Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Light curves”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1987

Photometric light curves for seven rapidly-rotating K dwarfs in the Pleiades and Alpha Persei clusters

Light curves and period estimates were obtained for several Pleiades and Alpha Persei cluster K dwarfs which were identified as rapid rotators in earlier spectroscopic studies. A few of the stars have previously-published light curves, making it possible to study the long-term variability of the light-curve shapes. The general cause of the photometric variability observed for these stars is an asymmetric distribution of photospheric inhomogeneities (starspots). The presence of these inhomogeneities combined with the rotation of the star lead to the light curves observed. The photometric periods derived are thus identified with the rotation period of the star, making it possible to estimate equatorial rotational velocities for these K dwarfs. These data are of particular importance because the clusters are sufficiently young that stars of this mass should have just arrived on the main sequence. These data could be used to estimate the temperatures and sizes of the spot groups necessary to produce the observed light curves for these stars.

Stauffer, John R.↗
NASA NTRS1998

A Multi-Year Light Curve of Scorpius X-1 Based on CGRO BATSE Spectroscopy Detector Observations

A multi-year light curve of the low mass X-ray binary, Scorpius X-1, is constructed based on the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory (CGRO) Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) Spectroscopy Detector (SD) data in the nominal energy range of 10-20 keV. A detailed discussion is given of the reduction process of the BATSE/SD data. Corrections to the SD measurements are made for off-axis pointings, spectral and bandpass changes, and differences in the eight SD sensitivities. The resulting 4.4 year Sco X-1 SD light curve is characterized in terms of the time scales over which various types of emission changes occur. This light curve is then compared with Sco X-1 light curves obtained by Axiel 5, the BATSE Large Area Detectors (LADs), and the RXTE all-sky monitor (ASM). Coincident temporal coverage by the BATSE/SD and RXTE/ASM allows a direct comparison of the behavior of Sco X-1 over a range of high energies to be made. These ASM light curves are then used to discuss model constraints on the Sco X-1 system.

McNamara, B. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The amazing X-ray light curve of 2A 0311-227

The X-ray light curve of the AM Herculis-type binary 2A 0311-227 is presented. A smooth modulation of the X-ray flux at the orbital period is obtained, along with an eclipse feature that is total for 0.1-0.8 keV photons yet not visible for photons above about 3 keV. This strong and smooth dependence on energy suggests an origin in the obscuration of the X-ray emitting region by a column of accreting gas. Furthermore, very strong quasi-periodic pulsations with a period of about 6 min are found in the soft X-ray light curve. This periodicity is also present in the optical and hard X-ray light curves, and in the circular polarization data. It seems likely that the periodicity arises from a modulation of the mass accretion rate onto the white dwarf, and possible that it originates in pulsations of a disk-magnetosphere boundary.

Patterson, J.↗
NASA NTRS2018

The Kepler Light Curves of AGN: A Detailed Analysis

We present a comprehensive analysis of 21 light curves of Type 1 active galactic nuclei (AGN) from the Kepler spacecraft. First, we describe the necessity and development of a customized pipeline for treating Kepler data of stochastically variable sources like AGN. We then present the light curves, power spectral density functions (PSDs), and flux histograms. The light curves display an astonishing variety of behaviors, many of which would not be detected in ground-based studies, including switching between distinct flux levels. Six objects exhibit PSD flattening at characteristic timescales that roughly correlate with black hole mass. These timescales are consistent with orbital timescales or free-fall accretion timescales. We check for correlations of variability and high-frequency PSD slope with accretion rate, black hole mass, redshift, and luminosity. We find that bolometric luminosity is anticorrelated with both variability and steepness of the PSD slope. We do not find evidence of the linear rms-flux relationships or lognormal flux distributions found in X-ray AGN light curves, indicating that reprocessing is not a significant contributor to optical variability at the 0.1%-10% level.

