The Intrinsically X-Ray-weak Quasar PHL 1811. II. Optical and UV Spectra and Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leighly, Karen M.; Halpern, Jules P.; Jenkins, Edward B.; Casebeer, Darrin

2007-11-01

This is the second of two papers reporting observations and analysis of the unusually bright (mb=14.4), luminous (MB=-25.5), nearby (z=0.192) narrow-line quasar PHL 1811. The first paper reported that PHL 1811 is intrinsically X-ray-weak and presented a spectral energy distribution (SED). Here we present HST STIS optical and UV spectra, and ground-based optical spectra. The optical and UV line emission is very unusual. There is no evidence for forbidden or semiforbidden lines. The near-UV spectrum is dominated by very strong Fe II and Fe III, and unusual low-ionization lines such as Na I D and Ca II H and K are observed. High-ionization lines are very weak; C IV has an equivalent width of 6.6 Å, a factor of ~5 smaller than measured from quasar composite spectra. An unusual feature near 1200 Å can be deblended in terms of Lyα, N V, Si II, and C III* using the blueshifted C IV profile as a template. Photoionization modeling shows that the unusual line emission can be explained qualitatively by the unusually soft SED. Principally, a low gas temperature results in inefficient emission of collisionally excited lines, including the semiforbidden lines generally used as density diagnostics. The emission resembles that of high-density gas; in both cases this is a consequence of inefficient cooling. PHL 1811 is very unusual, but we note that quasar surveys may be biased against finding similar objects. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555. These observations are associated with proposal 9181. Based on observations obtained at Kitt Peak National Observatory, a division of the National Optical Astronomy Observatories, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.

Doppler effects on 3-D non-LTE radiation transport and emission spectra.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Giuliani, J. L.; Davis, J.; DasGupta, A.

2010-10-01

Spatially and temporally resolved X-ray emission lines contain information about temperatures, densities, velocities, and the gradients in a plasma. Extracting this information from optically thick lines emitted from complex ions in dynamic, three-dimensional, non-LTE plasmas requires self-consistent accounting for both non-LTE atomic physics and non-local radiative transfer. We present a brief description of a hybrid-structure spectroscopic atomic model coupled to an iterative tabular on-the-spot treatment of radiative transfer that can be applied to plasmas of arbitrary material composition, conditions, and geometries. The effects of Doppler line shifts on the self-consistent radiative transfer within the plasma and the emergent emission andmore » absorption spectra are included in the model. Sample calculations for a two-level atom in a uniform cylindrical plasma are given, showing reasonable agreement with more sophisticated transport models and illustrating the potential complexity - or richness - of radially resolved emission lines from an imploding cylindrical plasma. Also presented is a comparison of modeled L- and K-shell spectra to temporally and radially resolved emission data from a Cu:Ni plasma. Finally, some shortcomings of the model and possible paths for improvement are discussed.« less

THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE UV AND OPTICAL Fe ii EMISSION LINES IN TYPE 1 AGNs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kovacević-Dojcinović, Jelena; Popović, Luka Č., E-mail: jkovacevic@aob.bg.ac.rs, E-mail: lpopovic@aob.bg.ac.rs

We investigate the spectral properties of the UV (λλ2650–3050 Å) and optical (λλ4000–5500 Å) Fe ii emission features in a sample of 293 Type 1 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey database. We explore different correlations between their emission line properties, as well as the correlations with other emission lines from the spectral range. We find several interesting correlations and outline the most interesting results as follows. (i) There is a kinematical connection between the UV and optical Fe ii lines, indicating that the UV and optical Fe ii lines originate from the outer part ofmore » the broad line region, the so-called intermediate line region. (ii) The unexplained anticorrelations of the optical Fe ii equivalent width (EW Fe ii{sub opt}) versus EW [O iii] 5007 Å and EW Fe ii{sub opt} versus FWHM Hβ have not been detected for the UV Fe ii lines. (iii) The significant averaged redshift in the UV Fe ii lines, which is not present in optical Fe ii, indicates an inflow in the UV Fe ii emitting clouds, and probably their asymmetric distribution. (iv) Also, we confirm the anticorrelation between the intensity ratio of the optical and UV Fe ii lines and the FWHM of Hβ, and we find the anticorrelations of this ratio with the widths of Mg ii 2800 Å, optical Fe ii, and UV Fe ii. This indicates a very important role for the column density and microturbulence in the emitting gas. We discuss the starburst activity in high-density regions of young AGNs as a possible explanation of the detected optical Fe ii correlations and intensity line ratios of the UV and optical Fe ii lines.« less

The ROSAT Brightest Cluster Sample - III. Optical spectra of the central cluster galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crawford, C. S.; Allen, S. W.; Ebeling, H.; Edge, A. C.; Fabian, A. C.

1999-07-01

We present new spectra of dominant galaxies in X-ray-selected clusters of galaxies, which combine with our previously published spectra to form a sample of 256 dominant galaxies in 215 clusters. 177 of the clusters are members of the ROSAT Brightest Cluster Sample (BCS; Ebeling et al.), and 17 have no previous measured redshift. This is the first paper in a series correlating the properties of brightest cluster galaxies and their host clusters in the radio, optical and X-ray wavebands. 27 per cent of the central dominant galaxies have emission-line spectra, all but five with line intensity ratios typical of cooling flow nebulae. A further 6 per cent show only [N ii]lambdalambda6548,6584 with Hα in absorption. We find no evidence for an increase in the frequency of line emission with X-ray luminosity. Purely X-ray-selected clusters at low redshift have a higher probability of containing line emission. The projected separation between the optical position of the dominant galaxy and its host cluster X-ray centroid is less for the line-emitting galaxies than for those without line emission, consistent with a closer association of the central galaxy and the gravitational centre in cooling flow clusters. The more Hα-luminous galaxies have larger emission-line regions and show a higher ratio of Balmer to forbidden line emission, although there is a continuous trend of ionization behaviour across four decades in Hα luminosity. Galaxies with the more luminous line emission [L(Hα)> 10^41ergs^-1] show a significantly bluer continuum, whereas lower luminosity and [N ii]-only line emitters have continua that differ little from those of non-line-emitting dominant galaxies. Values of the Balmer decrement in the more luminous systems commonly imply intrinsic reddening of E(B-V)~0.3 and, when this is corrected for, the excess blue light can be characterized by a population of massive young stars. Several of the galaxies require a large population of O stars, which also provide

Emission Lines in the Near-infrared Spectra of the Infrared Quintuplet Stars in the Galactic Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Najarro, F.; Geballe, T. R.; Figer, D. F.

We report the detection of a number of emission lines in the 1.0–2.4 μ m spectra of four of the five bright-infrared dust-embedded stars at the center of the Galactic center’s (GC) Quintuplet Cluster. Spectroscopy of the central stars of these objects is hampered not only by the large interstellar extinction that obscures all of the objects in the GC, but also by the large amounts of warm circumstellar dust surrounding each of the five stars. The pinwheel morphologies of the dust observed previously around two of them are indicative of Wolf–Rayet colliding wind binaries; however, infrared spectra of eachmore » of the five have until now revealed only dust continua steeply rising to long wavelengths and absorption lines and bands from interstellar gas and dust. The emission lines detected, from ionized carbon and from helium, are broad and confirm that the objects are dusty late-type carbon Wolf–Rayet stars.« less

IUE observations of the Henize-Carlson sample of peculiar emission line supergiants: The galactic analogs of the Magellanic Zoo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shore, Steven N.; Brown, Douglas N.; Sanduleak, N.

1986-01-01

Some 15 stars from the Carlson-Henize survey of southern peculiar emission line stars were studied. From both the optical and UV spectra, they appear to be galactic counterparts of the most extreme early-type emission line supergiants of the Magellanic Clouds.

Interaction with the Lower Ionosphere of Electromagnetic Pulses from Lightning: Heating, Attachment, Ionization, and Optical Emissions

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-25

using Opal et al. [1971] data on the secondary electron spectra and the ionization potential approximation used by Richards and Torr [1990]. The...N£ most easily detectable in the natural aurora [ Vallance Jones, 1974]. 4? 44 OPTICAL EMISSIONS To study optical emissions from the D region...here) are considered to be weak based on observed auroral spectra [ Vallance Jones, 1974; p. 90]. The intensity of t’-th line is given by [Chamberlain

Steep Hard-X-ray Spectra Indicate Extremely High Accretion Rates in Weak Emission-Line Quasars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marlar, Andrea; Shemmer, Ohad; Anderson, Scott F.; Brandt, W. Niel; Diamond-Stanic, Aleksandar M.; Fan, Xiaohui; Luo, Bin; Plotkin, Richard; Richards, Gordon T.; Schneider, Donald P.; Wu, Jianfeng

2018-06-01

We present XMM-Newton imaging spectroscopy of ten weak emission-line quasars (WLQs) at 0.928 ≤ z ≤ 3.767, six of which are radio quiet and four which are radio intermediate. The new X-ray data enabled us to measure the hard-X-ray power-law photon index (Γ) in each source with relatively high accuracy. These measurements allowed us to confirm previous reports that WLQs have steeper X-ray spectra, therefore indicating higher accretion rates with respect to "typical" quasars. A comparison between the Γ values of our radio-quiet WLQs and those of a carefully-selected, uniform sample of 84 quasars shows that the first are significantly higher, at the ≥ 3σ level. Collectively, the four radio-intermediate WLQs have lower Γ values with respect to the six radio-quiet WLQs, as may be expected if the spectra of the first group are contaminated by X-ray emission from a jet. These results suggest that, in the absence of significant jet emission along our line of sight, WLQs constitute the extreme high end of the accretion rate distribution in quasars. We detect soft excess emission in our lowest-redshift radio-quiet WLQ, in agreement with previous findings suggesting that the prominence of this feature is associated with a high accretion rate. We have not detected signatures of Compton reflection, Fe Kα lines, or strong variability between two X-ray epochs in any of our WLQs.

Simultaneous detection and analysis of optical and ultraviolet broad emission lines in quasars at z 2.2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bisogni, S.; di Serego Alighieri, S.; Goldoni, P.; Ho, L. C.; Marconi, A.; Ponti, G.; Risaliti, G.

2017-06-01

We studied the spectra of six z 2.2 quasars obtained with the X-shooter spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope. The redshift of these sources and the X-shooter's spectral coverage allow us to cover the rest of the spectral range 1200-7000 Å for the simultaneous detection of optical and ultraviolet lines emitted by the broad-line region. Simultaneous measurements, avoiding issues related to quasars variability, help us understand the connection between the different broad-line region line profiles generally used as virial estimators of black hole masses in quasars. The goal of this work is to compare the different emission lines for each object to check on the reliability of Hα, Mg II and C iv with respect to Hβ. Hα and Mg II linewidths correlate well with Hβ, while C iv shows a poorer correlation, due to the presence of strong blueshifts and asymmetries in the profile. We compared our sample with the only other two whose spectra were taken with the same instrument and for all examined lines our results are in agreement with the ones obtained with X-shooter at z 1.5-1.7. We finally evaluate C III] as a possible substitute of C iv in the same spectral range and find that its behaviour is more coherent with those of the other lines: we believe that, when a high quality spectrum such as the ones we present is available and a proper modelization with the Fe II and Fe III emissions is performed, it is more appropriate to use this line than that of C iv if not corrected for the contamination by non-virialized components. Based on observations collected at the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere, Chile, under programme 086.B-0320(A).The reduced spectra (FITS files) are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/603/A1

ANALYSIS OF OPTICAL Fe II EMISSION IN A SAMPLE OF ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS SPECTRA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kovacevic, Jelena; Popovic, Luka C.; Dimitrijevic, Milan S., E-mail: jkovacevic@aob.bg.ac.r

We present a study of optical Fe II emission in 302 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We group the strongest Fe II multiplets into three groups according to the lower term of the transition (b{sup 4} F, a{sup 6} S, and a{sup 4} G terms). These approximately correspond to the blue, central, and red parts, respectively, of the 'iron shelf' around H{beta}. We calculate an Fe II template that takes into account transitions into these three terms and an additional group of lines, based on a reconstruction of the spectrum of I Zw 1.more » This Fe II template gives a more precise fit of the Fe II lines in broad-line AGNs than other templates. We extract Fe II, H{alpha}, H{beta}, [O III], and [N II] emission parameters and investigate correlations between them. We find that Fe II lines probably originate in an intermediate line region. We note that the blue, red, and central parts of the iron shelf have different relative intensities in different objects. Their ratios depend on continuum luminosity, FWHM H{beta}, the velocity shift of Fe II, and the H{alpha}/H{beta} flux ratio. We examine the dependence of the well-known anti-correlation between the equivalent widths of Fe II and [O III] on continuum luminosity. We find that there is a Baldwin effect for [O III] but an inverse Baldwin effect for the Fe II emission. The [O III]/Fe II ratio thus decreases with L {sub {lambda}5100}. Since the ratio is a major component of the Boroson and Green Eigenvector 1 (EV1), this implies a connection between the Baldwin effect and EV1 and could be connected with AGN evolution. We find that spectra are different for H{beta} FWHMs greater and less than {approx}3000 km s{sup -1}, and that there are different correlation coefficients between the parameters.« less

Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project. V. Optical Spectroscopic Campaign and Emission-line Analysis for NGC 5548

DOE PAGES

Pei, L.; Fausnaugh, M. M.; Barth, A. J.; ...

2017-03-10

Here, we present the results of an optical spectroscopic monitoring program targeting NGC 5548 as part of a larger multiwavelength reverberation mapping campaign. The campaign spanned 6 months and achieved an almost daily cadence with observations from five ground-based telescopes. The Hβ and He II λ4686 broad emission-line light curves lag that of the 5100 Å optical continuum bymore » $${4.17}_{-0.36}^{+0.36}\\,\\mathrm{days}$$ and $${0.79}_{-0.34}^{+0.35}\\,\\mathrm{days}$$, respectively. The Hβ lag relative to the 1158 Å ultraviolet continuum light curve measured by the Hubble Space Telescope is ~50% longer than that measured against the optical continuum, and the lag difference is consistent with the observed lag between the optical and ultraviolet continua. This suggests that the characteristic radius of the broad-line region is ~50% larger than the value inferred from optical data alone. We also measured velocity-resolved emission-line lags for Hβ and found a complex velocity-lag structure with shorter lags in the line wings, indicative of a broad-line region dominated by Keplerian motion. The responses of both the Hβ and He ii emission lines to the driving continuum changed significantly halfway through the campaign, a phenomenon also observed for C iv, Lyα, He II(+O III]), and Si Iv(+O Iv]) during the same monitoring period. Finally, given the optical luminosity of NGC 5548 during our campaign, the measured Hβ lag is a factor of five shorter than the expected value implied by the R BLR–L AGN relation based on the past behavior of NGC 5548.« less

Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project. V. Optical Spectroscopic Campaign and Emission-line Analysis for NGC 5548

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pei, L.; Fausnaugh, M. M.; Barth, A. J.; Peterson, B. M.; Bentz, M. C.; De Rosa, G.; Denney, K. D.; Goad, M. R.; Kochanek, C. S.; Korista, K. T.; Kriss, G. A.; Pogge, R. W.; Bennert, V. N.; Brotherton, M.; Clubb, K. I.; Dalla Bontà, E.; Filippenko, A. V.; Greene, J. E.; Grier, C. J.; Vestergaard, M.; Zheng, W.; Adams, Scott M.; Beatty, Thomas G.; Bigley, A.; Brown, Jacob E.; Brown, Jonathan S.; Canalizo, G.; Comerford, J. M.; Coker, Carl T.; Corsini, E. M.; Croft, S.; Croxall, K. V.; Deason, A. J.; Eracleous, Michael; Fox, O. D.; Gates, E. L.; Henderson, C. B.; Holmbeck, E.; Holoien, T. W.-S.; Jensen, J. J.; Johnson, C. A.; Kelly, P. L.; Kim, S.; King, A.; Lau, M. W.; Li, Miao; Lochhaas, Cassandra; Ma, Zhiyuan; Manne-Nicholas, E. R.; Mauerhan, J. C.; Malkan, M. A.; McGurk, R.; Morelli, L.; Mosquera, Ana; Mudd, Dale; Muller Sanchez, F.; Nguyen, M. L.; Ochner, P.; Ou-Yang, B.; Pancoast, A.; Penny, Matthew T.; Pizzella, A.; Poleski, Radosław; Runnoe, Jessie; Scott, B.; Schimoia, Jaderson S.; Shappee, B. J.; Shivvers, I.; Simonian, Gregory V.; Siviero, A.; Somers, Garrett; Stevens, Daniel J.; Strauss, M. A.; Tayar, Jamie; Tejos, N.; Treu, T.; Van Saders, J.; Vican, L.; Villanueva, S., Jr.; Yuk, H.; Zakamska, N. L.; Zhu, W.; Anderson, M. D.; Arévalo, P.; Bazhaw, C.; Bisogni, S.; Borman, G. A.; Bottorff, M. C.; Brandt, W. N.; Breeveld, A. A.; Cackett, E. M.; Carini, M. T.; Crenshaw, D. M.; De Lorenzo-Cáceres, A.; Dietrich, M.; Edelson, R.; Efimova, N. V.; Ely, J.; Evans, P. A.; Ferland, G. J.; Flatland, K.; Gehrels, N.; Geier, S.; Gelbord, J. M.; Grupe, D.; Gupta, A.; Hall, P. B.; Hicks, S.; Horenstein, D.; Horne, Keith; Hutchison, T.; Im, M.; Joner, M. D.; Jones, J.; Kaastra, J.; Kaspi, S.; Kelly, B. C.; Kennea, J. A.; Kim, M.; Kim, S. C.; Klimanov, S. A.; Lee, J. C.; Leonard, D. C.; Lira, P.; MacInnis, F.; Mathur, S.; McHardy, I. M.; Montouri, C.; Musso, R.; Nazarov, S. V.; Netzer, H.; Norris, R. P.; Nousek, J. A.; Okhmat, D. N.; Papadakis, I.; Parks, J. R.; Pott, J.-U.; Rafter, S. E.; Rix, H.-W.; Saylor, D. A.; Schnülle, K.; Sergeev, S. G.; Siegel, M.; Skielboe, A.; Spencer, M.; Starkey, D.; Sung, H.-I.; Teems, K. G.; Turner, C. S.; Uttley, P.; Villforth, C.; Weiss, Y.; Woo, J.-H.; Yan, H.; Young, S.; Zu, Y.

2017-03-01

We present the results of an optical spectroscopic monitoring program targeting NGC 5548 as part of a larger multiwavelength reverberation mapping campaign. The campaign spanned 6 months and achieved an almost daily cadence with observations from five ground-based telescopes. The Hβ and He II λ4686 broad emission-line light curves lag that of the 5100 Å optical continuum by {4.17}-0.36+0.36 {days} and {0.79}-0.34+0.35 {days}, respectively. The Hβ lag relative to the 1158 Å ultraviolet continuum light curve measured by the Hubble Space Telescope is ˜50% longer than that measured against the optical continuum, and the lag difference is consistent with the observed lag between the optical and ultraviolet continua. This suggests that the characteristic radius of the broad-line region is ˜50% larger than the value inferred from optical data alone. We also measured velocity-resolved emission-line lags for Hβ and found a complex velocity-lag structure with shorter lags in the line wings, indicative of a broad-line region dominated by Keplerian motion. The responses of both the Hβ and He II emission lines to the driving continuum changed significantly halfway through the campaign, a phenomenon also observed for C IV, Lyα, He II(+O III]), and Si IV(+O IV]) during the same monitoring period. Finally, given the optical luminosity of NGC 5548 during our campaign, the measured Hβ lag is a factor of five shorter than the expected value implied by the R BLR-L AGN relation based on the past behavior of NGC 5548.

Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project. V. Optical Spectroscopic Campaign and Emission-line Analysis for NGC 5548

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pei, L.; Fausnaugh, M. M.; Barth, A. J.

Here, we present the results of an optical spectroscopic monitoring program targeting NGC 5548 as part of a larger multiwavelength reverberation mapping campaign. The campaign spanned 6 months and achieved an almost daily cadence with observations from five ground-based telescopes. The Hβ and He II λ4686 broad emission-line light curves lag that of the 5100 Å optical continuum bymore » $${4.17}_{-0.36}^{+0.36}\\,\\mathrm{days}$$ and $${0.79}_{-0.34}^{+0.35}\\,\\mathrm{days}$$, respectively. The Hβ lag relative to the 1158 Å ultraviolet continuum light curve measured by the Hubble Space Telescope is ~50% longer than that measured against the optical continuum, and the lag difference is consistent with the observed lag between the optical and ultraviolet continua. This suggests that the characteristic radius of the broad-line region is ~50% larger than the value inferred from optical data alone. We also measured velocity-resolved emission-line lags for Hβ and found a complex velocity-lag structure with shorter lags in the line wings, indicative of a broad-line region dominated by Keplerian motion. The responses of both the Hβ and He ii emission lines to the driving continuum changed significantly halfway through the campaign, a phenomenon also observed for C iv, Lyα, He II(+O III]), and Si Iv(+O Iv]) during the same monitoring period. Finally, given the optical luminosity of NGC 5548 during our campaign, the measured Hβ lag is a factor of five shorter than the expected value implied by the R BLR–L AGN relation based on the past behavior of NGC 5548.« less

Fluorescent excitation of Fe 2, Mn 2, Ti 2, N 1 lines by V 4, N 5, O 6: Emission lines in the spectra of symbiotic stars and Seyfert galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilra, D. P.

1984-01-01

Analysis of the published IUE and ground based high resolution spectra of symbiotic stars, particularly RR Tel, shows that the dominant excitation mechanism of Fe II, Mn II, Ti II, and N I lines is the selective fluorescent excitation of some levels by the strong C IV, N V, and O VI emission lines. The same mechanism should work for the excitation of Fe II lines in the spectra of Seyfert galaxies and Q60's whose emission spectra are quite similar to those of symbiotic stars. The similarities and differences between the fluroescent excitation mechanism reported herein and the Bowen's mechanism is analyzed.

An optical emission-line phase of the extreme carbon star IRC +30219

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, M.

1980-01-01

Optical spectroscopic monitoring of the extreme carbon star IRC +30219 has revealed striking changes between 1977 and 1980. The stellar photosphere was barely visible in early 1979. There was an emission line spectrum consisting of H, forbidden O I, forbidden O II, forbidden N I, forbidden N II, forbidden S II, and He I. It is likely that these lines arose in a shocked region where recent stellar mass loss encountered the extensive circumstellar envelope. By late 1979, this emission-line spectrum had vanished, and the photosphere had reappeared. The weakening of the photospheric features in early 1979 was caused by increased attenuation of starlight and overlying thermal emission, both due to recently condensed hot dust grains.

Exploring possible relations between optical variability time scales and broad emission line shapes in AGN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bon, Edi; Jovanović, Predrag; Marziani, Paola; Bon, Nataša; Otašević, Aleksandar

2018-06-01

Here we investigate the connection of broad emission line shapes and continuum light curve variability time scales of type-1 Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). We developed a new model to describe optical broad emission lines as an accretion disk model of a line profile with additional ring emission. We connect ring radii with orbital time scales derived from optical light curves, and using Kepler's third law, we calculate mass of central supermassive black hole (SMBH). The obtained results for central black hole masses are in a good agreement with other methods. This indicates that the variability time scales of AGN may not be stochastic, but rather connected to the orbital time scales which depend on the central SMBH mass.

A photoionization model for the optical line emission from cooling flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donahue, Megan; Voit, G. M.

1991-01-01

The detailed predictions of a photoionization model previously outlined in Voit and Donahue (1990) to explain the optical line emission associated with cooling flows in X-ray emitting clusters of galaxies are presented. In this model, EUV/soft X-ray radiation from condensing gas photoionizes clouds that have already cooled. The energetics and specific consequences of such a model, as compared to other models put forth in the literature is discussed. Also discussed are the consequences of magnetic fields and cloud-cloud shielding. The results illustrate how varying the individual column densities of the ionized clouds can reproduce the range of line ratios observed and strongly suggest that the emission-line nebulae are self-irradiated condensing regions at the centers of cooling flows.

Optical Emission Associated with the Galactic Supernova Remnant G179.0+2.6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

How, Thomas G.; Fesen, Robert A.; Neustadt, Jack M. M.; Black, Christine S.; Outters, Nicolas

2018-04-01

Narrow passband optical images of the large Galactic supernova remnant G179.0+2.6 reveal a faint but nearly complete emission shell dominated by strong [O 3] 4959,5007 Å line emission. The remnant's optical emission, which consists of both diffuse and filamentary features, is brightest along its southern and northeastern limbs. Deep Hα images detect little coincidence emission indicating an unusually high [O 3]/Hα emission ratio for such a large and apparently old remnant. Low-dispersion optical spectra of several regions confirm large [O 3]/Hα line ratios with typical values around 10. The dominance of [O 3] emission for the majority of the remnant's optical filaments suggests shock velocities above 100 km s-1 are present throughout most of the remnant, likely reflecting a relatively low density ambient ISM. The remnant's unusually strong [O 3] emission adds to the remnant's interesting set of properties which include a thick radio emission shell, radial polarization of its radio emission like that typically seen in young supernova remnants, and an unusually slow-rotating gamma-ray pulsar with a characteristic spin-down age ≃ 50 kyr.

Room-temperature optically pumped laser emission from a-plane GaN with high optical gain characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuokstis, E.; Chen, C. Q.; Yang, J. W.; Shatalov, M.; Gaevski, M. E.; Adivarahan, V.; Khan, M. Asif

2004-04-01

Photoluminescence (PL) and optical gain (OG) spectra of a-plane GaN layers have been analyzed over a wide range of excitation intensities. The samples were fully coalesced layers grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition over r-plane sapphire substrates using epitaxial layer overgrowth (ELOG) and selective area lateral epitaxy (SALE) procedures. ELOG and SALE a-plane samples showed a strong stimulated emission line in backscattering-geometry PL spectra along with extremely high OG coefficient values (in SALE samples more than 2000 cm-1). Structures prepared with natural cleaved facet cavities based on these films were used to demonstrate optically pumped room-temperature lasing.

Optical Spectroscopy of SDSS J004054.65-0915268: Three Possible Scenarios for the Classification. A z ˜ 5 BL Lacertae, a Blue FSRQ, or a Weak Emission Line Quasar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landoni, M.; Zanutta, A.; Bianco, A.; Tavecchio, F.; Bonnoli, G.; Ghisellini, G.

2016-02-01

The haunt of high-redshift BL Lacerate objects is day by day more compelling to firmly understand their intrinsic nature and evolution. SDSS J004054.65-0915268 is, at the moment, one of the most distant BL Lac candidates, at z ˜ 5. We present a new optical-near-IR spectrum obtained with ALFOSC-NOT with a new, custom designed dispersive grating aimed to detect broad emission lines that could disprove this classification. In the obtained spectra, we do not detect any emission features and we provide an upper limit to the luminosity of the C IV broad emission line. Therefore, the nature of the object is then discussed, building the overall spectral energy distribution (SED) and fitting it with three different models. Our fits, based on SED modeling with different possible scenarios, cannot rule out the possibility that this source is indeed a BL Lac object, though the absence of optical variability and the lack of strong radio flux seem to suggest that the observed optical emission originates from a thermalized accretion disk.

Effects of temporal laser profile on the emission spectra for underwater laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy: Study by short-interval double pulses with different pulse durations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tamura, Ayaka, E-mail: tamura.ayaka.88m@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Matsumoto, Ayumu; Nishi, Naoya

We investigate the effects of temporal laser profile on the emission spectra of laser ablation plasma in water. We use short-interval (76 ns) double pulses with different pulse durations of the composing two pulses for the irradiation of underwater target. Narrow atomic spectral lines in emission spectra are obtained by the irradiation, where the two pulses are wide enough to be merged into a single-pulse-like temporal profile, while deformed spectra are obtained when the two pulses are fully separated. The behavior of the atomic spectral lines for the different pulse durations is consistent with that of the temporal profiles of themore » optical emission intensities of the plasma. All these results suggest that continuous excitation of the plasma during the laser irradiation for ∼100 ns is a key to obtain narrow emission spectral lines.« less

FUSE spectra of Lyman series emissions from the interplanetary medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarke, John

Neutral atoms from the local ISM flow into the solar system producing diffuse emissions through resonant scattering of solar emissions. This wind contains the velocity distribution of the local ISM, plus modifications by solar gravity and radiation pressure near the Sun. In addition, the H atom motions are modified by charge exchange collisions with fast protons in the heliospheric interface region, while He atoms are little affected by charge exchange. Recent observations of the He and H flows in the solar system suggest that the He velocity of 26 km s-1 is that of the local ISM cloud, while the lower H velocity of 18-21 km s-1 and greatly increased velocity dispersion in the flow direction are due to an interface modification of the H flow. Remote observations of the H flow thereby provide a method to remotely study the heliospheric interface. The H flow has been studied from H Lyα line profiles at high spectral resolution observed by Copernicus, IUE, and HST, using the Earth orbital motion to Doppler shift the ISM from the geocoronal emission. One serious ambiguity in the interpretation of these data results from the optically thick Lyα emission, leading to uncertainties in derived values of the H density. Using FUSE to observe the brightness and line profile of the optically thin H Lyβ line, close in time to SOHO observations of the Lyα emission, we can determine accurately the optical depth and density n(H) along lines of sight upwind, downwind, and cross-flow. Comparing n(H) with the heliospheric helium density, and with the interstellar cloud HI/HeI ratio measured recently by the EUVE, will give the fraction of H atoms removed by charge exchange at the entrance to the heliosphere, and then the Local Cloud (or ambient ISM) electron density which governs the size of the heliosphere. We request FUSE sky aperture spectra in the two narrow science apertures obtained during other pointed observations, through cooperation in scheduling pointed observations in

High-resolution 18 CM spectra of OH/IR stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fix, John D.

1987-02-01

High-velocity-resolution, high-signal-to-noise spectra have been obtained for the 18 cm maser emission lines from a number of optically visible OH/IR stars. The spectra have been interpreted in terms of a recent model by Alcock and Ross (1986), in which OH/IR stars lose mass in discrete elements rather than by a continuous wind. Comparison of the observed spectra with synthetic spectra shows that the lines are the composite emission from thousands or tens of thousands of individual elements.

Coherent manipulation of spontaneous emission spectra in coupled semiconductor quantum well structures.

PubMed

Chen, Aixi

2014-11-03

In triple coupled semiconductor quantum well structures (SQWs) interacting with a coherent driving filed, a coherent coupling field and a weak probe field, spontaneous emission spectra are investigated. Our studies show emission spectra can easily be manipulated through changing the intensity of the driving and coupling field, detuning of the driving field. Some interesting physical phenomena such as spectral-line enhancement/suppression, spectral-line narrowing and spontaneous emission quenching may be obtained in our system. The theoretical studies of spontaneous emission spectra in SQWS have potential application in high-precision spectroscopy. Our studies are based on the real physical system [Appl. Phys. Lett.86(20), 201112 (2005)], and this scheme might be realizable with presently available techniques.

OPTICAL SPECTROSCOPY OF SDSS J004054.65-0915268: THREE POSSIBLE SCENARIOS FOR THE CLASSIFICATION. A z ∼ 5 BL LACERTAE, A BLUE FSRQ, OR A WEAK EMISSION LINE QUASAR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Landoni, M.; Zanutta, A.; Bianco, A.

2016-02-15

The haunt of high-redshift BL Lacerate objects is day by day more compelling to firmly understand their intrinsic nature and evolution. SDSS J004054.65-0915268 is, at the moment, one of the most distant BL Lac candidates, at z ∼ 5. We present a new optical-near-IR spectrum obtained with ALFOSC-NOT with a new, custom designed dispersive grating aimed to detect broad emission lines that could disprove this classification. In the obtained spectra, we do not detect any emission features and we provide an upper limit to the luminosity of the C iv broad emission line. Therefore, the nature of the object is then discussed,more » building the overall spectral energy distribution (SED) and fitting it with three different models. Our fits, based on SED modeling with different possible scenarios, cannot rule out the possibility that this source is indeed a BL Lac object, though the absence of optical variability and the lack of strong radio flux seem to suggest that the observed optical emission originates from a thermalized accretion disk.« less

Effect of nearest-neighbor ions on excited ionic states, emission spectra, and line profiles in hot and dense plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salzmann, D.; Stein, J.; Goldberg, I. B.; Pratt, R. H.

1991-01-01

The effect of the cylindrical symmetry imposed by the nearest-neighbor ions on the ionic levels and the emission spectra of a Li-like Kr ion immersed in hot and dense plasmas is investigated using the Stein et al. (1989) two-centered model extended to include computations of the line profiles, shifts, and widths, as well as the energy-level mixing and the forbidden transition probabilities. It is shown that the cylindrical symmetry mixes states with different orbital quantum numbers l, particularly for highly excited states, and, thereby, gives rise to forbidden transitions in the emission spectrum. Results are obtained for the variation of the ionic level shifts and mixing coefficients with the distance to the nearest neighbor. Also obtained are representative computed spectra that show the density effects on the spectral line profiles, shifts, and widths, and the forbidden components in the spectrum.

Anomalous optical emission in hot dense oxygen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santoro, Mario; Gregoryanz, Eugene; Mao, Ho-kwang; Hemley, Russell J.

2007-11-01

We report the observation of unusually strong, broad-band optical emission peaked between 590 and 650 nm when solid and fluid oxygen are heated by a near infrared laser at pressures from 3 to 46 GPa. In situ Raman spectra of oxygen were collected and corresponding temperatures were measured from the Stokes/anti-Stokes intensity ratios of vibrational transitions. The intense optical emission overwhelmed the Raman spectrum at temperatures exceeding 750 K. The spectrum was found to be much narrower than Planck-type thermal emission, and the intensity increase with input power was much steeper than expected for the thermal emission. The result places an important general caveat on calculating temperatures based on optical emission spectra in high-pressure laser-heating experiments. The intense emission in oxygen is photo-induced rather than being purely thermal, through multiphoton or multi-step single photon absorption processes related to the interaction with infrared radiation. The results suggest that short lived ionic species are induced by this laser-matter interaction.

The Case for Optically Thick High-Velocity Broad-Line Region Gas in Active Galactic Nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snedden, Stephanie A.; Gaskell, C. Martin

2007-11-01

A combined analysis of the profiles of the main broad quasar emission lines in both Hubble Space Telescope and optical spectra shows that while the profiles of the strong UV lines are quite similar, there is frequently a strong increase in the Lyα/Hα ratio in the high-velocity gas. We show that the suggestion that the high-velocity gas is optically thin presents many problems. We show that the relative strengths of the high-velocity wings arise naturally in an optically thick BLR component. An optically thick model successfully explains the equivalent widths of the lines, the Lyα/Hα ratios and flatter Balmer decrements in the line wings, the strengths of C III] and the λ1400 blend, and the strong variability in flux of high-velocity, high-ionization lines (especially He II and He I).

An abundance study of IC 418 using high-resolution, signal-to-noise emission spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharpee, Brian David

2003-11-01

An on-going problem in astrophysics involves the large and varying disagreement between abundances measurements made in planetary nebulae (PNe), determined from the strengths of emission lines arising from the same source ion, but excited by differing mechanisms (recombination and collisional excitation) in planetary nebulae (PNe). We investigate the extent of this problem in IC 418, a PN chosen for its great surface brightness and perceived visually uncomplicated geometry, through the use of high resolution (R ≈ 30000 = 10 km sec-1 at 6500Å) echelle emission spectroscopy in the optical regime (3500 9850Å). These observations allow us to construct the most detailed list of atomic emission lines ever compiled for IC 418, and among the most detailed from among all PNe. Ionic abundances are calculated from the fluxes of numerous weak (1 × 10-5 Hβ) atomic emission lines from the ions of C,N,O, and Ne, using the most recent and accurate atomic transition information presently available. The high resolution of these spectra provides well-defined line profiles, which, coupled with the perceived simplicity of the object's expansion velocity distribution, allows us to better determine where in the nebula lines are formed, and where the ions that produce them are concentrated. Evidence for “non-conventional” line excitation mechanisms, such as continuum fluorescence from the ground state or enhanced dielectronic recombination, is sought in the profile morphologies and relative line strengths. Non-conventional excitation processes may influence the strengths of lines enough to significantly alter abundances calculated from them. Our calculations show that recombination line-derived abundances exceed those derived from collisionally excited lines, for those ions for which we observed lines of both types: O+, O+2, and Ne +2 by real and varying amounts. We find that both continuum fluorescence and dielectronic recombination excites numerous lines in IC 418, but that

Emission-line studies of young stars. 4: The optical forbidden lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamann, Fred

1994-08-01

Optical forbidden line strengths and profiles are discussed for a sample of 30 T Tauri stars and 12 Herbig Ae-Be stars. Transitions of (C I), (N II), (O I), (O II), (S II), (Ca II), (Cr II), (Fe II), and (Ni II) are detected. Profile variability occurred in DG Tau and probably other sources. The ensemble profiles can be divided into four generic components that may represent distinct emitting regions; (1) narrow rest-velocity lines, (2) 'low'-velocity lines (peaking at less than or approximately +/- 50 km s-1), (3) 'high'-velocity (usually greater than or approximately +/- 100 km s-1) blueshifted peaks or wings, and (4) high-velocity redshifted peaks. Among T Tauri stars, the rest-velocity lines appear most often in sources with weak and narrow permitted lines, such as the Ca II triplet. The low- and high-velocity blueshifted components usually appear together in sources with strong and broad Ca II triplet lines. If the velocity-shifted lines form in jets, the smallest (full) opening angles required by the profiles are less than or approximately 20 deg for the narrow, blueshifted (Ca II) lines of DG Tau and HL Tau. Other lines in DG Tau are much broader, implying larger opening angles or greater velocity dispersions. The variability in DG Tau also implies significant changes in the collimation or velocity coherence on timescales of a few years. RW Aur and AS 353A have blue- and redshifted line peaks that could form in oppositely directed jets. The strong (S II) lambda 6716 and lambda 6731 lines in RW Aur are exclusively redshifted and require opening angles less than or approximately 60 deg. Measurements of different profiles in the same spectrum show that the physical conditions change with the line-of-sight velocities. The most persistent trends are for more (N II) and (O II) and less (O I) lambda 5577 flux at high velocities. Constraints on the physical conditions are derived by modeling the emission lines via multilevel ions in 'coronal ionization equilibrium

Emission-line studies of young stars. 4: The optical forbidden lines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamann, Fred

1994-01-01

Optical forbidden line strengths and profiles are discussed for a sample of 30 T Tauri stars and 12 Herbig Ae-Be stars. Transitions of (C I), (N II), (O I), (O II), (S II), (Ca II), (Cr II), (Fe II), and (Ni II) are detected. Profile variability occurred in DG Tau and probably other sources. The ensemble profiles can be divided into four generic components that may represent distinct emitting regions; (1) narrow rest-velocity lines, (2) 'low'-velocity lines (peaking at less than or approximately +/- 50 km s(exp -1)), (3) 'high'-velocity (usually greater than or approximately +/- 100 km s(exp -1)) blueshifted peaks or wings, and (4) high-velocity redshifted peaks. Among T Tauri stars, the rest-velocity lines appear most often in sources with weak and narrow permitted lines, such as the Ca II triplet. The low- and high-velocity blueshifted components usually appear together in sources with strong and broad Ca II triplet lines. If the velocity-shifted lines form in jets, the smallest (full) opening angles required by the profiles are less than or approximately 20 deg for the narrow, blueshifted (Ca II) lines of DG Tau and HL Tau. Other lines in DG Tau are much broader, implying larger opening angles or greater velocity dispersions. The variability in DG Tau also implies significant changes in the collimation or velocity coherence on timescales of a few years. RW Aur and AS 353A have blue- and redshifted line peaks that could form in oppositely directed jets. The strong (S II) lambda 6716 and lambda 6731 lines in RW Aur are exclusively redshifted and require opening angles less than or approximately 60 deg. Measurements of different profiles in the same spectrum show that the physical conditions change with the line-of-sight velocities. The most persistent trends are for more (N II) and (O II) and less (O I) lambda 5577 flux at high velocities. Constraints on the physical conditions are derived by modeling the emission lines via multilevel ions in 'coronal ionization

Laser-induced optical breakdown spectroscopy of polymer materials based on evaluation of molecular emission bands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trautner, Stefan; Jasik, Juraj; Parigger, Christian G.; Pedarnig, Johannes D.; Spendelhofer, Wolfgang; Lackner, Johannes; Veis, Pavel; Heitz, Johannes

2017-03-01

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for composition analysis of polymer materials results in optical spectra containing atomic and ionic emission lines as well as molecular emission bands. In the present work, the molecular bands are analyzed to obtain spectroscopic information about the plasma state in an effort to quantify the content of different elements in the polymers. Polyethylene (PE) and a rubber material from tire production are investigated employing 157 nm F2 laser and 532 nm Nd:YAG laser ablation in nitrogen and argon gas background or in air. The optical detection reaches from ultraviolet (UV) over the visible (VIS) to the near infrared (NIR) spectral range. In the UV/VIS range, intense molecular emissions, C2 Swan and CN violet bands, are measured with an Echelle spectrometer equipped with an intensified CCD camera. The measured molecular emission spectra can be fitted by vibrational-rotational transitions by open access programs and data sets with good agreement between measured and fitted spectra. The fits allow determining vibrational-rotational temperatures. A comparison to electronic temperatures Te derived earlier from atomic carbon vacuum-UV (VUV) emission lines show differences, which can be related to different locations of the atomic and molecular species in the expanding plasma plume. In the NIR spectral region, we also observe the CN red bands with a conventional CDD Czerny Turner spectrometer. The emission of the three strong atomic sulfur lines between 920 and 925 nm is overlapped by these bands. Fitting of the CN red bands allows a separation of both spectral contributions. This makes a quantitative evaluation of sulfur contents in the start material in the order of 1 wt% feasible.

Weak metal lines in optical high-resolution Very Large Telescope and Keck spectra of "cool" PG 1159 stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werner, K.; Rauch, T.

2014-09-01

PG 1159 stars are very hot (effective temperatures Teff = 75 000-200 000 K), hydrogen-deficient (pre-) white dwarfs. They probably are the result of a late helium-shell flash that laid bare the He, C, and O rich intershell matter of the progenitor Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) star. Their chemical surface composition thus allows to conclude on details of AGB-star nucleosynthesis. Due to their very high effective temperatures, detailed spectral analyses are usually completely reliant on ultraviolet observations, except for some species in the hottest PG 1159 stars (Teff ≳ 130 000 K), which do exhibit highly excited lines from the CNO elements and neon (C iv, N v, O vi, Ne vii-viii) in optical spectra. Particularly problematic are, however, the coolest members of the PG 1159 class that exclusively show C iv lines in the optical. Access to the nitrogen abundance is important to decide which of the late-thermal pulse evolutionary scenarios was experienced by a particular star, while a high oxygen abundance is an important marker that the star could pulsate. In the present paper, we investigate high-resolution high signal-to-noise optical spectra of three "cool" PG 1159 stars (PG 0122+200, PG 2131+066, MCT 0130-1937, Teff = 80 000-95 000 K). With the help of non-LTE model atmospheres and synthetic spectra, we are able to identify a large number of weak CNO lines (C iii, N iv, O iii-v) that were not detected before in these stars. They allow abundance determinations and enable us to constrain the effective temperature to high precision through ionization equilibria without the requirement to access the ultraviolet spectral range.

Design of a portable optical emission tomography system for microwave induced compact plasma for visible to near-infrared emission lines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rathore, Kavita, E-mail: kavira@iitk.ac.in, E-mail: pmunshi@iitk.ac.in, E-mail: sudeepb@iitk.ac.in; Munshi, Prabhat, E-mail: kavira@iitk.ac.in, E-mail: pmunshi@iitk.ac.in, E-mail: sudeepb@iitk.ac.in; Bhattacharjee, Sudeep, E-mail: kavira@iitk.ac.in, E-mail: pmunshi@iitk.ac.in, E-mail: sudeepb@iitk.ac.in

A new non-invasive diagnostic system is developed for Microwave Induced Plasma (MIP) to reconstruct tomographic images of a 2D emission profile. A compact MIP system has wide application in industry as well as research application such as thrusters for space propulsion, high current ion beams, and creation of negative ions for heating of fusion plasma. Emission profile depends on two crucial parameters, namely, the electron temperature and density (over the entire spatial extent) of the plasma system. Emission tomography provides basic understanding of plasmas and it is very useful to monitor internal structure of plasma phenomena without disturbing its actualmore » processes. This paper presents development of a compact, modular, and versatile Optical Emission Tomography (OET) tool for a cylindrical, magnetically confined MIP system. It has eight slit-hole cameras and each consisting of a complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor linear image sensor for light detection. The optical noise is reduced by using aspheric lens and interference band-pass filters in each camera. The entire cylindrical plasma can be scanned with automated sliding ring mechanism arranged in fan-beam data collection geometry. The design of the camera includes a unique possibility to incorporate different filters to get the particular wavelength light from the plasma. This OET system includes selected band-pass filters for particular argon emission 750 nm, 772 nm, and 811 nm lines and hydrogen emission H{sub α} (656 nm) and H{sub β} (486 nm) lines. Convolution back projection algorithm is used to obtain the tomographic images of plasma emission line. The paper mainly focuses on (a) design of OET system in detail and (b) study of emission profile for 750 nm argon emission lines to validate the system design.« less

Observations of neutral iron emission in twilight spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tepley, C. A.; Meriwether, J. W., Jr.; Walker, J. C. G.; Mathews, J. D.

1981-01-01

A method is presented for the analysis of twilight airglow spectra that may be contaminated by atmospheric continuum emission of unknown brightness. The necessity of correcting for this continuum emission when measuring weak airglow features in twilight is illustrated by application of the method to the neutral iron line at 3860 A.

Modeling of aircraft exhaust emissions and infrared spectra for remote measurement of nitrogen oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beier, K.; Schreier, F.

1994-10-01

Infrared (IR) molecular spectroscopy is proposed to perform remote measurements of NOx concentrations in the exhaust plume and wake of aircraft. The computer model NIRATAM is applied to simulate the physical and chemical properties of the exhaust plume and to generate low resolution IR spectra and synthetical thermal images of the aircraft in its natural surroundings. High-resolution IR spectra of the plume, including atmospheric absorption and emission, are simulated using the molecular line-by-line radiation model FASCODE2. Simulated IR spectra of a Boeing 747-400 at cruising altitude for different axial and radial positions in the jet region of the exhaust plume are presented. A number of spectral lines of NO can be identified that can be discriminated from lines of other exhaust gases and the natural atmospheric background in the region around 5.2 µm. These lines can be used to determine NO concentration profiles in the plume. The possibility of measuring nitrogen dioxide NO2 is also discussed briefly, although measurements turn out to be substantially less likely than those of NO. This feasibility study compiles fundamental data for the optical and radiometric design of an airborne Fourier transform spectrometer and the preparation of in-flight measurements for monitoring of aircraft pollutants

Using late-time optical and near-infrared spectra to constrain Type Ia supernova explosion properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maguire, K.; Sim, S. A.; Shingles, L.; Spyromilio, J.; Jerkstrand, A.; Sullivan, M.; Chen, T.-W.; Cartier, R.; Dimitriadis, G.; Frohmaier, C.; Galbany, L.; Gutiérrez, C. P.; Hosseinzadeh, G.; Howell, D. A.; Inserra, C.; Rudy, R.; Sollerman, J.

2018-03-01

The late-time spectra of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are powerful probes of the underlying physics of their explosions. We investigate the late-time optical and near-infrared spectra of seven SNe Ia obtained at the VLT with XShooter at >200 d after explosion. At these epochs, the inner Fe-rich ejecta can be studied. We use a line-fitting analysis to determine the relative line fluxes, velocity shifts, and line widths of prominent features contributing to the spectra ([Fe II], [Ni II], and [Co III]). By focussing on [Fe II] and [Ni II] emission lines in the ˜7000-7500 Å region of the spectrum, we find that the ratio of stable [Ni II] to mainly radioactively-produced [Fe II] for most SNe Ia in the sample is consistent with Chandrasekhar-mass delayed-detonation explosion models, as well as sub-Chandrasekhar mass explosions that have metallicity values above solar. The mean measured Ni/Fe abundance of our sample is consistent with the solar value. The more highly ionised [Co III] emission lines are found to be more centrally located in the ejecta and have broader lines than the [Fe II] and [Ni II] features. Our analysis also strengthens previous results that SNe Ia with higher Si II velocities at maximum light preferentially display blueshifted [Fe II] 7155 Å lines at late times. Our combined results lead us to speculate that the majority of normal SN Ia explosions produce ejecta distributions that deviate significantly from spherical symmetry.

Emission spectra profiling of fluorescent proteins in living plant cells

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Fluorescence imaging at high spectral resolution allows the simultaneous recording of multiple fluorophores without switching optical filters, which is especially useful for time-lapse analysis of living cells. The collected emission spectra can be used to distinguish fluorophores by a computation analysis called linear unmixing. The availability of accurate reference spectra for different fluorophores is crucial for this type of analysis. The reference spectra used by plant cell biologists are in most cases derived from the analysis of fluorescent proteins in solution or produced in animal cells, although these spectra are influenced by both the cellular environment and the components of the optical system. For instance, plant cells contain various autofluorescent compounds, such as cell wall polymers and chlorophyll, that affect the spectral detection of some fluorophores. Therefore, it is important to acquire both reference and experimental spectra under the same biological conditions and through the same imaging systems. Results Entry clones (pENTR) of fluorescent proteins (FPs) were constructed in order to create C- or N-terminal protein fusions with the MultiSite Gateway recombination technology. The emission spectra for eight FPs, fused C-terminally to the A- or B-type cyclin dependent kinases (CDKA;1 and CDKB1;1) and transiently expressed in epidermal cells of tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana), were determined by using the Olympus FluoView™ FV1000 Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope. These experimental spectra were then used in unmixing experiments in order to separate the emission of fluorophores with overlapping spectral properties in living plant cells. Conclusions Spectral imaging and linear unmixing have a great potential for efficient multicolor detection in living plant cells. The emission spectra for eight of the most commonly used FPs were obtained in epidermal cells of tobacco leaves and used in unmixing experiments. The generated set of

Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project: Unraveling the Broad Line Region and the Intrinsic Absorption in NGC 5548

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kriss, G.; Storm Team

2015-07-01

The Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping (STORM) project monitored the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 over a six-month period, obtaining 171 far-ultraviolet HST/COS spectra at approximately daily intervals. We find significant correlated variability in the continuum and broad emission lines, with amplitudes ranging from a factor of two in the emission lines to a factor of three in the continuum. The variations of all the strong emission lines lag behind those of the continuum, with He II lagging by ˜ 2.5 days and Ly&alpha,; C IV, and Si IV lagging by 5 to 6 days. The broad UV absorption lines discovered by Kaastra et al. (2014) and associated with the new soft X-ray obscurer are continuously present in the STORM campaign COS spectra. Their strength varies with the degree of soft X-ray obscuration as revealed by the Swift X-ray spectra. The narrow absorption lines associated with the historical warm absorber varied in response to the changing UV flux on a daily basis with lags of 3 to 8 days. The ionization response allows precise determinations of the locations, mass flux, and kinetic luminosities of the absorbers.

What Sets the Line Profiles in Tidal Disruption Events?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, Nathaniel; Kasen, Daniel

2018-03-01

We investigate line formation in gas that is outflowing and optically thick to electron scattering, as may be expected following the tidal disruption of a star by a supermassive black hole. Using radiative transfer calculations, we show that the optical line profiles produced by expanding TDE outflows most likely are primarily emission features, rather than the P-Cygni profiles seen in most supernova spectra. This is a result of the high line excitation temperatures in the highly irradiated TDE gas. The outflow kinematics cause the emission peak to be blueshifted and have an asymmetric red wing. Such features have been observed in some TDE spectra, and we propose that these may be signatures of outflows. We also show that non-coherent scattering of hot electrons can broaden the emission lines by ∼10,000 km s‑1, such that the line width in some TDEs may be set by the electron scattering optical depth rather than the gas kinematics. The scattering-broadened line profiles produce distinct, wing-shaped profiles that are similar to those observed in some TDE spectra. The narrowing of the emission lines over time in these observed events may be related to a drop in density rather than a drop in line-of-sight velocity.

Investigating Possible Departures from Maxwellian Energy Distributions in Nebulae using High-Resolution Emission Line Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turbyfill, Amanda; Dinerstein, H. L.; Sterling, N. C.

2014-01-01

The derivation of ionic abundance ratios from collisionally excited emission lines in gaseous nebulae requires knowledge of the physical state of the gas, particularly the electron kinetic temperature, Te, to which the resulting abundances are highly sensitive. A long-standing problem in nebular analyses has been pervasive discrepancies among values of Te obtained from different diagnostic ratios for a single nebula. Recently, Nicholls et al. (2012, ApJ, 752, 148) have suggested that the nebular electrons may not obey an equilibrium Maxwell-Boltzmann (M-B) energy distribution, but instead follow a “κ distribution” seen in many solar system plasmas, a family of distributions for which the M-B distribution is the limiting case where κ → ∞. The high-energy tail of supra-thermal electrons in κ distributions have a disproportionate effect on strongly energy dependent quantities, such as Te diagnostics, for even modest departures from M-B distributions. We apply prescriptions given by Nicholls et al. (2013, ApJS, 207, 21) to high-resolution (R=36,700) optical spectra of 10 planetary nebulae obtained with the 2d-coudé echelle spectrograph on the 2.7 m Harlan J. Smith Telescope at McDonald Observatory. The advantages of these data include their broad spectral coverage and sufficiently high spectral resolution to separate blended lines and assess possible atmospheric absorption issues. The line fluxes were obtained using ROBOSPECT, an automated spectral line measurement package developed by Waters & Hollek (2013, PASP, 125, 1164). We solve both for Te under the assumption of M-B distributions, and the parameters of κ distributions consistent with the data. Our goal is to test whether the κ distribution hypothesis provides a better fit to the observed line ratios. Finally, we discuss effects on the derived ionic abundances under this alternate description of the particle energy distributions. This research was supported by NSF grant AST 0708245 and the John W

Study on Emission Spectral Lines of Iron, Fe in Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) on Soil Samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Idris, Nasrullah; Lahna, Kurnia; Fadhli; Ramli, Muliadi

2017-05-01

In this work, LIBS technique has been used for detection of heavy metal especially iron, Fe in soil sample. As there are a large number of emission spectral lines due to Fe and other constituents in soil, this study is intended to identify emission spectral lines of Fe and finally to find best fit emission spectral lines for carrying out a qualitative and quantitative analysis. LIBS apparatus used in this work consists of a laser system (Neodymium Yttrium Aluminum Garnet, Nd-YAG: Quanta Ray; LAB SERIES; 1,064 nm; 500 mJ; 8 ns) and an optical multichannel analyzer (OMA) system consisting of a spectrograph (McPherson model 2061; 1,000 mm focal length; f/8.6 Czerny- Turner) and an intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) 1024x256 pixels (Andor I*Star). The soil sample was collected from Banda Aceh city, Aceh, Indonesia. For spectral data acquisition, the soil sample has been prepared by a pressing machine in the form of pellet. The laser beam was focused using a high density lens (f=+150 mm) and irradiated on the surface of the pellet for generating luminous plasma under 1 atmosphere of air surrounding. The plasma emission was collected by an optical fiber and then sent to the optical multichannel analyzer (OMA) system for acquisition of the emission spectra. It was found that there are many Fe emission lines both atomic lines (Fe I) and ionic lines (Fe II) appeared in all detection windows in the wavelength regions, ranging from 200 nm to 1000 nm. The emission lines of Fe with strong intensities occurs together with emission lines due to other atoms such as Mg, Ca, and Si. Thus, the identification of emission lines from Fe is complicated by presence of many other lines due to other major and minor elements in soil. Considering the features of the detected emission lines, several emission spectral lines of Fe I (atomic emission line), especially Fe I 404.58 nm occurring at visible range are potential to be good candidate of analytical lines in relation to detection

Iron lines in model disk spectra of Galactic black hole binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Różańska, A.; Madej, J.; Konorski, P.; SaḐowski, A.

2011-03-01

Context. We present angle-dependent, broad-band intensity spectra from accretion disks around black holes of 10 M⊙. In our computations disks are assumed to be slim, which means that the radial advection is taken into account while computing the effective temperature of the disk. Aims: We attempt to reconstruct continuum and line spectra of X-ray binaries in soft state, i.e. dominated by the disk component of multitemperature shape. We follow how the iron-line complex depends on the external irradiation, an accretion rate, and a black hole spin. Methods: Full radiative transfer is solved including effects of Compton scattering, free-free and all important bound-free transitions of 10 main elements. We assume the LTE equation of state. Moreover, we include here the fundamental series of iron lines from helium-like and hydrogen-like ions, and fluorescent Kα and Kβ lines from low ionized iron. We consider two cases: nonrotating black hole, and black hole rotating with almost maximum spin a = 0.98, and obtain spectra for five accretion disks from hard X-rays to the infrared. Results: In nonirradiated disks, resonance lines from He-like and H-like iron appear mostly in absorption. Such disk spectra exhibit limb darkening in the whole energy range. External irradiation causes that iron resonance lines appear in emission. Furthermore, depending on disk effective temperature, fluorescent iron Kα and Kβ lines are present in disk emitting spectra. All models with irradiation exhibit limb brightening in their X-ray reflected continua. Conclusions: We show that the disk around stellar black hole itself is hot enough to produce strong-absorption resonance lines of iron. Emission lines can only be observed if heating by external X-rays dominates thermal processess in a hot disk atmosphere. Irradiated disks are usually brighter in X-ray continuum when seen edge on, and fainter when seen face on.

The peculiar optical-UV X-ray spectra of the X-ray weak quasar PG 0043+039

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kollatschny, W.; Schartel, N.; Zetzl, M.; Santos-Lleó, M.; Rodríguez-Pascual, P. M.; Ballo, L.; Talavera, A.

2016-01-01

Context. The object PG 0043+039 has been identified as a broad absorption line (BAL) quasar based on its UV spectra. However, this optical luminous quasar has not been detected before in deep X-ray observations, making it the most extreme X-ray weak quasar known today. Aims: This study aims to detect PG 0043+039 in a deep X-ray exposure. The question is what causes the extreme X-ray weakness of PG 0043+039? Does PG 0043+039 show other spectral or continuum peculiarities? Methods: We took simultaneous deep X-ray spectra with XMM-Newton, far-ultraviolet (FUV) spectra with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), and optical spectra of PG 0043+039 with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) and Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) in July, 2013. Results: We have detected PG 0043+039 in our X-ray exposure taken in 2013. We presented our first results in a separate paper (Kollatschny et al. 2015). PG 0043+039 shows an extreme αox gradient (αox = -2.37). Furthermore, we were able to verify an X-ray flux of this source in a reanalysis of the X-ray data taken in 2005. At that time, it was fainter by a factor of 3.8 ±0.9 with αox = -2.55. The X-ray spectrum is compatible with a normal quasar power-law spectrum (Γ = 1.70-0.45+0.57) with moderate intrinsic absorption (NH = 5.5-3.9+6.9 × 1021 cm-2) and reflection. The UV/optical flux of PG 0043+039 has increased by a factor of 1.8 compared to spectra taken in the years 1990-1991. The FUV spectrum is highly peculiar and dominated by broad bumps besides Lyα. There is no detectable Lyman edge associated with the BAL absorbing gas seen in the CIV line. PG 0043+039 shows a maximum in the overall continuum flux at around λ ≈ 2500 Å in contrast to most other AGN where the maximum is found at shorter wavelengths. All the above is compatible with an intrinsically X-ray weak quasar, rather than an absorbed X-ray emission. Besides strong FeII multiplets and broad Balmer and HeI lines in the optical band we only detect a narrow [O II

The Type Ic SN 2007gr: a census of the ejecta from late-time optical-infrared spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazzali, Paolo A.; Maurer, I.; Valenti, S.; Kotak, R.; Hunter, D.

2010-10-01

Nebular spectra of supernovae (SNe) offer an unimpeded view of the inner region of the ejecta, where most nucleosynthesis takes place. Optical spectra cover most, but not all, of the emitting elements and therefore offer only a partial view of the products of the explosion. Simultaneous optical-infrared spectra, on the other hand, contain emission lines of all important elements, from C and O through to the intermediate mass elements (IME) Mg, Si, S, Ca and to Fe and Ni. In particular, Si and S are best seen in the IR. The availability of IR data makes it possible to explore in greater detail the results of the explosion. SN2007gr is the first Type Ic SN for which such data are available. Modelling the spectra with a non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) code reveals that the inner ejecta contain ~1Msolar of material within a velocity of ~4500kms-1. The same mass of 56Ni derived from the light-curve peak (0.076Msolar) was used to power the spectrum, yielding consistent results. Oxygen is the dominant element, contributing ~0.8Msolar. The C/O ratio is <0.2. IME account for ~0.1Msolar. This confirms that SN2007gr was the explosion of a low-mass CO core, probably the result of a star of main-sequence mass ~15Msolar. The ratios of the CaII lines, and those of FeII, are sensitive to the assumed degree of clumping. In particular, the optical lines of [FeII] become stronger, relative to the IR lines, for higher degrees of clumping.

Emission Spectroscopy of the Interior of Optically Dense Post-Detonation Fireballs

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

sample. Light from the fiber optics was sent to spectrograph located in a shielded observation room several meters away from the explosive charge. The...spectrograph was constructed from a 1/8 m spectrometer (Oriel) interfaced to a 4096 pixel line-scan camera (Basler Sprint ) with a data collection rate... 400 ) 45 4000 (200) … FIG. 3. Time-resolved emission spectra obtained from detonation of 20 g charges of RDX containing 20 wt. % aluminum nanoparticles

Emission line shapes produced by dissociative excitation of atmospheric gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zipf, E. C.; Wells, W. C.

1980-01-01

The spectral line shapes of the radiation emitted from O atoms produced by the dissociative excitation of O2, CO, CO2 and NO are investigated. Doppler line shapes are derived from time-of-flight spectra of O (5S0) atoms decaying by the emission of 1356-A radiation after being produced in electron impact experiments at incident electron energies from 25 to 300 eV. It is shown that the effective line width of the radiation is large compared with the Doppler absorption widths of ambient O atoms in both photoelectron and auroral excitation, and thus the dissociatively excited component of the O I 1304-A airglow will behave as though it were optically thin, exhibiting pronounced limb brightening effects and a scale height characteristic of the initial, local source function. It is found that the average kinetic energy of the dissociation fragments inferred from O I (5S) time-of-flight spectra is in good agreement with that of O I (3S) atoms in the electron impact dissociation of CO2, although not for O2. Finally, it is suggested that although electron impact dissociation of CO and CO2 contributes to the 1304-A emission in the upper atmosphere of Venus, it cannot be the dominant source of this radiation since the absolute cross sections for the reaction are too small.

Relating Line Width and Optical Depth for CO Emission in the Large Mgellanic Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojciechowski, Evan; Wong, Tony; Bandurski, Jeffrey; MC3 (Mapping CO in Molecular Clouds in the Magellanic Clouds) Team

2018-01-01

We investigate data produced from ALMA observations of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), using 12CO(2–1) and 13CO(2–1) emission. The spectral line width is generally interpreted as tracing turbulent rather than thermal motions in the cloud, but could also be affected by optical depth, especially for the 12CO line (Hacar et al. 2016). We compare the spectral line widths of both lines with their optical depths, estimated from an LTE analysis, to evaluate the importance of optical depth effects. Our cloud sample includes two regions recently published by Wong et al. (2017, submitted): the Tarantula Nebula or 30 Dor, an HII region rife with turbulence, and the Planck cold cloud (PCC), located in a much calmer environment near the fringes of the LMC. We also include four additional LMC clouds, which span intermediate levels of star formation relative to these two clouds, and for which we have recently obtained ALMA data in Cycle 4.

Interstellar lines in the spectra of four stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hobbs, L. M.

1979-01-01

Observations of optical interstellar absorption lines arising from Na I, K I, and/or Ca II are reported in the spectra of HD 72127, Iota(1) Sco, 102 Her, and 6 Cas. Line components showing strikingly large Ca II/Na I ratios are found toward HD 72127 and are verified for 102 Her. The absorption toward Iota(1) Sco and 6 Cas illustrates features of the local galactic distribution of interstellar gas.

X-ray and optical emission-line filaments in the cooling flow cluster 2A 0335 + 096

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarazin, Craig L.; O'Connell, Robert W.; Mcnamara, Brian R.

1992-01-01

We present a new high-resolution X-ray image of the 2A 0335 + 096 cluster of galaxies obtained with the High Resolution Imager (HRI) aboard the ROSAT satellite. The presence of dense gas having a very short cooling time in the central regions confirms its earlier identification as a cooling flow. The X-ray emission from the central regions of the cooling flow shows a great deal of filamentary structure. Using the crude spectral resolution of the HRI, we show that these filaments are the result of excess emission, rather than foreground X-ray absorption. Although there are uncertainties in the pointing, many of the X-ray features in the cooling flow region correspond to features in H-alpha optical line emission. This suggests that the optical emission line gas has resulted directly from the cooling of X-ray-emitting gas. The filament material cannot be in hydrostatic equilibrium, and it is likely that other forces such as rotation, turbulence, and magnetic fields influence the dynamical state of the gas.

Anatomy of the AGN in NGC 5548. IX. Photoionized emission features in the soft X-ray spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Junjie; Kaastra, J. S.; Mehdipour, M.; Gu, Liyi; Costantini, E.; Kriss, G. A.; Bianchi, S.; Branduardi-Raymont, G.; Behar, E.; Di Gesu, L.; Ponti, G.; Petrucci, P.-O.; Ebrero, J.

2018-04-01

The X-ray narrow emission line region (NELR) of the archetypal Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 has been interpreted as a single-phase photoionized plasma that is absorbed by some of the warm absorber components. This scenario requires those overlaying warm absorber components to have larger distance (to the central engine) than the X-ray NELR, which is not fully consistent with the distance estimates found in the literature. Therefore, we reanalyze the high-resolution spectra obtained in 2013-2014 with the Reflection Grating Spectrometer (RGS) aboard XMM-Newton to provide an alternative interpretation of the X-ray narrow emission features. We find that the X-ray narrow emission features in NGC 5548 can be described by a two-phase photoionized plasma with different ionization parameters (logξ = 1.3 and 0.1) and kinematics (vout = -50 and -400 km s-1), and no further absorption by the warm absorber components. The X-ray and optical NELR might be the same multi-phase photoionized plasma. Both X-ray and optical NELR have comparable distances, asymmetric line profiles, and the underlying photoionized plasma is turbulent and compact in size. The X-ray NELR is not the counterpart of the UV/X-ray absorber outside the line of sight because their distances and kinematics are not consistent. In addition, X-ray broad emission features that we find in the spectrum can be accounted for by a third photoionized emission component. The RGS spectrum obtained in 2016 is analyzed as well, where the luminosity of most prominent emission lines (the O VII forbidden line and O VIII Lyα line) are the same (at a 1σ confidence level) as in 2013-2014.

Modelling Stellar Optical and Mid-Ultraviolet Spectra from First Principles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, R. C.; Carney, B. W.; Dorman, B.; Green, E. M.; Landsman, W.; Liebert, J.; O'Connell, R. W.; Rood, R. T.; Schiavon, R. P.

2004-05-01

We present comparisons of theoretical and observational high-resolution spectra for a half-dozen stars of a wide range of temperature and abundance, from A star to K giant. These show the fits achieved to date by our ab initio spectral calculations. These comparisons form the first phase of our three-year Hubble Treasury program GO-9455/9974, aimed at providing mid-ultraviolet spectral templates to improve the determination of the age and metallicity of old stellar systems. From matches such as these, we have modified the input atomic-line parameters and guessed the identifications of spectral lines missing from the calculations, as described by Peterson, Dorman, & Rood (2001, ApJ, 559, 372). With this new line list, we now match well the optical spectra of stars of all line strengths. We have begun to calculate a grid of optical indices from the theoretical spectra. In the mid-UV, while the fits at solar abundance are much improved, we are still missing very weak absorption lines near 2650Å and 2900Å. This will be addressed as additional mid-ultraviolet spectra are taken for a larger range of stellar targets during Cycle 13. Support for this work includes grants GO-9455 and GO-9974 from the Hubble Space Telescope Science Institute, and an award from the NASA-OSS Long Term Space Astrophysics program.

Line Emission and X-ray Line Polarization of Multiply Ionized Mo Ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petkov, E. E.; Safronova, A. S.; Kantsyrev, V. L.; Shlyaptseva, V. V.; Stafford, A.; Safronova, U. I.; Shrestha, I. K.; Schultz, K. A.; Childers, R.; Cooper, M. C.; Beiersdorfer, P.; Hell, N.; Brown, G. V.

2016-10-01

We present a comprehensive experimental and theoretical study of the line emission from multiply ionized Mo ions produced by two different sets of experiments: at LLNL EBIT and the pulsed power generator Zebra at UNR. Mo line emission and polarization measurements were accomplished at EBIT for the first time. In particular, benchmarking experiments at the LLNL EBIT with Mo ions produced at electron beam energies from 2.75 keV up to 15 keV allowed us to break down these very complicated spectra into spectra with only few ionization stages and to select processes that influence them as well as to measure line polarization. The EBIT data were recorded using the EBIT Calorimeter Spectrometer and a crystal spectrometer with a Ge crystal. X-ray Mo spectra and pinhole images were collected from Z-pinch plasmas produced from various wire loads. Non-LTE modeling, high-precision relativistic atomic and polarization data were used to analyze L-shell Mo spectra. The influence of different plasma processes including electron beams on Mo line radiation is summarized. This work was supported by NNSA under DOE Grant DE-NA0002954. Experiments at the NTF/UNR were funded in part by DE-NA0002075. Work at LLNL was performed under the auspices of the U.S. DOE under contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Accurate Emission Line Diagnostics at High Redshift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Tucker

2017-08-01

How do the physical conditions of high redshift galaxies differ from those seen locally? Spectroscopic surveys have invested hundreds of nights of 8- and 10-meter telescope time as well as hundreds of Hubble orbits to study evolution in the galaxy population at redshifts z 0.5-4 using rest-frame optical strong emission line diagnostics. These surveys reveal evolution in the gas excitation with redshift but the physical cause is not yet understood. Consequently there are large systematic errors in derived quantities such as metallicity.We have used direct measurements of gas density, temperature, and metallicity in a unique sample at z=0.8 to determine reliable diagnostics for high redshift galaxies. Our measurements suggest that offsets in emission line ratios at high redshift are primarily caused by high N/O abundance ratios. However, our ground-based data cannot rule out other interpretations. Spatially resolved Hubble grism spectra are needed to distinguish between the remaining plausible causes such as active nuclei, shocks, diffuse ionized gas emission, and HII regions with escaping ionizing flux. Identifying the physical origin of evolving excitation will allow us to build the necessary foundation for accurate measurements of metallicity and other properties of high redshift galaxies. Only then can we expoit the wealth of data from current surveys and near-future JWST spectroscopy to understand how galaxies evolve over time.

Extremely red quasars from SDSS, BOSS and WISE: classification of optical spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, Nicholas P.; Hamann, Fred; Zakamska, Nadia L.; Richards, Gordon T.; Villforth, Carolin; Strauss, Michael A.; Greene, Jenny E.; Alexandroff, Rachael; Brandt, W. Niel; Liu, Guilin; Myers, Adam D.; Pâris, Isabelle; Schneider, Donald P.

2015-11-01

Quasars with extremely red infrared-to-optical colours are an interesting population that can test ideas about quasar evolution as well as orientation, obscuration and geometric effects in the so-called AGN unified model. To identify such a population, we match the quasar catalogues of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) to the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) to identify quasars with extremely high infrared-to-optical ratios. We identify 65 objects with rAB - W4Vega > 14 mag (i.e. Fν(22 μm)/Fν(r) ≳ 1000). This sample spans a redshift range of 0.28 < z < 4.36 and has a bimodal distribution, with peaks at z ˜ 0.8 and z ˜ 2.5. It includes three z > 2.6 objects that are detected in the W4 band but not W1 or W2 (i.e. `W1W2 dropouts'). The SDSS/BOSS spectra show that the majority of the objects are reddened type 1 quasars, type 2 quasars (both at low and high redshift) or objects with deep low-ionization broad absorption lines (BALs) that suppress the observed r-band flux. In addition, we identify a class of type 1 permitted broad emission-line objects at z ≃ 2-3 which are characterized by emission line rest-frame equivalent widths (REWs) of ≳150 Å, much larger than those of typical quasars. In particular, 55 per cent (45 per cent) of the non-BAL type 1s with measurable C IV in our sample have REW(C IV) > 100 (150) Å, compared to only 5.8 per cent (1.3 per cent) for non-BAL quasars in BOSS. These objects often also have unusual line ratios, such as very high N V/Ly α ratios. These large REWs might be caused by suppressed continuum emission analogous to type 2 quasars; however, there is no obvious mechanism in standard unified models to suppress the continuum without also obscuring the broad emission lines.

Double-peaked Emission Lines Due to a Radio Outflow in KISSR 1219

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kharb, P.; Vaddi, S.; Subramanian, S.

We present the results from 1.5 and 5 GHz phase-referenced VLBA and 1.5 GHz Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) observations of the Seyfert 2 galaxy KISSR 1219, which exhibits double-peaked emission lines in its optical spectrum. The VLA and VLBA data reveal a one-sided core-jet structure at roughly the same position angles, providing evidence of an active galactic nucleus outflow. The absence of dual parsec-scale radio cores puts the binary black-hole picture in doubt for the case of KISSR 1219. The high brightness temperatures of the parsec-scale core and jet components (>10{sup 6} K) are consistent with thismore » interpretation. Doppler boosting with jet speeds of ≳0.55 c to ≳0.25 c , going from parsec to kiloparsec scales, at a jet inclination ≳50° can explain the jet one-sidedness in this Seyfert 2 galaxy. A blueshifted broad emission line component in [O iii] is also indicative of an outflow in the emission line gas at a velocity of ∼350 km s{sup −1}, while the [O i] doublet lines suggest the presence of shock-heated gas. A detailed line ratio study using the MAPPINGS III code further suggests that a shock+precursor model can explain the line ionization data well. Overall, our data suggest that the radio outflow in KISSR 1219 is pushing the emission line clouds, both ahead of the jet and in a lateral direction, giving rise to the double peak emission line spectra.« less

Spectral properties of X-ray selected narrow emission line galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romero-Colmenero, E.

1998-03-01

This thesis reports a study of the X-ray and optical properties of two samples of X-ray selected Narrow Emission Line Galaxies (NELGs), and their comparison with the properties of broad line Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). One sample (18 NELGs) is drawn from the ROSAT International X-ray Optical Survey (RIXOS), the other (19 NELGs and 33 AGN) from the ROSAT UK Deep Survey. ROSAT multi-channel X-ray spectra have been extracted and fitted with power-law, bremsstrahlung and black body models for the brighter RIXOS sources. In most cases, power-law and bremsstrahlung models provide the best results. The average spectral energy index, alpha, of the RIXOS NELGs is 0.96 +/- 0.07, similar to that of AGN (alpha~1). For the fainter RIXOS NELGs, as well as for all the UK Deep Survey sources, counts in three spectral bands have been extracted and fitted with a power-law model, assuming the Galactic value for N_H. The brighter RIXOS sources demonstrated that the results obtained by these two different extraction and fitting procedures provide consistent results. Two average X-ray spectra, one for the NELGs and another for the AGN, were created from the UK Deep Survey sources. The power-law slope of the average NELG is alpha = 0.45 +/- 0.09, whilst that of the AGN is alpha = 0.96 +/- 0.03. ROSAT X-ray surveys have shown that the fractional surface density of NELGs increases with respect to AGN at faint fluxes (<= 2e-15 ergs cm-2 s-1), thus suggesting that NELGs are important contributors to the residual soft (<2 keV) X-ray background (XRB). Moreover, the spectral slope of this background (alpha~0.4, 1-10 keV) is harder than that of AGN (alpha~1), which are known to contribute most of the XRB at higher flux levels. The work presented in this thesis shows unequivocally for the first time that the integrated spectrum of the faintest NELGs (alpha~0.4) is consistent with that of the soft X-ray background, finally reconciling it with the properties of the sources that are thought to

Spectral properties of x-ray selected narrow emission line galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romero Colmenero, Encarnacion

This thesis reports a study of the X-ray and optical properties of two samples of X-ray selected Narrow Emission Line Galaxies (NELGs), and their comparison with the properties of broad line Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). One sample (18 NELGs) is drawn from the ROSAT International X-ray Optical Survey (RIXOS), the other (19 NELGs and 33 AGN) from the ROSAT UK Deep Survey. ROSAT multi-channel X-ray spectra have been extracted and fitted with power-law, bremsstrahlung and black body models for the brighter RIXOS sources. In most cases, power-law and bremsstrahlung models provide the best results. The average spectral energy index, alpha, of the RIXOS NELGs is 0.96 +/- 0.07, similar to that of AGN (alpha ~ 1). For the fainter RIXOS NELGs, as well as for all the UK Deep Survey sources, counts in three spectral bands have been extracted and fitted with a power-law model, assuming the Galactic value for NH. The brighter RIXOS sources demonstrated that the results obtained by these two different extraction and fitting procedures provide consistent results. Two average X-ray spectra, one for the NELGs and another for the AGN, were created from the UK Deep Survey sources. The power-law spectral slope of the average NELG is S = 0.45 +/- 0.09, whilst that of the AGN is S = 0.96 +/- 0.03. ROSAT X-ray surveys have shown that the fractional surface density of NELGs increases with respect to AGN at faint fluxes (< 2 x 10-15erg cm-2 s -1), thus suggesting that NELGs are important contributors to the residual soft (< 2 keV) X-ray background (XRB). Moreover, the spectral slope of this background (S ~ 0.4, 1-10 keV) is harder than that of AGN (S ~ 1), which are known to contribute most of the XRB at higher flux levels. The work presented in this thesis shows unequivocally for the first time that the integrated spectrum of the faintest NELGs (alpha ~ 0.4) is consistent with that of the soft X-ray background, finally reconciling it with the properties of the sources that are thought to

The early-type strong emission-line supergiants of the Magellanic Clouds - A spectroscopic zoology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shore, S. N.; Sanduleak, N.

1984-01-01

The results of a spectroscopic survey of 21 early-type extreme emission line supergiants of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds using IUE and optical spectra are presented. The combined observations are discussed and the literature on each star in the sample is summarized. The classification procedures and the methods by which effective temperatures, bolometric magnitudes, and reddenings were assigned are discussed. The derived reddening values are given along with some results concerning anomalous reddening among the sample stars. The derived mass, luminosity, and radius for each star are presented, and the ultraviolet emission lines are described. Mass-loss rates are derived and discussed, and the implications of these observations for the evolution of the most massive stars in the Local Group are addressed.

Improved documentation of spectral lines for inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doidge, Peter S.

2018-05-01

An approach to improving the documentation of weak spectral lines falling near the prominent analytical lines used in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) is described. Measurements of ICP emission spectra in the regions around several hundred prominent lines, using concentrated solutions (up to 1% w/v) of some 70 elements, and comparison of the observed spectra with both recent published work and with the output of a computer program that allows calculation of transitions between the known energy levels, show that major improvements can be made in the coverage of spectral atlases for ICP-OES, with respect to "classical" line tables. It is argued that the atomic spectral data (wavelengths, energy levels) required for the reliable identification and documentation of a large majority of the weak interfering lines of the elements detectable by ICP-OES now exist, except for most of the observed lines of the lanthanide elements. In support of this argument, examples are provided from a detailed analysis of a spectral window centered on the prominent Pb II 220.353 nm line, and from a selected line-rich spectrum (W). Shortcomings in existing analyses are illustrated with reference to selected spectral interferences due to Zr. This approach has been used to expand the spectral-line library used in commercial ICP-ES instruments (Agilent 700-ES/5100-ES). The precision of wavelength measurements is evaluated in terms of the shot-noise limit, while the absolute accuracy of wavelength measurement is characterised through comparison with a small set of precise Ritz wavelengths for Sb I, and illustrated through the identification of Zr III lines; it is further shown that fractional-pixel absolute wavelength accuracies can be achieved. Finally, problems with the wavelengths and classifications of certain Au I lines are discussed.

In-line interferometer for broadband near-field scanning optical spectroscopy.

PubMed

Brauer, Jens; Zhan, Jinxin; Chimeh, Abbas; Korte, Anke; Lienau, Christoph; Gross, Petra

2017-06-26

We present and investigate a novel approach towards broad-bandwidth near-field scanning optical spectroscopy based on an in-line interferometer for homodyne mixing of the near field and a reference field. In scattering-type scanning near-field optical spectroscopy, the near-field signal is usually obscured by a large amount of unwanted background scattering from the probe shaft and the sample. Here we increase the light reflected from the sample by a semi-transparent gold layer and use it as a broad-bandwidth, phase-stable reference field to amplify the near-field signal in the visible and near-infrared spectral range. We experimentally demonstrate that this efficiently suppresses the unwanted background signal in monochromatic near-field measurements. For rapid acquisition of complete broad-bandwidth spectra we employ a monochromator and a fast line camera. Using this fast acquisition of spectra and the in-line interferometer we demonstrate the measurement of pure near-field spectra. The experimental observations are quantitatively explained by analytical expressions for the measured optical signals, based on Fourier decomposition of background and near field. The theoretical model and in-line interferometer together form an important step towards broad-bandwidth near-field scanning optical spectroscopy.

Optical emission spectroscopy of carbon laser plasma ion source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balki, Oguzhan; Rahman, Md. Mahmudur; Elsayed-Ali, Hani E.

2018-04-01

Carbon laser plasma generated by an Nd:YAG laser (wavelength 1064 nm, pulse width 7 ns, fluence 4-52 J cm-2) is studied by optical emission spectroscopy and ion time-of-flight. Up to C4+ ions are detected with the ion flux strongly dependent on the laser fluence. The increase in ion charge with the laser fluence is accompanied by observation of multicharged ion lines in the optical spectra. The time-integrated electron temperature Te is calculated from the Boltzmann plot using the C II lines at 392.0, 426.7, and 588.9 nm. Te is found to increase from ∼0.83 eV for a laser fluence of 22 J cm-2 to ∼0.90 eV for 40 J cm-2. The electron density ne is obtained from the Stark broadened profiles of the C II line at 392 nm and is found to increase from ∼ 2 . 1 × 1017cm-3 for 4 J cm-2 to ∼ 3 . 5 × 1017cm-3 for 40 J cm-2. Applying an external electric field parallel to the expanding plume shows no effect on the line emission intensities. Deconvolution of ion time-of-flight signal with a shifted Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution for each charge state results in an ion temperature Ti ∼4.7 and ∼6.0 eV for 20 and 36 J cm-2, respectively.

X-ray Emission Line Spectroscopy of Nearby Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Daniel

What are the origins of the diffuse soft X-ray emission from non-AGN galaxies? Preliminary analysis of XMM-Newton RGS spectra shows that a substantial fraction of the emission cannot arise from optically-thin thermal plasma, as commonly assumed, and may originate in charge exchange at the interface with neutral gas. We request the support for a comprehensive observing, data analysis, and modeling program to spectroscopically determine the origins of the emission. First, we will use our scheduled XMM-Newton AO-10 368 ks observations of the nearest compact elliptical galaxy M32 to obtain the first spectroscopic calibration of the cumulative soft X-ray emission from the old stellar population and will develop a spectral model for the charge exchange, as well as analysis tools to measure the spatial and kinematic properties of the X-ray line- emitting plasma. Second, we will characterize the truly diffuse emission from the hot plasma and/or its interplay with the neutral gas in a sample of galactic spheroids and active star forming/starburst regions in nearby galaxies observed by XMM-Newton. In particular, we will map out the spatial distributions of key emission lines and measure (or tightly constrain) the kinematics of hot plasma outflows for a few X-ray-emitting regions with high-quality RGS data. For galaxies with insufficient counting statistics in individual emission lines, we will conduct a spectral stacking analysis to constrain the average properties of the X-ray-emitting plasma. We will use the results of these X-ray spectroscopic analyses, together with complementary X-ray CCD imaging/spectral data and observations in other wavelength bands, to test the models of the emission. In addition to the charge exchange, alternative scenarios such as resonance scattering and relic AGN photo-ionization will also be examined for suitable regions. These studies are important to the understanding of the relationship between the diffuse soft X-ray emission and various

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Spectra of 7 Hα emission line stars in MBM 18 (Brand+ 2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brand, J.; Wouterloot, J. G. A.; Magnani, L.

2012-10-01

Data in tabular form (wavelength and flux) are presented of the spectra of seven candidate Hα emission line stars in the direction of translucent cloud MBM 18. The data were obtained on 5 different nights in 2009 and 2010 with the 3.58-m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG; La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain). The spectra are shown in the appendix of the paper, only visible in the on line version. The spectra were taken with the low-resolution spectrograph DOLORES on the TNG, using long-slit spectroscopy. We used grism VHR-R, which covers a wavelength range of 6240-7720 Angstrom with a dispersion of 0.80Å/pix. The scale of the CCD detector is 0.252 arcsec/pixel. The observations were carried out with a slit width of 1 or 1.5 arcsec, depending on the seeing, resulting in a spectral resolution of 3.2Å and 4.8Å, respectively. To avoid problems with cosmic rays, 2 to 4 separate spectra per star were obtained. Two of the stars (Ha4 and Ha6) were observed simultaneously with another target (Ha1 and Ha5, respectively) by positioning the slit at an appropriate angle. The integration time was based on the brighter star in the slit, thus the signal-to-noise ratio for the other target is smaller than for the primary one. To allow absolute flux calibration the standard star Feige24 or Feige34 (for Ha5-Ha6) was observed immediately before or after the target observations, using the same instrumental setup as for the target observations. Flat-fielding was performed using 10 (5 for Ha5-Ha6) frames, which were uniformly illuminated by a halogen lamp. Wavelength calibration was performed using an arc-spectrum of an Ar, Ne+Hg, and Kr lamp, or a Ne+Hg (for Ha7) comparison lamp. A bias frame, to be subtracted from the other frames before analysis, was constructed from ten individual bias frames. Flat-, arc-, and bias-frames were obtained on the same day as the science observations and with the same instrumental setup. Data were reduced with the IRAF package. From all science frames a

Resolving the Optical Emission Lines of Lyα Blob "B1" at z = 2.38: Another Hidden Quasar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Overzier, R. A.; Nesvadba, N. P. H.; Dijkstra, M.; Hatch, N. A.; Lehnert, M. D.; Villar-Martín, M.; Wilman, R. J.; Zirm, A. W.

2013-07-01

We have used the SINFONI near-infrared integral field unit on the Very Large Telescope to resolve the optical emission line structure of one of the brightest (L Lyα ≈ 1044 erg s-1) and nearest (z ≈ 2.38) of all Lyα blobs (LABs). The target, known in the literature as object "B1", lies at a redshift where the main optical emission lines are accessible in the observed near-infrared. We detect luminous [O III] λλ4959, 5007 and Hα emission with a spatial extent of at least 32 × 40 kpc (4'' × 5''). The dominant optical emission line component shows relatively broad lines (600-800 km s-1, FWHM) and line ratios consistent with active galactic nucleus (AGN) photoionization. The new evidence for AGN photoionization, combined with previously detected C IV and luminous, warm infrared emission, suggest that B1 is the site of a hidden quasar. This is confirmed by the fact that [O II] is relatively weak compared with [O III] (extinction-corrected [O III]/[O II] of about 3.8), which is indicative of a high, Seyfert-like ionization parameter. From the extinction-corrected [O III] luminosity we infer a bolometric AGN luminosity of ~3 × 1046 erg s-1, and further conclude that the obscured AGN may be Compton-thick given existing X-ray limits. The large line widths observed are consistent with clouds moving within the narrow-line region of a luminous QSO. The AGN scenario is capable of producing sufficient ionizing photons to power the Lyα, even in the presence of dust. By performing a census of similar objects in the literature, we find that virtually all luminous LABs harbor obscured quasars. Based on simple duty-cycle arguments, we conclude that AGNs are the main drivers of the Lyα in LABs rather than the gravitational heating and subsequent cooling suggested by cold stream models. We also conclude that the empirical relation between LABs and overdense environments at high redshift must be due to a more fundamental correlation between AGNs (or massive galaxies) and

Determination of the optical absorption spectra of thin layers from their photoacoustic spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bychto, Leszek; Maliński, Mirosław; Patryn, Aleksy; Tivanov, Mikhail; Gremenok, Valery

2018-05-01

This paper presents a new method for computations of the optical absorption coefficient spectra from the normalized photoacoustic amplitude spectra of thin semiconductor samples deposited on the optically transparent and thermally thick substrates. This method was tested on CuIn(Te0.7Se0.3)2 thin films. From the normalized photoacoustic amplitude spectra, the optical absorption coefficient spectra were computed with the new formula as also with the numerical iterative method. From these spectra, the value of the energy gap of the thin film material and the type of the optical transitions were determined. From the experimental optical transmission spectra, the optical absorption coefficient spectra were computed too, and compared with the optical absorption coefficient spectra obtained from photoacoustic spectra.

New CNO Elemental Abundances in Planetary Nebulae from Spatially Resolved UV/Optical Emission Lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, Richard A.; Kwitter, Karen B.; Henry, Richard B. C.; Dufour, Reginald J.; Balick, Bruce; Corradi, Romano

2015-01-01

We obtained HST/STIS long-slit spectra spanning 0.11 to 1.1 μm of co-spatial regions in 10 Galactic planetary nebulae (Dufour, et al., this conference), of which six present substantial changes in ionization with position. Under the assumption that elemental abundances are constant within these nebulae (but exterior to the wind of the central star), these spectra present a unique opportunity to examine the applicability of common ionization correction factors (ICFs) for deriving abundances. ICFs are the most common direct method in abundance analysis for accounting for unobserved or undetected ionization stages in nebulae, yet most ICF recipes have not been rigorously examined through modeling nor empirically tested through observation. In this preliminary study, we focussed on the astrophysically important abundances of C and N where strong ionic transitions are scarce in optical band, but plentiful in the satellite UV. We derived physical diagnostics (extinction, Te, Ne) and ionic abundances for the species of interest at various positions along the slit for each PN. We compared the elemental abundances derived from direct summation of the ionic abundances in the UV and optical to those derived using only optical emission, but corrected using standard ICFs. We found that the abundances were usually in good agreement, but there were significant exceptions. We also found that setting upper limits on emission from undetected ions was sometimes helpful in constraining the correction factors. Work is underway to construct photoionization models of these nebulae (see Miller, et al., this conference) to address the question of why ICFs are sometimes inaccurate, and to explore other ICF recipes for those cases.Support for Program number GO-12600 was provided by NASA through a grant from the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Incorporated, under NASA contract NAS5-26555.

How fast do quasar emission lines vary? First results from a program to monitor the Balmer lines of the Palomar-Green Quasars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maoz, Dan; Smith, Paul S.; Jannuzi, Buell T.; Kaspi, Shai; Netzer, Hagai

1994-01-01

We have monitored spectrophotometrically a subsample (28) of the Palomar-Green Bright Quasar Sample for 2 years in order to test for correlations between continuum and emission-line variations and to determine the timescales relevant to mapping the broad-line regions of high-luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Half of the quasars showed optical continuum variations with amplitudes in the range 20-75%. The rise and fall time for the continuum variations is typically 0.5-2 years. In most of the objects with continuum variations, we detect correlated variations in the broad H-alpha and H-beta emission lines. The amplitude of the line variations is usually 2-4 times smaller than the optical continuum fluctuations. We present light curves and analyze spectra for six of the variable quasars with 1000-10,000 A luminosity in the range 0.3-4 x 10(exp 45) ergs/s. In four of these objects the lines respond to the continuum variations with a lag that is smaller than or comparable to our typical sampling interval (a few months). Although continued monitoring is required to confirm these results and increase their accuracy, the present evidence indicates that quasars with the above luminosities have broad-line regions smaller than about 1 1t-yr. Two of the quasars monitored show no detectable line variations despite relatively large-amplitude continuum changes. This could be a stronger manifestation of the low-amplitude line-response phenomenon we observe in the other quasars.

Accretion Rates for T Tauri Stars Using Nearly Simultaneous Ultraviolet and Optical Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingleby, Laura; Calvet, Nuria; Herczeg, Gregory; Blaty, Alex; Walter, Frederick; Ardila, David; Alexander, Richard; Edwards, Suzan; Espaillat, Catherine; Gregory, Scott G.; Hillenbrand, Lynne; Brown, Alexander

2013-04-01

We analyze the accretion properties of 21 low-mass T Tauri stars using a data set of contemporaneous near-UV (NUV) through optical observations obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph and the ground-based Small and Medium Aperture Research Telescope System, a unique data set because of the nearly simultaneous broad wavelength coverage. Our data set includes accreting T Tauri stars in Taurus, Chamaeleon I, η Chamaeleon, and the TW Hydra Association. For each source we calculate the accretion rate (\\dot{M}) by fitting the NUV and optical excesses above the photosphere, produced in the accretion shock, introducing multiple accretion components characterized by a range in energy flux (or density) for the first time. This treatment is motivated by models of the magnetospheric geometry and accretion footprints, which predict that high-density, low filling factor accretion spots coexist with low-density, high filling factor spots. By fitting the UV and optical spectra with multiple accretion components, we can explain excesses which have been observed in the near-IR. Comparing our estimates of \\dot{M} to previous estimates, we find some discrepancies; however, they may be accounted for when considering assumptions for the amount of extinction and variability in optical spectra. Therefore, we confirm many previous estimates of the accretion rate. Finally, we measure emission line luminosities from the same spectra used for the \\dot{M} estimates, to produce correlations between accretion indicators (Hβ, Ca II K, C II], and Mg II) and accretion properties obtained simultaneously.

Synthetic nebular emission from massive galaxies - I: origin of the cosmic evolution of optical emission-line ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirschmann, Michaela; Charlot, Stephane; Feltre, Anna; Naab, Thorsten; Choi, Ena; Ostriker, Jeremiah P.; Somerville, Rachel S.

2017-12-01

Galaxies occupy different regions of the [O III]λ5007/H β-versus-[N II]λ6584/H α emission-line ratio diagram in the distant and local Universe. We investigate the origin of this intriguing result by modelling self-consistently, for the first time, nebular emission from young stars, accreting black holes (BHs) and older, post-asymptotic giant branch (post-AGB) stellar populations in galaxy formation simulations in a full cosmological context. In post-processing, we couple new-generation nebular-emission models with high-resolution, cosmological zoom-in simulations of massive galaxies to explore which galaxy physical properties drive the redshift evolution of the optical-line ratios [O III]λ5007/H β, [N II]λ6584/H α, [S II]λλ6717, 6731/H α and [O I]λ6300/H α. The line ratios of simulated galaxies agree well with observations of both star-forming and active local Sloan Digital Sky Survey galaxies. Towards higher redshifts, at fixed galaxy stellar mass, the average [O III]/H β is predicted to increase and [N II]/H α, [S II]/H α and [O I]/H α to decrease - widely consistent with observations. At fixed stellar mass, we identify star formation history, which controls nebular emission from young stars via the ionization parameter, as the primary driver of the cosmic evolution of [O III]/H β and [N II]/H α. For [S II]/H α and [O I]/H α, this applies only to redshifts greater than z = 1.5, the evolution at lower redshift being driven in roughly equal parts by nebular emission from active galactic nuclei and post-AGB stellar populations. Instead, changes in the hardness of ionizing radiation, ionized-gas density, the prevalence of BH accretion relative to star formation and the dust-to-metal mass ratio (whose impact on the gas-phase N/O ratio we model at fixed O/H) play at most a minor role in the cosmic evolution of simulated galaxy line ratios.

Measurement and Analysis of Atomic Hydrogen and Diatomic Molecular AlO, C2, CN, and TiO Spectra Following Laser-induced Optical Breakdown

PubMed Central

Parigger, Christian G.; Woods, Alexander C.; Witte, Michael J.; Swafford, Lauren D.; Surmick, David M.

2014-01-01

In this work, we present time-resolved measurements of atomic and diatomic spectra following laser-induced optical breakdown. A typical LIBS arrangement is used. Here we operate a Nd:YAG laser at a frequency of 10 Hz at the fundamental wavelength of 1,064 nm. The 14 nsec pulses with anenergy of 190 mJ/pulse are focused to a 50 µm spot size to generate a plasma from optical breakdown or laser ablation in air. The microplasma is imaged onto the entrance slit of a 0.6 m spectrometer, and spectra are recorded using an 1,800 grooves/mm grating an intensified linear diode array and optical multichannel analyzer (OMA) or an ICCD. Of interest are Stark-broadened atomic lines of the hydrogen Balmer series to infer electron density. We also elaborate on temperature measurements from diatomic emission spectra of aluminum monoxide (AlO), carbon (C2), cyanogen (CN), and titanium monoxide (TiO). The experimental procedures include wavelength and sensitivity calibrations. Analysis of the recorded molecular spectra is accomplished by the fitting of data with tabulated line strengths. Furthermore, Monte-Carlo type simulations are performed to estimate the error margins. Time-resolved measurements are essential for the transient plasma commonly encountered in LIBS. PMID:24561875

Measurement and analysis of atomic hydrogen and diatomic molecular AlO, C2, CN, and TiO spectra following laser-induced optical breakdown.

PubMed

Parigger, Christian G; Woods, Alexander C; Witte, Michael J; Swafford, Lauren D; Surmick, David M

2014-02-14

In this work, we present time-resolved measurements of atomic and diatomic spectra following laser-induced optical breakdown. A typical LIBS arrangement is used. Here we operate a Nd:YAG laser at a frequency of 10 Hz at the fundamental wavelength of 1,064 nm. The 14 nsec pulses with anenergy of 190 mJ/pulse are focused to a 50 µm spot size to generate a plasma from optical breakdown or laser ablation in air. The microplasma is imaged onto the entrance slit of a 0.6 m spectrometer, and spectra are recorded using an 1,800 grooves/mm grating an intensified linear diode array and optical multichannel analyzer (OMA) or an ICCD. Of interest are Stark-broadened atomic lines of the hydrogen Balmer series to infer electron density. We also elaborate on temperature measurements from diatomic emission spectra of aluminum monoxide (AlO), carbon (C2), cyanogen (CN), and titanium monoxide (TiO). The experimental procedures include wavelength and sensitivity calibrations. Analysis of the recorded molecular spectra is accomplished by the fitting of data with tabulated line strengths. Furthermore, Monte-Carlo type simulations are performed to estimate the error margins. Time-resolved measurements are essential for the transient plasma commonly encountered in LIBS.

Analysis of optical spectra of V1357 Cyg≡Cyg X-1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimanskii, V. V.; Karitskaya, E. A.; Bochkarev, N. G.; Galazutdinov, G. A.; Lyuty, V. M.; Shimanskaya, N. N.

2012-10-01

Optical spectra and light curves of the massive X-ray binary V1357 Cyg are analyzed. The calculations were based on models of irradiated plane-parallel stellar atmospheres, taking into account reflection of the X-ray radiation, asphericity of the stellar surface, and deviations from LTE for several ions. Comparison of observed spectra obtained in 2004-2005 at the Bohyunsan Observatory (South Korea) revealed variations of the depths of HI lines by up to 18% and of HeI and heavy elements lines by up to 10%. These variations are not related to the orbital motion of the star, and are probably due to variations of the stellar wind intensity. Perturbations of the thermal structure of the atmosphere due to irradiation in various states of Cyg X-1 (including outburst) do not lead to the formation of a hot photosphere with an electron temperature exceeding the effective temperature. As a result, variations of the profiles of optical lines of HI, HeI, and heavy elements due to the orbital motion of the star and variations of the irradiating X-ray flux do not exceed 1% of the residual intensities. Allowing for deviations from LTE enhances the HI and HeI lines by factors of two to three and the MgII lines by a factor of nine, and is therefore required for a fully adequate analysis of the observational data. Analysis of the HI, HeI, and HeII lines profiles yielded the following set of parameters for theOstar at the observing epoch: T eff = 30 500±500 K, log g = 3.31 ±0.05, [He/H] = 0.42 ± 0.05. The observed HeI line profiles have emission components that are formed in the stellar wind and increase with the line intensity. The abundances of 11 elements in the atmospheres of V1357 Cyg and α Cam, which has a similar spectral type and luminosity class, are derived. The chemical composition of V1357 Cyg is characterized by a strong excess of helium, nitrogen, neon, and silicon, which is related to the binarity of the system.

THE DUST SUBLIMATION RADIUS AS AN OUTER ENVELOPE TO THE BULK OF THE NARROW Fe Kα LINE EMISSION IN TYPE 1 AGNs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gandhi, Poshak; Hönig, Sebastian F.; Kishimoto, Makoto

2015-10-20

The Fe Kα emission line is the most ubiquitous feature in the X-ray spectra of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), but the origin of its narrow core remains uncertain. Here, we investigate the connection between the sizes of the Fe Kα core emission regions and the measured sizes of the dusty tori in 13 local Type 1 AGNs. The observed Fe Kα emission radii (R{sub Fe}) are determined from spectrally resolved line widths in X-ray grating spectra, and the dust sublimation radii (R{sub dust}) are measured either from optical/near-infrared (NIR) reverberation time lags or from resolved NIR interferometric data. This directmore » comparison shows, on an object-by-object basis, that the dust sublimation radius forms an outer envelope to the bulk of the Fe Kα emission. R{sub Fe} matches R{sub dust} well in the AGNs, with the best constrained line widths currently. In a significant fraction of objects without a clear narrow line core, R{sub Fe} is similar to, or smaller than, the radius of the optical broad line region. These facts place important constraints on the torus geometries for our sample. Extended tori in which the solid angle of fluorescing gas peaks at well beyond the dust sublimation radius can be ruled out. We also test for luminosity scalings of R{sub Fe}, finding that the Eddington ratio is not a prime driver in determining the line location in our sample. We also discuss in detail potential caveats of data analysis and instrumental limitations, simplistic line modeling, uncertain black hole masses, and sample selection, showing that none of these is likely to bias our core result. The calorimeter on board Astro-H will soon vastly increase the parameter space over which line measurements can be made, overcoming many of these limitations.« less

HST WFC3 Early Release Science: Emission-Line Galaxies from IR Grism Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Straughn, A. N.; Kuntschner, H.; Kuemmel, M.; Walsh, J. R.; Cohen, S. H.; Gardner, J. P.; Windhorst, R. A.; O'Connell, R. W.; Pirzkal, N.; Meurer, G.;

Double-Resonance Facilitated Decomposion of Emission Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, Ryota; Ishikawa, Haruki

2016-06-01

Emission spectra provide us with rich information about the excited-state processes such as proton-transfer, charge-transfer and so on. In the cases that more than one excited states are involved, emission spectra from different excited states sometimes overlap and a decomposition of the overlapped spectra is desired. One of the methods to perform a decomposition is a time-resolved fluorescence technique. It uses a difference in time evolutions of components involved. However, in the gas-phase, a concentration of the sample is frequently too small to carry out this method. On the other hand, double-resonance technique is a very powerful tool to discriminate or identify a common species in the spectra in the gas-phase. Thus, in the present study, we applied the double-resonance technique to resolve the overlapped emission spectra. When transient IR absorption spectra of the excited state are available, we can label the population of the certain species by the IR excitation with a proper selection of the IR wavenumbers. Thus, we can obtain the emission spectra of labeled species by subtracting the emission spectra with IR labeling from that without IR. In the present study, we chose the charge-transfer emission spectra of cyanophenyldisilane (CPDS) as a test system. One of us reported that two charge-transfer (CT) states are involved in the intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) process of CPDS-water cluster and recorded the transient IR spectra. As expected, we have succeeded in resolving the CT emission spectra of CPDS-water cluster by the double resonance facilitated decomposion technique. In the present paper, we will report the details of the experimental scheme and the results of the decomposition of the emission spectra. H. Ishikawa, et al., Chem. Phys. Phys. Chem., 9, 117 (2007).

Observation of soft X-ray spectra from a Seyfert 1 and a narrow emission-line galaxy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, K. P.; Garmire, G. P.; Nousek, J.

1985-01-01

The 0.2-40 keV X-ray spectra of the Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 509 and the narrow emission-line galaxy NGC 2992 are analyzed. The results suggest the presence of a steep soft X-ray component in Mrk 509 in addition to the well-known Gamma = 1.7 component found in other active galactic nuclei in the 2-40 keV energy range. The soft X-ray component is interpreted as due to thermal emission from a hot gas, probably associated with the highly ionized gas observed to be outflowing from the galaxy. The X-ray spectrum of NGC 2992 does not show any steepening in the soft X-ray band and is consistent with a single power law (Gamma = 1.78) with very low absorbing column density of 4 x 10 to the 21st/sq cm. A model with partial covering of the nuclear X-ray source is preferred, however, to a simple model with a single power law and absorption.

Characterization of pulsed metallic hydride vacuum arc discharge plasmas by optical emission spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Jian; Deng, Chunfeng; Wu, Chunlei; Lu, Biao; Hu, Yonghong

2017-12-01

The characteristics of plasmas in a titanium hydride vacuum arc ion source were experimentally investigated by a temporally- and spatially-integrated optical emission spectroscopy method. A plasma emission spectral fitting model was developed to calculate the plasmas temperature and relative density of each particle component, assuming plasmas were in local thermodynamic equilibrium state and optical thin in this study. The good agreement was founded between the predicted and measured spectra in the interesting regions of 330-340 nm and 498-503 nm for Ti+ ion and Ti atom respectively, while varying the plasma temperature and density. Compared with conventional Boltzmann plot method, this method, therefore, made a significant improvement on the plasma diagnosis in dealing with the spectral profile with many lines overlapped. At the same time, to understand the mechanism of the occluded-gas vacuum arc discharge plasmas, the plasmas emission spectra, ion relative density, and temperature with different discharge conditions were studied. The results indicated that the rate of Ti metal evaporation and H desorption from the electrode would be enhanced with arc current, and the ionization temperature increased with the feed-in power of arc discharge, leading more H+ and Ti+ ions, but reducing the H+ proportion in arc discharged plasmas.

A rapid excitation-emission matrix fluorometer utilizing supercontinuum white light and acousto-optic tunable filters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Wenbo; Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, University of British Columbia, 835 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4E8; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, KAIS 5500, 2332 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4

Scanning speed and coupling efficiency of excitation light to optic fibres are two major technical challenges that limit the potential of fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) spectrometer for on-line applications and in vivo studies. In this paper, a novel EEM system, utilizing a supercontinuum white light source and acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTFs), was introduced and evaluated. The supercontinuum white light, generated by pumping a nonlinear photonic crystal fiber with an 800 nm femtosecond laser, was efficiently coupled into a bifurcated optic fiber bundle. High speed EEM spectral scanning was achieved using AOTFs both for selecting excitation wavelength and scanning emission spectra.more » Using calibration lamps (neon and mercury argon), wavelength deviations were determined to vary from 0.18 nm to −0.70 nm within the spectral range of 500–850 nm. Spectral bandwidth for filtered excitation light broadened by twofold compared to that measured with monochromatic light between 650 nm and 750 nm. The EEM spectra for methanol solutions of laser dyes were successfully acquired with this rapid fluorometer using an integration time of 5 s.« less

Significant contribution of the Cerenkov line-like radiation to the broad emission lines of quasars

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, D. B.; You, J. H.; Chen, W. P.

2014-01-01

The Cerenkov line-like radiation in a dense gas (N {sub H} > 10{sup 13} cm{sup –3}) is potentially important in the exploration of the optical broad emission lines of quasars and Seyfert 1 galaxies. With this quasi-line emission mechanism, some long standing puzzles in the study of quasars could be resolved. In this paper, we calculate the power of the Cerenkov line-like radiation in dense gas and compare with the powers of other radiation mechanisms by a fast electron to confirm its importance. From the observed gamma-ray luminosity of 3C 279, we show that the total number of fast electronsmore » is sufficiently high to allow effective operation of the quasi-line emission. We present a model calculation for the luminosity of the Cerenkov Lyα line of 3C 279, which is high enough to compare with observations. We therefore conclude that the broad line of quasars may be a blend of the Cerenkov emission line with the real line produced by the bound-bound transition. A new approach to the absorption of the Cerenkov line is presented with the method of escape probability, which markedly simplifies the computation in the optically thick case. The revised set of formulae for the Cerenkov line-like radiation is more convenient in applications.« less

CONSTRAINING THE MILKY WAY'S HOT GAS HALO WITH O VII AND O VIII EMISSION LINES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, Matthew J.; Bregman, Joel N., E-mail: mjmil@umich.edu, E-mail: jbregman@umich.edu

2015-02-10

The Milky Way hosts a hot (≈2 × 10{sup 6} K), diffuse, gaseous halo based on detections of z = 0 O VII and O VIII absorption lines in quasar spectra and emission lines in blank-sky spectra. Here we improve constraints on the structure of the hot gas halo by fitting a radial model to a much larger sample of O VII and O VIII emission line measurements from XMM-Newton/EPIC-MOS spectra compared to previous studies (≈650 sightlines). We assume a modified β-model for the halo density distribution and a constant-density Local Bubble from which we calculate emission to compare withmore » the observations. We find an acceptable fit to the O VIII emission line observations with χ{sub red}{sup 2} (dof) = 1.08 (644) for best-fit parameters of n{sub o}r{sub c}{sup 3β}=1.35±0.24 cm{sup –3} kpc{sup 3β} and β = 0.50 ± 0.03 for the hot gas halo and negligible Local Bubble contribution. The O VII observations yield an unacceptable χ{sub red}{sup 2} (dof) = 4.69 (645) for similar best-fit parameters, which is likely due to temperature or density variations in the Local Bubble. The O VIII fitting results imply hot gas masses of M(<50 kpc) = 3.8{sub −0.3}{sup +0.3}×10{sup 9} M{sub ⊙} and M(<250 kpc) = 4.3{sub −0.8}{sup +0.9}×10{sup 10} M{sub ⊙}, accounting for ≲50% of the Milky Way's missing baryons. We also explore our results in the context of optical depth effects in the halo gas, the halo gas cooling properties, temperature and entropy gradients in the halo gas, and the gas metallicity distribution. The combination of absorption and emission line analyses implies a sub-solar gas metallicity that decreases with radius, but that also must be ≥0.3 Z {sub ☉} to be consistent with the pulsar dispersion measure toward the Large Magellanic Cloud.« less

SDSS J163459.82+204936.0: A Ringed Infrared-luminous Quasar with Outflows in Both Absorption and Emission Lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wen-Juan; Zhou, Hong-Yan; Jiang, Ning; Wu, Xufen; Lyu, Jianwei; Shi, Xiheng; Shu, Xinwen; Jiang, Peng; Ji, Tuo; Wang, Jian-Guo; Wang, Shu-Fen; Sun, Luming

2016-05-01

SDSS J163459.82+204936.0 is a local (z = 0.1293) infrared-luminous quasar with L IR = 1011.91 {L}⊙ . We present a detailed multiwavelength study of both the host galaxy and the nucleus. The host galaxy, appearing as an early-type galaxy in the optical images and spectra, demonstrates violent, obscured star formation activities with SFR ≈ 140 {M}⊙ yr-1, estimated from either the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission or IR luminosity. The optical to NIR spectra exhibit a blueshifted narrow cuspy component in Hβ, He I λλ5876, 10830, and other emission lines consistently with an offset velocity of ≈900 {km} {{{s}}}-1, as well as additional blueshifting phenomena in high-ionization lines (e.g., a blueshifted broad component of He I λ10830 and the bulk blueshifting of [O III]λ5007), while there exist blueshifted broad absorption lines (BALs) in Na I D and He I λλ3889, 10830, indicative of the active galactic nucleus outflows producing BALs and emission lines. Constrained mutually by the several BALs in the photoionization simulations with Cloudy, the physical properties of the absorption line outflow are derived as follows: density 104 < n H ≲ 105 cm-3, ionization parameter 10-1.3 ≲ U ≲ 10-0.7 , and column density 1022.5 ≲ N H ≲ 1022.9 cm-2, which are similar to those derived for the emission line outflows. This similarity suggests a common origin. Taking advantages of both the absorption lines and outflowing emission lines, we find that the outflow gas is located at a distance of ˜48-65 pc from the nucleus and that the kinetic luminosity of the outflow is 1044-1046 {erg} {{{s}}}-1. J1634+2049 has a off-centered galactic ring on the scale of ˜30 kpc that is proved to be formed by a recent head-on collision by a nearby galaxy for which we spectroscopically measure the redshift. Thus, this quasar is a valuable object in the transitional phase emerging out of dust enshrouding as depicted by the co-evolution scenario invoking galaxy merger (or

Mid-IR Properties of an Unbiased AGN Sample of the Local Universe. 1; Emission-Line Diagnostics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weaver, K. A.; Melendez, M.; Muhotzky, R. F.; Kraemer, S.; Engle, K.; Malumuth. E.; Tueller, J.; Markwardt, C.; Berghea, C. T.; Dudik, R. P.;

Detection of Broad Hα Emission Lines in the Late-Time Spectra of a Hydrogen-Poor Superluminous Supernova

DOE PAGES

Yan, Lin; Quimby, R.; Ofek, E.; ...

2015-11-23

iPTF13ehe is a hydrogen-poor superluminous supernova (SLSN) at z = 0.3434, with a slow-evolving light curve and spectral features similar to SN2007bi. It rises in 83–148 days to reach a peak bolometric luminosity of ~1.3 × 10 44 erg s -1, then decays slowly at 0.015 mag day -1. The measured ejecta velocity is ~ 13,000 km s -1. The inferred explosion characteristics, such as the ejecta mass (70–220 M ⊙), and the total radiative and kinetic energy (E rad ~ 10 51 erg, E kin ~ 2 × 10 53 erg), are typical of slow-evolving H-poor SLSN events. However,more » the late-time spectrum taken at +251 days (rest, post-peak) reveals a Balmer Hα emission feature with broad and narrow components, which has never been detected before among other H-poor SLSNe. The broad component has a velocity width of ~4500 km s -1 and a ~300 km s -1 blueward shift relative to the narrow component. In this paper, we interpret this broad Hα emission with a luminosity of ~2 × 10 41 erg s -1 as resulting from the interaction between the supernova ejecta and a discrete H-rich shell, located at a distance of ~4 × 10 16 cm from the explosion site. This interaction causes the rest-frame r-band LC to brighten at late times. The fact that the late-time spectra are not completely absorbed by the shock-ionized H-shell implies that its Thomson scattering optical depth is likely ≤1, thus setting upper limits on the shell mass ≤30 M ⊙. Of the existing models, a Pulsational Pair Instability supernova model can naturally explain the observed 30 M ⊙ H-shell, ejected from a progenitor star with an initial mass of (95–150) M ⊙ about 40 years ago. Finally, we estimate that at least ~15% of all SLSNe-I may have late-time Balmer emission lines.« less

Detection of Broad Hα Emission Lines in the Late-time Spectra of a Hydrogen-poor Superluminous Supernova

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Lin; Quimby, R.; Ofek, E.; Gal-Yam, A.; Mazzali, P.; Perley, D.; Vreeswijk, P. M.; Leloudas, G.; De Cia, A.; Masci, F.; Cenko, S. B.; Cao, Y.; Kulkarni, S. R.; Nugent, P. E.; Rebbapragada, Umaa D.; Woźniak, P. R.; Yaron, O.

2015-12-01

iPTF13ehe is a hydrogen-poor superluminous supernova (SLSN) at z = 0.3434, with a slow-evolving light curve and spectral features similar to SN2007bi. It rises in 83-148 days to reach a peak bolometric luminosity of ˜1.3 × 1044 erg s-1, then decays slowly at 0.015 mag day-1. The measured ejecta velocity is ˜ 13,000 km s-1. The inferred explosion characteristics, such as the ejecta mass (70-220 M⊙), and the total radiative and kinetic energy (Erad ˜ 1051 erg, Ekin ˜ 2 × 1053 erg), are typical of slow-evolving H-poor SLSN events. However, the late-time spectrum taken at +251 days (rest, post-peak) reveals a Balmer Hα emission feature with broad and narrow components, which has never been detected before among other H-poor SLSNe. The broad component has a velocity width of ˜4500 km s-1 and a ˜300 km s-1 blueward shift relative to the narrow component. We interpret this broad Hα emission with a luminosity of ˜2 × 1041 erg s-1 as resulting from the interaction between the supernova ejecta and a discrete H-rich shell, located at a distance of ˜4 × 1016 cm from the explosion site. This interaction causes the rest-frame r-band LC to brighten at late times. The fact that the late-time spectra are not completely absorbed by the shock-ionized H-shell implies that its Thomson scattering optical depth is likely ≤1, thus setting upper limits on the shell mass ≤30 M⊙. Of the existing models, a Pulsational Pair Instability supernova model can naturally explain the observed 30 M⊙ H-shell, ejected from a progenitor star with an initial mass of (95-150) M⊙ about 40 years ago. We estimate that at least ˜15% of all SLSNe-I may have late-time Balmer emission lines.

Rest-Frame Optical Spectra of Three Strongly Lensed Galaxies at z ~ 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hainline, Kevin N.; Shapley, Alice E.; Kornei, Katherine A.; Pettini, Max; Buckley-Geer, Elizabeth; Allam, Sahar S.; Tucker, Douglas L.

2009-08-01

We present Keck II NIRSPEC rest-frame optical spectra for three recently discovered lensed galaxies: the Cosmic Horseshoe (z = 2.38), the Clone (z = 2.00), and SDSS J090122.37+181432.3 (z = 2.26). The boost in signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) from gravitational lensing provides an unusually detailed view of the physical conditions in these objects. A full complement of high S/N rest-frame optical emission lines is measured, spanning from rest frame 3600 to 6800 Å, including robust detections of fainter lines such as Hγ, [S II]λ6717,6732, and in one instance [Ne III]λ3869. SDSS J090122.37+181432.3 shows evidence for active galactic nucleus activity, and therefore we focus our analysis on star-forming regions in the Cosmic Horseshoe and the Clone. For these two objects, we estimate a wide range of physical properties. Current lensing models for the Cosmic Horseshoe and the Clone allow us to correct the measured Hα luminosity and calculated star formation rate. Metallicities have been estimated with a variety of indicators, which span a range of values of 12+ log(O/H) = 8.3-8.8, between ~0.4 and ~1.5 of the solar oxygen abundance. Dynamical masses were computed from the Hα velocity dispersions and measured half-light radii of the reconstructed sources. A comparison of the Balmer lines enabled measurement of dust reddening coefficients. Variations in the line ratios between the different lensed images are also observed, indicating that the spectra are probing different regions of the lensed galaxies. In all respects, the lensed objects appear fairly typical of ultraviolet-selected star-forming galaxies at z ~ 2. The Clone occupies a position on the emission-line diagnostic diagram of [O III]/Hβ versus [N II]/Hα that is offset from the locations of z ~ 0 galaxies. Our new NIRSPEC measurements may provide quantitative insights into why high-redshift objects display such properties. From the [S II] line ratio, high electron densities (~1000 cm-3) are inferred compared

New Fe i Level Energies and Line Identifications from Stellar Spectra. II. Initial Results from New Ultraviolet Spectra of Metal-poor Stars

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peterson, Ruth C.; Kurucz, Robert L.; Ayres, Thomas R., E-mail: peterson@ucolick.org

2017-04-01

The Fe i spectrum is critical to many areas of astrophysics, yet many of the high-lying levels remain uncharacterized. To remedy this deficiency, Peterson and Kurucz identified Fe i lines in archival ultraviolet and optical spectra of metal-poor stars, whose warm temperatures favor moderate Fe i excitation. Sixty-five new levels were recovered, with 1500 detectable lines, including several bound levels in the ionization continuum of Fe i. Here, we extend the previous work by identifying 59 additional levels, with 1400 detectable lines, by incorporating new high-resolution UV spectra of warm metal-poor stars recently obtained by the Hubble Space Telescope Imagingmore » Spectrograph. We provide gf values for these transitions, both computed as well as adjusted to fit the stellar spectra. We also expand our spectral calculations to the infrared, confirming three levels by matching high-quality spectra of the Sun and two cool stars in the H -band. The predicted gf values suggest that an additional 3700 Fe i lines should be detectable in existing solar infrared spectra. Extending the empirical line identification work to the infrared would help confirm additional Fe i levels, as would new high-resolution UV spectra of metal-poor turnoff stars below 1900 Å.« less

New Fe I Level Energies and Line Identifications from Stellar Spectra. II. Initial Results from New Ultraviolet Spectra of Metal-poor Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, Ruth C.; Kurucz, Robert L.; Ayres, Thomas R.

2017-04-01

The Fe I spectrum is critical to many areas of astrophysics, yet many of the high-lying levels remain uncharacterized. To remedy this deficiency, Peterson & Kurucz identified Fe I lines in archival ultraviolet and optical spectra of metal-poor stars, whose warm temperatures favor moderate Fe I excitation. Sixty-five new levels were recovered, with 1500 detectable lines, including several bound levels in the ionization continuum of Fe I. Here, we extend the previous work by identifying 59 additional levels, with 1400 detectable lines, by incorporating new high-resolution UV spectra of warm metal-poor stars recently obtained by the Hubble Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. We provide gf values for these transitions, both computed as well as adjusted to fit the stellar spectra. We also expand our spectral calculations to the infrared, confirming three levels by matching high-quality spectra of the Sun and two cool stars in the H-band. The predicted gf values suggest that an additional 3700 Fe I lines should be detectable in existing solar infrared spectra. Extending the empirical line identification work to the infrared would help confirm additional Fe I levels, as would new high-resolution UV spectra of metal-poor turnoff stars below 1900 Å.

The VIRUS Emission Line Detection Recipe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gössl, C. A.; Hopp, U.; Köhler, R.; Grupp, F.; Relke, H.; Drory, N.; Gebhardt, K.; Hill, G.; MacQueen, P.

2007-10-01

HETDEX, the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment, will measure the imprint of the baryonic acoustic oscillations on the galaxy population at redshifts of 1.8 < z < 3.7 to constrain the nature of dark energy. The survey will be performed over at least 200 deg^2. The tracer population for this blind search will be Ly-α emitting galaxies through their most prominent emission line. The data reduction pipeline will extract these emission line objects from ˜35,000 spectra per exposure (5 million per night, i.e. 500 million in total) while performing astrometric, photometric, and wavelength calibration fully automatically. Here we will present our ideas how to find and classify objects even at low signal-to-noise ratios.

Infrared coronal emission lines and the possibility of their maser emission in Seyfert nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenhouse, Matthew A.; Feldman, Uri; Smith, Howard A.; Klapisch, Marcel; Bhatia, Anand K.; Bar-Shalom, Abi

1993-01-01

Energetic emitting regions have traditionally been studied via x-ray, UV and optical emission lines of highly ionized intermediate mass elements. Such lines are often referred to as 'coronal lines' since the ions, when produced by collisional ionization, reach maximum abundance at electron temperatures of approx. 10(exp 5) - 10(exp 6) K typical of the sun's upper atmosphere. However, optical and UV coronal lines are also observed in a wide variety of Galactic and extragalactic sources including the Galactic interstellar medium, nova shells, supernova remnants, galaxies and QSOs. Infrared coronal lines are providing a new window for observation of energetic emitting regions in heavily dust obscured sources such as infrared bright merging galaxies and Seyfert nuclei and new opportunities for model constraints on physical conditions in these sources. Unlike their UV and optical counterparts, infrared coronal lines can be primary coolants of collisionally ionized plasmas with 10(exp 4) less than T(sub e)(K) less than 10(exp 6) which produce little or no optical or shorter wavelength coronal line emission. In addition, they provide a means to probe heavily dust obscured emitting regions which are often inaccessible to optical or UV line studies. In this poster, we provide results from new model calculations to support upcoming Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) and current ground-based observing programs involving infrared coronal emission lines in AGN. We present a complete list of infrared (lambda greater than 1 micron) lines due to transitions within the ground configurations 2s(2)2p(k) and 3s(2)3p(k) (k = 1 to 5) or the first excited configurations 2s2p and 3s3p of highly ionized (x greater than or equal to 100 eV) astrophysically abundant (n(X)/n(H) greater than or equal to 10(exp -6)) elements. Included are approximately 74 lines in ions of O, Ne, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ar, Ca, Fe, and Ni spanning a wavelength range of approximately 1 - 280 microns. We present new

The Ly(alpha) Line Profiles of Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies: Fast Winds and Lyman Continuum Leakage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, Crystal L.; Dijkstra, Mark; Henry, Alaina L.; Soto, Kurt T.; Danforth, Charles W.; Wong, Joseph

2015-01-01

We present new Hubble Space Telescope Cosmic Origins Spectrograph far-ultraviolet (far-UV) spectroscopy and Keck Echellete optical spectroscopy of 11 ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs), a rare population of local galaxies experiencing massive gas inflows, extreme starbursts, and prominent outflows. We detect Ly(alpha) emission from eight ULIRGs and the companion to IRAS09583+4714. In contrast to the P Cygni profiles often seen in galaxy spectra, the Ly(alpha) profiles exhibit prominent, blueshifted emission out to Doppler shifts exceeding -1000 km/s in three H II-dominated and two AGN-dominated ULIRGs. To better understand the role of resonance scattering in shaping the Ly(alpha) line profiles, we directly compare them to non-resonant emission lines in optical spectra. We find that the line wings are already present in the intrinsic nebular spectra, and scattering merely enhances the wings relative to the line core. The Ly(alpha) attenuation (as measured in the COS aperture) ranges from that of the far-UV continuum to over 100 times more. A simple radiative transfer model suggests the Ly(alpha) photons escape through cavities which have low column densities of neutral hydrogen and become optically thin to the Lyman continuum in the most advanced mergers. We show that the properties of the highly blueshifted line wings on the Ly(alpha) and optical emission-line profiles are consistent with emission from clumps of gas condensing out of a fast, hot wind. The luminosity of the Ly(alpha) emission increases nonlinearly with the ULIRG bolometric luminosity and represents about 0.1-1% of the radiative cooling from the hot winds in the H II-dominated ULIRGs.

Soil emissivity and reflectance spectra measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sobrino, Jose A.; Mattar, Cristian; Pardo, Pablo

We present an analysis of the laboratory reflectance and emissivity spectra of 11 soil samples collected on different field campaigns carried out over a diverse suite of test sites in Europe, North Africa, and South America from 2002 to 2008. Hemispherical reflectance spectra were measured from 2.0 to 14 {mu}m with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, and x-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) was used to determine the mineralogical phases of the soil samples. Emissivity spectra were obtained from the hemispherical reflectance measurements using Kirchhoff's law and compared with in situ radiance measurements obtained with a CIMEL Electronique CE312-2 thermal radiometer andmore » converted to emissivity using the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) temperature and emissivity separation algorithm. The CIMEL has five narrow bands at approximately the same positions as the ASTER. Results show a root mean square error typically below 0.015 between laboratory emissivity measurements and emissivity measurements derived from the field radiometer.« less

Measurement of two-photon-absorption spectra through nonlinear fluorescence produced by a line-shaped excitation beam.

PubMed

Hasani, E; Parravicini, J; Tartara, L; Tomaselli, A; Tomassini, D

2018-05-01

We propose an innovative experimental approach to estimate the two-photon absorption (TPA) spectrum of a fluorescent material. Our method develops the standard indirect fluorescence-based method for the TPA measurement by employing a line-shaped excitation beam, generating a line-shaped fluorescence emission. Such a configuration, which requires a relatively high amount of optical power, permits to have a greatly increased fluorescence signal, thus avoiding the photon counterdetection devices usually used in these measurements, and allowing to employ detectors such as charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras. The method is finally tested on a fluorescent isothiocyanate sample, whose TPA spectrum, which is measured with the proposed technique, is compared with the TPA spectra reported in the literature, confirming the validity of our experimental approach. © 2018 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2018 Royal Microscopical Society.

Study of atomic and molecular emission spectra of Sr by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).

PubMed

Bhatt, Chet R; Alfarraj, Bader; Ayyalasomayajula, Krishna K; Ghany, Charles; Yueh, Fang Y; Singh, Jagdish P

2015-12-01

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is an ideal analytical technique for in situ analysis of elemental composition. We have performed a comparative study of the quantitative and qualitative analysis of atomic and molecular emission from LIBS spectra. In our experiments, a mixture of SrCl2 and Al2O3 in powder form was used as a sample. The atomic emission from Sr and molecular emission from SrCl and SrO observed in LIBS spectra were analyzed. The optimum laser energies, gate delays, and gate widths for selected atomic lines and molecular bands were determined from spectra recorded at various experimental parameters. These optimum experimental conditions were used to collect calibration data, and the calibration curves were used to predict the Sr concentration. Limits of detection (LODs) for selected atomic and molecular emission spectra were determined.

The 3D-HST Survey: Hubble Space Telescope WFC3/G141 Grism Spectra, Redshifts, and Emission Line Measurements for ~ 100,000 Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Momcheva, Ivelina G.; Brammer, Gabriel B.; van Dokkum, Pieter G.; Skelton, Rosalind E.; Whitaker, Katherine E.; Nelson, Erica J.; Fumagalli, Mattia; Maseda, Michael V.; Leja, Joel; Franx, Marijn; Rix, Hans-Walter; Bezanson, Rachel; Da Cunha, Elisabete; Dickey, Claire; Förster Schreiber, Natascha M.; Illingworth, Garth; Kriek, Mariska; Labbé, Ivo; Ulf Lange, Johannes; Lundgren, Britt F.; Magee, Daniel; Marchesini, Danilo; Oesch, Pascal; Pacifici, Camilla; Patel, Shannon G.; Price, Sedona; Tal, Tomer; Wake, David A.; van der Wel, Arjen; Wuyts, Stijn

2016-08-01

We present reduced data and data products from the 3D-HST survey, a 248-orbit HST Treasury program. The survey obtained WFC3 G141 grism spectroscopy in four of the five CANDELS fields: AEGIS, COSMOS, GOODS-S, and UDS, along with WFC3 H 140 imaging, parallel ACS G800L spectroscopy, and parallel I 814 imaging. In a previous paper, we presented photometric catalogs in these four fields and in GOODS-N, the fifth CANDELS field. Here we describe and present the WFC3 G141 spectroscopic data, again augmented with data from GO-1600 in GOODS-N (PI: B. Weiner). We developed software to automatically and optimally extract interlaced two-dimensional (2D) and one-dimensional (1D) spectra for all objects in the Skelton et al. (2014) photometric catalogs. The 2D spectra and the multi-band photometry were fit simultaneously to determine redshifts and emission line strengths, taking the morphology of the galaxies explicitly into account. The resulting catalog has redshifts and line strengths (where available) for 22,548 unique objects down to {{JH}}{IR}≤slant 24 (79,609 unique objects down to {{JH}}{IR}≤slant 26). Of these, 5459 galaxies are at z\\gt 1.5 and 9621 are at 0.7\\lt z\\lt 1.5, where Hα falls in the G141 wavelength coverage. The typical redshift error for {{JH}}{IR}≤slant 24 galaxies is {σ }z≈ 0.003× (1+z), I.e., one native WFC3 pixel. The 3σ limit for emission line fluxes of point sources is 2.1× {10}-17 erg s-1 cm-2. All 2D and 1D spectra, as well as redshifts, line fluxes, and other derived parameters, are publicly available.18

Clustering analysis of line indices for LAMOST spectra with AstroStat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shu-Xin; Sun, Wei-Min; Yan, Qi

2018-06-01

The application of data mining in astronomical surveys, such as the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) survey, provides an effective approach to automatically analyze a large amount of complex survey data. Unsupervised clustering could help astronomers find the associations and outliers in a big data set. In this paper, we employ the k-means method to perform clustering for the line index of LAMOST spectra with the powerful software AstroStat. Implementing the line index approach for analyzing astronomical spectra is an effective way to extract spectral features for low resolution spectra, which can represent the main spectral characteristics of stars. A total of 144 340 line indices for A type stars is analyzed through calculating their intra and inter distances between pairs of stars. For intra distance, we use the definition of Mahalanobis distance to explore the degree of clustering for each class, while for outlier detection, we define a local outlier factor for each spectrum. AstroStat furnishes a set of visualization tools for illustrating the analysis results. Checking the spectra detected as outliers, we find that most of them are problematic data and only a few correspond to rare astronomical objects. We show two examples of these outliers, a spectrum with abnormal continuumand a spectrum with emission lines. Our work demonstrates that line index clustering is a good method for examining data quality and identifying rare objects.

Errors associated with fitting Gaussian profiles to noisy emission-line spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lenz, Dawn D.; Ayres, Thomas R.

1992-01-01

Landman et al. (1982) developed prescriptions to predict profile fitting errors for Gaussian emission lines perturbed by white noise. We show that their scaling laws can be generalized to more complicated signal-dependent 'noise models' of common astronomical detector systems.

An Emission Measure Analysis of Stars Near the Transition Region Dividing Line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linsky, Jeffery L.

We request high dispersion, short wavelength IUE spectra for three of the stars beta Gem (K0III), alpha Tau (K5III), epsilon Gem (G81b) and beta Cam (G0Ib) with exposure times of 16 hours or greater. These data will allow the measurement of line profiles, widths and Doppler shifts as well as density sensitive and opacity sensitive line ratios. Models of chromospheric and transition region structure will be calculated by emission measure techniques and model atmosphere computations for optically thick resonance lines such as MgII h and k, including partial redistribution radiation transfer. The chromospheric models will be used to investigate the energy balance of the atmosphere and the nature of the energy deposition processes. These results will be considered in relation to the evolutionary status of the stars, and will be compared with the atmospheric model properties of other stars previously studied by the authors and their collaborators.

The X-ray spectrum and time variability of narrow emission line galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mushotzky, R.

1981-01-01

X-ray spectral and temporal observations are reported for six narrow emission line galaxies (NELGs), all of which are fitted by power-law X-ray spectra of energy slope 0.8 and have column densities in the line of sight greater than 1 x 10 to the 22nd atoms/sq cm. Three of the objects, NGC 526a, NGC 2110 and MCG-5-23-16 are variable in their X-ray flux, and the latter two, along with NGC 5506 and NGC 7582, showed detectable variability in at least one observation. The measured X-ray properties of these NELGs, which also included NGC 2992, strongly resemble those of previously-measured type 1 Seyferts of the same X-ray luminosity and lead to the conclusion of great similarity between the NELGs and low-luminosity type 1 Seyferts. The implications of these observations for the optical line-emitting region structure of these galaxies are discussed.

3C 159 - a double emission-line radio galaxy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tytler, D.; Browne, I.

1985-09-01

An optical identification for 3C 159 is reported with a 19-mag emission-line radio galaxy at z = 0.482. Photometric measurements show it to be unusually bright and blue. The emission lines are of exceptionally high luminosity, and are split into two components separated by 598 + or - 13 km/s and 3 kpc along the spectrograph slit. A VLA may show that one of the radio lobes has two hot spots with tails of emission leading to both. 21 references.

The Relationship between Ultraviolet Line Emission and Magnetic Field Strength in Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howell, Steve B.; Cash, Jennifer; Mason, Keith O.; Herzog, Adrienne E.

1999-02-01

We present the first UV spectral observations of six magnetic cataclysmic variables discovered by the ROSAT Wide Field Camera (WFC). Using the^ International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE), 1200-3400 Å spectra were obtained of the AM Herculis stars RE 0531-46, RE 1149+28, RE 1844-74, QS Tel (RE 1938-46), and HU Aqr (RE 2107-05) and the DQ Herculis star PQ Gem (RE 0751+14). The high-state UV spectra are dominated by strong emission lines. Continuum flux distributions for these stars (from 100 to 5500 Å) reveal that over this entire range, none of the spectral energy distributions can be fitted by a single-valued blackbody. Our new UV observations and additional archival IUE spectra were used to discover a correlation between the strength of the high-state UV emission lines and the strength of the white dwarf magnetic field. Model spectral results are used to confirm the production of the UV emission lines by photoionization from X-ray and EUV photons.

Optical emission spectroscopy of point-plane corona and back-corona discharges in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czech, T.; Sobczyk, A. T.; Jaworek, A.

2011-12-01

Results of spectroscopic investigations and current-voltage characteristics of corona discharge and back discharge on fly-ash layer, generated in point-plane electrode geometry in air at atmospheric pressure are presented in the paper. The characteristics of both discharges are similar but differ in the current and voltage ranges of all the discharge forms distinguished during the experiments. Three forms of back discharge, for positive and negative polarity, were investigated: glow, streamer and low-current back-arc. In order to characterize ionisation and excitation processes in back discharge, the emission spectra were measured and compared with those obtained for normal corona discharge generated in the same electrode configuration but with fly ash layer removed. The emission spectra were measured in two discharge zones: near the tip of needle electrode and near the plate. Visual forms of the discharge were recorded with digital camera and referred to current-voltage characteristics and emission spectra. The measurements have shown that spectral lines emitted by back discharge depend on the form of discharge and the discharge current. From the comparison of the spectral lines of back and normal discharges an effect of fly ash layer on the discharge morphology can be determined. The recorded emission spectra formed by ionised gas and plasma near the needle electrode and fly ash layer are different. It should be noted that in back arc emission, spectral lines of fly ash layer components can be distinguished. On the other hand, in needle zone, the emission of high intensity N2 second positive system and NO γ lines can be noticed. Regardless of these gaseous lines, also atomic lines of dust layer were present in the spectrum. The differences in spectra of back discharge for positive and negative polarities of the needle electrode have been explained by considering the kind of ions generated in the crater in fly ash layer. The aim of these studies is to better

Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project. VII. Understanding the Ultraviolet Anomaly in NGC 5548 with X-Ray Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathur, S.; Gupta, A.; Page, K.; Pogge, R. W.; Krongold, Y.; Goad, M. R.; Adams, S. M.; Anderson, M. D.; Arévalo, P.; Barth, A. J.; Bazhaw, C.; Beatty, T. G.; Bentz, M. C.; Bigley, A.; Bisogni, S.; Borman, G. A.; Boroson, T. A.; Bottorff, M. C.; Brandt, W. N.; Breeveld, A. A.; Brown, J. E.; Brown, J. S.; Cackett, E. M.; Canalizo, G.; Carini, M. T.; Clubb, K. I.; Comerford, J. M.; Coker, C. T.; Corsini, E. M.; Crenshaw, D. M.; Croft, S.; Croxall, K. V.; Dalla Bontà, E.; Deason, A. J.; Denney, K. D.; De Lorenzo-Cáceres, A.; De Rosa, G.; Dietrich, M.; Edelson, R.; Ely, J.; Eracleous, M.; Evans, P. A.; Fausnaugh, M. M.; Ferland, G. J.; Filippenko, A. V.; Flatland, K.; Fox, O. D.; Gates, E. L.; Gehrels, N.; Geier, S.; Gelbord, J. M.; Gorjian, V.; Greene, J. E.; Grier, C. J.; Grupe, D.; Hall, P. B.; Henderson, C. B.; Hicks, S.; Holmbeck, E.; Holoien, T. W.-S.; Horenstein, D.; Horne, Keith; Hutchison, T.; Im, M.; Jensen, J. J.; Johnson, C. A.; Joner, M. D.; Jones, J.; Kaastra, J.; Kaspi, S.; Kelly, B. C.; Kelly, P. L.; Kennea, J. A.; Kim, M.; Kim, S.; Kim, S. C.; King, A.; Klimanov, S. A.; Kochanek, C. S.; Korista, K. T.; Kriss, G. A.; Lau, M. W.; Lee, J. C.; Leonard, D. C.; Li, M.; Lira, P.; Ma, Z.; MacInnis, F.; Manne-Nicholas, E. R.; Malkan, M. A.; Mauerhan, J. C.; McGurk, R.; McHardy, I. M.; Montouri, C.; Morelli, L.; Mosquera, A.; Mudd, D.; Muller-Sanchez, F.; Musso, R.; Nazarov, S. V.; Netzer, H.; Nguyen, M. L.; Norris, R. P.; Nousek, J. A.; Ochner, P.; Okhmat, D. N.; Ou-Yang, B.; Pancoast, A.; Papadakis, I.; Parks, J. R.; Pei, L.; Peterson, B. M.; Pizzella, A.; Poleski, R.; Pott, J.-U.; Rafter, S. E.; Rix, H.-W.; Runnoe, J.; Saylor, D. A.; Schimoia, J. S.; Schnülle, K.; Sergeev, S. G.; Shappee, B. J.; Shivvers, I.; Siegel, M.; Simonian, G. V.; Siviero, A.; Skielboe, A.; Somers, G.; Spencer, M.; Starkey, D.; Stevens, D. J.; Sung, H.-I.; Tayar, J.; Tejos, N.; Turner, C. S.; Uttley, P.; Van Saders, J.; Vestergaard, M.; Vican, L.; Villanueva, S., Jr.; Villforth, C.; Weiss, Y.; Woo, J.-H.; Yan, H.; Young, S.; Yuk, H.; Zheng, W.; Zhu, W.; Zu, Y.

2017-09-01

During the Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project observations of NGC 5548, the continuum and emission-line variability became decorrelated during the second half of the six-month-long observing campaign. Here we present Swift and Chandra X-ray spectra of NGC 5548 obtained as part of the campaign. The Swift spectra show that excess flux (relative to a power-law continuum) in the soft X-ray band appears before the start of the anomalous emission-line behavior, peaks during the period of the anomaly, and then declines. This is a model-independent result suggesting that the soft excess is related to the anomaly. We divide the Swift data into on- and off-anomaly spectra to characterize the soft excess via spectral fitting. The cause of the spectral differences is likely due to a change in the intrinsic spectrum rather than to variable obscuration or partial covering. The Chandra spectra have lower signal-to-noise ratios, but are consistent with the Swift data. Our preferred model of the soft excess is emission from an optically thick, warm Comptonizing corona, the effective optical depth of which increases during the anomaly. This model simultaneously explains all three observations: the UV emission-line flux decrease, the soft-excess increase, and the emission-line anomaly.

A Link between X-Ray Emission Lines and Radio Jets in 4U 1630-47?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neilsen, Joseph; Coriat, Mickaël; Fender, Rob; Lee, Julia C.; Ponti, Gabriele; Tzioumis, Anastasios K.; Edwards, Philip G.; Broderick, Jess W.

2014-03-01

Recently, Díaz Trigo et al. reported an XMM-Newton detection of relativistically Doppler-shifted emission lines associated with steep-spectrum radio emission in the stellar-mass black hole candidate 4U 1630-47 during its 2012 outburst. They interpreted these lines as indicative of a baryonic jet launched by the accretion disk. Here we present a search for the same lines earlier in the same outburst using high-resolution X-ray spectra from the Chandra HETGS. While our observations (eight months prior to the XMM-Newton campaign) also coincide with detections of steep spectrum radio emission by the Australia Telescope Compact Array, we find no evidence for any relativistic X-ray emission lines. Indeed, despite ~5 × brighter radio emission, our Chandra spectra allow us to place an upper limit on the flux in the blueshifted Fe XXVI line that is >~ 20 × weaker than the line observed by Díaz Trigo et al. We explore several scenarios that could explain our differing results, including variations in the geometry of the jet or a mass-loading process or jet baryon content that evolves with the accretion state of the black hole. We also consider the possibility that the radio emission arises in an interaction between a jet and the nearby interstellar medium, in which case the X-ray emission lines might be unrelated to the radio emission.

Excitation Mechanisms of Near-Infrared Emission Lines in LINER Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boehle, Anna

2017-01-01

I will present high spatial resolution, integral field spectroscopic observations of the nearby LINER (low ionization nuclear emission line region) galaxy NGC 404. LINERs are found at the centers of ~1/3 of galaxies within 40 Mpc, but their physical nature is not well understood. Although NGC 404 is thought to host a intermediate mass black hole at its center, it is unclear whether accretion onto the black hole or another mechanism such as shock excitation drives its LINER emission. We use the OSIRIS near-infrared integral field spectrograph at Keck Observatory behind laser guide star adaptive optics to map the strength and kinematics of [FeII], H2, and hydrogen recombination lines in the nucleus of NGC 404. These observations have a spatial pixel sampling of 0.5 pc and span the central 30 pc of the galaxy. We find that the ionized and molecular gas show differences in their morphology and kinematics on parsec scales. In particular, there are regions with line ratios of [FeII]/Pa-β that are much higher than previously seen in spatially integrated spectra, significantly restricting the possible excitation mechanisms of the near-infrared emission lines in this source. We are also applying these analysis techniques to 10 additional nearby LINERs, a part of a larger sample of 14 sources, to understand what drives the emission lines in these active galaxies. As a part of this program, I worked on the upgrade of the detector in the OSIRIS spectrograph, which has allowed observations for this survey obtained since January 2016 to be taken with increased instrument sensitivity of a factor of ~2 at J-band wavelengths (1.2 - 1.4 microns) and ~1.6 at H- and K-band wavelengths (1.5 - 2.4 microns). I will present results from the LINER survey, the OSIRIS detector upgrade, and also touch on related work using stellar orbits around the Milky Way supermassive black hole Sgr A* to constrain the mass and distance to our own Galactic Center.

Unreported Emission Lines of Rb, Ce, La, Sr, Y, Zr, Pb and Se Detected Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lepore, K. H.; Mackie, J.; Dyar, M. D.; Fassett, C. I.

2017-01-01

Information on emission lines for major and minor elements is readily available from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as part of the Atomic Spectra Database. However, tabulated emission lines are scarce for some minor elements and the wavelength ranges presented on the NIST database are limited to those included in existing studies. Previous work concerning minor element calibration curves measured using laser-induced break-down spectroscopy found evidence of Zn emission lines that were not documented on the NIST database. In this study, rock powders were doped with Rb, Ce, La, Sr, Y, Zr, Pb and Se in concentrations ranging from 10 percent to 10 parts per million. The difference between normalized spectra collected on samples containing 10 percent dopant and those containing only 10 parts per million were used to identify all emission lines that can be detected using LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) in a ChemCam-like configuration at the Mount Holyoke College LIBS facility. These emission spectra provide evidence of many previously undocumented emission lines for the elements measured here.

Composite Spectra of Broad Absorption Line Quasars in SDSS-III BOSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbst, Hanna; Hamann, Fred; Paris, Isabelle; Capellupo, Daniel M.

2017-01-01

We present preliminary results from a study of broad absorption line (BAL) quasars in the SDSS-III BOSS survey. We’re particularly interested in BALs because they arise from quasar outflows, which may be a source of feedback to the host galaxy. We analyze median composite spectra for BOSS QSOs in the redshift range 2.1 to 3.4 sorted by the strength of the BAL absorption troughs, parameterized by the Balnicity Index (BI), to study trends in the emission and absorption properties of BAL quasars. The wavelength coverage and high number of quasars observed in the BOSS survey allow us to examine BALs in the Lyman forest. Our main preliminary results when sorting the quasars by BI are 1) doublet absorption lines such as P V 1128A show a 1:1 ratio across all BI, indicating large column densities at all BI. This suggests that weaker BAL troughs result from smaller covering fractions rather than lower column densities. 2) The He II emission line, which is a measure of the far-UV/near-UV hardness of the ionizing continuum, is weaker in the larger BI composite spectra, indicating a far-UV spectral softening correlated with BI. This is consistent with the radiatively-driven BAL outflows being helped by intrinsically weaker ionizing continuum shapes (e.g., Baskin, Laor, and Hamann 2013). We also find a trend for slightly redder continuum slopes in the larger BI composite spectra, suggesting that the slope differences in the near-UV are also intrinsic.

The quantum emission spectra of rapidly-rotating Kerr black holes: Discrete or continuous?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hod, Shahar

2015-10-01

Bekenstein and Mukhanov (BM) have suggested that, in a quantum theory of gravity, black holes may have discrete emission spectra. Using the time-energy uncertainty principle they have also shown that, for a (non-rotating) Schwarzschild black hole, the natural broadening δω of the black-hole emission lines is expected to be small on the scale set by the characteristic frequency spacing Δω of the spectral lines: ζSch ≡ δω / Δω ≪ 1. BM have therefore concluded that the expected discrete emission lines of the quantized Schwarzschild black hole are unlikely to overlap. In this paper we calculate the characteristic dimensionless ratio ζ (a bar) ≡ δω / Δω for the predicted BM emission spectra of rapidly-rotating Kerr black holes (here a bar ≡ J /M2 is the dimensionless angular momentum of the black hole). It is shown that ζ (a bar) is an increasing function of the black-hole angular momentum. In particular, we find that the quantum emission lines of Kerr black holes in the regime a bar ≳ 0.9 are characterized by the dimensionless ratio ζ (a bar) ≳ 1 and are therefore effectively blended together. Our results thus suggest that, even if the underlying mass (energy) spectrum of these rapidly-rotating Kerr black holes is fundamentally discrete as suggested by Bekenstein and Mukhanov, the natural broadening phenomenon (associated with the time-energy uncertainty principle) is expected to smear the black-hole radiation spectrum into a continuum.

Excitation Mechanism of O I Lines in Herbig Ae/Be Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathew, Blesson; Manoj, P.; Narang, Mayank; Banerjee, D. P. K.; Nayak, Pratheeksha; Muneer, S.; Vig, S.; Pramod Kumar, S.; Paul, K. T.; Maheswar, G.

2018-04-01

We have investigated the role of a few prominent excitation mechanisms viz. collisional excitation, recombination, continuum fluorescence, and Lyman beta fluorescence on the O I line spectra in Herbig Ae/Be stars. The aim is to understand which of them is the central mechanism that explains the observed O I line strengths. The study is based on an analysis of the observed optical spectra of 62 Herbig Ae/Be stars and near-infrared spectra of 17 Herbig Ae/Be stars. The strong correlation observed between the line fluxes of O I λ8446 and O I λ11287, as well as a high positive correlation between the line strengths of O I λ8446 and Hα suggest that Lyman beta fluorescence is the dominant excitation mechanism for the formation of O I emission lines in Herbig Ae/Be stars. Furthermore, from an analysis of the emission line fluxes of O I λλ7774, 8446, and comparing the line ratios with those predicted by theoretical models, we assessed the contribution of collisional excitation in the formation of O I emission lines.

The importance of nuclear quantum effects in spectral line broadening of optical spectra and electrostatic properties in aromatic chromophores.

PubMed

Law, Y K; Hassanali, A A

2018-03-14

In this work, we examine the importance of nuclear quantum effects on capturing the line broadening and vibronic structure of optical spectra. We determine the absorption spectra of three aromatic molecules indole, pyridine, and benzene using time dependent density functional theory with several molecular dynamics sampling protocols: force-field based empirical potentials, ab initio simulations, and finally path-integrals for the inclusion of nuclear quantum effects. We show that the absorption spectrum for all these chromophores are similarly broadened in the presence of nuclear quantum effects regardless of the presence of hydrogen bond donor or acceptor groups. We also show that simulations incorporating nuclear quantum effects are able to reproduce the heterogeneous broadening of the absorption spectra even with empirical force fields. The spectral broadening associated with nuclear quantum effects can be accounted for by the broadened distribution of chromophore size as revealed by a particle in the box model. We also highlight the role that nuclear quantum effects have on the underlying electronic structure of aromatic molecules as probed by various electrostatic properties.

The importance of nuclear quantum effects in spectral line broadening of optical spectra and electrostatic properties in aromatic chromophores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Law, Y. K.; Hassanali, A. A.

2018-03-01

In this work, we examine the importance of nuclear quantum effects on capturing the line broadening and vibronic structure of optical spectra. We determine the absorption spectra of three aromatic molecules indole, pyridine, and benzene using time dependent density functional theory with several molecular dynamics sampling protocols: force-field based empirical potentials, ab initio simulations, and finally path-integrals for the inclusion of nuclear quantum effects. We show that the absorption spectrum for all these chromophores are similarly broadened in the presence of nuclear quantum effects regardless of the presence of hydrogen bond donor or acceptor groups. We also show that simulations incorporating nuclear quantum effects are able to reproduce the heterogeneous broadening of the absorption spectra even with empirical force fields. The spectral broadening associated with nuclear quantum effects can be accounted for by the broadened distribution of chromophore size as revealed by a particle in the box model. We also highlight the role that nuclear quantum effects have on the underlying electronic structure of aromatic molecules as probed by various electrostatic properties.

SPECTRAL OPTICAL MONITORING OF THE NARROW-LINE SEYFERT 1 GALAXY Ark 564

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shapovalova, A. I.; Burenkov, A. N.; Popovic, L. C.

2012-09-15

We present the results of a long-term (1999-2010) spectral optical monitoring campaign of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) Ark 564, which shows a strong Fe II line emission in the optical. This AGN is a narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxy, a group of AGNs with specific spectral characteristics. We analyze the light curves of the permitted H{alpha}, H{beta}, optical Fe II line fluxes, and the continuum flux in order to search for a time lag between them. Additionally, in order to estimate the contribution of iron lines from different multiplets, we fit the H{beta} and Fe II lines with amore » sum of Gaussian components. We find that during the monitoring period the spectral variation (F{sub max}/F{sub min}) of Ark 564 is between 1.5 for H{alpha} and 1.8 for the Fe II lines. The correlation between the Fe II and H{beta} flux variations is of higher significance than that of H{alpha} and H{beta} (whose correlation is almost absent). The permitted-line profiles are Lorentzian-like and do not change shape during the monitoring period. We investigate, in detail, the optical Fe II emission and find different degrees of correlation between the Fe II emission arising from different spectral multiplets and the continuum flux. The relatively weak and different degrees of correlations between permitted lines and continuum fluxes indicate a rather complex source of ionization of the broad-line emission region.« less

DETECTION OF BROAD Hα EMISSION LINES IN THE LATE-TIME SPECTRA OF A HYDROGEN-POOR SUPERLUMINOUS SUPERNOVA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, Lin; Masci, F.; Quimby, R.

2015-12-01

iPTF13ehe is a hydrogen-poor superluminous supernova (SLSN) at z = 0.3434, with a slow-evolving light curve and spectral features similar to SN2007bi. It rises in 83–148 days to reach a peak bolometric luminosity of ∼1.3 × 10{sup 44} erg s{sup −1}, then decays slowly at 0.015 mag day{sup −1}. The measured ejecta velocity is ∼ 13,000 km s{sup −1}. The inferred explosion characteristics, such as the ejecta mass (70–220 M{sub ⊙}), and the total radiative and kinetic energy (E{sub rad} ∼ 10{sup 51} erg, E{sub kin} ∼ 2 × 10{sup 53} erg), are typical of slow-evolving H-poor SLSN events. However,more » the late-time spectrum taken at +251 days (rest, post-peak) reveals a Balmer Hα emission feature with broad and narrow components, which has never been detected before among other H-poor SLSNe. The broad component has a velocity width of ∼4500 km s{sup −1} and a ∼300 km s{sup −1} blueward shift relative to the narrow component. We interpret this broad Hα emission with a luminosity of ∼2 × 10{sup 41} erg s{sup −1} as resulting from the interaction between the supernova ejecta and a discrete H-rich shell, located at a distance of ∼4 × 10{sup 16} cm from the explosion site. This interaction causes the rest-frame r-band LC to brighten at late times. The fact that the late-time spectra are not completely absorbed by the shock-ionized H-shell implies that its Thomson scattering optical depth is likely ≤1, thus setting upper limits on the shell mass ≤30 M{sub ⊙}. Of the existing models, a Pulsational Pair Instability supernova model can naturally explain the observed 30 M{sub ⊙} H-shell, ejected from a progenitor star with an initial mass of (95–150) M{sub ⊙} about 40 years ago. We estimate that at least ∼15% of all SLSNe-I may have late-time Balmer emission lines.« less

From plasma to nanoparticles: optical and particle emission of a spark discharge generator.

PubMed

Kohut, A; Ludvigsson, L; Meuller, B O; Deppert, K; Messing, M E; Galbács, G; Geretovszky, Zs

2017-11-24

The increased demand for high purity nanoparticles (NPs) of defined geometry necessitates the continuous development of generation routes. One of the most promising physical techniques for producing metal, semiconductor or alloy NPs in the gas phase is spark discharge NP generation. The technique has a great potential for up-scaling without altering the particles. Despite the simplicity of the setup, the formation of NPs in a spark discharge takes place via complex multi-scale processes, which greatly hinders the investigation via conventional NP measurement techniques. In the present work, time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy (OES) was used to provide information on the species present in the spark from as early as approximately 100 ns after the initiation of the discharge. We demonstrate that operando emission spectroscopy can deliver valuable insights into NP formation. The emission spectra of the spark are used to identify, among others, the main stages of material erosion and to calculate the quenching rate of the generated metal vapour. We demonstrate that the alteration of key control parameters, that are typically used to optimize NP generation, clearly affect the emission spectra. We report for Cu and Au NPs that the intensity of spectral lines emitted by metal atoms levels off when spark energy is increased above an energy threshold, suggesting that the maximum concentration of metal vapour produced in the generator is limited. This explains the size variation of the generated NPs. We report a strong correlation between the optical and particle emission of the spark discharge generator, which demonstrate the suitability of OES as a valuable characterization tool that will allow for the more deliberate optimization of spark-based NP generation.

A Link Between X-ray Emission Lines and Radio Jets in 4U 1630-47?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neilsen, Joseph; Coriat, Mickaël; Fender, Rob; Lee, Julia C.; Ponti, Gabriele; Tzioumis, A.; Edwards, Phillip; Broderick, Jess

2014-06-01

Recently, Díaz Trigo et al. reported an XMM-Newton detection of relativistically Doppler-shifted emission lines associated with steep-spectrum radio emission in the stellar-mass black hole candidate 4U 1630-47 during its 2012 outburst. They interpreted these lines as indicative of a baryonic jet launched by the accretion disk. We present a search for the same lines earlier in the same outburst using high-resolution X-ray spectra from the Chandra HETGS. While our observations (eight months prior to the XMM-Newton campaign) also coincide with detections of steep spectrum radio emission by the Australia Telescope Compact Array, we find a strong disk wind but no evidence for any relativistic X-ray emission lines. Indeed, despite ˜5× brighter radio emission, our Chandra spectra allow us to place an upper limit on the flux in the blueshifted Fe XXVI line that is ˜20× weaker than the line observed by Díaz Trigo et al. Thus we can conclusively say that radio emission is not universally associated with relativistically Doppler-shifted emission lines in 4U 1630-47. We explore several scenarios that could explain our differing results, including variations in the geometry of the jet or a mass-loading process or jet baryon content that evolves with the accretion state of the black hole. We also consider the possibility that the radio emission arises in an interaction between a jet and the nearby ISM, in which case the X-ray emission lines might be unrelated to the radio emission.

The Far-Infrared Emission Line and Continuum Spectrum of the Seyfert Galaxy NGC 1068

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spinoglio, Luigi; Smith, Howard A.; Gonzalez-Alfonso, Eduardo; Fisher, Jacqueline

2005-01-01

We report on the analysis of the first complete far-infrared spectrum (43-197 microns) of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068 as observed with the Long Wavelength Spectrometer (LWS) onboard the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO). In addition to the 7 expected ionic fine structure emission lines, the OH rotational lines at 79, 119 and 163 microns were all detected in emission, which is unique among galaxies with full LWS spectra, where the 119 micron line, where detected, is always in absorption. The observed line intensities were modelled together with IS0 Short Wavelength Spectrometer (SWS) and optical and ultraviolet line intensities from the literature, considering two independent emission components: the AGN component and the starburst component in the circumnuclear ring of approximately 3kpc in size. Using the UV to mid-IR emission line spectrum to constrain the nuclear ionizing continuum, we have confirmed previous results: a canonical power-law ionizing spectrum is a poorer fit than one with a deep absorption trough, while the presence of a big blue bump is ruled out. Based on the instantaneous starburst age of 5 Myr constrained by the Br gamma equivalent width in the starburst ring, and starburst synthesis models of the mid- and far-infrared fine-structure line emission, a low ionization parameter (U=10(exp -3.5)) and low densities (n=100 cm (exp -3)) are derived. Combining the AGN and starburst components, we succeed in modeling the overall UV to far-IR atomic spectrum of SGC 1068, reproducing the line fluxes to within a factor 2.0 on average with a standard deviation of 1.4. The OH 119 micron emission indicates that the line is collisionally excited, and arises in a warm and dense region. The OH emission has been modeled using spherically symmetric, non-local, non-LTE radiative transfer models. The models indicate that the bulk of the emission arises from the nuclear region, although some extended contribution from the starburst is not ruled out. The OH abundance

Kinematical line broadening and spatially resolved line profiles from AGN.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulz, H.; Muecke, A.; Boer, B.; Dresen, M.; Schmidt-Kaler, T.

1995-03-01

We study geometrical effects for emission-line broadening in the optically thin limit by integrating the projected line emissivity along prespecified lines of sight that intersect rotating or expanding disks or cone-like configurations. Analytical expressions are given for the case that emissivity and velocity follow power laws of the radial distance. The results help to interpret spatially resolved spectra and to check the reliability of numerical computations. In the second part we describe a numerical code applicable to any geometrical configuration. Turbulent motions, atmospheric seeing and effects induced by the size of the observing aperture are simulated with appropriate convolution procedures. An application to narrow-line Hα profiles from the central region of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 7469 is presented. The shapes and asymmetries as well as the relative strengths of the Hα lines from different spatial positions can be explained by emission from a nuclear rotating disk of ionized gas, for which the distribution of Hα line emissivity and the rotation curve are derived. Appreciable turbulent line broadening with a Gaussian σ of ~40% of the rotational velocity has to be included to obtain a satisfactory fit.

Measurements of trace constituents from atmospheric infrared emission and absorption spectra, a feasibility study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldman, A.; Williams, W. J.; Murcray, D. G.

1974-01-01

The feasibility of detecting eight trace constituents (CH4, HCl, HF, HNO3, NH3, NO, NO2 and SO2) against the rest of the atmospheric background at various altitudes from infrared emission and absorption atmospheric spectra was studied. Line-by-line calculations and observational data were used to establish features that can be observed in the atmospheric spectrum due to each trace constituent. Model calculations were made for experimental conditions which approximately represent state of the art emission and absorption spectrometers.

Spectrophotometry of emission-line stars in the magellanic clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bohannan, Bruce

1990-01-01

The strong emission lines in the most luminous stars in the Magellanic Clouds indicate that these stars have such strong stellar winds that their photospheres are so masked that optical absorption lines do not provide an accurate measure of photospheric conditions. In the research funded by this grant, temperatures and gravities of emission-line stars both in the Large (LMC) and Small Magellanic Clouds (SMC) have been measured by fitting of continuum ultraviolet-optical fluxes observed with IUE with theoretical model atmospheres. Preliminary results from this work formed a major part of an invited review 'The Distribution of Types of Luminous Blue Variables'. Interpretation of the IUE observations obtained in this grant and archive data were also included in a talk at the First Boulder-Munich Hot Stars Workshop. Final results of these studies are now being completed for publication in refereed journals.

Spectral analysis of optical emission of microplasma in sea water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamaleev, Vladislav; Morita, Hayato; Oh, Jun-Seok; Furuta, Hiroshi; Hatta, Akimitsu

2016-09-01

This work presents an analysis of optical emission spectra from microplasma in three types of liquid, namely artificial sea water composed of 10 typical agents (10ASW), reference solutions each containing a single agent (NaCl, MgCl2 + H2O, Na2SO4, CaCl2, KCl, NaHCO3, KBr, NaHCO3, H3BO3, SrCl2 + H2O, NaF) and naturally sampled deep sea water (DSW). Microplasma was operated using a needle(Pd)-to-plate(Pt) electrode system sunk into each liquid in a quartz cuvette. The radius of the tip of the needle was 50 μm and the gap between the electrodes was set at 20 μm. An inpulse generator circuit, consisting of a MOSFET switch, a capacitor, an inductor and the resistance of the liquid between the electrodes, was used as a pulse current source for operation of discharges. In the spectra, the emission peaks for the main components of sea water and contaminants from the electrodes were detected. Spectra for reference solutions were examined to enable the identification of unassigned peaks in the spectra for sea water. Analysis of the Stark broadening of H α peak was carried out to estimate the electron density of the plasma under various conditions. The characteristics of microplasma discharge in sea water and the analysis of the optical emission spectra will be presented. This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 26600129.

Compact characterization of liquid absorption and emission spectra using linear variable filters integrated with a CMOS imaging camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Yuhang; Carlson, John A.; Kesler, Benjamin A.; Peng, Wang; Su, Patrick; Al-Mulla, Saoud A.; Lim, Sung Jun; Smith, Andrew M.; Dallesasse, John M.; Cunningham, Brian T.

2016-07-01

A compact analysis platform for detecting liquid absorption and emission spectra using a set of optical linear variable filters atop a CMOS image sensor is presented. The working spectral range of the analysis platform can be extended without a reduction in spectral resolution by utilizing multiple linear variable filters with different wavelength ranges on the same CMOS sensor. With optical setup reconfiguration, its capability to measure both absorption and fluorescence emission is demonstrated. Quantitative detection of fluorescence emission down to 0.28 nM for quantum dot dispersions and 32 ng/mL for near-infrared dyes has been demonstrated on a single platform over a wide spectral range, as well as an absorption-based water quality test, showing the versatility of the system across liquid solutions for different emission and absorption bands. Comparison with a commercially available portable spectrometer and an optical spectrum analyzer shows our system has an improved signal-to-noise ratio and acceptable spectral resolution for discrimination of emission spectra, and characterization of colored liquid’s absorption characteristics generated by common biomolecular assays. This simple, compact, and versatile analysis platform demonstrates a path towards an integrated optical device that can be utilized for a wide variety of applications in point-of-use testing and point-of-care diagnostics.

Compact characterization of liquid absorption and emission spectra using linear variable filters integrated with a CMOS imaging camera.

PubMed

Wan, Yuhang; Carlson, John A; Kesler, Benjamin A; Peng, Wang; Su, Patrick; Al-Mulla, Saoud A; Lim, Sung Jun; Smith, Andrew M; Dallesasse, John M; Cunningham, Brian T

2016-07-08

A compact analysis platform for detecting liquid absorption and emission spectra using a set of optical linear variable filters atop a CMOS image sensor is presented. The working spectral range of the analysis platform can be extended without a reduction in spectral resolution by utilizing multiple linear variable filters with different wavelength ranges on the same CMOS sensor. With optical setup reconfiguration, its capability to measure both absorption and fluorescence emission is demonstrated. Quantitative detection of fluorescence emission down to 0.28 nM for quantum dot dispersions and 32 ng/mL for near-infrared dyes has been demonstrated on a single platform over a wide spectral range, as well as an absorption-based water quality test, showing the versatility of the system across liquid solutions for different emission and absorption bands. Comparison with a commercially available portable spectrometer and an optical spectrum analyzer shows our system has an improved signal-to-noise ratio and acceptable spectral resolution for discrimination of emission spectra, and characterization of colored liquid's absorption characteristics generated by common biomolecular assays. This simple, compact, and versatile analysis platform demonstrates a path towards an integrated optical device that can be utilized for a wide variety of applications in point-of-use testing and point-of-care diagnostics.

Classification of Hot Stars by Disk Variability using Hα Line Emission Characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoyt Hannah, Christian; Glennon Fagan, W.; Tycner, Christopher

2018-06-01

The variability associated with circumstellar disks around hot and massive stars has been observed on time scales ranging from less than a day to decades. Variations detected in line emission from circumstellar disks on long time scales are typically attributed to disk-growth and disk-loss events. However, in order to fully describe and model such phenomena, adequate spectroscopic observations over long time scales are needed. In this project, we conduct a comprehensive study that is based on spectra recorded over a 14-year period (2005 to 2018) of roughly 100 B-type stars. Using results from a representative sample of over 20 targets, we illustrate how the Hα emission line, one of the most prominent emission features from circumstellar disks, can be used to monitor the variability associated with these systems. Using high-resolution spectra, we utilize line emission characteristics such as equivalent width, peak strength(s), and line-width to setup a classification scheme that describes different types of variabilities. This in turn can be used to divide the systems in disk-growth, disk-loss, variable and stable categories. With additional numerical disk modeling, the recorded variations based on emission line characteristics can also be used to describe changes in disk temperature and density structure. The aim is to develop a tool to help further our understanding of the processes behind the production and eventual dissipation of the circumstellar disks found in hot stars. This work has been supported by NSF grant AST-1614983.

The FTS atomic spectrum tool (FAST) for rapid analysis of line spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruffoni, M. P.

2013-07-01

The FTS Atomic Spectrum Tool (FAST) is an interactive graphical program designed to simplify the analysis of atomic emission line spectra obtained from Fourier transform spectrometers. Calculated, predicted and/or known experimental line parameters are loaded alongside experimentally observed spectral line profiles for easy comparison between new experimental data and existing results. Many such line profiles, which could span numerous spectra, may be viewed simultaneously to help the user detect problems from line blending or self-absorption. Once the user has determined that their experimental line profile fits are good, a key feature of FAST is the ability to calculate atomic branching fractions, transition probabilities, and oscillator strengths-and their uncertainties-which is not provided by existing analysis packages. Program SummaryProgram title: FAST: The FTS Atomic Spectrum Tool Catalogue identifier: AEOW_v1_0 Program summary URL: http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEOW_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: GNU General Public License version 3 No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 293058 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 13809509 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: C++. Computer: Intel x86-based systems. Operating system: Linux/Unix/Windows. RAM: 8 MB minimum. About 50-200 MB for a typical analysis. Classification: 2.2, 2.3, 21.2. Nature of problem: Visualisation of atomic line spectra including the comparison of theoretical line parameters with experimental atomic line profiles. Accurate intensity calibration of experimental spectra, and the determination of observed relative line intensities that are needed for calculating atomic branching fractions and oscillator strengths. Solution method: FAST is centred around a graphical interface, where a user may view sets of experimental line profiles and compare

Transition probabilities of Ce I obtained from Boltzmann analysis of visible and near-infrared emission spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nitz, D. E.; Curry, J. J.; Buuck, M.; DeMann, A.; Mitchell, N.; Shull, W.

2018-02-01

We report radiative transition probabilities for 5029 emission lines of neutral cerium within the wavelength range 417-1110 nm. Transition probabilities for only 4% of these lines have been previously measured. These results are obtained from a Boltzmann analysis of two high resolution Fourier transform emission spectra used in previous studies of cerium, obtained from the digital archives of the National Solar Observatory at Kitt Peak. The set of transition probabilities used for the Boltzmann analysis are those published by Lawler et al (2010 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 43 085701). Comparisons of branching ratios and transition probabilities for lines common to the two spectra provide important self-consistency checks and test for the presence of self-absorption effects. Estimated 1σ uncertainties for our transition probability results range from 10% to 18%.

LINKING Lyα AND LOW-IONIZATION TRANSITIONS AT LOW OPTICAL DEPTH

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jaskot, A. E.; Oey, M. S.

2014-08-20

We suggest that low optical depth in the Lyman continuum (LyC) may relate the Lyα emission, C II and Si II absorption, and C II* and Si II* emission seen in high-redshift galaxies. We base this analysis on Hubble Space Telescope Cosmic Origins Spectrograph spectra of four Green Pea (GP) galaxies, which may be analogs of z > 2 Lyα emitters (LAEs). In the two GPs with the strongest Lyα emission, the Lyα line profiles show reduced signs of resonant scattering. Instead, the Lyα profiles resemble the Hα line profiles of evolved star ejecta, suggesting that the Lyα emission originatesmore » from a low column density and similar outflow geometry. The weak C II absorption and presence of non-resonant C II* emission in these GPs support this interpretation and imply a low LyC optical depth along the line of sight. In two additional GPs, weak Lyα emission and strong C II absorption suggest a higher optical depth. These two GPs differ in their Lyα profile shapes and C II* emission strengths, however, indicating different inclinations of the outflows to our line of sight. With these four GPs as examples, we explain the observed trends linking Lyα, C II, and C II* in stacked LAE spectra, in the context of optical depth and geometric effects. Specifically, in some galaxies with strong Lyα emission, a low LyC optical depth may allow Lyα to escape with reduced scattering. Furthermore, C II absorption, C II* emission, and Lyα profile shape can reveal the optical depth, constrain the orientation of neutral outflows in LAEs, and identify candidate LyC emitters.« less

A Calibrated H-alpha Index to Monitor Emission Line Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hintz, Eric G.; Joner, M. D.

2013-06-01

Over an 8 year period we have developed a calibrated H-alpha index, similar to the more traditional H-beta index, based on spectrophotometric observations (Joner & Hintz, 2013) from the DAO 1.2-m Telescope. While developing the calibration for this filter set we also obtained spectra of a number of emission line systems such as high mass x-ray binaries (HMXB), Be stars, and young stellar objects. From this work we find that the main sequence stars fill a very tight relation in the H-alpha/H-beta plane and that the emission line objects are easily detected. We will present the overall location of these emission line objects. We will also present the changes experiences by these objects over the course of the years of the project.

Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project. VII. Understanding the Ultraviolet Anomaly in NGC 5548 with X-Ray Spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mathur, S.; Gupta, A.; Page, K.

During the Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project observations of NGC 5548, the continuum and emission-line variability became decorrelated during the second half of the six-month-long observing campaign. Here we present Swift and Chandra X-ray spectra of NGC 5548 obtained as part of the campaign. The Swift spectra show that excess flux (relative to a power-law continuum) in the soft X-ray band appears before the start of the anomalous emission-line behavior, peaks during the period of the anomaly, and then declines. This is a model-independent result suggesting that the soft excess is related to the anomaly. We divide themore » Swift data into on- and off-anomaly spectra to characterize the soft excess via spectral fitting. The cause of the spectral differences is likely due to a change in the intrinsic spectrum rather than to variable obscuration or partial covering. The Chandra spectra have lower signal-to-noise ratios, but are consistent with the Swift data. Our preferred model of the soft excess is emission from an optically thick, warm Comptonizing corona, the effective optical depth of which increases during the anomaly. In conclusion, this model simultaneously explains all three observations: the UV emission-line flux decrease, the soft-excess increase, and the emission-line anomaly.« less

Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project. VII. Understanding the Ultraviolet Anomaly in NGC 5548 with X-Ray Spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Mathur, S.; Gupta, A.; Page, K.; ...

2017-08-31

During the Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project observations of NGC 5548, the continuum and emission-line variability became decorrelated during the second half of the six-month-long observing campaign. Here we present Swift and Chandra X-ray spectra of NGC 5548 obtained as part of the campaign. The Swift spectra show that excess flux (relative to a power-law continuum) in the soft X-ray band appears before the start of the anomalous emission-line behavior, peaks during the period of the anomaly, and then declines. This is a model-independent result suggesting that the soft excess is related to the anomaly. We divide themore » Swift data into on- and off-anomaly spectra to characterize the soft excess via spectral fitting. The cause of the spectral differences is likely due to a change in the intrinsic spectrum rather than to variable obscuration or partial covering. The Chandra spectra have lower signal-to-noise ratios, but are consistent with the Swift data. Our preferred model of the soft excess is emission from an optically thick, warm Comptonizing corona, the effective optical depth of which increases during the anomaly. In conclusion, this model simultaneously explains all three observations: the UV emission-line flux decrease, the soft-excess increase, and the emission-line anomaly.« less

Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project. VII. Understanding the Ultraviolet Anomaly in NGC 5548 with X-Ray Spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mathur, S.; Pogge, R. W.; Adams, S. M.

During the Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project observations of NGC 5548, the continuum and emission-line variability became decorrelated during the second half of the six-month-long observing campaign. Here we present Swift and Chandra X-ray spectra of NGC 5548 obtained as part of the campaign. The Swift spectra show that excess flux (relative to a power-law continuum) in the soft X-ray band appears before the start of the anomalous emission-line behavior, peaks during the period of the anomaly, and then declines. This is a model-independent result suggesting that the soft excess is related to the anomaly. We divide themore » Swift data into on- and off-anomaly spectra to characterize the soft excess via spectral fitting. The cause of the spectral differences is likely due to a change in the intrinsic spectrum rather than to variable obscuration or partial covering. The Chandra spectra have lower signal-to-noise ratios, but are consistent with the Swift data. Our preferred model of the soft excess is emission from an optically thick, warm Comptonizing corona, the effective optical depth of which increases during the anomaly. This model simultaneously explains all three observations: the UV emission-line flux decrease, the soft-excess increase, and the emission-line anomaly.« less

A Passive Method for Detecting Vegetation Stress from Orbit: Chlorophyll Fluorescence Spectra from Fraunhofer Lines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Theisen, Arnold F.

2000-01-01

Solar-stimulated chlorophyll fluorescence measured with the Fraunhofer line depth method has correlated well with vegetation stress in previous studies. However, the instruments used in those studies were limited to a single solar absorption line (e.g. 656.3 nm), obviating the red/far-red ratio (R/FR) method. Optics and detector technology have reached the level whereby multiple, very narrow Fraunhofer lines are resolvable. Thirteen such lines span the visible spectrum in the red to far-red region where chlorophyll fluorescence occurs. Fluorescence intensities at the 13 Fraunhofer line wavelengths were used to model emission spectra. The source data were collected for summer and fall bean crops (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) subjected to various levels of nitrogen fertilization. The intensities were adjusted to account for Fraunhofer line depth and atmospheric transmittance. Multiple R/FR fluorescence ratios, calculated from the modeled fluorescence spectra, correlated strongly with leaf chlorophyll concentration and well with applied nitrogen. The ratio yielding the best correlation with chlorophyll utilized red fluorescence at the 694.5 nm Fraunhofer line and farred fluorescence at the 755.6 nm Fraunhofer line. Twenty R/FR ratios, each evaluated for the maximum differential between low and high (optimal) nitrogen treatments, ranked higher in some cases and lower in others, possibly related to the time of year the crops were grown and the stage of growth of the crops. Ratios with 728.9 nm and 738.9 nm in the denominator consistently ranked in the lowest and next lowest quartile, respectively. Ratios of the 656.3 nm Fraunhofer line and the 755.6 nm line consistently ranked highest for the summer crop. Ratios with 755.6 nm in the denominator ranked in the upper quartile for 10 out of 12 measurement dates. Differences in ratio ranking indicate that physiological conditions may be estimated using selected ratios of Fraunhofer lines within the context of R/FR analysis. A

OPTICAL SPECTRA OF CANDIDATE INTERNATIONAL CELESTIAL REFERENCE FRAME (ICRF) FLAT-SPECTRUM RADIO SOURCES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Titov, O.; Stanford, Laura M.; Johnston, Helen M.

2013-07-01

Continuing our program of spectroscopic observations of International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) sources, we present redshifts for 120 quasars and radio galaxies. Data were obtained with five telescopes: the 3.58 m European Southern Observatory New Technology Telescope, the two 8.2 m Gemini telescopes, the 2.5 m Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT), and the 6.0 m Big Azimuthal Telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory in Russia. The targets were selected from the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry candidate International Celestial Reference Catalog which forms part of an observational very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) program to strengthen the celestial reference frame.more » We obtained spectra of the potential optical counterparts of more than 150 compact flat-spectrum radio sources, and measured redshifts of 120 emission-line objects, together with 19 BL Lac objects. These identifications add significantly to the precise radio-optical frame tie to be undertaken by Gaia, due to be launched in 2013, and to the existing data available for analyzing source proper motions over the celestial sphere. We show that the distribution of redshifts for ICRF sources is consistent with the much larger sample drawn from Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty cm (FIRST) and Sloan Digital Sky Survey, implying that the ultra-compact VLBI sources are not distinguished from the overall radio-loud quasar population. In addition, we obtained NOT spectra for five radio sources from the FIRST and NRAO VLA Sky Survey catalogs, selected on the basis of their red colors, which yielded three quasars with z > 4.« less

The diversity of soft X-ray spectra in quasars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elvis, M.; Wilkes, B. J.; Tananbaum, H.

1985-01-01

Soft X-ray spectra for three quasars obtained with the Einstein Imaging Proportional Counter covering the 0.1-4.0 keV band are reported. Power-law fits to these spectra have best-fit energy indices of 1.2 +0.6 or -0.2, for the quasar NAB 0205 + 024, 0.6 +0.3 or -0.2 for the quasar B2 1028 + 313, and 2.2 + or -0.4 for the quasar PG 1211 + 143. None of the quasars shows any evidence for a column density of cold matter in excess of the galactic values. The derived spectra demonstrate that there is no single universal power law slope for quasar X-ray spectra. The implications of these results for the X-ray background, X-ray continuum emission mechanisms, and the production of the optical/UV emission lines are briefly discussed.

Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project. III. Optical Continuum Emission and Broadband Time Delays in NGC 5548

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fausnaugh, M. M.; Denney, K. D.; Barth, A.J.; Bentz, M.C.; Bottorff, M.C.; Carini, M.T.; Croxall, K. V.; Rosa, G. De; Goad, M.R.; Gehrels, Cornelis;

Probing the accretion flow and emission-line regions of M81, the nearest broad-lined low-luminosity AGN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barth, Aaron

2017-08-01

The nucleus of M81 is an object of singular importance as a template for low-luminosity accretion flows onto supermassive black holes. We propose to obtain a complete, small-aperture, high S/N STIS UV/optical spectrum of the M81 nucleus and multi-filter WFC3 imaging covering the UV through near-IR. Such data have never previously been obtained with HST; the only prior archival UV/optical spectra of M81 have low S/N, incomplete wavelength coverage, and are strongly contaminated by starlight. Combined with new Chandra X-ray data, our proposed observations will comprise the definitive reference dataset on the spectral energy distribution of this benchmark low-luminosity AGN. These data will provide unique new constraints on the possible contribution of a truncated thin accretion disk to the AGN emission spectrum, clarifying a fundamental property of low-luminosity accretion flows. The data will additionally provide new insights into broad-line region structure and black hole mass scaling relationships at the lowest AGN luminosities, and spatially resolved diagnostics of narrow-line region excitation conditions at unprecedented spatial resolution to assess the impact of the AGN on the ionization state of the gas in the host galaxy bulge.

Silicon X-ray line emission from solar flares and active regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parkinson, J. H.; Wolff, R. S.; Kestenbaum, H. L.; Ku, W. H.-M.; Lemen, J. R.; Long, K. S.; Novick, R.; Suozzo, R. J.; Weisskopf, M. C.

1978-01-01

New observations of solar flare and active region X-ray spectra obtained with the Columbia University instrument on OSO-8 are presented and discussed. The high sensitivity of the graphite crystal panel has allowed both line and continuum spectra to be served with moderate spectral resolution. Observations with higher spectral resolution have been made with a panel of pentaerythritol crystals. Twenty-nine lines between 1.5 and 7.0 A have been resolved and identified, including several dielectronic recombination satellite lines to Si XIV and Si XIII lines which have been observed for the first time. It has been found that thermal continuum models specified by single values of temperature and emission measure have fitted the data adequately, there being good agreement with the values of these parameters derived from line intensity ratios.

[Influence of cold spot temperature on 253.7 nm resonance spectra line of electrodeless discharge lamps].

PubMed

Dong, Jin-yang; Zhang, Gui-xin; Wang, Chang-quan

2012-01-01

As a kind of new electric light source, electrodeless discharge lamps are of long life, low mercury and non-stroboscopic light. The lighting effect of electrodeless discharge lamps depends on the radiation efficiency of 253.7 nm resonance spectra line to a large extent. The influence of cold temperature on 253.7 nm resonance spectra line has been studied experimentally by atomic emission spectral analysis. It was found that the radiation efficiency of 253.7 nm resonance spectra line is distributed in a nearly normal fashion with the variation of cold spot temperature, in other words, there is an optimum cold spot temperature for an electrodeless discharge lamp. At last, the results of experiments were analyzed through gas discharge theory, which offers guidance to the improvement of lighting effect for electrodeless discharge lamps.

Compact characterization of liquid absorption and emission spectra using linear variable filters integrated with a CMOS imaging camera

PubMed Central

Wan, Yuhang; Carlson, John A.; Kesler, Benjamin A.; Peng, Wang; Su, Patrick; Al-Mulla, Saoud A.; Lim, Sung Jun; Smith, Andrew M.; Dallesasse, John M.; Cunningham, Brian T.

2016-01-01

A compact analysis platform for detecting liquid absorption and emission spectra using a set of optical linear variable filters atop a CMOS image sensor is presented. The working spectral range of the analysis platform can be extended without a reduction in spectral resolution by utilizing multiple linear variable filters with different wavelength ranges on the same CMOS sensor. With optical setup reconfiguration, its capability to measure both absorption and fluorescence emission is demonstrated. Quantitative detection of fluorescence emission down to 0.28 nM for quantum dot dispersions and 32 ng/mL for near-infrared dyes has been demonstrated on a single platform over a wide spectral range, as well as an absorption-based water quality test, showing the versatility of the system across liquid solutions for different emission and absorption bands. Comparison with a commercially available portable spectrometer and an optical spectrum analyzer shows our system has an improved signal-to-noise ratio and acceptable spectral resolution for discrimination of emission spectra, and characterization of colored liquid’s absorption characteristics generated by common biomolecular assays. This simple, compact, and versatile analysis platform demonstrates a path towards an integrated optical device that can be utilized for a wide variety of applications in point-of-use testing and point-of-care diagnostics. PMID:27389070

Atlas of Atomic Spectral Lines of Neptunium Emitted by Inductively Coupled Plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DeKalb, E.L. and Edelson, M. C.

1987-08-01

Optical emission spectra from high-purity Np-237 were generated with a glovebox-enclosed inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source. Spectra covering the 230-700 nm wavelength range are presented along with general commentary on the methodology used in collecting the data. The Ames Laboratory Nuclear Safeguards and Security Program has been charged with the task of developing optical spectroscopic methods to analyze the composition of spent nuclear fuels. Such materials are highly radioactive even after prolonged 'cooling' and are chemically complex. Neptunium (Np) is a highly toxic by-product of nuclear power generation and is found, in low abundance, in spent nuclear fuels. This atlasmore » of the optical emission spectrum of Np, as produced by an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopic source, is part of a general survey of the ICP emission spectra of the actinide elements. The ICP emission spectrum of the actinides originates almost exclusively from the electronic relaxation of excited, singly ionized species. Spectral data on the Np ion emission spectrum (i.e., the Np II spectrum) have been reported by Tomkins and Fred [1] and Haaland [2]. Tomkins and Fred excited the Np II spectrum with a Cu spark discharge and identified 114 Np lines in the 265.5 - 436.3 nm spectral range. Haaland, who corrected some spectral line misidentifications in the work of Tomkins and Fred, utilized an enclosed Au spark discharge to excite the Np II spectrum and reported 203 Np lines within the 265.4 - 461.0 nm wavelength range.« less

Analysis of time-resolved argon line spectra from OMEGA direct-drive implosions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Florido, R.; Nagayama, T.; Mancini, R. C.

2008-10-15

We discuss the observation and data analysis of argon K-shell line spectra from argon-doped deuterium-filled OMEGA direct-drive implosion cores based on data recorded with two streaked crystal spectrometers. The targets were 870 {mu}m in diameter, 27 {mu}m wall thickness plastic shells filled with 20 atm of deuterium gas, and a tracer amount of argon for diagnostic purposes. The argon K-shell line spectrum is primarily emitted at the collapse of the implosion and its analysis provides a spectroscopic diagnostic of the core implosion conditions. The observed spectra includes the He{alpha}, Ly{alpha}, He{beta}, He{gamma}, Ly{beta}, and Ly{gamma} line emissions and their associatedmore » He- and Li-like satellites thus covering a broad photon energy range from 3100 to 4200 eV with a spectral resolution power of approximately 500. The data analysis relies on detailed atomic and spectral models that take into account nonequilibrium collisional-radiative atomic kinetics, Stark-broadened line shapes, and radiation transport calculations.« less

Emission-line galaxies in the third list of the Case Low-Dispersion Northern Sky Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weistrop, Donna; Downes, Ronald A.

1991-01-01

Observations of 47 galaxies in the third Case list are reported. Thirty-five of the galaxies in the sample were selected for the presence of emission lines on the objective prism plates. At the higher spectral dispersion of the data, significant line emission was found in 46 of the 47 galaxies. Twenty-six galaxies are found to be undergoing significant bursts of star formation. Ten additional galaxies may be starburst galaxies with low-excitation spectra. Two galaxies are probably type Seyfert 2. The most distant object, CG 200, at a redshift of 0.144, has a strong broad H-alpha emission line, and is probably a Seyfert 1. Seventeen of the galaxies have been detected by IRAS. Eight of the IRAS galaxies have H-II-region-type spectra and eight have low-ionization starburst spectra. The galaxies represent a mixture of types, ranging from intrinsically faint dwarf galaxies with Mb equalling -16 mag, to powerful galaxies with MB equalling -23 mag. Galaxies CG 234 and CG 235 are interacting, as are galaxies CG 269 and CG 270.

The Metal Abundances across Cosmic Time (MACT) Survey. I. Optical Spectroscopy in the Subaru Deep Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ly, Chun; Malhotra, Sangeeta; Malkan, Matthew A.; Rigby, Jane R.; Kashikawa, Nobunari; de los Reyes, Mithi A.; Rhoads, James E.

2016-09-01

Deep rest-frame optical spectroscopy is critical for characterizing and understanding the physical conditions and properties of the ionized gas in galaxies. Here, we present a new spectroscopic survey called “Metal Abundances across Cosmic Time” or { M }{ A }{ C }{ T }, which will obtain rest-frame optical spectra for ˜3000 emission-line galaxies. This paper describes the optical spectroscopy that has been conducted with MMT/Hectospec and Keck/DEIMOS for ≈1900 z = 0.1-1 emission-line galaxies selected from our narrowband and intermediate-band imaging in the Subaru Deep Field. In addition, we present a sample of 164 galaxies for which we have measured the weak [O III]λ4363 line (66 with at least 3σ detections and 98 with significant upper limits). This nebular emission line determines the gas-phase metallicity by measuring the electron temperature of the ionized gas. This paper presents the optical spectra, emission-line measurements, interstellar properties (e.g., metallicity, gas density), and stellar properties (e.g., star formation rates, stellar mass). Paper II of the { M }{ A }{ C }{ T } survey (Ly et al.) presents the first results on the stellar mass-gas metallicity relation at z ≲ 1 using the sample with [O III]λ4363 measurements.

[Study on Hexagonal Super-Lattice Pattern with Light Spot and Dim Spot in Dielectric Barrier Discharge by Optical Emission Spectra].

PubMed

Liu, Ying; Dong, Li-fang; Niu, Xue-jiao; Zhang, Chao

2016-02-01

The hexagonal super-lattice pattern composed of the light spot and the dim spot is firstly observed and investigated in the discharge of gas mixture of air and argon by using the dielectric barrier discharge device with double water electrodes. It is found that the dim spot is located at the center of its surrounding three light spots by observing the discharge image. Obviously, the brightness of the light spot and the dim spot are different, which indicates that the plasma states of the light spot and the dim spot may be different. The optical emission spectrum method is used to further study the several plasma parameters of the light spot and the dim spot in different argon content. The emission spectra of the N₂ second positive band (C³IIu --> B³IIg) are measured, from which the molecule vibration temperatures of the light spot and the dim spot are calculated. Based on the relative intensity ratio of the line at 391.4 nm and the N₂ line at 394.1 nm, the average electron energies of the light spot and the dim spot are investigated. The broadening of spectral line 696.57 nm (2P₂-1S₅) is used to study the electron densities of the light spot and the dim spot. The experiment shows that the molecule vibration temperature, average electron energy and the electron density of the dim spot are higher than those of the light spot in the same argon content. The molecule vibration temperature and electron density of the light spot and dim spot increase with the argon content increasing from 70% to 95%, while average electron energies of the light spot and dim spot decrease gradually. The short-exposure image recorded by a high speed video camera shows that the dim spot results from the surface discharges (SDs). The surface discharge induced by the volume discharge (VD) has the decisive effect on the formation of the dim spot. The experiment above plays an important role in studying the formation mechanism of the hexagonal super-lattice pattern with light spot and

Broadband spectral study of the jet-disc emission in the radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy 1H 0323+342

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Ritesh; Dewangan, Gulab C.; Mallick, Labani; Raychaudhuri, Biplab

2018-06-01

We present a broadband spectral study of the radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy 1H 0323+342 based on multi-epoch observations performed with NuSTAR on 2014 March 15, and two simultaneous observations performed with Suzaku and Swift on 2009 July 26 and 2013 March 1. We found the presence of a strong soft X-ray excess emission, a broad but weak Fe line and hard X-ray excess emission. We used the blurred reflection (relxill) and the intrinsic disc Comptonization (optxagnf), two physically motivated models, to describe the broadband spectra and to disentangle the disk/corona and jet emission. The relxill model is mainly constrained by the strong soft X-ray excess although the model failed to predict this excess when fitted above 3{keV} and extrapolated to lower energies. The joint spectral analysis of the three datasets above 3{keV} with this model resulted in a high black hole spin (a > 0.9) and moderate reflection fraction R ˜ 0.5. The optxagnf model fitted to the two simultaneous datasets resulted in an excess emission in the UV band. The simultaneous UV-to-hard X-ray spectra of 1H 0323+342 are best described by a model consisting of a primary X-ray power-law continuum with Γ ˜ 1.8, a blurred reflection component with R ˜ 0.5, Comptonised disk emission as the soft X-ray excess, optical/UV emission from a standard accretion disk around a black hole of mass ˜107M⊙ and a steep power law (Γ ˜ 3 - 3.5) component, most likely the jet emission in the UV band. The fractional RMS variability spectra suggest that both the soft excess and the powerlaw component are variable in nature.

The near-infrared broad emission line region of active galactic nuclei - II. The 1-μm continuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landt, Hermine; Elvis, Martin; Ward, Martin J.; Bentz, Misty C.; Korista, Kirk T.; Karovska, Margarita

2011-06-01

We use quasi-simultaneous near-infrared (near-IR) and optical spectroscopy from four observing runs to study the continuum around 1 μm in 23 well-known broad emission line active galactic nuclei (AGN). We show that, after correcting the optical spectra for host galaxy light, the AGN continuum around this wavelength can be approximated by the sum of mainly two emission components, a hot dust blackbody and an accretion disc. The accretion disc spectrum appears to dominate the flux at ˜ 1 μm, which allows us to derive a relation for estimating AGN black hole masses based on the near-IR virial product. This result also means that a near-IR reverberation programme can determine the AGN state independent of simultaneous optical spectroscopy. On average we derive hot dust blackbody temperatures of ˜1400 K, a value close to the sublimation temperature of silicate dust grains, and relatively low hot dust covering factors of ˜7 per cent. Our preliminary variability studies indicate that in most sources, the hot dust emission responds to changes in the accretion disc flux with the expected time lag; however, a few sources show a behaviour that can be attributed to dust destruction.

X ray spectra of X Per. [oso-8 observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Becker, R. H.; Boldt, E. A.; Holt, S. S.; Pravdo, S. H.; Robinson-Saba, J.; Serlemitsos, P. J.; Swank, J. H.

1978-01-01

The cosmic X-ray spectroscopy experiment on OSO-8 observed X Per for twenty days during two observations in Feb. 1976 and Feb. 1977. The spectrum of X Per varies in phase with its 13.9 min period, hardening significantly at X-ray minimum. Unlike other X-ray binary pulsar spectra, X Per's spectra do not exhibit iron line emission or strong absorption features. The data show no evidence for a 22 hour periodicity in the X-ray intensity of X Per. These results indicate that the X-ray emission from X Per may be originating from a neutron star in a low density region far from the optically identified Be star.

High-resolution emission spectra of pulsed terahertz quantum-cascade lasers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ikonnikov, A. V., E-mail: antikon@ipm.sci-nnov.ru; Antonov, A. V.; Lastovkin, A. A.

The spectra of pulsed terahertz quantum-cascade lasers were measured with high spectral resolution. The characteristic line width at half maximum was 0.01 cm{sup -1}; it is controlled by laser temperature variations during the supply voltage pulse. It was shown that an increase in the laser temperature leads to a decrease in the emission frequency, which is caused by an increase in the effective refractive index of the active region. It was also found that a decrease in the supply voltage results in a decrease in the emission frequency, which is caused by a change in the energy of diagonal transitionsmore » between lasing levels.« less

Recovering Galaxy Rotation Speeds from Irregular Emission Profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavezzi, T. E.; Dickey, J. M.

1997-12-01

We simulate extragalactic emission spectra in order to determine whether the spectra of molecular gas measure the full velocity of disk rotation, despite their confined gas distributions. We present synthetic emission profiles to determine the effects on profile shapes due to factors such as telescope beam size. gas distribution, opacity, and pointing errors. We find that linewidths cease to be useful if the telescope beam resolves the solid body rotation region of the galaxy disk, or if the disk is very optically thick. Opacity is more problematic for edge-on galaxies; at lower optical depths, we find that very often a trough is created in the center of the emission line. We establish guidelines for rejecting spectra as unreliable disk-velocity indicators, and determine what corrections to the measured line widths at 20% and 50% of the peak intensity are best to recover twice the disk rotation velocity. Following the procedure of Bicay & Giovanelli (1986, AJ, 91, 705) we find that the 50% of peak intensity threshold for measuring linewidths (W50p, or FWHM) is the most robust, yielding the smallest measurement errors as a function of signal to noise, and requires the smallest turbulence corrections.

Atomic emission lines in the near ultraviolet; hydrogen through krypton, section 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, R. L.

1979-01-01

A compilation of spectra from the first 36 elements was prepared from published literature available through October 1977. In most cases, only those lines which were actually observed in emission or absorption are listed. The wavelengths included range from 2000 Angstroms to 3200 Angstroms with some additional lines up to 3500 Angstroms. Only lines of stripped atoms are reported; no molecular bands are included.

Atomic emission lines in the near ultraviolet; hydrogen through krypton, section 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, R. L.

1979-01-01

A compilation of spectra from the first 36 elements was prepared from published literature available through October 1977. In most cases, only those lines which were actually observed in emission or absorption are listed. The wavelengths included range from 2000 Angstroms to 3200 Angstroms with some additional lines up to 3500 Angstroms. Only lines of stripped atoms are reported; no molecular bands are included.

THE LICK AGN MONITORING PROJECT 2011: SPECTROSCOPIC CAMPAIGN AND EMISSION-LINE LIGHT CURVES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barth, Aaron J.; Bennert, Vardha N.; Canalizo, Gabriela

2015-04-15

In the Spring of 2011 we carried out a 2.5 month reverberation mapping campaign using the 3 m Shane telescope at Lick Observatory, monitoring 15 low-redshift Seyfert 1 galaxies. This paper describes the observations, reductions and measurements, and data products from the spectroscopic campaign. The reduced spectra were fitted with a multicomponent model in order to isolate the contributions of various continuum and emission-line components. We present light curves of broad emission lines and the active galactic nucleus (AGN) continuum, and measurements of the broad Hβ line widths in mean and rms spectra. For the most highly variable AGNs wemore » also measured broad Hβ line widths and velocity centroids from the nightly spectra. In four AGNs exhibiting the highest variability amplitudes, we detect anticorrelations between broad Hβ width and luminosity, demonstrating that the broad-line region “breathes” on short timescales of days to weeks in response to continuum variations. We also find that broad Hβ velocity centroids can undergo substantial changes in response to continuum variations; in NGC 4593, the broad Hβ velocity shifted by ∼250 km s{sup −1} over a 1 month period. This reverberation-induced velocity shift effect is likely to contribute a significant source of confusion noise to binary black hole searches that use multi-epoch quasar spectroscopy to detect binary orbital motion. We also present results from simulations that examine biases that can occur in measurement of broad-line widths from rms spectra due to the contributions of continuum variations and photon-counting noise.« less

The Lick AGN Monitoring Project 2011: Spectroscopic Campaign and Emission-line Light Curves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barth, Aaron J.; Bennert, Vardha N.; Canalizo, Gabriela; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Gates, Elinor L.; Greene, Jenny E..; Li, Weidong; Malkan, Matthew A.; Pancoast, Anna; Sand, David J.;

A Deep Chandra ACIS Study of NGC 4151. III. The Line Emission and Spectral Analysis of the Ionization Cone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Junfeng; Fabbiano, Giuseppina; Elvis, Martin; Risaliti, Guido; Karovska, Margarita; Zezas, Andreas; Mundell, Carole G.; Dumas, Gaelle; Schinnerer, Eva

2011-11-01

This paper is the third in a series in which we present deep Chandra ACIS-S imaging spectroscopy of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 4151, devoted to study its complex circumnuclear X-ray emission. Emission features in the soft X-ray spectrum of the bright extended emission (L 0.3-2 keV ~ 1040 erg s-1) at r > 130 pc (2'') are consistent with blended brighter O VII, O VIII, and Ne IX lines seen in the Chandra HETGS and XMM-Newton RGS spectra below 2 keV. We construct emission line images of these features and find good morphological correlations with the narrow-line region clouds mapped in [O III] λ5007. Self-consistent photoionization models provide good descriptions of the spectra of the large-scale emission, as well as resolved structures, supporting the dominant role of nuclear photoionization, although displacement of optical and X-ray features implies a more complex medium. Collisionally ionized emission is estimated to be lsim12% of the extended emission. Presence of both low- and high-ionization spectral components and extended emission in the X-ray image perpendicular to the bicone indicates leakage of nuclear ionization, likely filtered through warm absorbers, instead of being blocked by a continuous obscuring torus. The ratios of [O III]/soft X-ray flux are approximately constant (~15) for the 1.5 kpc radius spanned by these measurements, indicating similar relative contributions from the low- and high-ionization gas phases at different radial distances from the nucleus. If the [O III] and X-ray emission arise from a single photoionized medium, this further implies an outflow with a wind-like density profile. Using spatially resolved X-ray features, we estimate that the mass outflow rate in NGC 4151 is ~2 M ⊙ yr-1 at 130 pc and the kinematic power of the ionized outflow is 1.7 × 1041 erg s-1, approximately 0.3% of the bolometric luminosity of the active nucleus in NGC 4151.

X-mode artificial optical emissions and attendant phenomena at EISCAT/Heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blagoveshchenskaya, Nataly; Sergienko, Tima; Rietveld, Michael; Brandstrom, Urban; Senior, Andrew; Haggstrom, Ingemar; Kosch, Michael; Borisova, Tatiana; Yeoman, Tim

We present the experimental evidence for the formation of the artificial optical emissions induced by the X-mode powerful HF radio waves injected towards the magnetic zenith (MZ) into the high latitude F region of the ionosphere. The experiments were conducted in the course of Russian EISCAT heating campaigns in October 2012 and October 2013 at the Heating facility at Tromsø, Norway. The HF pump wave with the X-mode polarization was radiated at 7.1 or 6.2 MHz. The phased array 1, resulting in an ERP = 430 - 600 MW was used. Optical emissions at red (630 nm) and green (557 nm) lines were imaged from Tromsø site by the digital All-Sky Imager mark 2 (DASI - 2) and from a remote site at Abisco by the Auroral Large Imaging System (ALIS) in Scandinavia. The intensities of X-mode emissions at red and green lines varied between about of 150 - 1000 R and 50 - 300 R above the background respectively in different experiments. The artificial optical emissions were accompanied by very strong HF-enhanced ion lines and HF induced plasma lines from the EISCAT UHF incoherent scatter radar measurements and artificial small-scale field-aligned irregularities from CUTLASS (SuperDARN) HF coherent radar in Finland. The results obtained are discussed.

Observations of emission in bright, low redshift quasars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

Ultraviolet, infrared, and optical spectra were combined to obtain a data set sample as broad as possible in the range of hydrogen lines in individual quasars. From the measured Lyman fluxes, coupled with Balmer and Paschen line fluxes measured in these same objects, an effort was made to establish observational constraints that would guide models of the broad emission line regions of quasars. It was found that IUE spectra were generally of sufficiently high quality to derive line profiles of the ultraviolet lines Lyman alpha and CIV 1550 A, which were compared to the Balmer line profiles. The objects observed and the line fluxes are tabulated. Plots of line profiles are included.

QSO Broad Emission Line Asymmetries: Evidence of Gravitational Redshift?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbin, Michael R.

1995-07-01

The broad optical and ultraviolet emission lines of QSOs and active galactic nuclei (AGNs) display both redward and blueward asymmetries. This result is particularly well established for Hβ and C IV λ1549, and it has been found that Hβ becomes increasingly redward asymmetric with increasing soft X-ray luminosity. Two models for the origin of these asymmetries are investigated: (1) Anisotropic line emission from an ensemble of radially moving clouds, and (2) Two-component profiles consisting of a core of intermediate (˜1000-4000 km s-1) velocity width and a very broad (˜5000-20,000 km s-1) base, in which the asymmetries arise due to a velocity difference between the centroids of the components. The second model is motivated by the evidence that the traditional broad-line region is actually composed of an intermediate-line region (ILR) of optically thick clouds and a very broad line region (VBLR) of optically thin clouds lying closer to the central continuum source. Line profiles produced by model (1) are found to be inconsistent with those observed, being asymmetric mainly in their cores, whereas the asymmetries of actual profiles arise mainly from excess emission in their wings. By contrast, numerical fitting to actual Hβ and C IV λ1549 line profiles reveals that the majority can be accurately modeled by two components, either two Gaussians or the combination of a Gaussian base and a logarithmic core. The profile asymmetries in Hβ can be interpreted as arising from a shift of the base component over a range ˜6300 km s-1 relative to systemic velocity as defined by the position of the [O III] λ5007 line. A similar model appears to apply to C IV λ1549. The correlation between Hβ asymmetry and X-ray luminosity may thus be interpreted as a progressive red- shift of the VBLR velocity centroid relative to systemic velocity with increasing X-ray luminosity. This in turn suggests that the underlying effect is gravitational red shift, as soft X-ray emission

Ultraviolet observations of clusters of Wolf-Rayet stars in the SBm3 galaxy NGC 4214 and Ultraviolet and optical observations of LINER's

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Filippenko, Alexei V.

1992-01-01

The purpose of the grant was to obtain and analyze IUE (UV) and ground-based (optical) spectra of the central bar of NGC 4214, which contains several bright H II regions, in order to further explore the properties of the Wolf-Rayet stars in this galaxy. Several spatially distinct regions, with widely different equivalent widths of optical Wolf-Rayet lines, could be sampled by the large IUE entrance aperture. By using newly developed extraction techniques, the spectra of these H II regions could be isolated, and differences in their stellar populations would be systematically studied. Data were obtained with IUE in late February and early March, 1992. Some of the shifts were successful, but a few were not -- apparently the blind offset from the nearby star did not work equally well in all cases. Thus, the signal-to-noise ratio is somewhat lower than we had hoped. This necessitated a more careful extraction of the spectra of individual H II regions from the two-dimensional spectra. (A program that models the point spread function in the spatial direction was used to deblend the distinct H II regions.) The IUE data are currently being analyzed in conjunction with ground-based optical spectra. There appear to be obvious variations in the stellar population over angular scales of only a few arc seconds. The second part of the research performed under this grant was a continuation of a project that uses IUE (UV) and ground-based (optical) spectra to infer the physical conditions in Low-Ionization Nuclear Emission-Line Regions (LINER's). We have obtained spectra of a few key objects that cover a representative range in LINER continuum and emission-line properties. The overall goals are to (1) separate the emission into spatially distinct components, (2) establish whether the observed nuclear ultraviolet continua indicate sufficient photoionizing fluxes to account for the emission lines, (3) determine whether the nuclear emission can be explained by hot stars alone, (4

Study of the dc and 100kHz glow discharges in acetylene-nitrogen mixture by means of optical emission spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamroz, P.; Zyrnicki, W.

2002-09-01

The dc and 100 kHz low pressure discharges in acetylene-nitrogen mixture have been studied here. Optical emission spectroscopy was used for identification of active plasma components and to determine plasma temperature. Relative concentrations of H, CH and CN were investigated versus experimental conditions by optical actinometry techniques. Emission intensities of N2 and N2^+ normalized to intensity of argon line were also monitored as a function of experimental parameters. The rotational temperatures from the N2^+ B^2Σ_u^+-X^2Σ_g^+ (0-0) and CN B^2Σ^+-X^2Σ^+ (0-0) bands and vibrational temperatures from the CN (B^2Σ^+-X^2Σ^+) and N2 (C^3Pi_u-B^3Pi_g) spectra were determined. Plasma processes and plasma equilibrium state were discussed.

Evidence for Secondary Emission as the Origin of Hard Spectra in TeV Blazars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Y. G.; Kang, T.

2013-02-01

We develop a model for the possible origin of hard, very high energy (VHE) spectra from a distant blazar. In the model, both the primary photons produced in the source and secondary photons produced outside it contribute to the observed high-energy γ-ray emission. That is, the primary photons are produced through the synchrotron self-Compton process, and the secondary photons are produced through high-energy proton interactions with background photons along the line of sight. We apply the model to a characteristic case of VHE γ-ray emission in the distant blazar 1ES 1101-232. Assuming suitable electron and proton spectra, we obtain excellent fits to the observed spectra of this blazar. This indicated that the surprisingly low attenuation of the high-energy γ-rays, especially the shape of the VHE γ-ray tail of the observed spectra, can be explained by secondary γ-rays produced in interactions of cosmic-ray protons with background photons in intergalactic space.

THE X-RAY THROUGH OPTICAL FLUXES AND LINE STRENGTHS OF TIDAL DISRUPTION EVENTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roth, Nathaniel; Kasen, Daniel; Guillochon, James

We study the emission from tidal disruption events (TDEs) produced as radiation from black hole accretion propagates through an extended, optically thick envelope formed from stellar debris. We analytically describe key physics controlling spectrum formation, and present detailed radiative transfer calculations that model the spectral energy distribution and optical line strengths of TDEs near peak brightness. The steady-state transfer is coupled to a solver for the excitation and ionization states of hydrogen, helium, and oxygen (as a representative metal), without assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium. Our calculations show how an extended envelope can reprocess a fraction of soft X-rays and producemore » the observed optical fluxes of the order of 10{sup 43} erg s{sup −1}, with an optical/UV continuum that is not described by a single blackbody. Variations in the mass or size of the envelope may help explain how the optical flux changes over time with roughly constant color. For high enough accretion luminosities, X-rays can escape to be observed simultaneously with the optical flux. Due to optical depth effects, hydrogen Balmer line emission is often strongly suppressed relative to helium line emission (with He ii-to-H line ratios of at least 5:1 in some cases) even in the disruption of a solar-composition star. We discuss the implications of our results to understanding the type of stars destroyed in TDEs and the physical processes responsible for producing the observed flares.« less

Measuring diffuse interstellar bands with cool stars. Improved line lists to model background stellar spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monreal-Ibero, A.; Lallement, R.

2017-03-01

Context. Diffuse stellar bands (DIBs) are ubiquitous in stellar spectra. Traditionally, they have been studied through their extraction from hot (early-type) stars because of their smooth continuum. In an era in which there are several ongoing or planned massive Galactic surveys using multi-object spectrographs, cool (late-type) stars constitute an appealing set of targets. However, from the technical point of view, the extraction of DIBs in their spectra is more challenging because of the complexity of the continuum. Aims: In this contribution we provide the community with an improved set of stellar lines in the spectral regions associated with the strong DIBs at λ6196.0, λ6269.8, λ6283.8, and λ6379.3. These lines allow for the creation of better stellar synthetic spectra, reproducing the background emission and a more accurate extraction of the magnitudes associated with a given DIB (e.g., equivalent width, radial velocity). Methods: The Sun and Arcturus were used as representative examples of dwarf and giant stars, respectively. A high quality spectrum for each of them was modeled using TURBOSPECTRUM and the Vienna Atomic Line Database (VALD) stellar line list. The oscillator strength log (gf) and wavelength of specific lines were modified to create synthetic spectra in which the residuals in both the Sun and Arcturus were minimized. Results: The TURBOSPECTRUM synthetic spectra, based on improved line lists, reproduce the observed spectra for the Sun and Arcturus in the mentioned spectral ranges with greater accuracy. Residuals between the synthetic and observed spectra are always ≲10%, which is much better than residuals with previously existing options. We tested the new line lists with some characteristic spectra from a variety of stars, including both giant and dwarf stars, and under different degrees of extinction. As occurred with the Sun and Arcturus, residuals in the fits used to extract the DIB information are smaller when using synthetic spectra

Optical spectral analysis of ultra-weak photon emission from tissue culture and yeast cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nerudová, Michaela; Červinková, Kateřina; Hašek, Jiří; Cifra, Michal

2015-01-01

Optical spectral analysis of the ultra-weak photon emission (UPE) could be utilized for non-invasive diagnostic of state of biological systems and for elucidation of underlying mechanisms of UPE generation. Optical spectra of UPE from differentiated HL-60 cells and yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) were investigated. Induced photon emission of neutrophil-like cells and spontaneous photon emission of yeast cells were measured using highly sensitive photomultiplier module Hamamatsu H7360-01 in a thermally regulated light-tight chamber. The respiratory burst of neutrophil-like HL-60 cells was induced with the PMA (phorbol 12-myristate, 13-acetate). PMA activates an assembly of NADPH oxidase, which induces a rapid formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Long-pass edge filters (wavelength 350, from 400 to 600 with 25 nm resolution and 650 nm) were used for optical spectral analysis. Propagation of error of indirect measurements and standard deviation were used to assess reliability of the measured spectra. Results indicate that the photon emission from both cell cultures is detectable in the six from eight examined wavelength ranges with different percentage distribution of cell suspensions, particularly 450-475, 475-500, 500-525, 525-550, 550-575 and 575-600 nm. The wavelength range of spectra from 450 to 550 nm coincides with the range of photon emission from triplet excited carbonyls (350-550 nm). The both cells cultures emitted photons in wavelength range from 550 to 600 nm but this range does not correspond with any known emitter. To summarize, we have demonstrated a clear difference in the UPE spectra between two organisms using rigorous methodology and error analysis.

Induced emission cross section of a possible laser line in Nd:Y2O3 ceramics at 1.095 μm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukabori, Akihiro; Sekita, Masami; Ikegami, Takayasu; Iyi, Nobuo; Komatsu, Toshiki; Kawamura, Masayuki; Suzuki, Makoto

2007-02-01

In this study, we measured the change of the optical transmittance for calcination temperatures, in steps of 10°, at two different sintering temperatures. It was found that the optical transmittance is highly dependent on the calcination temperature. The highest optical transmittance obtained was 70% for the transparent Y2O3 (yttria) ceramics produced without the use of additives and high injection presure in this study, higher than the highest reported value of 65%. Optical absorption and emission spectra of Nd :Y2O3 obtained from a low temperature synthesis process were measured. The energy level structure of Nd3+ in the Y2O3 ceramics was determined for a 1mol% Nd concentration. The induced emission cross section was calculated to be in the range of 3.2×10-19-1.1×10-17cm2 for the 1mol% Nd-doped Y2O3 ceramics. Furthermore, a laser line possibly has been identified in this study, in the Nd :Y2O3 ceramic at 1.095μm.

B Stars with and without emission lines, parts 1 and 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Underhill, A. (Editor); Doazan, V. (Editor)

1982-01-01

The spectra for B stars for which emission lines occur not on the main sequence, but only among the supergiants, and those B stars for which the presence of emission in H ahlpa is considered to be a significant factor in delineating atmospheric structure are examined. The development of models that are compatible with all known facts about a star and with the laws of physics is also discussed.

Near-Infrared Emission Lines of Nova Cassiopeiae 1995

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudy, R. J.; Lynch, D. K.; Mazuk, S. M.; Venturini, C. C.; Puetter, R. C.

2000-12-01

The slow nova V 723 Cas (Nova Cas 1995) exhibits comparatively narrow emission features (FWHM 500 km sec-1) that make it ideal for classifying weak lines and lines blended with stronger features. We present spectra from 0.8-2.5 microns that track the gradual incrase in excitation of Nova Cas and discuss the emission lines that were present. During the period encompassed by these observations Nova Cas reached only moderate excitation-the most energetic coronal lines were [S VIII] 9913 and [Al IX] 20444; lines such as [S IX] 12523 that are prominent in some novae were not detected. Additional coronal lines present include [Si VI] 19641, [Ca VIII] 23205, and [Si VII] 24807. New lines identified include features of [Fe V], [Fe VI]. These iron features are not coronal lines, arising from transitions among low-lying terms rather than within the ground term itself. Also detected was [Ti VI] 17151 that was first identified in V1974 Cygni (Nova Cyg 1992), and possibly [Ti VII] 22050. Accurate wavelengths for a number of unidentified lines are also presented. These unidentified features are discussed with regard to their likely level of excitation and their presence in other novae. This work was supported by the IR&D program of the Aerospace Corporation. RCP acknowledges support from NASA.

Sodium D-line emission from Io - Comparison of observed and theoretical line profiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, R. W.; Matson, D. L.; Johnson, T. V.; Bergstralh, J. T.

1978-01-01

High-resolution spectra of the D-line profiles have been obtained for Io's sodium emission cloud. These lines, which are produced through resonance scattering of sunlight, are broad and asymmetric and can be used to infer source and dynamical properties of the sodium cloud. In this paper we compare line profile data with theoretical line shapes computed for several assumed initial velocity distributions corresponding to various source mechanisms. We also examine the consequences of source distributions which are nonuniform over the surface of Io. It is found that the experimental data are compatible with escape of sodium atoms from the leading hemisphere of Io and with velocity distributions characteristic of sputtering processes. Thermal escape and simple models of plasma sweeping are found to be incompatible with the observations.

Contemporaneous Ultraviolet and Optical Observations of Direct and Raman-scattered O VI Lines in Symbiotic Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birriel, Jennifer J.; Espey, Brian R.; Schulte-Ladbeck, Regina E.

2000-12-01

Symbiotic stars are binary systems consisting of a hot star, typically a white dwarf, and a cool giant companion. The wind from the cool star is ionized by the radiation from the hot star, resulting in the characteristic combination of sharp nebular emission lines and stellar molecular absorption bands in the optical spectrum. Most of the emission lines are readily identifiable with common ions. However, two strong, broad emission lines at 6825 and 7082 Å defied identification with known atoms and ions. In 1989 Schmid made the case that these long unidentified emission lines resulted from the Raman scattering of the O VI resonance photons at 1032, 1038 Å by neutral hydrogen. We present contemporaneous far-UV and optical observations of direct and Raman-scattered O VI lines for nine symbiotic stars obtained with the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (Astro-2) and various ground-based optical telescopes. The O VI emission lines are present in every instance in which the λλ6825, 7082 lines are present, in support of the Schmid Raman-scattering model. We calculate the scattering efficiencies and discuss the results in terms of the Raman-scattering model. Additionally, we measure the flux of the Fe II fluorescence line at 1776 Å, which is excited by the O VI line at 1032 Å, and calculate the first estimates of the conversion efficiencies for this process.

Estimation of Mass-Loss Rates from Emission Line Profiles in the UV Spectra of Cool Stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, K. G.; Robinson, R. D.; Harper, G. M.

1999-01-01

The photon-scattering winds of cool, low-gravity stars (K-M giants and supergiants) produce absorption features in the strong chromospheric emission lines. This provides us with an opportunity to assess important parameters of the wind, including flow and turbulent velocities, the optical depth of the wind above the region of photon creation, and the star's mass-loss rate. We have used the Lamers et al. Sobolev with Exact Integration (SEI) radiative transfer code along with simple models of the outer atmospheric structure to compute synthetic line profiles for comparison with the observed line profiles. The SEI code has the advantage of being computationally fast and allows a great number of possible wind models to be examined. We therefore use it here to obtain initial first-order estimates of the wind parameters. More sophisticated, but more time-consuming and resource intensive calculations will be performed at a later date, using the SEI-deduced wind parameters as a starting point. A comparison of the profiles over a range of wind velocity laws, turbulence values, and line opacities allows us to constrain the wind parameters, and to estimate the mass-loss rates. We have applied this analysis technique (using lines of Mg II, 0 I, and Fe II) so far to four stars: the normal K5-giant alpha Tau, the hybrid K-giant gamma Dra, the K5 supergiant lambda Vel, and the M-giant gamma Cru. We present in this paper a description of the technique, including the assumptions which go into its use, an assessment of its robustness, and the results of our analysis.

Artificial optical emissions in the thermosphere induced by powerful radio waves: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosch, M.; Senior, A.; Gustavsson, B.; Grach, S.; Pedersen, T.; Rietveld, M.

High-power high-frequency radio waves beamed into the ionosphere with O-mode polarization cause plasma turbulence which can accelerate electrons These electrons collide with the F-layer neutrals causing artificial optical emissions identical to natural aurora The brightest optical emissions are O 1D 630 nm with a threshold of 2 eV and O 1S 557 7 nm with a threshold of 4 2 eV The optical emissions give direct evidence of electron acceleration by plasma turbulence as well as their non-Maxwellian energy spectrum HF pumping of the ionosphere also causes electron temperature enhancements but these alone are not sufficient to explain the optical emissions EISCAT plasma-line measurements indicate that the enhanced electron temperatures are consistent with the bulk of the electrons having a Maxwellian energy spectrum Novel discoveries include 1 Very large electron temperature enhancements of several 1000 K which maximise along the magnetic field line direction 2 Ion temperature enhancements of a few 100 K 3 Large ion outflows exceeding 200 m s 4 The F-layer optical emission maximizes sharply near the magnetic zenith with clear evidence of self-focusing 5 The optical emission generally appears below the HF pump reflection altitude as well as the upper-hybrid resonance height 6 The optical emission and HF coherent radar backscatter generally minimize when pumping on the third or higher electron gyro-harmonic frequency suggesting upper-hybrid waves as the primary mechanism 7 The optical emissions and HF coherent backscatter are enhanced on the

THE ORIGIN AND OPTICAL DEPTH OF IONIZING RADIATION IN THE 'GREEN PEA' GALAXIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jaskot, A. E.; Oey, M. S.

2013-04-01

Although Lyman-continuum (LyC) radiation from star-forming galaxies likely drove the reionization of the universe, observations of star-forming galaxies at low redshift generally indicate low LyC escape fractions. However, the extreme [O III]/[O II] ratios of the z = 0.1-0.3 Green Pea galaxies may be due to high escape fractions of ionizing radiation. To analyze the LyC optical depths and ionizing sources of these rare, compact starbursts, we compare nebular photoionization and stellar population models with observed emission lines in the Peas' Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectra. We focus on the six most extreme Green Peas, the galaxies with themore » highest [O III]/[O II] ratios and the best candidates for escaping ionizing radiation. The Balmer line equivalent widths and He I {lambda}3819 emission in the extreme Peas support young ages of 3-5 Myr, and He II {lambda}4686 emission in five extreme Peas signals the presence of hard ionizing sources. Ionization by active galactic nuclei or high-mass X-ray binaries is inconsistent with the Peas' line ratios and ages. Although stacked spectra reveal no Wolf-Rayet (WR) features, we tentatively detect WR features in the SDSS spectra of three extreme Peas. Based on the Peas' ages and line ratios, we find that WR stars, chemically homogeneous O stars, or shocks could produce the observed He II emission. If hot stars are responsible, then the Peas' optical depths are ambiguous. However, accounting for emission from shocks lowers the inferred optical depth and suggests that the Peas may be optically thin. The Peas' ages likely optimize the escape of LyC radiation; they are old enough for supernovae and stellar winds to reshape the interstellar medium, but young enough to possess large numbers of UV-luminous O or WR stars.« less

Airborne spectrophotometry of SN 1987A from 1.7 to 12.6 microns - Time history of the dust continuum and line emission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wooden, Diane H.; Rank, David M.; Bregman, Jesse D.; Witteborn, Fred C.; Tielens, A. G. G. M.; Cohen, Martin; Pinto, Philip A.; Axelrod, Timothy S.

1993-01-01

Spectrophotometric observations of SN 1987A from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory are presented for five epochs at 60, 260, 415, 615, and 775 days after the explosion. The low-resolution (lambda/Delta lambda = 50-100) spectra of SN 1987A are combined with data from other wavelengths to model the continuum, subtract the continuum from the spectra to determine line strengths and reveal molecular bands, separate the atomic continuum radiation from the dust continuum, and derive constraints on the grain temperatures and optical depths. A scenario for the evolution of SN 1987A and that of the ejecta from which it arises is obtained on the basis of the analysis of the continuum emission.

Emission spectra of a pulse needle-to-plane corona-like discharge in conductive aqueous solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šimek, Milan; Člupek, Martin; Babický, Václav; Lukeš, Petr; Šunka, Pavel

2012-10-01

We explored basic optical and electrical characteristics of a positive corona-like discharge produced in conductive aqueous solutions by periodic high-voltage pulses. Emission spectra of the discharge were acquired in a needle-to-plate electrode geometry and analysed in the UV-vis-NIR spectral range with nanosecond time resolution for the solution conductivity of 100 and 500 µS cm-1. The most important emission features are due to electronic excitation of HI, OI, OII and OH species. We found evidence of significant time-dependent line-shape broadening of selected HI and OI transitions. The observed broadening is attributed to the dynamic Stark and pressure broadening mechanisms and significantly increases with the aqueous solution conductivity. Electron densities were estimated by fitting a single Voigt peak function to the observed Hα profiles, and can reach as much as ne ≅ 4 × 1018 cm-3 (tD = 300 ns at 100 µS cm-1 solution conductivity) and ne ≅ 5 × 1018 cm-3 (tD = 1 µs at 500 µS cm-1). Temporal evolution of the partially resolved rotational structure of the OH emission reaches a maximum during the discharge decay, with the onset significantly delayed with respect to the streamer ignition.

A Solar-Pumped Fluorescence Model for Line-By-Line Emission Intensities in the B-X, A-X, and X-X Band Systems of 12C14N

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paganini, L.; Mumma, M. J.

2016-01-01

We present a new quantitative model for detailed solar-pumped fluorescent emission of the main isotopologue of CN. The derived fluorescence efficiencies permit estimation and interpretation of ro-vibrational infrared line intensities of CN in exospheres exposed to solar (or stellar) radiation. Our g-factors are applicable to astronomical observations of CN extending from infrared to optical wavelengths, and we compare them with previous calculations in the literature. The new model enables extraction of rotational temperature, column abundance, and production rate from astronomical observations of CN in the inner coma of comets. Our model accounts for excitation and de-excitation of rotational levels in the ground vibrational state by collisions, solar excitation to the A(sup 2)Pi(sub I) and B(sup 2)Sum(sup +) electronically excited states followed by cascade to ro-vibrational levels of X(sup 2)Sum(sup +), and direct solar infrared pumping of ro-vibrational levels in the X(sup 2)Sum(sup +) state. The model uses advanced solar spectra acquired at high spectral resolution at the relevant infrared and optical wavelengths and considers the heliocentric radial velocity of the comet (the Swings effect) when assessing the exciting solar flux for a given transition. We present model predictions for the variation of fluorescence rates with rotational temperature and heliocentric radial velocity. Furthermore, we test our fluorescence model by comparing predicted and measured line-by-line intensities for X(sup 2)Sum(sup +) (1-0) in comet C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy), thereby identifying multiple emission lines observed at IR wavelengths.

A young source of optical emission from distant radio galaxies.

PubMed

Hammer, F; Fèvre, O Le; Angonin, M C

1993-03-25

DISTANT radio galaxies provide valuable insights into the properties of the young Universe-they are the only known extended optical sources at high redshift and might represent an early stage in the formation and evolution of galaxies in general. This extended optical emission often has very complex morphologies, but the origin of the light is still unclear. Here we report spectroscopic observations for several distant radio galaxies (0.75≤ z ≤ 1.1) in which the rest-frame spectra exhibit featureless continua between 2,500 Å and 5,000 Å. We see no evidence for the break in the spectrum at 4,000 Å expected for an old stellar population 1-3 , and suggest that young stars or scattered emissions from the active nuclei are responsible for most of the observed light. In either case, this implies that the source of the optical emission is com-parable in age to the associated radio source, namely 10 7 years or less.

Constraining hot Jupiter’s atmospheric structure and dynamics through Doppler shifted emission spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jisheng; Kempton, Eliza; Rauscher, Emily

2017-01-01

In recent years, astronomers have begun successfully observing the atmospheres of extrasolar planets using ground-based telescopes equipped with spectrographs capable of observing at high spectral resolution (R~105). Such studies are capable of diagnosing the atmospheric structure, composition, and dynamics (winds and rotation) of both transiting and non-transiting exoplanets. However, few studies have examined how the 3-D atmospheric dynamics could alter the emitted light of hot Jupiters at such high spectral resolution. Here, we present a model to explore such influence on the hot Jupiters’ thermal emission spectra. Our aim is to investigate the extent to which the effects of 3-D atmospheric dynamics are imprinted on planet-averaged thermal emission spectra. We couple together a 3-D general circulation model of hot Jupiter atmospheric dynamics (Rauscher & Menou, 2012) with a radiative transfer solver to predict the planet’s disk-integrated emission spectrum as a function of its orbital phase. For the first time, we self-consistently include the effects of the line-of-sight atmospheric motions (resulting from winds and rotation) in the calculation to produce Doppler-shifted spectral line profiles that result from the atmospheric dynamics. We focus our study on three benchmark hot Jupiters, HD 189733b, HD 209458b, and WASP-43b which have been the focus of previous detailed observational studies. We find that the high-resolution Doppler shifted thermal emission spectra can be used to diagnose key properties of the dynamical atmosphere - the planet’s longitudinal temperature and wind structure, and its rotation rate.

Gain anisotropy and simultaneous bidirectional emission of a Doppler-broadened MIR optically-pumped ammonia ring laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wazen, P.; Bourdet, G. L.

1991-01-01

The authors studied the Doppler-broadened 11.76-micron N-15H3 emission line optically pumped in a ring resonator by a CW CO2 laser operating on the 10R(42) line. Behavior related to the optical pumping of gas Doppler-broadened lines is found and shown to be very dependent on the laser parameters. For instance, the laser emission can occur in one direction or two directions simultaneously. A local gain model based on the interaction of two laser fields with a three-level molecular system is used to clarify the emission characteristics of this laser. Basically, the two-photon or Raman process and the Rabi splitting generate a gain anisotropy and an anomalous dispersion curve. The effects lead to a different optical path for the two directions of propagation and, consequently, a simultaneous bidirectional emission with unequal emission frequency.

Extreme optical Fe II emission in luminous IRAS active galactic nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lipari, Sebastian; Terlevich, Roberto; Macchetto, F.

1993-01-01

Results of a program of studies and observations of strong optical Fe II emission in luminous and ultraluminous IRAS AGN are presented. New spectroscopic observations and studies of three known ultraluminous IRAS AGN with extreme optical Fe II emission, the discovery that PHL 1092 is a new ultraluminous IRAS AGN, and the detection of two new AGN with strongly variable flux in the optical Fe II emission lines are reported. These results are used to test the correlations between the Fe II emission and properties at other wavelengths such as the L(IR) and the radio emission. IR AGN with extreme Fe II emission are found to belong to a very important group of AGN, whose properties provide insight into the origin of the extreme Fe II emission and into the relation between the starburst and AGN phenomena.

Optical properties of Nd3+ doped barium lithium fluoroborate glasses for near-infrared (NIR) emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mariselvam, K.; Arun Kumar, R.; Suresh, K.

2018-04-01

The neodymium doped barium lithium fluoroborate (Nd3+: BLFB) glasses with the chemical composition (70-x) H3BO3 - 10 Li2CO3 - 10 BaCO3- 5 CaF2-5 ZnO - x Nd2O3 (where x = 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 in wt %) have been prepared by the conventional melt quenching technique and characterised through optical absorption, near infrared emission and decay-time measurements. The x-ray diffraction studies confirm the amorphous nature of the prepared glasses. The optical absorption spectra and emission spectra were recorded in the wavelength ranges of 190-1100 nm. The optical band gap (Eg) and Urbach energy (ΔE) values were calculated from the absorption spectra. The Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters were determined from the systematic analysis of the absorption spectrum of neodymium ions in the prepared glasses. The emission spectra exhibited three prominent peaks at 874, 1057, 1331 nm corresponding to the 4F3/2 → 4I9/2, 11/2, 13/2 transitions levels respectively in the near infrared region. The emission intensity of the 4F3/2 → 4I11/2 transition increases with the increase in neodymium concentration up to 0.5 wt% and the concentration quenching mechanism was observed for 1 wt% and 2 wt% concentrations. The lifetime of the 4F3/2 level was found to decrease with increasing Nd3+ ion concentration. The nature of energy transfer process was a single exponential curve which was studied for all the glasses and analysed.

THE NATURE OF ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI WITH VELOCITY OFFSET EMISSION LINES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Müller-Sánchez, F.; Comerford, J.; Stern, D.

We obtained Keck/OSIRIS near-IR adaptive optics-assisted integral-field spectroscopy to probe the morphology and kinematics of the ionized gas in four velocity-offset active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. These objects possess optical emission lines that are offset in velocity from systemic as measured from stellar absorption features. At a resolution of ∼0.″18, OSIRIS allows us to distinguish which velocity offset emission lines are produced by the motion of an AGN in a dual supermassive black hole system, and which are produced by outflows or other kinematic structures. In three galaxies, J1018+2941, J1055+1520, and J1346+5228, the spectral offsetmore » of the emission lines is caused by AGN-driven outflows. In the remaining galaxy, J1117+6140, a counterrotating nuclear disk is observed that contains the peak of Pa α emission 0.″2 from the center of the galaxy. The most plausible explanation for the origin of this spatially and kinematically offset peak is that it is a region of enhanced Pa α emission located at the intersection zone between the nuclear disk and the bar of the galaxy. In all four objects, the peak of ionized gas emission is not spatially coincident with the center of the galaxy as traced by the peak of the near-IR continuum emission. The peaks of ionized gas emission are spatially offset from the galaxy centers by 0.″1–0.″4 (0.1–0.7 kpc). We find that the velocity offset originates at the location of this peak of emission, and the value of the offset can be directly measured in the velocity maps. The emission-line ratios of these four velocity-offset AGNs can be reproduced only with a mixture of shocks and AGN photoionization. Shocks provide a natural explanation for the origin of the spatially and spectrally offset peaks of ionized gas emission in these galaxies.« less

Economical Emission-Line Mapping: ISM Properties of Nearby Protogalaxy Analogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monkiewicz, Jacqueline A.

2017-01-01

Optical emission line imaging can produce a wealth of information about the conditions of the interstellar medium, but a full set of custom emission-line filters for a professional-grade telescope camera can cost many thousands of dollars. A cheaper alternative is to use commercially-produced 2-inch narrow-band astrophotography filters. In order to use these standardized filters with professional-grade telescope cameras, custom filter mounts must be manufactured for each individual filter wheel. These custom filter adaptors are produced by 3-D printing rather than standard machining, which further lowers the total cost.I demonstrate the feasibility of this technique with H-alpha, H-beta, and [OIII] emission line mapping of the low metallicity star-forming galaxies IC10 and NGC 1569, taken with my astrophotography filter set on three different 2-meter class telescopes in Southern Arizona.

Coronal Physics and the Chandra Emission Line Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brickhouse, N. S.; Drake, J. J.

2000-01-01

With the launch of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, high resolution X-ray spectroscopy of cosmic sources has begun. Early, deep observations of three stellar coronal sources Capella, Procyon, and HR 1099 are providing not only invaluable calibration data, but also benchmarks for plasma spectral models. These models are needed to interpret data from stellar coronae, galaxies and clusters of galaxies, supernova, remnants and other astrophysical sources. They have been called into question in recent years as problems with understanding low resolution ASCA and moderate resolution Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer Satellite (EUVE) data have arisen. The Emission Line Project is a collaborative effort, to improve the models, with Phase I being the comparison of models with observed spectra of Capella, Procyon, and HR 1099. Goals of these comparisons are (1) to determine and verify accurate and robust diagnostics and (2) to identify and prioritize issues in fundamental spectroscopy which will require further theoretical and/or laboratory work. A critical issue in exploiting the coronal data for these purposes is to understand the extent, to which common simplifying assumptions (coronal equilibrium, negligible optical depth) apply. We will discuss recent, advances in our understanding of stellar coronae, in this context.

Coronal Physics and the Chandra Emission Line Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brickhouse, Nancy

1999-01-01

With the launch of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, high resolution X-ray spectroscopy of cosmic sources has begun. Early, deep observations of three stellar coronal sources will provide not only invaluable calibration data, but will also give us benchmarks for plasma spectral modeling codes. These codes are to interpret data from stellar coronae, galaxies and clusters of galaxies. supernova remnants and other astrophysical sources, but they have been called into question in recent years as problems with understanding moderate resolution ASCA and EUVE data have arisen. The Emission Line Project is a collaborative effort to improve the models, with Phase 1 being the comparison of models with observed spectra of Capella, Procyon, and HR, 1099. Goals of these comparisons are (1) to determine and verify accurate and robust diagnostics and (2) to identify and prioritize issues in fundamental spectroscopy which will require further theoretical and/or laboratory work. A critical issue in exploiting the coronal data for these purposes is to understand the extent to which common simplifying assumptions (coronal equilibrium, time-independence, negligible optical depth) apply. We will discuss recent advances in our understanding of stellar coronae in this context.

Search for optical coronal line emission from the X-ray sources Epsilon Orionis /B0 Ia/ and Kappa Orionis /B0.5 Ia/

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nordsieck, K. H.; Cassinelli, J. P.; Anderson, C. M.

1981-01-01

A search was conducted for evidence of a coronal region at the base of the winds of Epsilon Ori and Kappa Ori, by means of high signal-to-noise observations at the forbidden lines of Fe X, at 6574 A, and Fe XIV, 5303 A. Both stars have been detected as soft X-ray sources, and show anomalously strong O VI lines in their UV spectra. Large coronal emission measures were expected from the total X-ray flux and Auger-enhanced ionization, but the fact that the iron coronal lines were not detected places new limits on the emission measure if the total temperature is in the range of 700,000-3,000,000 or more than 1,000,000 for Kappa Ori and 2,000,000 for Epsilon Ori. It is suggested that at least some of the X-rays arise, not from the base corona, but from source features farther out in the wind.

Modeling of the EUV and X-Ray Emission Spectra Induced by the Solar Winds Ions in the Heliosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kharchenko, Vasili

2005-01-01

We have carried out investigation of the EUV and X-ray emission spectra induced in interaction between the Solar Wind (SW) and interstellar neutral gas. The spectra of most important SW ions have been computed for the charge-exchange mechanism of X-ray emission using new accurate spectroscopic data from recent laboratory measurements and theoretical calculations. Total spectra have been constructed as a sum of spectra induced in the charge-exchange collisions by individual O(exp q+), C(exp q+), N(exp q+), Ne(exp q+), Mg (exp q+) and Fe(exp q+) ions. Calculations have been performed for X-ray emission from the heliospheric hydrogen and helium gas. X-ray maps of the heliosphere have been computed. The power density of X-ray sources in the heliospheric ecliptic plane is shown for the H gas and for the He gas. Distances from the Sun (0,0) are given in AU. The helium cone is clear seen in the X-ray map of the charge-exchange emission induced by the solar wind. X-ray emission spectra detected by the Chandra X-ray telescope from the "dark" side of Moon has been identified as a X-ray background emission induced by the solar wind from the geocorona. Spectra and intensities of this charge-exchange X-rays have been compared with the heliospheric component of the X-ray background. Observations and modeling of the SW spectra induced from the geocorona indicate a strong presence of emission lines of highly charged oxygen ions. Anisotropy in distribution of heliospheric X-rays has been predicted and calculated for the regions of the fast and slow solar winds.

Hyperspectrally-Resolved Surface Emissivity Derived Under Optically Thin Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhou, Daniel K.; Larar, Allen M.; Liu, Xu; Smith, William L.; Strow, L. Larrabee; Yang, Ping

2010-01-01

Surface spectral emissivity derived from current and future satellites can and will reveal critical information about the Earth s ecosystem and land surface type properties, which can be utilized as a means of long-term monitoring of global environment and climate change. Hyperspectrally-resolved surface emissivities are derived with an algorithm utilizes a combined fast radiative transfer model (RTM) with a molecular RTM and a cloud RTM accounting for both atmospheric absorption and cloud absorption/scattering. Clouds are automatically detected and cloud microphysical parameters are retrieved; and emissivity is retrieved under clear and optically thin cloud conditions. This technique separates surface emissivity from skin temperature by representing the emissivity spectrum with eigenvectors derived from a laboratory measured emissivity database; in other words, using the constraint as a means for the emissivity to vary smoothly across atmospheric absorption lines. Here we present the emissivity derived under optically thin clouds in comparison with that under clear conditions.

Twenty-two emission-line AGNs from the HEAO-1 X-ray survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Remillard, R. A.; Bradt, H. V. D.; Brissenden, R. J. V.; Buckley, D. A. H.; Roberts, W.; Schwartz, D. A.; Stroozas, B. A.; Tuohy, I. R.

1993-01-01

We report 22 emission-line AGN as bright, hard X-ray sources. All of them appear to be new classifications with the exception of one peculiar IRAS source which is a known quasar and has no published spectrum. This sample exhibits a rich diversity in optical spectral properties and luminosities, ranging from a powerful broad-absorption-line quasar to a weak nucleus embedded in a nearby NGC galaxy. Two cases confer X-ray luminosities in excess of 10 exp 47 erg/s. However, there is a degree of uncertainty in the X-ray identification for the AGN fainter than V about 16.5. Optically, several AGN exhibit very strong Fe II emission. One Seyfert galaxy with substantial radio flux is an exception to the common association of strong Fe II emission and radio-quiet AGN. The previously recognized IRAS quasar shows extreme velocities in the profiles of the forbidden lines; the 0 III pair is broadened to the point that the lines are blended. Several of these AGN show evidence of intrinsic obscuration, illustrating the effectiveness of hard X-ray surveys in locating AGN through high column density.

ExoCross: Spectra from molecular line lists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yurchenko, Sergei N.; Al-Refaie, Ahmed; Tennyson, Jonathan

2018-03-01

ExoCross generates spectra and thermodynamic properties from molecular line lists in ExoMol, HITRAN, or several other formats. The code is parallelized and also shows a high degree of vectorization; it works with line profiles such as Doppler, Lorentzian and Voigt and supports several broadening schemes. ExoCross is also capable of working with the recently proposed method of super-lines. It supports calculations of lifetimes, cooling functions, specific heats and other properties. ExoCross converts between different formats, such as HITRAN, ExoMol and Phoenix, and simulates non-LTE spectra using a simple two-temperature approach. Different electronic, vibronic or vibrational bands can be simulated separately using an efficient filtering scheme based on the quantum numbers.

Constraints on Porosity and Mass Loss in O-star Winds from the Modeling of X-ray Emission Line Profile Shapes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leutenegger, Maurice A.; Cohen, David H.; Sundqvist, Jon O.; Owocki, Stanley P.

2013-01-01

We fit X-ray emission line profiles in high resolution XMM-Newton and Chandra grating spectra of the early O supergiant Zeta Pup with models that include the effects of porosity in the stellar wind. We explore the effects of porosity due to both spherical and flattened clumps. We find that porosity models with flattened clumps oriented parallel to the photosphere provide poor fits to observed line shapes. However, porosity models with isotropic clumps can provide acceptable fits to observed line shapes, but only if the porosity effect is moderate. We quantify the degeneracy between porosity effects from isotropic clumps and the mass-loss rate inferred from the X-ray line shapes, and we show that only modest increases in the mass-loss rate (40%) are allowed if moderate porosity effects (h(sub infinity) less than approximately R(sub *)) are assumed to be important. Large porosity lengths, and thus strong porosity effects, are ruled out regardless of assumptions about clump shape. Thus, X-ray mass-loss rate estimates are relatively insensitive to both optically thin and optically thick clumping. This supports the use of X-ray spectroscopy as a mass-loss rate calibration for bright, nearby O stars

THE COVERING FACTOR OF WARM DUST IN WEAK EMISSION-LINE ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Xudong; Liu, Yuan, E-mail: zhangxd@ihep.ac.cn, E-mail: liuyuan@ihep.ac.cn

2016-10-20

Weak emission-line active galactic nuclei (WLAGNs) are radio-quiet active galactic nuclei (AGNs) that have nearly featureless optical spectra. We investigate the ultraviolet to mid-infrared spectral energy distributions of 73 WLAGNs (0.4 < z < 3) and find that most of them are similar to normal AGNs. We also calculate the covering factor of warm dust of these 73 WLAGNs. No significant difference is indicated by a KS test between the covering factor of WLAGNs and normal AGNs in the common range of bolometric luminosity. The implication for several models of WLAGNs is discussed. The super-Eddington accretion is unlikely to bemore » the dominant reason for the featureless spectrum of a WLAGN. The present results are still consistent with the evolution scenario, i.e., WLAGNs are in a special stage of AGNs.« less

Diffuse emission and pathological Seyfert spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halpern, Jules P.

1995-01-01

In this annual ROSAT status report, the diffuse emission and spectra from Seyfert galaxies are examined. Three papers are presented and their contents include the soft x-ray properties and spectra of a binary millisecond pulsar, the PSPC and HRI observations of a Starburst/Seyfert 2 Galaxy, and an analysis of the possibility of x-ray luminous starbursts in the Einstein Medium Sensitivity Survey.

On the interpretation of the optical spectra of L-type dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavlenko, Ya.; Zapatero Osorio, M. R.; Rebolo, R.

2000-03-01

We present synthetic optical spectra in the red and far-red (640-930 nm) of a sample of field L dwarfs suitably selected to cover this new spectral class, and the brown dwarf GL 229B. We have used the recent ``dusty'' atmospheres by Tsuji (\\cite{tsuji00}) and by Allard (\\cite{allard99}), and a synthesis code (Pavlenko et al. \\cite{pav95}) working under LTE conditions which considers the chemical equilibrium of more than 100 molecular species and the detailed opacities for the most relevant bands. Our computations show that the alkali elements Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs govern the optical spectra of the objects in our sample, with Na and K contributing significantly to block the optical emergent radiation. Molecular absorption bands of oxides (TiO and VO) and hydrides (CrH, FeH and CaH) also dominate at these wavelengths in the early L-types showing a strength that progressively decreases for later types. We find that the densities of these molecules in the atmospheres of our objects are considerably smaller by larger factors than those predicted by chemical equilibrium considerations. This is consistent with Ti and V atoms being depleted into grains of dust. In order to reproduce the overall shape of the optical spectra of our observations an additional opacity is required to be implemented in the computations. We have modelled it with a simple law of the form adeg \\ (nu / nu deg)N, with N = 4, and found that this provides a sufficiently good fit to the data. This additional opacity could be due to molecular/dust absorption or to dust scattering. We remark that the equivalent widths and intensities of the alkali lines are highly affected by this opacity. In particular, the lithium resonance line at 670.8 nm, which is widely used as a substellarity discriminator, is more affected by the additional opacity than by the natural depletion of neutral lithium atoms into molecular species. Our theoretical spectra displays a rather strong resonance feature even at very cool

The Rest-frame Optical Spectroscopic Properties of Lyalpha-emitters at Z~2.5: The Physical Origins of Strong Lyalpha Emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trainor, Ryan F.; Strom, Allison L.; Steidel, Charles C.; Rudie, Gwen C.

2016-12-01

We present the rest-frame optical spectroscopic properties of 60 faint (R AB ˜ 27; L ˜ 0.1 L *) Lyα-selected galaxies (LAEs) at z ≈ 2.56. These LAEs also have rest-UV spectra of their Lyα emission line morphologies, which trace the effects of interstellar and circumgalactic gas on the escape of Lyα photons. We find that the LAEs have diverse rest-optical spectra, but their average spectroscopic properties are broadly consistent with the extreme low-metallicity end of the populations of continuum-selected galaxies selected at z ≈ 2-3. In particular, the LAEs have extremely high [O III] λ5008/Hβ ratios (log([O III]/Hβ) ˜ 0.8) and low [N II] λ6585/Hα ratios (log([N II]/Hα) < 1.15). Coupled with a detection of the [O III] λ4364 auroral line, these measurements indicate that the star-forming regions in faint LAEs are characterized by high electron temperatures (T e ≈ 1.8 × 104 K), low oxygen abundances (12 + log(O/H) ≈ 8.04, Z neb ≈ 0.22Z ⊙), and high excitations with respect to their more luminous continuum-selected analogs. Several of our faintest LAEs have line ratios consistent with even lower metallicities, including six with 12 + log(O/H) ≈ 6.9-7.4 (Z neb ≈ 0.02-0.05Z ⊙). We interpret these observations in light of new models of stellar evolution (including binary interactions) that have been shown to produce long-lived populations of hot, massive stars at low metallicities. We find that strong, hard ionizing continua are required to reproduce our observed line ratios, suggesting that faint galaxies are efficient producers of ionizing photons and important analogs of reionization-era galaxies. Furthermore, we investigate the physical trends accompanying Lyα emission across the largest current sample of combined Lyα and rest-optical galaxy spectroscopy, including both the 60 KBSS-Lyα LAEs and 368 more luminous galaxies at similar redshifts. We find that the net Lyα emissivity (parameterized by the Lyα equivalent width) is

Multidimensional Models of Type Ia Supernova Nebular Spectra: Strong Emission Lines from Stripped Companion Gas Rule Out Classic Single-degenerate Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botyánszki, János; Kasen, Daniel; Plewa, Tomasz

2018-01-01

The classic single-degenerate model for the progenitors of Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) predicts that the supernova ejecta should be enriched with solar-like abundance material stripped from the companion star. Spectroscopic observations of normal SNe Ia at late times, however, have not resulted in definite detection of hydrogen. In this Letter, we study line formation in SNe Ia at nebular times using non-LTE spectral modeling. We present, for the first time, multidimensional radiative transfer calculations of SNe Ia with stripped material mixed in the ejecta core, based on hydrodynamical simulations of ejecta–companion interaction. We find that interaction models with main-sequence companions produce significant Hα emission at late times, ruling out these types of binaries being viable progenitors of SNe Ia. We also predict significant He I line emission at optical and near-infrared wavelengths for both hydrogen-rich or helium-rich material, providing an additional observational probe of stripped ejecta. We produce models with reduced stripped masses and find a more stringent mass limit of M st ≲ 1 × 10‑4 M ⊙ of stripped companion material for SN 2011fe.

Emission line spectra of S VII ? S XIV in the 20 ? 75 ? wavelength region

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lepson, J K; Beiersdorfer, P; Behar, E

As part of a larger project to complete a comprehensive catalogue of astrophysically relevant emission lines in support of new-generation X-ray observatories using the Lawrence Livermore electron beam ion traps EBIT-I and EBIT-II, the authors present observations of sulfur lines in the soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet regions. The database includes wavelength measurements with standard errors, relative intensities, and line assignments for 127 transitions of S VII through S XIV between 20 and 75 {angstrom}. The experimental data are complemented with a full set of calculations using the Hebrew University Lawrence Livermore Atomic Code (HULLAC). A comparison of the laboratorymore » data with Chandra measurements of Procyon allows them to identify S VII-S XI lines.« less

Evaluation of potential emission spectra for the reliable classification of fluorescently coded materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunner, Siegfried; Kargel, Christian

2011-06-01

The conservation and efficient use of natural and especially strategic resources like oil and water have become global issues, which increasingly initiate environmental and political activities for comprehensive recycling programs. To effectively reutilize oil-based materials necessary in many industrial fields (e.g. chemical and pharmaceutical industry, automotive, packaging), appropriate methods for a fast and highly reliable automated material identification are required. One non-contacting, color- and shape-independent new technique that eliminates the shortcomings of existing methods is to label materials like plastics with certain combinations of fluorescent markers ("optical codes", "optical fingerprints") incorporated during manufacture. Since time-resolved measurements are complex (and expensive), fluorescent markers must be designed that possess unique spectral signatures. The number of identifiable materials increases with the number of fluorescent markers that can be reliably distinguished within the limited wavelength band available. In this article we shall investigate the reliable detection and classification of fluorescent markers with specific fluorescence emission spectra. These simulated spectra are modeled based on realistic fluorescence spectra acquired from material samples using a modern VNIR spectral imaging system. In order to maximize the number of materials that can be reliably identified, we evaluate the performance of 8 classification algorithms based on different spectral similarity measures. The results help guide the design of appropriate fluorescent markers, optical sensors and the overall measurement system.

Analysis of the Zeeman effect on D α spectra on the EAST tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Wei; Huang, Juan; Wu, Chengrui; Xu, Zong; Hou, Yumei; Jin, Zhao; Chen, Yingjie; Zhang, Pengfei; Zhang, Ling; Wu, Zhenwei; EAST Team

2017-04-01

Based on the passive spectroscopy, the {{{D}}}α atomic emission spectra in the boundary region of the plasma have been measured by a high resolution optical spectroscopic multichannel analysis (OSMA) system in EAST tokamak. The Zeeman splitting of the {{{D}}}α spectral lines has been observed. A fitting procedure by using a nonlinear least squares method was applied to fit and analyze all polarization π and +/- σ components of the {{{D}}}α atomic spectra to acquire the information of the local plasma. The spectral line shape was investigated according to emission spectra from different regions (e.g., low-field side and high-field side) along the viewing chords. Each polarization component was fitted and classified into three energy categories (the cold, warm, and hot components) based on different atomic production processes, in consistent with the transition energy distribution by calculating the gradient of the {{{D}}}α spectral profile. The emission position, magnetic field intensity, and flow velocity of a deuterium atom were also discussed in the context. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11275231 and 11575249) and the National Magnetic Confinement Fusion Energy Research Program of China (Grant No. 2015GB110005).

DISSECTING THE POWER SOURCES OF LOW-LUMINOSITY EMISSION-LINE GALAXY NUCLEI VIA COMPARISON OF HST-STIS AND GROUND-BASED SPECTRA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Constantin, Anca; Castillo, Christopher A.; Shields, Joseph C.

Using a sample of ∼100 nearby line-emitting galaxy nuclei, we have built the currently definitive atlas of spectroscopic measurements of Hα and neighboring emission lines at subarcsecond scales. We employ these data in a quantitative comparison of the nebular emission in Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and ground-based apertures, which offer an order-of-magnitude difference in contrast, and provide new statistical constraints on the degree to which transition objects and low-ionization nuclear emission-line regions (LINERs) are powered by an accreting black hole at ≲10 pc. We show that while the small-aperture observations clearly resolve the nebular emission, the aperture dependence in themore » line ratios is generally weak, and this can be explained by gradients in the density of the line-emitting gas: the higher densities in the more nuclear regions potentially flatten the excitation gradients, suppressing the forbidden emission. The transition objects show a threefold increase in the incidence of broad Hα emission in the high-resolution data, as well as the strongest density gradients, supporting the composite model for these systems as accreting sources surrounded by star-forming activity. The narrow-line LINERs appear to be the weaker counterparts of the Type 1 LINERs, where the low accretion rates cause the disappearance of the broad-line component. The enhanced sensitivity of the HST observations reveals a 30% increase in the incidence of accretion-powered systems at z ≈ 0. A comparison of the strength of the broad-line emission detected at different epochs implies potential broad-line variability on a decade-long timescale, with at least a factor of three in amplitude.« less

Deep Optical Spectroscopy of Planetary Nebulae: The Search for Neutron-Capture Elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sterling, Nicholas C.; Garofali, K.; Dinerstein, H. L.; Hwang, S.; Redfield, S.

2013-01-01

We present deep, high-resolution (R=36,700) optical spectra of five planetary nebulae (PNe), taken with the 2D-coude echelle spectrograph on the 2.7-m Harlan J. Smith Telescope at McDonald Observatory. These observations are part of a larger optical survey of PNe, designed to unambiguously detect emission lines from neutron(n)-capture elements (atomic number Z>30). The abundances of these elements are of particular interest in PNe, since they can be produced by slow n-capture nucleosynthesis (the ``s-process'') during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stage of evolution of PN progenitor stars. The first large-scale investigation of n-capture element abundances in PNe (Sterling & Dinerstein 2008, ApJS, 174, 157) surveyed [Kr III] and [Se IV] transitions in the K band spectra of more than 80 PNe. However, the abundances derived from these data relied on ionization corrections that were often large and uncertain due to the detection of only one ion per element. Transitions of other Se and Kr ions, as well as many other trans-iron species, reside at optical wavelengths. High-resolution spectra are essential to unequivocally identify these lines and resolve potential blends with other species. The spectra we present are rich in emission features, with between 125 and 600 distinct lines detected in each PN. Emission from at least one Kr ion is detected in all five objects, and two (Hb 12 and J 900) exhibit emission from multiple Kr ions. We detected multiple Xe ions in J 900, as well as Se, Br, and Rb lines. Hb 12 also exhibits Xe emission, and the first detection of [Se II] in a PN to our knowledge. The spectra display a wealth of other emission lines, including permitted features of second-row elements and forbidden transitions of several iron-peak elements (e.g., Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu). Our survey makes it possible to derive more accurate Se and Kr abundances in PNe, and reveals the enrichment of other trans-iron elements. This enables more accurate s

Observational and theoretical spectra of supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wheeler, J. Craig; Swartz, Douglas A.; Harkness, Robert P.

1993-05-01

Progress in nuclear astrophysics by means of quantitative supernova spectroscopy is discussed with special concentration on type Ia, Ib and Ic and on SN 1987A. Spectral calculations continue to support an exploding C/O white dwarf as the best model of a SN Ia. Deflagration model W7 produces good maximum light spectra of SN Ia and seems to have a better composition distribution compared to delayed detonation models, but proper treatment of opacity remains a problem and the physical basis of SN Ia explosions is still not completely understood. All models for SN Ia predict large quantities of 56Co in the ejecta, but it is not clear that observations confirm this. Although the evolutionary origin of SN Ia remains uncertain, there is recent evidence that transfer of hydrogen in a binary system may be involved, as long suspected. There has been progress in comparing dynamical models with the optical/IR spectra of SN 1987A. The evolution of the [OI] λλ6300, 6364 feature and the presence of strong persistent HeI λ10 830 indicate that both the envelope and core material contribute substantially to the formation of emission lines in the nebular phase and that neither the core nor the envelope can be neglected. Blending with nearby hydrogen lines may affect both of these spectral features, thereby complicating the analysis of the lines. The effects of continuum transfer and photoionization have been included and are under study. The discrepancies between theoretical and observed spectra are due primarily to the one-dimensional hydrodynamic models. The spectral data are not consistent with the high density ``spike'' (in radial coordinate) of the core material that is predicted by all such models. Analysis of the light curves of SN Ib and SN Ic supernovae implies that there are significant differences in their physical properties. Some SN Ib have considerably more ejecta mass than SN Ic events. SN Ib require He-rich atmospheres to produce the observed strong optical lines of

Observational and theoretical spectra of supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craig Wheeler, J.; Swartz, Douglas A.; Harkness, Robert P.

1993-05-01

Progress in nuclear astrophysics by means of quantitative supernova spectroscopy is discussed with special concentration on type Ia, Ib and Ic and on SN 1987A. Spectral calculations continue to support an exploding C/O white dwarf as the best model of a SN Ia. Deflagration model W7 produces good maximum light spectra of SN Ia and seems to have a better composition distribution compared to delayed detonation models, but proper treatment of opacity remains a problem and the physical basis of SN Ia explosions is still not completely understood. All models for SN Ia predict large quantities of 56Co in the ejecta, but it is not clear that observations confirm this. Although the evolutionary origin of SN Ia remains uncertain, there is recent evidence that transfer of hydrogen in a binary system may be involved, as long suspected. There has been progress in comparing dynamical models with the optical/IR spectra of SN 1987A. The evolution of the [OI] λλ6300, 6364 feature and the presence of strong persistent HeI λ10 830 indicate that both the envelope and core material contribute substantially to the formation of emission lines in the nebular phase and that neither the core nor the envelope can be neglected. Blending with nearby hydrogen lines may affect both of these spectral features, thereby complicating the analysis of the lines. The effects of continuum transfer and photoionization have been included and are under study. The discrepancies between theoretical and observed spectra are due primarily to the one-dimensional hydrodynamic models. The spectral data are not consistent with the high density “spike” (in radial coordinate) of the core material that is predicted by all such models. Analysis of the light curves of SN Ib and SN Ic supernovae implies that there are significant differences in their physical properties. Some SN Ib have considerably more ejecta mass than SN Ic events. SN Ib require He-rich atmospheres to produce the observed strong optical lines

Application of Independent Component Analysis to Legacy UV Quasar Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richards, Gordon

2017-08-01

We propose to apply a novel analysis technique to UV spectroscopy ofquasars in the HST archive. We endeavor to analyze all of thearchival quasar spectra, but will first focus on those quasars thatalso have optical spectroscopy from SDSS. An archival investigationby Sulentic et al. (2007) revealed 130 known quasars with UV coverageof CIV complementing optical emission line coverage. Today, thesample has grown considerably and now includes COS spectroscopy. Ourproposal includes a proof-of-concept demonstration of the power of atechnique called Independent Component Analysis (ICA). ICA allows usto reduce complexity of of quasar spectra to just a handful ofnumbers. In addition to providing a uniform set of traditional linemeasurements (and carefully calibrated redshifts), we will provide ICAweights to the community with examples of how they can be used to doscience that previously would have been quite difficult. The time isripe for such an investigation because 1) it has been a decade sincethe last significant archival investigation of UV emission lines fromHST quasars, 2) the future is uncertain for obtaining new UV quasarspectroscopy, and 3) the rise of machine learning has provided us withpowerful new tools. Thus our proposed work will provide a true UVlegacy database for quasar-based investigations.

Spectroscopic identification of individual fluorophores using photoluminescence excitation spectra.

PubMed

Czerski, J; Colomb, W; Cannataro, F; Sarkar, S K

2018-01-25

The identity of a fluorophore can be ambiguous if other fluorophores or nonspecific fluorescent impurities have overlapping emission spectra. The presence of overlapping spectra makes it difficult to differentiate fluorescent species using discrete detection channels and unmixing of spectra. The unique absorption and emission signatures of fluorophores provide an opportunity for spectroscopic identification. However, absorption spectroscopy may be affected by scattering, whereas fluorescence emission spectroscopy suffers from signal loss by gratings or other dispersive optics. Photoluminescence excitation spectra, where excitation is varied and emission is detected at a fixed wavelength, allows hyperspectral imaging with a single emission filter for high signal-to-background ratio without any moving optics on the emission side. We report a high throughput method for measuring the photoluminescence excitation spectra of individual fluorophores using a tunable supercontinuum laser and prism-type total internal reflection fluorescence microscope. We used the system to measure and sort the photoluminescence excitation spectra of individual Alexa dyes, fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs), and fluorescent polystyrene beads. We used a Gaussian mixture model with maximum likelihood estimation to objectively separate the spectra. Finally, we spectroscopically identified different species of fluorescent nanodiamonds with overlapping spectra and characterized the heterogeneity of fluorescent nanodiamonds of varying size. © 2018 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2018 Royal Microscopical Society.

Investigating the Near-Infrared Properties of Planetary Nebulae II. Medium Resolution Spectra. 2; Medium Resolution Spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hora, Joseph L.; Latter, William B.; Deutsch, Lynne K.

1998-01-01

We present medium-resolution (R approximately 700) near-infrared (lambda = 1 - 2.5 micrometers) spectra of a sample of planetary nebulae (PNe). A narrow slit was used which sampled discrete locations within the nebulae; observations were obtained at one or more positions in the 41 objects included in the survey. The PN spectra fall into one of four general categories: H1 emission line-dominated PNe, H1 and H2 emission line PNe, H2 emission line-dominated PNe, and continuum-dominated PNe. These categories correlate with morphological type, with the elliptical PNe falling into the first group, and the bipolar PNe primarily in the H2 and continuum emission groups. The categories also correlate with C/O ratio, with the O-rich objects falling into the first group and the C-rich objects in the groups. Other spectral features were observed in all catagories, such as continuum emission from the central star, and warm dust continuum emission towards the long wavelength end of the spectra. H2 was detected in four PNe in this survey for the first time. An analysis was performed using the H2 line ratios in all of the PN spectra in the survey where a sufficient number of lines were observed to determine the ortho-to-para ratio and the rotational and vibrational excitation temperatures of the H-2 in those objects. One unexpected result from this analysis is that the H-2 is excited by absorption of ultraviolet photons in most of the PNe, although there are several PNe in which collisional excitation plays an important role. The correlation between bipolar morphology and H2 emission has been strengthened with the new detections of H2 in this survey.

Survey of emission-line galaxies: Universidad Complutense de Madrid list

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zamorano, J.; Rego, Gallego, J.; Gallego, J. G.; Vitores, A. G.RA, R.; Gonzalez-Riestra, R..; Rodriguez-Caderot, G.

1994-01-01

A low-dispersion objective-prism survey for low-redshift emission-line galaxies (ELGs) is being carried out by the University Complutense de Madrid with the Schmidt telescope at the German-Spanish Observatory of Calar Alto (Almeria, Spain). A 4 deg full aperture prism, which provides a dispersion of 1950 A/mm, and IIIaF emulsion combination has been used to search for ELGs selected by the presence of H-alpha emission in their spectra. Our survey has proved to be able to recover objects already found by similar surveys with different techniques and, what is more important, to discover new objects not previously cataloged. A compilation of descriptions and positions, along with finding charts when necessary, is presented for 160 extragalactic emission-line objects. This is the first list, which contains objects located in a region of the sky covering 270 sq deg in 10 fields near alpha = 0(sup h) and delta = 20 deg.

SDSS-IV eBOSS emission-line galaxy pilot survey

DOE PAGES

Comparat, J.; Delubac, T.; Jouvel, S.; ...

2016-08-09

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV extended Baryonic Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (SDSS-IV/eBOSS) will observe 195,000 emission-line galaxies (ELGs) to measure the Baryonic Acoustic Oscillation standard ruler (BAO) at redshift 0.9. To test different ELG selection algorithms, 9,000 spectra were observed with the SDSS spectrograph as a pilot survey based on data from several imaging surveys. First, using visual inspection and redshift quality flags, we show that the automated spectroscopic redshifts assigned by the pipeline meet the quality requirements for a reliable BAO measurement. We also show the correlations between sky emission, signal-to-noise ratio in the emission lines, and redshift error.more » Then we provide a detailed description of each target selection algorithm we tested and compare them with the requirements of the eBOSS experiment. As a result, we provide reliable redshift distributions for the different target selection schemes we tested. Lastly, we determine an target selection algorithms that is best suited to be applied on DECam photometry because they fulfill the eBOSS survey efficiency requirements.« less

Measurement of X-ray emission efficiency for K-lines.

PubMed

Procop, M

2004-08-01

Results for the X-ray emission efficiency (counts per C per sr) of K-lines for selected elements (C, Al, Si, Ti, Cu, Ge) and for the first time also for compounds and alloys (SiC, GaP, AlCu, TiAlC) are presented. An energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) of known detection efficiency (counts per photon) has been used to record the spectra at a takeoff angle of 25 degrees determined by the geometry of the secondary electron microscope's specimen chamber. Overall uncertainty in measurement could be reduced to 5 to 10% in dependence on the line intensity and energy. Measured emission efficiencies have been compared with calculated efficiencies based on models applied in standardless analysis. The widespread XPP and PROZA models give somewhat too low emission efficiencies. The best agreement between measured and calculated efficiencies could be achieved by replacing in the modular PROZA96 model the original expression for the ionization cross section by the formula given by Casnati et al. (1982) A discrepancy remains for carbon, probably due to the high overvoltage ratio.

Redshifts of high-temperature emission lines in the far-ultraviolet spectra of late-type stars. II - New, precise measurements of dwarfs and giants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ayres, Thomas R.; Jensen, Eberhard; Engvold, Oddbjorn

1988-01-01

Results are presented from an IUE SWP camera investigation of the occurrence of gasdynamic flows, analogous to the downdrafts of 10 to the 5th K material observed over magnetic active regions of the sun, among stars of late spectral type. The SWP calibration spectra study conducted documents the existence of local, small, persistent distortions of the echelle wavelength scales that are of unknown origin. Attention is given to the enormous widths of the stellar high-excitation emission lines in both the dwarfs and the giants, with respect to the comparatively small, subsonic Doppler shifts; the widths are typically an order of magnitude greater than the redshifts.

Linear Polarization Measurements of Chromospheric Emission Lines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheeley, N. R., Jr.; Keller, C. U.

2003-01-01

We have used the Zurich Imaging Stokes Polarimeter (ZIMPOL I) with the McMath-Pierce 1.5 m main telescope on Kitt Peak to obtain linear polarization measurements of the off-limb chromosphere with a sensitivity better than 1 x 10(exp -5). We found that the off-disk observations require a combination of good seeing (to show the emission lines) and a clean heliostat (to avoid contamination by scattered light from the Sun's disk). When these conditions were met, we obtained the following principal results: 1. Sometimes self-reversed emission lines of neutral and singly ionized metals showed linear polarization caused by the transverse Zeeman effect or by instrumental cross talk from the longitudinal Zeeman effect in chromospheric magnetic fields. Otherwise, these lines tended to depolarize the scattered continuum radiation by amounts that ranged up to 0.2%. 2. Lines previously known to show scattering polarization just inside the limb (such as the Na I lambda5889 D2 and the He I lambda5876 D3 lines) showed even more polarization above the Sun's limb, with values approaching 0.7%. 3. The O I triplet at lambda7772, lambda7774, and lambda7775 showed a range of polarizations. The lambda7775 line, whose maximum intrinsic polarizability, P(sub max), is less than 1%, revealed mainly Zeeman contributions from chromospheric magnetic fields. However, the more sensitive lambda7772 (P(sub max) = 19%) and lambda7774 (P(sub max) = 29%) lines had relatively strong scattering polarizations of approximately 0.3% in addition to their Zeeman polarizations. At times of good seeing, the polarization spectra resolve into fine structures that seem to be chromospheric spicules.

Detection of 12 micron Mg I and OH lines in stellar spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jennings, D. E.; Deming, D.; Wiedemann, G. R.; Keady, J. J.

1986-01-01

Infrared lines of Mg I and OH have been detected in stellar spectra near 12.3 microns. The Mg I 7i-6h transition was seen in Alpha Ori and Alpha Tau, and the R2e(23.5) and R1f(24.5) transitions of OH were seen in Alpha Ori. All lines appear in absorption, in contrast to the solar spectrum where the Mg I line shows a prominent emission core. The lack of emission in these low surface gravity stars is due to a greatly reduced volume recombination rate for the high-n states of Mg I, which is not fully compensated by the increased chromospheric scale height. The OH equivalent widths are sensitive to the temperature structure of the upper photosphere of Alpha Ori, and they indicate that the photosphere near tau 5000 of about 10 to the -5th is approximately 100 K hotter than is given by flux constant models. The OH measurements agree more closely with the 1981 semiemprical model of Basri, Linsky, and Eriksson (1981), which is based on Ca II and Mg II ultraviolet features.

Excitonic nature of optical transitions in electroabsorption spectra of perovskite solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruf, Fabian; Magin, Alice; Schultes, Moritz; Ahlswede, Erik; Kalt, Heinz; Hetterich, Michael

2018-02-01

We investigate the electronic structure of solution-processed perovskite solar cells using temperature-dependent electroabsorption (EA) spectroscopy. Simultaneous measurements of absorption and electromodulated spectra of semitransparent methylammonium lead iodide solar cells facilitate a direct comparison of the specific features. The EA spectra can be transformed to peak-like line shapes utilizing an approach based on the Kramers-Kronig relations. The resulting peak positions correspond well to the discrete excitonic—rather than the continuum—contribution of the absorption spectra derived from generalized Elliott fits. This indicates the excitonic nature of the observed EA resonance and is found to be consistent over the whole temperature range investigated (from T = 10 K up to room temperature). To further confirm these findings, a line shape analysis of the measured EA spectra was performed. The best agreement was achieved using a first-derivative-like functional form which is expected for excitonic systems and supports the conclusion of an excitonic optical transition. Exciton binding energies EB are estimated for the orthorhombic and tetragonal phases as 26 meV and 19 meV, respectively. Nevertheless, power-conversion efficiencies η up to 13% (11.5% stabilized) demonstrate good charge-carrier separation in the devices due to sufficient thermal dissociation and Sommerfeld-enhanced absorption.

Quantum Dots' Photo-luminescence Line Shape Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hua, Muchuan; Decca, Ricardo

Two usual phenomena observed in quantum dots (QDs) photo-luminescence (PL) spectra are line broadening and energy shift between absorption and emission peaks. They have been attributed to electron-phonon coupling and surface trapping during the PL process. Although many qualitative work describing these phenomena has been carried out, quantitative results are far less common. In this work, a semi-empirical model is introduced to simulate steady state QDs' PL processes at room temperature. It was assumed that the vast majority of radiative recombination happens from surface trapped states. Consequently, the PL line shape should be highly modulated by transition rates between states in the conduction band and between them and surface trapping states. CdSe/ZnS (core/shell) colloidal QD samples with different sizes were used to examine the model. The model was able to successfully reproduce the PL spectra of these samples even when the excitation happens within the emission spectra, giving raise to up-conversion events. This model might help understand and make more precise predictions of QDs' PL spectra and could also aid on the design of QDs' optical devices.

Optical spectra of 73 stripped-envelope core-collapse supernovae

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Modjaz, M.; Bianco, F. B.; Liu, Y. Q.

2014-05-01

We present 645 optical spectra of 73 supernovae (SNe) of Types IIb, Ib, Ic, and broad-lined Ic. All of these types are attributed to the core collapse of massive stars, with varying degrees of intact H and He envelopes before explosion. The SNe in our sample have a mean redshift (cz) = 4200 km s{sup –1}. Most of these spectra were gathered at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) between 2004 and 2009. For 53 SNe, these are the first published spectra. The data coverage ranges from mere identification (1-3 spectra) for a few SNe to extensive series of observationsmore » (10-30 spectra) that trace the spectral evolution for others, with an average of 9 spectra per SN. For 44 SNe of the 73 SNe presented here, we have well-determined dates of maximum light to determine the phase of each spectrum. Our sample constitutes the most extensive spectral library of stripped-envelope SNe to date. We provide very early coverage (as early as 30 days before V-band max) for photospheric spectra, as well as late-time nebular coverage when the innermost regions of the SN are visible (as late as 2 yr after explosion, while for SN 1993J, we have data as late as 11.6 yr). This data set has homogeneous observations and reductions that allow us to study the spectroscopic diversity of these classes of stripped SNe and to compare these to SNe-gamma-ray bursts. We undertake these matters in follow-up papers.« less

An Atlas of Far-ultraviolet Spectra of the Zeta Aurigae Binary 31 Cygni with Line Identifications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagen Bauer, Wendy; Bennett, Philip D.

2014-04-01

The ζ Aurigae system 31 Cygni (K4 Ib + B4 V) was observed by the FUSE satellite during total eclipse and at three phases during chromospheric eclipse. We present the coadded, calibrated spectra and atlases with line identifications. During total eclipse, emission from high ionization states (e.g., Fe III and Cr III) shows asymmetric profiles redshifted from the systemic velocity, while emission from lower ionization states (e.g., Fe II and O I) appears more symmetric and is centered closer to the systemic velocity. Absorption from neutral and singly ionized elements is detected during chromospheric eclipse. Late in chromospheric eclipse, absorption from the K star wind is detected at a terminal velocity of ~80 km s-1. These atlases will be useful for interpreting the far-UV spectra of other ζ Aur systems, as the observed FUSE spectra of 32 Cyg, KQ Pup, and VV Cep during chromospheric eclipse resemble that of 31 Cyg.

The Nature of Active Galactic Nuclei with Velocity Offset Emission Lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller-Sánchez, F.; Comerford, J.; Stern, D.; Harrison, F. A.

2016-10-01

We obtained Keck/OSIRIS near-IR adaptive optics-assisted integral-field spectroscopy to probe the morphology and kinematics of the ionized gas in four velocity-offset active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. These objects possess optical emission lines that are offset in velocity from systemic as measured from stellar absorption features. At a resolution of ˜0.″18, OSIRIS allows us to distinguish which velocity offset emission lines are produced by the motion of an AGN in a dual supermassive black hole system, and which are produced by outflows or other kinematic structures. In three galaxies, J1018+2941, J1055+1520, and J1346+5228, the spectral offset of the emission lines is caused by AGN-driven outflows. In the remaining galaxy, J1117+6140, a counterrotating nuclear disk is observed that contains the peak of Paα emission 0.″2 from the center of the galaxy. The most plausible explanation for the origin of this spatially and kinematically offset peak is that it is a region of enhanced Paα emission located at the intersection zone between the nuclear disk and the bar of the galaxy. In all four objects, the peak of ionized gas emission is not spatially coincident with the center of the galaxy as traced by the peak of the near-IR continuum emission. The peaks of ionized gas emission are spatially offset from the galaxy centers by 0.″1-0.″4 (0.1-0.7 kpc). We find that the velocity offset originates at the location of this peak of emission, and the value of the offset can be directly measured in the velocity maps. The emission-line ratios of these four velocity-offset AGNs can be reproduced only with a mixture of shocks and AGN photoionization. Shocks provide a natural explanation for the origin of the spatially and spectrally offset peaks of ionized gas emission in these galaxies. Based on observations at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the

The Rest-Frame Optical Spectra of Lyman Break Galaxies: Star Formation, Extinction, Abundances, and Kinematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pettini, Max; Shapley, Alice E.; Steidel, Charles C.; Cuby, Jean-Gabriel; Dickinson, Mark; Moorwood, Alan F. M.; Adelberger, Kurt L.; Giavalisco, Mauro

2001-06-01

We present the first results of a spectroscopic survey of Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) in the near-infrared aimed at detecting the emission lines of [O II], [O III], and Hβ from the H II regions of normal star-forming galaxies at z~=3. From observations of 15 objects with the Keck telescope and the Very Large Telescope augmented with data from the literature for an additional four objects, we reach the following main conclusions. The rest-frame optical properties of LBGs at the bright end of the luminosity function are remarkably uniform, their spectra are dominated by emission lines, [O III] is always stronger than Hβ and [O II], and projected velocity dispersions are between 50 and 115 km s-1. Contrary to expectations, the star formation rates deduced from the Hβ luminosity are on average no larger than those implied by the stellar continuum at 1500 Å presumably any differential extinction between rest-frame optical and UV wavelengths is small compared to the relative uncertainties in the calibrations of these two star formation tracers. For the galaxies in our sample, the abundance of oxygen can only be determined to within 1 order of magnitude without recourse to other emission lines ([N II] and Hα), which are generally not available. Even so, it seems well established that LBGs are the most metal-enriched structures at z~=3, apart from quasi-stellar objects, with abundances greater than about 1/10 solar and generally higher than those of damped Lyα systems at the same epoch. They are also significantly overluminous for their metallicities; this is probably an indication that their mass-to-light ratios are low compared to present-day galaxies. At face value, the measured velocity dispersions imply virial masses of about 1010 Msolar within half-light radii of 2.5 kpc. The corresponding mass-to-light ratios, M/L~0.15 in solar units, are indicative of stellar populations with ages between 108 and 109 yr, consistent with the UV-optical spectral energy

Persistence of uranium emission in laser-produced plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

LaHaye, N. L.; Harilal, S. S., E-mail: hari@purdue.edu; Diwakar, P. K.

2014-04-28

Detection of uranium and other nuclear materials is of the utmost importance for nuclear safeguards and security. Optical emission spectroscopy of laser-ablated U plasmas has been presented as a stand-off, portable analytical method that can yield accurate qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis of a variety of samples. In this study, optimal laser ablation and ambient conditions are explored, as well as the spatio-temporal evolution of the plasma for spectral analysis of excited U species in a glass matrix. Various Ar pressures were explored to investigate the role that plasma collisional effects and confinement have on spectral line emission enhancement andmore » persistence. The plasma-ambient gas interaction was also investigated using spatially resolved spectra and optical time-of-flight measurements. The results indicate that ambient conditions play a very important role in spectral emission intensity as well as the persistence of excited neutral U emission lines, influencing the appropriate spectral acquisition conditions.« less

Strong [Fe X] Emission and Deep Optical Eclipses of the Classical Nova V5593 Sgr 2012 No. 5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starrfield, Sumner; Wagner, R. Mark; Walter, Frederick M.; Woodward, Charles E.; Schwarz, Greg; Krautter, Joachim

2016-01-01

V5593 Sgr was discovered by T. Kojima on 2012 July 16.512 UT at a magnitude of ~12.6. A low-resolution spectrum obtained by M. Fujii on 2012 July 18.572 UT confirmed that the object was indeed a Classical Nova. The AAVSO V-band light curve showed that the nova peaked near 11th mag on July 23-24 UT and subsequently declined in brightness with a t_2 of about 27 days making it a moderately fast nova. We obtained optical spectroscopy of V5593 Sgr between 2012 July 26 and 2013 February 19 UT with the SMARTS/CTIO 1.5 m telescope (+RC spectrograph) and then between 2014 August 25 and 2015 June 17 UT using the MDM Observatory 2.4 m Hiltner telescope (+CCDS), the 8.4 m Large Binocular Telescope (+MODS1), and the 6.5 m MMT (+BlueChannel). The SMARTS spectra confirmed the Fe II classification but showed that by 2013 February 19 UT the Fe II lines became much weaker and strong He II 468.5 nm and [Fe VII] 608.7 nm became prominent. A spectrum obtained on 2014 August 25 UT exhibited Balmer, He II, and [Fe VII] emission lines, but also for the first time, the presence of strong [Fe X] 637.4 nm emission with an observed intensity ratio with respect to Halpha of about 1.5. Other identified emission lines in our spectra included O VI, [Ca V], [Ca VI], [Ca VII], [Fe VI], [Fe XI], and [Fe XIV]. Surprisingly, [O III] emission was weak or absent. By 2015 June, a spectrum showed that the observed [Fe X]/Halpha intensity ratio had decreased to about 0.74. Contemporaneous optical photometry was obtained with the SMARTS/CTIO 1 m telescope (+ANDICAM) between 2014 March 19 and 2015 September 28 UT in the BVRIJHK bands. In agreement with our spectra in quiescence, V5593 Sgr is very red with (B-V) ~ 1 mag and (V-K) ~ 5 mag. The photometry shows ellipsoidal-like modulations with a peak-to-peak amplitude exceeding 2 mag in R and I. The modulation is seen in B through K; however, the amplitude is lower in JHK. Brief eclipses occur at the minimum of the ellipsoidal variation with a depth of at

Validity of abundances derived from spaxel spectra of the MaNGA survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilyugin, L. S.; Grebel, E. K.; Zinchenko, I. A.; Nefedyev, Y. A.; Shulga, V. M.; Wei, H.; Berczik, P. P.

2018-05-01

We measured the emission lines in the spaxel spectra of Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) galaxies in order to determine the abundance distributions therein. It has been suggested that the strength of the low-ionization lines, R2, N2, and S2, may be increased (relative to Balmer lines) in (some) spaxel spectra of the MaNGA survey due to a contribution of the radiation of the diffuse ionized gas. Consequently, the abundances derived from the spaxel spectra through strong-line methods may suffer from large errors. We examined this expectation by comparing the behaviour of the line intensities and the abundances estimated through different calibrations for slit spectra of H II regions in nearby galaxies, for fibre spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and for spaxel spectra of the MaNGA survey. We found that the S2 strength is increased significantly in the fibre and spaxel spectra. The mean enhancement changes with metallicity and can be as large as a factor of 2. The mean distortion of R2 and N2 is less than a factor of 1.3. This suggests that Kaufmann et al.'s (2003, MNRAS, 346, 1055) demarcation line between active galactic nuclei and H II regions in the Baldwin, Phillips, & Terlevich (BPT, 1981, PASP, 93, 5) diagram is a useful criterion to reject spectra with significantly distorted strengths of the N2 and R2 lines. We find that the three-dimensional R calibration, which uses the N2 and R2 lines, produces reliable abundances in the MaNGA galaxies. The one-dimensional N2 calibration produces either reliable or wrong abundances depending on whether excitation and N/O abundance ratio in the target region (spaxel) are close to or differ from those parameters in the calibrating points located close to the calibration relation. We then determined abundance distributions within the optical radii in the discs of 47 MaNGA galaxies. The optical radii of the galaxies were estimated from the surface brightness profiles constructed based on the

FeO "Orange Arc" Emission Detected in Optical Spectrum of Leonid Persistent Trains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenniskens, Peter; Lacey, Matt; Allan, Beverly J.; Self, Daniel E.; Plane, John M. C.; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

We report the detection of a broad continuum emission dominating the visual spectrum of a Leonid persistent train. A comparison with laboratory spectra of FeO 1 "orange arc" emission at I mbar shows a general agreement of the band position and shape. The detection of FeO confirms the classical mechanism of metal atom catalyzed recombination of ozone and oxygen atoms as the driving force behind optical emission from persistent trains. Sodium and iron atoms are now confirmed catalysts.

Time variations of oxygen emission lines and solar wind dynamic parameters in low latitude region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamlongkul, P.; Wannawichian, S.; Mkrtichian, D.; Sawangwit, U.; A-thano, N.

2017-09-01

Aurora phenomenon is an effect of collision between precipitating particles with gyromotion along Earth’s magnetic field and Earth’s ionospheric atoms or molecules. The particles’ precipitation occurs normally around polar regions. However, some auroral particles can reach lower latitude regions when they are highly energetic. A clear emission from Earth’s aurora is mostly from atomic oxygen. Moreover, the sun’s activities can influence the occurrence of the aurora as well. This work studies time variations of oxygen emission lines and solar wind parameters, simultaneously. The emission’s spectral lines were observed by Medium Resolution Echelle Spectrograph (MRES) along with 2.4 meters diameter telescope at Thai National Observatory, Intanon Mountain, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Oxygen (OI) emission lines were calibrated by Dech-Fits spectra processing program and Dech95 2D image processing program. The correlations between oxygen emission lines and solar wind dynamics will be analyzed. This result could be an evidence of the aurora in low latitude region.

Infrared Spectra and Optical Constants of Nitrile Ices Relevant to Titan's Atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Carrie; Ferrante, Robert F.; Moore, W. James; Hudson, Reggie; Moore, Marla H.

2011-01-01

Spectra and optical constants of nitrile ices known or suspected to be in Titan?s atmosphere have been determined from 2.0 to 333.3 microns (approx.5000 to 30/cm). These results are relevant to the ongoing modeling of Cassini CIRS observations of Titan?s winter pole. Ices studied were: HCN, hydrogen cyanide; C2N2, cyanogen; CH3CN, acetonitrile; C2H5CN, propionitrile; and HC3N, cyanoacetylene. Optical constants were calculated, using Kramers-Kronig analysis, for each nitrile ice?s spectrum measured at a variety of temperatures, in both the amorphous- and crystalline phases. Spectra were also measured for many of the nitriles after quenching at the annealing temperature and compared with those of annealed ices. For each of these molecules we also measured the real component, n, of the refractive index for amorphous and crystalline phases at 670 nm. Several examples of the information contained in these new data sets and their usefulness in modeling Titan?s observed features will be presented (e.g., the broad emission feature at 160/cm; Anderson and Samuelson, 2011).

Optical design of visible emission line coronagraph on Indian space solar mission Aditya-L1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raj Kumar, N.; Raghavendra Prasad, B.; Singh, Jagdev; Venkata, Suresh

2018-04-01

The ground based observations of the coronal emission lines using a coronagraph are affected by the short duration of clear sky and varying sky transparency. These conditions do not permit to study small amplitude variations in the coronal emission reliably necessary to investigate the process or processes involved in heating the coronal plasma and dynamics of solar corona. The proposed Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) over comes these limitations and will provide continuous observation 24 h a day needed for detailed studies of solar corona and drivers for space weather predictions. VELC payload onboard India's Aditya-L1 space mission is an internally occulted solar coronagraph for studying the temperature, velocity, density and heating of solar corona. To achieve the proposed science goals, an instrument which is capable of carrying out simultaneous imaging, spectroscopy and spectro-polarimetric observations of the solar corona close to the solar limb is required. VELC is designed with salient features of (a) Imaging solar corona at 500 nm with an angular resolution of 5 arcsec over a FOV of 1.05Ro to 3Ro (Ro:Solar radius) (b) Simultaneous multi-slit spectroscopy at 530.3 nm [Fe XIV],789.2 nm [Fe XI] and 1074.7 nm [Fe XIII] with spectral dispersion of 28mÅ, 31mÅ and 202mÅ per pixel respectively, over a FOV of 1.05Ro to 1.5Ro. (c) Multi-slit dual beam spectro-polarimetry at 1074.7 nm. All the components of instrument have been optimized in view of the scientific objectives and requirements of space payloads. In this paper we present the details of optical configuration and the expected performance of the payload.

Temperature measurement of burning aluminum powder based on the double line method of atomic emission spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Huijuan; Hao, Xiaojian; Hu, Xiaotao

2018-01-01

In the case of conventional contact temperature measurement, there is a delay phenomenon and high temperature resistant materials limitation. By using the faster response speed and theoretically no upper limit of the non-contact temperature method, the measurement system based on the principle of double line atomic emission spectroscopy temperature measurement is put forward, the structure and theory of temperature measuring device are introduced. According to the atomic spectrum database (ASD), Aluminum(Al) I 690.6 nm and Al I 708.5 nm are selected as the two lines in the temperature measurement. The intensity ratio of the two emission lines was measured by a spectrometer to obtain the temperature of Al burning in pure oxygen, and the result compared to the temperature measured by the thermocouple. It turns out that the temperature correlation between the two methods is good, and it proves the feasibility of the method.

Extreme ultraviolet emission spectra of Gd and Tb ions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kilbane, D.; O'Sullivan, G.

2010-11-15

Theoretical extreme ultraviolet emission spectra of gadolinium and terbium ions calculated with the Cowan suite of codes and the flexible atomic code (FAC) relativistic code are presented. 4d-4f and 4p-4d transitions give rise to unresolved transition arrays in a range of ions. The effects of configuration interaction are investigated for transitions between singly excited configurations. Optimization of emission at 6.775 nm and 6.515 nm is achieved for Gd and Tb ions, respectively, by consideration of plasma effects. The resulting synthetic spectra are compared with experimental spectra recorded using the laser produced plasma technique.

Er{sup 3+}-doped strontium lithium bismuth borate glasses for broadband 1.5 {mu}m emission - optical properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rajesh, D.; Balakrishna, A.; Ratnakaram, Y. C.

2013-02-05

Strontium lithium bismuth borate glasses (SLBiB) doped with various concentrations of Er{sup 3+} were prepared using conventional melt quench technique and investigated their optical properties. The amorphous nature of the prepared glass samples was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and SEM analysis. Optical properties were studied by measuring the optical absorption and near infrared luminescence spectra at room temperature. Judd-Ofelt (J-O) theory has been applied for the f.f transitions of Er{sup 3+} ions to evaluate J-O intensity parameters, {Omega}{lambda} ({lambda} = 2, 4 and 6). Using the J-O intensity parameters, radiative properties such as transition probabilities (A{sub R}), branching ratios ({beta})more » and radiative lifetimes ({tau}) are estimated for certain transitions. From the emission spectra, peak emission-cross sections ({sigma}{sub p}) and products of stimulated emission cross-section and full width at half maximum ({sigma}{sub p} Multiplication-Sign FWHM) were calculated for the observed emission transition, {sup 4}I{sub 13/2}{yields}{sup 4}I{sub 15/2}.« less

Probing the spatial dependence of the emission spectrum of single human retinal lipofuscin granules using near-field scanning optical microscopy.

PubMed

Haralampus-Grynaviski, N M; Lamb, L E; Simon, J D; Krogmeier, J R; Dunn, R C; Pawlak, A; Rózanowska, M; Sarna, T; Burke, J M

2001-08-01

The emission spectra of single lipofuscin granules are examined using spectrally resolved confocal microscopy and near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM). The emission spectrum varies among the granules examined revealing that individual granules are characterized by different distributions of fluorophores. The range of spectra observed is consistent with in vivo spectra of human retinal pigment epithelium cells. NSOM measurements reveal that the shape of the spectrum does not vary with position within the emissive regions of single lipofuscin granules. These results suggest that the relative distribution of fluorophores within the emissive regions of an individual granule is homogeneous on the spatial scale approximately 150 nm.

High Resolution Optical Spectroscopy of the Classical Nova V5668 Sgr Showing the Presence of Lithium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, R. Mark; Woodward, Charles E.; Starrfield, Sumner; Ilyin, Ilya; Strassmeier, Klaus

2018-01-01

The classical nova (CN) V5668 Sgr was discovered on 2015 March 15.634 and initial optical spectra implied it was an Fe II-class CN. We obtained high resolution optical spectroscopy on 30 nights between 2015 April 3 and 2016 June 5 with the 2 x 8.4 m Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) and the 1.8 m Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT) using the Potsdam Echelle Polarimetric Spectroscopic Instrument (PEPSI). The spectra cover all or part of the 3830-9065 Å spectral region at a spectral resolution of up to 270,000 (1 km/s); the highest resolution currently available on any 8-10 m class telescope. The early spectra are dominated by emission lines of the Balmer and Paschen series of hydrogen, Fe II, Ca II, and Na I with P Cyg-type line profiles as well as emission lines of [O I]. Numerous interstellar lines and bands are readily apparent at high spectral resolution. The permitted line profiles show complex and dramatic variations in the multi-component P Cyg-type line profiles with time. We detect a weak blue-shifted absorption line at a velocity consistent with Li I 6708 Å when compared with the line profiles of Hβ, Fe II 5169 Å, and Na I D. This line is present in spectra obtained on 7 of 8 consecutive nights up to day 21 of the outburst; but absent on day 42 when it is evident that the ionization of the ejecta has significantly increased. The equivalent width of the line converted to a column density, and the resulting mass fraction, imply a significant enrichment of 7Li in the ejecta. 7Li is produced by the decay of unstable 7Be created during the thermonuclear runaway. The discovery of the resonance lines of 7Be II in the optical spectra of the recent CNe V339 Del, V2944 Oph, and V5668 Sgr by Tajitsu et al. (2016) and its subsequent decay to 7Li (half life of 53 days) suggests a significant enrichment of 7Li in the Galaxy from CNe is possible. Our observations of the Li I 6708 Å line in the early optical spectra of V5668 Sgr mark the second direct

Study of Opacity Effects on Emission Lines at EXTRAP T2R RFP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stancalie, Viorica; Rachlew, Elisabeth

We have investigated the influence of opacity on hydrogen (H-α and Ly-β) and Li-like oxygen emission lines from the EXTRAP T2R reversed field pinch. We used the Atomic Data Analysis System (AzDAS) based on the escape factor approximation for radiative transfer to calculate metastable and excited population densities via a collisional-radiative model. Population escape factor, emergent escape factor and modified line profiles are plotted vs. optical depth. The simulated emission line ratios in the density/temperature plane are in good agreement with experimental data for electron density and temperature measurements.

Optical emission from a small scale model electric arc furnace in 250-600 nm region.

PubMed

Mäkinen, A; Niskanen, J; Tikkala, H; Aksela, H

2013-04-01

Optical emission spectroscopy has been for long proposed for monitoring and studying industrial steel making processes. Whereas the radiative decay of thermal excitations is always taking place in high temperatures needed in steel production, one of the most promising environment for such studies are electric arc furnaces, creating plasma in excited electronic states that relax with intense characteristic emission in the optical regime. Unfortunately, large industrial scale electric arc furnaces also present a challenging environment for optical emission studies and application of the method is not straightforward. To study the usability of optical emission spectroscopy in real electric arc furnaces, we have developed a laboratory scale DC electric arc furnace presented in this paper. With the setup, optical emission spectra of Fe, Cr, Cr2O3, Ni, SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, and MgO were recorded in the wavelength range 250-600 nm and the results were analyzed with the help of reference data. The work demonstrates that using characteristic optical emission, obtaining in situ chemical information from oscillating plasma of electric arc furnaces is indeed possible. In spite of complications, the method could possibly be applied to industrial scale steel making process in order to improve its efficiency.

Constraining UV Continuum Slopes of Active Galactic Nuclei with CLOUDY Models of Broad-line Region Extreme-ultraviolet Emission Lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moloney, Joshua; Shull, J. Michael

2014-10-01

Understanding the composition and structure of the broad-line region (BLR) of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is important for answering many outstanding questions in supermassive black hole evolution, galaxy evolution, and ionization of the intergalactic medium. We used single-epoch UV spectra from the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) on the Hubble Space Telescope to measure EUV emission-line fluxes from four individual AGNs with 0.49 <= z <= 0.64, two AGNs with 0.32 <= z <= 0.40, and a composite of 159 AGNs. With the CLOUDY photoionization code, we calculated emission-line fluxes from BLR clouds with a range of density, hydrogen ionizing flux, and incident continuum spectral indices. The photoionization grids were fit to the observations using single-component and locally optimally emitting cloud (LOC) models. The LOC models provide good fits to the measured fluxes, while the single-component models do not. The UV spectral indices preferred by our LOC models are consistent with those measured from COS spectra. EUV emission lines such as N IV λ765, O II λ833, and O III λ834 originate primarily from gas with electron temperatures between 37,000 K and 55,000 K. This gas is found in BLR clouds with high hydrogen densities (n H >= 1012 cm-3) and hydrogen ionizing photon fluxes (ΦH >= 1022 cm-2 s-1). Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained from the data archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute. STScI is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. under NASA contract NAS5-26555.

Database of emission lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Binette, L.; Ortiz, P.; Joguet, B.; Rola, C.

1998-11-01

A widely accessible data bank (available through Netscape) and consiting of all (or most) of the emission lines reported in the litterature is being built. It will comprise objects as diverse as HII regions, PN, AGN, HHO. One of its use will be to define/refine existing diagnostic emission line diagrams.

Optical Emission Characterization of High-Power Hall Thruster Wear

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

WIlliams, George J.; Kamhawi, Hani

2013-01-01

Optical emission spectroscopy is employed to correlate BN insulator erosion with high-power operation of the NASA 300M Hall-effect thruster. Actinometry leveraging excited xenon states is used to normalize the emission spectra of ground state boron as a function of thruster operating condition. Trends in the strength of the boron signal are correlated with thruster power, discharge voltage, discharge current and magnetic field strength. The boron signals are shown to trend with discharge current and show weak dependence on discharge voltage. The trends are consistent with data previously collected on the NASA 300M and NASA 457M thrusters but are different from conventional wisdom.

Consistent Iron Abundances Derived from Neutral and Singly Ionized Iron Lines in Ultraviolet and Optical Spectra of Six Warm Metal-poor Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roederer, Ian U.; Sneden, Christopher; Lawler, James E.; Sobeck, Jennifer S.; Cowan, John J.; Boesgaard, Ann Merchant

2018-06-01

Neutral Fe lines in metal-poor stars yield conflicting abundances depending on whether and how deviations from local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) are considered. We have collected new high-resolution and high signal-to-noise ultraviolet (UV) spectra of three warm dwarf stars with [Fe/H] ≈ ‑2.9 with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. We locate archival UV spectra for three other warm dwarfs with [Fe/H] ≈ ‑3.3, ‑2.2, and ‑1.6, supplemented with optical spectra for all six stars. We calculate stellar parameters using methods that are largely independent of the spectra, adopting broadband photometry, color–temperature relations, Gaia parallaxes, and assumed masses. We use the LTE line analysis code MOOG to derive Fe abundances from hundreds of Fe I and Fe II lines with wavelengths from 2290 to 6430 Å. The [Fe/H] ratios derived separately from Fe I and Fe II lines agree in all six stars, with [Fe II/H]–[Fe I/H] ranging from +0.00 ± 0.07 to ‑0.12 ± 0.09 dex, when strong lines and Fe I lines with lower excitation potential <1.2 eV are excluded. This constrains the extent of any deviations from LTE that may occur within this parameter range. While our result confirms non-LTE calculations for some warm, metal-poor dwarfs, it may not be generalizable to more metal-poor dwarfs, where deviations from LTE are predicted to be larger. We also investigate trends of systematically lower abundances derived from Fe I lines in the Balmer continuum region (≈3100–3700 Å), and we conclude that no proposed explanation for this effect can fully account for the observations presently available. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA), under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with program GO-14232. Some data presented in

Development and experimental testing of an optical micro-spectroscopic technique incorporating true line-scan excitation.

PubMed

Biener, Gabriel; Stoneman, Michael R; Acbas, Gheorghe; Holz, Jessica D; Orlova, Marianna; Komarova, Liudmila; Kuchin, Sergei; Raicu, Valerică

2013-12-27

Multiphoton micro-spectroscopy, employing diffraction optics and electron-multiplying CCD (EMCCD) cameras, is a suitable method for determining protein complex stoichiometry, quaternary structure, and spatial distribution in living cells using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) imaging. The method provides highly resolved spectra of molecules or molecular complexes at each image pixel, and it does so on a timescale shorter than that of molecular diffusion, which scrambles the spectral information. Acquisition of an entire spectrally resolved image, however, is slower than that of broad-bandwidth microscopes because it takes longer times to collect the same number of photons at each emission wavelength as in a broad bandwidth. Here, we demonstrate an optical micro-spectroscopic scheme that employs a laser beam shaped into a line to excite in parallel multiple sample voxels. The method presents dramatically increased sensitivity and/or acquisition speed and, at the same time, has excellent spatial and spectral resolution, similar to point-scan configurations. When applied to FRET imaging using an oligomeric FRET construct expressed in living cells and consisting of a FRET acceptor linked to three donors, the technique based on line-shaped excitation provides higher accuracy compared to the point-scan approach, and it reduces artifacts caused by photobleaching and other undesired photophysical effects.

Modeling Magnetite Reflectance Spectra Using Hapke Theory and Existing Optical Constants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roush, T. L.; Blewett, D. T.; Cahill, J. T. S.

2016-01-01

Magnetite is an accessory mineral found in terrestrial environments, some meteorites, and the lunar surface. The reflectance of magnetite powers is relatively low [1], and this property makes it an analog for other dark Fe- or Ti-bearing components, particularly ilmenite on the lunar surface. The real and imaginary indices of refraction (optical constants) for magnetite are available in the literature [2-3], and online [4]. Here we use these values to calculate the reflectance of particulates and compare these model spectra to reflectance measurements of magnetite available on-line [5].

Absorption and emission spectra of Li atoms trapped in rare gas matrices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, J. J.; Balling, L. C.

1980-10-01

Pulsed-dye-laser excitation has been used to investigate the optical absorption and emission spectra of Li atoms trapped in Ar, Kr, and Xe matrices at 10 °K. Attempts to stabilize Li atoms in a Ne matrix at 2 °K were unsuccessful. Results for all three rare gases were qualitatively the same. White light absorption scans showed a single absorption with three peaks centered near the free-atom 2s→2p transition wavelength. The intensity of fluorescence produced by dye-laser excitation within this absorption band was measured as a function of emission wavelength. Excitation of the longest- and shortest-wavelength absorption peaks produced identical emission profiles, but no distinct fluorescence signal was detected when the laser was tuned to the central absorption peaks, indicating that the apparent absorption triplet is actually the superposition of a singlet and a doublet absorption originating from two different trapping sites. No additional absorption bands were detected.

The Electromagnetic Counterpart of the Binary Neutron Star Merger LIGO/Virgo GW170817. III. Optical and UV Spectra of a Blue Kilonova from Fast Polar Ejecta

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nicholl, M.; Berger, E.; Kasen, D.

2017-10-16

We present optical and ultraviolet spectra of the first electromagnetic counterpart to a gravitational wave (GW) source, the binary neutron star merger GW170817. Spectra were obtained nightly between 1.5 and 9.5 days post-merger, using the SOAR and Magellan telescopes; the UV spectrum was obtained with the \\textit{Hubble Space Telescope} at 5.5 days. Our data reveal a rapidly-fading blue component (more » $$T\\approx5500$$ K at 1.5 days) that quickly reddens; spectra later than $$\\gtrsim 4.5$$ days peak beyond the optical regime. The spectra are mostly featureless, although we identify a possible weak emission line at $$\\sim 7900$$ \\AA\\ at $$t\\lesssim 4.5$$ days. The colours, rapid evolution and featureless spectrum are consistent with a "blue" kilonova from polar ejecta comprised mainly of light $r$-process nuclei with atomic mass number $$A\\lesssim 140$$. This indicates a sight-line within $$\\theta_{\\rm obs}\\lesssim 45^{\\circ}$$ of the orbital axis. Comparison to models suggests $$\\sim0.03$$ M$$_\\odot$$ of blue ejecta, with a velocity of $$\\sim 0.3c$$. The required lanthanide fraction is $$\\sim 10^{-4}$$, but this drops to $$<10^{-5}$$ in the outermost ejecta. The large velocities point to a dynamical origin, rather than a disk wind, for this blue component, suggesting that both binary constituents are neutron stars (as opposed to a binary consisting of a neutron star and a black hole). For dynamical ejecta, the high mass favors a small neutron star radius of $$\\lesssim 12$$ km. This mass also supports the idea that neutron star mergers are a major contributor to $r$-process nucleosynthesis.« less

The Electromagnetic Counterpart of the Binary Neutron Star Merger LIGO/Virgo GW170817. III. Optical and UV Spectra of a Blue Kilonova from Fast Polar Ejecta

DOE PAGES

Nicholl, Matt; Berger, E.; Kasen, D.; ...

2017-10-16

Here, we present optical and ultraviolet spectra of the first electromagnetic counterpart to a gravitational wave (GW) source, the binary neutron star merger GW170817. Spectra were obtained nightly between 1.5 and 9.5 days post-merger, using the SOAR and Magellan telescopes; the UV spectrum was obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope at 5.5 days. Our data reveal a rapidly-fading blue component (more » $$T\\approx5500$$ K at 1.5 days) that quickly reddens; spectra later than $$\\gtrsim 4.5$$ days peak beyond the optical regime. The spectra are mostly featureless, although we identify a possible weak emission line at $$\\sim 7900$$ Å at $$t\\lesssim 4.5$$ days. The colours, rapid evolution and featureless spectrum are consistent with a "blue" kilonova from polar ejecta comprised mainly of light $r$-process nuclei with atomic mass number $$A\\lesssim 140$$. This indicates a sight-line within $$\\theta_{\\rm obs}\\lesssim 45^{\\circ}$$ of the orbital axis. Comparison to models suggests $$\\sim0.03$$ M$$_\\odot$$ of blue ejecta, with a velocity of $$\\sim 0.3c$$. The required lanthanide fraction is $$\\sim 10^{-4}$$, but this drops to $$<10^{-5}$$ in the outermost ejecta. The large velocities point to a dynamical origin, rather than a disk wind, for this blue component, suggesting that both binary constituents are neutron stars (as opposed to a binary consisting of a neutron star and a black hole). For dynamical ejecta, the high mass favors a small neutron star radius of $$\\lesssim 12$$ km. This mass also supports the idea that neutron star mergers are a major contributor to $r$-process nucleosynthesis.« less

The Electromagnetic Counterpart of the Binary Neutron Star Merger LIGO/Virgo GW170817. III. Optical and UV Spectra of a Blue Kilonova from Fast Polar Ejecta

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nicholl, Matt; Berger, E.; Kasen, D.

Here, we present optical and ultraviolet spectra of the first electromagnetic counterpart to a gravitational wave (GW) source, the binary neutron star merger GW170817. Spectra were obtained nightly between 1.5 and 9.5 days post-merger, using the SOAR and Magellan telescopes; the UV spectrum was obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope at 5.5 days. Our data reveal a rapidly-fading blue component (more » $$T\\approx5500$$ K at 1.5 days) that quickly reddens; spectra later than $$\\gtrsim 4.5$$ days peak beyond the optical regime. The spectra are mostly featureless, although we identify a possible weak emission line at $$\\sim 7900$$ Å at $$t\\lesssim 4.5$$ days. The colours, rapid evolution and featureless spectrum are consistent with a "blue" kilonova from polar ejecta comprised mainly of light $r$-process nuclei with atomic mass number $$A\\lesssim 140$$. This indicates a sight-line within $$\\theta_{\\rm obs}\\lesssim 45^{\\circ}$$ of the orbital axis. Comparison to models suggests $$\\sim0.03$$ M$$_\\odot$$ of blue ejecta, with a velocity of $$\\sim 0.3c$$. The required lanthanide fraction is $$\\sim 10^{-4}$$, but this drops to $$<10^{-5}$$ in the outermost ejecta. The large velocities point to a dynamical origin, rather than a disk wind, for this blue component, suggesting that both binary constituents are neutron stars (as opposed to a binary consisting of a neutron star and a black hole). For dynamical ejecta, the high mass favors a small neutron star radius of $$\\lesssim 12$$ km. This mass also supports the idea that neutron star mergers are a major contributor to $r$-process nucleosynthesis.« less

Extreme Ultraviolet Emission Lines of Iron Fe XI-XIII

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lepson, Jaan; Beiersdorfer, P.; Brown, G. V.; Liedahl, D. A.; Brickhouse, N. S.; Dupree, A. K.

2013-04-01

The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral region (ca. 20--300 Å) is rich in emission lines from low- to mid-Z ions, particularly from the middle charge states of iron. Many of these emission lines are important diagnostics for astrophysical plasmas, providing information on properties such as elemental abundance, temperature, density, and even magnetic field strength. In recent years, strides have been made to understand the complexity of the atomic levels of the ions that emit the lines that contribute to the richness of the EUV region. Laboratory measurements have been made to verify and benchmark the lines. Here, we present laboratory measurements of Fe XI, Fe XII, and Fe XIII between 40-140 Å. The measurements were made at the Lawrence Livermore electron beam ion trap (EBIT) facility, which has been optimized for laboratory astrophysics, and which allows us to select specific charge states of iron to help line identification. We also present new calculations by the Hebrew University - Lawrence Livermore Atomic Code (HULLAC), which we also utilized for line identification. We found that HULLAC does a creditable job of reproducing the forest of lines we observed in the EBIT spectra, although line positions are in need of adjustment, and line intensities often differed from those observed. We identify or confirm a number of new lines for these charge states. This work was supported by the NASA Solar and Heliospheric Program under Contract NNH10AN31I and the DOE General Plasma Science program. Work was performed in part under the auspices of the Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DEAC52-07NA27344.

Optical spectrophotometry of Wolf-Rayet galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vacca, William D.; Conti, Peter S.

1992-01-01

We have obtained long-slit optical spectra of 10 Wolf-Rayet galaxies and four other starburst galaxies. Using the nebular emission lines we have determined the electron temperatures, electron densities, extinctions, oxygen abundances, mass of ionized hydrogen, and numbers of ionizing photons due to hot stars in these galaxies. The various forbidden line ratios clearly indicate a stellar origin for the emission-line spectrum. From the flux of the broad He II 4686 A emission feature we have estimated the number of Wolf-Rayet stars present. We have accounted for the contribution of these stars to the total ionizing flux and have calculated the ratio of the number of these stars to the number of O stars. Wolf-Rayet galaxies are among the youngest examples of the starburst phenomenon, which we observed at a propitious moment.

X-ray Emission Line Anisotropy Effects on the Isoelectronic Temperature Measurement Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liedahl, Duane; Barrios, Maria; Brown, Greg; Foord, Mark; Gray, William; Hansen, Stephanie; Heeter, Robert; Jarrott, Leonard; Mauche, Christopher; Moody, John; Schneider, Marilyn; Widmann, Klaus

2016-10-01

Measurements of the ratio of analogous emission lines from isoelectronic ions of two elements form the basis of the isoelectronic method of inferring electron temperatures in laser-produced plasmas, with the expectation that atomic modeling errors cancel to first order. Helium-like ions are a common choice in many experiments. Obtaining sufficiently bright signals often requires sample sizes with non-trivial line optical depths. For lines with small destruction probabilities per scatter, such as the 1s2p-1s2 He-like resonance line, repeated scattering can cause a marked angular dependence in the escaping radiation. Isoelectronic lines from near-Z equimolar dopants have similar optical depths and similar angular variations, which leads to a near angular-invariance for their line ratios. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we show that possible ambiguities associated with anisotropy in deriving electron temperatures from X-ray line ratios are minimized by exploiting this isoelectronic invariance.

Acoustically regulated optical emission dynamics from quantum dot-like emission centers in GaN/InGaN nanowire heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazić, S.; Chernysheva, E.; Hernández-Mínguez, A.; Santos, P. V.; van der Meulen, H. P.

2018-03-01

We report on experimental studies of the effects induced by surface acoustic waves on the optical emission dynamics of GaN/InGaN nanowire quantum dots. We employ stroboscopic optical excitation with either time-integrated or time-resolved photoluminescence detection. In the absence of the acoustic wave, the emission spectra reveal signatures originated from the recombination of neutral exciton and biexciton confined in the probed nanowire quantum dot. When the nanowire is perturbed by the propagating acoustic wave, the embedded quantum dot is periodically strained and its excitonic transitions are modulated by the acousto-mechanical coupling. Depending on the recombination lifetime of the involved optical transitions, we can resolve acoustically driven radiative processes over time scales defined by the acoustic cycle. At high acoustic amplitudes, we also observe distortions in the transmitted acoustic waveform, which are reflected in the time-dependent spectral response of our sensor quantum dot. In addition, the correlated intensity oscillations observed during temporal decay of the exciton and biexciton emission suggest an effect of the acoustic piezoelectric fields on the quantum dot charge population. The present results are relevant for the dynamic spectral and temporal control of photon emission in III-nitride semiconductor heterostructures.

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping Project: Ensemble Spectroscopic Variability of Quasar Broad Emission Lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Mouyuan; Trump, Jonathan R.; Shen, Yue; Brandt, W. N.; Dawson, Kyle; Denney, Kelly D.; Hall, Patrick B.; Ho, Luis C.; Horne, Keith; Jiang, Linhua; Richards, Gordon T.; Schneider, Donald P.; Bizyaev, Dmitry; Kinemuchi, Karen; Oravetz, Daniel; Pan, Kaike; Simmons, Audrey

2015-09-01

We explore the variability of quasars in the Mg ii and {{H}}β broad emission lines and ultraviolet/optical continuum emission using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping project (SDSS-RM). This is the largest spectroscopic study of quasar variability to date: our study includes 29 spectroscopic epochs from SDSS-RM over 6 months, containing 357 quasars with Mg ii and 41 quasars with {{H}}β . On longer timescales, the study is also supplemented with two-epoch data from SDSS-I/II. The SDSS-I/II data include an additional 2854 quasars with Mg ii and 572 quasars with {{H}}β . The Mg ii emission line is significantly variable ({{Δ }}f/f∼ 10% on ∼100-day timescales), a necessary prerequisite for its use for reverberation mapping studies. The data also confirm that continuum variability increases with timescale and decreases with luminosity, and the continuum light curves are consistent with a damped random-walk model on rest-frame timescales of ≳ 5 days. We compare the emission-line and continuum variability to investigate the structure of the broad-line region. Broad-line variability shows a shallower increase with timescale compared to the continuum emission, demonstrating that the broad-line transfer function is not a δ-function. {{H}}β is more variable than Mg ii (roughly by a factor of ∼1.5), suggesting different excitation mechanisms, optical depths and/or geometrical configuration for each emission line. The ensemble spectroscopic variability measurements enabled by the SDSS-RM project have important consequences for future studies of reverberation mapping and black hole mass estimation of 1\\lt z\\lt 2 quasars.

DISCOVERY OF RUBIDIUM, CADMIUM, AND GERMANIUM EMISSION LINES IN THE NEAR-INFRARED SPECTRA OF PLANETARY NEBULAE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sterling, N. C.; Dinerstein, Harriet L.; Kaplan, Kyle F.

We identify [Rb iv] 1.5973 and [Cd iv] 1.7204 μm emission lines in high-resolution (R = 40,000) near-infrared spectra of the planetary nebulae (PNe) NGC 7027 and IC 5117, obtained with the Immersion GRating INfrared Spectrometer (IGRINS) on the 2.7 m telescope at McDonald Observatory. We also identify [Ge vi] 2.1930 μm in NGC 7027. Alternate identifications for these features are ruled out based on the absence of other multiplet members and/or transitions with the same upper levels. Ge, Rb, and Cd can be enriched in PNe by s-process nucleosynthesis during the asymptotic giant branch stage of evolution. To determine ionic abundances, we calculate [Rb iv] collision strengthsmore » and use approximations for those of [Cd iv] and [Ge vi]. Our identification of [Rb iv] 1.5973 μm is supported by the agreement between Rb{sup 3+}/H{sup +} abundances found from this line and the 5759.55 Å feature in NGC 7027. Elemental Rb, Cd, and Ge abundances are derived with ionization corrections based on similarities in ionization potential ranges between the detected ions and O and Ne ionization states. Our analysis indicates abundances 2–4 times solar for Rb and Cd in both nebulae. Ge is subsolar in NGC 7027, but its abundance is uncertain due to the large and uncertain ionization correction. The general consistency of the measured relative s-process enrichments with predictions from models appropriate for these PNe (2.0–2.5 M{sub ⊙}, [Fe/H] = −0.37) demonstrates the potential of using PN compositions to test s-process nucleosynthesis models.« less

Cloudy 94 and Applications to Quasar Emission Line Regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferland, Gary J.

2000-01-01

This review discusses the most recent developments of the plasma simulation code Cloudy and its application to the, emission-line regions of quasars. The longterm goal is to develop the tools needed to determine the chemical composition of the emitting gas and the luminosity of the central engine for any emission line source. Emission lines and the underlying thermal continuum are formed in plasmas that are far from thermodynamic equilibrium. Their thermal and ionization states are the result of a balance of a vast set of microphysical processes. Once produced, radiation must, propagate out of the (usually) optically thick source. No analytic solutions are possible, and recourse to numerical simulations is necessary. I am developing the large-scale plasma simulation code Cloudy as an investigative tool for this work, much as an observer might build a spectrometer. This review describes the current version of Cloudy, version 94. It describes improvements made since the, release of the previous version, C90. The major recent, application has been the development of the "Locally Optimally-Emitting Cloud" (LOC) model of AGN emission line regions. Powerful selection effects, introduced by the atomic physics and line formation process, permit individual lines to form most efficiently only near certain selected parameters. These selection effects, together with the presence of gas with a wide range of conditions, are enough to reproduce the spectrum of a typical quasar with little dependence on details. The spectrum actually carries little information to the identity of the emitters. I view this as a major step forward since it provides a method to handle accidental details at the source, so that we can concentrate on essential information such as the luminosity or chemical composition of the quasar.

Real-time Fourier transformation of lightwave spectra and application in optical reflectometry.

PubMed

Malacarne, Antonio; Park, Yongwoo; Li, Ming; LaRochelle, Sophie; Azaña, José

2015-12-14

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a fiber-optics scheme for real-time analog Fourier transform (FT) of a lightwave energy spectrum, such that the output signal maps the FT of the spectrum of interest along the time axis. This scheme avoids the need for analog-to-digital conversion and subsequent digital signal post-processing of the photo-detected spectrum, thus being capable of providing the desired FT processing directly in the optical domain at megahertz update rates. The proposed concept is particularly attractive for applications requiring FT analysis of optical spectra, such as in many optical Fourier-domain reflectrometry (OFDR), interferometry, spectroscopy and sensing systems. Examples are reported to illustrate the use of the method for real-time OFDR, where the target axial-line profile is directly observed in a single-shot oscilloscope trace, similarly to a time-of-flight measurement, but with a resolution and depth of range dictated by the underlying interferometry scheme.

On the Origin of the Flare Emission in IRIS ’ SJI 2832 Filter:Balmer Continuum or Spectral Lines?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kleint, Lucia; Krucker, Säm; Heinzel, Petr

Continuum (“white-light,” WL) emission dominates the energetics of flares. Filter-based observations, such as the IRIS SJI 2832 filter, show WL-like brightenings during flares, but it is unclear whether the emission arises from real continuum emission or enhanced spectral lines, possibly turning into emission. The difficulty in filter-based observations, contrary to spectral observations, is to determine which processes contribute to the observed brightening during flares. Here we determine the contribution of the Balmer continuum and the spectral line emission to IRIS ’ SJI 2832 emission by analyzing the appropriate passband in simultaneous IRIS NUV spectra. We find that spectral line emissionmore » can contribute up to 100% to the observed slitjaw images (SJI) emission, that the relative contributions usually temporally vary, and that the highest SJI enhancements that are observed are most likely because of the Balmer continuum. We conclude that care should be taken when calling SJI 2832 a continuum filter during flares, because the influence of the lines on the emission can be significant.« less

On-the-fly ab initio semiclassical dynamics: Emission spectra of oligothiophenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wehrle, Marius; Sulc, Miroslav; Vanicek, Jiri

2014-03-01

We employ the thawed Gaussian approximation (TGA) [E. J. Heller, J. Chem. Phys. 62, 1544 (1975)] within an on-the-fly ab initio (OTF-AI) scheme to calculate the vibrationally resolved emission spectra of oligothiophenes up to five rings. OTF-AI-TGA is efficient enough to treat all vibrational degrees of freedom on an equal footing even in case of 5-oligothiophene (105 vibrational degrees of freedom), thus obviating the need for the crude global harmonic approximation, popular for large system. The experimental emission spectra have been almost perfectly reproduced. In order to provide a deeper insight into the associated physical and chemical processes, we present a systematic approach to assess the importance and to analyze the mutual coupling of individual vibrational degrees of freedom during the dynamics. This allows us to explain the changes in the vibrational line shapes of the oligothiophenes with increasing number of rings. Furthermore, we observe the dynamical interplay between quinoid and aromatic characters of individual rings in the oligothiophene chain during the dynamics and confirm that the quinoid character prevails in the center of the chain. This research was supported by the Swiss NSF Grant No. 200021_124936/1 and NCCR Molecular Ultrafast Science & Technology (MUST), and by the EPFL.

Diagnosis of lubricating oil by evaluating cyanide and carbon molecular emission lines in laser induced breakdown spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elnasharty, I. Y.; Kassem, A. K.; Sabsabi, M.; Harith, M. A.

2011-08-01

To prevent engine failure it is essential to change lubricating oil regularly before it loses its protective properties. It is also necessary to monitor the physical and chemical conditions of the oil to reliably determine the optimum oil-change intervals. The present work focuses on studying evolution of the cyanide (CN) and carbon (C 2) molecular spectral emission lines in the laser induced breakdown spectra of lubricating oil as a function of its consumption. The intensities of these molecular bands have been taken as indicator of engine oil degradation at certain mileage. Furthermore, the percentage of decay of CN and C 2 integral intensity values at the corresponding mileage was calculated in order to relate it to the degree of consumption of the motor oil. Such percentage decay of the CN and C 2 integral intensities have been found to increase gradually with increasing mileage which is accompanied with increasing depletion of engine oil. The results of using LIBS technique in the present measurements proved that it is possible to have a direct, straightforward and easy method for prediction of lubricating oil degree of consumption. This may facilitate scheduling the proper time and/or mileage intervals for changing the oil to avoid any possibility of engine failure.

Ultraviolet and optical observations of metal deficient red giants and chromospheric models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duprele, A. K.; Avrett, E. H.; Hartmann, L.; Smith, G.

1984-01-01

Three metal deficient field stars were observed in the ultraviolet and optical spectral regions: HD 165195, HD 110281, and HD 232078. High dispersion spectra near H alpha, and low dispersion, long wavelength IUE spectra were obtained. The H alpha profiles have strong asymmetric emission with absorption cores that are frequently asymmetric. The surface flux of Mg II lines is similar to that of luminous Pop I stars in spite of the lower metal abundance. Semi-empirical atmospheric models suggest that the characteristic emission in the wings of the H alpha line can arise within static chromospheres. Radial expansion gives an asymmetric, blue-shifted H alpha core accompanied by greater emission in the red line wing than the blue wing. Wind models with extended atmospheres suggest mass loss rates - 2 billion M/yr. Thus H alpha provides no evidence that steady mass loss is substantial enough to significantly affect the evolution of stars on the red giant branch of globular clusters.

Novel Fiber-Optic Ring Acoustic Emission Sensor.

PubMed

Wei, Peng; Han, Xiaole; Xia, Dong; Liu, Taolin; Lang, Hao

2018-01-13

Acoustic emission technology has been applied to many fields for many years. However, the conventional piezoelectric acoustic emission sensors cannot be used in extreme environments, such as those with heavy electromagnetic interference, high pressure, or strong corrosion. In this paper, a novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor is proposed. The sensor exhibits high sensitivity, anti-electromagnetic interference, and corrosion resistance. First, the principle of a novel fiber-optic ring sensor is introduced. Different from piezoelectric and other fiber acoustic emission sensors, this novel sensor includes both a sensing skeleton and a sensing fiber. Second, a heterodyne interferometric demodulating method is presented. In addition, a fiber-optic ring sensor acoustic emission system is built based on this method. Finally, fiber-optic ring acoustic emission experiments are performed. The novel fiber-optic ring sensor is glued onto the surface of an aluminum plate. The 150 kHz standard continuous sinusoidal signals and broken lead signals are successfully detected by the novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor. In addition, comparison to the piezoelectric acoustic emission sensor is performed, which shows the availability and reliability of the novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor. In the future, this novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor will provide a new route to acoustic emission detection in harsh environments.

Time integrated optical emission studies of the laser produced germanium plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iqbal, Javed; Ahmed, R.; Baig, M. A.

2017-04-01

We present new time integrated data on the optical emission spectra of laser produced germanium plasma using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm), power density up to about 5  ×  109 W cm-2 in conjunction with a set of five spectrometers covering a spectral range from 200 nm to 720 nm. Well resolved structure due to the 4p5s  →  4p2 transition array of neutral germanium and a few multiplets of singly ionized germanium have been observed. Plasma temperature has been determined in the range (9000-11 000) K using four different techniques; two line ratio method, Boltzmann plot, Saha-Boltzmann plot and Marotta’s technique whereas electron density has been deduced from the Stark broadened line profiles in the range (0.5-5.0)  ×  1017 cm-3, depending on the laser pulse energy to produce the germanium plasma. Full width at half maximum (FWHM) of a number of neutral and singly ionized germanium lines have been extracted by the Lorentzian fit to the experimentally observed line profiles. In addition, we have compared the experimentally measured relative line strengths for the 4p5s 3P0,1,2  →  4p2 3P0,1,2 multiplet with that calculated in the LS-coupling scheme revealing that the intermediate coupling scheme is more appropriate for the level designations in germanium.

Mid-infrared rotational line emission from interstellar molecular hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burton, Michael G.; Hollenbach, D. J.; Tielens, A. G. G.

1992-11-01

The line emission from the v = 0-0 S(0), S(2), and S(3), and the v = 1-0 and v = 2-1 S(1) transitions of molecular hydrogen in clouds exposed to high FUV fluxes and in shocks is modeled. Particular attention is given to the lowest pure rotational H2 transitions at 20 and 17 microns, respectively. It is found that, in photodissociation regions (PDRs), the emission comes from warm (greater than about 100 k) molecular gas, situated at optical depths greater than about 1, beyond the hot atomic surface layer of the clouds. For FUV fields, G0 = 1000 to 100,000 times the average interstellar field densities n = 10 exp 3 - 10 exp 7/cu cm, the typical line intensities are in the range 10 exp -6 to 10 exp -4 ergs/s sq cm sr. The predictions for the line intensities from both C-type and J-type shock models are compared. The results are applied to recent observations of the 0-0 S(1) transition in both the PDR and the shocked gas in Orion.

THE REST-FRAME OPTICAL SPECTROSCOPIC PROPERTIES OF LY α -EMITTERS AT z  ∼ 2.5: THE PHYSICAL ORIGINS OF STRONG LY α EMISSION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trainor, Ryan F.; Strom, Allison L.; Steidel, Charles C.

We present the rest-frame optical spectroscopic properties of 60 faint ( R {sub AB} ∼ 27; L ∼ 0.1 L {sub *}) Ly α -selected galaxies (LAEs) at z  ≈ 2.56. These LAEs also have rest-UV spectra of their Ly α emission line morphologies, which trace the effects of interstellar and circumgalactic gas on the escape of Ly α photons. We find that the LAEs have diverse rest-optical spectra, but their average spectroscopic properties are broadly consistent with the extreme low-metallicity end of the populations of continuum-selected galaxies selected at z  ≈ 2–3. In particular, the LAEs have extremely high [O iii]more » λ 5008/H β ratios (log([O iii]/H β ) ∼ 0.8) and low [N ii] λ 6585/H α ratios (log([N ii]/H α ) < 1.15). Coupled with a detection of the [O iii] λ 4364 auroral line, these measurements indicate that the star-forming regions in faint LAEs are characterized by high electron temperatures (T{sub e} ≈ 1.8 × 10{sup 4} K), low oxygen abundances (12 + log(O/H) ≈ 8.04, Z{sub neb} ≈ 0.22 Z {sub ⊙}), and high excitations with respect to their more luminous continuum-selected analogs. Several of our faintest LAEs have line ratios consistent with even lower metallicities, including six with 12 + log(O/H) ≈ 6.9–7.4 (Z {sub neb} ≈ 0.02–0.05 Z{sub ⊙}). We interpret these observations in light of new models of stellar evolution (including binary interactions) that have been shown to produce long-lived populations of hot, massive stars at low metallicities. We find that strong, hard ionizing continua are required to reproduce our observed line ratios, suggesting that faint galaxies are efficient producers of ionizing photons and important analogs of reionization-era galaxies. Furthermore, we investigate the physical trends accompanying Ly α emission across the largest current sample of combined Ly α and rest-optical galaxy spectroscopy, including both the 60 KBSS-Ly α LAEs and 368 more luminous galaxies at similar

Emission spectra of photoionized plasmas induced by intense EUV pulses: Experimental and theoretical investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saber, Ismail; Bartnik, Andrzej; Skrzeczanowski, Wojciech; Wachulak, Przemysław; Jarocki, Roman; Fiedorowicz, Henryk

2017-03-01

Experimental measurements and numerical modeling of emission spectra in photoionized plasma in the ultraviolet and visible light (UV/Vis) range for noble gases have been investigated. The photoionized plasmas were created using laser-produced plasma (LPP) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source. The source was based on a gas puff target; irradiated with 10ns/10J/10Hz Nd:YAG laser. The EUV radiation pulses were collected and focused using grazing incidence multifoil EUV collector. The laser pulses were focused on a gas stream, injected into a vacuum chamber synchronously with the EUV pulses. Irradiation of gases resulted in a formation of low temperature photoionized plasmas emitting radiation in the UV/Vis spectral range. Atomic photoionized plasmas produced this way consisted of atomic and ionic with various ionization states. The most dominated observed spectral lines originated from radiative transitions in singly charged ions. To assist in a theoretical interpretation of the measured spectra, an atomic code based on Cowan's programs and a collisional-radiative PrismSPECT code have been used to calculate the theoretical spectra. A comparison of the calculated spectral lines with experimentally obtained results is presented. Electron temperature in plasma is estimated using the Boltzmann plot method, by an assumption that a local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) condition in the plasma is validated in the first few ionization states. A brief discussion for the measured and computed spectra is given.

Infrared emission spectra of candidate interstellar aromatic molecules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schlemmer, S.; Balucani, N.; Wagner, D. R.; Steiner, B.; Saykally, R. J.

1996-01-01

Interstellar dust is responsible, through surface reactions, for the creation of molecular hydrogen, the main component of the interstellar clouds in which new stars form. Intermediate between small, gas-phase molecules and dust are the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Such molecules could account for 2-30% of the carbon in the Galaxy, and may provide nucleation sites for the formation of carbonaceous dust. Although PAHs have been proposed as the sources of the unidentified infrared emission bands that are observed in the spectra of a variety of interstellar sources, the emission characteristics of such molecules are still poorly understood. Here we report laboratory emission spectra of several representative PAHs, obtained in conditions approximating those of the interstellar medium, and measured over the entire spectral region spanned by the unidentified infrared bands. We find that neutral PAHs of small and moderate size can at best make only a minor contribution to these emission bands. Cations of these molecules, as well as much larger PAHs and their cations, remain viable candidates for the sources of these bands.

Novel Fiber-Optic Ring Acoustic Emission Sensor

PubMed Central

Han, Xiaole; Xia, Dong; Liu, Taolin; Lang, Hao

2018-01-01

Acoustic emission technology has been applied to many fields for many years. However, the conventional piezoelectric acoustic emission sensors cannot be used in extreme environments, such as those with heavy electromagnetic interference, high pressure, or strong corrosion. In this paper, a novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor is proposed. The sensor exhibits high sensitivity, anti-electromagnetic interference, and corrosion resistance. First, the principle of a novel fiber-optic ring sensor is introduced. Different from piezoelectric and other fiber acoustic emission sensors, this novel sensor includes both a sensing skeleton and a sensing fiber. Second, a heterodyne interferometric demodulating method is presented. In addition, a fiber-optic ring sensor acoustic emission system is built based on this method. Finally, fiber-optic ring acoustic emission experiments are performed. The novel fiber-optic ring sensor is glued onto the surface of an aluminum plate. The 150 kHz standard continuous sinusoidal signals and broken lead signals are successfully detected by the novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor. In addition, comparison to the piezoelectric acoustic emission sensor is performed, which shows the availability and reliability of the novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor. In the future, this novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor will provide a new route to acoustic emission detection in harsh environments. PMID:29342858

Spectroscopic and polarimetric study of radio-quiet weak emission line quasars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Parveen; Chand, Hum; Gopal-Krishna; Srianand, Raghunathan; Stalin, Chelliah Subramonian; Petitjean, Patrick

2018-04-01

A small subset of optically selected radio-quiet QSOs with weak or no emission lines may turn out to be the elusive radio-quiet BL Lac objects, or simply be radio-quiet QSOs with an infant/shielded broad line region (BLR). High polarisation (p > 3-4%), a hallmark of BL Lacs, can be used to test whether some optically selected ‘radio-quiet weak emission line QSOs’ (RQWLQs) show a fractional polarisation high enough to qualify as radio-quiet analogues of BL Lac objects. To check this possibility, we have made optical spectral and polarisation measurements of a sample of 19 RQWLQs. Out of these, only 9 sources show a non-significant proper motion (hence very likely extragalactic) and only two of them are found to have p > 1%. For these two RQWLQs, namely J142505.59+035336.2 and J154515.77+003235.2, we found the highest polarization to be 1.59±0.53%, which is again too low to classify them as (radio-quiet) BL Lacs, although one may recall that even genuine BL Lacs sometimes appear weakly polarised. We also present a statistical comparison of the optical spectral index, for a sample of 45 RQWLQs with redshift-luminosity matched control samples of 900 QSOs and an equivalent sample of 120 blazars, assembled from the literature. The spectral index distribution of RQWLQs is found to differ, at a high significance level, from that of blazars. This, too, is consistent with the common view that the mechanism of the central engine in RQWLQs, as a population, is close to that operating in normal QSOs and the primary difference between them is related to the BLR.

Retrieval of constituent mixing ratios from limb thermal emission spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaffer, William A.; Kunde, Virgil G.; Conrath, Barney J.

1988-01-01

An onion-peeling iterative, least-squares relaxation method to retrieve mixing ratio profiles from limb thermal emission spectra is presented. The method has been tested on synthetic data, containing various amounts of added random noise for O3, HNO3, and N2O. The retrieval method is used to obtain O3 and HNO3 mixing ratio profiles from high-resolution thermal emission spectra. Results of the retrievals compare favorably with those obtained previously.

(12)CO (3-2) & (1-0) emission line observations of nearby starburst galaxy nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Devereux, Nicholas; Taniguchi, Yoshiaki; Sanders, D. B.; Nakai, N.; Young, J. S.

1994-01-01

New measurements of the (12)CO (1-0) and (12)CO (3-2) line emission are presented for the nuclei of seven nearby starburst galaxies selected from a complete sample of 21 nearby starburst galaxies for which the nuclear star formation rates are measured to be comparable to the archetype starburst galaxies M82 and NGC 253. The new observations capitalize on the coincidence between the beam size of the 45 m Nobeyama telescope at 115 GHz and that of the 15 m James Clerk Maxwell Telescope at 345 GHz to measure the value of the (12)CO (3-2)/(1-0) emission line ratio in a 15 sec (less than or equal to 2.5 kpc) diameter region centered on the nuclear starburst. In principle, the (12)CO (3-2)/(1-0) emission line ratio provides a measure of temperature and optical depth for the (12)CO gas. The error weighted mean value of the (12)CO (3-2)/(1-0) emission line ratio measured for the seven starburst galaxy nuclei is -0.64 +/- 0.06. The (12)CO (3-2)/(1-0) emission line ratio measured for the starburst galaxy nuclei is significantly higher than the average value measured for molecular gas in the disk of the Galaxy, implying warmer temperatures for the molecular gas in starburst galaxy nuclei. On the other hand, the (12)CO (3-2)/(1-0) emission line ratio measured for the starburst galaxy nuclei is not as high as would be expected if the molecular gas were hot, greater than 20 K, and optically thin, tau much less than 1. The total mass of molecular gas contained within the central 1.2-2.8 kpc diameter region of the starburst galaxy nuclei ranges from 10(exp 8) to 10(exp 9) solar mass. While substantial, the molecular gas mass represents only a small percentage, approximately 9%-16%, of the dynamical mass in the same region.

Optical flare events on the RS Canum Venaticorum star UX Arietis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Dong-Tao; Gu, Sheng-Hong

2017-05-01

Based on long-term high-resolution spectroscopic observations obtained during five observing runs from 2001 to 2004, we study optical flare events and chromospheric activity variability of the very active RS CVn star UX Ari. By means of the spectral subtraction technique, several optical chromospheric activity indicators (including the He i D3, Na i D1, D2 doublet, Hα and Ca ii IRT lines) covered in our echelle spectra were analyzed. Four large optical flare events were detected on UX Ari during our observations, which show prominent He i D3 line emission together with great enhancement in emission of the Hα and Ca ii IRT lines and strong filled-in or emission reversal features in the Na i D1, D2 doublet lines. The newly detected flares are much more energetic than previous discoveries, especially for the flare identified during the 2002 December observing run. Optical flare events on UX Ari are more likely to be observed around two quadratures of the system, except for our optical flares detected during the 2004 November observing run. Moreover, we have found rotational modulation of chromospheric activity in the Hα and Ca ii IRT lines, which suggests the presence of chromospherically active longitudes over the surface of UX Ari. The change in chromospherically active longitudes among our observing runs, as well as the variation in chromospheric activity level from 2001 to 2004, indicates a long-term evolution of active regions.

Local H i emissivity measured with FERMI-LAT and implications for Cosmic-ray spectra

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Casandjian, Jean -Marc

Cosmic-ray (CR) electrons and nuclei interact with the Galactic interstellar gas and produce high-energy γ-rays. The γ-ray emission rate per hydrogen atom, called emissivity, provides a unique indirect probe of the CR flux. We present the measurement and the interpretation of the emissivity in the solar neighborhood for γ-ray energy from 50 MeV to 50 GeV. We analyzed a subset of 4 yr of observations from the Large Area Telescope (LAT) aboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope ( Fermi) restricted to absolute latitudesmore » $$10^\\circ \\lt | b| \\lt 70^\\circ $$. From a fit to the LAT data including atomic, molecular, and ionized hydrogen column density templates, as well as a dust optical depth map, we derived the emissivities, the molecular hydrogen–to–CO conversion factor $${X}_{\\mathrm{CO}}=(0.902\\pm 0.007)\\times {10}^{20}$$ cm–2 (K km s–1)–1, and the dust-to-gas ratio $${X}_{\\mathrm{DUST}}=(41.4\\pm 0.3)\\times {10}^{20}$$ cm–2 mag–1. Moreover, we detected for the first time γ-ray emission from ionized hydrogen. We compared the extracted emissivities to those calculated from γ-ray production cross sections and to CR spectra measured in the heliosphere. We observed that the experimental emissivities are reproduced only if the solar modulation is accounted for. This provides a direct detection of solar modulation observed previously through the anticorrelation between CR fluxes and solar activity. Lastly, we fitted a parameterized spectral form to the heliospheric CR observations and to the Fermi-LAT emissivity and obtained compatible local interstellar spectra for proton and helium kinetic energy per nucleon between between 1 and 100 GeV and for electron–positrons between 0.1 and 100 GeV.« less

Local H i emissivity measured with FERMI-LAT and implications for Cosmic-ray spectra

DOE PAGES

Casandjian, Jean -Marc

2015-06-20

Cosmic-ray (CR) electrons and nuclei interact with the Galactic interstellar gas and produce high-energy γ-rays. The γ-ray emission rate per hydrogen atom, called emissivity, provides a unique indirect probe of the CR flux. We present the measurement and the interpretation of the emissivity in the solar neighborhood for γ-ray energy from 50 MeV to 50 GeV. We analyzed a subset of 4 yr of observations from the Large Area Telescope (LAT) aboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope ( Fermi) restricted to absolute latitudesmore » $$10^\\circ \\lt | b| \\lt 70^\\circ $$. From a fit to the LAT data including atomic, molecular, and ionized hydrogen column density templates, as well as a dust optical depth map, we derived the emissivities, the molecular hydrogen–to–CO conversion factor $${X}_{\\mathrm{CO}}=(0.902\\pm 0.007)\\times {10}^{20}$$ cm–2 (K km s–1)–1, and the dust-to-gas ratio $${X}_{\\mathrm{DUST}}=(41.4\\pm 0.3)\\times {10}^{20}$$ cm–2 mag–1. Moreover, we detected for the first time γ-ray emission from ionized hydrogen. We compared the extracted emissivities to those calculated from γ-ray production cross sections and to CR spectra measured in the heliosphere. We observed that the experimental emissivities are reproduced only if the solar modulation is accounted for. This provides a direct detection of solar modulation observed previously through the anticorrelation between CR fluxes and solar activity. Lastly, we fitted a parameterized spectral form to the heliospheric CR observations and to the Fermi-LAT emissivity and obtained compatible local interstellar spectra for proton and helium kinetic energy per nucleon between between 1 and 100 GeV and for electron–positrons between 0.1 and 100 GeV.« less

The Loopy Ultraviolet Line Profiles of RU Lupi: Accretion, Outflows, and Fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herczeg, Gregory J.; Walter, Frederick M.; Linsky, Jeffrey L.; Gahm, Gösta F.; Ardila, David R.; Brown, Alexander; Johns-Krull, Christopher M.; Simon, Michal; Valenti, Jeff A.

2005-06-01

We present far-ultraviolet (FUV) spectra of the classical T Tauri star RU Lup covering the 912-1710 Å spectral range, as observed by the Hubble Space Telescope STIS and the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer satellite. We use these spectra, which are rich in emission and absorption lines, to probe both the accreting and outflowing gas. Absorption in the Lyα profile constrains the extinction to AV~0.07 mag, which we confirm with other diagnostics. We estimate a mass accretion rate of (5+/-2)×10-8 Msolar yr-1 using the optical-NUV accretion continuum. The accreting gas is also detected in bright, broad lines of C IV, Si IV, and N V, which all show complex structures across the line profile. Many other emission lines, including those of H2 and Fe II, are pumped by Lyα. RU Lup's spectrum varies significantly in the FUV; our STIS observations occurred when RU Lup was brighter than several other observations in the FUV, possibly because of a high mass accretion rate.

Rings of Molecular Line Emission in the Disk Orbiting the Young, Close Binary V4046 Sgr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickson-Vandervelde, Dorothy; Kastner, Joel H.; Qi, C.; Forveille, Thierry; Hily-Blant, Pierre; Oberg, Karin; Wilner, David; Andrews, Sean; Gorti, Uma; Rapson, Valerie; Sacco, Germano; Principe, David

2018-01-01

We present analysis of a suite of subarcsecond ALMA Band 6 (1.1 - 1.4 mm) molecular line images of the circumbinary, protoplanetary disk orbiting V4046 Sgr. The ~20 Myr-old V4046 Sgr system, which lies a mere ~73 pc from Earth, consists of a close (separation ~10 Rsun) pair of roughly solar-mass stars that are orbited by a gas-rich crcumbinary disk extending to ~350 AU in radius. The ALMA images reveal that the molecules CO and HCN and their isotopologues display centrally peaked surface brightness morphologies, whereas the cyanide group molecules (HC3N, CH3CN), deuterated molecules (DCN, DCO+), hydrocarbons (as traced by C2H), and potential CO ice line tracers (N2H+, and H2CO) appear as a sequence of sharp and diffuse rings of increasing radii. The characteristic sizes of these molecular emission rings, which range from ~25 to >100 AU in radius, are evident in radial emission-line surface brightness profiles extracted from the deprojected disk images. We find that emission from 13CO emission transitions from optically thin to thick within ~50 AU, whereas C18O emission remains optically thin within this radius. We summarize the insight into the physical and chemical processes within this evolved protoplanetary disk that can be obtained from comparisons of the various emission-line morphologies with each other and with that of the continuum (large-grain) emission on size scales of tens of AU.This research is supported by NASA Exoplanets program grant NNX16AB43G to RIT

IUE Spectra and photoionization models of the Seyfert 2 glaxies NGC 7674 and I Zw 92

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kraemer, Steven B.; Wu, Chi-Chao; Crenshaw, D. Michael; Harrington, J. Patrick

1994-01-01

The physical conditions in the narrow-line regions of two Seyfert 2 galaxies, NGC 7674 and I Zw 92, are examined using IUE spectra, published optical spectra and multifrequency observations, and photoionization models. For each Seyfert galaxy, the emission-line fluxes were dereddened using the He II lambda(1640)/lambda(4686) ratio. Photoionization models were calculated using a power-law index determined from the He II lambda(4686)/H-beta ratio; the index is very similar to that obtained from a fit to the observed multifrequency continuum from the infrared to the X-rays. The models were calculated in a way that minimized the number of assumptions, and given the uncertainties in the reddening corrections, the calculated ratios match nearly all of the dereddened ratios successfully. a multicomponent model (three components with different densities and ionization parameters) was required to fit the spectrum of I Zw 92, whereas a single component was sufficient for NGC 7674. The CNO abundances are close to solar, although a reduced abundance of up to one-third solar for one or more of the heavy elements is possible. In contrast to a previous study of Mrk 3, dust inside the narrow-line region (NLR) louds was not required to fit the spectra of these two Seyfert galaxies, although the emission lines experience considerable reddening from external dust. Higher signal-to-noise spectra in the UV are essential for placing further restrictions on the reddening and physical conditions in the narrow-line regions of Seyfert galaxies.

Properties of Narrow line Seyfert 1 galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakshit, Suvendu; Stalin, Chelliah Subramonian; Chand, Hum; Zhang, Xue-Guang

2018-04-01

Narrow line Seyfert 1 (NLSy1) galaxies constitute a class of active galactic nuclei characterized by the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the Hα broad emission line <2000 km s-1 and the flux ratio of [O III] to Hα <3. Their properties are not well understood since only a few NLSy1 galaxies were known earlier. We have studied various properties of NLSy1 galaxies using an enlarged sample and compared them with the conventional broad-line Seyfert 1 (BLSy1) galaxies. Both the sample of sources have z˜ 0.8 and their optical spectra from SDSS-DR12 that are used to derive various physical parameters have a median signal to noise (S/N) ratio >10 pixel-1. A strong correlation between the Hα and Hα emission lines is found both in the FWHM and flux. The nuclear continuum luminosity is found to be strongly correlated with the luminosity of Hα, Hα and [O III] emission lines. The black hole mass in NLSy1 galaxies is lower compared to their broad line counterparts. Compared to BLSy1 galaxies, NLSy1 galaxies have a stronger FeII emission and a higher Eddington ratio that place them in the extreme upper right corner of the R4570 - λEdd diagram. The distribution of the radio-loudness parameter (R) in NLSy1 galaxies drops rapidly at R>10 compared to the BLSy1 galaxies that have powerful radio jets. The soft X-ray photon index in NLSy1 galaxies is on average higher (2.9 ± 0.9) than BLSy1 galaxies (2.4 ± 0.8). It is anti-correlated with the Hα width but correlated with the FeII strength. NLSy1 galaxies on average have a lower amplitude of optical variability compared to their broad lines counterparts. These results suggest Eddington ratio as the main parameter that drives optical variability in these sources.

Optical-to-UV correlations and particle fluxes for M dwarf exoplanet host stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Youngblood, Allison

2017-01-01

UV stellar radiation can significantly impact planetary atmospheres through heating and photochemistry, even regulating production of potential biomarkers. M dwarfs emit the majority of their UV radiation in the form of emission lines, and the incident UV radiation on habitable-zone planets is significant owing to their small orbital radii. Only recently have the UV spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of average M dwarfs been explored (e.g., the MUSCLES Treasury Survey). Emission lines tracing hot plasma in the stellar chromosphere and transition region dominate the far-UV spectra, even for optically inactive M dwarfs (i.e., those displaying Hα absorption spectra). Lyα (1216 Å) is the strongest of the UV emission lines, but resonant scattering from the interstellar medium makes direct observations of the intrinsic Lyα emission of even nearby stars challenging. I reconstruct the intrinsic Lyα profiles using an MCMC technique and use them to estimate the extreme-UV SED.Monitoring the long-term (years-to-decades) UV activity of M dwarfs will be important for assessing the potential habitability of short-period planets, but will only be feasible from the ground via optical proxies. Therefore, I also quantify correlations between UV and optical emission lines of the MUSCLES stars and other M dwarfs, for use when direct UV observations of M dwarf exoplanet host stars are not available. Recent habitability studies of M dwarf exoplanets have sought to address the impact of frequent flaring and are just beginning to include the damaging impact of stellar energetic particles that are typically associated with large flares. Working under the necessary assumption of solar-like particle production, I present a new technique for estimating >10 MeV proton flux during far-UV flares, and analyze a sample of the flares observed in the MUSCLES Treasury Survey.

Identification of S VIII through S XIV emission lines between 17.5 and 50 nm in a magnetically confined plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCarthy, K. J.; Tamura, N.; Combs, S. K.; García, R.; Hernández Sánchez, J.; Navarro, M.; Panadero, N.; Pastor, I.; Soleto, A.; the TJ-II Team

2018-03-01

43 spectral emission lines from F-like to Li-like sulphur ions have been identified in the wavelength range from 17.5 to 50 nm in spectra obtained following tracer injection into plasmas created in a magnetically confined plasma device, the stellarator TJ-II. Plasmas created and maintained in this heliac device with electron cyclotron resonance heating achieve central electron temperatures and densities up to 1.5 keV and 8 × 1018 m-3, respectively. Tracer injections were performed with ≤6 × 1016 atoms of sulphur contained within ˜300 μm diameter polystyrene capsules, termed tracer encapsulated solid pellets, using a gas propulsion system to achieve velocities between 250 and 450 m s-1. Once ablation of the exterior polystyrene shell by plasma particles is completed, the sulphur is deposited in the plasma core where it is ionized up to S+13 and transported about the plasma. In order to aid line identification, which is made using a number of atomic line emission databases, spectra are collected before and after injection using a 1 m focal length normal incidence spectrometer equipped with a CCD camera. This work is motivated by the need to clearly identify sulphur emission lines in the vacuum ultraviolet range of magnetically confined plasmas, as sulphur x-ray emission lines are regularly observed in both tokamak and stellarator plasmas.

Ultraviolet emission lines of Si II in cool star and solar spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laha, Sibasish; Keenan, Francis P.; Ferland, Gary J.; Ramsbottom, Catherine A.; Aggarwal, Kanti M.; Ayres, Thomas R.; Chatzikos, Marios; van Hoof, Peter A. M.; Williams, Robin J. R.

2016-01-01

Recent atomic physics calculations for Si II are employed within the CLOUDY modelling code to analyse Hubble Space Telescope (HST) STIS ultraviolet spectra of three cool stars, β Geminorum, α Centauri A and B, as well as previously published HST/GHRS observations of α Tau, plus solar quiet Sun data from the High Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph. Discrepancies found previously between theory and observation for line intensity ratios involving the 3s23p 2PJ-3s3p2 4P_{J^' }} intercombination multiplet of Si II at ˜ 2335 Å are significantly reduced, as are those for ratios containing the 3s23p 2PJ-3s3p2 2D_{J^' }} transitions at ˜1816 Å. This is primarily due to the effect of the new Si II transition probabilities. However, these atomic data are not only very different from previous calculations, but also show large disagreements with measurements, specifically those of Calamai et al. for the intercombination lines. New measurements of transition probabilities for Si II are hence urgently required to confirm (or otherwise) the accuracy of the recently calculated values. If the new calculations are confirmed, then a long-standing discrepancy between theory and observation will have finally been resolved. However, if the older measurements are found to be correct, then the agreement between theory and observation is simply a coincidence and the existing discrepancies remain.

Optical spectra and emission characteristics of terbium-doped potassium-lead double chloride crystals (KPb2Cl5:Tb3+)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tkachuk, A. M.; Ivanova, S. E.; Mirzaeva, A. A.; Isaenko, L. I.

2017-05-01

Optical transitions in KPb2Cl5:Tb3+ crystals are studied experimentally and theoretically. The absorption cross-section spectra are plotted and the oscillator strengths of transitions from the ground terbium state to excited multiplets are determined. Intensity parameters Ωt for KPC:Tb3+ are determined by the Judd-Ofelt method to be Ω2 = 2.70 × 10-20 cm2, Ω4 = 7.0 × 10-20 cm2, and Ω6 = 0.72 × 10-20 cm2. These values were used to calculate such characteristics of spontaneous radiative transitions as oscillator strengths, probabilities of radiative transitions, and radiative lifetimes. The emission spectra of KPb2Cl5:Tb3+ crystals upon UV excitation and the decay kinetics of luminescence from the excited 5 D 3 and 5 D 4 levels are studied experimentally, the lifetimes of these levels are determined, and the dependences of the rates of nonradiative relaxation from the excited 7 F j ( j = 0-5), 5 D 4, and 5 D 3 levels to lower-lying terbium levels are calculated. It is shown that the population of the 5 D 4 level in KPC:Tb3+ crystals occurs according to a cascade scheme, which leads to quenching of the 5 D 3 level. The calculated data agree well with the known experimental rates of multiphonon nonradiative transitions for Dy:KPC, Nd:KPC, Er:KPC, Tb:KPB, and Nd:KPB crystals. It is shown that transitions in the near-IR (3-6 μm) region in double halide crystals (MPb2Hal5) are almost unquenched and the rates of nonradiative relaxation of excited levels spaced by energy gaps Δ E ji > 1000 cm-1 are W ji NR < 103s-1. This circumstance suggests that it is possible to obtain stimulated emission in KPb2Cl5:RE3+ crystals in the IR spectral region up to 6 μm.

Microwave fiber optics delay line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slayman, C.; Yen, H. W.

1980-01-01

A microwave delay line is one of the devices used in EW systems for preserving the frequency and phase contents of RF signals. For such applications, delay lines are required to have large dynamic range, wide bandwidth, low insertion loss, and a linear response. The basic components of a fiber-optics delay line are: an optical source, a wideband optical modulator, a spool of single-mode fiber with appropriate length to provide a given microwave signal delay, and a high-speed photodetector with an RF amplifier. This contract program is to study the feasibility of such a fiber-optic delay line in the frequency range of 4.0 to 6.5 GHz. The modulation scheme studied is the direct modulation of injection lasers. The most important issue identified is the frequency response of the injection laser and the photodetector.

Simultaneous optical/X-ray study of GS 1354-64 (=BW Cir) during hard outburst: evidence for optical cyclo-synchrotron emission from the hot accretion flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pahari, Mayukh; Gandhi, Poshak; Charles, Philip A.; Kotze, Marissa M.; Altamirano, Diego; Misra, Ranjeev

2017-07-01

We present results from simultaneous optical [South African Large Telescope (SALT)] and X-ray (Swift and INTEGRAL) observations of GS 1354-64/BW Cir during the 2015 hard state outburst. During the rising phase, optical/X-ray time series shows a strong anti-correlation with X-ray photons lagging optical. Optical and X-ray power spectra show quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) at a frequency of ˜18 mHz with a confidence level of at least 99 per cent. Simultaneous fitting of Swift/XRT and INTEGRAL spectra in the range 0.5-1000.0 keV shows non-thermal, power-law-dominated (>90 per cent) spectra with a hard power-law index of 1.48 ± 0.03, inner disc temperature of 0.12 ± 0.01 keV and an inner disc radius of ˜3000 km. All evidence is consistent with cyclo-synchrotron radiation in a non-thermal, hot electron cloud extending to ˜100 Schwarzschild radii being a major physical process for the origin of optical photons. At outburst peak about one month later, when the X-ray flux rises and the optical drops, the apparent features in the optical/X-ray correlation vanish and the optical auto correlation widens. Although ˜0.19 Hz QPO is observed from the X-ray power spectra, the optical variability is dominated by the broad-band noise, and the inner disc temperature increases. These results support a change in the dominant optical emission source between outburst rise and peak, consistent with a weakening of hot flow as the disc moves in.

Optical antenna enhanced spontaneous emission

PubMed Central

Eggleston, Michael S.; Messer, Kevin; Zhang, Liming; Yablonovitch, Eli; Wu, Ming C.

2015-01-01

Atoms and molecules are too small to act as efficient antennas for their own emission wavelengths. By providing an external optical antenna, the balance can be shifted; spontaneous emission could become faster than stimulated emission, which is handicapped by practically achievable pump intensities. In our experiments, InGaAsP nanorods emitting at ∼200 THz optical frequency show a spontaneous emission intensity enhancement of 35× corresponding to a spontaneous emission rate speedup ∼115×, for antenna gap spacing, d = 40 nm. Classical antenna theory predicts ∼2,500× spontaneous emission speedup at d ∼ 10 nm, proportional to 1/d2. Unfortunately, at d < 10 nm, antenna efficiency drops below 50%, owing to optical spreading resistance, exacerbated by the anomalous skin effect (electron surface collisions). Quantum dipole oscillations in the emitter excited state produce an optical ac equivalent circuit current, Io = qω|xo|/d, feeding the antenna-enhanced spontaneous emission, where q|xo| is the dipole matrix element. Despite the quantum-mechanical origin of the drive current, antenna theory makes no reference to the Purcell effect nor to local density of states models. Moreover, plasmonic effects are minor at 200 THz, producing only a small shift of antenna resonance frequency. PMID:25624503

Optical antenna enhanced spontaneous emission

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eggleston, Michael S.; Messer, Kevin; Zhang, Liming

Atoms and molecules are too small to act as efficient antennas for their own emission wavelengths. By providing an external optical antenna, the balance can be shifted; spontaneous emission could become faster than stimulated emission, which is handicapped by practically achievable pump intensities. In our experiments, InGaAsP nanorods emitting at ~200 THz optical frequency show a spontaneous emission intensity enhancement of 35 × corresponding to a spontaneous emission rate speedup ~115 ×, for antenna gap spacing, d = 40 nm. Classical antenna theory predicts ~2,500 × spontaneous emission speedup at d ~10 nm, proportional to 1/d 2. Unfortunately, at dmore » < 10 nm, antenna efficiency drops below 50%, owing to optical spreading resistance, exacerbated by the anomalous skin effect (electron surface collisions). Quantum dipole oscillations in the emitter excited state produce an optical ac equivalent circuit current, I(o) = qω|x(o)|/d, feeding the antenna-enhanced spontaneous emission, where q|x(o)| is the dipole matrix element. Despite the quantum-mechanical origin of the drive current, antenna theory makes no reference to the Purcell effect nor to local density of states models. Additionally, plasmonic effects are minor at 200 THz, producing only a small shift of antenna resonance frequency.« less

Optical antenna enhanced spontaneous emission.

PubMed

Eggleston, Michael S; Messer, Kevin; Zhang, Liming; Yablonovitch, Eli; Wu, Ming C

2015-02-10

Atoms and molecules are too small to act as efficient antennas for their own emission wavelengths. By providing an external optical antenna, the balance can be shifted; spontaneous emission could become faster than stimulated emission, which is handicapped by practically achievable pump intensities. In our experiments, InGaAsP nanorods emitting at ∼ 200 THz optical frequency show a spontaneous emission intensity enhancement of 35 × corresponding to a spontaneous emission rate speedup ∼ 115 ×, for antenna gap spacing, d = 40 nm. Classical antenna theory predicts ∼ 2,500 × spontaneous emission speedup at d ∼ 10 nm, proportional to 1/d(2). Unfortunately, at d < 10 nm, antenna efficiency drops below 50%, owing to optical spreading resistance, exacerbated by the anomalous skin effect (electron surface collisions). Quantum dipole oscillations in the emitter excited state produce an optical ac equivalent circuit current, I(o) = qω|x(o)|/d, feeding the antenna-enhanced spontaneous emission, where q|x(o)| is the dipole matrix element. Despite the quantum-mechanical origin of the drive current, antenna theory makes no reference to the Purcell effect nor to local density of states models. Moreover, plasmonic effects are minor at 200 THz, producing only a small shift of antenna resonance frequency.

Optical antenna enhanced spontaneous emission

DOE PAGES

Eggleston, Michael S.; Messer, Kevin; Zhang, Liming; ...

2015-01-26

Atoms and molecules are too small to act as efficient antennas for their own emission wavelengths. By providing an external optical antenna, the balance can be shifted; spontaneous emission could become faster than stimulated emission, which is handicapped by practically achievable pump intensities. In our experiments, InGaAsP nanorods emitting at ~200 THz optical frequency show a spontaneous emission intensity enhancement of 35 × corresponding to a spontaneous emission rate speedup ~115 ×, for antenna gap spacing, d = 40 nm. Classical antenna theory predicts ~2,500 × spontaneous emission speedup at d ~10 nm, proportional to 1/d 2. Unfortunately, at dmore » < 10 nm, antenna efficiency drops below 50%, owing to optical spreading resistance, exacerbated by the anomalous skin effect (electron surface collisions). Quantum dipole oscillations in the emitter excited state produce an optical ac equivalent circuit current, I(o) = qω|x(o)|/d, feeding the antenna-enhanced spontaneous emission, where q|x(o)| is the dipole matrix element. Despite the quantum-mechanical origin of the drive current, antenna theory makes no reference to the Purcell effect nor to local density of states models. Additionally, plasmonic effects are minor at 200 THz, producing only a small shift of antenna resonance frequency.« less

On the Failure of Standard Emission Measure Analysis for Solar Extreme-Ultraviolet and Ultraviolet Irradiance Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Judge, P. G.; Woods, T. N.; Brekke, P.; Rottman, G. J.

1995-12-01

We perform emission measure analysis of new and accurate UV ( lambda > 1200 A) and extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) ( lambda <= 1200 A) irradiance ("Sun-as-a-star") emission-line spectra of the Sun. Our data consist of (1) daily averaged UV irradiances from the SOLSTICE on the UARS spacecraft and (2) EUV irradiances obtained on the same date from a \\frac {1}{4} m spectrograph flown on a sounding rocket. Both instruments have a spectral resolution of roughly 1 A. The absolute uncertainties in these data are at most +/-15% (+/-2 sigma ), one of the highest photometric accuracies yet achieved. We find large, highly significant and systematic discrepancies in the emission measure analysis of transition region lines which can only be accounted for by a breakdown of one or more standard assumptions. All strong lines above 1000 A, which are from the Li and Na isoelectronic sequences, are too strong by factors of between 2.5 and 7 compared with their counterparts in the EUV region. Previous studies were tantalizingly close to finding these discrepancies, but those data lacked the wavelength coverage and relative photometric precision necessary for definitive conclusions. We argue that either dynamical effects, inaccurate treatments of atomic processes, and/or Lyman continuum absorption are the culprits. However, we favor the former explanation. In any event, this study should have implications for models of the solar transition region, for observing programs with the CDS and SUMER instruments on SOHO, and for analysis of UV spectra for stars across the cool half of the H-R diagram. Finally, the discrepancy is not seen for the "coronal" Li-like ions.

Infrared coronal emission lines and the possibility of their laser emission in Seyfert nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenhouse, Matthew A.; Feldman, Uri; Smith, Howard A.; Klapisch, Marcel; Bhatia, Anand K.; Bar-Shalom, Avi

1993-01-01

Results are presented from detailed balance calculations, and a compilation of atomic data and other model calculations designed to support upcoming ISO and current observing programs involving IR coronal emission lines, together with a table with a complete line list of infrared transitions within the ground configurations 2s2 2p(k), 3s2 3p(k), and the first excited configurations 2s 2p and 3s 3p of highly ionized astrophysically abundant elements. The temperature and density parameter space for dominant cooling via IR coronal lines is presented, and the relationship of IR and optical coronal lines is discussed. It is found that, under physical conditions found in Seyfert nuclei, 14 of 70 transitions examined have significant population inversions in levels that give rise to IR coronal lines. Several IR coronal line transitions were found to have laser gain lengths that correspond to column densities of 10 exp 24-25/sq cm which are modeled to exist in Seyfert nuclei. Observations that can reveal inverted level populations and laser gain in IR coronal lines are suggested.

Using an artificial neural network to classify multicomponent emission lines with integral field spectroscopy from SAMI and S7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hampton, E. J.; Medling, A. M.; Groves, B.; Kewley, L.; Dopita, M.; Davies, R.; Ho, I.-T.; Kaasinen, M.; Leslie, S.; Sharp, R.; Sweet, S. M.; Thomas, A. D.; Allen, J.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Brough, S.; Bryant, J. J.; Croom, S.; Goodwin, M.; Green, A.; Konstantantopoulos, I. S.; Lawrence, J.; López-Sánchez, Á. R.; Lorente, N. P. F.; McElroy, R.; Owers, M. S.; Richards, S. N.; Shastri, P.

2017-09-01

Integral field spectroscopy (IFS) surveys are changing how we study galaxies and are creating vastly more spectroscopic data available than before. The large number of resulting spectra makes visual inspection of emission line fits an infeasible option. Here, we present a demonstration of an artificial neural network (ANN) that determines the number of Gaussian components needed to describe the complex emission line velocity structures observed in galaxies after being fit with lzifu. We apply our ANN to IFS data for the S7 survey, conducted using the Wide Field Spectrograph on the ANU 2.3 m Telescope, and the SAMI Galaxy Survey, conducted using the SAMI instrument on the 4 m Anglo-Australian Telescope. We use the spectral fitting code lzifu (Ho et al. 2016a) to fit the emission line spectra of individual spaxels from S7 and SAMI data cubes with 1-, 2- and 3-Gaussian components. We demonstrate that using an ANN is comparable to astronomers performing the same visual inspection task of determining the best number of Gaussian components to describe the physical processes in galaxies. The advantage of our ANN is that it is capable of processing the spectra for thousands of galaxies in minutes, as compared to the years this task would take individual astronomers to complete by visual inspection.

Nebular Line Emission and Stellar Mass of Bright z 8 Galaxies "Super-Eights"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holwerda, Benne; Bouwens, Rychard; Trenti, Michele; Oesch, Pascal; Labbe, Ivo; Smit, Renske; Roberts-Borsani, Guido; Bernard, Stephanie; Bridge, Joanna

2018-05-01

Searches for the Lyman-alpha emission from the very first galaxies ionizing the Universe have proved to be extremely difficult with limited success beyond z 7 (<3% detections). However, a search of all CANDELS yielded four bright z 8 sources with associated strong Lyman-alpha lines, despite the Universe expected to be 70% neutral at this time. The key to their selection is an extremely red IRAC color ([3.6]-[4.5]> 0.5, Roberts-Borsani+ 2016), indicative of very strong nebular line emission. Do such extreme line emitting galaxies produce most of the photons to reionize the Universe? We propose to expand the sample of bright z 8 galaxies with reliable IRAC colors with seven more Y-band dropouts found with HST and confirmed through HST/Spitzer. The Spitzer observations will test how many of bright z 8 galaxies are IRAC-red and measure both their stellar mass and [OIII]+Hbeta line strength. Together with Keck/VLT spectroscopy, they will address these questions: I) Do all luminous z 8 galaxies show such red IRAC colors ([OIII] emission / hard spectra)? II) Is luminosity or a red IRAC color the dominant predictor for Lyman-alpha emission? III) Or are these sources found along exceptionally transparent sightlines into the early Universe? With 11 bright z 8 sources along different lines-of-sight, all prime targets for JWST, we will aim to determine which of the considered factors (luminosity, color, sight-line) drives the high Lyman-alpha prevalence (100%) and insight into the sources reionizing the Universe.

Rest-frame Optical Spectra and Black Hole Masses of 3 < z < 6 Quasars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jun, Hyunsung David; Im, Myungshin; Lee, Hyung Mok; Ohyama, Youichi; Woo, Jong-Hak; Fan, Xiaohui; Goto, Tomotsugu; Kim, Dohyeong; Kim, Ji Hoon; Kim, Minjin; Lee, Myung Gyoon; Nakagawa, Takao; Pearson, Chris; Serjeant, Stephen

2015-06-01

We present the rest-frame optical spectral properties of 155 luminous quasars at 3.3 < z < 6.4 taken with the AKARI space telescope, including the first detection of the Hα emission line as far out as z ∼ 6. We extend the scaling relation between the rest-frame optical continuum and the line luminosity of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) to the high-luminosity, high-redshift regime that has rarely been probed before. Remarkably, we find that a single log-linear relation can be applied to the 5100 Å and Hα AGN luminosities over a wide range of luminosity (1042 < L5100 < 1047 ergs s-1) or redshift (0 < z < 6), suggesting that the physical mechanism governing this relation is unchanged from z = 0 to 6, over five decades in luminosity. Similar scaling relations are found between the optical and the UV continuum luminosities or line widths. Applying the scaling relations to the Hβ black hole (BH) mass (MBH) estimator of local AGNs, we derive the MBH estimators based on the Hα, Mg ii, and C iv lines, finding that the UV-line-based masses are overall consistent with the Balmer-line-based, but with a large intrinsic scatter of 0.40 dex for the C iv estimates. Our 43 MBH estimates from Hα confirm the existence of BHs as massive as ∼ 1010 M⊙ out to z ∼ 5 and provide a secure footing for previous results from Mg ii-line-based studies that a rapid MBH growth has occurred in the early universe.

Optical emission spectroscopy of microwave-plasmas at atmospheric pressure applied to the growth of organosilicon and organotitanium nanopowders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilicaslan, A.; Levasseur, O.; Roy-Garofano, V.; Profili, J.; Moisan, M.; Côté, C.; Sarkissian, A.; Stafford, L.

2014-03-01

An atmospheric-pressure plasma sustained by an electromagnetic surface wave (SW) in the microwave regime combined with a bubbler/flash evaporator for the injection of liquid precursors was used to produce organosilicon and organotitanium nanopowders. Following the addition of hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) vapors in the nominally pure argon plasma, optical emission spectra revealed the apparition of strong C2 molecular bands along with Si and Balmer H emission lines. Such features were not observed in our atmospheric-pressure Ar/HMDSO discharges controlled by dielectric barriers, indicating that microwave plasmas are characterized by much higher fragmentation levels of the precursors due to much higher electron densities. Emission spectra from the Ar/HMDSO SW plasma further showed a high-intensity continuum, the intensity of which decreased with time as powders started to form on the discharge tube walls. In presence of titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) vapors in the nominally pure Ar plasma, the emission was dominated by Ar and Ti lines, with no trace of carbon and no continuum. Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy of the powders formed in Ar/HMDSO plasmas showed very strong Si-(CH3)x and O-Si-(CH3)x bands, which is consistent with the formation of silicon oxycarbide. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) further showed tube and sheet-like nanofeatures as well as larger structures consisting of agglomerated primary clusters. On the other hand, introduction of O2 in Ar/HMDSO plasmas produced only round-like nanoparticles with strong Si-O-Si bands and no trace of carbon, consistent with the formation of SiOx. The average size of the silica nanoparticles was 50 nm. FTIR spectra of powders formed in Ar/TTIP plasmas showed strong Ti-O signals, even without the addition of O2 in the gas phase. Corresponding TEM analysis showed nano- and agglomerated features comparable to those obtained in Ar/HMDSO although the average size of the titanate nanoparticles was smaller

Diagnostics of pre-breakdown light emission in a helium coplanar barrier discharge: the presence of neutral bremsstrahlung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navrátil, Zdeněk; Morávek, Tomáš; Ráheľ, Jozef; Čech, Jan; Lalinský, Ondřej; Trunec, David

2017-05-01

Weak light emission (˜10-3 of active discharge signal; average count rate ˜ 1 photon s-1 nm-1) associated with surface charge relaxation during the dark phase of a helium diffuse coplanar barrier discharge was studied by optical emission spectroscopy, using a technique of phase-resolved single photon counting. The optical emission spectra of the dark phase contained luminescent bands of the dielectrics used (Al2O3, AlN) and spectral lines from the gas constituents (OH*, {{{N}}}2* , {{{N}}}2+* , He*, He{}2* , O*). During the charge relaxation event, a broad continuum appeared in the optical emission spectra, consisting of bremsstrahlung radiation and amplified luminescence of the dielectric barrier. The analysis presented suggests that the bremsstrahlung radiation originated from slow electrons colliding with neutral helium atoms. The fitting procedure we developed reproduced well the observed shape of the continuum. Moreover, it provided a method for the determination of electric field strength in the discharge during this particular phase. The electric field reached 1 kV cm-1 during the charge relaxation event.

Limb observations of the 12.32 micron solar emission line during the 1991 July total eclipse

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deming, Drake; Jennings, Donald E.; Mccabe, George; Noyes, Robert; Wiedemann, Gunter; Espenak, Fred

1992-01-01

The limb profile of the Mg I 12.32-micron emission line is determined by occultation in the July 11, 1991 total solar eclipse over Mauna Kea. It is shown that the emission peaks are very close to the 12-micron continuum limb, as predicted by recent theory for this line as a non-LTE photospheric emission. The increase in optical depth for this extreme limb-viewing situation indicates that most of the observed emission arises from above the chromospheric temperature minimum, and it is found that this emission is extended to heights well in excess of the model predictions. The line emission can be observed as high as 2000 km above the 12-micron continuum limb, whereas theory predicts it to remain observable no higher than about 500 km above the continuum limb. The substantial limb extension observed in this line is quantitatively consistent with limb extensions seen in the far-IR continuum, and it is concluded that it is indicative of departures from gravitational hydrostatic equilibrium, or spatial inhomogeneities, in the upper solar atmosphere.

Boötes-HiZELS: an optical to near-infrared survey of emission-line galaxies at z = 0.4-4.7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthee, Jorryt; Sobral, David; Best, Philip; Smail, Ian; Bian, Fuyan; Darvish, Behnam; Röttgering, Huub; Fan, Xiaohui

2017-10-01

We present a sample of ˜1000 emission-line galaxies at z = 0.4-4.7 from the ˜0.7deg2 High-z Emission-Line Survey in the Boötes field identified with a suite of six narrow-band filters at ≈0.4-2.1 μm. These galaxies have been selected on their Ly α (73), [O II] (285), H β/[O III] (387) or H α (362) emission line, and have been classified with optical to near-infrared colours. A subsample of 98 sources have reliable redshifts from multiple narrow-band (e.g. [O II]-H α) detections and/or spectroscopy. In this survey paper, we present the observations, selection and catalogues of emitters. We measure number densities of Ly α, [O II], H β/[O III] and H α and confirm strong luminosity evolution in star-forming galaxies from z ˜ 0.4 to ˜5, in agreement with previous results. To demonstrate the usefulness of dual-line emitters, we use the sample of dual [O II]-H α emitters to measure the observed [O II]/H α ratio at z = 1.47. The observed [O II]/H α ratio increases significantly from 0.40 ± 0.01 at z = 0.1 to 0.52 ± 0.05 at z = 1.47, which we attribute to either decreasing dust attenuation with redshift, or due to a bias in the (typically) fibre measurements in the local Universe that only measure the central kpc regions. At the bright end, we find that both the H α and Ly α number densities at z ≈ 2.2 deviate significantly from a Schechter form, following a power law. We show that this is driven entirely by an increasing X-ray/active galactic nucleus fraction with line luminosity, which reaches ≈100 per cent at line luminosities L ≳ 3 × 1044 erg s-1.

Line Identifications and Preliminary Synthesis of High-resolution Infrared Spectra of CP and Herbig Ae Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowley, Charles R.; Castelli, F.; Hubrig, S.; Wolff, B.; Elkin, V.

2012-01-01

We report on surveys of infrared spectra of chemically peculiar and Herbig Ae stars based on CRIRES (Kaufl, et al. SPIE, 5492, 1218 2004). We discuss the magnetic CP stars Gamma Equ and HD 154708, and multiple-phase observations of the Herbig Ae star HD 101412. The Be star HR 4537 and HgMn HR 6620 were also examined. The primary emphasis of the present work is on line identifications primarily in four regions, 1065-1091, 1084-1109,1550-1587, and 2276-2313nm (with order gaps). Observations were reduced with recipes available from the ESO CRIRES data reduction pipeline. Wavelength calibration is determined from daytime ThAr arc lamp exposures. Generally speaking, this is not rich in atomic lines. The strongest features are the Paschen line P6 (1093.81nm), and He I (108.30nm). The latter shows phase variations indicative of a more complex magnetic field than that of a pure dipole. No individual molecular lines were found in these early stars, though CO emission from circumstellar material is likely present in HR 4537 and HD 101412. We used atomic line lists from Kurucz's site (kurucz.harvard.edu) and VALD (http://vald.astro.univie.ac.at/ cf. Kupka et al. 1999, A&AS, 138, 119), supplemented by Outred (J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data 7, 1, 1978). The following spectra were identified in Gamma Equ: C I, Si I, Ca I, Mg I, II, Cr I, Fe I, Sr II, and Ce III (1584.75nm). The Ap star spectra show broad Zeeman patterns compatible with published models and field strengths. Synthetic calculations used SYNTHE and SYNTHMAG (Piskunov N. E., 1999, in Astrophys. Space Sci. Library Vol. 243, Solar polarization. Kluwer, p 515). The γ Equ model is from Heiter et al. (2002, A&A, 392, 619). and the line list from VALD.

Optical identification of radio-loud active galactic nuclei in the ROSAT-Green-Bank sample with SDSS spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, De-Liang; Wang, Jian-Guo; Dong, Xiao-Bo

2009-10-01

Results of extended and refined optical identification of 181 radio/X-ray sources in the RASS-Green Bank (RGB) catalog are presented (Brinkmann et al. 1997) which have been spectroscopically observed in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR5. The SDSS spectra of the optical counterparts are modeled in a careful and self-consistent way by incorporating the host galaxy's starlight. Optical emission line parameters are presented, which are derived accurately and reliably, along with the radio 1.4-5 GHz spectral indices estimated using (non-simultaneous) archival data. For 72 sources, the identifications are presented for the first time. It is confirmed that the majority of strong radio/X-ray emitters are radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs), particularly blazars. Taking advantage of the high spectral quality and resolution and our refined spectral modeling, we are able to disentangle narrow line radio galaxies (NLRGs), as vaguely termed in most previous identification work, into Seyfert II galaxies and LINERs (low-ionization nuclear emission regions), based on the standard emission line diagnostics. The NLRGs in the RGB sample, mostly belonging to 'weak line radio galaxies', are found to have optical spectra consistent predominantly with LINERs, and only a small fraction with Seyfert II galaxies. A small number of LINERs have radio power as high as 1023 - 1026 W Hz-1 at 5 GHz, being among the strongest radio emitting LINERs known so far. Two sources are identified with radio-loud narrow line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s), a class of rare objects. The presence is also confirmed of flat-spectrum radio quasars whose radio-optical-X-ray effective spectral indices are similar to those of High-energy peaked BL Lacs (HBLs), as suggested by Padovani et al., although it is still a debate as to whether this is the case for their actual spectral energy distributions.

EMISSION SIGNATURES FROM SUB-PARSEC BINARY SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES. I. DIAGNOSTIC POWER OF BROAD EMISSION LINES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nguyen, Khai; Bogdanović, Tamara

Motivated by advances in observational searches for sub-parsec supermassive black hole binaries (SBHBs) made in the past few years, we develop a semi-analytic model to describe spectral emission-line signatures of these systems. The goal of this study is to aid the interpretation of spectroscopic searches for binaries and to help test one of the leading models of binary accretion flows in the literature: SBHB in a circumbinary disk. In this work, we present the methodology and a comparison of the preliminary model with the data. We model SBHB accretion flows as a set of three accretion disks: two mini-disks thatmore » are gravitationally bound to the individual black holes and a circumbinary disk. Given a physically motivated parameter space occupied by sub-parsec SBHBs, we calculate a synthetic database of nearly 15 million broad optical emission-line profiles and explore the dependence of the profile shapes on characteristic properties of SBHBs. We find that the modeled profiles show distinct statistical properties as a function of the semimajor axis, mass ratio, eccentricity of the binary, and the degree of alignment of the triple disk system. This suggests that the broad emission-line profiles from SBHB systems can in principle be used to infer the distribution of these parameters and as such merit further investigation. Calculated profiles are more morphologically heterogeneous than the broad emission lines in observed SBHB candidates and we discuss improved treatment of radiative transfer effects, which will allow a direct statistical comparison of the two groups.« less

LIME: Semiautomated line measurement and identification from stellar spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahin, T.

2017-09-01

We present LIME (Line Measurements from ECHELLE Spectra), an IDL-based code, as a powerful tool for semiautomated stellar line measurement and identification. Interactively selected line positions (i.e. wavelengths) are compared with a master line list of the user's selections. Each unknown line that the user interactively chooses is displayed with potential identifications provided by the code in the vicinity of the selected line. The best identification is evaluated on the basis of several criteria (e.g., atomic/molecular line information, wavelength displacement, and theoretical equivalent width for solar atmospheric values). We examined the identifications by LIME in the spectra of post-red supergiant star HD 179821 over a range of signal-to-noise values and wavelength ranges. We found that the results obtained by LIME show virtually complete agreement with the manual identifications for which the conventional and also tedious approach is to use a revised multiplet table as an initial guide and perform a systematic search that makes use of the lower excitation potential and gf-values. Comparison to previous identifications for HD 179821 in the literature revealed not only lines that were unmeasurable and/or blended but also misidentifications. While a manual identification process takes a relatively longer time to be accomplished by an experienced spectroscopist, LIME can provide a rapid extraction of line information in a few hours with moderate user interaction.

[Influence of electromagnetic emission at the frequencies of molecular absorption and emission spectra of oxygen and nitrogen oxide on the adhesion and formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm].

PubMed

Pronina, E A; Shvidenko, I G; Shub, G M; Shapoval, O G

2011-01-01

Evaluate the influence of electromagnetic emission (EME) at the frequencies of molecular absorption and emission spectra of atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen oxide (MAES 02 and MAES NO respectively) on the adhesion, population progress and biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Adhesive activity was evaluated by mean adhesion index (MAI) of bacteria on human erythrocytes. Population growth dynamic was assessed by optical density index of broth cultures; biofilm formation--by values of optical density of the cells attached to the surface of polystyrol wells. P.aeruginosa bacteria had high adhesive properties that have increased under the influence of MAES 02 frequency emission and have not changed under the influence of MAES NO frequency. Exposure of bacteria to MAES NO frequency did not influence the population progress; exposure to MAES 02 frequency stimulated the biofilm formation ability of the bacteria, and MAES NO--decreased this ability. EME at MAES NO frequency can be used to suppress bacterial biofilm formation by pseudomonas.

Optical and UV spectroscopy of the black hole binary candidate LMC X-1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hutchings, J. B.; Crampton, D.; Cowley, A. P.; Bianchi, L.; Thompson, I. B.

1987-01-01

Both further optical spectroscopy of the binary star identified with LMC X-1, obtained between 1983 and 1985, and a series of IUE UV spectra taken during a 5 day interval in 1984 are presented. The optical data are used to refine the orbital period to 4.2288 days, and improved orbital parameters are derived. The velocity of the optical emission lines is antiphased with the absorption lines and has twice the velocity amplitude. These new results support the estimates of the masses in the system given earlier. The most probable component masses are approximately 20 solar masses for the primary and near 6 solar masses (for the x-ray star), suggesting the the latter may be a black hole. The UV spectra show very weak, low-velocity stellar-wind lines. It is suggested that much of the surrounding medium is highly ionized by the X-ray flux. The 'nonwind' UV spectral lines and the UV continuum temperature are consistent with the optical data, indicating a late O type star of M(bol) = -8.5. There is a weak modulation of absorption-line strengths with orbital phase, suggestive of a lack of axisymmetry in the X-irradiation of the primary star and indicative of a fairly low orbital inclination.

EUV emission spectra in collisions of highly charged tantalum ions with nitrogen and oxygen molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanuma, Hajime; Numadate, Naoki; Uchikura, Yoshiyuki; Shimada, Kento; Akutsu, Takuto; Long, Elaine; O'Sullivan, Gerry

2017-10-01

We have performed ion beam collision experiments using multiply charged tantalum ions and observed EUV (extreme ultra-violet) emission spectra in collisions of ions with molecular targets, N2 and O2. Broad UTAs (un-resolved transition arrays) from multiply charged Ta ions were observed, and the mean wavelengths of the UTAs shifted and became shorter at higher charge statea of Ta ions. These UTAs may be attributed to the 4f-5d and 4f-5g transitions. Not only the UTA emission from incident ions, but also the sharp emission lines from multiply charged fragment atomic ions were observed. Production of temporary highly charged molecular ions, their kinetic energy and fragmentation processes have been investigated with coincident detection technique. However, the observation of emission from the fragments might be for the first time. The formation mechanisms of the multiply charged fragment atomic ions from target molecules are discussed.

Imaging Extended Emission-Line Regions of Obscured AGN with the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Ai-Lei; Greene, Jenny E.; Zakamska, Nadia L.; Goulding, Andy; Strauss, Michael A.; Huang, Song; Johnson, Sean; Kawaguchi, Toshihiro; Matsuoka, Yoshiki; Marsteller, Alisabeth A.; Nagao, Tohru; Toba, Yoshiki

2018-05-01

Narrow-line regions excited by active galactic nuclei (AGN) are important for studying AGN photoionization and feedback. Their strong [O III] lines can be detected with broadband images, allowing morphological studies of these systems with large-area imaging surveys. We develop a new broad-band imaging technique to reconstruct the images of the [O III] line using the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) Survey aided with spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The technique involves a careful subtraction of the galactic continuum to isolate emission from the [O III]λ5007 and [O III]λ4959 lines. Compared to traditional targeted observations, this technique is more efficient at covering larger samples without dedicated observational resources. We apply this technique to an SDSS spectroscopically selected sample of 300 obscured AGN at redshifts 0.1 - 0.7, uncovering extended emission-line region candidates with sizes up to tens of kpc. With the largest sample of uniformly derived narrow-line region sizes, we revisit the narrow-line region size - luminosity relation. The area and radii of the [O III] emission-line regions are strongly correlated with the AGN luminosity inferred from the mid-infrared (15 μm rest-frame) with a power-law slope of 0.62^{+0.05}_{-0.06}± 0.10 (statistical and systematic errors), consistent with previous spectroscopic findings. We discuss the implications for the physics of AGN emission-line regions and future applications of this technique, which should be useful for current and next-generation imaging surveys to study AGN photoionization and feedback with large statistical samples.

``Ultimate'' information content in solar and stellar spectra. Photospheric line asymmetries and wavelength shifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dravins, Dainis

2008-12-01

Context: Spectral-line asymmetries (displayed as bisectors) and wavelength shifts are signatures of the hydrodynamics in solar and stellar atmospheres. Theory may precisely predict idealized lines, but accuracies in real observed spectra are limited by blends, few suitable lines, imprecise laboratory wavelengths, and instrumental imperfections. Aims: We extract bisectors and shifts until the “ultimate” accuracy limits in highest-quality solar and stellar spectra, so as to understand the various limits set by (i) stellar physics (number of relevant spectral lines, effects of blends, rotational line broadening); by (ii) observational techniques (spectral resolution, photometric noise); and by (iii) limitations in laboratory data. Methods: Several spectral atlases of the Sun and bright solar-type stars were examined for those thousands of “unblended” lines with the most accurate laboratory wavelengths, yielding bisectors and shifts as averages over groups of similar lines. Representative data were obtained as averages over groups of similar lines, thus minimizing the effects of photometric noise and of random blends. Results: For the solar-disk center and integrated sunlight, the bisector shapes and shifts were extracted for previously little-studied species (Fe II, Ti I, Ti II, Cr II, Ca I, C I), using recently determined and very accurate laboratory wavelengths. In Procyon and other F-type stars, a sharp blueward bend in the bisector near the spectral continuum is confirmed, revealing line saturation and damping wings in upward-moving photospheric granules. Accuracy limits are discussed: “astrophysical” noise due to few measurable lines, finite instrumental resolution, superposed telluric absorption, inaccurate laboratory wavelengths, and calibration noise in spectrometers, together limiting absolute lineshift studies to ≈50-100 m s-1. Conclusions: Spectroscopy with resolutions λ/Δλ ≈ 300 000 and accurate wavelength calibration will enable

Calibration of a high harmonic spectrometer by laser induced plasma emission.

PubMed

Farrell, J P; McFarland, B K; Bucksbaum, P H; Gühr, M

2009-08-17

We present a method that allows for a convenient switching between high harmonic generation (HHG) and accurate calibration of the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectrometer used to analyze the harmonic spectrum. The accurate calibration of HHG spectra is becoming increasingly important for the determination of electronic structures. The wavelength of the laser harmonics themselves depend on the details of the harmonic geometry and phase matching, making them unsuitable for calibration purposes. In our calibration mode, the target resides directly at the focus of the laser, thereby enhancing plasma emission and suppressing harmonic generation. In HHG mode, the source medium resides in front or after the focus, showing enhanced HHG and no plasma emission lines. We analyze the plasma emission and use it for a direct calibration of our HHG spectra. (c) 2009 Optical Society of America

The different origins of high- and low-ionization broad emission lines revealed by gravitational microlensing in the Einstein cross

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braibant, L.; Hutsemékers, D.; Sluse, D.; Anguita, T.

2016-07-01

We investigate the kinematics and ionization structure of the broad emission line region of the gravitationally lensed quasar QSO2237+0305 (the Einstein cross) using differential microlensing in the high- and low-ionization broad emission lines. We combine visible and near-infrared spectra of the four images of the lensed quasar and detect a large-amplitude microlensing effect distorting the high-ionization CIV and low-ionization Hα line profiles in image A. While microlensing only magnifies the red wing of the Balmer line, it symmetrically magnifies the wings of the CIV emission line. Given that the same microlensing pattern magnifies both the high- and low-ionization broad emission line regions, these dissimilar distortions of the line profiles suggest that the high- and low-ionization regions are governed by different kinematics. Since this quasar is likely viewed at intermediate inclination, we argue that the differential magnification of the blue and red wings of Hα favors a flattened, virialized, low-ionization region whereas the symmetric microlensing effect measured in CIV can be reproduced by an emission line formed in a polar wind, without the need of fine-tuned caustic configurations. Based on observations made with the ESO-VLT, Paranal, Chile; Proposals 076.B-0197 and 076.B-0607 (PI: Courbin).

EMPCA and Cluster Analysis of Quasar Spectra: Construction and Application to Simulated Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marrs, Adam; Leighly, Karen; Wagner, Cassidy; Macinnis, Francis

2017-01-01

Quasars have complex spectra with emission lines influenced by many factors. Therefore, to fully describe the spectrum requires specification of a large number of parameters, such as line equivalent width, blueshift, and ratios. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) aims to construct eigenvectors-or principal components-from the data with the goal of finding a few key parameters that can be used to predict the rest of the spectrum fairly well. Analysis of simulated quasar spectra was used to verify and justify our modified application of PCA.We used a variant of PCA called Weighted Expectation Maximization PCA (EMPCA; Bailey 2012) along with k-means cluster analysis to analyze simulated quasar spectra. Our approach combines both analytical methods to address two known problems with classical PCA. EMPCA uses weights to account for uncertainty and missing points in the spectra. K-means groups similar spectra together to address the nonlinearity of quasar spectra, specifically variance in blueshifts and widths of the emission lines.In producing and analyzing simulations, we first tested the effects of varying equivalent widths and blueshifts on the derived principal components, and explored the differences between standard PCA and EMPCA. We also tested the effects of varying signal-to-noise ratio. Next we used the results of fits to composite quasar spectra (see accompanying poster by Wagner et al.) to construct a set of realistic simulated spectra, and subjected those spectra to the EMPCA /k-means analysis. We concluded that our approach was validated when we found that the mean spectra from our k-means clusters derived from PCA projection coefficients reproduced the trends observed in the composite spectra.Furthermore, our method needed only two eigenvectors to identify both sets of correlations used to construct the simulations, as well as indicating the linear and nonlinear segments. Comparing this to regular PCA, which can require a dozen or more components, or to

Radioluminescence response of germanosilicate optical fibres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khanlary, M. R.; Townsend, P. D.; Townsend, J. E.

1993-07-01

X-ray irradiation of germanosilicate optical fibres simultaneously produces signals from both the core and substrate and so the radioluminescence spectra record the defect structure of both regions. The data provide evidence for the presence of dopants and trace impurities, as well as intrinsic defects formed by thermal and radiation processing. Examples of the changes in spectra or luminescence sensitivity with radiation dose, the influence of fibre pulling conditions and post irradiation heating are noted. The temperature dependence of the radioluminescence is reported. Whilst most of the intrinsic defects produce broad emission bands, rare earth dopants show line features. However, line features have also been noted for Al doped fibres. Such studies of fibre luminescence offer a sensitive monitor of changes in the structure of the glass network.

Extended Narrow-Line Region in Seyfert Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Congiu, Enrico; Contini, Marcella.; Ciroi, Stefano; Cracco, Valentina; Di Mille, Francesco; Berton, Marco; Frezzato, Michele; La Mura, Giovanni; Rafanelli, Piero

2017-10-01

We present our recent results about the extended narrow-line region (ENLR) of two nearby Seyfert 2 galaxies (IC 5063 and NGC 7212) obtained by modelling the observed line profiles and spectra with composite models (photoionization+shocks) in the different regions surrounding the AGN. Then, we compare the Seyfert 2 ENLRs with the very extended one recently discovered in the narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxy Mrk 783. We have found several evidences of interaction between the ISM of the galaxies and their radio jets, such as a) the contribution of shocks in ionizing the high velocity gas, b) the complex kinematics showed by the profile of the emission lines, c) the high fragmentation of matter, etc. The results suggest that the ENLR of IC 5063 have a hollow bi-conical shape, with one edge aligned to the galaxy disk, which may cause some kind of dependence on velocity of the ionization parameter. Regarding the Mrk 783 properties, it is found that the extension of the optical emission is almost twice the size of the radio one and it seems due to the AGN activity, although there is contamination by star formation around 12 arcsec from the nucleus. Diagnostic diagrams excluded the contribution of star formation in IC 5063 and NGC 7212, while the shock contribution was used to explain the spectra emitted by their high velocity gas.

Physical and morphological properties of z ~ 3 Lyman break galaxies: dependence on Lyα line emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pentericci, L.; Grazian, A.; Scarlata, C.; Fontana, A.; Castellano, M.; Giallongo, E.; Vanzella, E.

2010-05-01

Aims: We investigate the physical and morphological properties of Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) at redshift ~2.5 to ~3.5, to determine if and how they depend on the nature and strength of the Lyα emission. Methods: We selected U-dropout galaxies from the z-detected GOODS-MUSIC catalog by adapting the classical Lyman break criteria on the GOODS filter set. We kept only those galaxies with spectroscopic confirmation, mainly from VIMOS and FORS public observations. Using the full multi-wavelength 14-bands information (U to IRAC), we determined the physical properties of the galaxies through a standard spectral energy distribution fitting procedure with the updated Charlot & Bruzual (2009) templates. We also added other relevant observations of the GOODS field, i.e. the 24 μm observations from Spitzer/MIPS and the 2 MSec Chandra X-ray observations. Finally, using non parametric diagnostics (Gini, Concentration, Asymmetry, M20 and ellipticity), we characterized the rest-frame UV morphologies of the galaxies. We then analyzed how these physical and morphological properties correlate with the presence of the Lyα emission line in the optical spectra. Results: We find that unlike at higher redshift, the dependence of physical properties on the Lyα line is milder: galaxies without Lyα in emission tend to be more massive and dustier than the rest of the sample, but all other parameters, ages, star formation rates (SFR), X-ray emission and UV morphology do not depend strongly on the presence of the Lyα emission. A simple scenario where all LBGs have intrinsically high Lyα emission, but where the dust and neutral hydrogen content (which shapes the final appearance of the Lyα) depend on the mass of the galaxies, is able to reproduce the majority of the observed properties at z˜3. Some modification might be needed to account for the observed evolution of these properties with cosmic epoch, which is also discussed.

Broad Low-Intensity Wings in the Emission-Line Profiles of Four Wolf-Rayet Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Méndez, David I.; Esteban, César

1997-10-01

High-resolution spectroscopic observations have been obtained for the Wolf-Rayet galaxies He 2-10, II Zw 40, POX 4, and Tol 35. Several subregions have been selected in each slit position in order to investigate possible spatial variations in the line profiles, radial velocities, and ionization conditions of the gas. The most remarkable feature of the spectra is the presence of asymmetric broad low-intensity wings in the profiles of the brightest emission lines. These spectral features are detected farther out from the star-forming knots, showing linear dimensions between 300 pc and 4.1 kpc. The maximum expansion velocity measured for this gas is between 120 and 340 km s-1 and appears to be quite constant along the slit for all the objects. Additional general properties of the spectra are (1) the quoted emission-line ratios are similar in the narrow and broad components, (2) no systematic differences of the behavior of the broad and narrow components have been found along the major and minor axis of the galaxies, and (3) the spatial distribution of the ionized gas is peaked centrally. Different mechanisms capable of producing the observed broad spectral features are discussed: cloud-cloud collisions in virialized gas, ``academic'' superbubbles, champagne flows, and superbubble blowout. It is concluded that superbubble blowout expanding over a cloudy medium can explain the observational properties in a reasonable manner.

DESPOTIC - a new software library to Derive the Energetics and SPectra of Optically Thick Interstellar Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krumholz, Mark R.

2014-01-01

I describe DESPOTIC, a code to Derive the Energetics and SPectra of Optically Thick Interstellar Clouds. DESPOTIC represents such clouds using a one-zone model, and can calculate line luminosities, line cooling rates, and in restricted cases line profiles using an escape probability formalism. It also includes approximate treatments of the dominant heating, cooling and chemical processes for the cold interstellar medium, including cosmic ray and X-ray heating, grain photoelectric heating, heating of the dust by infrared and ultraviolet radiation, thermal cooling of the dust, collisional energy exchange between dust and gas, and a simple network for carbon chemistry. Based on these heating, cooling and chemical rates, DESPOTIC can calculate clouds' equilibrium gas and dust temperatures, equilibrium carbon chemical state and time-dependent thermal and chemical evolution. The software is intended to allow rapid and interactive calculation of clouds' characteristic temperatures, identification of their dominant heating and cooling mechanisms and prediction of their observable spectra across a wide range of interstellar environments. DESPOTIC is implemented as a PYTHON package, and is released under the GNU General Public License.

Photonic Crystals-Inhibited Spontaneous Emission: Optical Antennas-Enhanced Spontaneous Emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yablonovitch, Eli

Photonic crystals are also part of everyday technological life in opto-electronic telecommunication devices that provide us with internet, cloud storage, and email. But photonic crystals have also been identified in nature, in the coloration of peacocks, parrots, chameleons, butterflies and many other species.In spite of its broad applicability, the original motivation of photonic crystals was to create a ``bandgap'' in which the spontaneous emission of light would be inhibited. Conversely, the opposite is now possible. The ``optical antenna'' can accelerate spontaneous emission. Over 100 years after the radio antenna, we finally have tiny ``optical antennas'' which can act on molecules and quantum dots. Employing optical antennas, spontaneous light emission can become faster than stimulated emission.

High-resolution spectra of comet C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rousselot, P.; Decock, A.; Korsun, P. P.; Jehin, E.; Kulyk, I.; Manfroid, J.; Hutsemékers, D.

2015-08-01

Context. High-resolution spectra of comets permit deriving the physical properties of the coma. In the optical range, relative production rates can be computed, and information about isotopic ratios and the origin of oxygen atoms can be obtained. Aims: The main objective of the work presented here was to obtain information about the chemical composition of comet C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy), a bright and long-period comet that passed perihelion (0.81 au) on 22 December 2013. Methods: We used the HARPS-North echelle spectrograph at the 3.5 m telescope TNG to obtain high-resolution spectra of comet C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) in the optical range immediately after its perihelion passage during four consecutive nights in the period December 23 to 26, 2013. Results: Our results demonstrate the ability of HARPS-North to efficiently obtain cometary spectra. Very faint emission lines, such as those of 15NH2, have been detected, leading to a rough estimate of the 14N/15N ratio in NH2. The 12C/13C ratio was measured in the C2 lines and is equal to 80 ± 30. The oxygen lines were studied as well (green to red line intensity ratios and widths), confirming that H2O is the main parent molecule that photodissociates to produce oxygen atoms. This suggests that this comet has a high CO2 abundance. Relative production rates for C2 and NH2 were computed, but we found no significant deviation from a typical NH2/C2 ratio. Based on observations made with the Italian Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) operated on the island of La Palma by the Fundación Galileo Galilei of the INAF (Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica) at the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias.

Studying the complex spectral line profiles in the spectra of hot emission stars and quasars .

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danezis, E.; Lyratzi, E.; Antoniou, A.; Popović, L. Č.; Dimitrijević, M. S.

Some Hot Emission Stars and AGNs present peculiar spectral line profiles which are due to DACs and SACs phenomena. The origin and the mechanisms which are responsible for the creation of DACs/SACs is an important problem that has been studied by many researchers. This paper is a review of our efforts to study the origin and the mechanisms of these phenomena. At first we present a theoretic ad hoc picture for the structure of the plasma that surrounds the specific category of hot emission stars that present DACs or SACs. Then we present the mathematical model that we constructed, which is based on the properties of the above ad hoc theoretical structure. Finally, we present some results from our statistical studies that prove the consistency of our model with the classical physical theory.

Detection of an unidentified emission line in the stacked X-ray spectrum of galaxy clusters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bulbul, Esra; Foster, Adam; Smith, Randall K.

2014-07-01

We detect a weak unidentified emission line at E = (3.55-3.57) ± 0.03 keV in a stacked XMM-Newton spectrum of 73 galaxy clusters spanning a redshift range 0.01-0.35. When the full sample is divided into three subsamples (Perseus, Centaurus+Ophiuchus+Coma, and all others), the line is seen at >3σ statistical significance in all three independent MOS spectra and the PN 'all others' spectrum. It is also detected in the Chandra spectra of the Perseus Cluster. However, it is very weak and located within 50-110 eV of several known lines. The detection is at the limit of the current instrument capabilities. Wemore » argue that there should be no atomic transitions in thermal plasma at this energy. An intriguing possibility is the decay of sterile neutrino, a long-sought dark matter particle candidate. Assuming that all dark matter is in sterile neutrinos with m{sub s} = 2E = 7.1 keV, our detection corresponds to a neutrino decay rate consistent with previous upper limits. However, based on the cluster masses and distances, the line in Perseus is much brighter than expected in this model, significantly deviating from other subsamples. This appears to be because of an anomalously bright line at E = 3.62 keV in Perseus, which could be an Ar XVII dielectronic recombination line, although its emissivity would have to be 30 times the expected value and physically difficult to understand. Another alternative is the above anomaly in the Ar line combined with the nearby 3.51 keV K line also exceeding expectation by a factor of 10-20. Confirmation with Astro-H will be critical to determine the nature of this new line.« less

MICROLENSING OF QUASAR BROAD EMISSION LINES: CONSTRAINTS ON BROAD LINE REGION SIZE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guerras, E.; Mediavilla, E.; Jimenez-Vicente, J.

2013-02-20

We measure the differential microlensing of the broad emission lines between 18 quasar image pairs in 16 gravitational lenses. We find that the broad emission lines are in general weakly microlensed. The results show, at a modest level of confidence (1.8{sigma}), that high ionization lines such as C IV are more strongly microlensed than low ionization lines such as H{beta}, indicating that the high ionization line emission regions are more compact. If we statistically model the distribution of microlensing magnifications, we obtain estimates for the broad line region size of r{sub s} = 24{sup +22} {sub -15} and r{sub s}more » = 55{sup +150} {sub -35} lt-day (90% confidence) for the high and low ionization lines, respectively. When the samples are divided into higher and lower luminosity quasars, we find that the line emission regions of more luminous quasars are larger, with a slope consistent with the expected scaling from photoionization models. Our estimates also agree well with the results from local reveberation mapping studies.« less

Fiber-optic laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy of zirconium metal in air: Special features of the plasma produced by a long-pulse laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsumoto, Ayumu; Ohba, Hironori; Toshimitsu, Masaaki; Akaoka, Katsuaki; Ruas, Alexandre; Sakka, Tetsuo; Wakaida, Ikuo

2018-04-01

The decommissioning of the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is an essential issue in nuclear R&D. Fiber-optic laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (Fiber-optic LIBS) could be used for in-situ elemental analysis of the inside of the damaged reactors. To improve the performances under difficult conditions, using a long-pulse laser can be an efficient alternative. In this work, the emission spectra of zirconium metal in air obtained for a normal-pulse laser (6 ns) and a long-pulse laser (100 ns) (wavelength: 1064 nm, pulse energy: 12.5 mJ, spot diameter: 0.35 mm) are compared to investigate the fundamental aspects of fiber-optic LIBS with the long-pulse laser. The spectral features are considerably different: when the long-pulse laser is used, the atomic and molecular emission is remarkably enhanced. The enhancement of the atomic emission at the near infrared (NIR) region would lead to the observation of emission lines with minimum overlapping. To understand the differences in the spectra induced respectively from the normal-pulse laser and the long-pulse laser, photodiode signals, time-resolved spectra, plasma parameters, emission from the ambient air, and emission regions are investigated, showing the particular characteristics of the plasma produced by the long-pulse laser.

Origin and dynamics of emission line clouds in cooling flow environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loewenstein, Michael

1990-01-01

The author suggests that since clouds are born co-moving in a turbulent intra-cluster medium (ICM), the allowed parameter space can now be opened up to a more acceptable range. Large-scale motions can be driven in the central parts of cooling flows by a number of mechanisms including the motion of the central and other galaxies, and the dissipation of advected, focussed rotational and magnetic energy. In addition to the velocity width paradox, two other paradoxes (Heckman et al. 1989) can be solved if the ICM is turbulent. Firstly, the heating source for the emission line regions has always been puzzling - line luminosities are extremely high for a given (optical or radio) galaxy luminosity compared to those in non-cooling flow galaxies, therefore a mechanism peculiar to cooling flows must be at work. However most, if not all, previously suggested heating mechanisms either fail to provide enough ionization or give the wrong line ratios, or both. The kinetic energy in the turbulence provides a natural energy source if it can be efficiently converted to cloud heat. Researchers suggest that this can be done via magneto-hydrodynamic waves through plasma slip. Secondly, while the x ray observations indicate extended mass deposition, the optical line emission is more centrally concentrated. Since many of the turbulence-inducing mechanisms are strongest in the central regions of the ICM, so is the method of heating. In other words material is dropping out everywhere but only being lit up in the center.

Broad-Band Continuum and Line Emission of the gamma-Ray Blazar PKS 0537-441

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pian, E.; Falomo, R.; Hartman, R. C.; Maraschi, L.; Tavecchio, F.; Tornikoski, M.; Treves, A.; Urry, C. M.; Ballo, L.; Mukherjee, R.;

The optical counterpart of GX 339-4, a possible black hole X-ray source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grindlay, J. E.

1979-01-01

Optical studies of the galactic X-ray source GX 339-4 (4U 1658-48), which led to its recent identification as reported by Doxsey et al. (1979), are presented. Reddening and distance estimates are given, as well as evidence for optical variability on differing time scales. The emission-line spectra and UBV photometry suggest that GX 339-4 may be at about 8 kpc and have a main-sequence B star binary companion. Both the optical spectrum and optical/X-ray luminosity ratio for GX 339-4 may be similar to Cir X-1.

Intermediate-line Emission in AGNs: The Effect of Prescription of the Gas Density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adhikari, T. P.; Hryniewicz, K.; Różańska, A.; Czerny, B.; Ferland, G. J.

2018-03-01

The requirement of an intermediate-line component in the recently observed spectra of several active galactic nuclei (AGNs) points to the possible existence of a physically separate region between the broad-line region (BLR) and narrow-line region (NLR). In this paper we explore the emission from the intermediate-line region (ILR) by using photoionization simulations of the gas clouds distributed radially from the center of the AGN. The gas clouds span distances typical for the BLR, ILR, and NLR, and the appearance of dust at the sublimation radius is fully taken into account in our model. The structure of a single cloud is calculated under the assumption of constant pressure. We show that the slope of the power-law radial profile of the cloud density does not affect the existence of the ILR in major types of AGNs. We found that the low-ionization iron line, Fe II, appears to be highly sensitive to the presence of dust and therefore becomes a potential tracer of dust content in line-emitting regions. We show that the use of a disk-like cloud density profile computed for the upper part of the atmosphere of the accretion disk reproduces the observed properties of the line emissivities. In particular, the distance of the Hβ line inferred from our model agrees with that obtained from reverberation mapping studies in the Sy1 galaxy NGC 5548.

Fiber optics spectrochemical emission sensors

DOEpatents

Griffin, Jeffrey W.; Olsen, Khris B.

1992-01-01

A method of in situ monitoring of a body of a fluid stored in a tank or groundwater or vadose zone gases in a well for the presence of selected chemical species uses a probe insertable into the well or tank via a cable and having electrical apparatus for exciting selected chemical species in the body of fluid. The probe can have a pair of electrodes for initiating a spark or a plasma cell for maintaining a plasma to excite the selected chemical species. The probe also has optical apparatus for receiving optical emissions emitted by the excited species and optically transmitting the emissions via the cable to an analysis location outside the well. The analysis includes detecting a selected wavelength in the emissions indicative of the presence of the selected chemical species. A plurality of probes can be suspended at an end of a respective cable, with the transmitting and analyzing steps for each probe being synchronized sequentially for one set of support equipment and instrumentation to monitor at multiple test points. The optical apparatus is arranged about the light guide axis so that the selected chemical species are excited the fluid in alignment with the light guide axis and optical emissions are received from the excited chemical species along such axis.

Solar Flare Termination Shock and Synthetic Emission Line Profiles of the Fe xxi 1354.08 Å Line

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guo, Lijia; Li, Gang; Reeves, Kathy

Solar flares are among the most energetic phenomena that occur in the solar system. In the standard solar flare model, a fast mode shock, often referred to as the flare termination shock (TS), can exist above the loop-top source of hard X-ray emissions. The existence of the TS has been recently related to spectral hardening of a flare’s hard X-ray spectra at energies >300 keV. Observations of the Fe xxi 1354.08 Å line during solar flares by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph ( IRIS ) spacecraft have found significant redshifts with >100 km s{sup −1}, which is consistent with amore » reconnection downflow. The ability to detect such a redshift with IRIS suggests that one may be able to use IRIS observations to identify flare TSs. Using a magnetohydrodynamic simulation to model magnetic reconnection of a solar flare and assuming the existence of a TS in the downflow of the reconnection plasma, we model the synthetic emission of the Fe xxi 1354.08 line in this work. We show that the existence of the TS in the solar flare may manifest itself in the Fe xxi 1354.08 Å line.« less

SpectraPlot.com: Integrated spectroscopic modeling of atomic and molecular gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldenstein, Christopher S.; Miller, Victor A.; Mitchell Spearrin, R.; Strand, Christopher L.

2017-10-01

SpectraPlot is a web-based application for simulating spectra of atomic and molecular gases. At the time this manuscript was written, SpectraPlot consisted of four primary tools for calculating: (1) atomic and molecular absorption spectra, (2) atomic and molecular emission spectra, (3) transition linestrengths, and (4) blackbody emission spectra. These tools currently employ the NIST ASD, HITRAN2012, and HITEMP2010 databases to perform line-by-line simulations of spectra. SpectraPlot employs a modular, integrated architecture, enabling multiple simulations across multiple databases and/or thermodynamic conditions to be visualized in an interactive plot window. The primary objective of this paper is to describe the architecture and spectroscopic models employed by SpectraPlot in order to provide its users with the knowledge required to understand the capabilities and limitations of simulations performed using SpectraPlot. Further, this manuscript discusses the accuracy of several underlying approximations used to decrease computational time, in particular, the use of far-wing cutoff criteria.

The SAMI Galaxy Survey: Publicly Available Spatially Resolved Emission Line Data Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medling, Anne; Green, Andrew W.; Ho, I.-Ting; Groves, Brent; Croom, Scott; SAMI Galaxy Survey Team

2017-01-01

The SAMI Galaxy Survey is collecting optical integral field spectroscopy of up to 3400 nearby (z<0.1) galaxies with a range of stellar masses and in a range of environments. The first public data release contains nearly 800 galaxies from the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) Survey. In addition to releasing the reduced data cubes, we also provide emission line fits (flux and kinematic maps of strong emission lines including Halpha and Hbeta, [OII]3726,29, [OIII]4959,5007, [OI]6300, [NII]6548,83, and [SII]6716,31), extinction maps, star formation classification masks, and star formation rate maps. We give an overview of the data available for your favorite emission line science and present a few early science results. For example, a sample of edge-on disk galaxies show enhanced extraplanar emission related to SF-driven outflows, which are correlated with a bursty star formation history and higher star formation rate surface densities. Interestingly, the star formation rate surface densities of these wind hosts are 5-100 times lower than the canonical threshold for driving winds (0.1 MSun/yr/kpc2), indicating that galactic winds may be more important in normal star-forming galaxies than previously thought.

Comparing Ultraviolet Spectra Against Calculations: First Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peterson, Ruth C.

2003-01-01

The five-year goal of this effort is to calculate high fidelity mid-UV spectra for individual stars and stellar systems for a wide range of ages, abundances, and abundance ratios. In this first year, the emphasis was placed on revising the list of atomic line parameters used to calculate mid-UV spectra. First, new identifications of atomic lines and measurements of their transition probabilities were obtained for lines of the first and second ionization stages of iron-peak elements. Second, observed mid-UV and optical spectra for standard stars were re-analyzed and compared to new calculations, to refine the determination of transition probabilities and to estimate the identity of lines still missing from the laboratory lists. As evidenced by the figures, a dramatic improvement has resulted in the reproduction of the spectra of standard stars by the calculations.

Emission Line Properties of Seyfert Galaxies in the 12 μm Sample

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malkan, Matthew A.; Jensen, Lisbeth D.; Rodriguez, David R.; Spinoglio, Luigi; Rush, Brian

2017-09-01

We present optical and ultraviolet spectroscopic measurements of the emission lines of 81 Seyfert 1 and 104 Seyfert 2 galaxies that comprise nearly all of the IRAS 12 μm AGN sample. We have analyzed the emission-line luminosity functions, reddening, and other diagnostics. For example, the narrow-line regions (NLR) of Seyfert 1 and 2 galaxies do not significantly differ from each other in most of these diagnostics. Combining the Hα/Hβ ratio with a new reddening indicator—the [S II]6720/[O II]3727 ratio—we find the average E(B-V) is 0.49 ± 0.35 for type 1 and 0.52 ± 0.26 for type 2 Seyferts. The NLR of Sy 1s has an ionization level insignificantly higher than that of Sy 2s. For the broad-line region (BLR), we find that the C IV equivalent width correlates more strongly with [O III]/Hβ than with UV luminosity. Our bright sample of local active galaxies includes 22 Seyfert nuclei with extremely weak broad wings in Hα, known as Seyfert 1.9s and 1.8s, depending on whether or not broad Hβ wings are detected. Aside from these weak broad lines, our low-luminosity Seyferts are more similar to the Sy 2s than to Sy 1s. In a BPT diagram, we find that Sy 1.8s and 1.9s overlap the region occupied by Sy 2s. We compare our results on optical emission lines with those obtained by previous investigators, using AGN subsamples from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The luminosity functions of forbidden emission lines [O II]λ3727 Å, [O III]λ5007 Å, and [S II]λ6720 Å in Sy 1s and Sy 2s are indistinguishable. They all show strong downward curvature. Unlike the LFs of Seyfert galaxies measured by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, ours are nearly flat at low luminosities. The larger number of faint Sloan “AGN” is attributable to their inclusion of weakly emitting LINERs and H II+AGN “composite” nuclei, which do not meet our spectral classification criteria for Seyferts. In an Appendix, we have investigated which emission line luminosities can provide the most reliable

Far-infrared reflectance spectra of optical black coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, S. M.

1983-01-01

Far-infrared specular reflectance spectra of six optically black coatings near normal incidence are presented. The spectra were obtained using nine bandpass transmission filters in the wavelength range between 12 and 300 microns. Data on the construction, thickness, and rms surface roughness of the coatings are also presented. The chemical composition of two coatings can be distinguished from that of the others by a strong absorption feature between 20 and 40 microns which is attributed to amorphous silicate material. Inverse relationships between these spectra and coating roughness and thickness are noted and lead to development of a reflecting-layer model for the measured reflectance. The model is applied to the spectra of several coatings whose construction falls within its constraints.

IDEN2-A program for visual identification of spectral lines and energy levels in optical spectra of atoms and simple molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azarov, V. I.; Kramida, A.; Vokhmentsev, M. Ya.

2018-04-01

The article describes a Java program that can be used in a user-friendly way to visually identify spectral lines observed in complex spectra with theoretically predicted transitions between atomic or molecular energy levels. The program arranges various information about spectral lines and energy levels in such a way that line identification and determination of positions of experimentally observed energy levels become much easier tasks that can be solved fast and efficiently.

Determination of vibration-rotation lines intensities from absorption Fourier spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mandin, J. Y.

1979-01-01

The method presented allows the line intensities to be calculated from either their equivalent widths, heights, or quantities deduced from spectra obtained by Fourier spectrometry. This method has proven its effectiveness in measuring intensities of 60 lines of the molecule H2O with a precision of 10%. However, this method cannot be applied to isolated lines.

K β X-Ray Emission Spectra of Phosphorus Oxo Acids and Anions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiura, Chikara

1995-03-01

With a high-resolution two-crystal vacuum spectrometer, the phosphorus Kβ emission spectra in fluorescence are measured for H3PO3 (= H2PHO3), H3PO4, Li3PO4, Na3PO4·12H2O, Na2HPO4, NaH2PO4, K3PO4·nH2O, K2HPO4, KH2PO4, Ca3(PO4)2, CaHPO4·2H2O, Ca(H2PO4)2·H2O, CaHPO3·H2O, Ca(H2PO2)2 and NH4H2PO4. In the phosphate compounds, a weak peak is observed on the high-energy side of the main peak Kβ1 and related to a molecular orbital of t2 symmetry in the PO43- ion. It is shown that the phosphorus Kβ emission spectra are influenced by ligand substitution and cations. The measured Kβ emission spectra of Li3PO4, Na3PO4·12H2O, K3PO4·nH2O and Ca3(PO4)2 are presented along with the previously reported P-K absorption spectra of these phosphate compounds. The emission and absorption spectra are interpreted in terms of available molecular orbitals of the PO43- ion.

Emission and reflection spectra from AlxGa1-xN/GaN single heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reynolds, D. C.; Hoelscher, J.; Litton, C. W.; Collins, T. C.; Fitch, R.; Via, G. D.; Gillespie, J.; Crespo, A.; Jenkins, T. J.; Saxler, A.

2003-10-01

Emission and reflection spectra from AlGaN/GaN single heterostructures grown on SiC substrates were investigated. Two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) transitions were observed in both emission and reflection. The transitions are sharp, associated with the excited state of the 2DEG, reflect the conservation of the K-selection rule, and are excitonlike. The transitions are also associated with both the A- and B-valence bands. To verify the origin of the reflection and emission spectra, the top AlGaN layer was removed by reactive ion etching. After etching, only the excitonic reflection and emission spectra associated with GaN were observed.

SimBAL: A Spectral Synthesis Approach to Analyzing Broad Absorption Line Quasar Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terndrup, Donald M.; Leighly, Karen; Gallagher, Sarah; Richards, Gordon T.

2017-01-01

Broad Absorption Line quasars (BALQSOs) show blueshifted absorption lines in their rest-UV spectra, indicating powerful winds emerging from the central engine. These winds are essential part of quasars: they can carry away angular momentum and thus facilitate accretion through a disk, they can distribute chemically-enriched gas through the intergalactic medium, and they may inject kinetic energy to the host galaxy, influencing its evolution. The traditional method of analyzing BALQSO spectra involves measuring myriad absorption lines, computing the inferred ionic column densities in each feature, and comparing with the output of photonionization models. This method is inefficient and does not handle line blending well. We introduce SimBAL, a spectral synthesis fitting method for BALQSOs, which compares synthetic spectra created from photoionization model results with continuum-normalized observed spectra using Bayesian model calibration. We find that we can obtain an excellent fit to the UV to near-IR spectrum of the low-redshift BALQSO SDSS J0850+4451, including lines from diverse ionization states such as PV, CIII*, SIII, Lyalpha, NV, SiIV, CIV, MgII, and HeI*.