The International Liquid Mirror Telescope project: optical quality tests and prospective detection of multiply imaged quasars

Doctoral thesis (2013)

The International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) project is a joint collaboration between different universities and research institutes in Belgium, Canada, India and Poland, for the design, construction ... [more ▼]

The International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) project is a joint collaboration between different universities and research institutes in Belgium, Canada, India and Poland, for the design, construction and operation of a 4 meter liquid mirror telescope at the Devasthal Observatory (India). In the framework of the present thesis, we have contributed to the development of the ILMT. We have namely designed and manufactured an innovative instru- ment capable of measuring the optical quality of the primary mirror that may be affected by the propagation of wavelets on the mercury layer. The instrument is composed of a laser source, emitting a beam whose reflection on the mirror is modulated by slope variations induced by the wavelets. Preliminary tests were carried out showing the validity of the method for on site testing of the mirror. The ILMT has been designed to perform a photometric variability survey of a narrow strip of sky, making it very suitable for the detection and follow-up of photometrically variable sources such as supernovae and quasars. In the second part of this thesis, we present an estimate of the number of QSOs to be detected within the ILMT survey, and of the expected number of multiply imaged sources among these caused by the presence of a deflector near the lines-of- sight. We have studied the impact of various parameters on the expected number of detected gravitational lens systems, such as the instrumental resolution of the telescope, the galaxy population type(s) and corresponding lensing model(s), and the cosmological parameters. The statistical sample of multiply imaged QSOs is intended to be used as a cosmological probe. In order to make a sensitivity comparison between vari- ous modelling approaches, we introduce a new formalism to estimate the lensing probabilities, based on the joined probability density of the observed QSOs. This new formalism allows to calculate three probability densities: that asso- ciated with the optical depth distribution, as well as those related to the deflector and the lensed source redshift distributions. For the case of FLRW universes, we compare the sensitivity of these distributions as a function of the cosmological mass density. [less ▲]

The International Liquid Mirror Telescope: Science and Technology

Conference (2001, April 20)

An international online survey of the practices and perceptions of higher education professors with respect to the assessment of learning in the classroom

in Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education (2011), 36(6), 719-733

In a context where public action must demonstrate its effectiveness and efficiency, and where the links between teaching and the quality of learning are regularly highlighted, it seems relevant to ... [more ▼]

In a context where public action must demonstrate its effectiveness and efficiency, and where the links between teaching and the quality of learning are regularly highlighted, it seems relevant to identify the trends and logic that govern university professors’ decisions with respect to the modes of learning assessment favoured within the framework of their delivery of teaching services. Moreover, given that university teaching practices are changing rapidly due to the introduction of different views of the learning process, one might conclude that the same holds for assessment practices. Through our research work, we led to the development of a trilingual (English, French and Spanish) online survey devoted to an international investigation into the classroom assessment practices of higher education teachers. This survey proposes an online platform that will allow institutions of higher learning to document some of their current practices and to compare observed trends with what is happening elsewhere, in accordance with differing missions and traditions. These research notes are thus intended to describe the survey itself and to show how the questionnaire and individual items were structured, in addition to providingan overview of treatments within and between institutions that followed the testing. [less ▲]

The International Photometric Observing Campaign on BW VUL : First Results

in Liege International Astrophysical Colloquia (1984)

Not Available

International Political Economy

in Telò, Mario (Ed.) International Relations: A European Perspective (2009)

L'article porte sur l'économie politique en tant que sous-discipline des relations internationales. L'article montre que l'évolution du système international des années 1970 a eu pour effet de contribuer ... [more ▼]

L'article porte sur l'économie politique en tant que sous-discipline des relations internationales. L'article montre que l'évolution du système international des années 1970 a eu pour effet de contribuer à la disciplinarisation de l'économie politique internationale. Deux auteurs sont épinglés pour l'importance de leur contribution à cette sous-discipline: Robert Gilpin et Susan Strange. [less ▲]

International Public Policy in International Arbitration

in Enforcement of Arbitration Agreements and International Awards (2008)

International report on Competition Authorities Discretion

Scientific conference (2009, September)

International Trade of Nuclear Materials and Equipment

Learning material (2011)

International Trade of Nuclear Materials and Equipment

Learning material (2010)

International Workshop COST Action 517 : Cleaner for industrial exploitation

Book published by European Commission, Office for Official Publications (1999)