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NASA NTRS1993

VLA-BATSE observations of an intense solar decimetric and hard X-ray burst

We discuss observations of a multiply impulsive solar burst that was detected simultaneously by the VLA at 20 and 90 cm and by the Burst and Transient Experiment (BATSE) at hard X-ray wavelengths. The flare-associated 20 cm emission consists of two groups of bursts about 4 min apart. Hard X-ray emission above 25 keV was detected during both groups of bursts, while 90 cm bursts occurred only during the second and more intense group. VLA snapshot maps at intervals of 1.7 s reveal that the 20 cm burst originates within a relatively compact source located above the east limb at a height of roughly 1.8 x 10 exp 10 cm. The 90 cm burst is more extended and lies at a height of roughly 2.2 x 10 exp 10 cm. The similarity of the time profiles in the two spectral domains suggests a common injection of energetic electrons, while the time delays are consistent with the travel times of electrons which propagate from the chromosphere to the sites of the coronal radio bursts. We find that the VLA emission is probably the type III or type IV radiation of electrons trapped in large coronal loops, and that plasma radiation, rather than gyrosynchrotron emission, can explain it.

Willson, Robert F.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Hard X-rays from SN 1993J

The Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (OSSE) on the Compton Observatory observed SN 1993J during three intervals centered approximately 12, 30, and 108 days after its outburst. Hard X-ray emission was detected in the first two of these intervals. No emission was seen in the third observation or in two earlier observations in 1991 and 1992. The coincidence of the observed excess with the outburst of SN 1993J and the consistency of the spectra and time evolution with those seen at lower energies by ROSAT and ASCA (Astro-D) argue that the observed emission is indeed from SN 1993J. It is probably due to the interaction of the fast supernova ejecta with circumstellar material. The luminosity, 5 x 10(exp 40) ergs/sec (50-150 keV) in the first interval, is significantly larger than predicted. Extrapolating the spectrum to a few keV accounts for most or all of the observed emission at low energy. The observed high temperature, 10(exp 9) K, is easily obtained in the shocked circumstellar matter, but a surprisingly high density is required there to give the observed luminosity, and little or no additional X-ray emission from denser shocked supernova ejecta is allowed. The hard emission might also be explained in terms of the shocked supernova ejecta itself with unexpectedly high temperature.

Leising, M. D.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Directivity of 100-500 keV solar flare hard X-ray emission

We have identified 28 solar flares simultaneously observed by a SIGNE detector aboard the Venera 13 and Venera 14 spacecraft and the Hard X-Ray Burst Spectrometer (HXRBS) aboard the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM), over a wide range of observing angles. Fourteen of them were also observed by the Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS) on SMM and were included in a study of the directivity of solar X-radiation. The SIGNE and HXRBS energy coverages overlap in the 50-500 keV range, allowing a detailed comparison of energy spectra. Using this database, we have conducted stereoscopic studies of flare hard X-ray anisotropy. It is found that the 100-500 keV directivity is less than 3, both for the entire set of 28 flares and for the 14 flares which gave evidence for directivity in the SMM GRS study. We conclude that solar flare X-ray directivity can only be marginally present in our energy/observing angle range.

Li, P.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Observation of GX 339-4 hard state outbursts in 1991 and 1992

Two hard state (X-ray low state) outbursts in the GX 339-4 system in 1991 June-October and 1992 September-1993 January were detected and monitored by the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO). The outbursts were remarkably similar in both temporal and spectral aspects. The spectrum in the 20-300 keV band evolves from a hard, Comptonized shape to a steeper (alpha approximately equals -3) power law during each outburst.

Harmon, B. A.↗

NASA NTRS1994

A thermal/nonthermal model for solar hard X-ray bursts

A formalism is developed for analyzing high-resolution hard X-ray spectra, incorporating the coexistence of thermal and nonthermal bremsstrahlung. The two processes are physically linked by the presence of electric currents, which both heat the surrounding plasma via Joule dissipation and accelerate electrons via the runaway process. We use this formalism to analyze the flare of 1980 June 27 and find that both the gradual and spike components of the hard X-ray emission are consistent with runaway acceleration. We also find that significant heating is observed only in the gradual component. The electric field is always sub-Dreicer, the maximum total potential drop in the acceleration region is found to be approximately 100 kV in two of the spikes, and the average accelerated electron flux is approximately 10(exp 34) electrons/s. We argue that classical resistivity is a valid assumption for this event and find the density in the current channels (approximately 10(exp 11)/cc) and a lower limit on the volume of the heated plasma. We find that the ratio of the electric field to the Dreicer field (epsilon = E/E(sub D) varies systematically, whereas the value of E alone does not. We also find that the acceleration region fragmented into many current/return current pairs, and that the fragmentation varied systematically. We also discuss further implications of this model.

