Das Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) ist ein satellitengestütztes Gammastrahlungs-Teleskop zur Messung von Gammastrahlung im Energiebereich zwischen ∼ 30 MeV und mehreren hundert GeV. Der Nachweis extraterrestrischer Gammastrahlung in diesem Energiebereich erlaubt Rückschlüsse auf die astrophysikalischen Quellen der Gammastrahlung und Beschleunigungsmechanismen kosmischer Strahlung mit Energien zwischen 1 GeV und ∼ 10 TeV. Die Beobachtung von Quellen während Phasen vorübergehend erhöhter Gammastrahlungslüsse (‘Flares’) ermöglicht dabei eine besonders empfindliche Untersuchung der Produktionsmechanismen kosmischer Strahlung in den Quellen, da die Eigenschaften kürzlich beschleunigter Teilchen unmittelbar studiert werden können. Der Hauptteil dieser Dissertation stellt das neueste Verzeichnis zeitlich variabler Gammastrahlungsquellen über 100 MeV vor, den zweiten ‘Fermi All-sky Variability Analysis’ Katalog (2FAV). Der 2FAV Katalog enthält über 4500 Flares, welche in den ersten 7.4 Jahren der LAT Datennahme auf einem hohen Vertrauensniveau gemessen und an 518 verschiedenen Himmelspositionen beobachtet wurden. 441 dieser Quellpositionen im 2FAV können Aktiven Galaktischen Kernen (AGN) zugeordnet werden. Die verbleibenden 77 Quellpositionen besitzen keine sichere Entsprechung in anderen Verzeichnissen von Gammastrahlungs- oder Blazarquellen und stellen möglicherweise neue Gammastrahlungsquellen dar. Bei der Untersuchung der Spektren der 2FAV Flares, welche sogenannten ‘Flat-Spectrum’ Radioquasaren (FSRQ) - eine Unterklasse der AGN - zugeordnet werden können, wurde durchweg ein härteres Gammastrahlungsspektrum während Phasen erhöhter Gammastrahlungsemission beobachtet. Zudem wurde eine Untergrenze in der Verteilung der spektralen Exponenten, Γ ≳ 1.5, in der Stichprobe der untersuchten Flares festgestellt. Unter der Annahme eines einfachen leptonischen Modells und dass die Verteilung beschleunigter Teilchen im Inertialsystem der Quelle isotrop ist, folgt daraus, dass die Energiespektren der kosmischen Strahlung, welche die Gammastrahlungs-Flares verursachen, mit dN/dE ∝ E −2 oder stärker abfallen. Eine andere Möglichkeit, die Beschleunigungsmechanismen kosmischer Strahlung zu untersuchen, ist die Messung der Polarisation der begleitenden Gammastrahlung. Der letzte Teil dieser Dissertation enthält eine vorläufige Studie zur Messbarkeit linearer Polarisation astrophysikalischer Gammastrahlung mit dem LAT-Instrument. Bei Konversion hochenergetischer Photonen in Elektron-Positron-Paare verursacht eine lineare Polarisation der Gammastrahlung eine Modulation des Azimutwinkels der Ebenen, in denen die Elektron-Positron-Paare erzeugt wurden. Obwohl der LAT ursprünglich nicht als Polarimeter konzipiert wurde, ermöglicht das Instrument eine Messung dieser Modulation für niederenergetische Primärteilchen (≲ 200 MeV), welche in den Silikonschichten des Detektors konvertieren. Eine Auswahl solcher Ereignisse, selektiert durch Algorithmen überwachten maschinelles Lernens (‘supervised machine learning’), wird verwendet um die statistischen und systematischen Messunsicherheiten abzuschätzen, denen eine Messung unterworfen ist. Werden allein statistische Unsicherheiten berücksichtigt, ist der LAT in der Lage, einen Polarisationsgrad von 30−50% der Gammastrahlungsflüsse vom Vela-Pulsar und vom Krebs-Pulsarwindnebels nach einer Beobachtungszeit von zehn Jahren auf einem Vertrauensniveau von 5σ nachzuweisen. Werden zusätzlich systematische Unsicherheiten berücksichtigt, wird abgeschätzt, dass ein Polarisationsgrad von ∼ 46% auf einem Vertrauensniveau von 5σ nachweisbar ist, indem eine Auswahl von AGN als unpolarisierte Testprobe verwendet und mit umfangreichen Monte-Carlo Simulationen verglichen wird. Die Analyse in dieser Dissertation berücksichtigt zum ersten Mal sämtliche Aspekte einer polarization-sensitiven Ereignissrekonstruktion und dienst damit als Grundlage für zukünftige Nachweisversuche der Polarisation astrophysikalischer Gammastrahlung mit dem LAT. / The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) is a space-based pair-conversion telescope sensitive to gamma rays with energies from ∼ 30 MeV to several hundreds of GeV. Observing gamma rays in this energy range, we gain information on the sources and acceleration mechanisms of cosmic rays (CRs) of energies from ∼ 1 GeV to ∼ 10 TeV. Studying the emission of gamma-ray sources during