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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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At least 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

KASCADE-Grande Limits on the Isotropic Diffuse Gamma-Ray Flux between 100 TeV and 1 EeV

KASCADE and KASCADE-Grande were multi-detector installations to measure individual air showers of cosmic rays at ultra-high energy. Based on data sets measured by KASCADE and KASCADE-Grande, 90% C.L. upper limits to the flux of gamma-rays in the primary cosmic ray flux are determined in an energy range of 10{sup 14}--10{sup 18} eV. The analysis is performed by selecting air showers with a low muon content as expected for gamma-ray-induced showers compared to air showers induced by energetic nuclei. The best upper limit of the fraction of gamma-rays to the total cosmic ray flux is obtained at 3.7×10{sup 15} eV with 1.1×10{sup −5}. Translated to an absolute gamma-ray flux this sets constraints on some fundamental astrophysical models, such as the distance of sources for at least one of the IceCube neutrino excess models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Progenitors of type Ia supernovae in elliptical galaxies

Although there is a nearly universal agreement that type Ia supernovae are associated with the thermonuclear disruption of a CO white dwarf, the exact nature of their progenitors is still unknown. The single degenerate scenario envisages a white dwarf accreting matter from a non-degenerate companion in a binary system. Nuclear energy of the accreted matter is released in the form of electromagnetic radiation or gives rise to numerous classical nova explosions prior to the supernova event. We show that combined X-ray output of supernova progenitors and statistics of classical novae predicted in the single degenerate scenario are inconsistent with X-ray and optical observations of nearby early type galaxies and galaxy bulges. White dwarfs accreting from a donor star in a binary system and detonating at the Chandrasekhar mass limit can account for no more than {approx}5% of type Ia supernovae observed in old stellar populations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

PTF 10bzf (SN 2010ah): A BROAD-LINE Ic SUPERNOVA DISCOVERED BY THE PALOMAR TRANSIENT FACTORY

We present the discovery and follow-up observations of a broad-line Type Ic supernova (SN), PTF 10bzf (SN 2010ah), detected by the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) on 2010 February 23. The SN distance is {approx_equal}218 Mpc, greater than GRB 980425/SN 1998bw and GRB 060218/SN 2006aj, but smaller than the other SNe firmly associated with gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). We conducted a multi-wavelength follow-up campaign with Palomar 48 inch, Palomar 60 inch, Gemini-N, Keck, Wise, Swift, the Allen Telescope Array, Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy, Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope, and Expanded Very Large Array. Here we compare the properties of PTF 10bzf with those of SN 1998bw and other broad-line SNe. The optical luminosity and spectral properties of PTF 10bzf suggest that this SN is intermediate, in kinetic energy and amount of {sup 56}Ni, between non-GRB-associated SNe like 2002ap or 1997ef, and GRB-associated SNe like 1998bw. No X-ray or radio counterpart to PTF 10bzf was detected. X-ray upper limits allow us to exclude the presence of an underlying X-ray afterglow as luminous as that of other SN-associated GRBs such as GRB 030329 or GRB 031203. Early-time radio upper limits do not show evidence for mildly relativistic ejecta. Late-time radio upper limits rule out the presence of an underlying off-axis GRB, with energy and wind density similar to the SN-associated GRB 030329 and GRB 031203. Finally, by performing a search for a GRB in the time window and at the position of PTF 10bzf, we find that no GRB in the interplanetary network catalog could be associated with this SN.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

GAMMA-RAY BURSTS FROM MAGNETIZED COLLISIONALLY HEATED JETS

Jets producing gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are likely to carry a neutron component that drifts with respect to the proton component. The neutron-proton collisions strongly heat the jet and generate electron-positron pairs. We investigate radiation produced by this heating using a new numerical code. Our results confirm the recent claim that collisional heating generates the observed Band-type spectrum of GRBs. We extend the model to study the effects of magnetic fields on the emitted spectrum. We find that the spectrum peak remains near 1 MeV for the entire range of the magnetization parameter 0 < {epsilon}{sub B} < 2 that is explored in our simulations. The low-energy part of the spectrum softens with increasing {epsilon}{sub B}, and a visible soft excess appears in the keV band. The high-energy part of the spectrum extends well above the GeV range and can contribute to the prompt emission observed by Fermi/LAT. Overall, the radiation spectrum created by the collisional mechanism appears to agree with observations, with no fine tuning of parameters.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

FORMATION OF BLACK HOLE AND ACCRETION DISK IN A MASSIVE HIGH-ENTROPY STELLAR CORE COLLAPSE

We present the first numerical result of fully general relativistic axisymmetric simulations for the collapse of a rotating high-entropy stellar core to a black hole and an accretion disk. The simulations are performed taking into account the relevant microphysics. We adopt as initial conditions a spherical core with constant electron fraction (Y{sub e} = 0.5) and entropy per baryon s = 8 k{sub B} , and angular velocity is superimposed. In the early phase, the core collapses in a homologous manner. Then it experiences a weak bounce due to the gas pressure of free nucleons. Because the bounce is weak, the core eventually collapses to a black hole. Subsequent evolution depends on initial angular velocity. When the rotation is not fast, a geometrically thin (but optically thick) accretion disk is formed, and shock waves are formed in the inner part of the disk. For the moderately rotating case, the thin accretion disk eventually expands to become a geometrically thick torus after sufficient accumulation of the thermal energy is generated at the shocks. Furthermore, convection occurs inside the torus. Neutrino luminosities vary violently with time because of the convective motion. For the rapidly rotating case, by contrast, a geometrically thick torus is formed soon after the black hole formation, and the convective activity is weak due to the presence of an epicyclic mode.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

ACCELERATION OF PARTICLES AT THE TERMINATION SHOCK OF A RELATIVISTIC STRIPED WIND

The relativistic wind of obliquely rotating pulsars consists of toroidal stripes of opposite magnetic field polarity, separated by current sheets of hot plasma. By means of two- and three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, we investigate particle acceleration and magnetic field dissipation at the termination shock of a relativistic striped wind. At the shock, the flow compresses and the alternating fields annihilate by driven magnetic reconnection. Irrespective of the stripe wavelength {lambda} or the wind magnetization {sigma} (in the regime {sigma} >> 1 of magnetically dominated flows), shock-driven reconnection transfers all the magnetic energy of alternating fields to the particles, whose average Lorentz factor increases by a factor of {sigma} with respect to the pre-shock value. The shape of the post-shock spectrum depends primarily on the ratio {lambda}/(r{sub L} {sigma}), where r{sub L} is the relativistic Larmor radius in the wind. The spectrum becomes broader as the value of {lambda}/(r{sub L} {sigma}) increases, passing from a relativistic Maxwellian to a flat power-law tail with slope around -1.5, populated by particles accelerated by the reconnection electric field. Close to the equatorial plane of the wind, where the stripes are symmetric, the highest energy particles resulting from magnetic reconnection can escape ahead of the shock, and be injected into a Fermi-like acceleration process. In the post-shock spectrum, they populate a power-law tail with slope around -2.5, which extends beyond the flat component produced by reconnection. Our study suggests that the spectral break between the radio and the optical band in Pulsar Wind Nebulae can be a natural consequence of particle acceleration at the termination shock of striped pulsar winds.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Bounds on parity violation in the cosmological redshift

Parity violation in interactions between the spacetime metric and other fields would be a sure sign of new physics. We examine the possibility of parity violation in the cosmological redshift. If right- and left-circularly polarized photons experience the redshift differently, the radiation from distant sources would tend to be depolarized, since the polarization states would accumulate different phases during propagation. The resulting birefringence has an unusual signature - depending on z{sup 2} - quite unlike what is seen in other theories, including those with violation of local boost invariance. The observed broad-spectrum polarization of {gamma}-ray bursts constrains the fractional difference between the right- and left-handed redshifts at the 6x10{sup -37} level.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2011

