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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2012

The James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope is the scientific successor to the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. It will be a large (6.6m) cold (SDK) telescope launched into orbit around the second Earth-Sun Lagrange point. It is a partnership of NASA with the European and Canadian Space Agencies. The science goals for JWST include the formation of the first stars and galaxies in the early universe; the chemical, morphological and dynamical buildup of galaxies and the formation of stars and planetary systems. Recently, the goals have expanded to include studies of dark energy, dark matter, active galactic nuclei, exoplanets and Solar System objects. Webb will have four instruments: The Near-Infrared Camera, the Near-Infrared multi-object Spectrograph, and the Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph will cover the wavelength range 0.6 to S microns, while the Mid-Infrared Instrument will do both imaging and spectroscopy from 5 to 28.5 microns. The observatory is confirmed for launch in 2018; the design is complete and it is in its construction phase. Recent progress includes the completion of the mirrors, the delivery of the first flight instruments and the start of the integration and test phase.

Gardner, Jonathan P.↗
NASA NTRS2003

The James Webb Telescope Instrument Suite Layout: Optical System Engineering Considerations for a Large, Deployable Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a space-based, infrared observatory designed to study the early stages of galaxy formation in the Universe. The telescope will be launched into an elliptical orbit about the second Lagrange point and passively cooled to 30-50 K to enable astronomical observations from 0.6 to 28 microns. A group from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the Northrop Grumman Space Technology prime contractor team has developed an optical and mechanical layout for the science instruments within the JWST field of view that satisfies the telescope s high-level performance requirements. Four instruments required accommodation within the telescope's field of view: a Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) provided by the University of Arizona; a Near-Mared Spectrometer (NIRSpec) provided by the European Space Agency; a Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and a European consortium; and a Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) with a tunable filter module provided by the Canadian Space Agency. The size and position of each instrument's field of view allocation were developed through an iterative, concurrent engineering process involving the key observatory stakeholders. While some of the system design considerations were those typically encountered during the development of an infrared observatory, others were unique to the deployable and controllable nature of JWST. This paper describes the optical and mechanical issues considered during the field of view layout development, as well as the supporting modeling and analysis activities.

Bos, Brent↗
NASA NTRS2024

JWST Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy Resolves Gas, Dust, and Ice in Young Stellar Objects in the Large Magellanic Cloud

In this work, we present spectra of 11 young stellar objects (YSOs) taken with the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) / Medium Resolution Spectroscopy (MRS) instrument onboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The YSOs are located in the N79 region of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), an active star forming region with hundreds of Spitzer - and Herschel-identified YSOs and host to super star cluster (SSC) candidate H72.97-69.39. The three giant molecular clouds (GMCs) in N79 (East, West, and South) have varying star formation rates and stellar populations. MRS follow-up observations of four Spitzer -identified YSOs in N79 East, West, and South reveal that what seemed to be a single, massive YSO is actually a cluster of YSOs. We discuss the emission and absorption lines of six YSOs which have complete or almost-complete spectral coverage from 4.9 – 27.9 µm. YSO Y3, located in N79 East, is the youngest source in this study and likely to be less than 10,000 years old inferred from the prominent CH 4 , NH 3 , CH 3 OH, CH 3 OCHO, and CO 2 ice absorption features. The most luminous source is the central ionizing YSO of SSC H72.97-69.39, Y4, which has dozens of fine-structure and H 2 emission lines. Unlike the other YSOs in this work, Y4 has no polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission lines due to the intense ionizing radiation destroying these large carbon chain molecules. The mass accretion rate based on H I (7-6) line luminosity of YSOs Y1, Y2, Y4, and Y9 range between 1.22 × 10 −4 – 1.89 × 10 −2 M ⊙ yr −1 For the first time in the mid-infrared, we are able to resolve individual high-mass protostars forming in small clusters in an extra-galactic environment like the LMC.

