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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

Observations of solar flare photon energy spectra from 20 keV to 7 MeV

Solar flare photon energy spectra in the 20 keV to 7 MeV range are derived from the Apr. 1, Apr. 4, apr. 27 and May 13, 1981 flares. The flares were observed with a hard X-ray and a gamma-ray spectrometers on board the Hinotori satellite. The results show that the spectral shape varies from flare to flare and the spectra harden in energies above about 400 keV. Effects of nuclear line emission on the continuum and of higher energy electron bremsstrahlung are considered to explain the spectral hardening.

Yoshimori, M.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Spectroscopic features of dissolved iodine in pristine and gamma-irradiated nitric acid solutions

While iodine speciation is important for a wide range of nuclear activities, understanding the mechanisms of the transformations of iodine between chemical forms and the sensitivity of these transitions to solution conditions and exposure to radiation remains an active area of research. This work curates spectroscopic data from several experimental techniques and establishes their sensitivity and limitations in detecting changes in iodine speciation in both neutral and acidic regimes. The techniques include Raman spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, 127 I NMR spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Analysis of these data indicates that these commonly accessible spectroscopies often have dynamic ranges of measurable concentrations that do not always overlap between all techniques. The experimental techniques are disparately sensitive to iodide (I - ), molecular iodine (I 2 ), iodate (IO 3 - ), and periodate (IO 4 - ) species. Raman, FTIR, and NMR spectra were subsequentially analyzed using two-dimensional correlation analyses to generate high-resolution autocorrelation spectra. Here, the use of these spectroscopies is then extended to tracking acidification-induced and gamma irradiation-induced transformations of dissolved sodium iodate in deionized water and concentrated nitric acid. Both dissolution into nitric acid and irradiation with a gamma source are demonstrated to perturb the iodine speciation promoting their assembly into molecular iodine (I 2 ) and/or triiodide (I 3 - ). While I 2 and I 3 - species are undetectable with FTIR spectroscopy and 127 I NMR spectroscopy, the species can be detected with UV-Vis spectroscopy, and in some instances, I 3 - can be detected with Raman spectroscopy in the low wavenumber region. Ultimately, the results of this work provide a path to designing optimal combinations of techniques to detect forms of iodine across a wide range of concentrations and conditions.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
NASA NTRS1981

High-precision source location of the 1978 November 19 gamma-ray burst

The celestial source location of the November 19, 1978, intense gamma ray burst has been determined from data obtained with the interplanetary gamma-ray sensor network by means of long-baseline wave front timing instruments. Each of the instruments was designed for studying events with observable spectra of approximately greater than 100 keV, and each provides accurate event profile timing in the several millisecond range. The data analysis includes the following: the triangulated region is centered at (gamma, delta) 1950 = (1h16m32s, -28 deg 53 arcmin), at -84 deg galactic latitude, where the star density is very low and the obscuration negligible. The gamma-ray burst source region, consistent with that of a highly polarized radio source described by Hjellming and Ewald (1981), may assist in the source modeling and may facilitate the understanding of the source process. A marginally identifiable X-ray source was also found by an Einstein Observatory investigation. It is concluded that the burst contains redshifted positron annihilation and nuclear first-excited iron lines, which is consistent with a neutron star origin.

Cline, T. L.↗
DOE OSTI2015

The Galactic Center GeV excess from a series of leptonic cosmic-ray outbursts

It has been proposed that a recent outburst of cosmic-ray electrons could account for the excess of GeV-scale gamma rays observed from the region surrounding the Galactic Center. After studying this possibility in some detail, we identify scenarios in which a series of leptonic cosmic-ray outbursts could plausibly generate the observed excess. The morphology of the emission observed outside of ∼1{sup o}−2{sup o} from the Galactic Center can be accommodated with two outbursts, one which took place approximately ∼10{sup 6} years ago, and another (injecting only about 10% as much energy as the first) about ∼10{sup 5} years ago. The emission observed from the innermost ∼1{sup o}−2{sup o} requires one or more additional recent outbursts and/or a contribution from a centrally concentrated population of unresolved millisecond pulsars. In order to produce a spectrum that is compatible with the measured excess (whose shape is approximately uniform over the region of the excess), the electrons from the older outburst must be injected with significantly greater average energy than those injected more recently, enabling their spectra to be similar after ∼10{sup 6} years of energy losses.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

An investigation of {sup 60}Co gamma radiation-induced effects on the properties of nanostructured α-MoO{sub 3} for the application in optoelectronic and photonic devices

