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At least 1,063 records · Page 59
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NASA NTRS1986

Very long baseline interferometric observations made with an orbiting radio telescope

An orbiting spacecraft and ground observatories have been used to obtain interferometric observations of cosmic radio sources. The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) was used as the orbiting observatory in conjunction with two 64-meter radio telescopes at ground observatories, one in Australia and one in Japan. The quasars 1730-130 (NRAO 530), 1510-089, and 1741-038 were observed at a frequency of 2.3 gigahertz, and a maximum projected baseline of 1.4 earth diameters was achieved. All quasar observations for which valid data were acquired resulted in detected fringes. Many of the techniques proposed for a dedicated very long baseline interferometry observatory in space were used successfully in this experiment.

Levy, G. S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Gamma-ray bursters at cosmological distances

It is proposed that some, perhaps most, gamma-ray bursters are at cosmological distances, like quasars, with a redshift of about 1 or 2. This proposition requires a release of supernova-like energy of about 10 to the 51st ergs within less than 1 s, making gamma-ray bursters the brightest objects known in the universe, many orders of magnitude brighter than any quasars. This power must drive a highly relativistic outflow of electron-positron plasma and radiation from the source. It is proposed that three gamma-ray bursts, all with identical spectra, detected from B1900 + 14 by Mazets, Golenetskii, and Gur'yan and reported in 1979, were all due to a single event multiply imaged by a gravitational lens. The time intervals between the successive bursts, 10 hr to 3 days, were due to differences in the light travel time for different images.

Paczynski, B.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Have burnt-out galaxies and galaxy clusters been detected?

It is shown here that an elevated rate of star formation may be responsible for burning out protogalaxies in the densest galaxy clusters, leading to the formation of candidate gravitational lenses and to an enhanced probability of close association of quasars in regions of apparently low galaxy density. Extreme tidal interactions occurring during the initial collapse of such clusters would stimulate the star formation and also could drive molecular clouds and stars onto radial orbits, fuelling massive black holes and leading to an enhanced frequency of occurrence of quasar pairs. It is argued that a fundamental bias exists against detecting luminous matter in the great galactic clusters.

Silk, Joseph↗
NASA NTRS1987

High-resolution spectroscopy of the z = 1.79 absorption-line system toward B2 1225 + 317

The results of Multiple Mirror Telescope echelle spectroscope scans of species in the z = 1.79 system toward the quasar B2 1225 + 317 are reported. The campaign was undertaken to compare quasar absorption-line systems with gas absorption lines in other galaxies. Relative column densities obtained for Zn II, Si II, Mg II, Fe II and H I were similar to those observed for the interstellar medium. Data analyses with photoionization models for the radiation field above the Lyman limit yielded upper and lower limits to the specific intensity at 1000 A that were consistent with the UV radiation field in the halo of a spiral galaxy.

Bechtold, Jill↗
NASA NTRS1987

Source counts in the chronometric cosmology

The chronometric cosmology (a static, homogeneous, and hence nonevolving model proposed by Segal) is unable to explain the steep number versus flux law N(S) for quasars or extragalactic radio sources. The explanation given by Segal to explain the steep N(S) laws gives at best a small increase over a Euclidean N(S) proportional to S exp-1.5, and requires that the source spectral index be close to but greater than zero to create the effect. For typical radio spectral indices of roughly 0.75, the chronometric model cannot give a quantitative fit to the excess number of 1-3 Jy sources that the standard cosmology attributes to evolution. Thus the chronometric model can explain a steep N(S) law only for flat spectrum sources, while the observations show the steepest N(S) law for steep spectrum sources. Furthermore, the observed N(S) law for ultraviolet excess quasars is steeper than the steepest possible chronometric prediction.

Wright, Edward L.↗
NASA NTRS1987

IRAS 00521-7054 - An unusually warm galaxy

IRAS 00521 - 7054 is a galaxy that lies behind the Small Magellanic Cloud. Its infrared energy distribution is quite unusual in that it has exceptionally red 0.6-10-micron colors, while its 12-100-micron spectrum is among the warmest known for a galaxy or quasar, with a peak at 25 microns and an integrated luminosity of close to 10 to the 12th solar luminosity. Its optical spectrum is characteristic of a Seyfert 2 galaxy: low-ionization forbidden lines and H-alpha have FWHM 500 km/s, with some evidence for a much broader component of the H-alpha line. A plausible model is that a central nonthermal source is the dominant source of luminosity, but it is heavily obscured by dust and is thus observed indirectly through reradiation of its flux by the surrounding material. This galaxy may then be a good example of an object in the process of developing into a 'classical' quasar.

Frogel, Jay A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The IRAS view of the extragalactic sky

The IR-observable characteristics of the extragalactic sky are reviewed, summarizing the results of recent studies based on the IRAS survey, which covers over 96 percent of the sky to about 500 mJy at 12, 25, and 60 microns and to about 1.5 Jy at 100 microns. The numerical and morphological data are described; possible mechanisms for the IR emission are discussed; and the object classes are considered separately. Consideration is given to spiral and disk galaxies, barred and ring galaxies, irregular and dwarf galaxies, blue compact galaxies, elliptical and S0 galaxies, AGN observations (BL Lacs and OVV quasars, Seyfert galaxies, and quasars), highly luminous IR galaxies, and the cosmological implications of the IRAS findings. Diagrams, graphs, and tables are provided.

Soifer, B. T.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Clustering and voids in the Lyman-alpha forest

In a statistical study of quasar absorption lines, no evidence is found for large voids in the Ly-alpha forest, contrary to some recent suggestions. The 28 Mpc gap found by Crotts (1987) in the spectrum of Q0420-388 is not statistically significant, and it is possible, from a sample of 18 quasar spectra, to reject at the 2 sigma level the hypothesis that comoving voids of 30 Mpc fill as much as 15 percent of the universe. However, a significant (at the 99 percent level) excess of small line intervals of velocity width 200-600 km/s is found. This provides evidence either for the gravitationally induced correlations proposed in some models or for the fragmented shells proposed in others.

Ostriker, Jeremiah P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The effect of spatial and temporal wet-troposphere fluctuations on connected element interferometry

Numerical integrations of the structure function of tropospheric inhomogeneities have been performed to assess the impact of water vapor fluctuations on connected element interferometry (CEI). The expectation value of the RMS troposphere error for a differential spacecraft-quasar observation is derived by integrating the spatial refractivity structure function along raypaths to both the spacecraft and quasar from two spatially separated sites. Correlations between the tropospheric conditions at the two sites, which can become significant for short baseline observations, are fully accounted for in this calculation. Temporal effects are treated by assuming a frozen-flow model in which a fixed spatial distribution blows over both sites. Two nominal observation scenarios are considered, along with variations to study the dependence of the resultant differential troposphere errors on baseline length, observation time, source separation angle, and elevation. Consecutive differential observations are found to be almost completely uncorrelated, implying that averaging many repeated differential observations can quickly reduce the troposphere error.

Edwards, C. D.↗
NASA NTRS1989

General relativistic x ray (UV) polarization rotations as a quantitative test for black holes

It is now 11 years since a potentially easily observable and quantitative test for black holes using general relativistic polarization rotations was proposed (Stark and Connors 1977, and Connors and Stark 1977). General relativistic rotations of the x ray polarization plane of 10 to 100 degrees with x ray energy (between 1 and 100 keV) are predicted for black hole x ray binaries. (Classically, by symmetry, there is no rotation.) Unfortunately, x ray polarimetry has not been taken sufficiently seriously during this period, and this test has not yet been performed. A similar (though probably less clean) effect is expected in the UV for supermassive black holes in some quasars active galactic nuclei. Summarizing: (1) a quantitative test (proposed in 1977) for black holes exists; (2) x ray polarimetry of galactic x ray binaries sensitive to at least 1/2 percent between 1 keV and 100 keV is needed (polarimetry in the UV of quasars and AGN will also be of interest); and (3) proportional counters using timerise discrimination were shown in laboratory experiments able to perform x ray polarimetry and this and other methods need to be developed.

Stark, Richard F.↗
NASA NTRS1989

LAGEOS 3 and the gravitomagnetic field

The importance of the gravitomagnetic field is discussed. A never-measured field of nature, the foundations of inertia in Einstein General Relativity, and a key role in theories of quasars and active galactic nuclei are important aspects of this field and are discussed. In high energy astrophysics, some theories of energy storage, power generation, jet formation and jet alignment of quasars and active galactic nuclei are based on the existence of the gravitomagnetic field of a supermassive black hole (Thorne et al. 1986). LAGEOS 3 is discussed in terms of laser ranged satellites to detect the gravitomagnetic field and supplementary inclination satellites to avoid gravity field uncertainties. Many experiments have been proposed to measure the gravitomagnetic field. The GPB experiment intends to measure the Lense-Thirring-Schiff precession of gyroscopes orbiting the earth. Polar satellites have been proposed to measure the Lense-Thirring precession of the orbital plane (an enormous gyroscope and two guided, drag-free, counter-rotating, polar satellites have been suggested to avoid orbital inclination errors.) The new idea to measure the gravitomagnetic drag of the nodes of two nonpolar, supplementary inclination, satellites is summarized.

Ciufolini, Ignazio↗
NASA NTRS1989

Voids in the Ly-alpha forest

The general issue of using the Ly-alpha absorbers in quasar spectra as tracers of the large-scale matter distribution is discussed, emphasizing complications due to evolutionary effects and line blending. Then, a novel method of statistical analysis of the line data appropriate for studying large-scale structure is described. This method circumvents the problem of line blending by truncating the interval distribution at the low end. It also explicitly takes z-dependent effects into account. As an example, the method is applied to an 18-quasar spectrum sample of 417 lines.

Duncan, Robert C.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Superclustering of quasi-stellar object absorption clouds

The clustering of C IV absorption line systems along the lines of sight to the 55 quasars in the survey of Sargent, Boksenberg, and Steidel is examined. Their original result that there is strong clustering of these systems at separations less than 1000 km/s is confirmed. The peculiar velocities of the clouds that combine with the one-dimensional nature of the sampling is shown to preclude any detailed comparison of the observed clustering strength on these scales with that found for nearby systems such as galaxies. The sample also contains significant clustering on larger scales, 1000-10,000 km/s. This probably reflects true spatial clustering of an amplitude exceeding that observed for any nearby systems, even rich clusters of galaxies. The signal is due mainly to high equivalent width absorbers and is dominated by a single very large 'absorption supercluster' in the quasar 0237-233. It seems likely that this structure was produced by processes other than gravitational instability.

Heisler, Julia↗
NASA NTRS1990

What produces the ionizing background at large redshift?

Results are presented from mathematical and modeling studies to make estimates of the intensity of the ionizing background more definite and quantitative. It is shown that the observed quasars fail to emit sufficient ionizing radiation to satisfy the Gunn-Peterson test. Two possible sources for the additional source of UV radiation are examined: main-sequence, high mass stars in primordial galaxies and quasars that have not been observed because of dust obscuration. Both of these models satisfy the observational constraints with reasonable parameters. It is suggested that observations of He lines from Ly-alpha clouds or an analysis of the line ratios in metal line absorption systems may be used to determine which sources produce the ionizing background.

Miralda-Escude, Jordi↗
NASA NTRS1990

The mass function of Seyfert 1 nuclei

The first mass function of Seyfert 1 nuclei is derived from optical spectra of the complete CfA sample of Seyfert galaxies by estimating the mass for each object from a dynamical relation. An independent estimate is also derived using a complete infrared-selected sample. The two mass functions are indistinguishable. The mean mass of Seyfert 1 nuclei is about 2 x 10 to the 7th solar masses, and the integrated mass density is about 6 x 10 to the 11th solar masses/cu Gpc. This is approximately two orders of magnitude less than the value inferred from the energetics associated with quasar counts. A careful analysis of the various parameters and assumptions involved suggests that this large difference is not due to systematic errors in the determinations. Therefore, the bulk of mass related to the accretion processes connected with past quasar activity does not reside in Seyfert 1 nuclei. Instead, the remnants of past activity must be present in a much larger number of galaxies, and a one-to-one relation between distant and local active galactic nuclei seems then to be excluded.

Padovani, P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The intergalactic medium and galaxy formation

Recent observational and theoretical investigations of the intergalactic medium (IGM), defined as the component of the baryon-electron matter which now occupies the space between galaxies and which filled the pregalactic universe, are reviewed. Topics addressed include the Gunn-Peterson constraint on the history of the IGM, the mean mass density of the IGM at high redshift, requirements for ionizing the IGM, the observed quasar contribution, the thermal and ionization history of the IGM (quasar photoionization, stellar sources of the ionizing background, and alternative sources such as protogalactic shock radiation and the decay of exotic particles), and the hydrodynamical evolution of the IGM. Typical results from observations and numerical simulations are presented graphically.

Shapiro, Paul R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Astrometry with the ATF

A detailed study of the effects of gravitational radiation on the relative positions of objects was carried out with the hope that astrometric detection of gravitational radiation might be possible. The results are discouraging. It would appear that narrow-field instruments in the Astrometric Telescope Facility (ATF) class are still several orders of magnitude less accurate than would be required for this very delicate kind of measurement. However, the situation changes considerably when wide-field instruments are considered. An instrument such as POINTS ought to be able to detect gravitational radiation at this level with ease. The list of bright quasars has been augmented. Of particular interest is the finding of quasars near two open clusters and one planetary nebula. These would be useful in determining absolute parallaxes of these objects.

Jefferys, William H.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Radio structures in QSO-galaxy pairs

It is now generally agreed that if quasars and nearby low redshift galaxies are associated, then there should be luminous connections between them. However, most of the observational evidence being presented is in the optical domain, whereas such evidence should also exist at radio frequencies. The author is, therefore, investigating some quasar-galaxy pairs at radio frequencies to search for luminous connections and other structural peculiarities. Radio maps of some of these sources are presented.

Akujor, Chidi E.↗