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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1971

The present state of gamma-ray astronomy.

The current state of gamma-ray astronomy is reviewed in terms of the most recent experimental results that define, in either measured fluxes or upper limits, the cosmic photon spectrum in the energy range from 0.5 MeV to 10,000 TeV. Methods of research developed during the last 10 yr are discussed and specific results are cited. Cosmic gamma rays have been observed in two regions of the spectrum - from 0.5 to 6 MeV and from about 50 MeV to several hundred mega-electronvolts. Above 50 MeV, a strong concentration of intensity is observed in a band of directions around the galactic equator. In both spectral regions a diffuse background gamma ray flux, apparently isotropic and of extragalactic origin, is observed. Evidence of 50 MeV gamma-ray pulses from the Crab pulsar has been reported. No definite evidence of any other discrete gamma-ray source besides the galaxy itself has been observed at any energy.

Clark, G.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Ultrahigh Energy Gamma-rays

An analysis is made of the interactions of very high energy cosmic ray protons with the relict radiation in extragalactic space. Two situations are examined: gamma rays derived from neutral pions -mesons produced in collisions in a nonevolutionary situation and gamma rays from electron pairs produced at early epochs. It is shown that the ultrahigh energy gamma rays could conceivably be of high enough intensity to be detected. The flux of gamma rays from the second process is not far from the diffuse background that was reported.

Strong, A. W.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Energy spectra of cosmic gamma-ray bursts

Spectral measurements of six cosmic gamma-ray bursts in the energy region of 0.1 to 1.2 MeV, made using a semi-omnidirectional X-ray detector on IMP-6 are reported. These measurements confirm the hard X-ray or gamma-ray nature of the bursts, as inferred from the original observations by Klebesadel et al., (1973), and show that their maximum energy release is in this several hundred keV region. Each burst consists of several 1 or 2-second pulses each with the characteristic spectrum of approximately 150-keV exponential, followed by a softer decay. There is no evidence of line structure in this energy region, or for a marked change in the energy spectrum within a given pulse. Event size spectra are estimated for galactic and extragalactic models; the total emission is consistent with present measurements of the diffuse background, and unlikely to account for any spectral feature in the few-MeV region.

Cline, T. L.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Preliminary results from the first satellite of a high-resolution germanium gamma-ray spectrometer: Description of instrument, some activation lines encountered, and studies of the diffuse spectra

Gamma radiation from terrestrial and extraterrestrial sources were investigated with a high resolution Ge(Li) spectrometer-cryogen system flown onboard a low altitude, spin stabilized, polar orbiting satellite. A brief description is given of the instrument and preliminary results obtained from earth orbit are discussed. Attempts were made to use angular distributions and geomagnetic latitude spectral variations to determine diffuse background spectrum, detect gamma ray line emissions from solar flares, and search for positron annihilation radiation coming from the direction of the galactic center.

Nakano, G. H.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Far-infrared observations of W51 with high spatial resolution

Observations of the core of W51 have been made from the NASA C-141 Airborne Infrared Observatory at 55 microns with 17-, 35-, and 85-arc sec apertures and at 100 microns with a 35-arc sec aperture. These observations suggest the presence of a small less than about 20 arc sec source at 55 microns surrounded by a much broader diffuse background. In the center of the source the optical depth at 55 and 100 microns is on the order of 0.1-0.2.

Harvey, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A search for stellar soft X-ray sources

A sensitive soft X-ray survey of about one-tenth of the sky, carried out as part of the Skylab program and flown on 1973 July 28, revealed no evidence for soft X-ray emission from stellar sources. We present upper limits to the soft X-ray luminosity of about 50 nearby stars. With nominal assumed values for stellar space densities, we show it unlikely that emission from giants, main sequence stars, white dwarfs, or stars in known binary systems can account for the soft X-ray diffuse background.

Vanderhill, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Final SAS-2 gamma-ray results on sources in the galactic anticenter region

Final results are presented for SAS-2 observations of high-energy gamma-rays from the galactic anticenter region. Three main gamma-ray features are shown to characterize this region: a localized source associated with the Crab Nebula and its pulsar, another localized source near galactic coordinates 195 deg, +5 deg, and a general enhancement of the diffuse background 10 to 15 deg south of the galactic plane, which is associated with the Gould Belt. For the Crab, it is found that the radiation is mostly pulsed, the pulsed fraction increases with energy, and the intensity of the radiation in the main and interpulse peaks is approximately the same. The other localized source, provisionally designated as gamma 195+5, is found to have a harder spectrum than the Crab but no obvious radio counterpart; emission from an external galaxy is ruled out.

