We have adapted the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) Science Pipelines to process data from the Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO) prototype. In this paper, we describe how we used the LSST Science Pipelines to conduct forced photometry measurements on nightly GOTO data. By comparing the photometry measurements of sources taken on multiple nights, we find that the precision of our photometry is typically better than 20 mmag for sources brighter than 16 mag. We also compare our photometry measurements against colour-corrected Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System photometry and find that the two agree to within 10 mmag (1 $\sigma$ ) for bright (i.e., $\sim 14{\rm th} \mathrm{mag}$ ) sources to 200 mmag for faint (i.e., $\sim 18{\rm th} \mathrm{mag}$ ) sources. Additionally, we compare our results to those obtained by GOTO’s own in-house pipeline, gotophoto, and obtain similar results. Based on repeatability measurements, we measure a $5\sigma$ L-band survey depth of between 19 and 20 magnitudes, depending on observing conditions. We assess, using repeated observations of non-varying standard Sloan Digital Sky Survey stars, the accuracy of our uncertainties, which we find are typically overestimated by roughly a factor of two for bright sources (i.e., $< 15{\rm th} \mathrm{mag}$ ), but slightly underestimated (by roughly a factor of 1.25) for fainter sources ( $> 17{\rm th} \mathrm{mag}$ ). Finally, we present lightcurves for a selection of variable sources and compare them to those obtained with the Zwicky Transient Factory and GAIA. Despite the LSST Software Pipelines still undergoing active development, our results show that they are already delivering robust forced photometry measurements from GOTO data.

The past few decades have seen the burgeoning of wide-field, high-cadence surveys, the most formidable of which will be the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) to be conducted by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. So new is the field of systematic time-domain survey astronomy; however, that major scientific insights will continue to be obtained using smaller, more flexible systems than the LSST. One such example is the Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO) whose primary science objective is the optical follow-up of gravitational wave events. The amount and rate of data production by GOTO and other wide-area, high-cadence surveys presents a significant challenge to data processing pipelines which need to operate in near-real time to fully exploit the time domain. In this study, we adapt the Rubin Observatory LSST Science Pipelines to process GOTO data, thereby exploring the feasibility of using this ‘off-the-shelf’ pipeline to process data from other wide-area, high-cadence surveys. In this paper, we describe how we use the LSST Science Pipelines to process raw GOTO frames to ultimately produce calibrated coadded images and photometric source catalogues. After comparing the measured astrometry and photometry to those of matched sources from PanSTARRS DR1, we find that measured source positions are typically accurate to subpixel levels, and that measured L-band photometries are accurate to $\sim50$ mmag at $m_L\sim16$ and $\sim200$ mmag at $m_L\sim18$. These values compare favourably to those obtained using GOTO’s primary, in-house pipeline, gotophoto, in spite of both pipelines having undergone further development and improvement beyond the implementations used in this study. Finally, we release a generic ‘obs package’ that others can build upon, should they wish to use the LSST Science Pipelines to process data from other facilities.

It now appears almost certain that the precursor of SN 1987a was the brighter of the components of Sk-69 202, a blue supergiant, with a precursor mass of perhaps 12-16 solar masses. Prior to the explosion the precursor had a core mass of order six solar masses, and 0.1 to 0.2 solar masses of residual hydrogen envelope. The compact nature of this star can account for many of the odd features of the subsequent light curve and spectral evolution.

An analysis of the light curve and colour evolution shows four distinct epochs, which probably relate to the initial expansion of the fireball and the escape of shock-deposited thermal energy, the hydrogen-rich layers becoming optically thin, the exposure of the helium core, and the increasing transparency of the helium core.

The supernova appeared to be at its maximum on May 10, but is dimmer than a normal Type II because its light is apparently derived from recombinations and the radioactive decay of 56Ni to 56Co to 56Fe rather than by the thermal energy deposited by the passage of the shock.

Case report data and a matched case-control study were used to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in children in Shenzhen, China between 2008 and 2011. Multivariate analyses were used to evaluate factors associated with severity of infection. Laboratory tests were performed to determine aetiological identification for samples from 163 severe and fatal cases as well as an outpatient-based HFMD sentinel surveillance system (n = 446). All identified EV71 belonged to sub-genotype C4a. No major changes in the CA16 and EV71 viruses were found until the end of 2011. Annual attack rates and the case-severity ratios (CSRs) rose from 0·82/1000 and 0·56/1000, respectively, in 2008 to 2·12/1000 and 6·13/1000 in 2011. The CSR was higher in migrants than in local residents. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) of having a severe attack for being a migrant was 2·45, having a fever >39°C (OR 5·77), visiting a private clinic (OR 2·65), longer time from symptom onset to diagnosis (OR 1·49), visiting a doctor (OR 1·51), early use of intramuscular pyrazolone (OR 3·36), early use of intravenous glucocorticoids (OR 2·28), or the combination of both (OR 3·75). The mortality and increasing case severity appears to be associated with socioeconomic factors including migration and is of worldwide concern.

