Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive cancer associated with a poor prognosis as a large proportion of these patients have locally advanced disease or metastases at the time of diagnosis. Currently... Show morePancreatic cancer is an aggressive cancer associated with a poor prognosis as a large proportion of these patients have locally advanced disease or metastases at the time of diagnosis. Currently onlypatients with localized pancreatic tumors can undergo surgery, which is the cornerstone in thetreatment of pancreatic cancer, whether or not preceded by neoadjuvant (chemo/radio)therapy. To establish the diagnosis, imaging techniques are used, tumor tissue must be obtained, and certain tumor markers can be determined in the blood. During surgery, the tumor must be removed in its entirety to prevent early recurrence. This thesis describes the potential role of tumor markers, which can be determined in the blood, and several experimental optical imaging techniques applied to pancreatic cancer. Show less
In this thesis new methodologies are developed for the detection and systematic study of radio sources in the early universe. This allows us to gain a deeper understanding of the formation and... Show moreIn this thesis new methodologies are developed for the detection and systematic study of radio sources in the early universe. This allows us to gain a deeper understanding of the formation and evolution of galaxies, the activity of supermassive black holes, and the final phase transition of our universe: the epoch of reionization. Using the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) telescope, this thesis systematically investigates the low radio frequency properties of quasars, the brightest non-variable objects in our cosmos, in the first billion years after the Big Bang. Through the discovery of new radio quasars in the early universe and subsequent studies, this thesis shows the diversity within the quasar population and highlights the importance of multi-wavelength observations for our comprehension of the formation and evolution of active supermassive black holes and their impact on the surrounding environment. Show less
Sreejith, A.G.; France, K.; Fossati, L.; Koskinen, T.T.; Egan, A.; Cauley, P.W.; ... ; De Almeida Vidotto, A. 2023
Water is all around us and is vital for all aspects of life. Studying the various compounds and life forms that inhabit natural waters lets us better understand the world around us.Remote sensing... Show moreWater is all around us and is vital for all aspects of life. Studying the various compounds and life forms that inhabit natural waters lets us better understand the world around us.Remote sensing enables global measurements with rapid response and high consistency. Citizen science provides new knowledge and greatly increases the scientific and social impact of research.In this thesis, we investigate several aspects of citizen science and remote sensing of water, with a focus on uncertainty and accessibility. We improve existing techniques and develop new methods to use smartphone cameras for accessible remote sensing of water. Show less
The formation and evolution of galaxies is fundamentally driven by the formation of new stars out of cold gas. Observations of young stars in distant galaxies in the early universe, such as we can... Show moreThe formation and evolution of galaxies is fundamentally driven by the formation of new stars out of cold gas. Observations of young stars in distant galaxies in the early universe, such as we can see in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, have unveiled how the cosmic star formation rate density evolves. Yet, while the effect of star formation—the young stars—has been mapped in ever-increasing detail, the cause—the cold molecular gas that fuels star formation—has been elusive. This thesis presents an observational study of the cold interstellar medium of distant galaxies in the early universe, using the most sensitive submillimeter telescope to date, the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, together with new integral-field spectrographs, such as the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer on the Very Large Telescope. It unveils the physical properties of star-forming galaxies and their molecular gas reservoirs, and describes the evolution of the cosmic molecular gas density—the fuel for star formation. Show less
Wel, A. van der; Bezanson, R.; D'Eugenio, F.; Straatman, C.; Franx, M.; Houdt, J. van; ... ; Dokkum, P.G. van 2021
Gold nanoparticles show surprisingly strong interactions with light in the visible range, which can be divided into scattering, absorption, and photoluminescence. When a nanoparticle absorbs light,... Show moreGold nanoparticles show surprisingly strong interactions with light in the visible range, which can be divided into scattering, absorption, and photoluminescence. When a nanoparticle absorbs light, the corresponding energy is converted to heat, which can affect the environment of the (hot) nanoparticle. This thesis uses scattering and photoluminescence to study the behaviour of optically heated single gold nanoparticles: it discusses the behaviour of single plasmonic vapour nanobubbles, which occur around highly heated nanoparticles immersed in a liquid, the detection of chirality in nano-objects through their absorption and the photothermal effect, the behaviour of gold nanoparticles under sub-picosecond pulsed excitation, and the temperature dependence of pulse-excited photoluminescence of such particles. Show less
