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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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2002

A Gamma-Ray Burst Trigger Toolkit

The detection rate of a gamma-ray burst detector can be increased by using a count rate trigger with many accumulation times DELTAt and energy bands DELTAE Because a burst's peak flux varies when averaged over different DELTAt and DELTAE the nominal sensitivity (the numerical value of the peak flux) of a trigger system is less important than how much fainter a burst could be at the detection threshold as DELTAt and DELTAE are changed. The relative sensitivity of different triggers can be quantified by referencing the detection threshold back to the peak flux for a fiducial value of DELTAt and DELTA E. This mapping between peak flux values for different sets of DELTAt and DELTAE varies from burst to burst. Quantitative estimates of the burst detection rate for a given detector and trigger system can be based on the observed rate at a measured peak flux value in this fiducial trigger. Predictions of a proposed trigger's burst detection rate depend on the assumed burst population, and these predictions can be wildly in error for triggers that differ significantly from previous missions. I base the fiducial rate on the BATSE observations: 550 bursts per sky above a peak flux of 0.3 ph per square centimeter per second averaged over DELTAt=1.024 sec and DELTAE=50-300 keV. Using a sample of 100 burst lightcurves I find that triggering on any value of DELTAt that is a multiple of 0.064 sec decreases the average threshold peak flux on the 1.024 sec timescale by a factor of 0.6. Extending DELTAE to lower energies includes the large flux of the X-ray background, increasing the background count rate. Consequently a low energy DELTAE is advantageous only for very soft bursts. Whether a large fraction of the population of bright bursts is soft is disputed; the new population of X-ray Flashes is soft but relatively faint.

Band, David L.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Burst Detector Sensitivity: Past, Present and Future

I compare the burst detection sensitivity of CGRO's BATSE, Swift's BAT, the GLAST Burst Monitor (GBM) and EXIST as a function of a burst s spectrum and duration. A detector's overall burst sensitivity depends on its energy sensitivity and set of accumulations times (Delta)t; these two factors shape the detected burst population. For example, relative to BATSE, the BAT s softer energy band decreases the detection rate of short, hard bursts, while the BAT s longer accumulation times increase the detection rate of long, soft bursts. Consequently, Swift is detecting long, low fluence bursts (2-3 x fainter than BATSE).

Band, David L.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Probing the Cosmic Gamma-Ray Burst Rate with Trigger Simulations of the Swift Burst Alert Telescope

The gamma-ray burst (GRB) rate is essential for revealing the connection between GRBs, supernovae and stellar evolution. Additionally, the GRB rate at high redshift provides a strong probe of star formation history in the early universe. While hundreds of GRBs are observed by Swift, it remains difficult to determine the intrinsic GRB rate due to the complex trigger algorithm of Swift. Current studies of the GRB rate usually approximate the Swift trigger algorithm by a single detection threshold. However, unlike the previously own GRB instruments, Swift has over 500 trigger criteria based on photon count rate and additional image threshold for localization. To investigate possible systematic biases and explore the intrinsic GRB properties, we develop a program that is capable of simulating all the rate trigger criteria and mimicking the image threshold. Our simulations show that adopting the complex trigger algorithm of Swift increases the detection rate of dim bursts. As a result, our simulations suggest bursts need to be dimmer than previously expected to avoid over-producing the number of detections and to match with Swift observations. Moreover, our results indicate that these dim bursts are more likely to be high redshift events than low-luminosity GRBs. This would imply an even higher cosmic GRB rate at large redshifts than previous expectations based on star-formation rate measurements, unless other factors, such as the luminosity evolution, are taken into account. The GRB rate from our best result gives a total number of 4568 +825 -1429 GRBs per year that are beamed toward us in the whole universe.

simulations↗
NASA NTRS2012

All-Sky Search for Gravitational-Wave Bursts in the First Joint LIGO-GEO-Virgo Run

We present results from an aU-sky search for unmodeled gravitational-wave bursts in the data collected by the LIGO, GEO 600 and Virgo detectors between November 2006 and October 2007. The search is performed. by three different analysis algorithms over the frequency band 50 - 6000 Hz. Data are analyzed for times with at least two of the four LIGO-Virgo detectors in coincident operation, with a total live time of 266 days, No events produced by the search algorithms survive the selection cuts. We set a frequentist upper limit on the rate of gravitational-wave bursts impinging on our network of detectors. When combined with the previous LIGO search of the data collected between November 2005 and November 2006, the upper limit on the rate of detectable gra.vitational. wave bursts in the 64-2048 Hz band is 2,0 events per year at 90% confidence. We also present event rate versus strength exclusion plots for several types of plausible burst waveforms. The sensitivity of the combined search is expressed in terms of the root-sum-squared strain amplitude for a variety of simulated waveforms and lies in the range 6 X 10(exp -22) Hz(exp - 1/2) to 2 X 10(exp -20) Hz(exp -l/2). This is the first untriggered burst search to use data from the LIGO and Virgo detectors together, and the most sensitive untriggered burst search performed so far.

