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NASA NTRS2007

The XMM-Newton Extended Survey of the Taurus Molecular Cloud (XEST)

The Taurus Molecular Cloud (TMC) is the nearest large star-forming region, prototypical for the distributed mode of low-mass star formation. Pre-main sequence stars are luminous X-ray sources, probably mostly owing to magnetic energy release. Aims. The XMM-Newton Extended Survey of the Taurus Molecular Cloud (EST) presented in this paper surveys the most populated =5 square degrees of the TMC, using the XMM-Newton X-ray observatory to study the thermal structure, variability, and long-term evolution of hot plasma, to investigate the magnetic dynamo, and to search for new potential members of the association. Many targets are also studied in the optical, and high-resolution X-ray grating spectroscopy has been obtained for selected bright sources. Methods. The X-ray spectra have been coherently analyzed with two different thermal models (2-component thermal model, and a continuous emission measure distribution model). We present overall correlations with fundamental stellar parameters that were derived from the previous literature. A few detections from Chandra observations have been added. Results. The present overview paper introduces the project and provides the basic results from the X-ray analysis of all sources detected in the XEST survey. Comprehensive tables summarize the stellar properties of all targets surveyed. The survey goes deeper than previous X-ray surveys of Taurus by about an order of magnitude and for the first time systematically accesses very faint and strongly absorbed TMC objects. We find a detection rate of 85% and 98% for classical and weak-line T Tau stars (CTTS resp. WTTS), and identify about half of the surveyed protostars and brown dwarfs. Overall, 136 out of 169 surveyed stellar systems are detected. We describe an X-ray luminosity vs. mass correlation, discuss the distribution of X-ray-to-bolometric luminosity ratios, and show evidence for lower X-ray luminosities in CTTS compared to WTTS. Detailed analysis (e.g., variability, rotation-activity relations, influence of accretion on X-rays) will be discussed in a series of accompanying papers.

Guedel, M.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Hemispheric and Topographic Asymmetry of Magnetospheric Particle Irradiation for Icy Moon Surfaces

All surfaces of icy moons without significant atmospheres, i.e. all except Titan in the giant planet systems, are irradiated by hot plasma and more energetic charged particles from the local magnetospheric environments. This irradiation can significantly impact the chemical composition, albedo, and detectable presence of signs of life on the sensible surfaces, while also limiting lifetimes and science operations of orbital spacecraft for extreme radiation environments as at Europa. Planning of surface remote sensing and lander operations, and interpretation of remote sensing and in-situ measurements, should include consideration of natural shielding afforded by the body of the moon, by any intrinsic or induced magnetic fields as at Ganyrnede, and by topographic structures.

Cooper, John F.↗

NASA NTRS2007

The Chaotic Light Curves of Accreting Black Holes

We present model light curves for accreting Black Hole Candidates (BHC) based on a recently developed model of these sources. According to this model, the observed light curves and aperiodic variability of BHC are due to a series of soft photon injections at random (Poisson) intervals and the stochastic nature of the Comptonization process in converting these soft photons to the observed high energy radiation. The additional assumption of our model is that the Comptonization process takes place in an extended but non-uniform hot plasma corona surrounding the compact object. We compute the corresponding Power Spectral Densities (PSD), autocorrelation functions, time skewness of the light curves and time lags between the light curves of the sources at different photon energies and compare our results to observation. Our model reproduces the observed light curves well, in that it provides good fits to their overall morphology (as manifest by the autocorrelation and time skewness) and also to their PSDs and time lags, by producing most of the variability power at time scales 2 a few seconds, while at the same time allowing for shots of a few msec in duration, in accordance with observation. We suggest that refinement of this type of model along with spectral and phase lag information can be used to probe the structure of this class of high energy sources.

