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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 523 records · Page 29
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NASA NTRS1978

Proposed rocket experiments to measure the profile and intensity of the solar He1584A resonance line

The intensity and profile of the helium resonance line at 584 A from the entire disc of the sun was investigated using a rocket-borne helium-filled spectrometer and a curve of growth technique. The line profile was found to be accurately represented by a Gaussian profile with full width at half maximum of 122 plus or minus 10m A while the integrated intensity was measured to be (2.6 plus or minus 1.3) x 10 to the 9th power/photons sec sq cm at solar levels of F sub 10.7 = 90.8 x 10 to the minus 22th power/sq m H sub z and R sub z = 27. The measured linewidth is in good agreement with previous spectrographic measurement but the integrated intensity is larger than most previous photoelectric measurements. However, the derived line center flux of (2.0 plus or minus 1.0) x 10 to the 10th power/photons sec sq cm A is in good agreement with values inferred from airglow measurements.

Judge, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Photometry of slow X-ray pulsars. III - The GX 17 + 2 candidate

The optical pulsations from the faint star assumed to be the optical counterpart of the intense X-ray source GX 17 + 2 are analyzed. The X-ray source is of interest because of its associated radio emission, and the 1913 sec periodic modulation of the X-ray flux, which makes the source the slowest X-ray pulsar yet observed. The photoelectric photometry of the star provides no evidence for variability. The analysis indicates that any binary period in GX 17 + 2 is most likely longer than two days.

Margon, B.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The nature of Aquila X-1

Photometry in the UBV spectra was used to observe Aquila X-1. This X-ray source, usually producing flux on the order of 1-10% that of the Crab Nebula, often behaves in a manner resembling the behavior of galactic X-ray stars. A description of the calibration methods used in the observations is presented, with attention to photoelectric-photographic methods. These observations suggest a quiescent spectral class near Ko, i.e., a dwarf at a distance of 1.6 kpc. The more intense X-ray emissions are said to be generated from internal heating of the stellar atmosphere, with additional energy supplied by a low-mass companion star. This explaination is at variance with the semi-detached Roche model.

Margon, B.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Lunar occultation of Saturn. IV - Astrometric results from observations of the satellites

The method of determining local lunar limb slopes, and the consequent time scale needed for diameter studies, from accurate occultation timings at two nearby telescopes is described. Results for photoelectric observations made at Mauna Kea Observatory during the occultation of Saturn's satellites on March 30, 1974, are discussed. Analysis of all observations of occultations of Saturn's satellites during 1974 indicates possible errors in the ephemerides of Saturn and its satellites.

Dunham, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Interstellar titanium

High-dispersion photoelectric scans of the interstellar 3384-A line of Ti II have been obtained for 68 stars. Column densities of Ti II are derived for the various individual kinematic components in the scans. These column densities, and those integrated over all components in the respective directions, are compared with corresponding results for Na I, Ca II, K I, H I, and H2. The column densities of titanium and hydrogen show directly that the depletion of titanium from the interstellar gas is large and variable. The abundance of titanium in the gas also varies strongly relative to the Na, K, and the grains responsible for reddening. In contrast, the titanium/calcium column-density ratio is relatively constant at about 4 times its solar value. Lower depletions are found in four out of five cases of absorption in the intercloud medium and toward each of two stars at high galactic z-distances. The column densities of Ca II and Ti II are used to estimate the electron densities in individual kinematic components. These electron densities are uncorrelated with the depletions of titanium, indicating that depletion is not a simple or unique function of local density.

Stokes, G. M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Extended observations of Vela X-1 by OSO 8

The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Cosmic X-Ray experiment aboard OSO 8 viewed the X-ray binary pulsar, Vela X-1, on three occasions from late 1975 through late 1976. The X-ray spectrum is well-represented by a power law modified by photoelectric absorption, a high-energy cutoff, and a line feature at about 6.8 keV. When combined with other observations, the reported measurements show that the pulse period is not decreasing monotonically. The three eclipses observed all indicate a significant eclipse flux.

