Compact Objects In Binary Systems: Formation and Evolution of X-ray Binaries and Tides in Double White Dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valsecchi, Francesca

Binary star systems hosting black holes, neutron stars, and white dwarfs are unique laboratories for investigating both extreme physical conditions, and stellar and binary evolution. Black holes and neutron stars are observed in X-ray binaries, where mass accretion from a stellar companion renders them X-ray bright. Although instruments like Chandra have revolutionized the field of X-ray binaries, our theoretical understanding of their origin and formation lags behind. Progress can be made by unravelling the evolutionary history of observed systems. As part of my thesis work, I have developed an analysis method that uses detailed stellar models and all the observational constraints of a system to reconstruct its evolutionary path. This analysis models the orbital evolution from compact-object formation to the present time, the binary orbital dynamics due to explosive mass loss and a possible kick at core collapse, and the evolution from the progenitor's Zero Age Main Sequence to compact-object formation. This method led to a theoretical model for M33 X-7, one of the most massive X-ray binaries known and originally marked as an evolutionary challenge. Compact objects are also expected gravitational wave (GW) sources. In particular, double white dwarfs are both guaranteed GW sources and observed electromagnetically. Although known systems show evidence of tidal deformation and a successful GW astronomy requires realistic models of the sources, detached double white dwarfs are generally approximated to point masses. For the first time, I used realistic models to study tidally-driven periastron precession in eccentric binaries. I demonstrated that its imprint on the GW signal yields constrains on the components' masses and that the source would be misclassified if tides are neglected. Beyond this adiabatic precession, tidal dissipation creates a sink of orbital angular momentum. Its efficiency is strongest when tides are dynamic and excite the components' free oscillation modes. Accounting for this effect will determine whether our interpretation of current and future observations will constrain the sources' true physical properties. To investigate dynamic tides I have developed CAFein, a novel code that calculates forced non-adiabatic stellar oscillations using a highly stable and efficient numerical method.

Soft X-ray observations of Centaurus X-3 from Copernicus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Margon, B.; Mason, K. O.; Hawkins, F. J.; Sanford, P. W.

1975-01-01

We have detected soft X-ray emission from Centaurus X-3 in the 0.6-1.9 keV band, using the focusing telescope aboard OAO Copernicus. The flux is compatible with an extrapolation of the harder X-ray spectrum, attenuated by (3-4) times 10 to the 22nd atoms per sq cm of interstellar and/or circumstellar matter. The data are consistent with the distance estimate of 5-10 kpc derived from the spectroscopic modulus of the optical component, and obviate the need to postulate the primary to be an anomalously subluminous hot star. There is currently no compelling evidence that such models must be invoked to explain any of the observed compact X-ray sources.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-04-01

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

Optical and X-ray studies of Compact X-ray Binaries in NGC 5904

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhalotia, Vanshree; Beck-Winchatz, Bernhard

2018-06-01

Due to their high stellar densities, globular cluster systems trigger various dynamical interactions, such as the formation of compact X-ray binaries. Stellar collisional frequencies have been correlated to the number of X-ray sources detected in various clusters and we hope to measure this correlation for NGC 5904. Optical fluxes of sources from archival HST images of NGC 5904 have been measured using a DOLPHOT PSF photometry in the UV, optical and near-infrared. We developed a data analysis pipeline to process the fluxes of tens of thousands of objects using awk, python and DOLPHOT. We plot color magnitude diagrams in different photometric bands in order to identify outliers that could be X-ray binaries, since they do not evolve the same way as singular stars. Aligning previously measured astrometric data for X-ray sources in NGC 5904 from Chandra with archival astrometric data from HST will filter out the outlier objects that are not X-ray producing, and provide a sample of compact binary systems that are responsible for X-ray emission in NGC 5904. Furthermore, previously measured X-ray fluxes of NGC 5904 from Chandra have also been used to measure the X-ray to optical flux ratio and identify the types of compact X-ray binaries responsible for the X-ray emissions in NGC 5904. We gratefully acknowledge the support from the Illinois Space Grant Consortium.

X-ray microscopy of live biological micro-organisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raja Al-Ani, Ma'an Nassar

Real-time, compact x-ray microscopy has the potential to benefit many scientific fields, including microbiology, pharmacology, organic chemistry, and physics. Single frame x-ray micro-radiography, produced by a compact, solid-state laser plasma source, allows scientists to use x-ray emission for elemental analysis, and to observe biological specimens in their natural state. In this study, x-ray images of mouse kidney tissue, live bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia, and the bacteria's interaction with the antibiotic gentamicin, are examined using x-ray microscopy. For the purposes of comparing between confocal microscopy and x-ray microscopy, we introduced to our work the technique of gold labeling. Indirect immunofluorescence staining and immuno-gold labeling were applied on human lymphocytes and human tumor cells. Differential interference contrast microscopy (DIC) showed the lymphocyte body and nucleus, as did x-ray microscopy. However, the high resolution of x-ray microscopy allows us to differentiate between the gold particles bound to the antibodies and the free gold. A compact, tabletop Nd: glass laser is used in this study to produce x-rays from an Yttrium target. An atomic force microscope is used to scan the x-ray images from the developed photo-resist. The use of compact, tabletop laser plasma sources, in conjunction with x-ray microscopy, is a new technique that has great potential as a flexible, user-friendly scientific research tool.

Miniature x-ray source

DOEpatents

Trebes, James E.; Stone, Gary F.; Bell, Perry M.; Robinson, Ronald B.; Chornenky, Victor I.

2002-01-01

A miniature x-ray source capable of producing broad spectrum x-ray emission over a wide range of x-ray energies. The miniature x-ray source comprises a compact vacuum tube assembly containing a cathode, an anode, a high voltage feedthru for delivering high voltage to the anode, a getter for maintaining high vacuum, a connection for an initial vacuum pump down and crimp-off, and a high voltage connection for attaching a compact high voltage cable to the high voltage feedthru. At least a portion of the vacuum tube wall is highly x-ray transparent and made, for example, from boron nitride. The compact size and potential for remote operation allows the x-ray source, for example, to be placed adjacent to a material sample undergoing analysis or in proximity to the region to be treated for medical applications.

Power-law X-ray and gamma-ray emission from relativistic thermal plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zdziarski, A. A.

1985-01-01

A common characteristic of cosmic sources is power-law X-ray emission. Extragalactic sources of this type include compact components of active galactic nuclei (AGN). The present study is concerned with a theoretical model of such sources, taking into account the assumption that the power-law spectra are produced by repeated Compton scatterings of soft photons by relativistic thermal electrons. This is one of several possible physical mechanisms leading to the formation of a power-law spectrum. Attention is given to the Comptonization of soft photon sources, the rates of pair processes, the solution of the pair equilibrium equation, and the constraints on a soft photon source and an energy source. It is concluded that the compactness parameters L/R of most of the cosmic sources observed to date lie below the maximum luminosity curves considered.

Optical/Infrared properties of Be stars in X-ray Binary systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naik, Sachindra

2018-04-01

Be/X-ray binaries, consisting of a Be star and a compact object (neutron star), form the largest subclass of High Mass X-ray Binaries. The orbit of the compact object around the Be star is wide and highly eccentric. Neutron stars in the Be/X-ray binaries are generally quiescent in X-ray emission. Transient X-ray outbursts seen in these objects are thought to be due to the interaction between the compact object and the circumstellar disk of the Be star at the periastron passage. Optical/infrared observations of the companion Be star during these outbursts show that the increase in the X-ray intensity of the neutron star is coupled with the decrease in the optical/infrared flux of the companion star. Apart from the change in optical/infrared flux, dramatic changes in the Be star emission line profiles are also seen during X-ray outbursts. Observational evidences of changes in the emission line profiles and optical/infrared continuum flux along with associated X-ray outbursts from the neutron stars in several Be/X-ray binaries are presented in this paper.

Compact Kirkpatrick–Baez microscope mirrors for imaging laser-plasma x-ray emission

DOE PAGES

Marshall, F. J.

2012-07-18

Compact Kirkpatrick–Baez microscope mirror components for use in imaging laser-plasma x-ray emission have been manufactured, coated, and tested. A single mirror pair has dimensions of 14 × 7 × 9 mm and a best resolution of ~5 μm. The mirrors are coated with Ir providing a useful energy range of 2-8 keV when operated at a grazing angle of 0.7°. The mirrors can be circularly arranged to provide 16 images of the target emission a configuration best suited for use in combination with a custom framing camera. As a result, an alternative arrangement of the mirrors would allow alignment ofmore » the images with a fourstrip framing camera.« less

X-ray Studies of Unidentified Galactic TeV Gamma-ray Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pühlhofer, Gerd

2009-05-01

Many of the recently discovered Galactic TeV sources remain unidentified to date. A large fraction of the sources is possibly associated with relic pulsar wind nebula (PWN) systems. One key question here is the maximum energy (beyond TeV) attained in the compact PWNe. Hard X-ray emission can trace those particles, but current non-focussing X-ray instruments above 10 keV have difficulties to deconvolve the hard pulsar spectrum from its surrounding nebula. Some of the new TeV sources are also expected to originate from middle-aged and possibly even from old supernova remnants (SNR). But no compelling case for such an identification has been found yet. In established young TeV-emitting SNRs, X-ray imaging above 10 keV could help to disentangle the leptonic from the hadronic emission component in the TeV shells, if secondary electrons produced in hadronic collisions can be effectively detected. As SNRs get older, the high energy electron component is expected to fade away. This may allow to verify the picture through X-ray spectral evolution of the source population. Starting from the lessons we have learned so far from X-ray follow-up observations of unidentified TeV sources, prospects for Simbol-X to resolve open questions in this field will be discussed.

Downscattering due to Wind Outflows in Compact X-ray Sources: Theory and Interpretation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Titarchuk, Lev; Shrader, Chris

2004-01-01

A number of recent lines of evidence point towards the presence of hot, outflowing plasma from the central regions of compact Galactic and extragalactic X-ray sources. Additionally, it has long been noted that many of these sources exhibit an "excess" continuum component, above approx. 10 keV, usually attributed to Compton Reflection from a static medium. Motivated by these facts, as well as by recent observational constraints on the Compton reflection models - specifically apparently discrepant variability timescales for line and continuum components in some cases - we consider possible of effects of out-flowing plasma on the high-energy continuum spectra of accretion powered compact objects. We present a general formulation for photon downscattering diffusion which includes recoil and Comptonization effects due to divergence of the flow. We then develop an analytical theory for the spectral formation in such systems that allows us to derive formulae for the emergent spectrum. Finally we perform the analytical model fitting on several Galactic X-ray binaries. Objects which have been modeled with high-covering-fraction Compton reflectors, such as GS1353-64 are included in our analysis. In addition, Cyg X-3, is which is widely believed to be characterized by dense circumstellar winds with temperature of order 10(exp 6) K, provides an interesting test case. Data from INTEGRAL and RXTE covering the approx. 3 - 300 keV range are used in our analysis. We further consider the possibility that the widely noted distortion of the power-law continuum above 10 keV may in some cases be explained by these spectral softening effects.

BROADBAND JET EMISSION IN YOUNG AND POWERFUL RADIO SOURCES: THE CASE OF THE COMPACT STEEP SPECTRUM QUASAR 3C 186

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

Migliori, Giulia; Siemiginowska, Aneta; Celotti, Annalisa, E-mail: migliori@cfa.harvard.edu

2012-04-20

We present the X-ray analysis of a deep ({approx}200 ks) Chandra observation of the compact steep spectrum radio-loud quasar 3C 186 (z = 1.06) and investigate the contribution of the unresolved radio jet to the total X-ray emission. The spectral analysis is not conclusive on the origin of the bulk of the X-ray emission. In order to examine the jet contribution to the X-ray flux, we model the quasar spectral energy distribution, adopting several scenarios for the jet emission. For the values of the main physical parameters favored by the observables, a dominant role of the jet emission in themore » X-ray band is ruled out when a single-zone (leptonic) scenario is adopted, even including the contribution of the external photon fields as seed photons for inverse Compton emission. We then consider a structured jet, with the blazar component that-although not directly visible in the X-ray band-provides an intense field of seed synchrotron photons Compton-scattered by electrons in a mildly relativistic knot. In this case, the whole X-ray emission can be accounted for if we assume a blazar luminosity within the range observed from flat spectrum radio quasars. The X-ray radiative efficiency of such a (structured) jet is intimately related to the presence of a complex velocity structure. The jet emission can provide a significant contribution in X-rays if it decelerates within the host galaxy on kiloparsec scales. We discuss the implications of this model in terms of jet dynamics and interaction with the ambient medium.« less

Properties of AGN coronae in the NuSTAR era - II. Hybrid plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fabian, A. C.; Lohfink, A.; Belmont, R.; Malzac, J.; Coppi, P.

2017-05-01

The corona, a hot cloud of electrons close to the centre of the accretion disc, produces the hard X-ray power-law continuum commonly seen in luminous active galactic nuclei. The continuum has a high-energy turnover, typically in the range of one to several 100 keV and is suggestive of Comptonization by thermal electrons. We are studying hard X-ray spectra of AGN obtained with NuSTAR after correction for X-ray reflection and under the assumption that coronae are compact, being only a few gravitational radii in size as indicated by reflection and reverberation modelling. Compact coronae raise the possibility that the temperature is limited and indeed controlled by electron-positron pair production, as explored earlier (Paper I). Here, we examine hybrid plasmas in which a mixture of thermal and non-thermal particles is present. Pair production from the non-thermal component reduces the temperature leading to a wider temperature range more consistent with observations.

Multiwavelength Rapid Variability in XTE J1118+480

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hynes, R. I.; Haswell, C. A.; Chaty, S.; Cui, W.; Shrader, C. R.

2000-10-01

The black hole candidate XTE J1118+480 has been in an unusual low-state outburst since January 2000. It has exhibited large amplitude rapid variability on timescales of tens of seconds and less at all wavelengths with a sufficient count rate to detect such variability. We will compare X-ray data with simultaneous (UV) and contemporaneous (UV--IR) data. Very similar power density spectra are seen at X-ray and UV wavelengths, with a prominent low-frequency QPO at ~0.1 Hz, evolving with time. Simultaneous X-ray and UV lightcurves are well correlated down to timescales of seconds. The correlated variability could arise either from reprocessing of X-ray variations by the disc or companion star, or from a component of emission originating in the X-ray production region, likely close to the compact object. Possible lags between the wavebands will constrain explanations. This presentation is funded by the Leverhulme Trust.

Compact scanning transmission x-ray microscope at the photon factory

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

Takeichi, Yasuo, E-mail: yasuo.takeichi@kek.jp; Inami, Nobuhito; Ono, Kanta

We report the design and performance of a compact scanning transmission X-ray microscope developed at the Photon Factory. Piezo-driven linear stages are used as coarse stages of the microscope to realize excellent compactness, mobility, and vibrational and thermal stability. An X-ray beam with an intensity of ∼10{sup 7} photons/s was focused to a diameter of ∼40 nm at the sample. At the soft X-ray undulator beamline used with the microscope, a wide range of photon energies (250–1600 eV) is available. The microscope has been used to research energy materials and in environmental sciences.

I. Final Report for DOE SBIR Phase I Project DE-SC0013795 Final Report for DOE SBIR Phase I Project DE-SC0013795 Microtron-based Compact, Portable Gamma-Ray Source

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

Abrams, Robert J.

Microtron-based Compact, Portable Gamma-Ray Source. The objective of Phase I of this project was to produce a conceptual design of a prototype compact microtron electron accelerator, which could be designed, built, and demonstrated in Phase II of the project. The conceptual design study included an analysis of the parameters of the microtron and its components, and the expected performance of the prototype microtron as a source of x-rays and/or RF neutrons in the MeV energy range. The major components of the microtron are the magnet, the accelerating system, the power system, the vacuum system, the control system, the beam extractionmore » system and the targets to produce x-rays (and/or neutrons). Our objectives for the design of the prototype were for it to be compact, cost-effective, capable of producing high intensity x-ray (an/or neutron) fluxes. In addition, the prototype was to be easily assembled and disassembled so that components could be easily replaced. The main parameters for the prototype are the following: the range of electron kinetic energies, the output power, the RF frequency band (X-band, C-band, or S-Band), the type of injection (Type I or Type II), the magnet type, i.e. permanent magnet, electromagnet, or a hybrid combination of permanent and electromagnet. The results of the Phase I study and analysis for a prototype microtron are the following: The electron energy range can be varied from below 6 MeV to 9 MeV, the optimal frequency range is S-Band (2-4 GHz) RF frequency, Type II injection (described below), and the magnet type is the hybrid version. The prototype version will be capable of producing gamma ray doses of ~1800 R/min-m and neutron fluxes of up to ~6 x 10 10 n/s with appropriate targets. The results of the Phase I study and analysis are provided below. The proposed Phase II plan was to demonstrate the prototype at low beam power. In the subsequent Phase III, high power tests would be performed, and the design of commercial versions of microtrons with various energies, sizes and types would be produced and marketed, including a more compact and more portable 6 MeV battery-powered model that more closely meets the requirements in the original FOA topic description. In the course of the Phase I study, we also identified another microtron version, one that was larger (not compact) and more powerful than that of the Phase II prototype, which could serve as an intense source of photo- neutrons, up to 4 x 10 12 n/s for use in nuclear medicine, short-lived isotope production, or other applications. In addition, it could produce gamma dose rates up to 130 kR/min-m with a heavy metal bremsstrahlung target. The results and specifications of this were submitted to IPAC16 (Reference [12]) the paper is included in Addendum B. Because this version was beyond the scope of the Phase I project, there is no additional description in the Final Report.« less

X-Ray Spectroscopy of Photoionized Plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kallman, Tim

2008-01-01

Spectroscopy allows study of sources on small spatial scales, and can provide detailed diagnostic information about elemental abundances, temperature, density and gas dynamics. For compact sources such as accreting black holes in active galactic nuclei (AGN) and X-ray binaries X-ray spectra provide truly unique insight. Observations using Chandra and XMM have revealed components of gas in these systems which were previously unknown or poorly studied. Interpretation of these data presents modeling and analysis challenges, and requires an understanding of atomic physics, ionization and spectrum formation in a radiation-dominated environment. In this talk I will discuss examples, and how they have contributed to our understanding of accreting sources and the nearby gas.

Studies of compact objects with Einstein - Review and prospects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grindlay, Jonathan E.

1990-01-01

X-ray images and spectra of a wide range of systems containing compact objects were obtained with the Einstein X-ray Observatory. Accreting white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes were observed in binary systems in the Galaxy, and new constraints were derived for their formation, nature and evolution. Massive black holes were studied in active galactic nuclei, and X-ray spectra (and evolution) of AGN have led to a new model for the diffuse X-ray background.

Fabrication of compact electron gun for 6 MeV X-ray source

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

Ghodke, S.R.; Barnwal, Rajesh; Kumar, Mahendra, E-mail: ghodke_barc@yahoo.co.in

The 6 MeV X-Ray source for container cargo scanning application has been designed and developed by the Accelerator and Pulse Power Division, BARC, Mumbai. This compact linac has been designed as a mobile system, to be mounted on a moving container. In linac-based cargo-scanning system, to work electron gun on a movable container, it has to be robust. Electron gun is to work at 10{sup -7} mbar vacuum and 2000 degree Celsius temperature. An effort is made to engineer the gun assembly to make it more robust and aligned. The linac acts as the source of X-rays, which fall onmore » the cargo and are then detected by the detector system. Many components are indigenously developed like grid, insulating ring, Tungsten filament and filament guide, which are made from alumina ceramic and Tantalum which is to work at 1500 degree Celsius. Filament connector is made from Invar to reduce heat loss and to make rigid connection. It was CNC machined and wire cut by EDM. Invar and Copper electrode feed through is shrink fitted with the help of liquid Nitrogen. Shrink fit tolerances of 15 micrometer are achieved by jig boring machining processes. Tantalum cup for LaB6 cathode and heat shield are made from die and punch mechanism. For alignment of electron emitter with beam axis this Tantalum cup is a crucial component. Electron gun is assembled and aligned its components with the help of precision jigs. The whole assembly was Helium leak tested by MSLD up to 4 x 10{sup -10} mbar.l/s vacuum, no leak was found. This paper will describe the machining, Tantalum cup forming, ceramic components development, heat shields, ceramic feed through etc of electron gun. (author)« less

Compact x-ray source based on burst-mode inverse Compton scattering at 100 kHz

DOE PAGES

Graves, W.  S.; Bessuille, J.; Brown, P.; ...

2014-12-01

A design for a compact x-ray light source (CXLS) with flux and brilliance orders of magnitude beyond existing laboratory scale sources is presented. The source is based on inverse Compton scattering of a high brightness electron bunch on a picosecond laser pulse. The accelerator is a novel high-efficiency standingwave linac and rf photoinjector powered by a single ultrastable rf transmitter at X-band rf frequency. The high efficiency permits operation at repetition rates up to 1 kHz, which is further boosted to 100 kHz by operating with trains of 100 bunches of 100 pC charge, each separated by 5 ns. Themore » entire accelerator is approximately 1 meter long and produces hard x rays tunable over a wide range of photon energies. The colliding laser is a Yb:YAG solid-state amplifier producing 1030 nm, 100 mJ pulses at the same 1 kHz repetition rate as the accelerator. The laser pulse is frequency-doubled and stored for many passes in a ringdown cavity to match the linac pulse structure. At a photon energy of 12.4 keV, the predicted x-ray flux is 5 × 10¹¹ photons/second in a 5% bandwidth and the brilliance is 2 × 10¹² photons/(sec mm² mrad² 0.1%) in pulses with rms pulse length of 490 fs. The nominal electron beam parameters are 18 MeV kinetic energy, 10 microamp average current, 0.5 microsecond macropulse length, resulting in average electron beam power of 180 W. Optimization of the x-ray output is presented along with design of the accelerator, laser, and x-ray optic components that are specific to the particular characteristics of the Compton scattered x-ray pulses.« less

Accretion torques in X-ray pulsars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rappaport, S.; Joss, P. C.

1977-01-01

An analysis of the accretion process in an X-ray pulsar, whereby angular momentum is transferred to the star and its rotation period is changed, is presented, and an expression for the fractional rate of change of the pulse period in terms of X-ray luminosity and other star parameters is derived. It is shown that observed characteristic spin-up time scales for seven X-ray pulsars strongly support the view that in every source (1) the pulse period reflects the rotation period of a compact object, (2) the accretion is mediated by a disk surrounding the compact object and rotating in the same sense, and (3) the compact object is a neutron star rather than a white dwarf.

Soft x-ray spectromicroscopy using compact scanning transmission x-ray microscope at the photon factory

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

Takeichi, Yasuo, E-mail: yasuo.takeichi@kek.jp; Inami, Nobuhito; Ono, Kanta

We report the stability and recent performances of a new type of scanning transmission X-ray microscopy. The optics and compact design of the microscope realized mobility and robust performance. Detailed consideration to the vibration control will be described. The insertion device upgraded to elliptical polarization undulator enabled linear dichroism and circular dichroism experiments.

A simple physical model for X-ray burst sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joss, P. C.; Rappaport, S.

1977-01-01

In connection with information considered by Illarianov and Sunyaev (1975) and van den Heuvel (1975), a simple physical model for an X-ray burst source in the galactic disk is proposed. The model includes an unevolved OB star with a relatively weak stellar wind and a compact object in a close binary system. For some reason, the stellar wind from the OB star is unable to accrete steadily on to the compact object. When the stellar wind is sufficiently weak, the compact object accretes irregularly, leading to X-ray bursts.

A vacuum-sealed compact x-ray tube based on focused carbon nanotube field-emission electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Jin-Woo; Kim, Jae-Woo; Kang, Jun-Tae; Choi, Sungyoul; Ahn, Seungjoon; Song, Yoon-Ho

2013-03-01

We report on a fully vacuum-sealed compact x-ray tube based on focused carbon nanotube (CNT) field-emission electrons for various radiography applications. The specially designed two-step brazing process enabled us to accomplish a good vacuum level for the stable and reliable operation of the x-ray tube without any active vacuum pump. Also, the integrated focusing electrodes in the field-emission electron gun focused electron beams from the CNT emitters onto the anode target effectively, giving a small focal spot of around 0.3 mm with a large current of above 50 mA. The active-current control through the cathode electrode of the x-ray tube led a fast digital modulation of x-ray dose with a low voltage of below 5 V. The fabricated compact x-ray tube showed a stable and reliable operation, indicating good maintenance of a vacuum level of below 5 × 10-6 Torr and the possibility of field-emission x-ray tubes in a stand-alone device without an active pumping system.

A Weak Solar Burst Submillimeter Only Spectral Component During a GOES M Class Flare: Implications for its Emission Mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cristiani, G. D.; Giménez de Castro, C. G.; Mandrini, C. H.; et al.

2008-09-01

Since the installation of the Submillimeter Solar Radio Telescope, a new spectral burst component was discovered at frequencies above 100 GHz, creating the THz bursts category. In all the reported cases, the events were X class flares and the THz component was increasing with frequency. We report for the first time an M class flare which shows a submillimeter radio spectral component different from the one in microwave classical bursts. Two successive flares of 2 minute duration occurred in active region NOAA 10226 with 2 minutes delay. They started at around 13:15 UT and had an M 6.8 maximum intensity in soft X-rays. The submillimeter flux density from the Solar Submillimeter Telescope (SST) is used in addition to microwave total Sun patrol telescope observations. Images with H filters from the H-alpha Solar Telescope for Argentina (HASTA) and in the extreme UV from the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) are used to characterize the flaring region. An extensive analysis of the magnetic topology evolution is derived from Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) magnetograms and used to constrain the space of solutions for the possible emission mechanisms. The submillimeter component is observed at 212 GHz only. We have upper limits for the emission at 89.4and 405 GHz which are smaller than the observed flux density at 212 GHz. The analysis of the magnetic topology reveals a very compact and complex system of arches that reconnects at a low height, while from the soft X-ray observations we deduce that the flaring area is compact and dense (n=1e12 cm-3). The finding of a submillimeter only burst component in a medium size flare indicates that the phenomenon is more universal than shown until now. The multiwavelength analysis reveals that neither positron synchrotron nor free-free emission could produce the submillimeter component, which is explained here by synchrotron of accelerated electrons in a rather complex and compact magnetic configuration.

Compact low power infrared tube furnace for in situ X-ray powder diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doran, A.; Schlicker, L.; Beavers, C. M.; Bhat, S.; Bekheet, M. F.; Gurlo, A.

2017-01-01

We describe the development and implementation of a compact, low power, infrared heated tube furnace for in situ powder X-ray diffraction experiments. Our silicon carbide (SiC) based furnace design exhibits outstanding thermal performance in terms of accuracy control and temperature ramping rates while simultaneously being easy to use, robust to abuse and, due to its small size and low power, producing minimal impact on surrounding equipment. Temperatures in air in excess of 1100 °C can be controlled at an accuracy of better than 1%, with temperature ramping rates up to 100 °C/s. The complete "add-in" device, minus power supply, fits in a cylindrical volume approximately 15 cm long and 6 cm in diameter and resides as close as 1 cm from other sensitive components of our experimental synchrotron endstation without adverse effects.

Extensive Broadband X-Ray Monitoring During the Formation of a Giant Radio Jet Base in Cyg X-3 with AstroSat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pahari, Mayukh; Yadav, J. S.; Verdhan Chauhan, Jai; Rawat, Divya; Misra, Ranjeev; Agrawal, P. C.; Chandra, Sunil; Bagri, Kalyani; Jain, Pankaj; Manchanda, R. K.; Chitnis, Varsha; Bhattacharyya, Sudip

2018-01-01

We present X-ray spectral and timing behavior of Cyg X-3 as observed by AstroSat during the onset of a giant radio flare on 2017 April 1–2. Within a timescale of a few hours, the source shows a transition from the hypersoft state (HPS) to a more luminous state (we termed as the very high state), which coincides with the time of the steep rise in radio flux density by an order of magnitude. Modeling the Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) and Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC) spectra jointly in 0.5–70.0 keV, we found that the first few hours of the observation is dominated by the HPS with no significant counts above 17 keV. Later, an additional flat power-law component suddenly appeared in the spectra that extends to very high energies with the power-law photon index of {1.49}-0.03+0.04. Such a flat power-law component has never been reported from Cyg X-3. Interestingly the fitted power-law model in 25–70 keV, when extrapolated to the radio frequency, predicts the radio flux density to be consistent with the trend measured from the RATAN-600 telescope at 11.2 GHz. This provides direct evidence of the synchrotron origin of flat X-ray power-law component and the most extensive monitoring of the broadband X-ray behavior at the moment of decoupling the giant radio jet base from the compact object in Cyg X-3. Using SXT and LAXPC observations, we determine the giant flare ejection time as MJD 57845.34 ± 0.08 when 11.2 GHz radio flux density increases from ∼100 to ∼478 mJy.

Multi-Spectral Solar Telescope Array. II - Soft X-ray/EUV reflectivity of the multilayer mirrors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbee, Troy W., Jr.; Weed, J. W.; Hoover, Richard B.; Allen, Maxwell J.; Lindblom, Joakim F.; O'Neal, Ray H.; Kankelborg, Charles C.; Deforest, Craig E.; Paris, Elizabeth S.; Walker, Arthur B. C., Jr.

1991-01-01

The Multispectral Solar Telescope Array is a rocket-borne observatory which encompasses seven compact soft X-ray/EUV, multilayer-coated, and two compact far-UV, interference film-coated, Cassegrain and Ritchey-Chretien telescopes. Extensive measurements are presented on the efficiency and spectral bandpass of the X-ray/EUV telescopes. Attention is given to systematic errors and measurement errors.

Investigating radial wire array Z pinches as a compact x-ray source on the Saturn generator

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

Ampleford, David J.; Bland, S. N.; Jennings, Christopher A.

2015-08-27

Radial wire array z pinches, where wires are positioned radially outward from a central cathode to a concentric anode, can act as a compact bright x-ray source that could potentially be used to drive a hohlraum. Experiments were performed on the 7-MA Saturn generator using radial wire arrays. These experiments studied a number of potential risks in scaling radial wire arrays up from the 1-MA level, where they have been shown to be a promising compact X-ray source. Data indicates that at 7 MA, radial wire arrays can radiate ~9 TW with 10-ns full-width at half-maximum from a compact pinch.

X-ray Point Source Populations in Spiral and Elliptical Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colbert, E.; Heckman, T.; Weaver, K.; Strickland, D.

2002-01-01

The hard-X-ray luminosity of non-active galaxies has been known to be fairly well correlated with the total blue luminosity since the days of the Einstein satellite. However, the origin of this hard component was not well understood. Some possibilities that were considered included X-ray binaries, extended upscattered far-infrared light via the inverse-Compton process, extended hot 107 K gas (especially in ellipitical galaxies), or even an active nucleus. Chandra images of normal, elliptical and starburst galaxies now show that a significant amount of the total hard X-ray emission comes from individual point sources. We present here spatial and spectral analyses of the point sources in a small sample of Chandra obervations of starburst galaxies, and compare with Chandra point source analyses from comparison galaxies (elliptical, Seyfert and normal galaxies). We discuss possible relationships between the number and total hard luminosity of the X-ray point sources and various measures of the galaxy star formation rate, and discuss possible options for the numerous compact sources that are observed.

On the Nature of the Compact Object in SS 433. Observational Evidence of X-Ray Photon Index Saturation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seifina, Elena; Titarchuk, Lev

2010-01-01

We present an analysis of the X-ray spectral properties observed from black hole , candidate (BHC) binary SS 433. We have analyzed Rossi X-ray Time Explorer (RXTE) data from this source, coordinated with Green Bank Interferometer/RATAN-600. We show that SS 433 undergoes a X-ray spectral transition from the low hard state (LHS) to the intermediate state (IS). We show that the X-ray broad-band energy spectra during all spectral states are well fit by a sum of so called "Bulk Motion Comptonization (BMC) component" and by two (broad and narrow) Gaussians for the continuum and line emissions respectively. In addition to these spectral model components we also find a strong feature that we identify as a" blackbody-like (BB)" component which color temperature is in the range of 4-5 keV in 24 IS spectra during the radio outburst decay in SS 433. Our observational results on the "high temperature BB" bump leads us to suggest the presence of gravitationally redshifted annihilation line emission in this source. In fact this spectral feature has been recently reproduced in Monte Carlo simulations by Laurent and Titarchuk. We have also established the photon index saturation at about 2.3 in index vs mass accretion correlation. This index-mass accretion correlation allows us to evaluate the low limit of black hole (BH) mass of compact object in SS 433, M(sub bh) approximately > 2 solar masses, using the scaling method using BHC GX 339-4 as a reference source. Our estimate of the BH mass in SS 433 is consistent with recent BH mass measurement using the radial-velocity measurements of the binary system by Hillwig & Gies who find that M(sub x)( = (4.3 +/- 0.8) solar masses. This is the smallest BH mass found up to now among all BH sources. Moreover, the index saturation effect versus mass accretion rate revealed in SS 433, like in a number of other BH candidates, is the strong observational evidence for the presence of a BH in SS 433.

X-ray emission from Stephan's Quintet and other compact groups

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahcall, N. A.; Harris, D. E.; Rood, H. J.

1984-01-01

A search for X-ray emission from five compact groups of galaxies with the Einstein Observatory revealed detections from three groups. Soft, extended X-ray emission was observed in Stephan's Quintet, which is most likely caused by hot intracluster gas. This provides evidence for dynamical interaction among the group galaxies. X-ray emission from the group Arp 330 may also originate in hot intracluster gas. Stephan's Quintet and Arp 330 have the largest velocity dispersions among the groups studied, suggesting a correlation between high velocity and the release (or properties) of hot gas. X-ray emission from Arp 318 may originate in its member galaxies.

Fluence thresholds for grazing incidence hard x-ray mirrors

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

Aquila, A.; Ozkan, C.; Sinn, H.

2015-06-15

X-ray Free Electron Lasers (XFELs) have the potential to contribute to many fields of science and to enable many new avenues of research, in large part due to their orders of magnitude higher peak brilliance than existing and future synchrotrons. To best exploit this peak brilliance, these XFEL beams need to be focused to appropriate spot sizes. However, the survivability of X-ray optical components in these intense, femtosecond radiation conditions is not guaranteed. As mirror optics are routinely used at XFEL facilities, a physical understanding of the interaction between intense X-ray pulses and grazing incidence X-ray optics is desirable. Wemore » conducted single shot damage threshold fluence measurements on grazing incidence X-ray optics, with coatings of ruthenium and boron carbide, at the SPring-8 Angstrom compact free electron laser facility using 7 and 12 keV photon energies. The damage threshold dose limits were found to be orders of magnitude higher than would naively be expected. The incorporation of energy transport and dissipation via keV level energetic photoelectrons accounts for the observed damage threshold.« less

An optical and X-ray survey of s-type Markarian galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hutter, D. J.; Mufson, S. L.

1981-01-01

The results of a study of 23 compact, lineless Markarian galaxies using broadband optical photometry and X-ray satellite observations are reported. The photometry shows that the sample can be broken into four groups. In one group (Mrk 180, 421, and 501) are composite objects in which a BL Lacertae object is embedded in an elliptical galaxy. For this group, the results of multiepoch X-ray observations using the HEAO-1 and -2 satellites are presented. In addition, photometry is used to decompose the optical emission into nonthermal and galactic components. In the second group are objects showing a small ultraviolet excess relative to normal galaxies. The X-ray survey indicates that the X-ray luminosity of objects in group 2 is much lower than those in group 1. This suggests that there is an intrinsic difference between objects in groups 1 and 2. The third and fourth groups are objects whose colors are indistinguishable from those of normal field galaxies and those of galactic stars, respectively. No X-ray emission was detected from objects in either of these groups.

Mono-Energy Coronary Angiography with a Compact Synchrotron Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eggl, Elena; Mechlem, Korbinian; Braig, Eva; Kulpe, Stephanie; Dierolf, Martin; Günther, Benedikt; Achterhold, Klaus; Herzen, Julia; Gleich, Bernhard; Rummeny, Ernst; Noёl, Peter B.; Pfeiffer, Franz; Muenzel, Daniela

2017-02-01

X-ray coronary angiography is an invaluable tool for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. However, the use of iodine-based contrast media can be contraindicated for patients who present with chronic renal insufficiency or with severe iodine allergy. These patients could benefit from a reduced contrast agent concentration, possibly achieved through application of a mono-energetic x-ray beam. While large-scale synchrotrons are impractical for daily clinical use, the technology of compact synchrotron sources strongly advanced during the last decade. Here we present a quantitative analysis of the benefits a compact synchrotron source can offer in coronary angiography. Simulated projection data from quasi-mono-energetic and conventional x-ray tube spectra is used for a CNR comparison. Results show that compact synchrotron spectra would allow for a significant reduction of contrast media. Experimentally, we demonstrate the feasibility of coronary angiography at the Munich Compact Light Source, the first commercial installation of a compact synchrotron source.

Compact X-ray Light Source Workshop Report

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

Thevuthasan, Suntharampillai; Evans, James E.; Terminello, Louis J.

2012-12-01

This report, produced jointly by EMSL and FCSD, is the result of a workshop held in September 2011 that examined the utility of a compact x-ray light source (CXLS) in addressing many scientific challenges critical to advancing energy science and technology.

Characterization by X-ray tomography of granulated alumina powder during in situ die compaction

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

Cottrino, Sandrine; Jorand, Yves, E-mail: yves.jorand@insa-lyon.fr; Maire, Eric

2013-07-15

Compaction process, the aim of which being to obtain green bodies with low porosity and small size, is often used before sintering treatment. Prior to die filling, the ceramic powder is generally granulated to improve flowability. However during compaction, density heterogeneity and critical size defects may appear due to intergranule and granule-die wall frictions. In this work, the influence of granule formulation on the compact morphology has been studied. To do so, a compaction setup was installed inside an X-ray tomography equipment so that the evolution of the compact morphology could be analysed during the whole compaction process. We havemore » demonstrated that high humidity rate and the addition of binder in the granule formulation increase density heterogeneity and generate larger defects. - Highlights: • An original compaction set up was installed inside an X-Ray tomography equipment. • The compaction process of granulated ceramic powder is imaged. • The compact green microstructure is quantified and related to the compaction stages. • The most detrimental defects of dry-pressed parts are caused by hollow granules. • Formulations without binder allow a reduction of the number of large defects.« less

Miniature x-ray source

DOEpatents

Trebes, James E.; Bell, Perry M.; Robinson, Ronald B.

2000-01-01

A miniature x-ray source utilizing a hot filament cathode. The source has a millimeter scale size and is capable of producing broad spectrum x-ray emission over a wide range of x-ray energies. The miniature source consists of a compact vacuum tube assembly containing the hot filament cathode, an anode, a high voltage feedthru for delivering high voltage to the cathode, a getter for maintaining high vacuum, a connector for initial vacuum pump down and crimp-off, and a high voltage connection for attaching a compact high voltage cable to the high voltage feedthru. At least a portion of the vacuum tube wall is fabricated from highly x-ray transparent materials, such as sapphire, diamond, or boron nitride.

SPECTRAL STATE EVOLUTION OF 4U 1820-30: THE STABILITY OF THE SPECTRAL INDEX OF THE COMPTONIZATION TAIL

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

Titarchuk, Lev; Frontera, Filippo; Seifina, Elena, E-mail: titarchuk@fe.infn.it, E-mail: lev@milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov, E-mail: frontera@fe.infn.it, E-mail: seif@sai.msu.ru

We analyze the X-ray spectra and their timing properties of the compact X-ray binary 4U 1820-30. We establish spectral transitions in this source seen with BeppoSAX and the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). During the RXTE observations (1996-2009), the source was in the soft state approximately {approx}75% of the time making the lower banana and upper banana transitions combined with long-term low-high state transitions. We reveal that all of the X-ray spectra of 4U 1820-30 are fit by a combination of a thermal (Blackbody) component, a Comptonization component (COMPTB), and a Gaussian-line component. Thus, using this spectral analysis, we findmore » that the photon power-law index {Gamma} of the Comptonization component is almost unchangeable ({Gamma} {approx} 2), while the electron temperature kT{sub e} changes from 2.9 to 21 keV during these spectral events. We also establish that for these spectral events the normalization of the COMPTB component (which is proportional to the mass accretion rate M-dot ) increases by a factor of eight when kT{sub e} decreases from 21 keV to 2.9 keV. Previously, this index stability effect was also found analyzing X-ray data for the Z-source GX 340+0 and for the atolls 4U 1728-34 and GX 3+1. Thus, we can suggest that this spectral stability property is a spectral signature of an accreting neutron star source. On the other hand, in a black hole binary {Gamma} monotonically increases with M-dot and ultimately its value saturates at large M-dot .« less

A Study of Supernova Remnants with Center-Filled X-Ray Morphology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slane, Patrick O.

1997-01-01

CTA 1 is a center-filled supernova remnant (SNR) whose morphology and spectrum indicate the presence of a central pulsar, a synchrotron nebula, and a thermal component associated with the expansion of the blast wave into the interstellar medium. The centrally bright emission surrounds the position of a faint point source of x-rays observed with the ROSAT PSPC. Here we report on ASCA observations that confirm the nonthermal nature of the diffuse emission from the central regions of the remnant. We also present evidence for weak thermal emission that appears to increase in strength toward the outer boundary of the SNR. Thus, CTA 1 appears to be an x-ray composite remnant. Both the aftermath of the explosive supernova event and the energetic compact core are observable.

Enhanced X-ray Emission from Early Universe Analog Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brorby, Matthew; Kaaret, Philip; Prestwich, Andrea H.; Mirabel, I. Felix; Feng, Hua

2016-04-01

X-rays from binaries containing compact objects may have played an important role in heating the early Universe. Here we discuss our findings from X-ray studies of blue compact dwarf galaxies (BCDs), Lyman break analogs (LBAs), and Green Pea galaxies (GP), all of which are considered local analogs to high redshift galaxies. We find enhanced X-ray emission per unit star-formation rate which strongly correlates with decreasing metallicity. We find evidence for the existence of a L_X-SFR-Metallicity plane for star-forming galaxies. The exact properties of X-ray emission in the early Universe affects the timing and morphology of reionization, both being observable properties of current and future radio observations of the redshifted 21cm signal from neutral hydrogen.

On the Nature of the Compact Object in SS 433: Observational Evidence of X-ray Photon Index Saturation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seifina, Elena; Titarchuk, Lev

2010-10-01

We present an analysis of the X-ray spectral properties observed from the black hole candidate (BHC) binary SS 433. We have analyzed Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer data from this source, coordinated with Green Bank Interferometer/RATAN-600. We show that SS 433 undergoes an X-ray spectral transition from the low hard state to the intermediate state (IS). We show that the X-ray broadband energy spectra during all spectral states are well fitted by a sum of the so-called bulk motion Comptonization (BMC) component and by two (broad and narrow) Gaussians for the continuum and line emissions, respectively. In addition to these spectral model components, we also find a strong feature that we identify as a "blackbody-like (BB)" component in which the color temperature is in the range of 4-5 keV in 24 IS spectra during the radio outburst decay in SS 433. Our observational results on the "high-temperature BB" bump lead us to suggest the presence of gravitationally redshifted annihilation line emission in this source. In fact, this spectral feature has been recently reproduced in Monte Carlo simulations by Laurent & Titarchuk. We have also established the photon index saturation at about 2.3 in index versus mass accretion correlation. This index-mass accretion correlation allows us to evaluate the low limit of the black hole (BH) mass of the compact object in SS 433, M_{{bh}}≳ 2 solar masses, using the scaling method using BHC GX 339 - 4 as a reference source. Our estimate of the BH mass in SS 433 is consistent with the recent BH mass measurement using the radial velocity measurements of the binary system by Hillwig & Gies, who find that Mx = (4.3 ± 0.8) solar masses. This is the smallest BH mass found up to now among all BH sources. Moreover, the index saturation effect versus mass accretion rate revealed in SS 433, as in a number of other BH candidates, is strong observational evidence for the presence of a BH in SS 433.

V-V compact group of galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahcall, N.

1984-01-01

A search for X-ray emission from five compact groups of galaxies with the Einstein Observatory revealed detections from three groups. Soft, extended X-ray emission was observed in Stephan's Quintet which is most likely caused by hot intracluster gas. This provides evidence for dynamical interaction among the group galaxies. X-ray emission from the group Arp 330 may also originate in hot intracluster gas. Stephan's Quintet and Arp 330 have the largest velocity dispersions among the groups studied suggesting a correlation between high velocity and the release (or properties) of hot gas. X-ray emission from Arp 318 may originate in its member galaxies.

X-ray phase-contrast tomosynthesis of a human ex vivo breast slice with an inverse Compton x-ray source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eggl, E.; Schleede, S.; Bech, M.; Achterhold, K.; Grandl, S.; Sztrókay, A.; Hellerhoff, K.; Mayr, D.; Loewen, R.; Ruth, R. D.; Reiser, M. F.; Pfeiffer, F.

2016-12-01

While the performance of conventional x-ray tube sources often suffers from the broad polychromatic spectrum, synchrotrons that could provide highly brilliant x-rays are restricted to large research facilities and impose high investment and maintenance costs. Lately, a new type of compact synchrotron sources has been investigated. These compact light sources (CLS) based on inverse Compton scattering provide quasi-monochromatic hard x-rays. The flux and brilliance yielded by a CLS currently lie between x-ray tube sources and third-generation synchrotrons. The relatively large partially coherent x-ray beam is well suited for the investigation of preclinical applications of grating-based phase-contrast and dark-field imaging. Here we present the first grating-based multimodal tomosynthesis images of a human breast slice acquired at a CLS to investigate the possibilities of improved breast cancer diagnostics.

Long term variability of Cygnus X-1. VII. Orbital variability of the focussed wind in Cyg X-1/HDE 226868 system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grinberg, V.; Leutenegger, M. A.; Hell, N.; Pottschmidt, K.; Böck, M.; García, J. A.; Hanke, M.; Nowak, M. A.; Sundqvist, J. O.; Townsend, R. H. D.; Wilms, J.

2015-04-01

Binary systems with an accreting compact object offer a unique opportunity to investigate the strong, clumpy, line-driven winds of early-type supergiants by using the compact object's X-rays to probe the wind structure. We analyze the two-component wind of HDE 226868, the O9.7Iab giant companion of the black hole Cyg X-1, using 4.77 Ms Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) observations of the system taken over the course of 16 years. Absorption changes strongly over the 5.6 d binary orbit, but also shows a large scatter at a given orbital phase, especially at superior conjunction. The orbital variability is most prominent when the black hole is in the hard X-ray state. Our data are poorer for the intermediate and soft state, but show signs for orbital variability of the absorption column in the intermediate state. We quantitatively compare the data in the hard state to a toy model of a focussed Castor-Abbott-Klein wind: as it does not incorporate clumping, the model does not describe the observations well. A qualitative comparison to a simplified simulation of clumpy winds with spherical clumps shows good agreement in the distribution of the equivalent hydrogen column density for models with a porosity length on the order of the stellar radius at inferior conjunction; we conjecture that the deviations between data and model at superior conjunction could either be due to lack of a focussed wind component in the model or to a more complicated clump structure. Appendix A is available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Long term variability of Cygnus X-1: VII. Orbital variability of the focussed wind in Cyg X-1/HDE 226868 system

DOE PAGES

Grinberg, V.; Leutenegger, M. A.; Hell, N.; ...

2015-04-16

Binary systems with an accreting compact object offer a unique opportunity to investigate the strong, clumpy, line-driven winds of early-type supergiants by using the compact object’s X-rays to probe the wind structure. In this paper, we analyze the two-component wind of HDE 226868, the O9.7Iab giant companion of the black hole Cyg X-1, using 4.77 Ms Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) observations of the system taken over the course of 16 years. Absorption changes strongly over the 5.6 d binary orbit, but also shows a large scatter at a given orbital phase, especially at superior conjunction. The orbital variability ismore » most prominent when the black hole is in the hard X-ray state. Our data are poorer for the intermediate and soft state, but show signs for orbital variability of the absorption column in the intermediate state. We quantitatively compare the data in the hard state to a toy model of a focussed Castor-Abbott-Klein wind: as it does not incorporate clumping, the model does not describe the observations well. Finally, a qualitative comparison to a simplified simulation of clumpy winds with spherical clumps shows good agreement in the distribution of the equivalent hydrogen column density for models with a porosity length on the order of the stellar radius at inferior conjunction; we conjecture that the deviations between data and model at superior conjunction could either be due to lack of a focussed wind component in the model or to a more complicated clump structure.« less

High-energy radiation from the relativistic jet of Cygnus X-3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cerutti, B.; Dubus, G.; Henri, G.

2010-12-01

Cygnus X-3 is an accreting high-mass X-ray binary composed of a Wolf-Rayet star and an unknown compact object, possibly a black hole. The gamma-ray space telescope Fermi found definitive evidence that high-energy emission is produced in this system. We propose a scenario to explain the GeV gamma-ray emission in Cygnus X-3. In this model, energetic electron-positron pairs are accelerated at a specific location in the relativistic jet, possibly related to a recollimation shock, and upscatter the stellar photons to high energies. The comparison with Fermi observations shows that the jet should be inclined close to the line of sight and pairs should not be located within the system. Energetically speaking, a massive compact object is favored. We report also on our investigations of the gamma-ray absorption of GeV photons with the radiation emitted by a standard accretion disk in Cygnus X-3. This study shows that the gamma-ray source should not lie too close to the compact object.

Progress in the Development of Mo-Au Transition-Edge Sensors for X-Ray Spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stahle, Caroline K.; Brekosky, Regis P.; Figueroa-Feliciano, Enectali; Finkbeiner, Fred M.; Gygax, John D.; Li, Mary J.; Lindeman, Mark A..; Porter, F. Scott; Tralshawalaa, Nilesh

2000-01-01

X-ray microcalorimeters using transition-edge sensors (TES) show great promise for use in astronomical x-ray spectroscopy. We have obtained very high energy resolution (2.8 electronvolts at 1.5 kiloelectronvolts and 3.7 electronvolts at 3.3 kiloelectronvolts) in a large, isolated TES pixel using a Mo/Au proximity-effect bilayer on a silicon nitride membrane. We will discuss the performance and our characterization of that device. In order to be truly suitable for use behind an x-ray telescope, however, such devices need to be arrayed with a pixel size and focal-plane coverage commensurate with the telescope focal length and spatial resolution. Since this requires fitting the TES and its thermal link, a critical component of each calorimeter pixel, into a far more compact geometry than has previously been investigated, we must study the fundamental scaling laws in pixel optimization. We have designed a photolithography mask that will allow us to probe the range in thermal conductance that can be obtained by perforating the nitride membrane in a narrow perimeter around the sensor. This mask will also show the effects of reducing the TES area. Though we have not yet tested devices of the compact designs, we will present our progress in several of the key processing steps and discuss the parameter space of our intended investigations.

Smearing of mass accretion rate variation by viscous processes in accretion disks in compact binary systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, A.; Chakrabarti, Sandip K.

2016-09-01

Variation of mass supply rate from the companion can be smeared out by viscous processes inside an accretion disk. Hence, by the time the flow reaches the inner edge, the variation in X-rays need not reflect the true variation of the mass supply rate at the outer edge. However, if the viscosity fluctuates around a mean value, one would expect the viscous time scale t_{{visc}} also to spread around a mean value. In high mass X-ray binaries, which are thought to be primarily wind-fed, the size of the viscous Keplerian disk is smaller and thus such a spread could be lower as compared to the low mass X-ray binaries which are primarily fed by Roche lobe overflow. If there is an increasing or decreasing trend in viscosity, the interval between enhanced emission would be modified systematically. In the absence of a detailed knowledge about the variation of mass supply rates at the outer edge, we study ideal circumstances where modulation must take place exactly in orbital time scales, such as when there is an ellipticity in the orbit. We study a few compact binaries using long term All Sky monitor (ASM) data (1.5-12 keV) of Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) and all sky survey data (15-50 keV) of Swift satellites by different methods to look for such smearing effects and to infer what these results can tell us about the viscous processes inside the respective disks. We employ three different methods to seek imprints of periodicity on the X-ray variation and found that in all the cases, the location of the peak in the power density spectra is consistent with the orbital frequencies. Interestingly, in high mass X-ray binaries the peaks are sharp with high rms values, consistent with a small Keplerian disk in a wind fed system. However, in low mass X-ray binaries with larger Keplerian disk component, the peaks are spreaded out with much lower rms values. X-ray reflections, or superhump phenomena which may also cause such X-ray modulations would not be affected by the size of the Keplerian disk component. Our result thus confirms different sizes of Keplerian disks in these two important classes of binaries. If the orbital periods of any binary system is not known, they may be obtained with reasonable accuracy for HMXBs and with lesser accuracy for LMXBs by our method.

Formation and Evolution of X-ray Binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fragkos, Anastasios

X-ray binaries - mass-transferring binary stellar systems with compact object accretors - are unique astrophysical laboratories. They carry information about many complex physical processes such as star formation, compact object formation, and evolution of interacting binaries. My thesis work involves the study of the formation and evolution of Galactic and extra-galacticX-ray binaries using both detailed and realistic simulation tools, and population synthesis techniques. I applied an innovative analysis method that allows the reconstruction of the full evolutionary history of known black hole X-ray binaries back to the time of compact object formation. This analysis takes into account all the available observationally determined properties of a system, and models in detail four of its evolutionary evolutionary phases: mass transfer through the ongoing X-ray phase, tidal evolution before the onset of Roche-lobe overflow, motion through the Galactic potential after the formation of the black hole, and binary orbital dynamics at the time of core collapse. Motivated by deep extra-galactic Chandra survey observations, I worked on population synthesis models of low-mass X-ray binaries in the two elliptical galaxies NGC3379 and NGC4278. These simulations were targeted at understanding the origin of the shape and normalization of the observed X-ray luminosity functions. In a follow up study, I proposed a physically motivated prescription for the modeling of transient neutron star low-mass X-ray binary properties, such as duty cycle, outburst duration and recurrence time. This prescription enabled the direct comparison of transient low-mass X-ray binary population synthesis models to the Chandra X-ray survey of the two ellipticals NGC3379 and NGC4278. Finally, I worked on population synthesismodels of black holeX-ray binaries in the MilkyWay. This work was motivated by recent developments in observational techniques for the measurement of black hole spin magnitudes in black hole X-ray binaries. The accuracy of these techniques depend on misalignment of the black hole spin with respect to the orbital angular momentum. In black hole X-ray binaries, this misalignment can occur during the supernova explosion that forms the compact object. In this study, I presented population synthesis models of Galactic black hole X-ray binaries, and examined the distribution of misalignment angles, and its dependence on the model parameters.

A compact dispersive refocusing Rowland circle X-ray emission spectrometer for laboratory, synchrotron, and XFEL applications

DOE PAGES

Holden, William M.; Hoidn, Oliver R.; Ditter, Alexander S.; ...

2017-07-27

X-ray emission spectroscopy is emerging as an important complement to x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, providing a characterization of the occupied electronic density of states local to the species of interest. Here, we present details of the design and performance of a compact x-ray emission spectrometer that uses a dispersive refocusing Rowland (DRR) circle geometry to achieve excellent performance for the 2-2.5 keV range, i.e., especially for the K-edge emission from sulfur and phosphorous. The DRR approach allows high energy resolution even for unfocused x-ray sources. This property enables high count rates in laboratory studies, approaching those of insertion-device beamlinesmore » at third-generation synchrotrons, despite use of only a low-powered, conventional x-ray tube. The spectrometer, whose overall scale is set by use of a 10-cm diameter Rowland circle and a new small-pixel complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor x-ray camera, is easily portable to synchrotron or x-ray free electron laser beamlines. Photometrics from measurements at the Advanced Light Source show excellent overall instrumental efficiency. In addition, the compact size of this instrument lends itself to future multiplexing to gain large factors in net collection efficiency or its implementation in controlled gas gloveboxes either in the lab or in an endstation.« less

Motionless phase stepping in X-ray phase contrast imaging with a compact source

PubMed Central

Miao, Houxun; Chen, Lei; Bennett, Eric E.; Adamo, Nick M.; Gomella, Andrew A.; DeLuca, Alexa M.; Patel, Ajay; Morgan, Nicole Y.; Wen, Han

2013-01-01

X-ray phase contrast imaging offers a way to visualize the internal structures of an object without the need to deposit significant radiation, and thereby alleviate the main concern in X-ray diagnostic imaging procedures today. Grating-based differential phase contrast imaging techniques are compatible with compact X-ray sources, which is a key requirement for the majority of clinical X-ray modalities. However, these methods are substantially limited by the need for mechanical phase stepping. We describe an electromagnetic phase-stepping method that eliminates mechanical motion, thus removing the constraints in speed, accuracy, and flexibility. The method is broadly applicable to both projection and tomography imaging modes. The transition from mechanical to electromagnetic scanning should greatly facilitate the translation of X-ray phase contrast techniques into mainstream applications. PMID:24218599

X-Ray Polarization from High Mass X-Ray Binaries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kallman, T.; Dorodnitsyn, A.; Blondin, J.

2015-01-01

X-ray astronomy allows study of objects which may be associated with compact objects, i.e. neutron stars or black holes, and also may contain strong magnetic fields. Such objects are categorically non-spherical, and likely non-circular when projected on the sky. Polarization allows study of such geometric effects, and X-ray polarimetry is likely to become feasible for a significant number of sources in the future. A class of potential targets for future X-ray polarization observations is the high mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs), which consist of a compact object in orbit with an early type star. In this paper we show that X-ray polarization from HMXBs has a distinct signature which depends on the source inclination and orbital phase. The presence of the X-ray source displaced from the star creates linear polarization even if the primary wind is spherically symmetric whenever the system is viewed away from conjunction. Direct X-rays dilute this polarization whenever the X-ray source is not eclipsed; at mid-eclipse the net polarization is expected to be small or zero if the wind is circularly symmetric around the line of centers. Resonance line scattering increases the scattering fraction, often by large factors, over the energy band spanned by resonance lines. Real winds are not expected to be spherically symmetric, or circularly symmetric around the line of centers, owing to the combined effects of the compact object gravity and ionization on the wind hydrodynamics. A sample calculation shows that this creates polarization fractions ranging up to tens of percent at mid-eclipse.

Stellar X-Ray Polarimetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swank, J.

2011-01-01

Most of the stellar end-state black holes, pulsars, and white dwarfs that are X-ray sources should have polarized X-ray fluxes. The degree will depend on the relative contributions of the unresolved structures. Fluxes from accretion disks and accretion disk corona may be polarized by scattering. Beams and jets may have contributions of polarized emission in strong magnetic fields. The Gravity and Extreme Magnetism Small Explorer (GEMS) will study the effects on polarization of strong gravity of black holes and strong magnetism of neutron stars. Some part of the flux from compact stars accreting from companion stars has been reflected from the companion, its wind, or accretion streams. Polarization of this component is a potential tool for studying the structure of the gas in these binary systems. Polarization due to scattering can also be present in X-ray emission from white dwarf binaries and binary normal stars such as RS CVn stars and colliding wind sources like Eta Car. Normal late type stars may have polarized flux from coronal flares. But X-ray polarization sensitivity is not at the level needed for single early type stars.

Examining nanoparticle assemblies using high spatial resolution x-ray microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenneson, P. M.; Luggar, R. D.; Morton, E. J.; Gundogdu, O.; Tüzün, U.

2004-09-01

An experimental system has been designed to examine the assembly of nanoparticles in a variety of process engineering applications. These applications include the harvesting from solutions of nanoparticles into green parts, and the subsequent sintering into finished components. The system is based on an x-ray microtomography with a spatial resolution down to 5μm. The theoretical limitations in x-ray imaging are considered to allow experimental optimization. A standard nondestructive evaluation type apparatus with a small focal-spot x-ray tube, high-resolution complementary metal oxide semiconductor flat-panel pixellated detector, and a mechanical rotational stage is used to image the static systems. Dynamic sintering processes are imaged using the same x-ray source and detector but a custom rotational stage which is contained in an environmental chamber where the temperature, atmospheric pressure, and compaction force can be controlled. Three-dimensional tomographic data sets are presented here for samples from the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, biotechnology, and nanoparticle handling industries and show the microscopic features and defects which can be resolved with the system.

A laser driven pulsed X-ray backscatter technique for enhanced penetrative imaging.

PubMed

Deas, R M; Wilson, L A; Rusby, D; Alejo, A; Allott, R; Black, P P; Black, S E; Borghesi, M; Brenner, C M; Bryant, J; Clarke, R J; Collier, J C; Edwards, B; Foster, P; Greenhalgh, J; Hernandez-Gomez, C; Kar, S; Lockley, D; Moss, R M; Najmudin, Z; Pattathil, R; Symes, D; Whittle, M D; Wood, J C; McKenna, P; Neely, D

2015-01-01

X-ray backscatter imaging can be used for a wide range of imaging applications, in particular for industrial inspection and portal security. Currently, the application of this imaging technique to the detection of landmines is limited due to the surrounding sand or soil strongly attenuating the 10s to 100s of keV X-rays required for backscatter imaging. Here, we introduce a new approach involving a 140 MeV short-pulse (< 100 fs) electron beam generated by laser wakefield acceleration to probe the sample, which produces Bremsstrahlung X-rays within the sample enabling greater depths to be imaged. A variety of detector and scintillator configurations are examined, with the best time response seen from an absorptive coated BaF2 scintillator with a bandpass filter to remove the slow scintillation emission components. An X-ray backscatter image of an array of different density and atomic number items is demonstrated. The use of a compact laser wakefield accelerator to generate the electron source, combined with the rapid development of more compact, efficient and higher repetition rate high power laser systems will make this system feasible for applications in the field. Content includes material subject to Dstl (c) Crown copyright (2014). Licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@ nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.

Phase contrast imaging using a micro focus x-ray source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Wei; Majidi, Keivan; Brankov, Jovan G.

2014-09-01

Phase contrast x-ray imaging, a new technique to increase the imaging contrast for the tissues with close attenuation coefficients, has been studied since mid 1990s. This technique reveals the possibility to show the clear details of the soft tissues and tumors in small scale resolution. A compact and low cost phase contrast imaging system using a conventional x-ray source is described in this paper. Using the conventional x-ray source is of great importance, because it provides the possibility to use the method in hospitals and clinical offices. Simple materials and components are used in the setup to keep the cost in a reasonable and affordable range.Tungsten Kα1 line with the photon energy 59.3 keV was used for imaging. Some of the system design details are discussed. The method that was used to stabilize the system is introduced. A chicken thigh bone tissue sample was used for imaging followed by the image quality, image acquisition time and the potential clinical application discussion. High energy x-ray beam can be used in phase contrast imaging. Therefore the radiation dose to the patients can be greatly decreased compared to the traditional x-ray radiography.

Relativistic klystron driven compact high gradient accelerator as an injector to an X-ray synchrotron radiation ring

DOEpatents

Yu, David U. L.

1990-01-01

A compact high gradient accelerator driven by a relativistic klystron is utilized to inject high energy electrons into an X-ray synchrotron radiation ring. The high gradients provided by the relativistic klystron enables accelerator structure to be much shorter (typically 3 meters) than conventional injectors. This in turn enables manufacturers which utilize high energy, high intensity X-rays to produce various devices, such as computer chips, to do so on a cost effective basis.

X-ray imaging of water motion during capillary imbibition: A study on how compaction bands impact fluid flow in Bentheim sandstone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pons, A.; David, C.; Fortin, J.; Stanchits, S.; MenéNdez, B.; Mengus, J. M.

2011-03-01

To investigate the effect of compaction bands (CB) on fluid flow, capillary imbibition experiments were performed on Bentheim sandstone specimens (initial porosity ˜22.7%) using an industrial X-ray scanner. We used a three-step procedure combining (1) X-ray imaging of capillary rise in intact Bentheim sandstone, (2) formation of compaction band under triaxial tests, at 185 MPa effective pressure, with acoustic emissions (AE) recording for localization of the induced damage, and (3) again X-ray imaging of capillary rise in the damaged specimens after the unloading. The experiments were performed on intact cylindrical specimens, 5 cm in diameter and 10.5 cm in length, cored in different orientations (parallel or perpendicular to the bedding). Analysis of the images obtained at different stages of the capillary imbibition shows that the presence of CB slows down the imbibition and disturbs the geometry of water flow. In addition, we show that the CB geometry derived from X-ray density maps analysis is well correlated with the AE location obtained during triaxial test. The analysis of the water front kinetics was conducted using a simple theoretical model, which allowed us to confirm that compaction bands act as a barrier for fluid flow, not fully impermeable though. We estimate a contrast of permeability of a factor of ˜3 between the host rock and the compaction bands. This estimation of the permeability inside the compaction band is consistent with estimations done in similar sandstones from field studies but differs by 1 order of magnitude from estimations from previous laboratory measurements.

Compact X-ray sources: X-rays from self-reflection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangles, Stuart P. D.

2012-05-01

Laser-based particle acceleration offers a way to reduce the size of hard-X-ray sources. Scientists have now developed a simple scheme that produces a bright flash of hard X-rays by using a single laser pulse both to generate and to scatter an electron beam.

Transition of an X-ray binary to the hard ultraluminous state in the blue compact dwarf galaxy VII Zw 403

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brorby, M.; Kaaret, P.; Feng, H.

2015-04-01

We examine the X-ray spectra of VII Zw 403, a nearby low-metallicity blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxy. The galaxy has been observed to contain an X-ray source, likely a high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB), with a luminosity of 1.3-23 × 1038 erg s-1 in the 0.3-8 keV energy range. A new Suzaku observation shows a transition to a luminosity of 1.7 × 1040 erg s-1 [0.3-8 keV], higher by a factor of 7-130. The spectra from the high-flux state are hard, best described by a disc plus Comptonization model, and exhibit curvature at energies above 5 keV. This is consistent with many high-quality ultraluminous X-ray source spectra which have been interpreted as stellar mass black holes accreting at super-Eddington rates. However, this lies in contrast to another HMXB in a low-metallicity BCD, I Zw 18, that exhibits a soft spectrum at high flux, similar to Galactic black hole binaries and has been interpreted as a possible intermediate-mass black hole. Determining the spectral properties of HMXBs in BCDs has important implications for models of the Epoch of Reionization. It is thought that the main component of X-ray heating in the early Universe was dominated by HMXBs within the first galaxies. Early galaxies were small, metal-deficient, star-forming galaxies with large H I mass fractions - properties shared by local BCDs we see today. Understanding the spectral evolution of HMXBs in early Universe analogue galaxies, such as BCDs, is an important step in estimating their contribution to the heating of the intergalactic medium during the Epoch of Reionization. The strong contrast between the properties of the only two spectroscopically studied HMXBs within BCDs motivates further study on larger samples of HMXBs in low-metallicity environments in order to properly estimate the X-ray heating in the early Universe.

Spectral State Evolution of 4U 1820-30: the Stability of the Spectral Index of Comptonization Tail

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Titarchuk, Lev G.; Seifina, Elena; Frontera, Filippo

2013-01-01

We analyze the X-ray spectra and their timing properties of the compact Xray binary 4U 1820-30. We establish spectral transitions in this source seen with BeppoSAX and the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). During the RXTE observations (1996 - 2009), the source were approximately approximately 75% of its time in the soft state making the lower banana and upper banana transitions combined with long-term low-high state transitions. We reveal that all of the X-ray spectra of 4U 1820-30 are fit by a composition of a thermal (blackbody) component, a Comptonization component (COMPTB) and a Gaussian-line component. Thus using this spectral analysis we find that the photon power-law index Gamma of the Comptonization component is almost unchangeable (Gamma approximately 2) while the electron temperature kTe changes from 2.9 to 21 keV during these spectral events. We also establish that for these spectral events the normalization of COMPTB component (which is proportional to mass accretion rate ?M) increases by factor 8 when kTe decreases from 21 keV to 2.9 keV. Before this index stability effect was also found analyzing X-ray data for Z-source GX 340+0 and for atolls, 4U 1728-34, GX 3+1. Thus, we can suggest that this spectral stability property is a spectral signature of an accreting neutron star source. On the other hand in a black hole binary G monotonically increases with ?Mand ultimately its value saturates at large ?M.

Inverse compton light source: a compact design proposal

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

Deitrick, Kirsten Elizabeth

In the last decade, there has been an increasing demand for a compact Inverse Compton Light Source (ICLS) which is capable of producing high-quality X-rays by colliding an electron beam and a high-quality laser. It is only in recent years when both SRF and laser technology have advanced enough that compact sources can approach the quality found at large installations such as the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Previously, X-ray sources were either high flux and brilliance at a large facility or many orders of magnitude lesser when produced by a bremsstrahlung source. A recent compact source wasmore » constructed by Lyncean Technologies using a storage ring to produce the electron beam used to scatter the incident laser beam. By instead using a linear accelerator system for the electron beam, a significant increase in X-ray beam quality is possible, though even subsequent designs also featuring a storage ring offer improvement. Preceding the linear accelerator with an SRF reentrant gun allows for an extremely small transverse emittance, increasing the brilliance of the resulting X-ray source. In order to achieve sufficiently small emittances, optimization was done regarding both the geometry of the gun and the initial electron bunch distribution produced off the cathode. Using double-spoke SRF cavities to comprise the linear accelerator allows for an electron beam of reasonable size to be focused at the interaction point, while preserving the low emittance that was generated by the gun. An aggressive final focusing section following the electron beam's exit from the accelerator produces the small spot size at the interaction point which results in an X-ray beam of high flux and brilliance. Taking all of these advancements together, a world class compact X-ray source has been designed. It is anticipated that this source would far outperform the conventional bremsstrahlung and many other compact ICLSs, while coming closer to performing at the levels found at large facilities than ever before. The design process, including the development between subsequent iterations, is presented here in detail, with the simulation results for this groundbreaking X-ray source.« less

Compton backscattered collimated x-ray source

DOEpatents

Ruth, R.D.; Huang, Z.

