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At least 235 records · Page 13

Kinematics and ionization of extended ionized gas in active galaxies. I - The X-ray luminous galaxies NGC 2110, NGC 5506, and MCG -5-23-16

Direct CCD imaging and long-slit Vidicon spectroscopy have been used to map the emission-line ratios, profiles, and velocity fields over the extended narrow-line regions in three nearby Seyfert galaxies, NGC 2110, NGC 5506, and MCG -5-23-16. The gas in the letter is spatially unresolved. Similarities between the other two nebulae include the excitation mechanism (photoionization by a central nonthermal source) and the overall profiles of the very broad emission lines close to the nucleus. The nebulae are, however, quite different in their global kinematic behavior. In NGC 2110, the gas appears to lie in a disk or flattened spheroid and to be in ordered rotation, with a classical rotation curve, about an axis parallel to the minor axis of the stellar isophotes. The velocity field of NGC 5506 is quite irregular, but a component of rotation in the plane of the galaxy seems to exist.

Wilson, A. S.↗

Dual-Sampler Processor Digitizes CCD Output

Circuit for processing output of charge-coupled device (CCD) imager provides increased time for analog-to-digital conversion, thereby reducing bandwidth required for video processing. Instead of one sampleand-hold circuit of conventional processor, improved processor includes two sample-and-hold circuits alternated with each other. Dual-sampler processor operates with lower bandwidth and with timing requirements less stringent than those of single-sample processor.

Salomon, P. M.↗

Boxy isophotes, discs and dust lanes in elliptical galaxies

CCD images of 42 elliptical and S0 galaxies are examined for low-contrast structures or subtle distortions of the isophotes from perfect ellipses. 75 percent of the galaxies have isophotes completely describable as concentric ellipses to within the photometry errors. 'Boxy' isophotes, stellar discs, and dust lanes are detected in the remaining 25 percent of the sample. The boxy elliptical galaxies appear dynamically indistinguishable from normal ellipticals and are therefore different from boxy bulges, which rotate rapidly. Most of the galaxies with faint discs, however, appear dynamically similar to S0 galaxies. Nearly edge-on dust lanes are found in four galaxies, which suggests that dust lanes may commonly occur in elliptical galaxies.

Lauer, T. R.↗

The future scientific CCD

Since the first introduction of charge-coupled devices (CCDs) in 1970, CCDs have been considered for applications related to memories, logic circuits, and the detection of visible radiation. It is pointed out, however, that the mass market orientation of CCD development has left largely untapped the enormous potential of these devices for advanced scientific instrumentation. The present paper has, therefore, the objective to introduce the CCD characteristics to the scientific community, taking into account prospects for further improvement. Attention is given to evaluation criteria, a summary of current CCDs, CCD performance characteristics, absolute calibration tools, quantum efficiency, aspects of charge collection, charge transfer efficiency, read noise, and predictions regarding the characteristics of the next generation of silicon scientific CCD imagers.

Janesick, J. R.↗

Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) instrumentation

The instrumentation planned for the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), a space-based observation platform for the 1990s, is described. The AXAF will feature a grazing incidence telescope at the end of the observatory and four independently selected instruments at the other end, including: a CCD imaging spectrometer; a Bragg crystal spectrometer; and two transmission grating spectrometers located directly behind the telescope to detect first order spectral images. The instruments are currently in the definition phase to be followed by design and development starting in the late 1980s. A detailed schematic diagram of the Bragg crystal imaging spectrometer is provided.

Winkler, C. E.↗

Sandqvist 187 - A dense molecular cloud in Norma

Observations of Sandqvist 187, an elongated dust cloud in the southern constellation Norma are presented and discussed. The cloud contains two Herbig-Haro objects, HH 56 and HH 57. HH 57 currently displays on its NE edge a 17th mag variable star of the FU Ori type. Using the Columbia University 1.2 m millimeter-wave telescope at Cerro Tololo, the region is mapped and an extended CO cloud which envelops and is elongated along the optical dust cloud is found. The position of maximum CO emission coincides with HH 56 and HH 57. Assuming a distance of 0.7 kpc, the total mass of the cloud is found to be close to 500 solar masses. The CO spectra show evidence of a molecular flow. Photographs and CCD images obtained mostly with the CTIO 4 m telescope show the detailed optical structure of the dark cloud's core region. The Herbig-Haro object HH 56 appears to be related to an emission-line star embedded in the small nebula Reipurth 13, not to the FU Ori star in HH 57.

