Precision measurement of transition energies and Lamb shifts in two-electron argon and potassium in solar-flare spectra
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Seely, J. F.↗
Engineering topics
Feldman, U.
Publications and source records attributed to Feldman, U..
New identifications of Fe XVII spectral lines in solar flares
The identifications of Fe XVII transitions between the 2s(2)2p(5)3s, 3p, and 3d configurations published by Jupen (1984) are reviewed. The review is based on examining spectroheliograms of solar flares obtained by a Naval Research Laboratory instrument on Skylab (S082-A). Agreement is obtained with the majority of identifications given by Jupen, but different wavelengths are found for a few of the lines. The relative intensities of the lines are qualitatively in agreement with calculations. A broad line at 1153.20 A is identified with the 2p(5)3s(3)P(0)-2p(5)3s(3)P1 forbidden transition of Fe XVII. This line was found in flare spectra obtained by the NRL slit spectrograph on Skylab (S082-B).
Feldman, U.↗
Scaling of collisionally pumped 3s-3p lasers in the neon isoelectronic sequence
Atomic-number scaling in the 3p-3s population-inversion and plasma parameters of neonlike ions of Si, Ar, Ti, Fe, Ge, and Kr is investigated theoretically. The population levels are calculated; the Z-scaling relationships are defined; the results are presented in tables and graphs; and the implications for the laser gain are explored. Laser gain in excess of 1/cm are predicted for all ions except Si V, with a peak of 30/cm for Fe XVII at electron density 10 to the 21st/cu cm.
Feldman, U.↗
Direct measurement of the increase in altitude of the soft X-ray emission region during a solar flare
The upward motions of the hot thermal regions of several large (M type) solar flares have been determined from the soft X-ray spectral data recorded by the scanning spectrometer (SOLFLEX) on the P78-1 spacecraft. For the limb flares that are studied, the centroid of the Ca XIX emission region moves to a higher altitude with an apparent speed of 20-40 km/s for a period of 20-30 minutes following onset of the flare and reaches an altitude of 30,000-40,000 km. Although brief periods of downward motion of the emission centroid are observed, substantial decreases in altitude are not observed in any of the flares.
Seely, J. F.↗
Method to estimate drag coefficient at the air/ice interface over drifting open pack ice from remotely sensed data
A knowledge in near real time, of the surface drag coefficient for drifting pack ice is vital for predicting its motions. And since this is not routinely available from measurements it must be replaced by estimates. Hence, a method for estimating this variable, as well as the drag coefficient at the water/ice interface and the ice thickness, for drifting open pack ice was developed. These estimates were derived from three-day sequences of LANDSAT-1 MSS images and surface weather charts and from the observed minima and maxima of these variables. The method was tested with four data sets in the southeastern Beaufort sea. Acceptable results were obtained for three data sets. Routine application of the method depends on the availability of data from an all-weather air or spaceborne remote sensing system, producing images with high geometric fidelity and high resolution.
Feldman, U.↗
Aging properties of Kodak type 101 emulsions
Aging tests for several batches of Kodak type 101 emulsion show that storage conditions significantly influence how well the film will maintain its sensitometric properties, with sensitivity and density increasing to a maximum during this period. Any further aging may result in higher fog levels and sensitivity loss. It is noted that storage in an environment free of photographically active compounds allows film property optimization, and that film batches with different sensitivities age differently. Emulsions with maximum 1700-A sensitivity are 2.5 times faster than those at the low end of the sensitivity scale. These sensitive emulsions exhibit significantly accelerated changes in aging properties. Their use in space applications requires careful consideration of time and temperature profiles, encouraging the use of less sensitive emulsions when the controllability of these factors is limited.
Dohne, B.↗
On the rate of energy input in thermal solar flares
The rise phases of solar soft X-ray flares observed by X-ray crystal spectrometers on P78-1 are discussed in terms of the rate of change of X-ray flux as a function of time. It is shown that the flux increases exponentially over most of the rise time. The e-folding time (tau) has a cutoff at approximately 13 s. Soft X-ray flares with smaller values of tau are not observed. It is suggested that this phenomenon is due to the ability of the solar atmosphere to absorb the input energy and convert it into a typical soft X-ray flare, when the value of tau is greater than about 13 s. For energy input rates with tau greater than about 13 s, the temperature attained by the plasma is typically around 2 x 10 to the 7th K, but for values of tau less than 13 s, the gas is heated to much higher temperatures (about 10 to the 8th K), producing a certain class of hard X-ray flares.
