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Burns, Jack O.

Publications and source records attributed to Burns, Jack O..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2019

The Case for Probe-Class NASA Astrophysics Missions

Astrophysics spans an enormous range of questions on scales from individual planets to the entire cosmos. To address the richness of 21st century astrophysics requires a corresponding richness of telescopes spanning all bands and all messengers. Much scientific benefit comes from having the multi-wavelength capability available at the same time. Most of these bands, or measurement sensitivities, require space-based missions. Historically, NASA has addressed this need for breadth with a small number of flagship-class missions and a larger number of Explorer missions. While the Explorer program continues to flourish, there is a large gap between Explorers and strategic missions.

Elvis, Martin↗
DOE OSTI2017

A Space-based Observational Strategy for Characterizing the First Stars and Galaxies Using the Redshifted 21 cm Global Spectrum

The redshifted 21 cm monopole is expected to be a powerful probe of the epoch of the first stars and galaxies (10<z<35). The global 21 cm signal is sensitive to the thermal and ionization state of hydrogen gas and thus provides a tracer of sources of energetic photons—primarily hot stars and accreting black holes—which ionize and heat the high redshift intergalactic medium (IGM). This paper presents a strategy for observations of the global spectrum with a realizable instrument placed in a low-altitude lunar orbit, performing night-time 40–120 MHz spectral observations, while on the farside to avoid terrestrial radio frequency interference, ionospheric corruption, and solar radio emissions. The frequency structure, uniformity over large scales, and unpolarized state of the redshifted 21 cm spectrum are distinct from the spectrally featureless, spatially varying, and polarized emission from the bright foregrounds. This allows a clean separation between the primordial signal and foregrounds. For signal extraction, we model the foreground, instrument, and 21 cm spectrum with eigenmodes calculated via Singular Value Decomposition analyses. Using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm to explore the parameter space defined by the coefficients associated with these modes, we illustrate how the spectrum can be measured and how astrophysical parameters (e.g., IGM properties, first star characteristics) can be constrained in the presence of foregrounds using the Dark Ages Radio Explorer (DARE).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2017

A Space-Based Observational Strategy for Characterizing the First Stars and Galaxies Using the Redshifted 21cm Global Spectrum

The redshifted 21 cm monopole is expected to be a powerful probe of the epoch of the first stars and galaxies(10 less than z less than 35). The global 21 cm signal is sensitive to the thermal and ionization state of hydrogen gas and thusprovides a tracer of sources of energetic photonsprimarily hot stars and accreting black holeswhich ionize andheat the high redshift intergalactic medium (IGM). This paper presents a strategy for observations of the globalspectrum with a realizable instrument placed in a low-altitude lunar orbit, performing night-time 40120 MHzspectral observations, while on the farside to avoid terrestrial radio frequency interference, ionospheric corruption,and solar radio emissions. The frequency structure, uniformity over large scales, and unpolarized state of theredshifted 21 cm spectrum are distinct from the spectrally featureless, spatially varying, and polarized emissionfrom the bright foregrounds. This allows a clean separation between the primordial signal and foregrounds. Forsignal extraction, we model the foreground, instrument, and 21 cm spectrum with eigenmodes calculated viaSingular Value Decomposition analyses. Using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm to explore the parameterspace defined by the coefficients associated with these modes, we illustrate how the spectrum can be measured andhow astrophysical parameters (e.g., IGM properties, first star characteristics) can be constrained in the presence offoregrounds using the Dark Ages Radio Explorer (DARE).

