Engineering topics

Hollenbach, D. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Hollenbach, D. J..

54 records · Page 3

NASA NTRS1984

Detection of extrasolar planets by the large deployable reflector

The best wavelength for observing Jupiter-size planetary companions to stars other than the Sun is one at which a planet's thermal emission is strongest; typically this would occur in the far-infrared region. It is assumed that the orbiting infrared telescope used is diffraction-limited so that the resolution of the planet from the central star is accomplished in the wings of the star's Airy pattern. Proxima Centauri, Barnard's Star, Wolf 359, and Epsilon Eridani are just a few of the many nearest main-sequence stars that could be studied with the large deployable relfector (LDR). The detectability of a planet improves for warmer planets and less luminous stars; therefore, planets around white dwarfs and those young planets which have sufficient internal gravitational energy release so as to cause a significant increase in their temperatures are considered. If white dwarfs are as old as they are usually assumed to be (5-10 billion yr), then only the nearest white dwarf (Sirius B) is within the range of LDR. The Ursa Major cluster and Perseu cluster are within LDR's detection range mainly because of their proximity and young age, respectively.

Hollenbach, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Infrared emission associated with chemical reactions on Shuttle and SIRTF surfaces

The infrared intensities which would be observed by the Shuttle Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), and which are produced by surface chemistry following atmospheric impact on SIRTF and the shuttle are estimated. Three possible sources of reactants are analyzed: (1) direct atmospheric and scattered contaminant fluxes onto the shuttle's surface; (2) direct atmospheric and scattered contaminant fluxes onto the SIRTF sunshade; and (3) scattered fluxes onto the cold SIRTF mirror. The chemical reactions are primarily initiated by the dominent flux of reactive atomic oxygen on the surfaces. Using observations of the optical glow to constrain theoretical parameters, it is estimated for source (1) that the infrared glow on the SIRTF mirror will be comparable to the zodiacal background between 1 and 10 micron wavelengths. It is speculated that oxygen reacts with the atoms and the radicals bound in the organic molecules that reside on the shuttle and the Explorer surfaces. It is concluded that for source (2) that with suitable construction, a warm sunshade will produce insignificant infrared glow. It is noted that the atomic oxygen flux on the cold SIRTF mirror (3) is insufficient to produce significant infrared glow. Infrared absorption by the ice buildup on the mirror is also small.

Hollenbach, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Infrared spectroscopy of interstellar shocks

Infrared emission lines from interstellar shocks provide valuable diagnostics for violent events in the interstellar medium, such as supernova remnants and mass outflow from young stellar objects. There are two types of interstellar shocks: in J shocks, gas properties 'jump' from their preshock to their postshock values in a shock front with a thickness equal to or less than one mean free path; radiation is emitted behind the shock front, primarily in the visible and ultraviolet, but with a few strong infrared lines, such as OI(63 microns). Such shocks occur in ionized or neutral atomic gas, or at high velocities (equal to or greater than 50 km/s) in molecular gas. In C shocks, gas is accelerated and heated by collisions between charged particles, which have a low concentration and are coupled to the magnetic field, and neutral particles; radiation is generated throughout the shock and is emitted almost entirely in infrared emission lines. Such shocks occur in weakly ionized molecular gas for shock velocities below about 50 km/s.

Mckee, C. F.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Dynamic thermal episodes in the protosolar nebula: Development of models from observations on CAI's

Evaluation of earlier observations indicated that layered rims on coarse-grained Allende CAI's were possibly the result of partial melting by ablation/drag-heating and reaction of CAI exteriors with a gas or gases of non-solar composition. Bunch and Chang reported the common occurrence of thin, fine-grained, matrix-like bands that at least partially surround rims of CAI's. Although material in these bands in general appears to be similar to matrix, SEM observations show them to be dissimilar in volatile element content, mineral composition, and grain morphology. Moreover, they appear to be related in time of formation with rim development and Na-metasomatism of CAI's. Observations indicate a short-lived but intense heating episode followed by radid cooling as the mechanism responsible for these CAI features.