Benka, Stephen G.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Photon-splitting limits to the hardness of emission in strongly magnetized soft gamma repeaters

Soft gamma repeaters are characterized by recurrent activity consisting of short-duration outbursts of high-energy emission that is typically of temperature less than 40 keV. One recent model of repeaters is that they originate in the environs of neutron stars with superstrong magnetic fields, perhaps greater than 10(exp 14) G. In such fields, the exotic process of magnetic photon splitting gamma yields gamma gamma acts very effectively to reprocess gamma-ray radiation down to hard X-ray energies. In this Letter, the action of photon splitting is considered in some detail, via the solution of photon kinetic equations, determining how it limits the hardness of emission in strongly magnetized repeaters, and thereby obtaining observational constraints to the field in SGR 1806-20.

Baring, Matthew G.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Periodicities of hard x-ray burst during the last solar cycle

By using power spectrum and standard FFT time series analysis, the Hard X-ray burst during solar cycle -22 were studied. This data of Hard X-ray burst spectrometer (HXRBS) on the solar maximum mission from Launch and February 14, 1980, through re-entry on December 2, 1989, by NASA artificial satellite. The results indicate that there are short and intermediate solar periodicities. Also it is found that there is a relation between the short periodicities (few minutes) with similar periodicities in solar radio emissions and in good agreement with the theoretical mode of solar oscillations.

Hady, Ahmed A.↗

NASA NTRS1996

A Novel Approach to Hardness Testing

This paper gives a description of the application of a simple rebound time measuring device and relates the determination of relative hardness of a variety of common engineering metals. A relation between rebound time and hardness will be sought. The effect of geometry and surface condition will also be discussed in order to acquaint the student with the problems associated with this type of method.

Spiegel, F. Xavier↗

NASA NTRS1996

Correlative Analysis of hard and Soft X-rays in Solar Flares using CGRO/BATSE and YOHKOH

The objective of this work is to study different mechanisms of solar flare heating by comparing their predictions with simultaneous hard and soft X-ray observations. The datasets used in this work consist of hard X-ray observations from the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) and Soft X-ray telescope (SXT) on the Japanese Yohkoh spacecraft.

Zarro, Dominic M.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Correlative Analysis of Hard and Soft X-ray Emissions in Solar Flares

This report describes research performed under the Phase 3 Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO) Guest Investigator Program. The objective of this work is to study different mechanisms of solar flare heating by comparing their predictions with simultaneous hard and soft X-ray observations. The datasets used in this work consist of hard X-ray observations from the CGRO Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) and soft X-ray observations from the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) and Soft X-ray telescope (SXT) on the Japanese Yohkoh spacecraft.

Zarro, Dominic M.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Hard X-ray spectra of neutron stars and black hole candidates

The hard X-ray behavior of several X-ray binary systems containing a neutron star or a black hole candidate is analyzed in an attempt to determine the specific signature of these categories of compact objects. Limiting the consideration to two subclasses of neutron stars, Atoll sources and non-pulsating Z sources, it appears that only the Atoll sources have a spectral behavior similar to black holes. It is proposed that Atoll sources are weakly magnetized neutron stars, whereas Z sources are small radius moderate magnetized neutron stars. Large magnetic fields funnel the accreting matter, thus preventing spherical accretion and free fall if the neutron star radius is smaller than the last stable accreting orbit. Weak magnetic fields do not have this effect, and blackbody soft photons from the stellar surface are upscattered on the relativistic infalling matter, leading to excess hard X-rays. This excess is visible in two of the observed Atoll sources and in the spectrum of a black hole candidate. In the case of a Z source, a lack of photons was remarked, providing a possible signature to distinguish between these classes of objects.

Durouchoux, P.↗

NASA NTRS1997

HIREGS observations of the Galactic center and Galactic plane: Separation of the diffuse Galactic hard X-ray continuum from the point source spectra

The balloon-borne high resolution gamma ray and X-ray germanium spectrometer (HIREGS) was used to observe the Galactic center and two positions along the Galactic plane from Antarctica in January 1995. For its flight, the collimators were configured to measure the Galactic diffuse hard X-ray continuum between 20 and 200 keV by directly measuring the point source contributions to the wide field of view flux for subtraction. The hard X-ray spectra of GX 1+4 and GRO J1655-40 were measured with the diffuse continuum subtracted off. The analysis technique for source separation is discussed and the preliminary separated spectra for these point sources and the Galactic diffuse emission are presented.

