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At least 271 records · Page 15

Correlated k-distribution method for radiative transfer in climate models: Application to effect of cirrus clouds on climate

A radiative transfer method appropriate for use in simple climate models and three dimensional global climate models was developed. It is fully interactive with climate changes, such as in the temperature-pressure profile, cloud distribution, and atmospheric composition, and it is accurate throughout the troposphere and stratosphere. The vertical inhomogeneity of the atmosphere is accounted for by assuming a correlation of gaseous k-distributions of different pressures and temperatures. Line-by-line calculations are made to demonstrate that The method is remarkably accurate. The method is then used in a one-dimensional radiative-convective climate model to study the effect of cirrus clouds on surface temperature. It is shown that an increase in cirrus cloud cover can cause a significant warming of the troposphere and the Earth's surface, by the mechanism of an enhanced green-house effect. The dependence of this phenomenon on cloud optical thickness, altitude, and latitude is investigated.

Lacis, A. A.↗

Evidence for two major changes in the Venus aerosol distribution - 1972-1975

High-spatial-and-spectral-resolution observations of Venus CO2 line profiles taken over a three-year interval are analyzed using inhomogeneous atmospheric models with anisotropic scattering. The data exhibit two sudden significant changes in the structure of the atmosphere, one occurring near April 1973, and the other near November 1974. Two models are developed to describe the vertical cloud structure of the atmosphere of Venus in the more quiescent periods after these changes. For each model, the CO2 specific abundance must decrease with increasing atmospheric pressure; i.e., the clouds are thinnest high in the atmosphere and become denser with depth. No evidence is found that the cloud particles must change their scattering phase function with altitude.

Cochran, W. D.↗

3D Mapping of the Neutral X-Ray Absorption in the Local Interstellar Medium: The Gaia and XMM-Newton Synergy

We present a three-dimensional map of the hydrogen density distribution in the Galactic interstellar medium. The hydrogen-equivalent column densities were obtained from the Exploring the X-ray Transient and variable Sky project (EXTRAS) which provides equivalent NH values from X-ray spectral fits of observations within the XMM-Newton Data Release. EXTRAS include multiple fits for each source, allowing an accurate determination of the equivalent column densities, which depends on the continuum modelling of the spectra. A cross-correlation between the EXTRAS catalogue and the first Gaia Data Release was performed in order to obtain accurate parallax and distance measurements. We use a Bayesian method explained in Rezaei Kh. et al. (2017) in order to predict the most probable distribution of the density at any arbitrary point, even for lines of sight along which there are no initial observation. The resulting map shows small-scale density structures which could not have been modelled by using analytic density profiles. In this paper, we present a proof of concept of the kind of science possible with the synergy of these catalogues. However, given the systematic uncertainties connected to the source identification and to the dependence of NH on the spectral model, the present maps should be considered qualitatively at this point.

Gatuzz, Efrain↗

The Li-7 and Be-7 deexcitation lines: Probes for accelerated particle transport models in solar flares

The photon energy spectrum of a spectral feature composed of the 429 and 478 keV gamma-ray lines from Li-7 and Be-7 (produced by interactions of flare-accelerated alpha particles with ambient He in the solar atmosphere) depends on the angular distribution of the interacting accelerated particles. This spectrum is calculated for limb and disc-centered flares using a loop model for the transport of the ions. In this model, the flux tube magnetic field is constant in the corona and converges in the chromosphere to the photosphere. Magnetic mirroring and MHD pitch-angle scattering are both taken into account. Comparison of these results with data from other experiments is presented.

Murphy, Ronald J.↗

The galactic halo question - New size constraints from galactic gamma-ray data

Recent satellite observations of the distribution of galactic 100-MeV gamma rays and their interpretation are used as an independent test of the existence and extent of a cosmic-ray halo around the Galaxy. The cosmic-ray halo is defined, uniform and diffusion halo models are described, and the flat diffusion model is employed to investigate the effect of a diffusion halo on the galactic cosmic-ray distribution. Cosmic-ray source distributions that are perpendicularly uniform functions of galactocentric distance are adopted in the analysis. Possible longitudinal distributions of the gamma-ray line flux from neutral-pion decay are evaluated and compared with the fluxes observed by SAS-2 for goodness of fit. The results are shown to be consistent with a thick-disk or thin-halo model having a mean half-thickness of 1 to 3 kpc.

