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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

The Rubin Observatory Target-of-Opportunity System in the First Year of Operations

The NSF/DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory is a discovery machine, with unprecedented survey speed, which can be used to identify exotic astrophysical transients. In its prime mission, the ten year Legacy Survey of Space and Time will use 3% of its total time for Target of Opportunity observations, which includes response to gravitational wave events, high energy neutrinos, potentially-hazardous asteroids, and other astrophysical phenomena. Target of Opportunity observations exist outside of the usual LSST operational mode, requiring special attention to maximize performance. We review the Rubin Target of Opportunity system during its first year of Rubin Observatory operations, the Targets of Opportunity pursued since LSST first light, and the overall efficiency of the system.

MacBride, Sean Patrick [Zurich U.] (ORCID:00000002↗
DOE OSTI2026

Connecting Current and Future Dual Active Galactic Nucleus Searches to LISA and Pulsar Timing Array Gravitational-wave Detections

Abstract Dual active galactic nuclei (DAGN) mark the observable stage of massive black hole (MBH) pairing during galaxy mergers and are the progenitors of the MBH binaries that generate low-frequency gravitational waves. Using the large-volume ASTRID cosmological simulation, we construct mock DAGN catalogs tailored to the selection functions of current (COSMOS-Web and DESI) and forthcoming (Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (Roman) and Lynx X-ray Observatory (Lynx)) surveys, enabling direct comparisons between simulations and observations. With realistic observational selections, ASTRID reproduces the observed dual fractions, projected separations, and host-galaxy properties across redshifts. We predict a substantial population of small-separation (<5 kpc) duals that remain inaccessible to current surveys, demonstrating that the apparent paucity of subkiloparsec systems in COSMOS-Web is primarily a consequence of observational selection rather than an intrinsic absence. Following each simulated dual to coalescence, we show that DAGN are effective tracers of MBH mergers: ∼30%–70% merge within ≲1 Gyr, and 20%–60% of these mergers produce gravitational-wave signals detectable by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). Duals observable with Roman and Lynx are the progenitors of ∼10%–50% of low-redshift LISA sources and contribute ∼30% of the PTA-band stochastic gravitational-wave background. We further identify massive green-valley galaxies hosting moderate-luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGN), together with massive star-forming galaxies containing bright quasars at z > 1, as the environments most likely to host imminent MBH binaries. These results establish a unified cosmological framework connecting DAGN demographics, MBH binary evolution, and gravitational-wave sources, while identifying high-priority targets for coordinated electromagnetic and multimessenger observations in the coming decade.

Chen, Nianyi [Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik;↗
DOE OSTI2022

Signals of primordial black holes at gravitational wave interferometers

Primordial black holes (PBHs) can form as a result of primordial scalar perturbations at small scales. This PBH formation scenario has associated gravitational wave (GW) signatures from second-order GWs induced by the primordial curvature perturbation, and from GWs produced during an early PBH dominated era. We investigate the ability of next generation GW experiments, including BBO, LISA, and CE, to probe this PBH formation scenario in a wide mass range. Measuring the stochastic GW background with GW observatories can constrain the allowed parameter space of PBHs for masses 10 9 – 10 27 g. We also discuss possible GW sources from an unconstrained region where light PBHs (< 10 9 g) temporarily dominate the energy density of the universe before evaporating. Here we show how PBH formation impacts the reach of GW observatories to the primordial power spectrum and provide constraints implied by existing PBH bounds.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS2003

Cluster Masses Derived from X-ray and Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect Measurements

We infer the gas mass and total gravitational mass of 11 clusters using two different methods; analysis of X-ray data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory and analysis of centimeter-wave Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect (SZE) data from the BIMA and OVRO interferometers. This flux-limited sample of clusters from the BCS cluster catalogue was chosen so as to be well above the surface brightness limit of the ROSAT All Sky Survey; this is therefore an orientation unbiased sample. The gas mass fraction, f_g, is calculated for each cluster using both X-ray and SZE data, and the results are compared at a fiducial radius of r_500. Comparison of the X-ray and SZE results for this orientation unbiased sample allows us to constrain cluster systematics, such as clumping of the intracluster medium. We derive an upper limit on Omega_M assuming that the mass composition of clusters within r_500 reflects the universal mass composition Omega_M h_100 is greater than Omega _B / f-g. We also demonstrate how the mean f_g derived from the sample can be used to estimate the masses of clusters discovered by upcoming deep SZE surveys.

