KSC-2011-1912

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The left spent booster used during space shuttle Discovery's final launch is guided into a hoisting slip at the Solid Rocket Booster Disassembly Facility at Hangar AF on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The shuttle's two solid rocket booster casings and associated flight hardware are recovered in the Atlantic Ocean after every launch by Freedom Star and Liberty Star. The boosters impact the Atlantic about seven minutes after liftoff and the retrieval ships are stationed about 10 miles from the impact area at the time of splashdown. After the spent segments are processed, they will be transported to Utah, where they will be refurbished and stored, if needed. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-1913

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Workers in a small raft, guide the left spent booster used during space shuttle Discovery's final launch into position in a hoisting slip at the Solid Rocket Booster Disassembly Facility at Hangar AF on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The shuttle's two solid rocket booster casings and associated flight hardware are recovered in the Atlantic Ocean after every launch by Freedom Star and Liberty Star. The boosters impact the Atlantic about seven minutes after liftoff and the retrieval ships are stationed about 10 miles from the impact area at the time of splashdown. After the spent segments are processed, they will be transported to Utah, where they will be refurbished and stored, if needed. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Laser guide star pointing camera for ESO LGS Facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonaccini Calia, D.; Centrone, M.; Pedichini, F.; Ricciardi, A.; Cerruto, A.; Ambrosino, F.

2014-08-01

Every observatory using LGS-AO routinely has the experience of the long time needed to bring and acquire the laser guide star in the wavefront sensor field of view. This is mostly due to the difficulty of creating LGS pointing models, because of the opto-mechanical flexures and hysteresis in the launch and receiver telescope structures. The launch telescopes are normally sitting on the mechanical structure of the larger receiver telescope. The LGS acquisition time is even longer in case of multiple LGS systems. In this framework the optimization of the LGS systems absolute pointing accuracy is relevant to boost the time efficiency of both science and technical observations. In this paper we show the rationale, the design and the feasibility tests of a LGS Pointing Camera (LPC), which has been conceived for the VLT Adaptive Optics Facility 4LGSF project. The LPC would assist in pointing the four LGS, while the VLT is doing the initial active optics cycles to adjust its own optics on a natural star target, after a preset. The LPC allows minimizing the needed accuracy for LGS pointing model calibrations, while allowing to reach sub-arcsec LGS absolute pointing accuracy. This considerably reduces the LGS acquisition time and observations operation overheads. The LPC is a smart CCD camera, fed by a 150mm diameter aperture of a Maksutov telescope, mounted on the top ring of the VLT UT4, running Linux and acting as server for the client 4LGSF. The smart camera is able to recognize within few seconds the sky field using astrometric software, determining the stars and the LGS absolute positions. Upon request it returns the offsets to give to the LGS, to position them at the required sky coordinates. As byproduct goal, once calibrated the LPC can calculate upon request for each LGS, its return flux, its fwhm and the uplink beam scattering levels.

A tip/tilt mirror with large dynamic range for the ESO VLT Four Laser Guide Star Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rijnveld, N.; Henselmans, R.; Nijland, B.

2011-09-01

One of the critical elements in the Four Laser Guide Star Facility (4LGSF) for the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) is the Optical Tube Assembly (OTA), consisting of a stable 20x laser beam expander and an active tip/tilt mirror, the Field Selector Mechanism (FSM). This paper describes the design and performance testing of the FSM. The driving requirement for the FSM is its large stroke of +/-6.1 mrad, in combination with less than 1.5 μrad RMS absolute accuracy. The FSM design consists of a Zerodur mirror, bonded to a membrane spring and strut combination to allow only tip and tilt. Two spindle drives actuate the mirror, using a stiffness based transmission to increase resolution. Absolute accuracy is achieved with two differential inductive sensor pairs. A prototype of the FSM is realized to optimize the control configuration and measure its performance. Friction in the spindle drive is overcome by creating a local velocity control loop between the spindle drives and the shaft encoders. Accuracy is achieved by using a cascaded low bandwidth control loop with feedback from the inductive sensors. The pointing jitter and settling time of the FSM are measured with an autocollimator. The system performance meets the strict requirements, and is ready to be implemented in the first OTA.

Current status of the laser guide star adaptive optics system for Subaru Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayano, Yutaka; Takami, Hideki; Guyon, Olivier; Oya, Shin; Hattori, Masayuki; Saito, Yoshihiko; Watanabe, Makoto; Murakami, Naoshi; Minowa, Yosuke; Ito, Meguru; Colley, Stephen; Eldred, Michael; Golota, Taras; Dinkins, Matthew; Kashikawa, Nobunari; Iye, Masanori

2008-07-01

The current status and recent results, since last SPIE conference at Orlando in 2006, for the laser guide star adaptive optics system for Subaru Telescope is presented. We had a first light using natural guide star and succeed to launch the sodium laser beam in October 2006. The achieved Strehl ratio on the 10th magnitude star was around 0.5 at K band. We confirmed that the full-width-half-maximum of the stellar point spread function is smaller than 0.1 arcsec even at the 0.9 micrometer wavelehgth. The size of the artificial guide star by the laser beam tuned at the wavelength of 589 nm was estimated to be 10 arcsec. The obtained blurred artificial guide star is caused by the wavefront error on the laser launching telescope. After the first light and first launch, we found that we need to modify and to fix the components, which are temporarily finished. Also components, which were postponed to fabricate after the first light, are required to build newly. All components used by the natural guide star adaptive optics system are finalized recently and we are ready to go on the sky. Next engineering observation is scheduled in August, 2008.

First significant image improvement from a sodium-layer laser guide star adaptive optics system at Lick Observatory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olivier, S.S.; Max, C.E.; Friedman, H.W.

1997-07-14

Atmospheric turbulence severely limits the resolution of ground-based telescopes. Adaptive optics can correct for the aberrations caused by the atmosphere, but requires a bright wavefront reference source in close angular proximity to the object being imaged. Since natural reference stars of the necessary brightness are relatively rare, methods of generating artificial reference beacons have been under active investigation for more than a decade. In this paper, we report the first significant image improvement achieved using a sodium-layer laser guide star as a wavefront reference for a high- order adaptive optics system. An artificial beacon was created by resonant scattering frommore » atomic sodium in the mesosphere, at an altitude of 95 km. Using this laser guide star, an adaptive optics system on the 3 m Shane Telescope at Lick Observatory produced a factor of 2.4 increase in peak intensity and a factor of 2 decrease in full width at half maximum of a stellar image, compared with image motion compensation alone. The Strehl ratio when using the laser guide star as the reference was 65% of that obtained with a natural guide star, and the image full widths at half maximum were identical, 0.3 arc sec, using either the laser or the natural guide star. This sodium-layer laser guide star technique holds great promise for the world`s largest telescopes. 24 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.« less

UKIRT fast guide system improvements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balius, Al; Rees, Nicholas P.

1997-09-01

The United Kingdom Infra-Red Telescope (UKIRT) has recently undergone the first major upgrade program since its construction. One part of the upgrade program was an adaptive tip-tilt secondary mirror closed with a CCD system collectively called the fast guide system. The installation of the new secondary and associated systems was carried out in the first half of 1996. Initial testing of the fast guide system has shown great improvement in guide accuracy. The initial installation included a fixed integration time CCD. In the first part of 1997 an integration time controller based on computed guide star luminosity was implemented in the fast guide system. Also, a Kalman type estimator was installed in the image tracking loop based on a dynamic model and knowledge of the statistical properties of the guide star position error measurement as a function of computed guide star magnitude and CCD integration time. The new configuration was tested in terms of improved guide performance nd graceful degradation when tracking faint guide stars. This paper describes the modified fast guide system configuration and reports the results of performance tests.

Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving Opportunities for the Baking Industry: An ENERGY STAR ® Guide for Plant and Energy Managers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Masanet, Eric; Therkelsen, Peter; Worrell, Ernst

The U.S. baking industry—defined in this Energy Guide as facilities engaged in the manufacture of commercial bakery products such as breads, rolls, frozen cakes, pies, pastries, and cookies and crackers—consumes over $800 million worth of purchased fuels and electricity per year. Energy efficiency improvement is an important way to reduce these costs and to increase predictable earnings, especially in times of high energy price volatility. There are a variety of opportunities available at individual plants to reduce energy consumption in a cost-effective manner. This Energy Guide discusses energy efficiency practices and energy-efficient technologies that can be implemented at the component,more » process, facility, and organizational levels. Many measure descriptions include expected savings in energy and energy-related costs, based on case study data from real-world applications in food processing facilities and related industries worldwide. Typical measure payback periods and references to further information in the technical literature are also provided, when available. A summary of basic, proven measures for improving plant-level water efficiency is also provided. The information in this Energy Guide is intended to help energy and plant managers in the U.S. baking industry reduce energy and water consumption in a cost-effective manner while maintaining the quality of products manufactured. Further research on the economics of all measures—as well as on their applicability to different production practices—is needed to assess their cost effectiveness at individual plants.« less

Artificial guide stars for adaptive optics using unmanned aerial vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basden, A. G.; Brown, Anthony M.; Chadwick, P. M.; Clark, P.; Massey, R.

2018-06-01

Astronomical adaptive optics (AO) systems are used to increase effective telescope resolution. However, they cannot be used to observe the whole sky since one or more natural guide stars of sufficient brightness must be found within the telescope field of view for the AO system to work. Even when laser guide stars are used, natural guide stars are still required to provide a constant position reference. Here, we introduce a technique to overcome this problem by using rotary unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as a platform from which to produce artificial guide stars. We describe the concept that relies on the UAV being able to measure its precise relative position. We investigate the AO performance improvements that can be achieved, which in the cases presented here can improve the Strehl ratio by a factor of at least 2 for a 8 m class telescope. We also discuss improvements to this technique, which is relevant to both astronomical and solar AO systems.

Performance of laser guide star adaptive optics at Lick Observatory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olivier, S.S.; An, J.; Avicola, K.

1995-07-19

A sodium-layer laser guide star adaptive optics system has been developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for use on the 3-meter Shane telescope at Lick Observatory. The system is based on a 127-actuator continuous-surface deformable mirror, a Hartmann wavefront sensor equipped with a fast-framing low-noise CCD camera, and a pulsed solid-state-pumped dye laser tuned to the atomic sodium resonance line at 589 nm. The adaptive optics system has been tested on the Shane telescope using natural reference stars yielding up to a factor of 12 increase in image peak intensity and a factor of 6.5 reduction in image fullmore » width at half maximum (FWHM). The results are consistent with theoretical expectations. The laser guide star system has been installed and operated on the Shane telescope yielding a beam with 22 W average power at 589 nm. Based on experimental data, this laser should generate an 8th magnitude guide star at this site, and the integrated laser guide star adaptive optics system should produce images with Strehl ratios of 0.4 at 2.2 {mu}m in median seeing and 0.7 at 2.2 {mu}m in good seeing.« less

A Large-Telescope Natural Guide Star AO System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Redding, David; Milman, Mark; Needels, Laura

1994-01-01

None given. From overview and conclusion:Keck Telescope case study. Objectives-low cost, good sky coverage. Approach--natural guide star at 0.8um, correcting at 2.2um.Concl- Good performance is possible for Keck with natural guide star AO system (SR>0.2 to mag 17+).AO-optimized CCD should b every effective. Optimizing td is very effective.Spatial Coadding is not effective except perhaps at extreme low light levels.

Sky coverage modeling for the whole sky for laser guide star multiconjugate adaptive optics.

PubMed

Wang, Lianqi; Andersen, David; Ellerbroek, Brent

2012-06-01

The scientific productivity of laser guide star adaptive optics systems strongly depends on the sky coverage, which describes the probability of finding natural guide stars for the tip/tilt wavefront sensor(s) to achieve a certain performance. Knowledge of the sky coverage is also important for astronomers planning their observations. In this paper, we present an efficient method to compute the sky coverage for the laser guide star multiconjugate adaptive optics system, the Narrow Field Infrared Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS), being designed for the Thirty Meter Telescope project. We show that NFIRAOS can achieve more than 70% sky coverage over most of the accessible sky with the requirement of 191 nm total rms wavefront.

Polarization switching of sodium guide star laser for brightness enhancement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Tingwei; Zhou, Tianhua; Feng, Yan

2016-07-01

The efficiency of optical pumping that enhances the brightness of sodium laser guide star with circularly polarized light is reduced substantially due to the precession of sodium atoms in geomagnetic field. Switching the laser between left and right circular polarization at the Larmor frequency is proposed to improve the photon return. With ESO's cw laser guide star system at Paranal as example, numerical simulation for both square-wave and sine-wave polarization modulation is conducted. For the square-wave switching case, the return flux is increased when the angle between geomagnetic field and laser beam is larger than 60°, as much as 40% at 90°. The method can also be applied for remote measurement of magnetic field with available cw guide star laser.

Guide star targeting success for the HEAO-B observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farrenkopf, R. L.; Hoffman, D. P.

1977-01-01

The statistics associated with the successful selection and acquisition of guide stars as attitude benchmarks for use in reorientation maneuvers of the HEAO-B observatory are considered as a function of the maneuver angle, initial attitude uncertainties, and the pertinent celestial region. Success likelihoods in excess of 0.99 are predicted assuming anticipated gyro and star tracker error sources. The maneuver technique and guide star selection constraints are described in detail. The results presented are specialized numerically to the HEAO-B observatory. However, the analytical techniques developed are considered applicable to broader classes of spacecraft requiring celestial targeting.

Update on optical design of adaptive optics system at Lick Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauman, Brian J.; Gavel, Donald T.; Waltjen, Kenneth E.; Freeze, Gary J.; Hurd, Randall L.; Gates, Elinor L.; Max, Claire E.; Olivier, Scot S.; Pennington, Deanna M.

2002-02-01

In 1999, we presented our plan to upgrade the adaptive optics (AO) system on the Lick Observatory Shane telescope (3m) from a prototype instrument pressed into field service to a facility instrument. This paper updates the progress of that plan and details several important improvements in the alignment and calibration of the AO bench. The paper also includes a discussion of the problems seen in the original design of the tip/tilt (t/t) sensor used in laser guide star mode, and how these problems were corrected with excellent results.

Update on Optical Design of Adaptive Optics System at Lick Observatory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bauman, B J; Gavel, D T; Waltjen, K E

2001-07-31

In 1999, we presented our plan to upgrade the adaptive optics (AO) system on the Lick Observatory Shane telescope (3m) from a prototype instrument pressed into field service to a facility instrument. This paper updates the progress of that plan and details several important improvements in the alignment and calibration of the AO bench. The paper also includes a discussion of the problems seen in the original design of the tip/tilt (t/t) sensor used in laser guide star mode, and how these problems were corrected with excellent results.

Guide-star-based computational adaptive optics for broadband interferometric tomography

PubMed Central

Adie, Steven G.; Shemonski, Nathan D.; Graf, Benedikt W.; Ahmad, Adeel; Scott Carney, P.; Boppart, Stephen A.

2012-01-01

We present a method for the numerical correction of optical aberrations based on indirect sensing of the scattered wavefront from point-like scatterers (“guide stars”) within a three-dimensional broadband interferometric tomogram. This method enables the correction of high-order monochromatic and chromatic aberrations utilizing guide stars that are revealed after numerical compensation of defocus and low-order aberrations of the optical system. Guide-star-based aberration correction in a silicone phantom with sparse sub-resolution-sized scatterers demonstrates improvement of resolution and signal-to-noise ratio over a large isotome. Results in highly scattering muscle tissue showed improved resolution of fine structure over an extended volume. Guide-star-based computational adaptive optics expands upon the use of image metrics for numerically optimizing the aberration correction in broadband interferometric tomography, and is analogous to phase-conjugation and time-reversal methods for focusing in turbid media. PMID:23284179

Atmospheric turbulence compensation with laser phase shifting interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabien, S.; Eisenhauer, F.; Genzel, R.; Davies, R. I.; Ott, T.

2006-04-01

Laser guide stars with adaptive optics allow astronomical image correction in the absence of a natural guide star. Single guide star systems with a star created in the earth's sodium layer can be used to correct the wavefront in the near infrared spectral regime for 8-m class telescopes. For possible future telescopes of larger sizes, or for correction at shorter wavelengths, the use of a single guide star is ultimately limited by focal anisoplanatism that arises from the finite height of the guide star. To overcome this limitation we propose to overlap coherently pulsed laser beams that are expanded over the full aperture of the telescope, traveling upwards along the same path which light from the astronomical object travels downwards. Imaging the scattered light from the resultant interference pattern with a camera gated to a certain height above the telescope, and using phase shifting interferometry we have found a method to retrieve the local wavefront gradients. By sensing the backscattered light from two different heights, one can fully remove the cone effect, which can otherwise be a serious handicap to the use of laser guide stars at shorter wavelengths or on larger telescopes. Using two laser beams multiconjugate correction is possible, resulting in larger corrected fields. With a proper choice of laser, wavefront correction could be expanded to the visible regime and, due to the lack of a cone effect, the method is applicable to any size of telescope. Finally the position of the laser spot could be imaged from the side of the main telescope against a bright background star to retrieve tip-tilt information, which would greatly improve the sky coverage of the system.

Fourier domain preconditioned conjugate gradient algorithm for atmospheric tomography.

PubMed

Yang, Qiang; Vogel, Curtis R; Ellerbroek, Brent L

2006-07-20

By 'atmospheric tomography' we mean the estimation of a layered atmospheric turbulence profile from measurements of the pupil-plane phase (or phase gradients) corresponding to several different guide star directions. We introduce what we believe to be a new Fourier domain preconditioned conjugate gradient (FD-PCG) algorithm for atmospheric tomography, and we compare its performance against an existing multigrid preconditioned conjugate gradient (MG-PCG) approach. Numerical results indicate that on conventional serial computers, FD-PCG is as accurate and robust as MG-PCG, but it is from one to two orders of magnitude faster for atmospheric tomography on 30 m class telescopes. Simulations are carried out for both natural guide stars and for a combination of finite-altitude laser guide stars and natural guide stars to resolve tip-tilt uncertainty.

Advances in instrumentation at the W. M. Keck Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adkins, Sean M.; Armandroff, Taft E.; Johnson, James; Lewis, Hilton A.; Martin, Christopher; McLean, Ian S.; Wizinowich, Peter

2012-09-01

In this paper we describe both recently completed instrumentation projects and our current development efforts in terms of their role in the strategic plan, the key science areas they address, and their performance as measured or predicted. Projects reaching completion in 2012 include MOSFIRE, a near IR multi-object spectrograph, a laser guide star adaptive optics facility on the Keck I telescope, and an upgrade to the guide camera for the HIRES instrument on Keck I. Projects in development include a new seeing limited integral field spectrograph for the visible wavelength range called the Keck Cosmic Web Imager (KCWI), an upgrade to the telescope control systems on both Keck telescopes, a near-IR tip/tilt sensor for the Keck I adaptive optics system, and a new grating for the OSIRIS integral field spectrograph.

Single Fiber Star Couplers. [optical waveguides for spacecraft communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Asawa, C. K.

1979-01-01

An ion exchange process was developed and used in the fabrication of state-of-the-art planar star couplers for distribution of optical radiation between optical fibers. An 8 x 8 planar transmission star coupler was packaged for evaluation purposes with sixteen fiber connectors and sixteen pigtails. Likewise a transmission star coupler and an eight-port reflection star coupler with eight-fiber ribbons rigidly attached to these couplers, and a planar coupler with silicon guides and a parallel channel guide with pigtails were also fabricated. Optical measurements of the transmission star couplers are included with a description of the manufacturing process.

GeMS: Gemini Mcao System: current status and commissioning plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boccas, Maxime; Rigaut, François; Gratadour, Damien; d'Orgeville, Céline; Bec, Matthieu; Daruich, Felipe; Perez, Gabriel; Arriagada, Gustavo; Bombino, Stacy; Carter, Chris; Cavedoni, Chas; Collao, Fabian; Collins, Paul; Diaz, Pablo; Ebbers, Angelic; Galvez, Ramon; Gausachs, Gaston; Hardash, Steve; James, Eric; Karewicz, Stan; Lazo, Manuel; Maltes, Diego; Mouser, Ron; Rogers, Rolando; Rojas, Roberto; Sheehan, Michael; Trancho, Gelys; Vergara, Vicente; Vucina, Tomislav

2008-07-01

The Gemini Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics project was launched in April 1999 to become the Gemini South AO facility in Chile. The system includes 5 laser guide stars, 3 natural guide stars and 3 deformable mirrors optically conjugated at 0, 4.5 and 9km to achieve near-uniform atmospheric compensation over a 1 arc minute square field of view. Sub-contracted systems with vendors were started as early as October 2001 and were all delivered by July 2007, but for the 50W laser (due around September 2008). The in-house development began in January 2006, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2008 to continue with integration and testing (I&T) on the telescope. The on-sky commissioning phase is scheduled to start during the first half of 2009. In this general overview, we will first describe the status of each subsystem with their major requirements, risk areas and achieved performance. Next we will present our plan to complete the project by reviewing the remaining steps through I&T and commissioning on the telescope, both during day-time and at night-time. Finally, we will summarize some management activities like schedules, resources and conclude with some lessons learned.

Status of the ARGOS project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabien, Sebastian; Barl, Lothar; Beckmann, Udo; Bonaglia, Marco; Borelli, José Luis; Brynnel, Joar; Buschkamp, Peter; Busoni, Lorenzo; Christou, Julian; Connot, Claus; Davies, Richard; Deysenroth, Matthias; Esposito, Simone; Gässler, Wolfgang; Gemperlein, Hans; Hart, Michael; Kulas, Martin; Lefebvre, Michael; Lehmitz, Michael; Mazzoni, Tommaso; Nussbaum, Edmund; Orban de Xivry, Gilles; Peter, Diethard; Quirrenbach, Andreas; Raab, Walfried; Rahmer, Gustavo; Storm, Jesper; Ziegleder, Julian

2014-07-01

ARGOS is the Laser Guide Star and Wavefront sensing facility for the Large Binocular Telescope. With first laser light on sky in 2013, the system is currently undergoing commissioning at the telescope. We present the overall status and design, as well as first results on sky. Aiming for a wide field ground layer correction, ARGOS is designed as a multi- Rayleigh beacon adaptive optics system. A total of six powerful pulsed lasers are creating the laser guide stars in constellations above each of the LBTs primary mirrors. With a range gated detection in the wavefront sensors, and the adaptive correction by the deformable secondary's, we expect ARGOS to enhance the image quality over a large range of seeing conditions. With the two wide field imaging and spectroscopic instruments LUCI1 and LUCI2 as receivers, a wide range of scientific programs will benefit from ARGOS. With an increased resolution, higher encircled energy, both imaging and MOS spectroscopy will be boosted in signal to noise by a large amount. Apart from the wide field correction ARGOS delivers in its ground layer mode, we already foresee the implementation of a hybrid Sodium with Rayleigh beacon combination for a diffraction limited AO performance.

Stellar occultation candidates from the guide star catalog. I - Saturn, 1991-1999

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bosh, A. S.; Mcdonald, S. W.

1992-01-01

A list of 203 potential occultations by Saturn and its ring of stars from the HST Guide Star Catalog (GSC) during the years 1991-1999 is presented. This list features many fainter candidates than do current occultation candidate lists for Saturn; these fainter stars can also provide a high signal-to-noise ratio if observed with a large telescope or in the IR where Saturn and its rings have absorption bands. The occultation circumstances are listed, as well as star information found in the GSC.

10 CFR Appendix U to Subpart B of... - Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Ceiling Fans

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Test Procedure,” and Chapter 6, “Definitions and Acronyms,” of the EPA's “ENERGY STAR Testing Facility Guidance Manual: Building a Testing Facility and Performing the Solid State Test Method for ENERGY STAR... specified in Chapter 4, “Equipment Setup and Test Procedure,” of the EPA's “ENERGY STAR Testing Facility...

10 CFR Appendix U to Subpart B of... - Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Ceiling Fans

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Test Procedure,” and Chapter 6, “Definitions and Acronyms,” of the EPA's “ENERGY STAR Testing Facility Guidance Manual: Building a Testing Facility and Performing the Solid State Test Method for ENERGY STAR... specified in Chapter 4, “Equipment Setup and Test Procedure,” of the EPA's “ENERGY STAR Testing Facility...

10 CFR Appendix U to Subpart B of... - Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Ceiling Fans

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Test Procedure,” and Chapter 6, “Definitions and Acronyms,” of the EPA's “ENERGY STAR Testing Facility Guidance Manual: Building a Testing Facility and Performing the Solid State Test Method for ENERGY STAR... specified in Chapter 4, “Equipment Setup and Test Procedure,” of the EPA's “ENERGY STAR Testing Facility...

10 CFR Appendix U to Subpart B of... - Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Ceiling Fans

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Test Procedure,” and Chapter 6, “Definitions and Acronyms,” of the EPA's “ENERGY STAR Testing Facility Guidance Manual: Building a Testing Facility and Performing the Solid State Test Method for ENERGY STAR... specified in Chapter 4, “Equipment Setup and Test Procedure,” of the EPA's “ENERGY STAR Testing Facility...

Natural guide-star processing for wide-field laser-assisted AO systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Correia, Carlos M.; Neichel, Benoit; Conan, Jean-Marc; Petit, Cyril; Sauvage, Jean-Francois; Fusco, Thierry; Vernet, Joel D. R.; Thatte, Niranjan

2016-07-01

Sky-coverage in laser-assisted AO observations largely depends on the system's capability to guide on the faintest natural guide-stars possible. Here we give an up-to-date status of our natural guide-star processing tailored to the European-ELT's visible and near-infrared (0.47 to 2.45 μm) integral field spectrograph - Harmoni. We tour the processing of both the isoplanatic and anisoplanatic tilt modes using the spatio-angular approach whereby the wavefront is estimated directly in the pupil plane avoiding a cumbersome explicit layered estimation on the 35-layer profiles we're currently using. Taking the case of Harmoni, we cover the choice of wave-front sensors, the number and field location of guide-stars, the optimised algorithms to beat down angular anisoplanatism and the performance obtained with different temporal controllers under split high-order/low-order tomography or joint tomography. We consider both atmospheric and far greater telescope wind buffeting disturbances. In addition we provide the sky-coverage estimates thus obtained.

Transforming GSC-II Magnitudes into JWST/FGS Count Rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holfeltz, Sherie T.; Chayer, P.; Nelan, E. P.

2010-01-01

The JWST Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) will provide the positions of guide stars to the spacecraft attitude control system to facilitate the fine pointing of the Observatory. The FGS is an infrared camera operating in an unfiltered passband from 0.6 to 5.3 microns. The ground system will select guide stars from the Guide Star Catalog II (GSC-II), which is an all-sky catalog with three optical passbands (BJ, RF, IN) derived from photographic plates, and from 2MASS. We present a method for predicting a guide star's FGS photon count rate, which is needed to operate the FGS. The method consists of first deriving equations for transforming the GSC-II optical passbands into J, H, and K for stars that are below the 2MASS faint limiting magnitude, based upon fitting the distribution of brighter stars in color-color diagrams using GSC-II and 2MASS photometry. Next, we convolve the BJ, RF, IN and predicted J, H, and K magnitudes (or 2MASS magnitudes if available) for a given star with the wavelength dependent throughput and sensitivity of the telescope and FGS. To estimate the accuracy of this method for stars that are too faint for 2MASS, we compare the predicted J, H, and K magnitudes for a large sample of stars to data from the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Large Area Survey (LAS). Using synthetic magnitudes computed from Kurucz models for stars of different spectral types, we show that the method should provide reliable FGS count rates.

The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) Mission: An Overview of Flight Dynamics Support of the Early Mission Phase

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Short, R.; Behuncik, J.

1996-01-01

The SOHO spacecraft was successfully launched by an Atlas 2AS from the Eastern Range on December 2, 1995. After a short time in a nearly circular parking orbit, the spacecraft was placed by the Centaur upper stage on a transfer trajectory to the L1 libration point where it was inserted into a class 1 Halo orbit. The nominal mission lifetime is two years which will be spent collecting data from the Sun using a complement of twelve instruments. An overview of the early phases of Flight Dynamics Facility support of the mission is given. Maneuvers required for the mission are discussed, and an evaluation of these maneuvers is given with the attendent effects on the resultant orbit. Thruster performance is presented as well as real time monitoring of thruster activity during maneuvers. Attitude areas presented are the star identification process and role angle determination, momentum management, operating constraints on the star tracker, and guide star switching. A brief description of the two Heads Up displays is given.

The Polychromatic Laser Guide Star: the ELP-OA demonstrator at Observatoire de Haute Provence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foy, R.; Chatagnat, M.; Dubet, D.; Éric, P.; Eysseric, J.; Foy, F.-C.; Fusco, T.; Girard, J.; Laloge, A.; Le van Suu, A.; Messaoudi, B.; Perruchot, S.; Richaud, P.; Richaud, Y.; Rondeau, X.; Tallon, M.; Thiébaut, É.; Boër, M.

2007-07-01

The correction of the tilt for adaptive optics devices from the only laser guide star can be done with the polychromatic laser guide star. We report the progress of the first demonstrator of the implementation of this concept, at Observatoire de Haute-Provence. We review the last steps of the feasibility studies, the optimization of the laser parameters, and the studies of the implementation at the OHP 1.52m telescope, including the beam propagation to the lasers room to the mesosphere and the algorithms for tip-tilt measurements.

Guide star probabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soneira, R. M.; Bahcall, J. N.

1981-01-01

Probabilities are calculated for acquiring suitable guide stars (GS) with the fine guidance system (FGS) of the space telescope. A number of the considerations and techniques described are also relevant for other space astronomy missions. The constraints of the FGS are reviewed. The available data on bright star densities are summarized and a previous error in the literature is corrected. Separate analytic and Monte Carlo calculations of the probabilities are described. A simulation of space telescope pointing is carried out using the Weistrop north galactic pole catalog of bright stars. Sufficient information is presented so that the probabilities of acquisition can be estimated as a function of position in the sky. The probability of acquiring suitable guide stars is greatly increased if the FGS can allow an appreciable difference between the (bright) primary GS limiting magnitude and the (fainter) secondary GS limiting magnitude.

KSC-2011-7867

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-11-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Inside a Pegasus booster processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, an overhead crane lifts the first of the fins for the aft end of the Pegasus XL rocket's first stage as technicians guide it into place for installation. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy x-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-2011-7866

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-11-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Inside a Pegasus booster processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, an overhead crane lifts the first of the fins for the aft end of the Pegasus XL rocket's first stage as technicians guide it into place for installation. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy x-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

ARGOS wavefront sensing: from detection to correction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orban de Xivry, Gilles; Bonaglia, M.; Borelli, J.; Busoni, L.; Connot, C.; Esposito, S.; Gaessler, W.; Kulas, M.; Mazzoni, T.; Puglisi, A.; Rabien, S.; Storm, J.; Ziegleder, J.

2014-08-01

Argos is the ground-layer adaptive optics system for the Large Binocular Telescope. In order to perform its wide-field correction, Argos uses three laser guide stars which sample the atmospheric turbulence. To perform the correction, Argos has at disposal three different wavefront sensing measurements : its three laser guide stars, a NGS tip-tilt, and a third wavefront sensor. We present the wavefront sensing architecture and its individual components, in particular: the finalized Argos pnCCD camera detecting the 3 laser guide stars at 1kHz, high quantum efficiency and 4e- noise; the Argos tip-tilt sensor based on a quad-cell avalanche photo-diodes; and the Argos wavefront computer. Being in the middle of the commissioning, we present the first wavefront sensing configurations and operations performed at LBT, and discuss further improvements in the measurements of the 3 laser guide star slopes as detected by the pnCCD.

A fast and efficient python library for interfacing with the Biological Magnetic Resonance Data Bank.

PubMed

Smelter, Andrey; Astra, Morgan; Moseley, Hunter N B

2017-03-17

The Biological Magnetic Resonance Data Bank (BMRB) is a public repository of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopic data of biological macromolecules. It is an important resource for many researchers using NMR to study structural, biophysical, and biochemical properties of biological macromolecules. It is primarily maintained and accessed in a flat file ASCII format known as NMR-STAR. While the format is human readable, the size of most BMRB entries makes computer readability and explicit representation a practical requirement for almost any rigorous systematic analysis. To aid in the use of this public resource, we have developed a package called nmrstarlib in the popular open-source programming language Python. The nmrstarlib's implementation is very efficient, both in design and execution. The library has facilities for reading and writing both NMR-STAR version 2.1 and 3.1 formatted files, parsing them into usable Python dictionary- and list-based data structures, making access and manipulation of the experimental data very natural within Python programs (i.e. "saveframe" and "loop" records represented as individual Python dictionary data structures). Another major advantage of this design is that data stored in original NMR-STAR can be easily converted into its equivalent JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format, a lightweight data interchange format, facilitating data access and manipulation using Python and any other programming language that implements a JSON parser/generator (i.e., all popular programming languages). We have also developed tools to visualize assigned chemical shift values and to convert between NMR-STAR and JSONized NMR-STAR formatted files. Full API Reference Documentation, User Guide and Tutorial with code examples are also available. We have tested this new library on all current BMRB entries: 100% of all entries are parsed without any errors for both NMR-STAR version 2.1 and version 3.1 formatted files. We also compared our software to three currently available Python libraries for parsing NMR-STAR formatted files: PyStarLib, NMRPyStar, and PyNMRSTAR. The nmrstarlib package is a simple, fast, and efficient library for accessing data from the BMRB. The library provides an intuitive dictionary-based interface with which Python programs can read, edit, and write NMR-STAR formatted files and their equivalent JSONized NMR-STAR files. The nmrstarlib package can be used as a library for accessing and manipulating data stored in NMR-STAR files and as a command-line tool to convert from NMR-STAR file format into its equivalent JSON file format and vice versa, and to visualize chemical shift values. Furthermore, the nmrstarlib implementation provides a guide for effectively JSONizing other older scientific formats, improving the FAIRness of data in these formats.

GRAAL on the mountaintop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paufique, Jérôme; Madec, Pierre-Yves; Kolb, Johann; Kuntschner, Harald; Argomedo, Javier; Kiekebusch, Mario J.; Donaldson, Robert H.; Arsenault, Robin; Siebenmorgen, Ralf; Soenke, Christian; Tordo, Sebastien; Conzelmann, Ralf D.; Jost, Andreas; Reyes-Moreno, Javier; Downing, Mark; Hibon, Pascale; Valenzuela, Jose Javier; Haguenauer, Pierre

2016-07-01

GRAAL is the adaptive optics module feeding the wide-field IR imager HAWK-I at the VLT observatory. As part of the adaptive optics facility, GRAAL is equipped with 4 Laser-guide star wave-front sensors and provides a large field-of-view, ground layer correction system to HAWK-I. After a successful testing in Europe, the module has been re-assembled in Chile and installed at the Nasmyth-A platform of Yepun, the fourth Unit telescope of the observatory. We report on the installation of GRAAL on the mountain and on its first testing in stand-alone and on-sky.

Calibration strategy and optics for ARGOS at the LBT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwab, Christian; Peter, Diethard; Aigner, Simon

2010-07-01

Effective calibration procedures play an important role for the efficiency and performance of astronomical instrumentation. We report on the calibration scheme for ARGOS, the Laser Guide Star (LGS) facility at the LBT. An artificial light source is used to feign the real laser beacons and perform extensive testing of the system, independent of the time of day and weather conditions, thereby greatly enhancing the time available for engineering. Fibre optics and computer generated holograms (CGHs) are used to generate the necessary wavefront. We present the optomechanical design, and discuss the expected accuracy, as well as tolerances in assembly and alignment.

The TMT Adaptive Optics Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellerbroek, Brent

2011-09-01

We provide an overview of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) AO program, with an emphasis upon the progress made since the first AO4ELT conference held in 2009. The first light facility AO system for TMT is the Narrow Field Infra-Red AO System (NFIRAOS), which will provide diffraction-limited performance in the J, H, and K bands over 18-30 arc sec diameter fields with 50% sky coverage at the galactic pole. This is accomplished with order 60x60 wavefront sensing and correction, two deformable mirrors conjugate to ranges of 0 and 11.2 km, 6 sodium laser guide stars in an asterism with a diameter of 70 arc sec, and three low order (tip/tilt or tip/tilt focus), infra-red natural guide star (NGS) wavefront sensors deployable within a 2 arc minute diameter patrol field. The first light LGS asterism is generated by the Laser Guide Star Facility (LGSF), which initially incorporates 6 20-25W class laser systems mounted to the telescope elevation journal, a mirror-based beam transfer optics system, and a 0.4m diameter laser launch telescope located behind the TMT secondary mirror. Future plans for additional AO capabilities include a mid infra-red AO (MIRAO) system to support science instruments in the 4-20 micron range, a ground-layer AO (GLAO) system for wide-field spectroscopy, a multi-object AO (MOAO) system for multi-object integral field unit spectroscopy, and extreme AO (ExAO) for high contrast imaging. Significant progress has been made in developing the first-light AO architecture since 2009. This includes the adoption of a new NFIRAOS opto-mechanical design consisting of two off-axis parabola (OAP) relays in series, which eliminates field distortion and also significantly simplifies the designs of the LGS wavefront sensors, optical source simulators, and turbulence generator subsystem. The design of the LGSF has also been interated, and has been simplfied by the relocation of the (smaller, gravity invarient) laser systems to the telescope elevation journal. Protoyping activities continue for laser systems, wavefront sensing detectors, and deformable mirrors; work on the associated detector and deformable mirror electronics has also been initiated. AO Performance estimates and error budgets have been further detailed. Some of the modeling topics which have received particular attention include turbulence (Cn2) profile estimation from LGS WFS measurements, sodium layer range tracking, PSF reconstruction for multi-conjugate AO, LGS fratricide, astrometry at the galactic center, and further optimizing sky coverage and the peformance of the tip/tilt and low-order NGS mode control loops. Finally, experiments and field tests continue at the University of British Columbia LIDAR facility to measure the spatial and temporal variability of the sodium layer, and to characterize the sodium coupling efficiency of candidate laser systems for TMT.

Space-Based Astronomy: An Educator Guide with Activities for Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vogt, Gregory L.

2001-01-01

If you go to the country, far from city lights, you can see about 3,000 stars on a clear night. If your eyes were bigger, you could see many more stars. With a pair of binoculars, an optical device that effectively enlarges the pupil of your eye by about 30 times, the number of stars you can see increases to the tens of thousands. With a medium-sized telescope with a light-collecting mirror 30 centimeters in diameter, you can see hundreds of thousands of stars. With a large observatory telescope, millions of stars become visible. This curriculum guide uses hands-on activities to help students and teachers understand the significance of space-based astronomy--astronomical observations made from outer space. It is not intended to serve as a curriculum. Instead, teachers should select activities from this guide that support and extend existing study. The guide contains few of the traditional activities found in many astronomy guides such as constellation studies, lunar phases, and planetary orbits. It tells, rather, the story of why it is important to observe celestial objects from outer space and how to study the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Teachers are encouraged to adapt these activities for the particular needs of their students. When selected activities from this guide are used in conjunction with traditional astronomy curricula, students benefit from a more complete experience.

Near infra-red astronomy with adaptive optics and laser guide stars at the Keck Observatory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Max, C.E.; Gavel, D.T.; Olivier, S.S.

1995-08-03

A laser guide star adaptive optics system is being built for the W. M. Keck Observatory`s 10-meter Keck II telescope. Two new near infra-red instruments will be used with this system: a high-resolution camera (NIRC 2) and an echelle spectrometer (NIRSPEC). The authors describe the expected capabilities of these instruments for high-resolution astronomy, using adaptive optics with either a natural star or a sodium-layer laser guide star as a reference. They compare the expected performance of these planned Keck adaptive optics instruments with that predicted for the NICMOS near infra-red camera, which is scheduled to be installed on the Hubblemore » Space Telescope in 1997.« less

Synthetic guide star generation

DOEpatents

Payne, Stephen A [Castro Valley, CA; Page, Ralph H [Castro Valley, CA; Ebbers, Christopher A [Livermore, CA; Beach, Raymond J [Livermore, CA

2008-06-10

A system for assisting in observing a celestial object and providing synthetic guide star generation. A lasing system provides radiation at a frequency at or near 938 nm and radiation at a frequency at or near 1583 nm. The lasing system includes a fiber laser operating between 880 nm and 960 nm and a fiber laser operating between 1524 nm and 1650 nm. A frequency-conversion system mixes the radiation and generates light at a frequency at or near 589 nm. A system directs the light at a frequency at or near 589 nm toward the celestial object and provides synthetic guide star generation.

Synthetic guide star generation

DOEpatents

Payne, Stephen A.; Page, Ralph H.; Ebbers, Christopher A.; Beach, Raymond J.

2004-03-09

A system for assisting in observing a celestial object and providing synthetic guide star generation. A lasing system provides radiation at a frequency at or near 938 nm and radiation at a frequency at or near 1583 nm. The lasing system includes a fiber laser operating between 880 nm and 960 nm and a fiber laser operating between 1524 nm and 1650 nm. A frequency-conversion system mixes the radiation and generates light at a frequency at or near 589 nm. A system directs the light at a frequency at or near 589 nm toward the celestial object and provides synthetic guide star generation.

Daylight operation of a sodium laser guide star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hart, Michael; Jefferies, Stuart; Murphy, Neil

2016-07-01

We report photometric measurements of a sodium resonance guide star against the daylight sky when observed through a tuned magneto-optical filter (MOF). The MOF comprises a sodium vapor cell in a kilogauss-level magnetic field between crossed polarizers and has a very narrow transmission profile at the sodium D2 resonance of approximately 0.008 nm. Our observations were made with the 1.5 m Kuiper telescope on Mt. Bigelow, AZ, which has a separately mounted guide star laser projecting a circularly polarized single-frequency beam of approximately 6.5 W at 589.16 nm. Both the beam projector and the 1.5 m telescope were pointed close to zenith; the baseline between them is approximately 5 m. Measurements of the guide star were made on the morning of 2016 March 24 using an imaging camera focused on the beacon and looking through the full aperture of the telescope. The guide star flux was estimated at 1.20×106 photon/m2/s while at approximately 45 minutes after sunrise, the sky background through the MOF was 1100 photon/m2/s/arcsec2. We interpret our results in terms of thermal infrared observations with adaptive optics on the next generation of extremely large telescopes now being built.

Astronomic Telescope Facility: Preliminary systems definition study report. Volume 2: Technical description

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobeck, Charlie (Editor)

1987-01-01

The Astrometric Telescope Facility (AFT) is to be an earth-orbiting facility designed specifically to measure the change in relative position of stars. The primary science investigation for the facility will be the search for planets and planetary systems outside the solar system. In addition the facility will support astrophysics investigations dealing with the location or motions of stars. The science objective and facility capabilities for astrophysics investigations are discussed.

Recent Upgrades at the Safety and Tritium Applied Research Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cadwallader, Lee Charles; Merrill, Brad Johnson; Stewart, Dean Andrew

This paper gives a brief overview of the Safety and Tritium Applied Research (STAR) facility operated by the Fusion Safety Program (FSP) at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). FSP researchers use the STAR facility to carry out experiments in tritium permeation and retention in various fusion materials, including wall armor tile materials. FSP researchers also perform other experimentation as well to support safety assessment in fusion development. This lab, in its present two-building configuration, has been in operation for over ten years. The main experiments at STAR are briefly described. This paper discusses recent work to enhance personnel safety atmore » the facility. The STAR facility is a Department of Energy less than hazard category 3 facility; the personnel safety approach calls for ventilation and tritium monitoring for radiation protection. The tritium areas of STAR have about 4 to 12 air changes per hour, with air flow being once through and then routed to the facility vent stack. Additional radiation monitoring has been installed to read the laboratory room air where experiments with tritium are conducted. These ion chambers and bubblers are used to verify that no significant tritium concentrations are present in the experiment rooms. Standby electrical power has been added to the facility exhaust blower so that proper ventilation will now operate during commercial power outages as well as the real-time tritium air monitors.« less

Development and implementation of the guiding stars nutrition guidance program.

PubMed

Fischer, Leslie M; Sutherland, Lisa A; Kaley, Lori A; Fox, Tracy A; Hasler, Clare M; Nobel, Jeremy; Kantor, Mark A; Blumberg, Jeffrey

2011-01-01

PURPOSE . To describe the collaborative process between a grocery retailer and a panel of nutrition experts used to develop a nutrition guidance system (Guiding Stars) that evaluates the nutrient profile of all edible products in the supermarket, and to report the results of the food and beverage ratings. DESIGN . A collaboration between a private retailer and members of the scientific community that led to the development of a scoring algorithm used to evaluate the nutritional quality of foods and beverages. SETTING/SUBJECTS . Northeast supermarkets (n  =  160). MEASURES . Food and beverage nutrition ratings and distribution of stars across different grocery categories. ANALYSIS . Descriptive statistics for rating distributions were computed. T-tests were conducted to assess differences in mean nutrient values between foods with zero versus three stars or a dichotomized variable representing all foods with one to three stars. RESULTS . All edible grocery items (n  =  27,466) were evaluated, with 23.6% earning at least one star. Items receiving at least one star had lower mean levels of sodium, saturated fat, and sugars and higher amounts of fiber than products not earning stars. CONCLUSION . The Guiding Stars system rates edible products without regard to brand or manufacturer, and provides consumers with a simple tool to quickly identify more nutritious choices while shopping. The low percentage of products qualifying for stars reflects poorly on the food choices available to Americans.

Visible near-diffraction-limited lucky imaging with full-sky laser-assisted adaptive optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basden, A. G.

2014-08-01

Both lucky imaging techniques and adaptive optics require natural guide stars, limiting sky-coverage, even when laser guide stars are used. Lucky imaging techniques become less successful on larger telescopes unless adaptive optics is used, as the fraction of images obtained with well-behaved turbulence across the whole telescope pupil becomes vanishingly small. Here, we introduce a technique combining lucky imaging techniques with tomographic laser guide star adaptive optics systems on large telescopes. This technique does not require any natural guide star for the adaptive optics, and hence offers full sky-coverage adaptive optics correction. In addition, we introduce a new method for lucky image selection based on residual wavefront phase measurements from the adaptive optics wavefront sensors. We perform Monte Carlo modelling of this technique, and demonstrate I-band Strehl ratios of up to 35 per cent in 0.7 arcsec mean seeing conditions with 0.5 m deformable mirror pitch and full adaptive optics sky-coverage. We show that this technique is suitable for use with lucky imaging reference stars as faint as magnitude 18, and fainter if more advanced image selection and centring techniques are used.

Improved compensation of atmospheric turbulence effects by multiple adaptive mirror systems.

PubMed

Shamir, J; Crowe, D G; Beletic, J W

1993-08-20

Optical wave-front propagation in a layered model for the atmosphere is analyzed by the use of diffraction theory, leading to a novel approach for utilizing artificial guide stars. Considering recent observations of layering in the atmospheric turbulence, the results of this paper indicate that, even for very large telescopes, a substantial enlargement of the compensated angular field of view is possible when two adaptive mirrors and four or five artificial guide stars are employed. The required number of guide stars increases as the thickness of the turbulent layers increases, converging to the conventional results at the limit of continuously turbulent atmosphere.

Design of an infrared camera based aircraft detection system for laser guide star installations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Friedman, H.; Macintosh, B.

1996-03-05

There have been incidents in which the irradiance resulting from laser guide stars have temporarily blinded pilots or passengers of aircraft. An aircraft detection system based on passive near infrared cameras (instead of active radar) is described in this report.

Laser Guidestar Satellite for Ground-based Adaptive Optics Imaging of Geosynchronous Satellites and Astronomical Targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marlow, W. A.; Cahoy, K.; Males, J.; Carlton, A.; Yoon, H.

2015-12-01

Real-time observation and monitoring of geostationary (GEO) satellites with ground-based imaging systems would be an attractive alternative to fielding high cost, long lead, space-based imagers, but ground-based observations are inherently limited by atmospheric turbulence. Adaptive optics (AO) systems are used to help ground telescopes achieve diffraction-limited seeing. AO systems have historically relied on the use of bright natural guide stars or laser guide stars projected on a layer of the upper atmosphere by ground laser systems. There are several challenges with this approach such as the sidereal motion of GEO objects relative to natural guide stars and limitations of ground-based laser guide stars; they cannot be used to correct tip-tilt, they are not point sources, and have finite angular sizes when detected at the receiver. There is a difference between the wavefront error measured using the guide star compared with the target due to cone effect, which also makes it difficult to use a distributed aperture system with a larger baseline to improve resolution. Inspired by previous concepts proposed by A.H. Greenaway, we present using a space-based laser guide starprojected from a satellite orbiting the Earth. We show that a nanosatellite-based guide star system meets the needs for imaging GEO objects using a low power laser even from 36,000 km altitude. Satellite guide star (SGS) systemswould be well above atmospheric turbulence and could provide a small angular size reference source. CubeSatsoffer inexpensive, frequent access to space at a fraction of the cost of traditional systems, and are now being deployed to geostationary orbits and on interplanetary trajectories. The fundamental CubeSat bus unit of 10 cm cubed can be combined in multiple units and offers a common form factor allowing for easy integration as secondary payloads on traditional launches and rapid testing of new technologies on-orbit. We describe a 6U CubeSat SGS measuring 10 cm x 20 cm x 30 cm with laser power on the order of milliwatts, and a commercial off the shelf based attitude determination and control system, among others. Different from standard 1U and 3U buses, the 6U form factor allows for a propulsion system for navigating around multiple targets in the GEO belt.

RHIC - Exploring the Universe Within

ScienceCinema

BNL

2017-12-09

A guided tour of Brookhaven's Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) conducted by past Laboratory Director John Marburger. RHIC is a world-class scientific research facility that began operation in 2000, following 10 years of development and construction. Hundreds of physicists from around the world use RHIC to study what the universe may have looked like in the first few moments after its creation. RHIC drives two intersecting beams of gold ions head-on, in a subatomic collision. What physicists learn from these collisions may help us understand more about why the physical world works the way it does, from the smallest subatomic particles, to the largest stars.

Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving Opportunities for the Dairy Processing Industry: An ENERGY STAR? Guide for Energy and Plant Managers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brush, Adrian; Masanet, Eric; Worrell, Ernst

The U.S. dairy processing industry—defined in this Energy Guide as facilities engaged in the conversion of raw milk to consumable dairy products—consumes around $1.5 billion worth of purchased fuels and electricity per year. Energy efficiency improvement is an important way to reduce these costs and to increase predictable earnings, especially in times of high energy price volatility. There are a variety of opportunities available at individual plants in the U.S. dairy processing industry to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in a cost-effective manner. This Energy Guide discusses energy efficiency practices and energy-efficient technologies that can be implemented atmore » the component, process, facility, and organizational levels. A discussion of the trends, structure, and energy consumption characteristics of the U.S. dairy processing industry is provided along with a description of the major process technologies used within the industry. Next, a wide variety of energy efficiency measures applicable to dairy processing plants are described. Many measure descriptions include expected savings in energy and energy-related costs, based on case study data from real-world applications in dairy processing facilities and related industries worldwide. Typical measure payback periods and references to further information in the technical literature are also provided, when available. Given the importance of water in dairy processing, a summary of basic, proven measures for improving water efficiency are also provided. The information in this Energy Guide is intended to help energy and plant managers in the U.S. dairy processing industry reduce energy and water consumption in a cost-effective manner while maintaining the quality of products manufactured. Further research on the economics of all measures—as well as on their applicability to different production practices—is needed to assess their cost effectiveness at individual plants.« less

Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving Opportunities for the Fruit and Vegetable Processing Industry. An ENERGY STAR Guide for Energy and Plant Managers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Masanet, Eric; Masanet, Eric; Worrell, Ernst

2008-01-01

The U.S. fruit and vegetable processing industry--defined in this Energy Guide as facilities engaged in the canning, freezing, and drying or dehydrating of fruits and vegetables--consumes over $800 million worth of purchased fuels and electricity per year. Energy efficiency improvement isan important way to reduce these costs and to increase predictable earnings, especially in times of high energy price volatility. There are a variety of opportunities available at individual plants in the U.S. fruit and vegetable processing industry to reduce energy consumption in a cost-effective manner. This Energy Guide discusses energy efficiency practices and energy-efficient technologies that can be implementedmore » at the component, process, facility, and organizational levels. A discussion of the trends, structure, and energy consumption characteristics of the U.S. fruit and vegetable processing industry is provided along with a description of the major process technologies used within the industry. Next, a wide variety of energy efficiency measures applicable to fruit and vegetable processing plants are described. Many measure descriptions include expected savings in energy and energy-related costs, based on case study data from real-world applications in fruit and vegetable processing facilities and related industries worldwide. Typical measure payback periods and references to further information in the technical literature are also provided, when available. Given the importance of water in fruit and vegetable processing, a summary of basic, proven measures for improving plant-level water efficiency are also provided. The information in this Energy Guide is intended to help energy and plant managers in the U.S. fruit and vegetable processing industry reduce energy and water consumption in a cost-effective manner while maintaining the quality of products manufactured. Further research on the economics of all measures--as well as on their applicability to different production practices--is needed to assess their cost effectiveness at individual plants.« less

Star Ware: The Amateur Astronomer's Guide to Choosing, Buying, and Using Telescopes and Accessories, 3rd Edition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrington, Philip S.

2002-05-01

Praise for the Second Edition of Star Ware "Star Ware is still a tour de force that any experienced amateur will find invaluable, and which hardware-minded beginners will thoroughly enjoy." -Robert Burnham, Sky & Telescope magazine "Star Ware condenses between two covers what would normally take a telescope buyer many months to accumulate." -John Shibley, Astronomy magazine Now more than ever, the backyard astronomer has a dazzling array of choices when it comes to telescope shopping-which can make choosing just the right sky-watching equipment a formidable challenge. In this revised and updated edition of Star Ware, the essential guide to buying astronomical equipment, award-winning astronomy writer Philip Harrington does the work for you, analyzing and exploring today's astronomy market and offering point-by-point comparisons of everything you need. Whether you're an experienced amateur astronomer or just getting started, Star Ware, Third Edition will prepare you to explore the farthest reaches of space with: Extensive, expanded reviews of leading models and accessories, including dozens of new products, to help you buy smart

Book Review: Stars (Copyright 1985, Golden Press; New York)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marigza, R. N., Jr.

2009-06-01

Stars is a part of the Golden Guides collection produced by Golden Press. It is a small 160 page paperback guide to the constellations, the sun, the moon, planets, and other celestial bodies. The book is convenient to carry along wherever you go, making it an easy to access reference material.

Robust remote-pumping sodium laser for advanced LIDAR and guide star applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ernstberger, Bernhard; Enderlein, Martin; Friedenauer, Axel; Schwerdt, Robin; Wei, Daoping; Karpov, Vladimir; Leisching, Patrick; Clements, Wallace R. L.; Kaenders, Wilhelm G.

2015-10-01

The performance of large ground-based optical telescopes is limited due to wavefront distortions induced by atmospheric turbulence. Adaptive optics systems using natural guide stars with sufficient brightness provide a practical way for correcting the wavefront errors by means of deformable mirrors. Unfortunately, the sky coverage of bright stars is poor and therefore the concept of laser guide stars was invented, creating an artificial star by exciting resonance fluorescence from the mesospheric sodium layer about 90 km above the earth's surface. Until now, mainly dye lasers or sumfrequency mixing of solid state lasers were used to generate laser guide stars. However, these kinds of lasers require a stationary laser clean room for operation and are extremely demanding in maintenance. Under a development contract with the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and W. M. Keck Observatory (WMKO), TOPTICA Photonics AG and its partner MPB Communications have finalized the development of a next-generation sodium guide star laser system which is available now as a commercial off-the-shelf product. The laser is based on a narrow-band diode laser, Raman fiber amplifier (RFA) technology and resonant second-harmonic generation (SHG), thus highly reliable and simple to operate and maintain. It emits > 22 W of narrow-linewidth (≈ 5 MHz) continuous-wave radiation at sodium resonance and includes a re-pumping scheme for boosting sodium return flux. Due to the SHG resonator acting as spatial mode filter and polarizer, the output is diffraction-limited with RMS wavefront error < λ/25. Apart from this unique optical design, a major effort has been dedicated to integrating all optical components into a ruggedized system, providing a maximum of convenience and reliability for telescope operators. The new remote-pumping architecture allows for a large spatial separation between the main part of the laser and the compact laser head. Together with a cooling-water flow of less than 5 l/min and an overall power consumption of < 700 W, the system offers a maximum of flexibility with minimal infrastructure demands on site. Each system is built in a modular way, based on the concept of line-replaceable units (LRU). A comprehensive system software, as well as an intuitive service GUI, allow for remote control and error tracking down to at least the LRU level. In case of a failure, any LRU can be easily replaced. With these fiber-based guide star lasers, TOPTICA for the first time offers a fully engineered, off-the-shelf guide star laser system for groundbased optical telescopes providing convenient, turn-key operation in remote and harsh locations. Reliability and flexibility will be beneficial in particular for advanced satellite and space debris tracking as well as LIDAR applications.

Consumers' Response to an On-Shelf Nutrition Labelling System in Supermarkets: Evidence to Inform Policy and Practice.

PubMed

Hobin, Erin; Bollinger, Bryan; Sacco, Jocelyn; Liebman, Eli; Vanderlee, Lana; Zuo, Fei; Rosella, Laura; L'abbe, Mary; Manson, Heather; Hammond, David

2017-09-01

Policy Points: On-shelf nutrition labelling systems in supermarkets, such as the Guiding Stars system, are intended to provide consumers with simple, standardized nutrition information to support more informed and healthier food choices. Policies that support the provision of simplified nutrition labelling systems may encourage consumers to make positive shifts in food-purchasing behaviors. The shifts in consumer food-purchasing patterns observed in our study after the introduction of the Guiding Stars system in supermarkets translated into measurable nutritional benefits, including more items purchased with slightly less trans fat and sugar and more fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. This study is one of the first to report the positive impact of an on-shelf nutrition labelling system on supermarket sales and revenues-key information that was specifically requested by the US National Academies, as such labelling interventions may be more sustainable if they lead to higher revenues. Providing a nutrition rating system on the front of food packages or on retail shelf tags has been proposed as a policy strategy for supporting healthier food choices. Guiding Stars is an on-shelf nutrition labelling system that scores foods in a supermarket based on nutritional quality; scores are then translated into ratings of 0 to 3 stars. It is consistent with evidence-informed recommendations for well-designed labels, except for not labelling 0-star products. The largest supermarket retailer in Canada rolled out the Guiding Stars system in supermarkets across Ontario, Canada. The aim of our study was to examine the extent to which consumers respond to an on-shelf nutrition labelling system in supermarkets to inform current and future nutrition labelling policies and practices. Capitalizing on a natural experiment, we conducted a quasi-experimental study across 3 supermarket banners (or "chains") in Ontario, one of which implemented the Guiding Stars system in 2012. We used aggregated supermarket transaction data to test the effect of Guiding Stars on the nutritional quality of food purchases in intervention supermarkets relative to control supermarkets. We also conducted exit surveys among 783 randomly selected shoppers from intervention and control supermarkets to assess consumer awareness, understanding, trust, and self-reported use of the labelling system. Relative to control supermarkets, shoppers in intervention supermarkets made small but significant shifts toward purchasing foods with higher nutritional ratings; however, shifts varied in direction and magnitude across food categories. These shifts translated into foods being purchased with slightly less trans fat and sugar and more fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. We also found increases in the number of products per transaction, price per product purchased, and total revenues. Results of the exit surveys indicate a modest proportion of consumers were aware of, understood, and trusted Guiding Stars in intervention supermarkets, and a small proportion of consumers reported using this system when making purchasing decisions. However, 47% of shoppers exposed to Guiding Stars were confused when asked to interpret the meaning of a 0-star product that does not display a rating on the shelf tag. This study demonstrates support for policies promoting on-shelf nutrition labels designed according to evidence-informed principles, but policymakers should move forward with caution when investing in such systems until research has confirmed optimal label design, clarified the mechanisms through which dietary intake is improved, and assessed associations with nutrition-related health outcomes. © 2017 Milbank Memorial Fund.

Changes in Consumer Demand Following Public Reporting of Summary Quality Ratings: An Evaluation in Nursing Homes.

PubMed

Werner, Rachel M; Konetzka, R Tamara; Polsky, Daniel

2016-06-01

Limited consumer use of health care report cards may be due to the large amount of information presented in report cards, which can be difficult to understand. These limitations may be overcome with summary measures. Our objective was to evaluate consumer response to summary measures in the setting of nursing homes. 2005-2010 nursing home Minimum Data Set and Online Survey, Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) datasets. In December 2008, Medicare converted its nursing home report card to summary or star ratings. We test whether there was a change in consumer demand for nursing homes related to the nursing home's star rating after the information was released. The star rating system was associated with a significant change in consumer demand for low- and high-scoring facilities. After the star-based rating system was released, 1-star facilities typically lost 8 percent of their market share and 5-star facilities gained over 6 percent of their market share. The nursing home star rating system significantly affected consumer demand for high- and low-rated nursing homes. These results support the use of summary measures in report cards. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Guide for Maintaining Pedestrian Facilities for Enhanced Safety.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-10-01

A Guide for Maintaining Pedestrian Facilities for Enhanced Safety provides guidance for maintaining pedestrian facilities with the primary goal of increasing safety and mobility. The Guide addresses the needs for pedestrian facility maintenance; comm...

America's Star Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyons, Ray; Lance, Keith Curry

2009-01-01

"Library Journal"'s new national rating of public libraries, the "LJ" Index of Public Library Service, identifies 256 "star" libraries. It rates 7,115 public libraries. The top libraries in each group get five, four, or three Michelin guide-like stars. All included libraries, stars or not, can use their scores to learn from their peers and improve…

Feasibility study for a numerical aerodynamic simulation facility. Volume 3: FMP language specification/user manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenner, B. G.; Lincoln, N. R.

1979-01-01

The manual is intended to show the revisions and additions to the current STAR FORTRAN. The changes are made to incorporate an FMP (Flow Model Processor) for use in the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation Facility (NASF) for the purpose of simulating fluid flow over three-dimensional bodies in wind tunnel environments and in free space. The FORTRAN programming language for the STAR-100 computer contains both CDC and unique STAR extensions to the standard FORTRAN. Several of the STAR FORTRAN extensions to standard FOR-TRAN allow the FORTRAN user to exploit the vector processing capabilities of the STAR computer. In STAR FORTRAN, vectors can be expressed with an explicit notation, functions are provided that return vector results, and special call statements enable access to any machine instruction.

Live imaging using adaptive optics with fluorescent protein guide-stars

PubMed Central

Tao, Xiaodong; Crest, Justin; Kotadia, Shaila; Azucena, Oscar; Chen, Diana C.; Sullivan, William; Kubby, Joel

2012-01-01

Spatially and temporally dependent optical aberrations induced by the inhomogeneous refractive index of live samples limit the resolution of live dynamic imaging. We introduce an adaptive optical microscope with a direct wavefront sensing method using a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor and fluorescent protein guide-stars for live imaging. The results of imaging Drosophila embryos demonstrate its ability to correct aberrations and achieve near diffraction limited images of medial sections of large Drosophila embryos. GFP-polo labeled centrosomes can be observed clearly after correction but cannot be observed before correction. Four dimensional time lapse images are achieved with the correction of dynamic aberrations. These studies also demonstrate that the GFP-tagged centrosome proteins, Polo and Cnn, serve as excellent biological guide-stars for adaptive optics based microscopy. PMID:22772285

Effects of laser beam propagation and saturation on the spatial shape of sodium laser guide stars.

PubMed

Marc, Fabien; Guillet de Chatellus, Hugues; Pique, Jean-Paul

2009-03-30

The possibility to produce diffraction-limited images by large telescopes through Adaptive Optics is closely linked to the precision of measurement of the position of the guide star on the wavefront sensor. In the case of laser guide stars, many parameters can lead to a strong distortion on the shape of the LGS spot. Here we study the influence of both the saturation of the sodium layer excited by different types of lasers, the spatial quality of the laser mode at the ground and the influence of the atmospheric turbulence on the upward propagation of the laser beam. Both shape and intensity of the LGS spot are found to depend strongly on these three effects with important consequences on the precision on the wavefront analysis.

Progress with the lick adaptive optics system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gavel, D T; Olivier, S S; Bauman, B

2000-03-01

Progress and results of observations with the Lick Observatory Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics System are presented. This system is optimized for diffraction-limited imaging in the near infrared, 1-2 micron wavelength bands. We describe our development efforts in a number of component areas including, a redesign of the optical bench layout, the commissioning of a new infrared science camera, and improvements to the software and user interface. There is also an ongoing effort to characterize the system performance with both natural and laser guide stars and to fold this data into a refined system model. Such a model can bemore » used to help plan future observations, for example, predicting the point-spread function as a function of seeing and guide star magnitude.« less

Improving sodium laser guide star brightness by polarization switching

PubMed Central

Fan, Tingwei; Zhou, Tianhua; Feng, Yan

2016-01-01

Optical pumping with circularly polarized light has been used to enhance the brightness of sodium laser guide star. But the benefit is reduced substantially due to the precession of sodium atoms in geomagnetic field. Switching the laser between left and right circular polarization at the Larmor frequency is proposed to improve the return. With ESO’s laser guide star system at Paranal as example, numerical simulation shows that the return flux is increased when the angle between geomagnetic field and laser beam is larger than 60°, as much as 50% at 90°. The proposal is significant since most astronomical observation is at angle between 60° and 90° and it only requires a minor addition to the delivery optics of present laser system. PMID:26797503

On-sky performance of the tip-tilt correction system for GLAS using an EMCCD camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skvarč, Jure; Tulloch, Simon

2008-07-01

Adaptive optics systems based on laser guide stars still need a natural guide star (NGS) to correct for the image motion caused by the atmosphere and by imperfect telescope tracking. The ability to properly compensate for this motion using a faint NGS is critical to achieve large sky coverage. For the laser guide system (GLAS) on the 4.2 m William Herschel Telescope we designed and tested in the laboratory and on-sky a tip-tilt correction system based on a PC running Linux and an EMCCD technology camera. The control software allows selection of different centroiding algorithms and loop control methods as well as the control parameters. Parameter analysis has been performed using tip-tilt only correction before the laser commissioning and the selected sets of parameters were then used during commissioning of the laser guide star system. We have established the SNR of the guide star as a function of magnitude, depending on the image sampling frequency and on the dichroic used in the optical system; achieving a measurable improvement using full AO correction with NGSes down to magnitude range R=16.5 to R=18. A minimum SNR of about 10 was established to be necessary for a useful correction. The system was used to produce 0.16 arcsecond images in H band using bright NGS and laser correction during GLAS commissioning runs.

Femtosecond Amplifiers and Microlasers in the Deep Ultraviolet

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-19

Laser guide stars have applications of growing importance to the DOD, astronomy, and environmental monitoring. However, realizing a laser that is...pump wavelength, photoassociation-pumped lasers hold considerable promise as guide star lasers . The most exciting aspect of these results, however...highlights of several experiments that were mentioned briefly in the last section. A. Dual Wavelength Sodium Laser Pumped By Na-Xe Pair Absorption

RFA-based 589-nm guide star lasers for ESO VLT: a paradigm shift in performance, operational simplicity, reliability, and maintenance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedenauer, Axel; Karpov, Vladimir; Wei, Daoping; Hager, Manfred; Ernstberger, Bernhard; Clements, Wallace R. L.; Kaenders, Wilhelm G.

2012-07-01

Large telescopes equipped with adaptive optics require 20-25W CW 589-nm sources with emission linewidths of ~5 MHz. These Guide Star (GS) lasers should also be highly reliable and simple to operate and maintain for many years at the top of a mountain facility. Under contract from ESO, industrial partners TOPTICA and MPBC are nearing completion of the development of GS lasers for the ESO VLT, with delivery of the first of four units scheduled for December 2012. We report on the design and performance of the fully-engineered Pre-Production Unit (PPU), including system reliability/availability analysis, the successfully-concluded qualification testing, long-term component and system level tests and long-term maintenance and support planning. The chosen approach is based on ESO's patented narrow-band Raman Fiber Amplifier (EFRA) technology. A master oscillator signal from a linearly-polarized TOPTICA 20-mW, 1178-nm CW diode laser, with stabilized emission frequency and controllable linewidth up to a few MHz, is amplified in an MPBC polarization-maintaining (PM) RFA pumped by a high-power 1120-nm PM fiber laser. With efficient stimulated Brillouin scattering suppression, an unprecedented 40W of narrow-band RFA output has been obtained. This is then mode-matched into a resonant-cavity doubler with a free-spectral-range matching the sodium D2a to D2b separation, allowing simultaneous generation of an additional frequency component (D2b line) to re-pump the sodium atom electronic population. With this technique, the return flux can be increased without having to resort to electro-optical modulators and without the risk of introducing optical wave front distortions. The demonstrated output powers with doubling efficiencies >80% at 589 nm easily exceed the 20W design goal and require less than 700 W of electrical power. In summary, the fiber-based guide star lasers provide excellent beam quality and are modular, turn-key, maintenance-free, reliable, efficient, and ruggedized devices whose compactness allows installation directly onto the launch telescope structure.

Piloting laboratory quality system management in six health facilities in Nigeria.

PubMed

Mbah, Henry; Ojo, Emmanuel; Ameh, James; Musuluma, Humphrey; Negedu-Momoh, Olubunmi Ruth; Jegede, Feyisayo; Ojo, Olufunmilayo; Uwakwe, Nkem; Ochei, Kingsley; Dada, Michael; Udah, Donald; Chiegil, Robert; Torpey, Kwasi

2014-01-01

Achieving accreditation in laboratories is a challenge in Nigeria like in most African countries. Nigeria adopted the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa Stepwise Laboratory (Quality) Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (WHO/AFRO- SLIPTA) in 2010. We report on FHI360 effort and progress in piloting WHO-AFRO recognition and accreditation preparedness in six health facility laboratories in five different states of Nigeria. Laboratory assessments were conducted at baseline, follow up and exit using the WHO/AFRO- SLIPTA checklist. From the total percentage score obtained, the quality status of laboratories were classified using a zero to five star rating, based on the WHO/AFRO quality improvement stepwise approach. Major interventions include advocacy, capacity building, mentorship and quality improvement projects. At baseline audit, two of the laboratories attained 1- star while the remaining four were at 0- star. At follow up audit one lab was at 1- star, two at 3-star and three at 4-star. At exit audit, four labs were at 4- star, one at 3-star and one at 2-star rating. One laboratory dropped a 'star' at exit audit, while others consistently improved. The two weakest elements at baseline; internal audit (4%) and occurrence/incidence management (15%) improved significantly, with an exit score of 76% and 81% respectively. The elements facility and safety was the major strength across board throughout the audit exercise. This effort resulted in measurable and positive impact on the laboratories. We recommend further improvement towards a formal international accreditation status and scale up of WHO/AFRO- SLIPTA implementation in Nigeria.

Smart tissue anastomosis robot (STAR): a vision-guided robotics system for laparoscopic suturing.

PubMed

Leonard, Simon; Wu, Kyle L; Kim, Yonjae; Krieger, Axel; Kim, Peter C W

2014-04-01

This paper introduces the smart tissue anastomosis robot (STAR). Currently, the STAR is a proof-of-concept for a vision-guided robotic system featuring an actuated laparoscopic suturing tool capable of executing running sutures from image-based commands. The STAR tool is designed around a commercially available laparoscopic suturing tool that is attached to a custom-made motor stage and the STAR supervisory control architecture that enables a surgeon to select and track incisions and the placement of stitches. The STAR supervisory-control interface provides two modes: A manual mode that enables a surgeon to specify the placement of each stitch and an automatic mode that automatically computes equally-spaced stitches based on an incision contour. Our experiments on planar phantoms demonstrate that the STAR in either mode is more accurate, up to four times more consistent and five times faster than surgeons using state-of-the-art robotic surgical system, four times faster than surgeons using manual Endo360(°)®, and nine times faster than surgeons using manual laparoscopic tools.

A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the See, Tilt, Align, and Rotate (STAR) Maneuver on Skill Acquisition for Simulated Ultrasound-Guided Interventional Procedures.

PubMed

Lam, Nicholas C K; Fishburn, Steven J; Hammer, Angie R; Petersen, Timothy R; Gerstein, Neal S; Mariano, Edward R

2015-06-01

Achieving the best view of the needle and target anatomy when performing ultrasound-guided interventional procedures requires technical skill, which novices may find difficult to learn. We hypothesized that teaching novice performers to use 4 sequential steps (see, tilt, align, and rotate [STAR] method) to identify the needle under ultrasound guidance is more efficient than training with the commonly described probe movements of align, rotate, and tilt (ART). This study compared 2 instructional methods for transducer manipulation including alignment of a probe and needle by novices during a simulated ultrasound-guided nerve block. Right-handed volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55 years who had no previous ultrasound experience were recruited and randomized to 1 of 2 groups; one group was trained to troubleshoot misalignment with the ART method, and the other was trained with the new STAR maneuver. Participants performed the task, consisting of directing a needle in plane to 3 targets in a standardized gelatin phantom 3 times. The performance assessor and data analyst were blinded to group assignment. Thirty-five participants were recruited. The STAR group was able to complete the task more quickly (P < .001) and visualized the needle in a greater proportion of the procedure time (P = .004) compared to the ART group. All STAR participants were able to complete the task, whereas 41% of ART participants abandoned the task (P = .003). Novices are able to complete a simulated ultrasound-guided nerve block more quickly and efficiently when trained with the 4-step STAR maneuver compared to the ART method. © 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

The Polychromatic Laser Guide Star for tilt measurement: progress report of the demonstrator at Observatoire de Haute Provence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foy, Renaud; Éric, Pierre; Eysseric, Jérôme; Foy, Françoise; Fusco, Thierry; Girard, Julien; Le Van Suu, Auguste; Perruchot, Sandrine; Richaud, Pierre; Richaud, Yoann; Rondeau, Xavier; Tallon, Michel; Thiébaut, Éric; Boër, Michel

2007-09-01

The Polychromatic Laser Guide Star aims at providing for the tilt measurement from a LGS without any natural guide star. Thus it allows adaptive optics to provide us with a full sky coverage. This is critical in particular to extend adaptive optics to the visible range, where isoplanatism is so small that the probability is negligible to find a natural star to measure the tilt. We report new results obtained within the framework of the Polychromatic LGS programme ELP-OA. Natural stars have been used to mimic the PLGS, in order to check the feasibility of using the difference in the tilt at two wavelengths to derive the tilt itself. We report results from the ATTILA experiment obtained at the 1.52 m telescope at Observatoire de Haute-Provence. Tilts derived from the differential tilts are compared with direct tilt measurements. The accuracy of the measurements is currently ~ 1.5 Airy disk rms at 550 nm. These results prove the feasibility of the Polychromatic Laser Guide Star programme ELP-OA. New algorithms based on inverse problems under development within our programme would lead to smaller error bars by 1 magnitude, as soon as they will run fast enough. We describe the ELP-OA demonstrator which we are setting up at the same telescope, with a special emphasis on the optimization of the excitation process, which definitely has to rely on the two-photon excitation of sodium atoms in the mesosphere. We will describe the implementation at the telescope, including the projector device, the focal instrumentation and the NdYAG pumped dye lasers.

Interactive Astronomy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Jean K.

1997-01-01

Presents guiding principles for developing interactive lessons for the World Wide Web. Describes "Amazing Space: Education Online from the Hubble Space Telescope", a program where students study spectacular Hubble Space Telescope images of stars and star-forming regions to learn about the life cycle of stars and the creation of atoms. (JRH)

Medicare Advantage Enrollees More Likely To Enter Lower-Quality Nursing Homes Compared To Fee-For-Service Enrollees

PubMed Central

Meyers, David J.; Mor, Vincent; Rahman, Momotazur

2018-01-01

Unlike fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare, most Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have a preferred network of care providers that serve most of a plan’s enrollees. Little is known about how the quality of care MA enrollees receive differs from that of FFS Medicare enrollees. This article evaluates the differences in the quality of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) that Medicare Advantage and FFS beneficiaries entered in the period 2012–14. After we controlled for patients’ clinical, demographic, and residential neighborhood effects, we found that FFS Medicare patients have substantially higher probabilities of entering higher-quality SNFs (those rated four or five stars by Nursing Home Compare) and those with lower readmission rates, compared to MA enrollees. The difference between MA and FFS Medicare SNF selections was less for enrollees in higher-quality MA plans than those in lower-quality plans, but Medicare Advantage still guided patients to lower-quality facilities. PMID:29309215

A novel double fine guide sensor design on space telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xu-xu; Yin, Da-yi

2018-02-01

To get high precision attitude for space telescope, a double marginal FOV (field of view) FGS (Fine Guide Sensor) is proposed. It is composed of two large area APS CMOS sensors and both share the same lens in main light of sight. More star vectors can be get by two FGS and be used for high precision attitude determination. To improve star identification speed, the vector cross product in inter-star angles for small marginal FOV different from traditional way is elaborated and parallel processing method is applied to pyramid algorithm. The star vectors from two sensors are then used to attitude fusion with traditional QUEST algorithm. The simulation results show that the system can get high accuracy three axis attitudes and the scheme is feasibility.

Stellar Ideas: Exploring Students' Understanding of Stars

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agan, Lori

2004-01-01

In this study, high school and first-year undergraduate students were asked about their understanding of stars. The hypothesis guiding this research posits that high school students who have taken a semester-long astronomy course will have an understanding of stars most related to scientific knowledge, compared with high school students enrolled…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

van Dam, M A; Mignant, D L; Macintosh, B A

In this paper, the adaptive optics (AO) system at the W.M. Keck Observatory is characterized. The authors calculate the error budget of the Keck AO system operating in natural guide star mode with a near infrared imaging camera. By modeling the control loops and recording residual centroids, the measurement noise and band-width errors are obtained. The error budget is consistent with the images obtained. Results of sky performance tests are presented: the AO system is shown to deliver images with average Strehl ratios of up to 0.37 at 1.58 {micro}m using a bright guide star and 0.19 for a magnitudemore » 12 star.« less

Communicating Solar Astronomy to the public

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaji, Kentaro; Solar Observatory NAOJ, The

2015-08-01

The Sun is the nearest star to us, so that the public is greatly interested in the Sun itself and in solar activity. The Solar Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan is one of the solar research divisions. Various data of the Sun obtained with our instruments, systematically accumulated more than one hundred years since 1910s, are open to not only researchers but also the public as online database. So, we have many chances that the public request solar images for the education and the media. In addition, we release daily solar observation informations on the web and with social media and guide visitors to our observation facilities. It is reviewed about the public relations and outreach activities of the Solar Observatory, including recent solar observation topics.

7 CFR 1942.20 - Community Facility Guides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

.... (7) Guide 7—Preliminary Engineering Report Water Facility. (8) Guide 8—Preliminary Engineering Report Sewerage Systems. (9) Guide 9—Preliminary Engineering Report Solid Waste Disposal Systems. (10) Guide 10—Preliminary Engineering Report Storm Waste-Water Disposal. (11) Guide 11—Daily Inspection Report. (12) Guide...

Colloquium: Measuring the neutron star equation of state using x-ray timing

DOE PAGES

Watts, Anna L.; Andersson, Nils; Chakrabarty, Deepto; ...

2016-04-13

One of the primary science goals of the next generation of hard x-ray timing instruments is to determine the equation of state of matter at supranuclear densities inside neutron stars by measuring the radius of neutron stars with different masses to accuracies of a few percent. Three main techniques can be used to achieve this goal. The first involves waveform modeling. The flux observed from a hotspot on the neutron star surface offset from the rotational pole will be modulated by the star s rotation, and this periodic modulation at the spin frequency is called a pulsation. As the photonsmore » propagate through the curved spacetime of the star, information about mass and radius is encoded into the shape of the waveform (pulse profile) via special and general-relativistic effects. Using pulsations from known sources (which have hotspots that develop either during thermo- nuclear bursts or due to channeled accretion) it is possible to obtain tight constraints on mass and radius. The second technique involves characterizing the spin distribution of accreting neutron stars. A large collecting area enables highly sensitive searches for weak or intermittent pulsations (which yield spin) from the many accreting neutron stars whose spin rates are not yet known. The most rapidly rotating stars provide a clean constraint, since the limiting spin rate where the equatorial surface velocity is comparable to the local orbital velocity, at which mass shedding occurs, is a function of mass and radius. However, the overall spin distribution also provides a guide to the torque mechanisms in operation and the moment of inertia, both of which can depend sensitively on dense matter physics. The third technique is to search for quasiperiodic oscillations in x-ray flux associated with global seismic vibrations of magnetars (the most highly magnetized neutron stars), triggered by magnetic explosions. The vibrational frequencies depend on stellar parameters including the dense matter equation of state, and large-area x-ray timing instruments would provide much improved detection capability. In addition, an illustration is given of how these complementary x-ray timing techniques can be used to constrain the dense matter equation of state and the results that might be expected from a 10 m 2 instrument are discussed. Also discussed are how the results from such a facility would compare to other astronomical investigations of neutron star properties.« less

Colloquium: Measuring the neutron star equation of state using x-ray timing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watts, Anna L.; Andersson, Nils; Chakrabarty, Deepto; Feroci, Marco; Hebeler, Kai; Israel, Gianluca; Lamb, Frederick K.; Miller, M. Coleman; Morsink, Sharon; Özel, Feryal; Patruno, Alessandro; Poutanen, Juri; Psaltis, Dimitrios; Schwenk, Achim; Steiner, Andrew W.; Stella, Luigi; Tolos, Laura; van der Klis, Michiel

2016-04-01

One of the primary science goals of the next generation of hard x-ray timing instruments is to determine the equation of state of matter at supranuclear densities inside neutron stars by measuring the radius of neutron stars with different masses to accuracies of a few percent. Three main techniques can be used to achieve this goal. The first involves waveform modeling. The flux observed from a hotspot on the neutron star surface offset from the rotational pole will be modulated by the star's rotation, and this periodic modulation at the spin frequency is called a pulsation. As the photons propagate through the curved spacetime of the star, information about mass and radius is encoded into the shape of the waveform (pulse profile) via special and general-relativistic effects. Using pulsations from known sources (which have hotspots that develop either during thermonuclear bursts or due to channeled accretion) it is possible to obtain tight constraints on mass and radius. The second technique involves characterizing the spin distribution of accreting neutron stars. A large collecting area enables highly sensitive searches for weak or intermittent pulsations (which yield spin) from the many accreting neutron stars whose spin rates are not yet known. The most rapidly rotating stars provide a clean constraint, since the limiting spin rate where the equatorial surface velocity is comparable to the local orbital velocity, at which mass shedding occurs, is a function of mass and radius. However, the overall spin distribution also provides a guide to the torque mechanisms in operation and the moment of inertia, both of which can depend sensitively on dense matter physics. The third technique is to search for quasiperiodic oscillations in x-ray flux associated with global seismic vibrations of magnetars (the most highly magnetized neutron stars), triggered by magnetic explosions. The vibrational frequencies depend on stellar parameters including the dense matter equation of state, and large-area x-ray timing instruments would provide much improved detection capability. An illustration is given of how these complementary x-ray timing techniques can be used to constrain the dense matter equation of state and the results that might be expected from a 10 m2 instrument are discussed. Also discussed are how the results from such a facility would compare to other astronomical investigations of neutron star properties.

Lick sodium laser guide star: performance during the 1998 LGS observing campaign

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bauman, B; Friedman, H; Gavel, D T

1999-07-19

The performance of a sodium laser guide star adaptive optics system depends crucially on the characteristics of the laser guide star in the sodium layer. System performance is quite sensitive to sodium layer spot radiance, that is, return per unit sterradian on the sky, hence we have been working to improve projected beam quality via improvements to the laser and changes to the launched beam format. The laser amplifier was reconfigured to a ''bounce-beam'' geometry, which considerably improves wavefront quality and allows a larger round instead of square launch beam aperture. The smaller beacon makes it easier to block themore » unwanted Rayleigh light and improves the accuracy of Hartmann sensor wavefront measurements in the A0 system. We present measurements of the beam quality and of the resulting sodium beacon and compare to similar measurements from last year.« less

Optimal reconstruction for closed-loop ground-layer adaptive optics with elongated spots.

PubMed

Béchet, Clémentine; Tallon, Michel; Tallon-Bosc, Isabelle; Thiébaut, Éric; Le Louarn, Miska; Clare, Richard M

2010-11-01

The design of the laser-guide-star-based adaptive optics (AO) systems for the Extremely Large Telescopes requires careful study of the issue of elongated spots produced on Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors. The importance of a correct modeling of the nonuniformity and correlations of the noise induced by this elongation has already been demonstrated for wavefront reconstruction. We report here on the first (to our knowledge) end-to-end simulations of closed-loop ground-layer AO with laser guide stars with such an improved noise model. The results are compared with the level of performance predicted by a classical noise model for the reconstruction. The performance is studied in terms of ensquared energy and confirms that, thanks to the improved noise model, central or side launching of the lasers does not affect the performance with respect to the laser guide stars' flux. These two launching schemes also perform similarly whatever the atmospheric turbulence strength.

National Military Family Association

MedlinePlus

... Action Volunteer Mark Your Calendar Donate Twitter Facebook Instagram Donate Appreciating Military Families: Meet the Wilsons This ... 2017 - National Military Family Association Twitter Facebook Pinterest Instagram Charity Navigator Four Star Charity GuideStar Exchange Better ...

A search for stellar occultations by Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and their satellites: 1990-1999

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mink, Douglas J.

1991-01-01

A search for occultations of stars by Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto between 1990 and 1999 was carried out by combining ephemeris information and star positions using very accurate occultation modeling software. Stars from both the Space Telescope Guide Catalog and photographic plates taken by Arnold Klemola at Lick Observatory were compared with planet positions from the JPL DE-130 ephemeris, with local modifications for Pluto and Charon. Some 666 possible occultations by the Uranian ring, 143 possible occultations by Neptune, and 40 possible occultations by Pluto and/or Charon were found among stars with visual magnitudes as faint as 16. Before the star positions could be obtained, the occultation prediction software was used to aid many observers in observing the occultation of 28 Sagitarii by Saturn in July 1989. As a test on other outer solar system objects, 17 possible occultations were found in a search of the Guide Star Catalog for occultations by 2060 Chiron, and interesting object between Saturn and Uranus which shows both cometary and asteroidal properties.

A search for stellar occultations by Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and their satellites: 1990-1999

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mink, Douglas J.

1991-03-01

A search for occultations of stars by Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto between 1990 and 1999 was carried out by combining ephemeris information and star positions using very accurate occultation modeling software. Stars from both the Space Telescope Guide Catalog and photographic plates taken by Arnold Klemola at Lick Observatory were compared with planet positions from the JPL DE-130 ephemeris, with local modifications for Pluto and Charon. Some 666 possible occultations by the Uranian ring, 143 possible occultations by Neptune, and 40 possible occultations by Pluto and/or Charon were found among stars with visual magnitudes as faint as 16. Before the star positions could be obtained, the occultation prediction software was used to aid many observers in observing the occultation of 28 Sagitarii by Saturn in July 1989. As a test on other outer solar system objects, 17 possible occultations were found in a search of the Guide Star Catalog for occultations by 2060 Chiron, and interesting object between Saturn and Uranus which shows both cometary and asteroidal properties.

Manufacturing Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waid, Michael

2011-01-01

Manufacturing process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the manufacturing facilities. The Manufacturing Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their project engineering personnel in manufacturing planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the manufacturing process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, products, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

STAR (Simple Tool for Automated Reasoning): Tutorial guide and reference manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borchardt, G. C.

1985-01-01

STAR is an interactive, interpreted programming language for the development and operation of Artificial Intelligence application systems. The language is intended for use primarily in the development of software application systems which rely on a combination of symbolic processing, central to the vast majority of AI algorithms, with routines and data structures defined in compiled languages such as C, FORTRAN and PASCAL. References to routines and data structures defined in compiled languages are intermixed with symbolic structures in STAR, resulting in a hybrid operating environment in which symbolic and non-symbolic processing and organization of data may interact to a high degree within the execution of particular application systems. The STAR language was developed in the course of a project involving AI techniques in the interpretation of imaging spectrometer data and is derived in part from a previous language called CLIP. The interpreter for STAR is implemented as a program defined in the language C and has been made available for distribution in source code form through NASA's Computer Software Management and Information Center (COSMIC). Contained within this report are the STAR Tutorial Guide, which introduces the language in a step-by-step manner, and the STAR Reference Manual, which provides a detailed summary of the features of STAR.

Electromagnetic Interference/Compatibility (EMI/EMC) Control Test and Measurement Facility: User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scully, Robert C.

2011-01-01

Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the EMI/EMC Test Facility. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Performance of the Keck Observatory adaptive-optics system.

PubMed

van Dam, Marcos A; Le Mignant, David; Macintosh, Bruce A

2004-10-10

The adaptive-optics (AO) system at the W. M. Keck Observatory is characterized. We calculate the error budget of the Keck AO system operating in natural guide star mode with a near-infrared imaging camera. The measurement noise and bandwidth errors are obtained by modeling the control loops and recording residual centroids. Results of sky performance tests are presented: The AO system is shown to deliver images with average Strehl ratios of as much as 0.37 at 1.58 microm when a bright guide star is used and of 0.19 for a magnitude 12 star. The images are consistent with the predicted wave-front error based on our error budget estimates.

Adaptive Optics Makes A Research Instrument Out Of A Commercial 30 cm Aperture Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durig, D. T.

1999-12-01

I recently upgraded my SBIG ST-8 CCD camera with the AO-7 Adaptive Optics unit. This has solved many of the problems with tracking errors and the stability of my telescope mount and allowed me to obtain useful astrometric information on asteroids, comets and supernovae. It is no longer easy to take automated remote images but as long as I am at the observatory, good quality data can be obtained. The AO-7 unit allows me to pick a guide star for the guiding CCD just slightly out of the field of view of the imaging CCD. I am able to guide at the rate of 5 corrections per second with a 13th magnitude guide star. The fastest I have been able to guide is 30 times per second, but there are not usually bright enough stars near the image field to use this rate. When I have to use a dimmer star to guide on, and my rate is as slow as once per two seconds, good results are possible as long as the winds are not too strong. With a focal length of 1775 mm (f/5.75) and 2x2 binning on the CDD I am able to reach at least 18th magnitude objects in a 30 second exposure, but the guiding has to be very good to use these images for astrometry. For objects dimmer than 17th magnitude I normally go to a 2 minute exposure. With this equipment I was the first to observe that a recently discovered object (Comet LINEAR S4) was a comet and not an asteroid as originally reported (see IAUC 7267). I have performed additional astrometric observations on Comets LINEAR S3, S4, T2 and Ferris U1. I have also performed measurements on over a dozen asteroids from the MPC Critical List.

Star Week- A Successful Campaign in Japan -

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, J.

2006-08-01

In 1995, we started a campaign of the star week as between August 1 and 7 when it is usually expected that most part of Japan should be good weather after the rainy season during the summer holiday. Several hundreds of astronomical facilities for general public in Japan, including planetariums, museums, and public observatories participated in our campaign, together with make good collaborations for education purpose. More than 200 astronomical events such as star parties were coordinated for general public every year. Japan is one of the worst countries for light pollution. Especially most of children have no experience of seeing Milky Way. Let them see the real stars. Let them feel the universe by inviting them to the related astronomical facilities located all over Japan. For realizing this purpose, it is better to set the special week, similar to the "Bird Week" by arranging various astronomical events in these facilities in order to invite all the general public. This is the motivation of the beginning of the star week. Such outreach program should give opportunity for general public to understand the excitement of the astronomy. In this paper, we will introduce present situation of our campaign, along with some statistics.

Antenna Test Facility (ATF): User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Greg

2011-01-01

Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the ATF. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Radiant Heat Test Facility (RHTF): User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DelPapa, Steven

2011-01-01

Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the RHTF. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non- NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Communication Systems Simulation Laboratory (CSSL): Simulation Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schlesinger, Adam

2012-01-01

The simulation process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the CSSL. The Simulation Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their engineering personnel in simulation planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the simulation process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, facility interfaces, and inputs necessary to define scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Systems Engineering Simulator (SES) Simulator Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McFarlane, Michael

2011-01-01

The simulation process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the SES. The Simulator Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their engineering personnel in simulation planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the simulation process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, facility interfaces, and inputs necessary to define scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Computational Electromagnetics (CEM) Laboratory: Simulation Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khayat, Michael A.

2011-01-01

The simulation process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the CEM Laboratory. The Simulation Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their engineering personnel in simulation planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the simulation process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, facility interfaces, and inputs necessary to define scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Direct wavefront sensing for high-resolution in vivo imaging in scattering tissue

PubMed Central

Wang, Kai; Sun, Wenzhi; Richie, Christopher T.; Harvey, Brandon K.; Betzig, Eric; Ji, Na

2015-01-01

Adaptive optics by direct imaging of the wavefront distortions of a laser-induced guide star has long been used in astronomy, and more recently in microscopy to compensate for aberrations in transparent specimens. Here we extend this approach to tissues that strongly scatter visible light by exploiting the reduced scattering of near-infrared guide stars. The method enables in vivo two-photon morphological and functional imaging down to 700 μm inside the mouse brain. PMID:26073070

Monitoring the ability to deliver care in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review of health facility assessment tools

PubMed Central

Nickerson, Jason W; Adams, Orvill; Attaran, Amir; Hatcher-Roberts, Janet; Tugwell, Peter

2015-01-01

Introduction Health facilities assessments are an essential instrument for health system strengthening in low- and middle-income countries. These assessments are used to conduct health facility censuses to assess the capacity of the health system to deliver health care and to identify gaps in the coverage of health services. Despite the valuable role of these assessments, there are currently no minimum standards or frameworks for these tools. Methods We used a structured keyword search of the MEDLINE, EMBASE and HealthStar databases and searched the websites of the World Health Organization, the World Bank and the International Health Facilities Assessment Network to locate all available health facilities assessment tools intended for use in low- and middle-income countries. We parsed the various assessment tools to identify similarities between them, which we catalogued into a framework comprising 41 assessment domains. Results We identified 10 health facility assessment tools meeting our inclusion criteria, all of which were included in our analysis. We found substantial variation in the comprehensiveness of the included tools, with the assessments containing indicators in 13 to 33 (median: 25.5) of the 41 assessment domains included in our framework. None of the tools collected data on all 41 of the assessment domains we identified. Conclusions Not only do a large number of health facility assessment tools exist, but the data they collect and methods they employ are very different. This certainly limits the comparability of the data between different countries’ health systems and probably creates blind spots that impede efforts to strengthen those systems. Agreement is needed on the essential elements of health facility assessments to guide the development of specific indicators and for refining existing instruments. PMID:24895350

Design of an holographic off-axis calibration light source for ARGOS at the LBT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwab, Christian; Gassler, Wolfgang; Peter, Diethard; Blumchen, Thomas; Aigner, Simon; Quirrenbach, Andreas

We report on the design of an artificial light source for ARGOS, the multiple Rayleigh laser guide star (LGS) facility at the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). Our light source mimics the expected night-time illumination of the adaptive secondary mirror (ASM) by the laser beacons very accurately and provides a way to check the achieved performance, allowing thorough testing of the system during day time. The optical design makes use of computer generated holograms (CGH) and strong aspheres to achieve a very small residual wavefront error. Additional structures on the CGH facilitate quick and precise alignment of the optics in the prime focus. We demonstrate that the scheme can be applied to the current European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) design in a similar way.

Design, development, and testing of the DCT Cassegrain instrument support assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bida, Thomas A.; Dunham, Edward W.; Nye, Ralph A.; Chylek, Tomas; Oliver, Richard C.

2012-09-01

The 4.3m Discovery Channel Telescope delivers an f/6.1 unvignetted 0.5° field to its RC focal plane. In order to support guiding, wavefront sensing, and instrument installations, a Cassegrain instrument support assembly has been developed which includes a facility guider and wavefront sensor package (GWAVES) and multiple interfaces for instrumentation. A 2-element, all-spherical, fused-silica corrector compensates for field curvature and astigmatism over the 0.5° FOV, while reducing ghost pupil reflections to minimal levels. Dual roving GWAVES camera probes pick off stars in the outer annulus of the corrected field, providing simultaneous guiding and wavefront sensing for telescope operations. The instrument cube supports 5 co-mounted instruments with rapid feed selection via deployable fold mirrors. The corrected beam passes through a dual filter wheel before imaging with the 6K x 6K single CCD of the Large Monolithic Imager (LMI). We describe key development strategies for the DCT Cassegrain instrument assembly and GWAVES, including construction of a prime focus test assembly with wavefront sensor utilized in fall 2011 to begin characterization of the DCT primary mirror support. We also report on 2012 on-sky test results of wavefront sensing, guiding, and imaging with the integrated Cassegrain cube.

Developing the Rehabilitation Facility Personnel Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbertson, Alan D.

This guide is intended to provide rehabilitation facilities with assistance in developing or improving their facility personnel manual, along with examples of what some rehabilitation facilities are including within their personnel manuals. The introduction to the guide discusses how a facility can begin the formulation of its personnel manual.…

Improved performance of the laser guide star adaptive optics system at Lick Observatory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

An, J R; Avicola, K; Bauman, B J

1999-07-20

Results of experiments with the laser guide star adaptive optics system on the 3-meter Shane telescope at Lick Observatory have demonstrated a factor of 4 performance improvement over previous results. Stellar images recorded at a wavelength of 2 {micro}m were corrected to over 40% of the theoretical diffraction-limited peak intensity. For the previous two years, this sodium-layer laser guide star system has corrected stellar images at this wavelength to {approx}10% of the theoretical peak intensity limit. After a campaign to improve the beam quality of the laser system, and to improve calibration accuracy and stability of the adaptive optics systemmore » using new techniques for phase retrieval and phase-shifting diffraction interferometry, the system performance has been substantially increased. The next step will be to use the Lick system for astronomical science observations, and to demonstrate this level of performance with the new system being installed on the 10-meter Keck II telescope.« less

Vanguard Preparatory School Observations of the Double Star STF 1692

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Serenity; Buccola, Breck; Garcia, Karen; Gosney, Matthew; Housatchenko, Jonathan; Martinez, Lilian; Myskow, Wyatt; Renteria, Noah; Schlosser, Ruth; Thompson, Leone; Estrada, Reed; Estrada, Chris

2016-01-01

Using a 22-inch Newtonian Alt/Az telescope and a Celestron Micro Guide eyepiece, students from Vanguard Preparatory observed the binary star Cor Caroli (STF 1692) and found a position angle of 228 degrees as well as an average separation of 21.10". This project was a part of the Vanguard Preparatory Double Star Workshop 2015 in Apple Valley, California.

Star Watch: The Amateur Astronomer's Guide to Finding, Observing, and Learning about Over 125 Celestial Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrington, Philip S.

2003-07-01

Your Passport to the Universe The night sky is alive with many wonders--distant planets, vast star clusters, glowing nebulae, and expansive galaxies, all waiting to be explored. Let respected astronomy writer Philip Harrington introduce you to the universe in Star Watch, a complete beginner's guide to locating, observing, and understanding these celestial objects. You'll start by identifying the surface features of the Moon, the banded cloud tops of Jupiter, the stunning rings of Saturn, and other members of our solar system. Then you'll venture out beyond our solar system, where you'll learn tips and tricks for finding outstanding deep-sky objects from stars to galaxies, including the entire Messier catalog--a primary goal of every serious beginner. Star Watch features a detailed physical description of each target, including size, distance, and structure, as well as concise directions for locating the objects, handy finder charts, hints on the best times to view each object, and descriptions of what you'll really see through a small telescope or binoculars and with the naked eye. Star Watch will transport you to the farthest depths of space--and return you as a well-traveled, experienced stargazer.

Vibration and Acoustic Test Facility (VATF): User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fantasia, Peter M.

2011-01-01

Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the VATF. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Atmospheric Reentry Materials and Structures Evaluation Facility (ARMSEF). User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2011-01-01

Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the ARMSEF. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Design constraints of the LST fine guidance sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wissinger, A. B.

1975-01-01

The LST Fine Guidance Sensor design is shaped by the rate of occurrence of suitable guide stars, the competition for telescope focal plane space with the Science Instruments, and the sensitivity of candidate image motion sensors. The relationship between these parameters is presented, and sensitivity to faint stars is shown to be of prime importance. An interferometric technique of image motion sensing is shown to have improved sensitivity and, therefore, a reduced focal plane area requirement in comparison with other candidate techniques (image-splitting prism and image dissector tube techniques). Another design requirement is speed in acquiring the guide star in order to maximize the time available for science observations. The design constraints are shown parametrically, and modelling results are presented.

Enforcement and Compliance at Federal Facilities

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Guide for complying with environmental laws and regulations at Federal Facilities This resource updates EPA's The Yellow Book: Guide to Environmental Enforcement and Compliance in Federal Facilities published in 1999.

75 FR 81675 - Notice of Issuance of Regulatory Guide

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-28

... Fuel Cycle Facilities.'' FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mekonen M. Bayssie, Regulatory Guide... Materials in Liquid and Gaseous Effluents from Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities,'' was published as Draft... guidance is applicable to nuclear fuel cycle facilities, with the exception of uranium milling facilities...

Characterizing site specific considerations for protecting aircraft during LGS operations at W. M. Keck Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stomski, Paul J., Jr.; Campbell, Randy; McCann, Kevin; Shimko, Steve

2010-07-01

W. M. Keck Observatory (WMKO) routinely operates laser guide star (LGS) Adaptive Optics (AO) systems at the telescope facility on the Big Island of Hawaii. One of the operational requirements for the LGS system is that a safety system to prevent nearby aircraft from being adversely affected by the laser must be provided. We will support operations in the near term with human aircraft spotters until we can successfully develop and get the appropriate approvals needed for an Automated, Integrated and Reliable System for an Aircraft Friendly Environment (AIRSAFE). This report describes some of the preliminary requirements development work at WMKO in support of the future development of AIRSAFE. We discuss the results of recent work to characterize site specific considerations that impact requirements development. The site specific considerations include the proximity of WMKO laser operations to nearby commercial airports, the implications of military operations in the area and the character of the air traffic volume and flight patterns over the telescope facility. Finally, we discuss how the design and implementation of AIRSAFE will be impacted by these site specific considerations.

Users Guide for the National Transonic Facility Research Data System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foster, Jean M.; Adcock, Jerry B.

