Revisiting the Planet Mass and Stellar Metallicity Relation for Low-Mass Exoplanets Orbiting GKM Class Stars

The growing database of exoplanets has shown us the statistical characteristics of various exoplanet populations, providing insight towards their origins. Observational evidence suggests that the process by which gas giants are conceived in the stellar disk may be disparate from that of smaller planets. Using NASA’s Exoplanet Archive, we analyzed the relationships between planet mass and stellar metallicity, as well as planet mass and stellar mass for low-mass exoplanets (MP < 0.13 MJ) orbiting spectral class G, K, and M stars. We performed further uncertainty analysis to confirm that the exponential law relationships found between the planet mass, stellar mass, and the stellar metallicity cannot be fully explained by observation biases alone.

A systematic survey for z< 0.04 CLAGNs

ABSTRACT We have conducted a systematic survey for z &lt; 0.04 active Galactic nuclei (AGNs) that may have changed spectral class over the past decade. We use SkyMapper, Pan-STARRS and the Véron-Cetty & Véron catalogue to search the entire sky for these ‘changing-look’ AGNs (CLAGNs) using a variety of selection methods, where Pan-STARRS has a coverage of 3$\pi$ steradians (sky north of Declination −30○) and SkyMapper has coverage of ∼21000 $~\rm {deg^2}$ (sky south of Declination 0○). We use small aperture photometry to measure how colour and flux have changed over time, where a change may indicate a change in spectral type. Optical colour and flux are used as a proxy for changing Hα equivalent width, while WISE 3.4 μm flux is used to look for changes in the hot dust component. We have identified four AGNs with varying spectra selected using our optical colour selection method. Three AGNs were confirmed from recent observations with WiFeS on the 2.3 m telescope at Siding Spring and the other was identified from archival spectra alone. From this, we identify two new CLAGNs; NGC 1346 and 2MASX J20075129–1108346. We also recover Mrk 915 and Mrk 609, which are known to have varying spectra in the literature, but they do not meet our specific criteria for CLAGNs.

ZZ Piscis Austrinus (ZZ PsA): a bright red nova progenitor and the instability mass ratio of contact binary stars

ABSTRACT ZZ Piscis Austrinus (ZZ PsA) is a neglected bright southern contact binary system with maximum V magnitude of 9.26. We present the first multiband photometric analysis and find the system to be in deep contact (&gt;95 per cent) with an extremely low mass ratio of 0.078. The primary has a mass of 1.213 M⊙ in keeping with its reported spectral class of F6. In order to determine if ZZ PsA is a merger candidate, we outline the current status regarding the instability mass ratio and develop new relationship linking the mass of the primary to the instability mass ratio of the system and the degree of contact. We find that ZZ PsA along with two other examples from the literature to be merger candidates while an additional three require further observations to be confirmed as potential merger candidates.

Landscape-level patterns in photosynthetic marine fouling biofilm compositional heterogeneity as revealed by hyperspectral classification

&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Marine fouling biofilms typically have diverse community assemblages in which microalgae are strongly represented.&amp;#160; The visible light absorption properties of microalgal photosynthetic pigments typically drive the overall visible light reflectance spectra of these biofilms.&amp;#160; In some cases diagnostic spectral features can be used to infer algal taxonomy, while in mixed communities the overlapping pigment signatures of the constituent species often blur together.&amp;#160; In this study, we apply methods common in remote sensing approaches to spectral data to extract information from subtle variations in the reflectance spectra of mixed composition marine biofilms.&amp;#160; We demonstrate that marine biofilm community composition, as evidenced by their reflectance spectra, is both spatially heterogenous and spatially structured. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Visible-NIR hyperspectral images (3.3nm x 200 bands) of biofilms grown on 7.5cm x 7.5cm panels (n=9), immersed in a coastal marina at ~1m depth for 13 months, were captured with a benchtop line-scan imager.&amp;#160;&amp;#160; The hyperspectral data were smoothed and transformed to consolidate the major aspects of spectral variability.&amp;#160; A novel active learning spectral classification method incorporating iterative spectral library building by k-means clustering and spectral angle mapping, followed by hierarchical clustering by spectral similarity, discovered more than 70 distinct spectral classes present in the biofilms.&amp;#160; Accordingly, the hyperspectral images of the fouling biofilms were converted to spatially explicit spectral class maps, where each class was assumed representative of a distinct community compositional mix.&amp;#160; Hyperspectral indexing calibrated to chl &lt;em&gt;a&lt;/em&gt; surface area density was used to map biomass for the same images.&amp;#160; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Cross-tabulating the spectral class and biomass data, it was apparent that for these biofilms, different biomass density levels were consistently associated with specific community compositions (spectral classes.)&amp;#160; Only a small number of the possible classes were represented in the densest areas of biofilm, suggesting that these species composition mixes have a competitive advantage.&amp;#160; In contrast, the full diversity of class types was present in the low biomass areas.&amp;#160; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Our hyperspectral approach does not convey exact species composition, as would pooled metagenomic sampling or in-depth microscopy.&amp;#160; However it does allow for the examination of spatially explicit changes in biofilm composition at relatively large scales (the landscape), and so may be a useful tool in hypothesis generation, long term monitoring, and other environmental biofilm applications. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

