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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 1,621 records · Page 90
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DOE OSTI2012

JOINT ANALYSIS OF X-RAY AND SUNYAEV-ZEL'DOVICH OBSERVATIONS OF GALAXY CLUSTERS USING AN ANALYTIC MODEL OF THE INTRACLUSTER MEDIUM

We perform a joint analysis of X-ray and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect data using an analytic model that describes the gas properties of galaxy clusters. The joint analysis allows the measurement of the cluster gas mass fraction profile and Hubble constant independent of cosmological parameters. Weak cosmological priors are used to calculate the overdensity radius within which the gas mass fractions are reported. Such an analysis can provide direct constraints on the evolution of the cluster gas mass fraction with redshift. We validate the model and the joint analysis on high signal-to-noise data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Array for two clusters, A2631 and A2204.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

AN ANALYTIC METHOD TO DETERMINE HABITABLE ZONES FOR S-TYPE PLANETARY ORBITS IN BINARY STAR SYSTEMS

With more and more extrasolar planets discovered in and around binary star systems, questions concerning the determination of the classical habitable zone have arisen. Do the radiative and gravitational perturbations of the second star influence the extent of the habitable zone significantly, or is it sufficient to consider the host star only? In this article, we investigate the implications of stellar companions with different spectral types on the insolation a terrestrial planet receives orbiting a Sun-like primary. We present time-independent analytical estimates and compare them to insolation statistics gained via high precision numerical orbit calculations. Results suggest a strong dependence of permanent habitability on the binary's eccentricity, as well as a possible extension of habitable zones toward the secondary in close binary systems.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

ANALYTIC APPROXIMATE SEISMOLOGY OF PROPAGATING MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC WAVES IN THE SOLAR CORONA

Observations show that propagating magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves are ubiquitous in the solar atmosphere. The technique of MHD seismology uses the wave observations combined with MHD wave theory to indirectly infer physical parameters of the solar atmospheric plasma and magnetic field. Here, we present an analytical seismological inversion scheme for propagating MHD waves. This scheme uses the observational information on wavelengths and damping lengths in a consistent manner, along with observed values of periods or phase velocities, and is based on approximate asymptotic expressions for the theoretical values of wavelengths and damping lengths. The applicability of the inversion scheme is discussed and an example is given.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

ANALYTIC APPROXIMATION OF CARBON CONDENSATION ISSUES IN TYPE II SUPERNOVAE

I present analytic approximations for some issues related to condensation of graphite, TiC, and silicon carbide in oxygen-rich cores of supernovae of Type II. Increased understanding, which mathematical analysis can support, renders researchers more receptive to condensation in O-rich supernova gases. Taking SN 1987A as typical, my first analysis shows why the abundance of CO molecules reaches an early maximum in which free carbon remains more abundant than CO. This analysis clarifies why O-rich gas cannot oxidize C if {sup 56}Co radioactivity is as strong as in SN 1987A. My next analysis shows that the CO abundance could be regarded as being in chemical equilibrium if the CO molecule is given an effective binding energy rather than its laboratory dissociation energy. The effective binding energy makes the thermal dissociation rate of CO equal to its radioactive dissociation rate. This preserves possible relevance for the concept of chemical equilibrium. My next analysis shows that the observed abundances of CO and SiO molecules in SN 1987A rule out frequent suggestions that equilibrium condensation of SUNOCONs has occurred following atomic mixing of the He-burning shell with more central zones in such a way as to reproduce roughly the observed spectrum of isotopes in SUNOCONs while preserving C/O > 1. He atoms admixed along with the excess carbon would destroy CO and SiO molecules, leaving their observed abundances unexplained. The final analysis argues that a chemical quasiequilibrium among grains (but not gas) may exist approximately during condensation, so that its computational use is partially justified as a guide to which mineral phases would be stable against reactions with gas. I illustrate this point with quasiequilibrium calculations by Ebel and Grossman that have shown that graphite is stable even when O/C >1 if prominent molecules are justifiably excluded from the calculation of chemical equilibrium.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

