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At least 361 records · Page 20
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2007

Global Properties of X-Ray Flashes and X-Ray-Rich GRBs Observed by Swift

We describe and discuss the spectral and temporal characteristics of the prompt emission and X-ray afterglow emission of X-ray flashes (XRFs) detected and observed by Swift between December 2005 and September 2006. We compare these characteristics to a sample of X-ray rich gamma-ray bursts (XRRs) and conventional classical gamma-ray bursts (C-GRBs)observed during the same period. We confirm the correlation between Epeak and fluence noted by others and find further evidence that XRFs and C-GRBs form a continuum. We also confirmed that our known redshift samples are consistent with the correlation between the peak energy (Epeak) and the isotropic radiated energy (Eiso), so called the Epeak-Eiso relation. The spectral properties of X-ray afterglows are similar to those of gamma-ray burst afterglows, but the temporal properties of the two classes are quite different. We found that the light curves of C-GRBs afterglow show a break to steeper indices (shallow-to-steep break) at much earlier times than do XRF afterglows. Moreover, the overall luminosity of X-ray afterglows of XRFs are systematically smaller by a factor of two or more compared with that of C-GRBs. These distinct differences in the X-ray afterglow between XRFs and C-GRBs are key to understanding not only a mysterious shallow-to-steep phase in the X-ray afterglow but also the unique nature of XRFs.

Sakamoto, T.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Method for the determination of lignin content of a sample by flash pyrolysis in an atmosphere of hydrogen or helium and method therefor

The lignin content of wood, paper pulp or other material containing lignin (such as filter paper soaked in black liquor) is more readily determined by flash pyrolysis of the sample at approximately 550.degree. C. in a reducing atmosphere of hydrogen or in an inert atmosphere of helium followed by a rapid analysis of the product gas by a mass spectrometer. The heated pyrolysis unit as fabricated comprises a small platinum cup welded to an electrically-heated stainless steel ribbon with control means for programmed short duration (1.5 sec, approximately) heating and means for continuous flow of hydrogen or helium. The pyrolysis products enter an electron-ionization mode mass spectrometer for spectral evaluation. Lignin content is obtained from certain ratios of integrated ion currents of many mass spectral lines, the ratios being linearly related to the Kappa number of Klason lignin.

Shakkottai, Parthasarathy↗
NASA NTRS1999

Portable flash lamp reflectance analyzer system and method

The system and method allow spectroscopic analysis of vegetation or the like without effects from changing sun and cloud conditions, undesired portions of the area of interest or atmospheric disturbances. The system (1) includes a light source (5) such as a xenon flash lamp, a telescope (7), a spectrometer (9), an analog/digital converter (11), a memory (13), a display (15), and an on-board microprocessor (17) or a port (19) for attachment to a laptop computer. The system is taken to an area of interest in the woods (step 41), the vegetation is illuminated from below (step 43) and data are taken (step 45).

Kalshoven, James Edward↗
NASA NTRS1988

Producing CCD imaging sensor with flashed backside metal film

A backside illuminated CCD imaging sensor for reading out image charges from wells of the array of pixels is significantly improved for blue, UV, far UV and low energy x-ray wavelengths (1-5000.ANG.) by so overthinning the backside as to place the depletion edge at the surface and depositing a thin transparent metal film of about 10.ANG. on a native-quality oxide film of less than about 30.ANG. grown on the thinned backside. The metal is selected to have a higher work function than that of the semiconductor to so bend the energy bands (at the interface of the semiconductor material and the oxide film) as to eliminate wells that would otherwise trap minority carriers. A bias voltage may be applied to extend the frontside depletion edge to the interface of the semiconductor material with the oxide film in the event there is not sufficient thinning. This metal film (flash gate), which improves and stabilizes the quantum efficiency of a CCD imaging sensor, will also improve the QE of any p-n junction photodetector.

Janesick, James R.↗
NASA NTRS1991

CCD imaging sensor with flashed backside metal film

A backside illuminated CCD imaging sensor for reading out image charges from wells of the array of pixels is significantly improved for blue, UV, far UV and low energy x-ray wavelengths (1-5000.ANG.) by so overthinning the backside as to place the depletion edge at the surface and depositing a thin transparent metal film of about 10.ANG. on a native-quality oxide film of less than about 30.ANG. grown on the thinned backside. The metal is selected to have a higher work function than that of the semiconductor to so bend the energy bands (at the interface of the semiconductor material and the oxide film) as to eliminate wells that would otherwise trap minority carriers. A bias voltage may be applied to extend the frontside depletion edge to the interface of the semiconductor material with the oxide film in the event there is not sufficient thinning. This metal film (flash gate), which improves and stabilizes the quantum efficiency of a CCD imaging sensor, will also improve the QE of any p-n junction photodetector.

