Resolving Star Formation, Multiphase ISM Structure, and Wind Driving with MHD and RHD Models of Galactic Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ostriker, Eve

Current studies of star and galaxy formation have concluded that energetic feedback from young stars and supernovae (SNe) is crucial, both for controlling observed interstellar medium (ISM) properties and star formation rates in the Milky Way and other galaxies, and for driving galactic winds that govern the baryon abundance in dark matter halos. However, in many numerical studies of the ISM, energy inputs have not been implemented self-consistently with the evolving rate of gravitational collapse to make stars, or have considered only isolated star-forming clouds without a realistic galactic environment (including sheared rotation and externally-originating SNe), or have not directly incorporated radiation, magnetic, and chemical effects that are important or even dominant. In models of galaxy formation and evolution in the cosmic context, galactic winds are indispensable but highly uncertain as the physics of superbubble evolution and radiation-gas interactions cannot be resolved. Our central objectives are (1) to address the above limitations of current models, developing self-consistent simulations of the multiphase ISM in disk galaxies that resolve both star formation and stellar feedback, covering the range of scales needed to connect star cluster formation to galactic superwind ejection, and the range of environments from dwarfs to ULIRGs; and (2) to analyze the detailed properties of the gas, magnetic field, radiation field, and star formation/SNe in our simulations, including dependencies on local galactic disk environment, and to connect intrinsic properties with observable diagnostics. The proposed project will employ the Athena code for numerical magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) and radiation-hydrodynamic (RHD) simulations, using comprehensive physics modules that have been developed, tested, and demonstrated in sample simulations. We will consider local ``shearing box'' disk models with gas surface density Sigma = 2 - 10,000 Msun/pc^2, and a range of stellar

The Impact of Galactic Winds on the Angular Momentum of Disk Galaxies in the Illustris Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeFelippis, Daniel; Genel, Shy; Bryan, Greg L.; Fall, S. Michael

2017-05-01

Observed galactic disks have specific angular momenta similar to expectations for typical dark matter halos in ΛCDM. Cosmological hydrodynamical simulations have recently reproduced this similarity in large galaxy samples by including strong galactic winds, but the exact mechanism that achieves this is not yet clear. Here we present an analysis of key aspects contributing to this relation: angular momentum selection and evolution of Lagrangian mass elements as they accrete onto dark matter halos, condense into Milky-Way-scale galaxies, and join the z = 0 stellar phase. We contrast this evolution in the Illustris simulation with that in a simulation without galactic winds, where the z = 0 angular momentum is ≈ 0.6 {dex} lower. We find that winds induce differences between these simulations in several ways: increasing angular momentum, preventing angular momentum loss, and causing z = 0 stars to sample the accretion-time angular momentum distribution of baryons in a biased way. In both simulations, gas loses on average ≈ 0.4 {dex} between accreting onto halos and first accreting onto central galaxies. In Illustris, this is followed by ≈ 0.2 {dex} gains in the “galactic wind fountain” and no further net evolution past the final accretion onto the galaxy. Without feedback, further losses of ≈ 0.2 {dex} occur in the gas phase inside the galaxies. An additional ≈ 0.15 {dex} difference arises from feedback preferentially selecting higher angular momentum gas at accretion by expelling gas that is poorly aligned. These and additional effects of similar magnitude are discussed, suggesting a complex origin of the similarity between the specific angular momenta of galactic disks and typical halos.

THE ROLES OF RADIATION AND RAM PRESSURE IN DRIVING GALACTIC WINDS

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

Sharma, Mahavir; Nath, Biman B., E-mail: mahavir@rri.res.in, E-mail: biman@rri.res.in

We study gaseous outflows from disk galaxies driven by the combined effects of ram pressure on cold gas clouds and radiation pressure on dust grains. Taking into account the gravity due to disk, bulge, and dark matter halo, and assuming continuous star formation in the disk, we show that radiation or ram pressure alone is not sufficient to drive escaping winds from disk galaxies and that both processes contribute. We show that in the parameter space of star formation rate (SFR) and rotation speed of galaxies the wind speed in galaxies with rotation speeds v{sub c} {<=} 200 km s{supmore » -1} and SFR {<=} 100 M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1} has a larger contribution from ram pressure, and that in high-mass galaxies with large SFR radiation from the disk has a greater role in driving galactic winds. The ratio of wind speed to circular speed can be approximated as v{sub w} / v{sub c} {approx} 10{sup 0.7}, [SFR/50{sub Sun }yr{sup -1}]{sup 0.4} [v{sub c}/120 km s{sup -1}]{sup -1.25}. We show that this conclusion is borne out by observations of galactic winds at low and high redshift and also of circumgalactic gas. We also estimate the mass loading factors under the combined effect of ram and radiation pressure, and show that the ratio of mass-loss rate to SFR scales roughly as v{sup -1}{sub c}{Sigma}{sub g}{sup -1}, where {Sigma}{sub g} is the gas column density in the disk.« less

A VERSATILE FAMILY OF GALACTIC WIND MODELS

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

Bustard, Chad; Zweibel, Ellen G.; D’Onghia, Elena, E-mail: bustard@wisc.edu

2016-03-01

We present a versatile family of model galactic outflows including non-uniform mass and energy source distributions, a gravitational potential from an extended mass source, and radiative losses. The model easily produces steady-state wind solutions for a range of mass-loading factors, energy-loading factors, galaxy mass, and galaxy radius. We find that, with radiative losses included, highly mass-loaded winds must be driven at high central temperatures, whereas low mass-loaded winds can be driven at low temperatures just above the peak of the cooling curve, meaning radiative losses can drastically affect the wind solution even for low mass-loading factors. By including radiative losses,more » we are able to show that subsonic flows can be ignored as a possible mechanism for expelling mass and energy from a galaxy compared to the more efficient transonic solutions. Specifically, the transonic solutions with low mass loading and high energy loading are the most efficient. Our model also produces low-temperature, high-velocity winds that could explain the prevalence of low-temperature material in observed outflows. Finally, we show that our model, unlike the well-known Chevalier and Clegg model, can reproduce the observed linear relationship between wind X-ray luminosity and star formation rate (SFR) over a large range of SFR from 1–1000 M{sub ⊙} yr{sup −1} assuming the wind mass-loading factor is higher for low-mass, and hence, low-SFR galaxies. We also constrain the allowed mass-loading factors that can fit the observed X-ray luminosity versus SFR trend, further suggesting an inverse relationship between mass loading and SFR as explored in advanced numerical simulations.« less

Impact of red giant/AGB winds on active galactic nucleus jet propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perucho, M.; Bosch-Ramon, V.; Barkov, M. V.

2017-10-01

Context. Dense stellar winds may mass-load the jets of active galactic nuclei, although it is unclear on what time and spatial scales the mixing takes place. Aims: Our aim is to study the first steps of the interaction between jets and stellar winds, and also the scales on which the stellar wind mixes with the jet and mass-loads it. Methods: We present a detailed 2D simulation - including thermal cooling - of a bubble formed by the wind of a star designed to study the initial stages of jet-star interaction. We also study the first interaction of the wind bubble with the jet using a 3D simulation in which the star enters the jet. Stability analysis is carried out for the shocked wind structure to evaluate the distances over which the jet-dragged wind, which forms a tail, can propagate without mixing with the jet flow. Results.The 2D simulations point to quick wind bubble expansion and fragmentation after about one bubble shock crossing time. Three-dimensional simulations and stability analysis point to local mixing in the case of strong perturbations and relatively low density ratios between the jet and the jet dragged-wind, and to a possibly more stable shocked wind structure at the phase of maximum tail mass flux. Analytical estimates also indicate that very early stages of the star jet-penetration time may be also relevant for mass-loading. The combination of these and previous results from the literature suggests highly unstable interaction structures and efficient wind-jet flow mixing on the scale of the jet interaction height. Conclusions: The winds of stars with strong mass loss can efficiently mix with jets from active galactic nuclei. In addition, the initial wind bubble shocked by the jet leads to a transient, large interaction surface. The interaction between jets and stars can produce strong inhomogeneities within the jet. As mixing is expected to be effective on large scales, even individual asymptotic giant branch stars can significantly contribute to

Numerical Simulations of Multiphase Winds and Fountains from Star-forming Galactic Disks. I. Solar Neighborhood TIGRESS Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Chang-Goo; Ostriker, Eve C.

2018-02-01

Gas blown away from galactic disks by supernova (SN) feedback plays a key role in galaxy evolution. We investigate outflows utilizing the solar neighborhood model of our high-resolution, local galactic disk simulation suite, TIGRESS. In our numerical implementation, star formation and SN feedback are self-consistently treated and well resolved in the multiphase, turbulent, magnetized interstellar medium. Bursts of star formation produce spatially and temporally correlated SNe that drive strong outflows, consisting of hot (T> 5× {10}5 {{K}}) winds and warm (5050 {{K}}< T< 2× {10}4 {{K}}) fountains. The hot gas at distance d> 1 {kpc} from the midplane has mass and energy fluxes nearly constant with d. The hot flow escapes our local Cartesian box barely affected by gravity, and is expected to accelerate up to terminal velocity of {v}{wind}∼ 350{--}500 {km} {{{s}}}-1. The mean mass and energy loading factors of the hot wind are 0.1 and 0.02, respectively. For warm gas, the mean outward mass flux through d=1 {kpc} is comparable to the mean star formation rate, but only a small fraction of this gas is at velocity > 50 {km} {{{s}}}-1. Thus, the warm outflows eventually fall back as inflows. The warm fountain flows are created by expanding hot superbubbles at d< 1 {kpc}; at larger d neither ram pressure acceleration nor cooling transfers significant momentum or energy flux from the hot wind to the warm outflow. The velocity distribution at launching near d∼ 1 {kpc} is a better representation of warm outflows than a single mass loading factor, potentially enabling development of subgrid models for warm galactic winds in arbitrary large-scale galactic potentials.

An Axisymmetric, Hydrodynamical Model for the Torus Wind in Active Galactic Nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorodnitsyn, A.; Kallman, T.; Proga, D.

2008-01-01

We report on time-dependent axisymmetric simulations of an X-ray-excited flow from a parsec-scale, rotating, cold torus around an active galactic nucleus. Our simulations account for radiative heating and cooling and radiation pressure force. The simulations follow the development of a broad biconical outflow induced mainly by X-ray heating. We compute synthetic spectra predicted by our simulations. The wind characteristics and the spectra support the hypothesis that a rotationally supported torus can serve as the source of a wind which is responsible for the warm absorber gas observed in the X-ray spectra of many Seyfert galaxies.

The Propagation of Cosmic Rays from the Galactic Wind Termination Shock: Back to the Galaxy?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merten, Lukas; Bustard, Chad; Zweibel, Ellen G.; Becker Tjus, Julia

2018-05-01

Although several theories exist for the origin of cosmic rays (CRs) in the region between the spectral “knee” and “ankle,” this problem is still unsolved. A variety of observations suggest that the transition from Galactic to extragalactic sources occurs in this energy range. In this work, we examine whether a Galactic wind that eventually forms a termination shock far outside the Galactic plane can contribute as a possible source to the observed flux in the region of interest. Previous work by Bustard et al. estimated that particles can be accelerated to energies above the “knee” up to R max = 1016 eV for parameters drawn from a model of a Milky Way wind. A remaining question is whether the accelerated CRs can propagate back into the Galaxy. To answer this crucial question, we simulate the propagation of the CRs using the low-energy extension of the CRPropa framework, based on the solution of the transport equation via stochastic differential equations. The setup includes all relevant processes, including three-dimensional anisotropic spatial diffusion, advection, and corresponding adiabatic cooling. We find that, assuming realistic parameters for the shock evolution, a possible Galactic termination shock can contribute significantly to the energy budget in the “knee” region and above. We estimate the resulting produced neutrino fluxes and find them to be below measurements from IceCube and limits by KM3NeT.

Spatially resolved galactic wind in lensed galaxy RCSGA 032727-132609

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bordoloi, Rongmon; Rigby, Jane R.; Tumlinson, Jason; Bayliss, Matthew B.; Sharon, Keren; Gladders, Michael G.; Wuyts, Eva

2016-05-01

We probe the spatial distribution of outflowing gas along four lines of sight separated by up to 6 kpc in a gravitationally lensed star-forming galaxy at z = 1.70. Using Mg II and Fe II emission and absorption as tracers, we find that the clumps of star formation are driving galactic outflows with velocities of -170 to -250 km s-1. The velocities of Mg II emission are redshifted with respect to the systemic velocities of the galaxy, consistent with being back-scattered. By contrast, the Fe II fluorescent emission lines are either slightly blueshifted or at the systemic velocity of the galaxy. Taken together, the velocity structure of the Mg II and Fe II emission is consistent with arising through scattering in galactic winds. Assuming a thin shell geometry for the outflowing gas, the estimated masses carried out by these outflows are large (≳30-50 M⊙ yr- 1), with mass loading factors several times the star formation rate. Almost 20 per cent to 50 per cent of the blueshifted absorption probably escapes the gravitational potential of the galaxy. In this galaxy, the outflow is `locally sourced', that is, the properties of the outflow in each line of sight are dominated by the properties of the nearest clump of star formation; the wind is not global to the galaxy. The mass outflow rates and the momentum flux carried out by outflows in individual star-forming knots of this object are comparable to that of starburst galaxies in the local Universe.

Spatially Resolved Galactic Wind in Lensed Galaxy RCSGA 032727-132609

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bordoloi, Rongmon; Rigby, Jane R.; Tumlinson, Janson; Bayliss, Matthew B.; Sharon, Keren; Gladders, Michael G.; Wuyts, Eva

2016-01-01

We probe the spatial distribution of outflowing gas along four lines of sight separated by up to 6 kpc in a gravitationally lensed star-forming galaxy at z = 1.70. Using Mg II and Fe II emission and absorption as tracers, we find that the clumps of star formation are driving galactic outflows with velocities of - 170 to - 250 km/s. The velocities of Mg II emission are redshifted with respect to the systemic velocities of the galaxy, consistent with being backscattered. By contrast, the Fe II fluorescent emission lines are either slightly blueshifted or at the systemic velocity of the galaxy. Taken together, the velocity structure of the Mg II and Fe II emission is consistent with arising through scattering in galactic winds. Assuming a thin shell geometry for the outflowing gas, the estimated masses carried out by these outflows are large (approx 30-50 M/yr), with mass loading factors several times the star formation rate. Almost 20 per cent to 50 per cent of the blueshifted absorption probably escapes the gravitational potential of the galaxy. In this galaxy, the outflow is 'locally sourced', that is, the properties of the outflow in each line of sight are dominated by the properties of the nearest clump of star formation; the wind is not global to the galaxy. The mass outflow rates and the momentum flux carried out by outflows in individual star-forming knots of this object are comparable to that of starburst galaxies in the local Universe.

Galactic cosmic-ray mediation of a spherical solar wind flow. 1: The steady state cold gas hydrodynamical approximation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le Roux, J. A.; Ptuskin, V. S.

1995-01-01

Realistic models of the outer heliosphere should consider that the interstellar cosmic-ray pressure becomes comparable to pressures in the solar wind at distances more than 100 AU from the Sun. The cosmic-ray pressure dynamically affects solar wind flow through deceleration. This effect, which occurs over a scale length of the order of the effective diffusion length at large radial distances, has important implications for cosmic-ray modulation and acceleration. As a first step toward solution of this nonlinear problem, a steady state numerical model was developed for a relatively cold spherical solar wind flow which encounters the confining isotropic pressure of the surrounding Galactic medium. This pressure is assumed to be dominated by energetic particles (Galactic cosmic rays). The system of equations, which are solved self-consistently, includes the relevant hydrodynamical equations for the solar wind flow and the spherical cosmic-ray transport equation. To avoid the closure parameter problem of the two-fluid model, the latter equation is solved for the energy-dependent cosmic-ray distribution function.

A dynamical model for gas flows, star formation and nuclear winds in galactic centres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krumholz, Mark R.; Kruijssen, J. M. Diederik; Crocker, Roland M.

2017-04-01

We present a dynamical model for gas transport, star formation and winds in the nuclear regions of galaxies, focusing on the Milky Way's Central Molecular Zone (CMZ). In our model angular momentum and mass are transported by a combination of gravitational and bar-driven acoustic instabilities. In gravitationally unstable regions the gas can form stars, and the resulting feedback drives both turbulence and a wind that ejects mass from the CMZ. We show that the CMZ is in a quasi-steady state where mass deposited at large radii by the bar is transported inwards to a star-forming, ring-shaped region at ˜100 pc from the Galactic Centre, where the shear reaches a minimum. This ring undergoes episodic starbursts, with bursts lasting ˜5-10 Myr occurring at ˜20-40 Myr intervals. During quiescence the gas in the ring is not fully cleared, but is driven out of a self-gravitating state by the momentum injected by expanding supernova remnants. Starbursts also drive a wind off the star-forming ring, with a time-averaged mass flux comparable to the star formation rate. We show that our model agrees well with the observed properties of the CMZ, and places it near a star formation minimum within the evolutionary cycle. We argue that such cycles of bursty star formation and winds should be ubiquitous in the nuclei of barred spiral galaxies, and show that the resulting distribution of galactic nuclei on the Kennicutt-Schmidt relation is in good agreement with that observed in nearby galaxies.

A new class of galactic discrete gamma ray sources: Chaotic winds of massive stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Wan; White, Richard L.

1992-01-01

We propose a new class of galactic discrete gamma-ray sources, the chaotic, high mass-loss-rate winds from luminous early-type stars. Early-type stellar winds are highly unstable due to intrinsic line-driven instabilities, and so are permeated by numerous strong shocks. These shocks can accelerate a small fraction of thermal electrons and ions to relativistic energies via the first-order Fermi mechanism. A power-law-like photon spectrum extending from keV to above 10 MeV energies is produced by inverse Compton scattering of the extremely abundant stellar UV photons by the relativistic electrons. In addition, a typical pi(sup 0)-decay gamma-ray spectrum is generated by proton-ion interactions in the densest part of the winds.

Deep Emission-Line Imaging of Local Galactic Winds with NEWFIRM: Part II.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veilleux, Sylvain; Trippe, Margaret; Swaters, Rob; Rupke, David; McCormick, Alex

2010-08-01

Galactic winds are the primary mechanism by which energy and metals are recycled in galaxies and deposited into the IGM. New observations are revealing the ubiquity of this process, particularly at high redshift. Measurements have shown that winds contain cool (molecular/neutral), warm (partly ionized), and hot (fully ionized) gases. Though most of the wind mass is likely contained in the dusty molecular gas, very little is known about this component. However, our recent observations of M 82 with NEWFIRM on the Mayall 4-m show that H_2 emission can be used as a sensitive tracer of the cool molecular wind component. We propose to use NEWFIRM to study the NIR emission- line properties of a small but representative set of local wind galaxies. Deep images of these objects will be obtained at H_2 2.122 (micron) and [Fe II] 1.644 (micron) and combined with existing optical emission-line maps to (1) constrain the importance of molecular gas in the energetics of these winds and (2) determine the nature of the interaction between the central energy injection zone and the wind material. 5 nights were allocated for this program in 10B; we now request to observe the rest of the sample. These data will complement an approved Spitzer program to constrain the hot dust content of these winds, and likely become part of A. McCormick's PhD thesis.

Dusty Winds in Active Galactic Nuclei: Reconciling Observations with Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hönig, Sebastian F.; Kishimoto, Makoto

2017-04-01

This Letter presents a revised radiative transfer model for the infrared (IR) emission of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). While current models assume that the IR is emitted from a dusty torus in the equatorial plane of the AGNs, spatially resolved observations indicate that the majority of the IR emission from ≲100 pc in many AGNs originates from the polar region, contradicting classical torus models. The new model CAT3D-WIND builds upon the suggestion that the dusty gas around the AGNs consists of an inflowing disk and an outflowing wind. Here, it is demonstrated that (1) such disk+wind models cover overall a similar parameter range of observed spectral features in the IR as classical clumpy torus models, e.g., the silicate feature strengths and mid-IR spectral slopes, (2) they reproduce the 3-5 μm bump observed in many type 1 AGNs unlike torus models, and (3) they are able to explain polar emission features seen in IR interferometry, even for type 1 AGNs at relatively low inclination, as demonstrated for NGC3783. These characteristics make it possible to reconcile radiative transfer models with observations and provide further evidence of a two-component parsec-scale dusty medium around AGNs: the disk gives rise to the 3-5 μm near-IR component, while the wind produces the mid-IR emission. The model SEDs will be made available for download.

Dusty Winds in Active Galactic Nuclei: Reconciling Observations with Models

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

Hönig, Sebastian F.; Kishimoto, Makoto, E-mail: S.Hoenig@soton.ac.uk

2017-04-01

This Letter presents a revised radiative transfer model for the infrared (IR) emission of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). While current models assume that the IR is emitted from a dusty torus in the equatorial plane of the AGNs, spatially resolved observations indicate that the majority of the IR emission from ≲100 pc in many AGNs originates from the polar region, contradicting classical torus models. The new model CAT3D-WIND builds upon the suggestion that the dusty gas around the AGNs consists of an inflowing disk and an outflowing wind. Here, it is demonstrated that (1) such disk+wind models cover overall amore » similar parameter range of observed spectral features in the IR as classical clumpy torus models, e.g., the silicate feature strengths and mid-IR spectral slopes, (2) they reproduce the 3–5 μ m bump observed in many type 1 AGNs unlike torus models, and (3) they are able to explain polar emission features seen in IR interferometry, even for type 1 AGNs at relatively low inclination, as demonstrated for NGC3783. These characteristics make it possible to reconcile radiative transfer models with observations and provide further evidence of a two-component parsec-scale dusty medium around AGNs: the disk gives rise to the 3–5 μ m near-IR component, while the wind produces the mid-IR emission. The model SEDs will be made available for download.« less

THE MULTIPHASE STRUCTURE AND POWER SOURCES OF GALACTIC WINDS IN MAJOR MERGERS

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

Rupke, David S. N.; Veilleux, Sylvain, E-mail: drupke@gmail.com

2013-05-01

Massive, galaxy-scale outflows are known to be ubiquitous in major mergers of disk galaxies in the local universe. In this paper, we explore the multiphase structure and power sources of galactic winds in six ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) at z < 0.06 using deep integral field spectroscopy with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on Gemini North. We probe the neutral, ionized, and dusty gas phases using Na I D, strong emission lines ([O I], H{alpha}, and [N II]), and continuum colors, respectively. We separate outflow motions from those due to rotation and tidal perturbations, and find that all of themore » galaxies in our sample host high-velocity flows on kiloparsec scales. The properties of these outflows are consistent with multiphase (ionized, neutral, and dusty) collimated bipolar winds emerging along the minor axis of the nuclear disk to scales of 1-2 kpc. In two cases, these collimated winds take the form of bipolar superbubbles, identified by clear kinematic signatures. Less collimated (but still high-velocity) flows are also present on scales up to 5 kpc in most systems. The three galaxies in our sample with obscured QSOs host higher velocity outflows than those in the three galaxies with no evidence for an active galactic nucleus. The peak outflow velocity in each of the QSOs is in the range 1450-3350 km s{sup -1}, and the highest velocities (2000-3000 km s{sup -1}) are seen only in ionized gas. The outflow energy and momentum in the QSOs are difficult to produce from a starburst alone, but are consistent with the QSO contributing significantly to the driving of the flow. Finally, when all gas phases are accounted for, the outflows are massive enough to provide negative feedback to star formation.« less

Blowing in the Milky Way Wind: Neutral Hydrogen Clouds Tracing the Galactic Nuclear Outflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Teodoro, Enrico M.; McClure-Griffiths, N. M.; Lockman, Felix J.; Denbo, Sara R.; Endsley, Ryan; Ford, H. Alyson; Harrington, Kevin

2018-03-01

We present the results of a new sensitive survey of neutral hydrogen above and below the Galactic Center with the Green Bank Telescope. The observations extend up to Galactic latitude | b| < 10^\\circ with an effective angular resolution of 9.‧5 and an average rms brightness temperature noise of 40 mK in a 1 {km} {{{s}}}-1 channel. The survey reveals the existence of a population of anomalous high-velocity clouds extending up to heights of about 1.5 kpc from the Galactic plane and showing no signature of Galactic rotation. These clouds have local standard of rest velocities | {V}LSR}| ≲ 360 {km} {{{s}}}-1, and assuming a Galactic Center origin, they have sizes of a few tens of parsec and neutral hydrogen masses spanning 10{--}{10}5 {M}ȯ . Accounting for selection effects, the cloud population is symmetric in longitude, latitude, and V LSR. We model the cloud kinematics in terms of an outflow expanding from the Galactic Center and find the population consistent with being material moving with radial velocity {V}{{w}}≃ 330 {km} {{{s}}}-1 distributed throughout a bicone with opening angle α > 140^\\circ . This simple model implies an outflow luminosity {L}{{w}}> 3× {10}40 erg s‑1 over the past 10 Myr, consistent with star formation feedback in the inner region of the Milky Way, with a cold gas mass-loss rate ≲ 0.1 {{M}ȯ {yr}}-1. These clouds may represent the cold gas component accelerated in the nuclear wind driven by our Galaxy, although some of the derived properties challenge current theoretical models of the entrainment process.

Introducing CGOLS: The Cholla Galactic Outflow Simulation Suite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Evan E.; Robertson, Brant E.

2018-06-01

We present the Cholla Galactic OutfLow Simulations (CGOLS) suite, a set of extremely high resolution global simulations of isolated disk galaxies designed to clarify the nature of multiphase structure in galactic winds. Using the GPU-based code Cholla, we achieve unprecedented resolution in these simulations, modeling galaxies over a 20 kpc region at a constant resolution of 5 pc. The simulations include a feedback model designed to test the effects of different mass- and energy-loading factors on galactic outflows over kiloparsec scales. In addition to describing the simulation methodology in detail, we also present the results from an adiabatic simulation that tests the frequently adopted analytic galactic wind model of Chevalier & Clegg. Our results indicate that the Chevalier & Clegg model is a good fit to nuclear starburst winds in the nonradiative region of parameter space. Finally, we investigate the role of resolution and convergence in large-scale simulations of multiphase galactic winds. While our largest-scale simulations show convergence of observable features like soft X-ray emission, our tests demonstrate that simulations of this kind with resolutions greater than 10 pc are not yet converged, confirming the need for extreme resolution in order to study the structure of winds and their effects on the circumgalactic medium.

New insights on the origin of the High Velocity Peaks in the Galactic Bulge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández-Trincado, J. G.; Robin, A. C.; Moreno, E.; Pérez-Villegas, A.; Pichardo, B.

2017-12-01

We provide new insight on the origin of the cold high-V_{los} peaks (˜200 kms^{-1}) in the Milky Way bulge discovered in the APOGEE commissioning data (Nidever et al. 2012). Here we show that such kinematic behaviour present in the field regions towards the Galactic bulge is not likely associated with orbits that build the boxy/peanut (B/P) bulge. To this purpose, a new set of test particle simulations of a kinematically cold stellar disk evolved in a 3D steady-state barred Milky Way galactic potential, has been analysed in detail. Especially bar particles trapped into the bar are identified through the orbital Jacobi energy E_{J}, which allows us to identify the building blocks of the B/P feature and investigate their kinematic properties. Finally, we present preliminary results showing that the high-V_{los} features observed towards the Milky Way bulge are a natural consequence of a large-scale midplane particle structure, which is unlikely associated with the Galactic bar.

Exploring the dust content of galactic winds with Herschel - II. Nearby dwarf galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCormick, Alexander; Veilleux, Sylvain; Meléndez, Marcio; Martin, Crystal L.; Bland-Hawthorn, Joss; Cecil, Gerald; Heitsch, Fabian; Müller, Thomas; Rupke, David S. N.; Engelbracht, Chad

2018-06-01

We present the results from an analysis of deep Herschel Space Observatory observations of six nearby dwarf galaxies known to host galactic-scale winds. The superior far-infrared sensitivity and angular resolution of Herschel have allowed detection of cold circumgalactic dust features beyond the stellar components of the host galaxies traced by Spitzer 4.5 μm images. Comparisons of these cold dust features with ancillary data reveal an imperfect spatial correlation with the ionized gas and warm dust wind components. We find that typically ˜10-20 per cent of the total dust mass in these galaxies resides outside of their stellar discs, but this fraction reaches ˜60 per cent in the case of NGC 1569. This galaxy also has the largest metallicity (O/H) deficit in our sample for its stellar mass. Overall, the small number of objects in our sample precludes drawing strong conclusions on the origin of the circumgalactic dust. We detect no statistically significant trends with star formation properties of the host galaxies, as might be expected if the dust were lifted above the disc by energy inputs from ongoing star formation activity. Although a case for dust entrained in a galactic wind is seen in NGC 1569, in all cases, we cannot rule out the possibility that some of the circumgalactic dust might be associated instead with gas accreted or removed from the disc by recent galaxy interaction events, or that it is part of the outer gas-rich portion of the disc that lies below the sensitivity limit of the Spitzer 4.5 μm data.

Scaling Relations of Starburst-driven Galactic Winds

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

Tanner, Ryan; Cecil, Gerald; Heitsch, Fabian, E-mail: rytanner@augusta.edu

2017-07-10

Using synthetic absorption lines generated from 3D hydrodynamical simulations, we explore how the velocity of a starburst-driven galactic wind correlates with the star formation rate (SFR) and SFR density. We find strong correlations for neutral and low ionized gas, but no correlation for highly ionized gas. The correlations for neutral and low ionized gas only hold for SFRs below a critical limit set by the mass loading of the starburst, above which point the scaling relations flatten abruptly. Below this point the scaling relations depend on the temperature regime being probed by the absorption line, not on the mass loading.more » The exact scaling relation depends on whether the maximum or mean velocity of the absorption line is used. We find that the outflow velocity of neutral gas can be up to five times lower than the average velocity of ionized gas, with the velocity difference increasing for higher ionization states. Furthermore, the velocity difference depends on both the SFR and mass loading of the starburst. Thus, absorption lines of neutral or low ionized gas cannot easily be used as a proxy for the outflow velocity of the hot gas.« less

Galactic wind shells and high redshift radio galaxies. On the nature of associated absorbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krause, M.

2005-06-01

A jet is simulated on the background of a galactic wind headed by a radiative bow shock. The wind shell, which is due to the radiative bow shock, is effectively destroyed by the impact of the jet cocoon, thanks to Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. Associated strong HI absorption, and possibly also molecular emission, in high redshift radio galaxies which is observed preferentially in the smaller ones may be explained by that model, which is an improvement of an earlier radiative bow shock model. The model requires temperatures of ≈106 K in the proto-clusters hosting these objects, and may be tested by high resolution spectroscopy of the Lyα line. The simulations show that - before destruction - the jet cocoon fills the wind shell entirely for a considerable time with intact absorption system. Therefore, radio imaging of sources smaller than the critical size should reveal the round central bubbles, if the model is correct.

Metallic Winds in Dwarf Galaxies

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

Robles-Valdez, F.; Rodríguez-González, A.; Hernández-Martínez, L.

2017-02-01

We present results from models of galactic winds driven by energy injected from nuclear (at the galactic center) and non-nuclear starbursts. The total energy of the starburst is provided by very massive young stellar clusters, which can push the galactic interstellar medium and produce an important outflow. Such outflow can be a well or partially mixed wind, or a highly metallic wind. We have performed adiabatic 3D N -Body/Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics simulations of galactic winds using the gadget-2 code. The numerical models cover a wide range of parameters, varying the galaxy concentration index, gas fraction of the galactic disk, andmore » radial distance of the starburst. We show that an off-center starburst in dwarf galaxies is the most effective mechanism to produce a significant loss of metals (material from the starburst itself). At the same time, a non-nuclear starburst produces a high efficiency of metal loss, in spite of having a moderate to low mass loss rate.« less

Luminous Infrared Galaxies. III. Multiple Merger, Extended Massive Star Formation, Galactic Wind, and Nuclear Inflow in NGC 3256

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lípari, S.; Díaz, R.; Taniguchi, Y.; Terlevich, R.; Dottori, H.; Carranza, G.

2000-08-01

We report detailed evidence for multiple merger, extended massive star formation, galactic wind, and circular/noncircular motions in the luminous infrared galaxy NGC 3256, based on observations of high-resolution imaging (Hubble Space Telescope, ESO NTT), and extensive spectroscopic data (more than 1000 spectra, collected at Estación Astrofísica de Bosque Alegre, Complejo Astronómico el Leoncito, Cerro Tololo InterAmerican Observatory, and IUE observatories). We find in a detailed morphological study (resolution ~15 pc) that the extended massive star formation process detected previously in NGC 3256 shows extended triple asymmetrical spiral arms (r~5 kpc), emanating from three different nuclei. The main optical nucleus shows a small spiral disk (r~500 pc), which is a continuation of the external one and reaches the very nucleus. The core shows blue elongated structure (50 pc×25 pc) and harbors a blue stellar cluster candidate (r~8 pc). We discuss this complex morphology in the framework of an extended massive star formation driven by a multiple merger process (models of Hernquist et al. and Taniguchi et al.). We study the kinematics of this system and present a detailed Hα velocity field for the central region (40''×40'' rmax~30''~5 kpc), with a spatial resolution of 1" and errors of +/-15 km s-1. The color and isovelocity maps show mainly (1) a kinematic center of circular motion with ``spider'' shape, located between the main optical nucleus and the close (5") mid-IR nucleus and (2) noncircular motions in the external parts. We obtained three ``sinusoidal rotation curves'' (from the Hα velocity field) around position angle (P.A.) ~55°, ~90°, and ~130°. In the main optical nucleus we found a clear ``outflow component'' associated with galactic winds plus an ``inflow radial motion.'' The outflow component was also detected in the central and external regions (r<=5-6 kpc). The main axis of the inflow region (P.A.~80deg) is practically perpendicular to the

The onset of galactic winds in early-type galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Christine

1992-01-01

We completed the spectral analysis of 31 early-type galaxies to investigate whether their x-ray emission was predominantly due to thermal bremsstrahlung from a hot gaseous corona or emission from discrete, galactic sources such as x-ray binaries. If a corona dominates the x-ray emission, its spectra is expected to be relatively cool (0.5 - 1 keV) compared to the harder emission associated with x-ray binaries in our galaxy, the Magellanic Clouds and M31. While it is generally accepted that the x-ray emission in luminous E and S0 galaxies arises from hot coronae, the status of hot gas in lower luminosity (and hence lower mass) galaxies is less clear. Calculations show that, for a given supernova rate, a critical galaxy luminosity (mass) exists below which the gas cannot be gravitationally confined and a galactic wind is predicted to be effective in expelling gas from the galaxy. Since significant mass (a dark halo) is required to hold a hot, gaseous corona around a galaxy, we expect that the faintest, smallest galaxies will not have a hot corona, but their x-ray emission will be dominated by galactic sources or by an active galactic nuclei. In the sample we tested which spanned the absolute magnitude range from -21.5 to -19.5, we found that except for two galaxies whose x-ray emission was dominated by an active nucleus, that the others were consistent with emission from hot gas. We also found that there is a correlation between gas temperature and galaxy magnitude (mass), such that the brighter, more luminous galaxies have hotter gas temperatures. Thus even at relatively faint magnitudes, the dominant emission from early-type galaxies appears to be hot gas. We also carried out an investigation of the x-ray surface brightness distribution of the x-ray emission for about 100 early type galaxies to determine whether the x-ray emission from galaxies are extended. Extended x-ray emission is expected if the emission is due to a hot gaseous corona. We determined the ratio

Active Galactic Nucleus Obscuration from Winds: From Dusty Infrared-Driven to Warm and X-Ray Photoionized

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorodnitsyn, Anton V.; Kallman, Timothy R.

2012-01-01

We present calculations of active galactic nucleus winds at approx.parsec scales along with the associated obscuration. We take into account the pressure of infrared radiation on dust grains and the interaction of X-rays from a central black hole with hot and cold plasma. Infrared radiation (IR) is incorporated in radiation-hydrodynamic simulations adopting the flux-limited diffusion approximation. We find that in the range of X-ray luminosities L = 0.05-0.6 L(sub Edd), the Compton-thick part of the flow (aka torus) has an opening angle of approximately 72deg - 75deg regardless of the luminosity. At L > or approx. 0.1, the outflowing dusty wind provides the obscuration with IR pressure playing a major role. The global flow consists of two phases: the cold flow at inclinations (theta) > or approx.70deg and a hot, ionized wind of lower density at lower inclinations. The dynamical pressure of the hot wind is important in shaping the denser IR-supported flow. At luminosities < or = 0.1 L(sub Edd) episodes of outflow are followed by extended periods when the wind switches to slow accretion. Key words: acceleration of particles . galaxies: active . hydrodynamics . methods: numerical Online-only material: color figures

Metal enrichment of the intracluster medium: SN-driven galactic winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumgartner, V.; Breitschwerdt, D.

2009-12-01

% We investigate the role of supernova (SN)-driven galactic winds in the chemical enrichment of the intracluster medium (ICM). Such outflows on galactic scales have their origin in huge star forming regions and expel metal enriched material out of the galaxies into their surroundings as observed, for example, in the nearby starburst galaxy NGC 253. As massive stars in OB-associations explode sequentially, shock waves are driven into the interstellar medium (ISM) of a galaxy and merge, forming a superbubble (SB). These SBs expand in a direction perpendicular to the disk plane following the density gradient of the ISM. We use the 2D analytical approximation by Kompaneets (1960) to model the expansion of SBs in an exponentially stratified ISM. This is modified in order to describe the sequence of SN-explosions as a time-dependent process taking into account the main-sequence life-time of the SN-progenitors and using an initial mass function to get the number of massive stars per mass interval. The evolution of the bubble in space and time is calculated analytically, from which the onset of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in the shell can be determined. In its further evolution, the shell will break up and high-metallicity gas will be ejected into the halo of the galaxy and even into the ICM. We derive the number of stars needed for blow-out depending on the scale height and density of the ambient medium, as well as the fraction of alpha- and iron peak elements contained in the hot gas. Finally, the amount of metals injected by Milky Way-type galaxies to the ICM is calculated confirming the importance of this enrichment process.

THE COMPLEX NORTH TRANSITION REGION OF CENTAURUS A: A GALACTIC WIND

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

Neff, Susan G.; Eilek, Jean A.; Owen, Frazer N., E-mail: susan.g.neff@nasa.gov

2015-04-01

We present deep GALEX images of NGC 5128, the parent galaxy of Centaurus A. We detect a striking “weather ribbon” of far-UV (FUV) and Hα emission which extends more than 35 kpc northeast of the galaxy. This ribbon is associated with a knotty ridge of radio/X-ray emission and is an extension of the previously known string of optical emission-line filaments. Many phenomena in the region are too short-lived to have survived transit out from the inner galaxy; something must be driving them locally. We also detect FUV emission from the galaxy’s central dust lane. Combining this with previous radio andmore » far-IR measurements, we infer an active starburst in the central galaxy which is currently forming stars at ∼2 M{sub ☉} yr{sup −1}, and has been doing so for 50–100 Myr. If the wind from this starburst is enhanced by energy and mass driven out from the active galactic nucleus, the powerful augmented wind can be the driver needed for the northern weather system. We argue that both the diverse weather system, and the enhanced radio emission in the same region, result from the wind’s encounter with cool gas left by one of the recent merger/encounter events in the history of NGC 5128.« less

Demographics and Case Studies of Galactic Outflows in the Local Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rupke, David

2017-07-01

Galactic outflows driven by both star formation and active black holes are an important driver of galaxy evolution. The local universe is a sensitive laboratory for understanding the scaling relations that characterize these winds and the physics that govern them. I will review what we know from statistical studies about the prevalance and properties of nearby galactic winds and how these properties depend on those of the host galaxy or power source. I will also highlight detailed case studies of key objects that illustrate the multiphase structure of these winds.