periods of enhanced activity (flares) provides a sensitive probe of the production mechanisms of CRs, as it makes it possible to investigate the distributions of the freshly-accelerated particles. The main part of this work presents the latest catalog of variable gamma-ray sources above 100 MeV, the second Fermi All-sky Variability Analysis catalog (2FAV). The 2FAV catalog contains more than 4500 flares detected at high significance in the first 7.4 years of LAT observations and the 518 sources from which these flares originate. Probable counterparts, mostly active galactic nuclei (AGN), have been found for 441 sources in the 2FAV. The remaining 77 sources have no reliable counterparts in other gamma-ray or blazar catalogs; they are potentially new gamma-ray sources. Studying the spectra of the 2FAV flares, we observe a harder-when-brighter behavior for the entire sample of flares associated with lat spectrum radio quasars, a class of AGN. We also observe a minimum value in the distribution of the photon index Γ of the flares, corresponding to Γ ≳ 1.5. In a simple leptonic scenario, assuming that the distribution of accelerated particles is isotropic in the source reference frame, this limit on the spectral hardness implies that the spectra of the accelerated particles responsible for the lare is never harder than dN/dE ∝ E −2. Another way to probe the environments where CRs are accelerated is by measuring the polarization of the gamma rays. A preliminary study of the LAT sensitivity to linear polarization of astrophysical gamma-rays is presented in the last part of this thesis. In the pair-production regime, linear polarization of the gamma-rays induces a modulation in the azimuthal angle of the planes where the electron-positron pairs are produced. Although not designed as a polarimeter, the LAT has the potential to measure this modulation using low energy (≲ 200 MeV) events converting in the silicon detector layers of its tracker. A selection of these events using supervised machine learning algorithms is presented and used as a basis to estimate the statistical and systematic uncertainties afecting the measurement. Considering only statistical uncertainties, a degree of polarization of ∼ 30−50% could be detected at the 5σ confidence level for the Vela pulsar and the Crab pulsar-wind nebula after 10 years of observation. By including systematic uncertainties, a 5σ sensitivity limit corresponding to a polarization degree of ∼ 46% is estimated, using a stack of AGN as an unpolarized test source and comparing the data with detailed Monte Carlo simulations. This analysis addresses for the first time all the steps of a real measurement and can therefore provide the basis for future measurements of gamma-ray polarization with the LAT.

Zeitabhängige Multimessenger-Astronomie ist die Studie von vorübergehenden astrophysikalischen Phänomenen mithilfe verschiedener Botschafterteilchen und -wellen. Das High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) ist ein bodengestütztes Teleskop-Array, das Gammastrahlen im Bereich von 30 GeV bis 100 TeV misst. In dieser Arbeit werden drei H.E.S.S.-Programme zur Nachverfolgung von vorübergehenden Phänomenen diskutiert. Zuerst wird das Nova-Programm vorgestellt, zusammen mit der Entdeckung des Ausbruchs von RS Ophiuchi (RS Oph) im Jahr 2021. RS Oph ist eine Nova, welche schon mehrmals ausgebrochen ist. Die Analyse der Nova, zeigt eine klare Detektion über die ersten fünf Nächte sowie eine marginale Detektion bis zu vier Wochen nach dem Ausbruch. RS Oph ist damit das erste galaktische vorübergehende Phänomen, das bei Energien von ~1 TeV detektiert wurde. Eine klare Variabilität des Spektrums wird gezeigt. Eine Diskussion zeigt, dass die beobachteten Gammastrahlen höchstwahrscheinlich durch beschleunigte Protonen innerhalb eines astrophysikalischen Schocks stammt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine zeitaufgelöster Teilchenbeschleunigung. Das zweite Programm ist das Gravitationswellen (GW)-Programm. Hier wird die Analyse von vier beobachteten Verschmelzungsereignissen von binären schwarzen Löchern vorgestellt. Es wird keine Detektion gemeldet, stattdessen werden Himmelskarten mit Höchstgrenzen produziert. Die Effektivität der GW-Nachverfolgung mit H.E.S.S. wird diskutiert. Das dritte Programm ist das Pionierprogramm für Gezeiten-Sternzerrissereignisse (TDEs), das in den letzten Jahren etabliert wurde. Herausforderungen des Programms werden diskutiert, und die H.E.S.S.