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NASA NTRS2004

Kronos: A Satellite for Astrotomography

Kronos, a Medium Explorer concept, is designed to initiate a new era in astrophysics, fully opening the domain of time by enabling extended simultaneous multiwavelength (X-ray, UV, and optical) spectroscopic monitoring of variable accretion-driven sources. The primary design goal of the mission is to obtain high-fidelity velocity-delay maps of the broad-line region in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and thus determine the geometry and structure of AGNs on microarcsecond scales. Doppler tomography and eclipse mapping techniques will be used to characterize and map Galactic binary systems, revealing the details of the physics of accretion processes in black hole, neutron star, and white dwarf binary systems. The high-Earth orbit of Kronos enables well-sampled, high time-resolution observations, critical for the innovative and sophisticated methods that are used to understand the accretion flows, mass outflows, jets, and other phenomena found in accreting sources.

Peterson, B. M.↗

NASA NTRS2014

A Comparison of Potential IM-CW Lidar Modulation Techniques for ASCENDS CO2 Column Measurements From Space

Global atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) measurements through the Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS) Decadal Survey recommended space mission are critical for improving our understanding of CO2 sources and sinks. IM-CW (Intensity Modulated Continuous Wave) lidar techniques are investigated as a means of facilitating CO2 measurements from space to meet the ASCENDS science requirements. In previous laboratory and flight experiments we have successfully used linear swept frequency modulation to discriminate surface lidar returns from intermediate aerosol and cloud contamination. Furthermore, high accuracy and precision ranging to the surface as well as to the top of intermediate clouds, which is a requirement for the inversion of the CO2 column-mixing ratio from the instrument optical depth measurements, has been demonstrated with the linear swept frequency modulation technique. We are concurrently investigating advanced techniques to help improve the auto-correlation properties of the transmitted waveform implemented through physical hardware to make cloud rejection more robust in special restricted scenarios. Several different carrier based modulation techniques are compared including orthogonal linear swept, orthogonal non-linear swept, and Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK). Techniques are investigated that reduce or eliminate sidelobes. These techniques have excellent auto-correlation properties while possessing a finite bandwidth (by way of a new cyclic digital filter), which will reduce bias error in the presence of multiple scatterers. Our analyses show that the studied modulation techniques can increase the accuracy of CO2 column measurements from space. A comparison of various properties such as signal to noise ratio (SNR) and time-bandwidth product are discussed.

Campbell, Joel F.↗

NASA NTRS2009

The JWST/NIRCam Coronagraph: Mask Design and Fabrication

The NIRCam instrument on the James Webb Space Telescope will provide coronagraphic imaging from lambda =1-5 microns of high contrast sources such as extrasolar planets and circumstellar disks. A Lyot coronagraph with a variety of circular and wedge-shaped occulting masks and matching Lyot pupil stops will be implemented. The occulters approximate grayscale transmission profiles using halftone binary patterns comprising wavelength-sized metal dots on anti-reflection coated sapphire substrates. The mask patterns are being created in the Micro Devices Laboratory at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory using electron beam lithography. Samples of these occulters have been successfully evaluated in a coronagraphic testbed. In a separate process, the complex apertures that form the Lyot stops will be deposited onto optical wedges. The NIRCam coronagraph flight components are expected to be completed this year.

