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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2006

A 70 Kiloparsec X-Ray Tail in the Cluster A3627

We present the discovery of a 70 kpc X-ray tail behind the small late-type galaxy ESO 137-001, in the nearby, hot (T=6.5 keV) merging cluster A3627, from both Chandra and XMM-Newton observations. The tail has a length-to-width ratio of approx. 10. It is luminous (L(0.5-2keV) approx 1041 ergs/s), with a temperature of approx. 0.7 keV and an X-ray gas mass of approx 10(exp 9) solar masses (approx 10% of the galaxy's stellar mass). We interpret this tail as the stripped interstellar medium of ESO 137-001 mixed with the hot cluster medium, with this blue galaxy being converted into a gas-poor galaxy. Three X-ray point sources are detected in the axis of the tail, which may imply active star formation there. The straightness and narrowness of the tail also imply that the turbulence in the intracluster medium is not strong on scales of 20-70 kpc.

Sun, M.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Collaborative Clustering for Sensor Networks

Traditionally, nodes in a sensor network simply collect data and then pass it on to a centralized node that archives, distributes, and possibly analyzes the data. However, analysis at the individual nodes could enable faster detection of anomalies or other interesting events, as well as faster responses such as sending out alerts or increasing the data collection rate. There is an additional opportunity for increased performance if individual nodes can communicate directly with their neighbors. Previously, a method was developed by which machine learning classification algorithms could collaborate to achieve high performance autonomously (without requiring human intervention). This method worked for supervised learning algorithms, in which labeled data is used to train models. The learners collaborated by exchanging labels describing the data. The new advance enables clustering algorithms, which do not use labeled data, to also collaborate. This is achieved by defining a new language for collaboration that uses pair-wise constraints to encode useful information for other learners. These constraints specify that two items must, or cannot, be placed into the same cluster. Previous work has shown that clustering with these constraints (in isolation) already improves performance. In the problem formulation, each learner resides at a different node in the sensor network and makes observations (collects data) independently of the other learners. Each learner clusters its data and then selects a pair of items about which it is uncertain and uses them to query its neighbors. The resulting feedback (a must and cannot constraint from each neighbor) is combined by the learner into a consensus constraint, and it then reclusters its data while incorporating the new constraint. A strategy was also proposed for cleaning the resulting constraint sets, which may contain conflicting constraints; this improves performance significantly. This approach has been applied to collaborative clustering of seismic and infrasonic data collected by the Mount Erebus Volcano Observatory in Antarctica. Previous approaches to distributed clustering cannot readily be applied in a sensor network setting, because they assume that each node has the same view of the data set. A view is the set of features used to represent each object. When a single data set is partitioned across several computational nodes, distributed clustering works; all objects have the same view. But when the data is collected from different locations, using different sensors, a more flexible approach is needed. This approach instead operates in situations where the data collected at each node has a different view (e.g., seismic vs. infrasonic sensors), but they observe the same events. This enables them to exchange information about the likely cluster membership relations between objects, even if they do not use the same features to represent the objects.

Wagstaff. Loro :/↗
NASA NTRS2019

CMB-HD: an Ultra-Deep, High-Resolution Millimeter-Wave Survey over Half the Sky

A millimeter-wave survey over half the sky, that spans frequencies in the range of 30 to 350 gigahertz, and that is both an order of magnitude deeper and of higher-resolution than currently funded surveys would yield an enormous gain in understanding of both fundamental physics and astrophysics. By providing such a deep, high-resolution millimeter-wave survey (about 0.5 microK-arcminutes noise and 15 arcseconds resolution at 150 gigahertz), CMB-HD (Cosmic Microwave Background - Henry Draper catalog entry) will enable major advances. It will allow 1) the use of gravitational lensing of the primordial microwave background to map the distribution of matter on small scales (k approximately equal to 10 h per megaparsec), which probes dark matter particle properties. It will also allow 2) measurements of the thermal and kinetic Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effects on small scales to map the gas density and gas pressure profiles of halos over a wide field, which probes galaxy evolution and cluster astrophysics. In addition, CMB-HD would allow us to cross critical thresholds in fundamental physics: 3) ruling out or detecting any new, light (less than 0.1 electronvolts), thermal particles, which could potentially be the dark matter, and 4) testing a wide class of multi-field models that could explain an epoch of inflation in the early Universe. Such a survey would also 5) monitor the transient sky by mapping the full observing region every few days, which opens a new window on gamma-ray bursts, novae, fast radio bursts, and variable active galactic nuclei. Moreover, CMB-HD would 6) provide a census of planets, dwarf planets, and asteroids in the outer Solar System, and 7) enable the detection of exo-Oort clouds around other solar systems, shedding light on planet formation. The combination of CMB-HD with contemporary ground and space-based experiments will also provide powerful synergies. CMB-HD will deliver this survey in 5 years of observing 20,000 square degrees, using two new 30-meter-class off-axis cross-Dragone telescopes to be located at Cerro Toco in the Atacama Desert. The telescopes will field about 2.4 million detectors (600,000 pixels) in total. The CMB-HD survey will be made publicly available, with usability and accessibility a priority.

Sehgal, Neelima↗
NASA NTRS2019

CMB-HD: An Ultra-Deep, High-Resolution Millimeter-Wave Survey Over Half the Sky

A millimeter-wave survey over half the sky, that spans frequencies in the range of 30 to 350 GHz, and that is both an order of magnitude deeper and of higher-resolution than currently funded surveys would yield an enormous gain in understanding of both fundamental physics and astrophysics. By providing such a deep, high-resolution millimeter-wave survey (about 0.5 Karcmin noise and 15 arcsecond resolution at 150 GHz), CMB-HD will enable major advances.It will allow 1.) the use of gravitational lensing of the primordial microwave background to map the distribution of matter on small scales (k 10 hMpc1), which probes dark matter particle properties. It will also allow 2.) measurements of the thermal and kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effects on small scales to map the gas density and gas pressure profiles of halos over a wide field,which probes galaxy evolution and cluster astrophysics. In addition, CMB-HD would allow us to cross critical thresholds in fundamental physics: 3.) ruling out or detecting any new, light (< 0:1 eV), thermal particles, which could potentially be the dark matter, and 4.) testing a wide class of multi-field models that could explain an epoch of inflation in the early Universe. Such a survey would also 5.) monitor the transient sky by mapping the full observing region every few days,which opens a new window on gamma-ray bursts, novae, fast radio bursts, and variable active galactic nuclei. Moreover, CMB-HD would 6.) provide a census of planets, dwarf planets, andasteroids in the outer Solar System, and 7.) enable the detection of exo-Oort clouds around othersolar systems, shedding light on planet formation. The combination of CMB-HD with contemporaryground and space-based experiments will also provide powerful synergies. CMB-HD willdeliver this survey in 5 years of observing 20,000 square degrees, using two new 30-meter-classoff-axis cross-Dragone telescopes to be located at Cerro Toco in the Atacama Desert. The telescopeswill field about 2.4 million detectors (600,000 pixels) in total. The CMB-HD survey willbe made publicly available, with usability and accessibility a priority.

Sehgal, Neelima↗
NASA NTRS1989

Abundances of the elements in the intergalactic medium

A summary of the X-ray and optical spectroscopic data on emission lines from elements in clusters of galaxies is presented. The best data exists for Fe. For the about 30 well-observed clusters, the mean Fe abundance is about 0.4 solar, but there appears to be a real variation of at least a factor of 2. X-ray emission lines from O, Mg, Si and S have been detected, and their abundances are within a factor of a few of solar. Analysis of optical emission lines from cooling gas due to O, N, and S also indicates abundances not too far from solar values. The implications of the presence of heavy elements in the intergalactic medium of clusters for the evolution of the chemical abundances of galaxies are discussed.

Mushotzky, Richard↗
NASA NTRS1981

The distribution and morphology of X-ray-emitting gas in the core of the Perseus cluster

An unresolved source has been found coincident with the nucleus of NGC 1275 in a high-resolution X-ray image of the core of the Perseus cluster. Absorption in the optical features at high velocity with respect to NGC 1275, which are thought to be associated with a foreground galaxy, does not produce any detectable X-ray absorption. The emission tends to become asymmetric in the presence of the lower-velocity filaments, but no obvious, detailed correlation is found between X-ray enhancements and individual filaments. Deprojection of surface brightness to yield temperature and density profiles of the intracluster gas shows results consistent with a quasi-hydrostatic radiative accretion flow onto NGC 1275, and the pressure-driven mass inflow onto the central galaxy is then 200-400 solar masses/yr. The possibility of a problem in the relation of line-of-sight velocity dispersion to cluster gravitational mass is confirmed.

Fabian, A. C.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Monitoring by Use of Clusters of Sensor-Data Vectors

The inductive monitoring system (IMS) is a system of computer hardware and software for automated monitoring of the performance, operational condition, physical integrity, and other aspects of the health of a complex engineering system (e.g., an industrial process line or a spacecraft). The input to the IMS consists of streams of digitized readings from sensors in the monitored system. The IMS determines the type and amount of any deviation of the monitored system from a nominal or normal ( healthy ) condition on the basis of a comparison between (1) vectors constructed from the incoming sensor data and (2) corresponding vectors in a database of nominal or normal behavior. The term inductive reflects the use of a process reminiscent of traditional mathematical induction to learn about normal operation and build the nominal-condition database. The IMS offers two major advantages over prior computational monitoring systems: The computational burden of the IMS is significantly smaller, and there is no need for abnormal-condition sensor data for training the IMS to recognize abnormal conditions. The figure schematically depicts the relationships among the computational processes effected by the IMS. Training sensor data are gathered during normal operation of the monitored system, detailed computational simulation of operation of the monitored system, or both. The training data are formed into vectors that are used to generate the database. The vectors in the database are clustered into regions that represent normal or nominal operation. Once the database has been generated, the IMS compares the vectors of incoming sensor data with vectors representative of the clusters. The monitored system is deemed to be operating normally or abnormally, depending on whether the vector of incoming sensor data is or is not, respectively, sufficiently close to one of the clusters. For this purpose, a distance between two vectors is calculated by a suitable metric (e.g., Euclidean distance) and "sufficiently close" signifies lying at a distance less than a specified threshold value. It must be emphasized that although the IMS is intended to detect off-nominal or abnormal performance or health, it is not necessarily capable of performing a thorough or detailed diagnosis. Limited diagnostic information may be available under some circumstances. For example, the distance of a vector of incoming sensor data from the nearest cluster could serve as an indication of the severity of a malfunction. The identity of the nearest cluster may be a clue as to the identity of the malfunctioning component or subsystem. It is possible to decrease the IMS computation time by use of a combination of cluster-indexing and -retrieval methods. For example, in one method, the distances between each cluster and two or more reference vectors can be used for the purpose of indexing and retrieval. The clusters are sorted into a list according to these distance values, typically in ascending order of distance. When a set of input data arrives and is to be tested, the data are first arranged as an ordered set (that is, a vector). The distances from the input vector to the reference points are computed. The search of clusters from the list can then be limited to those clusters lying within a certain distance range from the input vector; the computation time is reduced by not searching the clusters at a greater distance.

Iverson, David L.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Astrometric Detection of Extrasolar Planets: Results of a Feasibility Study with the Palomar 5 Meter Telescope

The detection of extrasolar planets around stars like the Sun remains an important goal of astronomy. We present results from Palomar 5 m observations of the open cluster NGC 2420 in which we measure some of the sources of noise that will be present in an astrometric search for extrasolar planets. This is the first time that such a large aperture has been used for high-precision astrometry. We find that the atmospheric noise is 150 micro-arcsec hr(exp 1/2) across a 90 sec field of view and that differential chromatic refraction (DCR) can be calibrated to 128 micro-arcsec for observations within 1 hr of the meridian and 45 deg of zenith. These results confirm that a model for astrometric measurements can be extrapolated to large apertures. We demonstrate, based upon these results, that a large telescope achieves the sensitivity required to perform a statistically significant search for extra solar planets. We describe an astrometric technique to detect planets, the astrometric signals expected, the role of reference stars, and the sources of measurement noise: photometric noise, atmospheric motion between stars, sky background, instrumental noise, and DCR. For the latter, we discuss a method to reduce the noise further to 66 micro-arcsecond for observations within 1 hr of the meridian and 45 deg of zenith. We discuss optimal lists of target stars taken from the latest Gliese & Jahreiss catalog of nearby stars with the largest potential astrometric signals, declination limits for both telescope accessibility and reduced DCR, and galactic latitude limits for a sufficiant number of reference stars. Two samples are described from which one can perform statistically significant searches for gas giant planets around nearby stars. One sample contains 100 "solar class" stars with an average stellar mass of 0.82 solar mass; the other maximizes the number of stars, 574, by searching mainly low-mass M stars. We perform Monte Carlo simulations of the statistical significance of the expected results by using measured and estimated noise quantities. We show the semimajor axis parameter spaces that are searched for each star and how an increase in the length of the observing program expands these spaces. The search over semimajor axis parameter space relates to the theory of gas giant planet formation.

Pravdo, Steven H.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The nuclear regions of NGC 3311 and NGC 7768 imaged with the Hubble Space Telescope Planetary Camera

We present high-resolution, V band images of the central regions of the brightest cluster ellipticals NGC 3311 and NGC 7768 taken with the Planetary Camera of the Hubble Space Telescope. The nuclei of both galaxies are found to be obscured by dust, though the morphology of the dust is quite different in the two cases. The dust cloud which obscures the central 3 arcsec of NGC 3311 is complex and irregular, while the central region of NGC 7768 contains a disk of material similar in appearance and scale to that recently observed in HST images of NGC 4261. The bright, relatively blue source detected in ground-based studies of NGC 3311 is marginally resolved and is likely to be a site of ongoing star formation. We examine the distribution of globular clusters in the central regions of NGC 3311. The gradient in the surface density profile of the cluster system is significantly shallower than that found by previous investigators at larger radii. We find a core radius for the cluster distribution of 12 plus or minus 3 kpc, which is even larger than the core radius of the globular cluster system surrounding M87. It is also an order of magnitude larger than the upper limit on the core radius of NGC 3311's stellar light and suggests that the central field-star population and the globular cluster system are dynamically distinct. We briefly discuss possible sources for the cold/warm interstellar material in early-type galaxies. While the issue has not been resolved, models which involve galactic wind failure appear to be mo st naturally consistent with the observations.

Grillmair, Carl J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

An X-ray Investigation of the NGC 346 Field: The LBV HD 5980 and the NGC 346 Cluster - 1

We present results from a Chandra observation of the NGC 346 star formation region, which contains numerous massive stars, and is related to N66, the largest H(II) region of the SMC (Small Magellanic Cloud). In this first paper, we will focus on the characteristics of the main objects of the field. The NGC 346 cluster itself shows only relatively faint X-ray emission (with L((sub X)(sup unabs)) is approximately 1.5 x 10(exp 34) erg s(exp -1), tightly correlated with the core of the cluster. In the field also lies HD 5980, a LBV (Luminous Blue Variable) star in a binary (or triple system) that is detected for the first time at X-ray energies. The star is X-ray bright, with an unabsorbed luminosity of L((sub X)(sup unabs)) is approximately 1.7 x 10(exp 34) erg s(exp -1), but needs to be monitored further to investigate its X-ray variability over a complete orbital cycle. The high X-ray luminosity may be associated either with colliding winds in the binary system or with the 1994 eruption. HD 5980 is surrounded by a region of diffuse X-ray emission, which may be a superimposed supernova remnant.

Naze, Y.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Amyloplasts as possible statoliths in gravitropic protonemata of the moss Ceratodon purpureus

The kinetics of gravitropism and of amyloplast sedimentation were studied in dark-grown protonemata of the moss Ceratodon purpureus (Hedw.) Brid. The protonemata grew straight up at a rate of 20-25 micromoles h-1 in nutrient-supplemented agar. After they were oriented to the horizontal, upward curvature was first detected after 1-1.5 h and reached 84 degrees by 24 h. The tip cells exhibited an amyloplast zonation, with a tip cluster of non-sedimenting amyloplasts, an amyloplast-free zone, and a zone with pronounced amyloplast sedimentation. This latter zone appears specialized more for lateral than for axial sedimentation since amyloplasts sediment to the lower wall in horizontal protonemata but do not fall to the basal wall in vertical protonemata. Amyloplast sedimentation started within 15 min of gravistimulation; this is within the 12-17-min presentation time. The data support the hypothesis that some amyloplasts function as statoliths in these cells.

NASA Discipline Number 29-20↗
NASA NTRS1978

General-relativistic astrophysics

The overall relevance of general relativity to astrophysics is considered, and some of the knowledge about the ways in which general relativity should influence astrophysical systems is reviewed. Attention is focused primarily on finite-sized astrophysical systems, such as stars, globular clusters, galactic nuclei, and primordial black holes. Stages in the evolution of such systems and tools for studying the effects of relativistic gravity in these systems are examined. Gravitational-wave astronomy is discussed in detail, with emphasis placed on estimates of the strongest gravitational waves that bathe earth, present obstacles and future prospects for detection of the predicted waves, the theory of small perturbations of relativistic stars and black holes, and the gravitational waves such objects generate. Characteristics of waves produced by black-hole events in general, pregalactic black-hole events, black-hole events in galactic nuclei and quasars, black-hole events in globular clusters, the collapse of normal stars to form black holes or neutron stars, and corequakes in neutron stars are analyzed. The state of the art in gravitational-wave detection and characteristics of various types of detector are described.

Thorne, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Automation of disbond detection in aircraft fuselage through thermal image processing

A procedure for interpreting thermal images obtained during the nondestructive evaluation of aircraft bonded joints is presented. The procedure operates on time-derivative thermal images and resulted in a disbond image with disbonds highlighted. The size of the 'black clusters' in the output disbond image is a quantitative measure of disbond size. The procedure is illustrated using simulation data as well as data obtained through experimental testing of fabricated samples and aircraft panels. Good results are obtained, and, except in pathological cases, 'false calls' in the cases studied appeared only as noise in the output disbond image which was easily filtered out. The thermal detection technique coupled with an automated image interpretation capability will be a very fast and effective method for inspecting bonded joints in an aircraft structure.

Prabhu, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Uhuru observations of the Norma X-ray burster

Four X-ray bursts consistent with a single source in Norma are reported which were discovered by reexamining Uhuru data obtained between 1970 and 1973. The temporal and spectral characteristics of the bursts are described and shown to be similar to those displayed by bursts from the globular cluster NGC 6224. An error box of the source location is given, and it is found that both the position and intensity of the four bursts are consistent with those of 10 bursts detected by the Vela satellites in 1976. It is concluded that the source is the same as that observed by the Vela and is an X-ray burster with characteristics similar to those of certain other bursters. XB 1608-52 is suggested as the designation of this burster, possible burst models are considered, and it is noted that the error box of the present source contains an identified globular cluster.

Grindlay, J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Extremely red objects in the fields of high redshift radio galaxies

We are engaged in a program of infrared imaging photometry of high redshift radio galaxies. The observations are being done using NICMOS2 and NICMOS3 arrays on the DuPont 100-inch telescope at Las Campanas Observatory. In addition, Persson and Matthews are measuring the spectral energy distributions of normal cluster galaxies in the redshift range 0 to 1. These measurements are being done with a 58 x 62 InSb array on the Palomar 5-m telescope. During the course of these observations we have imaged roughly 20 square arcminutes of sky to limiting magnitudes greater than 20 in the J, H, and K passbands (3 sigma in 3 square arcseconds). We have detected several relatively bright, extremely red, extended objects during the course of this work. Because the radio galaxy program requires Thuan-Gunn gri photometry, we are able to construct rough photometric energy distributions for many of the objects. A sample of the galaxy magnitudes within 4 arcseconds diameter is given. All the detections are real; either the objects show up at several wavelengths, or in subsets of the data. The reddest object in the table, 9ab'B' was found in a field of galaxies in a rich cluster at z = 0.4; 9ab'A' lies 8 arcseconds from it.

Persson, S. E.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The X-ray properties of the young open cluster around alpha Persei

The observations of the 50 Myr old alpha Persei open cluster, performed by the Rosat's position sensitive proportional counter (PSPC), are discussed. The X-ray observations cover an area of about 10 sq deg. A total of 160 X-ray sources were detected. The comparison between the X-ray luminosity distribution functions of the alpha Persei sample and the Pleiades indicated that F and G-type stars in the alpha Persei are more X-ray luminous than their older counterparts in the Pleiades. No significant difference was found between the distributions of the K and M-type dwarfs in the two clusters.

Randich, S.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Sub-Eddington Supermassive Black Hole Activity in Fornax Early-type Galaxies

We characterize the incidence and intensity of low-level supermassive black hole activity within the Fornax cluster, through X-ray observations of the nuclei of 29 quiescent early-type galaxies. Using the Chandra X-ray Telescope, we target 17 galaxies from the Hubble Space Telescope Fornax Cluster Survey, down to a uniform (3σ) limiting X-ray luminosity threshold of 5 x 10^(38) erg/s, which we combine with deeper, archival observations for an additional 12 galaxies. A nuclear X-ray point source is detected in 11 out of 29 targets. After accounting for the low-mass X-ray binary contamination to the nuclear X-ray signal, the X-ray active fraction is measured at 26.6% ± 9.6%. The results from this analysis are compared to similar investigations targeting quiescent early types in the Virgo cluster, as well as the field. After correcting for the different mass distributions, the measured Fornax active fraction is less than the field fraction, at more than 3σ, confirming that the funneling of gas to the nuclear regions of cluster members is inhibited compared to those galaxies in the field. At the same time, we find no statistically significant difference between Fornax and Virgo galaxies, with only marginal evidence for a lower active fraction in Fornax (1σ); if real, owing to Fornaxʼs higher galaxy number density, this could indicate that galaxy–galaxy interactions are more effective at gas removal than galaxy-gas effects.

Nathan Lee↗
NASA NTRS1982

Particle physics meets cosmology - The search for decaying neutrinos

The fundamental physical implications of the possible detection of massive neutrinos are discussed, with an emphasis on the Grand Unified Theories (GUTs) of matter. The Newtonian and general-relativistic pictures of the fundamental forces are compared, and the reduction of electromagnetic and weak forces to one force in the GUTs is explained. The cosmological consequences of the curved-spacetime gravitation concept are considered. Quarks, leptons, and neutrinos are characterized in a general treatment of elementary quantum mechanics. The universe is described in terms of quantized fields, the noninteractive 'particle' fields and the force fields, and cosmology becomes the study of the interaction of gravitation with the other fields, of the 'freezing out' of successive fields with the expansion and cooling of the universe. While the visible universe is the result of the clustering of the quark and electron fields, the distribution of the large number of quanta in neutrino field, like the mass of the neutrino, are unknown. Cosmological models which attribute anomalies in the observed motions of galaxies and stars to clusters or shells of massive neutrinos are shown to be consistent with a small but nonzero neutrino mass and a universe near the open/closed transition point, but direct detection of the presence of massive neutrinos by the UV emission of their decay is required to verify these hypotheses.

Henry, R. C.↗