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At least 55 records · Page 3

High-Resolution Potassium Observations of the Lunar Exosphere

We observed lunar exospheric potassium D1 (7,698.9646 Å) emissions using a high-spectral resolution Fabry-Perot spectrometer in 2014. We present the first potassium line profile measurements, which are representative of the potassium velocity distribution. Inferred temperatures are greater during the waxing gibbous phase, 1920 ± 630 K and lower at waning gibbous phase, 980 ± 200 K. Exosphere models suggest that the measured line widths are a combination of photon-stimulated desorption and impact vaporization sources. The relative potassium emission intensity decreases by ∼2.5 between lunar phases 80◦ and 30◦ and is brightest off the northwest limb near the Aristarchus crater, which is a potassium-rich surface region. Additionally, the emissions off the northern limb are brighter than the southern limb. The intensity decrease and the greater line width during the waxing gibbous versus the waning gibbous phase suggests a dawn-dusk asymmetry.

Rosborough, S. A.↗

Modelling extended chromospheres

Attention is given to the concept that the warm, partially ionized plasma (presently called chromosphere) associated with such stars as Alpha Boo and Rho Per extends outwards at least several photospheric radii. Calculations are presented for the Mg II K line in light of two input model atmospheres. Specific predictions are deduced from the results obtained by each of the two models.

Linsky, J. L.↗

Pressure-induced absorption by H2 in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn

Observations of the S(1) line of the pressure-induced fundamental band of H2 in the spectra of Saturn and Jupiter are analyzed by comparing the observed line shape with predictions of both a reflecting-layer model and a homogeneous-scattering model of the atmospheres. Upper and lower limits are derived for the values of relative intensity that occur between 5000 and 5100 kaysers, the percent absorption due to H2 at 5100 kaysers is estimated, and it is established that methane and ammonia cannot account for the broad absorption attributed to hydrogen. The comparison with the model atmospheres shows that the reflecting-layer model appears to give the best fit to the Saturn line profile for temperatures near 150 K, while both models provide good fits to the Jupiter data, but for widely differing temperatures. Difficulties encountered in determining the true continuum level, especially for Jupiter, are discussed.

Martin, T. Z.↗

Iron K lines from low-mass X-ray binaries

Models are presented for the 6-7 keV iron line emission from low-mass X-ray binaries. A simplified model for an accretion disk corona is used to examine the dependence of the observable line properties, line width and mean energy, on the radial distance of the emission region from the X-ray source, and on the fraction of the X-rays from the source which reach the disk surface. The effects of blending of multiple line components and of Comptonization of the line profile are included in numerical calculations of the emitted profile shape. The results of these calculations, when compared with the line properties observed from several low-mass X-ray binaries, suggest that the broadening is dominated either by rotation or by Compton scattering through a greater optical depth than is expected from an accretion disk corona.

Kallman, T.↗

Theoretical profiles for the 1-0 S/1/ H2 line in carbon stars

The spectra of carbon stars have been synthesized from the models of Querci, Querci, and Tsuji and Querci and Querci in the region of the 1-0 S(1) vibration-rotation quadrupole line of H2. The line is shown to be sufficiently strong to be seen against the numerous lines of the CN red system for models with effective temperatures less than about 2700 K. The usefulness of the line as a diagnostic of the atmosphere is discussed, and a comparison with the measured spectra of UU Aur and S Cep is made. It is concluded that the outer atmospheric layers of carbon stars are significantly warmer than the models predict. An additional opacity source in the outer layers is required.

Goorvitch, D.↗

Impulsive phase Fe K-alpha emission in a flare of 1989 March

Evidence for enhanced Fe K-alpha line emission that is coincident (to within 15 s) of an intense hard X-ray (greater than 50 keV) burst is presented on the basis of observations of the Fe K-alpha soft X-ray line made with the SMM. Three different models for explaining the K-alpha enhancement are investigated, namely, photoexcitation by soft X-ray thermal bremsstrahlung radiation from an isothermal source, collisional excitation by nonthermal thick-target electrons, and photoexcitation by a nonthermal hard X-ray flux distribution which extends with a power-law spectrum down to the Fe K-alpha ionization threshold at 7.1 keV. It is found that, to within the limits of isothermal temperature and emission measure set by soft X-ray observations, the thermal photoexcitation model cannot reproduce satisfactorily the intensity of enhanced K-alpha emission during the hard X-ray impulsive phase. The impulsive phase K-alpha flux exceeds that predicted by the thermal photoexcitation model by about 3 sigma. The implications of these results for the nonthermal interpretation of impulsive hard X-ray bursts in solar flares are discussed.