Coronagraph↗

NASA NTRS2020

Increasing Activity in T CrB Suggests Nova Eruption Is Impending

Estimates of the accretion rate in symbiotic recurrent novae (RNe) often fall short of theoretical expectations by orders of magnitude. This apparent discrepancy can be resolved if the accumulation of mass by the white dwarf(WD)is highly sporadic, and most observations are performed during low states. Here we use a re-analysis of archival data from the Digital Access to a Sky Century @Harvard survey to argue that the most recent nova eruption in symbiotic RN T CrB, in 1946, occurred during—and was therefore triggered by—a transient accretion high state. Based on similarities in the optical light curve around 1946 and the time of the prior eruption, in 1866,we suggest that the WD in T CrB accumulates most of the fuel needed to ignite the thermonuclear runaways (TNRs) during accretion high states. A natural origin for such states is dwarf-nova like accretion-disk instabilities, which are expected in the presumably large disks in symbiotic binaries. The timing of the TNRs in symbiotic RNe could thus be set by the stability properties of their accretion disks. T CrB is in the midst of an accretion high state like the ones we posit led to the past two nova eruptions. Combined with the approach of the time at which a TNR would be expected based on the 80 yr interval between the prior two novae (2026 ± 3), the current accretion high state increases the likelihood of a TNR occurring in T CrB in the next few years.

Gerardo J M Luna↗

DOE OSTI2014

Constraints on the progenitor system of the type Ia supernova 2014J from pre-explosion Hubble space telescope imaging

We constrain the properties of the progenitor system of the highly reddened Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) 2014J in Messier 82 (M82; d ≈ 3.5 Mpc). We determine the supernova (SN) location using Keck-II K-band adaptive optics images, and we find no evidence for flux from a progenitor system in pre-explosion near-ultraviolet through near-infrared Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images. Our upper limits exclude systems having a bright red giant companion, including symbiotic novae with luminosities comparable to that of RS Ophiuchi. While the flux constraints are also inconsistent with predictions for comparatively cool He-donor systems (T ≲ 35,000 K), we cannot preclude a system similar to V445 Puppis. The progenitor constraints are robust across a wide range of R{sub V} and A{sub V} values, but significantly greater values than those inferred from the SN light curve and spectrum would yield proportionally brighter luminosity limits. The comparatively faint flux expected from a binary progenitor system consisting of white dwarf stars would not have been detected in the pre-explosion HST imaging. Infrared HST exposures yield more stringent constraints on the luminosities of very cool (T < 3000 K) companion stars than was possible in the case of SN Ia 2011fe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2011

RADIO ASTROMETRY OF THE TRIPLE SYSTEMS ALGOL AND UX ARIETIS

We have used multi-epoch long-baseline radio interferometry to determine the proper motion and orbital elements of Algol and UX Arietis, two radio-bright, close binary stellar systems with distant tertiary components. For Algol, we refine the proper motion and outer orbit solutions, confirming the recent result of Zavala et al. that the inner orbit is retrograde. The radio centroid closely tracks the motion of the KIV secondary. In addition, the radio morphology varies from double-lobed at low flux level to crescent-shaped during active periods. These results are most easily interpreted as synchrotron emission from a large, co-rotating meridional loop centered on the K star. If this is correct, it provides a radio-optical frame tie candidate with an uncertainty {+-}0.5 mas. For UX Arietis, we find an outer orbit solution that accounts for previous very long baseline interferometry observations of an acceleration term in the proper motion fit. The outer orbit solution is also consistent with previously published radial velocity curves and speckle observations of a third body. The derived tertiary mass, 0.75 solar masses, is consistent with the K1 main-sequence star detected spectroscopically. The inner orbit solution favors radio emission from the active K0IV primary only. The radio morphology, consisting of a single, partially resolved emission region, may be associated with the persistent polar spot observed using Doppler imaging.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2010

Limits on the neutrino mass from cosmology

We use measurements of luminosity-dependent galaxy bias at several different redshifts, SDSS at z = 0.05, DEEP2 at z = 1 and LBGs at z = 3.8, combined with WMAP five-year cosmic microwave background anisotropy data and SDSS Red Luminous Galaxy survey three-dimensional clustering power spectrum to put constraints on cosmological parameters. Fitting this combined dataset, we show that the luminosity-dependent bias data that probe the relation between halo bias and halo mass and its redshift evolution are very sensitive to sum of the neutrino masses: in particular we obtain the upper limit of {Sigma}m{sub {nu}<}0.28 eV at the 95% confidence level for a {Lambda}CDM+m{sub {nu}}model, with a {sigma}8 equal to {sigma}8 = 0.759{+-}0.025 (1{sigma}). When we allow the dark energy equation of state parameter w to vary we find w -1.30{+-}0.19 for a general wCDM+m{sub {nu}}model with the 95% confidence level upper limit on the neutrino masses at {Sigma}m{sub {nu}<}0.59 eV. The constraint on the dark energy equation of state further improves to w = -1.125{+-}0.092 when using also ACBAR and supernovae Union data, in addition to above, with a prior on the Hubble constant from the Hubble Space Telescope. Finally, we have investigated the ability of future cosmic shear measurements, like those achievable with the proposed Euclid mission, to constrain differences in the mass of individual neutrino species.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

