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At least 199 records · Page 11

The transient gamma-ray spectrometer

The authors describe the Transient Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (TGRS) to be flown onboard the WIND spacecraft. This instrument is designed to detect cosmic gamma-ray bursts over the energy range of 20 keV to 10 MeV with an expected spectroscopic resolution of 2 keV at 1 MeV (E/Delta-E = 500). The active detection element is a 215-cu cm high-purity n-type Ge crystal cooled to cryogenic temperatures by a passive radiative cooler. The geometric field of view (FOV) defined by the cooler is 170 deg FWFM. Burst data are stored directly in an onboard 2.75-Mb burst memory with an absolute timing accuracy of +/-1.5 ms. This capacity is sufficient to store the entire spectral data set of all but the largest bursts. In addition to burst measurements, the instrument will also study solar flares, search for possible diffuse background lines, and monitor the 511-keV positron annihilation radiation from the galactic center. The experiment is scheduled to be launched on a Delta II launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral on December 31, 1992.

Owens, A.↗

Molecular gas in elliptical galaxies with dust lanes

We have searched for CO(1-0) line emission in eight dust lane elliptical and lenticular galaxies using the Nobeyama 45 m telescope. Five of the eight galaxies, including the well-studied elliptical NGC 1052, have CO emission at above the 5-sigma level, with inferred molecular gas masses ranging from 10 exp 8 to a few times 10 exp 9 solar masses. Our selection criterion differs from previous surveys in that it does not depend on the FIR fluxes, and thus is less sensitive to the sizes and distances of the host galaxies or to the degree to which dust is heated. The relatively high detection rate of CO in these ellipticals suggests a close correlation between molecular mass and cold dust. Compared with previously studied samples of FIR selected early-type galaxies, our sample has on average four times more CO emission per unit FIR (40-120 microns) luminosity. If the intrinsic gas-to-dust ratio of these galaxies as similar to that of the Milky Way, then only about 5 percent of the dust mass in dust lane ellipticals radiates substantially at 60 and 100 microns, and the remaining dust must be colder than about 30 K.

Wang, Zhong↗

All-Sky Search for Transient Sources near 0.5 MeV with the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE)

We present a search for bright, transient emission lines near 0.5 MeV in nearly two years of data from the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory, Such features have been reported from black hole candidates Nova Muscae and 1E 1740.7-2942 and from the Crab, lasting for about 1 day. Our survey covers the whole sky and is sensitive to events with durations from 0.5-3.0 day. No transients are observed, and the systematic errors are low enough that the upper limits are significantly below the fluxes of the two most significant events previously reported.

Smith, D. M.↗

Abundances of ethylene oxide and acetaldehyde in hot molecular cloud cores

We have searched for millimetre-wave line emission from ethylene oxide (c-C2H4O) and its structural isomer acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) in 11 molecular clouds using SEST. Ethylene oxide and acetaldehyde were detected through multiple lines in the hot cores NGC 6334F, G327.3-0.6, G31.41+0.31, and G34.3+0.2. Acetaldehyde was also detected towards G10.47+0.03, G322.2+0.6, and Orion 3'N, and one ethylene oxide line was tentatively detected in G10.47+0.03. Column densities and rotational excitation temperatures were derived using a procedure which fits the observed line intensifies by finding the minimum chi 2-value. The resulting rotational excitation temperatures of ethylene oxide and acetaldehyde are in the range 16-38 K, indicating that these species are excited in the outer, cooler parts of the hot cores or that the excitation is significantly subthermal. For an assumed source size of 20", the deduced column densities are (0.6-1)x10(14) cm-2 for ethylene oxide and (2-5)x10(14) cm-2 for acetaldehyde. The fractional abundances with respect to H2 are X[c-C2H4O]=(2-6)xl0(-10), and X[CH3CHO]=(0.8-3)x10(-9). The ratio X[CH3CHO]/X[c-C2H4O] varies between 2.6 (NGC 6334F) and 8.5 (G327.3-0.6). We also detected and analysed multiple transitions of CH3OH, CH3OCH3, C2H5OH, and HCOOH. The chemical, and possibly evolutionary, states of NGC 6334F, G327.3-0.6, G31.41+0.31, and G34.3+0.2 seem to be very similar.

