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At least 415 records · Page 23

An upper limit on the high-energy gamma-ray emission of Vela X-1

The possibility of high-energy gamma-ray emission from the X-ray binary Vela X-1 was investigated by analyzing the COS-B satellite observations, using the COS-B X-ray detector for a phase coherent analysis in the search of rotational periodicity. The rotational upper limit is compared to the X-ray, TeV, and PeV fluxes reported by Chodil et al. (1967), North et al. (1984), and Protheroe et al. (1984), respectively. It was found that, under certain conditions, the upper limit determined here is not inconsistent with the reports of TeV and PeV emission.

Mattox, J. R.↗

Search for TeV emission from 4U 0115 + 63

While previous studies of the X-ray binary 4U 0115+63 suggest it to be a steady, TeV gamma-ray emitter, with pulses at the 3.6-sec neutron-star period, the present analysis of data obtained on 60 nights over a 4-yr period with an imaging gamma-ray telescope has uncovered no indication of TeV signals. The derived upper limit of 1 x 10 to the -11th/sq-cm sec, for gamma-rays of energy above 0.7 TeV, is noted to be significantly below the previously reported fluxes.

Macomb, D. J.↗

Effect of Melt Convection at Various Gravity Levels and Orientations on the Forces Acting on a Large Spherical Particle in the Vicinity of a Solidification Interface

Numerical modeling was Undertaken to analyze the influence of both radial and axial thermal gradients on convection patterns and velocities claiming solidification of pure Al and an Al-4 wt% Cu alloy. The objective of the numerical task was to predict the influence of convective velocity on an insoluble particle near a solid/liquid (s/l) interface. These predictions were then be used to define the minimum gravity level (q) required to investigate the fundamental physics of interactions between a particle and a s/l interface. This is an ongoing NASA founded flight experiment entitled "particle engulfment and pushing by solidifying interfaces (PEP)". Steady-state calculations were performed for different gravity levels and orientations with respect to the gravity vector The furnace configuration used in this analysis is the quench module insert (QMI-1) proposed for the Material Science Research Facility (MSRF) on board the International Space Station (ISS). The general model of binary alloy solidification was based on the finite element code FIDAP. At a low g level of 10(exp -4) g(sub o) (g(sub o) = 9.8 m/square s) maximum melt convection was obtained for an orientation of 90 deg. Calculations showed that even for this worst case orientation the dominant forces acting on the particle are the fundamental drag and interfacial forces.

Bune, Andris V.↗

Characteristics of AVIRIS Band Measurements in Desert Agroecosystems in the Area of Blythe, California: Studies of Cotton Spectra - 1

Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data from Blythe, California, were acquired in June 1997 to study agricultural spectra from different crops and to identify crops in other areas with similar environmental factors and similar spectral properties. The main objectives of this study are: (1) to compare the spectral and radiometric characteristics of AVIRIS data from agriculture crops with ground spectra measured by a FieldSpec ASD spectrometer; (2) to explore the use of AVIRIS spectral images for identifying agricultural crops; (3) to study the spectral expression of environmental factors on selected crops; and (4) to build a spectral library for the crops that were studied. A long-term goal is to extend the spectral library for different vegetation or crops in different stages of growth. To support our study, on July 18 and 19, 2000, we collected spectra using the FieldSpec spectrometer from selected fields with different crops in the Blythe area of California (longitude 114 deg 33.28 W and latitude 33 deg 25.42 N to longitude 1140 44.53 W and latitude 33 deg 39.77 N). These crops were cotton in different stages of growth, varieties of grass pure or mixed, Sudan grass, Bermuda grass, Teff grass, and alfalfa. Some of the fields were treated with different types of irrigation (i.e., wet to dry conditions). Additional parameters were studied such as the soil water content (WC), pH, and organic matter (OM). The results of this study showed that for crops known to be similar, there is a significant correlation between the spectra that were collected by AVIRIS in 1997 and spectra measured by the FieldSpec (registered) spectrometer in 2000. This correlation allowed development of a spectral library to be used in ENVI-IDL analysis software. This library was used successfully to identify different crops. Furthermore, using IDL algorithms of Spectral Angle Mapper classification (SAM), spectral feature fitting (SFF) and spectral binary encoding (SPE) showed that there is excellent agreement between the predicted and the actual crop type (i.e., the correlation is between 85-90% match). Further use of the AVIRIS images can be of a value to crop identification or crop yield for commercial use.

