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At least 19 records

New Evidence For Proton Cyclotron Resonance In a Magnetar Strength Field From SGR 1806-20

A great deal of evidence has recently been gathered in favor of the picture that Soft Gamma Repeaters and Anomalous X-Ray Pulsars are powered by ultra-strong magnetic fields (B greater than 10(exp 14) G; i.e. magnetars). Nevertheless, present determination of the magnetic field in such magnetar candidates has been indirect and model dependent. A key prediction concerning magnetars is the detection of ion cyclotron resonance features, which would offer a decisive diagnostic of the field strength. Here we present the detection of a 5 keV absorption feature in a variety of bursts from the Soft Gamma Repeater SGR 1806-20, confirming our initial discovery and establishing the presence of the feature in the source's burst spectra. The line feature is well explained as proton cyclotron resonance in an ultra-strong magnetic field, offering a direct measurement of SGR 1806-20's magnetic field (B approx. 10(exp 15) G) and a clear evidence of a magnetar. Together with the source's spin-down rate, the feature also provides the first measurement of the gravitational redshift, mass and radius of a magnetar.

Parke, William

Spatially extended measurements of magnetic field strength in solar plages

The study determines magnetic field strengths along one spatial dimension of a plage region from circularly polarized (Stokes V) spectra of a highly Zeeman-sensitive iron line at 6388.6/cm (1.565 micron). The measured fields are found to lie primarily in the range 1200-1700 G. The mean formal precision for a single determination is +/-65 G. More than 90 percent of the magnetic flux is kilogauss-strength fields. The field strength is coherently organized on spatial scales from 1 arcmin to the limit of angular resolution (2 arcsec). It is inferred from the amplitude of the V signal that the spatial filling factor of the strong-field elements can approach 0.5 within a 2-arcsec resolution element. Magnetic field strength and amplitude are correlated in the sense that locations with stronger mean fields have larger V amplitudes, but the relationship shows more scatter than can be explained by errors in measurement. The individual sigma-components of the V profile are broader than an average quiet-sun line profile would produce by an amount corresponding to 625 G or 4.1 km/s; Zeeman broadening due to a range of magnetic field strength within the resolution element is proposed as the likely explanation.

Rabin, Douglas

Magnetic field in molecular cloud cores: Limits on field strengths and linewidths

Preliminary observations by others indicate that the magnetic field strength in dense molecular cloud cores is on the order of 30 micro G, much closer to the background field strength than to the flux-freezing prediction for this density. This result implies that some process must exist to decrease the magnetic field strength in these regions to much less than its flux-frozen value, e.g., ambipolar diffusion. At these moderate field strengths, magnetohydrodynamic waves in the cores provide a good explanation of observed supra-thermal molecular linewidths.

Goodman, A. A.

Radial dependence of HF wave field strength in the BPD column

The results of a recent set of RF frequency measurements of the beam plasma discharge (BPD) performed in order to determine a quantitative value for the field strength in the plasma frequency region of the spectrum are presented. The parallel and perpendicular components of the plasma wave electric fields inside the BPD column have comparable field strengths, on the order of 10 volts/m. The radial dependence of the field strength is very strong, decreasing by as much as 40 dB within one meter from the beam center, with the illumination or discharge column approximately one meter in diameter. The field strength inside the column increases as a function of distance along the beam at least for several meters from the gun aperture. The frequency and amplitude of the plasma wave increases with beam current. A particularly rapid increase in these parameters occurs as the beam current approaches the critical current.

Jost, R. J.

Technique for Predicting the RF Field Strength Inside an Enclosure

This Memorandum presents a simple analytical technique for predicting the RF electric field strength inside an enclosed volume in which radio frequency radiation occurs. The technique was developed to predict the radio frequency (RF) field strength within a launch vehicle's fairing from payloads launched with their telemetry transmitters radiating and to the impact of the radiation on the vehicle and payload. The RF field strength is shown to be a function of the surface materials and surface areas. The method accounts for RF energy losses within exposed surfaces, through RF windows, and within multiple layers of dielectric materials which may cover the surfaces. This Memorandum includes the rigorous derivation of all equations and presents examples and data to support the validity of the technique.

Hallett, M.