EURECA (European Underground Rare Event Calorimeter Array) is an astro-particle physics facility aiming to directly detect galactic dark matter. The Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane has been selected as host laboratory. The EURECA collaboration unites CRESST, EDELWEISS and the Spanish-French experiment ROSEBUD, thus concentrating and focussing effort on cryogenic detector research in Europe into a single facility. EURECA will use a target mass of up to one ton, enough to explore WIMP – nucleon scalar scattering cross sections in the region of 10-9 – 10-10 picobarn. A major advantage of EURECA is the planned use of more than just one target material (multi target experiment for WIMP identification).

For recalcitrant seeds, mortality curves of germination versus water content typically imply a wide range of desiccation sensitivities within a seed population. However, seed to seed differences in water content, during desiccation, may confound our interpretation of these mortality plots. Here, we illustrate this problem for two batches of Vitellaria paradoxa (Sapotaceae) seeds collected in 1996 and 2002. Whole seeds were desiccated to various target water contents (TWCs) using silica gel. During desiccation, smaller seeds in the population dried most rapidly. Consequently, there was a significant linear relationship between whole-seed water content and seed mass during the drying process. In addition, following desiccation to low TWCs, only the largest seeds in the population retained viability. Taken together, this suggests that the larger seeds survived, not as a consequence of great relative desiccation tolerance, but as a result of taking longer to desiccate. Subsequently, the critical water content (CWC) for viability loss was calculated, based on the assumptions that in the seed population whole-seed water content during desiccation was normally distributed and the smallest, and hence driest, seeds were killed first. Using this approach, the driest seeds in the population that were killed, at each TWC, were always below a single CWC (c. 20% and 26% in 1996 and 2002, respectively). In subsequent experiments the effect of seed size variation on the response to desiccation was confirmed by conducting desiccation screens on seeds sorted into two discrete size classes, i.e. the seed-lot heterogeneity in mass was reduced. Using this approach, the mortality curves had a steeper slope. Furthermore, data for 24 tropical tree species from the Database of Tropical Tree Seed Research (DABATTS) revealed that seed lots with less variability in mass had steeper mortality curves. Thus, taken together, the data suggest that, at least for whole seeds, the wide range of desiccation sensitivities typically inferred is an artefact of seed to seed variation in mass, and hence water contents, during drying.

In a previous paper, we presented a general theoretical treatment of the effect of stress on defect diffusion in Si (M. S. Daw, W. Windl, N. N. Carlson, M. Laudon, and M. P. Masquelier, to be published in Phys. Rev. B). In this paper, we discuss the calculation of the parameters governing the stress dependence of the diffusivity, which are volume quantities, and present the fully anisotropic volume tensor for vacancy formation in Si.

The fine structure of dislocations in intermetallic compounds can have a profound influence on their macroscopic mechanical properties. The development of appropriate models of deformation requires consideration of dislocation core structure, possible dissociation or decomposition reactions, overall dislocation morphology and relevant dislocation interactions based on detailed transmission electron microscopy study. This empirical information may be rationalized based on both atomistic and continuum-level dislocation modeling. The specific cases of jogged 1/2<110] ordinary dislocations in γ-TiAl and a<101> superdislocations in NiAl are discussed.

Compression tests have been performed on hard-oriented Ni-44A1 single crystals for several temperatures and strain levels. There is a slip transition from a<111> type slip to non-a<111> type slip which corresponds with the observation of yield points. Transmission electron microscopy studies provide evidence for decomposition of a<111> dislocations into a<101> and a<010> dislocations near the “knee” of the yield strength curve. The mechanism of this slip transition and the nature of the dislocation processes both below and above the “knee” are described.

Recent studies of single crystals and bicrystals indicate that dislocations of the type a<011> are important, and may actually control, deformation at intermediate temperatures (above the brittle-to-ductile transition temperature) in hard-oriented NiAl. In the present work, the fine structure of a<011> dislocations has been examined using both high resolution and diffraction-contrast transmission electron microscopy. Evidence has been found for the decomposition of a<011> dislocations into two a<001> dislocations. The initial driving force for the decomposition is due to core effects, as revealed by molecular statics and dynamics Embedded Atom Method calculations. Additional decomposition occurs by a combination of climb and glide. A continuum-based dislocation model is introduced which incorporates these relevant microstructural features.

