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At least 73 records · Page 4

The Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) Earth Occultation Catalog of Low-Energy Gamma-Ray Sources

The Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE), aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO), provided a record of the low-energy gamma-ray sky (approx. 20-1000 keV) between 1991 April and 2000 May (9.1 yr). BATSE monitored the high-energy sky using the Earth occultation technique (EOT) for point sources whose emission extended for times on the order of the CGRO orbital period (approx. 92 min) or greater. Using the EOT to extract flux information, a catalog of sources using data from the BATSE Large Area Detectors has been prepared. The first part of the catalog consists of results from the all-sky monitoring of 58 sources, mostly Galactic, with intrinsic variability on timescales of hours to years. For these sources, we have included tables of flux and spectral data, and outburst times for transients. Light curves (or flux histories) have been placed on the World Wide Web. We then performed a deep sampling of these 58 objects, plus a selection of 121 more objects, combining data from the entire 9.1 yr BATSE data set. Source types considered were primarily accreting binaries, but a small number of representative active galaxies, X-ray-emitting stars, and supernova remnants were also included. The sample represents a compilation of sources monitored and/or discovered with BATSE and other high-energy instruments between 1991 and 2000, known sources taken from the HEAO 1 A-4 and Macomb & Gehrels catalogs. The deep sample results include definite detections of 83 objects and possible detections of 36 additional objects. The definite detections spanned three classes of sources: accreting black hole and neutron star binaries, active galaxies, and Supernova remnants. The average fluxes measured for the fourth class, the X-ray emitting stars, were below the confidence limit for definite detection.

Harmon, B. A.↗

The spectral-flux distribution /0.36-3.5 microns/ of nonstellar light from the broad-line radio galaxies 3C 227 and 3C 382

Optical-infrared (0.36-3.5 microns) photometric data of the radio galaxy 3C 382, obtained in 1976, show a distinct excess at the longest wavelengths, an ultraviolet excess, and a significant increase in brightness since previous photometry by Sandage (1972). A flux excess at infrared wavelengths has also been observed from 3C 227. These properties demonstrate the presence of emission not attributable to stars, probably originating in the nucleus, extending into the infrared portion of the spectrum.

Odell, S. L.↗

Investigation of interplanetary dust from out-of-ecliptic space probes

Measurements of interplanetary dust via zodiacal light observations and direct detection are discussed for an out-of-ecliptic space probe. Particle fluxes and zodiacal light brightnesses were predicted for three models of the dust distribution. These models predict that most of the information will be obtained at space probe distances less than 1 A.U. from the ecliptic plane. Joint interpretation of the direct particle measurements and the zodiacal light data can yield the best knowledge of the three-dimensional particle dynamics, spatial distribution, and physical characteristics of the interplanetary dust. Such measurements are important for an understanding of the origin and role of the dust in relation to meteoroids, asteroids, and comets, as well as the interaction of the dust with solar forces.

Fechtig, H.↗

Wind and Rotation Enhanced Escape from the Early Terrestrial Atmospheres

The earliest atmospheres of the terrestrial planets are thought to have been hotter, have stronger winds and rotate faster than atmospheres of today. Since these primitive atmospheres were weakly bound, they evolved rapidly because atmospheric escape was very strong, often referred to as "blowoff." Such escape has been treated as hydrodynamic, transonic flow; similar to solar wind flow dynamics. However, in many cases, although the outward flow is hydrodynamic at low altitudes, it becomes collisionless at higher altitudes, before sonic speeds are ever attained. Recent models dealing with the transition from fluid to kinetic flow have applied the Jeans escape flux at the exobase. This approach leads to escape rates that are too low, because thermospheric winds and planetary rotation are known to increase the escape flux above the corresponding Jeans flux. In particular, for a given density and temperature at the exobase, the escape flux increases as the wind speed and/or the rotation rate increase. Also, for a given wind speed and rotation rate, the escape flux enhancement over the Jeans flux increases as the mass of an escaping constituent increases, an important factor in isotope fractionation, especially the enrichment of deuterium on Mars. Accounting for a range of possible temperatures, thermospheric wind speeds and planetary rotation rates in the primitive atmospheres of the terrestrial planets, estimates are made of light constituent escape flux increases over the corresponding Jeans fluxes.

