Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2017-05-12T13:15:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Magali Conceição de Barros de Marchi.pdf: 3776158 bytes, checksum: 69bb899a4464db6873c96be97e829f2e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-12T13:15:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Magali Conceição de Barros de Marchi.pdf: 3776158 bytes, checksum: 69bb899a4464db6873c96be97e829f2e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-03-13 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Fundação São Paulo - FUNDASP / At the end of the 19thand beginning of the 20th there was a technological advance regarding the use of the telescope: the introduction of the photograph to record the images that were observed facilitated the access of the women in an environment previously considered predominantly masculine, the observatory. This study has as its main axis the Spectral Classification developed by Annie Jump Cannon and the importance of spectroscopy in the astronomical studies. The Harvard Spectral Classification, as it became known, is still used today. To understand this period will be shown the main points of the technological evolution of telescopes, the introduction of photography in astronomy, spectroscopy as a tool for astronomical studies and an example of the beginning of the spectral classification of a star made by Cannon / No final do séc. XIX e início do séc. XX, houve um avanço tecnológico no que diz respeito ao uso do telescópio: a introdução da fotografia para registro das imagens que eram observadas facilitou o acesso das mulheres em um ambiente até então considerado predominantemente masculino, o observatório. Este estudo tem como eixo principal a Classificação Espectral desenvolvidapor Annie Jump Cannon e a importância da espectroscopia nos estudos astronômicos. A Classificação Espectral de Harvard, como ficou conhecida, ainda é utilizada atualmente. Para compreender esse período serão mostrados os pontos principais da evolução tecnológica dos telescópios, a introdução da fotografia na astronomia, a espectroscopia como ferramenta para estudos astronômicos e um exemplo do início da classificação espectral de uma estrela feita por Cannon

Este trabalho teve por objetivo investigar a escala temporal envolvida na deposição de ritmitos permocarboníferos da Bacia do Paraná (Subgrupo Itararé), expostos no Parque do Varvito (Itu, SP) e pedreira Itaú (Trombudo Central, SC), através de dados paleomagnéticos e de anisotropia de suscetibilidade magnética. Os estudos paleomagnéticos revelaram componentes de magnetização estável para ambas as coleções, com indicações de que a magnetização remanente é devida a portadores magnéticos (principalmente magnetita e hematita) de origem detrítica. A componente de magnetização característica, em ambos os casos, é de polaridade reversa, e foi identificada nos dois portadores magnéticos principais. A investigação da mineralogia magnética foi feita através de várias técnicas, incluindo espectroscopia Mossbauer, curvas termomagnéticas, curvas de histerese e ZFC/FC, além de microscopia ótica e eletrônica. Os dados paleomagnéticos e de anisotropia de susceptibilidade magnética permitiram a composição de séries temporais, que foram submetidas a análise espectral por transformada de Fourier de Lomb-Scargle para séries desigualmente espaçadas. Os espectros de potência resultantes foram posteriormente comparados com os espectros de séries de espessura individual das unidades litológicas, o que possibilitou a investigação de sinais harmônicos, sobre a qual foram propostas inferências a respeito das escalas temporais de sedimentação. Esta etapa do trabalho revelou escalas milenares para o domínio do tempo nos espectros de potência, indicando o registro dos ciclos orbitais de Milankovitch, bem como quase-periodicidades associadas à variabilidade solar e feedback do sistema oceânico-atmosférico, para todas as análises. Este conjunto de dados sugere o caráter não-anual de deposição dos ritmitos, ao contrário do proposto por alguns autores. O pólo paleomagnético calculado para a seção de Rio do Sul é compatível com o pólo do Permocarbonífero para a Bacia Sanfranciscana (MG), indicando que o intervalo de tempo envolvido na deposição dos sedimentos é suficientemente longo para eliminar os efeitos da variação secular do campo geomagnético. Alguns resultados adicionais desta tese proveram informações especiais: (i) Foram observados ciclos de indução solar (ciclos de Hallstattzein e de Suess) e a sugestão de ciclo compatível com o ciclo glacial-interglacial de Bond, recentemente sugerido como de origem solar, o que apontaria para uma possível feição harmônica, dominante sobre o sistema oceânico-atmosférico, e que poderia operar sobre períodos geológicos mais antigos; (ii) registro da remanência magnética possivelmente controlado por fatores mecânicos na sucessão de Itu, provavelmente relacionados a correntes de turbidez; (iii) indícios da presença de magnetossomas possivelmente rompidas e/ou oxidadas, em especial para a sucessão de Itu. / This work aims to investigate the timescale of the sedimentation of Permocarboniferous rhythmites from Paraná Basin (Itararé Subgroup) cropping out at the Parque do Varvito, (Itu, SP), and at the Itaú quarry, (Trombudo Central, SC) by means