ON THE MASS-LOSS RATE OF MASSIVE STARS IN THE LOW-METALLICITY GALAXIES IC 1613, WLM, AND NGC 3109

We present a spectroscopic analysis of Very Large Telescope/X-Shooter observations of six O-type stars in the low-metallicity (Z {approx} 1/7 Z {sub sun}) galaxies IC 1613, WLM, and NGC 3109. The stellar and wind parameters of these sources allow us, for the first time, to probe the mass loss versus metallicity dependence of stellar winds at metallicities below that of the Small Magellanic Cloud (at Z {approx} 1/5 Z {sub sun}) by means of a modified wind momentum versus luminosity diagram. The wind strengths that we obtain for the objects in WLM and NGC 3109 are unexpectedly high and do not agree with theoretical predictions. The objects in IC 1613 tend toward a higher than expected mass-loss rate, but remain consistent with predictions within their error bars. We discuss potential systematic uncertainties in the mass-loss determinations to explain our results. However, if further scrutinization of these findings point towards an intrinsic cause for this unexpected sub-SMC mass-loss behavior, implications would include a higher than anticipated number of Wolf-Rayet stars and Ib/Ic supernovae in low-metallicity environments, but a reduced number of long-duration gamma-ray bursts produced through a single-star evolutionary channel.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

The effect of the atmospheric condition on the extensive air shower analysis at the Telescope Array experiment

The accuracies in determination of air shower parameters such as longitudinal profiles or primary energies with the fluorescence detection technique are strongly dependent on atmospheric conditions of the molecular and aerosol components. Moreover, air fluorescence photon yield depends on the atmospheric density, and the transparency of the air for fluorescence photons depends on the atmospheric conditions from EAS to FDs. In this paper, we describe the atmospheric monitoring system in the Telescope Array (TA experiment), and the impact of the atmospheric conditions in air shower reconstructions. The systematic uncertainties of the determination of the primary cosmic ray energies and of the measurement of depth of maximum development (X{sub max}) of EASs due to atmospheric variance are evaluated by Monte Carlo simulation.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2011

Atmospheric neutrino flux at INO site

To illustrate the calculation of the atmospheric neutrino flux, we briefly explain our calculation scheme and important components, such as primary cosmic ray spectra, interaction model, and geomagnetic model. Then, we calculate the atmospheric neutrino flux at INO site in our calculation scheme. We compare the calculated atmospheric neutrino fluxes predicted at INO with those at other major neutrino detector sites, especially that at SK site.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Results from the High Resolution Fly's Eye Experiment

The High Resolution Fly's Eye (HiRes) Experiment operated two fluorescence detector sites in the western Utah desert between 1997 and 2006. The HiRes results on the cosmic ray spectrum are consistent with the GZK Suppression predicted at 10{sup 19.8} eV and observe an ankle structure at 10{sup 18.5} eV. These spectral features are consistent with a proton-dominated composition for cosmic rays at the highest energies. The HiRes composition studies of both the mean and the variance of the shower maximum depth (X{sub max}) also give results that are completely consistent with a predominately protonic composition, and inconsistent with heavy nuclei such as iron. We also report on the result of anisotropy studies.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Study of cosmic ray events with high muon multiplicity using the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

ALICE is one of four large experiments at the CERN Large Hadron Collider near Geneva, specially designed to study particle production in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Located 52 meters underground with 28 meters of overburden rock, it has also been used to detect muons produced by cosmic ray interactions in the upper atmosphere. Here, we present the multiplicity distribution of these atmospheric muons and its comparison with Monte Carlo simulations. Our analysis exploits the large size and excellent tracking capability of the ALICE Time Projection Chamber. A special emphasis is given to the study of high multiplicity events containing more than 100 reconstructed muons and corresponding to a muon areal density rho(mu) > 5.9 m(-2). Similar events have been studied in previous underground experiments such as ALEPH and DELPHI at LEP. While these experiments were able to reproduce the measured muon multiplicity distribution with Monte Carlo simulations at low and intermediate multiplicities, their simulations failed to describe the frequency of the highest multiplicity events. In this work we show that the high multiplicity events observed in ALICE stem from primary cosmic rays with energies above 10(16) eV and that the frequency of these events can be successfully described by assuming a heavy mass composition of primary cosmic rays in this energy range. Furthermore, the development of the resulting air showers was simulated using the latest version of QGSJET to model hadronic interactions. This observation places significant constraints on alternative, more exotic, production mechanisms for these events.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2011

