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NASA NTRS1984

Soft X-ray opacity in hot and photoionized gases

New calculations are presented of the soft X-ray opacity of gas having cosmic elemental abundances, but in a variety of ionization states. Coronal ionization equilibrium is considered over the range of temperatures 10 to the 4th to 3 x 10 to the 8th K and photoionization equilibrium with power-law and thermal bremsstrahlung spectra over a wide range of ionization parameters. The results are displayed in illustrative figures. For temperatures and ionization parameters commonly found in astrophysical plasmas, the opacity (particularly to photons of equal to or less than 1 keV) can be diminished by substantial factors relative to the state in which all atoms are neutral. As the dominant ionization stages change, the positions and contrasts of prominent K-edges also change.

Krolik, J. H.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Monte Carlo simulation of a new gamma ray telescope

A new Monte Carlo code has been written to simulate the response of the new University of California double scatter gamma ray telescope. This package of modular software routines, written in VAX FORTRAN 77 simulates the detection of 0.1 to 35 MeV gamma rays. The new telescope is flown from high altitude balloons to measure medium energy gamma radiation from astronomical sources. This paper presents (1) the basic physics methods in the code, and (2) the predicted response functions of the telescope. Gamma ray processes include Compton scattering, pair production and photoelectric absorption in plastic scintillator, NaI(Tl) and aluminum. Electron transport processes include ionization energy loss, multiple scattering, production of bremsstrahlung photons and positron annihilation.

Simone, J.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Gamma-ray burst high time-resolution spectral observations made with the Solar Maximum Mission

The gamma-ray bursts of April 19 and 21, 1980, and March 1, 1981, are characterized on the basis of observations obtained at 25-500 keV and time resolution 128 msec using the hard-X-ray-burst spectrometer of the SMM satellite. The data are presented graphically, and the parameters determined by fitting three theoretical models to the data for each phase (rising phase, decay phase, and valleys between pulses) are given in tables. Models used are thin thermal bremsstrahlung with or without absorption lines, thermal synchrotron with or without absorption lines, and power law with exponential cutoff.

Desai, U. D.↗

NASA NTRS1984

A measurement of the absolute flux of cosmic-ray electrons

A balloon-borne superconducting magnet spectrometer was used to measure the absolute flux of cosmic-ray electrons. The instrument consisted of a gas Cerenkov detector, a momentum spectrometer, and a lead-scintillator shower counter. In order to determine electron flux in the interstellar medium, observed fluxes for energy loss in the atmosphere and the payload were corrected, taking into account solar modulation effects and bremsstrahlung energy losses. Fluxes were measured at an average atmospheric depth of 5.8 g/sq cm, and the solar modulation was 300 MeV. A cosmic-ray electron flux of 367 E to the exp(3.15 + or -0.2) per sq m/sr s GeV was obtained in the energy range 4.5-63.5 GeV. The uncertainty of the absolute (electron-positron) flux was 10 percent. A summary of the electron data is given in a table.

Golden, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1985

The graviton luminosity of the sun and other stars

Graviton production in electron-electron (e-e) and electron-ion (e-z) scattering is evaluated in the Born approximation. The calculation is compared with that for photon production, that is, Coulomb quadrupole bremsstrahlung, and a number of results are taken over from that problem. Application is made to the sun, and it is found that for the solar plasma the main contribution to the graviton luminosity comes from the central core at r/R approximately 0.1. The total luminosity (Lg) in gravitons is about 7.9 x 10 to the 14th ergs/s, close to an earlier estimate by Weinberg (1965, 1972); about 33 percent of the total results from e-e collisions with the rest from e-z collisions (mainly e-p and e-alpha). Approximate corrections to Born formulas are evaluated, and this Lg includes the associated (approximately + or - 10 percent, respectively) modification. The quantum-mechanical aspects of the solar Lg problem are discussed, and it is shown why a previous classical calculation overestimated Lg by about an order of magnitude. Production of gravitons in binary collisions in other types of stars is discussed briefly. It is found that Lg varies very little along the main sequence. White dwarfs have a typical graviton luminosity LWD approximately 10 to the 19th ergs/s, while neutron stars have LNS approximately 10 to the 25th ergs/s; these estimates are very rough.

Gould, R. J.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Combined analysis of soft and hard X-ray spectra from flares

An attempt is made to develop a self-consistent model which accounts for the line and continuum data generated by the three X-ray imaging instruments on the SMM satellite. The intensities measured covered the 4-500 kV energy range. The model is based on a differential emission measure and electron beam parameters and is used to predict absolute signals detected by the 15 channels of the SMM sensors. Consideration is given to the thermal contribution, instrumental characteristics, thin target excitation and thick target bremsstrahlung. In comparison with data from a flare event on June 29, 1980, model predictions provide a good fit, including the identification of hard electrons with a 5.3 index during the impulsive phase.

