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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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NASA NTRS2011

Fermi/LAT Observations of Swift/BAT Seyfert Galaxies: On the Contribution of Radio-Quiet Active Galactic Nuclei to the Extragalactic gamma-Ray Background

We present the analysis of 2.1 years of Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) data on 491 Seyfert galaxies detected by the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) survey. Only the two nearest objects, NGC 1068 and NGC 4945, which were identified in the Fermi first year catalog, are detected. Using Swift/BAT and radio 20 cm fluxes, we define a new radio-loudness parameter R(sub X,BAT) where radio-loud objects have logR(sub X,BAT) > -4.7. Based on this parameter, only radio-loud sources are detected by Fermi/LAT. An upper limit to the flux of the undetected sources is derived to be approx.2x10(exp -11) photons/sq cm/s, approximately seven times lower than the observed flux of NGC 1068. Assuming a median redshift of 0.031, this implies an upper limit to the gamma-ray (1-100 GeV) luminosity of < approx.3x10(exp 41) erg/s. In addition, we identified 120 new Fermi/LAT sources near the Swift/BAT Seyfert galaxies with significant Fermi/LAT detections. A majority of these objects do not have Swift/BAT counterparts, but their possible optical counterparts include blazars, flat-spectrum radio quasars, and quasars.

Teng, Stacy H.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Analog Radio-Frequency Interferences (RFI) Detectors for Microwave Radiometers

Microwave radiometers use radio spectrum dedicated to sensing the environment. As wireless communications and other active services proliferate, this allocated spectrum is nearly being crowded out. The potential result is corrupted satellite measurements of the weather, the climate, and the environment. We present an analog RFI detector for microwave radiometers intended to mitigate the above risks. The double detector (DD) for RFI detection includes a square-law diode detector with short integration time for measuring the total power out of the radiometer, followed by a second diode detector which acts as a higher-order statistical fourth-moment detector. See Figure 1 for block diagram of the system. This novel design which uses purely analog components at radio andlor intermediate frequencies allows the system to easily augment conventional radiometer architectures used in both airborne and space borne instruments. An equivalent high-speed digital design would add an impractical level of cost and complexity to radiometer designs using today's technology.

Knuble, Joseph J.↗
NASA NTRS2011

The Radio/Gamma-Ray Connection in Active Galactic Nuclei in the Era of the Fermi Large Area Telescope

We present a detailed statistical analysis of the correlation between radio and gamma-ray emission of the active galactic nuclei (AGNs) detected by Fermi during its first year of operation, with the largest data sets ever used for this purpose.We use both archival interferometric 8.4 GHz data (from the Very Large Array and ATCA, for the full sample of 599 sources) and concurrent single-dish 15 GHz measurements from the OwensValley RadioObservatory (OVRO, for a sub sample of 199 objects). Our unprecedentedly large sample permits us to assess with high accuracy the statistical significance of the correlation, using a surrogate data method designed to simultaneously account for common-distance bias and the effect of a limited dynamical range in the observed quantities. We find that the statistical significance of a positive correlation between the centimeter radio and the broadband (E > 100 MeV) gamma-ray energy flux is very high for the whole AGN sample, with a probability of <10(exp -7) for the correlation appearing by chance. Using the OVRO data, we find that concurrent data improve the significance of the correlation from 1.6 10(exp -6) to 9.0 10(exp -8). Our large sample size allows us to study the dependence of correlation strength and significance on specific source types and gamma-ray energy band. We find that the correlation is very significant (chance probability < 10(exp -7)) for both flat spectrum radio quasars and BL Lac objects separately; a dependence of the correlation strength on the considered gamma-ray energy band is also present, but additional data will be necessary to constrain its significance.

Ackermann, M.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Structure of radio sources with remarkably flat spectra - PKS 0735+178

Three incoherent synchrotron models are used to account for the very flat radio spectrum of the BL Lac object PKS 0735+178. The first interpretation is that the spectrum results from optically-thin synchrotron emission from relativistic electrons with a particular energy distribution. The second posits a single nonuniform, self-absorbed source generated by a wind flowing from a central object. The third suggests that sources with flat spectra are caused by the presence of multiple (three or more) discrete uniform components, and that the magnetic field and relativistic electron distribution for each source is correlated with the size of the individual components. It is proposed that the last model is the most tenable explanation of the phenomenon, and multi-frequency VLBI observations are suggested for the evaluation of the detailed structure of compact radio sources.

