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At least 667 records · Page 37
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1972

IC 3576 - An unusual spiral galaxy in Virgo.

The possible association of an X-ray source with the galaxy IC 3576 was investigated in a program of optical observations of this galaxy. The observations show that patches and condensations belonging to the galaxy are distributed in a nonrandom, spiral fashion. This distinctive morphology corresponds to the dwarf spiral of the second type discussed by van den Bergh (1959). Radio observations are also considered, giving attention to a 21-cm emission due to neutral hydrogen in IC 3576. It is pointed out that the evidence at this time that the X-ray source in Virgo corresponds to IC 3576 is positional only.

Margon, B.↗
NASA NTRS1979

The Spacelab Wide Angle Telescope (SWAT)

A fast wide angle telescope that will be capable of imaging to the darker sky limit and in the ultraviolet wavelength region available above the atmosphere is described. The telescope (SWAT) has a resolution comparable to that of the large ground-based Schmidt telescope and a field of at least five degrees. A number of astrophysically important investigations can only be accomplished with such a telescope, e.g., detection of hidden, hot objects like hot white dwarfs and subwarfs in stellar binary systems, and energetic regions in globular clusters and galaxy nuclei. It permits unique studies of the UV-morphology of extended objects and allows discovery of very faint extensions, halos, jets, and filaments in galaxies. It can contribute to the investigation of dust in the Milky Way and in other galaxies and, with an objective prism, spectra of very faint objects can be obtained. The SWAT will localize objects for further study with the narrow-field Space Telescope.

West, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Globular cluster winds with central accretion by a massive compact object or subcluster

Steady-state isothermal wind flows are computed with accretion by a central mass concentration in spherically symmetric systems of gas-losing stars. Solutions are uniquely determined by two dimensionless parameters lambda and m, where lambda is approximately equal to the square of the ratio of the central escape velocity to the sound speed and m is approximately equal to the ratio of the central point mass to the cluster core mass. The models are applied to globular clusters for two types of central mass concentration - a single massive black hole and a subcluster of massive stars. A hard (greater than a keV) X-ray source due to a central black hole fed by clusterwide inflow does not provide a consistent model for globular cluster X-ray sources. However, in the case of hot (T being greater than or approximately equal to 2 x 10 to the 5th K) winds, gas trapping by a central subcluster of neutron stars or of binaries containing white dwarfs could explain recent UV and H-alpha observations. Similar applications to elliptical galaxies are discussed.

Durisen, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Character of prolate galaxies

It is still not known whether elliptical galaxies are oblate, prolate or triaxial. The prototype prolate galaxy NGC2685 has a rapid observed stellar rotation rate around the projected minor axis. It is shown that a steady figure, exactly prolate model can have no such rotation, and that a nearly prolate model fails by a factor of 7. The galaxy is suggested to be oblate with gas disk that is the wreck of a dwarf companion.

Richstone, D. O.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Astronomical observations with the FAUST telescope

The far-ultraviolet space telescope (FAUST) was flown on Spacelab 1 to provide wide-field imaging in the wavelength range 1300 to 1800 angstroms.Most of the developed film showed high levels of background exposure. Frames with a lower background included exposures of the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant and an exposure in the direction of the galaxy cluster Abell 2634. Several exposures will be used in a search for hot white dwarf stars.

Bixler, J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A K band deep galaxy survey

The results of a K-band deep-imaging survey, with a 5 sigma limit of K = 21.4 for galaxy detection, are reported. Number counts from K = 16.5 to K = 21.25 are given. Comparison with optical survey data on the field shows objects as red as (I-K) = 5 which most probably correspond to high-redshift (z of about 2) normal galaxies. No evidence is seen for any population of high-z protogalaxies or brown dwarfs. The results are placed in the context of extragalactic background light measurements.