Zarro, D. M.↗

The optical and ultraviolet spectrum of the planetary nebula NGC 2440

New measurements of the optical and ultraviolet emission-line intensities of the high-excitation planetary nebula NGC 2440 in the wavelength range 1240-8578 A are analyzed with the aid of photoionization models. The observed O III and N II forbidden-line temperatures (13,800 K and 10,000 K, respectively) differ by more than the models predict. Inclusion of charge-transfer reactions at published rates improves agreement between calculated and observed abundances of many ions, but worsens the agreement for several highly ionized ions. Nitrogen shows a larger overabundance N(N)/N(O) approximately equal to 1.0, whereas ultraviolet lines give a carbon abundance close to the solar value. The refractory elements magnesium, calcium, and iron have similar gas-phase depletions of approximately 1.5 dex. The abundances of oxygen, neon, sodium, sulfur, chlorine, potassium, and argon are rougly solar.

Shields, G. A.↗

Photospheric models of solar active regions and the network based on the Mg II h and k line wings

From a comparison between observed and computed wings of the Mg II resonance lines, distributions of temperature versus mass column density for solar photospheric layers in plages and in the chromospheric network are derived. The theoretical profiles are computed assuming partial coherent scattering. In the active regions, temperatures exceed those in the quiet sun by up to 200 K near the temperature minimum and up to 400 K in deeper layers. In the observed network structure, the temperature is enhanced by 200 K at the temperature minimum but is the same as that in the quiet sun at greater depths. The difference in the slope of the temperature distribution between the network and plages is real, but may refer only to long elements of the network rather than to the brightest portions. Adjacent to the network is a region in which the temperatures are similar to those in the quiet sun, except immediately below the temperature minimum, where the temperatures are depressed by 150 K.

Morrison, N. D.↗

Winds from T Tauri stars. I - Spherically symmetric models

Line fluxes and profiles are computed for a sequence of spherically symmetric T Tauri wind models. The calculations indicate that the H-alpha emission of T Tauri stars arises in an extended and probably turbulent circumstellar envelope at temperatures above about 8000 K. The models predict that Mg II resonance line emission should be strongly correlated with H-alpha fluxes; observed Mg II/H-alpha ratios are inconsistent with the models unless extinction corrections have been underestimated. The models predict that most of the Ca II resonance line and IR triplet emission arises in dense layers close to the star rather than in the wind. H-alpha emission levels suggest mass loss rates of about 10 to the -8th solar mass/yr for most T Tauri stars, in reasonable agreement with independent analysis of forbidden emission lines. These results should be useful for interpreting observed line profiles in terms of wind densities, temperatures, and velocity fields.

Hartmann, Lee↗

High Resolution Temporal and Spectral Monitoring of Eta Carinae's X-Ray Emission the June Eclipse

The supermassive and luminous star Eta Carinae undergoes strong X-ray variations every 5.5 years when its 2-10 keV X-ray emission brightens rapidly with wild fluctuations before dropping by a factor of 100 to a minimum lasting 3 months. The most recent X-ray "eclipse" began in June 2003 and during this time Eta Carinae was intensely observed throughout the electromagnetic spectrum. Here we report the first results of frequent monitoring of the 2-10 keV band X-ray emission by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer along wit high resolution X-ray spectra obtained with the transmission gratings on the Chandra X-ray Observatory. We compare these observations to those results obtained during the previous X-ray eclipse in 1998, and interpret the variations in the X-ray brightness, in the amount of absorption, in the X-ray emission measure and in the K-shell emission lines in terms of a colliding wind binary model.

Corcoran, M. F.↗

HEAO-A2 observations of the X-ray spectra of the Centaurus and A1060 clusters of galaxies

The X-ray spectral observations of two low luminosity clusters of galaxies, Centaurus and A1060, are presented. An emission feature of the Centaurus cluster at 7.9 keV is detected at about one third of the strength of the 6.7 keV line. This higher energy line represents K sub beta emission from highly ionized iron. An isothermal model with an Fe emission line is discussed and it is shown that the model cannot fit the data of the Centaurus or the A1060 clusters. The implications of the two component nature of the continuum on the Fe abundance and the X-ray surface brightness distribution are discussed.

