Engineering topics

Shore, S. N.

Publications and source records attributed to Shore, S. N..

At least 19 records

NASA NTRS2011

The Spectroscopic Evolution of the Symbiotic-like Recurrent Nova V407 Cygni During Its 2010 Outburst. 2. The Circumstellar Environment and the Aftermath

The nova outburst of V407 Cyg in 2010 Mar. 10 was the first observed for this star but its close resemblance to the well known symbiotic-like recurrent nova RS Oph suggests that it is also a member of this rare type of Galactic novae. The nova was the first detected at gamma-ray energies and is the first known nova explosion for this system. The extensive multiwavelength coverage of this outburst makes it an ideal comparison with the few other outbursts known for similar systems. We extend our previous analysis of the Mira and the expanding shock from the explosion to detail the time development of the photoionized Mira wind, circumstellar medium, and shocked circumstellar environment to derive their physical parameters and how they relate to large scale structure of the environment, extending the previous coverage to more than 500 days after outburst. We use optical spectra obtained at high resolution with the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT) (R approx. =.45000 to 65000) and medium resolution Ondrejov Observatory (R approx. = 12000) data and compare the line variations with publicly available archival measurements at 30 GHz OVNR and at X-rays with Swift during the first four months of the outburst, through the end of the epoch of strong XR emission. We use nebular diagnostics and high resolution profile variations to derive the densities and locations of the extended emission. We find that the higher the ionization and/or the higher the excitation energy, the more closely the profiles resemble the He II/Ca V-type high velocity shock profile discussed in Paper I. This also accounts for the comparative development of the [N II] and [O III] isoelectronic transitions: the [O III] 4363A profile does not show the low velocity peaks while the excited [N II] 5754A does. If nitrogen is mainly N(+3) or higher in the shock, the upper state of the [N II] nebular lines will contribute but if the oxygen is O(+2) then this line is formed by recombination, masking the nebular contributor, and the lower states are collisionally quenched but emit from the low density surroundings. Absorption lines of Fe-peak ions formed in the Mira wind were visible as P Cyg profiles at low velocity before Day 69, around the time of the X-ray peak and we identified many absorption transitions without accompanying emission for metal lines. The H Balmer lines showed strong P Cyg absorption troughs that weakened during the 2010 observing period, through Day 128. The Fe-peak line profiles and flux variations were different for permitted and forbidden transitions: the E1 transitions were not visible after Day 128 but had shown a narrow peak superimposed on an extended (200 km/s) blue wing, while the M1 and E2 transitions persisted to Day 529, the last observation, and showed extended redshifted wings up of the same velocity. We distinguish the components from the shock, the photoionized environment, and the chromosphere and inner Mira wind using spectra taken more than one year after outburst. The multiple shells and radiative excitation phenomenology are similar to those recently cited for GRBs and SNIa .

Shore, S. N.↗

NASA NTRS1994

On the strategy of future observations and modeling of the Beta Lyr system

Beta Lyr is an enigmatic object. Despite several decades of concentrated observational and theoretical effort, our understanding of the system is still rather poor. We discuss two existing structural models of the system, the massive torus model of Wilson (1981), and the low mass accretion disk model of Hubeny & Plavec (1991). In particular, we answer recent criticism of the low mass disk model expressed by the proponents of the massive disk hypothesis. We show that although both theories have a large degree of internal consistency, there are several serious physical objections against the massive disk model. In particular, such a model requires unrealistically low viscosity (large Reynolds number). Moreover, such massive disk is likely to be dynamically unstable. Finally, we propose several observational and theoretical approaches that could lead to construction of a more physically realistic model of the Beta Lyr system.

Hubeny, I.↗

NASA NTRS1994

A new path for the electron bulk energization in solar flares: Fermi acceleration by magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in reconnection outflows