Kazanas, Demosthenes↗

NASA NTRS2008

Thermal Spray Formation of Polymer Coatings

This innovation forms a sprayable polymer film using powdered precursor materials and an in-process heating method. This device directly applies a powdered polymer onto a substrate to form an adherent, mechanically-sound, and thickness-regulated film. The process can be used to lay down both fully dense and porous, e.g., foam, coatings. This system is field-deployable and includes power distribution, heater controls, polymer constituent material bins, flow controls, material transportation functions, and a thermal spray apparatus. The only thing required for operation in the field is a power source. Because this method does not require solvents, it does not release the toxic, volatile organic compounds of previous methods. Also, the sprayed polymer material is not degraded because this method does not use hot combustion gas or hot plasma gas. This keeps the polymer from becoming rough, porous, or poorly bonded.

Coquill, Scott↗

NASA NTRS2009

Suzaku Observation of Strong Fluorescent Iron Line Emission from the Young Stellar Object V1647 Ori during Its New X-ray Outburst

The Suzaku X-ray satellite observed the young stellar object V1647 Ori on 2008 October 8 during the new mass accretion outburst reported in August 2008. During the 87 ksec observation with a net exposure of 40 ks, V1647 Ori showed a. high level of X-ray emission with a gradual decrease in flux by a factor of 5 and then displayed an abrupt flux increase by an order of magnitude. Such enhanced X-ray variability was also seen in XMM-Newton observations in 2004 and 2005 during the 2003-2005 outburst, but has rarely been observed for other young stellar objects. The spectrum clearly displays emission from Helium-like iron, which is a signature of hot plasma (kT approx.5 keV). It also shows a fluorescent iron Ka line with a remarkably large equivalent width of approx. 600 eV. Such a, large equivalent width indicates that a part of the incident X-ray emission that irradiates the circumstellar material and/or the stellar surface is hidden from our line of sight. XMM-Newton spectra during the 2003-2005 outburst did not show a strong fluorescent iron Ka line ; so that the structure of the circumstellar gas very close to the stellar core that absorbs and re-emits X-ray emission from the central object may have changed in between 2005 and 2008. This phenomenon may be related to changes in the infrared morphology of McNeil's nebula between 2004 and 2008.

Hamaguchi, Kenji↗

NASA NTRS2010

Origin of the Central Constant Emission Component of Eta Carinae

The X-ray campaign observation of the wind-wind colliding (WWC) binary system, Eta Carinae, targeted at its periastron passage in 2003, presented a detailed view of the flux and spectral variations of the X-ray minimum phase. One of the discoveries in this campaign was a central constant emission (CCE) component very near the central WWC source (Hamaguchi et al. 2007, ApJ, 663, 522). The CCE component was noticed between 1-3 keY during the X-ray minima and showed no variation on either short timescales within any observation or long timescales of up to ~ 10 years. Hamaguchi et al. (2007) discussed possible origins as collisionally heated shocks from the fast polar winds from Eta Car or the fast moving outflow from the WWC with the ambient gas, or shocked gas that is intrinsic to the wind of Eta Car. During the 2009 periastron passage, we launched another focussed observing campaign of Eta Carinae with the Chandra, XMM-Newton and Suzaku observatories, concentrating on the X-ray faintest phase named the deep X-ray minimum. Thanks to multiple observations during the deep X-ray minimum, we found that the CCE spectrum extended up to 10 keV, indicating presence of hot plasma of kT approx.4-6 keV. This result excludes two possible origins that assume relatively slow winds (v approx. 1000 km/s) and only leaves the possibility that the CCE plasma is wind blown bubble at the WWC downstream. The CCE spectrum in 2009 showed a factor of 2 higher soft band flux as the CCE spectrum in 2003, while the hard band flux was almost unchanged. This variation suggests decrease in absorption column along the line of sight. We compare this result with recent increase in V-band magnitude of Eta Carinae and discuss location of the CCE plasma.

