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Results for “X-ray synchrotron radiation”

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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NASA NTRS1977

Radiation mechanisms and magnetospheric structure of pulsars

Considerations made in developing a model of pulsars are explored. Observational data seems to support the argument that pulsar magnetospheres may contain large masses of plasma. The cascade process resulting from pair creation enables one to interpret the X-ray emission from the Crab and Vela pulsars as synchrotron radiation. On the other hand, the optical radiation from the Crab pulsar is best understood as coherent curvature radiation. Radio emission is interpreted as curvature radiation produced by charge bunches moving along magnetic-field lines. Certain tests of this model are proposed.

Sturrock, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS1966

X-ray emission from Sco x-1.

X-ray emission from Scorpio X-1, discussing origin of extar and possible role in stellar evolution

SCORPIO CONSTELLATION↗
NASA NTRS1972

Mechanism for the X-ray pulsations in Cyg X-1.

The mechanism proposed involves the occurrence of a flare in a region of high magnetic field on the surface of a star. The flare produces oscillations in the magnetic field structure. The oscillations lead to heating of the plasma in a flux tube which emits thermal radiation. The heating may be caused by magnetic pumping or particles accelerated in periodic bursts by the flare. Synchrotron radiation from high energy particles accounts for the hard X-ray emission.

Blumenthal, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The spectral flux distribution of the candidate BL Lacertae object 1218 + 304 /identically equal to 2A 1219 + 305/

A break in the optical-infrared spectrum of the X-ray-discovered candidate BL Lac object 1218 + 304 has been observed at a wavelength of about 1 micron. Two possible causes of the break are considered. One is that it is a high-frequency break in a synchrotron spectrum, resulting from radiation losses. The other is that the observed spectrum is a composite of a power-law spectrum and a galaxian spectrum. The radio through X-ray spectral flux distributions of the two X-ray-discovered BL Lac objects, 1218 + 304 and 2155 - 304, are quite similar. If the radio, infrared, and optical radiation have a common origin in an inhomogeneous synchrotron source, then the observed slope of the X-ray spectrum makes it unlikely that the X-radiation is produced by Compton scattering. The observed soft X-radiation from BL Lac objects is better explained as the high-frequency tail of a synchrotron spectrum. The low radio:optical spectral-flux ratios of 1284 + 304 and 2155 - 304 suggest that this ratio may be inversely related to the break frequency for BL Lac objects. In that case, there may be BL Lac objects which have spectral breaks in the ultraviolet, flat optical spectra, and very weak radio emission. Such objects would most easily be discovered through their X-ray emission.

Ledden, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1965

Galactic X-ray Sources

Bremsstrahlung and synchrotron hypotheses considered as possible mechanisms for galactic X-ray production

GALACTIC RADIATION↗
NASA NTRS1978

Photon-scattering cross sections of H2 and He measured with synchrotron radiation

Total (elastic + inelastic) differential photon-scattering cross sections have been measured for H2 gas and for He, using an X-ray beam. Absolute measured cross sections agree with theory within the probable errors. Relative cross sections (normalized to theory at large S) agree to better than 1% with theoretical values calculated from wave functions that include the effect of electron-electron Coulomb correlation, but the data deviate significantly from theoretical independent-particle (e.g., Hartree-Fock) results. The ratios of measured absolute He cross sections to those of H2, at any given S, also agree to better than 1% with theoretical He-to-H2 cross-section ratios computed from correlated wave functions. It appears that photon scattering constitutes a very promising tool for probing electron correlation in light atoms and molecules. The degree of polarization of the synchrotron radiation beam has been measured by rotating the scattering plane about the beam axis; results are compared with theory.

