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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 883 records · Page 49
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Quantifying the evidence for dark matter in CoGeNT data

We perform an independent analysis of data from the CoGeNT direct detection experiment to quantify the evidence for dark matter recoils. We critically re-examine the assumptions that enter the analysis, focusing specifically on the separation of bulk and surface events, the latter of which constitute a large background. This separation is performed using the event rise-time, with the surface events being slower on average. We fit the rise-time distributions for the bulk and surface events with a log-normal and Pareto distribution (which gives a better fit to the tail in the bulk population at high rise-times) and account for the energy-dependence of the bulk fraction using a cubic spline. Using Bayesian and frequentist techniques and additionally investigating the effect of varying the rise-time cut, the bulk background spectrum and bin-sizes, we conclude that the CoGeNT data show a preference for light dark matter recoils at less than 1σ.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

DaMaSCUS: the impact of underground scatterings on direct detection of light dark matter

Conventional dark matter direct detection experiments set stringent constraints on dark matter by looking for elastic scattering events between dark matter particles and nuclei in underground detectors. However these constraints weaken significantly in the sub-GeV mass region, simply because light dark matter does not have enough energy to trigger detectors regardless of the dark matter-nucleon scattering cross section. Even if future experiments lower their energy thresholds, they will still be blind to parameter space where dark matter particles interact with nuclei strongly enough that they lose enough energy and become unable to cause a signal above the experimental threshold by the time they reach the underground detector. Therefore in case dark matter is in the sub-GeV region and strongly interacting, possible underground scatterings of dark matter with terrestrial nuclei must be taken into account because they affect significantly the recoil spectra and event rates, regardless of whether the experiment probes DM via DM-nucleus or DM-electron interaction. To quantify this effect we present the publicly available Dark Matter Simulation Code for Underground Scatterings (DaMaSCUS), a Monte Carlo simulator of DM trajectories through the Earth taking underground scatterings into account. Our simulation allows the precise calculation of the density and velocity distribution of dark matter at any detector of given depth and location on Earth. The simulation can also provide the accurate recoil spectrum in underground detectors as well as the phase and amplitude of the diurnal modulation caused by this shadowing effect of the Earth, ultimately relating the modulations expected in different detectors, which is important to decisively conclude if a diurnal modulation is due to dark matter or an irrelevant background.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Poster — Thur Eve — 07: Simultaneous reconstruction of both true and scattered coincidences using a Generalized Scatter reconstruction algorithm in PET

Introduction: Scattered coincidences in PET are generally taken as noise, which reduces image contrast and compromises quantification. We have developed a method, with promising results, to reconstruct activity distribution from scattered PET events instead of simply correcting for them. The implementation of this method on clinical PET scanners is however limited by the currently available detector energy resolution. With low energy resolution we lose the ability to distinguish scattered coincidences from true events based on the measured photon energy. In addition the two circular arcs used to confine the source position for a scattered event cannot be accurately defined. Method: This paper presents a modification to this approach which accounts for limited energy resolution. A measured event is split into a true and a scattered component each with different probabilities based on the position of the pair of photon energies in the energy spectrum. For the scattered component, we model the photon energy with a Gaussian distribution and the upper and lower energy limits can be estimated and used to define inner and outer circular arcs to confine the source position. The true and scattered components for each measured event were reconstructed using our Generalized Scatter reconstruction algorithm. Results and Conclusion: The results show that the contrast and noise properties were improved by 6–9% and 2–4% respectively. This demonstrates that the performance of the algorithm is less sensitive to the energy resolution and that incorporating scattered photons into reconstruction brings more benefits than simply rejecting them.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2018

Coherence Volume of an Optical Wave Field with Broad Frequency and Angular Spectra

