey.jpl.nasa.gov/~bode/ptiPicture.html, revised duging copy edi
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