Gamma ray has sufficient energy to ionize and displace of atoms when interacts with optoelectronic and photonic devices that are placed at γ-radiation exposure environment, can be exposed to gamma radiation, resulting the alteration of the physical properties and hence the performances of devices. A comprehensive investigation of physical properties of the semiconductor materials under the influence of gamma radiation is essential for the effective design of devices for the application in the radiation exposure environment. In this article, a potential candidate for optoelectronic and photonic devices, orthorhombic MoO{sub 3} nanoparticles with average crystallite size of 135.31 nm successfully synthesized by hydrothermal method. Then, the properties of nanoparticles exposed to low (10 kGy) and high (120 kGy) absorbed dose of γ-rays from {sup 60}Co source were characterized by XRD, FESEM, FTIR and UV–Vis–NIR spectrophotometer and effects of absorbed doses was investigated for the first time. A significant change is observed in different physical properties of α-MoO{sub 3} nanoparticles after gamma exposure. The XRD patterns reveal the average crystallite size, intensity and the degree of crystallinity decrease for low dose (10 kGy) and increases for high dose (120 kGy). The calculated average crystallite size exposed to low and high doses are 127.79 nm and 136 nm, respectively. The lattice strain and dislocation density, however, shows the opposite trend of crystallite size with absorbed doses. This result is good evidence for the deterioration of crystallinity for low dose and improvement for high dose. The FESEM results reveal the significant effects of gamma doses on the micrographs of layered structure and on grain size. The optical studies disclose that band gap increases gradually from 2.78 to 2.90 eV, this behavior is associated with the reduction of electronic localized states. These results suggest that α-MoO{sub 3} nanoparticles could tolerate high doses of gamma radiation, making it a promising candidate for optoelectronic and photonic devices for γ-ray exposure environment applications.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Calibration of a DSSSD detector with radioactive sources

The energy calibration of a DSSSD is carried out with the spectra produced by a {sup 207}Bi conversion electron source, a {sup 137}Cs gamma source and a {sup 239}Pu/{sup 241}Am/{sup 244}Cm triple alpha source, as well as employing a precision pulse generator in the whole dynamic range. Multiplicity and coincidence of signals in different strips for the same event are also studied.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

Swelling properties of cassava starch grafted with poly (potassium acrylate-co-acrylamide) superabsorbent hydrogel prepared by ionizing radiation

Natural and synthetic hydrophylic polymers can be phisically or chemically cross-linked in order to produce hydrogels. Starch based hydrogels grafted with copolymers from acrylic acid or acrylamide have become very popular for water absorbent application. Superabsorbent hydrogels made from Cassava starch grafted with poly (potassium acrylate-co-acrylamide) were prepared by using of ϒ-irradiation method. Various important parameters such as irradiation doses, monomer to Cassava starch ratio and acrylamide content were investigated. The addition of 7,5 % w w{sup −1} acrylamide into the reaction mixture generated a starch graft copolymer with a water absorption in distilled water as high as 460 g g{sup −1} of its dried weight. The effectivity of hydrogel as superabsorbent for aqueous solutions of NaCl and urea was evaluated. The obtained hydrogel showed the maximum absorptions of 317 g g{sup −1} and 523 g g{sup −1} for NaCl and urea solution, respectively (relative to its own dry weight). The structure of the graft copolymer was analyzed by using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2013

A NEW METHOD OF PULSE-WISE SPECTRAL ANALYSIS OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

Time-resolved spectral analysis, though a very promising method to understand the emission mechanism of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), is difficult to implement in practice because of poor statistics. We present a new method for pulse-wise time-resolved spectral study of the individual pulses of GRBs, using the fact that many spectral parameters are either constants or smooth functions of time. We use this method for the two pulses of GRB 081221, the brightest GRB with separable pulses. We choose, from the literature, a set of possible models that includes the Band model, blackbody with a power law (BBPL), and a collection of blackbodies with a smoothly varying temperature profile, along with a power law (mBBPL), and two blackbodies with a power law (2BBPL). First, we perform a time-resolved study to confirm the spectral parameter variations, and then we construct the new model to perform a joint spectral fit. We find that any photospheric emission in terms of blackbodies is required mainly in the rising parts of the pulses and the falling part can be adequately explained in terms of the Band model, with the low-energy photon index within the regime of synchrotron model. Interestingly, we find that 2BBPL is comparable or sometimes even better, though marginally, than the Band model, in all episodes. Consistent results are also obtained for the brightest GRB of Fermi era-GRB 090618. We point out that the method is generic enough to test any spectral model with well-defined parameter variations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