-Nachverfolgung des Ereignisses AT2019uqv wird vorgestellt. Es werden keine Detektionen gemeldet, stattdessen werden obere Grenzen für AT2019uqv angegeben. Abschließend erfolgt ein Vergleich der Programme sowie ein Ausblick auf das nächste Jahrzehnt bodengestützter Gammastrahlenbeobachtungen. / Time-domain multi-messenger astronomy is the study of transient astrophysical phenomena using several messenger particles and waves. The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) is a ground-based telescope array, which measures very-high-energy gamma rays between 30 GeV and 100 TeV. Within this work, three H.E.S.S. transients follow-up programs and their results are shown. At first, the nova program is shown together with the detection of the 2021 RS Ophiuchi (RS Oph) outburst. RS Oph is a known nova with past eruptions. The analysis of the nova presented in this work shows a clear detection over the first five nights of observations, and a marginal detection two to four weeks after the eruption. RS Oph is thus the first Galactic transient phenomenon detected at ~1 TeV energies. A clear variability of the spectrum is shown. A discussion of the underlying physics concludes, that the observed gamma-ray emission most likely stems from cooled protons accelerated within an astrophysical shock. The results show time-resolved particle acceleration. The second program is the gravitational-waves (GWs) program. Here, the analysis of four observed binary black hole merger events is shown. No detection is reported, and upper limit sky maps are derived instead. The viability of GW follow-up with H.E.S.S. is discussed, and a case is made for a potential counterpart detection. The third program is the tidal disruption event (TDE) program, a pioneered program established at the emergence of the source class within the last few years. Unique challenges of the follow-up program are discussed, and the H.E.S.S. follow-up of the event AT2019uqv is shown. No detection is reported, and upper limits for AT2019uqv are given instead. The interest in follow-up observations of TDEs with gamma-ray instruments is stressed. In conclusion, a comparison of the different programs and their requirements is given, together with an outlook for the next decade of ground-based gamma-ray observations.

Es wird angenommen, dass schalenartige Supernova-Reste wesentlicheQuellen der galaktischen kosmischen Strahlung sind. Die Beschleunigungvon Teilchen in diesen Objekten kann mit hochenergetischerGammastrahlung (Energien zwischen 30GeV und 30TeV) nachgewiesenwerden.In dieser Arbeit wird die Beobachtung von Gammastrahlung desschalenartigen Supernova-Restes RX J0852.0-4622 beschrieben. DieseBeobachtungen wurden im Februar 2004 mit dem High Energy StereoscopicSystem (H.E.S.S.) durchgeführt. H.E.S.S., ein System von vierabbildenden Cherenkov Teleskopen, kann Gammastrahlung im Bereichzwischen 100GeV und einigen 10TeV nachweisen und ist zur Zeit dasleistungsfähigste Instrument in diesem Energiebereich.Die Emission von Gammastrahlung von RX J0852.0-4622 wurde mit einerSignifikanz von 12 sigma bei einer Belichtungszeit von 3.2hnachgewiesen. Die Morphologie der Emissionsregion ist ausgedehnt undkorreliert mit der Morphologie der Röntgenstrahlung. Eindifferenzielles Energiespektrum des Photonenflusses wurde im Bereichzwischen 0.5 und 10 TeV rekonstruiert. Das Spektrum folgt einemPotenzgesetz mit einem spektralen Index von etwa 2.1. Der integriertePhotonenfluss oberhalb von 1 TeV ist auf dem Niveau des Flusses desKrebsnebels. RX J0852.0-4622 ist daher eine der hellstenGammastrahlungsquellen am Himmel und der zweite Supernova-Rest dessenausgedehnte Gammastrahlungsemission nachgewiesen werden konnte.Gammastrahlung kann durch inverse Compton-Streuung vonrelativistischen Elektronen oder durch starke Wechselwirkungen vonProtonen mit dem interstellaren Material erklärt werden. Der erwarteteEnergiefluss von inverser Compton-Streuung an der kosmischenMikrowellenstrahlung wurde abgeschätzt. Dieser ist um einigeGrößenordnungen geringer als der beobachtete Wert. Daher ist eswahrscheinlich, dass die beobachtete Gammastrahlung ausProton-Wechselwirkungen stammt und RX J0852.0-4622 zur galaktischenkosmischen Strahlung beiträgt. / Shell-type supernova remnants are discussed to be a main source of thegalactic cosmic rays. Very high energy gamma rays (energies between30GeV and 30TeV) from these objects are tracers for the accelerationof particles. Up to now, only a limited number of supernova remnantswere observed in gamma rays. This work reports on the observations of gamma rays from theshell-type supernova remnant RX J0852.0-4622 carried out with the HighEnergy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) in February 2004. H.E.S.S., asystem of four imaging Cherenkov telescopes, is dedicated to theobservation of gamma rays of energies between 100GeV and several tensof TeV and it is currently the most sensitive instrument in thisenergy range.Emission of gamma rays from RX J0852.0-4622 was detected with asignificance of 12 sigma within a live time of 3.2h. The morphologyof the emission region is clearly extended and correlated with themorphology of the X-ray emission. A differential energy spectrum ofthe photon flux between 0.5 and 10 TeV was reconstructed. It is foundto follow a power law with a spectral index of about 2.1. The integralphoton flux above 1 TeV is at the level of the Crab flux at theseenergies. Thus, RX J0852.0-4622 is one of the brightest gamma-raysources in the sky. RX J0852.0-4622 is the second supernova remnant ofwhich an extended gamma-ray morphology could be proved.The emission of gamma rays from shell-type supernova remnants can beexplained as being produced by accelerated electrons or protons. Theexpected energy flux due to inverse Compton scattering of relativisticelectrons on the cosmic microwave background was estimated and foundto be several orders of magnitude lower than the observed flux. Thus,it is likely that the observed gamma-ray emission is produced inproton interactions and that RX J0852.0-4622 contributes to theacceleration of galactic cosmic rays.

Les activités nucléaires génèrent des déchets radioactifs classés selon leur niveau d’activité et la durée de vie des radioéléments présents. La garantie d’un classement et d’une gestion optimale nécessite une caractérisation précise. Les déchets de moyenne et haute activité, contenant des radioéléments à vie très longue, seront stockés en profondeur pendant plusieurs centaines de milliers d’années, à l’issue desquelles il est nécessaire de pouvoir garantir l’absence de risques pour l’homme et l’environnement, non seulement sur le plan radiologique, mais aussi en ce qui concerne des éléments stables, toxiques du point de vue chimique. Cette thèse concerne la caractérisation par activation neutronique de ces éléments toxiques, ainsi que celle des matières nucléaires présentes dans les colis. Elle a été réalisée dans le cadre d’une collaboration entre le Laboratoire de Mesures Nucléaires du CEA Cadarache, en France, et l’institut de Gestion des Déchets Radioactifs et de Sûreté des Réacteurs du centre de recherche FZJ (Forschungszentrum Jülich), en Allemagne. La première étude a consisté à valider le modèle numérique de la cellule d’activation neutronique MEDINA (FZJ) avec le code de transport Monte Carlo MCNP. Les rayonnements gamma prompts de capture radiative d’échantillons contenant des éléments d’intérêt (béryllium, aluminium, chlore, cuivre, sélénium, strontium et tantale) ont été mesurés et comparés aux simulations avec diverses bases de données nucléaires, permettant d’aboutir à un accord satisfaisant et validant le schéma de calcul en vue des études suivantes. Ensuite, la mesure des rayonnements gamma retardés de fissions induites sur les isotopes 235U et 239Pu a été étudiée pour des fûts de 225 L contenant des enrobés bitumineux ou une matrice béton, représentatifs de déchets produits en France et en Allemagne. Les rendements d’émission des rayonnements gamma retardés de fission d’intérêt, cohérents avec ceux publiés dans la littérature, ont été déterminés à partir des mesures d’échantillons métalliques d’uranium et de plutonium dans la cellule d’activation neutronique REGAIN du LMN. Le signal utile a ensuite été extrapolé par simulation MCNP pour une répartition homogène d’isotopes 239Pu ou 235U dans les matrices considérées, en utilisant le modèle numérique de MEDINA. Des signaux faibles, de l’ordre de 100 coups par gramme d’isotope 239Pu ou 235U, ont été obtenus. Pour le colis d’enrobés bitumineux, le niveau d’irradiation gamma très élevé, dû à une activité en 137Cs de l’ordre de 1 TBq par fût, nécessiterait l’utilisation d’une collimation et/ou d’écrans pour éviter la saturation de l’électronique de mesure, rendant indétectables les rayonnements gamma retardés de fission. Les colis de déchets bétonnés produits en Allemagne présentant un niveau d’activité plus faible, il a été possible d’estimer des limites de détection allant de 10 à 290 g d’isotope fissile 235U ou 239Pu, selon la raie gamma considérée, suite à la mesure du bruit de fond actif dans MEDINA avec une matrice béton maquette. Afin d’améliorer ces performances, le blindage du détecteur germanium de MEDINA a été optimisé à l’aide de simulations MCNP, montrant la possibilité de réduire les bruits de fond gamma et neutron d’un facteur 4 et 5, respectivement. La validation expérimentale de l’efficacité du blindage a été effectuée à partir de configuration simples à implémenter dans MEDINA, confirmant les facteurs de réduction attendus. Un blindage du détecteur optimal permettrait d’améliorer les limites de détection et aussi d’utiliser une source de neutrons d’intensité supérieure, comme un générateur de neutron à haut flux ou un accélérateur linéaire d’électrons avec une cible de conversion appropriée. / Nuclear activities produce radioactive wastes classified following their radioactive level and decay time. An accurate characterization is necessary for efficient classification and management. Medium and high level wastes containing long lived radioactive isotopes will be stored in deep geological storage for hundreds of thousands years. At the end of this period, it is essential to ensure that the wastes do not represent any risk for humans and environment, not only from radioactive point of view, but also from stable toxic chemicals. This PhD thesis concerns the characterization of toxic chemicals and nuclear material in radioactive waste, by using neutron activation analysis, in the frame of collaboration between the Nuclear Measurement Laboratory of CEA Cadarache, France, and the Institute of Nuclear Waste Management and Reactor Safety of the research center, FZJ (Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH), Germany. The first study is about the validation of the numerical model of the neutron activation cell MEDINA (FZJ), using MCNP Monte Carlo transport code. Simulations and measurements of prompt capture gamma rays from small samples measured in MEDINA have been compared for a number of elements of interest (beryllium, aluminum, chlorine, copper, selenium, strontium, and tantalum). The comparison was performed using different nuclear databases, resulting in satisfactory agreement and validating simulation in view of following studies. Then, the feasibility of fission delayed gamma-ray measurements of 239Pu and 235U in 225 L waste drums has been studied, considering bituminized or concrete matrixes representative of wastes produced in France and Germany. The delayed gamma emission yields were first determined from uranium and plutonium metallic samples measurements in REGAIN, the neutron activation cell of LMN, showing satisfactory consistency with published data. The useful delayed gamma signals of 239Pu and 235U, homogeneously distributed in the 225 L matrixes, were then determined by MCNP simulations using MEDINA numerical model. Weak signals of about one hundred counts per gram of 239Pu or 235U after 7200 s irradiation were obtained. Because of the high gamma emission in the bituminized waste produced in France (about 1 TBq of 137Cs per drum), the use of collimator and/or shielding is mandatory to avoid electronic saturation, making fission delayed gamma rays undetectable. However, German concrete drums being of lower activity, their corresponding active background was measured in MEDINA with a concrete mock-up, leading to detection limits between 10 and 290 g of 235U or239Pu, depending on the delayed gamma line. In order to improve these performances, the shielding of MEDINA germanium detector was optimized using MCNP calculations, resulting in gamma and neutron background reduction factors of 4 and 5, respectively. The experimental validation of the shielding efficiency was performed by implementing easy-to-build configurations in MEDINA, which confirmed the expected background reduction factors predicted by MCNP. Thanks to an optimized detector shielding, it will also be possible to use a higher neutron emission source, like a high flux neutron generator or an electron LINAC with appropriate conversion targets, in view to further reduce detection limits.

The main objective of this thesis is the development of a nonparametric sequential estimation technique for the off-pulse interval(s) of a source function originating from a pulsar. It is important to identify the off-pulse interval of each pulsar accurately, since the properties of the off-pulse emissions are further researched by astrophysicists in an attempt to detect potential emissions from the associated pulsar wind nebula (PWN). The identification technique currently used in the literature is subjective in nature, since it is based on the visual inspection of the histogram estimate of the pulsar light curve. The developed nonparametric estimation technique is not only objective in nature, but also accurate in the estimation of the off-pulse interval of a pulsar, as evident from the simulation study and the application of the developed technique to observed pulsar data. The first two chapters of this thesis are devoted to a literature study that provides background information on the pulsar environment and -ray astronomy, together with an explanation of the on-pulse and off-pulse interval of a pulsar and the importance thereof for the present study. This is followed by a discussion on some fundamental circular statistical ideas, as well as an overview of kernel density estimation techniques. These two statistical topics are then united in order to illustrate kernel density estimation techniques applied to circular data, since this concept is the starting point of the developed nonparametric sequential estimation technique. Once the basic theoretical background of the pulsar environment and circular kernel density estimation has been established, the new sequential off-pulse interval estimator is formulated. The estimation technique will be referred to as `SOPIE'. A number of tuning parameters form part of SOPIE, and therefore the performed simulation study not only serves as an evaluation of the performance of SOPIE, but also as a mechanism to establish which tuning parameter configurations consistently perform better than some other configurations. In conclusion, the optimal parameter configurations are utilised in the application of SOPIE to pulsar data. For several pulsars, the sequential off-pulse interval estimators are compared to the off-pulse intervals published in research papers, which were identified with the subjective \eye-ball" technique. It is found that the sequential off-pulse interval estimators are closely related to the off-pulse intervals identified with subjective visual inspection, with the benefit that the estimated intervals are objectively obtained with a nonparametric estimation technique. / PhD (Statistics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The main objective of this thesis is the development of a nonparametric sequential estimation technique for the off-pulse interval(s) of a source function originating from a pulsar. It is important to identify the off-pulse interval of each pulsar accurately, since the properties of the off-pulse emissions are further researched by astrophysicists in an attempt to detect potential emissions from the associated pulsar wind nebula (PWN). The identification technique currently used in the literature is subjective in nature, since it is based on the visual inspection of the histogram estimate of the pulsar light curve. The developed nonparametric estimation technique is not only objective in nature, but also accurate in the estimation of the off-pulse interval of a pulsar, as evident from the simulation study and the application of the developed technique to observed pulsar data. The first two chapters of this thesis are devoted to a literature study that provides background information on the pulsar environment and -ray astronomy, together with an explanation of the on-pulse and off-pulse interval of a pulsar and the importance thereof for the present study. This is followed by a discussion on some fundamental circular statistical ideas, as well as an overview of kernel density estimation techniques. These two statistical topics are then united in order to illustrate kernel density estimation techniques applied to circular data, since this concept is the starting point of the developed nonparametric sequential estimation technique. Once the basic theoretical background of the pulsar environment and circular kernel density estimation has been established, the new sequential off-pulse interval estimator is formulated. The estimation technique will be referred to as `SOPIE'. A number of tuning parameters form part of SOPIE, and therefore the performed simulation study not only serves as an evaluation of the performance of SOPIE, but also as a mechanism to establish which tuning parameter configurations consistently perform better than some other configurations. In conclusion, the optimal parameter configurations are utilised in the application of SOPIE to pulsar data. For several pulsars, the sequential off-pulse interval estimators are compared to the off-pulse intervals published in research papers, which were identified with the subjective \eye-ball" technique. It is found that the sequential off-pulse interval estimators are closely related to the off-pulse intervals identified with subjective visual inspection, with the benefit that the estimated intervals are objectively obtained with a nonparametric estimation technique. / PhD (Statistics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

