SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “electron & positron scattering”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

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

At least 37 records · Page 2

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2001

Resonances in Positronium Hydride

We re-examine the problem of calculating the positions and widths of the lowest-lying resonances in the Ps + H scattering system which consists of two electrons, one positron and one proton. The first of these resonances, for L=0, was found by the methods of complex rotation and stabilization, and later described as a Feshbach resonance lying close to a bound state in the closed-channel e (+) + H (-) system. Recently, results for the L=1 and 2 scattering states were published, and it was found, surprisingly, that there is a larae shift in the positions of these resonances. In this work we repeat the analysis for L=1 and find an unexpected explanation for the shift.

DiRienzi, Joseph↗

NASA NTRS2019

On the Maximum Pair Multiplicity of Pulsar Cascades

We study electron–positron pair production in polar caps of energetic pulsars to determine the maximum multiplicity of pair plasma a pulsar can produce under the most favorable conditions. This paper complements and updates our study of pair cascades presented in Timokhin & Harding (2015) with a more accurate treatment of the effects of ultrastrong B approximately greater than 3 x 10 (exp 12) G magnetic fields and emission processes of primary and secondary particles. We include pairs produced by curvature and synchrotron radiation photons as well as resonant Compton-scattered photons. We develop a semianalytical model of electron–positron cascades that can efficiently simulate pair cascades with an arbitrary number of microphysical processes and use it to explore cascade properties for a wide range of pulsar parameters. We argue that the maximum cascade multiplicity cannot exceed approximately a few x 10 (exp 5) and that the multiplicity has a rather weak dependence on pulsar period. The highest multiplicity is achieved in pulsars with magnetic field 4 x 10 (exp 12) is approximately greater than B is approximately greater than 10 (exp 13) G and hot surfaces, with T is approximately greater than 10 (exp 6)K. We also derive analytical expressions for several physical quantities relevant for electromagnetic cascade in pulsars, which may be useful in future works on pulsar cascades, including the upper limit on cascade multiplicity and various approximations for the parameter χ, the exponential factor in the expression for photon attenuation in strong magnetic fields.

Timokhin, A. N.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Gamma ray polarimetry

Spectroscopic instruments currently being proposed may possess polarimetric capabilities which sould be nurtured and enhanced to permit characterization of basic emission mechanisms which are impossible using other techniques. Compton scattering and pair production detected the polarization of high energy (E is greater than 50 keV) protons in laboratory experiments. The polarization properties of a detection system consisting of 19 germanium crystals in a closed packed array are examined and the advantages of such a detector over Thompson scattering are discussed. The possiblity of using pair production to detect polarization of high energy gamma rays, and the associated modulation factors are discussed. The central difficulty involved in using pair production polarimeters in astrophysical applications is that the typical opening of the electron or positron direction with respect to the incident photon aircitron is small, of order E/sq mc. Multiple scattering in the material used to convert the photons to an electron positron pair causes deviations in the direction of the electron and positron.

Long, K. S.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Few arc-minute and keV resolutions with the TIGRE Compton telescope

The tracking and imaging gamma ray experiment (TIGRE) Compton telescope concept can provide an angular resolution of a few arcmin, an energy resolution of a few keV and high sensitivity, while providing the wide field of view necessary for surveying and monitoring observations. Silicon and CdZnTe strip detectors are used to detect Compton pair events and determine their incident directions and energies. Above 400 keV, Compton recoil electrons are tracked through successive layers of thin silicon strip detectors. Compton scattered photons are detected with CdZnTe strip detectors. Pair electrons and positrons are tracked to provide high sensitivity observations in the 10 to 100 MeV range. Polarization studies are performed with large angle Compton scatter events. The TIGRE concept and development status are described.

