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At least 397 records · Page 22

Cometary nucleus and active regions

On the basis of the icy-conglomerate model of cometary nuclei, various observations demonstrate the 'spotted' nature of many or most nuclei; i.e., regions of unusual activity, either high or low. Rotation periods, spin axes, and even precession of the axes have been determined. Narrow dust jets near the nuclei of some bright comets require that small sources be embedded in larger active areas. Certain evidence suggests that very dusty areas and very dusty comets may be less active, respectively, than surrounding areas or other comets.

Whipple, F. L.↗

Experimental study of the space-time development of the particle production process in hadron-nucleon collisions, using massive target nucleus as a detector

Experimental study of the space-time development of the particle production process in hadronic collisions at its initial stage was performed. Massive target nuclei have been used as fine detectors of properties of the particle production process development within time intervals smaller than 10 to the 22nd power s and spatial distances smaller than 10 to the 12th power cm. In hadron-nucleon collisions, in particular in nucleon-nucleon collisions, the particle production process goes through intermediate objects in 2 yields 2 type endoergic reactions. The objects decay into commonly observed resonances and paricles.

Strugalski, Z.↗

Scaling violation in hadron-nucleus interaction

The scaling violation within the pionization region in the energy range of 0.2 to 2.0 TeV is shown on the basis of the analysis of angular characteristics in the interactions of the cosmic radiation hadrons with the nuclei of various substances (CH2, Al, Cu, Pb).

Verbetski, Y. G.↗

Precession model for the nucleus of periodic Comet Kopff

The existing data base on certain characteristics of the periodic Comet Kopff, a candidate for a NASA rendezvous mission in the 1990s, is summarized. The comet was discovered in 1906. The data are used to calculate limits to the nuclear mass (0.7-1.5 x 10 to the 16th g), equatorial radius (1.26-1.64 km), and a geometric albedo of 0.08. An equatorial rotation velocity of 8.1-10.7 hr is projected. The estimates are highly dependent on the present photometric data, which in turn depend on the insolation rate, which if different than assumed could mean that all parameters would be revised upward significantly.

Sekanina, Z.↗

The cometary nucleus: Current concepts

Ideas concerning the nature of cometary nuclei as modified by observations of recent years, particularly by those of Halley's comet during the 1986 apparition are reviewed. The major trend is to increase the postulated dimensions of the nuclei and reduce their albedos. The Vega and Giotto missions establish an invaluable checkpoint with regard to comet nuclei. These and other observations are affecting opinions concerning many facets of cometary nature, origin, evolution, and decay.

Whipple, Fred L.↗

Ultraviolet detection of the nucleus of NGC2440

In a recent report, Atherton et al. (1986) announced the detection of the central, exciting star of the planetary nebula NGC2440 on a narrow-band CCD image. Here, the detection of the same star in ultraviolet spectra taken with the IUE satellite is reported. The stellar parameters derived from these spectra are temperature of about 200,000 K, luminosity of 1500 solar, log g = 7, and mass 0.6 solar. These results are in accord with stellar evolutionary theory.

Heap, S. R.↗

Nucleon-nucleus interaction data base: Total nuclear and absorption cross sections

Neutron total cross sections are represented for Li to Pu targets at energies above 0.1 MeV and less than 100 MeV using a modified nuclear Ramsauer formalism. The formalism is derived for energies above 100 MeV by fitting theoretical cross sections. Neutron absorption cross sections are represented by analytic expressions of similar form, but shape resonance phenomena of the Ramsauer effect is not present. Elastic differential cross sections are given as a renormalized impulse approximation. These cross section data bases are useful for nucleon transport applications.

Wilson, J. W.↗

A large family of compact radio sources in the starburst nucleus of NGC 253

Deep VLA maps of NGC 253 show that it has at least 35 compact radio sources similar to those in the prototypical IR starburst galaxy M82. It is noted that NGC 253 is a twin of M82 in IR spectrum and luminosity as well as distance. Some of the sources in M82 which are rapidly expanding and fading are believed to be extremely young supernova remnants. Most of the sources detected in NGC 253 are unresolved or only marginally resolved, with typical diameters no greater than 2-5 pc. If they are young supernova remnants expanding at 12,000 km/s, the source ages are no more than 160-400 yr. This requires a supernova rate of about 1/0.1 yr. If the compact radio sources are indeed young supernova remnants, star formation must have ceased shortly after the progenitors of the current supernovae were produced.

Antonucci, Robert R. J.↗

Pseudo-scalar pi N coupling and relativistic proton-nucleus scattering

Relativistic p-Ca-40 elastic scattering observables are calculated using relativistic NN amplitudes obtained from the solution of a two-body relativistic equation in which one particle is kept on its mass-shell. Results at 200 MeV are presented for two sets of NN amplitudes, one with pure pseudo-vector coupling for the pion and another with a 25 percent admixture of pseudo-scaling coupling. Both give a very good fit to the positive energy on-shell NN data. Differences between the predictions of these two models (which are shown to be due only to the differences in their corresponding negative energy amplitudes) provide a measure of the uncertainty in contructing Dirac optical potentials from NN amplitudes.

Gross, Franz↗

Nuclear collective flow and charged-pion emission in Ne-nucleus collisions at E/A = 800 MeV

Triple-differential cross sections of charged pions were measured for collisions of Ne projectiles at E/A = 800 MeV with NaF, Nb, and Pb targets. The reaction plane was estimated event by event from the light-baryon momentum distribution. For heavy targets, preferential emission of charged pions away from the interaction zone toward the projectile side was observed in the transverse direction. Such a preferential emission, which is not predicted by cascade calculations, may be attributed to a stronger pion absorption by the heavier spectator remnant.