Bunch, T. E.↗

NASA NTRS1983

H2O heating in molecular clouds - Line transfer and thermal balance in a warm dusty medium

An investigation is undertaken into the possibility of the heating of molecular gas through collisions with radiatively pumped H2O, in the context of the overall thermal balance of optically thick molecular clouds with embedded sources. In order to solve the line transfer equation, which includes warm dust grains, an extended method of escape probability approximation is developed in which the equilibrium gas temperature arises from the balance of heating by cosmic ray ionization of H2, and by collisions with warm dust grains and radiatively pumped H2O molecules against cooling by collisions with CO and C I. The equilibrium gas temperature for a given dust temperature strongly depends on the efficiency of the cooling species, and is therefore most sensitive to the cloud optical depth. It is less dependent, in decreasing order, on H2O abundance, gas density, and velocity dispersion.

Takahashi, T.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Far-IR spectroscopy of the galactic center: Neutral and ionized gas in the central 10 pc of the galaxy

The 3P1 - 3P2 fine structure line emission from neutral atomic oxygen at 63 microns in the vicinity of the galactic center was mapped. The emission is extended over more than 4' (12 pc) along the galactic plane, centered on the position of Sgr A West. The line center velocities show that the O I gas is rotating around the galactic center with an axis close to that of the general galactic rotation, but there appear also to be noncircular motions. The rotational velocity at R is approximately 1 pc corresponds to a mass within the central pc of about 3 x 10(6) solar mass. Between 1 and 6 pc from the center the mass is approximately proportional to radius. The (O I) line probability arises in a predominantly neutral, atomic region immediately outside of the ionized central parsec of out galaxy. Hydrogen densities in the (O I) emitting region are 10(3) to 10(6) cm(-3) and gas temperatures are or = 100 K. The total integrated luminosity radiated in the line is about 10(5) solar luminosity, and is a substantial contribution to the cooling of the gas. Photoelectric heating or heating by ultraviolet excitation of H2 at high densities (10(5) cm(-3)) are promising mechanisms for heating of the gas, but heating due to dissipation of noncircular motions of the gas may be an alternative possibility. The 3P1 - 3P0 fine structure line of (O III) at 88 microns toward Sgr A West was also detected. The (O III) emission comes from high density ionized gas (n 10(4) cm(-3)), and there is no evidence for a medium density region (n 10(3) cm(-3)), such as the ionized halo in Sgr A West deduced from radio observations. This radio halo may be nonthermal, or may consist of many compact, dense clumps of filaments on the inner edges of neutral condensations at R or = 2 pc.

Hollenbach, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1983

The centre of the Galaxy

X-ray, gamma-ray and IR observations of the Galaxy's nucleus show that it contains the densest concentration of stars in the Galaxy, as well as a quantity of ionized gas and warm dust, which is clumped into a small number of rapidly expanding individual clouds whose velocities approach + or - 300 km/sec. The detection of electron-positron anihilation radiation, and a peculiar radio point source very close to the galactic center, add to the belief that the nucleus may contain some unusual object, such as a black hole, which is responsible for the cloud velocities and dust-heating radiation observed. Attention is given to IR intensity contours of the region, as well as a review of the observational evidence for the presence of a black hole. It is noted that a massive black hole fails to account for the unusual ionizing radiation field detected.

Townes, C. H.↗

NASA NTRS1983

The gas-grain interaction in the interstellar medium - Thermal accommodation and trapping

The paper develops a numerical model for calculating thermal accommodation coefficients alpha sub T and trapping functions f sub t for gases incident on solid surfaces. The method is especially designed for astrophysical applications in that it treats economically and with moderate accuracy (+ or - 20%) the dependences of alpha sub T and f sub t on finite and different surface and gas temperatures for a large number of gas-surface combinations. In particular, the method is applied to the astrophysical combinations of hydrogen and helium gases incident on graphite, silicon, and ice surfaces. Graphs are presented of the dependence of alpha sub T and f sub t on interstellar gas temperatures in the range of 10 to 10,000 K and grain temperatures in the range 10 to 1000 K, assuming the current estimates of the gas-surface physical parameters such as the composition and the Debye temperature of the grain material, the repulsive range of the surface potential, and the gas-grain adsorption energy.

