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At least 1,495 records · Page 83
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

V409 Tau as another AA Tau: Photometric observations of stellar occultations by the circumstellar disk

AA Tau is a well studied young stellar object (YSO) that presents many of the photometric characteristics of a Classical T Tauri star (CTTS), including short-timescale stochastic variability attributed to spots and/or accretion as well as long-duration dimming events attributed to occultations by vertical features (e.g., warps) in its circumstellar disk. We present new photometric observations of AA Tau from the Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope North (KELT-North) which reveal a deep, extended dimming event in 2011, which we show supports the interpretation by Bouvier et al. of an occultation by a high-density feature in the circumstellar disk located >8 AU from the star. We also present KELT-North observations of V409 Tau, a relatively unstudied YSO also in Taurus–Auriga, showing short timescale erratic variability, along with two separate long and deep dimming events, one from 2009 January through late 2010 October, and the other from 2012 March until at least 2013 September. We interpret both dimming events to have lasted more than 600 days, each with a depth of ∼1.4 mag. From a spectral energy distribution analysis, we propose that V409 Tau is most likely surrounded by a circumstellar disk viewed nearly edge-on, and using Keplerian timescale arguments we interpret the deep dimmings of V409 Tau as occultations from one or more features within this disk ≳10 AU from the star. In both AA Tau and V409 Tau, the usual CTTS short-timescale variations associated with accretion processes close to the stars continue during the occultations, further supporting the distant occulting material interpretation. Like AA Tau, V409 Tau serves as a laboratory for studying the detailed structure of the protoplanetary environments of T Tauri disks, specifically disk structures that may be signposts of planet formation at many AU out in the disk. We also provide a table of all currently known disk-occulting young stars as a convenient reference for future work on such objects.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

An interpretation of flare-induced and decayless coronal-loop oscillations as interference patterns

We present an alternative model of coronal-loop oscillations, which considers that the waves are trapped in a two-dimensional waveguide formed by the entire arcade of field lines. This differs from the standard one-dimensional model which treats the waves as the resonant oscillations of just the visible bundle of field lines. Within the framework of our two-dimensional model, the two types of oscillations that have been observationally identified, flare-induced waves and 'decayless' oscillations, can both be attributed to MHD fast waves. The two components of the signal differ only because of the duration and spatial extent of the source that creates them. The flare-induced waves are generated by strong localized sources of short duration, while the decayless background can be excited by a continuous, stochastic source. Further, the oscillatory signal arising from a localized, short-duration source can be interpreted as a pattern of interference fringes produced by waves that have traveled diverse routes of various pathlengths through the waveguide. The resulting amplitude of the fringes slowly decays in time with an inverse square root dependence. The details of the interference pattern depend on the shape of the arcade and the spatial variation of the Alfvén speed. The rapid decay of this wave component, which has previously been attributed to physical damping mechanisms that remove energy from resonant oscillations, occurs as a natural consequence of the interference process without the need for local dissipation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Type Ia supernovae from merging white dwarfs. I. Prompt detonations

Merging white dwarfs are a possible progenitor of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). Numerical models suggest that a detonation might be initiated before the stars have coalesced to form a single compact object. Here we study such prompt detonations by means of numerical simulations, modeling the disruption and nucleosynthesis of the stars until the ejecta reach the coasting phase, and generating synthetic light curves and spectra. Three models are considered with primary masses 0.96 M {sub ☉}, 1.06 M {sub ☉}, and 1.20 M {sub ☉}. Of these, the 0.96 M {sub ☉} dwarf merging with a 0.81 M {sub ☉} companion, with an {sup 56}Ni yield of 0.58 M {sub ☉}, is the most promising candidate for reproducing common SNe Ia. The more massive mergers produce unusually luminous SNe Ia with peak luminosities approaching those attributed to 'super-Chandrasekhar' mass SNe Ia. While the synthetic light curves and spectra of some of the models resemble observed SNe Ia, the significant asymmetry of the ejecta leads to large orientation effects. The peak bolometric luminosity varies by more than a factor of two with the viewing angle, and the velocities of the spectral absorption features are lower when observed from angles where the light curve is brightest. The largest orientation effects are seen in the ultraviolet, where the flux varies by more than an order of magnitude. The set of three models roughly obeys a width-luminosity relation, with the brighter light curves declining more slowly in the B band. Spectral features due to unburned carbon from the secondary star are also seen in some cases.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Search for cosmic-ray-induced gamma-ray emission in galaxy clusters

