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At least 181 records · Page 10

Broadband photoexcitation of lasers

Existing techniques are reviewed and novel approaches for broadband photoexcitation of lasers are discussed. This subject is of interest because of the emergence of future intense near equilibrium and blackbody sources, such as the gas core reactor, and electric discharge plasma devices, which are the key to the development of intense broadband radiation sources. The possible use of radiation from solar concentrators in space also fits into this general area. The varied use of photoexcitation of lasers are discussed ranging over direct optical pumping, photodissociation, and photoreionization. In addition, the new uses of laser transitions and chemical reactions is shown. This is accomplished through multiline operation of high pressure tunable lasers which can use the broadband radiation for multiphoton excitation.

Hess, R. V.↗

X-ray science using the ESRF—extremely brilliant source

The Extremely Brilliant Source (EBS), the first high-energy 4th-generation synchrotron radiation source, constructed at the ESRF and based upon the novel concept of a Hybrid Multi-Bend Achromat (HMBA), has started user operation on August 25th, 2020. We report here on selected recent scientific results exploiting the greatly improved performances of this novel X-ray source.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Hg-201 (+) CO-Magnetometer for HG-199(+) Trapped Ion Space Atomic Clocks

Local magnetic field strength in a trapped ion atomic clock is measured in real time, with high accuracy and without degrading clock performance, and the measurement is used to compensate for ambient magnetic field perturbations. First and second isotopes of an element are co-located within the linear ion trap. The first isotope has a resonant microwave transition between two hyperfine energy states, and the second isotope has a resonant Zeeman transition. Optical sources emit ultraviolet light that optically pump both isotopes. A microwave radiation source simultaneously emits microwave fields resonant with the first isotope's clock transition and the second isotope's Zeeman transition, and an optical detector measures the fluorescence from optically pumping both isotopes. The second isotope's Zeeman transition provides the measure of magnetic field strength, and the measurement is used to compensate the first isotope's clock transition or to adjust the applied C-field to reduce the effects of ambient magnetic field perturbations.

Burt, Eric A.↗

3D Backscatter Imaging System

Systems and methods for imaging an object using backscattered radiation are described. The imaging system comprises both a radiation source for irradiating an object that is rotationally movable about the object, and a detector for detecting backscattered radiation from the object that can be disposed on substantially the same side of the object as the source and which can be rotationally movable about the object. The detector can be separated into multiple detector segments with each segment having a single line of sight projection through the object and so detects radiation along that line of sight. Thus, each detector segment can isolate the desired component of the backscattered radiation. By moving independently of each other about the object, the source and detector can collect multiple images of the object at different angles of rotation and generate a three dimensional reconstruction of the object. Other embodiments are described.

Turner, D. Clark↗

Ion composition and drift observations in the nighttime equatorial ionosphere

The first in situ measurements of ion composition in the nighttime equatorial E and F region ionospheres (90-300 km) are presented and discussed. These profiles were obtained by two rocket-borne ion mass spectrometers launched from Thumba, India on March 9-10, 1970 at solar zenith angles of 112 deg and 165 deg. Ionosonde data established that the composition was measured at times bounding a period of F region downward drift. During this period the ions O(+) and N(+) were enhanced by one to three orders of magnitude between 220 and 300 km. Below the drift region (200 km), O(+) ceased to be the major ionic constituent, but the concentrations of O(+) and N(+) remained larger than predicted from known radiation sources and loss processes. Here also, both the O2(+) and NO(+) profiles retained nearly the same shape and magnitude throughout the night in agreement with theories assuming scattered UV radiation to be the maintaining source. Light metallic ions including Mg(+), Na(+) and possibly Si(+) were observed to altitude approaching 300 km, while the heavier ions Ca(+) and K(+) were seen in reduced quantity to 200 km. All metal ion profiles exhibited changes which can be ascribed to vertical drifting.

Goldberg, R. A.↗

Ion composition and drift observations in the nighttime equatorial ionosphere

The first in situ measurements of ion composition in the nighttime equatorial E- and F-region ionospheres are presented and discussed. These profiles were obtained by two rocket-borne ion mass spectrometers launched from Thumba, India, on March 9-10, 1970. Ionosonde data established that the composition was measured at times bounding a period of F-region downward drift. During this period, the ions O(+) and N(+) were enhanced by 1-3 orders of magnitude between 220 and 300 km. Below the drift region, O(+) ceased to be the major ionic constituent, but the concentrations of O(+) and N(+) remained larger than predicted from known radiation sources and loss processes. Here also, both the O2(+) and the NO(+) profiles retained nearly the same shape and magnitude throughout the night in agreement with theories assuming scattered UV radiation to be the maintaining source.