Finding the Edge of the Galactic Wind's Influence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werk, Jessica; Prochaska, J. Xavier; Tumlinson, Jason; Tripp, Todd; Thom, Christopher; Ford, Amanda Brady

2011-08-01

Brand new results from the HST Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the low-z IGM combined with low-resolution optical spectroscopy of galaxy absorbers indicate that there is a correlation between the total star formation rates of L* galaxies and the strength of the OVI absorption in their halos out to 150 kpc. That diffuse, highly-ionized metals surrounding L* galaxies are a sensitive function of recent star formation suggests we may be seeing the effects of feedback in action in the far reaches of a galaxy's halo. Here, we propose to examine this correlation over a broader range of parameters, for galaxies with luminosities ranging from 0.01 L* to L*, having data- rich QSO sightlines passing through their halos at impact parameters up to 300 kpc. Using a combination of GMOS-S imaging and multi-slit spectroscopy, we will determine the star formation rates and metallicities of galaxies from the recently-published LCO/WFCCD redshift survey. We will use existing UV spectral data for the 14 QSO sightlines to analyze the OVI absorption in the circumgalactic medium of the surveyed galaxies. Our goal is to measure the radius at which OVI absorption no longer correlates with galaxy SFR. This observational estimate for the extent to which galactic winds propagate will provide robust constraints on the simulations that model their effects.

Exploring the making of a galactic wind in the starbursting dwarf irregular galaxy IC 10 with LOFAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heesen, V.; Rafferty, D. A.; Horneffer, A.; Beck, R.; Basu, A.; Westcott, J.; Hindson, L.; Brinks, E.; ChyŻy, K. T.; Scaife, A. M. M.; Brüggen, M.; Heald, G.; Fletcher, A.; Horellou, C.; Tabatabaei, F. S.; Paladino, R.; Nikiel-Wroczyński, B.; Hoeft, M.; Dettmar, R.-J.

2018-05-01

Low-mass galaxies are subject to strong galactic outflows, in which cosmic rays may play an important role; they can be best traced with low-frequency radio continuum observations, which are less affected by spectral ageing. We present a study of the nearby starburst dwarf irregular galaxy IC 10 using observations at 140 MHz with the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR), at 1580 MHz with the Very Large Array (VLA), and at 6200 MHz with the VLA and the 100-m Effelsberg telescope. We find that IC 10 has a low-frequency radio halo, which manifests itself as a second component (thick disc) in the minor axis profiles of the non-thermal radio continuum emission at 140 and 1580 MHz. These profiles are then fitted with 1D cosmic ray transport models for pure diffusion and advection. We find that a diffusion model fits best, with a diffusion coefficient of D = (0.4-0.8) × 1026(E/GeV)0.5 cm2 s-1, which is at least an order of magnitude smaller than estimates both from anisotropic diffusion and the diffusion length. In contrast, advection models, which cannot be ruled out due to the mild inclination, while providing poorer fits, result in advection speeds close to the escape velocity of ≈ 50 km s- 1, as expected for a cosmic ray-driven wind. Our favoured model with an accelerating wind provides a self-consistent solution, where the magnetic field is in energy equipartition with both the warm neutral and warm ionized medium with an important contribution from cosmic rays. Consequently, cosmic rays can play a vital role for the launching of galactic winds in the disc-halo interface.

Galactic wind X-ray heating of the intergalactic medium during the Epoch of Reionization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meiksin, Avery; Khochfar, Sadegh; Paardekooper, Jan-Pieter; Dalla Vecchia, Claudio; Kohn, Saul

2017-11-01

The diffuse soft X-ray emissivity from galactic winds is computed during the Epoch of Reionization (EoR). We consider two analytic models, a pressure-driven wind and a superbubble model, and a 3D cosmological simulation including gas dynamics from the First Billion Years (FiBY) project. The analytic models are normalized to match the diffuse X-ray emissivity of star-forming galaxies in the nearby Universe. The cosmological simulation uses physically motivated star formation and wind prescriptions, and includes radiative transfer corrections. The models and the simulation all are found to produce sufficient heating of the intergalactic medium to be detectable by current and planned radio facilities through 21 cm measurements during the EoR. While the analytic models predict a 21 cm emission signal relative to the cosmic microwave backgroundsets in by ztrans ≃ 8-10, the predicted signal in the FiBY simulation remains in absorption until reionization completes. The 21 cm absorption differential brightness temperature reaches a minimum of ΔT ≃ -130 to -200 mK, depending on model. Allowing for additional heat from high-mass X-ray binaries pushes the transition to emission to ztrans ≃ 10-12, with shallower absorption signatures having a minimum of ΔT ≃ -110 to -140 mK. The 21 cm signal may be a means of distinguishing between the wind models, with the superbubble model favouring earlier reheating. While an early transition to emission may indicate X-ray binaries dominate the reheating, a transition to emission as early as ztrans > 12 would suggest the presence of additional heat sources.

The Formation of Galactic Bulges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carollo, C. Marcella; Ferguson, Henry C.; Wyse, Rosemary F. G.

2000-03-01

Part I. Introduction: What are galactic bulges?; Part II. The Epoch of Bulge Formation: Origin of bulges; Deep sub-mm surveys: High-z ULIRGs and the formation of spheroids; Ages and metallicities for stars in the galactic bulge; Integrated stellar populations of bulges: First results; HST-NICMOS observations of galactic bulges: Ages and dust; Inside-out bulge formation and the origin of the Hubble sequence; Part III. The Timescales of Bulge Formation: Constraints on the bulge formation timescale from stellar populations; Bulge building with mergers and winds; Role of winds, starbursts, and activity in bulge formation; Dynamical timescales of bulge formation; Part IV. Physical Processes in Bulge Formation: the role of bars for secular bulge formation; Bars and boxy/peanut-shaped bulges: an observational point of view; Boxy- and peanut-shaped bulges; A new class of bulges; The role of secondary bars in bulge formation; Radial transport of molecular gas to the nuclei of spiral galaxies; Dynamical evolution of bulge shapes; Two-component stellar systems: Phase-space constraints; Central NGC 2146 - a firehose-type bending instability?; Bulge formation: the role of the multi-phase ISM; Global evolution of a self-gravitating multi-phase ISM in the central kpc region of galaxies; Part V. Bulge Phenomenology: Bulge-disk decomposition of spiral galaxies in the near-infrared; The triaxial bulge of NGC 1371; The bulge-disk orthogonal decoupling in galaxies: NGC 4698 and NGC 4672; The kinematics and the origin of the ionized gas in NGC 4036; Optically thin thermal plasma in the galactic bulge; X-ray properties of bulges; The host galaxies of radio-loud AGN; The centers of radio-loud early-type galaxies with HST; Central UV spikes in two galactic spheroids; Conference summary: where do we stand?

Starburst-Driven Winds May Have Created Giant "Lobe" in Galactic Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2004-06-01

produced is by a wind of energetic particles driven by an epoch of starburst near the Galactic center. Law speculates that approximately 10 million years ago, there was a furious period of star formation, with many stars being born and quickly dying in a series of supernovae. "At that time, something caused an acceleration of star formation near the very center of our Galaxy that thrust this material out of the plane of the Galaxy. The hot, young stars would have generated a lot of wind, and the supernovae would have contributed more energy," added Law. "This collective energy would have blown a lot of gas out of the disk for an extended period, eventually producing the features we see today." As the hot gas and particles shot out of the plane they would have "shocked" or energized the gas in the interstellar medium, which would have concentrated and amplified the ambient magnetic fields. The magnetic fields would then have accelerated electrons in the interstellar medium, producing the non-thermal radio profiles of the lobe. Earlier work done by other researchers estimates that this feature could contain approximately 5,000,000 solar masses of material, and that -- in the starburst model -- it would take the energy of possibly 10,000 supernovae to eject that amount of material out of the plane of the Galaxy and produce the feature seen in the lobe. In addition to Law and Yusef-Zadeh, the team that conducted the multiwavelength GBT survey included Douglas Roberts and Jack Hewitt of Northwestern University, and William Cotton and Ron Maddalena of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. Additional image without outline is here.

Can Winds Driven by Active Galactic Nuclei Account for the Extragalactic Gamma-Ray and Neutrino Backgrounds?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ruo-Yu; Murase, Kohta; Inoue, Susumu; Ge, Chong; Wang, Xiang-Yu

2018-05-01

Various observations are revealing the widespread occurrence of fast and powerful winds in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) that are distinct from relativistic jets, likely launched from accretion disks and interacting strongly with the gas of their host galaxies. During the interaction, strong shocks are expected to form that can accelerate nonthermal particles to high energies. Such winds have been suggested to be responsible for a large fraction of the observed extragalactic gamma-ray background (EGB) and the diffuse neutrino background, via the decay of neutral and charged pions generated in inelastic pp collisions between protons accelerated by the forward shock and the ambient gas. However, previous studies did not properly account for processes such as adiabatic losses that may reduce the gamma-ray and neutrino fluxes significantly. We evaluate the production of gamma rays and neutrinos by AGN-driven winds in detail by modeling their hydrodynamic and thermal evolution, including the effects of their two-temperature structure. We find that they can only account for less than ∼30% of the EGB flux, as otherwise the model would violate the independent upper limit derived from the diffuse isotropic gamma-ray background. If the neutrino spectral index is steep with Γ ≳ 2.2, a severe tension with the isotropic gamma-ray background would arise as long as the winds contribute more than 20% of the IceCube neutrino flux in the 10–100 TeV range. At energies ≳ 100 TeV, we find that the IceCube neutrino flux may still be accountable by AGN-driven winds if the spectral index is as small as Γ ∼ 2.0–2.1.

The Baryon Cycle at High Redshifts: Effects of Galactic Winds on Galaxy Evolution in Overdense and Average Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadoun, Raphael; Shlosman, Isaac; Choi, Jun-Hwan; Romano-Díaz, Emilio

2016-10-01

We employ high-resolution cosmological zoom-in simulations focusing on a high-sigma peak and an average cosmological field at z ˜ 6-12 in order to investigate the influence of environment and baryonic feedback on galaxy evolution in the reionization epoch. Strong feedback, e.g., galactic winds, caused by elevated star formation rates (SFRs) is expected to play an important role in this evolution. We compare different outflow prescriptions: (I) constant wind velocity (CW), (II) variable wind scaling with galaxy properties (VW), and (III) no outflows (NW). The overdensity leads to accelerated evolution of dark matter and baryonic structures, absent from the “normal” region, and to shallow galaxy stellar mass functions at the low-mass end. Although CW shows little dependence on the environment, the more physically motivated VW model does exhibit this effect. In addition, VW can reproduce the observed specific SFR (sSFR) and the sSFR-stellar mass relation, which CW and NW fail to satisfy simultaneously. Winds also differ substantially in affecting the state of the intergalactic medium (IGM). The difference lies in the volume-filling factor of hot, high-metallicity gas, which is near unity for CW, while such gas remains confined in massive filaments for VW, and locked up in galaxies for NW. Such gas is nearly absent from the normal region. Although all wind models suffer from deficiencies, the VW model seems to be promising in correlating the outflow properties with those of host galaxies. Further constraints on the state of the IGM at high z are needed to separate different wind models.

Galactic Surveys in the Gaia Era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyse, Rosemary F. G.

2018-04-01

The final astrometric data from the Gaia mission will transform our view of the stellar content of the Galaxy, particularly when complemented with spectroscopic surveys providing stellar parameters, line-of-sight kinematics and elemental abundances. Analyses with Gaia DR1 are already demonstrating the insight gained and the promise of what is to come with future Gaia releases. I present a brief overview of results and puzzles from recent Galactic Archaeology surveys for context, focusing on the Galactic discs.

Evidence for the interaction of the IRS 16 wind with the ionized and molecular gas at the Galactic center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yusef-Zadeh, Farhad; Wardle, Mark

1993-01-01

We present a number of high-resolution radio images showing evidence for the dynamical interaction of the outflow arising from the IRS 16 complex with the ionized gas associated with the Northern Arm of Sgr A West, and with the northwestern segment of the circumnuclear molecular disk which engulfs the inner few parsecs of the Galactic center. We suggest that the wind disturbs the dynamics of the Northern Arm within 0.1 pc of the center, is responsible for the waviness of the arm at larger distances, and is collimated by Sgr A West and the circumnuclear disk. The waviness is discussed in terms of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability induced by the ram pressure of the wind incident on the surface of the Northern Arm. Another consequence of this interaction is the strong mid-IR polarization of the Northern Arm in the vicinity of the IRS 16 complex which is explained as a result of the ram pressure of the wind compressing the gas and the magnetic field.

Disk-driven hydromagnetic winds as a key ingredient of active galactic nuclei unification schemes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Konigl, Arieh; Kartje, John F.

1994-01-01

Centrifugally driven winds from the surfaces of magnetized accretion disks have been recognized as an attractive mechanism of removing the angular momentum of the accreted matter and of producing the bipolar outflows and jets that are often associated with compact astronomical objects. As previously suggested in the context of young stellar objects, such winds have unique observational manifestations stemming from their highly stratified density and velocity structure and from their exposure to the strong continuum radiation field of the compact object. We have applied this scenario to active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and investigated the properties of hydromagnetic outflows that originate within approximately 10(M(sub 8)) pc of the central 10(exp 8)(M(sub 8)) solar mass black hole. On the basis of our results, we propose that hydromagnetic disk-driven winds may underlie the classification of broad-line and narrow-line AGNs (e.g., the Seyfert 1/Seyfert 2 dichotomy) as well as the apparent dearth of luminous Seyfert 2 galaxies. More generally, we demonstrate that such winds could strongly influence the spectral characteristics of Seyfert galaxies, QSOs, and BL Lac objects (BLOs). In our picture, the torus is identified with the outer regions of the wind where dust uplifted from the disk surfaces by gas-grain collisions is embedded in the outflow. Using an efficient radiative transfer code, we show that the infrared emission of Seyfert galaxies and QSOs can be attributed to the reprocessing of the UV/soft X-ray AGN continuum by the dust in the wind and the disk. We demonstrate that the radiation pressure force flattens the dust distribution in objects with comparatively high (but possibly sub-Eddington) bolometric luminosities, and we propose this as one likely reason for the apparent paucity of narrow-line objects among certain high-luminosity AGNs. Using the XSTAR photoionization code, we show that the inner regions of the wind could naturally account for the warm

Solar wind physics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

A double-chambered gas proportional counter was constructed to detect and identify solar wind ions after acceleration by a high voltage power supply. It was determined that the best method of detecting deuterium in the solar wind is to use a tritium target as proposed for IMP H and J. The feasibility of detecting H(+) and He(+) ions of interstellar origin is considered. A program is described to carry out ground-based astronomical observations of faint, diffuse optical emission lines from interstellar gas. Hydrogen and oxygen emission lines from galactic sources were detected and the galactic and geocoronal H alpha and beta lines were clearly resolved.

Gamma-ray spectroscopy: The diffuse galactic glow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartmann, Dieter H.

1991-01-01

The goal of this project is the development of a numerical code that provides statistical models of the sky distribution of gamma-ray lines due to the production of radioactive isotopes by ongoing Galactic nucleosynthesis. We are particularly interested in quasi-steady emission from novae, supernovae, and stellar winds, but continuum radiation and transient sources must also be considered. We have made significant progress during the first half period of this project and expect the timely completion of a code that can be applied to Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (OSSE) Galactic plane survey data.

The population of TeV pulsar wind nebulae in the H.E.S.S. Galactic Plane Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

H. E. S. S. Collaboration; Abdalla, H.; Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.; Ait Benkhali, F.; Akhperjanian, A. G.; Andersson, T.; Angüner, E. O.; Arrieta, M.; Aubert, P.; Backes, M.; Balzer, A.; Barnard, M.; Becherini, Y.; Becker Tjus, J.; Berge, D.; Bernhard, S.; Bernlöhr, K.; Blackwell, R.; Böttcher, M.; Boisson, C.; Bolmont, J.; Bordas, P.; Bregeon, J.; Brun, F.; Brun, P.; Bryan, M.; Bulik, T.; Capasso, M.; Carr, J.; Carrigan, S.; Casanova, S.; Cerruti, M.; Chakraborty, N.; Chalme-Calvet, R.; Chaves, R. C. G.; Chen, A.; Chevalier, J.; Chrétien, M.; Colafrancesco, S.; Cologna, G.; Condon, B.; Conrad, J.; Couturier, C.; Cui, Y.; Davids, I. D.; Degrange, B.; Deil, C.; Devin, J.; deWilt, P.; Dirson, L.; Djannati-Ataï, A.; Domainko, W.; Donath, A.; Drury, L. O.'C.; Dubus, G.; Dutson, K.; Dyks, J.; Edwards, T.; Egberts, K.; Eger, P.; Ernenwein, J.-P.; Eschbach, S.; Farnier, C.; Fegan, S.; Fernandes, M. V.; Fiasson, A.; Fontaine, G.; Förster, A.; Funk, S.; Füßling, M.; Gabici, S.; Gajdus, M.; Gallant, Y. A.; Garrigoux, T.; Giavitto, G.; Giebels, B.; Glicenstein, J. F.; Gottschall, D.; Goyal, A.; Grondin, M.-H.; Hadasch, D.; Hahn, J.; Haupt, M.; Hawkes, J.; Heinzelmann, G.; Henri, G.; Hermann, G.; Hervet, O.; Hillert, A.; Hinton, J. A.; Hofmann, W.; Hoischen, C.; Holler, M.; Horns, D.; Ivascenko, A.; Jacholkowska, A.; Jamrozy, M.; Janiak, M.; Jankowsky, D.; Jankowsky, F.; Jingo, M.; Jogler, T.; Jouvin, L.; Jung-Richardt, I.; Kastendieck, M. A.; Katarzyński, K.; Katz, U.; Kerszberg, D.; Khélifi, B.; Kieffer, M.; King, J.; Klepser, S.; Klochkov, D.; Kluźniak, W.; Kolitzus, D.; Komin, Nu.; Kosack, K.; Krakau, S.; Kraus, M.; Krayzel, F.; Krüger, P. P.; Laffon, H.; Lamanna, G.; Lau, J.; Lees, J.-P.; Lefaucheur, J.; Lefranc, V.; Lemière, A.; Lemoine-Goumard, M.; Lenain, J.-P.; Leser, E.; Lohse, T.; Lorentz, M.; Liu, R.; López-Coto, R.; Lypova, I.; Marandon, V.; Marcowith, A.; Mariaud, C.; Marx, R.; Maurin, G.; Maxted, N.; Mayer, M.; Meintjes, P. J.; Meyer, M.; Mitchell, A. M. W.; Moderski, R.; Mohamed, M.; Mohrmann, L.; Morå, K.; Moulin, E.; Murach, T.; de Naurois, M.; Niederwanger, F.; Niemiec, J.; Oakes, L.; O'Brien, P.; Odaka, H.; Öttl, S.; Ohm, S.; de Oña Wilhelmi, E.; Ostrowski, M.; Oya, I.; Padovani, M.; Panter, M.; Parsons, R. D.; Paz Arribas, M.; Pekeur, N. W.; Pelletier, G.; Perennes, C.; Petrucci, P.-O.; Peyaud, B.; Pita, S.; Poon, H.; Prokhorov, D.; Prokoph, H.; Pühlhofer, G.; Punch, M.; Quirrenbach, A.; Raab, S.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Renaud, M.; de los Reyes, R.; Rieger, F.; Romoli, C.; Rosier-Lees, S.; Rowell, G.; Rudak, B.; Rulten, C. B.; Sahakian, V.; Salek, D.; Sanchez, D. A.; Santangelo, A.; Sasaki, M.; Schlickeiser, R.; Schüssler, F.; Schulz, A.; Schwanke, U.; Schwemmer, S.; Settimo, M.; Seyffert, A. S.; Shafi, N.; Shilon, I.; Simoni, R.; Sol, H.; Spanier, F.; Spengler, G.; Spies, F.; Stawarz, Ł.; Steenkamp, R.; Stegmann, C.; Stinzing, F.; Stycz, K.; Sushch, I.; Tavernet, J.-P.; Tavernier, T.; Taylor, A. M.; Terrier, R.; Tibaldo, L.; Tiziani, D.; Tluczykont, M.; Trichard, C.; Tuffs, R.; Uchiyama, Y.; Valerius, K.; van der Walt, D. J.; van Eldik, C.; van Soelen, B.; Vasileiadis, G.; Veh, J.; Venter, C.; Viana, A.; Vincent, P.; Vink, J.; Voisin, F.; Völk, H. J.; Vuillaume, T.; Wadiasingh, Z.; Wagner, S. J.; Wagner, P.; Wagner, R. M.; White, R.; Wierzcholska, A.; Willmann, P.; Wörnlein, A.; Wouters, D.; Yang, R.; Zabalza, V.; Zaborov, D.; Zacharias, M.; Zdziarski, A. A.; Zech, A.; Zefi, F.; Ziegler, A.; Żywucka, N.

2018-04-01

The nine-year H.E.S.S. Galactic Plane Survey (HGPS) has yielded the most uniform observation scan of the inner Milky Way in the TeV gamma-ray band to date. The sky maps and source catalogue of the HGPS allow for a systematic study of the population of TeV pulsar wind nebulae found throughout the last decade. To investigate the nature and evolution of pulsar wind nebulae, for the first time we also present several upper limits for regions around pulsars without a detected TeV wind nebula. Our data exhibit a correlation of TeV surface brightness with pulsar spin-down power Ė. This seems to be caused both by an increase of extension with decreasing Ė, and hence with time, compatible with a power law RPWN(Ė) Ė-0.65±0.20, and by a mild decrease of TeV gamma-ray luminosity with decreasing Ė, compatible with L1-10 TeV Ė0.59±0.21. We also find that the offsets of pulsars with respect to the wind nebula centre with ages around 10 kyr are frequently larger than can be plausibly explained by pulsar proper motion and could be due to an asymmetric environment. In the present data, it seems that a large pulsar offset is correlated with a high apparent TeV efficiency L1-10 TeV/Ė. In addition to 14 HGPS sources considered firmly identified pulsar wind nebulae and 5 additional pulsar wind nebulae taken from literature, we find 10 HGPS sources that are likely TeV pulsar wind nebula candidates. Using a model that subsumes the present common understanding of the very high-energy radiative evolution of pulsar wind nebulae, we find that the trends and variations of the TeV observables and limits can be reproduced to a good level, drawing a consistent picture of present-day TeV data and theory.

Galactic Cosmic Rays in the Outer Heliosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Florinski, V.; Washimi, H.; Pogorelov, N. V.; Adams, J. H.

2010-01-01

We report a next generation model of galactic cosmic ray (GCR) transport in the three dimensional heliosphere. Our model is based on an accurate three-dimensional representation of the heliospheric interface. This representation is obtained by taking into account the interaction between partially ionized, magnetized plasma flows of the solar wind and the local interstellar medium. Our model reveals that after entering the heliosphere GCRs are stored in the heliosheath for several years. The preferred GCR entry locations are near the nose of the heliopause and at high latitudes. Low-energy (hundreds of MeV) galactic ions observed in the heliosheath have spent, on average, a longer time in the solar wind than those observed in the inner heliosphere, which would explain their cooled-off spectra at these energies. We also discuss radial gradients in the heliosheath and the implications for future Voyager observations

GALACTIC WINDS DRIVEN BY ISOTROPIC AND ANISOTROPIC COSMIC-RAY DIFFUSION IN DISK GALAXIES

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

Pakmor, R.; Pfrommer, C.; Simpson, C. M.

2016-06-20

The physics of cosmic rays (CRs) is a promising candidate for explaining the driving of galactic winds and outflows. Recent galaxy formation simulations have demonstrated the need for active CR transport either in the form of diffusion or streaming to successfully launch winds in galaxies. However, due to computational limitations, most previous simulations have modeled CR transport isotropically. Here, we discuss high-resolution simulations of isolated disk galaxies in a 10{sup 11} M {sub ⊙} halo with the moving-mesh code Arepo that include injection of CRs from supernovae, advective transport, CR cooling, and CR transport through isotropic or anisotropic diffusion. Wemore » show that either mode of diffusion leads to the formation of strong bipolar outflows. However, they develop significantly later in the simulation with anisotropic diffusion compared to the simulation with isotropic diffusion. Moreover, we find that isotropic diffusion allows most of the CRs to quickly diffuse out of the disk, while in the simulation with anisotropic diffusion, most CRs remain in the disk once the magnetic field becomes dominated by its azimuthal component, which occurs after ∼300 Myr. This has important consequences for the gas dynamics in the disk. In particular, we show that isotropic diffusion strongly suppresses the amplification of the magnetic field in the disk compared to anisotropic or no diffusion models. We therefore conclude that reliable simulations which include CR transport inevitably need to account for anisotropic diffusion.« less

Line-driven disc wind model for ultrafast outflows in active galactic nuclei - scaling with luminosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomura, M.; Ohsuga, K.

2017-03-01

In order to reveal the origin of the ultrafast outflows (UFOs) that are frequently observed in active galactic nuclei (AGNs), we perform two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics simulations of the line-driven disc winds, which are accelerated by the radiation force due to the spectral lines. The line-driven winds are successfully launched for the range of MBH = 106-9 M⊙ and ε = 0.1-0.5, and the resulting mass outflow rate (dot{M_w}), momentum flux (dot{p_w}), and kinetic luminosity (dot{E_w}) are in the region containing 90 per cent of the posterior probability distribution in the dot{M}_w-Lbol plane, dot{p}_w-Lbol plane, and dot{E}_w-Lbol plane shown in Gofford et al., where MBH is the black hole mass, ε is the Eddington ratio, and Lbol is the bolometric luminosity. The best-fitting relations in Gofford et al., d log dot{M_w}/d log {L_bol}˜ 0.9, d log dot{p_w}/d log {L_bol}˜ 1.2, and d log dot{E_w}/d log {L_bol}˜ 1.5, are roughly consistent with our results, d log dot{M_w}/d log {L_bol}˜ 9/8, d log dot{p_w}/d log {L_bol}˜ 10/8, and d log dot{E_w}/d log {L_bol}˜ 11/8. In addition, our model predicts that no UFO features are detected for the AGNs with ε ≲ 0.01, since the winds do not appear. Also, only AGNs with MBH ≲ 108 M⊙ exhibit the UFOs when ε ∼ 0.025. These predictions nicely agree with the X-ray observations. These results support that the line-driven disc wind is the origin of the UFOs.

THE BARYON CYCLE AT HIGH REDSHIFTS: EFFECTS OF GALACTIC WINDS ON GALAXY EVOLUTION IN OVERDENSE AND AVERAGE REGIONS

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

Sadoun, Raphael; Shlosman, Isaac; Choi, Jun-Hwan

2016-10-01

We employ high-resolution cosmological zoom-in simulations focusing on a high-sigma peak and an average cosmological field at z ∼ 6–12 in order to investigate the influence of environment and baryonic feedback on galaxy evolution in the reionization epoch. Strong feedback, e.g., galactic winds, caused by elevated star formation rates (SFRs) is expected to play an important role in this evolution. We compare different outflow prescriptions: (i) constant wind velocity (CW), (ii) variable wind scaling with galaxy properties (VW), and (iii) no outflows (NW). The overdensity leads to accelerated evolution of dark matter and baryonic structures, absent from the “normal” region,more » and to shallow galaxy stellar mass functions at the low-mass end. Although CW shows little dependence on the environment, the more physically motivated VW model does exhibit this effect. In addition, VW can reproduce the observed specific SFR (sSFR) and the sSFR–stellar mass relation, which CW and NW fail to satisfy simultaneously. Winds also differ substantially in affecting the state of the intergalactic medium (IGM). The difference lies in the volume-filling factor of hot, high-metallicity gas, which is near unity for CW, while such gas remains confined in massive filaments for VW, and locked up in galaxies for NW. Such gas is nearly absent from the normal region. Although all wind models suffer from deficiencies, the VW model seems to be promising in correlating the outflow properties with those of host galaxies. Further constraints on the state of the IGM at high z are needed to separate different wind models.« less

Sturm und Drang: The turbulent, magnetic tempest in the Galactic center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacki, Brian C.

2014-05-01

The Galactic center central molecular zone (GCCMZ) bears similarities with extragalactic starburst regions, including a high supernova (SN) rate density. As in other starbursts like M82, the frequent SNe can heat the ISM until it is filled with a hot (˜ 4 × 107 K) superwind. Furthermore, the random forcing from SNe stirs up the wind, powering Mach 1 turbulence. I argue that a turbulent dynamo explains the strong magnetic fields in starbursts, and I predict an average B ˜70 μG in the GCCMZ. I demonstrate how the SN driving of the ISM leads to equipartition between various pressure components in the ISM. The SN-heated wind escapes the center, but I show that it may be stopped in the Galactic halo. I propose that the Fermi bubbles are the wind's termination shock.

Evolution of Supernova Remnants Near the Galactic Center

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

Yalinewich, A.; Piran, T.; Sari, R.

Supernovae near the Galactic center (GC) evolve differently from regular Galactic supernovae. This is mainly due to the environment into which the supernova remnants (SNRs) propagate. SNRs near the GC propagate into a wind swept environment with a velocity directed away from the GC, and a graded density profile. This causes these SNRs to be non-spherical, and to evolve faster than their Galactic counterparts. We develop an analytic theory for the evolution of explosions within a stellar wind, and verify it using a hydrodynamic code. We show that such explosions can evolve in one of three possible morphologies. Using thesemore » results we discuss the association between the two SNRs (SGR East and SGR A’s bipolar radio/X-ray lobes) and the two neutron stars (the Cannonball and SGR J1745-2900) near the GC. We show that, given the morphologies of the SNR and positions of the neutron stars, the only possible association is between SGR A’s bipolar radio/X-ray lobes and SGR J1745-2900. If a compact object was created in the explosion of SGR East, it remains undetected, and the SNR of the supernova that created the Cannonball has already disappeared.« less

Star birth with a chance of Winds?

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

The lesser-known constellation of Canes Venatici (The Hunting Dogs), is home to a variety of deep-sky objects — including this beautiful galaxy, known as NGC 4861. Astronomers are still debating on how to classify it. While its physical properties — such as mass, size and rotational velocity — indicate it to be a spiral galaxy, its appearance looks more like a comet with its dense, luminous “head” and dimmer “tail” trailing off. Features more fitting with a dwarf irregular galaxy. Although small and messy, galaxies like NGC 4861 provide astronomers with interesting opportunities for study. Small galaxies have lower gravitational potentials, which simply means that it takes less energy to move stuff about inside them than it does in other galaxies. As a result, moving in, around, and through such a tiny galaxy is quite easy to do, making them far more likely to be filled with streams and outflows of speedy charged particles known as galactic winds, which can flood such galaxies with little effort. These galactic winds can be powered by the ongoing process of star formation, which involves huge amounts of energy. New stars are springing into life within the bright, colorful ‘head’ of NGC 4861 and ejecting streams of high-speed particles as they do so, which flood outwards to join the wider galactic wind. While NGC 4861 would be a perfect candidate to study such winds, recent studies did not find any galactic winds in it. Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA

PIPER and Polarized Galactic Foregrounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chuss, David

2009-01-01

In addition to probing inflationary cosmology, PIPER will measure the polarized dust emission from the Galaxy. PIPER will be capable of full (I,0,U,V) measurement over four frequency bands ' These measurements will provide insight into the physics of dust grains and a probe of the Galactic magnetic field on large and intermediate scales.

A Green Bank Telescope 21cm survey of HI clouds in the Milky Way's nuclear wind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denbo, Sara; Endsley, Ryan; Lockman, Felix J.; Ford, Alyson

2015-01-01

Feedback processes such as large-scale galactic winds are thought to be responsible for distributing enriched gas throughout a galaxy and even into the IGM. Such winds have been found in many galaxies with active star formation near their center, and the Fermi bubbles provide evidence for such a nuclear wind in our own Milky Way. A recent 21 cm HI survey by the Australia Telescope Compact Array discovered a population of compact, isolated clouds surrounding the Galactic Center that may be entrained in the Fermi bubble wind. We present data from a survey of 21cm HI over an extended region around the Galactic Center using the Green Bank Telescope. These observations provide more strict constraints on neutral clouds in the Fermi bubble wind, and a more robust description of the parameters of HI clouds (i.e., mass, column density, and lifetime) near the Galactic Center.

Simultaneous Analysis of Recurrent Jovian Electron Increases and Galactic Cosmic Ray Decreases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kühl, P.; Dresing, N.; Dunzlaff, P.; Fichtner, H.; Gieseler, J.; Gomez-Herrero, R.; Heber, B.; Klassen, A.; Kleimann, J.; Kopp, A.; Potgieter, M. S.; Scherer, K.; Strauss, D. R.

2012-12-01

Since the early 1970's the magnetosphere of Jupiter is known to be a strong source of relativistic electrons. These Jovian electrons are released quasi-continuously from the magnetosphere. Due to Jupiter's favorable orbit, they offer a unique opportunity for studies of the transport of energetic particles in the heliosphere, in which the Jovian magnetosphere acts as a source of "quit time" electron increase. Of central importance for the propagation of Jovian electrons is the solar wind flow and the structure of the embedded heliospheric magnetic field. The solar wind defines the transport environment for the particles as soon as they have left the Jovian magnetosphere. They enter the solar wind flow close to the ecliptic plane and are immediately subject to the processes of spatial diffusion, convection, and adiabatic deceleration in the expanding solar wind plasma. On the time-scale of a solar rotation, especially during the rising and declining phases of the solar cycle the variability is caused mainly by corotating interaction regions. Due to the changing propagation conditions in the intermediate heliosphere, corotating interaction regions, however, can cause recurrent galactic cosmic ray modulation. A detailed analysis of recurrent Jovian electron events and galactic cosmic ray decreases measured by SOHO EPHIN is presented here, clearly showing a change of phase between both phenomena during a year. This phase shift has been analyzed by calculating the correlation coefficient between the galactic component and the Jovian electrons. Furthermore, the data can be ordered such that the 27-day Jovian electron variation vanishes in the sector which does not connect the Earth with Jupiter using observed solar wind speeds.; Electron intensity dependent on the longitudinal angle between SOHO and Jupiter. Jovian electron increases can only be observed in regions, which are magnetically connected to Jupiter via observed solar wind speeds.

Active galactic nucleus outflows in galaxy discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartwig, Tilman; Volonteri, Marta; Dashyan, Gohar

2018-05-01

Galactic outflows, driven by active galactic nuclei (AGNs), play a crucial role in galaxy formation and in the self-regulated growth of supermassive black holes (BHs). AGN feedback couples to and affects gas, rather than stars, and in many, if not most, gas-rich galaxies cold gas is rotationally supported and settles in a disc. We present a 2D analytical model for AGN-driven outflows in a gaseous disc and demonstrate the main improvements, compared to existing 1D solutions. We find significant differences for the outflow dynamics and wind efficiency. The outflow is energy-driven due to inefficient cooling up to a certain AGN luminosity (˜1043 erg s-1 in our fiducial model), above which the outflow remains momentum-driven in the disc up to galactic scales. We reproduce results of 3D simulations that gas is preferentially ejected perpendicular to the disc and find that the fraction of ejected interstellar medium is lower than in 1D models. The recovery time of gas in the disc, defined as the free-fall time from the radius to which the AGN pushes the ISM at most, is remarkably short, of the order 1 Myr. This indicates that AGN-driven winds cannot suppress BH growth for long. Without the inclusion of supernova feedback, we find a scaling of the BH mass with the halo velocity dispersion of MBH ∝ σ4.8.

Control of the Earth's electric field intensity through solar wind modulation of galactic cosmic radiation: Support for a proposed atmospheric electrical sun-weather mechanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Markson, R.

1980-01-01

The ionospheric potential and galactic cosmic radiation, found to be inversely correlated with the solar wind velocity are examined as being germane to weather modification. Since the ionospheric potential is proportional to the fair weather electric field intensity and cosmic radiation is the dominant source of atmospheric ionization, it is concluded that the Earth's overall electric field varies in phase with atmospheric ionization and that the latter is modulated by the solar wind. A proposed mechanism, in which solar control of ionizing radiation influences atmospheric electrification and thus possibly cloud physical processes is discussed. An experimental approach to critically test the proposed mechanism through comparison of the temporal variation of the Earth's electric field with conditions in the interplanetary medium is outlined.

Insights into the Galactic Cosmic-ray Source from the TIGER Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Link, Jason T.; Barbier, L. M.; Binns, W. R.; Christian, E. R.; Cummings, J. R.; Geier, S.; Israel, M. H.; Lodders, K.; Mewaldt,R. A.; Mitchell, J. W.;

Composition of the Solar Wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suess, S. T.

2007-01-01

The solar wind reflects the composition of the Sun and physical processes in the corona. Analysis produces information on how the solar system was formed and on physical processes in the corona. The analysis can also produce information on the local interstellar medium, galactic evolution, comets in the solar wind, dust in the heliosphere, and matter escaping from planets.

Spectral Diagnostics of Galactic and Stellar X-Ray Emission from Charge Exchange Recombination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wargelin, B.

2003-01-01

The proposed research uses the electron beam ion trap at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to study the X-ray emission from charge-exchange recombination of highly charged ions with neutral gases. The resulting data fill a void in the existing experimental and theoretical data and are needed to explain all or part of the observed X-ray emission from the Galactic Ridge, solar and stellar winds, the Galactic Center, supernova ejecta, and photoionized nebulae.

Thermal wind from hot accretion flows at large radii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bu, De-Fu; Yang, Xiao-Hong

2018-06-01

We study slowly rotating accretion flow at parsec and subparsec scales irradiated by low-luminosity active galactic nuclei. We take into account the Compton heating, photoionization heating by the central X-rays. The bremsstrahlung cooling, recombination, and line cooling are also included. We find that due to the Compton heating, wind can be thermally driven. The power of wind is in the range (10-6-10-3) LEdd, with LEdd being the Eddington luminosity. The mass flux of wind is in the range (0.01-1) \\dot{M}_Edd (\\dot{M}_Edd= L_Edd/0.1c^2 is the Eddington accretion rate, c is speed of light). We define the wind generation efficiency as ɛ = P_W/\\dot{M}_BHc^2, with PW being wind power, \\dot{M}_BH being the mass accretion rate on to the black hole. ɛ lies in the range 10-4-1.18. Wind production efficiency decreases with increasing mass accretion rate. The possible role of the thermally driven wind in the active galactic feedback is briefly discussed.

GALACTIC ANGULAR MOMENTUM IN THE ILLUSTRIS SIMULATION: FEEDBACK AND THE HUBBLE SEQUENCE

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

Genel, Shy; Fall, S. Michael; Snyder, Gregory F.

We study the stellar angular momentum of thousands of galaxies in the Illustris cosmological simulation, which captures gravitational and gas dynamics within galaxies, as well as feedback from stars and black holes. We find that the angular momentum of the simulated galaxies matches observations well, and in particular two distinct relations are found for late-type versus early-type galaxies. The relation for late-type galaxies corresponds to the value expected from full conservation of the specific angular momentum generated by cosmological tidal torques. The relation for early-type galaxies corresponds to retention of only ∼30% of that, but we find that those early-typemore » galaxies with low angular momentum at z = 0 nevertheless reside at high redshift on the late-type relation. Some of them abruptly lose angular momentum during major mergers. To gain further insight, we explore the scaling relations in simulations where the galaxy formation physics is modified with respect to the fiducial model. We find that galactic winds with high mass-loading factors are essential for obtaining the high angular momentum relation typical for late-type galaxies, while active galactic nucleus feedback largely operates in the opposite direction. Hence, feedback controls the stellar angular momentum of galaxies, and appears to be instrumental for establishing the Hubble sequence.« less

Stellar feedback in galaxies and the origin of galaxy-scale winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopkins, Philip F.; Quataert, Eliot; Murray, Norman

2012-04-01

Feedback from massive stars is believed to play a critical role in driving galactic super-winds that enrich the intergalactic medium and shape the galaxy mass function, mass-metallicity relation and other global galaxy properties. In previous papers, we have introduced new numerical methods for implementing stellar feedback on sub-giant molecular cloud (sub-GMC) through galactic scales in numerical simulations of galaxies; the key physical processes include radiation pressure in the ultraviolet through infrared, supernovae (Type I and Type II), stellar winds ('fast' O star through 'slow' asymptotic giant branch winds), and H II photoionization. Here, we show that these feedback mechanisms drive galactic winds with outflow rates as high as ˜10-20 times the galaxy star formation rate. The mass-loading efficiency (wind mass-loss rate divided by the star formation rate) scales roughly as ? (where Vc is the galaxy circular velocity), consistent with simple momentum-conservation expectations. We use our suite of simulations to study the relative contribution of each feedback mechanism to the generation of galactic winds in a range of galaxy models, from Small Magellanic Cloud like dwarfs and Milky Way (MW) analogues to z˜ 2 clumpy discs. In massive, gas-rich systems (local starbursts and high-z galaxies), radiation pressure dominates the wind generation. By contrast, for MW-like spirals and dwarf galaxies the gas densities are much lower and sources of shock-heated gas such as supernovae and stellar winds dominate the production of large-scale outflows. In all of our models, however, the winds have a complex multiphase structure that depends on the interaction between multiple feedback mechanisms operating on different spatial scales and time-scales: any single feedback mechanism fails to reproduce the winds observed. We use our simulations to provide fitting functions to the wind mass loading and velocities as a function of galaxy properties, for use in cosmological

Corotating solar wind structures and recurrent trains of enhanced diurnal variation in galactic cosmic rays

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

Yeeram, T.; Ruffolo, D.; Sáiz, A.

