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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Polarization studies of Zeeman affected spectral lines using the MSFC magnetograph

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) vector magnetograph records polarization images of absorption lines that are sensitive to magnetic fields. A method is presented for analyzing the Stokes spectral-line profiles of a photospheric Fe I absorption line (5250.2 A) which is influenced by the Zeeman effect. Using nonlinear least-square optimization, the observed Stokes profiles are compared with those generated from the theoretical solution of the polarized radiative transfer equations. The optimization process accounts for the spectral convolution of the source and the MSFC vector magnetograph. The resulting physical properties of the active region producing the polarized light are discussed.

Balasubramaniam, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Solar imaging vector magnetograph

This report describes an instrument which has been constructed at the University of Hawaii to make observations of the magnetic field in solar active regions. Detailed knowledge of active region magnetic structures is crucial to understanding many solar phenomena, because the magnetic field both defines the morphology of structures seen in the solar atmosphere and is the apparent energy source for solar flares. The new vector magnetograph was conceived in response to a perceived discrepancy between the capabilities of X ray imaging telescopes to be operating during the current solar maximum and those of existing magnetographs. There were no space-based magnetographs planned for this period; the existing ground-based instruments variously suffered from lack of sensitivity, poor time resolution, inadequate spatial resolution or unreliable sites. Yet the studies of flares and their relationship to the solar corona planned for the 1991-1994 maximum absolutely required high quality vector magnetic field measurements. By 'vector' measurements we mean that the observation attempts to deduce the complete strength and direction of the field at the measurement site, rather than just the line of sight component as obtained by a traditional longitudinal magnetograph. Knowledge of the vector field permits one to calculate photospheric electric currents, which might play a part in heating the corona, and to calculate energy stored in coronal magnetic fields as the result of such currents. Information about the strength and direction of magnetic fields in the solar atmosphere can be obtained in a number of ways, but quantitative data is best obtained by observing Zeeman-effect polarization in solar spectral lines. The technique requires measuring the complete state of polarization at one or more wavelengths within a magnetically sensitive line of the solar spectrum. This measurement must be done for each independent spatial point for which one wants magnetic field data. All the measurements need to be done in a time short compared to the time scale for changes of the solar features being observed. Were it possible, one would want to record all the needed data simultaneously, since temporal variation of atmospheric seeing degrades both the image and the polarization sensitivity. Since the measurements must span four dimensions, two spatial plus polarization and wavelength, we had some freedom to design the instrument to favor some dimensions over others in terms of simultaneity. Our earlier instrument, the Haleakala Stokes Polarimeter, records a range of wavelengths spanning two spectral lines in each reading, but requires two seconds to determine the polarization state and obtains spatial information only by assembling a long sequence of measurements at single locations on the sun. The new instrument sacrifices spectral detail and accuracy in favor of greatly improved imaging characteristics. The scientific goals for this instrument were to measure surface magnetic fields with enough accuracy to permit calculations of photospheric currents, but with a field of view covering an entire typical active region, high spatial resolution, and a fast enough temporal cadence for detecting flare-associated changes in magnetic structures.

Canfield, Richard C.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Development of software for the MSFC solar vector magnetograph

The Marshall Space Flight Center Solar Vector Magnetograph is a special purpose telescope used to measure the vector magnetic field in active areas on the surface of the sun. This instrument measures the linear and circular polarization intensities (the Stokes vectors Q, U and V) produced by the Zeeman effect on a specific spectral line due to the solar magnetic field from which the longitudinal and transverse components of the magnetic field may be determined. Beginning in 1990 as a Summer Faculty Fellow in project JOVE and continuing under NASA Grant NAG8-1042, the author has been developing computer software to perform these computations, first using a DEC MicroVAX system equipped with a high speed array processor, and more recently using a DEC AXP/OSF system. This summer's work is a continuation of this development.

Kineke, Jack↗
NASA NTRS1999

Exotic Molecules in Space: A Coordinated Astronomical Laboratory and Theoretical Study

The past three years have been a period of great progress in our laboratory investigation of molecules of astrophysical interest-the most productive by far in the 20-year history of a research program which has led to the discovery of over 20% of the 123 known interstellar and circumstellar molecules. Most of the discoveries made during this period have been the result of the construction in late 1995 and early 1996 of a Fourier transform microwave spectrometer working in the centimeter-wave band. The sensitivity of this instrument from the moment that it was turned on has exceeded our expectations by an order of magnitude. The Table below shows the 46 new molecules which have been discovered. Most are carbon chains, the dominant type of molecule which has been found in space. Several comments with respect to these molecules should be made: 1. There are probably no mistakes in any of the identifications, since these have been confirmed by the standard, powerful assays and tests used to check spectroscopic identifications: isotopic substitution, quantum calculations of the expected molecular structures, detection of hyperfine structure, Zeeman effect, etc. 2. The radio laboratory astrophysics of the entire set is complete for the time being, in the sense that essentially all the astronomically interesting radio transitions (including hfs when present) are either directly measured or can now be calculated from the derived spectroscopic constants to better than 1 part per million (or 0.3 km s-1 in radial velocity, and often much better than that). 3. Six of the forty six new molecules have already been identified in space, in every case but one on the basis of our laboratory measurements. 4. Sensitive as they are, our laboratory techniques are far from fundamental limits on sensitivity, and 5. One of the principal motivations of our research is to close the fairly small mass and size gap, now only a factor of a few, between the smallest postulated interstellar grains and the largest identified interstellar molecules.

Thaddeus, Patrick↗
NASA NTRS2001

Motions and Initial Conditions in Star-Forming Dense Cores

Under this grant in the past year we have pursued spectral-line observations of star-forming regions over size scales from 0.01 pc to 0.5 pc. Our main goal has been to measure the systematic and turbulent motions of condensing and collapsing gas. In this area, our results include (1) in 67 starless dense cores, some 19 show clear evidence of spatially extended inward motions, with typical line-of-sight inward speed 0.05-0.09 km s(sup -1) and with typical plane-of-the-sky extent 0.1-0.3 pc, (2) In some 40 nearby regions with embedded groups and clusters, we see extended infall asymmetry in lines of CS and HCO(+) clearly in 4 regions and less clearly in 4 others, (3) Using finer resolution (15 arcsec or 0.01-0.02 pc) and lines tracing higher density, we see spatial concentration of infall asymmetry near the protostars in NGC 1333 IRS 4A and B, L483, and L1251B, and with still finer resolution (2 arcsec or 0.003 pc or 600 AU) we detect inverse P Cyg profiles, indicating absorption of continuum emission from the protostellar envelope by infalling gas in NGC 1333 IRS 4A and 4B. Further, at high resolution we identify regions of stellar mass and low turbulence ("kernels") which are good candidates to become the next generation of stars in embedded clusters. In addition we have completed a survey for the OH Zeeman effect in absorption against nearby H II regions, indicating that the large-scale magnetic field may be nearly critical if it typically threads a flattened structure. We have also developed a model of spatially extended infall motions based on dissipation of turbulence in a magnetized, selfgravitating layer. In the following we describe some of these results in more detail.

Myers, Philip C.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Zeeman Tuning Rate for Q Branch Transitions in the v3 Band of NO2

Zeeman tuning rates have bee a measured for Q branch transitions in the v3 band of NO2(approx.1610/cm) for magnetic fields of up to 564 Gauss. The average measured tuning rate is 0.1815(53) x 10(exp -3)/cm/Gauss with no dependence on Ka within the approx. equal to 3% standard deviation. Despite significant ,pin-rotation interaction between several of the observed levels the result agrees with the simple linear model for Honda case (be molecules (tuning rate = 2muogs = 0.18696 x 10(exp -3)/cm/Gauss) which neglects the spin-rotation interaction between different J states. The Zeeman effect is analyzed in a full treatment of the Hamiltonian, including spin-rotation interaction, in order to account for the agreement with 2muogs and to explore the onset of spin-rotation effects in the spectra as the magnetic field is increased.