1996-01-01

The National Transonic Facility is a complex cryogenic wind tunnel facility. This report briefly describes the facility, the data systems, and the instrumentation used to acquire research data. The computational methods and equations are discussed in detail and many references are listed for those who need additional technical information. This report is intended to be a user's guide, not a programmer's guide; therefore, the data reduction code itself is not documented. The purpose of this report is to assist personnel involved in conducting a test in the National Transonic Facility.

North Carolina Public Schools Facility Standards. A Guide for Planning School Facilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knott, Gerald H.; Lora, James M.; Acker, Marjorie L.; Taynton, Steven; Logan, Gladys B.; Harrell, Ronald C.

The State of North Carolina has developed a planning guide for those in the process of building, enlarging, or renovating school facilities. This guide defines and describes the educational spaces needed to support a modern, comprehensive educational program and sets minimal standards for the types and sizes of spaces required. It serves as a…

PALM-3000: EXOPLANET ADAPTIVE OPTICS FOR THE 5 m HALE TELESCOPE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dekany, Richard; Bouchez, Antonin; Baranec, Christoph

2013-10-20

We describe and report first results from PALM-3000, the second-generation astronomical adaptive optics (AO) facility for the 5.1 m Hale telescope at Palomar Observatory. PALM-3000 has been engineered for high-contrast imaging and emission spectroscopy of brown dwarfs and large planetary mass bodies at near-infrared wavelengths around bright stars, but also supports general natural guide star use to V ≈ 17. Using its unique 66 × 66 actuator deformable mirror, PALM-3000 has thus far demonstrated residual wavefront errors of 141 nm rms under ∼1'' seeing conditions. PALM-3000 can provide phase conjugation correction over a 6.''4 × 6.''4 working region at λmore » = 2.2 μm, or full electric field (amplitude and phase) correction over approximately one-half of this field. With optimized back-end instrumentation, PALM-3000 is designed to enable 10{sup –7} contrast at 1'' angular separation, including post-observation speckle suppression processing. While continued optimization of the AO system is ongoing, we have already successfully commissioned five back-end instruments and begun a major exoplanet characterization survey, Project 1640.« less

NASA Langley's AirSTAR Testbed: A Subscale Flight Test Capability for Flight Dynamics and Control System Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, Thomas L.; Bailey, Roger M.

2008-01-01

As part of the Airborne Subscale Transport Aircraft Research (AirSTAR) project, NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) has developed a subscaled flying testbed in order to conduct research experiments in support of the goals of NASA s Aviation Safety Program. This research capability consists of three distinct components. The first of these is the research aircraft, of which there are several in the AirSTAR stable. These aircraft range from a dynamically-scaled, twin turbine vehicle to a propeller driven, off-the-shelf airframe. Each of these airframes carves out its own niche in the research test program. All of the airplanes have sophisticated on-board data acquisition and actuation systems, recording, telemetering, processing, and/or receiving data from research control systems. The second piece of the testbed is the ground facilities, which encompass the hardware and software infrastructure necessary to provide comprehensive support services for conducting flight research using the subscale aircraft, including: subsystem development, integrated testing, remote piloting of the subscale aircraft, telemetry processing, experimental flight control law implementation and evaluation, flight simulation, data recording/archiving, and communications. The ground facilities are comprised of two major components: (1) The Base Research Station (BRS), a LaRC laboratory facility for system development, testing and data analysis, and (2) The Mobile Operations Station (MOS), a self-contained, motorized vehicle serving as a mobile research command/operations center, functionally equivalent to the BRS, capable of deployment to remote sites for supporting flight tests. The third piece of the testbed is the test facility itself. Research flights carried out by the AirSTAR team are conducted at NASA Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The UAV Island runway is a 50 x 1500 paved runway that lies within restricted airspace at Wallops Flight Facility. The facility provides all the necessary infrastructure to conduct the research flights in a safe and efficient manner. This paper gives a comprehensive overview of the development of the AirSTAR testbed.

Facility Maintenance. V-TECS Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Charles G.; And Others

This facility maintenance guide is a compilation of duties, tasks, performance objectives, and performance guides that deals with the psychomotor aspect of an occupation. The guide addresses the three domains of learning: psychomotor, cognitive, and affective. Each unit provides job-relevant tasks, standards of performance, source of standard,…

Observations of the star Cor Caroli at the Apple Valley Workshop 2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estrada, Reed; Boyd, Sidney; Estrada, Chris; Evans, Cody; Rhoades, Hannah; Rhoades, Mark; Rhoades, Trevor

2017-06-01

Using a 22-inch Newtonian Alt/Az telescope and Celestron Micro Guide eyepiece, students participating in a workshop observed the binary star Cor Caroli (STF 1692) and found a position angle of 231.0 degrees as well as an average separation of 18.7" This observation compared favorably with the 2015 Washington Double Star published position. This project was part of Mark Brewer's Apple Valley Double Star Workshop. The results were analyzed using bias and circle error probability calculations.

Energy Systems Test Area (ESTA) Pyrotechnic Operations: User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hacker, Scott

2012-01-01

The Johnson Space Center (JSC) has created and refined innovative analysis, design, development, and testing techniques that have been demonstrated in all phases of spaceflight. JSC is uniquely positioned to apply this expertise to components, systems, and vehicles that operate in remote or harsh environments. We offer a highly skilled workforce, unique facilities, flexible project management, and a proven management system. The purpose of this guide is to acquaint Test Requesters with the requirements for test, analysis, or simulation services at JSC. The guide includes facility services and capabilities, inputs required by the facility, major milestones, a roadmap of the facility s process, and roles and responsibilities of the facility and the requester. Samples of deliverables, facility interfaces, and inputs necessary to define the cost and schedule are included as appendices to the guide.

Inside NuSTAR Nose Cone

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-03-02

A spacecraft technician is performing closeout work inside the fairing that will be installed around NASA Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array NuSTAR spacecraft in a processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Optomechanical design of TMT NFIRAOS Subsystems at INO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamontagne, Frédéric; Desnoyers, Nichola; Grenier, Martin; Cottin, Pierre; Leclerc, Mélanie; Martin, Olivier; Buteau-Vaillancourt, Louis; Boucher, Marc-André; Nash, Reston; Lardière, Olivier; Andersen, David; Atwood, Jenny; Hill, Alexis; Byrnes, Peter W. G.; Herriot, Glen; Fitzsimmons, Joeleff; Véran, Jean-Pierre

2017-08-01

The adaptive optics system for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is the Narrow-Field InfraRed Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS). Recently, INO has been involved in the optomechanical design of several subsystems of NFIRAOS, including the Instrument Selection Mirror (ISM), the NFIRAOS Beamsplitters (NBS), and the NFIRAOS Source Simulator system (NSS) comprising the Focal Plane Mask (FPM), the Laser Guide Star (LGS) sources, and the Natural Guide Star (NGS) sources. This paper presents an overview of these subsystems and the optomechanical design approaches used to meet the optical performance requirements under environmental constraints.

Ada Implementation Guide. Software Engineering With Ada. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-04-01

Staff, Department ofDefense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, Washington, D.C., 1989. STARS McDonal , C., and S . Redwine, *STARS Glossary: A...ADýA28 357> offj I Volume I I SI I t Ada Implementation II Guide 5 Software Engineering With AdaI I S DTIC QUALITY INSPECTED S 5 April 1994 g " 94...and Abbreviations ...................... I I N p a S I I I i I Libt of F4g u OW Tahl Figures 2-1 DON Directives and Instructions for Implementing Public

A near-infrared tip-tilt sensor for the Keck I laser guide star adaptive optics system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wizinowich, Peter; Smith, Roger; Biasi, Roberto; Cetre, Sylvain; Dekany, Richard; Femenia-Castella, Bruno; Fucik, Jason; Hale, David; Neyman, Chris; Pescoller, Dietrich; Ragland, Sam; Stomski, Paul; Andrighettoni, Mario; Bartos, Randy; Bui, Khanh; Cooper, Andrew; Cromer, John; van Dam, Marcos; Hess, Michael; James, Ean; Lyke, Jim; Rodriguez, Hector; Stalcup, Thomas

2014-07-01

The sky coverage and performance of laser guide star (LGS) adaptive optics (AO) systems is limited by the natural guide star (NGS) used for low order correction. This limitation can be dramatically reduced by measuring the tip and tilt of the NGS in the near-infrared where the NGS is partially corrected by the LGS AO system and where stars are generally several magnitudes brighter than at visible wavelengths. We present the design of a near-infrared tip-tilt sensor that has recently been integrated with the Keck I telescope's LGS AO system along with some initial on-sky results. The implementation involved modifications to the AO bench, real-time control system, and higher level controls and operations software that will also be discussed. The tip-tilt sensor is a H2RG-based near-infrared camera with 0.05 arc second pixels. Low noise at high sample rates is achieved by only reading a small region of interest, from 2×2 to 16×16 pixels, centered on an NGS anywhere in the 100 arc second diameter field. The sensor operates at either Ks or H-band using light reflected by a choice of dichroic beamsplitters located in front of the OSIRIS integral field spectrograph.

A Guide for Planning and Construction of Public School Facilities in Georgia. School Food Service Facilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgia State Dept. of Education, Atlanta. Office of School Administrative Services.

It is the purpose of this guide to provide established, well-tested guidelines for planning and constructing food service facilities. These guidelines attempt to get the most efficient and economical operation from a school's food service facilities by providing pertinent information for expanding and remodeling existing facilities, as well as…

KSC-2009-1471

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-02

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians secure the protective cover over NASA's Kepler spacecraft. Kepler will be moved to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently planned for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KSC-2009-1469

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-02

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, another protective cover is lowered over NASA's Kepler spacecraft. When covered, Kepler will be moved to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently planned for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

Facility Planning in the Construction Grants Program. Instructor Guide. Working for Clean Water: An Information Program for Advisory Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buskirk, E. Drannon, Jr.; Cole, Charles A.

Wastewater facility planning is an essential component of the federal construction grants process. Presented in this instructor's guide is a one-hour presentation on facility planning intended for citizen advisory groups. The guide is part of the Working for Clean Water Project, which also includes a supplementary audiovisual presentation.…

Facilities Information Management: A Guide for State and Local Education Agencies. NCES 2003-400

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics (ED), Washington, DC.

This Guide has been developed to provide a framework for decision makers, school facility managers, and the public to identify a basic set of school facilities data elements, including definitions that will meet their information needs. Chapter 1 describes the purpose, scope, and intended audience for this guide. Chapter 2 describes how to use the…

Chamber B Thermal/Vacuum Chamber: User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montz, Mike E.

2012-01-01

Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of Chamber B. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Audio Development Laboratory (ADL) User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Romero, Andy

2012-01-01

Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the ADL. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Electronic Systems Test Laboratory (ESTL) User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Neil

2011-01-01

Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the ESTL. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Advanced Materials Laboratory User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orndoff, Evelyne

2012-01-01

Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the Advanced Materials Laboratory. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Structures Test Laboratory (STL). User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zipay, John J.

2011-01-01

Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the STL. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

The Kepler Data Processing Handbook: A Field Guide to Prospecting for Habitable Worlds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenkins, Jon M.

2017-01-01

The Kepler telescope hurtled into orbit in March 2009, initiating NASA's first mission to discover Earth-size planets orbiting Sun-like stars. Kepler simultaneously collected data for approximately 165,000 target stars at a time over its four-year mission, identifying over 4700 planet candidates, over 2300 confirmed or validated planets, and over 2100 eclipsing binaries. While Kepler was designed to discover exoplanets, the long-term, ultrahigh photometric precision measurements it achieved made it a premier observational facility for stellar astrophysics, especially in the field of asteroseismology, and for variable stars, such as RR Lyrae. The Kepler Science Operations Center (SOC) was developed at NASA Ames Research Center to process the data acquired by Kepler from pixel-level calibrations all the way to identifying transiting planet signatures and subjecting them to a suite of diagnostic tests to establish or break confidence in their planetary nature. Detecting small, rocky planets transiting Sun-like stars presents a variety of daunting challenges, including achieving an unprecedented photometric precision of 20 ppm on 6.5-hour timescales, and supporting the science operations, management, processing, and repeated reprocessing of the accumulating data stream. A newly revised and expanded version of the Kepler Data Processing Handbook (KDPH) has been released to support the legacy archival products. The KDPH details the theory, design and performance of the algorithms supporting each data processing step. This paper presents an overview of the KDPH and features illustrations of several key algorithms in the Kepler Science Data Processing Pipeline. Kepler was selected as the 10th mission of the Discovery Program. Funding for this mission is provided by NASA, Science Mission Directorate.

GALACSI system design and analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ströbele, S.; La Penna, P.; Arsenault, R.; Conzelmann, R. D.; Delabre, B.; Duchateau, M.; Dorn, R.; Fedrigo, E.; Hubin, N.; Quentin, J.; Jolley, P.; Kiekebusch, M.; Kirchbauer, J. P.; Klein, B.; Kolb, J.; Kuntschner, H.; Le Louarn, M.; Lizon, J. L.; Madec, P.-Y.; Pettazzi, L.; Soenke, C.; Tordo, S.; Vernet, J.; Muradore, R.

2012-07-01

GALACSI is one of the Adaptive Optics (AO) systems part of the ESO Adaptive Optics Facility (AOF). It will use the VLT 4-Laser Guide Stars system, high speed and low noise WaveFront Sensor cameras (<1e-, 1000Hz) the Deformable Secondary Mirror (DSM) and the SPARTA Real Time Computer to sharpen images and enhance faint object detectability of the MUSE Instrument. MUSE is an Integral Field Spectrograph working at wavelengths from 465nm to 930nm. GALACSI implements 2 different AO modes; in Wide Field Mode (WFM) it will perform Ground Layer AO correction and enhance the collected energy in a 0.2" by 0.2" pixel by a factor 2 at 750nm over a Field of View (FoV) of 1' by 1'. The 4 LGSs and one tip tilt reference star (R-mag <17.5) are located outside the MUSE FoV. Key requirements are to provide this performance and a very good image stability for a 1hour long integration time. In Narrow Field Mode (NFM) Laser Tomography AO will be used to reconstruct and correct the turbulence for the center field using the 4 LGSs at 15" off axis and the Near Infra Red (NIR) light of one reference star on axis for tip tilt and focus sensing. In NFM GALACSI will provide a moderate Strehl Ratio of 5% (goal 10%) at 650nm. The NFM hosts several challenges and many subsystems will be pushed to their limits. The opto mechanical design and error budgets of GALACSI is described here.

[Preoperational study for the improvement of hygiene conditions in long-term care facilities].

PubMed

Adler, A C; Spegel, H; Kolb, S; Hierl, W; Müller, C; Höller, C; Liebl, B; Rudolph, P; Herr, C

2014-12-01

Hygiene is becoming more and more important in long-term care facilities. Long-term care facilities are subject to monitoring by the Public Health Service (PHS) and other authorities. For the PHS in Bavaria the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit, LGL) published a hygiene monitoring concept and there exists an inspection guide developed by a specialist department for nursing homes and institutions for the handicapped (Fachstelle für Pflege und Behinderteneinrichtungen, FQA). Because inspections are performed in multiprofessional teams, it makes sense to use a coordinated inspection catalog. The aim was to integrate hygienic requirements specified in the Bavarian guidelines for hygiene by the LGL into the inspection guide published by the FQA to obtain a quality assured surveillance. The involved parties were questioned about the inspection guide and their hygiene management and then the hygiene criteria of the LGL were implemented into the inspection guide. Questions dealing with hygiene requirements concerning intensive care, management of multidrug resistant bacteria and interviews with the person responsible for infection control in the facility itself were developed for the first time and were integrated into the inspection guide. The revised inspection guide was tested for its applicability. With the revised inspection guide there now exists a tool which allows not only comprehensive inspections of the facilities including hygiene issues but also a good cooperation of the various parties involved. There are many actions which have to be conveyed into the future, especially programs to train staff to apply the inspection guide and to enhance the ability of all participants to act in cooperation. The guide will also allow the facilities to cooperate more easily and more closely, as the guide takes the respective problems and challenges of the different facilities into consideration. Additionally the development of legal guidelines regarding hygiene can support general healthcare of residents.

Final Steps in Mating NuSTAR to its Rocket

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-23

Inside an environmental enclosure at Vandenberg Air Force Base processing facility in California, technicians complete the final steps in mating NASA Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array NuSTAR and its Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket.

Characterizing the Hercules Thick Disk Cloud

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

merger. Key Words: Astronomy , Hercules Thick Disk Cloud, Galaxy, Star Count, Color, Photometric Parallax 2 Contents Chapter 1... Astronomy : Structure and Kinematics, 2nd ed., New York: W. H. Freeman and Company, 1981, pp 4. 5 Henbest, Guide, pp 10. 6 Mihalas, Galactic, pp 209...studies of astronomy later in his life, he focused on binary star systems and concluded that not all stars have the same absolute magnitude, thus

The ARGOS laser system: green light for ground layer adaptive optics at the LBT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raab, Walfried; Rabien, Sebastian; Gässler, Wolfgang; Esposito, Simone; Barl, Lothar; Borelli, Jose; Daysenroth, Matthias; Gemperlein, Hans; Kulas, Martin; Ziegleder, Julian

2014-07-01

We report on the development of the laser system of ARGOS, the multiple laser guide star adaptive optics system for the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). The system uses a total of six high powered, pulsed Nd:YAG lasers frequency-doubled to a wavelength of 532 nm to generate a set of three guide stars above each of the LBT telescopes. The position of each of the LGS constellations on sky as well as the relative position of the individual laser guide stars within this constellation is controlled by a set of steerable mirrors and a fast tip-tilt mirror within the laser system. The entire opto-mechanical system is housed in two hermetically sealed and thermally controlled enclosures on the SX and DX side of the LBT telescope. The laser beams are propagated through two refractive launch telescopes which focus the beams at an altitude of 12 km, creating a constellation of laser guide stars around a 4 arcminute diameter circle by means of Rayleigh scattering. In addition to the GLAO Rayleigh beacon system, ARGOS has also been designed for a possible future upgrade with a hybrid sodium laser - Rayleigh beacon combination, enabling diffraction limited operation. The ARGOS laser system was successfully installed at the LBT in April 2013. Extensive functional tests have been carried out and have verified the operation of the systems according to specifications. The alignment of the laser system with respect to the launch telescope was carried out during two more runs in June and October 2013, followed by the first propagation of laser light on sky in November 2013.

FACILITY POLLUTION PREVENTION GUIDE

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has developed the Facility Pollution Prevention Guide for those who are interested in and responsible for pollution prevention in industrial or service facilities. t summarizes the benefits of a company-wide pollution prevention...

Six-Degree-of-Freedom Dynamic Test System (SDTS) User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stokes, LeBarian

2012-01-01

Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the SDTS. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non- NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Materials and Nondestructive Evaluation Laboratoriers: User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaschl, Leslie

2011-01-01

The Materials and Nondestructive Evaluation Laboratory process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users. The Materials and Nondestructive Evaluation Laboratory Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non- NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware developers. It is intended to assist their project engineering personnel in materials analysis planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the analysis process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, products, and inputs necessary to define scope of analysis, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Specialized Environmental Chamber Test Complex: User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montz, Michael E.

2011-01-01

Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the Specialized Environmental Test Complex. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Energy Systems Test Area (ESTA) Battery Test Operations User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salinas, Michael

2012-01-01

Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the ESTA Battery Test Operations. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

Astronomy: A Self-Teaching Guide, 6th Edition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moché, Dinah L.

2004-02-01

"A lively, up-to-date account of the basic principles of astronomy and exciting current field of research."-Science Digest For a quarter of a century, Astronomy: A Self-Teaching Guide has been making students and amateur stargazers alike feel at home among the stars. From stars, planets and galaxies, to black holes, the Big Bang and life in space, this title has been making it easy for beginners to quickly grasp the basic concepts of astronomy for over 25 years. Updated with the latest discoveries in astronomy and astrophysics, this newest edition of Dinah Moché's classic guide now includes many Web site addresses for spectacular images and news. And like all previous editions, it is packed with valuable tables, charts, star and moon maps and features simple activities that reinforce readers' grasp of basic concepts at their own pace, as well as objectives, reviews, and self-tests to monitor their progress. Dinah L. Moché, PhD (Rye, NY), is an award-winning author, educator, and lecturer. Her books have sold over nine million copies in seven languages.

ARGOS: the laser guide star system for the LBT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabien, S.; Ageorges, N.; Barl, L.; Beckmann, U.; Blümchen, T.; Bonaglia, M.; Borelli, J. L.; Brynnel, J.; Busoni, L.; Carbonaro, L.; Davies, R.; Deysenroth, M.; Durney, O.; Elberich, M.; Esposito, S.; Gasho, V.; Gässler, W.; Gemperlein, H.; Genzel, R.; Green, R.; Haug, M.; Hart, M. L.; Hubbard, P.; Kanneganti, S.; Masciadri, E.; Noenickx, J.; Orban de Xivry, G.; Peter, D.; Quirrenbach, A.; Rademacher, M.; Rix, H. W.; Salinari, P.; Schwab, C.; Storm, J.; Strüder, L.; Thiel, M.; Weigelt, G.; Ziegleder, J.

2010-07-01

ARGOS is the Laser Guide Star adaptive optics system for the Large Binocular Telescope. Aiming for a wide field adaptive optics correction, ARGOS will equip both sides of LBT with a multi laser beacon system and corresponding wavefront sensors, driving LBT's adaptive secondary mirrors. Utilizing high power pulsed green lasers the artificial beacons are generated via Rayleigh scattering in earth's atmosphere. ARGOS will project a set of three guide stars above each of LBT's mirrors in a wide constellation. The returning scattered light, sensitive particular to the turbulence close to ground, is detected in a gated wavefront sensor system. Measuring and correcting the ground layers of the optical distortions enables ARGOS to achieve a correction over a very wide field of view. Taking advantage of this wide field correction, the science that can be done with the multi object spectrographs LUCIFER will be boosted by higher spatial resolution and strongly enhanced flux for spectroscopy. Apart from the wide field correction ARGOS delivers in its ground layer mode, we foresee a diffraction limited operation with a hybrid Sodium laser Rayleigh beacon combination.

A Guide to Preparing Educational Specifications for Secondary Industrial Arts Facilities. Monograph No. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steeb, Ralph V.

The guide describes procedures for designing secondary industrial arts facilities based on careful scrutiny of the educational program which the facilities are intended to serve. It offers a four step general outline for planning such facilities and discusses in detail the following considerations with respect to writing subject area…

Free from the Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2007-06-01

An artificial, laser-fed star now shines regularly over the sky of Paranal, home of ESO's Very Large Telescope, one of the world's most advanced large ground-based telescopes. This system provides assistance for the adaptive optics instruments on the VLT and so allows astronomers to obtain images free from the blurring effect of the atmosphere, regardless of the brightness and the location on the sky of the observed target. Now that it is routinely offered by the observatory, the skies seem much sharper to astronomers. In order to counteract the blurring effect of Earth's atmosphere, astronomers use the adaptive optics technique. This requires, however, a nearby reference star that has to be relatively bright, thereby limiting the area of the sky that can be surveyed. To surmount this limitation, astronomers now use at Paranal a powerful laser that creates an artificial star, where and when they need it. Two of the Adaptive Optics (AO) science instruments at the Paranal observatory, NACO and SINFONI, have been upgraded to work with the recently installed Laser Guide Star (LGS; see ESO 07/06) and have delivered their first scientific results. This achievement opens astronomers' access to a wealth of new targets to be studied under the sharp eyes of AO. "These unique results underline the advantage of using a Laser Guide Star with Adaptive Optics instruments, since they could not be obtained with Natural Guide Stars," says Norbert Hubin, head of the Adaptive Optics group at ESO. "This is also a crucial milestone towards the multi-laser systems ESO is designing for the VLT and the future E-ELT" (see e.g. ESO 19/07). ESO PR Photo 27a/07 ESO PR Photo 27a/07 An Ultra Luminous Merger (NACO-LGS/VLT) The Laser Guide Star System installed at Paranal uses the PARSEC dye laser developed by MPE-Garching and MPIA-Heidelberg, while the launch telescope and the laser laboratory was developed by ESO. "It is great to see the whole system working so well together," emphasises Richard Davies, project manager of the PARSEC laser. "To test the laser guide star adaptive optics system to its limits, and even beyond, we observed a number of galaxies, ranging from a close neighbour to one that is seen when the universe was very young," explains Markus Kasper, the NACO Instrument Scientist at ESO. The first objects that were observed are interacting galaxies. The images obtained reveal exquisite details, and have a resolution comparable to that of the Hubble Space Telescope. In one case, it was possible to derive for the first time the motion of the stars in two merging galaxies, showing that there are two counter-rotating discs of stars. "The enhanced resolution that laser guide star adaptive optics provides is certain to bring important new discoveries in this exciting area," says Davies ESO PR Photo 27c/07 ESO PR Photo 27c/07 Merging System Arp 220 (SINFONI-LGS/VLT) The astronomers then turned the laser to a galaxy called K20-ID5 which is at a redshift of 2.2 - we are seeing this galaxy when the universe was less than 1/3 of its current age. The image obtained with NACO shows that the stars are concentrated in a much more compact region than the gas. "These observations are both remarkable and exciting," declares Kasper. "They are the first time that it has been possible to trace in such detail the distributions of both the stars and the gas at an epoch where we are witnessing the formation of galaxies similar to our own Milky Way." At the opposite extreme, much nearer to home, LGS-AO observations were made of the active galaxy NGC 4945. The new LGS observations with NACO resolved the central parts into a multitude of individual stars. "It is in galaxies such as these where we can really quantify the star formation history in the vicinity of the nucleus, that we can start to piece together the puzzle of how gas is accreted onto the supermassive black hole, and understand how and when these black holes light up so brightly," says Davies. ESO PR Photo 27e/07 ESO PR Photo 27e/07 Active Galaxy NGC 4945 (NACO-LGS/VLT) Still closer to home, the LGS system can also be applied to solar system objects, such as asteroids or satellites, but also to the study of particular regions of spatially extended bodies like the polar regions of giant planets, where aurora activity is concentrated. During their science verification, the scientists turned the SINFONI instrument with the LGS to a Trans-Neptunian Object, 2003 EL 61. The high image contrast and sensitivity obtained with the use of the LGS mode permit the detection of the two faint satellites known to orbit the TNO. "From such observations one can study the chemical composition of the surface material of the TNO and its satellites (mainly crystalline water ice), estimate their surface properties and constrain their internal structure," explains Christophe Dumas, from ESO. The VLT Laser Guide System is the result of a collaborative work by a team of scientists and engineers from ESO and the Max Planck Institutes for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching and for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany. NACO was built by a Consortium of French and German institutes and ESO. SINFONI was built by a Consortium of German and Dutch Institutes and ESO. More Information Normally, the achievable image sharpness of a ground-based telescope is limited by the effect of atmospheric turbulence. This drawback can be surmounted with adaptive optics, allowing the telescope to produce images that are as sharp as if taken from space. This means that finer details in astronomical objects can be studied, and also that fainter objects can be observed. In order to work, adaptive optics needs a nearby reference star that has to be relatively bright, thereby limiting the area of the sky that can be surveyed to a few percent only. To overcome this limitation, astronomers use a powerful laser that creates an artificial star, where and when they need it. The laser beam takes advantage of the layer of sodium atoms that is present in Earth's atmosphere at an altitude of 90 kilometres. Shining at a well-defined wavelength the laser makes it glow. The laser is launched from Yepun, the fourth 8.2-m Unit Telescope of the Very Large Telescope, producing an artificial star. Despite this star being about 20 times fainter than the faintest star that can be seen with the unaided eye, it is bright enough for the adaptive optics to measure and correct the atmosphere's blurring effect. Compared to a normal star, this artificial star has some differing properties that the associated Laser Guide Star (LGS) Adaptive Optics (AO) system has to be able to cope with. A press release, in English and German, is also available from the Max-Planck Institute.

Back on Track

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2007-06-01

An artificial, laser-fed star now shines regularly over the sky of Paranal, home of ESO's Very Large Telescope, one of the world's most advanced large ground-based telescopes. This system provides assistance for the adaptive optics instruments on the VLT and so allows astronomers to obtain images free from the blurring effect of the atmosphere, regardless of the brightness and the location on the sky of the observed target. Now that it is routinely offered by the observatory, the skies seem much sharper to astronomers. In order to counteract the blurring effect of Earth's atmosphere, astronomers use the adaptive optics technique. This requires, however, a nearby reference star that has to be relatively bright, thereby limiting the area of the sky that can be surveyed. To surmount this limitation, astronomers now use at Paranal a powerful laser that creates an artificial star, where and when they need it. Two of the Adaptive Optics (AO) science instruments at the Paranal observatory, NACO and SINFONI, have been upgraded to work with the recently installed Laser Guide Star (LGS; see ESO 07/06) and have delivered their first scientific results. This achievement opens astronomers' access to a wealth of new targets to be studied under the sharp eyes of AO. "These unique results underline the advantage of using a Laser Guide Star with Adaptive Optics instruments, since they could not be obtained with Natural Guide Stars," says Norbert Hubin, head of the Adaptive Optics group at ESO. "This is also a crucial milestone towards the multi-laser systems ESO is designing for the VLT and the future E-ELT" (see e.g. ESO 19/07). ESO PR Photo 27a/07 ESO PR Photo 27a/07 An Ultra Luminous Merger (NACO-LGS/VLT) The Laser Guide Star System installed at Paranal uses the PARSEC dye laser developed by MPE-Garching and MPIA-Heidelberg, while the launch telescope and the laser laboratory was developed by ESO. "It is great to see the whole system working so well together," emphasises Richard Davies, project manager of the PARSEC laser. "To test the laser guide star adaptive optics system to its limits, and even beyond, we observed a number of galaxies, ranging from a close neighbour to one that is seen when the universe was very young," explains Markus Kasper, the NACO Instrument Scientist at ESO. The first objects that were observed are interacting galaxies. The images obtained reveal exquisite details, and have a resolution comparable to that of the Hubble Space Telescope. In one case, it was possible to derive for the first time the motion of the stars in two merging galaxies, showing that there are two counter-rotating discs of stars. "The enhanced resolution that laser guide star adaptive optics provides is certain to bring important new discoveries in this exciting area," says Davies ESO PR Photo 27c/07 ESO PR Photo 27c/07 Merging System Arp 220 (SINFONI-LGS/VLT) The astronomers then turned the laser to a galaxy called K20-ID5 which is at a redshift of 2.2 - we are seeing this galaxy when the universe was less than 1/3 of its current age. The image obtained with NACO shows that the stars are concentrated in a much more compact region than the gas. "These observations are both remarkable and exciting," declares Kasper. "They are the first time that it has been possible to trace in such detail the distributions of both the stars and the gas at an epoch where we are witnessing the formation of galaxies similar to our own Milky Way." At the opposite extreme, much nearer to home, LGS-AO observations were made of the active galaxy NGC 4945. The new LGS observations with NACO resolved the central parts into a multitude of individual stars. "It is in galaxies such as these where we can really quantify the star formation history in the vicinity of the nucleus, that we can start to piece together the puzzle of how gas is accreted onto the supermassive black hole, and understand how and when these black holes light up so brightly," says Davies. ESO PR Photo 27e/07 ESO PR Photo 27e/07 Active Galaxy NGC 4945 (NACO-LGS/VLT) Still closer to home, the LGS system can also be applied to solar system objects, such as asteroids or satellites, but also to the study of particular regions of spatially extended bodies like the polar regions of giant planets, where aurora activity is concentrated. During their science verification, the scientists turned the SINFONI instrument with the LGS to a Trans-Neptunian Object, 2003 EL 61. The high image contrast and sensitivity obtained with the use of the LGS mode permit the detection of the two faint satellites known to orbit the TNO. "From such observations one can study the chemical composition of the surface material of the TNO and its satellites (mainly crystalline water ice), estimate their surface properties and constrain their internal structure," explains Christophe Dumas, from ESO. The VLT Laser Guide System is the result of a collaborative work by a team of scientists and engineers from ESO and the Max Planck Institutes for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching and for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany. NACO was built by a Consortium of French and German institutes and ESO. SINFONI was built by a Consortium of German and Dutch Institutes and ESO. More Information Normally, the achievable image sharpness of a ground-based telescope is limited by the effect of atmospheric turbulence. This drawback can be surmounted with adaptive optics, allowing the telescope to produce images that are as sharp as if taken from space. This means that finer details in astronomical objects can be studied, and also that fainter objects can be observed. In order to work, adaptive optics needs a nearby reference star that has to be relatively bright, thereby limiting the area of the sky that can be surveyed to a few percent only. To overcome this limitation, astronomers use a powerful laser that creates an artificial star, where and when they need it. The laser beam takes advantage of the layer of sodium atoms that is present in Earth's atmosphere at an altitude of 90 kilometres. Shining at a well-defined wavelength the laser makes it glow. The laser is launched from Yepun, the fourth 8.2-m Unit Telescope of the Very Large Telescope, producing an artificial star. Despite this star being about 20 times fainter than the faintest star that can be seen with the unaided eye, it is bright enough for the adaptive optics to measure and correct the atmosphere's blurring effect. Compared to a normal star, this artificial star has some differing properties that the associated Laser Guide Star (LGS) Adaptive Optics (AO) system has to be able to cope with. A press release, in English and German, is also available from the Max-Planck Institute.

Observations of the Star Cor Caroli at the Apple Valley Workshop 2016 (Abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estrada, R.; Boyd, S.; Estrada, C.; Evans, C.; Rhoades, H.; Rhoades, M.; Rhoades, T.

2017-12-01

(Abstract only) Using a 22-inch Newtonian Alt/Az telescope and Celestron Micro Guide eyepiece, students participating in a workshop observed the binary star Cor Caroli (STF 1692; alpha CVn) and found a position angle of 231.0 degrees as well as an average separation of 18.7" This observation compared favorably with the 2015 Washington Double Star published position. This project was part of Mark Brewer's Apple Valley Double Star Workshop. The results were analyzed using bias and circle error probability calculations.

Uniting of NuSTAR Spacecraft and Rocket

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-23

Inside an environmental enclosure at Vandenberg Air Force Base processing facility in California, solar panels line the sides of NASA Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array NuSTAR, which was just joined to the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket.

Star Trek with Latin. Teacher's Guide. Tentative Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masciantonio, Rudolph; And Others

The purpose of this guide is to assist Latin and English teachers with some background in Latin to expand the English vocabulary and reading skills of students through the study of Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes. The introductory material in the guide provides general notes on the teaching of Latin in the Philadelphia School District,…

Greening Federal Facilities: An Energy, Environmental, and Economic Resource Guide for Federal Facility Managers and Designers; Second Edition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilson, A.

2001-05-16

Greening Federal Facilities, Second Edition, is a nuts-and-bolts resource guide compiled to increase energy and resource efficiency, cut waste, and improve the performance of Federal buildings and facilities. The guide highlights practical actions that facility managers, design and construction staff, procurement officials, and facility planners can take to save energy and money, improve the comfort and productivity of employees, and benefit the environment. It supports a national effort to promote energy and environmental efficiency in the nation's 500,000 Federal buildings and facilities. Topics covered include current Federal regulations; environmental and energy decision-making; site and landscape issues; building design; energy systems;more » water and wastewater; materials; waste management, and recycling; indoor environmental quality; and managing buildings.« less

Experimental Validation: Subscale Aircraft Ground Facilities and Integrated Test Capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Roger M.; Hostetler, Robert W., Jr.; Barnes, Kevin N.; Belcastro, Celeste M.; Belcastro, Christine M.

2005-01-01

Experimental testing is an important aspect of validating complex integrated safety critical aircraft technologies. The Airborne Subscale Transport Aircraft Research (AirSTAR) Testbed is being developed at NASA Langley to validate technologies under conditions that cannot be flight validated with full-scale vehicles. The AirSTAR capability comprises a series of flying sub-scale models, associated ground-support equipment, and a base research station at NASA Langley. The subscale model capability utilizes a generic 5.5% scaled transport class vehicle known as the Generic Transport Model (GTM). The AirSTAR Ground Facilities encompass the hardware and software infrastructure necessary to provide comprehensive support services for the GTM testbed. The ground facilities support remote piloting of the GTM aircraft, and include all subsystems required for data/video telemetry, experimental flight control algorithm implementation and evaluation, GTM simulation, data recording/archiving, and audio communications. The ground facilities include a self-contained, motorized vehicle serving as a mobile research command/operations center, capable of deployment to remote sites when conducting GTM flight experiments. The ground facilities also include a laboratory based at NASA LaRC providing near identical capabilities as the mobile command/operations center, as well as the capability to receive data/video/audio from, and send data/audio to the mobile command/operations center during GTM flight experiments.

A walk through the heavens : a guide to stars and constellations and their legends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heifetz, Milton D.; Tirion, Wil

What star is that? Where's the Great Bear? Who was Andromeda? A Walk through the Heavens is your guide to the pathways of the night sky, answering the commonest questions about what you can see up there. There are simplified maps of the constellations, together with instructions on how to gauge their sizes and the distances between them. With this information you can find the constellations easily, and make a journey by eye from one constellation to the next. Ancient myths surrounding the constellations are retold, enriching our understanding of how historical peoples saw the awe-inspiring spectacle of a sky sprinkled with stars. This book, magically illustrated by Wil Tirion, does not require any instrument or telescope. It is an ideal introduction to launch a young astronomer on a journey across starlit skies.

Spectroastrometric Study of Ro-vibrational CO Emission from the Herbig Ae Star HD 179218 with ISHELL on the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brittain, Sean D.; Carr, John S.; Najita, Joan R.

2018-07-01

We present analysis of commissioning M-band data acquired with the infrared echelle spectrograph (iSHELL) on NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility. In this paper we describe the delivered performance of the instrument for these M-band observations and the data reduction process. The feasibility of using iSHELL for spectro-astrometry is tested on the Herbig Ae/Be star HD 179218 and we show that sub-milliarcsecond fidelity is achievable..

Reference Collections and Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winkel, Lois

1999-01-01

Reviews six reference materials for young people: "The New York Public Library Kid's Guide to Research"; "National Audubon Society First Field Guide. Mammals"; "Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary"; "Encarta Africana"; "World Fact Book, 1998"; and "Factastic Book of 1001 Lists". Includes ordering information.(AEF)

Student Measurements of STFA 14 AC at Vanguard Preparatory School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillette, Sean; Archuleta, Alex; Diaz, Lizbeth; Gillespie, Kyle; Gosney, Timothy; Johnson, Stephen; Mohan, Nikita; Rajacich, Jacob; Roehl, Nathaniel; Sharpe, Scotty; Whitt, Kahaloha

2016-01-01

Eighth grade students at Vanguard Preparatory School measured the double star STFA 14 AC using a Bader Planetarium Micro Guide eyepiece. Navi (Gamma Cassiopeiae) was used as the ca libration star. The calculated means of multiple observations of STFA 14 AC resulted in a separation of 53.3" and a position angle of 2.0°. These measurements were compared to the most recent values in the Washington Double Star Catalog.

A Traveler's Guide to the Universe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darling, Gerald

2012-01-01

Elementary school students are intensely curious about astronomy: the Moon, planets, stars, and galaxies. Summer, with its warm evenings and star-filled skies, is the perfect time for students to explore the cosmos with a pair of binoculars. Because binoculars are used for many purposes (sporting events or birding, for example), many families…

Fairbanks North Star borough rural roads upgrade inventory and cost estimation software user guide : version I.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-04-01

The Rural Road Upgrade Inventory and Cost Estimation Software is designed by the AUTC : research team to help the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) estimate the cost of upgrading : rural roads located in the Borough's Service Areas. The Software pe...

Biology Students Building Computer Simulations Using StarLogo TNG

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, V. Anne; Duncan, Ishbel

2011-01-01

Confidence is an important issue for biology students in handling computational concepts. This paper describes a practical in which honours-level bioscience students simulate complex animal behaviour using StarLogo TNG, a freely-available graphical programming environment. The practical consists of two sessions, the first of which guides students…

76 FR 20052 - Notice of Issuance of Regulatory Guide

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-11

... Guide 1.149, ``Nuclear Power Plant Simulation Facilities for Use in Operator Training, License..., ``Nuclear Power Plant Simulation Facilities for Use in Operator Training, License Examinations, and... simulation facility for use in operator and senior operator training, license examination operating tests...

75 FR 29785 - Draft Regulatory Guide: Issuance, Availability

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-27

... Guide, DG-1248, ``Nuclear Power Plant Simulation Facilities for Use in Operator Training, License..., ``Nuclear Power Plant Simulation Facilities for Use in Operator Training, License Examinations, and... or acceptance of a nuclear power plant simulation facility for use in operator and senior operator...

Forum Guide to Facilities Information Management: A Resource for State and Local Education Agencies. NFES 2012-808

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Forum on Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

Safe and secure facilities that foster learning are crucial to providing quality education services, and developing and maintaining these facilities requires considerable resources and organization. Facility information systems allow education organizations to collect and manage data that can be used to inform and guide decisionmaking about the…

A Guide for Planning Facilities for Occupational Preparation Programs for Dental Laboratory Technicians. Research Series No. 34.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macconnell, James D., And Others

The twelfth in a series also including guides for facilities for medical x-ray technologist, medical assistant, and medical secretary programs, the document is intended for use in the preparation of educational specifications for facilities for dental laboratory technician programs. Designed for use by those responsible for planning facilities,…

NuSTAR Inches Toward its Rocket

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-23

At Vandenberg Air Force Base processing facility in California, the separation ring on the aft end of NASA Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array NuSTAR, at right, inches its way toward the third stage of an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket.

Dim star fringe stabilization demonstration using pathlength feed-forward on the SIM testbed 3 (STB3)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goullioud, Renaud; Alvarez-Salazar, Oscar S.; Nemati, Bijan

2003-02-01

Future space-based optical interferometers such as the Space Interferometer Mission require fringe stabilization to the level of nanometers in order to produce astrometric data at the micro-arc-second level. Even the best attitude control system available to date will not be able to stabilize the attitude of a several thousand pound spacecraft to a few milli-arc-seconds. Active pathlength control is usually implemented to compensate for attitude drift of the spacecraft. This issue has been addressed in previous experiments while tracking bright stars. In the case of dim stars, as the sensor bandwidth falls below one hertz, feedback control will not provide sufficient rejection. However, stabilization of the fringes from a dim-star down to the nanometer level can be done open loop using information from additional interferometers looking at bright guide stars. The STB3 testbed developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory features three optical interferometers sharing a common baseline, dynamically representative to the SIM interferometer. An artificial star feeding the interferometers is installed on a separate optics bench. Voice coils are used to simulate the attitude motion of the spacecraft by moving the entire bench. Data measured on STB3 show that fringe motion of a dim star due to spacecraft attitude changes can be attenuated by 80 dB at 0.1Hz without feedback control, using only information from two guide stars. This paper describes the STB3 setup, the pathlength feed-forward architecture, implementation issues and data collected with the system.

Energy Systems Test Area (ESTA) Electrical Power Systems Test Operations: User Test Planning Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salinas, Michael J.

2012-01-01

Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the ESTA Electrical Power Systems Test Laboratory. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide.

The Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) Spectral Library: Cool Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rayner, John T.; Cushing, Michael C.; Vacca, William D.

2009-12-01

We present a 0.8-5 μm spectral library of 210 cool stars observed at a resolving power of R ≡ λ/Δλ ~ 2000 with the medium-resolution infrared spectrograph, SpeX, at the 3.0 m NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The stars have well-established MK spectral classifications and are mostly restricted to near-solar metallicities. The sample not only contains the F, G, K, and M spectral types with luminosity classes between I and V, but also includes some AGB, carbon, and S stars. In contrast to some other spectral libraries, the continuum shape of the spectra is measured and preserved in the data reduction process. The spectra are absolutely flux calibrated using the Two Micron All Sky Survey photometry. Potential uses of the library include studying the physics of cool stars, classifying and studying embedded young clusters and optically obscured regions of the Galaxy, evolutionary population synthesis to study unresolved stellar populations in optically obscured regions of galaxies and synthetic photometry. The library is available in digital form from the IRTF Web site.

Quality rating and private-prices: Evidence from the nursing home industry.

PubMed

Huang, Sean Shenghsiu; Hirth, Richard A

2016-12-01

We use the rollout of the five-star rating of nursing homes to study how private-pay prices respond to quality rating. We find that star rating increases the price differential between top- and bottom-ranked facilities. On average, prices of top-ranked facilities increased by 4.8 to 6.0 percent more than the prices of bottom-ranked facilities. We find stronger price effects in markets that are less concentrated where consumers may have more choices of alternative nursing homes. Our results suggest that with simplified design and when markets are less concentrated, consumers are more responsive to quality reporting. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hunsberger, Maren; Kirkwood, Bob

The way the Death Star works in the fictional Star Wars universe has long been dismissed by scientists as something that defies our physical reality, but researchers at Lawrence Livermore's National Ignition Facility have found a way to successfully combine laser beams using plasma for the first time ever.

Methods for correcting tilt anisoplanatism in laser-guide-star-based multiconjugate adaptive optics.

PubMed

Ellerbroek, B L; Rigaut, F

2001-10-01

Multiconjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) is a technique for correcting turbulence-induced phase distortions in three dimensions instead of two, thereby greatly expanding the corrected field of view of an adaptive optics system. This is accomplished with use of multiple deformable mirrors conjugate to distinct ranges in the atmosphere, with actuator commands computed from wave-front sensor (WFS) measurements from multiple guide stars. Laser guide stars (LGSs) must be used (at least for the forseeable future) to achieve a useful degree of sky coverage in an astronomical MCAO system. Much as a single LGS cannot be used to measure overall wave-front tilt, a constellation of multiple LGSs at a common range cannot detect tilt anisoplanatism. This error alone will significantly degrade the performance of a MCAO system based on a single tilt-only natural guide star (NGS) and multiple tilt-removed LGSs at a common altitude. We present a heuristic, low-order model for the principal source of tilt anisoplanatism that suggests four possible approaches to eliminating this defect in LGS MCAO: (i) tip/tilt measurements from multiple NGS, (ii) a solution to the LGS tilt uncertainty problem, (iii) additional higher-order WFS measurements from a single NGS, or (iv) higher-order WFS measurements from both sodium and Rayleigh LGSs at different ranges. Sample numerical results for one particular MCAO system configuration indicate that approach (ii), if feasible, would provide the highest degree of tilt anisoplanatism compensation. Approaches (i) and (iv) also provide very useful levels of performance and do not require unrealistically low levels of WFS measurement noise. For a representative set of parameters for an 8-m telescope, the additional laser power required for approach (iv) is on the order of 2 W per Rayleigh LGS.

The First Light of the Subaru Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takami, H.; Hayano, Y.; Oya, S.; Hattori, M.; Watanabe, M.; Guyon, O.; Eldred, M.; Colley, S.; Saito, Y.; Itoh, M.; Dinkins, M.

Subaru Telescope has been operating 36 element curvature sensor AO system for the Cassegrain focus since 2000. We have developed a new AO system for the Nasmyth focus. The AO system has 188 element curvature wavefront sensor and bimorph deformable mirror. It is the largest format system for this type of sensor . The deformable mirror has also 188 element with 90 mm effective aperture and 130 mm blank size. The real time controller is 4 CPU real time Linux OS computer and the update speed is now 1.5 kHz. The AO system also has laser guide star system. The laser is sum frequency solid state laser generating 589 nm light. We have achieved 4.7 W output power with excellent beam quality of M^2=1.1 and good stability. The laser is installed in a clean room on the Nasmyth platform. The laser beam is transferred by photonic crystal optical fiber with 35 m to the 50 cm laser launching telescope mounted behind the Subaru 2ry mirror. The field of view of the low order wavefront sensor for tilt guide star in LGS mode is 2.7 arcmin in diameter. The AO system had the first light with natural guide star in October 2006. The Strehl ratio was > 0.5 at K band under the 0.8 arcsec visible seeing. We also has projected laser beam on the sky during the same engineering run. Three instruments will be used with the AO system. Infrared camera and spectrograph (IRCS), High dynamic range IR camera (HiCIAO) for exosolar planet detection, and visible 3D spectrograph.

The Benefits of Guided Facility Self-Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Leary, Keith

2012-01-01

A growing number of educational institutions have discovered that a guided self-assessment solution helps them to consistently and cost-effectively obtain facility condition information and make better-informed capital planning decisions. Facility self-assessment employs a consistent, repeatable process for internal staff to quickly assess assets…

16 CFR 240.7 - Services or facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Services or facilities. 240.7 Section 240.7 Commercial Practices FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION GUIDES AND TRADE PRACTICE RULES GUIDES FOR ADVERTISING ALLOWANCES AND OTHER MERCHANDISING PAYMENTS AND SERVICES § 240.7 Services or facilities. The terms services...

Regulatory Facility Guide for Tennessee

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, S.S.; Bock, R.E.; Francis, M.W.

1994-02-28

This guide provides detailed compilations of international, federal, and state transportation related regulations applicable to shipments originating at or destined to Tennessee facilities. Information on preferred routes is also given.

The Monthly Sky Guide: Sixth Edition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ridpath, Ian; Tirion, Wil

2003-06-01

The latest edition of Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion's popular guide to the night sky is updated for planet positions and forthcoming eclipses up to the end of the year 2007. With one chapter for each month of the year, this is an easy-to-use handbook for anyone wanting to identify constellations, star clusters, nebulae, to plot the movement of planets, or witness solar and lunar eclipses. Most of the features discussed are visible to the naked eye and all can be seen with a small telescope or binoculars. Ian Ridpath has been a full-time writer, broadcaster and lecturer on astronomy and space for more than twenty-five years. He has written and edited more than 40 books, including A Comet Called Haley (Cambridge, 1985). Wil Tirion made his first star map in 1977. It showed stars to the magnitude of 6.5 and was issued as a set of maps by the British Astronomical Association in 1981. He has illustrated numerous books and magazines, including The Cambridge Star Atlas (Cambridge, 2001). Previous Edition Pb (1999): 0-521-66771-2

First Facility Utilization Manual. A Teachers Guide to the Use of the FLNT Elementary School. Fort Lincoln New Town Education System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

General Learning Corp., Washington, DC.

This guide endeavors to teach the faculty how to manipulate the structure of the new facility in the most creative way. The first chapters discuss the interior design, graphic considerations within the facility, materials and equipment suited for open space schools, and recommended audio-systems. Later chapters cover the exterior facilities, such…

Calibration of the Infrared Telescope Facility National Science Foundation Camera Jupiter Galileo Data Set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vincent, Mark B.; Chanover, Nancy J.; Beebe, Reta F.; Huber, Lyle

2005-10-01

The NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, set aside some time on about 500 nights from 1995 to 2002, when the NSFCAM facility infrared camera was mounted and Jupiter was visible, for a standardized set of observations of Jupiter in support of the Galileo mission. The program included observations of Jupiter, nearby reference stars, and dome flats in five filters: narrowband filters centered at 1.58, 2.28, and 3.53 μm, and broader L' and M' bands that probe the atmosphere from the stratosphere to below the main cloud layer. The reference stars were not cross-calibrated against standards. We performed follow-up observations to calibrate these stars and Jupiter in 2003 and 2004. We present a summary of the calibration of the Galileo support monitoring program data set. We present calibrated magnitudes of the six most frequently observed stars, calibrated reflectivities, and brightness temperatures of Jupiter from 1995 to 2004, and a simple method of normalizing the Jovian brightness to the 2004 results. Our study indicates that the NSFCAM's zero-point magnitudes were not stable from 1995 to early 1997, and that the best Jovian calibration possible with this data set is limited to about +/-10%. The raw images and calibration data have been deposited in the Planetary Data System.