Data from the Princess Sirindhorn Neutron Monitor at Doi Inthanon, Thailand, with a vertical cutoff rigidity of 16.8 GV, were utilized to determine the diurnal anisotropy (DA) of Galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) near Earth during solar minimum conditions between 2007 November and 2010 November. We identified trains of enhanced DA over several days, which often recur after a solar rotation period (∼27 days). By investigating solar coronal holes as identified from synoptic maps and solar wind parameters, we found that the intensity and anisotropy of cosmic rays are associated with the high-speed streams (HSSs) in the solar wind, which aremore » in turn related to the structure and evolution of coronal holes. An enhanced DA was observed after the onset of some, but not all, HSSs. During time periods of recurrent trains, the DA was often enhanced or suppressed according to the sign of the interplanetary magnetic field B, which suggests a contribution from a mechanism involving a southward gradient in the GCR density, n, and a gradient anisotropy along B × ∇n. In one non-recurrent and one recurrent sequence, an HSS from an equatorial coronal hole was merged with that from a trailing mid-latitude extension of a polar coronal hole, and the slanted HSS structure in space with suppressed GCR density can account for the southward GCR gradient. We conclude that the gradient anisotropy is a source of temporary changes in the GCR DA under solar minimum conditions, and that the latitudinal GCR gradient can sometimes be explained by the coronal hole morphology.« less

Magnetically advected winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Contopoulos, I.; Kazanas, D.; Fukumura, K.

2017-11-01

Observations of X-ray absorption lines in magnetically driven disc winds around black hole binaries and active galactic nuclei yield a universal radial density profile ρ ∝ r-1.2 in the wind. This is in disagreement with the standard Blandford and Payne profile ρBP ∝ r-1.5 expected when the magnetic field is neither advected nor diffusing through the accretion disc. In order to account for this discrepancy, we establish a new paradigm for magnetically driven astrophysical winds according to which the large-scale ordered magnetic field that threads the disc is continuously generated by the Cosmic Battery around the inner edge of the disc and continuously diffuses outward. We obtain self-similar solutions of such magnetically advected winds (MAW) and discuss their observational ramifications.

Theory of active galactic nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shields, G. A.

1986-01-01

The involvement of accretion disks around supermassive black holes in the theory of active galactic nuclei (AGN) is discussed. The physics of thin and thick accretion disks is discussed and the partition between thermal and nonthermal energy production in supermassive disks is seen as uncertain. The thermal limit cycle may operate in supermassive disks (Shields, 1985), with accumulation of gas in the disk for periods of 10 to the 4th to 10 to the 7th years, punctuated by briefer outbursts during which the mass is rapidly transferred to smaller radii. An extended X-ray source in AGN is consistent with observations (Tennant and Mushotsky, 1983), and a large wind mass loss rate exceeding the central accretion rate means that only a fraction of the mass entering the disk will reach the central object; the rest being lost to the wind. Controversy in the relationship between the broad lines and the disk is also discussed.

The Contribution of Stellar Winds to Cosmic Ray Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Jeongbhin; Kang, Hyesung; Ryu, Dongsu

2018-04-01

Massive stars blow powerful stellar winds throughout their evolutionary stages from the main sequence to Wolf-Rayet phases. The wind mechanical energy of a massive star deposited to the interstellar medium can be comparable to the explosion energy of a core-collapse supernova that detonates at the end of its life In this study, we estimate the kinetic energy deposition by massive stars in our Galaxy by considering the integrated Galactic initial mass function and modeling the stellar wind luminosity. The mass loss rate and terminal velocity of stellar winds during the main sequence, red supergiant, and Wolf-Rayet stages are estimated by adopting theoretical calculations and observational data published in the literature. We find that the total stellar wind luminosity by all massive stars in the Galaxy is about Lw ≈ 1.1×1041 ergs, which is about 1/4 of the power of supernova explosions, LSN ≈ 4.8×1041 ergs. If we assume that ˜1-1% of the wind luminosity could be converted to Galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) through collisonless shocks such as termination shocks in stellar bubbles and superbubbles, colliding-wind shocks in binaries, and bow-shocks of massive runaway stars, stellar winds are expected to make a significant contribution to GCR production, though lower than that of supernova remnants.

SWEEPING AWAY THE MYSTERIES OF DUSTY CONTINUOUS WINDS IN ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

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

Keating, S. K.; Gallagher, S. C.; Deo, R. P.

2012-04-10

An integral part of the unified model for active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is an axisymmetric obscuring medium, which is commonly depicted as a torus of gas and dust surrounding the central engine. However, a robust, dynamical model of the torus is required in order to understand the fundamental physics of AGNs and interpret their observational signatures. Here, we explore self-similar, dusty disk winds, driven by both magnetocentrifugal forces and radiation pressure, as an explanation for the torus. Using these models, we make predictions of AGN infrared (IR) spectral energy distributions from 2 to 100 {mu}m by varying parameters such asmore » the viewing angle (from i = 0 Degree-Sign to 90 Degree-Sign ), the base column density of the wind (from N{sub H,0} = 10{sup 23} to 10{sup 25} cm{sup -2}), the Eddington ratio (from L/L{sub Edd} = 0.01 to 0.1), the black hole mass (from M{sub BH} = 10{sup 8} to 10{sup 9} M{sub Sun }), and the amount of power in the input spectrum emitted in the X-ray relative to that emitted in the UV/optical (from {alpha}{sub ox} = 1.1 to 2.1). We find that models with N{sub H,0} = 10{sup 25} cm{sup -2}, L/L{sub Edd} = 0.1, and M{sub BH} {>=} 10{sup 8} M{sub Sun} are able to adequately approximate the general shape and amount of power expected in the IR as observed in a composite of optically luminous Sloan Digital Sky Survey quasars. The effect of varying the relative power coming out in X-rays relative to the UV is a change in the emission below {approx}5 {mu}m from the hottest dust grains; this arises from the differing contributions to heating and acceleration of UV and X-ray photons. We see mass outflows ranging from {approx}1 to 4 M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}, terminal velocities ranging from {approx}1900 to 8000 km s{sup -1}, and kinetic luminosities ranging from {approx}1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 42} to 8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 43} erg s{sup -1}. Further development of this model holds promise for using specific features of observed

A Comprehensive Study of the Cold Dust and Gas in Galactic Winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veilleux, Sylvain

Galaxies do not evolve statically or in isolation, but instead are being structurally rearranged by stellar and gas motions and are interacting dynamically with their halos and environments. Galactic winds (GWs), or large-scale outflows of material from disks and spheroids, are a primary means by which this structural evolution and ongoing interplay occur. Major outstanding questions remain, however, about the precise impact that GWs make. Both from the ground and from space, our recent effort has focused on the all-important cold gas and dust components of GWs. They are the key to understanding GWs for at least three reasons: i. Outflows have to affect the cold gas and dust out of which stars form if they are to inhibit star formation in the host galaxy. ii. We have found in recent years that the cold gas phase is the energetically dominant phase of many GWs. iii. The kinematics and dynamics of the cold gas phase show trends with AGN luminosity that suggest that we are finally seeing the long-sought ``smoking gun'' of quasar feedback. However, these conclusions rest on very limited samples and are thus tentative. Remarkably, the Herschel and Spitzer Science Archives are treasure troves of high-quality images and spectra on GWs that could drastically improve this sad state of affairs, once these data are analyzed. Here we propose to carry out for the first time a single, self-consistent analysis of all of these data, and combine the results with our extensive ancillary ground-based data (Gemini, VLT, JVLA, ALMA, IRAM, and Keck) to capture all of the gas phases involved in GWs. This multiwavelength approach is unique and goes much beyond individual targeted programs in this area. We are interested in studying all GWs, regardless of redshifts: For the nearest (<20 Mpc) systems, we will examine deep Herschel and Spitzer images to derive the dust content of GWs and the circumgalactic environment in general. Our sample size (~50 GWs and control galaxies) will allow us

The rotating wind of the quasar PG 1700+518.

PubMed

Young, S; Axon, D J; Robinson, A; Hough, J H; Smith, J E

2007-11-01

It is now widely accepted that most galaxies undergo an active phase, during which a central super-massive black hole generates vast radiant luminosities through the gravitational accretion of gas. Winds launched from a rotating accretion disk surrounding the black hole are thought to play a critical role, allowing the disk to shed angular momentum that would otherwise inhibit accretion. Such winds are capable of depositing large amounts of mechanical energy in the host galaxy and its environs, profoundly affecting its formation and evolution, and perhaps regulating the formation of large-scale cosmological structures in the early Universe. Although there are good theoretical grounds for believing that outflows from active galactic nuclei originate as disk winds, observational verification has proven elusive. Here we show that structures observed in polarized light across the broad Halpha emission line in the quasar PG 1700+518 originate close to the accretion disk in an electron scattering wind. The wind has large rotational motions (approximately 4,000 km s(-1)), providing direct observational evidence that outflows from active galactic nuclei are launched from the disks. Moreover, the wind rises nearly vertically from the disk, favouring launch mechanisms that impart an initial acceleration perpendicular to the disk plane.

Effects of particle drifts on the solar modulation of galactic cosmic rays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jokipii, J. R.; Levy, E. H.

1977-01-01

Gradient and curvature drifts in an Archimedean-spiral magnetic field are shown to produce a significant effect on the modulation of galactic cosmic rays by the solar wind. The net modulation, heliocentric radial gradient, and average energy change of particles which reach the inner solar system are significantly reduced. The effects of drifts are due to the fact that cosmic rays for which the drift velocity is comparable to the wind velocity or larger, have more rapid access to the inner solar system than in the absence of drifts.

Time variation of galactic cosmic rays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evenson, Paul

1988-01-01

Time variations in the flux of galactic cosmic rays are the result of changing conditions in the solar wind. Maximum cosmic ray fluxes, which occur when solar activity is at a minimum, are well defined. Reductions from this maximum level are typically systematic and predictable but on occasion are rapid and unexpected. Models relating the flux level at lower energy to that at neutron monitor energy are typically accurate to 20 percent of the total excursion at that energy. Other models, relating flux to observables such as sunspot number, flare frequency, and current sheet tilt are phenomenological but nevertheless can be quite accurate.

The stellar wind of an O8.5 I(f) star in M 31

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haser, S. M.; Lennon, D. J.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Puls, J.; Pauldrach, A. W. A.; Bianchi, L.; Hutchings, J. B.

1995-01-01

We rediscuss the UV spectrum of OB 78#231, an O8.5 I(f) star in the Andromeda galaxy M 31, which has been obtained with the Faint Object Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope by Hutchings et al. (1992). The spectrum has been re-extracted with better knowledge of background, calibration, and scattered light. The empirical analysis of the stellar wind lines results in a terminal velocity and mass loss rate similar to those typically found in comparable galactic objects. Furthermore, a comparison with an FOS spectrum of an O7 supergiant in the Small Magellanic Cloud and IUE spectra of galactic objects implies a metallicity close to galactic counterparts. These results are confirmed quantitatively by spectrum synthesis calculations using a theoretical description of O-star winds.

The Galactic fountain as an origin for the Smith Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marasco, A.; Fraternali, F.

2017-01-01

The recent discovery of an enriched metallicity for the Smith high-velocity H I Cloud (SC) lends support to a Galactic origin for this system. We use a dynamical model of the galactic fountain to reproduce the observed properties of the SC. In our model, fountain clouds are ejected from the region of the disc spiral arms and move through the halo interacting with a pre-existing hot corona. We find that a simple model where cold gas outflows vertically from the Perseus spiral arm reproduces the kinematics and the distance of the SC, but is in disagreement with the cloud's cometary morphology, if this is produced by ram-pressure stripping by the ambient gas. To explain the cloud morphology, we explore two scenarios: (I) the outflow is inclined with respect to the vertical direction and (II) the cloud is entrained by a fast wind that escapes an underlying superbubble. Solutions in agreement with all observational constraints can be found for both cases, the former requires outflow angles >40° while the latter requires ≳1000 km s-1 winds. All scenarios predict that the SC is in the ascending phase of its trajectory and has large - but not implausible - energy requirements.

Galactic gamma-ray observations and galactic structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stecker, F. W.

1975-01-01

Recent observations of gamma-rays originating in the galactic disk together with radio observations, support an emerging picture of the overall structure of our galaxy with higher interstellar gas densities and star formation rates in a region which corresponds to that of the inner arms. The emerging picture is one where molecular clouds make up the dominant constituent of the interstellar gas in the inner galaxy and play a key role in accounting for the gamma-rays and phenomena associated with the production of young stars and other population 1 objects. In this picture, cosmic rays are associated with supernovae and are primarily of galactic origin. These newly observed phenomena can be understood as consequences of the density wave theories of spiral structure. Based on these new developments, the suggestion is made that a new galactic population class, Population O, be added to the standard Populations 1 and 2 in order to recognize important differences in dynamics and distribution between diffuse galactic H1 and interstellar molecular clouds.

The Physical Nature of the Circum-Galactic Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faucher-Giguere, Claude-Andre

crucial step that has been neglected in the majority theoretical studies so far. We will complete our research program with a detailed comparison of our radiative transfer results with existing measurements of covering fractions, kinematics, and position of absorbing gas relative to galaxies, and generate a catalog of simulated statistics for all the main atomic transitions for comparison with other ongoing and future HST observations. Using these results, we will develop diagnostics for testing the predictions of cosmological simulations for cold and hot gas accretion onto galaxies, and for galactic winds, including the mass fractions in hot and cool components, their energetics, and how far they disperse metals. Our work will extend high-redshift studies to the low-redshift Universe, which has received comparatively little theoretical attention. Our systematic study will test our current best numerical models of galaxy formation, powerfully complementing observations of stars and gas inside galaxies by directly probing the gas flows that ultimately regulate the fuel for star formation. Notably, we will quantify the implications of HST results for several key physical processes in galaxy formation, including: gas accretion from the IGM, cooling of hot gas in galaxy halos, angular momentum acquisition by galactic disks, galactic winds, galactic fountains, interactions between inflows and outflows, the quenching of star formation in massive halos, the dispersal of metals in the Universe, and the impact of galaxies on the IGM. We will investigate how each of these processes probed by CGM gas correlates with the properties of associated galaxies, and its relation to the color and morphological transformations of galaxies. In addition to HST, our work will have ramifications for all NASA missions used to study galaxy evolution and the IGM, including the James Webb Space Telescope, WFIRST, Spitzer, Chandra, NuSTAR, and Herschel.

Galactic Cosmic Rays: From Earth to Sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brandt, Theresa J.

2012-01-01

For nearly 100 years we have known that cosmic rays come from outer space, yet proof of their origin, as well as a comprehensive understanding of their acceleration, remains elusive. Direct detection of high energy (up to 10(exp 15)eV), charged nuclei with experiments such as the balloon-born, antarctic Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder (TIGER) have provided insight into these mysteries through measurements of cosmic ray abundances. The abundance of these rare elements with respect to certain intrinsic properties suggests that cosmic rays include a component of massive star ejecta. Supernovae and their remnants (SNe & SNRs), often occurring at the end of a massive star's life or in an environment including massive star material, are one of the most likely candidates for sources accelerating galactic comic ray nuclei up to the requisite high energies. The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope Large Area Detector (Fermi LAT) has improved our understanding of such sources by widening the window of observable energies and thus into potential sources' energetic processes. In combination with multiwavelength observations, we are now better able to constrain particle populations (often hadron-dominated at GeV energies) and environmental conditions, such as the magnetic field strength. The SNR CTB 37A is one such source which could contribute to the observed galactic cosmic rays. By assembling populations of SNRs, we will be able to more definitively define their contribution to the observed galactic cosmic rays, as well as better understand SNRs themselves. Such multimessenger studies will thus illuminate the long-standing cosmic ray mysteries, shedding light on potential sources, acceleration mechanisms, and cosmic ray propagation.

Relativistic neutrons in active galactic nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sikora, Marek; Begelman, Mitchell C.; Rudak, Bronislaw

1989-01-01

The acceleration of protons to relativistic energies in active galactic nuclei leads to the creation of relativistic neutrons which escape from the central engine. The neutrons decay at distances of up to 1-100 pc, depositing their energies and momenta in situ. Energy deposition by decaying neutrons may inhibit spherical accretion and drive a wind, which could be responsible for the velocity fields in emission-line regions and the outflow of broad absorption line systems. Enhanced pressure in the neutron decay region may also help to confine emission line clouds. A fraction of the relativistic proton energy is radiated in gamma-rays with energies which may be as large as about 100,000 GeV.

Seismic Coupling of Short-Period Wind Noise Through Mars' Regolith for NASA's InSight Lander

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teanby, N. A.; Stevanović, J.; Wookey, J.; Murdoch, N.; Hurley, J.; Myhill, R.; Bowles, N. E.; Calcutt, S. B.; Pike, W. T.

2017-10-01

NASA's InSight lander will deploy a tripod-mounted seismometer package onto the surface of Mars in late 2018. Mars is expected to have lower seismic activity than the Earth, so minimisation of environmental seismic noise will be critical for maximising observations of seismicity and scientific return from the mission. Therefore, the seismometers will be protected by a Wind and Thermal Shield (WTS), also mounted on a tripod. Nevertheless, wind impinging on the WTS will cause vibration noise, which will be transmitted to the seismometers through the regolith (soil). Here we use a 1:1-scale model of the seismometer and WTS, combined with field testing at two analogue sites in Iceland, to determine the transfer coefficient between the two tripods and quantify the proportion of WTS vibration noise transmitted through the regolith to the seismometers. The analogue sites had median grain sizes in the range 0.3-1.0 mm, surface densities of 1.3-1.8 g cm^{-3}, and an effective regolith Young's modulus of 2.5^{+1.9}_{-1.4} MPa. At a seismic frequency of 5 Hz the measured transfer coefficients had values of 0.02-0.04 for the vertical component and 0.01-0.02 for the horizontal component. These values are 3-6 times lower than predicted by elastic theory and imply that at short periods the regolith displays significant anelastic behaviour. This will result in reduced short-period wind noise and increased signal-to-noise. We predict the noise induced by turbulent aerodynamic lift on the WTS at 5 Hz to be ˜2×10^{-10} ms^{-2} Hz^{-1/2} with a factor of 10 uncertainty. This is at least an order of magnitude lower than the InSight short-period seismometer noise floor of 10^{-8} ms^{-2} Hz^{-1/2}.

Ultrafast Outflows: Galaxy-scale Active Galactic Nucleus Feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, A. Y.; Umemura, M.; Bicknell, G. V.

2013-01-01

We show, using global three-dimensional grid-based hydrodynamical simulations, that ultrafast outflows (UFOs) from active galactic nuclei (AGNs) result in considerable feedback of energy and momentum into the interstellar medium (ISM) of the host galaxy. The AGN wind interacts strongly with the inhomogeneous, two-phase ISM consisting of dense clouds embedded in a tenuous, hot, hydrostatic medium. The outflow floods through the intercloud channels, sweeps up the hot ISM, and ablates and disperses the dense clouds. The momentum of the UFO is primarily transferred to the dense clouds via the ram pressure in the channel flow, and the wind-blown bubble evolves in the energy-driven regime. Any dependence on UFO opening angle disappears after the first interaction with obstructing clouds. On kpc scales, therefore, feedback by UFOs operates similarly to feedback by relativistic AGN jets. Negative feedback is significantly stronger if clouds are distributed spherically rather than in a disk. In the latter case, the turbulent backflow of the wind drives mass inflow toward the central black hole. Considering the common occurrence of UFOs in AGNs, they are likely to be important in the cosmological feedback cycles of galaxy formation.

ULTRAFAST OUTFLOWS: GALAXY-SCALE ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS FEEDBACK

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

Wagner, A. Y.; Umemura, M.; Bicknell, G. V., E-mail: ayw@ccs.tsukuba.ac.jp

We show, using global three-dimensional grid-based hydrodynamical simulations, that ultrafast outflows (UFOs) from active galactic nuclei (AGNs) result in considerable feedback of energy and momentum into the interstellar medium (ISM) of the host galaxy. The AGN wind interacts strongly with the inhomogeneous, two-phase ISM consisting of dense clouds embedded in a tenuous, hot, hydrostatic medium. The outflow floods through the intercloud channels, sweeps up the hot ISM, and ablates and disperses the dense clouds. The momentum of the UFO is primarily transferred to the dense clouds via the ram pressure in the channel flow, and the wind-blown bubble evolves inmore » the energy-driven regime. Any dependence on UFO opening angle disappears after the first interaction with obstructing clouds. On kpc scales, therefore, feedback by UFOs operates similarly to feedback by relativistic AGN jets. Negative feedback is significantly stronger if clouds are distributed spherically rather than in a disk. In the latter case, the turbulent backflow of the wind drives mass inflow toward the central black hole. Considering the common occurrence of UFOs in AGNs, they are likely to be important in the cosmological feedback cycles of galaxy formation.« less

Radiation pressure in galactic discs: stability, turbulence, and winds in the single-scattering limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wibking, Benjamin D.; Thompson, Todd A.; Krumholz, Mark R.

2018-07-01

The radiation force on dust grains may be dynamically important in driving turbulence and outflows in rapidly star-forming galaxies. Recent studies focus on the highly optically thick limit relevant to the densest ultraluminous galaxies and super star clusters, where reprocessed infrared photons provide the dominant source of electromagnetic momentum. However, even among starburst galaxies, the great majority instead lie in the so-called `single-scattering' limit, where the system is optically thick to the incident starlight, but optically thin to the reradiated infrared. In this paper, we present a stability analysis and multidimensional radiation-hydrodynamic simulations exploring the stability and dynamics of isothermal dusty gas columns in this regime. We describe our algorithm for full angle-dependent radiation transport based on the discontinuous Galerkin finite element method. For a range of near-Eddington fluxes, we show that the medium is unstable, producing convective-like motions in a turbulent atmosphere with a scale height significantly inflated compared to the gas pressure scale height and mass-weighted turbulent energy densities of ˜0.01-0.1 of the mid-plane radiation energy density, corresponding to mass-weighted velocity dispersions of Mach number ˜0.5-2. Extrapolation of our results to optical depths of 103 implies maximum turbulent Mach numbers of ˜20. Comparing our results to galaxy-averaged observations, and subject to the approximations of our calculations, we find that radiation pressure does not contribute significantly to the effective supersonic pressure support in star-forming discs, which in general are substantially sub-Eddington. We further examine the time-averaged vertical density profiles in dynamical equilibrium and comment on implications for radiation-pressure-driven galactic winds.

Radiation pressure in galactic disks: stability, turbulence, and winds in the single-scattering limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wibking, Benjamin D.; Thompson, Todd A.; Krumholz, Mark R.

2018-04-01

The radiation force on dust grains may be dynamically important in driving turbulence and outflows in rapidly star-forming galaxies. Recent studies focus on the highly optically-thick limit relevant to the densest ultra-luminous galaxies and super star clusters, where reprocessed infrared photons provide the dominant source of electromagnetic momentum. However, even among starburst galaxies, the great majority instead lie in the so-called "single-scattering" limit, where the system is optically-thick to the incident starlight, but optically-thin to the re-radiated infrared. In this paper we present a stability analysis and multidimensional radiation-hydrodynamic simulations exploring the stability and dynamics of isothermal dusty gas columns in this regime. We describe our algorithm for full angle-dependent radiation transport based on the discontinuous Galerkin finite element method. For a range of near-Eddington fluxes, we show that the medium is unstable, producing convective-like motions in a turbulent atmosphere with a scale height significantly inflated compared to the gas pressure scale height and mass-weighted turbulent energy densities of ˜0.01 - 0.1 of the midplane radiation energy density, corresponding to mass-weighted velocity dispersions of Mach number ˜0.5 - 2. Extrapolation of our results to optical depths of 103 implies maximum turbulent Mach numbers of ˜20. Comparing our results to galaxy-averaged observations, and subject to the approximations of our calculations, we find that radiation pressure does not contribute significantly to the effective supersonic pressure support in star-forming disks, which in general are substantially sub-Eddington. We further examine the time-averaged vertical density profiles in dynamical equilibrium and comment on implications for radiation-pressure-driven galactic winds.

New insights on the interaction between atmospheric flow and a full-scale 2.5 MW wind turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chamorro, L. P.; Lee, S.; Olsen, D.; Milliren, C.; Marr, J.; Arndt, R.; Sotiropoulos, F.

2012-12-01

Power fluctuations and fatigue loads are among the most significant problems that wind turbines face throughout their lifetime. Atmospheric turbulence is the common driving mechanism that triggers instabilities on these quantities. Reducing the effects of the fluctuating flow on wind turbines is quite challenging due to the wide variety of length scales present in the boundary layer flow. Each group of these scales, which range from the order of a millimeter to kilometer and larger, plays a characteristic and distinctive role on the performance and structural reliability of wind turbines. This study seeks to contribute toward the understanding on the complex scale-to-scale interaction between wind turbine and flow turbulence. Novel insights into the physical mechanisms that govern the flow/turbine interaction will be discussed. To tackle the problem, we investigate the unsteady behavior of a full-scale 2.5 MW wind turbine under nearly neutral thermal stratification. The study is performed in the Eolos Wind Energy Research Field Station of the University of Minnesota. An instrumented 130 meter meteorological tower located upstream of a Clipper Liberty C96 wind turbine is used to characterize the turbulent flow and atmospheric conditions right upstream of the wind turbine. High resolution and synchronous measurements of the approach wind velocity at several heights, turbine power and strain at the tower foundation are used to determine the scale-to-scale interaction between flow and the wind turbine performance and its physical structure. The spectral distribution of the fluctuating turbine power and instantaneous stresses will be discussed in detail. Characteristic length scales playing a key role on the dynamics of the wind turbine as well as the distinctive effects of flow coherent motions and strong intermittent gusts will also be addressed. Funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy (DE-EE0002980) and Xcel Energy through the Renewable Development Fund

Solar Energetic Particles (SEP) and Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) as tracers of solar wind conditions near Saturn: Event lists and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roussos, E.; Jackman, C. M.; Thomsen, M. F.; Kurth, W. S.; Badman, S. V.; Paranicas, C.; Kollmann, P.; Krupp, N.; Bučík, R.; Mitchell, D. G.; Krimigis, S. M.; Hamilton, D. C.; Radioti, A.

2018-01-01

The lack of an upstream solar wind monitor poses a major challenge to any study that investigates the influence of the solar wind on the configuration and the dynamics of Saturn's magnetosphere. Here we show how Cassini MIMI/LEMMS observations of Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) and Galactic Cosmic Ray (GCR) transients, that are both linked to energetic processes in the heliosphere such us Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections (ICMEs) and Corotating Interaction Regions (CIRs), can be used to trace enhanced solar wind conditions at Saturn's distance. SEP protons can be easily distinguished from magnetospheric ions, particularly at the MeV energy range. Many SEPs are also accompanied by strong GCR Forbush Decreases. GCRs are detectable as a low count-rate noise signal in a large number of LEMMS channels. As SEPs and GCRs can easily penetrate into the outer and middle magnetosphere, they can be monitored continuously, even when Cassini is not situated in the solar wind. A survey of the MIMI/LEMMS dataset between 2004 and 2016 resulted in the identification of 46 SEP events. Most events last more than two weeks and have their lowest occurrence rate around the extended solar minimum between 2008 and 2010, suggesting that they are associated to ICMEs rather than CIRs, which are the main source of activity during the declining phase and the minimum of the solar cycle. We also list of 17 time periods ( > 50 days each) where GCRs show a clear solar periodicity ( ∼ 13 or 26 days). The 13-day period that derives from two CIRs per solar rotation dominates over the 26-day period in only one of the 17 cases catalogued. This interval belongs to the second half of 2008 when expansions of Saturn's electron radiation belts were previously reported to show a similar periodicity. That observation not only links the variability of Saturn's electron belts to solar wind processes, but also indicates that the source of the observed periodicity in GCRs may be local. In this case GCR

Implosive accretion and outbursts of active galactic nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lovelace, R. V. E.; Romanova, M. M.; Newman, W. I.

1994-01-01

A model and simulation code have been developed for time-dependent axisymmetric disk accretion onto a compact object including for the first time the influence of an ordered magnetic field. The accretion rate and radiative luminosity of the disk are naturally coupled to the rate of outflow of energy and angular momentum in magnetically driven (+/- z) winds. The magnetic field of the wind is treated in a phenomenological way suggested by self-consistent wind solutions. The radial accretion speed u(r, t) of the disk matter is shown to be the sum of the usual viscous contribution and a magnetic contribution proportional to r(exp 3/2)(B(sub p exp 2))/sigma, where B(sub p)(r,t) is the poloidal field threading the disk and sigma(r,t) is the disk's surface mass density. An enhancement or variation in B(sub p) at a large radial distance leads to the formation of a soliton-like structure in the disk density, temperature, and B-field which propagates implosively inward. The implosion gives a burst in the power output in winds or jets and a simultaneous burst in the disk radiation. The model is pertinent to the formation of discrete fast-moving components in jets observed by very long baseline interferometry. These components appear to originate at times of optical outbursts of the active galactic nucleus.

Solar wind composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ogilvie, K. W.; Coplan, M. A.

1995-01-01

Advances in instrumentation have resulted in the determination of the average abundances of He, C, N, O, Ne, Mg, Si, S, and Fe in the solar wind to approximately 10%. Comparisons with solar energetic particle (SEP) abundances and galactic cosmic ray abundances have revealed many similarities, especially when compared with solar photospheric abundances. It is now well established that fractionation in the corona results in an overabundance (with respect to the photosphere) of elements with first ionization potentials less than 10 eV. These observations have in turn led to the development of fractionation models that are reasonably successful in reproducing the first ionization (FIP) effect. Under some circumstances it has been possible to relate solar wind observations to particular source regions in the corona. The magnetic topologies of the source regions appear to have a strong influence on the fractionation of elements. Comparisons with spectroscopic data are particularly useful in classifying the different topologies. Ions produced from interstellar neutral atoms are also found in the solar wind. These ions are picked up by the solar wind after ionization by solar radiation or charge exchange and can be identified by their velocity in the solar wind. The pick-up ions provide most of the pressure in the interplanetary medium at large distances. Interstellar abundances can be derived from the observed fluxes of solar wind pick-up ions.

Galactic plane gamma-radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartman, R. C.; Kniffen, D. A.; Thompson, D. J.; Fichtel, C. E.; Ogelman, H. B.; Tumer, T.; Ozel, M. E.

1979-01-01

Analysis of the SAS 2 data together with the COS B results shows that the distribution of galactic gamma-radiation has several similarities to that of other large-scale tracers of galactic structure. The radiation is primarily confined to a thin disc which exhibits offsets from b = 0 degrees similar to warping at radio frequencies. The principal distinction of the gamma-radiation is a stronger contrast in intensity between the region from 310 to 45 degrees in longitude and the regions away from the center that can be attributed to a variation in cosmic-ray density as a function of position in Galaxy. The diffuse galactic gamma-ray energy spectrum shows no significant variation in direction, and the spectrum seen along the plane is the same as that for the galactic component of the gamma-radiation at high altitudes. The uniformity of the galactic gamma-ray spectrum, the smooth decrease in intensity as a function of altitude, and the absence of any galactic gamma-ray sources at high altitudes indicate a diffuse origin for bulk of the galactic gamma-radiation rather than a collection of localized sources.

The H.E.S.S. Galactic plane survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

H. E. S. S. Collaboration; Abdalla, H.; Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.; Benkhali, F. Ait; Angüner, E. O.; Arakawa, M.; Arrieta, M.; Aubert, P.; Backes, M.; Balzer, A.; Barnard, M.; Becherini, Y.; Tjus, J. Becker; Berge, D.; Bernhard, S.; Bernlöhr, K.; Blackwell, R.; Böttcher, M.; Boisson, C.; Bolmont, J.; Bonnefoy, S.; Bordas, P.; Bregeon, J.; Brun, F.; Brun, P.; Bryan, M.; Büchele, M.; Bulik, T.; Capasso, M.; Carrigan, S.; Caroff, S.; Carosi, A.; Casanova, S.; Cerruti, M.; Chakraborty, N.; Chaves, R. C. G.; Chen, A.; Chevalier, J.; Colafrancesco, S.; Condon, B.; Conrad, J.; Davids, I. D.; Decock, J.; Deil, C.; Devin, J.; deWilt, P.; Dirson, L.; Djannati-Ataï, A.; Domainko, W.; Donath, A.; Drury, L. O.'C.; Dutson, K.; Dyks, J.; Edwards, T.; Egberts, K.; Eger, P.; Emery, G.; Ernenwein, J.-P.; Eschbach, S.; Farnier, C.; Fegan, S.; Fernandes, M. V.; Fiasson, A.; Fontaine, G.; Förster, A.; Funk, S.; Füßling, M.; Gabici, S.; Gallant, Y. A.; Garrigoux, T.; Gast, H.; Gaté, F.; Giavitto, G.; Giebels, B.; Glawion, D.; Glicenstein, J. F.; Gottschall, D.; Grondin, M.-H.; Hahn, J.; Haupt, M.; Hawkes, J.; Heinzelmann, G.; Henri, G.; Hermann, G.; Hinton, J. A.; Hofmann, W.; Hoischen, C.; Holch, T. L.; Holler, M.; Horns, D.; Ivascenko, A.; Iwasaki, H.; Jacholkowska, A.; Jamrozy, M.; Jankowsky, D.; Jankowsky, F.; Jingo, M.; Jouvin, L.; Jung-Richardt, I.; Kastendieck, M. A.; Katarzyński, K.; Katsuragawa, M.; Katz, U.; Kerszberg, D.; Khangulyan, D.; Khélifi, B.; King, J.; Klepser, S.; Klochkov, D.; Kluźniak, W.; Komin, Nu.; Kosack, K.; Krakau, S.; Kraus, M.; Krüger, P. P.; Laffon, H.; Lamanna, G.; Lau, J.; Lees, J.-P.; Lefaucheur, J.; Lemière, A.; Lemoine-Goumard, M.; Lenain, J.-P.; Leser, E.; Lohse, T.; Lorentz, M.; Liu, R.; López-Coto, R.; Lypova, I.; Marandon, V.; Malyshev, D.; Marcowith, A.; Mariaud, C.; Marx, R.; Maurin, G.; Maxted, N.; Mayer, M.; Meintjes, P. J.; Meyer, M.; Mitchell, A. M. W.; Moderski, R.; Mohamed, M.; Mohrmann, L.; Morå, K.; Moulin, E.; Murach, T.; Nakashima, S.; de Naurois, M.; Ndiyavala, H.; Niederwanger, F.; Niemiec, J.; Oakes, L.; O'Brien, P.; Odaka, H.; Ohm, S.; Ostrowski, M.; Oya, I.; Padovani, M.; Panter, M.; Parsons, R. D.; Paz Arribas, M.; Pekeur, N. W.; Pelletier, G.; Perennes, C.; Petrucci, P.-O.; Peyaud, B.; Piel, Q.; Pita, S.; Poireau, V.; Poon, H.; Prokhorov, D.; Prokoph, H.; Pühlhofer, G.; Punch, M.; Quirrenbach, A.; Raab, S.; Rauth, R.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Renaud, M.; de los Reyes, R.; Rieger, F.; Rinchiuso, L.; Romoli, C.; Rowell, G.; Rudak, B.; Rulten, C. B.; Safi-Harb, S.; Sahakian, V.; Saito, S.; Sanchez, D. A.; Santangelo, A.; Sasaki, M.; Schandri, M.; Schlickeiser, R.; Schüssler, F.; Schulz, A.; Schwanke, U.; Schwemmer, S.; Seglar-Arroyo, M.; Settimo, M.; Seyffert, A. S.; Shafi, N.; Shilon, I.; Shiningayamwe, K.; Simoni, R.; Sol, H.; Spanier, F.; Spir-Jacob, M.; Stawarz, Ł.; Steenkamp, R.; Stegmann, C.; Steppa, C.; Sushch, I.; Takahashi, T.; Tavernet, J.-P.; Tavernier, T.; Taylor, A. M.; Terrier, R.; Tibaldo, L.; Tiziani, D.; Tluczykont, M.; Trichard, C.; Tsirou, M.; Tsuji, N.; Tuffs, R.; Uchiyama, Y.; van der Walt, D. J.; van Eldik, C.; van Rensburg, C.; van Soelen, B.; Vasileiadis, G.; Veh, J.; Venter, C.; Viana, A.; Vincent, P.; Vink, J.; Voisin, F.; Völk, H. J.; Vuillaume, T.; Wadiasingh, Z.; Wagner, S. J.; Wagner, P.; Wagner, R. M.; White, R.; Wierzcholska, A.; Willmann, P.; Wörnlein, A.; Wouters, D.; Yang, R.; Zaborov, D.; Zacharias, M.; Zanin, R.; Zdziarski, A. A.; Zech, A.; Zefi, F.; Ziegler, A.; Zorn, J.; Żywucka, N.

2018-04-01

We present the results of the most comprehensive survey of the Galactic plane in very high-energy (VHE) γ-rays, including a public release of Galactic sky maps, a catalog of VHE sources, and the discovery of 16 new sources of VHE γ-rays. The High Energy Spectroscopic System (H.E.S.S.) Galactic plane survey (HGPS) was a decade-long observation program carried out by the H.E.S.S. I array of Cherenkov telescopes in Namibia from 2004 to 2013. The observations amount to nearly 2700 h of quality-selected data, covering the Galactic plane at longitudes from ℓ = 250° to 65° and latitudes |b|≤ 3°. In addition to the unprecedented spatial coverage, the HGPS also features a relatively high angular resolution (0.08° ≈ 5 arcmin mean point spread function 68% containment radius), sensitivity (≲1.5% Crab flux for point-like sources), and energy range (0.2-100 TeV). We constructed a catalog of VHE γ-ray sources from the HGPS data set with a systematic procedure for both source detection and characterization of morphology and spectrum. We present this likelihood-based method in detail, including the introduction of a model component to account for unresolved, large-scale emission along the Galactic plane. In total, the resulting HGPS catalog contains 78 VHE sources, of which 14 are not reanalyzed here, for example, due to their complex morphology, namely shell-like sources and the Galactic center region. Where possible, we provide a firm identification of the VHE source or plausible associations with sources in other astronomical catalogs. We also studied the characteristics of the VHE sources with source parameter distributions. 16 new sources were previously unknown or unpublished, and we individually discuss their identifications or possible associations. We firmly identified 31 sources as pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe), supernova remnants (SNRs), composite SNRs, or gamma-ray binaries. Among the 47 sources not yet identified, most of them (36) have possible

Galactic bulge preferred over dark matter for the Galactic centre gamma-ray excess

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macias, Oscar; Gordon, Chris; Crocker, Roland M.; Coleman, Brendan; Paterson, Dylan; Horiuchi, Shunsaku; Pohl, Martin

2018-05-01

An anomalous gamma-ray excess emission has been found in the Fermi Large Area Telescope data1 covering the centre of the Galaxy2,3. Several theories have been proposed for this `Galactic centre excess'. They include self-annihilation of dark-matter particles4, an unresolved population of millisecond pulsars5, an unresolved population of young pulsars6, or a series of burst events7. Here, we report on an analysis that exploits hydrodynamical modelling to register the position of interstellar gas associated with diffuse Galactic gamma-ray emission. We find evidence that the Galactic centre excess gamma rays are statistically better described by the stellar over-density in the Galactic bulge and the nuclear stellar bulge, rather than a spherical excess. Given its non-spherical nature, we argue that the Galactic centre excess is not a dark-matter phenomenon but rather associated with the stellar population of the Galactic bulge and the nuclear bulge.

Wind from the black-hole accretion disk driving a molecular outflow in an active galaxy.