Becker, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The light curve of the nucleus of comet d'Arrest

This paper reports new photoelectric photometry of the nucleus of P/d'Arrest (1976e) during August 4, 5, and 6, 1976 (UT), just before perihelion passage. The comet appeared as a bright stellar nucleus with a faint surrounding coma. The average visual magnitude from the nuclear region (16-arcsec diaphragm) was 11.60. The visual brightness varies with an amplitude of 0.15 plus or minus 0.02 mag. There is evidence for a period of 5.17 plus or minus 0.01 hr. We interpret such a periodic variation as due to the rotation of the nucleus. The colors of the nuclear region are very similar to those of a solar-type star, and they do not vary significantly with aspect angle.

Fay, T. D., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Optical interstellar lines toward 18 stars of low reddening. III

Photoelectric scans of the interstellar D-line of Na I and the K-line of Ca II are compared with those of H I and H sub 2. Three general conclusions are drawn from the observations: (1) normal Na I/H ratios are found in 14 of the 18 cases studied, most likely due to absorption in cool, dense clouds; (2) low Na I/H ratios are observed in the direction of Gamma-Pegasus and Mu-Scorpio, implying that absorption occurs in clouds of warm (over 100 K) gas, or through extended paths of cool gas with low ionization; and (3) the absence of Na I, H I, and H sub 2 lines toward Nu-Scorpio and Sigma-Sagittarius indicates that little neutral gas is present along these light paths.

Hobbs, L. M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

On the deuterium-to-hydrogen ratio in the atmosphere of Uranus

Photoelectric observations and recently published laboratory measurements of HD imply an upper limit on the deuterium-to-hydrogen ratio in Uranus's atmosphere of D/H less than 9.6 x 10 to the -5th power. This is much closer to values currently being proposed for Jupiter

Trafton, L.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Limb brightening on Uranus - The visible spectrum. II

A detailed analysis is presented of photoelectric area-scanning photometry of the Uranus disk obtained during the 1976 apparition. Coarse quantitative information on the true radial intensity distribution over the Uranus disk is derived in four selected wavebands. Lack of circular symmetry in the intensity distributions indicates the presence of disk structure, especially polar brightening, in each waveband. For the 6190-A CH4 band, the distribution corresponds to a uniform disk upon which a hint of polar brightening is superimposed. For the 6400-A region, moderate limb darkening is found. It is pointed out that the coarse analytical technique used in the analysis to explore the information content of the photometric scans of Uranus has several basic limitations. Direct deconvolution of the Uranus scans is required to thoroughly investigate the two-dimensional photometric structure of its disk.

Price, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Ultraviolet and optical spectral variability in the Be star Gamma Cassiopeiae - A coronal model for the emission

This paper reports the presence of Mg II emission, the probable presence of Si IV emission, and the possible presence of N V absorption in the UV spectrum of the B0.5 IVe star Gamma Cas. Changes in these features on time scales of several months are described. The detached-ring and mass-exchange binary models are briefly discussed and shown to be inadequate for Gamma Cas. An ad hoc generalization of the detailed stellar-wind model of Poeckert and Marlborough (1978) is presented and suggested as being qualitatively compatible with the UV data as well as with photoelectric H-alpha observations and the X-ray outburst observed in 1976. The presence of a 1-solar-mass neutron star companion with an orbital period of about 4 yr is hypothesized.

Marlborough, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Long-term variability of dMe stars

Photographic B magnitudes of the four spot stars BY Dra (dM0e), CC Eri (K7 Ve), AU Mic (dM2.5e), and YZ CMi (dM4.5e) are reported which considerably extend the time baseline of the photoelectric data on these stars. The long-term variation of the stars in yearly mean light is investigated. It is found that both BY Dra and CC Eri exhibit long-term B-magnitude variations with amplitudes of about 0.3 to 0.4 magnitude and times between maximum and minimum light near 30 yr. No apparent variability is observed for AU Mic and YZ CMi. The possibility is discussed that the variability of BY Dra and CC Eri is connected with a starspot cycle, for which the period would be around 60 yr.