Generating Artificial Reference Images for Open Loop Correlation Wavefront Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Townson, M. J.; Love, G. D.; Saunter, C. D.

2018-05-01

Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors for both solar and laser guide star adaptive optics (with elongated spots) need to observe extended objects. Correlation techniques have been successfully employed to measure the wavefront gradient in solar adaptive optics systems and have been proposed for laser guide star systems. In this paper we describe a method for synthesising reference images for correlation Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors with a larger field of view than individual sub-apertures. We then show how these supersized reference images can increase the performance of correlation wavefront sensors in regimes where large relative shifts are induced between sub-apertures, such as those observed in open-loop wavefront sensors. The technique we describe requires no external knowledge outside of the wavefront-sensor images, making it available as an entirely "software" upgrade to an existing adaptive optics system. For solar adaptive optics we show the supersized reference images extend the magnitude of shifts which can be accurately measured from 12% to 50% of the field of view of a sub-aperture and in laser guide star wavefront sensors the magnitude of centroids that can be accurately measured is increased from 12% to 25% of the total field of view of the sub-aperture.

Student Measurements of STFA 10AB (Theta Tauri)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillette, Sean; Estrada, Chris; Estrada, Reed; Aguilera, Sophia; Chavez, Valerie; Givens, Jalynn; Lindorfer, Sarah; Michels, Kaylie; Mobley, Makenzie; Reder, Gabriel; Renteria, Kayla; Shattles, Jenna; Wilkin, Aiden; Woodbury, Maisy; Rhoades, Breauna; Rhoades, Mark

2017-04-01

Eighth grade students at Vanguard Preparatory School measured the double star STFA 10AB using a 22-inch Newtonian Alt/Az telescope and a Celestron Micro Guide eyepiece. Bellatrix was used as the calibration star. The calculated means of multiple observations of STFA 10AB resulted in a separation of 45.18,” a scale constant of 7.88 arcseconds per division, and position angle of 257.9°. These measurements were compared to the most recent values in the Washington Double Star Catalog.

Astro STARS Camp

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-28

Tom Nicolaides, an aerospace technologist in the Engineering & Test Directorate at Stennis Space Center, looks on as 2011 Astro STARS participants take turns gazing at the sun through a special telescope. The sun-gazing activity was part of the Astro STARS (Spaceflight, Technology, Astronomy & Robotics at Stennis) camp for 13-to-15-year-olds June 27 - July 1. The weeklong science and technology camp is held each year onsite at the rocket engine test facility.

Facility Response Planning: Compliance Assistance Guide

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This guide was developed in order to help owners and operators of facilities that store or use oil, as well as other interested people, to better understand the Federal Oil Pollution Prevention regulation.

College and University Facilities Guide for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Athletics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, Washington, DC.

This guide presents information concerned with the planning of areas and facilities for athletics, recreation, outdoor education, and physical and health education. Swimming pools, service areas, ice skating, field houses, arenas, and stadiums are among the many facilities which are considered. Included are many diagrams and sketches giving…

Cryptosporidium: Treatment

MedlinePlus

... Camps Boil Water Advisories Public Users of Public Water Supplies Commercial Establishments Commercial Ice Maker Users Childcare Facilities Dental Offices Hospitals, Healthcare Facilities, & Nursing Homes Dialysis A Guide to Water Filters A Guide to Commercially-Bottled Water and ...

Cryptosporidium (Crypto)

MedlinePlus

... Camps Boil Water Advisories Public Users of Public Water Supplies Commercial Establishments Commercial Ice Maker Users Childcare Facilities Dental Offices Hospitals, Healthcare Facilities, & Nursing Homes Dialysis A Guide to Water Filters A Guide to Commercially-Bottled Water and ...

Soaring through the Universe. Astronomy through Children's Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Letwinch, Joanne C.

This publication is a guide to teaching astronomy through the use of mythology and its literature in grades 3-6. The book is divided into the following seven sections: "Introduction"; Chapter 1: "Luna: the Moon"; Chapter 2: "Del Sol: the Sun"; Chapter 3: "The Planets"; Chapter 4: "Star Bright, Star Light"; Chapter 5: "Traveling through Space"; and…

Mini-Rocket User Guide

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-08-01

26 ISTC Simulation Comparisons ............................................................................... 29 STARS...Range Comparison Figure 8. ISTC Simulntioiz Comparisons 29 Mini-Rocket User Guide REAL-WORLD COMPARISON In particular, note the very high angle-of...not directly model the missile rigid body dynamics. The ISTC subsequently used Mini-Rocket as a driver to stimulate other models and as a risk

The formation of stellar systems from interstellar molecular clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gehrz, R. D.; Black, D. C.; Solomon, P.M.

1984-01-01

The observational and theoretical study of regions of continuing star formation promises greater insight into the physical conditions and events associated with the formation of the solar system, and elucidates the role played by star formation in the evolutionary cycle which seems to dominate interstellar material's processing by successive generations of stars in the spiral galaxies. Novel astronomical methods incorporated by the new facilities scheduled for development in the 1980s may yield substantial advancements in star formation process theory; most significant among these efforts will be the identification and examination of the elusive protostellar collapse phase of both star and planetary system formation.

A Guide for Planning Facilities for Occupational Preparation Programs in Metallurgy Technology. Interim Report. Research 28.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

German, Carl, Jr.

The major purpose of this guide is to elicit the information necessary for writing educational specifications for facilities to house technical education programs in metallurgy. It is organized in these parts: (1) Part I discusses the major purpose, underlying assumptions, recent instructional trends, and guiding principles utilized in the…

The star identification, pointing and tracking system of UVSTAR, an attached payload instrument system for the Shuttle Hitchhiker-M platform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Decarlo, Francesco; Stalio, Roberto; Trampus, Paolo; Broadfoot, A. Lyle; Sandel, Bill R.; Sicuranza, Giovanni

1993-01-01

We describe an algorithm for star identification and pointing/tracking of a spaceborne electro-optical system and simulation analyses to test the algorithm. The algorithm will be implemented in the guiding system of UVSTAR, a spectrographic telescope for observations of astronomical and planetary sources operating in the 500-1250 A waveband at approximately 1 A resolution. The experiment is an attached payload and will fly as a Hitchhiker-M payload on the Shuttle. UVSTAR includes capabilities for independent target acquisition and tracking. The spectrograph package has internal gimbals that allow angular movement of plus or minus 3 deg from the central position. Rotation about the azimuth axis (parallel to the Shuttle z axis) and elevation axis (parallel to the Shuttle x axis) will actively position the field of view to center the target of interest in the fields of the spectrographs. The algorithm is based on an on-board catalog of stars. To identify star fields, the algorithm compares the positions of stars recorded by the guiding imager to positions computed from the on-board catalog. When the field has been identified, its position within the guiding imager field of view can be used to compute the pointing corrections necessary to point to a target of interest. In tracking mode, the software uses the past history to predict the quasi-periodic attitude control motions of the shuttle and sends pointing commands to cancel the motion and stabilize UVSTAR on the target. The guiding imager (guider) will have an 80-mm focal length and f/1.4 optics giving a field of view of 6 deg x 4.5 deg using a 385 x 288 pixel intensified CCD. It will be capable of providing high accuracy (better than 2 arc-sec) attitude determination from coarse (6 deg x 4.5 deg) initial knowledge of the pointing direction; and of pointing toward the target. It will also be capable of tracking at the same high accuracy with a processing time of less than a few hundredths of a second.

Public health assessment for Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant, Texarkana, Bowie County, Texas, Region 6, CERCLIS number TX7213821831. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant (Lone Star) is a 15,546-acre government-owned contractor-operated industrial facility 12 miles west of Texarkana, Texas in Bowie County. Lone Star is near the communities of Hooks and Leary to the north, and Redwater and Maud to the south. The Old Demolition Area (ODA), a 19-acre section of land on the Lone Star facility used for the disposal of explosives by detonation, was placed on the National Priorities List (NPL) on July 22, 1987. The Texas Department of Health (TDH) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) evaluated the environmental information available formore » the site and identified several exposure situations for evaluation. These exposure situations include possible contact with site contaminants in sediment, soil, ordnance debris, surface water, and groundwater. Based on available data the authors have concluded that overall there are no public health hazards related to environmental contamination at the ODA. In the future, the conclusion category for the whole site could change if additional information indicates that a public health hazard exists.« less

Cryptosporidium (Crypto) Disease: Diagnosis & Detection

MedlinePlus

... Camps Boil Water Advisories Public Users of Public Water Supplies Commercial Establishments Commercial Ice Maker Users Childcare Facilities Dental Offices Hospitals, Healthcare Facilities, & Nursing Homes Dialysis A Guide to Water Filters A Guide to Commercially-Bottled Water and ...

The numerical simulation tool for the MAORY multiconjugate adaptive optics system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arcidiacono, C.; Schreiber, L.; Bregoli, G.; Diolaiti, E.; Foppiani, I.; Agapito, G.; Puglisi, A.; Xompero, M.; Oberti, S.; Cosentino, G.; Lombini, M.; Butler, R. C.; Ciliegi, P.; Cortecchia, F.; Patti, M.; Esposito, S.; Feautrier, P.

2016-07-01

The Multiconjugate Adaptive Optics RelaY (MAORY) is and Adaptive Optics module to be mounted on the ESO European-Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT). It is an hybrid Natural and Laser Guide System that will perform the correction of the atmospheric turbulence volume above the telescope feeding the Multi-AO Imaging Camera for Deep Observations Near Infrared spectro-imager (MICADO). We developed an end-to-end Monte- Carlo adaptive optics simulation tool to investigate the performance of a the MAORY and the calibration, acquisition, operation strategies. MAORY will implement Multiconjugate Adaptive Optics combining Laser Guide Stars (LGS) and Natural Guide Stars (NGS) measurements. The simulation tool implement the various aspect of the MAORY in an end to end fashion. The code has been developed using IDL and use libraries in C++ and CUDA for efficiency improvements. Here we recall the code architecture, we describe the modeled instrument components and the control strategies implemented in the code.

Migration in the shearing sheet and estimates for young open cluster migration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quillen, Alice C.; Nolting, Eric; Minchev, Ivan; De Silva, Gayandhi; Chiappini, Cristina

2018-04-01

Using tracer particles embedded in self-gravitating shearing sheet N-body simulations, we investigate the distance in guiding centre radius that stars or star clusters can migrate in a few orbital periods. The standard deviations of guiding centre distributions and maximum migration distances depend on the Toomre or critical wavelength and the contrast in mass surface density caused by spiral structure. Comparison between our simulations and estimated guiding radii for a few young supersolar metallicity open clusters, including NGC 6583, suggests that the contrast in mass surface density in the solar neighbourhood has standard deviation (in the surface density distribution) divided by mean of about 1/4 and larger than measured using COBE data by Drimmel and Spergel. Our estimate is consistent with a standard deviation of ˜0.07 dex in the metallicities measured from high-quality spectroscopic data for 38 young open clusters (<1 Gyr) with mean galactocentric radius 7-9 kpc.

Direct Reactions at the Facility for Experiments on Nuclear Reactions in Stars (FENRIS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longland, Richard; Kelley, John; Marshall, Caleb; Portillo, Federico; Setoodehnia, Kiana

2017-09-01

Nuclear cross sections are a key ingredient in stellar models designed to understand how stars evolve. Determining these cross sections, therefore, is critical for obtaining reliable predictions from stellar models. While many charged-particle reaction cross sections can be measured in the laboratory, the Coulomb barrier means that they cannot always be measured at the low energies relevant to astrophysics. In other cases, radioactive targets make the measurements unfeasible. Radioactive ion beam experiments in inverse kinematics are one solution, but low beam intensities mean that cross sections plague these attempts further. Direct measurements, particularly particle transfer experiments, are one tool in our inventory that provides us with the necessary information to infer reaction cross sections at stellar energies. I will present an overview of one facility: the Facility for Experiments on Nuclear Reactions in Stars (FENRIS), which is dedicated to performing particle transfer measurements for astrophysical cross sections. Over the past few years, FENRIS has been fully upgraded and characterized. I will show highlights of our upgrade activities and current capabilities. I will also highlight our recent experimental results and discuss current upgrade efforts.

Instructional Television Facilities: A Guide for School Administrators and Board Members. PREP-1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oberholtzer, Kenneth E.

The purpose of this Guide, for school administrators and board members, is to provide newcomers in television with an understanding of Instructional Television (ITV) facilities for school and school systems. The discussions herein provide the reader with information and direction to enable him to select the best facilities for his purposes. For…

Developing State Agency Facility Plans: A Guide to Planning and Implementation. Michigan Studies in Rehabilitation Utilization Series: 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Juliet V.; Wargel, James F.

Intended for use in inservice training of vocational rehabilitation agency personnel, this facility planning guide is designed to (1) help state agencies understand the new facility planning requirements of the Rehabilitation Comprehensive Services and Developmental Disabilities Amendments of 1978, (2) provide information about a six-step planning…

Mir training Facility view

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-02-22

S95-04319 (22 Feb 1995) --- The neutral buoyancy facility at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, is used for underwater training for missions aboard the Russian Mir Space Station. The facility is similar to NASA's Weightless Environment Training Facility (WET-F) at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas, and the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator (NBS) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama.

Accretion shocks in the laboratory: Design of an experiment to study star formation

DOE PAGES

Young, Rachel P.; Kuranz, C. C.; Drake, R. P.; ...

2017-02-13

Here, we present the design of a laboratory-astrophysics experiment to study magnetospheric accretion relevant to young, pre-main-sequence stars. Spectra of young stars show evidence of hotspots created when streams of accreting material impact the surface of the star and create shocks. The structures that form during this process are poorly understood, as the surfaces of young stars cannot be spatially resolved. Our experiment would create a scaled "accretion shock" at a major (several kJ) laser facility. The experiment drives a plasma jet (the "accretion stream") into a solid block (the "stellar surface"), in the presence of a parallel magnetic fieldmore » analogous to the star's local field.« less

GIRAFFE Reaches towards the Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2002-07-01

"First Light" of New Powerful Spectrograph at the VLT Summary The first observations of stellar spectra have just been performed with the new GIRAFFE multi-object spectrograph on the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) at the Paranal Observatory in Chile. This milestone event was achieved in the early morning of July 3, 2002. It signifies another important step towards the full implementation of the extremely powerful Fibre Large Array Multi-Element Spectrograph (FLAMES) , one of the main instruments for the ESO VLT. This project is co-ordinated by ESO and incorporates many complex components that have been constructed at various research institutions in Europe and Australia. The GIRAFFE spectrograph provides unique possibilities for detailed observations of the properties of individual stars located in our Milky Way galaxy ( PR 16b/02 ) as well as in other galaxies of the Local Group. PR Photo 16a/02 : A series of stellar spectra recorded by GIRAFFE during "First Light" . PR Photo 16b/02 : Details of some of these stellar spectra . FLAMES and GIRAFFE ESO PR Photo 16a/02 ESO PR Photo 16a/02 [Preview - JPEG: 756 x 400 pix - 363k] [Normal - JPEG: 1511 x 800 pix - 1.2M] ESO PR Photo 16b/02 ESO PR Photo 16b/02 [Preview - JPEG: 461 x 400 pix - 196k] [Normal - JPEG: 921 x 800 pix - 606k] Caption : PR Photo 16a/02 : "First Light" test observation with the GIRAFFE spectrograph of about 50 high-quality spectra (10 min exposure at spectral resolution 7,000) of stars in the Milky Way disk, in the early morning of July 3, 2002. The stars have magnitudes of 12 - 16 and are all of solar type. The photo shows part of the image recorded with a 2000 x 4000 pixel CCD detector at the focal plane of the spectrograph. Each stellar spectrum is seen as one vertical line - some of the absorption lines can be seen as dark horizontal features. PR Photo 16b/02 shows a small part of this image. The three strong absorption lines that are visible as horizontal, dark lines in the lower part of the photo are due to the common element Magnesium in the atmospheres of these stars (the Mg b triplet at wavelength 517 nm). The different intensity of the spectra is due to the different brightness of the stars. The multi-object GIRAFFE spectrograph , now installed on the 8.2-m KUEYEN Unit Telescope of ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) at the Paranal Observatory (Chile), achieved "First Light" in the early morning hours of July 3, 2002. This complex instrument allows to obtain high-quality spectra of a large variety of celestial objects, from individual stars in the Milky Way and other nearby galaxies, to very distant galaxies. It functions by means of multiple optical fibres that guide the light from the telescope's focal plane into the entry slit of the spectrograph. Here the light is dispersed into its different colours. Anticipating already at this early moment the future, highly effective operation of the new facility, the first data were immediately prepared for astronomical interpretation ("reduced") by means of a dedicated software package ("pipeline"). GIRAFFE and these fibres are an integral part of the advanced Fibre Large Array Multi-Element Spectrograph (FLAMES) facility which also includes the OzPoz positioner and an optical field corrector . It is the outcome of a collaboration between ESO, Observatoire de Paris-Meudon Observatoire de Genève-Lausanne and the Anglo Australian Observatory (AAO) . More details are available in ESO PR 01/02. The principle of this instrument involves the positioning in the telescope's focal plane of a large number of optical fibres. This is done in such a way that each of them guides the light from one particular celestial object towards the spectrograph that records the spectra of all these objects simultaneously. The size of the available field-of-view is no less than about 25 arcmin across, i.e. almost as large as the full moon. The individual fibres are moved and positioned "on the objects" in the field by means of the OzPoz positioner. Different observational modes FLAMES has several different modes of operation. Two of these are of the simple "multi-object" type: each fibre collects the light from one star or galaxy - up to 132 objects can be observed simultaneously, cf. PR 16a/02 . In this respect, GIRAFFE provides absolutely unique possibilities for detailed observations of the properties (age, chemical composition, rotation and space velocity) of individual stars located in the main disk, central bulge or halo of our Milky Way galaxy ( PR 16b/02 ), and also of stars in other galaxies of the Local Group. Another observational mode is known as "3-D spectroscopy" or "integrated field". This consists of obtaining simultaneous spectra of smaller areas of extended objects like galaxies or nebulae. For this, 15 deployable fibre bundles, the so-called Integral Field Units (IFUs) , cf. ESO PR 01/02 , are used. Each IFU is a microscopic, state-of-the-art two-dimensional lens array with an aperture of 3 x 2 arcsec 2 on the sky. It is like an insect's eye, with twenty micro-lenses coupled with optical fibres leading the light recorded at each point in the field to the entry slit of the spectrograph. Unique research opportunities opening The FLAMES facility, once in full operation after further testing and fine-tuning later this year, will enormously increase the possibilities to study stellar physics and the evolution of galaxies , two of the cornerstones in our understanding of the structure and evolution of the Universe. With the great light-gathering capacity of the VLT, FLAMES will be able to gather very comprehensive information about even rather faint objects, enabling the astronomers to study them in a degree of detail so far reserved for brighter, nearby stars. The quality of the first spectra from GIRAFFE, although far from exploiting the ultimate potential of the new facility, fully confirm these expectations. Note [1]: This is a joint Press Release of ESO and the Observatoire de Paris.

Shooting Star Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

The Shooting Star Experiment (SSE) is designed to develop and demonstrate the technology required to focus the sun's energy and use the energy for inexpensive space Propulsion Research. Pictured is an engineering model (Pathfinder III) of the Shooting Star Experiment (SSE). This model was used to test and characterize the motion and deformation of the structure caused by thermal effects. In this photograph, alignment targets are being placed on the engineering model so that a theodolite (alignment telescope) could be used to accurately measure the deformation and deflections of the engineering model under extreme conditions, such as the coldness of deep space and the hotness of the sun as well as vacuum. This thermal vacuum test was performed at the X-Ray Calibration Facility because of the size of the test article and the capabilities of the facility to simulate in-orbit conditions

Atmospheric turbulence profiling with SLODAR using multiple adaptive optics wavefront sensors.

PubMed

Wang, Lianqi; Schöck, Matthias; Chanan, Gary

2008-04-10

The slope detection and ranging (SLODAR) method recovers atmospheric turbulence profiles from time averaged spatial cross correlations of wavefront slopes measured by Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors. The Palomar multiple guide star unit (MGSU) was set up to test tomographic multiple guide star adaptive optics and provided an ideal test bed for SLODAR turbulence altitude profiling. We present the data reduction methods and SLODAR results from MGSU observations made in 2006. Wind profiling is also performed using delayed wavefront cross correlations along with SLODAR analysis. The wind profiling analysis is shown to improve the height resolution of the SLODAR method and in addition gives the wind velocities of the turbulent layers.

3D mapping of turbulence: a laboratory experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Louarn, Miska; Dainty, Christopher; Paterson, Carl; Tallon, Michel

2000-07-01

In this paper, we present the first experimental results of the 3D mapping method. 3D mapping of turbulence is a method to remove the cone effect with multiple laser guide stars and multiple deformable mirrors. A laboratory experiment was realized to verify the theoretical predictions. The setup consisted of two turbulent phase screens (made with liquid crystal devices) and a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. We describe the interaction matrix involved in reconstructing Zernike commands for multiple deformable mirror from the slope measurements made from laser guide stars. It is shown that mirror commands can indeed be reconstructed with the 3D mapping method. Limiting factors of the method, brought to light by this experiment are discussed.

A Guide for Developing Standard Operating Job Procedures for the Screening & Grinding Process Wastewater Treatment Facility. SOJP No. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deal, Gerald A.; Montgomery, James A.

This guide describes standard operating job procedures for the screening and grinding process of wastewater treatment facilities. The objective of this process is the removal of coarse materials from the raw waste stream for the protection of subsequent equipment and processes. The guide gives step-by-step instructions for safety inspection,…

A Guide for Developing Standard Operating Job Procedures for the Sludge Thickening Process Wastewater Treatment Facility. SOJP No. 9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwing, Carl M.

This guide describes standard operating job procedures for the screening and grinding process of wastewater treatment facilities. The objective of this process is the removal of coarse materials from the raw waste stream for the protection of subsequent equipment and processes. The guide gives step-by-step instructions for safety inspection,…

A Guide for Developing Standard Operating Job Procedures for the Digestion Process Wastewater Treatment Facility. SOJP No. 10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwing, Carl M.

This guide describes standard operating job procedures for the digestion process of wastewater treatment facilities. This process is for reducing the volume of sludge to be treated in subsequent units and to reduce the volatile content of sludge. The guide gives step-by-step instructions for pre-startup, startup, continuous operating, shutdown,…

Enhancing compliance at Department of Defense facilities: comparison of three environmental audit tools.

PubMed

Hepler, Jeff A; Neumann, Cathy

2003-04-01

To enhance environmental compliance, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) recently developed and implemented a standardized environmental audit tool called The Environmental Assessment and Management (TEAM) Guide. Utilization of a common audit tool (TEAM Guide) throughout DOD agencies could be an effective agent of positive change. If, however, the audit tool is inappropriate, environmental compliance at DOD facilities could worsen. Furthermore, existing audit systems such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA's) Generic Protocol for Conducting Environmental Audits of Federal Facilities and the International Organization for Standardization's (ISO's) Standard 14001, "Environmental Management System Audits," may be abandoned even if they offer significant advantages over TEAM Guide audit tool. Widespread use of TEAM Guide should not take place until thorough and independent evaluation has been performed. The purpose of this paper is to compare DOD's TEAM Guide audit tool with U.S. EPA's Generic Protocol for Conducting Environmental Audits of Federal Facilities and ISO 14001, in order to assess which is most appropriate and effective for DOD facilities, and in particular those operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). USACE was selected as a result of one author's recent experience as a district environmental compliance coordinator responsible for the audit mission at this agency. Specific recommendations for enhancing the quality of environmental audits at all DOD facilities also are given.

Astronomy: Minds-on the Universe. Supplemental Teaching Activities for Grades K-8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marble, Stephen; Fowler, Marilyn, Ed.

This teachers guide contains activities and materials created to teach astronomy concepts to children from grades K-8. It is organized into four units: (1) Earth and Stars; (2) Spheres and Orbits; (3) Stars and Gravity; and (4) Scales and Measurement. Activities are arranged within each unit around six content topics: (1) Earth; (2) Solar System;…

Five-Star Schools: Defining Quality in Early Childhood Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hertzog, Nancy B.

2012-01-01

Hakeem, Emily, Jose, and Latisha are all entering preschool in the fall. Their mothers are looking for the highest quality early childhood program they can find. Is there a guide for them to find a five-star program? Are all certified or accredited programs of equal quality? How do these parents and guardians know what defines quality in early…

Seeing in a New Light: Astro-1 Teacher's Guide with Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Essex Corp., Huntsville, AL.

For as long as people have walked the Earth, they have looked to the stars, have been inspired by their beauty and remoteness and have found their way over sea and deserts by their guidance. Since then, enormous progress has been made in the understanding of the stars, and today the expanding and fascinating world of high-energy astronomy awaits…

A large array of high-performance artificial stars using airship-supported small mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Content, Robert; Foxwell, Mark; Murray, Graham J.

2004-10-01

We propose a practical system that can provide a large number of high performance artificial stars, of the order of a few hundred, using an array of small mirrors on an airship supported platform illuminated from the ground by a laser. Our concept offers several advantages over other guide star schemes: Airborne mirror arrays can furnish tip-tilt information; they also permit a considerable reduction in the total ground-laser power required; high intensity guide stars with very small angular image size are possible; and finally they offer very low scattered parasite laser light. More basic & simpler launch-laser & AO technologies can therefore be employed, with potentially huge cost savings, with potentially significant improvement in the quality of the AO correction. The general platform scheme and suitable lift technologies are also discussed. A novel concept for achieving precise positioning is presented whereby the platform & the lifting vehicle are linked by a tether, the platform having a degree of independent control. Our proposal would employ as the lift vehicle an autonomous high altitude airship of the type currently under widespread development in the commercial sector, for use as hubs for telecommunication networks, mobile telephone relay stations, etc.

Regulatory facility guide for Ohio

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, S.S.; Bock, R.E.; Francis, M.W.

1994-02-28

The Regulatory Facility Guide (RFG) has been developed for the DOE and contractor facilities located in the state of Ohio. It provides detailed compilations of international, federal, and state transportation-related regulations applicable to shipments originating at destined to Ohio facilities. This RFG was developed as an additional resource tool for use both by traffic managers who must ensure that transportation operations are in full compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements and by oversight personnel who must verify compliance activities.

Student Measurements of Double Star STF 747AB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bateman, Grace; Funk, Benjamin; Gillette, Travis; Rhoades, Breauna; Rhoades, Mark; Schlosser, Ruth; Sharpe, Scott; Thompson, Leone

2017-04-01

Data gathered from a 22-Inch Newtonian Alt/Az telescope and a Celestron Micro Guide eyepiece were used to measure the double star STF 747AB. Students from Apple Valley High School determined the separation to be 39.97 arc sec and the position angle to be 227.91 degrees. The students also used data from the digitized sky survey and determined a separation of 39.99 arc sec and a position angle of 225 degrees. The research was semi-independent from the Vanguard Double Star Workshop 2016 in Apple Valley, California.

Thermal, Structural, and Optical Analysis of a Balloon-Based Imaging System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borden, Michael; Lewis, Derek; Ochoa, Hared; Jones-Wilson, Laura; Susca, Sara; Porter, Michael; Massey, Richard; Clark, Paul; Netterfield, Barth

2017-03-01

The Subarcsecond Telescope And BaLloon Experiment, STABLE, is the fine stage of a guidance system for a high-altitude ballooning platform designed to demonstrate subarcsecond pointing stability over one minute using relatively dim guide stars in the visible spectrum. The STABLE system uses an attitude rate sensor and the motion of the guide star on a detector to control a Fast Steering Mirror to stabilize the image. The characteristics of the thermal-optical-mechanical elements in the system directly affect the quality of the point-spread function of the guide star on the detector, so a series of thermal, structural, and optical models were built to simulate system performance and ultimately inform the final pointing stability predictions. This paper describes the modeling techniques employed in each of these subsystems. The results from those models are discussed in detail, highlighting the development of the worst-case cold and hot cases, the optical metrics generated from the finite element model, and the expected STABLE residual wavefront error and decenter. Finally, the paper concludes with the predicted sensitivities in the STABLE system, which show that thermal deadbanding, structural pre-loading, and self-deflection under different loading conditions, and the speed of individual optical elements were particularly important to the resulting STABLE optical performance.

Quality of Post-Acute Care in Skilled Nursing Facilities That Disproportionately Serve Black and Hispanic Patients.

PubMed

Rivera-Hernandez, Maricruz; Rahman, Momotazur; Mukamel, Dana B; Mor, Vincent; Trivedi, Amal N

2018-04-25

Understanding and addressing racial and ethnic disparities in the quality of post-acute care in skilled nursing facilities is an important health policy issue, particularly as the Medicare program initiates value-based payments for these institutions. Our final cohort included 649,187 Medicare beneficiaries in either the fee-for-service or Medicare Advantage programs, who were 65 and older and were admitted to a skilled nursing facility following an acute hospital stay, from 8,375 skilled nursing facilities. We examined the quality of care in skilled nursing facilities that disproportionately serve minority patients compared to non-Hispanic whites. Three measures, all calculated at the level of the facility, were used to assess quality of care in skilled nursing facilities: 1) 30-day rehospitalization rate; 2) successful discharge from the facility to the community; and 3) Medicare five-star quality ratings. We found that African-American post-acute patients are highly concentrated in a small number of institutions, with 28% of facilities accounting for 80% of all post-acute admissions for African-American patients. Similarly, just 20% of facilities accounted for 80% of all admissions for Hispanics. Skilled nursing facilities with higher fractions of African-American patients had worse performance for three publicly-reported quality measures: rehospitalization, successful discharge to the community, and the star rating indicator. Efforts to address disparities should focus attention on institutions that disproportionately serve minority patients and monitor unintended consequences of value-based payments to skilled nursing facilities.

Navigating Space by the Stars

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-06-19

A tool that has helped guide sailors across oceans for centuries is now being tested aboard the International Space Station as a potential emergency navigation tool for guiding future spacecraft across the cosmos. The Sextant Navigation investigation tests use of a hand-held sextant aboard the space station. Sextants have a telescope-like optical sight to take precise angle measurements between pairs of stars from land or sea, enabling navigation without computer assistance. NASA’s Gemini missions conducted the first sextant sightings from a spacecraft, and designers built a sextant into Apollo vehicles as a navigation backup in the event the crew lost communications from their spacecraft. Jim Lovell demonstrated on Apollo 8 that sextant navigation could return a space vehicle home. Astronauts conducted additional sextant experiments on Skylab. Read more about the Sextant experiment happening aboard the space station: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/Sextant_ISS HD Download: https://archive.org/details/jsc2018m000418_Navigating_Space_by_the_Stars

Navigating Space by the Stars - 16x9

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-06-18

A tool that has helped guide sailors across oceans for centuries is now being tested aboard the International Space Station as a potential emergency navigation tool for guiding future spacecraft across the cosmos. The Sextant Navigation investigation tests use of a hand-held sextant aboard the space station. Sextants have a telescope-like optical sight to take precise angle measurements between pairs of stars from land or sea, enabling navigation without computer assistance. NASA’s Gemini missions conducted the first sextant sightings from a spacecraft, and designers built a sextant into Apollo vehicles as a navigation backup in the event the crew lost communications from their spacecraft. Jim Lovell demonstrated on Apollo 8 that sextant navigation could return a space vehicle home. Astronauts conducted additional sextant experiments on Skylab. Read more about the Sextant experiment happening aboard the space station: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/Sextant_ISS HD Download: https://archive.org/details/jsc2018m000418_Navigating_Space_by_the_Stars

The Gravity Probe B Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolodziejczak, Jeffrey

2008-01-01

This presentation briefly describes the Gravity Probe B (GP-B) Experiment which is designed to measure parts of Einstein's general theory of relativity by monitoring gyroscope orientation relative to a distant guide star. To measure the miniscule angles predicted by Einstein's theory, it was necessary to build near-perfect gyroscopes that were approximately 50 million times more precise than the best navigational gyroscopes. A telescope mounted along the central axis of the dewar and spacecraft provided the experiment's pointing reference to a guide star. The telescope's image divide precisely split the star's beam into x-axis and y-axis components whose brightness could be compared. GP-B's 650-gallon dewar, kept the science instrument inside the probe at a cryogenic temperature for 17.3 months and also provided the thruster propellant for precision attitude and translation control. Built around the dewar, the GP-B spacecraft was a total-integrated system, comprising both the space vehicle and payload, dedicated as a single entity to experimentally testing predictions of Einstein's theory.

The vibration compensation system for ARGOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peter, D.; Gaessler, W.; Borelli, J.; Kulas, M.

2011-09-01

For every adaptive optics system telescope vibrations can strongly reduce the performance. This is true for the receiver part of the system i.e. the telescope and wave front sensor part as well as for the transmitter part in the case of a laser guide star system. Especially observations in deep fields observed with a laser guide star system without any tip-tilt star will be greatly spoiled by telescope vibrations. The ARGOS GLAO system actually being built for the LBT aims to implement this kind of mode where wave front correction will rely purely on signals from the laser beacons. To remove the vibrations from the uplink path a vibration compensation system will be installed. This system uses accelerometers to measure the vibrations and corrects their effect with a small fast tip-tilt mirror. The controller of the system is built based on the assumption that the vibrations take place at a few distinct frequencies. Here I present a lab set-up of this system and show first results of the performance.

New CO and HCN sources associated with IRAS carbon stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

NGUYEN-Q-RIEU; Epchtein, N.; TRUONG-BACH; Cohen, M.

1987-01-01

Emission of CO and HCN was detected in 22 out of a sample of 53 IRAS sources classified as unidentified carbon-rich objects. The sample was selected according to the presence of the silicon carbide feature as revealed by low-resolution spectra. The molecular line widths indicate that the CO and HCN emission arises from the circumstellar envelopes of very highly evolved stars undergoing mass loss. The visible stars tend to be deficient in CO as compared with unidentified sources. Most the detected CO and HCN IRAS stars are distinct and thick-shelled objects, but their infrared and CO luminosities are similar to those of IRC + 102156 AFGL and IRC-CO evolved stars. The 12 micron flux seems to be a good indicator of the distance, hence a guide for molecular searches.

Adaptive optics system for Cassegrain focus of SUBARU 8.2-m telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takami, Hideki; Takato, Naruhisa; Otsubo, Masashi; Kanzawa, Tomio; Kamata, Yukiko; Nakashima, Koji; Iye, Masanori

1998-09-01

The adaptive optics system for Subaru 8.2m telescope of the National Astronomical Observatory Japan has been developed for the Cassegrain ear-IR instruments, CIAO and IRCS. The system consists of a wavefront curvature sensor with 36 subaperture photon-counting avalanche photodiode modules and a bimorph deformable mirror with 36 electrodes. The expected Strehl ratio at K band exceeds 0.4 for objects that are located close enough to a bright guide star as faint as R equals 16 mag at the median seeing of 0.45 arcsec at Mauna Kea. The system will be in operation in 1999 as a natural guide star system, and will eventually be upgraded to a laser guide star system in cooperating an IR wavefront tilt sensor to provide nearly full sky. The construction of this common use system to Subaru telescope is now underway in our laboratory in Tokyo. Prior to starting the fabrication of this common use system, a full size prototype system was constructed and tested with the 1.6 m IR telescope at our observatory in Tokyo. This system has the identical optical design, deformable mirror, loop control computer to those for the Subaru system, while the wavefront sensing detectors were less-sensitive analog APDs. We succeeded in getting closed loop images of stars in K band with diffraction limited core. The Strehl ratio was around 0.5 and the factor of improvement was about 20 at K-band under the average seeing of 2 arcsec during the observation. The loop sped of the system was 2 K corrections per second.

A Guide for Developing Standard Operating Job Procedures for the Sludge Conditioning & Dewatering Process Wastewater Treatment Facility. SOJP No. 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwing, Carl M.

This guide describes standard operating job procedures for the sludge conditioning and dewatering process of wastewater treatment facilities. In this process, sludge is treated with chemicals to make the sludge coagulate and give up its water more easily. The treated sludge is then dewatered using a vacuum filter. The guide gives step-by-step…

Hubble Space Telescope Fine Guidance Sensor and Two-Gyro Control Law Design, Implementation, and On-Orbit Performance. Part 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clapp, Brian R.

2005-01-01

For fifteen years, the science mission of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) required using at least three rate gyros for n Controlling with alternate sensors to replace failing gyros can extend the HST science mission. A two-gyro control law has been designed and implemented using magnetometers, star trackers, and Fine Guidance Sensors (FGSs) to control vehicle rate about the missing gyro axis. The three aforementioned sensors are used in succession to reduce HST boresight jitter to less than 7 milli-arcseconds rms prior to science imaging. The Magnetometer and 2-Gyro (M2G) control law is used for large angle maneuvers and attitude control during earth. occultation of star trackers and FGSs. The Tracker and 2-Gyro (T2G) control law dampens M2G rates and controls attitude in preparation for guide star acquisition with the FGSs. The Fine Guidance Sensor and 2-Gyro (F2G) control law dampens T2G rates and controls HST attitude during science imaging. This paper describes the F2G control law. Details of F2G algorithms are presented, including computation of the FGS-measured star vector using non-linear equations, optimal estimation of HST body rate, design of the F2G control laws and gyro bias observer, SISO and MIMO linear stability analyses, and design of the F2G intramode transition and guide star acquisition logic. Results from an FGS flight spare ground test are presented that define acceptable HST jitter levels for successful guide star acquisition under two-gyro control. HST-specific disturbance and noise models are described that are based upon flight telemetry; these models are used in HSTSIM, a high-fidelity non-linear time domain simulation, to predict HST on-orbit disturbance responses and FGS interferometer Loss of Lock (LOL) characteristics under F2G control. Additional HSTSIM results are presented predicting HST quiescent boresight jitter performance, science maneuver performance, and observer configuration performance during F2G operation. Simulation results are compared to on-orbit data b m F2G flight tests performed in February 2005. Science images and point spread functions from the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) High Resolution Camera (HRC) are presented that compare HST science performance under F2G versus three-gyro control. Images and flight telemetry show that HST boresight jitter with the new F2G control law is usually less than jitter using the three-gyro law, and HST boresight jitter during F2G operation is dependent upon guide star magnitude.

STAR Data Reconstruction at NERSC/Cori, an adaptable Docker container approach for HPC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mustafa, Mustafa; Balewski, Jan; Lauret, Jérôme; Porter, Jefferson; Canon, Shane; Gerhardt, Lisa; Hajdu, Levente; Lukascsyk, Mark

2017-10-01

As HPC facilities grow their resources, adaptation of classic HEP/NP workflows becomes a need. Linux containers may very well offer a way to lower the bar to exploiting such resources and at the time, help collaboration to reach vast elastic resources on such facilities and address their massive current and future data processing challenges. In this proceeding, we showcase STAR data reconstruction workflow at Cori HPC system at NERSC. STAR software is packaged in a Docker image and runs at Cori in Shifter containers. We highlight two of the typical end-to-end optimization challenges for such pipelines: 1) data transfer rate which was carried over ESnet after optimizing end points and 2) scalable deployment of conditions database in an HPC environment. Our tests demonstrate equally efficient data processing workflows on Cori/HPC, comparable to standard Linux clusters.

Radiative Feedback from Massive Stars as Traced by Multiband Imaging and Spectroscopic Mosaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berne, Olivier; Habart, Emilie; Peeters, Els; Abergel, A.; Bergin, E.; Bernard-Salas, J.; Bron, E.; Cami, J.; Cazaux, S.; Dartois, E.; Fuente, A.; Goicoechea, J.; Gordon, K.; Onaka, T.; Robberto, M.; Roellig, M.; Tielens, A.; Vincente, S.; Wolfire, M.; Okada, Y.

2017-11-01

Massive stars disrupt their natal molecular cloud material by dissociating molecules, ionizing atoms and molecules, and heating the gas and dust. These processes drive the evolution of interstellar matter in our Galaxy and throughout the Universe from the era of vigorous star formation at redshifts of 1-3, to the present day. Much of this interaction occurs in Photo-Dissociation Regions (PDRs) where far-ultraviolet photons of these stars create a largely neutral, but warm region of gas and dust. PDR emission dominates the IR spectra of star-forming galaxies and also provides a unique tool to study in detail the physical and chemical processes that are relevant for most of the mass in inter- and circumstellar media including diffuse clouds, protoplanetary disk- and molecular cloud surfaces, globules, planetary nebulae, and starburst galaxies. We propose to provide template datasets designed to identify key PDR characteristics in JWST spectra in order to guide the preparation of Cycle 2 proposals on star-forming regions in our Galaxy and beyond. We plan to obtain the first spatially resolved, high spectral resolution IR observations of a PDR using NIRCam, NIRSpec, and MIRI. These data will test widely used theoretical models and extend them into the JWST era. We have engaged the broader community as exemplified by the supporting large international team of 138 scientists. We will assist the community interested in JWST observations of PDRs through science-enabling products that will guide observational planning and allow fast data analysis. We will train the community through telecons and dedicated workshops.

Thematic Journeys. I'll Never Draw a Perfect Star

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zingher, Gary

2004-01-01

Children take enormous pride in their drawing abilities. They like bringing to life a specific object whether it is a star or a cat or a tree, and they will likely be frustrated until they can get it just right. Drawing is a way of thinking in motion, the brain guiding the hand, and it demonstrates strongly another type of intelligence. As a…

Conceptual design of initial opacity experiments on the national ignition facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heeter, R. F.; Bailey, J. E.; Craxton, R. S.; Devolder, B. G.; Dodd, E. S.; Garcia, E. M.; Huffman, E. J.; Iglesias, C. A.; King, J. A.; Kline, J. L.; Liedahl, D. A.; McKenty, P. W.; Opachich, Y. P.; Rochau, G. A.; Ross, P. W.; Schneider, M. B.; Sherrill, M. E.; Wilson, B. G.; Zhang, R.; Perry, T. S.

2017-02-01

Accurate models of X-ray absorption and re-emission in partly stripped ions are necessary to calculate the structure of stars, the performance of hohlraums for inertial confinement fusion and many other systems in high-energy-density plasma physics. Despite theoretical progress, a persistent discrepancy exists with recent experiments at the Sandia Z facility studying iron in conditions characteristic of the solar radiative-convective transition region. The increased iron opacity measured at Z could help resolve a longstanding issue with the standard solar model, but requires a radical departure for opacity theory. To replicate the Z measurements, an opacity experiment has been designed for the National Facility (NIF). The design uses established techniques scaled to NIF. A laser-heated hohlraum will produce X-ray-heated uniform iron plasmas in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) at temperatures eV and electron densities 21~\\text{cm}-3$ . The iron will be probed using continuum X-rays emitted in a ps, diameter source from a 2 mm diameter polystyrene (CH) capsule implosion. In this design, of the NIF beams deliver 500 kJ to the mm diameter hohlraum, and the remaining directly drive the CH capsule with 200 kJ. Calculations indicate this capsule backlighter should outshine the iron sample, delivering a point-projection transmission opacity measurement to a time-integrated X-ray spectrometer viewing down the hohlraum axis. Preliminary experiments to develop the backlighter and hohlraum are underway, informing simulated measurements to guide the final design.

VPP Star recognition

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-09

Stennis Space Center Deputy Director Rick Gilbrech (right) accepts a plaque designating the test facility as a Voluntary Protection Program Star site. Presenting the plaque is Clyde Payne, area director for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Jackson, Miss. OSHA established VPP in 1982 as a proactive safety management model to recognize excellence in safety and health. Since then, more than 2,000 organizations have been designated VPP Star sites. To reach that goal, an organization must demonstrate comprehensive and successful safety and health management programs in the workplace.

Kepler Mission: End-to-End System Demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borucki, William; Koch, D.; Dunham, E.; Jenkins, J.; Witteborn, F.; Updike, T.; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

A test facility has been constructed to demonstrate the capability of differential ensemble photometry to detect transits of Earth-size planets orbiting solar-like stars. The main objective is to determine the effects of various noise sources on the capability of a CCD photometer to maintain a system relative precision of 1 x $10^(-5)$ for mv = 12 stars in the presence of system-induced noise sources. The facility includes a simulated star field, fast optics to simulate the telescope, a thinned back-illuminated CCD similar to those to be used on the spacecraft and computers to perform the onboard control, data processing and extraction. The test structure is thermally and mechanically isolated so that each source of noise can be introduced in a controlled fashion and evaluated for its contribution to the total noise budget. The effects of pointing errors or a changing thermal environment are imposed by piezo-electric devices. Transits are injected by heating small wires crossing apertures in the star plate. Signals as small as those from terrestrial-size transits of solar-like stars are introduced to demonstrate that such planets can be detected under realistic noise conditions. Examples of imposing several noise sources and the resulting detectabilities are presented. These show that a differential ensemble photometric approach CCD photometer can readily detect signals associated with Earth-size transits.

Observational Research on Star and Planetary System Formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, Janet P.

1998-01-01

Institute scientists collaborate with a number of NASA Ames scientists on observational studies of star and planetary system formation to their mutual benefit. As part of this collaboration, SETI scientists have, from 1988 to the present: (1) contributed to the technical studies at NASA Ames of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), an infrared 2.5 meter telescope in a Boeing 747, which will replace the Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO), a 0.9 meter telescope in a Lockheed C-141. SOFIA will be an important facility for the future exploration of the formation of stars and planetary systems, and the origins of life, and as such will be an important future facility to SETI scientists; (2) worked with the Laboratory Astrophysics Group at Ames, carrying out laboratory studies of the spectroscopic properties of ices and pre-biotic organics, which could be formed in the interstellar or interplanetary media; (3) helped develop a photometric approach for determining the Frequency of Earth-Sized Inner Planets (FRESIP) around solar-like stars, a project (now called Kepler) which complements the current efforts of the SETI Institute to find evidence for extraterrestrial intelligence; and (4) carried out independent observational research, in particular research on the formation of stars and planetary systems using both ground-based telescopes as well as the KAO.

Observational Research on Star and Planetary System Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, Janet P.

1998-07-01

Institute scientists collaborate with a number of NASA Ames scientists on observational studies of star and planetary system formation to their mutual benefit. As part of this collaboration, SETI scientists have, from 1988 to the present: (1) contributed to the technical studies at NASA Ames of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), an infrared 2.5 meter telescope in a Boeing 747, which will replace the Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO), a 0.9 meter telescope in a Lockheed C-141. SOFIA will be an important facility for the future exploration of the formation of stars and planetary systems, and the origins of life, and as such will be an important future facility to SETI scientists; (2) worked with the Laboratory Astrophysics Group at Ames, carrying out laboratory studies of the spectroscopic properties of ices and pre-biotic organics, which could be formed in the interstellar or interplanetary media; (3) helped develop a photometric approach for determining the Frequency of Earth-Sized Inner Planets (FRESIP) around solar-like stars, a project (now called Kepler) which complements the current efforts of the SETI Institute to find evidence for extraterrestrial intelligence; and (4) carried out independent observational research, in particular research on the formation of stars and planetary systems using both ground-based telescopes as well as the KAO.

STAR - Research Experiences at National Laboratory Facilities for Pre-Service and Early Career Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, J. M.; Rebar, B.; Buxner, S.

2012-12-01

The STEM Teacher and Researcher (STAR) Program provides pre-service and beginning teachers the opportunity to develop identity as both teachers and researchers early in their careers. Founded and implemented by the Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education (CESaME) at California Polytechnic State University on behalf of the California State University (CSU) system, STAR provides cutting edge research experiences and career development for students affiliated with the CSU system. Over the past three summers, STAR has also partnered with the NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program to include Noyce Scholars from across the country. Key experiences are one to three summers of paid research experience at federal research facilities associated with the Department of Energy (DOE), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO). Anchoring beginning teachers in the research community enhances participant understanding of what it means to be both researchers and effective teachers. Since its inception in 2007, the STAR Program has partnered with 15 national lab facilities to provide 290 research experiences to 230 participants. Several of the 68 STAR Fellows participating in the program during Summer 2012 have submitted abstracts to the Fall AGU Meeting. Through continued partnership with the Noyce Scholar Program and contributions from outside funding sources, the CSU is committed to sustaining the STAR Program in its efforts to significantly impact teacher preparation. Evaluation results from the program continue to indicate program effectiveness in recruiting high quality science and math majors into the teaching profession and impacting their attitudes and beliefs towards the nature of science and teaching through inquiry. Additionally, surveys and interviews are being conducted of participants who are now teaching in the classroom as part of a project to investigate the impact of the STAR Program on teaching practices. Preliminary analyses indicate that STAR fellows have maintained a strong distributed community of support following their summer experience, including continued contact with their research mentors and other fellows. The STAR research experience has also reinforced and strengthened many of the teachers' commitment to teaching. Additionally, teachers report how their STAR experience contributed to specific practices they use in the classroom to help students develop hypotheses, design experiments, and report their findings to the class. The STAR Program was presented to and cited by the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) as a national model for addressing K-12 science and math teacher workforce needs. It has also been recognized as a uniquely promising model for recruiting, preparing and retaining outstanding STEM teachers in such national publications as the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Peer Review journal and the National Science Teachers Association NSTA Reports. STAR was also recently cited in an editorial in Science (May 4, 2012) as a model teacher-researcher program that enhances professionalism in science teaching.

Look to the Sky. An All-Purpose Interdisciplinary Guide to Astronomy. Grades 4-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeBruin, Jerry; Murad, Don

This guide features materials and activities about stars for integration into other academic disciplines. Part one describes how to begin to look to the sky, including usage of the camera, binoculars, and telescope. Part two, "Keep Up to Date," introduces information on resource materials, such as astronomy books, magazines, newsletters,…

They Snooze, You Lose: The Educator's Guide to Successful Presentations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burmark, Lynell

2011-01-01

In today's increasingly visual world, the art of giving presentations is a much-needed talent. "They Snooze, You Lose", provides a comprehensive guide made especially for teachers and administrators who want to become presentation "stars" in their classrooms, at board meetings, or any time they are in front of an audience. This book describes how…

The formation of stellar systems from interstellar molecular clouds.

PubMed

Gehrz, R D; Black, D C; Solomon, P M

1984-05-25

Star formation, a crucial link in the chain of events that led from the early expansion of the universe to the formation of the solar system, continues to play a major role in the evolution of many galaxies. Observational and theoretical studies of regions of ongoing star formation provide insight into the physical conditions and events that must have attended the formation of the solar system. Such investigations also elucidate the role played by star formation in the evolutionary cycle which appears to dominate the chemical processing of interstellar material by successive generations of stars in spiral galaxies like our own. New astronomical facilities planned for development during the 1980's could lead to significant advances in our understanding of the star formation process. Efforts to identify and examine both the elusive protostellar collapse phase of star formation and planetary systems around nearby stars will be especially significant.

The detection of planetary systems from Space Station - A star observation strategy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mascy, Alfred C.; Nishioka, Ken; Jorgensen, Helen; Swenson, Byron L.