Stecker, F. W.↗

The spiral configuration of sunspot magnetic fields

Distributions of circularly and linearly polarized intensities are computed using an analytical magnetic field model for an isolated sunspot, and these intensity distributions are compared with observed intensities in all Stokes parameters in the 5250-A line measured with the Marshall Space Flight Center's vector magnetograph. The qualitative agreement between measured and calculated linearly polarized intensity distributions is discussed with regard to implications as to the configuration of the transverse magnetic field of the isolated sunspot.

Hagyard, M. J.↗

Photospheric models of solar active regions and the network based on the Mg II h and k line wings

From a comparison between observed and computed wings of the Mg II resonance lines, distributions of temperature versus mass column density for solar photospheric layers in plages and in the chromospheric network are derived. The theoretical profiles are computed assuming partial coherent scattering. In the active regions, temperatures exceed those in the quiet sun by up to 200 K near the temperature minimum and up to 400 K in deeper layers. In the observed network structure, the temperature is enhanced by 200 K at the temperature minimum but is the same as that in the quiet sun at greater depths. The difference in the slope of the temperature distribution between the network and plages is real, but may refer only to long elements of the network rather than to the brightest portions. Adjacent to the network is a region in which the temperatures are similar to those in the quiet sun, except immediately below the temperature minimum, where the temperatures are depressed by 150 K.

Morrison, N. D.↗

The Crab Nebula and related supernova remnants; Proceedings of the Workshop, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, October 11, 12, 1984

Papers are presented on the Crab Nebula's composition, helium distribution, outer structure and jet, and evolution. Attention is given to line emission from supernova remnants and charge transfer reactions, a magnetohydrodynamic model of the Crab Nebula and its radiation, inferences made using data on the pulsed flux from the crab pulsar, a new interpretation of the crab pulsar X-ray interpulse radiation, and evolutionary models of the Crab Nebula's progenitor. Other topics include the evolution of the centimeter flux of 3C58 and the Crab Nebula, a search for a shock wave around the Crab Nebula, high resolution radio studies of the Crab Nebula, supernova shell structure, and the nature of the remnant 0540-693 and its implications for the study of crablike remnants. Papers are also presented on X-ray observations of: Crab-like remnants, the Crab Nebula, the Vela X region, W28, and 3C400.2. Other papers include the 50 millisecond pulsar in the Large Magellanic Cloud and the X-ray pulse emission mechanism, optical emission from the plerionic core of CTB 80, and one-arcminute resolution observations of W50.

Kafatos, M. C.↗

Spatial distribution of O(supra 1D) from Comet Halley

Images of Comet Halley in (OI)6300A emission obtained using a 150 mm Fabry-Perot spectrometer in the imaging mode were combined with spectra taken in the scanning mode to deduce the distribution of cometary O(1D) within a 10 arc min field of view centered on the comet head. The 10 km/sec bandpass of the system allows the distribution to be measured with little contamination from airglow O(1D) and cometary NH2 lines in the nearby spectrum. The results are modeled to provide photodestruction scale lengths for cometary H2O and OH, the predominant parents of O(1D). Results are compared with other experimental and theoretical results.

Roesler, F. L.↗

Spatial distribution of O(1D) from Comet Halley

Images of comet Halley in forbidden OI 6300-A emission obtained using a 150 mm Fabry-Perot spectrometer in the imaging mode were combined with spectra taken in the scanning mode to deduce the distribution of cometary O(1D) within a 10-arcmin field of view centered on the comet head. The 10-km/sec bandpass of the system allows the distribution to be measured with little contamination from airglow O(1D) and cometary NH2 lines in the nearby spectrum. The results are modeled to provide photodestruction scale lengths for cometary H2O and OH, the predominant parents of O(1D). Results are compared with other experimental and theoretical results.

Magee-Sauer, K.↗

Far infrared, submm and mm spectroscopy of the galactic center: Radio arc and +20/+50 km s (exp -1) clouds

The observations of the par improved spectroscopy and the molecular clouds at the galactic center are reported. The results show: the spatial distributions of C(II) 158 microns and molecular line radiation and of the thermal radio continuum emission in the arched filaments of the radio arc are similar; about 2 x 10(exp 4) of the solar mass, or 10 percent of the total gas mass in the radio arc, are contained in C(+) regions; the H(+)/C(+) regions are probably located at the surfaces of the dense molecular clouds in the arc. Profiles, fluxes and spatial distributions of the C(II) fine structure and CO rotational lines are reported. It is demonstrated that the data does not fit models in which the neutral interstellar clouds in the arc are ionized by shocks or by magnetohydrodynamic phenomena. Moreover, that the high temperatures and densities derived previously from NH3 and CS observations may not be characteristic of the bulk of the molecular gas.

