Megalab SA’s Post

Detecting Biosignatures in Nearby Rocky Exoplanets Using High-contrast Imaging and Medium-resolution Spectroscopy with the Extremely Large Telescope IOP Publishing https://lnkd.in/eAPryEGP

📃Scientific paper: Detecting Biosignatures in Nearby Rocky Exoplanets using High-Contrast Imaging and Medium-Resolution Spectroscopy with Extremely Large Telescope Abstract: In the upcoming decades, one of the primary objectives in exoplanet science is to search for habitable planets and signs of extraterrestrial life in the universe. Signs of life can be indicated by thermal-dynamical imbalance in terrestrial planet atmospheres. O$\_2$ and CH$\_4$ in the modern Earth's atmosphere are such signs, commonly termed biosignatures. These biosignatures in exoplanetary atmospheres can potentially be detectable through high-contrast imaging instruments on future extremely large telescopes \(ELTs\). To quantify the signal-to-noise \($S/N$\) ratio with ELTs, we select up to 10 nearby rocky planets and simulate medium resolution \(R $\sim$ 1000\) direct imaging of these planets using the Mid-infrared ELT Imager and Spectrograph \(ELT/METIS, 3-5.6 $\mu$m\) and the High Angular Resolution Monolithic Optical and Near-infrared Integral field spectrograph \(ELT/HARMONI, 0.5-2.45 $\mu$m\). We calculate the $S/N$ for the detection of biosignatures including CH$\_4$, O$\_2$, H$\_2$O, and CO$\_2$. Our results show that GJ 887\~b has the highest detection $S/N$ for biosignatures and Proxima Cen b exhibits the only detectable CO$\_2$ among the targets for ELT/METIS direct imaging. We also investigate the TRAPPIST-1 system, the archetype of nearby transiting rocky planet systems, and compare the biosignature detection $S/N$ of transit spectroscopy with JWST versus direct spectroscopy with ELT/HARMONI. Our findings indicate JWST is more suitable for detecting and characterizing... Continued on ES/IODE ➡️ https://etcse.fr/zXcE ------- If you find this interesting, feel free to follow, comment and share. We need your help to enhance our visibility, so that our platform continues to serve you.

Even after all these years in microscopy, I still love the images from a SEM. It's time for #UnderTheMicroscopeMonday🔎🔬 Today, we're examining a Unity BEX elemental image from the European Space Agency - ESA for a collaborative project with the University of Oxford. #BEXImaging #ElementalImage #SciArt #MicroscopeImage #SEM #SEMEDS

The lab is building a powerful tool to measure the light absorption of fullerenes, complex carbon cage molecules found in space. Understanding these molecules is crucial for astrochemistry, as they are considered key players in star and planet formation. #Spectroscopy #SyntecOptics

Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) Simulation: Two Black Holes Merge (APOD: 2024 May 10) Simulation Credit: Simulating eXtreme Spacetimes Project https://lnkd.in/dT6iHug6 Explanation: Relax and watch two black holes merge. Inspired by the first direct detection of gravitational waves in 2015, this simulation plays in slow motion but would take about one third of a second if run in real time. Set on a cosmic stage, the black holes are posed in front of stars, gas, and dust. Their extreme gravity lenses the light from behind them into Einstein rings as they spiral closer and finally merge into one. The otherwise invisible gravitational waves generated as the massive objects rapidly coalesce cause the visible image to ripple and slosh both inside and outside the Einstein rings even after the black holes have merged. Dubbed GW150914, the gravitational waves detected by LIGO are consistent with the merger of 36 and 31 solar mass black holes at a distance of 1.3 billion light-years. The final, single black hole has 63 times the mass of the Sun, with the remaining 3 solar masses converted into energy radiated in gravitational waves. https://lnkd.in/dHESFy8t #APOD

Thinking about investing in an astronomical imaging camera? Don't just focus on CCD vs. CMOS. Consider factors like resolution, field of view, sensitivity vs. noise, autoguiding benefits, software capabilities, and more. Make sure your investment aligns with your imaging needs and goals. Download the guide here: https://lnkd.in/d-6V9SjU #DiffractionLimited #AstronomicalImaging #AstronomyPhotography #TelescopeImaging #Astrophotography #CosmicImaging #SpacePhotography

📢#IssueCover: Correcting the Non-Linear Response of Silicon Photomultipliers Cover Paper: https://lnkd.in/g2b_X64b Authors: Lukas Brinkmann, Erika Garutti, Stephan Martens, Joern Schwandt from University of Hamburg Full Volume 24, Issue 5: https://lnkd.in/g5as5Zm5 Cover Story: #Silicon #PhotoMultipliers (#SiPMs) are pixelated photo-detectors operating in Geiger mode for single #photon detection. They are commonly used in applications requiring high spatial resolution like high-energy physics and medical imaging, as well as for their high photo-detection efficiency in astrophysics, space detectors, and #LIDAR systems. SiPMs have a non-linear detection range from one to several thousand photons. We have devised a method to correct the non-linear response of SiPMs using only SiPM measurements, independent of light source knowledge or linearity. The method involves uniformly illuminating the SiPM surface with two tunable light sources, #LED and #laser, of varying amplitude and arrival time. Through this technique, we can effectively correct the SiPMs' non-linear response and expand the linear dynamic range by over tenfold.

James Webb telescope confirms that measurement error can not as the cause of the Hubble Tension! Astronomers have used the James Webb and Hubble space telescopes to confirm one of the most troubling conundrums in all of physics — that the universe appears to be expanding at bafflingly different speeds depending on where we look. This problem, known as the Hubble Tension, has the potential to alter or even upend cosmology altogether. In 2019, measurements by the Hubble Space Telescope confirmed the puzzle was real; in 2023, even more precise measurements from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) cemented the discrepancy. Now, a triple-check by both telescopes working together appears to have put the possibility of any measurement error to bed for good. The study, published February 6 in the ''Astrophysical Journal Letters'' (https://lnkd.in/d82qMyEp), suggests that there may be something seriously wrong with our understanding of the universe. This study has ruled out a measurement error as the cause of the Hubble Tension with very high confidence.

🚀 Exciting News from Our Research Team at ESO and IIA🚀 We are thrilled to announce the publication of our latest research in the prestigious Astronomy & Astrophysics Journal! Our paper "PDS 70 unveiled by star-hopping: Total intensity, polarimetry, and millimeter imaging modeled in concert", investigates into observations and detailed modeling of the PDS 70 system, a young star surrounded by a protoplanetary disk with emerging giant planets. The work is led by Dr. Zahed Wahhaj from ESO 🌟 Key Highlights: Utilizing advanced imaging techniques, we have successfully captured the most detailed images of the planets and the disk, revealing interactions and features previously obscured. Our findings indicate significant flaring of the disk at around 50 AU from the star, with a gap within about 50 AU where dust density is remarkably low (approx. 1% of the outer disk's density). The study also suggests a complex grain-size distribution within the disk, highlighting the sophisticated dynamics shaping the system. Notably, no new planets were detected in the system beyond a separation of 0.1'', providing crucial insights into the formation and evolution of planetary systems. This research was made possible through the collaboration of an international team of experts, and represents a significant step forward in our understanding of planet formation and disk dynamics. 🔗 Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/d6gZDAxE 💡 For more insights and detailed discussions, don't hesitate to contact us! #Astronomy #Astrophysics #PlanetFormation #SpaceScience #ResearchHighlight #PDS70

📃Scientific paper: Exploring NGC 2345: A Comprehensive Study of a Young Open Cluster through Photometric and Kinematic Analysis Abstract: We conducted a photometric and kinematic analysis of the young open cluster NGC 2345 using CCD \emph\{UBV\} data from 2-m Himalayan Chandra Telescope \(HCT\), \emph\{Gaia\} Data Release 3 \(DR3\), 2MASS, and the APASS datasets. We found 1732 most probable cluster members with membership probability higher than 70$\%$. The fundamental and structural parameters of the cluster are determined based on the cluster members. The mean proper motion of the cluster is estimated to be $\mu\_\{\alpha\}cos\delta$ = $\{-1.34\}\pm0.20$ and $\mu\_\{\delta\}$= $1.35\pm 0.21$ mas $yr^\{-1\}$. Based on the radial density profile, the estimated radius is $\sim$ 12.8 arcmin \(10.37 pc\). Using color-color and color-magnitude diagrams, we estimate the reddening, age, and distance to be $0.63\pm0.04$ mag, 63 $\pm$ 8 Myr, and 2.78 $\pm$ 0.78 kpc, respectively. The mass function slope for main-sequence stars is determined as $1.2\pm 0.1$. The mass function slope in the core, halo, and overall region indicates a possible hint of mass segregation. The cluster's dynamical relaxation time is 177.6 Myr, meaning ongoing mass segregation, with complete equilibrium expected in 100-110 Myr. Apex coordinates are determined as $-40^\{\circ\}.89 \pm 0.12, -44^\{\circ\}.99 \pm 0.15$. The cluster's orbit in the Galaxy suggests early dissociation in field stars due to its close proximity to the Galactic disk. ;Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A and 21 pages, 22 Figures Continued on ES/IODE ➡️ https://etcse.fr/mDI8 ------- If you find this interesting, feel free to follow, comment and share. We need your help to enhance our visibility, so that our platform continues to serve you.