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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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At least 397 records · Page 22
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NASA NTRS1984

The ultraviolet variability of early-type supergiants

Four early-type supergiants - HD 79186 (B5 Ia), HD 96919 (B9 Ia), HD 105056 (ON9.7 Iae), and HD 148379 (B2 Iae) - have been observed with the low-resolution spectrographs of IUE in the large aperture on 14 days. The behavior of the ultraviolet fluxes with time is studied. The light from all four stars seems to vary. Typically the dispersion about the mean magnitude at any wavelength corresponds to + or - 0.085, + or - 0.080, + or - 0.101, and + or - 0.106 mag, respectively. These amplitudes exceed the typical uncertainty in an IUE measurement of flux by about a factor of 3; they are somewhat larger than the variations known in the visible wavelength range. There are insufficient data to investigate periodicity in the observed light changes. The effective temperatures and angular diameters of the stars have been estimated using the present ultraviolet photometry, published UBV and uvby photometry, and the model-atmosphere fluxes reported by Kurucz in 1979. The program stars have dimensions typical for their spectral types. A brief discussion is given of possible causes of the variability of hot supergiants.

Underhill, A. B.↗
NASA NTRS1984

1979 January 13 - An intense gamma-ray burst with a possible associated optical transient

The time history, energy spectra, and precise localization of the intense January 13, 1979 gamma-ray burst, observed by five spacecraft in the interplanetary network, are presented. The time history displays a pulse-afterpulse structure suggestive of periodicity. Fine time resolution spectral analysis shows that a wide variety of models can be used to fit individual spectra, while spectra integrated over longer periods are well fitted by a thermal synchrotron law, making it difficult to identify any specific emission mechanism. The precise localization may be consistent with an archival optical transient having no quiescent counterpart down to 22d mag on recent plates.

Barat, C.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The Shane-Wirtanen counts

It is shown that the 2.5 degree-break in the galaxy correlation function derived from the Shane-Wirtanen star counts is indistinguishable from an artifact introduced by residual systematic variations in the effective magnitude limit from plate to plate. In order to avoid the introduction of a break, the maximum error from plate to plate must be no more than about 0.05 mag. Other large scale features in the data which are also affected by the systematic variations are discussed.

Geller, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

High-resolution spectroscopy of the optical candidate for the X-ray transient X0331 + 53

High-resolution spectral observations of the optical candidate for the X-ray transient X0331 + 53 are presented. The data show broad hydrogen and helium emission and strong interstellar absorption corresponding to a visual extinction of about 7 mag. No photospheric absorption in the emission lines, and no radial-velocity variations greater than 0.5 km/s were found over a three-day period. It is concluded that the optical continuum does not arise at or near the primary star. As an example of the spectrographic data, a resolution profile of H-alpha emission in X0331 + 53 is provided.

Stocke, J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Optical multicolors - A poor person's z machine for galaxies

The feasibility, limits, accuracy, and uncertainties of using optical broadband colors in the form of two-color plots to measure the redshifts of faint galaxies are explored. Comparison of redshifts from slit spectra and 4-m photographic UBVI photometry of 100 faint galaxies confirms that colors do yield redshifts. These galaxies of 17-23 mag in B span a wide range of intrinsic color and are thus unlike previous samples of faint galaxies that were largely radio or cluster galaxies of early (red) type. For redshifts less than 0.35, two-thirds of the color redshifts agree with the spectroscopic values to within + or - 0.04 in z; for higher redshifts to z of 0.6, the errors increase to + or - 0.06. These accuracies were achieved for blue as well as red galaxies, and ensure that multicolors can serve as a poor person's redshift machine to study distant galaxies in clusters and the field.

Koo, D. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

High-resolution surface photometry of elliptical galaxies

High-resolution CCD surface photometry profiles have been obtained for a sample of 42 nearby elliptical and SO galaxies as a first step in a program to investigate their central structure and core properties. A comparison of the present profiles to those of other observers shows that the accuracy of the central surface brightnesses is to better than 0.02 mag rms. Central resolution is limited by the atmospheric seeing PSF which is measured for each profile. A hybrid Fourier deconvolution procedure has been developed to correct the surface photometry for seeing in a model-independent way. Tests of the procedure on simulated galaxy images show that intrinsic core radii equal to the seeing FWHM or larger can be recovered from the observations. Application of the deconvolution procedure to the observed galaxies yields surface photometry profiles of slightly sub-arc second resolution.