Mahon, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Measurements of the Magnetic Field of the Upper Chromosphere with Polarimetry

A major remaining challenge for heliophysics is to decipher the magnetic structure of the chromosphere. The chromosphere is the critical interface between the Sun's photosphere and corona: it contains more mass than the entire interplanetary heliosphere, requires a heating rate that is larger than that of the corona, and mediates all the energy driving the solar wind, solar atmospheric heating and solar eruptions. While measurements of the magnetic field in the photosphere are routine, the chromosphere poses several extra challenges. The magnetically sensitive lines formed in the upper chromosphere are in the ultraviolet, so space-based observations are required. The lines are often formed over a range of heights, sampling different plasma which complicates the inversion process. These lines are sensitive to the magnetic field via polarized light that is created or modified through the Hanle and Zeeman effects. There are a few observations of these lines, and a significant challenge remains in extracting the magnetic field from the polarization measurements, as detailed model atmospheres with advanced radiative transfer physics are needed. Real progress is obtained by a simultaneous improvement in both the observational side and the modeling side. We present information on the CLASP (Chromospheric LAyer Spectro-Polarimeter) sounding rocket program, and future prospects for these types of measurements.

Solar; Chromosphere; Polarization↗
NASA NTRS2017

CLASP2: High-Precision Spectro-Polarimetery in Mg II h & k

The international team is promoting the CLASP2 (Chromospheric LAyer Spectro-Polarimeter 2) sounding rocket experiment, which is the re-flight of CLASP (2015). In this second flight, we will refit the existing CLASP instrument to measure all Stokes parameters in Mg II h k lines, and aim at inferring the magnetic field information in the upper chromosphere combining the Hanle and Zeeman effects. CLASP2 project was approved by NASA in December 2016, and is now scheduled to fly in 2019.

spectropolarimetry↗
NASA NTRS2017

First Application of the Zeeman Technique to Remotely Measure Auroral Electrojet Intensity From Space

Using the O2 118 GHz spectral radiance measurements obtained by the Microwave Limb Sounder instrument on board the Aura spacecraft, we demonstrate that the Zeeman effect can be used to remotely measure the magnetic field perturbations produced by the auroral electrojet near the Hall current closure altitudes. Our derived current-induced magnetic field perturbations are found to be highly correlated with those coincidently obtained by ground magnetometers. These perturbations are also found to be linearly correlated with auroral electrojet strength. The statistically derived polar maps of our measured magnetic field perturbation reveal a spatial-temporal morphology consistent with that produced by the Hall current during substorms and storms. With today's technology, a constellation of compact, low-power, high spectral-resolution cubesats would have the capability to provide high precision and spatiotemporal magnetic field samplings needed for auroral electrojet measurements to gain insights into the spatiotemporal behavior of the auroral electrojet system.

spectral radiance measurements; Aur↗
NASA NTRS1983

Theory of time-dependent intense-field collisional resonance fluorescence

The time-dependent theory of Courtens and Szoke (1977) is generalized using the approach of Burnett et al. (1982) to derive time-dependent spectral intensities of resonance fluorescence from atoms driven by a pulsed laser in the presence of collisions. These results are valid both for laser detunings inside and outside the usual impact region of the spectrum, including Zeeman degeneracy effects. This theory is applied to a simple but important example (J = 0 to J = 1) to obtain quantitative predictions for the observable scattered-light spectrum which can be directly compared with recent experiments.