Gosset, J.↗

Analytical study of comet nucleus samples

Analytical procedures for studying and handling frozen (130 K) core samples of comet nuclei are discussed. These methods include neutron activation analysis, x ray fluorescent analysis and high resolution mass spectroscopy.

Albee, A. L.↗

Measurements of long-lived cosmogenic nuclides in returned comet nucleus samples

Measurements of long lived cosmic ray produced radionuclides have given much information on the histories and rates of surface evolution for meteorites, the Moon and the Earth. These nuclides can be equally useful in studying cometary histories and post nebular processing of cometary surfaces. The concentration of these nuclides depends on the orbit of the comet (cosmic ray intensity changes with distance from the sun), the depth of the sampling site in the comet surface, and the rate of continuous evolution of the surface (erosion rate of surface materials). If the orbital parameters and the sampling depth are known, production rates of cosmogenic nuclides can be fairly accurately calculated by theoretical models normalized to measurement on lunar surface materials and meteoritic samples. Due to the continuous evaporation of surface materials, it is expected that the long lived radioactivities will be undersaturated. Accurate measurements of the degree of undersaturation in nuclides of different half-lives allows for the determination of the rate of surface material loss over the last few million years.

Nishiizumi, K.↗

Analysis of particulates of comet nucleus samples: Possible use of olivine as indicator phase

The electron microprobe is a proven instrument for particulate analysis and modifications are possible for in situ analysis of particulates in ice at temperatures near that of liquid nitrogen. Present sample requirements allow for polished samples with 0.25 x 0.25 dimensions to be maintained in the sample chamber of a modern electron probe (CAMECA SX-50) at a temperature of -150 C; larger samples are possible but at higher temperatures as determined by thermal conductivity. The major problem is transport and insertion of samples into the instrument through vacuum interlocks. The manufacturer of the above microprobe has designed an exchange mechanism to allow storage and transport of samples previously prepared for their sample holder which attaches to their instrument allowing extraction and insertion of samples while maintaining -150 C temperature. An important test will be the capability of preparing polished surfaces of an ice-particulate sample without loss of particles and at low temperatures. While thin sections of water ice are routine, these are not examined for particulate material and are prepared at temperatures easily obtained in room-size volumes. Anticipated problems include rounding of small grains in the relatively soft ice matrix and the technical problem of dry polishing.

Steele, I. M.↗

High-resolution observations of the multicomponent nucleus of NGC 5929

The central region of the type 2 Seyfert galaxy NGC 5929 is known to contain double radio-continuum and optical emission-line clouds separated by about 1 arcsec. High-resolution VLA mapping at 2 cm shows these two steep-spectrum radio clouds to be compact (about 13 pc FWHM) and well collimated on either side of a central source having a flatter spectrum. When the radio continuum and forbidden O III 5007-A image of Whittle et al. (1986) are compared at the same spatial resolution, there is no evidence that the separations or position angles of the radio and emission-line clouds differ. The double H-alpha clouds appear to differ in position angle by about 20 deg from the radio lobes. Large variations in excitation of the gas occur on the scale of the seeing. If the line-emitting clouds are confined in or near the radio lobes and the gas is ionized by a compact nuclear source, this source is likely to be beamed along the radio axis.

Wilson, Andrew S.↗

A highly X-ray-variable active galactic nucleus near M101 - A microlensing candidate

The X-ray selected active galaxy 1E 1403 + 5439 has been found to increase its X-ray flux by a factor 5.5 + or - 1.9 over an interval of 161 days. No other X-ray selected emission line active galaxy has been observed to vary by such a large factor. The X-ray source 1E 1403 + 5439 lies about 18 arcmin from the center of the large spiral galaxy M101. This proximity suggests that gravitational microlensing may be responsible for the extraordinary variability of this active galaxy.

Trinchieri, G.↗

Evidence for a supermassive black hole in the nucleus of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 5548

The international campaign to monitor the variable Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 with the IUE has provided an extensive and well-sampled set of spectroscopic observations. These observations are used to study the response of the C IV 1550 A emission-line profile to changes in the photoionizing continuum. Near the end of the IUE campaign, the continuum flux at 1440 A and the total C IV flux dopped by factors of 2.9 and 1.8, respectively, in 16 days. The red wing of the C IV profile responded more rapidly to the sharp continuum drop than the blue wing, indicating that clouds in the inner broad-line region (BLR) are undergoing gravitational infall. These results provide direct evidence that the central engine is a supermassive object, presumably a black hole, with a mass on the order of 10 to the 7th solar masses. Analysis of the profile variations also demonstrates that excess emission in the blue wing of C IV is from a component that is physically distinct from the bulk of the BLR.

Crenshaw, D. Michael↗

The double nucleus galaxies Mkn 423 and Mkn 739

Long slit spectroscopy and imaging of Mkn 423 and Mkn 739 were performed on the 2.2 m and 3.5 m telescopes of the Calar Alto Observatory using both change coupled device (CCD) and photographic detectors. Low and medium resolution spectra (1.8A, 3.5A, 6.0A) together with V images have permitted the demonstration of the merging nature of Mkn 423 and the double structure of the narrow line region (NLR) of its Seyfert component. This last feature has been found also in the NLR of the Seyfert component of Mkn 739, a double system the two components of which are counterrotating.

Rafanelli, Piero↗