Context. The population of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) shows a large variety of objects in terms of physical and dynamical properties. They are subject to planetary encounters and to strong solar ...wind and radiation effects. Their study is also motivated by practical reasons regarding space exploration and long-term probability of impact with the Earth. Aims. We aim to spectrally characterize a significant sample of NEAs with sizes in the range of ~0.25–5.5 km (categorized as large), and search for connections between their spectral types and the orbital parameters. Methods. Optical spectra of NEAs were obtained using the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) equipped with the IDS spectrograph. These observations are analyzed using taxonomic classification and by comparison with laboratory spectra of meteorites. Results. A total number of 76 NEAs were observed. We spectrally classified 44 of them as Q/S-complex, 16 as B/C-complex, eight as V-types, and another eight belong to the remaining taxonomic classes. Our sample contains 27 asteroids categorized as potentially hazardous and 31 possible targets for space missions including (459872) 2014 EK24, (436724) 2011 UW158, and (67367) 2000 LY27. The spectral data corresponding to (276049) 2002 CE26 and (385186) 1994 AW1 shows the 0.7 μm feature which indicates the presence of hydrated minerals on their surface. We report that Q-types have the lowest perihelia (a median value and absolute deviation of 0.797 ± 0.244 AU) and are systematically larger than the S-type asteroids observed in our sample. We explain these observational evidences by thermal fatigue fragmentation as the main process for the rejuvenation of NEA surfaces. Conclusions. In general terms, the taxonomic distribution of our sample is similar to the previous studies and matches the broad groups of the inner main belt asteroids. Nevertheless, we found a wide diversity of spectra compared to the standard taxonomic types.
•Between 2017 and 2019 we developed in Romania the NEARBY cloud-based online platform to reduce survey images, detect, validate and report in near real time asteroid detections and NEA candidates. In ...2018 and 2019 we tested NEARBY during a few pilot mini-surveys observed with the Isaac Newton Telescope in La Palma. Two NEAs were discovered, recovered and reported promptly to MPC, other 4 recently discovered NEAs were confirmed, and other 22 Hungarias and 7 Mars crossing asteroids were discovered using NEARBY. We compare NEARBY with other few available software, presenting case study for possible future planned EURONEAR surveys.
In 2015 we started a PhD thesis aiming to write a moving objects processing system (MOPS) aimed to detect near Earth asteroids (NEAs) in astronomical surveys planned within the EURONEAR project. Based on this MOPS experience, in 2017 we proposed the NEARBY project to the Romanian Space Agency, which awarded funding to the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (UTCN) and the University of Craiovafor building a cloud-based online platform to reduce survey images, detect, validate and report in near real time asteroid detections and NEA candidates. The NEARBY platform was built and is available at UTCN since Feb 2018, being tested during 5 pilot surveys observed in 2017-2018 with the Isaac Newton Telescope in La Palma. Two NEAs were discovered in Nov 2018 (2018 VQ1 and 2018 VN3), being recovered and reported to MPC within 2 hours. Other 4 discovered NEAs were found from a few dozen possible NEA candidates promptly being followed, allowing us to discover 22 Hungarias and 7 Mars crossing asteroids using the NEARBY platform. Compared with other few available software, NEARBY could detect more asteroids (by 8-41%), but scores less than human detection (by about 10%). Using resulted data, the astrometric accurancy, photometric limits and an INT NEA survey case study are presented as guidelines for planning future surveys.
