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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 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Plateau de Bure High-z Blue Sequence Survey 2 (PHIBSS2): Search for Secondary Sources, CO Luminosity Functions in the Field, and the Evolution of Molecular Gas Density through Cosmic Time

We report on the results of a search for serendipitous sources in CO emission in 110 cubes targeting CO(2 − 1), CO(3 − 2), and CO(6 − 5) at z ∼ 1–2 from the second Plateau de Bure High-z Blue Sequence Survey (PHIBSS2). The PHIBSS2 observations were part of a 4 yr legacy program at the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer aimed at studying early galaxy evolution from the perspective of molecular gas reservoirs. We present a catalog of 67 candidate secondary sources from this search, with 45 of the 110 data cubes showing sources in addition to the primary target that appear to be field detections, unrelated to the central sources. This catalog includes redshifts, line widths, and fluxes, as well as an estimation of their reliability based on their false-positive probability. We perform a search in the 3D Hubble Space Telescope/CANDELS catalogs for the secondary CO detections and tentatively find that ∼64% of these have optical counterparts, which we use to constrain their redshifts. Finally, we use our catalog of candidate CO detections to derive the CO(2 − 1), CO(3 − 2), CO(4 − 3), CO(5 − 4), and CO(6 − 5) luminosity functions over a range of redshifts, as well as the molecular gas mass density evolution. Despite the different methodology, these results are in very good agreement with previous observational constraints derived from blind searches in deep fields. They provide an example of the type of “deep-field” science that can be carried out with targeted observations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1973

Noble gas concentrations and cosmic ray exposure ages of eight recently fallen chondrites

Abundances and isotopic compositions of He, Ne, Ar, and Xe have been measured in eight recently fallen chondrites. Ratios of concentrations of cosmic ray-produced He-3, Ne-21, Ne-22, and Ar-38 indicate that all eight samples experienced less than average cosmic ray shielding. He-3 and Ne-21 exposure ages were calculated using shielding corrected chondritic production rates and the measured Ne-22/Ne-21. Exposure ages calculated from Na-22/Ne-22 and Al-26/Ne-21 ratios and constant relative production rates show a bias between the two ages due to variations in Na-22/Al-26. Arguments are presented that this bias is due to irradiation hardness differences, and therefore the use of constant values for both the Na-22/Ne-22 and Al-26/Ne-21 production ratios is not permitted.

Bogard, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The effective penetration distance of ultrahigh-energy electrons and photons traversing a cosmic blackbody photon gas

The effective average energy loss for an energetic (at least about 10 to the 15th power eV) particle traversing the microwave background radiation is evaluated. Electron-photon transformations by Compton scattering and pair production (in photon-photon collisions) are computed, with the energy loss considered to be carried away by the least energetic of the outgoing particles. Considering the most energetic of the outgoing particles as the high-energy particle, the relative probability and mean time for the particle to be a photon or electron (or positron) is evaluated. The effects of synchrotron losses for electrons and positrons are emphasized and compared with Compton losses to determine a critical energy (for given magnetic field) above which synchrotron losses dominate. Magnetic deflections are also treated for the case where the magnetic field is disordered, having a characteristic 'cell' size.

Gould, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

A perturbation calculation of the dynamical effects of cosmic rays and interstellar gas on the solar wind

The modulation of galactic cosmic rays and other energetic particles by the solar wind produces a gradient in their pressure, which in turn influences the wind dynamics. The basic equations describing this interaction are presented in the 'hydrodynamic' approximation. A perturbation solution of the equations is presented for the case in which both the galactic cosmic ray pressure, and the pressure of the anomalous cosmic ray component accelerated at the wind termination shock, are small compared with the wind ram pressure. Analytical expressions for the deceleration of the wind and the modification of the shock and its location are derived in this case. These effects are estimated to have a relative magnitude of several percent in the solar wind. The interstellar neutral gas which penetrates the heliosphere is ionized, predominantly by photoionization and charge exchange with the wind, and may also have a significant dynamical effect on the wind. The basic equations describing this interaction are also presented, A perturbation solution is presented under the assumption that the mass loading and momentum-loading of the wind by the interstellar pickup ions is small compared with the wind ram pressure. Analytical expressions for the deceleration of the wind, the contribution of the pickup ions to the wind pressure, and the modification of the termination shock location are derived. Again, with the exception of pickup ion pressure which is large compared with solar wind thermal pressure, the effects are estimated to be several percent in relative magnitude in the solar wind.