Phillips, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The occultation of BD -15 deg 3969 by the rings of Uranus

Photoelectric observations of the December 23, 1977, occultation of BD -15 deg 3969 by the rings of Uranus are analyzed. The observations were made with a 1.5-m IR flux collector and clearly show the occultations of the star by the epsilon, delta, gamma, and alpha rings prior to the star's disappearance behind the planet. Detection of the beta-ring occultation is uncertain, but several features were observed which may be due to occultations of the star by objects other than the five major rings. It is noted that no other occultations with both a duration and depth comparable to the epsilon-ring event were observed between the orbit of Miranda and the limb of Uranus. The results suggest that the epsilon ring does not consist of two fragments but rather is a complete ring which may be either circular and inclined slightly with respect to the four inner rings or coplanar and elliptical.

Millis, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Proportional counter for X-ray analysis of lunar and planetary surfaces

A position sensitive proportional scintillation detector was developed and evaluated for use in applications involving X-ray imaging as well as spectroscopy. Topics covered include limitations of the proportional scintillation counter for use in space; purification of the xenon gas in the detector, and the operation of the detector system. Results show that the light signal in a proportional scintillation detector remains well localized. With modest electric fields in xenon, the primary electrons from a photoelectric absorption of an X-ray can be brought a distance of a few millimeters to a higher field region without spreading more than a millimeter or so. Therefore, it is possible to make a proportional scintillation detector with good position sensitivity that could be used to calibrate out the difference in light collection over its sensitive volume.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1978

The XUV spectroheliometer on SMM

The XUV spectroheliometer for the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) is described. This instrument is a grazing-incidence polychromatic photoelectric spectrometer illuminated by a grazing-incidence telescope mirror. The wavelength range is 20-1336 A, the spectral resolution is between 0.1 and 0.3 A, and the spatial resolution is 4 arcsec. Simultaneous spectroheliograms in twelve spectral lines are obtained by rastering the instrument at variable rates. The scientific objectives and the mission operations concept are also described.

Reeves, E. M.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Optical candidates for two X-ray bursters and an X-ray pulsar

Faint blue stars are suggested as the optical counterparts of the X-ray bursters 4U (MXB) 1636-53 and 4U (MXB) 1735-44 as well as the 7-sec X-ray pulsar 4U 1626-67. The candidate stars have large UV excesses and were discovered well within the 20- and 30-arcsec error radii determined with the rotating modulation collimator aboard SAS 3. Photographic observations and photoelectric photometry of the candidate stars are discussed. It is shown that the candidates for 4U 1626-67 and 4U 1636-53 lie further from the reddened-supergiant or main sequence than any known X-ray source counterparts and have colors that are inconsistent with those of a reddened normal star, while the candidate for 4U 1735-44 has the colors of both Sco X-1 and a late O or BO star suffering about 1 mag of extinction.

Mcclintock, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Observations of long-period Cepheids between l = 294 and 331 deg

Photoelectric and spectroscopic observations of long-period Cepheids, as well as 21-cm profiles in the directions of these young stars, are presented for the Crux-Centaurus-Circinus-Norma section of the Milky Way. The UBV data have been used to revise periods and light-curve parameters and ultimately to calculate the distances of these stars. From the spectroscopic information velocity estimates have been made. Finally, the stellar velocities have been compared with H I gas motions detected along the same line of sight. These results are briefly discussed with a view to understanding the spiral structure of the region.

Grayzeck, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Measurement of the profile and intensity of the solar He I lambda 584-A resonance line

The intensity and profile of the helium resonance line at 584 A from the entire disk of the sun was investigated by using a rocket-borne helium-filled spectrometer and a curve-of-growth technique. The line profile was found to be accurately represented by a Gaussian profile with full width at half maximum of 122 + or - 10 mA, while the integrated intensity was measured to be 2.6 + or - 1.3 billion photons/s per sq cm at solar activity levels of F(10.7) = 90.8 x 10 to the -22nd per sq m/Hz and Rz = 27. The measured line width is in good agreement with previous spectrographic measurements, but the integrated intensity is larger than most previous photoelectric measurements. However, the derived line center flux of 20 + or - 10 billion photons/s per sq cm/A is in good agreement with values inferred from airglow measurements.

Maloy, J. O.↗