Engineering PapersSearch

Engineering topics

Ulmer, M. P.

Publications and source records attributed to Ulmer, M. P..

At least 37 records · Page 2

X-ray morphologies of Abell clusters

Results are presented for X-ray measurements made with the Einstein Observatory's IPC for a sample of 49 Abell clusters, which were used to determine quantitative measures of two morphological parameters of these clusters, the orientation and ellipticity. Consideration is given to the techniques used for estimating and removing background noise in the images and for determining the variation of these parameters with the flux level of a cluster. It was found that most clusters are clearly flattened; for 20 of these clusters, the orientation was unambiguously determined. A catalog of cluster properties is presented.

Mcmillan, S. L. W.

Do the major axes of rich clusters of galaxies point toward their neighbors?

The major axis orientation of rich clusters of galaxies, determined from an analysis of X-ray images, is used to investigate whether these clusters point toward their nearest neighbors. No statistical significance is found for a pointing effect between clusters and their nearest neighbors in either X-ray, optical, or combined X-ray and optical samples. Using updated redshifts and permitting nonstatistical sample Abell clusters as nearest neighbors does not affect this conclusion. The lack of statistical significance for a pointing effect favors hierarchical models in which galaxies form first, followed by clusters and then superclusters. For clusters with well-defined X-ray orientations, it is found that cluster position angles determined from X-ray and optical data are in general agreement.

Ulmer, M. P.

Redshifts of low-X-ray luminosity clusters of galaxies

Measurements of redshifts and velocity dispersions are presented for Abell clusters A539, A1185, and A1228, and the southern clusters S1840-623, S1904-618, S1908-566, and S2000-561. All these clusters have reported X-ray luminosities or upper limits. Finding charts for the clusters are presented, and the measured heliocentric redshifts are given along with redshifts obtained by other investigators. Comments are made about each cluster. The technique used to derive the redshifts is summarized.

Kowalski, M. P.

HEAO 2 X-ray observations of clusters of galaxies

A summary of results of Einstein satellite observations of clusters of galaxies is provided, and X-ray luminosities or upper limits for 27 clusters are reported. Newly reported clusters with interesting morphologies are presented, and a brief discussion of the data in relation to theories of cluster formation and evolution is given.

Ulmer, M. P.

Electroform replication of grazing incidence X-ray optics

Work to produce mirrors via electroform replication is reported. Work on small (6 cm by 9 cm) cylindrical pieces and on 40 cm long by 12 cm wide Wolter shaped mirrors is summarized. It is shown that electroforming is a viable technique for producing relatively inexpensive grazing incidence X-ray optics, as long as modest resolution (1 min of arc) and size (12 cm diameter by 40 cm long) are specified.

Ulmer, M. P.

Evidence for an extensive intracluster medium from radio observations of distant Abell clusters

Observations have been made of 18 distance class 5 and 6 Abell clusters of galaxies using the VLA in its 'C' configuration at a frequency of 1460 MHz. Half of the clusters in the sample are confirmed or probable sources of X-ray emission. All the detected radio sources with flux densities above 10 mJy are reported, and information is provided concerning the angular extent of the sources, as well as the most likely optical identification. The existence of an extensive intracluster medium is inferred by identifying extended/distorted radio sources with galaxies whose apparent magnitudes are consistent with their being cluster members and that are at projected distances of 3-4 Abell radii (6-8 Mpc) from the nearest cluster center. By requiring that the radio sources are confined by the ambient medium, the ambient density is calculated and the total cluster mass is estimated. As a sample calculation, a wide-angle-tail radio source some 5 Mpc from the center of Abell 348 is used to estimate these quantities.

Hanisch, R. J.

X-ray observations of possible binary clusters of galaxies

Many studies of superclusters of galaxies have been conducted, taking into account also superclusters representing candidate binary cluster systems. The present investigation is concerned with further studies of potential binary cluster systems, giving attention to a sample of six cluster pairs, in which the redshifts and X-ray luminosities of each member of a pair have been measured. One of the objectives of the investigation was related to a search for X-ray evidence that the clusters interact in these potentially binary systems. A second objective was to provide a measure of the mass of hot gas in the clusters. Two new systems in which the two clusters may have a physical association were found.

Ulmer, M. P.

Electroform replication used for multiple X-ray mirror production

The electroforming technique for producing X-ray mirrors is described, and results of X-ray tests performed on copies made from a simple conical mandrel are reported. The design of the mandrel is depicted and the total reflectivity as well as the full-wave half modulation resolution are shown as a function of energy. The reported work has improved on previous studies by providing smaller grazing angles, making measurements at higher energies, producing about four times as many replicas from one mandrel, and obtaining better angular resolution.

Kowalski, M. P.

An X-ray survey of clusters of galaxies. IV - A survey of southern clusters and a compilation of upper limits for both Abell and southern clusters

The results of the HEAO 1 A-1 X-ray survey of galaxy clusters are reported. X-ray error boxes and intensities are presented for all clusters in the Abell catalog and for the catalog of southern clusters and groups compiled by Duus and Newell (1977). A correlation is derived on the basis of the X-ray luminosity function for 2-6 keV which may be used to calculate the contribution of clusters to the diffuse X-ray background at different energies. The cluster X-ray is estimated to be 9.3 percent (+ 1.9 or - 1.5 percent). Correlations between X-ray luminosity and other cluster properties are exmained, and it is found that the distribution of upper limits may be applied to obtaining a more precise estimate of the average X-ray luminosity of clusters. The Abell richness class and southern cluster concentrations were strongly correlated with X-ray luminosity. Correlations between optical x-ray luminosity and optical radius velocity dispersion, spiral fraction, and radio power are analyzed. The evidence for all these correlations was considered to be weak because of poor scatter in the data.

