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Hoffmann, W. F.

Publications and source records attributed to Hoffmann, W. F..

At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

The large-scale far-infrared structure of W3 and W4

The large-scale structure of the giant H II region complex W3/W4 has been mapped in two wavelength bands covering 60 to 120 microns at an angular resolution of 12 arc min. The only region of strong emission observed lies along a molecular ridge at an ionization/shock front in the sources. This structure supports the idea that a new generation of stars formed after neutral material ahead of the front became gravitationally unstable. These embedded stars are dominating the energetics of the molecular/infrared cloud, although the visible OCl 352 cluster in neighboring IC 1805 may supply much of the heating flux to the fainter regions. A simple model relating the far-infrared and CO emission is presented.

Thronson, H. A., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Far-infrared survey of Cygnus X

Results of a new far-infrared survey of Cygnus X conducted with 12-arcmin resolution are presented. Forty-nine sources were observed, 39 of them for the first time. Associations are made with sources from mid-infrared, radio continuum, and CO radio line surveys.

Campbell, M. F.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Infrared observations of NGC 2071/IRS/ and AFGL 490 - Two low-luminosity young stars

Infrared observations are presented of two compact sources associated with molecular clouds. Photometry from 2 to 200 microns of the source associated with an OH maser in NGC 2071, OH 205.1-14.1, shows a steep increase in flux from 2 to 50 microns. Scans at several wavelengths fail to resolve the source. Photometry at 50-200 microns of the other object, GL 490, when combined with earlier 2-20-micron spectrophotometry, shows an infrared energy distribution that is much broader than that of the NGC 2071 source. Both sources are interpreted as young, possibly pre-main-sequence objects with differences in energy distributions due principally to differences in the distribution of circumstellar matter.

Harvey, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Far-infrared observations of the Carina I and II H II regions

Far-infrared (35-175 microns) mapping and photometry are presented of the Carina I and II H II regions in the Carina Nebula (NGC 3372). The far-infrared source associated with Carina I has a half-power width of 2.7 arcmin and has no compact high-surface-brightness condensations, unlike many northern H II regions such as W51 or W49. The peak emission region is offset from the radio continuum peak in the direction of a dust lane to the west. It is proposed that the H II regions and far-IR source are both powered by the O-star cluster Tr 14 about 4 arcmin to the east. The H II region then represents an ionization front at the boundary of the dense cloud west of Tr 14, and the far-infrared emission is due to thermal radiation from the heated dust in the dark cloud. A similar model may also be applicable to the Carina II region.

Harvey, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

A small helium-cooled infrared telescope for Spacelab 2

A helium cooled telescope of 15 cm aperture is being designed and constructed jointly by the University of Arizona, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the Marshall Space Flight Center for high sensitivity infrared astronomical observations from Spacelab 2. A focal plane array of ten detectors provide a total field of view of 3 deg and cover the wavelength regions 4.5-8.5, 6-7, 9-16, 18-30 and 80-120 microns. A highly redundant all sky survey will be conducted by repeated scanning of the sky during many orbits of the spacecraft. High redundancy will allow discrimination among variable and constant celestial sources and several types of variable nearby sources. The principal astronomical result of the survey will be the absolute flux measurement of low surface brightness, large scale celestial infrared emissions but it will also extend existing IR sky surveys by a factor of 10 in point source sensitivity. The experiment will also make significant engineering measurements of contaminants in the Shuttle environment, test the technology of storage and utilization of large quantities of superfluid helium in space and test mechanical designs for future infrared telescopes for the Space Shuttle.

Gautier, T. N., III↗
NASA NTRS1978

Star formation in the NGC 7129 region - A CO molecular-line and far-infrared continuum study

Results are presented for a joint radio/IR study of the region around NGC 7129, a reflection nebula seen against a large dark cloud. The results reported include high-angular-resolution (C-12)O and (C-13)O line measurements, high-angular-resolution observations in the range from 35 to 200 microns, and observations at 10 to 20 microns of selected objects in the nebula. Important constraints are placed on the total stellar luminosities, dust densities and temperatures, and heating and cooling processes occurring in the nebula. Specifically, it is found that: (1) the (C-13)O and dust column densities increase significantly from west to east across the nebula; (2) the (C-13)O column density in the vicinity of the two brightest visible stars decreases relative to the column density north and south of those stars; (3) kinetic temperature increases along the whole boundary of the nebulosity; and (4) the strongest far-IR source in NGC 7129 is coincident with the pre-main-sequence star LkH-alpha 234.

Bechis, K. P.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Strong far-infrared emission from a compact source in sharpless 140

High-spatial-resolution observations of S140 are presented at wavelengths from 35 to 175 microns. A single strong far-infrared source has been found coincident with a compact near-infrared and H2O maser source and the center of a molecular cloud. The far-infrared spectrum suggests either significant absorption in the 20-micron region or a two-temperature dust structure. The infrared luminosity of approximately 20,000 suns is comparable to that of a late O or early B star, although no radio continuum flux has been seen from this object. The source is quite likely a dust-embedded protostar.