1987-01-01

A 10-20-yr star-observation program for the Space Station Astrometric Telescope Facility (ATF) is proposed and evaluated by means of computer simulations. The primary aim of the program is to detect stars with planetary systems by precise determination of their motion relative to reference stars. The designs proposed for the ATF are described and illustrated; the basic parameters of the 127 stars selected for the program are listed in a table; spacecraft and science constraints, telescope slewing rates, and the possibility of limiting the program sample to stars near the Galactic equator are discussed; and the effects of these constraints are investigated by simulating 1 yr of ATF operation. Viewing all sky regions, the ATF would have 81-percent active viewing time, observing each star about 200 times (56 h) per yr; only small decrements in this performance would result from limiting the viewing field.

Laboratory Astrophysics Prize: Laboratory Astrophysics with Nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiescher, Michael

2018-06-01

Nuclear astrophysics is concerned with nuclear reaction and decay processes from the Big Bang to the present star generation controlling the chemical evolution of our universe. Such nuclear reactions maintain stellar life, determine stellar evolution, and finally drive stellar explosion in the circle of stellar life. Laboratory nuclear astrophysics seeks to simulate and understand the underlying processes using a broad portfolio of nuclear instrumentation, from reactor to accelerator from stable to radioactive beams to map the broad spectrum of nucleosynthesis processes. This talk focuses on only two aspects of the broad field, the need of deep underground accelerator facilities in cosmic ray free environments in order to understand the nucleosynthesis in stars, and the need for high intensity radioactive beam facilities to recreate the conditions found in stellar explosions. Both concepts represent the two main frontiers of the field, which are being pursued in the US with the CASPAR accelerator at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota and the FRIB facility at Michigan State University.

7 CFR 1942.20 - Community Facility Guides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12—Memorandum of Understanding Between the Economic Development Administration—Department of Commerce... Law 103-354 Loan. (13) Guide 13—Memorandum of Understanding Between the Economic Development..., and operation of essential community facilities which involve the use of loans and/or grants from FmHA...

DOE handbook: Guide to good practices for training and qualification of maintenance personnel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-03-01

The purpose of this Handbook is to provide contractor training organizations with information that can be used to verify the adequacy of and/or modify existing maintenance training programs, or to develop new training programs. This guide, used in conjunction with facility-specific job analyses, provides a framework for training and qualification programs for maintenance personnel at DOE reactor and nonreactor nuclear facilities. Recommendations for qualification are made in four areas: education, experience, physical attributes, and training. The functional positions of maintenance mechanic, electrician, and instrumentation and control technician are covered by this guide. Sufficient common knowledge and skills were found tomore » include the three disciplines in one guide to good practices. Contents include: qualifications; on-the-job training; trainee evaluation; continuing training; training effectiveness evaluation; and program records. Appendices are included which relate to: administrative training; industrial safety training; fundamentals training; tools and equipment training; facility systems and component knowledge training; facility systems and component skills training; and specialized skills training.« less

Adaptive Optics Facility: control strategy and first on-sky results of the acquisition sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madec, P.-Y.; Kolb, J.; Oberti, S.; Paufique, J.; La Penna, P.; Hackenberg, W.; Kuntschner, H.; Argomedo, J.; Kiekebusch, M.; Donaldson, R.; Suarez, M.; Arsenault, R.

2016-07-01

The Adaptive Optics Facility is an ESO project aiming at converting Yepun, one of the four 8m telescopes in Paranal, into an adaptive telescope. This is done by replacing the current conventional secondary mirror of Yepun by a Deformable Secondary Mirror (DSM) and attaching four Laser Guide Star (LGS) Units to its centerpiece. In the meantime, two Adaptive Optics (AO) modules have been developed incorporating each four LGS WaveFront Sensors (WFS) and one tip-tilt sensor used to control the DSM at 1 kHz frame rate. The four LGS Units and one AO module (GRAAL) have already been assembled on Yepun. Besides the technological challenge itself, one critical area of AOF is the AO control strategy and its link with the telescope control, including Active Optics used to shape M1. Another challenge is the request to minimize the overhead due to AOF during the acquisition phase of the observation. This paper presents the control strategy of the AOF. The current control of the telescope is first recalled, and then the way the AO control makes the link with the Active Optics is detailed. Lab results are used to illustrate the expected performance. Finally, the overall AOF acquisition sequence is presented as well as first results obtained on sky with GRAAL.

Estimation of the state of solar activity type stars by virtual observations of CrAVO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dolgov, A. A.; Shlyapnikov, A. A.

2012-05-01

The results of precosseing of negatives with direct images of the sky from CrAO glass library are presented in this work, which became a part of on-line archive of the Crimean Astronomical Virtual Observatory (CrAVO). Based on the obtained data, the parameters of dwarf stars have been estimated, included in the catalog "Stars with solar-type activity" (GTSh10). The following matters are considered: searching methodology of negatives with positions of studied stars and with calculated limited magnitude; image viewing and reduction with the facilities of the International Virtual Observatory; the preliminary results of the photometry of studied objects.

Nano-JASMINE: Simulation of Data Outputs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Y.; Yano, T.; Hatsutori, Y.; Gouda, N.; Murooka, J.; Niwa, Y.; Yamada, Y.

We simulated the data outputs of the first Japanese astrometry satellite Nano-JASMINE, which is scheduled to be launched by the Cyclone-4 rocket in August 2011. The simulations were carried out using existing stellar catalogues such as the Hipparcos catalogue, the Tycho catalogue, and the Guide Star catalogue version 2.3. Several statics are shown such as the number of stars those will be measured distances using annual aberration observations. The method for determining the initial direction of the satellite's spin axis has also been discussed. In this case, the frequency of bright stars observed by the satellite is an important factor.

Design of pre-optics for laser guide star wavefront sensor for the ELT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muslimov, Eduard; Dohlen, Kjetil; Neichel, Benoit; Hugot, Emmanuel

2017-12-01

In the present paper, we consider the optical design of a zoom system for the active refocusing in laser guide star wavefront sensors. The system is designed according to the specifications coming from the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT)-HARMONI instrument, the first-light, integral field spectrograph for the European (E)-ELT. The system must provide a refocusing of the laser guide as a function of telescope pointing and large decentring of the incoming beam. The system considers four moving lens groups, each of them being a doublet with one aspherical surface. The advantages and shortcomings of such a solution in terms of the component displacements and complexity of the surfaces are described in detail. It is shown that the system can provide the median value of the residual wavefront error of 13.8-94.3 nm and the maximum value <206 nm, while the exit pupil distortion is 0.26-0.36% for each of the telescope pointing directions.

The Universal Book of Astronomy: From the Andromeda Galaxy to the Zone of Avoidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darling, David

2003-10-01

The ultimate guide to the final frontier This alphabetical tour of the universe provides all the history, science, and up-to-the-minute facts needed to explore the skies with authority. Packed with more than 3,000 entries that cover everything from major observatories and space telescopes to biographies of astronomers throughout the ages, it showcases an extraordinary array of newfound wonders, including microquasars, brown dwarfs, and dark energy, as well as a host of individual comets, asteroids, moons, planets, stars, nebulas, and galaxies. Featuring nearly 200 illustrations and eight pages of color photographs, this comprehensive guide provides easy lookup of topics and offers more in-depth information than can be found in existing star guides or astronomy dictionaries. It's an ideal resource for the amateur astronomer or anyone with an interest in the mysteries of the cosmos. David Darling, PhD (Brainerd, MN), is the author of The Complete Book of Spaceflight (0-471-05649-9) and Equations of Eternity, a New York Times Notable Book.

Guidelines for Planning Industrial Education Facilities and Equipment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stallsmith, Douglas D.

This guide presents alternatives, resources, and specifications for industrial education teachers to use in preparing a facilities proposal to present to administrators, boards of education, the community, and architects. Developed to reflect the objectives of industrial education as outlined in the "Wisconsin Guide to Local Curriculum…

A Guide for Equipping Industrial Arts Facilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Industrial Arts Association, Washington, DC. Equipment Guide Committee.

A guide for planning new and revising existing industrial arts facilities which gives a listing of tools and equipment recommended for each of the major areas of instruction (automotive and power mechanics, ceramics, drafting, electronics, elementary, general shop, graphic arts, metalworking, plastics, and woodworking). General descriptions and…

Study of optimal wavefront sensing with elongated laser guide stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, S. J.; Adkins, S.; Gavel, D.; Fusco, T.; Michau, V.

2008-06-01

Over the past decade, adaptive optics (AO) has become an established method for overcoming the effects of atmospheric turbulence on both astronomical imaging and spectroscopic observations. These systems are now beginning to make extensive use of laser guide star (LGS) techniques to improve performance and provide increased sky coverage. Sodium LGS AO employs one or more lasers at 589-nm wavelength to produce an artificial guide star through excitation of sodium atoms in the mesosphere (90 km altitude). Because of its dependence on the abundance and distribution of sodium atoms in the mesosphere, this approach has its own unique set of difficulties not seen with natural stars. The sodium layer exhibits time-dependent variations in density and altitude, and since it is at a finite range, the LGS images become elongated due to the thickness of the layer and the offset between the laser projection point and the subapertures of a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWFS). Elongation causes the LGS image to be spread out resulting in a decrease in the signal-to-noise ratio which, in turn, leads to an increase in SHWFS measurement error and therefore an increased error in wavefront phase reconstruction. To address the problem of elongation, and also to provide a higher level of readout performance and reduced readout noise, a new type of charge-coupled device (CCD) is now under development for Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing called the polar coordinate CCD. In this device, discrete imaging arrays are provided in each SHWFS subaperture and the size, shape and orientation of each discrete imaging array are adjusted to optimally sample the LGS image. The device is referred to as the polar coordinate CCD because the location of each imager is defined by a polar coordinate system centred on the laser guide star projection point. This concept is especially suited to Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs) where the effect of perspective elongation is a significant factor. In this paper, we evaluate the performance of centroiders based on this CCD geometry by evaluating the centroid error variance and also the linearity issues associated with LGS image sampling and truncation. We also describe how we will extend this work to address the problems presented by the time variability of the sodium layer and how this will impact SHWFS performance in LGS AO systems.

The impact of interpretive and reductive front-of-pack labels on food choice and willingness to pay.

PubMed

Talati, Zenobia; Norman, Richard; Pettigrew, Simone; Neal, Bruce; Kelly, Bridget; Dixon, Helen; Ball, Kylie; Miller, Caroline; Shilton, Trevor

2017-12-19

This study examined how front-of-pack labels and product healthfulness affect choice and willingness to pay across a range of foods. It was hypothesized that: (i) product choice and (ii) willingness to pay would be more aligned with product healthfulness when healthfulness was expressed through the Health Star Rating, followed by the Multiple Traffic Light, then the Daily Intake Guide, and (iii) the Nutrition Facts Panel would be viewed infrequently. Adults and children aged 10+ years (n = 2069) completed an online discrete choice task involving mock food packages. A 4 food type (cookies, corn flakes, pizza, yoghurt) × 2 front-of-pack label presence (present, absent) × 3 front-of-pack label type (Daily Intake Guide, Multiple Traffic Light, Health Star Rating) × 3 price (cheap, moderate, expensive) × 3 healthfulness (less healthy, moderately healthy, healthier) design was used. A 30 s time limit was imposed for each choice. Of the three front-of-pack labels tested, the Health Star Rating produced the largest differences in choices, with 40% (95% CIs: 38%-42%) of respondents selecting the healthier variant, 33% selecting the moderately healthy variant (95% CIs: 31%-35%), and 23% (95% CIs: 21%-24%) selecting the less healthy variant of the four products included in the study. The Multiple Traffic Light led to significant differences in choices between healthier (35%, 95% CIs: 33%-37%) and less healthy products (29%, 95% CIs: 27%-31%), but not moderately healthy products (32%, 95% CIs: 30%-34%). No significant differences in choices were observed by product healthfulness when the Daily Intake Guide was present. Only the Health Star Rating resulted in a significantly greater willingness to pay for healthier versus less healthy products. The Nutrition Facts Panel was viewed for only 7% of all mock packages. Front-of-pack labels that are more interpretive, such as the Health Star Rating, can be more effective at directing consumers towards healthier choices than reductive front-of-pack labels such as the Daily Intake Guide. The study results provide policy makers with clear guidance on the types of front-of-pack labels that are most likely to achieve positive health outcomes at a population level.

The Performance of the Robo-AO Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics System at the Kitt Peak 2.1 m Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen-Clem, Rebecca; Duev, Dmitry A.; Riddle, Reed; Salama, Maïssa; Baranec, Christoph; Law, Nicholas M.; Kulkarni, S. R.; Ramprakash, A. N.

2018-01-01

Robo-AO is an autonomous laser guide star adaptive optics (AO) system recently commissioned at the Kitt Peak 2.1 m telescope. With the ability to observe every clear night, Robo-AO at the 2.1 m telescope is the first dedicated AO observatory. This paper presents the imaging performance of the AO system in its first 18 months of operations. For a median seeing value of 1.″44, the average Strehl ratio is 4% in the i\\prime band. After post processing, the contrast ratio under sub-arcsecond seeing for a 2≤slant i\\prime ≤slant 16 primary star is five and seven magnitudes at radial offsets of 0.″5 and 1.″0, respectively. The data processing and archiving pipelines run automatically at the end of each night. The first stage of the processing pipeline shifts and adds the rapid frame rate data using techniques optimized for different signal-to-noise ratios. The second “high-contrast” stage of the pipeline is eponymously well suited to finding faint stellar companions. Currently, a range of scientific programs, including the synthetic tracking of near-Earth asteroids, the binarity of stars in young clusters, and weather on solar system planets are being undertaken with Robo-AO.

Evaluation of post-interchange guide signs

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-12-01

There are four basic types of guide signs related to tourist and recreational facilities, each with its own requirements and purpose. These include limited supplemental guide signs, cultural and recreational supplemental guide signs, fifth legend log...

Hybrid Architecture Active Wavefront Sensing and Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feinberg, Lee; Dean, Bruce; Hyde, Tupper

2010-01-01

A method was developed for performing relatively high-speed wavefront sensing and control to overcome thermal instabilities in a segmented primary mirror telescope [e.g., James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) at L2], by using the onboard fine guidance sensor (FGS) to minimize expense and complexity. This FGS performs centroiding on a bright star to feed the information to the pointing and control system. The proposed concept is to beam split the image of the guide star (or use a single defocused guide star image) to perform wavefront sensing using phase retrieval techniques. Using the fine guidance sensor star image for guiding and fine phasing eliminates the need for other, more complex ways of achieving very accurate sensing and control that is needed for UV-optical applications. The phase retrieval occurs nearly constantly, so passive thermal stability over fourteen days is not required. Using the FGS as the sensor, one can feed segment update information to actuators on the primary mirror that can update the primary mirror segment fine phasing with this frequency. Because the thermal time constants of the primary mirror are very slow compared to this duration, the mirror will appear extremely stable during observations (to the level of accuracy of the sensing and control). The sensing can use the same phase retrieval techniques as the JWST by employing an additional beam splitter, and having each channel go through a weak lens (one positive and one negative). The channels can use common or separate detectors. Phase retrieval can be performed onboard. The actuation scheme would include a coarse stage able to achieve initial alignment of several millimeters of range (similar to JWST and can use a JWST heritage sensing approach in the science camera) and a fine stage capable of continual updates.

A Cluster Of Activities On Coma From The Hubble Space Telescope, StarDate, And McDonald Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemenway, Mary Kay; Jogee, S.; Fricke, K.; Preston, S.

2011-01-01

With a goal of providing a vast audience of students, teachers, the general public, and Spanish-speakers with activities to learn about research on the Coma cluster of galaxies based on the HST ACS Treasury survey of Coma, McDonald Observatory used a many-faceted approach. Since this research offered an unprecedented legacy dataset, part of the challenge was to convey the importance of this project to a diverse audience. The methodology was to create different products for different (overlapping) audiences. Five radio programs were produced in English and Spanish for distribution on over 500 radio stations in the US and Mexico with a listening audience of over 2 million; in addition to the radio listeners, there were over 13,000 downloads of the English scripts and almost 6000 of the Spanish. Images were prepared for use in the StarDate Online Astronomy Picture of the Week, for ViewSpace (used in museums), and for the StarDate/Universo Teacher Guide. A high-school level activity on the Coma Cluster was prepared and distributed both on-line and in an upgraded printed version of the StarDate/Universo Teacher Guide. This guide has been distributed to over 1700 teachers nationally. A YouTube video about careers and research in astronomy using the Coma cluster as an example was produced. Just as the activities were varied, so were the evaluation methods. This material is based upon work supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Grant/Contract/Agreement No. HST-EO-10861.35-A issued through the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555.

Volpe Center Acoustics Facility time-space-position-information system differential global positioning system user's guide, version 1.2

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-07-01

This document is a users guide for the VolpeCenter AcousticsFacilitys(VCAF)Time-Space-Position-Information : (TSPI) System. The VCAF TSPI system is a differential global positioning system (dGPS) which may be utilized : for highly accurate vehi...

5. PRELIMINARY SKETCH OF THE GUIDED MISSILE TEST FACILITIES FOR ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. PRELIMINARY SKETCH OF THE GUIDED MISSILE TEST FACILITIES FOR TEST AREA NUMBER 2. TODAY IR IS KNOWN AS MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER'S EAST TEST AREA. HANNES LUEHRSEN COLLECTION, MSFC MASTER PLANNING OFFICE. - Marshall Space Flight Center, East Test Area, Dodd Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

The Educational Facilities Professional's Practical Guide to Reducing the Campus Carbon Footprint

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hignite, Karla

2009-01-01

As more institutions respond to the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, or are otherwise responsible for campus environmental stewardship, this implementation guide gives educational facilities professionals a practical framework for moving forward in their unique role within this process. The intent is to help facilities…

Meeting the Literacy Needs of Students in Juvenile Justice Facilities. Strategy Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salinger, Terry

2010-01-01

Like educators around the country, staff in juvenile justice facilities recognize the serious academic challenges that many of their students face because of low levels of literacy achievement. This "Adolescent Literacy Guide" provides guidance to administrators and teachers who want to increase opportunities for students in juvenile…

Facility Programming and Construction Criteria [Planning Guide]. 702 KAR 4:170.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kentucky State Dept. of Education, Frankfort. Div. of Facilities Management.

This facility construction planning guide presents the minimum instructional space standards for Kentucky's public school system. It provides definitions of terms found in the regulations; presents space requirements for every type of instructional space within a public school, including circulation areas, storage, and mechanical/electrical areas;…

A GUIDE FOR EQUIPPING INDUSTRIAL ARTS FACILITIES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Industrial Arts Association, Washington, DC. Equipment Guide Committee.

SCHOOL ARCHITECTS, ADMINISTRATORS, PLANNERS, AND INDUSTRIAL ARTS SUPERVISORS AND TEACHERS MAY USE THIS GUIDE IN PLANNING, REVISING, AND EVALUATING FACILITIES. IN THE FIRST PART, HAND TOOLS, MACHINES, AND GENERAL EQUIPMENT ARE LISTED FOR (1) AUTO AND POWER MECHANICS, (2) CERAMICS, (3) DRAFTING, (4) ELECTRICITY-ELECTRONICS, (5) ELEMENTARY, (6)…

Optics: Light, Color, and Their Uses. An Educator's Guide with Activities in Science and Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Huntsville, AL. George C. Marshall Space Flight Center.

This educator's guide from discusses optics, light, color and their uses. Activities include: (1) "Reflection of Light with a Plane (Flat) Mirror--Trace a Star"; (2) "Reflection of Light with Two Plane Mirrors--Double Mirrors Placed at a 90-Degree Angle"; (3) "Reflection of Light with Two Plane Mirrors--Double Mirrors Placed at a Number of…

Resource Handbook--Space Beyond the Earth. A Supplement to Basic Curriculum Guide--Science, Grades K-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starr, John W., 3rd., Ed.

GRADES OR AGES: Grades K-6. SUBJECT MATTER: Science; space. ORGANIZATION AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: The guide is divided into four units: 1) the sun, earth, and moon; 2) stars and planets; 3) exploring space; 4) man's existence in space. Each unit includes initiatory and developmental activities. There are also sections on evaluation, vocabulary,…

Status of ARGOS - The Laser Guide Star System for the LBT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raab, Walfried; Rabien, Sebastian; Gaessler, Wolfgang; Esposito, Simone; Antichi, Jacopo; Lloyd-Hart, Michael; Barl, Lothar; Beckmann, Udo; Bonaglia, Marco; Borelli, Jose; Brynnel, Joar; Buschkamp, Peter; Busoni, Lorenzo; Carbonaro, Luca; Christou, Julian; Connot, Claus; Davies, Richard; Deysenroth, Matthias; Durney, Olivier; Green, Richard; Gemperlein, Hans; Gasho, Victor; Haug, Marcus; Hubbard, Pete; Ihle, Sebastian; Kulas, Martin; Loose, Christina; Lehmitz, Michael; Noenickx, Jamison; Nussbaum, Edmund; Orban De Xivry, Gilles; Quirrenbach, Andreas; Peter, Diethard; Rahmer, Gustavo; Rademacher, Matt; Storm, Jesper; Schwab, Christian; Vaitheeswaran, Vidhya; Ziegleder, Julian

2013-12-01

ARGOS is an innovative multiple laser guide star adaptive optics system for the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), designed to perform effective GLAO correction over a very wide field of view. The system is using high powered pulsed green (532 nm) lasers to generate a set of three guide stars above each of the LBT mirrors. The laser beams are launched through a 40 cm telescope and focused at an altitude of 12 km, creating laser beacons by means of Rayleigh scattering. The returning scattered light, primarily sensitive to the turbulences close to the ground, is detected by a gated wavefront sensor system. The derived ground layer correction signals are directly driving the adaptive secondary mirror of the LBT. ARGOS is especially designed for operation with the multiple object spectrograph Luci, which will benefit from both, the improved spatial resolution, as well as the strongly enhanced flux. In addition to the GLAO Rayleigh beacon system, ARGOS was also designed for a possible future upgrade with a hybrid sodium laser - Rayleigh beacon combination, enabling diffraction limited operation. The ARGOS laser system has undergone extensive tests during Summer 2012 and is scheduled for installation at the LBT in Spring 2013. The remaining sub-systems will be installed during the course of 2013. We report on the overall status of the ARGOS system and the results of the sub-system characterizations carried out so far.

KSC-2009-2216

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians help guide the cables lifting the GOES-O satellite toward the stand at right. The satellite will undergo final testing of the imaging system, instrumentation, communications and power systems. The latest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-O was developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. The GOES-O satellite is targeted to launch April 28 onboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV expendable launch vehicle. Once in orbit, GOES-O will be designated GOES-14, and NASA will provide on-orbit checkout and then transfer operational responsibility to NOAA. GOES-O will be placed in on-orbit storage as a replacement for an older GOES satellite. GOES-O carries an advanced attitude control system using star trackers with spacecraft optical bench Imager and Sounder mountings that provide enhanced instrument pointing performance for improved image navigation and registration to better locate severe storms and other events important to the NOAA National Weather Service. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

The PALM-3000 high-order adaptive optics system for Palomar Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouchez, Antonin H.; Dekany, Richard G.; Angione, John R.; Baranec, Christoph; Britton, Matthew C.; Bui, Khanh; Burruss, Rick S.; Cromer, John L.; Guiwits, Stephen R.; Henning, John R.; Hickey, Jeff; McKenna, Daniel L.; Moore, Anna M.; Roberts, Jennifer E.; Trinh, Thang Q.; Troy, Mitchell; Truong, Tuan N.; Velur, Viswa

2008-07-01

Deployed as a multi-user shared facility on the 5.1 meter Hale Telescope at Palomar Observatory, the PALM-3000 highorder upgrade to the successful Palomar Adaptive Optics System will deliver extreme AO correction in the near-infrared, and diffraction-limited images down to visible wavelengths, using both natural and sodium laser guide stars. Wavefront control will be provided by two deformable mirrors, a 3368 active actuator woofer and 349 active actuator tweeter, controlled at up to 3 kHz using an innovative wavefront processor based on a cluster of 17 graphics processing units. A Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor with selectable pupil sampling will provide high-order wavefront sensing, while an infrared tip/tilt sensor and visible truth wavefront sensor will provide low-order LGS control. Four back-end instruments are planned at first light: the PHARO near-infrared camera/spectrograph, the SWIFT visible light integral field spectrograph, Project 1640, a near-infrared coronagraphic integral field spectrograph, and 888Cam, a high-resolution visible light imager.

The Oxford SWIFT Spectrograph: first commissioning and on-sky results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thatte, Niranjan; Tecza, Mathias; Clarke, Fraser; Goodsall, Timothy; Fogarty, Lisa; Houghton, Ryan; Salter, Graeme; Scott, Nicholas; Davies, Roger L.; Bouchez, Antonin; Dekany, Richard

2010-07-01

The Oxford SWIFT spectrograph, an I & z band (6500-10500 A) integral field spectrograph, is designed to operate as a facility instrument at the 200 inch Hale Telescope on Palomar Mountain, in conjunction with the Palomar laser guide star adaptive optics system PALAO (and its upgrade to PALM3000). SWIFT provides spectra at R(≡λ/▵λ)~4000 of a contiguous two-dimensional field, 44 x 89 spatial pixels (spaxels) in size, at spatial scales of 0.235", 0.16", and 0.08" per spaxel. It employs two 250μm thick, fully depleted, extremely red sensitive 4k X 2k CCD detector arrays (manufactured by LBNL) that provide excellent quantum efficiency out to 1000 nm. We describe the commissioning observations and present the measured values of a number of instrument parameters. We also present some first science results that give a taste of the range of science programs where SWIFT can have a substantial impact.

Star Polymers.

PubMed

Ren, Jing M; McKenzie, Thomas G; Fu, Qiang; Wong, Edgar H H; Xu, Jiangtao; An, Zesheng; Shanmugam, Sivaprakash; Davis, Thomas P; Boyer, Cyrille; Qiao, Greg G

2016-06-22

Recent advances in controlled/living polymerization techniques and highly efficient coupling chemistries have enabled the facile synthesis of complex polymer architectures with controlled dimensions and functionality. As an example, star polymers consist of many linear polymers fused at a central point with a large number of chain end functionalities. Owing to this exclusive structure, star polymers exhibit some remarkable characteristics and properties unattainable by simple linear polymers. Hence, they constitute a unique class of technologically important nanomaterials that have been utilized or are currently under audition for many applications in life sciences and nanotechnologies. This article first provides a comprehensive summary of synthetic strategies towards star polymers, then reviews the latest developments in the synthesis and characterization methods of star macromolecules, and lastly outlines emerging applications and current commercial use of star-shaped polymers. The aim of this work is to promote star polymer research, generate new avenues of scientific investigation, and provide contemporary perspectives on chemical innovation that may expedite the commercialization of new star nanomaterials. We envision in the not-too-distant future star polymers will play an increasingly important role in materials science and nanotechnology in both academic and industrial settings.

Guide to Permitting Hydrogen Motor Fuel Dispensing Facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rivkin, Carl; Buttner, William; Burgess, Robert

2016-03-28

The purpose of this guide is to assist project developers, permitting officials, code enforcement officials, and other parties involved in developing permit applications and approving the implementation of hydrogen motor fuel dispensing facilities. The guide facilitates the identification of the elements to be addressed in the permitting of a project as it progresses through the approval process; the specific requirements associated with those elements; and the applicable (or potentially applicable) codes and standards by which to determine whether the specific requirements have been met. The guide attempts to identify all applicable codes and standards relevant to the permitting requirements.

Research of centroiding algorithms for extended and elongated spot of sodium laser guide star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Yayun; Zhang, Yudong; Wei, Kai

2016-10-01

Laser guide stars (LGSs) increase the sky coverage of astronomical adaptive optics systems. But spot array obtained by Shack-Hartmann wave front sensors (WFSs) turns extended and elongated, due to the thickness and size limitation of sodium LGS, which affects the accuracy of the wave front reconstruction algorithm. In this paper, we compared three different centroiding algorithms , the Center-of-Gravity (CoG), weighted CoG (WCoG) and Intensity Weighted Centroid (IWC), as well as those accuracies for various extended and elongated spots. In addition, we compared the reconstructed image data from those three algorithms with theoretical results, and proved that WCoG and IWC are the best wave front reconstruction algorithms for extended and elongated spot among all the algorithms.

Status of the GTC adaptive optics: integration in laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reyes García-Talavera, M.; Béjar, V. J. S.; López, J. C.; López, R. L.; Martín, C.; Martín, Y.; Montilla, I.; Núñez, M.; Puga, M.; Rodríguez, L. F.; Tenegi, F.; Tubío, O.; Bello, D.; Cavaller, L.; Prieto, G.; Rosado, M.

2016-07-01

Since the beginning of the development of the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC), an Adaptive Optics (AO) system was considered necessary to exploit the full diffraction-limited potential of the telescope. The GTC AO system designed during the last years is based on a single deformable mirror conjugated to the telescope pupil, and a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor with 20 x 20 subapertures, using an OCAM2 camera. The GTCAO system will provide a corrected beam with a Strehl Ratio (SR) of 0.65 in K-band with bright natural guide stars. Most of the subsystems have been manufactured and delivered. The upgrade for the operation with a Laser Guide Star (LGS) system has been recently approved. The present status of the GTCAO system, currently in its laboratory integration phase, is summarized in this paper.

Concept for polychromatic laser guide stars: one-photon excitation of the 4P3/2 level of a sodium atom.

PubMed

Pique, Jean-Paul; Moldovan, Ioana Cristina; Fesquet, Vincent

2006-11-01

One challenge for polychromatic laser guide stars is to create a sufficiently intense source in the UV. The flux required for the measurement of differential tip-tilt is the main issue that we address. We describe a model that has been validated using on-sky data. We present a method that excites the 4P3/2 sodium level using a one-photon excitation at 330 nm. It is more efficient than the two-photon excitation previously suggested since its power slope flux is 3 x 10(4) photons/s/m2/W instead of 1.3 x 10(3) photons/s/m2/W. This method is very promising both in terms of flux and system simplicity.

The Laser Guide Star System for Adaptive Optics at Subaru Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayano, Y.; Saito, Y.; Ito, M.; Saito, N.; Akagawa, K.; Takazawa, A.; Ito, M.; Wada, S.; Takami, H.; Iye, M.

We report on the current status of developing the new laser guide star (LGS) system for the Subaru adaptive optics (AO) system. We have three major subsystems: the laser unit, the relay optical fiber and the laser launching telescope. A 4W-class all-solid-state 589nm laser has been developed as a light source for sodium laser guide star. We use two mode-locked Nd:YAG lasers operated at the wavelength of 1064nm and 1319nm to generate sum-frequency conversion into 589nm. The side-LD pumped configuration is used for the mode-locked Nd:YAG lasers. We have carefully considered the thermal lens effect in the cavity to achieve a high beam quality with TEM00; M2 = 1.06. The mode-locked frequency is selected at 143 MHz. We obtained the output powers of 16.5 W and 5.0 W at 1064nm and 1319 nm. Sum frequency generated by mixing two synchronized Nd:YAG mode-locked pulsed beams is precisely tuned to the sodium D2 line by thermal control of the etalon in the 1064nm Nd:YAG laser by observing the maximum fluorescence intensity of heated sodium vapor cell. The maximum output power at 589.159 nm reaches to 4.6 W using a PPMgOSLT crystal as a nonlinear optical crystal. And the output power can be maintained within a stability of +/- 1.2% for more than 3 days without optical damage. We developed a single-mode photonic crystal fiber (PCF) to relay the laser beam from laser clean room, in which the laser unit is located on the Nasmyth platform, to the laser launching telescope mounted behind the secondary mirror of Subaru Telescope. The photonic crystal fiber has solid pure silica core with the mode field diameter of 14 micron, which is relatively larger than that of the conventional step-index type single mode fiber. The length of the PCF is 35m and transmission loss due to the pure silica is 10dB/km at 589nm, which means PCF transmits 92% of the laser beam. We have preliminary achieved 75% throughput in total. Small mode-locked pulse width in time allows us to transmit the high-power laser beam with no suffer from the non-linear scatter effect, i.e. stimulated Brillouin scatter, in the PCF. The laser launching telescope (LLT) has an output clear aperture as 50 cm. It is classical Cassegrain type optical configuration with tertiary mirror to insert the laser beam from the side. The wavefront error is designed to be 60 to 70nm. The LLT is a copy product what European Southern Observatory has been designed for the laser guide star system at Very Large Telescope. We succeeded to launch the laser beam to the sky on October 12, 2006. After several tests on the sky, we succeeded to get an image of the laser guide star with the size of more than 10 arc second. The larger size of the laser guide star is caused by the large optical aberration on the primary mirror of LLT due to the heat stress generated at the trigonal support points. We are making a plan to repair this problem during June and the second laser launching test will start around this summer.

The Role of the Modern Planetarium as an Effective Tool in Astronomy Education and Public Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albin, Edward F.

2016-01-01

As the planetarium approaches its 100th anniversary, today's planetarium educator must reflect on the role of such technology in contemporary astronomy education and outreach. The projection planetarium saw "first light" in 1923 at the Carl Zeiss factory in Jena, Germany. During the 20th century, the concept of a star projector beneath a dome flourished as an extraordinary device for the teaching of astronomy. The evolution of digital technology over the past twenty years has dramatically changed the perception / utilization of the planetarium. The vast majority of modern star theaters have shifted entirely to fulldome digital projection systems, abandoning the once ubiquitous electromechanical star projector altogether. These systems have evolved into ultra-high resolution theaters, capable of projecting imagery, videos, and any web-based media onto the dome. Such capability has rendered the planetarium as a multi-disciplinary tool, broadening its educational appeal to a wide variety of fields -- including life sciences, the humanities, and even entertainment venues. However, we suggest that what is at the heart of the planetarium appeal is having a theater adept at projecting a beautiful / accurate star-field. To this end, our facility chose to keep / maintain its aging Zeiss V star projector while adding fulldome digital capability. Such a hybrid approach provides an excellent compromise between presenting state of the art multimedia while at the same time maintaining the ability to render a stunning night sky. In addition, our facility maintains two portable StarLab planetariums for outreach purposes, one unit with a classic electromechanical star projector and the other having a relatively inexpensive fulldome projection system. With a combination of these technologies, it is possible for the planetarium to be an effective tool for astronomical education / outreach well into the 21st century.

Astrometry of the omega Centauri Hubble Space Telescope Calibration Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mighell, Kenneth J.

2000-01-01

Astrometry, on the International Celestial Reference Frame (epoch J2000.0), is presented for the Walker (1994, PASP, 106, 828) stars in the omega Centauri (=NGC 5139=C 1323-1472) Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field/Planetary Camera (WF/PC) calibration field of Harris et al. (1993, AJ, 105, 1196). Harris et al. stars were first identified on a WFPC2 observation of the omega Cen HST calibration field. Relative astrometry of the Walker stars in this field was then obtained using Walker's CCD positions and astrometry derived using the STSDAS METRIC task on the positions of the Harris et al. stars on the WFPC2 observation. Finally, the relative astrometry, which was based on the HST Guide Star Catalog, is placed on the International Celestial Reference Frame with astrometry from the USNO-A2.0 catalog. An ASCII text version of the astrometric data of the Walker stars in the omega Cen HST calibration field is available electronically in the online version of the article.

Chico High School Students' Astrometric Observations of the Visual Double Star STF 1657

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahiligwo, Jonelle; Bergamini, Clara; Berglund, Kallan; Bhardwaj, Mohit; Chelson, Spud; Costa, Amanda; Epis, Ashley; Grant, Azure; Osteen, Courtney; Reiner, Skyla; Rose, Adam; Schmidt, Emily; Sears, Forest; Sullivan-Hames, Maddie; Johnson, Jolyon

2012-01-01

In the spring of 2011, Chico Senior High School students participated in an astronomy seminar at the Gateway Science Museum, University of California, Chico. The observers used a Celestron NexStar 6 SE telescope and a Celestron MicroGuide eyepiece to determine the separation and position angle of the visual double star STF 1657. Observations were made in approximately one hour on the evening of May 1, 2011. The observers determined that the separation of STF 1657 was 22.1" and the position angle was 273.4&°. Seminar members then used the spectral type, parallax, and proper motion vectors of the two stars to determine if they are a line-of-sight optical pair or physically bound by gravity. Due to large errors in the parallax and the proper motion vector for the secondary star, the results were inconclusive. Through this experience, the students learned the skills needed to observe, analyze, and report on double stars.

Atypical Mg-poor Milky Way Field Stars with Globular Cluster Second-generation-like Chemical Patterns

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fernández-Trincado, J. G.; Geisler, D.; Tang, B.

We report the peculiar chemical abundance patterns of 11 atypical Milky Way (MW) field red giant stars observed by the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE). These atypical giants exhibit strong Al and N enhancements accompanied by C and Mg depletions, strikingly similar to those observed in the so-called second-generation (SG) stars of globular clusters (GCs). Remarkably, we find low Mg abundances ([Mg/Fe] < 0.0) together with strong Al and N overabundances in the majority (5/7) of the metal-rich ([Fe/H] ≳ −1.0) sample stars, which is at odds with actual observations of SG stars in Galactic GCs of similarmore » metallicities. This chemical pattern is unique and unprecedented among MW stars, posing urgent questions about its origin. These atypical stars could be former SG stars of dissolved GCs formed with intrinsically lower abundances of Mg and enriched Al (subsequently self-polluted by massive AGB stars) or the result of exotic binary systems. We speculate that the stars Mg-deficiency as well as the orbital properties suggest that they could have an extragalactic origin. This discovery should guide future dedicated spectroscopic searches of atypical stellar chemical patterns in our Galaxy, a fundamental step forward to understanding the Galactic formation and evolution.« less

Atypical Mg-poor Milky Way Field Stars with Globular Cluster Second-generation-like Chemical Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández-Trincado, J. G.; Zamora, O.; García-Hernández, D. A.; Souto, Diogo; Dell'Agli, F.; Schiavon, R. P.; Geisler, D.; Tang, B.; Villanova, S.; Hasselquist, Sten; Mennickent, R. E.; Cunha, Katia; Shetrone, M.; Allende Prieto, Carlos; Vieira, K.; Zasowski, G.; Sobeck, J.; Hayes, C. R.; Majewski, S. R.; Placco, V. M.; Beers, T. C.; Schleicher, D. R. G.; Robin, A. C.; Mészáros, Sz.; Masseron, T.; García Pérez, Ana E.; Anders, F.; Meza, A.; Alves-Brito, A.; Carrera, R.; Minniti, D.; Lane, R. R.; Fernández-Alvar, E.; Moreno, E.; Pichardo, B.; Pérez-Villegas, A.; Schultheis, M.; Roman-Lopes, A.; Fuentes, C. E.; Nitschelm, C.; Harding, P.; Bizyaev, D.; Pan, K.; Oravetz, D.; Simmons, A.; Ivans, Inese I.; Blanco-Cuaresma, S.; Hernández, J.; Alonso-García, J.; Valenzuela, O.; Chanamé, J.

2017-09-01

We report the peculiar chemical abundance patterns of 11 atypical Milky Way (MW) field red giant stars observed by the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE). These atypical giants exhibit strong Al and N enhancements accompanied by C and Mg depletions, strikingly similar to those observed in the so-called second-generation (SG) stars of globular clusters (GCs). Remarkably, we find low Mg abundances ([Mg/Fe] < 0.0) together with strong Al and N overabundances in the majority (5/7) of the metal-rich ([Fe/H] ≳ -1.0) sample stars, which is at odds with actual observations of SG stars in Galactic GCs of similar metallicities. This chemical pattern is unique and unprecedented among MW stars, posing urgent questions about its origin. These atypical stars could be former SG stars of dissolved GCs formed with intrinsically lower abundances of Mg and enriched Al (subsequently self-polluted by massive AGB stars) or the result of exotic binary systems. We speculate that the stars Mg-deficiency as well as the orbital properties suggest that they could have an extragalactic origin. This discovery should guide future dedicated spectroscopic searches of atypical stellar chemical patterns in our Galaxy, a fundamental step forward to understanding the Galactic formation and evolution.

Coal-Oil Mixtures Problems and Opportunities,

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-01-15

Ernest C. Friedrich Ashland Oil, Inc. New Richmond, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Florida Power Corporation American Refining Co., Inc. 3201 34th St. South...Room 1A 518, The Pentagon USAF Institute of Technology Washington, DC 20310 AFIT/DED Wright Patterson AFB, OH 45433 Commander-in-Chief USA, Europe...Engineer Facilities Engineer Fort A P Hill Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant Bowling Green, VA 22427 Texarkana , TX 75501 Facilities Engineer Facilities

Assessment of visiting activities for young children using the UNAWE Evaluation Guide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomita, Akihiko

2015-08-01

When the target is young children and the activity type is play, the assessment of the activity is not easy. The table of domains of active learning shown in the EU Universe Awareness Programme Evaluation Guide is useful for the assessment; the Guide shows the four domains; motivation, scientific skills, universe knowledge, and intercultural attitudes, and many items of objectives in each domains. The Guide can be a basic format and the items can be modified so as to fit each activity. Taking my activity as an example, I will present an assessment using the Guide. The activity I will present is "Uchu no O-hanashi," a visiting activity which includeds slide show, story telling, and enjoying pictures on large sheets for children at nursery, kindergarten, preschool and other sites. In order to obtain the data, I have recorded the voice of children. The analysis method is a kind of qualitative one. I picked up "motivation" and "scientific skills" words from the record when they muttered about and asked each other what they felt, what they found, and what they got excited about. Among the items in the "scientific skills domain," looking at carefully, asking, exchanging opinions, interpreting or trying to interpret, and trying were frequently appeared. Other skills such as devising and confirming were not frequently appeared but they would sometimes appear later at home or at school after the activity. I also picked up the words of children obtaining scientific way of view and attitude through the activity. One example is "It seems that stars float in the sky and do not move. Do they really set like the Sun, our nearest star? I never saw stars set!" A boy was trying to make a new framework for his understanding. This kind of thinking will enrich his or her future "universe knowledge" and "intercultural attitudes."

Optical System Error Analysis and Calibration Method of High-Accuracy Star Trackers

PubMed Central

Sun, Ting; Xing, Fei; You, Zheng

2013-01-01

The star tracker is a high-accuracy attitude measurement device widely used in spacecraft. Its performance depends largely on the precision of the optical system parameters. Therefore, the analysis of the optical system parameter errors and a precise calibration model are crucial to the accuracy of the star tracker. Research in this field is relatively lacking a systematic and universal analysis up to now. This paper proposes in detail an approach for the synthetic error analysis of the star tracker, without the complicated theoretical derivation. This approach can determine the error propagation relationship of the star tracker, and can build intuitively and systematically an error model. The analysis results can be used as a foundation and a guide for the optical design, calibration, and compensation of the star tracker. A calibration experiment is designed and conducted. Excellent calibration results are achieved based on the calibration model. To summarize, the error analysis approach and the calibration method are proved to be adequate and precise, and could provide an important guarantee for the design, manufacture, and measurement of high-accuracy star trackers. PMID:23567527

Development of a Simplified Sustainable Facilities Guide

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-04-18

Government Through Efficient Energy Management , June 3, 1999 EO 13148 Greening the Government Through Leadership in Environmental Management ...architects, engineers, and project managers . - The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has created the " Leadership in Energy and...SIMPLIFIED SUSTAINABLE FACILITIES GUIDE THESIS Presented to the Faculty Department of Systems and Engineering Management

78 FR 20326 - Draft Compliance Policy Guide Sec. 100.250 Food Facility Registration-Human and Animal Food...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-04

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2013-D-0126] Draft Compliance Policy Guide Sec. 100.250 Food Facility Registration--Human and Animal Food; Availability AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Food and Drug...

Wireless Occupancy Sensors for Lighting Controls: An Applications Guide for Federal Facility Managers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

This guide provides federal facility managers with an overview of the energy savings potential of wireless lighting occupancy sensors for various room types, cost considerations, key steps to successful installation of wireless sensors, pros and cons of various technology options, light source considerations, and codes and standards.

Sustainable Design Guidelines for the Construction of New Facilities and the Renovation of Existing Structures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorsey, Judy; L'Esperance, Clare

This guide summarizes research conducted at Colorado's Poudre School District (PSD) to develop guidelines for the desired performance outcomes from employing sustainable educational facility design, and it suggests approaches for attaining them. The guide also provides case studies and references to further investigate opportunities on specific…

Making It Count: Strategies for Improving Mathematics Instruction for Students in Short-Term Facilities. Strategy Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leone, Peter; Wilson, Michael; Mulcahy, Candace

2010-01-01

This guide is designed to support the development of mathematics proficiency for youth in short-term juvenile correctional facilities. Mathematics proficiency includes mastery and fluency in foundational numeracy; an understanding of complex, grade-appropriate concepts and procedures; and application of those competencies to solve relevant,…

Searching for Solutions. A Citizen's Guide to Hazardous Waste Management in Ohio.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clapham, Pete, Comp.

This guide was developed to promote responsible hazardous waste management by Ohio citizens, citizens who are interested in upgrading operations of existing waste facilities, oppose the development of any new landfills, and those who promote the establishment of modern, efficient facilities. Information is presented in six chapters. The hazardous…

Instructor Guides for Training Food Service Supervisors in Long Term Care Facilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eastern Iowa Community Coll. District, Davenport.

This final report describes a project to develop postsecondary teacher resource guides for supervisor courses in food service management, preparation and service of modified diets, and meal service in long-term care facilities in Iowa. Introductory material includes the following: project objective, a description of how the objective was met, the…

The Large Binocular Telescope's ARGOS ground-layer AO system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hart, M.; Rabien, S.; Busoni, L.; Barl, L.; Bechmann, U.; Bonaglia, M.; Boose, Y.; Borelli, J.; Bluemchen, T.; Carbonaro, L.; Connot, C.; Deysenroth, M.; Davies, R.; Durney, O.; Elberich, M.; Ertl, T.; Esposito, S.; Gaessler, W.; Gasho, V.; Gemperlein, H.; Hubbard, P.; Kanneganti, S.; Kulas, M.; Newman, K.; Noenickx, J.; Orban de Xivry, G.; Qirrenback, A.; Rademacher, M.; Schwab, C.; Storm, J.; Vaitheeswaran, V.; Weigelt, G.; Ziegleder, J.

2011-09-01

ARGOS, the laser-guided adaptive optics system for the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), is now under construction at the telescope. By correcting atmospheric turbulence close to the telescope, the system is designed to deliver high resolution near infrared images over a field of 4 arc minute diameter. ARGOS is motivated by a successful prototype multi-laser guide star system on the 6.5 m MMT telescope, results from which are presented in this paper. At the LBT, each side of the twin 8.4 m aperture is being equipped with three Rayleigh laser guide stars derived from six 18 W pulsed green lasers and projected into two triangular constellations matching the size of the corrected field. The returning light is to be detected by wavefront sensors that are range gated within the seeinglimited depth of focus of the telescope. Wavefront correction will be introduced by the telescope’s deformable secondary mirrors driven on the basis of the average wavefront errors computed from the respective guide star constellation. Measured atmospheric turbulence profiles from the site lead us to expect that by compensating the ground-layer turbulence, ARGOS will deliver median image quality of about 0.2 arc sec in the near infrared bands. This will be exploited by a pair of multi-object near-IR spectrographs, LUCI1 and LUCI2, each with 4 arc minute field already operating on the telescope. In future, ARGOS will also feed two interferometric imaging instruments, the LBT Interferometer operating in the thermal infrared, and LINC-NIRVANA, operating at visible and near infrared wavelengths. Together, these instruments will offer very broad spectral coverage at the diffraction limit of the LBT’s combined aperture, 23 m in size.

Scaled Eagle Nebula Experiments on NIF

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pound, Marc W.

We performed scaled laboratory experiments at the National Ignition Facility laser to assess models for the creation of pillar structures in star-forming clouds of molecular hydrogen, in particular the famous Pillars of the Eagle Nebula. Because pillars typically point towards nearby bright ultraviolet stars, sustained directional illumination appears to be critical to pillar formation. The experiments mock up illumination from a cluster of ultraviolet-emitting stars, using a novel long duration (30--60 ns), directional, laser-driven x-ray source consisting of multiple radiation cavities illuminated in series. Our pillar models are assessed using the morphology of the Eagle Pillars observed with the Hubblemore » Space Telescope, and measurements of column density and velocity in Eagle Pillar II obtained at the BIMA and CARMA millimeter wave facilities. In the first experiments we assess a shielding model for pillar formation. The experimental data suggest that a shielding pillar can match the observed morphology of Eagle Pillar II, and the observed Pillar II column density and velocity, if augmented by late time cometary growth.« less

True-sky demonstration of an autonomous star tracker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Bezooijen, Roelof W.

1994-07-01

An autonomous star tracker (AST) is basically a `star field in, attitude out' device capable of determining its attitude without requiring any a priori attitude knowledge. In addition to this attitude acquisition capability, an AST can perform attitude updates autonomously and is able to provide its attitude `continuously' while tracking a star field. The Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory is developing a reliable, low-cost, miniature AST that has a one arcsec overall accuracy, weighs less than 1.5 kg, consumes less than 7 watts of power, and is sufficiently sensitive to be used at all sky locations. The device performs attitude acquisition in a fraction of a second and outputs its attitude at a 10 Hz rate when operating in its tracking mode. Besides providing the functionality needed for future advanced attitude control and navigation systems, an AST also improves spacecraft reliability, mass, power, cost, and operating expenses. The AST comprises a-thermalized, refractive optics, a frame-transfer CCD with a sensitive area of 1024 by 1024 pixels, camera electronics implemented with application- specific integrated circuits, a compact single board computer with a radiation hard 32 bit RISC processor, and an all-sky guide star database. Star identification is performed by a memory- efficient and highly robust algorithm that finds the largest group of observed stars matching a group of guide stars. An important milestone has recently been achieved with the validation of the attitude acquisition capability through correct and rapid identification of all 704 true-sky star fields obtained at the Lick Observatory, using an uncalibrated prototype AST with a 512 by 1024 pixel frame-transfer CCD and a 50 mm f/1.2 lens that provided an effective 6.5 by 13.2 degree field of view. The overlapping fields cover 47% of the sky, including both rich and sparse areas. The paper contains a description of the AST, a summary of the functions enabled or improved by the device, an overview of the identification algorithm, results obtained with a realistic simulation program, a description of the true-sky star field identification method and a presentation of the results obtained. The AST tolerates the presence of bright objects as was demonstrated by a field that included Jupiter.

Native Skywatchers and the Makoc&dotbelow;e Wic&dotbelow;aŋḣpi Wowapi—D(L)akota Star Map—Building Community Around Native Star Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, A. S.; Rock, J.

2014-07-01

In D(L)akota the Big Dipper is known as To/ToŋWiŋ—Blue/Birth Woman. She lives at the center of the scoop in the Big Dipper and is the door keeper between the star world and the Earth. The same group of seven bright stars is also known as Wịakiyuhapi, the Stretcher, and Waṡihdapi/Waṡiglapi, the Mourners. This is the beginning of the journey back into the spirit world for those leaving the Earth. Embedded in the native constellations are teachings that help guide and inspire native peoples. This workshop will present the D(L)akota Star Map and constellations of the current night sky. The Native Skywatchers research and programming seeks out elders, culture teachers, and community members to discuss the Ojibwe and D(L)akota star knowledge. Together we have created Makoc&dotbelow;e Wic&dotbelow;aŋḣpi Wowapi—D(L)akota Star Map. This map and related curriculum was published and disseminated to regional educators at our Native Skywatchers Middle School Teacher workshops in June 2012 and 2013. We are building community around the native star knowledge.