Non-NASA Center↗

Observations of Carbon Chain Chemistry in the Envelopes of Low-Mass Protostars

Observational results are reported from our surveys in the Northern Hemisphere (using the Onsala 20 m telescope) and the Southern Hemisphere (using the Mopra 22 m telescope) to search for 3 mm emission lines from carbon-chain-bearing species and other complex molecules in the envelopes of low-mass protostars. Based on a sample of approximately 60 sources, we find that carbon-chain-bearing species including HC3N (and C4H) are highly abundant in the vicinity of more than half of the observed protostars. The origin and evolution of these species, including their likely incorporation into ices in protoplanetary disks will be discussed

Cordiner, M.↗

VIII. New Zr IV-VII, Xe IV-V, and Xe VII Oscillator Strengths and the Al, Zr, and Xe Abundances in the Hot White Dwarfs G191-B2B and RE0503-289

Context: For the spectral analysis of high-resolution and high-signal-to-noise spectra of hot stars, state-of-the-art non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) model atmospheres are mandatory. These are strongly dependent on the reliability of the atomic data that is used for their calculation. Aims: To search for zirconium and xenon lines in the ultraviolet (UV) spectra of G191−B2B and RE 0503−289, new Zr iv-vii, Xe iv-v, and Xe vii oscillator strengths were calculated. This allows, for the first time, determination of the Zr abundance in white dwarf (WD) stars and improvement of the Xe abundance determinations.Methods: We calculated Zr iv-vii, Xe iv-v, and Xe vii oscillator strengths to consider radiative and collisional bound-bound transitions of Zr and Xe in our NLTE stellar-atmosphere models for the analysis of their lines exhibited in UV observations of the hot WDs G191−B2B and RE 0503−289. Results: We identified one new Zr iv, 14 new Zr v, and ten new Zr vi lines in the spectrum of RE 0503−289. Zr was detected for the first time in a WD. We measured a Zr abundance of −3.5 +/- 0.2 (logarithmic mass fraction, approx. 11 500 times solar). We identified five new Xe vi lines and determined a Xe abundance of −3.9 +/- 0.2 (approx. 7500 times solar). We determined a preliminary photospheric Al abundance of −4.3 +/- 0.2 (solar) in RE 0503−289. In the spectra of G191−B2B, no Zr line was identified. The strongest Zr iv line (1598.948 Å) in our model gave an upper limit of −5.6 +/- 0.3 (approx. 100 times solar). No Xe line was identified in the UV spectrum of G191−B2B and we confirmed the previously determined upper limit of −6.8 +/- 0.3 (ten times solar). Conclusions: Precise measurements and calculations of atomic data are a prerequisite for advanced NLTE stellar-atmosphere modeling. Observed Zr iv-vi and Xe vi-vii line profiles in the UV spectrum of RE 0503−289 were simultaneously well reproduced with our newly calculated oscillator strengths.

Rauch, T.↗

Upper limits on metals in quasar Lyman-alpha forest clouds: Absence of C 5 lines in echelle spectra

Recently Lu presented tentative evidence for C IV lines in Quasi-Stellar Object (QSO) Ly-alpha forest systems with strong lines. We have performed a similar search for C IV in our 10 km/s resolution echelle spectra of the bright QSO HS 1946+7658. We shifted the spectra to align the expected positions of the C IV lines in 65 Ly-alpha systems and then added them. The resulting composite spectrum, equivalent to 390 hr of exposure time on the Lick 3 m telescope, has a signal-to-noise ratio of 80 per 0.025 A in the rest frame of the absorbers. We do not see any C IV lines down to a 2 sigma limit of W(1548) less than or equal to 1.4 mA, about one fifth of the strength of the lines seen by Lu. The C IV lines that Lu saw must be restricted to rare Ly-alpha systems with large H I column densities greater than or equal to 10(exp 14)/sq cm, which are too rare to show C IV in our sample. More common Ly-alpha systems with H I column densities of 10(exp 13)-10(exp 14)/sq cm do not show C IV lines. If their ionization is H/H I = 10(exp 4) then they have (C/H) less than or equal to -2.0.

