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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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NASA NTRS1989

Cosmology and the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE)

COBE, planned for launch aboard a Delta rocket, is NASA's first space mission specifically designed to study the diffuse IR and microwave background radiation. COBE has three instruments for performing precision measurements of the spectrum and angular distribution of the 3 K cosmic background radiation and for making an all-sky survey of the diffuse IR emission at wavelengths of 1-300 microns. COBE will carry differential microwave radiameters to search for anisotropies to a sensitivity per 7-deg pixel of 0.15 mK at frequencies of 53 and 90 GHz and of 0.3 mK at 32 GHz.

Boggess, Nancy W.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Tropospheric aerosol backscatter background mode at CO2 wavelengths

A comparison is made between three climatologies of backscatter measurements in the troposphere and lower stratosphere at CO2 wavelengths. These were obtained from several locations using ground-based and airborne lidar systems. All three measurement sets show similar features, specifically, a high frequency of occurrence of low backscatter over a limited range of values in the middle and upper atmosphere (the 'background mode'). This background mode is important for the design and performance simulation of the prospective satellite sensors that rely on atmospheric aerosols as scattering targets.

Rothermel, Jeffry↗
NASA NTRS1988

Gamma radiation background measurements from Spacelab 2

A Nuclear Radiation Monitor incorporating a NaI(Tl) scintillation detector was flown as part of the verification flight instrumentation on the Spacelab 2 mission, July 29 to August 6, 1985. Gamma-ray spectra were measured with better than 20 s resolution throughout most of the mission in the energy range 0.1 to 30 MeV. Knowledge of the decay characteristics and the geomagnetic dependence of the counting rates enable measurement of the various components of the Spacelab gamma-ray background: prompt secondary radiation, Earth albedo, and delayed induced radioactivity. The status of the data analysis and present relevant examples of typical background behavior are covered.

Paciesas, William S.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Diffraction, chopping, and background subtraction for LDR

The Large Deployable Reflector (LDR) will be an extremely sensitive infrared telescope if the noise due to the photons in the large thermal background is the only limiting factor. For observations with a 3 arcsec aperture in a broadband at 100 micrometers, a 20-meter LDR will emit 10(exp 12) per second, while the photon noise limited sensitivity in a deep survey observation will be 3,000 photons per second. Thus the background subtraction has to work at the 1 part per billion level. Very small amounts of scattered or diffracted energy can be significant if they are modulated by the chopper. The results are presented for 1-D and 2-D diffraction calculations for the lightweight, low-cost LDR concept that uses an active chopping quaternary to correct the wavefront errors introduced by the primary. Fourier transforms were used to evaluate the diffraction of 1 mm waves through this system. Unbalanced signals due to dust and thermal gradients were also studied.

Wright, Edward L.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The grand unified photon spectrum: A coherent view of the diffuse extragalactic background radiation

The spectrum of diffuse extragalactic background radiation (DEBRA) at wavelengths from 10(exp 5) to 10(exp -24) cm is presented in a coherent fashion. Each wavelength region, from the radio to ultra-high energy photons and cosmic rays, is treated both separately and as part of the grand unified photon spectrum (GUPS). A discussion of, and references to, the relevant literature for each wavelength region is included. This review should provide a useful tool for those interested in diffuse backgrounds, the epoch of galaxy formation, astrophysical/cosmological constraints to particle properties, exotic early Universe processes, and many other astrophysical and cosmological enterprises. As a worked example, researchers derive the cosmological constraints to an unstable-neutrino spies (with arbitrary branching ratio to a radiative decay mode) that follow from the GUPS.