PubMed

Tombesi, F; Meléndez, M; Veilleux, S; Reeves, J N; González-Alfonso, E; Reynolds, C S

2015-03-26

Powerful winds driven by active galactic nuclei are often thought to affect the evolution of both supermassive black holes and their host galaxies, quenching star formation and explaining the close relationship between black holes and galaxies. Recent observations of large-scale molecular outflows in ultraluminous infrared galaxies support this quasar-feedback idea, because they directly trace the gas from which stars form. Theoretical models suggest that these outflows originate as energy-conserving flows driven by fast accretion-disk winds. Proposed connections between large-scale molecular outflows and accretion-disk activity in ultraluminous galaxies were incomplete because no accretion-disk wind had been detected. Conversely, studies of powerful accretion-disk winds have until now focused only on X-ray observations of local Seyfert galaxies and a few higher-redshift quasars. Here we report observations of a powerful accretion-disk wind with a mildly relativistic velocity (a quarter that of light) in the X-ray spectrum of IRAS F11119+3257, a nearby (redshift 0.189) optically classified type 1 ultraluminous infrared galaxy hosting a powerful molecular outflow. The active galactic nucleus is responsible for about 80 per cent of the emission, with a quasar-like luminosity of 1.5 × 10(46) ergs per second. The energetics of these two types of wide-angle outflows is consistent with the energy-conserving mechanism that is the basis of the quasar feedback in active galactic nuclei that lack powerful radio jets (such jets are an alternative way to drive molecular outflows).

Some consequences of shear on galactic dynamos with helicity fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Hongzhe; Blackman, Eric G.

2017-08-01

Galactic dynamo models sustained by supernova (SN) driven turbulence and differential rotation have revealed that the sustenance of large-scale fields requires a flux of small-scale magnetic helicity to be viable. Here we generalize a minimalist analytic version of such galactic dynamos to explore some heretofore unincluded contributions from shear on the total turbulent energy and turbulent correlation time, with the helicity fluxes maintained by either winds, diffusion or magnetic buoyancy. We construct an analytic framework for modelling the turbulent energy and correlation time as a function of SN rate and shear. We compare our prescription with previous approaches that include only rotation. The solutions depend separately on the rotation period and the eddy turnover time and not just on their ratio (the Rossby number). We consider models in which these two time-scales are allowed to be independent and also a case in which they are mutually dependent on radius when a radial-dependent SN rate model is invoked. For the case of a fixed rotation period (or a fixed radius), we show that the influence of shear is dramatic for low Rossby numbers, reducing the correlation time of the turbulence, which, in turn, strongly reduces the saturation value of the dynamo compared to the case when the shear is ignored. We also show that even in the absence of winds or diffusive fluxes, magnetic buoyancy may be able to sustain sufficient helicity fluxes to avoid quenching.

A galactic sunflower

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-09-07

The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in a new image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the centre of a sunflower. So the nickname for this cosmic object — the Sunflower Galaxy — is no coincidence. Discovered by Pierre Mechain in 1779, the galaxy later made it as the 63rd entry into fellow French astronomer Charles Messier’s famous catalogue, published in 1781. The two astronomers spotted the Sunflower Galaxy’s glow in the small, northern constellation Canes Venatici (the Hunting Dogs). We now know this galaxy is about 27 million light-years away and belongs to the M51 Group — a group of galaxies, named after its brightest member, Messier 51, another spiral-shaped galaxy dubbed the Whirlpool Galaxy. Galactic arms, sunflowers and whirlpools are only a few examples of nature’s apparent preference for spirals. For galaxies like Messier 63 the winding arms shine bright because of the presence of recently formed, blue–white giant stars, readily seen in this Hubble image.

Chandra Discovers the X-ray Signature of a Powerful Wind from a Galactic Microquasar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2000-11-01

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has detected, for the first time in X rays, a stellar fingerprint known as a P Cygni profile--the distinctive spectral signature of a powerful wind produced by an object in space. The discovery reveals a 4.5-million-mile-per-hour wind coming from a highly compact pair of stars in our galaxy, report researchers from Penn State and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in a paper they will present on 8 November 2000 during a meeting of the High-Energy Astrophysics Division of the American Astronomical Society in Honolulu, Hawaii. The paper also has been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. "To our knowledge, these are the first P Cygni profiles reported in X rays," say researchers Niel Brandt, assistant professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State, and Norbert S. Schulz, research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The team made the discovery during their first observation of a binary-star system with the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which was launched into space in July 1999. The system, known as Circinus X-1, is located about 20,000 light years from Earth in the constellation Circinus near the Southern Cross. It contains a super-dense neutron star in orbit around a normal fusion-burning star like our Sun. Although Circinus X-1 was discovered in 1971, many properties of this system remain mysterious because Circinus X-1 lies in the galactic plane where obscuring dust and gas have blocked its effective study in many wavelengths. The P Cygni spectral profile, previously detected primarily at ultraviolet and optical wavelengths but never before in X rays, is the textbook tool astronomers rely on for probing stellar winds. The profile looks like the outline of a roller coaster, with one really big hill and valley in the middle, on a data plot with velocity on one axis and the flow rate of photons per second on the other. It is named after the famous star P Cygni, in which such

2016 Distributed Wind Market Report

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

Orrell, Alice C.; Foster, Nikolas F.; Morris, Scott L.

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) annual Distributed Wind Market Report provides stakeholders with statistics and analysis of the distributed wind market, along with insight into its trends and characteristics.

Neutrino-heated stars and broad-line emission from active galactic nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macdonald, James; Stanev, Todor; Biermann, Peter L.

1991-01-01

Nonthermal radiation from active galactic nuclei indicates the presence of highly relativistic particles. The interaction of these high-energy particles with matter and photons gives rise to a flux of high-energy neutrinos. In this paper, the influence of the expected high neutrino fluxes on the structure and evolution of single, main-sequence stars is investigated. Sequences of models of neutrino-heated stars in thermal equilibrium are presented for masses 0.25, 0.5, 0.8, and 1.0 solar mass. In addition, a set of evolutionary sequences for mass 0.5 solar mass have been computed for different assumed values for the incident neutrino energy flux. It is found that winds driven by the heating due to high-energy particles and hard electromagnetic radiation of the outer layers of neutrino-bloated stars may satisfy the requirements of the model of Kazanas (1989) for the broad-line emission clouds in active galactic nuclei.

The Galactic Bulge Radial Velocity/Abundance Assay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rich, R. M.

2012-08-01

The Bulge Radial Velocity Assay (BRAVA) measured radial velocities for ˜ 9500 late-type giants in the Galactic bulge, predominantly from -10° < l < +10° and -2° < b < -10°. The project has discovered that the bulge exhibits cylindrical rotation characteristic of bars, and two studies of dynamics (Shen et al. 2010; Wang et al. 2012 MNRAS sub.) find that bar models- either N-body formed from an instability in a preexisting disk, or a self-consistent model- can account for the observed kinematics. Studies of the Plaut field at (l,b) = 0°, -8° show that alpha enhancement is found in bulge giants even 1 kpc from the nucleus. New infrared studies extending to within 0.25° = 35 pc of the Galactic Center find no iron or alpha gradient from Baade's Window (l,b) = 0.9°, -3.9° to our innermost field, in contrast to the marked gradient observed in the outer bulge. We consider the case of the remarkable globular cluster Terzan 5, which has a strongly bimodal iron and rm [α/Fe] within its members, and we consider evidence pro and con that the bulge was assembled from dissolved clusters. The Subaru telescope has the potential to contribute to study of the Galactic bulge, especially using the Hyper Superime-Cam and planned spectroscopic modes, as well as the high resolution spectrograph. The planned Jasmine satellite series may deliver a comprehensive survey of distances and proper motions of bulge stars, and insight into the origin and importance of the X-shaped bulge.

Growing a Wind Workforce: The National Wind Energy Skills Assessment Report (Poster)

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

Tegen, S.

This poster summarizes results from the first published investigation into the detailed makeup of the wind energy workforce as well as a glance at the educational infrastructure and training needs of the wind industry. Insights from this research into the domestic wind workforce allow the private sector, educational institutions, and federal and state governments to make better informed workforce-related decisions based on the current data and future projections.

A High Resolution View of Galactic Centers: Arp 220 and M31

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lockhart, Kelly E.

The centers of galaxy are small in size and yet incredibly complex. They play host to supermassive black holes and nuclear star clusters (NSCs) and are subject to large gas inows, nuclear starbursts, and active galactic nuclear (AGN) activity. They can also be the launching site for large-scale galactic outows. However, though these systems are quite important to galactic evolution, observations are quite difficult due to their small size. Using high spatial resolution narrowband imaging with HST/WFC3 of Arp 220, a latestage galaxy merger, I discover an ionized gas bubble feature ( r = 600 pc) just off the nucleus. The bubble is aligned with both the western nucleus and with the large-scale galactic outflow. Using energetics arguments, I link the bubble with a young, obscured AGN or with an intense nuclear starburst. Given its alignment along the large-scale outflow axis, I argue that the bubble presents evidence for a link between the galactic center and the large-scale outflow. I also present new observations of the NSC in M31, the closest large spiral galaxy to our own. Using the OSIRIS near-infrared integral field spectrograph (IFS) on Keck, I map the kinematics of the old stellar population in the eccentric disk of the NSC. I compare the observations to models to derive a precession speed of the disk of 0+/-5 km s-1 pc-1 , and hence confirm that winds from the old stellar population may be the source of gas needed to form the young stellar population in the NSC. Studies of galactic centers are dependent on high spatial resolution observations. In particular, IFSs are ideal instruments for these studies as they provide two-dimensional spectroscopy of the field of view, enabling 2D kinematic studies. I report on work to characterize and improve the data reduction pipeline of the OSIRIS IFS, and discuss implications for future generations of IFS instrumentation.

A Modified Kinematic Model of Neutral and Ionized Gas in Galactic Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishnarao, Dhanesh; Benjamin, Robert A.; Haffner, L. Matthew

2018-01-01

Gas near the center of the Milky Way is very complex across all phases (cold, warm, neutral, ionized, atomic, molecular, etc.) and shows strong observational evidence for warping, lopsided orientations and strongly non-circular kinematics. Historically, the kinematic complexities were modeled with many discrete features involved with expulsive phenomena near Galactic Center. However, much of the observed emission can be explained with a single unified and smooth density structure when geometrical and perspective effects are accounted for. Here we present a new model for a tilted, elliptical disk of gas within the inner 2 kpc of Galactic center based on the series of models following Burton & Liszt (1978 - 1992, Papers I- V). Machine learning techniques such as the Histogram of Oriented Gradients image correlation statistic are used to optimize the geometry and kinematics of neutral and ionized gas in 3D observational space (position,position, velocity). The model successfully predicts emission from neutral gas as seen by HI (Hi4Pi) and explains anomalous ionized gas features in H-Alpha emission (Wisconsin H-Alpha Mapper) and UV absorption lines (Hubble Space Telescope - Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph). The modeled distribution of this tilted gas disk along with its kinematics of elliptical x1 orbits can reveal new insight about the Galactic Bar, star formation, and high-velocity gas near Galactic Center and its relation with the Fermi Bubble.

Interpreting high time resolution galactic cosmic ray observations in a diffusive context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordan, A.; Spence, H. E.; Blake, J. B.; Shaul, D. A.

2009-12-01

We interpret galactic cosmic ray (GCR) variations near Earth within a diffusive context. The variations occur on time-/size-scales ranging from Forbush decreases (Fds), to substructure embedded within Fds, to smaller amplitude and shorter duration variations during relatively benign interplanetary conditions. We use high time resolution GCR observations from the High Sensitivity Telescope (HIST) on Polar and from the Spectrometer for INTEGRAL (SPI) and also use solar wind plasma and magnetic field observations from ACE and/or Wind. To calculate the coefficient of diffusion, we combine these datasets with a simple convection-diffusion model for relativistic charged particles in a magnetic field. We find reasonable agreement between our and previous estimates of the coefficient. We also show whether changes in the coefficient of diffusion are sufficient to explain the above GCR variations.

360-degree video and X-ray modeling of the Galactic center's inner parsec

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, Christopher Michael Post; Wang, Daniel; Cuadra, Jorge

2017-08-01

360-degree videos, which render an image over all 4pi steradian, provide a unique and immersive way to visualize astrophysical simulations. Video sharing sites such as YouTube allow these videos to be shared with the masses; they can be viewed in their 360° nature on computer screens, with smartphones, or, best of all, in virtual-reality (VR) goggles. We present the first such 360° video of an astrophysical simulation: a hydrodynamics calculation of the Wolf-Rayet stars and their ejected winds in the inner parsec of the Galactic center. Viewed from the perspective of the super-massive black hole (SMBH), the most striking aspect of the video, which renders column density, is the inspiraling and stretching of clumps of WR-wind material as they makes their way towards the SMBH. We will brielfy describe how to make 360° videos and how to publish them online in their desired 360° format. Additionally we discuss computing the thermal X-ray emission from a suite of Galactic-center hydrodynamic simulations that have various SMBH feedback mechanisms, which are compared to Chandra X-ray Visionary Program observations of the region. Over a 2-5” ring centered on Sgr A*, the spectral shape is well matched, indicating that the WR winds are the dominant source of the thermal X-ray emission. Furthermore, the X-ray flux depends on the SMBH feedback due to the feedback's ability to clear out material from the central parsec. A moderate outburst is necessary to explain the current thermal X-ray flux, even though the outburst ended ˜100 yr ago.

The origin of fast molecular outflows in quasars: molecule formation in AGN-driven galactic winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richings, Alexander J.; Faucher-Giguère, Claude-André

2018-03-01

We explore the origin of fast molecular outflows that have been observed in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Previous numerical studies have shown that it is difficult to create such an outflow by accelerating existing molecular clouds in the host galaxy, as the clouds will be destroyed before they can reach the high velocities that are observed. In this work, we consider an alternative scenario where molecules form in situ within the AGN outflow. We present a series of hydro-chemical simulations of an isotropic AGN wind interacting with a uniform medium. We follow the time-dependent chemistry of 157 species, including 20 molecules, to determine whether molecules can form rapidly enough to produce the observed molecular outflows. We find H2 outflow rates up to 140 M_{⊙} yr^{-1}, which is sensitive to density, AGN luminosity, and metallicity. We compute emission and absorption lines of CO, OH, and warm (a few hundred K) H2 from the simulations in post-processing. The CO-derived outflow rates and OH absorption strengths at solar metallicity agree with observations, although the maximum line-of-sight velocities from the model CO spectra are a factor ≈2 lower than is observed. We derive a CO (1-0) to H2 conversion factor of α _{CO (1-0)} = 0.13 M_{⊙} (K km s^{-1} pc2)^{-1}, 6 times lower than is commonly assumed in observations of such systems. We find strong emission from the mid-infrared lines of H2. The mass of H2 traced by this infrared emission is within a few per cent of the total H2 mass. This H2 emission may be observable by James Webb Space Telescope.

A magnetic torsional wave near the Galactic Centre traced by a 'double helix' nebula.

PubMed

Morris, Mark; Uchida, Keven; Do, Tuan

2006-03-16

The magnetic field in the central few hundred parsecs of the Milky Way has a dipolar geometry and is substantially stronger than elsewhere in the Galaxy, with estimates ranging up to a milligauss (refs 1-6). Characterization of the magnetic field at the Galactic Centre is important because it can affect the orbits of molecular clouds by exerting a drag on them, inhibit star formation, and could guide a wind of hot gas or cosmic rays away from the central region. Here we report observations of an infrared nebula having the morphology of an intertwined double helix about 100 parsecs from the Galaxy's dynamical centre, with its axis oriented perpendicular to the Galactic plane. The observed segment is about 25 parsecs in length, and contains about 1.25 full turns of each of the two continuous, helically wound strands. We interpret this feature as a torsional Alfvén wave propagating vertically away from the Galactic disk, driven by rotation of the magnetized circumnuclear gas disk. The direct connection between the circumnuclear disk and the double helix is ambiguous, but the images show a possible meandering channel that warrants further investigation.

FERMI BUBBLE γ-RAYS AS A RESULT OF DIFFUSIVE INJECTION OF GALACTIC COSMIC RAYS

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

Thoudam, Satyendra, E-mail: s.thoudam@astro.ru.nl

2013-11-20

Recently, the Fermi Space Telescope discovered two large γ-ray emission regions, the so-called Fermi bubbles, that extend up to ∼50° above and below the Galactic center (GC). The γ-ray emission from the bubbles is found to follow a hard spectrum with no significant spatial variation in intensity and spectral shape. The origin of the emission is still not clearly understood. Suggested explanations include the injection of cosmic-ray (CR) nuclei from the GC by high-speed Galactic winds, electron acceleration by multiple shocks, and stochastic electron acceleration inside the bubbles. In this Letter, it is proposed that the γ-rays may be themore » result of diffusive injection of Galactic CR protons during their propagation through the Galaxy. Considering that the bubbles are slowly expanding, and CRs undergo much slower diffusion inside the bubbles than in the average Galaxy and at the same time suffer losses due to adiabatic expansion and inelastic collisions with the bubble plasma, this model can explain the observed intensity profile, the emission spectrum and the measured luminosity without invoking any additional particle production processes, unlike other existing models.« less

Active galactic nuclei

PubMed Central

Fabian, Andrew C.

1999-01-01

Active galactic nuclei are the most powerful, long-lived objects in the Universe. Recent data confirm the theoretical idea that the power source is accretion into a massive black hole. The common occurrence of obscuration and outflows probably means that the contribution of active galactic nuclei to the power density of the Universe has been generally underestimated. PMID:10220363

HIREGS observations of the Galactic center and Galactic plane: Separation of the diffuse Galactic hard X-ray continuum from the point source spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boggs, S. E.; Lin, R. P.; Coburn, W.; Feffer, P.; Pelling, R. M.; Schroeder, P.; Slassi-Sennou, S.

1997-01-01

The balloon-borne high resolution gamma ray and X-ray germanium spectrometer (HIREGS) was used to observe the Galactic center and two positions along the Galactic plane from Antarctica in January 1995. For its flight, the collimators were configured to measure the Galactic diffuse hard X-ray continuum between 20 and 200 keV by directly measuring the point source contributions to the wide field of view flux for subtraction. The hard X-ray spectra of GX 1+4 and GRO J1655-40 were measured with the diffuse continuum subtracted off. The analysis technique for source separation is discussed and the preliminary separated spectra for these point sources and the Galactic diffuse emission are presented.

Green Bank Telescope Detection of HI Clouds in the Fermi Bubble Wind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lockman, Felix; Di Teodoro, Enrico M.; McClure-Griffiths, Naomi M.

2018-01-01

We used the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope to map HI 21cm emission in two large regions around the Galactic Center in a search for HI clouds that might be entrained in the nuclear wind that created the Fermi bubbles. In a ~160 square degree region at |b|>4 deg. and |long|<10 deg we detect 106 HI clouds that have large non-circular velocities consistent with their acceleration by the nuclear wind. Rapidly moving clouds are found as far as 1.5 kpc from the center; there are no detectable asymmetries in the cloud populations above and below the Galactic Center. The cloud kinematics is modeled as a population with an outflow velocity of 330 km/s that fills a cone with an opening angle ~140 degrees. The total mass in the clouds is ~10^6 solar masses and we estimate cloud lifetimes to be between 2 and 8 Myr, implying a cold gas mass-loss rate of about 0.1 solar masses per year into the nuclear wind.The Green Bank Telescope is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under a cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Constraints on the galactic population of TeV pulsar wind nebulae using Fermi Large Area Telescope observations

DOE PAGES

Acero, F.; Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; ...

2013-07-29

Pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) have been established as the most populous class of TeV γ-ray emitters. Since launch, the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) has identified five high-energy (100 MeV < E < 100 GeV) γ-ray sources as PWNe and detected a large number of PWN candidates, all powered by young and energetic pulsars. The wealth of multi-wavelength data available and the new results provided by Fermi-LAT give us an opportunity to find new PWNe and to explore the radiative processes taking place in known ones. The TeV γ-ray unidentified (UNID) sources are the best candidates for finding new PWNe.more » Using 45 months of Fermi-LAT data for energies above 10 GeV, an analysis was performed near the position of 58 TeV PWNe and UNIDs within 5° of the Galactic plane to establish new constraints on PWN properties and find new clues on the nature of UNIDs. Of the 58 sources, 30 were detected, and this work provides their γ-ray fluxes for energies above 10 GeV. The spectral energy distributions and upper limits, in the multi-wavelength context, also provide new information on the source nature and can help distinguish between emission scenarios, i.e., between classification as a pulsar candidate or as a PWN candidate. Six new GeV PWN candidates are described in detail and compared with existing models. As a result, a population study of GeV PWN candidates as a function of the pulsar/PWN system characteristics is presented.« less

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Emission Toward the Galactic Bulge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shannon, M. J.; Peeters, E.; Cami, J.; Blommaert, J. A. D. L.

2018-03-01

We examine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), dust, and atomic/molecular emission toward the Galactic bulge using Spitzer Space Telescope observations of four fields: C32, C35, OGLE, and NGC 6522. These fields are approximately centered on (l, b) = (0.°0, 1.°0), (0.°0, ‑1.°0), (0.°4, ‑2.°4), and (1.°0, ‑3.°8), respectively. Far-infrared photometric observations complement the Spitzer/IRS spectroscopic data and are used to construct spectral energy distributions. We find that the dust and PAH emission are exceptionally similar between C32 and C35 overall, in part explained due to their locations—they reside on or near boundaries of a 7 Myr old Galactic outflow event and are partly shock-heated. Within the C32 and C35 fields, we identify a region of elevated Hα emission that is coincident with elevated fine-structure and [O IV] line emission and weak PAH feature strengths. We are likely tracing a transition zone of the outflow into the nascent environment. PAH abundances in these fields are slightly depressed relative to typical ISM values. In the OGLE and NGC 6522 fields, we observe weak features on a continuum dominated by zodiacal dust. SED fitting indicates that thermal dust grains in C32 and C35 have temperatures comparable to those of diffuse, high-latitude cirrus clouds. Little variability is detected in the PAH properties between C32 and C35, indicating that a stable population of PAHs dominates the overall spectral appearance. In fact, their PAH features are exceptionally similar to that of the M82 superwind, emphasizing that we are probing a local Galactic wind environment.

Intermittent behavior of galactic dynamo activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, C. M.; Parker, E. N.

1989-01-01

Recent observations by Beck and Golla of far-infrared and radio continuum emission from nearby spiral galaxies suggest that the galactic magnetic field strength is connected to the current star formation rate. The role of star formation on the generation of large-scale galactic magnetic field is studied in this paper. Using a simple galactic model, it is shown how the galactic dynamo depends strongly on the turbulent velocity of the interstellar medium. When the star formation efficiency is high, the ISM is churned which in turn amplifies the galactic magnetic field. Between active star formation epochs, the magnetic field is in dormant state and decays at a negligible rate. If density waves trigger star formation, then they also turn on the otherwise dormant dynamo.

Search for EeV protons of galactic origin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbasi, R. U.; Abe, M.; Abu-Zayyad, T.; Allen, M.; Azuma, R.; Barcikowski, E.; Belz, J. W.; Bergman, D. R.; Blake, S. A.; Cady, R.; Cheon, B. G.; Chiba, J.; Chikawa, M.; Fujii, T.; Fukushima, M.; Goto, T.; Hanlon, W.; Hayashi, Y.; Hayashi, M.; Hayashida, N.; Hibino, K.; Honda, K.; Ikeda, D.; Inoue, N.; Ishii, T.; Ishimori, R.; Ito, H.; Ivanov, D.; Jui, C. C. H.; Kadota, K.; Kakimoto, F.; Kalashev, O.; Kasahara, K.; Kawai, H.; Kawakami, S.; Kawana, S.; Kawata, K.; Kido, E.; Kim, H. B.; Kim, J. H.; Kim, J. H.; Kishigami, S.; Kitamura, S.; Kitamura, Y.; Kuzmin, V.; Kwon, Y. J.; Lan, J.; Lubsandorzhiev, B.; Lundquist, J. P.; Machida, K.; Martens, K.; Matsuda, T.; Matsuyama, T.; Matthews, J. N.; Minamino, M.; Mukai, K.; Myers, I.; Nagasawa, K.; Nagataki, S.; Nakamura, T.; Nonaka, T.; Nozato, A.; Ogio, S.; Ogura, J.; Ohnishi, M.; Ohoka, H.; Oki, K.; Okuda, T.; Ono, M.; Onogi, R.; Oshima, A.; Ozawa, S.; Park, I. H.; Pshirkov, M. S.; Rodriguez, D. C.; Rubtsov, G.; Ryu, D.; Sagawa, H.; Saito, K.; Saito, Y.; Sakaki, N.; Sakurai, N.; Scott, L. M.; Sekino, K.; Shah, P. D.; Shibata, T.; Shibata, F.; Shimodaira, H.; Shin, B. K.; Shin, H. S.; Smith, J. D.; Sokolsky, P.; Stokes, B. T.; Stratton, S. R.; Stroman, T. A.; Suzawa, T.; Takahashi, Y.; Takamura, M.; Takeda, M.; Takeishi, R.; Taketa, A.; Takita, M.; Tameda, Y.; Tanaka, M.; Tanaka, K.; Tanaka, H.; Thomas, S. B.; Thomson, G. B.; Tinyakov, P.; Tirone, A. H.; Tkachev, I.; Tokuno, H.; Tomida, T.; Troitsky, S.; Tsunesada, Y.; Tsutsumi, K.; Uchihori, Y.; Udo, S.; Urban, F.; Wong, T.; Yamane, R.; Yamaoka, H.; Yamazaki, K.; Yang, J.; Yashiro, K.; Yoneda, Y.; Yoshida, S.; Yoshii, H.; Zollinger, R.; Zundel, Z.

2017-01-01

Cosmic rays in the energy range 1018.0-1018.5 eV are thought to have a light, probably protonic, composition. To study their origin one can search for anisotropy in their arrival directions. Extragalactic cosmic rays should be isotropic, but galactic cosmic rays of this type should be seen mostly along the galactic plane, and there should be a shortage of events coming from directions near the galactic anticenter. This is due to the fact that, under the influence of the galactic magnetic field, the transition from ballistic to diffusive behavior is well advanced, and this qualitative picture persists over the whole energy range. Guided by models of the galactic magnetic field that indicate that the enhancement along the galactic plane should have a standard deviation of about 20° in galactic latitude, and the deficit in the galactic anticenter direction should have a standard deviation of about 50° in galactic longitude, we use the data of the Telescope Array surface detector in 1018.0 to 1018.5 eV energy range to search for these effects. The data are isotropic. Neither an enhancement along the galactic plane nor a deficit in the galactic anticenter direction is found. Using these data we place an upper limit on the fraction of EeV cosmic rays of galactic origin at 1.3% at 95% confidence level.

Cyclotron Line and Wind studies of Galactic High Mass X-ray Binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suchy, Slawomir

High mass X-ray binaries are rotating neutron stars with very strong magnetic fields that channel accreting matter from their companion star onto the magnetic poles with subsequent collimated X-ray emission. The stars are fed either by a strong stellar wind of the optical companion or by an accretion disk, where material follows the magnetic field lines, emitting X-rays throughout this process either in the accretion column or directly from the neutron star surface. The fast rotation and the narrow collimation of the X-ray emission creates an observed pulsation, forming the concept of a pulsar. Some of the key questions of these thesis are the emission processes above the magnetic pole, including the influence of the magnetic field, the formation of the X-ray beam, and the structure of the stellar wind. An important process is the effect of the teraGauss magnetic field. Cyclotron resonance scattering creates spectral features similar to broad absorption lines (CRSFs or cyclotron lines) that are directly related to the magnetic field. The discovery of cyclotron lines ˜ 35 years ago allows for the only direct method to measure the magnetic field strength in neutron star systems. Variations in the line parameters throughout the pulse phase, and a dependence in the observed luminosity can also aid in the understanding of these processes. In this thesis I present the results of phase averaged and phase resolved analysis of the three high mass X-ray binaries CenX-3, 1A 1118--61, and GX301--2. The data used for this work were obtained with NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer and the Japanese Suzaku mission. Both satellites are ideal to cover the broad energy band, where CRSFs occur and are necessary for understanding the continuum as a whole. In the process of investigating the 3 sources, I discovered a CRSF at ˜ 55 keV in the transient binary 1A 1118--61, which indicates one of the strongest magnetic fields known in these objects. I used the variations of the CRSF in GX

Wind of change: new insights on the ecology and evolution of pollination and mating in wind-pollinated plants.

PubMed

Friedman, Jannice; Barrett, Spencer C H

2009-06-01

The rich literature that characterizes the field of pollination biology has focused largely on animal-pollinated plants. At least 10 % of angiosperms are wind pollinated, and this mode of pollination has evolved on multiple occasions among unrelated lineages, and hence this discrepancy in research interest is surprising. Here, the evolution and functional ecology of pollination and mating in wind-pollinated plants are discussed, a theoretical framework for modelling the selection of wind pollination is outlined, and pollen capture and the occurrence of pollen limitation in diverse wind-pollinated herbs are investigated experimentally. Wind pollination may commonly evolve to provide reproductive assurance when pollinators are scarce. Evidence is presented that pollen limitation in wind-pollinated plants may not be as common as it is in animal-pollinated species. The studies of pollen capture in wind-pollinated herbs demonstrate that pollen transfer efficiency is not substantially lower than in animal-pollinated plants as is often assumed. These findings challenge the explanation that the evolution of few ovules in wind-pollinated flowers is associated with low pollen loads. Floral and inflorescence architecture is crucial to pollination and mating because of the aerodynamics of wind pollination. Evidence is provided for the importance of plant height, floral position, and stamen and stigma characteristics in promoting effective pollen dispersal and capture. Finally, it is proposed that geitonogamous selfing may alleviate pollen limitation in many wind-pollinated plants with unisexual flowers.

Wind of change: new insights on the ecology and evolution of pollination and mating in wind-pollinated plants

PubMed Central

Friedman, Jannice; Barrett, Spencer C. H.

2009-01-01

Background The rich literature that characterizes the field of pollination biology has focused largely on animal-pollinated plants. At least 10 % of angiosperms are wind pollinated, and this mode of pollination has evolved on multiple occasions among unrelated lineages, and hence this discrepancy in research interest is surprising. Here, the evolution and functional ecology of pollination and mating in wind-pollinated plants are discussed, a theoretical framework for modelling the selection of wind pollination is outlined, and pollen capture and the occurrence of pollen limitation in diverse wind-pollinated herbs are investigated experimentally. Scope and Conclusions Wind pollination may commonly evolve to provide reproductive assurance when pollinators are scarce. Evidence is presented that pollen limitation in wind-pollinated plants may not be as common as it is in animal-pollinated species. The studies of pollen capture in wind-pollinated herbs demonstrate that pollen transfer efficiency is not substantially lower than in animal-pollinated plants as is often assumed. These findings challenge the explanation that the evolution of few ovules in wind-pollinated flowers is associated with low pollen loads. Floral and inflorescence architecture is crucial to pollination and mating because of the aerodynamics of wind pollination. Evidence is provided for the importance of plant height, floral position, and stamen and stigma characteristics in promoting effective pollen dispersal and capture. Finally, it is proposed that geitonogamous selfing may alleviate pollen limitation in many wind-pollinated plants with unisexual flowers. PMID:19218583

Cosmic ray-modified stellar winds. I - Solution topologies and singularities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, C. M.; Webb, G. M.

1987-01-01

In the present two-fluid hydrodynamical model for stellar wind flow modification due to its interaction with Galactic cosmic rays, these rays are coupled to the stellar wind by either hydromagnetic wave scattering or background flow irregularity propagation. The background flow is modified by the cosmic rays via their pressure gradient. The system of equations used possesses a line of singularities in (r, u, P sub c)-space, or a two-dimensional hypersurface of singularities in (r, u, P sub c, dP sub c/dr)-space, where r, u, and P sub c are respectively the radial distance from the star, the radial wind flow speed, and the cosmic ray pressure. The singular points may be nodes, foci, or saddle points.

The annihilation of galactic positrons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bussard, R.; Rematy, R.

1978-01-01

The probabilities of various channels of galactic positron annihilation were evaluated and the spectrum of the resulting radiation was calculated. The narrow width (FWHM less than 3.2 keV) of the 0.511 MeV line observed from the galactic center implies that a large fraction of positrons should annihilate in a medium of temperature less than 100,000 K and ionization fraction greater than 0.05. HII regions at the galactic center could be possible sites of annihilation.

Exploring the Galactic Cosmic Rays at the lowest energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shapiro, M. M.

2001-08-01

The solar wind prevents the lowest-energy Galactic cosmic rays (GCR) from entering the Heliosphere. Consequently, space probes have thus far been unable to sample them. We suggest that astrochemistry may provide a handle on these particles. Clouds in the interstellar medium (ISM) are sites of chemical-reaction networks that produce various molecular species detectable by their radioastronomical signatures. Highly ionizing low-energy cosmic rays are thought to be the principal agents of molecule production in clouds. Some anomalous abundances, e.g., of deuterium molecules, have been detected. Could studies of the foregoing networks of reactions and their products yield clues to the fluxes and energy spectra of the lowest-energy GCR in the ISM? Other approaches to this problem are also cited.

Transient galactic cosmic ray modulation during solar cycle 24: A comparative study of two prominent Forbush decrease events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lingling, Zhao; Huai, Zhang; Hongqing, He

2016-04-01

Forbush decrease (FD) events are of great interest for transient galactic cosmic ray modulation study. In this study, we perform statistical analysis of two prominent Forbush events during cycle 24, occurred on 8 March 2012 (Event 1) and 22 June 2015 (Event 2), respectively, utilizing the measurements from the worldwide neutron monitor (NM) network. Despite of their comparable magnitudes, the two Forbush events are distinctly different in terms of evolving GCR energy spectrum and energy dependence of the recovery time. The recovery time of Event 1 is strongly dependent on the median energy, compared to the nearly constant recovery time of Event 2 over the studied energy range. Additionally, while the evolution of the energy spectra during the two FD event exhibit similar variation pattern, the spectrum of Event 2 is very harder, especially at the time of deepest depression. These difference are essentially related to their associated solar wind disturbances. Event 1 is associated with a complicated shock-associated ICME structure of IP/Sheath/MC sequence with large radial extend and limited longitudinal extent (narrow and thick), probably merged from multiple shocks and transient flows. Conversely, Event 2 is accompanied by a relatively simple interplanetary disturbance of IP/Sheath/Ejecta sequence with small radial extend and wide longitudinal departure (wide and thin), possibly evolved from an over expanded CME. Such comparative study may help to clarify the occurrence mechanisms of Forbush events related to different types solar wind structures and provide valuable insight into the transient GCR modulation, especially during the unusual solar cycle 24.

Finding Distant Galactic HII Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, L. D.; Armentrout, W. P.; Johnstone, B. M.; Bania, T. M.; Balser, Dana S.; Wenger, Trey V.; Cunningham, V.

2015-12-01

The WISE Catalog of Galactic H ii Regions contains ˜2000 H ii region candidates lacking ionized gas spectroscopic observations. All candidates have the characteristic H ii region mid-infrared morphology of WISE 12 μ {{m}} emission surrounding 22 μ {{m}} emission, and additionally have detected radio continuum emission. We here report Green Bank Telescope hydrogen radio recombination line and radio continuum detections in the X-band (9 GHz; 3 cm) of 302 WISE H ii region candidates (out of 324 targets observed) in the zone 225^\\circ ≥slant {\\ell }≥slant -20^\\circ , | {\\text{}}b| ≤slant 6^\\circ . Here we extend the sky coverage of our H ii region Discovery Survey, which now contains nearly 800 H ii regions distributed across the entire northern sky. We provide LSR velocities for the 302 detections and kinematic distances for 131 of these. Of the 302 new detections, 5 have ({\\ell },{\\text{}}b,v) coordinates consistent with the Outer Scutum-Centaurus Arm (OSC), the most distant molecular spiral arm of the Milky Way. Due to the Galactic warp, these nebulae are found at Galactic latitudes >1° in the first Galactic quadrant, and therefore were missed in previous surveys of the Galactic plane. One additional region has a longitude and velocity consistent with the OSC but lies at a negative Galactic latitude (G039.183-01.422 -54.9 {km} {{{s}}}-1). With Heliocentric distances >22 kpc and Galactocentric distances >16 kpc, the OSC H ii regions are the most distant known in the Galaxy. We detect an additional three H ii regions near {\\ell }≃ 150^\\circ whose LSR velocities place them at Galactocentric radii >19 kpc. If their distances are correct, these nebulae may represent the limit to Galactic massive star formation.

On the wind production from hot accretion flows with different accretion rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bu, De-Fu; Gan, Zhao-Ming

2018-02-01

We perform two-dimensional simulations to study how the wind strength changes with accretion rate. We take into account bremsstrahlung, synchrotron radiation and the Comptonization. We find that when the accretion rate is low, radiative cooling is not important, and the accretion flow is hot. For the hot accretion flow, wind is very strong. The mass flux of wind can be ˜ 50 per cent of the mass inflow rate. When the accretion rate increases to a value at which radiative cooling rate is roughly equal to or slightly larger than viscous heating rate, cold clumps can form around the equatorial plane. In this case, the gas pressure gradient force is small and wind is very weak. Our results may be useful for the sub-grid model of active galactic nuclear feedback study.

Studying Solar Wind Properties Around CIRs and Their Effects on GCR Modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghanbari, K.; Florinski, V. A.

2017-12-01

Corotating interaction region (CIR) events occur when a fast solar wind stream overtakes slow solar wind, forming a compression region ahead and a rarefaction region behind in the fast solar wind. Usually this phenomena occurs along with a crossing of heliospheric current sheet which is the surface separating solar magnetic fields of opposing polarities. In this work, the solar plasma data provided by the ACE science center are utilized to do a superposed epoch analysis on solar parameters including proton density, proton temperature, solar wind speed and solar magnetic field in order to study how the variations of these parameters affect the modulation of galactic cosmic rays. Magnetic fluctuation variances in different parts a of CIR are computed and analyzed using similar techniques in order to understand the cosmic-ray diffusive transport in these regions.

Observing the Next Galactic Supernova

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, Scott M.; Kochanek, C. S.; Beacom, John F.; Vagins, Mark R.; Stanek, K. Z.

2013-12-01

No supernova (SN) in the Milky Way has been observed since the invention of the optical telescope, instruments for other wavelengths, neutrino detectors, or gravitational wave observatories. It would be a tragedy to miss the opportunity to fully characterize the next one. To aid preparations for its observations, we model the distance, extinction, and magnitude probability distributions of a successful Galactic core-collapse supernova (ccSN), its shock breakout radiation, and its massive star progenitor. We find, at very high probability (sime 100%), that the next Galactic SN will easily be detectable in the near-IR and that near-IR photometry of the progenitor star very likely (sime 92%) already exists in the Two Micron All Sky Survey. Most ccSNe (98%) will be easily observed in the optical, but a significant fraction (43%) will lack observations of the progenitor due to a combination of survey sensitivity and confusion. If neutrino detection experiments can quickly disseminate a likely position (~3°), we show that a modestly priced IR camera system can probably detect the shock breakout radiation pulse even in daytime (64% for the cheapest design). Neutrino experiments should seriously consider adding such systems, both for their scientific return and as an added and internal layer of protection against false triggers. We find that shock breakouts from failed ccSNe of red supergiants may be more observable than those of successful SNe due to their lower radiation temperatures. We review the process by which neutrinos from a Galactic ccSN would be detected and announced. We provide new information on the EGADS system and its potential for providing instant neutrino alerts. We also discuss the distance, extinction, and magnitude probability distributions for the next Galactic Type Ia supernova (SN Ia). Based on our modeled observability, we find a Galactic ccSN rate of 3.2^{+7.3}_{-2.6} per century and a Galactic SN Ia rate of 1.4^{+1.4}_{-0.8} per century for a

Model structure of a cosmic-ray mediated stellar or solar wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, M. A.; Axford, W. I.

1988-01-01

An idealized hydrodynamic model is presented for the mediation of a free-streaming stellar wind by galactic cosmic rays or energetic particles accelerated at the stellar wind termination shock. The spherically-symmetric stellar wind is taken to be cold; the only body force is the cosmic ray pressure gradient. The cosmic rays are treated as a massless fluid with an effective mean diffusion coefficient k proportional to radial distance r. The structure of the governing equations is investigated both analytically and numerically. Solutions for a range of values of k are presented which describe the deceleration of the stellar wind and a transition to nearly incompressible flow and constant cosmic ray pressure at large r. In the limit of small k the transition steepens to a strong stellar wind termination shock. For large k the stellar wind is decelerated gradually with no shock transition. It is argued that the solutions provide a simple model for the mediation of the solar wind by interstellar ions as both pickup ions and the cosmic ray anomalous component which together dominate the pressure of the solar wind at large r.

Open star clusters and Galactic structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, Yogesh C.

2018-04-01

In order to understand the Galactic structure, we perform a statistical analysis of the distribution of various cluster parameters based on an almost complete sample of Galactic open clusters yet available. The geometrical and physical characteristics of a large number of open clusters given in the MWSC catalogue are used to study the spatial distribution of clusters in the Galaxy and determine the scale height, solar offset, local mass density and distribution of reddening material in the solar neighbourhood. We also explored the mass-radius and mass-age relations in the Galactic open star clusters. We find that the estimated parameters of the Galactic disk are largely influenced by the choice of cluster sample.

The Discovery of an Eccentric Millisecond Pulsar in the Galactic Plane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Champion, David J.; Ransom, Scott M.; Lazarus, Patrick; Camilo, Fernando; Kaspi, Victoria M.; Nice, David J.; Freire, Paulo C. C.; Cordes, James M.; Hessels, Jason W. T.; Bassa, Cees; Lorimer, Duncan R.; Stairs, Ingrid H.; van Leeuwen, Joeri; Arzoumnian, Zaven; Backer, Don C.; Bhat, N. D. Ramesh; Chatterjee, Shami; Crawford, Fronefield; Deneva, Julia S.; Faucher-Giguère, Claude-André; Gaensler, B. M.; Han, Jinlin; Jenet, Fredrick A.; Kasian, Laura; Kondratiev, Vlad I.; Kramer, Michael; Lazio, Joseph; McLaughlin, Maura A.; Stappers, Ben W.; Venkataraman, Arun; Vlemmings, Wouter

2008-02-01

The evolution of binary systems is governed by their orbital properties and the stellar density of the local environment. Studies of neutron stars in binary star systems offer unique insights into both these issues. In an Arecibo survey of the Galactic disk, we have found PSR J1903+0327, a radio emitting neutron star (a ``pulsar'') with a 2.15 ms rotation period, in a 95-day orbit around a massive companion. Observations in the infra-red suggests that the companion may be a main-sequence star. Theories requiring an origin in the Galactic disk cannot account for the extraordinarily high orbital eccentricity observed (0.44) or a main-sequence companion of a pulsar that has spin properties suggesting a prolonged accretion history. The most likely formation mechanism is an exchange interaction in a globular star cluster. This requires that the binary was either ejected from its parent globular cluster as a result of a three-body interaction, or that that cluster was disrupted by repeated passages through the disk of the Milky Way.

2015 Distributed Wind Market Report

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

Orrell, Alice C.; Foster, Nikolas A.F.; Homer, Juliet S.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) annual Distributed Wind Market Report provides stakeholders with statistics and analysis of the market along with insights into its trends and characteristics. By providing a comprehensive overview of the distributed wind market, this report can help plan and guide future investments and decisions by industry, utilities, federal and state agencies, and other interested parties.

Spectral Diagnostics of Galactic and Stellar X-Ray Emission from Charge Exchange Recombination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wargelin, B.

2002-01-01

The proposed research uses the electron beam ion trap at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to study X-ray emission from charge-exchange recombination of highly charged ions with neutral gases. The resulting data fill a void in existing experimental and theoretical understanding of this atomic physics process, and are needed to explain all or part of the observed X-ray emission from the soft X-ray background, stellar winds, the Galactic Center, supernova ejecta, and photoionized nebulae. Progress made during the first year of the grant is described, as is work planned for the second year.

Galactic cosmic ray composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, J. P.

1986-01-01

An assessment is given of the galactic cosmic ray source (GCRS) elemental composition and its correlation with first ionization potential. The isotopic composition of heavy nuclei; spallation cross sections; energy spectra of primary nuclei; electrons; positrons; local galactic reference abundances; comparison of solar energetic particles and solar coronal compositions; the hydrogen; lead; nitrogen; helium; and germanium deficiency problems; and the excess of elements are among the topics covered.

Anisotropy and corotation of galactic cosmic rays.

PubMed

Amenomori, M; Ayabe, S; Bi, X J; Chen, D; Cui, S W; Danzengluobu; Ding, L K; Ding, X H; Feng, C F; Feng, Zhaoyang; Feng, Z Y; Gao, X Y; Geng, Q X; Guo, H W; He, H H; He, M; Hibino, K; Hotta, N; Hu, Haibing; Hu, H B; Huang, J; Huang, Q; Jia, H Y; Kajino, F; Kasahara, K; Katayose, Y; Kato, C; Kawata, K; Labaciren; Le, G M; Li, A F; Li, J Y; Lou, Y-Q; Lu, H; Lu, S L; Meng, X R; Mizutani, K; Mu, J; Munakata, K; Nagai, A; Nanjo, H; Nishizawa, M; Ohnishi, M; Ohta, I; Onuma, H; Ouchi, T; Ozawa, S; Ren, J R; Saito, T; Saito, T Y; Sakata, M; Sako, T K; Sasaki, T; Shibata, M; Shiomi, A; Shirai, T; Sugimoto, H; Takita, M; Tan, Y H; Tateyama, N; Torii, S; Tsuchiya, H; Udo, S; Wang, B; Wang, H; Wang, X; Wang, Y G; Wu, H R; Xue, L; Yamamoto, Y; Yan, C T; Yang, X C; Yasue, S; Ye, Z H; Yu, G C; Yuan, A F; Yuda, T; Zhang, H M; Zhang, J L; Zhang, N J; Zhang, X Y; Zhang, Y; Zhang, Yi; Zhaxisangzhu; Zhou, X X

2006-10-20

The intensity of Galactic cosmic rays is nearly isotropic because of the influence of magnetic fields in the Milky Way. Here, we present two-dimensional high-precision anisotropy measurement for energies from a few to several hundred teraelectronvolts (TeV), using the large data sample of the Tibet Air Shower Arrays. Besides revealing finer details of the known anisotropies, a new component of Galactic cosmic ray anisotropy in sidereal time is uncovered around the Cygnus region direction. For cosmic-ray energies up to a few hundred TeV, all components of anisotropies fade away, showing a corotation of Galactic cosmic rays with the local Galactic magnetic environment. These results have broad implications for a comprehensive understanding of cosmic rays, supernovae, magnetic fields, and heliospheric and Galactic dynamic environments.

A galactic chimney in the Perseus arm of the Milky Way.

PubMed

Normandeau, M; Taylor, A R; Dewdney, P E

1996-04-25

Galaxies are surrounded by large haloes of hot gas which must be replenished as the gas cools. This has led to the concept of galactic 'chimneys'--cavities in the interstellar medium, created by multiple supernova explosions, that can act as conduits for the efficient transport of hot gas from a galaxy's disk to its halo. Here we present a high-resolution map of atomic hydrogen in the Perseus arm of our galaxy, which shows clear evidence for the existence of such a chimney. This chimney appears to have been formed by the energetic winds from a cluster of young massive stars, and may currently have reached the stage of bowing out into the halo.

HaloSat - A CubeSat to Study the Hot Galactic Halo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaaret, Philip

2017-01-01

Observations of the nearby universe fail to locate about half of the baryons observed in the early universe. The missing baryons may be in hot galactic halos. HaloSat is a CubeSat designed to map oxygen line emission (O VII and O VIII) around the Milky Way in order to constrain the mass and spatial distribution of hot gas in the halo. HaloSat has a grasp competitive with current X-ray observatories. Its observing program will be optimized to minimize contributions from solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) emission that limit the accuracy of current measurements. We will describe the HaloSat mission concept, progress towards its implementation, and plans for archiving and distribution of the data.

Testing Galactic Cosmic Ray Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, James H., Jr.

2009-01-01

Models of the Galactic Cosmic Ray Environment are used for designing and planning space missions. The existing models will be reviewed. Spectral representations from these models will be compared with measurements of galactic cosmic ray spectra made on balloon flights and satellite flights over a period of more than 50 years.

Testing Galactic Cosmic Ray Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, James H., Jr.

2010-01-01

Models of the Galactic Cosmic Ray Environment are used for designing and planning space missions. The exising models will be reviewed. Spectral representations from these models will be compared with measurements of galactic cosmic ray spectra made on balloon flights and satellite flights over a period of more than 50 years.

Magnetized Disk Winds in NGC 3783

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fukumura, Keigo; Kazanas, Demosthenes; Shrader, Chris; Behar, Ehud; Tombesi, Francesco; Contopoulos, Ioannis

2018-01-01

We analyze a 900 kilosecond stacked Chandra/HETG (High-Energy Transmission Grating) spectrum of NGC 3783 in the context of magnetically driven accretion-disk wind models in an effort to provide tight constraints on the global conditions of the underlying absorbers. Motivated by the earlier measurements of its absorption measure distribution (AMD) indicating X-ray-absorbing ionic columns that decrease slowly with decreasing ionization parameter, we employ 2-dimension (2-D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) disk wind models to describe the global outflow. We compute its photoionization structure along with the wind kinematic properties, allowing us to further calculate in a self-consistent fashion the shapes of the major X-ray absorption lines. With the wind radial density profile determined by the AMD, the profiles of the ensemble of the observed absorption features are determined by the two global parameters of the MHD wind; i.e., disk inclination theta (sub obs) and wind density normalization n (sub o). Considering the most significant absorption features in the approximately 1.8-20 angstrom range, we show that the MHD wind is best described by n(r) approximately equal to 6.9 times 10 (sup 11) (r/r (sub o)) (sup - 1.15) cubic centimeters and theta (sub obs). We argue that winds launched by X-ray heating or radiation pressure, or even MHD winds but with steeper radial density profiles, are strongly disfavored by data. Considering the properties of Fe K-band absorption features (i.e., Fe XXV and Fe XXVI), while typically prominent in the active galactic nucleus X-ray spectra, they appear to be weak in NGC 3783. For the specific parameters of our model obtained by fitting the AMD and the rest of the absorption features, these features are found to be weak, in agreement with observations.

Magnetized Disk Winds in NGC 3783

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukumura, Keigo; Kazanas, Demosthenes; Shrader, Chris; Behar, Ehud; Tombesi, Francesco; Contopoulos, Ioannis

2018-01-01

We analyze a 900 ks stacked Chandra/HETG spectrum of NGC 3783 in the context of magnetically driven accretion-disk wind models in an effort to provide tight constraints on the global conditions of the underlying absorbers. Motivated by the earlier measurements of its absorption measure distribution (AMD) indicating X-ray-absorbing ionic columns that decrease slowly with decreasing ionization parameter, we employ 2D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) disk wind models to describe the global outflow. We compute its photoionization structure along with the wind kinematic properties, allowing us to further calculate in a self-consistent fashion the shapes of the major X-ray absorption lines. With the wind radial density profile determined by the AMD, the profiles of the ensemble of the observed absorption features are determined by the two global parameters of the MHD wind; i.e., disk inclination {θ }{obs} and wind density normalization n o . Considering the most significant absorption features in the ∼1.8–20 Å range, we show that the MHD wind is best described by n{(r)∼ 6.9× {10}11(r/{r}o)}-1.15 cm‑3 and {θ }{obs}=44^\\circ . We argue that winds launched by X-ray heating or radiation pressure, or even MHD winds but with steeper radial density profiles, are strongly disfavored by data. Considering the properties of Fe K-band absorption features (i.e., Fe XXV and Fe XXVI), while typically prominent in the active galactic nucleus X-ray spectra, they appear to be weak in NGC 3783. For the specific parameters of our model obtained by fitting the AMD and the rest of the absorption features, these features are found to be weak, in agreement with observations.

Spatial evolution of 26-day recurrent galactic cosmic ray decreases: Correlated Ulysses COSPIN/KET and SOHO COSTEP observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heber, B.; Bothmer, V.; Droege, W.; Kunow, H.; Mueller-Mellin, R.; Posner, A.; Ferrando, P.; Raviart, A.; Paizis, C.; McComas, D.;

Black-hole model of galactic nuclei

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

Norman, C.A.; ter Haar, D.

1973-04-01

It is shown that the observed large infrared emission from some galactic nuclei finds a natural explanation, if one takes plasma turbulence into account in Lynden-Bell and Rees' blackhole model of galactic nuclei. (auth)

Probing wind-turbine/atmosphere interactions at utility scale: Novel insights from the EOLOS wind energy research station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, J.; Guala, M.; Chamorro, L. P.; Sotiropoulos, F.

2014-06-01

Despite major research efforts, the interaction of the atmospheric boundary layer with turbines and multi-turbine arrays at utility scale remains poorly understood today. This lack of knowledge stems from the limited number of utility-scale research facilities and a number of technical challenges associated with obtaining high-resolution measurements at field scale. We review recent results obtained at the University of Minnesota utility-scale wind energy research station (the EOLOS facility), which is comprised of a 130 m tall meteorological tower and a fully instrumented 2.5MW Clipper Liberty C96 wind turbine. The results address three major areas: 1) The detailed characterization of the wake structures at a scale of 36×36 m2 using a novel super-large-scale particle image velocimetry based on natural snowflakes, including the rich tip vortex dynamics and their correlation with turbine operations, control, and performance; 2) The use of a WindCube Lidar profiler to investigate how wind at various elevations influences turbine power fluctuation and elucidate the role of wind gusts on individual blade loading; and 3) The systematic quantification of the interaction between the turbine instantaneous power output and tower foundation strain with the incoming flow turbulence, which is measured from the meteorological tower.

Is High Primordial Deuterium Consistent with Galactic Evolution?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tosi, Monica; Steigman, Gary; Matteucci, Francesca; Chiappini, Cristina

1998-05-01

Galactic destruction of primordial deuterium is inevitably linked through star formation to the chemical evolution of the Galaxy. The relatively high present gas content and low metallicity suggest only modest D destruction. In concert with deuterium abundances derived from solar system and/or interstellar observations, this suggests a primordial deuterium abundance in possible conflict with data from some high-redshift, low-metallicity QSO absorbers. We have explored a variety of chemical evolution models including infall of processed material and early, supernovae-driven winds with the aim of identifying models with large D destruction that are consistent with the observations of stellar-produced heavy elements. When such models are confronted with data, we reconfirm that only modest destruction of deuterium (less than a factor of 3) is permitted. When combined with solar system and interstellar data, these results favor the low deuterium abundances derived for the QSO absorbers by Tytler et al.

ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS OBSCURATION FROM WINDS: FROM DUSTY INFRARED-DRIVEN TO WARM AND X-RAY PHOTOIONIZED

PubMed Central

Dorodnitsyn, A.; Kallman, T.

2016-01-01

We present calculations of AGN winds at ~parsec scales, along with the associated obscuration. We take into account the pressure of infrared radiation on dust grains and the interaction of X-rays from a central black hole with hot and cold plasma. Infrared radiation (IR) is incorporated in radiation-hydrodynamic simulations adopting the flux-limited diffusion approximation. We find that in the range of X-ray luminosities L=0.05 – 0.6Ledd, the Compton-thick part of the flow (aka torus) has an opening angle of approximately 72° – 75° regardless of the luminosity. At L ≳ 0.1 the outflowing dusty wind provides the obscuration with IR pressure playing a major role. The global flow consists of two phases: the cold flow at inclinations θ ≳ 70° and a hot, ionized wind of lower density at lower inclinations. The dynamical pressure of the hot wind is important in shaping the denser IR supported flow. At luminosities ≤0.1Ledd episodes of outflow are followed by extended periods when the wind switches to slow accretion. PMID:27642184

Sensitivity analysis of the space shuttle to ascent wind profiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, O. E.; Austin, L. D., Jr.

1982-01-01

A parametric sensitivity analysis of the space shuttle ascent flight to the wind profile is presented. Engineering systems parameters are obtained by flight simulations using wind profile models and samples of detailed (Jimsphere) wind profile measurements. The wind models used are the synthetic vector wind model, with and without the design gust, and a model of the vector wind change with respect to time. From these comparison analyses an insight is gained on the contribution of winds to ascent subsystems flight parameters.

Recent Insights into the Nature of Turbulence in the Solar Wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldstein, Melvun L.

2008-01-01

During the past several years, studies of solar wind turbulence using data from Cluster and other spacecraft, and results from new numerical simulations, have revealed new aspects of solar wind turbulence. I will try to highlight some of that research. At the shortest length scales and highest frequencies, there is renewed interest in determining how the turbulence dissipates, e.g., whether by kinetic Alfven waves or whistler turbulence. Finding observational evidence for exponential damping of solar wind fluctuations has proven challenging. New studies using a combination of flux gate and search coil magnetometer data from Cluster have extended this search (in the spacecraft frame of reference) to more than 10 Hertz. New models and simulations are also being used to study the dissipation. A detailed study of fluctuations in the magnetosheath suggests that turbulent dissipation could be occurring at very thin current sheets as had been suggested by two-dimensional MHD simulations more than 20 years ago. Data from the four Cluster spacecraft, now at their maximum separation of 10,000 km provide new opportunities to investigate the symmetry properties, scale lengths, and the relative proportion of magnetic energy in parallel and perpendicular wave numbers of solar wind turbulence. By utilizing well-calibrated electron data, it has been possible to take advantage of the tetrahedral separation of Cluster in the solar wind near apogee to measure directly the compressibility and vorticity of the solar wind plasma.

Investigating Galactic Supernova Remnant Candidates Using LOFAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Driessen, Laura N.; Domček, Vladimír; Vink, Jacco; Hessels, Jason W. T.; Arias, Maria; Gelfand, Joseph D.

2018-06-01

We investigate six supernova remnant (SNR) candidates—G51.21+0.11, G52.37–0.70, G53.07+0.49, G53.41+0.03, G53.84–0.75, and the possible shell around G54.1+0.3—in the Galactic plane using newly acquired Low-Frequency Array High-band Antenna observations, as well as archival Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope and Very Large Array Galactic Plane Survey mosaics. We find that G52.37–0.70, G53.84–0.75, and the possible shell around pulsar wind nebula G54.1+0.3 are unlikely to be SNRs, while G53.07+0.49 remains a candidate SNR. G51.21+0.11 has a spectral index of α = ‑ 0.7 ± 0.21, but lacks X-ray observations and as such requires further investigation to confirm its nature. We confirm one candidate, G53.41+0.03, as a new SNR because it has a shell-like morphology, a radio spectral index of α = ‑ 0.6 ± 0.2 and it has the X-ray spectral characteristics of a 1000–8000 year old SNR. The X-ray analysis was performed using archival XMM-Newton observations, which show that G53.41+0.03 has strong emission lines and is best characterized by a nonequilibrium ionization model, consistent with an SNR interpretation. Deep Arecibo radio telescope searches for a pulsar associated with G53.41+0.03 resulted in no detection, but placed stringent upper limits on the flux density of such a source if it was beamed toward Earth.

Turbulent Heating and Wave Pressure in Solar Wind Acceleration Modeling: New Insights to Empirical Forecasting of the Solar Wind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woolsey, L. N.; Cranmer, S. R.

2013-12-01

The study of solar wind acceleration has made several important advances recently due to improvements in modeling techniques. Existing code and simulations test the competing theories for coronal heating, which include reconnection/loop-opening (RLO) models and wave/turbulence-driven (WTD) models. In order to compare and contrast the validity of these theories, we need flexible tools that predict the emergent solar wind properties from a wide range of coronal magnetic field structures such as coronal holes, pseudostreamers, and helmet streamers. ZEPHYR (Cranmer et al. 2007) is a one-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics code that includes Alfven wave generation and reflection and the resulting turbulent heating to accelerate solar wind in open flux tubes. We present the ZEPHYR output for a wide range of magnetic field geometries to show the effect of the magnetic field profiles on wind properties. We also investigate the competing acceleration mechanisms found in ZEPHYR to determine the relative importance of increased gas pressure from turbulent heating and the separate pressure source from the Alfven waves. To do so, we developed a code that will become publicly available for solar wind prediction. This code, TEMPEST, provides an outflow solution based on only one input: the magnetic field strength as a function of height above the photosphere. It uses correlations found in ZEPHYR between the magnetic field strength at the source surface and the temperature profile of the outflow solution to compute the wind speed profile based on the increased gas pressure from turbulent heating. With this initial solution, TEMPEST then adds in the Alfven wave pressure term to the modified Parker equation and iterates to find a stable solution for the wind speed. This code, therefore, can make predictions of the wind speeds that will be observed at 1 AU based on extrapolations from magnetogram data, providing a useful tool for empirical forecasting of the sol! ar wind.

A SYSTEMATIC SEARCH FOR COROTATING INTERACTION REGIONS IN APPARENTLY SINGLE GALACTIC WOLF-RAYET STARS. II. A GLOBAL VIEW OF THE WIND VARIABILITY

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

Chene, A.-N.; St-Louis, N., E-mail: achene@astro-udec.cl, E-mail: stlouis@astro.umontreal.ca

This study is the second part of a survey searching for large-scale spectroscopic variability in apparently single Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars. In a previous paper (Paper I), we described and characterized the spectroscopic variability level of 25 WR stars observable from the northern hemisphere and found 3 new candidates presenting large-scale wind variability, potentially originating from large-scale structures named corotating interaction regions (CIRs). In this second paper, we discuss an additional 39 stars observable from the southern hemisphere. For each star in our sample, we obtained 4-5 high-resolution spectra with a signal-to-noise ratio of {approx}100 and determined its variability level usingmore » the approach described in Paper I. In total, 10 new stars are found to show large-scale spectral variability of which 7 present CIR-type changes (WR 8, WR 44, WR55, WR 58, WR 61, WR 63, WR 100). Of the remaining stars, 20 were found to show small-amplitude changes and 9 were found to show no spectral variability as far as can be concluded from the data on hand. Also, we discuss the spectroscopic variability level of all single galactic WR stars that are brighter than v {approx} 12.5, and some WR stars with 12.5 < v {<=} 13.5, i.e., all the stars presented in our two papers and four more stars for which spectra have already been published in the literature. We find that 23/68 stars (33.8%) present large-scale variability, but only 12/54 stars ({approx}22.1%) are potentially of CIR type. Also, we find that 31/68 stars (45.6%) only show small-scale variability, most likely due to clumping in the wind. Finally, no spectral variability is detected based on the data on hand for 14/68 (20.6%) stars. Interestingly, the variability with the highest amplitude also has the widest mean velocity dispersion.« less

Gamma ray constraints on the Galactic supernova rate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartmann, D.; The, L.-S.; Clayton, Donald D.; Leising, M.; Mathews, G.; Woosley, S. E.

1991-01-01

We perform Monte Carlo simulations of the expected gamma ray signatures of Galactic supernovae of all types to estimate the significance of the lack of a gamma ray signal due to supernovae occurring during the last millenium. Using recent estimates of the nuclear yields, we determine mean Galactic supernova rates consistent with the historic supernova record and the gamma ray limits. Another objective of these calculations of Galactic supernova histories is their application to surveys of diffuse Galactic gamma ray line emission.

Gamma ray constraints on the galactic supernova rate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartmann, D.; The, L.-S.; Clayton, D. D.; Leising, M.; Mathews, G.; Woosley, S. E.

1992-01-01

Monte Carlo simulations of the expected gamma-ray signatures of galactic supernovae of all types are performed in order to estimate the significance of the lack of a gamma-ray signal due to supernovae occurring during the last millenium. Using recent estimates of nuclear yields, we determine galactic supernova rates consistent with the historic supernova record and the gamma-ray limits. Another objective of these calculations of galactic supernova histories is their application to surveys of diffuse galactic gamma-ray line emission.

Solar wind stream interaction regions throughout the heliosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, Ian G.

2018-01-01

This paper focuses on the interactions between the fast solar wind from coronal holes and the intervening slower solar wind, leading to the creation of stream interaction regions that corotate with the Sun and may persist for many solar rotations. Stream interaction regions have been observed near 1 AU, in the inner heliosphere (at ˜ 0.3-1 AU) by the Helios spacecraft, in the outer and distant heliosphere by the Pioneer 10 and 11 and Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft, and out of the ecliptic by Ulysses, and these observations are reviewed. Stream interaction regions accelerate energetic particles, modulate the intensity of Galactic cosmic rays and generate enhanced geomagnetic activity. The remote detection of interaction regions using interplanetary scintillation and white-light imaging, and MHD modeling of interaction regions will also be discussed.

Detection of gamma-ray emission from the Vela pulsar wind nebula with AGILE.

PubMed

Pellizzoni, A; Trois, A; Tavani, M; Pilia, M; Giuliani, A; Pucella, G; Esposito, P; Sabatini, S; Piano, G; Argan, A; Barbiellini, G; Bulgarelli, A; Burgay, M; Caraveo, P; Cattaneo, P W; Chen, A W; Cocco, V; Contessi, T; Costa, E; D'Ammando, F; Del Monte, E; De Paris, G; Di Cocco, G; Di Persio, G; Donnarumma, I; Evangelista, Y; Feroci, M; Ferrari, A; Fiorini, M; Fuschino, F; Galli, M; Gianotti, F; Hotan, A; Labanti, C; Lapshov, I; Lazzarotto, F; Lipari, P; Longo, F; Marisaldi, M; Mastropietro, M; Mereghetti, S; Moretti, E; Morselli, A; Pacciani, L; Palfreyman, J; Perotti, F; Picozza, P; Pittori, C; Possenti, A; Prest, M; Rapisarda, M; Rappoldi, A; Rossi, E; Rubini, A; Santolamazza, P; Scalise, E; Soffitta, P; Striani, E; Trifoglio, M; Vallazza, E; Vercellone, S; Verrecchia, F; Vittorini, V; Zambra, A; Zanello, D; Giommi, P; Colafrancesco, S; Antonelli, A; Salotti, L; D'Amico, N; Bignami, G F

2010-02-05

Pulsars are known to power winds of relativistic particles that can produce bright nebulae by interacting with the surrounding medium. These pulsar wind nebulae are observed by their radio, optical, and x-ray emissions, and in some cases also at TeV (teraelectron volt) energies, but the lack of information in the gamma-ray band precludes drawing a comprehensive multiwavelength picture of their phenomenology and emission mechanisms. Using data from the AGILE satellite, we detected the Vela pulsar wind nebula in the energy range from 100 MeV to 3 GeV. This result constrains the particle population responsible for the GeV emission and establishes a class of gamma-ray emitters that could account for a fraction of the unidentified galactic gamma-ray sources.

Wind tunnel study of helical and straight-bladed vertical-axis wind turbine wakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagheri, Maryam; Araya, Daniel

2017-11-01

It is hypothesized that blade curvature can serve as a passive means to control fluid entrainment and wake recovery in vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) arrays. We test this experimentally in a wind tunnel using two different VAWT configurations, one with straight blades and another with helical blades, keeping all other experimental parameters fixed. A small-scale, commercially available VAWT (15W max power) is used as the baseline wind tunnel model in each case. The commercial VAWT blades are replaced with either straight or helical blades that are 3D-printed extrusions of the same airfoil cross-section. Results from smoke flow visualization, three-component wake velocity measurements, and turbine power data are presented. These results give insight into the potential use of VAWTs with curved blades in utility-scale wind farms.

Quantitative Studies of the Optical and UV Spectra of Galactic Early B Supergiants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Searle, S. C.; Prinja, R. K.; Massa, D.; Ryans, R.

2008-01-01

We undertake an optical and ultraviolet spectroscopic analysis of a sample of 20 Galactic B0-B5 supergiants of luminosity classes Ia, Ib, Iab, and II. Fundamental stellar parameters are obtained from optical diagnostics and a critical comparison of the model predictions to observed UV spectral features is made. Methods. Fundamental parameters (e.g., T(sub eff), log L(sub *), mass-loss rates and CNO abundances) are derived for individual stars using CMFGEN, a nLTE, line-blanketed model atmosphere code. The impact of these newly derived parameters on the Galactic B supergiant Ten scale, mass discrepancy, and wind-momentum luminosity relation is examined. Results. The B supergiant temperature scale derived here shows a reduction of about 1000-3000 K compared to previous results using unblanketed codes. Mass-loss rate estimates are in good agreement with predicted theoretical values, and all of the 20 BO-B5 supergiants analysed show evidence of CNO processing. A mass discrepancy still exists between spectroscopic and evolutionary masses, with the largest discrepancy occuring at log (L/(solar)L approx. 5.4. The observed WLR values calculated for B0-B0.7 supergiants are higher than predicted values, whereas the reverse is true for B1-B5 supergiants. This means that the discrepancy between observed and theoretical values cannot be resolved by adopting clumped (i.e., lower) mass-loss rates as for O stars. The most surprising result is that, although CMFGEN succeeds in reproducing the optical stellar spectrum accurately, it fails to precisely reproduce key UV diagnostics, such as the N v and C IV P Cygni profiles. This problem arises because the models are not ionised enough and fail to reproduce the full extent of the observed absorption trough of the P Cygni profiles. Conclusions. Newly-derived fundamental parameters for early B supergiants are in good agreement with similar work in the field. The most significant discovery, however, is the failure of CMFGEN to predict

Galactic neutral hydrogen and the magnetic ISM foreground

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, S. E.

2018-05-01

The interstellar medium is suffused with magnetic fields, which inform the shape of structures in the diffuse gas. Recent high-dynamic range observations of Galactic neutral hydrogen, combined with novel data analysis techniques, have revealed a deep link between the morphology of neutral gas and the ambient magnetic field. At the same time, an observational revolution is underway in low-frequency radio polarimetry, driven in part by the need to characterize foregrounds to the cosmological 21-cm signal. A new generation of experiments, capable of high angular and Faraday depth resolution, are revealing complex filamentary structures in diffuse polarization. The relationship between filamentary structures observed in radio-polarimetric data and those observed in atomic hydrogen is not yet well understood. Multiwavelength observations will enable new insights into the magnetic interstellar medium across phases.

IEA Wind TCP Task 26: Impacts of Wind Turbine Technology on the System Value of Wind in Europe

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

Lantz, Eric J.; Riva, Alberto D.; Hethey, Janos

This report analyzes the impact of different land-based wind turbine designs on grid integration and related system value and cost. This topic has been studied in a number of previous publications, showing the potential benefits of wind turbine technologies that feature higher capacity factors. Building on the existing literature, this study aims to quantify the effects of different land-based wind turbine designs in the context of a projection of the European power system to 2030. This study contributes with insights on the quantitative effects in a likely European market setup, taking into account the effect of existing infrastructure on bothmore » existing conventional and renewable generation capacities. Furthermore, the market effects are put into perspective by comparing cost estimates for deploying different types of turbine design. Although the study focuses on Europe, similar considerations and results can be applied to other power systems with high wind penetration.« less

Exploring the Excluded Galactic Cosmic Rays--those at the Lowest Energies.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shapiro, Maurice M.

2001-04-01

The solar wind prevents the lowest- energy Galactic cosmic rays (GCR) from entering the heliosphere. Consequently, space probes have thus far been unable to sample them. We suggest that astrochemistry may provide a ``handle" on these particles. Clouds in the interstellar medium (ISM) are sites of chemical-reaction networks that produce various molecular species detectable by their radioastronomical signatures. Highly ionizing low-energy cosmic rays are thought to be the principal agents of molecule production in clouds. Some anomalous abundances, e.g., of deuterium molecules, have been detected. Could studies of the foregoing networks of reactions and their products yield clues to the fluxes and energy spectra of the lowest-energy GCR in the ISM? Other approaches to this problem are also cited.

ARCADE 2 Observations of Galactic Radio Emission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kogut, A.; Fixsen, D. J.; Levin, S. M.; Limon, M.; Lubin, P. M.; Mirel, P.; Seiffert, M.; Singal, J.; Villela, T.; Wollack, E.;

Models of the circumstellar medium of evolving, massive runaway stars moving through the Galactic plane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, D. M.-A.; Mackey, J.; Langer, N.; Gvaramadze, V. V.; Mignone, A.; Izzard, R. G.; Kaper, L.

2014-11-01

At least 5 per cent of the massive stars are moving supersonically through the interstellar medium (ISM) and are expected to produce a stellar wind bow shock. We explore how the mass-loss and space velocity of massive runaway stars affect the morphology of their bow shocks. We run two-dimensional axisymmetric hydrodynamical simulations following the evolution of the circumstellar medium of these stars in the Galactic plane from the main sequence to the red supergiant phase. We find that thermal conduction is an important process governing the shape, size and structure of the bow shocks around hot stars, and that they have an optical luminosity mainly produced by forbidden lines, e.g. [O III]. The Hα emission of the bow shocks around hot stars originates from near their contact discontinuity. The Hα emission of bow shocks around cool stars originates from their forward shock, and is too faint to be observed for the bow shocks that we simulate. The emission of optically thin radiation mainly comes from the shocked ISM material. All bow shock models are brighter in the infrared, i.e. the infrared is the most appropriate waveband to search for bow shocks. Our study suggests that the infrared emission comes from near the contact discontinuity for bow shocks of hot stars and from the inner region of shocked wind for bow shocks around cool stars. We predict that, in the Galactic plane, the brightest, i.e. the most easily detectable bow shocks are produced by high-mass stars moving with small space velocities.

Ubiquitous equatorial accretion disc winds in black hole soft states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponti, G.; Fender, R. P.; Begelman, M. C.; Dunn, R. J. H.; Neilsen, J.; Coriat, M.

2012-05-01

High-resolution spectra of Galactic black holes (GBHs) reveal the presence of highly ionized absorbers. In one GBH, accreting close to the Eddington limit for more than a decade, a powerful accretion disc wind is observed to be present in softer X-ray states and it has been suggested that it can carry away enough mass and energy to quench the radio jet. Here we report that these winds, which may have mass outflow rates of the order of the inner accretion rate or higher, are a ubiquitous component of the jet-free soft states of all GBHs. We furthermore demonstrate that these winds have an equatorial geometry with opening angles of few tens of degrees, and so are only observed in sources in which the disc is inclined at a large angle to the line of sight. The decrease in Fe XXV/Fe XXVI line ratio with Compton temperature, observed in the soft state, suggests a link between higher wind ionization and harder spectral shapes. Although the physical interaction between the wind, accretion flow and jet is still not fully understood, the mass flux and power of these winds and their presence ubiquitously during the soft X-ray states suggest they are fundamental components of the accretion phenomenon.

An Extreme X-ray Disk Wind in the Black Hole Candidate IGR J17091-3624

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, A. L.; Miller, J. M.; Raymond, J.; Fabian, A. C.; Reynolds, C. S.; Kallman, T. R.; Maitra, D.; Cackett, E. M.; Rupen, M. P.

2012-01-01

Chandra spectroscopy of transient stellar-mass black holes in outburst has clearly revealed accretion disk winds in soft, disk-dominated states, in apparent anti-correlation with relativistic jets in low/hard states. These disk winds are observed to be highly ionized. dense. and to have typical velocities of approx 1000 km/s or less projected along our line of sight. Here. we present an analysis of two Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating spectra of the Galactic black hole candidate IGR J17091-3624 and contemporaneous EVLA radio observations. obtained in 2011. The second Chandra observation reveals an absorption line at 6.91+/-0.01 keV; associating this line with He-like Fe XXV requires a blue-shift of 9300(+500/-400) km/ s (0.03c. or the escape velocity at 1000 R(sub schw)). This projected outflow velocity is an order of magnitude higher than has previously been observed in stellar-mass black holes, and is broadly consistent with some of the fastest winds detected in active galactic nuclei. A potential feature at 7.32 keV, if due to Fe XXVI, would imply a velocity of approx 14600 km/s (0.05c), but this putative feature is marginal. Photoionization modeling suggests that the accretion disk wind in IGR J17091-3624 may originate within 43,300 Schwarzschild radii of the black hole, and may be expelling more gas than accretes. The contemporaneous EVLA observations strongly indicate that jet activity was indeed quenched at the time of our Chandra observations. We discuss the results in the context of disk winds, jets, and basic accretion disk physics in accreting black hole systems

Subsonic structure and optically thick winds from Wolf-Rayet stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grassitelli, L.; Langer, N.; Grin, N. J.; Mackey, J.; Bestenlehner, J. M.; Gräfener, G.

2018-06-01

Mass loss by stellar wind is a key agent in the evolution and spectroscopic appearance of massive main sequence and post-main sequence stars. In Wolf-Rayet stars the winds can be so dense and so optically thick that the photosphere appears in the highly supersonic part of the outflow, veiling the underlying subsonic part of the star, and leaving the initial acceleration of the wind inaccessible to observations. Here we investigate the conditions and the structure of the subsonic part of the outflow of Galactic Wolf-Rayet stars, in particular of the WNE subclass; our focus is on the conditions at the sonic point of their winds. We compute 1D hydrodynamic stellar structure models for massive helium stars adopting outer boundaries at the sonic point. We find that the outflows of our models are accelerated to supersonic velocities by the radiative force from opacity bumps either at temperatures of the order of 200 kK by the iron opacity bump or of the order of 50 kK by the helium-II opacity bump. For a given mass-loss rate, the diffusion approximation for radiative energy transport allows us to define the temperature gradient based purely on the local thermodynamic conditions. For a given mass-loss rate, this implies that the conditions in the subsonic part of the outflow are independent from the detailed physical conditions in the supersonic part. Stellar atmosphere calculations can therefore adopt our hydrodynamic models as ab initio input for the subsonic structure. The close proximity to the Eddington limit at the sonic point allows us to construct a sonic HR diagram, relating the sonic point temperature to the luminosity-to-mass ratio and the stellar mass-loss rate, thereby constraining the sonic point conditions, the subsonic structure, and the stellar wind mass-loss rates of WNE stars from observations. The minimum stellar wind mass-loss rate necessary to have the flow accelerated to supersonic velocities by the iron opacity bump is derived. A comparison of the

NuSTAR results from the Galactic Center - diffuse emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hailey, Charles

2016-03-01

The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) was launched in June 2012. It carried the first true, hard X-ray (>~10 keV-79 keV) focusing telescopes into orbit. Its twin telescopes provide 10 times better angular resolution and 100 times better sensitivity than previously obtainable in the hard X-ray band. Consequently NuSTAR is able to resolve faint diffuse structures whose hard X-rays offer insight into some of the most energetic processes in the Galactic Center. One of the surprising discoveries that NuSTAR made in the Galactic Center is the central hard X-ray emission (CHXE). The CHXE is a diffuse emission detected from ~10 keV to beyond 50 keV in X-ray energy, and extending spatially over a region ~8 parsecs x ~4 parsecs in and out of the plane of the galaxy respectively, and centered on the supermassive black hole Sgr A*. The CHXE was speculated to be due to a large population of unresolved black hole X-ray binaries, millisecond pulsars (MSP), a class of highly magnetized white dwarf binaries called intermediate polars, or to particle outflows from Sgr A*. The presence of an unexpectedly large population of MSP in the Galactic Center would be particularly interesting, since MSP emitting at higher energies and over a much larger region have been posited to be the origin of the gamma-ray emission that is also ascribed to dark matter annihilation in the galaxy. In addition, the connection of the CHXE to the ~9000 unidentified X-ray sources in the central the the ~100 pc detected by the Chandra Observatory, to the soft X-ray emission detected by the Chandra and XMM/Newton observatories in the Galactic Center, and to the hard X-ray emission detected by both the RXTE and INTEGRAL observatories in the Galactic Ridge, is unclear. I review these results and present recent NuSTAR observations that potentially resolve the origin of the CHXE and point to a unified origin for all these X-ray emissions. Two other noteworthy classes of diffuse structures in the

Acceleration of petaelectronvolt protons in the Galactic Centre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

HESS Collaboration; Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.; Benkhali, F. Ait; Akhperjanian, A. G.; Angüner, E. O.; Backes, M.; Balzer, A.; Becherini, Y.; Tjus, J. Becker; Berge, D.; Bernhard, S.; Bernlöhr, K.; Birsin, E.; Blackwell, R.; Böttcher, M.; Boisson, C.; Bolmont, J.; Bordas, P.; Bregeon, J.; Brun, F.; Brun, P.; Bryan, M.; Bulik, T.; Carr, J.; Casanova, S.; Chakraborty, N.; Chalme-Calvet, R.; Chaves, R. C. G.; Chen, A.; Chrétien, M.; Colafrancesco, S.; Cologna, G.; Conrad, J.; Couturier, C.; Cui, Y.; Davids, I. D.; Degrange, B.; Deil, C.; Dewilt, P.; Djannati-Ataï, A.; Domainko, W.; Donath, A.; Drury, L. O'C.; Dubus, G.; Dutson, K.; Dyks, J.; Dyrda, M.; Edwards, T.; Egberts, K.; Eger, P.; Ernenwein, J.-P.; Espigat, P.; Farnier, C.; Fegan, S.; Feinstein, F.; Fernandes, M. V.; Fernandez, D.; Fiasson, A.; Fontaine, G.; Förster, A.; Füßling, M.; Gabici, S.; Gajdus, M.; Gallant, Y. A.; Garrigoux, T.; Giavitto, G.; Giebels, B.; Glicenstein, J. F.; Gottschall, D.; Goyal, A.; Grondin, M.-H.; Grudzińska, M.; Hadasch, D.; Häffner, S.; Hahn, J.; Hawkes, J.; Heinzelmann, G.; Henri, G.; Hermann, G.; Hervet, O.; Hillert, A.; Hinton, J. A.; Hofmann, W.; Hofverberg, P.; Hoischen, C.; Holler, M.; Horns, D.; Ivascenko, A.; Jacholkowska, A.; Jamrozy, M.; Janiak, M.; Jankowsky, F.; Jung-Richardt, I.; Kastendieck, M. A.; Katarzyński, K.; Katz, U.; Kerszberg, D.; Khélifi, B.; Kieffer, M.; Klepser, S.; Klochkov, D.; Kluźniak, W.; Kolitzus, D.; Komin, Nu.; Kosack, K.; Krakau, S.; Krayzel, F.; Krüger, P. P.; Laffon, H.; Lamanna, G.; Lau, J.; Lefaucheur, J.; Lefranc, V.; Lemiére, A.; Lemoine-Goumard, M.; Lenain, J.-P.; Lohse, T.; Lopatin, A.; Lu, C.-C.; Lui, R.; Marandon, V.; Marcowith, A.; Mariaud, C.; Marx, R.; Maurin, G.; Maxted, N.; Mayer, M.; Meintjes, P. J.; Menzler, U.; Meyer, M.; Mitchell, A. M. W.; Moderski, R.; Mohamed, M.; Morå, K.; Moulin, E.; Murach, T.; de Naurois, M.; Niemiec, J.; Oakes, L.; Odaka, H.; Öttl, S.; Ohm, S.; Opitz, B.; Ostrowski, M.; Oya, I.; Panter, M.; Parsons, R. D.; Arribas, M. Paz; Pekeur, N. W.; Pelletier, G.; Petrucci, P.-O.; Peyaud, B.; Pita, S.; Poon, H.; Prokoph, H.; Pühlhofer, G.; Punch, M.; Quirrenbach, A.; Raab, S.; Reichardt, I.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Renaud, M.; de Los Reyes, R.; Rieger, F.; Romoli, C.; Rosier-Lees, S.; Rowell, G.; Rudak, B.; Rulten, C. B.; Sahakian, V.; Salek, D.; Sanchez, D. A.; Santangelo, A.; Sasaki, M.; Schlickeiser, R.; Schüssler, F.; Schulz, A.; Schwanke, U.; Schwemmer, S.; Seyffert, A. S.; Simoni, R.; Sol, H.; Spanier, F.; Spengler, G.; Spies, F.; Stawarz, Ł.; Steenkamp, R.; Stegmann, C.; Stinzing, F.; Stycz, K.; Sushch, I.; Tavernet, J.-P.; Tavernier, T.; Taylor, A. M.; Terrier, R.; Tluczykont, M.; Trichard, C.; Tuffs, R.; Valerius, K.; van der Walt, J.; van Eldik, C.; van Soelen, B.; Vasileiadis, G.; Veh, J.; Venter, C.; Viana, A.; Vincent, P.; Vink, J.; Voisin, F.; Völk, H. J.; Vuillaume, T.; Wagner, S. J.; Wagner, P.; Wagner, R. M.; Weidinger, M.; Weitzel, Q.; White, R.; Wierzcholska, A.; Willmann, P.; Wörnlein, A.; Wouters, D.; Yang, R.; Zabalza, V.; Zaborov, D.; Zacharias, M.; Zdziarski, A. A.; Zech, A.; Zefi, F.; Żywucka, N.

2016-03-01

Galactic cosmic rays reach energies of at least a few petaelectronvolts (of the order of 1015 electronvolts). This implies that our Galaxy contains petaelectronvolt accelerators (‘PeVatrons’), but all proposed models of Galactic cosmic-ray accelerators encounter difficulties at exactly these energies. Dozens of Galactic accelerators capable of accelerating particles to energies of tens of teraelectronvolts (of the order of 1013 electronvolts) were inferred from recent γ-ray observations. However, none of the currently known accelerators—not even the handful of shell-type supernova remnants commonly believed to supply most Galactic cosmic rays—has shown the characteristic tracers of petaelectronvolt particles, namely, power-law spectra of γ-rays extending without a cut-off or a spectral break to tens of teraelectronvolts. Here we report deep γ-ray observations with arcminute angular resolution of the region surrounding the Galactic Centre, which show the expected tracer of the presence of petaelectronvolt protons within the central 10 parsecs of the Galaxy. We propose that the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* is linked to this PeVatron. Sagittarius A* went through active phases in the past, as demonstrated by X-ray outburstsand an outflow from the Galactic Centre. Although its current rate of particle acceleration is not sufficient to provide a substantial contribution to Galactic cosmic rays, Sagittarius A* could have plausibly been more active over the last 106-107 years, and therefore should be considered as a viable alternative to supernova remnants as a source of petaelectronvolt Galactic cosmic rays.

Soft X-ray Emission from Large-Scale Galactic Outflows in Seyfert Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colbert, E. J. M.; Baum, S.; O'Dea, C.; Veilleux, S.

1998-01-01

Kiloparsec-scale soft X-ray nebulae extend along the galaxy minor axes in several Seyfert galaxies, including NGC 2992, NGC 4388 and NGC 5506. In these three galaxies, the extended X-ray emission observed in ROSAT HRI images has 0.2-2.4 keV X-ray luminosities of 0.4-3.5 x 10(40) erg s(-1) . The X-ray nebulae are roughly co-spatial with the large-scale radio emission, suggesting that both are produced by large-scale galactic outflows. Assuming pressure balance between the radio and X-ray plasmas, the X-ray filling factor is >~ 10(4) times as large as the radio plasma filling factor, suggesting that large-scale outflows in Seyfert galaxies are predominantly winds of thermal X-ray emitting gas. We favor an interpretation in which large-scale outflows originate as AGN-driven jets that entrain and heat gas on kpc scales as they make their way out of the galaxy. AGN- and starburst-driven winds are also possible explanations if the winds are oriented along the rotation axis of the galaxy disk. Since large-scale outflows are present in at least 50 percent of Seyfert galaxies, the soft X-ray emission from the outflowing gas may, in many cases, explain the ``soft excess" X-ray feature observed below 2 keV in X-ray spectra of many Seyfert 2 galaxies.

The Properties and Prevalence of Galactic Outflows at z ~ 1 in the Extended Groth Strip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kornei, Katherine A.; Shapley, Alice E.; Martin, Crystal L.; Coil, Alison L.; Lotz, Jennifer M.; Schiminovich, David; Bundy, Kevin; Noeske, Kai G.

2012-10-01

We investigate galactic-scale outflowing winds in 72 star-forming galaxies at z ~ 1 in the Extended Groth Strip. Galaxies were selected from the DEEP2 survey and follow-up LRIS spectroscopy was obtained covering Si II, C IV, Fe II, Mg II, and Mg I lines in the rest-frame ultraviolet. Using Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX), Hubble Space Telescope (HST), and Spitzer imaging available for the Extended Groth Strip, we examine galaxies on a per-object basis in order to better understand both the prevalence of galactic outflows at z ~ 1 and the star-forming and structural properties of objects experiencing outflows. Gas velocities, measured from the centroids of Fe II interstellar absorption lines, are found to span the interval [-217, +155] km s-1. We find that ~40% (10%) of the sample exhibits blueshifted Fe II lines at the 1σ (3σ) level. We also measure maximal outflow velocities using the profiles of the Fe II and Mg II lines; we find that Mg II frequently traces higher velocity gas than Fe II. Using quantitative morphological parameters derived from the HST imaging, we find that mergers are not a prerequisite for driving outflows. More face-on galaxies also show stronger winds than highly inclined systems, consistent with the canonical picture of winds emanating perpendicular to galactic disks. In light of clumpy galaxy morphologies, we develop a new physically motivated technique for estimating areas corresponding to star formation. We use these area measurements in tandem with GALEX-derived star formation rates (SFRs) to calculate SFR surface densities. At least 70% of the sample exceeds an SFR surface density of 0.1 M ⊙ yr-1 kpc-2, the threshold necessary for driving an outflow in local starbursts. At the same time, the outflow detection fraction of only 40% in Fe II absorption provides further evidence for an outflow geometry that is not spherically symmetric. We see a ~3σ trend between outflow velocity and SFR surface density, but no significant trend

The wind speeds, dust content, and mass-loss rates of evolved AGB and RSG stars at varying metallicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldman, Steven R.; van Loon, Jacco Th.; Zijlstra, Albert A.; Green, James A.; Wood, Peter R.; Nanni, Ambra; Imai, Hiroshi; Whitelock, Patricia A.; Matsuura, Mikako; Groenewegen, Martin A. T.; Gómez, José F.

2017-02-01

We present the results of our survey of 1612-MHz circumstellar OH maser emission from asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and red supergiants (RSGs) in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). We have discovered four new circumstellar maser sources in the LMC, and increased the number of reliable wind speeds from infrared (IR) stars in the LMC from 5 to 13. Using our new wind speeds, as well as those from Galactic sources, we have derived an updated relation for dust-driven winds: vexp ∝ ZL0.4. We compare the subsolar metallicity LMC OH/IR stars with carefully selected samples of more metal-rich OH/IR stars, also at known distances, in the Galactic Centre and Galactic bulge. We derive pulsation periods for eight of the bulge stars for the first time by using near-IR photometry from the Vista Variables in the Via Lactea survey. We have modelled our LMC OH/IR stars and developed an empirical method of deriving gas-to-dust ratios and mass-loss rates by scaling the models to the results from maser profiles. We have done this also for samples in the Galactic Centre and bulge and derived a new mass-loss prescription which includes luminosity, pulsation period, and gas-to-dust ratio dot{M} = 1.06^{+3.5}_{-0.8} × }10^{-5 (L/10^4 L_{⊙})^{0.9± 0.1}(P/500 {d})^{0.75± 0.3} (r_gd/200)^{-0.03± 0.07} M⊙ yr-1. The tightest correlation is found between mass-loss rate and luminosity. We find that the gas-to-dust ratio has little effect on the mass-loss of oxygen-rich AGB stars and RSGs within the Galaxy and the LMC. This suggests that the mass-loss of oxygen-rich AGB stars and RSGs is (nearly) independent of metallicity between a half and twice solar.

Powerful, Rotating Disk Winds from Stellar-mass Black Holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, J. M.; Fabian, A. C.; Kaastra, J.; Kallman, T.; King, A. L.; Proga, D.; Raymond, J.; Reynolds, C. S.

2015-12-01

We present an analysis of ionized X-ray disk winds found in the Fe K band of four stellar-mass black holes observed with Chandra, including 4U 1630-47, GRO J1655-40, H 1743-322, and GRS 1915+105. High-resolution photoionization grids were generated in order to model the data. Third-order gratings spectra were used to resolve complex absorption profiles into atomic effects and multiple velocity components. The Fe xxv line is found to be shaped by contributions from the intercombination line (in absorption), and the Fe xxvi line is detected as a spin-orbit doublet. The data require 2-3 absorption zones, depending on the source. The fastest components have velocities approaching or exceeding 0.01c, increasing mass outflow rates and wind kinetic power by orders of magnitude over prior single-zone models. The first-order spectra require re-emission from the wind, broadened by a degree that is loosely consistent with Keplerian orbital velocities at the photoionization radius. This suggests that disk winds are rotating with the orbital velocity of the underlying disk, and provides a new means of estimating launching radii—crucial to understanding wind driving mechanisms. Some aspects of the wind velocities and radii correspond well to the broad-line region in active galactic nuclei (AGNs), suggesting a physical connection. We discuss these results in terms of prevalent models for disk wind production and disk accretion itself, and implications for massive black holes in AGNs.

Origin of the high velocity gas in NGC 6231

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massa, Derck

2017-08-01

It is well known that clusters of massive stars are influenced by the presence of strong winds, that they are sources of diffuse X-rays from shocked gas, and that this gas can be vented into the surrounding region or the halo, forming a critical element in the process of galactic feedback. However, the details of how these different environments interact and evolve are far from complete. Recently, Massa (2017) showed that the peculiar C IV 1550 Ang absorption seen in several otherwise normal main sequence B stars in NGC 6231 is not intrinsic to the stars. Instead, this absorption, which extends to more than -2000 km/s, is due to intervening carbon rich, high speed gas in the cluster environment. In this proposal, we seek to identify the origin of the high speed gas. The proposed observations will enable us to determine whether it is due to the outer wind of the WC star WR79, or to a collective cluster wind, enriched by carbon from the wind of WR79. If it is due to the wind of WR79, then the new data will furnish a novel, less model dependent estimate of the mass loss rate of a WC star. If it is due to a collective wind from the cluster, then we could be witnessing an important stage of galactic feedback. In either case, the proposed observations will provide a unique and significant insight on how massive, open clusters evolve - insight that can only be obtained through UV spectroscopy.

Galactic Train Wrecks

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-05-25

This montage combines observations from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope and NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer GALEX spacecraft showing three examples of colliding galaxies from a new photo atlas of galactic train wrecks.

Wind Observations of Anomalous Cosmic Rays from Solar Minimum to Maximum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reames, D. V.; McDonald, F. B.

2003-01-01

We report the first observation near Earth of the time behavior of anomalous cosmic-ray N, O, and Ne ions through the period surrounding the maximum of the solar cycle. These observations were made by the Wind spacecraft during the 1995-2002 period spanning times from solar minimum through solar maximum. Comparison of anomalous and galactic cosmic rays provides a powerful tool for the study of the physics of solar modulation throughout the solar cycle.

The galactic contribution to IceCube's astrophysical neutrino flux

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

Denton, Peter B.; Marfatia, Danny; Weiler, Thomas J., E-mail: peterbd1@gmail.com, E-mail: dmarf8@hawaii.edu, E-mail: tom.weiler@vanderbilt.edu

2017-08-01

High energy neutrinos have been detected by IceCube, but their origin remains a mystery. Determining the sources of this flux is a crucial first step towards multi-messenger studies. In this work we systematically compare two classes of sources with the data: galactic and extragalactic. We assume that the neutrino sources are distributed according to a class of Galactic models. We build a likelihood function on an event by event basis including energy, event topology, absorption, and direction information. We present the probability that each high energy event with deposited energy E {sub dep}>60 TeV in the HESE sample is Galactic,more » extragalactic, or background. For Galactic models considered the Galactic fraction of the astrophysical flux has a best fit value of 1.3% and is <9.5% at 90% CL. A zero Galactic flux is allowed at <1σ.« less

Global dynamics and diffusion in triaxial galactic models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papaphilippou, Y.

We apply the Frequency Map Analysis method to the 3--dimensional logarithmic galactic potential in order to clarify the dynamical behaviour of triaxial power--law galactic models. All the fine dynamical details are displayed in the complete frequency map, a direct representation of the system's Arnol'd web. The influence of resonant lines and the extent of the chaotic zones are directly associated with the physical space of the system. Some new results related with the diffusion of galactic orbits are also discussed. This approach reveals many unknown dynamical features of triaxial galactic potentials and provides strong indications that chaos should be an innate characteristic of triaxial configurations.

The Planck Catalogue of Galactic Cold Clumps : PGCC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montier, L.

The Planck satellite has provided an unprecedented view of the submm sky, allowing us to search for the dust emission of Galactic cold sources. Combining Planck-HFI all-sky maps in the high frequency channels with the IRAS map at 100um, we built the Planck catalogue of Galactic Cold Clumps (PGCC, Planck 2015 results. XXVIII), counting 13188 sources distributed over the whole sky, and following mainly the Galactic structures at low and intermediate latitudes. This is the first all-sky catalogue of Galactic cold sources obtained with a single instrument at this resolution and sensitivity, which opens a new window on star-formation processes in our Galaxy.

Using low-frequency pulsar observations to study the 3-D structure of the Galactic magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobey, C.; LOFAR Collaboration; MWA Collaboration

2018-05-01

The Galactic magnetic field (GMF) plays a role in many astrophysical processes and is a significant foreground to cosmological signals, such as the Epoch of Reionization (EoR), but is not yet well understood. Dispersion and Faraday rotation measurements (DMs and RMs, respectively) towards a large number of pulsars provide an efficient method to probe the three-dimensional structure of the GMF. Low-frequency polarisation observations with large fractional bandwidth can be used to measure precise DMs and RMs. This is demonstrated by a catalogue of RMs (corrected for ionospheric Faraday rotation) from the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR), with a growing complementary catalogue in the southern hemisphere from the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA). These data further our knowledge of the three-dimensional GMF, particularly towards the Galactic halo. Recently constructed or upgraded pathfinder and precursor telescopes, such as LOFAR and the MWA, have reinvigorated low-frequency science and represent progress towards the construction of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), which will make significant advancements in studies of astrophysical magnetic fields in the future. A key science driver for the SKA-Low is to study the EoR, for which pulsar and polarisation data can provide valuable insights in terms of Galactic foreground conditions.

Pitch angle of galactic spiral arms

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

Michikoshi, Shugo; Kokubo, Eiichiro, E-mail: michiko@mail.doshisha.ac.jp, E-mail: kokubo@th.nao.ac.jp

2014-06-01

One of the key parameters that characterizes spiral arms in disk galaxies is a pitch angle that measures the inclination of a spiral arm to the direction of galactic rotation. The pitch angle differs from galaxy to galaxy, which suggests that the rotation law of galactic disks determines it. In order to investigate the relation between the pitch angle of spiral arms and the shear rate of galactic differential rotation, we perform local N-body simulations of pure stellar disks. We find that the pitch angle increases with the epicycle frequency and decreases with the shear rate and obtain the fittingmore » formula. This dependence is explained by the swing amplification mechanism.« less

The distances of the Galactic Novae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozdonmez, Aykut; Guver, Tolga; Cabrera-Lavers, Antonio; Ak, Tansel

2016-07-01

Using location of the RC stars on the CMDs obtained from the UKIDSS, VISTA and 2MASS photometry, we have derived the reddening-distance relations towards each Galactic nova for which at least one independent reddening measurement exists. We were able to determine the distances of 72 Galactic novae and set lower limits on the distances of 45 systems. The reddening curves of the systems are presented. These curves can be also used to estimate reddening or the distance of any source, whose location is close to the position of the nova in our sample. The distance measurement method in our study can be easily applicable to any source, especially for ones that concentrated along the Galactic plane.

X-ray observations of Galactic H.E.S.S. sources: an update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puehlhofer, G.; Eger, P.; Sasaki, M.; Gottschall, D.; Capasso, M.; H. E. S. S. Collaboration

2016-06-01

X-ray diagnostics of TeV sources continues to be an important tool to identify the nature of newly detected sources as well as to pinpoint the physics processes that are at work in these highly energetic objects. The contribution aims at giving a review of recent studies that we have performed on TeV sources with H.E.S.S. and XMM-Newton and also other X-ray facilities. Here, we will mainly focus on Galactic objects such as gamma-ray binaries, pulsar wind nebulae, and supernova remnants (SNRs). Particular emphasis will be given to SNR studies, including recently identified SNRs such as HESS J1731-347 and HESS J1534-571 as well as a revisit of RX J1713.7-3946.

2013 Cost of Wind Energy Review

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

Mone, C.; Smith, A.; Maples, B.

2015-02-01

This report uses representative project types to estimate the levelized cost of wind energy (LCOE) in the United States for 2013. Scheduled to be published on an annual basis, it relies on both market and modeled data to maintain a current understanding of wind generation cost trends and drivers. It is intended to provide insight into current component-level costs and a basis for understanding current component-level costs and a basis for understanding variability in the LCOE across the industry. Data and tools developed from this analysis are used to inform wind technology cost projections, goals, and improvement opportunities.

The Galactic Club or Galactic Cliques? Exploring the limits of interstellar hegemony and the Zoo Hypothesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forgan, Duncan H.

2017-10-01

The Zoo solution to Fermi's Paradox proposes that extraterrestrial intelligences (ETIs) have agreed to not contact the Earth. The strength of this solution depends on the ability for ETIs to come to agreement, and establish/police treaties as part of a so-called `Galactic Club'. These activities are principally limited by the causal connectivity of a civilization to its neighbours at its inception, i.e. whether it comes to prominence being aware of other ETIs and any treaties or agreements in place. If even one civilization is not causally connected to the other members of a treaty, then they are free to operate beyond it and contact the Earth if wished, which makes the Zoo solution `soft'. We should therefore consider how likely this scenario is, as this will give us a sense of the Zoo solution's softness, or general validity. We implement a simple toy model of ETIs arising in a Galactic Habitable Zone, and calculate the properties of the groups of culturally connected civilizations established therein. We show that for most choices of civilization parameters, the number of culturally connected groups is >1, meaning that the Galaxy is composed of multiple Galactic Cliques rather than a single Galactic Club. We find in our models for a single Galactic Club to establish interstellar hegemony, the number of civilizations must be relatively large, the mean civilization lifetime must be several millions of years, and the inter-arrival time between civilizations must be a few million years or less.

Colliding Winds in Symbiotic Binary Systems. I. Analytic and Numerical Solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenny, H. T.; Taylor, A. R.

2005-01-01

We present new formulations of binary colliding wind models appropriate to symbiotic star systems. The derived models differ from previous formulations in assuming mixing of the shocked material from both incoming streams, rather than postulating a self-sustaining contact discontinuity. The CWb model (colliding winds, binary) extends the work of Girard and Willson by the derivation of an adiabatic temperature, the consideration of radiative cooling, the inclusion of thermal pressures in the incoming winds, and the treatment of interaction shells of finite thickness and density. The finite thickness of the interaction shell allows for calculation of its radiative intensity distribution. The CWc model (colliding winds, concentric) is a similar extension of the model of Kwok, Purton, and Fitzgerald. It is derived in a manner parallel to that of the CWb model, thereby facilitating a unification of the two models. A unified model is desired since wind collisions in symbiotic systems should include aspects of both CWb and CWc interactions. Two examples of model applications are presented: a comparison of the flux densities arising from colliding winds (CWb model) with those arising from the ionization of the surrounding medium (STB model) in the galactic population of symbiotic stars, and model imaging of the symbiotic nova HM Sge.

Constraining MHD Disk-Winds with X-ray Absorbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukumura, Keigo; Tombesi, F.; Shrader, C. R.; Kazanas, D.; Contopoulos, J.; Behar, E.

2014-01-01

From the state-of-the-art spectroscopic observations of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) the robust features of absorption lines (e.g. most notably by H/He-like ions), called warm absorbers (WAs), have been often detected in soft X-rays (< 2 keV). While the identified WAs are often mildly blueshifted to yield line-of-sight velocities up to ~100-3,000 km/sec in typical X-ray-bright Seyfert 1 AGNs, a fraction of Seyfert galaxies such as PG 1211+143 exhibits even faster absorbers (v/ 0.1-0.2) called ultra-fast outflows (UFOs) whose physical condition is much more extreme compared with the WAs. Motivated by these recent X-ray data we show that the magnetically- driven accretion-disk wind model is a plausible scenario to explain the characteristic property of these X-ray absorbers. As a preliminary case study we demonstrate that the wind model parameters (e.g. viewing angle and wind density) can be constrained by data from PG 1211+143 at a statistically significant level with chi-squared spectral analysis. Our wind models can thus be implemented into the standard analysis package, XSPEC, as a table spectrum model for general analysis of X-ray absorbers.

Enhancement of Feedback Efficiency by Active Galactic Nucleus Outflows via the Magnetic Tension Force in the Inhomogeneous Interstellar Medium

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

Asahina, Yuta; Ohsuga, Ken; Nomura, Mariko, E-mail: asahina@cfca.jp

By performing three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics simulations of subrelativistic jets and disk winds propagating into the magnetized inhomogeneous interstellar medium (ISM), we investigate the magnetic effects on the active galactic nucleus feedback. Our simulations reveal that the magnetic tension force promotes the acceleration of the dense gas clouds, since the magnetic field lines, which are initially straight, bend around the gas clouds. In the jet models, the velocity dispersion of the clouds increases with an increase in the initial magnetic fields. The increment of the kinetic energy of the clouds is proportional to the initial magnetic fields, implying that the magnetic tensionmore » force increases the energy conversion efficiency from the jet to the gas clouds. Through simulations of the mildly collimated disk wind and the funnel-shaped disk wind, we confirm that such an enhancement of the energy conversion efficiency via the magnetic fields appears even if the energy is injected via the disk winds. The enhancement of the acceleration of the dense part of the magnetized ISM via the magnetic tension force will occur wherever the magnetized inhomogeneous matter is blown away.« less

THE GALACTIC CENTER CLOUD G2-A YOUNG LOW-MASS STAR WITH A STELLAR WIND

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

Scoville, N.; Burkert, A.

2013-05-10

We explore the possibility that the G2 gas cloud falling in toward SgrA* is the mass-loss envelope of a young T Tauri star. As the star plunges to smaller radius at 1000-6000 km s{sup -1}, a strong bow shock forms where the stellar wind is impacted by the hot X-ray emitting gas in the vicinity of SgrA*. For a stellar mass-loss rate of 4 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -8} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1} and wind velocity 100 km s{sup -1}, the bow shock will have an emission measure (EM = n {sup 2} vol) at a distance {approx}10{sup 16} cm, similar tomore » that inferred from the IR emission lines. The ionization of the dense bow shock gas is potentially provided by collisional ionization at the shock front and cooling radiation (X-ray and UV) from the post shock gas. The former would predict a constant line flux as a function of distance from SgrA*, while the latter will have increasing emission at lesser distances. In this model, the star and its mass-loss wind should survive pericenter passage since the wind is likely launched at 0.2 AU and this is much less than the Roche radius at pericenter ({approx}3 AU for a stellar mass of 2 M{sub Sun }). In this model, the emission cloud will probably survive pericenter passage, discriminating this scenario from others.« less

Galactic Haze seen by Planck and Galactic Bubbles seen by Fermi

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-13

This all-sky image shows the distribution of the galactic haze seen by ESA Planck mission at microwave frequencies superimposed over the high-energy sky, as seen by NASA Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope.

Galactic bulge population II Cepheids in the VVV survey: period-luminosity relations and a distance to the Galactic centre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhardwaj, A.; Rejkuba, M.; Minniti, D.; Surot, F.; Valenti, E.; Zoccali, M.; Gonzalez, O. A.; Romaniello, M.; Kanbur, S. M.; Singh, H. P.

2017-09-01

Context. Multiple stellar populations of different ages and metallicities reside in the Galactic bulge that trace its structure and provide clues to its formation and evolution. Aims: We present the near-infrared observations of population II Cepheids in the Galactic bulge from VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV) survey. The JHKs photometry together with optical data from Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) survey provide an independent estimate of the distance to the Galactic centre. The old, metal-poor and low-mass population II Cepheids are also investigated as useful tracers for the structure of the Galactic bulge. Methods: We identify 340 population II Cepheids in the VVV survey Galactic bulge catalogue based on their match with the OGLE-III Catalogue. The single-epoch JH and multi-epoch Ks observations complement the accurate periods and optical (VI) mean-magnitudes from OGLE. The sample consisting of BL Herculis and W Virginis subtypes is used to derive period-luminosity relations after correcting mean-magnitudes for the extinction. Our Ks-band period-luminosity relation, Ks = -2.189(0.056) [log (P)-1] + 11.187(0.032), is consistent with published work for BL Herculis and W Virginis variables in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Results: We present a combined OGLE-III and VVV catalogue with periods, classification, mean magnitudes, and extinction for 264 Galactic bulge population II Cepheids that have good-quality Ks-band light curves. The absolute magnitudes for population II Cepheids and RR Lyraes calibrated using Gaia and Hubble Space Telescope parallaxes, together with calibrated magnitudes for Large Magellanic Cloud population II Cepheids, are used to obtain a distance to the Galactic centre, R0 = 8.34 ± 0.03(stat.) ± 0.41(syst.), which changes by with different extinction laws. While noting the limitation of small number statistics, we find that the present sample of population II Cepheids in the Galactic bulge shows a nearly spheroidal

An Archival COS Study of Multi-phase Galactic Outflows and Their Dependence on Host Galaxy Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chisholm, John

2013-10-01

Galactic outflows have become vital for understanding galaxy evolution. Outflows have been used to explain the mass-metallicity relation, the star formation history of the universe, and the shape of the baryonic mass function. However, few studies have focused on the basic question of how outflow velocities depend upon the physical properties of their host galaxies. Here we propose an archival project utilizing 52 COS spectra of local star-forming galaxies spanning four decades of star formation rate, and stellar mass. We will preform a self-consistent analysis of trends between galactic properties {star formation rate, stellar mass, specific star formation rate and star formation rate surface density} and outflow velocities measured from interstellar metal absorption lines {e.g., CII 1335}. We will extend this analysis to different gas phases - cold, warm, and hot - to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the physics of multi-phase outflows. The trends we observe will provide insights into the feedback process and will be crucial new benchmarks for simulations.

Parachute Testing for NASA InSight Mission

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-27

This parachute testing for NASA's InSight mission to Mars was conducted inside the world's largest wind tunnel, at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, in February 2015. The wind tunnel is 80 feet (24 meters) tall and 120 feet (37 meters) wide. It is part of the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex, operated by the Arnold Engineering Development Center of the U.S. Air Force. Note: After thorough examination, NASA managers have decided to suspend the planned March 2016 launch of the Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) mission. The decision follows unsuccessful attempts to repair a leak in a section of the prime instrument in the science payload. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19405

Dynamics and X-ray emission of a galactic superwind interacting with disk and halo gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suchkov, Anatoly A.; Balsara, Dinshaw S.; Heckman, Timothy M.; Leitherner, Claus

1994-01-01

There is a general agreement that the conspicuous extranuclear X-ray, optical-line, and radio-contiuum emission of starbursts is associated with powerful galactic superwinds blowing from their centers. However, despite the significant advances in observational studies of superwinds, there is no consensus on the nature of the emitting material and even on the emission mechanisms themselves. This is to a great extent a consequence of a poor understanding of dynamical processes in the starburst superwind regions. To address this issue, we have conducted two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of galactic superwinds. While previous similar studies have used a single (disk) component to represent the ISM of the starburst galaxy, we analyze the interaction of the wind with a two-component disk-halo ambient interstellar medium and argue that this two-component representation is crucial for adequate modeling of starbursts. The emphasis of this study is on the geometry and structure of the wind region and the X-ray emission arising in the wind material and the shocked gas in the disk and the halo of the galaxy. The simulation results have shown that a clear-cut bipolar wind can easily develop under a range of very different conditions. On the other hand, a complex 'filamentary' structure associated with the entrained dense disk material is found to arise within the hot bubble blown out by the wind. The flow pattern within the bubble is dominated equally by the central biconic outflow and a system of whirling motions r elated to the origin and development of the 'filaments'. The filament parameters make them a good candidate for optical-emission-line filamentary gas observed in starburst halos. We find that the history of mass and energy deposition in the starburst region of the galaxy is crucial for wind dynamics. A 'mild' early wind, which arises as a result of the cumulative effect of stellar winds from massive stars, produces a bipolar vertical cavity in the disk and

Star formation around active galactic nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keel, William C.

1987-01-01

Active galactic nuclei (Seyfert nuclei and their relatives) and intense star formation can both deliver substantial amounts of energy to the vicinity of a galactic nucleus. Many luminous nuclei have energetics dominated by one of these mechanisms, but detailed observations show that some have a mixture. Seeing both phenomena at once raises several interesting questions: (1) Is this a general property of some kinds of nuclei? How many AGNs have surround starbursts, and vice versa? (2) As in 1, how many undiscovered AGNs or starbursts are hidden by a more luminous instance of the other? (3) Does one cause the other, and by what means, or do both reflect common influences such as potential well shape or level of gas flow? (4) Can surrounding star formation tell us anything about the central active nuclei, such as lifetimes, kinetic energy output, or mechanical disturbance of the ISM? These are important points in the understanding of activity and star formation in galactic nuclei. Unfortunately, the observational ways of addressing them are as yet not well formulated. Some preliminary studies are reported, aimed at clarifying the issues involved in study of the relationships between stellar and nonstellar excitement in galactic nuclei.

Galactic outflows, star formation histories, and time-scales in starburst dwarf galaxies from STARBIRDS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McQuinn, Kristen B. W.; Skillman, Evan D.; Heilman, Taryn N.; Mitchell, Noah P.; Kelley, Tyler

2018-07-01

Winds are predicted to be ubiquitous in low-mass, actively star-forming galaxies. Observationally, winds have been detected in relatively few local dwarf galaxies, with even fewer constraints placed on their time-scales. Here, we compare galactic outflows traced by diffuse, soft X-ray emission from Chandra Space Telescope archival observations to the star formation histories derived from Hubble Space Telescope imaging of the resolved stellar populations in six starburst dwarfs. We constrain the longevity of a wind to have an upper limit of 25 Myr based on galaxies whose starburst activity has already declined, although a larger sample is needed to confirm this result. We find an average 16 per cent efficiency for converting the mechanical energy of stellar feedback to thermal, soft X-ray emission on the 25 Myr time-scale, somewhat higher than simulations predict. The outflows have likely been sustained for time-scales comparable to the duration of the starbursts (i.e. 100s Myr), after taking into account the time for the development and cessation of the wind. The wind time-scales imply that material is driven to larger distances in the circumgalactic medium than estimated by assuming short, 5-10 Myr starburst durations, and that less material is recycled back to the host galaxy on short time-scales. In the detected outflows, the expelled hot gas shows various morphologies that are not consistent with a simple biconical outflow structure. The sample and analysis are part of a larger program, the STARBurst IRregular Dwarf Survey (STARBIRDS), aimed at understanding the life cycle and impact of starburst activity in low-mass systems.

A Persistent Disk Wind in GRS 1915+105 with NICER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neilsen, J.; Cackett, E.; Remillard, R. A.; Homan, J.; Steiner, J. F.; Gendreau, K.; Arzoumanian, Z.; Prigozhin, G.; LaMarr, B.; Doty, J.; Eikenberry, S.; Tombesi, F.; Ludlam, R.; Kara, E.; Altamirano, D.; Fabian, A. C.

2018-06-01

The bright, erratic black hole X-ray binary GRS 1915+105 has long been a target for studies of disk instabilities, radio/infrared jets, and accretion disk winds, with implications that often apply to sources that do not exhibit its exotic X-ray variability. With the launch of the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER), we have a new opportunity to study the disk wind in GRS 1915+105 and its variability on short and long timescales. Here we present our analysis of 39 NICER observations of GRS 1915+105 collected during five months of the mission data validation and verification phase, focusing on Fe XXV and Fe XXVI absorption. We report the detection of strong Fe XXVI in 32 (>80%) of these observations, with another four marginal detections; Fe XXV is less common, but both likely arise in the well-known disk wind. We explore how the properties of this wind depend on broad characteristics of the X-ray lightcurve: mean count rate, hardness ratio, and fractional rms variability. The trends with count rate and rms are consistent with an average wind column density that is fairly steady between observations but varies rapidly with the source on timescales of seconds. The line dependence on spectral hardness echoes the known behavior of disk winds in outbursts of Galactic black holes; these results clearly indicate that NICER is a powerful tool for studying black hole winds.

New insights of seismic disturbances due to wind turbines - long and short term measurements in SW Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zieger, Toni; Ritter, Joachim

2017-04-01

Within the scope of the project "TremAc", we present new insights of ground motion disturbances due to wind turbines (WTs) in the vicinity of the town of Landau, SW Germany. The main goal of this project, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, is the detection of influences from WTs on human health and buildings in an interdisciplinary way. The interaction between WTs, humans, infrastructure (incl.seismic stations) becomes more and more an important role with the increase of installed WTs. We present averaged one hour long PSD-spectra in a frequency range from 0.5 Hz to 7 Hz depending on the wind speed before and after the installation of characteristic WTs, especially for seismic borehole stations, during one month measurements. The results show a clear increase of the ground motion and a related disturbance of the seismic recordings. The station threshold for signal detection below 2 Hz is reduced after the installation of a new wind farm in the area around Landau. This effect occurs even up to distances to the WTs of more than 5 kilometers. The increasing noise level depends also clearly on wind speed, which indicate also the WT origin related with the signals. Using short-term measurements during few hours, we are able to determine the maximum of the PSD values for different discrete frequencies as function of distance to the next WT and to fit a power-law decay curve proportional to 1/rb to the data. In this way we can differentiate between near- and far-field effects of the seismic wave propagation of WTs. A clear frequency dependent decay can be observed, for which high frequencies are more attenuated than lower frequencies, probably due to scattering processes. The new results will help for a better understanding of WTs as a seismic noise source and their interaction with nearby seismic stations and other infrastructure. Seismic data were provided by "Erdbebendienst Südwest", "Federal Institute for Geosciences and

Molecular diagnostics of Galactic star-formation regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loenen, Edo; Baan, Willem; Spaans, Marco

2007-10-01

We propose a sensitive spectral survey of Galactic star-formation regions. Using the broadband correlator at two different frequencies, we expect to detect the (1-0) transition of CO, CN, HNC, HCN, HCO+, and HCO and various of their isotopes lines, as well as the (12-11) and (10-9) transitions of HC3N. The purpose of these observations is to create a consistent (public) database of molecular emission from galactic star-formation regions. The data will be interpreted using extensive physical and chemical modeling of the whole ensemble of lines, in order to get an accurate description of the molecular environment of these regions. In particular, this diagnostic approach will describe the optical depths, the densities, and the radiation fields in the medium and will allow the establishment of dominant temperature gradients. These observations are part of a program to study molecular emission on all scales, going from individual Galactic star-formation regions, through resolved nearby galaxies, to unresolved extra-galactic emission.

Parameters of Six Selected Galactic Potential Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bajkova, Anisa; Bobylev, Vadim

2017-11-01

This paper is devoted to the refinement of the parameters of the six three-component (bulge, disk, halo) axisymmetric Galactic gravitational potential models on the basis of modern data on circular velocities of Galactic objects located at distances up to 200 kpc from the Galactic center. In all models the bulge and disk are described by the Miyamoto-Nagai expressions. To describe the halo, the models of Allen-Santillán (I), Wilkinson-Evans (II), Navarro- Frenk-White (III), Binney (IV), Plummer (V), and Hernquist (VI) are used. The sought-for parameters of potential models are determined by fitting the model rotation curves to the measured velocities, taking into account restrictions on the local dynamical matter density p⊙ - 0.1M⊙ pc-3 and the vertical force |Kz=1.1|/2πG = 77M⊙ pc-2. A comparative analysis of the refined potential models is made and for each of the models the estimates of a number of the Galactic characteristics are presented.

Black holes on FIRE: stellar feedback limits early feeding of galactic nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anglés-Alcázar, Daniel; Faucher-Giguère, Claude-André; Quataert, Eliot; Hopkins, Philip F.; Feldmann, Robert; Torrey, Paul; Wetzel, Andrew; Kereš, Dušan

2017-11-01

We introduce massive black holes (BHs) in the Feedback In Realistic Environments (FIRE) project and perform high-resolution cosmological hydrodynamic simulations of quasar-mass haloes [Mhalo(z = 2) ≈ 1012.5 M⊙] down to z = 1. These simulations model stellar feedback by supernovae, stellar winds and radiation, and BH growth using a gravitational torque-based prescription tied to the resolved properties of galactic nuclei. We do not include BH feedback. We show that early BH growth occurs through short (≲1 Myr) accretion episodes that can reach or even exceed the Eddington rate. In this regime, BH growth is limited by bursty stellar feedback continuously evacuating gas from galactic nuclei, and BHs remain undermassive in low-mass galaxies relative to the local MBH-Mbulgerelation. BH growth is more efficient at later times, when the nuclear stellar potential retains a significant gas reservoir, star formation becomes less bursty and galaxies settle into a more ordered state. BHs rapidly converge on to the observed scaling relations when the host reaches Mbulge ∼ 1010 M⊙. We show that resolving the effects of stellar feedback on the gas supply in the inner ∼100 pc of galaxies is necessary to accurately capture the growth of central BHs. Our simulations imply that bursty stellar feedback has important implications for BH-galaxy relations, AGN demographics and time variability, the formation of early quasars and massive BH mergers.

Star formation across galactic environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, Jason

I present here parallel investigations of star formation in typical and extreme galaxies. The typical galaxies are selected to be free of active galactic nuclei (AGN), while the extreme galaxies host quasars (the most luminous class of AGN). These two environments are each insightful in their own way; quasars are among the most violent objects in the universe, literally reshaping their host galaxies, while my sample of AGN-free star-forming galaxies ranges from systems larger than the Milky Way to small galaxies which are forming stars at unsustainably high rates. The current paradigm of galaxy formation and evolution suggests that extreme circumstances are key stepping stones in the assembly of galaxies like our Milky Way. To test this paradigm and fully explore its ramifications, this dual approach is needed. My sample of AGN-free galaxies is drawn from the KPNO International Spectroscopic Survey. This Halpha-selected, volume-limited survey was designed to detect star-forming galaxies without a bias toward continuum luminosity. This type of selection ensures that this sample is not biased toward galaxies that are large or nearby. My work studies the KISS galaxies in the mid- and far-infrared using photometry from the IRAC and MIPS instruments aboard the Spitzer Space Telescope. These infrared bands are particularly interesting for star formation studies because the ultraviolet light from young stars is reprocessed into thermal emission in the far-infrared (24mum MIPS) by dust and into vibrational transitions features in the mid-infrared (8.0mum IRAC) by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The work I present here examines the efficiencies of PAH and thermal dust emission as tracers of star-formation rates over a wide range of galactic stellar masses. I find that the efficiency of PAH as a star-formation tracer varies with galactic stellar mass, while thermal dust has a highly variable efficiency that does not systematically depend on galactic stellar mass

An Integrated Approach To Offshore Wind Energy Assessment: Great Lakes 3D Wind Experiment

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

Barthelmie, R. J.; Pryor, S. C.

This grant supported fundamental research into the characterization of flow parameters of relevance to the wind energy industry focused on offshore and the coastal zone. A major focus of the project was application of the latest generation of remote sensing instrumentation and also integration of measurements and numerical modeling to optimize characterization of time-evolving atmospheric flow parameters in 3-D. Our research developed a new data-constrained Wind Atlas for the Great Lakes, and developed new insights into flow parameters in heterogeneous environments. Four experiments were conducted during the project: At a large operating onshore wind farm in May 2012; At themore » National Renewable Energy Laboratory National Wind Technology Center (NREL NWTC) during February 2013; At the shoreline of Lake Erie in May 2013; and At the Wind Energy Institute of Canada on Prince Edward Island in May 2015. The experiment we conducted in the coastal zone of Lake Erie indicated very complex flow fields and the frequent presence of upward momentum fluxes and resulting distortion of the wind speed profile at turbine relevant heights due to swells in the Great Lakes. Additionally, our data (and modeling) indicate the frequent presence of low level jets at 600 m height over the Lake and occasions when the wind speed profile across the rotor plane may be impacted by this phenomenon. Experimental data and modeling of the fourth experiment on Prince Edward Island showed that at 10-14 m escarpment adjacent to long-overseas fetch the zone of wind speed decrease before the terrain feature and the increase at (and slightly downwind of) the escarpment is ~3–5% at turbine hub-heights. Additionally, our measurements were used to improve methods to compute the uncertainty in lidar-derived flow properties and to optimize lidar-scanning strategies. For example, on the basis of the experimental data we collected plus those from one of our research partners we advanced a new

HaloSat- A CubeSat to Study the Hot Galactic Halo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaaret, Philip

We propose to develop, build, and fly HaloSat, a CubeSat capable of measuring the oxygen line emission from the hot Galactic halo. A dedicated CubeSat enables an instrument design and observing strategy to maximize the halo signal while minimizing foregrounds from solar wind charge exchange interactions within the solar system. We will use HaloSat to map the distribution of hot gas in the Milky Way and determine whether it fills an extended, and thus massive halo, or whether the halo is compact, and thus does not contribute significantly to the total mass of the Milky Way. HaloSat can be accomplished at modest cost using a CubeSat, a novel platform for space astrophysics missions. We will use a commercially available CubeSat bus and commercially available X-ray detectors to reduce development risk and minimize overall mission cost. HaloSat builds on the initiatives of GSFC/Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) in the development of CubeSats for low cost access to space and relies on the technical expertise of WFF personnel for spacecraft and mission design and operations. The team, from University of Iowa (UI), GSFC, Johns Hopkins, and CNRS (France), contains experts in X-ray detector development and data analysis and the astrophysics of hot plasmas and Galactic structure. The UI team will include a number of junior researchers (undergraduates, graduate students, and a postdoc) and help train them for future leadership roles on NASA space flight missions.

Photoevaporation of Dusty Clouds near Active Galactic Nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pier, Edward A.; Voit, G. Mark

1995-09-01

We investigate the hydrodynamic and line-emitting properties of dusty clouds exposed to an active galactic nucleus (AGN) continuum. Such clouds may be found on the inner edges of the tori commonly implicated in AGN unification schemes. An X-ray-heated wind will be driven off the surface of such a cloud, eventually destroying it. Dust grains are carried along with the flow and are destroyed by sputtering as the wind heats. In smaller clouds, sputtering regulates the outflow by reducing the radiation force opposing the flow. Cloud evaporation may be fast enough to determine the location of the inner edge of the torus. However, since the evaporation time is much longer than the orbital time, clouds on eccentric orbits can penetrate well inside the inner edge of the torus. Therefore, the ionization structure of the cloud is determined only by the incipient continuum shape. The inner faces of exposed clouds are pressurized primarily by the incident radiation. Radiation pressure on dust grains regulates how gas pressure increases with optical depth. Ionization levels decrease inward, and the bulk of the cloud is molecular and neutral. The effects of dust extinction and high density suppress the hydrogen recombination lines and the forbidden lines from C, N, and 0 ions below observed levels despite the high covering factor expected for the torus. However, the inner edge of the torus is a natural place for producing the iron coronal lines often seen in the spectra of AGNs (i.e., [Fe VII] λ6087, [Fe X] λ6375, [Fe XI] λ7892, and [Fe XIV] λ5303).

Galactic-scale civilization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuiper, T. B. H.

1980-01-01

Evolutionary arguments are presented in favor of the existence of civilization on a galactic scale. Patterns of physical, chemical, biological, social and cultural evolution leading to increasing levels of complexity are pointed out and explained thermodynamically in terms of the maximization of free energy dissipation in the environment of the organized system. The possibility of the evolution of a global and then a galactic human civilization is considered, and probabilities that the galaxy is presently in its colonization state and that life could have evolved to its present state on earth are discussed. Fermi's paradox of the absence of extraterrestrials in light of the probability of their existence is noted, and a variety of possible explanations is indicated. Finally, it is argued that although mankind may be the first occurrence of intelligence in the galaxy, it is unjustified to presume that this is so.

Evolution of the Oort Cloud under Galactic Perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higuchi, A.; Kokubo, E.; Mukai, T.

2005-08-01

The Oort cloud is a spherical comet reservoir surrounding the solar system. There is general agreement that the Oort cloud comets are the residual planetesimals of planet formation. The standard scenario of the Oort cloud formation consists of two dynamical stages: (1) giant planets raise the aphelia of planetesimals to the outer region of the solar system and (2) the galactic tide, passing stars, and giant molecular clouds pull up their perihelia out of the planetary region and randomize their inclinations. Here we show the orbital evolution of planetesimals due to the galactic tide. Planetesimals with large aphelion distances change their perihelion distances toward the outside of the planetary region by the galactic tide and become members of the Oort cloud. We consider only the vertical component of the galactic tide because it is dominant compared to other components. Then, under such an axi-symmetric assumption, some planetesimals may show the librations around ω (argument of perihelion)=π /2 or 3π /2 (the Kozai mechanism). The alternate increases of eccentricity and inclination of the Kozai mechanism are effective to form the Oort cloud. Using the secular perturbation theory, we can understand the motion of the planetesimals analytically. We applied the Kozai mechanism to the galactic tide and found that the galactic tide raise perihelia and randomize inclinations of planetesimals with semimajor axes larger than ˜ 103 AU in 5Gyr. We take into account time evolution of the local galactic density, which is thought to be denser in the early stage of the sun than the current one. This work was supported by the 21st Century COE Program Origin and Evolution of Planetary Systems of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan, and JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists.

Polarization of the diffuse galactic light.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sparrow, J. G.; Ney, E. P.

1972-01-01

Polarization measurements made from the satellite OSO-5 show that the polarized intensity in the direction of the Scutum arm of the Galaxy is different in intensity and direction of the polarization from that observed due to the zodiacal light. The observations are consistent with polarized diffuse galactic light superposed on the zodiacal light. The results are interpreted in terms of a model in which the galactic starlight is scattered by interstellar dust.

The Galactic Magnetic Field and its lensing of Ultrahigh Energy and Galactic Cosmic Rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrar, Glennys

2015-08-01

It has long been recognized that magnetic fields play an important role in many astrophysical environments, but the magnetic field strength and structure has only been quantitatively determined for relatively few systems beyond our solar system.Our understanding of the Galactic magnetic field (GMF) has improved tremendously in recent years. The Jansson-Farrar (2012) (JF12) GMF model is the most realistic and comprehensive model available. It was constrained by fitting all-sky Faraday Rotation Measures of ~40k extragalactic sources, simultaneously with WMAP polarized (Q,U) and total synchrotron emission maps - together providing a total of more than 10,000 independent datapoints, each with measured astrophysical variance. In addition to disk and toroidal halo components, a previously overlooked coherent poloidal halo field proves to be necessary to account for the RM, Q and U data. Moreover a “striated” random component is needed in addition to a fully random component, in both disk and halo.The talk will give a concise review of the JF12 model and its derivation, with emphasis on which features of the GMF are well or poorly established. I will show that the data unambiguously demand a large scale coherent component to the halo field which is a diverging-spiral centered on the Galactic center, with field lines running from Southern to Northern hemispheres. The puzzles posed by the large scale coherent halo and disk magnetic fields, and their possible origins, will be discussed.Having a good model of the Galactic magnetic field is crucial for determining the sources of UHECRs, for modeling the transport of Galactic CRs (the halo field provides a heretofore-overlooked escape route for by diffusion along its field lines), and for calculating the background to dark matter and CMB-cosmology studies. I will present new results on the lensing effect of the GMF on UHECRs, which produces multiple images and dramatic magnification and demagnification that varies with

The Galactic Nova Rate Revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafter, A. W.

2017-01-01

Despite its fundamental importance, a reliable estimate of the Galactic nova rate has remained elusive. Here, the overall Galactic nova rate is estimated by extrapolating the observed rate for novae reaching m≤slant 2 to include the entire Galaxy using a two component disk plus bulge model for the distribution of stars in the Milky Way. The present analysis improves on previous work by considering important corrections for incompleteness in the observed rate of bright novae and by employing a Monte Carlo analysis to better estimate the uncertainty in the derived nova rates. Several models are considered to account for differences in the assumed properties of bulge and disk nova populations and in the absolute magnitude distribution. The simplest models, which assume uniform properties between bulge and disk novae, predict Galactic nova rates of ˜50 to in excess of 100 per year, depending on the assumed incompleteness at bright magnitudes. Models where the disk novae are assumed to be more luminous than bulge novae are explored, and predict nova rates up to 30% lower, in the range of ˜35 to ˜75 per year. An average of the most plausible models yields a rate of {50}-23+31 yr-1, which is arguably the best estimate currently available for the nova rate in the Galaxy. Virtually all models produce rates that represent significant increases over recent estimates, and bring the Galactic nova rate into better agreement with that expected based on comparison with the latest results from extragalactic surveys.

The case for inflow of the broad-line region of active galactic nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaskell, C. Martin; Goosmann, René W.

2016-02-01

The high-ionization lines of the broad-line region (BLR) of thermal active galactic nuclei (AGNs) show blueshifts of a few hundred km/s to several thousand km/sec with respect to the low-ionization lines. This has long been thought to be due to the high-ionization lines of the BLR arising in a wind of which the far side of the outflow is blocked from our view by the accretion disc. Evidence for and against the disc-wind model is discussed. The biggest problem for the model is that velocity-resolved reverberation mapping repeatedly fails to show the expected kinematic signature of outflow of the BLR. The disc-wind model also cannot readily reproduce the red side of the line profiles of high-ionization lines. The rapidly falling density in an outflow makes it difficult to obtain high equivalent widths. We point out a number of major problems with associating the BLR with the outflows producing broad absorption lines. An explanation which avoids all these problems and satisfies the constraints of both the line profiles and velocity-resolved reverberation-mapping is a model in which the blueshifting is due to scattering off material spiraling inwards with an inflow velocity of half the velocity of the blueshifting. We discuss how recent reverberation mapping results are consistent with the scattering-plus-inflow model but do not support a disc-wind model. We propose that the anti-correlation of the apparent redshifting of Hβ with the blueshifting of C iv is a consequence of contamination of the red wings of Hβ by the broad wings of [O iii].

Ultrafast outflows in radio-loud active galactic nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tombesi, F.; Tazaki, F.; Mushotzky, R. F.; Ueda, Y.; Cappi, M.; Gofford, J.; Reeves, J. N.; Guainazzi, M.

2014-09-01

Recent X-ray observations show absorbing winds with velocities up to mildly relativistic values of the order of ˜0.1c in a limited sample of six broad-line radio galaxies. They are observed as blueshifted Fe XXV-XXVI K-shell absorption lines, similarly to the ultrafast outflows (UFOs) reported in Seyferts and quasars. In this work we extend the search for such Fe K absorption lines to a larger sample of 26 radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN) observed with XMM-Newton and Suzaku. The sample is drawn from the Swift Burst Alert Telescope 58-month catalogue and blazars are excluded. X-ray bright Fanaroff-Riley Class II radio galaxies constitute the majority of the sources. Combining the results of this analysis with those in the literature we find that UFOs are detected in >27 per cent of the sources. However, correcting for the number of spectra with insufficient signal-to-noise ratio, we can estimate that the incidence of UFOs is this sample of radio-loud AGN is likely in the range f ≃ (50 ± 20) per cent. A photoionization modelling of the absorption lines with XSTAR allows us to estimate the distribution of their main parameters. The observed outflow velocities are broadly distributed between vout ≲ 1000 km s-1 and vout ≃ 0.4c, with mean and median values of vout ≃ 0.133c and vout ≃ 0.117c, respectively. The material is highly ionized, with an average ionization parameter of logξ ≃ 4.5 erg s-1 cm, and the column densities are larger than NH > 1022 cm-2. Overall, these characteristics are consistent with the presence of complex accretion disc winds in a significant fraction of radio-loud AGN and demonstrate that the presence of relativistic jets does not preclude the existence of winds, in accordance with several theoretical models.

An experimental investigation on wind turbine aeromechanics and wake interferences among multiple wind turbines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozbay, Ahmet

measurement results. The detailed flow field measurements are correlated with the dynamic wind loads and power output measurements to elucidate underlying physics in order to gain further insight into the characteristics of the power generation performance, dynamic wind loads and wake interferences of the wind turbines for higher total power yield and better durability of the wind turbines sited in atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) winds.

Performance characteristics of aerodynamically optimum turbines for wind energy generators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rohrbach, C.; Worobel, R.

1975-01-01

This paper presents a brief discussion of the aerodynamic methodology for wind energy generator turbines, an approach to the design of aerodynamically optimum wind turbines covering a broad range of design parameters, some insight on the effect on performance of nonoptimum blade shapes which may represent lower fabrication costs, the annual wind turbine energy for a family of optimum wind turbines, and areas of needed research. On the basis of the investigation, it is concluded that optimum wind turbines show high performance over a wide range of design velocity ratios; that structural requirements impose constraints on blade geometry; that variable pitch wind turbines provide excellent power regulation and that annual energy output is insensitive to design rpm and solidity of optimum wind turbines.

2015 Cost of Wind Energy Review

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

Mone, Christopher; Hand, Maureen; Bolinger, Mark

This report uses representative commercial projects to estimate the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for both land-based and offshore wind plants in the United States for 2015. Scheduled to be published on an annual basis, the analysis relies on both market and modeled data to maintain an up-to-date understanding of wind generation cost trends and drivers. It is intended to provide insight into current component-level costs and a basis for understanding variability in the LCOE across the industry. Data and tools developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are used in this analysis to inform wind technology cost projections,more » goals, and improvement opportunities.« less

2014 Cost of Wind Energy Review

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

Mone, Christopher; Stehly, Tyler; Maples, Ben

2015-10-01

This report uses representative commercial projects to estimate the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for both land-based and offshore wind plants in the United States for 2014. Scheduled to be published on an annual basis, the analysis relies on both market and modeled data to maintain an up-to-date understanding of wind generation cost trends and drivers. It is intended to provide insight into current component-level costs and a basis for understanding variability in the LCOE across the industry. Data and tools developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are used in this analysis to inform wind technology cost projections,more » goals, and improvement opportunities.« less

Cosmic stellar relics in the Galactic halo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvadori, Stefania; Schneider, Raffaella; Ferrara, Andrea

2007-10-01

We study the stellar population history and chemical evolution of the Milky Way (MW) in a hierarchical Λ cold dark matter model for structure formation. Using a Monte Carlo method based on the semi-analytical extended Press & Schechter formalism, we develop a new code GALAXY MERGER TREE AND EVOLUTION (GAMETE) to reconstruct the merger tree of the Galaxy and follow the evolution of gas and stars along the hierarchical tree. Our approach allows us to compare the observational properties of the MW with model results, exploring different properties of primordial stars, such as their initial mass function and the critical metallicity for low-mass star formation, Zcr. In particular, by matching our predictions to the metallicity distribution function (MDF) of metal-poor stars in the Galactic halo we find that: (i) a strong supernova (SN) feedback is required to reproduce the observed properties of the MW; (ii) stars with [Fe/H] < -2.5 form in haloes accreting Galactic medium (GM) enriched by earlier SN explosions; (iii) the fiducial model (Zcr = 10-4Zsolar, mPopIII = 200 Msolar) provides an overall good fit to the MDF, but cannot account for the two hyper-metal-poor (HMP) stars with [Fe/H] < -5 the latter can be accommodated if Zcr <= 10-6 Zsolar but such model overpopulates the `metallicity desert', that is, the range -5.3 < [Fe/H] < -4 in which no stars have been detected; (iv) the current non-detection of metal-free stars robustly constrains either Zcr > 0 or the masses of the first stars mPopIII > 0.9 Msolar (v) the statistical impact of truly second-generation stars, that is, stars forming out of gas polluted only by metal-free stars, is negligible in current samples; and (vi) independent of Zcr, 60 per cent of metals in the GM are ejected through winds by haloes with masses M < 6 × 109 Msolar, thus showing that low-mass haloes are the dominant population contributing to cosmic metal enrichment. We discuss the limitations of our study and comparison with previous

Star formation inside a galactic outflow.

PubMed

Maiolino, R; Russell, H R; Fabian, A C; Carniani, S; Gallagher, R; Cazzoli, S; Arribas, S; Belfiore, F; Bellocchi, E; Colina, L; Cresci, G; Ishibashi, W; Marconi, A; Mannucci, F; Oliva, E; Sturm, E

2017-04-13

Recent observations have revealed massive galactic molecular outflows that may have the physical conditions (high gas densities) required to form stars. Indeed, several recent models predict that such massive outflows may ignite star formation within the outflow itself. This star-formation mode, in which stars form with high radial velocities, could contribute to the morphological evolution of galaxies, to the evolution in size and velocity dispersion of the spheroidal component of galaxies, and would contribute to the population of high-velocity stars, which could even escape the galaxy. Such star formation could provide in situ chemical enrichment of the circumgalactic and intergalactic medium (through supernova explosions of young stars on large orbits), and some models also predict it to contribute substantially to the star-formation rate observed in distant galaxies. Although there exists observational evidence for star formation triggered by outflows or jets into their host galaxy, as a consequence of gas compression, evidence for star formation occurring within galactic outflows is still missing. Here we report spectroscopic observations that unambiguously reveal star formation occurring in a galactic outflow at a redshift of 0.0448. The inferred star-formation rate in the outflow is larger than 15 solar masses per year. Star formation may also be occurring in other galactic outflows, but may have been missed by previous observations owing to the lack of adequate diagnostics.

Detection of sulfur in the galactic center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herter, T.; Briotta, D. A., Jr.; Gull, G. E.; Shure, M. A.; Houck, J. R.

1983-01-01

A strong detection at the S III forbidden 18.71 micron line is reported for the galactic center region, Sgr A West. A line flux of 1.7 + or - 0.2 x 10 to the -17th W/sq cm is found for a 20 inch beam size measurement centered on IRS 1. A preliminary analysis indicates that the S III abundance relative to hydrogen is consistent with the cosmic abundance of sulfur, 0.000016, if a filling factor of unity within the known clumps is assumed. However, the sulfur abundance in the galactic center may be as much as a factor of 3 overabundant if a filling factor of 0.03 is adopted, a value found to hold for some galactic H II regions.

Galaxy Formation through Winds, Infall and Merger: Learning from Galactic Archaeology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsujimoto, T.

2010-06-01

Here we show how we can dig the information on the prominent processes in galaxy evolution out of stellar records. Two studies are presented. First, the observed indication that the elemental abundance gradient evolves with cosmic time in the Milky Way disk is shown to be evidence of large-scale winds that once enriched the whole disk, which set up the steep abundance gradient in the inner disk several Gyr ago. Secondly, we show that evidence of a major merger in the SMC is imprinted in its age-metallicity relation as a dip in [Fe/H]. Our theoretical models predict that the major merger with a mass ratio of 1:1 to 1:4 occurred at ~7.5 Gyr ago in the SMC.

Galactic-scale Feedback Observed in the 3C 298 Quasar Host Galaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vayner, Andrey; Wright, Shelley A.; Murray, Norman; Armus, Lee; Larkin, James E.; Mieda, Etsuko

2017-12-01

We present high angular resolution multiwavelength data of the 3C 298 radio-loud quasar host galaxy (z = 1.439) taken using the W.M. Keck Observatory OSIRIS integral field spectrograph (IFS) with adaptive optics, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) WFC3, and the Very Large Array (VLA). Extended emission is detected in the rest-frame optical nebular emission lines Hβ, [O III], Hα, [N II], and [S II], as well as in the molecular lines CO (J = 3‑2) and (J = 5‑4). Along the path of the relativistic jets of 3C 298, we detect conical outflows in ionized gas emission with velocities of up to 1700 {km} {{{s}}}-1 and an outflow rate of 450–1500 {M}ȯ {{yr}}-1 extended over 12 kpc. Near the spatial center of the conical outflow, CO (J = 3‑2) emission shows a molecular gas disk with a rotational velocity of ±150 {km} {{{s}}}-1 and total molecular mass ({M}{{{H}}2}) of 6.6+/- 0.36× {10}9 {M}ȯ . On the blueshifted side of the molecular disk, we observe broad extended emission that is due to a molecular outflow with a rate of 2300 {M}ȯ {{yr}}-1 and depletion timescale of 3 Myr. We detect no narrow Hα emission in the outflow regions, suggesting a limit on star formation of 0.3 {M}ȯ {{yr}}-1 {{kpc}}-2. Quasar-driven winds are evacuating the molecular gas reservoir, thereby directly impacting star formation in the host galaxy. The observed mass of the supermassive black hole is {10}9.37{--9.56} {M}ȯ , and we determine a dynamical bulge mass of {M}{bulge}=1{--}1.7× {10}10\\tfrac{R}{1.6 {kpc}} {M}ȯ . The bulge mass of 3C 298 lies 2–2.5 orders of magnitude below the expected value from the local galactic bulge—supermassive black hole mass ({M}{bulge}{--}{M}{BH}) relationship. A second galactic disk observed in nebular emission is offset from the quasar by 9 kpc, suggesting that the system is an intermediate-stage merger. These results show that galactic-scale negative feedback is occurring early in the merger

Galactic Neighborhood and Laboratory Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Q. D.

2011-05-01

The galactic neighborhood, extending from the Milky Way to redshifts of about 0.1, is our unique local laboratory for detailed study of galaxies and their interplay with the environment. Such study provides a foundation of knowledge for interpreting observations of more distant galaxies and their environment. The Astro 2010 Science Frontier Galactic Neighborhood Panel identified four key sci- entific questions: 1) What are the flows of matter and energy in the circumgalac- tic medium? 2) What controls the mass-energy-chemical cycles within galaxies? 3) What is the fossil record of galaxy assembly from first stars to present? 4) What are the connections between dark and luminous matter? These questions, essential to the understanding of galaxies as interconnected complexes, can be addressed most effectively and/or uniquely in the galactic neighborhood. The panel also highlighted the discovery potential of time-domain astronomy and astrometry with powerful new techniques and facilities to greatly advance our understanding of the precise connections among stars, galaxies, and newly dis- covered transient events. The relevant needs for laboratory astrophysics will be emphasized, especially in the context of supporting NASA missions.

Active Galactic Nucleus

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-09-14

SCI2017_0007: Artist illustration of the thick ring of dust that can obscure the energetic processes that occur near the supermassive black hole of an active galactic nuclei. The SOFIA studies suggest that the dust distribution is about 30 percent smaller than previously thought. Credit: NASA/SOFIA/Lynette Cook

Analysis of Solar Wind Plasma Properties of Co-Rotating Interaction Regions at Mars with MSL/RAD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lohf, H.; Kohler, J.; Zeitlin, C. J.; Ehresmann, B.; Guo, J.; Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F.; Hassler, D.; Reitz, G.; Posner, A.; Heber, B.; Appel, J. K.; Matthiae, D.; Brinza, D. E.; Weigle, E.; Böttcher, S. I.; Burmeister, S.; Martin-Garcia, C.; Boehm, E.; Rafkin, S. C.; Kahanpää, H.; Martín-Torres, J.; Zorzano, M. P.

2014-12-01

The measurements of the Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) onboard Mars Science Laboratory's rover Curiosity have given us the very first opportunity to evaluate the radiation environment on the surface of Mars, which consists mostly of Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) and secondary particles created in the Martian Atmosphere. The solar wind can have an influence on the modulation of the GCR, e.g. when the fast solar wind (~ 750 km/s) interacts with the slow solar wind (~ 400 km/s) at so-called Stream Interaction Regions (SIRs) resulting in an enhancement of the local magnetic field which could affect the shielding of GCRs. SIRs often occur periodically as Co-rotating Interaction Regions (CIRs) which may-be observed at Mars as a decrease in the radiation data measured by MSL/RAD. Considering the difference of the Earth-Mars orbit, we correlate these in-situ radiation data at Mars with the solar wind properties measured by spacecrafts at 1 AU, with the aim to eventually determine the solar wind properties at Mars based on MSL/RAD measurements.

The structure and content of the galaxy and galactic gamma rays. [conferences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fichtel, C. E.; Stecker, F. W.

1976-01-01

Papers are presented dealing with galactic structure drawing on all branches of galactic astronomy with emphasis on the implications of the new gamma ray observations. Topics discussed include: (1) results from the COS-B gamma ray satellite; (2) results from SAS-2 on gamma ray pulsar, Cygnus X-3, and maps of the galactic diffuse flux; (3) recent data from CO surveys of the galaxy; (4) high resolution radio surveys of external galaxies; (5) results on the galactic distribution of pulsars; and (6) theoretical work on galactic gamma ray emission.

Orbital Evolution of Planetesimals by the Galactic Tide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higuchi, A.; Kokubo, E.; Mukai, T.

2005-05-01

The Oort cloud is a spherical comet reservoir surrounding the solar system. There is general agreement that the Oort cloud comets are the residual planetesimals of planet formation. The standard scenario of the Oort cloud formation consists of two dynamical stages: (1) giant planets raise the aphelia of planetesimals to the outer region of the solar system and (2) the galactic tide, passing stars, and giant molecular clouds pull up their perihelia out of the planetary region. Here we show the orbital evolution of planetesimals by the galactic tide. Planetesimals with large aphelion distances change their perihelion distances toward the outside of the planetary region by the galactic tide and become members of the Oort cloud. The effect of the galactic tide on the planetesimals with semimajor axes of ˜ 104AU is about 10-3 of the solar gravity. The timescale of the orbital evolution is ˜ 108 years. We consider only the vertical component of the galactic tide. Under the axisymmetric potential, some planetesimals may show the librations around ω (argument of perihelion)=π /2 and 3π /2 (the Kozai mechanism). The alternate increases of eccentricity and inclination of the Kozai mechanism are effective to form the Oort cloud. The secular perturbation theory demonstrates the Kozai mechanism and we can understand the motion of the planetesimals analytically. We apply the Kozai mechanism to the galactic tide and discuss the property of the Oort cloud formed by the Kozai mechanizm. This work was supported by the 21st Century COE Program Origin and Evolution of Planetary Systems of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan, and JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists.

System Identification for the Clipper Liberty C96 Wind Turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showers, Daniel

System identification techniques are powerful tools that help improve modeling capabilities of real world dynamic systems. These techniques are well established and have been successfully used on countless systems in many areas. However, wind turbines provide a unique challenge for system identification because of the difficulty in measuring its primary input: wind. This thesis first motivates the problem by demonstrating the challenges with wind turbine system identification using both simulations and real data. It then suggests techniques toward successfully identifying a dynamic wind turbine model including the notion of an effective wind speed and how it might be measured. Various levels of simulation complexity are explored for insights into calculating an effective wind speed. In addition, measurements taken from the University of Minnesota's Clipper Liberty C96 research wind turbine are used for a preliminary investigation into the effective wind speed calculation and system identification of a real world wind turbine.

Detection of sulphur in the galactic center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herter, T.; Briotta, D. A., Jr.; Gull, G. E.; Shure, M. A.; Houck, J. R.

1983-01-01

A strong detection at the (SIII) 18.71 micron line is reported for the Galactic Center region, Sgr A West. A line flux of 1.7 + or - 0.2x10 to the -17th power W cm(-2) is found for a 20-arc second beam-size measurement centered on IRS 1. A preliminary analysis indicates that the SIII abundance relative to hydrogen is consistent with the cosmic abundance of sulfur, 1.6x10 to the -5th power, if a filling factor of unity within the known clumps is assumed. However, the sulfur abundance in the Galactic Center may be as much as a factor of 3 overabundant if a filling factor of 0.03 is adopted, a value found to hold for some galactic HII regions.

X-ray and gamma-ray emission of Sagittarius A* as a wind-accreting black hole

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mastichiadis, A.; Ozernoy, L. M.

1994-01-01

If, as many believe, Sgr A* is a massive black hole at the Galactic center, one should expect it to be a source of X-ray and gamma-ray activity, behaving basically as a scaled-down active galactic nucleus. An unavoidable source of accretion is the wind from IRS 16, a nearby group of hot, massive stars. Since the density and velocity of the accreting matter are known from observations, the accretion rate is basically a function of the putative black hole mass, M(sub h), only; this value represents a reliable lower limit to a real rate, given the other possible sources of accreting matter. Based on this and on the theories about shock acceleration in active galactic nuclei, we have estimated the expected production of relativistic particles and their hard radiation. These values turn out to be a function of M(sub h) as well. Comparing our results with available X-ray and gamma-ray observations which show Sgr A* to have a relatively low activity level, we conclude tentatively that the putative black hole in the Galactic center cannot have a mass greater than approximately 6 x 10(exp 3) solar mass. This conclusion is consistent with the upper limits to the black hole mass found by different methods earlier, although much more work is needed to make calculations of shock acceleration around black holes more reliable.

Starburst clusters in the Galactic center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habibi, Maryam

2014-09-01

The central region of the Galaxy is the most active site of star formation in the Milky Way, where massive stars have formed very recently and are still forming today. The rich population of massive stars in the Galactic center provide a unique opportunity to study massive stars in their birth environment and probe their initial mass function, which is the spectrum of stellar masses at their birth. The Arches cluster is the youngest among the three massive clusters in the Galactic center, providing a collection of high-mass stars and a very dense core which makes this cluster an excellent site to address questions about massive star formation, the stellar mass function and the dynamical evolution of massive clusters in the Galactic center. In this thesis, I perform an observational study of the Arches cluster using K_{s}-band imaging obtained with NAOS/CONICA at the VLT combined with Subaru/Cisco J-band data to gain a full understanding of the cluster mass distribution out to its tidal radius for the first time. Since the light from the Galactic center reaches us through the Galactic disc, the extinction correction is crucial when studying this region. I use a Bayesian method to construct a realistic extinction map of the cluster. It is shown in this study that the determination of the mass of the most massive star in the Arches cluster, which had been used in previous studies to establish an upper mass limit for the star formation process in the Milky Way, strongly depends on the assumed slope of the extinction law. Assuming the two regimes of widely used infrared extinction laws, I show that the difference can reach up to 30% for individually derived stellar masses and Δ A_{Ks}˜ 1 magnitude in acquired K_{s}-band extinction, while the present-day mass function slope changes by ˜ 0.17 dex. The present-day mass function slope derived assuming the more recent extinction law, which suggests a steeper wavelength dependence for the infrared extinction law, reveals

Central stars of planetary nebulae in the Galactic bulge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hultzsch, P. J. N.; Puls, J.; Méndez, R. H.; Pauldrach, A. W. A.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Hoffmann, T. L.; McCarthy, J. K.

2007-06-01

Context: Optical high-resolution spectra of five central stars of planetary nebulae (CSPN) in the Galactic bulge have been obtained with Keck/HIRES in order to derive their parameters. Since the distance of the objects is quite well known, such a method has the advantage that stellar luminosities and masses can in principle be determined without relying on theoretical relations between both quantities. Aims: By alternatively combining the results of our spectroscopic investigation with evolutionary tracks, we obtain so-called spectroscopic distances, which can be compared with the known (average) distance of the bulge-CSPN. This offers the possibility to test the validity of model atmospheres and present date post-AGB evolution. Methods: We analyze optical H/He profiles of five Galactic bulge CSPN (plus one comparison object) by means of profile fitting based on state of the art non-LTE modeling tools, to constrain their basic atmospheric parameters (Teff, log g, helium abundance and wind strength). Masses and other stellar radius dependent quantities are obtained from both the known distances and from evolutionary tracks, and the results from both approaches are compared. Results: The major result of the present investigation is that the derived spectroscopic distances depend crucially on the applied reddening law. Assuming either standard reddening or values based on radio-Hβ extinctions, we find a mean distance of 9.0±1.6 kpc and 12.2±2.1 kpc, respectively. An “average extinction law” leads to a distance of 10.7±1.2 kpc, which is still considerably larger than the Galactic center distance of 8 kpc. In all cases, however, we find a remarkable internal agreement of the individual spectroscopic distances of our sample objects, within ±10% to ±15% for the different reddening laws. Conclusions: Due to the uncertain reddening correction, the analysis presented here cannot yet be regarded as a consistency check for our method, and a rigorous test of the CSPN

Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower. So the nickname for this cosmic object — the Sunflower Galaxy — is no coincidence. Discovered by Pierre Mechain in 1779, the galaxy later made it as the 63rd entry into fellow French astronomer Charles Messier’s famous catalogue, published in 1781. The two astronomers spotted the Sunflower Galaxy’s glow in the small, northern constellation Canes Venatici (the Hunting Dogs). We now know this galaxy is about 27 million light-years away and belongs to the M51 Group — a group of galaxies, named after its brightest member, Messier 51, another spiral-shaped galaxy dubbed the Whirlpool Galaxy. Galactic arms, sunflowers and whirlpools are only a few examples of nature’s apparent preference for spirals. For galaxies like Messier 63 the winding arms shine bright because of the presence of recently formed, blue–white giant stars and clusters, readily seen in this Hubble image. Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Disk-Wind Connection during the Heartbeats of GRS 1915+105

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zoghbi, Abderahmen; Miller, J. M.; King, A. L.; Miller, M. C.; Proga, D.; Kallman, T.; Fabian, A. C.; Harrison, F. A.; Kaastra, J.; Raymond, J.; Reynolds, C. S.; Boggs, S. E.; Christensen, F. E.; Craig, W.; Hailey, C. J.; Stern, D.; Zhang, W. W.

2016-12-01

Disk and wind signatures are seen in the soft state of Galactic black holes, while the jet is seen in the hard state. Here we study the disk-wind connection in the ρ class of variability in GRS 1915+105 using a joint NuSTAR-Chandra observation. The source shows 50 s limit cycle oscillations. By including new information provided by the reflection spectrum and using phase-resolved spectroscopy, we find that the change in the inner disk inferred from the blackbody emission is not matched by reflection measurements. The latter is almost constant, independent of the continuum model. The two radii are comparable only if the disk temperature color correction factor changes, an effect that could be due to the changing opacity of the disk caused by changes in metal abundances. The disk inclination is similar to that inferred from the jet axis, and oscillates by ˜10°. The simultaneous Chandra data show the presence of two wind components with velocities between 500 and 5000 km s-1, and possibly two more with velocities reaching 20,000 km s-1 (˜0.06 c). The column densities are ˜5 × 1022 cm-2. An upper limit to the wind response time of 2 s is measured, implying a launch radius of <6 × 1010 cm. The changes in wind velocity and absorbed flux require the geometry of the wind to change during the oscillations, constraining the wind to be launched from a distance of 290-1300 r g from the black hole. Both data sets support fundamental model predictions in which a bulge originates in the inner disk and moves outward as the instability progresses.

Stratified Magnetically Driven Accretion-Disk Winds and Their Relations To Jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fukumura, Keigo; Tombesi, Francesco; Kazanas, Demosthenes; Shrader, Chris; Behar, Ehud; Contopoulos, Ioannis

2013-01-01

We explore the poloidal structure of two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) winds in relation to their potential association with the X-ray warm absorbers (WAs) and the highly ionized ultra-fast outflows (UFOs) in active galactic nuclei (AGNs), in a single unifying approach. We present the density n(r, theta), ionization parameter xi(r, theta), and velocity structure v(r, theta) of such ionized winds for typical values of their fluid-to-magnetic flux ratio, F, and specific angular momentum, H, for which wind solutions become super-Alfvenic. We explore the geometrical shape of winds for different values of these parameters and delineate the values that produce the widest and narrowest opening angles of these winds, quantities necessary in the determination of the statistics of AGN obscuration. We find that winds with smaller H show a poloidal geometry of narrower opening angles with their Alfv´en surface at lower inclination angles and therefore they produce the highest line of sight (LoS) velocities for observers at higher latitudes with the respect to the disk plane. We further note a physical and spatial correlation between the X-ray WAs and UFOs that form along the same LoS to the observer but at different radii, r, and distinct values of n, xi, and v consistent with the latest spectroscopic data of radio-quiet Seyfert galaxies. We also show that, at least in the case of 3C 111, the winds' pressure is sufficient to contain the relativistic plasma responsible for its radio emission. Stratified MHD disk winds could therefore serve as a unique means to understand and unify the diverse AGN outflows.

Stratified Magnetically Driven Accretion-disk Winds and Their Relations to Jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukumura, Keigo; Tombesi, Francesco; Kazanas, Demosthenes; Shrader, Chris; Behar, Ehud; Contopoulos, Ioannis

2014-01-01

We explore the poloidal structure of two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) winds in relation to their potential association with the X-ray warm absorbers (WAs) and the highly ionized ultra-fast outflows (UFOs) in active galactic nuclei (AGNs), in a single unifying approach. We present the density n(r, θ), ionization parameter ξ(r, θ), and velocity structure v(r, θ) of such ionized winds for typical values of their fluid-to-magnetic flux ratio, F, and specific angular momentum, H, for which wind solutions become super-Alfvénic. We explore the geometrical shape of winds for different values of these parameters and delineate the values that produce the widest and narrowest opening angles of these winds, quantities necessary in the determination of the statistics of AGN obscuration. We find that winds with smaller H show a poloidal geometry of narrower opening angles with their Alfvén surface at lower inclination angles and therefore they produce the highest line of sight (LoS) velocities for observers at higher latitudes with the respect to the disk plane. We further note a physical and spatial correlation between the X-ray WAs and UFOs that form along the same LoS to the observer but at different radii, r, and distinct values of n, ξ, and v consistent with the latest spectroscopic data of radio-quiet Seyfert galaxies. We also show that, at least in the case of 3C 111, the winds' pressure is sufficient to contain the relativistic plasma responsible for its radio emission. Stratified MHD disk winds could therefore serve as a unique means to understand and unify the diverse AGN outflows.