Goldberg, R. A.↗

Solar radiation calibration facility.

A recently completed calibration facility for the NASA Mississippi Test Site is described. It combines the spectrum of water cooled long arc xenon radiation sources with the integration sphere concept covered by a special barium sulfate diffusely reflecting paint. The sphere is six feet in diameter and completely encompasses the four xenon sources (2.5 kW each) and the five pyranometers under calibration. The sources are contained within the base of the central pedestal and allow the radiation to be emitted into the lower hemisphere. Only through diffuse reflection and multiple scattering is the radiation finally incident upon the test zone, which is in the equatorial plane of the sphere on the top of the pedestal. The sphere is temperature controlled.

Hershey, T. L.↗

Optical Radiation from Shock-Compressed Materials

Recent observations of shock-induced radiation from oxides, silicates, and metals of geophysical interest constrain the shock-compressed temperature of these materials. The relationships between the temperature inferred from the observed radiation and the temperature of the shock-compressed film or foil and/or window were investigated. Changes of the temperature field in each target component away from that of their respective shock-compressed states occur because of: shock-impedance mismatch between target components; thermal mismatch between target components; surface roughness at target interfaces; and conduction within and between target components. In particular, conduction may affect the temperature of the film/foil window interface on the time scale of the experiments, and so control the intensity and history of the dominant thermal radiation sources in the target. This type of model was used to interpret the radiation emitted by a variety of shock-compressed materials and interfaces.

Svendsen, Robert F., Jr.↗

Oscillator strengths for Fe II transitions at 224.918 and 226.008 nanometers

We report accurate experimental absorption oscillator strengths (f-values) for transitions out of the ground level of Fe II to the Z(sup 4)D(sup 0 sub 7/2) and z(sup 4)F(sup 0 sub 9/2) levels at 224.918 and 226.008 nm (air wavelengths) to be 0.00182(14) and 0.00244(19), respectively. The number in parenthesis is the uncertainty in the last digits. These two lines are important for studying Fe abundances and grain depletions in the interstellar medium. These f-values are determined by combining emission branching fractions with radiative lifetimes. Branching fractions are measured using classical spectroradiometry on an optically thin source. Radiative lifetimes are from the literature.

Bergeson, S. D.↗

Fluence Uniformity Measurements in an Electron Accelerator Used for Irradiation of Extended Area Solar Cells and Electronic Circuits for Space Applications

It is common to have liquid crystal displays and electronic circuit boards with area sizes of the order of 20x20 sq cm on board of satellites and space vehicles. Usually irradiating them at different fluence values assesses the radiation damage in these types of devices. As a result, there is a need for a radiation source with large spatial fluence uniformity for the study of the damage by radiation from space in those devices. Kent State University s Program on Electron Beam Technology has access to an electron accelerator used for both research and industrial applications. The electron accelerator produces electrons with energies in the interval from 1 to 5 MeV and a maximum beam power of 150 kW. At such high power levels, the electron beam is continuously scanned back and forth in one dimension in order to provide uniform irradiation and to prevent damage to the sample. This allows for the uniform irradiation of samples with an area of up to 1.32 sq m. This accelerator has been used in the past for the study of radiation damage in solar cells (1). However in order to irradiate extended area solar cells there was a need to measure the uniformity of the irradiation zone in terms of fluence. In this paper the methodology to measure the fluence uniformity on a sample handling system (linear motion system), used for the irradiation of research samples, along the irradiation zone of the above-mentioned facility is described and the results presented. We also illustrate the use of the electron accelerator for the irradiation of large area solar cells (of the order of 156 sq cm) and include in this paper the electrical characterization of these types of solar cells irradiated with 5 MeV electrons to a total fluence of 2.6 x 10(exp 15) e/sq cm.