Lee, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Gas retention and cosmic-ray exposure ages of a basalt fragment from Mare Fecunditatis.

The Ar40-Ar39 gas retention age and the Ar38-Ar37 cosmic ray exposure age have been determined on a total rock sample of the basalt fragment B-1 returned from Mare Fecunditatis by the Luna 16 mission. This sample shows a large low-temperature loss of radiogenic Ar40 but defines a reasonably good high-temperature plateau at 3.45 plus or minus 0.04 b.y. This is presumed to identify the period of igneous activity in Mare Fecunditatis. This activity is found to be later than that in the area of Mare Tranquilitatis, but earlier than that in the area of Oceanus Procellarum and Mare Imbrium. The cosmic-ray exposure age was found to be 475 m.y.

Huneke, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1971

The equilibrium and stability of the gaseous component of the galaxy, 4

The stability of a self-gravitating, nonrotating, plane-parallel, isothermal gas layer with equipartition magnetic and cosmic ray components, immersed in a rigid isothermal layer of stars, is considered with respect to waves with motions perpendicular to the equilibrium magnetic and gravitational field vectors. The magnetic field and cosmic ray gas hinder gravitational instability and increase the minimum length necessary to produce instability.

Kellman, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Cosmic bullets as particle accelerators and radio sources

We have simulated in two dimensions the dynamical evolution of dense gas clouds(`cosmic bullets') moving supersonically through a uniform low-density medium. The diffusive shock acceleration of relativistic protons (cosmic rays) and their dynamical feedback on the background flow are included by the two-fluid model for this process. The acceleration of relativistic electrons is approximated by a test-particle model, and a passive magnetic field is followed by a simple advection scheme. Strong bow shocks, with Mach numbers similar to that of a bullet's motion, are the most important particle accelerators in the flow, while tail shocks and shocks inside the bullets do not play generally significant roles in this regard. For our simulation parameters, approximately greater than 10% of the initial bullet kinetic energy is converted to a combination of internal energy of gas and cosmic-ray protons by the time the bullets begin to be disrupted. Characteristically, the cosmic rays gain several percent of the available kinetic energy. Bullet destruction on timescales only a little larger than the ram pressure bullet crushing time begins in response to Kelvin-Helmholtz and especially to Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities along the forward bullet surface. For dense bullets this happens before the bullet is stopped by ram pressure. According to our simple model for synchrotron emission from relativistic electrons accelerated and transported within the flows, that emission increases rapidly as the bullet begins to fragment, when it is strongly dominated by field enhancement in sheared flows. Synchrotron emission from the acceleration region within the bow shock is, by contrast, much weaker.

Jones, T. W.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Gas-retention and cosmic-ray exposure ages of lunar rock 15555.

Conclusions are presented regarding the age of formation and exposure to cosmic rays of rock 15555 (a large rock from near the rim of Hadley Rille presumed to be a fragment of the local bedrock), based on isotopic dilution K/Ar and Ar-40/Ar-39 methods. Comparisons are made with other investigators' findings, and some cases of agreement and divergence are discussed.

Podosek, F. A.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Solid and Gas-Phase Spectroscopy of Cosmic Carbon Analogs: Results and Perspectives

The laboratory studies of interstellar carbon materials analogs (PAHs, Fullerenes, chains) will be discussed with their advantages and limitations from the point of view of the application to astrophysical processes. The discussion will focus on the newest generation of laboratory experiments that has been developed in order to provide a closer simulation of space environments and a better support to space missions. The astrophysical implications and future perspectives will be stressed.