Hanna, Safwat H. Shakir↗

Search for Transient Gravitational Waves in Coincidence with Short-Duration Radio Transients During 2007-2013

We present an archival search for transient gravitational-wave bursts in coincidence with 27 single-pulse triggers from Green Bank Telescope pulsar surveys, using the LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory), Virgo (Variability of Solar Irradiance and Gravity Oscillations) and GEO (German-UK Interferometric Detector) interferometer network. We also discuss a check for gravitational-wave signals in coincidence with Parkes fast radio bursts using similar methods. Data analyzed in these searches were collected between 2007 and 2013. Possible sources of emission of both short-duration radio signals and transient gravitational-wave emission include star quakes on neutron stars, binary coalescence of neutron stars, and cosmic string cusps. While no evidence for gravitational-wave emission in coincidence with these radio transients was found, the current analysis serves as a prototype for similar future searches using more sensitive second-generation interferometers.

Abbott, B. P.↗

Faint-Source-Star Planetary Microlensing: The Discovery of the Cold Gas-Giant Planet OGLE-2014-BLG-0676Lb

We report the discovery of a planet OGLE-2014-BLG-0676Lb via gravitational microlensing. Observations for the lensing event were made by the following groups: Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics; Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment; Wise Observatory; RoboNETLas Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope; Microlensing Network for the Detection of Small Terrestrial Exoplanets; and -FUN. All analyses of the light-curve data favoura lens system comprising a planetary mass orbiting a host star. The most-favoured binary lens model has a mass ratio between the two lens masses of (4.78 +/- 0.13) 10(exp -3). Subject to some important assumptions, a Bayesian probability density analysis suggests the lens system comprises a 3.09(+1.02/-1.12) MJ planet orbiting a 0.62(+0.20/-0.22) solar mass host star at a deprojected orbital separation of 4.40(+2.16/-1.46) au. The distance to the lens system is 2.22(+0.96/-0.83) kpc. Planet OGLE-2014-BLG-0676Lb provides additional data to the growing number of cool planets discover redusing gravitational microlensing against which planetary formation theories may be tested. Most of the light in the baseline of this event is expected to come from the lens and thus high-resolution imaging observations could confirm our planetary model interpretation.

OGLE-2014-BLG-0676Lb↗

Correction factors for on-line microprobe analysis of multielement alloy systems

An on-line correction technique was developed for the conversion of electron probe X-ray intensities into concentrations of emitting elements. This technique consisted of off-line calculation and representation of binary interaction data which were read into an on-line minicomputer to calculate variable correction coefficients. These coefficients were used to correct the X-ray data without significantly increasing computer core requirements. The binary interaction data were obtained by running Colby's MAGIC 4 program in the reverse mode. The data for each binary interaction were represented by polynomial coefficients obtained by least-squares fitting a third-order polynomial. Polynomial coefficients were generated for most of the common binary interactions at different accelerating potentials and are included. Results are presented for the analyses of several alloy standards to demonstrate the applicability of this correction procedure.

Unnam, J.↗

A cascaded coding scheme for error control and its performance analysis

A coding scheme is investigated for error control in data communication systems. The scheme is obtained by cascading two error correcting codes, called the inner and outer codes. The error performance of the scheme is analyzed for a binary symmetric channel with bit error rate epsilon <1/2. It is shown that if the inner and outer codes are chosen properly, extremely high reliability can be attained even for a high channel bit error rate. Various specific example schemes with inner codes ranging form high rates to very low rates and Reed-Solomon codes as inner codes are considered, and their error probabilities are evaluated. They all provide extremely high reliability even for very high bit error rates. Several example schemes are being considered by NASA for satellite and spacecraft down link error control.

