1554579
Rapid Notification of TeV Transients with the Milagro Telescope
The Milagro telescope is a wide field of view TeV observatory that is ideally suited for the observation of transients in the 300 GeV–10 TeV band. Milagro has a very large field of view (about 2 sr), nearly continuous operation, and a fluence sensitivity that is comparable to satellite experiments. Milagro is currently performing real time searches for TeV transients, with the goal of prompt notification and multi‐wavelength observation of any detected TeV transients.
118278878
HI Structure Observations of Reionization and Dark Energy
The purpose of the talk was to review the current status of the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), and show the applications of HI structure observations for both reionization and dark energy measurements. Since the status of the MWA is changing weekly, please see the website1 for the current status. This proceedings will instead concentrate on HI structure observations, their applicability to reionization and cosmography, and the implications for the SKA and future HI structure observations of dark energy.
119212042
The Fundamental Multi-Baseline Mode-Mixing Foreground in 21 cm EoR Observations
The primary challenge for experiments measuring the neutral hydrogen power spectrum from the Epoch of Reionization (EoR) are mode-mixing effects where foregrounds from very bright astrophysical sources interact with the instrument to contaminate the EoR signal. In this paper we identify a new type of mode-mixing that occurs when measurements from non-identical baselines are combined for increased power spectrum sensitivity. This multi-baseline effect dominates the mode-mixing power in our simulations and can contaminate the EoR window, an area in Fourier space previously identified to be relatively free of foreground power.
122792689
Computer animation of extensive air showers interacting with the MILAGRO water Cherenkov detector
I employ advanced computer animation to visualize the interaction of Extensive Air Showers (EAS) with the Milagro water reservoir. The animations help conceptualize the evolution of the EAS particle front as it hits a large volume of water and converts to a front of Cherenkov photons. Expected effects such as refraction and curvature are easily seen, as well as a number of novel behaviors. A simple model that explains the observed dynamics of the shower front is presented.
118490778
FOUR FUNDAMENTAL FOREGROUND POWER SPECTRUM SHAPES FOR 21 cm COSMOLOGY OBSERVATIONS
Contamination from instrumental effects interacting with bright astrophysical sources is the primary impediment to measuring Epoch of Reionization (EoR) and Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) 21 cm power spectra—an effect called mode mixing. In this paper, we identify four fundamental power spectrum shapes produced by mode mixing that will affect all upcoming observations. We are able, for the first time, to explain the wedge-like structure seen in advanced simulations and to forecast the shape of an "EoR window" that is mostly free of contamination. Understanding the origins of these contaminations also enables us to identify calibration and foreground subtraction errors below the imaging limit, providing a powerful new tool for precision observations.
54083034
Overcoming real-world obstacles in 21 cm power spectrum estimation: A method demonstration and results from early Murchison Widefield Array data
We present techniques for bridging the gap between idealized inverse covariance weighted quadratic estimation of 21 cm power spectra and the real-world challenges presented universally by interferometric observation. By carefully evaluating various estimators and adapting our techniques for large but incomplete data sets, we develop a robust power spectrum estimation framework that preserves the so-called \EoR window" and keeps track of estimator errors and covariances. We apply our method to observations from the 32-tile prototype of the Murchinson Wideeld Array to demonstrate the importance of a judicious analysis technique. Lastly, we apply our method to investigate the dependence of the clean EoR window on frequency|especially the frequency dependence of the so-called \wedge" feature|and establish upper limits on the power spectrum from z = 6:2 to z = 11:7. Our lowest limit is
117096035
Quasinormal acoustic oscillations in the Michel flow
We study spherical and nonspherical linear acoustic perturbations of the Michel flow, which describes the steady radial accretion of a perfect fluid into a nonrotating black hole. The dynamics of such perturbations are governed by a scalar wave equation on an effective curved background geometry determined by the acoustic metric, which is constructed from the spacetime metric and the particle density and four-velocity of the fluid. For the problem under consideration in this paper the acoustic metric has the same qualitative features as an asymptotically flat, static and spherically symmetric black hole, and thus it represents a natural astrophysical analogue black hole. As for the case of a scalar field propagating on a Schwarzschild background, we show that acoustic perturbations of the Michel flow exhibit quasinormal oscillations. Based on a new numerical method for determining the solutions of the radial mode equation, we compute the associated frequencies and analyze their dependency on the mass of the black hole, the radius of the sonic horizon and the angular momentum number. Our results for the fundamental frequencies are compared to those obtained from an independent numerical Cauchy evolution, finding good agreement between the two approaches. When the radius of the sonic horizon is large compared to the event horizon radius, we find that the quasinormal frequencies scale approximately like the surface gravity associated with the sonic horizon.
56096906
Revisiting spherically symmetric relativistic hydrodynamics
used in fluid dynamics, specifically those designed to deal with shocks, which are based on a finite volume approximation. The two cases we consider are the relativistic blast wave problem and the evolution of a Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff star model, in spherical symmetry. In the first case we illustrate the implementation of relativistic Euler’s equations on a fixed background space-time, whereas in the second case we also show how to couple the evolution of the fluid to the evolution of the space-time.