Lauer, T. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

TT Arietis - The low state

A comprehensive photometric and spectroscopic study of the low state of the novalike variable TT Ari has been made with observations spanning the UV to IR spectral regions. The roughly 5 mag drop in the system's luminosity from the high state indicates that the mass-transfer rate decreased by more than two orders of magnitude. The drastic reduction in the luminosity of the accretion disk between the high and low states enabled the white dwarf component to be directly observed for the first time. The broad absorption profiles at various lines and the UV energy distribution are best fitted by a hot white dwarf. A lower limit of 200 pc for the distance to TT Ari is derived, and the behavior of TT Ari is compared to that of another novalike variable, MV Lyr. The long-term photometric behavior of TT Ari makes it a typical member of the VY Scl subclass of novalike variables.

Shafter, A. W.↗
NASA NTRS1985

2237 + 0305 - A new and unusual gravitational lens

A new gravitational lens system has been discovered which consists of a quasar at z = 1.695 nearly centered on a 15-mag spiral galaxy, 2237 + 0305, at z = 0.0394. At 2 arcsec resolution, only a single optical image of the quasar is visible; its centroid is located within approximately 0.3 arcsec of the center of the galaxy. 'Snapshot' observations at the VLA yielded no detectable radio radiation, placing an upper limit of about 0.5 mJy on the combined flux density of the galaxy and quasar at a wavelength of 6 cm. A simple gravitational lens model that accounts for these observations is discussed.

Huchra, J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The brightest high-latitude 12-micron IRAS sources

The Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) Point Source catalog was searched for sources brighter than 28 Jy (0 mag) at 12 microns with absolute galactic latitude greater than 30 deg excluding the Large Magellanic Cloud. The search resulted in 269 sources, two of which are the galaxies NGC 1068 and M82. The remaining 267 sources are identified with, or have infrared color indices consistent with late-type stars some of which show evidence of circumstellar dust shells. Seven sources are previously uncataloged stars. K and M stars without circumstellar dust shells, M stars with circumstellar dust shells, and carbon stars occupy well-defined regions of infrared color-color diagrams.

Hacking, P.↗
NASA NTRS1985

CCD observations of Abell clusters. IV - Surface photometry of 175 brightest cluster galaxies

The present data from a consistent body of CCD aperture and surface photometry for the brightest galaxies in 175 clusters from the Abell catalog confirm the dispersion in the aperture luminosities for first-ranked cluster galaxies of about 0.32 mag, as well as the documented trends of luminosity with Bautz-Morgan class and cluster richness. Half of these objects are multiple-nucleus systems; multiplicity is not strongly correlated with cluster morphology or richness, and the fraction of multiples is 2-10 times higher than would be produced by random projection in the cores of Hubble-law clusters. The average distance of the secondary nuclei from the luminosity center of the galaxy is significantly less than the value expected from random projections.

Hoessel, J. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Is 1220 Crocus a precessing, binary asteroid?

Photoelectric data of the asteroid 1220 Crocus over a 13 night period in 1984 revealed the presence of two separate periods. The light curves were indicative of a precessing body, but not one in free precession due to motions induced by a collision. Closer examinations revealed periods of 30.7 and 7.9 hr with amplitudes of 0.87 and 0.15 mag, respectively. An analysis of the source of an external torque which could be causing a forced precession led to the hypothesis that 1220 Crocus has a satellite. Verification of the binary asteroid configuration will depend on more detailed light curves, the possible modulation of the shorter period by the longer, and possible use of the Space Telescope.

Binzel, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Optical observations of new X-ray emitting cataclysmic variables

Two X-ray emitting cataclysmic variables were discovered as a result of a program to identify faint X-ray sources located by the HEAO-A3 modulation collimator experiment. The objects, H0534-581 and 1H0542-407, have similar high excitation spectra with intense emission lines showing broad and narrow components. Photometry shows that H0534-581 and 1H0542-407 have average magnitudes of V=14.9 and 15.7 respectively, leading to Lx/Lopt ratios of 1.5 (typical of dwarf novae in quiescence). While pronounced variability of delta B or = 1.5 mag is observed from both systems, there is no clear evidence for repeatable orbital periods between 1 and 4 hr.

