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At least 685 records · Page 38
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NASA NTRS2002

Detection of HCN and C2H2 in ISO Spectra of Oxygen-Rich AGB Stars

Cool oxygen-rich AGB stars were not expected to have organic molecules like HCN in either their photospheres or circumstellar envelopes (CSEs). The discovery of HCN and CS microwave emission from the shallowest CSE layers of these stars was a considerable surprise and much theoretical effort has been expended in explaining the presence of such organics. To further explore this problem, we have undertaken a systematic search of oxygen-rich AGB stellar spectra in the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) data archive. Our purposes are to find evidence regarding critical molecular species that could be of value in choosing among the proposed theoretical models, to locate spectral features which might give clues to conditions deeper in the CSEs, and to lay the groundwork for future SIRTF (Space Infrared Telescope Facility) and SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) observations. Using carefully reduced observations, we have detected weak absorption features arising from HCN and possibly C2H2 in a small number of oxygen-rich AGB stars. The most compelling case is NML Cyg which shows both HCN (14 microns) and CO2 (15 microns). VY CMa, a similar star, shows evidence for HCN, but not CO2. Two S-type stars show evidence for the C-H bending transitions: W Aql at 14 microns (HCN) and both W Aql and S Cas at 13.7 microns (C2H2). Both W Aql and S Cas as well as S Lyr, a SC-type star, show 3 micron absorption which may arise from the C-H stretch of HCN and C2H2. In the case of NML Cyg, we show that the HCN and CO2 spectral features are formed in the CSE at temperatures well above those of the outermost CSE layers and derive approximate column densities. In the case of the S-stars, we discuss the evidence for the organic features and their photospheric origin.

Carbon, Duane F.↗
NASA NTRS2007

GRB070125: The First Long-Duration Gamma-Ray Burst in a Halo Environment

We present the discovery and high signal-to-noise spectroscopic observations of the optical afterglow of the long-duration gamma-ray burst GRB070125. Unlike all previously observed long-duration afterglows in the redshift range 0.5 < z < 2.0, we find no strong (rest-frame equivalent width W > 1.0 A) absorption features in the wavelength range 4000 - 10000 A. The sole significant feature is a weak doublet we identify as Mg 11 2796 (W = 0.18 +/- 0.02 A), 2803 (W = 0.08 +0I.-01 ) at z = 1.5477 +/- 0.0001. The low observed Mg II and inferred H I column densities are typically observed in galactic halos, far away from the bulk of massive star formation. Deep ground-based imaging reveals no host directly underneath the afterglow to a limit of R > 25.4 mag. Either of the two nearest blue galaxies could host GRB070125; the large offset (d >= 27 kpc) would naturally explain the low column density. To remain consistent with the large local (i.e. parsec scale) circum-burst density inferred from broadband afterglow observations, we speculate GRB070125 may have occurred far away from the disk of its host in a compact star-forming cluster. Such distant stellar clusters, typically formed by dynamical galaxy interactions, have been observed in the nearby universe, and should be more prevalent at z>l where galaxy mergers occur more frequently.

Bradley, Cenko S.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Converging Supergranular Flows and the Formation of Coronal Plumes

Earlier studies have suggested that coronal plumes are energized by magnetic reconnection between unipolar flux concentrations and nearby bipoles, even though magnetograms sometimes show very little minority-polarity flux near the footpoints of plumes. Here we use high-resolution extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) images and magnetograms from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) to clarify the relationship between plume emission and the underlying photospheric field. We find that plumes form where unipolar network elements inside coronal holes converge to form dense clumps, and fade as the clumps disperse again. The converging flows also carry internetwork fields of both polarities. Although the minority-polarity flux is sometimes barely visible in the magnetograms, the corresponding EUV images almost invariably show loop-like features in the core of the plumes, with the fine structure changing on timescales of minutes or less. We conclude that the SDO observations are consistent with a model in which plume emission originates from interchange reconnection in converging flows, with the plume lifetime being determined by the approximately 1-day evolutionary timescale of the supergranular network. Furthermore, the presence of large EUV bright points and/or ephemeral regions is not a necessary precondition for the formation of plumes, which can be energized even by the weak, mixed-polarity internetwork fields swept up by converging flows.

Sun: corona↗
NASA NTRS1981

Very low frequency waves stimulated by an electron accelerator in the auroral ionosphere

The sounding rocket, Polar 5, carrying a 10 keV electron accelerator in a mother-daughter configuration and other diagnostic instruments, was launched into a slightly disturbed ionosphere with weak auroral activity on February 1, 1976 from Northern Norway to study VLF wave phenomena. The rocket trajectory crossed two auroral regions: one, between 86 and 111 s flight time, and a secondary region between 230 and 330 s. The daughter, carrying the accelerator, was separated axially from the mother in a forward direction at an altitude of 90 km. The VLF experiment, carried by the mother payload, recorded both electromagnetic and electrostatic waves. The receiving antenna was an electric dipole, 0.3 m tip-to-tip, oriented 90 degrees to the rocket spin axis. The onboard particle detector recorded increased electron fluxes in the two auroral regions. A double peaked structure was observed in the fluxes of 4-5 and 12-27 keV electrons within the northern auroral form. The number density of thermal plasma varied during the flight, with maximum density within the main auroral region. To the north of this aurora a slow, steady decrease in the density was observed, with no enhancement in the region of the second aurora.

Holtet, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Magnetized thermal conduction fronts

The evolution of planar thermal conduction fronts in the presence of a dynamically weak, but otherwise self-consistent, magnetic field is considered. The field is assumed to be connected and untangled. In the diffusion limit for the thermal conductivity, these fronts exhibit self-similar behavior, even in the presence of a field. The role of the field is restricted to channeling the heat flux along its lines of force, and it enters into the problem as a dimensionless angle variable. 'Combing' (or opening) of insulating field lines by the evaporative flow is explicitly demonstrated. Unless the field is nearly perpendicular to the front normal in the hot gas, insulating effects are not profound. Self-similarity breaks down if the front becomes saturated, and under certain conditions magnetized saturated conduction fronts cannot propagate: the solution characteristics of the wave equation form caustics. The physical resolution is the advent of two-fluid (nonlocal) heating. Such Coulomb-heated fronts are expected to be relatively rare in typical astrophysical systems. The large-scale effects of a magnetic field on cloud evaporation in the interstellar medium are briefly discussed, and it is suggested that these fields preclude the presence of time-independent evaporative solutions. Thermal interfaces may then continue to evolve until radiative cooling halts their development; large tracts of warm 10,000 K gas may result.

Balbus, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS2002

High Temperature Si-doped BN Interphases for Woven SiC/SiC Composites

The hydrolytic stability of high-temperature deposited Si-doped BN has been shown in the past to be superior in comparison to "pure" BN processed at similar or even higher temperatures. This type of material would be very desirable as a SiC/SiC composite interphase that is formed by chemical infiltration into multi-ply woven preform. However, due to rapid deposition on the preform outer surface at the high processing temperature, this has proven very difficult. To overcome this issue, single plies of woven fabric were infiltrated with Si-doped BN. Three composite panels of different SiC fiber types were fabricated with Si-doped BN interphases including Sylramic, Hi-Nicalon Type S and Sylramic-iBN fiber-types. The latter fiber-type possesses a thin in-situ grown BN layer on the fiber surface. High Si contents (approx. 7 to 10 a/o) and low oxygen contents (less than 1 a/o) were achieved. All three composite systems demonstrated reasonable debonding and sliding properties. The coated Sylramic fabric and composites were weak due to fiber degradation apparently caused during interphase processing by the formation of TiN crystals on the fiber surface. The Hi-Nicalon Type S composites with Si-doped BN interphase were only slightly weaker than Hi-Nicalon Type S composites with conventional BN when the strength on the load-bearing fibers at failure was compared. On the other hand, the Sylramic-iBN fabric and composites with Si-doped BN showed excellent composite and intermediate temperature stress-rupture properties. Most impressive was the lack of any significant interphase oxidation on the fracture surface of stress-ruptured specimens tested well above matrix cracking at 815C.

Morscher, Gregory N.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Satellite-based Assessment of Global Warm Cloud Properties Associated with Aerosols, Atmospheric Stability, and Diurnal Cycle

This study examines variability in marine low cloud properties derived from semi-global observations by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, as linked to the aerosol index (AI) and lower-tropospheric stability (LTS). AI is derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (Terra MODIS) sensor and the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transportation (GOCART) model, and is used to represent column-integrated aerosol concentrations. LTS is derived from the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, and represents the background thermodynamic environment in which the clouds form. Global statistics reveal that cloud droplet size tends to be smallest in polluted (high-AI) and strong inversion (high-LTS) environments. Statistical quantification shows that cloud droplet size is better correlated with AI than it is with LTS. Simultaneously, the cloud liquid water path (CLWP) tends to decrease as AI increases. This correlation does not support the hypothesis or assumption that constant or increased CLWP is associated with high aerosol concentrations. Global variability in corrected cloud albedo (CCA), the product of cloud optical depth and cloud fraction, is very well explained by LTS, while both AI and LTS are needed to explain local variability in CCA. Most of the local correlations between AI and cloud properties are similar to the results from the global statistics, while weak anomalous aerosol-cloud correlations appear locally in the regions where simultaneous high (low) AI and low (high) LTS compensate each other. Daytime diurnal cycles explain additional variability in cloud properties. CCA has the largest diurnal cycle in high-LTS regions. Cloud droplet size and CLWP have weak diurnal cycles that differ between clean and polluted environments. The combined results suggest that investigations of marine low cloud radiative forcing and its relationship to hypothesized aerosol indirect effects must consider the combined effects of aerosols, thermodynamics, and the diurnal cycle.

Matsui, Toshihisa↗
NASA NTRS1978

Effect of oxygen and nitrogen interactions on friction of single-crystal silicon carbide

Friction studies were conducted with single-crystal silicon carbide contacting silicon carbide and titanium after having been exposed to oxygen and nitrogen in various forms. After they had been sputter cleaned, the surfaces were (1) exposed to gaseous oxygen and nitrogen (adsorption), (2) ion bombarded with oxygen and nitrogen, or (3) reacted with oxygen (SiC only). Auger emission spectroscopy was used to determine the presence of oxygen and nitrogen. The results indicate that the surfaces of silicon carbide with reacted and ion-bombarded oxygen ions give higher coefficients of friction than do argon sputter-cleaned surfaces. The effects of oxygen on friction may be related to the relative chemical, thermodynamic properties of silicon, carbon, and titanium for oxygen. The adsorbed films of oxygen, nitrogen, and mixed gases of oxygen and nitrogen on sputter-cleaned, oxygen-ion bombarded, and oxygen-reacted surfaces generally reduce friction. Adsorption to silicon carbide is relatively weak.

Miyoshi, K.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Troilite in the Chondrules of Type-3 Ordinary Chondrites: Implications for Chondrule Formation

The presence of primary troilite in chondrules requires that nebular temperatures were <650 K (the 50% condensation temperature of S) at the time of chondrule formation and that chondrules were molten for periods short enough (less than or equal to 10 s) to avoid significant volatilization of S. We examined 226 intact chondrules of all textural types from eight unshocked to weakly shocked ordinary chondrite falls of low petrologic type to determine the origin of troilite in chondrules; 68 chondrules are from LL3.0 Semarkona. There is a high probability that troilite is primary (i.e , was present among the chondrule precursors) if it is completely embedded in a mafic silicate phenocryst, located within one-half radius of the apparent chondrule center and is part of an opaque assemblage with an igneous texture Based on these criteria, 13% of the chondrules in Semarkona and in the set as a whole contain primary troilite. Most of the remaining chondrules contain troilite that is probably primary, but does not meet all three criteria. Troilite occurs next to tetratacnite in some opaque spherules within low-FeO chondrules in Semarkona, implying that the Ni required to form the tetrataenite came from the troilite Troilite can accommodate 5 mg/g Ni at high temperatures (> 1170 K) but much less Ni at lower temperatures; because this is far higher than the metamorphic temperature inferred for Semarkona (approx. 670 K), the troilite must be primary Primary troilite fitting the three criteria occurs in a smaller fraction of low-FeO [FeO/(FeO + MgO) in olivine and/or low-Ca pyroxene not greater than 0.0751 than high-FeO porphyritic chondrules in Semarkona (9% vs 33%) Coarse-grained low-FeO porphyritic chondrules appear to contain somewhat more troilite on average than those of medium grain size We found a few troilite-free, metallic-Fe-Ni-bearing, low-FeO chondrules that contain Na2O-bearing augite and Na2O- and K2O-rich mesostasis; these chondrules were probably formed after ambient nebular temperatures cooled below 910 K (the 50% condensation temperature of Na) and before they reached 650 K Literature reports of rare fayalitic microchondrules in the rims around a few normal-size chondrules suggest that chondrule formation persisted until nebular temperatures cooled below 500 K Secondary troilite occurs in a few percent of Semarkona chondrules as thin veins mobilized by shock; troilite or pyrrhotite in the outer portions of some chondrules occur within opaque assemblages containing magnetite, carbide, Ni-rich sulfide, awaruite, and Co-rich kamacite produced by parent-body hydrothermal alteration.

Rubin, Alan E.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Timing, Abundance, and Spatial Extent of Initial Magmatism on the Moon Explained By Cumulate Mantle Overturn

We have recently quantified the timing, abundance, and spatial extent of lower mantle melting induced by cumulate overturn on the Moon through a series of 3D geodynamical models. Our dynamical modeling indicates that overturn of thin (~30-50 km) and weak ilmenite-bearing cumulates (IBC) triggers a rapid, short-lived, and widespread period of lower mantle melting which reproduces the key geochronological, volume, and spatial characteristics associated with the onset of secondary magmatism on the Moon (Figs. 1,2), and without energy contributions from KREEP (potassium, rare earth elements, phosphorus, radiogenic U, Th). Within the guiding paradigms of global differentiation via magma ocean crystallization and subsequent cumulate mantle overturn, our model provides explanation for near contemporaneous primary and secondary crust production constrained by geochronology of returned lunar samples and meteorites. In this abstract, we discuss our results in context with several intricacies of lunar chronology including models of a long-lived magma ocean, the hypothesis that mantle overturn was induced by the giant South Pole-Aitken basin forming impact, and ancient lunar zircon.

T. C. Prissel↗
NASA NTRS2017

Impact Delivery of Reduced Greenhouse Gases on Early Mars

Reducing greenhouse gases are once again the latest trend in finding solutions to the early Mars climate dilemma. In its current form - as proposed by Ramirez et al. [1], later refined by Wordsworth et al. [2], and confirmed by Ramirez [3] - collision induced absorptions between CO2-H2 or CO2-CH4 provide enough extra greenhouse power to raise global mean surface temperatures to the melting point of water provided the atmosphere is thick enough and the reduced gases are abundant enough. To raise surface temperatures significantly by this mechanism, surface pressures must be at least 500 mb and H2 and/or CH4 concentrations must be at or above the several percent level. Both Wordsworth et al. [2] and Ramirez [3] show that the melting point can be reached in atmospheres with 1-2 bars of CO2 and 2-10% H2; smaller concentrations of H2 will suffice if CH4 is also present. If thick weakly reducing atmospheres are the solution to the faint young Sun paradox, then plausible mechanisms must be found to generate and sustain the gases. Possible sources of reducing gases include volcanic outgassing, serpentinization, and impact delivery; sinks include photolyis, oxidation, and escape to space. The viability of the reduced greenhouse hypothesis depends, therefore, on the strength of these sources and sinks.

greenhose gases↗
NASA NTRS1980

Effect of gravitational overloads, hypokinesia and hypodynamia on the vessels of the pulmonary blood circuit

Vessels of the pulmonary circuit are studied under normal conditions, in exposure to single stress or continuous threshold endurable chestspine gravitational stresses, and one to eight weak hypokinesia and hypodynamic effects followed by stress. Examination methods include rentgenography and microrentgenography, clearing, and histology. In exposure to gravitational stress the distal portions of the arterial vessels of the 3 and 4 orders constrict, while all veins dilate. Sinuosity of all vessels is noted. The volume of the capillary bed increases and signs of perivascular edema occur. Due to hypokinesia and hypodynamia the arteries constricted and the arterial bed becomes poor. The veins of all orders dilate and the volume of the capillary bed increases. The changes grew greater the longer the terms of hypodyamic effects. Successive combination of hypokinesia and hypodynamia and gravitational stresses cause more pronounced changes than separate effects of these two factors and result in great deformity of the vascular walls, including their rupture and penetration of formed elements beyond the limits of the vascular bed.

Kasimtsev, A. A.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Development and Demonstration of an Ada Test Generation System

In this project we have built a prototype system that performs Feasible Path Analysis on Ada programs: given a description of a set of control flow paths through a procedure, and a predicate at a program point feasible path analysis determines if there is input data which causes execution to flow down some path in the collection reaching the point so that tile predicate is true. Feasible path analysis can be applied to program testing, program slicing, array bounds checking, and other forms of anomaly checking. FPA is central to most applications of program analysis. But, because this problem is formally unsolvable, syntactic-based approximations are used in its place. For example, in dead-code analysis the problem is to determine if there are any input values which cause execution to reach a specified program point. Instead an approximation to this problem is computed: determine whether there is a control flow path from the start of the program to the point. This syntactic approximation is efficiently computable and conservative: if there is no such path the program point is clearly unreachable, but if there is such a path, the analysis is inconclusive, and the code is assumed to be live. Such conservative analysis too often yields unsatisfactory results because the approximation is too weak. As another example, consider data flow analysis. A du-pair is a pair of program points such that the first point is a definition of a variable and the second point a use and for which there exists a definition-free path from the definition to the use. The sharper, semantic definition of a du-pair requires that there be a feasible definition-free path from the definition to the use. A compiler using du-pairs for detecting dead variables may miss optimizations by not considering feasibility. Similarly, a program analyzer computing program slices to merge parallel versions may report conflicts where none exist. In the context of software testing, feasibility analysis plays an important role in identifying testing requirements which are infeasible. This is especially true for data flow testing and modified condition/decision coverage. Our system uses in an essential way symbolic analysis and theorem proving technology, and we believe this work represents one of the few successful uses of a theorem prover working in a completely automatic fashion to solve a problem of practical interest. We believe this work anticipates an important trend away from purely syntactic-based methods for program analysis to semantic methods based on symbolic processing and inference technology. Other results demonstrating the practical use of automatic inference is being reported in hardware verification, although there are significant differences between the hardware work and ours. However, what is common and important is that general purpose theorem provers are being integrated with more special-purpose decision procedures to solve problems in analysis and verification. We are pursuina commercial opportunities for this work, and will use and extend the work in other projects we are engaged in. Ultimately we would like to rework the system to analyze C, C++, or Java as a key step toward commercialization.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2013

Fermi LAT Pulsed Detection of PSR J0737-3039A in the Double Pulsar System

We report the Fermi Large Area Telescope discovery of gamma-ray pulsations from the 22.7 ms pulsar A in the double pulsar system J0737−3039A/B. This is the first mildly recycled millisecond pulsar (MSP) detected in the GeV domain. The 2.7 s companion object PSR J0737−3039B is not detected in gamma rays. PSR J0737−3039A is a faint gamma-ray emitter, so that its spectral properties are only weakly constrained; however, its measured efficiency is typical of other MSPs. The two peaks of the gamma-ray light curve are separated by roughly half a rotation and are well offset from the radio and X-ray emission, suggesting that the GeV radiation originates in a distinct part of the magnetosphere from the other types of emission. From the modeling of the radio and the gamma-ray emission profiles and the analysis of radio polarization data, we constrain the magnetic inclination alpha and the viewing angle zeta to be close to 90 deg., which is consistent with independent studies of the radio emission from PSR J0737−3039A. A small misalignment angle between the pulsar's spin axis and the system's orbital axis is therefore favored, supporting the hypothesis that pulsar B was formed in a nearly symmetric supernova explosion as has been discussed in the literature already.

PULSED DETECTION↗
NASA NTRS2018

NICER Detection of Strong Photospheric Expansion during a Thermonuclear X-Ray Burst from 4U 1820–30

The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) on the International Space Station (ISS) observed strong photospheric expansion of the neutron star in 4U1820–30 during a Type I X-ray burst. A thermonuclear helium flash in the star’s envelope powered a burst that reached the Eddington limit. Radiation pressure pushed the photosphere out to ∼200 km, while the blackbody temperature dropped to 0.45 keV. Previous observations of similar bursts were performed with instruments that are sensitive only above 3 keV, and the burst signal was weak at low temperatures. NICERʼs 0.2–12 keV passband enables the first complete detailed observation of strong expansion bursts. The strong expansion lasted only 0.6 s, and was followed by moderate expansion with a 20 km apparent radius, before the photosphere finally settled back down at 3 s after the burst onset. In addition to thermal emission from the neutron star, the NICER spectra reveal a second component that is well fit by optically thick Comptonization. During the strong expansion, this component is six times brighter than prior to the burst, and it accounts for 71% of the flux. In the moderate expansion phase, the Comptonization flux drops, while the thermal component brightens, and the total flux remains constant at the Eddington limit. We speculate that the thermal emission is reprocessed in the accretion environment to form the Comptonization component, and that changes in the covering fraction of the star explain the evolution of the relative contributions to the total flux.

Keek, L.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Lidar measurements using large liquid mirror telescopes

It is a well accepted practice in the discussion of lidars to compare systems by a performance factor given by the product of the transmitter power and receiver aperture. This form of the performance factor reflects the two key parameters that determine the amount of photons recorded from a given range bin; the amount of transmitted photons and the probability of collecting a scattered photon. We are interested in studying the propagation and breaking of gravity waves typically generated in the lower atmosphere. To study these waves requires high temporal and spatial resolution, as they have frequencies as high as 500 mHz and generate turbulent structures with vertical scales of less than 25 m. In the 80 - 100 km region of the atmosphere these measurements are most efficiently obtained by using resonance scattering from sodium atoms deposited by meteors. However, in the 30 - 80 km region, the most efficient scattering arises from molecules (Rayleigh scattering). Since the atmospheric scale height is nominally 7 km, this scattering becomes extremely weak above 60 km. Furthermore, present laser technology limits the power available for Rayleigh-scattering experiments to about 0.5 - 50 W. The transmitter for the lidar system under development at the University of Western Ontario uses a two-beam transmitter to simultaneously measure density perturbations and temperature from both Rayleigh and resonance scattering.

Sica, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The discovery of a young radio galaxy at z = 2.390 - Probing initial star formation at z less than approximately 3.0

The discovery of a weak radio galaxy from the Leiden Berkeley Deep Survey at a redshift of 2.390 is presented, as well as nine-band photometry for the galaxy and for surrounding objects. The source 53W002 is not variable on the time scales of years. Its rest-frame UV continuum is compared with IUE spectra of various nearby galaxies with relatively recent starbursts, and with nearby AGNs. It is inferred from the C IV/Ly-alpha and N V/Ly-alpha ratios that 53W002 has a Seyfert 1-like AGN, and that the ratios constrain the nonthermal component to about 35 percent of the observed UV continuum. Several independent age estimates yield a consistent value of 0.25-0.32 Gyr. The available data are consistent with 53W002 being a genuinely young galaxy seen at a redshift of 2.390 during its first major starburst. It likely started forming most of its current stars at redshifts between 2.5 and 3.0, suggesting that radio galaxies do not form the bulk of their stars coevally, but start doing so over a lengthy period of cosmic time.

Windhorst, Rogier A.↗
NASA NTRS1998

The HST T tauri star SNAPshot survey

In the nearest star-forming regions, protoplanetary disks have angular sizes of only 3-4". Millimeter interferometry has generally been limited to a resolution of 1". Groundbased coronagraphic imaging of YSOs has been restricted to radii exterior to an occulting mask (r >2"), and detect nebulosity only in the most extreme dusty systems. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is the only observatory which can provide a spatial resolution of approx. 10 AU in combination with a stable point-spread function for high dynamic range imaging at visual wavelengths. Since the December 1993 servicing mission, only 12 nearby young stars have been observed by HST with the sensitivity needed to detect circumstellar reflection nebulosity. All six of the classical T Tauri stars observed so far have shown nebulosity; three objects are compact bipolar nebulae without an optically visible star; and the three weak-line T Tauri stars observed show no evidence for circumstellar nebulosity. Disks have been directly observed in 3 of the 12 systems studied so far: HH 30, GM Aurigae, and Haro 6-5B. A larger survey offers the prospect of many more detections, and thereby can address such fundamental questions as: What is the frequency for direct detection of disks around premain sequence stars? What is the range of disk masses and sizes? How are disks different in binary systems? Our proposal for an HST T Tauri Star SNAPshot survey was approved for 75 targets in Cycle 7. A SNAPshot survey consists of short-duration (25 minutes or less) sequences of observations which can be used to fill gaps in the HST observing schedule. This is well-matched to the needs of disk imaging, where typical T Tauri stars (11 < V < 14) saturate the WFPC2 detectors in a minute or less. Only wide-band R and I images will be taken.

Stapelfeldt, Karl↗