Cowie, L. L.↗
NASA NTRS2021

A Jovian analogue orbiting a white dwarf star

Studies have shown that the remnants of destroyed planets and debris-disk planetesimals can survive the volatile evolution of their host stars into white dwarfs, but few intact planetary bodies around white dwarfs have been detected. Simulations predict that planets in Jupiter-like orbits around stars of ≲8 Mꙩ (solar mass) avoid being destroyed by the strong tidal forces of their stellar host, but as yet, there has been no observational confirmation of such a survivor. Here we report the non-detection of a main-sequence lens star in the microlensing event MOA-2010-BLG-477Lb using near-infrared observations from the Keck Observatory. We determine that this system contains a 0.53 ± 0.11 Mꙩ white-dwarf host orbited by a 1.4 ± 0.3 Jupiter-mass planet with a separation on the plane of the sky of 2.8 ± 0.5 astronomical units, which implies a semi-major axis larger than this. This system is evidence that planets around white dwarfs can survive the giant and asymptotic giant phases of their host’s evolution, and supports the prediction that more than half of white dwarfs have Jovian planetary companions. Located at approximately 2.0 kiloparsecs towards the center of our Galaxy, it is likely to represent an analogue to the end stages of the Sun and Jupiter in our own Solar System.

J. W. Blackman↗
NASA NTRS1984

Galactic chemical evolution and nucleocosmochronology - Standard model with terminated infall

Some exactly soluble families of models for the chemical evolution of the Galaxy are presented. The parameters considered include gas mass, the age-metallicity relation, the star mass vs. metallicity, the age distribution, and the mean age of dwarfs. A short BASIC program for calculating these parameters is given. The calculation of metallicity gradients, nuclear cosmochronology, and extinct radioactivities is addressed. An especially simple, mathematically linear model is recommended as a standard model of galaxies with truncated infall due to its internal consistency and compact display of the physical effects of the parameters.

Clayton, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Measuring the Radius of a Neutron Star; Origin of High X-Ray Luminosities in Optically Passive Galaxies; Resolving the Source of X-Rays in IC 1613"

This recently expired grant has supported the work of the PI, his students, and his collaborators on a variety of ROSAT projects over the past three years. Annual reports have summarized much of the work accomplished; here we provide a brief review of the work resulting from this effort, and a summary of the personnel who have benefited from its support. A high resolution ROSAT HRI X-ray image of the Local Group dwarf IC1613 revealed that the principal source of X-ray emission in this direction arises in a background cluster of galaxies, as first suggested by Eskridge (1995). In addition, however, we found a bright X-ray source coincident with the only known supernova remnant in this galaxy, S # 8. Extensive ground-based follow-up observations in the radio and optical regimes were conducted. We confirmed the nonthermal radio spectral index of the source and measured its extent to be approx. 3 sec at 20 cm. Imaging spectrophotometric observations taken with the multi-pupil spectrograph of the Special Astrophysical Observatory in the FSU allowed us to determine the density and velocity distribution of the gas in the remnant. The simultaneous presence of luminous X-ray and optical emission suggests a relatively young remnant in which the outward-moving shock has recently encountered dense material. Many of this object's properties are similar to those of the brightest optical remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud, N49. Another potential source of X-rays in this galaxy which featured prominently in our original proposal, an Oxygen Wolf-Rayet star with a large surrounding wind-blown bubble, was not detected.

Helfand, David J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Kronos: A Multiwavelength Observatory for Mapping Accretion-Driven Sources