We recently proposed that a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulent cascade produces the bulk energization of electrons to approximately 25 keV in the impulsive phase of solar flares (LaRosa & Moore 1993). In that scenario, (1) the cascading MHD turbulence is fed by shear-unstable Alfvenic outflows from sites of strongly driven reconnection in the low corona, and (2) the electrons are energized by absorbing the energy that flows down through the cascade. We did not specify the physical mechanism by which the cascading energy is ultimately transferred to the electrons. Here we propose that Fermi acceleration is this mechanism, the process by which the electrons are energized and by which the cascading MHD turbulence is dissipated. We point out that in the expected cascade MHD fluctuations of scale 1 km can Fermi-accelerate electrons from 0.1 keV to approximately 25 keV on the subsecond timescales observed in impulsive flares, provided there is sufficient trapping and scattering of electrons in the MHD turbulence. We show that these same fluctuations provide the required trapping; they confine the electrons within the turbulent region until the turbulence eis dissipated. This results in the energization of all of the lectrons in each large-scale (5 x 10(exp 7)cm) turbulent eddy to 25 keV. The Fermi process also requires efficient scattering so that the pitch-angle distribution of the accelerating electrons remains isotropic. We propose that the electrons undergo resonant scattering by high-frequency plasma R-waves that, as suggested by others (Hamilton & Petrosian 1992), are generated by the reconnection. Ions are not scattered by R-waves. Provided that there is negligible generation of ion-scattering plasma turbulence (e.g., L-waves) by the reconnection or the MHD turbulence, the ions will not Fermi-accelerate and the cascading energy is transferred only to the electrons. We conclude that, given this situation, electron Fermi acceleration can plausibly account for the electron bulk energization in impulsive solar flares.

Larosa, T. N.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Non-LTE model atmosphere analysis of Nova Cygni 1992

We use spherically symmetric non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE), line-blanketed, expanding model atmospheres to analyze the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) and optical spectra of Nova Cygni 1992 during the early phases of its outburst. We find that the first IUE spectrum obtained just after discovery on 1992 February 20, is best reproduced by a model atmosphere with a steep density gradient and homologous expansion, whereas the IUE and optical spectra obtained on February 24 show an extended, optically thick, wind structure. Therefore, we distinguish two phases of the early evolution of the nova photosphere: the initial, rapid, 'fireball' phase and the subsequent, much longer, optically thick 'wind' phase. The importance of line-blanketing in nova spectra is demonstrated. Our preliminary abundance analysis implies that hydrogen is depeleted in the ejecta, corresponding to abundance enhancements of Fe by a factor of approximately 2 and of CNO by more than a factor of 10 when compared to solar abundances. The synthetic spectra reproduce both the observed pseudo-continua as well as most of the observed features from the UV to the optical spectral range and demonstrate the importance of obtaining nearly simultaneous UV and optical spectra for performing accurate analyses of expanding stellar atmospheres (for both novae and supernovae).

Hauschildt, P. H.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Observing stellar coronae with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph. 1: The dMe star AU microscopoii

We report on an observation of AU Mic taken with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope. The data consist of a rapid sequence of spectra covering the wavelength range 1345-1375 A with a spectral resolution of 10,000. The observations were originally intended to search for spectral variations during flares. No flares were detected during the 3.5 hr of monitoring. A method of reducing the noise while combining the individual spectra in the time series is described which resulted in the elimination of half of the noise while rejecting only a small fraction of the stellar signal. The resultant spectrum was of sufficient quality to allow the detection of emission lines with an integrated flux of 10(exp -15) ergs/sq cm(sec) or greater. Lines of C I, O I, O V, Cl I, and Fe XXI were detected. This is the first indisputable detection of the 1354 A Fe XXI line, formed at T approximately = 10(exp 7) K, on a star other than the Sun. The line was well resolved and displayed no significant bulk motions or profile asymmetry. From the upper limit on the observed line width, we derive an upper limit of 38 km/s for the turbulent velocity in the 10(exp 7) K plasma. An upper limit is derived for the flux of the 1349 A Fe XII line, formed at T approximately = 1.3 x 10(exp 6) K. These data are combined with contemporaneous GHRS and International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) data to derive the volume emission measure distribution of AU Mic over the temperature range 10(exp 4)-10(exp 7) K. Models of coronal loops in hydrostatic equilibrium are consistent with the observed volume emission measures of the coronal lines. The fraction of the stellar surface covered by the footprints of the loops depends upon the loop length and is less than 14% for lengths smaller than the stellar radius. From the upper limit to the estimated width of the Fe XXI line prfile we find that the we cannot rule out Alfven wave dissipation as a possible contributor to the required quiescent loop heating rate.