This thesis describes the implementation and on-sky demonstration of high-resolution integral-field spectroscopy for extreme adaptive optics systems that are used to find and characterize... Show moreThis thesis describes the implementation and on-sky demonstration of high-resolution integral-field spectroscopy for extreme adaptive optics systems that are used to find and characterize exoplanets. For this work the Leiden EXoplanet Instrument (LEXI) was build, which is a visiting instrument for the William Herschel Telescope on La Palma. LEXI was used a pathfinder for testing new technology. The potential of these technqiues have been demonstrated with the observations of PDS 70 by the MUSE instruments, where we have characterized a proto-planet and found a second proto-planet in the same system. The proposed techniques in this thesis can be implemented on future instruments and telescopes for the characterization of exoplanets. Show less
Astronomical observations of cold regions in the universe show a rich inventory of ices. Part of these ices may end up on planets like our own, but in that journey they will be exposed to... Show moreAstronomical observations of cold regions in the universe show a rich inventory of ices. Part of these ices may end up on planets like our own, but in that journey they will be exposed to considerable amounts of radiation. As water is the main component of these ices, the optical and photochemical properties of water ice largely determine how the radiation affects the molecules embedded in the ice. In this thesis, water ice is investigated as a host for photochemical reactions. A new laboratory setup is constructed, and two types of molecules are studied: glycine, an amino acid, and triphenylene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. The photochemistry upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation is studied using UVvis and infrared spectroscopy. In addition, the optical properties of water ice are constrained in the UV-vis range, resulting in high-resolution optical constants, relevant for all ice-rich environments - from far away in space to our atmosphere. Water itself does not absorb light in this range, but as most organic molecules do, and are destroyed by radiation in this range, this is of high importance for molecules within the ice. Show less
This thesis is about the study of hydrocarbons via infrared spectroscopy. Hydrocarbons play an important role in the chemistry of a variety of astronomical environments from the diffuse... Show moreThis thesis is about the study of hydrocarbons via infrared spectroscopy. Hydrocarbons play an important role in the chemistry of a variety of astronomical environments from the diffuse interstellar medium to dense hydrocarbon atmospheres of solar system bodies (e.g., planetary atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn’s moon Titan) and exoplanets. For most astronomical objects, the determination of chemical abundances, and consequently an understanding of the chemical evolution relies upon the observation of molecular spectra. However, to date astronomical models need to make assumptions, because not all of the molecules expected have been observed. This is due, in part, to a lack of accurate spectral data, which is needed for unambiguous identification. Using a combination of high-resolution infrared experiments and/or high level ab initio calculations of vibration frequencies and ground state spectroscopic constants, the infrared spectral data of HC2H, HC4H, HC6H, HC8H, C3H4, c-C3H3+ and Dn-PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAH) are studied and presented, in order to fill in some of the missing spectral data. Show less
This thesis presents the anharmonic infrared spectra of a series of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Comparisons and characterizations are made based on high-resolution low-temperature gas-phase... Show moreThis thesis presents the anharmonic infrared spectra of a series of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Comparisons and characterizations are made based on high-resolution low-temperature gas-phase experimental spectra. Show less
Galaxies form and evolve through close interaction with their surroundings. As a result, the heavy elements ('metals') that are synthesized in stars, are found both inside and outside galaxies.... Show moreGalaxies form and evolve through close interaction with their surroundings. As a result, the heavy elements ('metals') that are synthesized in stars, are found both inside and outside galaxies. They trace the gas returned by stars, while providing information on the time-scales and physical conditions characterizing various stages of galaxy evolution through their elemental composition and ionization state. In this thesis, we explore what metals can tell us about galaxy formation. We complement theoretical work using the EAGLE simulations, where we focus on the galaxies as well as the surrounding medium, with an observational study of the low-redshift (z < 1) circumgalactic medium using the MUSE instrument on the VLT. Show less
Over the past years it has been discovered that the population of extra-solar planets is large and diverse. This fact feeds expectations for finding habitable Earth-like planets and potentially... Show moreOver the past years it has been discovered that the population of extra-solar planets is large and diverse. This fact feeds expectations for finding habitable Earth-like planets and potentially extra-terrestrial life. However without a reliable characterization, the fundamental nature of these planets would remain unknown after their initial discovery. This thesis focuses on the development of new spectroscopic observation and analysis methods to characterize planets after their discovery. The techniques presented in this thesis can be used in the future to detect the signs of life and habitability on Earth-like exoplanets that are expected to be discovered over the coming years. Show less