Gabriel, A. H.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Submillimeter wave absorption of n-type InSb at low temperatures

The absorption coefficient of two high-purity n-InSb samples is measured in the 10-40 per cm range using Fourier transform spectroscopy. The absorption coefficient spectrum is presented for both samples at 4.2 K. It is also shown for the lower resistance sample cooled to 2.2 K and heated by dc bias to elevated electron gas temperatures of 7.5 and 17.9 K. ac Drude theory gives rather poor agreement with experiment at 2.2 and 4.2 K but does much better when the sample electron gas is heated. In contrast, a simple quantum mechanical theory of absorption based on inverse Bremsstrahlung yields promising agreement at the lower temperatures although its applicability is questionable. The non-Drudian absorption is shown to have a favorable effect on the performance of InSb hot-electron bolometers.

Brown, E. R.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Solar gamma-ray lines

The gamma-ray spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission satellite has observed emissions produced by nuclear reactions in over 20 separate solar flares. The observed intensity from different flares ranges over a factor of 100, and the time scale for their production ranges from 10-s pulses to complete events lasting over 1000 s. The emissions include narrow and broadened prompt gamma-ray lines from numerous isotopes from Li-7 to Fe-56 and cover the energy range from 0.431 MeV (Be-7) to 7.12 MeV (O-16). The instrument has also observed emissions at energies greater than 10 MeV from the decay of pi0 mesons, from electron bremsstrahlung, and from the direct observation of greater-than-100-MeV solar neutrons. The intensity, temporal and spectral properties of these emissions are reviewed from the point of view that solar flares represent an astrophysical particle-acceleration site.

Forrest, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1983

The particle and photon spectrum of an optically thick relativistic wind

Compact astrophysical sources of energetic particles and photons are somewhat optically thick to particle-particle, particle-photon and photon-photon interactions. These interactions include pair production and annihilation, Compton and inverse Compton scattering, and electron-electron collisions (including bremsstrahlung). Preliminary results are presented from a calculation in which the modulation of an initial source spectrum by these processes in an expanding relativistic electron-photon wind is evaluated.

Caroff, L. J.↗

NASA NTRS1985

X-ray emission possibly coincident with the radio tail of PKS 0301 - 123

X-ray, radio, and optical observations are reported for a very poor cluster of galaxies containing the radio source PKS 0301 - 123. A long, 100,000 second X-ray observation using the Einstein Observatory's IPC resulted in the serendipitous discovery of a peculiar extended X-ray morphology associated with the poor cluster. The X-ray emission is extended in the same direction and is approximately the same length as the radio-tailed source, PKS 0301 - 123, which was mapped at 6 and 20 cm with the VLA. Optical redshift observations with the KPNO IIDS on the 2.1 m telescope confirm the identification of the X-ray and radio emission with the poor cluster at z = 0.1. It is argued that the X-ray extension is unlikely to be a chance coincidence of a background source projected onto the foreground cluster. Therefore, four possible mechanisms which might physically link the X-ray and radio emission are considered: thermal bremsstrahlung from a cluster with a flattened potential well; inverse Compton scattering of the relativistic electrons in the radio source, X-ray synchrotron radiation; and heating the cluster gas by the turbulent wake of the radio galaxy. The prospects for future observations of such X-ray/radio coincidences are briefly discussed.

Burns, J. O.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Optical and infrared pulsations from the HZ Herculis binary system during the 1983 prolonged X-ray low state

Pulsed infrared and optical flux from HZ Her has been detected during the 1983 prolonged X-ray low state by simultaneous observations with the Lick Observatory Shane 3.1 m and Crossley 91 cm telescopes. The pulsed fluxes in the 1.0-2.5-micron bandpass and the 3200-7500 A bandpass agree in pulse frequency and phase and were measured to be 31 and 13 microJy, respectively. These pulsed fluxes indicate that the reprocessed pulsation spectrum is consistent with optically thin thermal bremsstrahlung radiation with a characteristic temperature of 25,000 K (+25,000; -12,500) which is modulated in intensity. An apparent earth-approaching Doppler velocity of about 65 km/s is observed for these pulsed fluxes; this velocity can be interpreted as pulsed X-ray reprocessing by material in the mass transfer stream between L1 and the outer edge of the accretion disk. Other optical observations made during and before the 1983 prolonged X-ray low state show that the optical pulsations may have been subtly affected by the obscuration responsible for the X-ray low.