power spectral density functions(PSDs)↗
NASA NTRS2016

EVEREST: Pixel Level Decorrelation of K2 Light Curves

We present EPIC Variability Extraction and Removal for Exoplanet Science Targets (EVEREST), an open-source pipeline for removing instrumental noise from K2 light curves. EVEREST employs a variant of pixel level decorrelation to remove systematics introduced by the spacecraft’s pointing error and a Gaussian process to capture astrophysical variability. We apply EVEREST to all K2 targets in campaigns 0–7, yielding light curves with precision comparable to that of the original Kepler mission for stars brighter than K(sub p) ≈ 13, and within a factor of two of the Kepler precision for fainter targets. We perform cross-validation and transit injection and recovery tests to validate the pipeline and compare our light curves to the other de-trended light curves available for download at the MAST High Level Science Products archive. We find that EVEREST achieves the highest average precision of any of these pipelines for unsaturated K2 stars. The improved precision of these light curves will aid in exoplanet detection and characterization, investigations of stellar variability, asteroseismology, and other photometric studies. The EVEREST pipeline can also easily be applied to future surveys, such as the TESS mission, to correct for instrumental systematics and enable the detection of low signal-to-noise transiting exoplanets. The EVEREST light curves and the source code used to generate them are freely available online.

Catalogs↗
NASA NTRS1994

Analysis of the early spectra and light curve of SN 1987A

Numerical modeling of supernova spectra, light curves, and hydrodynamics requires physical inputs, numerical techniques, approximations, and assumptions which must be thoroughly understood in order to study the details of supernova explosions. Here, we discuss some of these in the context of the early evolution of supernova 1987A. Gray radiation-hydrodynamics is used to calculate the bolometric light curve and the hydrodynamic evolution of the supernova. Synthetic spectra are then obtained for the resulting density and velocity structure. The spectrum calculations are performed using a special-relativistic treatment of the radiative transfer equation in the comoving frame, line blanketing by about 10(exp 5) spectral lines, and departures from local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) for H I, He I, Mg II, and Ca II. We find that we are able to simultaneously fit the early light curve and spectra reasonably well, using a progenitor model from Arnett (1991a), without fine-tuning the free parameters. Temperature structures and radiative equilibrium, non-LTE effects, homologous expansion, and mean opacities are discussed.

Hauschildt, Peter H.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The H-alpha light curves of novae in M31

H-alpha and B light curves are presented for 11 M31 novae, four of which were well observed near maximum. These data, along with the H-alpha light curves of two Galactic novae, demonstrate that a nova's maximum H-alpha flux occurs days or weeks after its continuum maximum at a monochromatic intensity 1-2 magnitudes above its peak flux in B. Moreover, after this maximum is achieved, a typical nova will radiate a third as many photons in H-alpha as in the entire B bandpass. The most interesting part of a nova's H-alpha light curve, however, is its decline. It is found that, regardless of a nova's speed, its H-alpha decay rate after maximum is almost identical to its decay rate in B. This behavior suggests that most of a nova's optical luminosity during early decline is continuum emission from the nebula, rather than direct radiation from the central source.

Ciardullo, Robin↗
NASA NTRS2009

X-Rays from the Explosion Site: Fifteen Years of Light Curves of SN 1993J

We present a comprehensive analysis of the X-ray light curves of SN 1993J in a nearby galaxy M81. This is the only supernova other than SN 1987A, which is so extensively followed in the X-ray bands. Here we report on SN 1993J observations with the Chandra in the year 2005 and 2008, and Swift observations in 2005, 2006 and 2008. We combined these observations with all available archival data of SN 1993J, which includes ROSAT, ASCA, Chandra, and XMM-Newton, observations from 1993 April to 2006 August. In this paper we report the X-ray light curves of SN 1993J, extending up to fifteen years, in the soft (0.3-2.4 keV), hard (2-8 keV) and combined (0.3-8 keV) bands. The hard and soft-band fluxes decline at different rates initially, but after about 5 years they both undergo a t(sup -1) decline. The soft X-rays, which are initially low, start dominating after a few hundred days. We interpret that most of the emission below 8 keV is coming from the reverse shock which is radiative initially for around first 1000-2000 days and then turn into adiabatic shock. Our hydrodynamic simulation also confirms the reverse shock origin of the observed light curves. We also compare the Ha line luminosity of SN 1993J with its X-ray light curve and note that the Ha line luminosity has a fairly high fraction of the X-ray emission, indicating presence of clumps in the emitting plasma.

