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Kraft, R.

Publications and source records attributed to Kraft, R..

10 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

SPT clusters with DES and HST weak lensing. I. Cluster lensing and Bayesian population modeling of multiwavelength cluster datasets

We present a Bayesian population modeling method to analyze the abundance of galaxy clusters identified by the South Pole Telescope (SPT) with a simultaneous mass calibration using weak gravitational lensing data from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). We discuss and validate the modeling choices with a particular focus on a robust, weak-lensing-based mass calibration using DES data. For the DES Year 3 data, we report a systematic uncertainty in weak-lensing mass calibration that increases from 1% at z = 0.25 to 10% at z = 0.95 , to which we add 2% in quadrature to account for uncertainties in the impact of baryonic effects. We implement an analysis pipeline that joins the cluster abundance likelihood with a multiobservable likelihood for the Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effect, optical richness, and weak-lensing measurements for each individual cluster. We validate that our analysis pipeline can recover unbiased cosmological constraints by analyzing mocks that closely resemble the cluster sample extracted from the SPT-SZ, SPTpol ECS, and SPTpol 500d surveys and the DES Year 3 and HST-39 weak-lensing datasets. This work represents a crucial prerequisite for the subsequent cosmological analysis of the real dataset.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2017

Chandra's Observations of Jupiter's X-Ray Aurora During Juno Upstream and Apojove Intervals

The Chandra space telescope has recently conducted a number of campaigns to observe Jupiter's X-ray aurora. The first set of campaigns took place in summer 2016 while the Juno spacecraft was upstream of the planet sampling the solar wind. The second set of campaigns took place in February, June and August 2017 at times when the Juno spacecraft was at apojove (expected close to the magnetopause). We report on these upstream and apojove campaigns including intensities and periodicities of auroral X-ray emissions. This new era of jovian X-ray astronomy means we have more data than ever before, long observing windows (up to 72 kiloseconds for this Chandra set), and successive observations relatively closely spaced in time. These features combine to allow us to pursue novel methods for examining periodicities in the X-ray emission. Our work will explore significance testing of emerging periodicities, and the search for coherence in X-ray pulsing over weeks and months, seeking to understand the robustness and regularity of previously reported hot spot X-ray emissions. The periods that emerge from our analysis will be compared against those which emerge from radio and UV wavelengths.

Lunar & Planetary Science & Exploratio↗
NASA NTRS2000

Development and Demonstration of Active Noise Control Concepts

This report details design methods for and feasibility of an Active Noise Control (ANC) system using flush-wall-mounted sensors and actuators to reduce turbofan engine rotor-stator interaction noise. ANC concepts capable of suppressing discrete-tone spinning modes containing several cut-on radial mode were identified, developed analytically, and evaluated. Separate ANC systems that suppressed at least three radial modes in a cylindrical inlet duct and three radial modes in an exhaust annulus were developed. These designs resulted in inlet duct and exhaust duct tests that were performed at NASA on the 4-ft ANC Fan in the NASA Glenn AAPL facility. Effective suppression of 2-BPF spinning mode m = 2 tone noise was achieved over a range of fan speeds 1800 to 2450 rpm, where up to 4 radials were present. In the inlet duct, up to 12 dB reduction was obtained for 3 radial modes, and up to 4 dB was obtained with 4 radial modes. In the exhaust duct, up to 15 dB PWL reduction was obtained with either two or three radial modes present. Thus, the ability to suppress multiple radial modes for tones in both the inlet and exhaust ducts has been successfully demonstrated. Implications of ANC system design requirements on installation and system integration issues for ANC systems capable of suppressing higher order radial mode content when applied to a 767 using twin CF6 engines were evaluated analytically. The analytical results indicated an ANC system must be part of an integrated design to be effective.

Kraft, R.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Structure of the X-Ray Emission from the Jet of 3C 273

We present images from four Chandra observations of the quasar 3C 273. The zeroth order images from two grating observations using the AXAF CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS-S) detector are used to examine the structure and spectrum of the jet. The jet has at least four distinct features which are not resolved in previous observations. Using jet feature nomenclature based on HST observations, we find that knot Al is very bright in X-rays. We have measured the X-ray spectrum of this X-ray knot for the first time, obtaining a photon index of 1.36 +/- 0.11 and a flux density of 37 +/- 4 nJy at 1 keV. Combining this measurement with lower frequency data shows that a pure synchrotron model can fit the spectrum of knot Al from 4 GHz to 5 keV (over nine decades in energy) without a change of spectral slope. Knot A2 is also detected and is somewhat blended with knot B1 but synchrotron emission is not likely to explain the X-ray emission due to the spectral turnover observed in the optical-UV band. No other knots are clearly detected but there is an indication of weak emission from the eastern portion of knot H3. near the "head," which is radio-bright. There is diffuse flux which extends from 14 arcsec to 20 arcsec which shows curvature that is comparable to the optical flux found by Bahcall, et al.

Marshall, H. L.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Ultrasonic imaging using trapped energy mode Fresnel lens transducers

Trapped-energy focusing transducers operating in the 2-5 MHz range have been fabricated by plating concentric rings of electrodes on a piezoelectric plate. The concentric ring structure acts as a Fresnel lens and can be used to obtain excellent lateral focusing of ultrasonic waves. The trapping is sufficiently strong to permit optimization of electrode spacings to suppress spurious virtual foci and ring sidelobes.

Das, P.↗