Engineering topics

Bruner, M. E.

Publications and source records attributed to Bruner, M. E..

At least 19 records

NASA NTRS2000

Multi-wavelength Observations of Solar Active Region NOAA 7154

We report on observations of a solar active region in May 1992 by the Solar Plasma Diagnostic Experiment (SPDE) in coordination with the Yohkoh satellite (producing soft X-ray images) and ground-based observatories (producing photospheric magnetograms and various filtergrams including those at the CN 3883 A line). The main focus is a study of the physical conditions of hot (T is approximately greater than 3 MK) coronal loops at their foot-points. The coronal part of the loops is fuzzy but what appear to be their footpoints in the transition region down to the photosphere are compact. Despite the morphological similarities, the footpoint emission at 10(exp 5) K is not quantitatively correlated with that at approximately 300 km above the tau (sub 5000) = 1 level, suggesting that the heat transport and therefore magnetic field topology in the intermediate layer is complicated. High resolution imaging observations with continuous temperature coverage are crucially needed.

Bruner, M. E.↗

NASA NTRS1996

A new perspective on solar active regions

A flood of new observations of the solar corona have been made with high spatial resolution, good temporal coverage and resolution, and large linear dynamic range by the Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) on Yohkoh. These data are changing our fundamental understanding of how solar magnetic fields emerge, interact, and dissipate. This paper reviews some of the results from Yohkoh in the context of earlier results from the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) and in comjunction with ground-based optical and radio observations.

Strong, K. T.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Structural mechanics of the solar-A Soft X-ray Telescope

The Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) is one of four major instruments that constitute the payload of the NASA-Japanese mission YOHKOH (formerly known as Solar-A), scheduled to be launched in August, 1991. This paper describes the design of the SXT, the key system requirements, and the SXT optical and structural systems. Particular attention is given to the design considerations for stiffness and dimensional stability, temperature compensation, and moisture sensitivyty control. Consideration is also given to the X-ray mirror, the aspect telescope, the entrance filters, the mechanical structure design, the aft support plate and mount, the SXT finite element model, and other subsystems.

Jurcevich, B. K.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Imaging capabilities of SXT for Solar-A

The present study characterizes the Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT), a grazing-incidence solar X-ray telescope which will be flown on the Japanese Solar-A satellite. X-ray tests showed that the SXT mirror meets or exceeds design requirements. SXT advantages over Skylab are: improved time resolution (not less than 0.5 s), greatly decreased mirror scatter, coaligned aspect telescope to intersperse images of sunspots and magnetic plage, and digital data readout.

Lemen, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Use of graphite epoxy composites in the Solar-A Soft X-Ray Telescope

This paper describes the use of composite materials in the Soft X-Ray Telescope (SXT). One of the primary structural members of the telescope is a graphite epoxy metering tube. The metering tube maintains the structural stability of the telescope during launch as well as the focal length through various environmental conditions. The graphite epoxy metering tube is designed to have a negative coefficient of thermal expansion to compensate for the positive expansion of titanium structural supports. The focus is maintained to + or - 0.001 inch by matching the CTE of the composite tube to the remaining structural elements.

Jurcevich, B. K.↗

NASA NTRS1989

The soft x ray telescope for Solar-A

The Solar-A satellite being prepared by the Institute for Sapce and Astronautical Sciences (ISAS) in Japan is dedicated to high energy observations of solar flares. The Soft X Ray Telescope (SXT) is being prepared to provide filtered images in the 2 to 60 A interval. The flight model is now undergoing tests in the 1000 foot tunnel at MSFC. Launch will be in September 1991. Earlier resolution and efficiency tests on the grazing incidence mirror have established its performance in soft x rays. The one-piece, two mirror grazing incidence telescope is supported in a strain free mount separated from the focal plane assembly by a carbon-epoxy metering tube whose windings and filler are chosen to minimize thermal and hygroscopic effects. The CCD detector images both the x ray and the concentric visible light aspect telescope. Optical filters provide images at 4308 and 4700 A. The SXT will be capable of producing over 8000 of the smallest partial frame images per day, or fewer but larger images, up to 1024 x 1024 pixel images. Image sequence with two or more of the five x ray analysis filters, with automatic exposure compensation to optimize the charge collection by the CCD detector, will be used to provide plasma diagnostics. Calculations using a differential emission measure code were used to optimize filter selection over the range of emission measure variations and to avoid redundancy, but the filters were chosen primarily to give ratios that are monotonic in plasma temperature.