of paleomagnetic and anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (ASM). The paleomagnetic study revealed stable magnetization components for both sections, which are carried by magnetic carriers (mainly magnetite and hematite) of detritic origin. The characteristic magnetization direction for each section is of reverse polarity and is found in both magnetite and hematite. Several techniques were used in the investigation the magnetic mineralogy including Mossbauer spectrometry, thermomagnetic curves, hysteresis and ZFC/FC curves, optical and electronic microscopy. Although not confirmed, some data pointed to the possibility of magnetic biomineralization with disrupted or oxidized mineral chains. The paleomagnetic and ASM data allowed the construction of time series that were submitted to spectral analysis by the Lomb-Scargle Fourier transform for unevenly spaced series. The resulting power spectra were then compared with the thickness spectrum. Based on the harmonic signals identified in all time series it was possible to infer deposition rates for both Itú and Itaú rhythmites. This procedure pointed to millennial timescale, and periodical signal compatible to Milankovitch orbital forcing, as well quasi-periodicities related to solar variability and feedback of ocean-atmospheric system, were identified in both sections. Such evidences strongly point to the non-annual sedimentation character, in opposition to previous hypothesis. The paleomagnetic data from the Rio do Sul rocks allowed the calculation of a paleomagnetic pole which is in agreement to the one recently obtained for the Santa Fé Group, Sanfranciscana Basin (MG), indicating that the time interval comprised by the Rio do Sul rhythmites is long enough for eliminating the secular variation effects. Results from this work provide also indications for the record of (i) solar forcing cycles (Hallstattzein and Suess cycles); (ii) spectral peak values of 1,5-ky and 6,0 - 8,0 ky cycle, which is compatible to the glacial-interglacial Bond cycle observed in Quaternary geological records. Such result would extend to ancient times the atmosphere-ocean interaction pattern.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-09-25T12:22:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Emmilyne Christine do Nascimento.pdf: 3101255 bytes, checksum: 57ea0d9a59f61cb186c67d00b101ca0f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-06-21 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This paper analyzes the reasons why Brazil and Ukraine builded the binational company Alcantara Cyclone Space (ACS), which aims at international marketing of satellite launches from Launch Center of Alcantara (LCA). Thus, sought to reflect on the feasibility of this partnership to the expected results by the two States. It is understood that cooperation between Brazil and Ukraine falls within the parameters of Brazilian South-South technical cooperation, where one can already see that this partnership changed the course trodden by the Brazilian space program, considering that Brazil (which does not have a rocket launch itself), joining with Ukraine, might as well join the group of countries that has a complete space program. We conclude that the need to address the limitations and the desire to compete in the space sector are moving to Brazil and Ukraine to join forces to keep the company ACS in activity and to continue in the process of cooperation, which is heading towards a breakthrough both technical (exchange of students and technicians from both countries) and technological (joint construction of the next rocket ACS, Cyclone-5). It is understood that the marketing of space services is the focus of the project ACS and intentions as technology transfer is part of the partnership as a possibility, but not as a reality. / O presente trabalho analisa os motivos que levaram o Brasil e a Ucrânia a construírem a empresa binacional Alcântara Cyclone Space (ACS), visando à comercialização internacional de lançamentos de satélites a partir do Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara (CLA). Buscou-se assim, refletir sobre a viabilidade dessa parceria e o quanto ela pode proporcionar aos dois Estados na concretização dos interesses esperados com a referida empresa. Entende-se que a cooperação entre o Brasil e a Ucrânia enquadra-se nos parâmetros brasileiros de cooperação técnica sul-sul, de onde já se pode perceber que tal parceria mudou os rumos trilhados pelo programa espacial brasileiro, tendo em vista que o Brasil (que não possui um foguete de lançamento próprio), ao se unir com a Ucrânia, pode assim ingressar no grupo restrito de países que detém um completo programa espacial. Conclui-se que a necessidade de suprir as limitações e o desejo de competir no setor espacial estão movendo o Brasil e a Ucrânia a unir forças para manter a empresa ACS em atividade e a dar continuidade em seu processo de cooperação, que caminha para um avanço tanto no âmbito técnico (intercambio de alunos e técnicos de ambos os países) quanto tecnológico (construção conjunta do próximo foguete da ACS, Cyclone-5). Entende-se que a comercialização de serviços espaciais é o foco do projeto ACS e que intenções como a transferência de tecnologia é parte da parceria como uma possibilidade, mas não como uma realidade atual.