Chandra, Poonam↗
NASA NTRS1993

Radio light curves of V471 Tauri

We have acquired light curves at a wavelength of 6 cm of the eclipsing binary V471 Tauri around the orbit, in order to determine the geometrical location of the radio emission in the binary. Each light curve shows a broad minimum near the time of optical eclipse, suggesting that the radio luminosity originates between the two stars. Other observations at X-ray, UV, and visual wavelengths are also supportive of the idea of a gas cloud more or less permanently located between the stars. This could be explained if the radio emission arises from the interaction of the magnetic fields of the secondary and the white dwarf near the line of centers.

Patterson, Joseph↗
NASA NTRS2018

Seeing Double: ASASSN-18bt Exhibits a Two-component Rise in the Early-time K2 Light Curve

On 2018 February 4.41, the All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae (ASAS-SN) discovered ASASSN-18bt in the K2 Campaign 16 field. With a redshift of z=0.01098 and a peak apparent magnitude of B(max)=14.31, ASASSN-18bt is the nearest and brightest SNe Ia yet observed by the Kepler spacecraft. Here we present the discovery of ASASSN-18bt, the K2 light curve, and prediscovery data from ASAS-SN and the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System. The K2 early-time light curve has an unprecedented 30-minute cadence and photometric precision for an SN Ia light curve, and it unambiguously shows a ∼4 day nearly linear phase followed by a steeper rise. Thus, ASASSN-18bt joins a growing list of SNe Ia whose early light curves are not well described by a single power law. We show that a double-power-law model fits the data reasonably well, hinting that two physical processes must be responsible for the observed rise. However, we find that current models of the interaction with a nondegenerate companion predict an abrupt rise and cannot adequately explain the initial, slower linear phase. Instead, we find that existing published models with shallow 56Ni are able to span the observed behavior and, with tuning, may be able to reproduce the ASASSN-18bt light curve. Regardless, more theoretical work is needed to satisfactorily model this and other early-time SNe Ia light curves. Finally, we use Swift X-ray nondetections to constrain the presence of circumstellar material (CSM) at much larger distances and lower densities than possible with the optical light curve. For a constant-density CSM, these nondetections constrain ρ<4.5×10(exp 5)per cu.cm at a radius of 4×10(exp 15) cm from the progenitor star. Assuming a wind-like environment, we place mass loss limits of M˙ < 8 x 10(exp -6) M(ʘ)per yr for v(w)=100 km/s, ruling out some symbiotic progenitor systems. This work highlights the power of well-sampled early-time data and the need for immediate multiband, high-cadence follow-up for progress in understanding SNe Ia.

B. J. Shappee↗
NASA NTRS1974

The Regulus occultation light curve and the real atmosphere of Venus

An inversion of the light curve observed during the July 7, 1959, occultation of Regulus by Venus leads to the conclusion that the light curve cannot be reconciled with models of the Venus atmosphere based on spacecraft observations. The event occurred in daylight and, under the subsequently difficult observation conditions, it seems likely that the Regulus occultation light curve is marred by a systematic errors in spite of the competence of the observers involved.

Veverka, J.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Gamma-Ray Pulsar Light Curves in Offset Polar Cap Geometry

Recent studies have shown that gamma-ray pulsar light curves are very sensitive to the geometry of the pulsar magnetic field. Pulsar magnetic field geometries, such as the retarded vacuum dipole and force-free magnetospheres, used to model high-energy light curves have distorted polar caps that are offset from the magnetic axis in the direction opposite to rotation. Since this effect is due to the sweepback of field lines near the light cylinder, offset polar caps are a generic property of pulsar magnetospheres and their effects should be included in gamma-ray pulsar light curve modeling. In slot gap models (having two-pole caustic geometry), the offset polar caps cause a strong azimuthal asymmetry of the particle acceleration around the magnetic axis. We have studied the effect of the offset polar caps in both retarded vacuum dipole and force-free geometry on the model high-energy pulse profile~. We find that. corn pared to the profile:-; derived from :-;ymmetric caps, the flux in the pulse peaks, which are caustics formed along the trailing magnetic field lines. increases significantly relative to the off-peak emission. formed along leading field lines. The enhanced contrast produces greatly improved slot gap model fits to Fermi pulsar light curves like Vela, which show very little off-peak emIssIon.

