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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.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1996

The Response of the BATSE LADs to Radiation From the Crab Nebula and Plans for Radioactivity Studies on Space Station

The Burst And Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) onboard the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO) was designed to measure X-rays and gamma rays with energies from about 50 keV to above 2 MeV. As with many scientific investigations, the success of the original experiment lead to additional areas of research interest. In the case of BATSE the ability to observe the radiation from sources down to about 20 keV became readily apparent. This lead to a continuing program of measuring the spectrum of radiation from stellar objects at these lower energies. One of these, the Crab Nebula, has a very steady radiation flux and, thus, has become a "standard candle" for such measurements. The Large Area Detectors (LADS) on BATSE contain a 1.27-cm thick, 25.4-cm radius NaI(Tl) detector behind a 6.35-mm thick polystyrene Charged Particle Detector (CPD) used to "veto" charged particles signals. The detectors have been calibrated with a series of gamma and X-ray sources and the results carefully simulated with a Monte Carlo code. In the calibration process the computer simulation accounts for scattering from material in the counting room as well as the BATSE structure. For an orbiting detector, scattering from the entire spacecraft must be modeled as well as for all covering material over the detectors. Five years after CGRO was launched on April 5, 1991, a large body of observational data has been taken of the Crab Nebula. The technique used for these observations, and for many other X-ray sources, is Earth occultation. From the perspective of the spacecraft, the Earth occults most stellar objects once in orbit, i.e., the signal is lost as the source sets and is regained as the source rises. A careful analysis of the continuing signals from all sources measured allows for an accurate measurement of the spectrum of a given source. An analysis of this data from the Crab has indicated that the LADs are very responsive at energies as low as 20 keV-at energies below the range of calibration. While the model accounts for many of the interactions of the photons with the detectors, the observation of nonstatistical deviations at low energy and at small angles has suggested a need to recalibrate at energies where the attenuation effects are increasing exponentially.

Laird, C. E.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Particle Acceleration in Active Galactic Nuclei

The high efficiency of energy generation inferred from radio observations of quasars and X-ray observations of Seyfert active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is apparently achieved only by the gravitational conversion of the rest mass energy of accreting matter onto supermassive black holes. Evidence for the acceleration of particles to high energies by a central engine is also inferred from observations of apparent superluminal motion in flat spectrum, core-dominated radio sources. This phenomenon is widely attributed to the ejection of relativistic bulk plasma from the nuclei of active galaxies, and accounts for the existence of large scale radio jets and lobes at large distances from the central regions of radio galaxies. Reports of radio jets and superluminal motion from galactic black hole candidate X-ray sources indicate that similar processes are operating in these sources. Observations of luminous, rapidly variable high-energy radiation from active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory show directly that particles are accelerated to high energies in a compact environment. The mechanisms which transform the gravitational potential energy of the infalling matter into nonthermal particle energy in galactic black hole candidates and AGNs are not conclusively identified, although several have been proposed. These include direct acceleration by static electric fields (resulting from, for example, magnetic reconnection), shock acceleration, and energy extraction from the rotational energy of Kerr black holes. The dominant acceleration mechanism(s) operating in the black hole environment can only be determined, of course, by a comparison of model predictions with observations. The purpose of the work proposed for this grant was to investigate stochastic particle acceleration through resonant interactions with plasma waves that populate the magnetosphere surrounding an accreting black hole. Stochastic acceleration has been successfully applied to the problem of ion and electron energization in solar flares, and is capable of accounting for a wide range of both neutral and charged particle emissions. It is also a component in diffusive shock acceleration, since pitch-angle scattering (which is necessary for multiple shock crossings) is accompanied by diffusion in momentum space, which in turn yields a net systematic energy gain; however, stochastic energization will dominate the first-order shock process only in certain parameter regimes. Although stochastic acceleration has been applied to particle energization in the lobes of radio galaxies, its application to the central regions of AGNs has only recently been considered, but not in detail. We proposed to systematically investigate the plasma processes responsible for stochastic particle acceleration in black hole magnetospheres along with the energy-loss processes which impede particle energization. To this end we calculated acceleration rates and escape time scales for protons and electrons resonating with Alfven waves, and for electrons resonating with whistlers. Assuming either a Kolmogorov or Kraichnan wave spectrum, accretion at the Eddington limit, magnetic field strengths near equipartition, and turbulence energy densities approx. 10% of the total magnetic field energy density, we find that Alfven waves accelerate protons to Lorentz factors approx, equals 10(exp 4) - 10(exp 6) before they escape from the system. Acceleration of electrons by fast mode and whistler waves can produce a nonthermal population of relativistic electrons whose maximum energy is determined by a competition with radiation losses.

