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Houck, J. R.

Publications and source records attributed to Houck, J. R..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2004

New Infrared Emission Features and Spectral Variations in Ngc 7023

We observed the reflection nebula NGC 7023, with the Short-High module and the long-slit Short-Low and Long-Low modules of the Infrared Spectrograph on the Spitzer Space Telescope. We also present Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) and Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS) images of NGC 7023 at 3.6, 4.5, 8.0, and 24 m. We observe the aromatic emission features (AEFs) at 6.2, 7.7, 8.6, 11.3, and 12.7 m, plus a wealth of weaker features. We find new unidentified interstellar emission features at 6.7, 10.1, 15.8, 17.4, and 19.0 m. Possible identifications include aromatic hydrocarbons or nanoparticles of unknown mineralogy. We see variations in relative feature strengths, central wavelengths, and feature widths, in the AEFs and weaker emission features, depending on both distance from the star and nebular position (southeast vs. northwest).

molecules↗
NASA NTRS2004

Rest-Frame Mid-Infrared Detection of an Extremely Luminous Lyman Break Galaxy with the Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS)

We present the first rest-frame of approximately 4 microns detection of a Lyman break galaxy. The data were obtained using the 16 microns imaging capability of the Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph. The target object, J134026.44+634433.2, is an extremely luminous Lyman break galaxy at z=2.79, first identified in Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectra (as reported by Bentz et al.). The source is strongly detected with a flux of 0.94 +/- 0.02 mJy. Combining Spitzer and SDSS photometry with supporting ground-based J- and K-band data, we show that the spectral energy distribution is consistent with an actively star-forming galaxy. We also detect other objects in the Spitzer field of view, including a very red mid-infrared source. We find no evidence of a strong lens among the mid-infrared sources.

cosmology↗
NASA NTRS1995

RY Scuti: Infrared and radio observations of the mass-loss wind of a massive binary star system

We report infrared (IR) imaging, IR photometry, IR spectroscopy, optical/IR photopolarimetry, and Very Large Array (VLA) radio observations of the peculiar binary star RY Scuti. These observations provide an unprecedented view of the detailed spatial structure of the equatorial mass-loss wind of a massive, luminous, 'overcontact' binary system. The binary star (0.43 AU separation) is surrounded by a flattened equatorial disk with an outer radius of approximately = 3 x 10(exp 16) cm (2000 AU) that emits strongly in the IR and radio. The inside of the disk is ionized and emits free-free radiation from hydrogen and 12.8 micrometers forbidden-line emission from (Ne II); the outside of the disk emits thermal radiation from silicate dust. Radio continuum emission is also produced in a compact H II region surrounding the binary. The dust may have a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) component. We use a rudimentary geometric model in which the thermal IR and radio emission from the disk are assumed to arise in a pair of concentric toroidal rings to estimate the physical properties of the disk. The mean radius of the ionized gas toroid is approximately = 1.3 x 10(exp 16) cm (870 AU), and the mean radius of the dust toroid is approximately = 2.2 x 10(exp 16) cm (1470 AU). RY Scuti has a small intrinsic polarization, with the electric vector perpendicular to the equatorial disk, that is probably caused by electron scattering from hot gas close to the central binary. We conclude that neon in the nebula is overabundant with respect to hydrogen and helium by a factor of between 1.6 and 10. Our IR/radio image data suggest that the circumstellar disk is part of an extensive radiation driven mass-loss outflow that is strongly confined to the equatorial plane of the binary system. The sharp spatial separation of the outer dust torous from the inner ionized gas torus confirms earlier suggestions that dust formation in the circumstellar ejecta of very hot stars must occur in regions that are shielded from the hard radiation field.

Gehrz, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Thermal infrared imaging of subarcsecond structure in the trapezium nebula

We present 11.7 and 8.8 micron images of the central region of the Ney-Allen Nebula In Orion which reveal mid-infrared counterparts to the ionized globules previously discovered by optical and radio observations. The 0.5 arcsec full width at half maximum (FWHM) resolution images also reveal several arc-shaped structures which are associated with the compact sources. Each of the arcs points toward theta(sup 1) Ori C, providing further evidence for the strong-effects of the intense radiation and wind from this star on the central Orion Nebula. Low-resolution spectra of a few of these condensations and arcs are similar to spectra of the diffuse, optically thin silicate dust observed throughout the region. Photometry of one of the condensations, however, indicates that is cooler than the others. Simple momentum-balance arguments indicate that dust in the arcs could originate in the outflow from the compact sources and flow outward until stopped by the stellar wind and radiation pressure from theta(sup 1) Ori C.