Harding, Alice K.↗
NASA NTRS1993

An efficient method to compute microlensed light curves for point sources

We present a method to compute microlensed light curves for point sources. This method has the general advantage that all microimages contributing to the light curve are found. While a source moves along a straight line, all micro images are located either on the primary image track or on the secondary image tracks (loops). The primary image track extends from - infinity to + infinity and is made of many sequents which are continuously connected. All the secondary image tracks (loops) begin and end on the lensing point masses. The method can be applied to any microlensing situation with point masses in the deflector plane, even for the overcritical case and surface densities close to the critical. Furthermore, we present general rules to evaluate the light curve for a straight track arbitrary placed in the caustic network of a sample of many point masses.

Witt, Hans J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Interpretation of OAO-2 ultraviolet light curves of beta Doradus

Middle-ultraviolet light curves of beta Doradus, obtained by OAO-2, are presented along with other evidence indicating that the small additional bumps observed on the rising branches of these curves have their origin in shock-wave phenomena in the upper atmosphere of this classical Cepheid. A simple piston-driven spherical hydrodynamic model of the atmosphere is developed to explain the bumps, and the calculations are compared with observations. The model is found to be consistent with the shapes of the light curves as well as with measurements of the H-alpha radial velocities.

Hutchinson, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The optical light curve of SN 1985f in NGC 4618

The 4930-A optical light curve obtained for the bizarre 1985f supernova in NGC 4618 covers a six-month interval; care has been taken to eliminate contamination by bright underlying H II regions. The light curve is well approximated by a constant decline of 0.0153 mag/day. The spectroscopic work of Gaskell et al. (1986) suggests that this supernova is a Type Ib object; if so, the present observations represent the first light curve of an object of this type at late times in its evolution, furnishing a standard against which future sightings can be compared.

Filippenko, Alexei V.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The Light Curve of Periodic Comet Wirtanen

Teh light curve of Periodic Comet Wirtanen has been analyzed for the 1986 and 1991 apparitions, the only two monitored by visual observers.

Wirtanen comet light curve periodic comets apparit↗
NASA NTRS2010

SDO/AIA Light Curves and Implications for Coronal Heating: Model Predictions

It seems largely agreed that many coronal loops---those observed at a temperature of about 1 MK---are bundles of unresolved strands that are heated by storms of impulsive nanoflares. The nature of coronal heating in hotter loops and in the very important but largely ignored diffuse component of active regions is much less clear. Is it also impulsive or is it quasi steady? The spectacular new data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) telescopes on the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) offer an excellent opportunity to address this question. We analyze the light curves of coronal loops and the diffuse corona in 6 different AIA channels and compare them with the predicted light curves from theoretical models. Light curves in the different AIA channels reach their peak intensities with predictable orderings as a function the nanoflare storm properties. We show that while some sets of light curves exhibit clear evidence of cooling after nanoflare storms, other cases are less straightforward to interpret. Complications arise because of line-of-sight integration through many different structures, the broadband nature of the AIA channels, and because physical properties can change substantially depending on the magnitude of the energy release. Nevertheless, the light curves exhibit predictable and understandable patterns. This presentation emphasizes the modeling aspects of our study. A companion presentation emphasizes the observations.

Klimchuk, James A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Study of a light curve of Beta Persei at 3428 A

Photometric light-curve data obtained during Copernicus satellite observations of Beta Persei in the Balmer continuum at 3428 A are analyzed and reduced. A small but significant fluctuation with a period of very nearly 0.069167 day in the photometric counts is tentatively attributed to a small perturbation in spacecraft attitude introduced each time the satellite passes from daylight into darkness. The light curve is intensity-rectified, phase-rectified, and solved on the assumption that the limb darkening follows the linear cosine law. The resulting distributions of luminosity among the three components of Beta Persei are plotted, and it is shown that the effective temperature of Algol B may be higher than 5000 K.

Chen, K.-Y.↗