Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “COSMIC”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 595 records · Page 33
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

Precursor active galaxies and the cosmic X-ray background

Consideration is given to Carr's theory (1980) that most cosmic X-ray background is produced by thermal X-ray emission associated with black hole accretion disks for compact objects. It is posited that the onset of significant X-rays occurs during galaxy formation when accretion disks are formed by the interaction of young galaxies and massive black holes of pregalactic origin. The study suggests that most cosmic X-ray background could be produced from distant sources with a low ratio of optical to X-ray luminosity. Precursor active galaxy objects involving a massive black hole surrounded by a hot optically thin accretion disk radiating near the Eddington luminosity limit and with an effective temperature of about 2 x 10 to the 9th K would fulfill the condition and produce the correct background spectrum and intensity. This model also associates cosmic X-ray background and nonthermal gamma-ray background to active galaxies, thus implying that massive black holes are associated with their internal dynamics.

Boldt, E.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The elemental and isotopic composition of cosmic rays - Silicon to nickel

The reported observations were made with the aid of the Cosmic Ray Isotope Instrument System (CRISIS) which had been designed to detect and resolve the isotopes of cosmic ray nuclei with atomic numbers equal to or greater than 10. The CRISIS detector was flown on a balloon launched from Aberdeen, South Dakota on 1977 May 20. The period 1977 May 19-22 has been classified by Mason et al. (1979) as one of 'superquiet' solar activity, characterized by the lowest fluxes of low-energy solar particles ever observed. The obtained results are presented in a number of graphs and tables. It was found that the elemental and isotopic abundances of Si are solar-like. Elemental S is underabundant in the cosmic rays by a factor of approximately 3 relative to the solar system, but its isotopic composition resembles the solar composition with S-32 being the dominant isotope. Elemental Ar is virtually absent in the source, and the observed isotopic composition is consistent with a secondary origin. Elemental Ni has a solar-like abundance.

Young, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Cosmic-ray abundances of elements with atomic number 26 less than or equal to 40 measured on HEAO 3

Individual elements in the cosmic radiation of even atomic number (Z) in the interval 26-40 have been resolved and their relative abundances measured. The results are inconsistent with a cosmic-ray source whose composition in this charge interval is dominated by r-process nucleosynthesis. The ratios of cosmic-ray source abundances to solar system abundances in this interval follow the same general correlation with first ionization potential as for the lighter elements, although there are deviations in detail.

Binns, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Mn-53 and Al-26 evidence for solar cosmic ray constancy - An improved model for interpretation

A general, numerical method for calculating activities of solar cosmic ray produced radionuclides at any point within an irregularly shaped lunar rock of known surface contour and lunar surface orientation is described. This method is then used to predict the activities of Mn-53 andAl-26 as a function of postion within lunar rock 68815 for various assumed values of solar cosmic ray flux (J), rigidity (R sub 0), and rock erosion rate (ER). The predicted activities agree with the measured activities of Kohl et al. (1978) when values of R sub 0 = 100 MV, J = 70 p/sq cm-sec (4 pi, E greater than 10 MeV), ER not greater than 1 mm/m.y. and a total exposure time of 2 m.y. are assumed. These values are in agreement with those found for rocks exposed for not less than 10 m.y. and provide no evidence for variation of the average solar cosmic ray parameters between the last 2 and 10 m.y. intervals. When interpreted with the improved model the activity vs. depth profiles for three faces of 68815 show no evidence of SCR anisotropy or differential erosion.

Russ, G. P., III↗
NASA NTRS1981

Effects of particle drift on the transport of cosmic rays. IV - More realistic diffusion coefficients

Results from numerical simulations of cosmic-ray modulations by the solar wind are presented which show that the scattering mean free path should be larger than the particle gyroradius in the average magnetic field. It is found that the difference between drift and no-drift solutions is not as great as in previous simulations, which violated the mean free path constraint stated. Profound effects are still noted for the drifts, which determine the origin of the bulk of the cosmic rays seen at any given time in the inner solar system. Accordingly, during the 1975 solar minimum, the positively charged cosmic rays seen in the inner solar system came primarily from the outer boundary near the heliospheric poles while negative particles came from the equatorial regions of the boundary.

Jokipii, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The isotropic composition of cosmic ray B, C, N, and O nuclei

High resolution measurements are presented for the elemental and isotopic composition of galactic cosmic ray B, C, N, and O nuclei with about 30-130 MeV/nucleon. The isotopes are separately resolved, and the resulting abundances are limited by statistical rather than systematic uncertainties. N is found to be significantly depleted in the cosmic ray source with respect to the solar system and local interstellar medium, and it is concluded that the N-14/O-16 limit is inconsistent with models in which a majority of cosmic rays are accelerated interstellar material.

