Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Thomas, R. J..
Some of the advantages of coordinated observations with ground-based and space instrumentation in research on prominences are examined. The dynamical behavior of a prominence in transition zone lines (HRTS) and the coronal environment of a filament (SERTS) are discussed. Fe XIV and Si X line ratios were found to be important for NE diagnostic.
Seasonal variations of the OH-asterisk (7-5) mesospheric hydroxyl emission at 1.89 microns observed by the SME near-IR spectrometer are compared with the theoretical predictions of a two-dimensional dynamical/chemical model. The good agreement found at low latitudes for both dayglow and nightglow provides support for the model assumption that breaking gravity waves induce seasonal and latitudinal variations in diffusion. The seasonal behavior of atomic hydrogen in the upper mesosphere (related to vertical transport) and/or uncertainties in the OH Meinel band parameters are proposed as possible explanations for the discrepancy noted between model and observational data for the middle latitudes.
The algorithms are characterized that were used for production processing by the major suppliers of ozone data to show quantitatively: how the retrieved profile is related to the actual profile (This characterizes the altitude range and vertical resolution of the data); the nature of systematic errors in the retrieved profiles, including their vertical structure and relation to uncertain instrumental parameters; how trends in the real ozone are reflected in trends in the retrieved ozone profile; and how trends in other quantities (both instrumental and atmospheric) might appear as trends in the ozone profile. No serious deficiencies were found in the algorithms used in generating the major available ozone data sets. As the measurements are all indirect in someway, and the retrieved profiles have different characteristics, data from different instruments are not directly comparable.
Flare energetics and dynamics were studied using observations of simple impulsive spike bursts. A large, homogeneous set of events was selected to enable the most definite tests possible of competing flare models, in the absence of spatially resolved observations. The emission mechanisms and specific flare models that were considered in this investigation are described, and the derivations of the parameters that were tested are presented. Results of the correlation analysis between soft and hard X-ray energetics are also presented. The ion conduction front model and tests of that model with the well-observed spike bursts are described. Finally, conclusions drawn from this investigation and suggestions for future studies are discussed.
Flare energetics and dynamics were studied using observations of simple impulsive spike bursts. A large, homogeneous set of events was selected to enable the most definite tests possible of competing flare models, in the absence of spatially resolved observations. The emission mechanisms and specific flare models that were considered in this investigation are described, and the derivations of the parameters that were tested are presented. Results of the correlation analysis between soft and hard X-ray energetics are also presented. The ion conduction front model and tests of that model with the well-observed spike bursts are described. Finally, conclusions drawn from this investigation and suggestions for future studies are discussed.
Morning and afternoon mesospheric ozone profiles (50-90 km) measured by the Solar Mesosphere Explorer (SME) satellite are analyzed with one-dimensional photochemical models. The observed ozone abundances are 40 percent and 100 percent greater than the model ozone abundances at 50 and 80 km, respectively. Diurnal model calculations are compared with SME observations of ozone profiles at about 0400 and 1400 LT for high northern summer latitudes. Analysis of the ratios of these early morning and midafternoon ozone profiles provides the additional constraint that larger odd-oxygen production rates are required if lower odd-hydrogen activity is invoked to increase model O3 abundances. The increase in odd-oxygen production must be solar zenith angle independent in the mesosphere, ruling out significant changes in the Schumann-Runge band O2 opacities from Allen and Frederrick (1982).
After a brief review of observations of the global distribution of stratospheric NO2, the possibiliy of combining different data sets to construct a NO2 reference model is discussed. It is shown that difficulties mainly arise from the diversity of techniques and variability of NO2 in the stratosphere. The diurnal variation and possibly a long term trend present special problems.
The elements of a Wolter type II telescope have been fabricated using a small area tool in a computer controlled facility. The absolute radius of the mirrors can be established to 0.812 micron, and relative heights on the surfaces can be determined to 0.016 micron. The primary has a 0.041-micron rms surface error, and the secondary has a 0.054-micron surface error.
A method is described for aligning cylindrical glancing incidence mirrors and establishing fiducials prior to axial profile measurements. The residual uncertainty in the absolute axial position is 2.54 microns, and the uncertainty in the absolute radius is 0.812 micron.
Expressions which give the effective color temperatures and corresponding emission measures for solar X-ray events observed with instruments onboard any of the GOES satellites are developed. Theoretical spectra were used to simulate the solar X-ray input at a variety of plasma temperatures. These spectra were folded through the wavelength dependent transfer functions for the two GOES detectors. The resulting detector responses and their ratio as a function of plasma temperature were then fit with simple analytic curves. Over the entire range between 5 and 30 million degrees, these fits reproduce the calculated color temperatures within 2 percent and the calculated emission measures within 5 percent. With the theoretical spectra, similar expressions for any pair of broadband X-ray detectors whose sensitivities are limited to wavelengths between 0.2 and 100 A are calculable.