ON THE DIFFERENT ANALYTICAL RESULTS OBTAINED FOR THE PARALLEL DIFFUSION COEFFICIENT OF COSMIC PARTICLES WITH ADIABATIC FOCUSING

A spatially varying mean magnetic field gives rise to so-called adiabatic focusing of energetic particles propagating through the universe. In the past, different analytical approaches have been proposed to calculate the particle diffusion coefficient along the mean field with focusing. In the present paper, we show how these different results are related to each other. New results for the parallel diffusion coefficient that are more general than previous results are also presented.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

ANALYTICAL THEORY FOR THE INITIAL MASS FUNCTION. III. TIME DEPENDENCE AND STAR FORMATION RATE

The present paper extends our previous theory of the stellar initial mass function (IMF) by including time dependence and by including the impact of the magnetic field. The predicted mass spectra are similar to the time-independent ones with slightly shallower slopes at large masses and peak locations shifted toward smaller masses by a factor of a few. Assuming that star-forming clumps follow Larson-type relations, we obtain core mass functions in good agreement with the observationally derived IMF, in particular, when taking into account the thermodynamics of the gas. The time-dependent theory directly yields an analytical expression for the star formation rate (SFR) at cloud scales. The SFR values agree well with the observational determinations of various Galactic molecular clouds. Furthermore, we show that the SFR does not simply depend linearly on density, as is sometimes claimed in the literature, but also depends strongly on the clump mass/size, which yields the observed scatter. We stress, however, that any SFR theory depends, explicitly or implicitly, on very uncertain assumptions like clump boundaries or the mass of the most massive stars that can form in a given clump, making the final determinations uncertain by a factor of a few. Finally, we derive a fully time dependent model for the IMF by considering a clump, or a distribution of clumps accreting at a constant rate and thus whose physical properties evolve with time. In spite of its simplicity, this model reproduces reasonably well various features observed in numerical simulations of converging flows. Based on this general theory, we present a paradigm for star formation and the IMF.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Simple analytical forms of the perpendicular diffusion coefficient for two-component turbulence. II. Dynamical turbulence with constant correlation time

We explore perpendicular diffusion based on the unified nonlinear transport theory. In Paper I, we focused on magnetostatic turbulence, whereas in the present article we include dynamical turbulence effects. For simplicity, we assume a constant correlation time. We show that there is now a nonvanishing contribution of the slab modes. We explore the parameter regimes in which the turbulence dynamics becomes important for perpendicular diffusion. Analytical forms for the perpendicular diffusion coefficient are derived, which can be implemented easily in solar modulation or shock acceleration codes.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Derivation of an analytical approximation of the spectrum of spinning dust emission

An analytical function for the spectrum of spinning dust emission is presented. It is derived through the application of careful approximations, with each step tested against numerical calculations. This approach ensures accuracy while providing an intuitive picture of the physics. The final result may be useful for fitting of anomalous microwave emission observations, as is demonstrated by a comparison with the Planck observations of the Perseus Molecular Cloud. It is hoped that this will lead to a broader consideration of the spinning dust model when interpreting microwave continuum observations, and that it will provide a standard framework for interpreting and comparing the variety of anomalous microwave emission observations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

An analytic formula for the supercluster mass function

We present an analytic formula for the supercluster mass function, which is constructed by modifying the extended Zel'dovich model for the halo mass function. The formula has two characteristic parameters whose best-fit values are determined by fitting to the numerical results from N-body simulations for the standard ΛCDM cosmology. The parameters are found to be independent of redshifts and robust against variation of the key cosmological parameters. Under the assumption that the same formula for the supercluster mass function is valid for non-standard cosmological models, we show that the relative abundance of the rich superclusters should be a powerful indicator of any deviation of the real universe from the prediction of the standard ΛCDM model.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Magnetohydrodynamics and deep mixing in evolved stars. I. Two- and three-dimensional analytical models for the asymptotic giant branch

