Foreground contamination of the WMAP CMB maps from the perspective of the matched circle test

Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe has provided cosmic microwave background (CMB) maps of the full sky. The raw data are subject to foreground contamination, in particular near to the Galactic plane. Foreground-cleaned maps have been derived, e.g. the internal linear combination map of Bennett et al., and the reduced foreground TOH map of Tegmark et al. Using S statistics, we examine whether residual foreground contamination is left over in the foreground-cleaned maps. In particular, we specify which parts of the foreground-cleaned maps are sufficiently accurate for the circle-in-the-sky signature. We generalize the S statistic, called D statistic, such that the circle test can deal with CMB maps in which the contaminated regions of the sky are excluded with masks.     

A comparison of properties of different population radio galaxies based on the Planck mission microwave data

Applying the stacking method, we examine the areas of the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) maps, constructed according to the Planck SpaceObservatory data in the neighbourhood of different populations of radio sources and giant elliptical galaxies. The samples of objects include giant radio galaxies (GRG), radio sources, selected by the radio-spectral index and redshift, as well as the gamma-ray bursts, used as a secondary comparative sample. We have studied the topological properties of the CMB signal in the neighbourhood of the average object of the population, namely, we searched for the presence of the maxima and minima in the average area. The difference of the signal in the neighbourhood of GRGs from the other types of objects was discovered.     

Correlation properties of the WMAP CMB and 2MRS and SDSS catalogs at different redshifts

We have calculated mosaic correlation maps based on the ILCWMAP microwave background data and infrared and optical extragalactic object positions according to the 2MRS catalog and the SDSS survey respectively. Using the histograms of signal values in pixels and angular power spectra, we have investigated the statistical properties of these maps. Evolution power spectra of correlation maps, depending on z, were built. We show that there are certain correlation scales (2°–3°) at different redshifts (z = 1–2), which can match the size of the maximal heterogeneity cell (60–90 Mpc) during different cosmological epochs.     

Correlation properties of the maps of the NVSS survey and WMAP ILC

In this paper we study one-dimensional sections of the maps of WMAP ILC and of the NVSS survey on scale lengths of 0.75, 3, 4.5, and 6.75 degrees and analyze the correlation properties of the sections. On these maps we identify the domains where the absolute value of the correlation coefficient exceeds 0.5. The catalog of such domains is presented. It is shown that the number of the domains agrees with the number of such domains on simulated maps and this fact may be indicative of just statistical agreement of the arrangement of the domains considered.     

Comparison of low-harmonics spectra and maps according to the WMAP and Planck space missions

We present a comparison of the angular power spectra and maps represented by the WMAP and Planck mission teams. The spectra are compared in the the multi pole range (2 ≤ ? ≤ 50). The ? =5, 7, 13, 29, 37, 41–46 harmonics have a discrepancy in the angular power spectra. The maps of the microwave background and their phase characteristics are studied at these spatial frequencies. We show that the discrepancy of the spectra is due to a different account of the systematics linked with the Galaxy, the ecliptic, and possibly with the Earth. These effects, leading to a statistical anisotropy, may be responsible for the observed anomalies in both experiments at low harmonics.     

Statistics of extragalactic objects in the Cold Spot region on the CMB maps

We present a study of the statistical properties of extragalactic objects, the differential log N−log S curves in various wavelength intervals in the region of the so-called Cold Spot found on the CMB maps. An analysis of the distributions obtained shows that the evolutionary properties of extragalactic objects (source counts) in the Cold Spot region do not differ from the corresponding properties in other space regions. Such a pattern could be expected if the spot is formed due to a topological defect, namely, a texture.     

Primordial non-Gaussianity: local curvature method and statistical significance of constraints on fNL from WMAP data

We test the consistency of estimates of the non-linear coupling constant f _NL using non-Gaussian cosmic microwave background (CMB) maps generated by the method described in the work of Liguori, Matarrese & Moscardini. This procedure to obtain non-Gaussian maps differs significantly from the method used in previous works on the estimation of f _NL. Nevertheless, using spherical wavelets, we find results in very good agreement with Mukherjee & Wang, showing that the two ways of generating primordial non-Gaussian maps give equivalent results. Moreover, we introduce a new method for estimating the non-linear coupling constant from CMB observations by using the local curvature of the temperature fluctuation field. We present both Bayesian credible regions (assuming a flat prior) and proper (frequentist) confidence intervals on f _NL, and discuss the relation between the two approaches. The Bayesian approach tends to yield lower error bars than the frequentist approach, suggesting that a careful analysis of the different interpretations is needed. Using this method, we estimate   f _NL=−10⁺²⁷⁰₋₂₆₀  at the 2σ level (Bayesian) and   f _NL=−10⁺³¹⁰₋₂₇₀  (frequentist). Moreover, we find that the wavelet and the local curvature approaches, which provide similar error bars, yield approximately uncorrelated estimates of f _NL and therefore, as advocated in the work of Cabella et al., the estimates may be combined to reduce the error bars. In this way, we obtain   f _NL=−5 ± 85  and   f _NL=−5 ± 175  at the 1σ and 2σ level respectively using the frequentist approach.     