The dissociated structure of the a〈101〉 superdislocations in Ni3Al is predicted as a function of temperature. The temperature dependence of the relevant fault Helmholtz free energies and elastic constants are calculated within the quasiharmonic approximation using the embedded atom method. The results of these calculations are then incorporated into anisotropic elasticity theory-based calculations of the dissociation distances. The cross-slip activation enthalpy is estimated and found to decrease by 24% at 600 K when compared with its 0 K value. The calculations point to the need to perform experiments to address this temperature dependence.

High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) has been used to observe the core structures of a<100> and a<110> edge dislocations in bicrystals of stoichiometric NiAl. The images indicate that the core of a<100> edge dislocations are compact. Two different core structures have been observed for a<110> edge dislocations. In one configuration, the a<110> dislocation is decomposed into two a<100> dislocations, while in the other it is climb-dissociated into partial dislocations. Both configurations are non-planar on the scale of about 1 nm. EAM calculations have been performed to determine the relative energies and stabilities of these configurations. The implications of these core configurations are briefly discussed with respect to the macroscopic flow behavior of NiAl.

Laser ablation has important applications in surface modification, materials analysis, and thin film deposition. We have been examining the details of processes that lead to the emission and formation of particles (atomic/molecular ground state neutrals, excited neutrals, tions, electrons) when wide band gap materials are irradiated with pulsed UV laser light. Etching and deposition of wide bandgap materials is of particular interest due to their excellent insulating and optical properties. Our studies bear directly on achieving control of emission intensities and particle characteristics for use in film deposition and materials analysis. In model wide bandgap materials such as single crystal alkali halides and MgO (nominally transparent materials), exposure to repeated pulses of 248 nm excimer laser radiation of a few J/cm2 results in substantial interaction including extensive biaxial deformation and cleavage. Significant surface heating also occurs, consistent with strong free-carrier/laser interactions. We present strong evidence that achieving intense emission of atomic, molecular, and ionic particles actually depends on point defect production by laser-induced deformation and fracture. Defect production via dislocation motion yields orders of magnitude increases in laser vaporization of these wide bandgap materials, including cluster ion formation. The dependence of the laser-material interaction on dislocation density and mobility, as well as point defect density, suggests several novel strategies for the enhancing the ablative response or preventing laser damage.

We present here a study of the Σ=3 {112} incoherent twin boundary in aluminum. Atomistic studies of this boundary indicate that several high energy boundary structures may exist, with the lowest energy structure exhibiting a small rigid body shift parallel to the boundary. The observations presented here indicate that the rigid body shift does in fact occur and that its magnitude, as well as the local grain boundary structure, is well predicted by atomistic calculations using the Embedded Atom Method. The low energy boundary configuration is much narrower than the equivalent boundaries that have been observed in the lower stacking fault energy FCC metals.

The atomic configuration at the tip of a mode 1 crack in aluminum is modeled by means of molecular dynamics calculations using an embedded atom potential. This potential intrinsically incorporates many-body contributions. This paper is concerned with the characteristics of the atomic displacement fields in comparison to the linear elastic predictions and dislocation emission phenomena. Three crack/crystal orientations are examined in which the crack plane–crack propagation directions are (010)-[100], (10)-[110], and (10)-[111]. The first two models behaved in a brittle fashion as dislocation emission did not occur for reasons associated with the use of periodic boundary conditions parallel to the crack front. For the models which remained atomically sharp, the positions of the atoms near the crack tip in equilibrium configurations are different from the linear elastic predictions but, to first order, retain an r1/2 dependence, with smaller K, and with the origin displaced behind the physical crack tip. This near tip region is also observed to be elastically softer than in the far field. Dislocation emission readily proceeds in the (10)-[111] model by the sequential emission of partials with attendant nonzero uz displacements. The blunting is characterized by the creation of two corner defects that separate as emission occurs and relaxation of the strains in the region initially confronted by the crack tip. Additional features of the results are discussed.

The stresses, displacement gradients, and Eshelby's F and M integrals are obtained for two crack orientations in an EAM atomic model of aluminum. For a sharp crack, the stresses are shown to agree quite well with the linear elastic prediction, and F is essentially path independent and also in good agreement with the linear elastic prediction. When dislocation emission and blunting ensues, the path independence of F disappears. In addition, for circular contours with origin at the crack tip, the M-integral is linear in contour radius with slope equal to twice the surface energy and zero intercept for a sharp crack, but acquires a nonzero intercept as blunting occurs. The shift in intercept is related to the movement of singularities away from the origin.