arXiv subjects

Masaki Mori

Publications and source records attributed to Masaki Mori.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Resolving the origin of the unidentified TeV source HESS J1626-490 as a relic of the ancient cosmic-ray factory SNR G335.2+0.1

While decades of observations in the TeV gamma-ray band have revealed more than 200~sources with radio or X-ray counterparts, there remain dozens of unidentified TeV sources, which may provide crucial information of cosmic ray (CR) accelerators. HESS J1626$-$490 is an unidentified TeV gamma-ray source but is expected to originate from CRs that escaped from the nearby supernova remnant (SNR) G335.2+0.1 and are interacting with dense interstellar clouds. To test this scenario, we scrutinize the properties of the SNR and search for non-thermal counterparts by analyzing observational data in the radio, X-ray, and GeV gamma-ray bands. From analysis of the H\,{\sc i} and $^{12}$CO ($J{=}1{-}0$) line data, we identify the cloud associated with the SNR and compare the morphologies of the cloud and the gamma-ray emission. The distance and age of the SNR are estimated to be $3.3 \pm 0.6$~kpc and ${\sim}5$~kyr, respectively. From X-ray and GeV gamma-ray data analyses, we find an extended GeV gamma-ray emission overlapping with the SNR and H.E.S.S. source regions but no X-ray emission. The location of the peak of the extended GeV emission changes from near the SNR at $\lesssim 1$~GeV to the H.E.S.S. source at $>10$~GeV. We find a spectral hardening at ${\sim}50$~GeV, which is consistent with the existence of two components in the gamma-ray emission. We find that a combination of emission from the escaped CRs and the SNR itself can reproduce the observed broadband spectrum, on the assumption that the SNR has accelerated protons to ${\gtrsim}100$~TeV in the past.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2022

Realistic Endoscopic Image Generation Method Using Virtual-to-real Image-domain Translation

This paper proposes a realistic image generation method for visualization in endoscopic simulation systems. Endoscopic diagnosis and treatment are performed in many hospitals. To reduce complications related to endoscope insertions, endoscopic simulation systems are used for training or rehearsal of endoscope insertions. However, current simulation systems generate non-realistic virtual endoscopic images. To improve the value of the simulation systems, improvement of reality of their generated images is necessary. We propose a realistic image generation method for endoscopic simulation systems. Virtual endoscopic images are generated by using a volume rendering method from a CT volume of a patient. We improve the reality of the virtual endoscopic images using a virtual-to-real image-domain translation technique. The image-domain translator is implemented as a fully convolutional network (FCN). We train the FCN by minimizing a cycle consistency loss function. The FCN is trained using unpaired virtual and real endoscopic images. To obtain high quality image-domain translation results, we perform an image cleansing to the real endoscopic image set. We tested to use the shallow U-Net, U-Net, deep U-Net, and U-Net having residual units as the image-domain translator. The deep U-Net and U-Net having residual units generated quite realistic images.

eess.IV↗

arXiv2022

Depth Estimation from Single-shot Monocular Endoscope Image Using Image Domain Adaptation And Edge-Aware Depth Estimation

We propose a depth estimation method from a single-shot monocular endoscopic image using Lambertian surface translation by domain adaptation and depth estimation using multi-scale edge loss. We employ a two-step estimation process including Lambertian surface translation from unpaired data and depth estimation. The texture and specular reflection on the surface of an organ reduce the accuracy of depth estimations. We apply Lambertian surface translation to an endoscopic image to remove these texture and reflections. Then, we estimate the depth by using a fully convolutional network (FCN). During the training of the FCN, improvement of the object edge similarity between an estimated image and a ground truth depth image is important for getting better results. We introduced a muti-scale edge loss function to improve the accuracy of depth estimation. We quantitatively evaluated the proposed method using real colonoscopic images. The estimated depth values were proportional to the real depth values. Furthermore, we applied the estimated depth images to automated anatomical location identification of colonoscopic images using a convolutional neural network. The identification accuracy of the network improved from 69.2% to 74.1% by using the estimated depth images.

eess.IV↗

arXiv2021

Gravitational Wave Physics and Astronomy in the nascent era

The detections of gravitational waves (GW) by LIGO/Virgo collaborations provide various possibilities to physics and astronomy. We are quite sure that GW observations will develop a lot both in precision and in number owing to the continuous works for the improvement of detectors, including the expectation to the newly joined detector, KAGRA, and the planned detector, LIGO-India. In this occasion, we review the fundamental outcomes and prospects of gravitational wave physics and astronomy. We survey the development focusing on representative sources of gravitational waves: binary black holes, binary neutron stars, and supernovae. We also summarize the role of gravitational wave observations as a probe of new physics.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2021

Physical Activity Analysis of College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic Using Smartphones

Owing to the pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), several universities have closed their campuses for preventing the spread of infection. Consequently, the university classes are being held over the Internet, and students attend these classes from their homes. While the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to be prolonged, the online-centric lifestyle has raised concerns about secondary health issues caused by reduced physical activity (PA). However, the actual status of PA among university students has not yet been examined in Japan. Hence, in this study, we collected daily PA data (including the data corresponding to the number of steps taken and the data associated with six types of activities) by employing smartphones and thereby analyzed the changes in the PA of university students. The PA data were collected over a period of ten weeks from 305 first-year university students who were attending a mandatory class of physical education at the university. The obtained results indicate that compared to the average number of steps taken before the COVID-19 pandemic (6474.87 steps), the average number of steps taken after the COVID-19 pandemic (3522.5 steps) has decreased by 45.6%. Furthermore, the decrease in commuting time (7 AM to 10 AM), classroom time, and extracurricular activity time (11 AM to 12 AM) has led to a decrease in PA on weekdays owing to reduced unplanned exercise opportunities and has caused an increase in the duration of being in the stationary state in the course of daily life.

cs.CY↗

arXiv2020

Micro CT Image-Assisted Cross Modality Super-Resolution of Clinical CT Images Utilizing Synthesized Training Dataset

This paper proposes a novel, unsupervised super-resolution (SR) approach for performing the SR of a clinical CT into the resolution level of a micro CT ($μ$CT). The precise non-invasive diagnosis of lung cancer typically utilizes clinical CT data. Due to the resolution limitations of clinical CT (about $0.5 \times 0.5 \times 0.5$ mm$^3$), it is difficult to obtain enough pathological information such as the invasion area at alveoli level. On the other hand, $μ$CT scanning allows the acquisition of volumes of lung specimens with much higher resolution ($50 \times 50 \times 50 μ{\rm m}^3$ or higher). Thus, super-resolution of clinical CT volume may be helpful for diagnosis of lung cancer. Typical SR methods require aligned pairs of low-resolution (LR) and high-resolution (HR) images for training. Unfortunately, obtaining paired clinical CT and $μ$CT volumes of human lung tissues is infeasible. Unsupervised SR methods are required that do not need paired LR and HR images. In this paper, we create corresponding clinical CT-$μ$CT pairs by simulating clinical CT images from $μ$CT images by modified CycleGAN. After this, we use simulated clinical CT-$μ$CT image pairs to train an SR network based on SRGAN. Finally, we use the trained SR network to perform SR of the clinical CT images. We compare our proposed method with another unsupervised SR method for clinical CT images named SR-CycleGAN. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can successfully perform SR of clinical CT images of lung cancer patients with $μ$CT level resolution, and quantitatively and qualitatively outperformed conventional method (SR-CycleGAN), improving the SSIM (structure similarity) form 0.40 to 0.51.

eess.IV↗

arXiv2020

Thermal Expansion and Volume Magnetostriction in Breathing Pyrochlore Magnets LiACr$_4$X$_8$ (A = Ga, In, X = O, S)