Zych, A.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Elastic and inelastic scattering of positrons in gases and solids

Three apparatuses were designed and built: The first, which is now operative, was designed to study the details of positron thermalization in solids and the subsequent emission of the low energy positrons from moderating foils; The second apparatus now under test is a positron bottle similar in design to an electron trap. It was built to store positrons at a fixed energy and to look at the number of stored positrons (storage time) as a function of a scattering gas in the vacuum chamber. The third apparatus is a crossed beam apparatus where positron-, alkali scattering will be studied. Much of the apparatus is now under test with electrons.

Mcgowan, J. W.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Atomic and Molecular Physics

A symposium on atomic and molecular physics was held on November 18, 2005 at Goddard Space Flight Center. There were a number of talks through the day on various topics such as threshold law of ionization, scattering of electrons from atoms and molecules, muonic physics, positron physics, Rydberg states etc. The conference was attended by a number of physicists from all over the world.

Bhatia, Anand K.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Nonthermal electron-positron pair production and the 'universal' X-ray spectrum of active galactic nuclei

A nonthermal model for power-law X-ray and gamma-ray sources is considered. An initial, primary distribution of relativistic electrons is injected and cooled via Compton scattering of soft photons (produced either externally or by the synchrotron mechanism). The scattered photons, constituting a primary gamma-ray source, produce electron-positron pairs that act as a secondary electron injection, which in turn produce a secondary photon spectrum. Pairs formed by a part of the photon spectrum optically thin to pair production are taken into account. The distribution of particles and photons is obtained, and numerical results as well as analytical solutions to certain special cases are presented. For the case of a delta-function primary electron injection it is found that the photon spectrum in the X-ray region is well approximated by a power law, with the energy spectral index alpha(X) lying in the relatively narrow range 0.5-0.9 as the compactness parameter L(x)/R (where L(x) is the X-ray luminosity and R is the source radius) varies over many orders of magnitude. This is proposed as a possible mechanism to explain the universal X-ray spectra observed from active galactic nuclei.

Zdziarski, A. A.↗

NASA NTRS1992

The expected high-energy to ultra-high-energy gamma-ray spectrum of the Crab Nebula

The inverse Compton scattering model for the unpulsed TeV emission from the Crab Nebula is reexamined using the magnetic field distribution derived from MHD flow models of the nebula. It is shown that the observed flux can be explained if the average nebular field is indeed about 0.0003, as is predicted by the spectral break between radio and optical. The brightness distribution of the TeV gamma-ray signal is expected to extend out to about 1.5 arcmin from the pulsar. The present estimates predict a steady flux of unpulsed ultrahigh-energy gamma-rays due to the inverse Compton scattering of soft photons by shock-accelerated electrons and/or positrons in the vicinity of the shock.

De Jager, O. C.↗

NASA NTRS2006

3-D RPIC simulations of relativistic jets: Particle acceleration, magnetic field generation, and emission

Nonthermal radiation observed from astrophysical systems containing (relativistic) jets and shocks, e.g., supernova remnants, active galactic nuclei (AGNs), gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), and Galactic microquasar systems usually have power-law emission spectra. Fermi acceleration is the mechanism usually assumed for the acceleration of particles in astrophysical environments. Recent PIC simulations using injected relativistic electron-ion (electro-positron) jets show that acceleration occurs within the downstream jet, rather than by the scattering of particles back and forth across the shock as in Fermi acceleration. Shock acceleration is a ubiquitous phenomenon in astrophysical plasmas. Plasma waves and their associated instabilities (e.g., the Buneman instability, other two-streaming instability, and the Weibel instability) created in the .shocks are responsible for particle (electron, positron, and ion) acceleration. The simulation results show that the Weibel instability is responsible for generating and amplifying highly nonuniform, small-scale magnetic fields. These magnetic fields contribute to the electron's transverse deflection behind the jet head. The "jitter" radiation from deflected electrons has different properties than synchrotron radiation which is calculated in a uniform magnetic field. This jitter radiation may be important to understanding the complex time evolution and/or spectral structure in gamma-ray bursts, relativistic jets, and supernova remnants. We will review recent PIC simulations which show particle acceleration in jets.

