High resolution imaging of wide fields has been a prerogative of space telescopes for decades. Multi-conjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) is a key technology for the future of ground-based astronomy, especially as we approach the era of ELTs, where the large apertures will provide diffraction limits that will significantly surpass even the James Webb Space Telescope. NFIRAOS will be the first light MCAO system for the Thirty Meter Telescope and to support its development I have worked on HeNOS, its test bench integrated in Victoria at NRC Herzberg. I have aligned the optics, tested the electronic hardware, calibrated the subsystems (cameras, deformable mirrors, light sources, etc.) and characterized the system parameters. Development and support for future MCAO instruments also involves data analysis, a critical process in delivering the expected performance of any scientific instrument. To develop a strategy for optimal stellar photometry with MCAO, I have observed the Galactic globular cluster NGC 1851 with GeMS, the MCAO system on the 8-meter Gemini South telescope. From near-infrared images of this target in two bands, I have found the optimal parameters to employ in the profile-fitting photometry and calibration. As testimony to the precision of the results, I have obtained the deepest near-infrared photometry of a crowded field from the ground and used it to determine the age of the cluster with a method recently proposed that exploits the bend in the lower main sequence. The precise color-magnitude diagram also allows us to clearly observe the double subgiant branch for the first time from the ground, caused by the multiple stellar populations in the cluster. As the only facility MCAO system, GeMS is an important instrument that serves to illuminate the challenges of obtaining accurate photometry using such a system. By coupling the knowledge acquired from an instrument already on-sky with experiments in the lab on a prototype of a future system, I have addressed new challenges in photometry and astrometry, like the promising technique of point spread function reconstruction. This thesis informs the development of appropriate data processing techniques and observing strategies to ensure the ELTs deliver their full scientific promise over extended fields of view. / Graduate

The Galactic disk is home of many billion stars, one of which isour Sun. The stellar population of which the Sun is a member residesin the vertically thin spiral structure of the disk. There is a seconddisk population, the so-called thick disk, that has somewhat dierentspatial, kinematic and chemical properties as compared to the thindisk. It may be systematically older than the thin disk (Bernkopf et al.2001), with a star-formation hiatus separating the two. Observationsof thick-disk subgiants allow us to probe the chemical properties ofthese stars. As the subgiant evolutionary phase is short, age-datingthese stars is also possible. Are they in fact systematically older thanthe oldest thin-disk stars? This project will take rst steps towardsanswering this question based on new target selections done on DataRelease 1 of the Gaia mission. / Vintergatans disk innehåller flera miljarder stjärnor, varav en är vår Sol. Den stjärnbefolkning som Solen är medlem i ligger i den vertikalt tunna spiralstrukturen på skivan (tunna disken). Det finns en andra diskpopulation, den så kallade tjocka disken, som har något annorlunda rumsliga, kinematiska och kemiska egenskaper jämfört med den tunna disken. Den kan vara äldren än tunna disken (Bernkopf et al. 2001), med en stjärnbildningsstopp som skiljer de två. Genom att observera subjättar som är en del av den tjocka disken blir det möjligt att analysera dessa stjärnors kemiska egenskaper. Eftersom subjätte grenen är en kort evolutionär fas, åldersbestämmelse är också möjlig för dessa stjärnor. Är de faktiskt systematiskt äldre än de äldsta tunna diskens stjärnor? Detta projekt kommer att ta de första stegen mot att svara på denna fråga baserat på nya målval som gjorts på Data Release 1 från Gaia-uppdraget.

The thesis reports on fabricating alternative solid phase extraction (SPE) sorbents and colorimetric probes based on electrospun nanofibers for alkylphenols (APs). Hydroxyl methylated styrene [poly(co-styrene-CH₃OH)] and 3-oxobutanoate styrene [poly(co-styrene-OCOCH₃COCH₃)] copolymers were synthesized and fabricated into sorbent materials by electro-spinning/spraying. The fabricated morphologies consisting of bead free fibers, beaded fibers and particles were evaluated as SPE sorbents using batch experiments. Electropun fibers proved to be better sorbents as they exhibited extraction efficiency that exceeded 95% compared to 60% for beaded fibers and 40% for particles. In view to reduce sample and solvent volumes, smooth fibers were packed into pipette tips as SPE devices that yielded quantitative recoveries of APs from spiked wastewater samples. Recoveries ranged from 70% to 125% with LOD of 0.008, 0.01 and 0.1 μg mL⁻¹ for 4-tert octylphenol (4-t-OP), 4-octylphenol (4-OP) and 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) respectively, when using high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD). Furthermore, amino functionalised polydiacetylene polymers (PDAs), citrate capped gold (AuNPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were evaluated as colorimetric probes for visual detection of APs. In colloidal studies, AuNPs probe showed a colour change from wine red to green upon introduction of analyte. UV-vis spectroscopy revealed the shifting of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak from 525 nm to 729 nm induced by aggregation of AuNPs. For AgNPs probe, a colour change was observed from yellowish green to brown. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies showed growth of AgNPs. A presumed oxidation of the analyte, forming an absorbing compound at 279 nm in both AgNPs and PDAs probes was also observed. For PDAs probe the colour change was from purple to pink. Concentrations as low as 30 μg mL⁻¹ were detectable in all colloidal based probes. Further colorimetric investigations were conducted with electrospun AuNPs-nylon 6 fiber mat. A colour change from purplish red to navy blue at concentrations of 1000 μg mL⁻¹ was observed. Electrospun AgNPs –nylon 6 fiber mat did not show a distinct colour change. High resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) revealed the analyte inducing the assembly of AuNPs and AgNPs as they covered the surface of the nanofiber mat. Electrospun nanofibers are a platform for analysis and thus tuning their chemistry will lead to sensitive and selective methods