Hayward, T. L.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The highly ionized regions of NGC 6302 and NGC 6537

We present (Ne V) 24.32 micrometer and 3426 A emission-line fluxes for NGC 6302 and NGC 6537. These fluxes along with those of (Ne V) 14.3 micrometer allow us to determine the physical conditions within the highly ionized regions of these nebulae. The electron densities found via the (Ne V) line ratios are similar to those found in studies of the low-ionization regions. However, the electron temperatures determined from the (Ne V) line ratios are much greater than those in the low-ionization regions. However, the electron temperatures determined from the (Ne V) line ratios are much greater than those in the low-ionization regions. We use photoionization models to show that these high derived electron temperatures are inconsistent with the assumption that the nebular ionization is produced solely by radiation from the central star. Much of the intense (Ne V) 3426 A emission from these objects must arise from highly ionized shocked material; a conclusion which is in accord with other evidence. The fact that the (Ne V) infrared lines are less affected by the shock means that we can estimate the relative volumes of the shocked and radiatively excited portions of these nebulae. In the most likely scenario, the volume of the highly ionized shocked region is less than 10% that of the highly ionized region formed by photoionization. We note that under such conditions, infrared emission lines are more useful than optical or UV emission lines for abundance studies because they are less affected by shocks. With appropiate corrections to the optical and UV emission-line fluxes, these nebulae can still be described by photoionization models.

Rowlands, N.↗
NASA NTRS1994

High-resolution mid-infrared observations of NGC 7469

We present a high-resolution 11.7 micrometer image of the starburst/Seyfert hybrid galaxy NGC 7469 using the Hale 5 m telescope at Palomar Observatory. Our map, with diffraction limited spatial resolution of 0.6 sec, shows a 3 sec diameter ring of emission around an unresolved nucleus. The map is similar to the Very Large Array (VLA) 6 cm map of this galaxy made with 0.4 sec resolution by Wilson et al. (1991). About half of the mid-infrared flux in our map emerges from the unresolved nucleus. We also present spatially resolved low resolution spectra that show that the 11.3 micrometer polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) feature comes from the circumnuclear ring but not from the nucleus of the galaxy.

Miles, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1994

10-micrometers images and spectra of T Tauri stars

T Tauri stars are young stars usually surrounded by dusty disks similar to the one from which we believe our own Solar System formed. Most T Tauri stars exhibit a broad emission or absorption band between 7.5 and 13.5 micrometers which is attributed to silicate grains in the circumstellar environment. We imaged three spatially resolved T Tauri binaries through a set of broadband filters which include the spectral region occupied by the silicate band. Two of these objects (T Tauri and Haro 6-10) are 'infrared companion' systems in which one component is optically much fainter but contributes strongly in the infrared. Both infrared companions exhibit a deep silicate absorption which is not present in their primaries, indicating that they suffer very strong local extinction whigh may be due to an edge-on circumstellar disk or to a dense shell. We also took low resolution spectra of the silicate feature of two unresolved T Tauris to look for narrow features in the silicate band which would indicate the presence of specific minerals such as olivine. We observed GK Tau, for which Cohen and Witteborn (1985) reported a narrow emission feature at 9.7 micrometers, but do not find evidence for this feature, and conclude that it is either time-dependent or an artifact of absorption by telluric ozone.

Van Cleve, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Another neon nova - Early infrared photometry and spectroscopy of Nova Cygni 1992

Infrared photometry and spectrophotometry of Nova Cygni 1992 taken within 54 days of its eruption show a strong 12.8-micron Ne II forbidden emission line as well as hydrogen recombination lines. Spectra with lambda/Delta lambda of about 2000 resolve the Ne II forbidden and 12.37-micron Hu-alpha lines with about 2200 km/s (FWHM). The Ne II forbidden line shows multiple velocity components. The amount of forbidden Ne II required to produce the observed emission feature exceeds the solar abundance of neon by at least a factor of 4.

Hayward, T. L.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A survey of small-scale extremes in extinction at low Galactic latitudes using IRAS galaxies

Optical CCD and 21 cm H I data are combined here via the Tully-Fisher relation to study the Galactic extinction in the V an I bands over an angular scale of a few arcmin at absolute Galactic latitudes between 2 and 16 deg. Extinctions in V and I bands are found to be linearly correlated with A(I) about 0.58 A(V), with no noticeable environmental dependence and consistent with existing results of Galactic reddening. There is a large scatter in the simple linear relation with csc /b/, confirming the existence of 'holes' and patches at low Galactic latitudes. The mean correlation between Galactic extinction and H I column density over a comparable angular scale is also found to be consistent with those at high latitudes over large angular scales. Correlation is also found between optical extinction and the IRAS 100 micron sky brightness, and this sky brightness is only slightly worse than H I column density as an indicator for optical extinction.

