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At least 919 records · Page 51
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NASA NTRS1982

High-resolution X-ray observations of M87 - Nucleus, jet and radio halo

X-ray observations of M87 made using the Einstein Observatory HRI show the presence of four components. A broad, diffuse component associated with hot gas in the galaxy follows an approximate inverse power law; the pressure of the gas could be sufficient to confine the inner and outer radio lobes. A diffuse, asymmetrical X-ray distribution to the east and southwest appears similar to the radio morphology and is consistent with an inverse Compton model. An X-ray source centered on the nucleus of the galaxy is extended by 2-3 arcsec and may be due to thermal bremsstrahlung; a possible compact source of less than 10 to the 41st ergs/sec is weak compared with other active galaxies, and its implications for the presence of a massive black hole are discussed. A structure correlated with the radio-optical jet is also seen; the X-ray flux is consistent with an extrapolation of the optical synchrotron spectrum. The four components suggest that all three canonical astrophysical X-ray emission mechanisms are present in M87: thermal bremsstrahlung, inverse Compton scattering, and synchrotron radiation.

Schreier, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Radio tracking system

The principles and techniques of deep space radio tracking are described along with the uses of tracking data in navigation and radio science. Emphasis is placed on the measurement functions of radio tracking.

Breidenthal, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A new intermediate Seyfert galaxy - X-ray, optical, and radio properties

It is shown that the X-ray source X0459 + 034 is a Seyfert galaxy of intermediate type, and optical spectroscopy and radio observations were performed to study the nature of the object. The object appears almost stellar and slightly diffuse on Palomar Sky Survey prints. The source is identified as a Type 1.5 Seyfert with broad and narrow line components of redshift 0.016 + or - 0.001, according to H-Beta line profile. In addition, the broad line component H-Beta equivalent width is larger than that of the narrow line component by a factor of three. Finally, it is shown that this is a weak radio source with a steep nonthermal spectrum and an angular extent of approximately 3 in., and the composite radio-to-X-ray spectrum suggests that in different spectral regions, different relativistic electron populations or emission mechanisms are contributing factors.

Ghigo, F. D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The peculiar radio galaxy 3C 433

Radio, optical and X-ray observations are presented of the peculiar radio galaxy 3C 433, a Seyfert 2 object with luminosity an order of magnitude greater than that expected from its complex, shell-type morphology. Observations conducted at 6 and 12 cm with the VLA and at 21 cm with the Westerbork telescope show a striking asymmetry between the northern and southern radio emissions, and an overall X-shaped morphology. Optical observations using the Video Camera and High Gain Video Spectrometer on the 4-m telescope and the Intensified Image Dissector Scanner on the 2.1-m telescope at Kitt Peak confirm the identification of the source with a pair of bright galaxies. Observations in the X-ray from the Einstein Observatory IPC reveal an unresolved source at the position of 3C 433, as well as two serendipitous X-ray sources. The observations may be used to explain the overall structure of the source either in terms of tidal torquing or precessing models of double galaxies; however, it is argued that the tidal torquing model requires fewer assumptions to account for the brightness asymmetry.

Van Breugel, W.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Advances in solar radio astronomy

The status of the observations and interpretations of the sun's radio emission covering the entire radio spectrum from millimeter wavelengths to hectometer and kilometer wavelengths is reviewed. Emphasis is given to the progress made in solar radio physics as a result of recent advances in plasma and radiation theory. It is noted that the capability now exists of observing the sun with a spatial resolution of approximately a second of arc and a temporal resolution of about a millisecond at centimeter wavelengths and of obtaining fast multifrequency two-dimensional pictures of the sun at meter and decameter wavelengths. A summary is given of the properties of nonflaring active regions at millimeter, centimeter, and meter-decameter wavelengths. The properties of centimeter wave bursts are discussed in connection with the high spatial resolution observations. The observations of the preflare build-up of an active region are reviewed. High spatial resolution observations (a few seconds of arc to approximately 1 arcsec) are discussed, with particular attention given to the one- and two-dimensional maps of centimeter-wavelength burst sources.

Kundu, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

High-resolution radio and X-ray observations of the supernova remnant W28

The present study has the objective to report the first high resolution radio and X-ray observations of the central part of the galactic supernova remnant, W28, taking into account the possible association of the remnant with the unidentified gamma-ray source, 2CG 006-00. This gamma-ray source is approximately two-thirds as bright as the Crab pulsar above 100 MeV, and has a somewhat flatter spectrum. Both the radio and X-ray observations reveal previously unknown aspects of W28 which support the possibility of W28 being a gamma-ray source. The radio data show a flat-spectrum, nonthermal component reminiscent of the Crab Nebula and Vela, both of which are confirmed gamma-ray sources. The X-ray observations reveal a compact source within W28, again suggestive of both the Crab and Vela. If the similarities among W28, the Crab Nebula, and the Vela remnant are valid, the gamma-ray source 2CG 00-00 should be studied for periodicity, the conclusive signature of a compact source of emission.