Burns, Jack O.↗
DOE OSTI2017

A Polarimetric Approach for Constraining the Dynamic Foreground Spectrum for Cosmological Global 21 cm Measurements

The cosmological global (sky-averaged) 21 cm signal is a powerful tool to probe the evolution of the intergalactic medium in high-redshift universe (z⩽6). One of the biggest observational challenges is to remove the foreground spectrum which is at least four orders of magnitude brighter than the cosmological 21 cm emission. Conventional global 21 cm experiments rely on the spectral smoothness of the foreground synchrotron emission to separate it from the unique 21 cm spectral structures in a single total-power spectrum. However, frequency-dependent instrumental and observational effects are known to corrupt such smoothness and complicate the foreground subtraction. We introduce a polarimetric approach to measure the projection-induced polarization of the anisotropic foreground onto a stationary dual-polarized antenna. Due to Earth rotation, when pointing the antenna at a celestial pole, the revolving foreground will modulate this polarization with a unique frequency-dependent sinusoidal signature as a function of time. In our simulations, by harmonic decomposing this dynamic polarization, our technique produces two separate spectra in parallel from the same observation: (i) a total sky power consisting both the foreground and the 21 cm background and (ii) a model-independent measurement of the foreground spectrum at a harmonic consistent to twice the sky rotation rate. In the absence of any instrumental effects, by scaling and subtracting the latter from the former, we recover the injected global 21 cm model within the assumed uncertainty. We further discuss several limiting factors and potential remedies for future implementation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2017

DARE Mission Design: Low RFI Observations from a Low-Altitude Frozen Lunar Orbit

The Dark Ages Radio Explorer (DARE) seeks to study the cosmic Dark Ages approximately 80 to 420 million years after the Big Bang. Observations require truly quiet radio conditions, shielded from Sun and Earth electromagnetic (EM) emissions, on the far side of the Moon. DAREs science orbit is a frozen orbit with respect to lunar gravitational perturbations. The altitude and orientation of the orbit remain nearly fixed indefinitely, maximizing science time without the need for maintenance. DAREs observation targets avoid the galactic center and enable investigation of the universes first stars and galaxies.

Plice, Laura↗
DOE OSTI2016

The effects of the ionosphere on ground-based detection of the global 21 cm signal from the cosmic dawn and the dark ages

Detection of the global H i 21 cm signal from the Cosmic Dawn and the Epoch of Reionization is the key science driver for several ongoing ground-based and future ground-/space-based experiments. The crucial spectral features in the global 21 cm signal (turning points) occur at low radio frequencies ≲100 MHz. In addition to the human-generated radio frequency interference, Earth’s ionosphere drastically corrupts low-frequency radio observations from the ground. In this paper, we examine the effects of time-varying ionospheric refraction, absorption, and thermal emission at these low radio frequencies and their combined effect on any ground-based global 21 cm experiment. It should be noted that this is the first study of the effect of a dynamic ionosphere on global 21 cm experiments. The fluctuations in the ionosphere are influenced by solar activity with flicker noise characteristics. The same characteristics are reflected in the ionospheric corruption to any radio signal passing through the ionosphere. As a result, any ground-based observations of the faint global 21 cm signal are corrupted by flicker noise (or 1/f noise, where f is the dynamical frequency) which scales as ν{sup −2} (where ν is the frequency of radio observation) in the presence of a bright galactic foreground (∝ν{sup −s}, where s is the radio spectral index). Hence, the calibration of the ionosphere for any such experiment is critical. Any attempt to calibrate the ionospheric effects will be subject to the inaccuracies in the current ionospheric measurements using Global Positioning System (GPS) ionospheric measurements, riometer measurements, ionospheric soundings, etc. Even considering an optimistic improvement in the accuracy of GPS–total electron content measurements, we conclude that Earth’s ionosphere poses a significant challenge in the absolute detection of the global 21 cm signal below 100 MHz.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