Flooding

MedlinePlus

... flooding For communities, companies, or water and wastewater facilities: Flood Resilience Guide is your one-stop resource ... Zika Top of Page For water and wastewater facilities: For water and wastewater facilities : Suggested post-hurricane ...

KSC-2010-4395

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-08-17

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Pegasus barge, left, the Vehicle Assembly Building, center, and patrol boats, right, are seen from the Launch Complex 39 area. The barge carries space shuttle external fuel tanks from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana to Kennedy and is towed by NASA's two solid rocket booster retrieval ships, Liberty Star and Freedom Star. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

Astro STARS Camp

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-15

Summer is a time of educational activity at Stennis Space Center. In June 2012, 25 young people age 13-15 attended the annual Astro STARS (Spaceflight, Technology, Astronomy and Robotics at Stennis) camp at the rocket engine test facility. During the five-day camp, participants engaged in hands-on experiences in a variety of areas, including engineering and robotics. On the final day, campers launched model rockets they had assembled.

Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide (AERG): Practical Ways to Improve Energy Performance; Healthcare Facilities (Book)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hendron, R.; Leach, M.; Bonnema, E.

The Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide for Healthcare Facilities is part of a series of retrofit guides commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy. By presenting general project planning guidance as well as detailed descriptions and financial payback metrics for the most important and relevant energy efficiency measures (EEMs), the guides provide a practical roadmap for effectively planning and implementing performance improvements in existing buildings. The Advanced Energy Retrofit Guides (AERGs) are intended to address key segments of the U.S. commercial building stock: retail stores, office buildings, K-12 schools, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities. The guides' general project planning considerations aremore » applicable nationwide; the energy and cost savings estimates for recommended EEMs were developed based on energy simulations and cost estimates for an example hospital tailored to five distinct climate regions. These results can be extrapolated to other U.S. climate zones. Analysis is presented for individual EEMs, and for packages of recommended EEMs for two project types: existing building commissioning projects that apply low-cost and no-cost measures, and whole-building retrofits involving more capital-intensive measures.« less

Line of Sight Stabilization of James Webb Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meza, Luis; Tung, Frank; Anandakrishnan, Satya; Spector, Victor; Hyde, Tupper

2005-01-01

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) builds upon the successful flight experience of the Chandra Xray Telescope by incorporating an additional LOS pointing servo to meet the more stringent pointing requirements. The LOS pointing servo, referred to in JWST as the Fine Guidance Control System (FGCS), will utilize a Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) as the sensor, and a Fine Steering Mirror (FSM) as the actuator. The FSM is a part of the Optical Telescope Element (OTE) and is in the optical path between the tertiary mirror and the instrument focal plane, while the FGS is part of the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM). The basic Chandra spacecraft bus attitude control and determination architecture, utilizing gyros, star trackers/aspect camera, and reaction wheels, is retained for JWST. This system has achieved pointing stability of better than 0.5 arcseconds. To reach the JWST requirements of milli-arcsecond pointing stability with this ACS hardware, the local FGCS loop is added to the optical path. The FGCS bandwidth is about 2.0 Hz and will therefore attenuate much of the spacecraft ACS induced low frequency jitter. In order to attenuate the higher frequency (greatet than 2.0 Hz) disturbances associated with reaction wheel static and dynamic imbalances, as well as bearing run-out, JWST will employ a two-stage passive vibration isolation system consisting of (1) 7.0 Hz reaction wheel isolators between each reaction wheel and the spacecraft bus, and (2) a 1.0 Hz tower isolator between the spacecraft bus and the Optical Telescope Element (OTE). In order to sense and measure the LOS, the FGS behaves much like an autonomous star tracker that has a very small field of view and uses the optics of the telescope. It performs the functions of acquisition, identification and tracking of stars in its 2.5 x 2.5 arcminute field of view (FOV), and provides the centroid and magnitude of the selected star for use in LOS control. However, since only a single star is being tracked at any time within the FGS FOV there is only tip and tilt information; rotation about the FGS LOS will not be sensed. The FGCS uses the FSM to move the guide star within the FGS FOV and place the centroid of the guide star at any desired position within the FGS focal plane. Using this architecture allows the FGCS to correct the low frequency LOS jitter that is induced by the spacecraft ACS in pitch and yaw, and achieve the milli-arcsecond pointing stability required by JWST. The less stringent ISIM FOV roll performance will be provided solely by the ACS, using the spacecraft gyros and star trackers. Since the FSM is in the optical path, the pointing stabilrty of a science object in any of the instruments will be similar to that of the guide star LOS.

Review of Army Officer Educational System. Volume 1. Summary Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1971-12-01

13-5 V. StaffingGuide. . . . . . . . .. 13-6 VI. Academic Facilities .................. 13-9 VII. Educational Innovations . . . . . .... . 13-10 14...report does not lean heavily on statistical support. It gives references, research, and statistical data only when essential to validity, accuracy, or...Leadership, History, Interbranch and Interservice Education , Facilities , Regulations, Staffing Guide, Educational Innovations Chapter 14 - Concluding

Plant Operations for Wastewater Facilities, Vol. II, Part D. An Instructor's Guide for Use of Instructional Material in Wastewater Technology Training Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoakes, K. C.; And Others

This instructor's guide, designed for use with the curriculum, Plant Operations for Wastewater Facilities, represents a two-year wastewater technology instructional program based on performance objectives designed to prepare undergraduate students to enter occupations in water and wastewater treatment plant operations and maintenance. This…

Plant Operations for Wastewater Facilities, Vol. II, Part E. An Instructor's Guide for Use of Instructional Material in Wastewater Technology Training Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoakes, K. C.; And Others

This instructor's guide, designed for use with the curriculum, Plant Operations for Wastewater Facilities, represents a two-year wastewater technology instructional program based on performance objectives designed to prepare undergraduate students to enter occupations in water and wastewater treatment plant operations and maintenance. This…

A Guide for Planning Facilities for Vocational Agriculture in Texas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hindman, Neal; Eggenberger, Lewis

A guide to assist those concerned in planning adequate, well-designed facilities for departments of vocational agriculture that will serve their communities in the future. The program of vocational agriculture is an integral part of the total educational program of a school and considerable thought and careful study should be given to locating the…

Plant Operations for Wastewater Facilities, Vol. II, Part B. An Instructor's Guide for Use of Instructional Material in Wastewater Technology Training Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoakes, K. C.; And Others

This instructor's guide, designed for use with the curriculum, Plant Operations for Wastewater Facilities, represents a two-year wastewater technology instructional program based on performance objectives designed to prepare undergraduate students to enter occupations in water and wastewater treatment plant operations and maintenance. This…

Plant Operations for Wastewater Facilities, Vol. II, Part A. An Instructor's Guide for Use of Instructional Material in Wastewater Technology Training Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoakes, K. C.; And Others

This instructor's guide, designed for use with the curriculum, Plant Operations for Wastewater Facilities, represents a two-year wastewater technology instructional program based on performance objectives designed to prepare undergraduate students to enter occupations in water and wastewater treatment plant operations and maintenance. This…

Plant Operations for Wastewater Facilities, Vol. II, Part C. An Instructor's Guide for Use of Instructional Material in Wastewater Technology Training Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoakes, K. C.; And Others

This instructor's guide, designed for use with the curriculum, Plant Operations for Wastewater Facilities, represents a two-year wastewater technology instructional program based on performance objectives designed to prepare undergraduate students to enter occupations in water and wastewater treatment plant operations and maintenance. This…

VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL FACILITIES PROJECT. PROGRESS REPORT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CONRAD, M.J.; VALENTINE, I.E.

IN THE FIRST PHASE OF A PROJECT FOR DEVELOPING PLANNING GUIDES FOR VOCATIONAL FACILITIES, THE OVERALL DIRECTION OF A SERIES OF PLANNING GUIDES IS BEING DETERMINED. IN THE SECOND PHASE AT LEAST ONE PLANNING MANUAL WILL BE DEVELOPED TO SERVE AS A MODEL FOR THE FULL SERIES. A LOCAL WORKING GROUP COMPOSED OF THREE SPECIALISTS FROM THE CENTER FOR…

A search for ejecta nebulae around Wolf-Rayet stars using the SHS Hα survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stock, D. J.; Barlow, M. J.

2010-12-01

Recent large-scale Galactic plane Hα surveys allow a re-examination of the environs of Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars for the presence of a circumstellar nebula. Using the morphologies of WR nebulae known to be composed of stellar ejecta as a guide, we constructed ejecta nebula criteria similar to those of Chu and searched for likely WR ejecta nebulae in the Southern Hα Survey (SHS). A new WR ejecta nebula around WR 8 is found and its morphology is discussed. The fraction of WR stars with ejecta-type nebulae is roughly consistent between the Milky Way (MW) and Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) at around 5-6 per cent, with the MW sample dominated by nitrogen-rich WR central stars (WN type) and the LMC stars having a higher proportion of carbon-rich WR central stars (WC type). We compare our results with those of previous surveys, including those of Marston and Miller & Chu, and find broad consistency. We investigate several trends in the sample: most of the clear examples of ejecta nebulae have WNh central stars, and very few ejecta nebulae have binary central stars. Finally, the possibly unique evolutionary status of the nebula around the binary star WR 71 is explored.

Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) Key Project: the Birth and Death of Planets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stencel, Robert E.; Creech-Eakman, Michelle; Fajardo-Acosta, Sergio; Backman, Dana

1999-01-01

This program was designed to continue to analyze observations of stars thought to be forming protoplanets, using the European Space Agency's Infrared Space Observatory, ISO, as one of NASA Key Projects with ISO. A particular class of Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) discovered stars, known after the prototype, Vega, are principal targets for these observations aimed at examining the evidence for processes involved in forming, or failing to form, planetary systems around other stars. In addition, this program continued to provide partial support for related science in the WIRE, SOFIA and Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) projects, plus approved ISO supplementary time observations under programs MCREE1 29 and VEGADMAP. Their goals include time dependent changes in SWS spectra of Long Period Variable stars and PHOT P32 mapping experiments of recognized protoplanetary disk candidate stars.

Performance and function of a high-speed multiple star topology image management system at Mayo Clinic Scottsdale.

PubMed

Pavlicek, W; Zavalkovskiy, B; Eversman, W G

1999-05-01

Mayo Clinic Scottsdale (MCS) is a busy outpatient facility (150,000 examinations per year) connected via asynchronous transfer mode (ATM; OC-3 155 MB/s) to a new Mayo Clinic Hospital (178 beds) located more than 12 miles distant. A primary care facility staffed by radiology lies roughly halfway between the hospital and clinic connected to both. Installed at each of the three locations is a high-speed star topology image network providing direct fiber connection (160 MB/s) from the local image storage unit (ISU) to the local radiology and clinical workstations. The clinic has 22 workstations in its star, the hospital has 13, and the primary care practice has two. In response to Mayo's request for a seamless service among the three locations, the vendor (GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, WI) provided enhanced connectivity capability in a two-step process. First, a transfer gateway (TGW) was installed, tested, and implemented to provide the needed communication of the examinations generated at the three sites. Any examinations generated at either the hospital or the primary care facility (specified as the remote stars) automatically transfer their images to the ISU at the clinic. Permanent storage (Kodak optical jukebox, Rochester, NY) is only connected to the hub (Clinic) star. Thus, the hub ISU is provided with a copy of all examinations, while the two remote ISUs maintain local exams. Prefetching from the archive is intelligently accomplished during the off hours only to the hub star, thus providing the remote stars with network dependent access to comparison images. Image transfer is possible via remote log-on. The second step was the installation of an image transfer server (ITS) to replace the slower Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM)-based TGW, and a central higher performance database to replace the multiple database environment. This topology provides an enterprise view of the images at the three locations, while maintaining the high-speed performance of the local star connection to what is now called the short-term storage (STS). Performance was measured and 25 chest examinations (17 MB each) transferred in just over 4 minutes. Integration of the radiology information management system (RIMS) was modified to provide location-specific report and examination interfaces, thereby allowing local filtering of the worklist to remote and near real-time consultation, and remote examination monitoring of modalities are addressed with this technologic approach. The installation of the single database ITS environment has occurred for testing prior to implementation.

Comparison Study II: Double Star Measurements Made Using an Equatorial Mounted Refractor and an Alt-Az Mounted Reflector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frey, Thomas G.; Coombs, Lee C.

2012-07-01

Eight double stars with separations between 13 and 48 arc seconds were studied. Their separations and position angles were measured using an equatorial mounted refractor and and alt-az mounted reflector. A 2x Barlow lens was used along with a Celestron Micro Guide eyepiece to magnify the separation. Comparison of the possible effect of magnitude difference on the separation and position angle measurements was investigated.

User's guide for vectorized code EQUIL for calculating equilibrium chemistry on Control Data STAR-100 computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kumar, A.; Graves, R. A., Jr.; Weilmuenster, K. J.

1980-01-01

A vectorized code, EQUIL, was developed for calculating the equilibrium chemistry of a reacting gas mixture on the Control Data STAR-100 computer. The code provides species mole fractions, mass fractions, and thermodynamic and transport properties of the mixture for given temperature, pressure, and elemental mass fractions. The code is set up for the electrons H, He, C, O, N system of elements. In all, 24 chemical species are included.

Mesospheric sodium structure variability on horizontal scales relevant to laser guide star asterisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfrommer, Thomas; Hickson, Paul

2012-07-01

Adaptive optics (AO) systems of modern telescopes use laser guide stars, produced by resonant excitation of sodium atoms in the mesosphere at around 92 km. Wavefront sensor subapertures, if sufficiently far away from the primary mirror center, resolve the internal structure of the sodium layer. The variability of this structure is caused by the influence of gravity waves and wind shear turbulence. The relevance of such dynamics to AO has been investigated over the past four years. A high-resolution lidar system, employed at the 6-m liquid mirror telescope, which is located near Vancouver, Canada, has been used to study mesospheric dynamics, such as the temporal behavior of the mean altitude. The main results from this study have been published elsewhere and will be summarized here. Along with the temporal variability, the mean altitude on horizontal scales of order IOs of meters has been studied by introducing a tip/tilt stage in the experimental setup. This enables us to swap the laser pulse within a 1 arcmin field of view. The horizontal mean altitude structure function has been measured on 10 observing nights between July and August 2011. Results reveal severe structural differences and a strong horizontal anisotropy. Individual laser beacons in a laser guide star asterism will therefore have at the same time significantly different focus heights. By propagating this 2d structure function to the entrance pupil of a 39 m telescope, we derive a differential focus wavefront error map.

Pegasus XL GALEX

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-03-13

In the Multi-Payload Processing Facility, the Pegasus XL launch vehicle is in position for mating of the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite. The GALEX, set to launch April 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, will carry into space an orbiting telescope that will observe a million galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history to help astronomers determine when the stars and elements we see today had their origins. The spacecraft will sweep the skies for 28 months using state-of-the-art ultraviolet detectors to single out galaxies dominated by young, hot, short-lived stars that give off a great deal of energy at that wavelength. These galaxies are actively creating stars, and therefore provide a window into the history and causes of star formation in galaxies.

KSC-03pd0738

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-03-13

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Multi-Payload Processing Facility, NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer is prepared for mating with the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The GALEX, set to launch April 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, will carry into space an orbiting telescope that will observe a million galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history to help astronomers determine when the stars and elements we see today had their origins. The spacecraft will sweep the skies for 28 months using state-of-the-art ultraviolet detectors to single out galaxies dominated by young, hot, short-lived stars that give off a great deal of energy at that wavelength. These galaxies are actively creating stars, and therefore provide a window into the history and causes of star formation in galaxies.

KSC-03pd0737

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-03-13

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- -- In the Multi-Payload Processing Facility, NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer is prepared for mating with the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The GALEX, set to launch April 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, will carry into space an orbiting telescope that will observe a million galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history to help astronomers determine when the stars and elements we see today had their origins. The spacecraft will sweep the skies for 28 months using state-of-the-art ultraviolet detectors to single out galaxies dominated by young, hot, short-lived stars that give off a great deal of energy at that wavelength. These galaxies are actively creating stars, and therefore provide a window into the history and causes of star formation in galaxies.

KSC-03pd0741

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-03-13

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Multi-Payload Processing Facility, NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer is prepared for mating with the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The GALEX, set to launch April 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, will carry into space an orbiting telescope that will observe a million galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history to help astronomers determine when the stars and elements we see today had their origins. The spacecraft will sweep the skies for 28 months using state-of-the-art ultraviolet detectors to single out galaxies dominated by young, hot, short-lived stars that give off a great deal of energy at that wavelength. These galaxies are actively creating stars, and therefore provide a window into the history and causes of star formation in galaxies.

Pegasus XL GALEX

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-03-13

In the Multi-Payload Processing Facility, the Pegasus XL launch vehicle waits for mating of the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite. The GALEX, set to launch April 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, will carry into space an orbiting telescope that will observe a million galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history to help astronomers determine when the stars and elements we see today had their origins. The spacecraft will sweep the skies for 28 months using state-of-the-art ultraviolet detectors to single out galaxies dominated by young, hot, short-lived stars that give off a great deal of energy at that wavelength. These galaxies are actively creating stars, and therefore provide a window into the history and causes of star formation in galaxies.

KSC-03pd0736

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-03-13

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- -- In the Multi-Payload Processing Facility, NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer is prepared for mating with the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The GALEX, set to launch April 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, will carry into space an orbiting telescope that will observe a million galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history to help astronomers determine when the stars and elements we see today had their origins. The spacecraft will sweep the skies for 28 months using state-of-the-art ultraviolet detectors to single out galaxies dominated by young, hot, short-lived stars that give off a great deal of energy at that wavelength. These galaxies are actively creating stars, and therefore provide a window into the history and causes of star formation in galaxies.

KSC-03pd0742

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-03-13

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Multi-Payload Processing Facility, NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer is prepared for mating with the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The GALEX, set to launch April 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, will carry into space an orbiting telescope that will observe a million galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history to help astronomers determine when the stars and elements we see today had their origins. The spacecraft will sweep the skies for 28 months using state-of-the-art ultraviolet detectors to single out galaxies dominated by young, hot, short-lived stars that give off a great deal of energy at that wavelength. These galaxies are actively creating stars, and therefore provide a window into the history and causes of star formation in galaxies.

KSC-03pd0739

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-03-13

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Multi-Payload Processing Facility, NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer is prepared for mating with the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The GALEX, set to launch April 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, will carry into space an orbiting telescope that will observe a million galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history to help astronomers determine when the stars and elements we see today had their origins. The spacecraft will sweep the skies for 28 months using state-of-the-art ultraviolet detectors to single out galaxies dominated by young, hot, short-lived stars that give off a great deal of energy at that wavelength. These galaxies are actively creating stars, and therefore provide a window into the history and causes of star formation in galaxies.

KSC-03pd0740

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-03-13

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Multi-Payload Processing Facility, NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer is prepared for mating with the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The GALEX, set to launch April 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, will carry into space an orbiting telescope that will observe a million galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history to help astronomers determine when the stars and elements we see today had their origins. The spacecraft will sweep the skies for 28 months using state-of-the-art ultraviolet detectors to single out galaxies dominated by young, hot, short-lived stars that give off a great deal of energy at that wavelength. These galaxies are actively creating stars, and therefore provide a window into the history and causes of star formation in galaxies.

New method for the rapid extraction of natural products: efficient isolation of shikimic acid from star anise.

PubMed

Just, Jeremy; Deans, Bianca J; Olivier, Wesley J; Paull, Brett; Bissember, Alex C; Smith, Jason A

2015-05-15

A new, practical, rapid, and high-yielding process for the pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) of multigram quantities of shikimic acid from star anise (Illicium verum) using an unmodified household espresso machine has been developed. This operationally simple and inexpensive method enables the efficient and straightforward isolation of shikimic acid and the facile preparation of a range of its synthetic derivatives.

Interferometry of chemically peculiar stars: theoretical predictions versus modern observing facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shulyak, D.; Paladini, C.; Causi, G. Li; Perraut, K.; Kochukhov, O.

2014-09-01

By means of numerical experiments we explore the application of interferometry to the detection and characterization of abundance spots in chemically peculiar (CP) stars using the brightest star ε UMa as a case study. We find that the best spectral regions to search for spots and stellar rotation signatures are in the visual domain. The spots can clearly be detected already at a first visibility lobe and their signatures can be uniquely disentangled from that of rotation. The spots and rotation signatures can also be detected in near-infrared at low spectral resolution but baselines longer than 180 m are needed for all potential CP candidates. According to our simulations, an instrument like VEGA (or its successor e.g. Fibered and spectrally Resolved Interferometric Equipment New Design) should be able to detect, in the visual, the effect of spots and spots+rotation, provided that the instrument is able to measure V2 ≈ 10-3, and/or closure phase. In infrared, an instrument like AMBER but with longer baselines than the ones available so far would be able to measure rotation and spots. Our study provides necessary details about strategies of spot detections and the requirements for modern and planned interferometric facilities essential for CP star research.

GALACSI integration and functional tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Penna, P.; Ströbele, S.; Aller Carpentier, E.; Argomedo, J.; Arsenault, R.; Conzelmann, R. D.; Delabre, B.; Donaldson, R.; Duchateau, M.; Fedrigo, E.; Gago, F.; Hubin, N.; Quentin, J.; Jolley, P.; Kiekebusch, M.; Kirchbauer, J. P.; Klein, B.; Kolb, J.; Kuntschner, H.; Le Louarn, M.; Lizon, J. L.; Madec, P.-.; Manescau, A.; Mehrgan, L.; Sedghi, B.; Suarez Valles, M.; Soenke, C.; Tordo, S.; Vernet, J.; Zampieri, S.

2014-07-01

GALACSI is the Adaptive Optics (AO) modules of the ESO Adaptive Optics Facility (AOF) that will correct the wavefront delivered to the MUSE Integral Field Spectrograph. It will sense with four 40×40 subapertures Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors the AOF 4 Laser Guide Stars (LGS), acting on the 1170 voice-coils actuators of the Deformable Secondary Mirror (DSM). GALACSI has two operating modes: in Wide Field Mode (WFM), with the four LGS at 64" off axis, the collected energy in a 0.2"×0.2" pixel will be enhanced by a factor 2 at 750 nm over a Field of View (FoV) of 1'×1' using the Ground Layer AO (GLAO) technique. The other mode, the Narrow Field Mode (NFM), provides an enhanced wavefront correction (Strehl Ratio (SR) of 5% (goal 10%) at 650 nm) but in a smaller FoV (7.5"×7.5"), using Laser Tomography AO (LTAO), with the 4 LGS located closer, at 10" off axis. Before being shipped to Paranal, GALACSI will be first integrated and fully tested in stand-alone, and then moved to a dedicated AOF facility to be tested with the DSM in Europe. At present the module is fully assembled, its main functionalities have been implemented and verified, and AO system tests with the DSM are starting. We present here the main system features and the results of the internal functional tests of GALACSI.

A Guide for Developing Standard Operating Job Procedures for the Activated Sludge - Aeration & Sedimentation Process Wastewater Treatment Facility. SOJP No. 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, George J.

This guide for developing standard operating job procedures for wastewater treatment facilities is devoted to the activated sludge aeration and sedimentation process. This process is for conversion of nonsettleable and nonfloatable materials in wastewater to settleable, floculated biological groups and separation of the settleable solids from the…

A Guide for Planning Facilities for Occupational Preparation Programs in Data Processing. Interim Report. Research 25.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McIntosh, William A.

This guide lists a series of pivotal questions about the educational program to be offered, and the answers to these questions bear directly on the numbers and kinds of instructional areas needed in the contemplated facilities. Much of the material is presented in a checklist format which allows for consideration of alternatives in facility…

How School Facilities Managers and Business Officials Are Reducing Operating Costs and Saving Money. Energy-Smart Building Choices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

This guide addresses contributions that school facility administrators and business officials can make in an effort to reduce operating costs and free up money for capital improvements. The guide explores opportunities available to utilize energy-saving strategies at any stage in a building's life, from its initial design phase through renovation.…

A Guide for Planning Facilities for Occupational Preparation Programs in the Machine Trades. Interim Report. Research 24.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Milton E.

This guide is designed for use by any person or groups of persons responsible for planning occupational programs in the machine trades. Its major purpose is to elicit the necessary information for the writing of educational specifications for facilities to house needed vocational programs in machine tool operation, machine shop, and tool and die…

DUF6 Conversion Facility EISs

Science.gov Websites

Conversion EIS Documents News FAQs Internet Resources Glossary Home » Conversion Facility EISs EIS Logo Guide | DU Uses | DUF6 Management | DUF6 Conversion Facility EISs | Documents News | FAQs | Internet

The Stellar Cusp in the Galactic Center: Three-Dimensional Orbits of Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chappell, Samantha; Ghez, Andrea M.; Boehle, Anna; Yelda, Sylvana; Sitarski, Breann; Witzel, Gunther; Do, Tuan; Lu, Jessica R.; Morris, Mark; Becklin, Eric E.

2015-01-01

We present new findings from our long term study of the nuclear star cluster around the Galaxy's central supermassive blackhole (SMBH). Measurements where made using speckle and laser guided adaptive optics imaging and integral field spectroscopy on the Keck telescopes. We report 13 new measurable accelerating sources around the SMBH, down to ~17 mag in K band, only 4 of which are known to be young stars, the rest are either known to be old stars or have yet to be spectral typed. Thus we more than double the number of measured accelerations for the known old stars and unknown spectral type population (increasing the number from 6 to 15). Previous observations suggest a flat density profile of late-type stars, contrary to the theorized Bahcall-Wolf cusp (Bahcall & Wolf 1976, 1977; Buchholz et al. 2009; Do et al. 2009; Bartko et al. 2010). With three-dimensional orbits of significantly accelerating sources, we will be able to better characterize the stellar cusp in the Galactic center, including the slope of the stellar density profile.

High Resolution Active Optics Observations from the Kepler Follow-up Observation Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gautier, Thomas N.; Ciardi, D. R.; Marcy, G. W.; Hirsch, L.

2014-01-01

The ground based follow-up observation program for candidate exoplanets discovered with the Kepler observatory has supported a major effort for high resolution imaging of candidate host stars using adaptive optics wave-front correction (AO), speckle imaging and lucky imaging. These images allow examination of the sky as close as a few tenths of an arcsecond from the host stars to detect background objects that might be the source of the Kepler transit signal instead of the host star. This poster reports on the imaging done with AO cameras on the Keck, Palomar 5m and Shane 3m (Lick Observatory) which have been used to obtain high resolution images of over 500 Kepler Object of Interest (KOI) exoplanet candidate host stars. All observations were made at near infrared wavelengths in the J, H and K bands, mostly using the host target star as the AO guide star. Details of the sensitivity to background objects actually attained by these observations and the number of background objects discovered are presented. Implications to the false positive rate of the Kepler candidates are discussed.

Fixed-head star tracker attitude updates on the Hubble Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nadelman, Matthew S.; Karl, Jeffrey B.; Hallock, Lou

1994-01-01

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was launched in April 1990 to begin observing celestial space to the edge of the universe. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) standard fixed-head star trackers (FHST's) are used operationally onboard the HST to regularly adjust ('update') the spacecraft attitude before the acquisition of guide stars for science observations. During the first 3 months of the mission, the FHST's updated the spacecraft attitude successfully only 85 percent of the time. During the other periods, the trackers were unable to find the selected stars -- either they failed to find any star, or worse, they selected incorrect stars and produced erroneous attitude updates. In July 1990, the HST project office at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) requested that Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) form an investigative 'tiger' team to examine these FHST update failures. This paper discusses the work of the FHST tiger team, describes the investigations that led the team to identify the sources of the errors, and defines the solutions that were subsequently developed, which ultimately increased the success rate of FHST updates to approximately 98 percent.

Space-Based Observations of Satellites From the MOST Microsatellite

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-01

error estimate for these observations. To perform differential photometry, reference magnitudes for the background stars are needed. The Hubble Guide ...22 6.3 External Calibration References ..................................................................... 23 6.4 Post...32 10. References

Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph 2005: Overview of Technology Development and System Design Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ford, Virginia G.

2005-01-01

Technology research, design trades, and modeling and analysis guide the definition of a Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph Mission that will search for and characterize earth-like planets around near-by stars. Operating in visible wavebands, this mission will use coronagraphy techniques to suppress starlight to enable capturing and imaging the reflected light from a planet orbiting in the habitable zone of its parent star. The light will be spectrally characterized to determine the presence of life-indicating chemistry in the planet atmosphere.

The Black Hole Masses and Star Formation Rates of z>1 Dust Obscured Galaxies: Results from Keck OSIRIS Integral Field Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melbourne, J.; Peng, Chien Y.; Soifer, B. T.; Urrutia, Tanya; Desai, Vandana; Armus, L.; Bussmann, R. S.; Dey, Arjun; Matthews, K.

2011-04-01

We have obtained high spatial resolution Keck OSIRIS integral field spectroscopy of four z ~ 1.5 ultra-luminous infrared galaxies that exhibit broad Hα emission lines indicative of strong active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity. The observations were made with the Keck laser guide star adaptive optics system giving a spatial resolution of 0farcs1 or <1 kpc at these redshifts. These high spatial resolution observations help to spatially separate the extended narrow-line regions—possibly powered by star formation—from the nuclear regions, which may be powered by both star formation and AGN activity. There is no evidence for extended, rotating gas disks in these four galaxies. Assuming dust correction factors as high as A(Hα) = 4.8 mag, the observations suggest lower limits on the black hole masses of (1-9) × 108 M sun and star formation rates <100 M sun yr-1. The black hole masses and star formation rates of the sample galaxies appear low in comparison to other high-z galaxies with similar host luminosities. We explore possible explanations for these observations, including host galaxy fading, black hole growth, and the shut down of star formation.

Exo-geneology: Stellar Abundances in Solar-like Stars with Planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teske, Johanna; SDSS-IV APOGEE-2

2018-01-01

Through the process of star and planet formation, we think that the chemical abundances, or ``genes’’, of host stars are passed on to their orbiting planets. One prominent example of this is the giant planet-metallicity (iron abundance) correlation, but could other stellar ``genes’’ help explain the growing menagerie of exoplanets? Particularly interesting is the relative importance of C, O, Mg, and Si – for instance, are giant planet cores dominated by ice-forming or rock-forming elements? The ratios of these elements in terrestrial planets also control their interior structure and mineralogy, and can thus affect their similarity (or not) to Earth. In this talk I will discuss how high resolution spectroscopic studies of host stars have been and are being used to investigate how/to what extent planet properties are dependent on host star properties, focusing on solar-like (FGK) stars. I will also highlight the role that upcoming facilities can play in understanding the diversity of planets in the Galaxy.

Facile preparation of well-defined AB2 Y-shaped miktoarm star polypeptide copolymer via the combination of ring-opening polymerization and click chemistry.

PubMed

Rao, Jingyi; Zhang, Yanfeng; Zhang, Jingyan; Liu, Shiyong

2008-10-01

Well-defined AB2 Y-shaped miktoarm star polypeptide copolymer, PZLL-b-(PBLG)2, was synthesized via a combination of ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of alpha-amino acid N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) and click chemistry, where PZLL is poly(epsilon-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-lysine) and PBLG is poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate). First, two types of primary-amine-containing initiators, N-aminoethyl 3,5-bis(propargyloxyl)-benzamide and 3-azidopropylamine, were synthesized and employed for the ROP of NCA, leading to the formation of dialkynyl-terminated PZLL and azide-terminated PBLG, dialkynyl-PZLL and PBLG-N3, respectively. The subsequent copper(I)-catalyzed cycloaddition reaction between dialkynyl-PZLL and slightly excess PBLG-N3 led to facile preparation of PZLL-b-(PBLG)2 Y-shaped miktoarm star polypeptide copolymer. The excess PBLG-N3 was scavenged off by reacting with alkynyl-functionalized Wang resin. The obtained Y-shaped miktoarm star polypeptide copolymer was characterized by gel permeation chromatograph (GPC), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and (1)H NMR. Moreover, after the hydrolysis of protecting benzyl and benzyloxycarbonyl groups of PZLL-b-(PBLG)2, water-soluble pH-responsive Y-shaped miktoarm star polypeptide copolymer, PLL-b-(PLGA)2, was obtained, where PLL is poly(L-lysine) and PLGA is poly(L-glutamic acid). It can self-assemble into PLGA-core micelles at acidic pH and PLL-core micelles at alkaline pH, accompanied with the coil-to-helix transition of PLGA and PLL sequences, respectively. The spontaneous pH-responsive supramolecular assembly of PLL-b-(PLGA)2 miktoarm star polypeptide copolymer has been investigated via a combination of (1)H NMR, laser light scattering (LLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy.

Unlocking_Secrets_of_Neutron_Stars_with_NICER

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-05-25

Though we know neutron stars are small and extremely dense, there are still many aspects of these remnants of explosive deaths of other stars that we have yet to understand. NICER, a facility to be mounted on the outside of the International Space Station, seeks to find the answers to some of the questions still being asked about neutron stars. By capturing the arrival time and energy of the x-ray photons produced by pulsars emitted by neutron stars, NICER seeks answer decades-old questions about extreme forms of matter and energy. Data from NICER will also be used in Sextant, an on-board demonstration of pulsar-based navigation. Learn more about: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/1966.html and keep up with all the science being conducted aboard your orbiting laboratory by visiting: https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science/ISS Research Overview on nasa.gov http://www.twitter.com/ISS_Research on Twitter.

DIANA - A deep underground accelerator for nuclear astrophysics experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Winklehner, Daniel; Leitner, Daniela; Lemut, Alberto

DIANA (Dakota Ion Accelerator for Nuclear Astrophysics) is a proposed facility designed to be operated deep underground. The DIANA collaboration includes nuclear astrophysics groups from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Michigan State University, Western Michigan University, Colorado School of Mines, and the University of North Carolina, and is led by the University of Notre Dame. The scientific goals of the facility are measurements of low energy nuclear cross-sections associated with sun and pre-supernova stars in a laboratory setup at energies that are close to those in stars. Because of the low stellar temperatures associated with these environments, and the high Coulombmore » barrier, the reaction cross-sections are extremely low. Therefore these measurements are hampered by small signal to background ratios. By going underground the background due to cosmic rays can be reduced by several orders of magnitude. We report on the design status of the DIANA facility with focus on the 3 MV electrostatic accelerator.« less

First stars and reionization: Spinstars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiappini, C.

2013-06-01

Soon after the Big Bang, the appearance of the first stellar generations (hereafter, first stars) drastically changed the course of the history of the Universe by enriching the primordial gas with elements heavier than helium (referred to as metals) through both stellar winds and supernova explosions. High-resolution hydrodynamical simulations of the formation of the first stars suggest these objects to have formed in dark matter mini-halos, and to have played a key role in the formation of the first galaxies. Today these stars are (most likely) long dead, and even though next generation facilities will push the observational frontier to extremely high redshifts, with the aim of discovering the first galaxies, the first stars will still lie beyond reach. Thus, the only way to constrain our theoretical understanding of the formation of the first stars is to search for their imprints left in the oldest, still surviving, stars in our own backyard: the Milky Way and its satellites. Which imprints are we looking for, and where can we find them? We address these questions in the present review.

Department of Energy Technology Readiness Assessments - Process Guide and Training Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-12

Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant ( WTP ) Analytical Laboratory, Low Activity Waste (LAW) Facility and Balance of Facilities (3 TRAs... WTP High-Level Waste (HLW) Facility – WTP Pre-Treatment (PT) Facility – Hanford River Protection Project Low Activity Waste Treatment Alternatives

Physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the Boise River from Veterans Memorial Parkway, Boise to Star, Idaho, October 1987 to March 1988

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frenzel, S.A.

1988-01-01

Physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the Boise River were examined from October 1987 to March 1988 to determine whether trace elements in effluents from two Boise wastewater treatment facilities were detrimental to aquatic communities. Cadmium, chromium, hexavalent chromium, cyanide, lead, nickel, and silver concentrations in the Boise River were less than or near analytical detection levels and were less than chronic toxicity criteria when detectable. Arsenic, copper, and zinc were detected in concentrations less than chronic toxicity criteria. Concentrations of trace elements in bottom material generally were small and could not be attributed to effluents from wastewater treatment facilities. From October to December 1987, mean density of benthic invertebrates colonizing artificial substrates was from 6,100 individuals/substrate downstream from the West Boise wastewater treatment facility to 14,000 individuals per substrate downstream from the Lander Street wastewater treatment facility. From January to March 1988 , mean density of benthic invertebrates colonizing artificial substrates was from 7,100 individuals per substrate downstream from the West Boise facility to 10,000 individuals per substrate near Star. Insect communities upstream and downstream from the wastewater treatment facilities were strongly associated, and coeffients of community loss indicated that effluents had benign enriching effects. Distribution of mayflies indicates that trace-element concentrations in effluents did not adversely affect intolerant organisms in the Boise River. Condition factor of whitefish was significantly increased downstream from the Lander Street wastewater treatment facility and was significantly decreased downstream from the West Boise wastewater treatment facility.

GUIDE TO SEPTAGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL

EPA Science Inventory

This guide presents information on the handling, treatment, and disposal of septage in a format easily used by administrators of waste management programs, septage haulers, and managers or operators of septage handling facilities. The guide does not provide detailed engineering d...

Mechanic watches a General Electric I-40 Engine Fire

NASA Image and Video Library

1948-01-21

A mechanic watches the firing of a General Electric I-40 turbojet at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory. The military selected General Electric’s West Lynn facility in 1941 to secretly replicate the centrifugal turbojet engine designed by British engineer Frank Whittle. General Electric’s first attempt, the I-A, was fraught with problems. The design was improved somewhat with the subsequent I-16 engine. It was not until the engine's next reincarnation as the I-40 in 1943 that General Electric’s efforts paid off. The 4000-pound thrust I-40 was incorporated into the Lockheed Shooting Star airframe and successfully flown in June 1944. The Shooting Star became the US’s first successful jet aircraft and the first US aircraft to reach 500 miles per hour. NACA Lewis studied all of General Electric’s centrifugal turbojet models during the 1940s. In 1945 the entire Shooting Star aircraft was investigated in the Altitude Wind Tunnel. Engine compressor performance and augmentation by water injection; comparison of different fuel blends in a single combustor; and air-cooled rotors were studied. The mechanic in this photograph watches the firing of a full-scale I-40 in the Jet Propulsion Static Laboratory. The facility was quickly built in 1943 specifically in order to test the early General Electric turbojets. The I-A was secretly analyzed in the facility during the fall of 1943.

MAPPING THE CLUMPY STRUCTURES WITHIN SUBMILLIMETER GALAXIES USING LASER-GUIDE STAR ADAPTIVE OPTICS SPECTROSCOPY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Menendez-Delmestre, Karin; Goncalves, Thiago S.; Blain, Andrew W.

2013-04-20

We present the first integral-field spectroscopic observations of high-redshift submillimeter-selected galaxies (SMGs) using Laser-Guide Star Adaptive Optics. We target H{alpha} emission of three SMGs at redshifts z {approx} 1.4-2.4 with the OH-Suppressing Infrared Imaging Spectrograph on Keck. The spatially resolved spectroscopy of these galaxies reveals unresolved broad-H{alpha} line regions (FWHM >1000 km s{sup -1}) likely associated with an active galactic nucleus (AGN) and regions of diffuse star formation traced by narrow-line H{alpha} emission (FWHM {approx}< 500 km s{sup -1}) dominated by multiple H{alpha}-bright stellar clumps, each contributing 1%-30% of the total clump-integrated H{alpha} emission. We find that these SMGs hostmore » high star formation rate surface densities, similar to local extreme sources, such as circumnuclear starbursts and luminous infrared galaxies. However, in contrast to these local environments, SMGs appear to be undergoing such intense activity on significantly larger spatial scales as revealed by extended H{alpha} emission over 4-16 kpc. H{alpha} kinematics show no evidence of ordered global motion as would be found in a disk, but rather large velocity offsets ({approx}few Multiplication-Sign 100 km s{sup -1}) between the distinct stellar clumps. Together with the asymmetric distribution of the stellar clumps around the AGN in these objects, it is unlikely that we are unveiling a clumpy disk structure as has been suggested in other high-redshift populations of star-forming galaxies. The SMG clumps in this sample may correspond to remnants of originally independent gas-rich systems that are in the process of merging, hence triggering the ultraluminous SMG phase.« less

Assistance Dogs: Historic Patterns and Roles of Dogs Placed by ADI or IGDF Accredited Facilities and by Non-Accredited U.S. Facilities

PubMed Central

Walther, Sandra; Yamamoto, Mariko; Thigpen, Abigail Paige; Garcia, Anaissa; Willits, Neil H.; Hart, Lynette A.

2017-01-01

Dogs’ roles to support people with disabilities are increasing. Existing U.S. laws and regulations pertaining to the use of dogs for people with disabilities are only minimally enforced. Pushback legislation against some aspects of uses of assistance dogs currently is being passed or proposed in several states. Further, the U.S. Department of the Army and the Veterans’ Administration support only dogs trained by an Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) accredited facility. Lacking a mandatory national process for screening the selection, training, and placement of assistance dogs with persons who have disabilities, the U.S. offers a creative but confusing opportunity for people to train their own dogs for any disability. While no U.S. surveillance system monitors assistance dogs, other countries generally have a legislated or regulatory process for approving assistance dogs or a cultural convention for obtaining dogs from accredited facilities. We conducted an online survey investigating current demographics of assistance dogs placed in 2013 and 2014 with persons who have disabilities, by facilities worldwide that are associated with ADI or IGDF and by some non-accredited U.S. facilities. Placement data from ADI and IGDF facilities revealed that in most countries aside from the U.S., guide dogs were by far the main type of assistance dog placed. In the U.S., there were about equal numbers of mobility and guide dogs placed, including many placed by large older facilities, along with smaller numbers of other types of assistance dogs. In non-accredited U.S. facilities, psychiatric dogs accounted for most placements. Dogs for families with an autistic child were increasing in all regions around the world. Of dog breeds placed, accredited facilities usually mentioned Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers, and sometimes, German Shepherd Dogs. The facilities bred their dogs in-house, or acquired them from certain breeders. Non-accredited facilities more often used dogs from shelters or assisted people in training their own dogs. Facilities in Europe and the U.S. place dogs in all roles; other parts of the world primarily focus on guide dogs. Expansion of assistance dogs in many roles is continuing, with numbers of dogs placed accelerating internationally. PMID:28154816

Assistance Dogs: Historic Patterns and Roles of Dogs Placed by ADI or IGDF Accredited Facilities and by Non-Accredited U.S. Facilities.

PubMed

Walther, Sandra; Yamamoto, Mariko; Thigpen, Abigail Paige; Garcia, Anaissa; Willits, Neil H; Hart, Lynette A

2017-01-01

Dogs' roles to support people with disabilities are increasing. Existing U.S. laws and regulations pertaining to the use of dogs for people with disabilities are only minimally enforced. Pushback legislation against some aspects of uses of assistance dogs currently is being passed or proposed in several states. Further, the U.S. Department of the Army and the Veterans' Administration support only dogs trained by an Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) accredited facility. Lacking a mandatory national process for screening the selection, training, and placement of assistance dogs with persons who have disabilities, the U.S. offers a creative but confusing opportunity for people to train their own dogs for any disability. While no U.S. surveillance system monitors assistance dogs, other countries generally have a legislated or regulatory process for approving assistance dogs or a cultural convention for obtaining dogs from accredited facilities. We conducted an online survey investigating current demographics of assistance dogs placed in 2013 and 2014 with persons who have disabilities, by facilities worldwide that are associated with ADI or IGDF and by some non-accredited U.S. facilities. Placement data from ADI and IGDF facilities revealed that in most countries aside from the U.S., guide dogs were by far the main type of assistance dog placed. In the U.S., there were about equal numbers of mobility and guide dogs placed, including many placed by large older facilities, along with smaller numbers of other types of assistance dogs. In non-accredited U.S. facilities, psychiatric dogs accounted for most placements. Dogs for families with an autistic child were increasing in all regions around the world. Of dog breeds placed, accredited facilities usually mentioned Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers, and sometimes, German Shepherd Dogs. The facilities bred their dogs in-house, or acquired them from certain breeders. Non-accredited facilities more often used dogs from shelters or assisted people in training their own dogs. Facilities in Europe and the U.S. place dogs in all roles; other parts of the world primarily focus on guide dogs. Expansion of assistance dogs in many roles is continuing, with numbers of dogs placed accelerating internationally.

Acceptance of Dog Guides and Daily Stress Levels of Dog Guide Users and Nonusers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matsunaka, Kumiko; Koda, Naoko

2008-01-01

The degree of acceptance of dog guides at public facilities, which is required by law in Japan, was investigated, and evidence of rejection was found. Japanese people with visual impairments who used dog guides reported higher daily stress levels than did those who did not use dog guides. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)

From Cool to Hot F-stars: The Influence of Two Ionization Regions in the Acoustic Oscillations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brito, Ana; Lopes, Ilídio

2018-02-01

The high-precision data available from the Kepler satellite allows us to study the complex outer convective envelopes of solar-type stars. We use a seismic diagnostic, specialized for investigating the outer layers of solar-type stars, to infer the impact of the ionization processes on the oscillation spectrum, for a sample of Kepler stars. These stars, of spectral type F, cover all of the observational seismic domain of the acoustic oscillation spectrum in solar-type stars. They also cover the range between a cool F-dwarf (∼6000 K) and a hotter F-star (∼6400 K). Our study reveals the existence of two relevant ionization regions. One of these regions, which is located closer to the surface of the star, is commonly associated with the second ionization of helium, although other chemical species also contribute to ionization. The second region, located deeper in the envelope, is linked with the ionization of heavy elements. Specifically, in this study, we analyze the elements carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, neon, and iron. Both regions can be related to the K electronic shell. We show that, while for cooler stars like the Sun, the influence of this second region on the oscillation frequencies is small; in hotter stars, its influence becomes comparable to the influence of the region of the second ionization of helium. This can guide us in the study of the outer layers of F-stars, specifically with the understanding of phenomena related to rotation and magnetic activity in these stars.

KAPAO first light: the design, construction and operation of a low-cost natural guide star adaptive optics system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Severson, Scott A.; Choi, Philip I.; Badham, Katherine E.; Bolger, Dalton; Contreras, Daniel S.; Gilbreth, Blaine N.; Guerrero, Christian; Littleton, Erik; Long, Joseph; McGonigle, Lorcan P.; Morrison, William A.; Ortega, Fernando; Rudy, Alex R.; Wong, Jonathan R.; Spjut, Erik; Baranec, Christoph; Riddle, Reed

2014-07-01

We present the instrument design and first light observations of KAPAO, a natural guide star adaptive optics (AO) system for the Pomona College Table Mountain Observatory (TMO) 1-meter telescope. The KAPAO system has dual science channels with visible and near-infrared cameras, a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor, and a commercially available 140-actuator MEMS deformable mirror. The pupil relays are two pairs of custom off-axis parabolas and the control system is based on a version of the Robo-AO control software. The AO system and telescope are remotely operable, and KAPAO is designed to share the Cassegrain focus with the existing TMO polarimeter. We discuss the extensive integration of undergraduate students in the program including the multiple senior theses/capstones and summer assistantships amongst our partner institutions. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0960343.

An adaptive optics package designed for astronomical use with a laser guide star tuned to an absorption line of atomic sodium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salmon, J.T.; Avicola, K.; Brase, J.M.

1994-04-11

We present the design and implementation of a very compact adaptive optic system that senses the return light from a sodium guide-star and controls a deformable mirror and a pointing mirror to compensate atmospheric perturbations in the wavefront. The deformable mirror has 19 electrostrictive actuators and triangular subapertures. The wavefront sensor is a Hartmann sensor with lenslets on triangular centers. The high-bandwidth steering mirror assembly incorporates an analog controller that samples the tilt with an avalanche photodiode quad cell. An {line_integral}/25 imaging leg focuses the light into a science camera that can either obtain long-exposure images or speckle data. Inmore » laboratory tests overall Strehl ratios were improved by a factor of 3 when a mylar sheet was used as an aberrator. The crossover frequency at unity gain is 30 Hz.« less

A conceptual scheme for cophasing across gaps in segmented pupils with a laser guide star Fizeau interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuthill, Peter

2016-08-01

Finding and maintaining an accurate cophasing solution for the large primary mirrors which comprise the coming generation of Extremely Large Telescopes has required a significant technological development effort that is still ongoing. Mirrors based on an assembly of a few large segments, such as the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT - under construction) and the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT - operational) face a particular challenge: elements must be cophased across a gaps ranging from tens of centimeters to meters. Although it is widely believed that laser guide stars are not useful for this specific application, this paper advances a new concept that challenges this orthodoxy. By projecting a Fizeau interference pattern into the sky, and analyzing the form of the backscattered image, it is shown that at least in principle it is possible to cophase across arbitrary gaps.

Research on the compensation of laser launch optics to improve the performance of the LGS spot.

PubMed

Liu, Jie; Wang, Jianli; Wang, Yuning; Tian, Donghe; Zheng, Quan; Lin, Xudong; Wang, Liang; Yang, Qingyun

2018-02-01

To improve the beam quality of the uplink laser, a 37 channel piezo-ceramic deformable mirror was inserted into the laser launch optics to compensate the static aberrations. An interferometer was used as the calibration light source as well as the wavefront sensor to perform closed-loop correction for the moment. About 0.38λ root mean square (rms) aberrations, including the deformable mirror's initial figure error, were compensated, and the residual error was less than 0.07λ rms. Field observations with a 2 m optical telescope demonstrated that the peak intensity value of the laser guide star (LGS) spot increased from 5650 to 7658, and the full width at half-maximum (FWHM) size reduced from 4.07 arcseconds to 3.52 arcseconds. With the compensation, an improved guide star spot can be obtained, which is crucial for the adaptive optics systems of ground-based large telescopes.

Maintenance Staffing Guidelines For Educational Facilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

APPA: Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers, Alexandria, VA.

The purpose of this publication is to provide a resource or guide for educational facilities in establishing or developing a maintenance trades organization that is sufficient to accomplish basic facilities maintenance functions. The guidelines are intended to suggest staffing levels for those routine facilities maintenance activities that are…

Stick with a School Maintenance Plan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Mike

2012-01-01

The U.S. Department of Education's "Planning Guide for Maintaining School Facilities" states that a sound facilities maintenance plan serves as evidence that school facilities are, and will be, cared for appropriately. On the other hand, negligent facilities maintenance planning can cause real problems. Budget restraints and cuts in…

77 FR 823 - Guidance for Fuel Cycle Facility Change Processes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-06

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2009-0262] Guidance for Fuel Cycle Facility Change Processes... Fuel Cycle Facility Change Processes.'' This regulatory guide describes the types of changes for which fuel cycle facility licensees should seek prior approval from the NRC and discusses how licensees can...

An Astrophysical Laboratory: Understanding and Exploiting the Young Massive Cluster Westerlund 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, S.; Negueruela, I.; Ritchie, B.; Najarro, P.; Langer, N.; Crowther, P.; Bartlett, L.; Fenech, D.; González-Fernández, C.; Goodwin, S.; Lohr, M.; Prinja, R.