Lu, N. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Deep infrared galaxies

High signal-to-noise ratio optical spectra of 17 infrared-bright emission-line galaxies near the north ecliptic pole are presented. Reddening-corrected line ratios forbidden O III 5007/H-beta, N II 6583/H-alpha, S II (6716 + 6731)/H-alpha, and O I 6300/H-alpha are used to discriminate between candidate energy generation mechanisms in each galaxy. These criteria have frequently been applied to optically selected samples of galaxies in the past, but this is the first time they have been applied to a set of faint flux-limited infrared-selected objects. The analysis indicates the sample contains seven starburst galaxies and three (AGN). However, seven galaxies in the present sample elude the classification scheme based on these line ratios. It is concluded that a two-component (starburst plus AGN) model for energy generation is inadequate for infrared galaxies.

Ashby, Matthew↗
NASA NTRS1991

Arcsecond grating drive mechanism for operation at 4 K

A grating drive mechanism that achieves arcsecond positional control at both room temperature and 4 K is described. The mechanism accommodates eight equally spaced facets on a 360-deg drum, with each facet having arcsecond control over an angular range of +/-3 deg. The cryogenic portion consists of dry lubricated angular contact bearings, a dc brushless torque motor, and a compact magnetic position sensor capable of less than 1 arcsec rms resolution. Test results demonstrate angular repeatability of less than 2 arcsec rms at 4 K and static power dissipation to the helium bath of less than 100 microW.

Downey, C. H.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Identifying galaxies in the zone of avoidance

A set of IR color criteria was applied to sources in the IRAS Point Source Catalog at low Galactic latitudes in order to select candidate galaxies. A total of 371 of the selected sources within a Galactic latitude range (b) = 2-16 deg were searched for H I with the Arecibo 305 m radio telescope. Twenty-six percent (97) were detected, including 36 galaxies previously known only as IRAS sources. The H I spectra of the detected galaxies are presented together with their observed redshifts and velocity widths.

Lu, N. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Infrared and radio measurements of the density structure of compact H II regions

The density structure of compact H II regions is studied by comparing the ratio of the S III forbidden 33.47-micron and 18.71-micron emission lines and 5-GHz continuum maps. Electron densities are computed for DR 22, G29.9 - 0.0, G75.84 + 0.4, M8, M42, S158, W3, and W33. For DR 22, M42, and W3, the electron densities determined from the IR data are consistent with those derived from radio observations. The densities for S158 and M8 are quite low, implying that the S III emission is dominated by the diffuse ionized gas observed in the radio continuum. For G29.9 - 0.0, G75.84 + 0.4, and W33, the S III data give higher densities than predicted from radio observations. This implies that either these nebulae are filled with dense clumps of ionized gas which are not resolved in the radio maps, or that the S III zone is confined to the small, dense cores found in the radio maps of all three nebulae.

Megeath, S. T.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Si II mapping of the neutral gas ring in the Galactic center - Evidence for dust destruction

The distribution of Si II emission in the Galactic center has been measured and found to extend beyond 4 pc from the center. The observed forbidden Si II 34.8 micron line, which is thermally excited by H I and H2 collisions, originates from the photodissociation region formed in the neutral gas ring surrounding the ionized core. Two peaks in the Si II emission are found, one lying 20 arcsec northeast of Sgr A-asterisk along the Galactic plane and the other located about 80 arcsec north of Sgr A-asterisk. The latter peak is located beyond the northern arm seen in the ionized gas. The ratio of Si II to dust mass density varies in the ring, indicating changes in the gas-to-dust ratio. The mass density of Si II and dust are anticorrelated, indicating that Si II tracks the destruction of dust.

Herter, T.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Electron temperatures in the high-excitation zones of planetary nebulae

Airborne infrared and ground-based UV observations of the forbidden Ne-V 24.3-micron and forbidden Ne-V 3426-A fine-structure lines of 17 planetary nebulae are discussed. Significantly higher Ne-V than O-IV temperatures are found for Hu 1-2 and NGC 2440, while IC 2165, NGC 6818, and NGC 7662 have similar Ne-V and O-IV temperatures. It is suggested that the Ne-V and O-IV temperature similarities may be due to the presence of large abundances of the dominant coolants (oxygen or neon) in the Ne-V zone.

Rowlands, N.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) science instruments

Concepts of scientific instruments designed to perform infrared astronomical tasks such as imaging, photometry, and spectroscopy are discussed as part of the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) project under definition study at NASA/Ames Research Center. The instruments are: the multiband imaging photometer, the infrared array camera, and the infrared spectograph. SIRTF, a cryogenically cooled infrared telescope in the 1-meter range and wavelengths as short as 2.5 microns carrying multiple instruments with high sensitivity and low background performance, provides the capability to carry out basic astronomical investigations such as deep search for very distant protogalaxies, quasi-stellar objects, and missing mass; infrared emission from galaxies; star formation and the interstellar medium; and the composition and structure of the atmospheres of the outer planets in the solar sytem.

Ramos, R.↗