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At least 577 records · Page 32
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NASA NTRS1974

Gravitational-wave bursts from the nuclei of distant galaxies and quasars: Proposal for detection using Doppler tracking of interplanetary spacecraft

Supermassive black holes which exist in the nuclei of many quasars and galaxies are examined along with the collapse which forms these holes and subsequent collisions between them which produce strong, broad-band bursts of gravitational waves. Such bursts might arrive at earth as often as 50 times per year--or as rarely as once each 300 years. The detection of such bursts with dual-frequency Doppler tracking of interplanetary spacecraft is considered.

Thorne, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1976

The distribution of redshifts of quasars and related objects

A statistical analysis of some 386 redshifts is conducted together with a numerical simulation of 100 redshifts to evaluate the possibility that a short-wavelength periodic modulation may be present in the redshift distribution of quasars and related compact objects. A previous analysis by Burbidge and O'Dell (1972) is reviewed, and the inclusion of absorption redshifts in the data set is discussed. The results of the present analysis are found not to support claims for the presence of periodic modulations in redshift distribution.

Knight, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Gravitational-wave bursts from the nuclei of distant galaxies and quasars - Proposal for detection using Doppler tracking of interplanetary spacecraft

It is argued that the collapse which forms the supermassive black holes that are likely to exist in the nuclei of many quasars and galaxies, and collisions between those holes, should produce strong broadband bursts of gravitational waves. The mean time between such gravitational-wave bursts at earth is analyzed in terms of the present Hubble expansion rate, the present deceleration parameter of the universe, the redshift z = 2.5 (at which most of the bursts are assumed to have been generated), the present number density of 'centers' where the bursts originated, the mean number of bursts generated in each center during its active life, and the speed of light. The analysis shows that the range from one week to 300 years is reasonable for the time between bursts, although it is admitted that hardly any bursts at all is also reasonable. Expected characteristics of the bursts are deduced, and it is shown that the best detector for these bursts will probably be Doppler tracking of one or more interplanetary spacecraft.

Thorne, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The L-alpha/H-alpha ratio in solar flares, quasars, and the chromosphere

The ratio of L-alpha to H-alpha is around unity in flares, quasars, and the solar chromosphere and prominences. The weakness of L-alpha is shown to be essentially due to photon trapping and deexcitation, but it is argued that the surprising stability of this ratio is due to the role of these lines in cooling the plasma rather than the accidental parameters used in various models of these widely different phenomena.

Zirin, H.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Penrose pair production as a power source of quasars and active galactic nuclei

Penrose pair production in massive canonical Kerr black holes (those with a/M equal to 0.998) is proposed as a way to explain the nature of the vast fluctuating energy production associated with active galactic nuclei and quasars. It is assumed that a Kerr black hole with a mass of the order of 100 million solar masses lies at the center of an active nucleus and that an accretion disk is formed. Penrose pair production in the inner ergosphere of such a massive canonical Kerr black hole is analyzed. The results indicate that: (1) particle pairs are ejected within a 40 deg angle relative to the equator; (2) the particle energy is of the order of 1 GeV per pair; (3) the pressure of the electron-positron relativistic gas is proportional to the electron-positron number density; (4) pair production may occur in bursts; and (5) the overall lifetime of an active nucleus would depend on the time required to exhaust the disk of its matter content. A test of the theory is suggested which involves observation of the 0.5-MeV pair-annihilation gamma rays that would be generated by annihilating particle pairs.

Kafatos, M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

The central regions of active galaxies and quasars

Theories describing the central regions of nonthermal extragalactic sources (radio galaxies, Seyfert nuclei, quasars, etc.) are examined in the light of the experimental possibilities afforded by the Space Telescope. In particular, the theory which proposes the accretion of stars or gas onto a black hole as the explanation of the central engine is discussed. Planned observations directed towards the problem of the mass, size, and structure of the central engine, and the phenomenological questions regarding the general environment of the central engine are outlined.

Sargent, W. L. W.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Extragalactic H 2 regions in the UV: Implications for primeval galaxies and quasars

Three extragalactic regions of rapid star formation with red shifts great enough to separate the L alpha region from geocoronal L alpha were observed with the IUE satellite. Only the low metal abundance object had detectable L alpha emission. L alpha is therefore expected to be weak or absent in collapsed primeval galaxies. The detected object has a L alpha H beta identical to that of quasars.

Meier, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Star counts as an indicator of galactic structure and quasar evolution

A detailed model of the stellar content of the Galaxy is described briefly. Illustrative applications of the model are made, using existing data, to indicate how star counts can be used to determine some parameters of galactic structure, to detect a massive (stellar) halo, and to constrain models of quasar evolution.

Bahcall, J. N.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Observations of quasars with the International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite

The paper deals with the spectra of six quasars, ranging in redshift from 0.23 to 2.04, obtained with the 45-cm telescope mounted on the IUE satellite. The average emission-line intensity ratio for L-alpha to H beta and the detection of higher-order Lyman emission lines in two objects are found to be inconsistent with a simple optically thick recombination model. The Lyman and Balmer line velocity profiles are identical. The emission lines in 3C 351 can be decomposed into sharp and broad components, with the sharp lines consistent with the recombination model.

Green, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Some implications of ultraviolet observations of quasars and active galaxies

The problem of the order of magnitude discrepancy in the expected and observed ratios of the Lyman and Balmer lines in quasars and active galaxies is reviewed. Whereas early photoionization models for the emission line regions predicted F(L-alpha)/F(H-beta) not less than 40, the observations give values for this ratio in the range 3-8. Attempts at explaining the observations have involved dust, both external and internal to the emission line regions, and improved treatments of the collisional processes and radiative transfer effects in dense (Ne about 10 to the 10th/cu cm), optically thick clouds. None of the effects considered is, by itself, able to explain all the observations, and a combination of several of them is probably required.

Davidsen, A. F.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Penrose photoproduction processes - A high efficiency energy mechanism for active galactic nuclei and quasars

Recent observations of NGC 4151 and 3C273 suggest that the nuclei of active galaxies have very high gamma ray efficiencies. In addition, optical studies of M87 have indicated the possibility of a massive black hole in its central region. The above facts have led to study of a new physical mechanism, Penrose Photoproduction Processes, in the ergospheres of massive Kerr black holes, as a way to account for the fluctuating, high efficiency, energy production associated with active galaxies and quasars. Observational signatures, associated with this mechanism, occur in the form of approximately 2 MeV and approximately 2 GeV gamma ray cutoffs which might be corroborated by the observed spectra of NGC 4151 and 3C273, respectively.

Leiter, D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Distance-independent evidence for relativistic motion in the quasar NRAO 140

VLBI radio and X-ray observations were made of the bright X-ray quasar NRAO 140. The radio structure consists of two very compact components plus a more diffuse jet. Based on the standard synchrotron theory, the Compton X-ray emission from one of these compact components was found to exceed the observed value by three orders of magnitude. Since this result is independent of distance and there is no evidence for coherent emission, it is concluded that the component is moving toward us at a relativistic speed with a Lorentz factor exceeding 4. Future observations should reveal superluminal separation of the components, as well as help in determining which components are undergoing relativistic motion.

Marscher, A. P.↗
NASA NTRS1981

X-rays From Quasars and Active Galaxies

Features of quasars and active galactic nuclei are discussed and include: the nature of the power source, the radiation processes, and the mechanism for the formation and collimation of long-lived jets of matter observed to emanate from the center of these of these objects. The phenomena that produce X-rays are highlighted.

Lightman, Alan P.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Simultaneous multifrequency observations of BL Lac objects and violently variable quasars

Ultraviolet spectra simultaneous with radio, infrared, optical, and X-ray measurements were obtained for three BL Lac objects and one violently variable quasar during several epochs (0735+178, BL Lac, IZw-187, and 3C446). A feature common to these objects is that the radio-mm continuum must steepen in the far-infrared region in order to connect smoothly to the IR-UV continuum. This indicates that synchrotron emission becomes optically thick in the mm or far-infrared region. The continuum of 3C446 and BL Lac steepen quite rapidly between the IR and UV spectra with slopes near unity. The X-ray emission in BL Lac, 3C446, and 0735+178 has a different origin from the IR-UV radiation, probably from the inverse Compton process. However, the synchrotron radiation is the probable source of X-ray emission in the X-ray bright BL Lac object IZw-187. In IZw-187, most of the energy emerges in the UV - X-ray region, while for the other sources, most of the energy emerges in the far infrared region.

Bregman, J. N.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Multifrequency observations of the quasar 1156+295

The recent outburst in the quasar 1156+295 was discovered in the course of optical monitoring made in preparation for IUE observations in April 1981. Short and long wavelength spectra were obtained on three occasions when the object was very bright, and which were separated in time by intervals of 4 and 60 days. The UV continuum in all cases is a steeply falling power law, with slope close to -2.0. No spectral features are apparent in the UV. Closely simultaneous observations were made by our collaborators at radio, infrared, and optical frequencies. The continuum is less steep at optical and infrared frequencies, and the overall spectra show little change in shape with time.

Glassgold, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1981

X-ray and VLBI radio observations of the quasars NRAO 140 and NRAO 530

The Einstein X-ray Observatory has confirmed the HEAO 1 detection of the NRAO 140 and NRAO 530 quasars, and found that the low-energy X-ray flux of NRAO 140 is consistent with the high-energy results from the earlier satellite. It is also determined that the X-ray emission from NRAO 530 has either decreased by an order of magnitude, from 1978.0 to 1979.7, or the HEAO 1 field contained a second bright source. The two sources have been observed at 2.8 cm, using a four-station intercontinental VLB array, to find whether the X-ray emission is caused by Compton scattering within the radio components. Dissection of the NRAO 140 into its separate components shows radio parameters that imply a 'Compton problem', in that X-ray emission three orders of magnitude greater than that observed is predicted in one of the components if the source is static. Because the effect is independent of distance, relativistic motion with a Lorentz factor greater than about 40 is required to bring the predicted X-ray flux down to the observed value.

Marscher, A. P.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Two-phase models of quasar emission line regions

It is demonstrated that the emitting gas in clouds of quasar emission line regions must be confined by a hot intercloud medium, provided only that the heating mechanisms are strong enough to drive the low-density intercloud gas above a few tens of millions degrees K. The study of the thermal properties of the gas presented includes heating by photoionization, Compton scattering, suprathermal particles, absorption of radio frequency radiation, cloud friction, thermal conduction, and shocks. Cooling curves for photoionized gases are presented, and phase diagrams analogous to the pressure-temperature diagrams used in studying the interstellar medium are constructed for various conditions. It is shown that two-phase equilibria occur over a wide range of mean density, but over a much narrower range of pressure. The implications of these results for the emission line region are discussed, and it is shown that the emission clouds may be short-lived.

Krolik, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Abundances of refractory elements in quasars

A comparison of previous and new observations of iron, silicon, aluminum, magnesium and carbon lines in quasars with theoretical models shows that the gas-phase abundances of these refractory elements cannot be much less than solar, and that they do not show the order-of-magnitude depletions that are found in planetary nebulae and the interstellar medium. In light of this lack of refractory element depletions, it is suggested that the broad emission-line clouds must be devoid of dust.

Gaskell, C. M.↗