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At least 1,063 records · Page 59
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NASA NTRS1984

SMM observations of K-alpha radiation from fluorescence of photospheric iron by solar flare X-rays

High-resolution Fe K-alpha spectra near 1.94 A observed during solar flares with the Bent Crystal Spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission are presented. The evidence for two possible excitation mechanisms, electron impact and fluorescence, is examined. It is found that the fluorescence mechanism satisfactorily describes the results, while the observations do not support electron collisional excitation of the Fe K-alpha transitions in low ionization stages (II-XII) of iron. Using Bai's model of the fluorescent excitation process, the photospheric iron abundance relative to that of hydrogen is estimated to be 5-6 x 10 to the -5th. The mean height of the soft X-ray source producing the K-alpha fluorescence is calculated on the basis of this model for about 40 large flares. The solar K-alpha lines are found to be about 25 percent wider than those measured in the laboratory. Weak line features observed at wavelengths shorter than that of the K-alpha lines are discussed.

Parmar, A. N.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Microwave signature of thick-target electron beams in solar flares

The steady-state behavior of a flux of nonthermal electrons injected into a fully ionized thick target is examined. Owing to the (inverse square) energy dependence of the Coulomb collisional cross section, it is found that injected electron distributions that are monotonically decreasing functions of electron energy develop at finite depths into distributions that have 'humps' in velocity space; the electron energy corresponding to the hump correlates with the overlying particle column density to the target. This results in a two-stream unstable situation. The distribution is constantly being relaxed by quasi-linear relaxation and re-created by collisions; in this way a steady nonthermal level of Langmuir plasma waves is created, and these waves in turn produce microwave plasma radiation with a typical flux of 3 x 10 to the -16th erg/sq cm-sec. This flux can be enhanced by a factor of up to 100 by a high level of low-frequency (such as ion-acoustic) turbulence, which prevents quasi-linear relaxation for a sufficient fraction of the path length.

Emslie, A. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Integrating amplifiers using cooled JFETs

It is shown how a simple integrating amplifier based on commercially available JFET and MOSFET switches can be used to measure photocurrents from detectors with noise levels as low as 1.6 x 10 to the -18th A/root Hz (10 electrons/sec). A figure shows the basic circuit, along with the waveform at the output. The readout is completely nondestructive; the reset noise does not contribute since sampling of the accumulated charge occurs between resets which are required only when the stored charge has reached a very high level. The storage capacity ranges from 10 to the 6th to 10 to the 9th electrons, depending on detector parameters and linearity requirements. Data taken with an Si:Sb detector operated at 24 microns are presented. The responsivity agrees well with the value obtained by Young et al. (1981) in the transimpedance amplifier circuit. The data are seen as indicating that extremely low values of NEP can be obtained for integration times of 1 sec and that longer integrations continue to improve the SNR at a rate faster than the square root of time when background noise is not present.

Low, F. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Primordial gravitational waves and the blackbody radiation anisotropy

If relict gravitational waves deriving from a chaotic initial singularity contain a nonisotropic component, then this radiation can produce a frame dragging; effect which will induce a dipole anisotropy in the observed temperature distribution of the 3 K electromagnetic radiation background. The measured dipole and quadrupole distributions of the electromagnetic background can thus be used to bound the effective wave parameters of the nonisotropic part of the gravitational background. Using available data, the dimensionless amplitude of this nonisotropic part is found to be less than 0.0005 for wavelengths less than the Hubble radius. The effective energy density of this nonisotropic component of the gravitational radiation background is less than 2 x 10 to the -8th times the critical density.

Adams, P. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The Kleinmann-Low nebula - An infrared cavity

High resolution 20-30 micron IR continuum emission observations of the Orion-KL region, combined with the recent 3.8-micron polarization results of Werner et al. (1983), yield a self-consistent model of the central 30 arcsec of the nebula. In this model, the geometry of the KL nebula is that of a clumpy cavity rather than that of a number of isolated objects. The cavity is centered on IRc2, which is confirmed to be the source of nearly all the region's luminosity. The model which best fits all the IR and radio data implies that the other peaks in th KL nebula are irregularities in the material at the edge and surrounding the cavity, rather than individual self-luminous sources.

Becklin, E. E.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Chromospheres and mass loss in metal-deficient giant stars

Semiempirical atmospheric models indicate that the characteristic emission in the wings of the H-alpha line observed in Population II giant stars can arise naturally within static chromospheres. Radial expansion gives an asymmetric, blueshifted H-alpha core accompanied by greater emission in the red line wing than in the blue wing. Wind models with extended atmospheres suggest mass loss rates much smaller than 2 x 10 to the -9th solar mass per yr. Thus H-alpha provides no evidence that steady mass loss can significantly affect the evolution of stars on the red giant branch of globular clusters.