Mewaldt, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The sub-iron to iron ratios and the cosmic ray pathlength distribution

Data on the ratios of nuclei in the 21-25 charge range to iron, from the Danish-French cosmic ray isotope experiment on HEAO 3, are compared with cosmic ray propagation calculations based upon the latest cross sections. The results are incompatible with models in which the path length distribution has a peak at a path length larger than 1 g/sq cm, e.g., those in which there is more than 1 g/sq cm of matter around the cosmic ray source. They are most consistent with models in which the path length distribution includes substantial probabilities of having traversed very little matter.

Ormes, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Relativistic rise measurement for heavy cosmic rays in xenon

Potential advantages of the use of the relativistic rise of energy loss in gas-filled counters for cosmic ray energy measurement have been noted by Tueller et al. (1979) and Gregory and Parnell (1979). Gregory and Parnell have reported measurements on the relativistic rise for cosmic ray iron nuclei in parallel plate ionization chambers 8.4 cm thick filled with a xenon and methane mixture. The present investigation is concerned with the observed rise and ionization signal fluctuations for a sample of elements from carbon through iron in the cosmic rays. The results are compared with a calculation of the energy deposit within the ion chamber.

Gregory, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Gradients of galactic cosmic rays and anomalous helium to more than 23 A.U. during the increase of solar modulation in 1978-80

During the transition to solar maximum (1978-81) the radial gradient of high energy galactic cosmic rays increased slightly, while the gradients of lower energy cosmic rays and the anomalous helium decreased. It is concluded that (1) Pioneer-10 at about 23 AU was still deep in a modulation region extending to more than 50 AU for both the galactic cosmic rays and the anomalous helium component, and (2) the modulation is controlled by changes in the size/geometry of heliospheric magnetic fields and/or propagation parameters, changes associated with large solar-flare shocks in 1978 and later.

Bastian, T. S.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Galactic cosmic ray gradients, field-aligned and latitudinal, among Voyagers 1/2 and IMP-8

The present investigation represents a summary of a comprehensive analysis of the same subject conducted by Roelof et al. (1981). It is pointed out that the tandem earth-Jupiter trajectories of the Voyager 1/2 spacecraft, combined with baseline measurements from the earth-orbiting IMP 7/8 spacecraft, provide the first opportunity for unambiguously separating latitude from radial or field-aligned effects in galactic cosmic ray gradients. Attention is given to the method of data analysis, and the separation of field-aligned and latitudinal gradients. It is found that latitudinal gradients approximately equal to or greater than 1 percent per deg in the cosmic ray intensity were a common feature of the interplanetary medium between 1 and 5 AU in 1977-78. Except in the most disturbed periods, cosmic ray intensities are well-ordered in field-aligned structures.

Roelof, E. C.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Source abundances and propagation of relativistic cosmic rays up to Z equals 30 - HEAO 3 results

Results from the cosmic ray isotope experiment on board the HEAO 3 satellite are reviewed, noting their impact on astrophysics. The gamma ray telescope comprised 5 Cerenkov detectors and a flash tube hodoscope with 4 trays, and collected data on 7 million events in the energy range 0.7-20 GeV/nucleon during the 1.6 yr mission duration. Three ranges of momentum were detected, and it was found that the ratios of secondary to primary species decreased steeply with increasing energy. A progressive steepening of the energy dependence of abundance ratios from Al/Si and K/Fe was observed, which has been interpreted as a progressive decrease of the amount of primary component from Al to Na and K. The secondary to primary ratios are accounted for with an exponential pathlength distribution from Fe down to Na and N. Comparisons are made of elemental abundances in cosmic ray sources, the local galactic environment, and the solar energetic particle composition. The data is noted to be compatible with a model of an injection of cosmic ray particles by stellar flares in a two-stage acceleration process.

Koch-Miramond, L.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The HEAO-3 Cosmic Ray Isotope spectrometer

This paper describes the Cosmic Ray Isotope instrument launched aboard the HEAO-3 satellite on September 20, 1979. The primary purpose of the experiment is to measure the isotopic composition of cosmic ray nuclei from Be-7 to Fe-58 over the energy range 0.5 to 7 GeV/nucleon. In addition charge spectra will be measured between beryllium and tin over the energy range 0.5 to 25 GeV/nucleon. The charge and isotope abundances measured by the experiment provide essential information needed to further our understanding of the origin and propagation of high energy cosmic rays. The instrument consists of 5 Cerenkov counters, a 4 element neon flash tube hodoscope and a time-of-flight system. The determination of charge and energy for each particle is based on the multiple Cerenkov technique and the mass determination will be based upon a statistical analysis of particle trajectories in the geomagnetic field.

