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At least 433 records · Page 24
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

The high energy X-ray spectrum of 4U 0900-40 observed from OSO 8

The X-ray source 4U 0900-40 (= Vela XR-1) was observed with the high-energy X-ray spectrometer on OSO 8 for one week in 1976 and three weeks in 1978. Spectra of the source are presented above 16 keV. No systematic difference exists between the X-ray eclipse centers and the eclipse centers predicted from optical ephermerides. Short period intrinsic variability in the system's X-ray intensity may be related to changes in the Compton scattering optical depth in the system and does not require sporadic mass transfer via Roche lobe overflow. The 282 s modulation in the source's X-ray flux above 21 keV consists of two essentially similar pulses per period, most easily interpreted as arising from the two different magnetic poles of a rotating neutron star. The secondary appears to be a spherically accreting, magnetic neutron star.

Dolan, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The spectrum and pulses of 1E 2259+586 from ASCA and BBXRT observations

The 7 s X-ray pulsator 1E 2259+586 was observed for approximately 1 day in 1993 with the Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ASCA). Observations were also obtained with Broad Band X-ray Telescope (BBXRT) in 1990 a few months after Ginga had observed 1E 2259+586 to be brighter than normal and the BBXRT data show 1E 2259+586 to be at an intermediate brightness level. By contrast, the ASCA data appear to have been obtained during a more common lower luminosity state. The pulse profiles we obtain are consistent with a connection between flux and pulse shape reported from Ginga data, and the pulsator continues to spin down. We use our high spectral resolution data to search for cyclotron lines in the spectrum that were claimed from observations made with other satellites. We find that the ASCA spectra of 1E 2259+586 cannot be satisfactorily fitted with either a single power law or a combination of two power laws, and that significant residuals occur around 1.5 and 5 keV. However, a combination of a power law and blackbody gives a good fit over the entire ASCA energy band with no evidence of spectral features. We have reanalyzed a Ginga LAC spectrum and find that this is also significantly better fitted by this two-component spectrum than a single power law. A possible explanation for such a two-component spectrum is that the blackbody emission comes from a neutron star and that the power-law component comes, at least in part, from a surrounding nebula. As there has, so far, no direct evidence that 1E 2259+586 is a binary system we consider whether there are other plausible mechanisms that might power the observed X-ray emission.

Corbet, R. H. D.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Space Radiation Organ Doses for Astronauts on Past and Future Missions

We review methods and data used for determining astronaut organ dose equivalents on past space missions including Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle, NASA-Mir, and International Space Station (ISS). Expectations for future lunar missions are also described. Physical measurements of space radiation include the absorbed dose, dose equivalent, and linear energy transfer (LET) spectra, or a related quantity, the lineal energy (y) spectra that is measured by a tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEPC). These data are used in conjunction with space radiation transport models to project organ specific doses used in cancer and other risk projection models. Biodosimetry data from Mir, STS, and ISS missions provide an alternative estimate of organ dose equivalents based on chromosome aberrations. The physical environments inside spacecraft are currently well understood with errors in organ dose projections estimated as less than plus or minus 15%, however understanding the biological risks from space radiation remains a difficult problem because of the many radiation types including protons, heavy ions, and secondary neutrons for which there are no human data to estimate risks. The accuracy of projections of organ dose equivalents described here must be supplemented with research on the health risks of space exposure to properly assess crew safety for exploration missions.