The advection of thermonuclear ashes by magnetized domains emerging near the H shell was suggested to explain asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star abundances. Here we verify this idea quantitatively through exact MHD models. Starting with a simple two-dimensional (2D) geometry and in an inertia frame, we study plasma equilibria avoiding the complications of numerical simulations. We show that below the convective envelope of an AGB star, variable magnetic fields induce a natural expansion, permitted by the almost ideal MHD conditions, in which the radial velocity grows as the second power of the radius. We then study the convective envelope, where the complexity of macroturbulence allows only for a schematic analytical treatment. Here the radial velocity depends on the square root of the radius. We then verify the robustness of our results with 3D calculations for the velocity, showing that for both studied regions the solution previously found can be seen as a planar section of a more complex behavior, in which the average radial velocity retains the same dependency on the radius found in 2D. As a final check, we compare our results to approximate descriptions of buoyant magnetic structures. For realistic boundary conditions, the envelope crossing times are sufficient to disperse in the huge convective zone any material transported, suggesting magnetic advection as a promising mechanism for deep mixing. The mixing velocities are smaller than for convection but larger than for diffusion and adequate for extra mixing in red giants.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

The scattering of f- and p-modes from ensembles of thin magnetic flux tubes: an analytical approach

Motivated by the observational results of Braun, we extend the model of Hanson and Cally to address the effect of multiple scattering of f and p modes by an ensemble of thin vertical magnetic flux tubes in the surface layers of the Sun. As in the observational Hankel analysis, we measure the scatter and phase shift from an incident cylindrical wave in a coordinate system roughly centered in the core of the ensemble. It is demonstrated that although thin flux tubes are unable to interact with high-order fluting modes individually, they can indirectly absorb energy from these waves through the scatters of kink and sausage components. It is also shown how the distribution of absorption and phase shift across the azimuthal order m depends strongly on the tube position as well as on the individual tube characteristics. This is the first analytical study into an ensembles multiple-scattering regime that is embedded within a stratified atmosphere.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Semi-analytic models for the CANDELS survey: comparison of predictions for intrinsic galaxy properties

We compare the predictions of three independently developed semi-analytic galaxy formation models (SAMs) that are being used to aid in the interpretation of results from the CANDELS survey. These models are each applied to the same set of halo merger trees extracted from the 'Bolshoi' high-resolution cosmological N-body simulation and are carefully tuned to match the local galaxy stellar mass function using the powerful method of Bayesian Inference coupled with Markov Chain Monte Carlo or by hand. The comparisons reveal that in spite of the significantly different parameterizations for star formation and feedback processes, the three models yield qualitatively similar predictions for the assembly histories of galaxy stellar mass and star formation over cosmic time. Comparing SAM predictions with existing estimates of the stellar mass function from z = 0-8, we show that the SAMs generally require strong outflows to suppress star formation in low-mass halos to match the present-day stellar mass function, as is the present common wisdom. However, all of the models considered produce predictions for the star formation rates (SFRs) and metallicities of low-mass galaxies that are inconsistent with existing data. The predictions for metallicity-stellar mass relations and their evolution clearly diverge between the models. We suggest that large differences in the metallicity relations and small differences in the stellar mass assembly histories of model galaxies stem from different assumptions for the outflow mass-loading factor produced by feedback. Importantly, while more accurate observational measurements for stellar mass, SFR and metallicity of galaxies at 1 < z < 5 will discriminate between models, the discrepancies between the constrained models and existing data of these observables have already revealed challenging problems in understanding star formation and its feedback in galaxy formation. The three sets of models are being used to construct catalogs of mock galaxies on light cones that have the same geometry as the CANDELS survey, which should be particularly useful for quantifying the biases and uncertainties on measurements and inferences from the real observations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Jet formation in GRBs: a semi-analytic model of MHD flow in Kerr geometry with realistic plasma injection

We construct a semi-analytic model for magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows in Kerr geometry that incorporates energy loading via neutrino annihilation on magnetic field lines threading the horizon. We compute the structure of the double-flow established in the magnetisphere for a wide range of energy injection rates and identify the different operation regimes. At low injection rates, the outflow is powered by the spinning black hole via the Blandford-Znajek mechanism, whereas at high injection rates, it is driven by the pressure of the plasma deposited on magnetic field lines. In the intermediate regime, both processes contribute to the outflow formation. The parameter that quantifies the load is the ratio of the net power injected below the stagnation radius and the maximum power that can be extracted magnetically from the black hole.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

A SEMI-ANALYTICAL LINE TRANSFER MODEL TO INTERPRET THE SPECTRA OF GALAXY OUTFLOWS

We present a semi-analytical line transfer model, (SALT), to study the absorption and re-emission line profiles from expanding galactic envelopes. The envelopes are described as a superposition of shells with density and velocity varying with the distance from the center. We adopt the Sobolev approximation to describe the interaction between the photons escaping from each shell and the remainder of the envelope. We include the effect of multiple scatterings within each shell, properly accounting for the atomic structure of the scattering ions. We also account for the effect of a finite circular aperture on actual observations. For equal geometries and density distributions, our models reproduce the main features of the profiles generated with more complicated transfer codes. Also, our SALT line profiles nicely reproduce the typical asymmetric resonant absorption line profiles observed in starforming/starburst galaxies whereas these absorption profiles cannot be reproduced with thin shells moving at a fixed outflow velocity. We show that scattered resonant emission fills in the resonant absorption profiles, with a strength that is different for each transition. Observationally, the effect of resonant filling depends on both the outflow geometry and the size of the outflow relative to the spectroscopic aperture. Neglecting these effects will lead to incorrect values of gas covering fraction and column density. When a fluorescent channel is available, the resonant profiles alone cannot be used to infer the presence of scattered re-emission. Conversely, the presence of emission lines of fluorescent transitions reveals that emission filling cannot be neglected.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

A SEMI-ANALYTICAL MODEL OF VISIBLE-WAVELENGTH PHASE CURVES OF EXOPLANETS AND APPLICATIONS TO KEPLER- 7 B AND KEPLER- 10 B

Kepler has detected numerous exoplanet transits by measuring stellar light in a single visible-wavelength band. In addition to detection, the precise photometry provides phase curves of exoplanets, which can be used to study the dynamic processes on these planets. However, the interpretation of these observations can be complicated by the fact that visible-wavelength phase curves can represent both thermal emission and scattering from the planets. Here we present a semi-analytical model framework that can be applied to study Kepler and future visible-wavelength phase curve observations of exoplanets. The model efficiently computes reflection and thermal emission components for both rocky and gaseous planets, considering both homogeneous and inhomogeneous surfaces or atmospheres. We analyze the phase curves of the gaseous planet Kepler- 7 b and the rocky planet Kepler- 10 b using the model. In general, we find that a hot exoplanet’s visible-wavelength phase curve having a significant phase offset can usually be explained by two classes of solutions: one class requires a thermal hot spot shifted to one side of the substellar point, and the other class requires reflective clouds concentrated on the same side of the substellar point. Particularly for Kepler- 7 b, reflective clouds located on the west side of the substellar point can best explain its phase curve. The reflectivity of the clear part of the atmosphere should be less than 7% and that of the cloudy part should be greater than 80%, and the cloud boundary should be located at 11° ± 3° to the west of the substellar point. We suggest single-band photometry surveys could yield valuable information on exoplanet atmospheres and surfaces.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