A special kind of local structure in the CMB intensity maps： duel peak structure

We study the local structure of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) tem-perature maps released by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) team, and find a new kind of structure, which can be described as follows: a peak (or valley) of average temperature is often followed by a peak of temperature fluctuation that is 4° away. This structure is important for the following reasons: both the well known cold spot detected by Cruz et al. and the hot spot detected by Vielva et al. with the same technology (the third spot in their article) have such structure; more spots that are similar to them can be found on CMB maps and they also tend to be significant cold/hot spots; if we change the 4° characteristic into an artificial one, such as 3° or 5°, there will be less "similar spots", and the temperature peaks or valleys will be less significant. The presented "sim-ilar spots" have passed a strict consistency test which requires them to be significant on at least three different CMB temperature maps. We hope that this article could arouse some interest in the relationship of average temperature with temperature fluctuation in local areas; meanwhile, we are also trying to find an explanation for it which might be important to CMB observation and theory.     

A high-significance detection of non-Gaussianity in the WMAP 5-yr data using directional spherical wavelets

We repeat the directional spherical real Morlet wavelet analysis, used previously to detect non-Gaussianity in the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe ( WMAP ) 1- and 3-yr data, on the WMAP 5-yr data. The non-Gaussian signal detected previously is present in the 5-yr data at a slightly increased statistical significance of approximately 99 per cent. Localized regions that contribute most strongly to the non-Gaussian signal are found to be very similar to those detected in the previous releases of the WMAP data. When the localized regions detected in the 5-yr data are excluded from the analysis, the non-Gaussian signal is eliminated.     

Scientific data products and the data pre-processing subsystem of the Chang'e-3 mission

The Chang'e-3(CE-3) mission is China's first exploration mission on the surface of the Moon that uses a lander and a rover. Eight instruments that form the scientific payloads have the following objectives:(1) investigate the morphological features and geological structures at the landing site;(2) integrated in-situ analysis of minerals and chemical compositions;(3) integrated exploration of the structure of the lunar interior;(4) exploration of the lunar-terrestrial space environment, lunar surface environment and acquire Moon-based ultraviolet astronomical observations. The Ground Research and Application System(GRAS) is in charge of data acquisition and pre-processing, management of the payload in orbit, and managing the data products and their applications. The Data Pre-processing Subsystem(DPS) is a part of GRAS.The task of DPS is the pre-processing of raw data from the eight instruments that are part of CE-3, including channel processing, unpacking, package sorting, calibration and correction, identification of geographical location, calculation of probe azimuth angle, probe zenith angle, solar azimuth angle, and solar zenith angle and so on, and conducting quality checks. These processes produce Level 0, Level 1 and Level 2data. The computing platform of this subsystem is comprised of a high-performance computing cluster, including a real-time subsystem used for processing Level 0 data and a post-time subsystem for generating Level 1 and Level 2 data. This paper describes the CE-3 data pre-processing method, the data pre-processing subsystem, data classification, data validity and data products that are used for scientific studies.     

Clouds on Titan during the Cassini prime mission: A complete analysis of the VIMS data

We use data from the VIMS instrument on board the Cassini spacecraft to construct high sensitivity and high spatial-resolution maps of the locations of tropospheric clouds on Titan in the late northern winter season during which the Cassini prime mission took place. These observations show that, in this season, clouds on Titan are strongly hemispherically asymmetric. Mid-latitude clouds, in particular, occur only in the southern hemisphere and have not ever been observed in the north. Such an asymmetry is in general agreement with circulation models where sub-solar surface heating controls the locations of clouds and appears in conflict with models where perennial polar hazes prevent significant summertime polar heating from affecting the circulation. The southern mid-latitude clouds appear to be distributed uniformly in longitude, in contrast to some previous observations. Southern high-latitude clouds exhibit a significant concentration, however, between about 180° and 270°E longitude. A spatially and temporally uniform cloud always appears northward of ∼50°N latitude. This cloud appears unchanged over the course of the observations, consistent with the interpretation that it is caused by continuous ethane condensation as air subsides and radiatively cools through the tropopause. The location of this cloud likely provides a direct tracer of elements of north polar atmospheric circulation, potentially allowing continuous monitoring of circulation changes as Titan passes through equinox into north polar spring and summer. We show that a similar analysis of this dataset by Rodriguez et al. (2009) contains substantial errors and should not be used.     