Brown, W. A.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Measurement of the point spread function and effective area of the Solar-A Soft X-ray Telescope mirror

A grazing incidence solar X-ray telescope, Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT), will be flown on the Solar-A satellite in 1991. Measurements have been conducted to determine the focal length, Point Spread Function (PSF), and effective area of the SXT mirror. The measurements were made with pinholes, knife edges, a CCD, and a proportional counter. The results show the 1/r character of the PSF, and indicate a half power diameter of 4.9 arcsec and an effective area of 1.33 sq cm at 13.3 A (0.93 keV). The mirror was found to provide a high contrast image with very little X-ray scattering.

Lemen, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Dynamic evolution of the source volumes of gradual and impulsive solar flare emissions

This study compares flare source volumes inferred from impulsive hard X-rays and microwaves with those derived from density sensitive soft X-ray line ratios in the O VII spectrum. The data for this study were obtained with the SMM Hard X-ray Burst Spectrometer, Earth-based radio observatories, and the SOLEX-B spectrometer on the P78-1 satellite. Data were available for the flares of 1980 April 8, 1980 May 9, and 1981 February 26. The hard X-ray/microwave source volume is determined under the assumption that the same electron temperature or power law index characterizes both the source of hard X-rays and the source of microwaves. The O VII line ratios yield the density and volume of the 2 x 10 to the 6th K plasma. For all three flares, the O VII source volume is found to be smallest at the beginning of the flare, near the time when the impulsive hard X-ray/microwave volume reaches its first maximum. At this time, the O VII volume is three to four orders of magnitude smaller than that inferred from the hard X-ray/microwave analysis. Subsequently, the O VII source volume increases by one or two orders of magnitude then remains almost constant until the end of the flare when it apparently increases again.

Bruner, M. E.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Radiating properties of solar plasmas

Using a series of 14 previously obtained empirical emission measure distributions and a number of spectral lines observed by the SMM and P78-1 instruments, the total power radiated by a hot plasma is compared to that radiated by individual spectrum lines. Results are presented for different choices of ionization balance and power loss functions. The results indicate that for some lines such as the C IV resonance doublet at 1548 A and 1550 A, the ratio of the line intensity to the total radiated power varied only over a factor of 2, suggesting that well-calibrated measurements of a single line intensity may provide a fairly good estimation of the total radiated power output from the solar plasma.

Bruner, M. E.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Soft X-ray images of the solar corona using normal incidence optics

A solar coronal loop system has been photographed in soft X-rays using a normal incidence telescope based on multilayer mirror technology. The telescope consisted of a spherical objective mirror of 4 cm aperture and 1 m focal length, a film cassette, and a focal plane shutter. A metallized thin plastic film filter was used to exclude visible light. The objective mirror was covered with a multilayer coating consisting of alternating layers of tungsten and carbon whose combined thicknesses satisfied the Bragg diffraction condition for 44 A radiation. The image was recorded during a rocket flight on October 25, 1985 and was dominated by emission lines arising from the Si XII spectrum. The rocket also carried a high resolution soft X-ray spectrograph that confirmed the presence of Si XII line radiation in the source. This image represents the first successful use of multilayer technology for astrophysical observations.

Bruner, M. E.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Observed and theoretical spectra in the 10-100 A interval

The soft X-ray spectra recorded in two sounding-rocket flights in 1982 and 1985 are compared with predicted spectra. The processed densitometer trace of the full spectrum is presented, together with the new spectrum from the 1985 experiment. The intensities of the lines are then compared with predictions.

Brown, W. A.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Soft X-ray spectrographs for solar observations

Recent advances in soft X-ray spectrometery are reviewed, with emphasis on techniques for studying the windowless region from roughly 1-100 A. Recent technological developments considered include multilayer mirrors, large-format CCD detectors which are sensitive to X-rays, position-sensitive photon counting detectors, new kinds of X-ray films, and optical systems based on gratings with nonuniform ruling spacings. Improvements in the extent and accuracy of the atomic physics data sets on which the analysis of spectroscopic observatons depend are also discussed.

Bruner, M. E.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Dynamic evolution of the source volumes of gradual and impulsive solar flare emissions

This study compares flare source volumes inferred from impulsive hard X-rays and microwaves with those derived from density sensitive soft X-ray line ratios in the O VII spectrum. The data for this study were obtained with the SMM Hard X-Ray Burst Spectrometer, Earth-based radio observatories, and the SOLEX-B spectrometer on the P78-1 satellite. Data were available for the flares of 1980 April 8, 1980 May 9, and 1981 February 26. The hard X-ray/microwave source volume is determined under the assumption that the same electron temperature or power law index characterizes both the source of hard X-rays and the source of microwaves. The O VII line ratios yield the density and volume of the 2 X 10 to the 6th K plasma. For all three flares, the O VII source volume is found to be smallest at the beginning of the flare, near the time when the impulsive hard X-ray/microwave volume reaches its first maximum. At this time, the O VII volume is three to four orders of magnitude smaller than that inferred from the hard X-ray/microwave analysis. Subsequently, the O VII source volume increases by one or two orders of magnitude then remains almost constant until the end of the flare when it apparently increases again.