Kronos is a multiwavelength observatory proposed as a NASA Medium Explorer. Kronos is designed to make use of the natural variability of accreting sources to create microarcsecond-resolution maps of the environments of supermassive black holes in active galaxies and stella-size black holes in binary systems and to characterize accretion processes in Galactic compact binaries. Kronos will obtain broad energy range spectroscopic data with co-aligned X-ray, ultraviolet, and optical spectrometers. The high-Earth orbit of Kronos enables well-sampled, high time-resolution observations, critical for the innovative and sophisticated methods that are used to understand the accretion flows, mass outflows, jets, and other phenomena found in accreting sources. By utilizing reverberation mapping analysis techniques, Kronos produces advanced high-resolution maps of unprecedented resolution of the extreme environment in the inner cores of active galaxies. Similarly, Doppler tomography and eclipse mapping techniques characterize and map Galactic binary systems, revealing the details of the physics of accretion processes in black hole, neutron star, and white dwarf binary systems. The Kronos instrument complement, sensitivity, and orbital environment make it suitable to aggressively address time variable phenomena in a wide range of astronomical objects from nearby flare stars to distant galaxies.

Peterson, Bradley M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Nature of type 1 Supernovae

The nature of type 1 supernovae (SN 1) is discussed through a comparison of observational evidence and theoretical perspectives relating to both type 1 and 2 supernovae. In particular two hypotheses relating to SN 1 phenomenon are examined: the first proposing that SN 1 are components of binary systems in which, at a comparatively late stage of evolution, overflow of the mass occurs; the second considers pre-SN 1 to be recently evolved stars with a mass greater than 1.4 solar mass (white dwarfs). In addition, an explanation of the reduced frequency of flares of SN 1 in spiral galaxies as related to that in elliptical galaxies is presented.

Shklovskiy, I. S.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Intrinsic Color Indices of Early-type Dwarf Stars

Early-type stars are short lived and scarce in comparison with other types. Based on the recently released catalogs of early-type stars from the largest Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope spectroscopic survey, the intrinsic colors of the stars with effective temperature up to 32,000 K are determined for the bands from ultraviolet to infrared using the blue-edge method. Analytic relations are derived for the intrinsic color index with the effective temperature for the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Two Micron All Sky Survey, Gaia, AAVSO Photometric All-Sky Survey, Sloan Digital Sky Survey, the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System 1, and Galaxy Evolution Explorer bands. The results are generally consistent with previous works. In addition, the intrinsic colors of O-type dwarfs and OB supergiants are roughly estimated.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1993

Beryllium and boron constraints on an early Galactic bright phase

The recent observations of Be and B in metal-deficient halo dwarfs are used to constrain a 'bright phase' of enhanced cosmic-ray flux in the early Galaxy. Assuming that this Be and B arises from cosmic-ray spallation in the early Galaxy, limits are placed on the intensity of the early (Population II) cosmic-ray flux relative to the present (Population I) flux. A simple estimate of bounds on the flux ratio is 1 - 40. This upper bound would restrict galaxies like our own from producing neutrino fluxes that would be detectable in any currently proposed detectors. It is found that the relative enhancement of the early flux varies inversely with the relative time of enhancement. It is noted that associated gamma-ray production via pp - pi sup 0 pp may be a significant contribution to the gamma-ray background above 100 MeV.

Fields, Brian D.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Gravothermal collapse and the diversity of galactic rotation curves

The rotation curves of spiral galaxies exhibit a great diversity that challenges our understanding of galaxy formation and the nature of dark matter. Previous studies showed that in self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) models with a cross section per unit mass of σ/m ≈ $\mathscr{O}$(1) cm 2 /g, the predicted dark matter central densities are a good match to the observed densities in galaxies. Here, in this work, we explore a regime with a larger cross section of σ/m ≈ 20−40 cm 2 /g in dwarf galactic halos. We will show that such strong dark matter self-interactions can further amplify the diversity of halo densities inherited from their assembly history. High concentration halos can enter the gravothermal collapse phase within 10 Gyr, resulting in a high density, while low concentration ones remain in the expansion phase and have a low density. We fit the rotation curves of 14 representative low surface brightness galaxies and demonstrate how the large range of observed central densities is naturally accommodated in the strong SIDM regime of σ/m ≈ 20 – 40 cm 2 /g. Galaxies that are outliers in the previous studies, due to their high halo central densities, are no longer outliers in this SIDM regime as their halos would be in the collapse phase. For galaxies with a low density, the SIDM fits are robust to the variation of the cross section. Our findings open up a new window for testing gravothermal collapse, the unique signature of strong dark matter self-interactions, and exploring a broader SIDM model space. As an example, we illustrate how the larger cross sections favored by our fits, together with upper limits from strong lensing observations in clusters, pick out the preferred SIDM model space for a dark matter particle coupled to a light gauge boson in the Born regime.

