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Long-Term Time Variability in the X-Ray Pulse Shape of the Crab Nebula Pulsar

This is the final performance report for our grant 'Long-Term Time Variability in the X-Ray Pulse Shape of the Crab Nebula Pulsar.' In the first year of this grant, we received the 50,000-second ROSAT (German acronym for X-ray satellite) High Resolution Images (HRI) observation of the Crab Nebula pulsar. We used the data to create a 65-ms-resolution pulse profile and compared it to a similar pulse profile obtained in 1991. No statistically significant differences were found. These results were presented at the January 1998 meeting of the American Astronomical Society. Since then, we have performed more sensitive analyses to search for potential changes in the pulse profile shape between the two data sets. Again, no significant variability was found. In order to augment this long (six-year) baseline data set, we have analyzed archival observations of the Crab Nebula pulsar with the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). While these observations have shorter time baselines than the ROSAT data set, their higher signal-to-noise offers similar sensitivity to long-term variability. Again, no significant variations have been found, confirming our ROSAT results. This work was done in collaboration with Prof. Stephen Eikenberry, Cornell University. These analyses will be included in Cornell University graduate student Dae-Sik Moon's doctoral thesis.

Fazio, Giovanni G.↗

The experimental cascade curves of EAS at E sub 0 10(17) eV obtained by the method of detection of Cherenkov pulse shape

The individual cascade curves of EAS with E sub 0 10 to the 17th power eV/I to 3/ were studied by detection of EAS Cherenkov light pulses. The scintillators located at the center of the Yakutsk EAS array within a 500-m radius circle were used to select the showers and to determine the main EAS parameters. The individual cascade curves N(t) were obtained using the EAS Cherenkov light pulses satisfying the following requirements: (1) the signal-to-noise ratio fm/delta sub n 15, (2) the EAS axis-detector distance tau sub 350 m, (3) the zenith angle theta 30 deg, (4) the probability for EAS to be detected by scintillators W 0.8. Condition (1) arises from the desire to reduce the amplitude distortion of Cherenkov pulses due to noise and determines the range of EAS sizes, N(t). The resolution times of the Cherenkov pulse shape detectors are tau sub 0 approx. 23 ns which results in distortion of a pulse during the process of the detection. The distortion of pulses due to the finiteness of tau sub 0 value was estimated. It is shown that the rise time of pulse becomes greater as tau sub 0.5/tau sub 0 ratio decreases.

Fomin, Y. A.↗

The use of linear programming techniques to design optimal digital filters for pulse shaping and channel equalization

A time domain technique is developed to design finite-duration impulse response digital filters using linear programming. Two related applications of this technique in data transmission systems are considered. The first is the design of pulse shaping digital filters to generate or detect signaling waveforms transmitted over bandlimited channels that are assumed to have ideal low pass or bandpass characteristics. The second is the design of digital filters to be used as preset equalizers in cascade with channels that have known impulse response characteristics. Example designs are presented which illustrate that excellent waveforms can be generated with frequency-sampling filters and the ease with which digital transversal filters can be designed for preset equalization.

Houts, R. C.↗

Segmentation and pulse shape discrimination techniques for rejecting background in germanium detectors

The possibility of rejecting the internal beta-decay background in coaxial germanium detectors by distinguishing between the multi-site energy losses characteristic of photons and the single-site energy losses of electrons in the range 0.2 - 2 MeV is examined. The photon transport was modeled with a Monte Carlo routine. Background rejection by both multiple segmentation and pulse shape discrimination techniques is investigated. The efficiency of a six 1 cm-thick segment coaxial detector operating in coincidence mode alone is compared to that of a two-segment (1 cm and 5 cm) detector employing both front-rear coincidence and PSD in the rear segment to isolate photon events. Both techniques can provide at least 95 percent rejection of single-site events while accepting at least 80 percent of the multi-site events above 500 keV.

Roth, J.↗

Directionality effects in the transfer of X-rays from a magnetized atmosphere: Beam pulse shape

A formalism is presented for radiation transfer in two normal polarization modes in finite and semiinfinite plane parallel uniform atmospheres with a magnetic field perpendicular to the surface and arbitrary propagation angles. This method is based on the coupled integral equations of transfer, including emission, absorption, and scattering. Calculations are performed for atmosphere parameters typical of X-ray pulsars. The directionality of the escaping radiation is investigated for several cases, varying the input distributions. Theoretical pencil beam profiles and X-ray pulse shapes are obtained assuming the radiation is emitted from the polar caps of spinning neutron stars. Implications for realistic models of accreting magnetized X-ray sources are briefly discussed.

Meszaros, P.↗

Laser range measurements using non-Gaussian pulse shapes

Many optical ranging systems currently use laser pulses of approximately Gaussian shape with widths of a few nanoseconds or less. The present paper shows that a substantial improvement in accuracy can be obtained for a given pulse length by means of laser ranging systems using conventional length (long) pulses with a sharp leading edge pulse distribution. The accuracy in such a case will improve roughly linearly with the signal strength. Order statistics is used to estimate the round-trip level travel time from the arrival time of the earliest photoelectron.

Ghigo, F. D.↗

Radar pulse shape versus ocean wave height

The radar height distribution of the vertical ocean surface structure was measured with a 1 ns radar system from a tower platform. It is shown that the reflecting properties of the ocean biases the mean sea level by about 5% of the significant wave height, and that the radar measured water wave height is reduced by about 6% of the significant wave height. For SWH up to 2 m, it can be assumed that the shape of the distribution is normal and that the mean sea level and water wave height of the observed ocean surface can be directly obtained from the convolved pulse, that is obtained from a high flying altimeter, with accuracies of a few centimeters. Measurements of higher sea states and utilization of an aircraft platform for pulse width limited observations are needed to confirm these preliminary results.

Shapiro, A.↗

The variable Herbig Ae Star HR 5999. X - Its photometric 'pulse-shaped' variability

We present additional photometric observations (Stromgren y filter) of the Herbig Ae Star HR 5999. This new set of data, composed of 282 data points covering April 1983 to August 1989, was used in conjunction with the 362 data points compiled by Baade and Stahl (1989). Our aim was to detect single or multiple periods in the integrated set of data spanning nearly 20 yr. Through the use of series analysis techniques, and by removing any linear component present in the raw data, we were able to detect weak peaks in the power spectra (in the order of intensity the strongest peaks are at 301 and 113 d) which were not self-evident in the phase diagrams. The overall picture of the data shows a small linear component, which is more noticeable in the new set of data, indicating that the recent maxima appear brighter. By a detailed analysis of the full light curve we were able to detect the presence of well-defined 'pulses' or bursts. Further Gaussian fits of these bursts indicated that the pulses are relatively rapid, of the order of 10 d, with some of them being closely spaced. No periodicity was found for the pulses. A possible explanation of these aperiodic outbursts is that they detect a flow of matter accompanied by magnetic field disturbances originated from the interior of the star, unlike those originating externally such as binary perturbations, which tend to be periodic.

Perez, M. R.↗

Pulse shaping and extraction of information from ultrasonic reflections in composite materials

The application of ultrasonic inspection to the nondestructive testing of composite materials is examined with reference to specific examples including monitoring of epoxy curing, evaluation of impact damage in a graphite/epoxy laminate, and monitoring of a repaired area in a composite wing plate. Signal processing methods are described which improve time resolution, facilitating identification of discrete echoes corresponding to events in the material.

Kishoni, Doron↗