Feldman, U.↗
Effects of shuttle bay environment on UV sensitive photographic film results of measurements aboard STS-7 and STS-8
Schumann emulsions, having low gelatin content and no protective gelatin overcoating, are extremely sensitive to environmental conditions and handling. Experiments using this emulsion are to be flown on the space shuttle within the cargo-bay. Because the environment of the cargo-bay is unknown, a Get-Away-Special payload was designed to expose Kodak-type SO 652 Schumann emulsion to the residual atmosphere of the cargo-bay. The experiment was programmed to make exposures for various time periods to determine the maximum length of time the film could be exposed in making a measurement and what precautions would be required to preserve the film during ascent into orbit and reentry. The results of the STS-7 and STS-8 flights indicated that long exposures in the shuttle bay do not produce high fog levels in orbit. Observations of severe bleaching of the latent image makes protection of the emulsion during reentry manditory and increase of fog levels with time set a limit of four weeks (preferably less than three) between installation and recovery of the emulsion for processing.
Kreplin, R. W.↗
Effects of Shuttle bay environment on UV sensitive photographic film - Instrumentation for Get-Away-Special
An account is given of a Get-Away-Special experiment flown on Space Shuttles 7 and 8 investigating the effect of the space environment on Shumann emulsions. Shumann emulsions, having low gelatin content and no protective gelatin overcoating, are useful detectors of ultraviolet radiation shorter than 2200 angstroms but are extremely sensitive to environmental conditions and handling. The instrument required no interface with the Shuttle. It was turned on by an aneroid switch at an altitude of 50,000 feet. After that, its operation was controlled completely by a CMOS digital controller. Each hour, two temperatures and one voltage were read and stored in a CMOS programmable read only memory. At intervals, valves were opened and closed to expose SO 652 film strips of three sensitivities to the cargo bay environment for various time periods. The design and operation of the instrument package is described.
Kreplin, R. W.↗
Lines of Fe XII sensitive to coronal electron density
Lines of Fe XII sensitive to coronal electron density are discussed. The lines appear in solar spectra obtained by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) slit spectograph flown on Skylab. These lines are due to transitions between levels of the 3s 2 3p 3 configuration and fall at the wavelengths 1242.03 A, 1349.38 A, 2169.03 A, 2405.71 A, and 2565.99 A. It is shown that the line at 2169.03 A is severely blended by a line of Ni II at heights less than 12 arcsec outside the solar limb. Above 12 arcsec the lines at 2169.03 and 2405.71 A are apparently unblended and can be used to derive electron densities. An average coronal electron pressure of 6 x 10 to the 14th/cu cm K is obtained. However, the emitting path lengths of the Fe XII lines, deduced using the electron densities and absolute intensities, are unrealistically large. The reason for this difficulty is unclear.
Feldman, U.↗
He D3 as a diagnostic for the hard and soft X-rays from solar flares
The time comparison of He D3 and X-ray emission has been studied in a number of medium-sized flares. In most cases there is a good agreement between the time histories of the He D3 emission and the high-temperature (about 2 keV) thermal source. The most intense He D3 emission comes from two small regions on either side of the neutral line, which are identified with the footpoints of magnetic structures in which a hot (2.3 x 10 to the 7th K) thermal plasma is formed. The impulsive X-ray event is marked by the transient brightening of a number of (usually weaker) He D3 sources. The two types of sources are well displaced from each other, which is an indication that they are produced in two different volumes. In some cases a long-lived third He D3 source is seen.
Feldman, U.↗
Short wavelength laser calculations for electron pumping in neon-like krypton (Kr XXVII)
Calculations of electron impact collision strengths and spontaneous radiative decay rates are made for neon-like krypton (Kr XXVII) for the 2s2 2p6, 2s2 2p5 3s, 2s2 2p5 3p, and 2s2 2p5 3d configurations. From these atomic data, the level populations as a function of the electron density are calculated at two temperatures, 1 x 10 to the 7th K and 3 x 10 to the 7th K. An analysis of level populations reveals that a volume of krypton in which a significant number of the ions are in the Kr XXVII degree of ionization can produce a significant gain in transition between the 2s2 2p5 3s and 2s2 2p5 3p configurations. At an electron density of 1 x 10 to the 19th/cu cm the plasma length has to be of the order of 1 m; at a density of 1 x 10 to the 21st/cu cm the length is reduced to approximately 0.5 cm; and at an electron density of 1 x 10 to the 22nd/cu cm the length of the plasma is further reduced to approximately 1 mm.
