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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 433 records · Page 24
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

The soft X-ray diffuse background and the structure of the local interstellar medium

Data from five rocket flights of the Wisconsin soft X-ray sky survey, covering the southern galactic hemisphere with 6.5 deg spatial resolution between 0.1 and 2.0 keV, are presented as intensity maps. Analysis of the data in two energy bands below 0.3 keV is presented here. These low-energy X-rays appear to be emitted from a plasma of about one-million K, the bulk of which is closer to the sun than even the nearest 5 x 10 to the 19th/sq cm of neutral gas. No evidence is found for the presence of nearby small (radius of about 0.6 pc) clouds of cool neutral gas, as has been proposed by McKee and Ostriker (1977). The X-ray measurements are consistent with the small amounts of local neutral material inferred from Lyman-alpha absorption measurements.

Fried, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The sun and interplanetary magnetic field

The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) serves as a link between the sun, the response of the earth to solar activity and variations in galactic cosmic radiation. The IMF originates as a solar-coronal magnetic field that is transported into space by the solar wind. The close connection between solar magnetic fields and the origin and structure of the solar wind is described. The solar wind forms the heliosphere, a cavity containing the magnetized solar plasma from which the interstellar plasma and field are excluded. The entry of galactic cosmic rays into the heliosphere and their strong interaction with the IMF are discussed, this topic being of primary importance to the production and temporal variations of radiogenic elements. The profound influence of the IMF on geomagnetic activity and the aurora is discussed within the context of merging or reconnection with the planetary field. The physical connection is thus established between solar magnetic fields, magnetic storms and aurora. The state of the solar wind and IMF during the Maunder minimum is considered and an explanation for the (relative) absence of sunspots and aurora is proposed. The mechanism is an interruption of the oscillatory solar dynamo, a consequent reduction in the heating of the corona, a cessation of the supersonic solar wind and a weakening or absence of southward-directed magnetic fields in the vicinity of the earth.

Smith, Edward J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

VLBI angular broadening measurements in the Cygnus region

Multifrequency VLBI observations of angular broadening are reported for eight compact radio sources whose lines of sight pass through the Galactic plane in Cygnus. The characteristic lambda-squared dependence of angular size is used to distinguish between scattered and intrinsic structure. The measured angular sizes of four of the eight sources exhibit a lambda-squared dependence, a result consistent with angular broadening by intervening turbulence. Variation in the strength of scattering as a function of position indicates that scattering in the Cygnus region changes by a factor of 2-5 for angular separations of a few degrees. With the exception of one source, the observed angular broadening is confined within a few degrees of the Galactic plane.

Fey, Alan L.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Three-dimensional structure of the extended solar magnetic field and the sunspot cycle variation in cosmic ray intensity

A principal cause for the eleven-year sunspot cycle variation in the primary cosmic ray intensity observed at earth may be a variation in the solid angle of the heliosphere occupied by the extended solar polar magnetic field. Galactic cosmic rays have relatively easy access to the inner solar system through the regular extended solar polar fields, and relatively difficult access through the irregular extended solar sector structure fields.

Svalgaard, L.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Probing the Accretion Disk and Central Engine Structure of the NGC 4258 with Suzaku and XMM-Newton Observations

We present an X-ray study of the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus (AGN) in NGC 4258 using data from Suzaku, XMM-Newton, and the Swift/Burst Alert Telescope survey. We find that signatures of X-ray reprocessing by cold gas are very weak in the spectrum of this Seyfert-2 galaxy; a weak, narrow fluorescent K(alpha) emission line of cod iron is robustly detected in both the Suzaku and XMM-Newton spectra but at a level much below that of most other Seyfert-2 galaxies. We conclude that the circumnuclear environment of this AGN is very "clean" and lacks the Compton-thick obscuring torus of unified Seyfert schemes. From the narrowness of the iron line, together with evidence of line flux variability between the Suzaku and XMM-Newton observations, we constrain the line emitting region to be between 3 x 10(exp 3)r(sub g) and 4 x 10(exp 4)r(sub g), from the black hole. We show that the observed properties of the iron line can be explained if the line originates from the surface layers of a warped accretion disk. In particular, we present explicit calculations of the expected iron line from a disk warped by Lens-Thirring precession from a misaligned central black hole. Finally, the Suzaku data reveal clear evidence of large amplitude 2-10 keV variability on timescales of 50 ksec and smaller amplitude flares on timescales as short as 5-10 ksec. If associated with accretion disk processes, such rapid variability requires an origin in the innermost regions of the disk (r approx. equals 10(r(sub g) or less). Analysis of the difference spectrum between a high- and low-flux states suggests that the variable component of the X-ray emission is steeper and more absorbed than the average AGN emission, suggesting that the primary X-ray source and absorbing screen have a spatial structure on comparable scales. We note the remarkable similarity between the circumnuclear environment of NGC 4258 and another well studied low-luminosity AGN, M81*.