Les spectres haute résolution de la molécule d’intérêt astrophysique de méthanol doublement deutéré (CD2HOH) et de la molécule d’intérêt atmosphérique de phosgène (35Cl2CO et 35Cl37ClCO) ont été étudiés théoriquement et expérimentalement. Les spectres microonde, térahertz et infrarouge lointain de CD2HOH ont été analysés en modélisant le mouvement de grande amplitude de torsion du groupe méthyle partiellement deutéré CD2H par rapport au groupe hydroxyle OH. Le spectre torsionnel a été analysé, 108 sous bandes torsionnelles ont été identifiées et la fonction énergie potentielle gênant la rotation interne a été obtenue. La structure rotationnelle des sous bandes torsionnelles a été analysée. 3271 transitions ont pu être attribuées pour des niveaux torsionnels avec et 1997 pour des sous bandes avec. Le spectre infrarouge lointain du phosgène a été enregistré dans l’infrarouge lointain grâce à un interféromètre à transformée de Fourier en utilisant comme source le rayonnement synchrotron de la ligne AILES du synchrotron SOLEIL. Les bandes vibrationnelles et ont été enregistrées dans la région 200–600 cm−1 en utilisant une cellule cryogénique donnant un parcours optique de 93 m. La bande a été analysée pour la première fois. Plus de 10 000 transitions ont été attribuées pour les deux isotopomères ce qui a conduit à la détermination des constantes spectroscopiques de l’état vibrationnellement excité . L’écart quadratique moyen de la différence EObs – Ecalc était de 0,21 et 0,38 ×10−3 cm−1 pour 35Cl2CO et 35Cl37ClCO, respectivement. / The high-resolution spectra of the astrophysically relevant doubly deuterated species of methanol (CD2HOH) and of the atmospherically relevant phosgene (35Cl2CO and 35Cl37ClCO) molecules were studied both experimentally and theoretically. The microwave, terahertz, and far infrared spectra of CD2HOH were analyzed modeling the large amplitude torsional motion of the CD2H methyl group with respect to the hydroxyl OH group. The torsional spectrum was analyzed, 108 torsional subbands were identified, and the potential energyfunction hindering the internal rotation was retrieved. The rotational structure of the torsional subbands was analyzed. 3271 transitions involving torsional levels with were assigned and 1997 involving torsional subbands with. The far infrared spectrum of phosgene was recorded in the far infrared domain with a Fourier transform spectrometer using synchrotron radiation from the AILES beam line of the SOLEIL synchrotron. The and bands were recorded using a cryogenic White-type cell with a 93 m path length. The band was analyzed for the first time. More than 10 000 transitions were assigned for both isotopomers yielding spectroscopic constants for the state. The RMS deviation of the EObs − ECalc difference was 0.21 and 0.38 ×10−3 cm−1 for 35Cl2CO and 35Cl37ClCO, respectively.