1998-10-20

A high-intensity, inexpensive and collimated x-ray source is disclosed for applications such as x-ray lithography is disclosed. An intense pulse from a high power laser, stored in a high-finesse resonator, repetitively collides nearly head-on with and Compton backscatters off a bunched electron beam, having relatively low energy and circulating in a compact storage ring. Both the laser and the electron beams are tightly focused and matched at the interaction region inside the optical resonator. The laser-electron interaction not only gives rise to x-rays at the desired wavelength, but also cools and stabilizes the electrons against intrabeam scattering and Coulomb repulsion with each other in the storage ring. This cooling provides a compact, intense bunch of electrons suitable for many applications. In particular, a sufficient amount of x-rays can be generated by this device to make it an excellent and flexible Compton backscattered x-ray (CBX) source for high throughput x-ray lithography and many other applications. 4 figs.

Compton backscattered collimated x-ray source

DOEpatents

Ruth, Ronald D.; Huang, Zhirong

1998-01-01

A high-intensity, inexpensive and collimated x-ray source for applications such as x-ray lithography is disclosed. An intense pulse from a high power laser, stored in a high-finesse resonator, repetitively collides nearly head-on with and Compton backscatters off a bunched electron beam, having relatively low energy and circulating in a compact storage ring. Both the laser and the electron beams are tightly focused and matched at the interaction region inside the optical resonator. The laser-electron interaction not only gives rise to x-rays at the desired wavelength, but also cools and stabilizes the electrons against intrabeam scattering and Coulomb repulsion with each other in the storage ring. This cooling provides a compact, intense bunch of electrons suitable for many applications. In particular, a sufficient amount of x-rays can be generated by this device to make it an excellent and flexible Compton backscattered x-ray (CBX) source for high throughput x-ray lithography and many other applications.

Compton backscattered collmated X-ray source

DOEpatents

Ruth, Ronald D.; Huang, Zhirong

2000-01-01

A high-intensity, inexpensive and collimated x-ray source for applications such as x-ray lithography is disclosed. An intense pulse from a high power laser, stored in a high-finesse resonator, repetitively collides nearly head-on with and Compton backscatters off a bunched electron beam, having relatively low energy and circulating in a compact storage ring. Both the laser and the electron beams are tightly focused and matched at the interaction region inside the optical resonator. The laser-electron interaction not only gives rise to x-rays at the desired wavelength, but also cools and stabilizes the electrons against intrabeam scattering and Coulomb repulsion with each other in the storage ring. This cooling provides a compact, intense bunch of electrons suitable for many applications. In particular, a sufficient amount of x-rays can be generated by this device to make it an excellent and flexible Compton backscattered x-ray (CBX) source for high throughput x-ray lithography and many other applications.

A POSSIBLE SIGNATURE OF LENSE-THIRRING PRECESSION IN DIPPING AND ECLIPSING NEUTRON-STAR LOW-MASS X-RAY BINARIES

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

Homan, Jeroen, E-mail: jeroen@space.mit.edu

2012-12-01

Relativistic Lense-Thirring precession of a tilted inner accretion disk around a compact object has been proposed as a mechanism for low-frequency ({approx}0.01-70 Hz) quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in the light curves of X-ray binaries. A substantial misalignment angle ({approx}15 Degree-Sign -20 Degree-Sign ) between the inner-disk rotation axis and the compact-object spin axis is required for the effects of this precession to produce observable modulations in the X-ray light curve. A consequence of this misalignment is that in high-inclination X-ray binaries the precessing inner disk will quasi-periodically intercept our line of sight to the compact object. In the case of neutron-starmore » systems, this should have a significant observational effect, since a large fraction of the accretion energy is released on or near the neutron-star surface. In this Letter, I suggest that this specific effect of Lense-Thirring precession may already have been observed as {approx}1 Hz QPOs in several dipping/eclipsing neutron-star X-ray binaries.« less

A compact and modular x- and gamma-ray detector with a CsI scintillator and double-readout Silicon Drift Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campana, R.; Fuschino, F.; Labanti, C.; Marisaldi, M.; Amati, L.; Fiorini, M.; Uslenghi, M.; Baldazzi, G.; Bellutti, P.; Evangelista, Y.; Elmi, I.; Feroci, M.; Ficorella, F.; Frontera, F.; Picciotto, A.; Piemonte, C.; Rachevski, A.; Rashevskaya, I.; Rignanese, L. P.; Vacchi, A.; Zampa, G.; Zampa, N.; Zorzi, N.

2016-07-01

A future compact and modular X and gamma-ray spectrometer (XGS) has been designed and a series of proto- types have been developed and tested. The experiment envisages the use of CsI scintillator bars read out at both ends by single-cell 25 mm2 Silicon Drift Detectors. Digital algorithms are used to discriminate between events absorbed in the Silicon layer (lower energy X rays) and events absorbed in the scintillator crystal (higher energy X rays and -rays). The prototype characterization is shown and the modular design for future experiments with possible astrophysical applications (e.g. for the THESEUS mission proposed for the ESA M5 call) are discussed.

A Search for X-Ray Evidence of a Compact Companion to the Unusual Wolf-Rayet Star HD 50896 (EZ CMa)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skinner, Stephen L.; Itoh, Masayuki; Nagase, Fumiaki

1998-01-01

We analyze results of a approx.25 ksec ASCA X-ray observation of the unusual Wolf-Rayet star HD 50896 (= EZ CMa). This WN5 star shows optical and ultraviolet variability at a 3.766 day period, which has been interpreted as a possible signature of a compact companion. Our objective was to search for evidence of hard X-rays (greater than or equal to 5 keV) which could be present if the WN5 wind is accreting onto a compact object. The ASCA spectra are dominated by emission below 5 keV and show no significant emission in the harder 5-10 keV range. Weak emission lines are present, and the X-rays arise in an optically thin plasma which spans a range of temperatures from less than or equal to 0.4 keV up to at least approx. 2 keV. Excess X-ray absorption above the interstellar value is present, but the column density is no larger than N(sub H) approx. 10(exp 22)/sq cm. The absorption-corrected X-ray luminosity L(sub x)(0.5 - 10 keV) = 10(exp 32.85) erg/s gives L(sub x)/ L(sub bol) approx. 10(exp -6), a value that is typical of WN stars. No X-ray variability was detected. Our main conclusion is that the X-ray properties of HD 50896 are inconsistent with the behavior expected for wind accretion onto a neutron star or black hole companion. Alternative models based on wind shocks can explain most aspects of the X-ray behavior, and we argue that the hotter plasma near approx. 2 keV could be due to the WR wind shocking onto a normal (nondegenerate) companion.

X-Ray Structure determination of the Glycine Cleavage System Protein H of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Using An Inverse Compton Synchrotron X-Ray Source

PubMed Central

Abendroth, Jan; McCormick, Michael S.; Edwards, Thomas E.; Staker, Bart; Loewen, Roderick; Gifford, Martin; Rifkin, Jeff; Mayer, Chad; Guo, Wenjin; Zhang, Yang; Myler, Peter; Kelley, Angela; Analau, Erwin; Hewitt, Stephen Nakazawa; Napuli, Alberto J.; Kuhn, Peter; Ruth, Ronald D.; Stewart, Lance J.

2010-01-01

Structural genomics discovery projects require ready access to both X-ray and NMR instrumentation which support the collection of experimental data needed to solve large numbers of novel protein structures. The most productive X-ray crystal structure determination laboratories make extensive frequent use of tunable synchrotron X-ray light to solve novel structures by anomalous diffraction methods. This requires that frozen cryo-protected crystals be shipped to large government-run synchrotron facilities for data collection. In an effort to eliminate the need to ship crystals for data collection, we have developed the first laboratory-scale synchrotron light source capable of performing many of the state-of-the-art synchrotron applications in X-ray science. This Compact Light Source is a first-in-class device that uses inverse Compton scattering to generate X-rays of sufficient flux, tunable wavelength and beam size to allow high-resolution X-ray diffraction data collection from protein crystals. We report on benchmarking tests of X-ray diffraction data collection with hen egg white lysozyme, and the successful high-resolution X-ray structure determination of the Glycine cleavage system protein H from Mycobacterium tuberculosis using diffraction data collected with the Compact Light Source X-ray beam. PMID:20364333

Disc-jet Coupling in the 2009 Outburst of the Black Hole Candidate H1743-322

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller-Jones, J. C. A.; Sivakoff, G. R.; Altamirano, D.; Coriat, M.; Corbel, S.; Dhawan, V.; Krimm, H. A.; Remillard, R. A.; Rupen, M. P.; Russell, D. M.;

Morphology Dependence of Stellar Age in Quenched Galaxies at Redshift ˜1.2: Massive Compact Galaxies Are Older than More Extended Ones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Christina C.; Giavalisco, Mauro; Bezanson, Rachel; Cappelluti, Nico; Cassata, Paolo; Liu, Teng; Lee, Bomee; Tundo, Elena; Vanzella, Eros

2017-04-01

We report the detection of morphology-dependent stellar age in massive quenched galaxies (QGs) at z ˜ 1.2. The sense of the dependence is that compact QGs are 0.5-2 Gyr older than normal-sized ones. The evidence comes from three different age indicators—{D}n4000, {{{H}}}δ , and fits to spectral synthesis models—applied to their stacked optical spectra. All age indicators consistently show that the stellar populations of compact QGs are older than those of their normal-sized counterparts. We detect weak [O II] emission in a fraction of QGs, and the strength of the line, when present, is similar between the two samples; however, compact galaxies exhibit a significantly lower frequency of [O II] emission than normal ones. Fractions of both samples are individually detected in 7 Ms Chandra X-ray images (luminosities ˜1040-1041 erg s-1). The 7 Ms stacks of nondetected galaxies show similarly low luminosities in the soft band only, consistent with a hot gas origin for the X-ray emission. While both [O II] emitters and nonemitters are also X-ray sources among normal galaxies, no compact galaxy with [O II] emission is an X-ray source, arguing against an active galactic nucleus (AGN) powering the line in compact galaxies. We interpret the [O II] properties as further evidence that compact galaxies are older and further along in the process of quenching star formation and suppressing gas accretion. Finally, we argue that the older age of compact QGs is evidence of progenitor bias: compact QGs simply reflect the smaller sizes of galaxies at their earlier quenching epoch, with stellar density most likely having nothing directly to do with cessation of star formation.

THE CHANDRA PLANETARY NEBULA SURVEY (ChanPlaNS). III. X-RAY EMISSION FROM THE CENTRAL STARS OF PLANETARY NEBULAE

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

Montez, R. Jr.; Kastner, J. H.; Freeman, M.

2015-02-10

We present X-ray spectral analysis of 20 point-like X-ray sources detected in Chandra Planetary Nebula Survey observations of 59 planetary nebulae (PNe) in the solar neighborhood. Most of these 20 detections are associated with luminous central stars within relatively young, compact nebulae. The vast majority of these point-like X-ray-emitting sources at PN cores display relatively ''hard'' (≥0.5 keV) X-ray emission components that are unlikely to be due to photospheric emission from the hot central stars (CSPN). Instead, we demonstrate that these sources are well modeled by optically thin thermal plasmas. From the plasma properties, we identify two classes of CSPN X-raymore » emission: (1) high-temperature plasmas with X-ray luminosities, L {sub X}, that appear uncorrelated with the CSPN bolometric luminosity, L {sub bol} and (2) lower-temperature plasmas with L {sub X}/L {sub bol} ∼ 10{sup –7}. We suggest these two classes correspond to the physical processes of magnetically active binary companions and self-shocking stellar winds, respectively. In many cases this conclusion is supported by corroborative multiwavelength evidence for the wind and binary properties of the PN central stars. By thus honing in on the origins of X-ray emission from PN central stars, we enhance the ability of CSPN X-ray sources to constrain models of PN shaping that invoke wind interactions and binarity.« less

Compact "diode-based" multi-energy soft x-ray diagnostic for NSTX.

PubMed

Tritz, K; Clayton, D J; Stutman, D; Finkenthal, M

2012-10-01

A novel and compact, diode-based, multi-energy soft x-ray (ME-SXR) diagnostic has been developed for the National Spherical Tokamak Experiment. The new edge ME-SXR system tested on NSTX consists of a set of vertically stacked diode arrays, each viewing the plasma tangentially through independent pinholes and filters providing an overlapping view of the plasma midplane which allows simultaneous SXR measurements with coarse sub-sampling of the x-ray spectrum. Using computed x-ray spectral emission data, combinations of filters can provide fast (>10 kHz) measurements of changes in the electron temperature and density profiles providing a method to "fill-in" the gaps of the multi-point Thomson scattering system.

The mm-wave compact component of an AGN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behar, Ehud; Vogel, Stuart; Baldi, Ranieri D.; Smith, Krista L.; Mushotzky, Richard F.

2018-07-01

mm-wave emission from active galactic nuclei (AGNs) may hold the key to understanding the physical origin of their radio cores. The correlation between radio/mm and X-ray luminosity may suggest a similar physical origin of the two sources. Since synchrotron self-absorption decreases with frequency, mm-waves probe smaller length-scales than cm-waves. We report on 100 GHz (3 mm) observations with the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy of 26 AGNs selected from the hard X-ray Swift/Burst Alert Telescope survey. 20/26 targets were detected at 100 GHz down to the 1 mJy (3σ) sensitivity, which corresponds to optically thick synchrotron source sizes of 10-4-10-3 pc. Most sources show a 100 GHz flux excess with respect to the spectral slope extrapolated from low frequencies. This mm spectral component likely originates from smaller scales than the few-GHz emission. The measured mm sources lie roughly around the Lmm (100 GHz) ˜10-4LX (2-10 keV) relation, similar to a few previously published X-ray selected sources, and hinting perhaps at a common coronal origin.

The mm-wave compact component of AGN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behar, Ehud; Vogel, Stuart; Baldi, Ranieri D.; Smith, Krista L.; Mushotzky, Richard F.

2018-05-01

mm-wave emission from Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) may hold the key to understanding the physical origin of their radio cores. The correlation between radio/mm and X-ray luminosity may suggest a similar physical origin of the two sources. Since synchrotron self absorption decreases with frequency, mm-waves probe smaller length scales than cm-waves. We report on 100 GHz (3 mm) observations with CARMA of 26 AGNs selected from the hard X-ray Swift/BAT survey. 20/26 targets were detected at 100 GHz down to the 1 mJy (3σ) sensitivity, which corresponds to optically thick synchrotron source sizes of 10-4 - 10-3 pc. Most sources show a 100 GHz flux excess with respect to the spectral slope extrapolated from low frequencies. This mm spectral component likely originates from smaller scales than the few-GHz emission. The measured mm sources lie roughly around the Lmm (100 GHz) ˜10-4LX (2-10 keV) relation, similar to a few previously published X-ray selected sources, and hinting perhaps at a common coronal origin.

Topics in gamma ray astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramaty, R.; Lingenfelter, R. E.

1986-01-01

Observations of gamma rays from solar flares, gamma ray bursts, the Galactic center, galactic nucleosynthesis, SS433, and Cygnus X-3, and their effects on astrophysical problems are discussed. It is observed that gamma ray spectra from solar flares are applicable to the study of particle acceleration and confinement and the determination of chemical abundances in the solar atmosphere. The gamma ray lines from the compact galactic object SS433 are utilized to examine the acceleration of jets, and analysis of the gamma ray lines of Cygnus X-3 reveal that particles can be accelerated in compact sources to ultrahigh energies.

Laboratory simulation of photoionized plasma among astronomical compact objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujioka, Shinsuke; Yamamoto, Norimasa; Wang, Feilu; Salzmann, David; Li, Yutong; Rhee, Yong-Joo; Nishimura, Hiroaki; Takabe, Hideaki; Mima, Kunioki

2008-11-01

X-ray line emission with several-keV of photon energy was observed from photoionized accreting clouds, for example CYGNUS X-3 and VELA X-1, those are exposed by hard x-ray continuum from the compact objects, such as neutron stars, black holes, or white dwarfs, although accreting clouds are thermally cold. The x-ray continuum-induced line emission gives a good insight to the accreting clouds. We will present a novel laboratory simulation of the photoionized plasma under well-characterized conditions by using high-power laser facility. Blackbody radiator with 500-eV of temperature, as a miniature of a hot compact object, was created.Silicon (Si) plasma with 30-eV of electron temperature was produced in the vicinity of the 0.5-keV blackbody radiator. Line emissions of lithium- and helium-like Si ions was clearly observed around 2-keV of photon-energy from the thermally cold Si plasma, this result is hardly interpreted without consideration of the photoionization. Atomic kinetics code reveals importance of inner-shell ionization directly caused by incoming hard x-rays.

INTEGRAL and XMM-Newton observations of the puzzling binary system LSI +61 303

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chernyakova, Masha; Neronov, A.; Walter, R.

LSI +61° 303 is one of the few X-ray binaries with Be star companion from which both radio and high-energy gamma-ray emission have been observed. We present XMM-Newton and INTE- GRAL observations which reveal variability of the X-ray spectral index of the system. The X-ray spectrum is hard (photon index Γ ≃ 1.5) during the orbital phases of both high and low X-ray flux. However, the spectrum softens at the moment of transition from high to low X-ray state. The spectrum of the system in the hard X-ray band does not reveal the presence of a cut-off (or, at least a spectral break) at 10-60 keV energies, expected if the compact object is an accreting neu- tron star. The observed spectrum and spectral variability can be explained if the compact object in the system is a rotation powered pulsar. In this case the recently found X-ray spectral variability of the system on the several kiloseconds time scale can be explained by the clumpy structure of the Be star disk.

X-ray Follow-ups of XSS J12270-4859: A Low-mass X-ray Binary with Gamma-ray Fermi-LAT Association

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

deMartino, D.; Belloni, T.; Falanga, M.; Papitto, A.; Motta, S.; Pellizzoni, A.; Evangelista, Y.; Piano, G.; Masetti, N.; Mouchet, M.;

Prospect of space-based interferometry at EUV and soft X-ray wavelengths

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welsh, Barry Y.; Chakrabarti, Supriya

1992-01-01

We review the current capabilities of high-resolution, spectroscopic, space-borne instrumentation available for both solar and stellar observations in the EUV and soft X-ray wavelength regimes, and describe the basic design of a compact, all-reflection interferometer based on the spatial heterodyne technique; this is capable of producing a resolving power (lambda/Delta-lambda) of about 20,000 in the 100-200 A region using presently available multilayer optical components. Such an instrument can be readily constructed with existing technology. Due to its small size and lack of moving parts, it is ideally suited to spaceborne applications. Based on best estimates of the efficiency of this instrument at soft X-ray wavelengths, we review the possible use of this high-resolution interferometer in obtaining high-resolution full-disk spectroscopy of the sun. We also discuss its possible use for observations of diffuse sources such as the EUV interstellar background radiation.

Contrast cancellation technique applied to digital x-ray imaging using silicon strip detectors

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

Avila, C.; Lopez, J.; Sanabria, J. C.

2005-12-15

Dual-energy mammographic imaging experimental tests have been performed using a compact dichromatic imaging system based on a conventional x-ray tube, a mosaic crystal, and a 384-strip silicon detector equipped with full-custom electronics with single photon counting capability. For simulating mammal tissue, a three-component phantom, made of Plexiglass, polyethylene, and water, has been used. Images have been collected with three different pairs of x-ray energies: 16-32 keV, 18-36 keV, and 20-40 keV. A Monte Carlo simulation of the experiment has also been carried out using the MCNP-4C transport code. The Alvarez-Macovski algorithm has been applied both to experimental and simulated datamore » to remove the contrast between two of the phantom materials so as to enhance the visibility of the third one.« less

An XMM-Newton and NuSTAR Study of IGR J18214-1318: A Non-pulsating High-mass X-Ray Binary with a Neutron Star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fornasini, Francesca M.; Tomsick, John A.; Bachetti, Matteo; Krivonos, Roman A.; Fürst, Felix; Natalucci, Lorenzo; Pottschmidt, Katja; Wilms, Jörn

2017-05-01

IGR J18214-1318, a Galactic source discovered by the International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory, is a high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) with a supergiant O-type stellar donor. We report on the XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations that were undertaken to determine the nature of the compact object in this system. This source exhibits high levels of aperiodic variability, but no periodic pulsations are detected with a 90% confidence upper limit of 2% fractional rms between 0.00003-88 Hz, a frequency range that includes the typical pulse periods of neutron stars (NSs) in HMXBs (0.1-103 s). Although the lack of pulsations prevents us from definitively identifying the compact object in IGR J18214-1318, the presence of an exponential cutoff with e-folding energy ≲ 30 {keV} in its 0.3-79 keV spectrum strongly suggests that the compact object is an NS. The X-ray spectrum also shows a Fe Kα emission line and a soft excess, which can be accounted for by either a partial-covering absorber with {N}{{H}}≈ {10}23 cm-2, which could be due to the inhomogeneous supergiant wind, or a blackbody component with {kT}={1.74}-0.05+0.04 keV and {R}{BB}≈ 0.3 km, which may originate from NS hot spots. Although neither explanation for the soft excess can be excluded, the former is more consistent with the properties observed in other supergiant HMXBs. We compare IGR J18214-1318 to other HMXBs that lack pulsations or have long pulsation periods beyond the range covered by our observations.

Observational Implications of a Fall-back Crust around a Quark-nova Compact Remnant: Application to AXPs and SGRs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leahy, Denis A.; Ouyed, R.; Niebergal, B.

2006-12-01

Mass is ejected from a quark stars formed by the Quark-Nova process (Ouyed, Dey and Dey, 2002 A&A, 390, L39; Keranen, Ouyed and Jaikumar 2005 ApJ, 681, 485). Some fraction of this ejecta is below escape velocity and falls back toward the compact object. If the magnetic field of the compact object is high enough, the fall-back material forms a shell of iron-rich material which then evolves quasi-statically. We explore the formation and evolution of such a fall-back crust (so-called because the material originates in the crust of the neutron star progenitor to the quark-nova). We find the resulting properites have application to the observed properties of Soft Gamma-ray Repeaters (SGRs) and Anomolous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs). These observed features of SGRs and AXPs are: (i) the two types of bursts (giant and regular); (ii) the spin-up and spin-down episodes during and following the bursts with associated persistant increases in period derivative ; (iii) the energetics of the boxing day burst, SGR1806+20; (iv) the presence of an Iron line as observed in SGR1900+14; (v) the correlation between the far-Infrared and the X-ray fluxes during the bursting episode and the quiescent phase; (vi) the hard X-ray component observed in SGRs during the giant bursts, and (vii) the discrepancy between the ages of SGRs/AXPs and their supernova remnants. We also find a natural evolutionary relationship between SGRs and AXPs in our model which predicts that only the youngest SGRs/AXPs are most likely to exhibit strong bursting. We acknowledge funding for this research from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

New Evidence for a Black Hole in the Compact Binary Cygnus X-3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shrader, Chris R.; Titarchuk, Lev; Shaposhnikov, Nikolai

2010-01-01

The bright and highly variable X-ray and radio source known as Cygnus X-3 was among the first X-ray sources discovered, yet it remains in many ways an enigma. Its known to consist of a massive. Wolf-Rayet primary in an extremely tight orbit with a compact object. Yet one of the most basic of pa.ranietern the mass of the compact object - is not known. Nor is it even clear whether its is a neutron star or a black hole. In this Paper we present our analysis of the broad-band high-energy continua covering a substantial range in luminosity and spectral morphology. We apply these results to a recently identified scaling relationship which has been demonstrated to provide reliable estimates of the compact object mass in a number of accretion powered binaries. This analysis leads us to conclude that the compact object in Cygnus X-3 has a mass greater than 4.2 solar mass thus clearly indicative of a black hole and as such resolving a longstanding issue. The full range of uncertainty in our analysis and from using a. range of recently published distance estimates constrains the compact object mass to lie between 4.2 solar mass and 14.4 solar mass. Our favored estimate, based on a 9.0 kpc distance estimate is approx. l0 solar mass, with the. error margin of 3.2 solar masses. This result may thus pose challenges to shared-envelope evolutionary models of compact binaries. as well as establishing Cygnus X-3 as the first confirmed accretion-powered galactic gamma: ray source.

A compact permanent-magnet system for measuring magnetic circular dichroism in resonant inelastic soft X-ray scattering.

PubMed

Miyawaki, Jun; Suga, Shigemasa; Fujiwara, Hidenori; Niwa, Hideharu; Kiuchi, Hisao; Harada, Yoshihisa

2017-03-01

A compact and portable magnet system for measuring magnetic dichroism in resonant inelastic soft X-ray scattering (SX-RIXS) has been developed at the beamline BL07LSU in SPring-8. A magnetic circuit composed of Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets, which realised ∼0.25 T at the center of an 11 mm gap, was rotatable around the axis perpendicular to the X-ray scattering plane. Using the system, a SX-RIXS spectrum was obtained under the application of the magnetic field at an angle parallel, nearly 45° or perpendicular to the incident X-rays. A dedicated sample stage was also designed to be as compact as possible, making it possible to perform SX-RIXS measurements at arbitrary incident angles by rotating the sample stage in the gap between the magnetic poles. This system enables facile studies of magnetic dichroism in SX-RIXS for various experimental geometries of the sample and the magnetic field. A brief demonstration of the application is presented.

ROSAT: X ray survey of compact groups

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vangorkom, Jacqueline

1993-01-01

This is the final technical report on grant NAG5-1954, which was awarded under the NASA ROSAT Guest Investigator Program to Columbia University. This grant was awarded for a number of projects on two rather different topics: (1) an x-ray survey of compact groups of galaxies; and (2) the fate of gas in merging galaxies. Progress made in these projects is presented.

The Chandra planetary nebula survey (CHANPLANS). II. X-ray emission from compact planetary nebulae

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

Freeman, M.; Kastner, J. H.; Montez, R. Jr.

2014-10-20

We present results from the most recent set of observations obtained as part of the Chandra X-ray observatory Planetary Nebula Survey (CHANPLANS), the first comprehensive X-ray survey of planetary nebulae (PNe) in the solar neighborhood (i.e., within ∼1.5 kpc of the Sun). The survey is designed to place constraints on the frequency of appearance and range of X-ray spectral characteristics of X-ray-emitting PN central stars and the evolutionary timescales of wind-shock-heated bubbles within PNe. CHANPLANS began with a combined Cycle 12 and archive Chandra survey of 35 PNe. CHANPLANS continued via a Chandra Cycle 14 Large Program which targeted allmore » (24) remaining known compact (R {sub neb} ≲ 0.4 pc), young PNe that lie within ∼1.5 kpc. Results from these Cycle 14 observations include first-time X-ray detections of hot bubbles within NGC 1501, 3918, 6153, and 6369, and point sources in HbDs 1, NGC 6337, and Sp 1. The addition of the Cycle 14 results brings the overall CHANPLANS diffuse X-ray detection rate to ∼27% and the point source detection rate to ∼36%. It has become clearer that diffuse X-ray emission is associated with young (≲ 5 × 10{sup 3} yr), and likewise compact (R {sub neb} ≲ 0.15 pc), PNe with closed structures and high central electron densities (n{sub e} ≳ 1000 cm{sup –3}), and is rarely associated with PNe that show H{sub 2} emission and/or pronounced butterfly structures. Hb 5 is one such exception of a PN with a butterfly structure that hosts diffuse X-ray emission. Additionally, two of the five new diffuse X-ray detections (NGC 1501 and NGC 6369) host [WR]-type central stars, supporting the hypothesis that PNe with central stars of [WR]-type are likely to display diffuse X-ray emission.« less

Small-angle X-ray solution scattering study of the multi-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase complex reveals an elongated and multi-armed particle.

PubMed

Dias, José; Renault, Louis; Pérez, Javier; Mirande, Marc

2013-08-16

In animal cells, nine aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are associated with the three auxiliary proteins p18, p38, and p43 to form a stable and conserved large multi-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase complex (MARS), whose molecular mass has been proposed to be between 1.0 and 1.5 MDa. The complex acts as a molecular hub for coordinating protein synthesis and diverse regulatory signal pathways. Electron microscopy studies defined its low resolution molecular envelope as an overall rather compact, asymmetric triangular shape. Here, we have analyzed the composition and homogeneity of the native mammalian MARS isolated from rabbit liver and characterized its overall internal structure, size, and shape at low resolution by hydrodynamic methods and small-angle x-ray scattering in solution. Our data reveal that the MARS exhibits a much more elongated and multi-armed shape than expected from previous reports. The hydrodynamic and structural features of the MARS are large compared with other supramolecular assemblies involved in translation, including ribosome. The large dimensions and non-compact structural organization of MARS favor a large protein surface accessibility for all its components. This may be essential to allow structural rearrangements between the catalytic and cis-acting tRNA binding domains of the synthetases required for binding the bulky tRNA substrates. This non-compact architecture may also contribute to the spatiotemporal controlled release of some of its components, which participate in non-canonical functions after dissociation from the complex.

Picosecond, tunable, high-brightness hard x-ray inverse Compton source at Duke storage ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Litvinenko, Vladimir N.; Wu, Ying; Burnham, Bentley; Barnett, Genevieve A.; Madey, John M. J.

1995-09-01

We suggest a state-of-the art x-ray source using a compact electron storage ring with modest energy (less than 1 GeV) and a high power mm-wave as an undulator. A source of this type has x-ray energies and brightness comparable with third generation synchrotron light sources while it can be very compact and fit in a small university or industrial laboratory or hospital. We propose to operate an isochronous mm-wave FEL and a hard x-ray inverse Compton source at the Duke storage ring to test this concept. Resonant FEL conditions for the mm- wave will be provided by the off-axis interaction with an electromagnetic wave. A special optical resonator with holes for the e-beam is proposed for pumping a hard x-ray inverse Compton source with very high brightness. Simulation results of mm-wave FEL operation of the Duke storage ring are discussed. Expected performance of mm-wave FEL and hard x-ray inverse Compton source are presented.

High repetition rate compact source of nanosecond pulses of 5-100 keV x-ray photons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khacef, A.; Viladrosa, R.; Cachoncinlle, C.; Robert, E.; Pouvesle, J. M.

1997-06-01

A powerful, compact, and repetitive flash x-ray system based on a cable transformer technology powered by ceramic capacitors in a Blumlein-like configuration has been developed. Open circuit voltages in excess of 100 kV can be achieved while commutation occurs at low voltage (<20 kV). The x-ray emission from a low impedance x-ray diode with a hollow cathode configuration was observed under a wide range of experimental conditions. The critical parameters limiting the flash x-ray performances are mainly the pressure in the x-ray diode and the anode-cathode space. This true table top device is able to produce doses up to 1 R per shot, measured at the output window, of x-rays between 5 and 100 keV. The pulse widths were about 20 ns and the maximum repetition rate was about 60 Hz. Operation is possible in air or in other gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, H2, N2) at pressures varying from 10-3 mbar for xenon to about 1 mbar for helium.

Simulating the X-ray luminosity of Be X-ray binaries: the case for black holes versus neutron stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, R. O.; Ho, W. C. G.; Coe, M. J.; Okazaki, A. T.

2018-04-01

There are over 100 Be stars that are known to have neutron star companions but only one such system with a black hole. Previous theoretical work suggests this is not due to their formation but due to differences in X-ray luminosity. It has also been proposed that the truncation of the Be star's circumstellar disc is dependent on the mass of the compact object. Hence, Be star discs in black hole binaries are smaller. Since accretion onto the compact object from the Be star's disc is what powers the X-ray luminosity, a smaller disc in black hole systems leads to a lower luminosity. In this paper, simulations are performed with a range of eccentricities and compact object mass. The disc's size and density are shown to be dependent on both quantities. Mass capture and, in turn, X-ray luminosity are heavily dependent on the size and density of the disc. Be/black hole binaries are expected to be up to ˜10 times fainter than Be/neutron star binaries when both systems have the same eccentricity and can be 100 times fainter when comparing systems with different eccentricity.

The Accreting Black Hole Swift J1753.5-0127 from Radio to Hard X-Ray

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomsick, John A.; Rahoui, Farid; Kolehmainen, Mari; Miller-Jones, James; Fürst, Felix; Yamaoka, Kazutaka; Akitaya, Hiroshi; Corbel, Stéphane; Coriat, Mickael; Done, Chris; Gandhi, Poshak; Harrison, Fiona A.; Huang, Kuiyun; Kaaret, Philip; Kalemci, Emrah; Kanda, Yuka; Migliari, Simone; Miller, Jon M.; Moritani, Yuki; Stern, Daniel; Uemura, Makoto; Urata, Yuji

2015-07-01

We report on multiwavelength measurements of the accreting black hole Swift J1753.5-0127 in the hard state at low luminosity (L ˜ 2.7 × 1036 erg s-1 assuming a distance of d = 3 kpc) in 2014 April. The radio emission is optically thick synchrotron, presumably from a compact jet. We take advantage of the low extinction (E(B-V)=0.45 from earlier work) and model the near-IR to UV emission with a multitemperature disk model. Assuming a black hole mass of MBH = 5 M⊙ and a system inclination of i = 40°, the fits imply an inner radius for the disk of Rin/Rg > 212d3(MBH/5 M⊙)-1, where Rg is the gravitational radius of the black hole and d3 is the distance to the source in units of 3 kpc. The outer radius is Rout/Rg=90,000 d3(MBH/5 M⊙)-1, which corresponds to 6.6 × 1010 d3 cm, consistent with the expected size of the disk given previous measurements of the size of the companion's Roche lobe. The 0.5-240 keV energy spectrum measured by Swift/X-ray Telescope (XRT), Suzaku (XIS, PIN, and GSO), and Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array is relatively well characterized by an absorbed power law with a photon index of Γ = 1.722 ± 0.003 (90% confidence error), but a significant improvement is seen when a second continuum component is added. Reflection is a possibility, but no iron line is detected, implying a low iron abundance. We are able to fit the entire (radio to 240 keV) spectral energy distribution (SED) with a multitemperature disk component, a Comptonization component, and a broken power law, representing the emission from the compact jet. The broken power law cannot significantly contribute to the soft X-ray emission, and this may be related to why Swift J1753.5-0127 is an outlier in the radio/X-ray correlation. The broken power law (i.e., the jet) might dominate above 20 keV, which would constrain the break frequency to be between 2.4 × 1010 and 3.6 × 1012 Hz. Although the fits to the full SED do not include significant thermal emission in the X-ray band, previous observations have consistently seen such a component, and we find that there is evidence at the 3.1σ level for a disk-blackbody component with a temperature of {{kT}}{in}={150}-20+30 eV and an inner radius of 5Rg-14Rg. If this component is real, it might imply the presence of an inner optically thick accretion disk in addition to the strongly truncated (Rin> 212Rg) disk. We also perform X-ray timing analysis, and the power spectrum is dominated by a Lorentzian component with νmax = 0.110 ± 0.003 Hz and νmax = 0.16 ± 0.04 Hz as measured by XIS and XRT, respectively.

Multiwavelength analysis of the Lyman-α emitting galaxy Haro 2: relation between the diffuse Lyman-α and soft X-ray emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otí-Floranes, H.; Mas-Hesse, J. M.; Jiménez-Bailón, E.; Schaerer, D.; Hayes, M.; Östlin, G.; Atek, H.; Kunth, D.

2012-10-01

Context. Lyman-α emission is commonly used as star formation tracer in cosmological studies. Nevertheless, resonant scattering strongly affects the resulting luminosity, leading to variable and unpredictable escape fractions in different objects. Aims: To understand how the Lyα escape fraction depends on the properties of the star-forming regions, we need high spatial resolution multiwavelength studies of nearby Lyα emitters, like Haro 2. Methods: We study the Lyα emission of Haro 2 in connection with the properties of the young stellar population, the characteristics of the interstellar medium, the distribution and intensity of the Balmer emission lines and the properties of the X-ray emission. We have used HST-STIS spectral images along the major and minor axes of Haro 2 to characterize the Lyα emission, as well as FOC UV, WFPC-2 optical and NICMOS near infrared broadband-filter images to analyze the properties of the stellar population. WFPC-2 Hα image and ground-based spectroscopy allow us to study the Balmer emission lines. Finally, Chandra/ACIS X-ray images provide resolved distribution of the X-ray emission at various energy bands. The observational data are analyzed by comparison with the predictions from evolutionary synthesis models to constrain the properties of the star formation episode. Results: The UV, Hα and far infrared luminosities of the Haro 2 nuclear starburst are well reproduced assuming a young stellar population with ages ~3.5-5.0 Myr, affected by differential intestellar extinctions. A significant fraction of the stars are completely obscured in the UV, being identifiable only indirectly by their contribution to the ionization of the gas and to the far infrared emission. The diffuse soft X-ray emission extending over the whole source is attributed to gas heated by the mechanical energy released by the starburst. A compact hard X-ray emission (likely an UltraLuminous X-ray source) has been identified in a star-forming condensation to the southeast. Both compact and diffuse Lyα emission components are observed along the major and minor axes in STIS spectral images. Lyα is spatially decoupled from Balmer lines emission, Balmer decrement and UV continuum. However, the diffuse Lyα component is spatially correlated with the diffuse soft X-ray emission. Moreover, unlike the compact Lyα emission, diffuse Lyα shows luminosities larger than predicted from Hα, assuming case B recombination and considering the dust extinction as derived from Hα/Hβ. Conclusions: The Lyα emission closely associated to the massive stellar clusters is strongly affected by the properties of the surrounding neutral gas (presence of outflows, dust abundance), leading to even a range of escape fractions at different locations within the same starburst. On the other hand, we propose that the diffuse Lyα emission originates in gas ionized by the hot plasma responsible for the soft X-ray radiation, as suggested by their spatial correlation and by the measured L(Hα)/L0.4-2.4 keV ratios. Calibration of Lyα as star formation rate tracer should therefore include both effects (destruction vs. enhancement) to avoid biases in the study of galaxies at cosmological distances.

High speed x-ray beam chopper

DOEpatents

McPherson, Armon; Mills, Dennis M.

2002-01-01

A fast, economical, and compact x-ray beam chopper with a small mass and a small moment of inertia whose rotation can be synchronized and phase locked to an electronic signal from an x-ray source and be monitored by a light beam is disclosed. X-ray bursts shorter than 2.5 microseconds have been produced with a jitter time of less than 3 ns.

Compact energy dispersive X-ray microdiffractometer for diagnosis of neoplastic tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sosa, C.; Malezan, A.; Poletti, M. E.; Perez, R. D.

2017-08-01

An energy dispersive X-ray microdiffractometer with capillary optics has been developed for characterizing breast cancer. The employment of low divergence capillary optics helps to reduce the setup size to a few centimeters, while providing a lateral spatial resolution of 100 μm. The system angular calibration and momentum transfer resolution were assessed by a detailed study of a polycrystalline reference material. The performance of the system was tested by means of the analysis of tissue-equivalent samples previously characterized by conventional X-ray diffraction. In addition, a simplified correction model for an appropriate comparison of the diffraction spectra was developed and validated. Finally, the system was employed to evaluate normal and neoplastic human breast samples, in order to determine their X-ray scatter signatures. The initial results indicate that the use of this compact energy dispersive X-ray microdiffractometer combined with a simplified correction procedure is able to provide additional information to breast cancer diagnosis.

Swift/BAT Detects Increase in Hard X-ray Emission from the Ultra-compact X-ray Binary 4U 1543-624

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ludlam, Renee; Miller, Jon M.; Miller-Jones, James; Reynolds, Mark

2017-08-01

The Swift/BAT detected an increase in hard X-ray emission (15-50 keV) coming from the ultra-compact X-ray binary 4U 1543-624 around 2017 August 9. The MAXI daily monitoring also shows a gradual increase in 2.0-20.0 keV X-ray intensity as of 2017 August 19. Swift/XRT ToO monitoring of the source was triggered and shows an increase in unabsorbed flux to 1.06E-9 ergs/cm2/s in the 0.3-10.0 keV energy band as of 2017 August 26. ATCA performed ToO observations for approximately 4 hours in the 5.5 GHz and 9.0 GHz bands while the antennas were in the 1.5A array configuration from 11:25-16:09 UTC on 2017 August 23. The source was not detected in either band.

First X-ray Observations of the Young Pulsar J1357-6429

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zavlin, Vyacheslav E.

2007-01-01

The first short Chandra and XMM-Newton observations of the young and energetic pulsar J1357-6429 provided strong indications of a tail-like pulsar-wind nebula associated with this object, as well as strong pulsations of its X-ray flux with a pulsed fraction above 40% and a thermal component dominating at lower photon energies (below 2 keV). The elongated nebular is very compact in size. about 1" x 1.5" and might be interpreted as a pulsar jet. The thermal radiation is most plausibly emitted from the entire neutron star surface of an effective temperature about 1 MK covered with a magnetized hydrogen atmosphere At higher energies the pulsar's emission is of a nonthermal (magnetospheric) origin, with a power-law spectrum of a photon index Gamma approx. equals 1.1. This makes the X-ray properties of PSR J1357-6429 very similar to those of the youngest pulsars J1119-6127 and Vela with a detected thermal radiation.

Quasiperiodic Oscillations in X-ray Binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Klis, M.; Murdin, P.

2000-11-01

The term quasiperiodic oscillation (QPO) is used in high-energy astrophysics for any type of non-periodic variability that is constrained to a relatively narrow range of variability frequencies. X-RAY BINARIES are systems in which a `compact object', either a BLACK HOLE or a NEUTRON STAR, orbits a normal star and captures matter from it. The matter spirals down to the compact object and heats up ...

The Multi-Spectral Solar Telescope Array. II - Soft X-ray/EUV reflectivity of the multilayer mirrors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbee, Troy W., Jr.; Weed, J. W.; Hoover, Richard B. C., Jr.; Allen, Max J.; Lindblom, Joakim F.; O'Neal, Ray H.; Kankelborg, Charles C.; Deforest, Craig E.; Paris, Elizabeth S.; Walker, Arthur B. C.

1992-01-01

We have developed seven compact soft X-ray/EUV (XUV) multilayer coated and two compact FUV interference film coated Cassegrain and Ritchey-Chretien telescopes for a rocket borne observatory, the Multi-Spectral Solar Telescope Array. We report here on extensive measurements of the efficiency and spectral bandpass of the XUV telescopes carried out at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory.

The MXT X-Ray Telescope on Board the SVOM Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Götz, D.

2016-10-01

We present the Microchannel X-ray Telescope to be flown on the SVOM mission. The MXT telescope is a compact an light focussing X-ray (0.2-10 keV) instrument based on the coupling of a micropore optics in a narrow field "Lobster -Eye" and a pn CCD.

Time-dependent spherically symmetric accretion onto compact X-ray sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowie, L. L.; Ostriker, J. P.; Stark, A. A.

1978-01-01

Analytical arguments and a numerical hydrodynamic code are used to investigate spherically symmetric accretion onto a compact object, in an attempt to provide some insight into gas flows heated by an outgoing X-ray flux. It is shown that preheating of spherically symmetric accretion flows by energetic radiation from an X-ray source results in time-dependent behavior for a much wider range of source parameters than was determined previously and that there are two distinct types of instability. The results are compared with observations of X-ray bursters and transients as well as with theories on quasars and active galactic nuclei that involve quasi-spherically symmetric accretion onto massive black holes. Models based on spherically symmetric accretion are found to be inconsistent with observations of bursters and transients.

Dark jets in the soft X-ray state of black hole binaries?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drappeau, S.; Malzac, J.; Coriat, M.; Rodriguez, J.; Belloni, T. M.; Belmont, R.; Clavel, M.; Chakravorty, S.; Corbel, S.; Ferreira, J.; Gandhi, P.; Henri, G.; Petrucci, P.-O.

2017-04-01

X-ray binary observations led to the interpretation that powerful compact jets, produced in the hard state, are quenched when the source transitions to its soft state. The aim of this paper is to discuss the possibility that a powerful dark jet is still present in the soft state. Using the black hole X-ray binaries GX339-4 and H1743-322 as test cases, we feed observed X-ray power density spectra in the soft state of these two sources to an internal shock jet model. Remarkably, the predicted radio emission is consistent with current upper limits. Our results show that for these two sources, a compact dark jet could persist in the soft state with no major modification of its kinetic power compared to the hard state.

A Compact Soft X-Ray Microscope using an Electrode-less Z-Pinch Source.

PubMed

Horne, S F; Silterra, J; Holber, W

2009-01-01

Soft X-rays (< 1Kev) are of medical interest both for imaging and microdosimetry applications. X-ray sources at this low energy present a technological challenge. Synchrotrons, while very powerful and flexible, are enormously expensive national research facilities. Conventional X-ray sources based on electron bombardment can be compact and inexpensive, but low x-ray production efficiencies at low electron energies restrict this approach to very low power applications. Laser-based sources tend to be expensive and unreliable. Energetiq Technology, Inc. (Woburn, MA, USA) markets a 92 eV, 10W(2pi sr) electrode-less Z-pinch source developed for advanced semiconductor lithography. A modified version of this commercial product has produced 400 mW at 430 eV (2pi sr), appropriate for water window soft X-ray microscopy. The US NIH has funded Energetiq to design and construct a demonstration microscope using this source, coupled to a condenser optic, as the illumination system. The design of the condenser optic matches the unique characteristics of the source to the illumination requirements of the microscope, which is otherwise a conventional design. A separate program is underway to develop a microbeam system, in conjunction with the RARAF facility at Columbia University, NY, USA. The objective is to develop a focused, sub-micron beam capable of delivering > 1 Gy/second to the nucleus of a living cell. While most facilities of this type are coupled to a large and expensive particle accelerator, the Z-pinch X-ray source enables a compact, stand-alone design suitable to a small laboratory. The major technical issues in this system involve development of suitable focusing X-ray optics. Current status of these programs will be reported.

A Compact Soft X-Ray Microscope using an Electrode-less Z-Pinch Source

PubMed Central

Silterra, J; Holber, W

2009-01-01

Soft X-rays (< 1Kev) are of medical interest both for imaging and microdosimetry applications. X-ray sources at this low energy present a technological challenge. Synchrotrons, while very powerful and flexible, are enormously expensive national research facilities. Conventional X-ray sources based on electron bombardment can be compact and inexpensive, but low x-ray production efficiencies at low electron energies restrict this approach to very low power applications. Laser-based sources tend to be expensive and unreliable. Energetiq Technology, Inc. (Woburn, MA, USA) markets a 92 eV, 10W(2pi sr) electrode-less Z-pinch source developed for advanced semiconductor lithography. A modified version of this commercial product has produced 400 mW at 430 eV (2pi sr), appropriate for water window soft X-ray microscopy. The US NIH has funded Energetiq to design and construct a demonstration microscope using this source, coupled to a condenser optic, as the illumination system. The design of the condenser optic matches the unique characteristics of the source to the illumination requirements of the microscope, which is otherwise a conventional design. A separate program is underway to develop a microbeam system, in conjunction with the RARAF facility at Columbia University, NY, USA. The objective is to develop a focused, sub-micron beam capable of delivering > 1 Gy/second to the nucleus of a living cell. While most facilities of this type are coupled to a large and expensive particle accelerator, the Z-pinch X-ray source enables a compact, stand-alone design suitable to a small laboratory. The major technical issues in this system involve development of suitable focusing X-ray optics. Current status of these programs will be reported. PMID:20198115

Late-time X-ray signatures of compact binary mergers: potential counterparts of gravitational wave events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanvir, Nial

2017-09-01

Merging compact binaries (NS-NS or NS-BH) offer the best prospects for detection of EM signals accompanying gravitational wave (GW) events. They may be seen as bright short-GRBs (SGRBs), but this is likely to be rare due to beaming. Alternatively, more isotropic near-IR emission is predicted to result from the 'kilonova' produced by radioactive decay of neutron star ejecta. However, recent XMM observations have shown unexplained excess X-ray emission several days post-burst in two low-z SGRBs. This may indicate ongoing engine activity which both enhances the nIR emission, and crucially provides a potential new isotropic X-ray signature of compact binary mergers. We propose a detailed study of a further z<0.35 SGRB, to explore this phenomenon and inform future searches for GW counterparts.

Hydrodynamic simulations of stellar wind disruption by a compact X-ray source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blondin, John M.; Kallman, Timothy R.; Fryxell, Bruce A.; Taam, Ronald E.

1990-01-01

This paper presents two-dimensional numerical simulations of the gas flow in the orbital plane of a massive X-ray binary system, in which the mass accretion is fueled by a radiation-driven wind from an early-type companion star. These simulations are used to examine the role of the compact object (either a neutron star or a black hole) in disturbing the radiatively accelerating wind of the OB companion, with an emphasis on understanding the origin of the observed soft X-ray photoelectric absorption seen at late orbital phases in these systems. On the basis of these simulations, it is suggested that the phase-dependent photoelectric absorption seen in several of these systems can be explained by dense filaments of compressend gas formed in the nonsteady accreation bow shock and wake of the compact object.

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

Lucia, M., E-mail: mlucia@pppl.gov; Kaita, R.; Majeski, R.

The Materials Analysis and Particle Probe (MAPP) is a compact in vacuo surface science diagnostic, designed to provide in situ surface characterization of plasma facing components in a tokamak environment. MAPP has been implemented for operation on the Lithium Tokamak Experiment at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), where all control and analysis systems are currently under development for full remote operation. Control systems include vacuum management, instrument power, and translational/rotational probe drive. Analysis systems include onboard Langmuir probes and all components required for x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, low-energy ion scattering spectroscopy, direct recoil spectroscopy, and thermal desorption spectroscopy surface analysis techniques.

Miniaturized, High-Speed, Modulated X-Ray Source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gendreau, Keith; Arzoumanian, Zaven; Kenyon, Steve; Spartana, Nick

2013-01-01

A low-cost, miniature x-ray source has been developed that can be modulated in intensity from completely off to full intensity on nanosecond timescales. This modulated x-ray source (MXS) has no filaments and is extremely rugged. The energy level of the MXS is adjustable from 0 to more than 100 keV. It can be used as the core of many new devices, providing the first practical, arbitrarily time-variable source of x-rays. The high-speed switching capability and miniature size make possible many new technologies including x-ray-based communication, compact time-resolved x-ray diffraction, novel x-ray fluorescence instruments, and low- and precise-dose medical x-rays. To make x-rays, the usual method is to accelerate electrons into a target material held at a high potential. When the electrons stop in the target, x-rays are produced with a spectrum that is a function of the target material and the energy to which the electrons are accelerated. Most commonly, the electrons come from a hot filament. In the MXS, the electrons start off as optically driven photoelectrons. The modulation of the x-rays is then tied to the modulation of the light that drives the photoelectron source. Much of the recent development has consisted of creating a photoelectrically-driven electron source that is robust, low in cost, and offers high intensity. For robustness, metal photocathodes were adopted, including aluminum and magnesium. Ultraviolet light from 255- to 350-nm LEDs (light emitting diodes) stimulated the photoemissions from these photocathodes with an efficiency that is maximized at the low-wavelength end (255 nm) to a value of roughly 10(exp -4). The MXS units now have much higher brightness, are much smaller, and are made using a number of commercially available components, making them extremely inexpensive. In the latest MXS design, UV efficiency is addressed by using a high-gain electron multiplier. The photocathode is vapor-deposited onto the input cone of a Burle Magnum(TradeMark) multiplier. This system yields an extremely robust photon-driven electron source that can tolerate long, weeks or more, exposure to air with negligible degradation. The package is also small. When combined with the electron target, necessary vacuum fittings, and supporting components (but not including LED electronics or high-voltage sources), the entire modulated x-ray source weighs as little as 158 grams.

Simulation of a compact analyzer-based imaging system with a regular x-ray source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caudevilla, Oriol; Zhou, Wei; Stoupin, Stanislav; Verman, Boris; Brankov, J. G.

2017-03-01

Analyzer-based Imaging (ABI) belongs to a broader family of phase-contrast (PC) X-ray techniques. PC measures X-ray deflection phenomena when interacting with a sample, which is known to provide higher contrast images of soft tissue than other X-ray methods. This is of high interest in the medical field, in particular for mammogram applications. This paper presents a simulation tool for table-top ABI systems using a conventional polychromatic X-ray source.

The Symbiotic System SS73 17 seen with Suzaku

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Randall K.; Mushotzky, Richard; Kallman, Tim; Tueller, Jack; Mukai, Koji; Markwardt, Craig

2007-01-01

We observed with Suzaku the symbiotic star SS73 17, motivated by the discovery by the INTEGRAL satellite and the Swift BAT survey that it emits hard X-rays. Our observations showed a highly-absorbed X-ray spectrum with NH > loz3 emp2, equivalent to Av > 26, although the source has B magnitude 11.3 and is also bright in UV. The source also shows strong, narrow iron lines including fluorescent Fe K as well as Fe xxv and Fe XXVI. The X-ray spectrum can be fit with a thermal model including an absorption component that partially covers the source. Most of the equivalent width of the iron fluorescent line in this model can be explained as a combination of reprocessing in a dense absorber plus reflection off a white dwarf surface, but it is likely that the continuum is partially seen in reflection as well. Unlike other symbiotic systems that show hard X-ray emission (CH Cyg, RT Cru, T CrB, GX1+4), SS73 17 is not known to have shown nova-like optical variability, X-ray flashes, or pulsations, and has always shown faint soft X-ray emission. As a result, although it is likely a white dwarf, the nature of the compact object in SS73 17 is still uncertain. SS73 17 is probably an extreme example of the recently discovered and relatively small class of hard X-ray emitting symbiotic systems.

DNA-controlled assembly of a NaTl lattice structure from gold nanoparticles and protein nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cigler, Petr; Lytton-Jean, Abigail K. R.; Anderson, Daniel G.; Finn, M. G.; Park, Sung Yong

2010-11-01

The formation of diamond structures from tailorable building blocks is an important goal in colloidal crystallization because the non-compact diamond lattice is an essential component of photonic crystals for the visible-light range. However, designing nanoparticle systems that self-assemble into non-compact structures has proved difficult. Although several methods have been proposed, single-component nanoparticle assembly of a diamond structure has not been reported. Binary systems, in which at least one component is arranged in a diamond lattice, provide alternatives, but control of interparticle interactions is critical to this approach. DNA has been used for this purpose in a number of systems. Here we show the creation of a non-compact lattice by DNA-programmed crystallization using surface-modified Qβ phage capsid particles and gold nanoparticles, engineered to have similar effective radii. When combined with the proper connecting oligonucleotides, these components form NaTl-type colloidal crystalline structures containing interpenetrating organic and inorganic diamond lattices, as determined by small-angle X-ray scattering. DNA control of assembly is therefore shown to be compatible with particles possessing very different properties, as long as they are amenable to surface modification.

Compact low-noise preamplifier for noise spectroscopy with biased photodiodes in cargo inspection systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benetti, Bob; Langeveld, Willem G. J.

2013-09-01

Noise Spectroscopy, a.k.a. Z-determination by Statistical Count-rate ANalysis (Z-SCAN), is a statistical technique to determine a quantity called the "noise figure" from digitized waveforms of pulses of transmitted x-rays in cargo inspection systems. Depending only on quantities related to the x-ray energies, it measures a characteristic of the transmitted x-ray spectrum, which depends on the atomic number, Z, of the material penetrated. The noise figure can thus be used for material separation. In an 80-detector prototype, scintillators are used with large-area photodiodes biased at 80V and digitized using 50-MSPS 12-bit ADC boards. We present an ultra-compact low-noise preamplifier design, with one high-gain and one low-gain channel per detector for improved dynamic range. To achieve adequate detection sensitivity and spatial resolution each dual-gain preamplifier channel must fit within a 12.7 mm wide circuit board footprint and maintain adequate noise immunity to conducted and radiated interference from adjacent channels. The novel design included iterative SPICE analysis of transient response, dynamic range, frequency response, and noise analysis to optimize the selection and configuration of amplifiers and filter response. We discuss low-noise active and passive components and low-noise techniques for circuit board layout that are essential to achieving the design goals, and how the completed circuit board performed in comparison to the predicted responses.

Attenuation characteristics of fiberoptic plates for digital mammography and other X-ray imaging applications.

PubMed

Vedantham, S; Karellas, A; Suryanarayanan, S

2003-01-01

Spatially coherent fiberoptic plates are important components of some charge-coupled device (CCD)-based x-ray imaging systems. These plates efficiently transmit scintillations from the phosphor, and also filter out x-rays not absorbed by the phosphor, thus protecting the CCD from direct x-ray interaction. The thickness of the fiberoptic plate and the CCD package present a significant challenge in the design of a digital x-ray cassette capable of insertion into the existing film-screen cassette holders of digital mammography systems. This study was performed with an aim to optimize fiberoptic plate thickness. Attenuation measurements were performed on nine fiberoptic plates varying in material composition that exhibit desirable optical characteristics such as good coupling efficiency. Mammographic spectra from a clinical mammographic system and an Americium-241 (Am-241) source (59.54 KeV) were used. The spectra were recorded with a high-resolution cadmium zinc telluride (CZT)-based spectrometer and corrected for dead time and pile-up. The linear attenuation coefficients varied by a factor of 3 in the set of tested fiberoptic plates at both mammographic energies and 59.54 keV. Our results suggest that a 3-mm thick high-absorption plate might provide adequate for shielding at mammographic energies. A thickness of 2-mm is feasible for mammographic applications with further optimization of the fiberoptic plate composition by incorporating non-scintillating, high-atomic number material. This would allow more space for cooling components of the cassette and for a more compact device, which is critical for clinical implementation of the technology.

X-ray Diffraction, Big and Small

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-10-30

A conventional X-ray diffraction instrument left is the size of a large refrigerator, in contrast to the compact size of the Chemistry and Mineralogy CheMin instrument on NASA Curiosity rover top right.

Mono-energy coronary angiography with a compact light source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eggl, Elena; Mechlem, Korbinian; Braig, Eva; Kulpe, Stephanie; Dierolf, Martin; Günther, Benedikt; Achterhold, Klaus; Herzen, Julia; Gleich, Bernhard; Rummeny, Ernst; Noël, Peter B.; Pfeiffer, Franz; Muenzel, Daniela

2017-03-01

While conventional x-ray tube sources reliably provide high-power x-ray beams for everyday clinical practice, the broad spectra that are inherent to these sources compromise the diagnostic image quality. For a monochromatic x-ray source on the other hand, the x-ray energy can be adjusted to optimal conditions with respect to contrast and dose. However, large-scale synchrotron sources impose high spatial and financial demands, making them unsuitable for clinical practice. During the last decades, research has brought up compact synchrotron sources based on inverse Compton scattering, which deliver a highly brilliant, quasi-monochromatic, tunable x-ray beam, yet fitting into a standard laboratory. One application that could benefit from the invention of these sources in clinical practice is coronary angiography. Being an important and frequently applied diagnostic tool, a high number of complications in angiography, such as renal failure, allergic reaction, or hyperthyroidism, are caused by the large amount of iodine-based contrast agent that is required for achieving sufficient image contrast. Here we demonstrate monochromatic angiography of a porcine heart acquired at the MuCLS, the first compact synchrotron source. By means of a simulation, the CNR in a coronary angiography image achieved with the quasi-mono-energetic MuCLS spectrum is analyzed and compared to a conventional x-ray-tube spectrum. The results imply that the improved CNR achieved with a quasi-monochromatic spectrum can allow for a significant reduction of iodine contrast material.

Small-angle X-ray Solution Scattering Study of the Multi-aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase Complex Reveals an Elongated and Multi-armed particle*

PubMed Central

Dias, José; Renault, Louis; Pérez, Javier; Mirande, Marc

2013-01-01

In animal cells, nine aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are associated with the three auxiliary proteins p18, p38, and p43 to form a stable and conserved large multi-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase complex (MARS), whose molecular mass has been proposed to be between 1.0 and 1.5 MDa. The complex acts as a molecular hub for coordinating protein synthesis and diverse regulatory signal pathways. Electron microscopy studies defined its low resolution molecular envelope as an overall rather compact, asymmetric triangular shape. Here, we have analyzed the composition and homogeneity of the native mammalian MARS isolated from rabbit liver and characterized its overall internal structure, size, and shape at low resolution by hydrodynamic methods and small-angle x-ray scattering in solution. Our data reveal that the MARS exhibits a much more elongated and multi-armed shape than expected from previous reports. The hydrodynamic and structural features of the MARS are large compared with other supramolecular assemblies involved in translation, including ribosome. The large dimensions and non-compact structural organization of MARS favor a large protein surface accessibility for all its components. This may be essential to allow structural rearrangements between the catalytic and cis-acting tRNA binding domains of the synthetases required for binding the bulky tRNA substrates. This non-compact architecture may also contribute to the spatiotemporal controlled release of some of its components, which participate in non-canonical functions after dissociation from the complex. PMID:23836901

Medical X-ray sources now and for the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behling, Rolf

2017-11-01

This paper focuses on the use of X-rays in their largest field of application: medical diagnostic imaging and image-guided therapy. For this purpose, vacuum electronics in the form of X-ray tubes as the source of bremsstrahlung (braking radiation) have been the number one choice for X-ray production in the range of photon energies between about 16 keV for mammography and 150 keV for general radiography. Soft tissue on one end and bony structures on the other are sufficiently transparent and the contrast delivered by difference of absorption is sufficiently high for this spectral range. The dominance of X-ray tubes holds even more than 120 years after Conrad Roentgen's discovery of the bremsstrahlung mechanism. What are the specifics of current X-ray tubes and their medical diagnostic applications? How may the next available technology at or beyond the horizon look like? Can we hope for substantial game changers? Will flat panel sources, less expensive X-ray "LED's", compact X-ray Lasers, compact synchrotrons or equivalent X-ray sources appear in medical diagnostic imaging soon? After discussing the various modalities of imaging systems and their sources of radiation, this overview will briefly touch on the physics of bremsstrahlung generation, key characteristics of X-ray tubes, and material boundary conditions, which restrict performance. It will discuss the deficits of the bremsstrahlung technology and try to sketch future alternatives and their prospects of implementation in medical diagnostics.

Synchrotron hard X-ray imaging of shock-compressed metal powders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rutherford, Michael E.; Chapman, David J.; Collinson, Mark A.; Jones, David R.; Music, Jasmina; Stafford, Samuel J. P.; Tear, Gareth R.; White, Thomas G.; Winters, John B. R.; Drakopoulos, Michael; Eakins, Daniel E.

2015-06-01

This poster will present the application of a new, high-energy (50 to 250 keV) synchrotron X-ray radiography technique to the study of shock-compressed granular materials. Following plate-impact loading, transmission radiography was used to quantitatively observe the compaction and release processes in a range of high-Z metal powders (e.g. Fe, Ni, Cu). By comparing the predictions of 3D numerical models initialized from X-ray tomograms-captured prior to loading-with experimental results, this research represents a new approach to refining mesoscopic compaction models. The authors gratefully acknowledge the ongoing support of Imperial College London, EPSRC, STFC and the Diamond Light Source, and AWE Plc.

Spectral evolution in young active galactic nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boldt, E.; Leiter, D.

1986-01-01

The spectral evolution of AGNs is discussed within the context of a scenario where the cosmic X-ray background (CXB) is dominated by these sources. Attention is draqwn to the fact that the individually observed AGN X-ray spectra are significantly steeper than that of the CXB. The remarkably flat spectrum thereby required for the 'as-yet' unresolved sources of the residual CXB is interpreted as an observational constraint on an earlier stage of AGN evolution. Assuming black hole disk accretion, a picture emerges where young AGNs are compact Eddington limited thermal X-ray sources and where canonical AGNs represent later stages in which they have become appreciably less compact, exhibiting the importance of nonthermal disk-dynamo processes.

Compact gain saturated plasma based X-ray lasers down to 6.9nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rocca, Jorge; Wang, Y.; Wang, S.; Rockwood, A.; Berrill, M.; Shlyaptsev, V.

2017-10-01

Plasma based soft x-ray amplifiers allow many experiments requiring bright, high energy soft x-ray laser pulses to be conducted in compact facilities. We have extended the wavelength of compact gain saturated x-ray lasers to 6.89 nm in a Ni-like Gd plasma generated by a Ti:Sa laser. Gain saturated laser operation was also obtained at 7.36 nm in Ni-like Sm. Isolectronic scaling and optimization of laser pre-pulse duration allowed us to also observe strong lasing at 6.6 nm and 6.1 nm in Ni-like Tb, and amplification at 6.4 nm and 5.89 nm in Ni-like Dy. The results were obtained by transient laser heating of solid targets with traveling wave excitation at progressively increased gracing incidence angles. We show that the optimum pump angle of incidence for collisional Ni-like lasers increases linearly with atomic number from Z =42 to Z =66, reaching 43 degrees for Ni-like Dy, in good agreement with hydrodynamic/atomic physics simulations. These results will enable single-shot nano-scale imaging and other application of sub-7 nm lasers to be performed at compact facilities. Work supported by Grant DE-FG02-4ER15592 of the Department of Energy, Office of Science, and by the National Science Foundation Grant ECCS 1509925.

Uncovering the identities of compact objects in high-mass X-ray binaries and gamma-ray binaries by astrometric measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, M. S.; Yano, T.; Gouda, N.

2018-03-01

We develop a method for identifying a compact object in binary systems with astrometric measurements and apply it to some binaries. Compact objects in some high-mass X-ray binaries and gamma-ray binaries are unknown, which is responsible for the fact that emission mechanisms in such systems have not yet confirmed. The accurate estimate of the mass of the compact object allows us to identify the compact object in such systems. Astrometric measurements are expected to enable us to estimate the masses of the compact objects in the binary systems via a determination of a binary orbit. We aim to evaluate the possibility of the identification of the compact objects for some binary systems. We then calculate probabilities that the compact object is correctly identified with astrometric observation (= confidence level) by taking into account a dependence of the orbital shape on orbital parameters and distributions of masses of white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes. We find that the astrometric measurements with the precision of 70 μas for γ Cas allow us to identify the compact object at 99 per cent confidence level if the compact object is a white dwarf with 0.6 M⊙. In addition, we can identify the compact object with the precision of 10 μas at 97 per cent or larger confidence level for LS I +61° 303 and 99 per cent or larger for HESS J0632+057. These results imply that the astrometric measurements with the 10 μas precision level can realize the identification of compact objects for γ Cas, LS I +61° 303, and HESS J0632+057.

Some Like it Hot: Linking Diffuse X-Ray Luminosity, Baryonic Mass, and Star Formation Rate in Compact Groups of Galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Desjardins, Tyler D.; Gallagher, Sarah C.; Hornschemeier, Ann E.; Mulchaey, John S.; Walker, Lisa May; Brandt, Willian N.; Charlton, Jane C.; Johnson, Kelsey E.; Tzanavaris, Panayiotis

2014-01-01

We present an analysis of the diffuse X-ray emission in 19 compact groups (CGs) of galaxies observed with Chandra. The hottest, most X-ray luminous CGs agree well with the galaxy cluster X-ray scaling relations in L(x-T) and (L(x-sigma), even in CGs where the hot gas is associated with only the brightest galaxy. Using Spitzer photometry, we compute stellar masses and classify Hickson CGs 19, 22, 40, and 42, and RSCGs 32, 44, and 86 as fossil groups using a new definition for fossil systems that includes a broader range of masses. We find that CGs with total stellar and Hi masses are great than or equal to 10(sup (11.3) solar mass are often X-ray luminous, while lower-mass CGs only sometimes exhibit faint, localized X-ray emission. Additionally, we compare the diffuse X-ray luminosity against both the total UV and 24 micron star formation rates of each CG and optical colors of the most massive galaxy in each of the CGs. The most X-ray luminous CGs have the lowest star formation rates, likely because there is no cold gas available for star formation, either because the majority of the baryons in these CGs are in stars or the X-ray halo, or due togas stripping from the galaxies in CGs with hot halos. Finally, the optical colors that trace recent star formation histories of the most massive group galaxies do not correlate with the X-ray luminosities of the CGs, indicating that perhaps the current state of the X-ray halos is independent of the recent history of stellar mass assembly in the most massive galaxies.

Perspectives on Ultraluminous X-ray sources after the discovery of Ultraluminous Pulsars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zampieri, L.; Ambrosi, E.; Fiore, A.; Pintore, F.; Turolla, R.; Israel, GL.; Stella, L.; Casella, P.; Papitto, A.; Rodriguez Castillo, G. A.; De Luca, A.; Tiengo, A.; Belfiore, A.; Esposito, P.; Marelli, M.; Novara, G.; Salvaterra, R.; Salvetti, D.; Mereghetti, S.; Wolter, A.

2017-10-01

Ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) are observationally defined as non-nuclear extragalactic X-ray point sources with inferred (isotropic) luminosity exceeding the Eddington limit for a ˜ 10 M_{⊙} compact object. While in the past few years a certain evidence (and a general consensus) has been gathered in favour of the existence of black hole (BH) remnants in ULXs, the recent discovery of three Ultraluminous X-ray Pulsars has unexpectedly revealed what is likely to be a significant population of neutron star (NS) ULXs. These findings challenge more than ever our present understanding of these sources, their accretion mechanism/history, and their formation pathways. After reviewing some of these intriguing observational facts, we will summarize some perspective studies that we are carrying out to model the multiwavelength variability and broadband spectra of ULXs, including the contribution of an accretion column for NS systems. We derive the luminosity emitted by the latter assuming that a multipolar component dominates the magnetic field close to the NS. The focus is on comparing the simulated multiwavelength emission properties of stellar-mass/massive BHs to those of NS systems, and on confronting the model predictions with the available observations of Pulsar ULXs.

X ray timing observations and gravitational physics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Michelson, Peter F.; Wood, Kent S.

1989-01-01

Photon-rich x ray observations on bright compact galactic sources will make it possible to detect many fast processes that may occur in these systems on millisecond and submillisecond timescales. Many of these processes are of direct relevance to gravitational physics because they arise in regions of strong gravity near neutron stars and black holes where the dynamical timescales for compact objects of stellar mass are milliseconds. To date, such observations have been limited by the detector area and telemetry rates available. However, instruments such as the proposed X ray Large Array (XLA) would achieve collecting areas of about 100 sq m. This instrument has been described elsewhere (Wood and Michelson 1988) and was the subject of a recent prephase A feasibility study at Marshall Space Flight Center. Observations with an XLA class instrument will directly impact five primary areas of astrophysics research: the attempt to detect gravitational radiation, the study of black holes, the physics of mass accretion onto compact objects, the structure of neutron stars and nuclear matter, and the characterization of dark matter in the universe. Those observations are discussed that are most directly relevant to gravitational physics: the search for millisecond x ray pulsars that are potential sources of continuous gravitational radiation; and the use of x ray timing observations to probe the physical conditions in extreme relativistic regions of space near black holes, both stellar-sized and supermassive.