Camp, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Gravitational Waves and gamma-ray Bursts

If the gamma-ray burst sources detected by GRO are coalescing binaries at cosmological distances there should be a coincident gravitational radiation signal. Using the GRBs rate we predict the gravitational radiation detection rate as a function of the gravitational wave strain at Earth. This method of predicting the rate avoids the large statistical uncertainties in the current estimates that are based on the three neutron star binaries containing pulsars found, so far, in the Galaxy. The brightest gamma-ray bursts should be accompanied by a gravitational pulse detectable by LIGO or VIRGO, and by using the bursts as triggers for LIGO/VIRGO their sensitivity can be improved by 50% and the detection rate increases by a factor of 3. LIGO/VIRGO must reach a strain sensitivity of 10(sup-20.7)h(sub 0) to detect one burst per decade, and a failure to find coincidences at a rate of one per year with a strain sensitivity of 10(sup -20.6)h(sub 0) will rule out the binary hypothesis. If they are detected as gravitational wave sources, the time delay between the gamma-rays and the gravitational waves will help to determine the burst mechanism, and the polarization of the gravitational waves will help to determine the burst geometry.

Kochanek, Christopher S.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Gravitational Waves and Gamma-Rays from a Binary Neutron Star Merger: GW170817 and GRB 170817A

On 2017 August 17, the gravitational-wave event GW170817 was observed by the Advanced LIGO and Virgo detectors, and the gamma-ray burst (GRB) GRB170817A was observed independently by the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor, and the Anti-Coincidence Shield for the Spectrometer for the International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory. The probability of the near-simultaneous temporal and spatial observation of GRB 170817A and GW170817 occurring by chance is 5.0 x 10(exp -8). We therefore confirm binary neutron star mergers as a progenitor of short GRBs. The association of GW170817 and GRB 170817A provides new insight into fundamental physics and the origin of short GRBs. We use the observed time delay of (+1.74 +/- 0.05) s between GRB170817A and GW170817 to: (i) constrain the difference between the speed of gravity and the speed of light to be between -3 x 10(exp-16) times the speed of light, (ii) place new bounds on the violation of Lorentz invariance, (iii) present a new test of the equivalence principle by constraining the Shapiro delay between gravitational and electromagnetic radiation. We also use the time delay to constrain the size and bulk Lorentz factor of the region emitting the gamma-rays. GRB170817A is the closest short GRB with a known distance, but is between 2 and 6 orders of magnitude less energetic than other bursts with measured redshift. A new generation of gamma-ray detectors, and subthreshold searches in existing detectors, will be essential to detect similar short bursts at greater distances. Finally, we predict a joint detection rate for the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor and the Advanced LIGO and Virgo detectors of 0.1 - 1.4 per year during the 2018--2019 observing run and 0.3 - 1.7 per year at design sensitivity.

Gravitational wave↗
NASA NTRS2010

GBM Observations of Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes

The TGF detection rate of Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) has been increased twice since launch. The most recent improvement is from a new operating mode in which data for individual photons are down-linked for selected portions of the orbit, enabling a more sensitive ground-based search for TGFs. The new search has increased the TGF detection rate and is finding TGFs more than five times fainter than the TGFs of the previous GBM sample. We summarize the properties of the original GBM TGF sample and compare to the less intense TGFs now being detected. In addition to gamma-ray TGFs, GBM is observing distant TGFs from the propagation of charged particles along geomagnetic field lines. Strong 511 keV annihilation lines have been observed, demonstrating that both electrons and positrons are present in the particle beams. Spectral fits to these electron/positron TGFs will be shown.

Briggs, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The width of the gamma-ray burst luminosity function

We examine the width of the gamma-ray burst (GRB) luminosity function through the distribution of GRB peak count rates, C(sub peak), as detected by Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) (1993). In the context of Galactic corona spatial distribution models, we attempt to place constaints on the characteristic width of the luminosity function by comparing the observed intensity distribution with those produced by a range of density and luminosity functions. We find that the intrinsic width of the luminosity function cannot be very well restricted. However, the distribution of intrinsic luminosities of detected bursts can be limited: we find that most observed bursts have luminosities that are in a range of one to two decades, but a significant population of undetected less luminous bursts cannot be excluded. These findings demonstrate that the assumption that GRB are standard candles is sufficient but not necessary to explain the observed intensity distribution. We show that the main reason for the relatively poor constraints is the fact that the bright-end part of the GRB flux distribution is not yet sampled by BATSE, and better sampling in the future may lead to significantly stronger constraints on the width of the luminosity function.