Middleditch, J.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Hot coronae around early-type galaxies

The analysis of the X-ray emission from a sample of 55 bright early-type galaxies shows that hot gaseous coronae are a common and perhaps ubiquitous feature of such systems. The X-ray emission can be explained most naturally as thermal bremsstrahlung from hot gas which may be accumulated from mass loss during normal stellar evolution. The presence of these coronae shows that matter previously thought to be expelled in a galactic wind is instead stored in a hot galactic corona which may be heated and powered by supernova explosions. Perhaps the single most important feature of these coronae is that they provide a unique tracer of the gravitational potential in the outer regions of bright early-type galaxies. In this paper the X-ray properties of these coronae and their implications for the presence of massive dark halos around individual early-type galaxies are discussed. Total masses of early-type galaxies up to 5 trillion solar masses are found.

Forman, W.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Detection of radio continuum emission from Herbig-Haro objects 1 and 2 and from their central exciting source

The region in Orion containing HH 1 and HH 2 was observed with the VLA at 20, 6, and 2 cm on several occasions from 1981 to 1984. At lower resolution, four continuum sources were detected. Two of these sources coincide positionally with HH 1 and HH 2. At 6 cm and higher resolution, HH 1 is resolved into at least two components. The emission is probably bremsstrahlung originating in the same region where the visible line emission is produced. This is the first detection of radio continuum from classic Herbig-Haro objects. At a position closely centered between HH 1 and HH 2, an object that can be interpreted as the energy source of the system was detected. The central source spectrum is S(nu) of about nu to the alpha power, where alpha = 0.4 + or - 0.2, suggesting a stellar wind. Finally, the fourth radio continuum source coincides positionally with an H2O maser and is probably excited by an independent star. There is evidence of time variability in its radio flux. No emission was detected from the Cohen-Schwartz (1979) star at the 0.1 mJy level.

Pravdo, S. H.↗

NASA NTRS1985

The interpretation of hard X-ray polarization measurements in solar flares

Observations of polarization of moderately hard X-rays in solar flares are reviewed and compared with the predictions of recent detailed modeling of hard X-ray bremsstrahlung production by non-thermal electrons. The recent advances in the complexity of the modeling lead to substantially lower predicted polarizations than in earlier models and more fully highlight how various parameters play a role in determining the polarization of the radiation field. The new predicted polarizations are comparable to those predicted by thermal modeling of solar flare hard X-ray production, and both are in agreement with the observations. In the light of these results, new polarization observations with current generation instruments are proposed which could be used to discriminate between non-thermal and thermal models of hard X-ray production in solar flares.

Leach, J.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Soft X-ray production by photon scattering in pulsating binary neutron star sources

A new mechanism is proposed as a source of soft (less than 1 keV) radiation in binary pulsating X-ray sources, in the form of photon scattering which leaves the electron in an excited Landau level. In a plasma with parameters typical of such sources, the low-energy X-ray emissivity of this mechanism far exceeds that of bremsstrahlung. This copious source of soft photons is quite adequate to provide the seed photons needed to explain the power-law hard X-ray spectrum by inverse Comptonization on the hot electrons at the base of the accretion column.

Bussard, R. W.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Radio emission from the sun and stars

Radio astronomy of the sun has reached a high level of maturity, while radio astronomy of the stars is now a burgeoning new field of study. The present review is mainly concerned with radiation which is emitted by 'normal' stars, defined here to include those appearing on classical Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams. The mechanisms for both steady, quiescent emission and intense, strongly varying outbursts are discussed. Included are discussions of bremsstrahlung, gyrosynchrotron emission, electron-cyclotron masers, and plasma radiation. The manifestation of these mechanisms in various kinds of solar radiation are considered along with stellar manifestations.

Dulk, G. A.↗

NASA NTRS1985

VLA observations of solar active regions at closely spaced frequencies - Evidence for thermal cyclotron line emission

VLA observations of a solar active region at 10 closely spaced frequencies between 1440 and 1720 MHz are presented. The synthesis maps show, on two successive days, significant changes in the brightness temperature within this narrow frequency range. It is shown that these changes cannot be due to either thermal bremsstrahlung or gyroresonance emission from a coronal loop in wich the temperature, density, or magnetic field varies monotonically with height. Instead, the brightness spectrum is attributed to cyclotron line emission from a narrow layer, where the temperature is elevated above the surrounding part of the loop.

Willson, R. F.↗

NASA NTRS1985

VLA observations of a radio plage at centimeter wavelengths

VLA observations of a solar plage region at 6 and 20 cm wavelengths are presented. The high frequency 6 cm emission correlates well with the associated sunspots, whereas 20 cm emission shows good correlation with the H-alpha plage. Large temperature variations over a period of one day are observed in the plage-associated component without any significant changes in the sunspots. The dominant emission mechanisms at 6 and 20 cm are found to be gyroresonance radiation and bremsstrahlung, respectively. It is concluded that the coronal condensation above the chromospheric H-alpha plage has an electron density of about 5 x 10 to the 9th/cu cm and it extends to a height of 50,000 km.

Shevgaonkar, R. K.↗