Current theories predict relativistic hadronic particle populations in clusters of galaxies in addition to the already observed relativistic leptons. In these scenarios hadronic interactions give rise to neutral pions which decay into γ rays that are potentially observable with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi space telescope. We present a joint likelihood analysis searching for spatially extended γ-ray emission at the locations of 50 galaxy clusters in four years of Fermi-LAT data under the assumption of the universal cosmic-ray (CR) model proposed by Pinzke and Pfrommer. We find an excess at a significance of 2.7σ, which upon closer inspection, however, is correlated to individual excess emission toward three galaxy clusters: A400, A1367, and A3112. We discuss these cases in detail and conservatively attribute the emission to unmodeled background systems (for example, radio galaxies within the clusters).Through the combined analysis of 50 clusters, we exclude hadronic injection efficiencies in simple hadronic models above 21% and establish limits on the CR to thermal pressure ratio within the virial radius, R {sub 200}, to be below 1.25%-1.4% depending on the morphological classification. In addition, we derive new limits on the γ-ray flux from individual clusters in our sample.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

The 2011 outburst of recurrent nova T Pyx: X-ray observations expose the white dwarf mass and ejection dynamics

The recurrent nova T Pyx underwent its sixth historical outburst in 2011, and became the subject of an intensive multi-wavelength observational campaign. We analyze data from the Swift and Suzaku satellites to produce a detailed X-ray light curve augmented by epochs of spectral information. X-ray observations yield mostly non-detections in the first four months of outburst, but both a super-soft and hard X-ray component rise rapidly after Day 115. The super-soft X-ray component, attributable to the photosphere of the nuclear-burning white dwarf, is relatively cool (∼45 eV) and implies that the white dwarf in T Pyx is significantly below the Chandrasekhar mass (∼1 M {sub ☉}). The late turn-on time of the super-soft component yields a large nova ejecta mass (≳ 10{sup –5} M {sub ☉}), consistent with estimates at other wavelengths. The hard X-ray component is well fit by a ∼1 keV thermal plasma, and is attributed to shocks internal to the 2011 nova ejecta. The presence of a strong oxygen line in this thermal plasma on Day 194 requires a significantly super-solar abundance of oxygen and implies that the ejecta are polluted by white dwarf material. The X-ray light curve can be explained by a dual-phase ejection, with a significant delay between the first and second ejection phases, and the second ejection finally released two months after outburst. A delayed ejection is consistent with optical and radio observations of T Pyx, but the physical mechanism producing such a delay remains a mystery.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Fully coupled simulation of cosmic reionization. II. Recombinations, clumping factors, and the photon budget for reionization

We use a fully coupled cosmological simulation including dark matter dynamics, multispecies hydrodynamics, nonequilibrium chemical ionization, flux-limited diffusion radiation transport, and a parameterized model of star formation and feedback (thermal and radiative) to investigate the epoch of hydrogen reionization in detail. In this paper, the first of several application papers, we investigate the mechanics of reionization from stellar sources forming in high-z galaxies, the utility of various formulations for the gas clumping factor on accurately estimating the effective recombination time in the intergalactic medium (IGM), and the photon budget required to achieve reionization. We also test the accuracy of the static and time-dependent models of Madau et al. as predictors of reionization completion/maintenance. We simulate a WMAP7 ΛCDM cosmological model in a 20 comoving Mpc cube, resolved with 800{sup 3} uniform fluid cells and dark matter particles. By tuning our star formation recipe to approximately match the observed high-redshift star formation rate density and galaxy luminosity function, we have created a fully coupled radiation hydrodynamical realization of hydrogen reionization, which begins to ionize at z ≈ 10 and is completed at z ≈ 5.8 without further tuning. We find that roughly two ionizing photons per H atom are required to convert the neutral IGM to a highly ionized state. After reionization concludes, we find that the quantity n-dot{sub ion}×(1 Gyr)/n{sub H} is ∼9 at z = 5, in rough agreement with measurements of the ionizing emissivity by Becker and Bolton. The complicated events during reionization that lead to this number can be generally described as inside-out, but in reality, the narrative depends on the level of ionization of the gas one attributes as being ionized. We find that the formula for the ionizing photon production rate needed to maintain the IGM in an ionized state derived by Madau et al. should not be used to predict the epoch of reionization completion because it ignores history-dependent terms in the global ionization balance which are not ignorable. We find that the time-dependent model for the ionized volume fraction Q{sub HII} is more predictive, but overestimates the redshift of reionization completion z{sub reion} by Δz ≈ 1. We propose a revised formulation of the time-dependent model that agrees with our simulation to a few percent accuracy. Finally, we use our simulation data to measure the absorption of ionizing radiation due to circumgalactic gas resolved on our mesh and find f-bar{sub esc}(CGM)≈0.7.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Spectral and morphological analysis of the remnant of supernova 1987A with ALMA and ATCA