Omnarayni Nayak↗
NASA NTRS2024

JWST-TST High Contrast: Asymmetries, Dust Populations, and Hints of a Collision in the β Pictoris Disk with NIRCam and MIRI

We present the first JWST Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) and Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) observations of the prominent debris disk around βPictoris. Coronagraphic observations in eight filters spanning from 1.8 to 23 μm provide an unprecedentedly clear view of the disk at these wavelengths. The objectives of the observing program were to investigate the dust composition and distribution and to investigate the presence of planets in the system. In this paper, we focus on the disk components, providing surface brightness measurements for all images and a detailed investigation of the asymmetries observed. A companion paper by Kammerer et al. will focus on the planets in this system using the same data. We report for the first time the presence of an extended secondary disk in thermal emission, with a curved extension bent away from the plane of the disk. This feature, which we refer to as the “cat’s tail,” seems to be connected with the previously reported CO clump, mid-infrared asymmetry detected on the southwest side of the disk, and the warp observed in scattered light. We present a model of this secondary disk sporadically producing dust that broadly reproduces the morphology, flux, and color of the cat’s tail, as well as other features observed in the disk, and which suggests the secondary disk is composed largely of porous, organic refractory dust grains.

Isabel Rebollido↗
DOE OSTI2020

Phase-curve Pollution of Exoplanet Transit Depths

The next generation of space telescopes will enable transformative science to understand the nature and origin of exoplanets. In particular, transit spectroscopy will reveal the chemical composition of the exoplanet atmospheres with unprecedented detail thanks to precise measurements of the visible-to-infrared transit depths down to 10 parts per million. Such a level of instrumental precision raises the challenge to obtain even more precise astrophysical models so as not to significantly influence the interpretation of the observed data. We must therefore critically revisit some of the commonly accepted assumptions that were adequate for analyzing past and current observations. A common approximation in the analysis of exoplanetary primary transits is that the planet does not contribute to the recorded flux, so-called dark planet hypothesis. In this paper, we investigate the impact of the dark planet hypothesis on the parameters obtained from the analysis of transits with particular attention to the transit depth. We develop mathematical formulae and release new software to estimate the magnitude of the potential bias. These tools will be useful in the preparation of observing proposals, as well as within the scientific consortia of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey (ARIEL) missions. We probe the accuracy of the mathematical formulae through the analysis of synthetic observations with the JWST Mid-InfraRed Instrument. We find that self-blending from nightside emission attenuates the transit depth by >3σ for some of the known exoplanet systems, in agreement with previous work. An additional unreported effect caused by the nightside rotating into view can also impart a significant effect, but in the opposite direction (increasing the transit depth); this effect can largely be removed with conventional detrending practices, at the expense of a slight increase in noise, and mixing astrophysical variations and instrumental drifts.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

A high internal heat flux and large core in a warm Neptune exoplanet

Interactions between exoplanetary atmospheres and internal properties have long been proposed to be drivers of the inflation mechanisms of gaseous planets and apparent atmospheric chemical disequilibrium conditions. However, transmission spectra of exoplanets have been limited in their ability to observationally confirm these theories owing to the limited wavelength coverage of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and inferences of single molecules, mostly H 2 O. Here, in this work, we present the panchromatic transmission spectrum of the approximately 750 K, low-density, Neptune-sized exoplanet WASP-107b using a combination of HST Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) and JWST Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). From this spectrum, we detect spectroscopic features resulting from H 2 O (21σ), CH 4 (5σ), CO (7σ), CO 2 (29σ), SO 2 (9σ) and NH 3 (6σ). The presence of these molecules enables constraints on the atmospheric metal enrichment (M/H is 10–18× solar), vertical mixing strength (log 10 K zz = 8.4–9.0 cm 2 s -1 ) and internal temperature (>345 K). The high internal temperature is suggestive of tidally driven inflation4 acting on a Neptune-like internal structure, which can naturally explain the large radius and low density of the planet. These findings suggest that eccentricity-driven tidal heating is a critical process governing atmospheric chemistry and interior-structure inferences for most of the cool (<1,000 K) super-Earth-to-Saturn-mass exoplanet population.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

The brighter-fatter effect in the JWST MIRI Si:As IBC detectors: I. Observations, impact on science, and modeling

Context.The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on board theJames WebbSpace Telescope (JWST) uses three Si:As impurity band conduction (IBC) detector arrays. The output voltage level of each MIRI detector pixel is digitally recorded by sampling up the ramp. For uniform or low-contrast illumination, the pixel ramps become nonlinear in a predictable way, but in areas of high contrast, the nonlinearity curve becomes much more complex. The origin of the effect is poorly understood and currently not calibrated out of the data. Aims.We provide observational evidence of the brighter-fatter effect (BFE) in MIRI conventional and high-contrast coronagraphic imaging, low-resolution spectroscopy, and medium-resolution spectroscopy data, and we investigate the physical mechanism that gives rise to the effect on the MIRI detector pixel raw voltage integration ramps. Methods.We used public data from the JWST/MIRI commissioning and Cycle 1 phase. We also developed a numerical electrostatic model of the MIRI detectors using a modified version of the publicPoisson_CCDcode. Results.We find that the physical mechanism behind the BFE manifesting in MIRI data is fundamentally different to that of charge-coupled devices and photodiode arrays such as the Hawaii-XRG near-infrared detectors used by the NIRISS, NIRCam, and NIRSpec instruments on board JWST. Observationally, the BFE makes the JWST MIRI data yield 10–25% larger point sources and spectral line profiles as a function of the relative level of de-biasing of neighboring detector pixels. This broadening impacts the MIRI absolute flux calibration, time-series observations of faint companions, and point spread function modeling and subtraction. We also find that the intra-pixel 2D profile of the shrinking Si:As IBC detector depletion region directly impacts the accuracy of the pixel ramp nonlinearity calibration model.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗
DOE OSTI2024

JWST lensed quasar dark matter survey – II. Strongest gravitational lensing limit on the dark matter free streaming length to date

This is the second in a series of papers in which we use JWST Mid Infrared Instrument multiband imaging to measure the warm dust emission in a sample of 31 multiply imaged quasars, to be used as a probe of the particle nature of dark matter. We present measurements of the relative magnifications of the strongly lensed warm dust emission in a sample of nine systems. The warm dust region is compact and sensitive to perturbations by populations of haloes down to masses $\sim 10^6$ M$_{\odot }$. Using these warm dust flux-ratio measurements in combination with five previous narrow-line flux-ratio measurements, we constrain the halo mass function. In our model, we allow for complex deflector macromodels with flexible third- and fourth-order multipole deviations from ellipticity, and we introduce an improved model of the tidal evolution of subhaloes. We constrain a WDM model and find an upper limit on the half-mode mass of $10^{7.6}\, {\rm M}_\odot$ at posterior odds of 10:1. This corresponds to a lower limit on a thermally produced dark matter particle mass of 6.1 keV. This is the strongest gravitational lensing constraint to date, and comparable to those from independent probes such as the Ly $\alpha$ forest and Milky Way satellite galaxies.

dark matter↗
DOE OSTI2024

JWST lensed quasar dark matter survey – I. Description and first results

ABSTRACT The flux ratios of gravitationally lensed quasars provide a powerful probe of the nature of dark matter. Importantly, these ratios are sensitive to small-scale structure, irrespective of the presence of baryons. This sensitivity may allow us to study the halo mass function even below the scales where galaxies form observable stars. For accurate measurements, it is essential that the quasar’s light is emitted from a physical region of the quasar with an angular scale of milliarcseconds or larger; this minimizes microlensing effects by stars within the deflector. The warm dust region of quasars fits this criterion, as it has parsec-size physical scales and dominates the spectral energy distribution of quasars at wavelengths greater than 10 μm. The JWST Mid-Infrared Instrument is adept at detecting redshifted light in this wavelength range, offering both the spatial resolution and sensitivity required for accurate gravitational lensing flux ratio measurements. Here, we introduce our survey designed to measure the warm dust flux ratios of 31 lensed quasars. We discuss the flux-ratio measurement technique and present results for the first target, DES J0405-3308. We find that we can measure the quasar warm dust flux ratios with 3 per cent precision. Our simulations suggest that this precision makes it feasible to detect the presence of 107 M⊙ dark matter haloes at cosmological distances. Such haloes are expected to be completely dark in cold dark matter models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

The Feasibility of Directly Imaging Nearby Cold Jovian Planets with MIRI/JWST

The upcoming launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will dramatically increase our understanding of exoplanets, particularly through direct imaging. Microlensing and radial velocity surveys indicate that some M dwarfs host long-period giant planets. Some of these planets will likely be just a few parsecs away and a few astronomical units from their host stars, a parameter space that cannot be probed by existing high-contrast imagers. We studied whether the coronagraphs on the Mid-infrared Instrument on JWST can detect Jovian-type planets around nearby M dwarfs. For a sample of 27 very nearby M dwarfs, we simulated a sample of Saturn–Jupiter-mass planets with three atmospheric configurations and three orbital separations, observed in three different filters. We found that the f1550c 15.5 μm filter is best suited for detecting Jupiter-like planets. Jupiter-like planets with patchy cloud cover, 2 au from their star, are detectable at 15.5 μm around 14 stars in our sample, while Jupiters with clearer atmospheres are detectable around all stars in the sample. Saturns were most detectable at 10.65 and 11.4 μm (f1065c and f1140c filters), but only with cloud-free atmospheres and within 3 pc (six stars). Surveying all 27 stars would take <170 hr of JWST integration time, or just a few hours for a shorter survey of the most favorable targets. There is one potentially detectable known planet in our sample: GJ 832 b. Observations aimed at detecting this planet should occur in 2024–2026, when the planet is maximally separated from the star.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cold Gas and Star Formation in the Phoenix Cluster with JWST

We present integral field unit observations of the Phoenix Cluster with the JWST Mid-infrared Instrument’s Medium Resolution Spectrometer. We focus this study on the molecular gas, dust, and star formation in the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG). We use precise spectral modeling to produce maps of the silicate dust, molecular gas, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the inner ∼50 kpc of the cluster. We measure the optical depth from silicates by comparing the observed H 2 line ratios to those predicted by excitation models. We provide updated measurements of the total molecular gas mass of $1.9^{+0.5}_{-0.04}$ x 10 10 M ⊙ , which agrees with CO-based estimates, providing an estimate of the CO-to-H 2 conversion factor of α CO = 0.8 ± 0.2 M ⊙ pc -2 (K km s -1 ) -1 ; an updated stellar mass of M * = 2.6 ± 0.5 × 10 10 M ⊙ ; and star formation rates (SFRs) averaged over 10 and 100 Myr of $\langle$SFR$\rangle$ 10 = 1340 ± 100 M ⊙ yr −1 and $\langle$SFR$\rangle$ 100 = 740 ± 80 M ⊙ yr −1 , respectively. The H 2 emission seems to be powered predominantly by shocks and star formation within the central ∼20 kpc, induced by stellar feedback and radio jets from the active galactic nucleus. Additionally, we find nearly an order-of-magnitude drop in the SFRs estimated by PAH fluxes in cool core BCGs compared to field galaxies, suggesting that hot particles from the intracluster medium are destroying PAH grains even in the central-most tens of kiloparsecs.

Active galaxies↗
NASA NTRS2008

Overview of the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large aperture (6.5 meter), cryogenic space telescope with a suite of near and mid-infrared instruments covering the wavelength range of 0.6 micrometers to 28 micrometers. JWST's primary science goal is to detect and characterize the first galaxies. It will also study the assembly of galaxies, star formation and protoplanetary systems, and formation of evolution of planetary systems. We will review JWST's science goals and discuss recent progress in the design of JWST's observatory architecture following the completion of a key milestone, the Mission Preliminary Design Review (PDR). In particular we will discuss the status of JWST's optical system, progress in the primary mirror fabrication program, and the status of key observatory elements such as the sunshield. We will also address the current projected scientific performance of the observatory in the context of its science goals.