Marscher, A. P.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Hydrostatic equilibrium of gas, extent of cosmic ray confinement, and radio emission in the Galaxy

A detailed study of the hydrostatic equilibrium of the gas-field system perpendicular to the galactic plane in the neighborhood of the sun, assuming that the magnetic field is parallel to the plane, has been carried out. It is found that the distribution of pressure due to cosmic rays and the magnetic field is different from that due to the gas. The observed radio spectrum in the direction of the galactic pole can be understood if one includes in the hydrostatic equilibrium the distribution of gas in the halo. The results of this analysis show that in the galactic plane, the cosmic-ray density is approximately 2 to 3 eV/cu cm with a magnetic-field strength of about 5 to 6 microgauss. It is inferred that cosmic rays are confined to a more extended volume in the Galaxy (with an equivalent thickness of at least 2 kpc in the solar neighborhood) than the gas disk, and the magnetic-field strength slowly decreases to a value of 1 microgauss only beyond about 5 kpc from the plane. Further, there is no evidence for a quasi-spherical radio halo, although the radio emission extends beyond the gas disk with scale height of at least 1 kpc. A lower limit of about 6 million years for the confinement of cosmic rays in the Galaxy has been set.

Badhwar, G. D.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Testing Secondary Models for the Origin of Radio Mini-Halos in Galaxy Clusters

We present an MHD simulation of the emergence of a radio minihalo in a galaxy cluster core in a "secondary" model, where the source of the synchrotron-emitting electrons is hadronic interactions between cosmic-ray protons with the thermal intracluster gas, an alternative to the "reacceleration model" where the cosmic ray electrons are reaccelerated by turbulence induced by core sloshing, which we discussed in an earlier work. We follow the evolution of cosmic-ray electron spectra and their radio emission using passive tracer particles, taking into account the time-dependent injection of electrons from hadronic interactions and their energy losses. We find that secondary electrons in a sloshing cluster core can generate diffuse synchrotron emission with luminosity and extent similar to observed radio minihalos. However, we also find important differences with our previous work. We find that the drop in radio emission at cold fronts is less prominent than that in our reacceleration-based simulations, indicating that in this flavor of the secondary model the emission is more spatially extended than in some observed minihalos. We also explore the effect of rapid changes in the magnetic field on the radio spectrum. While the resulting spectra in some regions are steeper than expected from stationary conditions, the change is marginal, with differences in the synchrotron spectral index of delta(spectral index) less than approximately 0.15-0.25, depending on the frequency band. This is a much narrower range than claimed in the best-observed minihalos and produced in the reacceleration model. Our results provide important suggestions to constrain these models with future observations.

clusters: general aEuro" magnetohydrodynamics (MHD↗
NASA NTRS2011

A Ka-Band Celestial Reference Frame with Applications to Deep Space Navigation

The Ka-band radio spectrum is now being used for a wide variety of applications. This paper highlights the use of Ka-band as a frequency for precise deep space navigation based on a set of reference beacons provided by extragalactic quasars which emit broadband noise at Ka-band. This quasar-based celestial reference frame is constructed using X/Ka-band (8.4/32 GHz) from fifty-five 24-hour sessions with the Deep Space Network antennas in California, Australia, and Spain. We report on observations which have detected 464 sources covering the full 24 hours of Right Ascension and declinations down to -45 deg. Comparison of this X/Ka-band frame to the international standard S/X-band (2.3/8.4 GHz) ICRF2 shows wRMS agreement of approximately 200 micro-arcsec in alpha cos(delta) and approximately 300 micro-arcsec in delta. There is evidence for systematic errors at the 100 micro-arcsec level. Known errors include limited SNR, lack of instrumental phase calibration, tropospheric refraction mis-modeling, and limited southern geometry. The motivation for extending the celestial reference frame to frequencies above 8 GHz is to access more compact source morphology for improved frame stability and to support spacecraft navigation for Ka-band based NASA missions.

k-band↗
NASA NTRS1972

Microwave radiometric systems.