We present ground-based and Hubble Space Telescope optical observations of the optical transients (OTs) of long-duration Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) 060729 and 090618, both at a redshift of z= 0.54. For ...GRB 060729, bumps are seen in the optical light curves (LCs), and the late-time broad-band spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of the OT resemble those of local Type Ic supernovae (SNe). For GRB 090618, the dense sampling of our optical observations has allowed us to detect well-defined bumps in the optical LCs, as well as a change in colour, that are indicative of light coming from a core-collapse SN. The accompanying SNe for both events are individually compared with SN1998bw, a known GRB supernova, and SN1994I, a typical Type Ic supernova without a known GRB counterpart, and in both cases the brightness and temporal evolution more closely resemble SN1998bw. We also exploit our extensive optical and radio data for GRB 090618, as well as the publicly available Swift-XRT data, and discuss the properties of the afterglow at early times. In the context of a simple jet-like model, the afterglow of GRB 090618 is best explained by the presence of a jet-break at t−to
> 0.5 d. We then compare the rest-frame, peak V-band absolute magnitudes of all of the GRB and X-Ray Flash (XRF)-associated SNe with a large sample of local Type Ibc SNe, concluding that, when host extinction is considered, the peak magnitudes of the GRB/XRF-SNe cannot be distinguished from the peak magnitudes of non-GRB/XRF SNe.
Context. One-opposition near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) are growing in number, and they must be recovered to prevent loss and mismatch risk, and to improve their orbits, as they are likely to be too ...faint for detection in shallow surveys at future apparitions. Aims. We aimed to recover more than half of the one-opposition NEAs recommended for observations by the Minor Planet Center (MPC) using the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) in soft-override mode and some fractions of available D-nights. During about 130 h in total between 2013 and 2016, we targeted 368 NEAs, among which 56 potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs), observing 437 INT Wide Field Camera (WFC) fields and recovering 280 NEAs (76% of all targets). Methods. Engaging a core team of about ten students and amateurs, we used the THELI, Astrometrica, and the Find_Orb software to identify all moving objects using the blink and track-and-stack method for the faintest targets and plotting the positional uncertainty ellipse from NEODyS. Results. Most targets and recovered objects had apparent magnitudes centered around V ~ 22.8 mag, with some becoming as faint as V ~ 24 mag. One hundred and three objects (representing 28% of all targets) were recovered by EURONEAR alone by Aug. 2017. Orbital arcs were prolonged typically from a few weeks to a few years; our oldest recoveries reach 16 years. The O−C residuals for our 1854 NEA astrometric positions show that most measurements cluster closely around the origin. In addition to the recovered NEAs, 22 000 positions of about 3500 known minor planets and another 10 000 observations of about 1500 unknown objects (mostly main-belt objects) were promptly reported to the MPC by our team. Four new NEAs were discovered serendipitously in the analyzed fields and were promptly secured with the INT and other telescopes, while two more NEAs were lost due to extremely fast motion and lack of rapid follow-up time. They increase the counting to nine NEAs discovered by the EURONEAR in 2014 and 2015. Conclusions. Targeted projects to recover one-opposition NEAs are efficient in override access, especially using at least two-meter class and preferably larger field telescopes located in good sites, which appear even more efficient than the existing surveys.
The JEM-EUSO instrument Andreev, V.; Asano, K.; Barrillon, P. ...
Experimental astronomy,
11/2015, Letnik:
40, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
In this paper we describe the main characteristics of the JEM-EUSO instrument. The Extreme Universe Space Observatory on the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM-EUSO) of the International Space Station ...(ISS) will observe Ultra High-Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR) from space. It will detect UV-light of Extensive Air Showers (EAS) produced by UHECRs traversing the Earth’s atmosphere. For each event, the detector will determine the energy, arrival direction and the type of the primary particle. The advantage of a space-borne detector resides in the large field of view, using a target volume of about 10
12
tons of atmosphere, far greater than what is achievable from ground. Another advantage is a nearly uniform sampling of the whole celestial sphere. The corresponding increase in statistics will help to clarify the origin and sources of UHECRs and characterize the environment traversed during their production and propagation. JEM-EUSO is a 1.1 ton refractor telescope using an optics of 2.5 m diameter Fresnel lenses to focus the UV-light from EAS on a focal surface composed of about 5,000 multi-anode photomultipliers, for a total of ≃3⋅10
5
channels. A multi-layer parallel architecture handles front-end acquisition, selecting and storing valid triggers. Each processing level filters the events with increasingly complex algorithms using FPGAs and DSPs to reject spurious events and reduce the data rate to a value compatible with downlink constraints.