DISCOVERY OF TeV GAMMA-RAY EMISSION TOWARD SUPERNOVA REMNANT SNR G78.2+2.1

We report the discovery of an unidentified, extended source of very-high-energy gamma-ray emission, VER J2019+407, within the radio shell of the supernova remnant SNR G78.2+2.1, using 21.4 hr of data taken by the VERITAS gamma-ray observatory in 2009. These data confirm the preliminary indications of gamma-ray emission previously seen in a two-year (2007-2009) blind survey of the Cygnus region by VERITAS. VER J2019+407, which is detected at a post-trials significance of 7.5 standard deviations in the 2009 data, is localized to the northwestern rim of the remnant in a region of enhanced radio and X-ray emission. It has an intrinsic extent of 0.23 Degree-Sign .23 {+-} 0. Degree-Sign 03{sub stat-0 Degree-Sign .02sys}{sup +0 Degree-Sign .04} and its spectrum is well-characterized by a differential power law (dN/dE = N{sub 0} Multiplication-Sign (E/TeV){sup -{Gamma}}) with a photon index of {Gamma} = 2.37 {+-} 0.14{sub stat} {+-} 0.20{sub sys} and a flux normalization of N{sub 0} = 1.5 {+-} 0.2{sub stat} {+-} 0.4{sub sys} Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -12} photon TeV{sup -1} cm{sup -2} s{sup -1}. This yields an integral flux of 5.2 {+-} 0.8{sub stat} {+-} 1.4{sub sys} Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -12} photon cm{sup -2} s{sup -1} above 320 GeV, corresponding to 3.7% of the Crab Nebula flux. We consider the relationship of the TeV gamma-ray emission with the GeV gamma-ray emission seen from SNR G78.2+2.1 as well as that seen from a nearby cocoon of freshly accelerated cosmic rays. Multiple scenarios are considered as possible origins for the TeV gamma-ray emission, including hadronic particle acceleration at the SNR shock.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Fermi LAT and WMAP observations of the supernova remnant HB 21

We present the analysis of Fermi Large Area Telescope γ-ray observations of HB 21 (G89.0+4.7). We detect significant γ-ray emission associated with the remnant: the flux >100 MeV is 9.4 ± 0.8 (stat) ± 1.6 (syst) × 10{sup –11} erg cm{sup –2} s{sup –1}. HB 21 is well modeled by a uniform disk centered at l = 88.°75 ± 0.°04, b = +4.°65 ± 0.°06 with a radius of 1.°19 ± 0.°06. The γ-ray spectrum shows clear evidence of curvature, suggesting a cutoff or break in the underlying particle population at an energy of a few GeV. We complement γ-ray observations with the analysis of the WMAP 7 yr data from 23 to 93 GHz, achieving the first detection of HB 21 at these frequencies. In combination with archival radio data, the radio spectrum shows a spectral break, which helps to constrain the relativistic electron spectrum, and, in turn, parameters of simple non-thermal radiation models. In one-zone models multiwavelength data favor the origin of γ rays from nucleon-nucleon collisions. A single population of electrons cannot produce both γ rays through bremsstrahlung and radio emission through synchrotron radiation. A predominantly inverse-Compton origin of the γ-ray emission is disfavored because it requires lower interstellar densities than are inferred for HB 21. In the hadronic-dominated scenarios, accelerated nuclei contribute a total energy of ∼3 × 10{sup 49} erg, while, in a two-zone bremsstrahlung-dominated scenario, the total energy in accelerated particles is ∼1 × 10{sup 49} erg.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

The blob crashes into the mirror: modeling the exceptional γ-ray flaring activity of 3C 454.3 in 2010 November