Alvarez, H.↗

Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) science instrumentation

AXAF is to be equipped with a high performance X-ray telescope for the conduction of detailed astrophysics research. The observatory is to be serviced by the Space Station or the Shuttle, depending on capabilities during the AXAF operational period. The AXAF is to utilize the wavelength band from 1.2 A to 120 A. Attention is given to the AXAF science team, the AXAF observatory characteristics, the AXAF science instrument definition program, the Advanced Charge Coupled Device (CCD) Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS), the High Resolution Camera (HRC), the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS), the X-ray Spectrometer (XRS), the transmission gratings, and the program schedule.

Dailey, C. C.↗

Optical, radio, and infrared observations of compact H II regions. V - The Hourglass in M8

Multiwavelength observations of the inner core of the M8 Hourglass region are presented, including VLA interferometric maps, 2-4 micron and 8-13 micron spectroscopy, photometric mapping in the K (2.2 micron) and L (3.45 micron) bands and in the 3.28 micron dust-emission feature, optical CCD imaging, and optical and infrared polarimetry. The compact H II region is excited by the O7 V star Herschel 36, and its apparent bipolar structure at optical wavelengths may be due to variable line-of-sight extinction and scattered light. Standard reddening laws are not applicable in the Hourglass region. A power law extinction lambda exp -0.78 yields consistent agreement between ultraviolet, optical, and infrared extinction estimates and suggests that one component of the total grain distribution is on the average larger than that found in the interstellar medium. The spatial distribution of the 3.28 micron dust-emission feature shows that the feature emission is associated with the boundary layer in the H II region/molecular cloud interface. The observations favor models in which feature emission comes from small refractory grains rather than from fluorescence or thermal emission from volatile mantles.

Woodward, C. E.↗

Planetary astronomy

Comets were studied during their relatively quiescent phases at large distances from the sun. This program, has resulted in a variety of CCD images of comets in several visible and near-IR bands selected to sample the continuum, rather than emission features. The most extensive dataset was obtained for P/Halley during January 1985 (plus scattered earlier data), near the time the comet turned on. The data were reduced in a preliminary fashion. Other comets predicted to be relatively inactive (including Neujmin 1 and Arend-Rigaux) were most active than expected. P/Gehrels 3 was also observed.

Chapman, C. R.↗

Jets, mass outflows and disks associated with young stellar objects

Over the past 3 years, a series was obtained of the CCD images of regions surrounding young stellar objects (YSO's) located in a variety of environments with the goal of providing a census of the properties of mass outflows associated these objects. A catalog describing the optical morphology and kinematics of 38 mass outflows associated with young stellar objects (YSOs) was completed. The direct detection was reported of disks surrounding HL Tau and LI551/IRS 5 -- both sources of optical jets and large-scale mass outflows. In each case, the disk dimensions are on the order of several hundred astronomical units and the disk dust masses approximately 10 to the -7th power solar masses. A program aimed at indirect detection of circumstellar disks associated with YSOs was started. The technique involves comparison of an observed bolometric luminosity (L(bol)) with an independent measure of the true luminosity (L(spec)) of a YSO which derives from the observed strengths of surface-gravity-sensitive spectral features.

Strom, S. E.↗

Cometary atmospheres: Modeling the spatial distribution of observed neutral radicals

Progress during the second year of a program of research on the modeling of the spatial distributions of cometary radicals is discussed herein in several major areas. New scale length laws for cometary C2 and CN were determined which explain that the previously-held apparent drop of the C2/CN ratio for large heliocentric distances does not exist and that there is no systematic variation. Monte Carlo particle trajectory model (MCPTM) analysis of sunward and anti-sunward brightness profiles of cometary C2 was completed. This analysis implies a lifetime of 31,000 seconds for the C2 parent and an ejection speed for C2 of approximately 0.5 km/sec upon dissociation from the parent. A systematic reanalysis of published C3 and OH data was begun. Preliminary results find a heliocentric distance dependence for C3 scale lengths with a much larger variation than for C2 and CN. Scale lengths for OH are generally somewhat larger than currently accepted values. The MCPTM was updated to include the coma temperature. Finally, the collaborative effort with the University of Arizona programs has yielded some preliminary CCD images of Comet P/Halley.