THE PROPER MOTION AND X-RAY ANALYSIS OF THE PULSAR WIND NEBULA, PSR J1741-2054 USING CHANDRA.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auchettl, Katie; Slane, Patrick O.; Romani, Roger W.; Kargaltsev, Oleg; Pavlov, George G.

2014-08-01

A pulsar dissipates its rotational energy by generating relativistic winds, which in turn produces a population of high energy electrons and positions that we observe as a synchrotron emitting nebula. If the pulsar has a high space velocity, the corresponding nebula will have a bow-shock morphology due to the pulsar wind being confined by ram pressure. Pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) provide a good test bed to study the dynamics and interaction of relativistic outflows with their environment and the corresponding shocks that result from these interactions. They can also aid in understanding the evolution of the neutron star and the properties of the local medium with which they are interacting. Here we report on the X-ray analysis of PSR J1741-2054 carried out as a part of the Chandra XVP program (6 ACIS-S observations, totalling ~300 ks over 5 months). By registering this new epoch of observations using X-ray point sources in the field of view to an archival observation taken 3.2 years earlier, we are able to measure the proper motion of the pulsar with >3σ significance. We also investigate the spatial and spectral properties of the pulsar, its compact nebula and extended tail. We find that the compact nebula can be well described with an absorbed power-law with photon index of Γ=1.6+/-0.2, while the tail shows no evidence of variation in the spectral index with the distance from the pulsar. We have also investigated the X-ray spectrum of the neutron star. We find nonthermal emission accompanied by a significant thermal component and will provide constraints on the overall nature of the emission.

Opening the CHOCBOX: clumpy stellar winds in Cyg X-1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grinberg, V.; Uttley, P.; Wilms, J.; Miller-Jones, J.; Pottschmidt, K.; Niu, S.; Hirsch, M.; Chocbox Collaboration

2017-10-01

Winds of O/B-stars are key drivers of enrichment and star formation and evolution. Yet, our understanding of their clumpy structure is limited. Luckily, high mass X-ray binaries, where the compact object accretes from the stellar wind of the companion, are perfect laboratories to study such winds: the X-ray radiation from the vicinity of the compact object is quasi-pointlike and effectively X-rays the clumps crossing the line of sight. We observed the high mass X-ray binary Cyg X-1 with XMM for 7 consecutive days with simultaneous coverage with NuSTAR, INTEGRAL and VLBA. One of our main aims was to probe the wind of the O-type companion in an unprecedented uninterrupted campaign, spanning more than an orbital period and including two superior conjunctions where we expect the densest wind. Here, we present first results from the CHOCBOX (Cyg X-1 Hard state Observations of a Complete Binary Orbit in X-rays) campaign and compare them to previous work, in particular multi-year studies of absorption variability and high resolution snapshots with Chandra-HETG. We argue that the clumps have a complex structure with hotter outer and colder inner layers and are not symmetrical.

Probing the clumpy winds of giant stars with high mass X-ray binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grinberg, Victoria; Hell, Natalie; Hirsch, Maria; Garcia, Javier; Huenemoerder, David; Leutenegger, Maurice A.; Nowak, Michael; Pottschmidt, Katja; Schulz, Norbert S.; Sundqvists, Jon O.; Townsend, Richard D.; Wilms, Joern

2016-04-01

Line-driven winds from early type stars are structured, with small, overdense clumps embedded in tenuous hot gas. High mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs), systems where a neutron star or a black hole accretes from the line-driven stellar wind of an O/B-type companion, are ideal for studying such winds: the wind drives the accretion onto the compact object and thus the X-ray production. The radiation from close to the compact object is quasi-pointlike and effectively X-rays the wind.We used RXTE and Chandra-HETG observations of two of the brightest HMXBs, Cyg X-1 and Vela X-1, to decipher their wind structure. In Cyg X-1, we show that the orbital variability of absorption can be only explained by a clumpy wind model and constrain the porosity of the wind as well as the onion-like structure of the clumps. In Vela X-1 we show, using the newest reference energies for low ionization Si-lines obtained with LLNL’s EBIT-I, that the ionized phase of the circumstellar medium and the cold clumps have different velocities.

The Scientific Potential of X-ray Polarimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fabian, Andrew C.

2016-04-01

X-ray Polarimetry is a rich, untapped source of information on the geometry and/or magnetic structure of a wide range of cosmic object from accreting black holes to jets and neutron stars. This introductory overview will outline the basics of the production of polarized X-ray emission and emphasise its importance in our quest to understand how compact objects work.

The Development of a Simulator System and Hardware Test Bed for Deep Space X-Ray Navigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doyle, Patrick T.

2013-03-01

Currently, there is a considerable interest in developing technologies that will allow using photon measurements from celestial x-ray sources for deep space navigation. The impetus for this is that many envisioned future space missions will require spacecraft to have autonomous navigation capabilities. For missions close to Earth, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as GPS are readily available for use, but for missions far from Earth, other alternatives must be provided. While existing systems such as the Deep Space Network (DSN) can be used, latencies associated with servicing a fleet of vehicles may not be compatible with some autonomous operations requiring timely updates of their navigation solution. Because of their somewhat predictable emissions, pulsars are the ideal candidates for x-ray sources that can be used to provide key parameters for navigation. Algorithms and simulation tools that will enable designing and analyzing x-ray navigation concepts are presented. The development of a compact x-ray detector system is pivotal to the eventual deployment of such navigation systems. Therefore, results of a high altitude balloon test to evaluate the design of a compact x-ray detector system are described as well.

The hypersoft state of Cygnus X-3. A key to jet quenching in X-ray binaries?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koljonen, K. I. I.; Maccarone, T.; McCollough, M. L.; Gurwell, M.; Trushkin, S. A.; Pooley, G. G.; Piano, G.; Tavani, M.

2018-04-01

Context. Cygnus X-3 is a unique microquasar in the Galaxy hosting a Wolf-Rayet companion orbiting a compact object that most likely is a low-mass black hole. The unique source properties are likely due to the interaction of the compact object with the heavy stellar wind of the companion. Aim. In this paper, we concentrate on a very specific period of time prior to the massive outbursts observed from the source. During this period, Cygnus X-3 is in a so-called hypersoft state, in which the radio and hard X-ray fluxes are found to be at their lowest values (or non-detected), the soft X-ray flux is at its highest values, and sporadic γ-ray emission is observed. We use multiwavelength observations to study the nature of the hypersoft state. Methods: We observed Cygnus X-3 during the hypersoft state with Swift and NuSTAR in X-rays and SMA, AMI-LA, and RATAN-600 in the radio. We also considered X-ray monitoring data from MAXI and γ-ray monitoring data from AGILE and Fermi. Results: We found that the spectra and timing properties of the multiwavelength observations can be explained by a scenario in which the jet production is turned off or highly diminished in the hypersoft state and the missing jet pressure allows the wind to refill the region close to the black hole. The results provide proof of actual jet quenching in soft states of X-ray binaries.

Development of a hard x-ray focal plane compton polarimeter: a compact polarimetric configuration with scintillators and Si photomultipliers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chattopadhyay, T.; Vadawale, S. V.; Goyal, S. K.; Mithun, N. P. S.; Patel, A. R.; Shukla, R.; Ladiya, T.; Shanmugam, M.; Patel, V. R.; Ubale, G. P.

2016-02-01

X-ray polarization measurement of cosmic sources provides two unique parameters namely degree and angle of polarization which can probe the emission mechanism and geometry at close vicinity of the compact objects. Specifically, the hard X-ray polarimetry is more rewarding because the sources are expected to be intrinsically highly polarized at higher energies. With the successful implementation of Hard X-ray optics in NuSTAR, it is now feasible to conceive Compton polarimeters as focal plane detectors. Such a configuration is likely to provide sensitive polarization measurements in hard X-rays with a broad energy band. We are developing a focal plane hard X-ray Compton polarimeter consisting of a plastic scintillator as active scatterer surrounded by a cylindrical array of CsI(Tl) scintillators. The scatterer is 5 mm diameter and 100 mm long plastic scintillator (BC404) viewed by normal PMT. The photons scattered by the plastic scatterer are collected by a cylindrical array of 16 CsI(Tl) scintillators (5 mm × 5 mm × 150 mm) which are read by Si Photomultiplier (SiPM). Use of the new generation SiPMs ensures the compactness of the instrument which is essential for the design of focal plane detectors. The expected sensitivity of such polarimetric configuration and complete characterization of the plastic scatterer, specially at lower energies have been discussed in [11, 13]. In this paper, we characterize the CsI(Tl) absorbers coupled to SiPM. We also present the experimental results from the fully assembled configuration of the Compton polarimeter.

X-RAYS FROM A RADIO-LOUD COMPACT BROAD ABSORPTION LINE QUASAR 1045+352 AND THE NATURE OF OUTFLOWS IN RADIO-LOUD BROAD ABSORPTION LINE QUASARS

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

Kunert-Bajraszewska, Magdalena; Katarzynski, Krzysztof; Siemiginowska, Aneta

2009-11-10

We present new results on X-ray properties of radio-loud broad absorption line (BAL) quasars and focus on broadband spectral properties of a high-ionization BAL (HiBAL) compact steep spectrum (CSS) radio-loud quasar 1045+352. This HiBAL quasar has a very complex radio morphology indicating either strong interactions between a radio jet and the surrounding interstellar medium or a possible re-start of the jet activity. We detected 1045+352 quasar in a short 5 ksec Chandra ACIS-S observation. We applied theoretical models to explain spectral energy distribution of 1045+352 and argue that non-thermal, inverse-Compton (IC) emission from the innermost parts of the radio jetmore » can account for a large fraction of the observed X-ray emission. In our analysis, we also consider a scenario in which the observed X-ray emission from radio-loud BAL quasars can be a sum of IC jet X-ray emission and optically thin corona X-ray emission. We compiled a sample of radio-loud BAL quasars that were observed in X-rays to date and report no correlation between their X-ray and radio luminosity. However, the radio-loud BAL quasars show a large range of X-ray luminosities and absorption columns. This is consistent with the results obtained earlier for radio-quiet BAL quasars and may indicate an orientation effect in BAL quasars or more complex dependence between X-ray emission, radio emission, and an orientation based on the radio morphology.« less

X-ray astronomy in the laboratory with a miniature compact object produced by laser-driven implosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujioka, Shinsuke; Takabe, Hideaki; Yamamoto, Norimasa; Salzmann, David; Wang, Feilu; Nishimura, Hiroaki; Li, Yutong; Dong, Quanli; Wang, Shoujun; Zhang, Yi; Rhee, Yong-Joo; Lee, Yong-Woo; Han, Jae-Min; Tanabe, Minoru; Fujiwara, Takashi; Nakabayashi, Yuto; Zhao, Gang; Zhang, Jie; Mima, Kunioki

2009-11-01

X-ray spectroscopy is an important tool for understanding the extreme photoionization processes that drive the behaviour of non-thermal equilibrium plasmas in compact astrophysical objects such as black holes. Even so, the distance of these objects from the Earth and the inability to control or accurately ascertain the conditions that govern their behaviour makes it difficult to interpret the origin of the features in astronomical X-ray measurements. Here, we describe an experiment that uses the implosion driven by a 3TW, 4kJ laser system to produce a 0.5keV blackbody radiator that mimics the conditions that exist in the neighbourhood of a black hole. The X-ray spectra emitted from photoionized silicon plasmas resemble those observed from the binary stars Cygnus X-3 (refs 7, 8) and Vela X-1 (refs 9, 10 11) with the Chandra X-ray satellite. As well as demonstrating the ability to create extreme radiation fields in a laboratory plasma, our theoretical interpretation of these laboratory spectra contrasts starkly with the generally accepted explanation for the origin of similar features in astronomical observations. Our experimental approach offers a powerful means to test and validate the computer codes used in X-ray astronomy.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Intermediate-luminosity X-ray objects catalog (Colbert+, 2002)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colbert, E. J. M.; Ptak, A. F.

2002-11-01

ROSAT, and now Chandra, X-ray images allow studies of extranuclear X-ray point sources in galaxies other than our own. X-ray observations of normal galaxies with ROSAT and Chandra have revealed that off-nuclear, compact, intermediate-luminosity (LX[2-10keV]>=1039erg/s) X-ray objects (IXOs, a.k.a. ULXs [ultraluminous X-ray sources]) are quite common. Here we present a catalog and finding charts for 87 IXOs in 54 galaxies, derived from all of the ROSAT HRI imaging data for galaxies with cz<=5000km/s from the Third Reference Catalog of Bright Galaxies. (2 data files).

Discovery of two eclipsing X-ray binaries in M 51

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Song; Soria, Roberto; Urquhart, Ryan; Liu, Jifeng

2018-04-01

We discovered eclipses and dips in two luminous (and highly variable) X-ray sources in M 51. One (CXOM51 J132943.3+471135) is an ultraluminous supersoft source, with a thermal spectrum at a temperature of about 0.1 keV and characteristic blackbody radius of about 104 km. The other (CXOM51 J132946.1+471042) has a two-component spectrum with additional thermal-plasma emission; it approached an X-ray luminosity of 1039erg s-1 during outbursts in 2005 and 2012. From the timing of three eclipses in a series of Chandra observations, we determine the binary period (52.75 ± 0.63 hr) and eclipse fraction (22% ± 0.1%) of CXOM51 J132946.1+471042. We also identify a blue optical counterpart in archival Hubble Space Telescope images, consistent with a massive donor star (mass of ˜20-35M⊙). By combining the X-ray lightcurve parameters with the optical constraints on the donor star, we show that the mass ratio in the system must be M_2/M_1 ≳ 18, and therefore the compact object is most likely a neutron star (exceeding its Eddington limit in outburst). The general significance of our result is that we illustrate one method (applicable to high-inclination sources) of identifying luminous neutron star X-ray binaries, in the absence of X-ray pulsations or phase-resolved optical spectroscopy. Finally, we discuss the different X-ray spectral appearance expected from super-Eddington neutron stars and black holes at high viewing angles.

Discovery of two eclipsing X-ray binaries in M 51

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Song; Soria, Roberto; Urquhart, Ryan; Liu, Jifeng

2018-07-01

We discovered eclipses and dips in two luminous (and highly variable) X-ray sources in M 51. One (CXOM51 J132943.3+471135) is an ultraluminous supersoft source, with a thermal spectrum at a temperature of about 0.1 keV and characteristic blackbody radius of about 104 km. The other (CXOM51 J132946.1+471042) has a two-component spectrum with additional thermal-plasma emission; it approached an X-ray luminosity of 1039 erg s-1 during outbursts in 2005 and 2012. From the timing of three eclipses in a series of Chandra observations, we determine the binary period (52.75 ± 0.63 h) and eclipse fraction (22 ± 0.1 per cent) of CXOM51 J132946.1+471042. We also identify a blue optical counterpart in archival Hubble Space Telescope images, consistent with a massive donor star (mass of ˜20-35 M⊙). By combining the X-ray light-curve parameters with the optical constraints on the donor star, we show that the mass ratio in the system must be M_2/M_1 ≳ 18 and therefore the compact object is most likely a neutron star (exceeding its Eddington limit in outburst). The general significance of our result is that we illustrate one method (applicable to high-inclination sources) of identifying luminous neutron star X-ray binaries, in the absence of X-ray pulsations or phase-resolved optical spectroscopy. Finally, we discuss the different X-ray spectral appearance expected from super-Eddington neutron stars and black holes at high viewing angles.

NASA Tech Briefs, July 2008

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

Topics covered include: Torque Sensor Based on Tunnel-Diode Oscillator; Shaft-Angle Sensor Based on Tunnel-Diode Oscillator; Ground Facility for Vicarious Calibration of Skyborne Sensors; Optical Pressure-Temperature Sensor for a Combustion Chamber; Impact-Locator Sensor Panels; Low-Loss Waveguides for Terahertz Frequencies; MEMS/ECD Method for Making Bi(2-x)Sb(x)Te3 Thermoelectric Devices; Low-Temperature Supercapacitors; Making a Back-Illuminated Imager with Back-Side Contact and Alignment Markers; Compact, Single-Stage MMIC InP HEMT Amplifier; Nb(x)Ti(1-x)N Superconducting-Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors; Improved Sand-Compaction Method for Lost-Foam Metal Casting; Improved Probe for Evaluating Compaction of Mold Sand; Polymer-Based Composite Catholytes for Li Thin-Film Cells; Using ALD To Bond CNTs to Substrates and Matrices; Alternating-Composition Layered Ceramic Barrier Coatings; Variable-Structure Control of a Model Glider Airplane; Axial Halbach Magnetic Bearings; Compact, Non-Pneumatic Rock-Powder Samplers; Biochips Containing Arrays of Carbon-Nanotube Electrodes; Nb(x)Ti(1-x)N Superconducting-Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors; Neon as a Buffer Gas for a Mercury-Ion Clock; Miniature Incandescent Lamps as Fiber-Optic Light Sources; Bidirectional Pressure-Regulator System; and Prism Window for Optical Alignment. Single-Grid-Pair Fourier Telescope for Imaging in Hard-X Rays and gamma Rays Range-Gated Metrology with Compact Optical Head Lossless, Multi-Spectral Data Compressor for Improved Compression for Pushbroom-Typetruments.

Infrared and X-ray study of the Galactic SNR G15.9+0.2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasaki, Manami; Mäkelä, Minja M.; Klochkov, Dmitry; Santangelo, Andrea; Suleimanov, Valery

2018-06-01

G15.9+0.2 is a Galactic shell-type supernova remnant (SNR), which was detected in radio and has been confirmed in X-rays based on Chandra observations. An X-ray point source CXOUJ181852.0-150213 has been detected and suggested to be an associated neutron star. In a recent study, we have confirmed the source to be a central compact object (CCO). We have studied the SNR using high-resolution X-ray data taken with Chandra in combination with infrared (IR) data in order to understand its emission and to derive its physical parameters. This will also help to constrain, e.g., the age of the CCO and the environment in which it was born. The spectral analysis of the X-ray emission using the new Chandra data and the comparison to the IR data have shown that the SNR is relatively young with an age of a few thousand years and that its emission is dominated by that of shocked interstellar medium (ISM). However, the analysis of the spectrum of the bright eastern shell shows that there is an additional emission component with enhanced abundances of α elements and Fe, suggesting ejecta emission. The multi-wavelength emission is consistent with SNR G15.9+0.2 expanding in an ISM with a density gradient, while there is also colder material located in front of the SNR, which absorbs its thermal X-ray emission in the softer bands.

In-vivo dark-field and phase-contrast x-ray imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bech, M.; Tapfer, A.; Velroyen, A.; Yaroshenko, A.; Pauwels, B.; Hostens, J.; Bruyndonckx, P.; Sasov, A.; Pfeiffer, F.

2013-11-01

Novel radiography approaches based on the wave nature of x-rays when propagating through matter have a great potential for improved future x-ray diagnostics in the clinics. Here, we present a significant milestone in this imaging method: in-vivo multi-contrast x-ray imaging of a mouse using a compact scanner. Of particular interest is the enhanced contrast in regions related to the respiratory system, indicating a possible application in diagnosis of lung diseases (e.g. emphysema).

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

Higashi, T.; Osada, T.; Aoyama, W.

A new dental x-ray fluorographic unit has been developed. This unit is composed of small intraoral x-ray tube, a compact x-ray image intensifier, and a high-resolution TV system. The purposes for developing this equipment were to (1) directly observe the tooth during endodontic procedures and (2) reduce x-ray exposure to the patient and the dentist. The radiation exposure can be reduced to about 1/600 the exposure used with conventional dental film. In clinical trials, a satisfactory fluorographic dental image for endodontic treatment was obtained with this new device.

X-ray Properties and the Environment of Compact Radio Sources.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siemiginowska, Aneta; Sobolewska, Malgorzata; Guainazzi, Matteo; Hardcastle, Martin; Migliori, Giulia; Ostorero, Luisa; Stawarz, Lukasz

2018-01-01

Compact extragalactic radio sources provide important insights into the initial stages of radio source evolution and probe states of a black hole activity at the time of the formation of the relativistic outflow. Such outflows propagate out to hundreds kpc distances from the origin and impact environment on many scales, and thus influence evolution of structures in the universe. These compact sources show radio features typically observed in large-scale radio galaxies (jets, lobes, hot spots), but contained within the central 1 kpc region of the host galaxy. Compact Symmetric Objects (CSOs, a subclass of GigaHertz Peaked spectrum radio sources) are symmetric and not affected by beaming. Their linear radio size can be translated into a source age if one measures the expansion velocity of the radio structures. Such ages has been measured for a small sample of CSOs. Using the Chandra X-ray Observatory and XMM-Newton we observed a pilot samples of 16 CSOs in X-rays (6 for the first time). Our results show heterogeneous nature of the CSOs X-ray emission indicating a range of AGN luminosities and a complex environment. In particular, we identified four Compton Thick sources with a dense medium (equivalent column > 1e24 cm^-2) capable of disturbing/slowing down the jet and confining the jet to a small region. Thus for the first time we gain the observational evidence in X-ray domain in favor of the hypothesis that in a sub-population of CSOs the radio jets may be confined by the dense X-ray obscuring medium. As a consequence, the kinematic ages of these CSOs may be underestimated.. We discuss the implications of our results on the emission models of CSOs, the earliest stages of the radio source evolution, jet interactions with the ISM, diversity of the environments in which the jets expand, and jet-galaxy co-evolution.Partial support for this work was provided by the NASA grants GO1-12145X, GO4-15099X, NNX10AO60G, NNX17AC23G and XMM AO15 project 78461. This work supported in part by NASA under contract NAS 8-03060 to the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory for operation of the Chandra X-ray Center.

Compact and reliable triggering method for near muzzle flash radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Eun S.; Hwang, Eul H.; Yim, Dong W.; Song, So Y.

1993-01-01

Precise timing for x-ray bursts is crucial in acquiring useful information from flash radiographic experiments. Triggering the flash x-ray system near the muzzle is a difficult task because of the intrinsic nature of the muzzle blast. In this work a compact and reliable triggering method for near muzzle flash radiography is introduced; a piezoelectric pin probe attached at the end of the barrel. These types of probes have not been activated by the precursor shock wave, but they have been activated by the main blast wave only. Reliability in triggering the flash x-ray system has been confirmed throughout a series of flash radiographic experiments near the muzzle for gun barrels with calibers up to 105 mm.

NuSTAR constraints on coronal cutoffs in Swift-BAT selected Seyfert 1 AGN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamraj, Nikita; Harrison, Fiona; Balokovic, Mislav; Brightman, Murray; Stern, Daniel

2017-08-01

The continuum X-ray emission from Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) is believed to originate in a hot, compact corona above the accretion disk. Compton upscattering of UV photons from the inner accretion disk by coronal electrons produces a power law X-ray continuum with a cutoff at energies determined by the electron temperature. The NuSTAR observatory, with its high sensitivity in hard X-rays, has enabled detailed broadband modeling of the X-ray spectra of AGN, thereby allowing tight constraints to be placed on the high-energy cutoff of the X-ray continuum. Recent detections of low cutoff energies in Seyfert 1 AGN in the NuSTAR band have motivated us to pursue a systematic search for low cutoff candidates in Swift-BAT detected Seyfert 1 AGN that have been observed with NuSTAR. We use our constraints on the cutoff energy to map out the location of these sources on the compactness - temperature diagram for AGN coronae, and discuss the implications of low cutoff energies for the cooling and thermalization mechanisms in the corona.

A detailed study of gold-nanoparticle loaded cells using X-ray based techniques for cell-tracking applications with single-cell sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astolfo, Alberto; Arfelli, Fulvia; Schültke, Elisabeth; James, Simon; Mancini, Lucia; Menk, Ralf-Hendrik

2013-03-01

In the present study complementary high-resolution imaging techniques on different length scales are applied to elucidate a cellular loading protocol of gold nanoparticles and subsequently its impact on long term and high-resolution cell-tracking utilizing X-ray technology. Although demonstrated for malignant cell lines the results can be applied to non-malignant cell lines as well. In particular the accumulation of the gold marker per cell has been assessed quantitatively by virtue of electron microscopy, two-dimensional X-ray fluorescence imaging techniques and X-ray CT with micrometric and sub-micrometric resolution. Moreover, utilizing these techniques the three dimensional distribution of the incorporated nanoparticles, which are sequestered in lysosomes as a permanent marker, could be determined. The latter allowed elucidation of the gold partition during mitosis and the cell size, which subsequently enabled us to define the optimal instrument settings of a compact microCT system to visualize gold loaded cells. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of cell-tracking using X-ray CT with compact sources.

Perspectives of the lobster-eye telescope: The promising types of cosmic X-ray sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šimon, V.

2017-07-01

We show the astrophysical aspects of observing the X-ray sky with the planned lobster-eye telescope. This instrument is important because it is able to provide wide-field X-ray imaging. For the testing observations, we propose to include also X-ray binaries in which matter transfers onto the compact object (mostly the neutron star). We show the typical features of the long-term X-ray activity of such objects. Observing in the soft X-ray band is the most promising because their X-ray intensity is the highest in this band. Since these X-ray sources tend to concentrate toward the center of our Galaxy, several of them can be present in the field of view of the tested instrument.

A broadband study of the emission from the composite supernova remnant MSH 11-62

DOE PAGES

Slane, Patrick; Hughes, John P.; Temim, Tea; ...

2012-03-30

MSH 11-62 (G291.0-0.1) is a composite supernova remnant for which radio and X-ray observations have identified the remnant shell as well as its central pulsar wind nebula. Our observations suggest a relatively young system expanding into a low-density region. We present a study of MSH 11-62 using observations with the Chandra, XMM -Newton, and Fermi observatories, along with radio observations from the Australia Telescope Compact Array. We also identify a compact X-ray source that appears to be the putative pulsar that powers the nebula, and show that the X-ray spectrum of the nebula bears the signature of synchrotron losses asmore » particles diffuse into the outer nebula. Using data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope, we identify γ-ray emission originating from MSH 11-62. Furthermore, with density constraints from the new X-ray measurements of the remnant, we model the evolution of the composite system in order to constrain the properties of the underlying pulsar and the origin of the γ-ray emission.« less

A Broadband Study of the Emission from the Composite Supernova Remnant MSH 11-62

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slane, Patrick; Hughes, John P.; Temim, Tea; Rousseau, Romain; Castro, Daniel; Foight, Dillon; Gaensler, B. M.; Funk, Stefan; Lemoine-Goumard, Marianne; Gelfand, Joseph D.;

INTRAGROUP AND GALAXY-LINKED DIFFUSE X-RAY EMISSION IN HICKSON COMPACT GROUPS

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

Desjardins, Tyler D.; Gallagher, Sarah C.; Tzanavaris, Panayiotis

2013-02-15

Isolated compact groups (CGs) of galaxies present a range of dynamical states, group velocity dispersions, and galaxy morphologies with which to study galaxy evolution, particularly the properties of gas both within the galaxies and in the intragroup medium. As part of a large, multiwavelength examination of CGs, we present an archival study of diffuse X-ray emission in a subset of nine Hickson compact groups (HCGs) observed with the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. We find that seven of the groups in our sample exhibit detectable diffuse emission. However, unlike large-scale emission in galaxy clusters, the diffuse features in the majority of themore » detected groups are linked to the individual galaxies, in the form of both plumes and halos likely as a result of vigourous star formation or activity in the galaxy nucleus, as well as in emission from tidal features. Unlike previous studies from earlier X-ray missions, HCGs 31, 42, 59, and 92 are found to be consistent with the L{sub X} -T relationship from clusters within the errors, while HCGs 16 and 31 are consistent with the cluster L{sub X} -{sigma} relation, though this is likely coincidental given that the hot gas in these two systems is largely due to star formation. We find that L{sub X} increases with decreasing group H I to dynamical-mass ratio with tentative evidence for a dependence in X-ray luminosity on H I morphology whereby systems with intragroup H I indicative of strong interactions are considerably more X-ray luminous than passively evolving groups. We also find a gap in the L{sub X} of groups as a function of the total group specific star formation rate. Our findings suggest that the hot gas in these groups is not in hydrostatic equilibrium and these systems are not low-mass analogs of rich groups or clusters, with the possible exception of HCG 62.« less

Intragroup and Galaxy-linked Diffuse X-ray Emission In Hickson Compact Groups

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Desjardins, Tyler D.; Gallagher, Sarah C.; Tzanavaris, Panayiotis; Mulchaey, John S.; Brandt, William N.; Charlton, Jane C.; Garmire, Gordon P.; Gronwall, Caryl; Cardiff, Ann; Johnson, Kelsey E.;

Quantitative analysis of packed and compacted granular systems by x-ray microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Xiaowei; Milroy, Georgina E.; Dutt, Meenakshi; Bentham, A. Craig; Hancock, Bruno C.; Elliott, James A.

2005-04-01

The packing and compaction of powders are general processes in pharmaceutical, food, ceramic and powder metallurgy industries. Understanding how particles pack in a confined space and how powders behave during compaction is crucial for producing high quality products. This paper outlines a new technique, based on modern desktop X-ray tomography and image processing, to quantitatively investigate the packing of particles in the process of powder compaction and provide great insights on how powder densify during powder compaction, which relate in terms of materials properties and processing conditions to tablet manufacture by compaction. A variety of powder systems were considered, which include glass, sugar, NaCl, with a typical particle size of 200-300 mm and binary mixtures of NaCl-Glass Spheres. The results are new and have been validated by SEM observation and numerical simulations using discrete element methods (DEM). The research demonstrates that XMT technique has the potential in further investigating of pharmaceutical processing and even verifying other physical models on complex packing.

X-Ray Spectral Variability Signatures of Flares in BL Lac Objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boettcher, Markus; Chiang, James; White, Nicholas E. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

We are presenting a detailed parameter study of the time-dependent electron injection and kinematics and the self-consistent radiation transport in jets of intermediate and low-frequency peaked BL Lac objects. Using a time-dependent, combined synchrotron-self-Compton and external-Compton jet model, we study the influence of variations of several essential model parameters, such as the electron injection compactness, the relative contribution of synchrotron to external soft photons to the soft photon compactness, the electron- injection spectral index, and the details of the time profiles of the electron injection episodes giving rise to flaring activity. In the analysis of our results, we focus on the expected X-ray spectral variability signatures in a region of parameter space particularly well suited to reproduce the broadband spectral energy distributions of intermediate and low-frequency peaked BL Lac objects. We demonstrate that SSC- and external-Compton dominated models for the gamma-ray emission from blazars are producing significantly different signatures in the X-ray variability, in particular in the soft X-ray light curves and the spectral hysteresis at soft X-ray energies, which can be used as a powerful diagnostic to unveil the nature of the high-energy emission from BL Lac objects.

High-resolution μCT of a mouse embryo using a compact laser-driven X-ray betatron source.

PubMed

Cole, Jason M; Symes, Daniel R; Lopes, Nelson C; Wood, Jonathan C; Poder, Kristjan; Alatabi, Saleh; Botchway, Stanley W; Foster, Peta S; Gratton, Sarah; Johnson, Sara; Kamperidis, Christos; Kononenko, Olena; De Lazzari, Michael; Palmer, Charlotte A J; Rusby, Dean; Sanderson, Jeremy; Sandholzer, Michael; Sarri, Gianluca; Szoke-Kovacs, Zsombor; Teboul, Lydia; Thompson, James M; Warwick, Jonathan R; Westerberg, Henrik; Hill, Mark A; Norris, Dominic P; Mangles, Stuart P D; Najmudin, Zulfikar

2018-06-19

In the field of X-ray microcomputed tomography (μCT) there is a growing need to reduce acquisition times at high spatial resolution (approximate micrometers) to facilitate in vivo and high-throughput operations. The state of the art represented by synchrotron light sources is not practical for certain applications, and therefore the development of high-brightness laboratory-scale sources is crucial. We present here imaging of a fixed embryonic mouse sample using a compact laser-plasma-based X-ray light source and compare the results to images obtained using a commercial X-ray μCT scanner. The radiation is generated by the betatron motion of electrons inside a dilute and transient plasma, which circumvents the flux limitations imposed by the solid or liquid anodes used in conventional electron-impact X-ray tubes. This X-ray source is pulsed (duration <30 fs), bright (>10 10 photons per pulse), small (diameter <1 μm), and has a critical energy >15 keV. Stable X-ray performance enabled tomographic imaging of equivalent quality to that of the μCT scanner, an important confirmation of the suitability of the laser-driven source for applications. The X-ray flux achievable with this approach scales with the laser repetition rate without compromising the source size, which will allow the recording of high-resolution μCT scans in minutes. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Determination of the mass of globular cluster X-ray sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grindlay, J. E.; Hertz, P.; Steiner, J. E.; Murray, S. S.; Lightman, A. P.

1984-01-01

The precise positions of the luminous X-ray sources in eight globular clusters have been measured with the Einstein X-Ray Observatory. When combined with similarly precise measurements of the dynamical centers and core radii of the globular clusters, the distribution of the X-ray source mass is determined to be in the range 0.9-1.9 solar mass. The X-ray source positions and the detailed optical studies indicate that (1) the sources are probably all of similar mass, (2) the gravitational potentials in these high-central density clusters are relatively smooth and isothermal, and (3) the X-ray sources are compact binaries and are probably formed by tidal capture.

Ultrastructural imaging and molecular modeling of live bacteria using soft x-ray contact microscopy with nanoseconds laser-plasma radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kado, Masataka; Richardson, Martin C.; Gaebel, Kai; Torres, David S.; Rajyaguru, Jayshree; Muszynski, Michael J.

1995-09-01

X-ray images of the various live bacteria, such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, and micromolecule such as chromosomal DNA from Escherichis coli, and Lipopolysacchride from Burkholderia cepacia, are obtained with soft x-ray contact microscopy. A compact tabletop type glass laser system is used to produce x-rays from Al, Si, and Au targets. The PMMA photoresists are used to record x-ray images. An AFM (atomic force microscope) is used to reproduce the x-ray images from the developed photoresists. The performance of the 50nm spatial resolutions are achieved and images are able to be discussed on the biological view.

Application of the gas-discharge surge arresters in X-ray devices and low voltage instrumentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, V. A.; Gerasimov, V. A.; Kostrin, D. K.; Lisenkov, A. A.; Selivanov, L. M.; Uhov, A. A.

2018-02-01

Usage of the gas discharge in science and engineering is discussed. Application examples of the compact gas-discharge tubes in the X-ray devices and low voltage instrumentation appliances for the surge protection are presented.

The Connection Between X-ray Binaries and Star Clusters in the Antennae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rangelov, Blagoy; Chandar, R.; Prestwich, A.

2011-05-01

High Mass X-ray Binaries (HMXBs) are believed to form in massive, compact star clusters. However the correlation between these young binary star systems and properties of their parent clusters are still poorly known. We compare the locations of 82 X-ray binaries detected in the merging Antennae galaxies by Zezas et al. (2006) based on observations taken with the Chandra Space Telescope, with a catalog of optically selected star clusters presented recently by Whitmore et al. (2010) based on observations taken with the Hubble Space Telescope. We find 22 X-ray binaries coincident or nearly coincident with star clusters. The ages of the clusters were estimated by comparing their UBVIHα colors with predictions from stellar evolutionary models. We find that 14 of the 22 coincident sources (64%) are hosted by star clusters with ages of 6 Myr or less. At these very young ages, only stars initially more massive than M ≥ 30 Msun have evolved into compact remnants, almost certainly black holes. Therefore, these 14 sources are likely to be black hole binaries. Five of the XRBs are hosted by young clusters with ages τ 30-50 Myr, while three are hosted by intermediate age clusters with τ 100-300 Myr. We suggest that these older X-ray binaries likely have neutron stars as the compact object. We conclude that precision age-dating of star clusters, which are spatially coincident with XRBs in nearby star forming galaxies, is a powerful method of constraining the nature of the XRBs.

Prospects for compact high-intensity laser synchrotron x-ray and gamma sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pogorelsky, I. V.

1997-03-01

A laser interacting with a relativistic electron beam behaves like a virtual wiggler of an extremely short period equal to half of the laser wavelength. This approach opens a route to relatively compact, high-brightness x-ray sources alternative or complementary to conventional synchrotron light sources. Although not new, the laser synchrotron source (LSS) concept is still waiting for a convincing demonstration. Available at the BNL Accelerator Test Facility (ATF), a high-brightness electron beam and the high-power CO2 laser may be used for prototype LSS demonstration. In a feasible demonstration experiment, 10-GW, 100-ps CO2 laser beam will be brought to a head-on collision with a 10-ps, 0.5-nC, 50 MeV electron bunch. Flashes of collimated 4.7 keV (2.6 Å) x-rays of 10-ps pulse duration, with a flux of ˜1019photons/sec, will be produced via linear Compton backscattering. The x-ray spectrum is tunable proportionally to the e-beam energy. A rational short-term extension of the proposed experiment would be further enhancement of the x-ray flux to the 1022 photons/sec level, after the ongoing ATF CO2 laser upgrade to 5 TW peak power and electron bunch shortening to 3 ps is realized. In the future, exploiting the promising approach of a high-gradient laser wake field accelerator, a compact "table-top" LSS of monochromatic gamma radiation may become feasible.

Spectra of clinical CT scanners using a portable Compton spectrometer.

PubMed

Duisterwinkel, H A; van Abbema, J K; van Goethem, M J; Kawachimaru, R; Paganini, L; van der Graaf, E R; Brandenburg, S

2015-04-01

Spectral information of the output of x-ray tubes in (dual source) computer tomography (CT) scanners can be used to improve the conversion of CT numbers to proton stopping power and can be used to advantage in CT scanner quality assurance. The purpose of this study is to design, validate, and apply a compact portable Compton spectrometer that was constructed to accurately measure x-ray spectra of CT scanners. In the design of the Compton spectrometer, the shielding materials were carefully chosen and positioned to reduce background by x-ray fluorescence from the materials used. The spectrum of Compton scattered x-rays alters from the original source spectrum due to various physical processes. Reconstruction of the original x-ray spectrum from the Compton scattered spectrum is based on Monte Carlo simulations of the processes involved. This reconstruction is validated by comparing directly and indirectly measured spectra of a mobile x-ray tube. The Compton spectrometer is assessed in a clinical setting by measuring x-ray spectra at various tube voltages of three different medical CT scanner x-ray tubes. The directly and indirectly measured spectra are in good agreement (their ratio being 0.99) thereby validating the reconstruction method. The measured spectra of the medical CT scanners are consistent with theoretical spectra and spectra obtained from the x-ray tube manufacturer. A Compton spectrometer has been successfully designed, constructed, validated, and applied in the measurement of x-ray spectra of CT scanners. These measurements show that our compact Compton spectrometer can be rapidly set-up using the alignment lasers of the CT scanner, thereby enabling its use in commissioning, troubleshooting, and, e.g., annual performance check-ups of CT scanners.

Clumpy wind accretion in supergiant neutron star high mass X-ray binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bozzo, E.; Oskinova, L.; Feldmeier, A.; Falanga, M.

2016-05-01

The accretion of the stellar wind material by a compact object represents the main mechanism powering the X-ray emission in classical supergiant high mass X-ray binaries and supergiant fast X-ray transients. In this work we present the first attempt to simulate the accretion process of a fast and dense massive star wind onto a neutron star, taking into account the effects of the centrifugal and magnetic inhibition of accretion ("gating") due to the spin and magnetic field of the compact object. We made use of a radiative hydrodynamical code to model the nonstationary radiatively driven wind of an O-B supergiant star and then place a neutron star characterized by a fixed magnetic field and spin period at a certain distance from the massive companion. Our calculations follow, as a function of time (on a total timescale of several hours), the transitions of the system through all different accretion regimes that are triggered by the intrinsic variations in the density and velocity of the nonstationary wind. The X-ray luminosity released by the system is computed at each time step by taking into account the relevant physical processes occurring in the different accretion regimes. Synthetic lightcurves are derived and qualitatively compared with those observed from classical supergiant high mass X-ray binaries and supergiant fast X-ray transients. Although a number of simplifications are assumed in these calculations, we show that taking into account the effects of the centrifugal and magnetic inhibition of accretion significantly reduces the average X-ray luminosity expected for any neutron star wind-fed binary. The present model calculations suggest that long spin periods and stronger magnetic fields are favored in order to reproduce the peculiar behavior of supergiant fast X-ray transients in the X-ray domain.

A compact and high efficiency GAGG well counter for radiocesium concentration measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Seiichi; Ogata, Yoshimune

2014-07-01

After the Fukushima nuclear disaster, social concern about radiocesium (137Cs and 134Cs) contamination in food increased. However, highly efficient instruments that can measure low level radioactivity are quite expensive and heavy. A compact, lightweight, and reliable radiation detector that can inexpensively monitor low level radiocesium is highly desired. We developed a compact and highly efficient radiocesium detector to detect ~32 keV X-rays from radiocesium instead of high energy gamma photons. A 1-mm thick GAGG scintillator was selected to effectively detect ~32 keV X-rays from 137Cs to reduce the influence of ambient radiation. Four sets of 25 mm×25 mm×1 mm GAGG plates, each of which was optically coupled to a triangular-shaped light guide, were optically coupled to a photomultiplier tube (PMT) to form a square-shaped well counter. Another GAGG plate was directly optically coupled to the PMT to form its bottom detector. The energy resolution of the GAGG well counter was 22.3% FWHM for 122 keV gamma rays and 32% FWHM for ~32 keV X-rays. The counting efficiency for the X-rays from radiocesium (mixture of 137Cs and 134Cs) was 4.5%. In measurements of the low level radiocesium mixture, a photo-peak of ~32 keV X-rays can clearly be distinguished from the background. The minimum detectable activity (MDA) was estimated to be ~100 Bq/kg for 1000 s measurement. The results show that our developed GAGG well counter is promising for the detection of radiocesium in food.

Resolved atomic lines reveal outflows in two ultraluminous X-ray sources.

PubMed

Pinto, Ciro; Middleton, Matthew J; Fabian, Andrew C

2016-05-05

Ultraluminous X-ray sources are extragalactic, off-nucleus, point sources in galaxies, and have X-ray luminosities in excess of 3 × 10(39) ergs per second. They are thought to be powered by accretion onto a compact object. Possible explanations include accretion onto neutron stars with strong magnetic fields, onto stellar-mass black holes (of up to 20 solar masses) at or in excess of the classical Eddington limit, or onto intermediate-mass black holes (10(3)-10(5) solar masses). The lack of sufficient energy resolution in previous analyses has prevented an unambiguous identification of any emission or absorption lines in the X-ray band, thereby precluding a detailed analysis of the accretion flow. Here we report the presence of X-ray emission lines arising from highly ionized iron, oxygen and neon with a cumulative significance in excess of five standard deviations, together with blueshifted (about 0.2 times light velocity) absorption lines of similar significance, in the high-resolution X-ray spectra of the ultraluminous X-ray sources NGC 1313 X-1 and NGC 5408 X-1. The blueshifted absorption lines must occur in a fast-outflowing gas, whereas the emission lines originate in slow-moving gas around the source. We conclude that the compact object in each source is surrounded by powerful winds with an outflow velocity of about 0.2 times that of light, as predicted by models of accreting supermassive black holes and hyper-accreting stellar-mass black holes.

Development and application of compact and on-chip electron linear accelerators for dynamic tracking cancer therapy and DNA damage/repair analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uesaka, M.; Demachi, K.; Fujiwara, T.; Dobashi, K.; Fujisawa, H.; Chhatkuli, R. B.; Tsuda, A.; Tanaka, S.; Matsumura, Y.; Otsuki, S.; Kusano, J.; Yamamoto, M.; Nakamura, N.; Tanabe, E.; Koyama, K.; Yoshida, M.; Fujimori, R.; Yasui, A.

2015-06-01

We are developing compact electron linear accelerators (hereafter linac) with high RF (Radio Frequency) frequency (9.3 GHz, wavelength 32.3 mm) of X-band and applying to medicine and non-destructive testing. Especially, potable 950 keV and 3.95 MeV linac X-ray sources have been developed for on-site transmission testing at several industrial plants and civil infrastructures including bridges. 6 MeV linac have been made for pinpoint X-ray dynamic tracking cancer therapy. The length of the accelerating tube is ∼600 mm. The electron beam size at the X-ray target is less than 1 mm and X-ray spot size at the cancer is less than 3 mm. Several hardware and software are under construction for dynamic tracking therapy for moving lung cancer. Moreover, as an ultimate compact linac, we are designing and manufacturing a laser dielectric linac of ∼1 MeV with Yr fiber laser (283 THz, wavelength 1.06 pm). Since the wavelength is 1.06 μm, the length of one accelerating strcture is tens pm and the electron beam size is in sub-micro meter. Since the sizes of cell and nuclear are about 10 and 1 μm, respectively, we plan to use this “On-chip” linac for radiation-induced DNA damage/repair analysis. We are thinking a system where DNA in a nucleus of cell is hit by ∼1 μm electron or X-ray beam and observe its repair by proteins and enzymes in live cells in-situ.

Green Peas emit X-rays: Extreme Star Formation in Early Universe Analog Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brorby, Matthew; Kaaret, Philip

2017-01-01

Luminous compact galaxies (LCGs), Lyman Alpha Emitters (LAEs), and Lyman Break Analog galaxies (LBAs) are all used as proxies for star-forming galaxies in the early Universe (z ≥ 6). The X-ray emission from such galaxies has been found to be elevated compared to other star-forming galaxies in our local Universe. It has been suggested that this may be due to the lower metallicity seen in these proxies to high-redshift galaxies and the elevated X-ray emission may affect the heating and Reionization evolution of the early Universe. Our previous studies have suggested the existence of an LX-SFR-metallicity plane for all star-forming galaxies. We present these results in the context of our newest Joint Chandra/HST study containing the first X-ray detection of the Green Pea galaxies, a population of compact starburst galaxies discovered by volunteers in the Galaxy Zoo Project (Cardamone+2009). The galaxies were given the name Green Peas due to their compact size and green appearance in the gri composite images from SDSS. The green color is caused by a strong [OIII]λ5007Å emission line, an indicator of recent star formation. We observed a few of the most promising candidates with joint Chandra/HST observation and discuss our findings here.

ATCA radio detection of the new X-ray transient MAXI J1813-095 as a candidate radio-quiet black hole X-ray binary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, T. D.; Miller-Jones, J. C. A.; Sivakoff, G. R.; Tetarenko, A. J.; JACPOT XRB Collaboration

2018-02-01

We observed the new X-ray transient MAXI J1813-095 (ATels #11323, #11326, #11332) with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) between 2018-02-22 20:52 UT and 2018-02-23 02:59 UT. Our observations were taken simultaneously at 5.5 and 9 GHz, with a bandwidth of 2 GHz at each frequency.

Compact ultrahigh vacuum sample environments for x-ray nanobeam diffraction and imaging.

PubMed

Evans, P G; Chahine, G; Grifone, R; Jacques, V L R; Spalenka, J W; Schülli, T U

2013-11-01

X-ray nanobeams present the opportunity to obtain structural insight in materials with small volumes or nanoscale heterogeneity. The effective spatial resolution of the information derived from nanobeam techniques depends on the stability and precision with which the relative position of the x-ray optics and sample can be controlled. Nanobeam techniques include diffraction, imaging, and coherent scattering, with applications throughout materials science and condensed matter physics. Sample positioning is a significant mechanical challenge for x-ray instrumentation providing vacuum or controlled gas environments at elevated temperatures. Such environments often have masses that are too large for nanopositioners capable of the required positional accuracy of the order of a small fraction of the x-ray spot size. Similarly, the need to place x-ray optics as close as 1 cm to the sample places a constraint on the overall size of the sample environment. We illustrate a solution to the mechanical challenge in which compact ion-pumped ultrahigh vacuum chambers with masses of 1-2 kg are integrated with nanopositioners. The overall size of the environment is sufficiently small to allow their use with zone-plate focusing optics. We describe the design of sample environments for elevated-temperature nanobeam diffraction experiments demonstrate in situ diffraction, reflectivity, and scanning nanobeam imaging of the ripening of Au crystallites on Si substrates.

Compact ultrahigh vacuum sample environments for x-ray nanobeam diffraction and imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, P. G.; Chahine, G.; Grifone, R.; Jacques, V. L. R.; Spalenka, J. W.; Schülli, T. U.

2013-11-01

X-ray nanobeams present the opportunity to obtain structural insight in materials with small volumes or nanoscale heterogeneity. The effective spatial resolution of the information derived from nanobeam techniques depends on the stability and precision with which the relative position of the x-ray optics and sample can be controlled. Nanobeam techniques include diffraction, imaging, and coherent scattering, with applications throughout materials science and condensed matter physics. Sample positioning is a significant mechanical challenge for x-ray instrumentation providing vacuum or controlled gas environments at elevated temperatures. Such environments often have masses that are too large for nanopositioners capable of the required positional accuracy of the order of a small fraction of the x-ray spot size. Similarly, the need to place x-ray optics as close as 1 cm to the sample places a constraint on the overall size of the sample environment. We illustrate a solution to the mechanical challenge in which compact ion-pumped ultrahigh vacuum chambers with masses of 1-2 kg are integrated with nanopositioners. The overall size of the environment is sufficiently small to allow their use with zone-plate focusing optics. We describe the design of sample environments for elevated-temperature nanobeam diffraction experiments demonstrate in situ diffraction, reflectivity, and scanning nanobeam imaging of the ripening of Au crystallites on Si substrates.

A Newly Discovered Supernova Remnant and MSH 11-62 and 3C58

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slane, Patrick O.

2000-01-01

CTA 1 is a center-filled supernova remnant (SNR) whose morphology and spectrum indicate the presence of a central pulsar, a synchrotron nebula, and a thermal component associated with the expansion of the blast wave into the interstellar medium. The centrally bright emission surrounds the position of a faint point source of X-rays observed with the ROSAT Position Sensitive Proportional Counter (PSPC). Here we report on Advanced Spacecraft for Cosmology Astrophysics (ASCA) observations that confirm the nonthermal nature of the diffuse emission from the central regions of the remnant. We also present evidence for weak thermal emission that appears to increase in strength toward the outer boundary of the SNR. Thus, CTA 1 appears to be an X-ray composite remnant. Both the aftermath of the explosive supernova event and the energetic compact core are observable.

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.

Longterm lightcurves of X-ray binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarkson, William

The X-ray Binaries (XRB) consist of a compact object and a stellar companion, which undergoes large-scale mass-loss to the compact object by virtue of the tight ( P orb usually hours-days) orbit, producing an accretion disk surrounding the compact object. The liberation of gravitational potential energy powers exotic high-energy phenomena, indeed the resulting accretion/ outflow process is among the most efficient energy-conversion machines in the universe. The Burst And Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) and RXTE All Sky Monitor (ASM) have provided remarkable X-ray lightcurves above 1.3keV for the entire sky, at near-continuous coverage, for intervals of 9 and 7 years respectively (with ~3 years' overlap). With an order of magnitude increase in sensitivity compared to previous survey instruments, these instruments have provided new insight into the high-energy behaviour of XRBs on timescales of tens to thousands of binary orbits. This thesis describes detailed examination of the long-term X-ray lightcurves of the neutron star XRB X2127+119, SMC X-1, Her X- 1, LMC X-4, Cyg X-2 and the as yet unclassified Circinus X-1, and for Cir X-1, complementary observations in the IR band. Chapters 1 & 2 introduce X-ray Binaries in general and longterm periodicities in particular. Chapter 3 introduces the longterm datasets around which this work is based, and the chosen methods of analysis of these datasets. Chapter 4 examines the burst history of the XRB X2127+119, suggesting three possible interpretations of the apparently contradictory X-ray emission from this system, including a possible confusion of two spatially distinct sources (which was later vindicated by high-resolution imaging). Chapters 5 and 6 describe the characterisation of accretion disk warping, providing observational verification of the prevailing theoretical framework for such disk-warps. Chapters 7 & 8 examine the enigmatic XRB Circinus X-1 with high-resolution IR spectroscopy (chapter 7) and the RXTE/ASM (chapter 8), establishing an improved orbital ephemeris and suggesting the system may be in a state of rapid post- supernova evolution. In chapter 8 we follow this up with a direct search for the X-ray supernova remnant expected from such a system, concluding that with present observations the diffuse emission from Cir X-1 is indistinguishable from scattering by dust-grains in the interstellar medium.

High-compactness coating grown by plasma electrolytic oxidation on AZ31 magnesium alloy in the solution of silicate-borax

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, M. J.; Wang, X. J.; Zhang, M. F.

2012-10-01

A ceramic coating was formed on the surface of AZ31 magnesium alloy by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) in the silicate solution with and without borax doped. The composition, morphology, elements and roughness as well as mechanical property of the coating were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and reciprocal-sliding tribometer. The results show that the PEO coating is mainly composed of magnesia. When using borax dope, boron element is permeating into the coating and the boron containing phase exist in the form of amorphous. In addition, the microhardness and compactness of the PEO coating are improved significantly due to doped borax.

A compact x-ray system for two-phase flow measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Kyle; Liu, Yang

2018-02-01

In this paper, a compact x-ray densitometry system consisting of a 50 kV, 1 mA x-ray tube and several linear detector arrays is developed for two-phase flow measurement. The system is capable of measuring void fraction and velocity distributions with a spatial resolution of 0.4 mm per pixel and a frequency of 1000 Hz. A novel measurement model has been established for the system which takes account of the energy spectrum of x-ray photons and the beam hardening effect. An improved measurement accuracy has been achieved with this model compared with the conventional log model that has been widely used in the literature. Using this system, void fraction and velocity distributions are measured for a bubbly and a slug flow in a 25.4 mm I.D. air-water two-phase flow test loop. The measured superficial gas velocities show an error within  ±4% when compared with the gas flowmeter for both conditions.

Calculation of effective penetration depth in X-ray diffraction for pharmaceutical solids.

PubMed

Liu, Jodi; Saw, Robert E; Kiang, Y-H

2010-09-01

The use of the glancing incidence X-ray diffraction configuration to depth profile surface phase transformations is of interest to pharmaceutical scientists. The Parratt equation has been used to depth profile phase changes in pharmaceutical compacts. However, it was derived to calculate 1/e penetration at glancing incident angles slightly below the critical angle of condensed matter and is, therefore, applicable to surface studies of materials such as single crystalline nanorods and metal thin films. When the depth of interest is 50-200 microm into the surface, which is typical for pharmaceutical solids, the 1/e penetration depth, or skin depth, can be directly calculated from an exponential absorption law without utilizing the Parratt equation. In this work, we developed a more relevant method to define X-ray penetration depth based on the signal detection limits of the X-ray diffractometer. Our definition of effective penetration depth was empirically verified using bilayer compacts of varying known thicknesses of mannitol and lactose.

IGR J17329-2731: The birth of a symbiotic X-ray binary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bozzo, E.; Bahramian, A.; Ferrigno, C.; Sanna, A.; Strader, J.; Lewis, F.; Russell, D. M.; di Salvo, T.; Burderi, L.; Riggio, A.; Papitto, A.; Gandhi, P.; Romano, P.

2018-05-01

We report on the results of the multiwavelength campaign carried out after the discovery of the INTEGRAL transient IGR J17329-2731. The optical data collected with the SOAR telescope allowed us to identify the donor star in this system as a late M giant at a distance of 2.7-1.2+3.4 kpc. The data collected quasi-simultaneously with XMM-Newton and NuSTAR showed the presence of a modulation with a period of 6680 ± 3 s in the X-ray light curves of the source. This unveils that the compact object hosted in this system is a slowly rotating neutron star. The broadband X-ray spectrum showed the presence of a strong absorption (≫1023 cm-2) and prominent emission lines at 6.4 keV, and 7.1 keV. These features are usually found in wind-fed systems, in which the emission lines result from the fluorescence of the X-rays from the accreting compact object on the surrounding stellar wind. The presence of a strong absorption line around 21 keV in the spectrum suggests a cyclotron origin, thus allowing us to estimate the neutron star magnetic field as 2.4 × 1012 G. All evidencethus suggests IGR J17329-2731 is a symbiotic X-ray binary. As no X-ray emission was ever observed from the location of IGR J17329-2731 by INTEGRAL (or other X-ray facilities) during the past 15 yr in orbit and considering that symbiotic X-ray binaries are known to be variable but persistent X-ray sources, we concluded that INTEGRAL caught the first detectable X-ray emission from IGR J17329-2731 when the source shined as a symbiotic X-ray binary. The Swift XRT monitoring performed up to 3 months after the discovery of the source, showed that it maintained a relatively stable X-ray flux and spectral properties.

Investigation relative to the Roentgen Satellite (ROSAT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elvis, Martin S.; Primini, Francis A.; Fabbiano, Guiseppina; Harris, Daniel E.; Jones-Foreman, Christine; Trinchieri, Ginevra; Golub, Leon; Bookbinder, Jay; Seward, Frederick D.; Zombeck, Martin V.

1994-01-01

Reports include: High Resolution Observations of the Central Region of M31; The X-ray Emission of Low-X-ray-Luminosity Early-Type Galaxies: Gas Versus Compact Sources; Interaction Between Cluster Gas and Radio Features of Cygnus A; Hot Gas and Dark Halos in Early-Type Galaxies; A Gravitational Lens in X-rays - 0957+461; How Massive are Early-Type Galaxies?; Three Crab-Like SNR in the Large Magellanic Cloud; and Soft X-ray Emission from Boundary Layers in Cataclysmic Variables. Papers submitted to the Astrophysical Journal are attached.

New X-ray bound on density of primordial black holes

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

Inoue, Yoshiyuki; Kusenko, Alexander, E-mail: yinoue@astro.isas.jaxa.jp, E-mail: kusenko@ucla.edu

We set a new upper limit on the abundance of primordial black holes (PBH) based on existing X-ray data. PBH interactions with interstellar medium should result in significant fluxes of X-ray photons, which would contribute to the observed number density of compact X-ray objects in galaxies. The data constrain PBH number density in the mass range from a few M {sub ⊙} to 2× 10{sup 7} M {sub ⊙}. PBH density needed to account for the origin of black holes detected by LIGO is marginally allowed.

Multiwavelength observations of Active Galactic Nuclei from the radio to the hard X-rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beuchert, Tobias

2017-07-01

Active Galaxies form a peculiar type of galaxies. Their cores, the so-called "Active Galactic Nuclei" (AGN), are the most persistent luminous objects in the universe. Accretion of several solar masses per year onto black holes of Millions to Billions of solar masses drive the immense energy output of these systems, which can exceed that of the entire galaxy. The compact energy source, however, only measures about one over a Billion times that of the entire galaxy. Subject of my thesis are observations of the two main channels of energy release of selected AGN systems, both of which are encompassed by profound and yet unanswered questions. These channels are on the one hand the pronounced X-ray emission of the hot and compact accreting environment in close vicinity of the black hole, and on the other hand the radio synchrotron emission of magnetically collimated jets that are fed by portions of the accreted matter. These jets also function as effective accelerators and drive the injected matter deep into the intergalactic medium. As the circumnuclear environment of AGN is too compact to be spatially resolved in the X-rays, I show how X-ray spectroscopy can be used to: (1) understand the effects of strong gravity to trace the geometry and physics of the X-ray source and (2) more consistently quantify matter that surrounds and dynamically absorbs our direct line of sight towards the X-ray source. Second, I unveil the valuable information contained in the polarized radio light being emitted from magnetized jet outflows. In contrast to the X-ray emitting region, I am able to spatially resolve the inner parts of the jet of a prominent galaxy with help of the Very Long Baseline Array, a large network of radio telescopes. The resulting polarization maps turn out to be exceptionally promising in answering fundamental questions related to jet physics.

A soft X-ray map of the Perseus cluster of galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cash, W.; Malina, R. F.; Wolff, R. S.

1976-01-01

A 0.5-3-keV X-ray map of the Perseus cluster of galaxies is presented. The map shows a region of strong emission centered near NGC 1275 plus a highly elongated emission region which lies along the line of bright galaxies that dominates the core of the cluster. The data are compared with various models that include point and diffuse sources. One model which adequately represents the data is the superposition of a point source at NGC 1275 and an isothermal ellipsoid resulting from the bremsstrahlung emission of cluster gas. The ellipsoid has a major core radius of 20.5 arcmin and a minor core radius of 5.5 arcmin, consistent with the values obtained from galaxy counts. All acceptable models provide evidence for a compact source (less than 3 arcmin FWHM) at NGC 1275 containing about 25% of the total emission. Since the diffuse X-ray and radio components have radically different morphologies, it is unlikely that the emissions arise from a common source, as proposed in inverse-Compton models.

Ultra-Compact Accelerator Technologies for Application in Nuclear Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sampayan, S.; Caporaso, G.; Chen, Y.-J.; Carazo, V.; Falabella, S.; Guethlein, G.; Guse, S.; Harris, J. R.; Hawkins, S.; Holmes, C.; Krogh, M.; Nelson, S.; Paul, A. C.; Pearson, D.; Poole, B.; Schmidt, R.; Sanders, D.; Selenes, K.; Sitaraman, S.; Sullivan, J.; Wang, L.; Watson, J.

2009-12-01

We report on compact accelerator technology development for potential use as a pulsed neutron source quantitative post verifier. The technology is derived from our on-going compact accelerator technology development program for radiography under the US Department of Energy and for a clinic sized compact proton therapy systems under an industry sponsored Cooperative Research and Development Agreement. The accelerator technique relies on the synchronous discharge of a prompt pulse generating stacked transmission line structure with the beam transit. The goal of this technology is to achieve ˜10 MV/m gradients for 10 s of nanoseconds pulses and ˜100 MV/m gradients for ˜1 ns systems. As a post verifier for supplementing existing x-ray equipment, this system can remain in a charged, stand-by state with little or no energy consumption. We describe the progress of our overall component development effort with the multilayer dielectric wall insulators (i.e., the accelerator wall), compact power supply technology, kHz repetition-rate surface flashover ion sources, and the prompt pulse generation system consisting of wide-bandgap switches and high performance dielectric materials.

A case for ZnO nanowire field emitter arrays in advanced x-ray source applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, Vance S.; Bergkvist, Magnus; Chen, Daokun; Chen, Jun; Huang, Mengbing

2016-09-01

Reviewing current efforts in X-ray source miniaturization reveals a broad spectrum of applications: Portable and/or remote nondestructive evaluation, high throughput protein crystallography, invasive radiotherapy, monitoring fluid flow and particulate generation in situ, and portable radiography devices for battle-front or large scale disaster triage scenarios. For the most part, all of these applications are being addressed with a top-down approach aimed at improving portability, weight and size. That is, the existing system or a critical sub-component is shrunk in some manner in order to miniaturize the overall package. In parallel to top-down x-ray source miniaturization, more recent efforts leverage field emission and semiconductor device fabrication techniques to achieve small scale x-ray sources via a bottom-up approach where phenomena effective at a micro/nanoscale are coordinated for macro-scale effect. The bottom-up approach holds potential to address all the applications previously mentioned but its entitlement extends into new applications with much more ground-breaking potential. One such bottom-up application is the distributed x-ray source platform. In the medical space, using an array of microscale x-ray sources instead of a single source promises significant reductions in patient dose as well as smaller feature detectability and fewer image artifacts. Cold cathode field emitters are ideal for this application because they can be gated electrostatically or via photonic excitation, they do not generate excessive heat like other common electron emitters, they have higher brightness and they are relatively compact. This document describes how ZnO nanowire field emitter arrays are well suited for distributed x-ray source applications because they hold promise in each of the following critical areas: emission stability, simple scalable fabrication, performance, radiation resistance and photonic coupling.

Development progress of the Materials Analysis and Particle Probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucia, M.; Kaita, R.; Majeski, R.; Bedoya, F.; Allain, J. P.; Boyle, D. P.; Schmitt, J. C.; Onge, D. A. St.

2014-11-01

The Materials Analysis and Particle Probe (MAPP) is a compact in vacuo surface science diagnostic, designed to provide in situ surface characterization of plasma facing components in a tokamak environment. MAPP has been implemented for operation on the Lithium Tokamak Experiment at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), where all control and analysis systems are currently under development for full remote operation. Control systems include vacuum management, instrument power, and translational/rotational probe drive. Analysis systems include onboard Langmuir probes and all components required for x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, low-energy ion scattering spectroscopy, direct recoil spectroscopy, and thermal desorption spectroscopy surface analysis techniques.

Development progress of the Materials Analysis and Particle Probe.

PubMed

Lucia, M; Kaita, R; Majeski, R; Bedoya, F; Allain, J P; Boyle, D P; Schmitt, J C; Onge, D A St

2014-11-01

The Materials Analysis and Particle Probe (MAPP) is a compact in vacuo surface science diagnostic, designed to provide in situ surface characterization of plasma facing components in a tokamak environment. MAPP has been implemented for operation on the Lithium Tokamak Experiment at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), where all control and analysis systems are currently under development for full remote operation. Control systems include vacuum management, instrument power, and translational/rotational probe drive. Analysis systems include onboard Langmuir probes and all components required for x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, low-energy ion scattering spectroscopy, direct recoil spectroscopy, and thermal desorption spectroscopy surface analysis techniques.

TAKASAGO-6 apparatus for cryogenic coherent X-ray diffraction imaging of biological non-crystalline particles using X-ray free electron laser at SACLA.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Amane; Sekiguchi, Yuki; Takayama, Yuki; Oroguchi, Tomotaka; Shirahama, Keiya; Torizuka, Yasufumi; Manoda, Masahiro; Nakasako, Masayoshi; Yamamoto, Masaki

2016-05-01

Coherent X-ray diffraction imaging (CXDI) is a technique for structure analyses of non-crystalline particles with dimensions ranging from micrometer to sub-micrometer. We have developed a diffraction apparatus named TAKASAGO-6 for use in single-shot CXDI experiments of frozen-hydrated non-crystalline biological particles at cryogenic temperature with X-ray free electron laser pulses provided at a repetition rate of 30 Hz from the SPring-8 Angstrom Compact free-electron LAser. Specimen particles are flash-cooled after being dispersed on thin membranes supported by specially designed disks. The apparatus is equipped with a high-speed translation stage with a cryogenic pot for raster-scanning of the disks at a speed higher than 25 μm/33 ms. In addition, we use devices assisting the easy transfer of cooled specimens from liquid-nitrogen storages to the cryogenic pot. In the current experimental procedure, more than 20 000 diffraction patterns can be collected within 1 h. Here we report the key components and performance of the diffraction apparatus. Based on the efficiency of the diffraction data collection and the structure analyses of metal particles, biological cells, and cellular organelles, we discuss the future application of this diffraction apparatus for structure analyses of biological specimens.

X-Ray Absorption Toward the Einstein Ring Source PKS 1830-211

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathur, Smita; Nair, Sunita

1997-01-01

PKS 1830-211 is an unusually radio-loud gravitationally lensed quasar. In the radio spectrum, the system appears as two compact, dominant features surrounded by relatively extended radio emission that forms an Einstein ring. As the line of sight to it passes close to our Galactic center, PKS 1830-211 has not been detected in wave bands other than the radio and X-ray so far. Here we present X-ray data of PKS 1830-211 observed with ROSAT Position Sensitive Proportional Counter. The X-ray spectrum shows that absorption in excess of the Galactic contribution is highly likely, which at the redshift of the lensing galaxy (z(sub t)=0.886) corresponds to N(sub H)=3.5((sup 0.6)(sub -0.5))x10(exp 22) atoms sq cm. The effective optical extinction is large, A(sub V)(observed) is greater than or approximately 5.8. When corrected for this additional extinction, the two-point optical to X-ray slope alpha(sub ox) of PKS 1830-211 lies just within the observed range of quasars. It is argued here that both compact images must be covered by the X-ray absorber(s) that we infer to be the lensing galaxy (galaxies). The dust-to-gas ratio along the line of sight within the lensing galaxy is likely to be somewhat larger than for our Galaxy.

A novel vacuum spectrometer for total reflection x-ray fluorescence analysis with two exchangeable low power x-ray sources for the analysis of low, medium, and high Z elements in sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wobrauschek, P.; Prost, J.; Ingerle, D.; Kregsamer, P.; Misra, N. L.; Streli, C.

2015-08-01

The extension of the detectable elemental range with Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF) analysis is a challenging task. In this paper, it is demonstrated how a TXRF spectrometer is modified to analyze elements from carbon to uranium. Based on the existing design of a vacuum TXRF spectrometer with a 12 specimen sample changer, the following components were renewed: the silicon drift detector with 20 mm2 active area and having a special ultra-thin polymer window allowing the detection of elements from carbon upwards. Two exchangeable X-ray sources guarantee the efficient excitation of both low and high Z elements. These X-ray sources were two light-weighted easily mountable 35 W air-cooled low-power tubes with Cr and Rh anodes, respectively. The air cooled tubes and the Peltier-cooled detector allowed to construct a transportable tabletop spectrometer with compact dimensions, as neither liquid nitrogen cooling for the detector nor a water cooling circuit and a bulky high voltage generator for the X-ray tubes are required. Due to the excellent background conditions as a result of the TXRF geometry, detection limits of 150 ng for C, 12 ng for F, and 3.3 ng for Na have been obtained using Cr excitation in vacuum. For Rh excitation, the detection limits of 90 pg could be achieved for Sr. Taking 10 to 20 μl of sample volume, extrapolated detection limits in the ng/g (ppb) range are resulting in terms of concentration.

A novel method for resonant inelastic soft X-ray scattering via photoelectron spectroscopy detection

DOE PAGES

Dakovski, Georgi L.; Lin, Ming-Fu; Damiani, Daniel S.; ...