A statistical analysis of gamma-ray bursts based on the beaming model

We assume that gamma-ray bursts come from relativistic beaming in random directions, with the bursts being standard candles in their own rest frames and following a power-law distribution, and that the rate of occurrence is a constant in the comoving frame of the Ω = 1, Λ = 0 Friedmann universe. This model is very sensitive to the beaming velocity. For a Lorentz factor Γ < 10 and a power-law index n < 1.0 our calculated statistics agree with the BATSE data of weak bursts and the PVO data of strong bursts.     

Asteroids 1 ceres and 4 vesta: Objects of the Dawn space mission

The Dawn spacecraft of the NASA space mission to asteroids 1 Ceres and 4 Vesta was launched in September 2007. The choice of these two asteroids is deeply grounded: they are the largest and most massive objects of the main belt that are completely different in material composition, evolution history, and internal structure. Recently, the results of observations and numerical modeling have shown their amazing uniqueness: they both have experienced the complex process of thermal evolution and differentiation of their internal mineral resources, but have a completely different internal structure. Being the largest bodies, have they managed to resist the process of collisional evolution in the asteroid belt and have survived in their “primitive form.” Because of this, their study is very important from the point of view of cosmogonic problems regarding the asteroid belt and the Solar System as a whole. The present paper shortly reviews the recent progress in the study of Ceres and Vesta achieved due to observations performed on the Earth (including the polarimetric observations made by the authors) and from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) before the long-term orbital investigations performed by the Dawn spacecraft.     

A full-sky prediction of the Sunyaev–Zeldovich effect from diffuse hot gas in the local universe and the upper limit from the WMAP data

We use the Point Source Catalogue Redshift Survey galaxy redshift catalogue combined with constrained simulations based on the IRAS 1.2-Jy galaxy density field to estimate the contribution of hot gas in the local universe to the Sunyaev–Zeldovich (SZ) effect on a large scale. We produce a full-sky healpix map predicting the SZ effect from clusters as well as diffuse hot gas within  80  h ⁻¹ Mpc  . Performing cross-correlation tests between this map and the WMAP data in pixel, harmonic and wavelet space we can put an upper limit on the effect. We conclude that the SZ effect from diffuse gas in the local universe cannot be detected in current cosmic microwave background (CMB) data and is not a large-scale contaminating factor  (ℓ < 60)  in studies of CMB angular anisotropies. We derive an upper limit for the mean temperature decrement of  Δ T < 0.33 μK  at the 2σ confidence level for the 61-GHz frequency channel. However, for future high-sensitivity experiments observing at a wider range of frequencies, the predicted large-scale SZ effect could be of importance.     

Drift motion and perpendicular diffusion of energetic particles in interplanetary space based on spacecraft data

A realistic model of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is constructed based on measurements taken by Pioneer 10 magnetometer at 5 AU. Energetic particle (0.1–100 MeV) propagation in this field is studied by a computer simulation of its motion in order to calculateK , the perpendicular diffusion coefficient, and V _D the average drift velocity of an ensemble of particles. Determinations ofK lie in the range 3×10¹⁹–8×10²⁰ cm² s^–1 for the energies considered and they show that perpendicular diffusion may be an important process at these heliodistances when compared with parallel diffusion results obtained by similar techniques, contrary to what was previously thought. Drift velocity calculations are very close to predictions of guiding centre theory (within 30%) suggesting that this theory can be applied in the IMF. This result shows that gradient and curvature drifts can be present even in a highly perturbed field and thus they can have some influence in cosmic ray modulation.     

A method for a short-term forecast of the absorbed dose accumulation dynamics on the international space station based on radiation monitoring system data

Many papers are devoted to the prediction of radiation conditions on board of a spacecraft (Pichkhadze et al., 2004; Khamidullina et al., 2008; 2012), and a number of software systems for corresponding calculations have been developed: the US information system CREME96 (https://creme.isde.vander-bilt.edu/); European SPENVIS (http://www.spenvis.oma.be/intro.php); Russian SEREIS (Kuznetsov et al., 2001; Model’ kosmosa, 2007) and COSRAD (http://cosrad.sinp.msu.ru/manual.html; Kuznetsov et al., 2011) based on the models of the radiation environment in near-Earth space (Bashkirov et al., 1998; Nymmik, 2004; Model’ kosmosa, 2007; Kuznetsov et al., 2011). In this paper we propose a simple calculation algorithm of short-term (for a few days) forecasting of dynamics of the radiation dose on the International Space Station (ISS) in radiation environment undisturbed by solar proton events. This algorithm does not use radiation environment models and detailed ballistic calculations, while it uses data of the onboard radiation monitoring system (RMS) and empirical relations, obtained for ISS orbital motion.