Bouffard, M.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The interrelation of cosmic gamma-rays and interstellar gas in the range l:65-180 deg

New date on the distribution of molecular hydrogen in the first and second quadrants allow a detailed analysis of the relationship between the column density of gas (in all major forms) and the intensity of cosmic gamma-rays in the Galaxy. It is concluded that most of the features observed in the gamma-ray map can be explained in terms of cosmic-ray interactions with the gas in the ISM, with molecular hydrogen playing an important role. The cosmic-ray intensity in the important production regions appears to be roughly independent of galactocentric distance, R, for l:65-100 deg and to fall off slowly with R for l:100-180 deg.

Arnaud, K.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The elemental and isotopic composition of galactic cosmic ray nuclei

A directly accessible sample of matter which originates outside the solar system is provided by galactic cosmic rays. The present investigation is primarily concerned with progress related to questions raised regarding the similarity or difference between solar system matter and matter coming from outside the solar system. The investigation takes into account U.S. contributions to this topic over the period from 1979 to 1982. The cosmic ray (CR) abundances of all the elements from H to Ni (atomic number Z=1 to 28) have now been measured. Cosmic ray source (CRS) and solar system (SS) elemental compositions are listed in a table, and the ratio of CRS to SS abundance for 21 elements is shown in a graph. There is now clear evidence from CR isotope studies that the nucleosynthesis of CRS material has differed from that of SS material.

Mewaldt, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Distributed acceleration of cosmic rays

It is proposed that the acceleration of cosmic rays is distributed over their propagation through interstellar space. Thus after most nuclear fragmentation reactions in the interstellar medium, cosmic rays gain about a factor of 5 in energy. This hypothesis resolves several discrepancies in composition at different energies. The present results suggest that after the principal acceleration and during their galactic confinement, cosmic rays are further accelerated by the weak shocks of widely distributed old supernova remnants.

Silberberg, R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The effect of cross-section uncertainties on the derivation of source abundances from cosmic-ray composition observations

It is pointed out that the derivation of source abundances from the composition observed near the earth requires that the secondary contribution to the observed nuclidic abundances be calculated from a model of cosmic-ray propagation. A crucial element in such a calculation is the choice of nuclear fragmentation cross sections. Uncertainties in these cross sections give rise to uncertainties in the derived source abundances. It is shown here that the uncertainties in fragmentation cross sections can, in certain important cases, contribute significantly to the uncertainties in cosmic ray source abundances deduced from the observed composition. For this reason, it is essential that reliable estimates of the effect of cross section uncertainties be made when interpreting the source composition deduced from cosmic ray observations. In addition, formulas are presented which can be used to obtain such estimates with a minimum of computational effort.

Wiedenbeck, M. E.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The effect of the solar field reversal on the modulation of galactic cosmic rays

There is now a growing awareness that solar cycle related changes in the large-scale structure of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) may play an important role in the modulation of galactic cosmic rays. To date, attention focussed on two aspects of the magnetic field structure: large scale compression regions produced by fast solar wind streams and solar flares, both of which are known to vary in intensity and number over the solar cycle, and the variable warp of the heliospheric current sheet. It is suggested that another feature of the solar cycle is worthy of consideration: the field reversal itself. If the Sun reverses its polarity by simply overturning the heliospheric current sheet (northern fields migrating southward and vice-versa) then there may well be an effect on cosmic ray intensity. However, such a simple picture of solar reversal seems improbable. Observations of the solar corona suggest the existence of not one but several current sheets in the heliosphere at solar maximum. The results of a simple calculation to demonstrate that the variation in cosmic ray intensities that will result can be as large as is actually observed over the solar cycle are given.

Thomas, B. T.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Interplanetary flow systems associated with cosmic ray modulation in 1977 - 1980

The hydromagnetic flow configurations associated with cosmic ray modulation in 1977 to 1980 were determined using solar wind plasma and magnetic field data from Voyagers 1 and 2 and Helios 1. The modulation was related to two types of large scale systems of flows: one containing a number of transients such as shocks, post shock flows and magnetic clouds; the other consisting primarily of a series of quasi-stationary flows following interaction regions containing a stream interface and often bounded by a forward reverse shock pair. Each of the three major episodes of cosmic ray modulation was characterized by the passage of the system of transient flows. Plateaus in the cosmic ray intensity time profile were associated with the passage of systems of corotating streams.

Burlaga, L. F.↗