Tytler, David↗

On interstellar Fe X forbidden line absorption. III - The lambda 6367 feature

Echelle spectra of Zeta Oph and HD 190603 are reported which show a weak interstellar absorption feature near 6367 A. The feature had been previously detected only toward two members of the Cepheus OB2 association in an extensive search for interstellar Fe X forbidden line absorption (lambda 6375). On the basis of the resulting radial velocities, the two new detections exclude the preliminary identification of the lambda 6367 feature with high-velocity Fe X ions in the hot, X-ray-emitting gas and demonstrate that the feature arises instead in the ordinary diffuse clouds. This unidentified feature may be either a molecular transition or a very weak diffuse interstellar band.

Hobbs, L. M.↗

SAD5 Stereo Correlation Line-Striping in an FPGA

High precision SAD5 stereo computations can be performed in an FPGA (field-programmable gate array) at much higher speeds than possible in a conventional CPU (central processing unit), but this uses large amounts of FPGA resources that scale with image size. Of the two key resources in an FPGA, Slices and BRAM (block RAM), Slices scale linearly in the new algorithm with image size, and BRAM scales quadratically with image size. An approach was developed to trade latency for BRAM by sub-windowing the image vertically into overlapping strips and stitching the outputs together to create a single continuous disparity output. In stereo, the general rule of thumb is that the disparity search range must be 1/10 the image size. In the new algorithm, BRAM usage scales linearly with disparity search range and scales again linearly with line width. So a doubling of image size, say from 640 to 1,280, would in the previous design be an effective 4 of BRAM usage: 2 for line width, 2 again for disparity search range. The minimum strip size is twice the search range, and will produce an output strip width equal to the disparity search range. So assuming a disparity search range of 1/10 image width, 10 sequential runs of the minimum strip size would produce a full output image. This approach allowed the innovators to fit 1280 960 wide SAD5 stereo disparity in less than 80 BRAM, 52k Slices on a Virtex 5LX330T, 25% and 24% of resources, respectively. Using a 100-MHz clock, this build would perform stereo at 39 Hz. Of particular interest to JPL is that there is a flight qualified version of the Virtex 5: this could produce stereo results even for very large image sizes at 3 orders of magnitude faster than could be computed on the PowerPC 750 flight computer. The work covered in the report allows the stereo algorithm to run on much larger images than before, and using much less BRAM. This opens up choices for a smaller flight FPGA (which saves power and space), or for other algorithms in addition to SAD5 to be run on the same FPGA.

Villalpando, Carlos Y.↗

A search variability in the UV spectrum of Pi Aquarii and Fe 3 shell lines of Be stars

Several short U1 and U2 observations of Be stars are obtained with the Copernicus satellite. Pi Aquarii (B1 IV-Ve) is observed with the U1 and U2 spectrometers. These scans are compared with earlier observations. Variations in the strengths and profiles of selected shell and photospheric features are examined. In order to study possible changes in the temperature of the circumstellar envelope, features covering a wide range in ionization are observed. Included in the observing program are lines of O VI, N V, Si IV, Si III, S III, Fe III, and N I.

Source record↗

Search for plasma shifts of C VI, N VII, and O VIII resonance lines

The resonance lines of the hydrogenlike ions C VI, N VII, and O VIII were observed in laser-produced plasmas with electron densities in the range 10 to the 21st - 10 to the 22nd per cu cm and electron temperatures between about 70 and 100 eV. The lines of the hydrogenlike ions were recorded photographically with a 3-m grazing-incidence spectrograph. No significant plasma line shift was observed.

Goldsmith, S.↗

Absorption-line spectra of quasi-stellar objects - Physical properties of absorbing gas

The optical absorption lines of quasars are examined, and implications of the lines for the physical properties of the absorbing gas are discussed. Consideration is given to the characteristics of broad absorption lines observed in such quasars as PHL 5200 and Q 1246-057 and of the more prevalent extremely narrow lines, with discussion of the presumed physical conditions in the absorbing gas and the distribution of absorption-line redshifts with respect to emission-line redshifts. It is pointed out that absorption features become more prevalent in quasar spectra with emission redshifts greater than 2.3, and results of studies of column densities and abundances and of the presence of absorption in radio compact quasars are indicated. Research programs currently under way are then described, including a search for the distribution of absorption lines in a fixed wavelength range less than the Lyman alpha emission wavelength, study of low absorption-redshift systems, a study of individual objects such as the quasar pair 1548+114a and b, and various theoretical investigations.