Kowalski, M. P.

The discovery of an X-ray bright BL Lacertae object - 0414 + 009

X-ray, optical, and radio observations have been made of an X-ray source originally discovered by Ulmer et al. (1980) in a survey of Abell clusters of galaxies. The relatively flat radio spectrum, the featureless optical spectrum, and the shape of the X-ray spectrum lead to the classification of the source as a BL Lacertae object. The source has one of the highest X-ray flux density ratios to both the optical and radio flux densities, and its strength at all these wavelengths warrants further multiwavelength studies. The radio, optical, and X-ray flux densities for the observations were 100 mJy, V = 16.4 (1 mJy), and 1 UFU (1.6 micro Jy). The X-ray flux varied by a factor of 2 over a 1 year period, but no 100 s time scale variations were seen. A search of the Harvard plate stacks did not reveal any optical variations. A model for the source is presented, and the implications of this object with respect to X-ray surveys are briefly discussed.

Brown, R. L.

Redshift modifications to HEAO A-1 cluster X-ray luminosities

New redshift measurements for the 24 Abell galactic clusters are presented. The optical observations are described and applied to the cluster X-ray luminosity function, and the results are used to delimit the cluster contribution to the diffuse X-ray background (DXRB). The evolution of the X-ray luminosity function is then investigated. It is found that while simple two-parameter analytic forms do not fit this function very well, three-parameter forms such as the exponential times power law do fit it very well. Future redshift observations will probably not change the volume emissivity significantly, but they may in a statistically significant way affect the parameters of analytic fits which define the shape of the luminosity function. The contribution of rich clusters to the DXRB in the 2-6 keV range is 5.2 percent. Future redshift observations will modify this result by no more than a factor of about 1.1.

Cruddace, R. G.

A survey by HEAO 1 of clusters of galaxies. III - The complete Abell catalog

A catalog of 128 X-ray emitting clusters, including the Virgo Cluster, is presented. Ninety-one of these are new identifications. The catalog was obtained by searching the HEAO 1 survey observations for coincidences of X-ray sources with Abell clusters. The distribution of these sources in the sky has been examined in search of associations with other Abell clusters, with a null result. The X-ray luminosity has been correlated with cluster richness, but no association with Bautz-Morgan class has been found. The cluster luminosity function has been evaluated, and using this function the contribution of clusters to the diffuse X-ray background radiation has been estimated. It amounts to less than 15% at 2 keV and 3% at 6 keV.

Johnson, M. W.

Three rich clusters of galaxies with bimodal or clumpy X-ray morphologies

X-ray images of the rich clusters of galaxies A1560, A2356, and A2384 show that the individual X-ray features correspond to hot gas of between one and 10 billion solar masses. These results are consistent with the formation of clusters by subcluster coalescence and merging. Clusters can be observed in almost any stage of coalescence, and it is recommended that galaxy motions and distributions be correlated with X-ray brightness distributions.

Ulmer, M. P.

X-ray imaging above 3 keV

Energy dependent X-ray maps of clusters of galaxies are discussed. A design for a stacked, etched grid collimator is discussed.

Ulmer, M. P.

Einstein observations of the region between the Abell clusters of galaxies A401 and A399

Results of Einstein (HEAO 2) observations of the region between the Abell clusters A401 and A399 are presented. It is shown that each cluster has X-ray emission that extends about 2 Mpc from their respective centers. All of the emission between the two clusters can be explained as the simple superposition of foreground and background extended emission.

Ulmer, M. P.

A survey of rich clusters of galaxies with HEAO 1. II

Results are presented of an X-ray survey of approximately 1900 Abell clusters of galaxies performed with the NRL large-area X-ray detectors on HEAO 1. The cluster luminosity function derived from the observations made at ecliptic longitudes between 80 and 180 deg and 260 and 360 deg is fit with both power law and exponential relations, and used to estimate a total contribution of Abell clusters to the volume emissivity of the diffuse X-ray background of between 3 and 10%. No strong correlation is found between X-ray luminosity and Bautz-Morgan class, richness class or 26-MHz radio power, although B-M type I and Abell richness class 3 appear more likely to be strong X-ray sources. A correlation is suggested between optical radius and X-ray luminosity.

Ulmer, M. P.

On the distribution of radio emission in the X-ray cluster of galaxies Abell 401

The study deals with 4885-MHz very large array (VLA) observations of four galaxies in the rich cluster Abell 401. High-resolution VLA maps reveal several new features in the radion galaxies, e.g., 4C13.17A is unusually highly polarized near the galaxy nucleus unlike other head-tail sources. 4C13.17B is shown for the first time to have characteristics similar to the U-shaped source NGC 1265. From these maps models are produced that required the hot ICM that has been detected by X-ray observations. It is noted that there should be a correlation between the radio and X-ray emission from massive galaxies in clusters.

Burns, J. O.