We report thermal expansion and magnetostriction in breathing pyrochlore magnets LiACr$_4$X$_8$ (A = Ga, In, X = O, S) measured by a dilatometric method on sintered samples. All four of these compounds showed a large volume contraction associated with antiferromagnetic order with decreasing temperature. Above the Neél temperature, LiGaCr4S8 showed negative thermal expansion, LiInCr4O8 showed positive thermal expansion with concave-downward temperature dependence, and LiInCr4S8 showed positive forced volume magnetostriction. All these phenomena are likely caused by the complex structure-magnetism correlation within the breathing pyrochlore structure with J and J'. These results suggested that breathing pyrochlore magnets are promising for the realization of various volumetric phenomena related to their magnetism not only in the magnetically-ordered phase but also in the paramagnetic phase.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2020

Multi-modality super-resolution loss for GAN-based super-resolution of clinical CT images using micro CT image database

This paper newly introduces multi-modality loss function for GAN-based super-resolution that can maintain image structure and intensity on unpaired training dataset of clinical CT and micro CT volumes. Precise non-invasive diagnosis of lung cancer mainly utilizes 3D multidetector computed-tomography (CT) data. On the other hand, we can take micro CT images of resected lung specimen in 50 micro meter or higher resolution. However, micro CT scanning cannot be applied to living human imaging. For obtaining highly detailed information such as cancer invasion area from pre-operative clinical CT volumes of lung cancer patients, super-resolution (SR) of clinical CT volumes to $μ$CT level might be one of substitutive solutions. While most SR methods require paired low- and high-resolution images for training, it is infeasible to obtain precisely paired clinical CT and micro CT volumes. We aim to propose unpaired SR approaches for clincial CT using micro CT images based on unpaired image translation methods such as CycleGAN or UNIT. Since clinical CT and micro CT are very different in structure and intensity, direct application of GAN-based unpaired image translation methods in super-resolution tends to generate arbitrary images. Aiming to solve this problem, we propose new loss function called multi-modality loss function to maintain the similarity of input images and corresponding output images in super-resolution task. Experimental results demonstrated that the newly proposed loss function made CycleGAN and UNIT to successfully perform SR of clinical CT images of lung cancer patients into micro CT level resolution, while original CycleGAN and UNIT failed in super-resolution.

eess.IV↗

arXiv2020

Dark Matter Signals on a Laser Interferometer

WIMPs are promising dark matter candidates. A WIMP occasionally collides with a mirror equipped with interferometric gravitational wave detectors such as LIGO, Virgo, KAGRA and the Einstein Telescope (ET). When WIMPs collide with a mirror of an interferometer, we expect that characteristic motions of the pendulum and mirror are excited, and those signals could be extracted by highly sophisticated sensors developed for gravitational wave detection. We analyze the motions of the pendulum and mirror, and estimate the detectability of these motions. For the "Thin-ET" detector, the signal-to-noise ratio may be $ 1.7 \left( \frac{ m_{\rm{DM}} }{ 100 \rm{GeV} } \right) $, where $ m_{\rm{DM}} $ is the mass of a WIMP. We may set a more strict upper limit on the cross section between a WIMP and a nucleon than the limits obtained by other experiments so far when $ m_{\rm{DM}} $ is approximately lower than 0.2 GeV. We find an order-of-magnitude improvement in the upper limit around $ m_{\rm{DM}} = 0.2 {\rm{GeV}} $.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

Magnetization process of the breathing pyrochlore magnet CuInCr$_4$S$_8$ in ultra-high magnetic fields up to 150 T

The magnetization process of the breathing pyrochlore magnet CuInCr4S8 has been investigated in ultra-high magnetic fields up to 150 T. Successive phase transitions characterized with a substantially wide 1/2-plateau from 55 T to 110 T are observed in this system, resembling those reported in chromium spinel oxides. In addition to the 1/2-plateau phase, the magnetization is found to exhibit two inherent behaviors: a slight change in the slope of the M-H curve at ~ 85 T and a shoulder-like shape at ~ 130 T prior to the saturation. Both of them are accompanied by a hysteresis, suggesting first-order transitions. The theoretical calculation applicable to CuInCr4S8 is also shown, based on the microscopic model with the spin-lattice coupling. The calculation fairly well reproduces the main features of the experimentally observed magnetization process, including a relatively wide cant 2:1:1 phase clearly observed in the previous work [Y. Okamoto et al., J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 87, 034709 (2018)]. The robust 1/2-plateau on CuInCr4S8 seems to be originated from the dominant antiferromagnetic interactions and the strong spin-lattice coupling.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