The application of layered synthetic microstructures (LSMs) to figured mirrors suitable for normal incidence solar EUV telescopes is considered, and initial studies for a single mirror telescope consisting of an f/18, 200-cm focal length off-axis paraboloid demonstrate the feasibility of LSM coatings for moderate sized mirrors. Analytical studies on broadband designs comprised of five layers show a seven percent reflectance at 256 A and reflectivities of over 12 percent for wavelengths above 300 A. Deposition considerations are also discussed.
The ozone density of the earth's mesosphere in the 1.0-0.1 mbar (48 to 70 km) region has been measured at sunlit latitudes for the period from December 1981 until the present by an ultraviolet spectrometer on the Solar Mesosphere Explorer satellite. Results for 1982 are reported. The ozone mixing ratios are found to be highly variable in time and place, with maxima occurring in the winter hemispheres. The results show complex time variations at all pressure levels, with annual and semiannual variations apparent at most pressures and latitudes. A relative maximum occurs in July at the equator.
Expressions which give the effective color temperatures and corresponding emission measures for solar X-ray events observed with instruments onboard any of the GOES satellites are developed. Theoretical spectra were used to simulate the solar X-ray input at a variety of plasma temperatures. These spectra were folded through the wavelength dependent transfer functions for the two GOES detectors. The resulting detector responses and their ratio as a function of plasma temperature were then fit with simple analytic curves. Over the entire range between 5 and 30 million degrees, these fits reproduce the calculated color temperatures within 2% and the calculated emission measures within 5%. With the theoretical spectra, similar expressions for any pair of broadband X-ray detectors whose sensitivities are limited to wavelengths between 0.2 and 100 A are calculable.
Enhanced X-ray emission from an early-type runaway star would be direct evidence for the presence of a collapsed companion, and thus for its origin as the result of a supernova explosion in a massive binary. To test this idea, measurements of X-ray fluxes in the 0.5-3 keV energy range from nine O and B type runaway stars were made with the Einstein Observatory. In each case, the X-ray luminosity observed does not exceed that expected from a normal OB star. Therefore we conclude that, if the runaway stars have collapsed companions, the separations of the components must be much greater than those in normal OB binaries.
The gradual soft X-ray emissions associated with a homogeneous set of solar flares have been investigated in the context of a thermal model proposed to explain the impulsive components. The parametric techniques which successfully characterized the hard X-ray and microwave observations are employed in an event-by-event analysis to test for quantitative and correlative relationships between the impulsive and gradual emissions. The results of this investigation are consistent with the hypothesis that the hard X-ray and microwave emissions are produced by bulk heating of a common thermal source. The quantitative relationships require an additional source to explain the soft X-ray observations, consistent with previous results. Correlations between the energetics of the impulsive and gradual emissions, identified in the present work, provide the first clear evidence that their energizing mechanisms are related.
Instruments on board a sounding rocket were used to make simultaneous observations of atomic oxygen density and airglow emissions between 80 and 120 km. Atomic oxygen was measured with a resonance lamp and was found to have a peak density of 6 x 10 to the 11th at 94 km. Similar structure is seen in the oxygen density profile on both uplegs and downlegs. The following airglow emissions were measured by using vertical-viewing photometers: Herzberg I bands near 300 nm; O(1S) green line at 557.7 nm; background at 566 nm; O2(1 Delta g) bands at 1.27 microns; and OH (X 2 pi) Meinel bands near 1.7 microns.
Measured altitude profiles of atomic oxygen, 557.7-nm emissions, and Herzberg I emission between 80 and 120 km were used to test the proposed mechanisms leading to these emissions. As generally assumed, the O2(A 3 Sigma u +) that emits the Herzberg I bands is excited by three-body recombination of atomic oxygen. The quenching of this state is by N2 or O2; for N2 the lifetime times the rate is 2.75 x 10 to the -13th per cu cm; other quenchers are insignificant. It is found that the atomic oxygen O(1S) emitting the green line is excited by the Barth mechanism.
An instrument for advanced studies of the solar corona is described. Its optical system provides nearly stigmatic imaging of selected portions of the sun over the spectral range from 22.5 to 44.0 nm. Both spectroheliograms and emission line profiles of coronal features will be obtained over a wide range of coronal temperatures.