Burbidge, E. M.↗

Identification of atmospheric C2H2 lines in the 3230-3340/cm region of high resolution solar absorption spectra recorded at the National Solar Observatory

A search has been conducted for the presence of absorption lines of atmospheric acetylene (C2H2), taking into account the 3230-3340/cm interval of 0.01/cm resolution solar absorption spectra recorded with the interferometer of the Solar Observatory on Kitt Peak. A total of 12 lines belonging to the strong nu-3 and nu-2 + nu-4 + nu-5 bands has been identified in this interval. This letter provides a report regarding the identification analysis of selected atmospheric C2H2 lines in a representative set of Kitt Peak solar spectra.

Rinsland, C. P.↗

A spectroscopic search for colliding stellar winds in O-type close binary systems. I - AO Cassiopeiae

AO Cas, a short-period, double-lined spectroscopic binary, is studied as part of a search for spectroscopic evidence of colliding stellar winds in binary systems of O-type stars. High S/N ratio spectra of the H-alpha and He I 6678-A line profiles are presented, and their orbital-phase-related variations are examined in order to derive the location and motions of high-density circumstellar gas in the system. These profile variations are compared with those observed in the UV stellar wind lines in IUE archival spectra. IUE spectra are also used to derive a system mass ratio by constructing cross-correlation functions of a single-lined phase spectrum with each of the other spectra. The resulting mass ratio is consistent with the rotational line broadening of the primary star, if the primary is rotating synchronously with the binary system. The best-fit models were found to have an inclination of 61.1 deg + or - 3.0 deg and have a primary which is close to filling its critical Roche lobe.

Gies, Douglas R.↗

Gamma-ray observations of NGC 253 and M82 with OSSE

Gamma-ray observations of the nearby starburst galaxies NGC 253 and M82 over the energy range (0.05-10) MeV have been obtained with the Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (OSSE) spectrometer on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO). The priority of these galaxies as OSSE targets had been established on the grounds that the average supernova rate may be high in starbursts as indicated by infrared and radio observations, and at distances of approximately 3 Mpc a significant chance of supernova gamm-ray line detection exists. NGC 253 was detected in continuum emission up to 165 keV with a total significance of 4.4 sigma and an estimated luminosity of 3 x 10(exp 40) ergs/s. The spectrum is best fit by a power law of photon index approximately 2.5. We consider the possible contribution of different emission mechanisms, including inverse Compton scattering, bremsstrahlung, discrete sources, and Type Ia/Ib supernova continuum to the measured flux. No significant continuum flux was observed from M82. A search for the gamma-ray line from the decay of the most abundant radioactive element produced in supernovae (Ni-56 yields Co-56 yields Fe-56) yielded no significant detection: the 3 sigma upper limits to the line fluxes at 0.158, 0.812, 0.847, and 1.238 MeV for both galaxies are obtained.

Bhattacharya, D.↗

Analysis of Line Candidates in Gamma-Ray Bursts Observed by BATSE

A comprehensive search of BATSE Spectroscopy Detector data from 117 Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) has uncovered 13 statistically significant line candidates. The case of a candidate in GRB-930916 is discussed. In the data of SD-2 there appears to be a emission line at 46 keV, however the line is not seen in the data of SD-7. Simulations indicate that the lack of agreement between the results from SD-2 and SD-7 is implausible but not impossible.

Briggs, M. S.↗

Deriving Plasma Densities and Elemental Abundances from SERTS Differential Emission Measure Analysis

We use high-resolution spectral emission line data obtained by the SERTS instrument during three rocket flights to demonstrate a new approach for constraining electron densities of solar active region plasma.We apply differential emission measure (DEM) forward-fitting techniques to characterize the multithermal solar plasma producing the observed EUV spectra, with constraints on the high-temperature plasma from the Yohkoh Soft X-ray Telescope. In this iterative process, we compare line intensities predicted by an input source distribution to observed line intensities for multiple iron ion species, and search a broad range of densities to optimize chi-square simultaneously for the many available density-sensitive lines. This produces a density weighted by the DEM, which appears to be useful for characterizing the bulk of the emitting plasma over a significant range of temperature. This "DEM-weighted density" technique is complementary to the use of density-sensitive line ratios and less affected by uncertainties in atomic data and ionization fraction for any specific line. Once the DEM shape and the DEM-weighted density have been established from the iron lines, the relative elemental abundances can be determined for other lines in the spectrum. We have also identified spectral lines in the SERTS wavelength range that may be problematic

corona↗