Ulmer, Andrew↗
NASA NTRS1992

Preliminary results of a Monte Carlo simulation of burst directions by BATSE

The effect of varying BATSE trigger parameters on the modeled BATSE detection rate is investigated numerically. Quantitative estimates are obtained of the systematic effects generated by the complex interplay of trigger times, variations in the signal-to-noise ratio for burst detection as well as the time scale over which backgrounds are determined, and the number of required detections above threshold. It is found, in particular that employing a third detection, at a reduced signal-to-noise ratio, to resolve a burst does not increase the detection rate. It is also shown that the BATSE detection rate is insensitive to variations in the time scale over which the background is determined.

Higdon, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS2020

Gamma-Ray Urgent Archiver for Novel Opportunities (GUANO): Swift/BAT Event Data Dumps on Demand to Enable Sensitive Subthreshold GRB Searches

We introduce a new capability of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to provide event-level data from the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) on demand in response to transients detected by other instruments. We show that the availability of these data can effectively increase the rate of detections and arcminute localizations of gamma-ray bursts (GRB) like GRB 170817 by >400%. We describe an autonomous spacecraft-commanding pipeline purpose built to enable this science; to our knowledge, this is the first fully autonomous extremely low-latency commanding of a space telescope for scientific purposes. This pipeline has been successfully run in its complete form since 2020 January, and has resulted in the recovery of BAT event data for >800 externally triggered events to date (gravitational waves, GWs; neutrinos; GRBs triggered by other facilities; fast radio bursts; and very high-energy detections), now running with a success rate of ∼90%. We exemplify the utility of this new capability by using the resultant data to (1) set the most sensitive upper limits on prompt 1 s duration short GRB-like emission within ±15 s around the unmodeled GW burst candidate S200114f, and (2) provide an arcminute localization for short GRB 200325A and other bursts. We also show that using data from GUANO to localize GRBs discovered by other instruments, we can increase the net rate of arcminute-localized GRBs by 10%–20% per year. Along with the scientific yield of more sensitive searches for subthreshold GRBs, the new capabilities designed for this project will serve as the foundation for further automation and rapid target of opportunity capabilities for the Swift mission, and have implications for the design of future rapid-response space telescopes.

Aaron Tohuvavohu↗
NASA NTRS1995

Venus planetary lightning rate as deduced from VLF bursts

Statistical studies of the VLF bursts detected in the nightside ionosphere of Venus show that the bursts fall into two classes. The first consists of signals detected when vertical propagation within the whistler-mode resonance cone is allowed. The second consists of signals whose burst rate decreases rapidly as a function of increasing altitude, with a scale height of about 20 km. These non-whistler-mode signals also display a strong dependence on local time, with the burst rates being largest in the post-dusk local time sector. Since these signals are not propagating we assume that they correspond to a 'near-field' or prompt response to a lightning stroke. As such we can use these signals to estimate the planetary lightning rate, and we find that the rate at Venus is comparable to or greater than the terrestrial planetary rate of 100 flashes/sec.

Ho, C.-M.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Gamma Ray Burst Discoveries by the Swift Mission

The NASA Swift mission is an innovative new multiwavelength observatory designed to determine the origin of gamma-ray bursts and use them to probe the early Universe. Swift is now in orbit since November 20, 2004 and all hardware is performing well. A new-technology wide-field gamma-ray camera is detecting a hundred bursts per year. Sensitive narrow-field X-ray and UV/optical telescopes, built in collaboration with UK and Italian partners, are pointed at the burst location in 50-100 sec by an autonomously controlled "swift" spacecraft. For each burst, arcsec positions are determined and optical/UV/X-ray/gamma-ray spectrophotometry performed. Information is also rapidly sent to the ground to a team of more than 50 observers at telescopes around the world. The first year and a half of findings from the mission will be presented. There has been a break-through in the long-standing mystery of short GRBs; they appear to be caused by merging neutron stars. High redshift bursts have been detected leading to a better understanding of star formation rates and distant galaxy environments. A fascinating nearby burst triggered Swift and enabled the best early-time observations of an emerging coincident Type lb/c supernova. GRBs have been found with giant X-ray flares occurring in their afterglow.