Reynolds, Christopher S.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Galactic interstellar abundance surveys with IUE. II - The equivalent widths and column densities

This paper continues a survey of interstellar densities, abundances, and cloud structure in the Galaxy, using the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite. Equivalent widths of 18 ultraviolet resonance transitions are presented and column densities for Si II, Mn II, Fe II, S II, and Zn II toward 261 early-type stars are derived. These equivalent widths and column densities agree within the stated errors of earlier Copernicus, BUSS, or IUE surveys of Mn II, Fe II, S II, and Zn II for 45 stars in common. The column densities are derived from single-component curves of growth with a common b-value based on that of Fe II and Si II.

Van Steenberg, Michael E.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation

An overview of historical and current numerical aerodynamic simulation (NAS) is given. The capabilities and goals of the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation Facility are outlined. Emphasis is given to numerical flow visualization and its applications to structural analysis of aircraft and spacecraft bodies. The uses of NAS in computational chemistry, engine design, and galactic evolution are mentioned.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1989

Are supernova remnants quasi-parallel or quasi-perpendicular accelerators

Observations of shock waves in the solar system which show a pronounced difference in the plasma wave and particle environment depending on whether the shock is propagating along or perpendicular to the interplanetary magnetic field are discussed. Theories for particle acceleration developed for quasi-parallel and quasi-perpendicular shocks, when extended to the interstellar medium suggest that the relativistic electrons in radio supernova remnants are accelerated by either the Q parallel or Q perpendicular mechanisms. A model for the galactic magnetic field and published maps of supernova remnants were used to search for a dependence of structure on the angle Phi. Results show no tendency for the remnants as a whole to favor the relationship expected for either mechanism, although individual sources resemble model remnants of one or the other acceleration process.

Spangler, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS2016

An Overview of the Mid-Infrared Spectro-Interferometer MATISSE: Science, Concept, and Current Status

MATISSE is the second-generation mid-infrared spectrograph and imager for the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) at Paranal. This new interferometric instrument will allow significant advances by opening new avenues in various fundamental research fields: studying the planet-forming region of disks around young stellar objects, understanding the surface structures and mass loss phenomena affecting evolved stars, and probing the environments of black holes in active galactic nuclei. As a first breakthrough, MATISSE will enlarge the spectral domain of current optical interferometers by offering the L and M bands in addition to the N band. This will open a wide wavelength domain, ranging from 2.8 to 13 microns, exploring angular scales as small as 3 mas (L band) 10 mas (N band). As a second breakthrough, MATISSE will allow mid-infrared imaging - closure-phase aperture-synthesis imaging - with up to four Unit Telescopes (UT) or Auxiliary Telescopes (AT) of the VLTI. Moreover, MATISSE will offer a spectral resolution range from R approx. 30 to R approx. 5000. Here, we present one of the main science objectives, the study of protoplanetary disks, that has driven the instrument design and motivated several VLTI upgrades (GRA4MAT and NAOMI). We introduce the physical concept of MATISSE including a description of the signal on the detectors and an evaluation of the expected performances. We also discuss the current status of the MATISSE instrument, which is entering its testing phase, and the foreseen schedule for the next two years that will lead to the first light at Paranal.

interferometric instrument↗
NASA NTRS1994

Wavelet analysis applied to the IRAS cirrus

The structure of infrared cirrus clouds is analyzed with Laplacian pyramid transforms, a form of non-orthogonal wavelets. Pyramid and wavelet transforms provide a means to decompose images into their spatial frequency components such that all spatial scales are treated in an equivalent manner. The multiscale transform analysis is applied to IRAS 100 micrometer maps of cirrus emission in the north Galactic pole region to extract features on different scales. In the maps we identify filaments, fragments and clumps by separating all connected regions. These structures are analyzed with respect to their Hausdorff dimension for evidence of the scaling relationships in the cirrus clouds.