Andrews, M. D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Phenomenology of magnetospheric radio emissions

Jupiter has now been observed over 24 octaves of the radio spectrum, from about 0.01 MHz to 300,000 MHz. Its radio emissions fill the entire spectral region where interplanetary electromagnetic propagation is possible at wavelengths longer than infrared. Three distinct types of radiation are responsible for this radio spectrum. Thermal emission from the atmosphere accounts for virtually all the radiation at the high frequency end. Synchrotron emission from the trapped high-energy particle belt deep within the inner magnetosphere is the dominant spectral component from about 4000 to 40 MHz. The third class of radiation consists of several distinct components of sporadic low frequency emission below 40 MHz. The decimeter wavelength emission is considered, taking into account the discovery of synchrotron emission, radiation by high-energy electrons in a magnetic field, and the present status of Jovian synchrotron phenomenology. Attention is also given to the decameter and hectometer wavelength emission, and emissions at kilometric wavelengths.

Carr, T. D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

High-resolution X-ray and radio maps of the millisecond pulsar

The 1.5 millisecond pulsar (PSR1937+214) discovered in the radio source 4C21.53 is more closely located and characterized. High-resolution radio maps of the region were obtained with the Very Large Array, and no evidence was found in the morphology of 4C21.53 to connect it with the pulsar, which was determined to be at a different distance. A high-resolution imager X-ray map of the region was made using the Einstein Observatory, and no detectable X-ray emission could be associated with either 4C21.53 or the pulsar. From the stringent upper limit on X-ray emissions, substantial differences in the magnetospheric structure of the pulsar compared to that of other radio pulsars are inferred.

Becker, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Internal gravity waves in Titan's atmosphere observed by Voyager radio occultation

The radio scintillations caused by scattering from small-scale irregularities in Titan's neutral atmosphere during a radio occultation of Voyager 1 by Titan are investigated. Intensity and frequency fluctuations occurred on time scales from about 0.1 to 1.0 sec at 3.6 and 13 cm wavelengths whenever the radio path passed within 90 km of the surface, indicating the presence of variations in refractivity on length scales from a few hundred meters to a few kilometers. Above 25 km, the altitude profile of intensity scintillations closely agrees with the predictions of a simple theory based on the characteristics of internal gravity waves propagating with little or no attenuation through the vertical stratification in Titan's atmosphere. These observations support a hypothesis of stratospheric gravity waves, possibly driven by a cloud-free convective region in the lowest few kilometers of the stratosphere.

Hinson, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Voyager observations of Jovian millisecond radio bursts

Voyager Planetary Radio Astronomy data collected over 30-day intervals centered on the two close encounters with Jupiter were utilized to study the characteristics of millisecond-duration radio bursts (s-bursts) at frequencies between 5 and 15 MHz. In this frequency range, s-bursts are found to occur almost independently of Central Meridian Longitude and to depend entirely on the phase of Io with respect to the observer's planetocentric line of sight. Individual bursts typically cover a total frequency range of about 1.5 to 3 MHz, and they are usually strongly circularly polarized. Most bursts in a particular s-burst storm will exhibit the same polarization sense (either right-hand or left-hand), and there is some evidence for a systematic pattern in which one polarizations sense is preferred over the other as a function of Io phase and Central Meridian Longitude. These data are all suggestive of a radio source that is located along the instantaneous Io flux tube and that extends over a linear dimension of 5000 km along the field lines in both the northern and southern Hemispheres.

Alexander, J. K.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The ISPM unified radio and plasma wave experiment

Hardware for the International Solar Polar Mission (ISPM) Unified Radio and Plasma (URAP) wave experiment is presented. The URAP determines direction and polarization of distant radio sources for remote sensing of the heliosphere, and studies local wave phenomena which determine the transport coefficients of the ambient plasma. Electric and magnetic field antennas and preamplifiers; the electromagnetic compatibility plan and grounding; radio astronomy and plasma frequency receivers; a fast Fourier transformation data processing unit waveform analyzer; dc voltage measurements; a fast envelope sampler for the solar wind, and plasmas near Jupiter; a sounder; and a power converter are described.

Stone, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

An X-ray survey of variable radio bright quasars

A sample consisting primarily of radio bright quasars was observed in X-rays with the Einstein Observatory for times ranging from 1500 to 5000 seconds. Detected sources had luminosities ranging from 0.2 to 41.0 x 10 to the 45th power ergs/sec in the 0.5 to 4.5 keV band. Three of the fourteen objects which were reobserved showed flux increases greater than a factor of two on a time scale greater than six months. No variability was detected during the individual observations. The optical and X-ray luminosities are correlated, which suggests a common origin. However, the relationship (L sub x is approximately L sub op to the (.89 + or - .15)) found for historic radio variables may be significantly different than that reported for other radio bright sources. Some of the observed X-ray fluxes were substantially below the predicted self-Compton flux, assuming incoherent synchrotron emission and using VLBI results to constrain the size of the emission region, which suggests relativistic expansion in these sources. Normal CIV emission in two of the sources with an overpredicted Compton component suggests that although they, like BL Lac objects, have highly relativistic material apparently moving at small angle to the line of sight, they have a smaller fraction of the continuum component in the beam.

Henriksen, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Arcsecond Positions for Milliarcsecond VLBI Nuclei of Extragalactic Radio Sources, Part 2: 207 Sources

Very long base interferometry measurements of time delay and fringe frequency at 2.29 GHz on baselines of 10,000 km between Deep Space Network stations were used to determine the positions of the milliarcsecond nuclei in 207 extragalactic radio sources. Estimated accuracies generally range from approximately 0.1 to approximately 1.0, in both right ascension and declination, with all sources having uncertainties 4" in both coordinates. The observed sources are part of an all-sky VLBI catalog of milliarcsecond radio sources. Arcsecond positions are now determined for 752 of these sources. Arcsecond positions serve as a useful starting point in the construction of high-precision VLBI reference frames and are also important for unambiguous determination of optical counterparts to compact radio sources.

Morabito, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The inner radio structure of Centaurus A - Clues to the origin of the jet X-ray emission

VLA observations at 1.4 and 4.9 GHz of the jet and inner lobes of the nearby radio galaxy Centaurus A have been used to construct maps of total intensity and polarization at resolutions of 31 x 10 and 3.6 x 1.1 arcsec. Surface brightness and pressure distributions in the jet, combined with the apparent X-ray emission from the ISM of NGC 5128, indicate that it is thermally confined. A comparison of the radio structure and the optical galaxy shows that the jet in Cen A emerges nearly along the major axis of the elliptical stellar component that is parallel to the angular momentum vector of the dust lane. The outer radio structure bends toward the galaxy minor axis. Evidence is found for a common synchrotron radiation origin of the full spectrum jet emission.

Burns, J. O.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Magnetic field orientations in Saturn's upper ionosphere inferred from Voyager radio occultations

The radio scintillations observed during occultations of Voyagers 1 and 2 by Saturn are analyzed to determine the morphology of plasma irregularities and hence the magnetic field orientation in Saturn's upper atmosphere. The measurement techniques, the weak scattering theory, and the method used to relate the observed radio scintillations to physical properties of the ionospheric irregularities are briefly described. Results on the spatial characteristics of the irregularities are presented, and the magnetic field orientation in Saturn's ionosphere is inferred. Although the occultation measurements generally confirm the accuracy of the Saturnian magnetic field model of Connerney et al. (1982), it is found that a small adjustment of the coefficients in that model's zonal harmonic expansion would remove the discrepancy between the model predictions and the measurements. A strategy for obtaining improved measurements of Saturn's magnetic field from radio occultation observations of scintillations and Faraday rotation using an orbiting spacecraft is briefly discussed.

Hinson, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Radio emission from the outer parts of stellar atmospheres (mantles) at centimeter wavelengths and the winds of early-type stars

It is noted that when magnetic lines of force are present in the mantle of an early-type star, gyroresonance radiation at radio wavelengths may occur at detectable levels in addition to bremsstrahlung. An expression is derived for the effective value of the ratio of the emissivity in gyroresonance radiation to that in bremsstrahlung, and some numerical values are estimated using values of the parameters which may be typical for conditions in the mantles of early-type stars. The volume emissivity in gyroresonance radiation may exceed that for bremsstrahlung by a large factor. The implications of this result for the interpretation of the radio fluxes from early-type stars are discussed. It is shown that the radio-frequency radiation emerging from a hot star probably consists of gyroresonance radiation from an array of magnetic loops as well as bremsstrahlung from a low-density wind. It is argued that it is probable that the estimates of rate of mass loss made ignoring the possibility of gyroresonance radiation may be too large by a factor of at least 10.

Underhill, A. B.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Radio and X-ray maps of the supernova remnant W49B

New high resolution radio maps of the supernova remnant (SNR) W49B at 6 and 20 cm are presented, together with soft X-ray maps representing the first detection of the SNR in X-rays. The source is also detected in the medium energy X-ray band. The radio maps have a resolution of about 12 arcsec and show that the emission is distributed in an incomplete shell of radius about 100 arcsec, with intense ridges in the west and east. There is no indication of significant spectral variations between 6 and 20 cm and no significant polarization is detected. The X-ray map shows emission which is clearly extended and increases in intensity toward the center of the radio remnant, with no evidence for limb brightening. The X-ray surface brightness distribution falls to half peak value at about 75 arcsec radius. There is no evidence for a pointlike X-ray source.

Pye, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Very Long Baseline Interferometry observations of 257 extragalactic radio sources in the ecliptic region

Very Long Baseline Interferometry observations of 257 extragalactic radio sources with 10 deg of the ecliptic have been conducted at a frequency of 2.29 GHz. Compact components with flux densities greater than 0.1 Jy and angular sizes smaller than the fringe spacings of 2.5 and 3.2 milliarsec were detected in 144 radio sources. This survey was conducted to find compact radio sources to form a high accuracy reference frame for planetary spacecraft navigation. This stable reference frame may also be useful for long-term studies of planetary dynamics.

Wehrle, A. E.↗