Engineering topics

Bruner, Marilyn E.

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

9 records

NASA NTRS2000

Solar Coronal Structure Study

The subject of this investigation is to study the physics of the solar corona through the analysis of the EUV and UV data produced by two flights (12 May 1992 and 25 April 1994) of the Lockheed Solar Plasma Diagnostics Experiment (SPDE) sounding rocket payload, in combination with Yohkoh and ground-based data. Each rocket flight produced both spectral and imaging data. These joint datasets are useful for understanding the physical state of various features in the solar atmosphere at different heights ranging from the photosphere to the corona at the time of the, rocket flights, which took place during the declining phase of a solar cycle, 2-4 years before the minimum. The investigation is narrowly focused on comparing the physics of small- and medium-scale strong-field structures with that of large-scale, weak fields. As we close th is investigation, we have to recall that our present position in the understanding of basic solar physics problems (such as coronal heating) is much different from that in 1995 (when we proposed this investigation), due largely to the great success of SOHO and TRACE. In other words, several topics and techniques we proposed can now be better realized with data from these missions. For this reason, at some point of our work, we started concentrating on the 1992 data, which are more unique and have more supporting data. As a result, we discontinued the investigation on small-scale structures, i.e., bright points, since high-resolution TRACE images have addressed more important physics than SPDE EUV images could do. In the final year, we still spent long time calibrating the 1992 data. The work was complicated because of the old-fashioned film, which had problems not encountered with more modern CCD detectors. After our considerable effort on calibration, we were able to focus on several scientific topics, relying heavily on the SPDE UV images. They include the relation between filaments and filament channels, the identification of hot loops, and the physical conditions of such loops especially at their foot-points. A total of four papers were completed from this contract which are listed in the last section.

Nitta, Nariaki↗

NASA NTRS1997

Solar Coronal Structure Study

The subject of this investigation is the study the physics of the solar corona through the analysis of the EUV and UV data produced by two flights (12 May 1992 and 25 April 1994) of the Lockheed Solar Plasma Diagnostics Experiment (SPDE) sounding rocket payload, in combination with Yohkoh and groundbased data. These joint datasets are useful for understanding the physical state of the solar atmosphere from the photosphere to the corona at the time of the rocket flights. Each rocket flight produced both spectral and imaging data. Highlights of this initial year of the contract included compilation, scaling and co-alignment of image sets, substantial progress on the Bright Point study, initial work on the Active Region and Large Scale Structure studies, DRSC slit-aspect determination work and calibration activities. One paper was presented at the 1997 Annual Meeting of the AAS/SPD in Bozeman, Montana. An initial set of calibrated spectra were placed into the public domain via the World Wide Web. Three Quarterly Progress Reports have been submitted; progress for the fourth quarter of the contract is summarized in this Final Contract Report. The intent of the investigation is to compare the physics of small- and medium-scale structure with that of large-scale structures with weak fields. A study has been identified in each size domain. The calibration of the rocket data forms an important element of the work. Of equal importance is the slit-aspect solution, which determines the correspondence between locations along the spectrograph slit and points on the solar disk.

Bruner, Marilyn E.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Tunable UV Filters

This report describes an investigation intended to determine the practical short wavelength limit for Fabry-Perot etalons operating in the far ultraviolet. This portion of the investigation includes a design study of multilayer dielectric reflector coatings that would be required by such an etalon. Results of the study indicate that etalons may be made to operate at wavelengths as short as 121 nm.

Bruner, Marilyn E.↗

NASA NTRS1995

SPDE: Solar Plasma Diagnostic Experiment

The physics of the Solar corona is studied through the use of high resolution soft x-ray spectroscopy and high resolution ultraviolet imagery. The investigation includes the development and application of a flight instrument, first flown in May, 1992 on NASA sounding rocket 36.048. A second flight, NASA founding rocket 36.123, took place on 25 April 1994. Both flights were successful in recording new observations relevant to the investigation. The effort in this contract covers completion of the modifications to the existing rocket payload, its reflight, and the preliminary day reduction and analysis. Experience gained from flight 36.048 led us to plan several payload design modifications. These were made to improve the sensitivity balance between the UV and EUV spectrographs, to improve the scattered light rejection in the spectrographs, to protect the visible light rejection filter for the Normal Incidence X-ray Imager instrument (NIXI), and to prepare one new multilayer mirror coating to the NIXI. We also investigated the addition of a brassboard CCD camera to the payload to test it as a possible replacement for the Eastman type 101-07 film used by the SPDE instruments. This camera was included in the experimeter's data package for the Project Initiation Conference for the flight of NASA Mission 36.123, held in January, 1994, but for programmatic reasons was deleted from the final payload configuration. The payload was shipped to the White Sands Missile Range on schedule in early April. The launch and successful recovery took place on 25 April, in coordination with the Yohkoh satellite and a supporting ground-based observing campaign.

Bruner, Marilyn E.↗

NASA NTRS1993

SPARTAN high resolution solar studies

This report summarizes the work performed on Contract NAS5-29739, a sub-orbital research program directed toward the study of the geometry of and physical conditions in matter found in the upper layers of the solar atmosphere. The report describes a new sounding rocket payload developed under the contract, presents a guide to the contents of semiannual reports submitted during the contract, discusses the results of the first flight of the payload and the progress on scientific analysis. A bibliography of papers and publications is included.

Bruner, Marilyn E.↗

NASA NTRS1992

The morphology of 20 x 10 exp 6 K plasma in large non-impulsive solar flares

We have examined images of 10 flares observed by the Soft X-ray Telescope on-board the Yohkoh spacecraft. These images show that the hottest portion of the soft X-ray flare is located in compact regions that appear to be situated at the tops of loops. These compact regions form at, or shortly after, flare onset, and persist well into the decay phase of the flares. In some cases, the compact regions are only a few thousand kilometers in size and are small compared to the lengths of flaring loops. This is inconsistent with the smoother intensity distribution along the loops expected from models of chromospheric evaporation.

Acton, Loren W.↗

NASA NTRS1992

The structure of the coronal soft X-ray source associated with the dark filament disappearance of 1991 September 28 using the Yohkoh Soft X-ray Telescope

The structure of the coronal soft X-ray source associated with the dark filament disappearance on September 28, 1991, observed with the Soft X-ray Telescope, is examined as a possible example of the 'eruption-reconnection' model of filament disappearance. The results suggest, however, that this model may not fit. There is a strong possibility that much of the dark filament mass remains in the heated unwinding axial field.

Mcallister, Alan↗

NASA NTRS1992

The Soft X-ray Telescope for Solar-A - Design evolution and lessons learned

The Japanese Solar-A satellite mission's Soft X-ray Telescope uses grazing-incidence optics, a CCD detector, and a pair of filter wheels for wavelength selection. A coaxially-mounted visible-light lens furnished sunspot and magnetic plage images, together with aspect information which aids in aligning the soft X-ray images with those from the satellite's Hard X-ray Telescope. Instrument electronics are microprocessor-based, and imbedded in a tightly integrated distributed system. Control software is divided between the instrument microprocessor and the spacecraft control computer.

Bruner, Marilyn E.↗

NASA NTRS1989

A new sounding rocket payload for solar plasma studies

A sounding rocket payload developed for studies of high-temperature plasmas associated with solar active regions and flares is described. The payload instruments will record both spectra and images in the UV, EUV, and soft X-ray regions of the spectrum. The instruments, including the Dual Range Spectrograph, the Flat Field Soft X-ray Spectrograph, the Normal Incidence Soft X-ray Imager, the UV Filtergraph, and the H-alpha Imaging system, are described. Attention is also given to the new structural system of the payload, based on a large optical table suspended within the payload cavity, which will support the optical elements in their correct positions and orientations and will maintain these alignments throughout the rocket launch environment.

Bruner, Marilyn E.↗