THE FIRST SYSTEMATIC STUDY OF TYPE Ibc SUPERNOVA MULTI-BAND LIGHT CURVES

We present detailed optical photometry for 25 Type Ibc supernovae (SNe Ibc) within d Almost-Equal-To 150 Mpc obtained with the robotic Palomar 60 inch telescope in 2004-2007. This study represents the first uniform, systematic, and statistical sample of multi-band SNe Ibc light curves available to date. We correct the light curves for host galaxy extinction using a new technique based on the photometric color evolution, namely, we show that the (V - R) color of extinction-corrected SNe Ibc at {Delta}t Almost-Equal-To 10 days after V-band maximum is tightly distributed, ((V - R){sub V10}) = 0.26 {+-} 0.06 mag. Using this technique, we find that SNe Ibc typically suffer from significant host galaxy extinction, (E(B - V)) Almost-Equal-To 0.4 mag. A comparison of the extinction-corrected light curves for helium-rich (Type Ib) and helium-poor (Type Ic) SNe reveals that they are statistically indistinguishable, both in luminosity and decline rate. We report peak absolute magnitudes of (M{sub R}) = -17.9 {+-} 0.9 mag and (M{sub R}) = -18.3 {+-} 0.6 mag for SNe Ib and Ic, respectively. Focusing on the broad-lined (BL) SNe Ic, we find that they are more luminous than the normal SNe Ibc sample, (M{sub R}) = -19.0 {+-} 1.1 mag, with a probability of only 1.6% that they are drawn from the same population of explosions. By comparing the peak absolute magnitudes of SNe Ic-BL with those inferred for local engine-driven explosions (GRB-SN 1998bw, XRF-SN 2006aj, and SN 2009bb) we find a 25% probability that relativistic SNe are drawn from the overall SNe Ic-BL population. Finally, we fit analytic models to the light curves to derive typical {sup 56}Ni masses of M{sub Ni} Almost-Equal-To 0.2 and 0.5 M{sub Sun} for SNe Ibc and SNe Ic-BL, respectively. With reasonable assumptions for the photospheric velocities, we further extract kinetic energy and ejecta mass values of M{sub ej} Almost-Equal-To 2 M{sub Sun} and E{sub K} Almost-Equal-To 10{sup 51} erg for SNe Ibc, while for SNe Ic-BL we find higher values, M{sub ej} Almost-Equal-To 5 M{sub Sun} and E{sub K} Almost-Equal-To 10{sup 52} erg. We discuss the implications for the progenitors of SNe Ibc and their relation to those of engine-driven explosions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Anomalous Distributions of Primary Cosmic Rays as Evidence for Time-dependent Particle Acceleration in Supernova Remnants

Recent precise measurements of cosmic-ray (CR) spectra show that the energy distribution of protons is softer than those of heavier nuclei, and there are spectral hardenings for all nuclear compositions above ∼200 GV. Models proposed for these anomalies generally assume steady-state solutions of the particle acceleration process. We show that if the diffusion coefficient has a weak dependence on the particle rigidity near shock fronts of supernova remnants (SNRs), time-dependent solutions of the linear diffusive shock acceleration at two stages of SNR evolution can naturally account for these anomalies. The high-energy component of CRs is dominated by acceleration in the free expansion and adiabatic phases with enriched heavy elements and a high shock speed. The low-energy component may be attributed to acceleration by slow shocks propagating in dense molecular clouds with low metallicity in the radiative phase. Instead of a single power-law distribution, the spectra of time-dependent solutions soften gradually with the increase of energy, which may be responsible for the “knee” of CRs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1980

Primary cosmic ray positrons and galactic annihilation radiation

The observation (Leventhal et al, 1978) of positron annihilation radiation at 0.511 MeV from the direction of the Galactic Center is reexamined, suggesting the possibility of a primary positron component of the cosmic rays. The observed 0.511 MeV emission requires a positron production rate nearly two orders of magnitude greater than the production rate of secondary cosmic ray positrons from pion decay produced in cosmic ray interactions. Possible sources of positrons are reviewed with both supernovae and pulsars appearing to be the more likely candidates. If only about 1% of these positrons were accelerated along with the cosmic ray nucleons and electrons to energies not less than 100 MeV, it is believed that these primary positrons would be comparable in intensity to those secondary positrons resulting from pion decay. Some observational evidence for the existence of primary positrons in the cosmic rays is also discussed.

Lingenfelter, R. E.↗