NASA NTRS1979

X-ray spectra of X Persei

The GSFC cosmic X-ray spectroscopy experiment on OSO 8 observed X Per for 20 days during two observations in 1976 February and 1977 February. The spectrum of X Per varies in phase with its 13.9 minute period, hardening significantly at X-ray minimum. Unlike other X-ray binary pulsar spectra, those of X Per do not exhibit iron line emission or strong absorption features. Our data show no evidence for a 22 hour periodicity in the X-ray intensity of X Per. These results indicate that the X-ray emission from X Per may be originating from a neutron star in a low-density region far from the optically identified Be star.

Becker, R. H.↗

NASA NTRS1989

He 2-104: A link between symbiotic stars and planetary nebulae

Ultraviolet, optical and infrared observations of He 2-104 are presented, and estimates for some of the physical properties of the nebular shell are made. It is argued that He 2-104 is in transition between the D-type symbiotic star and bipolar planetary nebula phases and, as such, represents a link between subclasses of these two types of objects. The model includes a binary system with a Mira variable and a hot, evolved star. Previous mass loss has resulted in the formation of a disk of gas and dust around the whole system, while the hot star has an accretion disk which produces the observed highly ionized emission line spectrum. Emission lines from cooler, lower density gas is also observed to come from the nebula. In addition, matter is flowing out of the system in a direction perpendicular to the disk with a high velocity and is impacting upon the previously-ejected red giant wind and/or the ambient interstellar medium.

Lutz, Julie H.↗

NASA NTRS1989

He 2-104 - A link between symbiotic stars and planetary nebulae?

Lutz, Julie H.↗

NASA NTRS2021

The Peculiar Nebula Simeis 57: II. Distance, Nature and Excitation

Simeis 57 (HS 191) is an optically bright nebula in the Cygnus X region with a peculiar appearance that suggests an outflow from a rotating source. Newly obtained observations and archival data reveal Simeis 57 as a low-density (ne∼100cm−3) nebula with an east-to-west excitation gradient. The extinction of the nebula isAV≤2mag. The nebula is recognizable but not prominent in mid-and far-infrared images. In its direction, half a dozen small CO clouds have been identified at VLSR= +5km s−1. One of these coincides with both the optical nebula and a second CO cloud at the nebular velocity- VLSR≈ −10km−1. No luminous stars are embedded in these molecular clouds, nor are any obscured by them and no sufficiently luminous stars are found in the immediate vicinity of the nebula. Instead, all available data points to the evolved star HD 193793 = WR 140 (an O4-5 supergiant and WC7 Wolf–Rayet binary)as the source of excitation, notwithstanding its large separation of 50′, about 25 pc at the stellar distance of 1.7 kpc. Simeis 57 appears to be a part of a larger structure surrounding the HI void centered on HD 193793

L H T Oudshoorn↗

DOE OSTI2014

Constraining sub-parsec binary supermassive black holes in quasars with multi-epoch spectroscopy. II. The population with kinematically offset broad Balmer emission lines

A small fraction of quasars have long been known to show bulk velocity offsets (of a few hundred to thousands of km s{sup –1}) in the broad Balmer lines with respect to the systemic redshift of the host galaxy. Models to explain these offsets usually invoke broad-line region gas kinematics/asymmetry around single black holes (BHs), orbital motion of massive (∼sub-parsec (sub-pc)) binary black holes (BBHs), or recoil BHs, but single-epoch spectra are unable to distinguish between these scenarios. The line-of-sight (LOS) radial velocity (RV) shifts from long-term spectroscopic monitoring can be used to test the BBH hypothesis. We have selected a sample of 399 quasars with kinematically offset broad Hβ lines from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Seventh Data Release quasar catalog, and have conducted second-epoch optical spectroscopy for 50 of them. Combined with the existing SDSS spectra, the new observations enable us to constrain the LOS RV shifts of broad Hβ lines with a rest-frame baseline of a few years to nearly a decade. While previous work focused on objects with extreme velocity offset (>10{sup 3} km s{sup –1}), we explore the parameter space with smaller (a few hundred km s{sup –1}) yet significant offsets (99.7% confidence). Using cross-correlation analysis, we detect significant (99% confidence) radial accelerations in the broad Hβ lines in 24 of the 50 objects, of ∼10-200 km s{sup –1} yr{sup –1} with a median measurement uncertainty of ∼10 km s{sup –1} yr{sup –1}, implying a high fraction of variability of the broad-line velocity on multi-year timescales. We suggest that 9 of the 24 detections are sub-pc BBH candidates, which show consistent velocity shifts independently measured from a second broad line (either Hα or Mg II) without significant changes in the broad-line profiles. Combining the results on the general quasar population studied in Paper I, we find a tentative anti-correlation between the velocity offset in the first-epoch spectrum and the average acceleration between two epochs, which could be explained by orbital phase modulation when the time separation between two epochs is a non-negligible fraction of the orbital period of the motion causing the line displacement. We discuss the implications of our results for the identification of sub-pc BBH candidates in offset-line quasars and for the constraints on their frequency and orbital parameters.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2017

Individual, Model-independent Masses of the Closest Known Brown Dwarf Binary to the Sun

At a distance of ∼2 pc, our nearest brown dwarf neighbor, Luhman 16 AB, has been extensively studied since its discovery 3 years ago, yet its most fundamental parameter—the masses of the individual dwarfs—has not been constrained with precision. In this work, we present the full astrometric orbit and barycentric motion of Luhman 16 AB and the first precision measurements of the individual component masses. We draw upon archival observations spanning 31 years from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Schmidt Telescope, the Deep Near-Infrared Survey of the Southern Sky (DENIS), public FORS2 data on the Very Large Telescope (VLT), and new astrometry from the Gemini South Multiconjugate Adaptive Optics System (GeMS). Finally, we include three radial velocity measurements of the two components from VLT/CRIRES, spanning one year. With this new data sampling a full period of the orbit, we use a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm to fit a 16-parameter model incorporating mutual orbit and barycentric motion parameters and constrain the individual masses to be 27.9{sub −1.0}{sup +1.1} M{sub J} for the T dwarf and 34.2{sub −1.1}{sup +1.3} M{sub J} for the L dwarf. Our measurements of Luhman 16 AB’s mass ratio and barycentric motion parameters are consistent with previous estimates in the literature utilizing recent astrometry only. The GeMS-derived measurements of the Luhman 16 AB separation in 2014–2015 agree closely with Hubble Space Telescope (HST) measurements made during the same epoch, and the derived mutual orbit agrees with those measurements to within the HST uncertainties of 0.3–0.4 mas.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS2005

Precision X-ray Timing of RX J0806.3+1527 with CHANDRA: Evidence for Gravitational Radiation from an Ultracompact Binary

RX J0806.3+1527 is a candidate double degenerate binary with possibly the shortest known orbital period. The source shows an $\approx 100 \%$ X-ray intensity modulation at the putative orbital frequency of 3.11 mHz (321.5 s). If the system is a detached, ultracompact binary gravitational radiation should drive spin-up with a magnitude of $\dot\nu \sim 10(exp -16)$ Hi s$(exp -l}$. Efforts to constrain the X-ray frequency evolution to date have met with mixed success, principally due to the sparseness of earlier observations. Here we describe the results of the first phase coherent X-ray monitoring campaign on RX J0806.3+1527 with {\it Chandra) . We obtained a total of 70 ksec of exposure in 6 epochs logarithmically spaced over 320 days. With these data we conclusively show that the X-ray frequency is increasing at a rate of $3.77 \pm\ 0.8 \times l0(exp -16)$ Hz s$(exp -l)$. Using the ephemeris derived from the new data we are able to phase up all the earlier {\it Chandra) and ROSAT data and show they are consistent with a constant $\dot\nu = 3.63 \pm 0.06 \times 10(exp -16)$ Hz s$(exp -1)s over the past decade. This value appears consistent with that recently derived by Israel et al. largely from monitoring of the optical modulation, and is in rough agreement with the solutions reported initially by Hakala et al., based on ground-based optical observations. The large and stable $\dot\nu$ over a decade is consistent with gravitational radiation losses driving the evolution. An intermediate polar (IP) scenario where the observed X-ray period is the spin period of an accreting white dwarf appears less tenable because the observed $\dot\nu$ requires an $\dot m \approx 2 \times 10(exp -8)$ $M-{\odot)$ yr$(exp -l)$, that is much larger than that inferred from the observed X-ray luminosity (although this depends on the uncertain distance and bolometric corrections), and it is difficult to drive such a high $\dot m$ in a binary system with parameters consistent with all the multiwavelength data. If the ultracompact scenario is

Strohmayer, Tod↗

DOE OSTI2010

SN 2007od: A TYPE IIP SUPERNOVA WITH CIRCUMSTELLAR INTERACTION

SN 2007od exhibits characteristics that have rarely been seen in a Type IIP supernova (SN). Optical V-band photometry reveals a very steep brightness decline between the plateau and nebular phases of {approx}4.5 mag, likely due to SN 2007od containing a low mass of {sup 56}Ni. The optical spectra show an evolution from normal Type IIP with broad H{alpha} emission, to a complex, four-component H{alpha} emission profile exhibiting asymmetries caused by dust extinction after day 232. This is similar to the spectral evolution of the Type IIn SN 1998S, although no early-time narrow ({approx}200 km s{sup -1}) H{alpha} component was present in SN 2007od. In both SNe, the intermediate-width H{alpha} emission components are thought to arise in the interaction between the ejecta and its circumstellar medium (CSM). SN 2007od also shows a mid-infrared excess due to new dust. The evolution of the H{alpha} profile and the presence of the mid-IR excess provide strong evidence that SN 2007od formed new dust before day 232. Late-time observations reveal a flattening of the visible light curve. This flattening is a strong indication of the presence of a light echo, which likely accounts for much of the broad, underlying H{alpha} component seen at late times. We believe that the multi-peaked H{alpha} emission is consistent with the interaction of the ejecta with a circumstellar ring or torus (for the inner components at {+-}1500 km s{sup -1}) and a single blob or cloud of circumstellar material out of the plane of the CSM ring (for the outer component at -5000 km s{sup -1}). The most probable location for the formation of new dust is in the cool dense shell created by the interaction between the expanding ejecta and its CSM. Monte Carlo radiative transfer modeling of the dust emission from SN 2007od implies that up to {approx}4 x 10{sup -4} M{sub sun} of new dust has formed. This is similar to the amounts of dust formed in other core-collapse supernovae such as SNe 1999em, 2004et, and 2006jc.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2024

NuQKD: A Modular Quantum Key Distribution Simulation Framework for Engineering Applications