Maran, S. P.↗

NASA NTRS1993

X-ray variability in V444 Cygni-Evidence for colliding winds

Phase-resolved ROSAT observations of the soft X-ray flux from V444 Cygni confirm the orbital dependence of the flux suggested by analysis of imaging proportional counter (IPC) observations. The X-ray behavior suggests that a region of X-ray emitting gas exists between the 2 stars, probably produced by a collision between the WR and O star winds.

Corcoran, M. F.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Ultraviolet continuum variability and visual flickering in the peculiar object MWC 560

High-speed U-band photometry of the peculiar emission object MWC 560 obtained with the ground-based instrumentation, and V-band photometry obtained with the International Ultraviolet Explorer-Fine Error Sensor indicates irregular brightness variations are quasi-periodic. Multiple peaks of relative brightness power indicate statistically significant quasi periods existing in a range of 3-35 minutes, that are superposed on slower hourly varying components. We present a preliminary model that explains the minute and hourly time-scale variations in MWC 560 in terms of a velocity-shear instability that arises because a white dwarf magnetosphere impinges on an accretion disk. We also find evidence for Fe II multiplet pseudocontinuum absorption opacity in far-UV spectra of CH Cygni which is also present in MWC 560. Both CH Cyg and MWC 560 may be in an evolutionary stage that is characterized by strong UV continuum opacity which changes significantly during outburst, occurring before they permanently enter the symbiotic nebular emission phase.

Michalitsianos, A. G.↗

NASA NTRS1993

The observation of correlated velocity structures in a translucent molecular cloud and implications for turbulence

We present a formaldehyde map of the translucent high-latitude molecular cloud MBM 16. The molecular gas traced by the H2CO is located in spatially distinct large structures that exhibit velocity coherence on a scale of 0.5 pc. These structures are not pressure-confined and are probably not self-gravitating. They may be transient structures. If so, we suggest that they are produced by shear flows whose scale length is of order the size of the cloud.

Magnani, L.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Photospheric velocity gradients in B1 supergiants

We present IUE spectra for a set of B1 supergiants. These data clearly demonstrate that the Si III 1300A multiplet (lower level 6.6 ev above ground) becomes progressively more asymmetric with increasing luminosity or, equivalently, mass loss. In the most luminous supergiants, the cores of the 1300A multiplets become displaced by up to -150 km/s relative to nearby, weaker lines. In addition, systematic velocity shifts and asymmetries are also present in the strong Si III singlets 1312A and 1417A in the more luminous stars. The obvious implication of these observations is that the outer photospheres of B supergiants are affected by radial expansion, and this may account for why even non-LTE line analyses of these stars require large micro-turbulent velocity fields, and why line blanketed LTE models underestimate their overall UV line blanketing.

Massa, D.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Late stages in the evolution of classical novae

We have begun a study of the long term evolution of novae in outburst in order to determine the means by which they return in quiescence when nuclear burning has ended. This project involves both IUE and optical observations and theoretical predictions. Recently, in the initial observational part of this project, we have obtained IUE Short Wavelength Prime (SWP) spectra of GQ Mus 1983 and QU Vul 1984. Each spectrum was a 16 hour exposure using a combined US1 plus Vilspa shift. No novae have been studied in the UV for as long as QU Vul and GQ Mus and observations of their spectral evolution are providing unique data on the turn-off time scale. We have also obtained the spectra of old novae from the IUE archives in order to compare and contrast the existing spectra with those of GQ Mus and Qu Vul. The theoretical prediction is that a nova should be very hot just before turnoff but x ray observations from EXOSAT do not confirm this prediction.

Starrfield, S.↗

NASA NTRS1989

A catalog of stellar spectrophotometry

A machine-readable catalog of stellar spectrophotometric measurements made with rotating grating scanner is introduced. Consideration is given to the processes by which the stellar data were collected and calibrated with the fluxes of Vega (Hayes and Latham, 1975). A sample page from the spectrophotometric catalog is presented.