Ressell, M. Ted↗
NASA NTRS1989

Background studies in gas ionizing x ray detectors

The background response of a gas ionizing proportional x ray detector is estimated by solving the one dimensional photon transport equation for two regions using Monte Carlo techniques. The solution was effected using the SSL VAX 780 and the CRAY XMP computers at Marshall Space Flight Center. The isotropic photon energy spectrum encompassing the range from 1 to 1000 KeV incident onto the first region, the shield, is taken so as to represent the measured spectrum at an altitude of 3 mb over Palastine, Texas. The differential energy spectrum deposited in the gas region, xenon, over the range of 0 to 100 KeV is written to an output file. In addition, the photon flux emerging from the shield region, tin, over the range of 1 to 1000 KeV is also tabulated and written to a separate file. Published tabular cross sections for photoelectric, elastic and inelastic Compton scattering as well as the total absorption coefficient are used. Histories of each incident photon as well as secondary photons from Compton and photoelectric interactions are followed until the photon either is absorbed or exits from the regions under consideration. The effect of shielding thickness upon the energy spectrum deposited in the xenon region for this background spectrum incident upon the tin shield was studied.

Eldridge, Hudson B.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The pregalactic cosmic gravitational wave background

An outline is given that estimates the expected gravitational wave background, based on plausible pregalactic sources. Some cosmologically significant limits can be put on incoherent gravitational wave background arising from pregalactic cosmic evolution. The spectral region of cosmically generated and cosmically limited radiation is, at long periods, P greater than 1 year, in contrast to more recent cosmological sources, which have P approx. 10 to 10(exp -3).

Matzner, Richard A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The space microwave interferometer and the search for cosmic background gravitational wave radiation

Present and planned investigations which use interplanetary spacecraft for gravitational wave searches are severely limited in their detection capability. This limitation has to do both with the Earth-based tracking procedures used and with the configuration of the experiments themselves. It is suggested that a much improved experiment can now be made using a multiarm interferometer designed with current operating elements. An important source of gravitational wave radiation, the cosmic background, may well be within reach of detection with these procedures. It is proposed to make a number of experimental steps that can now be carried out using TDRSS spacecraft and would conclude in the establishment of an operating multiarm microwave interferometer. This interferometer is projected to have a sensitivity to cosmic background gravitational wave radiation with an energy of less than 10(exp -4) cosmic closure density and to periodic waves generating spatial strain approaching 10(exp -19) in the range 0.1 to 0.001 Hz.

Anderson, Allen Joel↗
NASA NTRS1990

The Cosmic Background Explorer

The Cosmic Background Explorer (CBE), NASA's cosmological satellite which will observe a radiative relic of the big bang, is discussed. The major questions connected to the big bang theory which may be clarified using the CBE are reviewed. The satellite instruments and experiments are described, including the Differential Microwave Radiometer, which measures the difference between microwave radiation emitted from two points on the sky, the Far-Infrared Absolute Spectrophotometer, which compares the spectrum of radiation from the sky at wavelengths from 100 microns to one cm with that from an internal blackbody, and the Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment, which searches for the radiation from the earliest generation of stars.

Gulkis, Samuel↗
NASA NTRS1990

What produces the ionizing background at large redshift?

Results are presented from mathematical and modeling studies to make estimates of the intensity of the ionizing background more definite and quantitative. It is shown that the observed quasars fail to emit sufficient ionizing radiation to satisfy the Gunn-Peterson test. Two possible sources for the additional source of UV radiation are examined: main-sequence, high mass stars in primordial galaxies and quasars that have not been observed because of dust obscuration. Both of these models satisfy the observational constraints with reasonable parameters. It is suggested that observations of He lines from Ly-alpha clouds or an analysis of the line ratios in metal line absorption systems may be used to determine which sources produce the ionizing background.

Miralda-Escude, Jordi↗
NASA NTRS1989

Gamma radiation background measurements from Spacelab 2

A Nuclear Radiation Monitor incorporating a NaI(Tl) scintillation detector was flown as part of the verification flight instrumentation on the Spacelab 2 mission, July 29 to August 6, 1985. Gamma-ray spectra were measured with better than 20 s resolution throughout most of the mission in the energy range 0.1 to 30 MeV. Knowledge of the decay characteristics and the geomagnetic dependence of the counting rates enable measurement of the various components of the Spacelab gamma-ray background: prompt secondary radiation, earth albedo, and delayed induced radioactivity. The status of the data analysis and present relevant examples of typical background behavior are covered.