Hartle, Richard E.↗

HD 47755, a new eclipsing binary

The IUE spectra of the close binary star HD 47755 have been examined in order to determine its geometry, chemical composition, and light curve. UBV fluxes in the spectra, when dereddened for E(B-V) = 0.09 yield an effective temperature of 16,500 K. The ratio of the mean radii of the stars is found to agree well with an old blueband spectrophotometric value. Eclipses in the binary have been observed and a complex green light curve is derived. It is suggested that the wind from at least one of the components of HD 47755 is the source of the complexity in the light curve. The geometry of the HD 47755 is compared to that of V 641 Mon, A definite cluster member of NGC 2264. The interstellar line spectrum is found to be similar to that of V 641 Mon and the column densities for a few interstellar ions are given in a table. Evaluation of the nonastrometric evidence indicates that HD 47755 is also a member of NGC 2264.

Koch, R. H.↗

Observations of Sk-69 deg 203 and the interstellar extinction towards SN 1987A

Optical and UV spectroscopic observations of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) star Sk-69 deg 203 are discussed. The optical data reveal Sk-69 deg 203 to be a BO.7 Ia supergiant with a moderate nitrogen enhancement, and its UV spectrum is consistent with this classification. UV interstellar extinction curves were constructed for the star using, as flux standards, two lightly reddened LMS supergiants, which bracket Sk-69 deg 203's spectral type. The resultant extinction curves are consistent with the extinction law derived previously for the 30 Doradus region, and the results for Sk-69 deg 203 suggest that the general 30 Doradus extinction law is appropriate for dereddening the observed fluxes of SN 1987A. Published H I 21 observations place SN 1987A in a region with a strong E-W gradient in the total hydrogen content. Comparison with the H I column density implied by the reddening indicates that the supernova is imbedded approximately in the middle of the main H I complex.

Fitzpatrick, Edward L.↗

Study of the Many Fluorescent Lines and the Absorption Variability in GX 301-2 with XMM-Newton

We present an in-depth study of the High Mass X-ray Binary (HMXB) GX 301-2 during its pre-periastron flare using data from the XMM-Newton satellite. The energy spectrum shows a power law continuum absorbed by a large equivalent hydrogen column on the order of 10(exp 24)/ sq cm and a prominent Fe K-alpha fluorescent emission line. Besides the Fe K-alpha line, evidence for Fe K-Beta, Ni K-alpha, Ni K-Beta, S K-alpha, Ar K-alpha, Ca K-alpha, and Cr K-alpha fluorescent lines is found. The observed line strengths are consistent with fluorescence in a cold absorber. This is the first time that Cr K-alpha is seen in emission in the X-ray spectrum of a HMXB. In addition to the modulation by the strong pulse period of approx 685 sec the source is highly variable and shows different states of activity. We perform time-resolved as well as pulse-to-pulse resolved spectroscopy to investigate differences between these states of activity. We find that fluorescent line fluxes are strongly variable and generally follow the overall flux. The N-H value is variable by a factor of 2, but not correlated to continuum normalization. We find an interval of low flux in the light curve in which the pulsations cease almost completely, without any indication of an increasing absorption column. We investigate this dip in detail and argue that it is most likely that during the dip the accretion ceased and the afterglow of the fluorescent iron accounted for the main portion of the X-ray flux. A similar dip was found earlier in RXTE data, and we compare our findings to these results.