Nishikawa, K.-I.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Particle Acceleration, Magnetic Field Generation and Emission from Relativistic Jets

Nonthermal radiation observed from astrophysical systems containing relativistic jets and shocks, e.g., active galactic nuclei (AGNs), gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), supernova remnants, and Galactic microquasar systems usually have power-law emission spectra. Fermi acceleration is the mechanism usually assumed for the acceleration of particles in astrophysical environments. Recent PIC simulations using injected relativistic electron-ion (electro-positron) jets show that particle acceleration occurs within the downstream jet, rather than by the scattering of particles back and forth across the shock as in Fermi acceleration. Shock acceleration' is a ubiquitous phenomenon in astrophysical plasmas. Plasma waves and their associated instabilities (e.g., the Buneman instability, other two-streaming instability, and the Weibel instability) created in the shocks are responsible for particle (electron, positron, and ion) acceleration. The simulation results show that the Weibel instability is responsible for generating and amplifying highly nonuniform, small-scale magnetic fields. These magnetic fields contribute to the electron's transverse deflection behind the jet head. The "jitter" radiation from deflected electrons has different spectral properties than synchrotron radiation which is calculated in a uniform magnetic field. This jitter radiation may be important to understanding the complex time evolution and/or spectral structure in gamma-ray bursts, relativistic jets, and supernova remnants. We will review recent PIC simulations of relativistic jets and try to make a connection with observations.

Nishikawa, K.-I.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Annihilation in Gases and Galaxies

This publication contains most of the papers, both invited and contributed, that were presented at the Workshop of Annihilation in Gases and Galaxies. This was the fifth in a biennial series associated with the International Conference on the Physics of Electronic and Atomic Collisions. Subjects covered included the scattering and annihilation of positrons and positronium atoms in various media, including those of astrophysical interest. In addition, the topics of antimatter and dark matter were covered.

Drachman, Richard J.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Theory of electron-positron showers in double radio sources

A black hole of mass of about 300 million solar masses is assumed to be present in the nucleus of an active galaxy or quasar. With an axial magnetic field near 1000 gauss, a potential drop 10 to the 19th volts is generated by the unipolar induction of a rotating accretion disk surrounding the black hole. The possibility that the acceleration of electrons or positrons in the unipolar fields initiates an electromagnetic cascade shower at distances at least 10 to the 16th cm from the black hole is investigated. The scattering medium for the shower is considered to be the spectrum of low energy photons originating from the inner region of the disk. It is found that at completion of the cascade, power-law energy spectra of relativistic electrons and positrons and of gamma-rays emerge under appropriate conditions. If the cascade-initiating particles are collimated, the electrons and positrons emerge in a collimated beam. Such beams may power extragalactic double radio sources.

Burns, M. L.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Monte Carlo simulation of a new gamma ray telescope

A new Monte Carlo code has been written to simulate the response of the new University of California double scatter gamma ray telescope. This package of modular software routines, written in VAX FORTRAN 77 simulates the detection of 0.1 to 35 MeV gamma rays. The new telescope is flown from high altitude balloons to measure medium energy gamma radiation from astronomical sources. This paper presents (1) the basic physics methods in the code, and (2) the predicted response functions of the telescope. Gamma ray processes include Compton scattering, pair production and photoelectric absorption in plastic scintillator, NaI(Tl) and aluminum. Electron transport processes include ionization energy loss, multiple scattering, production of bremsstrahlung photons and positron annihilation.

Simone, J.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Differential cross-section for positronium formation in electron-atomic hydrogen collisions

The L=0 and 1 partial wave amplitudes obtained by a two-state coupled static approximation with correlation with the L greater than or equal to 2 Born amplitudes were combined to obtain the differential cross section for positronium formation in electron-atomic hydrogen collisions. For positron energies of 0.64 and 0.75 ryd, minima at the scattering angles of 57 deg and 51 deg are found. Total cross sections for positronium formation for low and intermediate impact energies are given. Measurement of the differential cross section for the process positron + helium yields positronium + helium ion for the detection of possible minima is suggested.

