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At least 523 records · Page 29

On the relationship between the infrared source CRL 2591 /UOA-27/ and its radio and H2O counterparts

Recent radio, infrared, and H2O maser observations show that there is a 7-arcsec angular separation between the protostarlike infrared source CRL 2591 and the compact H II region which has until now been identified with it, while the H2O maser coincides with the infrared source. This result, together with an extension of photometric measurements to 20 microns and a much improved upper limit to its angular size, reinforces the apparent similarity of CRL 2591 to the BN object in Orion and to W3/IRS 5.

Wynn-Williams, C. G.↗

A new, compact far-infrared source in the W31 region

In a survey of the W31 region, a compact far-infrared source was detected at the position of the radio continuum source G 10.6-0.4. Associated with this infrared source and in close coincidence with its position is an H II region with a compact core and extended halo as well as OH and H2O masers. An extended molecular cloud, centered on these sources, has also been detected. The compact source and associated masers may be located at the H II region-molecular-cloud interface in a thin shocked layer of neutral gas driven into the molecular cloud by the expansion of the H II region. The compact H II region is depleted of dust and must be surrounded by a very dense shell of dust and gas (hydrogen number density in excess of 200,000 per cu cm). The source probably represents an early stage of stellar evolution.

Fazio, G. G.↗

FTS maintenance and calibration at DSS 42/43

An FTS maintenance and calibration task was conducted at DSS 42/43 during August 1978. The objectives of this effort were (1) the routine maintenance and calibration of hydrogen masers, (2) installation and calibration of cesium standards, (3) installation of test equipment for frequency measurement, (4) CRG testing, (5) cabling inspection and repair, (6) check thermal and magnetic environment of H-maser/cesium room, and (7) calibration of frequency and timing subsystem.

Dachel, P. R.↗

An infrared study of the NGC 7538 region

Infrared observations of the NGC 7538 region at wavelengths from 1 micron to 1 mm are presented and analyzed with the aim of understanding both the large-scale structure of this region of current star formation and the properties of the individual compact objects within it. At far-infrared wavelengths (25-130 microns), emission is seen from the visible H II region, from the vicinity of the previously known maser sources and dust-embedded compact HII regions, and from a new region called NGC 7538(E). Coincident with NGC 7538(E) are a point-like 1-25 micron infrared source, NGC 7538-IRS9, which probably provides the power for the far-infrared emission, and an extended source of 2.2 micron emission which appears to be an infrared reflection nebula. The compact H II regions, the maser sources and IRS9 are located within a dense molecular cloud at the edge of the optical H II region. This cloud, which has a mass of approximately 9000 solar masses, is detected in emission at 1 mm. The NGC 7538 region appears to contain examples of different stages in the formation of massive stars; it is suggested that the center of star formation is moving systematically to the southeast in this region.

Werner, M. W.↗

Fiber optics transmit clock signal more reliably

Optical automatic gain control smooths maser clock amplitude fluctuations without phase shift. Uncomplicated optical system is more reliable than electrical transmission circuits which require phase-locked loops to compensate for shift. Maser feeds reference signal to linear fiber-optic analog transmitter which emits modulated laser beam directed to splitter. Splitter consists of dichroic mirrors and associated lenses for distributing beam to output ports. Cables attached there guide signals to receiving station.

Lutes, G. F., Jr.↗

A report on the gravitational redshift test for non-metric theories of gravitation

The frequencies of two atomic hydrogen masers and of three superconducting cavity stabilized oscillators were compared as the ensemble of oscillators was moved in the Sun's gravitational field by the rotation and orbital motion of the Earth. Metric gravitation theories predict that the gravitational redshifts of the two types of oscillators are identical, and that there should be no relative frequency shift between the oscillators; nonmetric theories, in contrast, predict a frequency shift between masers and SCSOs that is proportional to the change in solar gravitational potential experienced by the oscillators. The results are consistent with metric theories of gravitation at a level of 2%.

Source record↗

A study of the processes in the RF hydrogen gas dissociator

The role of the RF gas dissociator in the hydrogen maser is examined. Based on collisional and plasma transport processes, the performance of the source is investigated. It is found that while the complexity of the collisional processes in the RF dissociator prohibits an easily obtained quantitative expression for the performance of the source, it is nevertheless possible to make general inferences concerning the qualitative performance based on collisional effects. An analytical expression for the efficiency of the source in atom production is obtained based on plasma transport processes. On the basis of this study some recommendations are made for the development of more efficient RF hydrogen gas dissociators for use in masers.