Janesick, James R.↗
NASA NTRS2007

TID and SEE Response of an Advanced Samsung 4G NAND Flash Memory

Initial total ionizing dose (TID) and single event heavy ion test results are presented for an unhardened commercial flash memory, fabricated with 63 nm technology. Results are that the parts survive to a TID of nearly 200 krad (SiO2), with a tractable soft error rate of about 10(exp -l2) errors/bit-day, for the Adams Ten Percent Worst Case Environment.

Oldham, Timothy R.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Processing of 3-Dimensional Flash Lidar Terrain Images Generated From an Airborne Platform

Data from the first Flight Test of the NASA Langley Flash Lidar system have been processed. Results of the analyses are presented and discussed. A digital elevation map of the test site is derived from the data, and is compared with the actual topography. The set of algorithms employed, starting from the initial data sorting, and continuing through to the final digital map classification is described. The accuracy, precision, and the spatial and angular resolution of the method are discussed.

Bulyshev, Alexander↗
NASA NTRS2009

Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flash (TGF) Observations with the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor on the Fermi Observatory

Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs) have now been detected with four different orbiting spacecraft. The latest observations are being made with the scintillation detectors of Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope Observatory (Fermi). Although this experiment was designed and optimized for the observation of cosmic gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), it has unprecedented capabilities for TGF observations, surpassing those of the experiment that discovered TGFs, the BATSE experiment on the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory. Launched in June 2008 from the Kennedy Space Center, the Fermi-GBM has been detecting about one TGF every four weeks. The thick bismuth germinate (BGO) scintillation detectors of the GBM have now observed photon energies from TGFs at energies up to approx.40 MeV. Individual photons are detected with an absolute timing accuracy of 2 microsec. Unlike the BATSE instrument, the GBM data system allows higher counting rates to be recorded and deadtime characteristics are well-known and correctable; thus the saturation effects seen with BATSE are avoided. TGF pulses as narrow as approx.0.1ms have been observed with the GBM. Like BATSE (and unlike RHESSI) an on-board trigger is required to detect TGFs. The minimum time window for this trigger is 16ms. A trigger window this wide greatly reduces the number of detected TGFs, since they most often have a much shorter duration than this window, thus reducing the signal-to-background. New on-board trigger algorithms based on detected photon energies are about to be implemented; this should increase the number of TGF triggers. High-energy spectra from TGFs observed with Fermi-GBM will be described.

Fishman, Gerald J.↗
NASA NTRS2009

A Catalog of Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes Observed with the Fermi- Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor: The First Sixteen Months of Operation

The Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope Observatory (Fermi) has been detecting on the average about one terrestrial gamma-ray flash every four weeks. This catalog presents the basic characteristics of observed TGFs from the beginning of the Fermi-GBM operation in 2008 July until 2009 October. The thick bismuth germanate (BGO) scintillation detectors of the GBM system have observed photon energies from TGFs at energies above 30 MeV. It is found that the TGF pulses are typically shorter than previously reported, and in several cases less than 0.2ms. Extremely high counting rates are encountered ~200kcps or higher per detector during portions of some TGFs. These high rates require considerable corrections (with inherent assumptions) to the observed data in order to derive the true counting rates.

Fishman, Gerald J.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Modular, Microprocessor-Controlled Flash Lighting System

A microprocessor-controlled lighting system generates brief, precisely timed, high-intensity flashes of light for scientific imaging at frame rates up to about 1 kHz. The system includes an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that are driven in synchronism with an externally generated timing signal (for example, a timing signal generated by a video camera). The light output can be varied in peak intensity, pulse duration, pulse delay, and pulse rate, all depending on the timing signal and associated externally generated control signals. The array of LEDs comprises as many as 16 LED panels that can be attached together. Each LED panel is a module consisting of a rectangular subarray of 10 by 20 LEDs of advanced design on a printed-circuit board in a mounting frame with a power/control connector. The LED panels are controlled by an LED control module that contains an AC-to-DC power supply, a control board, and 8 LED-panel driver boards. In prior LED panels, the LEDs are packaged at less than maximum areal densities in bulky metal housings that reduce effective active areas. In contrast, in the present LED panels, the LEDs are packed at maximum areal density so as to afford 100-percent active area and so that when panels are joined side by side to form the array, there are no visible seams between them and the proportion of active area is still 100 percent. Each panel produces an illuminance of .5 x 10( exp 4) lux at a distance of 5.8 in. (approx.1.6 cm). The LEDs are driven according to a pulse-width-modulation control scheme that makes it safe to drive the LEDs beyond their rated steady-state currents in order to generate additional light during short periods. The drive current and the pulse-width modulation for each LED panel can be controlled independently of those of the other 15 panels. The maximum allowable duration of each pulse of drive current is a function of the amount of overdrive, the total time to be spent in overdrive operation, and the limitations of the LEDs. The system is configured to limit the overdrive according to values specific to each type of LED in the array. These values are coded into firmware to prevent inadvertent damage to the LED panels.