Boggs, S. E.↗

NASA NTRS1998

The Physics of Hard Spheres Experiment on MSL-1: Required Measurements and Instrument Performance

The Physics of HArd Spheres Experiment (PHaSE), one of NASA Lewis Research Center's first major light scattering experiments for microgravity research on complex fluids, flew on board the Space Shuttle's Microgravity Science Laboratory (MSL-1) in 1997. Using colloidal systems of various concentrations of micron-sized plastic spheres in a refractive index-matching fluid as test samples, illuminated by laser light during and after crystallization, investigations were conducted to measure the nucleation and growth rate of colloidal crystals as well as the structure, rheology, and dynamics of the equilibrium crystal. Together, these measurements support an enhanced understanding of the nature of the liquid-to-solid transition. Achievement of the science objectives required an accurate experimental determination of eight fundamental properties for the hard sphere colloidal samples. The instrument design met almost all of the original measurement requirements, but with compromise on the number of samples on which data were taken. The instrument performs 2-D Bragg and low angle scattering from 0.4 deg. to 60 deg., dynamic and single-channel static scattering from 10 deg. to 170 deg., rheology using fiber optics, and white light imaging of the sample. As a result, PHaSE provided a timely microgravity demonstration of critical light scattering measurement techniques and hardware concepts, while generating data already showing promise of interesting new scientific findings in the field of condensed matter physics.

Doherty, Michael P.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Grazing Incidence Nickel Replicated Optics for Hard X-ray Telescopes

The requirements for future hard x-ray (up to 50 keV) telescopes are lightweight, high angular resolution optics with large collecting areas. Grazing incidence replicated optics are an excellent candidate for this, type of mission, providing better angular resolution, comparable area/unit mass, and simpler fabrication than multilayer-coated foils. Most importantly, the technology to fabricate the required optics currently exists. A comparison of several hard x-ray telescope designs will be presented.

Peturzzo, J. J., III↗

NASA NTRS1959

Measurements of Total Hemispherical Emissivity of Several Stably Oxidized Nickel-Titanium Carbide Cemented Hard Metals from 600 F to 1,600 F

The total hemispherical emissivity of several nickel-titanium carbide cemented hard metals have been measured over a temperature range from 600 F to l,600 F. A variety of cemented hard metals were obtained from the Kennametal Corporation. A brief discussion of the apparatus employed and the procedures used for this investigation is included. The results of the tests of specimens in the as-received and polished states indicate a nearly constant emissivity for each material tested over the temperature range considered and only slight differences in emissivity values for the different materials. Values obtained on the stably oxidized specimens range from 0.90 to 0.94 at 6000 F and o.88 to 0.92 at 1,600 F for the as-received specimens and from 0.82 to 0.89 at 600 F and 0.85 to 0.87 at 1,600 F for the polished specimens. The surface analysis of the oxidized materials as obtained by X-ray diffraction methods and metallographic techniques are presented as an aid to reproducing the surface on which these measurements were made.

Wade, William R.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Impact of Radiation Hardness and Operating Temperatures of Silicon Carbide Electronics on Space Power System Mass

The effect of silicon carbide (SiC) electronics operating temperatures on Power Management and Distribution (PMAD), or Power Conditioning (PC), subsystem radiator size and mass requirements was evaluated for three power output levels (100 kW(e) , 1 MW(e), and 10 MW(e)) for near term technology ( i.e. 1500 K turbine inlet temperature) Closed Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power systems with a High Temperature Gas Reactor (HTGR) heat source. The study was conducted for assumed PC radiator temperatures ranging from 370 to 845 K and for three scenarios of electrical energy to heat conversion levels which needed to be rejected to space by means of the PC radiator. In addition, during part of the study the radiation hardness of the PC electronics was varied at a fixed separation distance to estimate its effect on the mass of the instrument rated reactor shadow shield. With both the PC radiator and the conical shadow shield representing major components of the overall power system the influence of the above on total power system mass was also determined. As expected, results show that the greatest actual mass savings achieved by the use of SiC electronics occur with high capacity power systems. Moreover, raising the PC radiator temperature above 600 K yields only small additional system mass savings. The effect of increased radiation hardness on total system mass is to reduce system mass by virtue of lowering the shield mass.

Juhasz, Albert J.↗

NASA NTRS1998

The Dynamics of Disorder-Order Transition in Hard Sphere Colloidal Dispersions

The Physics of Hard Spheres Experiment (PHaSE) seeks a complete understanding of the entropically driven disorder-order transition in hard sphere colloidal dispersions. The light scattering instrument designed for flight collects Bragg and low angle light scattering in the forward direction via a CCD camera and performs conventional static and dynamic light scattering at 10-160 deg. through fiber optic cables. Here we report on the kinetics of nucleation and growth extracted from time-resolved Bragg images and measurements of the elastic modulus of crystalline phases obtained by monitoring resonant responses to sinusoidal forcing through dynamic light scattering. Preliminary analysis of the former indicates a significant difference from measurements on the ground, while the latter confirms nicely laboratory experiments with the same instrument and predictions from computer simulations.

Chaikin, Paul M.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Hard X-Ray Emission from X-Ray Bursters

The scientific goal of this project is to study the hard x-ray emission from x-ray bursters. One target of opportunity observation was made for this investigation during 1997. We obtained 38ks of data on the source 4UI705-44. The project is closely related to "Monitoring x-ray emission from x-ray bursters", and "Long-Term Hard X-Ray Monitoring of X-Ray Bursters."

Halpern, Jules P.↗