Genzel, R.↗

A high-redshift IRAS galaxy with huge luminosity - Hidden quasar or protogalaxy?

An emission line galaxy with the enormous far-IR luminosity of 3 x 10 to the 14th solar has been found at z = 2.286. The spectrum is very unusual, showing lines of high excitation but with very weak Lyman-alpha emission. A self-absorbed synchrotron model for the IR energy distribution cannot be ruled out, but a thermal origin seems more plausible. A radio-quiet quasar embedded in a very dusty galaxy could account for the IR emission, as might a starburst embedded in 1-10 billion solar masses of dust. The latter case demands so much dust that the object would probably be a massive galaxy in the process of formation. The presence of a large amount of dust in an object of such high redshift implies the generation of heavy elements at an early cosmological epoch.

Rowan-Robinson, M.↗

Gamma-ray bursts and neutron star field decay

Assuming a Galactic origin of gamma-ray bursts, we use pulsar data to calculate the spatial distribution of neutron stars and determine the sampling depths of current detectors. Based on these distance limits, we calculate the corresponding age distribution of Galactic neutron stars and apply an exponential field decay model to test whether the observed high incidence rate of cyclotron lines is consistent with suggested field decay time scales of order 10 exp 7 years. We find that the properties of the observed population of gamma-ray bursts are inconsistent with the idea that bursts originate at arbitrary times on neutron stars whose fields decay on time scales shorter than about 10 exp 9 years. Possible interpretations of this inconsistency are discussed.

Hartmann, Dieter↗

The effect of dissipative inhomogeneous medium on the statistics of the wave intensity

One of the main theoretical points in the theory of wave propagation in random medium is the derivation of closed form equations to describe the statistics of the propagating waves. In particular, in one dimensional problems, the closed form representation of the multiple scattering effects is important since it contributes in understanding such problems like wave localization, backscattering enhancement, and intensity fluctuations. In this the propagation of plane waves in a layer of one-dimensional dissipative random medium is considered. The medium is modeled by a complex permittivity whose real part is a constant representing the absorption. The one dimensional problem is mathematically equivalent to the analysis of a transmission line with randomly perturbed distributed parameters and a single mode lossy waveguide and the results can be used to study the propagation of radio waves through atmosphere and the remote sensing of geophysical media. It is assumed the scattering medium consists of an ensemble of one-dimensional point scatterers randomly positioned in a layer of thickness L with diffuse boundaries. A Poisson impulse process with density lambda is used to model the position of scatterers in the medium. By employing the Markov properties of this process an exact closed form equation of Kolmogorov-Feller type was obtained for the probability density of the reflection coefficient. This equation was solved by combining two limiting cases: (1) when the density of scatterers is small; and (2) when the medium is weakly dissipative. A two variable perturbation method for small lambda was used to obtain solutions valid for thick layers. These solutions are then asymptotically evaluated for small dissipation. To show the effect of dissipation, the mean and fluctuations of the reflected power are obtained. The results were compared with a lossy homogeneous medium and with a lossless inhomogeneous medium and the regions where the effect of absorption is not essential were discussed.

Saatchi, Sasan S.↗

Liftoff and Transition Database Generation for Launch Vehicles Using Data-Fusion-Based Modeling

A data fusion technique for merging multiple data sources with differing fidelity and resolution was developed to support the production of aerodynamic line load databases for the Liftoff and Transition (LOT) flight phase of the Space Launch System (SLS). The technique uses a reduced order model based on a high-fidelity line load data set from Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to predict solutions for a much larger solution space. Even higher-fidelity force and moment information (from wind-tunnel tests) is then used to adjust the model. The adjustment uses constrained optimization through the method of Lagrange multipliers in order to minimize the deviation of the line load distribution from the spatially-dense CFD solution, while ensuring that the integrated force and moment values match those observed in physical wind tunnel measurements. Though the wind-tunnel data are operationally-dense (available at many flow conditions), they are spatially coarse (as only the overall forces and moments are available). Conversely, CFD for such complex configurations is expensive, and thus operationally sparse. Data fusion techniques are necessary to make the most efficient use of available information, delivering accurate results within time and resource constraints.