Kleiber, P. D.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Polarization of Lyman-(alpha) Radiation from Atomic Hydrogen Excited by Electron Impact from Near-Threshold to 1800eV

The polarization of Lyman-(alpha) radiation, produced by electron impact excitation of atomic hydrogen, has been measured for the first time over the extended energy range from near-threshold to 1800eV. Measurements were obtained in a crossed-beams experiment using a silica-reflection linear polarization analyzer in tandem with a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) monochromator to isolate the emitted line radiation.

Lyman atomic line radiation Zeeman effect VUV pola↗
NASA NTRS1999

Star Formation

Centimeter wavelengths observations have the potential of answering long-standing questions about star formation.

wavelengths↗
NASA NTRS1997

Mesospheric Observations and Modeling of the Zeeman Split 233.9 GHz O-18O-16 line

Observations made from Kitt Peak, AZ, of the 233.9 GHz emission line of O-18O-16 in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere are reported. A good model fit to the line is obtained by incorporation of pressure and temperature broadening effects, as well as a Zeeman splitting algorithm that uses a standard geomagnetic field model and a paramagnetic Hamiltonian description of the molecular energy states. These observations are used, along with the well known O-18O-16 mixing ratio, to establish absolute calibration for observations of other chemical species from Kitt Peak. Repeated measurements show no change in this absolute calibration between observation dates. The wide magnetic splitting (+/-1.8 MHz) exhibited by this line with only six Zeeman components provides a unique test of middle atmosphere Zeeman effect model calculations, supporting the use Of 02 lines by microwave atmospheric sounders to measure pressure and temperature.

Sandor, Brad J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Modifications to the relationship between the magnetic field and weak Zeeman features in the spectra of astrophysical masers

Numerical solutions are presented for the equations of radiative transfer for astrophysical masers in a magnetic field to describe the observed weak circular polarization of H2O and SiO masers. Previously unrecognized intensity-dependent effects are found to produce circular polarization which resembles that of the usual Zeeman effect. Astrophysical H2O, SiO, and perhaps other masers are likely to be radiatively saturated with rates for stimulated emission that are within 1-2 orders of magnitude of the Zeeman frequency. Under these conditions, the circular polarization found here tends to be larger (but can be smaller) and may be of opposite sign from that given by the standard treatment for polarized Zeeman spectra.

Nedoluha, Gerald E.↗
NASA NTRS2017

CLASP2: The Chromospheric LAyer Spectro-Polarimeter

A major remaining challenge for heliophysicsis to decipher the magnetic structure of the chromosphere, due to its "large role in defining how energy is transported into the corona and solar wind" (NASA's Heliophysics Roadmap). Recent observational advances enabled by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrometer (IRIS) have revolutionized our view of the critical role this highly dynamic interface between the photosphere and corona plays in energizing and structuring the outer solar atmosphere. Despite these advances, a major impediment to better understanding the solar atmosphere is our lack of empirical knowledge regarding the direction and strength of the magnetic field in the upper chromosphere. Such measurements are crucial to address several major unresolved issues in solar physics: for example, to constrain the energy flux carried by the Alfven waves propagating through the chromosphere (De Pontieuet al., 2014), and to determine the height at which the plasma Beta = 1 transition occurs, which has important consequences for the braiding of magnetic fields (Cirtainet al., 2013; Guerreiroet al., 2014), for propagation and mode conversion of waves (Tian et al., 2014a; Straus et al., 2008) and for non-linear force-free extrapolation methods that are key to determining what drives instabilities such as flares or coronal mass ejections (e.g.,De Rosa et al., 2009). The most reliable method used to determine the solar magnetic field vector is the observation and interpretation of polarization signals in spectral lines, associated with the Zeeman and Hanle effects. Magnetically sensitive ultraviolet spectral lines formed in the upper chromosphere and transition region provide a powerful tool with which to probe this key boundary region (e.g., Trujillo Bueno, 2014). Probing the magnetic nature of the chromosphere requires measurement of the Stokes I, Q, U and V profiles of the relevant spectral lines (of which Q, U and V encode the magnetic field information).

Chromosphere↗