Dupree, A. K.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Electron radiation effects on the thermal expansion of graphite/resin composites

The effects of 1 MeV electron radiation on the thermal expansion characteristics of two graphite reinforced resin matrix composite systems were studied. Specimens of both graphite/epoxy (T300/5208) and graphite/polyimide (C6000/PMR15) were irradiated to a total dose of 6 x 10 to the 9th rads at two different rates. Dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA) were performed to study changes in resin chemistry. Thermal expansion results indicate that radiation did produce permanent residual strains of up to -70 x 10 to the -6th for the graphite/epoxy when exposed to temperatures up to +280 F. However, no permaanent changes in the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) were observed. No permanent residual strains or changes in the CTE attributable to radiation were observed for the graphite/polyimide specimens. DMA results indicate that electron radiation caused chemical changes in the epoxy matrix. These changes resulted in a lower glass transition temperature and broader 'rubbery region' which extended into the temperature range of the thermal expansion tests.

Bowles, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1984

VW Hyi - The white dwarf revealed

Nonsimultaneous IUE, optical, and near-IR observations of VW Hyi at quiescence are presented. Using these and UV data from other investigations, a broad feature in the ultraviolet is identified with L-alpha absorption. The presence and width of the line imply that (1) the white dwarf in VW Hyi is directly visible in the UV and (2) the effective temperature of this star is approximately 18,000 + or - 2000 K for log g = 8. The continuum observations, combined with the J and K photometry of Sherrington et al., (1980), can be fit with a combination of this relatively cool white dwarf and a steady-state disk model with an accretion rate of 10 to the -11th solar masses/yr. Additional observations of the hump in the optical light curve can be reasonably fit by a 12,000-K blackbody. Such a source is consistent with the hump being a minor contribution to the system's overall continuum distribution shortward of 2000 A and longward of about 1 micron.

Mateo, M.↗
NASA NTRS1984

An X-ray survey of beta Cephei stars

Results of an X-ray survey of beta Cephei stars carried out with the Imaging Proportional Counter are reported. Three of six surveyed beta Cephei stars observed was detected with an X-ray luminosity (LX) lying in the range (0.8 - 4.2 x 10 to the 31st erg/s. The mean value of the ratio of X-ray luminosity to bolometric luminosity for nine beta Cephei stars is found to be 8.6 x 10 to the -8th. No dependence of LX or bolometric luminosity is found on the binary or short pulsation periods of the stars, and no correlation was found between LX and the rotation velocity of the stars. It is concluded that the X-ray characteristics of the beta Cephei stars are indistinguishable from other B stars of similar luminosity. An indication was found of X-ray variations by a factor of about 2 on a time scale of about 10 min from Beta CMa.

Agrawal, P. C.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Bolometers operated at 0.1 K and 0.2 K cooled by adiabatic demagnetization

The construction of bolometers operating at temperatures of 0.1 K and 0.2 K and cooled by adiabatic demagnetization is reported. The electrical noise-equivalent power (NEP) of the bolometers was found to be 1.8 and 6.6 x 10 to the -16th W/sq rt Hz, respectively. These values are within a factor of two of the expected performance based upon bolometer theory. The thermistor material used was gallium-doped single-crystal germanium, for which a resistivity temperature dependence is found.

Lesyna, L.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The evolution of the prebiotic atmosphere

One-dimensional radiative-convective and photochemical models are used to estimate the vertical temperature structure and composition of the earth's prebiotic atmosphere. Greatly enhanced CO2 levels (100-1000 times present) are required to keep the mean surface temperature above freezing in the face of decreased solar luminosity during the earth's early history. Such high CO2 partial pressures would have affected the atmospheric oxidation state by facilitating the photochemical production of soluble species including H2O2 and H2CO. Oxidation of ferrous iron in the oceans by H2O2 dissolved in rainwater should have kept the atmospheric H2 mixing ratio above 0.0002, and the ground-level O2 mixing ratio below 10 to the -11th, regardless of the magnitude of the rate of volcanic release of reduced gases.

Kasting, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Carbon and energy yields in prebiotic syntheses using atmospheres containing CH4, CO and CO2

Yields based on carbon are usually reported in prebiotic experiments, while energy yields (moles/cal) are more useful in estimating the yields of products that would have been obtained from the primitive atmosphere of the earth. Energy yields for the synthesis of HCN and H2CO from a spark discharge were determined for various mixtures of CH4, CO, CO2, H2, H2O, N2 an NH3. The maximum yields of HCN and H2CO from CH4, CO, and CO2 as carbon sources are about 4 x 10 to the -8th moles/cal.