Cucinotta, Francis A.↗
NASA NTRS2015

The Far-Ultraviolet Spectra of "Cool" PG1159 Stars

We present a comprehensive study of Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) spectra (912-1190 A) of two members of the PG1159 spectral class, which consists of hydrogen-deficient (pre-) white dwarfs with effective temperatures in the range T(sub eff) = 75000-200000 K. As two representatives of the cooler objects, we have selected PG1707+427 (T(sub eff) = 85000 K) and PG1424+535 (T(sub eff) = 110000 K), complementing a previous study of the hotter prototype PG1159-035 (T(sub eff) = 140000 K). The helium-dominated atmospheres are strongly enriched in carbon and oxygen, therefore, their spectra are dominated by lines from C III-IV and O III-VI, many of which were never observed before in hot stars. In addition, lines of many other metals (N, F, Ne, Si, P, S, Ar, Fe) are detectable, demonstrating that observations in this spectral region are most rewarding when compared to the near-ultraviolet and optical wavelength bands. We perform abundance analyses of these species and derive upper limits for several undetected light and heavy metals including iron-group and trans-iron elements. The results are compared to predictions of stellar evolution models for neutron-capture nucleosynthesis and good agreement is found.

Werner, K.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Physical Models for Accreting Pulsars at High Luminosity

A new window for better understanding the accretion onto strongly magnetized neutron stars in X-ray binaries is opening. In these systems the accreted material follows the magnetic field lines as it approaches the neutron star, forming accretion columns above the magnetic poles. The plasma falls toward the neutron star surface at near-relativistic speeds, losing energy by emitting X-rays. The X-ray spectral continua are commonly described using phenomenological models, i.e., power laws with different types of curved cut-offs at higher energies. Here we consider high luminosity pulsars. In these systems the mass transfer rate is high enough that the accreting plasma is thought to be decelerated in a radiation-dominated radiative shock in the accretion columns. While the theory of the emission from such shocks had already been developed by 2007, a model for direct comparison with X-ray continuum spectra in xspec or isis has only recently become available. Here we analyze the broadband X-ray spectra of the accreting pulsars Centaurus X-3 and 4U1626-67 obtained withNuSTAR. We present results from traditional empirical modeling as well as successfully apply the radiation-dominated radiative shock model. We also fit the energy-dependent pulse profiles of 4U 1626-67 using a new relativistic light bending model.

Pottschmidt, Katja↗
NASA NTRS2021

A NICER Look at Thermonuclear X-ray Bursts from Aql X-1

We present spectral and temporal properties of all the thermonuclear X-ray bursts observed from Aql X-1 by the Neutron StarInterior and Composition Explorer (NICER) between 2017 July and 2021 April. This is the first systematic investigation of alarge sample of type I X-ray bursts from Aql X-1 with improved sensitivity at low energies. We detect 22 X-ray bursts includingtwo short recurrence burst events in which the separation was only 451 s and 496 s. We perform time resolved spectroscopy of thebursts using the fixed and scaled background (fa method) approaches. We show that the use of a scaling factor to the pre-burstemission is the statistically preferred model in about 68% of all the spectra compared to the fixed background approach. Typically the fa values are clustered around 1–3, but can reach up to 11 in a burst where photospheric radius expansion is observed. Such fa values indicate a very significant increase in the pre-burst emission especially at around the peak flux moments of the bursts.We show that the use of the fa factor alters the best fit spectral parameters of the burst emission. Finally, we employed a reflectionmodel instead of scaling the pre-burst emission. We show that reflection models also do fit the spectra and improve the goodnessof the fits. In all cases we see that the disc is highly ionized by the burst emission and the fraction of the reprocessed emission tothe incident burst flux is typically clustered around 20%

Tolga Güver↗
NASA NTRS1993

Interaction of a jet with a radiation pressure-dominated atmosphere - The case of SS 433

A phenomenological model for the enigmatic object SS 433 is developed in which SS 433 is a neutron star (NS) surrounded by a dense accreted atmosphere. Jets are created close to the neutron star surface by the rapidly spinning NS, toward which matter flows at a super-Eddington rate. This supercritical accretion leads to a quasi-spherical atmosphere around the NS with very high pressure and density close to the surface. The interaction of the jet with the atmosphere as it propagates through it is discussed in detail. A boundary layer (BL) due to radiation viscosity forms between the jet and the surrounding medium. This BL can be visualized as a cocoon of low-density matter around the jet which prevents mass entrainment into the jet. A study of X-ray spectra shows how the radiation-viscous BL can explain the very small Delta v/v that is observed in the jets.