Burke, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Modeling of G333.6-0.2 as a spherical H II region

The radio and IR observations of the H II region G333.6-0.2 are matched with a detailed spherical model with a density distribution which has a uniform-density core of radius 0.05 pc, a power-law intermediate zone, and a uniform-density halo. A stellar radiation field is required that is somewhat different from those predicted by available model atmospheres. Of the stellar models of Kurucz, the Teff = 34,000 K and log g = 3.5 model best fits the observed ratio of helium to hydrogen recombination lines. A good fit to all the observations in obtained with an S(2+) ionizing flux which is a factor of 20 times less than predicted by the Kurucz atmosphere. Current model atmospheres may not be appropriate because a single stable star with Teff = 34,000 K fails by at least an order of magnitude to produce the ionizing luminosity. The small radius of the constant-density core implies a short dynamical lifetime of approximately 5000 years for this spherical model; this may indicate that a nonspherical blister geometry is more appropriate for this H II region.

Rubin, R. H.↗

NASA NTRS1982

The nature of the central parsec of the Galaxy

Observations of infrared fine-structure line emission from compact clouds of ionized gas in the galactic center have been reported by Lacy et al (1979, 1980). These observations suggest the existence of a central black hole of nearly 3,000,000 solar masses and require mechanisms to generate, ionize, and dispose of the gas clouds. It is found that the best model to fulfill these requirements involves cloud generation through disruption of red giants by stellar collisions, ionization by a population of stars which is affected either by enhanced metal abundances or the death of the most massive stars, and gas disposal by star formation. Although the existence of a massive black hole cannot be ruled out, it would play no necessary role in this model and may cause the tidal disruption of stars at a rate such that their accretion into the black hole would produce more radiation than is observed.

Lacy, J. H.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Molecular shock waves in the BN-KL region of Orion

The H2, CO, and OH IR emission-line intensities in the BN-KL region of Orion are modeled by shock waves traveling at 36 km/s with respect to an ambient gas of density 200,000 per cu cm, ionization fraction of less than 3 x 10 to the -7th, CO abundance of approximately 0.0003, and transverse magnetic field of 0.45 milligauss. A global model is considered in which the shock waves are driven by strong winds emanating from KL. The mass-loss rate has been not less than 0.003 solar mass per year for approximately 1000 years. The total wind energy released from the star is not less than 5 x 10 to the 47th ergs. The total ejected momentum is approximately 10 to the 41st g cm/S, sufficient to disrupt the dense cloud surrounding BN-KL.

Chernoff, D. F.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Submillimetre astronomy from space platforms

The scientific need and the technical feasibility of a 10-m class far infrared telescope in space were studied and culminated in the recommendation of the large deployable reflector (LDR). The scientific considerations for such a project are described and the general characteristics of LDR are derived. A scientific program culminating in LDR is suggested.

Kuiper, T. B. H.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Observations of the motion and distribution of the ionized gas in the central parsec of the Galaxy. II

Observations of infrared fine-structure line emission from compact clouds of ionized gas within Sgr A West are presented. These clouds have diameters of 0.1-0.5 pc, internal velocity dispersions of 100 km/s (FWHM), and line center velocities up to + or - 260 km/s. Their masses are not accurately determined but are probably between 0.1 and 10 solar masses. They are ionized by radiation like that of stars of effective temperature not greater than 35,000 K. The clouds are shown to have lifetimes of 10,000 yr and so must be generated and dissipated at a rate of a few per 1000 yr. From analysis of the distribution of the velocities of the clouds, a most probable mass distribution is derived which includes a central pointlike mass of several x 10 to the 6th solar masses in addition to several x 10 to the 6th solar masses of stars within 1 pc of the center.