We consider the sizes of a region in a three-dimensional space in which an optical wave field excites mutually coherent perturbations. We discuss the conditions under which the length of this region along the direction of propagation of the wave field and, correspondingly, its volume are determined either by the width of the frequency spectrum of the field or by the width of its angular spectrum, or by the parameters of these spectra simultaneously. We obtain expressions for estimating extremely small values of the coherence volume of the fields with a broad frequency spectrum and an extremely broad angular spectrum. Using the notion of instantaneous speckle-modulation of the wave field, we give a physical interpretation to the occurrence of a limited coherence volume of the field. The length of the spatiotemporal coherence region in which mutually coherent perturbations occur at different times is determined. The coherence volume of a wave field that illuminates an object in high-resolution microscopy with frequency broadband light is considered. The conditions for the dominant influence of the angular or frequency spectra on the longitudinal length of the coherence region are given, and the conditions for the influence of the frequency spectrum width on the transverse coherence of the wave field are examined. We show that, when using fields with broad and ultrabroad spectra in high-resolution microscopy, this influence should be taken into account.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1987

Solar modulation of galactic antiprotons

Galactic antiproton data of current interest lie in an energy regime heavily influenced by solar modulation. Correcting for it needs to be done more carefully than it has been in the past. The well-known force-field analytic approximation of the spherically-symmetric, steady-state, cosmic-ray transport equation is applied in order to account for modulation down to at least 100 MeV. A sample solution which applies to the currently available antiproton data set (1979-80), and can be used to accurately modulate any possible interstellar antiproton spectrum, is given. The solution is easily adapted for comparison to future measurements. It also shows that boosting the low-energy (less than 600 MeV) side of the interstellar antiproton spectrum will not affect the low-energy spectrum at 1 AU, due to strong adiabatic deceleration during that time.

Perko, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

An opacity-sampled treatment of water vapor

Although the bands of H2O are strong in the spectra of cool stars and calculations have repeatedly demonstrated their significance as opacity sources, only approximate opacities are currently available, due both to the difficulty of accounting for the millions of lines involved and to the inadequacy of laboratory and theoretical data. To overcome these obstacles, a new treatment is presented, based upon a statistical representation of the water vapor spectrum derived from available laboratory data. This statistical spectrum of water vapor employs an exponential distribution of line strengths and random positions of lines whose overall properties are forced to reproduce the mean opacities observed in the laboratory. The resultant data set is then treated by the opacity-sampling method exactly as are all other lines, both molecular and atomic. Significant differences are found between the results of this improved treatment and the results obtained with previous treatments of water-vapor opacity.

Alexander, David R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A degree scale anisotropy measurement of the cosmic microwave background near the star Gamma Ursae Minoris

Results from a search for anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) are presented from the third flight of the Millimeter-wave Anisotropy experiment. The CMB observation occurred over 1.37 hours and covered a 6.24 sq deg area of the sky where very little foreground emission is expected. Significant correlated structure is observed at 6 and 9/cm. At 12/cm we place an upper limit on the structure. The relative amplitudes at 6, 9, and 12/cm are consistent with a CMB spectrum. The spectrum of the structure is inconsistent with thermal emission from known forms of interstellar dust. Synchrotron and free-free emission would both require unusually flat spectral indices at cm wavelengths in order to account for the amplitude of the observed structure. Although known systematic errors are not expected to contribute significantly to any of the three optical channels, excess sidelobe contamination cannot be definitively ruled out. If all the structure is attributed to CMB anisotropy, a value of the weighted rms of the 6 and 9/cm channels of Delta T/T(CMB) = 4.7 +/- 0.8 x 10 exp -5 (+/- 1 sigma) was measured. If the CMB anisotropy is assumed to have a Gaussian autocorrelation function with a coherence angle of 25 arcmin, then the most probable value is Delta T/T(CMB) = 4.2 +1.7 or -1.1 x 10 exp -5, where the +/- refers to the 95 percent confidence limits.