Lin, Shu↗

The Gaseous Content of the Universe at Zeta less than 1.6

Together with graduate student Hsiao-Wen Chen, I have measured and analyzed structural and morphological parameters of 38 galaxies in eight fields for which sensitive measurements of corresponding Ly(alpha) absorption toward background QSOs are available. These measurements are based on Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) observations obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and provide a first look at how the incidence and extent of tenuous gas around galaxies depends on galaxy luminosity, size, and morphological type and on geometry of the impact. The primary result of the analysis is that the amount of gas encountered along the line of sight depends on the galaxy impact parameter and B-band luminosity but does not depend strongly on the galaxy average surface brightness, disk-to-bulge ratio, or redshift. This result confirms and improves upon an anti-correlation between Ly(alpha) absorption equivalent width and galaxy impact parameter found previously. More importantly, this result provides the first quantitative means of relating statistics of faint galaxies to statistics of Ly(alpha) absorption systems. which we plan to exploit to constrain the luminosity function of galaxies beyond the realm of current surveys. Results have been submitted for publication and will greatly improve our statistical conclusions . Together with graduate student Noriaki Yahata. I have measured and classified spectral properties of over 1000 faint galaxies and stars obtained in our low-resolution spectroscopic survey. The goal of this project is two-fold: (1) to exhaustively characterize the spectral properties of all faint galaxies that comprise our current survey, and (2) to gain experience with our measurement and classification code. which ultimately will be used on a data base of 20,000 galaxies to be obtained with the Two-Degree Field (2df) spectrograph at the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT). The results will ultimately be used for many goals, but so far we have concentrated on using the results to make a binary classification of the galaxies (i.e. early type versus late type) and to then exploit the density-morphology relationship to obtain a crude density indicator. The primary result of the analysis is that the incidence and extent of tenuous gas around galaxies shows no strong preference for local galaxy environment, at least over the range of densities spanned by the current observations. Along similar lines, two instances of Ly(alpha) absorption lines that arise in groups or clusters were examined. Analysis demonstrates that some can produce corresponding absorption lines and that LY(alpha) absorption lines do not avoid a high-density environment. A new measure of the galaxy-absorber cross-correlation function defines the statistical criterion by which galaxies and absorber pairs are to be matched. I have identified a damped Ly(alpha) absorption system at redshift z equals approximately 0.16, the lowest redshift confirmed to date. The most important results of the analysis are learning that the metal abundances of the absorption system are less than 10 percent of the solar metal abundance and that the absorbing gas is not rotating with the galaxy disk.

Source record↗

Digital techniques used in the steering apparatus of the GPO steerable aerial at Goonhilly Downs

A discription of the logic design for the digital control equipment is followed by further descriptions of items of particular interest. The means of applying off-sets to the demanded aerial position for over-coming possible inaccuracy of the predicted orbit; and to demand accuratly determined velocities manually; means of conversion from pure binary form to provide displays in terms of angles, and the derivation of analogue voltages for the for the servo-amplifiers are discussed in detail. A critical analysis of the equipment in the light of operational experience concludes the paper.

TRACKING STATION↗

Influence of silicon on friction and wear of iron-cobalt alloys

Sliding friction and wear experiments were conducted with ternary ordered alloys of iron and cobalt containing various amounts of silicon to 5 weight percent. The friction and wear of these alloys were compared to those for binary iron-cobalt alloys in the ordered and disordered states and to those for the conventionally used bearing material, 440-C. Environments in which experiments were conducted included air, argon, and 0.25percent stearic acid in hexadecane. Results indicate that a ternary iron - cobalt - 5-percent-silicon alloy exhibits lower friction and wear than the simple binary iron-cobalt alloy. It exhibits lower wear than 440-C in all three environments. Friction was lower for the alloy in argon than in air. Auger analysis of the surface of the ternary alloy indicated segregation of silicon at the surface as a result of sliding.

Buckley, D. H.↗

Spectroscopic studies of very old hot stars. III - Atmospheric properties of seven planetary nuclei

The atmospheric properties of seven planetary nuclei which have O or Of-type spectra were determined by use of the Zanstra method and by analysis of the visual line spectra. One finding is that the O-type spectral sequence may extend to effective temperatures of 90,000 kelvins or more, if the results of the Zanstra method are to be believed. However, there are some indications of internal inconsistency in the Zanstra method and some outstanding discrepancies between the effective temperatures indicated by the Zanstra method and those indicated from analysis of the visual line spectra. Two ways to resolve these discrepancies are to postulate an excess of extreme-UV stellar flux or to postulate a hot binary companion for some central stars. In either case the validity of the Harmon-Seaton evolutionary sequence for central stars becomes questionable.

Heap, S. R.↗

Observations and analysis of the R Aquarii jet

Ultraviolet, optical and radio observations of the symbiotic star R Aquarii are discussed in the light of the discovery of a bright radio and optical jet from this star. The star is probably a binary with a period of 44 years. The VLA maps of the jet reveal a protruding structure extending approximately 10 arc sec from the central radio source with a position angle virtually identical to that of the optical jet observed at Lick. The observations of R Aqr are interpreted as indicating the existence of an accretion disk around an unseen companion. The hot subdwarf has effective temperature approximately 65,000 K. It is suggested that the Mira primary and the hot secondary are in orbit around each other with a high eccentricity. At periastron the hot subdwarf accretes at super critical rates and a jet forms. It is difficult to understand how an accretion disk would have eclipsed the Mira in 1928-1935 and 1974-1980. The suppression of maximum light in these two periods is interpreted as due to a distortion of the Mira envelope at periastron by the tidal interaction with the secondary. The jet may help to explain the excitation of the R Aqr nebula. It is possible that R Aqr flared up as a nova approximately 1000 years ago forming the nebula.