Hamaguchi, Kenji↗

NASA NTRS2010

The Amazing COS FUV (1320 - 1460 A) Spectrum of (lambda) Vel (K4Ib-II)

The FUV spectrum (1320-1460 A) of the K4 lb-11 supergiant (lambda) Vel was observed with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) on HST, as part of the Ayres and Redfield Cycle 17 SNAP program "SNAPing Coronal Iron". This spectrum covers a region not previously recorded in (lambda) Vel at high resolution and, in a mere 20 minutes of exposure, reveals a treasure trove of information. It shows a wide variety of strong emission lines, superposed on a bright continuum, with contributions from both atomic and molecular species. Multiple absorptions, including numerous Ni II and Fe II lines, are visible over this continuum, which is likely generated in the chromosphere of the star. Evidence of the stellar wind is seen in the P Cygni profiles of the CII lines near 1335 A and the results of fluorescence processes are visible throughout the region. The spectrum has remarkable similarities to that of (alpha) Boo (K1.5 III), but significant differences as well, including substantial FUV continuum emission, reminiscent of the M2 Iab supergiant (alpha) Ori, but minus the CO fundamental absorption bands seen in the spectrum of the latter star. However, fluoresced CO emission is present, as in the K-giant stars (alpha) Boo and (alpha) Tau (K5 III). The presence of hot plasma in the atmosphere of the star, indicated by previous GHRS observations of Si III] and C III] lines near 1900 A and FUSE observations of O VI 1032 A, is further confirmed by the detection in this COS spectrum of the Si IV UV 1 lines near 1400 A, though both lines are contaminated by overlying fluorescent H2 emission. We present the details of this spectrum, in comparison with stars of similar temperature or luminosity and discuss the implications for the structure of, and the radiative processes active in, the outer atmospheres of these stars.

Carpenter, Kenneth↗

NASA NTRS2009

A Simple Mechanism for Fractionating Oxygen Isotopes in the Solar Nebula

Lightning in the Solar Nebula is caused by the tribo-electric charging of dust grains carried by massive turbulent flows and driven by the accretion energy in the disk: it has long been one agent assumed responsible for the formation of chondrules. The degree to which charge separation can occur is dependent upon a number of factors, including the concentration of radioactive sources and the total level of ionization in the nebula, and these factors determine the maximum energy likely to be released by a single bolt. While chondrule formation requires a massive discharge, even a small lightning bolt can vaporize grains in the ionized discharge channel. Experimental studies have shown that silica, iron silicate and iron oxide grains formed from a high voltage discharge in hydrogen rich gas containing some oxygen produces solids that are enriched in O-17 and O-18 relative to the composition of the starting gas. Vaporization of silicates produces SiO, metal and free oxygen atoms in each discharge and these species will immediately begin to recondense from the hot plasma. Freshly condensed grains are incrementally enriched in heavy oxygen while the gas is enriched in O-16. Repeated evaporation and condensation of silicates in continuously occurring lightning discharges will monotonically increase the fractionation of oxygen isotopes between the O-17 and O-18 rich dust and the O-16 rich gas. The first mass independently fractionated refractory oxide particles were produced in the lab following the condensation of a flowing gas mixture containing variable amounts of hydrogen, silane, pentacarbonyl iron and oxygen that passed through a high voltage discharge powered by a Tesla coil. While the exact chemical pathway is still uncertain, the most probable reaction mechanisms involve oxidation of the growing refractory clusters by O3, OH or O atoms. This model has some interesting consequences for chemical processes in the early solar nebula. Chemical fractionation of recondensed dust evaporated via lightning discharges should be strongly time dependent. At earlier times, the accretion rate is maximal, thus driving strong turbulence, energetic grain-grain collisions, tribo-electric charging and charge separation, leading to frequent, powerful lightning discharges. As the accretion rate diminishes, turbulence decreases and lightning discharges will become both less powerful and less frequent, thus decreasing the rate of dust-gas fractionation. The most rapid increase in the formation of O-16 poor dust will occur early in nebular history. Generation of fractionated dust should be distributed throughout the inner disk. Once condensed, grain dispersal would average out any significant isotopic anomalies within the inner disk.

Nuth, Joseph A., III↗

NASA NTRS2011

Quantitative Examination of a Large Sample of Supra-Arcade Downflows in Eruptive Solar Flares

Sunward-flowing voids above post-coronal mass ejection flare arcades were first discovered using the soft X-ray telescope aboard Yohkoh and have since been observed with TRACE (extreme ultraviolet (EUV)), SOHO/LASCO (white light), SOHO/SUMER (EUV spectra), and Hinode/XRT (soft X-rays). Supra-arcade downflow (SAD) observations suggest that they are the cross-sections of thin flux tubes retracting from a reconnection site high in the corona. Supra-arcade downflowing loops (SADLs) have also been observed under similar circumstances and are theorized to be SADs viewed from a perpendicular angle. Although previous studies have focused on dark flows because they are easier to detect and complementary spectral data analysis reveals their magnetic nature, the signal intensity of the flows actually ranges from dark to bright. This implies that newly reconnected coronal loops can contain a range of hot plasma density. Previous studies have presented detailed SAD observations for a small number of flares. In this paper, we present a substantial SADs and SADLs flare catalog. We have applied semiautomatic detection software to several of these events to detect and track individual downflows thereby providing statistically significant samples of parameters such as velocity, acceleration, area, magnetic flux, shrinkage energy, and reconnection rate. We discuss these measurements (particularly the unexpected result of the speeds being an order of magnitude slower than the assumed Alfven speed), how they were obtained, and potential impact on reconnection models.

Savage, Sabrina L.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Compilation of Abstracts for SC12 Conference Proceedings

1 A Breakthrough in Rotorcraft Prediction Accuracy Using Detached Eddy Simulation; 2 Adjoint-Based Design for Complex Aerospace Configurations; 3 Simulating Hypersonic Turbulent Combustion for Future Aircraft; 4 From a Roar to a Whisper: Making Modern Aircraft Quieter; 5 Modeling of Extended Formation Flight on High-Performance Computers; 6 Supersonic Retropropulsion for Mars Entry; 7 Validating Water Spray Simulation Models for the SLS Launch Environment; 8 Simulating Moving Valves for Space Launch System Liquid Engines; 9 Innovative Simulations for Modeling the SLS Solid Rocket Booster Ignition; 10 Solid Rocket Booster Ignition Overpressure Simulations for the Space Launch System; 11 CFD Simulations to Support the Next Generation of Launch Pads; 12 Modeling and Simulation Support for NASA's Next-Generation Space Launch System; 13 Simulating Planetary Entry Environments for Space Exploration Vehicles; 14 NASA Center for Climate Simulation Highlights; 15 Ultrascale Climate Data Visualization and Analysis; 16 NASA Climate Simulations and Observations for the IPCC and Beyond; 17 Next-Generation Climate Data Services: MERRA Analytics; 18 Recent Advances in High-Resolution Global Atmospheric Modeling; 19 Causes and Consequences of Turbulence in the Earths Protective Shield; 20 NASA Earth Exchange (NEX): A Collaborative Supercomputing Platform; 21 Powering Deep Space Missions: Thermoelectric Properties of Complex Materials; 22 Meeting NASA's High-End Computing Goals Through Innovation; 23 Continuous Enhancements to the Pleiades Supercomputer for Maximum Uptime; 24 Live Demonstrations of 100-Gbps File Transfers Across LANs and WANs; 25 Untangling the Computing Landscape for Climate Simulations; 26 Simulating Galaxies and the Universe; 27 The Mysterious Origin of Stellar Masses; 28 Hot-Plasma Geysers on the Sun; 29 Turbulent Life of Kepler Stars; 30 Modeling Weather on the Sun; 31 Weather on Mars: The Meteorology of Gale Crater; 32 Enhancing Performance of NASAs High-End Computing Applications; 33 Designing Curiosity's Perfect Landing on Mars; 34 The Search Continues: Kepler's Quest for Habitable Earth-Sized Planets.

HPC↗

NASA NTRS2013

Coordinated Observations of X-ray and High-resolution EUV Active Region Dynamics

The recently-launched High-resolution Coronal imager (Hi-C) sounding rocket provided the highest resolution images of coronal loops and other small-scale structures in the 193 Angstrom passband to date. With just 5 minutes of observations, the instrument recorded a variety of dynamic coronal events -- including even a small B-class flare. We will present our results comparing these extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) observations with X-ray imaging from Hinode/XRT as well as EUV AIA data to identify sources of hot plasma rooted in the photosphere and track their affect on the overall topology and dynamics of the active region.

Savage, Sabrina↗

NASA NTRS2013

Coordinated Observations of X-ray and High-Resolution EUV Active Region Dynamics

Savage, Sabrina↗

NASA NTRS2014

A High Speed, Radiation Hard X-Ray Imaging Spectroscometer for Planetary Investigations

X-ray observations provide a unique window into fundamental processes in planetary physics, and one that is complementary to observations obtained at other wavelengths. We propose to develop an X-ray imaging spectrometer (0.1-10 keV band) that, on orbital planetary missions, would measure the elemental composition, density, and temperature of the hot plasma in gas giant magnetospheres, the interaction of the Solar wind with the upper atmospheres of terrestrial planets, and map the elemental composition of the surfaces of the Galilean moons and rocky or icy airless systems on spatial scales as small as a few meters. The X-ray emission from gas giants, terrestrial planets and moons with atmospheres, displays diverse characteristics that depend on the Solar wind's interaction with their upper atmospheres and/or magnetospheres. Our imaging spectrometer, as part of a dedicated mission to a gas giant, will be a paradigm changing technology. On a mission to the Jovian system, our baseline instrument would map the elemental composition of the rocky and icy surfaces of the Galilean moons via particle-induced X-ray fluorescence. This instrument would also measure the temperature, density and elemental abundance of the thermal plasma in the magnetosphere and in the Io plasma torus (IPT), explore the interaction of the Solar wind with the magnetosphere, and characterize the spectrum, flux, and temporal variability of X-ray emission from the polar auroras. We will constrain both the mode of energy transport and the effective transport coefficients in the IPT and throughout the Jovian magnetosphere by comparing temporal and spatial variations of the X-ray emitting plasma with those seen from the cooler but energetically dominant 5 eV plasma.

Kraft, R. P.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Ultraviolet and Extreme-Ultraviolet Emissions at the Flare Footpoints Observed by Atmosphere Imaging Assembly

A solar flare is composed of impulsive energy release events by magnetic reconnection, which forms and heats flare loops. Recent studies have revealed a two-phase evolution pattern of UV 1600 A emission at the feet of these loops: a rapid pulse lasting for a few seconds to a few minutes, followed by a gradual decay on timescales of a few tens of minutes. Multiple band EUV observations by the Atmosphere Imaging Assembly further reveal very similar signatures. These two phases represent different but related signatures of an impulsive energy release in the corona. The rapid pulse is an immediate response of the lower atmosphere to an intense thermal conduction flux resulting from the sudden heating of the corona to high temperatures (we rule out energetic particles due to a lack of significant hard X-ray emission). The gradual phase is associated with the cooling of hot plasma that has been evaporated into the corona. The observed footpoint emission is again powered by thermal conduction (and enthalpy), but now during a period when approximate steady-state conditions are established in the loop. UV and EUV light curves of individual pixels may therefore be separated into contributions from two distinct physical mechanisms to shed light on the nature of energy transport in a flare.We demonstrate this technique using coordinated, spatially resolved observations of UV and EUV emissions from the footpoints of a C3.2 thermal flare.

Flares↗

NASA NTRS2016

The FOXSI Solar Sounding Rocket Campaigns

The Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) is, in its initial form, a sounding rocket experiment designed to apply the technique of focusing hard X-ray (HXR) optics to the study of fundamental questions about the high-energy Sun. Solar HXRs arise via bremsstrahlung from energetic electrons and hot plasma produced in solar flares and thus are one of the most direct diagnostics of flare-accelerated electrons and the impulsive heating of the solar corona. Previous missions have always been limited in sensitivity and dynamic range by the use of indirect (Fourier) imaging due to the lack of availability of direct focusing optics, but technological advances now make direct focusing accessible in the HXR regime (as evidenced by the NuSTAR spacecraft and several suborbital missions). The FOXSI rocket experiment develops and optimizes HXR focusing telescopes for the unique scientific requirements of the Sun. To date, FOXSI has completed two successful flights on 2012 November 02 and 2014 December 11 and is funded for a third flight. This paper gives a brief overview of the experiment, which is sensitive to solar HXRs in the 4-20 keV range, describes its first two flights, and gives a preview of plans for FOXSI-3.

Glesener, Lindsay↗

NASA NTRS2015

A Chandrasekhar Mass Progenitor for the Type Ia Supernova Remnant 3C 397 from the Enhanced Abundances of Nickel and Manganese

Despite decades of intense efforts, many fundamental aspects of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) remain elusive. One of the major open questions is whether the mass of an exploding white dwarf (WD) is close to the Chandrasekhar limit. Here, we report the detection of strong K-shell emission from stable Fe-peak elements in the Suzaku X-ray spectrum of the Type Ia supernova remnant (SNR) 3C 397. The high Ni/Fe and Mn/Fe mass ratios - (0.11-0.24 and 0.018-0.033, respectively) in the hot plasma component that dominates the K-shell emission lines indicate a degree of neutronization in the supernova ejecta that can only be achieved by electron capture in the dense cores of exploding WDs with a near-Chandrasekhar mass. This suggests a single-degenerate origin for 3C 397, since Chandrasekhar mass progenitors are expected naturally if the WD accretes mass slowly from a companion. Together with other results supporting the double-degenerate scenario, our work adds to the mounting evidence that both progenitor channels make a significant contribution to the SN Ia rate in star-forming galaxies.

G41.1-0.3); supernova remnants; nuclear reactions;↗

NASA NTRS2020

XMM-Newton observations of eleven intermediate polars and possible candidates

We aim to identify new intermediate polars (IPs) in XMM-Newton observations from a list of promising candidates. By selecting targets not previously known to be X-ray bright we aim to uncover evidence for an X-ray underluminous IP subpopulation. We performed period searches on the XMM-Newton X-ray and optical data of our targets to seek both the spin and orbital periods, which differ in IPs. We also investigated the X-ray spectra to find the hot plasma emission shown by these objects. With archival Swift data we coarsely investigated the long-term X-ray variability, and with archival optical data from a variety of catalogues, we compared the optical to X-ray luminosity to identify X-ray faint objects. This paper presents the first XMM-Newton observation of the prototype IP, DQ Her. We find firm evidence for HZ Pup, V349 Aqr, and IGR J18151-1052 being IPs, with likely white dwarf spin periods of 1552, 390, and 390 s, respectively. The former two have luminosities typical of IPs, and the latter is strongly absorbed and with unknown distance. GI Mon and V1084 Her are apparently non-magnetic CVs with interesting short-term variability unrelated to WD spin. V533 Her is probably a magnetic CV and remains a good IP candidate, while V1039 Cen is possibly a polar. The remaining candidates were too faint to allow for any firm conclusions.

H. Worpel↗

NASA NTRS2020

A Disc-Dominated and Clumpy Circumgalactic Medium of the Milky Way Seen in X-Ray Emission

The Milky Way galaxy is surrounded by a circumgalactic medium (CGM) that may play a key role in galaxy evolution as the source of gas for star formation and a repository of metals and energy produced by star formation and nuclear activity. The CGM may also be a repository for baryons seen in the early universe, but undetected locally. The CGM has an ionized component at temperatures near 2 x 10^6 K studied primarily in the soft X-ray band. Here we report a survey of the southern Galactic sky with a soft X-ray spectrometer optimized to study diffuse soft X-ray emission. The X-ray emission is best fit with a disc-like model based on the radial profile of the surface density of molecular hydrogen, a tracer of star formation, suggesting that the X-ray emission is predominantly from hot plasma produced via stellar feedback. Strong variations in the X-ray emission on angular scales of ~10 degrees indicate that the CGM is clumpy. Addition of an extended, and possibly massive, halo component is needed to match the halo density inferred from other observations.

P Kaaret↗