Harvey, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Far-infrared emission from compact sources in NGC 2264 and the Rosette Nebula

The paper reports the discovery of far-IR emission at 53, 100, and 175 microns from two sources (one in NGC 2264 and another near the Rosette Nebula) associated with molecular clouds but not with any detectable radio continuum emission. The maximum source diameters are estimated to be 20 arcsec, and the spectra of both objects are shown to be broader than that of a 'typical' H II region. It is found that both objects are unresolved at all the IR wavelengths observed, have relatively wide IR spectra, are located at or near the apices of fan-shaped cometary nebulae, have colors between 50 and 200 microns that are among the coolest of any observed far-IR sources, and have luminosities that are an order of magnitude less than the weakest sources observed near compact H II regions. A cylindrically symmetric source model is considered in which a 'hole' in the dust distribution around the central source provides the visible luminosity of the nearby nebula and the dust temperature decreases rapidly with distance. It is suggested that the central sources are probably pre-main-sequence stellar objects with masses of 5 to 10 solar masses and luminosities of a few thousand suns.

Harvey, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Far-infrared observations of IRC + 10216

Broadband photometric observations of IRC + 10216 in five wavelength intervals from 50 to 1000 microns are reported. The observed radiation is interpreted as thermal emission from dust in the extended molecular cloud heated by the compact 2-20-micron source at the cloud core. The shape of the 50-1000-micron spectrum suggests that the emissivity of the dust particles varies approximately as the inverse wavelength over this spectral interval. The mass of dust inferred from the far-infrared emission is comparable with the mass of heavy molecules in the cloud.

Campbell, M. P.↗
NASA NTRS1976

High-resolution far-infrared observations of the galactic center

A map at 53 microns with 17-arcsec resolution and three-color observations at 53, 100, and 175 microns with 30-arcsec beams of Sgr A are presented. Sagittarius A is resolved into two main sources, one associated with the cluster of strong 10-micron sources and another about 45 arcsec to the southwest coincident with a weak 10-micron source. The dust temperature peaks near the strong 10-micron sources, but the 100-micron and 175-micron fluxes and the far-infrared optical depth are greatest near the southwest source. The amount of dust required to explain the far-infrared emission is comparable to that observed in absorption in the near-infrared.

Harvey, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Far-infrared observations of W51 with high spatial resolution

Observations of the core of W51 have been made from the NASA C-141 Airborne Infrared Observatory at 55 microns with 17-, 35-, and 85-arc sec apertures and at 100 microns with a 35-arc sec aperture. These observations suggest the presence of a small less than about 20 arc sec source at 55 microns surrounded by a much broader diffuse background. In the center of the source the optical depth at 55 and 100 microns is on the order of 0.1-0.2.

Harvey, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1974

The 100 micron surveys in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

Partial surveys in the far infrared in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres have covered 40% of the galactic equator and assorted regions away from the galactic plane. Approximately 120 100-micron objects are known. These are distributed extensively in galactic longitude and concentrated within + or - two degrees in galactic latitude. From this information, some general conclusions can be drawn about the sensitivity and coverage required for a general sky survey in the far infrared.

Hoffmann, W. F.↗
NASA NTRS1973

The 100-micron observations of galactic and extragalactic Southern Hemisphere objects

Far-infrared observations of the interstellar medium are reported by a balloon-borne telescope. With the 30-centimeter (12-in.) telescope operating at a wavelength of 100 microns, approximately forty new sources were observed in the galactic plane and in the large Magellanic Cloud. Patterns and some degree of understanding are beginning to emerge from the observations of objects in the far infrared.

Hoffmann, W. F.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Future infrared space astronomical instruments.

The EM wavelength range from 1 micron to 1000 microns is covered by IR astronomy. Since the discovery of the unusual IR object NML Cygnus in 1965, a large number of objects has been observed which radiate a substantial amount of flux in the middle and far IR. The four main categories identified include spatially unresolved galactic objects, diffuse galactic objects, the galactic center, and extragalactic objects. Present-day techniques for observation in IR astronomy are discussed together with a variety of instrumental advances now being made in the laboratory.

Hoffmann, W. F.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Balloon observations of galactic and extragalactic objects at 100 microns.

Recent far-infrared balloon-borne instruments have yielded observations of a number of bright sources at 100 microns. Many of these coincide with HII regions where molecular line emision has been detected. There is some indication of 100 micron emission which does not coincide with radio measurements.

Hoffmann, W. F.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Review of results in infrared space astronomy.

Some stars, in particular, T Tauri stars, have substantial IR excesses at 10 microns. It is now understood that the long wavelength radiation comes from a shell of dust which surrounds the star and absorbs the stellar radiation. Part of the mass which is lost from supergiants is condensed into solid particles which remain in the stellar environment and provide the excess IR radiation. The most intense far-infrared object outside the solar system is the galactic center. Diffuse galactic IR objects include extended regions of gas and dust surrounding very hot young stars and regions of gas and dust surrounding cooler stars. Other subjects considered include IR galaxies and cosmic radiation.

Hoffmann, W. F.↗