Thompson, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Soft diffuse X-rays in the southern galactic hemisphere

A map is presented of the soft X-ray diffuse background flux in the C band (approximately 0.13-0.28 keV) covering almost all of the southern galactic hemisphere. A comparison at constant galactic latitude of both C band and B band (about 0.1-0.18 keV) soft X-ray data with neutral-hydrogen maps shows that the intensity does decrease with increasing neutral-hydrogen column density but in a manner that is inconsistent with photoelectric absorption. It is suggested that the inverse correlation is a displacement effect. X-ray emission regions appear to be where the cool gas is not. Further, the evidence against photoelectric absorption implies that the bulk of the cool gas is beyond the X-ray emitting regions. Fewer than 10 to the 20th power H atoms per sq cm can be between the sun and the X-ray emitting regions. The sun appears to be surrounded by a soft X-ray emission region consisting of gas at a temperature of about 1 million K.

Sanders, W. T.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The UCSD/MIT hard X-ray and low energy gamma-ray experiment for HEAO-1 - Design and early results

Primary scientific objectives of the experiment are the measurement of the spectra and time variations of discrete sources and the spectrum and isotropy of the diffuse background, all in the 10 keV to 10 MeV energy range. The instrument consists of an array of 7 NaI(Tl)/CsI(Na) phoswich-type detectors and 8 large CsI(Na) shields. In order to achieve the maximum sensitivity allowed by weight, data rate and funding constraints of the mission, three detector and aperture geometries were selected. The instrument's total sensitive area is 494 sq cm. The fields of view vary from 1.7 deg x 20 deg FWHM at low energies to 43 deg FWHM at high energies. The basic instrument concepts, details of the mechanical and electrical design, and pre-launch calibrations are presented. In-orbit performance is described and background measurements are analyzed and used to estimate the experiment's ultimate sensitivity.

Matteson, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The X-ray spectrum of QSO 0241+622

Proportional counters on the OsO-8 spacecraft measured the X-ray spectrum of QSR 0241+622 in the range 2-50 keV. The best power law fit has a proton spectral index and 90 percent errors gamma = 1.93 (+0.5, -0.3) and low energy absorption consistent with reported gas column densities, but a thermal bremsstrahlung form with temperature 13.1 keV cannot be excluded. No indication of spectral variability is found in three observations of the source with HEAO-A2, although a possible 15-30 percent intensity change over a period of 6 months was observed. The quasar is similar to 3C 273 in the proportion of energy emitted in various bands, excluding the radio, if reported radiation above 50 keV from its direction is indeed associated with QSO 0241+622. The two quasars are compared and possible energy generation scenarios are discussed. Implications concerning quasar contributions to the diffuse background are discussed.

Worrall, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Model emission spectra from primeval galaxies

The paper computes models of the UV luminosity produced by a distribution of supernova remnants resulting from a burst of star formation in primeval galaxies at large redshift. The evolution of low metal abundance remnants is described analytically, and their UV emission is found from a velocity grid of radiative shock models. The implications of these results for the detection of line emission from young galaxies and for the diffuse background radiation are discussed.

Shull, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Galaxies and gamma-ray astronomy

The nature of the high-energy spectra of several types of active galaxies and their contribution to the measured diffuse gamma-ray emission between 1 and 150 MeV are considered, using X-ray spectra of active galaxies and SAS 2 data regarding the intensity upper limits to the gamma-ray emission above 35 MeV. It is found that a substantial increase in slope of the photon energy spectrum must occur in the low energy gamma-ray region for Seyfert galaxies, BL Lac objects, and emission line galaxies; the power-law spectra observed in the X-ray range must steepen substantially between 50 keV and 50 MeV. In addition, a cosmological integration shows that Seyfert galaxies, BL Lac objects, and quasars may account for most of the 1-150 MeV diffuse background, even without significant evolution.

Bignami, G. F.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The X-ray spectrum of QSO 0241 + 622

The X-ray spectrum of QSO 0241 + 622 in the range 2-50 keV measured with the Goddard Space Flight Center proportional counters on OSO 8 is presented. The quasar is similar to 3C 273 in the proportion of energy emitted in various bands, excluding the radio, if reported radiation above 50 keV from its direction is indeed associated with QSO 0241 + 622. Comparisons are made between the two quasars in a discussion of possible energy generation scenarios. Implications concerning quasar contributions to the diffuse background are discussed.

Worrall, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1982

MAGELLAN: High resolution spectroscopy at FUV and EUV wavelengths

The aim of ESA's MAGELLAN mission is to provide high resolution spectra of celestial sources down to sixteenth magnitude over the extreme ultraviolet wavelength range (between 50 and 140 nm). This range extends from studies of interstellar matter in the disc and halo of this and other galaxies, to stellar envelopes, hot and evolved stars, clusters, intergalactic matter, nuclei of galaxies, quasars, and, finally, planets and satellites. The instrument has a nonconventional optical design using only one reflecting surface; a high groove density concave grating collects the star light, diffracts it and focuses its spectrum into a bidimensional windowless detector operated in a photon counting mode. The slitless configuration provides the spectra of all the sources (point like and extended) in the field of view of the grating. This field of view is limited by a grid collimator to reduce the diffuse background, the stray light and the probability of overlapping spectra in crowded fields.

Grewing, M.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Ducted auroral kilometric radiation

Certain discrete, intense wave signals attributed to auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) were observed with ISEE-l while it was within the plasmaspheric shadow zone for direct propagation. It is believed that wave ducting by thin depletions of the plasma density aligned with the magnetic field accounts for such signals, and that their discrete nature is caused by the satellite intercepting individual ducts. These ducts, which were also observed as coincident decreases of the upper hybrid resonance frequency, appeared to be twenty-percent depletions roughly one hundred kilometers across. The AKR, which is emitted approximately perpendicular to the magnetic field, apparently entered these ducts equatorward of the source after the waves had been refracted parallel to the duct axis. A diffuse background was also observed which is consistent with the leakage from similar ducts at lower L-values. These observations establish the existence of ducted AKR, its signature on the satellite wave spectrograms, and new evidence for depletion ducts within the plasmasphere.

Calvert, W.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Limits on soft X-ray flux from distant emission regions

The all-sky soft X-ray data of McCammon et al. and the new N sub H survey (Stark et al. was used to place limits on the amount of the soft X-ray diffuse background that can originate beyond the neutral gas of the galactic disk. The X-ray data for two regions of the sky near the galactic poles are shown to be uncorrelated with 21 cm column densities. Most of the observed x-ray flux must therefore originate on the near side of the most distant neutral gas. The results from these regions are consistent with X-ray emission from a locally isotropic, unabsorbed source, but require large variations in the emission of the local region over large angular scales.

Burrows, D. N.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Submillimeter wavelength survey of the galactic plane from l = -5 deg to l = +62 deg: Structure and energetics of the inner disk

Results from a large scale survey of the first quadrant of the Milky Way galactic plane at wavelengths of 150, 250, and 300 microns with a 10x10 arcmin beam are presented. The emission detected in the survey arises from compact sources, most of which are identified with known peaks of 5 GHz and/or CO emission, and from an underlying diffuse background with a typical angular width of approximately 0.9 deg (FWHM) which accounts for most of the emission. A total of 80 prominent discrete sources were identified and characterized, of which about half were not previously reported at far infrared wavelengths. The total infrared luminosity within the solar circle is approximately 1 to 2x10 to the 10th power L sub 0, and is probably emitted by dust that resides in molecular clouds.

Hauser, M. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Observations of Absorption Lines from Highly Ionized Atoms

In the ultraviolet spectra of hot stars, absorption lines can be seen from highly ionized species in the interstellar medium. Observations of these features which have been very influential in revising the perception of the medium's various physical states, are discussed. The pervasiveness of O 6 absorption lines, coupled with complementary observations of a diffuse background in soft X-rays and EUV radiation, shows that there is an extensive network of low density gas (n approx. fewX 0.001/cucm) existing at coronal temperatures, 5.3 or = log T or = 6.3. Shocks created by supernova explosions or mass loss from early-type stars can propagate freely through space and eventually transfer a large amount of energy to the medium. To create the coronal temperatures, the shocks must have velocities in excess of 150 km/sec; shocks at somewhat lower velocity 9v or = 100 km/sec) can be directly observed in the lines of Si3. Observations of other lines in the ultraviolet, such as Si 4V and C 5, may highlight the widespread presence of energetic uv radiation from very hot, dward stars. More advanced techniques in visible and X-ray astronomical spectroscopy may open up for inspection selected lines from atoms in much higher stages of ionization.

Jenkins, E. B.↗