INTERPRETING THE GLOBAL 21-cm SIGNAL FROM HIGH REDSHIFTS. II. PARAMETER ESTIMATION FOR MODELS OF GALAXY FORMATION

Following our previous work, which related generic features in the sky-averaged (global) 21-cm signal to properties of the intergalactic medium, we now investigate the prospects for constraining a simple galaxy formation model with current and near-future experiments. Markov-Chain Monte Carlo fits to our synthetic data set, which includes a realistic galactic foreground, a plausible model for the signal, and noise consistent with 100 hr of integration by an ideal instrument, suggest that a simple four-parameter model that links the production rate of Lyα, Lyman-continuum, and X-ray photons to the growth rate of dark matter halos can be well-constrained (to ∼0.1 dex in each dimension) so long as all three spectral features expected to occur between 40 ≲ ν/MHz ≲ 120 are detected. Several important conclusions follow naturally from this basic numerical result, namely that measurements of the global 21-cm signal can in principle (i) identify the characteristic halo mass threshold for star formation at all redshifts z ≳ 15, (ii) extend z ≲ 4 upper limits on the normalization of the X-ray luminosity star formation rate (L{sub X}–SFR) relation out to z ∼ 20, and (iii) provide joint constraints on stellar spectra and the escape fraction of ionizing radiation at z ∼ 12. Though our approach is general, the importance of a broadband measurement renders our findings most relevant to the proposed Dark Ages Radio Explorer, which will have a clean view of the global 21-cm signal from ∼40 to 120 MHz from its vantage point above the radio-quiet, ionosphere-free lunar far-side.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2015

Trajectory Design from GTO to Near-Equatorial Lunar Orbit for the Dark Ages Radio Explorer (DARE) Spacecraft

The trajectory design for the Dark Ages Radio Explorer (DARE) mission concept involves dropping the DARE spacecraft off in a generalized geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) as a secondary payload. From GTO, the spacecraft is then required to enter a near-equatorial lunar orbit that is stable (i.e., no station-keeping maneuvers are required) and yields the required number of cumulative hours (1,000) for science measurements while in the lunar farside radio quiet cone over a span of three years. Preliminary and expected results of the corresponding trajectory design are presented herein.

Lunar Orbit↗
NASA NTRS2015

Trajectory Design from GTO to Near-Equatorial Lunar Orbit for the Dark Ages Radio Explorer (DARE) Spacecraft

The trajectory design for the Dark Ages Radio Explorer (DARE) mission concept involves launching the DARE spacecraft into a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) as a secondary payload. From GTO, the spacecraft then transfers to a lunar orbit that is stable (i.e., no station-keeping maneuvers are required with minimum perilune altitude always above 40 km) and allows for more than 1,000 cumulative hours for science measurements in the radio-quiet region located on the lunar farside.

Lunar orbit↗
DOE OSTI2014

How much can we learn from a merging cold front cluster? Insights from X-ray temperature and radio maps of A3667

The galaxy cluster A3667 is an ideal laboratory to study the plasma processes in the intracluster medium. High-resolution Chandra X-ray observations show a cold front in A3667. At radio wavelengths, A3667 reveals a double radio-relic feature in the outskirts of the cluster. These suggest multiple merger events in this cluster. In this paper, we analyze the substantial archival X-ray observations of A3667 from the Chandra X-ray Observatory and compare these with existing radio observations as well as state-of-the-art adaptive mesh refinement MHD cosmological simulations using Enzo. We have used two temperature map making techniques, weighted Voronoi tessellation and adaptive circular binning, to produce the high-resolution and largest field-of-view temperature maps of A3667. These high-fidelity temperature maps allow us to study the X-ray shocks in the cluster using a new two-dimensional shock-finding algorithm. We have also estimated the Mach numbers from the shocks inferred from previous ATCA radio observations. The combined shock statistics from the X-ray and radio data are in agreement with the shock statistics in a simulated MHD cluster. We have also studied the profiles of the thermodynamic properties across the cold front using ∼447 ks from the combined Chandra observations on A3667. Our results show that the stability of the cold front in A3667 can be attributed to the suppression of the thermal conduction across the cold front by a factor of ∼100-700 compared to the classical Spitzer value.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