Kiefer, Dwayne↗
NASA NTRS2010

A Ground Flash Fraction Retrieval Algorithm for GLM

A Bayesian inversion method is introduced for retrieving the fraction of ground flashes in a set of N lightning observed by a satellite lightning imager (such as the Geostationary Lightning Mapper, GLM). An exponential model is applied as a physically reasonable constraint to describe the measured lightning optical parameter distributions. Population statistics (i.e., the mean and variance) are invoked to add additional constraints to the retrieval process. The Maximum A Posteriori (MAP) solution is employed. The approach is tested by performing simulated retrievals, and retrieval error statistics are provided. The approach is feasible for N greater than 2000, and retrieval errors decrease as N is increased.

Koshak, William J.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Fermi GBM Observations of Terrestrial Gamma Flashes

In its first two years of operation, the Fermi Gamma Ray Burst Monitor (GBM) has observed more than 77 Terrestrial Gamma Flashes (TGFs). The thick Bismuth Germanate (BGO) detectors are excellent for TGF spectroscopy, having a high probability of recording the full energy of an incident photon, spanning a broad energy range from 150 keV to 40 MeV, and recording a large number of photons per TGF. Correlations between GBM TGF triggers and lightning sferics detected with the World-Wide Lightning Location Network indicate that TGFs and lightning are simultaneous to within tens of microseconds. The energy spectra of some TGFs have strong 511 keV positron annihilation lines, indicating that these TGFs contain a large fraction of positrons

Wilson-Hodge, Colleen A.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes (TGFs)

This slide presentation reviews the observation of Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flashes (TGFs) by Gamma-Ray Telescopes. These were: (1) BATSE /Compton Observatory, (2) Solar Spectroscopic Imager, (3) AGILE Gamma-ray Telescope, and (4) Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. It contains charts which display the counts over time, a map or the TGFs observed by the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI). and a map showing the latitude and longitude of 85 of the TGFs observed by the Fermi GBM.

Fishman, Gerald J.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Fermi GBM Observations of Terrestrial Gamma Flashes

In its first two years of operation, the Fermi Gamma Ray Burst Monitor (GBM) has observed 79 Terrestrial Gamma Flashes (TGFs). The thick Bismuth Germanate (BGO) detectors are excellent for TGF spectroscopy, having a high probability of recording the full energy of an incident photon, spanning a broad energy range from 150 keV to 40 MeV, and recording a large number of photons per TGF. Correlations between GBM TGF triggers and lightning sferics detected with the World-Wide Lightning Location Network indicate that TGFs and lightning are simultaneous to within tens of microseconds.

Wilson-Hodge, Colleen A.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Fermi GBM Observations of Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes

This slide presentation explores the relationship between Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes (TGF) and lightning. Using data from the World-Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN), and the gamma ray observations from Fermi's Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM), the study reviews any causal relationship between TGFs and lightning. The conclusion of the study is that the TGF and lightning are simultaneous with out a causal relationship.

Wilson-Hodge, Colleen A.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes (TGFs) Above Thunderstorms

Intense of gamma rays have been observed by five different space-borne detectors. The TGFs have hard spectra, with photons extending to over 50 MeV. Most of these flashes last less than a millisecond. Relativistic electrons and positrons associated with TGFs are also seen by orbiting instruments In a special mode of operation, the Fermi-GBM detectors are now detecting an average of about one TGF every two hours. The Fermi spacecraft has been performing special orientations this year which has allowed the Fermi-LAT instrument also detect TGFs. The most likely origin of these high energy photons is bremsstrahlung radiation from electrons, produced by relativistic runaway electrons in intense electric fields within or above thunderstorm regions; the altitude of origin is uncertain. These TGFs may produce an appreciable radiation dose to passengers and crew in nearby aircraft. The observational aspects of TGFs will be the main focus of this talk; theoretical aspects remain speculative.

Fishman, Gerald J.↗