Arav, Nahum↗
NASA NTRS2009

Comparison of Transport Codes, HZETRN, HETC and FLUKA, Using 1977 GCR Solar Minimum Spectra

The HZETRN deterministic radiation transport code is one of several tools developed to analyze the effects of harmful galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and solar particle events (SPE) on mission planning, astronaut shielding and instrumentation. This paper is a comparison study involving the two Monte Carlo transport codes, HETC-HEDS and FLUKA, and the deterministic transport code, HZETRN. Each code is used to transport ions from the 1977 solar minimum GCR spectrum impinging upon a 20 g/cm2 Aluminum slab followed by a 30 g/cm2 water slab. This research is part of a systematic effort of verification and validation to quantify the accuracy of HZETRN and determine areas where it can be improved. Comparisons of dose and dose equivalent values at various depths in the water slab are presented in this report. This is followed by a comparison of the proton fluxes, and the forward, backward and total neutron fluxes at various depths in the water slab. Comparisons of the secondary light ion 2H, 3H, 3He and 4He fluxes are also examined.

Heinbockel, John H.↗
NASA NTRS2018

A NICER Look at the Aql X-1 Hard State

We report on a spectral-timing analysis of the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary(LMXB)AqlX-1 with the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) on the International Space Station (ISS). AqlX-1 wasobserved with NICER during a dim outburst in 2017 July, collecting approximately 50 ks of good exposure. The spectral and timing properties of the source correspond to that of a (hard) extreme island state in the atoll classification. We find that the fractional amplitude of the low-frequency (<0.3Hz) band-limited noise shows adramatic turnover as a function of energy: it peaks at 0.5keV with nearly 25% rms, drops to 12% rms at 2keV,and rises to 15% rms at 10keV. Through the analysis of covariance spectra, we demonstrate that band-limited noise exists in both the soft thermal emission and the power-law emission. Additionally, we measure hard timelags, indicating the thermal emission at 0.5keV leads the power-law emission at 10 keV on a timescale of 100ms at 0.3Hz to10ms at 3Hz. Our results demonstrate that the thermal emission in the hard state is intrinsically variable, and is driving the modulation of the higher energy power-law. Interpreting the thermal spectrum as disk emission, we find that our results are consistent with the disk propagation model proposed for accretion onto black holes.

Bult, Peter↗
NASA NTRS1998

Observations of the Neuton Star RXJ0002.9 + 6246

The High Resolution Imager (HRI) observation of the CTB1 region requested in the original proposal was performed and data received. The primary target, the candidate neutron star, was detected at the predicted intensity. As proposed, both timing and spatial extent analysis has been performed on the extracted photons. The preliminary timing analysis showed no evidence for the faint pulsations seen in the PSPC data. As the pulse fraction was rather small, this was not an unexpected result. We have, however, recently developed more sophisticated timing analysis capabilities and are in the process of reanalyzing the data to more accurately constrain the pulse fraction, if indeed any evidence for pulsation is found. We have supplemented the HRI observations with optical observations. Filter images, in BVR & I, have been obtained as well as spectra for candidate counterparts. As of this writing, the original analysis holds, i.e. the x-ray flux is not consistent with the L(sub x)/L(sub opt) ratios expected from the candidate stars within the 3 sigma positional error circles. HRI confirmation of the flux as well as the refinement of the position have allowed us to limit the candidate list and refine the original L(sub x)/L(sub opt) analysis.