Technique for Predicting the RF Field Strength Inside an Enclosure

This Memorandum presents a simple analytical technique for predicting the RF electric field strength inside an enclosed volume in which radio frequency radiation occurs. The technique was developed to predict the radio frequency (RF) field strength within a launch vehicle's fairing from payloads launched with their telemetry transmitters radiating and to the impact of the radiation on the vehicle and payload. The RF field strength is shown to be a function of the surface materials and surface areas. The method accounts for RF energy losses within exposed surfaces, through RF windows, and within multiple layers of dielectric materials which may cover the surfaces. This Memorandum includes the rigorous derivation of all equations and presents examples and data to support the validity of the technique.

Hallett, M.

Radial and latitudinal variations of the magnetic field strength in the outer heliosphere

The radial, latitudinal, and temporal variations of the magnetic field in the outer heliosphere are analyzed on the basis of observations from Voyagers 1 and 2 and Pioneers 10 and 11. The radial variation of the magnetic field strength measured during 1973-1989 from 1 to 19 AU is compared with that predicted by Parker's (1963) spiral field model. Additional Voyager 2 magnetic field data from 1986 through most of 1989 are discussed. Latitudinal variations in the magnetic field strength are examined on Voyager 1 and 2 observations from 1981 to 1989. It is concluded that both the Voyager and the Pioneer observations are consistent with Parker's model for the variation of the strength of the magnetic field as a function of distance from the sun in the region from 1 to 19 AU. The topology of the spiral interplanetary magnetic field, as well as a program for analyzing more general magnetic fields and velocity fields in the heliosphere are also discussed.

Burlaga, L. F.

Relationship of magnetic field strength and brightness of fine-structure elements in the solar temperature minimum region

A quantitative relationship was determined between magnetic field strength (or magnetic flux) from photospheric magnetograph observations and the brightness temperature of solar fine-structure elements observed at 1600 A, where the predominant flux source is continuum emission from the solar temperature minimum region. A Kitt Peak magnetogram and spectroheliograph observations at 1600 A taken during a sounding rocket flight of the High Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph from December 11, 1987 were used. The statistical distributions of brightness temperature in the quiet sun at 1600 A, and absolute value of magnetic field strength in the same area were determined from these observations. Using a technique which obtains the best-fit relationship of a given functional form between these two histogram distributions, a quantitative relationship was determined between absolute value of magnetic field strength B and brightness temperature which is essentially linear from 10 to 150 G. An interpretation is suggested, in which a basal heating occurs generally, while brighter elements are produced in magnetic regions with temperature enhancements proportional to B.

Cook, J. W.

On scaling the magnetic field strength in interstellar clouds Resolution of the 'B versus n dilemma'

Attention is given to the 'B versus n dilemma' associated with the near constancy of magnetic field strength based on H I Zeeman data over a range of gas densities. The problem is examined in terms of preferential mass flow along magnetic field lines resulting from the low thermal energy of these regions. Approximate relations have been found to scale the magnetic field strength in interstellar clouds. It is noted that the fiducial gas density for scaling the increasing magnetic field strength is 2-3 orders of magnitude above the average interstellar density often used to estimate B.

Fleck, R. C., Jr.

Measurements of magnetic fluxes and field strengths in the photospheric network

Digital pictures of an active-region network cell are presented in five quantities measured simultaneously: continuum intensity, line-center intensity, equivalent width, magnetogram signal, and magnetic-field strength. These maps are derived from computer analysis of circularly polarized line profiles of Fe I 5250.2-A; spectral and spatial resolution are 1/40 A and 1.5 arcsec, respectively. Measured Zeeman splittings show the existence of strong magnetic fields (1000-1800 G) at nearly all points with a magnetogram signal exceeding 125 G. The mean and rms deviation of the field strengths change by less than 20% over a factor-of-four range of fluxes. From the significant disparity between measured fluxes and field strengths, it is concluded that large flux patches (up to 4 arcsec across) consist of closely-packed unresolved filaments. The smallest filaments must be less than 0.7 arcsec in diameter. The dark component of the photospheric network, which appears to contain sizable transverse fields, is also observed.

Tarbell, T. D.

Non-intrusive measurement of magnetic field strengths in a low-pressure argon plasma using quantum beat spectroscopy

Abstract Accurate measurement of magnetic field strengths is critical in many plasma environments, ranging from astrophysical systems to fusion energy research. In this work, a non-perturbative laser-based optical diagnostic known as quantum beat spectroscopy is demonstrated to be good alternative for measuring the magnetic field strength in low-pressure laboratory plasmas. The technique is investigated using both ns and fs pulsed lasers in an argon plasma. Preliminary results for a helium plasma are also given. Zeeman-split J = 1 electron states with transitions from metastable states were identified and tested for neutral argon ( 2 P 1 / 2 o ) 4 p 2 [ 1 / 2 ] and neutral helium 1 s 3 p 1 P 1 o . Magnetic fields are measured with sub-Gauss precision at near single laser pulse acquisition rates.

