Engineering topics

Bin, Chen

Publications and source records attributed to Bin, Chen.

10 records

DOE OSTI2013

TRACING ELECTRON BEAMS IN THE SUN'S CORONA WITH RADIO DYNAMIC IMAGING SPECTROSCOPY

We report observations of type III radio bursts at decimeter wavelengths (type IIIdm bursts)-signatures of suprathermal electron beams propagating in the low corona-using the new technique of radio dynamic imaging spectroscopy provided by the recently upgraded Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. For the first time, type IIIdm bursts were imaged with high time and frequency resolution over a broad frequency band, allowing electron beam trajectories in the corona to be deduced. Together with simultaneous hard X-ray and extreme ultraviolet observations, we show that these beams emanate from an energy release site located in the low corona at a height below {approx}15 Mm, and propagate along a bundle of discrete magnetic loops upward into the corona. Our observations enable direct measurements of the plasma density along the magnetic loops, and allow us to constrain the diameter of these loops to be less than 100 km. These overdense and ultra-thin loops reveal the fundamentally fibrous structure of the Sun's corona. The impulsive nature of the electron beams, their accessibility to different magnetic field lines, and the detailed structure of the magnetic release site revealed by the radio observations indicate that the localized energy release is highly fragmentary in time and space, supporting a bursty reconnection model that involves secondary magnetic structures for magnetic energy release and particle acceleration.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2012

SUPERNOVA RESONANCE-SCATTERING LINE PROFILES IN THE ABSENCE OF A PHOTOSPHERE

In supernova (SN) spectroscopy relatively little attention has been given to the properties of optically thick spectral lines in epochs following the photosphere's recession. Most treatments and analyses of post-photospheric optical spectra of SNe assume that forbidden-line emission comprises most if not all spectral features. However, evidence exists that suggests that some spectra exhibit line profiles formed via optically thick resonance-scattering even months or years after the SN explosion. To explore this possibility, we present a geometrical approach to SN spectrum formation based on the 'Elementary Supernova' model, wherein we investigate the characteristics of resonance-scattering in optically thick lines while replacing the photosphere with a transparent central core emitting non-blackbody continuum radiation, akin to the optical continuum provided by decaying {sup 56}Co formed during the explosion. We develop the mathematical framework necessary for solving the radiative transfer equation under these conditions and calculate spectra for both isolated and blended lines. Our comparisons with analogous results from the Elementary Supernova code SYNOW reveal several marked differences in line formation. Most notably, resonance lines in these conditions form P Cygni-like profiles, but the emission peaks and absorption troughs shift redward and blueward, respectively, from the line's rest wavelength by a significant amount, despite the spherically symmetric distribution of the line optical depth in the ejecta. These properties and others that we find in this work could lead to misidentification of lines or misattribution of properties of line-forming material at post-photospheric times in SN optical spectra.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2012

FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT QUASAR X-RAY EMITTING REGIONS ARE COMPACT: X-RAY AND OPTICAL MICROLENSING IN THE LENSED QUASAR Q J0158-4325

We present four new seasons of optical monitoring data and six epochs of X-ray photometry for the doubly imaged lensed quasar Q J0158-4325. The high-amplitude, short-period microlensing variability for which this system is known has historically precluded a time delay measurement by conventional methods. We attempt to circumvent this limitation by the application of a Monte Carlo microlensing analysis technique, but we are only able to prove that the delay must have the expected sign (image A leads image B). Despite our failure to robustly measure the time delay, we successfully model the microlensing at optical and X-ray wavelengths to find a half-light radius for soft X-ray emission log (r{sub 1/2,X,soft}/cm) = 14.3{sup +0.4}{sub -0.5}, an upper limit on the half-light radius for hard X-ray emission log (r{sub 1/2,X,hard}/cm) {<=} 14.6, and a refined estimate of the inclination-corrected scale radius of the optical R-band (rest frame 3100 A) continuum emission region of log (r{sub s} /cm) = 15.6 {+-} 0.3.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2012

X-RAY MONITORING OF GRAVITATIONAL LENSES WITH CHANDRA

We present Chandra monitoring data for six gravitationally lensed quasars: QJ 0158-4325, HE 0435-1223, SDSS 0924+0219, SDSS 1004+4112, HE 1104-1805, and Q 2237+0305. X-ray microlensing variability is detected in all six lenses with high confidence. We furthermore detect energy-dependent microlensing in HE 0435-1223, SDSS 0924+0219, SDSS 1004+4112, and Q 2237+0305. Through a detailed spectral analysis for each lens we find that simple power-law models plus Gaussian emission lines give good fits to the spectra. We detect intrinsic spectral variability in two epochs of Q 2237+0305, and differential absorption between images in QJ 0158-4325 and Q2237+0305. We also detect the Fe K{alpha} emission line in all six lenses, and the Ni XXVII K{alpha} line in two images of Q 2237+0305. The rest-frame equivalent widths of the Fe K{alpha} lines are measured to be 0.4-1.2 keV, significantly higher than those measured in typical active galactic nuclei of similar X-ray luminosities. This suggests that the Fe K{alpha} emission region is more compact or centrally concentrated than the continuum emission region.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2012

THE ROLE OF INVERSE COMPTON SCATTERING IN SOLAR CORONAL HARD X-RAY AND {gamma}-RAY SOURCES

Coronal hard X-ray (HXR) and continuum {gamma}-ray sources associated with the impulsive phase of solar flares have been the subject of renewed interest in recent years. They have been interpreted in terms of thin-target, non-thermal bremsstrahlung emission. This interpretation has led to rather extreme physical requirements in some cases. For example, in one case, essentially all of the electrons in the source must be accelerated to non-thermal energies to account for the coronal HXR source. In other cases, the extremely hard photon spectra of the coronal continuum {gamma}-ray emission suggest that the low-energy cutoff of the electron energy distribution lies in the MeV energy range. Here, we consider the role of inverse Compton scattering (ICS) as an alternate emission mechanism in both the ultra- and mildly relativistic regimes. It is known that relativistic electrons are produced during powerful flares; these are capable of upscattering soft photospheric photons to HXR and {gamma}-ray energies. Previously overlooked is the fact that mildly relativistic electrons, generally produced in much greater numbers in flares of all sizes, can upscatter extreme-ultraviolet/soft X-ray photons to HXR energies. We also explore ICS on anisotropic electron distributions and show that the resulting emission can be significantly enhanced over an isotropic electron distribution for favorable viewing geometries. We briefly review results from bremsstrahlung emission and reconsider circumstances under which non-thermal bremsstrahlung or ICS would be favored. Finally, we consider a selection of coronal HXR and {gamma}-ray events and find that in some cases the ICS is a viable alternative emission mechanism.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2012

Mechanically tunable magnetic properties of Fe{sub 81}Ga{sub 19} films grown on flexible substrates

We investigated on magnetic properties of magnetostrictive Fe{sub 81}Ga{sub 19} films grown on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates under various mechanical strains. The unstrained Fe{sub 81}Ga{sub 19} films exhibit a significant uniaxial magnetic anisotropy due to a residual stress in PET substrates. It was found that the squareness of hysteresis loops can be tuned by an application of strains, inward/compressive or outward/tensile bending of the films. A modified Stoner-Wohlfarth model with considering a distribution of easy axes in polycrystalline films was developed to account for the mechanically tunable magnetic properties in flexible Fe{sub 81}Ga{sub 19} films. These results provide an alternative way to tune mechanically magnetic properties, which is particularly important for developing flexible magnetoelectronic devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2011

DISCOVERY OF ENERGY-DEPENDENT X-RAY MICROLENSING IN Q2237+0305

We present our long-term Chandra X-ray monitoring data for the gravitationally lensed quasar Q2237+0305 with 20 epochs spanning 10 years. We easily detect microlensing variability between the images in the full (0.2-8 keV), soft (0.2-2 keV), and hard (2-8 keV) bands at very high confidence. We also detect, for the first time, chromatic microlensing differences between the soft and hard X-ray bands. The hard X-ray band is more strongly microlensed than the soft band, suggesting that the corona above the accretion disk thought to generate the X-rays has a non-uniform electron distribution, in which the hotter and more energetic electrons occupy more compact regions surrounding the black holes. Both the hard and soft X-ray bands are more strongly microlensed than the optical (rest-frame UV) emission, indicating that the X-ray emission is more compact than the optical, confirming the microlensing results from other lenses.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2011

SPATIALLY AND SPECTRALLY RESOLVED OBSERVATIONS OF A ZEBRA PATTERN IN A SOLAR DECIMETRIC RADIO BURST

We present the first interferometric observation of a zebra-pattern radio burst with simultaneous high spectral ({approx}1 MHz) and high time (20 ms) resolution. The Frequency-Agile Solar Radiotelescope Subsystem Testbed (FST) and the Owens Valley Solar Array (OVSA) were used in parallel to observe the X1.5 flare on 2006 December 14. By using OVSA to calibrate the FST, the source position of the zebra pattern can be located on the solar disk. With the help of multi-wavelength observations and a nonlinear force-free field extrapolation, the zebra source is explored in relation to the magnetic field configuration. New constraints are placed on the source size and position as a function of frequency and time. We conclude that the zebra burst is consistent with a double-plasma resonance model in which the radio emission occurs in resonance layers where the upper-hybrid frequency is harmonically related to the electron cyclotron frequency in a coronal magnetic loop.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2011

Slow light in a cavity optomechanical system with a Bose-Einstein condensate

We theoretically investigate the light propagation in a cavity optomechanical system with a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). It is shown that slow light can easily be realized in this system via a BEC coupled to an optical cavity field. The numerical results further demonstrate that the transmitted probe beam from the cavity can be delayed as much as 0.8 ms by suitably selecting the pump field detuning from the cavity field frequency. The scheme proposed here may have potential applications in telecommunication and interferometry.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2010

Ghost imaging for a reflected object with a rough surface

Ghost imaging for the reflected object with rough surface is investigated. The surface height variance {sigma}{sub h}{sup 2} and the correlation length l{sub c} have been introduced to characterize the rough surface. Based on a simple scattering model, we derive the analytical expressions which are used to describe the effects of {sigma}{sub h}{sup 2} and l{sub c} on ghost imaging. The results show that both {sigma}{sub h}{sup 2} and l{sub c} have no influence on the image resolution, while the convergence of the correlation decreases as {sigma}{sub h}{sup 2} increases. Additionally, the bucket detector used in the test arm can dramatically improve the visibility of ghost images. The results are backed up by numerical simulations, in which a Monte Carlo approach to generate a rough surface has been used.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