Since 2006, the European Near Earth Asteroids Research (EURONEAR) project has been contributing to the research of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) within a European network. One of the main aims is the ...amelioration of the orbits of NEAs, and starting in 2014 February we focus on the recovery of one-opposition NEAs using the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) in La Palma in override mode. Part of this NEA recovery project, since 2014 June EURONEAR serendipitously started to discover and secure the first NEAs from La Palma and using the INT, thanks to the teamwork including amateurs and students who promptly reduce the data, report discoveries and secure new objects recovered with the INT and few other telescopes from the EURONEAR network. Five NEAs were discovered with the INT, including 2014 LU14, 2014 NL52 (one very fast rotator), 2014 OL339 (the fourth known Earth quasi-satellite), 2014 SG143 (a quite large NEA), and 2014 VP. Another very fast moving NEA was discovered but was unfortunately lost due to lack of follow-up time. Additionally, another 14 NEA candidates were identified based on two models, all being rapidly followed-up using the INT and another 11 telescopes within the EURONEAR network. They include one object discovered by Pan-STARRS, two Mars crossers, two Hungarias, one Jupiter trojan, and other few inner main belt asteroids (MBAs). Using the INT and Sierra Nevada 1.5 m for photometry, then the Gran Telescopio de Canarias for spectroscopy, we derived the very rapid rotation of 2014 NL52, then its albedo, magnitude, size, and its spectral class. Based on the total sky coverage in dark conditions, we evaluate the actual survey discovery rate using 2-m class telescopes. One NEA is possible to be discovered randomly within minimum 2.8 deg2 and maximum 5.5 deg2. These findings update our past statistics, being based on double sky coverage and taking into account the recent increase in discovery.
Aims. Astrometric observations performed by the Gaia Follow-Up Network for Solar System Objects (Gaia-FUN-SSO) play a key role in ensuring that moving objects first detected by ESA’s Gaia mission ...remain recoverable after their discovery. An observation campaign on the potentially hazardous asteroid (99 942) Apophis was conducted during the asteroid’s latest period of visibility, from 12/21/2012 to 5/2/2013, to test the coordination and evaluate the overall performance of the Gaia-FUN-SSO . Methods. The 2732 high quality astrometric observations acquired during the Gaia-FUN-SSO campaign were reduced with the Platform for Reduction of Astronomical Images Automatically (PRAIA), using the USNO CCD Astrograph Catalogue 4 (UCAC4) as a reference. The astrometric reduction process and the precision of the newly obtained measurements are discussed. We compare the residuals of astrometric observations that we obtained using this reduction process to data sets that were individually reduced by observers and accepted by the Minor Planet Center. Results. We obtained 2103 previously unpublished astrometric positions and provide these to the scientific community. Using these data we show that our reduction of this astrometric campaign with a reliable stellar catalog substantially improves the quality of the astrometric results. We present evidence that the new data will help to reduce the orbit uncertainty of Apophis during its close approach in 2029. We show that uncertainties due to geolocations of observing stations, as well as rounding of astrometric data can introduce an unnecessary degradation in the quality of the resulting astrometric positions. Finally, we discuss the impact of our campaign reduction on the recovery process of newly discovered asteroids.