We present a comprehensive spectral and morphological analysis of the remnant of supernova (SN) 1987A with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The non-thermal and thermal components of the radio emission are investigated in images from 94 to 672 GHz (λ 3.2 mm to 450 μm), with the assistance of a high-resolution 44 GHz synchrotron template from the ATCA, and a dust template from ALMA observations at 672 GHz. An analysis of the emission distribution over the equatorial ring in images from 44 to 345 GHz highlights a gradual decrease of the east-to-west asymmetry ratio with frequency. We attribute this to the shorter synchrotron lifetime at high frequencies. Across the transition from radio to far infrared, both the synchrotron/dust-subtracted images and the spectral energy distribution (SED) suggest additional emission beside the main synchrotron component (S {sub ν}∝ν{sup –0.73}) and the thermal component originating from dust grains at T ∼ 22 K. This excess could be due to free-free flux or emission from grains of colder dust. However, a second flat-spectrum synchrotron component appears to better fit the SED, implying that the emission could be attributed to a pulsar wind nebula (PWN). The residual emission is mainly localized west of the SN site, as the spectral analysis yields –0.4 ≲ α ≲ –0.1 across the western regions, with α ∼ 0 around the central region. If there is a PWN in the remnant interior, these data suggest that the pulsar may be offset westward from the SN position.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

HIGH-DENSITY CIRCUMSTELLAR INTERACTION IN THE LUMINOUS TYPE IIn SN 2010jl: THE FIRST 1100 DAYS

Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based observations of the Type IIn supernova (SN) 2010jl are analyzed, including photometry and spectroscopy in the ultraviolet, optical, and near-IR bands, 26-1128 days after first detection. At maximum, the bolometric luminosity was ∼3 × 10{sup 43} erg s{sup –1} and even at 850 days exceeds 10{sup 42} erg s{sup –1}. A near-IR excess, dominating after 400 days, probably originates in dust in the circumstellar medium (CSM). The total radiated energy is ≳ 6.5 × 10{sup 50} erg, excluding the dust component. The spectral lines can be separated into one broad component that is due to electron scattering and one narrow with expansion velocity ∼100 km s{sup –1} from the CSM. The broad component is initially symmetric around zero velocity but becomes blueshifted after ∼50 days, while remaining symmetric about a shifted centroid velocity. Dust absorption in the ejecta is unlikely to explain the line shifts, and we attribute the shift instead to acceleration by the SN radiation. From the optical lines and the X-ray and dust properties, there is strong evidence for large-scale asymmetries in the CSM. The ultraviolet lines indicate CNO processing in the progenitor, while the optical shows a number of narrow coronal lines excited by the X-rays. The bolometric light curve is consistent with a radiative shock in an r {sup –2} CSM with a mass-loss rate of M-dot ∼0.1 M{sub ⊙} yr{sup −1}. The total mass lost is ≳ 3 M {sub ☉}. These properties are consistent with the SN expanding into a CSM characteristic of a luminous blue variable progenitor with a bipolar geometry. The apparent absence of nuclear processing is attributed to a CSM that is still opaque to electron scattering.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

UNVEILING THE UNIVERSALITY OF I-LOVE-Q RELATIONS

The recent discovery of the universal I-Love-Q relations connecting the moment of inertia, tidal deformability, and the spin-induced quadrupole moment of compact stars is intriguing and totally unexpected. In this paper, we provide numerical evidence showing that the universality can be attributed to the incompressible limit of the I-Love-Q relations. The fact that modern equations of state are stiff, with an effective adiabatic index larger than about two, above the nuclear density range is the key to establishing the universality for neutron stars and quark stars with typical compactness from about 0.1 to 0.3. On the other hand, the I-Love-Q relations of low-mass neutron stars near the minimum mass limit depend more sensitively on the underlying equation of state because these stars are composed mainly of softer matter at low densities. However, the I-Love-Q relations for low-mass quark stars can still be represented accurately by the incompressible limit. We also study the I-Love relation connecting the moment of inertia and tidal deformability analytically in Newtonian gravity and show why the I-Love-Q relation is weakly dependent on the underlying equation of state and can be attributed to its incompressible limit.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

MC{sup 2}: Constraining the dark matter distribution of the violent merging galaxy cluster CIZA J2242.8+5301 BY piercing through the milky way

The galaxy cluster CIZA J2242.8+5301 at z = 0.19 is a merging system with a prominent (∼2 Mpc long) radio relic, which together with the morphology of the X-ray emission provides strong evidence for a violent collision along the north-south axis. We present our constraints on the dark matter distribution of this unusual system using Subaru and Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope imaging data. Measuring a high signal-to-noise ratio lensing signal from this cluster is potentially a challenging task because of its proximity to the Milky Way plane (|b| ∼ 5°). We overcome this challenge with careful observation planning and systematics control, which enables us to successfully map the dark matter distribution of the cluster with high fidelity. The resulting mass map shows that the mass distribution of CIZA J2242.8+5301 is highly elongated along the north-south merger axis inferred from the orientation of the radio relics. Based on our mass reconstruction, we identify two sub-clusters, which coincide with the cluster galaxy distributions. We determine their masses using Markov Chain Monte Carlo analysis by simultaneously fitting two Navarro-Frenk-White halos without fixing their centroids. The resulting masses of the northern and southern systems are M{sub 200}=11.0{sub −3.2}{sup +3.7}×10{sup 14} M{sub ⊙} and 9.8{sub −2.5}{sup +3.8}×10{sup 14} M{sub ⊙}, respectively, indicating that we are witnessing a post-collision of two giant systems of nearly equal mass. When the mass and galaxy centroids are compared in detail, we detect ∼1' (∼190 kpc) offsets in both northern and southern sub-clusters. After investigating the statistical significance of the offsets by bootstrapping both mass and galaxy centroids, we find that the galaxy luminosity-mass offset for the northern clump is statistically significant at the ≳ 2σ level whereas the detection is only marginal for the southern sub-cluster in part because of a relatively large mass centroid error. We conclude that it is yet premature to uniquely attribute the galaxy-mass misalignment to self-interaction of dark matter and discuss caveats.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Isotope anomalies in the FE-group elements in meteorites and connections to nucleosynthesis in AGB stars

We study the effects of neutron captures in AGB stars on “Fe-group” elements, with an emphasis on Cr, Fe, and Ni. These elements show anomalies in {sup 54}Cr, {sup 58}Fe, and {sup 64}Ni in solar system materials, which are commonly attributed to supernovae (SNe). However, as large fractions of the interstellar medium (ISM) were reprocessed in AGB stars, these elements were reprocessed, too. We calculate the effects of such reprocessing on Cr, Fe, and Ni through 1.5 M{sub ⊙} and 3 M{sub ⊙} AGB models, adopting solar and 1/3 solar metallicities. All cases produce excesses of {sup 54}Cr, {sup 58}Fe, and {sup 64}Ni, while the other isotopes are little altered; hence, the observations may be explained by AGB processing. The results are robust and not dependent on the detailed initial isotopic composition. Consequences for other “Fe group” elements are then explored. They include {sup 50}Ti excesses and some production of {sup 46,47,49}Ti. In many circumstellar condensates, Ti quantitatively reflects these effects of AGB neutron captures. Scatter in the data results from small variations (granularity) in the isotopic composition of the local ISM. For Si, the main effects are instead due to variations in the local ISM from different SN sources. The problem of Ca is discussed, particularly with regard to {sup 48}Ca. The measured data are usually represented assuming terrestrial values for {sup 42}Ca/{sup 44}Ca. Materials processed in AGB stars or sources with variable initial {sup 42}Ca/{sup 44}Ca ratios can give apparent {sup 48}Ca excesses/deficiencies, attributed to SNe. The broader issue of galactic chemical evolution is also discussed in view of the isotopic granularity in the ISM.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Dust in the circumgalactic medium of low-redshift galaxies

Using spectroscopically selected galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey we present a detection of reddening effects from the circumgalactic medium of galaxies which we attribute to an extended distribution of dust. We detect the mean change in the colors of “standard crayons” correlated with the presence of foreground galaxies at z∼0.05 as a function of angular separation. Following Peek and Graves, we create standard crayons using passively evolving galaxies corrected for Milky Way reddening and color-redshift trends, leading to a sample with as little as 2% scatter in color. We devise methods to ameliorate possible systematic effects related to the estimation of colors, and we find an excess reddening induced by foreground galaxies at a level ranging from 10 to 0.5 mmag on scales ranging from 30 kpc to 1 Mpc. We attribute this effect to a large-scale distribution of dust around galaxies similar to the findings of Ménard et al. We find that circumgalactic reddening is a weak function of stellar mass over the range 6×10{sup 9} M{sub ⊙}–6×10{sup 10} M{sub ⊙} and note that this behavior appears to be consistent with recent results on the distribution of metals in the gas phase. We also find that circumgalactic reddening has no detectable dependence on the specific star formation rate of the host galaxy.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

DENSITY DETERMINATIONS OF THE CORONAE OF COOL STARS USING A NEWLY ASSIGNED PAIR OF Fe xiv LINES IN THE SPECTRA OF α CANIS MINOR, α CENTAURI, AND THE SUN

We have identified a previously unassigned pair of lines between 169 and 170 Å in the coronae of cool stars. We attribute these lines to Fe xiv and show that their intensity ratio is sensitive to the electron density. Using observations taken with the Low Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer of the Chandra X-ray Observatory we infer a density of log(n{sub e}/cm{sup −3}) = 10.2 ± 0.7 and 10.3 ± 0.8 from the newly identified line pair in the coronae of Procyon and α Cen A, respectively.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Herschel survey of the Palomar-Green QSOs at low redshift

We investigate the global cold dust properties of 85 nearby (z⩽0.5) QSOs, chosen from the Palomar-Green sample of optically luminous quasars. We determine their infrared spectral energy distributions and estimate their rest-frame luminosities by combining Herschel data from 70 to 500 μm with near-infrared and mid-infrared measurements from the 2MASS and the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer. In most sources the far-infrared (FIR) emission can be attributed to thermally heated dust. Single temperature modified blackbody fits to the FIR photometry give an average dust temperature for the sample of 33 K, with a standard deviation of 8 K, and an average dust mass of 7×10{sup 6} M{sub ⊙} with a standard deviation of 9×10{sup 6} M{sub ⊙}. Estimates of star formation rates that are based on the FIR continuum emission correlate with those based on the 11.3 μm polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) feature, however, the star formation rates estimated from the FIR continuum are higher than those estimated from the 11.3 μm PAH emission. We attribute this result to a variety of factors including the possible destruction of the PAHs and that, in some sources, a fraction of the FIR originates from dust heated by the active galactic nucleus and by old stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Photoluminescence fatigue and inhomogeneous line broadening in semi-insulating Tl 6 SeI 4 single crystals