Fuerst, F.↗

High-Reflectivity Multi-Layer Coatings for the CLASP Sounding Rocket Project

We are planning an international rocket experiment Chromospheric Lyman-Alpha Spectro-Polarimeter (CLASP) is (2015 planned) that Lyman alpha line (Ly alpha line) polarization spectroscopic observations from the sun. The purpose of this experiment, detected with high accuracy of the linear polarization of the Ly alpha lines to 0.1% by using a Hanle effect is to measure the magnetic field of the chromosphere-transition layer directly. For polarization photometric accuracy achieved that approximately 0.1% required for CLASP, it is necessary to realize the monitoring device with a high throughput. On the other hand, Ly alpha line (vacuum ultraviolet rays) have a sensitive characteristics that is absorbed by the material. We therefore set the optical system of the reflection system (transmission only the wavelength plate), each of the mirrors, subjected to high efficiency of the multilayer coating in accordance with the role. Primary mirror diameter of CLASP is about 30 cm, the amount of heat about 30,000 J is about 5 minutes of observation time is coming mainly in the visible light to the telescope. In addition, total flux of the sun visible light overwhelmingly large and about 200 000 times the Ly alpha line wavelength region. Therefore, in terms of thermal management and 0.1% of the photometric measurement accuracy achieved telescope, elimination of the visible light is essential. We therefore, has a high reflectivity (greater than 50%) in Ly alpha line, visible light is a multilayer coating be kept to a low reflectance (less than 5%) (cold mirror coating) was applied to the primary mirror. On the other hand, the efficiency of the polarization analyzer required chromospheric magnetic field measurement (the amount of light) Conventional (magnesium fluoride has long been known as a material for vacuum ultraviolet (MgF2) manufactured ellipsometer; Rs = 22%) about increased to 2.5 times were high efficiency reflective polarizing element analysis. This device, Bridou et al. (2011) is proposed "that is coated with a thin film of the substrate MgF2 and SiO2 fused silica." As a result of the measurement, Rs = 54.5%, to achieve a Rp = 0.3%, high efficiency, of course, capable of taking out only about spolarized light. Other reflective optical elements (the secondary mirror, the diffraction grating-collector mirror), subjected to high-reflection coating of Al + MgF2 (reflectance of about 80%), less than 5% in the entire optical system by these (CCD Science was achieved a high throughput as a device for a vacuum ultraviolet ray of the entire system less than 5% (CCD of QE is not included).

sounding rocket↗

Solar Lyman-Alpha Polarization Observation of the Chromosphere and Transition Region by the Sounding Rocket Experiment CLASP

We are planning an international rocket experiment Chromospheric Lyman-Alpha Spectro-Polarimeter (CLASP) is (2015 planned) that Lyman α line (Ly(alpha) line) polarization spectroscopic observations from the sun. The purpose of this experiment, detected with high accuracy of the linear polarization of the Ly(alpha) lines to 0.1% by using a Hanle effect is to measure the magnetic field of the chromosphere-transition layer directly. For polarization photometric accuracy achieved that approx. 0.1% required for CLASP, it is necessary to realize the monitoring device with a high throughput. On the other hand, Ly(alpha) line (vacuum ultraviolet rays) have a sensitive characteristics that is absorbed by the material. We therefore set the optical system of the reflection system (transmission only the wavelength plate), each of the mirrors, subjected to high efficiency of the multilayer coating in accordance with the role. Primary mirror diameter of CLASP is about 30 cm, the amount of heat about 30,000 J is about 5 minutes of observation time is coming mainly in the visible light to the telescope. In addition, total flux of the sun visible light overwhelmingly large and about 200 000 times the Ly(alpha) line wavelength region. Therefore, in terms of thermal management and 0.1% of the photometric measurement accuracy achieved telescope, elimination of the visible light is essential. We therefore, has a high reflectivity (> 50%) in Lyα line, visible light is a multilayer coating be kept to a low reflectance (<5%) (cold mirror coating) was applied to the primary mirror. On the other hand, the efficiency of the polarization analyzer required chromospheric magnetic field measurement (the amount of light) Conventional (magnesium fluoride has long been known as a material for vacuum ultraviolet (MgF2) manufactured ellipsometer; Rs = 22%) about increased to 2.5 times were high efficiency reflective polarizing element analysis. This device, Bridou et al. (2011) is proposed "that is coated with a thin film of the substrate MgF2 and SiO2 fused silica." As a result of the measurement, Rs = 54.5%, to achieve a Rp = 0.3%, high efficiency, of course, capable of taking out only about s-polarized light. Other reflective optical elements (the secondary mirror, the diffraction gratingcollector mirror), subjected to high-reflection coating of Al + MgF2 (reflectance of about 80%), less than 5% in the entire optical system by these (CCD Science was achieved a high throughput as a device for a vacuum ultraviolet ray of the entire system less than 5% (CCD of QE is not included).