Combi, Michael R.↗

Ultraluminous infrared galaxies

The IRAS survey of the local universe has revealed the existence of a class of ultraluminous infrared galaxies with L(8 to 1000 micrometer) greater than 10 to the 12th L sub 0 that are slightly more numerous, and as luminous as optically selected quasars at similar redshift. Optical CCD images of these infrared galaxies show that nearly all are advanced mergers. Millimeter wave CO observations indicate that these interacting systems are extremely rich in molecular gas with total H2 masses 1 to 3 x 10 to the 10th power M sub 0. Nearly all of the ultraluminous infrared galaxies show some evidence in their optical spectra for nonthermal nuclear activity. It is proposed that their infrared luminosity is powered by an embedded active nucleus and a nuclear starburst both of which are fueled by the tremendous reservoir of molecular gas. Once these merger nuclei shed their obscuring dust, allowing the AGN to visually dominate the decaying starburst, they become the optically selected quasars.

Sanders, D. B.↗

The properties of highly luminous IRAS galaxies

From a complete sample of 154 galaxies identified with IRAS sources in a 304 sq deg area centered on the South Galactic Pole, a subsample of 58 galaxies with L sub IR/L sub B > 3 was chosen. Low resolution spectra were obtained for 30% of the subsample and redshifts and relative emission line intensities were derived. As a class these galaxies are very luminous with < L sub IR > = 2.9 x 10 to the 11th power L sub 0 and (L sub IR) max = 1.3 x 10 to the 12th power L sub 0. CCD images and JHK photometry were obtained for many of the subsample. The galaxies are for the most part newly identified and are optically faint, with a majority showing evidence of a recent interaction. Radio continuum observations of all galaxies of the subsample were recently obtained at 20 cm VLA with about 75% being detected in a typical integration time of about 10 minutes.

Wolstencroft, R. D.↗

CN jets of Comet P/Halley: Rotational properties

An analysis of CCD images of CN jets of comet P/Halley observed during April 16 to 29 1986 is discussed. The analysis questions the 53 hr rotation period and favors a rotational period of 7.37 days, as suggested by Millis and Schleicher (1986). It is shown that a change in rotation period, at least from one apparition to the next, is also possible. A lower limit for the ejection velocity of dust grains (which emit CN) in the jet is established to be 0.5 km/sec with an uncertainty of 50%. The constraints on the direction of the rotation axis as inferred from the geometry of the jets are considered.

Samarasinha, Nalin H.↗

Ion morphology in the inner tail of Comet P/Halley

Comet Halley CCD images taken in the light of CO(+) and H2O(+) were analyzed. Most of the ionic emission originates in a diffuse component on which the ion ray structure appears to be superimposed. On average, the peak enhancement in the CO(+) rays is 20% over the adjacent minima, where the emission is due to the underlying component. The H2O(+):CO(+) ratio varies by as much as 30% from ray to ray.

Hoban, Susan↗

Observational constraints on bending the wide-angle tailed radio galaxy 1919+479

A wide range of new observations of the wide-angle tailed radio galaxy 1919+479 and its environs are presented. Multifrequency and multiconfiguration VLA observations are described, ranging in resolution from 0.7 arcsec to 40 arcsec. Distributions of source structures at different scale sizes, spectral indices, and polarizations are presented. Wide-field photographic and CCD imaging data are presented along with a review of the measured galaxy redshifts in the field. A newly reprocessed Einstein IPC X-ray image of the cluster is shown, and the X-ray emission's relationship to the radio morphology is described. The radio, optical, and X-ray data are used to constrain the cD galaxy dynamics and models for bending the radio structure. In particular, the possible role of jet collisions with clouds in the intracluster medium is considered. The applicability of cloud collision models to wide-angle tails in general is considered.

Burns, J. O.↗

Three-color CCD photometry of the distant cluster of galaxies Cl 0024 + 1654

Photometry of 265 galaxies in rich cluster Cl 0024 + 1654 (z = 0.39), based on CCD imaging in three filters, is presented. The luminosity of this system ranks it among the richest known clusters, and it has a blue mass-to-light ratio of about 210. The color-magnitude diagram has a prominent E/S0 sequence. There are essentially no blue cluster members brighter than r equals about 19.3, and only very red galaxies inhabit the central 30 arcsec of the cluster. The blue cluster members have sizes and surface brightnesses similar to spiral galaxies in nearby clusters.

Schneider, D. P.↗

1934-638 revisited

A red CCD image of the galaxy identified with the compact southern radio source 1934-638 shows it to consist of two compact components enclosed within a low-surface-brightness nebulosity. Comparison of accurate radio and optical positions shows that the radio source is coincident with the brighter of the two components and that 1934-638 is unlikely to be a dust-lane galaxy like Centaurus A.

Jauncey, David L.↗