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At least 307 records · Page 17

Z mode radiation in Jupiter's magnetosphere - The source of Jovian continuum radiation

Observations of Z-mode waves in Jupiter's magnetosphere are analyzed. The assumption that the frequency of the intensity minimum, which isolates the signal, corresponds to the electron plasma frequency provides a consistent interpretation of all spectral features in terms of plasma resonances and cutoffs. It is shown that the continuum radiation is composed of both left-hand and right-hand polarized waves with distinct cutoffs observed at the plasma frequency and right-hand cutoff frequency, respectively. It is found that the Z-mode peak frequency lies close to the left-hand cutoff frequency, suggesting that the observed characteristics of the emission are the result of wave reflection at the cutoff layer. Another distinct emission occurring near the upper hybrid resonance frequency is detected simultaneously with the Z mode. The entire set of observations gives strong support to the linear mode theory of the conversion of upper hybrid waves to continuum radiation mediated by the Z mode via the Budden radio window mechanism.

Barbosa, D. D.↗

Weak soft X-ray excesses need not result from the high-frequency tail of the optical/ultraviolet bump in active galactic nuclei

The broad-band ROSAT/EXOSAT X-ray spectra of six Seyfert 1 galaxies are fitted by a model consisting of a direct power law and a component due to reflection/reprocessing from a partially ionized, optically thick medium. The reflected spectrum contains emission features from various elements in the soft X-ray range. In all objects but one (Mrk 335), the fit is satisfactory, and no additional soft X-ray excess is required by the data. This means that in most sources there is no need for the thermal 'big blue bumps' to extend into soft X-rays, and the soft X-ray excesses reported previously can be explained by reflection/reprocessing. Satisfactory fits are obtained for a medium ionized by a source radiating at less than or approximately 15% of the Eddington rate. The fits require that the reflection is enhanced relative to an isotropically emitting source above a flat disk. The necessary high effectiveness of reflection in the soft X-ray band requires strong soft thermal flux dominating over hard X-rays.

Czerny, Bozena↗

Laser-Produced Coherent X-ray Sources. Final report

This is the final report for the DOE-AMO DE-FG02-05ER15663 grant. Using a high-peak-power laser system at the Extreme Light Laboratory of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, we develop novel femtosecond radiation sources and use them to investigate ultrafast photo-induced processes. Pulses of high energy electrons and x-rays are generated when an optical pulse is focused to ultra-high intensity. The radiation is used to probe the evolution of matter under highly non-equilibrium conditions with atomic-scale temporal and spatial resolution. Moreover, the facility is small enough to fit in a university laboratory and is operated by graduate students and postdocs.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Dynamic optical spectroscopy and pyrometry of static targets under optical and x-ray laser heating at the European XFEL

Experiments accessing extreme conditions at x-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) involve rapidly evolving conditions of temperature. Here, we report time-resolved, direct measurements of temperature using spectral streaked optical pyrometry of x-ray and optical laser-heated states at the High Energy Density instrument of the European XFEL. This collection of typical experiments, coupled with numerical models, outlines the reliability, precision, and meaning of time dependent temperature measurements using optical emission at XFEL sources. Dynamic temperatures above 1500 K are measured continuously from spectrally- and temporally-resolved thermal emission at 450–850 nm, with time resolution down to 10–100 ns for 1–200 μs streak camera windows, using single shot and integrated modes. Targets include zero-pressure foils free-standing in air and in vacuo, and high-pressure samples compressed in diamond anvil cell multi-layer targets. Radiation sources used are 20-fs hard x-ray laser pulses at 17.8 keV, in single pulses or 2.26 MHz pulse trains of up to 30 pulses, and 250-ns infrared laser single pulses. A range of further possibilities for optical measurements of visible light in x-ray laser experiments using streak optical spectroscopy are also explored, including for the study of x-ray induced optical fluorescence, which often appears as background in thermal radiation measurements. We establish several scenarios where combined emissions from multiple sources are observed and discuss their interpretation. Challenges posed by using x-ray lasers as non-invasive probes of the sample state are addressed.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Improved nucleonic coal-thickness monitor

Design for coal-thickness-sensing instrument features independent hydropneumatic suspension of radiation source and detector. Monitor uses source and detector which are independently mounted, to follow contour of coal surface more closely and to eliminate errors caused by variations in airgap along radiation path. Device may help to bring fully-automated coal mining closer to reality.