Hailey, Charles J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Gamma radiation from the Crab and Vela pulsars

The young pulsars in Crab and Vela were observed as very efficient emitters of high energy gamma radiation. While their radiation in the radio, optical, and x ray range was always known to differ considerably, the gamma ray emission on a superficial level appears quite similar: lightcurves with two narrow peaks, separated by 141 deg (Crab) and 153 deg (Vela) and photon energies in excess of 1 GeV with spectra that can be described by a power-law for Crab and a broken power-law for Vela. The detailed observations of these sources with the COS-B instrument, extending over nearly seven years, have revealed significant differences in the characteristics of the pulsars in the gamma-ray domain. Secular changes in the temporal (Crab) and spectral (Vela) properties above 50 MeV were found. These tantalizing signatures of the pulsar emission processes must now be explored in more detail and over a larger spectral range with the GRO (Gamma Ray Observatory) instruments in order to gain a deeper understanding of the physics of young neutron stars.

Kanbach, Gottfried↗
NASA NTRS2007

Space Radiation Risk Assessment for Future Lunar Missions

For lunar exploration mission design, radiation risk assessments require the understanding of future space radiation environments in support of resource management decisions, operational planning, and a go/no-go decision. The future GCR flux was estimated as a function of interplanetary deceleration potential, which was coupled with the estimated neutron monitor rate from the Climax monitor using a statistical model. A probability distribution function for solar particle event (SPE) occurrence was formed from proton fluence measurements of SPEs occurred during the past 5 solar cycles (19-23). Large proton SPEs identified from impulsive nitrate enhancements in polar ice for which the fluences are greater than 2 10(exp 9) protons/sq cm for energies greater than 30 MeV, were also combined to extend the probability calculation for high level of proton fluences. The probability with which any given proton fluence level of a SPE will be exceeded during a space mission of defined duration was then calculated. Analytic energy spectra of SPEs at different ranks of the integral fluences were constructed over broad energy ranges extending out to GeV, and representative exposure levels were analyzed at those fluences. For the development of an integrated strategy for radiation protection on lunar exploration missions, effective doses at various points inside a spacecraft were calculated with detailed geometry models representing proposed transfer vehicle and habitat concepts. Preliminary radiation risk assessments from SPE and GCR were compared for various configuration concepts of radiation shelter in exploratory-class spacecrafts.

Kim, Myung-Hee Y.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Spectra and angular distributions of atmospheric gamma rays from 0.3 to 10 MeV at lambda = 40 deg

Measurements of the spectral and angular distributions of atmospheric gamma sq cm rays in the energy range 0.3-10 MeV over Palestine, Texas, at residual depths of 2.5 and 70 g/sq cm are reported. In confirmation of the general features of a model prediction, the measurements show at 2.5 g/sq cm upward moving fluxes greater than the downward moving fluxes, the effect increasing with energy, and approximate isotropy at 70 g/sq cm. Numerous characteristic gamma-ray lines were observed, most prominently at 0.511, 1.6, 2.3, 4.4, and 6.1 MeV. Their intensities were also compared with model predictions. Observations were made with an actively shielded scintillator counter with two detectors, one of aperture 50 deg FWHM and the other of 120 deg FWHM. Above 1 MeV, contributions to the counting rate from photons penetrating the shield annulus and from neutron interactions were large; they were studied by means of a Monte Carlo code and are extensively discussed.

Ling, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Accretion onto magnetized neutron stars - X-ray pulsars with intermediate rotation rates

Assuming that the accreting material originates in a wind or envelope and therefore carried no net angular momentum, the Kevin-Helmholtz instability is applied to the transport of accreting plasma across the magnetopause of a rotating and magnetized neutron star for the case in which this surface is interchange-stable. Magnetopause location is determined, and the blackbody emission temperature is estimated. A possible period-dependence is noted in the X-ray temperature data which is in approximate agreement with the present model calculations. The magnetopause is found to be insufficiently stable to support an optically thick sheath of plasma surrounding the source, so that neither shrouding of the X-ray source nor significant reprocessing of the radiation field is possible in the model presented. It is concluded that while the flow structure at the magnetopause can control accretion column geometry, the emerging pulse profile and spectra are only indirectly altered, through a dynamical influence on emission region geometry.

Burnard, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Measurement of cosmic ray positron and negatron spectra between 50 and 800 MeV

A balloon-borne magnetic spectrometer was used to measure the spectra of cosmic ray positrons and negatrons at energies between 50 and 800 MeV. Comparisons of the separate positron and negatron spectra observed near the earth with their expected intensities in interstellar space can be used to investigate the complex (and variable) interaction of galactic cosmic rays with the expanding solar wind. The present measurements, which have established finite values or upper limits for the positron and negatron spectral between 50 and 800 MeV, have confirmed earlier evidence for the existence of a dominant component of negatrons from primary sources in the galaxy. The present results are shown to be consistent with the hypothesis that the positron component is in fact mainly attributable to collisions between cosmic ray nuclei and the interstellar gas. The estimate of the absolute intensities confirm the indications from neutron monitors that in 1972 the interplanetary cosmic ray intensities were already recovering toward their high levels observed in 1965.

Daugherty, J. K.↗
NASA NTRS2012

SGR J1550-5418 Bursts Detected with the Fermi Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor during Its Most Prolific Activity

We have performed detailed temporal and time-integrated spectral analysis of 286 bursts from SGR J1550-5418 detected with the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) in 2009 January, resulting in the largest uniform sample of temporal and spectral properties of SGR J1550-5418 bursts. We have used the combination of broadband and high time-resolution data provided with GBM to perform statistical studies for the source properties.We determine the durations, emission times, duty cycles, and rise times for all bursts, and find that they are typical of SGR bursts. We explore various models in our spectral analysis, and conclude that the spectra of SGR J15505418 bursts in the 8-200 keV band are equally well described by optically thin thermal bremsstrahlung (OTTB), a power law (PL) with an exponential cutoff (Comptonized model), and two blackbody (BB) functions (BB+BB). In the spectral fits with the Comptonized model, we find a mean PL index of -0.92, close to the OTTB index of -1. We show that there is an anti-correlation between the Comptonized E(sub peak) and the burst fluence and average flux. For the BB+BBfits, we find that the fluences and emission areas of the two BB functions are correlated. The low-temperature BB has an emission area comparable to the neutron star surface area, independent of the temperature, while the high temperature BB has a much smaller area and shows an anti-correlation between emission area and temperature.We compare the properties of these bursts with bursts observed from other SGR sources during extreme activations, and discuss the implications of our results in the context of magnetar burst models.

bursts↗
NASA NTRS1979

A search for stellar remnants of supernovae

The slitless spectra of the stars in the central regions of six galactic supernova remnants Cas A, Kepler, Tycho, SN 1006, RCW 86, and the Cygnus Loop were obtained with the prime focus transmission gratings at the 4M telescopes on Kitt Peak and Cerro Tololo. It was found that no stellar remnant with an unusually blue or peculiar spectrum is present in any of the remnants down to the limit of m sub pg of 18.5. Except for the Cygnus Loop, the area searched in each remnant is large enough that objects with transverse velocities of 1000 km/s would be well within the field. The results are also compared with a computation of emission from gas near a neutron star and with the unpulsed emission from the Crab pulsar; in both cases upper limits were set which place constraints on a possible condensed stellar remnant.

Fesen, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Higgs-boson production in nucleus-nucleus collisions

Cross-section calculations are presented for the production of intermediate-mass Higgs bosons produced in ultrarelativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions via two-photon fusion. The calculations are performed in position space using Baur's method for folding together the Weizsacker-Williams virtual-photon spectra of the two colliding nuclei. It is found that two-photon fusion in nucleus-nucleus collisions is a plausible way of finding intermediate-mass Higgs bosons at the Superconducting Super Collider or the CERN Large Hadron Collider.

NASA Discipline Radiation Health↗