Ice, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Radiometry using synchrotron radiation

It is possible to use synchrotron radiation from electron synchrotrons and electron storage rings as an absolute source, especially in the VUV and soft X-ray regions where other standards are difficult to find. At the NBS, an electron storage ring (SURF-II) has been used to calibrate spectrometers and photometers utilized in solar and aeronomy research and in fusion plasma diagnostics. The radiation incident on these spectrometers can be calculated to uncertainties of 3%, and a technique to exactly determine the number of electrons orbiting in the ring is currently being developed to reduce this uncertainty. Detector calibrations between 5 and 55 nm are routinely performed at SURF-II and transfer standard detectors with 6-10% uncertainties over the range 5-254 nm are supplied.

Saloman, E. B.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Photon scattering cross sections of H2 and He measured with synchrotron radiation

Total (elastic + inelastic) differential photon scattering cross sections have been measured for H2 gas and He, using an X-ray beam. Absolute measured cross sections agree with theory within the probable errors. Relative cross sections (normalized to theory at large S) agree to better than one percent with theoretical values calculated from wave functions that include the effect of electron-electron Coulomb correlation, but the data deviate significantly from theoretical independent-particle (e.g., Hartree-Fock) results. The ratios of measured absolute He cross sections to those of H2, at any given S, also agree to better than one percent with theoretical He-to-H2 cross-section ratios computed from correlated wave functions. It appears that photon scattering constitutes a very promising tool for probing electron correlation in light atoms and molecules.

Ice, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Particle energization in the inner, nonazimuthally symmetric magnetospheres of neutron stars

The energization process of magnetic pumping, a combination of time dependent magnetic mirror fields with pitch-angle scattering, is applied to trapped charged particles drifting in corotating, azimuthally nonsymmetric neutron star magnetospheres. When particle energization is balanced by synchrotron radiation loss, it is found that protons, rather than electrons, reach considerable kinetic energies and radiate, in the X-ray regime, at rates up to the 10 to the 6th power MeV/proton/sec.

Borovsky, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Compact radio source 1413 + 135 is a far-IR extragalactic object

The radio source 1413 + 135 is shown to be one of the strongest known emitters of millimeter radiation. The energy distribution of this object, measured between meter and X-ray wavelengths, reveals that most of the power emitted by this object comes out at millimeter and far-IR wavelengths. If the emission at 1 mm is due to incoherent synchrotron radiation, then the source must be very compact, with a size around 25 micron arc sec, and contain a magnetic field larger than 10 G. The steep spectral index in the near-IR is attributed to a high-energy cutoff in the distribution of synchrotron emitting electrons at a Lorentz factor of approximately 300.

Beichman, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

150 GHz observations of three radio galaxies

Radio galaxies were observed for the first time at 150 GHz. The central sources in Cyg A and 3C 111 were detected, as were the two radio lobes of Cyg A. No emission was found from the central source in 3C 236. The millimeter-wavelength emission from the central sources in Cyg A and 3C 111 is probably due in each case to a compact component that is optically thin to synchrotron radiation above about 35 GHz. These components are similar, although the compact component in 3C 111 is more luminous at both radio and X-ray wavelengths than the one in Cyg A. The 3C 111 central source was much weaker than anticipated on the basis of prior observations at 90 GHz, perhaps due to variability. Even at 150 GHz, there is no evidence of a high-frequency cutoff in the spectrum of the central source in Cyg A, and variability of this source also is expected. The flux densities of the Cyg A lobes are consistent with the power laws derived at lower frequencies, indicating that no steepening occurs in their spectra out to at least 150 GHz. There is no evidence for a compact, optically thick component in 3C 236.

Kafatos, M.↗
NASA NTRS1975

The solar-flare infrared continuum

Potential sources of infrared (1 micron to 1 mm) continuum in solar flares are considered. Several mechanisms should produce detectable fluxes: in the 350 micron window for ground-based observations, impulsive emission will arise in synchrotron radiation from 1-10 MeV electrons, and possibly thermal (free-free) continuum from the source of the white-light flare; the hot flare plasma responsible for soft X-ray emission will also emit detectable fluxes of free-free continuum in the largest flares. At shorter wavelengths the dominant infrared emission will come from the H alpha flare itself. Observations in the infrared wavelengths will help to complete the picture of flare structure in both the impulsive and gradual phases.