Microwave radiometers measure thermal electromagnetic radiation at frequencies ranging over the entire radio spectrum, from audio to infrared. The temperatures of black-body radiators can be measured with sensitivities better than 0.01 K, and with absolute accuracies better than 0.5 K. Radiometric systems have been built with as many as 400 independent spectral channels. Frequency resolutions range from hertz to gigahertz; and integration times range from microseconds to hours. Radiometric systems have operated reliably on the ground, and in balloons, aircraft, and spacecraft, including the 1962 Mariner 2 planetary probe to Venus.

Barath, F. T.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Nonthermal radio observations of the major planets

Seventeen years of observations have shown that Jupiter is a complex and intriguing source of emission over the entire radio spectrum accessible from the ground. The observations indicate the presence of intense radiation belts and a strong magnetic field inclined to the axis of rotation. At decametric wavelengths, several remarkably powerful sources are correlated with the rotation of the planet and the orbital motion of the satellite Io. Longer-term variations of these sources may be associated with the sunspot cycle, with Jupiter's orbital motion, or with changes in the internal structure of the planet. There is at most marginal evidence of nonthermal emission from Saturn, and as yet no evidence for such radiation from Uranus or Neptune.

Smith, A. G.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Physics of compact nonthermal sources. III - Energetic considerations

The energy content of the compact incoherent electron-synchrotron sources 3C 84, 3C 120, 3C 273, 3C 279, 3C 454.3, CTA 102, 3C 446, PKS 2134+004, VRO 42.22.01 and OJ 287 is calculated on the assumption that the low-frequency turnovers in the radio spectrum are due to self-absorption and that the electron distribution is isotropic. The dependence of the source parameters on various modifications of the standard assumptions is determined. These involve relativistic motions, alternate explanations for the low-frequency turnover, proton-synchrotron radiation, and distance to the source. The canonical interpretation is found to be accurate in many respects; some of the difficulties and ways of dealing with them are discussed in detail.

Burbidge, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS1978

X-ray and radio emission from the compact galaxy III Zw 2

X-rays from the compact galaxy III Zw 2 have been detected with the rotating modulation collimator on board SAS 3. The (2-10-keV) flux is (4.3 + or - 0.5) by 10 to the -11th power erg/sq cm per sec, which corresponds to a luminosity of 1.4 by 10 to the 45th power erg/s at 530 Mpc. Subsequent radio observations between 1.46 and 90 GHz were made at the NRAO Very Large Array and 36-foot (11-m) installations. The radio spectrum rises sharply toward higher frequencies and, below about 100 GHz, is indicative of a self-absorbed synchrotron spectrum from an extremely compact, rapidly evolving object.

Schnopper, H. W.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Low frequency radio emissions from Jupiter - Jovian kilometric radiation

A new component of the Jovian radio spectrum has been observed by the plasma wave instruments on Voyager 1 and 2 at frequencies ranging from about 10 to 56 kHz or higher. This Jovian kilometric radiation is characterized by storms of emissions lasting typically 45 minutes at 56.2 kHz, however some events persist for as long as four hours. The storms usually exhibit impulsive bursts with time scales of a few seconds to several minutes, although some events show smoothly varying intensities as a function of time. High resolution frequency-time spectrograms reveal a continuum-like background with more intense, narrowband features superimposed. The narrowband, or discrete, features tend to decrease in frequency with increasing time, falling about 1 kHz in 5 to 60 seconds. The maximum power emitted assuming an isotropic radiator near Jupiter and a bandwidth for the most intense bursts of about 10 kHz is about 10 to the 19th watts. The Jovian kilometric radiation is most likely observed within + or - 45 deg of 200 deg System III longitude, lambda III, although there is a secondary maximum near lambda III = 25 deg.

Kurth, W. S.↗
NASA NTRS1979

A decision-directed network for dual-polarization crosstalk cancellation

Frequency reuse in the specific form of dual-polarized microwave communication systems has grown in importance in recent years as a practical means of radio spectrum conservation. Ideally the capacity of a given frequency allocation can be doubled through dual-polarization. However, hardware imperfections and propagation effects, particularly rain depolarization, prevent the achievement of this doubling without severe system performance degradation. A decision-directed cross-polarization correction network is presented whose operation depends on only simple base-band signal processing. No pilot tones or frequency offsets are required. The loop can work with any two-dimensional signal set for digital data transmission. The loop has been experimentally verified and provides a means of doubling the data capacity with little performance degradation.