X-ray observations of complex temperature structure in the cool-core cluster A85

X-ray observations were used to examine the complex temperature structure of A85, a cool-core galaxy cluster. Temperature features can provide evidence of merging events which shock heat the intracluster gas. Temperature maps were made from both Chandra and XMM-Newton observations. The combination of a new, long-exposure XMM observation and an improved temperature map binning technique produced the highest fidelity temperature maps of A85 to date. Hot regions were detected near the subclusters to the south and southwest in both the Chandra and XMM temperature maps. The presence of these structures implies A85 is not relaxed. The hot regions may indicate the presence of shocks. The Mach numbers were estimated to be ∼1.9 at the locations of the hot spots. Observational effects will tend to systematically reduce temperature jumps, so the measured Mach numbers are likely underestimated. Neither temperature map showed evidence for a shock in the vicinity of the presumed radio relic near the southwest subcluster. However, the presence of a weak shock cannot be ruled out. There was tension between the temperatures measured by the two instruments.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

COSMOLOGICAL MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC SIMULATIONS OF GALAXY CLUSTER RADIO RELICS: INSIGHTS AND WARNINGS FOR OBSERVATIONS

Non-thermal radio emission from cosmic-ray electrons in the vicinity of merging galaxy clusters is an important tracer of cluster merger activity, and is the result of complex physical processes that involve magnetic fields, particle acceleration, gas dynamics, and radiation. In particular, objects known as radio relics are thought to be the result of shock-accelerated electrons that, when embedded in a magnetic field, emit synchrotron radiation in the radio wavelengths. In order to properly model this emission, we utilize the adaptive mesh refinement simulation of the magnetohydrodynamic evolution of a galaxy cluster from cosmological initial conditions. We locate shock fronts and apply models of cosmic-ray electron acceleration that are then input into radio emission models. We have determined the thermodynamic properties of this radio-emitting plasma and constructed synthetic radio observations to compare observed galaxy clusters. We find a significant dependence of the observed morphology and radio relic properties on the viewing angle of the cluster, raising concerns regarding the interpretation of observed radio features in clusters. We also find that a given shock should not be characterized by a single Mach number. We find that the bulk of the radio emission comes from gas with T > 5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 7} K, {rho} {approx} 10{sup -28}-10{sup -27} g cm{sup -3}, with magnetic field strengths of 0.1-1.0 {mu}G, and shock Mach numbers of M {approx} 3-6. We present an analysis of the radio spectral index which suggests that the spatial variation of the spectral index can mimic synchrotron aging. Finally, we examine the polarization fraction and position angle of the simulated radio features, and compare to observations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2012

High Angular Resolution Imaging of Solar Radio Bursts from the Lunar Surface

Locating low frequency radio observatories on the lunar surface has a number of advantages, including positional stability and a very low ionospheric radio cutoff. Here, we describe the Radio Observatory on the lunar Surface for Solar studies (ROLSS), a concept for a low frequency, radio imaging interferometric array designed to study particle acceleration in the corona and inner heliosphere. ROLSS would be deployed during an early lunar sortie or by a robotic rover as part of an unmanned landing. The preferred site is on the lunar near side to simplify the data downlink to Earth. The prime science mission is to image type II and type III solar radio bursts with the aim of determining the sites at and mechanisms by which the radiating particles are accelerated. Secondary science goals include constraining the density of the lunar ionosphere by measuring the low radio frequency cutoff of the solar radio emissions or background galactic radio emission, measuring the flux, particle mass, and arrival direction of interplanetary and interstellar dust, and constraining the low energy electron population in astrophysical sources. Furthermore, ROLSS serves a pathfinder function for larger lunar radio arrays. Key design requirements on ROLSS include the operational frequency and angular resolution. The electron densities in the solar corona and inner heliosphere are such that the relevant emission occurs below 10 M Hz, essentially unobservable from Earth's surface due to the terrestrial ionospheric cutoff. Resolving the potential sites of particle acceleration requires an instrument with an angular resolution of at least 2 deg at 10 MHz, equivalent to a linear array size of approximately one kilometer. The major components of the ROLSS array are 3 antenna arms, each of 500 m length, arranged in a Y formation, with a central electronics package (CEP) at their intersection. Each antenna arm is a linear strip of polyimide film (e.g., Kapton(TradeMark)) on which 16 single polarization dipole antennas are located by depositing a conductor (e.g., silver). The arms also contain transmission lines for carrying the radio signals from the science antennas to the CEP. Operations would consist of data acquisition during the lunar day, with data downlinks to Earth one or more times every 24 hours.