STABLE CONIC-HELICAL ORBITS OF PLANETS AROUND BINARY STARS: ANALYTICAL RESULTS

Studies of planets in binary star systems are especially important because it was estimated that about half of binary stars are capable of supporting habitable terrestrial planets within stable orbital ranges. One-planet binary star systems (OBSS) have a limited analogy to objects studied in atomic/molecular physics: one-electron Rydberg quasimolecules (ORQ). Specifically, ORQ, consisting of two fully stripped ions of the nuclear charges Z and Z′ plus one highly excited electron, are encountered in various plasmas containing more than one kind of ion. Classical analytical studies of ORQ resulted in the discovery of classical stable electronic orbits with the shape of a helix on the surface of a cone. In the present paper we show that despite several important distinctions between OBSS and ORQ, it is possible for OBSS to have stable planetary orbits in the shape of a helix on a conical surface, whose axis of symmetry coincides with the interstellar axis; the stability is not affected by the rotation of the stars. Further, we demonstrate that the eccentricity of the stars’ orbits does not affect the stability of the helical planetary motion if the center of symmetry of the helix is relatively close to the star of the larger mass. We also show that if the center of symmetry of the conic-helical planetary orbit is relatively close to the star of the smaller mass, a sufficiently large eccentricity of stars’ orbits can switch the planetary motion to the unstable mode and the planet would escape the system. We demonstrate that such planets are transitable for the overwhelming majority of inclinations of plane of the stars’ orbits (i.e., the projections of the planet and the adjacent start on the plane of the sky coincide once in a while). This means that conic-helical planetary orbits at binary stars can be detected photometrically. We consider, as an example, Kepler-16 binary stars to provide illustrative numerical data on the possible parameters and the stability of the conic-helical planetary orbits, as well as on the transitability. Then for the general case, we also show that the power of the gravitational radiation due to this planet can be comparable or even exceed the power of the gravitational radiation due to the stars in the binary. This means that in the future, with a progress of gravitational wave detectors, the presence of a planet in a conic-helical orbit could be revealed by the noticeably enhanced gravitational radiation from the binary star system.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

An analytical model for galaxy metallicity: What do metallicity relations tell us about star formation and outflow?

We develop a simple analytical model that tracks galactic metallicities governed by star formation and feedback to gain insight from the observed galaxy stellar mass–metallicity relations over a large range of stellar masses and redshifts. The model reveals the following implications of star formation and feedback processes in galaxy formation. First, the observed metallicity relations provide a stringent upper limit for the averaged outflow mass-loading factors of local galaxies, which are ∼20 for M{sub ∗}∼10{sup 9} M{sub ⊙} galaxies and monotonically decrease to ∼1 for M{sub ∗}∼10{sup 11} M{sub ⊙} galaxies. Second, the inferred upper limit for the outflow mass-loading factor sensitively depends on whether the outflow is metal-enriched with respect to the interstellar medium metallicity. If half of the metals ejected from supernovae leave the galaxy in metal-enriched winds, the outflow mass-loading factor for galaxies at any mass can barely be higher than ∼10, which puts strong constraints on galaxy formation models. Third, the relatively lower stellar-phase to gas-phase metallicity ratio for lower-mass galaxies indicates that low-mass galaxies are still rapidly enriching their metallicities in recent times, while high-mass galaxies are more settled, which seems to show a downsizing effect in the metallicity evolution of galaxies. The analysis presented in the paper demonstrates the importance of accurate measurements of galaxy metallicities and the cold gas fraction of galaxies at different redshifts for constraining star formation and feedback processes, and demonstrates the power of these relations for constraining the physics of galaxy formation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

The five planets in the Kepler-296 binary system all orbit the primary: A Statistical and analytical analysis

Kepler-296 is a binary star system with two M-dwarf components separated by 0.″2. Five transiting planets have been confirmed to be associated with the Kepler-296 system; given the evidence to date, however, the planets could in principle orbit either star. This ambiguity has made it difficult to constrain both the orbital and physical properties of the planets. Using both statistical and analytical arguments, this paper shows that all five planets are highly likely to orbit the primary star in this system. We performed a Markov-Chain Monte Carlo simulation using a five transiting planet model, leaving the stellar density and dilution with uniform priors. Using importance sampling, we compared the model probabilities under the priors of the planets orbiting either the brighter or the fainter component of the binary. A model where the planets orbit the brighter component, Kepler-296A, is strongly preferred by the data. Combined with our assertion that all five planets orbit the same star, the two outer planets in the system, Kepler-296 Ae and Kepler-296 Af, have radii of 1.53 ± 0.26 and 1.80 ± 0.31 R{sub ⊕}, respectively, and receive incident stellar fluxes of 1.40 ± 0.23 and 0.62 ± 0.10 times the incident flux the Earth receives from the Sun. This level of irradiation places both planets within or close to the circumstellar habitable zone of their parent star.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