Feldman, U.↗
Forbidden line emission from highly ionized atoms in tokamak plasmas
Considerable interest in the observation of forbidden spectral lines from highly ionized atoms in tokamak plasmas is related to the significance of such observations for plasma diagnostic applications. Atomic data for the elements Ti Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, and Kr have been published by Feldman et al. (1980) and Bhatia et al. (1980). The present investigation is concerned with collisional excitation rate coefficients and radiative decay rates, which are interpolated for ions of elements between calcium, and krypton and for levels of the 2s2 2pk, 2s 2p(k+1), and 2p(k+2) configurations, and for the O I, N I, C I, B I, and Be I isoelectronic sequences. The provided interpolated atomic data can be employed to calculate level populations and relative line intensities for ions of the considered sequences, taking into account levels of the stated configurations. Important plasma diagnostic information provided by the forbidden lines includes the ion temperature
Feldman, U.↗
High-resolution X-ray spectra of solar flares. VI - Impulsive soft X-ray flares
Doschek et al. (1980) and Feldman et al. (1980) have discussed high-resolution soft X-ray spectra of solar flares. The present investigation is concerned with the characteristics of the impulsive events as observed in soft X rays and the cooling of the flare plasma in terms of energy loss processes. A class of intense, short-lived solar flares which appear to be characterized by very high densities at high temperatures is found. For the 1979 November 6 event, the cooling time is so rapid that the density obtained may be a lower limit. The main cooling mechanism for the flares is found to be radiative. Two of the events are associated with strong gamma-ray emission and both of these events are very unusual in their soft X-ray emission. The 1979 November 9 flare shows extremely broad X-ray emission lines during the rise phase, indicative of nonthermal velocities of the order of 300 km/s.
Feldman, U.↗
Observational constraints for a theoretical model describing the soft X-ray flare
High-resolution solar flare X-ray spectra have recently been obtained from X-ray spectrometer experiments flown on an Air Force spacecraft (P78-1) launched on 1979 February 24. Interpretation of the spectra has produced new results concerning the physical conditions and time behavior of the thermal soft X-ray emitting plasma at temperatures near 20,000,000 K. It is argued that soft and hard X-ray events are not causally related to each other, but are simply two different manifestations of flare energy release. They probably occur in different plasma volumes. The source of the preflare plasma appears to be in the cooler parts of the solar atmosphere, perhaps transition region loops with initial temperatures of 100,000 K and densities of 10 to the 11th per cu cm. Continuous energy input, rather than sequential activation of loops, is required to explain the observations. Compression coupled with chromospheric ablation may produce the high densities in coronal flare loops.
Feldman, U.↗
Doppler wavelength shifts of ultraviolet spectral lines in solar active regions
Doppler shifts are measured for solar UV emission lines formed in the lower transition region of active regions. Doppler shifts in different regions at the same solar location, variations of Doppler shift with position of an active region on the disk, and variations of Doppler shift with time at the same solar location in the same active region were studied. Observations were made with the NRL slit spectrograph on Skylab. Excluding flare and flare-related phenomena, only redshifts are found whose magnitudes correspond to downflow velocities between about 4 and 17 km/s. Shifts are largest for lines formed between about 50,000 and 100,000 K, and are distinctly less for lines formed above 100,000 K. The shifts persist out to the limb, but not above it. There is no obvious change in redshift for lines measured at the same solar location over time intervals of about 20 minutes.
Feldman, U.↗
Ultraviolet continuum absorption /less than about 1000 A/ above the quiet sun transition region
Lyman continuum absorption shortward of 912 A in the quiet sun solar transition region is investigated by combining spectra obtained from the Apollo Telescope Mount experiments on Skylab. The most recent atomic data are used to compute line intensities for lines that fall on both sides of the Lyman limit. Lines of O III, O IV, O V, and S IV are considered. The computed intensity ratios of most lines from O IV, O V, and S IV agree with the experimental ratios to within a factor of 2. However, the discrepancies show no apparent wavelength dependence. From this fact, it is concluded that at least part of the discrepancy between theory and observation for lines of these ions can be accounted for by uncertainties in instrumental calibration and atomic data. However, difficulties remain in reconciling observation and theory, particularly for lines of O III, and one line of S IV. The other recent results of Schmahl and Orrall (1979) are also discussed in terms of newer atomic data.
Doschek, G. A.↗
On ionization equilibrium in solar flares as determined from X-ray emissionlines of Ca XVIII and Ca XIX
A diagnostic capable of determining the state of ionization equilibrium in flare plasmas is important for the determination of the physical conditions in flares. An experiment on the Air Force satellite P78-1 has provided high-resolution X-ray spectra which make it possible to determine the state of the ionization equilibrium in coronal flare plasmas. The considered investigation has the objective to show that the interpretation of the calcium results is complicated by several possible blends to line q, and to point out a variation in the observed ratios which seems difficult to account for. Possible explanations for the observations are discussed, taking into account the possibility that the ionization equilibrium calculations have to be improved. Another possible explanation is related to a suggestion made by Urnov (1981) and Karev et al. (1980) concerning the effects produced by the presence of high-energy nonthermal electrons.
Doscher, G. A.↗