2017-10-05

A method for measuring resonant inelastic X-ray scattering based on the conversion of X-ray photons into photoelectrons is presented in this paper. The setup is compact, relies on commercially available detectors, and offers significant flexibility. Finally, this method is demonstrated at the Linac Coherent Light Source with ~0.5 eV resolution at the cobalt L 3-edge, with signal rates comparable with traditional grating spectrometers.

X-Ray Emission from Compact Sources

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

Cominsky, L

2004-03-23

This paper presents a review of the physical parameters of neutron stars and black holes that have been derived from X-ray observations. I then explain how these physical parameters can be used to learn about the extreme conditions occurring in regions of strong gravity, and present some recent evidence for relativistic effects seen in these systems. A glossary of commonly used terms and a short tutorial on the names of X-ray sources are also included.

Observation and theory of X-ray mirages

PubMed Central

Magnitskiy, Sergey; Nagorskiy, Nikolay; Faenov, Anatoly; Pikuz, Tatiana; Tanaka, Mamoko; Ishino, Masahiko; Nishikino, Masaharu; Fukuda, Yuji; Kando, Masaki; Kawachi, Tetsuya; Kato, Yoshiaki

2013-01-01

The advent of X-ray lasers allowed the realization of compact coherent soft X-ray sources, thus opening the way to a wide range of applications. Here we report the observation of unexpected concentric rings in the far-field beam profile at the output of a two-stage plasma-based X-ray laser, which can be considered as the first manifestation of a mirage phenomenon in X-rays. We have developed a method of solving the Maxwell–Bloch equations for this problem, and find that the experimentally observed phenomenon is due to the emergence of X-ray mirages in the plasma amplifier, appearing as phase-matched coherent virtual point sources. The obtained results bring a new insight into the physical nature of amplification of X-ray radiation in laser-induced plasma amplifiers and open additional opportunities for X-ray plasma diagnostics and extreme ultraviolet lithography. PMID:23733009

Observation and theory of X-ray mirages.

PubMed

Magnitskiy, Sergey; Nagorskiy, Nikolay; Faenov, Anatoly; Pikuz, Tatiana; Tanaka, Mamoko; Ishino, Masahiko; Nishikino, Masaharu; Fukuda, Yuji; Kando, Masaki; Kawachi, Tetsuya; Kato, Yoshiaki

2013-01-01

The advent of X-ray lasers allowed the realization of compact coherent soft X-ray sources, thus opening the way to a wide range of applications. Here we report the observation of unexpected concentric rings in the far-field beam profile at the output of a two-stage plasma-based X-ray laser, which can be considered as the first manifestation of a mirage phenomenon in X-rays. We have developed a method of solving the Maxwell-Bloch equations for this problem, and find that the experimentally observed phenomenon is due to the emergence of X-ray mirages in the plasma amplifier, appearing as phase-matched coherent virtual point sources. The obtained results bring a new insight into the physical nature of amplification of X-ray radiation in laser-induced plasma amplifiers and open additional opportunities for X-ray plasma diagnostics and extreme ultraviolet lithography.

The Intermediate Luminosity Optical Transient SN 2010da: The Progenitor, Eruption, and Aftermath of a Peculiar Supergiant High-mass X-Ray Binary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villar, V. A.; Berger, E.; Chornock, R.; Margutti, R.; Laskar, T.; Brown, P. J.; Blanchard, P. K.; Czekala, I.; Lunnan, R.; Reynolds, M. T.

2016-10-01

We present optical spectroscopy, ultraviolet-to-infrared imaging, and X-ray observations of the intermediate luminosity optical transient (ILOT) SN 2010da in NGC 300 (d = 1.86 Mpc) spanning from -6 to +6 years relative to the time of outburst in 2010. Based on the light-curve and multi-epoch spectral energy distributions of SN 2010da, we conclude that the progenitor of SN 2010da is a ≈10-12 M ⊙ yellow supergiant possibly transitioning into a blue-loop phase. During outburst, SN 2010da had a peak absolute magnitude of M bol ≲ -10.4 mag, dimmer than other ILOTs and supernova impostors. We detect multi-component hydrogen Balmer, Paschen, and Ca II emission lines in our high-resolution spectra, which indicate a dusty and complex circumstellar environment. Since the 2010 eruption, the star has brightened by a factor of ≈5 and remains highly variable in the optical. Furthermore, we detect SN 2010da in archival Swift and Chandra observations as an ultraluminous X-ray source (L X ≈ 6 × 1039 erg s-1). We additionally attribute He II 4686 Å and coronal Fe emission lines in addition to a steady X-ray luminosity of ≈1037 erg s-1 to the presence of a compact companion.

Panchromatic Observations of SN2011dh Point to a Compact Progenitor Star

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soderberg, A. M.; Margutti, R.; Zauerer, B. A.; Krauss, M.; Katz, B.; Chomiuk, L.; Dittmann, J. A.; Nakar, E.; Sakamoto, T.; Kawai, N.;

Effect of powder compaction on radiation-thermal synthesis of lithium-titanium ferrites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surzhikov, A. P.; Lysenko, E. N.; Vlasov, V. A.; Malyshev, A. V.; Korobeynikov, M. V.; Mikhailenko, M. A.

2017-01-01

Effect of powder compaction on the efficiency of thermal and radiation-thermal synthesis of lithium-substituted ferrites was investigated by X-Ray diffraction and specific magnetization analysis. It was shown that the radiation-thermal heating of compacted powder reagents mixture leads to an increase in efficiency of lithium-titanium ferrites synthesis.

Investigation of solid phase composition on tablet surfaces by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction.

PubMed

Koradia, Vishal; Tenho, Mikko; Lopez de Diego, Heidi; Ringkjøbing-Elema, Michiel; Møller-Sonnergaard, Jørn; Salonen, Jarno; Lehto, Vesa-Pekka; Rantanen, Jukka

2012-01-01

To investigate solid state transformations of drug substances during compaction using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD). The solid forms of three model drugs-theophylline (TP), nitrofurantoin (NF) and amlodipine besylate (AMB)-were compacted at different pressures (from 100 to 1000 MPa); prepared tablets were measured using GIXD. After the initial measurements of freshly compacted tablets, tablets were subjected to suitable recrystallization treatment, and analogous measurements were performed. Solid forms of TP, NF and AMB showed partial amorphization as well as crystal disordering during compaction; the extent of these effects generally increased as a function of pressure. The changes were most pronounced at the outer surface region. The different solid forms showed difference in the formation of amorphicity/crystal disordering. Dehydration due to compaction was observed for the TP monohydrate, whereas hydrates of NF and AMB were stable towards dehydration. With GIXD measurements, it was possible to probe the solid form composition at the different depths of the tablet surfaces and to obtain depth-dependent information on the compaction-induced amorphization, crystal disordering and dehydration.

Linking initial microstructure and local response during quasistatic granular compaction

DOE PAGES

Hurley, R. C.; Lind, J.; Pagan, D. C.; ...

2017-07-24

In this study, we performed experiments combining three-dimensional x-ray diffraction and x-ray computed tomography to explore the relationship between microstructure and local force and strain during quasistatic granular compaction. We found that initial void space around a grain and contact coordination number before compaction can be used to predict regions vulnerable to above-average local force and strain at later stages of compaction. We also found correlations between void space around a grain and coordination number, and between grain stress and maximum interparticle force, at all stages of compaction. Finally, we observed grains that fracture to have an above-average initial localmore » void space and a below-average initial coordination number. In conclusion, our findings provide (1) a detailed description of microstructure evolution during quasistatic granular compaction, (2) an approach for identifying regions vulnerable to large values of strain and interparticle force, and (3) methods for identifying regions of a material with large interparticle forces and coordination numbers from measurements of grain stress and local porosity.« less

HIgh-speed flickering and jet formation in GRS 1915+105

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lasso Cabrera, Nestor M.

In this dissertation we study the different phenomena of accretion and relativistic jet formation observed in the microquasar GRS 1915+105. Our final goal is to understand the processes producing the relativistic outflows, as well as their relation with the inflow mechanisms. Initially, we analyze X-ray emission (RXTE PCA and HEXTE) from GRS 1915+105 during and after an X-ray/radio plateau epoch. The high signal-to-noise levels in our observations allow the first published measurement of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPO) RMS values using RXTE/HEXTE data. We find that the spectral energy distribution of the QPO strongly indicates an origin in the hard non-thermal emission component, suggesting a second spectral component to the hard non-thermal X-ray emission. Given the association of the QPOs with the observed jet activity in GRS 1915+105, we suggest that this additional non-thermal X-ray spectral component may be directly linked to the relativistic jet formation process. We also analyze simultaneous X-ray (RXTE/PCA) and near-IR (Palomar 200-inch) observations from the microquasar GRS 1915+105 during two similar low/hard state epochs and two different high X-ray variability epochs -- X-ray classes alpha and beta. The X-ray to IR cross-correlation function (CCF) shows that both low/hard state observations as well as the class beta observations present little or null interaction between the X-ray and IR fluxes, while the class alpha observations present a strong correlation between the X-ray (inner accretion disk) and the IR (compact jet) light curves. We also use the X-ray to IR CCF to study the relative evolution of the two signals and find no significant evolutionary track in any of the epochs. Simulated IR light curves confirm the results of the CCF, showing a flickering IR emission during the class beta high X-ray variability period that strengthens ˜10 s after every X-ray subflare. The existence of a flickering IR emission with frequencies in the range 0.1 to 0.3 Hz that is strongly correlated with the X-ray emission allow us to place the origin of the IR emission in a synchrotron emitting relativistic jet with the IR launch site located at ˜0.02 AU from the accretion disk. These results will be especially relevant for constraining the current models of relativistic jet production in GRS 1915+105 and other microquasars. The second part of this work is dedicated to overcoming the limitation in the acquisition of high time resolution infrared data of microquasars. We introduce the Canarias InfraRed Camera Experiment (CIRCE), a new IR instrument for the 10-meter Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). Among other properties, CIRCE is specifically designed for the observation of relativistic jet events in microquasars, and along with the capabilities of the GTC, will enable us to observe any microquasar in the J, H, and K IR bands, with a time resolution of ˜12 Hz and a signal-to-noise level never achieved before. We plan to use CIRCE in the future to confirm the final results of the jet production study of this dissertation. We present the electronics design of CIRCE, including the housekeeping electronics, the Logic Control Unit (LCU), and the readout electronics. We also present the result of the analysis of the image quality tests performed on the CIRCE optical system.

Hard X-Ray Emission from Sh 2-104: A NuSTAR Search for Gamma-Ray Counterparts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gotthelf, E. V.; Mori, K.; Aliu, E.; Paredes, J. M.; Tomsick, J. A.; Boggs, S. E.; Christensen, F. E.; Craig, W. W.; Hailey, C. J.; Harrison, F. A.; Hong, J. S.; Rahoui, F.; Stern, D.; Zhang, W. W.

2016-07-01

We present NuSTAR hard X-ray observations of Sh 2-104, a compact H II region containing several young massive stellar clusters (YMSCs). We have detected distinct hard X-ray sources coincident with localized VERITAS TeV emission recently resolved from the giant gamma-ray complex MGRO J2019+37 in the Cygnus region. Fainter, diffuse X-rays coincident with the eastern YMSC in Sh2-104 likely result from the colliding winds of a component star. Just outside the radio shell of Sh 2-104 lies 3XMM J201744.7+365045 and a nearby nebula, NuSTAR J201744.3+364812, whose properties are most consistent with extragalactic objects. The combined XMM-Newton and NuSTAR spectrum of 3XMM J201744.7+365045 is well-fit to an absorbed power-law model with {N}{{H}}=(3.1+/- 1.0)× {10}22 cm-2 and a photon index {{Γ }}=2.1+/- 0.1. Based on possible long-term flux variation and the lack of detected pulsations (≤43% modulation), this object is likely a background active galactic nucleus rather than a Galactic pulsar. The spectrum of the NuSTAR nebula shows evidence of an emission line at E = 5.6 keV, suggesting an optically obscured galaxy cluster at z = 0.19 ± 0.02 (d = 800 Mpc) and L X = 1.2 × 1044 erg s-1. Follow-up Chandra observations of Sh 2-104 will help identify the nature of the X-ray sources and their relation to MGRO J2019+37. We also show that the putative VERITAS excess south of Sh 2-104, is most likely associated with the newly discovered Fermi pulsar PSR J2017+3625 and not the H II region.

NuSTAR and XMM-Newton Observations of 1E1743.1-2843: Indications of a Neutron Star LMXB Nature of the Compact Object

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lotti, Simone; Natalucci, Lorenzo; Mori, Kaya; Baganoff, Frederick K.; Boggs, Steven E.; Christensen, Finn E.; Craig, William W.; Hailey, Charles J.; Harrison, Fiona A.; Hong, Jaesub;

A 3D Kinematic Measurement of Knee Prosthesis Using X-ray Projection Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirokawa, Shunji; Ariyoshi, Shogo; Hossain, Mohammad Abrar

We have developed a technique for estimating 3D motion of knee prosthesis from its 2D perspective projections. As Fourier descriptors were used for compact representation of library templates and contours extracted from the prosthetic X-ray images, the entire silhouette contour of each prosthetic component was required. This caused such a problem as our algorithm did not function when the silhouettes of tibio and femoral components overlapped with each other. Here we planned a novel method to overcome it; which was processed in two steps. First, the missing part of silhouette contour due to overlap was interpolated using a free-formed curvature such as Bezier. Then the first step position/orientation estimation was performed. In the next step, a clipping window was set in the projective coordinate so as to separate the overlapped silhouette drawn using the first step estimates. After that the localized library whose templates were clipped in shape was prepared and the second step estimation was performed. Computer model simulation demonstrated sufficient accuracies of position/orientation estimation even for overlapped silhouettes; equivalent to those without overlap.

Roller compaction of different pseudopolymorphic forms of theophylline: Effect on compressibility and tablet properties.

PubMed

Hadzović, Ervina; Betz, Gabriele; Hadzidedić, Seherzada; El-Arini, Silvia Kocova; Leuenberger, Hans

2010-08-30

The effect of roller compaction on disintegration time, dissolution rate and compressibility of tablets prepared from theophylline anhydrate powder, theophylline anhydrate fine powder and theophylline monohydrate was studied. In addition, the influence of adding microcrystalline cellulose, a commonly used excipient, in mixtures with these materials was investigated. Theophylline anhydrate powder was used as a model drug to investigate the influence of different compaction pressures on the tablet properties. Tablets with same porosity were prepared by direct compaction and by roller compaction/re-compaction. Compressibility was characterized by Heckel and modified Heckel equations. Due to the property of polymorphic materials to change their form during milling and compression, X-ray diffraction analysis of theophylline anhydrate powder, theophylline anhydrate fine powder and theophylline monohydrate powders and granules was carried out. After roller compaction the disintegration time and the dissolution rate of the tablets were significantly improved. Compressibility of theophylline anhydrate powder and theophylline anhydrate fine powder was decreased, while theophylline monohydrate showed higher compressibility after roller compaction. Microcrystalline cellulose affected compressibility of theophylline anhydrate powder, theophylline anhydrate fine powder and theophylline monohydrate whereby the binary mixtures showed higher compressibility than the individual materials. X-ray diffraction analyses confirmed that there were no polymorphic/pseudopolymorphic changes after roller compaction. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Compact Storage Ring for an X-Ray Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ovchinnikova, L.; Shvedunov, V.; Ivanov, K.

2017-12-01

We propose a new design of a compact storage ring for a source of X-ray radiation on the basis of reverse Thomson scattering of laser radiation by electrons with the energy of 35-50 MeV, which has small number of optical elements and a significant clear space for the placement of a beam injection-extraction system and a RF cavity. The original laser cavity layout has been considered. The ring dynamic aperture after correction of chromaticity and a second-order dispersion function is sufficient for the injection and stable circulation of an electron bunch in the ring.

(Bayesian) Inference for X-ray Timing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huppenkothen, Daniela

2016-07-01

Fourier techniques have been incredibly successful in describing variability of X-ray binaries (XRBs) and Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). The detection and characterization of both broadband noise components and quasi-periodic oscillations as well as their behavior in the context of spectral changes during XRB outbursts has become an important tool for studying the physical processes of accretion and ejection in these systems. In this talk, I will review state-of-the-art techniques for characterizing variability in compact objects and show how these methods help us understand the causes of the observed variability and how we may use it to probe fundamental physics. Despite numerous successes, however, it has also become clear that many scientific questions cannot be answered with traditional timing methods alone. I will therefore also present recent advances, some in the time domain like CARMA, to modeling variability with generative models and discuss where these methods might lead us in the future.

Laser power meters as an X-ray power diagnostic for LCLS-II

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

Heimann, Philip; Moeller, Stefan; Carbajo, Sergio

For the LCLS-II X-ray instruments, laser power meters are being developed as compact X-ray power diagnostics to operate at soft and tender X-ray photon energies. These diagnostics can be installed at various locations along an X-ray free-electron laser (FEL) beamline in order to monitor the transmission of X-ray optics along the beam path. In addition, the power meters will be used to determine the absolute X-ray power at the endstations. Here, thermopile power meters, which measure average power, and have been chosen primarily for their compatibility with the high repetition rates at LCLS-II, are evaluated. Here, a number of characteristicsmore » in the soft X-ray range are presented including linearity, calibrations conducted with a photodiode and a gas monitor detector as well as ultra-high-vacuum compatibility tests using residual gas analysis. The application of these power meters for LCLS-II and other X-ray FEL sources is discussed.« less

Laser power meters as an X-ray power diagnostic for LCLS-II.

PubMed

Heimann, Philip; Moeller, Stefan; Carbajo, Sergio; Song, Sanghoon; Dakovski, Georgi; Nordlund, Dennis; Fritz, David

2018-01-01

For the LCLS-II X-ray instruments, laser power meters are being developed as compact X-ray power diagnostics to operate at soft and tender X-ray photon energies. These diagnostics can be installed at various locations along an X-ray free-electron laser (FEL) beamline in order to monitor the transmission of X-ray optics along the beam path. In addition, the power meters will be used to determine the absolute X-ray power at the endstations. Here, thermopile power meters, which measure average power, and have been chosen primarily for their compatibility with the high repetition rates at LCLS-II, are evaluated. A number of characteristics in the soft X-ray range are presented including linearity, calibrations conducted with a photodiode and a gas monitor detector as well as ultra-high-vacuum compatibility tests using residual gas analysis. The application of these power meters for LCLS-II and other X-ray FEL sources is discussed.

Laser power meters as an X-ray power diagnostic for LCLS-II

DOE PAGES

Heimann, Philip; Moeller, Stefan; Carbajo, Sergio; ...

2018-01-01

For the LCLS-II X-ray instruments, laser power meters are being developed as compact X-ray power diagnostics to operate at soft and tender X-ray photon energies. These diagnostics can be installed at various locations along an X-ray free-electron laser (FEL) beamline in order to monitor the transmission of X-ray optics along the beam path. In addition, the power meters will be used to determine the absolute X-ray power at the endstations. Here, thermopile power meters, which measure average power, and have been chosen primarily for their compatibility with the high repetition rates at LCLS-II, are evaluated. Here, a number of characteristicsmore » in the soft X-ray range are presented including linearity, calibrations conducted with a photodiode and a gas monitor detector as well as ultra-high-vacuum compatibility tests using residual gas analysis. The application of these power meters for LCLS-II and other X-ray FEL sources is discussed.« less

ROSAT observations of compact groups of galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pildis, Rachel A.; Bregman, Joel N.; Evrard, August E.

1995-01-01

We have systematically analyzed a sample of 13 new and archival ROSAT Position Sensitive Proportional Counter (PSPC) observations of compact groups of galaxies: 12 Hickson compact groups plus the NCG 2300 group. We find that approximately two-thirds of the groups have extended X-ray emission and, in four of these, the emission is resolved into diffuse emission from gas at a temperature of kT approximately 1 keV in the group potential. All but one of the groups with extended emission have a spiral fraction of less than 50%. The baryon fraction of groups with diffuse emission is 5%-19%, similar to the values in clusters of galaxies. However, with a single exception (HCG 62), the gas-to-stellar mass ratio in our groups has a median value near 5%, somewhat greater than the values for individual early-type galaxies and two orders of magnitude than in clusters of galaxies. The X-ray luminosities of individual group galaxies are comparable to those of similar field galaxies, although the L(sub X)-L(sub B) relation for early-type galaxies may be flatter in compact groups than in the field.

Bone-like apatite layer formation on hydroxyapatite prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS).

PubMed

Gu, Y W; Khor, K A; Cheang, P

2004-08-01

Hydroxyapatite (HA) compacts with high density and superior mechanical properties were fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) using spray-dried HA powders as feedstock. The formation of bone-like apatite layer on SPS consolidated HA compacts were investigated by soaking the HA compacts in simulated body fluid (SBF) for various periods (maximum of 28 days). The structural changes in HA post-SBF were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that a layer consisting microcrystalline carbonate-containing hydroxyapatite was formed on the surface of HA compacts after soaking for 24h. The formation mechanism of apatite on the surface of HA compacts after soaking in SBF was attributed to the ion exchange between HA compacts and the SBF solution. The increase in ionic concentration of calcium and phosphorus as well as the increase in pH after SBF immersion resulted in an increase in ionic activity product of apatite in the solution, and provided a specific surface with a low interface energy that is conducive to the nucleation of apatite on the surface of HA compacts.

X-band RF gun and linac for medical Compton scattering X-ray source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobashi, Katsuhito; Uesaka, Mitsuru; Fukasawa, Atsushi; Sakamoto, Fumito; Ebina, Futaro; Ogino, Haruyuki; Urakawa, Junji; Higo, Toshiyasu; Akemoto, Mitsuo; Hayano, Hitoshi; Nakagawa, Keiichi

2004-12-01

Compton scattering hard X-ray source for 10-80 keV are under construction using the X-band (11.424 GHz) electron linear accelerator and YAG laser at Nuclear Engineering Research laboratory, University of Tokyo. This work is a part of the national project on the development of advanced compact medical accelerators in Japan. National Institute for Radiological Science is the host institute and U.Tokyo and KEK are working for the X-ray source. Main advantage is to produce tunable monochromatic hard (10-80 keV) X-rays with the intensities of 108-1010 photons/s (at several stages) and the table-top size. Second important aspect is to reduce noise radiation at a beam dump by adopting the deceleration of electrons after the Compton scattering. This realizes one beamline of a 3rd generation SR source at small facilities without heavy shielding. The final goal is that the linac and laser are installed on the moving gantry. We have designed the X-band (11.424 GHz) traveling-wave-type linac for the purpose. Numerical consideration by CAIN code and luminosity calculation are performed to estimate the X-ray yield. X-band thermionic-cathode RF-gun and RDS(Round Detuned Structure)-type X-band accelerating structure are applied to generate 50 MeV electron beam with 20 pC microbunches (104) for 1 microsecond RF macro-pulse. The X-ray yield by the electron beam and Q-switch Nd:YAG laser of 2 J/10 ns is 107 photons/RF-pulse (108 photons/sec at 10 pps). We design to adopt a technique of laser circulation to increase the X-ray yield up to 109 photons/pulse (1010 photons/s). 50 MW X-band klystron and compact modulator have been constructed and now under tuning. The construction of the whole system has started. X-ray generation and medical application will be performed in the early next year.

NuSTAR Search for Hard X-ray Emission from the Star Formation Regions in Sh2-104

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gotthelf, Eric V.

2016-04-01

We present NuSTAR hard X-ray observations of Sh2-104, a compact Hii region containing several young massive stellar clusters (YMSCs). We have detected distinct hard X-ray sources coincident with localized VERITAS TeV emission recently resolved from the giant gamma-ray complex MGRO J2019+37 in the Cygnus region. Faint, diffuse X-ray emission coincident with the eastern YMSC in Sh2-104 is likely the result of colliding winds of component stars. Just outside the radio shell of Sh2-104 lies 3XMM J201744.7+365045 and nearby nebula NuSTAR J201744.3+364812, whose properties are most consistent with extragalactic objects. The combined XMM-Newton and NuSTAR spectrum of 3XMM J201744.7+365045 is well-fit to an absorbed power-law model with NH = (3.1+/-1.0)E22 1/cm^2 and photon index Gamma = 2.1+/-0.1. Based on possible long-term flux variation and lack of detected pulsations (<43% modulation), this object is likely a background AGN rather than a Galactic pulsar. The spectrum of the NuSTAR nebula shows evidence of an emission line at E = 5.6 keV suggesting an optically obscured galaxy cluster at z = 0.19+/-0.02 (d = 800 Mpc) and Lx = 1.2E44 erg/s. Follow-up Chandra observations of Sh2-104 will help identify the nature of the X-ray sources and their relation to MGRO J2019+37.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: X-ray sources in Hickson Compact Groups (Tzanavaris+, 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzanavaris, P.; Gallagher, S. C.; Hornschemeier, A. E.; Fedotov, K.; Eracleous, M.; Brandt, W. N.; Desjardins, T. D.; Charlton, J. C.; Gronwall, C.

2014-06-01

By virtue of their selection criteria, Hickson Compact Groups (HCGs) constitute a distinct class among small galaxy agglomerations. The Hickson catalog (Hickson et al. 1992, Cat. VII/213) comprises 92 spectroscopically confirmed nearby compact groups with three or more members with accordant redshifts (i.e., within 1000km/s of the group mean). In this paper we present nine of these groups, for which both archival Chandra X-ray and Swift UVOT ultraviolet data are available. An observation log for the Chandra data is presented in Table 1. An observation log for the Swift UVOT data is presented in Tzanavaris et al. (2010ApJ...716..556T). In addition, note that in the present work we have included UVOT data for HCGs 90 and 92. (3 data files).

The bright unidentified γ-ray source 1FGL J1227.9–4852: Can it be associated with a low-mass X-ray binary? [The bright unidentified γ-ray source 1FGL J1227.9–4852: Can it be associated with an LMXB?

DOE PAGES

Hill, A. B.; Szostek, A.; Corbel, S.; ...

2011-07-08

We present an analysis of high energy (HE; 0.1–300 GeV) γ-ray observations of 1FGL J1227.9–4852 with the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, follow-up radio observations with the Australia Telescope Compact Array, Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope and Parkes radio telescopes of the same field and follow-up optical observations with the ESO VLT. We also examine archival XMM– Newton and INTEGRAL X-ray observations of the region around this source. The γ-ray spectrum of 1FGL J1227.9–4852 is best fitted with an exponentially cut-off power law, reminiscent of the population of pulsars observed by Fermi. A previously unknown, compact radio source within the 99.7 permore » cent error circle of 1FGL J1227.9–4852 is discovered and has a morphology consistent either with an AGN core/jet structure or with two roughly symmetric lobes of a distant radio galaxy. A single bright X-ray source XSS J12270–4859, a low-mass X-ray binary, also lies within the 1FGL J1227.9–4852 error circle and we report the first detection of radio emission from this source. The potential association of 1FGL J1227.9–4852 with each of these counterparts is discussed. Based upon the available data we find the association of the γ-ray source to the compact double radio source unlikely and suggest that XSS J12270–4859 is a more likely counterpart to the new HE source. As a result, we propose that XSS J12270–4859 may be a millisecond binary pulsar and draw comparisons with PSR J1023+0038.« less

REVIEWS OF TOPICAL PROBLEMS: Cygnus X-3: a powerful galactic source of hard radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vladimirskiĭ, B. M.; Gal'per, A. M.; Luchkov, B. I.; Stepanyan, A. A.

1985-02-01

A review is given of experimental and theoretical research on the galactic source Cyg X-3, whose electromagnetic spectrum extends from radio frequencies to ultrahigh-energy (Eγ ~ 1016 eV) γ-rays. Cyg X-3 also has a high x-ray luminosity (1038 erg/sec) and exhibits diversified sporadic and periodic variations, most notably occasional radio outbursts and a 4h.8 infrared, x-ray, and γ-ray cycle. Analysis of the observations indicates that Cyg X-3 is a close binary system comprising a compact relativistic object (neutron star, black hole) and a dwarf companion losing mass. Particles are accelerated to 1016 eV within the system.

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

Shedlock, Daniel; Dugan, Edward T.; Jacobs, Alan M.

X-ray backscatter radiography by selective detection (RSD) is a field tested and innovative approach to non-destructive evaluation (NDE). RSD is an enhanced single-side x-ray Compton backscatter imaging (CBI) technique which selectively detects scatter components to improve image contrast and quality. Scatter component selection is accomplished through a set of specially designed detectors with fixed and movable collimators. Experimental results have shown that this NDE technique can be used to detect boric acid deposition on a metallic plate through steel foil reflective insulation commonly covering reactor pressure vessels. The current system is capable of detecting boric acid deposits with sub-millimeter resolution,more » through such insulating materials. Industrial systems have been built for Lockheed Martin Space Co. and NASA. Currently the x-ray backscatter RSD scanning systems developed by the University of Florida are being used to inspect the spray-on foam insulation (SOFI) used on the external tank of the space shuttle. RSD inspection techniques have found subsurface cracking in the SOFI thought to be responsible for the foam debris which separated from the external tank during the last shuttle launch. These industrial scanning systems can be customized for many applications, and a smaller, lighter, more compact unit design is being developed. The smaller design is approximately four inches wide, three inches high, and about 12 inches in length. This smaller RSD system can be used for NDE of areas that cannot be reached with larger equipment. X-ray backscatter RSD is a proven technology that has been tested on a wide variety of materials and applications. Currently the system has been used to inspect materials such as aluminum, plastics, honeycomb laminates, reinforced carbon composites, steel, and titanium. The focus of RSD is for one-sided detection for applications where conventional non-destructive examination methods either will not work or give poor results. Acquired images have clearly shown, for a variety of conditions, that proper selection of x-ray field scatter components leads to a significant improvement in image quality and contrast. Improvements are significant enough in some cases that objects not visible to conventional CBI or transmission radiography become readily discernable with RSD. (authors)« less

Short Pulse High Brightness X-ray Production with the PLEIADES Thomson Scattering Source

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

Anderson, S G; Barty, C P J; Betts, S M

2003-07-01

We describe PLEIADES, a compact, tunable, high-brightness, ultra-short pulse, Thomson x-ray source. The peak brightness of the source is expected to exceed 10{sup 20} photons/s/0.1% bandwidth/mm{sup 2}/mrad{sup 2}. Initial results are reported and compared to theoretical calculations.

Crab Cavity and Cryomodule Prototype Development for the Advanced Photon Source

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

Wang, H; Ciovati, G; Clemens, W A

2011-03-01

We review the single-cell, superconducting crab cavity designs for the short-pulse x-ray (SPX) project at the Advanced Photon Source (APS). The 'on-cell' waveguide scheme is expected to have a more margin for the impedance budget of the APS storage ring, as well as offering a more compact design compared with the original design consisting of a low order mode damping waveguide on the beam pipe. We will report recent fabrication progress, cavity test performance on original and alternate prototypes, and concept designs and analysis for various cryomodule components.

Influence of reagents mixture density on the radiation-thermal synthesis of lithium-zinc ferrites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surzhikov, A. P.; Lysenko, E. N.; Vlasov, V. A.; Malyshev, A. V.; Korobeynikov, M. V.; Mikhailenko, M. A.

2017-01-01

Influence of Li2CO3-ZnO-Fe2O3 powder reagents mixture density on the synthesis efficiency of lithium-zinc ferrites in the conditions of thermal heating or pulsed electron beam heating was studied by X-Ray diffraction and magnetization analysis. The results showed that the including a compaction of powder reagents mixture in ferrite synthesis leads to an increase in concentration of the spinel phase and decrease in initial components content in lithium-substituted ferrites synthesized by thermal or radiation-thermal heating.

WR 148 and the not so compact companion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munoz, Melissa; Moffat, Anthony J.; Hill, Grant M.; Shenar, Tomer; Richardson, Noel D.; Pablo, Herbert; St-Louis, Nicole; Ramiaramanantsoa, Tahina

2017-11-01

The objective is to determine the nature of the unseen companion of the single-lined spectroscopic binary, WR 148 (= WN7h+?). The absence of companion lines supports a compact companion (cc) scenario. The lack of hard X-rays favours a non-compact companion scenario. Is WR 148 a commonplace WR+OB binary or a rare WR+cc binary?

First refraction contrast imaging via Laser-Compton Scattering X-ray at KEK

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

Sakaue, Kazuyuki; Aoki, Tatsuro; Washio, Masakazu

2012-07-31

Laser-Compton Scattering (LCS) is one of the most feasible techniques for high quality, high brightness, and compact X-ray source. High energy electron beam produced by accelerators scatters off the laser photon at a small spot. As a laser target, we have been developing a pulsedlaser storage cavity for increasing an X-ray flux. The X-ray flux was still inadequate that was 2.1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 5}/sec, however, we performed first refraction contrast imaging in order to evaluate the quality of LCS X-ray. Edge enhanced contrast imaging was achieved by changing the distance from sample to detector. The edge enhancement indicates that themore » LCS X-ray has small source size, i.e. high brightness. We believe that the result has demonstrated good feasibility of linac-based high brightness X-ray sources via laser-electron Compton scatterings.« less

Soft X-ray Focusing Telescope Aboard AstroSat: Design, Characteristics and Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, K. P.; Stewart, G. C.; Westergaard, N. J.; Bhattacharayya, S.; Chandra, S.; Chitnis, V. R.; Dewangan, G. C.; Kothare, A. T.; Mirza, I. M.; Mukerjee, K.; Navalkar, V.; Shah, H.; Abbey, A. F.; Beardmore, A. P.; Kotak, S.; Kamble, N.; Vishwakarama, S.; Pathare, D. P.; Risbud, V. M.; Koyande, J. P.; Stevenson, T.; Bicknell, C.; Crawford, T.; Hansford, G.; Peters, G.; Sykes, J.; Agarwal, P.; Sebastian, M.; Rajarajan, A.; Nagesh, G.; Narendra, S.; Ramesh, M.; Rai, R.; Navalgund, K. H.; Sarma, K. S.; Pandiyan, R.; Subbarao, K.; Gupta, T.; Thakkar, N.; Singh, A. K.; Bajpai, A.

2017-06-01

The Soft X-ray focusing Telescope (SXT), India's first X-ray telescope based on the principle of grazing incidence, was launched aboard the AstroSat and made operational on October 26, 2015. X-rays in the energy band of 0.3-8.0 keV are focussed on to a cooled charge coupled device thus providing medium resolution X-ray spectroscopy of cosmic X-ray sources of various types. It is the most sensitive X-ray instrument aboard the AstroSat. In its first year of operation, SXT has been used to observe objects ranging from active stars, compact binaries, supernova remnants, active galactic nuclei and clusters of galaxies in order to study its performance and quantify its characteriztics. Here, we present an overview of its design, mechanical hardware, electronics, data modes, observational constraints, pipeline processing and its in-orbit performance based on preliminary results from its characterization during the performance verification phase.

Theoretical models for stellar X-ray polarization in compact objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meszaros, P.

1991-01-01

Degenerate stellar objects are expected to be strong sources of polarized X-ray emission. This is particularly true for strongly magnetized neutron stars, e.g. accretion or rotation powered pulsars, and gamma ray bursters. In these, linear polarization degrees well in excess of 30 percent are expected. Weaker magnetic field stellar sources, such as old neutron stars in low mass binary systems, white dwarfs and black holes are expected to have polarization degrees in the range 1-3 percent. A great interest attaches to the detection of polarization in these objects, since this would provide invaluable information concerning the geometry, radiation mechanism and magnetic field strength, necessary for testing and proving models of the structure and evolution of stars in their late stages. In this paper we review the theoretical models of the production of polarized radiation in compact stellar X-ray sources, and discuss the possibility of detecting these properties using currently planned detectors to be flown in space.

Thomson-backscattered x rays from laser-accelerated electrons.

PubMed

Schwoerer, H; Liesfeld, B; Schlenvoigt, H-P; Amthor, K-U; Sauerbrey, R

2006-01-13

We present the first observation of Thomson-backscattered light from laser-accelerated electrons. In a compact, all-optical setup, the "photon collider," a high-intensity laser pulse is focused into a pulsed He gas jet and accelerates electrons to relativistic energies. A counterpropagating laser probe pulse is scattered from these high-energy electrons, and the backscattered x-ray photons are spectrally analyzed. This experiment demonstrates a novel source of directed ultrashort x-ray pulses and additionally allows for time-resolved spectroscopy of the laser acceleration of electrons.

The Ionization Fraction in the Obscuring ``Torus'' of an Active Galactic Nucleus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, A. S.; Roy, A. L.; Ulvestad, J. S.; Colbert, E. J. M.; Weaver, K. A.; Braatz, J. A.; Henkel, C.; Matsuoka, M.; Xue, S.; Iyomoto, N.; Okada, K.

1998-10-01

The LINER galaxy NGC 2639 contains a water vapor megamaser, suggesting the presence of a nuclear accretion disk or torus viewed close to edge-on. This galaxy is thus a good candidate for revealing absorption by the torus of any compact nuclear continuum emission. In this paper, we report VLBA radio maps at three frequencies and an ASCA X-ray spectrum obtained to search for free-free and photoelectric absorptions, respectively. The radio observations reveal a compact (<0.2 pc) nuclear source with a spectrum that turns over sharply near 5 GHz. This turnover may reflect either synchrotron self-absorption or free-free absorption. The galaxy is detected by ASCA with an observed luminosity of 1.4 × 1041 ergs s-1 in the 0.6-10 keV band. The X-ray spectrum shows emission in excess of a power-law model at energies greater than 4 keV; we interpret this excess as compact, nuclear, hard X-ray emission with the lower energies photoelectrically absorbed by an equivalent hydrogen column of ~= 5 × 1023 cm-2. If we assume that the turnover in the radio spectrum is caused by free-free absorption and that both the free-free and photoelectric absorptions are produced by the same gaseous component, the ratio n2edl/nHdl may be determined. If the masing molecular gas is responsible for both absorptions, the required ionization fraction is >~1.3 × 10-5, which is comparable to the theoretical upper limit derived by Neufeld, Maloney, and Conger for X-ray heated molecular gas. The two values may be reconciled if the molecular gas is very dense: nH2>~109 cm-3. The measured ionization fraction is also consistent with the idea that both absorptions occur in a hot (~6000 K), weakly ionized (ionization fraction a few times 10-2) atomic region that may coexist with the warm molecular gas. If this is the case, the absorbing gas is ~1 pc from the nucleus. We rule out the possibility that both absorptions occur in a fully ionized gas near 104 K. If our line of sight passes through more than one phase, the atomic gas probably dominates the free-free absorption, while the molecular gas may dominate the photoelectric absorption.

Emphysema diagnosis using X-ray dark-field imaging at a laser-driven compact synchrotron light source

PubMed Central

Schleede, Simone; Meinel, Felix G.; Bech, Martin; Herzen, Julia; Achterhold, Klaus; Potdevin, Guillaume; Malecki, Andreas; Adam-Neumair, Silvia; Thieme, Sven F.; Bamberg, Fabian; Nikolaou, Konstantin; Bohla, Alexander; Yildirim, Ali Ö.; Loewen, Roderick; Gifford, Martin; Ruth, Ronald; Eickelberg, Oliver; Reiser, Maximilian; Pfeiffer, Franz

2012-01-01

In early stages of various pulmonary diseases, such as emphysema and fibrosis, the change in X-ray attenuation is not detectable with absorption-based radiography. To monitor the morphological changes that the alveoli network undergoes in the progression of these diseases, we propose using the dark-field signal, which is related to small-angle scattering in the sample. Combined with the absorption-based image, the dark-field signal enables better discrimination between healthy and emphysematous lung tissue in a mouse model. All measurements have been performed at 36 keV using a monochromatic laser-driven miniature synchrotron X-ray source (Compact Light Source). In this paper we present grating-based dark-field images of emphysematous vs. healthy lung tissue, where the strong dependence of the dark-field signal on mean alveolar size leads to improved diagnosis of emphysema in lung radiographs. PMID:23074250

G306.3-0.9: A Newly Discovered Young Galactic Supernova Remnant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reynolds, Mark T.; Loi, Syheh T.; Murphy, Tara; Miller, Jon M.; Maitra, Dipankar; Gueltekin, Kayhan; Gehrels, Neil; Kennea, Jamie A.; Siegel, Michael H.; Gelbord, Jonathan;

The GALAXIE all-optical FEL project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenzweig, J. B.; Arab, E.; Andonian, G.; Cahill, A.; Fitzmorris, K.; Fukusawa, A.; Hoang, P.; Jovanovic, I.; Marcus, G.; Marinelli, A.; Murokh, A.; Musumeci, P.; Naranjo, B.; O'Shea, B.; O'Shea, F.; Ovodenko, A.; Pogorelsky, I.; Putterman, S.; Roberts, K.; Shumail, M.; Tantawi, S.; Valloni, A.; Yakimenko, V.; Xu, G.

2012-12-01

We describe a comprehensive project, funded under the DARPA AXiS program, to develop an all-optical table-top X-ray FEL based on dielectric acceleration and electromagnetic undulators, yielding a compact source of coherent X-rays for medical and related applications. The compactness of this source demands that high field (>GV/m) acceleration and undulation-inducing fields be employed, thus giving rise to the project's acronym: GV/m AcceLerator And X-ray Integrated Experiment (GALAXIE). There are numerous physics and technical hurdles to surmount in this ambitious scenario, and the integrated solutions include: a biharmonic photonic TW structure, 200 micron wavelength electromagnetic undulators, 5 μm laser development, ultra-high brighness magnetized/asymmetric emittance electron beam generation, and SASE FEL operation. We describe the overall design philosophy of the project, the innovative approaches to addressing the challenges presented by the design, and the significant progress towards realization of these approaches in the nine months since project initialization.

Perils at the heart of the Milky Way: Systematic effects for studying low-luminosity accretion onto Sgr A*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corrales, Lia; Mon, Brayden; Haggard, Daryl; Baganoff, Frederick K.; Garmire, Gordon; Degenaar, Nathalie; Reynolds, Mark

2017-08-01

The supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy, Sgr A*, is surprisingly under-luminous. This problem has motivated a host of theoretical models to explain low-level radiatively inefficient accretion flows onto compact objects. We discuss how the Galactic Center sight line, which is optically thick to the scattering of soft X-rays (tau ~ 5), affects high resolution studies of the accretion flow around Sgr A*. X-ray light from compact objects in the dense GC environment is scattered by foreground dust, producing scattering echoes that are time delayed relative to the X-ray source's light curve. We discuss the scattering halo of SWIFT J174540.7-290015, which underwent the brightest X-ray outburst within 30’' of Sgr A*. Preliminary fits to the scattering halo suggest that a small amount of foreground dust, within 250 pc of the GC, affects the X-ray surface brightness profile within 10’' of any GC point source. The associated time delay is on the order of several hours, which is important for understanding the quiescent accretion flow of Sgr A*. We take advantage of the Chandra Galactic Center XVP dataset to explore the effect of the interstellar medium on the inferred characteristics of Sgr A*.

A solar burst with a spectral component observed only above 100 GHz during an M class flare

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cristiani, G.; Giménez de Castro, C. G.; Mandrini, C. H.; Machado, M. E.; Silva, I. De Benedetto E.; Kaufmann, P.; Rovira, M. G.

2008-12-01

Context: Since the installation of submillimeter solar radio telescopes, a new spectral burst component was discovered at frequencies above 100 GHz, creating the THz burst category. In all the reported cases, the events were X-class flares and the THz component was increasing. Aims: We report for the first time an M class flare that shows a different submillimeter radio spectral component from the microwave classical burst. Two successive bursts of 2 min duration and separated by 2 min occurred in active region NOAA 10226, starting around 13:15 UT and having an M 6.8 maximum intensity in soft X-rays. Methods: Submillimeter flux density measured by the Solar Submillimeter Telescope (SST) is used, in addition to microwave total Sun patrol telescope observations. Images with Hα filters, from the Hα Solar Telescope for Argentina (HASTA), and extreme UV observations, from the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SoHO), are used to characterize the flaring region. An extensive analysis of the magnetic topology evolution is derived from the Michelson Doppler Imager (SoHO, MDI) magnetograms and used to constrain the solution space of the possible emission mechanisms. Results: The submillimeter component is only observed at 212 GHz. We have upper limits for the emission at 89.4 and 405 GHz, which are less than the observed flux density at 212 GHz. The analysis of the magnetic topology reveals a very compact and complex system of arches that reconnects at low heights, while from the soft X-ray observations we deduce that the flaring area is dense (n ˜ 1012 cm-3). The reconnected arches are anchored in regions with magnetic field intensity differing by an order of magnitude. Accordingly, we conclude that the microwave emission comes from mildly relativistic electrons spiraling down along the reconnected loops. A very small portion of the accelerated electrons can reach the footpoint with the stronger magnetic field (2000 G) and produce synchrotron emission, which is observed at submillimeter frequencies. Conclusions: The finding of a submillimeter burst component in a medium-size flare indicates that the phenomenon is more universal than shown until now. The multiwavelength analysis reveals that neither positron synchrotron nor free-free emission could produce the submillimeter component, which is explained here by synchrotron of accelerated electrons in a rather complex and compact magnetic configuration.

STROBE-X: X-ray Timing & Spectroscopy on Dynamical Timescales from Microseconds to Years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson-Hodge, Colleen A.; Ray, Paul S.; Maccarone, Thomas J.; Chakrabarty, Deepto; Gendreau, Keith C.; Arzoumanian, Zaven; Jenke, Peter; Ballantyne, David; Bozzo, Enrico; Brandt, Soren; Brenneman, Laura; Christophersen, Marc; DeRosa, Alessandra; Feroci, Marco; Goldstein, Adam; Hartmann, Dieter; Hernanz, Margarita; McDonald, Michael; Phlips, Bernard; Remillard, Ronald; Stevens, Abigail; Tomsick, John; Watts, Anna; Wood, Kent S.; Zane, Silvia; STROBE-X Collaboration

2018-01-01

We describe a probe-class mission concept that provides an unprecedented view of the X-ray sky, performing timing and 0.2-30 keV spectroscopy over timescales from microseconds to years. The Spectroscopic Time-Resolving Observatory for Broadband Energy X-rays (STROBE-X) comprises three primary instruments. The first uses an array of lightweight optics (3-m focal length) that concentrate incident photons onto solid state detectors with CCD-level (85-130 eV) energy resolution, 100 ns time resolution, and low background rates to cover the 0.2-12 keV band. This technology is scaled up from NICER, with enhanced optics to take advantage of the longer focal length of STROBE-X. The second uses large-area collimated silicon drift detectors, developed for ESA's LOFT, to cover the 2-30 keV band. These two instruments each provide an order of magnitude improvement in effective area compared with its predecessor (NICER and RXTE, respectively). Finally, a sensitive sky monitor triggers pointed observations, provides high duty cycle, high time resolution, high spectral resolution monitoring of the X-ray sky with ~20 times the sensitivity of the RXTE ASM, and enables multi-wavelength and multi-messenger studies on a continuous, rather than scanning basis. We include updated instrument designs resulting from the GSFC IDL run in November 2017.For the first time, the broad coverage provides simultaneous study of thermal components, non-thermal components, iron lines, and reflection features from a single platform for accreting black holes at all scales. The enormous collecting area allows detailed studies of the dense matter equation of state using both thermal emission from rotation-powered pulsars and harder emission from X-ray burst oscillations. The combination of the wide-field monitor and the sensitive pointed instruments enables observations of potential electromagnetic counterparts to LIGO/Virgo and neutrino events. Extragalactic science, such as constraining bulk metalicity of medium to high redshift clusters and nearby compact groups and unprecedented timing investigations of active galactic nuclei, is also obtained.

Digging for red nuggets: discovery of hot halos surrounding massive, compact, relic galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werner, N.; Lakhchaura, K.; Canning, R. E. A.; Gaspari, M.; Simionescu, A.

2018-04-01

We present the results of Chandra X-ray observations of the isolated, massive, compact, relic galaxies MRK 1216 and PGC 032873. Compact massive galaxies observed at z > 2, also called red nuggets, formed in quick dissipative events and later grew by dry mergers into the local giant ellipticals. Due to the stochastic nature of mergers, a few of the primordial massive galaxies avoided the mergers and remained untouched over cosmic time. We find that the hot atmosphere surrounding MRK 1216 extends far beyond the stellar population and has an 0.5-7 keV X-ray luminosity of LX = (7.0 ± 0.2) × 1041 erg s-1, which is similar to the nearby X-ray bright giant ellipticals. The hot gas has a short central cooling time of ˜50 Myr and the galaxy has a ˜13 Gyr old stellar population. The presence of an X-ray atmosphere with a short nominal cooling time and the lack of young stars indicate the presence of a sustained heating source, which prevented star formation since the dissipative origin of the galaxy 13 Gyrs ago. The central temperature peak and the presence of radio emission in the core of the galaxy indicate that the heating source is radio-mechanical AGN feedback. Given that both MRK 1216 and PGC 032873 appear to have evolved in isolation, the order of magnitude difference in their current X-ray luminosity could be traced back to a difference in the ferocity of the AGN outbursts in these systems. Finally, we discuss the potential connection between the presence of hot halos around such massive galaxies and the growth of super/over-massive black holes via chaotic cold accretion.

Digging for red nuggets: discovery of hot haloes surrounding massive, compact, relic galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werner, N.; Lakhchaura, K.; Canning, R. E. A.; Gaspari, M.; Simionescu, A.

2018-07-01

We present the results of Chandra X-ray observations of the isolated, massive, compact, relic galaxies MRK 1216 and PGC 032873. Compact massive galaxies observed at z > 2, also called red nuggets, formed in quick dissipative events and later grew by dry mergers into the local giant ellipticals. Due to the stochastic nature of mergers, a few of the primordial massive galaxies avoided the mergers and remained untouched over cosmic time. We find that the hot atmosphere surrounding MRK 1216 extends far beyond the stellar population and has a 0.5-7 keV X-ray luminosity of LX = (7.0 ± 0.2) × 1041 erg s-1, which is similar to the nearby X-ray bright giant ellipticals. The hot gas has a short central cooling time of ˜50 Myr and the galaxy has an ˜13-Gyr-old stellar population. The presence of an X-ray atmosphere with a short nominal cooling time and the lack of young stars indicate the presence of a sustained heating source, which prevented star formation since the dissipative origin of the galaxy 13 Gyr ago. The central temperature peak and the presence of radio emission in the core of the galaxy indicate that the heating source is radio-mechanical active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback. Given that both MRK 1216 and PGC 032873 appear to have evolved in isolation, the order of magnitude difference in their current X-ray luminosity could be traced back to a difference in the ferocity of the AGN outbursts in these systems. Finally, we discuss the potential connection between the presence of hot haloes around such massive galaxies and the growth of super-/overmassive black holes via chaotic cold accretion.

A statistical analysis of the Einstein normal galaxy sample. III - Radio and X-ray properties of elliptical and S0 galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fabbiano, G.; Klein, U.; Trinchieri, G.; Wielebinski, R.

1987-01-01

Radioastronomy, optical and X-ray data were used to probe the cause of high X-ray luminosities of 28 radio-quiet elliptical galaxies (RQE) and S0 galaxies previously scanned by the Einstein Observatory. Comparisons were made with similar data on double-lobed 3CR galaxies. Radio luminosities were highly correlated with the X-ray luminosities, agreeing with models of radio nuclear sources in early-type galaxies as accreting compact objects. Additionally, 3CR galaxies seemed to be large-scale versions of normal RQE. The significance of interstellar medium/intracluster medium interactions for high correlations between the core and total radio power from X-ray emitting galaxies is discussed.

Prototype high resolution multienergy soft x-ray array for NSTX.

PubMed

Tritz, K; Stutman, D; Delgado-Aparicio, L; Finkenthal, M; Kaita, R; Roquemore, L

2010-10-01

A novel diagnostic design seeks to enhance the capability of multienergy soft x-ray (SXR) detection by using an image intensifier to amplify the signals from a larger set of filtered x-ray profiles. The increased number of profiles and simplified detection system provides a compact diagnostic device for measuring T(e) in addition to contributions from density and impurities. A single-energy prototype system has been implemented on NSTX, comprised of a filtered x-ray pinhole camera, which converts the x-rays to visible light using a CsI:Tl phosphor. SXR profiles have been measured in high performance plasmas at frame rates of up to 10 kHz, and comparisons to the toroidally displaced tangential multi-energy SXR have been made.

TWO DISTINCT-ABSORPTION X-RAY COMPONENTS FROM TYPE IIn SUPERNOVAE: EVIDENCE FOR ASPHERICITY IN THE CIRCUMSTELLAR MEDIUM

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

Katsuda, Satoru; Tsuboi, Yohko; Maeda, Keiichi

2016-12-01

We present multi-epoch X-ray spectral observations of three Type IIn supernovae (SNe), SN 2005kd, SN 2006jd, and SN 2010jl, acquired with Chandra , XMM-Newton , Suzaku , and Swift . Previous extensive X-ray studies of SN 2010jl have revealed that X-ray spectra are dominated by thermal emission, which likely arises from a hot plasma heated by a forward shock propagating into a massive circumstellar medium (CSM). Interestingly, an additional soft X-ray component was required to reproduce the spectra at a period of ∼1–2 years after the SN explosion. Although this component is likely associated with the SN, its origin remained an open question. Wemore » find a similar, additional soft X-ray component from the other two SNe IIn as well. Given this finding, we present a new interpretation for the origin of this component; it is thermal emission from a forward shock essentially identical to the hard X-ray component, but directly reaches us from a void of the dense CSM. Namely, the hard and soft components are responsible for the heavily and moderately absorbed components, respectively. The co-existence of the two components with distinct absorptions as well as the delayed emergence of the moderately absorbed X-ray component could be evidence for asphericity of the CSM. We show that the X-ray spectral evolution can be qualitatively explained by considering a torus-like geometry for the dense CSM. Based on our X-ray spectral analyses, we estimate the radius of the torus-like CSM to be on the order of ∼5 × 10{sup 16} cm.« less

A study of coronal X-ray emission from short-period Algol binaries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, K. P.; Drake, S. A.; White, N. E.

1995-01-01

A study of X-ray emission from five short-period Algol-type binaries based on observations with Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ASCA) and ROSAT is presented. We have observed RZ Cas with both satellites, and beta Per, U Cep, delta Lib, and TW Dra with ROSAT. Significant intensity variations are seen in the X-ray emission from RZ Cas, U Cep, TW Dra, and delta Lib. These variations seem unrelated to the eclipsing behavior of these systems and are probably due to either rotational modulation of compact active regions on the surfaces of the chromospherically active secondary components or to flaring activity in the systems. The spectra of all but one of the systems require the presence of at least two discrete plasma components with different temperatures (0.6 - 0.7 keV, and approximately 2 keV) and the abundances of the medium-Z elements 20% - 50% of the solar photospheric values. The high resolving power and signal-to-noise ratio of the ASCA spectra allow us to individually constrain the coronal abundances of O, Ne, Mg, Si, S, and Fe in RZ Cas. We demonstrate that, if we use the elemental abundances and temperatures obtained from the analysis of their ASCA spectra as (fixed) inputs, to fit the ROSAT PSPC spectra well requires the presence of a third component (kT approximately 0.2 - 0.3 keV) in RZ Cas and beta Per. A continuous emission measure model of the power-law type (EM(T) variesas (T/T(sub max)(sup alpha)) generally gives a poor fit to the ASCA and ROSAT data on most sources. Circumstellar or circumbinary absorbing matter seems to be present in some of these systems, as indicated by the variable total column density needed to fit their X-ray spectra.

X-ray fractography on fatigue fractured surface of austenitic stainless steel

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

Yajima, Zenjiro; Tokuyama, Hideki; Kibayashi, Yasuo

1995-12-31

X-ray diffraction observation of the material internal structure beneath fracture surfaces provide fracture analysis with useful information to investigate the conditions and mechanisms of fracture. X-ray fractography is a generic name given to this technique. In the present study, X-ray fractography was applied to fatigue fracture surfaces of austenitic stainless steel (AISI 304) which consisted of solution treatment. The fatigue tests were carried out on compact tension (CT) specimens. The plastic strain on the fracture surface was estimated from measuring the line broadening of X-ray diffraction profiles. The line broadening of X-ray diffraction profiles was measured on and beneath fatiguemore » fracture surfaces. The depth of the plastic zone left on fracture surfaces was evaluated from the line broadening. The results are discussed on the basis of fracture mechanics.« less

News on the X-ray emission from hot subdwarf stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palombara, Nicola La; Mereghetti, Sandro

2017-12-01

In latest years, the high sensitivity of the instruments on-board the XMM-Newton and Chandra satellites allowed us to explore the properties of the X-ray emission from hot subdwarf stars. The small but growing sample of X-ray detected hot subdwarfs includes binary systems, in which the X-ray emission is due to wind accretion onto a compact companion (white dwarf or neutron star), as well as isolated sdO stars, in which X-rays are probably due to shock instabilities in the wind. X-ray observations of these low-mass stars provide information which can be useful for our understanding of the weak winds of this type of stars and can lead to the discovery of particularly interesting binary systems. Here we report the most recent results we have recently obtained in this research area.

A compact high-speed pnCCD camera for optical and x-ray applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ihle, Sebastian; Ordavo, Ivan; Bechteler, Alois; Hartmann, Robert; Holl, Peter; Liebel, Andreas; Meidinger, Norbert; Soltau, Heike; Strüder, Lothar; Weber, Udo

2012-07-01

We developed a camera with a 264 × 264 pixel pnCCD of 48 μm size (thickness 450 μm) for X-ray and optical applications. It has a high quantum efficiency and can be operated up to 400 / 1000 Hz (noise≍ 2:5 ° ENC / ≍4:0 ° ENC). High-speed astronomical observations can be performed with low light levels. Results of test measurements will be presented. The camera is well suitable for ground based preparation measurements for future X-ray missions. For X-ray single photons, the spatial position can be determined with significant sub-pixel resolution.

SEXTANT X-Ray Pulsar Navigation Demonstration: Initial On-Orbit Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, Jason W.; Winternitz, Luke B.; Hassouneh, Munther A.; Price, Samuel R.; Semper, Sean R.; Yu, Wayne H.; Ray, Paul S.; Wolf, Michael T.; Kerr, Matthew; Wood, Kent S.;

X-ray spectrometer having 12 000 resolving power at 8 keV energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seely, John F.; Hudson, Lawrence T.; Henins, Albert; Feldman, Uri

2017-10-01

An x-ray spectrometer employing a thin (50 μm) silicon transmission crystal was used to record high-resolution Cu Kα spectra from a laboratory x-ray source. The diffraction was from the (331) planes that were at an angle of 13.26° to the crystal surface. The components of the spectral lines resulting from single-vacancy (1s) and double-vacancy (1s and 3d) transitions were observed. After accounting for the natural lifetime widths from reference double-crystal spectra and the spatial resolution of the image plate detector, the intrinsic broadening of the transmission crystal was measured to be as small as 0.67 eV and the resolving power 12 000, the highest resolving power achieved by a compact (0.5 m long) spectrometer employing a single transmission crystal operating in the hard x-ray region. By recording spectra with variable source-to-crystal distances and comparing to the calculated widths from various geometrical broadening mechanisms, the primary contributions to the intrinsic crystal broadening were found to be the source height at small distances and the crystal apertured height at large distances. By reducing these two effects, using a smaller source size and vignetting the crystal height, the intrinsic crystal broadening is then limited by the crystal thickness and the rocking curve width and would be 0.4 eV at 8 keV energy (20 000 resolving power).

TAKASAGO-6 apparatus for cryogenic coherent X-ray diffraction imaging of biological non-crystalline particles using X-ray free electron laser at SACLA

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

Kobayashi, Amane; Sekiguchi, Yuki; Oroguchi, Tomotaka

Coherent X-ray diffraction imaging (CXDI) is a technique for structure analyses of non-crystalline particles with dimensions ranging from micrometer to sub-micrometer. We have developed a diffraction apparatus named TAKASAGO-6 for use in single-shot CXDI experiments of frozen-hydrated non-crystalline biological particles at cryogenic temperature with X-ray free electron laser pulses provided at a repetition rate of 30 Hz from the SPring-8 Angstrom Compact free-electron LAser. Specimen particles are flash-cooled after being dispersed on thin membranes supported by specially designed disks. The apparatus is equipped with a high-speed translation stage with a cryogenic pot for raster-scanning of the disks at a speedmore » higher than 25 μm/33 ms. In addition, we use devices assisting the easy transfer of cooled specimens from liquid-nitrogen storages to the cryogenic pot. In the current experimental procedure, more than 20 000 diffraction patterns can be collected within 1 h. Here we report the key components and performance of the diffraction apparatus. Based on the efficiency of the diffraction data collection and the structure analyses of metal particles, biological cells, and cellular organelles, we discuss the future application of this diffraction apparatus for structure analyses of biological specimens.« less

High-energy Emission from the Composite Supernova Remnant MSH 15-56

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Temim, Tea; Slane, Patrick; Castro, Daniel; Plucinsky, Paul; Gelfand, Joseph; Dickel, John R.

2013-01-01

MSH 1556 (G326.3-1.8) is a composite supernova remnant (SNR) that consists of an SNR shell and a displaced pulsar wind nebula (PWN) in the radio. We present XMM-Newton and Chandra X-ray observations of the remnant that reveal a compact source at the tip of the radio PWN and complex structures that provide evidence for mixing of the supernova (SN) ejecta with PWN material following a reverse shock interaction. The X-ray spectra are well fitted by a non-thermal power-law model whose photon index steepens with distance from the presumed pulsar, and a thermal component with an average temperature of 0.55 keV. The enhanced abundances of silicon and sulfur in some regions, and the similar temperature and ionization timescale, suggest that much of the X-ray emission can be attributed to SN ejecta that have either been heated by the reverse shock or swept up by the PWN. We find one region with a lower temperature of 0.3 keV that appears to be in ionization equilibrium.Assuming the Sedov model, we derive a number of SNR properties, including an age of 16,500 yr. Modeling of the gamma-ray emission detected by Fermi shows that the emission may originate from the reverse shock-crushed PWN.

Hard X-Ray Emission from SH 2-104: A NuSTAR Search for Gamma-Ray Counterparts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gotthelf, E. V.; Mori, K.; Aliu, E.; Paredes, J. M.; Tomsick, J. A.; Boggs, S. E.; Christensen, F. E.; Craig, W. W.; Hailey, C. J.; Harrison, F. A.;

What is special about Cygnus X-1?. [evidence for a black hole

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boldt, E. A.; Holt, S. S.; Rothschild, R. E.; Serlemitsos, P. J.

1974-01-01

The X-ray evidence from several experiments is reviewed, with special emphasis on those characteristics which appear to distinguish Cygnus X-1 from other compact X-ray emitting objects. Data are examined within the context of a model in which millisecond bursts are superposed upon shot-noise fluctuations arising from events of durations on the order of a second. Possible spectral-temporal correlations are investigated which provide additional evidence that Cygnus X-1 is very likely a black hole.

Time-resolved atomic inner-shell spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drescher, M.; Hentschel, M.; Kienberger, R.; Uiberacker, M.; Yakovlev, V.; Scrinzi, A.; Westerwalbesloh, Th.; Kleineberg, U.; Heinzmann, U.; Krausz, F.

2002-10-01

The characteristic time constants of the relaxation dynamics of core-excited atoms have hitherto been inferred from the linewidths of electronic transitions measured by continuous-wave extreme ultraviolet or X-ray spectroscopy. Here we demonstrate that a laser-based sampling system, consisting of a few-femtosecond visible light pulse and a synchronized sub-femtosecond soft X-ray pulse, allows us to trace these dynamics directly in the time domain with attosecond resolution. We have measured a lifetime of 7.9-0.9^{+1.0fs of M-shell vacancies of krypton in such a pump-probe experiment.}

X-ray binary formation in low-metallicity blue compact dwarf galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brorby, M.; Kaaret, P.; Prestwich, A.

2014-07-01

X-rays from binaries in small, metal-deficient galaxies may have contributed significantly to the heating and reionization of the early Universe. We investigate this claim by studying blue compact dwarfs (BCDs) as local analogues to these early galaxies. We constrain the relation of the X-ray luminosity function (XLF) to the star formation rate (SFR) using a Bayesian approach applied to a sample of 25 BCDs. The functional form of the XLF is fixed to that found for near-solar metallicity galaxies and is used to find the probability distribution of the normalization that relates X-ray luminosity to SFR. Our results suggest that the XLF normalization for low-metallicity BCDs (12+log(O/H) < 7.7) is not consistent with the XLF normalization for galaxies with near-solar metallicities, at a confidence level 1-5 × 10- 6. The XLF normalization for the BCDs is found to be 14.5± 4.8 ({M}_{⊙}^{-1} yr), a factor of 9.7 ± 3.2 higher than for near-solar metallicity galaxies. Simultaneous determination of the XLF normalization and power-law index result in estimates of q = 21.2^{+12.2}_{-8.8} ({M}_{⊙}^{-1} yr) and α = 1.89^{+0.41}_{-0.30}, respectively. Our results suggest a significant enhancement in the population of high-mass X-ray binaries in BCDs compared to the near-solar metallicity galaxies. This suggests that X-ray binaries could have been a significant source of heating in the early Universe.

Wind accretion in the massive X-ray binary 4U 2206+54: abnormally slow wind and a moderately eccentric orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribó, M.; Negueruela, I.; Blay, P.; Torrejón, J. M.; Reig, P.

2006-04-01

Massive X-ray binaries are usually classified by the properties of the donor star in classical, supergiant and Be X-ray binaries, the main difference being the mass transfer mechanism between the two components. The massive X-ray binary 4U 2206+54 does not fit in any of these groups, and deserves a detailed study to understand how the transfer of matter and the accretion on to the compact object take place. To this end we study an IUE spectrum of the donor and obtain a wind terminal velocity (v_∞) of ~350 km s-1, which is abnormally slow for its spectral type. We also analyse here more than 9 years of available RXTE/ASM data. We study the long-term X-ray variability of the source and find it to be similar to that observed in the wind-fed supergiant system Vela X-1, reinforcing the idea that 4U 2206+54 is also a wind-fed system. We find a quasi-period decreasing from ~270 to ~130 d, noticed in previous works but never studied in detail. We discuss possible scenarios for its origin and conclude that long-term quasi-periodic variations in the mass-loss rate of the primary are probably driving such variability in the measured X-ray flux. We obtain an improved orbital period of P_orb=9.5591±0.0007 d with maximum X-ray flux at MJD 51856.6±0.1. Our study of the orbital X-ray variability in the context of wind accretion suggests a moderate eccentricity around 0.15 for this binary system. Moreover, the low value of v_∞ solves the long-standing problem of the relatively high X-ray luminosity for the unevolved nature of the donor, BD +53°2790, which is probably an O9.5 V star. We note that changes in v_∞ and/or the mass-loss rate of the primary alone cannot explain the different patterns displayed by the orbital X-ray variability. We finally emphasize that 4U 2206+54, together with LS 5039, could be part of a new population of wind-fed HMXBs with main sequence donors, the natural progenitors of supergiant X-ray binaries.

Radio Sources Associated with Intermediate X-ray Luminosity Objects in Merging Galaxy Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neff, S. G.; Ulvestad, J. S.; Oegerle, William R. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

We present new, high-resolution 6, 3.6, and 2 cm radio images of a time-ordered sequence of merging galaxy systems. The new data have a resolution of less than 100pc and a sensitivity comparable to a few x Cas A. We detect compact radio sources in all systems, generally embedded in more diffuse radio emission at the longer wavelengths. Several of the compact radio sources are coincident with compact Intermediate-luminosity X-ray Objects (IXOs) in these systems, and many more are within the 3$/sigma$ Chandra position errors for other IXOs. The fraction of radio identifications and the nature of the radio sources changes as a function of merger stage. These data suggest that the IXOs are associated with complexes of supernova remnants, and therefore with star formation that has occurred within the last $/sim$10$circumflex7$ yr, but are not located in HII regions where copious star formation is occurring currently.

Development of a 0.1 μm linewidth fabrication process for x-ray lithography with a laser plasma source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobkowski, Romuald; Fedosejevs, Robert; Broughton, James N.

1999-06-01

A process has been developed for the purpose of fabricating 0.1 micron linewidth interdigital electrode patterns based on proximity x-ray lithography using a laser-plasma source. Such patterns are required in the manufacture of surface acoustic wave devices. The x-ray lithography was carried out using emission form a Cu plasma produced by a 15Hz, 248nm KrF excimer laser. A temporally multiplexed 50ps duration seed pulse was used to extract the KrF laser energy producing a train of several 50ps pulses spaced approximately 2ns apart within each output pulse. Each short pulse within the train gave the high focal spot intensity required to achieve high efficiency emission of keV x-rays. The first stage of the overall process involves the fabrication of x-ray mask patterns on 1 micron thick Si3N4 membranes using 3-beam lithography followed by gold electroplating. The second stage involves x-ray exposure of a chemically amplified resist through the mask patterns to produce interdigital electrode patterns with 0.1 micron linewidth. Helium background gas and thin polycarbonate/aluminum filters are employed to prevent debris particles from the laser-plasma source form reaching the exposed sample. A computer control system fires the laser and monitors the x-ray flux from the laser-plasma source to insure the desired x-ray exposure is achieved at the resist. In order to reduce diffusion effects in the chemically amplified resist during the post exposure bake the temperature had to be reduced from that normally used. Good reproduction of 0.1 micron linewidth patterns into the x-ray resist was obtained once the exposure parameters and post exposure bake were optimized. A compact exposure station using flowing helium at atmospheric pressure has also been developed for the process, alleviating the need for a vacuum chamber. The details of the overall process and the compact exposure station will be presented.

X-Ray Properties of the Youngest Radio Sources and Their Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siemiginowska, Aneta; Sobolewska, Małgosia; Migliori, Giulia; Guainazzi, Matteo; Hardcastle, Martin; Ostorero, Luisa; Stawarz, Łukasz

2016-05-01

We present the first results from our X-ray study of young radio sources classified as compact symmetric objects (CSOs). Using the Chandra X-ray Observatory we observed six CSOs for the first time in X-rays, and re-observed four CSOs already observed with XMM-Newton or BeppoSAX. We also included six other CSOs with archival data to built a pilot study of a sample of the 16 CSO sources observed in X-rays to date. All the sources are nearby, z\\lt 1, and the age of their radio structures (\\lt 3000 yr) has been derived from the expansion velocity of their hot spots. Our results show the heterogeneous nature of the CSOs’ X-ray emission, indicating a complex environment associated with young radio sources. The sample covers a range in X-ray luminosity, {L}2{--10{keV}}˜ {10}41-1045 erg s-1, and intrinsic absorbing column density of {N}{{H}}≃ {10}21-1022 cm-2. In particular, we detected extended X-ray emission in 1718-649 a hard photon index of {{Γ }}≃ 1 in 2021+614 and 1511+0518 consistent with either a Compton-thick absorber or non-thermal emission from compact radio lobes, and in 0710+439 an ionized iron emission line at {E}{rest}=(6.62+/- 0.04) keV and EW ˜ 0.15-1.4 keV, and a decrease by an order of magnitude in the 2-10 keV flux since the 2008 XMM-Newton observation in 1607+26. We conclude that our pilot study of CSOs provides a variety of exceptional diagnostics and highlights the importance of deep X-ray observations of large samples of young sources. This is necessary in order to constrain theoretical models for the earliest stage of radio source evolution and to study the interactions of young radio sources with the interstellar environment of their host galaxies.

Data Collection and Recording on the Wisconsin/GSFC X-ray Quantum Calorimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Neill, Laura; X-ray Astrophysics Group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

2016-01-01

The Wisconsin/GSFC X-ray Quantum Calorimeter (XQC) is an astronomical X-ray sounding rocket payload which uses a micro-calorimeter array to detect low (less than1keV) X-rays. Three different devices were evaluated to upgrade XQC's data collection and recording system. The system takes incoming data from XQC's pixel sensors and stores it to a memory card. The upgrade is a much smaller board and much more compact storage device. The Terasic DE0-Nano, Terasic DE0-Nano SoC, and the BeagleBone Black were tested to determine which would suit the needs of XQC best. The device needed to take incoming data, store it to an SD card, and be able to output it through a USB connection. The Terasic DE0-Nano is a simple FPGA, but needed some peripheral additions for an SD card slot and USB readout. The Terasic DE0-Nano SoC was a powerful FPGA and hard processor running Linux combined. It was able to do what was needed, but pulled too much power in the process. The BeagleBone Black had a microcontroller and also ran Linux. This last device ended up being the best choice, as it did not require too much power and had a very easy system already in place for USB readout. The only difficulty to deal with was programming the microcontroller in assembly language. This device is necessary due to the telemetry on XQC not being able to send all of the data down during the flight. It records valuable data about low energy X-rays so that the X-ray Astrophysics Groups at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Goddard Space Flight Center can analyze and resolve the spectrum of the soft X-ray background.Later, using the digital logic on a Terasic DE0-Nano FPGA, a data simulator for the BeagleBone Black data collection and recording device was created. Programmed with Quartus II, the simulator uses basic digital logic components to fabricate trackable data signals and related timing signals to send to the data management device, as well as other timing signals that are asynchronous to the rest of the circuit, a failsafe enable for outputs, and several user feedback components

What Can Simbol-X Do for Gamma-ray Binaries?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cerutti, B.; Dubus, G.; Henri, G.; Hill, A. B.; Szostek, A.

2009-05-01

Gamma-ray binaries have been uncovered as a new class of Galactic objects in the very high energy sky (>100 GeV). The three systems known today have hard X-ray spectra (photon index ~1.5), extended radio emission and a high luminosity in gamma-rays. Recent monitoring campaigns of LSI +61°303 in X-rays have confirmed variability in these systems and revealed a spectral hardening with increasing flux. In a generic one-zone leptonic model, the cooling of relativistic electrons accounts for the main spectral and temporal features observed at high energy. Persistent hard X-ray emission is expected to extend well beyond 10 keV. We explain how Simbol-X will constrain the existing models in connection with Fermi Space Telescope measurements. Because of its unprecedented sensitivity in hard X-rays, Simbol-X will also play a role in the discovery of new gamma-ray binaries, giving new insights into the evolution of compact binaries.

High Energy Observational Investigations of Supernova Remnants and their Interactions with Surroundings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hui, Chung-Yue

2013-09-01

Here we review the effort of Fermi Asian Network (FAN) in exploring the supernova remnants (SNRs) with state-of-art high energy observatories, including Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory, in the period of 2011- 2012. Utilizing the data from Fermi LAT, we have discovered the GeV emission at the position of the Galactic SNR Kes 17 which provides evidence for the hadronic acceleration. Our study also sheds light on the propagation of cosmic rays from their acceleration site to the intersteller medium. We have also launched an identification campaign of SNR candidates in the Milky Way, in which a new SNR G308.3-1.4 have been uncovered with our Chandra observation. Apart from the remnant, we have also discovered an associated compact object at its center. The multiwavelength properties of this X-ray source suggest it can possibly be the compact binary that survived a supernova explosion.

Helium and deuterium irradiation effects in W-Ta composites produced by pulse plasma compaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dias, M.; Catarino, N.; Nunes, D.; Fortunato, E.; Nogueira, I.; Rosinki, M.; Correia, J. B.; Carvalho, P. A.; Alves, E.

2017-08-01

Tungsten-tantalum composites have been envisaged for first-wall components of nuclear fusion reactors; however, changes in their microstructure are expected from severe irradiation with helium and hydrogenic plasma species. In this study, composites were produced from ball milled W powder mixed with 10 at.% Ta fibers through consolidation by pulse plasma compaction. Implantation was carried out at room temperature with He+ (30 keV) or D+ (15 keV) or sequentially with He+ and D+ using ion beams with fluences of 5 × 1021 at/m2. Microstructural changes and deuterium retention in the implanted composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, coupled with focused ion beam and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and nuclear reaction analysis. The composite materials consisted of Ta fibers dispersed in a nanostructured W matrix, with Ta2O5 layers at the interfacial regions. The Ta and Ta2O5 surfaces exhibited blisters after He+ implantation and subsequent D+ implantation worsened the blistering behavior of Ta2O5. Swelling was also pronounced in Ta2O5 where large blisters exhibited an internal nanometer-sized fuzz structure. Transmission electron microscopy revealed an extensive presence of dislocations in the metallic phases after the sequential implantation, while a relatively low density of defects was detected in Ta2O5. This behavior may be partially justified by a shielding effect from the blisters and fuzz structure developed progressively during implantation. The tungsten peaks in the X-ray diffractograms were markedly shifted after He+ implantation, and even more so after the sequential implantation, which is in agreement with the increased D retention inferred from nuclear reaction analysis.

Supernovae-generated high-velocity compact clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yalinewich, A.; Beniamini, P.

2018-05-01

Context. A previous study claimed the discovery of an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH). This hypothetical black hole was invoked in order to explain the high-velocity dispersion in one of several dense molecular clouds near the Galactic center. The same study considered the possibility that this cloud was due to a supernova explosion, but disqualified this scenario because no X-rays were detected. Aims: We here check whether a supernova explosion could have produced that cloud, and whether this explanation is more likely than an IMBH. More specifically, we wish to determine whether a supernova inside a dense molecular cloud would emit in the X-rays. Methods: We have approached this problem from two different directions. First, we performed an analytic calculation to determine the cooling rate by thermal bremsstrahlung and compared this time to the lifetime of the cloud. Second, we estimated the creation rate of these dense clouds in the central molecular zone (CMZ) region near the Galactic center, where they were observed. Based on this rate, we can place lower bounds on the total mass of IMBHs and clouds and compare this to the masses of the components of the CMZ. Results: We find that the cooling time of the supernova remnant inside a molecular cloud is shorter than its dynamical time. This means that the temperature in such a remnant would be much lower than that of a typical supernova remnant. At such a low temperature, the remnant is not expected to emit in the X-rays. We also find that to explain the rate at which such dense clouds are created requires fine-tuning the number of IMBHs. Conclusions: We find the supernova model to be a more likely explanation for the formation of high-velocity compact clouds than an IMBH.

STRONGER REFLECTION FROM BLACK HOLE ACCRETION DISKS IN SOFT X-RAY STATES

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

Steiner, James F.; Remillard, Ronald A.; García, Javier A.

We analyze 15,000 spectra of 29 stellar-mass black hole (BH) candidates collected over the 16 year mission lifetime of Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer using a simple phenomenological model. As these BHs vary widely in luminosity and progress through a sequence of spectral states, which we broadly refer to as hard and soft, we focus on two spectral components: the Compton power law and the reflection spectrum it generates by illuminating the accretion disk. Our proxy for the strength of reflection is the equivalent width of the Fe–K line as measured with respect to the power law. A key distinction ofmore » our work is that for all states we estimate the continuum under the line by excluding the thermal disk component and using only the component that is responsible for fluorescing the Fe–K line, namely, the Compton power law. We find that reflection is several times more pronounced (∼3) in soft compared to hard spectral states. This is most readily caused by the dilution of the Fe line amplitude from Compton scattering in the corona, which has a higher optical depth in hard states. Alternatively, this could be explained by a more compact corona in soft (compared to hard) states, which would result in a higher reflection fraction.« less

Electron-positron pairs, Compton reflection, and the X-ray spectra of active galactic nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zdziarski, Andrzej A.; Ghisellini, Gabriele; George, Ian M.; Fabian, A. C.; Svensson, Roland; Done, Chris

1990-01-01

It is shown here that reprocessing of radiation fron nonthermal pair cascades by cold material in the central parts of active galactic nuclei (AGN) gives rise to X-ray and gamma-ray spectra that satisfy current observational constraints. An average 1-30 keV X-ray spectral index alpha(x) of about 0.7 in the compact range 30-300 is obtained for a wide range of Lorentz factors of the injected electrons. The gamma-ray spectra are steep, with alpha(gamma) about two, and satisfy the observational constraints. Radiation from pair cascades exhibits steep power law decreases in soft X-rays similar to those observed in AGN. The overall picture is consistent with AGN having an accretion disk which intercepts and reprocesses a substantial fraction of the nonthermal continuum incident upon it from above and below.

X-ray Jets in the CH Cyg Symbiotic System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karovska, Margarita; Gaetz, T.; Lee, N.; Raymond, J.; Hack, W.; Carilli, C.

2009-09-01

Symbiotic binaries are interacting systems in which a compact stellar source accretes matter from the wind of the cool evolved companion. There are a few hundred symbiotic systems known today, but jet activity has been detected in only a few of them, including in CH Cyg. CH Cyg is a symbiotic system that has shown significant activity since the mid 1960s. Jets have been detected in optical and radio since 1984, and more recently in 2001 in X-rays using Chandra observations.In 2008 we carried out coordinated multi-wavelength observations of the CH Cyg system with Chandra, HST, and the VLA, in order to study the propagation and interaction with the circumbinary medium of the jet detected in 2001. We report here on the detection of the 2001 SE jet which has expanded in seven years from ˜350AU to ˜1400 AU. The apex of the loop delineating the region of interaction with the circumbinary matter is moving with a speed of ˜700 km/s. Assuming a linear expansion, the jet was launched during the 1999-2000 active phase. We also report on a detection of a powerful new jet in the SW direction, observed in X-ray, optical and radio wavelengths. The new jet has a multi-component structure including an inner jet and counter jet, and a SW component ending in several clumps extending up to a distance of about 750AU.

Mpc-scale diffuse radio emission in two massive cool-core clusters of galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sommer, Martin W.; Basu, Kaustuv; Intema, Huib; Pacaud, Florian; Bonafede, Annalisa; Babul, Arif; Bertoldi, Frank

2017-04-01

Radio haloes are diffuse synchrotron sources on scales of ˜1 Mpc that are found in merging clusters of galaxies, and are believed to be powered by electrons re-accelerated by merger-driven turbulence. We present measurements of extended radio emission on similarly large scales in two clusters of galaxies hosting cool cores: Abell 2390 and Abell 2261. The analysis is based on interferometric imaging with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, Very Large Array and Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope. We present detailed radio images of the targets, subtract the compact emission components and measure the spectral indices for the diffuse components. The radio emission in A2390 extends beyond a known sloshing-like brightness discontinuity, and has a very steep in-band spectral slope at 1.5 GHz that is similar to some known ultrasteep spectrum radio haloes. The diffuse signal in A2261 is more extended than in A2390 but has lower luminosity. X-ray morphological indicators, derived from XMM-Newton X-ray data, place these clusters in the category of relaxed or regular systems, although some asymmetric features that can indicate past minor mergers are seen in the X-ray brightness images. If these two Mpc-scale radio sources are categorized as giant radio haloes, they question the common assumption of radio haloes occurring exclusively in clusters undergoing violent merging activity, in addition to commonly used criteria for distinguishing between radio haloes and minihaloes.

The development and characterization of a first generation carbon nanotube x-ray based microbeam radiation therapy system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadsell, Michael John, Jr.

Microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) is a new type of cancer treatment currently being studied at scattered synchrotron sites throughout the world. It has been shown to be capable of ablating aggressive brain tumors in rats while almost completely sparing the surrounding normal tissue. This promising technique has yet to find its way to the clinic, however, because the radiobiological mechanisms behind its efficacy are still largely unknown. This is partly due to the lack of a compact device that could facilitate more large scale research. The challenges inherent to creating a compact device lie within the structure of MRT, which uses parallel arrays of ultra high-dose, orthovoltage, microplanar beams on the order of 100mum thick and separated by four to ten times their width. Because of focal spot limitations, current commercial orthovoltage devices are simply not capable of creating such arrays at dose rates high enough for effective treatment while maintaining the microbeam pattern necessary to retain the high therapeutic ratio of the technique. Therefore, the development of a compact MRT device using carbon nanotube (CNT) cathode based X-ray technology is presented here. CNT cathodes have been shown to be capable of creating novel focal spot arrays on a single anode while being robust enough for long-term use in X-ray tubes. Using these cathodes, an X-ray tube with a single focal line has been created for the delivery of MRT dose distributions in radiobiological studies on small animals. In this work, the development process and final design of this specialized device will be detailed, along with the optimization and stabilization of its use for small animal studies. In addition, a detailed characterization of its final capabilities will be given; including a comprehensive measurement of its X-ray focal line dimensions, a description and evaluation of its collimator alignment and microbeam dimensions, and a full-scale phantom-based quantification of its dosimetric output. Finally, future project directions will be described briefly along with plans for a second generation device. Based on the results of this work, it is the author's belief that compact CNT MRT devices have definite commercialization potential for radiobiological research.

Broadband high resolution X-ray spectral analyzer

DOEpatents

Silver, Eric H.; Legros, Mark; Madden, Norm W.; Goulding, Fred; Landis, Don

1998-01-01

A broad bandwidth high resolution x-ray fluorescence spectrometer has a performance that is superior in many ways to those currently available. It consists of an array of 4 large area microcalorimeters with 95% quantum efficiency at 6 keV and it produces x-ray spectra between 0.2 keV and 7 keV with an energy resolution of 7 to 10 eV. The resolution is obtained at input count rates per array element of 10 to 50 Hz in real-time, with analog pulse processing and thermal pile-up rejection. This performance cannot be matched by currently available x-ray spectrometers. The detectors are incorporated into a compact and portable cryogenic refrigerator system that is ready for use in many analytical spectroscopy applications as a tool for x-ray microanalysis or in research applications such as laboratory and astrophysical x-ray and particle spectroscopy.

Broadband high resolution X-ray spectral analyzer

DOEpatents

Silver, E.H.; Legros, M.; Madden, N.W.; Goulding, F.; Landis, D.

1998-07-07

A broad bandwidth high resolution X-ray fluorescence spectrometer has a performance that is superior in many ways to those currently available. It consists of an array of 4 large area microcalorimeters with 95% quantum efficiency at 6 keV and it produces X-ray spectra between 0.2 keV and 7 keV with an energy resolution of 7 to 10 eV. The resolution is obtained at input count rates per array element of 10 to 50 Hz in real-time, with analog pulse processing and thermal pile-up rejection. This performance cannot be matched by currently available X-ray spectrometers. The detectors are incorporated into a compact and portable cryogenic refrigerator system that is ready for use in many analytical spectroscopy applications as a tool for X-ray microanalysis or in research applications such as laboratory and astrophysical X-ray and particle spectroscopy. 6 figs.

Advanced X-Ray Sources Ensure Safe Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

Ames Research Center awarded inXitu Inc. (formerly Microwave Power Technology), of Mountain View, California, an SBIR contract to develop a new design of electron optics for forming and focusing electron beams that is applicable to a broad class of vacuum electron devices. This technology offers an inherently rugged and more efficient X-ray source for material analysis; a compact and rugged X-ray source for smaller rovers on future Mars missions; and electron beam sources to reduce undesirable emissions from small, widely distributed pollution sources; and remediation of polluted sites.

High resolution energy-angle correlation measurement of hard x rays from laser-Thomson backscattering.

PubMed

Jochmann, A; Irman, A; Bussmann, M; Couperus, J P; Cowan, T E; Debus, A D; Kuntzsch, M; Ledingham, K W D; Lehnert, U; Sauerbrey, R; Schlenvoigt, H P; Seipt, D; Stöhlker, Th; Thorn, D B; Trotsenko, S; Wagner, A; Schramm, U

2013-09-13

Thomson backscattering of intense laser pulses from relativistic electrons not only allows for the generation of bright x-ray pulses but also for the investigation of the complex particle dynamics at the interaction point. For this purpose a complete spectral characterization of a Thomson source powered by a compact linear electron accelerator is performed with unprecedented angular and energy resolution. A rigorous statistical analysis comparing experimental data to 3D simulations enables, e.g., the extraction of the angular distribution of electrons with 1.5% accuracy and, in total, provides predictive capability for the future high brightness hard x-ray source PHOENIX (photon electron collider for narrow bandwidth intense x rays) and potential gamma-ray sources.

Formation Constraints Indicate a Black Hole Accretor in 47 Tuc X9

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Church, Ross P.; Strader, Jay; Davies, Melvyn B.; Bobrick, Alexey

2017-12-01

The luminous X-ray binary 47 Tuc X9 shows radio and X-ray emission consistent with a stellar-mass black hole (BH) accreting from a carbon-oxygen white dwarf. Its location, in the core of the massive globular cluster 47 Tuc, hints at a dynamical origin. We assess the stability of mass transfer from a carbon-oxygen white dwarf onto compact objects of various masses, and conclude that for mass transfer to proceed stably, the accretor must, in fact, be a BH. Such systems can form dynamically by the collision of a stellar-mass BH with a giant star. Tidal dissipation of energy in the giant’s envelope leads to a bound binary with a pericenter separation less than the radius of the giant. An episode of common-envelope evolution follows, which ejects the giant’s envelope. We find that the most likely target is a horizontal-branch star, and that a realistic quantity of subsequent dynamical hardening is required for the resulting binary to merge via gravitational wave emission. Observing one binary like 47 Tuc X9 in the Milky Way globular cluster system is consistent with the expected formation rate. The observed 6.8-day periodicity in the X-ray emission may be driven by eccentricity induced in the ultra-compact X-ray binary’s orbit by a perturbing companion.

A Chandra-Swift View of Point Sources in Hickson Compact Groups: High AGN Fraction but a Dearth of Strong AGNs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tzanavaris, P.; Gallagher, S. C.; Hornschemeier, A. E.; Fedotov, K.; Eracleous, M.; Brandt, W. N.; Desjardins, T. D.; Charlton, J. C.; Gronwall, C.

2014-01-01

We present Chandra X-ray point source catalogs for 9 Hickson Compact Groups (HCGs, 37 galaxies) at distances of 34-89 Mpc. We perform detailed X-ray point source detection and photometry and interpret the point source population by means of simulated hardness ratios. We thus estimate X-ray luminosities (L(sub x)) for all sources, most of which are too weak for reliable spectral fitting. For all sources, we provide catalogs with counts, count rates, power-law indices (gamma), hardness ratios, and L(sub X), in the full (0.5-8.0 keV), soft (0.5-2.0 keV), and hard (2.0-8.0 keV) bands. We use optical emission-line ratios from the literature to re-classify 24 galaxies as star-forming, accreting onto a supermassive black hole (AGNs), transition objects, or low-ionization nuclear emission regions. Two-thirds of our galaxies have nuclear X-ray sources with Swift/UVOT counterparts. Two nuclei have L(sub X),0.5-8.0 keV > 10(exp 42) erg s-1, are strong multi-wavelength active galactic nuclei (AGNs), and follow the known alpha OX-?L? (nearUV) correlation for strong AGNs. Otherwise, most nuclei are X-ray faint, consistent with either a low-luminosity AGN or a nuclear X-ray binary population, and fall in the 'non-AGN locus' in alpha OX-?L? (nearUV) space, which also hosts other normal galaxies. Our results suggest that HCG X-ray nuclei in high specific star formation rate spiral galaxies are likely dominated by star formation, while those with low specific star formation rates in earlier types likely harbor a weak AGN. The AGN fraction in HCG galaxies with MR (is) less than -20 and L(sub X),0.5-8.0 keV (is) greater than 10(exp 41) erg s-1 is 0.08+0.35 -0.01, somewhat higher than the 5% fraction in galaxy clusters.

Antenna Solar Energy to Electricity Converter (ASETEC)

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-11-01

radiation damage • x-ray masks: all aspects • synchrotron lithography • high brightness compact sources • x-ray lithography system considerations...IB.\\VAlmaden Research Center Cochairs: Daryl Ann Doane, DAD Technologies, Inc.; Elsa Reichmanis, AT&T Bell Laboratories This conferenc’.’ is a...Philips Research- Laboratories/Signetics Corporation DiaSY Nyyssonen, CD Metrology, Inc. Victor Pol, - AT&T Bell Laboratories Elsa Reichmanis

A novel vacuum spectrometer for total reflection x-ray fluorescence analysis with two exchangeable low power x-ray sources for the analysis of low, medium, and high Z elements in sequence

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

Wobrauschek, P., E-mail: wobi@ati.ac.at; Prost, J.; Ingerle, D.

2015-08-15

The extension of the detectable elemental range with Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF) analysis is a challenging task. In this paper, it is demonstrated how a TXRF spectrometer is modified to analyze elements from carbon to uranium. Based on the existing design of a vacuum TXRF spectrometer with a 12 specimen sample changer, the following components were renewed: the silicon drift detector with 20 mm{sup 2} active area and having a special ultra-thin polymer window allowing the detection of elements from carbon upwards. Two exchangeable X-ray sources guarantee the efficient excitation of both low and high Z elements. These X-raymore » sources were two light-weighted easily mountable 35 W air-cooled low-power tubes with Cr and Rh anodes, respectively. The air cooled tubes and the Peltier-cooled detector allowed to construct a transportable tabletop spectrometer with compact dimensions, as neither liquid nitrogen cooling for the detector nor a water cooling circuit and a bulky high voltage generator for the X-ray tubes are required. Due to the excellent background conditions as a result of the TXRF geometry, detection limits of 150 ng for C, 12 ng for F, and 3.3 ng for Na have been obtained using Cr excitation in vacuum. For Rh excitation, the detection limits of 90 pg could be achieved for Sr. Taking 10 to 20 μl of sample volume, extrapolated detection limits in the ng/g (ppb) range are resulting in terms of concentration.« less

Speckle-based portable device for in-situ metrology of x-ray mirrors at Diamond Light Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hongchang; Kashyap, Yogesh; Zhou, Tunhe; Sawhney, Kawal

2017-09-01

For modern synchrotron light sources, the push toward diffraction-limited and coherence-preserved beams demands accurate metrology on X-ray optics. Moreover, it is important to perform in-situ characterization and optimization of X-ray mirrors since their ultimate performance is critically dependent on the working conditions. Therefore, it is highly desirable to develop a portable metrology device, which can be easily implemented on a range of beamlines for in-situ metrology. An X-ray speckle-based portable device for in-situ metrology of synchrotron X-ray mirrors has been developed at Diamond Light Source. Ultra-high angular sensitivity is achieved by scanning the speckle generator in the X-ray beam. In addition to the compact setup and ease of implementation, a user-friendly graphical user interface has been developed to ensure that characterization and alignment of X-ray mirrors is simple and fast. The functionality and feasibility of this device is presented with representative examples.

Bright betatron X-ray radiation from a laser-driven-clustering gas target

PubMed Central

Chen, L. M.; Yan, W. C.; Li, D. Z.; Hu, Z. D.; Zhang, L.; Wang, W. M.; Hafz, N.; Mao, J. Y.; Huang, K.; Ma, Y.; Zhao, J. R.; Ma, J. L.; Li, Y. T.; Lu, X.; Sheng, Z. M.; Wei, Z. Y.; Gao, J.; Zhang, J.

2013-01-01

Hard X-ray sources from femtosecond (fs) laser-produced plasmas, including the betatron X-rays from laser wakefield-accelerated electrons, have compact sizes, fs pulse duration and fs pump-probe capability, making it promising for wide use in material and biological sciences. Currently the main problem with such betatron X-ray sources is the limited average flux even with ultra-intense laser pulses. Here, we report ultra-bright betatron X-rays can be generated using a clustering gas jet target irradiated with a small size laser, where a ten-fold enhancement of the X-ray yield is achieved compared to the results obtained using a gas target. We suggest the increased X-ray photon is due to the existence of clusters in the gas, which results in increased total electron charge trapped for acceleration and larger wiggling amplitudes during the acceleration. This observation opens a route to produce high betatron average flux using small but high repetition rate laser facilities for applications. PMID:23715033

Millisecond Oscillations in X-ray Binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Klis, M.

The first millisecond X-ray variability phenomena from accreting compact objects have recently been discovered with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. Three new phenomena are observed from low-mass X-ray binaries containing low-magnetic-field neutron stars: millisecond pulsations, burst oscillations, and kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations. Models for these new phenomena involve the neutron star spin and orbital motion close around the neutron star, and rely explicitly on our understanding of strong gravity and dense matter. I review the observations of these new neutron-star phenomena and some possibly related phenomena in black-hole candidates, and describe the attempts to use these observations to perform measurements of fundamental physical interest in these systems.

Scanning force microscope for in situ nanofocused X-ray diffraction studies

PubMed Central

Ren, Zhe; Mastropietro, Francesca; Davydok, Anton; Langlais, Simon; Richard, Marie-Ingrid; Furter, Jean-Jacques; Thomas, Olivier; Dupraz, Maxime; Verdier, Marc; Beutier, Guillaume; Boesecke, Peter; Cornelius, Thomas W.

2014-01-01

A compact scanning force microscope has been developed for in situ combination with nanofocused X-ray diffraction techniques at third-generation synchrotron beamlines. Its capabilities are demonstrated on Au nano-islands grown on a sapphire substrate. The new in situ device allows for in situ imaging the sample topography and the crystallinity by recording simultaneously an atomic force microscope (AFM) image and a scanning X-ray diffraction map of the same area. Moreover, a selected Au island can be mechanically deformed using the AFM tip while monitoring the deformation of the atomic lattice by nanofocused X-ray diffraction. This in situ approach gives access to the mechanical behavior of nanomaterials. PMID:25178002

Cygnus X-3 Returns to an Active State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCollough, Michael L.; Koljonen, Karri; Gurwell, Mark A.; Trushkin, Sergei; Pooley, Guy G.

2017-08-01

Cygnus X-3 is a well-known microquasar composed of a mass-donating Wolf-Rayet star and a compact object. Recently, Cygnus X-3 has been in a quiescent state for an extended period of time (2011-2016) but returned to an active state on two occasions during 2016/2017 including quenched/hypersoft states, gamma-ray emission, and major radio flares. During these two periods of activity, we undertook multi-wavelength observing campaigns with observations in the radio (RATAN-600, AMI-LA, Metsähovi), submillimeter (SMA, EHT), X-ray (Swift/XRT, MAXI), hard X-ray (Swift/BAT, NuSTAR), and gamma-ray (AGILE, Fermi, VERITAS). At the peak of the major radio flare in April 2017 observations were made with VERITAS (TeV), NuSTAR (hard X-ray), and the Event Horizon Telescope (submillimeter). In this presentation, I will review these observing campaigns and the insights they provide about Cygnus X-3.

Disentangling the gamma-ray emission towards Cygnus X: Sh2-104

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gotthelf, Eric

2015-09-01

We have just discovered distinct X-ray emission coincident with VER J2018+363, a TeV source recently resolved from the giant gamma-ray complex MGRO J2019+37 in the Cygnus region. NuSTAR reveals a hard point source and a diffuse nebula adjacent to and possibly part of Sh2-104, a compact HII region containing several young massive stellar clusters. There is reasonable evidence that these X-rays probe the origin of the gamma-ray flux, however, unrelated extragalactic sources need to be excluded. We propose a short Chandra observation to localize the X-ray emission to identify a putative pulsar or stellar counterpart(s). This is an important step to fully understand the energetics of the MGRO J2019+37 complex and the production of gamma-rays in star formation regions, in general.

X-ray Timing Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strohmayer, T.

2008-01-01

We present new, extended X-ray timing measurements of the ultra-compact binary candidates V407 Vul and RX J0806.3+1527 (J0806), as well as a summary of the first high resolution X-ray spectra of 50806 obtained with the Chandra/LETG. The temporal baseline for both objects is approximately 12 years, and our measurements confirm the secular spin-up in their X-ray periods. The spin-up rate in 50806 is remarkably uniform at 3.55x10(exp -16)Hz/s, with a measurement precision of 0.2%. We place a limit (90% confidence) on 1 d dot nu < 4x10(exp -26)Hz/sq s. Interestingly, for V407 Vul we find the first evidence that the spin-up rate is slowing, with d dot\

Soft X-Ray Tomography Reveals Gradual Chromatin Compaction and Reorganization during Neurogenesis In Vivo

DOE PAGES

Le Gros, Mark A.; Clowney, E. Josephine; Magklara, Angeliki; ...

2016-11-15

The realization that nuclear distribution of DNA, RNA, and proteins differs between cell types and developmental stages suggests that nuclear organization serves regulatory functions. Understanding the logic of nuclear architecture and how it contributes to differentiation and cell fate commitment remains challenging. Here, we use soft X-ray tomography (SXT) to image chromatin organization, distribution, and biophysical properties during neurogenesis in vivo. Our analyses reveal that chromatin with similar biophysical properties forms an elaborate connected network throughout the entire nucleus. Although this interconnectivity is present in every developmental stage, differentiation proceeds with concomitant increase in chromatin compaction and re-distribution of condensed chromatinmore » toward the nuclear core. HP1β, but not nucleosome spacing or phasing, regulates chromatin rearrangements because it governs both the compaction of chromatin and its interactions with the nuclear envelope. Our experiments introduce SXT as a powerful imaging technology for nuclear architecture.« less

Development of cable fed flash X-ray (FXR) system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menon, Rakhee; Mitra, S.; Patel, A. S.; Kumar, R.; Singh, G.; Senthil, K.; Kumar, Ranjeet; Kolge, T. S.; Roy, Amitava; Acharya, S.; Biswas, D.; Sharma, Archana

2017-08-01

Flash X-ray sources driven by pulsed power find applications in industrial radiography, and a portable X-ray source is ideal where the radiography needs to be taken at the test site. A compact and portable flash X-ray (FXR) system based on a Marx generator has been developed with the high voltage fed to the FXR tube via a cable feed-through arrangement. Hard bremsstrahlung X-rays of few tens of nanosecond duration are generated by impinging intense electron beams on an anode target of high Z material. An industrial X-ray source is developed with source size as low as 1 mm. The system can be operated from 150 kV to 450 kV peak voltages and a dose of 10 mR has been measured at 1 m distance from the source window. The modeling of the FXR source has been carried out using particle-in-cell and Monte Carlo simulations for the electron beam dynamics and X-ray generation, respectively. The angular dose profile of X-ray has been measured and compared with the simulation.

Quantitative imaging of single-shot liquid distributions in sprays using broadband flash x-ray radiography

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

Halls, B. R.; Roy, S.; Gord, J. R.

Flash x-ray radiography is used to capture quantitative, two-dimensional line-of-sight averaged, single-shot liquid distribution measurements in impinging jet sprays. The accuracy of utilizing broadband x-ray radiation from compact flash tube sources is investigated for a range of conditions by comparing the data with radiographic high-speed measurements from a narrowband, high-intensity synchrotron x-ray facility at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) of Argonne National Laboratory. The path length of the liquid jets is varied to evaluate the effects of energy dependent x-ray attenuation, also known as spectral beam hardening. The spatial liquid distributions from flash x-ray and synchrotron-based radiography are compared, alongmore » with spectral characteristics using Taylor’s hypothesis. The results indicate that quantitative, single-shot imaging of liquid distributions can be achieved using broadband x-ray sources with nanosecond temporal resolution. Practical considerations for optimizing the imaging system performance are discussed, including the coupled effects of x-ray bandwidth, contrast, sensitivity, spatial resolution, temporal resolution, and spectral beam hardening.« less

Constraining the number of compact remnants near Sgr A*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deegan, Patrick; Nayakshin, Sergei

2007-05-01

Due to dynamical friction stellar mass black holes and neutron stars are expected to form high-density cusps in the inner parsec of our Galaxy. These compact remnants, expected to number around 20000, may be accreting cold dense gas present there, and give rise to potentially observable X-ray emission. Here we build a simple but detailed time-dependent model of such emission. The possibility that these accretion flows are radiatively inefficient is taken into account and brings in some uncertainty in the conclusions. Despite this uncertainty, we find that at least several X-ray sources of this nature should be detectable with Chandra at any one time. Turning this issue around, we also ask a question of what current observational constraints might be telling us about the total number of compact remnants. In our `best guess' model, a cusp of ~40000 remnants overpredicts the number of discrete sources and the total X-ray luminosity of the inner parsec, and is hence ruled out. In the most radiatively inefficient scenario that we consider, the radiative efficiency is set to be as small as ɛ = 10-5. In this rather unlikely scenario, a cusp of ~40000 black holes would be allowed by the data, but several individual sources should still be visible. Future observations of the distribution and orbits of the cold ionized gas in the inner parsec of our Galaxy will put tighter constraints on the cusp of compact remnants.

Soft gamma rays from black holes versus neutron stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liang, Edison P.

1992-01-01

The recent launches of GRANAT and GRO provide unprecedented opportunities to study compact collapsed objects from their hard x ray and gamma ray emissions. The spectral range above 100 keV can now be explored with much higher sensitivity and time resolution than before. The soft gamma ray spectral data is reviewed of black holes and neutron stars, radiation, and particle energization mechanisms and potentially distinguishing gamma ray signatures. These may include soft x ray excesses versus deficiencies, thermal versus nonthermal processes, transient gamma ray bumps versus power law tails, lines, and periodicities. Some of the highest priority future observations are outlines which will shed much light on such systems.

The GALAXIE all-optical FEL project

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

Rosenzweig, J. B.; Arab, E.; Andonian, G.

2012-12-21

We describe a comprehensive project, funded under the DARPA AXiS program, to develop an all-optical table-top X-ray FEL based on dielectric acceleration and electromagnetic undulators, yielding a compact source of coherent X-rays for medical and related applications. The compactness of this source demands that high field (>GV/m) acceleration and undulation-inducing fields be employed, thus giving rise to the project's acronym: GV/m AcceLerator And X-ray Integrated Experiment (GALAXIE). There are numerous physics and technical hurdles to surmount in this ambitious scenario, and the integrated solutions include: a biharmonic photonic TW structure, 200 micron wavelength electromagnetic undulators, 5 {mu}m laser development, ultra-highmore » brightness magnetized/asymmetric emittance electron beam generation, and SASE FEL operation. We describe the overall design philosophy of the project, the innovative approaches to addressing the challenges presented by the design, and the significant progress towards realization of these approaches in the nine months since project initialization.« less

A new high quality X-ray source for Cultural Heritage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, Philippe; Variola, Alessandro; Zomer, Fabian; Jaquet, Marie; Loulergue, Alexandre

2009-09-01

Compton based photon sources have generated much interest since the rapid advance in laser and accelerator technologies has allowed envisaging their utilisation for ultra-compact radiation sources. These should provide X-ray short pulses with a relatively high average flux. Moreover, the univocal dependence between the scattered photon energy and its angle gives the possibility of obtaining a quasi-monochromatic beam with a simple diaphragm system. For the most ambitious projects the expected performance takes into account a rate of 10-10 photons/s, with an angular divergence of few mrad, an X-ray energy cut-off of few tens of keV and a bandwidth ΔE/E˜1-10%. Even if the integrated rate cannot compete with synchrotron radiation sources, the cost and the compactness of these Compton based machines make them attractive for a wide spectrum of applications. We explore here the interest of these systems for Cultural Heritage preservation. To cite this article: P. Walter et al., C. R. Physique 10 (2009).

Compact synchrotron radiation depth lithography facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knüppel, O.; Kadereit, D.; Neff, B.; Hormes, J.

1992-01-01

X-ray depth lithography allows the fabrication of plastic microstructures with heights of up to 1 mm but with the smallest possible lateral dimensions of about 1 μm. A resist is irradiated with ``white'' synchrotron radiation through a mask that is partially covered with x-ray absorbing microstructures. The plastic microstructure is then obtained by a subsequent chemical development of the irradiated resist. In order to irradiate a reasonably large resist area, the mask and the resist have to be ``scanned'' across the vertically thin beam of the synchrotron radiation. A flexible, nonexpensive and compact scanner apparatus has been built for x-ray depth lithography at the beamline BN1 at ELSA (the 3.5 GeV Electron Stretcher and Accelerator at the Physikalisches Institut of Bonn University). Measurements with an electronic water level showed that the apparatus limits the scanner-induced structure precision to not more than 0.02 μm. The whole apparatus is installed in a vacuum chamber thus allowing lithography under different process gases and pressures.

The 26.3-h orbit and multiwavelength properties of the `redback' millisecond pulsar PSR J1306-40

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linares, Manuel

2018-01-01

We present the discovery of the variable optical and X-ray counterparts to the radio millisecond pulsar (MSP) PSR J1306-40, recently discovered by Keane et al. We find that both the optical and X-ray fluxes are modulated with the same period, which allows us to measure for the first time the orbital period Porb = 1.097 16[6] d. The optical properties are consistent with a main-sequence companion with spectral type G to mid K and, together with the X-ray luminosity (8.8 × 1031 erg s-1 in the 0.5-10 keV band, for a distance of 1.2 kpc), confirm the redback classification of this pulsar. Our results establish the binary nature of PSR J1306-40, which has the longest Porb among all known compact binary MSPs in the Galactic disc. We briefly discuss these findings in the context of irradiation and intrabinary shock emission in compact binary MSPs.

Six dimensional X-ray Tensor Tomography with a compact laboratory setup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Y.; Wieczorek, M.; Schaff, F.; Seyyedi, S.; Prade, F.; Pfeiffer, F.; Lasser, T.

2016-09-01

Attenuation based X-ray micro computed tomography (XCT) provides three-dimensional images with micrometer resolution. However, there is a trade-off between the smallest size of the structures that can be resolved and the measurable sample size. In this letter, we present an imaging method using a compact laboratory setup that reveals information about micrometer-sized structures within samples that are several orders of magnitudes larger. We combine the anisotropic dark-field signal obtained in a grating interferometer and advanced tomographic reconstruction methods to reconstruct a six dimensional scattering tensor at every spatial location in three dimensions. The scattering tensor, thus obtained, encodes information about the orientation of micron-sized structures such as fibres in composite materials or dentinal tubules in human teeth. The sparse acquisition schemes presented in this letter enable the measurement of the full scattering tensor at every spatial location and can be easily incorporated in a practical, commercially feasible laboratory setup using conventional X-ray tubes, thus allowing for widespread industrial applications.

Radiation Backgrounds at Cosmic Dawn: X-Rays from Compact Binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madau, Piero; Fragos, Tassos

2017-05-01

We compute the expected X-ray diffuse background and radiative feedback on the intergalactic medium (IGM) from X-ray binaries prior to and during the epoch of reionization. The cosmic evolution of compact binaries is followed using a population synthesis technique that treats separately neutron stars and black hole binaries in different spectral states and is calibrated to reproduce the observed X-ray properties of galaxies at z ≲ 4. Together with an updated empirical determination of the cosmic history of star formation, recent modeling of the stellar mass-metallicity relation, and a scheme for absorption by the IGM that accounts for the presence of ionized H II bubbles during the epoch of reionization, our detailed calculations provide refined predictions of the X-ray volume emissivity and filtered radiation background from “normal” galaxies at z ≳ 6. Radiative transfer effects modulate the background spectrum, which shows a characteristic peak between 1 and 2 keV. Because of the energy dependence of photoabsorption, soft X-ray photons are produced by local sources, while more energetic radiation arrives unattenuated from larger cosmological volumes. While the filtering of X-ray radiation through the IGM slightly increases the mean excess energy per photoionization, it also weakens the radiation intensity below 1 keV, lowering the mean photoionization and heating rates. Numerical integration of the rate and energy equations shows that the contribution of X-ray binaries to the ionization of the bulk IGM is negligible, with the electron fraction never exceeding 1%. Direct He I photoionizations are the main source of IGM heating, and the temperature of the largely neutral medium in between H II cavities increases above the temperature of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) only at z ≲ 10, when the volume filling factor of H II bubbles is already ≳0.1. Therefore, in this scenario, it is only at relatively late epochs that neutral intergalactic hydrogen may be observable in 21 cm emission against the CMB.

Radiation Backgrounds at Cosmic Dawn: X-Rays from Compact Binaries

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

Madau, Piero; Fragos, Tassos

We compute the expected X-ray diffuse background and radiative feedback on the intergalactic medium (IGM) from X-ray binaries prior to and during the epoch of reionization. The cosmic evolution of compact binaries is followed using a population synthesis technique that treats separately neutron stars and black hole binaries in different spectral states and is calibrated to reproduce the observed X-ray properties of galaxies at z ≲ 4. Together with an updated empirical determination of the cosmic history of star formation, recent modeling of the stellar mass–metallicity relation, and a scheme for absorption by the IGM that accounts for the presencemore » of ionized H ii bubbles during the epoch of reionization, our detailed calculations provide refined predictions of the X-ray volume emissivity and filtered radiation background from “normal” galaxies at z ≳ 6. Radiative transfer effects modulate the background spectrum, which shows a characteristic peak between 1 and 2 keV. Because of the energy dependence of photoabsorption, soft X-ray photons are produced by local sources, while more energetic radiation arrives unattenuated from larger cosmological volumes. While the filtering of X-ray radiation through the IGM slightly increases the mean excess energy per photoionization, it also weakens the radiation intensity below 1 keV, lowering the mean photoionization and heating rates. Numerical integration of the rate and energy equations shows that the contribution of X-ray binaries to the ionization of the bulk IGM is negligible, with the electron fraction never exceeding 1%. Direct He i photoionizations are the main source of IGM heating, and the temperature of the largely neutral medium in between H ii cavities increases above the temperature of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) only at z ≲ 10, when the volume filling factor of H ii bubbles is already ≳0.1. Therefore, in this scenario, it is only at relatively late epochs that neutral intergalactic hydrogen may be observable in 21 cm emission against the CMB.« less

An MCNP-based model of a medical linear accelerator x-ray photon beam.

PubMed

Ajaj, F A; Ghassal, N M

2003-09-01

The major components in the x-ray photon beam path of the treatment head of the VARIAN Clinac 2300 EX medical linear accelerator were modeled and simulated using the Monte Carlo N-Particle radiation transport computer code (MCNP). Simulated components include x-ray target, primary conical collimator, x-ray beam flattening filter and secondary collimators. X-ray photon energy spectra and angular distributions were calculated using the model. The x-ray beam emerging from the secondary collimators were scored by considering the total x-ray spectra from the target as the source of x-rays at the target position. The depth dose distribution and dose profiles at different depths and field sizes have been calculated at a nominal operating potential of 6 MV and found to be within acceptable limits. It is concluded that accurate specification of the component dimensions, composition and nominal accelerating potential gives a good assessment of the x-ray energy spectra.

Quark Phase Transition in Compact Objects and Multimessenger Astronomy: Neutrino Signals, Supernovae and Gamma-Ray Bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokolov, V. V.; Vlasyuk, V. V.; Petkov, V. B.

2016-06-01

The International Workshop on Quark Phase Transition in Compact Objects and Multimessenger Astronomy: Neutrino Signals, Supernovae and Gamma-Ray Bursts (October, 7-14, 2015) was dedicated to Quantum ChromoDynamics (QCD) Phase Transitions and observational signals of these transitions related to formation of compact astrophysical objects. The aim of this workshop was to bring together researchers working on the problems of behavior of matter under critical conditions achievable in such astrophysical objects as "strange" or "hybrid" stars and in laboratories at heavy-ion collisions to discuss fundamental issues and recent developments. Topics included both observations (radio, optical and X-ray astronomy, gamma ray bursts, gravitational waves, neutrino detection, heavy-ion collisions, etc.) and theory (supernova simulations, proto-neutron and neutron stars, equation of state of dense matter, neutron star cooling, unstable modes, nucleosynthesis, explosive transitions, quark-gluon plasma).

Laser-driven powerful kHz hard x-ray source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Minghua; Huang, Kai; Chen, Liming; Yan, Wenchao; Tao, Mengze; Zhao, Jiarui; Ma, Yong; Li, Yifei; Zhang, Jie

2017-08-01

A powerful hard x-ray source based on laser plasma interaction is developed. By introducing the kHz, 800 nm pulses onto a rotating molybdenum (Mo) disk target, intense Mo Kα x-rays are emitted with suppressed bremsstrahlung background. Results obtained with different laser intensities suggest that the dominant absorption mechanism responsible for the high conversion efficiency is vacuum heating (VH). The high degree of spatial coherence is verified. With the high average flux and a source size comparable to the laser focus spot, absorption contrast imaging and phase contrast imaging are carried out to test the imaging capability of the source. Not only useful for imaging application, this compact x-ray source is also holding great potential for ultrafast x-ray diffraction (XRD) due to the intrinsic merits such as femtosecond pulse duration and natural synchronization with the driving laser pulses.

Clogging evaluation of porous asphalt concrete cores in conjunction with medical x-ray computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Yu-Min; Hsu, Chen-Yu; Lin, Jyh-Dong

2014-03-01

This study was to assess the porosity of Porous Asphalt Concrete (PAC) in conjunction with a medical X-ray computed tomography (CT) facility. The PAC was designed as the surface course to achieve the target porosity 18%. There were graded aggregates, soils blended with 50% of coarse sand, and crushed gravel wrapped with geotextile compacted and served as the base, subbase, and infiltration layers underneath the PAC. The test site constructed in 2004 is located in Northern of Taiwan in which the daily traffic has been light and limited. The porosity of the test track was investigated. The permeability coefficient of PAC was found severely degraded from 2.2×10-1 to 1.2×10-3 -cm/sec, after nine-year service, while the permeability below the surface course remained intact. Several field PAC cores were drilled and brought to evaluate the distribution of air voids by a medical X-ray CT nondestructively. The helical mode was set to administrate the X-ray CT scan and two cross-sectional virtual slices were exported in seconds for analyzing air voids distribution. It shows that the clogging of voids occurred merely 20mm below the surface and the porosity can reduce as much about 3%. It was also found that the roller compaction can decrease the porosity by 4%. The permeability reduction in this test site can attribute to the voids of PAC that were compacted by roller during the construction and filled by the dusts on the surface during the service.

Table-top soft x-ray microscope using laser-induced plasma from a pulsed gas jet.

PubMed

Müller, Matthias; Mey, Tobias; Niemeyer, Jürgen; Mann, Klaus

2014-09-22

An extremely compact soft x-ray microscope operating in the "water window" region at the wavelength λ = 2.88 nm is presented, making use of a long-term stable and nearly debris-free laser-induced plasma from a pulsed nitrogen gas jet target. The well characterized soft x-ray radiation is focused by an ellipsoidal grazing incidence condenser mirror. Imaging of a sample onto a CCD camera is achieved with a Fresnel zone plate using magnifications up to 500x. The spatial resolution of the recorded microscopic images is about 100 nm as demonstrated for a Siemens star test pattern.

Accretion disk dynamics in X-ray binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peris, Charith Srian

Accreting X-ray binaries consist of a normal star which orbits a compact object with the former transferring matter onto the later via an accretion disk. These accretion disks emit radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. This thesis exploits two regions of the spectrum, exploring the (1) inner disk regions of an accreting black hole binary, GRS1915+105, using X-ray spectral analysis and (2) the outer accretion disks of a set of neutron star and black hole binaries using Doppler Tomography applied on optical observations. X-ray spectral analysis of black hole binary GRS1915+105: GRS1915+105 stands out as an exceptional black hole primarily due to the wild variability exhibited by about half of its X-ray observations. This study focused on the steady X-ray observations of the source, which were found to exhibit significant curvature in the harder coronal component within the RXTE/PCA band-pass. The roughly constant inner-disk radius seen in a majority of the steady-soft observations is strongly reminiscent of canonical soft state black-hole binaries. Remarkably, the steady-hard observations show the presence of growing truncation in the inner-disk. A majority of the steady observations of GRS1915+105 map to the states observed in canonical black hole binaries which suggests that within the complexity of this source is a simpler underlying basis of states. Optical tomography of X-ray binary systems: Doppler tomography was applied to the strong line features present in the optical spectra of X-ray binaries in order to determine the geometric structure of the systems' emitting regions. The point where the accretion stream hits the disk, also referred to as the "hotspot'', is clearly identified in the neutron star system V691 CrA and the black hole system Nova Muscae 1991. Evidence for stream-disk overflows exist in both systems, consistent with relatively high accretion rates. In contrast, V926 Sco does not show evidence for the presence of a hotspot which is consistent with its lower accretion state. The donor stars in V691 CrA and Nova Muscae 1991 were also detected.

Gemini/GNIRS infrared spectroscopy of the Wolf-Rayet stellar wind in Cygnus X-3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koljonen, K. I. I.; Maccarone, T. J.

2017-12-01

The microquasar Cygnus X-3 was observed several times with the Gemini North Infrared Spectrograph while the source was in the hard X-ray state. We describe the observed 1.0-2.4 μm spectra as arising from the stellar wind of the companion star and suggest its classification as a WN 4-6 Wolf-Rayet star. We attribute the orbital variations of the emission line profiles to the variations in the ionization structure of the stellar wind caused by the intense X-ray emission from the compact object. The strong variability observed in the line profiles will affect the mass function determination. We are unable to reproduce earlier results, from which the mass function for the Wolf-Rayet star was derived. Instead, we suggest that the system parameters are difficult to obtain from the infrared spectra. We find that the near-infrared continuum and the line spectra can be represented with non-LTE Wolf-Rayet atmosphere models if taking into account the effects arising from the peculiar ionization structure of the stellar wind in an approximative manner. From the representative models we infer the properties of the Wolf-Rayet star and discuss possible mass ranges for the binary components.

Practical application of HgI2 detectors to a space-flight scanning electron microscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bradley, J. G.; Conley, J. M.; Albee, A. L.; Iwanczyk, J. S.; Dabrowski, A. J.

1989-01-01

Mercuric iodide X-ray detectors have been undergoing tests in a prototype scanning electron microscope system being developed for unmanned space flight. The detector program addresses the issues of geometric configuration in the SEM, compact packaging that includes separate thermoelectric coolers for the detector and FET, X-ray transparent hermetic encapsulation and electrical contacts, and a clean vacuum environment.

Quantitative measurements of localized density variations in cylindrical tablets using X-ray microtomography.

PubMed

Busignies, Virginie; Leclerc, Bernard; Porion, Patrice; Evesque, Pierre; Couarraze, Guy; Tchoreloff, Pierre

2006-08-01

Direct compaction is a complex process that results in a density distribution inside the tablets which is often heterogeneous. Therefore, the density variations may affect the compact properties. A quantitative analysis of this phenomenon is still lacking. Recently, X-ray microtomography has been successfully used in pharmaceutical development to study qualitatively the impact of tablet shape and break-line in the density of pharmaceutical tablets. In this study, we evaluate the density profile in microcrystalline cellulose (Vivapur 12) compacts obtained at different mean porosity (ranging from 7.7% to 33.5%) using X-ray tomography technique. First, the validity of the Beer-Lambert law is studied. Then, density calibration is performed and density maps of cylindrical tablets are obtained and visualized using a process with colour-scale calibration plot which is explained. As expected, important heterogeneity in density is observed and quantified. The higher densities in peripheral region were particularly investigated and appraised in regard to the lower densities observed in the middle of the tablet. The results also underlined that in the case of pharmaceutical tablets, it is important to differentiate the mechanical properties representative of the total volume tablet and the mechanical properties that only characterize the tablet surface like the Brinell hardness measurements.

A Multiwavelength Study of Cygnus X-1: The First Mid-Infrared Spectroscopic Detection of Compact Jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rahoui, Farid; Lee, Julia C.; Heinz, Sebastian; Hines, Dean C.; Pottschmidt, Katja; Wilms, Joern

2011-01-01

We report on a Spitzer/IRS (mid-infrared), RXTE /PCA+HEXTE (X-ray), and Ryle (radio) simultaneous multi-wavelength study of the micro quasar Cygnus X-I, which aimed at an investigation of the origin of its mid-infrared emission. Compact jets were present in two out of three observations, and we show that they strongly contribute to the mid-infrared continuum. During the first observation, we detect the spectral break - where the transition from the optically thick to the optically thin regime takes place - at about 2.9 x 10(exp 13) Hz. We then show that the jet's optically thin synchrotron emission accounts for the Cygnus X-1's emission beyond 400 keY, although it cannot alone explain its 3-200 keV continuum. A compact jet was also present during the second observation, but we do not detect the break, since it has likely shifted to higher frequencies. In contrast, the compact jet was absent during the last observation, and we show that the 5-30 micron mid-infrared continuum of Cygnus X-I stems from the blue supergiant companion star HD 226868. Indeed, the emission can then be understood as the combination of the photospheric Raleigh-Jeans tail and the bremsstrahlung from the expanding stellar wind. Moreover, the stellar wind is found to be clumpy, with a filling factor f(sub infinity) approx.= 0.09-0.10. Its bremsstrahlung emission is likely anti-correlated to the soft X-ray emission, suggesting an anticorrelation between the mass-loss and mass-accretion rates. Nevertheless, we do not detect any mid-infrared spectroscopic evidence of interaction between the jets and the Cygnus X-1's environment and/or companion star's stellar wind.

A Chandra-Swift View of Point Sources in Hickson Compact Groups: High AGN Fraction but a Dearth of Strong AGNs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzanavaris, P.; Gallagher, S. C.; Hornschemeier, A. E.; Fedotov, K.; Eracleous, M.; Brandt, W. N.; Desjardins, T. D.; Charlton, J. C.; Gronwall, C.

2014-05-01

We present Chandra X-ray point source catalogs for 9 Hickson Compact Groups (HCGs, 37 galaxies) at distances of 34-89 Mpc. We perform detailed X-ray point source detection and photometry and interpret the point source population by means of simulated hardness ratios. We thus estimate X-ray luminosities (LX ) for all sources, most of which are too weak for reliable spectral fitting. For all sources, we provide catalogs with counts, count rates, power-law indices (Γ), hardness ratios, and LX , in the full (0.5-8.0 keV), soft (0.5-2.0 keV), and hard (2.0-8.0 keV) bands. We use optical emission-line ratios from the literature to re-classify 24 galaxies as star-forming, accreting onto a supermassive black hole (AGNs), transition objects, or low-ionization nuclear emission regions. Two-thirds of our galaxies have nuclear X-ray sources with Swift/UVOT counterparts. Two nuclei have L X, 0.5-8.0 keV >1042 erg s-1, are strong multi-wavelength active galactic nuclei (AGNs), and follow the known αOX-νL ν (nearUV) correlation for strong AGNs. Otherwise, most nuclei are X-ray faint, consistent with either a low-luminosity AGN or a nuclear X-ray binary population, and fall in the "non-AGN locus" in αOX-νL ν (nearUV) space, which also hosts other normal galaxies. Our results suggest that HCG X-ray nuclei in high specific star formation rate spiral galaxies are likely dominated by star formation, while those with low specific star formation rates in earlier types likely harbor a weak AGN. The AGN fraction in HCG galaxies with MR <= -20 and L X, 0.5-8.0 keV >=1041 erg s-1 is 0.08^{+0.35}_{-0.01}, somewhat higher than the ~5% fraction in galaxy clusters.

An unusually massive stellar black hole in the Galaxy.

PubMed

Greiner, J; Cuby, J G; McCaughrean, M J

2001-11-29

The X-ray source known as GRS1915+105 belongs to a group dubbed 'microquasars'. These objects are binary systems which sporadically eject matter at speeds that appear superluminal, as is the case for some quasars. GRS1915+105 is also one of only two known binary sources thought to contain a maximally spinning black hole. Determining the basic parameters of GRS195+105, such as the masses of the components, will help us to understand jet formation in this system, as well as providing links to other objects which exhibit jets. Using X-ray data, indirect methods have previously been used to infer a variety of masses for the accreting compact object in the range 10-30 solar masses (M middle dot in circle). Here we report a direct measurement of the orbital period and mass function of GRS1915+105, which allow us to deduce a mass of 14 +/- 4 M middle dot in circle for the black hole. Black holes with masses >5-7 M middle dot in circle challenge the conventional picture of black-hole formation in binary systems. Based on the mass estimate, we interpret the distinct X-ray variability of GRS1915+105 as arising from instabilities in an accretion disk that is dominated by radiation pressure, and radiating near the Eddington limit (the point where radiation pressure supports matter against gravity). Also, the mass estimate constrains most models which relate observable X-ray properties to the spin of black holes in microquasars.

Improved visualization of breast cancer features in multifocal carcinoma using phase-contrast and dark-field mammography: an ex vivo study.

PubMed

Grandl, Susanne; Scherer, Kai; Sztrókay-Gaul, Anikó; Birnbacher, Lorenz; Willer, Konstantin; Chabior, Michael; Herzen, Julia; Mayr, Doris; Auweter, Sigrid D; Pfeiffer, Franz; Bamberg, Fabian; Hellerhoff, Karin

2015-12-01

Conventional X-ray attenuation-based contrast is inherently low for the soft-tissue components of the female breast. To overcome this limitation, we investigate the diagnostic merits arising from dark-field mammography by means of certain tumour structures enclosed within freshly dissected mastectomy samples. We performed grating-based absorption, absolute phase and dark-field mammography of three freshly dissected mastectomy samples containing bi- and multifocal carcinoma using a compact, laboratory Talbot-Lau interferometer. Preoperative in vivo imaging (digital mammography, ultrasound, MRI), postoperative histopathological analysis and ex vivo digital mammograms of all samples were acquired for the diagnostic verification of our results. In the diagnosis of multifocal tumour growth, dark-field mammography seems superior to standard breast imaging modalities, providing a better resolution of small, calcified tumour nodules, demarcation of tumour boundaries with desmoplastic stromal response and spiculated soft-tissue strands extending from an invasive ductal breast cancer. On the basis of selected cases, we demonstrate that dark-field mammography is capable of outperforming conventional mammographic imaging of tumour features in both calcified and non-calcified tumours. Presuming dose optimization, our results encourage further studies on larger patient cohorts to identify those patients that will benefit the most from this promising additional imaging modality. • X-ray dark-field mammography provides significantly improved visualization of tumour features • X-ray dark-field mammography is capable of outperforming conventional mammographic imaging • X-ray dark-field mammography provides imaging sensitivity towards highly dispersed calcium grains.

X-Ray Binaries in Local Analogs to the First Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brorby, Matthew G.

2017-02-01

The focus of this dissertation is to investigate the effect of metallicity on high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) formation and evolution as a means to understand the evolution of the early Universe (z > 6). Understanding the population and X-ray output of HMXBs are vital to modelling the heating and ionization morphology of the intergalactic medium during the epoch of reionization. Current X-ray instruments are unable to directly detect very high redshift HMXBs, making it impossible to constrain population sizes in this way. Instead certain local galaxies may be used as analogs to infer the properties of galaxies in the early Universe. These local analogs should have properties consistent with those expected for the first galaxies, such as low-metallicity, compact morphology, and intense recent star formation. I present an X-ray population study of 25 blue compact dwarf galaxies (BCD), using multiwavelength data and Bayesian analysis techniques. We find a significant enhancement of the HMXB population in low-metallicity environments and suggest the same may be true in the early Universe. I continue the investigation of HMXB populations in a sample of 10 moderate metallicity (Z ≥ 0.3, Z solar masses), local star-forming galaxies known as Lyman Break Analogs (LBAs). I find evidence of a LX-SFR-metallicity plane in the combined sample of BCDs, LBAs, and regular star-forming galaxies. Then I study a third type of local analog to early Universe galaxies, the Green Pea galaxies. These are a subclass of luminous compact galaxies (LCGs) which show strong [OIII]lambda5007A emission indicative of extreme, recent star-formation. This pilot study was carried out to look, for the first time in X-rays, at this recently established class of galaxies and use them to test the LX-SFR-metallicity plane. Determining the spectral properties of bright HMXBs in low-metallicity environments also has important implications for models of X-ray heating leading up to the Epoch of Reionization. I examined the X-ray spectra of VII Zwicky 403, one of the nearby BCD galaxies from the first study and contrast this with the only other low-metallicity BCD with high-quality spectra, I Zw 18. In the high flux state, the spectrum of VII Zw 403 is hard but drops off exponentially at higher energies (E > 5 keV). This lies in contrast with the softer blackbody accretion disk spectrum seen from I Zw 18 in its high flux state. I conclude with a brief summary of the thesis and discuss recent relevant theory and simulation work done by other groups.

Formation of Sub-Millimeter-Size Powerful X-Ray Sources in Low-Impedance Rod-Pinch Diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorokin, S. A.

2018-01-01

In the paper, experiments on the formation of a low-impedance diode and a focused electron beam as a result of detachment of radial wires, accelerated by the current of a high-current generator, from the rod anode have been described. In the experiments, along with studies of conditions for compact focusing of the electron beam and effective generation of hard x-rays, the shape of the tip of the anode rod is determined at which the x-ray source is point-sized when viewed in the radial direction.

Optical Design for a Survey X-Ray Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saha, Timo T.; Zhang, William W.; McClelland, Ryan S.

2014-01-01

Optical design trades are underway at the Goddard Space Flight Center to define a telescope for an x-ray survey mission. Top-level science objectives of the mission include the study of x-ray transients, surveying and long-term monitoring of compact objects in nearby galaxies, as well as both deep and wide-field x-ray surveys. In this paper we consider Wolter, Wolter-Schwarzschild, and modified Wolter-Schwarzschild telescope designs as basic building blocks for the tightly nested survey telescope. Design principles and dominating aberrations of individual telescopes and nested telescopes are discussed and we compare the off-axis optical performance at 1.0 KeV and 4.0 KeV across a 1.0-degree full field-of-view.

Studies on the effect of the axial magnetic field on the x-ray bremsstrahlung in a 2.45 GHz permanent magnet microwave ion source.

PubMed

Kumar, Narender; Rodrigues, G; Lakshmy, P S; Baskaran, R; Mathur, Y; Ahuja, R; Kanjilal, D

2014-02-01

A compact microwave ion source has been designed and developed for operation at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. The axial magnetic field is based on two permanent magnet rings, operating in the "off-resonance" mode and is tunable by moving the permanent magnets. In order to understand the electron energy distribution function, x-ray bremsstrahlung has been measured in the axial direction. Simulation studies on the x-ray bremsstrahlung have been carried out to compare with the experimental results. The effect of the axial magnetic field with respect to the microwave launching position and the position of the extraction electrode on the x-ray bremsstrahlung have been studied.

Explorer Program: X-ray Timing Explorer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

This booklet describes the X-ray Timing Explorer (XTE), one in a series of Explorer missions administered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Office of Space Science and managed by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The X-ray astronomy observatory is scheduled for launch into low-Earth orbit by Delta 2 expendable launch vehicle in late summer of 1995. The mission is expected to operate for at least 2 years and will carry out in-depth timing and spectral studies of the X-ray sources in the 2 to 200 kilo-electron Volt (keV) range. XTE is intended to study the temporal and broad-band spectral phenomena associated with stellar and galactic systems containing compact objects, including neutron stars, white dwarfs, and black holes.

Forming short-period Wolf-Rayet X-ray binaries and double black holes through stable mass transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Heuvel, E. P. J.; Portegies Zwart, S. F.; de Mink, S. E.

2017-11-01

We show that black hole high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) with O- or B-type donor stars and relatively short orbital periods, of order one week to several months may survive spiral-in, to then form Wolf-Rayet (WR) X-ray binaries with orbital periods of order a day to a few days; while in systems where the compact star is a neutron star, HMXBs with these orbital periods never survive spiral-in. We therefore predict that WR X-ray binaries can only harbour black holes. The reason why black hole HMXBs with these orbital periods may survive spiral-in is: the combination of a radiative envelope of the donor star and a high mass of the compact star. In this case, when the donor begins to overflow its Roche lobe, the systems are able to spiral in slowly with stable Roche lobe overflow, as is shown by the system SS433. In this case, the transferred mass is ejected from the vicinity of the compact star (so-called isotropic re-emission mass-loss mode, or SS433-like mass-loss), leading to gradual spiral-in. If the mass ratio of donor and black hole is ≳3.5, these systems will go into common-envelope evolution and are less likely to survive. If they survive, they produce WR X-ray binaries with orbital periods of a few hours to one day. Several of the well-known WR+O binaries in our Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds, with orbital periods in the range between a week and several months, are expected to evolve into close WR-black hole binaries, which may later produce close double black holes. The galactic formation rate of double black holes resulting from such systems is still uncertain, as it depends on several poorly known factors in this evolutionary picture. It might possibly be as high as ˜10-5 yr-1.

Special issue on compact x-ray sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hooker, Simon; Midorikawa, Katsumi; Rosenzweig, James

2014-04-01

Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics is delighted to announce a forthcoming special issue on compact x-ray sources, to appear in the winter of 2014, and invites you to submit a paper. The potential for high-brilliance x- and gamma-ray sources driven by advanced, compact accelerators has gained increasing attention in recent years. These novel sources—sometimes dubbed 'fifth generation sources'—will build on the revolutionary advance of the x-ray free-electron laser (FEL). New radiation sources of this type have widespread applications, including in ultra-fast imaging, diagnostic and therapeutic medicine, and studies of matter under extreme conditions. Rapid advances in compact accelerators and in FEL techniques make this an opportune moment to consider the opportunities which could be realized by bringing these two fields together. Further, the successful development of compact radiation sources driven by compact accelerators will be a significant milestone on the road to the development of high-gradient colliders able to operate at the frontiers of particle physics. Thus the time is right to publish a peer-reviewed collection of contributions concerning the state-of-the-art in: advanced and novel acceleration techniques; sophisticated physics at the frontier of FELs; and the underlying and enabling techniques of high brightness electron beam physics. Interdisciplinary research connecting two or more of these fields is also increasingly represented, as exemplified by entirely new concepts such as plasma based electron beam sources, and coherent imaging with fs-class electron beams. We hope that in producing this special edition of Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (iopscience.iop.org/0953-4075/) we may help further a challenging mission and ongoing intellectual adventure: the harnessing of newly emergent, compact advanced accelerators to the creation of new, agile light sources with unprecedented capabilities. New schemes for compact accelerators: laser- and beam-driven plasma accelerators; dielectric laser accelerators; THz accelerators. Latest results for compact accelerators. Target design and staging of advanced accelerators. Advanced injection and phase space manipulation techniques. Novel diagnostics: single-shot measurement of sub-fs bunch duration; measurement of ultra-low emittance. Generation and characterization of incoherent radiation: betatron and undulator radiation; Thomson/Compton scattering sources, novel THz sources. Generation and characterization of coherent radiation. Novel FEL simulation techniques. Advances in simulations of novel accelerators: simulations of injection and acceleration processes; simulations of coherent and incoherent radiation sources; start-to-end simulations of fifth generation light sources. Novel undulator schemes. Novel laser drivers for laser-driven accelerators: high-repetition rate laser systems; high wall-plug efficiency systems. Applications of compact accelerators: imaging; radiography; medical applications; electron diffraction and microscopy. Please submit your article by 15 May 2014 (expected web publication: winter 2014); submissions received after this date will be considered for the journal, but may not be included in the special issue.

HESS J1818-154, a new composite supernova remnant discovered in TeV gamma rays and X-rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

H. E. S. S. Collaboration; Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.; Ait Benkhali, F.; Akhperjanian, A. G.; Angüner, E.; Anton, G.; Balenderan, S.; Balzer, A.; Barnacka, A.; Becherini, Y.; Becker Tjus, J.; Bernlöhr, K.; Birsin, E.; Bissaldi, E.; Biteau, J.; Böttcher, M.; Boisson, C.; Bolmont, J.; Bordas, P.; Brucker, J.; Brun, F.; Brun, P.; Bulik, T.; Carrigan, S.; Casanova, S.; Cerruti, M.; Chadwick, P. M.; Chalme-Calvet, R.; Chaves, R. C. G.; Cheesebrough, A.; Chrétien, M.; Colafrancesco, S.; Cologna, G.; Conrad, J.; Couturier, C.; Cui, Y.; Dalton, M.; Daniel, M. K.; Davids, I. D.; Degrange, B.; Deil, C.; deWilt, P.; Dickinson, H. J.; Djannati-Ataï, A.; Domainko, W.; Drury, L. O'C.; Dubus, G.; Dutson, K.; Dyks, J.; Dyrda, M.; Edwards, T.; Egberts, K.; Eger, P.; Espigat, P.; Farnier, C.; Fegan, S.; Feinstein, F.; Fernandes, M. V.; Fernandez, D.; Fiasson, A.; Fontaine, G.; Förster, A.; Füßling, M.; Gajdus, M.; Gallant, Y. A.; Garrigoux, T.; Giavitto, G.; Giebels, B.; Glicenstein, J. F.; Grondin, M.-H.; Grudzińska, M.; Häffner, S.; Hahn, J.; Harris, J.; Heinzelmann, G.; Henri, G.; Hermann, G.; Hervet, O.; Hillert, A.; Hinton, J. A.; Hofmann, W.; Hofverberg, P.; Holler, M.; Horns, D.; Jacholkowska, A.; Jahn, C.; Jamrozy, M.; Janiak, M.; Jankowsky, F.; Jung, I.; Kastendieck, M. A.; Katarzyński, K.; Katz, U.; Kaufmann, S.; Khélifi, B.; Kieffer, M.; Klepser, S.; Klochkov, D.; Kluźniak, W.; Kneiske, T.; Kolitzus, D.; Komin, Nu.; Kosack, K.; Krakau, S.; Krayzel, F.; Krüger, P. P.; Laffon, H.; Lamanna, G.; Lefaucheur, J.; Lemière, A.; Lemoine-Goumard, M.; Lenain, J.-P.; Lennarz, D.; Lohse, T.; Lopatin, A.; Lu, C.-C.; Marandon, V.; Marcowith, A.; Marx, R.; Maurin, G.; Maxted, N.; Mayer, M.; McComb, T. J. L.; Méhault, J.; Meintjes, P. J.; Menzler, U.; Meyer, M.; Moderski, R.; Mohamed, M.; Moulin, E.; Murach, T.; Naumann, C. L.; de Naurois, M.; Niemiec, J.; Nolan, S. J.; Oakes, L.; Ohm, S.; de Oña Wilhelmi, E.; Opitz, B.; Ostrowski, M.; Oya, I.; Panter, M.; Parsons, R. D.; Paz Arribas, M.; Pekeur, N. W.; Pelletier, G.; Perez, J.; Petrucci, P.-O.; Peyaud, B.; Pita, S.; Poon, H.; Pühlhofer, G.; Punch, M.; Quirrenbach, A.; Raab, S.; Raue, M.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Renaud, M.; de los Reyes, R.; Rieger, F.; Rob, L.; Romoli, C.; Rosier-Lees, S.; Rowell, G.; Rudak, B.; Rulten, C. B.; Sahakian, V.; Sanchez, D. A.; Santangelo, A.; Schlickeiser, R.; Schüssler, F.; Schulz, A.; Schwanke, U.; Schwarzburg, S.; Schwemmer, S.; Sol, H.; Spengler, G.; Spies, F.; Stawarz, Ł.; Steenkamp, R.; Stegmann, C.; Stinzing, F.; Stycz, K.; Sushch, I.; Szostek, A.; Tavernet, J.-P.; Tavernier, T.; Taylor, A. M.; Terrier, R.; Tluczykont, M.; Trichard, C.; Valerius, K.; van Eldik, C.; van Soelen, B.; Vasileiadis, G.; Venter, C.; Viana, A.; Vincent, P.; Völk, H. J.; Volpe, F.; Vorster, M.; Vuillaume, T.; Wagner, S. J.; Wagner, P.; Ward, M.; Weidinger, M.; Weitzel, Q.; White, R.; Wierzcholska, A.; Willmann, P.; Wörnlein, A.; Wouters, D.; Zabalza, V.; Zacharias, M.; Zajczyk, A.; Zdziarski, A. A.; Zech, A.; Zechlin, H.-S.

2014-02-01

Composite supernova remnants (SNRs) constitute a small subclass of the remnants of massive stellar explosions where non-thermal radiation is observed from both the expanding shell-like shock front and from a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) located inside of the SNR. These systems represent a unique evolutionary phase of SNRs where observations in the radio, X-ray, and γ-ray regimes allow the study of the co-evolution of both these energetic phenomena. In this article, we report results from observations of the shell-type SNR G 15.4+0.1 performed with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) and XMM-Newton. A compact TeV γ-ray source, HESS J1818-154, located in the center and contained within the shell of G 15.4+0.1 is detected by H.E.S.S. and featurs a spectrum best represented by a power-law model with a spectral index of -2.3 ± 0.3stat ± 0.2sys and an integral flux of F(> 0.42 TeV) = (0.9 ± 0.3stat ± 0.2sys) × 10-12 cm-2 s-1. Furthermore, a recent observation with XMM-Newton reveals extended X-ray emission strongly peaked in the center of G 15.4+0.1. The X-ray source shows indications of an energy-dependent morphology featuring a compact core at energies above 4 keV and more extended emission that fills the entire region within the SNR at lower energies. Together, the X-ray and VHE γ-ray emission provide strong evidence of a PWN located inside the shell of G 15.4+0.1 and this SNR can therefore be classified as a composite based on these observations. The radio, X-ray, and γ-ray emission from the PWN is compatible with a one-zone leptonic model that requires a low average magnetic field inside the emission region. An unambiguous counterpart to the putative pulsar, which is thought to power the PWN, has been detected neither in radio nor in X-ray observations of G 15.4+0.1.

First NICER Observations of the Enigmatic Be Star, Gamma Cassiopeiae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamaguchi, Kenji; Drake, Stephen; Corcoran, Michael; Gendreau, Keith C.; Steiner, Jack; NICER team

2018-01-01

Gamma Cassiopeiae is an enigmatic Be star with unusually hard, strong X-ray emission compared with normal main-sequence B stars (but a much lower X-ray luminosity than the classic X-ray binaries). The X-ray characteristics - hot (kT ~12 keV), thermal plasma spectrum and rapid time variations on timescales of 10-1000 sec - is reminiscent of accreting compact objects. Alternatively, its shot-like rapid variations somewhat resemble solar-type magnetic reconnection flares, so that plasma heating by the star-disk magnetic dynamo of the Be star has been proposed. A recent discovery of rapid X-ray color variations with the Suzaku X-ray observatory revealed the presence of rapidly moving absorbers in the X-ray line of sight, giving a strong constraint on the geometry of the X-ray emitting regions and absorbers.The X-ray observatory onboard ISS, NICER, has observed Gamma Cas multiple times. The large collecting area in the 0.3-10 keV band, tolerance to photon pile-ups, and decent energy resolution in particular below 1 keV, should provide excellent pieces of information on how the X-ray emission and/or absorbing column change on short timescales. We will present the first result of the gamma Cas observations made by the NICER observatory.

Comparison of hard X-ray spectra obtained by spectrometers on Hinotori and SMM and detection of 'superhot' component

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nitta, Nariaki

1988-01-01

Hard X-ray spectra in solar flares obtained by the broadband spectrometers aboard Hinotori and SMM are compared. Within the uncertainty brought about by assuming the typical energy of the background X-rays, spectra by the Hinotori spectrometer are usually consistent with those by the SMM spectrometer for flares in 1981. On the contrary, flares in 1982 persistently show 20-50-percent higher flux by Hinotori than by SMM. If this discrepancy is entirely attributable to errors in the calibration of energy ranges, the errors would be about 10 percent. Despite such a discrepancy in absolute flux, in the the decay phase of one flare, spectra revealed a hard X-ray component (probably a 'superhot' component) that could be explained neither by emission from a plasma at about 2 x 10 to the 7th K nor by a nonthermal power-law component. Imaging observations during this period show hard X-ray emission nearly cospatial with soft X-ray emission, in contrast with earlier times at which hard and soft X-rays come from different places.

PKS 2123-463: A Confirmed Gamma-ray Blazar at High Redshift

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

D'Ammando, F.; Rau, A.; Schady, P.; Finke, J.; Orienti, M.; Greiner, J.; Kann, D. A.; Ojha, R.; Foley, A. R.; Stevens, J.;

The thermal X-ray flare plasma. [on sun

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, R.; Mckenzie, D. L.; Svestka, Z.; Widing, K. G.; Dere, K. P.; Antiochos, S. K.; Dodson-Prince, H. W.; Hiei, E.; Krall, K. R.; Krieger, A. S.

1980-01-01

Following a review of current observational and theoretical knowledge of the approximately 10 to the 7th K plasma emitting the thermal soft X-ray bursts accompanying every H alpha solar flare, the fundamental physical problem of the plasma, namely the formation and evolution of the observed X-ray arches, is examined. Extensive Skylab observations of the thermal X-ray plasmas in two large flares, a large subflare and several compact subflares are analyzed to determine plasma physical properties, deduce the dominant physical processes governing the plasma and compare large and small flare characteristics. Results indicate the density of the thermal X-ray plasma to be higher than previously thought (from 10 to the 10th to 10 to the 12th/cu cm for large to small flares), cooling to occur radiatively as much as conductively, heating to continue into the decay phase of large flares, and the mass of the thermal X-ray plasma to be supplied primarily through chromospheric evaporation. Implications of the results for the basic flare mechanism are indicated.

Laboratory Measurements of X-Ray Emissions From Centimeter-Long Streamer Corona Discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva, C. L.; Millan, R. M.; McGaw, D. G.; Yu, C. T.; Putter, A. S.; LaBelle, J.; Dwyer, J.

2017-11-01

We provide extensive evidence that runaway electron acceleration and subsequent bremsstrahlung X-ray emission are a common feature in negative electrical discharges with voltages as low as 100 kV, indicating that all negative lightning could potentially produce runaway electrons. Centimeter long streamer corona discharges produce bursts of X-ray radiation, emitted by a source highly compact in space and time, leading to photon pileup. Median photon burst energies vary between 33 and 96 keV in 100 kV discharges. Statistical analysis of 5,000+ discharges shows that X-rays are observed in as many as 60% of the triggers, depending on the configuration. X-ray detection is more frequent when streamers are not followed by a spark, the detector is oriented perpendicular to the gap, and a thicker anode is used. In an 8-cm-long gap, X-rays are produced when runaway electrons hit the anode, and the electron acceleration is not necessarily correlated with streamer collisions.

Elemental mapping and microimaging by x-ray capillary optics.

PubMed

Hampai, D; Dabagov, S B; Cappuccio, G; Longoni, A; Frizzi, T; Cibin, G; Guglielmotti, V; Sala, M

2008-12-01

Recently, many experiments have highlighted the advantage of using polycapillary optics for x-ray fluorescence studies. We have developed a special confocal scheme for micro x-ray fluorescence measurements that enables us to obtain not only elemental mapping of the sample but also simultaneously its own x-ray imaging. We have designed the prototype of a compact x-ray spectrometer characterized by a spatial resolution of less than 100 microm for fluorescence and less than 10 microm for imaging. A couple of polycapillary lenses in a confocal configuration together with a silicon drift detector allow elemental studies of extended samples (approximately 3 mm) to be performed, while a CCD camera makes it possible to record an image of the same samples with 6 microm spatial resolution, which is limited only by the pixel size of the camera. By inserting a compound refractive lens between the sample and the CCD camera, we hope to develop an x-ray microscope for more enlarged images of the samples under test.

Symbiotic Stars in X-rays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luna, G. J. M.; Sokoloski, J. L.; Mukai, K.; Nelson, T.

2014-01-01

Until recently, symbiotic binary systems in which a white dwarf accretes from a red giant were thought to be mainly a soft X-ray population. Here we describe the detection with the X-ray Telescope (XRT) on the Swift satellite of 9 white dwarf symbiotics that were not previously known to be X-ray sources and one that was previously detected as a supersoft X-ray source. The 9 new X-ray detections were the result of a survey of 41 symbiotic stars, and they increase the number of symbiotic stars known to be X-ray sources by approximately 30%. Swift/XRT detected all of the new X-ray sources at energies greater than 2 keV. Their X-ray spectra are consistent with thermal emission and fall naturally into three distinct groups. The first group contains those sources with a single, highly absorbed hard component, which we identify as probably coming from an accretion-disk boundary layer. The second group is composed of those sources with a single, soft X-ray spectral component, which likely arises in a region where low-velocity shocks produce X-ray emission, i.e. a colliding-wind region. The third group consists of those sources with both hard and soft X-ray spectral components. We also find that unlike in the optical, where rapid, stochastic brightness variations from the accretion disk typically are not seen, detectable UV flickering is a common property of symbiotic stars. Supporting our physical interpretation of the two X-ray spectral components, simultaneous Swift UV photometry shows that symbiotic stars with harder X-ray emission tend to have stronger UV flickering, which is usually associated with accretion through a disk. To place these new observations in the context of previous work on X-ray emission from symbiotic stars, we modified and extended the alpha/beta/gamma classification scheme for symbiotic-star X-ray spectra that was introduced by Muerset et al. based upon observations with the ROSAT satellite, to include a new sigma classification for sources with hard X-ray emission from the innermost accretion region. Since we have identified the elusive accretion component in the emission from a sample of symbiotic stars, our results have implications for the understanding of wind-fed mass transfer in wide binaries, and the accretion rate in one class of candidate progenitors of type Ia supernovae.

Propagation-based phase-contrast x-ray tomography of cochlea using a compact synchrotron source.

PubMed

Töpperwien, Mareike; Gradl, Regine; Keppeler, Daniel; Vassholz, Malte; Meyer, Alexander; Hessler, Roland; Achterhold, Klaus; Gleich, Bernhard; Dierolf, Martin; Pfeiffer, Franz; Moser, Tobias; Salditt, Tim

2018-03-21

We demonstrate that phase retrieval and tomographic imaging at the organ level of small animals can be advantageously carried out using the monochromatic radiation emitted by a compact x-ray light source, without further optical elements apart from source and detector. This approach allows to carry out microtomography experiments which - due to the large performance gap with respect to conventional laboratory instruments - so far were usually limited to synchrotron sources. We demonstrate the potential by mapping the functional soft tissue within the guinea pig and marmoset cochlea, including in the latter case an electrical cochlear implant. We show how 3d microanatomical studies without dissection or microscopic imaging can enhance future research on cochlear implants.

The LAMAR: A high throughput X-ray astronomy facility for a moderate cost mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gorenstein, P.; Schwartz, D.

1981-01-01

The performance of a large area modular array of reflectors (LAMAR) is considered in several hypothetical observations relevant to: (1) cosmology, the X-ray background, and large scale structure of the universe; (2) clusters of galaxies and their evolution; (3) quasars and other active galactic nuclei; (4) compact objects in our galaxy; (5) stellar coronae; and (6) energy input to the interstellar medium.

Transient Astrophysics Probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camp, Jordan; Transient Astrophysics Probe Team

2018-01-01

The Transient Astrophysics Probe (TAP) is a wide-field multi-wavelength transient mission proposed for flight starting in the late 2020s. The mission instruments include unique “Lobster-eye” imaging soft X-ray optics that allow a ~1600 deg2 FoV; a high sensitivity, 1 deg2 FoV soft X-ray telescope; a 1 deg2 FoV Infrared telescope with bandpass 0.6-3 micron; and a set of 8 NaI gamma-ray detectors. TAP’s most exciting capability will be the observation of tens per year of X-ray and IR counterparts of GWs involving stellar mass black holes and neutron stars detected by LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA/LIGO-India, and possibly several per year X-ray counterparts of GWs from supermassive black holes, detected by LISA and Pulsar Timing Arrays. TAP will also discover hundreds of X-ray transients related to compact objects, including tidal disruption events, supernova shock breakouts, and Gamma-Ray Bursts from the epoch of reionization.

Relativistic baryonic jets from an ultraluminous supersoft X-ray source.

PubMed

Liu, Ji-Feng; Bai, Yu; Wang, Song; Justham, Stephen; Lu, You-Jun; Gu, Wei-Min; Liu, Qing-Zhong; Di Stefano, Rosanne; Guo, Jin-Cheng; Cabrera-Lavers, Antonio; Álvarez, Pedro; Cao, Yi; Kulkarni, Shri

2015-12-03

The formation of relativistic jets by an accreting compact object is one of the fundamental mysteries of astrophysics. Although the theory is poorly understood, observations of relativistic jets from systems known as microquasars (compact binary stars) have led to a well established phenomenology. Relativistic jets are not expected to be produced by sources with soft or supersoft X-ray spectra, although two such systems are known to produce relatively low-velocity bipolar outflows. Here we report the optical spectra of an ultraluminous supersoft X-ray source (ULS) in the nearby galaxy M81 (M81 ULS-1; refs 9, 10). Unexpectedly, the spectra show blueshifted, broad Hα emission lines, characteristic of baryonic jets with relativistic speeds. These time-variable emission lines have projected velocities of about 17 per cent of the speed of light, and seem to be similar to those from the prototype microquasar SS 433 (refs 11, 12). Such relativistic jets are not expected to be launched from white dwarfs, and an origin from a black hole or a neutron star is hard to reconcile with the persistence of M81 ULS-1's soft X-rays. Thus the unexpected presence of relativistic jets in a ULS challenges canonical theories of jet formation, but might be explained by a long-speculated, supercritically accreting black hole with optically thick outflows.

Broadband X-Ray Spectra of GX 339-4 and the Geometry of Accreting Black Holes in the Hard State

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tomsick, John A.; Kalemci, Emrah; Kaaret, Philip; Markoff, Sera; Corbel, Stephane; Migliari, Simone; Fender, Rob; Bailyn, Charles D.; Buxton, Michelle M.

2008-01-01

A major question in the study of black hole binaries involves our understanding of the accretion geometry when the sources are in the "hard" state, with an X-ray energy spectrum dominated by a hard power-law component and radio emission coming from a steady "compact" jet. Although the common hard state picture is that the accretion disk is truncated, perhaps at hundreds of gravitational radii (Rg) from the black hole, recent results for the recurrent transient GX 339-4 by Miller and coworkers show evidence for disk material very close to the black hole's innermost stable circular orbit. That work studied GX 339-4 at a luminosity of approximately 5% of the Eddington limit (L(sub Edd) and used parameters from a relativistic reflection model and the presence of a thermal component as diagnostics. Here we use similar diagnostics but extend the study to lower luminosities (2.3% and 0.8% L(sub Edd)) using Swift and RXTE observations of GX 339-4. We detect a thermal component with an inner disk temperature of approximately 0.2 keV at 2.3% L (sub Edd). At both luminosities, we detect broad features due to iron K-alpha that are likely related to reflection of hard X-rays off disk material. If these features are broadened by relativistic effects, they indicate that the material resides within 10 Rg, and the measurements are consistent with the disk's inner radius remaining at approximately 4 Rg down to 0.8% L(sub Edd). However, we also discuss an alternative model for the broadening, and we note that the evolution of the thermal component is not entirely consistent with the constant inner radius interpretation. Finally, we discuss the results in terms of recent theoretical work by Liu and co-workers on the possibility that material may condense out of an Advection-Dominated Accretion Flow to maintain an inner optically thick disk.

Optical identification of X-ray source 1RXS J180431.1-273932 as a magnetic cataclysmic variable

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masetti, N.; Nucita, A. A.; Parisi, P.

2012-08-01

The X-ray source 1RXS J180431.1-273932 has been proposed as a new member of the symbiotic X-ray binary (SyXB) class of systems, which are composed of a late-type giant that loses matter to an extremely compact object, most likely a neutron star. In this paper, we present an optical campaign of imaging plus spectroscopy on selected candidate counterparts of this object. We also reanalyzed the available archival X-ray data collected with XMM-Newton. We find that the brightest optical source inside the 90% X-ray positional error circle is spectroscopically identified as a magnetic cataclysmic variable (CV), most likely of intermediate polar type, through the detection of prominent Balmer, He i, He ii, and Bowen blend emissions. On either spectroscopic or statistical grounds, we discard as counterparts of the X-ray source the other optical objects in the XMM-Newton error circle. A red giant star of spectral type M5 III is found lying just outside the X-ray position: we consider this latter object as a fore-/background one and likewise rule it out as a counterpart of 1RXS J180431.1-273932. The description of the X-ray spectrum of the source using a bremsstrahlung plus black-body model gives temperatures of kTbr ~ 40 keV and kTbb ~ 0.1 keV for these two components. We estimate a distance of d ~ 450 pc and a 0.2-10 keV X-ray luminosity of LX ~ 1.7 × 1032 erg s-1 for this system and, using the information obtained from the X-ray spectral analysis, a mass MWD ~ 0.8 M⊙ for the accreting white dwarf (WD). We also confirm an X-ray periodicity of 494 s for this source, which we interpret as the spin period of the WD. In summary, 1RXS J180431.1-273932 is identified as a magnetic CV and its SyXB nature is excluded. Partly based on observations collected at the Italian Telescopio Nazionale Galileo, located at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (Canary Islands, Spain).Reduced data used for imaging and spectra is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/544/A114

Formation and Destruction of Jets in X-ray Binaries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kylafix, N. D.; Contopoulos, I.; Kazanas, D.; Christodoulou, D. M.

2011-01-01

Context. Neutron-star and black-hole X-ray binaries (XRBs) exhibit radio jets, whose properties depend on the X-ray spectral state e.nd history of the source. In particular, black-hole XRBs emit compact, 8teady radio jets when they are in the so-called hard state. These jets become eruptive as the sources move toward the soft state, disappear in the soft state, and then re-appear when the sources return to the hard state. The jets from neutron-star X-ray binaries are typically weaker radio emitters than the black-hole ones at the same X-ray luminosity and in some cases radio emission is detected in the soft state. Aims. Significant phenomenology has been developed to describe the spectral states of neutron-star and black-hole XRBs, and there is general agreement about the type of the accretion disk around the compact object in the various spectral states. We investigate whether the phenomenology describing the X-ray emission on one hand and the jet appearance and disappearance on the other can be put together in a consistent physical picture. Methods. We consider the so-called Poynting-Robertson cosmic battery (PRCB), which has been shown to explain in a natural way the formation of magnetic fields in the disks of AGNs and the ejection of jets. We investigate whether the PRCB can also explain the [ormation, destruction, and variability or jets in XRBs. Results. We find excellent agreement between the conditions under which the PRCB is efficient (i.e., the type of the accretion disk) and the emission or destruction of the r.adio jet. Conclusions. The disk-jet connection in XRBs can be explained in a natural way using the PRCB.

GRB 060313: A New Paradigm for Short-Hard Bursts?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roming, Peter W. A.; Vanden Berk, Daniel; Pal'shin, Valentin; Pagani, Claudio; Norris, Jay; Kumar, Pawan; Krimm, Hans; Holland, Stephen T.; Gronwall, Caryl; Blustin, Alex J.; Zhang, Bing; Schady, Patricia; Sakamoto, Takanori; Osborne, Julian P.; Nousek, John A.; Marshall, Frank E.; Mészáros, Peter; Golenetskii, Sergey V.; Gehrels, Neil; Frederiks, Dmitry D.; Campana, Sergio; Burrows, David N.; Boyd, Patricia T.; Barthelmy, Scott; Aptekar, R. L.

2006-11-01

We report the simultaneous observations of the prompt emission in the gamma-ray and hard X-ray bands by the Swift BAT and the Konus-Wind instruments of the short-hard burst, GRB 060313. The observations reveal multiple peaks in both the gamma-ray and hard X-ray bands suggesting a highly variable outflow from the central explosion. We also describe the early-time observations of the X-ray and UV/optical afterglows by the Swift XRT and UVOT instruments. The combination of the X-ray and UV/optical observations provides the most comprehensive light curves to date of a short-hard burst at such an early epoch. The afterglows exhibit complex structure with different decay indices and flaring. This behavior can be explained by the combination of a structured jet, radiative loss of energy, and decreasing microphysics parameters occurring in a circumburst medium with densities varying by a factor of approximately two on a length scale of 1017 cm. These density variations are normally associated with the environment of a massive star and inhomogeneities in its windy medium. However, the mean density of the observed medium (n~10-4 cm3) is much less than that expected for a massive star. Although the collapse of a massive star as the origin of GRB 060313 is unlikely, the merger of a compact binary also poses problems for explaining the behavior of this burst. Two possible suggestions for explaining this scenario are that some short bursts may arise from a mechanism that does not invoke the conventional compact binary model, or that soft late-time central engine activity is producing UV/optical but no X-ray flaring.

A Chandra X-Ray Study of NGC 1068 IL the Luminous X-Ray Source Population

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, David A.; Wilson, Andrew S.

2003-01-01

We present an analysis of the compact X-ray source population in the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068, imaged with a approx. 50 ks Chandra observation. We find a total of 84 compact sources on the S3 chip, of which 66 are located within the 25.0 B-mag/arcsec isophote of the galactic disk of NGC 1068. Spectra have been obtained for the 21 sources with at least 50 counts and modeled with both multicolor disk blackbody and power-law models. The power-law model provides the better description of the spectrum for 18 of these sources. For fainter sources, the spectral index has been estimated from the hardness ratio. Five sources have 0.4 - 8 keV intrinsic luminosities greater than 10(exp 39)ergs/ s, assuming that their emission is isotropic and that they are associated with NGC 1068. We refer to these sources as intermediate-luminosity X-ray objects (ISOs). If these five sources are X-ray binaries accreting with luminosities that are both sub-Eddington and isotropic, then the implied source masses are approx greater than 7 solar mass, and so they are inferred to be black holes. Most of the spectrally modeled sources have spectral shapes similar to Galactic black hole candidates. However, the brightest compact source in NGC 1068 has a spectrum that is much harder than that found in Galactic black hole candidates and other ISOs. The brightest source also shows large amplitude variability on both short-term and long-term timescales, with the count rate possibly decreasing by a factor of 2 in approx. 2 ks during our Chundra observation, and the source flux decreasing by a factor of 5 between our observation and the grating observations taken just over 9 months later. The ratio of the number of sources with luminosities greater than 2.1 x 10(exp 38) ergs/s in the 0.4 - 8 keV band to the rate of massive (greater than 5 solar mass) star formation is the same, to within a factor of 2, for NGC 1068, the Antennae, NGC 5194 (the main galaxy in M51), and the Circinus galaxy. This suggests that the rate of production of X-ray binaries per massive star is approximately the same for galaxies with currently active star formation, including "starbursts."

X-ray Binaries in the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowley, Anne P.

1993-05-01

For more than two decades astronomers have been aware that the most X-ray luminous stellar sources (L_x > 10(35) erg s(-1) ) are interacting binaries where one component is a neutron star or black hole. While other types of single and multiple stars are known X-ray sources, none compare in X-ray luminosity with the ``classical" X-ray binaries. In these systems X-ray emission results from accretion of material from a non-degenerate companion onto the compact star through several alternate mechanisms including Roche lobe overflow, stellar winds, or periastron effects in non-circular orbits. It has been recognized for many years that X-ray binaries divide into two broad groups, characterized primarily by the mass of the non-degenerate star: 1) massive X-ray binaries (MXRB), in which the optical primary is a bright, early-type star, and 2) low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXB), where a lower main-sequence or subgiant star is the mass donor. A broad variety of observational characteristics further subdivide these classes. In the Galaxy these two groups appear to be spatially and kinematically associated with the disk and the halo populations, respectively. A few dozen MXRB are known in the Galaxy. A great deal of information about their physical properties has been learned from observational study. Their optical primaries can be investigated by conventional techniques. Furthermore, most MXRB contain X-ray pulsars, allowing accurate determination of their orbital parameters. From these data masses have been determined for the neutron stars, all of which are ~ 1.4 Msun, within measurement errors. By contrast, the LMXB have been much more difficult to study. Although there are ~ 150 LMXB in the Galaxy, most are distant and faint, requiring use of large telescopes for their study. Their optical light is almost always dominated by an accretion disk, rather than the mass-losing star, making interpretation of their spectral and photometric properties difficult. Their often uncertain distances further complicate our understanding. Thus, although the galactic LMXB greatly outnumber the MXRB, they are much less well understood. The X-ray binaries in the Magellanic Clouds in many ways make an ideal laboratory because they are all at the same, known distance. However, at the present time only a handful of X-ray binaries are known with certainty in these galaxies -- 7 in the LMC and 1 in the SMC. Only 3 of the LMC sources are low-mass X-ray binaries, and their properties are quite different from ``typical" galactic LMXB. In this review we will outline the general properties of X-ray binaries and summarize what types of information we have learned from their study over a wide range of wavelengths. An overall comparison of the global properties of X-ray binaries in the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds will be given.

A compact high brightness laser synchrotron light source for medical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakajima, Kazuhisa

1999-07-01

The present high-brightness hard X-ray sources have been developed as third generation synchrotron light sources based on large high energy electron storage rings and magnetic undulators. Recently availability of compact terawatt lasers arouses a great interest in the use of lasers as undulators. The laser undulator concept makes it possible to construct an attractive compact synchrotron radiation source which has been proposed as a laser synchrotron light source. This paper proposes a compact laser synchrotron light source for mediacal applications, such as an intravenous coronary angiography and microbeam therapy.

Infrared and X-Ray Spectroscopy of the KES 75 Supernova Remnant Shell: Characterizing the Dust and Gas Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Temim, Tea; Dwek, Eli; Slane, Patrick; Arendt, Richard G.

2009-01-01

We present deep Chandra observations and Spitzer Space Telescope infrared (IR) spectroscopy of the shell in the composite supernova remnant (SNR) Kes 75 (G29.7-0.3). The remnant is composed of a central pulsar wind nebula and a bright partial shell in the south that is visible at radio, IR, and X-ray wavelengths. The X-ray emission can be modeled by either a single thermal component with a temperature of 1.5 keV, or with two thermal components with temperatures of 1.5 and 0.2 keV. Previous studies suggest that the hot component may originate from reverse-shocked SN ejecta. However, our new analysis shows no definitive evidence for enhanced abundances of Si, S, Ar, Mg, and Fe, as expected from supernova (SN) ejecta, or for the IR spectral signatures characteristic of confirmed SN condensed dust, thus favoring a circumstellar or interstellar origin for the X-ray and IR emission. The X-ray and ill emission in the shell are spatially correlated, suggesting that the dust particles are collisionally heated by the X-ray emitting gas. The IR spectrum of the shell is dominated by continuum emission from dust with little, or no line emission. Modeling the IR spectrum shows that the dust is heated to a temperature of 140 K by a relatively dense, hot plasma, that also gives rise to the hot X-ray emission component. The density inferred from the IR emission is significantly higher than the density inferred from the X-ray models, suggesting a low filling factor for this X-ray emitting gas. The total mass of the warm dust component is at least 1.3 x 10(exp -2) solar mass, assuming no significant dust destruction has occurred in the shell. The IR data also reveal the presence of an additional plasma component with a cooler temperature, consistent with the 0.2 keV gas component. Our IR analysis therefore provides an independent verification of the cooler component of the X-ray emission. The complementary analyses of the X-ray and IR emission provide quantitative estimates of density and filling factors of the clumpy medium swept up by the SNR.

Infrared and X-Ray Spectroscopy of the Kes 75 Supernova Shell Characterizing the Dust and Gas Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Temim, Tea; Arendt, Richard G.; Dwek, Eli; Slane, Patrick

2012-01-01

We present deep Chandra observations and Spitzer Space Telescope infrared (IR) spectroscopy of the shell in the composite supernova remnant (SNR) Kes 75 (G29.7-0.3). The remnant is composed of a central pulsar wind nebula and a bright partial shell in the south that is visible at radio, IR, and X-ray wavelengths. The X-ray emission can be modeled by either a single thermal component with a temperature of approx 1.5 keV, or with two thermal components with temperatures of 1.5 and 0.2 keY. Previous studies suggest that the hot component may originate from reverse-shocked SN ejecta. However, our new analysis shows no definitive evidence for enhanced abundances of Si, S, Ar, Mg, and Fe, as expected from supernova (SN) ejecta, or for the IR spectral signatures characteristic of confirmed SN condensed dust, thus favoring a circumstellar or interstellar origin for the X-ray and IR emission. The X-ray and IR emission in the shell are spatially correlated, suggesting that the dust particles are collisionally heated by the X-ray emitting gas. The IR spectrum of the shell is dominated by continuum emission from dust with little, or no line emission. Modeling the IR spectrum shows that the dust is heated to a temperature of approx 140 K by a relatively dense, hot plasma, that also gives rise to the hot X-ray emission component. The density inferred from the IR emission is significantly higher than the density inferred from the X-ray models, suggesting a low filling factor for this X-ray emitting gas. The total mass of the warm dust component is at least 1.3 x 10(exp -2) Solar Mass, assuming no significant dust destruction has occurred in the shell. The IR data also reveal the presence of an additional plasma component with a cooler temperature, consistent with the 0.2 keV gas component. Our IR analysis therefore provides an independent verification of the cooler component of the X-ray emission. The complementary analyses of the X-ray and IR emission provide quantitative estimates of density and filling factors of the clumpy medium swept up by the SNR.

Signatures of compact halos of sterile-neutrino dark matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kühnel, Florian; Ohlsson, Tommy

2017-11-01

We investigate compact halos of sterile-neutrino dark matter and examine observable signatures with respect to neutrino and photon emission. Primarily, we consider two cases: primordial black-hole halos and ultracompact minihalos. In both cases, we find that there exists a broad range of possible parameter choices such that detection in the near future with x-ray and gamma-ray telescopes might be well possible. In fact, for energies above 10 TeV, the neutrino telescope IceCube would be a splendid detection machine for such macroscopic dark-matter candidates.

Candidate counterparts to the soft gamma-ray flare in the direction of LS I +61 303

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muñoz-Arjonilla, A. J.; Martí, J.; Combi, J. A.; Luque-Escamilla, P.; Sánchez-Sutil, J. R.; Zabalza, V.; Paredes, J. M.

2009-04-01

Context: A short duration burst reminiscent of a soft gamma-ray repeater/anomalous X-ray pulsar behaviour was detected in the direction of LS I +61 303 by the Swift satellite. While the association with this well known gamma-ray binary is likely, a different origin cannot be excluded. Aims: We explore the error box of this unexpected flaring event and establish the radio, near-infrared and X-ray sources in our search for any peculiar alternative counterpart. Methods: We carried out a combined analysis of archive Very Large Array radio data of LS I +61 303 sensitive to both compact and extended emission. We also reanalysed previous near infrared observations with the 3.5 m telescope of the Centro Astronómico Hispano Alemán and X-ray observations with the Chandra satellite. Results: Our deep radio maps of the LS I +61 303 environment represent a significant advancement on previous work and 16 compact radio sources in the LS I +61 303 vicinity are detected. For some detections, we also identify near infrared and X-ray counterparts. Extended emission features in the field are also detected and confirmed. The possible connection of some of these sources with the observed flaring event is considered. Based on these data, we are unable to claim a clear association between the Swift-BAT flare and any of the sources reported here. However, this study represents the most sophisticated attempt to determine possible alternative counterparts other than LS I +61 303.

A Suzaku X-ray Observation of One Orbit of the Supergiant Fast X-ray Transient IGR J16479-4514

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sidoli, L.; Esposito, P.; Sguera, V.; Bodaghee, A.; Tomsick, J. A.; Pottschmidt, K.; Rodriguez, J.; Ramano, P.; Wilms, J.

2013-01-01

We report on a 250 ks long X-ray observation of the supergiant fast X-ray transient (SFXT) IGR J16479-4514 performed with Suzaku in 2012 February. During this observation, about 80% of the short orbital period (P(sub orb) approximates 3.32 days) was covered as continuously as possible for the first time. The source light curve displays variability of more than two orders of magnitude, starting with a very low emission state (10(exp -13) erg / sq cm/s; 1-10 keV) lasting the first 46 ks, consistent with being due to the X-ray eclipse by the supergiant companion. The transition to the uneclipsed X-ray emission is energy dependent. Outside the eclipse, the source spends most of the time at a level of 6-7X10)(exp-12) erg/sq. cm/s) punctuated by two structured faint flares with a duration of about 10 and 15 ks, respectively, reaching a peak flux of 3-4X10(exp -11) erg/sq. cm./S, separated by about 0.2 in orbital phase. Remarkably, the first faint flare occurs at a similar orbital phase of the bright flares previously observed in the system. This indicates the presence of a phase-locked large scale structure in the supergiant wind, driving a higher accretion rate onto the compact object. The average X-ray spectrum is hard and highly absorbed, with a column density, NH, of 10*exp 23)/sq cm, clearly in excess of the interstellar absorption. There is no evidence for variability of the absorbing column density, except that during the eclipse, where a less absorbed X-ray spectrum is observed. A narrow Fe K-alpha emission line at 6.4 keV is viewed along the whole orbit, with an intensity which correlates with the continuum emission above 7 keV. The scattered component visible during the X-ray eclipse allowed us to directly probe the wind density at the orbital separation, resulting in rho(sub w)=7X10(exp -14) g/cubic cm. Assuming a spherical geometry for the supergiant wind, the derived wind density translates into a ratio M(sub w)/v(sub infinity) = 7X10(exp -17) Solar M/km which, assuming terminal velocities in a large range 500-3000 km/s, implies an accretion luminosity two orders of magnitude higher than that observed. As a consequence, a mechanism should be at work reducing the mass accretion rate. Different possibilities are discussed.

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

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1985-01-01

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

Stellar winds in binary X-ray systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macgregor, K. B.; Vitello, P. A. J.

1982-01-01

It is thought that accretion from a strong stellar wind by a compact object may be responsible for the X-ray emission from binary systems containing a massive early-type primary. To investigate the effect of X-ray heating and ionization on the mass transfer process in systems of this type, an idealized model is constructed for the flow of a radiation-driven wind in the presence of an X-ray source of specified luminosity, L sub x. It is noted that for low values of L sub x, X-ray photoionization gives rise to additional ions having spectral lines with wavelengths situated near the peak of the primary continuum flux distribution. As a consequence, the radiation force acting on the gas increases in relation to its value in the absence of X-rays, and the wind is accelerated to higher velocities. As L sub x is increased, the degree of ionization of the wind increases, and the magnitude of the radiation force is diminished in comparison with the case in which L sub x = 0. This reduction leads at first to a decrease in the wind velocity and ultimately (for L sub x sufficiently large) to the termination of radiatively driven mass loss.

Capillary Optics Based X-Ray Micro-Imaging Elemental Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hampai, D.; Dabagov, S. B.; Cappuccio, G.; Longoni, A.; Frizzi, T.; Cibin, G.

2010-04-01

A rapidly developed during the last few years micro-X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (μXRF) is a promising multi-elemental technique for non-destructive analysis. Typically it is rather hard to perform laboratory μXRF analysis because of the difficulty of producing an original small-size X-ray beam as well as its focusing. Recently developed for X-ray beam focusing polycapillary optics offers laboratory X-ray micro probes. The combination of polycapillary lens and fine-focused micro X-ray tube can provide high intensity radiation flux on a sample that is necessary in order to perform the elemental analysis. In comparison to a pinhole, an optimized "X-ray source-op tics" system can result in radiation density gain of more than 3 orders by the value. The most advanced way to get that result is to use the confocal configuration based on two X-ray lenses, one for the fluorescence excitation and the other for the detection of secondary emission from a sample studied. In case of X-ray capillary microfocusing a μXRF instrument designed in the confocal scheme allows us to obtain a 3D elemental mapping. In this work we will show preliminary results obtained with our prototype, a portable X-ray microscope for X-ray both imaging and fluorescence analysis; it enables μXRF elemental mapping simultaneously with X-ray imaging. A prototype of compact XRF spectrometer with a spatial resolution less than 100 μm has been designed.

Cataclysmic variables. Recent multi-frequency observations and theoretical developments; Proceedings of the 93rd IAU Colloquium, Bamberg, West Germany, June 16-19, 1986

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drechsel, H. (Editor); Rahe, J. (Editor); Kondo, Y. (Editor)

1987-01-01

Papers are presented on the formation and evolution of low-mass close binaries with compact components, the periods of cataclysmic variables, multiwavelength observations of dwarf novae during outbursts, and radio emission from cataclysmic variables. Also considered are long-term optical photometry of the dwarf nova VW Hyi, periodic modulations in the optical light curves of EX Hydrae, and Echelle-Mepsicron time-resolved spectroscopy of the dwarf nova SS Cygni. Other topics include UV and X-ray observations of cataclysmic variables, new EXOSAT observations of TV Columbae, accretion disk evolution, and the boundary layer in cataclysmic variables.

Amorphous TiO 2 Compact Layers via ALD for Planar Halide Perovskite Photovoltaics

DOE PAGES

Kim, In Soo; Haasch, Richard T.; Cao, Duyen H.; ...

2016-09-06

A low temperature (< 120 °C) route to pinhole-free amorphous TiO 2 compact layers may pave the way to more efficient, flexible, and stable inverted perovskite halide device designs. Toward this end, we utilize low-temperature thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) to synthesize ultra-thin (12 nm) compact TiO 2 underlayers for planar halide perovskite PV. While device performance with as-deposited TiO 2 films is poor, we identify room temperature UV-O 3 treatment as a route to device efficiency comparable to crystalline TiO 2 thin films synthesized by higher temperature methods. Here, we further explore the chemical, physical, and interfacial properties 2more » that might explain the improved performance through x-ray diffraction, spectroscopic ellipsometry, Raman spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. These findings challenge our intuition about effective electron selective layers as well as point the way to a greater selection of flexible substrates and more stable inverted device designs.« less

Compacted carbon for electrochemical cells

DOEpatents

Greinke, Ronald Alfred; Lewis, Irwin Charles

1997-01-01

This invention provides compacted carbon that is useful in the electrode of an alkali metal/carbon electrochemical cell of improved capacity selected from the group consisting of: (a) coke having the following properties: (i) an x-ray density of at least 2.00 grams per cubic centimeters, (ii) a closed porosity of no greater than 5%, and (iii) an open porosity of no greater than 47%; and (b) graphite having the following properties: (i) an x-ray density of at least 2.20 grams per cubic centimeters, (ii) a closed porosity of no greater than 5%, and (iii) an open porosity of no greater than 25%. This invention also relates to an electrode for an alkali metal/carbon electrochemical cell comprising compacted carbon as described above and a binder. This invention further provides an alkali metal/carbon electrochemical cell comprising: (a) an electrode as described above, (b) a non-aqueous electrolytic solution comprising an organic aprotic solvent and an electrolytically conductive salt and an alkali metal, and (c) a counterelectrode.

Compacted carbon for electrochemical cells

DOEpatents

Greinke, R.A.; Lewis, I.C.

1997-10-14

This invention provides compacted carbon that is useful in the electrode of an alkali metal/carbon electrochemical cell of improved capacity selected from the group consisting of: (a) coke having the following properties: (1) an x-ray density of at least 2.00 grams per cubic centimeters, (2) a closed porosity of no greater than 5%, and (3) an open porosity of no greater than 47%; and (b) graphite having the following properties: (1) an x-ray density of at least 2.20 grams per cubic centimeters, (2) a closed porosity of no greater than 5%, and (3) an open porosity of no greater than 25%. This invention also relates to an electrode for an alkali metal/carbon electrochemical cell comprising compacted carbon as described above and a binder. This invention further provides an alkali metal/carbon electrochemical cell comprising: (a) an electrode as described above, (b) a non-aqueous electrolytic solution comprising an organic aprotic solvent and an electrolytically conductive salt and an alkali metal, and (c) a counter electrode. 10 figs.

Soft X-ray results from the Wisconsin experiment on OSO-8

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bunner, A. N.

1978-01-01

Design features and capabilities of a soft X-ray instrument aboard OSO 8 are discussed, and results are presented for observations of AM Her, Her X-1, and Eta Car. The observations of AM Her indicate that: (1) the spectrum is composite, with a very steep or very-low-temperature component plus a rather flat or very-high-temperature component; (2) the relative phase of soft X-ray minimum and optical V-band primary minimum has remained stable over the interval between 1975 'high-state' observations and 1976 'low-state' observations; and (3) the times of soft X-ray minima and hard X-ray maxima coincide, to within the accuracy of the observations. For Her X-1, soft X-ray turn-on is found to lag behind hard X-ray turn-on by no more than 3 hr. It is suggested that little or no absorption of the soft X-ray component occurs during the on state by cool gas within the Her X-1 system. A strong source with a spectrum peaked between 0.4 and 1.5 keV has been detected which is consistent with a point source at the position of Eta Car.

X-Ray Polarimetry with GEMS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strohmayer, Tod

2011-01-01

The polarization properties of cosmic X-ray sources are still largely unexplored. The Gravity and Extreme Magnetism SMEX (GEMS) will carry out the first sensitive X-ray polarization survey of a wide range of sources including; accreting compact objects (black holes and neutron stars), AGN, supernova remnants, magnetars and rotation-powered pulsars. GEMS employs grazing-incidence foil mirrors and novel time-projection chamber (TPC) polarimeters leveraging the photoelectric effect to achieve high polarization sensitivity in the 2 - 10 keV band. I will provide an update of the project status, illustrate the expected performance with several science examples, and provide a brief overview of the data analysis challenges

Searching for X-ray variability/periodicity in HD 4004.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wessolowski, U.; Niedzielski, A.

1996-02-01

The authors present preliminary results of a combined X-ray and optical search for variability/periodicity in HD 4004 (WR 1, WN5-s), an apparently single Wolf-Rayet star known to show radial velocity variations (Lamontagne 1983) and some variability both in photometry (Moffat and Shara 1986) and in optical line profiles (Niedzielski 1995). The two ROSAT PSPC pointed observations of HD 4004 (total effective exposure time of 35 ks) do not provide significant evidence for variability in X-rays. Line profile variations present in newly obtained optical spectra are similar to those of EZ CMa (WR 6, WN5-s+c?), the banner WR+compact companion candidate.

Identification of the central compact object in the young supernova remnant 1E 0102.2-7219

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogt, Frédéric P. A.; Bartlett, Elizabeth S.; Seitenzahl, Ivo R.; Dopita, Michael A.; Ghavamian, Parviz; Ruiter, Ashley J.; Terry, Jason P.

2018-04-01

Oxygen-rich young supernova remnants1 are valuable objects for probing the outcome of nucleosynthetic processes in massive stars, as well as the physics of supernova explosions. Observed within a few thousand years after the supernova explosion2, these systems contain fast-moving oxygen-rich and hydrogen-poor filaments visible at optical wavelengths: fragments of the progenitor's interior expelled at a few thousand kilometres per second during the supernova explosion. Here we report the identification of the compact object in the supernova remnant 1E 0102.2-7219 in reprocessed Chandra X-ray Observatory data, enabled by the discovery of a ring-shaped structure visible primarily in optical recombination lines of Ne i and O i. The optical ring has a radius of (2.10 ± 0.35)″ ≡ (0.63 ± 0.11) pc, and is expanding at a velocity of 90 .5-30+40 km s-1. It surrounds an X-ray point source with an intrinsic X-ray luminosity Li (1.2-2.0 keV) = (1.4 ± 0.2) × 1033 erg s-1. The energy distribution of the source indicates that this object is an isolated neutron star: a central compact object akin to those present in the Cas A3-5 and Pup A6 supernova remnants, and the first of its kind to be identified outside of our Galaxy.

Carbon Nanotube Field Emitters Synthesized on Metal Alloy Substrate by PECVD for Customized Compact Field Emission Devices to Be Used in X-Ray Source Applications.

PubMed

Park, Sangjun; Gupta, Amar Prasad; Yeo, Seung Jun; Jung, Jaeik; Paik, Sang Hyun; Mativenga, Mallory; Kim, Seung Hoon; Shin, Ji Hoon; Ahn, Jeung Sun; Ryu, Jehwang

2018-05-29

In this study, a simple, efficient, and economical process is reported for the direct synthesis of carbon nanotube (CNT) field emitters on metal alloy. Given that CNT field emitters can be customized with ease for compact and cold field emission devices, they are promising replacements for thermionic emitters in widely accessible X-ray source electron guns. High performance CNT emitter samples were prepared in optimized plasma conditions through the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process and subsequently characterized by using a scanning electron microscope, tunneling electron microscope, and Raman spectroscopy. For the cathode current, field emission (FE) characteristics with respective turn on (1 μA/cm²) and threshold (1 mA/cm²) field of 2.84 and 4.05 V/μm were obtained. For a field of 5.24 V/μm, maximum current density of 7 mA/cm² was achieved and a field enhancement factor β of 2838 was calculated. In addition, the CNT emitters sustained a current density of 6.7 mA/cm² for 420 min under a field of 5.2 V/μm, confirming good operational stability. Finally, an X-ray generated image of an integrated circuit was taken using the compact field emission device developed herein.

New compact hohlraum configuration research at the 1.7 MA Z-pinch generator

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

Kantsyrev, V. L., E-mail: victor@unr.edu; Shrestha, I. K.; Esaulov, A. A.

A new compact Z-pinch x-ray hohlraum design with parallel-driven x-ray sources was experimentally demonstrated in a full configuration with a central target and tailored shine shields (to provide a symmetric temperature distribution on the target) at the 1.7 MA Zebra generator. This presentation reports on the joint success of two independent lines of research. One of these was the development of new sources – planar wire arrays (PWAs). PWAs turned out to be a prolific radiator. Another success was the drastic improvement in energy efficiency of pulsed-power systems, such as the Load Current Multiplier (LCM). The Zebra/LCM generator almost doubledmore » the plasma load current to 1.7 MA. The two above-mentioned innovative approaches were used in combination to produce a new compact hohlraum design for ICF, as jointly proposed by SNL and UNR. Good agreement between simulated and measured radiation temperature of the central target is shown. Experimental comparison of PWAs with planar foil liners (PFL) - another viable alternative to wire array loads at multi-MA generators show promising data. Results of research at the University of Nevada Reno allowed for the study of hohlraum coupling physics at University-scale generators. The advantages of new hohlraum design applications for multi-MA facilities with W or Au double PWAs or PFL x-ray sources are discussed.« less

X-Ray Emission from "Uranium" Stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schlegel, Eric; Mushotzky, Richard (Technical Monitor)

2005-01-01

The project aims to secure XMM observations of two targets with extremely low abundances of the majority of heavy elements (e.g., log[Fe/H] $\\sim$-4), but that show absorption lines of uranium. The presence of an r-process element such as uranium requires a binary star system in which the companion underwent a supernova explosion. A binary star system raises the distinct possibility of the existence of a compact object, most likely a neutron star, in the binary, assuming it survived the supernova blast. The presence of a compact object then suggests X-ray emission if sufficient matter accretes to the compact object. The observations were completed less than one year ago following a series of reobservations to correct for significant flaring that occurred during the original observations. The ROSAT all-sky survey was used to report on the initial assessment of X-ray emission from these objects; only upper limits were reported. These upper limits were used to justify the XMM observing time, but with the expectation that upper limits would merely be pushed lower. The data analysis hinges critically on the quality and degree of precision with which the background is handled. During the past year, I have spent some time learning the ins and outs of XMM data analysis. In the coming year, I can apply that learning to the analysis of the 'uranium' stars.

In situ grain fracture mechanics during uniaxial compaction of granular solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurley, R. C.; Lind, J.; Pagan, D. C.; Akin, M. C.; Herbold, E. B.

2018-03-01

Grain fracture and crushing are known to influence the macroscopic mechanical behavior of granular materials and be influenced by factors such as grain composition, morphology, and microstructure. In this paper, we investigate grain fracture and crushing by combining synchrotron x-ray computed tomography and three-dimensional x-ray diffraction to study two granular samples undergoing uniaxial compaction. Our measurements provide details of grain kinematics, contacts, average intra-granular stresses, inter-particle forces, and intra-grain crystal and fracture plane orientations. Our analyses elucidate the complex nature of fracture and crushing, showing that: (1) the average stress states of grains prior to fracture vary widely in their relation to global and local trends; (2) fractured grains experience inter-particle forces and stored energies that are statistically higher than intact grains prior to fracture; (3) fracture plane orientations are primarily controlled by average intra-granular stress and contact fabric rather than the orientation of the crystal lattice; (4) the creation of new surfaces during fracture accounts for a very small portion of the energy dissipated during compaction; (5) mixing brittle and ductile grain materials alters the grain-scale fracture response. The results highlight an application of combined x-ray measurements for non-destructive in situ analysis of granular solids and provide details about grain fracture that have important implications for theory and modeling.

Identification of the central compact object in the young supernova remnant 1E 0102.2-7219

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogt, Frédéric P. A.; Bartlett, Elizabeth S.; Seitenzahl, Ivo R.; Dopita, Michael A.; Ghavamian, Parviz; Ruiter, Ashley J.; Terry, Jason P.

2018-06-01

Oxygen-rich young supernova remnants1 are valuable objects for probing the outcome of nucleosynthetic processes in massive stars, as well as the physics of supernova explosions. Observed within a few thousand years after the supernova explosion2, these systems contain fast-moving oxygen-rich and hydrogen-poor filaments visible at optical wavelengths: fragments of the progenitor's interior expelled at a few thousand kilometres per second during the supernova explosion. Here we report the identification of the compact object in the supernova remnant 1E 0102.2-7219 in reprocessed Chandra X-ray Observatory data, enabled by the discovery of a ring-shaped structure visible primarily in optical recombination lines of Ne i and O i. The optical ring has a radius of (2.10 ± 0.35)″ ≡ (0.63 ± 0.11) pc, and is expanding at a velocity of 90 .5-30+40 km s-1. It surrounds an X-ray point source with an intrinsic X-ray luminosity Li (1.2-2.0 keV) = (1.4 ± 0.2) × 1033 erg s-1. The energy distribution of the source indicates that this object is an isolated neutron star: a central compact object akin to those present in the Cas A3-5 and Pup A6 supernova remnants, and the first of its kind to be identified outside of our Galaxy.

Radio and X-Ray Observations of the 1998 Outburst of the Recurrent X-Ray Transient 4U 1630-47

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hjellming, R. M.; Rupen, M. P.; Mioduszewski, A. J.; Kuulkers, E.; McCollough, M.; Harmon, B. A.; Buxton, M.; Sood, R.; Tzioumis, A.; Rayner, D.; Dieters, S.; Durouchoux, P.

1999-03-01

We report radio (NRAO VLA and Australia Telescope Compact Array), soft X-ray (Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer ASM), and hard X-ray (Compton Gamma Ray Observatory BATSE) observations of a 1998 outburst in the recurring X-ray transient 4U 1630-47, where radio emission was detected for the first time. The radio observations identify the position of 4U 1630-47 to within 1". Because the radio emission is optically thin with a spectral index of ~-0.8 during the rise, peak, and decay of the initial radio event, the emission is probably coming from an optically thin radio jet ejected over a period of time. The 20-100 keV emission first appeared 1998 January 28 (MJD 50841), the 2-12 keV emission first appeared 1998 February 3 (MJD 50847), and the first radio emission was detected 1998 February 12.6 (MJD 50856.6). The rise of the radio emission probably began about 1998 February 7 (MJD 50851) when the X-rays were in a very hard fluctuating-hardness state, just before changing to a softer, more stable hardness state.

Infrared and X-Ray Spectroscopy of the Kes 75 Supernova Remnant Shell: Characterizing the Dust and Gas Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Temim, Tea; Slane, Patrick; Arendt, Richard G.; Dwek, Eli

2012-01-01

We present deep Chandra observations and Spitzer Space Telescope infrared (IR) spectroscopy of the shell in the composite supernova remnant (SNR) Kes 75 (G29.7-0.3). The remnant is composed of a central pulsar wind nebula and a bright partial shell in the south that is visible at radio, IR, and X-ray wavelengths. The X-ray emission can be modeled by either a single thermal component with a temperature of ~1.5 keV, or with two thermal components with temperatures of 1.5 and 0.2 keV. Previous studies suggest that the hot component may originate from reverse-shocked supernova (SN) ejecta. However, our new analysis shows no definitive evidence for enhanced abundances of Si, S, Ar, Mg, and Fe, as expected from SN ejecta, or for the IR spectral signatures characteristic of confirmed SN condensed dust, thus favoring a circumstellar or interstellar origin for the X-ray and IR emission. The X-ray and IR emission in the shell are spatially correlated, suggesting that the dust particles are collisionally heated by the X-ray emitting gas. The IR spectrum of the shell is dominated by continuum emission from dust with little, or no line emission. Modeling the IR spectrum shows that the dust is heated to a temperature of ~140 K by a relatively dense, hot plasma that also gives rise to the hot X-ray emission component. The density inferred from the IR emission is significantly higher than the density inferred from the X-ray models, suggesting a low filling factor for this X-ray emitting gas. The total mass of the warm dust component is at least 1.3 × 10-2 M ⊙, assuming no significant dust destruction has occurred in the shell. The IR data also reveal the presence of an additional plasma component with a cooler temperature, consistent with the 0.2 keV gas component. Our IR analysis therefore provides an independent verification of the cooler component of the X-ray emission. The complementary analyses of the X-ray and IR emission provide quantitative estimates of density and filling factors of the clumpy medium swept up by the SNR.

Diamond x-ray optics: Transparent, resilient, high-resolution, and wavefront preserving

DOE PAGES

Shvyd’ko, Yuri; Blank, Vladimir; Terentyev, Sergey

2017-06-09

Diamond features a unique combination of outstanding physical properties perfect for numerous x-ray optics applications, where traditional materials such as silicon fail to perform. In the last two decades, impressive progress has been achieved in synthesizing diamond with high crystalline perfection, in manufacturing efficient, resilient, high-resolution, wavefront-preserving diamond optical components, and in implementing them in cutting-edge x-ray instruments. Diamond optics are essential for tailoring x-rays to the most challenging needs of x-ray research. Furthermore, they are becoming vital for the generation of fully coherent hard x-rays by seeded x-ray free-electron lasers. In this article, we review progress in manufacturing flawlessmore » diamond crystal components and their applications in diverse x-ray optical devices, such as x-ray monochromators, beam splitters, high-reflectance backscattering mirrors, lenses, phase plates, diffraction gratings, bent-crystal spectrographs, and windows.« less

X-ray Imaging and preliminary studies of the X-ray self-emission from an innovative plasma-trap based on the Bernstein waves heating mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caliri, C.; Romano, F. P.; Mascali, D.; Gammino, S.; Musumarra, A.; Castro, G.; Celona, L.; Neri, L.; Altana, C.

2013-10-01

Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Sources (ECRIS) are based on ECR heated plasmas emitting high fluxes of X-rays. Here we illustrate a pilot study of the X-ray emission from a compact plasma-trap in which an off-resonance microwave-plasma interaction has been attempted, highlighting a possible Bernstein-Waves based heating mechanism. EBWs-heating is obtained via the inner plasma EM-to-ES wave conversion and enables to reach densities much larger than the cut-off ones. At LNS-INFN, an innovative diagnostic technique based on the design of a Pinhole Camera (PHC) coupled to a CCD device for X-ray Imaging of the plasma (XRI) has been developed, in order to integrate X-ray traditional diagnostics (XRS). The complementary use of electrostatic probes measurements and X-ray diagnostics enabled us to gain knowledge about the high energy electrons density and temperature and about the spatial structure of the source. The combination of the experimental data with appropriate modeling of the plasma-source allowed to estimate the X-ray emission intensity in different energy domains (ranging from EUV up to Hard X-rays). The use of ECRIS as X-ray source for multidisciplinary applications, is now a concrete perspective due to the intense fluxes produced by the new plasma heating mechanism.

High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)

NASA Image and Video Library

1980-01-01

The dramatic change in x-ray emission from the Terzan 2 cluster is shown in this series of 2.5-minute exposures taken with the High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)-2/Einstein Observatory immediately before, during, and after the burst. Total exposure (20 minutes) of the object, including the outburst, is shown in the fourth photograph. These images represent the first observation of an x-ray burst in progress. The actual burst lasted 50 seconds. Among the rarest, and most bizarre, phenomena observed by x-ray astronomers are the so-called cosmic bursters (x-ray sources that suddenly and dramatically increase in intensity then subside). These sudden bursts of intense x-ray radiation apparently come from compact objects with a diameter smaller than 30 miles (48 kilometers). Yet, despite their minuscule size, a typical x-ray burster can release more x-ray energy in a single brief burst than our Sun does in an entire week. The HEAO-2, the first imaging and largest x-ray telescope built to date, was capable of producing actual photographs of x-ray objects. Shortly after launch, the HEAO-2 was nicknamed the Einstein Observatory by its scientific experimenters in honor of the centernial of the birth of Albert Einstein, whose concepts of relativity and gravitation have influenced much of modern astrophysics, particularly x-ray astronomy. The HEAO was designed and developed by TRW, Inc. under the project management of the Marshall Space Flight Center.

Flash x-ray radiography of argon jets in ambient air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geiswiller, J.; Robert, E.; Huré, L.; Cachoncinlle, C.; Viladrosa, R.; Pouvesle, J. M.

1998-09-01

This paper describes the development and application of a soft x-ray flash radiography technique. A very compact soft x-ray flash source has been specially designed for these studies. The table-top x-ray source developed in this work emits strong doses, up to one roentgen at the output window, of x-ray photons, with most of them in the characteristic lines of the anode material (photon energy in the energy range 5-10 keV), in pulse of 20 ns FWHM with an x-ray emission zone smaller than 0957-0233/9/9/024/img1. All these characteristics make this source attractive for the x-ray radiography of high-speed phenomena, down to ten nanoseconds duration and/or for the media presenting weak absorption for the harder x-ray photons emitted by more conventional flash x-ray systems. Argon streams in ambient air were chosen as a typical case to enlighten the potentialities of this method. Single-shot radiographs of such an argon jet through rectangular nozzles were obtained. No attempt of quantitative measurement of local density in the argon stream has yet been performed, only the qualitative structure of the jet has been investigated. Nevertheless, these preliminary results enable us to state that the diagnostics of gaseous or plasma media, even at rather low pressures, can proceed using soft x-ray flash radiography.

Can a Double Component Outflow Explain the X-Ray and Optical Lightcurves of Swift Gamma-Ray Bursts?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

De Pasquale, Massimiliano; Evans, P.; Oates, S.; Page, M.; Zane, S.; Schady, P.; Breeveld, A.; Holland, S.; Still, M.

2011-01-01

An increasing sample of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) observed by Swift show evidence of 'chromatic breaks', i.e. breaks that are present in the X-ray but not in the optical. We find that in a significant fraction of these GRB afterglows the X-ray and the optical emission cannot be produced by the same component. We propose that these afterglow lightcurves are the result of a two-component jet, in which both components undergo energy injection for the whole observation and the X-ray break is due to a jet break in the narrow outflow. Bursts with chromatic breaks also explain another surprising finding, the paucity of late achromatic breaks. We propose a model that may explain the behaviour of GRB emission in both X-ray and optical bands. This model can be a radical and noteworthy alternative to the current interpretation for the 'canonical' XRT and UVOT lightcurves, and it bears fundamental implications for GRB physics.

Design and build a compact Raman sensor for identification of chemical composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, Christopher S.; Abedin, M. Nurul; Ismail, Syed; Sharma, Shiv K.; Misra, Anupam K.; Sandford, Stephen P.; Elsayed-Ali, Hani

2008-04-01

A compact remote Raman sensor system was developed at NASA Langley Research Center. This sensor is an improvement over the previously reported system, which consisted of a 532 nm pulsed laser, a 4-inch telescope, a spectrograph, and an intensified CCD camera. One of the attractive features of the previous system was its portability, thereby making it suitable for applications such as planetary surface explorations, homeland security and defense applications where a compact portable instrument is important. The new system was made more compact by replacing bulky components with smaller and lighter components. The new compact system uses a smaller spectrograph measuring 9 x 4 x 4 in. and a smaller intensified CCD camera measuring 5 in. long and 2 in. in diameter. The previous system was used to obtain the Raman spectra of several materials that are important to defense and security applications. Furthermore, the new compact Raman sensor system is used to obtain the Raman spectra of a diverse set of materials to demonstrate the sensor system's potential use in the identification of unknown materials.

Design and Build a Compact Raman Sensor for Identification of Chemical Composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garcia, Christopher S.; Abedin, M. Nurul; Ismail, Syed; Sharma, Shiv K.; Misra, Anupam K.; Sandford, Stephen P.; Elsayed-Ali, Hani

2008-01-01

A compact remote Raman sensor system was developed at NASA Langley Research Center. This sensor is an improvement over the previously reported system, which consisted of a 532 nm pulsed laser, a 4-inch telescope, a spectrograph, and an intensified charge-coupled devices (CCD) camera. One of the attractive features of the previous system was its portability, thereby making it suitable for applications such as planetary surface explorations, homeland security and defense applications where a compact portable instrument is important. The new system was made more compact by replacing bulky components with smaller and lighter components. The new compact system uses a smaller spectrograph measuring 9 x 4 x 4 in. and a smaller intensified CCD camera measuring 5 in. long and 2 in. in diameter. The previous system was used to obtain the Raman spectra of several materials that are important to defense and security applications. Furthermore, the new compact Raman sensor system is used to obtain the Raman spectra of a diverse set of materials to demonstrate the sensor system's potential use in the identification of unknown materials.

X-Ray Emission from a Merger Remnant, NGC 7252 (the ``Atoms-for-Peace'' Galaxy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Awaki, Hisamitsu; Matsumoto, Hironori; Tomida, Hiroshi

2002-03-01

We observed a nearby merger remnant NGC 7252 with the X-ray satellite ASCA and detected X-ray emission with the X-ray flux of (1.8+/-0.3)×10-13 ergs s-1 cm-2 in the 0.5-10 keV band. This corresponds to the X-ray luminosity of 8.1×1040 ergs s-1. The X-ray emission is well described with a two-component model: a soft component with kT=0.72+/-0.13 keV and a hard component with kT>5.1 keV. Although NGC 7252 is referred to as a dynamically young protoelliptical, the 0.5-4 keV luminosity of the soft component is about 2×1040 ergs s-1, which is low for an early-type galaxy. The ratio of LX/LFIR suggests that the soft component originated from the hot gas due to star formation. Its low luminosity can be explained by the gas ejection from the galaxy as galaxy winds. Our observation reveals the existence of hard X-ray emission with the 2-10 keV luminosity of 5.6×1040 ergs s-1. This may indicate the existence of nuclear activity or an intermediate-mass black hole in NGC 7252.

Einstein Observatory survey of X-ray emission from solar-type stars - The late F and G dwarf stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maggio, A.; Sciortino, S.; Vaiana, G. S.; Majer, P.; Bookbinder, J.

1987-01-01

Results of a volume-limited X-ray survey of stars of luminosity classes IV and V in the spectral range F7-G9 observed with the Einstein Observatory are presented. Using survival analysis techniques, the stellar X-ray luminosity function in the 0.15-4.0 keV energy band for both single and multiple sources. It is shown that the difference in X-ray luminosity between these two classes of sources is consistent with the superposition of individual components in multiple-component systems, whose X-ray properties are similar to those of the single-component sources. The X-ray emission of the stars in our sample is well correlated with their chromospheric CA II H-K line emission and with their projected equatorial rotational velocity. Comparison of the X-ray luminosity function constructed for the sample of the dG stars of the local population with the corresponding functions derived elsewhere for the Hyades, the Pleiades, and the Orion Ic open cluster confirms that the level of X-ray emission decreases with stellar age.

Double Neutron Star Mergers and Short Gamma-ray Bursts: Long-lasting High-energy Signatures and Remnant Dichotomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murase, Kohta; Toomey, Michael W.; Fang, Ke; Oikonomou, Foteini; Kimura, Shigeo S.; Hotokezaka, Kenta; Kashiyama, Kazumi; Ioka, Kunihito; Mészáros, Peter

2018-02-01

The recent detection of gravitational waves and electromagnetic counterparts from the double neutron star merger event GW+EM170817 supports the standard paradigm of short gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs) and kilonovae/macronovae. It is important to reveal the nature of the compact remnant left after the merger, either a black hole or neutron star, and their physical link to the origin of the long-lasting emission observed in SGRBs. The diversity of the merger remnants may also lead to different kinds of transients that can be detected in future. Here we study the high-energy emission from the long-lasting central engine left after the coalescence, under certain assumptions. In particular, we consider the X-ray emission from a remnant disk and the nonthermal nebular emission from disk-driven outflows or pulsar winds. We demonstrate that late-time X-ray and high-frequency radio emission can provide useful constraints on properties of the hidden compact remnants and their connections to long-lasting SGRB emission, and we discuss the detectability of nearby merger events through late-time observations at ∼30–100 days after the coalescence. We also investigate the GeV–TeV gamma-ray emission that occurs in the presence of long-lasting central engines and show the importance of external inverse Compton radiation due to upscattering of X-ray photons by relativistic electrons in the jet. We also search for high-energy gamma rays from GW170817 in the Fermi-LAT data and report upper limits on such long-lasting emission. Finally, we consider the implications of GW+EM170817 and discuss the constraints placed by X-ray and high-frequency radio observations.

COSMIC probes into compact binary formation and evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breivik, Katelyn

2018-01-01

The population of compact binaries in the galaxy represents the final state of all binaries that have lived up to the present epoch. Compact binaries present a unique opportunity to probe binary evolution since many of the interactions binaries experience can be imprinted on the compact binary population. By combining binary evolution simulations with catalogs of observable compact binary systems, we can distill the dominant physical processes that govern binary star evolution, as well as predict the abundance and variety of their end products.The next decades herald a previously unseen opportunity to study compact binaries. Multi-messenger observations from telescopes across all wavelengths and gravitational-wave observatories spanning several decades of frequency will give an unprecedented view into the structure of these systems and the composition of their components. Observations will not always be coincident and in some cases may be separated by several years, providing an avenue for simulations to better constrain binary evolution models in preparation for future observations.I will present the results of three population synthesis studies of compact binary populations carried out with the Compact Object Synthesis and Monte Carlo Investigation Code (COSMIC). I will first show how binary-black-hole formation channels can be understood with LISA observations. I will then show how the population of double white dwarfs observed with LISA and Gaia could provide a detailed view of mass transfer and accretion. Finally, I will show that Gaia could discover thousands black holes in the Milky Way through astrometric observations, yielding view into black-hole astrophysics that is complementary to and independent from both X-ray and gravitational-wave astronomy.

Multiwavelength Study of Quiescent States of Mrk 421 with Unprecedented Hard X-Ray Coverage Provided by NuSTAR in 2013

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balokovic, M.; Paneque, D.; Madejski, G.; Chiang, J.; Furniss, A.; Ajello, M.; Alexander, D. M.; Barret, D.; Blandford, R. D.; Boggs, S. E.;

The Ultracompact Nature of the Black Hole Candidate X-Ray Binary 47 Tuc X9

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahramian, Arash; Heinke, Craig O.; Tudor, Vlad; Miller-Jones, James C. A.; Bogdanov, Slavko; Maccarone, Thomas J.; Knigge, Christian; Sivakoff, Gregory R.; Chomiuk, Laura; Strader, J.;

First Search for an X-Ray-Optical Reverberation Signal in an Ultraluminous X-Ray Source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pasham, Dheeraj R.; Strohmayer, Tod E.; Cenko, S. Bradley; Trippe, Margaret L.; Mushotzky, Richard F.; Gandhi, Poshak

2016-01-01

Using simultaneous optical (VLT/FORS2) and X-ray (XMM-Newton) data of NGC 5408, we present the first ever attempt to search for a reverberation signal in an ultraluminous X-ray source (NGC 5408 X-1). The idea is similar to active galactic nucleus broad line reverberation mapping where a lag measurement between the X-ray and the optical flux combined with a Keplerian velocity estimate should enable us to weigh the central compact object. We find that although NGC 5408 X-1's X-rays are variable on a timescale of a few hundred seconds (rms of 9.0 +/- 0.5%), the optical emission does not show any statistically significant variations. We set a 3s upper limit on the rms optical variability of 3.3%. The ratio of the X-ray to the optical variability is an indicator of X-ray reprocessing efficiency. In X-ray binaries, this ratio is roughly 5. Assuming a similar ratio for NGC 5408 X-1, the expected rms optical variability is approximately equal to 2%, which is still a factor of roughly two lower than what was possible with the VLT observations in this study. We find marginal evidence (3 sigma) for optical variability on an approximately 24 hr timescale. Our results demonstrate that such measurements can be made, but photometric conditions, low sky background levels, and longer simultaneous observations will be required to reach optical variability levels similar to those of X-ray binaries.

Discovery of a 105 ms X-Ray Pulsar in Kesteven 79: On the Nature of Compact Central Objects in Supernova Remnants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gotthelf, E. V.; Halpern, J. P.; Seward, F. D.

2005-07-01

We report the discovery of 105 ms X-ray pulsations from the compact central object (CCO) in the supernova remnant Kes 79 using data acquired with the Newton X-Ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton). Two observations of the pulsar taken 6 days apart yield an upper limit on its spin-down rate of P˙<7×10-14 s s-1 and no evidence for binary orbital motion. The implied energy loss rate is E˙<2×1036 ergs s-1, the surface magnetic field strength is Bp<3×1012 G, and the spin-down age is τ>24 kyr. The latter exceeds the remnant's estimated age, suggesting that the pulsar was born spinning near its current period. The X-ray spectrum of PSR J1852+0040 is best characterized by a blackbody model of temperature kTBB=0.44+/-0.03 keV, radius RBB~0.9 km, and Lbol=3.7×1033 ergs s-1 at d=7.1 kpc. The sinusoidal light curve is modulated with a pulsed fraction of >45%, suggestive of a small hot spot on the surface of the rotating neutron star. The lack of a discernible pulsar wind nebula is consistent with an interpretation of PSR J1852+0040 as a rotation-powered pulsar whose spin-down luminosity falls below the empirical threshold for generating bright wind nebulae, E˙c~4×1036 ergs s-1. The age discrepancy implies that its E˙ has always been below E˙c, perhaps a distinguishing property of the CCOs. Alternatively, the X-ray spectrum of PSR J1852+0040 suggests a low-luminosity anomalous X-ray pulsar (AXP), but the weak inferred Bp field is incompatible with a magnetar theory of its X-ray luminosity. We cannot exclude accretion from a fallback disk. The ordinary spin parameters discovered from PSR J1852+0040 highlight the difficulty that existing theories of isolated neutron stars have in explaining the high luminosities and temperatures of CCO thermal X-ray spectra.

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

Manohar, N; Cho, S; Reynoso, F

Purpose: To make benchtop x-ray fluorescence computed tomography (XFCT) practical for routine preclinical imaging tasks with gold nanoparticles (GNPs) by deploying, integrating, and characterizing a dedicated high-performance x-ray source and addition of simultaneous micro-CT functionality. Methods: Considerable research effort is currently under way to develop a polychromatic benchtop cone-beam XFCT system capable of imaging GNPs by stimulation and detection of gold K-shell x-ray fluorescence (XRF) photons. Recently, an ad hoc high-power x-ray source was incorporated and used to image the biodistribution of GNPs within a mouse, postmortem. In the current work, a dedicated x-ray source system featuring a liquid-cooled tungsten-targetmore » x-ray tube (max 160 kVp, ∼3 kW power) was deployed. The source was operated at 125 kVp, 24 mA. The tube’s compact dimensions allowed greater flexibility for optimizing both the irradiation and detection geometries. Incident x-rays were shaped by a conical collimator and filtered by 2 mm of tin. A compact “OEM” cadmium-telluride x-ray detector was implemented for detecting XRF/scatter spectra. Additionally, a flat panel detector was installed to allow simultaneous transmission CT imaging. The performance of the system was characterized by determining the detection limit (10-second acquisition time) for inserts filled with water/GNPs at various concentrations (0 and 0.010–1.0 wt%) and embedded in a small-animal-sized phantom. The phantom was loaded with 0.5, 0.3, and 0.1 wt% inserts and imaged using XFCT and simultaneous micro-CT. Results: An unprecedented detection limit of 0.030 wt% was experimentally demonstrated, with a 33% reduction in acquisition time. The reconstructed XFCT image accurately localized the imaging inserts. Micro-CT imaging did not provide enough contrast to distinguish imaging inserts from the phantom under the current conditions. Conclusion: The system is immediately capable of in vivo preclinical XFCT imaging with GNPs. Micro-CT imaging will require optimization of irradiation parameters to improve contrast. Supported by NIH/NCI grant R01CA155446; This investigation was supported by NIH/NCI grant R01CA155446.« less

On the radiation beaming of bright X-ray pulsars and constraints on neutron star mass-radius relation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mushtukov, Alexander A.; Verhagen, Patrick A.; Tsygankov, Sergey S.; van der Klis, Michiel; Lutovinov, Alexander A.; Larchenkova, Tatiana I.

2018-03-01

The luminosity of accreting magnetized neutron stars can largely exceed the Eddington value due to appearance of accretion columns. The height of the columns can be comparable to the neutron star radius. The columns produce the X-rays detected by the observer directly and illuminate the stellar surface, which reprocesses the X-rays and causes additional component of the observed flux. The geometry of the column and the illuminated part of the surface determine the radiation beaming. Curved space-time affects the angular flux distribution. We construct a simple model of the beam patterns formed by direct and reflected flux from the column. We take into account the possibility of appearance of accretion columns, whose height is comparable to the neutron star radius. We argue that depending on the compactness of the star, the flux from the column can be either strongly amplified due to gravitational lensing, or significantly reduced due to column eclipse by the star. The eclipses of high accretion columns result in specific features in pulse profiles. Their detection can put constraints on the neutron star radius. We speculate that column eclipses are observed in X-ray pulsar V 0332+53, leading us to the conclusion of large neutron star radius in this system (˜15 km if M ˜ 1.4 M⊙). We point out that the beam pattern can be strongly affected by scattering in the accretion channel at high luminosity, which has to be taken into account in the models reproducing the pulse profiles.

A low-luminosity soft state in the short-period black hole X-ray binary Swift J1753.5-0127

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, A. W.; Gandhi, P.; Altamirano, D.; Uttley, P.; Tomsick, J. A.; Charles, P. A.; Fürst, F.; Rahoui, F.; Walton, D. J.

2016-05-01

We present results from the spectral fitting of the candidate black hole X-ray binary Swift J1753.5-0127 in an accretion state previously unseen in this source. We fit the 0.7-78 keV spectrum with a number of models, however the preferred model is one of a multitemperature disc with an inner disc temperature kTin = 0.252 ± 0.003 keV scattered into a steep power-law with photon index Γ =6.39^{+0.08}_{-0.02} and an additional hard power-law tail (Γ = 1.79 ± 0.02). We report on the emergence of a strong disc-dominated component in the X-ray spectrum and we conclude that the source has entered the soft state for the first time in its ˜10 yr prolonged outburst. Using reasonable estimates for the distance to the source (3 kpc) and black hole mass (5 M⊙), we find the unabsorbed luminosity (0.1-100 keV) to be ≈0.60 per cent of the Eddington luminosity, making this one of the lowest luminosity soft states recorded in X-ray binaries. We also find that the accretion disc extended towards the compact object during its transition from hard to soft, with the inner radius estimated to be R_{in}=28.0^{+0.7}_{-0.4} R_g or ˜12Rg, dependent on the boundary condition chosen, assuming the above distance and mass, a spectral hardening factor f = 1.7 and a binary inclination I = 55°.

Soft x-ray reduction camera for submicron lithography

DOEpatents

Hawryluk, Andrew M.; Seppala, Lynn G.

1991-01-01

Soft x-ray projection lithography can be performed using x-ray optical components and spherical imaging lenses (mirrors), which form an x-ray reduction camera. The x-ray reduction is capable of projecting a 5x demagnified image of a mask onto a resist coated wafer using 4.5 nm radiation. The diffraction limited resolution of this design is about 135 nm with a depth of field of about 2.8 microns and a field of view of 0.2 cm.sup.2. X-ray reflecting masks (patterned x-ray multilayer mirrors) which are fabricated on thick substrates and can be made relatively distortion free are used, with a laser produced plasma for the source. Higher resolution and/or larger areas are possible by varying the optic figures of the components and source characteristics.

Influence of coating steps of perovskite on low-temperature amorphous compact TiO x upon the morphology, crystallinity, and photovoltaic property correlation in planar perovskite solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahiduzzaman, Md.; Furumoto, Yoshikazu; Yamamoto, Kohei; Yonezawa, Kyosuke; Azuma, Yosuke; Kitamura, Michinori; Matsuzaki, Hiroyuki; Karakawa, Makoto; Kuwabara, Takayuki; Takahashi, Kohshin; Taima, Tetsuya

2018-03-01

The fabrication of high-efficiency solution-processable perovskite solar cells has been achieved using mesostructured films and compact titanium dioxide (TiO2) layers in a process that involves high temperatures and cost. Here, we present an efficient approach for fabricating chemical-bath-deposited, low-temperature, and low-cost amorphous compact TiO x -based planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells by one-step and two-step coatings of the perovskite layer. We also investigate the effect of the number of perovskite coating steps on the compact TiO x layer. The grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering technique is used to clarify the relationship between morphology, crystallinity, and photovoltaic properties of the resulting devices. Analysis of the films revealed that one-step spin-coating of perovskite exhibited an enhancement of film quality and crystallization that correlates to photovoltaic performance 1.5 times higher than that of a two-step-coated device. Our findings show that the resulting morphology, crystallinity, and device performances are strongly dependent on the number of coating steps of the perovskite thin layer on the compact TiO x layer. This result is useful knowledge for the low-cost production of planar perovskite solar cells.

Compact soft x-ray multichord camera: Design and initial operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franz, P.; Gadani, G.; Pasqualotto, R.; Marrelli, L.; Martin, P.; Spizzo, G.; Brunsell, P.; Chapman, B. E.; Paganucci, F.; Rossetti, P.; Xiao, C.

2003-03-01

A compact and low cost diagnostic for spatially resolved measurements of soft x-ray or total radiation emission has been designed and realized to be flexibly applied to different plasma physics experiments. Its reduced size (outer diameter=35 mm) makes it suited to a variety of devices. The line integrated emissivity (brightness) has been measured along up to 20 lines of sight, using an array of miniaturized silicon photodiodes. Preliminary prototypes of the diagnostic have been installed in the Madison Symmetric Torus reversed field pinch (RFP) device at University of Wisconsin and in the EXTRAP T2 RFP device at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Application of the diagnostic to a gas-fed (argon, helium) magnetoplasma dynamic thruster (MPDT) with an external magnetic field will also be discussed.

Galaxy collisions and shocks in compact groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Sullivan, Ewan

2017-09-01

Evidence from IR, X-ray and HI studies suggests that low mass compact groups represent a key evolutionary stage in which shocks caused by galaxy interactions drive both the transformation of gas-rich spirals into early-type galaxies, and the build-up of the hot IGM. We have selected five groups where extensive multi-wavelength data shows violent ongoing galaxy interactions. We now propose to observe them with Chandra and XMM, searching for or confirming the presence of shocks in the X-ray IGM, measuring their strength and ability to heat cold gas, and examining the impact of galaxy/IGM interactions on galaxy transformation. Combined with our IR, CO, HI and optical IFU data, these observations will provide an exceptionally detailed view of this critical stage of galaxy and group evolution.

The two-component afterglow of Swift GRB 050802

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oates, S. R.; de Pasquale, M.; Page, M. J.; Blustin, A. J.; Zane, S.; McGowan, K.; Mason, K. O.; Poole, T. S.; Schady, P.; Roming, P. W. A.; Page, K. L.; Falcone, A.; Gehrels, N.

2007-09-01

This paper investigates GRB 050802, one of the best examples of a Swift gamma-ray burst afterglow that shows a break in the X-ray light curve, while the optical counterpart decays as a single power law. This burst has an optically bright afterglow of 16.5 mag, detected throughout the 170-650nm spectral range of the Ultraviolet and Optical Telescope (UVOT) onboard Swift. Observations began with the X-ray Telescope and UVOT telescopes 286s after the initial trigger and continued for 1.2 ×106s. The X-ray light curve consists of three power-law segments: a rise until 420s, followed by a slow decay with α =0.63 +/-0.03 until 5000s, after which, the light curve decays faster with a slope of α3 =1.59 +/-0.03. The optical light curve decays as a single power law with αO =0.82 +/-0.03 throughout the observation. The X-ray data on their own are consistent with the break at 5000s being due to the end of energy injection. Modelling the optical to X-ray spectral energy distribution, we find that the optical afterglow cannot be produced by the same component as the X-ray emission at late times, ruling out a single-component afterglow. We therefore considered two-component jet models and find that the X-ray and optical emission is best reproduced by a model in which both components are energy injected for the duration of the observed afterglow and the X-ray break at 5000s is due to a jet break in the narrow component. This bright, well-observed burst is likely a guide for interpreting the surprising finding of Swift that bursts seldom display achromatic jet breaks.

Stochastic analysis of 1D and 2D surface topography of x-ray mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyurina, Anastasia Y.; Tyurin, Yury N.; Yashchuk, Valeriy V.

2017-08-01

The design and evaluation of the expected performance of new optical systems requires sophisticated and reliable information about the surface topography for planned optical elements before they are fabricated. The problem is especially complex in the case of x-ray optics, particularly for the X-ray Surveyor under development and other missions. Modern x-ray source facilities are reliant upon the availability of optics with unprecedented quality (surface slope accuracy < 0.1μrad). The high angular resolution and throughput of future x-ray space observatories requires hundreds of square meters of high quality optics. The uniqueness of the optics and limited number of proficient vendors makes the fabrication extremely time consuming and expensive, mostly due to the limitations in accuracy and measurement rate of metrology used in fabrication. We discuss improvements in metrology efficiency via comprehensive statistical analysis of a compact volume of metrology data. The data is considered stochastic and a new statistical model called Invertible Time Invariant Linear Filter (InTILF) is developed now for 2D surface profiles to provide compact description of the 2D data additionally to 1D data treated so far. The model captures faint patterns in the data and serves as a quality metric and feedback to polishing processes, avoiding high resolution metrology measurements over the entire optical surface. The modeling, implemented in our Beatmark software, allows simulating metrology data for optics made by the same vendor and technology. The forecast data is vital for reliable specification for optical fabrication, to be exactly adequate for the required system performance.

Infrared and X-Ray Spectroscopy of the Kes 75 Supernova Remnant Shell: Characterizing the Dust and Gas Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Temim, Tea; Slane, Patrick; Arendt, Richard G.; Dwek, Eli

2011-01-01

We present deep Chandra observations and Spitzer Space Telescope infrared (IR) spectroscopy of the shell in the composite supernova remnant (SNR) Kes 75 (G29.7-0.3). The remnant is composed of a central pulsar wind nebula and a bright partial shell in the south that is visible at radio, IR, and X-ray wavelengths. The X-ray emission can be modeled by either a single thermal component with a temperature of approximately 1.5 keY, or with two thermal components with temperatures of 1.5 and 0.2 keY. Previous studies suggest that the hot component may originate from reverse-shocked supernova (SN) ejecta. However, our new analysis shows no definitive evidence for enhanced abundances of Si, S, Ar, Mg, and Fe, as expected from SN ejecta, or for the IR spectral signatures characteristic of confirmed SN condensed dust, thus favoring a circumstellar or interstellar origin for the X-ray and IR emission. The X-ray and IR emission in the shell are spatially correlated, suggesting that the dust particles are collisionally heated by the X-ray emitting gas. The IR spectrum of the shell is dominated by continuum emission from dust with little, or no line emission. Modeling the IR spectrum shows that the dust is heated to a temperature of approximately 140 K by a relatively dense, hot plasma that also gives rise to the hot X-my emission component. The density inferred from the IR emission is significantly higher than the density inferred from the X-ray models, suggesting a low filling factor for this X-my emitting gas. The total mass of the warm dust component is at least 1.3 x 10(exp -2) x solar mass, assuming no significant dust destruction has occurred in the shell. The IR data also reveal the presence of an additional plasma component with a cooler temperature, consistent with the 0.2 keV gas component. Our IR analysis therefore provides an independent verification of the cooler component of the X-ray emission. The complementary analyses of the X-ray and IR emission provide quantitative estimates of density and filling factors of the clumpy medium swept up by the SNR.

Final Technical Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heckman, Timothy M.

1997-01-01

We have analysed ROSAT X-ray data for a small sample of starburst galaxies in order to understand the physical origin of the X-ray emission and probe the physics and phenomenology of galactic-scale outflows of hot gas ('superwinds') that are driven by tile mechanical energy supplied by the ensemble of supernovae in the starbursts. We have found that the X-ray emission in the ROSAT energy band comes from a population of compact hard sources (most likely X-ray binaries) and hot diffuse gas with a temperature ranging from a few to ten million K. This gas is spatially-extended on galactic scales and its properties are entirely consistent with theoretical expectations for a starburst-driven superwind. The starbursts studied span a range of roughly 1000 in bolometric luminosity and are hosted by galaxies ranging from dwarfs through L* spirals through ma,ior galactic mergers. The X-ray properties of these o@jecls scale in a natural way with the luminosity of tile starburst: more powerful starbursts are more X-ray luminous and create hot outflowing gas whose energy content is likewise larger.

Near-infrared counterparts to the Galactic Bulge Survey X-ray source population

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greiss, S.; Steeghs, D.; Jonker, P. G.; Torres, M. A. P.; Maccarone, T. J.; Hynes, R. I.; Britt, C. T.; Nelemans, G.; Gänsicke, B. T.

2014-03-01

We report on the near-infrared matches, drawn from three surveys, to the 1640 unique X-ray sources detected by Chandra in the Galactic Bulge Survey (GBS). This survey targets faint X-ray sources in the bulge, with a particular focus on accreting compact objects. We present all viable counterpart candidates and associate a false alarm probability (FAP) to each near-infrared match in order to identify the most likely counterparts. The FAP takes into account a statistical study involving a chance alignment test, as well as considering the positional accuracy of the individual X-ray sources. We find that although the star density in the bulge is very high, ˜90 per cent of our sources have an FAP <10 per cent, indicating that for most X-ray sources, viable near-infrared counterparts candidates can be identified. In addition to the FAP, we provide positional and photometric information for candidate counterparts to ˜95 per cent of the GBS X-ray sources. This information in combination with optical photometry, spectroscopy and variability constraints will be crucial to characterize and classify secure counterparts.

Neutron Stars and NuSTAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhalerao, Varun

2012-05-01

My thesis centers around the study of neutron stars, especially those in massive binary systems. To this end, it has two distinct components: the observational study of neutron stars in massive binaries with a goal of measuring neutron star masses and participation in NuSTAR, the first imaging hard X-ray mission, one that is extremely well suited to the study of massive binaries and compact objects in our Galaxy. The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) is a NASA Small Explorer mission that will carry the first focusing high energy X-ray telescope to orbit. NuSTAR has an order-of-magnitude better angular resolution and has two orders of magnitude higher sensitivity than any currently orbiting hard X-ray telescope. I worked to develop, calibrate, and test CdZnTe detectors for NuSTAR. I describe the CdZnTe detectors in comprehensive detail here - from readout procedures to data analysis. Detailed calibration of detectors is necessary for analyzing astrophysical source data obtained by the NuSTAR. I discuss the design and implementation of an automated setup for calibrating flight detectors, followed by calibration procedures and results. Neutron stars are an excellent probe of fundamental physics. The maximum mass of a neutron star can put stringent constraints on the equation of state of matter at extreme pressures and densities. From an astrophysical perspective, there are several open questions in our understanding of neutron stars. What are the birth masses of neutron stars? How do they change in binary evolution? Are there multiple mechanisms for the formation of neutron stars? Measuring masses of neutron stars helps answer these questions. Neutron stars in high-mass X-ray binaries have masses close to their birth mass, providing an opportunity to disentangle the role of "nature" and "nurture" in the observed mass distributions. In 2006, masses had been measured for only six such objects, but this small sample showed the greatest diversity in masses among all classes of neutron star binaries. Intrigued by this diversity - which points to diverse birth masses - we undertook a systematic survey to measure the masses of neutron stars in nine high-mass X-ray binaries. In this thesis, I present results from this ongoing project. While neutron stars formed the primary focus of my work, I also explored other topics in compact objects. Appendix A describes the discovery and complete characterization of a 1RXS J173006.4+033813, a polar cataclysmic variable. Appendix B describes the discovery of a diamond planet orbiting a millisecond pulsar, and our search for its optical counterpart.

Chandra X-Ray Spectroscopic Imaging of Sagittarius A* and the Central Parsec of the Galaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baganoff, F. K.; Maeda, Y.; Morris, M.; Bautz, M. W.; Brandt, W. N.; Cui, W.; Doty, J. P.; Feigelson, E. D.; Garmire, G. P.; Pravdo, S. H.; Ricker, G. R.; Townsley, L. K.

2003-07-01

We report the results of the first-epoch observation with the ACIS-I instrument on the Chandra X-Ray Observatory of Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), the compact radio source associated with the supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the dynamical center of the Milky Way. This observation produced the first X-ray (0.5-7 keV) spectroscopic image with arcsecond resolution of the central 17'×17' (40pc×40pc) of the Galaxy. We report the discovery of an X-ray source, CXOGC J174540.0-290027, coincident with Sgr A* within 0.27"+/-0.18". The probability of a false match is estimated to be <~0.5%. The spectrum is well fitted either by an absorbed power law with photon index Γ~2.7 or by an absorbed optically thin thermal plasma with kT~1.9 keV and column density NH~1×1023 cm-2. The observed flux in the 2-10 keV band is ~1.3×10-13 ergs cm-2 s-1, and the absorption-corrected luminosity is ~2.4×1033 ergs s-1. The X-ray emission at the position of Sgr A* is extended, with an intrinsic size of ~1.4" (FWHM), consistent with the Bondi accretion radius for a 2.6×106 Msolar black hole. A compact component within the source flared by up to a factor of 3 over a period of ~1 hr at the start of the observation. The search for Kα line emission from iron was inconclusive, yielding an upper limit on the equivalent width of 2.2 keV. Several potential stellar origins for the X-ray emission at Sgr A* are considered, but we conclude that the various properties of the source favor accretion onto the SMBH as the origin for the bulk of the emission. These data are inconsistent with ``standard'' advection-dominated accretion flow (ADAF) models or Bondi models, unless the accretion rate from stellar winds is much lower than anticipated. The central parsec of the Galaxy contains an ~1.3 keV plasma with electron density ne~26η-1/2fcm-3, where ηf is the filling factor. This plasma should supply ~10-6 Msolar yr-1 of material to the accretion flow at the Bondi radius, whereas measurements of linear polarization at 150 GHz and above limit the accretion rate near the event horizon to <~10-8 Msolar yr-1, assuming an equipartition magnetic field. Taken together, the X-ray and radio results imply that outflows or convection are playing a role in ADAF models and subequipartition magnetic fields in Bondi models, or else the X-ray emission must be generated predominantly via the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) process. The measured extent of the source and the detection of short timescale variability are evidence that the emission from Sgr A* contains both thermal and nonthermal emission components at comparable levels. We also discuss the complex structure of the X-ray emission from the Sgr A radio complex and along the Galactic plane. Morphological evidence is presented that Sgr A* and the H II region Sgr A West lie within the hot plasma in the central cavity of Sgr A East, which we interpret as a supernova remnant that may have passed through the position of the SMBH, leading to a period of increased activity that ended within the past ~300 yr. Similarly, we have discovered bright clumps of X-ray emission located on opposite sides of the Galactic plane, along a line passing through the central parsec of the Galaxy. The arrangement of these lobes suggests that Sgr A* may have experienced an earlier period of increased activity lasting several thousand years during which it expelled hot gas in a bipolar outflow oriented roughly perpendicular to the Galactic plane. Additionally, we present an analysis of stellar emission within the central parsec of the Galaxy.

HD 63021: An Ae Star with X-Ray Flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whelan, David G.; Labadie-Bartz, Jon; Chojnowski, S. Drew; Daglen, James; Hudson, Ken

2018-05-01

Balmer and Fe II (42) multiplet emission were discovered in a spectrum of HD 63021 on 10 April (UTC), 2018. Subsequent observations revealed variability in both photospheric absorption lines and Balmer line emission. In addition, it is an X-ray source, with a luminosity that is consistent with either a very strong stellar wind, or else the presence of a compact binary companion. Spectroscopic and photometric followup are planned to determine the nature of this source.

Extended X-ray emission in PKS 1718-649

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beuchert, T.; Rodríguez-Ardila, A.; Moss, V. A.; Schulz, R.; Kadler, M.; Wilms, J.; Angioni, R.; Callingham, J. R.; Gräfe, C.; Krauß, F.; Kreikenbohm, A.; Langejahn, M.; Leiter, K.; Maccagni, F. M.; Müller, C.; Ojha, R.; Ros, E.; Tingay, S. J.

2018-04-01

PKS 1718-649 is one of the closest and most comprehensively studied candidates of a young active galactic nucleus (AGN) that is still embedded in its optical host galaxy. The compact radio structure, with a maximal extent of a few parsecs, makes it a member of the group of compact symmetric objects (CSO). Its environment imposes a turnover of the radio synchrotron spectrum towards lower frequencies, also classifying PKS 1718-649 as gigahertz-peaked radio spectrum (GPS) source. Its close proximity has allowed the first detection of extended X-ray emission in a GPS/CSO source with Chandra that is for the most part unrelated to nuclear feedback. However, not much is known about the nature of this emission. By co-adding all archival Chandra data and complementing these datasets with the large effective area of XMM-Newton, we are able to study the detailed physics of the environment of PKS 1718-649. Not only can we confirm that the bulk of the ≲kiloparsec-scale environment emits in the soft X-rays, but we also identify the emitting gas to form a hot, collisionally ionized medium. While the feedback of the central AGN still seems to be constrained to the inner few parsecs, we argue that supernovae are capable of producing the observed large-scale X-ray emission at a rate inferred from its estimated star formation rate.

The Evolving Polarized Jet of Black Hole Candidate Swift J1745-26

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curran, P. A.; Coriat, M.; Miller-Jones, J. C. A.; Armstrong, R. P.; Edwards, P. G.; Sivakoff, G. R.; Woudt, P.; Altamirano, D.; Belloni, T. M.; Corbel, S.;

Modeling of X-ray Images and Energy Spectra Produced by Stepping Lightning Leaders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Wei; Marshall, Robert A.; Celestin, Sebastien; Pasko, Victor P.

2017-11-01

Recent ground-based measurements at the International Center for Lightning Research and Testing (ICLRT) have greatly improved our knowledge of the energetics, fluence, and evolution of X-ray emissions during natural cloud-to-ground (CG) and rocket-triggered lightning flashes. In this paper, using Monte Carlo simulations and the response matrix of unshielded detectors in the Thunderstorm Energetic Radiation Array (TERA), we calculate the energy spectra of X-rays as would be detected by TERA and directly compare with the observational data during event MSE 10-01. The good agreement obtained between TERA measurements and theoretical calculations supports the mechanism of X-ray production by thermal runaway electrons during the negative corona flash stage of stepping lightning leaders. Modeling results also suggest that measurements of X-ray bursts can be used to estimate the approximate range of potential drop of lightning leaders. Moreover, the X-ray images produced during the leader stepping process in natural negative CG discharges, including both the evolution and morphological features, are theoretically quantified. We show that the compact emission pattern as recently observed in X-ray images is likely produced by X-rays originating from the source region, and the diffuse emission pattern can be explained by the Compton scattering effects.

Development of multi-pixel x-ray source using oxide-coated cathodes.

PubMed

Kandlakunta, Praneeth; Pham, Richard; Khan, Rao; Zhang, Tiezhi

2017-07-07

Multiple pixel x-ray sources facilitate new designs of imaging modalities that may result in faster imaging speed, improved image quality, and more compact geometry. We are developing a high-brightness multiple-pixel thermionic emission x-ray (MPTEX) source based on oxide-coated cathodes. Oxide cathodes have high emission efficiency and, thereby, produce high emission current density at low temperature when compared to traditional tungsten filaments. Indirectly heated micro-rectangular oxide cathodes were developed using carbonates, which were converted to semiconductor oxides of barium, strontium, and calcium after activation. Each cathode produces a focal spot on an elongated fixed anode. The x-ray beam ON and OFF control is performed by source-switching electronics, which supplies bias voltage to the cathode emitters. In this paper, we report the initial performance of the oxide-coated cathodes and the MPTEX source.

Gold nanoparticle contrast agents in advanced X-ray imaging technologies.

PubMed

Ahn, Sungsook; Jung, Sung Yong; Lee, Sang Joon

2013-05-17

Recently, there has been significant progress in the field of soft- and hard-X-ray imaging for a wide range of applications, both technically and scientifically, via developments in sources, optics and imaging methodologies. While one community is pursuing extensive applications of available X-ray tools, others are investigating improvements in techniques, including new optics, higher spatial resolutions and brighter compact sources. For increased image quality and more exquisite investigation on characteristic biological phenomena, contrast agents have been employed extensively in imaging technologies. Heavy metal nanoparticles are excellent absorbers of X-rays and can offer excellent improvements in medical diagnosis and X-ray imaging. In this context, the role of gold (Au) is important for advanced X-ray imaging applications. Au has a long-history in a wide range of medical applications and exhibits characteristic interactions with X-rays. Therefore, Au can offer a particular advantage as a tracer and a contrast enhancer in X-ray imaging technologies by sensing the variation in X-ray attenuation in a given sample volume. This review summarizes basic understanding on X-ray imaging from device set-up to technologies. Then this review covers recent studies in the development of X-ray imaging techniques utilizing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and their relevant applications, including two- and three-dimensional biological imaging, dynamical processes in a living system, single cell-based imaging and quantitative analysis of circulatory systems and so on. In addition to conventional medical applications, various novel research areas have been developed and are expected to be further developed through AuNP-based X-ray imaging technologies.

Differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system and components

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

Stutman, Daniel; Finkenthal, Michael

2017-11-21

A differential phase contrast X-ray imaging system includes an X-ray illumination system, a beam splitter arranged in an optical path of the X-ray illumination system, and a detection system arranged in an optical path to detect X-rays after passing through the beam splitter.

Soft x-ray reduction camera for submicron lithography

DOEpatents

Hawryluk, A.M.; Seppala, L.G.

1991-03-26

Soft x-ray projection lithography can be performed using x-ray optical components and spherical imaging lenses (mirrors), which form an x-ray reduction camera. The x-ray reduction is capable of projecting a 5x demagnified image of a mask onto a resist coated wafer using 4.5 nm radiation. The diffraction limited resolution of this design is about 135 nm with a depth of field of about 2.8 microns and a field of view of 0.2 cm[sup 2]. X-ray reflecting masks (patterned x-ray multilayer mirrors) which are fabricated on thick substrates and can be made relatively distortion free are used, with a laser produced plasma for the source. Higher resolution and/or larger areas are possible by varying the optic figures of the components and source characteristics. 9 figures.

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

Cseh, David; Corbel, Stephane; Kaaret, Philip

We present new radio, optical, and X-ray observations of three ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) that are associated with large-scale nebulae. We report the discovery of a radio nebula associated with the ULX IC 342 X-1 using the Very Large Array (VLA). Complementary VLA observations of the nebula around Holmberg II X-1, and high-frequency Australia Telescope Compact Array and Very Large Telescope spectroscopic observations of NGC 5408 X-1 are also presented. We study the morphology, ionization processes, and the energetics of the optical/radio nebulae of IC 342 X-1, Holmberg II X-1, and NGC 5408 X-1. The energetics of the optical nebulamore » of IC 342 X-1 is discussed in the framework of standard bubble theory. The total energy content of the optical nebula is 6 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 52} erg. The minimum energy needed to supply the associated radio nebula is 9.2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 50} erg. In addition, we detected an unresolved radio source at the location of IC 342 X-1 at the VLA scales. However, our Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations using the European VLBI Network likely rule out the presence of any compact radio source at milliarcsecond (mas) scales. Using a simultaneous Swift X-ray Telescope measurement, we estimate an upper limit on the mass of the black hole in IC 342 X-1 using the 'fundamental plane' of accreting black holes and obtain M{sub BH} {<=} (1.0 {+-} 0.3) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 3} M{sub Sun }. Arguing that the nebula of IC 342 X-1 is possibly inflated by a jet, we estimate accretion rates and efficiencies for the jet of IC 342 X-1 and compare with sources like S26, SS433, and IC 10 X-1.« less

Observations of 12-200 keV X-rays from GX 339-4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nolan, P. L.; Gruber, D. E.; Knight, F. K.; Matteson, J. L.; Peterson, L. E.; Levine, A. M.; Lewin, W. H. G.; Primini, F. A.

1982-01-01

X-ray spectra of GX 339-4 measured on three occasions in 1977 and 1978 are presented. These are the first reported measurements above 10 keV. The spectra can be described as the superposition of a soft component, which is dominant below about 20 keV, and a hard component at higher energy. Simultaneous measurements at lower energy show that the soft component vanished during the observation in early 1978. The behavior of these two components is similar to that of the spectrum of Cygnus X-1; this reinforces the previously noted resemblance in rapid X-ray variability.

HX-POL - A Balloon-Bourne Hard X-Ray Polarimeter

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

Krawczynski, H.; De Geronimo, G.; Garson, A., III, Martin, J.

2009-12-09

We report on the design and estimated performance of a balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter called HX-POL. The experiment uses a combination of Si and Cadmium Zinc Telluride detectors to measure the polarization of 50 keV-400 keV X-rays from cosmic sources through the dependence of the angular distribution of Compton scattered photons on the polarization direction. On a one-day balloon flight, HX-POL would allow us to measure the polarization of bright Crab-like sources for polarization degrees well below 10%. On a longer (15-30 day) flight from Australia or Antarctica, HX-POL would be be able to measure the polarization of bright galacticmore » X-ray sources down to polarization degrees of a few percent. Hard X-ray polarization measurements provide unique venues for the study of particle acceleration processes by compact objects and relativistic outflows. In this paper, we discuss the overall instrument design and performance. Furthermore, we present results from laboratory tests of the Si and CZT detectors.« less

Atomic Processes in X-ray Photoioinzed Gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kallman, Timothy

2005-01-01

It has long been known that photoionization and photoabsorption play a dominant role in determining the state of gas in nebulae surrounding hot stars and in active galaxies. Recent observations of X-ray spectra demonstrate that these processes are also dominant in highly ionized gas near compact objects, and also affect the transmission of X-rays from the majority of astronomical sources. This has led to new insights into the understanding of what is going on in these sources. It has also pointed out the need for accurate atomic cross sections for photoionization and absorption, notably for processes involving inner shells. The xstar code can be used for calculating the heating, ionization and reprocessing of X-rays by gas in a range of ionization states and temperatures. It has recently been updated to include an improved treatment of inner shell transitions in iron. I will review the capabilities of xstar, the atomic data, and illustrate some applications to recent X-ray spectral observations.

Near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy at atmospheric pressure with a table-top laser-induced soft x-ray source

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

Kühl, Frank-Christian, E-mail: Frank-christian.kuehl@mail.de; Müller, Matthias, E-mail: matthias.mueller@llg-ev.de; Schellhorn, Meike

2016-07-15

The authors present a table-top soft x-ray absorption spectrometer, accomplishing investigations of the near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) in a laboratory environment. The system is based on a low debris plasma ignited by a picosecond laser in a pulsed krypton gas jet, emitting soft x-ray radiation in the range from 1 to 5 nm. For absorption spectroscopy in and around the “water window” (2.3–4.4 nm), a compact helium purged sample compartment for experiments at atmospheric pressure has been constructed and tested. NEXAFS measurements on CaCl{sub 2} and KMnO{sub 4} samples were conducted at the calcium and manganese L-edges, as well asmore » at the oxygen K-edge in air, atmospheric helium, and under vacuum, respectively. The results indicate the importance of atmospheric conditions for an investigation of sample hydration processes.« less

Dual mode stereotactic localization method and application

DOEpatents

Keppel, Cynthia E.; Barbosa, Fernando Jorge; Majewski, Stanislaw

2002-01-01

The invention described herein combines the structural digital X-ray image provided by conventional stereotactic core biopsy instruments with the additional functional metabolic gamma imaging obtained with a dedicated compact gamma imaging mini-camera. Before the procedure, the patient is injected with an appropriate radiopharmaceutical. The radiopharmaceutical uptake distribution within the breast under compression in a conventional examination table expressed by the intensity of gamma emissions is obtained for comparison (co-registration) with the digital mammography (X-ray) image. This dual modality mode of operation greatly increases the functionality of existing stereotactic biopsy devices by yielding a much smaller number of false positives than would be produced using X-ray images alone. The ability to obtain both the X-ray mammographic image and the nuclear-based medicine gamma image using a single device is made possible largely through the use of a novel, small and movable gamma imaging camera that permits its incorporation into the same table or system as that currently utilized to obtain X-ray based mammographic images for localization of lesions.

Preparation and modification of VO2 thin film on R-sapphire substrate by rapid thermal process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Nai-Wei; Hu, Ming; Xia, Xiao-Xu; Wei, Xiao-Ying; Liang, Ji-Ran

2014-04-01

The VO2 thin film with high performance of metal-insulator transition (MIT) is prepared on R-sapphire substrate for the first time by magnetron sputtering with rapid thermal process (RTP). The electrical characteristic and THz transmittance of MIT in VO2 film are studied by four-point probe method and THz time domain spectrum (THz-TDS). X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and search engine marketing (SEM) are employed to analyze the crystalline structure, valence state, surface morphology of the film. Results indicate that the properties of VO2 film which is oxidized from the metal vanadium film in oxygen atmosphere are improved with a follow-up RTP modification in nitrogen atmosphere. The crystallization and components of VO2 film are improved and the film becomes compact and uniform. A better phase transition performance is shown that the resistance changes nearly 3 orders of magnitude with a 2-°C hysteresis width and the THz transmittances are reduced by 64% and 60% in thermal and optical excitation respectively.

Application of X-ray micro-CT for micro-structural characterization of APCVD deposited SiC coatings on graphite conduit.

PubMed

Agrawal, A K; Sarkar, P S; Singh, B; Kashyap, Y S; Rao, P T; Sinha, A

2016-02-01

SiC coatings are commonly used as oxidation protective materials in high-temperature applications. The operational performance of the coating depends on its microstructure and uniformity. This study explores the feasibility of applying tabletop X-ray micro-CT for the micro-structural characterization of SiC coating. The coating is deposited over the internal surface of pipe structured graphite fuel tube, which is a prototype of potential components of compact high-temperature reactor (CHTR). The coating is deposited using atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) and properties such as morphology, porosity, thickness variation are evaluated. Micro-structural differences in the coating caused by substrate distance from precursor inlet in a CVD reactor are also studied. The study finds micro-CT a potential tool for characterization of SiC coating during its future course of engineering. We show that depletion of reactants at larger distances causes development of larger pores in the coating, which affects its morphology, density and thickness. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

LIGO Triggered Search for Coincidence with High Energy Photon Survey Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Camp, Jordan

2009-01-01

LIGO is about to begin a new, higher sensitivity science run, where gravitational detection is plausible. A possible candidate for detection is a compact binary merger, which would also be likely to emit a high energy electromagnetic signal. Coincident observation of the gw signal from a compact merger with an x-ray or gamma-ray signal would add considerable weight to the claim for gw detection. In this talk I will consider the possibility of using LIGO triggers with time and sky position to perform a coincident analysis of EM signals from the RXTE, SWIFT, and FERMI missions.

Studies of BL Lacertae objects with the Einstein Observatory - The soft X-ray spectra of OJ 287 and PKS 0735+178

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madejski, Greg M.; Schwartz, Daniel A.

1988-01-01

Accurate, soft X-ray spectra of two BL Lac objects, OJ 287 and PKS 0735+178, are presented. The X-ray spectra are well described by a power-law model with a low-energy cutoff consistent with photoelectric absorption within the Galaxy. The best-fit values of the energy spectral index in the 0.2-4.0 keV band are 0.91 and 0.76 respectively. The X-ray flux from OJ 287 is variable by a ratio of three from low to high state; PKS 0735+178 shows no indication of X-ray variability. The X-ray emission in OJ 287 is interpreted to be due to the synchrotron process from a volume common with either a beamed radio component or a stationary optical component. In PKS 0735+178, where the X-ray emission is most likely due to the Compton process operating in one of the VLBI radio components. The synchrotron self-Compton process with modest kinematic Doppler factors predicts the measured X-ray flux from PKS 0735+178 and lower than the measured flux in OJ 287.

Multiscale imaging and characterization of the effect of mixing temperature on asphalt concrete containing recycled components.

PubMed

Cavalli, M C; Griffa, M; Bressi, S; Partl, M N; Tebaldi, G; Poulikakos, L D

2016-10-01

When producing asphalt concrete mixture with high amounts of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), the mixing temperature plays a significant role in the resulting spatial distribution of the components as well as on the quality of the resulting mixture, in terms of workability during mixing and compaction as well as in service mechanical properties. Asphalt concrete containing 50% RAP was investigated at mixing temperatures of 140, 160 and 180°C, using a multiscale approach. At the microscale, using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy the RAP binder film thickness was visualized and measured. It was shown that at higher mixing temperatures this film thickness was reduced. The reduction in film thickness can be attributed to the loss of volatiles as well as the mixing of RAP binder with virgin binder at higher temperatures. X-ray computer tomography was used to characterize statistically the distribution of the RAP and virgin aggregates geometric features: volume, width and shape anisotropy. In addition using X-ray computer tomography, the packing and spatial distribution of the RAP and virgin aggregates was characterized using the nearest neighbour metric. It was shown that mixing temperature may have a positive effect on the spatial distribution of the aggregates but did not affect the packing. The study shows a tendency for the RAP aggregates to be more likely distributed in clusters at lower mixing temperatures. At higher temperatures, they were more homogeneously distributed. This indicates a higher degree of blending both at microscale (binder film) and macroscale (spatial distribution) between RAP and virgin aggregates as a result of increasing mixing temperatures and the ability to quantify this using various imaging techniques. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2016 Royal Microscopical Society.

FRONTIER FIELDS CLUSTERS: CHANDRA AND JVLA VIEW OF THE PRE-MERGING CLUSTER MACS J0416.1-2403

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

Ogrean, G. A.; Weeren, R. J. van; Jones, C.

2015-10-20

Merging galaxy clusters leave long-lasting signatures on the baryonic and non-baryonic cluster constituents, including shock fronts, cold fronts, X-ray substructure, radio halos, and offsets between the dark matter (DM) and the gas components. Using observations from Chandra, the Jansky Very Large Array, the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, and the Hubble Space Telescope, we present a multiwavelength analysis of the merging Frontier Fields cluster MACS J0416.1-2403 (z = 0.396), which consists of NE and SW subclusters whose cores are separated on the sky by ∼250 kpc. We find that the NE subcluster has a compact core and hosts an X-ray cavity,more » yet it is not a cool core. Approximately 450 kpc south–southwest of the SW subcluster, we detect a density discontinuity that corresponds to a compression factor of ∼1.5. The discontinuity was most likely caused by the interaction of the SW subcluster with a less massive structure detected in the lensing maps SW of the subcluster's center. For both the NE and the SW subclusters, the DM and the gas components are well-aligned, suggesting that MACS J0416.1-2403 is a pre-merging system. The cluster also hosts a radio halo, which is unusual for a pre-merging system. The halo has a 1.4 GHz power of (1.3 ± 0.3) × 10{sup 24} W Hz{sup −1}, which is somewhat lower than expected based on the X-ray luminosity of the cluster if the spectrum of the halo is not ultra-steep. We suggest that we are either witnessing the birth of a radio halo, or have discovered a rare ultra-steep spectrum halo.« less

The Fermi-GBM Three-year X-Ray Burst Catalog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenke, P. A.; Linares, M.; Connaughton, V.; Beklen, E.; Camero-Arranz, A.; Finger, M. H.; Wilson-Hodge, C. A.

2016-08-01

The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) is an all-sky gamma-ray monitor well known in the gamma-ray burst (GRB) community. Although GBM excels in detecting the hard, bright extragalactic GRBs, its sensitivity above 8 keV and its all-sky view make it an excellent instrument for the detection of rare, short-lived Galactic transients. In 2010 March, we initiated a systematic search for transients using GBM data. We conclude this phase of the search by presenting a three-year catalog of 1084 X-ray bursts. Using spectral analysis, location, and spatial distributions we classified the 1084 events into 752 thermonuclear X-ray bursts, 267 transient events from accretion flares and X-ray pulses, and 65 untriggered gamma-ray bursts. All thermonuclear bursts have peak blackbody temperatures broadly consistent with photospheric radius expansion (PRE) bursts. We find an average rate of 1.4 PRE bursts per day, integrated over all Galactic bursters within about 10 kpc. These include 33 and 10 bursts from the ultra-compact X-ray binaries 4U 0614+09 and 2S 0918-549, respectively. We discuss these recurrence times and estimate the total mass ejected by PRE bursts in our Galaxy.

Real-time observation of X-ray diffraction patterns with the Lixiscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chung, D. Y.; Tsang, T.; Yin, L. I.; Anderson, J. R.

1981-01-01

The feasibility of the Lixiscope (Low Intensity X-ray Imaging Scope) is demonstrated for real-time observation of transmission Laue patterns. Making use of the high-gain capability of microchannel plate (MCP) visible-light image intensifier tubes, X-ray images are converted to visible-light images by a scintillator. Pb discs are taped to the center of the Lixiscope input face, and crystal samples are held on a goniometer stage with modeling clay. With a compact size to facilitate off axis viewing, and real-time viewing to allow instantaneous response, the Lixiscope may prove useful in dynamic studies of the effects of plastic flows, stresses, high pressures, and low temperatures.

Atomic Processes in X-ray Photoionized Gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kallman, Timothy

2005-01-01

It has long been known that photoionization and photoabsorption play a dominant role in determining the state of gas in nebulae surrounding hot stars and in active galaxies. Recent observations of X-ray spectra demonstrate that these processes are also dominant in highly ionized gas near compact objects, and also affect the transmission of X-rays from the majority of astronomical sources. This has led to new insights into the understanding of what is going on in these sources. It has also pointed out the need for a better atomic cross sections for photoionization and absorption, notably for processes involving inner shells. In this talk I will discuss these issues, what is known and where more work is needed.

The SPARC_LAB Thomson source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaccarezza, C.; Alesini, D.; Anania, M. P.; Bacci, A.; Biagioni, A.; Bisesto, F.; Bellaveglia, M.; Cardarelli, P.; Cardelli, F.; Cianchi, A.; Chiadroni, E.; Croia, M.; Curcio, A.; Delogu, P.; Giovenale, D. Di; Domenico, G. Di; Pirro, G. Di; Drebot, I.; Ferrario, M.; Filippi, F.; Gallo, A.; Galletti, M.; Gambaccini, M.; Giribono, A.; Golosio, B.; Li, W.; Mostacci, A.; Oliva, P.; Palmer, D.; Petrillo, V.; Petrarca, M.; Pioli, S.; Piersanti, L.; Pompili, R.; Romeo, S.; Rossi, A. R.; Scifo, J.; Serafini, L.; Suliman, G.; Villa, F.

2016-09-01

The SPARC_LAB Thomson source is a compact X-ray source based on the Thomson backscattering process presently under its second phase of commissioning at the LNF. The electron beam energy ranges between 30 and 150 MeV, the electrons collide head-on with the Ti:Sapphire FLAME laser pulse the energy of which ranges between 1 and 5 J with pulse lengths in the 25 fs-10 ps range, this provides an X-ray energy tunability in the range of 20-500 keV, with the further capability to generate strongly non-linear phenomena and to drive diffusion processes due to multiple and plural scattering effects. The experimental results of the obtained X-ray radiation are presented.

Physics of Gamma Ray Burst Sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meszaros, Peter

2004-01-01

During this grant period, the physics of gamma-ray bursts was investigated. A number of new results have emerged. The importance of pair formation in high compactness burst spectra may help explain x-ray flashes; a universal jet shape is a likely explanation for the distribution of jet break times; gravitational waves may be copiously produced both in short bursts from compact mergers and in long bursts arising from collapsars; x-ray iron lines are likely to be due to interaction with the stellar atmosphere of the progenitor; prompt optical flashes from reverse shocks will give diagnostics on the Lorentz factor and the environment; GeV and TeV emission from bursts may be expected in the external shock; etc. The group working with the PI included postdocs Dr. Bing Zhang (now assistant professor at University of Nevada); Dr. Shiho Kobayashi; graduate student Lijun Gou; collaborators Drs. Tim Kallman and Martin Rees. Meszaros shared with Rees and Dr. Bohan Paczynsky the AAS Rossi Prize in 2000 for their work on the theory of gamma ray bursts. The refereed publications and conference proceedings resulting from this research are summarized below. The PI gave a number of invited talks at major conferences, also listed.

The Terzan 2 Cluster Taken by the High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)-2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The dramatic change in x-ray emission from the Terzan 2 cluster is shown in this series of 2.5-minute exposures taken with the High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)-2/Einstein Observatory immediately before, during, and after the burst. Total exposure (20 minutes) of the object, including the outburst, is shown in the fourth photograph. These images represent the first observation of an x-ray burst in progress. The actual burst lasted 50 seconds. Among the rarest, and most bizarre, phenomena observed by x-ray astronomers are the so-called cosmic bursters (x-ray sources that suddenly and dramatically increase in intensity then subside). These sudden bursts of intense x-ray radiation apparently come from compact objects with a diameter smaller than 30 miles (48 kilometers). Yet, despite their minuscule size, a typical x-ray burster can release more x-ray energy in a single brief burst than our Sun does in an entire week. The HEAO-2, the first imaging and largest x-ray telescope built to date, was capable of producing actual photographs of x-ray objects. Shortly after launch, the HEAO-2 was nicknamed the Einstein Observatory by its scientific experimenters in honor of the centernial of the birth of Albert Einstein, whose concepts of relativity and gravitation have influenced much of modern astrophysics, particularly x-ray astronomy. The HEAO was designed and developed by TRW, Inc. under the project management of the Marshall Space Flight Center.

X-ray spectrum and variability of the quasar PG 1211+143

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yaqoob, Tahir; Serlemitsos, Peter; Mushotzky, Richard; Madejski, Greg; Turner, T. Jane; Kunieda, Hideyo

1994-01-01

We present preliminary results of an ASCA observation of the classic soft-excess quasar PG 1211+143. The overall ASCA spectrum can be characterized by a blackbody with a temperature of approximately 125 eV (quasar frame) and a power law with photon index of approximately 2. Simultaneous ROSAT data are suggestive of further steepening of the spectrum just below the ASCA band. Comparison with previous observations shows that the soft flux in the 0.1-2 keV band varies by at least a factor of approximately 16, scaling roughly as the square of the hard flux in the 2-10 keV band over a timescale of approximately 13.5 yr. We also find evidence of short-term amplitude variability of up to a factor of approximately 2 on a timescale of approximately 2 x 10(exp 4) sec, in both the soft and hard flux so that the soft and hard photons are likely to originate from the same, compact, region. The data rule out variable absorption (cold or ionized) as the origin of the soft excess, favoring an intrinsic emission component. However, we argue against optically thin emission for the 'blue bump' in PG 1211+143. The large amplitude soft X-ray variability may be indicative of variations in the effective temperature, or peak, of the soft component. There is only marginal evidence for Fe K line emission between 6-7 keV in the quasar frame.

A new transient pulsar in the Small Magellanic Cloud with an unusual x-ray spectrum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, John P.

1994-01-01

This article reports the discovery of a luminous (3.5 x 10(exp 37) ergs/sec over the 0.2 to 2 keV band) transient X-ray pulsar in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) with an extremely soft component to its X-ray spectrum. This is the first time that a spectrum of this type has been seen in this class of X-ray source. The pulse period is 2.7632 s, and the pulse modulation appears to vary with energy from nearly unpulsed in the low-energy band of the ROSAT Position Sensitive Proportional Counter (PSPC) (0.07 to 0.4 keV) to about 50% in the high-energy band (1.0 to 2.4 keV). The object, RX J0059.2-7138, also shows flickering variability in its X-ray emission on timescales of 50 to 100s. The pulse-phase-averaged PSPC X-ray spectrum can be well described by a two-component source model seen through an absorbing column density of approximately 10(exp 21) atoms cm(exp -2). One spectral component is a power law with photon index 2.4. The other component is significantly softer and can be described by either a steeply falling power law or a blackbody with a temperature KT(sub BB) approximately 35 eV. Ths component is transient, but evidently upulsed, and, for the blackbody model fits, requires a large bolometric luminosity: near, or even several times greater than, the Eddington luminosity for a 1.4 solar mass object. When these characteristics of its soft emission are considered, RX J0059.2-7138 appears quite similar to other X-ray sources in the magellanic Clouds, such as CAL 83, CAL 87, and RX J0527.8-6954, which show only extreme ultrasoft (EUS) X-ray spectra. The discovery of RX J0059.2-7138, a probably high-mass X-ray binary, clearly indicates that EUS spectra may arise from accretion-powered neutron-star X-ray sources. This result lends support to the idea that some of the 'pure' EUS sources may be shrouded low-mass X-ray binaries rather than accreting white dwarfs.

The very soft X-ray emission of X-ray-faint early-type galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pellegrini, S.; Fabbiano, G.

1994-01-01

A recent reanaylsis of Einstein data, and new ROSAT observations, have revealed the presence of at least two components in the X-ray spectra of X-ray faint early-type galaxies: a relatively hard component (kT greater than 1.5 keV), and a very soft component (kT approximately 0.2-0.3 keV). In this paper we address the problem of the nature of the very soft component and whether it can be due to a hot interstellar medium (ISM), or is most likely originated by the collective emission of very soft stellar sources. To this purpose, hydrodynamical evolutionary sequences for the secular behavior of gas flows in ellipticals have been performed, varying the Type Ia supernovae rate of explosion, and the dark matter amount and distribution. The results are compared with the observational X-ray data: the average Einstein spectrum for six X-ray faint early-type galaxies (among which are NGC 4365 and NGC 4697), and the spectrum obtained by the ROSAT pointed observation of NGC 4365. The very soft component could be entirely explained with a hot ISM only in galaxies such as NGC 4697, i.e., when the depth of the potential well-on which the average ISM temperature strongly depends-is quite shallow; in NGC 4365 a diffuse hot ISM would have a temperature larger than that of the very soft component, because of the deeper potential well. So, in NGC 4365 the softest contribution to the X-ray emission comes certainly from stellar sources. As stellar soft X-ray emitters, we consider late-type stellar coronae, supersoft sources such as those discovered by ROSAT in the Magellanic Clouds and M31, and RS CVn systems. All these candidates can be substantial contributors to the very soft emission, though none of them, taken separately, plausibly accounts entirely for its properties. We finally present a model for the X-ray emission of NGC 4365, to reproduce in detail the results of the ROSAT pointed observation, including the Position Sensitive Proportional Counter (PSPC) spectrum and radial surface brightness distribution. The present data may suggest that the X-ray surface brightness is more extended than the optical profile. In this case, a straightforward explanation in terms of stellar sources could not be satisfactory. The available data can be better explained with three different contributions: a very soft component of stellar origin, a hard component from X-ray binaries, and an approximately 0.6 keV hot ISM. The latter can explain the extended X-ray surface brightness profile, if the galaxy has a dark-to-luminous mass ratio of 9, with the dark matter very broadly distributed, and a SN Ia explosive rate of approximately 0.6 the Tammann rate.

XMM-Newton X-ray spectroscopy of the high-mass X-ray binary 4U 1700-37 at low flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Meer, A.; Kaper, L.; di Salvo, T.; Méndez, M.; van der Klis, M.; Barr, P.; Trams, N. R.

2005-03-01

We present results of a monitoring campaign of the high-mass X-ray binary system 4U 1700-37/HD 153919, carried out with XMM-Newton in February 2001. The system was observed at four orbital phase intervals, covering 37% of one 3.41-day orbit. The lightcurve includes strong flares, commonly observed in this source. We focus on three epochs in which the data are not affected by photon pile up: the eclipse, the eclipse egress and a low-flux interval in the lightcurve around orbital phase φ ˜ 0.25. The high-energy part of the continuum is modelled as a direct plus a scattered component, each represented by a power law with identical photon index (α ˜ 1.4), but with different absorption columns. We show that during the low-flux interval the continuum is strongly reduced, probably due to a reduction of the accretion rate onto the compact object. A soft excess is detected in all spectra, consistent with either another continuum component originating in the outskirts of the system or a blend of emission lines. Many fluorescence emission lines from near-neutral species and discrete recombination lines from He- and H-like species are detected during eclipse and egress. The fluorescence Fe Kα line at 6.4 keV is very prominent; a second Kα line is detected at slightly higher energies (up to 6.7 keV) and a Kβ line at 7.1 keV. In the low-flux interval the Fe Kα line at 6.4 keV is strongly (factor ˜ 30) reduced in strength. In eclipse, the Fe Kβ/Kα ratio is consistent with a value of 0.13. In egress we initially measure a higher ratio, which can be explained by a shift in energy of the Fe K-edge to ~ 7.15 keV, which is consistent with moderately ionised iron, rather than neutral iron, as expected for the stellar wind medium. The detection of recombination lines during eclipse indicates the presence of an extended ionised region surrounding the compact object. The observed increase in strength of some emission lines corresponding to higher values of the ionisation parameter ξ further substantiates this conclusion.

Flow method and apparatus for screening chemicals using micro x-ray fluorescence

DOEpatents

Warner, Benjamin P [Los Alamos, NM; Havrilla, George J [Los Alamos, NM; Miller, Thomasin C [Bartlesville, OK; Lewis, Cris [Los Alamos, NM; Mahan, Cynthia A [Los Alamos, NM; Wells, Cyndi A [Los Alamos, NM

2009-04-14

Method and apparatus for screening chemicals using micro x-ray fluorescence. A method for screening a mixture of potential pharmaceutical chemicals for binding to at least one target binder involves flow-separating a solution of chemicals and target binders into separated components, exposing them to an x-ray excitation beam, detecting x-ray fluorescence signals from the components, and determining from the signals whether or not a binding event between a chemical and target binder has occurred.

Flow method and apparatus for screening chemicals using micro x-ray fluorescence

DOEpatents

Warner, Benjamin P [Los Alamos, NM; Havrilla, George J [Los Alamos, NM; Miller, Thomasin C [Bartlesville, OK; Lewis, Cris [Los Alamos, NM; Mahan, Cynthia A [Los Alamos, NM; Wells, Cyndi A [Los Alamos, NM

2011-04-26

Method and apparatus for screening chemicals using micro x-ray fluorescence. A method for screening a mixture of potential pharmaceutical chemicals for binding to at least one target binder involves flow separating a solution of chemicals and target binders into separated components, exposing them to an x-ray excitation beam, detecting x-ray fluorescence signals from the components, and determining from the signals whether or not a binding event between a chemical and target binder has occurred.

X-ray and optical observations of 2 new cataclysmic variables

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, K. P.; Szkody, P.; Barrett, P.; Schlegel, E.; White, N. E.; Silber, A.; Fierce, E.; Hoard, D.; Hakala, P. J.; Piirola, V.;

Exotic X-ray Sources from Intermediate Energy Electron Beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chouffani, K.; Wells, D.; Harmon, F.; Jones, J. L.; Lancaster, G.

2003-08-01

High intensity x-ray beams are used in a wide variety of applications in solid-state physics, medicine, biology and material sciences. Synchrotron radiation (SR) is currently the primary, high-quality x-ray source that satisfies both brilliance and tunability. The high cost, large size and low x-ray energies of SR facilities, however, are serious limitations. Alternatively, "novel" x-ray sources are now possible due to new small linear accelerator (LINAC) technology, such as improved beam emittance, low background, sub-Picosecond beam pulses, high beam stability and higher repetition rate. These sources all stem from processes that produce Radiation from relativistic Electron beams in (crystalline) Periodic Structures (REPS), or the periodic "structure" of laser light. REPS x-ray sources are serious candidates for bright, compact, portable, monochromatic, and tunable x-ray sources with varying degrees of polarization and coherence. Despite the discovery and early research into these sources over the past 25 years, these sources are still in their infancy. Experimental and theoretical research are still urgently needed to answer fundamental questions about the practical and ultimate limits of their brightness, mono-chromaticity etc. We present experimental results and theoretical comparisons for three exotic REPS sources. These are Laser-Compton Scattering (LCS), Channeling Radiation (CR) and Parametric X-Radiation (PXR).

Method and Apparatus for Measuring Radiation Quantities

DOEpatents

Roberts, N O

1955-01-25

This patent application describes a compact dosimeter for measuring X-ray and gamma radiation by the use of solutions which undergo a visible color change upon exposure to a predetermined quantity of radiation.

AGN in the Swift/BAT and INTEGRAL Hard X-ray Surveys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beckmann, Volker; Tueller, Jack; Baumgartner, Wayne; Markwardt, Craig; Mushotzky, Richard; Skinner, Gerry

2008-01-01

Two hard X-ray surveys are in progress at this time. They provide a unique new window on compact objects and black holes. I will discuss how these two surveys complement each other and the potential for improved coordination that could yield significant near term results in both sensitivity and time coverage. I will pay particular attention to the discovery of faint sources including new results from the 36 month survey from Swift/Burst Alert Telescope (BAT).

Stellar atmosphere modeling of extremely hot, compact stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rauch, Thomas; Ringat, Ellen; Werner, Klaus

Present X-ray missions like Chandra and XMM-Newton provide excellent spectra of extremely hot white dwarfs, e.g. burst spectra of novae. Their analysis requires adequate NLTE model atmospheres. The Tuebingen Non-LTE Model-Atmosphere Package (TMAP) can calculate such model at-mospheres and spectral energy distributions at a high level of sophistication. We present a new grid of models that is calculated in the parameter range of novae and supersoft X-ray sources and show examples of their application.

Constraining black holes with light boson hair and boson stars using epicyclic frequencies and quasiperiodic oscillations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franchini, Nicola; Pani, Paolo; Maselli, Andrea; Gualtieri, Leonardo; Herdeiro, Carlos A. R.; Radu, Eugen; Ferrari, Valeria

2017-06-01

Light bosonic fields are ubiquitous in extensions of the Standard Model. Even when minimally coupled to gravity, these fields might evade the assumptions of the black-hole no-hair theorems and give rise to spinning black holes which can be drastically different from the Kerr metric. Furthermore, they allow for self-gravitating compact solitons, known as (scalar or Proca) boson stars. The quasiperiodic oscillations (QPOs) observed in the x-ray flux emitted by accreting compact objects carry information about the strong-field region, thus providing a powerful tool to constrain deviations from Kerr's geometry and to search for exotic compact objects. By using the relativistic precession model as a proxy to interpret the QPOs in terms of geodesic frequencies, we investigate how the QPO frequencies could be used to test the no-hair theorem and the existence of light bosonic fields near accreting compact objects. We show that a detection of two QPO triplets with current sensitivity can already constrain these models and that the future eXTP mission or a LOFT-like mission can set very stringent constraints on black holes with bosonic hair and on (scalar or Proca) boson stars. The peculiar geodesic structure of compact scalar/Proca boson stars implies that these objects can easily be ruled out as alternative models for x-ray source GRO J1655-40.

A Catalog of Candidate Intermediate-Luminosity X-Ray Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colbert, E. J. M.; Ptak, A. F.

2002-11-01

ROSAT, and now Chandra, X-ray images allow studies of extranuclear X-ray point sources in galaxies other than our own. X-ray observations of normal galaxies with ROSAT and Chandra have revealed that off-nuclear, compact, intermediate-luminosity (LX[2-10keV]>=1039.0 ergs s-1) X-ray objects (IXOs, a.k.a. ULXs [ultraluminous X-ray sources]) are quite common. Here we present a catalog and finding charts for 87 IXOs in 54 galaxies, derived from all of the ROSAT HRI imaging data for galaxies with cz<=5000 km s-1 from the Third Reference Catalog of Bright Galaxies. We have defined the cutoff LX for IXOs so that it is well above the Eddington luminosity of a 1.4 Msolar black hole (1038.3 ergs s-1), so as not to confuse IXOs with ``normal'' black hole X-ray binaries. This catalog is intended to provide a baseline for follow-up work with Chandra and XMM-Newton, and with space- and ground-based survey work at wavelengths other than X-ray. We demonstrate that elliptical galaxies with IXOs have a larger number of IXOs per galaxy than nonelliptical galaxies with IXOs and note that they are not likely to be merely high-mass X-ray binaries with beamed X-ray emission, as may be the case for IXOs in starburst galaxies. Approximately half of the IXOs with multiple observations show X-ray variability, and many (19) of the IXOs have faint optical counterparts in DSS optical B-band images. Follow-up observations of these objects should be helpful in identifying their nature.

Evaluating quantitative 3-D image analysis as a design tool for low enriched uranium fuel compacts for the transient reactor test facility: A preliminary study

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

Kane, J. J.; van Rooyen, I. J.; Craft, A. E.

In this study, 3-D image analysis when combined with a non-destructive examination technique such as X-ray computed tomography (CT) provides a highly quantitative tool for the investigation of a material’s structure. In this investigation 3-D image analysis and X-ray CT were combined to analyze the microstructure of a preliminary subsized fuel compact for the Transient Reactor Test Facility’s low enriched uranium conversion program to assess the feasibility of the combined techniques for use in the optimization of the fuel compact fabrication process. The quantitative image analysis focused on determining the size and spatial distribution of the surrogate fuel particles andmore » the size, shape, and orientation of voids within the compact. Additionally, the maximum effect of microstructural features on heat transfer through the carbonaceous matrix of the preliminary compact was estimated. The surrogate fuel particles occupied 0.8% of the compact by volume with a log-normal distribution of particle sizes with a mean diameter of 39 μm and a standard deviation of 16 μm. Roughly 39% of the particles had a diameter greater than the specified maximum particle size of 44 μm suggesting that the particles agglomerate during fabrication. The local volume fraction of particles also varies significantly within the compact although uniformities appear to be evenly dispersed throughout the analysed volume. The voids produced during fabrication were on average plate-like in nature with their major axis oriented perpendicular to the compaction direction of the compact. Finally, the microstructure, mainly the large preferentially oriented voids, may cause a small degree of anisotropy in the thermal diffusivity within the compact. α∥/α⊥, the ratio of thermal diffusivities parallel to and perpendicular to the compaction direction are expected to be no less than 0.95 with an upper bound of 1.« less

Evaluating quantitative 3-D image analysis as a design tool for low enriched uranium fuel compacts for the transient reactor test facility: A preliminary study

DOE PAGES

Kane, J. J.; van Rooyen, I. J.; Craft, A. E.; ...

2016-02-05

In this study, 3-D image analysis when combined with a non-destructive examination technique such as X-ray computed tomography (CT) provides a highly quantitative tool for the investigation of a material’s structure. In this investigation 3-D image analysis and X-ray CT were combined to analyze the microstructure of a preliminary subsized fuel compact for the Transient Reactor Test Facility’s low enriched uranium conversion program to assess the feasibility of the combined techniques for use in the optimization of the fuel compact fabrication process. The quantitative image analysis focused on determining the size and spatial distribution of the surrogate fuel particles andmore » the size, shape, and orientation of voids within the compact. Additionally, the maximum effect of microstructural features on heat transfer through the carbonaceous matrix of the preliminary compact was estimated. The surrogate fuel particles occupied 0.8% of the compact by volume with a log-normal distribution of particle sizes with a mean diameter of 39 μm and a standard deviation of 16 μm. Roughly 39% of the particles had a diameter greater than the specified maximum particle size of 44 μm suggesting that the particles agglomerate during fabrication. The local volume fraction of particles also varies significantly within the compact although uniformities appear to be evenly dispersed throughout the analysed volume. The voids produced during fabrication were on average plate-like in nature with their major axis oriented perpendicular to the compaction direction of the compact. Finally, the microstructure, mainly the large preferentially oriented voids, may cause a small degree of anisotropy in the thermal diffusivity within the compact. α∥/α⊥, the ratio of thermal diffusivities parallel to and perpendicular to the compaction direction are expected to be no less than 0.95 with an upper bound of 1.« less

Investigating the galactic Supernova Remnant Kes 78 with XMM-Newton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miceli, M.; Bamba, A.; Orlando, S.; Bocchino, F.

2016-06-01

The galactic supernova remnant Kes 78 is associated with a HESS gamma-ray source and its X-ray emission has been recently revealed by Suzaku observations which have found indications for a hard X-ray component in the spectra. We analyzed an XMM-Newton EPIC observation of Kes 78 and studied the spatial distribution of the physical and chemical properties of the X-ray emitting plasma. The EPIC data unveiled a very complex morphology for the soft X-ray emission. We performed image analysis and spatially resolved spectral analysis finding indications for the interaction of the remnant with a local molecular cloud. Finally, we investigated the origin of the hard X-ray emitting component.

Investigating the Galactic supernova remnant Kes 78 with XMM-Newton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miceli, Marco; Bamba, Aya; Orlando, Salvatore; Bocchino, Fabrizio

2016-06-01

The galactic supernova remnant Kes 78 is associated with a HESS gamma-ray source and its X-ray emission has been recently revealed by Suzaku observations which have found indications for a hard X-ray component in the spectra. We analyzed an XMM-Newton EPIC observation of Kes 78 and studied the spatial distribution of the physical and chemical properties of the X-ray emitting plasma. The EPIC data unveiled a very complex morphology for the soft X-ray emission. We performed image analysis and spatially resolved spectral analysis finding indications for the interaction of the remnant with a local molecular cloud. Finally, we investigated the origin of the hard X-ray emitting component.

The Peculiar X-ray Transient IGR 16358-4726

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patel, S. K.; Kouveliotou, C.; Tennant, A. F.; Woods, P. M.; King, A.; Ubertini, P.; Winkler, C.; Courvoisier, T.; VanDerKlis, M.; Wachter, S.

2003-01-01

The new transient IGR 16358-4726 was discovered on 2003 March 19 with INTEGRAL. We detected the source serendipitously during our 2003 March 24 observation of SGR 1627 - 4lwith the Chandra X-ray observatory at the 1.7 x 10(exp -l0) ergs/s sq cm flux level ( 2-10 keV) with a very high absorption column (N_H = 3.3 x 10(exp 23)/sq cm and a hard power law spectrum of index 0.5(1). We discovered a very strong flux modulation with a period of 5880(50) s and peak-to-peak pulse fraction of 70(6)% (2-10 keV), clearly visible in the X-ray data. The nature of IGR 16358-4726 remains unresolved. The only neutron star systems known with similar spin periods are low luminosity persistent wind-fed pulsars; if this is a spin period, this transient is a new kind of object. If this is an orbital period, then the system could be a compact Low Mass X-ray Binary (LMXB).

Optical Density Analysis of X-Rays Utilizing Calibration Tooling to Estimate Thickness of Parts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grau, David

2012-01-01

This process is designed to estimate the thickness change of a material through data analysis of a digitized version of an x-ray (or a digital x-ray) containing the material (with the thickness in question) and various tooling. Using this process, it is possible to estimate a material's thickness change in a region of the material or part that is thinner than the rest of the reference thickness. However, that same principle process can be used to determine the thickness change of material using a thinner region to determine thickening, or it can be used to develop contour plots of an entire part. Proper tooling must be used. An x-ray film with an S-shaped characteristic curve or a digital x-ray device with a product resulting in like characteristics is necessary. If a film exists with linear characteristics, this type of film would be ideal; however, at the time of this reporting, no such film has been known. Machined components (with known fractional thicknesses) of a like material (similar density) to that of the material to be measured are necessary. The machined components should have machined through-holes. For ease of use and better accuracy, the throughholes should be a size larger than 0.125 in. (.3 mm). Standard components for this use are known as penetrameters or image quality indicators. Also needed is standard x-ray equipment, if film is used in place of digital equipment, or x-ray digitization equipment with proven conversion properties. Typical x-ray digitization equipment is commonly used in the medical industry, and creates digital images of x-rays in DICOM format. It is recommended to scan the image in a 16-bit format. However, 12-bit and 8-bit resolutions are acceptable. Finally, x-ray analysis software that allows accurate digital image density calculations, such as Image-J freeware, is needed. The actual procedure requires the test article to be placed on the raw x-ray, ensuring the region of interest is aligned for perpendicular x-ray exposure capture. One or multiple machined components of like material/ density with known thicknesses are placed atop the part (preferably in a region of nominal and non-varying thickness) such that exposure of the combined part and machined component lay-up is captured on the x-ray. Depending on the accuracy required, the machined component fs thickness must be carefully chosen. Similarly, depending on the accuracy required, the lay-up must be exposed such that the regions of the x-ray to be analyzed have a density range between 1 and 4.5. After the exposure, the image is digitized, and the digital image can then be analyzed using the image analysis software.

Cosmic Ray and Tev Gamma Ray Generation by Quasar Remnants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boldt, Elihu; Loewenstein, Michael; White, Nicholas E. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Results from new broadband (radio to X-ray) high-resolution imaging studies of the dormant quasar remnant cores of nearby giant elliptical galaxies are now shown to permit the harboring of compact dynamos capable of generating the highest energy cosmic ray particles and associated curvature radiation of TeV photons. Confirmation would imply a global inflow of interstellar gas all the way to the accretion powered supermassive black hole at the center of the host galaxy.

The 2010 ILSO-ISRU Field Test at Mauna Kea, Hawaii: Results from the Miniaturised Mossbauer Spectrometers Mimos II and Mimos IIA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klingelhoefer, G.; Morris, R. V.; Blumers, M.; Bernhardt, B.; Graff, T.

2011-01-01

For the advanced Moessbauer instrument MIMOS IIA, the new detector technologies and electronic components increase sensitivity and performance significantly. In combination with the high energy resolution of the SDD it is possible to perform X-ray fluorescence analysis simultaneously to Moessbauer spectroscopy. In addition to the Fe-mineralogy, information on the sample's elemental composition will be gathered. The ISRU 2010 field campaign demonstrated that in-situ Moessbauer spectroscopy is an effective tool for both science and feedstock exploration and process monitoring. Engineering tests showed that a compact nickel metal hydride battery provided sufficient power for over 12 hr of continuous operation for the MIMOS instruments.

Empirical studies of solar flares: Comparison of X-ray and H alpha filtergrams and analysis of the energy balance of the X-ray plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, R. L.

1979-01-01

The physics of solar flares was investigated through a combined analysis of X-ray filtergrams of the high temperature coronal component of flares and H alpha filtergrams of the low temperature chromospheric component. The data were used to study the magnetic field configuration and its changes in solar flares, and to examine the chromospheric location and structure of X-ray bright points (XPB) and XPB flares. Each topic and the germane data are discussed. The energy balance of the thermal X-ray plasma in flares, while not studied, is addressed.

BEaTriX, expanded x-ray beam facility for testing modular elements of telescope optics: an update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelliciari, C.; Spiga, D.; Bonnini, E.; Buffagni, E.; Ferrari, C.; Pareschi, G.; Tagliaferri, G.

2015-09-01

We present in this paper an update on the design of BEaTriX (Beam Expander Testing X-ray facility), an X-ray apparatus to be realized at INAF/OAB and that will generate an expanded, uniform and parallel beam of soft X-rays. BEaTriX will be used to perform the functional tests of X-ray focusing modules of large X-ray optics such as those for the ATHENA X-ray observatory, using the Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) as a baseline technology, and Slumped Glass Optics (SGO) as a possible alternative. Performing the tests in X-rays provides the advantage of an in-situ, at-wavelength quality control of the optical modules produced in series by the industry, performing a selection of the modules with the best angular resolution, and, in the case of SPOs, there is also the interesting possibility to align the parabolic and the hyperbolic stacks directly under X-rays, to minimize the aberrations. However, a parallel beam with divergence below 2 arcsec is necessary in order to measure mirror elements that are expected to reach an angular resolution of about 4 arcsec, since the ATHENA requirement for the entire telescope is 5 arcsec. Such a low divergence over the typical aperture of modular optics would require an X-ray source to be located in a several kilometers long vacuum tube. In contrast, BEaTriX will be compact enough (5 m x 14 m) to be housed in a small laboratory, will produce an expanded X-ray beam 60 mm x 200 mm broad, characterized by a very low divergence (1.5 arcsec HEW), strong polarization, high uniformity, and X-ray energy selectable between 1.5 keV and 4.5 keV. In this work we describe the BEaTriX layout and show a performance simulation for the X-ray energy of 4.5 keV.

The Elusive Soft Emission from Hard X-ray Symbiotic System RT Cru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karovska, Margarita

2014-09-01

RT Cru is a fascinating member of a new class of hard X-ray emitting symbiotic binaries showing X-ray emission extending to over 50keV. While its hard X-ray emission has been studied in detail, the soft component of the spectrum, including flares, remains elusive, since previous observations have focused on the high-energy regime. We propose Chandra HRC-S/LETG observations to determine the spatial, spectral, and temporal characteristics of the source of the soft X-ray emission with a goal to establish the origin of the soft component, and determine whether and how it is tied to the hard component. Determining the origin of the soft emission is a crucial piece of the puzzle to understanding the geometry, energetics, and the environment of WD accretion in this class of symbiotic systems.

X-ray Generation in Strongly Nonlinear Plasma Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiselev, S.; Pukhov, A.; Kostyukov, I.

2004-09-01

We show that a laser wake field in the “bubble” regime [

Development of all-solid-state flash x-ray generator with photoconductive semiconductor switches.

PubMed

Xun, Ma; Jianjun, Deng; Hongwei, Liu; Jianqiang, Yuan; Jinfeng, Liu; Bing, Wei; Yanling, Qing; Wenhui, Han; Lingyun, Wang; Pin, Jiang; Hongtao, Li

2014-09-01

A compact, low-jitter, and high repetitive rate all-solid-state flash x-ray generator making use of photo conductive semiconductor switches was developed recently for the diagnostic purpose of some hydrokinetical experiments. The generator consisted of twelve stages of Blumlein pulse forming networks, and an industrial cold cathode diode was used to generate intense x-ray radiations with photon energy up to 220 keV. Test experiments showed that the generator could produce >1 kA electron beam currents and x-ray pulses with ~40 ns duration under 100 Hz repetitive rates at least (limited by the triggering laser on hand), also found was that the delay time of the cathode explosive emission is crucial to the energy transfer efficiency of the whole system. In addition, factors affecting the diode impedance, how the switching synchronization and diode impedance determining the allowable operation voltage were discussed.

Compact laser accelerators for X-ray phase-contrast imaging

PubMed Central

Najmudin, Z.; Kneip, S.; Bloom, M. S.; Mangles, S. P. D.; Chekhlov, O.; Dangor, A. E.; Döpp, A.; Ertel, K.; Hawkes, S. J.; Holloway, J.; Hooker, C. J.; Jiang, J.; Lopes, N. C.; Nakamura, H.; Norreys, P. A.; Rajeev, P. P.; Russo, C.; Streeter, M. J. V.; Symes, D. R.; Wing, M.

2014-01-01

Advances in X-ray imaging techniques have been driven by advances in novel X-ray sources. The latest fourth-generation X-ray sources can boast large photon fluxes at unprecedented brightness. However, the large size of these facilities means that these sources are not available for everyday applications. With advances in laser plasma acceleration, electron beams can now be generated at energies comparable to those used in light sources, but in university-sized laboratories. By making use of the strong transverse focusing of plasma accelerators, bright sources of betatron radiation have been produced. Here, we demonstrate phase-contrast imaging of a biological sample for the first time by radiation generated by GeV electron beams produced by a laser accelerator. The work was performed using a greater than 300 TW laser, which allowed the energy of the synchrotron source to be extended to the 10–100 keV range. PMID:24470414

High resolution tip-tilt positioning system for a next generation MLL-based x-ray microscope

DOE PAGES

Xu, Weihe; Schlossberger, Noah; Xu, Wei; ...

2017-11-15

Multilayer Laue lenses (MLLs) are x-ray focusing optics with the potential to focus hard x-rays down to a single nanometer level. In order to achieve point focus, an MLL microscope needs to have the capability to perform tip-tilt motion of MLL optics and to hold the angular position for an extended period of time. Here, we present a 2D tip-tilt system that can achieve an angular resolution of over 100 microdegree with a working range of 4°, by utilizing a combination of laser interferometer and mini retroreflector. The linear dimensions of the developed system are about 30 mm in allmore » directions, and the thermal dissipation of the system during operation is negligible. Compact design and high angular resolution make the developed system suitable for MLL optics alignment in the next generation of MLL-based x-ray microscopes.« less

Design and performance of an X-ray scanning microscope at the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe beamline of NSLS-II

DOE PAGES

Nazaretski, E.; Yan, H.; Lauer, K.; ...

2017-10-05

A hard X-ray scanning microscope installed at the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe beamline of the National Synchrotron Light Source II has been designed, constructed and commissioned. The microscope relies on a compact, high stiffness, low heat dissipation approach and utilizes two types of nanofocusing optics. It is capable of imaging with ~15 nm × 15 nm spatial resolution using multilayer Laue lenses and 25 nm × 26 nm resolution using zone plates. Fluorescence, diffraction, absorption, differential phase contrast, ptychography and tomography are available as experimental techniques. The microscope is also equipped with a temperature regulation system which allows the temperature ofmore » a sample to be varied in the range between 90 K and 1000 K. The constructed instrument is open for general users and offers its capabilities to the material science, battery research and bioscience communities.« less

X-ray phase-contrast imaging at 100 keV on a conventional source

PubMed Central

Thüring, T.; Abis, M.; Wang, Z.; David, C.; Stampanoni, M.

2014-01-01

X-ray grating interferometry is a promising imaging technique sensitive to attenuation, refraction and scattering of the radiation. Applications of this technique in the energy range between 80 and 150 keV pose severe technical challenges, and are still mostly unexplored. Phase-contrast X-ray imaging at such high energies is of relevant scientific and industrial interest, in particular for the investigation of strongly absorbing or thick materials as well as for medical imaging. Here we show the successful implementation of a Talbot-Lau interferometer operated at 100 keV using a conventional X-ray tube and a compact geometry, with a total length of 54 cm. We present the edge-on illumination of the gratings in order to overcome the current fabrication limits. Finally, the curved structures match the beam divergence and allow a large field of view on a short and efficient setup. PMID:24903579

Design and performance of an X-ray scanning microscope at the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe beamline of NSLS-II

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

Nazaretski, E.; Yan, H.; Lauer, K.

A hard X-ray scanning microscope installed at the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe beamline of the National Synchrotron Light Source II has been designed, constructed and commissioned. The microscope relies on a compact, high stiffness, low heat dissipation approach and utilizes two types of nanofocusing optics. It is capable of imaging with ~15 nm × 15 nm spatial resolution using multilayer Laue lenses and 25 nm × 26 nm resolution using zone plates. Fluorescence, diffraction, absorption, differential phase contrast, ptychography and tomography are available as experimental techniques. The microscope is also equipped with a temperature regulation system which allows the temperature ofmore » a sample to be varied in the range between 90 K and 1000 K. The constructed instrument is open for general users and offers its capabilities to the material science, battery research and bioscience communities.« less

High resolution tip-tilt positioning system for a next generation MLL-based x-ray microscope

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

Xu, Weihe; Schlossberger, Noah; Xu, Wei

Multilayer Laue lenses (MLLs) are x-ray focusing optics with the potential to focus hard x-rays down to a single nanometer level. In order to achieve point focus, an MLL microscope needs to have the capability to perform tip-tilt motion of MLL optics and to hold the angular position for an extended period of time. Here, we present a 2D tip-tilt system that can achieve an angular resolution of over 100 microdegree with a working range of 4°, by utilizing a combination of laser interferometer and mini retroreflector. The linear dimensions of the developed system are about 30 mm in allmore » directions, and the thermal dissipation of the system during operation is negligible. Compact design and high angular resolution make the developed system suitable for MLL optics alignment in the next generation of MLL-based x-ray microscopes.« less

A compact and versatile tender X-ray single-shot spectrometer for online XFEL diagnostics.

PubMed

Rehanek, Jens; Milne, Christopher J; Szlachetko, Jakub; Czapla-Masztafiak, Joanna; Schneider, Jörg; Huthwelker, Thomas; Borca, Camelia N; Wetter, Reto; Patthey, Luc; Juranić, Pavle

2018-01-01

One of the remaining challenges for accurate photon diagnostics at X-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) is the shot-to-shot, non-destructive, high-resolution characterization of the FEL pulse spectrum at photon energies between 2 keV and 4 keV, the so-called tender X-ray range. Here, a spectrometer setup is reported, based on the von Hamos geometry and using elastic scattering as a fingerprint of the FEL-generated spectrum. It is capable of pulse-to-pulse measurement of the spectrum with an energy resolution (ΔE/E) of 10 -4 , within a bandwidth of 2%. The Tender X-ray Single-Shot Spectrometer (TXS) will grant to experimental scientists the freedom to measure the spectrum in a single-shot measurement, keeping the transmitted beam undisturbed. It will enable single-shot reconstructions for easier and faster data analysis.

Compact double-bunch x-ray free electron lasers for fresh bunch self-seeding and harmonic lasing

DOE PAGES

Emma, C.; Feng, Y.; Nguyen, D. C.; ...

2017-03-03

This study presents a novel method to improve the longitudinal coherence, efficiency and maximum photon energy of x-ray free electron lasers (XFELs). The method is equivalent to having two separate concatenated XFELs. The first uses one bunch of electrons to reach the saturation regime, generating a high power self-amplified spontaneous emission x-ray pulse at the fundamental and third harmonic. The x-ray pulse is filtered through an attenuator/monochromator and seeds a different electron bunch in the second FEL, using the fundamental and/or third harmonic as an input signal. In our method we combine the two XFELs operating with two bunches, separatedmore » by one or more rf cycles, in the same linear accelerator. We discuss the advantages and applications of the proposed system for present and future XFELs.« less

Can a Bright and Energetic X-Ray Pulsar Be Hiding Amid the Debris of SN 1987A?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esposito, Paolo; Rea, Nanda; Lazzati, Davide; Matsuura, Mikako; Perna, Rosalba; Pons, José A.

2018-04-01

The mass of the stellar precursor of supernova (SN) 1987A and the burst of neutrinos observed at the moment of the explosion are consistent with the core-collapse formation of a neutron star. However, no compelling evidence for the presence of a compact object of any kind in SN 1987A has been found yet in any band of the electromagnetic spectrum, prompting questions on whether the neutron star survived and, if it did, on its properties. Beginning with an analysis of recent Chandra observations, here we appraise the current observational situation. We derived limits on the X-ray luminosity of a compact object with a nonthermal, Crab-pulsar-like spectrum of the order of ≈(1–5) × 1035 erg s‑1, corresponding to limits on the rotational energy loss of a possible X-ray pulsar in SN 1987A of ≈(0.5–1.5) × 1038 erg s‑1. However, a much brighter X-ray source cannot be excluded if, as is likely, it is enshrouded in a cloud of absorbing matter with a metallicity similar to that expected in the outer layers of a massive star toward the end of its life. We found that other limits obtained from various arguments and observations in other energy ranges either are unbinding or allow a similar maximum luminosity of the order of ≈1035 erg s‑1. We conclude that while a pulsar alike the one in the Crab Nebula in both luminosity and spectrum is hardly compatible with the observations, there is ample space for an “ordinary” X-ray-emitting young neutron star, born with normal initial spin period, temperature, and magnetic field, to be hiding inside the evolving remnant of SN 1987A.

High-mass X-ray binary populations. 1: Galactic modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dalton, William W.; Sarazin, Craig L.

1995-01-01

Modern stellar evolutionary tracks are used to calculate the evolution of a very large number of massive binary star systems (M(sub tot) greater than or = 15 solar mass) which cover a wide range of total masses, mass ratios, and starting separations. Each binary is evolved accounting for mass and angular momentum loss through the supernova of the primary to the X-ray binary phase. Using the observed rate of star formation in our Galaxy and the properties of massive binaries, we calculate the expected high-mass X-ray binary (HMXRB) population in the Galaxy. We test various massive binary evolutionary scenarios by comparing the resulting HMXRB predictions with the X-ray observations. A major goal of this study is the determination of the fraction of matter lost from the system during the Roche lobe overflow phase. Curiously, we find that the total numbers of observable HMXRBs are nearly independent of this assumed mass-loss fraction, with any of the values tested here giving acceptable agreement between predicted and observed numbers. However, comparison of the period distribution of our HMXRB models with the observed period distribution does reveal a distinction among the various models. As a result of this comparison, we conclude that approximately 70% of the overflow matter is lost from a massive binary system during mass transfer in the Roche lobe overflow phase. We compare models constructed assuming that all X-ray emission is due to accretion onto the compact object from the donor star's wind with models that incorporate a simplified disk accretion scheme. By comparing the results of these models with observations, we conclude that the formation of disks in HMXRBs must be relatively common. We also calculate the rate of formation of double degenerate binaries, high velocity detached compact objects, and Thorne-Zytkow objects.

Probing the mysteries of the X-ray binary 4U 1210-64 with ASM, PCA, MAXI, BAT, and Suzaku

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

Coley, Joel B.; Corbet, Robin H. D.; Mukai, Koji

2014-10-01

4U 1210-64 has been postulated to be a high-mass X-ray binary powered by the Be mechanism. X-ray observations with Suzaku, the ISS Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI), and the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer Proportional Counter Array (PCA) and All Sky Monitor (ASM) provide detailed temporal and spectral information on this poorly understood source. Long-term ASM and MAXI observations show distinct high and low states and the presence of a 6.7101 ± 0.0005 day modulation, interpreted as the orbital period. Folded light curves reveal a sharp dip, interpreted as an eclipse. To determine the nature of the mass donor, themore » predicted eclipse half-angle was calculated as a function of inclination angle for several stellar spectral types. The eclipse half-angle is not consistent with a mass donor of spectral type B5 V; however, stars with spectral types B0 V or B0-5 III are possible. The best-fit spectral model consists of a power law with index Γ = 1.85{sub −0.05}{sup +0.04} and a high-energy cutoff at 5.5 ± 0.2 keV modified by an absorber that fully covers the source as well as partially covering absorption. Emission lines from S XVI Kα, Fe Kα, Fe XXV Kα, and Fe XXVI Kα were observed in the Suzaku spectra. Out of eclipse, the Fe Kα line flux was strongly correlated with unabsorbed continuum flux, indicating that the Fe I emission is the result of fluorescence of cold dense material near the compact object. The Fe I feature is not detected during eclipse, further supporting an origin close to the compact object.« less

On the physical parameters for Centaurus X-3 and Hercules X-1.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccluskey, G. E., Jr.; Kondo, Y.

1972-01-01

It is shown how upper and lower limits on the physical parameters of X-ray sources in Centaurus X-3 and Hercules X-1 may be determined from a reasonably simple and straightforward consideration. The basic assumption is that component A (the non-X-ray emitting component) is not a star collapsing toward its Schwartzschild radius (i.e., a black hole). This assumption appears reasonable since component A (the radius of the central occulting star) appears to physically occult component X. If component A is a 'normal' star, both observation and theory indicate that its mass is not greater than about 60 solar masses. The possibility in which component X is either a neutron star or a white dwarf is considered.

NUSTAR and Suzaku x-ray spectroscopy of NGC 4151: Evidence for reflection from the inner accretion disk

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

Keck, M. L.; Brenneman, L. W.; Ballantyne, D. R.

We present X-ray timing and spectral analyses of simultaneous 150 ks Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and Suzaku X-ray observations of the Seyfert 1.5 galaxy NGC 4151. We disentangle the continuum emission, absorption, and reflection properties of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) by applying inner accretion disk reflection and absorption-dominated models. With a time-averaged spectral analysis, we find strong evidence for relativistic reflection from the inner accretion disk. We find that relativistic emission arises from a highly ionized inner accretion disk with a steep emissivity profile, which suggests an intense, compact illuminating source. We find a preliminary, near-maximal black hole spinmore » $$a\\gt 0.9$$ accounting for statistical and systematic modeling errors. We find a relatively moderate reflection fraction with respect to predictions for the lamp post geometry, in which the illuminating corona is modeled as a point source. Through a time-resolved spectral analysis, we find that modest coronal and inner disk reflection (IDR) flux variation drives the spectral variability during the observations. We discuss various physical scenarios for the IDR model and we find that a compact corona is consistent with the observed features.« less

Hard X-Ray Footprint Source Sized

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dennis, Brian R.; Kontar, E. P.

2010-01-01

RHESSI has detected compact hard (25 - 100 keV) X-ray sources that are <4 arcseconds (FWHM) in extent for certain flares (Dennis and Pernak (2009). These sources are believed to be at magnetic loop footpoints that are known from observations at other wavelengths to be very small. Flare ribbons seen in the W with TRACE, for example, are approx. 1 arcsecond in width, and white light flares show structure at the approx. 1 arcsecond level. However, Kontar and Jeffrey (2010) have shown that the measured extent should be >6 arcseconds, even if the X-ray emitting thick-target source is point-like. This is because of the strong albedo contribution in the measured energy range for a source located at the expected altitude of 1 Mm near the top of the chromosphere. This discrepancy between observations and model predictions may indicate that the source altitude is significantly lower than assumed or that the RHESSI image reconstruction procedures are not sensitive to the more diffuse albedo patch in the presence of a strong compact source. Results will be presented exploring the latter possibility using the Pixon image reconstruction procedure and other methods based on visibilities.

NuSTAR and Suzaku X-ray Spectroscopy of NGC 4151: Evidence for Reflection from the Inner Accretion Disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keck, M. L.; Brenneman, L. W.; Ballantyne, D. R.; Bauer, F.; Boggs, S. E.; Christensen, F. E.; Craig, W. W.; Dauser, T.; Elvis, M.; Fabian, A. C.; Fuerst, F.; García, J.; Grefenstette, B. W.; Hailey, C. J.; Harrison, F. A.; Madejski, G.; Marinucci, A.; Matt, G.; Reynolds, C. S.; Stern, D.; Walton, D. J.; Zoghbi, A.

2015-06-01

We present X-ray timing and spectral analyses of simultaneous 150 ks Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and Suzaku X-ray observations of the Seyfert 1.5 galaxy NGC 4151. We disentangle the continuum emission, absorption, and reflection properties of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) by applying inner accretion disk reflection and absorption-dominated models. With a time-averaged spectral analysis, we find strong evidence for relativistic reflection from the inner accretion disk. We find that relativistic emission arises from a highly ionized inner accretion disk with a steep emissivity profile, which suggests an intense, compact illuminating source. We find a preliminary, near-maximal black hole spin a\\gt 0.9 accounting for statistical and systematic modeling errors. We find a relatively moderate reflection fraction with respect to predictions for the lamp post geometry, in which the illuminating corona is modeled as a point source. Through a time-resolved spectral analysis, we find that modest coronal and inner disk reflection (IDR) flux variation drives the spectral variability during the observations. We discuss various physical scenarios for the IDR model and we find that a compact corona is consistent with the observed features.

Observation and modeling of deflagration-to-detonation (DDT) transition in low-density HMX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tringe, Joseph; Vandersall, Kevin; Reaugh, Jack; Levie, Harold; Henson, Bryan; Smilowitz, Laura; Parker, Gary

2015-06-01

We employ simultaneous flash x-ray radiography and streak imaging, together with a multi-phase finite element model, to understand deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) phenomena in low-density (~ 1.2 gm/cm3) powder of the explosive cyclotetramethylene-tetranitramine (HMX). HMX powder was lightly hand-tamped in a 12.7 mm diameter column, relatively lightly-confined in an optically-transparent polycarbonate cylinder with wall thickness 25.4 mm. We observe apparent compaction of the powder in advance of the detonation transition, both by x-ray contrast and by the motion of small steel spheres pre-emplaced throughout the length of explosive. High-speed imaging along the explosive cylinder length provides a temporally continuous record of the transition that is correlated with the high-resolution x-ray image record. Preliminary simulation of these experiments with the HERMES model implemented in the ALE3D code enables improved understanding of the explosive particle burning, compaction and detonation phenomena which are implied by the observed reaction rate and transition location within the cylinder. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

The Nano-X Linear Accelerator: A Compact and Economical Cancer Radiotherapy System Incorporating Patient Rotation.

PubMed

Eslick, Enid M; Keall, Paul J

2015-10-01

Rapid technological improvements in radiotherapy delivery results in improved outcomes to patients, yet current commercial systems with these technologies on board are costly. The aim of this study was to develop a state-of-the-art cancer radiotherapy system that is economical and space efficient fitting with current world demands. The Nano-X system is a compact design that is light weight combining a patient rotation system with a vertical 6 MV fixed beam. In this paper, we present the Nano-X system design configuration, an estimate of the system dimensions and its potential impact on shielding cost reductions. We provide an assessment of implementing such a radiotherapy system clinically, its advantages and disadvantages compared to a compact conventional gantry rotating linac. The Nano-X system has several differentiating features from current radiotherapy systems, it is [1] compact and therefore can fit into small vaults, [2] light weight, and [3] engineering efficient, i.e., it rotates a relatively light component and the main treatment delivery components are not under rotation (e.g., DMLCs). All these features can have an impact on reducing the costs of the system. In terms of shielding requirements, leakage radiation was found to be the dominant contributor to the Nano-X vault and as such no primary shielding was necessary. For a low leakage design, the Nano-X vault footprint and concrete volume required is 17 m2 and 35 m3 respectively, compared to 54 m2 and 102 m3 for a conventional compact linac vault, resulting in decreased costs in shielding. Key issues to be investigated in future work are the possible patient comfort concerns associated with the patient rotation system, as well as the magnitude of deformation and subsequent adaptation requirements. © The Author(s) 2014.

Analysis of the Central X-ray Source in DG Tau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, P. Christian; Schmitt, Jürgen H. M. M.

As a stellar X-ray source DG Tau shows two rather unusual features: A resolved X-ray jet [2] and an X-ray spectrum best described by two thermal components with different absorbing column densities, a so called "two-absorber X-ray (TAX)" morphology [1, 2]. In an effort to understand the properties of the central X-ray source in DG Tau a detailed position analysis was carried out.

Effectiveness of X-ray grating interferometry for non-destructive inspection of packaged devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uehara, Masato; Yashiro, Wataru; Momose, Atsushi

2013-10-01

It is difficult to inspect packaged devices such as IC packages and power modules because the devices contain various components, such as semiconductors, metals, ceramics, and resin. In this paper, we demonstrated the effectiveness of X-ray grating interferometry (XGI) using a laboratory X-ray tube for the industrial inspection of packaged devices. The obtained conventional absorption image showed heavy-elemental components such as metal wires and electrodes, but the image did not reveal the defects in the light-elemental components. On the other hand, the differential phase-contrast image obtained by XGI revealed microvoids and scars in the encapsulant of the samples. The visibility contrast image also obtained by XGI showed some cracks in the ceramic insulator of power module sample. In addition, the image showed the silicon plate surrounded by the encapsulant having the same X-ray absorption coefficient. While these defects and components are invisible in the conventional industrial X-ray imaging, XGI thus has an attractive potential for the industrial inspection of the packaged devices.

Discovery of a 105-ms X-ray Pulsar in Kesteven-79: On the Nature of Compact Central Objects in Supernova Remnants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gotthelf, E. V.; Halpern, J. P.; Seward, F. D.

2005-01-01

We report the discovery of 105-ms X-ray pulsations from the compact central object (CCO) in the supernova remnant \\snr\\ using data acquired with the {\\it Newton X-Ray Multi-Mirror Mission). Using two observations of the pulsar taken 6-days apart we derive an upper limit on its spin-down rate of $\\dot P < 9 \\times 10"{-14}$-s-${-l)$,a nd find no evidence for binary orbital motion. The implied energy loss rate is $\\dot E < 3 \\times 10A{36)$-ergs-s$A{-1)$, polar magnetic field strength is $B-{\\rm p) < 3 \\times 10A{12)$-G, and spin-down age is $\\tau > 18.5$-kyr. The latter exceeds the remnant's estimated age, suggesting that the pulsar was born spinning near its current period. The X-ray spectrum of \\psr\\ is best characterized as a blackbody of temperature $kT {BB) =, 0.43\\pm0.02$ keV, radius $R-{BB) \\approx 1.3$-km, and $I{\\rm bol) = 5.2 \\times 10A{33)$ ergs-sSA{-1)$ at $d = 7.1$-kpc. The sinusoidal light curve is modulated with a pulsed fraction of $>45\\%$, suggestive of a small hot spot on the surface of the rotating neutron star. The lack of a discernible pulsar wind nebula is consistent with an interpretation of \\psr\\ as a rotation-powered pulsar whose spin-down luminosity falls below the empirical threshold for generating bright wind nebulae, $\\dot E-{\\rm c) = 4 \\times 10A{36)$-ergs-sSA{-I)$. The age discrepancy suggests that its $\\dot E$ has always been below $\\dot E c$, perhaps a distinguishing property of the CCOs. Alternatively, the X-ray spectrum of \\psr\\ suggests a low-luminosity AXP, but the weak inferred $B-{\\rm p)$ field is incompatible with a magnetar theory of its X-ray luminosity. The ordinary spin parameters discovered from \\psr\\ highlight the inability of existing theories to explain the high luminosities and temperatures of CCO thermal X-ray spectra.

The Swift Supergiant Fast X-ray Transient Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romano, P.; Barthelmy, S.; Bozzo, E.; Burrows, D.; Ducci, L.; Esposito, P.; Evans, P.; Kennea, J.; Krimm, H.; Vercellone, S.

2017-10-01

We present the Swift Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients project, a systematic study of SFXTs and classical supergiant X-ray binaries (SGXBs) through efficient long-term monitoring of 17 sources including SFXTs and classical SGXBs across more than 4 orders of magnitude in X-ray luminosity on timescales from hundred seconds to years. We derived dynamic ranges, duty cycles, and luminosity distributions to highlight systematic differences that help discriminate between different theoretical models proposed to explain the differences between the wind accretion processes in SFXTs and classical SGXBs. Our follow-ups of the SFXT outbursts provide a steady advancement in the comprehension of the mechanisms triggering the high X-ray level emission of these sources. In particular, the observations of the outburst of the SFXT prototype IGR J17544-2619, when the source reached a peak X-ray luminosity of 3×10^{38} erg s^{-1}, challenged for the first time the maximum theoretical luminosity achievable by a wind-fed neutron star high mass X-ray binary. We propose that this giant outburst was due to the formation of a transient accretion disc around the compact object. We also created a catalogue of over 1000 BAT flares which we use to predict the observability and perspectives with future missions.

The X-ray background contributed by QSOs ejected from galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burbidge, G.; Hoyle, F.

1996-01-01

The X-ray background can be explained as coming from the integrated effect of X-ray emitting quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) ejected from spiral galaxies. The model developed to interpret the observations is summarized. The redshift of the QSOs consisted of an intrinsic component and of a cosmological component. The QSOs have a spatial density proportional to that of normal galaxies.

ROSAT PSPC observations of two X-ray-faint early-type galaxies: NGC 4365 and NGC 4382

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fabbiano, G.; Kim, D.-W.; Trinchieri, G.

1994-01-01

We present the results of ROSAT Positive Sensitive Proportional Counter (PSPC) observations of the two early-type galaxies NGC 4365 and NGC 4382. These galaxies are among those observed with Einstein to have the lowest X-ray to optical flux ratios of early-type galaxies. The PSCP data show that for radii r greater than 50 arcsec the radial distributions of the X-ray surface brightness are consistent with the optical distributions of King (1978). We also find that these galaxies have X-ray spectra significantly different from those observed in X-ray-bright ellipticals, with a relative excess of counts detected in the softest spectral channels. This confirms earlier Einstein results. The characteristics of the ROSAT PSPC do not allow us to discriminate between possible spectral models. If we adopt a two-component thermal model on the grounds of physical plausibility, we find that the spectral data can be fitted with a very soft optically thin component, with kT approximately 0.2 keV, and a hard component with kT greater than (1.0-1.5) keV. The hard component has a luminosity consistent with that expected from the integrated emission of a population of low mass-X-ray binaries in these galaxies; the nature of the very soft component is more speculative. Candidates include the coronal emission of late-type stars, supersoft X-ray sources, RS CVn, and perhaps a hot Interstellar Medium (ISM). Alternatively, the spectal data may be fitted with a 0.6-1 keV bremsstrahlung spectrum (expontential plus Gaunt), and may suggest the presence of a totally new population of X-ray sources.

Neutron star evolution and emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Epstein, R. I.; Edwards, B. C.; Haines, T. J.

1997-01-01

This is the final report of a three-year, Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The authors investigated the evolution and radiation characteristics of individual neutron stars and stellar systems. The work concentrated on phenomena where new techniques and observations are dramatically enlarging the understanding of stellar phenomena. Part of this project was a study of x-ray and gamma-ray emission from neutron stars and other compact objects. This effort included calculating the thermal x-ray emission from young neutron stars, deriving the radio and gamma-ray emission from active pulsars and modeling intense gamma-ray bursts in distant galaxies. They also measured periodic optical and infrared fluctuations from rotating neutron stars and search for high-energy TeV gamma rays from discrete celestial sources.

Compact Empirical Mode Decomposition: An Algorithm to Reduce Mode Mixing, End Effect, and Detrend Uncertainty

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

2, . . . , L), G1 = F1(x (ext) 1 , x (ext) 2 , . . . , x (ext) L ). (18) Similarly, GN is a function of (x (ext) l , l = M , M − 1, . . . , M − L+ 1...EMD and EEMD. Since the observational data contain errors, four time series sm(ti) ( m = 1, 2, 3) are constructed each by a signal [components of (25...three-point non-uniform combined compact difference scheme. J. Comput. Phys., 148: 663–674. Huang, N. E., Shen, Z., Long, S . R., Wu, M . C., Shih, H. H

A Compact X-Ray System for Support of High Throughput Crystallography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ciszak, Ewa; Gubarev, Mikhail; Gibson, Walter M.; Joy, Marshall K.; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Standard x-ray systems for crystallography rely on massive generators coupled with optics that guide X-ray beams onto the crystal sample. Optics for single-crystal diffractometry include total reflection mirrors, polycapillary optics or graded multilayer monochromators. The benefit of using polycapillary optic is that it can collect x-rays over tile greatest solid angle, and thus most efficiently, utilize the greatest portion of X-rays emitted from the Source, The x-ray generator has to have a small anode spot, and thus its size and power requirements can be substantially reduced We present the design and results from the first high flux x-ray system for crystallography that combine's a microfocus X-ray generator (40microns FWHM Spot size at a power of 45 W) and a collimating, polycapillary optic. Diffraction data collected from small test crystals with cell dimensions up to 160A (lysozyme and thaumatin) are of high quality. For example, diffraction data collected from a lysozyme crystal at RT yielded R=5.0% for data extending to 1.70A. We compare these results with measurements taken from standard crystallographic systems. Our current microfocus X-ray diffraction system is attractive for supporting crystal growth research in the standard crystallography laboratory as well as in remote, automated crystal growth laboratory. Its small volume, light-weight, and low power requirements are sufficient to have it installed in unique environments, i.e.. on-board International Space Station.

Synthesis and study of photovoltaic performance on various photoelectrode materials for DSSCs: Optimization of compact layer on nanometer thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surya, Subramanian; Thangamuthu, Rangasamy; Senthil Kumar, Sakkarapalayam Murugesan; Murugadoss, Govindhasamy

2017-02-01

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have gained widespread attention in recent years because of their low production costs, ease of fabrication process and tuneable optical properties, such as colour and transparency. In this work, we explored a strategy wherein nanoparticles of pure TiO2, TiO2sbnd SnO2 nanocomposite, Sn (10%) doped TiO2 and SnO2 synthesized by the simple chemical precipitation method were employed as photoelectrodes to enhance the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of solar cells. The nanoparticles were characterized by different characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM with EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution electron microscopy (HR-TEM), UV-Visible absorbance (UV-vis), photoluminescence (PL), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. Moreover, we also demonstrated the effect of thin compact layer in DSSCs by architecture with various precursor materials of different concentrations. We found that the optimized compact layer material TDIP (titanium diisopropoxide) with a concentration of 0.3 M % is produced the highest efficiency of 2.25% for Sn (10%) doped TiO2 electron transport material (ETM) and 4.38% was achieved for pure TiO2 ETM using SnCl2 compact layer with 0.1 M concentrations.

Characterization of the crystal structure, kinematics, stresses and rotations in angular granular quartz during compaction

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

Hurley, Ryan C.; Herbold, Eric B.; Pagan, Darren C.

Three-dimensional X-ray diffraction (3DXRD), a method for quantifying the position, orientation and elastic strain of large ensembles of single crystals, has recently emerged as an important tool for studying the mechanical response of granular materials during compaction. Applications have demonstrated the utility of 3DXRD and X-ray computed tomography (XRCT) for assessing strains, particle stresses and orientations, inter-particle contacts and forces, particle fracture mechanics, and porosity evolution in situ . Although past studies employing 3DXRD and XRCT have elucidated the mechanics of spherical particle packings and angular particle packings with a small number of particles, there has been limited effort tomore » date in studying angular particle packings with a large number of particles and in comparing the mechanics of these packings with those composed of a large number of spherical particles. Therefore, the focus of the present paper is on the mechanics of several hundred angular particles during compaction using in situ 3DXRD to study the crystal structure, kinematics, stresses and rotations of angular quartz grains. Comparisons are also made between the compaction response of angular grains and that of spherical grains, and stress-induced twinning within individual grains is discussed.« less

Characterization of the crystal structure, kinematics, stresses and rotations in angular granular quartz during compaction

DOE PAGES

Hurley, Ryan C.; Herbold, Eric B.; Pagan, Darren C.

2018-06-28

Three-dimensional X-ray diffraction (3DXRD), a method for quantifying the position, orientation and elastic strain of large ensembles of single crystals, has recently emerged as an important tool for studying the mechanical response of granular materials during compaction. Applications have demonstrated the utility of 3DXRD and X-ray computed tomography (XRCT) for assessing strains, particle stresses and orientations, inter-particle contacts and forces, particle fracture mechanics, and porosity evolution in situ . Although past studies employing 3DXRD and XRCT have elucidated the mechanics of spherical particle packings and angular particle packings with a small number of particles, there has been limited effort tomore » date in studying angular particle packings with a large number of particles and in comparing the mechanics of these packings with those composed of a large number of spherical particles. Therefore, the focus of the present paper is on the mechanics of several hundred angular particles during compaction using in situ 3DXRD to study the crystal structure, kinematics, stresses and rotations of angular quartz grains. Comparisons are also made between the compaction response of angular grains and that of spherical grains, and stress-induced twinning within individual grains is discussed.« less

Results from the solar maximum mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dennis, B. R.

1986-01-01

The major results from SMM (Solar Max Mission) are presented as they relate to the understanding of the energy release and particle transportation processes that led to the high energy X-ray aspects of solar flares. Evidence is reviewed for a 152- to 158-day periodicity in various aspects of solar activity including the rate of occurrence of hard X-ray and gamma-ray flares. The statistical properties of over 7000 hard X-ray flares detected with the Hard X-Ray Burst Spectrometer are presented including the spectrum of peak rates and the distribution of the photo number spectrum. A flare classification scheme is used to divide flares into three different types. Type A flares have purely thermal, compact sources with very steep hard X-ray spectra. Type B flares are impulsive bursts which show double footpoints in hard X-rays, and soft-hard-soft spectral evolution. Type C flares have gradually varying hard X-ray and microwave fluxes from high altitudes and show hardening of the X-ray spectrum through the peak and on the decay. SSM data are presented for examples of Type B and Type C events. New results are presented showing coincident hard X rays, O V, and UV continuum observations in Type B events with a time resolution of 128 ms. The subsecond variations in the hard X-ray flux during 10% of the stronger events are discussed and the fastest observed variation in a time of 20 ms is presented. The properties of Type C flares are presented as determined primarily from the non-imaged hard X-ray and microwave spectral data. A model based on the association of Type C flares and coronal mass ejections is presented to explain many of the characteristics of these gradual flares.

Tidal tearing of circumstellar disks in Be/X-ray and gamma-ray binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okazaki, Atsuo T.

2017-11-01

About one half of high-mass X-ray binaries host a Be star [an OB star with a viscous decretion (slowly outflowing) disk]. These Be/X-ray binaries exhibit two types of X-ray outbursts (Stella et al. 1986), normal X-ray outbursts (L X~1036-37 erg s-1) and occasional giant X-ray outbursts (L X > 1037 erg s-1). The origin of giant X-ray outbursts is unknown. On the other hand, a half of gamma-ray binaries have a Be star as the optical counterpart. One of these systems [LS I +61 303 (P orb = 26.5 d)] shows the superorbital (1,667 d) modulation in radio through X-ray bands. No consensus has been obtained for its origin. In this paper, we study a possibility that both phenomena are caused by a long-term, cyclic evolution of a highly misaligned Be disk under the influence of a compact object, by performing 3D hydrodynamic simulations. We find that the Be disk cyclically evolves in mildly eccentric, short-period systems. Each cycle consists of the following stages: 1) As the Be disk grows with time, the initially circular disk becomes eccentric by the Kozai-Lidov mechanism. 2) At some point, the disk is tidally torn off near the base and starts precession. 3) Due to precession, a gap opens between the disk base and mass ejection region, which allows the formation of a new disk in the stellar equatorial plane (see Figure 1). 4) The newly formed disk finally replaces the precessing old disk. Such a cyclic disk evolution has interesting implications for the long-term behavior of high energy emission in Be/X-ray and gamma-ray binaries.

Component analyses of urinary nanocrystallites of uric acid stone formers by combination of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, fast Fourier transformation, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Sun, Xin-Yuan; Xue, Jun-Fa; Xia, Zhi-Yue; Ouyang, Jian-Ming

2015-06-01

This study aimed to analyse the components of nanocrystallites in urines of patients with uric acid (UA) stones. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), fast Fourier transformation (FFT) of HRTEM, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were performed to analyse the components of these nanocrystallites. XRD and FFT showed that the main component of urinary nanocrystallites was UA, which contains a small amount of calcium oxalate monohydrate and phosphates. EDS showed the characteristic absorption peaks of C, O, Ca and P. The formation of UA stones was closely related to a large number of UA nanocrystallites in urine. A combination of HRTEM, FFT, EDS and XRD analyses could be performed accurately to analyse the components of urinary nanocrystallites.

Hybrid setup for micro- and nano-computed tomography in the hard X-ray range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fella, Christian; Balles, Andreas; Hanke, Randolf; Last, Arndt; Zabler, Simon

2017-12-01

With increasing miniaturization in industry and medical technology, non-destructive testing techniques are an area of ever-increasing importance. In this framework, X-ray microscopy offers an efficient tool for the analysis, understanding, and quality assurance of microscopic samples, in particular as it allows reconstructing three-dimensional data sets of the whole sample's volume via computed tomography (CT). The following article describes a compact X-ray microscope in the hard X-ray regime around 9 keV, based on a highly brilliant liquid-metal-jet source. In comparison to commercially available instruments, it is a hybrid that works in two different modes. The first one is a micro-CT mode without optics, which uses a high-resolution detector to allow scans of samples in the millimeter range with a resolution of 1 μm. The second mode is a microscope, which contains an X-ray optical element to magnify the sample and allows resolving 150 nm features. Changing between the modes is possible without moving the sample. Thus, the instrument represents an important step towards establishing high-resolution laboratory-based multi-mode X-ray microscopy as a standard investigation method.

Sub-micrometer resolution proximity X-ray microscope with digital image registration

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

Chkhalo, N. I.; Salashchenko, N. N.; Sherbakov, A. V., E-mail: SherbakovAV@ipm.sci-nnov.ru

A compact laboratory proximity soft X-ray microscope providing submicrometer spatial resolution and digital image registration is described. The microscope consists of a laser-plasma soft X-ray radiation source, a Schwarzschild objective to illuminate the test sample, and a two-coordinate detector for image registration. Radiation, which passes through the sample under study, generates an absorption image on the front surface of the detector. Optical ceramic YAG:Ce was used to convert the X-rays into visible light. An image was transferred from the scintillator to a charge-coupled device camera with a Mitutoyo Plan Apo series lens. The detector’s design allows the use of lensesmore » with numerical apertures of NA = 0.14, 0.28, and 0.55 without changing the dimensions and arrangement of the elements of the device. This design allows one to change the magnification, spatial resolution, and field of view of the X-ray microscope. A spatial resolution better than 0.7 μm and an energy conversion efficiency of the X-ray radiation with a wavelength of 13.5 nm into visible light collected by the detector of 7.2% were achieved with the largest aperture lens.« less

Ultrafast Time-Resolved Hard X-Ray Emission Spectroscopy on a Tabletop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miaja-Avila, Luis; O'Neil, Galen C.; Joe, Young I.; Alpert, Bradley K.; Damrauer, Niels H.; Doriese, William B.; Fatur, Steven M.; Fowler, Joseph W.; Hilton, Gene C.; Jimenez, Ralph; Reintsema, Carl D.; Schmidt, Daniel R.; Silverman, Kevin L.; Swetz, Daniel S.; Tatsuno, Hideyuki; Ullom, Joel N.

2016-07-01

Experimental tools capable of monitoring both atomic and electronic structure on ultrafast (femtosecond to picosecond) time scales are needed for investigating photophysical processes fundamental to light harvesting, photocatalysis, energy and data storage, and optical display technologies. Time-resolved hard x-ray (>3 keV ) spectroscopies have proven valuable for these measurements due to their elemental specificity and sensitivity to geometric and electronic structures. Here, we present the first tabletop apparatus capable of performing time-resolved x-ray emission spectroscopy. The time resolution of the apparatus is better than 6 ps. By combining a compact laser-driven plasma source with a highly efficient array of microcalorimeter x-ray detectors, we are able to observe photoinduced spin changes in an archetypal polypyridyl iron complex [Fe (2 ,2'-bipyridine)3]2 + and accurately measure the lifetime of the quintet spin state. Our results demonstrate that ultrafast hard x-ray emission spectroscopy is no longer confined to large facilities and now can be performed in conventional laboratories with 10 times better time resolution than at synchrotrons. Our results are enabled, in part, by a 100- to 1000-fold increase in x-ray collection efficiency compared to current techniques.

The Swift X-Ray Te1escope: Status and Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burrows, David N.; Kennea, J.A.; Abbey, A.F.; Beardmore, A.; Campana, S.; Capalbi, M.; Chincarini, G.; Cusumano, G.; Evans, P.A.; Hill, J.E.;

Fast plasma discharge capillary design as a high power throughput soft x-ray emission source.

PubMed

Wyndham, E S; Favre, M; Valdivia, M P; Valenzuela, J C; Chuaqui, H; Bhuyan, H

2010-09-01

We present the experimental details and results from a low energy but high repetition rate compact plasma capillary source for extreme ultraviolet and soft x-ray research and applications. Two lengths of capillary are mounted in two versions of a closely related design. The discharge operates in 1.6 and 3.2 mm inner diameter alumina capillaries of lengths 21 and 36 mm. The use of water both as dielectric and as coolant simplifies the compact low inductance design with nanosecond discharge periods. The stored electrical energy of the discharge is approximately 0.5 J and is provided by directly charging the capacitor plates from an inexpensive insulated-gate bipolar transistor in 1 μs or less. We present characteristic argon spectra from plasma between 30 and 300 Å as well as temporally resolved x-ray energy fluence in discrete bands on axis. The spectra also allow the level of ablated wall material to be gauged and associated with useful capillary lifetime according to the chosen configuration and energy storage. The connection between the electron beams associated with the transient hollow cathode mechanism, soft x-ray output, capillary geometry, and capillary lifetime is reported. The role of these e-beams and the plasma as measured on-axis is discussed. The relation of the electron temperature and the ionization stages observed is discussed in the context of some model results of ionization in a non-Maxwellian plasma.

MAGNETAR-LIKE ACTIVITY FROM THE CENTRAL COMPACT OBJECT IN THE SNR RCW103

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

Rea, N.; Borghese, A.; Esposito, P.

2016-09-01

The 6.67 hr periodicity and the variable X-ray flux of the central compact object (CCO) at the center of the supernova remnant RCW 103, named 1E 161348–5055, have been always difficult to interpret within the standard scenarios of an isolated neutron star (NS) or a binary system. On 2016 June 22, the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) on board Swift detected a magnetar-like short X-ray burst from the direction of 1E 161348–5055, also coincident with a large long-term X-ray outburst. Here, we report on Chandra , Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array , and Swift (BAT and XRT) observations of this peculiar sourcemore » during its 2016 outburst peak. In particular, we study the properties of this magnetar-like burst, we discover a hard X-ray tail in the CCO spectrum during outburst, and we study its long-term outburst history (from 1999 to 2016 July). We find the emission properties of 1E 161348–5055 consistent with it being a magnetar. However, in this scenario, the 6.67 hr periodicity can only be interpreted as the rotation period of this strongly magnetized NS, which therefore represents the slowest pulsar ever detected, by orders of magnitude. We briefly discuss the viable slow-down scenarios, favoring a picture involving a period of fall-back accretion after the supernova explosion, similarly to what is invoked (although in a different regime) to explain the “anti-magnetar” scenario for other CCOs.« less

Probing the Environment of Accreting Compact Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanke, Manfred

2011-04-01

X-ray binaries are the topic of this thesis. They consist of a compact object -- a black hole or a neutron star -- and an ordinary star, which loses matter to the compact object. The gravitational energy released through this process of mass accretion is largely converted into X-rays. The latter are used in the present work to screen the environment of the compact object. The main focus in the case of a massive star is on its wind, which is not homogeneous, but may display structures in form of temperature and density variations. Since great importance is, in multiple respects, attached to stellar winds in astrophysics, there is large interest in general to understand these structures more thoroughly. In particular for X-ray binaries, whose compact object obtains matter from the wind of its companion star, the state of the wind can decisively influence mass accretion and its related radiation processes. A detailed introduction to the fundamentals of stellar winds, compact objects, accretion and radiation processes in X-ray binaries, as well as to the employed instruments and analysis methods, is given in chapter 1. The focus of this investigation is on Cygnus X-1, a binary system with a black hole and a blue supergiant, which form a persistently very bright X-ray source because of accretion from the stellar wind. It had been known for a long time that this source -- when the black hole is seen through the dense stellar wind -- often displays abrupt absorption events whose origin is suspected to be in clumps in the wind. More detailed physical properties of these clumps and of the wind in general are explored in this work. Observations that were specifically acquired for this study, as well as archival data from different satellite observatories, are analyzed in view of signatures of the wind and its fine structures. These results are presented in chapter 2. In a first part of the analysis, the statistical distribution of the brightness of Cyg X-1, as measured since 1996 with the RXTE satellite's all-sky monitor, is investigated in the context of the binary system's orbital phase. The stellar wind is here noticed via absorption of the soft X-radiation. This analysis has not only shown that the mean column density in the wind is -- as already known -- larger along lines of sight passing close by the star, but also that the wind is more clumpy there. The evaluation of more than 2 000 spectra from RXTE's proportional counter, taken within 14.5 years and mostly in the framework of a monitoring campaign, has lead to the same result. Compared to previous studies, the accuracy of the measurements could be improved by a careful investigation of the quality of the low-energy spectrum, which was required to register the scatter due to the clumpiness. In the next part, several high-resolution X-ray sepectra were analyzed, which were recorded with the gratings spectrometer of the highly requested Chandra satellite. The modulation of the absorption could, for the first time, be ascribed to the highly ionized wind, which has consequences for its quantitative interpretation due to the reduced cross sections compared to neutral absorption. Moreover, the acceleration of the wind with increasing distance from the star could be demonstrated, which constitutes an important observational evidence in terms of the wind structure. A conjecture published in 2008, according to which no wind might develop in the ionized environment of the X-ray source, is therewith disproved. By means of spectroscopy of strong absorption events, it was for the first time unequivocally demonstrated that these can be ascribed to a shift of the ionization balance to less strongly ionized gas, due to the enhanced density of the clumps. The increase of the column density of lower ionization stages is also confirmed by the spectroscopic analysis of the contemporaneous observation with the XMM-Newton satellite. Since these simultaneous observations were, in the framework of the largest observational campaign to date, accompanied by all available X-ray satellites, the effect of the absorption events on hard X-rays could be investigated as well. A flux reduction was detected in light curves at high energies, not affected by absorption, which coincides with the time of the strongest absorption event. This effect could be confirmed by time resolved spectroscopy of the XMM data, and be interpreted as due to scattering on a fully ionized cloud. The evolution of the light curve constitutes therefore a tomography of this cloud, and reveals further structure in the stellar wind. The strong absorption event is caused by the cloud's core, which is sufficiently dense that its ionization balance is shifted. Results from the analysis of another source are briefly presented in chapter 3. For the X-ray binary system LMC X-1 in the Large Magellanic Cloud, six spectra have been analyzed in view of their absorption. A connection with the orbital phase was suggested, which indicates absorption by material within the system itself. Concluding this thesis, the detailed results are summarized and discussed in chapter 4, and an outlook on future research possibilities is given.

X-Ray Flare Characteristics in lambda Eridani

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Myron A.

1997-01-01

This proposal was for a joint X-ray/ultraviolet/ground-based study of the abnormal Be star lambda Eri, which has previously shown evidence of X-ray flaring from ROSAT observations in 1991. The X-ray component consisted of observations from both the ASCA and ROSAT satellites.

X-Ray Flare Characteristics in Lambda Eridani

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Myron A.

1997-01-01

This proposal was for a joint X-ray/ultraviolet/ground-based study of the abnormal Be star lambda Eri, which has previously shown evidence of X-ray flaring from ROSAT observations in 1991. The X-ray component consisted of observations from both the ASCA and ROSAT satellites.

High-temperature oxidation of advanced FeCrNi alloy in steam environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elbakhshwan, Mohamed S.; Gill, Simerjeet K.; Rumaiz, Abdul K.; Bai, Jianming; Ghose, Sanjit; Rebak, Raul B.; Ecker, Lynne E.

2017-12-01

Alloys of iron-chromium-nickel are being explored as alternative cladding materials to improve safety margins under severe accident conditions. Our research focuses on non-destructively investigating the oxidation behavior of the FeCrNi alloy "Alloy 33" using synchrotron-based methods. The evolution and structure of oxide layer formed in steam environments were characterized using X-ray diffraction, hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence methods and scanning electron microscopy. Our results demonstrate that a compact and continuous oxide scale was formed consisting of two layers, chromium oxide and spinel phase (FeCr2O4) oxides, wherein the concentration of the FeCr2O4 phase decreased from the surface to the bulk-oxide interface.

Handbook of X-Ray Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnaud, Keith A. (Editor); Smith, Randall K.; Siemiginowska, Aneta

2011-01-01

X-ray astronomy was born in the aftermath of World War II as military rockets were repurposed to lift radiation detectors above the atmosphere for a few minutes at a time. These early flights detected and studied X-ray emission from the Solar corona. The first sources beyond the Solar System were detected during a rocket flight in 1962 by a team headed by Riccardo Giaccom at American Science and Engineering, a company founded by physicists from MIT. The rocket used Geiger counters with a system designed to reduce non-X-ray backgrounds and collimators limiting the region of sky seen by the counters. As the rocket spun, the field of view (FOV) happened to pass over what was later found to be the brightest non-Solar X-ray source; later designated See X-1. It also detected a uniform background glow which could not be resolved into individual sources. A follow-up campaign using X-ray detectors with better spatial resolution and optical telescopes identified See X-1 as an interacting binary with a compact (neutron star) primary. This success led to further suborbital rocket flights by a number of groups. More X-ray binaries were discovered, as well as X-ray emission from supernova remnants, the radio galaxies M87 and Cygnus-A, and the Coma cluster. Detectors were improved and Geiger counters were replaced by proportional counters, which provided information about energy spectra of the sources. A constant challenge was determining precise positions of sources as only collimators were available.

Broadband X-Ray Spectra of GX 339-4 and the Geometry of Accreting Black Holes in the Hard State

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tomsick; Kalemci; Kaaret; Markoff; Corbel; Migliari; Fender; Bailyn; Buxton

2008-01-01

A major question in the study of black hole binaries involves our understanding of the accretion geometry when the sources are in the "hard" state. In this state, the X-ray energy spectrum is dominated by a hard power-law component and radio observations indicate the presence of a steady and powerful "compact" jet. Although the common hard state picture is that the accretion disk is truncated, perhaps at hundreds of gravitational radii (R(sub g)) from the black hole, recent results for the recurrent transient GX 339-4 by Miller and co-workers show evidence for optically thick material very close to the black hole's innermost stable circular orbit. That work focused on an observation of GX 339-4 at a luminosity of about 5% of the Eddington limit (L(sub Edd)) and used parameters from a relativistic reflection model and the presence of a soft, thermal component as diagnostics. In this work, we use similar diagnostics, but extend the study to lower luminosities (2.3% and 0.8% L(sub Edd)) using Swift and RXTE observations of GX 339-4. We detect a thermal component with an inner disk temperature of approx.0.2 keV at 2.3% L(sub Edd). At 0.8% L(sub Edd), the spectrum is consistent with the presence of such a component, but the component is not required with high confidence. At both luminosities, we detect broad features due to iron Ka that are likely related to reflection of hard X-rays off the optically thick material. If these features are broadened by relativistic effects, they indicate that optically thick material resides within 10 R(sub g) down to 0.8% L(sub Edd), and the measurements are consistent with the inner radius of the disk remaining at approx.4 R(sub g) down to this level. However, we also discuss an alternative model for the broadening, and we note that the evolution of the thermal component is not entirely consistent with the constant inner radius interpretation. Finally, we discuss the results in terms of recent theoretical work by Liu and co-workers on the possibility that material may condense out of an Advection-Dominated Accretion Flow to maintain an inner optically thick disk.

Nonthermal electron-positron pairs and cold matter in the central engines of active galactic nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zdziarski, Andrzej A.

1992-01-01

The nonthermal e(+/-) pair model of the central engine of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is discussed. The model assumes that nonthermal e(+/-) pairs are accelerated to highly relativistic energies in a compact region close to the central black hole and in the vicinity of some cold matter. The model has a small number of free parameters and explains a large body of AGN observations from EUV to soft gamma-rays. In particular, the model explains the existence of the UV bump, the soft X-rays excess, the canonical hard X-ray power law, the spectral hardening above about 10 keV, and some of the variability patterns in the soft and hard X-rays. In addition, the model explains the spectral steepening above about 50 keV seen in NGC 4151.

Integration of high power laser diodes with microoptical components in a compact pumping source for visible fiber laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goering, Rolf; Hoefer, Bernd; Kraeplin, Anke; Schreiber, Peter; Kley, Ernst-Bernhard; Schmeisser, Volkmar

1999-04-01

A novel technique, the so-called skew ray imaging concept, has been developed for beam transformation of high power diode laser bars. It leads to beam circularization with optimum brightness conservation. This concept uses two key microoptical components: a fast axis collimator microlens (FAC) of high isoplanatism and a special array of beam deflecting elements, the number of which corresponds to the single emitter number of the diode laser. Using this concept of skew ray imaging in a modified form, prototypes of pumping sources for visible fiber laser have been developed and built up. Several watts of optical power have been focused into a small spot of 25 micrometers with a numerical aperture of 0.35. GRIN cylindrical microlenses with 0.1 mm focal length and diffractive blazed gratings as redirector have been used. The grating periods of the redirector sections have been between 8 and 100 (mu) M. They have been produced by e-beam direct writing in resist. After optimization of the fabrication process the diffraction efficiencies of al sections have been beyond 86 percent with good reproducibility. Special techniques have been sued for system integration. The FAC microlenses have been attached to a copper lens holder with a subsequent gluing process of the holder to the laser diode heatsink. A UV-curable adhesive with extremely low shrinkage has been selected. The redirector element has been integrated with an additional possibility for lateral adjustment in order to compensate minor residual walk-off effects of the microlens when the laser power is varied from zero to maximum. A very compact pumping source of 3 inches X 1 inch X 1 inch dimensions has been realized with 5 W optical power in the desired spot. First diode pumped fiber laser operation in the visible has been demonstrated with this source.

THz-pump and X-ray-probe sources based on an electron linac

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setiniyaz, Sadiq; Park, Seong Hee; Kim, Hyun Woo; Vinokurov, Nikolay A.; Jang, Kyu-Ha; Lee, Kitae; Baek, In Hyung; Jeong, Young Uk

2017-11-01

We describe a compact THz-pump and X-ray-probe beamline, based on an electron linac, for ultrafast time-resolved diffraction applications. Two high-energy electron (γ > 50) bunches, 5 ns apart, impinge upon a single-foil or multifoil radiator and generate THz radiation and X-rays simultaneously. The THz pulse from the first bunch is synchronized to the X-ray beam of the second bunch by using an adjustable optical delay of a THz pulse. The peak power of THz radiation from the multifoil radiator is estimated to be 0.14 GW for a 200 pC well-optimized electron bunch. GEANT4 simulations show that a carbon foil with a thickness of 0.5-1.0 mm has the highest yield of 10-20 keV hard X-rays for a 25 MeV beam, which is approximately 103 photons/(keV pC-electrons) within a few degrees of the polar angle. A carbon multifoil radiator with 35 foils (25 μm thick each) can generate close to 103 hard X-rays/(keV pC-electrons) within a 2° acceptance angle. With 200 pC charge and a 100 Hz repetition rate, we can generate 107 X-rays per 1 keV energy bin per second or 105 X-rays per 1 keV energy bin per pulse. The longitudinal time profile of an X-ray pulse ranges from 400 to 600 fs depending on the acceptance angle. The broadening of the time duration of an X-ray pulse is observed owing to its diverging effect. A double-crystal monochromator will be used to select and transport the desired X-rays to the sample. The heating of the radiators by an electron beam is negligible because of the low beam current.

Chromatin organization regulates viral egress dynamics

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

Aho, Vesa; Myllys, Markko; Ruokolainen, Visa

Various types of DNA viruses are known to elicit the formation of a large nuclear viral replication compartment and marginalization of the cell chromatin. We used three-dimensional soft x-ray tomography, confocal and electron microscopy, combined with numerical modelling of capsid diffusion to analyse the molecular organization of chromatin in herpes simplex virus 1 infection and its effect on the transport of progeny viral capsids to the nuclear envelope. Our data showed that the formation of the viral replication compartment at late infection resulted in the enrichment of heterochromatin in the nuclear periphery accompanied by the compaction of chromatin. Random walkmore » modelling of herpes simplex virus 1–sized particles in a three-dimensional soft x-ray tomography reconstruction of an infected cell nucleus demonstrated that the peripheral, compacted chromatin restricts viral capsid diffusion, but due to interchromatin channels capsids are able to reach the nuclear envelope, the site of their nuclear egress.« less

Jets in black-hole and neutron-star X-ray binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kylafis, Nikolaos

2016-07-01

Jets have been observed from both neutron-star and black-hole X-ray binaries. There are many similarities between the two and a few differences. I will offer a physical explanation of the formation and destruction of jets from compact objects and I will discuss the similarities and differences in the two types. The basic concept in the physical explanation is the Cosmic Battery, the mechanism that creates the required magnetic field for the jet ejection. The Cosmic Battery operates efficiently in accretion flows consisting of an inner hot flow and an outer thin accretion disk, independently of the nature of the compact object. It is therefore natural to always expect a jet in the right part of a spectral hardness - luminosity diagram and to never expect a jet in the left part. As a consequence, most of the phenomenology of an outburst can be explained with only one parameter, the mass accretion rate.

Chromatin organization regulates viral egress dynamics

DOE PAGES

Aho, Vesa; Myllys, Markko; Ruokolainen, Visa; ...

2017-06-16

Various types of DNA viruses are known to elicit the formation of a large nuclear viral replication compartment and marginalization of the cell chromatin. We used three-dimensional soft x-ray tomography, confocal and electron microscopy, combined with numerical modelling of capsid diffusion to analyse the molecular organization of chromatin in herpes simplex virus 1 infection and its effect on the transport of progeny viral capsids to the nuclear envelope. Our data showed that the formation of the viral replication compartment at late infection resulted in the enrichment of heterochromatin in the nuclear periphery accompanied by the compaction of chromatin. Random walkmore » modelling of herpes simplex virus 1–sized particles in a three-dimensional soft x-ray tomography reconstruction of an infected cell nucleus demonstrated that the peripheral, compacted chromatin restricts viral capsid diffusion, but due to interchromatin channels capsids are able to reach the nuclear envelope, the site of their nuclear egress.« less

Accreting neutron stars, black holes, and degenerate dwarf stars.

PubMed

Pines, D

1980-02-08

During the past 8 years, extended temporal and broadband spectroscopic studies carried out by x-ray astronomical satellites have led to the identification of specific compact x-ray sources as accreting neutron stars, black holes, and degenerate dwarf stars in close binary systems. Such sources provide a unique opportunity to study matter under extreme conditions not accessible in the terrestrial laboratory. Quantitative theoretical models have been developed which demonstrate that detailed studies of these sources will lead to a greatly increased understanding of dense and superdense hadron matter, hadron superfluidity, high-temperature plasma in superstrong magnetic fields, and physical processes in strong gravitational fields. Through a combination of theory and observation such studies will make possible the determination of the mass, radius, magnetic field, and structure of neutron stars and degenerate dwarf stars and the identification of further candidate black holes, and will contribute appreciably to our understanding of the physics of accretion by compact astronomical objects.

High energy power-law tail in X-ray binaries and bulk Comptonization due to an outflow from a disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Nagendra

2018-02-01

We study the high energy power-law tail emission of X-ray binaries (XRBs) by a bulk Comptonization process which is usually observed in the very high soft (VHS) state of black hole (BH) XRBs and the high soft (HS) state of the neutron star (NS) and BH XRBs. Earlier, to generate the power-law tail in bulk Comptonization framework, a free-fall converging flow into BH or NS had been considered as a bulk region. In this work, for a bulk region we consider mainly an outflow geometry from the accretion disk which is bounded by a torus surrounding the compact object. We have two choices for an outflow geometry: (i) collimated flow and (ii) conical flow of opening angle θ _b and the axis is perpendicular to the disk. We also consider an azimuthal velocity of the torus fluids as a bulk motion where the fluids are rotating around the compact object (a torus flow). We find that the power-law tail can be generated in a torus flow having large optical depth and bulk speed (>0.75 c), and in conical flow with θ _b > ˜ 30° for a low value of Comptonizing medium temperature. Particularly, in conical flow the low opening angle is more favourable to generate the power-law tail in both the HS state and the VHS state. We notice that when the outflow is collimated, then the emergent spectrum does not have power-law component for a low Comptonizing medium temperature.