Laroque, S.↗
NASA NTRS2014

NASA's Physics of the Cosmos and Cosmic Origins Technology Development Programs

NASA's Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) and Cosmic Origins (COR) Program Offices, established in 2011, reside at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The offices serve as the implementation arm for the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. We present an overview of the programs' technology development activities and technology investment portfolio, funded by NASA's Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) program. We currently fund 19 technology advancements to enable future PCOS and COR missions to help answer the questions "How did our universe begin and evolve?" and "How did galaxies, stars, and planets come to be?" We discuss the process for addressing community-provided technology gaps and Technology Management Board (TMB)-vetted prioritization and investment recommendations that inform the SAT program. The process improves the transparency and relevance of our technology investments, provides the community a voice in the process, and promotes targeted external technology investments by defining needs and identifying customers. The programs' goal is to promote and support technology development needed to enable missions envisioned by the National Research Council's (NRC) "New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics" (NWNH) Decadal Survey report [1] and the Astrophysics Implementation Plan (AIP) [2]. These include technology development for dark energy, gravitational waves, X-ray and inflation probe science, and a 4m-class UV/optical telescope to conduct imaging and spectroscopy studies, as a post-Hubble observatory with significantly improved sensitivity and capability.

Technology Management Board (TMB)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Exotic compact objects: The dark white dwarf

Several dark matter models allow for the intriguing possibility of exotic compact object formation. These objects might have unique characteristics that set them apart from their baryonic counterparts. Furthermore, gravitational wave observations of their mergers may provide the only direct window on a potentially entirely hidden sector. Here, we discuss dark white dwarfs, starting with an overview of the microphysical model and analytic scaling relations of macroscopic properties derived from the nonrelativistic limit. We use the full relativistic formalism to confirm these scaling relations and demonstrate that dark white dwarfs, if they exist, would have masses and tidal deformabilities that are very different from those of baryonic compact objects. Further, and most importantly, we demonstrate that dark white dwarf mergers would be detectable by current or planned gravitational observatories across several orders of magnitude in the particle-mass parameter space. Lastly, we find universal relations analogous to the compactness-Love and binary Love relations in neutron star literature. Using these results, we show that gravitational wave observations would constrain the properties of the dark matter particles constituting these objects.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Implications of the search for optical counterparts during the second part of the Advanced LIGO’s and Advanced Virgo’s third observing run: lessons learned for future follow-up observations

ABSTRACT Joint multimessenger observations with gravitational waves and electromagnetic (EM) data offer new insights into the astrophysical studies of compact objects. The third Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo observing run began on 2019 April 1; during the 11 months of observation, there have been 14 compact binary systems candidates for which at least one component is potentially a neutron star. Although intensive follow-up campaigns involving tens of ground and space-based observatories searched for counterparts, no EM counterpart has been detected. Following on a previous study of the first six months of the campaign, we present in this paper the next five months of the campaign from 2019 October to 2020 March. We highlight two neutron star–black hole candidates (S191205ah and S200105ae), two binary neutron star candidates (S191213g and S200213t), and a binary merger with a possible neutron star and a ‘MassGap’ component, S200115j. Assuming that the gravitational-wave (GW) candidates are of astrophysical origin and their location was covered by optical telescopes, we derive possible constraints on the matter ejected during the events based on the non-detection of counterparts. We find that the follow-up observations during the second half of the third observing run did not meet the necessary sensitivity to constrain the source properties of the potential GW candidate. Consequently, we suggest that different strategies have to be used to allow a better usage of the available telescope time. We examine different choices for follow-up surveys to optimize sky localization coverage versus observational depth to understand the likelihood of counterpart detection.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Gravitational waves from more attractive dark binaries