MacDowall, Robert J.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Lunar Radio Telescopes: A Staged Approach for Lunar Science, Heliophysics, Astrobiology, Cosmology, and Exploration

Observations with radio telescopes address key problems in cosmology, astrobiology, heliophysics, and planetary science including the first light in the Universe (Cosmic Dawn), magnetic fields of extrasolar planets, particle acceleration mechanisms, and the lunar ionosphere. The Moon is a unique science platform because it allows access to radio frequencies that do not penetrate the Earth's ionosphere and because its far side is shielded from intense terrestrial emissions. The instrument packages and infrastructure needed for radio telescopes can be transported and deployed as part of Exploration activities, and the resulting science measurements may inform Exploration (e.g., measurements of lunar surface charging). An illustrative roadmap for the staged deployment of lunar radio telescopes

Moon science platform↗
NASA NTRS2012

A Lunar L2-Farside Exploration and Science Mission Concept with the ORion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and a Teleoperated Lander/Rover

A novel concept is presented in this paper for a human mission to the lunar L2 (Lagrange) point that would be a proving ground for future exploration missions to deep space while also overseeing scientifically important investigations. In an L2 halo orbit above the lunar farside, the astronauts would travel 15% farther from Earth than did the Apollo astronauts and spend almost three times longer in deep space. Such missions would validate the Orion MPCV's life support systems, would demonstrate the high-speed re-entry capability needed for return from deep space, and would measure astronauts' radiation dose from cosmic rays and solar flares to verify that Orion would provide sufficient protection, as it is designed to do. On this proposed mission, the astronauts would teleoperate landers and rovers on the unexplored lunar farside, which would obtain samples from the geologically interesting farside and deploy a low radio frequency telescope. Sampling the South Pole-Aitkin basin (one of the oldest impact basins in the solar system) is a key science objective of the 2011 Planetary Science Decadal Survey. Observations of the Universe's first stars/galaxies at low radio frequencies are a priority of the 2010 Astronomy & Astrophysics Decadal Survey. Such telerobotic oversight would also demonstrate capability for human and robotic cooperation on future, more complex deep space missions.

Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV)↗
NASA NTRS1995

Radio jet propagation and wide-angle tailed radio sources in merging galaxy cluster environments

The intracluster medium (ICM) within merging clusters of galaxies is likely to be in a violent or turbulent dynamical state which may have a significant effect on the evolution of cluster radio sources. We present results from a recent gas + N-body simulation of a cluster merger, suggesting that mergers can result in long-lived, supersonic bulk flows, as well as shocks, within a few hundred kiloparsecs of the core of the dominant cluster. These results have motivated our new two-dimensional and three-dimensional simulations of jet propagation in such environments. The first set of simulations models the ISM/ICM transition as a contact discontinuity with a strong velocity shear. A supersonic (M(sub j) = 6) jet crossing this discontinuity into an ICM with a transverse, supersonic wind bends continuously, becomes 'naked' on the upwind side, and forms a distended cocoon on the downwind side. In the case of a mildly supersonic jet (M(sub j) = 3), however, a shock is driven into the ISM and ISM material is pulled along with the jet into the ICM. Instabilities excited at the ISM/ICM interface result in the jet repeatedly pinching off and reestablishing itself in a series of 'disconnection events.' The second set of simulations deals with a jet encountering a shock in the merging cluster environment. A series of relatively high-resolution two-dimensional calculations is used to confirm earlier analysis predicting that the jet will not disrupt when the jet Mach number is greater than the shock Mach number. A jet which survives the encounter with the shock will decrease in radius and disrupt shortly thereafter as a result of the growth of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities. We also find, in disagreement with predictions, that the jet flaring angle decreases with increasing jet density. Finally, a three-dimensional simulation of a jet crossing an oblique shock gives rise to a morphology which resembles a wide-angle tailed radio source with the jet flaring at the shock and disrupting to form a long, turbulent tail which is dragged downstream by the preshock wind.

Loken, Chris↗