Maleki, L.↗

Coherent reference generator phase stability

Approximate phase stability estimates for the coherent reference generator (CRG) unit in the DSN's Frequency and Timing Subsystem (FTS) are calculated. The method used involves estimating the phase noise introduced by CRG components based upon measurements made in the past on similar components in other parts of the FTS and obtaining the CRG phase noise from the component phase noises. Three estimates of phase stability are calculated: the fractional frequency change for a 5 C step in temperature, the phase noise spectral density, and the Allan standard deviation. It is found from these estimates that the CRG phase stability is better than that of the H-maser physics unit + receiver. Thus, the first step in improving FTS phase stability would be to make improvements in the H-maser physics unit + receiver. These results are corroborated by indirect clock stability estimates calculated from Doppler data.

Korwar, V. N.↗

OH emission in the direction of TV Gem and BI Cyg

The NRAO-Green Bank 43-m telescope and 18-cm receiver have detected OH maser main-line emission at 1665 MHz, in the direction of the two late-type supergiants TV Gem and BI Cyg. The detection of the two new OH maser sources is noteworthy in view of the small number of late-type supergiants known to be molecular radio sources, or associated in close proximity with OH emission clouds. The IR, UV and radio properties of the two stars are discussed.

Brown, L. W.↗

Far-infrared mapping of the double-lobed H II region S106

Photometry of S106 at 50 and 100 microns, as well as its mapping with 35 arcsec resolution and a search for a nearby H2O maser source at 2 and 10 microns, have yielded data that are consistent with a 900 pc distance and an O9 (ZAMS) spectral type for a single, central exciting star. The correlation of dust temperature with optical emission, and anticorrelation of dust optical depth with optical emission, support models of S106 which envision an exciting star surrounded by a dusty disk having very low optical extinction along its approximately north-south axis. A local maximum in the dust column density was found to the west of the optical nebula, near the position of an H2O maser, although no local near- or far-IR flux maximum was detected.

Harvey, P. M.↗

Radio wave heating of the corona and electron precipitation during flares

Electron-cyclotron masers, excited while energy release is occurring in a flaring magnetic loop, are likely to generate extremely intense radiation at decimeter wavelengths. The energy in the radiation can be comparable with that in the electrons associated with hard X-ray bursts, i.e., a significant fraction of the total energy in the flare. Essentially all of the radio energy is likely to be reabsorbed by gyroresonance absorption, either near the emitting region or at some distance away in neighboring loops. Enhanced diffusion of fast electrons caused by the maser can lead to precipitation at the maximum possible rate, and hence account for hard X-ray emission from the footpoints of the magnetic loops.

Melrose, D. B.↗

Design of the stift time and frequency transfer microwave ground terminal

The Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer System is intended to provide, simultaneously, global time comparisons at the subnanosecond level and frequency comparisons to better than 1 part in 10 to the 14th power. It utilizes an orbiting hydrogen maser clock and frequency standard that communicates, via microwave links, time and frequency information to Earth terminals operated by hydrogen masers controlling local clocks. A two-way microwave link, to and from the space vehicle provides Doppler information used to cancel the Doppler shifts in a one-way link from the spaceborne oscillator. Pseudo-random noise (PRN) modulation in the two-way link also provides range information to cancel the range delay in the PRN time transfer between space and Earth. The pseudo-random noise modulation system for time difference measurement and its incorporation in the Doppler cancellation system for frequency comparison is explained. The particular PRN code sequence selected and an analysis of the system is discussed.

Penfield, H.↗

An unusual microwave flare with 56 second oscillations on the M dwarf L726-8 A

Using the VLA, an unusual flare event has been observed on L726-8 A (dM5.5e), the primary star in the M dwarf system containing the prototype flare star UV Cet. This flare had a peak flux of 8 mJy at 6 cm and a corresponding brightness temperature greater than 10 to the 10th K, was almost entirely right-hand circularly polarized, showed large flux variations on the 10 s time resolution of the VLA, and exhibited quasi-periodic oscillations with a period of about 56 + or - 5 s. While periodic flux variations have been detected during solar flares and RS CVn type stellar flares, this is apparently the first detection of periodicity in microwaves from M dwarf stars. It is proposed that the observed radiation was due to maser action, probably an electron maser, and that the energy release mechanism was modulated.