Weber, W. J., III↗
NASA NTRS1979

The use of geostationary platforms for future U.S. domestic satellite communications

Quantitative analyses of the relative costs and utilization of the available geostationary orbital arc and radio spectrum allocations between large spacecraft platforms and future individual satellites used for communications in the U.S. and the Atlantic Basin are presented. Attention is given to the high capacity and the switching capabilities of the platforms, and the frequency ranges (6/4, 14/12, and 30/20 GHz) at which they can operate. In addition, characteristics of conventional satellites, earth station design, and the connectivity of satellite systems are discussed.

Fordyce, S.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Star formation in IC 1848 A

Recent far-infrared photometric and near-infrared spectroscopic observations of IC 1848 A/W5 East are reported. The source appears to be excited by a star of spectral type near B0, which can explain the far-infrared luminosity, 2 micron spectrum, radio continuum, and radio molecular observations. Although this star appears surrounded by a local very compact H II region, the density over a large scale is relatively low. This puts constraints on models for the formation of this star.

Thronson, H. A., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The Ophiuchus cluster - A bright X-ray cluster of galaxies at low galactic latitude

The discovery of an extended X-ray source identified with a cluster of galaxies at low galactic latitude is reported. The source, designated the Ophiuchus cluster, was detected near 4U 1708-23 with the HEAO 1 Scanning Modulation Collimator, and identified with the cluster on the basis of extended X-ray size and positional coincidence on the ESO/SRC (J) plate of the region. An X-ray flux density in the region 2-10 keV of approximately 25 microJ was measured, along with an X-ray luminosity of 1.6 x 10 to the 45th ergs/sec and an X-ray core radius of approximately 4 arcmin (0.2 Mpc) for an assumed isothermal sphere surface brightness distribution. The X-ray spectrum in the range 2-10 keV obtained with the HEAO 1 A-2 instrument is well fit by a thermal bremsstrahlung model with kT = 8 keV and a 6.7-keV iron line of equivalent width 450 eV. The steep-spectrum radio source MSH 17-203 also appears to be associated with the cluster, which is the closest and brightest representative of the class of X-ray clusters with a dominant central galaxy.

Johnston, M. D.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Detection of nonthermal continuum radiation in Saturn's magnetosphere

A detailed analysis of high resolution wideband data from the Voyager 1 and 2 plasma wave receivers has revealed the presence of heretofore undiscovered nonthermal continuum radiation trapped within the Saturnian magnetosphere. The discovery of Saturnian trapped continuum radiation fills a disturbing void in the Saturnian radio spectrum. On the basis of observations at both the earth and Jupiter it was expected that continuum radiation should be a pervasive signature of planetary magnetospheres in general. Special processing of the Voyager 1 plasma wave data at Saturn has now confirmed the existence of weak emissions that have a spectrum characteristic of trapped continuum radiation. Similar radiation was also detected by Voyager 2; however, in this case it is not certain that Saturn was the only source. Considerable evidence exists which suggests that Saturn may have been immersed in the Jovian tail during Voyager 2 encounter, so that Jupiter may provide an additional source of the continuum radiation detected by Voyager 2.

Kurth, W. S.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Further morphological studies of QSOs

Results are presented of optical mapping of 29 QSOs, together with results of VLA observations of 16 of the optically observed objects. Principal results are that QSOs to z = 0.45 have extended nebulosity, the average ratio of nuclear to fuzz luminosity, corrected for resolution, is about 0.5, some 8 times higher than Seyfert I values, the average fuzz luminosity is -21.5, fainter than giant ellipticals, and fuzz morphology does not resemble E or S galaxies, but is very similar to Seyfert I's to similar luminosity limits. In some cases, indications of spiral structure are seen, and a large fraction of asymmetrical morphology is noted. In the QSO 0241 + 622, steep spectrum radio emission is found displaced from the central source exactly along the minor optical axis.

Hutchings, J. B.↗