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The X-ray background can be explained as coming from the integrated effect of X-ray emitting quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) ejected from spiral galaxies. The model developed to interpret the observations is summarized. The redshift of the QSOs consisted of an intrinsic component and of a cosmological component. The QSOs have a spatial density proportional to that of normal galaxies.
Observations of the diffuse EUV background towards 138 different directions using the spectrometers aboard the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer satellite (EUVE) have been combined into a spectrum from 150A to 730A and represent an effective exposure of 18 million seconds. There is no significant evidence of any non-local line flux in the resultant spectrum such as that from a hot coronal plasma. These results are inconsistent with the Wisconsin C and B broad-band surveys assuming the source is a logT = 5.8 - 6.1 hot plasma in ionization equilibrium with solar abundances, confirming the previous result of Jelinksy, Vallerga and Edelstein) (hereafter Paper 1) using an observation along the ecliptic with the same instrument. To make these results consistent with the previous broad-band surveys, the plasma responsible for the emission must either be depleted in Fe by a factor of approximately 6, be behind an absorbing slab of neutral H with a column of 2 x 10(exp 19)/sq cm, or not be in collisional ionization equilibrium (CIE). One such non-CIE model (Breitswerdt and Schmutzier) that explains the soft x-ray results is also inconsistent with this EUV data.
One of the science instruments on the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), planned for launch in 1998 into a highly elliptical (10,000 km x 140,000 km) orbit, is a microchannel plate High Resolution Camera (HRC). This detector is designed to provide imaging and spectroscopic observations of x-rays emitted by stellar sources in the 0.1 to 10 keV energy range. Described here are analyses made to determine the expected time-dependent detector background from prompt and delayed (activation) radiation initiated by galactic cosmic-ray (GCR) proton interactions in the spacecraft and payload. Numerical simulations were made using the coupled set of Monte Carlo radiation transport codes, analysis software, and data bases shown. The major codes are HETC for nucleon-meson transport, EGS for simulating electromagnetic cascades, and MORSE for low-energy (less than 15 MeV) neutron transport. The simulation follows the transport history of photons in the energy range from - 100 GeV down to approx. 0.1 keV due to gamma-ray sources from neutral pion decay, high-energy (spallation) collisions, and low-energy neutron inelastic scattering and capture reactions. Also included is radioisotope production and the tracking of gamma-rays, electrons, and positrons from induced radioactivity.
A novel technique for extracting Q-branch Raman signals scattered by a diatomic species from the emission spectrum resulting from the irradiation of combustion products using a broadband excimer laser has been developed. This technique is based on the polarization characteristics of vibrational Raman scattering and can be used for both single-shot Raman extraction and time-averaged data collection. The Q-branch Raman signal has a unique set of polarization characteristics which depend on the direction of the scattering while fluorescence signals are unpolarized. For the present work, a calcite crystal is used to separate the horizonal component of a collected signal from the vertical component. The two components are then sent through a UV spectrometer and imaged onto an intensified CCD camera separately. The vertical component contains both the Raman signal and the interfering fluorescence signal. The horizontal component contains the fluorescence signal and a very weak component of the Raman signal; hence, the Raman scatter can be extracted by taking the difference between the two signals. The separation of the Raman scatter from interfering fluorescence signals is critically important to the interpretation of the Raman for cases in which a broadband ultraviolet (UV) laser is used as an excitation source in a hydrogen-oxygen flame and in all hydrocarbon flames. The present work provides a demonstration of the separation of the Raman scatter from the fluorescence background in real time.
Funds from this grant were used to support the continuing development of BOOMERANG, a 1.3 m, balloon-borne, attitude-stabilized telescope designed to measure the anisotropy of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) on angular scales of 12 min to 10 degrees. By the end of the funding period covered by this grant, the fabrication of most of the BOOMERANG sub-systems was completed, and integration and test of the payload at Caltech had begun. The project was continued under a new grant from NASA and continuing funding from the NSF. Payload integration and test was completed in April, 1997. A campaign to Palestine, Texas, resulted in two test flights during 1997. A flight on August 12, 1997 was terminated on ascent due to a leaky balloon. The payload was successfully recovered, refurbished, and flown again on August 29, 1997. The second flight was completely successful, and qualified the payload for an LDB flight from McMurdo Stn., Antarctica, in December 1998.
This grant has supported work at Brown University on measurements of the 2.7 K Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMB). The goal has been to characterize the spatial variations in the temperature of the CMB in order to understand the formation of large-scale structure in the universe. We have concurrently pursued two measurements using millimeter-wave telescopes carried aloft by scientific balloons. Both systems operate over a range of wavelengths, chosen to allow spectral removal of foreground sources such as the atmosphere, Galaxy, etc. The angular resolution of approx. 25 arcminutes is near the angular scale at which the most structure is predicted by current models to be visible in the CMB angular power spectrum. The main goal is to determine the angular scale of this structure; in turn we can infer the density parameter, Omega, for the universe as well as other cosmological parameters, such as the Hubble constant.
This chapter presents an introduction and historical background to the field of tribology, especially solid lubrication and lubricants and sets them in the perspective of techniques and materials in lubrication. Also, solid and liquid lubrication films are defined and described.
Two distinct measures of the Earth's Schumann resonances-the background and the transients--are studied through comparisons at the mesoscale and at the continental scale. A rough proportionality is shown between the far more abundant afternoon lightning activity and the larger positive mesoscale discharges that make sprites and simultaneously ring the Earth-ionosphere cavity to levels higher than the integration of all other lightnings.
Gamma rays with energy above 10 GeV interact with optical-UV photons resulting in pair production. Therefore, a large sample of high redshift sources of these gamma rays can be used to probe the extragalactic background starlight (EBL) by examining the redshift dependence of the attenuation of the flux above 10 GeV. GLAST, the next generation high-energy gamma-ray telescope, will for the first time have the unique capability to detect thousands of gamma-ray blazars up to redshifts of at least z = 4, with enough angular resolution to allow identification of a large fraction of their optical counterparts. By combining recent determinations of the gamma-ray blazar luminosity function, recent calculations of the high energy gamma-ray opacity due to EBL absorption, and the expected GLAST instrument performance to produce simulated samples of blazars that GLAST would detect, including their redshifts and fluxes, we demonstrate that these blazars have the potential to be a highly effective probe of the EBL.
The soft X-ray background in the 0.1-1.0 keV band is known to be produced by at least three sources; the Local Hot Bubble (LHB), the extragalactic power law (EPL), and a seemingly galactic component that lies outside the bulk of the absorption that is due to the ISM of the galactic disk. This last component, which we call the Trans-Absorption Emission (TAE), has been modeled by a number of groups who have derived disparate measures of its temperature. The differences have arisen from differing assumptions about the structure of the emitting gas and unrecognized methodological difficulties. In particular, spectral fitting methods do not uniquely separate the TAE from the foreground emission that is due the LHB. This "degeneracy" can be resolved using the angular variation of the absorption of the TAE. We show that the TAE cannot be characterized by a single thermal component; no single-component model can be consistent with both the spectral energy distribution of the TAE emission and the angular variation due to absorption by the galactic disk. We use the angular anticorrelation of the ROSAT All-Sky Survey with the galactic absorption to separate local from distant emission components, and to fit the spectral energy distribution of the resulting distant emission. We find that the emission is best described by a two-thermal-component model with logT(sub S) = 6.06(sup +0.14, sub -0.12) and log T(sub H) = 6.42(sup +0.14, sub -0.12). This two-thermal-component TAE fits the ROSAT spectral energy distribution significantly better than single-component models, and is consistent with both angular variation and spectral constraints.
We have used the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland-Association (BIMA) millimeter array outfitted with sensitive cm-wave receivers to search for Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropies on arcminute scales. The interferometer was placed in a compact configuration which produces high brightness sensitivity, while providing discrimination against point sources. Operating at a frequency of 28.5 GHz, the FWHM primary beam of the instrument is 6.6 arcminutes. We have made sensitive images of seven fields, five of which where chosen specifically to have low IR dust contrast and be free of bright radio sources. Additional observations with the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) millimeter array were used to assist in the location and removal of radio point sources. Applying a Bayesian analysis to the raw visibility data, we place limits on CMB anisotropy flat-band power Q_flat = 5.6 (+3.0, -5.6) uK and Q_flat < 14.1 uK at 68% and 95% confidence. The sensitivity of this experiment to flat band power peaks at a multipole of l = 5470, which corresponds to an angular scale of approximately 2 arcminutes The most likely value of Q_flat is similar to the level of the expected secondary anisotropies.
This study documented background chemical composition of soils, groundwater, surface; water, and sediments of Kennedy Space Center. Two hundred soil samples were collected, 20 each in 10 soil classes. Fifty-one groundwater wells were installed in 4 subaquifers of the Surficial Aquifer and sampled; there were 24 shallow, 16 intermediate, and 11 deep wells. Forty surface water and sediment samples were collected in major watershed basins. All samples were away from sites of known contamination. Samples were analyzed for organochlorine pesticides, aroclors, chlorinated herbicides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), total metals, and other parameters. All aroclors (6) were below detection in all media. Some organochlorine pesticides were detected at very low frequencies in soil, sediment, and surface water. Chlorinated herbicides were detected at very low frequencies in soil and sediments. PAH occurred in low frequencies in soiL, shallow groundwater, surface water, and sediments. Concentrations of some metals differed among soil classes, with subaquifers and depths, and among watershed basins for surface water but not sediments. Most of the variation in metal concentrations was natural, but agriculture had increased Cr, Cu, Mn, and Zn.
We have used the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland-Association (BIMA) array outfitted with sensitive cm-wave receivers to expand our search for minute scale anisotropy of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). The interferometer was placed in a compact configuration to obtain high brightness sensitivity on arcminute scales over its 6.6' FWHM field of view. The sensitivity of this experiment to flat band power peaks at a multipole of 1 = 5530 which corresponds to an angular scale of -2'. We present the analysis of a total of 470 hours of on-source integration time on eleven independent fields which were selected based on their low IR contrast and lack of bright radio sources. Applying a Bayesian analysis to the visibility data, we find CMB anisotropy flat band power Q_flat = 6.1(+2.8/-4.8) microKelvin at 68% confidence. The confidence of a nonzero signal is 76% and we find an upper limit of Q_flat < 12.4 microKelvin at 95% confidence. We have supplemented our BIMA observations with concurrent observations at 4.8 GHz with the VLA to search for and remove point sources. We find the point sources make an insignificant contribution to the observed anisotropy.
We have used the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland Association (BIMA) millimeter array outfitted with sensitive centimeter-wave receivers to search for cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies on arcminute scales. The interferometer was placed in a compact configuration that produces high brightness sensitivity, while providing discrimination against point sources. Operating at a frequency of 28.5 GHz, the FWHM primary beam of the instrument is approximately 6'.6. We have made sensitive images of seven fields, four of which where chosen specifically to have low infrared dust contrast and to be free of bright radio sources. Additional observations with the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) millimeter array were used to assist in the location and removal of radio point sources. Applying a Bayesian analysis to the raw visibility data, we place limits on CMB anisotropy flat-band power of Q(sub flat) = 5.6(sub -5.6)(exp 3.0) microK and Q(sub flat) < 14.1 microK at 68% and 95% confidence, respectively. The sensitivity of this experiment to flat-band power peaks at a multipole of I = 5470, which corresponds to an angular scale of approximately 2'. The most likely value of Q(sub flat) is similar to the level of the expected secondary anisotropies.
The cosmic microwave background radiation is the remnant heat from the Big Bang. It provides us with a unique probe of conditions in the early universe, long before any organized structures had yet formed. The anisotropy in the radiation's brightness yields important clues about primordial structure and additionally provides a wealth of information about the physics,of the early universe. Within the framework of inflationary dark matter models observations of the anisotropy on sub-degree angular scales will reveal the signatures of acoustic oscillations of the photon-baryon fluid at a redshift of approx. 1100. The validity of inflationary models will be tested and, if agreement is found, accurate values for most of the key cosmological parameters will result. If disagreement is found, we will need to rethink our basic ideas about the physics of the early universe. I will present an overview of the physical processes at work in forming the anisotropy and discuss what we have already learned from current observations. I will conclude with a brief overview of the recently launched Microwave Anisotropy Probe (MAP) mission which will observe the anisotropy over the full sky with 0.21 degree angular resolution. At the time of this meeting, MAP will have just arrived at the L2 Lagrange point, marking the start of its observing campaign. The MAP hardware is being produced by Goddard in partnership with Princeton University.
We have used the Deep Survey telescope of the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer to investigate shadows in the diffuse EUV/soft X-ray background that are cast by clouds in the interstellar medium. We confirm the existence of a shadow previously reported and provide evidence for two new shadows. We used IRAS data to identify the clouds producing these shadows and to determine their optical depth to EUV radiation. The EUV-absorbing clouds are optically thick in the EUV, and all EUV emission detected in the direction of these shadows must be produced from material in front of the clouds. We obtained new optical data to determine the distance to these clouds. We use a new differential cloud technique to obtain the pressure of the interstellar medium. These results do not depend on any zero-level calibration of the data. Our results provide evidence that the pressure of the hot interstellar gas is the same in three different directions in the local interstellar medium and is at least 8 times higher than that derived for the Local Cloud surrounding our Sun. This provides new evidence for large thermal pressure imbalances in the local ISM and directly contradicts the basic assumption of thermal pressure equilibrium used in almost all present models of the interstellar medium.
The three main topics we proposed to do are linear calculations (continuing development of CMBFAST), nonlinear calculations of gas physics relevant to Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) (Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect, etc.) and nonlinear effects on CMB due to dark matter (gravitational lensing, etc.). We describe each of these topics, as well as additional topics PI and his group worked on that are related to the topics in the proposal.
The analysis portion of this task has been completed. New models were developed for the removal of the near-infrared emission of Galactic stars in the DIRBE data. Subtraction of these models from the observed emission attempted to achieve a better detection of the Cosmic Infrared Background at near-infrared wavelengths. The new models were found to provide a large improvement in the isotropy of the residual emission, however constraints on the intensity of the emission are not significantly improved. A paper detailing the procedures and results has been drafted, and will be completed next year. The draft of this paper is included as the final report on the contract.