dark matter↗
NASA NTRS2004

Luminous Binary Supersoft X-Ray Sources

This has been a remarkably productive year. We have completed an algorithm to select SSSs in external galaxies which have been observed by Chandru or XMM-Newton. By applying this algorithm to new data, we have discovered an extension of the class of SSSs to sources that are somewhat harder (100 - 300 eV, instead of tens of eV), but which are nevertheless much softer than canonical X-ray sources. We have completed a study of SSSs in M31 and have also considered several other galaxies. From these studies, some population characteristics are beginning to emerge; these provide clues to the natures of the systems. We have considered ultraluminous SSSs in M1O1 and NGC 300. It is possible that these may correspond to accreting intermediate-mass black holes, rather than accreting white dwarfs. We have also studied individual systems, such as CAL 83, and have followed up on additional sources in fields we have studied, such as in the galaxy NGC 1313. NASA has released a press release on some of our work.

DiStefano, Rosanne↗
NASA NTRS1990

MCG 06-45-001 - Not a local group galaxy

Observations of (C-12)O and (C-13)O J = 1 to 0 for MCG 06-45-001 are examined. It is argued that two features of CO emission with velocities of 1 and 10 km/s indicate that the object is similar to the Galactic molecular clouds in the immediate vicinity, and not to a spiral galaxy as suggested previously. It is considered that CO emission cannot arise from a spiral galaxy at a distance of 2-5 Mpc and that the object is unlikely to be a nearby dwarf. The feature at 10 km/s is considered to arise from a molecular cloud associated with an H II region, which produces the observed IRAS flux.

Shore, Steven N.↗
NASA NTRS1996

The NASA Space Infrared Telescope Facility

The NASA Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) will begin definition phase funding in November of 1996. The instrumentation is being designed to accomodate scientific investigation programs in four key areas: discovery and study of brown dwarfs and super planets, discovery and study of protoplanetary and planetary debris disks, study of ultra-luminous galaxies and active galactic nuclei (AGN) and study of the early universe.

NASA Space Infrared Telescope Facility SIRTF↗
NASA NTRS1997

On the Existence of Low-Luminosity Cataclysmic Variables Beyond the Orbital Period Minimum

Models of the present-day intrinsic population of cataclysmic variables predict that 99 per cent of these systems should be of short orbital period. The Galaxy is old enough that approx. 70 per cent of these stars will have already reached their orbital period minimum (approx. 80 min), and should be evolving back toward longer periods. Mass-transfer rates in these highly evolved binaries are predicted to be less or equal to 10(exp -11), leading to M(sub V) of approx. 10 or fainter, and the secondaries would be degenerate, brown dwarf-like stars. Recent observations of a group of low-luminosity dwarf novae (TOADS) provide observational evidence for systems with very low intrinsic M,. and possibly low-mass secondaries. We carry out population synthesis and evolution calculations for a range of assumed ages of the Galaxy in order to study P(sub orb) and M distributions for comparison with the TOAD observations. We speculate that at least some of the TOADs are the predicted very low- luminosity, post-period-minimum cataclysmic variables containing degenerate (brown dwarf-like) secondaries having masses between 0.02 and 0.06 M, and radii near 0.1 R., We show that these low-luminosity systems are additionally interesting in that they can be used to set a lower limit on the age of the Galaxy. The TOAD with the longest orbital period currently known (123 min), corresponds to a Galaxy age of at least 8.6 x 10(exp 9) yr.

Howell, Steve B.↗