Research and technology, 1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Potter, P. Y.

1990-01-01

The annual report of the Marshall Space Flight Center for 1990 is presented. Brief summaries of research are presented for work in the fields of transportation systems, space systems, data systems, microgravity science, astronomy, astrophysics, solar physics, magnetospheric physics, atomic physics, aeronomy, Earth science and applications, propulsion technology, materials and processes, structures and dynamics, automated systems, space systems, and avionics.

Nuclear Data and Reaction Rate Databases in Nuclear Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lippuner, Jonas

2018-06-01

Astrophysical simulations and models require a large variety of micro-physics data, such as equation of state tables, atomic opacities, properties of nuclei, and nuclear reaction rates. Some of the required data is experimentally accessible, but the extreme conditions present in many astrophysical scenarios cannot be reproduced in the laboratory and thus theoretical models are needed to supplement the empirical data. Collecting data from various sources and making them available as a database in a unified format is a formidable task. I will provide an overview of the data requirements in astrophysics with an emphasis on nuclear astrophysics. I will then discuss some of the existing databases, the science they enable, and their limitations. Finally, I will offer some thoughts on how to design a useful database.

Laboratory Astrophysics as Key to Understanding the Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Dishoeck, Ewine F.

2012-05-01

Modern astrophysics is blessed with an increasing amount of high quality observational data on astronomical sources, ranging from our own solar system to the edge of the Universe and from the lowest temperature clouds to the highest energy cosmic rays. Spectra containing thousands of features of atoms, molecules, ice and dust are routinely obtained for stars, planets, comets, the ISM andstar-forming regions, and in the near future even for the most distant galaxies. Realistic models of exo-planetary atmospheres require information on billions of lines. Theories of jets from young stars benefit from plasma experiments to benchmark them. Stellar evolution theories and cosmology rely heavily on accurate rates for nuclear fusion reactions. The first stars could not have formed without the simplest chemical reactions taking place in primordial clouds. Particle physics is at the heart of finding candidates for the mysterious dark matter. There is no doubt that laboratory astrophysics, which includes theoretical calculations, remains at the foundation of the interpretation of observations and truly 'makes astronomy tick'. In this talk, several recent developments in determining these fundamental data will be presented which have resulted in significant advances in our understanding of astrophysical environments. Often, a comparatively minor investment in basic studies can greatly enhance the scientific return from missions. Examples will be taken from each of the 6 themes of the new Laboratory Astrophysics dvision of the AAS (www.aas.org/labastro/lawg_charter.php): atomic, molecular, solid matter, plasma, nuclear, and particle physics. Special attention will be given to recent results from infrared and millimeter facilities, including Herschel and ALMA, which reveal rich spectra of water and organic molecules in star- and planet forming zones. Their interpretation is greatly added by the application of ultra-high vacuum surface science techniques to astrophysical problems.

Strongly-Interacting Fermi Gases in Reduced Dimensions

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-29

effective theories of the strong interactions), astrophysics (compact stellar objects), the physics of quark -gluon plasmas (elliptic flow), and most...strong interactions: Superconductors, neutron stars and quark -gluon plasmas on a desktop," Seminar on Modern Optics and Spectroscopy, M. I. T...interface of quark -gluon plasma physics and cold-atom physics," (Trento, Italy, March 19-23, 2007). Talk given by Andrey Turlapov. 17) J. E. Thomas

V. S. Lebedev and I. L. Beigman, Physics of Highly Excited Atoms and Ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mewe, R.

1999-07-01

This book contains a comprehensive description of the basic principles of the theoretical spectroscopy and experimental spectroscopic diagnostics of Rydberg atoms and ions, i.e., atoms in highly excited states with a very large principal quantum number (n≫1). Rydberg atoms are characterized by a number of peculiar physical properties as compared to atoms in the ground or a low excited state. They have a very small ionization potential (∝1/n2), the highly excited electron has a small orbital velocity (∝1/n), the radius (∝n2) is very large, the excited electron has a long orbital period (∝n3), and the radiation lifetime is very long (∝n3-5). At the same time the R. atom is very sensitive to perturbations from external fields in collisions with charged and neutral targets. In recent years, R. atoms have been observed in laboratory and cosmic conditions for n up to ˜1000, which means that the size amounts to about 0.1 mm, ˜106 times that of an atom in the ground state. The scope of this monograph is to familiarize the reader with today's approaches and methods for describing isolated R. atoms and ions, radiative transitions between highly excited states, and photoionization and photorecombination processes. The authors present a number of efficient methods for describing the structure and properties of R. atoms and calculating processes of collisions with neutral and charged particles as well as spectral-line broadening and shift of Rydberg atomic series in gases, cool and hot plasmas in laboratories and in astrophysical sources. Particular attention is paid to a comparison of theoretical results with available experimental data. The book contains 9 chapters. Chapter 1 gives an introduction to the basic properties of R. atoms (ions), Chapter 2 is devoted to an account of general methods describing an isolated Rydberg atom. Chapter 3 is focussed on the recent achievements in calculations of form factors and dipole matrix elements of different types of bound-bound and bound-free radiative transitions. Chapter 4 concentrates on the formulation of basic theoretical methods and physical approaches to collisions involving R. atoms. Chapters 5 to 8 contain a systematic description of major directions and modern techniques in the collision theory of R. atoms and ions with atoms, molecules, electrons, and ions. Finally, Chapter 9 deals with the spectral-line broadening and shift of R. atomic series induced by collisions with neutral and charged particles. A subject index of four pages and 250 references are given. This monograph will be a basic tool and reference for all scientists working in the fields of plasma physics, spectroscopy, physics of electronic and atomic collisions, as well as astrophysics, radio astronomy, and space physics.

(Proceedings) 18th Advanced ICFA Beam Dynamics Workshop on Quantum Aspects of Beam Physics (QABP)

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

Chen, Pisin

2002-10-25

The 18th Advanced ICFA Beam Dynamics Workshop on ''Quantum Aspects of Beam Physics'' was held from October 15 to 20, 2000, in Capri, Italy. This was the second workshop under the same title. The first one was held in Monterey, California, in January, 1998. Following the footstep of the first meeting, the second one in Capri was again a tremendous success, both scientifically and socially. About 70 colleagues from astrophysics, atomic physics, beam physics, condensed matter physics, particle physics, and general relativity gathered to update and further explore the topics covered in the Monterey workshop. Namely, the following topics weremore » actively discussed: (1) Quantum Fluctuations in Beam Dynamics; (2) Photon-Electron Interaction in Beam handling; (3) Physics of Condensed Beams; (4) Beam Phenomena under Strong Fields; (5) Quantum Methodologies in Beam Physics. In addition, there was a newly introduced subject on Astro-Beam Physics and Laboratory Astrophysics.« less

Annihilation in Gases and Galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drachman, Richard J. (Editor)

1990-01-01

This publication contains most of the papers, both invited and contributed, that were presented at the Workshop of Annihilation in Gases and Galaxies. This was the fifth in a biennial series associated with the International Conference on the Physics of Electronic and Atomic Collisions. Subjects covered included the scattering and annihilation of positrons and positronium atoms in various media, including those of astrophysical interest. In addition, the topics of antimatter and dark matter were covered.

Obituary: Alexander Dalgarno (1928 - 2015)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartquist, Tom; Babb, James F. Babb; Loeb, Avi

Alex Dalgarno's major contributions to the understanding of fundamental atomic and molecular processes enabled him to develop diagnostics of the physical conditions of atmospheres and astrophysical sources and to elucidate the roles of such processes in controlling those environments. He greatly influenced the research of physicists, chemists, atmospheric scientists, and astronomers, leading Sir David Bates to write, "There is no greater figure than Alex in the history of atomic physics and its applications." Alex was born and grew up in London. As a child, he enjoyed mathematical puzzles and did well at sports. He was invited to try out for the Tottenham Hotspur soccer team, but his professional sporting career ended due to an injury, which did not prevent Alex playing tennis and squash into his ninth decade. In 1945 Alex began to study Mathematics at University College London (UCL). In 1947 Sir Harrie Massey invited him to work for a PhD in Physics and suggested that Alex investigate collisions of metastable helium atoms in helium gas to determine the cross sections for excitation transfer. Richard Buckingham was Alex's immediate supervisor. After completing his graduate study in 1951, Alex became a member of staff in Applied Mathematics at the Queen's University of Belfast (QUB). He served as the Director of the Computational Laboratory after a 1954 visit to MIT, which had an electronic computer, led Alex to persuade colleagues that QUB needed one. In 1957, the poet Philip Larkin was the best man at the marriage of Alex to Barbara Kane. They had four children, Fergus, Penelope, Piers, and Rebecca, but the marriage dissolved after ten years. Alex's important work during the 1950s on the quantitative evaluation of long-range interactions underpinned his collaborations on precise scattering calculations relevant to ultra-cold collisions and the formation of atomic Bose-Einstein condensates over four decades later. He investigated the theory of atomic and molecular collisions and calculated charge transfer cross sections. Some of these proved later to be important for forming the spectra of diffuse astronomical matter surrounding high mass stars and 100 million solar mass black holes at the centers of active galaxies. In the early 1950s David Bates stimulated Alex's interest in the study of quantum processes occurring in the upper terrestrial atmosphere. Together they considered the sources of the nightglow and dayglow features and concluded that the altitudes previously inferred for them from observations were up to several hundred kilometers too large. Experiments carried on V2 rockets, like those seen by Alex in wartime London, proved him and David to be right. Alex felt that though many theorists believe that "physics is embodied in its equations," it is instead "to be found in the solutions to the equations." He was a master at developing and applying methods that simplified calculations leading to reliable solutions. Exploiting the contemporary advances in electronic computation, by the 1960s Alex and his colleagues were able to address atomic and molecular processes of increasing complexity. Their development and early applications of the S-matrix theory of molecular rotational excitation by particle impact triggered major advances in molecular physics and theoretical chemistry and in the understanding of processes important in many environments, including a wide variety of astrophysical sources. In 1967 Alex became a professor in the Harvard Department of Astronomy and a member of the staff of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. He was a team member for several Atmosphere Explorer satellite missions, which elucidated the roles of atoms and ions in the upper atmosphere and paved the way for further applications to the other planets. By 1969 Alex was publishing papers on molecular hydrogen (H2) radiative processes, including photodissociation, in which the foundations of molecular astrophysics began to emerge. H2 is the most abundant astrophysical molecule and the main constituent of the regions where stars form. Interstellar H2 was first detected directly in the following year, and data for interstellar H2 began to become abundant in 1973. Alex was well prepared and led efforts to interpret these data, from which he was able to infer the physical properties of diffuse interstellar molecular clouds. At nearly the same time he was involved in work on the ionization and energy deposition in H2 by nearly relativistic and relativistic particles called cosmic rays. The work has relevance to emission in the atmospheres of the giant planets, as well as for conditions in interstellar molecular clouds. Cosmic ray induced ionization initiates much of the basic chemistry in star forming regions, and the emissions of the product molecules control the temperatures and allow the diagnosis of the physical conditions and dynamics of the stellar nurseries. For more than four decades Alex elucidated the chemical networks governing the molecular abundances in a wide variety of astrophysical sources including star forming regions, supernova ejecta, the pregalactic universe, and extreme environments like those in the vicinities of X-ray sources powered by accretion onto black holes. The refinement of the models led to calculations predicting the existence of subsequently discovered negative ions in giant molecular clouds. One of his astrophysical interests that intrigued him late in his career was the emission of soft X-rays by comets and in the heliosphere due to charge transfer with solar wind particles, and he also worked on related processes occurring in the atmospheres of the giant planets. Alex remained very active in fundamental atomic and molecular physics, as well as for its applications to astrophysics and to terrestrial and extraterrestrial planetary atmospheres. Ultra-cold collisions and ultra-cold chemistry were major interests for Alex for much of the latest phase of his career, most recently with pioneering work on atom-molecule collisions. In the early 1980s Alex had concerns about the future of atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physics in the United States, where it was inadequately funded and somewhat out of fashion in many of the physics departments providing most of the physicists who became university faculty. Alex played a key role in efforts to address this issue and led a proposal to the National Science Foundation that resulted in the founding on 1 November 1988 of the Institute of Theoretical Atomic and Molecular Physics (ITAMP) at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Alex served for five years as the first ITAMP director. A number of the former ITAMP students and postdoctoral researchers have become leading AMO physicists, and its visitor program and workshops have led to the identification and stimulation of the leading areas of AMO physics. Alex was a Fellow of the Royal Society, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and a member (Honorary) of the Royal Irish Academy. He received many medals, including the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics, the Royal Society's Hughes Medal, the Royal Astronomical Society's Gold Medal, the American Geophysical Society's Fleming Medal, and the Royal Society of Chemistry's Spiers Medal. He served as the editor of the Astrophysical Journal Letters for nearly thirty years starting in 1973, as the Chair of the Harvard Department of Astronomy from 1971 to 1976, and as the Acting Director of Harvard College Observatory and then the Acting Director of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics from 1971 to 1973 during a critical period of its existence. Alex was a gifted mentor who spoke and wrote with pride of his former students and postdoctoral researchers. He was able to match projects very well with the abilities of the students. He made availability to students a special priority, and despite his supply of problems would encourage students as they developed their own. Alex was very supportive of junior scientists as they developed their careers, and in addition to writing many letters of recommendation he made many visits to colleagues as they were establishing themselves elsewhere. Furthermore, Alex very graciously hosted a number of his former students when they visited. He combined quiet modesty with a confidence that reassured others, and his humor was dry, interactive, and friendly. Alex passed away peacefully on 9 April 2015 in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the company of Fern Creelan, who was his partner for 30 years.

The Belgian repository of fundamental atomic data and stellar spectra (BRASS). I. Cross-matching atomic databases of astrophysical interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laverick, M.; Lobel, A.; Merle, T.; Royer, P.; Martayan, C.; David, M.; Hensberge, H.; Thienpont, E.

2018-04-01

Context. Fundamental atomic parameters, such as oscillator strengths, play a key role in modelling and understanding the chemical composition of stars in the Universe. Despite the significant work underway to produce these parameters for many astrophysically important ions, uncertainties in these parameters remain large and can propagate throughout the entire field of astronomy. Aims: The Belgian repository of fundamental atomic data and stellar spectra (BRASS) aims to provide the largest systematic and homogeneous quality assessment of atomic data to date in terms of wavelength, atomic and stellar parameter coverage. To prepare for it, we first compiled multiple literature occurrences of many individual atomic transitions, from several atomic databases of astrophysical interest, and assessed their agreement. In a second step synthetic spectra will be compared against extremely high-quality observed spectra, for a large number of BAFGK spectral type stars, in order to critically evaluate the atomic data of a large number of important stellar lines. Methods: Several atomic repositories were searched and their data retrieved and formatted in a consistent manner. Data entries from all repositories were cross-matched against our initial BRASS atomic line list to find multiple occurrences of the same transition. Where possible we used a new non-parametric cross-match depending only on electronic configurations and total angular momentum values. We also checked for duplicate entries of the same physical transition, within each retrieved repository, using the non-parametric cross-match. Results: We report on the number of cross-matched transitions for each repository and compare their fundamental atomic parameters. We find differences in log(gf) values of up to 2 dex or more. We also find and report that 2% of our line list and Vienna atomic line database retrievals are composed of duplicate transitions. Finally we provide a number of examples of atomic spectral lines with different retrieved literature log(gf) values, and discuss the impact of these uncertain log(gf) values on quantitative spectroscopy. All cross-matched atomic data and duplicate transition pairs are available to download at http://brass.sdf.org

Atomic data and spectral modeling constraints from high-resolution X-ray observations of the Perseus cluster with Hitomi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hitomi Collaboration; Aharonian, Felix; Akamatsu, Hiroki; Akimoto, Fumie; Allen, Steven W.; Angelini, Lorella; Audard, Marc; Awaki, Hisamitsu; Axelsson, Magnus; Bamba, Aya; Bautz, Marshall W.; Blandford, Roger; Brenneman, Laura W.; Brown, Gregory V.; Bulbul, Esra; Cackett, Edward M.; Chernyakova, Maria; Chiao, Meng P.; Coppi, Paolo S.; Costantini, Elisa; de Plaa, Jelle; de Vries, Cor P.; den Herder, Jan-Willem; Done, Chris; Dotani, Tadayasu; Ebisawa, Ken; Eckart, Megan E.; Enoto, Teruaki; Ezoe, Yuichiro; Fabian, Andrew C.; Ferrigno, Carlo; Foster, Adam R.; Fujimoto, Ryuichi; Fukazawa, Yasushi; Furuzawa, Akihiro; Galeazzi, Massimiliano; Gallo, Luigi C.; Gandhi, Poshak; Giustini, Margherita; Goldwurm, Andrea; Gu, Liyi; Guainazzi, Matteo; Haba, Yoshito; Hagino, Kouichi; Hamaguchi, Kenji; Harrus, Ilana M.; Hatsukade, Isamu; Hayashi, Katsuhiro; Hayashi, Takayuki; Hayashida, Kiyoshi; Hell, Natalie; Hiraga, Junko S.; Hornschemeier, Ann; Hoshino, Akio; Hughes, John P.; Ichinohe, Yuto; Iizuka, Ryo; Inoue, Hajime; Inoue, Yoshiyuki; Ishida, Manabu; Ishikawa, Kumi; Ishisaki, Yoshitaka; Iwai, Masachika; Kaastra, Jelle; Kallman, Tim; Kamae, Tsuneyoshi; Kataoka, Jun; Katsuda, Satoru; Kawai, Nobuyuki; Kelley, Richard L.; Kilbourne, Caroline A.; Kitaguchi, Takao; Kitamoto, Shunji; Kitayama, Tetsu; Kohmura, Takayoshi; Kokubun, Motohide; Koyama, Katsuji; Koyama, Shu; Kretschmar, Peter; Krimm, Hans A.; Kubota, Aya; Kunieda, Hideyo; Laurent, Philippe; Lee, Shiu-Hang; Leutenegger, Maurice A.; Limousin, Olivier; Loewenstein, Michael; Long, Knox S.; Lumb, David; Madejski, Greg; Maeda, Yoshitomo; Maier, Daniel; Makishima, Kazuo; Markevitch, Maxim; Matsumoto, Hironori; Matsushita, Kyoko; McCammon, Dan; McNamara, Brian R.; Mehdipour, Missagh; Miller, Eric D.; Miller, Jon M.; Mineshige, Shin; Mitsuda, Kazuhisa; Mitsuishi, Ikuyuki; Miyazawa, Takuya; Mizuno, Tsunefumi; Mori, Hideyuki; Mori, Koji; Mukai, Koji; Murakami, Hiroshi; Mushotzky, Richard F.; Nakagawa, Takao; Nakajima, Hiroshi; Nakamori, Takeshi; Nakashima, Shinya; Nakazawa, Kazuhiro; Nobukawa, Kumiko K.; Nobukawa, Masayoshi; Noda, Hirofumi; Odaka, Hirokazu; Ohashi, Takaya; Ohno, Masanori; Okajima, Takashi; Ota, Naomi; Ozaki, Masanobu; Paerels, Frits; Paltani, Stéphane; Petre, Robert; Pinto, Ciro; Porter, Frederick S.; Pottschmidt, Katja; Reynolds, Christopher S.; Safi-Harb, Samar; Saito, Shinya; Sakai, Kazuhiro; Sasaki, Toru; Sato, Goro; Sato, Kosuke; Sato, Rie; Sawada, Makoto; Schartel, Norbert; Serlemtsos, Peter J.; Seta, Hiromi; Shidatsu, Megumi; Simionescu, Aurora; Smith, Randall K.; Soong, Yang; Stawarz, Łukasz; Sugawara, Yasuharu; Sugita, Satoshi; Szymkowiak, Andrew; Tajima, Hiroyasu; Takahashi, Hiromitsu; Takahashi, Tadayuki; Takeda, Shin'ichiro; Takei, Yoh; Tamagawa, Toru; Tamura, Takayuki; Tanaka, Takaaki; Tanaka, Yasuo; Tanaka, Yasuyuki T.; Tashiro, Makoto S.; Tawara, Yuzuru; Terada, Yukikatsu; Terashima, Yuichi; Tombesi, Francesco; Tomida, Hiroshi; Tsuboi, Yohko; Tsujimoto, Masahiro; Tsunemi, Hiroshi; Tsuru, Takeshi Go; Uchida, Hiroyuki; Uchiyama, Hideki; Uchiyama, Yasunobu; Ueda, Shutaro; Ueda, Yoshihiro; Uno, Shin'ichiro; Urry, C. Megan; Ursino, Eugenio; Watanabe, Shin; Werner, Norbert; Wilkins, Dan R.; Williams, Brian J.; Yamada, Shinya; Yamaguchi, Hiroya; Yamaoka, Kazutaka; Yamasaki, Noriko Y.; Yamauchi, Makoto; Yamauchi, Shigeo; Yaqoob, Tahir; Yatsu, Yoichi; Yonetoku, Daisuke; Zhuravleva, Irina; Zoghbi, Abderahmen; Raassen, A. J. J.

2018-03-01

The Hitomi Soft X-ray Spectrometer spectrum of the Perseus cluster, with ˜5 eV resolution in the 2-9 keV band, offers an unprecedented benchmark of the atomic modeling and database for hot collisional plasmas. It reveals both successes and challenges of the current atomic data and models. The latest versions of AtomDB/APEC (3.0.8), SPEX (3.03.00), and CHIANTI (8.0) all provide reasonable fits to the broad-band spectrum, and are in close agreement on best-fit temperature, emission measure, and abundances of a few elements such as Ni. For the Fe abundance, the APEC and SPEX measurements differ by 16%, which is 17 times higher than the statistical uncertainty. This is mostly attributed to the differences in adopted collisional excitation and dielectronic recombination rates of the strongest emission lines. We further investigate and compare the sensitivity of the derived physical parameters to the astrophysical source modeling and instrumental effects. The Hitomi results show that accurate atomic data and models are as important as the astrophysical modeling and instrumental calibration aspects. Substantial updates of atomic databases and targeted laboratory measurements are needed to get the current data and models ready for the data from the next Hitomi-level mission.

Research and technology 1989

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

The Marshall Space Flight Center annual report summarizes their advanced studies, research programs, and technological developments. Areas covered include: transportation systems; space systems such as Gravity Probe-B and Gamma Ray Imaging Telescope; data systems; microgravity science; astronomy and astrophysics; solar, magnetospheric, and atomic physics; aeronomy; propulsion; materials and processes; structures and dynamics; automated systems; space systems; and avionics.

Strongly-Interacting Fermi Gases in Reduced Dimensions

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-16

one spin state is surrounded by a particle- hole cloud of the other 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 12...explained in part by a polaron model, in which an atom of one spin state is surrounded by a particle- hole cloud of the other spin state. However, a...superconductivity), nuclear physics (nuclear matter), high-energy physics (effective theories of the strong interactions), astrophysics (compact stellar objects

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

Thayer, K.J.

The past year has seen several of the Physics Division`s new research projects reach major milestones with first successful experiments and results: the atomic physics station in the Basic Energy Sciences Research Center at the Argonne Advanced Photon Source was used in first high-energy, high-brilliance x-ray studies in atomic and molecular physics; the Short Orbit Spectrometer in Hall C at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator (TJNAF) Facility that the Argonne medium energy nuclear physics group was responsible for, was used extensively in the first round of experiments at TJNAF; at ATLAS, several new beams of radioactive isotopes were developed andmore » used in studies of nuclear physics and nuclear astrophysics; the new ECR ion source at ATLAS was completed and first commissioning tests indicate excellent performance characteristics; Quantum Monte Carlo calculations of mass-8 nuclei were performed for the first time with realistic nucleon-nucleon interactions using state-of-the-art computers, including Argonne`s massively parallel IBM SP. At the same time other future projects are well under way: preparations for the move of Gammasphere to ATLAS in September 1997 have progressed as planned. These new efforts are imbedded in, or flowing from, the vibrant ongoing research program described in some detail in this report: nuclear structure and reactions with heavy ions; measurements of reactions of astrophysical interest; studies of nucleon and sub-nucleon structures using leptonic probes at intermediate and high energies; atomic and molecular structure with high-energy x-rays. The experimental efforts are being complemented with efforts in theory, from QCD to nucleon-meson systems to structure and reactions of nuclei. Finally, the operation of ATLAS as a national users facility has achieved a new milestone, with 5,800 hours beam on target for experiments during the past fiscal year.« less

REVIEWS OF TOPICAL PROBLEMS: Astrophysical and laboratory applications of self-alignment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazantsev, S. A.

1983-04-01

Self-alignment of excited atoms which is observed in the laboratory and in astrophysical situations is reviewed. It is described classically and in terms of quantum mechanics. Astrophysical manifestations of selfalignment of excited atoms in the solar atmosphere and applications of self-alignment in magnetometry are analyzed. Self-alignment in low-pressure gas-discharge plasmas in the laboratory is described in detail. The cross sections for depolarizing collisions measured by this method are tabulated along with the lifetimes of excited inert gas atoms. These atomic constants can be used in practical magnetometry of the outer solar atmosphere.

Regularities And Irregularities Of The Stark Parameters For Single Ionized Noble Gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peláez, R. J.; Djurovic, S.; Cirišan, M.; Aparicio, J. A.; Mar S.

2010-07-01

Spectroscopy of ionized noble gases has a great importance for the laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. Generally, spectra of inert gases are important for many physics areas, for example laser physics, fusion diagnostics, photoelectron spectroscopy, collision physics, astrophysics etc. Stark halfwidths as well as shifts of spectral lines are usually employed for plasma diagnostic purposes. For example atomic data of argon krypton and xenon will be useful for the spectral diagnostic of ITER. In addition, the software used for stellar atmosphere simulation like TMAP, and SMART require a large amount of atomic and spectroscopic data. Availability of these parameters will be useful for a further development of stellar atmosphere and evolution models. Stark parameters data of spectral lines can also be useful for verification of theoretical calculations and investigation of regularities and systematic trends of these parameters within a multiplet, supermultiplet or transition array. In the last years, different trends and regularities of Stark parameters (halwidths and shifts of spectral lines) have been analyzed. The conditions related with atomic structure of the element as well as plasma conditions are responsible for regular or irregular behaviors of the Stark parameters. The absence of very close perturbing levels makes Ne II as a good candidate for analysis of the regularities. Other two considered elements Kr II and Xe II with complex spectra present strong perturbations and in some cases an irregularities in Stark parameters appear. In this work we analyze the influence of the perturbations to Stark parameters within the multiplets.

The influence of atomic alignment on absorption and emission spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Heshou; Yan, Huirong; Richter, Philipp

2018-06-01

Spectroscopic observations play essential roles in astrophysics. They are crucial for determining physical parameters in the universe, providing information about the chemistry of various astronomical environments. The proper execution of the spectroscopic analysis requires accounting for all the physical effects that are compatible to the signal-to-noise ratio. We find in this paper the influence on spectroscopy from the atomic/ground state alignment owing to anisotropic radiation and modulated by interstellar magnetic field, has significant impact on the study of interstellar gas. In different observational scenarios, we comprehensively demonstrate how atomic alignment influences the spectral analysis and provide the expressions for correcting the effect. The variations are even more pronounced for multiplets and line ratios. We show the variation of the deduced physical parameters caused by the atomic alignment effect, including alpha-to-iron ratio ([X/Fe]) and ionisation fraction. Synthetic observations are performed to illustrate the visibility of such effect with current facilities. A study of PDRs in ρ Ophiuchi cloud is presented to demonstrate how to account for atomic alignment in practice. Our work has shown that due to its potential impact, atomic alignment has to be included in an accurate spectroscopic analysis of the interstellar gas with current observational capability.

TIPTOPbase: the Iron Project and the Opacity Project Atomic Database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza, Claudio; Nahar, Sultana; Pradhan, Anil; Seaton, Micheal; Zeippen, Claude

2001-05-01

The Opacity Project, the IRON Project, and the RmaX Network (The Opacity Project Team, Vol.1,2), IOPP, Bristol (1995,1996); Hummer et al., Astron. Astrophys. 279, 298 (1993) are international computational efforts concerned with the production of high quality atomic data for astrophysical applications. Research groups from Canada, France, Germany, UK, USA and Venezuela are involved. Extensive data sets containing accurate energy levels, f-values, A-values, photoionisation cross sections, collision strengths, recombination rates, and opacitites have been computed for cosmically abundant elements using state-of-the-art atomic physics codes. Their volume, completeness and overall accuracy are presently unmatched in the field of laboratory astrophysics. Some of the data sets have been available since 1993 from a public on-line database service referred to as TOPbase (Cunto et al Astron. Astrophys. 275), L5 (1993), ( http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/OP.html at CDS France, and http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/topbase, at NSAS USA). We are currently involved in a major effort to scale the existing database services to develop a robust platform for the high-profile dissemination of atomic data to the scientific community within the next 12 months. (Partial support from the NSF and NASA is acknowledged.)

The New Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fraser, Gordon

2006-04-01

Introduction Gordon Fraser; Part I. Matter and the Universe: 1. Cosmology Wendy Freedman and Rocky Kolb; 2. Gravity Ronald Adler; 3. Astrophysics Arnon Dar; 4. Particles and the standard model Chris Quigg; 5. Superstrings Michael Green; Part II. Quantum Matter: 6. Atoms and photons Claude Cohen-Tannoudji and Jean Dalibard; 7. The quantum world of ultra-cold atoms Christopher Foot and William Phillips; 8. Superfluidity Henry Hall; 9. Quantum phase transitions Subir Sachdev; Part III. Quanta in Action: 10. Quantum entanglement Anton Zeilinger; 11. Quanta, ciphers and computers Artur Ekert; 12. Small-scale structure and nanoscience Yoseph Imry; Part IV. Calculation and Computation: 13. Nonlinearity Henry Abarbanel; 14. Complexity Antonio Politi; 15. Collaborative physics, e-science and the grid Tony Hey and Anne Trefethen; Part V. Science in Action: 16. Biophysics Cyrus Safinya; 17. Medical physics Nicolaj Pavel; 18. Physics and materials Robert Cahn; 19. Physics and society Ugo Amaldi.

The New Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fraser, Gordon

2009-08-01

Introduction Gordon Fraser; Part I. Matter and the Universe: 1. Cosmology Wendy Freedman and Rocky Kolb; 2. Gravity Ronald Adler; 3. Astrophysics Arnon Dar; 4. Particles and the standard model Chris Quigg; 5. Superstrings Michael Green; Part II. Quantum Matter: 6. Atoms and photons Claude Cohen-Tannoudji and Jean Dalibard; 7. The quantum world of ultra-cold atoms Christopher Foot and William Phillips; 8. Superfluidity Henry Hall; 9. Quantum phase transitions Subir Sachdev; Part III. Quanta in Action: 10. Quantum entanglement Anton Zeilinger; 11. Quanta, ciphers and computers Artur Ekert; 12. Small-scale structure and nanoscience Yoseph Imry; Part IV. Calculation and Computation: 13. Nonlinearity Henry Abarbanel; 14. Complexity Antonio Politi; 15. Collaborative physics, e-science and the grid Tony Hey and Anne Trefethen; Part V. Science in Action: 16. Biophysics Cyrus Safinya; 17. Medical physics Nicolaj Pavel; 18. Physics and materials Robert Cahn; 19. Physics and society Ugo Amaldi.

Physical and Chemical Processes Opacity Project: an Overview and Some Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza, C.

1990-11-01

RESUMEN. El Proyecto de la Opacidad es un esfuerzo internacional dedicado a calcular con precisi6n la gran cantidad de datos at6micos que se necesitan para estimar opacidades en los envolventes estelares. Describimos el panorama general del proyecto incluyendo aspectos astrofisicos, flsico-at6micos y computacionales. El volumen y calidad de los datos que se estan generando se puede apreciar en los resultados preliminares que se presentan. ABSTRACT The Opacity Project is an international effort dedicated to the calculation of the vast, accurate, atomic data required to estimate stellar envelope opacities. We give an overview of the project including astrophysical, atomic-physical and computational aspects. The volume and quality of the data which are being generated can be appreciated in the preliminary results that are presented. }% words: ATOMIC PROCESSES - OPACITIES - STARS-INThRIORS

THE RADIATIVE NEUTRON CAPTURE ON 2H, 6Li, 7Li, 12C AND 13C AT ASTROPHYSICAL ENERGIES

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubovichenko, Sergey; Dzhazairov-Kakhramanov, Albert; Burkova, Natalia

2013-05-01

The continued interest in the study of radiative neutron capture on atomic nuclei is due, on the one hand, to the important role played by this process in the analysis of many fundamental properties of nuclei and nuclear reactions, and, on the other hand, to the wide use of the capture cross-section data in the various applications of nuclear physics and nuclear astrophysics, and, also, to the importance of the analysis of primordial nucleosynthesis in the Universe. This paper is devoted to the description of results for the processes of the radiative neutron capture on certain light atomic nuclei at thermal and astrophysical energies. The consideration of these processes is done within the framework of the potential cluster model (PCM), general description of which was given earlier. The methods of usage of the results obtained, based on the phase shift analysis intercluster potentials, are demonstrated in calculations of the radiative capture characteristics. The considered capture reactions are not part of stellar thermonuclear cycles, but involve in the basic reaction chain of primordial nucleosynthesis in the course of the Universe formation.

Atomic Data in X-Ray Astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brickhouse, N. S.

2000-01-01

With the launches of the Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO) and the X-ray Multimirror Mission (XMM) and the upcoming launch of the Japanese mission ASTRO-E, 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 the atomic data under collisional equilibrium conditions. Analysis of the Chandra X-ray Observatory data, and data from other telescopes taken simultaneously, for these stars is ongoing as part of the Emission Line Project. Goals of the Emission Line Project 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. The Astrophysical Plasma Emission Database will be described in some detail, as it is introducing standardization and flexibility into X-ray spectral modeling. Spectral models of X-ray astrophysical plasmas can be generally classified as dominated by either collisional ionization or by X-ray photoionization. While the atomic data needs for spectral models under these two types of ionization are significantly different, there axe overlapping data needs, as I will describe. Early results from the Emission Line Project benchmarks are providing an invaluable starting place, but continuing work to improve the accuracy and completeness of atomic data is needed. Additionally, we consider the possibility that some sources will require that both collisional ionization and photoionization be taken into account, or that time-dependent ionization be considered. Thus plasma spectral models of general use need to be computed over a wide range of physical conditions.

Energy level diagrams for black hole orbits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levin, Janna

2009-12-01

A spinning black hole with a much smaller black hole companion forms a fundamental gravitational system, like a colossal classical analog to an atom. In an appealing if imperfect analogy with atomic physics, this gravitational atom can be understood through a discrete spectrum of periodic orbits. Exploiting a correspondence between the set of periodic orbits and the set of rational numbers, we are able to construct periodic tables of orbits and energy level diagrams of the accessible states around black holes. We also present a closed-form expression for the rational q, thereby quantifying zoom-whirl behavior in terms of spin, energy and angular momentum. The black hole atom is not just a theoretical construct, but corresponds to extant astrophysical systems detectable by future gravitational wave observatories.

The Strength of Chaos: Accurate Simulation of Resonant Electron Scattering by Many-Electron Ions and Atoms in the Presence of Quantum Chaos

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-20

September 2016 PI and Co-PI information: Igor Bray; I.Bray@curtin.edu.au; Curtin University; Department of Physics , Astronomy and Medical Radiation... astrophysics , fusion energy through to cancer imaging and therapy. During the last two decades there has been immense progress in the field of...Theoretical Physics Division, at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Theory: The underlying theoretical approach to collisions that we use is known as the

Feshbach Prize: New Phenomena and New Physics from Strongly-Correlated Quantum Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlson, Joseph A.

2017-01-01

Strongly correlated quantum matter is ubiquitous in physics from cold atoms to nuclei to the cold dense matter found in neutron stars. Experiments from table-top to the extremely large scale experiments including FRIB and LIGO will help determine the properties of matter across an incredible scale of distances and energies. Questions to be addressed include the existence of exotic states of matter in cold atoms and nuclei, the response of this correlated matter to external probes, and the behavior of matter in extreme astrophysical environments. A more complete understanding is required, both to understand these diverse phenomena and to employ this understanding to probe for new underlying physics in experiments including neutrinoless double beta decay and accelerator neutrino experiments. I will summarize some aspects of our present understanding and highlight several important prospects for the future.

FOREWORD: 4th International Colloquium on Atomic Spectra and Oscillator Strengths for Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leckrone, David S.; Sugar, Jack

1993-01-01

In 1983 the Atomic Spectroscopy Group at the University of Lund organized a conference at Lund the purpose of which was to establish a dialogue between scientists whose research made use of basic atomic data, and scientists whose research produced such data. The data in question include complete descriptions of atomic and ionic spectra, accurate transition wavelengths and relative intensities, energy levels, lifetimes, oscillator strengths, line shapes, and nuclear effects (hyperfine structure and isotope shifts). The "consumers" in urgent need of new or improved atomic data included astrophysicsts, laboratory plasma physicists, and spectrochemists. The synergism between these specialists and the theoretical and experimental atomic physicists resulted in a highly successful meeting, attended by approximately 70 people. The rapid advances foreseen at that time in all of these areas of observational, experimental and theoretical science stimulated planning for a second conference on this subject in 1986 at the University of Toledo, and subsequently a third meeting was held at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in Amsterdam in 1989. Again attendance at the latter two meetings totaled approximately 70 researchers. The participants in Amsterdam agreed to re-convene at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland, in 1992, maintaining the frequency of these conferences at one every three years. The present Topical Issue of Physica Scripta consists of 31 invited reviews given at the Gaithersburg meeting. Extended abstracts of 63 poster papers from the meeting are being published in NIST Special Publication SP850. Approximately 170 scientists attended the Gaithersburg conference, representing a substantial growth in the size of meetings in this series. One session of the conference was devoted to an informal workshop, at which any participant could give a brief oral statement about his or her most immediate data need or about work currently in progress. This resulted in a number of interesting exchanges, and served to facilitate the coordination of work to be done in the near term. Over the past 15 years we have witnessed the explosive growth of astrophysical spectroscopic observations in both the ultraviolet and infrared bands. Recently, with the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, the precision and resolution of such data have reached remarkable levels, giving one the sense that the body of atomic data currently to be found in the literature lags far behind what is needed to adequately interpret the observations. Similarly, high temperature laboratory experiments in plasma physics, e.g. fusion energy and x-ray lasers, are demanding larger quantities of atomic data over a wide range of ionization states. Fortunately, the experimental and computational techniques of atomic physics have kept pace. One may cite, for example, the extraordinary precision inherent in recent laboratory work with laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy and with Fourier transform spectrometers, and for data of highly-ionized atoms, with ion traps and tokamak plasmas. The major challenge is to nurture and support expanded activity in those sub-disciplines of atomic physics that apply such modern techniques to the production of extensive volumes of atomic data, and to reinvigorate such "old fashioned" subjects as the term analysis of new, more accurate laboratory spectra. This series of conferences has a very special character. It is not sponsored or supported by any particular institution, government organization or professional society. The meetings occur only because they serve the common scientific interests of a broad and diverse group of people from around the world. They have had the delightful effect of stimulating professional collaborations and friendships among astronomers, physicists, chemists, mathematicians, and others, who might not have initially realized that they shared so much in common. The series has also demonstrated that the dialogue between "users" and "providers" of atomic data is a two-way conversation, with atomic physicists beginning to view astrophysical and laboratory plasmas as unique sources of new information about the structure of complex atomic species. The fifth International Colloquium on Atomic Spectra and Oscillator Strengths for Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas is scheduled to take place in Meudon, France in 1995.

Atomic and Excitonic Stability in Dirac Materials: A White Dwarf Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velizhanin, Kirill

2014-03-01

Dirac materials - systems where the low-energy spectrum of electronic excitations can be understood via solving the Dirac equation - draw a great amount of attention of the scientific community lately due to their enormous application potential and interesting basic physics. Examples of such materials include carbon nanotubes, graphene and, more recently, single-layer transition metal dichalcogenides. One surprising application of Dirac materials is their use as a platform to simulate various atomic and high-energy physics ``on a chip.'' For example, graphene has been recently used to ``mimic'' an atomic collapse of superheavy atoms [Y. Wang et al, Science, 340, 734, 2013]. In this talk I will discuss an unexpected similarity between atomic and excitonic collapse in Dirac materials and the limit of stability of such exotic astrophysical objects as degenerate stars (e.g., white dwarfs, neutron stars). Various aspects of this similarity, e.g., an application of the concept of the Chandrasekhar limit to the exciton stability in transition metal dichalcogenides, will be discussed. This work was performed under the NNSA of the U.S. DOE at LANL under Contract No. DE-AC52-06NA25396.

Atom Interferometry for Detection of Gravitational Waves: Progress and Prospects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hogan, Jason

2015-04-01

Gravitational wave astronomy promises to provide a new window into the universe, collecting information about astrophysical systems and cosmology that is difficult or impossible to acquire by other methods. Detector designs based on atom interferometry offer a number of advantages over traditional approaches, including access to conventionally inaccessible frequency ranges and substantially reduced antenna baselines. Atomic physics techniques also make it possible to build a gravitational wave detector with a single linear baseline, potentially offering advantages in cost and design flexibility. In support of these proposals, recent progress in long baseline atom interferometry has enabled observation of matter wave interference with atomic wavepacket separations exceeding 10 cm and interferometer durations of more than 2 seconds. These results are obtained in a 10-meter drop tower incorporating large momentum transfer atom optics. This approach can provide ground-based proof-of-concept demonstrations of many of the technical requirements of both terrestrial and satellite gravitational wave detectors.

Laboratory spectroscopy and space astrophysics: A tribute to Joe Reader

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leckrone, David S.

2013-07-01

Beginning with the launch of the Copernicus Satellite in 1973, and continuing with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE), and the state-of-the-art spectrographs on the Hubble Space Telescope (GHRS, FOS, STIS and COS), astrophysics experienced dramatic advancements in capabilities to study the composition and physical properties of planets, comets, stars, nebulae, the interstellar medium, galaxies, quasars and the intergalactic medium at visible and ultraviolet wavelengths. It became clear almost immediately that the available atomic data needed to calibrate and quantitatively analyze these superb spectroscopic observations, obtained at great cost from space observatories, was not up to that task. Over the past 3+ decades, Joe Reader and his collaborators at NIST have provided, essentially "on demand", laboratory observations and analyses of extraordinary quality to help astrophysicists extract the maximum possible physical understanding of objects in the cosmos from their space observations. This talk is one scientist's grateful retrospective about these invaluable collaborations.

Current and future constraints on extended Bekenstein-type models for a varying fine-structure constant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alves, C. S.; Leite, A. C. O.; Martins, C. J. A. P.; Silva, T. A.; Berge, S. A.; Silva, B. S. A.

2018-01-01

There is a growing interest in astrophysical tests of the stability of dimensionless fundamental couplings, such as the fine-structure constant α , as an optimal probe of new physics. The imminent arrival of the ESPRESSO spectrograph will soon enable significant gains in the precision and accuracy of these tests and widen the range of theoretical models that can be tightly constrained. Here we illustrate this by studying proposed extensions of the Bekenstein-type models for the evolution of α that allow different couplings of the scalar field to both dark matter and dark energy. We use a combination of current astrophysical and local laboratory data (from tests with atomic clocks) to show that these couplings are constrained to parts per million level, with the constraints being dominated by the atomic clocks. We also quantify the expected improvements from ESPRESSO and other future spectrographs, and briefly discuss possible observational strategies, showing that these facilities can improve current constraints by more than an order of magnitude.

Scientific Use Cases for the Virtual Atomic and Molecular Data Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubernet, M. L.; Aboudarham, J.; Ba, Y. A.; Boiziot, M.; Bottinelli, S.; Caux, E.; Endres, C.; Glorian, J. M.; Henry, F.; Lamy, L.; Le Sidaner, P.; Møller, T.; Moreau, N.; Rénié, C.; Roueff, E.; Schilke, P.; Vastel, C.; Zwoelf, C. M.

2014-12-01

VAMDC Consortium is a worldwide consortium which federates interoperable Atomic and Molecular databases through an e-science infrastructure. The contained data are of the highest scientific quality and are crucial for many applications: astrophysics, atmospheric physics, fusion, plasma and lighting technologies, health, etc. In this paper we present astrophysical scientific use cases in relation to the use of the VAMDC e-infrastructure. Those will cover very different applications such as: (i) modeling the spectra of interstellar objects using the myXCLASS software tool implemented in the Common Astronomy Software Applications package (CASA) or using the CASSIS software tool, in its stand-alone version or implemented in the Herschel Interactive Processing Environment (HIPE); (ii) the use of Virtual Observatory tools accessing VAMDC databases; (iii) the access of VAMDC from the Paris solar BASS2000 portal; (iv) the combination of tools and database from the APIS service (Auroral Planetary Imaging and Spectroscopy); (v) combination of heterogeneous data for the application to the interstellar medium from the SPECTCOL tool.

Laboratory Studies of Thermal Energy Charge Transfer of Silicon and Iron Ions in Astrophysical Plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kwong, Victor H. S.

1996-01-01

Charge transfer at electron-volt energies between multiply charged atomic ions and neutral atoms and molecules is of considerable importance in astrophysics, plasma physics, and in particular, fusion plasmas. In the year covered by this report, several major tasks were completed. These include: (1) the re-calibration of the ion gauge to measure the absolute particle densities of H2, He, N2, and CO for our current measurements; (2) the analysis of data for charge transfer reactions of N(exp 2 plus) ion and He, H2, N2, and CO; (3) measurement and data analysis of the charge transfer reaction of (Fe(exp 2 plus) ion and H2; (4) charge transfer measurement of Fe(exp 2 plus) ion and H2; and (5) redesign and modification of the ion detection and data acquisition system for the low energy beam facility (reflection time of flight mass spectrometer) dedicated to the study of state select charge transfer.

Laboratory Astrophysics White Paper

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brickhouse, Nancy; Federman, Steve; Kwong, Victor; Salama, Farid; Savin, Daniel; Stancil, Phillip; Weingartner, Joe; Ziurys, Lucy

2006-01-01

Laboratory astrophysics and complementary theoretical calculations are the foundations of astronomical and planetary research and will remain so for many generations to come. From the level of scientific conception to that of the scientific return, it is our understanding of the underlying processes that allows us to address fundamental questions regarding the origins and evolution of galaxies, stars, planetary systems, and life in the cosmos. In this regard, laboratory astrophysics is much like detector and instrument development at NASA and NSF; these efforts are necessary for the astronomical research being funded by the agencies. The NASA Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop met at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) from 14-16 February, 2006 to identify the current laboratory data needed to support existing and future NASA missions and programs in the Astrophysics Division of the Science Mission Directorate (SMD). Here we refer to both laboratory and theoretical work as laboratory astrophysics unless a distinction is necessary. The format for the Workshop involved invited talks by users of laboratory data, shorter contributed talks and poster presentations by both users and providers that highlighted exciting developments in laboratory astrophysics, and breakout sessions where users and providers discussed each others' needs and limitations. We also note that the members of the Scientific Organizing Committee are users as well as providers of laboratory data. As in previous workshops, the focus was on atomic, molecular, and solid state physics.

UV-visible spectroscopy of PAHs and PAHNs in supersonic jet. Astrophysical Implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salma, Bejaoui; Salama, Farid

2017-06-01

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAHs) molecules are attracting much attention of the astrophysical and astrochemical communities since they are ubiquitous presence in space and could survive in the harsh interstellar medium (ISM). They are proposed as plausible carriers of the still unassigned diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) for more than two decades now. The so-called PAH - DIB proposal has been based on the abundance of PAHs in the ISM and their stability against the photo and thermo dissociation. Nitrogen is one of the most abundant elements after hydrogen, helium, and carbon [1]. PANHs exhibit spectral features similar to PAHs and may also contribute to unidentified spectral bands.To prove PAHs-DIBs hypothesis, laboratory absorption spectra of aromatic under astrophysical relevant conditions are of crucial importance to compare with the observed DIBs spectra. The most challenging task is to reproduce as closely as technically possible, the physical and chemical conditions that are present in space. Interstellar PAHs are expected to be present as free, cold, neutral molecules and/or charged species [2]. In our laboratory, comparable conditions are achieved using an excellent platform developed in NASA Ames. Our cosmic simulation chamber (COSmIC) allow the measurements of gas phase spectra of neutral and ionized interstellar PAHs analogs by associating a molecular beam with an ionizing discharge to generate a cold plasma expansion (˜ 100 K) [3]. Our approach to assign PAH as carriers of some DIBs is record the electronic spectra of cold PAHs in gas phase and systematic search for a possible correspondence in astronomical DIBs spectra. We report in this work UV-visible absorption spectra of neutral PAHs and PAHNs using the cavity ring down spectroscopy (CRDS) technique. We discuss the effect of the substitution of C-H bond(s) by a nitrogen atom(s) in spectroscopic features of PAHs and their astrophysical application.[1] L. Spitzer, 1978, Physical processes in the interstellar medium. New York Wiley-Interscience[2] F. Salama, E. Bakes, L.J. Allamandola, A.G.G.M. Tielens, Astrophys. J. 458 (1996) 621[3] L. Biennier, F. Salama, L. J. Allamandola, & J. J. Scherer, (2003) J. of Chemical Physics, 118(17), 7863-7872

FOREWORD: The 9th International Colloquium on Atomic Spectra and Oscillator Strengths for Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas (ASOS 9)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahlgren, Glenn M.; Wiese, Wolfgang L.; Beiersdorfer, Peter

2008-07-01

For the first time since its inaugural meeting in Lund in 1983, the triennial international conference on Atomic Spectroscopy and Oscillator Strengths for Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas (ASOS) returned to Lund, Sweden. Lund has been a home to atomic spectroscopy since the time of Janne Rydberg, and included the pioneering work in laboratory and solar spectroscopy of Bengt Edlén, who presented the initial ASOS talk in 1983. The ninth ASOS was hosted by the Lund Observatory and the Physics Department of Lund University during from 8 to 10 August 2007 and was attended by nearly 100 registrants. An encouraging sign for the field was the number of young researchers in attendance. This volume contains the submitted contributions from the poster presentations of the conference, and represents approximately forty percent of the presented posters. A complementary volume of Physica Scripta provides the written transactions of the ASOS9 invited presentations. With these two volumes the character of ASOS9 is more fully evident, and they serve as a review of the state of atomic spectroscopy for spectrum analysis and the determination of oscillator strengths and their applications. The goal of ASOS is to be a forum for atomic spectroscopy where both the providers and users of atomic data, which includes wavelengths, energy levels, lifetimes, oscillator strengths, and line shape parameters, can meet to discuss recent advances in experimental and theoretical techniques and their application to understanding the physical processes that are responsible for producing observed spectra. The applications mainly originate from the fields of astrophysics and plasma physics, the latter including fusion energy and lighting research. As a part of ASOS9 we were honored to celebrate the retirement of Professor Sveneric Johansson. At a special session on the spectroscopy of iron, which was conducted in his honor, he presented his insights into the Fe II term system and his most recent work with astrophysical applications. Professor Johansson was also honored with heart-felt acknowledgements at the conference dinner on an unusually warm Lund summer evening. Prior to the publication of these proceedings, we were extremely saddened to learn of Sveneric's passing on 10 October 2008. Sveneric Johansson, a founding father of the ASOS conference series, was widely known for his pioneering work on the atomic structure of heavy elements as a well as for his leadership of the international FERRUM Project, which successfully determined a definitive set of spectroscopic data for Fe II. His knowledge of spectroscopy, leadership qualities, and friendship will be dearly missed. Acknowledgements: The spirit of ASOS has been maintained by the dedication of the organizing committees who have kept a tight focus on the nature of the conference, yet allowed for the incorporation of new areas of research in the field. The International Program Committee for ASOS9 is to be commended for their efforts in providing an interesting program. They have also served as the primary source of referees, which along with other referees have performed a valuable service. Many thanks must be given to the local organizing committee, who made the return of ASOS to Lund a memorable experience through both the many opportunities for social gatherings during the conference and a post-conference outing through Skåne. We would also like to express our appreciation to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Royal Physiographic Society in Lund, the Wenner-Gren Foundation, and the Lund Laser Centre and Department of Physics for their generous support in making ASOS9 possible. Glenn M Wahlgren Wolfgang L Wiese Peter Beiersdorfer Editors

Physics at the FQMT'11 conference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Špička, V.; Nieuwenhuizen, Th M.; Keefe, P. D.

2012-11-01

This paper deals with the recent state of the art of the following topics presented at the FQMT'11 conference: foundations of quantum physics, quantum measurement; nonequilibrium quantum statistical physics; quantum thermodynamics; quantum measurement, entanglement and coherence; dissipation, dephasing, noise, and decoherence; quantum optics; macroscopic quantum behavior; e.g. cold atoms; Bose-Einstein condensates; physics of quantum computing and quantum information; mesoscopic, nano-electro-mechanical systems and nano-optical systems; spin systems and their dynamics; biological systems and molecular motors; and cosmology, gravitation and astrophysics. The lectures and discussions at the FQMT'11 conference, as well as the contributions to the related topical issue, reveal important themes for future development. The recent literature is included.

Nuclear and Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology : T-2 : LANL

Science.gov Websites

linked in Search T-2, Nuclear and Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology T-2 Home T Division Focus Areas Nuclear Information Service Nuclear Physics Particle Physics Astrophysics Cosmology CONTACTS Group energy security, heavy ion physics, nuclear astrophysics, physics beyond the standard model, neutrino

Zero-field dichroism in the solar chromosphere.

PubMed

Sainz, R Manso; Bueno, J Trujillo

2003-09-12

We explain the linear polarization of the Ca ii infrared triplet observed close to the edge of the solar disk. In particular, we demonstrate that the physical origin of the enigmatic polarizations of the 866.2 and 854.2 nm lines lies in the existence of atomic polarization in their metastable (2)D(3)(/2, 5/2) lower levels, which produces differential absorption of polarization components (dichroism). To this end, we have solved the problem of the generation and transfer of polarized radiation by taking fully into account all the relevant optical pumping mechanisms in multilevel atomic models. We argue that "zero-field" dichroism may be of great diagnostic value in astrophysics.

Atomic and molecular data for space astronomy - Needs, analysis, and availability; 21st IAU General Assembly, Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 23-Aug. 1, 1991, Selected Papers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Peter L. (Editor); Wiese, Wolfgang L. (Editor)

1992-01-01

The present volume on atomic and molecular spectroscopic data for space astrophysics discusses scientific problems and laboratory data needs associated with the Hubble Space Telescope, atomic data needed for far ultraviolet astronomy with HUT and FUSE and for analysis of EUV and X-ray spectra, and data for observations of interstellar medium with the Hubble Space Telescope. Attention is also given to atomic and molecular data for analysis of IR spectra from ISO and SIRTF, atomic data from the opacity project, sources of atomic spectroscopic data for astrophysics, and summary of current molecular data bases.

Role of nuclear charge change and nuclear recoil on shaking processes and their possible implication on physical processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Prashant

2017-12-01

The probable role of the sudden nuclear charge change and nuclear recoil in the shaking processes during the neutron- or heavy-ion-induced nuclear reactions and weakly interacting massive particle-nucleus scattering has been investigated in the present work. Using hydrogenic wavefunctions, general analytical expressions of survival, shakeup/shakedown, and shakeoff probability have been derived for various subshells of hydrogen-like atomic systems. These expressions are employed to calculate the shaking, shakeup/shakedown, and shakeoff probabilities in some important cases of interest in the nuclear astrophysics and the dark matter search experiments. The results underline that the shaking processes are one of the probable channels of electronic transitions during the weakly interacting massive particle-nucleus scattering, which can be used to probe the dark matter in the sub-GeV regime. Further, it is found that the shaking processes initiating due to nuclear charge change and nuclear recoil during the nuclear reactions may influence the electronic configuration of the participating atomic systems and thus may affect the nuclear reaction measurements at astrophysically relevant energies.

Relativistic opacities for astrophysical applications

DOE PAGES

Fontes, Christopher John; Fryer, Christopher Lee; Hungerford, Aimee L.; ...

2015-06-29

Here, we report on the use of the Los Alamos suite of relativistic atomic physics codes to generate radiative opacities for the modeling of astrophysically relevant plasmas under local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) conditions. The atomic structure calculations are carried out in fine-structure detail, including full configuration interaction. Three example applications are considered: iron opacities at conditions relevant to the base of the solar convection zone, nickel opacities for the modeling of stellar envelopes, and samarium opacities for the modeling of light curves produced by neutron star mergers. In the first two examples, comparisons are made between opacities that are generatedmore » with the fully and semi-relativistic capabilities in the Los Alamos suite of codes. As expected for these highly charged, iron-peak ions, the two methods produce reasonably similar results, providing confidence that the numerical methods have been correctly implemented. However, discrepancies greater than 10% are observed for nickel and investigated in detail. In the final application, the relativistic capability is used in a preliminary investigation of the complicated absorption spectrum associated with cold lanthanide elements.« less

The proceedings of the 1st international workshop on laboratory astrophysics experiments with large lasers

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

Remington, B.A.; Goldstein, W.H.

1996-08-09

The world has stood witness to the development of a number of highly sophisticated and flexible, high power laser facilities (energies up to 50 kJ and powers up to 50 TW), driven largely by the world-wide effort in inertial confinement fusion (ICF). The charter of diagnosing implosions with detailed, quantitative measurements has driven the ICF laser facilities to be exceedingly versatile and well equipped with diagnostics. Interestingly, there is considerable overlap in the physics of ICF and astrophysics. Both typically involve compressible radiative hydrodynamics, radiation transport, complex opacities, and equations of state of dense matter. Surprisingly, however, there has beenmore » little communication between these two communities to date. With the recent declassification of ICF in the USA, and the approval to commence with construction of the next generation ``superlasers``, the 2 MJ National Ignition Facility in the US, and its equivalent, the LMJ laser in France, the situation is ripe for change. . Given the physics similarities that exist between ICF and astrophysics, one strongly suspects that there should exist regions of overlap where supporting research on the large lasers could be beneficial to the astrophysics community. As a catalyst for discussions to this end, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory sponsored this workshop. Approximately 100 scientists attended from around the world, representing eight countries: the USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, and Israel. A total of 30 technical papers were presented. The two day workshop was divided into four sessions, focusing on nonlinear hydrodynamics, radiative hydrodynamics, radiation transport, and atomic physics-opacities. Copies of the presentations are contained in these proceedings.« less

Orbital Electron Capture Rates in Extreme Astrophysical Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Matthew; McDonald, William; Leach, Kyle

2017-09-01

In an attempt to better understand EC decay rates in hot environments, we have developed a program to examine and parse all evaluated atomic and nuclear data. Taking into account the effects of ionization on accessible decay states and electron capture probabilities, half lives across the nuclear chart can be investigated without the need for theoretical estimates. Part of the ongoing project will include isolating stable isotopes that become unstable due to ionization and estimating their stability in these new environments. In addition, we hope to account for a thermal population of excited states to better simulate these environments. This should aide in the complete understanding of nuclear processes in these extreme astrophysical environments. This work is supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics.

A laser application to nuclear astrophysics

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

Barbui, M.; Hagel, K.; Schmidt, K.

2014-05-09

In the last decade, the availability in high-intensity laser beams capable of producing plasmas with ion energies large enough to induce nuclear reactions has opened new research paths in nuclear physics. We studied the reactions {sup 3}He(d,p){sup 4}He and d(d,n){sup 3}He at temperatures of few keV in a plasma, generated by the interaction of intense ultrafast laser pulses with molecular deuterium or deuterated-methane clusters mixed with {sup 3}He atoms. The yield of 14.7 MeV protons from the {sup 3}He(d,p){sup 4}He reaction was used to extract the astrophysical S factor. Results of the experiment performed at the Center for High Energymore » Density Science at The University of Texas at Austin will be presented.« less

Gravitational waves from neutron stars and asteroseismology.

PubMed

Ho, Wynn C G

2018-05-28

Neutron stars are born in the supernova explosion of massive stars. Neutron stars rotate as stably as atomic clocks and possess densities exceeding that of atomic nuclei and magnetic fields millions to billions of times stronger than those created in laboratories on the Earth. The physical properties of neutron stars are determined by many areas of fundamental physics, and detection of gravitational waves can provide invaluable insights into our understanding of these areas. Here, we describe some of the physics and astrophysics of neutron stars and how traditional electromagnetic wave observations provide clues to the sorts of gravitational waves we expect from these stars. We pay particular attention to neutron star fluid oscillations, examining their impact on electromagnetic and gravitational wave observations when these stars are in a wide binary or isolated system, then during binary inspiral right before merger, and finally at times soon after merger.This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'The promises of gravitational-wave astronomy'. © 2018 The Author(s).

Gravitational waves from neutron stars and asteroseismology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, Wynn C. G.

2018-05-01

Neutron stars are born in the supernova explosion of massive stars. Neutron stars rotate as stably as atomic clocks and possess densities exceeding that of atomic nuclei and magnetic fields millions to billions of times stronger than those created in laboratories on the Earth. The physical properties of neutron stars are determined by many areas of fundamental physics, and detection of gravitational waves can provide invaluable insights into our understanding of these areas. Here, we describe some of the physics and astrophysics of neutron stars and how traditional electromagnetic wave observations provide clues to the sorts of gravitational waves we expect from these stars. We pay particular attention to neutron star fluid oscillations, examining their impact on electromagnetic and gravitational wave observations when these stars are in a wide binary or isolated system, then during binary inspiral right before merger, and finally at times soon after merger. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue `The promises of gravitational-wave astronomy'.

PREFACE: Atomic Spectra and Oscillator Strengths (ASOS9) Atomic Spectra and Oscillator Strengths (ASOS9)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahlgren, Glenn M.; Wiese, Wolfgang L.; Beiersdorfer, Peter

2009-05-01

For the first time since its inaugural meeting in Lund in 1983, the triennial international conference on Atomic Spectroscopy and Oscillator Strengths for Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas (ASOS) returned to Lund, Sweden. Lund has been a home to atomic spectroscopy since the time of Janne Rydberg, and included the pioneering work in laboratory and solar spectroscopy by Bengt Edlén, who presented the initial ASOS talk in 1983. The ninth ASOS was hosted by the Lund Observatory and Physics Department of Lund University, 7-10 August 2007, and was attended by 99 registrants. An encouraging sign for the field was the number of young researchers in attendance. This volume of Physica Scripta contains contributions from the invited presentations of the conference. For the first time, papers from the ASOS9 poster presentations have been made feely available online in a complementary volume of Journal of Physics: Conference Series. With these two volumes the character of ASOS9 is more evident, and together they serve as a review of the state of atomic spectroscopy for spectrum analysis and the determination of oscillator strengths and their applications. The goal of ASOS is to be a forum for atomic spectroscopy, where both the providers and the users of atomic data, which includes wavelengths, energy levels, lifetimes, oscillator strengths and line shape parameters, can meet to discuss recent advances in experimental and theoretical techniques and their application to understanding the physical processes that are responsible for producing observed spectra. The applications mainly originate from the fields of astrophysics and plasma physics, which includes fusion energy and lighting research. The oral presentations, all but one of which are presented in this volume, provided an extensive synopsis of techniques currently in use and those that are being planned. New to ASOS9 was the extent to which techniques such as cold, trapped atoms and molecules and frequency combs are being used to determine fundamental quantities. Atomic data for programs in astronomical infrared spectroscopy were highlighted by both oral and poster contributions as being an important area in the near future. As part of ASOS9 we were honored to celebrate the retirement of Professor Sveneric Johansson. At a special session on the spectroscopy of iron, which was conducted in his honor, he presented his insights into the Fe II term system and his most recent work with astrophysical applications. Professor Johansson was also honored with heart-felt acknowledgments at the conference dinner on an unusually warm Lund summer evening. Prior to the publication of these proceedings, we were extremely saddened to learn of Sveneric's passing on 10 October 2008. Sveneric Johansson, a founding father of the ASOS conference series, was widely known for his pioneering work on the atomic structure of heavy elements as a well as for his leadership of the international FERRUM Project, which successfully determined a definitive set of spectroscopic data for Fe II. His knowledge of spectroscopy, his leadership qualities and his friendship will be sadly missed. Acknowledgments The spirit of ASOS has been maintained by the dedication of the organizing committees that have kept a tight focus on the nature of the conference yet allowed for the incorporation of new areas of research in the field. The International Program Committee for ASOS9 are to be commended for their efforts in providing an interesting program. They have also served as the primary source of manuscript referees, who along with other referees have performed a valuable service. Many thanks must be given to the local organizing committee, who made the return of ASOS to Lund a memorable experience, both through the many opportunities for social gatherings during the conference and a post-conference outing through Skåne. We would also like to express our appreciation to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Royal Physiographic Society in Lund, the Wenner-Gren Foundation and the Lund Laser Centre and Department of Physics for their generous support in making ASOS9 possible. Sveneric Johansson 1942-2008. Professor Sveneric Johansson 1942-2008.

Llewellyn Hilleth Thomas: An appraisal of an under-appreciated polymath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, John David

2010-02-01

Llewellyn Hilleth Thomas was born in 1903 and died in 1992 at the age of 88. His name is known by most for only two things, Thomas precession and the Thomas-Fermi atom. The many other facets of his career - astrophysics, atomic and molecular physics, nonlinear problems, accelerator physics, magnetohydrodynamics, computer design principles and software and hardware - are largely unknown or forgotten. I review his whole career - his early schooling, his time at Cambridge, then Copenhagen in 1925-26, and back to Cambridge, his move to the US as an assistant professor at Ohio State University in 1929, his wartime years at the Ballistic Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, then in 1946 his new career as a unique resource at IBM's Watson Scientific Computing Laboratory and Columbia University until his first retirement in 1968, and his twilight years at North Carolina State University. Although the Thomas precession and the Thomas-Fermi atom may be the jewels in his crown, his many other accomplishments add to our appreciation of this consummate applied mathematician and physicist. )

Physics in strong magnetic fields near neutron stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harding, Alice K.

1991-01-01

Electromagnetic phenomena occurring in the strong magnetic fields of neutron stars are currently of great interest in high-energy astrophysics. Observations of rotation rate changes and cyclotron lines in pulsars and gamma-ray bursts indicate that surface magnetic fields of neutron stars often exceed a trillion gauss. In fields this strong, where electrons behave much as if they were in bound atomic states, familiar processes undergo profound changes, and exotic processes become important. Strong magnetic fields affect the physics in several fundamental ways: energies perpendicular to the field are quantized, transverse momentum is not conserved, and electron-positron spin is important. Neutron stars therefore provide a unique laboratory for the study of physics in extremely high fields that cannot be generated on earth.

Atomic structure data based on average-atom model for opacity calculations in astrophysical plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trzhaskovskaya, M. B.; Nikulin, V. K.

2018-03-01

Influence of the plasmas parameters on the electron structure of ions in astrophysical plasmas is studied on the basis of the average-atom model in the local thermodynamic equilibrium approximation. The relativistic Dirac-Slater method is used for the electron density estimation. The emphasis is on the investigation of an impact of the plasmas temperature and density on the ionization stages required for calculations of the plasmas opacities. The level population distributions and level energy spectra are calculated and analyzed for all ions with 6 ≤ Z ≤ 32 occurring in astrophysical plasmas. The plasma temperature range 2 - 200 eV and the density range 2 - 100 mg/cm3 are considered. The validity of the method used is supported by good agreement between our values of ionization stages for a number of ions, from oxygen up to uranium, and results obtained earlier by various methods among which are more complicated procedures.

Constraining the generalized uncertainty principle with the atomic weak-equivalence-principle test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Dongfeng; Wang, Jin; Zhan, Mingsheng

2017-04-01

Various models of quantum gravity imply the Planck-scale modifications of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle into a so-called generalized uncertainty principle (GUP). The GUP effects on high-energy physics, cosmology, and astrophysics have been extensively studied. Here, we focus on the weak-equivalence-principle (WEP) violation induced by the GUP. Results from the WEP test with the 85Rb-87Rb dual-species atom interferometer are used to set upper bounds on parameters in two GUP proposals. A 1045-level bound on the Kempf-Mangano-Mann proposal and a 1027-level bound on Maggiore's proposal, which are consistent with bounds from other experiments, are obtained. All these bounds have huge room for improvement in the future.

Publications of LASL research, 1972--1976

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

Petersen, L.

1977-04-01

This bibliography is a compilation of unclassified work done at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory and published during the years 1972 to 1976. Publications too late for inclusion in earlier compilations are also listed. Declassification of previously classified reports is considered to constitute publication. The bibliography includes LASL reports, journal articles, books, conference papers, papers published in congressional hearings, theses, patents, etc. The following subject areas are included: aerospace studies; analytical technology; astrophysics; atomic and molecular physics, equation of state, opacity; biology and medicine; chemical dynamics and kinetics; chemistry; cryogenics; crystallography; CTR and plasma physics; earth science and engineering; energymore » (nonnuclear); engineering and equipment; EPR, ESR, NMR studies; explosives and detonations; fission physics; health and safety; hydrodynamics and radiation transport; instruments; lasers; mathematics and computers; medium-energy physics; metallurgy and ceramics technology; neutronics and criticality studies; nuclear physics; nuclear safeguards; physics; reactor technology; solid state science; and miscellaneous (including Project Rover). (RWR)« less

Astrophysical Magnetic Fields and Topics in Galaxy Formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Field, George B.

1997-01-01

The grant was used to support theoretical research on a variety of astro-physical topics falling broadly into those described by the proposal: galaxy formation, astrophysical magnetic fields, magnetized accretion disks in AGN, new physics, and other astrophysical problems. Work accomplished; references are to work authored by project personel.

The Challenges of Plasma Modeling: Current Status and Future Plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foster, A. R.; Smith, R. K.; Brickhouse, N. S.; Kallman, T. R.; Witthoeft, M. C.

2010-12-01

Successfully modeling X-ray emission from astrophysical plasmas requires a wide range of atomic data to be rapidly accessible by modeling codes, enabling calculation of synthetic spectra for fitting with observations. Over many years the astrophysical databases have roughly kept pace with the advances in detector and spectrometer technology. We outline here the basic atomic processes contributing to the emission from different types of plasmas and briefly touch on the difference between the methods used to calculate this data. We then discuss in more detail the different issues addressed by atomic databases in regards to what data to store and how to make it accessible. Finally, the question of the effect of uncertainties in atomic data is explored, as a reminder to observers that atomic data is not known to infinite precision, and should not be treated as such.

Simple Spectral Lines Data Model Version 1.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osuna, Pedro; Salgado, Jesus; Guainazzi, Matteo; Dubernet, Marie-Lise; Roueff, Evelyne; Osuna, Pedro; Salgado, Jesus

2010-12-01

This document presents a Data Model to describe Spectral Line Transitions in the context of the Simple Line Access Protocol defined by the IVOA (c.f. Ref[13] IVOA Simple Line Access protocol) The main objective of the model is to integrate with and support the Simple Line Access Protocol, with which it forms a compact unit. This integration allows seamless access to Spectral Line Transitions available worldwide in the VO context. This model does not provide a complete description of Atomic and Molecular Physics, which scope is outside of this document. In the astrophysical sense, a line is considered as the result of a transition between two energy levels. Under the basis of this assumption, a whole set of objects and attributes have been derived to define properly the necessary information to describe lines appearing in astrophysical contexts. The document has been written taking into account available information from many different Line data providers (see acknowledgments section).

Laboratory Spectroscopy of Large Carbon Molecules and Ions in Support of Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salana, Farid; Tan, X.; Cami, J.; Remy, J.

2006-01-01

One of the major objectives of Laboratory Astrophysics is the optimization of data return from space missions by measuring spectra of atomic and molecular species in laboratory environments that mimic interstellar conditions (WhitePaper (2002, 2006)). Among interstellar species, PAHs are an important and ubiquitous component of carbon-bearing materials that represents a particularly difficult challenge for gas-phase laboratory studies. We present the absorption spectra of jet-cooled neutral and ionized PAHs and discuss the implications for astrophysics. The harsh physical conditions of the interstellar medium have been simulated in the laboratory. We are now, for the first time, in the position to directly compare laboratory spectra of PAHs and carbon nanoparticles with astronomical observations. This new phase offers tremendous opportunities for the data analysis of current and upcoming space missions geared toward the detection of large aromatic systems (HST/COS, FUSE, JWST, Spitzer).

Laboratory-directed research and development: FY 1996 progress report

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

Vigil, J.; Prono, J.

1997-05-01

This report summarizes the FY 1996 goals and accomplishments of Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD) projects. It gives an overview of the LDRD program, summarizes work done on individual research projects, and provides an index to the projects` principal investigators. Projects are grouped by their LDRD component: Individual Projects, Competency Development, and Program Development. Within each component, they are further divided into nine technical disciplines: (1) materials science, (2) engineering and base technologies, (3) plasmas, fluids, and particle beams, (4) chemistry, (5) mathematics and computational sciences, (6) atomic and molecular physics, (7) geoscience, space science, and astrophysics, (8) nuclear andmore » particle physics, and (9) biosciences.« less

Comprehensive Glossary of Nuclear Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langlands, Tracy; Stone, Craig; Meyer, Richard

2001-10-01

We have developed a comprehensive glossary of terms covering the broad fields of nuclear and related areas of science. The glossary has been constructed with two sections. A primary section consists of over 6,000 terms covering the fields of nuclear and high energy physics, nuclear chemistry, radiochemistry, health physics, astrophysics, materials science, analytical science, environmental science, nuclear medicine, nuclear engineering, nuclear instrumentation, nuclear weapons, and nuclear safeguards. Approximately 1,500 terms of specific focus on military and nuclear weapons testing define the second section. The glossary is currently larger than many published glossaries and dictionaries covering the entire field of physics. Glossary terms have been defined using an extensive collection of current and historical publications. Historical texts extend back into the 1800's, the early days of atomic physics. The glossary has been developed both as a software application and as a hard copy document.

Study of photon emission by electron capture during solar nuclei acceleration, 1: Temperature-dependent cross section for charge changing processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perez-Peraza, J.; Alvarez, M.; Laville, A.; Gallegos, A.

1985-01-01

The study of charge changing cross sections of fast ions colliding with matter provides the fundamental basis for the analysis of the charge states produced in such interactions. Given the high degree of complexity of the phenomena, there is no theoretical treatment able to give a comprehensive description. In fact, the involved processes are very dependent on the basic parameters of the projectile, such as velocity charge state, and atomic number, and on the target parameters, the physical state (molecular, atomic or ionized matter) and density. The target velocity, may have also incidence on the process, through the temperature of the traversed medium. In addition, multiple electron transfer in single collisions intrincates more the phenomena. Though, in simplified cases, such as protons moving through atomic hydrogen, considerable agreement has been obtained between theory and experiments However, in general the available theoretical approaches have only limited validity in restricted regions of the basic parameters. Since most measurements of charge changing cross sections are performed in atomic matter at ambient temperature, models are commonly based on the assumption of targets at rest, however at Astrophysical scales, temperature displays a wide range in atomic and ionized matter. Therefore, due to the lack of experimental data , an attempt is made here to quantify temperature dependent cross sections on basis to somewhat arbitrary, but physically reasonable assumptions.

Some Words about John Hall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faller, James E.

Jan, whose 70th birthday and scientific contributions we celebrate today, was a founding (charter) member of the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (now JILA). He came in July of 1961 as a National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow to the National Bureau of Standards (jointing the Atomic Physics Division) in Washington. A year later he came to Boulder with the contingency from that Division who constituted the bulk of the Federal Government's scientific staff contribution to the Joint Institute. Midway during Jan's first year at JILA he was made a regular NBS employee…

A New Look to Nuclear Data

DOE PAGES

McCutchan, E. A.; Brown, D. A.; Sonzogni, A. A.

2017-03-30

Databases of evaluated nuclear data form a cornerstone on which we build academic nuclear structure physics, reaction physics, astrophysics, and many applied nuclear technologies. In basic research, nuclear data are essential for selecting, designing and conducting experiments, and for the development and testing of theoretical models to understand the fundamental properties of atomic nuclei. Likewise, the applied fields of nuclear power, homeland security, stockpile stewardship and nuclear medicine, all have deep roots requiring evaluated nuclear data. Each of these fields requires rapid and easy access to up-to-date, comprehensive and reliable databases. The DOE-funded US Nuclear Data Program is a specificmore » and coordinated effort tasked to compile, evaluate and disseminate nuclear structure and reaction data such that it can be used by the world-wide nuclear physics community.« less

A New Look to Nuclear Data

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

McCutchan, E. A.; Brown, D. A.; Sonzogni, A. A.

Databases of evaluated nuclear data form a cornerstone on which we build academic nuclear structure physics, reaction physics, astrophysics, and many applied nuclear technologies. In basic research, nuclear data are essential for selecting, designing and conducting experiments, and for the development and testing of theoretical models to understand the fundamental properties of atomic nuclei. Likewise, the applied fields of nuclear power, homeland security, stockpile stewardship and nuclear medicine, all have deep roots requiring evaluated nuclear data. Each of these fields requires rapid and easy access to up-to-date, comprehensive and reliable databases. The DOE-funded US Nuclear Data Program is a specificmore » and coordinated effort tasked to compile, evaluate and disseminate nuclear structure and reaction data such that it can be used by the world-wide nuclear physics community.« less

Rocket and spacecraft studies of ultraviolet emissions from astrophysical targets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fastie, W. G.; Moos, H. W.; Feldman, P. D.; Henry, R. C.

1975-01-01

Rocket and spacecraft far-UV spectral measurements of several astrophysical targets are reviewed. These include observations of Ly-alpha emissions from Arcturus, Apollo-17 far-UV spectrometry of eta UMa and five other stars, Apollo-17 observations of the lunar atmosphere and the diffuse UV background, and far-UV spectral studies of Venus, Jupiter, and Comet Kohoutek. The Arcturus observations indicated a chromosphere with neutral atomic-hydrogen and atomic-oxygen emissions as well as a very weak atomic-carbon line. The planetary studies revealed O I and C I emissions in the Venusian spectrum as well as large Ly-alpha emissions and possible molecular-hydrogen emissions in that of Jupiter. The lunar observations demonstrated that solar protons do not produce an atomic-hydrogen atmosphere on the moon.

15 Years of Chandra Observations of Capella

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kashyap, Vinay

2014-11-01

Capella is the strongest coronal line source accessible to Chandra. It has been cumulatively observed with gratings for over 1.2 Ms. The accumulated spectrum represents astrophysical ground truth for atomic physics calculations that is unprecedented in quality. We analyze co-added spectra to generate a comprehensive list of detectable lines and their locations, spanning two orders of magnitude in photon energy. We compare the locations of identifiable lines with locations from atomic databases ATOMDB and Chianti and characterize the uncertainties in the databases. The full line lists and comparisons will be made available at the Dataverse at http://dx.doi.org/10.7910/DVN/27084 This work is supported by Chandra grant AR0-11001X and NASA Contract NAS8-03060 to the Chandra X-Ray Center.

Database and Related Activities in Japan

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

Murakami, Izumi; Kato, Daiji; Kato, Masatoshi

2011-05-11

We have constructed and made available atomic and molecular (AM) numerical databases on collision processes such as electron-impact excitation and ionization, recombination and charge transfer of atoms and molecules relevant for plasma physics, fusion research, astrophysics, applied-science plasma, and other related areas. The retrievable data is freely accessible via the internet. We also work on atomic data evaluation and constructing collisional-radiative models for spectroscopic plasma diagnostics. Recently we have worked on Fe ions and W ions theoretically and experimentally. The atomic data and collisional-radiative models for these ions are examined and applied to laboratory plasmas. A visible M1 transition ofmore » W{sup 26+} ion is identified at 389.41 nm by EBIT experiments and theoretical calculations. We have small non-retrievable databases in addition to our main database. Recently we evaluated photo-absorption cross sections for 9 atoms and 23 molecules and we present them as a new database. We established a new association ''Forum of Atomic and Molecular Data and Their Applications'' to exchange information among AM data producers, data providers and data users in Japan and we hope this will help to encourage AM data activities in Japan.« less

Database and Related Activities in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murakami, Izumi; Kato, Daiji; Kato, Masatoshi; Sakaue, Hiroyuki A.; Kato, Takako; Ding, Xiaobin; Morita, Shigeru; Kitajima, Masashi; Koike, Fumihiro; Nakamura, Nobuyuki; Sakamoto, Naoki; Sasaki, Akira; Skobelev, Igor; Tsuchida, Hidetsugu; Ulantsev, Artemiy; Watanabe, Tetsuya; Yamamoto, Norimasa

2011-05-01

We have constructed and made available atomic and molecular (AM) numerical databases on collision processes such as electron-impact excitation and ionization, recombination and charge transfer of atoms and molecules relevant for plasma physics, fusion research, astrophysics, applied-science plasma, and other related areas. The retrievable data is freely accessible via the internet. We also work on atomic data evaluation and constructing collisional-radiative models for spectroscopic plasma diagnostics. Recently we have worked on Fe ions and W ions theoretically and experimentally. The atomic data and collisional-radiative models for these ions are examined and applied to laboratory plasmas. A visible M1 transition of W26+ ion is identified at 389.41 nm by EBIT experiments and theoretical calculations. We have small non-retrievable databases in addition to our main database. Recently we evaluated photo-absorption cross sections for 9 atoms and 23 molecules and we present them as a new database. We established a new association "Forum of Atomic and Molecular Data and Their Applications" to exchange information among AM data producers, data providers and data users in Japan and we hope this will help to encourage AM data activities in Japan.

Proton-hydrogen collisions for Rydberg n,l-changing transitions in the early Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vrinceanu, Daniel

2013-05-01

Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is a vestige radiation generated during the Recombination era, some 390,000 years after the Big Bang, when the Universe had become transparent for the first time. Initial observations of CMB made by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) led to determining the age of the Universe. The mechanisms that drove the recombination have been discovered by using modeling of the primordial plasma and seeking agreement with the observations. The new Plank Surveyor Instrument launched in 2009 is expected to produce data about the recombination era of an unprecedented accuracy, that require including better information regarding the basic atomic physics processes into the present models. In this talk, I will review the results for various Rydberg atom - charge particle collisions and establish their relative importance during the stages of recombination era, with respect to each other and to radiative processes. Energy changing and angular momentum changing collisions with electrons and ions are considered. This work has been supported by NSF through grants to the Institute for Theoretical Atomic and Molecular Physics at Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and to the Center for Research on Complex Networks at Texas Southern University.

Astrophysics at the Highest Energy Frontiers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stecker, F. W.; White, Nicholas E. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

I discuss recent advances being made in the physics and astrophysics of cosmic rays and cosmic gamma-rays at the highest observed energies as well as the related physics and astrophysics of very high energy cosmic neutrinos. I also discuss the connections between these topics.

Ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays: physics and astrophysics at extreme energies.

PubMed

Sigl, G

2001-01-05

The origin of cosmic rays is one of the major unresolved questions in astrophysics. In particular, the highest energy cosmic rays observed have macroscopic energies up to several 10(20) electron volts and thus provide a probe of physics and astrophysics at energies unattained in laboratory experiments. Theoretical explanations range from astrophysical acceleration of charged particles, to particle physics beyond the established standard model, and processes taking place at the earliest moments of our universe. Distinguishing between these scenarios requires detectors with effective areas in the 1000-square-kilometer range, which are now under construction or in the planning stage. Close connections with gamma-ray and neutrino astrophysics add to the interdisciplinary character of this field.

Multiscale solvers and systematic upscaling in computational physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandt, A.

2005-07-01

Multiscale algorithms can overcome the scale-born bottlenecks that plague most computations in physics. These algorithms employ separate processing at each scale of the physical space, combined with interscale iterative interactions, in ways which use finer scales very sparingly. Having been developed first and well known as multigrid solvers for partial differential equations, highly efficient multiscale techniques have more recently been developed for many other types of computational tasks, including: inverse PDE problems; highly indefinite (e.g., standing wave) equations; Dirac equations in disordered gauge fields; fast computation and updating of large determinants (as needed in QCD); fast integral transforms; integral equations; astrophysics; molecular dynamics of macromolecules and fluids; many-atom electronic structures; global and discrete-state optimization; practical graph problems; image segmentation and recognition; tomography (medical imaging); fast Monte-Carlo sampling in statistical physics; and general, systematic methods of upscaling (accurate numerical derivation of large-scale equations from microscopic laws).

Laboratory Experiments to Simulate and Investigate the Physics Underlying the Dynamics of Merging Solar Corona Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-05

have attended and made presen- tations at the annual APS Division of Plasma Physics Meeting, the bi-annual High Energy Laboratory Astrophysics meeting...the AFOSR Space Science Pro- gram Review, the SHINE solar physics meeting, the International Astrophysics Conference, and the workshop “Complex plasma...tor k and Resolving Space-time Ambiguity. GR-Space Physics . submitted. Bellan, P. M., Zhai, X., Chai, K. B., & Ha, B. N. 2015. Complex astrophysical

SPACE PHYSICS: Developing resources for astrophysics at A-level: the TRUMP Astrophysics project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swinbank, Elizabeth

1997-01-01

After outlining the astrophysical options now available in A-level physics syllabuses, this paper notes some of the particular challenges facing A-level teachers and students who chose these options and describes a project designed to support them. The paper highlights some key features of the project that could readily be incorporated into other areas of physics curriculum development.

1999 LDRD Laboratory Directed Research and Development

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

Rita Spencer; Kyle Wheeler

This is the FY 1999 Progress Report for the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program at Los Alamos National Laboratory. It gives an overview of the LDRD Program, summarizes work done on individual research projects, relates the projects to major Laboratory program sponsors, and provides an index to the principal investigators. Project summaries are grouped by their LDRD component: Competency Development, Program Development, and Individual Projects. Within each component, they are further grouped into nine technical categories: (1) materials science, (2) chemistry, (3) mathematics and computational science, (4) atomic, molecular, optical, and plasma physics, fluids, and particle beams, (5)more » engineering science, (6) instrumentation and diagnostics, (7) geoscience, space science, and astrophysics, (8) nuclear and particle physics, and (9) bioscience.« less

Laboratory Directed Research and Development FY 1998 Progress Report

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

John Vigil; Kyle Wheeler

This is the FY 1998 Progress Report for the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program at Los Alamos National Laboratory. It gives an overview of the LDRD Program, summarizes work done on individual research projects, relates the projects to major Laboratory program sponsors, and provides an index to the principle investigators. Project summaries are grouped by their LDRD component: Competency Development, Program Development, and Individual Projects. Within each component, they are further grouped into nine technical categories: (1) materials science, (2) chemistry, (3) mathematics and computational science, (4) atomic, molecular, optical, and plasma physics, fluids, and particle beams, (5)more » engineering science, (6) instrumentation and diagnostics, (7) geoscience, space science, and astrophysics, (8) nuclear and particle physics, and (9) bioscience.« less

Laboratory directed research and development: FY 1997 progress report

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

Vigil, J.; Prono, J.

1998-05-01

This is the FY 1997 Progress Report for the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program at Los Alamos National Laboratory. It gives an overview of the LDRD program, summarizes work done on individual research projects, relates the projects to major Laboratory program sponsors, and provides an index to the principal investigators. Project summaries are grouped by their LDRD component: Competency Development, Program Development, and Individual Projects. Within each component, they are further grouped into nine technical categories: (1) materials science, (2) chemistry, (3) mathematics and computational science, (4) atomic and molecular physics and plasmas, fluids, and particle beams, (5)more » engineering science, (6) instrumentation and diagnostics, (7) geoscience, space science, and astrophysics, (8) nuclear and particle physics, and (9) bioscience.« less

Inner-shell photodetachment of transition metal negative ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dumitriu, Ileana

This thesis focuses on the study of inner-shell photodetachment of transition metal negative ions, specifically Fe- and Ru- . Experimental investigations have been performed with the aim of gaining new insights into the physics of negative atomic ions and providing valuable absolute cross section data for astrophysics. The experiments were performed using the X-ray radiation from the Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the merged-beam technique for photoion spectroscopy. Negative ions are a special class of atomic systems very different from neutral atoms and positive ions. The fundamental physics of the interaction of transition metal negative ions with photons is interesting but difficult to analyze in detail because the angular momentum coupling generates a large number of possible terms resulting from the open d shell. Our work reports on the first inner-shell photodetachment studies and absolute cross section measurements for Fe- and Ru -. In the case of Fe-, an important astrophysical abundant element, the inner-shell photodetachment cross section was obtained by measuring the Fe+ and Fe2+ ion production over the photon energy range of 48--72 eV. The absolute cross sections for the production of Fe+ and Fe2+ were measured at four photon energies. Strong shape resonances due to the 3p→3d photoexcitation were measured above the 3p detachment threshold. The production of Ru+, Ru2+, and Ru3+ from Ru- was measured over 30--90 eV photon energy range The absolute photodetachment cross sections of Ru - ([Kr] 4d75s 2) leading to Ru+, Ru2+, and Ru 3+ ion production were measured at three photon energies. Resonance effects were observed due to interference between transitions of the 4 p-electrons to the quasi-bound 4p54d85s 2 states and the 4d→epsilonf continuum. The role of many-particle effects, intershell interaction, and polarization seems much more significant in Ru- than in Fe- photodetachment.

Proceedings of the 22nd Texas Symposium On Relativistic Astrophysics At Stanford University

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

Chen, P.,; Bloom, Elliott D.,; Madejski, G.,

2005-09-19

The XXII Texas Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics, jointly organized by the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC), the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, and the Physics Department of Stanford University, was held on December 13-17, 2004. Following the tradition of past Texas Symposia the presentations emphasized recent developments in Cosmology, High Energy Astrophysics and the frontiers between these and Gravitation and Particle Physics.

The fully relativistic implementation of the convergent close-coupling method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostock, Christopher James

2011-04-01

The calculation of accurate excitation and ionization cross sections for electron collisions with atoms and ions plays a fundamental role in atomic and molecular physics, laser physics, x-ray spectroscopy, plasma physics and chemistry. Within the veil of plasma physics lie important research areas affiliated with the lighting industry, nuclear fusion and astrophysics. For high energy projectiles or targets with a large atomic number it is presently understood that a scattering formalism based on the Dirac equation is required to incorporate relativistic effects. This tutorial outlines the development of the relativistic convergent close-coupling (RCCC) method and highlights the following three main accomplishments. (i) The inclusion of the Breit interaction, a relativistic correction to the Coulomb potential, in the RCCC method. This led to calculations that resolved a discrepancy between theory and experiment for the polarization of x-rays emitted by highly charged hydrogen-like ions excited by electron impact (Bostock et al 2009 Phys. Rev. A 80 052708). (ii) The extension of the RCCC method to accommodate two-electron and quasi-two-electron targets. The method was applied to electron scattering from mercury. Accurate plasma physics modelling of mercury-based fluorescent lamps requires detailed information on a large number of electron impact excitation cross sections involving transitions between various states (Bostock et al 2010 Phys. Rev. A 82 022713). (iii) The third accomplishment outlined in this tutorial is the restructuring of the RCCC computer code to utilize a hybrid OpenMP-MPI parallelization scheme which now enables the RCCC code to run on the latest high performance supercomputer architectures.

New laboratory atomic data for neutral, singly and doubly ionised iron group elements for astrophysics applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pickering, Juliet C.; Nave, Gillian; Liggins, Florence; Clear, Christian; Ruffoni, Matthew; Sansonetti, Craig

2015-08-01

We present new laboratory spectroscopic measurements to produce atomic data for astrophysically important species: neutral, singly and doubly ionised iron group elements.We use high resolution Fourier Transform Spectrometry (FTS) (resolving power up to 2x106 at 200nm) to measure atomic spectra, giving accurate line wavelengths (to a few parts in 108), atomic energy levels, hyperfine structure splitting and log gfs (accurate to a few %) (Ruffoni et al this meeting). These data are vital for astrophysical spectral analyses for: line identification, spectrum synthesis, elemental abundance determinations [eg 1], and disentangling of blends etc. It is not possible to theoretically calculate these atomic data to the accuracy needed for modern astrophysics applications.At Imperial College we have a unique visible-VUV FT spectrometer with short wavelength cut-off of 135nm. We supplement FTS data at shorter wavelengths with spectra recorded on the NIST 10.7m grating spectrograph (with phosphor image or photographic plates) and at longer wavelengths in the IR we use the NIST IR FT spectrometer.An elemental spectrum may contain thousands of spectral lines from the IR to VUV. We use these wavelengths to correct known atomic energy levels, and search for new atomic levels. The result is a classified linelist and accurate atomic energy levels.We present progress on iron group element atomic energy levels and wavelengths for V I and V II [2,3], Co III [4], Cr I, Mn I and Mn II, and Ni II.This work is supported by STFC(UK), The Leverhulme Trust, The Royal Society and NASA.References[1] Bergemann M, Pickering JC & Gehren T,“NLTE analysis of Co I/Co II lines in spectra of cool stars with new laboratory hyperfine splitting constants",MNRAS 401(2) 1334 (2010)[2] Thorne AP, Pickering JC & Semeniuk J,“The spectrum and term analysis of V II”, ApJS 207,13 (2013)[3] Thorne AP, Pickering JC & Semeniuk J,“The spectrum and term analysis of V I",ApJS 192,11 (2011)[4] Smillie DG, Pickering JC, Nave G & Smith PL,“The Spectrum and Term Analysis of Co III Measured using Fourier Transform and Grating Spectroscopy”,ApJS submitted

A collisional-radiative model for low-pressure weakly magnetized Ar plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xi-Ming; Tsankov, Tsanko; Czarnetzki, Uwe; Marchuk, Oleksandr

2016-09-01

Collisional-radiative (CR) models are widely investigated in plasma physics for describing the kinetics of reactive species and for optical emission spectroscopy. This work reports a new Ar CR model used in low-pressure (0.01-10 Pa) weakly magnetized (<0.1 Tesla) plasmas, including ECR, helicon, and NLD discharges. In this model 108 realistic levels are individually studied, i.e. 51 lowest levels of the Ar atom and 57 lowest levels of the Ar ion. We abandon the concept of an ``effective level'' usually adopted in previous models for glow discharges. Only in this way the model can correctly predict the non-equilibrium population distribution of close energy levels. In addition to studying atomic metastable and radiative levels, this model describes the kinetic processes of ionic metastable and radiative levels in detail for the first time. This is important for investigation of plasma-surface interaction and for optical diagnostics using atomic and ionic line-ratios. This model could also be used for studying Ar impurities in tokamaks and astrophysical plasmas.

Prospects of Optical Single Atom Detection in Noble Gas Solids for Measurements of Rare Nuclear Reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Jaideep; Bailey, Kevin G.; Lu, Zheng-Tian; Mueller, Peter; O'Connor, Thomas P.; Xu, Chen-Yu; Tang, Xiaodong

2013-04-01

Optical detection of single atoms captured in solid noble gas matrices provides an alternative technique to study rare nuclear reactions relevant to nuclear astrophysics. I will describe the prospects of applying this approach for cross section measurements of the ^22Ne,,),25Mg reaction, which is the crucial neutron source for the weak s process inside of massive stars. Noble gas solids are a promising medium for the capture, detection, and manipulation of atoms and nuclear spins. They provide stable and chemically inert confinement for a wide variety of guest species. Because noble gas solids are transparent at optical wavelengths, the guest atoms can be probed using lasers. We have observed that ytterbium in solid neon exhibits intersystem crossing (ISC) which results in a strong green fluorescence (546 nm) under excitation with blue light (389 nm). Several groups have observed ISC in many other guest-host pairs, notably magnesium in krypton. Because of the large wavelength separation of the excitation light and fluorescence light, optical detection of individual embedded guest atoms is feasible. This work is supported by DOE, Office of Nuclear Physics, under contract DE-AC02-06CH11357.

The electron screening puzzle and nuclear clustering

DOE PAGES

Spitaleri, C.; Bertulani, C. A.; Fortunato, L.; ...

2016-02-12

Accurate measurements of nuclear reactions of astrophysical interest within, or close to, the Gamow peak show evidence of an unexpected effect attributed to the presence of atomic electrons in the target. The experiments need to include an effective "screening" potential to explain the enhancement of the cross sections at the lowest measurable energies. Despite various theoretical studies conducted over the past 20 years and numerous experimental measurements, a theory has not yet been found that can explain the cause of the exceedingly high values of the screening potential needed to explain the data. Furthermore, in this letter we show thatmore » instead of an atomic physics solution of the "electron screening puzzle", the reason for the large screening potential values is in fact due to clusterization effects in nuclear reactions, in particular for reaction involving light nuclei.« less

Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology: Cosmic Laboratories for New Physics (Summary of the Snowmass 2001 P4 Working Group)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akerib, Daniel S.; Carroll, Sean M.; Kaminokowski, Marc; Ritz, Steven; White, Nicholas E. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The past few years have seen dramatic breakthroughs and spectacular and puzzling discoveries in astrophysics and cosmology. In many cases, the new observations can only be explained with the introduction of new fundamental physics. Here we summarize some of these recent advances. We then describe several problems in astrophysics and cosmology, ripe for major advances, the resolution of which will likely require new physics.

Atomic Spectroscopic Databases at NIST

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reader, J.; Kramida, A. E.; Ralchenko, Yu.

2006-01-01

We describe recent work at NIST to develop and maintain databases for spectra, transition probabilities, and energy levels of atoms that are astrophysically important. Our programs to critically compile these data as well as to develop a new database to compare plasma calculations for atoms that are not in local thermodynamic equilibrium are also summarized.

Spectr-W3 Online Database On Atomic Properties Of Atoms And Ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faenov, A. Ya.; Magunov, A. I.; Pikuz, T. A.; Skobelev, I. Yu.; Loboda, P. A.; Bakshayev, N. N.; Gagarin, S. V.; Komosko, V. V.; Kuznetsov, K. S.; Markelenkov, S. A.

2002-10-01

Recent progress in the novel information technologies based on the World-Wide Web (WWW) gives a new possibility for a worldwide exchange of atomic spectral and collisional data. This facilitates joint efforts of the international scientific community in basic and applied research, promising technological developments, and university education programs. Special-purpose atomic databases (ADBs) are needed for an effective employment of large-scale datasets. The ADB SPECTR developed at MISDC of VNIIFTRI has been used during the last decade in several laboratories in the world, including RFNC-VNIITF. The DB SPECTR accumulates a considerable amount of atomic data (about 500,000 records). These data were extracted from publications on experimental and theoretical studies in atomic physics, astrophysics, and plasma spectroscopy during the last few decades. The information for atoms and ions comprises the ionization potentials, the energy levels, the wavelengths and transition probabilities, and, to a lesser extent, -- also the autoionization rates, and the electron-ion collision cross-sections and rates. The data are supplied with source references and comments elucidating the details of computations or measurements. Our goal is to create an interactive WWW information resource based on the extended and updated Web-oriented database version SPECTR-W3 and its further integration into the family of specialized atomic databases on the Internet. The version will incorporate novel experimental and theoretical data. An appropriate revision of the previously accumulated data will be performed from the viewpoint of their consistency to the current state-of-the-art. We are particularly interested in cooperation for storing the atomic collision data. Presently, a software shell with the up-to-date Web-interface is being developed to work with the SPECTR-W3 database. The shell would include the subsystems of information retrieval, input, update, and output in/from the database and present the users a handful of capabilities to formulate the queries with various modes of the search prescriptions, to present the information in tabular, graphic, and alphanumeric form using the formats of the text and HTML documents. The SPECTR-W3 Website is being arranged now and is supposed to be freely accessible round-the-clock on a dedicated Web server at RFNC VNIITF. The Website is being created with the employment of the advanced Internet technologies and database development techniques by using the up-to-date software of the world leading software manufacturers. The SPECTR-W3 ADB FrontPage would also include a feedback channel for the user comments and proposals as well as the hyperlinks to the Websites of the other ADBs and research centers in Europe, the USA, the Middle and Far East, running the investigations in atomic physics, plasma spectroscopy, astrophysics, and in adjacent areas. The effort is being supported by the International Science and Technology Center under the project sharp/mesh/hash1785-01.

Laboratory astrophysics under the ultraviolet, visible, and gravitational astrophysics research program: Oscillator strengths for ultraviolet atomic transitions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Federman, Steven R.

1992-01-01

The conditions within astrophysical environments can be derived from observational data on atomic and molecular lines. For instance, the density and temperature of the gas are obtained from relative populations among energy levels. Information on populations comes about only when the correspondence between line strength and abundance is well determined. The conversion from line strength to abundance involves knowledge of meanlives and oscillator strengths. For many ultraviolet atomic transitions, unfortunately, the necessary data are either relatively imprecise or not available. Because of the need for more and better atomic oscillator strengths, our program was initiated. Through beam-foil spectroscopy, meanlives of ultraviolet atomic transitions are studied. In this technique, a nearly isotopically pure ion beam of the desired element is accelerated. The beam passes through a thin carbon foil (2 mg/cu cm), where neutralization, ionization, and excitation take place. The dominant process depends on the energy of the beam. Upon exiting the foil, the decay of excited states is monitored via single-photon-counting techniques. The resulting decay curve yields a meanlife. The oscillator strength is easily obtained from the meanlife when no other decay channels are presented. When other channels are present, additional measurements or theoretical calculations are performed in order to extract an oscillator strength. During the past year, three atomic systems have been studied experimentally and/or theoretically; they are Ar, I, Cl I, and N II. The results for the first two are important for studies of interstellar space, while the work on N II bears on processes occurring in planetary atmospheres.

From Lattice Boltzmann to hydrodynamics in dissipative relativistic fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabbana, Alessandro; Mendoza, Miller; Succi, Sauro; Tripiccione, Raffaele

2017-11-01

Relativistic fluid dynamics is currently applied to several fields of modern physics, covering many physical scales, from astrophysics, to atomic scales (e.g. in the study of effective 2D systems such as graphene) and further down to subnuclear scales (e.g. quark-gluon plasmas). This talk focuses on recent progress in the largely debated connection between kinetic transport coefficients and macroscopic hydrodynamic parameters in dissipative relativistic fluid dynamics. We use a new relativistic Lattice Boltzmann method (RLBM), able to handle from ultra-relativistic to almost non-relativistic flows, and obtain strong evidence that the Chapman-Enskog expansion provides the correct pathway from kinetic theory to hydrodynamics. This analysis confirms recently obtained theoretical results, which can be used to obtain accurate calibrations for RLBM methods applied to realistic physics systems in the relativistic regime. Using this calibration methodology, RLBM methods are able to deliver improved physical accuracy in the simulation of the physical systems described above. European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No. 642069.

Wavelets in Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Berg, J. C.

2004-03-01

A guided tour J. C. van den Berg; 1. Wavelet analysis, a new tool in physics J.-P. Antoine; 2. The 2-D wavelet transform, physical applications J.-P. Antoine; 3. Wavelets and astrophysical applications A. Bijaoui; 4. Turbulence analysis, modelling and computing using wavelets M. Farge, N. K.-R. Kevlahan, V. Perrier and K. Schneider; 5. Wavelets and detection of coherent structures in fluid turbulence L. Hudgins and J. H. Kaspersen; 6. Wavelets, non-linearity and turbulence in fusion plasmas B. Ph. van Milligen; 7. Transfers and fluxes of wind kinetic energy between orthogonal wavelet components during atmospheric blocking A. Fournier; 8. Wavelets in atomic physics and in solid state physics J.-P. Antoine, Ph. Antoine and B. Piraux; 9. The thermodynamics of fractals revisited with wavelets A. Arneodo, E. Bacry and J. F. Muzy; 10. Wavelets in medicine and physiology P. Ch. Ivanov, A. L. Goldberger, S. Havlin, C.-K. Peng, M. G. Rosenblum and H. E. Stanley; 11. Wavelet dimension and time evolution Ch.-A. Guérin and M. Holschneider.

Wavelets in Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Berg, J. C.

1999-08-01

A guided tour J. C. van den Berg; 1. Wavelet analysis, a new tool in physics J.-P. Antoine; 2. The 2-D wavelet transform, physical applications J.-P. Antoine; 3. Wavelets and astrophysical applications A. Bijaoui; 4. Turbulence analysis, modelling and computing using wavelets M. Farge, N. K.-R. Kevlahan, V. Perrier and K. Schneider; 5. Wavelets and detection of coherent structures in fluid turbulence L. Hudgins and J. H. Kaspersen; 6. Wavelets, non-linearity and turbulence in fusion plasmas B. Ph. van Milligen; 7. Transfers and fluxes of wind kinetic energy between orthogonal wavelet components during atmospheric blocking A. Fournier; 8. Wavelets in atomic physics and in solid state physics J.-P. Antoine, Ph. Antoine and B. Piraux; 9. The thermodynamics of fractals revisited with wavelets A. Arneodo, E. Bacry and J. F. Muzy; 10. Wavelets in medicine and physiology P. Ch. Ivanov, A. L. Goldberger, S. Havlin, C.-K. Peng, M. G. Rosenblum and H. E. Stanley; 11. Wavelet dimension and time evolution Ch.-A. Guérin and M. Holschneider.

PREFACE: Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics III

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bemmerer, D.; Grosse, E.; Junghans, A. R.; Schwengner, R.; Wagner, A.

2008-01-01

The Europhysics Conference `Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics III' (NPA3) took place from 26 31 March 2007 in Dresden, Germany, hosted by Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf. The present special issue of Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics contains all peer-reviewed contributions to the proceedings of this conference. NPA3 is the third conference in the Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics series of conferences devoted to the interplay between nuclear physics and astrophysics. The first and second editions of the series were held in 2002 and 2005 in Debrecen, Hungary. NPA3 has been organized under the auspices of the Nuclear Physics Board of the European Physical Society as its XXI Divisional Conference. The conference marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark paper B2FH published in 1957 by E M Burbidge, G R Burbidge, W A Fowler and F Hoyle. A public lecture by Claus Rolfs (Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany) commemorated the progress achieved since 1957. NPA3 aimed to bring together experimental and theoretical nuclear physicists, astrophysicists and astronomers to address the important part played by nuclear physics in current astrophysical problems. A total of 130 participants from 71 institutions in 26 countries attended the conference, presenting 33 invited and 38 contributed talks and 25 posters on six subject areas. The astrophysical motivation and the nuclear tools employed to address it are highlighted by the titles of the subject areas: Big Bang Nucleosynthesis Stellar Nucleosynthesis and Low Cross Section Measurement Explosive Nucleosynthesis and Nuclear Astrophysics with Photons Nuclei far from Stability and Radioactive Ion Beams Dense Matter in Neutron Stars and Relativistic Nuclear Collisions Neutrinos in Nuclear Astrophysics The presentations and discussions proved that Nuclear Astrophysics is a truly interdisciplinary subject. The remarkable progress in astronomical observations achieved in recent years is matched by advances in astrophysical modelling, and new theoretical approaches in nuclear physics are spurned by a wealth of new experimental data. It has been recognized by all participants that a joint effort by these disciplines is required in order to further our understanding of stars in all the phases of their lifespan and of the creation of energy and the chemical elements. The conference took place in the city of Dresden, in the geographical heart of Europe. Dresden is a traditional centre of culture and the fine arts, and its recently reconstructed Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) symbolizes the desire of Europeans to leave war and division behind them and revive their traditionally lively cultural and scientific exchange. Scientists from all parts of Europe attended NPA3, as well as participants from North America, Japan and the Near East. Especially encouraging was the great echo among young scientists whose devotion promises a bright future to the field. Fresh, dedicated and interdisciplinary efforts are indeed needed to solve some of the astrophysical puzzles presented at NPA3. New satellite observatories, unprecedented computing power, and new experimental facilities such as underground accelerator laboratories and radioactive ion beam facilities will contribute to these efforts. We look forward to hearing about these and other developments in the fourth conference of the Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics series (NPA4) which is to be held in Gran Sasso, Italy in 2009. The financial support of the hosting institution Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, of the Free State of Saxony and of the European Physical Society has been essential in ensuring the success of the conference. We thank the Publisher and the staff of it Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics for the fruitful collaboration in preparing this issue. The conference website is located at http://www.fzd.de/npa3 Cover image of Dresden by C. Preußel, Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf Conference photograph Participants of the Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics III conference.

Spectroscopics database for warm Xenon and Iron in Astrophysics and Laboratory Astrophysics conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Busquet, Michel; Klapisch, Marcel; Bar-Shalom, Avi; Oreg, Josse

2010-11-01

The main contribution to spectral properties of astrophysics mixtures come often from Iron. On the other hand, in the so-called domain of ``Laboratory Astrophysics,'' where astrophysics phenomena are scaled down to the laboratory, Xenon (and Argon) are commonly used gases. At so called ``warm'' temperatures (T=5-50eV), L-shell Iron and M-shell Xenon present a very large number of spectral lines, originating from billions of levels. More often than not, Local Thermodynamical Equilibrium is assumed, leading to noticeable simplification of the computation. Nevertheless, complex and powerful atomic structure codes are required. We take benefit of powerful statistics and numerics, included in our atomic structure codes, STA[1] and HULLAC[2], to generate the required spectra. Recent improvements in both fields (statistics, numerics and convergence control) allow obtaining large databases (ro x T grid of > 200x200 points, and > 10000 frequencies) for temperature down to a few eV. We plan to port these improvements in the NLTE code SCROLL[3]. [1] A.Bar-Shalom, et al, Phys. Rev. A 40, 3183 (1989) [2] M.Busquet,et al, J.Phys. IV France 133, 973-975 (2006); A.Bar-Shalom, M.Klapisch, J.Oreg, J.Oreg, JQSRT 71, 169, (2001) [3] A.Bar-Shalom, et al, Phys. Rev. E 56, R70 (1997)

Reverse-Engineering Laboratory Astrophysics: Oxygen Inner-shell Absorption in the ISM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garcia, J.; Gatuzz, E.; Kallman, T. R.; Mendoza, C.; Gorczyca, T. W.

2017-01-01

The modeling of X-ray spectra from photoionized astrophysical plasmas has been significantly improved due to recent advancements in the theoretical and numerical frameworks, as well as a consolidated and reliable atomic database of inner-shell transitions for all the relevant ions. We discuss these developments and the current state of X-ray spectral modeling in the context of oxygen cold absorption in the interstellar medium (ISM). Unconventionally, we use high-resolution astrophysical observations to accurately determine line positions, and adjust the theoretical models for a comprehensive interpretation of the observed X-ray spectra. This approach has brought to light standing discrepancies in the neutral oxygen absorption-line positions determined from observations and laboratory measurements. We give an overview of our current efforts to devise a definitive model of oxygen photoabsorption that can help to resolve the existing controversy regarding ISM atomic and molecular fractions.

Reverse-engineering laboratory astrophysics: Oxygen inner-shell absorption in the ISM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García, J.; Gatuzz, E.; Kallman, T. R.; Mendoza, C.; Gorczyca, T. W.

2017-03-01

The modeling of X-ray spectra from photoionized astrophysical plasmas has been significantly improved due to recent advancements in the theoretical and numerical frameworks, as well as a consolidated and reliable atomic database of inner-shell transitions for all the relevant ions. We discuss these developments and the current state of X-ray spectral modeling in the context of oxygen cold absorption in the interstellar medium (ISM). Unconventionally, we use high-resolution astrophysical observations to accurately determine line positions, and adjust the theoretical models for a comprehensive interpretation of the observed X-ray spectra. This approach has brought to light standing discrepancies in the neutral oxygen absorption-line positions determined from observations and laboratory measurements. We give an overview of our current efforts to devise a definitive model of oxygen photoabsorption that can help to resolve the existing controversy regarding ISM atomic and molecular fractions.

'Let the stars shine in peace!' Niels Bohr and stellar energy, 1929-1934.

PubMed

Kragh, Helge

2017-04-01

Faced with various anomalies related to nuclear physics in particular, in 1929 Niels Bohr suggested that energy might not be conserved in the atomic nucleus and the processes involving it. By this radical proposal he hoped not only to get rid of the anomalies but also saw a possibility to explain a puzzle in astrophysics, namely the energy generated by stars. Bohr repeated his suggestion of stellar energy arising ex nihilo on several occasions but without ever going into detail. In fact, it is not very clear what he meant or how seriously he took the stellar energy hypothesis. This paper relates Bohr's comments to the period's attempts to find a mechanism for stellar energy and also to the role played by astrophysics at the Copenhagen institute. Moreover, it looks at how Bohr's hypothesis was received not only by physicists but also by astronomers. In this regard the disciplinary status of astrophysics and its contemporary relation to the new quantum mechanics is of relevance. It turns out that, with very few exceptions, the hypothesis was met with silence by astronomers and astrophysicists concerned with the problem of stellar energy production. And yet, for a brief period of time it did have an impact on how physicists thought about the interior of the stars.

EBIT - Electronic Beam Ion Trap: N Divison experimental physics annual report 1995

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

Schneider, D.

1996-10-01

The multi-faceted research effort of the EBIT (Electron Beam Ion Trap) program in N-Division of the Physics and Space Technology Department at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) continues to contribute significant results to the physical sciences from studies with low energy very highly charged heavy ions. The EBIT program attracts a number of collaborators from the US and abroad for the different projects. The collaborations are partly carried out through participating graduate students demonstrating the excellent educational capabilities at the LLNL EBIT facilities. Moreover, participants from Historically Black Colleges and Universities are engaged in the EBIT project. This report describesmore » EBIT work for 1995 in atomic structure measurements and radiative transition probabilities, spectral diagnostics for laboratory and astrophysical plasmas, ion/surface interaction studies, electron-ion interactions studies, retrap and ion collisions, and instrumental development.« less

A magnetically focused molecular beam of ortho-water.

PubMed

Kravchuk, T; Reznikov, M; Tichonov, P; Avidor, N; Meir, Y; Bekkerman, A; Alexandrowicz, G

2011-01-21

Like dihydrogen, water exists as two spin isomers, ortho and para, with the nuclear magnetic moments of the hydrogen atoms either parallel or antiparallel. The ratio of the two spin isomers and their physical properties play an important role in a wide variety of research fields, ranging from astrophysics to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Unlike ortho and para H(2), however, the two water isomers remain challenging to separate, and as a consequence, very little is currently known about their different physical properties. Here, we report the formation of a magnetically focused molecular beam of ortho-water. The beam we formed also had a particular spin projection. Thus, in the presence of holding magnetic fields, the water molecules are hyperpolarized, laying the foundation for ultrasensitive NMR experiments in the future.

Stellar Alchemy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cassé, Michel; Lyle, Translated by Stephen

2003-08-01

Preface; 1. Nuclear astrophysics: defence and illustration; 2. Light from atoms, light from the sky; 3. Visions; 4. Contents of the sky: atomic sources and fountains; 5. Nuclear suns; 6. Sociology of stars and clouds; 7. Histories; 8. Ancient stars in the galactic halo; 9. Conclusion; Appendices.

Texas Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics, 11th, Austin, TX, December 12-17, 1982, Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, D. S. (Editor)

1984-01-01

Various papers on relativistic astrophysics are presented. The general subjects addressed include: particle physics and astrophysics, general relativity, large-scale structure, big bang cosmology, new-generation telescopes, pulsars, supernovae, high-energy astrophysics, and active galaxies.

Influence of inelastic Rydberg atom-atom collisional process on kinetic and optical properties of low-temperature laboratory and astrophysical plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klyucharev, A. N.; Bezuglov, N. N.; Mihajlov, A. A.; Ignjatović, Lj M.

2010-11-01

Elementary processes in plasma phenomena traditionally attract physicist's attention. The channel of charged-particle formation in Rydberg atom-atom thermal and sub-thermal collisions (the low temperature plasmas conditions) leads to creation of the molecular ions - associative ionization (AI). atomic ions - Penning-like ionization (PI) and the pair of the negative and positive ions. In our universe the chemical composition of the primordial gas consists mainly of Hydrogen and Helium (H, H-, H+, H2, He,He+). Hydrogen-like alkali-metal Lithium (Li, Li+,Li-) and combinations (HeH+, LiH-, LiH+). There is a wide range of plasma parameters in which the Rydberg atoms of the elements mentioned above make the dominant contribution to ionization and that process may be regarded as a prototype of the elementary process of light excitation energy transformation into electric one. The latest stochastic version of chemi-ionisation (AI+PI) on Rydberg atom-atom collisions extends the treatment of the "dipole resonant" model by taking into account redistribution of population over a range of Rydberg states prior to ionization. This redistribution is modelled as diffusion within the frame of stochastic dynamic of the Rydberg electron in the Rydberg energy spectrum. This may lead to anomalies of Rydberg atom spectra. Another result obtained in recent time is understanding that experimental results on chemi-ionization relate to the group of mixed Rydberg atom closed to the primary selected one. The Rydberg atoms ionisation theory today makes a valuable contribution in the deterministic and stochastic approaches correlation in atomic physic.

Independent-particle models for light negative atomic ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ganas, P. S.; Talman, J. D.; Green, A. E. S.

1980-01-01

For the purposes of astrophysical, aeronomical, and laboratory application, a precise independent-particle model for electrons in negative atomic ions of the second and third period is discussed. The optimum-potential model (OPM) of Talman et al. (1979) is first used to generate numerical potentials for eight of these ions. Results for total energies and electron affinities are found to be very close to Hartree-Fock solutions. However, the OPM and HF electron affinities both depart significantly from experimental affinities. For this reason, two analytic potentials are developed whose inner energy levels are very close to the OPM and HF levels but whose last electron eigenvalues are adjusted precisely with the magnitudes of experimental affinities. These models are: (1) a four-parameter analytic characterization of the OPM potential and (2) a two-parameter potential model of the Green, Sellin, Zachor type. The system O(-) or e-O, which is important in upper atmospheric physics is examined in some detail.

Python-Based Tool for Universal Nuclear Data Extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, William; Blair, Hayden; Consalvi, Peter; Garbiso, Markus; Grover, Hannah; Harget, Alex; Martin, Matthew; Natzke, Connor; Leach, Kyle

2017-09-01

Over the past 70 years, nuclear physics experiments have provided a vast wealth of experimental data on both ground and excited state properties across the nuclear chart. In many cases, searching for and parsing the relevant nuclear structure data from previous work can be tedious and difficult. Although the compilation, evaluation, and digitization of this data by multiple groups around the world over the past several decades has helped dramatically in this respect, the process of performing systematic studies using this data can still be cumbersome and limited. We are in the process of creating a python-based program to extract, sort, and manipulate nuclear and atomic data efficiently. In its current state, the program is able to extract all atomic-shell ionization energies, excited- and ground-state nuclear properties, and all beta-decay rates and ratios. As a part of this ongoing project, we plan to use this tool to examine beta-decay rates in extreme astrophysical environments.

Laser-Induced Fluorescence Measurements for Optical Single Atom Detection for Nuclear Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parzuchowski, Kristen; Singh, Jaideep; Wenzl, Jennifer; Frisbie, Dustin; Johnson, Maegan

2016-09-01

We propose a new highly selective detector to measure rare nuclear reactions relevant for nuclear astrophysics. Our primary interest is the 22Ne(α , n) 25Mg reaction, which is a primary source of neutrons for the s-process. Our proposed detector, in conjunction with a recoil separator, captures the recoil products resulting from the reaction in a cryogenically frozen thin film of solid neon. The fluorescence spectra of the captured atoms is shifted from the absorption spectra by hundreds of nanometers. This allows for the optical detection of individual fluorescence photons against a background of intense excitation light. We will describe our initial studies of laser-induced fluorescence of Yb and Mg in solid Ne. Neon is an attractive medium because it is optically transparent and provides efficient, pure, stable, & chemically inert confinement for a wide variety of atomic and molecular species. Yb is used as a test atom because of its similar atomic structure to Mg and much brighter fluorescence signal. This work is supported by funds from Michigan State University.

Physics and astrophysics from a lunar base; Proceedings of the 1st NASA Workshop, Stanford, CA, May 19, 20, 1989

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Potter, A. E. (Editor); Wilson, T. L. (Editor)

1990-01-01

The present conference on physics and astrophysics from a lunar base encompasses space physics, cosmic ray physics, neutrino physics, experiments in gravitation and general relativity, gravitational radiation physics, cosmic background radiation, particle astrophysics, surface physics, and the physics of gamma rays and X-rays. Specific issues addressed include space-plasma physics research at a lunar base, prospects for neutral particle imaging, the atmosphere as particle detector, medium- and high-energy neutrino physics from a lunar base, muons on the moon, a search for relic supernovae antineutrinos, and the use of clocks in satellites orbiting the moon to test general relativity. Also addressed are large X-ray-detector arrays for physics experiments on the moon, and the measurement of proton decay, arcsec-source locations, halo dark matter and elemental abundances above 10 exp 15 eV at a lunar base.

Space radiation health research, 1991-1992

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jablin, M. H. (Compiler); Brooks, C. (Compiler); Ferraro, G. (Compiler); Dickson, K. J. (Compiler); Powers, J. V. (Compiler); Wallace-Robinson, J. (Compiler); Zafren, B. (Compiler)

1993-01-01

The present volume is a collection of 227 abstracts of radiation research sponsored by the NASA Space Radiation Health Program for the period 1991-1992. Each abstract has been categorized within one of three discipline areas: Physics, Biology and Risk Assessment. Topic areas within each discipline have been assigned as follows: Physics - Atomic Physics, Theory, Cosmic Ray and Astrophysics, Experimental, Environments and Environmental Models, Solar Activity and Prediction, Experiments, Radiation Transport and Shielding, Theory and Model Development, Experimental Studies, and Instrumentation. Biology - Biology, Molecular Biology, Cellular Radiation Biology, Transformation, Mutation, Lethality, Survival, DNA Damage and Repair, Tissue, Organs, and Organisms, In Vivo/In Vitro Systems, Carcinogenesis and Life Shortening, Cataractogenesis, Genetics/Developmental, Radioprotectants, Plants, and Other Effects. Risk Assessment - Risk Assessment, Radiation Health and Epidemiology, Space Flight Radiation Health Physics, Inter- and Intraspecies Extrapolation and Radiation Limits and Standards. Section I contains refereed journals; Section II contains reports/meetings. Keywords and author indices are provided. A collection of abstracts spanning the period 1986-1990 was previously issued as NASA Technical Memorandum 4270.

Atomic Data for the CHIANTI Database

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhatia, Anand K.; Landi, E.

2012-01-01

The CHIANTI spectral code consists of an atomic database and a suite of computer programs to calculate the optically thin spectrum of astrophysical objects and to carry out spectroscopic plasma diagnostics. The database includes atomic energy levels, wavelengths, radiative transition rates, collisional excitation, ionization and recombination rate coefficients, as well as data to calculate free-free, free-bound and two-photon continuum emission. In recent years, we have been pursuing a program to calculate atomic data for ions whose lines have been observed in astrophysical spectra but have been neglected in the literature, and to provide CHIANTI with all the data necessary to predict line intensities. There are two types of such ions: those for which calculations are available for low-energy configurations but not for high-energy configurations (i.e., C-like, N-like, O-like systems), and ions that have never or only seldom been studied. This poster will summarize the current status of this project and indicate the future activities .

Data needs for X-ray astronomy satellites

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

Kallman, T.

I review the current status of atomic data for X-ray astronomy satellites. This includes some of the astrophysical issues which can be addressed, current modeling and analysis techniques, computational tools, the limitations imposed by currently available atomic data, and the validity of standard assumptions. I also discuss the future: challenges associated with future missions and goals for atomic data collection.

Obituary: Michael John Seaton, 1923-2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradhan, Anil; Nahar, Sultana

2007-12-01

Professor Michael John Seaton, hailed as the "Father of Atomic Astrophysics," passed away on May 29, 2007. He was one of the few Honorary Fellows of both the American Astronomical Society and the American Physical Society, so honored for his monumental contributions to both physics and astronomy. Mike Seaton was born on January 16, 1923 in Bristol, England. He attended Wallington County High School. But his leftist political activities, even at that stage, led to his expulsion, though he was eventually allowed to matriculate. He enlisted in the Royal Air Force as a navigator during the Second World War, and flew many dangerous missions. His legendary concentration and precision are reflected in the following anecdote. Once after a bombing mission his aircraft was lost in fog over the Alps. Seaton calculated the position and coordinates in flight to guide the aircraft. When the fog lifted, the crew found themselves flying perilously close to the mountains, but made it safely back. His associates often said, "A Seaton calculation is carried out as if his life depended on it." After the War he was admitted to University College London (UCL) as an undergraduate. Thereafter, he spent all of his professional career at UCL. Seaton received his Batchelor's degree in 1948, and his Ph.D. in 1951. His tenure at UCL coincided with the golden age of atomic astrophysics, for he was largely responsible for it. Seaton was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1967, and as President of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) in 1978. He was the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from the Observatoire de Paris, an Honorary D.Sc. from the Queen's University of Belfast, the Gold Medal for Astronomy by the RAS, the Guthrie Medal by the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society Hughes award for lifetime work by the RAS, and several other prestigious awards. Nevertheless, as Alex Dalgarno recently remarked, Seaton was not part of the establishment because he chose not to be. Though rooted in the idealism of youth, Seaton's early leftist leanings cast a long shadow, including problems with United States immigration. However, he was later disillusioned with communist ideology, with a decisive break from it after the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956. Seaton's groundbreaking papers range over several areas of physics and astrophysics. He was the author of nearly 300 journal publications and many other articles. His pioneering research papers in physics include the non-hydrogenic treatment of photoionization, implementation of the coupled channel approximation, proton-impact excitation of ions, quantum defect theory (based on Seaton's theorem), a precise theory of dielectronic recombination (the Bell and Seaton theory), the widely used Percival-Seaton formula for polarization, and many other contributions. Seaton's works in astrophysics range from seminal papers on spectroscopic density diagnostics using forbidden lines (developed jointly with Donald Osterbrock), the Seaton extinction curve (the paper has well over 1,000 citations), central stars of planetary nebulae (PNe), early work on PNe using the then newly commissioned International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite, hydrogenic recombination spectra, radio recombination lines in masers, and several other topics. (In this context, a remarkable incident deserves mention. At the tragic death from a motorcycle accident of his graduate student, R. Harman, Seaton said to Harman's parents at the funeral that Harman was working on something important, and would be remembered for it. He is. The so called Harman-Seaton sequence on the H-R diagram refers to hot sub-dwarfs and nuclei of planetary nebulae.) For almost all of the last quarter century of his life, 1983-2007, Seaton led the Opacity Project (OP), an international team of about thirty atomic physicists and astrophysicists, to carry out highly accurate atomic calculations for radiative transition probabilities and photoionization cross sections that determine stellar opacities. The large-scale calculations revealed extensive features in photoionization such as resonances due to photoexcitation-of-core or PEC (as named by Seaton). The new opacities solved some outstanding problems and have been in use in some major astrophysical applications, recently by John Bahcall and others to explore discrepancies in solar elemental abundances from different models. A National Science Foundation reviewer once hailed the Opacity Project as the "crowning achievement of computational atomic physics." At an AAS meeting hosted by the Ohio State University in 1992, Seaton named a follow-up project "The Iron Project," focused particularly on the important Fe-peak elements, with many of the original members of the Opacity Project as participants. But Seaton himself remained preoccupied with improvements and applications of opacities. Seaton's most recent work was on radiative accelerations of elements in stars using the Opacity Project data and element diffusion in stellar interiors. Seaton continued to be highly active in research until his death at age 84, even writing large complex computer codes that now form the basis of an electronic database for opacities. There are precious few scientists who have his unique abilities that ranged from profound theoretical insights to mathematical formulations and highly technical computational developments. Mike Seaton was an immense source of inspiration to all who knew him. There is no doubt that his many students and collaborators, if ever paid a complement on their work, would surely reply: "I learnt the craft from a Master." Mike Seaton is survived by his wife Joy and their son Tony, and a son and daughter from his first marriage to Olive Singleton who passed away in 1958.

Cosmic rays: Physics and astrophysics. A research briefing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Some recent results in cosmic-ray physics are summarized, and how they raise new questions of interest for both physics and astrophysics is described. An important technical advance, the recently demonstrated capability of long-duration balloon flights of heavy payloads, will offer a great advantage for achieving some of these goals.

Laboratory oscillator strengths of Sc i in the near-infrared region for astrophysical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pehlivan, A.; Nilsson, H.; Hartman, H.

2015-10-01

Context. Atomic data is crucial for astrophysical investigations. To understand the formation and evolution of stars, we need to analyse their observed spectra. Analysing a spectrum of a star requires information about the properties of atomic lines, such as wavelengths and oscillator strengths. However, atomic data of some elements are scarce, particularly in the infrared region, and this paper is part of an effort to improve the situation on near-IR atomic data. Aims: This paper investigates the spectrum of neutral scandium, Sc I, from laboratory measurements and improves the atomic data of Sc I lines in the infrared region covering lines in R, I, J, and K bands. Especially, we focus on measuring oscillator strengths for Sc I lines connecting the levels with 4p and 4s configurations. Methods: We combined experimental branching fractions with radiative lifetimes from the literature to derive oscillator strengths (f-values). Intensity-calibrated spectra with high spectral resolution were recorded with Fourier transform spectrometer from a hollow cathode discharge lamp. The spectra were used to derive accurate oscillator strengths and wavelengths for Sc I lines, with emphasis on the infrared region. Results: This project provides the first set of experimental Sc I lines in the near-infrared region for accurate spectral analysis of astronomical objects. We derived 63 log(gf) values for the lines between 5300 Å and 24 300 Å. The uncertainties in the f-values vary from 5% to 20%. The small uncertainties in our values allow for an increased accuracy in astrophysical abundance determinations.

George Gamow: Scientific Amateur and Polymath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harper, Eamon

George Gamow (1904-1968) was among the first of the many brilliant scientists who forsook Europe for the United States in the early 1930s. Although most were fleeing the fascist imperium of Hitler and Mussolini, Gamow was one of a few who managed to escape the burgeoning despotism of Stalin in the Soviet Union. His early application of quantum mechanics to the atomic nucleus and his subsequent insight into the role played by the physics of the atom and its nucleus in stars, galaxies, and the universe identifies him as a scientist of unusual genius. Gamow displayed a boisterous, infectious - almost Rutherfordian - interest in all aspects of pure science. His interests were broad and his industry prodigious. His scientific output covered areas as diverse as nuclear physics, astrophysics, cosmology, biological genetics, and the fascinating question of the relationship of the large-scale structure and development of the universe to the properties of elementary particles and fields. He also was an immensely imaginative and prolific author of popular expositions on scientific subjects. One who is as well-known for his authorship of the Mr. Tompkins series of science popularizations as for his contributions to the development of the physical consequences of the big-bang theory of the expanding universe and the prediction of the cosmic background radiation must be unique in the scientific pantheon.

Shock-wave processing of C60 in hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biennier, L.; Jayaram, V.; Suas-David, N.; Georges, R.; Singh, M. Kiran; Arunan, E.; Kassi, S.; Dartois, E.; Reddy, K. P. J.

2017-03-01

Context. Interstellar carbonaceous particles and molecules are subject to intense shocks in astrophysical environments. Shocks induce a rapid raise in temperature and density which strongly affects the chemical and physical properties of both the gas and solid phases of the interstellar matter. Aims: The shock-induced thermal processing of C60 particles in hydrogen has been investigated in the laboratory under controlled conditions up to 3900 K with the help of a material shock-tube. Methods: The solid residues generated by the exposure of a C60/H2 mixture to a millisecond shock wave were collected and analyzed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman micro-spectroscopy, and infrared micro-spectroscopy. The gaseous products were analyzed by Gas Chromatography and Cavity Ring Down Spectroscopy. Results: Volatile end-products appear above reflected shock gas temperatures of 2540 K and reveal the substantial presence of small molecules with one or two C atoms. These observations confirm the role played by the C2 radical as a major product of C60 fragmentation and less expectedly highlight the existence of a single C atom loss channel. Molecules with more than two carbon atoms are not observed in the post-shock gas. The analysis of the solid component shows that C60 particles are rapidly converted into amorphous carbon with a number of aliphatic bridges. Conclusions: The absence of aromatic CH stretches on the IR spectra indicates that H atoms do not link directly to aromatic cycles. The fast thermal processing of C60 in H2 over the 800-3400 K temperature range leads to amorphous carbon. The analysis hints at a collapse of the cage with the formation of a few aliphatic connections. A low amount of hydrogen is incorporated into the carbon material. This work extends the range of applications of shock tubes to studies of astrophysical interest.

Investigations in γ-Ray Astrophysics and Astroparticle Physics

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

Krennrich, Frank

This report describes the status of data analysis efforts, results and publications of research grant DE-SC0009917. The research is focused on TeV gamma-ray studies of astrophysical sources and related particle physics questions.

Mapping low- and high-density clouds in astrophysical nebulae by imaging forbidden line emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steiner, J. E.; Menezes, R. B.; Ricci, T. V.; Oliveira, A. S.

2009-06-01

Emission line ratios have been essential for determining physical parameters such as gas temperature and density in astrophysical gaseous nebulae. With the advent of panoramic spectroscopic devices, images of regions with emission lines related to these physical parameters can, in principle, also be produced. We show that, with observations from modern instruments, it is possible to transform images taken from density-sensitive forbidden lines into images of emission from high- and low-density clouds by applying a transformation matrix. In order to achieve this, images of the pairs of density-sensitive lines as well as the adjacent continuum have to be observed and combined. We have computed the critical densities for a series of pairs of lines in the infrared, optical, ultraviolet and X-rays bands, and calculated the pair line intensity ratios in the high- and low-density limit using a four- and five-level atom approximation. In order to illustrate the method, we applied it to Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) Integral Field Unit (GMOS-IFU) data of two galactic nuclei. We conclude that this method provides new information of astrophysical interest, especially for mapping low- and high-density clouds; for this reason, we call it `the ld/hd imaging method'. Based on observations obtained at the Gemini Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation on behalf of the Gemini partnership: the National Science Foundation (United States); the Science and Technology Facilities Council (United Kingdom); the National Research Council (Canada), CONICYT (Chile); the Australian Research Council (Australia); Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia (Brazil) and Secretaria de Ciencia y Tecnologia (Argentina). E-mail: steiner@astro.iag.usp.br

SAO/NASA ADS: ADS Home Page

Science.gov Websites

Browse Help Welcome to the Digital Library for Physics and Astronomy [ Harvard logo ] This site is hosted Astronomy and Physics, operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) under a NASA grant. The publications in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Physics, and the arXiv e-prints. Abstracts and full-text of major

Charge Exchange: Velocity Dependent X-ray Emission Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cumbee, Renata

2017-06-01

Atomic collisions play a fundamental role in astrophysics, plasma physics, and fusion physics. Here, we focus on charge exchange (CX) between hot ions and neutral atoms and molecules. Even though charge exchange calculations can provide vital information, including neutral and ion density distributions, ion temperatures, elemental abundances, and ion charge state distributions in the environments considered, both theoretical calculations and laboratory studies of these processes lack the necessary reliability and/or coverage. In order to better understand the spectra we observe in astrophysical environments in which both hot plasma and neutral gas are present, including comets, the heliosphere, supernova remnants, galaxy clusters, star forming galaxies, the outflows of starburst galaxies, and cooling flows of hot gas in the intracluster medium, a thorough CX X-ray model is needed. Included in this model should be a complete set of X-ray line ratios for relevant ion and neutral interactions for a range of energies.In this work, theoretical charge exchange emission spectra are produced using cross sections calculated with widely applied approaches including the quantum mechanical molecular orbital close coupling (QMOCC), atomic orbital close coupling (AOCC), classical trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC), and the multichannel Landau-Zener (MCLZ) methods. When possible, theoretical data are benchmarked to experiments. Using a comprehensive, but still far from complete, CX database, new models are performed for a variety of X-ray emitting environments. In an attempt to describe the excess emission in X-rays of the starburst galaxy M82, Ne X CX line ratios are compared to line ratios observed in the region. A more complete XSPEC X-ray emission model is produced for H-like and He-like C-Al ions colliding with H and He for a range of energies; 200 to 5000 eV/u. This model is applied to the northeast rim of the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant in an attempt to determine the contribution of CX within that region.This work was partially supported by NASA grants NNX09AC46G and NNG09WF24I and accomplished with the help of many collaborators including Phillip C. Stancil, David Lyons, Patrick Mullen, and Robin L. Shelton.

Molecular processes in astrophysics: Calculations of hydrogen + hydrogen gas excitation, de-excitation, and cooling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelley, Matthew Thomas

The implications of H+H2 cooling in astrophysics is important to several applications. One of the most significant and pure applications is its role in cooling in the early universe. Other applications would include molecular dynamics in nebulae and their collapse into stars and astrophysical shocks. Shortly after the big bang, the universe was a hot primordial gas of photons, electrons, and nuclei among other ingredients. By far the most dominant nuclei in the early universe was hydrogen. In fact, in the early universe the matter density was 90 percent hydrogen and only 10 percent helium with small amounts of lithium and deuterium. In order for structure to form in the universe, this primordial gas must form atoms and cool. One of the significant cooling mechanisms is the collision of neutral atomic hydrogen with a neutral diatomic hydrogen molecule. This work performs calculations to determine collisional cooling rates of hydrogen using two potential surfaces.

Nuclear and particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology (NPAC) capability review

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

Redondo, Antonio

2010-01-01

The present document represents a summary self-assessment of the status of the Nuclear and Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology (NPAC) capability across Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). For the purpose of this review, we have divided the capability into four theme areas: Nuclear Physics, Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology, and Applied Physics. For each theme area we have given a general but brief description of the activities under the area, a list of the Laboratory divisions involved in the work, connections to the goals and mission of the Laboratory, a brief description of progress over the last three years, ourmore » opinion of the overall status of the theme area, and challenges and issues.« less

Astrophysical Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pringle, James E.; King, Andrew

2003-07-01

Almost all conventional matter in the Universe is fluid, and fluid dynamics plays a crucial role in astrophysics. This new graduate textbook provides a basic understanding of the fluid dynamical processes relevant to astrophysics. The mathematics used to describe these processes is simplified to bring out the underlying physics. The authors cover many topics, including wave propagation, shocks, spherical flows, stellar oscillations, the instabilities caused by effects such as magnetic fields, thermal driving, gravity, shear flows, and the basic concepts of compressible fluid dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics. The authors are Directors of the UK Astrophysical Fluids Facility (UKAFF) at the University of Leicester, and editors of the Cambridge Astrophysics Series. This book has been developed from a course in astrophysical fluid dynamics taught at the University of Cambridge. It is suitable for graduate students in astrophysics, physics and applied mathematics, and requires only a basic familiarity with fluid dynamics.• Provides coverage of the fundamental fluid dynamical processes an astrophysical theorist needs to know • Introduces new mathematical theory and techniques in a straightforward manner • Includes end-of-chapter problems to illustrate the course and introduce additional ideas

On-line atomic data access

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, David R.; Nash, Jeffrey K.

1996-07-01

The need for atomic data is one which continues to expand in a wide variety of applications including fusion energy, astrophysics, laser-produced plasma research, and plasma processing. Modern computer database and communications technology enables this data to be placed on-line and obtained by users over the INTERNET. Presented here is a summary of the observations and conclusions regarding such on-line atomic data access derived from a forum held at the Tenth APS Topical Conference on Atomic Processes in Plasmas.

Publications of LASL research, 1974

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

Kerr, A.K.

1975-05-01

This bibliography includes Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory reports, papers released as non-Los Alamos reports, journal articles, books, chapters of books, conference papers (whether published separately or as part of conference proceedings issued as books or reports), papers published in congressional hearings, theses, and U. S. patents. Publications by LASL authors which are not records of Laboratory-sponsored work are included when the Library becomes aware of them. The entries are arranged in sections by broad subject categories; within each section they are alphabetical by title. The following subject categories are included: aerospace studies; analytical technology; astrophysics; atomic and molecular physics, equationmore » of state, opacity; biology and medicine; chemical dynamics and kinetics; chemistry; cryogenics; crystallography; CTR and plasma studies; earth science and engineering; energy (non-nuclear); engineering and equipment; EPR, ESR, NMR studies; explosives and detonations; fission physics; health and safety; hydrodynamics and radiation transport; instruments; lasers; mathematics and computers; medium-energy physics; metallurgy and ceramics technology; neutronic and criticality studies; nuclear physics; nuclear safeguards; physics; reactor technology; solid state science; and miscellaneous (including Project Rover). Author, numerical and KWIC indexes are included. (RWR)« less

Dark energy and equivalence principle constraints from astrophysical tests of the stability of the fine-structure constant

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

Martins, C.J.A.P.; Pinho, A.M.M.; Alves, R.F.C.

2015-08-01

Astrophysical tests of the stability of fundamental couplings, such as the fine-structure constant α, are becoming an increasingly powerful probe of new physics. Here we discuss how these measurements, combined with local atomic clock tests and Type Ia supernova and Hubble parameter data, constrain the simplest class of dynamical dark energy models where the same degree of freedom is assumed to provide both the dark energy and (through a dimensionless coupling, ζ, to the electromagnetic sector) the α variation. Specifically, current data tightly constrains a combination of ζ and the present dark energy equation of state w{sub 0}. Moreover, inmore » these models the new degree of freedom inevitably couples to nucleons (through the α dependence of their masses) and leads to violations of the Weak Equivalence Principle. We obtain indirect bounds on the Eötvös parameter η that are typically stronger than the current direct ones. We discuss the model-dependence of our results and briefly comment on how the forthcoming generation of high-resolution ultra-stable spectrographs will enable significantly tighter constraints.« less

White paper on nuclear astrophysics and low energy nuclear physics Part 1: Nuclear astrophysics

DOE PAGES

Arcones, Almudena; Bardayan, Dan W.; Beers, Timothy C.; ...

2016-12-28

This white paper informs the nuclear astrophysics community and funding agencies about the scientific directions and priorities of the field and provides input from this community for the 2015 Nuclear Science Long Range Plan. It also summarizes the outcome of the nuclear astrophysics town meeting that was held on August 21–23, 2014 in College Station at the campus of Texas A&M University in preparation of the NSAC Nuclear Science Long Range Plan. It also reflects the outcome of an earlier town meeting of the nuclear astrophysics community organized by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics (JINA) on October 9–10, 2012more » Detroit, Michigan, with the purpose of developing a vision for nuclear astrophysics in light of the recent NRC decadal surveys in nuclear physics (NP2010) and astronomy (ASTRO2010). Our white paper is informed informed by the town meeting of the Association of Research at University Nuclear Accelerators (ARUNA) that took place at the University of Notre Dame on June 12–13, 2014. In summary we find that nuclear astrophysics is a modern and vibrant field addressing fundamental science questions at the intersection of nuclear physics and astrophysics. These questions relate to the origin of the elements, the nuclear engines that drive life and death of stars, and the properties of dense matter. A broad range of nuclear accelerator facilities, astronomical observatories, theory efforts, and computational capabilities are needed. Answers to long standing key questions are well within reach in the coming decade because of the developments outlined in this white paper.« less

White paper on nuclear astrophysics and low energy nuclear physics Part 1: Nuclear astrophysics

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

Arcones, Almudena; Bardayan, Dan W.; Beers, Timothy C.

This white paper informs the nuclear astrophysics community and funding agencies about the scientific directions and priorities of the field and provides input from this community for the 2015 Nuclear Science Long Range Plan. It also summarizes the outcome of the nuclear astrophysics town meeting that was held on August 21–23, 2014 in College Station at the campus of Texas A&M University in preparation of the NSAC Nuclear Science Long Range Plan. It also reflects the outcome of an earlier town meeting of the nuclear astrophysics community organized by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics (JINA) on October 9–10, 2012more » Detroit, Michigan, with the purpose of developing a vision for nuclear astrophysics in light of the recent NRC decadal surveys in nuclear physics (NP2010) and astronomy (ASTRO2010). Our white paper is informed informed by the town meeting of the Association of Research at University Nuclear Accelerators (ARUNA) that took place at the University of Notre Dame on June 12–13, 2014. In summary we find that nuclear astrophysics is a modern and vibrant field addressing fundamental science questions at the intersection of nuclear physics and astrophysics. These questions relate to the origin of the elements, the nuclear engines that drive life and death of stars, and the properties of dense matter. A broad range of nuclear accelerator facilities, astronomical observatories, theory efforts, and computational capabilities are needed. Answers to long standing key questions are well within reach in the coming decade because of the developments outlined in this white paper.« less

White Paper on Nuclear Astrophysics and Low Energy Nuclear Physics - Part 1. Nuclear Astrophysics

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

Arcones, Almudena; Escher, Jutta E.; Others, M.

This white paper informs the nuclear astrophysics community and funding agencies about the scientific directions and priorities of the field and provides input from this community for the 2015 Nuclear Science Long Range Plan. It summarizes the outcome of the nuclear astrophysics town meeting that was held on August 21 - 23, 2014 in College Station at the campus of Texas A&M University in preparation of the NSAC Nuclear Science Long Range Plan. It also reflects the outcome of an earlier town meeting of the nuclear astrophysics community organized by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics (JINA) on October 9more » - 10, 2012 Detroit, Michigan, with the purpose of developing a vision for nuclear astrophysics in light of the recent NRC decadal surveys in nuclear physics (NP2010) and astronomy (ASTRO2010). The white paper is furthermore informed by the town meeting of the Association of Research at University Nuclear Accelerators (ARUNA) that took place at the University of Notre Dame on June 12 - 13, 2014. In summary we find that nuclear astrophysics is a modern and vibrant field addressing fundamental science questions at the intersection of nuclear physics and astrophysics. These questions relate to the origin of the elements, the nuclear engines that drive life and death of stars, and the properties of dense matter. A broad range of nuclear accelerator facilities, astronomical observatories, theory efforts, and computational capabilities are needed. With the developments outlined in this white paper, answers to long-standing key questions are well within reach in the coming decade.« less

White paper on nuclear astrophysics and low energy nuclear physics Part 1: Nuclear astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arcones, Almudena; Bardayan, Dan W.; Beers, Timothy C.; Bernstein, Lee A.; Blackmon, Jeffrey C.; Messer, Bronson; Brown, B. Alex; Brown, Edward F.; Brune, Carl R.; Champagne, Art E.; Chieffi, Alessandro; Couture, Aaron J.; Danielewicz, Pawel; Diehl, Roland; El-Eid, Mounib; Escher, Jutta E.; Fields, Brian D.; Fröhlich, Carla; Herwig, Falk; Hix, William Raphael; Iliadis, Christian; Lynch, William G.; McLaughlin, Gail C.; Meyer, Bradley S.; Mezzacappa, Anthony; Nunes, Filomena; O'Shea, Brian W.; Prakash, Madappa; Pritychenko, Boris; Reddy, Sanjay; Rehm, Ernst; Rogachev, Grigory; Rutledge, Robert E.; Schatz, Hendrik; Smith, Michael S.; Stairs, Ingrid H.; Steiner, Andrew W.; Strohmayer, Tod E.; Timmes, F. X.; Townsley, Dean M.; Wiescher, Michael; Zegers, Remco G. T.; Zingale, Michael

2017-05-01

This white paper informs the nuclear astrophysics community and funding agencies about the scientific directions and priorities of the field and provides input from this community for the 2015 Nuclear Science Long Range Plan. It summarizes the outcome of the nuclear astrophysics town meeting that was held on August 21-23, 2014 in College Station at the campus of Texas A&M University in preparation of the NSAC Nuclear Science Long Range Plan. It also reflects the outcome of an earlier town meeting of the nuclear astrophysics community organized by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics (JINA) on October 9-10, 2012 Detroit, Michigan, with the purpose of developing a vision for nuclear astrophysics in light of the recent NRC decadal surveys in nuclear physics (NP2010) and astronomy (ASTRO2010). The white paper is furthermore informed by the town meeting of the Association of Research at University Nuclear Accelerators (ARUNA) that took place at the University of Notre Dame on June 12-13, 2014. In summary we find that nuclear astrophysics is a modern and vibrant field addressing fundamental science questions at the intersection of nuclear physics and astrophysics. These questions relate to the origin of the elements, the nuclear engines that drive life and death of stars, and the properties of dense matter. A broad range of nuclear accelerator facilities, astronomical observatories, theory efforts, and computational capabilities are needed. With the developments outlined in this white paper, answers to long standing key questions are well within reach in the coming decade.

Model for diffuse interstellar clouds: improvements to the theory of molecular hydrogen photodestruction and to the gas phase chemistry of carbon monoxide

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

Federman, S.R.

1979-01-01

A theoretical model has been developed to determine physical processes in conjunction with astrophysical observation. The calculations are based on isobaric, steady-state, plane-parallel conditions. In the model, the cloud is illuminated by ultraviolet radiation from one side. The density and temperature of the gas are derived by invoking energy conservation in terms of thermal balance. The derived values for density and temperature then are used to determine the abundances of approximately fifty atomic and molecular species, including important ionic species and simple carbon and oxygen bearing molecules. Except for molecular hydrogen formation on dust grains, binary gas phase reactions aremore » used to develop the chemistry of the model cloud. The theoretical model has been found to be appropriate for a particular range of physical parameters. The results of the steady-state calculations have been compared to ultraviolet observations, predominantly those made with the Copernicus satellite. The theory of molecular hydrogen photodestruction has been reexamined so that improvements to the model can be made. By analyzing the region where the atomic to molecuar hydrogen transition occurs, several processes have been found to contribute to dissociation.« less

Astrophysics today

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

Cameron, A.G.W.

1984-01-01

Examining recent history, current trends, and future possibilities, the author reports the frontiers of research on the solar system, stars, galactic physics, and cosmological physics. The book discusses the great discoveries in astronomy and astrophysics and examines the circumstances in which they occurred. It discusses the physics of white dwarfs, the inflationary universe, the extinction of dinosaurs, black hole, cosmological models, and much more.

Fourier Transform Spectroscopy of Doubly Ionized Iron Group Elements for Astrophysical Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smillie, D. G.; Pickering, J. C.; Smith, P. L.

2005-05-01

Exciting new astrophysical spectra provided by both space-based (such as STIS, Hubble) and ground-based spectrographs (such as HIRES, Keck-1 telescope) are unable to be fully interpreted due to deficiencies in the database of laboratory measured atomic data such as transition wavelengths and oscillator strengths. The transition elements, particularly the Iron (3d) group, are extremely important for stellar astrophysics providing much of the observed stellar opacity, and the doubly ionized species dominate the spectra of hot (B-type) stars [1]. Transition wavelengths with uncertainties of ˜1:107 and oscillator strengths with uncertainties of ˜10% are required to fully interpret the astrophysical spectra. At Imperial College, we use a Penning discharge lamp with our unique Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) [1] capable of measurements from the visible to the VUV (down to 135nm) at high resolution (typical wavenumber uncertainty ˜1:108). These measurements are supplemented by IR FTS spectra and grating spectra (beyond the 135nm limit) taken at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), USA. The spectra are analyzed to provide intensity and wavenumber calibrated linelists. This allows term analysis (calculating energy levels from the measured transition line wavelengths) and branching ratios (which can be combined with level lifetimes to produce oscillator strengths) to be determined. FTS measurements of Fe III in the UV and IR have been completed at Imperial and NIST and grating measurements are planned at NIST to complete the Fe III work. Similarly, Co III and Cr III measurements are currently ongoing at both Imperial and NIST. After completion of the analysis, the data will be disseminated to atomic databases (such as the NIST Atomic Spectra Database and the Vienna Atomic Line Database). This work is supported in part by NASA Grant NAG5-12668, PPARC and the Royal Society of the UK. [1] J. C. Pickering, Vibrational Spectroscopy, 29, 27-43 (2002)

Nuclear astrophysics in the laboratory and in the universe

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

Champagne, A. E., E-mail: artc@physics.unc.edu; Iliadis, C.; Longland, R.

Nuclear processes drive stellar evolution and so nuclear physics, stellar models and observations together allow us to describe the inner workings of stars and their life stories. This Information on nuclear reaction rates and nuclear properties are critical ingredients in addressing most questions in astrophysics and often the nuclear database is incomplete or lacking the needed precision. Direct measurements of astrophysically-interesting reactions are necessary and the experimental focus is on improving both sensitivity and precision. In the following, we review recent results and approaches taken at the Laboratory for Experimental Nuclear Astrophysics (LENA, http://research.physics.unc.edu/project/nuclearastro/Welcome.html )

PyNeb: a new tool for analyzing emission lines. I. Code description and validation of results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luridiana, V.; Morisset, C.; Shaw, R. A.

2015-01-01

Analysis of emission lines in gaseous nebulae yields direct measures of physical conditions and chemical abundances and is the cornerstone of nebular astrophysics. Although the physical problem is conceptually simple, its practical complexity can be overwhelming since the amount of data to be analyzed steadily increases; furthermore, results depend crucially on the input atomic data, whose determination also improves each year. To address these challenges we created PyNeb, an innovative code for analyzing emission lines. PyNeb computes physical conditions and ionic and elemental abundances and produces both theoretical and observational diagnostic plots. It is designed to be portable, modular, and largely customizable in aspects such as the atomic data used, the format of the observational data to be analyzed, and the graphical output. It gives full access to the intermediate quantities of the calculation, making it possible to write scripts tailored to the specific type of analysis one wants to carry out. In the case of collisionally excited lines, PyNeb works by solving the equilibrium equations for an n-level atom; in the case of recombination lines, it works by interpolation in emissivity tables. The code offers a choice of extinction laws and ionization correction factors, which can be complemented by user-provided recipes. It is entirely written in the python programming language and uses standard python libraries. It is fully vectorized, making it apt for analyzing huge amounts of data. The code is stable and has been benchmarked against IRAF/NEBULAR. It is public, fully documented, and has already been satisfactorily used in a number of published papers.

Teller, Edward (1908-)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murdin, P.

2000-11-01

American physicist, born in Budapest, Hungary; at George Washington University collaborated with George Gamow in studying nuclear beta decay, and astrophysics. Worked on the atomic and hydrogen bombs....

ZAPP shot summary

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

Loisel, Guillaume Pascal

This was the second Z Astrophysical Plasma Properties (ZAPP) fundamental science shot series of 2015. ZAPP experiments measure fundamental properties of atoms in plasmas to solve the following important astrophysical puzzles: Why can’t we accurately model the opacity of Fe at the convection zone boundary in the Sun? How accurate are the photoionization models used to interpret data from xray satellite observations? and Why doesn’t spectral fitting provide the correct properties for White Dwarfs?

Phenomenology of small violations of Fermi and Bose statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenberg, O. W.; Mohapatra, Rabindra N.

1989-04-01

In a recent paper, we proposed a ``paronic'' field-theory framework for possible small deviations from the Pauli exclusion principle. This theory cannot be represented in a positive-metric (Hilbert) space. Nonetheless, the issue of possible small violations of the exclusion principle can be addressed in the framework of quantum mechanics, without being connected with a local quantum field theory. In this paper, we discuss the phenomenology of small violations of both Fermi and Bose statistics. We consider the implications of such violations in atomic, nuclear, particle, and condensed-matter physics and in astrophysics and cosmology. We also discuss experiments that can detect small violations of Fermi and Bose statistics or place stringent bounds on their validity.

Professional Ethics for Astronomers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marvel, K. B.

2005-05-01

There is a growing recognition that professional ethics is an important topic for all professional scientists, especially physical scientists. Situations at the National Laboratories have dramatically proven this point. Professional ethics is usually only considered important for the health sciences and the legal and medical professions. However, certain aspects of the day to day work of professional astronomers can be impacted by ethical issues. Examples include refereeing scientific papers, serving on grant panels or telescope allocation committees, submitting grant proposals, providing proper references in publications, proposals or talks and even writing recommendation letters for job candidates or serving on search committees. This session will feature several speakers on a variety of topics and provide time for questions and answers from the audience. Confirmed speakers include: Kate Kirby, Director Institute for Theoretical Atomic and Molecular Physics - Professional Ethics in the Physical Sciences: An Overview Rob Kennicutt, Astrophysical Journal Editor - Ethical Issues for Publishing Astronomers Peggy Fischer, Office of the NSF Inspector General - Professional Ethics from the NSF Inspector General's Point of View

39 Questionable Assumptions in Modern Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volk, Greg

2009-03-01

The growing body of anomalies in new energy, low energy nuclear reactions, astrophysics, atomic physics, and entanglement, combined with the failure of the Standard Model and string theory to predict many of the most basic fundamental phenomena, all point to a need for major new paradigms. Not Band-Aids, but revolutionary new ways of conceptualizing physics, in the spirit of Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. This paper identifies a number of long-held, but unproven assumptions currently being challenged by an increasing number of alternative scientists. Two common themes, both with venerable histories, keep recurring in the many alternative theories being proposed: (1) Mach's Principle, and (2) toroidal, vortex particles. Matter-based Mach's Principle differs from both space-based universal frames and observer-based Einsteinian relativity. Toroidal particles, in addition to explaining electron spin and the fundamental constants, satisfy the basic requirement of Gauss's misunderstood B Law, that motion itself circulates. Though a comprehensive theory is beyond the scope of this paper, it will suggest alternatives to the long list of assumptions in context.

Fusion/Astrophysics Teacher Research Academy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Correll, Donald

2005-10-01

In order to engage California high school science teachers in the area of plasma physics and fusion research, LLNL's Fusion Energy Program has partnered with the UC Davis Edward Teller Education Center, ETEC (http://etec.ucdavis.edu), the Stanford University Solar Center (http://solar-center.stanford.edu) and LLNL's Science / Technology Education Program, STEP (http://education.llnl.gov). A four-level ``Fusion & Astrophysics Research Academy'' has been designed to give teachers experience in conducting research using spectroscopy with their students. Spectroscopy, and its relationship to atomic physics and electromagnetism, provides for an ideal plasma `bridge' to the CA Science Education Standards (http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/scphysics.asp). Teachers attend multiple-day professional development workshops to explore new research activities for use in the high school science classroom. A Level I, 3-day program consists of two days where teachers learn how plasma researchers use spectrometers followed by instructions on how to use a research grade spectrometer for their own investigations. A 3rd day includes touring LLNL's SSPX (http://www.mfescience.org/sspx/) facility to see spectrometry being used to measure plasma properties. Spectrometry classroom kits are made available for loaning to participating teachers. Level I workshop results (http://education.llnl.gov/fusion&_slash;astro/) will be presented along with plans being developed for Level II (one week advanced SKA's), Level III (pre-internship), and Level IV (summer internship) research academies.

Partially Ionized Plasmas in Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballester, José Luis; Alexeev, Igor; Collados, Manuel; Downes, Turlough; Pfaff, Robert F.; Gilbert, Holly; Khodachenko, Maxim; Khomenko, Elena; Shaikhislamov, Ildar F.; Soler, Roberto; Vázquez-Semadeni, Enrique; Zaqarashvili, Teimuraz

2018-03-01

Partially ionized plasmas are found across the Universe in many different astrophysical environments. They constitute an essential ingredient of the solar atmosphere, molecular clouds, planetary ionospheres and protoplanetary disks, among other environments, and display a richness of physical effects which are not present in fully ionized plasmas. This review provides an overview of the physics of partially ionized plasmas, including recent advances in different astrophysical areas in which partial ionization plays a fundamental role. We outline outstanding observational and theoretical questions and discuss possible directions for future progress.

Fluorescent Fe K Emission from High Density Accretion Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bautista, Manuel; Mendoza, Claudio; Garcia, Javier; Kallman, Timothy R.; Palmeri, Patrick; Deprince, Jerome; Quinet, Pascal

2018-06-01

Iron K-shell lines emitted by gas closely orbiting black holes are observed to be grossly broadened and skewed by Doppler effects and gravitational redshift. Accordingly, models for line profiles are widely used to measure the spin (i.e., the angular momentum) of astrophysical black holes. The accuracy of these spin estimates is called into question because fitting the data requires very high iron abundances, several times the solar value. Meanwhile, no plausible physical explanation has been proffered for why these black hole systems should be so iron rich. The most likely explanation for the super-solar iron abundances is a deficiency in the models, and the leading candidate cause is that current models are inapplicable at densities above 1018 cm-3. We study the effects of high densities on the atomic parameters and on the spectral models for iron ions. At high densities, Debye plasma can affect the effective atomic potential of the ions, leading to observable changes in energy levels and atomic rates with respect to the low density case. High densities also have the effec of lowering energy the atomic continuum and reducing the recombination rate coefficients. On the spectral modeling side, high densities drive level populations toward a Boltzman distribution and very large numbers of excited atomic levels, typically accounted for in theoretical spectral models, may contribute to the K-shell spectrum.

Gravitational Waves from Neutron Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokkotas, Konstantinos

2016-03-01

Neutron stars are the densest objects in the present Universe, attaining physical conditions of matter that cannot be replicated on Earth. These unique and irreproducible laboratories allow us to study physics in some of its most extreme regimes. More importantly, however, neutron stars allow us to formulate a number of fundamental questions that explore, in an intricate manner, the boundaries of our understanding of physics and of the Universe. The multifaceted nature of neutron stars involves a delicate interplay among astrophysics, gravitational physics, and nuclear physics. The research in the physics and astrophysics of neutron stars is expected to flourish and thrive in the next decade. The imminent direct detection of gravitational waves will turn gravitational physics into an observational science, and will provide us with a unique opportunity to make major breakthroughs in gravitational physics, in particle and high-energy astrophysics. These waves, which represent a basic prediction of Einstein's theory of general relativity but have yet to be detected directly, are produced in copious amounts, for instance, by tight binary neutron star and black hole systems, supernovae explosions, non-axisymmetric or unstable spinning neutron stars. The focus of the talk will be on the neutron star instabilities induced by rotation and the magnetic field. The conditions for the onset of these instabilities and their efficiency in gravitational waves will be presented. Finally, the dependence of the results and their impact on astrophysics and especially nuclear physics will be discussed.

The national ignition facility and atomic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crandall, David H.

1998-07-01

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is under construction, capping over 25 years of development of the inertial confinement fusion concept by providing the facility to obtain fusion ignition in the laboratory for the first time. The NIF is a 192 beam glass laser to provide energy controlled in space and time so that a millimeter-scale capsule containing deuterium and tritium can be compressed to fusion conditions. Light transport, conversion of light in frequency, interaction of light with matter in solid and plasma forms, and diagnostics of extreme material conditions on small scale all use atomic data in preparing for use of the NIF. The NIF will provide opportunity to make measurements of atomic data in extreme physical environments related to fusion energy, nuclear weapon detonation, and astrophysics. The first laser beams of NIF should be operational in 2001 and the full facility completed at the end of 2003. NIF is to provide 1.8 megajoule of blue light on fusion targets and is intended to achieve fusion ignition by about the end of 2007. Today's inertial fusion development activities use atomic data to design and predict fusion capsule performance and in non-fusion applications to analyze radiation transport and radiation effects on matter. Conditions investigated involve radiation temperature of hundreds of eV, pressures up to gigabars and time scales of femptoseconds.

Measurement of energy transitions for the decay radiations of 75Ge and 69Ge in a high purity germanium detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aydın, Güral; Usta, Metin; Oktay, Adem

2018-06-01

Photoactivation experiments have a wide range of application areas in nuclear, particle physics, and medical physics such as measuring energy levels and half-lifes of nuclei, experiments for understanding imaging methods in medicine, isotope production for patient treatment, radiation security and transportation, radiation therapy, and astrophysics processes. In this study, some energy transition values of the decay radiations of 75Ge and 69Ge, which are the products of photonuclear reactions (γ, n) with germanium isotopes (75Ge and 69Ge), were measured. The gamma spectrum as a result of atomic transitions were analysed by using a high purity semiconductor germanium detector and the energy transition values which are presented here were compared with the ones which are the best in literature. It was observed that the results presented are in agreement with literature in error range and some results have better precisions.

Nuclear astrophysics lessons from INTEGRAL.

PubMed

Diehl, Roland

2013-02-01

Measurements of high-energy photons from cosmic sources of nuclear radiation through ESA's INTEGRAL mission have advanced our knowledge: new data with high spectral resolution showed that characteristic gamma-ray lines from radioactive decays occur throughout the Galaxy in its interstellar medium. Although the number of detected sources and often the significance of the astrophysical results remain modest, conclusions derived from this unique astronomical window of radiation originating from nuclear processes are important, complementing the widely-employed atomic-line based spectroscopy. We review the results and insights obtained in the past decade from gamma-ray line measurements of cosmic sources in the context of their astrophysical questions.

PREFACE: Sixth International Conference on Dissociative Recombination: Theory, Experiments and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, Andreas; Lammich, Lutz; Schmelcher, Peter

2005-01-01

Dissociative recombination between electrons and molecular ions is an elementary reaction in electron-induced chemistry attracting strong attention across discipline boundaries, from fundamental questions of intramolecular dynamics to astrophysics, plasma science, as well as atmospheric and planetary physics. The process is explored on the level of atomic quantum dynamics both experimentally and theoretically, employing cold collisions at temperatures down to 10 Kelvin involving small molecules or also very large systems ranging up to biomolecules. Dissociative recombination (DR) and related processes, such as dissociative excitation, collisional cooling of vibrations and rotations, photodissociation via high-lying electronic states, resonant electron attachment, and electron-induced processes in large molecules and clusters, are studied by a variety of experimental methods, including stored and trapped molecular ions, plasma techniques such as stationary and flowing afterglow, and laser spectroscopic diagnostic of molecular excitations. The Sixth International Conference on Dissociative Recombination: Theory, Experiments and Applications (DR2004) was organized by the Research Group on Atomic and Molecular Physics with Stored Ions at the Max-Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany, and held near Heidelberg in the town of Mosbach in July 2004. It was attended by about 90 scientists working in atomic and molecular physics, astrophysics, plasma- and biophysics. International Conferences on Dissociative Recombination and related processes were held before at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada (1988), Saint Jacut, Brittany, France (1992), Ein Gedi, Israel (1995), Nässlingen, Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden (1999), and last within a symposium at the American Chemical Society meeting in Chicago, USA (2001). The presentations of this conference document a strong development of theoretical ideas towards the understanding of DR in particular in polyatomic systems. Strong attention was given to the elementary triatomic benchmark system H3+, characterized by ambitious, complementary experimental projects. Interaction of experiment and theory improves in particular the understanding of non-adiabatic molecular interactions involving electronic continuum states. New experimental techniques focus on a detailed control of the internal molecular excitation on the level of single quantum states, which gives increasing importance to laser interactions and ion storage at cryogenic temperatures. Apart from its place in the series of "DR conferences", this meeting is also the final assembly of the EU Research Training Network "Electron Transfer Reactions" (ETR) which in the period from 2000 to 2004 helped to establish many invaluable links between 15 experimental and theoretical institutes active in the field of DR and related processes. We express our gratitude to the EU for the support through the Research Training Network Programme, which has made possible the attendance of many students and young researchers. Furthermore, generous financial support for this conference was provided by the Max-Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg. The efficient support of the conference center "Alte Mälzerei", operated by the city of Mosbach, is gratefully acknowledged. Finally we warmly thank the staff and the students of the Max-Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics for the dedicated help during the conference.

Astrophysical observations: lensing and eclipsing Einstein's theories.

PubMed

Bennett, Charles L

2005-02-11

Albert Einstein postulated the equivalence of energy and mass, developed the theory of special relativity, explained the photoelectric effect, and described Brownian motion in five papers, all published in 1905, 100 years ago. With these papers, Einstein provided the framework for understanding modern astrophysical phenomena. Conversely, astrophysical observations provide one of the most effective means for testing Einstein's theories. Here, I review astrophysical advances precipitated by Einstein's insights, including gravitational redshifts, gravitational lensing, gravitational waves, the Lense-Thirring effect, and modern cosmology. A complete understanding of cosmology, from the earliest moments to the ultimate fate of the universe, will require developments in physics beyond Einstein, to a unified theory of gravity and quantum physics.

Flexible, Mastery-Oriented Astrophysics Sequence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeilik, Michael, II

1981-01-01

Describes the implementation and impact of a two-semester mastery-oriented astrophysics sequence for upper-level physics/astrophysics majors designed to handle flexibly a wide range of student backgrounds. A Personalized System of Instruction (PSI) format was used fostering frequent student-instructor interaction and role-modeling behavior in…

News Particle Physics: ATLAS unveils mural at CERN Prize: Corti Trust invites essay entries Astrophysics: CERN holds cosmic-ray conference Researchers in Residence: Lord Winston returns to school Music: ATLAS scientists record physics music Conference: Champagne flows at Reims event Competition: Students triumph at physics olympiad Teaching: Physics proves popular in Japanese schools Forthcoming Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2011-01-01

Particle Physics: ATLAS unveils mural at CERN Prize: Corti Trust invites essay entries Astrophysics: CERN holds cosmic-ray conference Researchers in Residence: Lord Winston returns to school Music: ATLAS scientists record physics music Conference: Champagne flows at Reims event Competition: Students triumph at physics olympiad Teaching: Physics proves popular in Japanese schools Forthcoming Events

Basic Equations Interrelate Atomic and Nuclear Properties to Patterns at the Size Scales of the Cosmos, Extended Clusters of Galaxies, Galaxies, and Nebulae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Rob

2016-09-01

Structures within molecules and nuclei have relationships to astronomical patterns. The COBE cosmic scale plots, and large scale surveys of galaxy clusters have patterns also repeating and well known at atomic scales. The Induction, Strong Force, and Nuclear Binding Energy Periods within the Big Bang are revealed to have played roles in the formation of these large scale distributions. Equations related to the enormous patterns also model chemical bonds and likely nucleus and nucleon substructures. ratios of the forces that include gravity are accurately calculated from the distributions and shapes. In addition, particle masses and a great many physical constants can be derived with precision and accuracy from astrophysical shapes. A few very basic numbers can do modelling from nucleon internals to molecules to super novae, and up to the Visible Universe. Equations are also provided along with possible structural configurations for some Cold Dark Matter and Dark Energy.

Plasma physics of extreme astrophysical environments.

PubMed

Uzdensky, Dmitri A; Rightley, Shane

2014-03-01

Among the incredibly diverse variety of astrophysical objects, there are some that are characterized by very extreme physical conditions not encountered anywhere else in the Universe. Of special interest are ultra-magnetized systems that possess magnetic fields exceeding the critical quantum field of about 44 TG. There are basically only two classes of such objects: magnetars, whose magnetic activity is manifested, e.g., via their very short but intense gamma-ray flares, and central engines of supernovae (SNe) and gamma-ray bursts (GRBs)--the most powerful explosions in the modern Universe. Figuring out how these complex systems work necessarily requires understanding various plasma processes, both small-scale kinetic and large-scale magnetohydrodynamic (MHD), that govern their behavior. However, the presence of an ultra-strong magnetic field modifies the underlying basic physics to such a great extent that relying on conventional, classical plasma physics is often not justified. Instead, plasma-physical problems relevant to these extreme astrophysical environments call for constructing relativistic quantum plasma (RQP) physics based on quantum electrodynamics (QED). In this review, after briefly describing the astrophysical systems of interest and identifying some of the key plasma-physical problems important to them, we survey the recent progress in the development of such a theory. We first discuss the ways in which the presence of a super-critical field modifies the properties of vacuum and matter and then outline the basic theoretical framework for describing both non-relativistic and RQPs. We then turn to some specific astrophysical applications of relativistic QED plasma physics relevant to magnetar magnetospheres and to central engines of core-collapse SNe and long GRBs. Specifically, we discuss the propagation of light through a magnetar magnetosphere; large-scale MHD processes driving magnetar activity and responsible for jet launching and propagation in GRBs; energy-transport processes governing the thermodynamics of extreme plasma environments; micro-scale kinetic plasma processes important in the interaction of intense electric currents flowing through a magnetar magnetosphere with the neutron star surface; and magnetic reconnection of ultra-strong magnetic fields. Finally, we point out that future progress in applying RQP physics to real astrophysical problems will require the development of suitable numerical modeling capabilities.

Obituary: Douglas H. Sampson, 1925-2002

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mészáros, Peter; Clark, Robert E. H.; Zhang, Honglin; Fontes, Christopher J.

2003-12-01

Douglas H. Sampson, a renowned theoretical atomic physicist and a professor emeritus of astronomy and astrophysics at The Pennsylvania State University, passed away on 8 December 2002, in State College, Pennsylvania, of a hemorrhagic stroke. He had retired in 1997 after 32 years of service to the University and had maintained an active research program up to the day of his death. Doug, as he was universally known to his friends and colleagues, was born in Devils Lake, North Dakota on 19 May 1925. His parents, Abner and Mabel Sampson, were farmers. He was raised without running water or electricity on a farm, homesteaded by his ancestors in Edmore, North Dakota. He was one of two children in his class at a two-room rural elementary school and graduated as valedictorian from Edmore High School in 1944. No physics classes or advanced mathematics classes were offered in his small high school. In 1956, he was married to Carlyn Grutzner. During Doug Sampson's military service in the United States Army from February 1945 until December 1946, he was selected as a MP (Military Policeman) in the Philippines. His military experience provided him with the opportunity to attend college under the GI Bill. Because he had to work on the family farm, he started college a month later every fall and took exams a month earlier each spring. Nevertheless, Sampson graduated as co-salutatorian from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota in 1951 with a BA degree with majors in physics and mathematics. Afterwards he received his MS and PhD degrees in theoretical physics from Yale University in 1953 and 1956 under the guidance of Henry Margenau. Sampson then became a staff member of the Theoretical Division of the Los Alamos National Laboratory until 1961. While there he performed calculations of fundamental atomic cross sections used in the determination of opacities for radiation transport simulations. The calculation of high quality atomic data would end up being a life long pursuit. During this period he was also a visiting staff member in the Theoretical Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration. During the interval 1961--1964, he worked at the Valley Forge Space Center of the General Electric Company, where he became leader of the atomic and radiation physics group. While working there, he took advanced courses in relativistic quantum mechanics and field theory at the University of Pennsylvania. He joined the faculty of Penn State in 1965 as an associate professor in the recently created department of astronomy and became a full professor in 1969. During his career at Penn State, he contributed a substantial share toward the unprecedented growth in the intellectual stature of the department. Doug's research at Penn State focused on developing theory and corresponding computer programs for calculating cross sections or rates for various atomic processes in very high-temperature gases, or plasmas, which commonly occur in astrophysics, fusion-energy research, and X-ray lasers. The atomic data for these processes help scientists understand high-temperature plasmas and predict the spectra that emerge from them. His early work primarily involved electron-impact processes for nonrelativistic ions. A goal of this research was to perform large-scale, computer-intensive calculations of the fundamental cross sections, and then fit these results to various functional forms so the data could be obtained quickly and accurately by plasma modelers. Doug had noted that for a hydrogenic ion, the relevant matrix elements used in the calculation of cross sections for excitation, scale with the nuclear charge. He realized that it would be possible to obtain quite accurate cross sections for more complex ions by scaling the hydrogenic results by an effective charge. Furthermore, he worked out angular algebra coupling for complex ions with many bound electrons and included the effects of configuration and intermediate coupling mixing in the target states. In this way, he was able to generate cross sections for iso-electronic sequences with affordable computational time. He applied this method to both electron-impact excitation and ionization. This important work took place when computational power was a small fraction of current standards and it allowed relatively massive amounts of cross section data to be calculated for a variety of ions with application to astrophysics and fusion research. By 1985 Doug turned his attention to treating the electron-ion collision problem in a fully relativistic manner, in support of X-ray laser research. He and his research group developed an approach and associated computer programs, including an atomic structure program and electron-impact excitation and ionization programs that were based on solving the Dirac equation. His efforts were also devoted to making the computer codes very efficient so they could rapidly produce large amounts of data. At this time supercomputers were becoming more accessible, which provided much-needed computer power for a fully relativistic treatment of heavier elements. However, a brute force approach was still not feasible and Doug was able to apply a number of numerical procedures that greatly reduced the required computing time while preserving the accuracy of the calculations. This sustained effort (spanning about 17 years) resulted in a suite of robust codes that can be used to determine fundamental atomic cross sections or rates for a wide variety of plasma modeling applications. In addition, Sampson applied the fitting procedures to vast quantities of these relativistic data, making them readily available to a broad audience of researchers. Both of these non-relativistic and fully relativistic approaches, along with the associated computer codes, are currently in use at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Naval Research Laboratory to model the high-temperature plasmas produced there. Although his major efforts were directed toward the rapid production of large amounts of atomic data, Doug had always been a serious researcher, verifying the calculations against experimental data whenever possible. In the course of his work Doug guided a number of PhD students through the Astronomy and Astrophysics Department and the Physics Department. He was always available for discussions of all aspects of the work and willing to listen to his students. A lasting legacy of his work was the care he took in ensuring the accuracy of each step, down to careful reading of the gallery proofs from the journals. He emphasized that even if one had the best theory, but made an error in computer coding, or in producing a table, the resulting incorrect data were of no value. This emphasis on accuracy and faithful reproduction of the theory in the application to a plasma modeling calculation has served his students well. At least three of these students went on to work on data applications at Los Alamos National Laboratory, continuing the tradition of careful application of atomic theory to plasma modeling. Doug was an active graduate and undergraduate teacher, developing a number of upper-level courses in astrophysics, and serving as chairman or member of many departmental and university committees. Undergraduate students invariably commented on his accessibility, patience and human warmth. Sampson presented papers and seminars at numerous conferences and institutions in the United States and abroad, and authored or coauthored over 110 research papers in refereed journals. He was also the author of a book, "Radiative Contributions to Energy and Momentum Transport in a Gas", published by Wiley-Interscience. He consulted with Gulf General Atomic Incorporated; Systems, Science, and Software; the Los Alamos National Laboratory; and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He was a Fellow of the American Physical Society, and a member of the American Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union. He spent his last sabbatical leave before his retirement at The Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford. At the time of his death he was working on a manuscript for Physics Reports, summarizing his research in relativistic atomic theory. Doug had an unobtrusive but keen sense of humor, as well as a positive outlook on life, and remained physically active throughout his life. His colleagues will remember him for his willingness to listen and to help, as well as for his strong sense of pioneer values and humanity. His hobbies included the study of American history and the history of Western Civilization. He is survived by his wife Carlyn, their four children and ten grandchildren.

The Trojan Horse method for nuclear astrophysics: Recent results on resonance reactions

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

Cognata, M. La; Pizzone, R. G.; Spitaleri, C.

Nuclear astrophysics aims to measure nuclear-reaction cross sections of astrophysical interest to be included into models to study stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis. Low energies, < 1 MeV or even < 10 keV, are requested for this is the window where these processes are more effective. Two effects have prevented to achieve a satisfactory knowledge of the relevant nuclear processes, namely, the Coulomb barrier exponentially suppressing the cross section and the presence of atomic electrons. These difficulties have triggered theoretical and experimental investigations to extend our knowledge down to astrophysical energies. For instance, indirect techniques such as the Trojan Horse Methodmore » have been devised yielding new cutting-edge results. In particular, I will focus on the application of this indirect method to resonance reactions. Resonances might dramatically enhance the astrophysical S(E)-factor so, when they occur right at astrophysical energies, their measurement is crucial to pin down the astrophysical scenario. Unknown or unpredicted resonances might introduce large systematic errors in nucleosynthesis models. These considerations apply to low-energy resonances and to sub-threshold resonances as well, as they may produce sizable modifications of the S-factor due to, for instance, destructive interference with another resonance.« less

Search for Sugars and Related Compounds in Residues Produced from the UV Irradiation of Astrophysical Ice Analogs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandford, S. A.; Nuevo, M.; Materese, C. K.; Cooper, G. W.

2015-01-01

A large variety of organics of biological and prebiotic interests have been detected in meteorites, including one sugar and several sugar acids and sugar alcohols [1]. The presence of these compounds in meteorites, along with amino acids, amphiphiles, and nucleobases [2-4], indicates that molecules essential to life can be formed abiotically under astrophysical conditions. This hypothesis is supported by extensive laboratory studies involving the formation of complex organic molecules from the ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of astrophysical ice analogs (H2O, CO, CO2, CH3OH, CH4, NH3, etc.). These studies show that the organic residues recovered at room temperature contain many of the same compounds as those found in meteorites[3,58]. However, to the best of our knowledge, no systematic search for the presence of sugars and sugar derivatives in such laboratory residues have been reported to date. Only a limited number of small (greater than 4 C atoms) sugar-related compounds such as glycerol and glyceric acid [9], and more recently small (2-4 C atoms) aldehydes [10] have been detected in residues.

Atomic Data for Fusion. Volume 5: Collisions of Carbon and Oxygen Ions with Electrons, H, H2 and He

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-02-01

Atomico Bariloche , 8400 San Carlos De Bariloche, Argentina 438. Dr. S. V. Mirnov, I. V. Kurchatov Institute Of, Atomic Energy, Ulitsa Kurchatova, 46...Bldg. R25, Space and Astrophysics Div., Rutherford Appleton Lab., Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX1I OQX, United Kingdom 437. Dr. W. Meckbach, Centro

Artium mater in relativistic astrophysics : New perspectives for a European-Latin American PhD program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chardonnet, Pascal

2015-12-01

Following the successful scientific space missions by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile, as well as the high-energy particle activities at CERN in Genve, we have created a Ph.D. program dedicated to the formation of scientists in the field of relativistic astrophysics. The students of such a program will lead the theoretical developments of one of the most active fields of research, based on the above observational and experimental facilities. This program needs expertise in the most advanced topics of mathematical and theoretical physics, and in relativistic field theories. It requires the ability to model the observational data received from the above facilities, as well as all the basic knowledge in astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology. This activity is necessarily international, no single university can cover the broad expertises. From this, the proposed program of the IRAP Ph.D., in one of the youngest and most dynamical French universities, pole of research and teaching in the Euro-Mediterranean region (PRES): the University of Nice. It benefits from the presence of the astrophysics research institute of Observatoire de la Cte d'Azur involved in relativistic and non-photonic astrophysics. The participation of the Freie Universitaet Berlin, Oldenburg and Bremen Universities and of the Einstein Institute in Potsdam offers the possibility of teaching in relativistic field theories at the highest level. The University of Savoy offers the link to the particle physics at CERN. The activities at the University of Rome, at Stockholm University and at ICRANet offer teaching programs in all the fields of relativistic astrophysics, including cosmology, the physics of gravitational collapse, gamma-ray bursts, and black hole physics. Finally, the University of Ferrara will be present with lectures and researches in the topics they have pioneered such as x-ray astrophysics and observational cosmology. Through ICRANet the extra-European connections with Brazil, China and India will be guaranteed: in China, with the Shanghai Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Science, studying the formation and evolution of large-scale structure and galaxies; in India, with the Indian Centre for Space Physics (ICSP), renowned for its research on compact objects as well as on solar physics and astrochemistry; in Brazil with ICRANet Brazil where a successful program of research and teaching in relativistic astrophysics has been established in recent years.

Artium mater in relativistic astrophysics : New perspectives for a European-Latin American PhD program

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

Chardonnet, Pascal; LAPTh, Université de Savoie, CNRS, B.P. 110, Annecy-le-Vieux F-74941; ICRANet, Piazza della Repubblica 10, 65122 Pescara

Following the successful scientific space missions by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile, as well as the high-energy particle activities at CERN in Genve, we have created a Ph.D. program dedicated to the formation of scientists in the field of relativistic astrophysics. The students of such a program will lead the theoretical developments of one of the most active fields of research, based on the above observational and experimental facilities. This program needs expertise in the most advanced topics of mathematical and theoretical physics, and in relativistic field theories. It requires the abilitymore » to model the observational data received from the above facilities, as well as all the basic knowledge in astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology. This activity is necessarily international, no single university can cover the broad expertises. From this, the proposed program of the IRAP Ph.D., in one of the youngest and most dynamical French universities, pole of research and teaching in the Euro-Mediterranean region (PRES): the University of Nice. It benefits from the presence of the astrophysics research institute of Observatoire de la Cte d’Azur involved in relativistic and non-photonic astrophysics. The participation of the Freie Universitaet Berlin, Oldenburg and Bremen Universities and of the Einstein Institute in Potsdam offers the possibility of teaching in relativistic field theories at the highest level. The University of Savoy offers the link to the particle physics at CERN. The activities at the University of Rome, at Stockholm University and at ICRANet offer teaching programs in all the fields of relativistic astrophysics, including cosmology, the physics of gravitational collapse, gamma-ray bursts, and black hole physics. Finally, the University of Ferrara will be present with lectures and researches in the topics they have pioneered such as x-ray astrophysics and observational cosmology. Through ICRANet the extra-European connections with Brazil, China and India will be guaranteed: in China, with the Shanghai Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Science, studying the formation and evolution of large-scale structure and galaxies; in India, with the Indian Centre for Space Physics (ICSP), renowned for its research on compact objects as well as on solar physics and astrochemistry; in Brazil with ICRANet Brazil where a successful program of research and teaching in relativistic astrophysics has been established in recent years.« less

Classical dense matter physics: some basic methods and results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Čelebonović, Vladan

2002-07-01

This is an introduction to the basic notions, some methods and open problems of dense matter physics and their applications in astrophysics. Experimental topics cover the range from the work of P. W. Bridgman to the discovery and basic results of use of the diamond anvil cell. On the theoretical side, the semiclassical method of P. Savić and R. Kašanin is described. The choice of these topics is conditioned by their applicability in astrophysics and the author's research experience. At the end of the paper is presented a list of some unsolved problems in dense matter physics and astrophysics, some (or all) of which could form a basis of future collaborations.

Frequency redistribution function for the polarized two-term atom

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

Casini, R.; Landi Degl'Innocenti, M.; Manso Sainz, R.

2014-08-20

We present a generalized frequency redistribution function for the polarized two-term atom in an arbitrary magnetic field. This result is derived within a new formulation of the quantum problem of coherent scattering of polarized radiation by atoms in the collisionless regime. The general theory, which is based on a diagrammatic treatment of the atom-photon interaction, is still a work in progress. However, the results anticipated here are relevant enough for the study of the magnetism of the solar chromosphere and of interest for astrophysics in general.

A White Paper on keV sterile neutrino Dark Matter

DOE PAGES

Adhikari, R.

2017-01-13

Here, we present a comprehensive review of keV-scale sterile neutrino Dark Matter, collecting views and insights from all disciplines involved - cosmology, astrophysics, nuclear, and particle physics - in each case viewed from both theoretical and experimental/observational perspectives. After reviewing the role of active neutrinos in particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology, we focus on sterile neutrinos in the context of the Dark Matter puzzle. First, we review the physics motivation for sterile neutrino Dark Matter, based on challenges and tensions in purely cold Dark Matter scenarios. We then round out the discussion by critically summarizing all known constraints on sterilemore » neutrino Dark Matter arising from astrophysical observations, laboratory experiments, and theoretical considerations. In this context, we provide a balanced discourse on the possibly positive signal from X-ray observations. Another focus of the paper concerns the construction of particle physics models, aiming to explain how sterile neutrinos of keV-scale masses could arise in concrete settings beyond the Standard Model of elementary particle physics. Our paper ends with an extensive review of current and future astrophysical and laboratory searches, highlighting new ideas and their experimental challenges, as well as future perspectives for the discovery of sterile neutrinos.« less

A White Paper on keV sterile neutrino Dark Matter

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

Adhikari, R.

Here, we present a comprehensive review of keV-scale sterile neutrino Dark Matter, collecting views and insights from all disciplines involved - cosmology, astrophysics, nuclear, and particle physics - in each case viewed from both theoretical and experimental/observational perspectives. After reviewing the role of active neutrinos in particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology, we focus on sterile neutrinos in the context of the Dark Matter puzzle. First, we review the physics motivation for sterile neutrino Dark Matter, based on challenges and tensions in purely cold Dark Matter scenarios. We then round out the discussion by critically summarizing all known constraints on sterilemore » neutrino Dark Matter arising from astrophysical observations, laboratory experiments, and theoretical considerations. In this context, we provide a balanced discourse on the possibly positive signal from X-ray observations. Another focus of the paper concerns the construction of particle physics models, aiming to explain how sterile neutrinos of keV-scale masses could arise in concrete settings beyond the Standard Model of elementary particle physics. Our paper ends with an extensive review of current and future astrophysical and laboratory searches, highlighting new ideas and their experimental challenges, as well as future perspectives for the discovery of sterile neutrinos.« less

The NASA Astrophysics Data System

Science.gov Websites

a digital library for researchers in astronomy and astrophysics. It also covers other subject areas related to astronomy and astrophysics. This data system is a NASA funded project and access to all ADS Eichhorn, Project Scientist for ADS, received the Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics Division Award from

Benchmarking transition energies and emission strengths for X-ray astrophysics with measurements at the Livermore EBITs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hell, Natalie

2017-03-01

K-shell transitions in astrophysically abundant metals and L-shell transitions in Fe group elements show characteristic signatures in the soft X-ray spectrum in the energy range 0.1-10 keV. These signatures have great diagnostic value for plasma parameters such as electron and ion temperatures and densities, and can thus help understand the physics controlling the energetic processes in astrophysical sources. This diagnostic power increases with advances in spectral resolution and effective area of the employed X-ray observatories. However, to make optimal use of the diagnostic potential - whether through global spectral modeling or through diagnostics from local modeling of individual lines - the underlying atomic physics has to be complete and well known. With the next generation of soft X-ray observatories featuring micro-calorimeters such as the SXS on Astro-H /Hitomi and the X-IFU on Athena, broadband high-resolution spectroscopy with large effective area will become more commonly available in the next decade. With these spectrometers, the accuracy of the plasma parameters derived from spectral modeling will be limited by the uncertainty of the reference atomic data rather than by instrumental factors, as is sometimes already the case for the high-resolution grating observations with Chandra-HETG and XMM-Newton-RGS. To take full advantage of the measured spectra, assessment of the accuracy of and improvements to the available atomic reference data are therefore important. Dedicated measurements in the laboratory are essential to benchmark the theoretical calculations providing the bulk of the reference data used in astrophysics. Experiments at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory electron beam ion traps (EBIT-I and SuperEBIT) have a long history of providing this service. In this work, I present new measurements of transition energies and absolute electron impact excitation cross sections geared towards currently open atomic physics data needs. First, I measured the energies of K α transitions in L-shell ions of Si and S at EBIT using the EBIT calorimeter spectrometer (ECS) with 4.5-5.0 eV resolution, i.e., a similar resolution to the Astro-H /Hitomi SXS soft X-ray spectrometer. While these lines will become interesting also for L-shell ions of other astrophysically abundant elements, they have been observed most prominently from L-shell ions of Si and S in the X-ray spectra of a variety of astrophysical sources. The measured line centers have an accuracy of 0.5 eV for the strong transitions and 1 eV for the weaker ones. This accuracy translates to Doppler shifts of less than 90 km s -1 , i.e., less than the calibration uncertainty of the Chandra high-energy transmission gratings. The measured line centers are identified with my own calculations with the Flexible Atomic Code (FAC) and compared to these and calculations by Palmeri et al. (2008). I demonstrate the impact of these measurements by re-evaluating Doppler shifts for the high-mass X-ray binaries Vela X-1 and Cyg X-1 with the new reference data. Using the high-resolution, imaging focusing spherical crystal spectrometer EBHiX with a quartz 101 crystal, I verified the results from the ECS measurements on K α transitions in N- through Li-like S. The measurement has a spectral resolution of better than 0.52 eV. The derived transition energies have an accuracy of 0.2 eV, corresponding to Doppler shifts of < 30 km s -1 , i.e., within the requirements set by the planned Athena X-ray observatory. Secondly, I used the EBHiX crystal spectrometer with a quartz 110 crystal in second order to measure the strongly blended K α spectra of M-shell Fe ions around 6.4 keV. Contributions to the 6.4 keV line complex from these ions are important for transient plasmas such as those in supernova remnants. While a simple FAC model of Cl- through F-like Fe suggested it should be possible to resolve major contributions from different charge states to this complex at a 2 eV resolution, the data did not allow us to identify any new lines, although the spectral resolution of this measurement was higher than in previous experiments. Thirdly, I measured absolute electron impact excitation (EIE) cross sections for He-like Fe line w and H-like Fe Ly α 1 and Ly α 2 at different electron energies and charge balances. The cross sections of the direct excitation lines are brought to an absolute scale by normalizing to the radiative recombination (RR) spectrum of the same ion. The direct excitation spectrum was measured with the low-energy pixels of the ECS with a spectral resolution of about 6 eV, while the RR spectrum was recorded with the ECS's thicker high-energy pixels with instrumental resolution of about 30 eV. The high-energy pixels thus allowed us, for the first time, to resolve the RR into the n = 2 shell of L-shell Fe ions at electron impact energies high enough to excite a K-shell electron in Fe ions. These measurements of absolute EIE cross sections using the ECS microcalorimeter at EBIT have accuracies on the 10% level, and therefore fulfill the requirements on atomic reference data identified by the astrophysics community. Benchmarking theoretical cross sections on this level tightens the constraints on important diagnostics for, e.g., elemental abundance measurements and resonance scattering in the high-resolution X-ray spectra of the Perseus galaxy cluster observed with Hitomi -SXS. Finally, the performance of the EBHiX crystal spectrometer at EBIT was evaluated for various quartz crystals and the ion temperatures of the ions trapped in EBIT were derived from thermal line broadening measured with EBHiX. The EBHiX's apability to measure the degree of linear polarization for X-ray transitions excited in EBIT was demonstrated for the H-like Mn Ly α line.

Lecture Notes and Essays in Astrophysics.III. 3rd Symposium of the Astrophysics Group of the Spanish Royal Physical Society (RSEF).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ulla, A.; Manteiga, M.

2008-12-01

The Third volume of "Lecture Notes and Essays in Astrophysics" highlights some important contributions of Spanish astrophysicists to Planetology, Solar and Stellar Physics, Extragalactic Astronomy, Cosmology and astronomical instrumentation. After decades without a dedicated mission, Venus is again in fashion. On the one hand, Ricardo Hueso and collaborators, and on the other Miguel Angel Lopez-Valverde, review ESA Venus Express contribution to the understanding of the atmosphere of the neighbouring planet. Carme Jordi describes in a comprehensive essay the main observational calibration techniques and methods for the determination of mass, radius, temperature, chemical composition and luminosity of a star. Dying stars are fundamental to understand the nature of dark energy, probably the most fundamental problem in Physics today. Type Ia supernovae have played a fundamental role showing the acceleration of the expansion rate of the Universe a decade ago. Inma Dominguez and collaborators go into detail on how the knowledge of the fundamental physics of thermonuclear supernovae explotions condition their role as astrophysical candles.

Sensitivity Analysis Applied to Atomic Data Used for X-ray Spectrum Synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kallman, Tim

2006-01-01

A great deal of work has been devoted to the accumulation of accurate quantities describing atomic processes for use in analysis of astrophysical spectra. But in many situations of interest the interpretation of a quantity which is observed, such as a line flux, depends on the results of a modeling- or spectrum synthesis code. The results of such a code depends in turn 011 many atomic rates or cross sections, and the sensitivity of the observable quantity on the various rates and cross sections may be non-linear and if so cannot easily be derived analytically. In such cases the most practical approach to understanding the sensitivity of observables to atomic cross sections is to perform numerical experiments, by calculating models with various rates perturbed by random (but known) factors. In addition, it is useful to compare the results of such experiments with some sample observations, in order to focus attention on the rates which are of the greatest relevance to real observations. In this paper I will present some attempts to carry out this program, focussing on two sample datasets taken with the Chandra HETG. I will discuss the sensitivity of synthetic spectra to atomic data affecting ionization balance, temperature, and line opacity or emissivity, and discuss the implications for the ultimate goal of inferring astrophysical parameters.

Sensitivity Analysis Applied to Atomic Data Used for X-ray Spectrum Synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kallman, Tim

2006-01-01

A great deal of work has been devoted to the accumulation of accurate quantities describing atomic processes for use in analysis of astrophysical spectra. But in many situations of interest the interpretation of a quantity which is observed, such as a line flux, depends on the results of a modeling- or spectrum synthesis code. The results of such a code depends in turn on many atomic rates or cross sections, and the sensitivity of the observable quantity on the various rates and cross sections may be non-linear and if so cannot easily be derived analytically. In such cases the most practical approach to understanding the sensitivity of observables to atomic cross sections is to perform numerical experiments, by calculating models with various rates perturbed by random (but known) factors. In addition, it is useful to compare the results of such experiments with some sample observations, in order to focus attention on the rates which are of the greatest relevance to real observations. In this paper I will present some attempts to carry out this program, focussing on two sample datasets taken with the Chandra HETG. I will discuss the sensitivity of synthetic spectra to atomic data affecting ionization balance, temperature, and line opacity or emissivity, and discuss the implications for the ultimate goal of inferring astrophysical parameters.

The physics and early history of the intergalactic medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barkana, Rennan; Loeb, Abraham

2007-04-01

The intergalactic medium—the cosmic gas that fills the great spaces between the galaxies—is affected by processes ranging from quantum fluctuations in the very early Universe to radiative emission from newly formed stars. This gives the intergalactic medium a dual role as a powerful probe both of fundamental physics and of astrophysics. The heading of fundamental physics includes conditions in the very early Universe and cosmological parameters that determine the age of the Universe and its matter content. The astrophysics refers to chapters of the long cosmic history of stars and galaxies that are being revealed through the effects of stellar feedback on the cosmic gas. This review describes the physics of the intergalactic medium, focusing on recent theoretical and observational developments in understanding early cosmic history. In particular, the earliest generation of stars is thought to have transformed the Universe from darkness to light and to have had an enormous impact on the intergalactic medium. Half a million years after the Big Bang the Universe was filled with atomic hydrogen. As gravity pulled gas clouds together, the first stars ignited and their radiation turned the surrounding atoms back into free electrons and ions. From the observed spectral absorption signatures of the gas between us and distant sources, we know that the process of reionization pervaded most of space a billion years after the Big Bang, so that only a small fraction of the primordial hydrogen atoms remained between galaxies. Knowing exactly when and how the reionization process happened is a primary goal of cosmologists, because this would tell us when the early stars and black holes formed and in what kinds of galaxies. The distribution and clustering of these galaxies is particularly interesting since it is driven by primordial density fluctuations in the dark matter. Cosmic reionization is beginning to be understood with the help of theoretical models and computer simulations. Numerical simulations of reionization are computationally challenging, as they require radiative transfer across large cosmological volumes as well as sufficiently high resolution to identify the sources of the ionizing radiation in the infant Universe. Rapid progress in our understanding is expected with additional observational input. A wide variety of instruments currently under design—including large-aperture infrared telescopes on the ground or in space (JWST), and low-frequency radio telescope arrays for the detection of redshifted 21 cm radiation—will probe the first sources of light during an epoch in cosmic history that has been largely unexplored so far. The new observations and the challenges for theoretical models and numerical simulations will motivate intense work in this field over the coming decade.

Infrared heterodyne spectroscopy. [for observation of thermal emission from astrophysical objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mumma, M. J.; Kostiuk, T.; Buhl, D.; Chin, G.; Zipoy, D.

1982-01-01

Infrared heterodyne spectroscopy is an extremely useful tool for Doppler-limited studies of atomic and molecular lines in diverse astrophysical regions. The current state of the art is reviewed, and the analysis of CO2 lines in the atmosphere of Mars is outlined. Doppler-limited observations have enabled the discovery of natural laser emission in the mesosphere of Mars and the discovery of failure of local thermodynamic equilibrium near the surface of Mars.

“The Marshall Rosenbluth International Summer School – 2007: Plasma Thermonuclear Fusion and Plasma Astrophysics – 2007”

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

Stefan, Vladislav Alexander

Contents: H. Berk: Frequency Sweeping Due to Phase Space Structure Formation in Plasmas M. Campbell : The Legacy of Marshall Rosenbluth in the Development of the Laser Fusion Program in the United States J. Candy: Gyrokinetic Simulations of Fusion Plasmas P. Diamond: The Legacy of Marshall Rosenbluth in Magnetic Confinement Theory G-Y. Fu: Nonlinear Hybrid Simulations of Multiple Energetic Particle Driven Alfven Modes in Toroidal Plasmas O. Gurcan: Theory of Intrinsic Rotation and Momentum Transport V. L. Jacobs: Kinetic and Spectral Descriptions for Atomic Processes in Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas C. F. Kennel: Marshall Rosenbluth and Roald Sagdeev in Trieste:Themore » Birth of Modern Space Plasma N. A. Krall: The Contribution of Marshall Rosenbluth in the Development of Plasma Drift Wave and Universal Instability Theories C. S. Liu: The Legacy of Marshall Rosenbluth in Laser-Plasma Interaction Research N. Rostoker: Plasma Physics Research With Marshall Rosenbluth - My Teacher R. Z. Sagdeev: The Legacy of Marshall Rosenbluth in Plasma Physics V. Alexander Stefan A Note on the Rosenbluth Paper: Phys. Rev. Letters, 29, 565 (1972), and the Research in Parametric Plasma Theory Thereupon J. W. Van Dam: The Role of Marshall Rosenbluth in the Development of the Thermonuclear Fusion Program in the U.S.A. E. P. Velikhov: Problems in Plasma Astrophysics R. White: The Role of Marshall Rosenbluth in the Development of the Particle and MHD Interaction in Plasmas X. Xu: Edge Gyrokinetic Theory and Continuum Simulations Marshall Nicholas ROSENBLUTH (A Brief Biography) b. February 5,1927 - Albany, New York. d. September 28, 2003 - San Diego, California. M. N. Rosenbluth, a world-acclaimed scientist, is one of the ultimate authorities in plasma and thermonuclear fusion research, often indicated by the sobriquet the "Pope of Plasma Physics." His theoretical contributions have been central to the development of controlled thermonuclear fusion. In the 1950s his pioneering work in plasma instabilities, together with pioneering works of A. Sakharov, I. Tamm, L. Spitzer, Jr., L. A. Artsimovich, and others, led to the design of the TOKAMAK, the principal configuration used for contemporary magnetic fusion experiments. In addition to his research achievements, he has made significant administrative contributions as a scientific advisor in the fields of energy policy and national defense. He is the founder and the first director of The Institute for Fusion Studies at Austin, Texas. M. N. Rosenbluth has been the recipient of the E. O. Lawrence Memorial Award (1964),the Albert Einstein Award (1967),the James Clerk Maxwell prize in Plasma Physics(1976),and the Enrico Fermi Award (1986). M. N. Rosenbluth had been Science Advisor for the INSTITUTE for ADVANCED PHYSICS STUDIES (presently a division of The Stefan University) since 1989. He is the editor-in-chief of the FSRC, (Frontier Science Research Conferences) Book: "NEW IDEAS in TOKAMAK CONFINEMENT" Published by the American Institute of Physics (August 1994) in the Research Trends in Physics Series founded and edited by V. Alexander Stefan in 1989. M. N. Rosenbluth was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, a Professor Emeritus at the University of California, San Diego, and a Senior Scientist at General Atomics, San Diego.« less

Nuclear equation of state from ground and collective excited state properties of nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roca-Maza, X.; Paar, N.

2018-07-01

This contribution reviews the present status on the available constraints to the nuclear equation of state (EoS) around saturation density from nuclear structure calculations on ground and collective excited state properties of atomic nuclei. It concentrates on predictions based on self-consistent mean-field calculations, which can be considered as an approximate realization of an exact energy density functional (EDF). EDFs are derived from effective interactions commonly fitted to nuclear masses, charge radii and, in many cases, also to pseudo-data such as nuclear matter properties. Although in a model dependent way, EDFs constitute nowadays a unique tool to reliably and consistently access bulk ground state and collective excited state properties of atomic nuclei along the nuclear chart as well as the EoS. For comparison, some emphasis is also given to the results obtained with the so called ab initio approaches that aim at describing the nuclear EoS based on interactions fitted to few-body data only. Bridging the existent gap between these two frameworks will be essential since it may allow to improve our understanding on the diverse phenomenology observed in nuclei. Examples on observations from astrophysical objects and processes sensitive to the nuclear EoS are also briefly discussed. As the main conclusion, the isospin dependence of the nuclear EoS around saturation density and, to a lesser extent, the nuclear matter incompressibility remain to be accurately determined. Experimental and theoretical efforts in finding and measuring observables specially sensitive to the EoS properties are of paramount importance, not only for low-energy nuclear physics but also for nuclear astrophysics applications.

SciDAC Computational Astrophysics Consortium

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

Burrows, Adam

Supernova explosions are the central events in nuclear astrophysics. The core-collapse variety is a major source for the universe's heavy elements. The neutron stars, pulsars, and stellar-mass black holes of high-energy astrophysics are their products. Given their prodigious explosion energies, they are the major agencies of change in the interstellar medium, driving star formation and the evolution of galaxies. Their gas remnants are the birthplaces of the cosmic rays. Such is their brightness that they can be used as standard candles to measure the size and geometry of the universe. Recently, there is evidence that gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) originate inmore » a small fraction of core collapses, thereby connecting two of the most energetic phenomena in the universe. However, the mechanism by which core-collapse supernovae explode has not yet been unambiguously determined. Arguably, this is one of the great unsolved problems in modern astrophysics and its investigation draws on nuclear physics, particle physics, radiative transfer, kinetic theory, gravitational physics, thermodynamics, and the numerical arts. Hence, supernovae are unrivaled astrophysical laboratories. It is the quest for the mechanism and new insights our team has recently had that motivate this proposal.« less

Astrophysical tests for radiative decay of neutrinos and fundamental physics implications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stecker, F. W.; Brown, R. W.

1981-01-01

The radiative lifetime tau for the decay of massious neutrinos was calculated using various physical models for neutrino decay. The results were then related to the astrophysical problem of the detectability of the decay photons from cosmic neutrinos. Conversely, the astrophysical data were used to place lower limits on tau. These limits are all well below predicted values. However, an observed feature at approximately 1700 A in the ultraviolet background radiation at high galactic latitudes may be from the decay of neutrinos with mass approximately 14 eV. This would require a decay rate much larger than the predictions of standard models but could be indicative of a decay rate possible in composite models or other new physics. Thus an important test for substructure in leptons and quarks or other physics beyond the standard electroweak model may have been found.

The NUSTAR project at FAIR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nilsson, Thomas; the NUSTAR Collaboration

2015-11-01

The FAIR facility, under construction at the GSI site in Darmstadt, will be addressing a wealth of outstanding questions within the realm of subatomic, atomic, plasma, bio-physics and applications through a combination of novel accelerators, storage rings and innovative experimental set-ups. One of the key installations is the fragment separator Super-FRS that will be able to deliver an unprecedented range of radioactive ion beams in the energy range of 0-1.5 GeV u-1. These beams will be distributed to three branches, each with its unique domain with respect to beam energies and properties. The high-energy branch will permit reactions with radioactive beams at relativistic energies, whereas the low-energy branch will supply decelerated beams for high-resolution spectroscopy, traps and laser spectroscopy. Finally, the ring branch will uniquely permit stored and cooled exotic beams for a range of methods only possible in a storage ring. Thus, by developing experimental set-ups tailored for these beams, there are several complementary possibilities to gain information on key nuclei and reaction, to further our understanding on contemporary questions within nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics. This ambitious programme is to be exploited within the nuclear structure, astrophysics and reactions collaboration.

Physics Division annual report 2004.

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

Glover, J.

2006-04-06

This report highlights the research performed in 2004 in the Physics Division of Argonne National Laboratory. The Division's programs include operation of ATLAS as a national user facility, nuclear structure and reaction research, nuclear theory, medium energy nuclear research and accelerator research and development. The intellectual challenges of this research represent some of the most fundamental challenges in modern science, shaping our understanding of both tiny objects at the center of the atom and some of the largest structures in the universe. A great strength of these efforts is the critical interplay of theory and experiment. Notable results in researchmore » at ATLAS include a measurement of the charge radius of He-6 in an atom trap and its explanation in ab-initio calculations of nuclear structure. Precise mass measurements on critical waiting point nuclei in the rapid-proton-capture process set the time scale for this important path in nucleosynthesis. An abrupt fall-off was identified in the subbarrier fusion of several heavy-ion systems. ATLAS operated for 5559 hours of research in FY2004 while achieving 96% efficiency of beam delivery for experiments. In Medium Energy Physics, substantial progress was made on a long-term experiment to search for the violation of time-reversal invariance using trapped Ra atoms. New results from HERMES reveal the influence of quark angular momentum. Experiments at JLAB search for evidence of color transparency in rho-meson production and study the EMC effect in helium isotopes. New theoretical results include a Poincare covariant description of baryons as composites of confined quarks and non-point-like diquarks. Green's function Monte Carlo techniques give accurate descriptions of the excited states of light nuclei and these techniques been extended to scattering states for astrophysics studies. A theoretical description of the phenomena of proton radioactivity has been extended to triaxial nuclei. Argonne continues to lead in the development and exploitation of the new technical concepts that will truly make RIA, in the words of NSAC, ''the world-leading facility for research in nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics''. The performance standards for new classes of superconducting cavities continue to increase. Driver linac transients and faults have been analyzed to understand reliability issues and failure modes. Liquid-lithium targets were shown to successfully survive the full-power deposition of a RIA beam. Our science and our technology continue to point the way to this major advance. It is a tremendously exciting time in science for RIA holds the keys to unlocking important secrets of nature. The work described here shows how far we have come and makes it clear we know the path to meet these intellectual challenges. The great progress that has been made in meeting the exciting intellectual challenges of modern nuclear physics reflects the talents and dedication of the Physics Division staff and the visitors, guests and students who bring so much to the research.« less

Early Spacelab physics and astronomy missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, R. D.

1976-01-01

Some of the scientific problems which will be investigated during the early Spacelab physics and astronomy missions are reviewed. The Solar Terrestrial Programs will include the Solar Physics Spacelab Payloads (SPSP) and the Atmospheres, Magnetospheres and Plasmas in Space (AMPS) missions. These missions will study the sun as a star and the influence of solar phenomena on the earth, including sun-solar wind interface, the nature of the solar flares, etc. The Astrophysics Spacelab Payloads (ASP) programs are divided into the Ultraviolet-Optical Astronomy and the High Energy Astrophysics areas. The themes of astrophysics Spacelab investigations will cover the nature of the universe, the fate of matter and the life cycles of stars. The paper discusses various scientific experiments and instruments to be used in the early Spacelab missions.

The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weisskopf, Martin C.; Ramsey, Brian; O'Dell, Stephen; Tennant, Allyn; Elsner, Ronald; Soffitta, Paolo; Bellazzini, Ronaldo; Costa, Enrico; Kolodziejczak, Jeffrey; Kaspi, Victoria; Muleri, Fabio; Marshall, Herman; Matt, Giorgio; Romani, Roger

2016-07-01

The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) expands observation space by simultaneously adding polarization measurements to the array of source properties currently measured (energy, time, and location). IXPE will thus open new dimensions for understanding how X-ray emission is produced in astrophysical objects, especially systems under extreme physical conditions—such as neutron stars and black holes. Polarization singularly probes physical anisotropies—ordered magnetic fields, aspheric matter distributions, or general relativistic coupling to black-hole spin—that are not otherwise measurable. Hence, IXPE complements all other investigations in high-energy astrophysics by adding important and relatively unexplored information to the parameter space for studying cosmic X-ray sources and processes, as well as for using extreme astrophysical environments as laboratories for fundamental physics.

The physics of volume rendering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, Thomas

2014-11-01

Radiation transfer is an important topic in several physical disciplines, probably most prominently in astrophysics. Computer scientists use radiation transfer, among other things, for the visualization of complex data sets with direct volume rendering. In this article, I point out the connection between physical radiation transfer and volume rendering, and I describe an implementation of direct volume rendering in the astrophysical radiation transfer code RADMC-3D. I show examples for the use of this module on analytical models and simulation data.

Recognition of compact astrophysical objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ogelman, H. (Editor); Rothschild, R. (Editor)

1977-01-01

NASA's Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics and the Dept. of Physics and Astrophysics at the Univ. of Md. collaberated on a graduate level course with this title. This publication is an edited version of notes used as the course text. Topics include stellar evolution, pulsars, binary stars, X-ray signatures, gamma ray sources, and temporal analysis of X-ray data.

The Cosmic Century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longair, Malcolm S.

2013-04-01

Part I. Stars and Stellar Evolution up to the Second World War: 1. The legacy of the nineteenth century; 2. The classification of stellar spectra; 3. Stellar structure and evolution; 4. The end points of stellar evolution; Part II. The Large-Scale Structure of the Universe, 1900-1939: 5. The Galaxy and the nature of spiral nebulae; 6. The origins of astrophysical cosmology; Part III. The Opening up of the Electromagnetic Spectrum: 7. The opening up of the electromagnetic spectrum and the new astronomies; Part IV. The Astrophysics of Stars and Galaxies since 1945: 8. Stars and stellar evolution; 9. The physics of the interstellar medium; 10. The physics of galaxies and clusters of galaxies; 11. High-energy astrophysics; Part V. Astrophysical Cosmology since 1945: 12. Astrophysical cosmology; 13. The determination of cosmological parameters; 14. The evolution of galaxies and active galaxies with cosmic epoch; 15. The origin of galaxies and the large-scale structure of the Universe; 16. The very early Universe; References; Name index; Object index; Subject index.

Teaching Astrophysics to Upper Level Undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Dorn Bradt, Hale

2010-03-01

A Socratic peer-instruction method for teaching upper level undergraduates is presented. Basically, the instructor sits with the students and guides their presentations of the material. My two textbooks* (on display) as well as many others are amenable to this type of teaching. *Astronomy Methods - A Physical Approach to Astronomical Observations (CUP 2004) *Astrophysics Processes-The Physics of Astronomical Phenomena (CUP 2008)

The NASA Suborbital Program: A status review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teeter, R.; Reynolds, B.

1983-01-01

The status of the NASA suborbital program is reviewed and its importance to astrophysical and geophysical programs is assessed. A survey of past scientific and developmental accomplishments, an examination of the trends in program costs, and an analysis of current and future program roles are included. The technical disciplines examined are primarily those of astronomy/astrophysics/solar physics and magnetospheric/ionospheric/ atmospheric physics.

A White Paper on keV sterile neutrino Dark Matter

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

Adhikari, R.; Agostini, M.; Ky, N. Anh

We present a comprehensive review of keV-scale sterile neutrino Dark Matter, collecting views and insights from all disciplines involved—cosmology, astrophysics, nuclear, and particle physics—in each case viewed from both theoretical and experimental/observational perspectives. After reviewing the role of active neutrinos in particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology, we focus on sterile neutrinos in the context of the Dark Matter puzzle. Here, we first review the physics motivation for sterile neutrino Dark Matter, based on challenges and tensions in purely cold Dark Matter scenarios. We then round out the discussion by critically summarizing all known constraints on sterile neutrino Dark Matter arisingmore » from astrophysical observations, laboratory experiments, and theoretical considerations. In this context, we provide a balanced discourse on the possibly positive signal from X-ray observations. Another focus of the paper concerns the construction of particle physics models, aiming to explain how sterile neutrinos of keV-scale masses could arise in concrete settings beyond the Standard Model of elementary particle physics. The paper ends with an extensive review of current and future astrophysical and laboratory searches, highlighting new ideas and their experimental challenges, as well as future perspectives for the discovery of sterile neutrinos.« less

A White Paper on keV sterile neutrino Dark Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adhikari, R.; Agostini, M.; Ky, N. Anh; Araki, T.; Archidiacono, M.; Bahr, M.; Baur, J.; Behrens, J.; Bezrukov, F.; Bhupal Dev, P. S.; Borah, D.; Boyarsky, A.; de Gouvea, A.; Pires, C. A. de S.; de Vega, H. J.; Dias, A. G.; Di Bari, P.; Djurcic, Z.; Dolde, K.; Dorrer, H.; Durero, M.; Dragoun, O.; Drewes, M.; Drexlin, G.; Düllmann, Ch. E.; Eberhardt, K.; Eliseev, S.; Enss, C.; Evans, N. W.; Faessler, A.; Filianin, P.; Fischer, V.; Fleischmann, A.; Formaggio, J. A.; Franse, J.; Fraenkle, F. M.; Frenk, C. S.; Fuller, G.; Gastaldo, L.; Garzilli, A.; Giunti, C.; Glück, F.; Goodman, M. C.; Gonzalez-Garcia, M. C.; Gorbunov, D.; Hamann, J.; Hannen, V.; Hannestad, S.; Hansen, S. H.; Hassel, C.; Heeck, J.; Hofmann, F.; Houdy, T.; Huber, A.; Iakubovskyi, D.; Ianni, A.; Ibarra, A.; Jacobsson, R.; Jeltema, T.; Jochum, J.; Kempf, S.; Kieck, T.; Korzeczek, M.; Kornoukhov, V.; Lachenmaier, T.; Laine, M.; Langacker, P.; Lasserre, T.; Lesgourgues, J.; Lhuillier, D.; Li, Y. F.; Liao, W.; Long, A. W.; Maltoni, M.; Mangano, G.; Mavromatos, N. E.; Menci, N.; Merle, A.; Mertens, S.; Mirizzi, A.; Monreal, B.; Nozik, A.; Neronov, A.; Niro, V.; Novikov, Y.; Oberauer, L.; Otten, E.; Palanque-Delabrouille, N.; Pallavicini, M.; Pantuev, V. S.; Papastergis, E.; Parke, S.; Pascoli, S.; Pastor, S.; Patwardhan, A.; Pilaftsis, A.; Radford, D. C.; Ranitzsch, P. C.-O.; Rest, O.; Robinson, D. J.; Rodrigues da Silva, P. S.; Ruchayskiy, O.; Sanchez, N. G.; Sasaki, M.; Saviano, N.; Schneider, A.; Schneider, F.; Schwetz, T.; Schönert, S.; Scholl, S.; Shankar, F.; Shrock, R.; Steinbrink, N.; Strigari, L.; Suekane, F.; Suerfu, B.; Takahashi, R.; Van, N. Thi Hong; Tkachev, I.; Totzauer, M.; Tsai, Y.; Tully, C. G.; Valerius, K.; Valle, J. W. F.; Venos, D.; Viel, M.; Vivier, M.; Wang, M. Y.; Weinheimer, C.; Wendt, K.; Winslow, L.; Wolf, J.; Wurm, M.; Xing, Z.; Zhou, S.; Zuber, K.

2017-01-01

We present a comprehensive review of keV-scale sterile neutrino Dark Matter, collecting views and insights from all disciplines involved—cosmology, astrophysics, nuclear, and particle physics—in each case viewed from both theoretical and experimental/observational perspectives. After reviewing the role of active neutrinos in particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology, we focus on sterile neutrinos in the context of the Dark Matter puzzle. Here, we first review the physics motivation for sterile neutrino Dark Matter, based on challenges and tensions in purely cold Dark Matter scenarios. We then round out the discussion by critically summarizing all known constraints on sterile neutrino Dark Matter arising from astrophysical observations, laboratory experiments, and theoretical considerations. In this context, we provide a balanced discourse on the possibly positive signal from X-ray observations. Another focus of the paper concerns the construction of particle physics models, aiming to explain how sterile neutrinos of keV-scale masses could arise in concrete settings beyond the Standard Model of elementary particle physics. The paper ends with an extensive review of current and future astrophysical and laboratory searches, highlighting new ideas and their experimental challenges, as well as future perspectives for the discovery of sterile neutrinos.

Cloudy - simulating the non-equilibrium microphysics of gas and dust, and its observed spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferland, Gary J.

2014-01-01

Cloudy is an open-source plasma/spectral simulation code, last described in the open-access journal Revista Mexicana (Ferland et al. 2013, 2013RMxAA..49..137F). The project goal is a complete simulation of the microphysics of gas and dust over the full range of density, temperature, and ionization that we encounter in astrophysics, together with a prediction of the observed spectrum. Cloudy is one of the more widely used theory codes in astrophysics with roughly 200 papers citing its documentation each year. It is developed by graduate students, postdocs, and an international network of collaborators. Cloudy is freely available on the web at trac.nublado.org, the user community can post questions on http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/cloudy_simulations/info, and summer schools are organized to learn more about Cloudy and its use (http://cloud9.pa.uky.edu gary/cloudy/CloudySummerSchool/). The code’s widespread use is possible because of extensive automatic testing. It is exercised over its full range of applicability whenever the source is changed. Changes in predicted quantities are automatically detected along with any newly introduced problems. The code is designed to be autonomous and self-aware. It generates a report at the end of a calculation that summarizes any problems encountered along with suggestions of potentially incorrect boundary conditions. This self-monitoring is a core feature since the code is now often used to generate large MPI grids of simulations, making it impossible for a user to verify each calculation by hand. I will describe some challenges in developing a large physics code, with its many interconnected physical processes, many at the frontier of research in atomic or molecular physics, all in an open environment.

What formulas are good for representing dipole and generalized oscillator-strength spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inokuti, M.; Dillon, M. A.

The dipole oscillator-strength distribution df/depsilon for a single continuum excitation of an atom or molecule is a function of the kinetic energy epsilon of an outgoing electron. The distribution describes many optical phenomena such as absorption, refraction, and reflection; in particular, df/depsilon is equal to the cross section for ionization by a photon with energy epsilon + I, apart from an universal constant, where I is the ionization threshold for the relevant shell. Furthermore, df/depsilon governs the ionization by glancing collisions of fast charged particles. Recent years have seen considerable accumulation of experimental data on df/depsilon. Those data are indeed valuable for many aplications in radiation physics, plasma physics, atmospheric physics, and astrophysics. In most of these applications, one needs a comprehensive set of data, i.e., numerical values of df/depsilon over a wide range of epsilon, say, from several eV to many keV; most often, one needs data at all epsilon at which df/depsilon is appreciable. A method for systematizing the data so that one can extrapolate or interpolate them dependably was sought.

Laboratory Astrophysics: Enabling Scientific Discovery and Understanding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirby, K.

2006-01-01

NASA's Science Strategic Roadmap for Universe Exploration lays out a series of science objectives on a grand scale and discusses the various missions, over a wide range of wavelengths, which will enable discovery. Astronomical spectroscopy is arguably the most powerful tool we have for exploring the Universe. Experimental and theoretical studies in Laboratory Astrophysics convert "hard-won data into scientific understanding". However, the development of instruments with increasingly high spectroscopic resolution demands atomic and molecular data of unprecedented accuracy and completeness. How to meet these needs, in a time of severe budgetary constraints, poses a significant challenge both to NASA, the astronomical observers and model-builders, and the laboratory astrophysics community. I will discuss these issues, together with some recent examples of productive astronomy/lab astro collaborations.

Will Allis Prize Talk: Electron Collisions - Experiment, Theory and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartschat, Klaus

2016-05-01

Electron collisions with atoms, ions, and molecules represent one of the very early topics of quantum mechanics. In spite of the field's maturity, a number of recent developments in detector technology (e.g., the ``reaction microscope'' or the ``magnetic-angle changer'') and the rapid increase in computational resources have resulted in significant progress in the measurement, understanding, and theoretical/computational description of few-body Coulomb problems. Close collaborations between experimentalists and theorists worldwide continue to produce high-quality benchmark data, which allow for thoroughly testing and further developing a variety of theoretical approaches. As a result, it has now become possible to reliably calculate the vast amount of atomic data needed for detailed modelling of the physics and chemistry of planetary atmospheres, the interpretation of astrophysical data, optimizing the energy transport in reactive plasmas, and many other topics - including light-driven processes, in which electrons are produced by continuous or short-pulse ultra-intense electromagnetic radiation. In this talk, I will highlight some of the recent developments that have had a major impact on the field. This will be followed by showcasing examples, in which accurate electron collision data enabled applications in fields beyond traditional AMO physics. Finally, open problems and challenges for the future will be outlined. I am very grateful for fruitful scientific collaborations with many colleagues, and the long-term financial support by the NSF through the Theoretical AMO and Computational Physics programs, as well as supercomputer resources through TeraGrid and XSEDE.

Will Allis Prize for the Study of Ionized Gases: Electron Collisions - Experiment, Theory, and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartschat, Klaus

2016-09-01

Electron collisions with atoms, ions, and molecules represent one of the very early topics of quantum mechanics. In spite of the field's maturity, a number of recent developments in detector technology (e.g., the ``reaction microscope'' or the ``magnetic-angle changer'') and the rapid increase in computational resources have resulted in significant progress in the measurement, understanding, and theoretical/computational description of few-body Coulomb problems. Close collaborations between experimentalists and theorists worldwide continue to produce high-quality benchmark data, which allow for thoroughly testing and further developing a variety of theoretical approaches. As a result, it has now become possible to reliably calculate the vast amount of atomic data needed for detailed modelling of the physics and chemistry of planetary atmospheres, the interpretation of astrophysical data, optimizing the energy transport in reactive plasmas, and many other topics - including light-driven processes, in which electrons are produced by continuous or short-pulse ultra-intense electromagnetic radiation. I will highlight some of the recent developments that have had a major impact on the field. This will be followed by showcasing examples, in which accurate electron collision data enabled applications in fields beyond traditional AMO physics. Finally, open problems and challenges for the future will be outlined. I am very grateful for fruitful scientific collaborations with many colleagues, and the long-term financial support by the NSF through the Theoretical AMO and Computational Physics programs, as well as supercomputer resources through TeraGrid and XSEDE.

Novel approaches to the study of particle dark matter in astrophysics

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

Argüelles, C. R., E-mail: carlos.arguelles@icranet.org; Ruffini, R., E-mail: ruffini@icra.it; Rueda, J. A., E-mail: jorge.rueda@icra.it

A deep understanding of the role of the dark matter in the different astrophysical scenarios of the local Universe such as galaxies, represent a crucial step to describe in a more consistent way the role of dark matter in cosmology. This kind of studies requires the interconnection between particle physics within and beyond the Standard Model, and fundamental physics such as thermodynamics and statistics, within a fully relativistic treatment of Gravity. After giving a comprehensive summary of the different types of dark matter and their role in astrophysics, we discuss the recent efforts in describing the distribution of dark mattermore » in the center and halo of galaxies from first principles such as gravitational interactions, quantum statistics and particle physics; and its implications with the observations.« less

Atomic Data Revisions for Transitions Relevant to Observations of Interstellar, Circumgalactic, and Intergalactic Matter

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

Cashman, Frances H.; Kulkarni, Varsha P.; Kisielius, Romas

2017-05-01

Measurements of element abundances in galaxies from astrophysical spectroscopy depend sensitively on the atomic data used. With the goal of making the latest atomic data accessible to the community, we present a compilation of selected atomic data for resonant absorption lines at wavelengths longward of 911.753 Å (the H i Lyman limit), for key heavy elements (heavier than atomic number 5) of astrophysical interest. In particular, we focus on the transitions of those ions that have been observed in the Milky Way interstellar medium (ISM), the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of the Milky Way and/or other galaxies, and the intergalactic mediummore » (IGM). We provide wavelengths, oscillator strengths, associated accuracy grades, and references to the oscillator strength determinations. We also attempt to compare and assess the recent oscillator strength determinations. For about 22% of the lines that have updated oscillator strength values, the differences between the former values and the updated ones are ≳0.1 dex. Our compilation will be a useful resource for absorption line studies of the ISM, as well as studies of the CGM and IGM traced by sight lines to quasars and gamma-ray bursts. Studies (including those enabled by future generations of extremely large telescopes) of absorption by galaxies against the light of background galaxies will also benefit from our compilation.« less

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

Mocioiu, Irina

I will discuss several different aspects of neutrino physics and astrophysics, including neutrino oscillations and high energy neutrinos from astrophysical sources. I will review the present status of experimental results on these topics and discuss prospects for future measurements and discoveries.

Laboratory X-ray Studies with Trapped Highly Charged Ions Using Synchrotrons and Free-electron Lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crespo López-Urrutia, José R.

2018-06-01

Laboratory studies on highly charged ions (HCI) using electron beam ion traps (EBITs) can cover all charge states and chemical elements found in astrophysical sources. Since their introduction in 1986, a wealth of emission measurements from the optical to the x-ray range has been carried out by different groups. In most of the work, electron-impact excitation was the driving mechanism, and high resolution spectrometers were used for the diagnostic of the emitted radiation. Other recent studies included x-ray emission following charge exchange, a mechanism which is present in many astrophysical environments and can help explain some of the unknown spectral features at 3.55 keV.In the last decade, excitation and photoionization have also been investigated by exposing HCI trapped in an EBIT to intense, monochromatic radiation from free-electron lasers and synchrotron sources. Here, advanced monochromators in powerful undulator beamlines allowed us to work at photon energies from 50 eV to 15 keV while resolving the natural linewidths of x-ray transitions like the Kα complex of Fe up to the highest charge states, and to measure the oscillator strengths of, e. g., the neonlike Fe16+ spectrum. Photoionization studies have been performed for those species as well. Very recently, our novel compact EBIT with an off-axis electron gun allows for simultaneously using the photon beam downstream, enabling exact wavelength determinations referenced to HCI with accurately calculable transitions. We have performed a recalibration of the molecular and atomic oxygen soft x-ray absorption lines in the 500 eV range with an uncertainty estimate of 30 meV. This revealed a 600 meV calibration error that propagated through the literature for decades with the consequence of a 200 km/s misfit of the velocity in interstellar oxygen absorbers. Other possibilities for the compact EBIT are investigations of resonant photorecombination processes with excellent energy resolution. With the miniaturization of EBITs, laboratory astrophysics in the spectral domain of Chandra, XMM-Newton and the future Athena mission will be extremely simplified, enabling atomic and plasma physics studies and much-improved instrumental calibrations.

Nuclear Physics Meets the Sources of the Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays.

PubMed

Boncioli, Denise; Fedynitch, Anatoli; Winter, Walter

2017-07-07

The determination of the injection composition of cosmic ray nuclei within astrophysical sources requires sufficiently accurate descriptions of the source physics and the propagation - apart from controlling astrophysical uncertainties. We therefore study the implications of nuclear data and models for cosmic ray astrophysics, which involves the photo-disintegration of nuclei up to iron in astrophysical environments. We demonstrate that the impact of nuclear model uncertainties is potentially larger in environments with non-thermal radiation fields than in the cosmic microwave background. We also study the impact of nuclear models on the nuclear cascade in a gamma-ray burst radiation field, simulated at a level of complexity comparable to the most precise cosmic ray propagation code. We conclude with an isotope chart describing which information is in principle necessary to describe nuclear interactions in cosmic ray sources and propagation.

Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology with Gravitational Waves.

PubMed

Sathyaprakash, B S; Schutz, Bernard F

2009-01-01

Gravitational wave detectors are already operating at interesting sensitivity levels, and they have an upgrade path that should result in secure detections by 2014. We review the physics of gravitational waves, how they interact with detectors (bars and interferometers), and how these detectors operate. We study the most likely sources of gravitational waves and review the data analysis methods that are used to extract their signals from detector noise. Then we consider the consequences of gravitational wave detections and observations for physics, astrophysics, and cosmology.

Introduction to High-Energy Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosswog, Stephan; Bruggen, Marcus

2003-04-01

High-energy astrophysics covers cosmic phenomena that occur under the most extreme physical conditions. It explores the most violent events in the Universe: the explosion of stars, matter falling into black holes, and gamma-ray bursts - the most luminous explosions since the Big Bang. Driven by a wealth of new observations, the last decade has seen a large leap forward in our understanding of these phenomena. Exploring modern topics of high-energy astrophysics, such as supernovae, neutron stars, compact binary systems, gamma-ray bursts, and active galactic nuclei, this textbook is ideal for undergraduate students in high-energy astrophysics. It is a self-supporting, timely overview of this exciting field of research. Assuming a familiarity with basic physics, it introduces all other concepts, such as gas dynamics or radiation processes, in an instructive way. An extended appendix gives an overview of some of the most important high-energy astrophysics instruments, and each chapter ends with exercises.• New, up-to-date, introductory textbook providing a broad overview of high-energy phenomena and the many advances in our knowledge gained over the last decade • Written especially for undergraduate teaching use, it introduces the necessary physics and includes many exercises • This book fills a valuable niche at the advanced undergraduate level, providing professors with a new modern introduction to the subject

SPAN: Astronomy and astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Valerie L.; Green, James L.; Warren, Wayne H., Jr.; Lopez-Swafford, Brian

1987-01-01

The Space Physics Analysis Network (SPAN) is a multi-mission, correlative data comparison network which links science research and data analysis computers in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The purpose of this document is to provide Astronomy and Astrophysics scientists, currently reachable on SPAN, with basic information and contacts for access to correlative data bases, star catalogs, and other astrophysic facilities accessible over SPAN.

The Tübingen Model-Atom Database: A Revised Aluminum Model Atom and its Application for the Spectral Analysis of White Dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Löbling, L.

2017-03-01

Aluminum (Al) nucleosynthesis takes place during the asymptotic-giant-branch (AGB) phase of stellar evolution. Al abundance determinations in hot white dwarf stars provide constraints to understand this process. Precise abundance measurements require advanced non-local thermodynamic stellar-atmosphere models and reliable atomic data. In the framework of the German Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (GAVO), the Tübingen Model-Atom Database (TMAD) contains ready-to- use model atoms for elements from hydrogen to barium. A revised, elaborated Al model atom has recently been added. We present preliminary stellar-atmosphere models and emergent Al line spectra for the hot white dwarfs G191-B2B and RE 0503-289.

How can laboratory plasma experiments contribute to space and &astrophysics?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, M.

Plasma physics plays key role in a wide range of phenomena in the universe, from laboratory plasmas to the magnetosphere, the solar corona, and to the tenuous interstellar and intergalactic gas. Despite the huge difference in physical scales, there are striking similarities in plasma behavior of laboratory and space plasmas. Similar plasma physics problems have been investigated independently by both laboratory plasma physicists and astrophysicists. Since 1991, cross fertilization has been increased among laboratory plasma physicists and space physicists through meeting such as IPELS [Interrelationship between Plasma Experiments in the Laboratory and Space] meeting. The advances in laboratory plasma physics, along with the recent surge of astronomical data from satellites, make this moment ripe for research collaboration to further advance plasma physics and to obtain new understanding of key space and astrophysical phenomena. The recent NRC review of astronomy and astrophysics notes the benefit that can accrue from stronger connection to plasma physics. The present talk discusses how laboratory plasma studies can contribute to the fundamental understandings of the space and astrophysical phenomena by covering common key physics topics such as magnetic reconnection, dynamos, angular momentum transport, ion heating, and magnetic self-organization. In particular, it has recently been recognized that "physics -issue- dedicated" laboratory experiments can contribute significantly to the understanding of the fundamental physics for space-astrophysical phenomena since they can create fundamental physics processes in controlled manner and provide well-correlated plasma parameters at multiple plasma locations simultaneously. Such dedicated experiments not only can bring about better understanding of the fundamental physics processes but also can lead to findings of new physics principles as well as new ideas for fusion plasma confinement. Several dedicated experiments have provided the fundamental physics data for magnetic reconnection [1]. Linear plasma devices have been utilized to investigate Whistler waves and Alfven wave phenomena [2,3]. A rotating gallium disk experiment has been initiated to study magneto-rotational instability [4]. This talk also presents the most recent progress of these dedicated laboratory plasma research. 1. M. Yamada et al., Phys. Plasmas 4, 1936, (1997) 2. R. Stenzel, Phys. Rev. Lett. 65, 3001 (1991) 3. W. Gekelman et al, Plasma Phys. Contr. Fusion, v42, B15-B26, Suppl.12B (2000) 4. H. Ji, J. Goodman, A. Kageyama Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 325, L1- (2001)

PREFACE: 16th Russian Youth Conference on Physics and Astronomy (PhysicA.SPb/2013)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2014-12-01

The sixteenth Russian Conference on Physics and Astronomy PhysicA.SPb was held 23-24 October 2013 in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. The Conference continues the tradition of Saint-Petersburg Seminars on Physics and Astronomy originating from mid-90s. Since then PhysicA.SPb maintains both scientific and educational quality of contributions delivered to the young audience. This is the main feature of the Conference that makes it possible to combine the whole spectrum of modern Physics and Astronomy within one event. PhysicA.SPb/2013 has brought together about 200 students, young scientists and their colleague professors from many universities and research institutes across whole Russia as well as from Belarus, Ukraine, Switzerland, Turkey, Finland and France. Oral and poster presentations were combined into a few well-defined sections among which one should name Astronomy and Astrophysics, Plasma physics, hydro- and aero-dynamics, Physics of quantum-sized structures, Nanostructured and thin-film materials, Biophysics, THz and UHF materials and devices, Optoelectronic devices, Optics and spectroscopy, Atomic and elementary particles physics, Defects and impurities in solid state, Physics and technology of the alternative energetics. This issue of the Journal of Physics: Conference Series presents the extended contributions from participants of PhysicA.SPb/2013 that were peer-reviewed by expert referees through processes administered by the Presiders of the Organising and Programme Committees to the best professional and scientific standards. The Editors: Nikita S. Averkiev, Sergey A. Poniaev and Grigorii S. Sokolovskii

Low Energy Nuclear Structure Modeling: Can It Be Improved?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stone, Jirina R.

Since the discovery of the atomic nucleus in 1911 generations of physicists have devoted enormous effort to understand low energy nuclear structure. Properties of nuclei in their ground state, including mass, binding energy and shape, provide vital input to many areas of sub-atomic physics as well as astrophysics and cosmology. Low energy excited states are equally important for understanding nuclear dynamics. Yet, no consensus exists as to what is the best path to a theory which would not only consistently reproduce a wide variety of experimental data but also have enough predictive power to yield credible predictions in areas where data are still missing. In this contribution some of the main obstacles preventing building such a theory are discussed. These include modification of the free nucleon-nucleon force in the nuclear environment and effects of the sub-nucleon (quark) structure of the nucleon. Selected classes of nuclear models, mean-field, shell and ab-initio models are briefly outlined. Finally, suggestions are made for, at least partial, progress that can be achieved with the quark-meson coupling model, as reported in recent publication [1].

Testing Photoionization Calculations Using Chandra X-ray Spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kallman, Tim

2008-01-01

A great deal of work has been devoted to the accumulation of accurate quantities describing atomic processes for use in analysis of astrophysical spectra. But in many situations of interest the interpretation of a quantity which is observed, such as a line flux, depends on the results of a modeling- or spectrum synthesis code. The results of such a code depends in turn on many atomic rates or cross sections, and the sensitivity of the observable quantity on the various rates and cross sections may be non-linear and if so cannot easily be derived analytically. In such cases the most practical approach to understanding the sensitivity of observables to atomic cross sections is to perform numerical experiments, by calculating models with various rates perturbed by random (but known) factors. In addition, it is useful to compare the results of such experiments with some sample observations, in order to focus attention on the rates which are of the greatest relevance to real observations. In this paper I will present some attempts to carry out this program, focussing on two sample datasets taken with the Chandra HETG. I will discuss the sensitivity of synthetic spectra to atomic data affecting ionization balance, temperature, and line opacity or emissivity, and discuss the implications for the ultimate goal of inferring astrophysical parameters.

Potential for the Vishniac instability in ionizing shock waves propagating into cold gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, A. P. L.; Pasley, J.

2018-05-01

The Vishniac instability was posited as an instability that could affect supernova remnants in their late stage of evolution when subject to strong radiative cooling, which can drive the effective ratio of specific heats below 1.3. The potential importance of this instability to these astrophysical objects has motivated a number of laser-driven laboratory studies. However, the Vishniac instability is essentially a dynamical instability that should operate independently of whatever physical processes happen to reduce the ratio of specific heats. In this paper, we examine the possibility that ionization and molecular dissociation processes can achieve this, and we show that this is possible for a certain range of shock wave Mach numbers for ionizing/dissociating shock waves propagating into cold atomic and molecular gases.

Experimental Studies of Hydrogenation and Other Reactions on Surfaces Under Astrophysically Relevant Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vidali, Gianfranco

1998-01-01

The goal of our project is to study hydrogen recombination reactions on solid surfaces under conditions that are relevant in astrophysics. Laboratory experiments were conducted using low-flux, cold atomic H and D beams impinging on a sample kept under ultra high vacuum conditions. Realistic analogues of interstellar dust grains were used. Our results show that current models for hydrogen recombination reactions have to be modified to take into account the role of activated diffusion of H on surfaces even at low temperature.

Data catalog series for space science and applications flight missions. Volume 5A: Descriptions of astronomy, astrophysics, and solar physics spacecraft and investigations. Volume 5B: Descriptions of data sets from astronomy, astrophysics, and solar physics spacecraft and investigations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Sang J. (Editor)

1988-01-01

The main purpose of the data catalog series is to provide descriptive references to data generated by space science flight missions. The data sets described include all of the actual holdings of the Space Science Data Center (NSSDC), all data sets for which direct contact information is available, and some data collections held and serviced by foreign investigators, NASA and other U.S. government agencies. This volume contains narrative descriptions of data sets of astronomy, astrophysics, solar physics spacecraft and investigations. The following spacecraft series are included: Mariner, Pioneer, Pioneer Venus, Venera, Viking, Voyager, and Helios. Separate indexes to the planetary and interplanetary missions are also provided.

Women in Physics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roth, Laura M.; O'Fallon, Nancy M.

This booklet presents information about career opportunities for women in physics. Included are summaries of research areas in physics (optical physics, solid-state physics, materials science, nuclear physics, high-energy physics, astrophysics, cryogenics, plasma physics, biophysics, atmospheric physics) and differences between theory and…

Influence Of Inelastic Ridberg Atom-Atom Collisional Process On Kinetic And Optical Properties Of Low-Temperature Laboratory And Astrophysical Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klyucharev, A. N.; Bezuglov, N. N.; Mihajlov, A. A.; Ignjatovic, Lj. M.

2010-07-01

Elementary processes in plasma phenomena traditionally attract physicist`s attention. The channel of charged-particle formation in Rydberg Atom-Atom thermal and subthermal collisions (the low temperature plasmas conditions) leads to creation of the molecular ions - associative ionization (AI), atomic ions - penning-like ionization (PI) and the pair of the negative and positive ions. In our universe the chemical composition of the primordial gas consists mainly of Hydrogen and Helium (H, H- , H+, H2, He, He+ ), Hydrogen-like alkali-metal Litium (Li, Li+, Li-) and combinations (HeH+ , LiH- , LiH+). There is a wide range of plasma parameters in which the Rydberg Atoms of the elements called above make the dominant construction to ionization and that process may be regarded as a prototype of the elementary process of light excitation energy transformation into electric one. The first series of quantitative measurements of the rate constants for Rydberg Atoms starts in 1978 (Devdariani, Klyucharev et al.). The method of AI and PI calculations, so-called "dipole resonant" mechanism proposed in 1971 (Smirnov, Mihaylov) was used in semiclassical (Mihailov and Janev 1981) and quantum mechanical theories (Duman, Shmatov, 1980). The latest stochastic version of chemi-ionisation (AI+PI) on Rydberg Atom - Atom collisions extends the treatment of the "dipole resonant" model by taking into account redistribution of population over a range of Rydberg states prior to ionization. This redistribution is modeled as diffusion in the frame of stochastic dynamic of the Rydberg electron in the Rydberg energy spectrum (Bezuglov, Borodin, Klyucharev et al. 1997). Such approach makes it possible to operate on efficiently of inelastic collisional processes and sometimes to operate on time of Rydberg Atoms life. This may lead to anomalies of Rydberg Atoms spectra. Another result obtained in recent time is understanding that experimental results on chemi-ionization relate to the group of mixed Rydberg Atom closed to the primary selected one. The Rydberg Atoms ionisaton theory today makes a valuable contribution in the deterministic and stochastic approaches correlation in atomic physic.

FOREWORD: The 5th International Colloquium on Atomic Spectra and Oscillator Strengths for Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tchang-Brillet, Wad Lydia; Wyart, Jean-François; Zeippen, Claude

1996-01-01

The 5th International Colloquium on Atomic Spectra and Oscillator Strengths for Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas was held in Meudon, France, from August 28 to 31 1995. It was the fifth in a series started by the Atomic Spectroscopic Group at the University of Lund, Sweden, in 1983. Then followed the meetings in Toledo, USA, Amsterdam, The Nether- lands and Gaithersburg, USA, with a three year period. The original title of the series ended with "... for Astrophysics and Fusion Research" and became more general with the 4th colloquium in Gaithersburg. The purpose of the present meeting was, in line with tradition, to bring together "producers" and "users" of atomic data so as to ensure optimal coordination. Atomic physicists who study the structure of atoms and their radiative and collisional properties were invited to explain the development of their work, emphasizing the possibilities of producing precise transition wavelengths and relative line intensities. Astrophysicists and laboratory plasma physicists were invited to review their present research interests and the context in which atomic data are needed. The number of participants was about 70 for the first three meetings, then exploded to 170 at Gaithersburg. About 140 participants, coming from 13 countries, attended the colloquium in Meudon. This large gathering was partly due to a number of participants from Eastern Europe larger than in the past, and it certainly showed a steady interest for interdisciplinary exchanges between different communities of scientists. This volume includes all the invited papers given at the conference and, in the appendix, practical information on access to some databases. All invited speakers presented their talks aiming at good communication between scientists from different backgrounds. A separate bound volume containing extended abstracts of the poster papers has been published by the Publications de l'Observatoire de Paris, (Meudon 1996), under the responsibility of the same editors. The major trends already apparent during the preceding meetings have been confirmed. The quality of astrophysical observations is being continuously improved In particular, the Hubble Space Telescope launched between the third and the fourth colloquia continues to bring high-resolution data while the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) is at the beginning of its adventure and the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) is expected. Astrophysicists interested in solar or stellar atmospheres are facing new diagnostic problems concerning line broadening and deviation from local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). Studies of laboratory plasma like X-ray lasers and fusion plasma are still demanding more atomic data, for instance for problems related to a tokamak divertor in the future International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The need for atomic data in the interpretation of the new observations constitutes a stimulating challenge for atomic physicists. Theoreticians not only continue to improve the description of atomic structure including relativistic and nuclear hyperhe effects, but also carry out methodological developments, such as global and statistical approaches. They are able, using up-to-date computational techniques, to produce large amounts of data and are organising these data in user-friendly computerised databases. Results of systematic calculations (such as the Opacity Project) now are being exploited for modelling. A new tool for plasma diagnostics is proposed via the polarisation of X-ray emission. On the experimental side, novelties of the last decade like the Electron Beam Ion Trap and the VW Fourier transform spectrometer are fully operational. Emission measurements and the combination of atomic beam and laser techniques proved to be complementary and fruitful for lifetime determinations. Efforts are made by atomic physicists to estimate the precision of measured or calculated data released. Laboratory spectroscopy and astronomy have a long common history. Indeed, we are reminded that a century ago, terrestrial and solar helium were identified with one another through spectral lines, while recent studies of nebulae and the interstellar medium provide nice examples of the continuing interplay between spectroscopy and astrophysical models. During the Amsterdam meeting, some astrophysicists deplored that the so-called "traditional term analysis" was disappearing. They should be reassured about the near future owing to three invited papers and a great number of posters on this type of work. We are grateful to the members of the Scientific Committee who helped us to set up the scientific programme and to all the referees who reviewed the manuscripts published in this volume. We thank the Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales for financial support. We also thank the Ministère de l'Education Nationale, de l'Enseignement Supérieur, de la Recherche et de l'Insertion Professionnelle, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Laboratoire Aimé Cotton for providing travel grants, Further support from SUN Microsystems, Alcatel and Crédit Lyonnais is gratefully acknowledged. The colloquium greatly benefited from the infrastructure of the Observatoire de Paris-Meudon and the cooperation of its staff, especially members of the Département Atomes, Molécules en Astrophysique (DAMAp). The 6th International Colloquium on Atomic Spectra and Oscillator Strengths for Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas is scheduled to be held in Victoria, Canada in 1998.

Building a visionary astrophysics program from the ground up

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathews, Geoffrey S.; Barnes, Joshua Edward; Coleman, Paul; Gal, Roy R.; Meech, Karen J.; Mendez, Roberto Hugo; Nassir, Michael A.; Sanders, David B.

2015-08-01

The University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy is in the process of implementing a new Bachelor of Science in Astrophysics at UH Manoa. This requires a significant adjustment in the role of the IfA, which has long been at the forefront of modern astronomy in Hawaii and is now broadening its educational mission. The IfA’s history of excellence in research and access to observational resources are expected to draw students from around the nation and the world. These factors have inspired our programmatic focus culminating in a senior year research experience. We expect that the program will produce many undergraduate astrophysics majors, making it an ideal testbed to apply modern theories of learning to the teaching of astrophysics. We have explicitly designed the major around three pillars: physical theory, the application of physics to astrophysical phenomena, and the development of core observational astronomy skills. We describe our cooperative approach to developing a program-level curriculum map of key concepts and skills, as well as descriptors of student success throughout the program. These are central tools for course design, program assessment, and professional development.

A review of astrophysical reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uzdensky, Dmitri

Magnetic reconnection is a basic plasma process involving rapid rearrangement of magnetic field topology. It often leads to violent release of magnetic energy and its conversion to the plasma thermal and kinetic energy as well as nonthermal particle acceleration. It is thus believed to power numerous types of explosive phenomena both inside and outside the Solar system, including various kinds of high-energy flares. In this talk I will first give an overview of astrophysical systems where reconnection is believed to play an important role. Examples include pulsed high-energy emission in pulsar magnetospheres; gamma-ray flares in pulsar wind nebulae and AGN/blazar jets; Gamma-Ray Bursts; and giant flares in magnetar systems. I will also analyze the physical conditions of the plasma in some of these astrophysical systems and will discuss the fundamental physical differences between various astrophysical instances of magnetic reconnection and the more familiar solar and space examples of reconnection. In particular, I will demonstrate the importance of including radiative effects in order to understand astrophysical magnetic reconnection and in order to connect our theoretical models with the observed radiation signatures.

Laboratory laser acceleration and high energy astrophysics: {gamma}-ray bursts and cosmic rays

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

Tajima, T.; Takahashi, Y.

1998-08-20

Recent experimental progress in laser acceleration of charged particles (electrons) and its associated processes has shown that intense electromagnetic pulses can promptly accelerate charged particles to high energies and that their energy spectrum is quite hard. On the other hand some of the high energy astrophysical phenomena such as extremely high energy cosmic rays and energetic components of {gamma}-ray bursts cry for new physical mechanisms for promptly accelerating particles to high energies. The authors suggest that the basic physics involved in laser acceleration experiments sheds light on some of the underlying mechanisms and their energy spectral characteristics of the promptlymore » accelerated particles in these high energy astrophysical phenomena.« less

Space astrophysics with large structures - CASES and P/OF. [Controls, Astrophysics, and Structures Experiment in Space and Pinhole/Occulter Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hudson, Hugh S.; Davis, J. M.

1990-01-01

Space instruments for remote sensing, of the types used for astrophysics and solar-terrestrial physics among many disciplines, will grow to larger physical sizes in the future. The zero-g space environment does not inherently restrict such growth, because relatively lightweight structures can be used. Active servo control of the structures can greatly increase their size for a given mass. The Pinhole/Occulter Facility, a candidate Space Station attached payload, offers an example: it will achieve 0.2 arc s resolution by use of a 50-m baseline for coded-aperture telescopes for hard X-ray and gamma-ray imagers.

Final Report: SciDAC Computational Astrophysics Consortium (at Princeton University)

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

Burrows, Adam

Supernova explosions are the central events in astrophysics. They are the major agencies of change in the interstellar medium, driving star formation and the evolution of galaxies. Their gas remnants are the birthplaces of the cosmic rays. Such is their brightness that they can be used as standard candles to measure the size and geometry of the universe and their investigation draws on particle and nuclear physics, radiative transfer, kinetic theory, gravitational physics, thermodynamics, and the numerical arts. Hence, supernovae are unrivaled astrophysical laboratories. We will develop new state-of-the-art multi-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic codes to address this and other related astrophysicalmore » phenomena.« less

Probes for dark matter physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khlopov, Maxim Yu.

The existence of cosmological dark matter is in the bedrock of the modern cosmology. The dark matter is assumed to be nonbaryonic and consists of new stable particles. Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) miracle appeals to search for neutral stable weakly interacting particles in underground experiments by their nuclear recoil and at colliders by missing energy and momentum, which they carry out. However, the lack of WIMP effects in their direct underground searches and at colliders can appeal to other forms of dark matter candidates. These candidates may be weakly interacting slim particles, superweakly interacting particles, or composite dark matter, in which new particles are bound. Their existence should lead to cosmological effects that can find probes in the astrophysical data. However, if composite dark matter contains stable electrically charged leptons and quarks bound by ordinary Coulomb interaction in elusive dark atoms, these charged constituents of dark atoms can be the subject of direct experimental test at the colliders. The models, predicting stable particles with charge ‑ 2 without stable particles with charges + 1 and ‑ 1 can avoid severe constraints on anomalous isotopes of light elements and provide solution for the puzzles of dark matter searches. In such models, the excessive ‑ 2 charged particles are bound with primordial helium in O-helium atoms, maintaining specific nuclear-interacting form of the dark matter. The successful development of composite dark matter scenarios appeals for experimental search for doubly charged constituents of dark atoms, making experimental search for exotic stable double charged particles experimentum crucis for dark atoms of composite dark matter.

Gravitational Wave Science: Challenges for Numerical Relativistic Astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cenrella, Joan

2005-01-01

Gravitational wave detectors on earth and in space will open up a new observational window on the universe. The new information about astrophysics and fundamental physics these observations will bring is expected to pose exciting challenges. This talk will provide an overview of this emerging area of gravitational wave science, with a focus on the challenges it will bring for numerical relativistic astrophysics and a look at some recent results.

Experiences and prospects of nuclear astrophysics in underground laboratories

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

Junker, M.

Impressive progress has been made in the course the last decades in understanding astrophysical objects. Increasing precision of nuclear physics data has contributed significantly to this success, but now a better understanding of several important findings is frequently limited by uncertainties related to the available nuclear physics data. Consequently it is desirable to improve significantly the quality of these data. An important step towards higher precision is an excellent signal to background ratio of the data. Placing an accelerator facility inside an underground laboratory reducing the cosmic ray induced background by six orders of magnitude is a powerful method tomore » reach this goal, even though careful reduction of environmental and beam induced background must still be considered. Experience in the field of underground nuclear astrophysics has been gained since 20 years due to the pioneering work of the LUNA Collaboration (Laboratory for Underground Nuclear Astrophysics) operating inside the underground laboratories of the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) in Italy. Based on the success of this work presently also several other projects for underground laboratories dedicated to nuclear astrophysics are being pursued worldwide. This contribution will give a survey of the past experience in underground nuclear astrophysics as well as an outlook on future developments.« less

Galaxy Evolution Studies with the SPace IR Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA): The Power of IR Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spinoglio, L.; Alonso-Herrero, A.; Armus, L.; Baes, M.; Bernard-Salas, J.; Bianchi, S.; Bocchio, M.; Bolatto, A.; Bradford, C.; Braine, J.; Carrera, F. J.; Ciesla, L.; Clements, D. L.; Dannerbauer, H.; Doi, Y.; Efstathiou, A.; Egami, E.; Fernández-Ontiveros, J. A.; Ferrara, A.; Fischer, J.; Franceschini, A.; Gallerani, S.; Giard, M.; González-Alfonso, E.; Gruppioni, C.; Guillard, P.; Hatziminaoglou, E.; Imanishi, M.; Ishihara, D.; Isobe, N.; Kaneda, H.; Kawada, M.; Kohno, K.; Kwon, J.; Madden, S.; Malkan, M. A.; Marassi, S.; Matsuhara, H.; Matsuura, M.; Miniutti, G.; Nagamine, K.; Nagao, T.; Najarro, F.; Nakagawa, T.; Onaka, T.; Oyabu, S.; Pallottini, A.; Piro, L.; Pozzi, F.; Rodighiero, G.; Roelfsema, P.; Sakon, I.; Santini, P.; Schaerer, D.; Schneider, R.; Scott, D.; Serjeant, S.; Shibai, H.; Smith, J.-D. T.; Sobacchi, E.; Sturm, E.; Suzuki, T.; Vallini, L.; van der Tak, F.; Vignali, C.; Yamada, T.; Wada, T.; Wang, L.

2017-11-01

IR spectroscopy in the range 12-230 μm with the SPace IR telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA) will reveal the physical processes governing the formation and evolution of galaxies and black holes through cosmic time, bridging the gap between the James Webb Space Telescope and the upcoming Extremely Large Telescopes at shorter wavelengths and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array at longer wavelengths. The SPICA, with its 2.5-m telescope actively cooled to below 8 K, will obtain the first spectroscopic determination, in the mid-IR rest-frame, of both the star-formation rate and black hole accretion rate histories of galaxies, reaching lookback times of 12 Gyr, for large statistically significant samples. Densities, temperatures, radiation fields, and gas-phase metallicities will be measured in dust-obscured galaxies and active galactic nuclei, sampling a large range in mass and luminosity, from faint local dwarf galaxies to luminous quasars in the distant Universe. Active galactic nuclei and starburst feedback and feeding mechanisms in distant galaxies will be uncovered through detailed measurements of molecular and atomic line profiles. The SPICA's large-area deep spectrophotometric surveys will provide mid-IR spectra and continuum fluxes for unbiased samples of tens of thousands of galaxies, out to redshifts of z 6.

Investigation of Weibel-filament growth in the nonlinear regime using laser-irradiated foils of different materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manuel, Mario

2017-10-01

M.J.-E. MANUEL GENERAL ATOMICS, C.M. HUNTINGTON, D.P. HIGGINSON, B.B. POLLOCK, B.A. REMINGTON, H. RINDERKNECHT, J.S. ROSS, D. RYUTOV, G. SWADLING, S. WILKS, A.B. ZYLSTRA, H.-S. PARK LLNL, F. FIUZA, S. TOTORICASLAC, G. GREGORIOXFORD, J. PARK, A. SPITKOVSKYPRINCETON, Y. SAKAWA, H. TAKABEOSAKA, H. SIOMIT, A.B. ZYLSTRALANL. The Weibel instability is presently the leading mechanism proposed to amplify magnetic fields necessary to form `collisionless' shocks in weakly magnetized astrophysical systems, including young supernova remnants and gamma-ray bursts. These systems rely on the presence of strong self-generated magnetic fields to mediate shock formation since the typical collisional mean-free-path is much larger than the system size. The work presented here investigates the development of the Weibel instability in the nonlinear regime through experimental variation of plasma parameters using different ion species and separation distances. Our goal is to investigate the underlying physical mechanism that may allow the formation of collisionless shocks in astrophysical objects. Recent experimental and computational results will be presented and discussed. This work is funded by the NNSA-DS and SC-OFES Joint Program in High-Energy-Density Laboratory Plasmas, Grant Number DE-NA0002956 and in collaboration with LLNL under contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Partition functions and equilibrium constants for diatomic molecules and atoms of astrophysical interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barklem, P. S.; Collet, R.

2016-04-01

Partition functions and dissociation equilibrium constants are presented for 291 diatomic molecules for temperatures in the range from near absolute zero to 10 000 K, thus providing data for many diatomic molecules of astrophysical interest at low temperature. The calculations are based on molecular spectroscopic data from the book of Huber & Herzberg (1979, Constants of Diatomic Molecules) with significant improvements from the literature, especially updated data for ground states of many of the most important molecules by Irikura (2007, J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data, 36, 389). Dissociation energies are collated from compilations of experimental and theoretical values. Partition functions for 284 species of atoms for all elements from H to U are also presented based on data collected at NIST. The calculated data are expected to be useful for modelling a range of low density astrophysical environments, especially star-forming regions, protoplanetary disks, the interstellar medium, and planetary and cool stellar atmospheres. The input data, which will be made available electronically, also provides a possible foundation for future improvement by the community. Full Tables 1-8 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/588/A96

Effect of New Physics in Astrophysical Neutrino Flavor.

PubMed

Argüelles, Carlos A; Katori, Teppei; Salvado, Jordi

2015-10-16

Astrophysical neutrinos are powerful tools for investigating the fundamental properties of particle physics through their flavor content. In this Letter, we perform the first general new physics study on ultrahigh energy neutrino flavor content by introducing effective operators. We find that, at the current limits on these operators, new physics terms cause maximal effects on the flavor content; however, the flavor content on the Earth is confined to a region related to the assumed initial flavor content. Furthermore, we conclude that a precise measure of the flavor content on the Earth will provide orders of magnitude improvement on new physics bounds. Finally, we discuss the current best fits of flavor content of the IceCube data and their interplay with new physics scenarios.

The Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisskopf, Martin C.; Ramsey, Brian; O’Dell, Stephen; Tennant, Allyn; Elsner, Ronald; Soffita, Paolo; Bellazzini, Ronaldo; Costa, Enrico; Kolodziejczak, Jeffery; Kaspi, Victoria;

Implications of Ultrahigh Energy Air Showers for Physics and Astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stecker, F. W.; White, Nicholas E. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The primary ultrahigh energy particles which produce giant extensive air showers in the Earth atmosphere present an intriguing mystery from two points of view: (1) How are the base particles produced with such astounding energies, eight orders of magnitude higher than those produced by the best man-made terrestrial accelerators? (2) Since they are most likely extragalactic in origin, how do they reach us from extragalactic distances without suffering the severe losses expected from interactions with the 2.7 K thermal cosmic background photons, the so called GZK effect? The answers to these questions may involve new physics: violations of special relativity, grand unification theories, and quantum gravity theories involving large extra dimensions. They may involve new astrophysical sources, "zevatrons". Or some heretofore totally unknown physics or astrophysics may hold the answer. I will discuss here the mysteries involving the production and extragalactic propagation of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays and some suggested possible solutions.

Physics Based University Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beeby, J. L.

1974-01-01

Two physics courses which serve as alternatives to general college courses in physics are outlined: physics with astrophysics and physics with electronics. Details are given of the structure of the courses and third year options are specified. (DT)

The Astrophysics Major at the University of California, Berkeley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arons, J.; Heiles, C.

2001-12-01

The Astrophysics major offered by the Berkeley Astronomy Department has been redesigned to reflect broad educational goals. Students preparing for graduate school study mostly Physics and Mathematics, leavened with four semesters of astrophysics at the sophomore and senior level. These courses make heavy use of their concurrent Physics and Math. Astrophysics and Physics majors differ in the astrophysics courses replacing other electives which a Physics major might choose. The major's redesign also opened the door to students who wish to pursue a major which gives them broad technical training without having graduate school as a goal. Many such students follow the same track as those pursuing the graduate school option; others take courses specifically designed for people with alternate careers in mind. The major change has been a laboratory requirement for all Astrophysics majors, in either track. We now have advanced undergraduate laboratories: optical, radio, and near infrared; details are on our web page. These share the common thread of development of deep capabilities in data gathering, analysis, and presentation. Students achieve expertise in these areas because the labs include the complete range of activities normally encountered in observational or experimental research. Students use laboratory equipment to measure the fundamental parameters of devices and systems, make astronomical observations with those systems, write software in UNIX and IDL to control equipment and analyze the results, and write formal lab reports in LATEX. We avoid ``black box'' or ``cookbook'' procedures . The students leave the course having gained experience and knowledge, and a ``feel'' for how to proceed when faced with sometimes recalcitrant equipment and imperfect data. A by product of the training has been an increase in student involvement in undergraduate research projects. These innovations have led to a major that has doubled in size and, in a quite unanticipated development, has become gender balanced. We will present a number of aspects, both statistically and anecdotally, from this decade long experience with reform of an astronomy major.

AtomDB: Expanding an Accessible and Accurate Atomic Database for X-ray Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Randall

Since its inception in 2001, the AtomDB has become the standard repository of accurate and accessible atomic data for the X-ray astrophysics community, including laboratory astrophysicists, observers, and modelers. Modern calculations of collisional excitation rates now exist - and are in AtomDB - for all abundant ions in a hot plasma. AtomDB has expanded beyond providing just a collisional model, and now also contains photoionization data from XSTAR as well as a charge exchange model, amongst others. However, building and maintaining an accurate and complete database that can fully exploit the diagnostic potential of high-resolution X-ray spectra requires further work. The Hitomi results, sadly limited as they were, demonstrated the urgent need for the best possible wavelength and rate data, not merely for the strongest lines but for the diagnostic features that may have 1% or less of the flux of the strong lines. In particular, incorporation of weak but powerfully diagnostic satellite lines will be crucial to understanding the spectra expected from upcoming deep observations with Chandra and XMM-Newton, as well as the XARM and Athena satellites. Beyond incorporating this new data, a number of groups, both experimental and theoretical, have begun to produce data with errors and/or sensitivity estimates. We plan to use this to create statistically meaningful spectral errors on collisional plasmas, providing practical uncertainties together with model spectra. We propose to continue to (1) engage the X-ray astrophysics community regarding their issues and needs, notably by a critical comparison with other related databases and tools, (2) enhance AtomDB to incorporate a large number of satellite lines as well as updated wavelengths with error estimates, (3) continue to update the AtomDB with the latest calculations and laboratory measurements, in particular velocity-dependent charge exchange rates, and (4) enhance existing tools, and create new ones as needed to increase the functionality of, and access to, AtomDB.

Atomic Oscillator Strengths in the Vacuum Ultraviolet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nave, Gillian; Sansonetti, Craig J.; Szabo, Csilla I.

2006-01-01

We have developed techniques to measure branching fractions in the vacuum ultraviolet using diffraction grating spectroscopy and phosphor image plates as detectors. These techniques have been used to measure branching fractions in Fe II that give prominent emission lines in astrophysical objects.

NASA's Physics of the Cosmos and Cosmic Origins programs manage Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, Thai; Thronson, Harley; Seery, Bernard; Ganel, Opher

2016-07-01

The strategic astrophysics missions of the coming decades will help answer the questions "How did our universe begin and evolve?" "How did galaxies, stars, and planets come to be?" and "Are we alone?" Enabling these missions requires advances in key technologies far beyond the current state of the art. NASA's Physics of the Cosmos2 (PCOS), Cosmic Origins3 (COR), and Exoplanet Exploration Program4 (ExEP) Program Offices manage technology maturation projects funded through the Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) program to accomplish such advances. The PCOS and COR Program Offices, residing at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), were established in 2011, and serve as the implementation arm for the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. We present an overview of the Programs' technology development activities and the current technology investment portfolio of 23 technology advancements. We discuss the process for addressing community-provided technology gaps and Technology Management Board (TMB)-vetted prioritization and investment recommendations that inform the SAT program. The process improves the transparency and relevance of our technology investments, provides the community a voice in the process, and promotes targeted external technology investments by defining needs and identifying customers. The Programs' priorities are driven by strategic direction from the Astrophysics Division, which is informed by the National Research Council's (NRC) "New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics" (NWNH) 2010 Decadal Survey report [1], the Astrophysics Implementation Plan (AIP) [2] as updated, and the Astrophysics Roadmap "Enduring Quests, Daring Visions" [3]. These priorities include technology development for missions to study dark energy, gravitational waves, X-ray and inflation probe science, and large far-infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV)/optical/IR telescopes to conduct imaging and spectroscopy studies. The SAT program is the Astrophysics Division's main investment method to mature technologies that will be identified by study teams set up to inform the 2020 Decadal Survey process on several large astrophysics mission concepts.

How Does The Universe Work? The Physics Of The Cosmos Program (PCOS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sambruna, Rita M.

2011-09-01

The Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) program incorporates cosmology, high-energy astrophysics, and fundamental physics projects aimed at addressing central questions about the nature of complex astrophysical phenomena such as black holes, neutron stars, dark energy, and gravitational waves. Its overarching theme is, How does the Universe work? PCOS includes a suite of operating (Chandra, Fermi, Planck, XMM-Newton, INTEGRAL) and future missions across the electromagnetic spectrum and beyond, which are in concept development and/or formulation. The PCOS program directly supports development of intermediate TRL (4-6) technology relevant to future missions through the Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) program, as well as data analysis, theory, and experimental astrophysics via other R&A avenues (e.g., ADAP, ATP). The Einstein Fellowship is a vital and vibrant PCOS component funded by the program. PCOS receives community input via its Program Analysis Group, the PhysPAG (www.pcos.gsfc.nasa.gov/physpag.php), whose membership and meetings are open to the community at large. In this poster, we describe the detailed science questions addressed within PCOS, with special emphasis on future opportunities. Details about the PhysPAG operations and functions will be provided, as well as an update on future meetings.

Maxwell's Enduring Legacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longair, Malcolm

2016-07-01

Preface; Acknowledgements; Figure credits; Part I. To 1874: 1. Physics in the nineteenth century; 2. Mathematics and physics in Cambridge in the nineteenth century; Part II. 1874 to 1879: 3. The Maxwell era; Part III. 1879 to 1884: 4. Rayleigh's Quinquennium; Part IV. 1884 to 1919: 5. The challenges facing J. J. Thomson; 6. The J. J. Thomson era, 1884-1900 - the electron; 7. The Thomson era, 1900-19 - atomic structure; Part V. 1919 to 1937: 8. Rutherford at McGill and Manchester Universities - new challenges in Cambridge; 9. The Rutherford era - the radioactivists; 10. Rutherford era - the seeds of the new physics; Part VI. 1938 to 1953: 11. Bragg and the war years; 12. Bragg and the post-war years; Part VII. 1953 to 1971: 13. The Mott era - an epoch of expansion; 14. The Mott era - radio astronomy and high energy physics; 15. The Mott era - the growth of condensed matter physics; Part VIII. 1971 to 1982: 16. The Pippard era - a new laboratory and a new vision; 17. The Pippard era - radio astronomy, high energy physics and laboratory astrophysics; 18. The Pippard era - condensed matter physics; Part IX. 1984 to 1995: 19. The Edwards era - a new epoch of expansion; 20. The Edwards era - new directions in condensed matter physics; 21. The Edwards era - high energy physics and radio astronomy; Part X. 1995 to present: 22. Towards the new millennium and beyond; 23. The evolution of the New Museums site; Notes; Bibliography; Author index; Index.

Walter Greiner: In Memoriam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zen Vasconcellos, César; Coelho, Helio T.; Hess, Peter Otto

Walter Greiner (29 October 1935 - 6 October 2016) was a German theoretical physicist. His scientific research interests include the thematic areas of atomic physics, heavy ion physics, nuclear physics, elementary particle physics (particularly quantum electrodynamics and quantum chromodynamics). He is most known in Germany for his series of books in theoretical physics, but he is also well known around the world. Greiner was born on October 29, 1935, in Neuenbau, Sonnenberg, Germany. He studied physics at the University of Frankfurt (Goethe University in Frankfurt Am Main), receiving in this institution a BSci in physics and a Master’s degree in 1960 with a thesis on plasma-reactors, and a PhD in 1961 at the University of Freiburg under Hans Marshal, with a thesis on the nuclear polarization in μ-mesic atoms. During the period of 1962 to 1964 he was assistant professor at the University of Maryland, followed by a position as research associate at the University of Freiburg, in 1964. Starting in 1965, he became a full professor at the Institute for Theoretical Physics at Goethe University until 2003. Greiner has been a visiting professor to many universities and laboratories, including Florida State University, the University of Virginia, the University of California, the University of Melbourne, Vanderbilt University, Yale University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory. In 2003, with Wolf Singer, he was the founding Director of the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS), and gave lectures and seminars in elementary particle physics. He died on October 6, 2016 at the age of 80. Walter Greiner was an excellent teacher, researcher, friend. And he was a great supporter of the series of events known by the acronyms IWARA - International Workshop on Astronomy and Relativistic Astrophysics, STARS - Caribbean Symposium on Cosmology, Gravitation, Nuclear and Astroparticle Physics, and SMFNS - International Symposium on Strong Electromagnetic Fields and Neutron Stars. Walter Greiner left us. But his memory will remain always alive among us who have had the privilege of knowing him and enjoy his wisdom and joy of living.

Radiative decay of massious neutrinos: Implications for physics and astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stecker, F. W.

1981-01-01

The radiative lifetime tau for the decay of massious neutrinos is calculated using various physical models for neutrino decay. The results are related to the astrophysical problem of the detectability of the decay photons from cosmic neutrinos. Conversely, the astrophysical data are used to place lower limits on tau. However, an observed feature at approximately 1700 A in the ultraviolet background radiation at high galactic latitudes may be from the decay of neutrinos with mass approximately 14 eV. This would require a decay rate much larger than the predictions of standard models but could be indicative of a decay rate possible in composite models. It is considered that this may be an important test for substructure in leptons and quarks.

REVIEWS OF TOPICAL PROBLEMS: Instabilities of a multicomponent plasma with accelerated particles and magnetic field generation in astrophysical objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bykov, Andrei M.; Toptygin, Igor'N.

2007-02-01

A system of MHD equations for the description of a magnetized nonequilibrium astrophysical plasma with neutral atoms and suprathermal (in particular, relativistic) particles is formulated. The instabilities of such a plasma, which arise from the presence of neutral and relativistic components, are considered. It is shown that the presence of nonthermal particles interacting with the thermal plasma component via regular and fluctuating electromagnetic fields is responsible for the emergence of specific mechanisms of MHD wave generation. The main generation mechanisms of static and turbulent magnetic fields near shock wave fronts in the Galaxy and interplanetary space are analyzed. We discuss the application of the generation effects of long-wave magnetic fluctuations to the problems of magnetic field origin and relativistic particle acceleration in astrophysical objects of various natures.

Target characterizations for a 14N(p,γ)15O cross section measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gyürky, Gy.; Csik, A.; Mátyus, Zs.; Fülöp, Zs.; Halász, Z.; Kiss, G. G.; Szücs, T.; Wagner, L.

2018-01-01

The 14N(p,γ)15O reaction controls the rate of CNO cycle hydrogen burning in various astrophysical sites and it is therefore one of the most important reactions in nuclear astrophysics. An experimental program is in progress to measure the 14N(p,γ)15O cross section in a wide energy range using a novel approach. A crucial quantity for the cross section determination is the number of N atoms in the target. In this paper the results of different experiments used for N target characterization are presented.

Publications of LASL research, 1975

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

Kerr, A.K.

1976-09-01

This bibliography lists unclassified 1975 publications of work done at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory and those earlier publications that were received too late for inclusion in earlier compilations. Papers published in 1975 are included regardless of when they were actually written. Declassification of previously classified reports is considered to constitute publication. All classified issuances are omitted. The bibliography includes Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory reports, papers released as non-Los Alamos reports, journal articles, books, chapters of books, conference papers (whether published separately or as part of conference proceedings issued as books or reports), papers published in congressional hearings, theses, andmore » U.S. Patents. Publications by LASL authors which are not records of Laboratory-sponsored work are included when the Library becomes aware of them. The entries are arranged in sections by the following broad subject categories: aerospace studies; analytical technology; astrophysics; atomic and molecular physics, equation of state, opacity; biology and medicine; chemical dynamics and kinetics; chemistry; cryogenics; crystallography; CTR and plasma physics; earth science and engineering; energy (nonnuclear); engineering and equipment; EPR, ESR, NMR studies; explosives and detonations; fission physics; health and safety; hydrodynamics and radiation transport; instruments; lasers; mathematics and computers; medium-energy physics; metallurgy and ceramics technology; neutronics and criticality studies; nuclear physics; nuclear safeguards; physics; reactor technology; solid state science; and miscellaneous (including Project Rover). Author, numerical, and KWIC indexes are included. (RWR)« less

Recent highlights from IceCube

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

Kappes, A.; Collaboration: IceCube Collaboration

2014-11-18

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, completed in December 2010, is located at the geographic South Pole and incorporates a one cubic kilometer neutrino detector buried in the deep ice and a one square kilometer air shower array, IceTop, sitting atop the glacial ice. This unique combination of neutrino and cosmic-ray detectors allows to investigate a wide variety of physics topics both in astrophysics and particle physics. Here, we discuss latest results from IceCube concentrating on astrophysical aspects.

Two-component flux explanation for the high energy neutrino events at IceCube

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

Chen, Chien-Yi; Dev, P. S. Bhupal; Soni, Amarjit

In understanding the spectral and flavor composition of the astrophysical neutrino flux responsible for the recently observed ultrahigh-energy events at IceCube we see how important both astrophysics and particle physics are. Here, we perform a statistical likelihood analysis to the three-year IceCube data and derive the allowed range of the spectral index and flux normalization for various well-motivated physical flavor compositions at the source. While most of the existing analyses so far assume the flavor composition of the neutrinos at an astrophysical source to be (1:2:0), it seems rather unnatural to assume only one type of source, once we recognizemore » the possibility of at least two physical sources. Bearing this in mind, we entertain the possibility of a two-component source for the analysis of IceCube data. It appears that our two-component hypothesis explains some key features of the data better than a single-component scenario; i.e. it addresses the apparent energy gap between 400 TeV and about 1 PeV and easily accommodates the observed track-to-shower ratio. Given the extreme importance of the flavor composition for the correct interpretation of the underlying astrophysical processes as well as for the ramification for particle physics, this two-component flux should be tested as more data is accumulated.« less

Two-component flux explanation for the high energy neutrino events at IceCube

DOE PAGES

Chen, Chien-Yi; Dev, P. S. Bhupal; Soni, Amarjit

2015-10-01

In understanding the spectral and flavor composition of the astrophysical neutrino flux responsible for the recently observed ultrahigh-energy events at IceCube we see how important both astrophysics and particle physics are. Here, we perform a statistical likelihood analysis to the three-year IceCube data and derive the allowed range of the spectral index and flux normalization for various well-motivated physical flavor compositions at the source. While most of the existing analyses so far assume the flavor composition of the neutrinos at an astrophysical source to be (1:2:0), it seems rather unnatural to assume only one type of source, once we recognizemore » the possibility of at least two physical sources. Bearing this in mind, we entertain the possibility of a two-component source for the analysis of IceCube data. It appears that our two-component hypothesis explains some key features of the data better than a single-component scenario; i.e. it addresses the apparent energy gap between 400 TeV and about 1 PeV and easily accommodates the observed track-to-shower ratio. Given the extreme importance of the flavor composition for the correct interpretation of the underlying astrophysical processes as well as for the ramification for particle physics, this two-component flux should be tested as more data is accumulated.« less

Advances in instrumentation for nuclear astrophysics

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

Pain, S. D.

The study of the nuclear physics properties which govern energy generation and nucleosynthesis in the astrophysical phenomena we observe in the universe is crucial to understanding how these objects behave and how the chemical history of the universe evolved to its present state. The low cross sections and short nuclear lifetimes involved in many of these reactions make their experimental determination challenging, requiring developments in beams and instrumentation. A selection of developments in nuclear astrophysics instrumentation is discussed, using as examples projects involving the nuclear astrophysics group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. These developments will be key to the instrumentationmore » necessary to fully exploit nuclear astrophysics opportunities at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams which is currently under construction.« less

A Simple Correlation for Neutron Capture Rates from Nuclear Masses

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

Couture, Aaron Joseph

Recent studies of neutron capture performed at LANL have revealed a previously unrecognized connection between nuclear masses and the average neutron capture cross section. A team of three scientists from Los Alamos (P-27), Yale Univ., and Istanbul Univ. (Turkey) recently discovered this connection and have published their results as a Rapid Communication in Physical Review C. Neutron capture is a reaction in which a free neutron is absorbed by the nucleus, keeping the element unchanged, but changing isotopes. This reaction is typically exothermic. As a result, the reaction can proceed even when many other reaction channels are closed. In anmore » astrophysical environment, this means that neutron capture is the primary mechanism by which all of the elements with atomic number greater than nickel are produced is neutron capture.« less

How unequal fluxes of high energy astrophysical neutrinos and antineutrinos can fake new physics

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

Nunokawa, Hiroshi; Panes, Boris; Funchal, Renata Zukanovich

Flavor ratios of very high energy astrophysical neutrinos, which can be studied at the Earth by a neutrino telescope such as IceCube, can serve to diagnose their production mechanism at the astrophysical source. The flavor ratios for neutrinos and antineutrinos can be quite different as we do not know how they are produced in the astrophysical environment. Due to this uncertainty the neutrino and antineutrino flavor ratios at the Earth also could be quite different. Nonetheless, it is generally assumed that flavor ratios for neutrinos and antineutrinos are the same at the Earth, in fitting the high energy astrophysical neutrinomore » data. This is a reasonable assumption for the limited statistics for the data we currently have. However, in the future the fit must be performed allowing for a possible discrepancy in these two fractions in order to be able to disentangle different production mechanisms at the source from new physics in the neutrino sector. To reinforce this issue, in this work we show that a wrong assumption about the distribution of neutrino flavor ratios at the Earth may indeed lead to misleading interpretations of IceCube results.« less

The generation, destination, and astrophysical applications of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Siyao; Lazarian, Alex; Zhang, Bing

2017-01-01

The ubiquitous turbulence in the interstellar medium (ISM) participates in astrophysical processes over a huge dynamic range of scales. Understanding the turbulence properties in the multiphase, magnetized, partially ionized, and compressible ISM is the fundamental step prior to the studies of the ISM physics and other fields of astrophysics. I feel that a triad of analytical, numerical and observational efforts provides a winning combination to understand this complex system and solve long-standing puzzles. I have intensively studied the fundamental physics of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence, and focused on two primary domains, dynamo and dissipation, which concern the origin of strong magnetic fields and the destination of turbulence, respectively. I further applied my theoretical studies in interpreting numerical results and observational data in various astrophysical contexts. The advanced analyses of MHD turbulence enable me to address a number of challenging astrophysical problems, e.g. the importance of magnetic fields for star formation in the early and present-day universe, new methods of measuring magnetic fields, the density distribution in the Galaxy and the host galaxy of a fast radio burst, the diffusion and acceleration of cosmic rays in partially ionized ISM phases.

LMSC PUBLISHED CONTRIBUTIONS, 1966 IMPRINTS: A CITATION BIBLIOGRAPHY,

DTIC Science & Technology

PHYSICS, BIBLIOGRAPHIES), (*AERONAUTICS, BIBLIOGRAPHIES), (*ASTRONAUTICS, BIBLIOGRAPHIES), (* MATERIALS , BIBLIOGRAPHIES), (*ELECTRONICS...BIBLIOGRAPHIES), (*ENGINEERING, BIBLIOGRAPHIES), ASTROPHYSICS, NUCLEAR PHYSICS, MECHANICS, METALLURGY, CERAMIC MATERIALS , SOLID STATE PHYSICS, INFORMATION RETRIEVAL, PROPULSION SYSTEMS, BIONICS, REPORTS

Atomic Data for Stellar Astrophysics: from the UV to the IR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wahlgren, Glenn M.

2011-01-01

The study of stars and stellar evolution relies heavily on the analysis of stellar spectra. The need for atomic line data from the ultraviolet (UV) to the infrared (lR) regions is greater now than ever. In the past twenty years, the time since the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, great progress has been made in acquiring atomic data for UV transitions. The optical wavelength region, now expanded by progress in detector technology, continues to provide motivation for new atomic data. In addition, investments in new instrumentation for ground-based and space observatories has lead to the availability of high-quality spectra at IR wavelengths, where the need for atomic data is most critical. In this review, examples are provided of the progress made in generating atomic data for stellar studies, with a look to the future for addressing the accuracy and completeness of atomic data for anticipated needs.

Neutrino Masses and Mixings and Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuller, George M.

1998-10-01

Here we discuss the implications of light neutrino masses and neutrino flavor/type mixing for dark matter, big bang nucleosynthesis, and models of heavy element nucleosynthesis in super novae. We will also argue the other way and discuss possible constraints on neutrino physics from these astrophysical considerations.

Simulating Astrophysical Jets with Inertial Confinement Fusion Machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blue, Brent

2005-10-01

Large-scale directional outflows of supersonic plasma, also known as `jets', are ubiquitous phenomena in astrophysics. The traditional approach to understanding such phenomena is through theoretical analysis and numerical simulations. However, theoretical analysis might not capture all the relevant physics and numerical simulations have limited resolution and fail to scale correctly in Reynolds number and perhaps other key dimensionless parameters. Recent advances in high energy density physics using large inertial confinement fusion devices now allow controlled laboratory experiments on macroscopic volumes of plasma of direct relevance to astrophysics. This talk will present an overview of these facilities as well as results from current laboratory astrophysics experiments designed to study hydrodynamic jets and Rayleigh-Taylor mixing. This work is performed under the auspices of the U. S. DOE by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-48, Los Alamos National Laboratory under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-36, and the Laboratory for Laser Energetics under Contract No. DE-FC03-92SF19460.

European Virtual Atomic And Molecular Data Center - VAMDC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimitrijevic, M. S.; Sahal-Brechot, S.; Kovacevic, A.; Jevremovic, D.; Popovic, L. C.

2010-07-01

Reliable atomic and molecular data are of great importance for different applications in astrophysics, atmospheric physics, fusion, environmental sciences, combustion chemistry, and in industrial applications from plasmas and lasers to lighting. Currently, very important resources of such data are highly fragmented, presented in different, nonstandardized ways, available through a variety of highly specialized and often poorly documented interfaces, so that the full exploitation of all their scientific worth is limited, hindering research in many topics like e.g. the characterization of extrasolar planets, understanding the chemistry of our local solar system and of the wider universe, the study of the terrestrial atmosphere and quantification of climate change; the development of the fusion rersearch, etc. The Virtual Atomic and Molecular Data Centre (http://www.vamdc.eu, VAMDC) is an European Union funded FP7 project aiming to build a secure, documented, flexible and interoperable e-science environment-based interface to existing atomic and molecular data. It will also provide a forum for training potential users and dissemination of expertise worldwide. Partners in the Consortium of the Project are: 1) Centre National de Recherche Scientifique - CNRS (Paris, Reims, Grenoble, Bordeaux, Dijon, Toulouse); 2) The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge - CMSUC; 3) University College London - UCL; 4) Open University - OU; (Milton Keynes, England); 5) Universitaet Wien - UNIVIE; 6) Uppsala Universitet - UU; 7) Universitaet zu Koeln - KOLN; 8) Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica - INAF (Catania, Cagliari); 9) Queen's University Belfast - QUB; 10) Astronomska Opservatorija - AOB (Belgrade, Serbia); 11) Institute of Spectroscopy RAS - ISRAN (Troitsk, Russia); 12) Russian Federal Nuclear Center - All-Russian Institute of Technical Physics - RFNC-VNIITF (Snezhinsk, Chelyabinsk Region, Russia; 13) Institute of Atmospheric Optics - IAO (Tomsk, Russia); 14) Corporacion Parque tecnologico de Merida - IVIC (Merida, Venezuela); 15) Institute for Astronomy RAS - INASAN (Moscow, Russia). This review describes the VAMDC project and its objectives.

A Novel Multiscale QM-MD-SPH Computational Method for Heterogeneous Multicomponent Reactive Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-11-30

The first-principle study on the equation of state of hmx under high pressure. Science China Physics, Mechanics and Astronomy , 54(5):831–835, 2011...J J Monaghan, J C Lattanzio. A refined particle method for astrophysical problems. Astronomy and astrophysics 149 (1985): 135-143. 133 [148] J J...Monaghan. Smoothed particle hydrodynamics. Annual review of astronomy and astrophysics 30.1 (1992): 543-574. [149] J P Morris. A study of the

Obituary: Roy Henry Garstang (1925-2009)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malville, J.

2011-12-01

Roy Henry Garstang 84 passed away on November 1, 2009 in Boulder Colorado. He was born in Southport, England in September of 1925 to Percy Brocklehurst and Eunice (Gledhill) Garstang. He won a scholarship to Caius College in Cambridge University. Because it was wartime, he could spend only two years at his studies. However, he managed to complete three years of required work during that time, and then spent 1945-46 as a Junior Scientific Officer at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough. He received his BA in 1946 from Cambridge, his MA in 1950, and his PhD in Mathematics in 1954, with a thesis: "Atomic Transitions in Astrophysics," working under D. R. Hartree. He also received a ScD from Cambridge in Physics and Chemistry in 1983. He married Ann in August 1959. She and two daughters, Jennifer and Susan, survive him. While still pursuing his PhD, Roy Garstang served as a Research Associate at the Yerkes Observatory, from 1951-1952, working under Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. During that time he continued with his own calculations of atomic structure and transition probabilities, although these were not part of Chandra's research interests. After earning his PhD, he went to teach at the University of London, where he also served as the Assistant Director of the University of London Observatory (1959-1964). He was editor of "The Observatory" Magazine form 1953-1960. The continuing theme of this research was to help meet the needs of astrophysicists for atomic data. In 1964, he left England for the United States, where he joined the faculty at the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he would remain for the rest of his professional career. It was entirely fitting, considering his interest in performing calculations of interest to astrophysicists, that soon after arriving in Boulder he was appointed Chairman of JILA - Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (1966-1967). He was Director of the Division of Physics and AstroGeophysics (1979-80), acting Director of the Fiske Planetarium (1980-81), Chair of the Faculty Assembly (1988-1989) and recipient of the Faculty Assembly Excellence in Service Award in 1990. During his career Garstang was active in a number of professional organizations, including the British Astronomical Association (two-term Vice President) and Sigma Xi for which he was the Secretary of the University of Colorado for 20 years. He was a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Physical Society the American Physical Society, the Optical Society of America, the Royal Astronomical Society, the Institute of Physics (British), the Royal Statistical Society, and the Cambridge Philosophical Society. He published more than 150 articles in scientific journals. Roy Garstang was the consummate resource for atomic calculations needed by the astrophysical community. His first scientific paper published when he was a graduate student in 1950 was "Some line strengths for ionized neon" (Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 110: 612-614) and some 55 papers later, in 1981 he published calculations on neutral technetium "Oscillator strengths for neutral technetium" (PASP 93:641. 1981). A continuing interest of his was forbidden transitions, such as are important in the solar corona, aurora, planetary nebula, and nova shells. He made important calculations of the energy levels and spectra of highly ionized species of iron and worked extensively on magnetic quadrupole radiation, which proved to be important in the solar corona. Garstang also studied the effects of strong magnetic field on atomic spectra, ranging from the thousand gauss fields of sunspots to megagauss fields of white dwarfs. He was internationally recognized for his work on light pollution, which turned into a major course change for him, becoming his primary research interest after 1984. Between 1984 and 2007, he published 40 scientific papers of which 37 concerned sky brightness in one way or another. He constructed and modified a light pollution model (Dust and Light Pollution, PASP 103:1109 (1991)) which included an ozone layer, scattering of light by molecules and aerosols with improved variations with altitude, curvature of the earth, and a dust layer of dust either volcanic or desert origin. His models have become the standard for the field and have successfully reproduced the variation of sky glow with position in the sky and with distance from light sources. His models raised awareness of the factors contributing to light pollution at observatory sites and led to efforts to reduce urban light pollution. Garstang played an important role in the teaching program of the CU Bolder Astrophysics and Planetary Science department, teaching large introductory classes, laboratory and observatory sessions as well as upper division classes and graduate classes. His appetite for teaching undergraduate can be appreciated by some of the laboratory exercise he invented such as measuring the solar constant by the rate of rise of temperature inside closed car ("How hot does your parked car become?" AAPT Announce 18:139 (1988)). In 1994 he published a letter in AmJPh about a continuing discussion of SI units. The letter reveals much about his approach to life and physics. "I have done a lot of work during the last 15 years on light pollution. If you want to reach lighting engineers you have to talk about lumens, lux, foot-candles, and whatever. If you do not, your reward is simply not to be understood. Photons per square meter per second per steradian means nothing to them. The problem is doubly compounded because astronomers have their own traditional units, such as number of tenth magnitude stars per square degree, magnitudes per square arc second, and so on, which are equally obscure to the engineering community. By all means work in metric, but be prepared to quote your main results in language understood by the consumers of your results. In fact, a little common sense is what we need."

Particle astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sadoulet, Bernard; Cronin, James; Aprile, Elena; Barish, Barry C.; Beier, Eugene W.; Brandenberger, Robert; Cabrera, Blas; Caldwell, David; Cassiday, George; Cline, David B.

1991-01-01

The following scientific areas are reviewed: (1) cosmology and particle physics (particle physics and the early universe, dark matter, and other relics); (2) stellar physics and particles (solar neutrinos, supernovae, and unconventional particle physics); (3) high energy gamma ray and neutrino astronomy; (4) cosmic rays (space and ground observations). Highest scientific priorities for the next decade include implementation of the current program, new initiatives, and longer-term programs. Essential technological developments, such as cryogenic detectors of particles, new solar neutrino techniques, and new extensive air shower detectors, are discussed. Also a certain number of institutional issues (the funding of particle astrophysics, recommended funding mechanisms, recommended facilities, international collaborations, and education and technology) which will become critical in the coming decade are presented.

ISPAE Research Highlights 1995-1997

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harwell, Ken

1997-01-01

This paper presents ISPAE (Institute for Space Physics, Astrophysics and Education) research highlights from 1995-1997. The topics include: 1) High-Energy Astrophysics (Finding the smoking gun in gamma-ray bursts, Playing peekaboo with gamma ray bursts, and Spectral pulses muddle burst source study, Einstein was right: Black holes do spin, Astronomers find "one-man X-ray band", and Cosmic rays from the supernova next door?); 2) Solar Physics (Bright burst confirms solar storm model, Model predicts speed of solar wind in space, and Angry sunspots snap under the strain); 3) Gravitational Physics; 4) Tether Dynamics; and 5) Space Physics (Plasma winds blow form polar regions, De-SCIFERing thermal electrons, and UVI lets scientists see daytime aurora).

High Energy Astrophysics and Cosmology from Space: NASA's Physics of the Cosmos Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bautz, Marshall

2017-01-01

We summarize currently-funded NASA activities in high energy astrophysics and cosmology embodied in the NASA Physics of the Cosmos program, including updates on technology development and mission studies. The portfolio includes participation in a space mission to measure gravitational waves from a variety of astrophysical sources, including binary black holes, throughout most of cosmic history, and in another to map the evolution of black hole accretion by means of the accompanying X-ray emission. These missions are envisioned as collaborations with the European Space Agency's Large 3 (L3) and Athena programs, respectively. It also features definition of a large, NASA-led X-ray Observatory capable of tracing the surprisingly rapid growth of supermassive black holes during the first billion years of cosmic history. The program also includes the study of cosmic rays and high-energy gamma-ray photons resulting from range of physical processes, and efforts to characterize both the physics of inflation associated with the birth of the universe and the nature of the dark energy that dominates its mass-energy content today. Finally, we describe the activities of the Physics of the Cosmos Program Analysis Group, which serves as a forum for community analysis and input to NASA.

Astrophysics: An Integrative Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutsche, Graham D.

1975-01-01

Describes a one semester course in introductory stellar astrophysics at the advanced undergraduate level. The course aims to integrate all previously learned physics by applying it to the study of stars. After a brief introductory section on basic astronomical measurements, the main topics covered are stellar atmospheres, stellar structure, and…

Edward Mills Purcell, August 30, 1912-March 7, 1997

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rigden, John S.

2011-03-01

I discuss the life, education, personality, and contributions of Edward Mills Purcell (1912-1997) to physics, radio astronomy, astrophysics, biological physics, physics teaching and education, and to the nation.

Recent Livermore Excitation and Dielectronic Recombination Measurements for Laboratory and Astrophysical Spectral Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beiersdorfer, P.; Brown, G. V.; Gu, M.-F.; Harris, C. L.; Kahn, S. M.; Kim, S.-H.; Neill, P. A.; Savin, D. W.; Smith, A. J.; Utter, S. B.

2000-01-01

Using the EBIT facility in Livermore we produce definitive atomic data for input into spectral synthesis codes. Recent measurements of line excitation and dielectronic recombination of highly charged K-shell and L-shell ions are presented to illustrate this point.

Dicke’s Superradiance in Astrophysics. I. The 21 cm Line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajabi, Fereshteh; Houde, Martin

2016-08-01

We have applied the concept of superradiance introduced by Dicke in 1954 to astrophysics by extending the corresponding analysis to the magnetic dipole interaction characterizing the atomic hydrogen 21 cm line. Although it is unlikely that superradiance could take place in thermally relaxed regions and that the lack of observational evidence of masers for this transition reduces the probability of detecting superradiance, in situations where the conditions necessary for superradiance are met (close atomic spacing, high velocity coherence, population inversion, and long dephasing timescales compared to those related to coherent behavior), our results suggest that relatively low levels of population inversion over short astronomical length-scales (e.g., as compared to those required for maser amplification) can lead to the cooperative behavior required for superradiance in the interstellar medium. Given the results of our analysis, we expect the observational properties of 21 cm superradiance to be characterized by the emission of high-intensity, spatially compact, burst-like features potentially taking place over short periods ranging from minutes to days.

A Comprehensive Opacities/Atomic Database for the Analysis of Astrophysical Spectra and Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pradhan, Anil K. (Principal Investigator)

1997-01-01

The main goals of this ADP award have been accomplished. The electronic database TOPBASE, consisting of the large volume of atomic data from the Opacity Project, has been installed and is operative at a NASA site at the Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics Science Research Center (HEASRC) at the Goddard Space Flight Center. The database will be continually maintained and updated by the PI and collaborators. TOPBASE is publicly accessible from IP: topbase.gsfc.nasa.gov. During the last six months (since the previous progress report), considerable work has been carried out to: (1) put in the new data for low ionization stages of iron: Fe I - V, beginning with Fe II, (2) high-energy photoionization cross sections computed by Dr. Hong Lin Zhang (consultant on the Project) were 'merged' with the current Opacity Project data and input into TOPbase; (3) plans laid out for a further extension of TOPbase to include TIPbase, the database for collisional data to complement the radiative data in TOPbase.

Shape: A 3D Modeling Tool for Astrophysics.

PubMed

Steffen, Wolfgang; Koning, Nicholas; Wenger, Stephan; Morisset, Christophe; Magnor, Marcus

2011-04-01

We present a flexible interactive 3D morpho-kinematical modeling application for astrophysics. Compared to other systems, our application reduces the restrictions on the physical assumptions, data type, and amount that is required for a reconstruction of an object's morphology. It is one of the first publicly available tools to apply interactive graphics to astrophysical modeling. The tool allows astrophysicists to provide a priori knowledge about the object by interactively defining 3D structural elements. By direct comparison of model prediction with observational data, model parameters can then be automatically optimized to fit the observation. The tool has already been successfully used in a number of astrophysical research projects.

NASA's Physics of the Cosmos and Cosmic Origins Technology Development Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pham, Thai; Seery, Bernard; Ganel, Opher

2016-01-01

The strategic astrophysics missions of the coming decades will help answer the questions "How did our universe begin and evolve?" and "How did galaxies, stars, and planets come to be?" Enabling these missions requires advances in key technologies far beyond the current state of the art. NASA's Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) and Cosmic Origins (COR) Program Offices manage technology maturation projects funded through the Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) program to accomplish such advances. The PCOS and COR Program Offices, residing at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), were established in 2011, and serve as the implementation arm for the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. We present an overview of the Programs' technology development activities and the current technology investment portfolio of 23 technology advancements. We discuss the process for addressing community-provided technology gaps and Technology Management Board (TMB)-vetted prioritization and investment recommendations that inform the SAT program. The process improves the transparency and relevance of our technology investments, provides the community a voice in the process, and promotes targeted external technology investments by defining needs and identifying customers. The Programs' priorities are driven by strategic direction from the Astrophysics Division, which is informed by the National Research Council's (NRC) "New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics" (NWNH) 2010 Decadal Survey report [1], the Astrophysics Implementation Plan (AIP) [2] as updated, and the Astrophysics Roadmap "Enduring Quests, Daring Visions" [3]. These priorities include technology development for missions to study dark energy, gravitational waves, X-ray and inflation probe science, and large far-infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV)/optical/IR telescopes to conduct imaging and spectroscopy studies. The SAT program is the Astrophysics Division's main investment method to mature technologies that will be identified by study teams set up to inform the 2020 Decadal Survey process on several large astrophysics mission concepts.

Interstellar Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds and Astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hodgins, Douglas M.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), a class of organic molecules whose structures are characterized by the presence of two or more fused aromatic rings, have been the subject of astrophysical interest for nearly two decades. Large by interstellar standards (from as few as 20 to perhaps as many as several hundred atoms), it has been suggested that these species are among the most abundant interstellar molecules impacting a wide range of astrophysical phenomena including: the ubiquitous family of infrared emission bands observed in an ever-increasing assortment of astronomical objects; the subtle but rich array of discrete visible/near-infrared interstellar molecular absorption features known as the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs); the broad near-infrared quasi-continuum observed in a number of nebulae known as excess red emission (ERE); the interstellar ultraviolet extinction curve and broad '2200 Angstrom bump'; the heating/cooling mechanisms of interstellar clouds. Nevertheless, until recently a lack of good-quality laboratory spectroscopic data on PACs under astrophysically relevant conditions (i.e. isolated, ionized molecules; ionized molecular clusters, etc.) has hindered critical evaluation and extension of this model

Astrophysics and Space Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mould, Jeremy; Brinks, Elias; Khanna, Ramon

2015-08-01

Astrophysics and Space Science publishes original contributions and invited reviews covering the entire range of astronomy, astrophysics, astrophysical cosmology, planetary and space science, and the astrophysical aspects of astrobiology. This includes both observational and theoretical research, the techniques of astronomical instrumentation and data analysis, and astronomical space instrumentation. We particularly welcome papers in the general fields of high-energy astrophysics, astrophysical and astrochemical studies of the interstellar medium including star formation, planetary astrophysics, the formation and evolution of galaxies and the evolution of large scale structure in the Universe. Papers in mathematical physics or in general relativity which do not establish clear astrophysical applications will not longer be considered.The journal also publishes topical collections consisting of invited reviews and original research papers selected special issues in research fields of particular scientific interest. These consist of both invited reviews and original research papers.Conference proceedings will not be considered. All papers published in the journal are subject to thorough and strict peer-reviewing.Astrophysics and Space Science has an Impact Factor of 2.4 and features short editorial turnaround times as well as short publication times after acceptance, and colour printing free of charge. Published by Springer the journal has a very wide online dissemination and can be accessed by researchers at a very large number of institutes worldwide.

Modeling of Photoionized Plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kallman, Timothy R.

2010-01-01

In this paper I review the motivation and current status of modeling of plasmas exposed to strong radiation fields, as it applies to the study of cosmic X-ray sources. This includes some of the astrophysical issues which can be addressed, the ingredients for the models, the current computational tools, the limitations imposed by currently available atomic data, and the validity of some of the standard assumptions. I will also discuss ideas for the future: challenges associated with future missions, opportunities presented by improved computers, and goals for atomic data collection.

Research and technology: Fiscal year 1984 report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

Topics covered include extraterrestrial physics, high energy astrophysics, astronomy, solar physics, atmospheres, oceans, terrestrial physics, space technology, sensors, techniques, user space data systems, space communications and navigation, and system and software engineering.

AXAF: The Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pellerin, Charles J.; Weisskopf, Martin C.; Neal, Valerie

2005-01-01

X-rays are produced by violent, energetic, and explosive phenomena in the universe. The Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) is an orbiting observatory designed to view these X-rays. The National Academy of Sciences Survey Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics has recommended AXAF as the #1 priority among all major new astronomy programs. The scientific importance of AXAF was also highlighted by the Academy's Survey Committee on Physics. Why has AXAF earned such enthusiastic support, not only among astronomers, but also broadly within the nation's scientific community?

Planetary rings and astrophysical discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latter, Henrik

2016-05-01

Disks are ubiquitous in astrophysics and participate in some of its most important processes. Of special interest is their role in star, planet and moon formation, the growth of supermassive black holes, and the launching of jets. Although astrophysical disks can be up to ten orders of magnitude larger than planetary rings and differ hugely in composition, all disks share to some extent the same basic dynamics and many physical phenomena. This review explores these areas of overlap. Topics covered include disk formation, accretion, collisions, instabilities, and satellite-disk interactions.

Astrophysics on the Lab Bench

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Stephen W.

2010-01-01

In this article some basic laboratory bench experiments are described that are useful for teaching high school students some of the basic principles of stellar astrophysics. For example, in one experiment, students slam a plastic water-filled bottle down onto a bench, ejecting water towards the ceiling, illustrating the physics associated with a…

Solid State Pathways towards Molecular Complexity in Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linnartz, Harold; Bossa, Jean-Baptiste; Bouwman, Jordy; Cuppen, Herma M.; Cuylle, Steven H.; van Dishoeck, Ewine F.; Fayolle, Edith C.; Fedoseev, Gleb; Fuchs, Guido W.; Ioppolo, Sergio; Isokoski, Karoliina; Lamberts, Thanja; Öberg, Karin I.; Romanzin, Claire; Tenenbaum, Emily; Zhen, Junfeng

2011-12-01

It has been a long standing problem in astrochemistry to explain how molecules can form in a highly dilute environment such as the interstellar medium. In the last decennium more and more evidence has been found that the observed mix of small and complex, stable and highly transient species in space is the cumulative result of gas phase and solid state reactions as well as gas-grain interactions. Solid state reactions on icy dust grains are specifically found to play an important role in the formation of the more complex ``organic'' compounds. In order to investigate the underlying physical and chemical processes detailed laboratory based experiments are needed that simulate surface reactions triggered by processes as different as thermal heating, photon (UV) irradiation and particle (atom, cosmic ray, electron) bombardment of interstellar ice analogues. Here, some of the latest research performed in the Sackler Laboratory for Astrophysics in Leiden, the Netherlands is reviewed. The focus is on hydrogenation, i.e., H-atom addition reactions and vacuum ultraviolet irradiation of interstellar ice analogues at astronomically relevant temperatures. It is shown that solid state processes are crucial in the chemical evolution of the interstellar medium, providing pathways towards molecular complexity in space.

Cathodoluminescence microscopy and spectroscopy of micro- and nanodiamonds: an implication for laboratory astrophysics.

PubMed

Gucsik, Arnold; Nishido, Hirotsugu; Ninagawa, Kiyotaka; Ott, Ulrich; Tsuchiyama, Akira; Kayama, Masahiro; Simonia, Irakli; Boudou, Jean-Paul

2012-12-01

Color centers in selected micro- and nanodiamond samples were investigated by cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy and spectroscopy at 298 K [room temperature (RT)] and 77 K [liquid-nitrogen temperature (LNT)] to assess the value of the technique for astrophysics. Nanodiamonds from meteorites were compared with synthetic diamonds made with different processes involving distinct synthesis mechanisms (chemical vapor deposition, static high pressure high temperature, detonation). A CL emission peak centered at around 540 nm at 77 K was observed in almost all of the selected diamond samples and is assigned to the dislocation defect with nitrogen atoms. Additional peaks were identified at 387 and 452 nm, which are related to the vacancy defect. In general, peak intensity at LNT at the samples was increased in comparison to RT. The results indicate a clear temperature-dependence of the spectroscopic properties of diamond. This suggests the method is a useful tool in laboratory astrophysics.

The Hubble Space Telescope: UV, Visible, and Near-Infrared Pursuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiseman, Jennifer

2010-01-01

The Hubble Space Telescope continues to push the limits on world-class astrophysics. Cameras including the Advanced Camera for Surveys and the new panchromatic Wide Field Camera 3 which was installed nu last year's successful servicing mission S2N4,o{fer imaging from near-infrared through ultraviolet wavelengths. Spectroscopic studies of sources from black holes to exoplanet atmospheres are making great advances through the versatile use of STIS, the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. The new Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, also installed last year, is the most sensitive UV spectrograph to fly io space and is uniquely suited to address particular scientific questions on galaxy halos, the intergalactic medium, and the cosmic web. With these outstanding capabilities on HST come complex needs for laboratory astrophysics support including atomic and line identification data. I will provide an overview of Hubble's current capabilities and the scientific programs and goals that particularly benefit from the studies of laboratory astrophysics.

Benchmarking Atomic Data for Astrophysics: Be-like Ions between B II and Ne VII

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Kai; Chen, Zhan Bin; Zhang, Chun Yu; Si, Ran; Jönsson, Per; Hartman, Henrik; Gu, Ming Feng; Chen, Chong Yang; Yan, Jun

2018-02-01

Large-scale self-consistent multiconfiguration Dirac–Hartree–Fock and relativistic configuration interaction calculations are reported for the n≤slant 6 levels in Be-like ions from B II to Ne VII. Effects from electron correlation are taken into account by means of large expansions in terms of a basis of configuration state functions, and a complete and accurate data set of excitation energies; lifetimes; wavelengths; electric dipole, magnetic dipole, electric quadrupole, and magnetic quadrupole line strengths; transition rates; and oscillator strengths for these levels is provided for each ion. Comparisons are made with available experimental and theoretical results. The uncertainty of excitation energies is assessed to be 0.01% on average, which makes it possible to find and rule out misidentifications and aid new line identifications involving high-lying levels in astrophysical spectra. The complete data set is also useful for modeling and diagnosing astrophysical plasmas.

Final Technical Report: Magnetic Reconnection in High-Energy Laser-Produced Plasmas

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

Germaschewski, Kai; Fox, William; Bhattacharjee, Amitava

This report describes the final results from the DOE Grant DE-SC0007168, “Fast Magnetic Reconnection in HED Laser-Produced Plasmas.” The recent generation of laboratory high-energy-density physics facilities has opened significant physics opportunities for experimentally modeling astrophysical plasmas. The goal of this proposal is to use these new tools to study fundamental problems in plasma physics and plasma astrophysics. Fundamental topics in this area involve study of the generation, amplification, and fate of magnetic fields, which are observed to pervade the plasma universe and govern its evolution. This project combined experiments at DOE laser facilities with kinetic plasma simulation to study thesemore » processes. The primary original goal of the project was to study magnetic reconnection using a new experimental platform, colliding magnetized laser-produced plasmas. However through a series of fortuitous discoveries, the work broadened out to allow significant advancement on multiple topics in laboratory astrophysics, including magnetic reconnection, Weibel instability, and collisionless shocks.« less

Extension of the nuclear mass surface for neutron-rich isotopes of argon through iron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meisel, Zachary Paul

Nuclear mass measurement has maintained an important position in the field of nuclear physics for a little over a century. Nuclear masses provide key evidence of the structural transformation of nuclei away from the valley of beta-stability and are essential input for many simulations of extreme astrophysical environments. However, obtaining these masses is often a challenging endeavor due to the low production cross sections and short half-lives of the exotic nuclei which are of particular interest. To this end, the time-of-flight mass measurement technique has been developed to obtain the masses of several nuclei at once to precisions of 1 part in 105 with virtually no half-life limitation. This dissertation contains a description of the experiment, analysis, and results of the second implementation of the time-of-flight nuclear mass measurement technique at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. 18 masses were obtained for neutron-rich isotopes of argon through iron, where the masses of 48Ar, 49Ar, 56Sc, 57Sc, 64Cr, 67Mn, and 69Fe were measured for the first time. These newly obtained masses were applied to outstanding problems in nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics, resulting in significant scientific advances. The measurement results for 48Ar and 49Ar, which were found to have atomic mass excesses of -22.28(31) MeV and -17.8(1.1) MeV, respectively, provide strong evidence for the closed shell nature of neutron number N = 28 in argon. It follows that argon is therefore the lowest even-Z element exhibiting the N = 28 closed shell. The masses of 64Cr, 67 Mn, and 69Fe, which were found to have atomic mass excesses of -33.48(44) MeV, -34.09(62) MeV, and -39.35(60) MeV, respectively, show signs of nuclear deformation occurring around the N = 40 subshell. In addition, we found 64Cr is substantially less bound than predicted by global mass models that are commonly used in nuclear astrophysics simulations, resulting in a significant reduction in the predicted strength and depth of electron capture heating in the accreted neutron star crust due to the rather abundant A = 64 mass-chain. The reported value for the atomic mass excess of 56Sc, -24.85(59)(+0,-54) MeV, which contains an asymmetric systematic uncertainty due to potential isomeric contamination, results in a smaller than expected odd-even mass staggering in the A = 56 mass chain. Depending on the choice of theoretical models for electron capture transition strengths and energies, this could lead to strong Urca cooling in accreted neutron star crusts, due to the large amount of A = 56 material predicted to be present on the surface of accreted neutron stars.

From cosmology to cold atoms: observation of Sakharov oscillations in a quenched atomic superfluid.

PubMed

Hung, Chen-Lung; Gurarie, Victor; Chin, Cheng

2013-09-13

Predicting the dynamics of many-body systems far from equilibrium is a challenging theoretical problem. A long-predicted phenomenon in hydrodynamic nonequilibrium systems is the occurrence of Sakharov oscillations, which manifest in the anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background and the large-scale correlations of galaxies. Here, we report the observation of Sakharov oscillations in the density fluctuations of a quenched atomic superfluid through a systematic study in both space and time domains and with tunable interaction strengths. Our work suggests a different approach to the study of nonequilibrium dynamics of quantum many-body systems and the exploration of their analogs in cosmology and astrophysics.

The ISOLDE facility and the HIE-HISOLDE project: Recent highlights

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

Borge, M. J. G.

2014-07-23

The ISOLDE facility at CERN has as objective the production, study and research of nuclei far from stability. The facility provides low energy radioactive beams and post-accelerated beams. In the last 45 years the ISOLDE facility has gathered unique expertise in research with radioactive beams. Over 700 isotopes of more than 70 elements have been used in a wide range of research domains, including cutting edge studies in nuclear structure, atomic physics, nuclear astrophysics, and fundamental interactions. These nuclear probes are also used to do frontier research in solid state and life sciences. There is an on-going upgrade of themore » facility, the HIE-ISOLDE project, which aims to improve the ISOLDE capabilities in a wide front, from an energy increase of the post-accelerated beam to improvements in beam quality and beam purity. The first phase of HIE-ISOLDE will start for physics in the autumn of 2015 with an upgrade of energy for all post-accelerated ISOLDE beams up to 5.5 MeV/u. In this contribution the most recent highlights of the facility are presented.« less

Physics of Granular Materials: Investigations in Support of Astrobiology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, John R.

2002-01-01

This publication list is submitted as a summary of the work conducted under Cooperative Agreement 1120. The goal of the 1120 research was to study granular materials within a planetary, astrophysical, and astrobiological context. This involved research on the physical, mechanical and electrostatic properties of granular systems, as well as the examination of these materials with atomic force microscopy and x-ray analysis. Instruments for analyzing said materials in planetary environments were developed, including the MECA (Mars Environment Compatibility Assessment) experiment for the MSP '01 lander, the ECHOS/MATADOR experiment for the MSP '03 lander, an ISRU experiment for the '03 lander, and MiniLEAP technology. Flight experiments for microgravity (Space Station and Shuttle) have also been developed for the study of granular materials. As expressed in the publications, work on 1120 encompassed laboratory research, theoretical modeling, field experiments, and flight experiments: a series of successful new models were developed for understanding the behavior of triboelectrostatically charged granular masses, and 4 separate instruments were selected for space flight. No inventions or patents were generated by the research under this Agreement.

Experimental Nuclear Physics Activity in Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiavassa, E.; de Marco, N.

2003-04-01

The experimental Nuclear Physics activity of the Italian researchers is briefly reviewed. The experiments, that are financially supported by the INFN, are done in strict collaboration by more than 500 INFN and University researchers. The experiments cover all the most important field of the modern Nuclear Physics with probes extremely different in energy and interactions. Researches are done in all the four National Laboratories of the INFN even if there is a deeper involvement of the two national laboratories expressly dedicated to Nuclear Physics: the LNL (Laboratorio Nazionale di Legnaro) and LNS (Laboratorio Nazionale del Sud) where nuclear spectroscopy and reaction dynamics are investigated. All the activities with electromagnetic probes develops in abroad laboratories as TJNAF, DESY, MAMI, ESFR and are dedicated to the studies of the spin physics and of the nucleon resonance; hypernuclear and kaon physics is investigated at LNF. A strong community of researchers work in the relativistic and ultra-relativistic heavy ions field in particular at CERN with the SPS Pb beam and in the construction of the ALICE detector for heavy-ion physics at the LHC collider. Experiments of astrophysical interest are done with ions of very low energy; in particular the LUNA accelerator facility at LNGS (Laboratorio Nazionale del Gran Sasso) succeeded measuring cross section at solar energies, below or near the solar Gamow peak. Interdisciplinary researches on anti-hydrogen atom spectroscopy and on measurements of neutron cross sections of interest for ADS development are also supported.

Science and Ultimate Reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrow, John D.; Davies, Paul C. W.; Harper, Charles L., Jr.

2004-06-01

This preview of the future of physics comprises contributions from recognized authorities inspired by the pioneering work of John Wheeler. Quantum theory represents a unifying theme within the book, as it relates to the topics of the nature of physical reality, cosmic inflation, the arrow of time, models of the universe, superstrings, quantum gravity and cosmology. Attempts to formulate a final unification theory of physics are also considered, along with the existence of hidden dimensions of space, hidden cosmic matter, and the strange world of quantum technology. John Archibald Wheeler is one of the most influential scientists of the twentieth century. His extraordinary career has spanned momentous advances in physics, from the birth of the nuclear age to the conception of the quantum computer. Famous for coining the term "black hole," Professor Wheeler helped lay the foundations for the rebirth of gravitation as a mainstream branch of science, triggering the explosive growth in astrophysics and cosmology that followed. His early contributions to physics include the S matrix, the theory of nuclear rotation (with Edward Teller), the theory of nuclear fission (with Niels Bohr), action-at-a-distance electrodynamics (with Richard Feynman), positrons as backward-in-time electrons, the universal Fermi interaction (with Jayme Tiomno), muonic atoms, and the collective model of the nucleus. His inimitable style of thinking, quirky wit, and love of the bizarre have inspired generations of physicists.

Flare physics at high energies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramaty, R.

1990-01-01

High-energy processes, involving a rich variety of accelerated particle phenomena, lie at the core of the solar flare problem. The most direct manifestation of these processes are high-energy radiations, gamma rays, hard X-rays and neutrons, as well as the accelerated particles themselves, which can be detected in interplanetary space. In the study of astrophysics from the moon, the understanding of these processes should have great importance. The inner solar system environment is strongly influenced by activity on the sun; the physics of solar flares is of great intrinsic interest; and much high-energy astrophysics can be learned from investigations of flare physics at high energies.

GenASiS Basics: Object-oriented utilitarian functionality for large-scale physics simulations

DOE PAGES

Cardall, Christian Y.; Budiardja, Reuben D.

2015-06-11

Aside from numerical algorithms and problem setup, large-scale physics simulations on distributed-memory supercomputers require more basic utilitarian functionality, such as physical units and constants; display to the screen or standard output device; message passing; I/O to disk; and runtime parameter management and usage statistics. Here we describe and make available Fortran 2003 classes furnishing extensible object-oriented implementations of this sort of rudimentary functionality, along with individual `unit test' programs and larger example problems demonstrating their use. Lastly, these classes compose the Basics division of our developing astrophysics simulation code GenASiS (General Astrophysical Simulation System), but their fundamental nature makes themmore » useful for physics simulations in many fields.« less

The physics of neutron stars.

PubMed

Lattimer, J M; Prakash, M

2004-04-23

Neutron stars are some of the densest manifestations of massive objects in the universe. They are ideal astrophysical laboratories for testing theories of dense matter physics and provide connections among nuclear physics, particle physics, and astrophysics. Neutron stars may exhibit conditions and phenomena not observed elsewhere, such as hyperon-dominated matter, deconfined quark matter, superfluidity and superconductivity with critical temperatures near 10(10) kelvin, opaqueness to neutrinos, and magnetic fields in excess of 10(13) Gauss. Here, we describe the formation, structure, internal composition, and evolution of neutron stars. Observations that include studies of pulsars in binary systems, thermal emission from isolated neutron stars, glitches from pulsars, and quasi-periodic oscillations from accreting neutron stars provide information about neutron star masses, radii, temperatures, ages, and internal compositions.

The Physics and Diagnostic Potential of Ultraviolet Spectropolarimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trujillo Bueno, Javier; Landi Degl'Innocenti, Egidio; Belluzzi, Luca

2017-09-01

The empirical investigation of the magnetic field in the outer solar atmosphere is a very important challenge in astrophysics. To this end, we need to identify, measure and interpret observable quantities sensitive to the magnetism of the upper chromosphere, transition region and corona. This paper provides an overview of the physics and diagnostic potential of spectropolarimetry in permitted spectral lines of the ultraviolet solar spectrum, such as the Mg ii h and k lines around 2800 Å, the hydrogen Lyman-α line at 1216 Å, and the Lyman-α line of He ii at 304 Å. The outer solar atmosphere is an optically pumped vapor and the linear polarization of such spectral lines is dominated by the atomic level polarization produced by the absorption and scattering of anisotropic radiation. Its modification by the action of the Hanle and Zeeman effects in the inhomogeneous and dynamic solar atmosphere needs to be carefully understood because it encodes the magnetic field information. The circular polarization induced by the Zeeman effect in some ultraviolet lines (e.g., Mg ii h & k) is also of diagnostic interest, especially for probing the outer solar atmosphere in plages and more active regions. The few (pioneering) observational attempts carried out so far to measure the ultraviolet spectral line polarization produced by optically pumped atoms in the upper chromosphere, transition region and corona are also discussed. We emphasize that ultraviolet spectropolarimetry is a key gateway to the outer atmosphere of the Sun and of other stars.

Modeling Laser-Driven Laboratory Astrophysics Experiments Using the CRASH Code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grosskopf, Michael; Keiter, P.; Kuranz, C. C.; Malamud, G.; Trantham, M.; Drake, R.

2013-06-01

Laser-driven, laboratory astrophysics experiments can provide important insight into the physical processes relevant to astrophysical systems. The radiation hydrodynamics code developed by the Center for Radiative Shock Hydrodynamics (CRASH) at the University of Michigan has been used to model experimental designs for high-energy-density laboratory astrophysics campaigns on OMEGA and other high-energy laser facilities. This code is an Eulerian, block-adaptive AMR hydrodynamics code with implicit multigroup radiation transport and electron heat conduction. The CRASH model has been used on many applications including: radiative shocks, Kelvin-Helmholtz and Rayleigh-Taylor experiments on the OMEGA laser; as well as laser-driven ablative plumes in experiments by the Astrophysical Collisionless Shocks Experiments with Lasers (ACSEL) collaboration. We report a series of results with the CRASH code in support of design work for upcoming high-energy-density physics experiments, as well as comparison between existing experimental data and simulation results. This work is funded by the Predictive Sciences Academic Alliances Program in NNSA-ASC via grant DEFC52- 08NA28616, by the NNSA-DS and SC-OFES Joint Program in High-Energy-Density Laboratory Plasmas, grant number DE-FG52-09NA29548, and by the National Laser User Facility Program, grant number DE-NA0000850.

A generalized framework for nucleosynthesis calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sprouse, Trevor; Mumpower, Matthew; Aprahamian, Ani

2014-09-01

Simulating astrophysical events is a difficult process, requiring a detailed pairing of knowledge from both astrophysics and nuclear physics. Astrophysics guides the thermodynamic evolution of an astrophysical event. We present a nucleosynthesis framework written in Fortran that combines as inputs a thermodynamic evolution and nuclear data to time evolve the abundances of nuclear species. Through our coding practices, we have emphasized the applicability of our framework to any astrophysical event, including those involving nuclear fission. Because these calculations are often very complicated, our framework dynamically optimizes itself based on the conditions at each time step in order to greatly minimize total computation time. To highlight the power of this new approach, we demonstrate the use of our framework to simulate both Big Bang nucleosynthesis and r-process nucleosynthesis with speeds competitive with current solutions dedicated to either process alone.

Space for Women: Perspectives on Careers in Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corliss, Julie

The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) is a joint collaboration between the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the Harvard College Observatory. The CfA's research mission is the study of the origin, evolution, and ultimate fate of the universe. This 16-page booklet profiles women in the physical sciences or related fields; it…

Argonne Physics Division - Theory Group

Science.gov Websites

Gamma-ray Telescopes October 7 Ken Nollett (PHY) Discussion of the Astro2010 Astronomy and Astrophysics (HEP) Gamma-ray astronomy and VERITAS July 2 Francesca Primas (European Southern Observatory ) Recent Results in TeV Gamma-Ray Astronomy December 1 Kaori Otsuki (U of C) Astrophysical site for the r

Predicted reentrant melting of dense hydrogen at ultra-high pressures

PubMed Central

Geng, Hua Y.; Wu, Q.

2016-01-01

The phase diagram of hydrogen is one of the most important challenges in high-pressure physics and astrophysics. Especially, the melting of dense hydrogen is complicated by dimer dissociation, metallization and nuclear quantum effect of protons, which together lead to a cold melting of dense hydrogen when above 500 GPa. Nonetheless, the variation of the melting curve at higher pressures is virtually uncharted. Here we report that using ab initio molecular dynamics and path integral simulations based on density functional theory, a new atomic phase is discovered, which gives an uplifting melting curve of dense hydrogen when beyond 2 TPa, and results in a reentrant solid-liquid transition before entering the Wigner crystalline phase of protons. The findings greatly extend the phase diagram of dense hydrogen, and put metallic hydrogen into the group of alkali metals, with its melting curve closely resembling those of lithium and sodium. PMID:27834405

High sensitive THz superconducting hot electron bolometer mixers and transition edge sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, W.; Miao, W.; Zhou, K. M.; Guo, X. H.; Zhong, J. Q.; Shi, S. C.

2016-11-01

Terahertz band, which is roughly defined as 0.1 THz to 10 THz, is an interesting frequency region of the electromagnetic spectrum to be fully explored in astronomy. THz observations play key roles in astrophysics and cosmology. High sensitive heterodyne and direct detectors are the main tools for the detection of molecular spectral lines and fine atomic structure spectral lines, which are very important tracers for probing the physical and chemical properties and dynamic processes of objects such as star and planetary systems. China is planning to build an THz telescope at Dome A, Antarctica, a unique site for ground-based THz observations. We are developing THz superconducting hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers and transition edge sensors (TES), which are quantum limited and back-ground limited detectors, respectively. Here we first introduce the working principles of superconducting HEB and TES, and then mainly present the results achieved at Purple mountain Observatory.

Stellar structure and compact objects before 1940: Towards relativistic astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonolis, Luisa

2017-06-01

Since the mid-1920s, different strands of research used stars as "physics laboratories" for investigating the nature of matter under extreme densities and pressures, impossible to realize on Earth. To trace this process this paper is following the evolution of the concept of a dense core in stars, which was important both for an understanding of stellar evolution and as a testing ground for the fast-evolving field of nuclear physics. In spite of the divide between physicists and astrophysicists, some key actors working in the cross-fertilized soil of overlapping but different scientific cultures formulated models and tentative theories that gradually evolved into more realistic and structured astrophysical objects. These investigations culminated in the first contact with general relativity in 1939, when J. Robert Oppenheimer and his students George Volkoff and Hartland Snyder systematically applied the theory to the dense core of a collapsing neutron star. This pioneering application of Einstein's theory to an astrophysical compact object can be regarded as a milestone in the path eventually leading to the emergence of relativistic astrophysics in the early 1960s.

Astrophysics related programs at center for underground physics (CUP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yeongduk

2018-04-01

We are developing experimental programs related to particle astrophysics at the Center for Underground Physics (CUP); searching for neutrino-less double beta decay (0νββ) of 100Mo nuclei and sterile neutrinos in the mass range of eV using reactor neutrinos. Expected sensitivities of AMoRE double beta decay experiment and the results from recent NEOS experiment are described. Utilizing the facilities for ultra-low radioactivity measurement at the center, we are planning to measure the decay of 180mTa which is important to the nucleosynthesis of heavy nuclei.

Physics through the 1990s: Plasmas and fluids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

The volume contains recommendations for programs in, and government support of, plasma and fluid physics. Four broad areas are covered: the physics of fluids, general plasma physics, fusion, and space and astrophysical plasmas. In the first section, the accomplishments of fluid physics and a detailed review of its sub-fields, such as combustion, non-Newtonian fluids, turbulence, aerodynamics, and geophysical fluid dynamics, are described. The general plasma physics section deals with the wide scope of the theoretical concepts involved in plasma research, and with the machines; intense beam systems, collective and laser-driven accelerators, and the associated diagnostics. The section on the fusion plasma research program examines confinement and heating systems, such as Tokamaks, magnetic mirrors, and inertial-confinement systems, and several others. Finally, theory and experiment in space and astrophysical plasma research is detailed, ranging from the laboratory to the solar system and beyond. A glossary is included.

On the contributions of astroparticle physics to cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falkenburg, Brigitte

2014-05-01

Studying astroparticle physics sheds new light on scientific explanation and on the ways in which cosmology is empirically underdetermined or not. Astroparticle physics extends the empirical domain of cosmology from purely astronomical data to "multi-messenger astrophysics", i.e., measurements of all kinds of cosmic rays including very high energetic gamma rays, neutrinos, and charged particles. My paper investigates the ways in which these measurements contribute to cosmology and compares them with philosophical views about scientific explanation, the relation between theory and data, and scientific realism. The "standard models" of cosmology and particle physics lack of unified foundations. Both are "piecemeal physics" in Cartwright's sense, but contrary to her metaphysics of a "dappled world" the work in both fields of research aims at unification. Cosmology proceeds "top-down", from models to data and from large scale to small-scale structures of the universe. Astroparticle physics proceeds "bottom-up", from data taking to models and from subatomic particles to large-scale structures of the universe. In order to reconstruct the causal stories of cosmic rays and the nature of their sources, several pragmatic unifying strategies are employed. Standard views about scientific explanation and scientific realism do not cope with these "bottom-up" strategies and the way in which they contribute to cosmology. In addition it has to be noted that the shift to "multi-messenger astrophysics" transforms the relation between cosmological theory and astrophysical data in a mutually holistic way.

The Development of Astronomy and Emergence of Astrophysics in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ning, Xiaoyu; Sun, Xiaochun; Orchiston, Wayne; Nakamura, Tsuko

China had a long tradition of astronomy. But, like in other cultures, astronomy in ancient China was essentially positional. The study of the physical nature of celestial bodies has only been a recent development. Knowledge about astrophysics began to be transmitted to China in the middle of the nineteenth century by Western Christian missionaries. With the downfall of the Imperial Qing Dynasty and the founding of the Republic of China in 1912 astronomy began to be seen not as paraphernalia of Imperial rule but as a science with its focus on astrophysics.

Results and prospects in multi-messenger particle astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mostafa, Miguel

2017-01-01

In high-energy particle astrophysics the old days were certainly not better than these. Our field has thrived in the past decade with experiments covering thousands of square kilometers to measure the suppression in the flux of the highest energy cosmic rays ever observed, instrumenting a cubic kilometer of Antarctic ice to discover astrophysical neutrinos, and measuring a change in arm length as small as 10-19 m for the ground-breaking direct observation of gravitational waves. Additionally, the current generation of space-borne and ground-based gamma-ray experiments have revealed a plethora of gamma-ray sources, including pulsars, compact binaries, the galactic center, and extragalactic sources such as starburst galaxies and radio galaxies. Before the next generation of instruments bring us yet another order of magnitude in sensitivity, we can combine current observations to probe physics beyond the standard model, and to extend the high-energy frontier well above the energies accessible to laboratory accelerators. One example of this potential is the search for dark-matter annihilation and decay products. To use the multi-messenger approach effectively for probing dark-matter signatures and physics beyond the LHC energy requires understanding the origin (or acceleration mechanism) and the propagation processes. High energy protons and nuclei, neutrinos, gamma-rays, X-rays, and gravitational waves bring new and complementary views of the astrophysical sources. By comparing observations through different windows, we can use the sites of violent phenomena as a laboratory to probe the physical processes under extreme conditions throughout the Universe, and to test the fundamental laws of particle physics and gravitation. As a community we need to engage in a bold synergistic approach to understanding the violent processes that give rise to the high-energy cosmic phenomena in the Universe. In this invited talk, I will present on-going multi-messenger studies to obtain new information about cosmic sources, and I will discuss the prospects of combining data from the electromagnetic, particle, and gravitational windows to advance high energy astrophysics into a new era.

Charge exchange cross sections in slow collisions of Si3+ with Hydrogen atom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joseph, Dwayne; Quashie, Edwin; Saha, Bidhan

2011-05-01

In recent years both the experimental and theoretical studies of electron transfer in ion-atom collisions have progressed considerably. Accurate determination of the cross sections and an understanding of the dynamics of the electron-capture process by multiply charged ions from atomic hydrogen over a wide range of projectile velocities are important in various field ranging from fusion plasma to astrophysics. The soft X-ray emission from comets has been explained by charge transfer of solar wind ions, among them Si3+, with neutrals in the cometary gas vapor. The cross sections are evaluated using the (a) full quantum and (b) semi-classical molecular orbital close coupling (MOCC) methods. Adiabatic potentials and wave functions for relavent singlet and triplet states are generated using the MRDCI structure codes. Details will be presented at the conference. In recent years both the experimental and theoretical studies of electron transfer in ion-atom collisions have progressed considerably. Accurate determination of the cross sections and an understanding of the dynamics of the electron-capture process by multiply charged ions from atomic hydrogen over a wide range of projectile velocities are important in various field ranging from fusion plasma to astrophysics. The soft X-ray emission from comets has been explained by charge transfer of solar wind ions, among them Si3+, with neutrals in the cometary gas vapor. The cross sections are evaluated using the (a) full quantum and (b) semi-classical molecular orbital close coupling (MOCC) methods. Adiabatic potentials and wave functions for relavent singlet and triplet states are generated using the MRDCI structure codes. Details will be presented at the conference. Work supported by NSF CREST project (grant #0630370).

Gamma Rays at Very High Energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aharonian, Felix

This chapter presents the elaborated lecture notes on Gamma Rays at Very High Energies given by Felix Aharonian at the 40th Saas-Fee Advanced Course on "Astrophysics at Very High Energies". Any coherent description and interpretation of phenomena related to gammarays requires deep knowledge of many disciplines of physics like nuclear and particle physics, quantum and classical electrodynamics, special and general relativity, plasma physics, magnetohydrodynamics, etc. After giving an introduction to gamma-ray astronomy the author discusses the astrophysical potential of ground-based detectors, radiation mechanisms, supernova remnants and origin of the galactic cosmic rays, TeV emission of young supernova remnants, gamma-emission from the Galactic center, pulsars, pulsar winds, pulsar wind nebulae, and gamma-ray loud binaries.

Edward Teller

Science.gov Websites

physics, astrophysics, and statistical mechanics. Lawrence Livermore [National Laboratory] physicist Mort towering figures of 20th-century physics. ... Although his early training was in chemical physics and spectroscopy, Teller has made substantial contributions to such diverse fields as nuclear physics, plasma

The Fermi Large Area Telescope on Orbit: Event Classification, Instrument Response Functions, and Calibration

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-01

Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology , Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator...Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; echarles@slac.stanford.edu 3 Department of Physics, Center for Cosmology and Astro-Particle Physics

AtomDB Progress Report: Atomic data and new models for X-ray spectroscopy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Randall K.; Foster, Adam; Brickhouse, Nancy S.; Stancil, Phillip C.; Cumbee, Renata; Mullen, Patrick Dean; AtomDB Team

2018-06-01

The AtomDB project collects atomic data from both theoretical and observational/experimental sources, providing both a convenient interface (http://www.atomdb.org/Webguide/webguide.php) as well as providing input to spectral models for many types of astrophysical X-ray plasmas. We have released several updates to AtomDB in response to the Hitomi data, including new data for the Fe K complex, and have expanded the range of models available in AtomDB to include the Kronos charge exchange models from Mullen at al. (2016, ApJS, 224, 2). Combined with the previous AtomDB charge exchange model (http://www.atomdb.org/CX/), these data enable a velocity-dependent model for X-ray and EUV charge exchange spectra. We also present a new Kappa-distribution spectral model, enabling plasmas with non-Maxwellian electron distributions to be modeled with AtomDB. Tools are provided within pyAtomDB to explore and exploit these new plasma models. This presentation will review these enhancements and describe plans for the new few years of database and code development in preparation for XARM, Athena, and (hopefully) Arcus.

Current Physics Research: Part I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schewe, Phillip F.

1980-01-01

This article is a preview of the book, "Physics News in 1980." Five research areas are reviewed: high energy particle accelerators, fusion reactors, solar cells, astrophysics, and gauge theories. (Author/DS)

Particle Dark Matter constraints: the effect of Galactic uncertainties

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

Benito, Maria; Bernal, Nicolás; Iocco, Fabio

2017-02-01

Collider, space, and Earth based experiments are now able to probe several extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics which provide viable dark matter candidates. Direct and indirect dark matter searches rely on inputs of astrophysical nature, such as the local dark matter density or the shape of the dark matter density profile in the target in object. The determination of these quantities is highly affected by astrophysical uncertainties. The latter, especially those for our own Galaxy, are ill-known, and often not fully accounted for when analyzing the phenomenology of particle physics models. In this paper we present amore » systematic, quantitative estimate of how astrophysical uncertainties on Galactic quantities (such as the local galactocentric distance, circular velocity, or the morphology of the stellar disk and bulge) propagate to the determination of the phenomenology of particle physics models, thus eventually affecting the determination of new physics parameters. We present results in the context of two specific extensions of the Standard Model (the Singlet Scalar and the Inert Doublet) that we adopt as case studies for their simplicity in illustrating the magnitude and impact of such uncertainties on the parameter space of the particle physics model itself. Our findings point toward very relevant effects of current Galactic uncertainties on the determination of particle physics parameters, and urge a systematic estimate of such uncertainties in more complex scenarios, in order to achieve constraints on the determination of new physics that realistically include all known uncertainties.« less

Atomic Data and Spectral Line Intensities for Be-like Ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhatia, Anand; Landi, E.

2008-01-01

Atomic data and collision rates are needed to model the spectrum of optically thin astrophysical sources. Recent observations from solar instrumentation such as SOH0 and Hinode have revealed the presence of hosts of lines emitted by high-energy configurations from ions belonging to the Be-like to the 0-like isoelectronic sequences. Data for such configurations are often unavailable in the literature. We have started a program to calculate the atomic parameters and rates for the high-energy configurations of Be-like ions of the type ls2.21.nl' where n=3,4,5. We report on the results of this project and on the diagnostic application of the predicted spectral lines.

Influence of Plasma Environment on K-Line Emission in Highly Ionized Iron Atoms Evaluated Using a Debye-Huckel Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deprince, J.; Fritzsche, S.; Kallman, T. R.; Palmeri, P.; Quinet, P.

2017-01-01

The influence of plasma environment on the atomic parameters associated with the K-vacancy states has been investigated theoretically for several iron ions. To do this, a time-averaged Debye-Huckel potential for both the electron-nucleus and electron-electron interactions has been considered in the framework of relativistic multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock computations. More particularly, the plasma screening effects on ionization potentials, K-thresholds, transition energies, and radiative rates have been estimated in the astrophysical context of accretion disks around black holes. In the present paper, we describe the behavior of those atomic parameters for Ne-, Na-, Ar-, and K-like iron ions.

Nonlinear, relativistic Langmuir waves in astrophysical magnetospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chian, Abraham C.-L.

1987-01-01

Large amplitude, electrostatic plasma waves are relevant to physical processes occurring in the astrophysical magnetospheres wherein charged particles are accelerated to relativistic energies by strong waves emitted by pulsars, quasars, or radio galaxies. The nonlinear, relativistic theory of traveling Langmuir waves in a cold plasma is reviewed. The cases of streaming electron plasma, electronic plasma, and two-streams are discussed.

BigData as a Driver for Capacity Building in Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shastri, Prajval

2015-08-01

Exciting public interest in astrophysics acquires new significance in the era of Big Data. Since Big Data involves advanced technologies of both software and hardware, astrophysics with Big Data has the potential to inspire young minds with diverse inclinations - i.e., not just those attracted to physics but also those pursuing engineering careers. Digital technologies have become steadily cheaper, which can enable expansion of the Big Data user pool considerably, especially to communities that may not yet be in the astrophysics mainstream, but have high potential because of access to thesetechnologies. For success, however, capacity building at the early stages becomes key. The development of on-line pedagogical resources in astrophysics, astrostatistics, data-mining and data visualisation that are designed around the big facilities of the future can be an important effort that drives such capacity building, especially if facilitated by the IAU.

Nuclear Structure Aspects in Nuclear Astrophysics

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

Smith, Michael Scott

2006-12-01

Nuclear Astrophysics as a broad and diverse field of study can be viewed as a magnifier of the impact of microscopic processes on the evolution of macroscopic events. One of the primary goals in Nuclear Astrophysics is the understanding of the nucleosynthesis processes that take place in the cosmos and the simulation of the correlated stellar and explosive burning scenarios. These simulations are strongly dependent on the input from Nuclear Physics which sets the time scale for all stellar dynamic processes--from giga-years of stellar evolution to milliseconds of stellar explosions--and provides the basis for most of the signatures that wemore » have for the interpretation of these events--from stellar luminosities, elemental and isotopic abundances to neutrino flux from distant supernovae. The Nuclear Physics input comes through nuclear structure, low energy reaction rates, nuclear masses, and decay rates. There is a common perception that low energy reaction rates are the most important component of the required nuclear physics input; however, in this article we take a broader approach and present an overview of the close correlation between various nuclear structure aspects and their impact on nuclear astrophysics. We discuss the interplay between the weak and the strong forces on stellar time scales due to the limitations they provide for the evolution of slow and rapid burning processes. The effects of shell structure in nuclei on stellar burning processes as well as the impact of clustering in nuclei is outlined. Furthermore we illustrate the effects of the various nuclear structure aspects on the major nucleosynthesis processes that have been identified in the last few decades. We summarize and provide a coherent overview of the impact of all aspects of nuclear structure on nuclear astrophysics.« less

Astrobites: Engaging Undergraduate Science Majors with Current Astrophysical Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zevin, Michael; Astrobites

2017-01-01

Astrobites is a graduate-student organization that publishes an online astrophysical literature blog (astrobites.com). The purpose of the site is to make current astrophysical research accessible to and exciting for undergraduate physical science majors and astronomy enthusiasts, and the site now hosts an archive of over 1300 posts summarizing recent astrophysical research. In addition, Astrobites presents posts on career guidance, practical 'how-to' articles, conference summaries, and astronomy news. Astrobites has an average of more than 1000 pageviews per day and reaches not only its target audience of undergraduates, but also graduate students and professionals within astronomy, astronomy enthusiasts, and educators. As we enter our seventh year of successful blogging, we share here the most up-to-date summary of our organization, readership, and growth.

The distribution of an illustrated timeline wall chart and teacher's guide of 20th century physics

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

Schwartz, Brian

The American Physical Society's part of its centennial celebration in March of 1999 decided to develop a timeline wall chart on the history of 20th century physics. This resulted in eleven consecutive posters, which when mounted side by side, create a 23-foot mural. The timeline exhibits and describes the millstones of physics in images and words. The timeline functions as a chronology, a work of art, a permanent open textbook, and a gigantic photo album covering a hundred years in the life of the community of physicists and the existence of the American Physical Society. Each of the eleven postersmore » begins with a brief essay that places a major scientific achievement of the decade in its historical context. Large portraits of the essays' subjects include youthful photographs of Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, and Richard Feynman among others, to help put a face on science. Below the essays, a total of over 130 individual discoveries and inventions, explained in dated text boxes with accompanying images, form the backbone of the timeline. For ease of comprehension, this wealth of material is organized into five color-coded story lines the stretch horizontally across the hundred years of the 20th century. The five story lines are: Cosmic Scale, relate the story of astrophysics and cosmology; Human Scale, refers to the physics of the more familiar distances from the global to the microscopic; Atomic Scale, focuses on the submicroscopic world of atoms, nuclei and quarks; Living World, chronicles the interaction of physics with biology and medicine; Technology, traces the applications of physic to everyday living. Woven into the bottom border of the timeline are period images of significant works of art, architecture, and technological artifacts such as telephones, automobiles, aircraft, computers, and appliances. The last poster, covering the years since 1995, differs from the others. Its essay concerns the prospect for physics into the next century, and is illustrated with pictures of promising award winning high school students who, it is hoped, will be the leading researchers of physics in the decades ahead. Appropriately the last entries in the timeline are not achievements but open questions to be answered in the future.« less

Turbulence in space plasmas and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galtier, S.

2018-07-01

Most of the visible matter in the Universe is in the form of highly turbulent plasmas. For a long time the turbulent character of astrophysical fluids has been neglected and not well understood. One reason for this is the extremely complicated physics involved in astrophysical processes ranging from the machinery of stars, solar and stellar winds, accretion disks to interstellar clouds and galaxies. The other reason is that turbulence constitutes in itself a difficult subject where most of the fundamental results belongs to the incompressible hydrodynamics. Nevertheless, significant theoretical progress has been made during the last years to incorporate some ingredients like compressibility or small-scale plasma physics which are fundamental in astrophysics. This paper reviews some of these results with a strong focus on space plasmas (solar wind, solar corona). Turbulence in interstellar clouds (supersonic flows) and cosmology (space-time fluctuations) are also briefly mentioned.

Astrophysics from the moon; Proceedings of the Workshop, Annapolis, MD, Feb. 5-7, 1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mumma, Michael J. (Editor); Smith, Harlan J. (Editor)

1990-01-01

The present conference on astrophysics from the moon encompasses the study of the Galaxy, external planetary systems, solar physics, stars and stellar evolution, the frontiers of Galactic, extragalactic, and cosmological astronomy, an introduction to lunar-based astronomy, concepts for lunar observatories including high-energy observatories, solar observatories, and observatories for particle astrophysics and gravitational studies. Specific issues addressed include the dynamics of Jovian atmospheres, planetary magnetospheres, flare physics, exobiology and SETI from the lunar farside, and the study of interactive stars, star formation, H II regions in absorption at low frequencies, and normal galaxies. Also addressed are the potential lunar investigation of quasars, the formation epoch, and the large-scale structure of the universe, and observational issues related to X-ray large arrays, optical interferometers, VLF radio astronomy, a UV-solar reflecting coronagraph, and a heavy-nucleus detector.

Investigating resonances above and below the threshold in nuclear reactions of astrophysical interest and beyond

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

La Cognata, M., E-mail: lacognata@lns.infn.it; Kiss, G. G.; Mukhamedzhanov, A. M.

2015-10-15

Resonances in nuclear cross sections dramatically change their trends. Therefore, the presence of unexpected resonances might lead to unpredicted consequences on astrophysics and nuclear physics. In nuclear physics, resonances allow one to study states in the intermediate compound systems, to evaluate their cluster structure, for instance, especially in the energy regions approaching particle decay thresholds. In astrophysics, resonances might lead to changes in the nucleosynthesis flow, determining different isotopic compositions of the nuclear burning ashes. For these reasons, the Trojan Horse method has been modified to investigate resonant reactions. Thanks to this novel approach, for the first time normalization tomore » direct data might be avoided. Moreover, in the case of sub threshold resonances, the Trojan Horse method modified to investigate resonances allows one to deduce the asymptotic normalization coefficient, showing the close connection between the two indirect approaches.« less

Positron astrophysics and areas of relation to low-energy positron physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guessoum, Nidhal

2014-05-01

I briefly review our general knowledge of positron astrophysics, focusing mostly on the theoretical and modelling aspects. The experimental/observational aspects of the topic have recently been reviewed elsewhere [E. Churazov et al., Mon. Nat. R. Astron. Soc. 411, 1727 (2011); N. Prantazos et al., Rev. Mod. Phys. 83, 1001 (2011)]. In particular, I highlight the interactions and cross sections of the reactions that the positrons undergo in various cosmic media. Indeed, these must be of high interest to both the positron astrophysics community and the low-energy positron physics community in trying to find common areas of potential collaboration for the future or areas of research that will help the astrophysics community make further progress on the problem. The processes undergone by positrons from the moments of their birth to their annihilation (in the interstellar medium or other locations) are thus examined. The physics of the positron interactions with gases and solids (dust grains) and the physical conditions and characteristics of the environments where the processes of energy loss, positronium formation, and annihilation take place, are briefly reviewed. An explanation is given about how all the relevant physical information is taken into account in order to calculate annihilation rates and spectra of the 511 keV emission in the ISM; special attention is paid to positron interactions with dust and with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In particular, an attempt is made to show to what extent the interactions between positrons and interstellar dust grains are similar to laboratory experiments in which beams of low-energy positrons impinge upon solids and surfaces. Sample results are shown for the effect of dust grains on positron annihilation spectra in some phases of the ISM which, together with high resolution spectra measured by satellites, can be used to infer useful knowledge about the environment where the annihilation is predominantly taking place, and ultimately about the birth place and history of positrons in the Galaxy. The important complementarity between work done by the astrophysical and the positron physics communities is emphasised, and attempts are made to suggest avenues of future research for progress in the two fields. Contribution to the Topical Issue "Electron and Positron Induced Processes", edited by Michael Brunger, Radu Campeanu, Masamitsu Hoshino, Oddur Ingólfsson, Paulo Limão-Vieira, Nigel Mason, Yasuyuki Nagashima and Hajime Tanuma.

Spectroscopy of Cosmic Carbon Analogs in Inert-Gas Matrices and in the Gas-Phase: Comparative Results and Perspectives for Astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salama, Farid; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Recent studies of the spectroscopy of large (up to approx. 50 carbon atoms) neutral and Ionized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Fullerenes isolated in inert gas matrices will be presented. The advantages and the limitations of matrix isolation spectroscopy for the study of the molecular spectroscopy of interstellar dust analogs will be discussed. The laboratory data will be compared to the astronomical spectra (the interstellar extinction, the diffuse interstellar bands). Finally, the spectra of PAH ions isolated in neon/argon matrices will be compared to the spectra obtained for PAH ion seeded in a supersonic expansion. The astrophysical implications and future perspectives will be discussed.

DICKE’S SUPERRADIANCE IN ASTROPHYSICS. I. THE 21 cm LINE

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

Rajabi, Fereshteh; Houde, Martin

We have applied the concept of superradiance introduced by Dicke in 1954 to astrophysics by extending the corresponding analysis to the magnetic dipole interaction characterizing the atomic hydrogen 21 cm line. Although it is unlikely that superradiance could take place in thermally relaxed regions and that the lack of observational evidence of masers for this transition reduces the probability of detecting superradiance, in situations where the conditions necessary for superradiance are met (close atomic spacing, high velocity coherence, population inversion, and long dephasing timescales compared to those related to coherent behavior), our results suggest that relatively low levels of populationmore » inversion over short astronomical length-scales (e.g., as compared to those required for maser amplification) can lead to the cooperative behavior required for superradiance in the interstellar medium. Given the results of our analysis, we expect the observational properties of 21 cm superradiance to be characterized by the emission of high-intensity, spatially compact, burst-like features potentially taking place over short periods ranging from minutes to days.« less

Spin precession experiments for light axionic dark matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, Peter W.; Kaplan, David E.; Mardon, Jeremy; Rajendran, Surjeet; Terrano, William A.; Trahms, Lutz; Wilkason, Thomas

2018-03-01

Axionlike particles are promising candidates to make up the dark matter of the Universe, but it is challenging to design experiments that can detect them over their entire allowed mass range. Dark matter in general, and, in particular, axionlike particles and hidden photons, can be as light as roughly 10-22 eV (˜10-8 Hz ), with astrophysical anomalies providing motivation for the lightest masses ("fuzzy dark matter"). We propose experimental techniques for direct detection of axionlike dark matter in the mass range from roughly 10-13 eV (˜102 Hz ) down to the lowest possible masses. In this range, these axionlike particles act as a time-oscillating magnetic field coupling only to spin, inducing effects such as a time-oscillating torque and periodic variations in the spin-precession frequency with the frequency and direction of these effects set by the axion field. We describe how these signals can be measured using existing experimental technology, including torsion pendulums, atomic magnetometers, and atom interferometry. These experiments demonstrate a strong discovery capability, with future iterations of these experiments capable of pushing several orders of magnitude past current astrophysical bounds.

S-factor for radiative capture reactions for light nuclei at astrophysical energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghasemi, Reza; Sadeghi, Hossein

2018-06-01

The astrophysical S-factors of thermonuclear reactions, including radiative capture reactions and their analysis in the frame of different theoretical models, are the main source of nuclear processes. We have done research on the radiative capture reactions importance in the framework of a potential model. Investigation of the reactions in the astrophysical energies is of great interest in the aspect of astrophysics and nuclear physics for developing correct models of burning and evolution of stars. The experimental measurements are very difficult and impossible because of these reactions occurrence at low-energies. In this paper we do a calculation on radiative capture astrophysical S-factors for nuclei in the mass region A < 17. We calculate the astrophysical factor for the dipole electronic transition E1 and magnetic dipole transition M1 and electric quadrupole transition E2 by using the M3Y potential for non-resonances and resonances captures. Then we have got the parameter of a central part and spin-orbit part of M3Y potential and spectroscopic factor for reaction channels. For the astrophysical S-factor of this article the good agreement is achieved In comparison with experimental data and other theoretical methods.

SLAC Library - Online Particle Physics Information

Science.gov Websites

Background Knowledge Particle Physics Lessons and Activities Astronomy and Astrophysics Lessons and Online Particle Physics Information Compiled by Revised: April, 201 7 This annotated list provides a highly selective set of online resources that are useful to the particle physics community. It

CONTRIBUTIONS OF 20TH CENTURY WOMEN TO PHYSICS

Science.gov Websites

Annotated Photo Gallery In Her Own Words Some Physics History 500+ Books and Articles Field Editors Physical Society, the University of California, UCLA Physics and Astronomy Department, the Laboratories of Astrophysics Burbidge, E. M. Burnell, Jocelyn Faber, Sandra Leavitt, Henrietta Payne-Gaposchkin,Cecilia Rubin

Superheavy magnetic monopoles and the standard cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, M. S.

1984-10-01

The superheavy magnetic monopoles predicted to exist in grand unified theories (GUTs) are for particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology. Astrophysical and cosmological considerations are invaluable in the study of the properties of GUT monopoles. Because of the glut of monopoles predicted in the standard cosmology for the simplest GUTs. The simplest GUTs and the standard cosmology are not compatible. This is a very important piece of information about physics at unification energies and about the earliest movements of the Universe. The cosmological consequences of GUT monopoles within the context of the standard hot big bang model are reviewed.

Adventures in Cosmogony

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cameron, A. G. W.

I was born and educated in Canada, obtaining my PhD in experimental nuclear physics. When I learned that technetium had been found in stellar spectra, I taught myself some astrophysics and began to study stellar nucleosynthesis. This is an account of those studies and of the pathway through much of theoretical astrophysics and planetary physics that was a natural outgrowth of the pursuit of nucleosynthesis problems. I also discuss my experiences in government service and in academia, in organization of conferences, in governmental advising, and in academic administration. In particular, I emphasize the logical connections among the various scientific themes that I have pursued.

The Teaching of Astronomy in Mauritius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heeralall-Issur, Nalini

In this presentation we describe the present teaching of Astronomy in Mauritius. At present Astronomy is taught mostly at University level as electives (Astrophysics I & II) within our BSc Physics course or the MSc Physics with Astrophysics Specialisation Option. However there are limitations due to both facilities available & staff resources at the higher level. At the lower level very few secondary school students are exposed to (taught) astronomy and even among well educated adults many ignore very basic knowledge of Astronomy. We finally discuss some realistic suggestions for improving the teaching of Astronomy at all levels in Mauritius.

Tenth International Colloquium on UV and X-Ray Spectroscopy of Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silver, Eric H.; Kahn, Steven M.

UV and X-ray spectroscopy of astrophysical and laboratory plasmas draws interest from many disciplines. Contributions from international specialists are collected together in this book from a timely recent conference. In astrophysics, the Hubble Space Telescope, Astro 1 and ROSAT observatories are now providing UV and X-ray spectra and images of cosmic sources in unprecedented detail, while the Yohkoh mission recently collected superb data on the solar corona. In the laboratory, the development of ion-trap facilities and novel laser experiments are providing vital new data on high temperature plasmas. Recent innovations in the technology of spectroscopic instrumentation are discussed. These papers constitute an excellent up-to-date review of developments in short-wavelength spectroscopy and offer a solid introduction to its theoretical and experimental foundations. These proceedings give an up-to-date review of developments in short-wavelength spectroscopy and offer a solid introduction to its theoretical and experimental foundations. Various speakers presented some of the first results from the high resolution spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope, the high sensitivity far ultraviolet and X-ray spectrometers of the ASTRO 1 Observatory, the imaging X-ray spectrometer on the ROSAT Observatory, and the high resolution solar X-ray spectrometer on Yohkoh. The development of ion trap devices had brought about a revolution in laboratory investigations of atomic processes in highly charged atoms. X-ray laser experiments had not only yielded considerable insight into electron ion interactions in hot dense plasmas, but also demonstrated the versatility of laser plasmas as laboratory X-ray sources. Such measurements also motivated and led to refinements in the development of large-scale atomic and molecular codes. On the instrumental side, the design and development of the next series of very powerful short wavelength observatories had generated a large number of technological innovations in both dispersive and nondispersive spectroscopic instrumentation.

Element Genesis - Solving the Mystery (Video Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mochizuki, Yuko

2001-10-01

Our institute (RIKEN) produced a video on nucleosynthesis. Its new English version is presented. Y. M., I. Tanihata, Y. Yano, and R. Boyd are science editors for this. Time length of the video is 30 minutes. The primary characteristic of this video is that we have employed a number of 2-D and 3-Dimensional visualizations and animations based on an updated understanding of nuclear physics and astrophysics. One of the emphasized points is that microscopic physics (i.e., nuclear physics) and macroscopic physics (i.e., astrophysics) are strongly connected. It contains explanation on the chart of the nuclides, nuclear burning in the sun, big-bang nucleosynthesis, stellar nucleosynthesis, ``beta-stability valley", the s-process, the r-process, production of an RI beam, etc., and professors D. Arnett, T. Kajino, K. Langanke, K. Sato, C. Sneden, I. Tanihata, and F.-K. Thielemann appear as interviewees. Our prime target is college freshmen. We hope that this video would be useful for education both in the fields of astrophysics and nuclear physics at universities and even at high schools. Our institute is accordingly developing a distribution system of this video and it will be available soon at the cost price (please visit our web site for details: http://www.rarf.riken.go.jp/video). The Japanese version was awarded the prize of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan 2001.

Astrophysical and cosmological constraints to neutrino properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolb, Edward W.; Schramm, David N.; Turner, Michael S.

1989-01-01

The astrophysical and cosmological constraints on neutrino properties (masses, lifetimes, numbers of flavors, etc.) are reviewed. The freeze out of neutrinos in the early Universe are discussed and then the cosmological limits on masses for stable neutrinos are derived. The freeze out argument coupled with observational limits is then used to constrain decaying neutrinos as well. The limits to neutrino properties which follow from SN1987A are then reviewed. The constraint from the big bang nucleosynthesis on the number of neutrino flavors is also considered. Astrophysical constraints on neutrino-mixing as well as future observations of relevance to neutrino physics are briefly discussed.

Astrophysical dust grains in stars, the interstellar medium, and the solar system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gehrz, Robert D.

1991-01-01

Studies of astrophysical dust grains in circumstellar shells, the interstellar medium, and the solar system may provide information about stellar evolution and about physical conditions in the primitive solar nebula. The following subject areas are covered: (1) the cycling of dust in stellar evolution and the formation of planetary systems; (2) astrophysical dust grains in circumstellar environments; (3) circumstellar grain formation and mass loss; (4) interstellar dust grains; (5) comet dust and the zodiacal cloud; (6) the survival of dust grains during stellar evolution; and (7) establishing connections between stardust and dust in the solar system.

Computational Relativistic Astrophysics Using the Flowfield-Dependent Variation Theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, G. A.; Chung, T. J.; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Theoretical models, observations and measurements have preoccupied astrophysicists for many centuries. Only in recent years, has the theory of relativity as applied to astrophysical flows met the challenges of how the governing equations can be solved numerically with accuracy and efficiency. Even without the effects of relativity, the physics of magnetohydrodynamic flow instability, turbulence, radiation, and enhanced transport in accretion disks has not been completely resolved. Relativistic effects become pronounced in such cases as jet formation from black hole magnetized accretion disks and also in the study of Gamma-Ray bursts (GRB). Thus, our concern in this paper is to reexamine existing numerical simulation tools as to the accuracy and efficiency of computations and introduce a new approach known as the flowfield-dependent variation (FDV) method. The main feature of the FDV method consists of accommodating discontinuities of shock waves and high gradients of flow variables such as occur in turbulence and unstable motions. In this paper, the physics involved in the solution of relativistic hydrodynamics and solution strategies of the FDV theory are elaborated. The general relativistic astrophysical flow and shock solver (GRAFSS) is introduced, and some simple example problems for Computational Relativistic Astrophysics (CRA) are demonstrated.

White paper on nuclear astrophysics and low-energy nuclear physics, Part 2: Low-energy nuclear physics

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

Carlson, Joe; Carpenter, Michael P.; Casten, Richard

In preparation for the 2015 NSAC Long Range Plan (LRP), the DNP town meetings on Nuclear Astrophysics and Low-Energy Nuclear Physics were held at the Mitchell Center on the campus of Texas A&M University August 21–23, 2014. Participants met in a number of topic-oriented working groups to discuss progress since the 2007 LRP, compelling science opportunities, and the resources needed to advance them. These considerations were used to determine priorities for the next five to ten years. In addition, approximately 270 participants attended the meetings, coming from US national laboratories, a wide range of US universities and other research institutionsmore » and universities abroad.« less

White paper on nuclear astrophysics and low-energy nuclear physics, Part 2: Low-energy nuclear physics

DOE PAGES

Carlson, Joe; Carpenter, Michael P.; Casten, Richard; ...

2017-01-04

In preparation for the 2015 NSAC Long Range Plan (LRP), the DNP town meetings on Nuclear Astrophysics and Low-Energy Nuclear Physics were held at the Mitchell Center on the campus of Texas A&M University August 21–23, 2014. Participants met in a number of topic-oriented working groups to discuss progress since the 2007 LRP, compelling science opportunities, and the resources needed to advance them. These considerations were used to determine priorities for the next five to ten years. In addition, approximately 270 participants attended the meetings, coming from US national laboratories, a wide range of US universities and other research institutionsmore » and universities abroad.« less

The Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2008

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oegerle, William; Reddy, Francis; Tyler, Pat

2009-01-01

The Astrophysics Science Division (ASD) at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is one of the largest and most diverse astrophysical organizations in the world, with activities spanning a broad range of topics in theory, observation, and mission and technology development. Scientific research is carried out over the entire electromagnetic spectrum from gamma rays to radio wavelengths as well as particle physics and gravitational radiation. Members of ASD also provide the scientific operations for three orbiting astrophysics missions WMAP, RXTE, and Swift, as well as the Science Support Center for the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. A number of key technologies for future missions are also under development in the Division, including X-ray mirrors, and new detectors operating at gamma-ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, infrared, and radio wavelengths. This report includes the Division's activities during 2008.

Experimental soft-matter science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagel, Sidney R.

2017-04-01

Soft materials consist of basic units that are significantly larger than an atom but much smaller than the overall dimensions of the sample. The label "soft condensed matter" emphasizes that the large basic building blocks of these materials produce low elastic moduli that govern a material's ability to withstand deformations. Aside from softness, there are many other properties that are also caused by the large size of the constituent building blocks. Soft matter is dissipative, disordered, far from equilibrium, nonlinear, thermal and entropic, slow, observable, gravity affected, patterned, nonlocal, interfacially elastic, memory forming, and active. This is only a partial list of how matter created from large component particles is distinct from "hard matter" composed of constituents at an atomic scale. Issues inherent in soft matter raise problems that are broadly important in diverse areas of science and require multiple modes of attack. For example, far-from-equilibrium behavior is confronted in biology, chemistry, geophysics, astrophysics, and nuclear physics. Similarly, issues dealing with disorder appear broadly throughout many branches of inquiry wherever rugged landscapes are invoked. This article reviews the discussions that occurred during a workshop held on 30-31 January 2016 in which opportunities in soft-matter experiment were surveyed. Soft matter has had an exciting history of discovery and continues to be a fertile ground for future research.

Physics in perspective, volume 2. Part B: The interfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

Detailed information of physics subfields and interface areas are presented. Topics discussed include: astrophysics and relativity, earth and planetary physics, physics in chemistry, physics in biology, instrumentation, education, and dissemination and use of the information of physics. For Vol. 1, see N72-28706; for excerpt from Vol. 1, see N72-29689; for Vol. 2, Pt. A, see N73-15706.

14 CFR 1201.200 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... development in astrophysics, life sciences, Earth sciences and applications, solar system exploration, space physics, communications, microgravity science and applications, and communications and information systems... computational and experimental fluid dynamics and aerodynamics; fluid and thermal physics; rotorcraft, powered...

14 CFR § 1201.200 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... development in astrophysics, life sciences, Earth sciences and applications, solar system exploration, space physics, communications, microgravity science and applications, and communications and information systems... computational and experimental fluid dynamics and aerodynamics; fluid and thermal physics; rotorcraft, powered...

14 CFR 1201.200 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... development in astrophysics, life sciences, Earth sciences and applications, solar system exploration, space physics, communications, microgravity science and applications, and communications and information systems... computational and experimental fluid dynamics and aerodynamics; fluid and thermal physics; rotorcraft, powered...

Wavelengths, f-Values, and Cross Sections in the UV Spectra of Astrophysical Atoms, Ions, and Molecules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crane, Phil (Technical Monitor); Raymond, John C.; Parkinson, W. H.

2004-01-01

Contents include the following: Improved UV wavelengths, energy levels, and f-values for iron group ions. Update of Kurucz database of wavelengths and f-values. Publication of improved UV photodissociation cross sections for H2O. UV photoabsorption cross sections for CO bands. Service Activities and Data Outreach.

Operation of Lanzhou all permanent electron cyclotron resonance ion source No. 2 on 320 kV platform with highly charged ions.

PubMed

Lu, W; Li, J Y; Kang, L; Liu, H P; Li, H; Li, J D; Sun, L T; Ma, X W

2014-02-01

The 320 kV platform for multi-discipline research with highly charged ions is a heavy ion beam acceleration instrument developed by Institute of Modern Physics, which is dedicated to basic scientific researches such as plasma, atom, material physics, and astrophysics, etc. The platform has delivered ion beams of 400 species for 36,000 h. The average operation time is around 5000 h/year. With the beams provided by the platform, lots of outstanding progresses were made in various research fields. The ion source of the platform is an all-permanent magnet electron cyclotron resonance ion source, LAPECR2 (Lanzhou All Permanent ECR ion source No. 2). The maximum axial magnetic fields are 1.28 T at injection and 1.07 T at extraction, and the radial magnetic field is up to 1.21 T at the inner wall of the plasma chamber. The ion source is capable to produce low, medium, and high charge state gaseous and metallic ion beams, such as H(+), (40)Ar(8+), (129)Xe(30+), (209)Bi(33+), etc. This paper will present the latest result of LAPECR2 and the routine operation status for the high voltage platform.

Kinetic Modeling of Ultraintense X-ray Laser-Matter Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Royle, Ryan; Sentoku, Yasuhiko; Mancini, Roberto

2016-10-01

Hard x-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) have had a profound impact on the physical, chemical, and biological sciences. They can produce millijoule x-ray laser pulses just tens of femtoseconds in duration with more than 1012 photons each, making them the brightest laboratory x-ray sources ever produced by several orders of magnitude. An XFEL pulse can be intensified to 1020 W/cm2 when focused to submicron spot sizes, making it possible to isochorically heat solid matter well beyond 100 eV. These characteristics enable XFELs to create and probe well-characterized warm and hot dense plasmas of relevance to HED science, planetary science, laboratory astrophysics, relativistic laser plasmas, and fusion research. Several newly developed atomic physics models including photoionization, Auger ionization, and continuum-lowering have been implemented in a particle-in-cell code, PICLS, which self-consistently solves the x-ray transport, to enable the simulation of the non-LTE plasmas created by ultraintense x-ray laser interactions with solid density matter. The code is validated against the results of several recent experiments and is used to simulate the maximum-intensity x-ray heating of solid iron targets. This work was supported by DOE/OFES under Contract No. DE-SC0008827.

Critical screening in the one- and two-electron Yukawa atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montgomery, H. E.; Sen, K. D.; Katriel, Jacob

2018-02-01

The one- and two-electron Yukawa atoms, also referred to as the Debye-Hückel or screened Coulomb atoms, have been topics of considerable interest both for intrinsic reasons and because of their relevance to terrestrial and astrophysical plasmas. At sufficiently high screening the one-electron Yukawa atom ceases to be bound. Some calculations appeared to suggest that as the screening increases in the ground state of the two-electron Yukawa atom (in which both the one-particle attraction and the interparticle repulsion are screened) the two electrons are detached simultaneously, at the same screening constant at which the one-electron atom becomes unbound. Our results rule this scenario out, offering an alternative that is not less interesting. In particular, it is found that for Z <1 a mild amount of screening actually increases the binding energy of the second electron. At the nuclear charge Zc≈0.911028 ... , at which the bare Coulomb two-electron atom becomes unbound, and even over a range of lower nuclear charges, an appropriate amount of screening gives rise to a bound two-electron system.

Division B Commission 14 Working Group: Collision Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peach, Gillian; Dimitrijevic, Milan S.; Barklem, Paul S.

2016-04-01

Since our last report (Peach & Dimitrijević 2012), a large number of new publications on the results of research in atomic and molecular collision processes and spectral line broadening have been published. Due to the limited space available, we have only included work of importance for astrophysics. Additional relevant papers, not included in this report, can be found in the databases at the web addresses provided in Section 6. Elastic and inelastic collisions between electrons, atoms, ions, and molecules are included, as well as charge transfer in collisions between heavy particles which can be very important.

Fast multilevel radiative transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paletou, Frédéric; Léger, Ludovick

2007-01-01

The vast majority of recent advances in the field of numerical radiative transfer relies on approximate operator methods better known in astrophysics as Accelerated Lambda-Iteration (ALI). A superior class of iterative schemes, in term of rates of convergence, such as Gauss-Seidel and Successive Overrelaxation methods were therefore quite naturally introduced in the field of radiative transfer by Trujillo Bueno & Fabiani Bendicho (1995); it was thoroughly described for the non-LTE two-level atom case. We describe hereafter in details how such methods can be generalized when dealing with non-LTE unpolarised radiation transfer with multilevel atomic models, in monodimensional geometry.

Extragalactic Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, James R.

2016-09-01

This book is intended to be a course about the creation and evolution of the universe at large, including the basic macroscopic building blocks (galaxies) and the overall large-scale structure. This text covers a broad range of topics for a graduate-level class in a physics department where students' available credit hours for astrophysics classes are limited. The sections cover galactic structure, external galaxies, galaxy clustering, active galaxies, general relativity and cosmology.

PREFACE: 1st-2nd Young Researchers Meetings in Rome - Proceedings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

YRMR Organizing Committee; Cannuccia, E.; Mazzaferro, L.; Migliaccio, M.; Pietrobon, D.; Stellato, F.; Veneziani, M.

2011-03-01

Students in science, particularly in physics, face a fascinating and challenging future. Scientists have proposed very interesting theories, which describe the microscopic and macroscopic world fairly well, trying to match the quantum regime with cosmological scales. Between the extremes of this scenario, biological phenomena in all their complexity take place, challenging the laws we observe in the atomic and sub-atomic world. More and more accurate and complex experiments have been devised and these are now going to test the paradigms of physics. Notable experiments include: the Large Hadronic Collider (LHC), which is going to shed light on the physics of the Standard Model of Particles and its extensions; the Planck-Herschel satellites, which target a very precise measurement of the properties of our Universe; and the Free Electron Lasers facilities, which produce high-brilliance, ultrafast X-ray pulses, allowing the investigation of the fundamental processes of solid state physics, chemistry, and biology. These projects are the result of huge collaborations spread across the world, involving scientists belonging to different and complementary research fields: physicists, chemists, biologists and others, keen to make the best of these extraordinary laboratories. Even though each branch of science is experiencing a process of growing specialization, it is very important to keep an eye on the global picture, remaining aware of the deep interconnections between inherent fields. This is even more crucial for students who are beginning their research careers. These considerations motivated PhD students and young post-docs connected to the Roman scientific research area to organize a conference, to establish the background and the network for interactions and collaborations. This resulted in the 1st and 2nd Young Researchers Meetings in Rome (http://ryrm.roma2.infn.it), one day conferences aimed primarily at graduate students and post-docs, working in physics in Italy and abroad. In its first two editions, the meeting was held at the Universities of Roma "Tor Vergata" (July 2009) and "LaSapienza" (February 2010), and organized in sections dedicated to up-to-date topics spanning broad research fields: Astrophysics-Cosmology, Soft-Condensed Matter Physics, Theoretical-Particle Physics, and Medical Physics. In these proceedings we have collected some of the contributions which were presented during the meetings.

Probing new physics with long-lived charged particles produced by atmospheric and astrophysical neutrinos

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

Ando, Shin'ichiro; Profumo, Stefano; Beacom, John F

As suggested by some extensions of the standard model of particle physics, dark matter may be a super-weakly-interacting lightest stable particle, while the next-to-lightest particle (NLP) is charged and metastable. One could test such a possibility with neutrino telescopes, by detecting the charged NLPs produced in high-energy neutrino collisions with Earth matter. We study the production of charged NLPs by both atmospheric and astrophysical neutrinos; only the latter, which is largely uncertain and has not been detected yet, was the focus of previous studies. We compute the resulting fluxes of the charged NLPs, compare those of different origins and analyzemore » the dependence on the underlying particle physics set-up. We point out that, even if the astrophysical neutrino flux is very small, atmospheric neutrinos, especially those from the prompt decay of charmed mesons, may provide a detectable flux of NLP pairs at neutrino telescopes such as IceCube. We also comment on the flux of charged NLPs expected from proton-nucleon collisions and show that, for theoretically motivated and phenomenologically viable models, it is typically subdominant and below detectable rates.« less

SAO During the Whipple Years: The Origins of Project Celescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devorkin, David

2005-01-01

In 1955, the moribund Astrophysical Observatory of the Smithsonian Institution closed its doors on the south lawn of the Smithsonian Castle. Vestiges of its 60-year old legacy of monitoring solar radiation were transferred to Cambridge under a new name, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and became housed within the Harvard College Observatory complex under the direction of Fred Whipple. Whipple, restarting the SAO almost from scratch, worked within the Smithsonian's ancient tradition of maintaining a world-wide network of solar observation stations by morphing it into a similar network of satellite tracking facilities for the IGY, quickly and quietly phasing out the solar work. Under the SAO name, however, Whipple did much more, vastly expanding his interests in meteor research and hyperballistic studies, deftly orchestrated to parallel his tracking facility empire which in time included aeroballistic studies, atomic time standards, and other associated technological and scientific campaigns. He also made sure SAO played a prominent role in NASA's emerging `observatory class' series of scientific satellites and used it to create a theoretical astrophysics unit. It is this last activity that we will introduce here, showing how Project Celescope fitted into Whipple's plan for SAO, and how it contributed to make the combined Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics the largest astronomical organization on the planet by the 1970s.

Neutrinos, ultra-high-energy cosmic rays and fundamental physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellis, John

2001-05-01

In the first lecture, aspects of neutrino physics beyond the Standard Model are emphasized, including the emerging default options for atmospheric and solar neutrino oscillations, namely νμ-->ντ and νe-->νμ,τ respectively, and the need to check them, the prospects opened up by the successful starts of SNO and K2K and the opportunities for future long-baseline neutrino experiments. In the second lecture, it is discussed how cosmic rays may provide opportunities for probing fundamental physics. For example, ultra-high-energy cosmic rays might originate from the decays of metastable heavy particles, and astrophysical γ rays can be used to test models of quantum gravity. Both scenarios offer ways to avoid the GZK cut-off, and might best be probed using high-energy astrophysical neutrinos. .

Berkeley Lab's Saul Perlmutter wins Nobel Prize in Physics | Berkeley Lab

Science.gov Websites

astrophysics, dark energy, physics Connect twitter instagram LinkedIn facebook youtube This form needs Berkeley Lab's Saul Perlmutter wins Nobel Prize in Physics News Release Paul Preuss 510-486-6249 * October professor of physics at the University of California at Berkeley, has won the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics

The Origin of the Galaxy and Local Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bland-Hawthorn, Joss; Freeman, Ken; Matteucci, Francesca

This volume contains the updated and expanded lecture notes of the 37th Saas-Fee Advanced Course organised by the Swiss Society for Astrophysics and Astronomy. It offers the most comprehensive and up to date review of one of the hottest research topics in astrophysics - how our Milky Way galaxy formed. Joss Bland-Hawthorn & Ken Freeman lectured on Near Field Cosmology - The Origin of the Galaxy and the Local Group. Francesca Matteucci's chapter is on Chemical evolution of the Milky Way and its Satellites. As designed by the SSAA, books in this series - and this one too - are targeted at graduate and PhD students and young researchers in astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology. Lecturers and researchers entering the field will also benefit from the book. *%K Physics, Astrophysics, Near Field Cosmology, Galaxy, Local Group *%O Milky Way

77 FR 69505 - Proposal Review Panel for Physics; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-19

... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Proposal Review Panel for Physics; Notice of Meeting In accordance... announces the following meeting. Name: LIGO Operations Proposal and Annual Review in Physics (1208). Date..., Status, Overview Open Advanced LIGO and Beyond 1:15p-4:45p Astrophysics and Data Analysis Open...

Differences between Doppler velocities of ions and neutral atoms in a solar prominence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anan, T.; Ichimoto, K.; Hillier, A.

2017-05-01

Context. In astrophysical systems with partially ionized plasma, the motion of ions is governed by the magnetic field while the neutral particles can only feel the magnetic field's Lorentz force indirectly through collisions with ions. The drift in the velocity between ionized and neutral species plays a key role in modifying important physical processes such as magnetic reconnection, damping of magnetohydrodynamic waves, transport of angular momentum in plasma through the magnetic field, and heating. Aims: This paper aims to investigate the differences between Doppler velocities of calcium ions and neutral hydrogen in a solar prominence to look for velocity differences between the neutral and ionized species. Methods: We simultaneously observed spectra of a prominence over an active region in H I 397 nm, H I 434 nm, Ca II 397 nm, and Ca II 854 nm using a high dispersion spectrograph of the Domeless Solar Telescope at Hida observatory. We compared the Doppler velocities, derived from the shift of the peak of the spectral lines presumably emitted from optically-thin plasma. Results: There are instances when the difference in velocities between neutral atoms and ions is significant, for example 1433 events ( 3% of sets of compared profiles) with a difference in velocity between neutral hydrogen atoms and calcium ions greater than 3σ of the measurement error. However, we also found significant differences between the Doppler velocities of two spectral lines emitted from the same species, and the probability density functions of velocity difference between the same species is not significantly different from those between neutral atoms and ions. Conclusions: We interpreted the difference of Doppler velocities as being a result of the motions of different components in the prominence along the line of sight, rather than the decoupling of neutral atoms from plasma. The movie attached to Fig. 1 is available at http://www.aanda.org

Tracing Magnetic Fields With The Polarization Of Submillimeter Lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Heshou; Yan, Huirong

2017-10-01

Magnetic fields play important roles in many astrophysical processes. However, there is no universal diagnostic for the magnetic fields in the interstellar medium (ISM) and each magnetic tracer has its limitation. Any new detection method is thus valuable. Theoretical studies have shown that submillimeter fine-structure lines are polarized due to atomic alignment by Ultraviolet (UV) photon-excitation, which opens up a new avenue to probe interstellar magnetic fields. The method is applicable to all radiative-excitation dominant region, e.g., H II Regions, PDRs. The polarization of the submillimeter fine-structure lines induced by atomic alignment could be substantial and the applicability of using the spectro-polarimetry of atomic lines to trace magnetic fields has been supported by synthetic observations of simulated ISM in our recent paper. Our results demonstrate that the polarization of submillimeter atomic lines is a powerful magnetic tracer and add great value to the observational studies of the submilimeter astronomy.

Hydrogen isotopic substitution of solid methylamine through atomic surface reactions at low temperatures: A potential contribution to the D/H ratio of methylamine in molecular clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oba, Yasuhiro; Chigai, Takeshi; Osamura, Yoshihiro; Watanabe, Naoki; Kouchi, Akira

2014-01-01

We experimentally studied hydrogen (H)-deuterium (D) substitution reactions of solid methylamine (CH3NH2) under astrophysically relevant conditions. We also calculated the potential energy surface for the H-D substitution reactions of methylamine isotopologues using quantum chemical methods. Despite the relatively large energy barrier of more than 18 kJ mol-1, CH3NH2 reacted with D atoms to yield deuterated methylamines at 10 K, suggesting that the H-D substitution reaction proceeds through quantum tunneling. Deuterated methylamines reacted with H atoms as well. On the basis of present results, we propose that methylamine has potential for D enrichment through atomic surface reactions on interstellar grains at very low temperatures in molecular clouds. D enrichment would occur in particular in the methyl group of methylamine.

Modeling Supernova Shocks with Intense Lasers.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blue, Brent

2006-04-01

Large-scale directional outflows of supersonic plasma are ubiquitous phenomena in astrophysics, with specific application to supernovae. The traditional approach to understanding such phenomena is through theoretical analysis and numerical simulations. However, theoretical analysis might not capture all the relevant physics and numerical simulations have limited resolution and fail to scale correctly in Reynolds number and perhaps other key dimensionless parameters. Recent advances in high energy density physics using large inertial confinement fusion devices now allow controlled laboratory experiments on macroscopic volumes of plasma of direct relevance to astrophysics. This talk will present an overview of these facilities as well as results from current laboratory astrophysics experiments designed to study hydrodynamic jets and Rayleigh-Taylor mixing. This work is performed under the auspices of the U. S. DOE by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-48, Los Alamos National Laboratory under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-36, and the Laboratory for Laser Energetics under Contract No. DE-FC03-92SF19460.

Physics with gamma-beams and charged particle detectors: I) Nuclear structure II) Nuclear astrophysics

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

Gai, Moshe

The Charged Particle Working Group (CPWG) is proposing to construct large area Silicon Strip Detector (SSD), a gas Time Projection Chamber detector read by an electronic readout system (eTPC) and a Bubble Chamber (BC) containing superheated high purity water to be used in measurements utilizing intense gamma-ray beams from the newly constructed ELI-NP facility at Magurele, Bucharest in Romania. We intend to use the SSD and eTPC detectors to address essential problems in nuclear structure physics, such as clustering and the many alpha-decay of light nuclei such as {sup 12}C and {sup 16}O. All three detectors (SSD, eTPC and BC)more » will be used to address central problems in nuclear astrophysics such as the astrophysical cross section factor of the {sup 12}C(α,γ) reaction and other processes central to stellar evolution. The CPWG intends to submit to the ELI-NP facility a Technical Design Report (TDR) for the proposed detectors.« less

Completing the nuclear reaction puzzle of the nucleosynthesis of Mo 92

DOE PAGES

Tveten, G. M.; Spyrou, A.; Schwengner, R.; ...

2016-08-22

One of the greatest questions for modern physics to address is how elements heavier than iron are created in extreme astrophysical environments. A particularly challenging part of that question is the creation of the so-called p-nuclei, which are believed to be mainly produced in some types of supernovae. Here, the lack of needed nuclear data presents an obstacle in nailing down the precise site and astrophysical conditions. In this work, we present for the first time measurements on the nuclear level density and average γ strength function of 92Mo. State-of-the-art p-process calculations systematically underestimate the observed solar abundance of thismore » isotope. Our data provide stringent constraints on the 91Nb(p,γ) 92Mo reaction rate, which is the last unmeasured reaction in the nucleosynthesis puzzle of 92Mo. Based on our results, we conclude that the 92Mo abundance anomaly is not due to the nuclear physics input to astrophysical model calculations.« less

Stellar Explosions: Hydrodynamics and Nucleosynthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jose, Jordi

2016-01-01

Stars are the main factories of element production in the universe through a suite of complex and intertwined physical processes. Such stellar alchemy is driven by multiple nuclear interactions that through eons have transformed the pristine, metal-poor ashes leftover by the Big Bang into a cosmos with 100 distinct chemical species. The products of stellar nucleosynthesis frequently get mixed inside stars by convective transport or through hydrodynamic instabilities, and a fraction of them is eventually ejected into the interstellar medium, thus polluting the cosmos with gas and dust. The study of the physics of the stars and their role as nucleosynthesis factories owes much to cross-fertilization of different, somehow disconnected fields, ranging from observational astronomy, computational astrophysics, and cosmochemistry to experimental and theoretical nuclear physics. Few books have simultaneously addressed the multidisciplinary nature of this field in an engaging way suitable for students and young scientists. Providing the required multidisciplinary background in a coherent way has been the driving force for Stellar Explosions: Hydrodynamics and Nucleosynthesis. Written by a specialist in stellar astrophysics, this book presents a rigorous but accessible treatment of the physics of stellar explosions from a multidisciplinary perspective at the crossroads of computational astrophysics, observational astronomy, cosmochemistry, and nuclear physics. Basic concepts from all these different fields are applied to the study of classical and recurrent novae, type I and II supernovae, X-ray bursts and superbursts, and stellar mergers. The book shows how a multidisciplinary approach has been instrumental in our understanding of nucleosynthesis in stars, particularly during explosive events.

Stellar Explosions: Hydrodynamics and Nucleosynthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

José, Jordi

2015-12-01

Stars are the main factories of element production in the universe through a suite of complex and intertwined physical processes. Such stellar alchemy is driven by multiple nuclear interactions that through eons have transformed the pristine, metal-poor ashes leftover by the Big Bang into a cosmos with 100 distinct chemical species. The products of stellar nucleosynthesis frequently get mixed inside stars by convective transport or through hydrodynamic instabilities, and a fraction of them is eventually ejected into the interstellar medium, thus polluting the cosmos with gas and dust. The study of the physics of the stars and their role as nucleosynthesis factories owes much to cross-fertilization of different, somehow disconnected fields, ranging from observational astronomy, computational astrophysics, and cosmochemistry to experimental and theoretical nuclear physics. Few books have simultaneously addressed the multidisciplinary nature of this field in an engaging way suitable for students and young scientists. Providing the required multidisciplinary background in a coherent way has been the driving force for Stellar Explosions: Hydrodynamics and Nucleosynthesis. Written by a specialist in stellar astrophysics, this book presents a rigorous but accessible treatment of the physics of stellar explosions from a multidisciplinary perspective at the crossroads of computational astrophysics, observational astronomy, cosmochemistry, and nuclear physics. Basic concepts from all these different fields are applied to the study of classical and recurrent novae, type I and II supernovae, X-ray bursts and superbursts, and stellar mergers. The book shows how a multidisciplinary approach has been instrumental in our understanding of nucleosynthesis in stars, particularly during explosive events.

PREFACE: The Third 21COE Symposium: Astrophysics as Interdisciplinary Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeda, Kei-ichi; Yamada, Shoichi; Daishido, Tsuneaki

2006-03-01

In the last decade, we have seen a remarkable progress in observations by air-borne and satellite-loaded detectors as well as large ground-based telescopes. Cosmological parameters have been precisely determined. For example, the age of the Universe is about 14 Gyrs and the curvature of our 3-space is almost zero. We have also recognized that most of the matter content of the Universe is unknown, the mystery of Dark Energy and Dark Matter. When we look at compact objects in the Universe, recent observations of supernovae and gamma ray bursts (up to cosmological distances) have revealed a variety of high energy astrophysical phenomena much beyond our expectations. Also found are quite exotic astrophysical objects such as magnetars and probably quark stars. Now we have a lot of new observational data. The present theoretical understanding, on the other hand, is far behind such observational advances. We may need new ideas to solve such problems. In the late 20th century, astrophysicists have learned much from particle physics and nuclear physics, resulting in the deeper understanding of how the big bang universe expands and stars evolve. Then we would like to extend this practice in different directions. This volume contains lectures and contributed papers presented at ``The Third 21COE Symposium: Astrophysics as Interdisciplinary Science'', which was held at Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan, on September 1 3, 2005. The aim of the symposium is to obtain new insights into the important themes mentioned above by bringing together the latest ideas from various fields. In the symposium, we have discussed not only such mysterious and important astrophysical or cosmological objects but also some subjects closely related with other fields such as nonlinear dynamics, statistical physics and condensed matter physics. Hence the main topics in the symposium have included formations of large-scale structures, galaxies, stellar clusters as well as the nature of condensed matter in high energy compact objects, and that of dark matter and dark energy of the universe. This is in accord with the purpose of The 21st century COE program, "Holistic Research and Education Center for Physics of Self-organization Systems". We hope that the symposium and the discussions therein will be the first step for the productive collaborations in the 21st century. The symposium was sponsored by the Waseda University Grant for International Conference Operation and the 21st century COE program of Waseda University, "the Holistic Research and Education Center for Physics of Self-organization Systems". Tokyo, January, 2006

Magnetic Reconnection in Extreme Astrophysical Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uzdensky, Dmitri

Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental plasma physics process of breaking ideal-MHD's frozen-in constraints on magnetic field connectivity and of dramatic rearranging of the magnetic topol-ogy, which often leads to a violent release of the free magnetic energy. Reconnection has long been acknowledged to be of great importance in laboratory plasma physics (magnetic fusion) and in space and solar physics (responsible for solar flares and magnetospheric substorms). In addition, its importance in Astrophysics has been increasingly recognized in recent years. However, due to a great diversity of astrophysical environments, the fundamental physics of astrophysical magnetic reconnection can be quite different from that of the traditional recon-nection encountered in the solar system. In particular, environments like the solar corona and the magnetosphere are characterized by relatively low energy densities, where the plasma is ad-equately described as a mixture of electrons and ions whose numbers are conserved and where the dissipated magnetic energy basically stays with the plasma. In contrast, in many high-energy astrophysical phenomena the energy density is so large that photons play as important a role as electrons and ions and, in particular, radiation pressure and radiative cooling become dominant. In this talk I focus on the most extreme case of high-energy-density astrophysical reconnec-tion — reconnection of magnetar-strength (1014 - 1015 Gauss) magnetic fields, important for giant flares in soft-gamma repeaters (SGRs), and for rapid magnetic energy release in either the central engines or in the relativistic jets of Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs). I outline the key relevant physical processes and present a new theoretical picture of magnetic reconnection in these environments. The corresponding magnetic energy density is so enormous that, when suddenly released, it inevitably heats the plasma to relativistic temperatures, resulting in co-pious production of electron-positron pairs. The pairs make the reconnection layer optically thick, efficiently trapping gamma-ray photons and ensuring a local thermodynamic equilibrium between the radiation and the plasma. The plasma pressure inside the layer is then dominated by the radiation and pair pressure. At the same time, the timescale for radiation diffusion across the layer may still be much shorter than the global Alfven transit time along the layer, and hence the effects of radiative cooling on the thermodynamics of the layer need to be taken into account. In other words, the reconnection problem in this regime necessarily becomes a radiative transfer problem. In addition, the extremely high pair density, set by the local ther-modynamic equilibrium essentially independently of the upstream plasma density, can make the reconnection layer highly collisional, thereby justifying the use of resistive MHD (with Spitzer and Compton resistivities). The presence of all these processes calls for a substantial revision of our traditional physical picture of reconnection when applied to these environments. I will de-scribe how the corresponding new theory of reconnection of magnetar-strength magnetic fields ought to be constructed and will conclude by discussing its observational consequences and the prospects for future research.

News | Computing

Science.gov Websites

Support News Publications Computing for Experiments Computing for Neutrino and Muon Physics Computing for Collider Experiments Computing for Astrophysics Research and Development Accelerator Modeling ComPASS - Impact of Detector Simulation on Particle Physics Collider Experiments Daniel Elvira's paper "Impact

Exophysics--A New Introductory Physics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, G. E.

1976-01-01

Provides the outline of an introductory college-level physics course which combines astronomy, astrophysics, relativity and communications with a study of civilizations and the conditions necessary for life. Student comments and an informal evaluation of the course are included. (CP)

Constraining unparticle physics with cosmology and astrophysics.

PubMed

Davoudiasl, Hooman

2007-10-05

It has recently been suggested that a scale-invariant "unparticle" sector with a nontrivial infrared fixed point may couple to the standard model (SM) via higher-dimensional operators. The weakness of such interactions hides the unparticle phenomena at low energies. We demonstrate how cosmology and astrophysics can place significant bounds on the strength of unparticle-SM interactions. We also discuss the possibility of a having a non-negligible unparticle relic density today.

LoFASM: A Low Frequency All Sky Monitor for Radio Transients and Student Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-02

to 88 MHz) astrophysical radio transients. It consists of four geographically-separated stations, each comprising 12 phased array dipole antennas...All four stations have now started taking data. The observatory has also been a vital recruiting and training tool for physics students from the...to 88 MHz) astrophysical radio transients. It consists of four geographically-separated stations, each comprising 12 phased array dipole antennas

Influence of atomic kinetics in the simulation of plasma microscopic properties and thermal instabilities for radiative bow shock experiments.

PubMed

Espinosa, G; Rodríguez, R; Gil, J M; Suzuki-Vidal, F; Lebedev, S V; Ciardi, A; Rubiano, J G; Martel, P

2017-03-01

Numerical simulations of laboratory astrophysics experiments on plasma flows require plasma microscopic properties that are obtained by means of an atomic kinetic model. This fact implies a careful choice of the most suitable model for the experiment under analysis. Otherwise, the calculations could lead to inaccurate results and inappropriate conclusions. First, a study of the validity of the local thermodynamic equilibrium in the calculation of the average ionization, mean radiative properties, and cooling times of argon plasmas in a range of plasma conditions of interest in laboratory astrophysics experiments on radiative shocks is performed in this work. In the second part, we have made an analysis of the influence of the atomic kinetic model used to calculate plasma microscopic properties of experiments carried out on magpie on radiative bow shocks propagating in argon. The models considered were developed assuming both local and nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium and, for the latter situation, we have considered in the kinetic model different effects such as external radiation field and plasma mixture. The microscopic properties studied were the average ionization, the charge state distributions, the monochromatic opacities and emissivities, the Planck mean opacity, and the radiative power loss. The microscopic study was made as a postprocess of a radiative-hydrodynamic simulation of the experiment. We have also performed a theoretical analysis of the influence of these atomic kinetic models in the criteria for the onset possibility of thermal instabilities due to radiative cooling in those experiments in which small structures were experimentally observed in the bow shock that could be due to this kind of instability.

Influence of atomic kinetics in the simulation of plasma microscopic properties and thermal instabilities for radiative bow shock experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Espinosa, G.; Rodríguez, R.; Gil, J. M.; Suzuki-Vidal, F.; Lebedev, S. V.; Ciardi, A.; Rubiano, J. G.; Martel, P.

2017-03-01

Numerical simulations of laboratory astrophysics experiments on plasma flows require plasma microscopic properties that are obtained by means of an atomic kinetic model. This fact implies a careful choice of the most suitable model for the experiment under analysis. Otherwise, the calculations could lead to inaccurate results and inappropriate conclusions. First, a study of the validity of the local thermodynamic equilibrium in the calculation of the average ionization, mean radiative properties, and cooling times of argon plasmas in a range of plasma conditions of interest in laboratory astrophysics experiments on radiative shocks is performed in this work. In the second part, we have made an analysis of the influence of the atomic kinetic model used to calculate plasma microscopic properties of experiments carried out on magpie on radiative bow shocks propagating in argon. The models considered were developed assuming both local and nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium and, for the latter situation, we have considered in the kinetic model different effects such as external radiation field and plasma mixture. The microscopic properties studied were the average ionization, the charge state distributions, the monochromatic opacities and emissivities, the Planck mean opacity, and the radiative power loss. The microscopic study was made as a postprocess of a radiative-hydrodynamic simulation of the experiment. We have also performed a theoretical analysis of the influence of these atomic kinetic models in the criteria for the onset possibility of thermal instabilities due to radiative cooling in those experiments in which small structures were experimentally observed in the bow shock that could be due to this kind of instability.

Astrophysical fluid dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogilvie, Gordon I.

2016-06-01

> These lecture notes and example problems are based on a course given at the University of Cambridge in Part III of the Mathematical Tripos. Fluid dynamics is involved in a very wide range of astrophysical phenomena, such as the formation and internal dynamics of stars and giant planets, the workings of jets and accretion discs around stars and black holes and the dynamics of the expanding Universe. Effects that can be important in astrophysical fluids include compressibility, self-gravitation and the dynamical influence of the magnetic field that is `frozen in' to a highly conducting plasma. The basic models introduced and applied in this course are Newtonian gas dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) for an ideal compressible fluid. The mathematical structure of the governing equations and the associated conservation laws are explored in some detail because of their importance for both analytical and numerical methods of solution, as well as for physical interpretation. Linear and nonlinear waves, including shocks and other discontinuities, are discussed. The spherical blast wave resulting from a supernova, and involving a strong shock, is a classic problem that can be solved analytically. Steady solutions with spherical or axial symmetry reveal the physics of winds and jets from stars and discs. The linearized equations determine the oscillation modes of astrophysical bodies, as well as their stability and their response to tidal forcing.

Study Astrophysics in Split!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krajnovic, D.

2006-08-01

Beginning in autumn 2008 the first generation of astronomy master students will start a 2 year course in Astrophysics offered by the Physics department of the University of Split, Croatia (http://fizika.pmfst.hr/ astro/english/index.html). This unique master course in South-Eastern Europe, following the Bologna convention and given by astronomers from international institutions, offers a series of comprehensive lectures designed to greatly enhance students' knowledge and skills in astrophysics, and prepare them for a scientific career. An equally important aim of the course is to recognise the areas in which astronomy and astrophysics can serve as a national asset and to use them to prepare young people for real life challenges, enabling graduates to enter the modern society as a skilled and attractive work-force. I will present an example of a successful organisation of international astrophysics studies in a developing country, which aims to become a leading graduate program in astrophysics in the broader region. I will focus on the goals of the project showing why and in what way astronomy can be interesting for third world countries, what are the benefits for the individual students, nation and region, but also research, science and the astronomical community in general.

OPserver: opacities and radiative accelerations on demand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza, C.; González, J.; Seaton, M. J.; Buerger, P.; Bellorín, A.; Meléndez, M.; Rodríguez, L. S.; Delahaye, F.; Zeippen, C. J.; Palacios, E.; Pradhan, A. K.

2009-05-01

We report on developments carried out within the Opacity Project (OP) to upgrade atomic database services to comply with e-infrastructure requirements. We give a detailed description of an interactive, online server for astrophysical opacities, referred to as OPserver, to be used in sophisticated stellar modelling where Rosseland mean opacities and radiative accelerations are computed at every depth point and each evolution cycle. This is crucial, for instance, in chemically peculiar stars and in the exploitation of the new asteroseismological data. OPserver, downloadable with the new OPCD_3.0 release from the Centre de Données Astronomiques de Strasbourg, France, computes mean opacities and radiative data for arbitrary chemical mixtures from the OP monochromatic opacities. It is essentially a client-server network restructuring and optimization of the suite of codes included in the earlier OPCD_2.0 release. The server can be installed locally or, alternatively, accessed remotely from the Ohio Supercomputer Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA. The client is an interactive web page or a subroutine library that can be linked to the user code. The suitability of this scheme in grid computing environments is emphasized, and its extension to other atomic database services for astrophysical purposes is discussed.

Physics division annual report 2005.

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

Glover, J.; Physics

2007-03-12

This report highlights the research performed in 2005 in the Physics Division of Argonne National Laboratory. The Division's programs include operation of ATLAS as a national user facility, nuclear structure and reaction research, nuclear theory, medium energy nuclear research and accelerator research and development. The mission of Nuclear Physics is to understand the origin, evolution and structure of baryonic matter in the universe--the matter that makes up stars, planets and human life itself. The Division's research focuses on innovative new ways to address this mission and 2005 was a year of great progress. One of the most exciting developments ismore » the initiation of the Californium Rare Ion Breeder Upgrade, CARIBU. By combining a Cf-252 fission source, the gas catcher technology developed for rare isotope beams, a high-resolution isobar separator, and charge breeding ECR technology, CARIBU will make hundreds of new neutron-rich isotope beams available for research. The cover illustration shows the anticipated intensities of low-energy beams that become available for low-energy experiments and for injection into ATLAS for reacceleration. CARIBU will be completed in early 2009 and provide us with considerable experience in many of the technologies developed for a future high intensity exotic beam facility. Notable results in research at ATLAS include a measurement of the isomeric states in {sup 252}No that helps pin down the single particle structure expected for superheavy elements, and a new low-background measurement of {sup 16}N beta-decay to determine the {sup 12}C({alpha},{gamma}){sup 16}O reaction rate that is so important in astrophysical environments. Precise mass measurements shed new light on the unitarity of the quark weak-mixing matrix in the search for physics beyond the standard model. ATLAS operated for 4686 hours of research in FY2005 while achieving 95% efficiency of beam delivery for experiments. In Medium-Energy Physics, radium isotopes were trapped in an atom trap for the first time, a major milestone in an innovative search for the violation of time-reversal symmetry. New results from HERMES establish that strange quarks carry little of the spin of the proton and precise results have been obtained at JLAB on the changes in quark distributions in light nuclei. New theoretical results reveal that the nature of the surfaces of strange quark stars. Green's function Monte Carlo techniques have been extended to scattering problems and show great promise for the accurate calculation, from first principles, of important astrophysical reactions. Flame propagation in type 1A supernova has been simulated, a numerical process that requires considering length scales that vary by factors of eight to twelve orders of magnitude. Argonne continues to lead in the development and exploitation of the new technical concepts that will truly make an advanced exotic beam facility, in the words of NSAC, 'the world-leading facility for research in nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics'. Our science and our technology continue to point the way to this major advance. It is a tremendously exciting time in science for these new capabilities hold the keys to unlocking important secrets of nature. The great progress that has been made in meeting the exciting intellectual challenges of modern nuclear physics reflects the talents and dedication of the Physics Division staff and the visitors, guests and students who bring so much to the research.« less

IGPP-LLNL 1998 annual report

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

Ryerson, F J; Cook, K H; Tweed, J

1999-11-19

The Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP) is a Multicampus Research Unit of the University of California (UC). IGPP was founded in 1946 at UC Los Angeles with a charter to further research in the earth and planetary sciences and related fields. The Institute now has branches at UC campuses in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside, and at Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories. The University-wide IGPP has played an important role in establishing interdisciplinary research in the earth and planetary sciences. For example, IGPP was instrumental in founding the fields of physical oceanography and space physics,more » which at the time fell between the cracks of established university departments. Because of its multicampus orientation, IGPP has sponsored important interinstitutional consortia in the earth and planetary sciences. Each of the five branches has a somewhat different intellectual emphasis as a result of the interplay between strengths of campus departments and Laboratory programs. The IGPP branch at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) was approved by the Regents of the University of California in 1982. IGPP-LLNL emphasizes research in tectonics, geochemistry, and astrophysics. It provides a venue for studying the fundamental aspects of these fields, thereby complementing LLNL programs that pursue applications of these disciplines in national security and energy research. IGPP-LLNL is directed by Charles Alcock and was originally organized into three centers: Geosciences, stressing seismology; High-Pressure Physics, stressing experiments using the two-stage light-gas gun at LLNL; and Astrophysics, stressing theoretical and computational astrophysics. In 1994, the activities of the Center for High-Pressure Physics were merged with those of the Center for Geosciences. The Center for Geosciences, headed by Frederick Ryerson, focuses on research in geophysics and geochemistry. The Astrophysics Research Center, headed by Kem Cook, provides a home for theoretical and observational astrophysics and serves as an interface with the Physics Directorate's astrophysics efforts. The IGPP branch at LLNL (as well as the branch at Los Alamos) also facilitates scientific collaborations between researchers at the UC campuses and those at the national laboratories in areas related to earth science, planetary science, and astrophysics. It does this by sponsoring the University Collaborative Research Program (UCRP), which provides funds to UC campus scientists for joint research projects with LLNL. Additional information regarding IGPP-LLNL projects and people may be found at http://wwwigpp.llnl.gov/. The goals of the UCRP are to enrich research opportunities for UC campus scientists by making available to them some of LLNL's unique facilities and expertise, and to broaden the scientific program at LLNL through collaborative or interdisciplinary work with UC campus researchers. UCRP funds (provided jointly by the Regents of the University of California and by the Director of LLNL) are awarded annually on the basis of brief proposals, which are reviewed by a committee of scientists from UC campuses, LLNL programs, and external universities and research organizations. Typical annual funding for a collaborative research project ranges from $5,000 to $30,000. Funds are used for a variety of purposes, such as salary support for UC graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty; and costs for experimental facilities. A statistical overview of IGPP-LLNL's UCRP (colloquially known as the mini-grant program) is presented in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 shows the distribution of UCRP awards among the UC campuses, by total amount awarded and by number of proposals funded. Figure 2 shows the distribution of awards by center.« less

Targets used in the production of radioactive ion beams at the HRIBF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stracener, D. W.; Alton, G. D.; Auble, R. L.; Beene, J. R.; Mueller, P. E.; Bilheux, J. C.

2004-03-01

Radioactive ion beams are produced at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility using the Isotope Separation On-Line (ISOL) technique where the atoms are produced in a thick target, transported to an ion source, ionized, and extracted from the ion source to form an ion beam. These radioactive ion beams are then accelerated to energies of a few MeV per nucleon and delivered to experimental stations for use in nuclear physics and nuclear astrophysics experiments. At the heart of this facility is the RIB production target, where the radioactive nuclei are produced using beams of light ions (p, d, 3He, α) to induce nuclear reactions in the target nuclei. Several target materials have been developed and used successfully, including Al 2O 3, HfO 2, SiC, CeS, liquid Ge, liquid Ni, and a low-density matrix of uranium carbide. The details of these targets and some of the target developments that led to the delivery of high-quality radioactive ion beams are discussed in this paper.

Advances in atomic physics: Four decades of contribution of the Cairo University - Atomic Physics Group.

PubMed

El-Sherbini, Tharwat M

2015-09-01

In this review article, important developments in the field of atomic physics are highlighted and linked to research works the author was involved in himself as a leader of the Cairo University - Atomic Physics Group. Starting from the late 1960s - when the author first engaged in research - an overview is provided of the milestones in the fascinating landscape of atomic physics.

Interstellar Chemistry Gets More Complex With New Charged-Molecule Discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2007-07-01

Astronomers using data from the National Science Foundation's Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) have found the largest negatively-charged molecule yet seen in space. The discovery of the third negatively-charged molecule, called an anion, in less than a year and the size of the latest anion will force a drastic revision of theoretical models of interstellar chemistry, the astronomers say. Molecule formation Formation Process of Large, Negatively-Charged Molecule in Interstellar Space CREDIT: Bill Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF Click on image for page of graphics and detailed information "This discovery continues to add to the diversity and complexity that is already seen in the chemistry of interstellar space," said Anthony J. Remijan of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). "It also adds to the number of paths available for making the complex organic molecules and other large molecular species that may be precursors to life in the giant clouds from which stars and planets are formed," he added. Two teams of scientists found negatively-charged octatetraynyl, a chain of eight carbon atoms and one hydrogen atom, in the envelope of gas around an old, evolved star and in a cold, dark cloud of molecular gas. In both cases, the molecule had an extra electron, giving it a negative charge. About 130 neutral and about a dozen positively-charged molecules have been discovered in space, but the first negatively-charged molecule was not discovered until late last year. The largest previously-discovered negative ion found in space has six carbon atoms and one hydrogen atom. "Until recently, many theoretical models of how chemical reactions evolve in interstellar space have largely neglected the presence of anions. This can no longer be the case, and this means that there are many more ways to build large organic molecules in cosmic environments than have been explored," said Jan M. Hollis of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Ultraviolet light from stars can knock an electron off a molecule, creating a positively-charged ion. Astronomers had thought that molecules would not be able to retain an extra electron, and thus a negative charge, in interstellar space for a significant time. "That obviously is not the case," said Mike McCarthy of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. "Anions are surprisingly abundant in these regions." Remijan and his colleagues found the octatetraynyl anions in the envelope of the evolved giant star IRC +10 216, about 550 light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo. They found radio waves emitted at specific frequencies characteristic of the charged molecule by searching archival data from the GBT, the largest fully-steerable radio telescope in the world. Another team from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) found the same characteristic emission when they observed a cold cloud of molecular gas called TMC-1 in the constellation Taurus. These observations also were done with the GBT. In both cases, preceding laboratory experiments by the CfA team showed which radio frequencies actually are emitted by the molecule, and thus told the astronomers what to look for. "It is essential that likely interstellar molecule candidates are first studied in laboratory experiments so that the radio frequencies they can emit are known in advance of an astronomical observation," said Frank Lovas of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Both teams announced their results in the July 20 edition of the Astrophysical Journal Letters. "With three negatively-charged molecules now found in a short period of time, and in very different environments, it appears that many more probably exist. We believe that we can discover more new species using very sensitive and advanced radio telescopes such as the GBT, once they have been characterized in the laboratory," said Sandra Bruenken of the CfA. "Further detailed studies of anions, including astronomical observations, laboratory studies, and theoretical calculations, will allow us to use them to reveal new information about the physical and chemical processes going on in interstellar space," said Martin Cordiner, of Queen's University in Belfast, Northern Ireland. "The GBT continues to take a leading role in discovering, identifying and mapping the distribution of the largest molecules ever found in astronomical environments and will continue to do so for the next several decades," said Phil Jewell of NRAO. In addition to Hollis, Lovas, Cordiner and Jewell, Remijan worked with Tom Millar of Queen's University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Andrew Markwick-Kemper of the University of Manchester in the UK. Bruenken worked with McCarthy, Harshal Gupta, Carl Gottlieb, and Patrick Thaddeus, all of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics is a joint collaboration between the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the Harvard College Observatory. CfA scientists, organized into six research divisions, study the origin, evolution and ultimate fate of the universe.

Sugars and Sugar Derivatives in Residues Produced from the UV Irradiation of Astrophysical Ice Analogs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nuevo, M.; Sandford, S. A.; Cooper, G.

2017-01-01

Carbonaceous chondrites contain a large variety of organic compounds of prebiotic interest, which include amino acids, amphiphiles, nucleobases, and sugar derivatives. The presence of these compounds strongly suggests that molecules essential to life can form abiotically under astrophysical conditions. Among the sugar derivatives reported in the Murchison and Murray meteorites, only one sugar (dihydroxyacetone) was found, together with a variety of sugar alcohols and sugar acids containing up to 6 carbon atoms, including sugar acid derivatives of the biological sugars ribose and glucose. On the other hand, laboratory studies on the formation of complex organic molecules from the ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of simulated astrophysical ice mixtures consisting of H2O, CO, CO2, CH3OH, CH4, NH3, etc., at low temperature have been routinely carried out in the past 15 years. These studies have shown that the organic residues recovered at room temperature contain amino acids, amphiphiles, nucleobases, as well as other complex organics, supporting a scenario in which molecules of prebiotic interest can form in extra-terrestrial environments.

Directory of Physics & Astronomy Faculties 1968-1969, United States, Canada, Mexico.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barisch, Sylvia

This directory is the tenth edition published by the American Institute of Physics listing colleges and universities which offer degree programs in physics, astronomy and astrophysics, and the staff members who teach the courses. Institutions in the United States, Canada, and Mexico are indexed separately, both geographically and alphabetically.…

IGPP 1999-2000 Annual Report

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

Ryerson, F J; Cook, K; Hitchcock, B

2003-01-27

The Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP) is a Multicampus Research Unit of the University of California (UC). IGPP was founded in 1946 at UC Los Angeles with a charter to further research in the earth and planetary sciences and related fields. The Institute now has branches at UC campuses in Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Cruz and Riverside, and at Los Alamos National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The University-wide IGPP has played an important role in establishing interdisciplinary research in the earth and planetary sciences. For example, IGPP was instrumental in founding the fields ofmore » physical oceanography and space physics, which at the time fell between the cracks of established university departments. Because of its multicampus orientation, IGPP has sponsored important inter-institutional consortia in the earth and planetary sciences. Each of the seven branches has a somewhat different intellectual emphasis as a result of the interplay between strengths of campus departments and Laboratory programs. The IGPP branch at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) was approved by the Regents of the University of California in 1982. IGPP-LLNL emphasizes research in tectonics, geochemistry, and astrophysics. It provides a venue for studying the fundamental aspects of these fields, thereby complementing LLNL programs that pursue applications of these disciplines in national security and energy research. IGPP-LLNL was directed by Charles Alcock during this period and was originally organized into three centers: Geosciences, stressing seismology; High-Pressure Physics, stressing experiments using the two-stage light-gas gun at LLNL; and Astrophysics, stressing theoretical and computational astrophysics. In 1994, the activities of the Center for High-Pressure Physics were merged with those of the Center for Geosciences. The Center for Geosciences, headed by Frederick Ryerson, focuses on research in geophysics and geochemistry. The Astrophysics Research Center, headed by Kem Cook, provides a home for theoretical and observational astrophysics and serves as an interface with the Physics Directorate's astrophysics efforts. At the end of the period covered by this report, Alcock left for the University of Pennsylvania. Cook became Acting Director of IGPP, the Physics Direcorate merged with portions of the old Lasers Direcorate to become Physics and Advanced Technologies. Energy Programs and Earth and Environmental Sciences Directorate became Energy and Environment Sciences Directorate. The IGPP branch at LLNL (as well as the branch at Los Alamos) also facilitates scientific collaborations between researchers at the UC campuses and those at the national laboratories in areas related to earth science, planetary science, and astrophysics. It does this by sponsoring the University Collaborative Research Program (UCRP), which provides funds to UC campus scientists for joint research projects with LLNL. Additional information regarding IGPP-LLNL projects and people may be found at http://wwwigpp. llnl.gov/. The goals of the UCRP are to enrich research opportunities for UC campus scientists by making available to them some of LLNL's unique facilities and expertise, and to broaden the scientific program at LLNL through collaborative or interdisciplinary work with UC campus researchers. UCRP funds (provided jointly by the Regents of the University of California and by the Director of LLNL) are awarded annually on the basis of brief proposals, which are reviewed by a committee of scientists from UC campuses, LLNL programs, and external universities and research organizations. Typical annual funding for a collaborative research project ranges from $5,000 to $30,000. Funds are used for a variety of purposes, such as salary support for UC graduate students, postdoctoral fellows; and costs for experimental facilities. A statistical overview of IGPP-LLNL's UCRP (colloquially known as the mini-grant program) is presented in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 shows the distribution of UCRP awards among the UC campuses, by total amount awarded and by number of proposals funded. Figure 2 shows the distribution of awards by center. Although the permanent LLNL staff assigned to IGPP is relatively small (presently about 8 full-time equivalents), IGPP's research centers have become vital research organizations. This growth has been possible because of IGPP support for a substantial group of resident postdoctoral fellows; because of the 20 or more UCRP projects funded each year; and because IGPP hosts a variety of visitors, guests, and faculty members (from both UC and other institutions). To focus attention on areas of topical interest in the geosciences and astrophysics, IGPP--LLNL hosts conferences and workshops and also organizes seminars in astrophysics and geosciences.« less

Foreword to Special Issue: Papers from the 54th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics, Providence, Rhode Island, USA, 2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skiff, Fred; Davidson, Ronald C.

2013-05-01

Each year, the annual meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics (DPP) brings together a broad representation of the many active subfields of plasma physics and enjoys an audience that is equally diverse. The meeting was well attended and largely went as planned despite the interventions of hurricane Sandy which caused the city of Providence to shut-down during the first day of the conference. The meeting began on Monday morning with a review of the physics of cosmic rays, 2012 being the 100th year since their discovery, which illustrated the central importance of plasma physics to astrophysical problems. Subsequent reviews covered the importance of tokamak plasma boundaries, progress towards ignition on the National Ignition Facility (NIF), and magnetized plasma turbulence. The Maxwell prize address, by Professor Liu Chen, covered the field of nonlinear Alfvén wave physics. Tutorial lectures were presented on the verification of gyrokinetics, new capabilities in laboratory astrophysics, magnetic flux compression, and tokamak plasma start-up.

The Astrophysical Multimessenger Observatory Network (AMON)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith. M. W. E.; Fox, D. B.; Cowen, D. F.; Meszaros, P.; Tesic, G.; Fixelle, J.; Bartos, I.; Sommers, P.; Ashtekar, Abhay; Babu, G. Jogesh;

Astrophysics of Reference Frame Tie Objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Kenneth J.; Boboltz, David; Fey, Alan Lee; Gaume, Ralph A.; Zacharias, Norbert

2004-01-01

The Astrophysics of Reference Frame Tie Objects Key Science program will investigate the underlying physics of SIM grid objects. Extragalactic objects in the SIM grid will be used to tie the SIM reference frame to the quasi-inertial reference frame defined by extragalactic objects and to remove any residual frame rotation with respect to the extragalactic frame. The current realization of the extragalactic frame is the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF). The ICRF is defined by the radio positions of 212 extragalactic objects and is the IAU sanctioned fundamental astronomical reference frame. This key project will advance our knowledge of the physics of the objects which will make up the SIM grid, such as quasars and chromospherically active stars, and relates directly to the stability of the SIM reference frame. The following questions concerning the physics of reference frame tie objects will be investigated.

CRPropa 3—a public astrophysical simulation framework for propagating extraterrestrial ultra-high energy particles

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

Batista, Rafael Alves; Dundovic, Andrej; Sigl, Guenter

2016-05-01

We present the simulation framework CRPropa version 3 designed for efficient development of astrophysical predictions for ultra-high energy particles. Users can assemble modules of the most relevant propagation effects in galactic and extragalactic space, include their own physics modules with new features, and receive on output primary and secondary cosmic messengers including nuclei, neutrinos and photons. In extension to the propagation physics contained in a previous CRPropa version, the new version facilitates high-performance computing and comprises new physical features such as an interface for galactic propagation using lensing techniques, an improved photonuclear interaction calculation, and propagation in time dependent environmentsmore » to take into account cosmic evolution effects in anisotropy studies and variable sources. First applications using highlighted features are presented as well.« less

Light and dark: A survey of new physics ideas in the 1-100 MeV window

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

Pospelov, Maxim

2013-11-07

I review the set of theoretical ideas motivating experimental searches of light physics beyond Standard Model using the high-intensity electron beams. While 'dark photon' is the chief example of such physics, the other 'light and dark' states (e.g. 'Dark Higgses') are also of interest. I discuss particle physics, cosmology and astrophysics applications.

Particle physics on ice: constraints on neutrino interactions far above the weak scale.

PubMed

Anchordoqui, Luis A; Feng, Jonathan L; Goldberg, Haim

2006-01-20

Ultrahigh energy cosmic rays and neutrinos probe energies far above the weak scale. Their usefulness might appear to be limited by astrophysical uncertainties; however, by simultaneously considering up- and down-going events, one may disentangle particle physics from astrophysics. We show that present data from the AMANDA experiment in the South Pole ice already imply an upper bound on neutrino cross sections at energy scales that will likely never be probed at man-made accelerators. The existing data also place an upper limit on the neutrino flux valid for any neutrino cross section. In the future, similar analyses of IceCube data will constrain neutrino properties and fluxes at the theta(10%) level.

Binding blocks: building the Universe one nucleus at a time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diget, C. Aa; Pastore, A.; Leech, K.; Haylett, T.; Lock, S.; Sanders, T.; Shelley, M.; Willett, H. V.; Keegans, J.; Sinclair, L.; Simpson, E. C.; Binding Blocks Collaboration

2017-03-01

We present a new teaching and outreach activity based around the construction of a three-dimensional chart of isotopes using \\text{LEG}{{\\text{O}}\\circledR} bricks5. The activity, binding blocks, demonstrates nuclear and astrophysical processes through a seven-meter chart of all nuclear isotopes, built from over 26 000 \\text{LEG}{{\\text{O}}\\circledR} bricks. It integrates A-Level and GCSE curricula across areas of nuclear physics, astrophysics, and chemistry, including: nuclear decays (through the colours in the chart); nuclear binding energy (through tower heights); production of chemical elements in the cosmos; fusion processes in stars and fusion energy on Earth; as well as links to medical physics, particularly diagnostics and radiotherapy.

Fully covariant cosmology and its astrophysical implications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wesson, Paul S.; Liu, Hongya

1995-01-01

We present a cosmological model with good physical properties which is invariant not only under changes of the space and time coordinates but also under changes of an extra (Kaluza-Klein) coordinate related to rest mass. In frames where the latter is chosen to be constant we recover standard cosmology. In frames where it is chosen to be variable we obtain new astrophysical effects and gain insight into the nature of the big bang.

Life origination and development hydrate theory (LOH-Theory) in the context of biological, physicochemical, astrophysical, and paleontological studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ostrovskii, V. E.; Kadyshevich, E. A.

2014-04-01

Till now, we formulated and developed the Life Origination Hydrate Theory (LOH-Theory) and Mitosis and Replication Hydrate Theory (MRHTheory) as the instruments for understanding the physical and chemical mechanisms applied by Nature for the living matter origination and propagation. This work is aimed at coordination of these theories with the paleontological and astrophysical knowledges and hypotheses of the Earth and Solar System remote histories.

"Other" indirect methods for nuclear astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trache, Livius

2018-01-01

In the house of Trojan Horse Method (THM), I will say a few words about "other" indirect methods we use in Nuclear Physics for Astrophysics. In particular those using Rare Ion Beams that can be used to evaluate radiative proton capture reactions. I add words about work done with the Professore we celebrate today. With a proposal, and some results with TECSA, for a simple method to produce and use isomeric beam of 26mAl.

Astrophysical bags - A new paradigm for active galactic nuclei?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Thomas L.

1992-01-01

Active galaxies are believed to consist of a compact nucleus, the standard model for which is a massive black hole or a cluster of black holes. A different paradigm is considered here, deriving from quark confinement theory in QCD. It is an 'astrophysical bag', modelled after the 'hadron bags' of particle physics which have already been studied in astrophysics as quark stars. Another interpretation of the cosmological constant in general relativity, and possibly a new quasar redshift formula, are introduced. As a highly-energetic object, this model may resolve the baryonic matter problem for fuelling AGN accretion processes which black hole paradigms cannot account for. Here, baryons, cosmic rays, and neutrinos are free.

UV irradiation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ices: production of alcohols, quinones, and ethers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernstein, M. P.; Sandford, S. A.; Allamandola, L. J.; Gillette, J. S.; Clemett, S. J.; Zare, R. N.

1999-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water ice were exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation under astrophysical conditions, and the products were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Peripheral carbon atoms were oxidized, producing aromatic alcohols, ketones, and ethers, and reduced, producing partially hydrogenated aromatic hydrocarbons, molecules that account for the interstellar 3.4-micrometer emission feature. These classes of compounds are all present in carbonaceous meteorites. Hydrogen and deuterium atoms exchange readily between the PAHs and the ice, which may explain the deuterium enrichments found in certain meteoritic molecules. This work has important implications for extraterrestrial organics in biogenesis.

Laboratory Data for X-Ray Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beiersdorfer, P.; Brown, G. V.; Chen, H.; Gu, M.-F.; Kahn, S. M.; Lepson, J. K.; Savin, D. W.; Utter, S. B.

2000-01-01

Laboratory facilities have made great strides in producing large sets of reliable data for X-ray astronomy, which include ionization and recombination cross sections needed for charge balance calculations as well as the atomic data needed for interpreting X-ray line formation. We discuss data from the new generation sources and pay special attention to the LLNL electron beam ion trap experiment, which is unique in its ability to provide direct laboratory access to spectral data under precisely controlled conditions that simulate those found in many astrophysical plasmas. Examples of spectral data obtained in the 1-160 A wavelength range are given illustrating the type of laboratory X-ray data produced in support of such missions as Chandra, X-Ray Multi-Mirror telescope (XMM), Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ASCA) and Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer Satellite (EUVE).

Nuclear Physics Laboratory 1979 annual report

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

Adelberger, E.G.

1979-07-01

Research progress is reported in the following areas: astrophysics and cosmology, fundamental symmetries, nuclear structure, radiative capture, medium energy physics, heavy ion reactions, research by users and visitors, accelerator and ion source development, instrumentation and experimental techniques, and computers and computing. Publications are listed. (WHK)

Astrophysics Meets Atomic Physics: Fe I Line Identifications and Templates for Old Stellar Populations from Warm and Hot Stellar UV Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, Ruth

2017-08-01

Imaging surveys from the ultraviolet to the infrared are recording ever more distant astronomical sources. Needed to interpret them are high-resolution ultraviolet spectral templates at all metallicities for both old and intermediate-age stars, and the atomic physics data essential to model their spectra. To this end we are proposing new UV spectra of four warm and hot stars spanning a wide range of metallicity. These will provide observational templates of old and young metal-poor turnoff stars, and the laboratory source for the identification of thousands of lines of neutral iron that appear in stellar spectra but are not identified in laboratory spectra. By matching existing and new stellar spectra to calculations of energy levels, line wavelengths, and gf-values, Peterson & Kurucz (2015) and Peterson, Kurucz, & Ayres (2017) identified 124 Fe I levels with energies up to 8.4eV. These provided 3000 detectable Fe I lines from 1600A to 5.4mu, and yielded empirical gf-values for 640 of these. Here we propose high-resolution UV spectra reaching 1780A for the first time at the turnoff, to detect and identify the strongest Fe I lines at 1800 - 1850A. This should add 250 new Fe I levels. These spectra, plus one at lower resolution reaching 1620A, will also provide empirical UV templates for turnoff stars at high redshifts as well as low. This is essential to deriving age and metallicity independently for globular clusters and old galaxies out to z 3. It will also improve abundances of trace elements in metal-poor stars, constraining nucleosynthesis at early epochs and aiding the reconstruction of the populations of the Milky Way halo and of nearby globular clusters.

Studies of atomic and molecular dynamics using photoelectron spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canton, Sophie E.

Photoexcitation and photoionization studies of free atoms and molecules in the gas phase provide a unique view into various aspects of radiation-matter interactions that are used as basic building blocks in many branches of physics, such as Solid State, Plasma Physics, Photochemistry or Astrophysics. With the advent of third generation synchrotron light sources delivering high photon flux (>1015 photons/s) with unprecedented resolving power over a broad energy range, it has become possible to investigate in great detail not only the internal structure of the targets, but also the dynamics of the process. Born in the 1960s, photoelectron spectroscopy specifically analyzes the kinetic energy and emission angle of the ionized electrons. It is now coming to maturity with the availability of spectrometers designed to achieve high performances. This thesis work presents three examples of experiments made possible by the combination of the radiation from the Advanced Light Source with state of the art spectrometers. First, the measurements of the partial photoionization cross sections below the second ionization potential in argon and neon have uncovered weak and narrow resonances. Their mirroring profiles in the two open channels, which had prevented them from being detected in non-differential measurements, have been explained by their LS-forbidden nature. Second, the Auger spectra produced by decay of core-excited HF have revealed specific nuclear wavepacket interferences that occur when the electronic lifetime, the nuclear dynamics and the excitation prolongation, defined as the inverse of the photon bandwidth, have comparable time scales. Third, the analysis of the underlying structure in the first ionization band for free C60 has allowed the vibronic coupling of the singly charged molecular ion to be characterized.

Photodissociation and photoionisation of atoms and molecules of astrophysical interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heays, A. N.; Bosman, A. D.; van Dishoeck, E. F.

2017-06-01

A new collection of photodissociation and photoionisation cross sections for 102 atoms and molecules of astrochemical interest has been assembled, along with a brief review of the basic physical processes involved. These have been used to calculate dissociation and ionisation rates, with uncertainties, in a standard ultraviolet interstellar radiation field (ISRF) and for other wavelength-dependent radiation fields, including cool stellar and solar radiation, Lyman-α dominated radiation, and a cosmic-ray induced ultraviolet flux. The new ISRF rates generally agree within 30% with our previous compilations, with a few notable exceptions. Comparison with other databases such as PHIDRATES is made. The reduction of rates in shielded regions was calculated as a function of dust, molecular and atomic hydrogen, atomic C, and self-shielding column densities. The relative importance of these shielding types depends on the atom or molecule in question and the assumed dust optical properties. All of the new data are publicly available from the Leiden photodissociation and ionisation database. Sensitivity of the calculated rates to variation of temperature and isotope, and uncertainties in measured or calculated cross sections, are tested and discussed. Tests were conducted on the new rates with an interstellar-cloud chemical model, and find general agreement (within a factor of two) in abundances obtained with the previous iteration of the Leiden database assuming an ISRF, and order-of-magnitude variations assuming various kinds of stellar radiation. The newly parameterised dust-shielding factors makes a factor-of-two difference to many atomic and molecular abundances relative to parameters currently in the UDfA and KIDA astrochemical reaction databases. The newly-calculated cosmic-ray induced photodissociation and ionisation rates differ from current standard values up to a factor of 5. Under high temperature and cosmic-ray-flux conditions the new rates alter the equilibrium abundances of abundant dark cloud abundances by up to a factor of two. The partial cross sections for H2O and NH3 photodissociation forming OH, O, NH2 and NH are also evaluated and lead to radiation-field-dependent branching ratios.

Development And Application Of The Ion Microprobe For Analysis Of Extraterrestrial Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wasserburg, G. J.

2001-01-01

This report covers the work carried out under NASA Grant NAG5-4083. The research was directed toward analyses of early solar system material, of presolar grains preserved in meteorites, and toward theoretical studies of nucleosynthesis in stars related to the chemical evolution of the galaxy and the formation of the solar system. The work was carried out over the time period 15 February 1998 - 31 May 2001 and involved the participation of the following individuals: M. Busso, Visiting Associate, Professor of Astrophysics, Perugia University, Italy; B.-G. Choi, research fellow, now Associate Professor at Seoul National University, Korea; H. C. Connolly, research fellow, now at Kingsborough Community College, CUNY; R. Gallino, Visiting Associate, Professor of Astrophysics, University of Torino; Y. Guan, Smithsonian Institution; C. Hohenberg, Professor of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis; M. Heinrich, electronics and systems engineer, Caltech; W. Hsu, research fellow, Caltech; T. LaTourrette, research fellow, now at Rand Corporation; G. R. Huss, Senior Research Scientist, now at Arizona State University; N. Krestina, research fellow in geochemistry, Caltech; G. J. MacPherson, Smithsonian Institution; K. Nollett, research fellow in astrophysics; Y.-Z. Qian, Professor of Physics, University of Minnesota; G. Srinivasan, research fellow, now Research Scientist, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, India.

Absolute Transition Probabilities of Lines in the Spectra of Astrophysical Atoms, Molecules, and Ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parkinson, W. H.; Smith, P. L.; Yoshino, K.

1984-01-01

Progress in the investigation of absolute transition probabilities (A-values or F values) for ultraviolet lines is reported. A radio frequency ion trap was used for measurement of transition probabilities for intersystem lines seen in astronomical spectra. The intersystem line at 2670 A in Al II, which is seen in pre-main sequence stars and symbiotic stars, was studied.

Women's and men's career choices in astronomy and astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivie, Rachel; White, Susan; Chu, Raymond Y.

2016-12-01

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Gender in Physics.] The Longitudinal Study of Astronomy Graduate Students (LSAGS) arose from the 2003 Women in Astronomy Conference, where it was noted that a majority of young members of the American Astronomical Society were women. The astronomy community wishes to make every effort to retain young women in astronomy, so they commissioned a longitudinal study to be conducted that would pinpoint the factors that contribute to retention in general, with a focus on differences between women and men. The LSAGS follows a cohort of people who were graduate students in astronomy or astrophysics during 2006-07. The first survey was conducted during 2007-08 and the second during 2012-13. The analysis presented in this paper used a subset of the respondents, all of whom had Ph.D.s in astronomy, astrophysics, or a related field at the time of the second survey. We tested the effects of four major concepts on two measures of attrition from physics and astronomy. These concepts included the imposter syndrome, mentoring and advising during graduate school, the "two-body problem" that occurs when a couple needs to find two jobs in the same geographic area, and the sex of the respondent. While the imposter syndrome and mentoring affected the likelihood of respondents' thinking about leaving the field, they did not directly contribute to actually working in a field that was not physics or astronomy. Relationship with graduate advisors and the two-body problem both had significant effects on working in physics or astronomy, as did completing a postdoc. The sex of the respondent had no direct effect on our measures of attrition, but indirectly affected attrition because women were less likely to report positive relationships with graduate advisors and more likely to report two-body problems. This research identifies specific areas of concern that can be addressed by the scientific community to increase the retention of all people, but especially women, in astronomy and astrophysics.

Atomic Data and Spectral Line Intensities for Ne III

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhatia, A. K.; Thomas, R. J.; Landi, E.; Fisher, Richard R. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A number of satellites and rockets have been launched to observe radiation from the Sun and other astrophysical objects. Line radiation is emitted when the electron impact excited levels decay to the lower levels by photon emission. From this radiation, the physical parameters such as electron temperature and density of the astrophysical plasma, elemental abundance, and opacity can be inferred. Ne III lines have been observed in H II regions, Ne-rich filaments in supernovae, and planetary nebulae. The allowed line at 489.50 Angstroms due to the transition 2s(sup 2) 2p(sup 5) (sup 3) P2 (goes to) 2s(sup 2)2p(sup 4)(sup 3)P2 has been identified in the solar spectrum by Vernazza and Reeves using Skylab observations. Other Ne III lines in the solar EUV spectrum have been reported by Thomas and Neupert based on observations from the Solar EUV Rocket Telescope and Spectrograph (SERTS) instrument. Atomic data for Ne III have been calculated by using a set of programs developed at, University College, London. The Superstructure and Distorted Wave (DW) programs have been updated over the years. In the Superstructure program, configuration interaction can be taken into account and radial functions are calculated in a modified Thomas-Fermi-Amaldi potential. This is a statistical potential and depends on parameters lambda 1 which are determined by optimizing the weighted sum of term energies. They are found to be lambda(sub 0)=1.2467, lambda(sub 1)=1.1617, and lambda(sub 2)=1.0663. The relativistic corrections are included by using the Breit-Pauli Hamiltonian as a perturbation to the nonrelativistic Hamiltonian. The same potential is used to calculate reactance matrices in the DW approximation in LS coupling. Collision strengths in intermediate coupling are obtained by using term coupling coefficients obtained from the Superstructure program. In this calculation, the configurations used are 2s(sup 2)2p(sup 4), 2s2p(sup 5), 2s(sup 2)2p(sup 3)3s, 2s(sup 2)p(sup 3)3d giving rise to 57 fine-structure levels in intermediate coupling.

Reviews

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2002-03-01

BOOK REVIEWS (164) Salters GCSE Science: Teacher and Technician Resource Pack, Year 10 The NEW World of Mr Tompkins The Heinemann Science Scheme: Book 1 Advanced Physics Readers: Astrophysics Using the Internet in Secondary Schools, 2nd edition CD-ROM REVIEW (168) Particle Physics: A Keyhole to the Birth of Time (version 2) WEB WATCH (169) Hunting for new physics sites CORRECTION (171)

Russell Hulse, the First Binary Pulsar, and Science Education

Science.gov Websites

physics research. In 1977, Hulse changed fields from astrophysics to plasma physics and joined the Plasma discoverer of the first binary pulsar and co-recipient of the 1993 Nobel Prize in physics, will affiliate with The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) as a visiting professor of physics and of science and math

Current Physics Research. Part II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schewe, Phillip F.

1980-01-01

Discussed are two current physics research areas. Solar cell efficiencies are discussed relating to present and future conversion efficiencies. Topics discussed in Astrophysics include the observation of astronomical bodies at different wavelengths, in terms of electromagnetic spectrum, tools of astronomy, compact stars, pulsars X-ray binaries,…

Berkeley Lab's Saul Perlmutter Wins the Einstein Medal | Berkeley Lab

Science.gov Websites

TAGS: awards, cosmology and astrophysics, physics Connect twitter instagram LinkedIn facebook youtube Physics + Cosmology Chemistry + Materials Sciences twitter instagram LinkedIn facebook youtube A U.S Privacy & Security Notice twitter instagram LinkedIn facebook youtube

John N Bahcall (1934 2005)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergström, Lars; Botner, Olga; Carlson, Per; Hulth, Per Olof; Ohlsson, Tommy

2005-01-01

John Norris Bahcall, passed away on August 17, 2005, in NewYork City, USA. He was born on December 30, 1934, in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA. He was Richard Black Professor of Astrophysics in the School of Natural Sciences at the Institute forAdvanced Study (IAS) in Princeton, New Jersey, USA and a recipient of the National Medal of Science. In addition, he was President of the American Astronomical Society, President-Elect of the American Physical Society, and a prominent leader of the astrophysics community. John had a long and prolific career in astronomy and astrophysics, spanning five decades and the publication of more than five hundred technical articles, books, and popular papers. John's most recognized scientific contribution was the novel proposal in 1964, together with Raymond Davis Jr, that scientific mysteries of our Sun `how it shines, how old it is, how hot it is' could be examined by measuring the number of neutrinos arriving on Earth from the Sun. Measuring the properties of these neutrinos tests both our understanding of how stars shine and our understanding of fundamental particle physics. However, in the 1960s and 1970s, the observations by Raymond Davis Jr showed a clear discrepancy between John's theoretical predictions, based on standard solar and particle physics models, and what was experimentally measured. This discrepancy, known as the `Solar Neutrino Problem', was examined by hundreds of physicists, chemists, and astronomers over the subsequent three decades. In the late 1990s through 2002, new large-scale neutrino experiments in Japan, Canada, Italy, and Russia culminated in the conclusion that the discrepancy between John's theoretical predictions and the experimental results required a modification of our understanding of particle physics: neutrinos must have a mass and `oscillate' among different particle states. In addition to neutrino astrophysics, John contributed to many areas of astrophysics including the study of dark matter in the Universe, properties of quasars, structure of the galaxies, the evolution of stars, and the identification of the first neutron star companion. John was an active member of the International Advisory Committee of the Nobel Symposium 129 on Neutrino Physics in Enköping, Sweden between August 19 and August 24, 2004, but he was unfortunately not able to attend the Symposium himself due to his illness. He will be hugely missed in the scientific community and especially among neutrino physicists. We, the members of the Local Organizing Committee of the Symposium, will always remember his large enthusiasm and creativity, warm friendship, and sharp intellect.

Strategic Plans for the Future of Solar Physics: a community discussion of the NASA Sun-Earth Connection Program Roadmap and the NAS Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics (Solar Astronomy section)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schrijver, K.; Knoelker, M.

1999-05-01

The NASA Sun-Earth Connections Program is currently revising its Roadmap, the long-range plan for science goals, technology development, and missions between 2000 and 2040. From the interior dynamics of the Sun, to the interactions of plasma, fields, and radiation in the photosphere and solar atmosphere, to the heating and structure of the corona, to the acceleration, structure, and evolution of the solar wind, to the interactions of the heliosphere with the interstellar medium, to the processes of solar, stellar, and solar system evolution - progress in each of these domains will help us understand how the Sun impacts our home in space. The Roadmap Committee is seeking to refine and extend the SEC's vision and identify the milestone missions for the future. During this session, an outline of the current draft Roadmap will be presented, and further community involvement will be solicited to ensure the strongest possible concensus on the revised Roadmap. The National Academy of Sciences' Space Science Board has appointed a committee to perform a Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics, which is surveying the field of space- and ground-based astronomy and astrophysics, recommending priorities for the most important new initiatives of the decade 2000-2010. The prioritization delivered by the earlier Decadal Surveys has played an important role in guiding the funding agencies in setting their priorities for astronomy and astrophysics. Therefore it will be of crucial importance for solar physics to contribute a strong case for its own set of future projects to be incorpoprated into the survey. The solar physics of the next decade will be characterized by its increasing societal relevance in the context of the National Space Weather Program and related issues, as well as its classical importance as a ``base" for many astrophysical questions. The presentation and subsequent discussion at the Chicago meeting is intended to solicit further community input, to achieve optimal representation for solar physics in the Decadal Survey. The Roadmap Committee and the Decadal Survey's solar panel encourage the whole solar physics community to contact them prior to the meeting. The list of the committee/panel members and their e-mail addresses, as well as related information, can be accessed via their websites at http://www.lmsal.com/sec/ and http://www.nas.edu/bpa/projects/astrosurvey/solar/ , respectively.

Magnetohydrodynamic Particle Acceleration Processes: SSX Experiments, Theory, and Astrophysical Applications

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

Brown, Michael R.

2006-11-16

Project Title: Magnetohydrodynamic Particle Acceleration Processes: SSX Experiments, Theory, and Astrophysical Applications PI: Michael R. Brown, Swarthmore College The purpose of the project was to provide theoretical and modeling support to the Swarthmore Spheromak Experiment (SSX). Accordingly, the theoretical effort was tightly integrated into the SSX experimental effort. During the grant period, Michael Brown and his experimental collaborators at Swarthmore, with assistance from W. Matthaeus as appropriate, made substantial progress in understanding the physics SSX plasmas.

Photospheric Driving of Non-Potential Coronal Magnetic Field Simulations

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-19

Eh is based only on partial information. In general, it will not be possible to reconstruct Eh uniquely, but with suitable physical assumptions it is...red) builds up the sheared field much more slowly, resulting in a much later eruption (not shown in this figure). 8 The Astrophysical Journal, 823...two curves used =dt h2 . 11 The Astrophysical Journal, 823:55 (16pp), 2016 May 20 Weinzierl et al. Figure 7: Globally integrated quantities for MF

NASA's Physics of the Cosmos and Cosmic Origins technology development programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clampin, Mark; Pham, Thai

2014-07-01

NASA's Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) and Cosmic Origins (COR) Program Offices, established in 2011, reside at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The offices serve as the implementation arm for the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. We present an overview of the programs' technology development activities and technology investment portfolio, funded by NASA's Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) program. We currently fund 19 technology advancements to enable future PCOS and COR missions to help answer the questions "How did our universe begin and evolve?" and "How did galaxies, stars, and planets come to be?" We discuss the process for addressing community-provided technology gaps and Technology Management Board (TMB)-vetted prioritization and investment recommendations that inform the SAT program. The process improves the transparency and relevance of our technology investments, provides the community a voice in the process, and promotes targeted external technology investments by defining needs and identifying customers. The programs' goal is to promote and support technology development needed to enable missions envisioned by the National Research Council's (NRC) "New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics" (NWNH) Decadal Survey report [1] and the Astrophysics Implementation Plan (AIP) [2]. These include technology development for dark energy, gravitational waves, X-ray and inflation probe science, and a 4m-class UV/optical telescope to conduct imaging and spectroscopy studies, as a post-Hubble observatory with significantly improved sensitivity and capability.

NASA's Physics of the Cosmos and Cosmic Origins Technology Development Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clampin, Mark; Pham, Thai

2014-01-01

NASA's Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) and Cosmic Origins (COR) Program Offices, established in 2011, reside at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The offices serve as the implementation arm for the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. We present an overview of the programs' technology development activities and technology investment portfolio, funded by NASA's Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) program. We currently fund 19 technology advancements to enable future PCOS and COR missions to help answer the questions "How did our universe begin and evolve?" and "How did galaxies, stars, and planets come to be?" We discuss the process for addressing community-provided technology gaps and Technology Management Board (TMB)-vetted prioritization and investment recommendations that inform the SAT program. The process improves the transparency and relevance of our technology investments, provides the community a voice in the process, and promotes targeted external technology investments by defining needs and identifying customers. The programs' goal is to promote and support technology development needed to enable missions envisioned by the National Research Council's (NRC) "New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics" (NWNH) Decadal Survey report [1] and the Astrophysics Implementation Plan (AIP) [2]. These include technology development for dark energy, gravitational waves, X-ray and inflation probe science, and a 4m-class UV/optical telescope to conduct imaging and spectroscopy studies, as a post-Hubble observatory with significantly improved sensitivity and capability.

Polarization of submillimetre lines from interstellar medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Heshou; Yan, Huirong

2018-04-01

Magnetic fields play important roles in many astrophysical processes. However, there is no universal diagnostic for the magnetic fields in the interstellar medium (ISM) and each magnetic tracer has its limitation. Any new detection method is thus valuable. Theoretical studies have shown that submillimetre fine-structure lines are polarized due to atomic alignment by ultraviolet photon-excitation, which opens up a new avenue to probe interstellar magnetic fields. We will, for the first time, perform synthetic observations on the simulated three-dimensional ISM to demonstrate the measurability of the polarization of submillimetre atomic lines. The maximum polarization for different absorption and emission lines expected from various sources, including star-forming regions are provided. Our results demonstrate that the polarization of submillimetre atomic lines is a powerful magnetic tracer and add great value to the observational studies of the submilimetre astronomy.

Electron impact polarization of atomic spectral lines. I - A general theoretical scheme

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fineschi, Silvano; Degl'innocenti, Egidio L.

1992-01-01

A suitable theoretical scheme able to describe, in a wide variety of astrophysical situations, the phenomenon of atomic line polarization by electron impact is developed. Starting from the general principles of quantum mechanics and assuming the Born approximation, the rate equations for the density matrix elements of a multilevel atomic system, interacting with a nonrelativistic electron beam having any kind of angular distribution, are derived in full generality. The resulting theory generalizes the previous ones by accounting for the collisional rates and the cross sections concerning both inelastic and superelastic collisions (in any geometrical situation), and, moreover, by taking into account the coherences among Zeeman sublevels split by a magnetic field. As an example of particular relevance, the general formulas derived in the first sections of the paper are subsequently particularized to the case of the electric dipole interaction.

The microphysics of collisionless shock waves.

PubMed

Marcowith, A; Bret, A; Bykov, A; Dieckman, M E; Drury, L O'C; Lembège, B; Lemoine, M; Morlino, G; Murphy, G; Pelletier, G; Plotnikov, I; Reville, B; Riquelme, M; Sironi, L; Novo, A Stockem

2016-04-01

Collisionless shocks, that is shocks mediated by electromagnetic processes, are customary in space physics and in astrophysics. They are to be found in a great variety of objects and environments: magnetospheric and heliospheric shocks, supernova remnants, pulsar winds and their nebulæ, active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts and clusters of galaxies shock waves. Collisionless shock microphysics enters at different stages of shock formation, shock dynamics and particle energization and/or acceleration. It turns out that the shock phenomenon is a multi-scale non-linear problem in time and space. It is complexified by the impact due to high-energy cosmic rays in astrophysical environments. This review adresses the physics of shock formation, shock dynamics and particle acceleration based on a close examination of available multi-wavelength or in situ observations, analytical and numerical developments. A particular emphasis is made on the different instabilities triggered during the shock formation and in association with particle acceleration processes with regards to the properties of the background upstream medium. It appears that among the most important parameters the background magnetic field through the magnetization and its obliquity is the dominant one. The shock velocity that can reach relativistic speeds has also a strong impact over the development of the micro-instabilities and the fate of particle acceleration. Recent developments of laboratory shock experiments has started to bring some new insights in the physics of space plasma and astrophysical shock waves. A special section is dedicated to new laser plasma experiments probing shock physics.

The microphysics of collisionless shock waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcowith, A.; Bret, A.; Bykov, A.; Dieckman, M. E.; O'C Drury, L.; Lembège, B.; Lemoine, M.; Morlino, G.; Murphy, G.; Pelletier, G.; Plotnikov, I.; Reville, B.; Riquelme, M.; Sironi, L.; Stockem Novo, A.

2016-04-01

Collisionless shocks, that is shocks mediated by electromagnetic processes, are customary in space physics and in astrophysics. They are to be found in a great variety of objects and environments: magnetospheric and heliospheric shocks, supernova remnants, pulsar winds and their nebulæ, active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts and clusters of galaxies shock waves. Collisionless shock microphysics enters at different stages of shock formation, shock dynamics and particle energization and/or acceleration. It turns out that the shock phenomenon is a multi-scale non-linear problem in time and space. It is complexified by the impact due to high-energy cosmic rays in astrophysical environments. This review adresses the physics of shock formation, shock dynamics and particle acceleration based on a close examination of available multi-wavelength or in situ observations, analytical and numerical developments. A particular emphasis is made on the different instabilities triggered during the shock formation and in association with particle acceleration processes with regards to the properties of the background upstream medium. It appears that among the most important parameters the background magnetic field through the magnetization and its obliquity is the dominant one. The shock velocity that can reach relativistic speeds has also a strong impact over the development of the micro-instabilities and the fate of particle acceleration. Recent developments of laboratory shock experiments has started to bring some new insights in the physics of space plasma and astrophysical shock waves. A special section is dedicated to new laser plasma experiments probing shock physics.

Structure and Dynamics of the Quiet Solar Chromosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalkofen, Wolfgang; Wagner, William (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

For the meeting of the AAS/SPD in Albuquerque, NM, I organized a Topical Session of the AAS on Structure and Dynamics of Chromospheres. The grant support was used to bring to the US two of the speakers from abroad. I had invited them for presentations at the Session: Dr. Klaus Wilhelm, the former PI of the SUMER instrument on SOHO, from the Max-Planck Institut in Lindau, Germany, and Dr. Sirajul Hasan, from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics in Bangalore, India. Both speakers preceded their trip to the AAS meeting with a stay at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, where they interacted with members of the Solar and Stellar Physics division. The highlights of the visits were the talks at the AAS/SPD meeting, in which six invited speakers told the audience of astronomers about current problems in solar physics and their relation to stellar problems. An important result of the visits is a paper by Dr. Wilhelm and me on 'Observations of the upper solar chromosphere with SUMER on SOHO', which has been submitted to Astronomy and Astrophysics for publication.

Art as a Vehicle for Nuclear Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilburn, Micha

2013-04-01

One aim of the The Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics (JINA) is to teach K-12 students concepts and ideas related to nuclear astrophysics. For students who have not yet seen the periodic table, this can be daunting, and we often begin with astronomy concepts. The field of astronomy naturally lends itself to an art connection through its beautiful images. Our Art 2 Science programming adopts a hands-on approach by teaching astronomy through student created art projects. This approach engages the students, through tactile means, visually and spatially. For younger students, we also include physics based craft projects that facilitate the assimilation of problem solving skills. The arts can be useful for aural and kinetic learners as well. Our program also includes singing and dancing to songs with lyrics that teach physics and astronomy concepts. The Art 2 Science programming has been successfully used in after-school programs at schools, community centers, and art studios. We have even expanded the program into a popular week long summer camp. I will discuss our methods, projects, specific goals, and survey results for JINA's Art 2 Science programs.

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

Goriely, S.; Bauswein, A.; Janka, H.-T.

About half of the nuclei heavier than iron observed in nature are produced by the so-called rapid neutron capture process, or r-process, of nucleosynthesis. The identification of the astrophysics site and the specific conditions in which the r-process takes place remains, however, one of the still-unsolved mysteries of modern astrophysics. Another underlying difficulty associated with our understanding of the r-process concerns the uncertainties in the predictions of nuclear properties for the few thousands exotic neutron-rich nuclei involved, for which essentially no experimental data exist. The present paper emphasizes some important future challenges faced by nuclear physics in this problem, particularlymore » in the determination of the nuclear structure properties of exotic neutron-rich nuclei as well as their radiative neutron capture rates and their fission probabilities. These quantities are particularly relevant to determine the composition of the matter resulting from the r-process. Both the astrophysics and the nuclear physics difficulties are critically reviewed with special attention paid to the r-process taking place during the decompression of neutron star matter following the merging of two neutron stars.« less

The development of early pulsation theory, or, how Cepheids are like steam engines"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanley, Matthew

2011-05-01

The pulsation theory of Cepheid variable stars was a major breakthrough of early twentieth-century astrophysics. At the beginning of that century, the basic physics of normal stars was very poorly understood, and variable stars were even more mysterious. Breaking with accepted explanations in terms of eclipsing binaries, Harlow Shapley and A.S. Eddington pioneered novel theories that considered Cepheids as pulsating spheres of gas. These theoretical models relied on highly speculative physics, but nonetheless returned very impressive results despite attacks from figures such as James Jeans. Surprisingly, the pulsation theory not only depended on developments in stellar physics, but also drove many of those developments. In particular, models of stars in radiative balance and theories of stellar energy were heavily inspired and shaped by ideas about variable stars. Further, the success of the pulsation theory helped justify the new approaches to astrophysics being developed before World War II.

Support for 26th International Conference on Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics

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

Kearns, Edward; Feldman, Gary

The XXVI International Conference on Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics (Neutrino 2014) was held in Boston, U.S.A. from June 2 to 7, 2014. The Conference was co-­hosted by Boston University, Harvard University, M.I.T., and Tufts University. The Conference welcomed 549 registered participants from 33 countries. The Boston University Student Village offered an inexpensive housing option and was taken advantage of by 282 attendees. The lecture venue was the George Sherman Union at Boston University. There were 63 scientific presentations by speakers from 15 countries. The Conference held two poster sessions with a total of 287 posters. The Conference featured a receptionmore » at the M.I.T. Museum plus a multi-­week exhibition on neutrino physics capped by public presentations on the closing date of the conference. The banquet was a strolling buffet dinner held at the New England Aquarium.« less

Spacelab Science Results Study. Volume 1; External Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naumann, Robert J. (Compiler)

1999-01-01

Some of the 36 Spacelab missions were more or less dedicated to specific scientific disciplines, while other carried a eclectic mixture of experiments ranging from astrophysics to life sciences. However, the experiments can be logically classified into two general categories; those that make use of the Shuttle as an observing platform for external phenomena (including those which use the Shuttle in an interactive mode) and those which use the Shuttle as a microgravity laboratory. This first volume of this Spacelab Science Results study will be devoted to experiments of the first category. The disciplines included are Astrophysics, Solar Physics, Space Plasma Physics, Atmospheric Sciences, and Earth Sciences. Because of the large number of microgravity investigations, Volume 2 will be devoted to Microgravity Sciences, which includes Fluid Physics, Combustion Science, Materials Science, and Biotechnology, and Volume 3 will be devoted to Space Life Sciences, which studies the response and adaptability of living organisms to the microgravity environment.

AGIS -- the Advanced Gamma-ray Imaging System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krennrich, Frank

2009-05-01

The Advanced Gamma-ray Imaging System, AGIS, is envisioned to become the follow-up mission of the current generation of very high energy gamma-ray telescopes, namely, H.E.S.S., MAGIC and VERITAS. These instruments have provided a glimpse of the TeV gamma-ray sky, showing more than 70 sources while their detailed studies constrain a wealth of physics and astrophysics. The particle acceleration, emission and absorption processes in these sources permit the study of extreme physical conditions found in galactic and extragalactic TeV sources. AGIS will dramatically improve the sensitivity and angular resolution of TeV gamma-ray observations and therefore provide unique prospects for particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology. This talk will provide an overview of the science drivers, scientific capabilities and the novel technical approaches that are pursued to maximize the performance of the large array concept of AGIS.

Narratives of the double bind: Intersectionality in life stories of women of color in physics, astrophysics and astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Lily T.; Kachchaf, Rachel R.; Ong, Maria; Hodari, Apriel K.

2013-01-01

This paper presents themes on the life stories of women of color in physics, astrophysics and astronomy. Drawing from our NSF-sponsored project, Beyond the Double Bind: Women of Color in STEM, we share findings from 10 interviews and 41 extant texts (about 23 women in varied life stages). Employing intersectionality theory and narrative analysis, our study contributes a critical analysis of how the intersection of gender and race affects performance, identity, persistence and overall career and education experiences in the physical sciences. Our findings both support existing literature on women of color in STEM, as well as bring to light two major, emergent issues: the importance of activism, and school/work-life balance. This research will add to the knowledge base about strategies for retaining women of color--widely considered an untapped source of domestic talent that could fill the country's scientific workforce needs.

Minutes of the third annual meeting of the Panel on Reference Nuclear Data. [BNL, October 5, 1978

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

Burrows, T.W.; Stewart, L.; Coyne, J.J.

1979-05-01

The major activities of the meeting were as follows: welcome; organization, approval of minutes of the second meeting, and approval of agenda; review of nuclear data compilation and evaluation efforts (national and international efforts, master data files, publications); summary of 1977 panel meeting; definition of reference nuclear data; discussion of specific data needs and possible data center contributions (reactor physics, medicine and biology, controlled thermonuclear reactors and astrophysics); establishment of current interest and future direction of the panel; adjournment. Recommendations and action items are listed. Tables on nuclear data needs in applied physics, medicine and biology, and controlled thermonuclear reactorsmore » and astrophysics are presented. Appendixes include membership lists of various committees, summaries of publication activities, survey results, correspondence, and portions of the documents Proceedings of the Magnetic Fusion Energy Blanket and Shield Workshop and National Needs for Critically Evaluated Physical and Chemical Data. (RWR)« less

FOREWORD: Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics V

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auerbach, Naftali; Hass, Michael; Paul, Michael

2012-02-01

The fifth edition of the bi-annual 'Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics (NPA)' conference series was held in Eilat, Israel on April 3-8, 2011. This Conference is also designated as the 24th Nuclear Physics Divisional Conference of the EPS. The main purpose of this conference, as that of the four previous ones in this series, is to deal with those aspects of nuclear physics that are directly related to astrophysics. The concept of such a meeting was conceived by the Nuclear Physics Board of the European Physical Society in 1998. At that time, the idea of such a conference was quite new and it was decided that this meeting would be sponsored by the EPS. The first meeting, in January 2001, was planned and organized in Eilat, Israel. Due to international circumstances the conference was moved to Debrecen, Hungary. Subsequent conferences were held in Debrecen again, in Dresden, Germany, and in Frascati, Italy (moved from Gran Sasso due to the tragic earthquake that hit the L'Aquila region). After 10 years the conference finally returned to Eilat, the originally envisioned site. Eilat is a resort town located on the shore of the Gulf of Eilat, which connects Israel to the Red Sea and further south to the Indian Ocean. It commands spectacular views of the desert and mountains, offering unique touristic attractions. The local scientific backdrop of the conference is the fact that the Israeli scientific scene exhibits a wide variety of research activities in many areas of nuclear physics and astrophysics. A new accelerator, SARAF at Soreq Nuclear Research Center is presently undergoing final acceptance tests. SARAF will serve as a platform for production of radioactive ion beams and nuclear-astrophysics research in Israel. The meeting in Eilat was organized by four Israeli scientific institutions, Hebrew University, Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Tel Aviv University and the Weizmann Institute of Science. The welcome reception and lectures were held at the King Solomon hotel and the conference dinner banquet at the Dan hotel. An excursion to the 'Red Canyon' in the Eilat Mountains on Wednesday afternoon was one of the social highlights of the conference. A total number of 140 scientists attended NPA5 and about 30 accompanying persons; about 25% of these were young participants (less than 36 years old). 23 participants were from Israel, and 27 were from outside of Europe (including two from Africa). The subjects covered at the conference in Eilat concentrated mainly on the spirit of the original idea - to probe experimental and theoretical activity in nuclear structure and reactions that is directly related to the physics of the Universe. There were also sessions of general interest in astrophysics, as well as a poster session on Tuesday evening featuring 40 posters. The topics included: Nuclear Structure - Theory and Experiment Big-Bang Nucleosynthesis and Formation of First Stars Stellar Reactions and Solar Neutrinos Explosive Nucleosynthesis, Radioactive Beams and Exotic Nuclei-New Facilities and Future Possibilities for Astrophysics Neutrino Physics - the Low and High-Energy Frontiers Rare events, Dark Matter, Double beta-decay, Symmetries The conference started with an excellent exposé of the progress made in the discovery of super-heavy elements and the study of their properties. The progress in this field is enormous, and this subject should be communicated to more general audiences. The role of the nuclear equation of state and of the precise determination of nuclear masses in nucleosynthesis was emphasized in several talks. The role of neutrinos in astrophysics was discussed extensively in several sessions. One of the highlights of this was the presentation about the IceCube and DeepCore detectors operating deep in the Antarctic ice. These facilities are able to detect cosmogenic neutrinos in a wide energy range, from 10 GeV to 1010 GeV. The subject of solar neutrinos was discussed in a number of talks. Topics related to properties of neutrinos, such as double-beta decay and neutrino mixing were well represented at the conference. One of the central problems in modern cosmology and astrophysics is the search for dark matter. Several talks dealt with this subject and with methods to detect dark matter. Another intriguing and rather novel subject that was discussed at the meeting was time variation of fundamental physical constants. Two speakers have examined the sensitivity of Big-Bang Nucleosynthesis to the variation of the values of the fundamental constants. The role of some specific nuclei (such as Ni 56) in cosmology was pointed out. Many of the presentations at the conference described experimental studies of reactions relevant to nucleosynthesis at various stages of cosmic evolution. As reflected in the conference, these activities are widespread, encompassing many laboratories. Rare Isotope Beam (RIB) facilities are in the forefront of these studies. To understand the various processes of nucleosynthesis one has to have a good theory of nuclei far from the stability line. A number of presentations dealt with the description of such exotic nuclei. It is clear from the presentations that the future of experimental nuclear astrophysics looks promising as existing experimental facilities are being upgraded and new facilities are being built. X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Bursts and cosmic explosions were the subject of several talks. A discussion of various experiments attempting to measure time-reversal violation was the subject of one lecture. The solution of the puzzle as to why the universe is asymmetric with respect to matter-antimatter requires knowledge of the limit of time-reversal conservation. The late John Bahcall was a great astrophysicist and a supporter of the conference series 'Nuclear physics in Astrophysics'. On the last day of the conference, following a talk by Neta Bahcall from Princeton University on dark matter in the Universe, a short commemoration for John was held. Detailed information about the NPA5 conference and its scientific program can be found at: www.weizmann.ac.il/conferences/NPA5/ Naftali Auerbach Michael Hass Michael Paul Editors Conference photograph Conference photograph The PDF also contains lists of the committees and participants.

High Resolution, Non-Dispersive X-Ray Calorimeter Spectrometers on EBITs and Orbiting Observatories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Porter, Frederick S.

2010-01-01

X-ray spectroscopy is the primary tool for performing atomic physics with Electron beam ion trap (EBITs). X-ray instruments have generally fallen into two general categories, 1) dispersive instruments with very high spectral resolving powers but limited spectral range, limited count rates, and require an entrance slit, generally, for EBITs, defined by the electron beam itself, and 2) non-dispersive solid-state detectors with much lower spectral resolving powers but that have a broad dynamic range, high count rate ability and do not require a slit. Both of these approaches have compromises that limit the type and efficiency of measurements that can be performed. In 1984 NASA initiated a program to produce a non-dispersive instrument with high spectral resolving power for x-ray astrophysics based on the cryogenic x-ray calorimeter. This program produced the XRS non-dispersive spectrometers on the Astro-E, Astro-E2 (Suzaku) orbiting observatories, the SXS instrument on the Astro-H observatory, and the planned XMS instrument on the International X-ray Observatory. Complimenting these spaceflight programs, a permanent high-resolution x-ray calorimeter spectrometer, the XRS/EBIT, was installed on the LLNL EBIT in 2000. This unique instrument was upgraded to a spectral resolving power of 1000 at 6 keV in 2003 and replaced by a nearly autonomous production-class spectrometer, the EBIT Calorimeter Spectrometer (ECS), in 2007. The ECS spectrometer has a simultaneous bandpass from 0.07 to over 100 keV with a spectral resolving power of 1300 at 6 keV with unit quantum efficiency, and 1900 at 60 keV with a quantum efficiency of 30%. X-ray calorimeters are event based, single photon spectrometers with event time tagging to better than 10 us. We are currently developing a follow-on instrument based on a newer generation of x-ray calorimeters with a spectral resolving power of 3000 at 6 keV, and improved timing and measurement cadence. The unique capabilities of the x-ray calorimeter spectrometer, coupled with higher spectral resolution dispersive spectrometers to resolve line blends, has enabled many science investigations, to date mostly in our x-ray laboratory astrophysics program. These include measurements of absolute cross sections for Land K shell emission from Fe and Ni, charge exchange measurements in many astrophysically abundant elements, lifetime measurements, line ratios, and wavelength measurements. In addition, we have performed many additional measurements in nuclear physics, and in support of diagnostics for laser fusion, for example. In this presentation we will give a detailed overview of x-ray calorimeter instruments in general and in our EBIT laboratory astrophysics program in particular. We will also discuss the science yield of our measurements at EBIT over the last decade) prospects for future science enabled by the current generation of spectrometers and that will be expanded in the near future by the next generation of spectrometers starting in 2611.

NASA's Future X-ray Missions: From Constellation-X to Generation-X

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hornschemeier, A.

2006-01-01

Among the most important topics in modern astrophysics are the formation and evolution of supermassive black holes in concert with galaxy bulges, the nature of the dark energy equation of state, and the self-regulating symmetry imposed by both stellar and AGN feedback. All of these topics are readily addressed with observations at X-ray wavelengths. NASA's next major X-ray observatory is Constellation-X, which is being developed to perform spatially resolved high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy. Con-X will directly measure the physical properties of material near black holes' last stable orbits and the absolute element abundances and velocities of hot gas in clusters of galaxies. The Con-X mission will be described, as well as its successor, Generation-X (anticipated to fly approx.1 decade after Con-X). After describing these missions and their driving science areas, the talk will focus on areas in which Chandra observing programs may enable science with future X-ray observatories. These areas include a possible ultra-deep Chandra imaging survey as an early Universe pathfinder, a large program to spatially resolve the hot intracluster medium of massive clusters to aid dark energy measurements, and possible deep spectroscopic observations to aid in preparatory theoretical atomic physics work needed for interpreting Con-X spectra.

Operation of Lanzhou all permanent electron cyclotron resonance ion source No. 2 on 320 kV platform with highly charged ions

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

Lu, W., E-mail: luwang@impcas.ac.cn; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049; Li, J. Y.

2014-02-15

The 320 kV platform for multi-discipline research with highly charged ions is a heavy ion beam acceleration instrument developed by Institute of Modern Physics, which is dedicated to basic scientific researches such as plasma, atom, material physics, and astrophysics, etc. The platform has delivered ion beams of 400 species for 36 000 h. The average operation time is around 5000 h/year. With the beams provided by the platform, lots of outstanding progresses were made in various research fields. The ion source of the platform is an all-permanent magnet electron cyclotron resonance ion source, LAPECR2 (Lanzhou All Permanent ECR ion source No.more » 2). The maximum axial magnetic fields are 1.28 T at injection and 1.07 T at extraction, and the radial magnetic field is up to 1.21 T at the inner wall of the plasma chamber. The ion source is capable to produce low, medium, and high charge state gaseous and metallic ion beams, such as H{sup +}, {sup 40}Ar{sup 8+}, {sup 129}Xe{sup 30+}, {sup 209}Bi{sup 33+}, etc. This paper will present the latest result of LAPECR2 and the routine operation status for the high voltage platform.« less

PHYSICS OF OUR DAYS Physical conditions in potential accelerators of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays: updated Hillas plot and radiation-loss constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ptitsyna, Kseniya V.; Troitsky, Sergei V.

2010-10-01

We review basic constraints on the acceleration of ultra-high-energy (UHE) cosmic rays (CRs) in astrophysical sources, namely, the geometric (Hillas) criterion and the restrictions from radiation losses in different acceleration regimes. Using the latest available astrophysical data, we redraw the Hillas plot and find potential UHECR accelerators. For the acceleration in the central engines of active galactic nuclei, we constrain the maximal UHECR energy for a given black hole mass. Among active galaxies, only the most powerful ones, radio galaxies and blazars, are able to accelerate protons to UHE, although acceleration of heavier nuclei is possible in much more abundant lower-power Seyfert galaxies.

Parallel Multiscale Algorithms for Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norman, Michael L.

1997-01-01

Our goal is to develop software libraries and applications for astrophysical fluid dynamics simulations in multidimensions that will enable us to resolve the large spatial and temporal variations that inevitably arise due to gravity, fronts and microphysical phenomena. The software must run efficiently on parallel computers and be general enough to allow the incorporation of a wide variety of physics. Cosmological structure formation with realistic gas physics is the primary application driver in this work. Accurate simulations of e.g. galaxy formation require a spatial dynamic range (i.e., ratio of system scale to smallest resolved feature) of 104 or more in three dimensions in arbitrary topologies. We take this as our technical requirement. We have achieved, and in fact, surpassed these goals.

innoFSPEC: fiber optical spectroscopy and sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, Martin M.; Löhmannsröben, Hans-Gerd; Kelz, Andreas; Kumke, Michael

2008-07-01

innoFSPEC Potsdam is presently being established as in interdisciplinary innovation center for fiber-optical spectroscopy and sensing, hosted by Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam and the Physical Chemistry group of Potsdam University, Germany. The center focuses on fundamental research in the two fields of fiber-coupled multi-channel spectroscopy and optical fiber-based sensing. Thanks to its interdisciplinary approach, the complementary methodologies of astrophysics on the one hand, and physical chemistry on the other hand, are expected to spawn synergies that otherwise would not normally become available in more standard research programmes. innoFSPEC targets future innovations for next generation astrophysical instrumentation, environmental analysis, manufacturing control and process monitoring, medical diagnostics, non-invasive imaging spectroscopy, biopsy, genomics/proteomics, high-throughput screening, and related applications.

Particle rings and astrophysical accretion discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovelace, R. V. E.; Romanova, M. M.

2016-03-01

Norman Rostoker had a wide range of interests and significant impact on the plasma physics research at Cornell during the time he was a Cornell professor. His interests ranged from the theory of energetic electron and ion beams and strong particle rings to the related topics of astrophysical accretion discs. We outline some of the topics related to rings and discs including the Rossby wave instability which leads to formation of anticyclonic vortices in astrophysical discs. These vorticies are regions of high pressure and act to trap dust particles which in turn may facilitate planetesimals growth in proto-planetary disks and could be important for planet formation. Analytical methods and global 3D magneto-hydrodynamic simulations have led to rapid advances in our understanding of discs in recent years.

Astrophysics of Red Supergiants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levesque, Emily M.

2017-12-01

'Astrophysics of Red Supergiants' is the first book of its kind devoted to our current knowledge of red supergiant stars, a key evolutionary phase that is critical to our larger understanding of massive stars. It provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental physical properties of red supergiants, their evolution, and their extragalactic and cosmological applications. It serves as a reference for researchers from a broad range of fields (including stellar astrophysics, supernovae, and high-redshift galaxies) who are interested in red supergiants as extreme stages of stellar evolution, dust producers, supernova progenitors, extragalactic metallicity indicators, members of massive binaries and mergers, or simply as compelling objects in their own right. The book is accessible to a range of experience levels, from graduate students up to senior researchers.

Simulations of Dynamo and Magnetorotational Instability in Madison Plasma Experiments and Astrophysical Disks

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

Ebrahimi, Fatima

Magnetic fields are observed to exist on all scales in many astrophysical sources such as stars, galaxies, and accretion discs. Understanding the origin of large scale magnetic fields, whereby the field emerges on spatial scales large compared to the fluctuations, has been a particularly long standing challenge. Our physics objective are: 1) what are the minimum ingredients for large-scale dynamo growth? 2) could a large-scale magnetic field grow out of turbulence and sustained despite the presence of dissipation? These questions are fundamental for understanding the large-scale dynamo in both laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. Here, we report major new findings inmore » the area of Large-Scale Dynamo (magnetic field generation).« less

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

Krasnokutski, Serge A.; Huisken, Friedrich; Jäger, Cornelia

A very high abundance of atomic carbon in the interstellar medium (ISM), and the high reactivity of these species toward different hydrocarbon molecules including benzene, raise questions regarding the stability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules in space. To test the efficiency of destruction of PAH molecules via reactions with atomic carbon, we performed a set of laboratory and computational studies of the reactions of naphthalene, anthracene, and coronene molecules with carbon atoms in the ground state. The reactions were investigated in liquid helium droplets at T = 0.37 K and by quantum chemical computations. Our studies suggest that allmore » small and all large catacondensed PAHs react barrierlessly with atomic carbon, and therefore should be efficiently destroyed by such reactions in a broad temperature range. At the same time, large compact pericondensed PAHs should be more inert toward such a reaction. In addition, taking into account their higher photostability, much higher abundances of pericondensed PAHs should be expected in various astrophysical environments. The barrierless reactions between carbon atoms and small PAHs also suggest that, in the ISM, these reactions could lead to the bottom-up formation of PAH molecules.« less

Fine-structure excitation of Fe II and Fe III due to collisions with electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Yier; Qi, Yueying; Favreau, Connor; Loch, Stuart; Stancil, P.; Ballance, Connor; McLaughlin, Brendan

2018-06-01

Atomic data of iron peak elements are of great importance in astronomical observations. Among all the ionization stages of iron, Fe II and Fe III are of particular importance because of the high cosmic abundance, relatively low ionization potential and complex open d-shell atomic structure. Fe II and Fe III emission are observed from nearly all classes of astronomical objects over a wide spectral range from the infrared to the ultraviolet. To meaningfully interpret these spectra, astronomers have to employ highly complex modeling codes with reliable collision data to simulate the astrophysical observations. The major aim of this work is to provide reliable atomic data for diagnostics. We present new collision strengths and effective collisions for electron impact excitation of Fe II and Fe III for the forbidden transitions among the fine-structure levels of the ground terms. A very fine energy mesh is used for the collision strengths and the effective collision strengths are calculated over a wide range of electron temperatures of astrophysical importance (10-2000 K). The configuration interaction state wave functions are generated with a scaled Thomas-Fermi-Dirac-Amaldi (TFDA) potential, while the R-matrix plus intermediate coupling frame transformation (ICFT), Breit-Pauli R-matrix and Dirac R-matrix packages are used to obtain collision strengths. Influences of the different methods and configuration expansions on the collisional data are discussed. Comparison is made with earlier theoretical work and differences are found to occur at the low temperatures considered here.This work was funded by NASA grant NNX15AE47G.

New fermionic dark matters, extended Standard Model and cosmic rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Jae-Kwang

2017-08-01

Three generations of leptons and quarks correspond to the lepton charges (LCs) in this work. Then, the leptons have the electric charges (ECs) and LCs. The quarks have the ECs, LCs and color charges (CCs). Three heavy leptons and three heavy quarks are introduced to make the missing third flavor of EC. Then the three new particles which have the ECs are proposed as the bastons (dark matters) with the rest masses of 26.121 eV/c2, 42.7 GeV/c2 and 1.9 × 1015 eV/c2. These new particles are applied to explain the origins of the astrophysical observations like the ultra-high energy cosmic rays and supernova 1987A anti-neutrino data. It is concluded that the 3.5 keV X-ray peak observed from the cosmic X-ray background spectra is originated not from the pair annihilations of the dark matters but from the X-ray emission of the Q1 baryon atoms which are similar in the atomic structure to the hydrogen atom. The presence of the 3.5 keV cosmic X-ray supports the presence of the Q1 quark with the EC of -4/3. New particles can be indirectly seen from the astrophysical observations like the cosmic ray and cosmic gamma ray. In this work, the systematic quantized charges of EC, LC and CC for the elementary particles are used to consistently explain the decay and reaction schemes of the elementary particles. Also, the strong, weak and dark matter forces are consistently explained.

Accurate VUV Laboratory Measurements of Fe III Transitions for Astrophysical Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blackwell-Whitehead, R. J.; Pickering, J. C.; Smillie, D.; Nave, G.; Szabo, C. I.; Smith, Peter L.; Nielsen, K. E.; Peters, G.

2006-01-01

We report preliminary measurements of Fe III spectra in the 1150 to 2500 A wavelength interval. Spectra have been recorded with an iron-neon Penning discharge lamp (PDL) between 1600 and 2500 A at Imperial College (IC) using high resolution Fourier (FT) transform spectroscopy. These FT spectrometer measurements were extended beyond 1600 A to 1150 A using high-resolution grating spectroscopy at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). These recorded spectra represent the first radiometrically calibrated measurements of a doubly-ionized iron-group element spectrum combining the techniques of vacuum ultraviolet FT and grating spectroscopy. The spectral range of the new laboratory measurements corresponds to recent HST/STIS observations of sharp-lined B stars and of Eta Carinae. The new improved atomic data can be applied to abundance studies and diagnostics of astrophysical plasmas.

Evidence for Type Ia Supernova Diversity from Ultraviolet Observations with the Hubble Space Telescope

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-20

Observational Cosmology , NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 665, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA 31 Enrico Fermi Institute, Department of Physics, and Kavli...Institute for Cosmological Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA 32 Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers, the State University...Austin, TX 78712, USA 59 Pittsburgh Particle Physics, Astrophysics, and Cosmology Center (Pitt-PACC), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA

Advances in atomic physics

PubMed Central

El-Sherbini, Tharwat M.

2013-01-01

In this review article, important developments in the field of atomic physics are highlighted and linked to research works the author was involved in himself as a leader of the Cairo University – Atomic Physics Group. Starting from the late 1960s – when the author first engaged in research – an overview is provided of the milestones in the fascinating landscape of atomic physics. PMID:26425356

Calculation of photoionization cross section near auto-ionizing lines and magnesium photoionization cross section near threshold

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, E. N.; Altick, P. L.

1972-01-01

The research performed is briefly reviewed. A simple method was developed for the calculation of continuum states of atoms when autoionization is present. The method was employed to give the first theoretical cross section for beryllium and magnesium; the results indicate that the values used previously at threshold were sometimes seriously in error. These threshold values have potential applications in astrophysical abundance estimates.

New cross sections for H on H2 collisional transitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Qianxia

2011-12-01

The cross section for H on H2 collisions is important for astrophysics as well as our understanding of the simple chemical systems. This is the simplest atom-molecule cross section. With a new H3 potential surface by Mielke et al., we have modified the ABC code by Skouteris, Castillo and Manolopoulos to calculate new cross sections. These cross sections are compared to previous cross section calculations.

Biography of Professor Hayashi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Humitaka

2012-09-01

Biography of Chushiro Hayashi(1920-2010) is described with an emphasis on his early career as a theoretical physicist. In spite of his well-recognized achievements in theoretical astrophysics, such as Hayashi phase, p/n-ratio at Big Bang, stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis and Kyoto Model on the origin of solar system, Hayashi had once wished to devote in study of non-local field theory of particle physics. However, the various changes of situation around Hideki Yukawa(Nobel prize laureate in 1949) had guided him to the study of astrophysics.

Towards well posed and robust image reconstruction in optical interferometry: redundant spacing calibration with generalized closure phases

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-18

Astrophysical Journal, 809, 61 Arnot N., Atherton P., Greenaway A., Noordam J., 1985, Traite- ment du Signal, 2, 129 Babai L., 1986, Combinatorica, 6, 1 Becker...Buscher, D. F. 2012, Astronomy and Astrophysics , 541, A46 Gorham P., Ghez A., Kulkarni S., Nakajima T., Neugebauer G., Oke J., Prince T., 1989...Series. Series C: Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Vol. 423, Adaptive Optics for Astron- omy. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, USA Greenbaum A

Performance characteristics of CCDs for the ACIS experiment. [Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility CCD Imaging Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garmire, Gordon P.; Nousek, John; Burrows, David; Ricker, George; Bautz, Mark; Doty, John; Collins, Stewart; Janesick, James

1988-01-01

The search for the optimum CCD to be used at the focal surface of the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) is described. The physics of the interaction of X-rays in silicon through the photoelectric effect is reviewed. CCD technology at the beginning of the AXAF definition phase is summarized, and the results of the CCD enhancement program are discussed. Other sources of optimum CCDs are examined, and CCD enhancements made at MIT Lincoln Laboratory are addressed.

Massive Black Holes and the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blender, Peter L.; Hils, Dieter; Stebbins, Robin T.

1998-01-01

The goals of the USA mission include both astrophysical investigations and fundamental physics tests. The main astrophysical questions concern the space density, growth, mass function, and surroundings of massive black holes. Thus the crucial issue for the USA mission is the likelihood of observing signals from such sources. Four possible sources of this kind are discussed briefly in this paper. It appears plausible, or even likely. that one or more of these types of sources can be detected and studied by LISA.

Twitter use in physics conferences.

PubMed

Webb, Stephen

An analysis of Twitter use in 116 conferences suggests that the service is used more extensively at PACS10 conferences (those devoted to the physics of elementary particles and fields) and PACS90 conferences (those devoted to geophysics, astronomy, and astrophysics) than at conferences in other fields of physics. Furthermore, Twitter is used in a qualitatively different manner. A possible reason for these differences is discussed.

Finsler-Geometric Continuum Mechanics

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

gravitation and astrophysical applications. Physical Review D. 1977;16:1643–1663. 50. Ozakin A, Yavari A. A geometric theory of thermal stresses...to physical problems of tensile fracture, shear localization, and cavitation in solid bodies. The pseudo-Finsler approach is demonstrated to be more...Weyl-type transformation of the fundamental tensor, analytical and numerical solutions of representative example problems offer new physical insight

The interstellar formation and spectra of the noble gas, proton-bound HeHHe+, HeHNe+ and HeHAr+ complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephan, Cody J.; Fortenberry, Ryan C.

2017-07-01

The sheer interstellar abundance of helium makes any bound molecules or complexes containing it of potential interest for astrophysical observation. This work utilizes high-level and trusted quantum chemical techniques to predict the rotational, vibrational and rovibrational traits of HeHHe+, HeHNe+ and HeHAr+. The first two are shown to be strongly bound, while HeHAr+ is shown to be more of a van der Waals complex of argonium with a helium atom. In any case, the formation of HeHHe+ through reactions of HeH+ with HeH3+ is exothermic. HeHHe+ exhibits the quintessentially bright proton-shuttle motion present in all proton-bound complexes in the 7.4 micron range making it a possible target for telescopic observation at the mid-/far-Infrared crossover point and a possible tracer for the as-of-yet unobserved helium hydride cation. Furthermore, a similar mode in HeHNe+ can be observed to the blue of this close to 6.9 microns. The brightest mode of HeHAr+ is dimmed due the reduced interaction of the helium atom with the central proton, but this fundamental frequency can be found slightly to the red of the Ar-H stretch in the astrophysically detected argonium cation.

The Formation of Formaldehyde on Interstellar Carbonaceous Grain Analogs by O/H Atom Addition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potapov, Alexey; Jäger, Cornelia; Henning, Thomas; Jonusas, Mindaugas; Krim, Lahouari

2017-09-01

An understanding of possible scenarios for the formation of astrophysically relevant molecules, particularly complex organic molecules, will bring us one step closer to the understanding of our astrochemical heritage. In this context, formaldehyde is an important molecule as a precursor of methanol, which in turn is a starting point for the formation of more complex organic species. In the present experiments, for the first time, following the synthesis of CO, formaldehyde has been produced on the surface of interstellar grain analogs, hydrogenated fullerene-like carbon grains, by O and H atom bombardment. The formation of H2CO is an indication for a possible methanol formation route in such systems.

Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) Prelaunch Mission Operations Report (MOR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The NASA Astrophysics Program is an endeavor to understand the origin and fate of the universe, to understand the birth and evolution of the large variety of objects in the universe, from the most benign to the most violent, and to probe the fundamental laws of physics by examining their behavior under extreme physical conditions. These goals are pursued by means of observations across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, and through theoretical interpretation of radiations and fields associated with astrophysical systems. Astrophysics orbital flight programs are structured under one of two operational objectives: (1) the establishment of long duration Great Observatories for viewing the universe in four major wavelength regions of the electromagnetic spectrum (radio/infrared/submillimeter, visible/ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma ray), and (2) obtaining crucial bridging and supporting measurements via missions with directed objectives of intermediate or small scope conducted within the Explorer and Spacelab programs. Under (1) in this context, the Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) is one of NASA's four Great Observatories. The other three are the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) for the visible and ultraviolet portion of the spectrum, the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) for the X-ray band, and the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) for infrared wavelengths. GRO's specific mission is to study the sources and astrophysical processes that produce the highest energy electromagnetic radiation from the cosmos. The fundamental physical processes that are known to produce gamma radiation in the universe include nuclear reactions, electron bremsstrahlung, matter-antimatter annihilation, elementary particle production and decay, Compton scattering, synchrotron radiation. GRO will address a variety of questions relevant to understanding the universe, such as: the formation of the elements; the structure and dynamics of the Galaxy; the nature of pulsars; the existence of black holes; the possible existence of large amounts of antimatter, energetic and explosive phenomena occurring in galactic nuclei; the origin of the cosmic diffuse background; particle acceleration in the Sun, stars and stellar systems; processes in supernovae; and the origin and evolution of the universe itself.

LUNA, an underground nuclear astrophysics laboratory: recent results and future perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corvisiero, P.

2005-05-01

It is known that the chemical elements and their isotopes were created by nuclear fusion reactions in the hot interiors of remote and long-vanished stars over many billions of years. The present picture is that all elements from carbon to uranium have been produced entirely within stars during their fiery lifetimes and explosive deaths. The detailed understanding of the origin of the chemical elements and their isotopes combines astrophysics and nuclear physics, and forms what is called nuclear astrophysics. In turn, nuclear reactions are at the heart of nuclear astrophysics: they influence sensitively the nucleosynthesis of the elements in the earliest stages of the universe and in all the objects formed thereafter, and control the associated energy generation, neutrino luminosity, and evolution of stars. A good knowledge of the rates of these fusion reactions is essential to understanding this broad picture. Some of the most important experimental techniques to measure the corresponding cross sections, based both on direct and indirect methods, will be described in this paper.

The Nuclear Astrophysics Explorer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matteson, J. L.; Teegarden, B. J.; Gehrels, N.; Mahoney, W. A.

1989-01-01

The Nuclear Astrophysics Explorer was proposed in 1986 for NASA's Explorer Concept Study Program by an international collaboration of 25 scientists from nine institutions. The one-year feasibility study began in June 1988. The Nuclear Astrophysics Explorer would obtain high resolution observations of gamma-ray lines, E/Delta E about 1000, at a sensitivity of about 0.000003 ph/sq cm s, in order to study fundamental problems in astrophysics such as nucleosynthesis, supernovae, neutron star and black-hole physics, and particle acceleration and interactions. The instrument would operate from 15 keV to 10 Mev and use a heavily shielded array of nine cooled Ge spectrometers in a very low background configuration. Its 10 deg FWHM field of view would contain a versatile coded mask system which would provide two-dimensional imaging with 4 deg resolution, one-dimensional imaging with 2 deg resolution, and efficiendt measurements of diffuse emission. An unshielded Ge spectrometer would obtain wide-field measurements of transient gamma-ray sources. The earliest possible mission would begin in 1995.

Leon Van Speybroeck Wins Astrophysics Bruno Rossi Prize

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Leon Van Speybroeck of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge Massachusetts was awarded the 2002 Bruno Rossi Prize of the High-Energy Astrophysics Division of the American Astronomy Society. The Rossi Prize is an arnual recognition of significant contributions in high-energy astrophysics in honor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's late Professor Bruno Rossi, an authority on cosmic ray physics and a pioneer in the field of x-ray astronomy. Van Speybroeck, who led the effort to design and make the x-ray mirrors for NASA's premier Chandra X-Ray Observatory, was recognized for a career of stellar achievements in designing precision x-ray optics. As Telescope Scientist for Chandra, he has worked for more than 20 years with a team that includes scientists and engineers from the Harvard-Smithsonian, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, TRW, Inc., Huhes-Danbury (now B.F. Goodrich Aerospace), Optical Coating Laboratories, Inc., and Eastman-Kodak on all aspects of the x-ray mirror assembly that is the heart of the observatory.

Trojan horse particle invariance: The impact on nuclear astrophysics

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

Pizzone, R. G.; La Cognata, M.; Spitaleri, C.

In the current picture of nuclear astrophysics indirect methods and, in particular, the Trojan Horse Method cover a crucial role for the measurement of charged particle induced reactions cross sections of astrophysical interest, in the energy range required by the astrophysical scenarios. To better understand its cornerstones and its applications to physical cases many tests were performed to verify all its properties and the possible future perspectives. The key to the method is the quasi-free break-up and some of its properties will be investigated in the present work. In particular, the Trojan Horse nucleus invariance will be studied and previousmore » studies will be extended to the cases of the binary d(d, p)t and {sup 6}Li(d,α){sup 4}He reactions, which were tested using different quasi-free break-up's, namely {sup 6}Li and {sup 3}He. The astrophysical S(E)-factor were then extracted with the Trojan Horse formalism applied to the two different break-up schemes and compared with direct data as well as with previous indirect investigations. The very good agreement confirms the independence of binary indirect cross section on the chosen spectator particle also for these reactions.« less

ESA's space science programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volonte, S.

2018-04-01

The Space Science Programme of ESA encompasses three broad areas of investigation, namely solar system science (the Sun, the planets and space plasmas), fundamental physics and space astronomy and astrophysics.

THE SDSS-III APOGEE SPECTRAL LINE LIST FOR H-BAND SPECTROSCOPY

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

Shetrone, M.; Bizyaev, D.; Chojnowski, D.

We present the H-band spectral line lists adopted by the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE). The APOGEE line lists comprise astrophysical, theoretical, and laboratory sources from the literature, as well as newly evaluated astrophysical oscillator strengths and damping parameters. We discuss the construction of the APOGEE line list, which is one of the critical inputs for the APOGEE Stellar Parameters and Chemical Abundances Pipeline, and present three different versions that have been used at various stages of the project. The methodology for the newly calculated astrophysical line lists is reviewed. The largest of these three line lists containsmore » 134,457 molecular and atomic transitions. In addition to the format adopted to store the data, the line lists are available in MOOG, Synspec, and Turbospectrum formats. The limitations of the line lists along with guidance for its use on different spectral types are discussed. We also present a list of H-band spectral features that are either poorly represented or completely missing in our line list. This list is based on the average of a large number of spectral fit residuals for APOGEE observations spanning a wide range of stellar parameters.« less

From the Telescope to the Laboratory and Back Again: The Center for Astrophysical Plasma Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houston Montgomery, Michael; Winget, Don; Schaeuble, Marc; Hawkins, Keith; Wheeler, Craig

2018-01-01

The Center for Astrophysical Plasma Properties (CAPP) is a new center focusing on the spectroscopic properties of stars and accretion disks using “at-parameter” experiments. Currently, these experiments use the X-ray output of the Z machine at Sandia National Laboratories—the largest X-ray source in the world—to heat plasmas to the same conditions (temperature, density, and radiation environment) as those observed in astronomical objects. Current experiments include measuring (1) density-dependent opacities of iron-peak elements at solar interior conditions, (2) spectral lines of low-Z elements at white dwarf photospheric conditions, (3) atomic population kinetics of neon in a radiation-dominated environment, and (4) resonant Auger destruction (RAD) of silicon at accretion disk conditions around supermassive black holes. We will be moving to new astrophysical environments and additional experimental facilities, such as the National Ignition Facility (NIF) and the OMEGA facility at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE). We seek students and collaborators to work on these experiments as well as the calculations that complement them. CAPP has funding for 5 years and can support up to six graduate students and three post-docs.

Sugar and Sugar Derivatives in Residues Produced from the UV Irradiation of Astrophysical Ice Analogs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nuevo, M.; Sandford, S. A.; Cooper, G.

2016-01-01

A large variety and number of organic compounds of prebiotic interest are known to be present in carbonaceous chondrites. Among them, one sugar (dihydroxyacetone) as well as several sugar acids, sugar alcohols, and other sugar derivatives have been reported in the Murchison and Murray meteorites. Their presence, along with amino acids, amphiphiles, and nucleobases strongly suggests that molecules essential to life can form abiotically under astrophysical conditions. This hypothesis is supported by laboratory studies on the formation of complex organic molecules from the ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of simulated astrophysical ice mixtures consisting of H2O, CO, CO2, CH3OH, CH4, NH3, etc., at low temperature. In the past 15 years, these studies have shown that the organic residues recovered at room temperature contain amino acids, amphiphiles, nucleobases, as well as other complex organics. However, no systematic search for the presence of sugars and sugar derivatives in laboratory residues have been reported to date, despite the fact that those compounds are of primary prebiotic significance. Indeed, only small (up to 3 carbon atoms) sugar derivatives including glycerol and glyceric acid have been detected in residues so far.

Handbook explaining the fundamentals of nuclear and atomic physics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanlen, D. F.; Morse, W. J.

1969-01-01

Indoctrination document presents nuclear, reactor, and atomic physics in an easy, straightforward manner. The entire subject of nuclear physics including atomic structure ionization, isotopes, radioactivity, and reactor dynamics is discussed.

A Self-Critique of Self-Organized Criticality in Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aschwanden, Markus J.

2015-08-01

The concept of ``self-organized criticality'' (SOC) was originally proposed as an explanation of 1/f-noise by Bak, Tang, and Wiesenfeld (1987), but turned out to have a far broader significance for scale-free nonlinear energy dissipation processes occurring in the entire universe. Over the last 30 years, an inspiring cross-fertilization from complexity theory to solar and astrophysics took place, where the SOC concept was initially applied to solar flares, stellar flares, and magnetospheric substorms, and later extended to the radiation belt, the heliosphere, lunar craters, the asteroid belt, the Saturn ring, pulsar glitches, soft X-ray repeaters, blazars, black-hole objects, cosmic rays, and boson clouds. The application of SOC concepts has been performed by numerical cellular automaton simulations, by analytical calculations of statistical (powerlaw-like) distributions based on physical scaling laws, and by observational tests of theoretically predicted size distributions and waiting time distributions. Attempts have been undertaken to import physical models into numerical SOC toy models. The novel applications stimulated also vigorous debates about the discrimination between SOC-related and non-SOC processes, such as phase transitions, turbulence, random-walk diffusion, percolation, branching processes, network theory, chaos theory, fractality, multi-scale, and other complexity phenomena. We review SOC models applied to astrophysical observations, attempt to describe what physics can be captured by SOC models, and offer a critique of weaknesses and strengths in existing SOC models.

A Self-Critique of Self-Organized Criticality in Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aschwanden, Markus J.

The concept of ``self-organized criticality'' (SOC) was originally proposed as an explanation of 1/f-noise by Bak, Tang, and Wiesenfeld (1987), but turned out to have a far broader significance for scale-free nonlinear energy dissipation processes occurring in the entire universe. Over the last 30 years, an inspiring cross-fertilization from complexity theory to solar and astrophysics took place, where the SOC concept was initially applied to solar flares, stellar flares, and magnetospheric substorms, and later extended to the radiation belt, the heliosphere, lunar craters, the asteroid belt, the Saturn ring, pulsar glitches, soft X-ray repeaters, blazars, black-hole objects, cosmic rays, and boson clouds. The application of SOC concepts has been performed by numerical cellular automaton simulations, by analytical calculations of statistical (powerlaw-like) distributions based on physical scaling laws, and by observational tests of theoretically predicted size distributions and waiting time distributions. Attempts have been undertaken to import physical models into numerical SOC toy models. The novel applications stimulated also vigorous debates about the discrimination between SOC-related and non-SOC processes, such as phase transitions, turbulence, random-walk diffusion, percolation, branching processes, network theory, chaos theory, fractality, multi-scale, and other complexity phenomena. We review SOC models applied to astrophysical observations, attempt to describe what physics can be captured by SOC models, and offer a critique of weaknesses and strengths in existing SOC models.

Overview of NASA's Universe of Learning: An Integrated Astrophysics STEM Learning and Literacy Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Denise; Lestition, Kathleen; Squires, Gordon; Biferno, Anya A.; Cominsky, Lynn; Manning, Colleen; NASA's Universe of Learning Team

2018-01-01

NASA's Universe of Learning creates and delivers science-driven, audience-driven resources and experiences designed to engage and immerse learners of all ages and backgrounds in exploring the universe for themselves. The project is the result of a unique partnership between the Space Telescope Science Institute, Caltech/IPAC, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and Sonoma State University, and is one of 27 competitively-selected cooperative agreements within the NASA Science Mission Directorate STEM Activation program. The NASA's Universe of Learning team draws upon cutting-edge science and works closely with Subject Matter Experts (scientists and engineers) from across the NASA Astrophysics Physics of the Cosmos, Cosmic Origins, and Exoplanet Exploration themes. Together we develop and disseminate data tools and participatory experiences, multimedia and immersive experiences, exhibits and community programs, and professional learning experiences that meet the needs of our audiences, with attention to underserved and underrepresented populations. In doing so, scientists and educators from the partner institutions work together as a collaborative, integrated Astrophysics team to support NASA objectives to enable STEM education, increase scientific literacy, advance national education goals, and leverage efforts through partnerships. Robust program evaluation is central to our efforts, and utilizes portfolio analysis, process studies, and studies of reach and impact. This presentation will provide an overview of NASA's Universe of Learning, our direct connection to NASA Astrophysics, and our collaborative work with the NASA Astrophysics science community.

Computational study of hot electron generation and energy transport in intense laser produced hot dense matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Rohini

Present ultra high power lasers are capable of producing high energy density (HED) plasmas, in controlled way, with a density greater than solid density and at a high temperature of keV (1 keV ˜ 11,000,000° K). Matter in such extreme states is particularly interesting for (HED) physics such as laboratory studies of planetary and stellar astrophysics, laser fusion research, pulsed neutron source etc. To date however, the physics in HED plasma, especially, the energy transport, which is crucial to realize applications, has not been understood well. Intense laser produced plasmas are complex systems involving two widely distinct temperature distributions and are difficult to model by a single approach. Both kinetic and collisional process are equally important to understand an entire process of laser-solid interaction. By implementing atomic physics models, such as collision, ionization, and radiation damping, self consistently, in state-of-the-art particle-in-cell code (PICLS) has enabled to explore the physics involved in the HED plasmas. Laser absorption, hot electron transport, and isochoric heating physics in laser produced hot dense plasmas are studied with a help of PICLS simulations. In particular, a novel mode of electron acceleration, namely DC-ponderomotive acceleration, is identified in the super intense laser regime which plays an important role in the coupling of laser energy to a dense plasma. Geometric effects on hot electron transport and target heating processes are examined in the reduced mass target experiments. Further, pertinent to fast ignition, laser accelerated fast electron divergence and transport in the experiments using warm dense matter (low temperature plasma) is characterized and explained.

Exotic objects of atomic physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eletskii, A. V.

2017-11-01

There has been presented a short survey of physical properties, methods of production and exploration as well as directions of practical usage of the objects of atomic physics which are not yet described in detail in modern textbooks and manuals intended for students of technical universities. The family of these objects includes negative and multicharged ions, Rydberg atoms, excimer molecules, clusters. Besides of that, in recent decades this family was supplemented with new nanocarbon structures such as fullerenes, carbon nanotubes and graphene. The textbook “Exotic objects of atomic physics” [1] edited recently contains some information on the above-listed objects of the atomic physics. This textbook can be considered as a supplement to classic courses of atomic physics teaching in technical universities.

Center for Theoretical Underground Physics and Related Areas - CETUP*2013 Summer Program

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

Szczerbinska, Barbara

In response to an increasing interest in experiments conducted at deep underground facilities around the world, in 2010 the theory community has proposed a new initiative - a Center for Theoretical Underground Physics and Related Areas (CETUP*). The main goal of CETUP* is to bring together people with different talents and skills to address the most exciting questions in particle and nuclear physics, astrophysics, geosciences, and geomicrobiology. Scientists invited to participate in the program do not only provide theoretical support to the underground science, they also examine underlying universal questions of the 21 st century including: What is dark matter?,more » What are the masses of neutrinos?, How have neutrinos shaped the evolution of the universe?, How were the elements from iron to uranium made?, What is the origin and thermal history of the Earth? The mission of the CETUP* is to promote an organized research in physics, astrophysics, geoscience, geomicrobiology and other fields related to the underground science via individual and collaborative research in dynamic atmosphere of intense scientific interactions. Our main goal is to bring together scientists scattered around the world, promote the deep underground science and provide a stimulating environment for creative thinking and open communication between researches of varying ages and nationalities. CETUP*2014 included 5 week long program (June 24 – July 26, 2013) covering various theoretical and experimental aspects of Dark Matter, Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics. Two week long session focused on Dark Matter (June 24-July 6) was followed by two week long program on Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics (July 15-26). The VII th International Conference on Interconnections between Particle Physics and Cosmology (PPC) was sandwiched between these sessions (July 8-13) covering the subjects of dark matter, neutrino physics, gravitational waves, collider physics and other from both theoretical end experimental aspects. PPC was initiated at Texas A&M University in 2007 and travelled to many places which include Geneva, Turin, Seoul (S. Korea) etc. during the last 5 years before coming back to USA. The objectives of CETUP* and PPC were to analyze the connection between dark matter and particle physics models, discuss the connections among dark matter, grand unification models and recent neutrino results and predictions for possible experiments, develop a theoretical understanding of the three-neutrino oscillation parameters, provide a stimulating venue for exchange of scientific ideas among experts in neutrino physics and unification, connect with venues for public education outreach to communicate the importance of dark matter, neutrino research, and support of investment in science education, support mission of the Snowmass meeting and allow for extensive discussions of the ideas crucial for the future of high energy physics. The selected subjects represented the forefront of research topics in particle and nuclear physics, for example: recent precise measurements of all the neutrino mixing angles (that necessitate a theoretical roadmap for future experiments) or understanding of the nature of dark matter (that allows us to comprehend the composition of the cosmos better). All the covered topics are considered as a base for new physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics.« less

Exploring New Physics Frontiers Through Numerical Relativity.

PubMed

Cardoso, Vitor; Gualtieri, Leonardo; Herdeiro, Carlos; Sperhake, Ulrich

2015-01-01

The demand to obtain answers to highly complex problems within strong-field gravity has been met with significant progress in the numerical solution of Einstein's equations - along with some spectacular results - in various setups. We review techniques for solving Einstein's equations in generic spacetimes, focusing on fully nonlinear evolutions but also on how to benchmark those results with perturbative approaches. The results address problems in high-energy physics, holography, mathematical physics, fundamental physics, astrophysics and cosmology.

New Features in the Computational Infrastructure for Nuclear Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, M. S.; Lingerfelt, E. J.; Scott, J. P.; Hix, W. R.; Nesaraja, C. D.; Koura, H.; Roberts, L. F.

2006-04-01

The Computational Infrastructure for Nuclear Astrophysics is a suite of computer codes online at nucastrodata.org that streamlines the incorporation of recent nuclear physics results into astrophysical simulations. The freely-available, cross- platform suite enables users to upload cross sections and s-factors, convert them into reaction rates, parameterize the rates, store the rates in customizable libraries, setup and run custom post-processing element synthesis calculations, and visualize the results. New features include the ability for users to comment on rates or libraries using an email-type interface, a nuclear mass model evaluator, enhanced techniques for rate parameterization, better treatment of rate inverses, and creation and exporting of custom animations of simulation results. We also have online animations of r- process, rp-process, and neutrino-p process element synthesis occurring in stellar explosions.

Particle rings and astrophysical accretion discs

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

Lovelace, R. V. E., E-mail: RVL1@cornell.edu; Romanova, M. M., E-mail: romanova@astro.cornell.edu

Norman Rostoker had a wide range of interests and significant impact on the plasma physics research at Cornell during the time he was a Cornell professor. His interests ranged from the theory of energetic electron and ion beams and strong particle rings to the related topics of astrophysical accretion discs. We outline some of the topics related to rings and discs including the Rossby wave instability which leads to formation of anticyclonic vortices in astrophysical discs. These vorticies are regions of high pressure and act to trap dust particles which in turn may facilitate planetesimals growth in proto-planetary disks andmore » could be important for planet formation. Analytical methods and global 3D magneto-hydrodynamic simulations have led to rapid advances in our understanding of discs in recent years.« less

Anisotropies in the Diffuse Gamma-Ray Background Measured by the Fermi LAT

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-02

D-15738 Zeuthen, Germany 2W.W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology , Department of Physics...and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA 3Department of Physics, Center for Cosmology and Astro...Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA 57Consorzio Interuniversitario per la Fisica Spaziale (CIFS), I-10133 Torino, Italy E. Komatsu{ Texas Cosmology Center

The physical characteristics of the surface of the satellites and rings of giant planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vidmachenko, A. P.; Morozhenko, O. V.

2017-10-01

The book gives the main results of the study of the optical characteristics of the field diffusely reflected radiation and physical characteristics of the surface of the satellites of giant planets and their rings. The publication is intended for teachers of higher educational institutions, students - graduate students and professionals who specialize in experimental physics and astrophysics and solar system surfaces.

The Development of Early Pulsation Theory, or, How Cepheids Are Like Steam Engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanley, M.

2012-06-01

The pulsation theory of Cepheid variable stars was a major breakthrough of early twentieth-century astrophysics. At the beginning of that century, the basic physics of normal stars was very poorly understood, and variable stars were even more mysterious. Breaking with accepted explanations in terms of eclipsing binaries, Harlow Shapley and A. S. Eddington pioneered novel theories that considered Cepheids as pulsating spheres of gas. Surprisingly, the pulsation theory not only depended on novel developments in stellar physics, but the theory also drove many of those developments. In particular, models of stars in radiative balance and theories of stellar energy were heavily inspired and shaped by ideas about variable stars. Further, the success of the pulsation theory helped justify the new approaches to astrophysics being developed before World War II.

Fibre optical spectroscopy and sensing innovation at innoFSPEC Potsdam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haynes, Roger; Reich, Oliver; Rambold, William; Hass, Roland; Janssen, Katja

2010-07-01

In October 2009, an interdisciplinary centre for fibre spectroscopy and sensing, innoFSPEC Potsdam, has been established as joint initiative of the Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam (AIP) and the Physical Chemistry group of Potsdam University (UPPC), Germany. The centre focuses on fundamental research in the two fields of fibre-coupled multi-channel spectroscopy and optical fibre-based sensing. Thanks to its interdisciplinary approach, the complementary methodologies of astrophysics on the one hand, and physical chemistry on the other hand, are expected to spawn synergies that otherwise would not normally become available in more standard research programmes. innoFSPEC Potsdam targets future innovations for next generation astrophysical instrumentation, environmental analysis, manufacturing control and process analysis, medical diagnostics, non-invasive imaging spectroscopy, biopsy, genomics/proteomics, high throughput screening, and related applications.

Experimental determination of ice sublimation energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luna, R.; Canto, J.; Satorre, M. A.; Domingo, M.

2011-11-01

In Astrophysics, the study of ices is important due to the wide range of scenarios in which they are present. Their physical and chemical characteristics play an important role in the study of the interstellar medium (ISM). The assessment of the energy of sublimation allows us to improve our understanding of physical and/or chemical processes that take place where ices are present. The energy of sublimation E_sub is defined as the change of energy between solid and gas phase of certain molecule. This value is important to determinate other thermodynamical parameters such as the reticular energy of ionic compounds, the energy of formation in gas phase from the energy of formation in condensed phase, or to estimate the sublimation rate, which is very important in determining the evolution of surfaces of astrophysical objects.

Beyond Our Boundaries: Research and Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

Topics considered include: Propulsion and Fluid Management; Structures and Dynamics; Materials and Manufacturing Processes; Sensor Technology; Software Technology; Optical Systems; Microgravity Science; Earth System Science; Astrophysics; Solar Physics; and Technology Transfer.

Summary of sessions on nuclear astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rolfs, C.

In the minds of some there exists the patronizing belief that nuclear physics is a mature science. The same is not believed about nuclear astrophysics, which has been an active branch of astrophysics for over fifty years, but is now in the midst of an exciting revival in experimental and theoretical research around the world. The ultimate goal is to understand how nuclear processes generate the energy of stars over their lifetimes and, in doing so, synthesize heavier elements from the primordial hydrogen and helium produced in the Big Bang, which led to the expanding universe. Impressive progress has been made in this goal and this was rewarded. However, there are major puzzles, such as the solar neutrino problem to name just one, which challenge the fundaments of the field. To solve these problems, new nuclear physics data are needed employing novel experimental techniques such as radioactive ion beams and underground accelerator facilities. Without such new data, much of the work done so far will - in an optimistic view - be incomplete and - in a pessimistic view - be possibly wrong. Thus, new data do not represent a fine structure information or a cleaning-up job, but they represent the major next step in this exciting field&

Lab experiments investigating astrophysical jet physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellan, Paul

2014-10-01

Dynamics relevant to astrophysical plasmas is being investigated in lab experiments having similar physics and topology, but much smaller time and space scales. High speed movies and numerical simulations both show that highly collimated MHD-driven plasma flows are a critical feature; these collimated flows can be considered to be a lab version of an astrophysical jet. Having both axial and azimuthal magnetic fields, the jet is effectively an axially lengthening plasma-confining flux tube with embedded helical magnetic field (flux rope). The jet velocity is in good agreement with an MHD acceleration model. Axial stagnation of the jet compresses embedded azimuthal magnetic flux and so results in jet self-collimation. Jets kink when they breach the Kruskal-Shafranov stability limit. The lateral acceleration of a sufficiently strong kink can provide an effective gravity which provides the environment for a spontaneously-developing, fine-scale, extremely fast Rayleigh-Taylor instability that erodes the current channel to be smaller than the ion skin depth. This cascade from the ideal MHD scale of the kink to the non-MHD ion skin depth scale can result in a fast magnetic reconnection whereby the jet breaks off from its source electrode. Supported by USDOE and NSF.

Direct measurements of astrophysically important α-induced reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avila, Melina

2016-03-01

Understanding stellar evolution is one of the primary objectives of nuclear astrophysics. Reaction rates involving α-particles are often key nuclear physics inputs in stellar models. For instance, there are numerous (α , p) reactions fundamental for the understanding of X-ray bursts and the production of 44Ti in core-collapse supernovae. Furthermore, some (α , n) reactions are considered as one of the main neutron sources in the s-process. However, direct measurements of these reactions at relevant astrophysical energies are experimentally challenging because of their small cross section and intensity limitation of radioactive beams. The active target system MUSIC offers a unique opportunity to study (α , p) and (α , n) reactions because its segmented anode allows the investigation of a large energy range in the excitation function with a single measurement. Recent results on the direct measurement of (α , n) and (α , p) measurements in the MUSIC detector will be discussed. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics, under Contract Number DE-AC02-06CH11357. This research used resources of ANL's ATLAS facility, which is a DOE Office of Science User.

Exploring the Properties of Choked Gamma-ray Bursts with IceCube’s High-energy Neutrinos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denton, Peter B.; Tamborra, Irene

2018-03-01

Long duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have often been considered the natural evolution of some core-collapse supernova (CCSN) progenitors. However, the fraction of CCSNe linked to astrophysical jets and their properties are still poorly constrained. While any successful astrophysical jet harbored in a CCSN should produce high-energy neutrinos, photons may be able to successfully escape the stellar envelope only for a fraction of progenitors, possibly leading to the existence of high-luminosity, low-luminosity, and not-electromagnetically bright (“choked”) GRBs. By postulating a CCSN–GRB connection, we accurately model the jet physics within the internal-shock GRB model and assume scaling relations for the GRB parameters that depend on the Lorentz boost factor Γ. The IceCube high-energy neutrino flux is then employed as an upper limit of the neutrino background from electromagnetically bright and choked GRBs to constrain the jet and the progenitor properties. The current IceCube data set is compatible with up to 1% of all CCSNe harboring astrophysical jets. Interestingly, those jets are predominantly choked. Our findings suggest that neutrinos can be powerful probes of the burst physics and can provide major insights on the CCSN–GRB connection.

Scale-covariant theory of gravitation and astrophysical applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Canuto, V.; Adams, P. J.; Hsieh, S.-H.; Tsiang, E.

1977-01-01

A scale-covariant theory of gravitation is presented which is characterized by a set of equations that are complete only after a choice of the scale function is made. Special attention is given to gauge conditions and units which allow gravitational phenomena to be described in atomic units. The generalized gravitational-field equations are derived by performing a direct scale transformation, by extending Riemannian geometry to Weyl geometry through the introduction of the notion of cotensors, and from a variation principle. Modified conservation laws are provided, a set of dynamical equations is obtained, and astrophysical consequences are considered. The theory is applied to examine certain homogeneous cosmological solutions, perihelion shifts, light deflections, secular variations of planetary orbital elements, stellar structure equations for a star in quasi-static equilibrium, and the past thermal history of earth. The possible relation of the scale-covariant theory to gauge field theories and their predictions of cosmological constants is discussed.

Non-universal bound states of two identical heavy fermions and one light particle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safavi, Arghavan; Rittenhouse, Seth; Blume, Dorte; Sadeghpour, Hossein

2013-05-01

We study a system of two identical heavy fermions of mass M and light particle of mass m. The interspecies interaction is modeled using a short-range two-body potential with positive s-wave scattering length. We impose a short-range boundary condition on the logarithmic derivative of the hyperradial wavefunction and show that, in the regime where Efimov states are absent, a non-universal three-body state ``cuts through'' the universal three-body states previously described by Kartavtsev and Malykh [O. I. Kartavtsev and A. V. Malykh, J. Phys. B 40, 1429 (2007)]. We study the effect of the non-universal state on the behavior of the universal states and use a simple quantum defect theory, utilizing hyperspherical coordinates, to explain the existence of the non-universal state. An empirical two-state model is employed to quantify the coupling of the non-universal state to the universal states. This work was supported by NSF through a grant for the Institute for Theoretical Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics at Harvard University and Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and through grant PHY-1205443.

The Sun as a Library for High-Energy Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, David M.

2017-08-01

Our maternal G dwarf star gives us life, light, warmth, and a surprisingly well-stocked library of high-energy phenomena to study and compare to more distant, violent objects. I will give a survey of what we see from the Sun -- X-rays, gamma-rays, radio emission, energetic neutral atoms, neutrinos, and particles accelerated in the low and high corona -- and of the physical processes and emission mechanisms thought to be involved, including magnetic reconnection, Fermi acceleration, thermal and nonthermal bremsstrahlung, coherent and incoherent radio emission, and gamma-ray line mechanisms: nuclear de-excitation, pion decay, neutron capture, and positron annihilation. I will outline the range of transient coronal behaviors from hypothetical nanoflares below the limit of individual detection to coronal mass ejections and the largest flares, comparing the latter to what is observed from other stars. Throughout the presentation, I will look for parallels with a variety of cosmic objects and observations, with no guarantee that any particular comparison is quantitatively appropriate. Finally, I will advertise the recent contributions of focusing hard X-ray observations with NuSTAR and the FOXSI rockets.

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.

2nd Iberian Nuclear Astrophysics Meeting on Compact Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez-Garcia, M. Angeles; Pons, Jose; Albertus, C.

2012-02-01

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Dr M Ángeles Pérez-García (Área Física Teórica-Universidad de Salamanca & IUFFYM) Dr J A Miralles (Universidad de Alicante) Dr J Pons (Universidad de Alicante) Dr C Albertus (Área Física Nuclear-Universidad de Salamanca & IUFFYM) Dr F Atrio (Área Física Teórica-Universidad de Salamanca & IUFFYM) PREFACE The second Iberian Nuclear Astrophysics meeting was held at the University of Salamanca, Spain on 22-23 September 2011. This volume contains most of the presentations delivered at this international workshop. This meeting was the second in the series following the previous I Encuentro Ibérico de Compstar, held at the University of Coimbra, Portugal in 2010. The main purpose of this meeting was to strengthen the scientific collaboration between the participants of the Iberian and the rest of the southern European branches of the European Nuclear Astrophysics network, formerly, COMPSTAR. This ESF (European Science Foundation) supported network has been crucial in helping to make a broader audience for the the most interesting and relevant research lines being developed currently in Nuclear Astrophysics, especially related to the physics of neutron stars. It is indeed important to emphasize the need for a collaborative approach to the rest of the scientific communities so that we can reach possible new members in this interdisciplinary area and as outreach for the general public. The program of the meeting was tailored to theoretical descriptions of the physics of neutron stars although some input from experimental observers and other condensed matter and optics areas of interest was also included. The main scientific topics included: Magnetic fields in compact stars Nuclear structure and in-medium effects in nuclear interaction Equation of state: from nuclear matter to quarks Importance of crust in the evolution of neutron stars Computational simulations of collapsing dense objects Observational phenomenology In particular, leading experts from the computational simulation of core-collapse supernovae and the effect of hadron-quark phase transitions developed specialized review talks. Prospects in future observations or a more dilute classification of magnetars were also discussed. The importance of the equation of state, three-body forces, finite nuclei, phenomenological fermionic interaction models, and the microphysics inputs of different many-body approaches to some very important quantities as the symmetry energy were reviewed and discussed from either the non-relativistic to the relativistic framework. The importance of the crust with the existence of a crystallized structure and vortex-crust pinning were some of the important subjects discussed in the context of cooling and field dynamics. Finally, some condensed matter and optics talks presented us the rich insight that Cold Atom Physics can give us on low-density interactions and the new and very intense laser Petawatt beams can test matter under strong external fields, respectively. We would to thank the Faculty of Science and University of Salamanca for hosting the meeting. We also thank for partial financial support the European ERC Network COMPSTAR, The Physics of Neutron Stars under reference 3803 and the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN) with project FIS2011-14759 and the local institutions of Instituto de Física Fundamental y Matemáticas (IUFFYM) and Universidad de Salamanca, Spain. Of course we thank those who have contributed to make this meeting a nice occasion to gather and start to develop fruitful collaborations. To them go our grateful acknowledgments. December 2011, Salamanca,Spain M Ángeles Pérez-García, J A Miralles, J Pons, C Albertus, F Atrio Organizing Committee of II Iberian Nuclear Astrophysics Meeting SPONSOR OR FUNDING ACKNOWLEDGMENTS European ERC Network COMPSTAR, The Physics of Neutron Stars under meeting ref. 3803 COMPSTAR logo Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN) with project FIS2011-14759 MICINN logo Instituto de Física Fundamental y Matemáticas (IUFFYM) IUFFYM logo Universidad de Salamanca, Spain USAL logo MULTIDARK Consolider-Ingenio 2010, MICINN ref. CSD2009-00064 MULTIDARK logo PICTURE OF PARTICIPANTS Participants picture Picture of some of the participants of the II Iberian Nuclear Astrophysics Meeting. LIST OF PARTICIPANTS C Albertus (U. Salamanca, Spain) I Bombaci (U. Pisa, Italy) Rudiney Casali (U. Coimbra, Portugal) Silvia Chiacchiera (U. Coimbra, Portugal) Anthea Fantina (U. Libre Bruxelles, Belgium) Marcio Ferreira (U. Coimbra, Portugal) Miguel Gullón (U. Alicante, Spain) Fabrizio Grill (U. Coimbra, Portugal) Joe Hughto (Indiana University, USA/ U. Alicante, Spain) J M Ibáñez (U. Valencia, Spain) B Juliá Díaz (U. Barcelona/ICFO) D Logoteta (U. Coimbra, Portugal) V Moreno (U. Autónoma de Madrid, Spain) M A Pérez-García (U. Salamanca, Spain) J Pons (U. Alicante, Spain) C Providencia (U. Coimbra, Portugal) Nanda Rea (ICE-CSIC, IEEC, Barcelona, Spain) Xavier Roca-Maza (INFN, Milano, Italy) Luis Roso (CLPU/ U. Salamanca, Spain) Klaas Vantournhout (GSI Darmstadt, Germany) I Vidaña (U. Coimbra, Portugal) Daniele Viganó (U. Alicante, Spain)

Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwadron, Nathan

2016-04-01

Our piece of cosmic real-estate, the heliosphere, is the domain of all human existence - an astrophysical case-history of the successful evolution of life in a habitable system. By exploring our global heliosphere and its myriad interactions, we develop key physical knowledge of the interstellar interactions that influence exoplanetary habitability as well as the distant history and destiny of our solar system and world. IBEX was the first mission to explore the global heliosphere and in concert with Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 is discovering a fundamentally new and uncharted physical domain of the outer heliosphere. In parallel, Cassini/INCA maps the global heliosphere at energies (~5-55 KeV) above those measured by IBEX. The enigmatic IBEX ribbon and the INCA belt were unanticipated discoveries demonstrating that much of what we know or think we understand about the outer heliosphere needs to be revised. The next quantum leap enabled by IMAP will open new windows on the frontier of Heliophysics at a time when the space environment is rapidly evolving. IMAP with 100 times the combined resolution and sensitivity of IBEX and INCA will discover the substructure of the IBEX ribbon and will reveal in unprecedented resolution global maps of our heliosphere. The remarkable synergy between IMAP, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 will remain for at least the next decade as Voyager 1 pushes further into the interstellar domain and Voyager 2 moves through the heliosheath. The "A" in IMAP refers to acceleration of energetic particles. With its combination of highly sensitive pickup and suprathermal ion sensors, IMAP will provide the species and spectral coverage as well as unprecedented temporal resolution to associate emerging suprathermal tails with interplanetary structures and discover underlying physical acceleration processes. These key measurements will provide what has been a critical missing piece of suprathermal seed particles in our understanding of particle acceleration to high energies in the solar-heliospheric system and by extension to other planetary and astrophysical paradigms. IMAP, like ACE before it, will be a keystone of the Heliophysics System Observatory by providing comprehensive cosmic ray, energetic particle, pickup ion, suprathermal ion, neutral atom, solar wind, solar wind heavy ion, and magnetic field observations to diagnose the changing space environment and understand the fundamental origins of particle acceleration.

Fundamental neutron physics beamline at the spallation neutron source at ORNL

DOE PAGES

Fomin, N.; Greene, G. L.; Allen, R. R.; ...

2014-11-04

In this paper, we describe the Fundamental Neutron Physics Beamline (FnPB) facility located at the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The FnPB was designed for the conduct of experiments that investigate scientific issues in nuclear physics, particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology using a pulsed slow neutron beam. Finally, we present a detailed description of the design philosophy, beamline components, and measured fluxes of the polychromatic and monochromatic beams.

Summary of PhysPAG Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritz, Steven M.

2012-01-01

The Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) Program Analysis Group (PhysPAG) provides an important interface between the scientific community and NASA in matters related to PCOS objectives. An Executive Committee facilitates the work of several subgroups, including a Technology Science Analysis Group and an Inflation Probe Science Analysis Group. Work is also starting in areas of X-ray, gamma-ray, and gravitational wave astrophysics. The PAG reports to the Astrophysics Subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council. A summary of PhysPAG activities will be given, along with time for questions and discussion.

Nineteenth International Cosmic Ray Conference. Conference Papers: Invited Rapporteur, Highlight, Miscellaneous, Volume 9

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, F. C. (Compiler)

1986-01-01

Invited talks, rapporteur talks, and highlight talks are included. Topics of the invited and highlight talks include astrophysical jets, gamma-ray line astronomy, cosmic rays and gamma rays in astrophysics, the early universe, elementary particle physics, solar flares and acceleration of energetic particles, cosmogenic nuclei, extragalactic astronomy, composition of solar flare particles, very high energy gamma ray sources, gamma-ray bursts, shock acceleration in the solar wind, cosmic rays in deep underground detectors, spectrum of cosmic rays at 10 to the 19th power eV, and nucleus-nucleus interactions.

Study of Solar Energetics (SEPs) Using Largely Separated Spacecraft

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-29

Environmental Satellites (GOES). 15. SUBJECT TERMS solar wind, AOARD, solar physics , CME 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT SAR 18. NUMBER...are given in the table. The Astrophysical Journal, 779:184 (15pp), 2013 December 20 Park et al. 10-2 100 102 104 106 S T B e le ct ro ns 10-4 10-2...The Astrophysical Journal, 779:184 (15pp), 2013 December 20 Park et al. Table 1 The Solar Sources of the 12 SEP Events Event Date Flarea Max Class

'Hot Topics' in Astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maran, Stephen P.

2000-01-01

Three current topics in astrophysics are described here on the occasion of the joint meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers and the American Astronomical Society (Jan. 7-11, 2001, San Diego, Calif.). Many equally exciting topics--ranging from the dozens of newly discovered planets of sunlike stars to evidence suggesting that the expansion of the universe is accelerating--could have been chosen. The topics discussed are: (1) the habitability of Mars, (2) black holes, galaxy bulges, and the X-ray background, and (3) the greatest explosions since the Big Bang.

Achievements of ITEP astrophysicists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baklanov, P. V.; Blinnikov, S. I.; Manukovskiy, K. V.; Nadyozhin, D. K.; Panov, I. V.; Utrobin, V. P.; Yudin, A. V.

2016-08-01

Astrophysical research at the Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics (ITEP) is examined historically over a period of more than 30 years. The primary focus is on the supernova problem, starting with how it was approached in the classical pioneering work of Imshennik and Nadyozhin and ending with present-day models of these most powerful star explosions in the Universe. The paper also reviews work in other areas of astrophysics, including chemical nucleosynthesis, the cosmological use of type-IIn supernovae and dark matter models. The paper was written as a contribution to the 70th anniversary of ITEP.