Gundersen, J. O.↗
NASA NTRS1974

The solar X-ray spectrum

The characteristics of X-ray emission from the normal corona are considered, giving attention to questions of spatial and spectral distribution. Aspects of X-ray emission from solar flares are also investigated. Details of X-ray spectroscopy for coronal plasma diagnosis are discussed, taking into account techniques, the diagnosis of equilibrium plasmas, and the diagnosis of nonthermal events. The study of continuum emission and line emission is reported along with investigations of departures from equilibrium.

Culhane, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Implications of cyclotron features in the X-ray spectrum of Hercules X-1

The modification of physical processes due to an intense magnetic field is investigated in order to uncover implications for X-ray spectra from binary pulsars. It is found that for large enough fields, the quantum nature of electron orbits must be taken into account, and for densities typical of binary X-ray pulsars it is found that electrons spend most of their time in the ground state. For this case, the production of cyclotron line photons following collisional excitation is estimated and the effects of the transfer of line photons through the hot plasma are considered. A line feature as narrow as reported by Truemper et al. appears unlikely. However, more recent observations allow a much broader line; in addition, a consistent absorption feature due to knock-on electrons may explain the spectral steepening at about 20 keV.

Bussard, R. W.↗
DOE OSTI2016

Performance Analysis of HF Band FB-MC-SS

Abstract—In a recent paper [1] the filter bank multicarrier spread spectrum (FB-MC-SS) waveform was proposed for wideband spread spectrum HF communications. A significant benefit of this waveform is robustness against narrow and partial band interference. Simulation results in [1] demonstrated good performance in a wideband HF channel over a wide range of conditions. In this paper we present a theoretical analysis of the bit error probably for this system. Our analysis tailors the results from [2] where BER performance was analyzed for maximum ration combining systems that accounted for correlation between subcarriers and channel estimation error. Equations are give for BER that closely match the simulated performance in most situations.

Analysis↗
NASA NTRS1983

The 12 micron band of ethane: A spectral catalog from 765 cm(-1) to 900 cm(-1)

The high resolution laboratory absorption spectrum of the 12 micro band of ethane gas is studied. The data were obtained using the McMath Solar Telescope 1 meter Fourier Transform interferometer at Kitt Peak National Observatory and tunable diode laser spectrometers at the University of Tennessee and NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. Over 200 individual vibration rotation transitions were analyzed taking into account many higher order effects including torsional splitting. Line positions were reproduced to better than 0.001/cm. Both ground and upper state molecular constants were determined in the analysis. The experimental details, the analysis procedures and the results are addressed. A list of ethane transitions occurring near (14)CO2 laser lines needed for heterodyne searches for C2H6 in extraterrestrial sources is also included. A spectral catalog of the ethane nu sub g fundamental from 765/cm to 900/cm is provided. A high dispersion (1/cm 12 in.) plot of both the Kitt Peak interferometric data and a simulated spectrum with Doppler limited resolution, a table of over 8500 calculated transitions listed quantum number assignments, frequencies and intensities are provided.

Atakan, A. K.↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Migdal effect in semiconductors for dark matter with masses below ~ 100 MeV

Dark matter scattering off a nucleus has a small probability of inducing an observable ionization through the inelastic excitation of an electron, called the Migdal effect. We use an effective field theory to extend the computation of the Migdal effect in semiconductors to regions of small momentum transfer to the nucleus, where the final state of the nucleus is no longer well described by a plane wave. Our analytical result can be fully quantified by the measurable dynamic structure factor of the semiconductor, which accounts for the vibrational degrees of freedom (phonons) in a crystal. We show that, due to the sum rules obeyed by the structure factor, the inclusive Migdal rate and the shape of the electron recoil spectrum is well captured by approximating the nuclei in the crystal as free ions; however, the exclusive differential rate with respect to energy depositions to the crystal depends on the phonon dynamics encoded in the dynamic structure function of the specific material. Our results now allow the Migdal effect in semiconductors to be evaluated even for the lightest dark matter candidates (m χ ≳ 1 MeV) that can kinematically excite electrons.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Analysis of the microwave, terahertz, and far infrared spectra of monodeuterated methanol CH{sub 2}DOH up to J = 26, K = 11, and o{sub 1}