Este trabalho teve por objetivo investigar a escala temporal envolvida na deposição de ritmitos permocarboníferos da Bacia do Paraná (Subgrupo Itararé), expostos no Parque do Varvito (Itu, SP) e pedreira Itaú (Trombudo Central, SC), através de dados paleomagnéticos e de anisotropia de suscetibilidade magnética. Os estudos paleomagnéticos revelaram componentes de magnetização estável para ambas as coleções, com indicações de que a magnetização remanente é devida a portadores magnéticos (principalmente magnetita e hematita) de origem detrítica. A componente de magnetização característica, em ambos os casos, é de polaridade reversa, e foi identificada nos dois portadores magnéticos principais. A investigação da mineralogia magnética foi feita através de várias técnicas, incluindo espectroscopia Mossbauer, curvas termomagnéticas, curvas de histerese e ZFC/FC, além de microscopia ótica e eletrônica. Os dados paleomagnéticos e de anisotropia de susceptibilidade magnética permitiram a composição de séries temporais, que foram submetidas a análise espectral por transformada de Fourier de Lomb-Scargle para séries desigualmente espaçadas. Os espectros de potência resultantes foram posteriormente comparados com os espectros de séries de espessura individual das unidades litológicas, o que possibilitou a investigação de sinais harmônicos, sobre a qual foram propostas inferências a respeito das escalas temporais de sedimentação. Esta etapa do trabalho revelou escalas milenares para o domínio do tempo nos espectros de potência, indicando o registro dos ciclos orbitais de Milankovitch, bem como quase-periodicidades associadas à variabilidade solar e feedback do sistema oceânico-atmosférico, para todas as análises. Este conjunto de dados sugere o caráter não-anual de deposição dos ritmitos, ao contrário do proposto por alguns autores. O pólo paleomagnético calculado para a seção de Rio do Sul é compatível com o pólo do Permocarbonífero para a Bacia Sanfranciscana (MG), indicando que o intervalo de tempo envolvido na deposição dos sedimentos é suficientemente longo para eliminar os efeitos da variação secular do campo geomagnético. Alguns resultados adicionais desta tese proveram informações especiais: (i) Foram observados ciclos de indução solar (ciclos de Hallstattzein e de Suess) e a sugestão de ciclo compatível com o ciclo glacial-interglacial de Bond, recentemente sugerido como de origem solar, o que apontaria para uma possível feição harmônica, dominante sobre o sistema oceânico-atmosférico, e que poderia operar sobre períodos geológicos mais antigos; (ii) registro da remanência magnética possivelmente controlado por fatores mecânicos na sucessão de Itu, provavelmente relacionados a correntes de turbidez; (iii) indícios da presença de magnetossomas possivelmente rompidas e/ou oxidadas, em especial para a sucessão de Itu. / This work aims to investigate the timescale of the sedimentation of Permocarboniferous rhythmites from Paraná Basin (Itararé Subgroup) cropping out at the Parque do Varvito, (Itu, SP), and at the Itaú quarry, (Trombudo Central, SC) by means of paleomagnetic and anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (ASM). The paleomagnetic study revealed stable magnetization components for both sections, which are carried by magnetic carriers (mainly magnetite and hematite) of detritic origin. The characteristic magnetization direction for each section is of reverse polarity and is found in both magnetite and hematite. Several techniques were used in the investigation the magnetic mineralogy including Mossbauer spectrometry, thermomagnetic curves, hysteresis and ZFC/FC curves, optical and electronic microscopy. Although not confirmed, some data pointed to the possibility of magnetic biomineralization with disrupted or oxidized mineral chains. The paleomagnetic and ASM data allowed the construction of time series that were submitted to spectral analysis by the Lomb-Scargle Fourier transform for unevenly spaced series. The resulting power spectra were then compared with the thickness spectrum. Based on the harmonic signals identified in all time series it was possible to infer deposition rates for both Itú and Itaú rhythmites. This procedure pointed to millennial timescale, and periodical signal compatible to Milankovitch orbital forcing, as well quasi-periodicities related to solar variability and feedback of ocean-atmospheric system, were identified in both sections. Such evidences strongly point to the non-annual sedimentation character, in opposition to previous hypothesis. The paleomagnetic data from the Rio do Sul rocks allowed the calculation of a paleomagnetic pole which is in agreement to the one recently obtained for the Santa Fé Group, Sanfranciscana Basin (MG), indicating that the time interval comprised by the Rio do Sul rhythmites is long enough for eliminating the secular variation effects. Results from this work provide also indications for the record of (i) solar forcing cycles (Hallstattzein and Suess cycles); (ii) spectral peak values of 1,5-ky and 6,0 - 8,0 ky cycle, which is compatible to the glacial-interglacial Bond cycle observed in Quaternary geological records. Such result would extend to ancient times the atmosphere-ocean interaction pattern.