Gary, D. E.↗

Symposium on the Orion Nebula to Honor Henry Draper, New York University, New York, NY, December 4, 5, 1981, Proceedings

The present conference on astronomical studies of the Orion Nebula covers molecular clouds in Orion, the use of the nebula's cloak as a model for gas super-shells around OB associations, optical and UV data concerning the nebula's physical conditions, the presence of atomic carbon in Orion, large scale distribution of far-IR and sub-mm line emission, star formation studies in the IR, gas dynamics in the circumstellar nebula of the Becklin-Neugebauer source, maser sources and far-IR CO line emission in Orion-KL, and synthesis maps of mm molecular lines. Also discussed are Orion's star distributions, core region nebular condensations, energetic molecular flows in star-forming cloud cores, IR observations of HH objects, compact continuum radio sources, the SiO maser, shock waves, and the chemical evolution of OB associations.

Glassgold, A. E.↗

Effect of RF Filtering on the Performance of Uncoded PCM/PM Telemetry Channels

A method for calculating the increase in received telemetry signal power required to compensate for the use of a radio frequency interference (RFI) filter in front of the DSN receiving system low-noise amplifier is described. The telemetry system for which the degradation is calculated is an uncoded PCM/PM system in which the NRZ data directly modulates the carrier at a modulation level which leaves a discrete carrier. A phase-locked loop in the RF receiver tracks the discrete carrier and coherently demodulates the PCM data. The RFI filter may be a series of Butterworth, Tchebychev, or Bessel low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, or band-reject filters, each with arbitrary bandwidth, number of poles, and, for band-pass or band-reject filters, resonant frequency. The only restriction is that the RFI filter must have only simple poles. Numerical results are presented for the RFI filters the DSN plans to place in front of the S-band FET, S-band maser, and X-band maser low noise amplifiers. The main conclusion is that the filters will produce negligible degradation at data rates below 4 Mbps.

Koerner, M. A.↗

A search for 183-GHz emission from water in late-type stars

A search was made for 183 GHz line emission from water vapor in the direction of twelve Mira and two semiregular variables. Upper limits to the emission are in the range of 2000 to 5000 Jy. It is estimated that thermal emission from the inner regions of late type stellar envelopes will be on the order of ten Jy. Maser emission, according to one model, would be an order of magnitude stronger. From the limited set sampled, the possibility of very strong maser emission at 183 GHz cannot yet be ruled out.

Kuiper, T. B. H.↗

Radio-frequency heating of the coronal plasma during flares

A model is developed for the radio-frequency (RF) heating of soft X-ray emitting plasma in solar flares due to absorption of amplified cyclotron radiation. The radiation, carrying approximately 10 to the 27th to approximately 10 to the 30th erg/s, is generated through maser emission following partial precipitation of electrons in one or more flaring loops. The maser operates in a large number of small regions, each producing an 'elementary burst' (EB) of short duration. This radiation propagates either directly or after reflection to the second-harmonic absorption layer, where it is absorbed by thermal electrons. The properties of EBs and the heating of the electrons in the absorption layer are discussed in detail. RF heating and evaporation models for the production of soft X-ray emitting plasma are compared. Properties of the RF heating model that explain observed features are energy transport across field lines, rapid heating (in approximately 1 s) of coronal plasma to approximately 3 x 10 to the 7th K, and instigation of turbulent velocities up to the ion sound speed.

Melrose, D. B.↗

Programable Driver for Voltage-Controlled Oscillators

Electronically programable read-only memory (EPROM) and digital-to-analog converter provide customized time-varying voltage for frequency modulation. Voltage used to modulate IMPATT oscillator that serves as microwave pump for solid-state maser in low-noise amplifier. EPROM simple to tailor voltage waveform to suit characteristics of given maser. Digital information for waveform programed into EPROM chip; digital-to-analog converter reads information and produces corresponding analog wave. Principle readily adapted to other applications.

Fowler, L. E.↗