A sample of 34 dwarf irregular galaxies (dIs) in the Local Volume, most nearer than 5 Mpc, has been imaged in the near-infrared (NIR) in J and Ks at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) in ...Hawaii and the Observatorio Astronomico Nacional in the Sierra San Pedro Martir, in Mexico. Absolute magnitudes in Ks range from -14 to -18. In the CFHT images, stars brighter than M ~ -7.5 were resolved. We show that the resolved component comprises more than 50% of the light from star formation bursts within the last 3 Gyr. In most cases, the resolved population down to M = -7.5 represents less than 5% of the total NIR flux in Ks, with fractions in J being 1.5-2 times larger. Thus, the NIR light of dIs can be considered to be predominantly contributed by stars older than about 4 Gyr. Although exponential at large radii, surface brightness profiles for the unresolved component flatten in the centers. They can be fitted across the whole range of radii with a hyperbolic secant (sech) defined as a function of two parameters: the central surface brightness and the scale length of the exponential. With respect to this model, only two galaxies (NGC 1569 and NGC 3738) show an excess of flux in the center, both of which are hosting starbursts. Isophotal, total, and fitted sech magnitudes have been calculated for all galaxies for which the unresolved component was detected, along with semimajor axes at mJ = 23 mag arcsec-2 and m = 22 mag arcsec-2. The scale length and the semimajor axes correlate linearly with absolute isophotal magnitude. The same is true for colors and the central brightness. More luminous dIs tend to be larger, redder, and brighter in the center. The fraction of light contributed by young stars is independent of both luminosity and central surface brightness. The Tully-Fisher relation shows considerable scatter, but residuals are tied to surface brightness. The galaxies appear to lie in a 'fundamental plane' defined by the sech absolute magnitude, the sech central surface brightness, and the H I line width. The rms of residuals in MK is only 0.4 mag, which implies that the plane can be used to evaluate the distances of star-forming dwarfs. Corrections for tilt do not reduce the residuals, so line widths must be governed predominantly by random motions. Color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) are presented for 29 galaxies in which stars were resolved. Most show a finger centered around J - Ks = 1 mag. In some cases, there is a red tail extending to J - Ks = 2.5 mag. Most color profiles constructed for the unresolved component show a remarkably constant J - Ks = 0.8-1.0 mag, matching the color of the finger in the CMDs.
The EUSO-Balloon pathfinder Allard, D.; Andreev, V.; Asano, K. ...
Experimental astronomy,
11/2015, Letnik:
40, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
EUSO-Balloon
is a pathfinder for JEM-EUSO, the Extreme Universe Space Observatory which is to be hosted on-board the International Space Station. As JEM-EUSO is designed to observe Ultra-High Energy ...Cosmic Rays (UHECR)-induced Extensive Air Showers (EAS) by detecting their ultraviolet light tracks “from above”,
EUSO-Balloon
is a nadir-pointing UV telescope too. With its Fresnel Optics and Photo-Detector Module, the instrument monitors a 50 km
2
ground surface area in a wavelength band of 290–430 nm, collecting series of images at a rate of 400,000 frames/sec. The objectives of the balloon demonstrator are threefold: a) perform a full end-to-end test of a JEM-EUSO prototype consisting of all the main subsystems of the space experiment, b) measure the effective terrestrial UV background, with a spatial and temporal resolution relevant for JEM-EUSO. c) detect tracks of ultraviolet light from near space for the first time. The latter is a milestone in the development of UHECR science, paving the way for any future space-based UHECR observatory. On August 25, 2014,
EUSO-Balloon
was launched from Timmins Stratospheric Balloon Base (Ontario, Canada) by the balloon division of the French Space Agency CNES. From a float altitude of 38 km, the instrument operated during the entire astronomical night, observing UV-light from a variety of ground-covers and from hundreds of simulated EASs, produced by flashers and a laser during a two-hour helicopter under-flight.
Star-forming dwarfs are studied to elucidate the physical underpinnings of their fundamental plane. Processes controlling dynamics are evaluated, connections between quiescent and bursting dwarfs are ...examined, and the viability of using structural properties of dwarfs to determine distances is assessed. Deep surface photometry in K super( s) is presented for 19 star-forming dwarfs. The data are amalgamated with previously published observations to create a sample of 66 galaxies suitable for exploring how global properties and kinematics are connected. It is confirmed that residuals in the Tully-Fisher relation are correlated with surface brightness, but that even after accommodating the surface brightness dependence through the dwarf fundamental plane, residuals in absolute magnitude are far larger than expected from observational errors. Rather, a more fundamental plane is identified which connects the potential to HI line width and surface brightness. Residuals correlate with the axis ratio in a way which can be accommodated by recognizing the galaxies to be oblate spheroids viewed at varying angles.
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