Ohki, K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

X-ray observations of jets

The current status of X-ray emission from jets, as observed by the Einstein X-ray Observatory, is reviewed. The X-rays were detected from the jets of 3C273, M87, and Centaurus A. Preliminary results from VLA observations of the Centaurus A jet are also discussed. In all three cases, the data indicate synchrotron radiation, with the spectral index breaking in the range of 10 to the 14th power to 10 to the 15th power Hz; in situ acceleration of the relativistic electrons is required, since the electron lifetimes are significantly shorter than the light travel times from the nucleus. Thermal confinement of the jets is possible in some but not all regions.

Schreier, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Transition radiation effects in superconducting granules

The paper examines the use of a superheated superconducting suspension as a transition radiation detector of relativistic charged particles. The suspensions would also be used for detecting low-energy X-ray photons. The DESY experiment for developing such a superconducting detector has been carried out at a 7 GeV electron synchrotron. The detection is shown to be based on the recordable flipping of the state of a single superconducting grain.

Drukier, A. K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

PKS 2155-304 relativistically beamed synchrotron radiation from BL LAC object

The newly discovered BL Lacertae object, PKS 2155-304, was observed with the medium and high intensity energy detectors of the HEAO-1 A2 experiment. The variability by a factor of two in less than a day reported by Snyder, et al (1979) is confirmed. Two spectra, obtained a year apart, while the satellite was in scanning mode, are well fit by simple power laws with energy spectral index alpha sub 1 equals approximately 1.4. A third spectrum, of higher statistical quality, obtained while the satellite was pointed at its source, has has two components. An acceptable fit was obtained using a two power law model, with indices alpha sub 1 equals 2.0 (+1.2, -0.6) and alpha sub 2 equals -1.5 (+1.5, -2.3). An interpretation of the overall spectrum from radio through X-rays in terms of a synchrotron self-Compton model gives a good description of the data if allowance is made for relativistic beaming. Thus, from a consideration of the spectrum, combined with an estimate of the size of the source, the presence of jets is inferred without their observation.

Urry, C. M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

On the physical environment in the nucleus of Centaurus A /NGC 5128/

A model is proposed for the radio and X-ray variability of the nucleus of Centaurus A in which an adiabatically expanding plasma containing a power-law distribution of relativistic electrons produces the radio flux by synchrotron emission, and the X-ray flux by inverse Compton scattering of an ambient distribution of thermal photons. The variability of Centaurus A is shown to be consistent with the expansion of an initially opaque, hot (1000-10,000 K) plasma which eventually becomes optically thin. Radio flares without corresponding X-ray flares are possible in this model because the plasma density decreases during the expansion, allowing radio radiation previously absorbed or suppressed to be observed. Some consequences of the model for the physical environment in galactic nuclei are discussed.

Beall, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS1969

Discrete extrasolar X-ray sources.

Galactic X ray sources observed in EM spectrum high energy region, discussing hot plasma cloud thermal radiation and electrons synchrotron radiation as emission sources

Rossi, B. B.↗
NASA NTRS1972

The extended X-ray source at M87.

It is shown that the X-ray source in Virgo must be intimately associated with the galaxy M87, as evidenced by the coincidence of the source centroid location with the galaxy. Although the presented results do not completely explain the origin of the X rays from the Virgo cluster, they do indicate that the bulk of the emission does not come from the nucleus or the jet, and they also indicate the presence of strong energy processes in a region surrounding M87. One view of the origin of these X rays is that they are due to relativistic electrons ejected from M87, and interacting with magnetic or radiation fields in intergalactic space by the synchrotron of inverse Compton process. The other view holds that the X rays could be due to thermal emission from a hot plasma.

Kellogg, E.↗