Engineering topics

Poglitsch, Albrecht

Publications and source records attributed to Poglitsch, Albrecht.

6 records

NASA NTRS2014

Development of Cryogenic Filter Wheels for the HERSCHEL Photodetector Array Camera & Spectrometer (PACS)

This paper describes the two PACS Filter Wheels that are direct-drive rotational mechanisms operated at a temperature below 5K inside the PACS focal plane unit of the Herschel Satellite. The purpose of the mechanisms is to switch between filters. The rotation axis is pivoted to the support structure via a slightly preloaded pair of ball bearings and driven by a Cryotorquer. Position sensing is realized by a pair of Hall effect sensors. Powerless positioning at the filter positions is achieved by a magnetic ratchet system. The key technologies are the Cryotorquer design and the magnetic ratchet design in the low temperature range. Furthermore, we will report on lessons learned during the development and qualification of the mechanism and the paint.

Koerner, Christian↗

NASA NTRS1995

A multi-wavelength study of 30 Doradus: The Interstellar Medium in a low-metallicity galaxy

We report maps of the 158 micron (C II) line, the 63 micron and 146 micron (C I) lines, the 2.2 micron Br gamma line, and the 2.6 mm CO (1-0) line toward the 30 Doradus complex in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The maps of all tracers emphasize the shell-like structure of the 30 Doradus region which is seen edge-on. The fact that the molecular gas as traced by CO (1-0) and the photo dissociated gas as traced by (C II) are co-extensive over tens of parsecs can only be explained by a highly fragmented structure of the interstellar medium which allows UV radiation to penetrate deep into the molecular cloud. Clumpiness is also the key to understanding the extremely high (C II)/CO line intensity ratios.

Poglitsch, Albrecht↗

NASA NTRS1995

Extragalactic diffuse (C II) emission

The 158 micro m (CII) line has been mapped in the galaxies Centaurus A, M83, NGC 6946, and NGC 891. The emission exists over very large scales, peaking in the nuclei and extending beyond the spiral arms and molecular disks. While most of the (CII) emission from the nuclei and spiral arms originates in photodissociated gas, the diffuse atomic gas can account for much of the (CII) emission in the extended regions.

Madden, Suzanne C.↗

NASA NTRS1995

The Galactic nucleus: A unique region in the Galactic ecosystem

The nucleus is a unique region in the Galactic ecosystem. It is also superb laboratory of modern astrophysics where astronomers can study, at unprecedented spatial resolution and across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, physical processes that may also happen at the cores of other galaxies. Infrared observations from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory have made important contributions to unraveling the mysteries of the Galactic nucleus and this review highlights some of these measurements, as well as recent results regarding the central parsec.

Genzel, Reinhard↗

NASA NTRS1995

FIFI: The MPE Garching/UC Berkeley Far-Infrared Imaging Fabry-Perot Interferometer

We describe the performance characteristics of the MPE Garching/UC Berkeley Far-Infrared Imaging Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FIFI) for the Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO). The spectrometer features two or three cryogenic tunable Fabry-Perot filters in series giving spectral resolution R of up to 10(exp 5) in the range of 40 microns less than lambda less than 200 microns, and an imaging 5x5 array of photoconductive detectors with variable focal plane plate scale. The instrument works at background limited sensitivity of up to 2 x 10(exp -19) W cm(exp -2) Hz(exp -1/2) per pixel per resolution element at R = 10(exp 5) on the KAO.

Geis, Norbert↗

NASA NTRS1990

The (C II) 158 micron line mapping of spiral galaxies

Large scale maps of the face of spiral galaxies M51, M83, and NGC 6946 in the 158 micron (C II) fine structure line. The maps are obtained from the Far-infrared Imaging Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FIFI) during its first series of flights on board the Kuiper Airborne Observatory. The (C II) line emission is ubiquitous and easily traced over the mapped regions of each of the galaxies. The (C II) maps are compared with those obtained with similar sized beams in the CO line. The data available from these maps is interpreted.

Stacey, Gordon J.↗