Photoluminescence (PL) properties of semi-insulating Tl 6 SeI 4 have been investigated. A broad emission band centered at 1.63 ± 0.02 eV was observed in all samples. The PL emission band is excitonic in nature and is tentatively attributed to a bound exciton emission. PL fatigue (a reduction in PL intensity under prolonged laser excitation) was always observed. The amount of PL fatigue depended on excitation power and temperature. PL fatigue kinetics are described by a stretched exponential with nominal lifetimes in the 10–265 s range. The recovery of the PL occurred within a few seconds of light cessation. The magnitude of PL fatigue in different samples correlated with inhomogeneous line broadening of the 1.63 eV emission band, such that broader bands exhibited more fatigue. An additional luminescence band centered at 1.78 eV was observed which increased in intensity under prolonged laser irradiation. The fatigue phenomenon is tentatively attributed to two mechanisms—the formation of photo-induced defects and the formation of quasi-stable particles. Both of these mechanisms introduce additional radiative and non-radiative recombination channels that lead to a decrease in the PL intensity under prolonged laser irradiation. Finally, since inhomogeneous line broadening and PL fatigue are related to the concentration of defects or impurities, the measurement of these two parameters is an effective method to screen sample quality.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Role of oxygen vacancies on light emission mechanisms in SrTiO 3 induced by high-energy particles

Light emission under MeV hydrogen and oxygen ions in stoichiometric SrTiO 3 are identified at temperatures of 100 K, 170 K and room-temperature. MeV ions predominately deposit their energies to electrons in SrTiO 3 with energy densities orders of magnitude higher than from UV or x-ray sources but comparable to femtosecond lasers. The ionoluminescence (IL) spectra can be resolved into three main Gaussian bands at 2.0 eV, 2.5 eV and 2.8 eV, whose relative contributions strongly depend on irradiation temperature, electronic energy loss and irradiation fluence. Two main bands, observed at 2.5 eV and 2.8 eV, are intrinsic and associated with electron–hole recombination in the perfect SrTiO 3 lattice. The 2.8 eV band is attributed to recombination of free (conduction) electrons with an in-gap level, possibly related to self-trapped holes. Self-trapped excitons (STEs) are considered suitable candidates for the 2.5 eV emission band, which implies a large energy relaxation in comparison to the intrinsic edge transition. The dynamics of electronic excitation, governs a rapid initial rise of the intensity; whereas, accumulated irradiation damage (competing non-radiative recombination channels) accounts for a subsequent intensity decrease. The previously invoked role of isolated oxygen vacancies for the blue luminescence (2.8 eV) does not appear consistent with the data. An increasing well-resolved band at 2.0 eV dominates at 170 K and below. It has been only previously observed in heavily strained and amorphous SrTiO 3 , and is, here, attributed to transitions from d(t 2g) conduction band levels to d(e g) levels below the gap. In accordance with ab initio theoretical calculations they are associated to trapped electron states in relaxed Ti 3+ centers at an oxygen vacancy within distorted TiO 6 octahedra. The mechanism of defect evolution monitored during real-time IL experiments is presented. In conclusion, the light emission data confirm that IL is a useful tool to investigate lattice disorder in irradiated SrTiO 3 .

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Studies of laser stimulated photodetachment from nanoparticles for particle charge measurements

Determining nanoparticle charge is more challenging than that for microparticles due to change in the particle size during the synthesis substantial plasma property variations, and difficulties in visualizing individual particles, rendering conventional microparticle charge diagnostics ineffective in dusty plasma. In this work, we utilized laser-stimulated photodetachment (LSPD) to deduce the mean charge of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles were grown in an Ar/C 2 H 2 mixture using a capacitively coupled RF discharge and the LSPD induced changes in the electron current monitored by a cylindrical Langmuir probe. LSPD signals were obtained and analyzed across different dust growth phases. The prolonged decay of electron current pulses was attributed to the presence of residual negative ions, caused by the effective electrostatic trapping of these ions and the potential post—LSPD re-formation of new ones. The particle charge was estimated by combining the laser-stimulated photodetachment signal from the probe with the dust density obtained from laser-light extinction using the measured nanoparticle size distribution. For a nanoparticles size range of approximately 100–250 nm and mean diameter of $d$ p ∼154.37 nm, the effective mean charge was estimated to be $\langle$$Q$$\rangle$ d $≈$ 37 elementary charge units. The measured charge values are lower than those predicted by orbital motion limited theory, which may be attributed to significant electron depletion in the nanodusty plasma. LSPD results in Ar/C 2 H 2 nano-dusty plasma confirm the applicability of this method for estimating individual nanoparticle charges. However, it has also been demonstrated that electron detachment from residual background negative ions can influence the detachment current decay and must be carefully considered.

dust particle charge↗