The first theoretical approach aimed at accounting for the energy levels of a non-rigid molecule displaying asymmetric-top asymmetric-frame internal rotation is developed. It is applied to a line position analysis of the high-resolution spectrum of the non-rigid CH{sub 2}DOH molecule and allows us to carry out a global analysis of a data set consisting of already available data and of microwave and far infrared transitions measured in this work. The analysis is restricted to the three lowest lying torsional levels (e{sub 0}, e{sub 1}, and o{sub 1}), to K ⩽ 11, and to J ⩽ 26. For the 8211 fitted lines, the unitless standard deviation is 2.4 and 103 parameters are determined including kinetic energy, hindering potential, and distortion effects parameters.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2013

DISSECTING THE PROPERTIES OF OPTICALLY THICK HYDROGEN AT THE PEAK OF COSMIC STAR FORMATION HISTORY

We present the results of a blind survey of Lyman limit systems (LLSs) detected in absorption against 105 quasars at z ∼ 3 using the blue sensitive MagE spectrograph at the Magellan Clay telescope. By searching for Lyman limit absorption in the wavelength range λ ∼ 3000-4000 Å, we measure the number of LLSs per unit redshift l(z) = 1.21 ± 0.28 at z ∼ 2.8. Using a stacking analysis, we further estimate the mean free path of ionizing photons in the z ∼ 3 universe λ{sub mfp}{sup 912} = 100 ± 29 h{sub 70.4}{sup -1} Mpc. Combined with our LLS survey, we conclude that systems with log N{sub HI} ≥ 17.5 cm{sup –2} contribute only ∼40% to the observed mean free path at these redshifts. Furthermore, with the aid of photoionization modeling, we infer that a population of ionized and metal poor systems is likely required to reproduce the metal line strengths observed in a composite spectrum of 20 LLSs with log N{sub HI} ∼ 17.5-19 cm{sup –2} at z ∼ 2.6-3.0. Finally, with a simple toy model, we deduce that gas in the halos of galaxies can alone account for the totality of LLSs at z ∼< 3, but a progressively higher contribution from the intergalactic medium is required beyond z ∼ 3.5. We also show how the weakly evolving number of LLSs per unit redshift at z ∼< 3 can be modeled either by requiring that the spatial extent of the circumgalactic medium is redshift invariant in the last ∼10 Gyr of cosmic evolution or by postulating that LLSs arise in halos that are rare fluctuations in the density field at each redshift.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Disconnected covariance of 2-point functions in large-scale structure

Optimal analyses using the 2-point functions of large-scale structure probes require accurate covariance matrices. A covariance matrix of the 2-point function comprises the disconnected part and the connected part. While the connected covariance only becomes important on small scales, the disconnected covariance is dominant on large scales, where the survey window has a significant impact. In this work, we develop an analytical method to compute the disconnected covariance, accounting for the window effect. Derived under the flat-sky approximation, our formalism is applicable to wide surveys by swapping in the curved-sky window functions. Our method works for both the power spectrum and the correlation function, and applies to the covariances of various probes including the multipoles and the wedges of 3D clustering, the angular and the projected statistics of clustering and shear, as well as the cross covariances between different probes. We verify the analytic covariance against the sample covariance from the galaxy mock simulations in two test cases: (1) the power spectrum multipole covariance, and (2) the joint covariance of the projected correlation function and the correlation function multipoles. Our method achieve good agreement with the mocks, while at a negligible computational cost. Unlike mocks, our analytic covariance is free of sampling noise, which often leads to numerical problems and the need to inflate the errors. In addition, our method can use the best-fit power spectrum as input, in contrast to the standard procedure of using a fiducial model that may deviate significantly from the truth. We also show that a naive diagonal power spectrum covariance underestimates the signal-to-noise ratio compared to our analytic covariance. The code that accompanies this paper is available at https://github.com/eelregit/covdisc.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1982