Lacy, J. H.↗

NASA NTRS1980

An extended soft-cube model for the thermal accommodation of gas atoms on solid surfaces

A numerical soft cube model was developed for calculating thermal accommodation coefficients alpha and trapping fractions f sub t for the interaction of gases incident upon solid surfaces. A semiempirical correction factor c which allows the calculation of alpha and f sub t when the collision times are long compared to the surface oscillator period were introduced. The processes of trapping, evaporation, and detailed balancing were discussed. The numerical method was designed to treat economically and with moderate (+ or - 20 percent) accuracy the dependence of alpha and f sub t on finite and different surface and gas temperatures for a large number of gas/surface combinations. Comparison was made with experiments of rare gases on tungsten and on alkalis, as well as one astrophysical case of H2 on graphite. The dependence of alpha on the soft cube dimensionless parameters is presented graphically.

Burke, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Interstellar shock waves

The structure of interstellar shocks driven by supernova remnants and by expanding H II regions around early-type stars is discussed. Jump conditions are examined, along with shock fronts, post-shock relaxation layers, collisional shocks, collisionless shocks, nonradiative shocks, radiative atomic shocks, and shock models of observed nebulae. Effects of shock waves on interstellar molecules are examined, with reference to the chemistry behind shock fronts, infrared and vibrational-rotational cooling by molecules, and observations of shocked molecules. Some current problems and applications of the study of interstellar shocks are summarized, including the initiation of star formation by radiative shock waves, interstellar masers, the stability of shocks, particle acceleration in shocks, and shocks in galactic nuclei.

Mckee, C. F.↗

NASA NTRS1978

H2 cooling, dissociation, and infrared emission in shocked molecular clouds

Models are presented of interstellar shocks in molecular clouds over ranges of ambient molecular density from 1000 to 10 million per cu cm and shock velocity from 6 to 14 km/s. Estimates of H2-H2 collisional-excitation rates are used to derive the H2 radiative cooling rates from vibrational-rotational quadrupole transitions as a function of n(H2) and temperature. The emissivities integrated through the shock of the strongest infrared lines in the v = 1-0, 2-0, and 2-1 bands of H2. The effectiveness of H2 dissociative cooling is considered for the highest-velocity shocks. The H2 line intensities from such shocks are compared with those produced by the 'competitive' mechanism of UV pumping for two likely driving mechanisms of shocks - wind-driven shells and expanding H II regions.

Shull, J. M.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Vibrationally excited molecular hydrogen in Orion

Physical mechanisms for producing vibrationally excited molecular hydrogen, such as has recently been detected toward the Orion Nebula, are discussed. The most likely mechanisms are collisional excitation behind a shock moving into a molecular cloud and near-ultraviolet pumping in the H2 Lyman and Werner bands and subsequent cascade. The absolute intensities of the Orion lines require either a 10-km/s shock moving into a cloud with a density of 300,000 per cu cm or an incident near-UV flux 1 million times the mean interstellar value. The shock model is favored because it matches the observed relative line intensities and because the near-UV source, Theta-1 Ori C, may be too weak to provide the required flux. Intensities of other H2 lines in the shock model are predicted as a further observational discriminant.

Hollenbach, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1976

H2 molecules and the intercloud medium

The paper discusses expected column densities of H2 in the intercloud medium and the possible use of molecules as indicators of intercloud physical conditions. Molecule formation by the H(-) process and on graphite grains is treated, and it is shown that the Barlow-Silk hypothesis of a 1-eV semichemical hydrogen-graphite bond leads to a large enhancement of the intercloud molecule-formation rate. Rotational-excitation calculations are presented for both cloud and intercloud conditions which show, in agreement with Jura (1975), that the presently observed optically thin H2 absorption components are more likely to originate in cold clouds than in the intercloud medium.

Hill, J. K.↗