Miller, James A.↗
NASA NTRS2002

The Burst and Transient Source Experiment Earth Occultation Technique

An Earth orbiting detector sensitive to gamma-ray photons will see step-like occultation features in its count rate when a gamma-ray point source crosses the Earth's limb. This is due to the change in atmospheric attenuation of the gamma rays along the line of sight. In an uncollimated detector, these occultation features can be used to locate and monitor astrophysical sources provided their signals can be individually separated from the detector background. We show that the Earth occultation technique applied to the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) is a viable and flexible all-sky monitor in the low-energy gamma-ray and hard X-ray energy range (20 keV-1 MeV). The method is an alternative to more sophisticated photon imaging devices for astronomy and can serve well as a cost-effective science capability for monitoring the high energy sky. Here we describe the Earth occultation technique for locating new sources and for measuring source intensity and spectra without the use of complex background models. Examples of transform imaging, step searches, spectra, and light curves are presented. Systematic uncertainties due to source confusion, detector response, and contamination from rapid background fluctuations are discussed and analyzed for their effect on intensity measurements. A sky location-dependent average systematic error is derived as a function of Galactic coordinates. The sensitivity of the technique is derived as a function of incident photon energy and also as a function of angle between the source and the normal to the detector entrance window. Occultations of the Crab Nebula by the Moon are used to calibrate Earth occultation flux measurements independent of possible atmospheric scattering effects.

Harmon, B. A.↗
NASA NTRS2019

The X-Ray Halo Scaling Relations of Supermassive Black Holes

We carry out a comprehensive Bayesian correlation analysis between hot halos and direct masses of supermassive black holes (SMBHs), by retrieving the X-ray plasma properties (temperature, luminosity, density, pressure, and masses) over galactic to cluster scales for 85 diverse systems. We find new key scalings, with the tightest relation being −, followed by −. The tighter scatter (down to 0.2 dex) and stronger correlation coefficient of all the X-ray halo scalings compared with the optical counterparts (as the −) suggest that plasma halos play a more central role than stars in tracing and growing SMBHs (especially those that are ultramassive). Moreover, correlates better with the gas mass than dark matter mass. We show the important role of the environment, morphology, and relic galaxies/coronae, as well as the main departures from virialization/self-similarity via the optical/X-ray fundamental planes. We test the three major channels for SMBH growth: hot/Bondi-like models have inconsistent anticorrelation with X-ray halos and too low feeding; cosmological simulations find SMBH mergers as subdominant over most of cosmic time and too rare to induce a central-limit-theorem effect; the scalings are consistent with chaotic cold accretion, the rain of matter condensing out of the turbulent X-ray halos that sustains a long-term self-regulated feedback loop. The new correlations are major observational constraints for models of SMBH feeding/feedback in galaxies, groups, and clusters (e.g., to test cosmological hydrodynamical simulations), and enable the study of SMBHs not only through X-rays, but also via the Sunyaev–Zel'dovich effect (Compton parameter), lensing (total masses), and cosmology (gas fractions).

Supermassive black holes↗
NASA NTRS2007

Generating a Long-Term Land Data Record from the AVHRR and MODIS Instruments

The goal of NASA's Land Long Term Iiata Record (LTDR) project is to produce a consistent long term data set from the AVHRR and MODIS instruments for land climate studies. The project will create daily surface reflectance and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) products at a resolution of 0.05 deg., which is identical to the Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) used for MODIS products from EOS Terra and Aqua. Higher order products such as burned area, land surface temperature, albedo, bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) correction, leaf area index (LAI), and fraction of photosyntheticalIy active radiation absorbed by vegetation (fPAR), will be created. The LTDR project will reprocess Global Area Coverage (GAC) data from AVHRR sensors onboard NOAA satellites by applying the preprocessing improvements identified in the AVHRR Pathfinder Il project and atmospheric and BRDF corrections used in MODIS processing. The preprocessing improvements include radiometric in-flight vicarious calibration for the visible and near infrared channels and inverse navigation to relate an Earth location to each sensor instantaneous field of view (IFOV). Atmospheric corrections for Rayleigh scattering, ozone, and water vapor are undertaken, with aerosol correction being implemented. The LTDR also produces a surface reflectance product for channel 3 (3.75 micrometers). Quality assessment (QA) is an integral part of the LTDR production system, which is monitoring temporal trands in the AVHRR products using time-series approaches developed for MODIS land product quality assessment. The land surface reflectance products have been evaluated at AERONET sites. The AVHRR data record from LTDR is also being compared to products from the PAL (Pathfinder AVHRR Land) and GIMMS (Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies) systems to assess the relative merits of this reprocessing vis-a-vis these existing data products. The LTDR products and associated information can be found at http://ltdr.nascom.nasa.gov/ltdr/ltdr.html.