Narukage, Noriyuki↗

Emission lines in the long period Cepheid l Carinae

For the Cepheid (l) Carinae with a pulsation period of 35.5 days we have studied the emission line fluxes as a function of pulsational phase in order to find out whether we see chromosphere and transition layer emission or whether we see emission due to an outward moving shock. All emission lines show a steep increase in flux shortly before maximum light suggestive of a shock moving through the surface layers. The large ratio of the C IV to C II line fluxes shows that these are not transition layer lines. During maximum light the large ratio of the C IV to C II line fluxes also suggests that we see emission from a shock with velocities greater than 100 km/sec such that C IV emission can be excited. With such velocities mass outflow appears possible. The variations seen in the Mg II line profiles show that there is an internal absorption over a broad velocity band independent of the pulsational phase. We attribute this absorption to a circumstellar 'shell'. This 'shell' appears to be seen also as spatially extended emission in the O I line at 1300 angstrom, which is probably excited by resonance with Ly beta.

Boehm-Vitense, Erika↗

Emission lines in the long-period Cepheid l Carinae

For the Cepheid l Carinae, with a pulsation period of 35.5 days, we have studied the emission-line fluxes as a function of pulsational phase in order to find out whether we see chromospheric and transition-layer emission due to an outward-moving shock. All emission lines show a steep increase in flux shortly before maximum light, suggestive of a shock moving through the surface layers. The large ratio of C IV to C II line fluxes shows that these are not transition-layer lines. During maximum light the large ratio of the large ratio of the C IV to C II line fluxes also suggests that we see emission from a shock with velocities greater than 100 km/s such that C IV emission can be excited. With such velocities mass outflow appears possible. The variations seen in the MG II line profiles show that there is an external absorption over a broad velocity band independent of the pulsation phase. We attribute this absorption to a circumstellar 'shell.' This 'shell' appears to be seen also as spatially extended emission in the O I line at 1300 A, which is probably excited by resonance with Ly beta.

Bohm-Vitense, Erika↗

The absolute energy flux envelopes of B type stars.

Absolute energy flux envelopes covering the region of 1100 to 6000 A for main-sequence stars of types B3, B7 and A0 derived from published, ground-based observations and from spectrum scans with OAO-II are presented. These flux envelopes are compared with the predicted flux envelopes from lightly line-blanketed model atmospheres. The line blanketing at wavelengths shorter than 3000 A is severe, about one-half the predicted light being observed at 1600 A. These results demonstrate that a model which represents well the observed visible spectrum of a star may fail seriously for representing the ultraviolet spectrum.

Underhill, A. B.↗

Spatial structure and temporal development of a solar X-ray flare observed from Skylab on June 15, 1973

Morphological and quantitative analyses are presented of a 1B solar flare that was observed with high spatial and temporal resolution by the S-054 grazing-incidence X-ray telescope aboard Skylab. It is found that the flare had the configuration of a compact region with a characteristic size of the order of 30 arcsec at the intensity peak, the interior of the region appeared to be highly structured and to consist of temporally changing complex loop systems, brightening over an extended part of the active region preceded the flare onset, and the impulsive phase was marked by rapid brightening in the loop structures. The X-ray photographs also indicate that the X-ray emission was centered over the neutral line of the longitudinal magnetic field, loop systems formed at successively increasing heights during the decay phase, and different regions of the flare had distinctly different light curves. The flux profiles for the different regions are shown to suggest continued heating during the decay phase. It is concluded that flare models should be based on a multiplicity of volumes ordered in loops of successively larger scale lengths and heights rather than on a single point of energy release and deposition.