Gehrels, Neil↗
NASA NTRS1991

Error latency measurements in symbolic architectures

Error latency, the time that elapses between the occurrence of an error and its detection, has a significant effect on reliability. In computer systems, failure rates can be elevated during a burst of system activity due to increased detection of latent errors. A hybrid monitoring environment is developed to measure the error latency distribution of errors occurring in main memory. The objective of this study is to develop a methodology for gauging the dependability of individual data categories within a real-time application. The hybrid monitoring technique is novel in that it selects and categorizes a specific subset of the available blocks of memory to monitor. The precise times of reads and writes are collected, so no actual faults need be injected. Unlike previous monitoring studies that rely on a periodic sampling approach or on statistical approximation, this new approach permits continuous monitoring of referencing activity and precise measurement of error latency.

Young, L. T.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Detection of a weak gamma-ray burst from the direction of Ursa Major

An 80-second gamma-ray burst was detected over the energy range 42-205 keV by a balloon-borne gamma-ray telescope at 23:00:22 UT on May 11, 1988. Assuming a uniformly distributed source model, a 30 keV energy threshold, and a 3 delta detection threshold, it is estimated that the burst rate is 39,000 + 90,000 - 32,000/yr. It is found that the emission originated from the direction of Ursa Major. The event displays a marginal periodicity with a fundamental period 2.17 + or - 0.12 s.

Owens, Alan↗
NASA NTRS1983

A study of the temporal and spectral characteristics of gamma ray bursts

Gamma-ray burst data obtained from the ISEE-3 Gamma Ray Burst Spectrometer and the Solar Maximum Mission's Hard X-ray Burst Spectrometer (HXRBS) were analyzed to yield information on burst temporal and spectral characteristics. A Monte Carlo approach was used to simulate the HXRBS response to candidate spectral models. At energies above about 100 keV, the spectra are well fit by exponential forms. At lower energies, 30 keV to 60 keV, depressions below the model continua are apparent in some bursts. The depressions are not instrumental or data-reduction artifacts. The event selection criterion of the ISEE-3 experiment is based on the time to accumulate a present number of photons rather than the photon count per unit time and is consequently independent of event duration for a given burst intensity, unlike most conventional systems. As a result, a significantly greater percentage of fast, narrow events have been detected. The ratio of count rates from two ISEE-3 detectors indicates that bursts with durations or approx. one second have much softer spectra than longer bursts.

Norris, J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Threshold effects on V/V(max) for gamma-ray bursts

The interpretation of the observed gamma-ray burst V/V(max) statistic in terms of spatial distributions is model-dependent. Detection of gamma-ray bursts requires the counting rate in one or more detectors to exceed a threshold C(lim) determined from a time-dependent background rate B(t). The sampling depth of the burst detector is thus time-dependent, and, if burst sources are nonuniform in space, the observed V/V(max) distribution will be affected by B(t). We demonstrate this effect with a simple geometric distribution of standard candles and argue that V/V(max) statistic without information on threshold variations is insufficient for rigorous data analysis. Peak count rates and threshold values must be given separately for all events in order to facilitate a meaningful comparison of observations with theoretical distribution models.

Hartmann, D. H.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Search for gamma-ray bursts with coincident balloon flights

Dual balloon experiments were flown at separations of over 1,500 km in an attempt to determine whether cosmic gamma-ray bursts could be detected in the size region of 10 to the -7th power to several times 10 to the -6th power erg per sq cm, that is, below the apparent bend in the size spectrum of Vela events as described by Strong and Klebesadel. Fluctuations of the counting rates of photons above 150 keV with temporal structures from microseconds to several minutes were compared in order to detect coincident or associated responses from the two instruments. No coincident gamma-ray burst events were detected. Associated counting rate increases were detected, presenting a background, event-confusing problem for any single gamma-ray burst instrument beneath the earth's trapped radiation.

Cline, T. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Solar hard X-ray bursts

The major results from the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) are presented as they relate to our understanding of the energy release and particle transportation processes that lead to the high-energy X-ray aspects of solar flares. Evidence is reviewed for a 152-158 day periodicity in various aspects of solar activity, including the rate of occurence of hard X-ray and gamma-ray flares. The statistical properties of over 7000 hard X-ray flares detected with the Hard X-Ray Burst Spectrometer are presented, including the spectrum of peak rates and the distribution of the photon number spectrum. A flare classification scheme introduced by Tanaka is used, and characteristics of the different types (types A, B, and C) are noted. A model based on the association of type C flares and coronal mass ejections is presented to explain many of the characteristics of these gradual flares.

Dennis, B. R.↗