La mission Franco-chinoise SVOM (Space based multi-band Variable astronomical Object Monitor), est dédiée à l'étude des sursauts ƴ, intenses et brèves bouffées de photons en X et ƴ, associées à la formation catastrophique de trous noirs. SVOM embarquera en 2021 quatre instruments observant du visible jusqu'aux rayonnements ƴ. ECLAIRs, télescope principal, est une caméra à masque codé capable de détecter et localiser, environ 200 sursauts pendant les trois années de vie de la mission. Son plan de détection compte 6400 détecteurs CdTe à contact Schottky, qui sont regroupés en matrice de 32 formant un module. Le plan est divisé en huit secteurs électroniquement indépendants, composés chacun de 25 modules. Chaque électronique est dédiée à la lecture et au codage du temps, de la position, de la multiplicité et des énergies des événements détectés sur un secteur. La validation des fonctionnalités de l'électronique de lecture a permis de s'assurer du bon codage des événements, d'estimer les limites de l'électronique et de construire un modèle analytique de correction efficace des événements perdus. Une application à une courbe de lumière d'un sursaut brillant a permis de valider théoriquement ce modèle et des mesures réalisées sur le prototype ont permis de le valider expérimentalement. D'autre part, un modèle complet de la réponse spectrale a été construit afin de caractériser chaque détecteur pavant le secteur du prototype et d'estimer la réponse du plan de détection des photons mono-énergétiques. Les processus physiques des interactions rayonnement-matière ont été simulés ainsi qu'un modèle de perte de charges puis une convolution gaussienne permet de considérer le bruit électronique. Ce modèle, comptant six paramètres libres, est ajusté à des spectres réalisés sur le prototype. L'étude des paramètres extraits caractérise les performances de chaque détecteur dans toutes les configurations de tension et de t peaking et permet d'optimiser les performances de l'instrument. / The french-chinese mission SVOM (Space-based multi-band variable Astronomical Object Monitor), is dedicated to the study of ƴ-rays bursts, brief and intense X and ƴ photons flashes, associated with the catastrophic formation of black holes. SVOM will embark in 2021 four instruments observing from the visible to ƴ rays. ECLAIRs, the main telescope, is a coded mask camera able to detect and locate, about 200 bursts during the three years nominal life time of SVOM. Its detection plan counts 6400 Schottky CdTe detectors, grouped into a matrix of 32 pixels forming a module. The plan is divided into eight electronically independent sectors, each consisting of 25 modules. Each electronic is dedicated to read and encode, the time, the position, the multiplicity and the energies of the detected events on a sector. The validation of each functionality of the readout electronics allows to ensure the correct encoding of the events, to estimate the limits of the electronics and to build an analytical model of lost events efficient correction. An application to a lightcurve of a bright GRB permits to validate theoretically this model and measurements carried out on the prototype validates it experimentally. On the other hand, a complete model of the spectral response has been established to characterize each detector on the sector of the prototype and to estimate the response of the plan of detection of the mono-energetic photons. The physical processes of the radiation-matter interactions are simulated as well as a model of lost charges then a Gaussian convolution takes into account the electronic noise. This model, counting six free parameters, is fitted to spectra measured on the prototype. The study of the extracted parameters characterizes the performance of each detector in every voltage and t peaking configurations optimizing the performance of the instrument.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Space Physics)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

The identity of dark matter is one of the key outstanding problems in both particle and astrophysics. In this thesis, I describe a number of complementary searches for particle dark matter. I discuss how the impact of dark matter on stars can constrain its interaction with nuclei, focussing on main sequence stars close to the Galactic Centre, and on the first stars as seen through the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope. The mass and annihilation cross-section of dark matter particles can be probed with searches for gamma rays produced in astronomical targets. Dwarf galaxies and ultracompact, primordially-produced dark matter minihalos turn out to be especially promising in this respect. I illustrate how the results of these searches can be combined with constraints from accelerators and cosmology to produce a single global fit to all available data. Global fits in supersymmetry turn out to be quite technically demanding, even with the simplest predictive models and the addition of complementary data from a bevy of astronomical and terrestrial experiments; I show how genetic algorithms can help in overcoming these challenges. / At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 5: Accepted. Paper 6: Submitted.

From the Proceedings of the 1971 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona Academy of Science - April 22-23, 1971, Tempe, Arizona / Knowledge of the dynamic water content-pressure potential relationship within the soil profile is useful in determining the importance of hysteresis under natural conditions. Continuous monitoring of water content in the field is now possible using recently developed gamma-ray transmission equipment which allows water content measurements in 1 cm-thick soil layers with an error of 0.0009 gm/gm. The nuclear equipment and the tensiometer assembly for pressure measurements are described. Soil water content and pressure in the top 10 cm of a field soil profile were measured continuously for a 2-week period following an irrigation. The highest water content was measured each day just before sunrise. This declined rapidly from early morning to early afternoon, and was followed by a gain during the mid-afternoon and evening. The amplitude of this diurnal change diminished with time after irrigation. The pressure potential at a depth of 1.5 cm decreased most rapidly as the water content declined, but not exactly in phase. This may have been due to temperature effects on the pressure metering system. A moisture characteristic curve was constructed from the data.