2015-03-01

Westerlund 1 provides a unique opportunity to probe the physics of massive stars, from birth to death and beyond, as well as the formation and evolution of a super star cluster that appears destined to evolve into a globular cluster. We highlight the result of current studies of this cluster, its diverse stellar constituents and immediate environment, concluding with a summary of future research avenues enabled by ESO facilities.

KSC-2009-1479

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside Inside the Hazardous Processing Facility at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is being moved to another stand for fueling. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently planned for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Tim Jacobs

KSC-2009-1653

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-16

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Hazardous Processing Facility at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., workers position the Kepler spacecraft onto a Delta II third stage. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2009-1478

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Hazardous Processing Facility at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is being moved to another stand for fueling. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently planned for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Tim Jacobs

KSC-2009-1480

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Hazardous Processing Facility at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is lowered onto a stand for fueling. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently planned for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Tim Jacobs

KSC-2009-1615

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Hazardous Processing Facility at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., workers check the Kepler spacecraft as it is lifted for weighing. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Photometric and Spectroscopic Analysis of CP Stars Under Indo-Russian Collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, S.; Semenko, E.; Moiseeva, A.; Joshi, G. C.; Joshi, Y. C.; Sachkov, M.

2015-04-01

The Indo-Russian collaboration is a joint venture between the astronomers of India (ARIES) and Russia (SAO and INASAN) to develop scientific and technical interactions by making use of observational facilities. Here we present the results obtained after the “Magnetic Conference” that was held in the Special Astrophysical Observatory, Russia in 2010. The analysis of time-series photometric CCD observations of HD 98851 shows a pulsation period of 1fh55, which is consistent with the period reported previously. We have also found a signature of short-term periodic variability in HD 207561. The analysis of high-resolution spectroscopic and spectropolarimetric observations of the sample stars revealed characteristics similar to Am stars, hence the excitation of the low-overtone pulsations are expected in these stars.

Multiplicity At Early Stages Of Star Formation, Small Clusters. Observations Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Masao

2017-07-01

The SOLA (Soul of Lupus with ALMA) project is conducting comprehensive studies of the Lupus Molecular Clouds and their star formation processes covering 10-10^4 AU scale. Our goal is to exploit ALMA and other facilities over a wide wavelength range to establish a prototypical low-mass star forming scenario based on the Lupus region. In the presentation, we will focus on angular momentum in dense cores in a filament, molecular outflows from young stars, and Class 0/I binary survey in Lupus as well as overview of our projects. Our binary survey was conducted in ALMA cycle 2 and achieved at 0.2-0.3 arcsec resolution discovering new binary systems in Lupus. At the same time, we obtained EX Lup, EXor type burst source, data in ALMA Cycle 3.

Multiplicity at Early Stages of Star Formation, Small Clusters. Observations Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Masao

2017-06-01

The SOLA (Soul of Lupus with ALMA) project is conducting comprehensive studies of the Lupus Molecular Clouds and their star formation processes covering 10-10^4 AU scale. Our goal is to exploit ALMA and other facilities over a wide wavelength range to establish a prototypical low-mass star forming scenario based on the Lupus region. In the presentation, we will focus on angular momentum in dense cores in a filament, molecular outflows from young stars, and Class 0/I binary survey in Lupus as well as overview of our projects. Our binary survey was conducted in ALMA cycle 2 and achieved at 0.2-0.3 arcsec resolution discovering new binary systems in Lupus. At the same time, we obtained EX Lup, EXor type burst source, data in ALMA Cycle 3.

The abundance of HCN in circumstellar envelopes of AGB stars of different chemical type

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schöier, F. L.; Ramstedt, S.; Olofsson, H.; Lindqvist, M.; Bieging, J. H.; Marvel, K. B.

2013-02-01

Aims: A multi-transition survey of HCN (sub-) millimeter line emission from a large sample of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars of different chemical type is presented. The data are analysed and circumstellar HCN abundances are estimated. The sample stars span a large range of properties such as mass-loss rate and photospheric C/O-ratio. The analysis of the new data allows for more accurate estimates of the circumstellar HCN abundances and puts new constraints on chemical models. Methods: In order to constrain the circumstellar HCN abundance distribution a detailed non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) excitation analysis, based on the Monte Carlo method, is performed. Effects of line overlaps and radiative excitation from dust grains are included. Results: The median values for the derived abundances of HCN (with respect to H2) are 3 × 10-5, 7 × 10-7 and 10-7 for carbon stars (25 stars), S-type AGB stars (19 stars) and M-type AGB stars (25 stars), respectively. The estimated sizes of the HCN envelopes are similar to those obtained in the case of SiO for the same sample of sources and agree well with previous results from interferometric observations, when these are available. Conclusions: We find that there is a clear dependence of the derived circumstellar HCN abundance on the C/O-ratio of the star, in that carbon stars have about two orders of magnitude higher abundances than M-type AGB stars, on average. The derived HCN abundances of the S-type AGB stars have a larger spread and typically fall in between those of the two other types, however, slightly closer to the values for the M-type AGB stars. For the M-type stars, the estimated abundances are much higher than what would be expected if HCN is formed in thermal equilibrium. However, the results are also in contrast to predictions from recent non-LTE chemical models, where very little difference is expected in the HCN abundances between the various types of AGB stars. This publication is based on data acquired with the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) telescope, the IRAM 30 m telescope, the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), the Swedish-ESO Submillimeter Telescope (SEST), and the Onsala 20 m telescope. APEX is a collaboration between the Max-Planck-Institut fur Radioastronomie, the European Southern Observatory (ESO), and the Swedish National Facility for Radio Astronomy, Onsala Space Observatory (OSO). IRAM is supported by INSU/CNRS (France), MPG (Germany) and IGN (Spain). The JCMT is operated by the Joint Astronomy Centre on behalf of the Science and Technology Facilities Council of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, and the National Research Council of Canada. The Onsala 20 m telescope is operated by OSO. The SEST was operated jointly by ESO and OSO.Tables 3, 4, and Appendix A are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Simple Activities for Powerful Impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaConte, K.; Shupla, C. B.; Dusenbery, P.; Harold, J. B.; Holland, A.

2016-12-01

STEM education is having a transformational impact on libraries across the country. The STAR Library Education Network (STAR_Net) provides free Science-Technology Activities & Resources that are helping libraries to engage their communities in STEM learning experiences. Hear the results of a national 2015 survey of library and STEM professionals and learn what STEM programming is currently in place in public libraries and how libraries approach and implement STEM programs. Experience hands-on space science activities that are being used in library programs with multiple age groups. Through these hands-on activities, learners explore the nature of science and employ science and engineering practices, including developing and using models, planning and carrying out investigations, and engaging in argument from evidence (NGSS Lead States, 2013). Learn how STAR_Net can help you print (free!) mini-exhibits and educator guides. Join STAR_Net's online community and access STEM resources and webinars to work with libraries in your local community.

School Nutrition Facility Planning Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pannell, Dorothy VanEgmond

This publication is designed to help superintendents, local facilities coordinators, and food-service directors in planning the remodeling of an outdated food-service facility or the building of a new one. The introduction describes the roles of the local facility coordinator, the local child-nutrition director, the architect, the food-service…

Design and construction of a multiple beam laser projector and dynamically refocused wavefront sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stalcup, Thomas Eugene, Jr.

Adaptive optics using natural guide stars can produce images of amazing quality, but is limited to a small fraction of the sky due to the need for a relatively bright guidestar. Adaptive optics systems using a laser generated artificial reference can be used over a majority of the sky, but these systems have some attendant problems. These problems can be reduced by increasing the altitude of the laser return, and indeed a simple, single laser source focused at an altitude of 95 km on a layer of atmospheric sodium performs well for the current generation of 8--10 m telescopes. For future giant telescopes in the 20--30 m class, however, the errors due to incorrect atmospheric sampling and spot elongation will prohibit such a simple system from working. The system presented in this dissertation provides a solution to these problems. Not only does it provide the 6.5m MMT with a relatively inexpensive laser guide star system with unique capabilities, it allows research into solving many of the problems faced by laser guide star systems on future giant telescopes. The MMT laser guidestar system projects a constellation of five doubled Nd:YAG laser beams focused at a mean height of 25 km, with a dynamic refocus system that corrects for spot elongation and allows integrating the return from a 10 km long range gate. It has produced seeing limited spot sizes in ˜1 arcsecond seeing conditions, and has enabled the first on-sky results of Ground Layer Adaptive Optics (GLAO).

Implementation of 10 CFR 20.1406 Through Life Cycle Planning for Decommissioning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Donnell, E.; Ott, W.R.

2008-01-15

The focus of this paper is on a regulatory guide (draft guide DG-4012) being developed by the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research for the implementation of 10 CFR 20.1406. The draft guide was published in the Federal Register on July 31, 2007 for a 90 day public comment period. Besides being available in the Federal Register, it is also available electronically in NRC's agency data management system (ADAMS). The accession number is ML0712100110. 10 CFR 20.1406 requires license applicants, other than renewals, after August 20, 1997, '..to describe in the application how facility design and procedures for operation will minimize,more » to the extent practicable, contamination of the facility and the environment, facilitate eventual decommissioning, and minimize to the extent practicable, the generation of radioactive waste'. The intent of the regulation is to diminish the occurrence and severity of 'legacy sites' by taking measures that will reduce and control contamination and facilitate eventual decommissioning. 10 CFR 20.1406 is significant because it applies to all new facilities and in the very near future (perhaps as soon as the fall of 2007), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) anticipates receiving one or more license applications for new nuclear power plants. The regulatory guide is intended to facilitate that licensing by providing suggestions of things an applicant can do to minimize contamination of the facility and the environment, minimize generation of waste, and to facilitate decommissioning. Over 100 different kinds of activities are covered by license applications submitted to the NRC. They do not all reflect the same potential for contamination of a facility and the environment, or for the generation of radioactive waste. Therefore, an applicant should use sound judgment to evaluate the potential for contamination and the consequences of such contamination in deciding on the extent to which this guide applies to any given facility or activity. Factors which may enter into this decision include form (e.g., dry solids, liquids, gases), inventory, and environmental mobility of unintended releases. The bulk of the guidance presented in the guide will consist of specific design considerations drawn from nuclear industry experience and lessons learned from decommissioning. These design suggestions provide examples of measures which can be combined to support a contaminant management philosophy for a new facility. The principles embodied in this philosophy are threefold: (1) prevention of unintended release, (2) early detection if there is unintended release of radioactive contamination, and (3) prompt and aggressive clean-up should there be an unintended release of radioactive contamination. If the guiding principles are followed through the use of 'good' engineering and science, as well as careful attention to operational practices, it should result in meeting the requirements of 10 CFR 20.1406. All this should be considered in the context of the life cycle of the facility from the early planning stages through the final plans for decommissioning and waste disposal. Some of the mechanisms which can be employed for life cycle planning are described further in the Discussion section. In summary: The principles of the guide are threefold: prevention, early detection, and prompt response. If these guiding principles are followed through the use of 'good' engineering and science, as well as careful attention to operational practices, it should result in meeting the requirements of 10 CFR 20 In summary, the thrust of this guide is for an applicant to use technically sound engineering judgment and a practical risk-informed approach to achieve the objectives of 10 CFR 20.1406. This approach should consider the materials and processes involved (e.g., solids, liquids, gases) and focus on: (1) the relative significance of potential contamination; (2) areas most susceptible to leaks; and (3) the appropriate level of consideration to prevention and control of contamination that should be incorporated in facility design. Since the applicability of the guidance is a facility-by-facility decision, early consultation with the NRC is strongly suggested.« less

Bringing the Visible Universe into Focus with Robo-AO

PubMed Central

Baranec, Christoph; Riddle, Reed; Law, Nicholas M.; Ramaprakash, A.N.; Tendulkar, Shriharsh P.; Bui, Khanh; Burse, Mahesh P.; Chordia, Pravin; Das, Hillol K.; Davis, Jack T.C.; Dekany, Richard G.; Kasliwal, Mansi M.; Kulkarni, Shrinivas R.; Morton, Timothy D.; Ofek, Eran O.; Punnadi, Sujit

2013-01-01

The angular resolution of ground-based optical telescopes is limited by the degrading effects of the turbulent atmosphere. In the absence of an atmosphere, the angular resolution of a typical telescope is limited only by diffraction, i.e., the wavelength of interest, λ, divided by the size of its primary mirror's aperture, D. For example, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), with a 2.4-m primary mirror, has an angular resolution at visible wavelengths of ~0.04 arc seconds. The atmosphere is composed of air at slightly different temperatures, and therefore different indices of refraction, constantly mixing. Light waves are bent as they pass through the inhomogeneous atmosphere. When a telescope on the ground focuses these light waves, instantaneous images appear fragmented, changing as a function of time. As a result, long-exposure images acquired using ground-based telescopes - even telescopes with four times the diameter of HST - appear blurry and have an angular resolution of roughly 0.5 to 1.5 arc seconds at best. Astronomical adaptive-optics systems compensate for the effects of atmospheric turbulence. First, the shape of the incoming non-planar wave is determined using measurements of a nearby bright star by a wavefront sensor. Next, an element in the optical system, such as a deformable mirror, is commanded to correct the shape of the incoming light wave. Additional corrections are made at a rate sufficient to keep up with the dynamically changing atmosphere through which the telescope looks, ultimately producing diffraction-limited images. The fidelity of the wavefront sensor measurement is based upon how well the incoming light is spatially and temporally sampled1. Finer sampling requires brighter reference objects. While the brightest stars can serve as reference objects for imaging targets from several to tens of arc seconds away in the best conditions, most interesting astronomical targets do not have sufficiently bright stars nearby. One solution is to focus a high-power laser beam in the direction of the astronomical target to create an artificial reference of known shape, also known as a 'laser guide star'. The Robo-AO laser adaptive optics system2,3 employs a 10-W ultraviolet laser focused at a distance of 10 km to generate a laser guide star. Wavefront sensor measurements of the laser guide star drive the adaptive optics correction resulting in diffraction-limited images that have an angular resolution of ~0.1 arc seconds on a 1.5-m telescope. PMID:23426078

Bringing the visible universe into focus with Robo-AO.

PubMed

Baranec, Christoph; Riddle, Reed; Law, Nicholas M; Ramaprakash, A N; Tendulkar, Shriharsh P; Bui, Khanh; Burse, Mahesh P; Chordia, Pravin; Das, Hillol K; Davis, Jack T C; Dekany, Richard G; Kasliwal, Mansi M; Kulkarni, Shrinivas R; Morton, Timothy D; Ofek, Eran O; Punnadi, Sujit

2013-02-12

The angular resolution of ground-based optical telescopes is limited by the degrading effects of the turbulent atmosphere. In the absence of an atmosphere, the angular resolution of a typical telescope is limited only by diffraction, i.e., the wavelength of interest, λ, divided by the size of its primary mirror's aperture, D. For example, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), with a 2.4-m primary mirror, has an angular resolution at visible wavelengths of ~0.04 arc seconds. The atmosphere is composed of air at slightly different temperatures, and therefore different indices of refraction, constantly mixing. Light waves are bent as they pass through the inhomogeneous atmosphere. When a telescope on the ground focuses these light waves, instantaneous images appear fragmented, changing as a function of time. As a result, long-exposure images acquired using ground-based telescopes--even telescopes with four times the diameter of HST--appear blurry and have an angular resolution of roughly 0.5 to 1.5 arc seconds at best. Astronomical adaptive-optics systems compensate for the effects of atmospheric turbulence. First, the shape of the incoming non-planar wave is determined using measurements of a nearby bright star by a wavefront sensor. Next, an element in the optical system, such as a deformable mirror, is commanded to correct the shape of the incoming light wave. Additional corrections are made at a rate sufficient to keep up with the dynamically changing atmosphere through which the telescope looks, ultimately producing diffraction-limited images. The fidelity of the wavefront sensor measurement is based upon how well the incoming light is spatially and temporally sampled. Finer sampling requires brighter reference objects. While the brightest stars can serve as reference objects for imaging targets from several to tens of arc seconds away in the best conditions, most interesting astronomical targets do not have sufficiently bright stars nearby. One solution is to focus a high-power laser beam in the direction of the astronomical target to create an artificial reference of known shape, also known as a 'laser guide star'. The Robo-AO laser adaptive optics system, employs a 10-W ultraviolet laser focused at a distance of 10 km to generate a laser guide star. Wavefront sensor measurements of the laser guide star drive the adaptive optics correction resulting in diffraction-limited images that have an angular resolution of ~0.1 arc seconds on a 1.5-m telescope.

A Guide to the World's Training Facilities in Documentation and Information Work [Prepared by the] Central Institute for Scientific, Technical and Economic Information, Warsaw, Poland. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liebesny, Felix, Ed.; Ostrowska, Krystyna, Ed.

This guide presents up-dated information, on a world-wide basis, on training facilities in documentation and information work. Only data relating to the formal training of documentalists, information workers and special librarians are included, except for those countries in which only short courses or seminars are available. Forty-seven countries…

Strangeon and Strangeon Star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiaoyu, Lai; Renxin, Xu

2017-06-01

The nature of pulsar-like compact stars is essentially a central question of the fundamental strong interaction (explained in quantum chromo-dynamics) at low energy scale, the solution of which still remains a challenge though tremendous efforts have been tried. This kind of compact objects could actually be strange quark stars if strange quark matter in bulk may constitute the true ground state of the strong-interaction matter rather than 56Fe (the so-called Witten’s conjecture). From astrophysical points of view, however, it is proposed that strange cluster matter could be absolutely stable and thus those compact stars could be strange cluster stars in fact. This proposal could be regarded as a general Witten’s conjecture: strange matter in bulk could be absolutely stable, in which quarks are either free (for strange quark matter) or localized (for strange cluster matter). Strange cluster with three-light-flavor symmetry is renamed strangeon, being coined by combining “strange nucleon” for the sake of simplicity. A strangeon star can then be thought as a 3-flavored gigantic nucleus, and strangeons are its constituent as an analogy of nucleons which are the constituent of a normal (micro) nucleus. The observational consequences of strangeon stars show that different manifestations of pulsarlike compact stars could be understood in the regime of strangeon stars, and we are expecting more evidence for strangeon star by advanced facilities (e.g., FAST, SKA, and eXTP).

ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board /ACLASS

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-28

unclassified c. THIS PAGE unclassified Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18  Laboratories – ISO / IEC 17025  Inspection...Bodies – ISO / IEC 17020  RMPs – ISO Guide 34 (Reference Materials)  PT Providers – ISO 17043  Product Certifiers – ISO Guide 65  Government...Programs: DoD ELAP, EPA Energy Star, CPSC Toy Safety, NRC, NIST IPV6, NLLAP, NEFAP  TRAINING Programs  Certification Bodies – ISO / IEC 17021

Soldier Quality of Life (Operational) and Readiness at Contingency Base Camps: Insights From Qualitative Interviews

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-13

camps and Soldier/small unit readiness to guide the development of a quantitative readiness survey . • During structured interviews, 31 Soldiers...camps and Soldier/small unit readiness to guide the development of a quantitative readiness survey . 11UNCLASSIFIED Click to hear quote Methods...We were rock stars.” 60UNCLASSIFIED • These data are driving the selection of attributes for a future quantitative survey of the link between QoL

GMTIFS: the adaptive optics beam steering mirror for the GMT integral-field spectrograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, J.; Bloxham, G.; Boz, R.; Bundy, D.; Espeland, B.; Fordham, B.; Hart, J.; Herrald, N.; Nielsen, J.; Sharp, R.; Vaccarella, A.; Vest, C.; Young, P. J.

2016-07-01

To achieve the high adaptive optics sky coverage necessary to allow the GMT Integral-Field Spectrograph (GMTIFS) to access key scientific targets, the on-instrument adaptive-optics wavefront-sensing (OIWFS) system must patrol the full 180 arcsecond diameter guide field passed to the instrument. The OIWFS uses a diffraction limited guide star as the fundamental pointing reference for the instrument. During an observation the offset between the science target and the guide star will change due to sources such as flexure, differential refraction and non-sidereal tracking rates. GMTIFS uses a beam steering mirror to set the initial offset between science target and guide star and also to correct for changes in offset. In order to reduce image motion from beam steering errors to those comparable to the AO system in the most stringent case, the beam steering mirror is set a requirement of less than 1 milliarcsecond RMS. This corresponds to a dynamic range for both actuators and sensors of better than 1/180,000. The GMTIFS beam steering mirror uses piezo-walk actuators and a combination of eddy current sensors and interferometric sensors to achieve this dynamic range and control. While the sensors are rated for cryogenic operation, the actuators are not. We report on the results of prototype testing of single actuators, with the sensors, on the bench and in a cryogenic environment. Specific failures of the system are explained and suspected reasons for them. A modified test jig is used to investigate the option of heating the actuator and we report the improved results. In addition to individual component testing, we built and tested a complete beam steering mirror assembly. Testing was conducted with a point source microscope, however controlling environmental conditions to less than 1 micron was challenging. The assembly testing investigated acquisition accuracy and if there was any un-sensed hysteresis in the system. Finally we present the revised beam steering mirror design based on the outcomes and lessons learnt from this prototyping.

Conceptual design of initial opacity experiments on the national ignition facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heeter, R.  F.; Bailey, J.  E.; Craxton, R.  S.

Accurate models of X-ray absorption and re-emission in partly stripped ions are necessary to calculate the structure of stars, the performance of hohlraums for inertial confinement fusion and many other systems in high-energy-density plasma physics. Despite theoretical progress, a persistent discrepancy exists with recent experiments at the Sandia Z facility studying iron in conditions characteristic of the solar radiative–convective transition region. The increased iron opacity measured at Z could help resolve a longstanding issue with the standard solar model, but requires a radical departure for opacity theory. To replicate the Z measurements, an opacity experiment has been designed for the National Facility (NIF). The design uses established techniques scaled to NIF. A laser-heated hohlraum will produce X-ray-heated uniform iron plasmas in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) at temperaturesmore » $${\\geqslant}150$$ eV and electron densities$${\\geqslant}7\\times 10^{21}~\\text{cm}^{-3}$$. The iron will be probed using continuum X-rays emitted in a$${\\sim}200$$ ps,$${\\sim}200~\\unicode[STIX]{x03BC}\\text{m}$$diameter source from a 2 mm diameter polystyrene (CH) capsule implosion. In this design,$2/3$$of the NIF beams deliver 500 kJ to the$${\\sim}6$$ mm diameter hohlraum, and the remaining$$1/3$directly drive the CH capsule with 200 kJ. Calculations indicate this capsule backlighter should outshine the iron sample, delivering a point-projection transmission opacity measurement to a time-integrated X-ray spectrometer viewing down the hohlraum axis. Preliminary experiments to develop the backlighter and hohlraum are underway, informing simulated measurements to guide the final design.« less

KSC-2009-2215

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians help guide the cables lifting the GOES-O satellite away from its shipping container. The satellite will be placed on a stand for final testing of the imaging system, instrumentation, communications and power systems. The latest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-O was developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. The GOES-O satellite is targeted to launch April 28 onboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV expendable launch vehicle. Once in orbit, GOES-O will be designated GOES-14, and NASA will provide on-orbit checkout and then transfer operational responsibility to NOAA. GOES-O will be placed in on-orbit storage as a replacement for an older GOES satellite. GOES-O carries an advanced attitude control system using star trackers with spacecraft optical bench Imager and Sounder mountings that provide enhanced instrument pointing performance for improved image navigation and registration to better locate severe storms and other events important to the NOAA National Weather Service. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Simulated Guide Stars: Adapting the Robo-AO Telescope Simulator to UH 88”

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashcraft, Jaren; Baranec, Christoph

2018-01-01

Robo-AO is an autonomous adaptive optics system that is in development for the UH 88” Telescope on the Mauna Kea Observatory. This system is capable of achieving near diffraction limited imaging for astronomical telescopes, and has seen successful deployment and use at the Palomar and Kitt Peak Observatories previously. A key component of this system, the telescope simulator, will be adapted from the Palomar Observatory design to fit the UH 88” Telescope. The telescope simulator will simulate the exit pupil of the UH 88” telescope so that the greater Robo-AO system can be calibrated before observing runs. The system was designed in Code V, and then further improved upon in Zemax for later development. Alternate design forms were explored for the potential of adapting the telescope simulator to the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility, where simulating the exit pupil of the telescope proved to be more problematic. A proposed design composed of solely catalog optics was successfully produced for both telescopes, and they await assembly as time comes to construct the new Robo-AO system.

Early laser operations at the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmer, Gustavo; Lefebvre, Michael; Christou, Julian; Raab, Walfried; Rabien, Sebastian; Ziegleder, Julian; Borelli, José L.; Gässler, Wolfgang

2014-08-01

ARGOS is the GLAO (Ground-Layer Adaptive Optics) Rayleigh-based LGS (Laser Guide Star) facility for the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory (LBTO). It is dedicated for observations with LUCI1 and LUCI2, LBTO's pair of NIR imagers and multi-object spectrographs. The system projects three laser beams from the back of each of the two secondary mirror units, which create two constellations circumscribed on circles of 2 arcmin radius with 120 degree spacing. Each of the six Nd:YAG lasers provides a beam of green (532nm) pulses at a rate of 10kHz with a power of 14W to 18W. We achieved first on-sky propagation on the night of November 5, 2013, and commissioning of the full system will take place during 2014. We present the initial results of laser operations at the observatory, including safety procedures and the required coordination with external agencies (FAA, Space Command, and Military Airspace Manager). We also describe our operational procedures and report on our experiences with aircraft spotters. Future plans for safer and more efficient aircraft monitoring and detection are discussed.

Instrumentation at Paranal Observatory: maintaining the instrument suite of five large telescopes and its interferometer alive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillet, Gordon; Alvarez, José Luis; Beltrán, Juan; Bourget, Pierre; Castillo, Roberto; Diaz, Álvaro; Haddad, Nicolás; Leiva, Alfredo; Mardones, Pedro; O'Neal, Jared; Ribes, Mauricio; Riquelme, Miguel; Robert, Pascal; Rojas, Chester; Valenzuela, Javier

2010-07-01

This presentation provides interesting miscellaneous information regarding the instrumentation activities at Paranal Observatory. It introduces the suite of 23 instruments and auxiliary systems that are under the responsibility of the Paranal Instrumentation group, information on the type of instruments, their usage and downtime statistics. The data is based on comprehensive data recorded in the Paranal Night Log System and the Paranal Problem Reporting System whose principles are explained as well. The work organization of the 15 team members around the high number of instruments is laid out, which includes: - Maintaining older instruments with obsolete components - Receiving new instruments and supporting their integration and commissioning - Contributing to future instruments in their developing phase. The assignments of the Instrumentation staff to the actual instruments as well as auxiliary equipment (Laser Guide Star Facility, Mask Manufacturing Unit, Cloud Observation Tool) are explained with respect to responsibility and scheduling issues. The essential activities regarding hardware & software are presented, as well as the technical and organizational developments within the group towards its present and future challenges.

New developments in instrumentation at the W. M. Keck Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adkins, Sean M.; Armandroff, Taft E.; Fitzgerald, Michael P.; Johnson, James; Larkin, James E.; Lewis, Hilton A.; Martin, Christopher; Matthews, Keith Y.; Prochaska, J. X.; Wizinowich, Peter

2014-07-01

The W. M. Keck Observatory continues to develop new capabilities in support of our science driven strategic plan which emphasizes leadership in key areas of observational astronomy. This leadership is a key component of the scientific productivity of our observing community and depends on our ability to develop new instrumentation, upgrades to existing instrumentation, and upgrades to supporting infrastructure at the observatory. In this paper we describe the as measured performance of projects completed in 2014 and the expected performance of projects currently in the development or construction phases. Projects reaching completion in 2014 include a near-IR tip/tilt sensor for the Keck I adaptive optics system, a new center launch system for the Keck II laser guide star facility, and NIRES, a near-IR Echelle spectrograph for the Keck II telescope. Projects in development include a new seeing limited integral field spectrograph for the visible wavelength range called the Keck Cosmic Web Imager, a deployable tertiary mirror for the Keck I telescope, upgrades to the spectrograph detector and the imager of the OSIRIS instrument, and an upgrade to the telescope control systems on both Keck telescopes.

76 FR 65544 - Standard Format and Content of License Applications for Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facilities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-21

...The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is issuing a revision to regulatory guide (RG) 3.39, ``Standard Format and Content of License Applications for Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facilities.'' This guide endorses the standard format and content for license applications and integrated safety analysis (ISA) summaries described in the current version of NUREG-1718, ``Standard Review Plan for the Review of an Application for a Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Fabrication Facility,'' as a method that the NRC staff finds acceptable for meeting the regulatory requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) part 70, ``Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material'' for mixed oxide fuel fabrication facilities.

SpS5 - II. Stellar and wind parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martins, F.; Bergemann, M.; Bestenlehner, J. M.; Crowther, P. A.; Hamann, W. R.; Najarro, F.; Nieva, M. F.; Przybilla, N.; Freimanis, J.; Hou, W.; Kaper, L.

2015-03-01

The development of infrared observational facilities has revealed a number of massive stars in obscured environments throughout the Milky Way and beyond. The determination of their stellar and wind properties from infrared diagnostics is thus required to take full advantage of the wealth of observations available in the near and mid infrared. However, the task is challenging. This session addressed some of the problems encountered and showed the limitations and successes of infrared studies of massive stars.

Chemical and Kinematical Properties of Blue Straggler Stars and Horizontal Branch Stars in NGC 6397

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovisi, L.; Mucciarelli, A.; Lanzoni, B.; Ferraro, F. R.; Gratton, R.; Dalessandro, E.; Contreras Ramos, R.

2012-08-01

We used three sets of high-resolution spectra acquired with the multifiber facility FLAMES at the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory to investigate the chemical and kinematical properties of a sample of 42 horizontal branch (HB) stars, 18 blue straggler stars (BSSs), and 86 main-sequence (MS) turnoff (TO) and sub-giant branch stars in the nearby globular cluster NGC 6397. We measured rotational velocities and Fe, O, and Mg abundances. All of the unevolved stars in our sample have low rotational velocites (vsin i < 10 km s-1), while the HB stars and BSSs show a broad distribution, with values ranging from 0 to ~70 km s-1. For HB stars with T < 10,500 K there is a clear temperature-oxygen anticorrelation that can be understood if the star position along the HB is mainly determined by the He content. The hottest BSSs and HB stars (with temperatures T > 8200 K and T > 10,500 K, respectively) also show significant deviations in their iron abundance with respect to the cluster metallicity (as traced by the unevolved stars, [Fe/H] = -2.12). While similar chemical patterns have already been observed in other hot HB stars, this is the first evidence ever collected for BSSs. We interpret these abundance anomalies as due to the metal radiative levitation, occurring in stars with shallow or no convective envelopes. Based on FLAMES observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, proposal numbers 073.D-0058, 075.D-0125, and 081.D-0356.

V-TECS Guide for Health Care Assistant.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connell, Shirley

This health care assistant guide addresses the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective learning domains. Thirteen units in the guide cover the following subjects: (1) introducing health care workers and facilities; (2) assisting with examinations; (3) assisting with diagnostic tests; (4) providing health information and performing outreach…

Charter School Facilities: A Resource Guide on Development and Financing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jakubowski, Lara

This manual provides information to help charter schools navigate the facility development process, including worksheets that can be customized to suit a particular school's needs. Sections cover how facility planning fits into business planning for charter schools, review a process for assessing a school's facility needs, and summarize how to…

KSC-2009-1613

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Hazardous Processing Facility at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., workers attach cables from the overhead crane onto the Kepler spacecraft. The crane will lift and weigh the spacecraft. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2009-1610

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Hazardous Processing Facility at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., workers prepare the crane and scale that will be used to weigh the Kepler spacecraft, in the background at right. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2009-1692

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-18

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., another segment of the canister is added to the stack around NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The "canning" provides protection during the spacecraft's transport to the pad. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Pad 17-B. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2009-1645

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-16

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Hazardous Processing Facility at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., the Kepler spacecraft awaits the next step in its processing: mating to a Delta II third stage. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2012-1259

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-03

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In processing facility 1555 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, spacecraft technicians move a Pegasus fairing separation ring toward the workstand for NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). A Pegasus XL rocket is being prepared to launch NuSTAR into space in March. Once processing of the rocket and spacecraft are completed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. NuSTAR, a high-energy x-ray telescope, will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/nustar. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

Mission hazard assessment for STARS Mission 1 (M1) in the Marshall Islands area

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Outka, D.E.; LaFarge, R.A.

1993-07-01

A mission hazard assessment has been performed for the Strategic Target System Mission 1 (known as STARS M1) for hazards due to potential debris impact in the Marshall Islands area. The work was performed at Sandia National Laboratories as a result of discussion with Kwajalein Missile Range (KMR) safety officers. The STARS M1 rocket will be launched from the Kauai Test Facility (KTF), Hawaii, and deliver two payloads to within the viewing range of sensors located on the Kwajalein Atoll. The purpose of this work has been to estimate upper bounds for expected casualty rates and impact probability or themore » Marshall Islands areas which adjoin the STARS M1 instantaneous impact point (IIP) trace. This report documents the methodology and results of the analysis.« less

KSC-03pd0622

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-03-03

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in the Multi-Payload Processing Facility watch as NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer spacecraft is rotated in preparation for mating with the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The GALEX, set to launch April 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, will carry into space an orbiting telescope that will observe a million galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history to help astronomers determine when the stars and elements we see today had their origins. From its orbit high above Earth, the spacecraft will sweep the skies for 28 months using state-of-the-art ultraviolet detectors. Looking in the ultraviolet will single out galaxies dominated by young, hot, short-lived stars that give off a great deal of energy at that wavelength. These galaxies are actively creating stars, and therefore provide a window into the history and causes of star formation in galaxies.

Characterizing K2 Candidate Planetary Systems Orbiting Low-Mass Stars. I. Classifying Low-Mass Host Stars Observed During Campaigns 1-7

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dressing, Courtney D.; Newton, Elisabeth R.; Schlieder, Joshua E.; Charbomeau, David; Krutson, Heather A.; Vanderburg, Andrew; Sinukoff, Evan

2017-01-01

We present near-infrared spectra for 144 candidate planetary systems identified during Campaigns 1-7 of the NASA K2 Mission. The goal of the survey was to characterize planets orbiting low-mass stars, but our Infrared Telescope Facility/SpeX and Palomar/TripleSpec spectroscopic observations revealed that 49% of our targets were actually giant stars or hotter dwarfs reddened by interstellar extinction. For the 72 stars with spectra consistent with classification as cool dwarfs (spectral types K3-M4), we refined their stellar properties by applying empirical relations based on stars with interferometric radius measurements. Although our revised temperatures are generally consistent with those reported in the Ecliptic Plane Input Catalog (EPIC), our revised stellar radii are typically 0.13 solar radius (39%) larger than the EPIC values, which were based on model isochrones that have been shown to underestimate the radii of cool dwarfs. Our improved stellar characterizations will enable more efficient prioritization of K2 targets for follow-up studies.

Cosmic Star Formation - Seen from the Milky Way with AtLAST Short Contributed Talk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kauffmann, Jens

2018-01-01

Herschel and Spitzer provided first truly unbiased overviews of star formation environments in the Milky Way. Today, high–powered instruments like ALMA additionally resolve the immediate birth environments of individual stars in a few selected regions throughout the Galaxy. This progress in the Milky Way is important, because the same facilities also allow us to explore how galaxies evolved over time. Was star formation more efficient in the dense molecular clouds found in starburst galaxies? Why do galaxies often follow star formation relations like those from Kennicutt & Schmidt and Gao & Solomon? A cloud-scale understanding of the star formation processes, that can only be developed in the Milky Way, is necessary to make progress. Unfortunately, ALMA can resolve the detailed substructure only in SELECTED galactic molecular clouds, given mapping with ALMA is very slow. Here I show how surveys of dust continuum and line emission provided by a large and fast single–dish telescope can overcome these critical limitations, e.g. by breaking degeneracies in current theoretical models. My discussion draws on a white papers previously developed for similar telescopes.

Performance of the Satellite Test Assistant Robot in JPL's Space Simulation Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcaffee, Douglas; Long, Mark; Johnson, Ken; Siebes, Georg

1995-01-01

An innovative new telerobotic inspection system called STAR (the Satellite Test Assistant Robot) has been developed to assist engineers as they test new spacecraft designs in simulated space environments. STAR operates inside the ultra-cold, high-vacuum, test chambers and provides engineers seated at a remote Operator Control Station (OCS) with high resolution video and infrared (IR) images of the flight articles under test. STAR was successfully proof tested in JPL's 25-ft (7.6-m) Space Simulation Chamber where temperatures ranged from +85 C to -190 C and vacuum levels reached 5.1 x 10(exp -6) torr. STAR's IR Camera was used to thermally map the entire interior of the chamber for the first time. STAR also made several unexpected and important discoveries about the thermal processes occurring within the chamber. Using a calibrated test fixture arrayed with ten sample spacecraft materials, the IR camera was shown to produce highly accurate surface temperature data. This paper outlines STAR's design and reports on significant results from the thermal vacuum chamber test.

Chemical Evolution and History of Star Formation in the Large Magellanic Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gustafsson, Bengt

1995-07-01

Large scale processes controlling star formation and nucleosynthesis are fundamental but poorly understood. This is especially true for external galaxies. A detailed study of individual main sequence stars in the LMC Bar is proposed. The LMC is close enough to allow this, has considerable spread in stellar ages and a structure permitting identification of stellar populations and their structural features. The Bar presumably plays a dominant role in the chemical and dynamical evolution of the galaxy. Our knowledge is, at best, based on educated guesses. Still, the major population of the Bar is quite old, and many member stars are relatively evolved. The Bar seems to contain stars similar to those of Intermediate to Extreme Pop II in the Galaxy. We want to study the history of star formation, chemical evolution and initial mass function of the population dominating the Bar. We will use field stars close to the turn off point in the HR diagram. From earlier studies, we know that 250-500 such stars are available for uvby photometry in the PC field. We aim at an accuracy of 0.1 -0.2 dex in Me/H and 25% or better in relative ages. This requires an accuracy of about 0.02 mag in the uvby indices, which can be reached, taking into account errors in calibration, flat fielding, guiding and problems due to crowding. For a study of the luminosity function fainter stars will be included as well. Calibration fields are available in Omega Cen and M 67.

22 CFR 121.5 - Apparatus and devices under Category IV(c).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... units, bomb ejectors, torpedo tubes, torpedo and guided missile boosters, guidance systems equipment and..., intervalometers, thermal batteries, hardened missile launching facilities, guided missile launchers and...

22 CFR 121.5 - Apparatus and devices under Category IV(c).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... units, bomb ejectors, torpedo tubes, torpedo and guided missile boosters, guidance systems equipment and..., intervalometers, thermal batteries, hardened missile launching facilities, guided missile launchers and...

22 CFR 121.5 - Apparatus and devices under Category IV(c).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... units, bomb ejectors, torpedo tubes, torpedo and guided missile boosters, guidance systems equipment and..., intervalometers, thermal batteries, hardened missile launching facilities, guided missile launchers and...

Federal guide for a radiological response: Supporting the Nuclear Regulatory Commission during the initial hours of a serious accident

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hogan, R.T.

1993-11-01

This document is a planning guide for those Federal agencies that work with the Nuclear Regulatory commission (NRC) during the initial hours of response to a serious radiological emergency in which the NRC is the Lead Federal Agency (LFA). These Federal agencies are: DOE, EPA, USDA, HHS, NOAA, and FEMA. This guide is intended to help these agencies prepare for a prompt response. Instructions are provided on receiving the initial notification, the type of person to send to the scene, the facility at which people are needed, how to get them to that facility, and what they should do whenmore » they arrive. Federal agencies not specifically mentioned in this guide may also be asked to support the NRC.« less

75 FR 28073 - Draft Regulatory Guide: Issuance, Availability

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-19

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2010-0181] Draft Regulatory Guide: Issuance, Availability AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice of Issuance and Availability of Draft Regulatory Guide, DG-3039, ``Standard Format and Content for Emergency Plans for Fuel Cycle and Materials Facilities.'' FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin M....

76 FR 24539 - Final Regulatory Guide: Issuance, Availability

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-02

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2010-0181] Final Regulatory Guide: Issuance, Availability AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice of Issuance and Availability of Regulatory Guide (RG) 3.67, ``Standard Format and Content for Emergency Plans for Fuel Cycle and Materials Facilities.'' FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin M. Ramse...

Planning Guide for Secondary School Music Facilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wenger Corp., Owatonna, MN.

This planning guide focuses on the fundamental requirements for planning and designing school music suites. The guide provides brief explanations of critical factors affecting music suites so that music directors and other stakeholders can more quickly and clearly communicate music area fundamentals to architects and administrators. Topics cover…

Laser-only Adaptive Optics Achieves Significant Image Quality Gains Compared to Seeing-limited Observations over the Entire Sky

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, Ward S.; Law, Nicholas M.; Ziegler, Carl A.; Baranec, Christoph; Riddle, Reed

2018-02-01

Adaptive optics laser guide-star systems perform atmospheric correction of stellar wavefronts in two parts: stellar tip-tilt and high-spatial-order laser correction. The requirement of a sufficiently bright guide star in the field-of-view to correct tip-tilt limits sky coverage. In this paper, we show an improvement to effective seeing without the need for nearby bright stars, enabling full sky coverage by performing only laser-assisted wavefront correction. We used Robo-AO, the first robotic AO system, to comprehensively demonstrate this laser-only correction. We analyze observations from four years of efficient robotic operation covering 15000 targets and 42000 observations, each realizing different seeing conditions. Using an autoguider (or a post-processing software equivalent) and the laser to improve effective seeing independent of the brightness of a target, Robo-AO observations show a 39% ± 19% improvement to effective FWHM, without any tip-tilt correction. We also demonstrate that 50% encircled energy performance without tip-tilt correction remains comparable to diffraction-limited, standard Robo-AO performance. Faint-target science programs primarily limited by 50% encircled energy (e.g., those employing integral field spectrographs placed behind the AO system) may see significant benefits to sky coverage from employing laser-only AO.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-10-31

The Shooting Star Experiment (SSE) is designed to develop and demonstrate the technology required to focus the sun's energy and use the energy for inexpensive space Propulsion Research. Pictured is an engineering model (Pathfinder III) of the Shooting Star Experiment (SSE). This model was used to test and characterize the motion and deformation of the structure caused by thermal effects. In this photograph, alignment targets are being placed on the engineering model so that a theodolite (alignment telescope) could be used to accurately measure the deformation and deflections of the engineering model under extreme conditions, such as the coldness of deep space and the hotness of the sun as well as vacuum. This thermal vacuum test was performed at the X-Ray Calibration Facility because of the size of the test article and the capabilities of the facility to simulate in-orbit conditions

Washington Camp-A New Site for TSU Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wade, Montanez A.

1997-02-01

The astronomy research program at Tennessee State University began in the Center of Excellence in Information Systems in 1988 with a grant from Marshall Space Flight Center. The initial research was to expand the investigation of Dr. D. S. Hall of Vanderbilt University on the behavior of chromospherically active (CA) stars utilizing automatic photometric telescopes (APT's)located in the southern Arizonan desert at the Smithsonian Institution's Mt. Hopkins Facility (Fred Whipple Observatory). The APT's were and are operated by Fairborn Observatory, a non-profit organization. Over the years the TSU program significantly expanded and by 1996 CASS astronomers managed four APT's at the Mt. Hopkins site: Fairborn 10-in, SAO/TSU 30- in, the Vanderbilt/TSU 16-in, and the TSU/SAO 32-in. In addition to CA star research, the program now includes observation of solar duplicates to better understand the Sun-climate connection, investigation of magnetic activity in cool stars, and verification of the existence of extra-solar planets. Observing schemes are programmed in Nashville and data are retrieved from the Arizona site via the Internet. With CASS funding TSU has under construction a 2-m automatic spectroscopic telescope (AST) and a 24-in automatic imaging telescope (AIT). Anticipating this expansion, Fairborn Observatory located a 40 acre site in Washington Camp, AZ to build its own expanded facility. This paper will present a brief history of the TSU astrophysics program including a cursory description of the research areas, the instrumentation utilized in data acquisition, and a description of the facilities.

NICER Packaging for SpaceX CRS-11

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-04-06

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians prepare the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer, or NICER, payload for final packaging. NICER will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo carrier on the company’s 11th commercial resupply services mission to the space station. NICER will study neutron stars through soft X-ray timing. NICER will enable rotation-resolved spectroscopy of the thermal and non-thermal emissions of neutron stars in the soft X-ray band with unprecedented sensitivity, probing interior structure, the origins of dynamic phenomena and the mechanisms that underlie the most powerful cosmic particle accelerators known.

NICER Packaging for SpaceX CRS-11

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-04-06

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer, or NICER, payload is secured on a special test stand. NICER will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo carrier on the company’s 11th commercial resupply services mission to the space station. NICER will study neutron stars through soft X-ray timing. NICER will enable rotation-resolved spectroscopy of the thermal and non-thermal emissions of neutron stars in the soft X-ray band with unprecedented sensitivity, probing interior structure, the origins of dynamic phenomena and the mechanisms that underlie the most powerful cosmic particle accelerators known.

NICER Packaging for SpaceX CRS-11

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-04-06

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a technician prepares the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer, or NICER, payload for final packaging. NICER will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo carrier on the company’s 11th commercial resupply services mission to the space station. NICER will study neutron stars through soft X-ray timing. NICER will enable rotation-resolved spectroscopy of the thermal and non-thermal emissions of neutron stars in the soft X-ray band with unprecedented sensitivity, probing interior structure, the origins of dynamic phenomena and the mechanisms that underlie the most powerful cosmic particle accelerators known.

NICER Packaging for SpaceX CRS-11

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-04-06

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer, or NICER, payload is being prepared for final packaging. NICER will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo carrier on the company’s 11th commercial resupply services mission to the space station. NICER will study neutron stars through soft X-ray timing. NICER will enable rotation-resolved spectroscopy of the thermal and non-thermal emissions of neutron stars in the soft X-ray band with unprecedented sensitivity, probing interior structure, the origins of dynamic phenomena and the mechanisms that underlie the most powerful cosmic particle accelerators known.

NICER Transfer (for SpaceX CRS-11)

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-04-12

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer, or NICER, payload is secured inside a protective container. NICER will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo carrier on the company’s 11th commercial resupply services mission to the space station. NICER will study neutron stars through soft X-ray timing. NICER will enable rotation-resolved spectroscopy of the thermal and non-thermal emissions of neutron stars in the soft X-ray band with unprecedented sensitivity, probing interior structure, the origins of dynamic phenomena and the mechanisms that underlie the most powerful cosmic particle accelerators known.

Advanced application flight experiments precision attitude determination system. Volume 2: System tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The performance capability of each of two precision attitude determination systems (PADS), one using a strapdown star tracker, and the other using a single-axis gimbal star tracker was measured in the laboratory under simulated orbit conditions. The primary focus of the evaluation was on the contribution to the total system accuracy by the star trackers, and the effectiveness of the software algorithms in functioning with actual sensor signals. A brief description of PADS, the laboratory test configuration and the test facility, is given along with a discussion of the data handling and display, laboratory computer programs, PADS performance evaluation programs, and the strapdown and gimbal system tests. Results are presented and discussed.

Nanofibers-based nanoweb promise superhydrophobic polyaniline: from star-shaped to leaf-shaped structures.

PubMed

Fan, Haosen; Wang, Hao; Guo, Jing; Zhao, Ning; Xu, Jian

2013-11-01

Star-shaped and leaf-shaped polyaniline (PANI) hierarchical structures with interlaced nanofibers on the surface were successfully prepared by chemical polymerization of aniline in the presence of lithium triflate (LT). Chemical structure and composition of the star-like PANI obtained were characterized by FTIR and UV-vis spectra. PANI 2D architectures can be tailored from star-shaped to leaf-shaped structures by change the concentration of LT. The synthesized star-like and leaf-like polyaniline show good superhydrophobicity with water contact angles of both above 150° due to the combination of the rough nanoweb structure and the low surface tension of fluorinated chain of dopant. This method is a facile and applicable strategy for a large-scale fabrication of 2D PANI micro/nanostructures. Many potential applications such as self-cleaning and antifouling coating can be expected based on the superhydrophobic PANI micro/nanostructures. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Availability of Advanced Breast Imaging at Screening Facilities Serving Vulnerable Populations.

PubMed

Lee, Christoph I; Bogart, Andy; Germino, Jessica C; Goldman, L Elizabeth; Hubbard, Rebecca A; Haas, Jennifer S; Hill, Deirdre A; Tosteson, Anna Na; Alford-Teaster, Jennifer A; DeMartini, Wendy B; Lehman, Constance D; Onega, Tracy L

2016-03-01

Among vulnerable women, unequal access to advanced breast imaging modalities beyond screening mammography may lead to delays in cancer diagnosis and unfavourable outcomes. We aimed to compare on-site availability of advanced breast imaging services (ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], and image-guided biopsy) between imaging facilities serving vulnerable patient populations and those serving non-vulnerable populations. 73 imaging facilities across five Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium regional registries in the United States during 2011 and 2012. We examined facility and patient characteristics across a large, national sample of imaging facilities and patients served. We characterized facilities as serving vulnerable populations based on the proportion of mammograms performed on women with lower educational attainment, lower median income, racial/ethnic minority status, and rural residence.We performed multivariable logistic regression to determine relative risks of on-site availability of advanced imaging at facilities serving vulnerable women versus facilities serving non-vulnerable women. Facilities serving vulnerable populations were as likely (Relative risk [RR] for MRI = 0.71, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.42, 1.19; RR for MRI-guided biopsy = 1.07 [0.61, 1.90]; RR for stereotactic biopsy = 1.18 [0.75, 1.85]) or more likely (RR for ultrasound = 1.38 [95% CI 1.09, 1.74]; RR for ultrasound-guided biopsy = 1.67 [1.30, 2.14]) to offer advanced breast imaging services as those serving non-vulnerable populations. Advanced breast imaging services are physically available on-site for vulnerable women in the United States, but it is unknown whether factors such as insurance coverage or out-of-pocket costs might limit their use. © The Author(s) 2015.

Availability of Advanced Breast Imaging at Screening Facilities Serving Vulnerable Populations

PubMed Central

Lee, Christoph I.; Bogart, Andy; Germino, Jessica C.; Goldman, L. Elizabeth; Hubbard, Rebecca A.; Haas, Jennifer S.; Hill, Deirdre A.; Tosteson, Anna N.A.; Alford-Teaster, Jennifer A.; DeMartini, Wendy B.; Lehman, Constance D.; Onega, Tracy L.