Langer, William D.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Formation of giant molecular clouds in global spiral structures: The role of orbital dynamics and cloud-cloud collisions

The different roles played by orbital dynamics and dissipative cloud-cloud collisions in the formation of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) in a global spiral structure are investigated. The interstellar medium (ISM) is simulated by a system of particles, representing clouds, which orbit in a spiral-perturbed, galactic gravitational field. The overall magnitude and width of the global cloud density distribution in spiral arms is very similar in the collisional and collisionless simulations. The results suggest that the assumed number density and size distribution of clouds and the details of individual cloud-cloud collisions have relatively little effect on these features. Dissipative cloud-cloud collisions play an important steadying role for the cloud system's global spiral structure. Dissipative cloud-cloud collisions also damp the relative velocity dispersion of clouds in massive associations and thereby aid in the effective assembling of GMC-like complexes.

Roberts, W. W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Observations of spatial structure in the soft X-ray diffuse flux.

Repeated observations of a diffuse source in the region of about 200 deg and +10 deg galactic longitude and latitude, respectively, illustrate the complexity of the low-energy X-ray background. The source is not well correlated with known objects or features, and cannot be explained by geometrically simple models of diffuse emission. The measurements indicate that this emission feature, and by implication a large fraction of the 1/4-keV flux observed in the galactic plane, probably originates outside the solar system.

Bunner, A. N.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Galactic Abundance Gradients fro IR Fine Strucuture LInes in Compact H II regions

We present observations of the [S III]19(micro)m, [O III]52 and 88(micro)m, and [N III]57(micro)m lines toward 18 compact and ultracompact (UC) H II regions. These data were combined with data from the literature and high-resolution radio continuum maps to construct detailed statistical equilibrium and ionization equilibrium models of 34 compact H II regions located at galactocentric distances (Dg)0-12kpc. Our models simultaneously fit the observed IR fine-structure lines and high-resolution radio continuum maps.

galactic elements chemical evolution galaxy format↗
NASA NTRS2012

Observation of an Anisotropy in the Galactic Cosmic Ray Arrival Direction at 400 TeV with IceCube

In this paper we report the first observation in the Southern hemisphere of an energy dependence in the Galactic cosmic ray anisotropy up to a few hundred TeV. This measurement was performed using cosmic ray induced muons recorded by the partially deployed IceCube observatory between May 2009 and May 2010. The data include a total of 33 x 10(exp 9) muon events with a median angular resolution of approx. 3 degrees. A sky map of the relative intensity in arrival direction over the Southern celestial sky is presented for cosmic ray median energies of 20 and 400 TeV. The same large-scale anisotropy observed at median energies around 20 TeV is not present at 400 TeV. Instead, the high energy skymap shows a different anisotropy structure including a deficit with a post-trial significance of -6.3 sigma. This anisotropy reveals a new feature of the Galactic cosmic ray distribution, which must be incorporated into theories of the origin and propagation of cosmic rays.

Abbasi, R.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Observation of Anisotropy in the Galactic Cosmic Ray Arrival Directions at 400 TEV With IceCube

In this paper we report the first observation in the Southern hemisphere of an energy dependence in the Galactic cosmic ray anisotropy up to a few hundred TeV. This measurement was performed using cosmic ray induced muons recorded by the partially deployed IceCube observatory between May 2009 and May 2010. The data include a total of 33x l0(epx 9) muon events with a median angular resolution of approx 3 degrees. A sky map of the relative intensity in arrival direction over the Southern celestial sky is presented for cosmic ray median energies of 20 and 400 Te V. The same large-scale anisotropy observed at median energies around 20 TeV is not present at 400 TeV. Instead, the high energy skymap shows a different anisotropy structure including a deficit with a post-trial significance of -6.30 sigma. This anisotropy reveals a new feature of the Galactic cosmic ray distribution, which must be incorporated into theories of the origin and propagation of cosmic rays.