A Magnetic Snapshot Survey of F-Type Stars

We present a spectropolarimetric magnetic snapshot survey of 55 stars which includes 53 F-type stars ranging from spectral types F0 to F9 plus 2 chemically peculiar stars β CrB, and δ Cap. We look for magnetic fields in stars spanning a range of effective temperatures where the transition from fossil to dynamo magnetic fields is believed to occur. High-resolution spectropolarimetry using circularly polarized spectra is used to look for a magnetic detection in the Stokes V profile, determine the mean longitudinal magnetic field (Bl), and to look for correlations with stellar parameters. Surface magnetic fields are detected on 14 F-stars, and present in every spectral class from F3V-F9V ranging in strength from 0.3 ± 0.1 G (36 UMa, F8V) to 8.3 ± 0.9 G (h Dra, F8V). Thus we find photospheric magnetic fields are present in stars as early as spectral type F3V with an outer convection zone thickness less than a few per cent of the stellar radius.

ESTIMATION OF CHL-A CONCENTRATION IN LAGUNA LAKE USING SENTINEL-3 OLCI IMAGES

The use of Sentinel-3 Ocean and Land Color Instrument (OLCI) images in estimating chlorophyll-a (total and class-differentiated)a concentration is promising owing to Sentinel-3’s 21 bands. This was investigated for the case of Laguna de Bay (or Laguna Lake), Philippines. Field surveys were conducted on 13–17 November 2018 using FluoroProbe, a submersible fluorimeter capable of quantifying concentrations of spectral classes of microalgae. These were regressed with reflectance data obtained from 10-day composite Sentinel-3 reflectance images as well as ten empirical algorithms (indices) for OLCI. Compared to band reflectance, the 10 indices yielded stronger correlations, especially with R665/R709, R674/R709, and (1/R665-1/R709)xR754 with the following respective correlation values: −0.623, −0.646, and 0.628. Multiple regression results indicates that 48% of the variability of total chl-a concentration is explained by five explanatory (reflectance) variables (R412, R443, R560, R681, and R754) with RMSE of 2.814 μg/l. In contrast, the two indices R674/R754 and (1/R665-1/R709)xR754 accounted for about 46% of the variability of total chl-a concentration with RMSE of 2.475 μg/l. For diatoms and bluegreen microalgae, R560/R665 and (1/R665-1/R709)xR754 constitute the models with R2 of 0.21 and 0.435, and RMSE of 2.516 and 2.163 ug/l, respectively. Green microalgal concentration is jointly described by three indices: R560/R665, R674/R754, and R709-R754, with R2 = 0.182 and RMSE = 1.219 μg/l. From cryptophytes, the model comprising of R560/R665, (1/R665-1/R709)xR754, and R709-R754 produced an R2 = 0.289 and RMSE = 0.767 μg/l. It can be said that the empirical algorithms can be used for Sentinel-3 OLCI data providing acceptable estimations of total and spectral class-differentiated chl-a concentration.

The latest spectral analysis on asteroids at NAO Rozhen

By virtue of the physical, chemical and dynamical characteristics of asteroids, researchers gain insight into the formation and evolution of our Solar system. Since these objects do not undergo any changes, or the changes during the Solar system evolution are insignificant, we are certain they carry important information regarding the formation of our planetary system and its evolution. Knowing the spectral class of an asteroid is crucial for determining its chemical properties. In our work the spectral classification was done on several asteroids by comparing their spectra with laboratory spectra. We determined spectral types of the asteroids by the overall shapes of the spectra between 450 nm and 700 nm. Increasing the number of asteroids with known rotation period, shapes and spectra enriches the asteroid database of physical and dynamical characteristics of asteroid population.

Spatial summation of individual cones in human color vision

The human retina contains three classes of cone photoreceptors each sensitive to different portions of the visual spectrum: long (L), medium (M) and short (S) wavelengths. Color information is computed by downstream neurons that compare relative activity across the three cone types. How cone signals are combined at a cellular scale has been more difficult to resolve. This is especially true near the fovea, where spectrally-opponent neurons in the parvocellular pathway draw excitatory input from a single cone and thus even the smallest stimulus will engage multiple color-signaling neurons. We used an adaptive optics microstimulator to target individual and pairs of cones with light. Consistent with prior work, we found that color percepts elicited from individual cones were predicted by their spectral sensitivity, although there was considerable variability even between cones within the same spectral class. The appearance of spots targeted at two cones were predicted by an average of their individual activations. However, two cones of the same subclass elicited percepts that were systematically more saturated than predicted by an average. Together, these observations suggest both spectral opponency and prior experience influence the appearance of small spots.