Paciesas, William S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Long-term variations in the gamma-ray background on SMM

Long-term temporal variations in the various components of the background radiation detected by the gamma-ray spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission are presented. The SMM gamma-ray spectrometer was launched in February, 1980 and continues to operate normally. The extended period of mission operations has provided a large data base in which it is possible to investigate a variety of environmental and instrumental background effects. In particular, several effects associated with orbital precession are introduced and discussed.

Kurfess, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The HEAO 3 background - Spectrum observed by a large germanium spectrometer in low earth orbit

Gamma-ray background spectra, obtained in the energy range from 45 keV to 10 MeV with the cooled high-resolution Ge spectrometer on the HEAO-3 satellite over a 50-day period in 1979-1980 are reported and analyzed. The instrument design and performance characteristics are reviewed; the data-analysis procedures are outlined; about 130 background lines are listed in a table with energies, count rates, and tentative identifications; and the spectra are presented graphically and discussed in detail.

Wheaton, W. A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Particle background effects for Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and the Lyman Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer

Requirements on orbital background counting rates are described for the UV and visible detectors on the planned second generation instrument Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) and for the proposed Lyman Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer. Expected background rates and shielding requirements are analyzed for detector types in both instruments for low earth orbits, and for high orbits in the case of Lyman.

Woodgate, B. E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Remote sensing of temperate coniferous forest lead area index - The influence of canopy closure, understory vegetation and background reflectance

Consideration is given to the effects of canopy closure, understory vegetation, and background reflectance on the relationship between Landsat TM data and the leaf area index (LAI) of temperate coniferous forests in the western U.S. A methodology for correcting TM data for atmospheric conditions and sun-surface-sensor geometry is discussed. Strong inverse curvilinear relationships were found between coniferous forest LAI and TM bands 3 and 5. It is suggested that these inverse relationships are due to increased reflectance of understory vegetation and background in open stands of lower LAI and decreased reflectance of the overstory in closed canopy stands with higher LAI.

Spanner, Michael A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Topology of microwave background fluctuations - Theory

Topological measures are used to characterize the microwave background temperature fluctuations produced by 'standard' scenarios (Gaussian) and by cosmic strings (non-Gaussian). Three topological quantities: total area of the excursion regions, total length, and total curvature (genus) of the isotemperature contours, are studied for simulated Gaussian microwave background anisotropy maps and then compared with those of the non-Gaussian anisotropy pattern produced by cosmic strings. In general, the temperature gradient field shows the non-Gaussian behavior of the string map more distinctively than the temperature field for all topology measures. The total contour length and the genus are found to be more sensitive to the existence of a stringy pattern than the usual temperature histogram. Situations when instrumental noise is superposed on the map, are considered to find the critical signal-to-noise ratio for which strings can be detected.

Gott, J. Richard, III↗
NASA NTRS1990

A Comptonization model for the submillimeter background

A new measurement of the submillimeter portion of the cosmic microwave background by Matsumoto et al. (1988) indicates that there may be a large excess of energy over that of a blackbody spectrum of temperature 2.74 K. Several models are presented with cosmological heat sources which produce Compton y-distortions large enough to fit the submillimeter background. The models adopt generic forms for these heat sources in terms of the expansion rate and the energy density of other forms of matter in the universe. A specific realization of the models in terms of a decaying vacuum is presented. Unique thermal histories are predicted in which the universe does not globally recombine. A rise in the spectrum at long wavelengths due to free-free emission of the hot intergalactic medium is predicted, and the accompanying mu-distortions are estimated.

Bartlett, James G.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Test chamber for low-background IR focal plane testing

A unique and versatile vacuum chamber has been designed for JPL's IR Focal Plane Technology Group. This chamber is equipped with multiple ports for cryogen and electrical vacuum feedthroughs, pumping units, vacuum gages, sources, and detector camera heads. The design incorporates a liquid-nitrogen-cooled optical table and radiation shield for low-background IR detector testing. Focal planes can be tested at temperatures ranging from 300 K to that of liquid helium. This paper describes the design and construction of this low-background IR focal plane test chamber and discusses some of its distinctive features. An analysis of the test chamber's performance is also presented.

Staller, Craig↗