Gilbert, Tyler J. (ORCID:0000000160400119)

Prediction of the interplanetary magnetic field strength

A new model of the coronal and interplanetary magnetic field can predict both the interplanetary magnetic field strength and its polarity from measurements of the photospheric magnetic field. The model includes the effects of the large-scale horizontal electric currents flowing in the inner corona, of the warped heliospheric current sheet in the upper corona, and of volume currents flowing in the region where the solar wind plasma totally controls the magnetic field. The model matches the MHD solution for a simple dipole test case better than earlier source surface and current sheet models. The strength and polarity of the radial interplanetary magnetic field component predicted for quiet time samples in each year from 1977 to 1986 agree with observations made near the Earth's orbit better than the hybrid MHD-source surface model (Wang and Sheeley, 1988). The results raise the question of whether coronal holes are the only solar source of the interplantary magnetic field in the solar wind. If some interplanetary flux originates outside coronal holes, the model can match the observed field using the accepted 1.8 saturation correction factor for lambda 5250 A magnetograph observations. Requiring open flux to come exclusively from coronal holes requires and additional factor of two.

Zhao, Xuepu

Electromagnetic field strength prediction in an urban environment: A useful tool for the planning of LMSS

A model for the prediction of the electromagnetic field strength in an urban environment is presented. The ray model, that is based on the Uniform Theory of Diffraction (UTD), includes effects of the non-perfect conductivity of the obstacles and their surface roughness. The urban environment is transformed into a list of standardized obstacles that have various shapes and material properties. The model is capable of accurately predicting the field strength in the urban environment by calculating different types of wave contributions such as reflected, edge and corner diffracted waves, and combinations thereof. Also, antenna weight functions are introduced to simulate the spatial filtering by the mobile antenna. Communication channel parameters such as signal fading, time delay profiles, Doppler shifts and delay-Doppler spectra can be derived from the ray-tracing procedure using post-processing routines. The model has been tested against results from scaled measurements at 50 GHz and proves to be accurate.

Vandooren, G. A. J.

Critical Magnetic Field Strengths for Unipolar Solar Coronal Plumes In Quiet Regions and Coronal Holes?

Coronal plumes are bright magnetic funnels that are found in quiet regions and coronal holes that extend high into the solar corona whose lifetimes can last from hours to days. The heating processes that make plumes bright involve the magnetic field at the base of the plume, but their intricacies remain mysterious. Raouafi et al. (2014) infer from observation that plume heating is a consequence of magnetic reconnection at the base, whereas Wang et al. (2016) infer that plume heating is a result of convergence of the magnetic flux at the plume's base, or base flux. Both papers suggest that the base flux in their plumes is of mixed polarity, but do not quantitatively measure the base flux or consider whether a critical magnetic field strength is required for plume production. To investigate the magnetic origins of plume heating, we track plume luminosity in the 171 Å wavelength as well as the abundance and strength of the base flux over the lifetimes of six unipolar coronal plumes. Of these, three are in coronal holes and three are in quiet regions. For this sample, we find that plume heating is triggered when convergence of the base flux surpasses a field strength of approximately 300 − 500 Gauss, and that the luminosity of both quiet region and coronal hole plumes respond similarly to the strength of the magnetic field in the base.

Avallone, Ellis

Gradient Technique Theory: Tracing Magnetic Field and Obtaining Magnetic Field Strength

Abstract The gradient technique is a promising tool with theoretical foundations based on the fundamental properties of MHD turbulence and turbulent reconnection. Its various incarnations use spectroscopic, synchrotron, and intensity data to trace the magnetic field and measure the media magnetization in terms of Alfvén Mach number. We provide an analytical theory of gradient measurements and quantify the effects of averaging gradients along the line of sight and over the plane of the sky. We derive analytical expressions that relate the properties of gradient distribution with the Alfvén Mach number M A . We show that these measurements can be combined with measures of sonic Mach number or line broadening to obtain the magnetic field strength. The corresponding technique has advantages to the Davis–Chandrasekhar–Fermi way of obtaining the magnetic field strength.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS