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Cravens, T.

Publications and source records attributed to Cravens, T..

16 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2016

The Structure of the Local Hot Bubble

Diffuse X-rays from the Local Galaxy (DXL) is a sounding rocket mission designed to quantify and characterize the contribution of Solar Wind Charge eXchange (SWCX) to the Diffuse X-ray Background and study the properties of the Local Hot Bubble (LHB). Based on the results from the DXL mission, we quantified and removed the contribution of SWCX to the diffuse X-ray background measured by the ROSAT All Sky Survey. The cleaned maps were used to investigate the physical properties of the LHB. Assuming thermal ionization equilibrium, we measured a highly uniform temperature distributed around kT = 0.097 keV +/- 0.013 keV (FWHM) +/- 0.006 keV(systematic). We also generated a thermal emission measure map and used it to characterize the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the LHB, which we found to be in good agreement with the structure of the local cavity measured from dust and gas.

X-rays↗
NASA NTRS2016

Solar Wind Charge Exchange Contribution To The ROSAT Sky Survey Maps

DXL (Diffuse X-ray emission from the Local Galaxy) is a sounding rocket mission designed to estimate the contribution of solar wind charge eXchange (SWCX) to the diffuse X-ray background and to help determine the properties of the Local Hot Bubble. The detectors are large area thin-window proportional counters with a spectral response that is similar to that of the PSPC (Position Sensitive Proportional Counters) used in the ROSAT All Sky Survey (RASS). A direct comparison of DXL and RASS data for the same part of the sky viewed from quite different vantage points in the solar system, and the assumption of approximate isotropy for the solar wind, allowed us to quantify the SWCX contribution to all six RASS bands (R1-R7, excluding R3). We find that the SWCX contribution at l = 140 degrees, b = 0 degrees, where the DXL path crosses the Galactic plane, is 33 percent plus or minus 6 percent (statistical) plus or minus 12 percent (systematic) for R1, 44 percent plus or minus 6 percent plus or minus 5 percent for R2, 18 percent plus or minus 12 percent plus or minus 11 percent for R4, 14 percent plus or minus 11 percent plus or minus 9 percent for R5, and negligible for the R6 and R7 bands. Reliable models for the distribution of neutral H and He in the solar system permit estimation of the contribution of interplanetary SWCX emission over the the whole sky and correction of the RASS maps. We find that the average SWCX contribution in the whole sky is 26 percent plus or minus 6 percent plus or minus 13 percent for R1, 30 percent plus or minus 4 percent plus or minus 4 percent for R2, 8 percent plus or minus 5 percent plus or minus 5 percent for R4, 6 percent plus or minus 4 percent plus or minus 4 percent for R5, and negligible for R6 and R7.

sxcx↗
NASA NTRS2014

The Origin of the Local 1/4-KeV X-Ray Flux in Both Charge Exhange and a Hot Bubble

The solar neighbourhood is the closest and most easily studied sample of the Galactic interstellar medium, an understanding of which is essential for models of star formation and galaxy evolution. Observations of an unexpectedly intense diffuse flux of easily absorbed 1/4-kiloelectronvolt X-rays coupled with the discovery that interstellar space within about a hundred parsecs of the Sun is almost completely devoid of cool absorbing gas, led to a picture of a 'local cavity' filled with X-ray-emitting hot gas, dubbed the local hot bubble. This model was recently challenged by suggestions that the emission could instead be readily produced within the Solar System by heavy solar-wind ions exchanging electrons with neutral H and He in interplanetary space, potentially removing the major piece of evidence for the local existence of million-degree gas within the Galactic disk. Here we report observations showing that the total solar wind charge-exchange contribution is approximately 40 percent of the 1/4-keV flux in the Galactic plane. The fact that the measured flux is not dominated by charge exchange supports the notion of a million-degree hot bubble extending about a hundred parsecs from the Sun.

Charge exhange and a hot bubble↗
NASA NTRS2012

Prototyping a Global Soft X-Ray Imaging Instrument for Heliophysics, Planetary Science, and Astrophysics Science

We describe current progress in the development of a prototype wide field-of-view soft X-ray imager that employs Lobstereye optics and targets heliophysics, planetary, and astrophysics science. The prototype will provide proof-of-concept for a future flight instrument capable of imaging the entire dayside magnetosheath from outside the magnetosphere. Such an instrument was proposed for the ESA AXIOM mission.

soft X-ray↗
NASA NTRS2012

Solar Wind Charge Exchange and Local Hot Bubble X-Ray Emission with the DXL Sounding Rocket Experiment

The Diffuse X-ray emission from the Local Galaxy (DXL) sounding rocket is a NASA approved mission with a scheduled first launch in December 2012. Its goal is to identify and separate the X-ray emission of the SWCX from that of the Local Hot Bubble (LHB) to improve our understanding of both. To separate the SWCX contribution from the LHB. DXL will use the SWCX signature due to the helium focusing cone at 1=185 deg, b=-18 deg, DXL uses large area propostionai counters, with an area of 1.000 sq cm and grasp of about 10 sq cm sr both in the 1/4 and 3/4 keY bands. Thanks to the large grasp, DXL will achieve in a 5 minule flight what cannot be achieved by current and future X-ray satellites.