A Space-based All-sky MeV gamma-ray Survey with the Electron Tracking Compton Camera

A sensitive survey of the MeV gamma-ray sky is needed to understand important astrophysical problems such as gamma-ray bursts in the early universe, progenitors of Type Ia supernovae, and the nature of dark matter. However, the study has not progressed remarkably since the limited survey by COMPTEL onboard CGRO in the 1990s. Tanimori et al. have developed a Compton camera that tracks the trajectory of each recoil electron in addition to the information obtained by the conventional Compton cameras, leading to superior imaging. This Electron Tracking Compton Camera (ETCC) facilitates accurate reconstruction of the incoming direction of each MeV photon from a wide sky at ~degree angular resolution and with minimized particle background using trajectory information. The latest ETCC model, SMILE-2+, made successful astronomical observations during a day balloon flight in 2018 April and detected diffuse continuum and 511 keV annihilation line emission from the Galactic Center region at a high significance in ~2.5 hours. We believe that MeV observations from space with upgraded ETCCs will dramatically improve our knowledge of the MeV universe. We advocate for a space-based all-sky survey mission with multiple ETCCs onboard and detail its expected benefits.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2018

Magnetic and Structural Properties of A-Site Ordered Chromium Spinel Sulfides: Alternating Antiferromagnetic and Ferromagnetic Interactions in the Breathing Pyrochlore Lattice

We report a comprehensive study on the magnetic and structural properties of the spinel sulfides LiInCr4S8, LiGaCr4S8, and CuInCr4S8, where Li+/Cu+ and Ga3+/In3+ ions form a zinc-blende-type order. On the basis of synchrotron X-ray diffraction and magnetization data obtained using polycrystalline samples, these three sulfides are suggested to be breathing pyrochlore magnets with alternating antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interactions on the small and large tetrahedra, respectively. The measured magnetization processes of the three sulfides up to 72 T are significantly different. The magnetization curves of LiInCr4S8 and CuInCr4S8 have large hysteresis loops with different shapes, while there is no hysteresis in that of LiGaCr4S8. Geometrical frustration of the small tetrahedron is likely to give rise to a wide variety of ground states, indicating the rich physics in these antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic breathing pyrochlore magnets.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2017

Detection of the thermal component in GRB 160107A

We present the detection of a blackbody component in GRB 160107A emission by using the combined spectral data of the CALET Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (CGBM) and the MAXI Gas Slit Camera (GSC). The MAXI/GSC detected the emission $\sim$45 s prior to the main burst episode observed by the CGBM. The MAXI/GSC and the CGBM spectrum of this prior emission period is well fit by a blackbody with the temperature of $1.0^{+0.3}_{-0.2}$ keV plus a power-law with the photon index of $-1.6 \pm 0.3$. We discuss the radius to the photospheric emission and the main burst emission based on the observational properties. We stress the importance of the coordinated observations via various instruments collecting the high quality data over a broad energy coverage in order to understand the GRB prompt emission mechanism.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2017

The gamma-ray spectral feature from Kaluza-Klein dark matter annihilation and its observability

The theory of universal extra dimensions involves Kaluza-Klein (KK) particles. The lightest KK particle (LKP) is one of the good candidates for cold dark matter. Annihilation of LKP dark matter in the Galactic halo produces high-energy gamma-rays. The gamma-ray spectrum shows a characteristic peak structure around the LKP mass. This paper investigates the observability of this peak structure by near-future detectors taking account of their energy resolution, and calculates the expected energy spectrum of the gamma-ray signal. Then, by using the HESS data, we set some constraints on the boost factor, which is a product of the annihilation cross section relative to the thermal one and an uncertain factor dependent on the substructure of the LKP distribution in the Galactic halo, for each LKP mass. The resulting upper limit on the boost factor is in the range from 1 to 30. The constraints can be regarded as comparable with the results of previous work for gamma-ray and electron-positron observation. However, the observational data for the TeV or higher energy region are still limited, and the possible LKP signal is not conclusive. Thus, we expect near-future missions with better sensitivity will clarify whether the LKP dark matter should exist or not.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2017