Abstract The detection of gravitational waves (GWs) has led to a deeper understanding of binaries of ordinary astrophysical objects, including neutron stars and black holes. In this work, we point out that binary systems may also exist in a dark sector with astrophysical-mass macroscopic dark matter. These “dark binaries”, when coupled to an additional attractive long-range dark force, may generate a stochastic gravitational wave background (SGWB) with a characteristic spectrum different from ordinary binaries. We find that the SGWB from planet-mass dark binaries is detectable by space- and ground-based GW observatories. The contribution to the SGWB today is smaller from binaries that merge before recombination than after, avoiding constraints on extra radiation degrees of freedom while potentially leaving a detectable GW signal at high frequencies up to tens of GHz.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗
NASA NTRS2018

NASA Develops Technology Today to Enable Breakthrough Observations Tomorrow

The COR and PCOS Programs, along with the Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP), work with four Science and Technology Definition Teams (STDTs), each studying a large-mission concept for the 2030s and beyond to inform the next astrophysics Decadal Survey. Lynx operates at X-ray wavelengths. The Origins Space Telescope (OST) is a far-IR mission. The Large UV/optical/IR Surveyor (LUVOIR) has a joint focus on general astrophysics and exoplanet science. As indicated by its name, the priority science goal of the Habitable Exoplanet Observatory (HabEx) is exoplanet science using visual and IR wavelengths. In addition to these four, NASA is participating in the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), a European Space Agency (ESA) gravitational-wave mission.

Pham, Thai↗
DOE OSTI2023

Multimessenger emission from the accretion-induced collapse of white dwarfs

ABSTRACT We present fully general relativistic 3D numerical simulations of accretion-induced collapse (AIC) of white dwarfs (WDs). We evolve three different WD models (non-rotating, rotating at 80 per cent and 99 per cent of the Keplerian mass shedding limit) that collapse due to electron capture. For each of these models, we provide a detailed analysis of their gravitational waves (GWs), neutrinos, and electromagnetic counterpart and discuss their detectability. Our results suggest that fast rotating AICs could be detectable up to a distance of 8 Mpc with third-generation GW observatories, and up to 1 Mpc with LIGO. AIC progenitors are expected to have large angular momentum due to their accretion history, which is a determining factor for their stronger GW emission compared to core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe). Regarding neutrino emission, we found no significant difference between AICs and CCSNe. In the electromagnetic spectrum, we find that AICs are two orders of magnitude fainter than type Ia supernovae. Our work places AICs as realistic targets for future multimessenger searches with third generation ground-based GW detectors.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

LISA Activities at NASA

NASA will participate as a junior partner in the ESA-led LISA mission, which will provide the first view of the universe in milliHertz gravitational waves. While the exact set of NASA-provided contributions is still under negotiation, they are expected to include significant contributions to the LISA instrument and participation in the scientific operations of the observatory. The NASA LISA Study Office is tasked with coordinating NASA’s activities on LISA including the development of a number of technologies as candidate contributions to the LISA payload as well as collaboration with ESA and the LISA Consortium on development of the LISA spacecraft, instrument, data analysis infrastructure, and science case. This talk will provide an overview of these activities, their current status, and an outlook for progress in the near-term.

Ira Thorpe↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Cross-correlation Study between IceCube Neutrino Events and the FERMI Unresolved Gamma-Ray Sky