2015-01-01

Objective Among vulnerable women, unequal access to advanced breast imaging modalities beyond screening mammography may lead to delays in cancer diagnosis and unfavorable outcomes. We aimed to compare on-site availability of advanced breast imaging services (ultrasound (US), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and image-guided biopsy) between imaging facilities serving vulnerable patient populations and those serving non-vulnerable populations. Setting 73 United States imaging facilities across five Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium regional registries during calendar years 2011–2012. Methods We examined facility and patient characteristics across a large, national sample of imaging facilities and patients served. We characterized facilities as serving vulnerable populations based on the proportion of mammograms performed on women with lower educational attainment, lower median income, racial/ethnic minority status, and rural residence. We performed multivariable logistic regression to determine relative risks of on-site availability of advanced imaging at facilities serving vulnerable women versus facilities serving non-vulnerable women. Results Facilities serving vulnerable populations were as likely (RR for MRI = 0.71 [95% CI 0.42, 1.19]; RR for MRI-guided biopsy = 1.07 [0.61, 1.90]; RR for stereotactic biopsy = 1.18 [0.75, 1.85]) or more likely (RR for US = 1.38 [95% CI 1.09, 1.74]; RR for US-guided biopsy = 1.67 [1.30, 2.14]) to offer advanced breast imaging services as those serving non-vulnerable populations. Conclusions Advanced breast imaging services are physically available on-site for vulnerable women in the United States, but it is unknown whether factors such as insurance coverage or out-of-pocket costs might limit their use. PMID:26078275

Young stellar population and star formation history ofW4 HII region/Cluster Complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panwar, Neelam

2018-04-01

The HII region/cluster complex has been a subject of numerous investigations to study the feedback effect of massive stars on their surroundings. Massive stars not only alter the morphology of the parental molecular clouds, but also influence star formation, circumstellar disks and the mass function of low-mass stars in their vicinity. However, most of the studies of low-mass stellar content of the HII regions are limited only to the nearby regions. We study the star formation in the W4 HII region using deep optical observations obtained with the archival data from Canada - France - Hawaii Telescope, Two-Micron All Sky Survey, Spitzer, Herschel and Chandra. We investigate the spatial distribution of young stellar objects in the region, their association with the remnant molecular clouds, and search for the clustering to establish the sites of recent star formation. Our analysis suggests that the influence of massive stars on circumstellar disks is significant only to thei! r immediate neighborhood. The spatial correlation of the young stars with the distribution of gas and dust of the complex indicate that the clusters would have formed in a large filamentary cloud. The observing facilities at the 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT), providing high-resolution spectral and imaging capabilities, will fulfill the major objectives in the study of HII regions.

Status of downstream fish passage at hydroelectric projects in the northeast, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Odeh, Mufeed; Orvis, Curtis

1997-01-01

In the northeastern United States several guidance, protection, and conveyance methods have been employed to assist downstream migrating fish. Overlay racks, standard bar racks with close spacing, louvers, curtain walls, guide walls, netting, and other means have been used to guide and protect fish from entrainment. The design process of these facilities comprises consideration of various factors, including flow approach, attraction flow, guidance and protection devices, bypass location, conveyance mechanism, and plunge pool conditions. This paper presents the status of the design criteria for downstream fish passage facilities at hydroelectric sites in the northeast part of the United States. Examples of existing facilities are given.

Swimming Pools. Managing School Facilities, Guide 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department for Education and Employment, London (England). Architects and Building Branch.

This guide for schools with swimming pools offers advice concerning appropriate training for pool managers, the importance of water quality and testing, safety in the handling of chemicals, maintenance and cleaning requirements, pool security, and health concerns. The guide covers both indoor and outdoor pools, explains some technical terms,…

Instructional Guide for Vocational Welding. V & TECC Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg. Div. of Vocational-Technical Education.

This trade and industrial curriculum guide for welding is designed for vocational welding programs that provide 960 hours of instruction. The introductory section provides a statement of welding philosophy, objectives, block time schedule, and recommended facilities and equipment. Following the introductory section, ten blocks of instruction are…

Instructional Guide for Air Conditioning and Refrigeration. V & TECC Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duenk, Lester G.; And Others

This trade and industrial curriculum guide is intended for use in vocational programs that prepare students to enter the air conditioning/refrigeration field. The introductory section provides a statement of philosophy, objectives, block time schedule, and recommended facilities and equipment. Following the introductory section, eighteen blocks of…

Nutrition and Food Science. Teacher's Instructional Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hays, Tricia

This teaching, guide for a high school nutrition and food science course, includes introductory information about the course, course design, facilities and equipment, Future Homemakers of America, and use of the guide. The course addresses nutrition and food science from the perspective of food habits and wellness; menu planning; special dietary…

Family and Career Management. Teacher's Instructional Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathieson, Mary

This instructional guide for a one-half credit course for grades 11-12 emphasizes preparation for family and career roles, effective management, and personal and career effectiveness. Introductory materials are a course description; overview of course design; facilities, equipment, and resources; and how to use the instructional guide. Texas…

Cryptosporidium: Prevention - Immunocompromised Persons

MedlinePlus

... Facilities, & Nursing Homes Dialysis A Guide to Water Filters A Guide to Commercially-Bottled Water and Other ... water, or filtering your water with certain home filters. Processed carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles ...

Guide for Industrial Waste Management

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The purpose of the Guide is to provide facility managers, state and tribal regulators, and the interested public with recommendations and tools to better address the management of land-disposed, non-hazardousindustrial wastes.

Catalog of Uncommon Facilities in Western Colleges and Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viehland, Dennis, Comp.

A list of rare, and often unique, facilities in the western part of the United States is presented that is designed to serve as a resource for researchers. The list of facilities is a guide to what uncommon equipment, centers or institutes, and collections are available at western higher education facilities and what provisions exist for sharing…

Stellar Populations in the Central 0.5 pc of the Galaxy. I. A New Method for Constructing Luminosity Functions and Surface-density Profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Do, T.; Lu, J. R.; Ghez, A. M.; Morris, M. R.; Yelda, S.; Martinez, G. D.; Wright, S. A.; Matthews, K.

2013-02-01

We present new high angular resolution near-infrared spectroscopic observations of the nuclear star cluster surrounding the Milky Way's central supermassive black hole. Using the integral-field spectrograph OSIRIS on Keck II behind the laser-guide-star adaptive optics system, this spectroscopic survey enables us to separate early-type (young, 4-6 Myr) and late-type (old, >1 Gyr) stars with a completeness of 50% down to K' = 15.5 mag, which corresponds to ~10 M ⊙ for the early-type stars. This work increases the radial extent of reported OSIRIS/Keck measurements by more than a factor of three from 4'' to 14'' (0.16 to 0.56 pc), along the projected disk of young stars. For our analysis, we implement a new method of completeness correction using a combination of star-planting simulations and Bayesian inference. We assign probabilities for the spectral type of every source detected in deep imaging down to K' = 15.5 mag using information from spectra, simulations, number counts, and the distribution of stars. The inferred radial surface-density profiles, Σ(R)vpropR -Γ, for the young stars and late-type giants are consistent with earlier results (Γearly = 0.93 ± 0.09, Γlate = 0.16 ± 0.07). The late-type surface-density profile is approximately flat out to the edge of the survey. While the late-type stellar luminosity function is consistent with the Galactic bulge, the completeness-corrected luminosity function of the early-type stars has significantly more young stars at faint magnitudes compared with previous surveys with similar depth. This luminosity function indicates that the corresponding mass function of the young stars is likely less top-heavy than that inferred from previous surveys.

In search of Nemesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, S.; Culler, T.; Muller, R. A.; Tetreault, M.; Perlmutter, S.

1994-01-01

The parallax of all stars of visual magnitude greater than about 6.5 has already been measured. If Nemesis is a main-sequence star 1 parsec away, this requires Nemesis's mass to be less than about 0.4 solar masses. If it were less than about 0.05 solar masses its gravity would be too weak to trigger a comet storm. If Nemesis is on the main sequence, this mass range requires it to be a red dwarf. A red dwarf companion would probably have been missed by standard astronomical surveys. Nearby stars are usually found because they are bright or have high proper motion. However, Nemesis's proper motion would now be 0.01 arcsec/yr, and if it is a red dwarf its magnitude is about 10 - too dim to attract attention. Unfortunately, standard four-color photometry does not distinguish between red dwarfs and giants. So although surveys such as the Dearborn Red Star Catalog list stars by magnitude and spectral type, they do not identify the dwarfs. Every star of the correct spectral type and magnitude must be scrutinized. Our candidate list is a hybrid; candidate red stars are identified in the astrometrically poor Dearborn Red Star Catalog and their positions are corrected using the Hubble Guide Star Catalog. When errors in the Dearborn catalog make it impossible to identify the corresponding Hubble star, the fields are split so that we have one centering on each possible candidate. We are currently scrutinizing 3098 fields, which we believe contain all possible red dwarf candidates in the northern hemisphere. Since our last report the analysis and database software has been completely rebuilt to take advantage of updated hardware, to make the data more accessible, and to implement improved methods of data analysis. The software is now completed and we are eliminating stars every clear night.

Hubble Space Telescope Reduced-Gyro Control Law Design, Implementation, and On-Orbit Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clapp, Brian R.; Ramsey, Patrick R.; Wirzburger, John H.; Smith, Daniel C.; VanArsadall, John C.

2008-01-01

Following gyro failures in April 2001 and April 2003, HST Pointing Control System engineers designed reduced-gyro control laws to extend the spacecraft science mission. The Two-Gyro Science (TGS) and One-Gyro Science (OGS) control laws were designed and implemented using magnetometers, star trackers, and Fine Guidance Sensors in succession to control vehicle rate about the missing gyro axes. Both TGS and OGS have demonstrated on-orbit pointing stability of 7 milli-arcseconds or less, which depends upon the guide star magnitude used by the Fine Guidance Sensor. This paper describes the design, implementation, and on-orbit performance of the TGS and OGS control law fine-pointing modes using Fixed Head Star Trackers and Fine Guidance Sensors, after successfully achieving coarse-pointing control using magnetometers.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: A Finding List of Faint UV-Bright Stars (Lanning+, 1998)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanning, H. H.

1997-02-01

The Sandage two-color photographic survey was originally made in support of the UHURU x-ray satellite in order to identify those optical counterparts of the detected x-ray sources found in the galactic plane. During inspection of the plates, however, many UV-bright objects fainter than 10th magnitude were seen in the general field. A larger image in the U filter suggested the possibility of a bluer object as in the case of low-luminosity stars, white dwarfs, novae, CVs, normal early B stars, etc. As these are interesting in themselves, it was decided to publish a catalog for the use of other observers. This multi-color photographic technique has been described, for example, by Haro and Herbig (1955). The survey was concentrated on objects with m(B)~10 or fainter. It employed the Palomar 48-in (Oschin) Schmidt telescope and was centered on the galactic plane with overlapping regions covering the galactic latitudes +- 9 degrees, and extending throughout most of the northern plane (l = 0 deg - 227 deg). Plates were taken by J. Kristian, A.R. Sandage, R.J. Brucato, and Lanning, primarily. The data presented here were found following a careful examination of the plates but it should not be assumed these data represent a complete survey of the fields examined. The categories were roughly calibrated against photoelectric (U-B) measures, but a full scale calibration program, including magnitude effects, etc. was not done. The numerical (U-B) limits of the tables should not therefore be taken precisely. The blue magnitude of the sources in the finding list has been estimated using these photoelectric values as a guide but should be considered accurate to only +- 0.5 mag. due to the difficulty of adjusting to the various plate characteristics. Positions were measured from images retrieved from the Space Telescope Science Institute collection of Guide Star digital plate scans. The accuracy of positions from the Guide Star Catalog images has been estimated to be on the order of 0.2-0.8 arcsec (Russell et al. 1990) Information provided by Bidelman (private communication) resulted in the discovery that 15 positions for objects listed in Paper II were in error. Investigation indicated that an incorrect header was associated with the scan of the Guide Star plate originally archived onto optical disk. The incorrect astrometric solution, based on the use of an incorrect origin point, was subsequently applied in the positional determination when centroiding the object. The average offset for positions in right ascension is 14.17 seconds of time, with no detectable trend in the numbers. The offsets in declination range from +6.56 arcseconds through zero to -6.85 arcseconds as one progresses from west to east across the plate. This is consistent with a rotation being introduced into the bad plate solution. Objects with incorrect positions included Lanning 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 102, 104, 108, 111, 113, 114, 115, 116, 119, and 122. uv.dat contains the corrected coordinates. (2 data files).

Technology Solutions Case Study: Cold Climate Foundation Wall Hygrothermal Research Facility, Cloquet, Minnesota

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2014-09-01

This case study describes the University of Minnesota’s Cloquet Residential Research Facility (CRRF) in northern Minnesota, which features more than 2,500 ft2 of below-grade space for building systems foundation hygrothermal research. Here, the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership team researches ways to improve the energy efficiency of the building envelope, including wall assemblies, basements, roofs, insulation, and air leakage.

Matched Index of Refraction Flow Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mcllroy, Hugh

What's 27 feet long, 10 feet tall and full of mineral oil (3000 gallons' worth)? If you said INL's Matched Index of Refraction facility, give yourself a gold star. Scientists use computers to model the inner workings of nuclear reactors, and MIR helps validate those models. INL's Hugh McIlroy explains in this video. You can learn more about INL energy research at the lab's facebook site http://www.facebook.com/idahonationallaboratory.

Matched Index of Refraction Flow Facility

ScienceCinema

Mcllroy, Hugh

2018-01-08

What's 27 feet long, 10 feet tall and full of mineral oil (3000 gallons' worth)? If you said INL's Matched Index of Refraction facility, give yourself a gold star. Scientists use computers to model the inner workings of nuclear reactors, and MIR helps validate those models. INL's Hugh McIlroy explains in this video. You can learn more about INL energy research at the lab's facebook site http://www.facebook.com/idahonationallaboratory.

On-Sky Tests of a High-Power Pulsed Laser for Sodium Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otarola, Angel; Hickson, Paul; Gagné, Ronald; Bo, Yong; Zuo, Junwei; Xie, Shiyong; Feng, Lu; Rochester, Simon; Budker, Dmitry; Shen, Shixia; Xue, Suijian; Min, Li; Wei, Kai; Boyer, Corinne; Ellerbroek, Brent; Hu, Jingyao; Peng, Qinjun; Xu, Zuyan

2016-03-01

We present results of on-sky tests performed in the summer of 2013 to characterize the performance of a prototype high-power pulsed laser for adaptive optics. The laser operates at a pulse repetition rate (PRR) of 600-800Hz, with a 6% duty cycle. Its coupling efficiency was found to be, in the best test case (using 18W of transmitted power), 231±14 photons s-1 sr-1 atom-1 W-1 m2 when circular polarization was employed and 167±17 photons s-1 sr-1 atom-1 W-1 m2 with linear polarization. No improvement was seen when D2b repumping was used, but this is likely due to the relatively large laser guide star (LGS) diameter, typically 10 arcsec or more, which resulted in low irradiance levels. Strong relaxation oscillations were present in the laser output, which have the effect of reducing the coupling efficiency. To better understand the results, a physical modeling was performed using the measured pulse profiles and parameters specific to these tests. The model results, for a 10 arcsec angular size LGS spot, agree well with the observations. When extrapolating the physical model for a sub-arcsecond angular size LGS (typical of what is needed for a successful astronomical guide star), the model predicts that this laser would have a coupling efficiency of 130 photons s-1 sr-1 atom-1 W-1 m2, using circular polarization and D2b repumping, for a LGS diameter of 0.6 arcsec Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM), and free of relaxation oscillations in the 589 nm laser light.

Users' guide to new approaches and sanctions for multiple DWI offenders

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1989-12-01

This guide describes nine new approaches for reducing recidivism among multiple DWI offenders: dedicated detention facilities, diversion programs, electronic monitoring, ignition interlock systems, intensive probation supervision, publishing offender...

Star Power on Earth: Path to Clean Energy Future

ScienceCinema

Ed Moses

2017-12-09

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's "Science on Saturday" lecture series presents Ed Moses, Director of the National Ignition Facility, discussing the world's largest laser system and its potential impact on society's upcoming energy needs.

Complementing asteroseismology with 4MOST spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Jong, R. S.; 4MOST Consortium; 4MOST Spectroscopy Consortium

2016-09-01

4MOST is a wide-field, high-multiplex spectroscopic survey facility under development for the VISTA telescope of the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Its main science drivers are in the areas of galactic archeology, high-energy physics, galaxy evolution and cosmology. 4MOST will in particular provide the spectroscopic complements to the large area surveys coming from space missions like Gaia, eROSITA, Euclid, and PLATO. 4MOST will have an unique operations concept in which 5-years public surveys from both the consortium and the ESO community will be combined and observed in parallel during each exposure, resulting in more than 25 million spectra of targets spread over a large fraction of the southern sky. As a dedicated spectroscopic survey facility with a large field-of-view, a high multiplex that can be reconfigured quickly, and with a broad wavelength coverage, 4MOST is particularly well suited to complement the upcoming asteroseismology space missions like TESS and PLATO. Here we show that, by dedicating the observing time during twilight and poor observing conditions to bright stars, 4MOST will obtain resolution {R>18 000} spectra of nearly all stars brighter than ˜ 12th magnitude at Dec < 30o every ˜ 2 years. 4MOST is also expected to spectroscopically complement any fainter asteroseismology target to be observed with PLATO. These observations will provide a chemical characterization of nearly all stars to be observed with the TESS and PLATO missions and place any planets found in a full chemo-dynamical context of the star formation history of the Galaxy, yield very accurate ages and masses for all stars that can be characterized with asteroseismology, and allow removal of contaminants from target samples (e.g., spectroscopic binaries).

π-Extended Star-Shaped Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons based on Fused Truxenes: Synthesis, Self-Assembly, and Facilely Tunable Emission Properties.

PubMed

Cheng, Cheng; Jiang, Yi; Liu, Cheng-Fang; Zhang, Jian-Dong; Lai, Wen-Yong; Huang, Wei

2016-12-19

A new set of star-shaped polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) based on naphthalene-fused truxenes, TrNaCn (n=1-4), were synthesized and characterized. The synthesis involved a microwave-assisted six-fold Suzuki coupling reaction, followed by oxidative cyclodehydrogenation. Multiple dehydrocyclization products could be effectively isolated in a single reaction, thus suggesting that the oxidative cyclodehydrogenation reaction involved a stepwise ring-closing process. The thermal, optical, and electrochemical properties and the self-assembly behavior of the resulting oxidized samples were investigated to understand the impact of the ring-fusing process on the properties of the star-shaped PAHs. Distinct bathochromic shift of the absorption maxima (λ max ) revealed that the molecular conjugation extended with the stepwise ring-closing reactions. The optical band-gap energy of these PAHs varied significantly on increasing the number of fused rings, thereby resulting in readily tunable emissive properties of the resultant star-shaped PAHs. Interestingly, the generation of rigid "arms" by using perylene analogues caused TrNaC2 and TrNaC3 to show significantly enhanced photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) in solution (η=0.65 and 0.66, respectively) in comparison with those of TrNa and TrNaC1 (η=0.08 and 0.16, respectively). Owing to strong intermolecular interactions, the TrNa precursor was able to self-assemble into rod-like microcrystals, which could be facilely identified by the naked eye, whilst TrNaC1 self-assembled into nanosheets once the naphthalene rings had fused. This study offers a unique platform to gain further insight into-and a better understanding of-the photophysical and self-assembly properties of π-extended star-shaped PAHs. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The Outer Halo of the Milky Way as Probed by RR Lyr Variables from the Palomar Transient Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, Judith G.; Sesar, Branimir; Bahnolzer, Sophianna; He, Kevin; Kulkarni, Shrinivas R.; Prince, Thomas A.; Bellm, Eric; Laher, Russ R.

2017-11-01

RR Lyrae stars are ideal massless tracers that can be used to study the total mass and dark matter content of the outer halo of the Milky Way (MW). This is because they are easy to find in the light-curve databases of large stellar surveys and their distances can be determined with only knowledge of the light curve. We present here a sample of 112 RR Lyr stars beyond 50 kpc in the outer halo of the MW, excluding the Sgr streams, for which we have obtained moderate-resolution spectra with Deimos on the Keck II Telescope. Four of these have distances exceeding 100 kpc. These were selected from a much larger set of 447 candidate RR Lyr stars that were data-mined using machine-learning techniques applied to the light curves of variable stars in the Palomar Transient Facility database. The observed radial velocities taken at the phase of the variable corresponding to the time of observation were converted to systemic radial velocities in the Galactic standard of rest. From our sample of 112 RR Lyr stars we determine the radial velocity dispersion in the outer halo of the MW to be ˜90 km s-1 at 50 kpc, falling to about 65 km s-1 near 100 kpc once a small number of major outliers are removed. With reasonable estimates of the completeness of our sample of 447 candidates and assuming a spherical halo, we find that the stellar density in the outer halo declines as {r}-4. Based in part on observations obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated jointly by the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Beyond JWST: Science Drivers for the Next Great UVOIR Space Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tumlinson, Jason; Seager, Sara; Dalcanton, Julianne; Postman, Marc; Aigrain, Suzanne; battel, Steven; Brandt, W. Niel; Conroy, Charlie; Feinberg, Lee; Gezari, Suvi; Guyon, Olivier; Harris, Walter M.; Hirata, Chris; Mather, John C.; Redding, David; Schiminovich, David; Stahl, H. Philip

2015-01-01

We report on the AURA 'Beyond JWST' committee's considerations and conclusions regarding the science case for the development of a large UVOIR observatory, to be launched following JWST and WFIRST-AFTA. We find that a space-based UVOIR telescope of 10 meters or more in aperture will uniquely enable a wide range of transformational science investigations by itself and in tandem with ground-based OIR and radio facilities in its era. The chief goal of this facility is to assess the possibility of life beyond our Solar System by discovering Earth-like planets in the habitable zones of their host stars, via direct imaging, and by searching spectroscopically for biosignature gases in the atmospheres of the best exo-Earth candidates. The large aperture and mission architecture required to characterize the atmospheres of a significant number of potentially life-bearing planets will also transform studies of the galaxies and stars that led up to them. At 10 meters or larger, the telescope will spatially resolve scales of 100 AU everywhere in the Milky Way, 0.1 parsec everywhere in the Local Group, and 100 parsec everywhere in the observable Universe. This unprecedented spatial resolution over large fields, with stable optics and low backgrounds, will allow astronomers to follow, in high definition, the formation and evolution of the star forming regions inside galaxies over the past 10 Gyr, to robustly determine the complete star formation histories in every galaxy within the local volume (to 10 Mpc), and to track the motions of virtually any star in the Milky Way. High spectral resolution and multi-object spectroscopy in the UV will enable revolutionary new studies of gas flows in galaxies, bodies in the outer solar system, and the evolution of the most massive stars. We present these compelling science drivers and their associated observational requirements here; we summarize the technology requirements for high angular resolution, sensitivity, wavefront stability, dynamic range, and access to ultraviolet wavelengths to support these capabilities in a companion poster.

40 CFR 60.390 - Applicability and designation of affected facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... facilities in an automobile or light-duty truck assembly plant: each prime coat operation, each guide coat... affected facility. 60.390 Section 60.390 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Performance for Automobile and Light Duty Truck Surface Coating Operations § 60.390 Applicability and...

40 CFR 60.390 - Applicability and designation of affected facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... facilities in an automobile or light-duty truck assembly plant: each prime coat operation, each guide coat... affected facility. 60.390 Section 60.390 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Performance for Automobile and Light Duty Truck Surface Coating Operations § 60.390 Applicability and...

KSC-2009-1697

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-18

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the top of the canister has been attached to the lower segments encasing NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The canister surrounding Kepler provides protection during the spacecraft's transport to the pad. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Pad 17-B. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2009-1695

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-18

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the top of the canister is lifted over NASA's Kepler spacecraft where it will be attached to the lower segments. The canister surrounding Kepler provides protection during the spacecraft's transport to the pad. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Pad 17-B. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2009-1694

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-18

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the top of the canister is lifted for a move to the unfinished canister at left. The canister surrounding NASA's Kepler spacecraft provides protection during the spacecraft's transport to the pad. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Pad 17-B. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

Evaluation of parameters of Black Hole, stellar cluster and dark matter distribution from bright star orbits in the Galactic Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharov, Alexander

It is well-known that one can evaluate black hole (BH) parameters (including spin) analyz-ing trajectories of stars around BH. A bulk distribution of matter (dark matter (DM)+stellar cluster) inside stellar orbits modifies trajectories of stars, namely, generally there is a apoas-tron shift in direction which opposite to GR one, even now one could put constraints on DM distribution and BH parameters and constraints will more stringent in the future. Therefore, an analyze of bright star trajectories provides a relativistic test in a weak gravitational field approximation, but in the future one can test a strong gravitational field near the BH at the Galactic Center with the same technique due to a rapid progress in observational facilities. References A. Zakharov et al., Phys. Rev. D76, 062001 (2007). A.F. Zakharov et al., Space Sci. Rev. 148, 301313(2009).

KSC-2012-1378

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Technicians watch closely as NASA's NuSTAR spacecraft is Under the watchful eyes of technicians, NASA's NuSTAR spacecraft is lifted inside Orbital Sciences' processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The spacecraft will be rotated to horizontal for joining with the Pegasus XL rocket. The Orbital Sciences Pegasus will launch NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array NuSTAR into space. After the rocket and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on Orbital's L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch. The high-energy x-ray telescope will conduct a census for black holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. For more information, visit science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

KSC-03pd0621

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-03-03

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Multi-Payload Processing Facility, NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer spacecraft is moved to a rotation stand in preparation for mating with the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The GALEX, set to launch April 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, will carry into space an orbiting telescope that will observe a million galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history to help astronomers determine when the stars and elements we see today had their origins. From its orbit high above Earth, the spacecraft will sweep the skies for 28 months using state-of-the-art ultraviolet detectors. Looking in the ultraviolet will single out galaxies dominated by young, hot, short-lived stars that give off a great deal of energy at that wavelength. These galaxies are actively creating stars, and therefore provide a window into the history and causes of star formation in galaxies.

KSC-03pd0623

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-03-03

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -A worker in the Multi-Payload Processing Facility watches closely as NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer spacecraft is rotated in preparation for mating with the Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The GALEX, set to launch April 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, will carry into space an orbiting telescope that will observe a million galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history to help astronomers determine when the stars and elements we see today had their origins. From its orbit high above Earth, the spacecraft will sweep the skies for 28 months using state-of-the-art ultraviolet detectors. Looking in the ultraviolet will single out galaxies dominated by young, hot, short-lived stars that give off a great deal of energy at that wavelength. These galaxies are actively creating stars, and therefore provide a window into the history and causes of star formation in galaxies.

Theoretical investigations of X-ray bursts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taam, Ronald E.

1987-01-01

Current theoretical understanding of the X-ray burst phenomenon is reviewed, providing a framework in which the burst radiation can be used as a diagnostic of the fundamental properties of the underlying neutron star. The typical Type I X-ray burst is detected as a rapid increase in emission to a level about a factor of 10 above that seen during the quiescent state and recurs on time scales which range from several hours to several days. The thermonuclear flash model has successfully reproduced the basic features of the X-ray burst phenomenon and thereby provided strong theoretical evidence that neutron stars are involved. Topics covered include: theory of the emission spectrum; oscillation modes and prospects for diagnosing the thermal state of neutron stars through experiments on board the X-Ray Timing Explorer or the Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility; applications to the mass and radius of a neutron star.

X-ray stars observed in LAMOST spectral survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Hong-peng; Zhang, Li-yun; Han, Xianming L.; Shi, Jianrong

2018-05-01

X-ray stars have been studied since the beginning of X-ray astronomy. Investigating and studying the chromospheric activity from X-ray stellar optical spectra is highly significant in providing insights into stellar magnetic activity. The big data of LAMOST survey provides an opportunity for researching stellar optical spectroscopic properties of X-ray stars. We inferred the physical properties of X-ray stellar sources from the analysis of LAMOST spectra. First, we cross-matched the X-ray stellar catalogue (12254 X-ray stars) from ARXA with LAMOST data release 3 (DR3), and obtained 984 good spectra from 713 X-ray sources. We then visually inspected and assigned spectral type to each spectrum and calculated the equivalent width (EW) of Hα line using the Hammer spectral typing facility. Based on the EW of Hα line, we found 203 spectra of 145 X-ray sources with Hα emission above the continuum. For these spectra we also measured the EWs of Hβ, Hγ, Hδ and Ca ii IRT lines of these spectra. After removing novae, planetary nebulae and OB-type stars, we found there are 127 X-ray late-type stars with Hα line emission. By using our spectra and results from the literature, we found 53 X-ray stars showing Hα variability; these objects are Classical T Tauri stars (CTTs), cataclysmic variables (CVs) or chromospheric activity stars. We also found 18 X-ray stars showing obvious emissions in the Ca ii IRT lines. Of the 18 X-ray stars, 16 are CTTs and 2 are CVs. Finally, we discussed the relationships between the EW of Hα line and X-ray flux.

Guide to Regulated Facilities in ECHO | ECHO | US EPA

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

There are multiple ways ECHO can be used to search compliance data. By default, ECHO searches focus on larger, more regulated facilities. Each search page allows users to search a more comprehensive group of facilities by electing to search for minor or smaller facilities. Information is presented that explains the types and approximate numbers of facilities that are included in searches when the default and custom options are used.

Astrophotography Basics: Meteors, Comets, Eclipses, Aurorae, Star Trails. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, NY.

This pamphlet gives an introduction to the principles of astronomical picture-taking. Chapters included are: (1) "Getting Started" (describing stationary cameras, sky charts and mapping, guided cameras, telescopes, brightness of astronomical subjects, estimating exposure, film selection, camera filters, film processing, and exposure for…

Solar tomography adaptive optics.

PubMed

Ren, Deqing; Zhu, Yongtian; Zhang, Xi; Dou, Jiangpei; Zhao, Gang

2014-03-10

Conventional solar adaptive optics uses one deformable mirror (DM) and one guide star for wave-front sensing, which seriously limits high-resolution imaging over a large field of view (FOV). Recent progress toward multiconjugate adaptive optics indicates that atmosphere turbulence induced wave-front distortion at different altitudes can be reconstructed by using multiple guide stars. To maximize the performance over a large FOV, we propose a solar tomography adaptive optics (TAO) system that uses tomographic wave-front information and uses one DM. We show that by fully taking advantage of the knowledge of three-dimensional wave-front distribution, a classical solar adaptive optics with one DM can provide an extra performance gain for high-resolution imaging over a large FOV in the near infrared. The TAO will allow existing one-deformable-mirror solar adaptive optics to deliver better performance over a large FOV for high-resolution magnetic field investigation, where solar activities occur in a two-dimensional field up to 60'', and where the near infrared is superior to the visible in terms of magnetic field sensitivity.

On-sky demonstration of matched filters for wavefront measurements using ELT-scale elongated laser guide stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basden, A. G.; Bardou, L.; Bonaccini Calia, D.; Buey, T.; Centrone, M.; Chemla, F.; Gach, J. L.; Gendron, E.; Gratadour, D.; Guidolin, I.; Jenkins, D. R.; Marchetti, E.; Morris, T. J.; Myers, R. M.; Osborn, J.; Reeves, A. P.; Reyes, M.; Rousset, G.; Lombardi, G.; Townson, M. J.; Vidal, F.

2017-04-01

The performance of adaptive optics systems is partially dependent on the algorithms used within the real-time control system to compute wavefront slope measurements. We demonstrate the use of a matched filter algorithm for the processing of elongated laser guide star (LGS) Shack-Hartmann images, using the CANARY adaptive optics instrument on the 4.2 m William Herschel Telescope and the European Southern Observatory Wendelstein LGS Unit placed 40 m away. This algorithm has been selected for use with the forthcoming Thirty Meter Telescope, but until now had not been demonstrated on-sky. From the results of a first observing run, we show that the use of matched filtering improves our adaptive optics system performance, with increases in on-sky H-band Strehl measured up to about a factor of 1.1 with respect to a conventional centre of gravity approach. We describe the algorithm used, and the methods that we implemented to enable on-sky demonstration.

Real-time turbulence profiling with a pair of laser guide star Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors for wide-field adaptive optics systems on large to extremely large telescopes.

PubMed

Gilles, L; Ellerbroek, B L

2010-11-01

Real-time turbulence profiling is necessary to tune tomographic wavefront reconstruction algorithms for wide-field adaptive optics (AO) systems on large to extremely large telescopes, and to perform a variety of image post-processing tasks involving point-spread function reconstruction. This paper describes a computationally efficient and accurate numerical technique inspired by the slope detection and ranging (SLODAR) method to perform this task in real time from properly selected Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor measurements accumulated over a few hundred frames from a pair of laser guide stars, thus eliminating the need for an additional instrument. The algorithm is introduced, followed by a theoretical influence function analysis illustrating its impulse response to high-resolution turbulence profiles. Finally, its performance is assessed in the context of the Thirty Meter Telescope multi-conjugate adaptive optics system via end-to-end wave optics Monte Carlo simulations.

Guide to good practices for operations and administration updates through required reading

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-12-01

This Guide to Good Practices is written to enhance understanding of, and provide direction for, Required Reading, Chapter XIV of Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5480.19, Conduct of Operations Requirements for DOE Facilities. The practices in this guide should be considered when planning or reviewing programs for updating personnel with operations and administration information through required reading. Contractors are advised to adopt procedures that meet the intent of DOE Order 5480.19. Required Reading is an element of an effective Conduct of Operations program. The complexity and array of activities performed in DOE facilities dictate the necessity for a coordinated requiredmore » reading program to promote safe and efficient operations.« less

Comparing Public Quality Ratings for Accredited and Nonaccredited Nursing Homes.

PubMed

Williams, Scott C; Morton, David J; Braun, Barbara I; Longo, Beth Ann; Baker, David W

2017-01-01

Compare quality ratings of accredited and nonaccredited nursing homes using the publicly available Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Nursing Home Compare data set. This cross-sectional study compared the performance of 711 Joint Commission-accredited (TJC-accredited) nursing homes (81 of which also had Post-Acute Care Certification) to 14,926 non-Joint Commission-accredited (non-TJC-accredited) facilities using the Nursing Home Compare data set (as downloaded on April 2015). Measures included the overall Five-Star Quality Rating and its 4 components (health inspection, quality measures, staffing, and RN staffing), the 18 Nursing Home Compare quality measures (5 short-stay measures, 13 long-stay measures), as well as inspection deficiencies, fines, and payment denials. t tests were used to assess differences in rates for TJC-accredited nursing homes versus non-TJC-accredited nursing homes for quality measures, ratings, and fine amounts. Analysis of variance models were used to determine differences in rates using Joint Commission accreditation status, nursing home size based on number of beds, and ownership type. An additional model with an interaction term using Joint Commission accreditation status and Joint Commission Post-Acute Care Certification status was used to determine differences in rates for Post-Acute Care Certified nursing homes. Binary variables (eg, deficiency type, fines, and payment denials) were evaluated using a logistic regression model with the same covariates. After controlling for the influences of facility size and ownership type, TJC-accredited nursing homes had significantly higher star ratings than non-TJC-accredited nursing homes on each of the star rating component subscales (P < .05) (but not on the overall star rating), and TJC-accredited nursing homes with Post-Acute Care Certification performed statistically better on the overall star rating, as well as 3 of the 4 subscales (P < .05). TJC-accredited nursing homes had statistically fewer deficiencies than non-TJC-accredited nursing homes (P < .001), were less likely to have immediate jeopardy or widespread deficiencies (P < .001), and had fewer payment denials (P < .001) and lower fines (P < .001). Despite recent changes made to the CMS NHC star-rating methodology, results confirm previous findings that demonstrate a consistent pattern of superior performance among nursing homes accredited by The Joint Commission when compared to non-TJC-accredited facilities across a broad range of indicators in the Nursing Home Compare data set. It is important to note, however, that a cross-sectional study cannot determine causation, so it is unclear if accreditation assists nursing homes in achieving better care, or if higher-performing nursing homes are more likely to pursue accreditation. Accreditation status remains a significant predictor of nursing home quality across multiple dimensions, independent of facility size and ownership type. Copyright © 2016 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Critical Reading: A Guide for Faculty and Students in Economics and History. Final Report, Second Year.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bean, Thomas W.

The first year of California State University's program to improve university students' critical reading of introductory texts had two objectives: to develop professors' available repertoire of strategies for guiding students' independent learning from texts and to develop students' facility in learning from texts with adjunct guide materials…

StarGuides Plus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heck, A.

StarGuides Plus represents the most comprehensive and accurately validated collection of practical data on organizations involved in astronomy, related space sciences and other related fields. This invaluable reference source (and its companion volume, StarBriefs Plus) should be on the reference shelf of every library, organization or individual with any interest in these areas. The coverage includes relevant universities, scientific committees, institutions, associations, societies, agencies, companies, bibliographic services, data centers, museums, dealers, distributors, funding organizations, journals, manufacturers, meteorological services, national norms & standard institutes, parent associations & societies, publishers, software producers & distributors, and so on. Besides astronomy and associated space sciences, related fields such as aeronautics, aeronomy, astronautics, atmospheric sciences, chemistry, communications, computer sciences, data processing, education, electronics, engineering, energetics, environment, geodesy, geophysics, information handling, management, mathematics, meteorology, optics, physics, remote sensing, and so on, are also covered where appropriate. After some thirty years in continuous compilation, verification and updating, StarGuides Plus currently gathers together some 6,000 entries from 100 countries. The information is presented in a clear, uncluttered manner for direct and easy use. For each entry, all practical data are listed: city, postal and electronic-mail addresses, telephone and fax numbers, URLs for WWW access, foundation years, numbers of members and/or numbers of staff, main activities, publications titles (with frequencies, ISS-Numbers and circulations), names and geographical coordinates of observing sites, names of planetariums, awards (prizes and/or distinctions) granted, etc. The entries are listed alphabetically in each country. An exhaustive index gives a breakdown not only by different designations and acronyms, but also by location and major terms in names. Thematic sub-indices are also provided as well as a list of telephone and telefax national codes. In short, almost anyone involved in any way in the fields of astronomy and related space sciences will find invaluable contact and background information in this volume. All entries have been compiled from data supplied by the listed organizations and all data have been independently verified - making this compilation the most accurate and relevant source available. Link: http://www.wkap.nl/prod/b/1-4020-1926-2

Fluorescent supramolecular micelles for imaging-guided cancer therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Mengmeng; Yin, Wenyan; Dong, Xinghua; Yang, Wantai; Zhao, Yuliang; Yin, Meizhen

2016-02-01

A novel smart fluorescent drug delivery system composed of a perylene diimide (PDI) core and block copolymer poly(d,l-lactide)-b-poly(ethyl ethylene phosphate) is developed and named as PDI-star-(PLA-b-PEEP)8. The biodegradable PDI-star-(PLA-b-PEEP)8 is a unimolecular micelle and can self-assemble into supramolecular micelles, called as fluorescent supramolecular micelles (FSMs), in aqueous media. An insoluble drug camptothecin (CPT) can be effectively loaded into the FSMs and exhibits pH-responsive release. Moreover, the FSMs with good biocompatibility can also be employed as a remarkable fluorescent probe for cell labelling because the maximum emission of PDI is beneficial for bio-imaging. The flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis demonstrate that the micelles are easily endocytosed by cancer cells. In vitro and in vivo tumor growth-inhibitory studies reveal a better therapeutic effect of FSMs after CPT encapsulation when compared with the free CPT drug. The multifunctional FSM nanomedicine platform as a nanovehicle has great potential for fluorescence imaging-guided cancer therapy.A novel smart fluorescent drug delivery system composed of a perylene diimide (PDI) core and block copolymer poly(d,l-lactide)-b-poly(ethyl ethylene phosphate) is developed and named as PDI-star-(PLA-b-PEEP)8. The biodegradable PDI-star-(PLA-b-PEEP)8 is a unimolecular micelle and can self-assemble into supramolecular micelles, called as fluorescent supramolecular micelles (FSMs), in aqueous media. An insoluble drug camptothecin (CPT) can be effectively loaded into the FSMs and exhibits pH-responsive release. Moreover, the FSMs with good biocompatibility can also be employed as a remarkable fluorescent probe for cell labelling because the maximum emission of PDI is beneficial for bio-imaging. The flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis demonstrate that the micelles are easily endocytosed by cancer cells. In vitro and in vivo tumor growth-inhibitory studies reveal a better therapeutic effect of FSMs after CPT encapsulation when compared with the free CPT drug. The multifunctional FSM nanomedicine platform as a nanovehicle has great potential for fluorescence imaging-guided cancer therapy. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr00450d

Guide for Determining Compliance With the Clean Air Act Standards for Radionuclide Emissions From NRC-Licensed and Non-DOE Federal Facilities: Revision 2

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The requirements described apply to certain facilities licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or its Agreement States to handle radioactive materials. Federal facilities not part of the Department of Energy (DOE) are also covered.

A Guide for Planning Indoor Facilities for College Physical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Wayne H.

Following a general consideration of the functional aspects of planning facilities and the relationship between program and facilities, a detailed presentation is made of planning buildings for college and university indoor physical education activities. Recommendations are made with regard to design, structural and functional features of…

Tribal Child Care Facilities: A Guide to Construction and Renovation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Child Care Information Center, Vienna, VA.

This document provides technical assistance in addressing major areas of the child care facility construction and renovation process, including conducting a child care community needs assessment, identifying a site, financing costs, developing a business plan, conducting an environmental assessment, building and designing a facility, and hiring…

Manual for Accessibility: [Conference, Meeting, and Lodging Facilities]. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Rehabilitation Association, Alexandria, VA.

This illustrated manual and survey forms are designed to be used by organizations, hotel and restaurant associations, interested individuals and others as a guide for selecting accessible conference, meeting, and lodging facilities. The guidelines can also be used with existing facilities to identify specific modifications and accommodations. The…

78 FR 24438 - Evaluations of Explosions Postulated To Occur at Nearby Facilities and on Transportation Routes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-25

... Nearby Facilities and on Transportation Routes Near Nuclear Power Plants AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory... Nearby Facilities and on Transportation Routes Near Nuclear Power Plants.'' This regulatory guide describes for applicants seeking nuclear power reactor licenses and licensees of nuclear power reactors...

77 FR 60482 - Regulatory Guide 5.67, Material Control and Accounting for Uranium Enrichment Facilities...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-03

... Accounting for Uranium Enrichment Facilities Authorized To Produce Special Nuclear Material of Low Strategic... Accounting for Uranium Enrichment Facilities Authorized to Produce Special Nuclear Material of Low Strategic... INFORMATION CONTACT: Glenn Tuttle, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, Division of Fuel Cycle...

76 FR 44049 - Guidance for Fuel Cycle Facility Change Processes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-22

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2009-0262] Guidance for Fuel Cycle Facility Change Processes...-issued Draft Regulatory Guide, DG- 3037, ``Guidance for Fuel Cycle Facility Change Processes'' in the...-3037 from August 12, 2011 to September 16, 2011. DG-3037 describes the types of changes for fuel cycle...

Family and Consumer Sciences: A Facility Planning and Design Guide for School Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Dept. of Education, Baltimore.

This document presents design concepts and considerations for planning and developing middle and high school family and consumer sciences education facilities. It includes discussions on family and consumer sciences education trends and the facility planning process. Design concepts explore multipurpose laboratories and spaces for food/nutrition…

A GUIDE FOR PLANNING PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND ATHLETIC FACILITIES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Jersey State Dept. of Education, Trenton.

THIS STUDY EXAMINES PHYSICAL EDUCATION FACILITIES, THEIR PHYSICAL NEEDS, AND RELATED DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS. A SYSTEM OF DETERMINING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF TEACHING STATIONS NEEDED IS GIVEN TO AID INITIAL REQUIREMENT ANALYSIS. INDOOR FACILITIES ANALYZED INCLUDE--(1) THE GYMNASIUM, IN TERMS OF LOCATION, SIZE, DESIGN FEATURES, AND RELATED COMPONENTS,…

Effects of a Facility Dog on Student Learning and Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Jordana; Maldonado, Nancy

2013-01-01

Educators must consider alternative teaching strategies. Facility dogs as an instructional enhancement are an innovative teaching approach. This case study, guided by human-animal bond theory, investigated how the presence of a trained facility dog, Smooch, affected the school environment. Interviews, field notes and observations were used to…

Planning the School Food Service Facilities. Revised 1967.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utah State Board of Education, Salt Lake City.

Evaluations of food service equipment, kitchen design and food service facilities are comprehensively reviewed for those concerned with the planning and equipping of new school lunchrooms or the remodeling of existing facilities. Information is presented in the form of general guides adaptable to specific local situations and needs, and is…

Possible Observational Criteria for Distinguishing Brown Dwarfs From Planets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Black, David C.

1997-01-01

The difference in formation process between binary stars and planetary systems is reflected in their composition, as well as orbital architecture, particularly in their orbital eccentricity as a function of orbital period. It is suggested here that this difference can be used as an observational criterion to distinguish between brown dwarfs and planets. Application of the orbital criterion suggests that, with three possible exceptions, all of the recently discovered substellar companions may be brown dwarfs and not planets. These criterion may be used as a guide for interpretation of the nature of substellar-mass companions to stars in the future.

A Study Guide for the Analysis of Gaia Astrometic Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Altena, W. F.

2018-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to enthusiastically support the use of Gaia's data and to suggest an approach for improving our backgrounds so that its data is used in the best possible manner. The principal goals of the Gaia mission are to investigate the origin and subsequent evolution of the Milky Way by mapping the Galaxy to the 20th magnitude and the determination of positions, parallaxes and proper motions of 109 stars. In addition, Gaia is to determine spectroscopic data including the metallicity, distance, extinction and radial velocities for 150× 106 stars brighter than 15th magnitude.

Skylab

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-01-01

This 1970 photograph shows Skylab's Ultraviolet (UV) Stellar Astronomy experiment, a scientific airlock-based facility/experiment that would study UV spectra of early-type stars and galaxies. The Marshall Space Flight Center had program management responsibility for the development of Skylab hardware and experiments.

NICER Packaging for SpaceX CRS-11

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-04-06

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians assist as a crane is used to lift the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer, or NICER, payload up from its carrier. NICER will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo carrier on the company’s 11th commercial resupply services mission to the space station. NICER will study neutron stars through soft X-ray timing. NICER will enable rotation-resolved spectroscopy of the thermal and non-thermal emissions of neutron stars in the soft X-ray band with unprecedented sensitivity, probing interior structure, the origins of dynamic phenomena and the mechanisms that underlie the most powerful cosmic particle accelerators known.

NICER Transfer (for SpaceX CRS-11)

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-04-12

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer, or NICER, payload is secured inside a protective container and loaded onto a truck outside the high bay. NICER will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo carrier on the company’s 11th commercial resupply services mission to the space station. NICER will study neutron stars through soft X-ray timing. NICER will enable rotation-resolved spectroscopy of the thermal and non-thermal emissions of neutron stars in the soft X-ray band with unprecedented sensitivity, probing interior structure, the origins of dynamic phenomena and the mechanisms that underlie the most powerful cosmic particle accelerators known.

Predicting the locations of possible long-lived low-mass first stars: importance of satellite dwarf galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magg, Mattis; Hartwig, Tilman; Agarwal, Bhaskar; Frebel, Anna; Glover, Simon C. O.; Griffen, Brendan F.; Klessen, Ralf S.

2018-02-01

The search for metal-free stars has so far been unsuccessful, proving that if there are surviving stars from the first generation, they are rare, they have been polluted or we have been looking in the wrong place. To predict the likely location of Population III (Pop III) survivors, we semi-analytically model early star formation in progenitors of Milky Way-like galaxies and their environments. We base our model on merger trees from the high-resolution dark matter only simulation suite Caterpillar. Radiative and chemical feedback are taken into account self-consistently, based on the spatial distribution of the haloes. Our results are consistent with the non-detection of Pop III survivors in the Milky Way today. We find that possible surviving Pop III stars are more common in Milky Way satellites than in the main Galaxy. In particular, low-mass Milky Way satellites contain a much larger fraction of Pop III stars than the Milky Way. Such nearby, low-mass Milky Way satellites are promising targets for future attempts to find Pop III survivors, especially for high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectroscopic observations. We provide the probabilities of finding a Pop III survivor in the red giant branch phase for all known Milky Way satellites to guide future observations.

Young Stellar Populations in MYStIX Star-forming Regions: Candidate Protostars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romine, Gregory; Feigelson, Eric D.; Getman, Konstantin V.; Kuhn, Michael A.; Povich, Matthew S.

2016-12-01

The Massive Young Star-Forming Complex in Infrared and X-ray (MYStIX) project provides a new census on stellar members of massive star-forming regions within 4 kpc. Here the MYStIX Infrared Excess catalog and Chandra-based X-ray photometric catalogs are mined to obtain high-quality samples of Class I protostars using criteria designed to reduce extragalactic and Galactic field star contamination. A total of 1109 MYStIX Candidate Protostars (MCPs) are found in 14 star-forming regions. Most are selected from protoplanetary disk infrared excess emission, but 20% are found from their ultrahard X-ray spectra from heavily absorbed magnetospheric flare emission. Two-thirds of the MCP sample is newly reported here. The resulting samples are strongly spatially associated with molecular cores and filaments on Herschel far-infrared maps. This spatial agreement and other evidence indicate that the MCP sample has high reliability with relatively few “false positives” from contaminating populations. But the limited sensitivity and sparse overlap among the infrared and X-ray subsamples indicate that the sample is very incomplete with many “false negatives.” Maps, tables, and source descriptions are provided to guide further study of star formation in these regions. In particular, the nature of ultrahard X-ray protostellar candidates without known infrared counterparts needs to be elucidated.

Measuring the stellar luminosity function and spatial density profile of the inner 0.5 pc of the Milky Way nuclear star cluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Do, Tuan; Ghez, Andrea; Lu, Jessica R.; Morris, Mark R.; Yelda, Sylvana; Martinez, Gregory D.; Peter, Annika H. G.; Wright, Shelley; Bullock, James; Kaplinghat, Manoj; Matthews, K.

2012-07-01

We report on measurements of the luminosity function of early (young) and late-type (old) stars in the central 0.5 pc of the Milky Way nuclear star cluster as well as the density profiles of both components. The young (~ 6 Myr) and old stars (> 1 Gyr) in this region provide different physical probes of the environment around a supermassive black hole; the luminosity function of the young stars offers us a way to measure the initial mass function from star formation in an extreme environment, while the density profile of the old stars offers us a probe of the dynamical interaction of a star cluster with a massive black hole. The two stellar populations are separated through a near-infrared spectroscopic survey using the integral-field spectrograph OSIRIS on Keck II behind the laser guide star adaptive optics system. This spectroscopic survey is able to separate early-type (young) and late-type (old) stars with a completeness of 50% at K' = 15.5. We describe our method of completeness correction using a combination of star planting simulations and Bayesian inference. The completeness corrected luminosity function of the early-type stars contains significantly more young stars at faint magnitudes compared to previous surveys with similar depth. In addition, by using proper motion and radial velocity measurements along with anisotropic spherical Jeans modeling of the cluster, it is possible to measure the spatial density profile of the old stars, which has been difficult to constrain with number counts alone. The most probable model shows that the spatial density profile, n(r) propto r-γ, to be shallow with γ = 0.4 ± 0.2, which is much flatter than the dynamically relaxed case of γ = 3/2 to 7/4, but does rule out a 'hole' in the distribution of old stars. We show, for the first time, that the spatial density profile, the black hole mass, and velocity anisotropy can be fit simultaneously to obtain a black hole mass that is consistent with that derived from individual orbits of stars at distances < 1000 AU from the Galactic center.