Abstract An experimental Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) implementation requires advanced costly hardware, unavailable in most research environments, making protocol testing and performance evaluation complicated. This has been a major motivation for the development of QKD simulation frameworks, to allow researchers to obtain insight before proceeding into practical implementations. Several simulators have been introduced over the recent years. However, only four are publicly available, only one of which models equipment imperfections. Currently, no open‐source simulator includes all following capabilities: channel attenuation modelling, equipment imperfections and effects on key rates, estimation of elapsed time during classical and quantum‐ channel processes, use of truly random binary sequences for qubits and measurement bases, shared ‐bit fraction customization. In this paper, we present NuQKD, an open‐ source modular, intuitive simulator, featuring all the above capabilities. NuQKD establishes communication between two computer terminals, accepts custom user inputs (iterations, raw key size, attacker interception rate etc.) and evaluates the sifted key, Quantum Bit Error Rate (QBER), elapsed communication time, and more. NuQKD capabilities include optical fiber and free ‐space simulation, modeling of equipment/channel imperfections, bitstrings from True Random Number Generators, decoy‐state protocol support, and automated evaluation of performance metrics. We expect NuQKD to enable convenient and accurate representation of actual experimental conditions.

Gkouliaras, Konstantinos↗

DOE OSTI2013

DISCOVERY OF FOUR HIGH PROPER MOTION L DWARFS, INCLUDING A 10 pc L DWARF AT THE L/T TRANSITION {sup ,}

We discover four high proper motion L dwarfs by comparing the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) to the Two Micron All Sky Survey. WISE J140533.32+835030.5 is an L dwarf at the L/T transition with a proper motion of 0.85 ± 0.''02 yr{sup –1}, previously overlooked due to its proximity to a bright star (V ≈ 12 mag). From optical spectroscopy we find a spectral type of L8, and from moderate-resolution J band spectroscopy we find a near-infrared spectral type of L9. We find WISE J140533.32+835030.5 to have a distance of 9.7 ± 1.7 pc, bringing the number of L dwarfs at the L/T transition within 10 pc from six to seven. WISE J040137.21+284951.7, WISE J040418.01+412735.6, and WISE J062442.37+662625.6 are all early L dwarfs within 25 pc, and were classified using optical and low-resolution near-infrared spectra. WISE J040418.01+412735.6 is an L2 pec (red) dwarf, a member of the class of unusually red L dwarfs. We use follow-up optical and low-resolution near-infrared spectroscopy to classify a previously discovered fifth object WISEP J060738.65+242953.4 as an (L8 Opt/L9 NIR), confirming it as an L dwarf at the L/T transition within 10 pc. WISEP J060738.65+242953.4 shows tentative CH{sub 4} in the H band, possibly the result of unresolved binarity with an early T dwarf, a scenario not supported by binary spectral template fitting. If WISEP J060738.65+242953.4 is a single object, it represents the earliest onset of CH{sub 4} in the H band of an L/T transition dwarf in the SpeX Library. As very late L dwarfs within 10 pc, WISE J140533.32+835030.5 and WISEP J060738.65+242953.4 will play a vital role in resolving outstanding issues at the L/T transition.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2010

THE 2008 OUTBURST IN THE YOUNG STELLAR SYSTEM Z CMa: THE FIRST DETECTION OF TWIN JETS

The Z CMa binary is understood to undergo both FU Orionis (FUOR) and EX Orionis (EXOR) type outbursts. While the SE component has been spectroscopically classified as an FUOR, the NW component, a Herbig Be star, is the source of the EXOR outbursts. The system has been identified as the source of a large outflow; however, previous studies have failed to identify the driver. Here, we present adaptive optics assisted [Fe II] spectro-images which reveal for the first time the presence of two small-scale jets. Observations made using OSIRIS at the Keck Observatory show the Herbig Be star to be the source of the parsec-scale outflow, which within 2'' of the source shows signs of wiggling and the FUOR to be driving a {approx}0.''4 jet. The wiggling of the Herbig Be star's jet is evidence for an additional companion which could in fact be generating the EXOR outbursts, the last of which began in 2008. Indeed, the dynamical scale of the wiggling corresponds to a timescale of 4-8 years which is in agreement with the timescale of these outbursts. The spectro-images also show a bow-shock-shaped feature and possible associated knots. The origin of this structure is as of yet unclear. Finally, interesting low velocity structure is also observed. One possibility is that it originates in a wide-angle outflow launched from a circumbinary disk.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