Abbasi, R.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Clustering of the Diffuse Infrared Light from the COBE DIRBE Maps: Power Spectrum Analysis and Excess Isotropic Component of Fluctuations - 3

The cosmic infrared background (CIB) radiation is the cosmic repository for energy release throughout the history of the universe. The spatial fluctuations of the CIB resulting from galaxy clustering are expected to be at least a few percent on scales of a degree, depending on the luminosity and clustering history of the early universe. Using the all-sky data from the COBE DIRBE instrument at wavelengths 1.25 - 100 microns we attempt to measure the CIB fluctuations. In the near-IR, foreground emission is dominated by small scale structure due to stars in the Galaxy. There we find a strong correlation between the amplitude of the fluctuations and Galactic latitude after removing bright foreground stars. Using data outside the Galactic plane (absolute value of b > 20 deg) and away from the center (90 deg < l < 270 deg) we extrapolate the amplitude of the fluctuations to cosec absolute value of b = 0. We find a positive intercept of delta.F(sub rms) = 15.5(sup +3.7, sub -7.0), 5.9(sup +1.6, sub -3.7), 2.4(sup +0.5, sub -0.9), 2.0(sup +0.25, sub -0.5) nW/sq m.sr at 1.25, 2.2, 3.5 and 4.9 microns respectively, where the errors are the range of 92% confidence limits. For color subtracted maps between band 1 and 2 we find the isotropic part of the fluctuations at 7.6(sup +1.2, sub -2.4) nW/sq m.sr. Based on detailed numerical and analytic models, this residual is not likely to originate from the Galaxy, our clipping algorithm, or instrumental noise. We demonstrate that the residuals from the fit used in the extrapolation are distributed isotropically and suggest that this extra variance may result from structure in the CIB. We also obtain a positive intercept from a linear combination of maps at 1.25 and 2.2 microns. For 2 deg < theta < 15 deg, a power-spectrum analysis yields limits of (theta/5 deg) x delta.F(sub rms)(theta) < 6, 2.5, 0.8, 0.5 nW/sq m.sr at 1.25, 2.2, 3.5 and 4.9 microns respectively. From 10 - 100 microns, the dominant foregrounds are emission by dust in the Solar system and the Galaxy. There the upper limits on the CIB fluctuations are below 1 nW/sq m.sr and are lowest (< equal 0.5 nW/sq m.sr) at 25 microns.

Kashlinsky, A.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Dual-Frequency VLBI Study of Centaurus A on Sub-Parsec Scales: The Highest-Resolution View of an Extragalactic Jet

Centaurus A is the closest active galactic nucleus. High resolution imaging using Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) enables us to study the spectral and kinematic behavior of the radio jet-<:ounterjet system on sub-parsec scales, providing essential information for jet emission and formation models. Aims. Our aim is to study the structure and spectral shape of the emission from the central-parsec region of Cen A. Methods. As a target of the Southern Hemisphere VLBI monitoring program TANAMI (Tracking Active Galactic Nuclei with Millliarcsecond Interferometry), VLBI observations of Cen A are made regularly at 8.4 and 22.3 GHz with the Australian Long Baseline Array (LBA) and associated telescopes in Antarctica, Chile, and South Africa. Results. The first dual-frequency images of this source are presented along with the resulting spectral index map. An angular resolution of 0.4 mas x 0.7 mas is achieved at 8.4 GHz, corresponding to a linear scale of less than 0.013 pc. Hence, we obtain the highest resolution VLBI image of Cen A, comparable to previous space-VLBI observations. By combining with the 22.3 GHz image, we present the corresponding dual-frequency spectral index distribution along the sub-parsec scale jet revealing the putative emission regions for recently detected y-rays from the core region by Fermi/LAT. Conclusions. We resolve the innermost structure of the milliarcsecond scale jet and counter jet system of Cen A into discrete components. The simultaneous observations at two frequencies provide the highest resolved spectral index map of an AGN jet allowing us to identify up to four possible sites as the origin of the high energy emission. Key words. galaxies: active galaxies: individual (Centaurus A, NGC 5128) - galaxies: jets - techniques: high angular resolution

Mueller, C.↗