SPIRE point source photometry: within the Herschel interactive processing environment (HIPE)

The different algorithms appropriate for point source photometry on data from the SPIRE instrument on-board the Herschel Space Observatory, within the Herschel Interactive Processing Environment (HIPE) are compared. Point source photometry of a large ensemble of standard calibration stars and dark sky observations is carried out using the 4 major methods within HIPE: SUSSEXtractor, DAOphot, the SPIRE Timeline Fitter and simple Aperture Photometry. Colour corrections and effective beam areas as a function of the assumed source spectral index are also included to produce a large number of photometric measurements per individual target, in each of the 3 SPIRE bands (250, 350, 500μm), to examine both the accuracy and repeatability of each of the 4 algorithms. It is concluded that for flux densities down to the level of 30mJy that the SPIRE Timeline Fitter is the method of choice. However, at least in the 250 and 350μm bands, all 4 methods provide photometric repeatability better than a few percent down to at approximately 100mJy. The DAOphot method appears in many cases to have a systematic offset of ～8 % in all SPIRE bands which may be indicative of a sub-optimal aperture correction. In general, aperture photometry is the least reliable method, i.e. largest scatter between observations, especially in the longest wavelength band. At the faintest fluxes, <30mJy, SUSSEXtractor or DAOphot provide a better alternative to the Timeline Fitter.     

Correction of laser scanning intensity data: Data and model-driven approaches

Most airborne and terrestrial laser scanning systems additionally record the received signal intensity for each measurement. Multiple studies show the potential of this intensity value for a great variety of applications (e.g. strip adjustment, forestry, glaciology), but also state problems if using the original recorded values. Three main factors, a) spherical loss, b) topographic and c) atmospheric effects, influence the backscatter of the emitted laser power, which leads to a noticeably heterogeneous representation of the received power. This paper describes two different methods for correcting the laser scanning intensity data for these known influences resulting in a value proportional to the reflectance of the scanned surface. The first approach – data-driven correction – uses predefined homogeneous areas to empirically estimate the best parameters (least-squares adjustment) for a given global correction function accounting for all range-dependent influences. The second approach – model-driven correction – corrects each intensity independently based on the physical principle of radar systems. The evaluation of both methods, based on homogeneous reflecting areas acquired at different heights in different missions, indicates a clear reduction of intensity variation, to 1/3.5 of the original variation, and offsets between flight strips to 1/10. The presented correction methods establish a great potential for laser scanning intensity to be used for surface classification and multi-temporal analyses.     

Reconstructing basal ice flow patterns of the Last Glacial Maximum Rhine glacier (northern Alpine foreland) based on streamlined subglacial landforms

Based on high-resolution (sub)glacial geomorphological mapping, we present a first digital inventory of streamlined bedforms within the footprint of a Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) Alpine piedmont glacier. A total of 2460 drumlins were mapped across the Rhine glacier foreland. Glacial lineations and one field of subglacial ribs (ribbed/Rogen moraines) — the first record of this type of subglacial landform on the Alpine foreland—were identified. Two flowsets, associated with (i) the Rhine glacier's LGM maximum advance (Schaffhausen stadial) and (ii) a late LGM readvance (Stein am Rhein stadial), are differentiated. The vast majority of streamlined bedforms occur in fields aligned in a 16- to 30-km-wide swath upstream of the Stein am Rhein frontal moraines. Orientation and elongation of drumlins and glacial lineations set the basis for the reconstruction of paleo-ice flow. Basal flow paths of the LGM maximum advance are visually interpreted and restricted to the zone proximal to the former ice front. The flow field reconstructed for the late LGM glacier readvance (Stein am Rhein stadial) extends tens of kilometres upstream and is modelled implementing a recently published kriging routine. The derived basal flow patterns paired with information on ice surface levels from lateral and frontal moraines and combined with relative ice velocity differences inferred from spatial changes in bedform elongation reveal detailed insights on ice flow geometries, particularly during the glacier readvance. Reconstructed flowlines highlight basal flow under shallow ice that is strongly controlled by local topography evidenced by diverging around basal bumps and converging in (narrow) valley sections and troughs, where basal flow velocities, steered by topography, are high. Gained paleo-ice basal flow patterns offer new insights on landscape evolution of the northern Alpine foreland and provide evidence-based flow data to validate future physical modelling results.     

An overview of solar and stellar flare research

An overview of the many topics discussed at IAU Colloquium No. 104 is presented as an introduction to the Proceedings. Suggested areas for future research emerging from the conference are summarized.     

Herschel SPIRE fourier transform spectrometer: calibration of its bright-source mode

The Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) of the Spectral and Photometric Imaging REceiver (SPIRE) on board the ESA Herschel Space Observatory has two detector setting modes: (a) a nominal mode, which is optimized for observing moderately bright to faint astronomical targets, and (b) a bright-source mode recommended for sources significantly brighter than 500 Jy, within the SPIRE FTS bandwidth of 446.7–1544 GHz (or 194–671 microns in wavelength), which employs a reduced detector responsivity and out-of-phase analog signal amplifier/demodulator. We address in detail the calibration issues unique to the bright-source mode, describe the integration of the bright-mode data processing into the existing pipeline for the nominal mode, and show that the flux calibration accuracy of the bright-source mode is generally within 2 % of that of the nominal mode, and that the bright-source mode is 3 to 4 times less sensitive than the nominal mode.     

The effect of fluid compressibility on the simulation of sloshing impacts

Resonant and near-resonant sway-induced sloshing flow in a rectangular container is used to compare various combinations of compressibility models for air and water. The numerical model is implemented in a commercial RANS computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. A criterion based on wave propagation is developed to assess the importance of including fluid compressibility. For sloshing flows with low levels of fluid impact, this can be simulated with incompressible fluid models for both air and water. When modelling sloshing at low-filling levels with a travelling wave, which generates large air bubble entrainment, the choice of fluid compressibility model is shown to have a significant influence on pressure magnitude and frequency of oscillation required for structural assessment. Further comparisons with theoretical models show that a full thermal energy compressibility model is also required.     

Quantum mechanical calculations of the vibrational spectra of quartz- and rutile-type GeO2

Heat-treatment and stepwise cooling of as-delivered, water-containing quartz-type GeO₂ powder resulted in transformation into a water-free form. A rutile-type modification could be prepared by impregnation of the quartz-type phase with RbOH solutions, drying and annealing. Raman- and FTIR-absorption spectra of quartz- and rutile-type GeO₂ were measured and compared to quantum-mechanical ab initio calculations based on a hybrid functional using the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof correlation functional with 16.7% Hartree–Fock exchange density functional. Maximum and mean deviations between measured spectral bands and assigned vibrational modes are 14 and ±8 cm⁻¹ for the quartz-type and 30 and ±13 cm⁻¹ for the rutile-type polymorphic form. Water is incorporated into GeO₄ entities of quartz-type GeO₂; a water-free and structurally stable form can be prepared by a heating up to 1,425 K, tempering at 1,323 K and stepwise cooling. Spectral bands not explained by the calculations suggest defects and distortions in both quartz- and rutile-type structures, in case of the quartz-type one by incomplete transformation into an ideal structure after removing the water, whereas the rutile-type modification most probably incorporates Rb during its synthesis.