The electron plus positron spectrum from annihilation of Kaluza-Klein dark matter in the Galaxy

The lightest Kaluza-Klein particle (LKP), which appears in the theory of universal extra dimensions, is one of good candidates for cold dark matter (CDM). When LKP pairs annihilate around the center of the Galaxy where CDM is concentrated, there are some modes which produce electrons and positrons as final products, and we categorize them into two components. One of them is the "Line" component, which directly annihilates into electron--positron pair. Another one is the "Continuum" component, which consists of secondarily produced electrons and positrons via some decay modes. Before reaching Earth, directions of electrons and positrons are randomized by the Galactic magnetic field, and their energies are reduced by energy loss mechanisms. We assume the LKP is in the mass range from 300 GeV to 1500 GeV. We calculate the electron plus positron spectrum after propagation in the Galactic halo to Earth, and we analyze the resulting spectrum and positron fraction. We also point out that the energy dependence of observed positron fraction is well reproduced by the mixture of "line" and "continuum" components. We can fit the electron plus positron spectrum and the positron fraction by assuming appropriate boost factors describing dark matter concentration in the Galactic halo. However, it is difficult to explain both the electron plus positron spectrum and the positron fraction by a single boost factor, if we take account of observational data obtained by AMS-02 only.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

Fermi LAT detection of two high Galactic latitude gamma-ray sources, Fermi J1049.7+0435 and J1103.2+1145

During a search for gamma-ray emission from NGC 3628 (Arp 317), two new unidentified gamma-ray sources, Fermi J1049.7+0435 and J1103.2+1145 have been discovered \cite{ATel}. The detections are made in data from the Large Area Telescope (LAT), on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, in the 100\,MeV to 300\,GeV band during the period between 2008 August 5 and 2012 October 27. Neither is coincident with any source listed in the 2FGL catalogue \cite{Nolan2012}. Fermi J1049.7+0435 is at Galactic coordinates $(l,b) = (245.34^\circ, 53.27^\circ)$, $(α_{J2000}, δ_{J2000}) = (162.43^\circ, 4.60^\circ)$. Fermi J1103.2+1145 is at Galactic coordinates $(l,b) = (238.85^\circ, 60.33^\circ)$, $(α_{J2000},δ_{J2000})= (165.81^\circ, 11.75^\circ)$. Possible radio counterparts are found for both sources, which show flat radio spectra similar to other Fermi LAT detected AGN, and their identifications are discussed. These identification have been supoorted by snap-shot observations with the Australia Telescope Compact Array at several epochs in 2013 and 2014,

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

The gamma-ray spectrum from annihilation of Kaluza-Klein dark matter and its observability

The lightest Kaluza-Klein particle (LKP), which appears in the theory of universal extra dimensions, is one of the good candidates for cold dark matter. The gamma-ray spectrum from annihilation of LKP dark matter shows a characteristic peak structure around the LKP mass. We investigate the detectability of this peak structure by considering energy resolution of near-future detectors, and calculate the expected count spectrum of the gamma-ray signal. In order to judge whether the count spectrum contains the LKP signal, the χ squared test is employed. If the signal is not detected, we set some constraints on the boost factor that is an uncertain factor dependent on the substructure of the LKP distribution in the galactic halo. Detecting such peak structure would be conclusive evidence that dark matter is made of LKP.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2014

A cellular approach to the Hecke-Clifford superalgebra

The Hecke-Clifford superalgebra is a super-analogue of the Iwahori-Hecke algebra of type A. The classification of its simple modules is done by Brundan, Kleshchev and Tsuchioka using a method of categorification of affine Lie algebras. In this paper, we introduce another way to produce its simple modules with a generalized theory of cellular algebras which is originally developed by Graham and Lehrer. In our construction the key is that there is a right action of the Clifford superalgebra on the super-analogue of the Specht module. With the help of the notion of the Morita context, a simple module of the Hecke-Clifford superalgebra is made from that of the Clifford superalgebra.

math.RT↗