The advancements in the field of analytical chemistry, and especially mass spectrometry, have been redefining the field of contaminant detection. While more traditional analysis was sufficient to screen for a small number of well-known compounds, new techniques such as high-resolution mass spectrometry, have enabled a fairly comprehensive screening for previously unknown contaminants. This is enormously beneficial with respect to the analysis of water, air, or soil quality in a society that continuously introduces novel anthropogenic compounds into the environment. This dissertation, thus, focused on the analysis of the uncharacterized portion of compounds in two types of complex environmental matrices (i.e., crude oil and wastewater). First, targeted and non-targeted analyses were used in order to characterize a crude oil weathering series. Traditional techniques were used for the analysis of well-known oil components and led to the confirmation of biodegradation and photo-degradation trends. An ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometric analysis was carried out in conjunction with several visualization plots in order to search for unknown compounds. While the study successfully detected a drastic increase in oxygenated components (likely ketones, quinones, and carboxylic acids), it also revealed severe limitations in the state of the art non-targeted crude oil analysis. Some of these limitations were explored in an in-depth atmospheric pressure ionization study of model petroleum compounds, and the dependence of ionization efficiency on numerous factors (e.g., size, heteroatom content, and methylation level) was shown. Since disregarding these intrinsic limitations leads to severely biased conclusions, these results provide crucial information for future crude oil characterization studies. Lastly, suspected and non-targeted analyses were used to evaluate contamination levels in wastewater-impacted interrelated water samples. A significant number of persistent compounds were tentatively identified, which represents an area of environmental concern that needs to be addressed further. Overall, this dissertation successfully applied non-targeted (in addition to targeted) analysis in order to screen for non-characterized compounds in crude oil and wastewater affected water samples. By doing so, the great potential of the growing field of non-targeted screening in order to expand the range of contaminants to include previously unknown and emerging compounds was highlighted.

Research in lab-on-a-chip (LOC) technology involving microfluidics is a growing field aiming at the development of miniaturized biomedical systems with rich functionality. In order to design effective LOC microfluidic systems, the flow fields and the fluids inside LOC devices need to be carefully characterized. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a powerful non-intrusive technology for this application. In this thesis, the design and implementation of a prototype for a desktop high-resolution MRI instrument, consisting of a magnet, gradient coils, gradient amplifiers, and radio frequency (RF) electronics, is presented. To reduce the size and cost of this MRI instrument, a permanent magnetic configuration with a magnetic flux density of 0.6 T is designed with off-the-shelf NdFeB permanent magnets. The coils of the triaxial gradient module are developed using a novel lithography technique. This gradient module is capable of generating gradient fields as high as 2.83 T/m with custom made current amplifiers. The radio frequency (RF) probe is integrated with the gradient module and is connected to the RF electronics which are made using off-the-shelf components. Pulse sequences and signal processing for acquiring static images and velocity profiles are described. The performance of this instrument in terms of static and dynamic image resolution are presented. As a preliminary test, the velocity profile of water flowing inside a small tube was measured with a nominal resolution of 40 μm. The instrument is designed for a static resolution of better than 30 μm and a velocity resolution better than 50 μm/s. Improvements to the current instrument in addition to theoretical limitations are also detailed. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of / Graduate

The need for elemental analysis of biological matrices such as bone, teeth, and plant matter for sourcing purposes has emerged within the forensic and geochemical laboratories. Trace elemental analyses for the comparison of aterials such as glass by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and laser ablation ICP-MS has been shown to offer a high degree of discrimination between different manufacturing sources. Unit resolution ICP-MS instruments may suffer from some polyatomic interferences including 40Ar16O+, 40Ar16O1H+, and 40Ca16O+ that affect iron measurement at trace levels. Iron is an important element in the analysis of glass and also of interest for the analysis of several biological matrices. A comparison of the nalytical performance of two different ICP-MS systems for iron analysis in glass for determining the method detection limits (MDLs), accuracy, and precision of the measurement is presented. Acid digestion and laser ablation methods are also compared. Iron polyatomic interferences were reduced or resolved by using dynamic reaction cell and high resolution ICP-MS. MDLs as low as 0.03 ìg g-1 and 0.14 ìg g-1 for laser ablation and solution based analyses respectively were achieved. The use of helium as a carrier gas demonstrated improvement in the detection limits of both iron isotopes (56Fe and 57Fe) in medium resolution for the HR-ICP-MS and with a dynamic reaction cell (DRC) coupled to a quadrupole ICP-MS system. The development and application of robust analytical methods for the quantification of trace elements in biological matrices has lead to a better understanding of the potential utility of these measurements in forensic chemical analyses. Standard reference materials (SRMs) were used in the development of an analytical method using HR-ICP-MS and LA-HR-ICP-MS that was subsequently applied on the analysis of real samples. Bone, teeth and ashed marijuana samples were analyzed with the developed method. Elemental analysis of bone samples from 12 different individuals provided discrimination between individuals, when femur and humerus bones were considered separately. Discrimination of 14 teeth samples based on elemental composition was achieved with the exception of one case where samples from the same individual were not associated with each other. The discrimination of 49 different ashed plant (cannabis)samples was achieved using the developed method.