Salama, Farid↗
NASA NTRS2009

The Energetic Trans-Iron Cosmic-ray Experiment (ENTICE)

The ENTICE experiment is one of two instruments that comprise the "Orbiting Astrophysical Spectrometer in Space (OASIS)", which is presently undergoing a NASA "Astrophysics Strategic Mission Concept Study". ENTICE is designed to make high precision measurements of the abundances of individual elements from neon through the actinides and, in addition, will search for possible superheavy nuclei in the galactic cosmic rays. The ENTICE instrument utilizes silicon detectors, aerogel and acrylic Cherenkov counters, and a scintillating optical fiber hodoscope to measure the charge and energy of these ultra-heavy nuclei for energies greater than 0.5 GeV/nucleon. It is a large instrument consisting of four modules with a total effective geometrical factor of approx.20 sq m sr. Measurements made in space for a period of three years with ENTICE will enable us to determine if cosmic rays include a component of recently synthesized transuranic elements (Pu-94 and Cm-96), to measure the age of that component, and to test the model of the OB association origin of galactic cosmic rays. Additionally, these observations will enable us to study how diffusive shock acceleration of cosmic rays operates differently on interstellar grains and gas. Keywords: cosmic rays Galaxy:abundances

Binns, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS2012

The Cosmic History of Hot Gas Cooling and Radio AGN Activity in Massive Early-Type Galaxies

We study the X-ray properties of 393 optically selected early-type galaxies (ETGs) over the redshift range of z approx equals 0.0-1.2 in the Chandra Deep Fields. To measure the average X-ray properties of the ETG population, we use X-ray stacking analyses with a subset of 158 passive ETGs (148 of which were individually undetected in X-ray). This ETG subset was constructed to span the redshift ranges of z = 0.1-1.2 in the approx equals 4 Ms CDF-S and approx equals 2 Ms CDF-N and z = 0.1-0.6 in the approx equals 250 ks E-CDF-S where the contribution from individually undetected AGNs is expected to be negligible in our stacking. We find that 55 of the ETGs are detected individually in the X-rays, and 12 of these galaxies have properties consistent with being passive hot-gas dominated systems (i.e., systems not dominated by an X-ray bright Active Galactic Nucleus; AGN). On the basis of our analyses, we find little evolution in the mean 0.5-2 keY to B-band luminosity ratio (L(sub x) /L(sub Beta) varies as [1 +z]) since z approx equals 1.2, implying that some heating mechanism prevents the gas from cooling in these systems. We consider that feedback from radio-mode AGN activity could be responsible for heating the gas. We select radio AGNs in the ETG population using their far-infrared/radio flux ratio. Our radio observations allow us to constrain the duty cycle history of radio AGN activity in our ETG sample. We estimate that if scaling relations between radio and mechanical power hold out to z approx equals 1.2 for the ETG population being studied here, the average mechanical power from AGN activity is a factor of approx equals1.4 -- 2.6 times larger than the average radiative cooling power from hot gas over the redshift range z approx equals 0-1.2. The excess of inferred AGN mechanical power from these ETGs is consistent with that found in the local Universe for similar types of galaxies.

Danielson, A. L. R.↗
DOE OSTI2024

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: A search for late-time anisotropic screening of the Cosmic Microwave Background

Since the formation of the first stars, most of the gas in the Universe has been ionized. Spatial variations in the density of this ionized gas generate cosmic microwave background anisotropies via Thomson scattering, a process known as the ``anisotropic screening'' effect. We propose and implement for the first time a new estimator to cross-correlate unWISE galaxies and anisotropic screening, as measured by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and Planck satellite. We do not significantly detect the effect; the null hypothesis is consistent with the data at 1.7 $σ$ (resp. 0.016 $σ$) for the blue (resp. green) unWISE sample. We obtain an upper limit on the integrated optical depth within a 6 arcmin disk to be $\barτ< 0.033$ arcmin$^2$ at 95% confidence for the blue sample and $\barτ< 0.057$ arcmin$^2$ for the green sample. Future measurements with Simons Observatory and CMB-S4 should detect this effect significantly. Complementary to the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect, this probe of the gas distribution around halos will inform models of feedback in galaxy formation and baryonic effects in galaxy lensing.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