Bruner, M. E.↗

NASA NTRS1987

X-ray photographs of a solar active region with a multilayer telescope at normal incidence

An astronomical photograph was obtained with a multilayer X-ray telescope. A 4-cm tungsten-carbon multilayer mirror was flown as part of an experimental solar rocket payload, and successful images were taken of the sun at normal incidence at a wavelength of 44 A. Coronal Si XII emission from an active region was recorded on film; as expected, the structure is very similar to that observed at O VIII wavelengths by the Solar Maximum Mission flat-crystal spectrometer at the same time. The small, simple optical system used in this experiment appears to have achieved a resolution of 5 to 10 arcsec.

Underwood, J. H.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Flare energetics

In this investigation of flare energetics, researchers sought to establish a comprehensive and self-consistent picture of the sources and transport of energy within a flare. To achieve this goal, they chose five flares in 1980 that were well observed with instruments on the Solar Maximum Mission, and with other space-borne and ground-based instruments. The events were chosen to represent various types of flares. Details of the observations available for them and the corresponding physical parameters derived from these data are presented. The flares were studied from two perspectives, the impulsive and gradual phases, and then the results were compared to obtain the overall picture of the energics of these flares. The role that modeling can play in estimating the total energy of a flare when the observationally determined parameters are used as the input to a numerical model is discussed. Finally, a critique of the current understanding of flare energetics and the methods used to determine various energetics terms is outlined, and possible future directions of research in this area are suggested.

Wu, S. T.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The energetics of the gradual phase

Reseachers compare results with those in the chapter by Moore et al. (1980), who reached five main conclusions about the gradual phase: (1) the typical density of the soft X-ray emitting plasma is between 10 to the 11th power and 10 to the 12th power cm-3 for compact flares and between 10 to the 10th power and 10 to the 11th power cm-3 for a large-area flare; (2) cooling is by conduction and radiation in roughly equal proportions; (3) continual heating is needed in the decay phase of two-ribbon flares; (4) continual heating is probably not needed in compact events; (5) most of the soft-X-ray-emitting plasma results from chromospheric evaporation. The goal was to reexamine these problems with the data from the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) and other supporting instruments as well as to take advantage of recent theoretical advances. SMM is capable of measuring coronal temperatures more accurately and with a better cadence than has been possible before. The SMM data set is also unique in that the complete transit of an active region was observed, with soft X-ray and UV images being taken every few minutes. Researcher's were therefore able to establish the pre-flare conditions of the region and see whether anything has changed as a result of the flare. The assumptions made in attempting to determine the required plasma parameters are described. The derived parameters for the five prime flares are presented, and the role of numerical simulations is discussed.

Strong, K. T.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Electron density diagnostics in the 10-100 A interval for a solar flare

Electron density measurements from spectral-line diagnostics are reported for a solar flare on July 13, 1982, 1627 UT. The spectrogram, covering the 10-95 A interval, contained usable lines of helium-like ions C V, N VI, O VII, and Ne IX which are formed over the temperature interval 0.7-3.5 x 10 to the 6th K. In addition, spectral-line ratios of Si IX, Fe XIV, and Ca XV were compared with new theoretical estimates of their electron density sensitivity to obtain additional electron density diagnostics. An electron density of 3 x 10 to the 10th/cu cm was obtained. The comparison of these results from helium-like and other ions gives confidence in the utility of these tools for solar coronal analysis and will lead to a fuller understanding of the phenomena observed in this flare.

Brown, W. A.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Ultraviolet spectrometer and polarimeter (UVSP) software development and hardware tests for the solar maximum mission

The Ultraviolet Spectrometer/Polarimeter Instrument (UVSP) for the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) was based on the re-use of the engineering model of the high resolution ultraviolet spectrometer developed for the OSO-8 mission. Lockheed assumed four distinct responsibilities in the UVSP program: technical evaluation of the OSO-8 engineering model; technical consulting on the electronic, optical, and mechanical modifications to the OSO-8 engineering model hardware; design and development of the UVSP software system; and scientific participation in the operations and analysis phase of the mission. Lockheed also provided technical consulting and assistance with instrument hardware performance anomalies encountered during the post launch operation of the SMM observatory. An index to the quarterly reports delivered under the contract are contained, and serves as a useful capsule history of the program activity.

Bruner, M. E.↗