Galeazzi, M.↗
NASA NTRS2011

DXL: A Sounding Rocket Mission for the Study of Solar Wind Charge Exchange and Local Hot Bubble X-Ray Emission

The Diffuse X-rays from the Local galaxy (DXL) mission is an approved sounding rocket project with a first launch scheduled around December 2012. Its goal is to identify and separate the X-ray emission generated by solar wind charge exchange from that of the local hot bubble to improve our understanding of both. With 1,000 square centimeters proportional counters and grasp of about 10 square centimeters sr both in the 1/4 and 3/4 keV bands, DXL will achieve in a 5-minute flight what cannot be achieved by current and future X-ray satellites.

Galeazzi, M.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Observation of Solar Wind Charge Exchange Emission From Exospheric Material in and Outside Earth's Magnetosheath 2008 September 25

A long XMM-Newton exposure is used to observe solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) emission from exospheric material in and outside Earth's magnetosheath. The light curve of the O vii (0.5-0.62 keV) band is compared with a model for the expected emission, and while the emission is faint and the light curve has considerable scatter, the correlation is significant to better than 99.9%. This result demonstrates the validity of the geocoronal SWCX emission model for predicting a contribution to astrophysical observations to a scale factor of order unity (1.5). In addition, an average value of the SWCX O vii emission from the magnetosheath over the observation of 2.6 +/- 0.5 LU is derived. The results also demonstrate the potential utility of using X-ray observations to study global phenomena of the magnetosheath which currently are only investigated using in situ measurements.

Snowden, S. L.↗
NASA NTRS2009

The Lunar X-ray Observatory (LXO)/Magnetosheath Explorer in X-Rays (MagEX)

X-ray observations of solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) emission, a nuisance to astrophysicists, will dramatically enhance our ability to determine the structure and variability of the Earth's magnetosheath. Such observations could be made from the lunar surface or an Earth-orbiting spacecraft and will resolve key controversies about magnetopause physics as well as better characterize SWCX emission with the aim of avoiding or removing it from astrophysical observations.

Collier, M.R.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Observation of Solar Wind Charge Exchange Emission from Exospheric Material in and Outside Earth's Magnetosheath

A long XMM-Newton exposure is used to observe solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) emission from exospheric material in and outside Earth s magnetosheath. The light curve of the O VII (0.5-0.62 keV) band is compared with a model for the expected emission, and while the emission is faint and the light curve has considerable scatter, the correlation is significant to better than 99.9%. This result demonstrates the validity of the geocoronal SWCX emission model for predicting a contribution to astrophysical observations to a scale factor of order unity (1.36). The results also demonstrate the potential utility of using X-ray observations to study global phenomena of the magnetosheath which currently are only investigated using in situ measurements.

Snowden, S. L.↗
NASA NTRS2007

The Morphology of the X-ray Emission above 2 keV from Jupiter's Aurorae

The discovery in XMM-Newton X-ray data of X-ray emission above 2 keY from Jupiter's aurorae has led us to reexamine the Chandra ACIS-S observations taken in Feb 2003. Chandra's superior spatial resolution has revealed that the auroral X-rays with E > 2 keV are emitted from the periphery of the region emitting those with E < 1 keV. We are presently exploring the relationship of this morphology to that of the FUV emission from the main auroral oval and the polar cap. The low energy emission has previously been established as due to charge exchange between energetic precipitating ions of oxygen and either sulfur or carbon. It seems likely to us that the higher energy emission is due to precipitation of energetic electrons, possibly the same population of electrons responsible for the FUV emission. We discuss our analysis and interpretation.

Elsner, R.↗
NASA NTRS2007

The Morphology of the X-ray Emission above 2 keV from Jupiter's Aurorae

The discovery in XMM-Newton X-ray data of X-ray emission above 2 keV from Jupiter's aurorae has led us to reexamine the Chandra ACIS-S observations taken in Feb 2003. Chandra's superior spatial resolution has revealed that the auroral X-rays with E > 2 keV are emitted from the periphery of the region emitting those with E < 1 keV. We are presently exploring the relationship of this morphology to that of the FUV emission from the main auroral oval and the polar cap. The low energy emission has previously been established as due to charge exchange between energetic precipitating ions of oxygen and either sulfur or carbon. It seems likely to us that the higher energy emission is due to precipitation of energetic electrons, possibly the same population of electrons responsible for the FUV emission. We discuss our analysis and interpretation.