Mass loss from alpha Cyg /A2Ia/ derived from the profiles of low excitation Fe II lines

The low-excitation Fe II lines in the spectral region 2000-3000 A are studied in the spectrum of alpha-Cyg. The profiles of the resonance lines are described by four representative parameters, and a preliminary model is derived from the dependence of these parameters on theoretical line strength, taking into account the influence of blending photospheric lines in an overall and qualitative way. At least 11% of all iron in the wind is once ionized, unless a non-thermal heating source enhances the fraction Fe(++) without destroying much Al(+). It is shown that the contribution of blending photospheric absorption lines to weaker P Cygni profiles has been previously largely underestimated. The mass loss rate corresponding to the model is derived, and is smaller by a factor of 500 than the one derived from the infrared excess by Barlow and Cohen (1977).

Hensberge, H.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Optical contamination on the Atmosphere Explorer-E satellite

Atmospheric optical emission measurements by the Visible Airglow Experiment (VAE) on board the Atmosphere Explorer (AE-C, D and E) satellites have been analyzed and found to be contaminated at low altitudes. The contamination maximizes in the forward direction along the spacecraft velocity and is sensitive to the composition and density of the ambient atmosphere. Analysis at two different wavelengths suggests that the contamination is likely to have a diffuse band spectrum which is brighter toward the red. Some unknown processes which involve satellite surface materials and the incoming ambient particles are believed to be responsible for the contamination. A simulation model is presented here to account for the observed angular dependence.

Yee, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS2005

X-Ray Absorbed, Broad-Lined, Red AGN and the Cosmic X-Ray Background

We have obtained XMM spectra for five red, 2MASS AGN, selected from a sample observed by Chandra to be X-ray bright and to cover a range of hardness ratios. Our results confirm the presence of substantial absorbing material in three sources which have optical classifications ranging from Type 1 to Type 2, with an intrinsically flat (hard) power law continuum indicated in the other two. The presence of both X-ray absorption and broad optical emission lines with the usual strength suggests either a small (nuclear) absorber or a favored viewing angle so as to cover the X-ray source but not the broad emission line region (BELR). A soft excess is detected in all three Type 1 sources. We speculate that this soft X-ray emission may arise in an extended region of ionized gas, perhaps linked with the polarized (scattered) light which is a feature of these sources. The spectral complexity revealed by XMM emphasizes the limitations of the low S/N Chandra data. Overall, the new XMM results strengthen our conclusions (Wilkes et al. 2002) that the observed X-ray continua of red AGN are unusually hard at energies greater than 2 keV. Whether due to substantial line-of-sight absorption or to an intrinsically hard or reflection-dominated spectrum, these 'red' AGN have an observed spectral form consistent with contributing significantly to the missing had absorbed population of the Cosmic X-ray Background (CXRB). When absorption and or reflection is taken into account, all these AGN have power law slopes typical of broad-line (Type 1) AGN (Gamma approximately 1.9). This appears to resolve the spectral paradox which for so long has existed between the CXRB and the AGN thought to be the dominant contributors. It also suggests two scenarios whereby Type 1 AGN/QSOs may be responsible for a significant fraction of the CXRB at energies above 2 keV: 1) X-ray absorbed AGN/QSOs with visible broad emission lines; 2) AGN/QSOs with complex spectra whose hardness greater than 2 keV is not detectable in the typically low S/N data of X-ray surveys. Even if absorption is present in only half of the population, the large number of 'red' AGN suggests a development of unification models, where the continuum source is surrounded, over a substantial solid angle, by the wind or atmosphere of an accretion disk/torus. X-ray observations of such AGN not only provide a check on the presence of absorption, but also a unique probe of the absorbing material. Improved information on their space density, in particular as a function of redshift, will soon be provided by Spitzer-Chandra wide area surveys, allowing better estimates of both the importance of red AGN to the full AGN population and their contribution to the CXRB.

Mushotzky, Richard↗