Kafatos, M.↗

A cascaded coding scheme for error control and its performance analysis

A coding scheme for error control in data communication systems is investigated. The scheme is obtained by cascading two error correcting codes, called the inner and the outer codes. The error performance of the scheme is analyzed for a binary symmetric channel with bit error rate epsilon < 1/2. It is shown that, if the inner and outer codes are chosen properly, extremely high reliability can be attained even for a high channel bit error rate. Various specific example schemes with inner codes ranging from high rates to very low rates and Reed-Solomon codes are considered, and their probabilities are evaluated. They all provide extremely high reliability even for very high bit error rates, say 0.1 to 0.01. Several example schemes are being considered by NASA for satellite and spacecraft down link error control.

Lin, S.↗

Studies of calcium emission stars. I - HD 158393 a giant star in a binary system

HD 158393 is a giant star of spectral type late G or early K which has moderately strong Ca II H and K emission cores. UBVRIJHK photometry and IUE spectra reveal a companion of type F0-F2, luminosity class IV or V. Radial velocity data yield an orbit with a period of 31 day. The K and F stars have nearly equal mass, with a minimum value of 1.7 solar masses if i of less than 72 deg is adopted, as required by the absence of eclipses. The strong Ca II emission indicates the enhanced chromospheric activity which is typical of giant stars in a binary system of this period, and the light is variable in a 31-day period, indicative of synchronous rotation as well as on a long time-scale. Analysis of the 31-day light period by fitting a spot model indicates the presence of two spots in 1975 and 1976; the major spot appears to have been present throughout the observing period (1973-1981). The potential confusion caused by the presence of the second spot for part of the observing period emphasizes the importance of fitting a model if the photometric period is to be understood in terms of the synchronous rotation. The two spots showed different periods and were at different latitudes, suggesting differential rotation of the giant star.

Evans, T. Lloyd↗

The Outbursts and Orbit of the Accreting Pulsar GS 1843 - 02 = 2S 1845 - 024

We present observations of a series of 10 outbursts of pulsed hard X-ray flux from the transient 10.6 mHz accreting pulsar GS 1843-02, using the Burst and Transient Source Experiment on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. These outbursts occurred regularly every 242 days, coincident with the ephemeris of the periodic transient GRO J1849-03, which has recently been identified with the SAS 3 source 2S 1845-024. Our pulsed detection provides the first clear identification of GS 1843-02 with 2S 1845-024. We present a pulse timing analysis that shows that the 2S 1845-024 outbursts occur near the periastron passage of the neutron star's highly eccentric (e = 0.88 +/- 0.01) 242.18 +/- 0.01 day period binary orbit about a high-mass (M(sub c) greater than 7 solar mass) companion. The orbit and transient outburst pattern strongly suggest that the pulsar is in a binary system with a Be star. Our observations show a long-term spin-up trend, with most of the spin-up occurring during the outbursts. From the measured spin-up rates and inferred luminosities we conclude that an accretion disk is present during the outbursts.

Finger, Mark H.↗

Timing and Spectral Study of 4U 1538-52

Improved orbital parameters of the high-mass binary X-ray pulsar 4U 1538-52 have been derived from high count rate data obtained from the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer. Pulse-timing analysis yields an eccentricity of 0.174 +/- 0.015, a periastron at 64 deg +/- 9 deg, and evidence of orbital decay with prime-P(sub orb)/P(sub orb) = (-2.9 +/- 2.1) x 10(exp -6)/yr.

Clark, George W.↗

The Dolinar Receiver in an Information Theoretic Framework

Optical communication at the quantum limit requires that measurements on the optical field be maximally informative, but devising physical measurements that accomplish this objective has proven challenging. The Dolinar receiver exemplifies a rare instance of success in distinguishing between two coherent states: an adaptive local oscillator is mixed with the signal prior to photodetection, which yields an error probability that meets the Helstrom lower bound with equality. Here we apply the same local-oscillator-based architecture with aninformation-theoretic optimization criterion. We begin with analysis of this receiver in a general framework for an arbitrary coherent-state modulation alphabet, and then we concentrate on two relevant examples. First, we study a binary antipodal alphabet and show that the Dolinar receiver's feedback function not only minimizes the probability of error, but also maximizes the mutual information. Next, we study ternary modulation consistingof antipodal coherent states and the vacuum state. We derive an analytic expression for a near-optimal local oscillator feedback function, and, via simulation, we determine its photon information efficiency (PIE). We provide the PIE versus dimensional information efficiency (DIE) trade-off curve and show that this modulation and the our receiver combination performs universally better than (generalized) on-off keying plus photoncounting, although, the advantage asymptotically vanishes as the bits-per-photon diverges towards infinity.

optical communications↗