Tuohy, I. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The August 1984 eclipse of 22 Vulpeculae

Observations are reported of the newly discovered eclipsing binary 22 Vul (G3 IB-II+B9), in and around the 1984 eclipse. IUE satellite and ground-based photometric observations are included. The depth of total eclipse of the hot component was 0.05 mag in the V band, 0.14 in B, and 0.35 in U. Time of mideclipse is now established at JD1445942.3 (1984 August 29.8) plus-or-minus 0.2 day, with an eclipse duration of 9.8 plus-or-minus 0.2 days. The period is 249.115 plus-or-minus 0.024 days. The ingress and egress phases, lasting only about one day in visible light, last a week or more at some UV wavelengths and are not symmetrical.

Parsons, S. B.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Stratification of the extended atmosphere of the Wolf-Rayet component of V444 Cygni

Ultraviolet spectra covering both eclipses of V444 Cygni have been obtained. Longward of 1570 angstroms, the continuum brightness showed essentially the same variation seen in the optical (at 4244 angstroms). Striking atmospheric eclipses of up to 0.7 mag in depth were detected, however, in individual strong lines as well as over large ranges of the continuum shortward of 1500 angstroms. IUE data are used to estimate the degree of interstellar extinction and terminal expansion velocity of the system and to study the phase dependence of the continuum and line absorptions.

Eaton, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Standard stars for cometary photometry

Interference filters centered at 0.365, 0.387, 0.406, 0.484, and 0.514 microns have been selected to represent UV continuum, CN emission, C3 emission, blue continuum, and C2 emission in cometary spectra, respectively. Adopted magnitudes and colors of this filter system are presented for 50 standard stars, ranging in bue magnitude from 4 to 12, in spectral type from O to K, and distributed primarily around equatorial regins of the sky. The tabulated uncertainties are generally of the order of 0.02 mag or smaller; the zero points of the photometric system are chosen so that blue continuum magnitudes are approximately equivalent to Johnson B, and so that color indices average zero for solar analog stars.

Wisniewski, W.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Pluto-Charon mutual event predictions for 1986

Circumstances are tabulated for 81-Pluto-Charon mutual events occurring during the 1986 opposition. The deepest and longest events will occur in February and reach a depth of about 0.15 mag. Observations of these events will lead to an accurate determination of the satellite's orbit, the diameters of the two bodies, the mean density of the system, and crude albedo maps of one hemisphere on each object.

Tholen, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

An infrared reflection nebula surrounding SGS 1 in the NGC 1333 dark cloud

Strom et al. (1974) have conducted a search for infrared sources associated with Herbig-Haro objects. They found an infrared source, SGS 1, near HH 12, embedded in at least 20 visual mag of extinction in the NGC 1333 dark cloud. Various factors suggest the presence of an infrared reflection nebula. In the context of the present investigation, high spatial resolution observations in the infrared have provided the basis for the development of a consistent model for SGS which consists of a low-luminosity, cool star with an accretion disk tilted to the line of sight, and one observed reflection lobe caused by the illumination of material above one of the polar regions of the accretion disk. It is pointed out that this model is similar to that of the infrared reflection nebula GSS 30 in the Ophiuchus dark cloud.

Castelaz, M. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Sandqvist 187 - A dense molecular cloud in Norma

Observations of Sandqvist 187, an elongated dust cloud in the southern constellation Norma are presented and discussed. The cloud contains two Herbig-Haro objects, HH 56 and HH 57. HH 57 currently displays on its NE edge a 17th mag variable star of the FU Ori type. Using the Columbia University 1.2 m millimeter-wave telescope at Cerro Tololo, the region is mapped and an extended CO cloud which envelops and is elongated along the optical dust cloud is found. The position of maximum CO emission coincides with HH 56 and HH 57. Assuming a distance of 0.7 kpc, the total mass of the cloud is found to be close to 500 solar masses. The CO spectra show evidence of a molecular flow. Photographs and CCD images obtained mostly with the CTIO 4 m telescope show the detailed optical structure of the dark cloud's core region. The Herbig-Haro object HH 56 appears to be related to an emission-line star embedded in the small nebula Reipurth 13, not to the FU Ori star in HH 57.

Alvarez, H.↗