Pedelty, Jeffrey↗
NASA NTRS1994

Gamma-ray and millimeter-wave emissions from the 1991 June X-class solar flares

We have studied the spectacular 1991 June X-class flares using gamma-ray data from the Charged Particle Detectors (CPDs) of the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) and 80 GHz millimeter data from Nobeyama, Japan. The CPDs were the only CGRO instrument that did not saturate during the extremely intense 1991 June 4 flare. We have shown that for this flare the CPDs respond to MeV photons, most of which are due to bremsstrahlung produced by relativistic electrons at the Sun. We have further shown that the gamma-ray and millimeter observations agree numerically if the 80 GHz radiation is gyrosynchrotron radiation produced by trapped electrons and the gamma rays are thick-target bremsstrahlung due to electrons precipitating out of the trap. The requirement that the trapping time obtained from the numerical comparison be consistent with the observed time profiles implies a magnetic field between about 200 and 300 G and an electron spectral index between about 3 to 5. By comparing the CPD observations with both the 80 GHz data and nuclear line data from the Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) and the Oriented Scintillation Spectroscopy Experiment (OSSE) on CGRO for the flares of June 4, 6, 9, and 11, we found that the ratio of the CPD counts to both the millimeter flux densities and the nuclear line fluences decreases with decreasing flare heliocentric angle. All of these flares were produced in the same active region. We interpreted this result in terms of a loop model in which the gyrosynchrotron emission is produced in the coronal portion of the loop where the electrons are kept isotropic by pitch angle scattering due to plasma turbulence, while the bremsstrahlung is produced by precipitating electrons that interact anisotropically. We found that the trapping time in the coronal portion is time dependent, reaching a minimum of about 10 s at the peak of the CPD count rate. We suggested the damping of the turbulence as a possible reason for the variation of the trapping time. turbulence as a possible reason for the variation of the trapping time.

Ramaty, Reuven↗
DOE OSTI2024

Quantum field theory, worldline theory, and spin magnitude change in orbital evolution

A previous paper [Z. Bern et al., Binary dynamics through the fifth power of spin at 𝑂⁡(𝐺 2 ), Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 201402 (2023)] identified a puzzle stemming from the amplitudes-based approach to spinning bodies in general relativity: additional Wilson coefficients appear compared to current worldline approaches to conservative dynamics of generic astrophysical objects, including neutron stars. In this paper we clarify the nature of analogous Wilson coefficients in the simpler theory of electrodynamics. We analyze the original field-theory construction, identifying definite-spin states some of which have negative norms, and relating the additional Wilson coefficients in the classical theory to transitions between different quantum spin states. We produce a new version of the theory which also has additional Wilson coefficients, but no negative-norm states. We match, through 𝒪⁡(𝛼 2 ) and 𝒪⁡(𝑆 2 ), the Compton amplitudes of these field theories with those of a modified worldline theory with extra degrees of freedom introduced by releasing the spin supplementary condition. We build an effective two-body Hamiltonian that matches the impulse and spin kick of the modified field theory and of the worldline theory, displaying additional Wilson coefficients compared to standard worldline approaches. The results are then compactly expressed in terms of an eikonal formula. Our key conclusion is that, contrary to standard approaches, while the magnitude of the spin tensor is still conserved, the magnitude of the spin vector can change under conserved Hamiltonian dynamics and this change is governed by the additional Wilson coefficients. For specific values of Wilson coefficients the results are equivalent to those from a definite spin obeying the spin supplementary condition, but for generic values they are physically inequivalent. These results warrant detailed studies of the corresponding issues in general relativity.

classical black holes↗
NASA NTRS2016

Assessing Woody Vegetation Trends in Sahelian Drylands Using MODIS Based Seasonal Metrics

Woody plants play a major role for the resilience of drylands and in peoples' livelihoods. However, due to their scattered distribution, quantifying and monitoring woody cover over space and time is challenging. We develop a phenology driven model and train/validate MODIS (MCD43A4, 500m) derived metrics with 178 ground observations from Niger, Senegal and Mali to estimate woody cover trends from 2000 to 2014 over the entire Sahel. The annual woody cover estimation at 500 m scale is fairly accurate with an RMSE of 4.3 (woody cover %) and r(exp 2) = 0.74. Over the 15 year period we observed an average increase of 1.7 (+/- 5.0) woody cover (%) with large spatial differences: No clear change can be observed in densely populated areas (0.2 +/- 4.2), whereas a positive change is seen in sparsely populated areas (2.1 +/- 5.2). Woody cover is generally stable in cropland areas (0.9 +/- 4.6), reflecting the protective management of parkland trees by the farmers. Positive changes are observed in savannas (2.5 +/- 5.4) and woodland areas (3.9 +/- 7.3). The major pattern of woody cover change reveals strong increases in the sparsely populated Sahel zones of eastern Senegal, western Mali and central Chad, but a decreasing trend is observed in the densely populated western parts of Senegal, northern Nigeria, Sudan and southwestern Niger. This decrease is often local and limited to woodlands, being an indication of ongoing expansion of cultivated areas and selective logging.We show that an overall positive trend is found in areas of low anthropogenic pressure demonstrating the potential of these ecosystems to provide services such as carbon storage, if not over-utilized. Taken together, our results provide an unprecedented synthesis of woody cover dynamics in theSahel, and point to land use and human population density as important drivers, however only partially and locally offsetting a general post-drought increase.

Brandt, Martin↗