With the coincident detections of electromagnetic radiation together with gravitational waves (GW170817) or neutrinos (TXS 0506+056), the new era of multimessenger astrophysics has begun. Of particular interest are the searches for correlation between the high-energy astrophysical neutrinos detected by the IceCube Observatory and gamma-ray photons detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). So far, only sources detected by the LAT have been considered in correlation with IceCube neutrinos, neglecting any emission from sources too faint to be resolved individually. Here we present the first cross-correlation analysis considering the unresolved gamma-ray background (UGRB) and IceCube events. We perform a thorough sensitivity study, and, given the lack of identified correlation, we place upper limits on the fraction of the observed neutrinos that would be produced in proton–proton or proton–$γ$ interactions from the population of sources contributing to the UGRB emission and dominating its spatial anisotropy (aka blazars). Our analysis suggests that, under the assumption that there is no intrinsic cutoff and/or hardening of the spectrum above Fermi-LAT energies, and that all gamma rays from the unresolved blazars dominating the UGRB fluctuation field are produced by neutral pions from $p–p$ ($p–γ$) interactions, up to 60% (30%) of such a population may contribute to the total neutrino events observed by IceCube. This translates into an O (1%) maximum contribution to the astrophysical high-energy neutrino flux observed by IceCube at 100 TeV.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

The Active Optics System on the Vera C. Rubin Observatory: Optimal Control of Degeneracy among the Large Number of Degrees of Freedom

Abstract The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is a unique facility for survey astronomy that will soon be commissioned and begin operations. Crucial to many of its scientific goals is the achievement of sustained high image quality, limited only by the seeing at the site. This will be maintained through an active optics system that controls optical element misalignments and corrects mirror figure error to minimize aberrations caused by both thermal and gravitational effects. However, the large number of adjustment degrees of freedom available on the Rubin Observatory introduces a range of degeneracies, including many that are induced by noise due to imperfect measurement of the wave-front errors. We present a structured methodology for identifying these degeneracies through an analysis of image noise level. We also present a novel scaling strategy based on truncated singular value decomposition that mitigates the degeneracy and optimally distributes the adjustment over the available degrees of freedom. Our approach ensures the attainment of optimal image quality, while avoiding excursions around the noise-induced subspace of degeneracies, marking a significant improvement over the previous techniques adopted for Rubin, which were based on an optimal integral controller. This new approach is likely to also yield significant benefits for all telescopes that incorporate large numbers of degrees of freedom of adjustment.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2016

The e-astrogam Gamma-Ray Space Mission

e-ASTROGAM is a gamma-ray space mission to be proposed as the M5 Medium-size mission of the European Space Agency. It is dedicated to the observation of the Universe with unprecedented sensitivity in the energy range 0.2-100 MeV, extending up to GeV energies, together with a groundbreaking polarization capability. It is designed to substantially improve the COMPTEL and Fermi sensitivities in the MeV-GeV energy range and to open new windows of opportunity for astrophysical and fundamental physics space research. e-ASTROGAM will operate as an open astronomical observatory, with a core science focused on (1) the activity from extreme particle accelerators, including gamma-ray bursts and active galactic nuclei and the link of jet astrophysics to the new astronomy of gravitational waves, neutrinos, ultra-high energy cosmic rays, (2) the high-energy mysteries of the Galactic center and inner Galaxy, including the activity of the supermassive black hole, the Fermi Bubbles, the origin of the Galactic positrons, and the search for dark matter signatures in a new energy window; (3) nucleosynthesis and chemical evolution, including the life cycle of elements produced by supernovae in the Milky Way and the Local Group of galaxies. e-ASTROGAM will be ideal for the study of high-energy sources in general, including pulsars and pulsar wind nebulae, accreting neutron stars and black holes, novae, supernova remnants, and magnetars. And it will also provide important contributions to solar and terrestrial physics. The e-ASTROGAM telescope is optimized for the simultaneous detection of Compton and pair-producing gamma-ray events over a large spectral band. It is based on a very high technology readiness level for all subsystems and includes many innovative features for the detectors and associated electronics.

Compton and pair creation telescope↗
DOE OSTI2025

Inferring Neutron Star Merger Ejecta Morphology with Kilonovae

In this study we incorporate a new grid of kilonova simulations produced by the Monte Carlo radiative transfer code SuperNu in an inference pipeline for astrophysical transients and evaluate their performance. These simulations contain four different two-component ejecta morphology classes. We analyze follow-up observational strategies by Vera Rubin Observatory in optical and James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in mid-infrared (MIR). Our analysis suggests that, within these strategies, it is possible to discriminate between the four different morphologies only when late-time JWST observations in MIR are available. We conclude that follow-ups by the new Vera Rubin Observatory alone are not sufficient to determine ejecta morphology. Additionally, we make comparisons between surrogate models based on radiative transfer simulation grids by SuperNu and POSSIS, by analyzing the historic kilonova AT2017gfo that accompanied the gravitational wave event GW170817. We show that both SuperNu and POSSIS models provide similar fits to photometric observations but their qualitative interpretations differ.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Gravitational Wave Symphony from Oscillating Spectator Scalar Fields

