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At least 685 records · Page 38
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2011

XANES Analysis of Organic Residues Produced from the UV Irradiation of Astrophysical Ice Analogs

Organic residues formed in the laboratory from the ultraviolet (UV) photo-irradiation or ion bombardment of astrophysical ice analogs have been extensively studied for the last 15 years with a broad suite of techniques, including infrared (IR) and UV spectroscopies, as well as mass spectrometry. Analyses of these materials show that they consist of complex mixtures of organic compounds stable at room temperature, mostly soluble, that have not been fully characterized. However, the hydrolysis products of these residues have been partly identified using chromatography techniques, which indicate that they contain molecular precursors of prebiotic interest such as amino acids, nitrile-bearing compounds, and amphiphilic compounds. In this study, we present the first X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy measurements of three organic residues made from the UV irradiation of ices having different starting compositions. XANES spectra confirm the presence of different chemical functions in these residues, and indicate that they are rich in nitrogenand oxygen-bearing species. These data can be compared with XANES measurements of extraterrestrial materials. Finally, this study also shows how soft X rays can alter the chemical composition of samples.

XANES(X-RAY ABSORPTION NEAR-EDGE STRUCTURE)↗
NASA NTRS2011

The NASA Astrophysics Program

NASA's scientists are enjoying unprecedented access to astronomy data from space, both from missions launched and operated only by NASA, as well as missions led by other space agencies to which NASA contributed instruments or technology. This paper describes the NASA astrophysics program for the next decade, including NASA's response to the ASTRO2010 Decadal Survey.

ASTRO2010 Decadal Survey↗
NASA NTRS2015

The Formation of Complex Organic Compounds in Astrophysical Ices and their Implications for Astrobiology

Ices in astrophysical environments are generally dominated by very simple molecules like H2O, CH3OH, CH4, NH3, CO, CO2, etc, although they likely contain PAHs as well. These molecules, particularly H2O, are of direct interest to astrobiology in-and-of themselves since they represent some of the main carriers of the biogenic elements C, H, O, and N. In addition, these compounds are present in the dense interstellar clouds in which new stars and planetary systems are formed and may play a large role in the delivery of volatiles and organics to the surfaces of new planets. However, these molecules are all far simpler than the more complex organic compounds found in living systems.

UV Irradiation↗
NASA NTRS2017

The Formation of Nucleobases from the UV Irradiation of Astrophysical Ice Analogs

Nucleobases are the fundamental information bearing components of both RNA and DNA. They are central to all known terrestrial life and they are generally conserved between species. Biological nucleobases can be divided into two groups based on the N-heterocyclic molecules pyrimidine (uracil, cytosine, and thymine) and purine (adenine and guanine) respectively. Do date, no experimental conditions have been determined that could produce both pyrimidines and purines together, abiotically, in a ter-restrial environment or an early terrestrial analog. Organic materials produced in extraterrestrial envi-ronments may have been delivered to the primitive earth by comets and meteorites and may have contrib-uted to the emergence of life. To date, some, but not all nucleobases have been detected in meteorites and their isotopic signatures may be consistent with an extraterrestrial origin. Earlier work in our lab demonstrated that it is possible to produce all of the pyrimidine group nucleobases from the UV-irradiation of pyrimidine in astrophysically relevant ice analogs. Here we report our most recent work, which studied the formation of the purine group nucleobases under similar conditions.

Astrophysical Ice↗
NASA NTRS2019

Laboratory Astrophysics at NASA Ames: Recent Results and Advances

The Cosmic SImulation Chamber (COSmIC) facility was developed at NASA Ames to study, in the laboratory, neutral and ionized molecules and nanoparticles under the low temperature and high vacuum conditions representative of interstellar, circumstellar and planetary environments. COSmIC is composed of a Pulsed Discharge Nozzle expansion that generates a plasma in a free supersonic jet expansion coupled to highsensitivity, complementary in situ diagnostic tools, used for the detection and characterization of the species present in the expansion: a Cavity Ring Down Spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy systems operating in the UV-Visible range, and a Reflectron Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (ReTOF-MS). We will present recent advances that were achieved in laboratory astrophysics using COSmIC. These include advances in the domain of the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) and in the formation of dust grains and aerosols from their gas-phase molecular precursors in environments as varied as circumstellar outflows and planetary atmospheres. An extension of the spectral response of the facility into the infrared (IR) range is in progress with the addition of a high-resolution near-IR to mid-IR CRDS system that will allow to further investigate cosmic molecules and grains with COSmIC. Acquisition of laser induced fluorescence spectra of cosmic molecule analogs and the laser induced incandescence spectra of cosmic grain analogs are also planned. Preliminary results in these fronts will presented and the implications of the on-going studies for astronomy will be addressed.

Laboratory↗
DOE OSTI2014

Computational Astrophysics Consortium (2006 - 2013)

The Computational Astrophysics Consortium was a SciDAC Science Application Project that operated during the period 2006 - 2013. The collaboration was headed by Stan Woosley at UC Santa Cruz, and (initially) included partners at UC Berkeley (UCB), LLNL, LANL, LBNL, Stonybrook, Arizona, Stanford, and Johns Hopkins. This report summarizes activities at UCB over the project period. More detailed information about the project accomplishments can be found in the collaboration final report submitted by PI Stan Woosley, and attached to this document. The CAC effort at UCB was originally led by PI Chris Mckee, and included participating faculty members Jon Arons, Peter Nugent, and Eliot Quataert. In 2010, Daniel Kasen moved from UCSC to a faculty position at UCB, and took over as UCB institution PI. The project supported several graduate students (Michael Childress, Siva Dharba, Andrew Myers, Janos Botyanszki, Jeffery Silverman) and postdocs (Dovi Poznanski, Antonino Cucchiarra, Jeffrey Oishi, Bradley Cenko, Eric Hsiao and Jason Dexter). Several codes were further developed by the UCB CAC group. The Orion code is a 3-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics code, used by McKee’s group and often applied to problems in star formation. As part of the CAC, an adaptive ray tracing ionization scheme was implemented, and a chemistry solver was incorporated for coupling the ionization state of the gas to its thermodynamics. The Sedona code is 3-dimensional monte carlo radiation transport code for calculation the light curves and spectra. As part of the CAC, the physics of the code was improved and domain decomposition techniques were implemented for scaling on massively parallel systems.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Astrophysical blast wave data

The data described in this document consist of image files of shadowgraphs of astrophysically relevant laser driven blast waves. Supporting files include Mathematica notebooks containing design calculations, tabulated experimental data and notes, and relevant publications from the open research literature. The data was obtained on the Z-Beamlet laser from July to September 2014. Selected images and calculations will be published as part of a PhD dissertation and in associated publications in the open research literature, with Sandia credited as appropriate. The authors are not aware of any restrictions that could affect the release of the data.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Tuning laser produced electron-positron jets for lab-astrophysics experiment

This paper reviews the experiments on the laser produced electron-positron jets using large laser facilities worldwide. The goal of the experiments was to optimize the parameter of the pair jets for their potential applications in laboratory-astrophysical experiment. Results on tuning the pair jet’s energy, number, emittance and magnetic collimation will be presented.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Constraints on the Redshift Evolution of Astrophysical Feedback with Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect Cross-Correlations

An understanding of astrophysical feedback is important for constraining models of galaxy formation and for extracting cosmological information from current and future weak lensing surveys. The thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect, quantified via the Compton-$y$ parameter, is a powerful tool for studying feedback, because it directly probes the pressure of the hot, ionized gas residing in dark matter halos. Cross-correlations between galaxies and maps of Compton-$y$ obtained from cosmic microwave background surveys are sensitive to the redshift evolution of the gas pressure, and its dependence on halo mass. In this work, we use galaxies identified in year one data from the Dark Energy Survey and Compton-$y$ maps constructed from Planck observations. We find highly significant (roughly $12\sigma$) detections of galaxy-$y$ cross-correlation in multiple redshift bins. By jointly fitting these measurements as well as measurements of galaxy clustering, we constrain the halo bias-weighted, gas pressure of the Universe as a function of redshift between $0.15 \lesssim z \lesssim 0.75$. We compare these measurements to predictions from hydrodynamical simulations, allowing us to constrain the amount of thermal energy in the halo gas relative to that resulting from gravitational collapse.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Astrophysical Tests of Dark Matter with Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer

We discuss how astrophysical observations with the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer (MSE), a high-multiplexity (about 4300 fibers), wide field-of-view (1.5 square degree), large telescope aperture (11.25 m) facility, can probe the particle nature of dark matter. MSE will conduct a suite of surveys that will provide critical input for determinations of the mass function, phase-space distribution, and internal density profiles of dark matter halos across all mass scales. N-body and hydrodynamical simulations of cold, warm, fuzzy and self-interacting dark matter suggest that non-trivial dynamics in the dark sector could have left an imprint on structure formation. Analysed within these frameworks, the extensive and unprecedented datasets produced by MSE will be used to search for deviations away from cold and collisionless dark matter model. MSE will provide an improved estimate of the local density of dark matter, critical for direct detection experiments, and will improve estimates of the J-factor for indirect searches through self-annihilation or decay into Standard Model particles. MSE will determine the impact of low mass substructures on the dynamics of Milky Way stellar streams in velocity space, and will allow for estimates of the density profiles of the dark matter halos of Milky Way dwarf galaxies using more than an order of magnitude more tracers. In the low redshift Universe, MSE will provide critical redshifts to pin down the luminosity functions of vast numbers of satellite systems, and MSE will be an essential component of future strong lensing measurements to constrain the halo mass function. Across nearly all mass scales, the improvements offered by MSE, in comparison to other facilities, are such that the relevant analyses are limited by systematics rather than statistics.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2019