Clampin, Mark↗
NASA NTRS2009

Status of The James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large aperture (6.5 meter), cryogenic space telescope with a suite of near and mid-infrared instruments covering the wavelength range of 0.6 pm to 28 pm. JWST's primary science goal is to detect and characterize the first galaxies. It will also study the assembly of galaxies, star formation, and the formation of evolution of planetary systems. We will present an overview of the Observatory's current design following the Mission Preliminary Design Review, (PDR). Recent progress in hardware development for the observatory will be presented, including a discussion of the status of JWST's optical system and Beryllium mirror fabrication, progress with sunshield prototypes, and recent changes in the integration and test configuration. We also review the expected scientific performance of the observatory based on the mission PDR design.

Clampin, Mark↗
NASA NTRS2008

Origin of the Universe: From the First Stars to Planets with JWST

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large aperture (6.5 meter), cryogenic space telescope with a suite of near and mid-infrared instruments. JWST's primary science goal is to detect and characterize the first galaxies. It will also study the assembly of galaxies, star formation, protoplanetary systems, and the formation of evolution of planetary systems. We will review the motivations for JWST's science goals in the context of recent Hubble Space Telescope, and Spitzer Space Telescope observations and review the status of the JWST Observatory.

Clampin, Mark↗
NASA NTRS2008

Transit Imaging and Spectroscopy with the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large aperture (6.5 meter), cryogenic space telescope with a suite of near and mid-infrared instruments covering the wavelength range of 0.6 microns to 28 microns. JWST's primary science goal is to detect and characterize the first galaxies. It will also study the assembly of galaxies, star formation, and the formation of evolution of planetary systems. Recent progress in hardware development for the observatory will be presented, including a discussion of the status of JWST's optical system and Beryllium mirror fabrication, progress with sunshield prototypes, and recent changes in the integration and test configuration. We also review the expected scientific performance of the observatory for observations of exosolar planets by means of transit imaging and spectroscopy. We will review the capabilities of each science instrument, and discuss the performance of each mode, with reference to current transiting systems.

Clampin, Mark↗
NASA NTRS2008

The James Webb Space Telescope and its Potential for Exoplanet Science

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large aperture (6.5 meter), cryogenic space telescope with a suite of near and mid-infrared instruments covering the wavelength range of 0.6 microns to 28 microns. JWST s primary science goal is to detect and characterize the first galaxies. It will also study the assembly of galaxies, star formation, and the formation of evolution of planetary systems. Recent progress in hardware development for the observatory will be presented, including a discussion of the status of JWST s optical system and Beryllium mirror fabrication, progress with sunshield prototypes, and recent changes in the integration and test configuration. We also review the expected scientific performance of the observatory for observations of exosolar planets by means of transit imaging and spectroscopy and direct imaging. We also review the recent discovery of Fomalhaut B and implications for debris disk imaging nd exoplanet detection with JWST.

Clampin, Mark↗
NASA NTRS2009

Capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope for Exoplanet Science

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large aperture (6.5 meter), cryogenic space telescope with a suite of near and mid-infrared instruments covering the wavelength range of 0.6 m to 28 m. JWST s primary science goal is to detect and characterize the first galaxies. It will also study the assembly of galaxies, star formation, and the formation of evolution of planetary systems. We also review the expected scientific performance of the observatory for observations of exosolar planets by means of transit photometry and spectroscopy, and direct coronagraphic imaging.

Clampin, Mark↗
NASA NTRS2009

Pathways Towards Habitable Planets: Capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large aperture (6.5 meter), cryogenic space telescope with a suite of near and mid-infrared instruments covering the wavelength range of 0.6 m to 28 m. JWST s primary science goal is to detect and characterize the first galaxies. It will also study the assembly of galaxies, star formation, and the formation of evolution of planetary systems. We also review the expected scientific performance of the observatory for observations of exosolar planets by means of transit photometry and spectroscopy, and direct coronagraphic imaging and address its role in the search for habitable planets.

Clampin, Mark↗