Crouch, C. E.↗

Signal Restoration of Non-stationary Acoustic Signals in the Time Domain

Signal restoration is a method of transforming a nonstationary signal acquired by a ground based microphone to an equivalent stationary signal. The benefit of the signal restoration is a simplification of the flight test requirements because it could dispense with the need to acquire acoustic data with another aircraft flying in concert with the rotorcraft. The data quality is also generally improved because the contamination of the signal by the propeller and wind noise is not present. The restoration methodology can also be combined with other data acquisition methods, such as a multiple linear microphone array for further improvement of the test results. The methodology and software are presented for performing the signal restoration in the time domain. The method has no restrictions on flight path geometry or flight regimes. Only requirement is that the aircraft spatial position be known relative to the microphone location and synchronized with the acoustic data. The restoration process assumes that the moving source radiates a stationary signal, which is then transformed into a nonstationary signal by various modulation processes. The restoration contains only the modulation due to the source motion.

Babkin, Alexander S.↗

Discrete ordinates solutions of nongray radiative transfer with diffusely reflecting walls

Nongray gas radiation in a plane parallel slab bounded by gray, diffusely reflecting walls is studied using the discrete ordinates method. The spectral equation of transfer is averaged over a narrow wavenumber interval preserving the spectral correlation effect. The governing equations are derived by considering the history of multiple reflections between two reflecting wails. A closure approximation is applied so that only a finite number of reflections have to be explicitly included. The closure solutions express the physics of the problem to a very high degree and show relatively little error. Numerical solutions are obtained by applying a statistical narrow-band model for gas properties and a discrete ordinates code. The net radiative wail heat fluxes and the radiative source distributions are obtained for different temperature profiles. A zeroth-degree formulation, where no wall reflection is handled explicitly, is sufficient to predict the radiative transfer accurately for most cases considered, when compared with increasingly accurate solutions based on explicitly tracing a larger number of wail reflections without any closure approximation applied.

Menart, J. A.↗

Ultraviolet technology.

UV technology, discussing radiation sources, photodetectors, filters, polarizers, reflective coatings, etc

PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORDING INSTRUMENT↗

Limitations on thermal and nonthermal models for the radiation from extragalactic sources.

Both thermal and nonthermal models for the radiation from QSOs and Seyfert galaxies are discussed in terms of the size limitations imposed by the models. It is concluded that if daily fluctuations in the luminosity of Seyfert galaxies are confirmed and do represent a maximum size for the sources, then neither dust models nor ordinary synchrotron models can explain the radiation. Colgate's proposal involving the production of infrared radiation by a nonthermal plasma is considered, and a more detailed theory is derived which indicates that the process cannot produce infrared radiation.

Jones, T. W.↗

TinyTPC - A test stand for photosensitive dopants

LArTPCs highly doped with Xenon could be interesting platforms for probing MeV- and sub-MeV physics including neutrinoless-double beta decay. A main hurdle is the small fraction of scintillation photons that are collected, which significantly impacts LArTPCs' energy resolution. One solution is the use of photosensitive dopants, which convert light to charge. A team from Rutgers University and FNAL have built a test stand (TinyTPC) with a LArPix pixelated anode plane and an active mass of 2.1 kg to study these charge enhancements. Our plan is to measure the TinyTPC’s energy resolution with and without dopants for radioactive gamma sources, which is crucial for accurate calorimetric energy reconstruction of low-energy physics signals. The doping agent that will be used is isobutylene and the radiation sources are Co-60, Y-88, and Th-228.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Characterizing Black Hole Mergers

Binary black hole mergers are a promising source of gravitational waves for interferometric gravitational wave detectors. Recent advances in numerical relativity have revealed the predictions of General Relativity for the strong burst of radiation generated in the final moments of binary coalescence. We explore features in the merger radiation which characterize the final moments of merger and ringdown. Interpreting the waveforms in terms of an rotating implicit radiation source allows a unified phenomenological description of the system from inspiral through ringdown. Common features in the waveforms allow quantitative description of the merger signal which may provide insights for observations large-mass black hole binaries.

Baker, John↗

Understanding Radiation Environment at Earth and Beyond: Overview of Two Projects

The impact of radiation dramatically increases at high altitudes in the Earth’s atmosphere and in space. Therefore, monitoring and access to radiation environment measurements are critical for estimating the radiation exposure risks of aircraft and spacecraft crews and the impact of space weather disturbances on electronics. Addressing these needs requires reliable access to multi-source radiation environment data and enhanced visualization and search capabilities. The Radiation Data Portal provides an interactive web-based application for convenient search and visualization of inflight radiation measurements.