Drachman, R. J.↗

NASA NTRS2003

A Concept for a High-Energy Gamma-ray Polarimeter

We present a concept for an imaging gamma-ray polarimeter operating from approx. 50 MeV to approx. 1 GeV. Such an instrument would be valuable for the study of high-energy pulsars, active galactic nuclei, supernova remnants, and gamma-ray bursts. The concept makes use of pixelized gas micro-well detectors, under development at Goddard Space Flight Center, to record the electron-positron tracks from pair-production events in a large gas volume. Pixelized micro-well detectors have the potential to form large-volume 3-D track imagers with approx. 100 micron (rms) position resolution at moderate cost. The combination of high spatial resolution and a continuous low-density gas medium permits many thousands of measurements per radiation length, allowing the particle tracks to be imaged accurately before multiple scattering masks their original directions. The polarization of the incoming radiation may then be determined from the azimuthal distribution of the electron-positron pairs. We have performed Geant4 simulations of these processes to estimate the polarization sensitivity as a function of instrument parameters and event selection criteria.

Bloser, P. F.↗

NASA NTRS1997

AXAF Detector Backgrounds Produced By Cosmic Ray Protons

One of the science instruments on the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), planned for launch in 1998 into a highly elliptical (10,000 km x 140,000 km) orbit, is a microchannel plate High Resolution Camera (HRC). This detector is designed to provide imaging and spectroscopic observations of x-rays emitted by stellar sources in the 0.1 to 10 keV energy range. Described here are analyses made to determine the expected time-dependent detector background from prompt and delayed (activation) radiation initiated by galactic cosmic-ray (GCR) proton interactions in the spacecraft and payload. Numerical simulations were made using the coupled set of Monte Carlo radiation transport codes, analysis software, and data bases shown. The major codes are HETC for nucleon-meson transport, EGS for simulating electromagnetic cascades, and MORSE for low-energy (less than 15 MeV) neutron transport. The simulation follows the transport history of photons in the energy range from - 100 GeV down to approx. 0.1 keV due to gamma-ray sources from neutral pion decay, high-energy (spallation) collisions, and low-energy neutron inelastic scattering and capture reactions. Also included is radioisotope production and the tracking of gamma-rays, electrons, and positrons from induced radioactivity.

Armstrong, T. W.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Time-dependent models of magnetized pair plasmas

Attention is given to a numerical code developed to study the time evolution of electron-positron plasmas. The code solves in a self-consistent manner kinetic equations describing the effects of Compton scattering, two-photon pair production, pair annihilation, cooling of pairs via Coulomb scattering, e-e bremsstrahlung, and synchrotron radiation. The kinetic equations are derived under the approximation of homogeneous and isotropic particle distributions on the basis of a study by Coppi and Blandford (1993). Both stationary and time-varying output radiation spectra are computed. Good qualitative agreement with previous calculations is found, except where the differences are attributable to the improved treatment of the microphysics.

Coppi, Paolo S.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Electron-positron heating and the eclipsing millisecond pulsar PSR 1957 + 20

The companion in the eclipsing millisecond PSR 1957 + 20 appears to be strongly heated by the pulsar and may also be rapidly losing mass due to that heating. A new mechanism is presented by which the heating may be accomplished: diffusion of mildly relativistic electron-positron pairs from the pulsar's relativistic wind through a thermal wind issuing from the companion. Wave-particle scattering regulates the depth at which the pairs deposit their energy; requirements of self-consistency place bounds on the wave spectrum and pair distribution function. If the pairs carry over about 10 percent of the pulsar spin-down luminosity, and the companion's heavy element abundance is subsolar, the heating rate can be adequate to drive a wind with sufficient momentum flux to explain the eclipse geometry. Annihilation photons then heat the companion beneath its photosphere and supply a significant part of the power for the optical luminosity. This model also suggests that the eclipse duration decreases sharply above a critical photon frequency.

Krolik, Julian H.↗