This thesis is focussed on the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST), reporting on two primary areas of investigation. Firstly, it describes the recent upgrade of the MOST to perform an imaging survey of the southern sky. Secondly, it presents a MOST survey of the Vela supernova remnant and follow-up multiwavelength studies. The MOST Wide Field upgrade is the most significant instrumental upgrade of the telescope since observations began in 1981. It has made possible the nightly observation of fields with area ~5 square degrees, while retaining the operating frequency of 843 MHz and the pre-existing sensitivity to point sources and extended structure. The MOST will now be used to make a sensitive (rms approximately 1 mJy/beam) imaging survey of the sky south of declination -30&deg. This survey consists of two components: an extragalactic survey, which will begin in the south polar region, and a Galactic survey of latitudes |b| &lt 10&deg. These are expected to take about ten years. The upgrade has necessitated the installation of 352 new preamplifiers and phasing circuits which are controlled by 88 distributed microcontrollers, networked using optic fibre. The thesis documents the upgrade and describes the new systems, including associated testing, installation and commissioning. The thesis continues by presenting a new high-resolution radio continuum survey of the Vela supernova remnant (SNR), made with the MOST before the completion of the Wide Field upgrade. This remnant is the closest and one of the brightest SNRs. The contrast between the structures in the central pulsar-powered nebula and the synchrotron radiation shell allows the remnant to be identified morphologically as a member of the composite class. The data are the first of a composite remnant at spatial scales comparable with those available for the Cygnus Loop and the Crab Nebula, and make possible a comparison of radio, optical and soft X-ray emission from the resolved shell filaments. The survey covers an area of 50 square degrees at a resolution of 43&quot x 60&quot, while imaging structures on scales up to 30'. It has been used for comparison with Wide Field observations to evaluate the performance of the upgraded MOST. The central plerion of the Vela SNR (Vela X) contains a network of complex filamentary structures. The validity of the imaging of these filaments has been confirmed with Very Large Array (VLA) observations at 1.4 GHz. Unlike the situation in the Crab Nebula, the filaments are not well correlated with H-alpha emission. Within a few parsec of the Vela pulsar the emission is much more complex than previously seen: both very sharp edges and more diffuse emission are present. It has been postulated that one of the brightest filaments in Vela X is associated with the X-ray feature (called a `jet') which appears to be emanating from the region of the pulsar. However, an analysis of the MOST and VLA data shows that this radio filament has a flat spectral index similar to another more distant filament within the plerion, indicating that it is probably unrelated to the X-ray feature.

El trabajo que presentamos en esta tesis tiene como finalidad la operación, calibración y análisis de datos ópticos del instrumento OMC (Optical Monitoring Camera) a bordo del satélite INTEGRAL (INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory). La cámara OMC ofrece, por primera vez, la oportunidad de realizar observaciones fotométricas de larga duración en el rango óptico, simultáneamente con las de rayos X y rayos gamma. En la primera parte de la tesis describimos el proyecto INTEGRAL/OMC y sus operaciones científicas, detallando el proceso que hemos seguido para la construcción del catálogo de entrada de la OMC. Definimos la estrategia y requisitos que debe satisfacer el software de apuntado encargado de generar los telecomandos que controlan el funcionamiento de la cámara. La combinación del catálogo y el software de apuntado, junto con el buen funcionamiento del algoritmo de centrado de a bordo, han permitido la determinación del apuntado de la OMC, a bordo y en tiempo real, con una precisión mejor que 1 píxel desde el inicio mismo de las operaciones. La segunda parte se centra en el procedimiento que hemos elaborado para el análisis de los datos. Describimos el flujo de datos desde que llegan a tierra, pasando por los distintos sistemas de procesamiento, hasta que, finalmente, se convierten en datos científicos listos para ser utilizados por la comunidad astrofísica. Detallamos todos los aspectos relacionados con la calibración del instrumento. Explicamos los distintos algoritmos desarrollados para el análisis científico de los datos OMC, haciendo especial énfasis en las soluciones adoptadas para mejorar los resultados fotométricos y astrométricos del instrumento. En la última parte presentamos los archivos y catálogos resultantes de las observaciones realizadas con la cámara OMC. Describimos los archivos de datos procesados en tiempo real y de datos consolidados, así como el portal Web de acceso a los datos OMC. Avanzamos lo que será el catálogo final de la OMC, que contendrá todas las fuentes observadas y detectadas por este instrumento, una vez finalizada la misión INTEGRAL. Presentamos también dos de los subcatálogos preliminares obtenidos tras analizar determinados grupos de fuentes: "Contrapartidas ópticas de fuentes de altas energías del 4º Catálogo IBIS/ISGRI" y "Primer catálogo de fuentes variables observadas con la OMC". / The work presented in this thesis describes the system that allows the operation, calibration and data analysis of the OMC instrument (Optical Monitoring Camera) on board the ESA's INTEGRAL spacecraft (INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory). The OMC camera offers, for the first time, the opportunity to perform long photometric observations in the optical range simultaneously to those in the X-ray and gamma-ray bands. In the first part of the thesis we describe the INTEGRAL/OMC project and its scientific operations, giving some details about the building process of the OMC Input Catalogue. We define the strategy and requirements of the OMC Pointing Software which generates the telecommands to control the camera operations. The combination of both the Input Catalogue and the Pointing Software, as well as the excellent behaviour of the on-board centring algorithm, allow us the on-board determination in real time of the OMC pointing direction with an accuracy better than 1 pixel from the beginning of the mission operations. The second part is focused on the development involved in the data analysis procedures. We describe the data flow starting when the telemetry data are received at Earth, followed by the different data processing stages present in the systems, until they are finally converted into scientific data which can be used by the astrophysics community. We explain all aspects related to the instrument calibration and the algorithms developed for the OMC scientific analysis, making special emphasis in the adopted solutions that allowed us to improve the photometric and astrometric results. In the last part we present the archives and catalogues compiled with the OMC data obtained during INTEGRAL observations. We describe the consolidated and near real time data archives as well as the OMC Archive Web Portal. We summarize the contents of the final OMC Catalogue which will be published at the end of the INTEGRAL mission including all sources observed and detected by OMC. In addition we present two preliminary sub-catalogues obtained by analysing some specific objects groups: "OMC optical monitoring of sources in the 4th IBIS/ISGRI catalogue" and "The first INTEGRAL/OMC Catalogue of optically variable sources".

The main objective of this research is to design, simulate, and evaluate telescope array-based receiver architectures for the inter-planetary optical communication links, which is able to provide broadband data support for future deep-space and universe exploration missions. The major aspects of this research are as follows: (1) evaluation and performance comparison of telescope arrays-based receiver with a large, monolithic telescope-based receiver, (2) mathematical modeling and analysis of the impact of various limiting factors (i.e., background noise, atmospheric turbulence, synchronization and tracking errors) on the performance of optical array receiver, (3) design and evaluation of subsystems and adaptive signal processing algorithms for the mitigation of the above-mentioned deleterious effects, and (4) development of an end-to-end simulation and analysis platform for an optical communication link between a transmitter in Mars orbit and an Earth-based array receiver after integration of the proposed sub-systems. In the second part of this research, I aim to extend the analysis to the free-space, short-range, terrestrial optical communication links. In this part, the objective is the development of the efficient simulation tools for the analysis of receiver performance and optical beam propagation through turbulent atmospheric channel. In the experimental part of the research, the investigation of the use of adaptive optics (AO) subsystems for turbulence and background noise compensation in the deep-space optical communication links will be carried out.

Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTS) is one of the premier ways to collect source information through emitted radiation. It is so named because the principal measurement technique involves the analysis of spectra determined from the Fourier transform of a time-domain interference pattern. Given options in the field, many space- and ground-based instruments have selected Fourier transform spectrometers for their measurements. The Herschel Space Observatory, launched on May 14, 2009, has three on-board instruments. One, SPIRE, comprises a FTS paired with bolometer detector arrays. SCUBA-2 (Submillimetre Common User Bolometer Array) and FTS-2 have recently been commissioned and will be mounted within the collecting dish of the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope by Fall, 2010. The use of FTS in these two observatories will be examined. While work towards each project is independently useful, the thesis is bound by the commonality between the two, as each seeks similar answers from vastly different viewpoints. / xvii, 123 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm

Gravitational waves are predicted by general relativity theory. Their existence could be confirmed by astronomical observations, but until today they have not yet been measured directly. A measurement would not only confirm general relativity, but also allow for interesting astronomical observations. Great effort is currently being expended to facilitate gravitational radiation measurement, most notably through earth-bound interferometers (such as LIGO and Virgo), and the planned space-based LISA interferometer. Earth-bound interferometers have recently taken up operation, so that a detection might be made at any time, while the space-borne LISA interferometer is scheduled to be launched within the next decade.Among the most promising signals for a detection are the waves emitted by the inspiral of a binary system of stars or black holes. The observable gravitational-wave signature of such an event is determined by properties of the inspiralling system, which may in turn be inferred from theobserved data. A Bayesian inference framework for the estimation of parameters of binary inspiral events as measured by ground- and space-based interferometers is described here. Furthermore, appropriate computational methods are developed that are necessary for its application in practice. Starting with a simplified model considering only 5 parameters and data from a single earth-bound interferometer, the model is subsequently refined by extending it to 9 parameters, measurements from several interferometers, and more accurate signal waveform approximations. A realistic joint prior density for the 9 parameters is set up. For the LISA application the model is generalised so that the noise spectrum is treated as unknown as well and can be inferred along with the signal parameters. Inference through the posterior distribution is facilitated by the implementation of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. The posterior distribution exhibits many local modes, and there is only a small "attraction region" around the global mode(s), making it hard, if not impossible, for basic MCMC algorithms to find the relevant region in parameter space. This problem is solved by introducing a parallel tempering algorithm. Closer investigation of its internal functionality yields some insight into a proper setup of this algorithm, which in turn also enables the efficient implementation for the LISA problem with its vastly enlarged parameter space. Parallel programming was used to implement this computationally expensive MCMC algorithm, so that the code can be run efficiently on a computer cluster. In this thesis, a Bayesian approach to gravitational wave astronomy is shown to be feasible and promising.

Gravitational waves are predicted by general relativity theory. Their existence could be confirmed by astronomical observations, but until today they have not yet been measured directly. A measurement would not only confirm general relativity, but also allow for interesting astronomical observations. Great effort is currently being expended to facilitate gravitational radiation measurement, most notably through earth-bound interferometers (such as LIGO and Virgo), and the planned space-based LISA interferometer. Earth-bound interferometers have recently taken up operation, so that a detection might be made at any time, while the space-borne LISA interferometer is scheduled to be launched within the next decade.Among the most promising signals for a detection are the waves emitted by the inspiral of a binary system of stars or black holes. The observable gravitational-wave signature of such an event is determined by properties of the inspiralling system, which may in turn be inferred from theobserved data. A Bayesian inference framework for the estimation of parameters of binary inspiral events as measured by ground- and space-based interferometers is described here. Furthermore, appropriate computational methods are developed that are necessary for its application in practice. Starting with a simplified model considering only 5 parameters and data from a single earth-bound interferometer, the model is subsequently refined by extending it to 9 parameters, measurements from several interferometers, and more accurate signal waveform approximations. A realistic joint prior density for the 9 parameters is set up. For the LISA application the model is generalised so that the noise spectrum is treated as unknown as well and can be inferred along with the signal parameters. Inference through the posterior distribution is facilitated by the implementation of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. The posterior distribution exhibits many local modes, and there is only a small "attraction region" around the global mode(s), making it hard, if not impossible, for basic MCMC algorithms to find the relevant region in parameter space. This problem is solved by introducing a parallel tempering algorithm. Closer investigation of its internal functionality yields some insight into a proper setup of this algorithm, which in turn also enables the efficient implementation for the LISA problem with its vastly enlarged parameter space. Parallel programming was used to implement this computationally expensive MCMC algorithm, so that the code can be run efficiently on a computer cluster. In this thesis, a Bayesian approach to gravitational wave astronomy is shown to be feasible and promising.