SMD↗

In-Situ Testing Methods for Mixed-Mode Harsh Environments

Future NASA missions are driving a need for instrumentation and space electronics that will operate at extreme temperatures, with low mass and extended deployments. This need results in devices that will experience dose damage at both low and high temperatures that will suppress annealing and induce accelerated wear out issues. Therefore, the ability to perform radiation tests on devices at temperature is critical. This paper analyses the methods and process to enable these test as developed at the JPL Dynamitron Facility. Since electronics are the radiation source for this facility, the steps to ensure parity with cobalt-60 testing are discussed. Also discussed are the implications for system level testing and mixed radiation mode testing for highly integrated and scaled devices.

Scheick, Leif Z↗

Radiation Data Portal: Enhancing Data Discoverability and Analysis for Understanding Space Radiation in Earth Environment

The impact of radiation dramatically increases at high altitudes in the Earth’s atmosphere and in space. Therefore, monitoring and access to radiation environment measurements are critical for estimating the radiation exposure risks of aircraft and spacecraft crews and the impact of space weather disturbances on electronics. Addressing these needs requires reliable access to multi-source radiation environment data and enhanced visualization and search capabilities. The Radiation Data Portal provides an interactive web-based application for convenient search and visualization of in-flight radiation measurements.

Heliophysics↗

Infrared, X-ray, and XUV astrophysics

An observational program covering wavelengths from the near infrared to 1 millimeter is reviewed. The program of millimeter observations largely consisted of analyzing previous observations since the summer humidity was too high for new observations. Maps of millimeter emission from W3, Sgr B2, W49 and M42 were made. Five extragalactic sources were detected and are discussed. Energy distributions of several of the discrete sources at the Galactic Center were studied. A 5-year visual/infrared program on Markarian galaxies is discussed which showed the presence of both thermal and nonthermal infrared radiation sources and established correlations between the infrared sources and the emission line regions. The Nova Cygnus 1975, caught during its rise as well as subsequent dimming, is also discussed. Several other continuing programs are described, including studies of dark clouds and CO maser sources.

Source record↗

A hot wire radiant energy source for mapping the field of view of a radiometer

The design and performance of a calibration device that allows the measurement of a radiometer's field of view are described. The heart of the device is a heated 0.0254-mm (0.001-inch) diameter filament that provides a variable, isothermal line source of radiant energy against a cold background. By moving this discrete line source across the field of view of a radiometer, the radiometer's spatial response can be completely mapped. The use of a platinum filament provides a durable radiation source whose temperature is stable and repeatable to 10 K over the range of 600 to 1200 K. By varying the energy emitted by the filament, the field of view of radiometers with different sensitivities (or multiple channel radiometers) can be totally mapped.

Edwards, S. F.↗

Fade measurements at L-band and UHF in mountainous terrain for land mobile satellite systems

Fading results related to land mobile satellite communications at L-band (1502 MHz) and UHF (870 MHz) are described. These results were derived from an experiment performed in a series of canyon passes in the Boulder, Colorado region of the US. The experimental configuration involved a helicopter as the source platform, which maintained a relatively fixed geometry with a mobile van containing the receiver and data-acquisition system. An unobstructed line of sight between the radiating sources and the receiving van was, for the most part, also maintained. In this configuration, the dominant mechanism causing signal fading (or enhancement) is a result of multipath. The resulting fade distributions demonstrated that at the 1 percent and 5 percent levels, 5.5- and 2.6-dB fades were on the average exceeded at L-band and 4.8- and 2.4-dB at UHF, respectively, for a path elevation angle of 45 deg. The canyon results as compared with previous roadside-tree-shadowing results demonstrate that the deciding factor dictating fade margin for future land mobile satellite systems is tree shadowing rather than fades caused by multipath.

Vogel, Wolfhard J.↗

Foam With Direction: Unraveling the Anisotropic Radiation Shielding Properties of 2D Boron Nitride Nanoplatelet Foams

Neutron radiation exposure is one of the main challenges faced during space missions. There is a critical need for advanced lightweight radiation shielding materials. Two-dimensional (2D) boron nitride nanoplatelets (BNNP) are excellent candidates for polymer matrix nanofillers due to their superior neutron shielding and thermal and mechanical properties. Furthermore, the 2D material anisotropic behavior unlocks the potential for composite property tailoring. This study fabricated ultra- lightweight lamellar BNNP foams (density 0.05 g cm –3 and 97.5% porous) via freeze-drying processing. The neutron shielding effectiveness or mass absorption coefficient of the BNNP foams with walls perpendicular to the direction of the radiation source was 14.47 cm 2 g –1 , while that of the foam with parallel configuration was only 8.51 cm 2 g –1 . The orientation-dependent neutron radiation shielding properties were modeled using the Beer-Lambert law for porous composite materials. The BNNP foam in this study has the potential to benefit advanced tailorable radiation shielding technologies for future aerospace missions.

Radiation shielding↗