Near-infrared imaging polarimetry of LkCa 15: A possible warped inner disk.

We present high-contrast H-band polarized intensity images of the transitional disk around the young solar-like star LkCa 15. By utilizing Subaru/HiCIAO for polarimetric differential imaging, the angular resolution and the inner working angle reach 0.07 and r = 0″.1, respectively. We obtained a clearly resolved gap (width ≲ 27 au) at ~48 au from the central star. This gap is consistent with images reported in previous studies. We also confirmed the existence of a bright inner disk with a misaligned position angle of 13° ±4° with respect to that of the outer disk, i.e., the inner disk is possibly warped. The large gap and the warped inner disk both point to the existence of a multiple planetary system with a mass of ≲ 1 M Jup.

Characterization and correction of spectral distortions induced by microvibrations onboard the GOSAT Fourier transform spectrometer.

Microvibrations onboard greenhouse gases observing satellite (GOSAT) cause scan speed variations in the TANSO Fourier transform spectrometer. The associated periodic sampling errors generate ghost features in O2 A-band spectra, where surface pressure and aerosol properties are retrieved to determine the optical path through the atmosphere. A correction algorithm has been developed to re-compute the interferograms at equally spaced sampling intervals. The key is to determine iteratively the amplitude and phase of sinusoidal perturbations with predetermined frequencies to minimize the magnitude of the out-of-band ghosts artifacts after correction of the sampling grid. This correction algorithm drastically reduces errors in retrieved surface pressure and improves agreement with ground-based observations.

A circumstellar disk associated with a massive protostellar object.

The formation process for stars with masses several times that of the Sun is still unclear. The two main theories are mergers of several low-mass young stellar objects, which requires a high stellar density, or mass accretion from circumstellar disks in the same way as low-mass stars are formed, accompanied by outflows during the process of gravitational infall. Although a number of disks have been discovered around low- and intermediate-mass young stellar objects, the presence of disks around massive young stellar objects is still uncertain and the mass of the disk system detected around one such object, M17, is disputed. Here we report near-infrared imaging polarimetry that reveals an outflow/disk system around the Becklin-Neugebauer protostellar object, which has a mass of at least seven solar masses (M(o)). This strongly supports the theory that stars with masses of at least 7M(o) form in the same way as lower mass stars.

Mountaintop observation of CO2 absorption spectra using a short wavelength infrared Fourier transform spectrometer.

The absorption spectra of surface-scattered solar radiation were measured from the top of Mount Tsukuba (altitude 833 m) in the short wavelength infrared region using a Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS). The FTS used in this experiment was the breadboard model of the FTS on the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite, which was launched on 23 January 2009. In situ measurement of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) from a Cessna airplane was performed simultaneously with the FTS observation. The CO(2) column abundances were retrieved from the observed spectra under the assumption of the absence of aerosol. The retrieved CO(2) column abundances over a few minutes dispersed within 1%. The remaining bias was considered to be caused by the no-aerosol assumption.

Thermal and near infrared sensor for carbon observation Fourier-transform spectrometer on the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite for greenhouse gases monitoring.

The Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) monitors carbon dioxide (CO(2)) and methane (CH(4)) globally from space using two instruments. The Thermal and Near Infrared Sensor for Carbon Observation Fourier-Transform Spectrometer (TANSO-FTS) detects gas absorption spectra of the solar short wave infrared (SWIR) reflected on the Earth's surface as well as of the thermal infrared radiated from the ground and the atmosphere. TANSO-FTS is capable of detecting three narrow bands (0.76, 1.6, and 2.0 microm) and a wide band (5.5-14.3 microm) with 0.2 cm(-1) spectral resolution (interval). The TANSO Cloud and Aerosol Imager (TANSO-CAI) is an ultraviolet (UV), visible, near infrared, and SWIR radiometer designed to detect cloud and aerosol interference and to provide the data for their correction. GOSAT is placed in a sun-synchronous orbit 666 km at 13:00 local time, with an inclination angle of 98 degrees . A brief overview of the GOSAT project, scientific requirements, instrument designs, hardware performance, on-orbit operation, and data processing is provided.

Single-cell viability assessment with a novel spectro-imaging system.

Single-cell viability assessment by means of plural dye probes require the spectral and temporal analysis of microscopic images of the test cells. To meet this requirement, we have developed a simple and compact spectro-imaging system using an image slicer and a grism. The image slicer was made of a bundle of 100 optical fibers. The field of view is divided into 10 x 10 sections. The spectral data of each section could be recorded every 5 s in the range from 400 to 800 nm at 5 nm resolution. The viability changes of yeast or tobacco single-cells were measured with this system. Using BY-2 cells, for example, the response to a chemical stress of saponin was measured by means of two fluorescent probes. The spectral-spatial-temporal data of fluorescein and DNA bound ethidium bromide provided us with useful information about the dynamic change of cell membrane permeability from which the cell viability was assessed.

Simultaneous imaging of multiple fluorescent probes in bio-cells.

In order to obtain the full spectrum from 400 to 800 nm of each pixel of a microscopic image, a unique spectro-imaging system was developed using an image slicer. The image slicer is composed of 100 photo fibers which are arranged in a matrix of 10 x 10 at the entrance and 100 x 1 at the exit. A line of this 100 signals is passed through a glism and projected onto a CCD. This system was applied to the fluorescent imaging of bio-cells. One of the demonstrative examples was simultaneous measurements of the Ca2+ concentration and the pH using of respective fluorescent probes. An electric signal was applied to BY-2 protoplasts and the fluorescent spectrum from 500 nm to 800 nm was measured every 5 s. The spectrum of the BY-2 protoplasts changed in response to the electric signal and the Ca2+ concentration, and the pH changes could be monitored. The wavelength resolution was satisfactory, but the space resolution was still rough in comparison with the usual microscopic systems. Notwithstanding these conditions, we could obtain discrete data from more than several tens of sites in a single-cell or a chain of several cells.

Direct imaging of bridged twin protoplanetary disks in a young multiple star.

Studies of the structure and evolution of protoplanetary disks are important for understanding star and planet formation. Here we present the direct image of an interacting binary protoplanetary system. Both circumprimary and circumsecondary disks are resolved in the near-infrared. There is a bridge of infrared emission connecting the two disks and a long spiral arm extending from the circumprimary disk. Numerical simulations show that the bridge corresponds to gas flow and a shock wave caused by the collision of gas rotating around the primary and secondary stars. Fresh material streams along the spiral arm, consistent with the theoretical scenarios in which gas is replenished from a circummultiple reservoir.

Buffer-gas pressure broadening for the (3 0(0) 1)III <-- (0 0 0) band of CO2 measured with continuous-wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy.

Buffer-gas pressure broadening for the (3 0(0) 1)(III)<--(0 0 0) band of CO(2) in the 1600 nm region was investigated with continuous wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy within the temperature range 263-326 K. The measured absorption profiles were analyzed with Voigt functions. Pressure broadening coefficient, gamma(gas), and the temperature dependent parameter (broadening exponent), n, were determined for a variety of buffer gases: N(2), O(2), He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe. gamma(air) values estimated subsequently are 0.096(2) for R(0), 0.085(5) for P(8), 0.075(2) for P(16), 0.070(4) for P(26), and 0.069(2) for P(38) in units of cm(-1) atm(-1), where numbers in parentheses are one standard deviation in units of the last digits quoted. n(air) values are 0.77(4) for R(0), and 0.73(11) for P(8).