Uribe, Roberto M.↗

A hybrid-kinetic simulation tool for non-thermal warm x-ray z-pinch sources, with gas-puff and wire array exemplars

Increasing the fluence of z-pinch x-ray radiation sources above ∼ 10 keV has been a long-standing goal for scientists at Sandia National Laboratories’ Z Machine. Optimizing sources for non-thermal “cold Kα” emission in higher atomic-number materials appears to be a promising path to increase warm x-ray yield. However, this emission is generated by supra-thermal electrons, which are not treated in the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) codes that are typically used in z-pinch source development. MHD codes do not allow for charge separation or space-charge-generated electric fields, and constrain particle kinematics to Maxwellian distributions. The kinetic codes which do accommodate discrete, non-thermal energy distributions are computationally prohibitive when modeling plasmas near solid density and when modeling/tracking higher ionization states. Thus, modeling non-thermal z-pinch sources requires a new simulation tool. In this report, we present a new hybrid modeling capability that uses the fast features of MHD-type particles to the greatest extent possible, then transitions to the slower but more complete kinetic particle treatment to correctly capture the particle energy spectra that generate non-thermal emission. This capability is founded on the fully-relativistic particle-in-cell code Chicago, which already includes fluid particle treatments. The governing equations and hybrid methodology presented here are applied in simulations of an argon gas-puff and a molybdenum wire-array to provide preliminary code validation. The argon simulation is compared to measured implosion times and yields from Jones et al., Phys. Plasmas 22, 020706 (2015). The simulated x-ray yield is within 25% of measurements and the implosion times agree within a few percent. The molybdenum wire array simulation captures the implosion timing reported in Hansen et al., Phys. Plasmas 21, 031202 (2014), but work is needed to verify the available EOS table. These exemplar simulations represents the type of non-thermal sources that will be developed using the hybrid code capability going forward.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Multispectral variable magnification glancing incidence x ray telescope

A multispectral, variable magnification, glancing incidence, x-ray telescope capable of broadband, high resolution imaging of solar and stellar x-ray and extreme ultraviolet radiation sources is discussed. The telescope includes a primary optical system which focuses the incoming radiation to a primary focus. Two or more rotatable mirror carriers, each providing a different magnification, are positioned behind the primary focus at an inclination to the optical axis. Each carrier has a series of ellipsoidal mirrors, and each mirror has a concave surface covered with a multilayer (layered synthetic microstructure) coating to reflect a different desired wavelength. The mirrors of both carriers are segments of ellipsoids having a common first focus coincident with the primary focus. A detector such as an x-ray sensitive photographic film is positioned at the second respective focus of each mirror so that each mirror may reflect the image at the first focus to the detector at the second focus. The carriers are selectively rotated to position a selected mirror for receiving radiation from the primary optical system, and at least the first carrier may be withdrawn from the path of the radiation to permit a selected mirror on the second carrier to receive the radiation.

Hoover, Richard B.↗

Hubble Space Telescope images of the Seyfert galaxies NGC 5929 and MCG 8-11-11

We present the initial results of a program to obtain high resolution images of Seyfert galaxies with the Planetary Camera aboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). In this paper we discuss the images of the type 2 Seyfert NGC 5929 and the type 1.5 Seyfert MCG 8-11-11 (= UGC 3374). The images were obtained in the emission lines of (O III) lambda lambda 4959 and 5007 A and H alpha + (N II) lambda lambda 6548 and 6583 A and their adjacent continua. The high-excitation gas in the narrow line region (NLR) of NGC 5929 is resolved into individual clouds in the central 1 sec .5. Although the (O III) emission is clearly not spherically symmetric with respect to the nucleus, it does not define a distinct 'bicone' morphology, as observed by the HST in a few other Seyfert galaxies. We find no direct evidence for the reddening and/or obscuration effects characteristic of a dusty torus, which, in the context of 'unified models', is expected to obscure the active galactic nucleus (AGN) in type 2 Seyfert galaxies. The correspondence between the emission line gas and the radio morphology suggests that the structure of the NLR in NGC 5929 is governed by matter ejected from the AGN. A comparison of the recombination rate of hydrogen in the brightest emission line cloud with an upper limit on the ionizing luminosity emitted toward Earth provides no evidence that the central ionizing source radiates anisotropically. The images of MCG 8-11-11 show only an unresolved nuclear source. No emission line gas associated with the extended radio source is detected. We estimate upper limits on the intensity of extended line emission in this galaxy and examine their significance.

Bower, Gary A.↗

Determination of bone mineral mass in vivo

Radiographic equipment incorporates two radiation sources, generating high-energy and low-energy beams. Recording equipment measures amount of radiation that has penetrated limb. Data are fed into computer that determines mass of the examined bone.

Cameron, J. R.↗