Highly charged ions in a new era of high resolution X‐ray astrophysics

X‐ray astronomy and ground‐based atomic physics have a long history of fruitful collaboration: Sound understanding of the underlying atomic physics is the key to reliable interpretation of the spectra from celestial sources; conversely, astronomical spectra have been used to benchmark and advance atomic physics. This interplay is about to become even more important as we enter a new era of high‐resolution X‐ray astrophysics with large effective collection area. Although high‐resolution observations with the gratings on the Chandra and XMM‐Newton observatories continue to drive new science, upcoming planned and proposed missions will open up new discovery space in the near future that is currently challenging to access: high‐resolution spectroscopy on extended sources, in the Fe K band, and on short time scales. This review summarizes open questions in these areas and the design parameters for the Hitomi, XRISM, Athena, and Arcus observatories. The expected high quality of spectra taken with these observatories puts new constraints on the accuracy of atomic reference data required to take full advantage of the diagnostic potential of these spectra.

Hell, Natalie↗
DOE OSTI2021

High-precision measurements of half-lives for 69 Ge, 73 Se, 83 Sr, 85 mSr, and 63 Zn radionuclides relevant to the astrophysical p-process via photoactivation at the Madison Accelerator Laboratory

The ground state half-lives of 69 Ge, 73 Se, 83 Sr, 63 Zn, and the half-life of the 1/2 - isomer in 85 Sr have been measured with high precision using the photoactivation technique at an unconventional bremsstrahlung facility that features a repurposed medical electron linear accelerator. The γ -ray activity was counted over about 6 half-lives with a high-purity germanium detector, enclosed into an ultra low-background lead shield. The measured half-lives are: T 1/2 ( 69 Ge) = 38.82 ± 0.07 (stat) ± 0.06 (sys) h; T 1/2 ( 73 Se) = 7.18 ± 0.02 (stat) ± 0.004 (sys) h; T 1/2 ( 83 Sr) = 31.87 ± 1.16 (stat) ± 0.42 (sys) h; T 1/2 ( 85m Sr) = 68.24 ± 0.84 (stat) ± 0.11 (sys) min; T 1/2 ( 63 Zn) = 38.71 ± 0.25 (stat) ± 0.10 (sys) min. These high-precision half-life measurements will contribute to a more accurate determination of corresponding ground-state photoneutron reaction rates, which are part of a broader effort of constraining statistical nuclear models needed to calculate stellar nuclear reaction rates relevant for the astrophysical p -process nucleosynthesis.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Precision masses for studies of the astrophysical r process

Half of the elements heavier than iron (Z > 26) are thought to be created through the astrophysical r process, whereby nuclides are produced via a rapid series of nuclear reactions that are postulated to occur in high temperature and neutron density environments such as supernovae or merging neutron stars. The nucleosynthetic path that describes the sequence of reactions through the chart of nuclides strongly depends on the neutron-separation energies of the nuclei. Until recently, however, almost all of these neutron-rich nuclei were not within reach of accelerator facilities, and therefore simulations of the r process had to rely on mass models for input into the calculations. Now, with the advent of facilities such as CARIBU at Argonne National Laboratory, the masses of many nuclides along the r-process path can be determined precisely with Penning trap mass spectrometers coupled to these facilities. More than 70 nuclides have been measured with the Canadian Penning Trap mass spectrometer alone in the past year, which overlap and complement results from other Penning trap mass spectrometers, and first calculations with these new masses suggest the timescale of the r process through the tin isotopes is delayed much more strongly than mass models would suggest.

Clark, Jason↗
DOE OSTI2016

A recoil separator for nuclear astrophysics SECAR

In this paper, a recoil separator SECAR has been designed to study radiative capture reactions relevant for the astrophysical rp-process in inverse kinematics for the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). Finally, we describe the design, layout, and ion optics of the recoil separator and present the status of the project.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Opportunities for isomer studies for astrophysics at FRIB

The role of nuclear isomers in astrophysical nucleosynthesis is gaining increased attention, as reactions on ground and isomeric states are both potentially important for determining the reaction rates and flow within the reaction network. A particular case is the odd-odd N=Z nuclides in the sd -shell, which play an important role in breakout from the CNO cycle in nova nucleosynthesis, affecting reaction flow, the nucleosynthesis end-point, and final abundances, impacting potential astronomical observables. Because many of these nuclides have low-lying isomers, it is important to constrain reactions on both ground and isomeric states. Developments in radioactive-beam facilities are opening such opportunities, via direct and indirect techniques. The first measurement using a new technique for manipulating ground/isomer content in reaccelerated beams without affecting ion optics, has been employed to study 38 K, which will be applicable to measurements on 34 Cl and others at the nascent Facility for Rare Isotope Beams.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Maser radiation from collisionless shocks: application to astrophysical jets

This paper describes a model of electron energization and cyclotron-maser emission applicable to astrophysical magnetized collisionless shocks. It is motivated by the work of Begelman, Ergun and Rees [Astrophys. J. 625 , 51 (2005)] who argued that the cyclotron-maser instability occurs in localized magnetized collisionless shocks such as those expected in blazar jets. We report on recent research carried out to investigate electron acceleration at collisionless shocks and maser radiation associated with the accelerated electrons. We describe how electrons accelerated by lower-hybrid waves at collisionless shocks generate cyclotron-maser radiation when the accelerated electrons move into regions of stronger magnetic fields. The electrons are accelerated along the magnetic field and magnetically compressed leading to the formation of an electron velocity distribution having a horseshoe shape due to conservation of the electron magnetic moment. Under certain conditions the horseshoe electron velocity distribution function is unstable to the cyclotron-maser instability [Bingham and Cairns, Phys. Plasmas 7 , 3089 (2000); Melrose, Rev. Mod. Plasma Phys. 1 , 5 (2017)].

Optics↗
DOE OSTI2021

Reconnection and particle acceleration in three-dimensional current sheet evolution in moderately magnetized astrophysical pair plasma

Magnetic reconnection, a plasma process converting magnetic energy to particle kinetic energy, is often invoked to explain magnetic energy releases powering high-energy flares in astrophysical sources including pulsar wind nebulae and black hole jets. Reconnection is usually seen as the (essentially two-dimensional) nonlinear evolution of the tearing instability disrupting a thin current sheet. To test how this process operates in three dimensions, we conduct a comprehensive particle-in-cell simulation study comparing two- and three-dimensional evolution of long, thin current sheets in moderately magnetized, collisionless, relativistically hot electron–positron plasma, and find dramatic differences. We first systematically characterize this process in two dimensions, where classic, hierarchical plasmoid-chain reconnection determines energy release, and explore a wide range of initial configurations, guide magnetic field strengths and system sizes. We then show that three-dimensional (3-D) simulations of similar configurations exhibit a diversity of behaviours, including some where energy release is determined by the nonlinear relativistic drift-kink instability. Thus, 3-D current sheet evolution is not always fundamentally classical reconnection with perturbing 3-D effects but, rather, a complex interplay of multiple linear and nonlinear instabilities whose relative importance depends sensitively on the ambient plasma, minor configuration details and even stochastic events. It often yields slower but longer-lasting and ultimately greater magnetic energy release than in two dimensions. Intriguingly, non-thermal particle acceleration is astonishingly robust, depending on the upstream magnetization and guide field, but otherwise yielding similar particle energy spectra in two and three dimensions. Although the variety of underlying current sheet behaviours is interesting, the similarities in overall energy release and particle spectra may be more remarkable.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2016

Weak intramolecular interaction effects on the torsional spectra of ethylene glycol, an astrophysical species

An elaborate variational procedure of reduced dimensionality based on explicitly correlated coupled clusters calculations is applied to understand the far infrared spectrum of ethylene-glycol, an astrophysical species. This molecule can be classified in the double molecular symmetry group G{sub 8} and displays nine stable conformers, gauche and trans. In the gauche region, the effect of the potential energy surface anisotropy due to the formation of intramolecular hydrogen bonds is relevant. For the primary conformer, stabilized by a hydrogen bond, the ground vibrational state rotational constants are computed to be A{sub 0} = 15 369.57 MHz, B{sub 0} = 5579.87 MHz, and C{sub 0} = 4610.02 MHz corresponding to differences of 6.3 MHz, 7.2 MHz, and 3.5 MHz from the experimental parameters. Ethylene glycol displays very low torsional energy levels whose classification is not straightforward and requires a detailed analysis of the torsional wavefunctions. Tunneling splittings are significant and unpredictable due to the anisotropy of the potential energy surface PES. The ground vibrational state splits into 16 sublevels separated ∼142 cm{sup −1}. The splitting of the “G1 sublevels” was calculated to be ∼0.26 cm{sup −1} in very good agreement with the experimental data (0.2 cm{sup −1} = 6.95 MHz). Transitions corresponding to the three internal rotation modes allow assignment of previously observed Q branches. Band patterns, calculated between 362.3 cm{sup −1} and 375.2 cm{sup −1}, 504 cm{sup −1} and 517 cm{sup −1}, and 223.3 cm{sup −1} and 224.1 cm{sup −1}, that correspond to the tunnelling components of the v{sub 21} fundamental (v{sub 21} = OH-torsional mode), are assigned to the prominent experimental Q branches.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