Wignall, T. J.↗

The Wardle Instability in Interstellar Shocks: Gas Temperture and Line Emission - 2

We have modeled the gas temperature structure in unstable C-type shocks and obtained predictions for the resultant CO and H2 rotational line emissions, using numerical simulations of the Wardle instability. Our model for the thermal balance of the gas includes ion-neutral frictional heating; compressional heating; radiative cooling due to rotational and ro-vibrational transitions of the molecules CO, H2O, and H2; and gas-grain collisional cooling. We obtained results for the gas temperature distribution in-and H2 and CO line emission from-shocks of neutral Alfvenic Mach number 10 and velocity 20 or 40 km/ s in which the Wardle instability has saturated. Both two- and three-dimensional simulations were carried out for shocks in which the preshock magnetic field is perpendicular to the shock propagation direction, and a two-dimensional simulation was carried out for the case in which the magnetic field is obliquely oriented with respect to the shock propagation direction. Although the Wardle instability profoundly affects the density structure behind C-type shocks, most of the shock-excited molecular line emission is generated upstream of the region where the strongest effects of the instability are felt. Thus the Wardle instability has a relatively small effect on the overall gas temperature distribution in-and the emission-line spectrum from-C-type shocks, at least for the cases that we have considered. In none of the cases that we have considered thus far did any of the predicted emission-line luminosities change by more than a factor of 2.5, and in most cases the effects of instability were significantly smaller than that. Slightly larger changes in the line luminosities seem likely for three-dimensional simulations of oblique shocks, although such simulations have yet to be carried out and lie beyond the scope of this study. Given the typical uncertainties that are always present when model predictions are compared with real astronomical data, we conclude that Wardle instability does not imprint any clear observational signature on the shock-excited CO and H2 line strengths. This result justifies the use of one-dimensional steady shock models in the interpretation of observations of shock-excited line emission in regions of star formation. Our three-dimensional simulations of perpendicular shocks revealed the presence of warm filamentary structures that are aligned along the magnetic field, a result that is of possible relevance to models of water maser emission from C-type shocks.

Neufeld, David A.↗

Photoionization Modeling and the K Lines of Iron

We calculate the efficiency of iron K line emission and iron K absorption in photoionized models using a new set of atomic data. These data are more comprehensive than those previously applied to the modeling of iron K lines from photoionized gases, and allow us to systematically examine the behavior of the properties of line emission and absorption as a function of the ionization parameter, density and column density of model constant density clouds. We show that, for example, the net fluorescence yield for the highly charged ions is sensitive to the level population distribution produced by photoionization, and these yields are generally smaller than those predicted assuming the population is according to statistical weight. We demonstrate that the effects of the many strongly damped resonances below the K ionization thresholds conspire to smear the edge, thereby potentially affecting the astrophysical interpretation of absorption features in the 7-9 keV energy band. We show that the centroid of the ensemble of K(alpha) lines, the K(beta) energy, and the ratio of the K(alpha(sub 1)) to K(alpha(sub 2)) components are all diagnostics of the ionization parameter of our model slabs.

Kallman, T. R.↗

High-Resolution NU-WRF Simulations of a Deep Convective-Precipitation System During MC3E: Comparisons Between Goddard Microphysics Schemes and Observations - Part 1

The Goddard microphysics scheme was recently improved by adding a 4th ice class (frozen dropshail). This new 4ICE scheme was implemented and tested in the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble model (GCE) for an intense continental squall line and a moderate,less-organized continental case. Simulated peak radar reflectivity profiles were improved both in intensity and shape for both cases as were the overall reflectivity probability distributions versus observations. In this study, the new Goddard 4ICE scheme is implemented into the regional-scale NASA Unified - Weather Research and Forecasting model (NU-WRF) and tested on an intense mesoscale convective system that occurred during the Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E). The NU42WRF simulated radar reflectivities, rainfall intensities, and vertical and horizontal structure using the new 4ICE scheme agree as well as or significantly better with observations than when using previous versions of the Goddard 3ICE (graupel or hail) schemes. In the 4ICE scheme, the bin microphysics-based rain evaporation correction produces more erect convective cores, while modification of the unrealistic collection of ice by dry hail produces narrow and intense cores, allowing more slow-falling snow to be transported rearward. Together with a revised snow size mapping, the 4ICE scheme produces a more horizontally stratified trailing stratiform region with a broad, more coherent light rain area. In addition, the NU-WRF 4ICE simulated radar reflectivity distributions are consistent with and generally superior to those using the GCE due to the less restrictive open lateral boundaries

Regional Scale Model↗