Elsner, R.↗
NASA NTRS2006

The U.S. Rosetta Project : eighteen months in flight

In this paper we will update the status of the instruments following the commissioning exercise, an exercise that was only partially complete when a report was prepared for the 2005 IEEE conference.We will present an overview of the 2005 Earth/Moon activities, and the Deep Impact set of observations. The paper will also provide an update of the role of NASA's Deep Space Network in supporting an ESA request for Delta Difference One-way Ranging to provide improved tracking and navigation capability in preparation for the Mars flyby in 2007.

Alexander, Claudia J.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer Measurements from Titan

Introduction: The Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) aboard the Cassini orbiter has obtained the first in situ composition measurements of the neutral densities of molecular nitrogen, methane, argon, and a host of stable carbon-nitrile compounds in its first flyby of Titan. The bulk composition and thermal structure of the moon s upper atmosphere do not appear to be changed since the Voyager flyby in 1979. However, the more sensitive techniques provided by modern in-situ mass spectrometry also give evidence for large-spatial-scale large-amplitude atmospheric waves in the upper atmosphere and for a plethora of stable carbon-nitrile compounds above 1174 km. Furthermore, they allow the first direct measurements of isotopes of nitrogen, carbon, and argon, which provide interesting clues about the evolution of the atmosphere. The atmosphere was first accreted as ammonia and ammonia ices from the Saturn sub-nebula. Subsequent photochemistry likely converted the atmosphere into molecular nitrogen. The early atmosphere was 1.5 to 5 times more substantial and was lost via escape over the intervening 4.5 billion years due to the reduced gravity associated with the relatively small mass of Titan. Carbon in the form of methane has continued to outgas over time from the interior with much of it being deposited in the form of complex hydrocarbons on the surface and some of it also being lost to space.

Waite, J. H., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Simultaneous Chandra X-ray, HST UV, and Ulysses Radio Observations of Jupiter's Aurora

Observations of Jupiter carried out by the Chandra ACIS-S instrument over 24-26 February, 2003, show that the auroral X-ray spectrum consists of line emission consistent with high-charge states of precipitating ions, and not a continuum as might be expected from remsstrahlung. The part of the spectrum due to oxygen peaks around 650 eV, which indicates a high fraction of fully-stripped oxygen in the precipitating ion flux. The OVIII emission lines at 653 eV and 774 eV, as well as the OVII emission lines at 561 eV and 666 eV, are clearly identified. There is also line emission at lower energies in the spectral region extending from 250 to 350 eV for which sulfur and carbon lines are possible candidates. The Jovian auroral spectra differ significantly from measured cometary X-ray spectra. The charge state distribution of the oxygen ion emission evident in the measured auroral spectra strongly suggests that, independent of the source of the energetic ions (magnetospheric or solar wind) the ions have undergone additional acceleration. For the magnetospheric case, acceleration to energies exceeding 10 MeV is apparently required. The ion acceleration also helps to explain the high intensities of the X-rays observed. The phase space densities of unaccelerated source populations of either solar wind or magnetospheric ions are orders of magnitude too small to explain the observed emissions. The Chandra X-ray observations were executed simultaneously with observations at ultraviolet wavelengths by the Hubble Space Telescope and at radio wavelengths by the Ulysses spacecraft. These additional data sets provide interesting hints as to the location of the source region and the acceleration characteristics of the generation mechanism. The combined observations suggest that the source of the X rays is magnetospheric in origin, and that strong field-aligned electric fields are present which simultaneously create both the several-MeV energetic ion population and the relativistic electrons believed to be responsible for the generation of approximately 40 minute quasi-periodic radio outbursts.

R. Elsner↗
NASA NTRS2003

Preliminary Results from Recent Simultaneous Chandra/HST Observations of Jupiter Auroral Zones

Jupiter was observed by the Chandra X-ray Observatory in late February, 2003, for 144 ks, using both the ACIS-S and HRC-I imaging x-ray cameras. Five orbits of HST STIS observations of the planet's northern auroral zone were obtained during the ACIS-S observations. These data are providing a wealth of information about Jupiter's auroral activity, including the first x-ray spectra from the x-ray hot spots inside the auroral ovals. We will also discuss the approximately 45 minute quasi-periodicity in the auroral x-ray emission - which correlates well with simultaneous observations of radio bursts by the Ulysses spacecraft - and a possible phase relation between the emission from the northern and southern x-ray aurora.

Elsner, R.↗