Pallavicini, R.↗

Cosmic ray exposure ages of chondrites, pre-irradiation and constancy of cosmic ray flux in the past

Calibration of the production rate of the Ne-21 nuclide was accomplished by 4 methods based on (Al-26)-age, (Mn-53)-age, Kr-81/Kr-83, and Na-22/Ne-22. These production rates are normalized to a shielding parameter ratio Ne-22/Ne-21 = 1.11 and to the chemical composition of L chondrites; a value of P(21)(1.11) = 0.31 is suggested, and a production rate equation derived in terms of the 'F' parameters for L, LL, and H chondrites. The Al-26 half-life measurements are considered to evaluate the effects resulting from preirradiation of meteorites and to examine the data on the constancy of the cosmic ray flux in the light of current astronomical observations.

Nishizumi, K.↗

Observational constraints on the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune from new measurements near 10 micron

Uranus was detected at 10.3, 11.6 and 12.5 micrometers approximately 1 micrometer spectral bandpasses, with respective brightness temperatures of 74.0 + 0.9 or -1.1, 67.6 + 0.5 or -0.7, and 65.5 + 0.6 or -0.7 K and the first detection of Neptune at 10.3 micrometers with a brightness temperature of 77.5 + 0.7 or -0.9 K. We also detected Neptune at 11.36 micrometers with 2% spectral resolution at 81.0 + 0.8 or -0.9 K. The 10 micrometers continuous of both Uranus and Neptune may in part be due to reflected solar radiation as well as thermal emission. If all of the observed flux is reflected light, then the maximum geometric albedo of Uranus is 0.115 + or - 0.020, and that of Neptune is 0.229 + or - 0.043. In the context of previous observations in this region, the maximum stratospheric C2H6 mixing ratio is found to be 3 x 10 to the -8 power for Uranus and 3 x 10 to the -6 power for Neptune. A value for the maximum mixing ratio in the stratosphere of Neptune on the order of 1 - 0.004 appears to be consistent with the available data.

Orton, G. S.↗

Observational constraints on the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune from new measurements near 10 micrometers

Uranus was detected at 10.3, 11.6 and 12.5 micrometers approximately 1 micrometer spectral bandpasses, with respective brightness temperatures of 74.0 + 0.9 or -1.1, 67.6 + 0.5 or -0.7, and 65.5 + 0.6 or -0.7 K and the first detection of Neptune at 10.3 micrometers with a brightness temperature of 77.5 + 0.7 or -0.9 K. We also detected Neptune at 11.36 micrometers with 2 percent spectral resolution at 81.0 + 0.8 or -0.9 K. The 10 micrometers continuous of both Uranus and Neptune may in part be due to reflected solar radiation as well as thermal emission. If all of the observed flux is reflected light, then the maximum geometric albedo of Uranus is 0.115 + or - 0.020, and that of Neptune is 0.229 + or - 0.043. In the context of previous observations in this region, the maximum stratospheric C2H6 mixing ratio is found to be 3 x 10 to the -8 power for Uranus and 3 x 10 to the -6 power for Neptune. A value for the maximum mixing ratio in the stratosphere of Neptune on the order of 1 - 0.004 appears to be consistent with the available data. Previously announced in STAR as N83-29155

Tokunaga, A. T.↗

EUV and FUV observations of cataclysmic variables

Recent results from a continuing investigation of cataclysmic variables in the 500 to 1700 A region with the Voyager ultraviolet spectrometers are presented. Observations of outbursts show a substantial delay (of about 0.5 day) in the rise to maximum in the FUV (912-1200 A) with respect to optical wavelengths. Both FUV and optical light decline simultaneously. Flux distributions show a significant flattening in the FUV and with the possible exception of CPD-48 1577 no EUV flux has been observed in any cataclysmic variable. CPD-48 1577 shows a marginal, 2 sigma, EUV flux.

Polidan, R. S.↗