Super-resolution 3D imaging was achieved using newly synthesized photoactivatable quantum dot (PAQ dot) probes. Quantum dots were modified with a novel quencher system to make them photoactivatable. The unique properties of these PAQ dots enable single-fluorophore localization in three dimensions using a confocal microscopy optical sectioning method. Myosin and tropomyosin of rabbit myofibrilar bundles were specifically labeled with the newly synthesized PAQ dot. A sufficient number of single quantum dots were photoactivated, localized and reduced to their centroid and then reconstructed to a super-resolution image. The acquired super-resolution image shows a lateral and an axial sub-diffraction resolution and demonstrates ultrafine striations with widths less than 70 nm that are not evident by conventional confocal microscopy. The striations appear to be related to nebulin thin filament binding protein. This newly developed imaging system is cutting edge for its high resolution and localization as well its simplicity and convenience.

This dissertation presents two chemo-dynamical analyses of metal-poor stars found within the Milky Way. 115 metal-poor candidate stars, including 28 confirmed very metal-poor stars, selected from the narrow-band Pristine photometric survey are presented based on CFHT high-resolution ESPaDOnS spectroscopy. An additional 30 confirmed very metal-poor stars selected from Pristine are examined based on Gemini/GRACES spectroscopy. Chemical abundances are determined for a total of 19 elements (Li, Na, Mg, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Ba, La, Nd, Eu) across these studies, which are combined with Gaia DR2 parallaxes and proper motions to paint a chemically diverse map of ancient stars in the Galaxy. Abundance patterns similar to those seen in "normal" metal-poor Galactic halo stars are found in a majority of the stars studied here, however new discoveries of a handful of chemically unique and kinematically intriguing metal-poor stars are presented. The chemo-dynamics of these novel stellar relics point towards chemical signatures of unique and potentially unstudied stellar yields, in addition to stars with origins in accreted dwarf galaxies and the ancient progenitors of the proto-Milky Way. The success of these relatively small studies heralds the great contributions to Galactic archaeology expected from the next generation of large multi-object spectroscopic surveys. Contained within are two other projects that introduce data products related to Gemini Observatory instruments. A version of the convolutional neural network StarNet, tuned to medium-resolution R~6000 H-band spectra is presented. This model was trained on synthetic stellar spectra containing a range of data augmentation steps to more accurately reflect the observed spectra expected from medium-resolution instruments, like the Gemini-North Near-Infrared Integral Field Spectrometer (NIFS) or GIRMOS. In an era when spectroscopic surveys are capable of collecting spectra for hundreds of thousands of stars, fast and efficient analysis methods are required to maximize scientific impact, and StarNet delivers on these expectations over a range of spectral resolutions. Finally, a python package called Nifty4Gemini, and its associated Pyraf/Python based pipeline for processing NIFS observations is included. Nifty4Gemini reduces NIFS raw data and produces a flux and wavelength calibrated science cube with the full signal-to-noise, ready for science analysis. / Graduate

The gravitational wave observatory and many other large ground-based instruments need to be decoupled from the Earth’s ever-present motion to improve their performance. In such scenarios, inertial sensors which measure the ground motion are necessary, especially those with a high resolution and a large dynamic range. This thesis aims to develop high performance inertial sensors which outperform the commercially available ones in terms of resolution and dynamic range in low frequency down to 0.01 Hz.Inertial sensors essentially consist of two parts: a single-degree-of-freedom mechanism and a transducer which converts mechanical quantities into electrical quantities. In this work, a novel interferometric readout based on homodyne quadrature interferometer is proposed and examined. Experimental results show that its resolution is 1e-11, 1e-12 and 2e-13 m/rtHz at 0.01, 0.1 and 1 Hz respectively. For the mechanical parts, the leaf spring pendulum and Lehman pendulum are used respectively as the restoring springs for the vertical and horizontal inertial sensors. With these, the resonance frequencies are made to 0.26 and 0.11 Hz, respectively. Combined with the interferometric readout, a Vertical Interferometric Inertial Sensor (VINS) and a Horizontal Interferometric Inertial Sensor (HINS) are developed. They are placed together in a vacuum chamber as an inertial unit to measure vertical and horizontal motion.A critical investigation of the developed HINS and VINS is performed. The passive VINS and HINS are compared, firstly, with a commercial seismometer (Guralp 6T) the results showed that they provide equivalent seismograms in frequencies from tides to 10 Hz. Secondly, both simulations and measurements have been conducted in this study, a noise budget of the interferometric readout itself was constructed, which corresponds to the case when the proof-mass of the inertial sensors is blocked. At present, the resolution of the interferometric readout is found to be limited by the photodetector noise from 0.01 to 1 Hz. Moreover, huddle tests were conducted for the inertial units to examine their overall performance. However, extra experiments and simulations are performed and it is found that the resolution identified from the experimental means is worse than that from the simulation. Nevertheless, the mismatch can be reduced by reducing the magnitude of input ground vibration, by reducing undesired inputs and improving the stability of the interferometric readout output signal. / Doctorat en Sciences de l'ingénieur et technologie / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished