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NASA NTRS1987

COSMIC

The design goals of the COSMIC spaceborne telescope array concept are outlined. These include a high degree of structural stiffness, a wide field of view, and a broad wavelength band. These properties directly enhance the scientific productivity and technical reliability of the array. If a sufficiently stiff structure can be designed, COSMIC can operate as a phased array; if the structure relaxes before it can be rephased on a reference star, it degrades to a coherent array. The COSMIC engineering study suggests that passively-stabilized, phased arrays are feasible.

Traub, Wesley A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Solar modulation of the cosmic radiation in the heliosphere

Changes in the solar modulation of galactic and anomalous component cosmic rays reflect changes in the structure and magnetic topology of the interplanetary medium. Therefore, to the extent that the modulation process is understood, the cosmic rays can be used as a probe of the medium to infer the extent and structure of the heliosphere in regions not directly sampled by spacecraft. The challenge to modulation theory and observation has been to determine which properties of the solar wind are most important for producing the observed modulation. Significant progress has been made in answering this question during the last solar cycle using observations from spacecraft at radii to 40 AU from the Sun and at latitudes up to 30 degrees with respect to the ecliptic. A brief summary of new results and observations (with specific attention to the STIP intervals XV-XIX) will be presented to illustrate the present state of our understanding of the relation between the solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field and the modulations of the cosmic radiation.

Mckibben, R. B.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Preliminary estimates of galactic cosmic ray exposures for manned interplanetary missions

Preliminary estimates of radiation exposures resulting from galactic cosmic rays are presented for interplanetary missions. The calculations use the Naval Research Laboratory cosmic ray transport code. The heavy ion portion of the transport code can be used with any number of layers of target material, consisting of up to five different constituents per layer. The nucleonic portion of the transport code can be used with any number of layers of target material of arbitrary composition except hydrogen. Calculated galactic cosmic ray particle fluxes, doses, and dose equivalents behind various thicknesses of aluminum shielding are presented for solar maximum and solar minimum periods.

Wilson, John W.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Cosmic ray-modified stellar winds. I - Solution topologies and singularities

In the present two-fluid hydrodynamical model for stellar wind flow modification due to its interaction with Galactic cosmic rays, these rays are coupled to the stellar wind by either hydromagnetic wave scattering or background flow irregularity propagation. The background flow is modified by the cosmic rays via their pressure gradient. The system of equations used possesses a line of singularities in (r, u, P sub c)-space, or a two-dimensional hypersurface of singularities in (r, u, P sub c, dP sub c/dr)-space, where r, u, and P sub c are respectively the radial distance from the star, the radial wind flow speed, and the cosmic ray pressure. The singular points may be nodes, foci, or saddle points.

Ko, C. M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Energy spectra of cosmic-ray nuclei from 50 to 2000 GeV per amu

A direct measurement of the elemental composition of cosmic rays up to energies of several TeV/amu was performed during the Spacelab 2 flight of the Space Shuttle. Results on the spectral shape for the elements C, O, Ne, Mg, Si, and Fe, obtained from this experiment, are presented. It was found that the C and O energy spectra retain a power-law spectrum in energy with an exponent Gamma of about 2.65. The Fe spectrum is flatter (Gamma of about 2.55) up to a particle energy of about 10 to the 14th eV, indicating a steady increase in the relative abundance of iron in cosmic rays up to this energy. The energy spectra of Ne, Mg, and Si are steeper than anticipated. This behavior is unexpected within current models of cosmic-ray acceleration.

Grunsfeld, John M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Solar-cycle modulation of galactic cosmic rays

This paper describes a numerical solution of the spherically-symmetric, time-dependent, cosmic-ray modulation equation, compares it to data taken near the ecliptic, and probes the physical mechanisms responsible for the solar-cycle variations in the cosmic-ray intensity. With a physically defensible diffusion coefficient and other reasonable parameters, the spectra of protons and electrons can be simulated simultaneously over the cycle, the radial intensity gradients for particles greater than about 100 MeV, the overall intensity variation during the cycle, and the time lag in the recovery of low-energy particles behind high-energy ones, known commonly as the 'hysteresis.' The results suggest that cosmic-ray variations near the ecliptic are dominated by turbulent scattering regions in the heliosphere, overwhelming any effects of gradient and curvature drifts.

Perko, John S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Capabilities of the cosmic background explorer

The cosmic background explorer, now being redesigned for a launch on a Delta rocket in 1989, will carry three instruments to measure the cosmic infrared and microwave background radiation and other diffuse sources from 1 micron to 1 cm wavelength. These instruments will be orders of magnitude more sensitive and accurate than previous equipment and will help determine the structure of the early universe. The instruments are (1) an absolute spectrophotometer, covering 100 microns to 1 cm, (2) an absolute infrared radiometer covering 1 to 300 microns, and (3) differential microwave radiometers at 32, 53, and 90 GHz. They will measure the large scale anisotropy and the spectrum of the 3 K cosmic background, and search for the extragalactic infrared background, to a sensitivity limited by the astrophysical environment. The first two instruments require liquid helium cooling, limiting their lifetime to about 14 months.

Mather, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Cosmic strings

Cosmic strings are linear topological defects which are predicted by some grand unified theories to form during a spontaneous symmetry breaking phase transition in the early universe. They are the basis for the only theories of galaxy formation aside from quantum fluctuations from inflation based on fundamental physics. In contrast to inflation, they can also be observed directly through gravitational lensing and their characterisitc microwave background anisotropy. It was recently discovered that details of cosmic string evolution are very differnt from the so-called standard model that was assumed in most of the string-induced galaxy formation calculations. Therefore, the details of galaxy formation in the cosmic string models are currently very uncertain.

Bennett, David P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Computer simulations of cosmic-ray diffusion near supernova remnant shock waves

A plasma simulation model was used to study the resonant interactions between streaming cosmic-ray ions and a self-consistent spectrum of Alfven waves, such as might exist in the interstellar medium upstream of a supernova remnant shock wave. The computational model is a hybrid one, in which the background interstellar medium is an MHD fluid and the cosmic-rays are discrete kinetic particles. The particle sources for the electromagnetic fields are obtained by averaging over the fast cyclotron motions. When the perturbed magnetic field is larger than 10 percent of the background field, the macro- and microphysics are no longer correctly predicted by quasi-linear theory. The particles are trapped by the waves and show sharp jumps in their pitch-angles relative to the background magnetic field, and the effective ninety-degree scattering time for diffusion parallel to the background magnetic field is reduced to between 5 and 30 cyclotron periods. Simulation results suggest that Type 1 supernova remnants may be the principal sites of cosmic ray acceleration.

Max, C. E.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Toward a descriptive model of galactic cosmic rays in the heliosphere

Researchers review the elements that enter into phenomenological models of the composition, energy spectra, and the spatial and temporal variations of galactic cosmic rays, including the so-called anomalous cosmic ray component. Starting from an existing model, designed to describe the behavior of cosmic rays in the near-Earth environment, researchers suggest possible updates and improvements to this model, and then propose a quantitative approach for extending such a model into other regions of the heliosphere.

Mewaldt, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Application of cosmic-ray shock theories to the Cygnus Loop - An alternative model

Steady state cosmic-ray shock models are investigated here in the light of observations of the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant. The predicted downstream temperature is derived for each model. The Cygnus Loop data and the application of the models to them, including wave dissipation, are presented. Heating rate and ionization fraction structures are provided along with an estimate of the cosmic-ray diffusion coefficient. It is found that the model of Voelk, Drury, and McKenzie (1984), in which the plasma waves are generated by the streaming instability of the cosmic rays and are dissipated into the gas, can be made consistent with some observed characteristics of the Cygnus Loop shocks. The model is used to deduce upstream densities and shock velocities and, compared to the usual pure gas shock interpretation, it is found that lower densities and approximately three times higher velocities are required.

Boulares, Ahmed↗
NASA NTRS1988

A cosmic book

A system of assigning odds to the basic elements of cosmological theories is proposed in order to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the theories. A figure of merit for the theories is obtained by counting and weighing the plausibility of each of the basic elements that is not substantially supported by observation or mature fundamental theory. The magnetized strong model is found to be the most probable. In order of decreasing probability, the ranking for the rest of the models is: (1) the magnetized string model with no exotic matter and the baryon adiabatic model; (2) the hot dark matter model and the model of cosmic string loops; (3) the canonical cold dark matter model, the cosmic string loops model with hot dark matter, and the baryonic isocurvature model; and (4) the cosmic string loops model with no exotic matter.

Peebles, P. J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The abundance of N-14 at the cosmic-ray source - A study using new fragmentation cross sections

The abundance of N-14 at the Galactic cosmic ray source was examined using new fragmentation cross sections measured by the University of New Hampshire group for 12 different source nuclei (ranging from C-12 to Ni-58) which cover about 70 percent of all cosmic-ray nuclei arriving at earth. A new cross-section program was used to estimate unmeasured cross sections. These cross sections were then incorporated into a Galactic propagation program to calculate the interstellar production of B and N. Results indicate that atomic selection effects alone cannot explain adequately the observed depletion of N-14 relative to O-16 in the cosmic-ray source with respect to the solar corona, indicating that some part of this depletion must have a nuclear/nucleosynthetic origin.

Gupta, M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Spectral distortions of the cosmic microwave background

Recent experiments indicate that the spectrum of the cosmic microwave background deviates from a pure blackbody; here, spectral distortions produced by cosmic dust are considered. The main result is that cosmic dust in conjunction with an injected radiation field (perhaps produced by an early generation of very massive stars) can explain the observed spectral distortions without violating existing cosmological constraints. In addition, it is shown that Compton y-distortions can also explain the observed spectral shape, but the energetic requirements are more severe.

Adams, Fred C.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The pregalactic cosmic gravitational wave background

An outline is given that estimates the expected gravitational wave background, based on plausible pregalactic sources. Some cosmologically significant limits can be put on incoherent gravitational wave background arising from pregalactic cosmic evolution. The spectral region of cosmically generated and cosmically limited radiation is, at long periods, P greater than 1 year, in contrast to more recent cosmological sources, which have P approx. 10 to 10(exp -3).

Matzner, Richard A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The space microwave interferometer and the search for cosmic background gravitational wave radiation

Present and planned investigations which use interplanetary spacecraft for gravitational wave searches are severely limited in their detection capability. This limitation has to do both with the Earth-based tracking procedures used and with the configuration of the experiments themselves. It is suggested that a much improved experiment can now be made using a multiarm interferometer designed with current operating elements. An important source of gravitational wave radiation, the cosmic background, may well be within reach of detection with these procedures. It is proposed to make a number of experimental steps that can now be carried out using TDRSS spacecraft and would conclude in the establishment of an operating multiarm microwave interferometer. This interferometer is projected to have a sensitivity to cosmic background gravitational wave radiation with an energy of less than 10(exp -4) cosmic closure density and to periodic waves generating spatial strain approaching 10(exp -19) in the range 0.1 to 0.001 Hz.

Anderson, Allen Joel↗
NASA NTRS1989

Two-point correlation function of cosmic-string loops

The two-point correlations of cosmic-string loops are studied with numerical simulations of the evolution of a cosmic-string network in an expanding universe. It is found that the initial positions of loops that are chopped off the network have a correlation function that is quite similar to the highest estimates of the Abell-cluster correlation function, but these correlations are rapidly washed out by the motion of the loops. The implications for the cosmic-string galaxy-formation scenario are briefly discussed.

Bennett, David P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Effect of re-acceleration on cosmic ray components

Reacceleration of cosmic rays in interstellar space has been studied in detail in order to examine the behavior of the ratios of secondary to primary nuclei in cosmic radiation. It is found that modest acceleration in a confinement region, where particles escape more freely at high energies, provides a better fit to the observed data. The effect of reacceleration on the spectral shape of proton and helium components of cosmic rays has been studied. The examination of two different models has shown that reacceleration provides a poor fit to the observed proton data.

Stephens, S. A.↗