Miller, S. L.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Cryogenic telescope on the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS)

The Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) has completed an unbiased all-sky survey at wavelengths from 10 to 100 microns. The design and performance of the focal plane array is described with emphasis on in-orbit measurements of the sensitivity and stability. In the four broad spectral bands centered at 12, 25, 60, and 100 microns, the system noise equivalent flux density (NEFD) values are in Jy/(Square root of Hz), 0.03, 0.025, 0.046, and 0.21, respectively (Jansky = 10 to the -26th W/sq m/Hz). For point sources, a single scan at the survey rate of 3.8 arcmin/s yields limiting flux densities at the 3-sigma confidence level of 0.36, 0.30, 0.39, and 1.2 Jy. The dc stability of the junction field effect transistor (JFET) amplifiers and the excellent off-axis rejection of the telescope permit total flux measurements of extended infrared emission at levels below 6,000,000 Jy/sr. Response of the extrinsic silicon and germanium photo-detectors to ionizing radiation is described.

Low, F. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Numerical computations on one-dimensional inverse scattering problems

An approximate method to determine the index of refraction of a dielectric obstacle is presented. For simplicity one dimensional models of electromagnetic scattering are treated. The governing equations yield a second order boundary value problem, in which the index of refraction appears as a functional parameter. The availability of reflection coefficients yield two additional boundary conditions. The index of refraction by a k-th order spline which can be written as a linear combination of B-splines is approximated. For N distinct reflection coefficients, the resulting N boundary value problems yield a system of N nonlinear equations in N unknowns which are the coefficients of the B-splines.

Dunn, M. H.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Internal rotation of the sun

The frequency difference between prograde and retrograde sectoral solar oscillations is analyzed to determine the rotation rate of the solar interior, assuming no latitudinal dependence. Much of the solar interior rotates slightly less rapidly than the surface, while the innermost part apparently rotates more rapidly. The resulting solar gravitational quadrupole moment is J2 = (1.7 + or - 0.4) x 10 to the -7th and provides a negligible contribution to current planetary tests of Einstein's theory of general relativity.

Duvall, T. L., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Absolute two-photon excitation cross-sections in NO

A technique has been developed which allows the determination of a two-photon absorption cross-section to be made relative to the Raman scattering cross-section in nitrogen. Spatial and temporal effects associated with the lasers are ratioed out to give a result independent of laser parameters. The necessary theory to extract a cross-section from the measured ratio of a Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) signal in N2 to a four-wave mixing signal in NO has been developed. The technique has been demonstrated on the R(22) + S(12) (J-double-prime = 9 1/2) line in NO and a cross-section of (2.9 + or - 1.8) x 10 to the -49th (cm to the 4th power)-s was determined. This technique appears to be applicable to a number of other diatomic molecules.

Burris, J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The thermal instability in a sheared magnetic field - Filament condensation with anisotropic heat conduction

The condensation-mode growth rate of the thermal instability in an empirically motivated sheared field is shown to depend upon the existence of perpendicular thermal conduction. This typically very small effect (perpendicular conductivity/parallel conductivity less than about 10 to the -10th for the solar corona) increases the spatial-derivative order of the compressible temperature-perturbation equation, and thereby eliminates the singularities which appear when perpendicular conductivity = 0. The resulting growth rate is less than 1.5 times the controlling constant-density radiation rate, and has a clear maximum at a cross-field length of order 100 times and a width of about 0.1 the magnetic shear scale for solar conditions. The profiles of the observable temperature and density perturbations are independent of the thermal conductivity, and thus agree with those found previously. An analytic solution to the short-wavelength incompressible case is also given.

Van Hoven, G.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Vibration-rotation line strengths of the gas-phase OH radical

Absorption line strengths have been measured at 295 K for the first time for four vibration-rotation transitions of the OH radical, using a tunable, infrared diode-laser in conjunction with a molecular modulation spectrometer. A periodically varying OH concentration was created by photolysis, using a sinusoidally modulated 2537-A Hg lamp, of a flowing mixture of O3 and H2O contained within a quartz-walled White cell. The modulated absorption owing to the OH radical was subsequently observed by phase-sensitive detection. The absolute modulation amplitude of the OH number density was obtained by numerical simulation of the complete time-dependent photochemical system. The strongest transition measured was at 3407.607 kaysers, with a strength of 3.3 + or - 1.5 x 10 to the -20th per(cm molecule) sq cm.

Podolske, J.↗