We investigate a generic source of stochastic gravitational wave background due to the parametric resonance of oscillating scalar fields in the early Universe. By systematically analyzing benchmark models through lattice simulations and considering a wide range of parameters, we demonstrate that such a scenario can lead to detectable signals in gravitational wave detectors over a broad frequency range and potentially address the recent findings by pulsar timing array experiments. Furthermore, these models naturally yield ultralight dark matter candidates or dark radiation detectable by cosmic microwave background observatories. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Collapse of neutrino wave functions under Penrose gravitational reduction

Models of spontaneous wave function collapse have been postulated to address the measurement problem in quantum mechanics. Their primary function is to convert coherent quantum superpositions into incoherent ones, with the result that macroscopic objects cannot be placed into widely separated superpositions for observably prolonged times. Many of these processes will also lead to loss of coherence in neutrino oscillations, producing observable signatures in the flavor profile of neutrinos at long travel distances. The majority of studies of neutrino oscillation coherence to date have focused on variants of the continuous state localization model, whereby an effective decoherence strength parameter is used to model the rate of coherence loss with an assumed energy dependence. Another class of collapse models that have been proposed posit connections to the configuration of gravitational field accompanying the mass distribution associated with each wave function that is in the superposition. A particularly interesting and prescriptive model is Penrose’s description of gravitational collapse which proposes a decoherence time τ determined through E g τ ∼ ℏ , where E g is a calculable function of the Newtonian gravitational potential. Here we explore application of the Penrose collapse model to neutrino oscillations, reinterpreting previous experimental limits on neutrino decoherence in terms of this model. We identify effects associated with both spatial collapse and momentum diffusion, finding that the latter is ruled out in data from the IceCube South Pole Neutrino Observatory so long as the neutrino wave packet width at production is σ ν , x ≤ 2 × 10 − 12 m . Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗
NASA NTRS2019

STROBE-X: X-ray Timing & Spectroscopy on Dynamical Timescales from Milliseconds to Years

We describe a probe-class mission concept that provides an unprecedented view of the X-ray sky, performing timing and 0.2-30 keV spectroscopy over timescales from microseconds to years. The Spectroscopic Time-Resolving Observatory for Broadband Energy X-rays (STROBE-X) has three key science drivers: (1) measuring the spin distribution of accreting black holes, (2) understanding the equation of state of dense matter, and (3) exploring the properties of the precursors and electromagnetic counterparts of gravitational wave sources. To perform these science investigations, STROBE-X comprises three primary instruments. The first uses an array of lightweight optics (3-m focal length) that concentrate incident photons onto solid state detectors with CCD-level (85-130 eV) energy resolution, 100 ns time resolution, and low background rates to cover the 0.2-12 keV band. This technology is scaled up from NICER, with enhanced optics to take advantage of the longer focal length of STROBE-X. The second uses large-area collimated silicon drift detectors, developed for ESA's LOFT, to cover the 2-30 keV band. These two instruments each provide an order of magnitude improvement in effective area compared with its predecessor (NICER and RXTE, respectively). Finally, a sensitive sky monitor triggers pointed observations, provides high duty cycle, high time resolution, high spectral resolution monitoring of the X-ray sky with ~20 times the sensitivity of the RXTE ASM, and enables multi-wavelength and multi-messenger studies on a continuous, rather than scanning basis. The STROBE-X mission concept is a rapidly repointable observatory in low-Earth orbit, similar to RXTE or Swift, and will be presented to the 2020 Astrophysics Decadal Survey for consideration as a probe-class mission.

STROBE-X: X-ray↗