Adelman, S. J.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Sanduleak's Star (LMC Anonymous) - Its similarity in the far-ultraviolet with the luminous object Eta Carinae and SN 1987A

Low-resolution IUE SWP spectra of the peculiar object LMC Anonymous (Sanduleak's Star) indicates strong evidence for CNO-processed nebula in the vicinity of the star. The far-UV spectrum of LMC Anonymous closely resembles that of the S Condensation of Eta Carinae. The similarity between LMC Anonymous and the S Condensation is apparent from the absolute intensity of the N V, semiforbidden N IV, and semiforbidden N III emission lines compared with the reduced strength of C IV or semiforbidden C III emission. IUE spectra of the S Condensation and SN 1987A may provide important clues concerning the nature of LMC Anonymous, which indicates departures from normal cosmic abundances of nitrogen relative to carbon that are extreme. This may suggest that carbon envelope burning and dredge-up occurred simultaneously during the helium-burning stage.

Michalitsianos, A. G.↗

NASA NTRS1988

The galatic and LMC extreme line supergiants compared: IUE observations of the Henize-Carlson and Zoo star samples of massive supergiants

The Henize-Carlson sample of galactic massive supergiants, and a comparison between the Galactic and LMC samples are discussed. Several of the stars, notably He3-395 and S 127/LMC, have very similar shell characteristics. There appears to be little difference, other than luminosity, between the LMC and Galactic samples. One star, He3-1482, was detected with the Very Large Array at 6 cm. The UV data is combined with IRAS and optical information.

Shore, S. N.↗

NASA NTRS1988

The small scale structure of the interstellar medium in the Orion association: The flotsam of star formation

The small scale dynamics and structure of the interstellar medium of the Orion OB1b, c association was studied using IUE high dispersion SWP and LWR/LWP spectra. The area surveyed centers on the Belt and encompasses the Orion Cloak. The dynamics and abundances of the ionized and warm neutral gas surrounding the central parts of the association are determined using 35 B stars. Results are compared with the picture of the Orion interstellar medium gained using COPERNICUS, especially for the structure and dynamics of the Orion Cloak.

Sonneborn, G.↗

NASA NTRS1987

IUE observations of the broad continuum feature at 1400 A in the silicon and related stars

The upper main sequence chemically peculiar stars have previously been studied spectrophotometrically using low-resolution TD-1 spectra. These show that the broad continuum feature at 1400 A is a useful indicator of Si anomaly. In this paper the observations are extended to IUE low-resolution spectra and it is shown that this feature is indeed well correlated with Si and also with optical chemical peculiarity indices. Its utility in selecting silicon stars is further demonstrated. This feature is likely due to autoionization of Si II and is the best available discriminator of the overabundance of a key element in the Ap stars.

Shore, S. N.↗

NASA NTRS1987

The rapidly oscillating Ap stars as a test of stellar chromospheric heating mechanisms

The discovery of a new class of magnetic stars, the rapidly pulsating Ap stars, provides an unprecedented tool for the study of Alfvenic heating in the outer atmospheres of main sequence stars. In this note, it is noted that detection of rotationally-modulated chromospheric emission line fluxes, especially the Ca II, Mg II, and C IV lines, can provide a novel method for investigating the role of Alfvenic heating in stellar atmospheres.

Shore, S. N.↗

NASA NTRS1987

The peculiar early-type emission line supergiant S 18/SMC - An optical and ultraviolet study

Spectroscopic observations of S 18/SMC, obtained in the visible at CTIO, the AAT, and ESO and in the UV with the IUE SWP and LWR instruments during 1978-1983, are reported. The data are presented in tables and spectra and characterized in detail. The variability of the object in He II, C IV, N IV, N V, and Si IV and the lack of detectable photometric variation between 120 and 1000 nm are discussed in terms of a stellar-envelope model with mass-loss rate greater than or equal to 0.00001 solar mass/yr and N abundance 3-5 times the solar value, corresponding to a transitional phase between extreme mass loss (near the Humphrey-Davidson limit) and the presupernova stage. The FUV flux is tentatively attributed to an extremely hot He-star or neutron-star companion.

Shore, S. N.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Grain temperature fluctuations - A key to infrared spectra

Interstellar grains of radius less than 003 microns are known to have a fluctuating temperature because their internal energy is comparable to the energy of UV and visible photons. The exact resultant grain temperature distribution is given by studying the multiphoton absorption processes. This distribution satisfies an homogeneous integral equation which can be solved by an iteration technique. These small grains generally emit at shorter wavelengths than big cold grians and therefore could help in the interpretation of the infrared spectra (1-1000 microns) of various astrophysical objects.

Desert, F. X.↗