Mitchell, R.↗

Stratification of chemical elements in the atmosphere of the Ap star 53 Camelopardalis

A detailed abundance analysis of Cr, Fe, Mn, Ca, and Ti in the Ap star 53 Cam from IUE high-resolution spectra has been performed. It is found that UV lines give significantly lower abundance than visible lines for Cr and Fe. Theoretical spectra of Cr II line calculated with the stratified chromium abundance distributions predicted a priori by the diffusion-mass loss model match well both visible and UV lines. The spectral shape of the Ca II K line and its variation are well accounted for by the diffusion model with mass loss. A spectrum synthesis with a stratified abundance well reproduces the observations. These findings provide convincing evidence for stratification in the photosphere of 53 Cam.

Babel, J.↗

Physical properties of solar chromospheric plages. II - Chromospheric plage models

Chromospheric models of plages are proposed to explain profiles of the Ca II H, K, 8498-A, 8542-A, and 8662-A lines. These models are consistent with boundary conditions imposed by the photosphere and the Lyman continuum. It is found that increasing emission in these lines is consistent with a picture of increasing temperature gradient in the low chromosphere and the resulting increase in pressure and electron density at similar line optical depths. With this picture it is shown how the distribution of chromospheric parameters across the solar disk can be empirically determined directly from Ca II filtergrams. It is also proposed that the high-density aspects of solar activity are produced by steep temperature gradients in the low chromosphere and thus by the enhanced heating mechanisms that steepen these gradients.

Shine, R. A.↗

Obliquity Driven Climate Change in Mars' Recent Past

We use the NASA/Ames grid Mars general circulation model with an updated radiation code and cloud nlicrophysics scheme. To speed up the simulations, we run the model at fairly coarse resolution (7.5" latitude x 22.5" longitude). Radiation Code Fluxes and heating rates are calculated from a radiation code based on the two-stream solution to radiative transfer that fully accounts for multiple scattering in the presence of gaseous absorp- tion. The model has 12 spectral intervals. Dust and water ice scattering properties are included. For dust, we use the Ockert-Bell [9] values in the visible, and Forget [IO] values in the infrared. For ice, we can either compute them online as the cloud evolves, or we can specify them. Gaseous opacities for water vapor and CO2 are calculated from correlated k-distributions taken from full line-by-line models. Cloud Microphysics Our cloud scheme is based on momentlorder scheme in which the mass mixing ratio and number density of the cloud ensemble are the advected species. From these we obtain a mean particle size and an estimate or the particle size distribution assuming a variance) which we then divide into 8 bins. Cloud microphysics is performed in each of these bins and includes nucleation, condensation, and gravitational settling. Dust is treated as a tracer and serves as condensation nuclei. The altered size distribution is then converted back into a mean size, a mixing ratio, and a particle number density.

Haberle, R. M.↗

The 4 micron spectra of compact infrared sources

High resolution 5 arcsec spectra in the 4 micron region are presented of the central 5 arcsec of the compact near infrared sources K3-50, W51-IRS2 East, and G333.6-0.2. From measured Br-alpha/Pf-beta line ratios and previously published infrared and radio maps, it is concluded that standard recombination theory fails to explain our observations in at least two cases. It is demonstrated that the data are consistent with thermal excitation of the hydrogen lines in strong stellar winds. The Pf-beta Hu-epsilon line ratio, which is completely insensitive to differential extinction, confirms the need for the stellar wind model for the core of G333.6-0.2. From the (K III) line it is estimated that the potassium abundance in G333.6-0.2 is at least equal to the solar value, and possibly enhanced by a factor up to 10.

Hofmann, R.↗

A Piecewise Linear State Variable Technique for Real Time Propulsion System Simulation

The emphasis on increased aircraft and propulsion control system integration and piloted simulation has created a need for higher fidelity real time dynamic propulsion models. A real time propulsion system modeling technique which satisfies this need and which provides the capabilities needed to evaluate propulsion system performance and aircraft system interaction on manned flight simulators was developed and demonstrated using flight simulator facilities at NASA Ames. A piecewise linear state variable technique is used. This technique provides the system accuracy, stability and transient response required for integrated aircraft and propulsion control system studies. The real time dynamic model includes the detail and flexibility required for the evaluation of critical control parameters and propulsion component limits over a limited flight envelope. The model contains approximately 7.0 K bytes of in-line computational code and 14.7 K of block data. It has an 8.9 ms cycle time on a Xerox Sigma 9 computer. A Pegasus-Harrier propulsion system was used as a baseline for developing the mathematical modeling and simulation technique. A hydromechanical and water injection control system was also simulated. The model was programmed for interfacing with a Harrier aircraft simulation at NASA Ames. Descriptions of the real time methodology and model capabilities are presented.

Mihaloew, J. R.↗