3C 454.3 is a prominent flat-spectrum radio quasar that in recent years attracted considerable attention because of its variable high-energy emissions. In this paper, we focus on the exceptional flaring activity of 3C 454.3 that was detected by AGILE and by Fermi-LAT in 2010 November. In the light of the time-varying data ranging from the radio, optical, and X-ray up to GeV γ-ray bands, we discuss a theoretical framework addressing all data in their overall evolution. For two weeks, the source has shown a plateau of enhanced GeV emission preceding a sudden major flare lasting about three days before decaying. The γ-ray flare onset is abrupt (about six hours), and is characterized by a prominent 'Compton dominance' with the GeV flux exceeding the pre-flare values by a factor of four to five. During this episode, the optical and X-ray fluxes increased by a factor of around two. Within the standard framework of a jet launched with a Lorentz bulk factor Γ ∼ 10 from a central black hole, we explore the yields of two alternatives. Case 1, with high-energy emission originating within the broad line region (BLR); and Case 2, with most of it produced outside at larger distances of a few parsecs. We show that Case 1 has considerable problems in explaining the whole set of multifrequency data. Case 2, instead, leads to a consistent and interesting interpretation based on the enhanced inverse Compton radiation that is produced as the jet crashes onto a mirror cloud positioned at parsec scales. This model explains the γ-ray versus optical/X-ray behavior of 3C 454.3, including the otherwise puzzling phenomena such as the prominent 'rphan' optical flare, and the enhanced line emission with no appreciable γ-ray counterpart that preceded the GeV γ-ray flare. It also accounts for the delayed onset of the latter on top of the long plateau. Our modeling of the exceptional 3C 454.3 γ-ray flare shows that while emission inside the canonical BLR is problematic, major and rapid variations can be produced at parsec scales with moderate bulk Lorentz factors Γ ≈ 15. Our 'crashed mirror' model is also applicable to other blazar flares marked by large Compton dominance of the emitted radiation such as the flare of PKS 1830–211 in 2010 October.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Estimation of the extragalactic background light using TeV observations of BL Lac objects

The very high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray spectral index of high-energy peaked blazars correlates strongly with its corresponding redshift, whereas no such correlation is observed in the X-ray or GeV bands. We attribute this correlation to photon-photon absorption of TeV photons with the extragalactic background light (EBL), and utilizing this we compute the allowed flux range for the EBL, which is independent of previous estimates. The observed VHE spectrum of the sources in our sample can be well approximated by a power law, and if the de-absorbed spectrum is also assumed to be a power law, then we show that the spectral shape of EBL will be εn(ε) ∼ klog (ε/ε {sub p}). We estimate the range of values for the parameters defining the EBL spectrum, k and ε {sub p}, such that the correlation of the intrinsic VHE spectrum with redshift is nullified. The estimated EBL depends only on the observed correlation and the assumption of a power-law source spectrum. Specifically, it does not depend on the spectral modeling or radiative mechanism of the sources or on any theoretical shape of the EBL spectrum obtained through cosmological calculations. The estimated EBL spectrum is consistent with the upper and lower limits imposed by different observations. Moreover, it also agrees closely with the theoretical estimates obtained through cosmological evolution models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Sagittarius A* as an origin of the Galactic PeV cosmic rays?

Supernova remnants (SNRs) have commonly been considered as a source of the observed PeV cosmic rays (CRs) or a Galactic PeV particle accelerator ('Pevatron'). In this work, we study Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), which is the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus of the Milky Way Galaxy, as another possible canditate of the Pevatron, because it sometimes became very active in the past. We assume that a large number of PeV CRs were injected by Sgr A* at the outburst about 10{sup 7} yr ago when the Fermi bubbles were created. We constrain the diffusion coefficient for the CRs in the Galactic halo on the condition that the CRs have arrived on the Earth by now, while a fairly large fraction of them have escaped from the halo. Based on a diffusion-halo model, we solve a diffusion equation for the CRs and compare the results with the CR spectrum on the Earth. The observed small anisotropy of the arrival directions of CRs may be explained if the diffusion coefficient in the Galactic disk is smaller than that in the halo. Our model predicts that a boron-to-carbon ratio should be energy-independent around the knee, where the CRs from Sgr A* become dominant. It is unlikely that the spectrum of the CRs accelerated at the outburst is represented by a power-law similar to the one for those responsible for the gamma-ray emission from the central molecular zone (CMZ) around the Galactic center.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

A WHITE DWARF MERGER AS PROGENITOR OF THE ANOMALOUS X-RAY PULSAR 4U 0142+61?

It has been recently proposed that massive, fast-rotating, highly magnetized white dwarfs could describe the observational properties of some of soft gamma-ray repeaters and anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs). Moreover, it has also been shown that high-field magnetic white dwarfs can be the outcome of white dwarf binary mergers. The products of these mergers consist of a hot central white dwarf surrounded by a rapidly rotating disk. Here we show that the merger of a double degenerate system can explain the characteristics of the peculiar AXP 4U 0142+61. This scenario accounts for the observed infrared excess. We also show that the observed properties of 4U 0142+6 are consistent with an approximately 1.2 M{sub Sun} white dwarf, remnant of the coalescence of an original system made of two white dwarfs of masses 0.6 M{sub Sun} and 1.0 M{sub Sun }. Finally, we infer a post-merging age {tau}{sub WD} Almost-Equal-To 64 kyr and a magnetic field B Almost-Equal-To 2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 8} G. Evidence for such a magnetic field may come from the possible detection of the electron cyclotron absorption feature observed between the B and V bands at Almost-Equal-To 10{sup 15} Hz in the spectrum of 4U 0142+61.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

MOJAVE. XIII. PARSEC-SCALE AGN JET KINEMATICS ANALYSIS BASED ON 19 YEARS OF VLBA OBSERVATIONS AT 15 GHz

We present 1625 new 15 GHz (2 cm) VLBA images of 295 jets associated with active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the MOJAVE and 2 cm VLBA surveys, spanning observations between 1994 August 31 and 2013 August 20. For 274 AGNs with at least 5 VLBA epochs, we have analyzed the kinematics of 961 individual bright features in their parsec-scale jets. A total of 122 of these jets have not been previously analyzed by the MOJAVE program. In the case of 451 jet features that had at least 10 epochs, we also examined their kinematics for possible accelerations. At least half of the well-sampled features have non-radial and/or accelerating trajectories, indicating that non-ballistic motion is common in AGN jets. Since it is impossible to extrapolate any accelerations that occurred before our monitoring period, we could only determine reliable ejection dates for ∼24% of those features that had significant proper motions. The distribution of maximum apparent jet speeds in all 295 AGNs measured by our program to date is peaked below 5c, with very few jets with apparent speeds above 30c. The fastest speed in our survey is ∼50c, measured in the jet of the quasar PKS 0805−07, and is indicative of a maximum jet Lorentz factor of ∼50 in the parent population. An envelope in the maximum jet speed versus redshift distribution of our sample provides additional evidence of this upper limit to the speeds of radio-emitting regions in parsec-scale AGN jets. The Fermi-LAT-detected gamma-ray AGNs in our sample have, on average, higher jet speeds than non-LAT-detected AGNs, indicating a strong correlation between parsec-scale jet speed and the gamma-ray Doppler boosting factor. We have identified 11 moderate-redshift (z<0.35) AGNs with fast apparent speeds (>10c) that are strong candidates for future TeV gamma-ray detection. Of the five gamma-ray loud narrow-lined Seyfert I AGNs in our sample, three show highly superluminal jet motions, while the others have sub-luminal speeds. This indicates that some narrow-lined Seyfert I AGNs possess powerful jets with Lorentz factors in excess of 10, and viewing angles less than 10{sup ∘}, consistent with those of typical BL Lac objects and flat-spectrum radio quasars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Extragalactic plus galactic model for icecube neutrino events

The hypothesis that high-energy cosmic neutrinos are power law distributed is critically analyzed. We propose a model with two components that better explains the observations. The extragalactic component of the high-energy neutrino flux has a canonical E{sub ν}{sup −2} spectrum while the galactic component has a E{sub ν}{sup −2.7} spectrum; both of them are significant. This model has several implications, which can be tested by IceCube and ANTARES over the next several years. Moreover, the existence of a diffuse component, close to the Galactic plane and that yields (20–30)% of IceCube’s events, is interesting for the future km{sup 3} neutrino telescopes located in the Northern Hemisphere and for gamma-ray telescopes aiming to measure events up to a few 100 TeV from the southern sky.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

The gamma-ray source AGL J2241+4454 as the possible counterpart of MWC 656

AGILE discovered the transient source AGL J2241+4454 in 2010, which triggered the study of the associated field allowing for the discovery of the first Be/black hole binary system: MWC 656. This binary was suggested to be the counterpart of AGL J2241+4454, but this association is still not robust. In this work we explore the archival AGILE and Fermi/Large Area Telescope (LAT) data to find more transient events compatible with AGL J2241+4454 and address the possibility to link them to the accretion/ejection processes of MWC 656. We found a total of nine other transient events with AGILE compatible with the position of AGL J2241+4454, besides the 2010 one. We folded these events with the period of the binary system and we could not associate the gamma-ray activity with any particular orbital phase. By stacking the 10 transient events we obtained a spectrum that extends between 100 MeV and 1 GeV, and we fitted it with a power law with a photon index Γ=2.3±0.2. We searched the Fermi/LAT data in order to complement the gamma-ray information provided by AGILE but no significant results arose. To investigate this apparent contradiction between these telescopes, we studied the exposure of the field of AGL J2241+4454 in both instruments, and found significant differences. In particular, AGILE exposed, for a longer time and at a lower off-axis angular distance, the field of AGL J2241+4454. This fact, together with the energy-dependent sensitivity of both instruments, and the soft spectrum found in the stacking analysis, might explain why AGILE observed the transient events not seen by Fermi/LAT.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