JASMINE: constructor of the dynamical structure of the Galactic bulge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gouda, N.; Kobayashi, Y.; Yamada, Y.; Yano, T.; Tsujimoto, T.; Suganuma, M.; Niwa, Y.; Yamauchi, M.

2008-07-01

We introduce a Japanese space astrometry project which is called JASMINE. JASMINE (Japan Astrometry Satellite Mission for INfrared Exploration) will measure distances and tangential motions of stars in the Galactic bulge with yet unprecedented precision. JASMINE will operate in z-band whose central wavelength is 0.9 micron. It will measure parallaxes, positions with accuracy of about 10 micro-arcsec and proper motions with accuracy of about 10 micro- arcsec/year for the stars brighter than z=14 mag. The number of stars observed by JASMINE with high accuracy of parallaxes in the Galactic bulge is much larger than that observed in other space astrometry projects operating in optical bands. With the completely new “map of the Galactic bulge” including motions of bulge stars, we expect that many new exciting scientific results will be obtained in studies of the Galactic bulge. One of them is the construction of the dynamical structure of the Galactic bulge. Kinematics and distance data given by JASMINE are the closest approach to a view of the exact dynamical structure of the Galactic bulge. Presently, JASMINE is in a development phase, with a target launch date around 2016. We comment on the outline of JASMINE mission, scientific targets and a preliminary design of JASMINE in this paper.

Numerical Simulation of Hot Accretion Flows. III. Revisiting Wind Properties Using the Trajectory Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Feng; Gan, Zhaoming; Narayan, Ramesh; Sadowski, Aleksander; Bu, Defu; Bai, Xue-Ning

2015-05-01

Previous MHD simulations have shown that wind must exist in black hole hot accretion flows. In this paper, we continue our study by investigating the detailed properties of wind and the mechanism of wind production. For this aim, we make use of a 3D general relativistic MHD simulation of hot accretion flows around a Schwarzschild black hole. To distinguish real wind from turbulent outflows, we track the trajectories of the virtual Lagrangian particles from simulation data. We find two types of real outflows, i.e., a jet and a wind. The mass flux of wind is very significant, and its radial profile can be described by {{\\dot{M}}wind}≈ {{\\dot{M}}BH}≤ft( r/20 {{r}s} \\right), with {{\\dot{M}}BH} being the mass accretion rate at the black hole horizon and rs being the Schwarzschild radius. The poloidal wind speed almost remains constant once they are produced, but the flux-weighted wind speed roughly follows {{v}p,wind}(r)≈ 0.25{{v}k}(r), with vk(r) being the Keplerian speed at radius r. The mass flux of the jet is much lower, but the speed is much higher, {{v}p,jet} ˜ (0.3-0.4)c. Consequently, both the energy and momentum fluxes of the wind are much larger than those of the jet. The wind is produced and accelerated primarily by the combination of centrifugal force and magnetic pressure gradient, while the jet is mainly accelerated by the magnetic pressure gradient. Finally, we find that the wind production efficiency {{ɛ }wind}\\equiv {{\\dot{E}}wind}/{{\\dot{M}}BH}{{c}2}˜ 1/1000 is in good agreement with the value required from large-scale galaxy simulations with active galactic nucleus feedback.

Clouds Dominate the Galactic Halo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2003-01-01

Using the exquisite sensitivity of the National Science Foundation's Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT), astronomer Jay Lockman of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Green Bank, W. Va., has produced the best cross-section ever of the Milky Way Galaxy's diffuse halo of hydrogen gas. This image confirms the presence of discrete hydrogen clouds in the halo, and could help astronomers understand the origin and evolution of the rarefied atmosphere that surrounds our Galaxy. Lockman presented his findings at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Seattle, WA. Hydrogen Clouds Graphic Artist's Rendering of the Milky Way (background) with insert showing GBT image of cross-section of neutral atomic Hydrogen Credit: Kirk Woellert/National Science Foundation Patricia Smiley, NRAO. "The first observations with the Green Bank Telescope suggested that the hydrogen in the lower halo, the transition zone between the Milky Way and intergalactic space, is very clumpy," said Lockman. "The latest data confirm these results and show that instead of trailing away smoothly from the Galactic plane, a significant fraction of the hydrogen gas in the halo is concentrated in discrete clouds. There are even some filaments." Beyond the star-filled disk of the Milky Way, there exists an extensive yet diffuse halo of hydrogen gas. For years, astronomers have speculated about the origin and structure of this gas. "Even the existence of neutral hydrogen in the halo has been somewhat of a puzzle," Lockman remarked. "Unlike the Earth's atmosphere, which is hot enough to hold itself up against the force of gravity, the hydrogen in the halo is too cool to support itself against the gravitational pull of the Milky Way." Lockman points out that some additional factor has to be involved to get neutral hydrogen to such large distances from the Galactic plane. "This force could be cosmic rays, a supersonic wind, the blast waves from supernovae, or something we have not thought of

Multiphase environment of compact galactic nuclei: the role of the nuclear star cluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Różańska, A.; Kunneriath, D.; Czerny, B.; Adhikari, T. P.; Karas, V.

2017-01-01

We study the conditions for the onset of thermal instability in the innermost regions of compact galactic nuclei, where the properties of the interstellar environment are governed by the interplay of quasi-spherical accretion on to a supermassive black hole (SMBH) and the heating/cooling processes of gas in a dense nuclear star cluster (NSC). Stellar winds are the source of material for radiatively inefficient (quasi-spherical, non-magnetized) inflow/outflow on to the central SMBH, where a stagnation point develops within the Bondi-type accretion. We study the local thermal equilibrium to determine the parameter space that allows cold and hot phases in mutual contact to co-exist. We include the effects of mechanical heating by stellar winds and radiative cooling/heating by the ambient field of the dense star cluster. We consider two examples: the NSC in the Milky Way central region (including the gaseous mini-spiral of Sgr A*), and the ultracompact dwarf galaxy M60-UCD1. We find that the two systems behave in different ways because they are placed in different areas of parameter space in the instability diagram: gas temperature versus dynamical ionization parameter. In the case of Sgr A*, stellar heating prevents the spontaneous formation of cold clouds. The plasma from stellar winds joins the hot X-ray emitting phase and forms an outflow. In M60-UCD1, our model predicts spontaneous formation of cold clouds in the inner part of the galaxy. These cold clouds may survive since the cooling time-scale is shorter than the inflow/outflow time-scale.

New detections of embedded clusters in the Galactic halo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camargo, D.; Bica, E.; Bonatto, C.

2016-09-01

Context. Until recently it was thought that high Galactic latitude clouds were a non-star-forming ensemble. However, in a previous study we reported the discovery of two embedded clusters (ECs) far away from the Galactic plane (~ 5 kpc). In our recent star cluster catalogue we provided additional high and intermediate latitude cluster candidates. Aims: This work aims to clarify whether our previous detection of star clusters far away from the disc represents just an episodic event or whether star cluster formation is currently a systematic phenomenon in the Galactic halo. We analyse the nature of four clusters found in our recent catalogue and report the discovery of three new ECs each with an unusually high latitude and distance from the Galactic disc midplane. Methods: The analysis is based on 2MASS and WISE colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs), and stellar radial density profiles (RDPs). The CMDs are built by applying a field-star decontamination procedure, which uncovers the cluster's intrinsic CMD morphology. Results: All of these clusters are younger than 5 Myr. The high-latitude ECs C 932, C 934, and C 939 appear to be related to a cloud complex about 5 kpc below the Galactic disc, under the Local arm. The other clusters are above the disc, C 1074 and C 1100 with a vertical distance of ~3 kpc, C 1099 with ~ 2 kpc, and C 1101 with ~1.8 kpc. Conclusions: According to the derived parameters ECs located below and above the disc occur, which gives evidence of widespread star cluster formation throughout the Galactic halo. This study therefore represents a paradigm shift, by demonstrating that a sterile halo must now be understood as a host for ongoing star formation. The origin and fate of these ECs remain open. There are two possibilities for their origin, Galactic fountains or infall. The discovery of ECs far from the disc suggests that the Galactic halo is more actively forming stars than previously thought. Furthermore, since most ECs do not survive the infant

Imprints to the terrestrial environment at galactic arm crossings of the solar system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fahr, H. J.; Fichtner, H.; Scherer, K.; Stawicki, O.

At its itinerary through our milky way galaxy the solar system moves through highly variable interstellar environments. Due to its orbital revolution around the galactic center, the solar system also crosses periodically the spiral arms of our galactic plane and thereby expe riences pronounced enviromental changes. Gas densities, magnetic fields and galactic cosmic ray intensities are substantially higher there compared to interarm conditions. Here we present theoretical calculations describing the SN-averaged galactic cosmic ray spectrum for regions inside and outside of galactic arms which then allow to predict how periodic passages of the solar system through galactic arms should be reflected by enhanced particle irradiations of the earth`s atmosphere and by correlated terrestrial Be-10 production rates.

The age of the galactic disk

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandage, Allan

1988-01-01

The galactic disk is a dissipative structure and must, therefore be younger than the halo if galaxy formation generally proceeds by collapse. Just how much younger the oldest stars in the galactic disk are than the oldest halo stars remains an open question. A fast collapse (on a time scale no longer than the rotation period of the extended protogalaxy) permits an age gap of the order of approximately 10 to the 9th power years. A slow collapse, governed by the cooling rate of the partially pressure supported falling gas that formed into what is now the thick stellar disk, permits a longer age gap, claimed by some to be as long as 6 Gyr. Early methods of age dating the oldest components of the disk contain implicit assumptions concerning the details of the age-metallicity relation for stars in the solar neighborhood. The discovery that this relation for open clusters outside the solar circle is different that in the solar neighborhood (Geisler 1987), complicates the earlier arguments. The oldest stars in the galactic disk are at least as old as NGC 188. The new data by Janes on NGC 6791, shown first at this conference, suggest a disk age of at least 12.5 Gyr, as do data near the main sequence termination point of metal rich, high proper motion stars of low orbital eccentricity. Hence, a case can still be made that the oldest part of the galactic thick disk is similar in age to the halo globular clusters, if their ages are the same as 47 Tuc.

Conversion of gas into stars in the Galactic center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longmore, S. N.

2014-05-01

The star formation rate in the central 500 pc of the Milky Way is lower by a factor of > 10 than expected for the substantial amount of dense gas it contains, which challenges current star formation theories. I discuss which physical mechanisms could be causing this observation and put forward a self-consistent cycle of star formation in the Galactic center, in which the plausible star formation inhibitors are combined. Their ubiquity suggests that the perception of a lowered central SFR should be a common phenomenon in other galaxies with direct implications for galactic star formation and also potentially supermassive black hole growth. I then describe a scenario to explain the presence of super star clusters in the Galactic center environment, in which their formation is triggered by gas streams passing close to the minimum of the global Galactic gravitational potential at the location of the central supermassive black hole, Sgr A*. If this triggering mechanism can be verified, we can use the known time interval since closest approach to Sgr A* to study the physics of stellar mass assembly in an extreme environment as a function of absolute time. I outline the first results from detailed numerical simulations testing this scenario. Finally, I describe a study showing that in terms of the baryonic composition, kinematics, and densities, the gas in the Galactic center is indistinguishable from high-redshift clouds and galaxies. As such, the Galactic center clouds may be used as a template to understand the evolution (and possibly the life cycle) of high-redshift clouds and galaxies.

2015 Cost of Wind Energy Review

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

Moné, Christopher; Hand, Maureen; Bolinger, Mark

This report uses representative utility-scale projects to estimate the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for land-based and offshore wind plants in the United States. Data and results detailed here are derived from 2015 commissioned plants. More specifically, analysis detailed here relies on recent market data and state-of-the-art modeling capabilities to maintain an up-to-date understanding of wind energy cost trends and drivers. It is intended to provide insight into current component-level costs as well as a basis for understanding variability in LCOE across the industry. This publication reflects the fifth installment of this annual report.

Active Power Control by Wind Power | Grid Modernization | NREL

Science.gov Websites

of conventional generators. How this will affect the system at different wind power penetration levels is not well understood. To gain insight, NREL researchers conducted simulations of different

Massive stellar content of some Galactic supershells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaltcheva, Nadejda; Golev, Valeri

2015-08-01

The giant Galactic H II regions provide a unique opportunity to study the OB-star influence on the surrounding interstellar matter. In this contribution, several multi-wavelength surveys (Wisconsin H-α Mapper Northern Sky Survey, Southern H-α Sky Survey Atlas, MSX Mid-IR Galactic Plane Survey, WISE All-Sky Data Release, CO survey of the Milky Way, and the Southern Galactic Plane HI Survey) are combined with available intermediate-band uvbyβ photometry to attempt a precise spatial correlation between the OB-stars and the neutral and ionized material. Our study is focused on the H I supershell GSH 305+01-24 in Centaurus, the Car OB2 supershell, the Cygnus star-forming complex and the GSH 224-01+24 shell toward the GMN 39/Seagull nebula region. We refine the massive stellar content of these star-forming fields and study the energetics of its interaction with the shells’ material.

360-degree videos: a new visualization technique for astrophysical simulations, applied to the Galactic Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, Christopher

2018-01-01

360-degree videos are a new type of movie that renders over all 4π steradian. Video sharing sites such as YouTube now allow this unique content to be shared via virtual reality (VR) goggles, hand-held smartphones/tablets, and computers. Creating 360-degree videos from astrophysical simulations not only provide a new way to view these simulations due to their immersive nature, but also yield engaging content for outreach to the public. We present our 360-degree video of an astrophysical simulation of the Galactic center: a hydrodynamics calculation of the colliding and accreting winds of the 30 Wolf-Rayet stars orbiting within the central parsec. Viewing the movie, which renders column density, from the location of the supermassive black hole gives a unique and immersive perspective of the shocked wind material inspiraling and tidally stretching as it plummets toward the black hole. We also describe how to create such movies, discuss what type of content does and does not look appealing in 360-degree format, and briefly comment on what new science can be extracted from astrophysical simulations using 360-degree videos.

Radiation hydrodynamic simulations of line-driven disk winds for ultra-fast outflows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomura, Mariko; Ohsuga, Ken; Takahashi, Hiroyuki R.; Wada, Keiichi; Yoshida, Tessei

2016-02-01

Using two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic simulations, we investigate the origin of the ultra-fast outflows (UFOs) that are often observed in luminous active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We found that the radiation force due to the spectral lines generates strong winds (line-driven disk winds) that are launched from the inner region of accretion disks (˜30 Schwarzschild radii). A wide range of black hole masses (MBH) and Eddington ratios (ε) was investigated to study the conditions causing the line-driven winds. For MBH = 106-109 M⊙ and ε = 0.1-0.7, funnel-shaped disk winds appear, in which dense matter is accelerated outward with an opening angle of 70°-80° and with 10% of the speed of light. If we observe the wind along its direction, the velocity, the column density, and the ionization state are consistent with those of the observed UFOs. As long as obscuration by the torus does not affect the observation of X-ray bands, the UFOs could be statistically observed in about 13%-28% of the luminous AGNs, which is not inconsistent with the observed ratio (˜40%). We also found that the results are insensitive to the X-ray luminosity and the density of the disk surface. Thus, we can conclude that UFOs could exist in any luminous AGNs, such as narrow-line Seyfert 1s and quasars with ε > 0.1, with which fast line-driven winds are associated.

Electromagnetic dissociation effects in galactic heavy-ion fragmentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norbury, J. W.; Townsend, L. W.

1986-01-01

Methods for calculating cross sections for the breakup of galactic heavy ions by the Coulomb fields of the interacting nuclei are presented. By using the Weizsacker-Williams method of virtual quanta, estimates of electromagnetic dissociation cross sections for a variety of reactions applicable to galactic cosmic ray shielding studies are presented and compared with other predictions and with available experimental data.

The Galactic interstellar medium: foregrounds and star formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miville-Deschênes, Marc-Antoine

2018-05-01

This review presents briefly two aspects of Galactic interstellar medium science that seem relevant for studying EoR. First, we give some statistical properties of the Galactic foreground emission in the diffuse regions of the sky. The properties of the emission observed in projection on the plane of the sky are then related to how matter is organised along the line of sight. The diffuse atomic gas is multi-phase, with dense filamentary structures occupying only about 1% of the volume but contributing to about 50% of the emission. The second part of the review presents aspect of structure formation in the Galactic interstellar medium that could be relevant for the subgrid physics used to model the formation of the first stars.

PREFACE: Galactic Center Workshop 2006

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schödel, Rainer; Bower, Geoffrey C.; Muno, Michael P.; Nayakshin, Sergei; Ott, Thomas

2006-12-01

We are pleased to present the proceedings from the Galactic Center Workshop 2006—From the Center of the Milky Way to Nearby Low-Luminosity Galactic Nuclei. The conference took place in the Physikzentrum, Bad Honnef, Germany, on 18 to 22 April 2006. It is the third workshop of this kind, following the Galactic Center Workshops held 1998 in Tucson, Arizona, and 2002 in Kona, Hawaii. The center of the Milky Way is the only galactic nucleus of a fairly common spiral galaxy that can be observed in great detail. With a distance of roughly 8 kpc, the resolution that can currently be achieved is of the order 40 mpc/8000 AU in the X-ray domain, 2 mpc/400 AU in the near-infrared, and 0.01 mpc/1 AU with VLBI in the millimeter domain. This is two to three orders of magnitude better than for any comparable nearby galaxy, making thus the center of the Milky Way thetemplate object for the general physical interpretation of the phenomena that can be observed in galactic nuclei. We recommend the summary article News from the year 2006 Galactic Centre workshopby Mark Morris and Sergei Nayakshin—who also gave the summary talk of the conference—to the reader in order to obtain a first, concise overview of the results presented at the workshop and some of the currently most exciting—and debated—developments in recent GC research. While the workshops held in 1998 and 2002 were dedicated solely to the center of the Milky Way, the field of view was widened in Bad Honnef to include nearby low-luminosity nuclei. This new feature followed the realization that not only the GC serves as a template for understanding extragalactic nuclei, but that the latter can also provide the context and broader statistical base for understanding the center of our Milky Way. This concerns especially the accretion and emission processes related to the Sagittarius A*, the manifestation of the super massive black hole in the GC, but also the surprising observation of great numbers of massive, young

Origin of Enigmatic Galactic-center Filaments Revealed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2004-06-01

were oriented perpendicular to the plane of the Galaxy, which would have aligned them with the Galaxy’s own magnetic field. "The problem with this hypothesis is that more recent images have revealed a population of weaker filaments oriented randomly in relation to the plane of the Galaxy," said Yusef-Zadeh. "This makes it difficult to explain the origin of the filaments by an organized Galactic magnetic field." In March and June of 2004, a team of astronomers using the GBT made images of the Galactic center at various wavelengths. The purpose of these surveys was to help identify radio features produced by hot gas (thermal emission) and those produced in magnetic fields (non-thermal emission). In general, thermal features radiate more strongly at shorter wavelengths and non-thermal at longer wavelengths. By comparing the GBT images with earlier VLA data taken of the same region, Yusef-Zadeh determined that a number of the non-thermal filaments seemed to connect to concentrated areas of thermal emission, which identify pockets of star formation. Galatic Center Combined radio image from the Very Large Array and Green Bank Telescope. The linear filaments near the top are some of the nonthermal radio filaments (NRFs) studied by the researchers. Other features, such as supernova remnants (SNRs) and the area surrounding our Galaxy's supermassive black hole (Sgr A) are shown. CREDIT: NRAO/AUI/NSF Yusef-Zadeh, et.al. (Click on Image for Larger Version) "What this showed us is that two seemingly disparate processes, thermal and non-thermal radio emission, can be created by the very same phenomenon," said Yusef-Zadeh. "In this case, that phenomenon is pockets of starburst activity." Yusef-Zadeh notes that the exact mechanism for how the areas of starburst generate the magnetic fields is still being investigated. "There are many ideas about the mechanism that generates these filaments," added Yusef-Zadeh, "but one possibility is that they are produced by the collision of winds

Applying value sensitive design (VSD) to wind turbines and wind parks: an exploration.

PubMed

Oosterlaken, Ilse

2015-04-01

Community acceptance still remains a challenge for wind energy projects. The most popular explanation for local opposition, the Not in My Backyard effect, has received fierce criticism in the past decade. Critics argue that opposition is not merely a matter of selfishness or ignorance, but that moral, ecological and aesthetic values play an important role. In order to better take such values into account, a more bottom-up, participatory decision process is usually proposed. Research on this topic focusses on either stakeholder motivations/attitudes, or their behavior during project implementation. This paper proposes a third research focus, namely the 'objects' which elicit certain behavioral responses and attitudes-the wind turbine and parks. More concretely, this paper explores Value Sensitive Design (VSD) as way to arrive at wind turbines and parks that better embed or reflect key values. After a critical discussion of the notion of acceptance versus acceptability and support, the paper discusses existing literature on ecology and aesthetics in relation to wind turbine/park design, which could serve as 'building blocks' of a more integral VSD approach of the topic. It also discusses the challenge of demarcating wind park projects as VSD projects. A further challenge is that VSD has been applied mainly at the level of technical artifacts, whereas wind parks can best be conceptualized as socio-technical system. This new application would therefore expand the current practice of VSD, and may as a consequence also lead to interesting new insights for the VSD community. The paper concludes that such an outcome-oriented approach of wind turbines and park is worth exploring further, as a supplement to rather than a replacement of the process-oriented approach that is promoted by the current literature on community acceptance of wind parks.

Galactic dual population models of gamma-ray bursts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higdon, J. C.; Lingenfelter, R. E.

1994-01-01

We investigate in more detail the properties of two-population models for gamma-ray bursts in the galactic disk and halo. We calculate the gamma-ray burst statistical properties, mean value of (V/V(sub max)), mean value of cos Theta, and mean value of (sin(exp 2) b), as functions of the detection flux threshold for bursts coming from both Galactic disk and massive halo populations. We consider halo models inferred from the observational constraints on the large-scale Galactic structure and we compare the expected values of mean value of (V/V(sub max)), mean value of cos Theta, and mean value of (sin(exp 2) b), with those measured by Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) and other detectors. We find that the measured values are consistent with solely Galactic populations having a range of halo distributions, mixed with local disk distributions, which can account for as much as approximately 25% of the observed BATSE bursts. M31 does not contribute to these modeled bursts. We also demonstrate, contrary to recent arguments, that the size-frequency distributions of dual population models are quite consistent with the BATSE observations.

Relativistic Dark Matter at the Galactic Center

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

Amin, Mustafa A.; /Stanford U., Phys. Dept. /KIPAC, Menlo Park; Wizansky, Tommer

2007-11-16

In a large region of the supersymmetry parameter space, the annihilation cross section for neutralino dark matter is strongly dependent on the relative velocity of the incoming particles. We explore the consequences of this velocity dependence in the context of indirect detection of dark matter from the galactic center. We find that the increase in the annihilation cross section at high velocities leads to a flattening of the halo density profile near the galactic center and an enhancement of the annihilation signal.

Large-scale gas dynamical processes affecting the origin and evolution of gaseous galactic halos

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shapiro, Paul R.

1991-01-01

Observations of galactic halo gas are consistent with an interpretation in terms of the galactic fountain model in which supernova heated gas in the galactic disk escapes into the halo, radiatively cools and forms clouds which fall back to the disk. The results of a new study of several large-scale gas dynamical effects which are expected to occur in such a model for the origin and evolution of galactic halo gas will be summarized, including the following: (1) nonequilibrium absorption line and emission spectrum diagnostics for radiatively cooling halo gas in our own galaxy, as well the implications of such absorption line diagnostics for the origin of quasar absorption lines in galactic halo clouds of high redshift galaxies; (2) numerical MHD simulations and analytical analysis of large-scale explosions ad superbubbles in the galactic disk and halo; (3) numerical MHD simulations of halo cloud formation by thermal instability, with and without magnetic field; and (4) the effect of the galactic fountain on the galactic dynamo.

Elusive active galactic nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maiolino, R.; Comastri, A.; Gilli, R.; Nagar, N. M.; Bianchi, S.; Böker, T.; Colbert, E.; Krabbe, A.; Marconi, A.; Matt, G.; Salvati, M.

2003-10-01

A fraction of active galactic nuclei do not show the classical Seyfert-type signatures in their optical spectra, i.e. they are optically `elusive'. X-ray observations are an optimal tool to identify this class of objects. We combine new Chandra observations with archival X-ray data in order to obtain a first estimate of the fraction of elusive active galactic nuclei (AGN) in local galaxies and to constrain their nature. Our results suggest that elusive AGN have a local density comparable to or even higher than optically classified Seyfert nuclei. Most elusive AGN are heavily absorbed in the X-rays, with gas column densities exceeding 1024 cm-2, suggesting that their peculiar nature is associated with obscuration. It is likely that in elusive AGN the nuclear UV source is completely embedded and the ionizing photons cannot escape, which prevents the formation of a classical narrow-line region. Elusive AGN may contribute significantly to the 30-keV bump of the X-ray background.

AGN Obscuration Through Dusty Infrared Dominated Flows. 1; Radiation-Hydrodynamics Solution for the Wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorodnitsyn, A.; Bisnovatyi-Kogan. G. S.; Kallman, T.

2011-01-01

We construct a radiation-hydrodynamics model for the obscuring toroidal structure in active galactic nuclei. In this model the obscuration is produced at parsec scale by a dense, dusty wind which is supported by infrared radiation pressure on dust grains. To find the distribution of radiation pressure, we numerically solve the 2D radiation transfer problem in a flux limited diffusion approximation. We iteratively couple the solution with calculations of stationary 1D models for the wind, and obtain the z-component of the velocity. Our results demonstrate that for AGN luminosities greater than 0.1 L(sub edd) external illumination can support a geometrically thick obscuration via outflows driven by infrared radiation pressure. The terminal velocity of marginally Compton-thin models (0.2 < tau(sub T) < 0.6), is comparable to or greater than the escape velocity. In Compton thick models the maximum value of the vertical component of the velocity is lower than the escape velocity, suggesting that a significant part of our torus is in the form of failed wind. The results demonstrate that obscuration via normal or failed infrared-driven winds is a viable option for the AGN torus problem and AGN unification models. Such winds can also provide an important channel for AGN feedback.

Disk-Wind Connection During the Heartbeats of GRS 1915+105

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zoghbi, Abderahmen; Miller, J. M.; King, A. L.; Miller, M. C.; Proga, D.; Kallman, T.; Fabian, A. C.; Harrison, F. A.; Kaastra, J.; Raymond, J.;

The age of the galactic disk

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

Sandage, A.

The galactic disk is a dissipative structure and must, therefore be younger than the halo if galaxy formation generally proceeds by collapse. Just how much younger the oldest stars in the galactic disk are than the oldest halo stars remains an open question. A fast collapse (on a time scale no longer than the rotation period of the extended protogalaxy) permits an age gap of the order of approximately 10 to the 9th power years. A slow collapse, governed by the cooling rate of the partially pressure supported falling gas that formed into what is now the thick stellar disk,more » permits a longer age gap, claimed by some to be as long as 6 Gyr. Early methods of age dating the oldest components of the disk contain implicit assumptions concerning the details of the age-metallicity relation for stars in the solar neighborhood. The discovery that this relation for open clusters outside the solar circle is different that in the solar neighborhood (Geisler 1987), complicates the earlier arguments. The oldest stars in the galactic disk are at least as old as NGC 188. The new data by Janes on NGC 6791, shown first at this conference, suggest a disk age of at least 12.5 Gyr, as do data near the main sequence termination point of metal rich, high proper motion stars of low orbital eccentricity. Hence, a case can still be made that the oldest part of the galactic thick disk is similar in age to the halo globular clusters, if their ages are the same as 47 Tuc.« less

2017 Publications Demonstrate Advancements in Wind Energy Research

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

In 2017, wind energy experts at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) made significant strides to advance wind energy. Many of these achievements were presented in articles published in scientific and engineering journals and technical reports that detailed research accomplishments in new and progressing wind energy technologies. During fiscal year 2017, NREL wind energy thought leaders shared knowledge and insights through 45 journal articles and 25 technical reports, benefiting academic and national-lab research communities; industry stakeholders; and local, state, and federal decision makers. Such publications serve as important outreach, informing the public of how NREL wind research, analysis, and deploymentmore » activities complement advanced energy growth in the United States and around the world. The publications also illustrate some of the noteworthy outcomes of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and Laboratory Directed Research and Development funding, as well as funding and facilities leveraged through strategic partnerships and other collaborations.« less

SMM detection of diffuse Galactic 511 keV annihilation radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Share, G. H.; Kinzer, R. L.; Kurfess, J. D.; Messina, D. C.; Purcell, W. R.

1988-01-01

Observations of the 511 keV annihilation line from the vicinity of the Galactic center from October to February for 1980/1981, 1981/1982, 1982/1983, 1984/1985, and 1985/1986 are presented. The measurements were made with the gamma-ray spectrometer on the SMM. The design of the instrument and some of its properties used in the analysis are described, and the methods used for accumulating, fitting, and analyzing the data are outlined. It is shown how the Galactic 511 keV line was separated from the intense and variable background observed in orbit. The SMM observations are compared with previous measurements of annihilation radiation from the Galactic center region, and the astrophysical implications are discussed. It is argued that most of the measurements made to date suggest the presence of an extended Galactic source of annihilation radiation.

The Distorted Winds of V444 Cygni: New Insights from Spectropolarimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffman, Jennifer L.; Ashley, Sierra F.; Ornelas, Jose L.; Fullard, Andrew; Lomax, Jamie R.; Shrestha, Manisha; Babler, Brian L.; Bjorkman, Jon Eric; Bjorkman, Karen S.; Davidson, James W.; Meade, Marilyn; Nordsieck, Kenneth H.; Richardson, Noel

2017-01-01

V444 Cygni is a close, eclipsing WR+O binary system characterized by strong X-ray emission and colliding winds whose shapes are distorted by its rapid orbital velocity and powerful radiative forces. It also exhibits periodic polarimetric variability both in the continuum and in the strong emission lines of He II λ4686, Hα+He I λ6560, and N IV λ7125 these line polarization variations probe the distribution of line formation regions in the complex winds. Sparse spectropolarimetric coverage has limited the reliability of the line polarization analysis in past studies. We here present new line polarization curves that incorporate 11 recent observations of V444 Cyg, obtained with the HPOL spectropolarimeter at the University of Toledo’s Ritter Observatory, into the existing dataset. Because most of these data were taken with the blue grating, we focus primarily on the improved He II λ4686 polarization curve. Although the data display significant stochastic variability by virtue of spanning 27 years, the addition of the new observations allows a more robust analysis than was previously possible. We discuss our interpretation of the updated curves in light of current models for V444 Cyg and other WR+O binary systems. Accurately characterizing the structures of the wind collision regions in such systems is key to understanding the evolution of such massive binary systems and properly accounting for their contribution to the supernova (and possible GRB) progenitor population.

Galactic supernova remnant candidates discovered by THOR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, L. D.; Wang, Y.; Bihr, S.; Rugel, M.; Beuther, H.; Bigiel, F.; Churchwell, E.; Glover, S. C. O.; Goodman, A. A.; Henning, Th.; Heyer, M.; Klessen, R. S.; Linz, H.; Longmore, S. N.; Menten, K. M.; Ott, J.; Roy, N.; Soler, J. D.; Stil, J. M.; Urquhart, J. S.

2017-09-01

Context. There is a considerable deficiency in the number of known supernova remnants (SNRs) in the Galaxy compared to that expected. This deficiency is thought to be caused by a lack of sensitive radio continuum data. Searches for extended low-surface brightness radio sources may find new Galactic SNRs, but confusion with the much larger population of H II regions makes identifying such features challenging. SNRs can, however, be separated from H II regions using their significantly lower mid-infrared (MIR) to radio continuum intensity ratios. Aims: Our goal is to find missing SNR candidates in the Galactic disk by locating extended radio continuum sources that lack MIR counterparts. Methods: We use the combination of high-resolution 1-2 GHz continuum data from The HI, OH, Recombination line survey of the Milky Way (THOR) and lower-resolution VLA 1.4 GHz Galactic Plane Survey (VGPS) continuum data, together with MIR data from the Spitzer GLIMPSE, Spitzer MIPSGAL, and WISE surveys to identify SNR candidates. To ensure that the candidates are not being confused with H II regions, we exclude radio continuum sources from the WISE Catalog of Galactic H II Regions, which contains all known and candidate H II regions in the Galaxy. Results: We locate 76 new Galactic SNR candidates in the THOR and VGPS combined survey area of 67.4° > ℓ > 17.5°, | b | ≤ 1.25° and measure the radio flux density for 52 previously-known SNRs. The candidate SNRs have a similar spatial distribution to the known SNRs, although we note a large number of new candidates near ℓ ≃ 30°, the tangent point of the Scutum spiral arm. The candidates are on average smaller in angle compared to the known regions, 6.4' ± 4.7' versus 11.0' ± 7.8', and have lower integrated flux densities. Conclusions: The THOR survey shows that sensitive radio continuum data can discover a large number of SNR candidates, and that these candidates can be efficiently identified using the combination of radio and

Global hot-star wind models for stars from Magellanic Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krtička, J.; Kubát, J.

2018-04-01

We provide mass-loss rate predictions for O stars from Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. We calculate global (unified, hydrodynamic) model atmospheres of main sequence, giant, and supergiant stars for chemical composition corresponding to Magellanic Clouds. The models solve radiative transfer equation in comoving frame, kinetic equilibrium equations (also known as NLTE equations), and hydrodynamical equations from (quasi-)hydrostatic atmosphere to expanding stellar wind. The models allow us to predict wind density, velocity, and temperature (consequently also the terminal wind velocity and the mass-loss rate) just from basic global stellar parameters. As a result of their lower metallicity, the line radiative driving is weaker leading to lower wind mass-loss rates with respect to the Galactic stars. We provide a formula that fits the mass-loss rate predicted by our models as a function of stellar luminosity and metallicity. On average, the mass-loss rate scales with metallicity as Ṁ Z0.59. The predicted mass-loss rates are lower than mass-loss rates derived from Hα diagnostics and can be reconciled with observational results assuming clumping factor Cc = 9. On the other hand, the predicted mass-loss rates either agree or are slightly higher than the mass-loss rates derived from ultraviolet wind line profiles. The calculated P V ionization fractions also agree with values derived from observations for LMC stars with Teff ≤ 40 000 K. Taken together, our theoretical predictions provide reasonable models with consistent mass-loss rate determination, which can be used for quantitative study of stars from Magellanic Clouds.

Solar wind disturbances in th outer heliosphere caused by successive solar flares from the same active region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akasofu, S. I.; Hakamada, K.

1983-01-01

Solar wind disturbances caused by successive flares from the same active region are traced to about 20 AU, using the modeling method developed by Hakamada and Akasofu (1982). It is shown that the flare-generated shock waves coalesce with the co-rotating interaction region of the interplanetary magnetic field, resulting in a large-scale magnetic field structure in the outer heliosphere. Such a structure may have considerable effects on the propagation of galactic cosmic rays.

Evidence for solar wind modulation of lightning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, C. J.; Harrison, R. G.; Owens, M. J.; Lockwood, M.; Barnard, L.

2014-05-01

The response of lightning rates over Europe to arrival of high speed solar wind streams at Earth is investigated using a superposed epoch analysis. Fast solar wind stream arrival is determined from modulation of the solar wind V y component, measured by the Advanced Composition Explorer spacecraft. Lightning rate changes around these event times are determined from the very low frequency arrival time difference (ATD) system of the UK Met Office. Arrival of high speed streams at Earth is found to be preceded by a decrease in total solar irradiance and an increase in sunspot number and Mg II emissions. These are consistent with the high speed stream’s source being co-located with an active region appearing on the Eastern solar limb and rotating at the 27 d period of the Sun. Arrival of the high speed stream at Earth also coincides with a small (˜1%) but rapid decrease in galactic cosmic ray flux, a moderate (˜6%) increase in lower energy solar energetic protons (SEPs), and a substantial, statistically significant increase in lightning rates. These changes persist for around 40 d in all three quantities. The lightning rate increase is corroborated by an increase in the total number of thunder days observed by UK Met stations, again persisting for around 40 d after the arrival of a high speed solar wind stream. This result appears to contradict earlier studies that found an anti-correlation between sunspot number and thunder days over solar cycle timescales. The increase in lightning rates and thunder days that we observe coincides with an increased flux of SEPs which, while not being detected at ground level, nevertheless penetrate the atmosphere to tropospheric altitudes. This effect could be further amplified by an increase in mean lightning stroke intensity that brings more strokes above the detection threshold of the ATD system. In order to remove any potential seasonal bias the analysis was repeated for daily solar wind triggers occurring during the summer

The galactic gamma-ray distribution: Implications for galactic structure and the radial cosmic ray gradient

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harding, A. K.; Stecker, F. W.

1984-01-01

The radial distribution of gamma ray emissivity in the Galaxy was derived from flux longitude profiles, using both the final SAS-2 results and the recently corrected COS-B results and analyzing the northern and southern galactic regions separately. The recent CO surveys of the Southern Hemisphere, were used in conjunction with the Northern Hemisphere data, to derive the radial distribution of cosmic rays on both sides of the galactic plane. In addition to the 5 kpc ring, there is evidence from the radial asymmetry for spiral features which are consistent with those derived from the distribution of bright HII regions. Positive evidence was also found for a strong increase in the cosmic ray flux in the inner Galaxy, particularly in the 5 kpc region in both halves of the plane.

2016 Cost of Wind Energy Review

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

Stehly, Tyler J.; Heimiller, Donna M.; Scott, George N.

This report uses representative utility-scale projects to estimate the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for land-based and offshore wind power plants in the United States. Data and results detailed here are derived from 2016 commissioned plants. More specifically, analysis detailed here relies on recent market data and state-of-the-art modeling capabilities to maintain an up-to-date understanding of wind energy cost trends and drivers. This report is intended to provide insight into current component-level costs as well as a basis for understanding variability in LCOE across the country. This publication represents the sixth installment of this annual report.

Orbits of Selected Globular Clusters in the Galactic Bulge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez-Villegas, A.; Rossi, L.; Ortolani, S.; Casotto, S.; Barbuy, B.; Bica, E.

2018-05-01

We present orbit analysis for a sample of eight inner bulge globular clusters, together with one reference halo object. We used proper motion values derived from long time base CCD data. Orbits are integrated in both an axisymmetric model and a model including the Galactic bar potential. The inclusion of the bar proved to be essential for the description of the dynamical behaviour of the clusters. We use the Monte Carlo scheme to construct the initial conditions for each cluster, taking into account the uncertainties in the kinematical data and distances. The sample clusters show typically maximum height to the Galactic plane below 1.5 kpc, and develop rather eccentric orbits. Seven of the bulge sample clusters share the orbital properties of the bar/bulge, having perigalactic and apogalatic distances, and maximum vertical excursion from the Galactic plane inside the bar region. NGC 6540 instead shows a completely different orbital behaviour, having a dynamical signature of the thick disc. Both prograde and prograde-retrograde orbits with respect to the direction of the Galactic rotation were revealed, which might characterise a chaotic behaviour.

Three-dimensional structure of wind turbine wakes as measured by scanning lidar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bodini, Nicola; Zardi, Dino; Lundquist, Julie K.

2017-08-01

The lower wind speeds and increased turbulence that are characteristic of turbine wakes have considerable consequences on large wind farms: turbines located downwind generate less power and experience increased turbulent loads. The structures of wakes and their downwind impacts are sensitive to wind speed and atmospheric variability. Wake characterization can provide important insights for turbine layout optimization in view of decreasing the cost of wind energy. The CWEX-13 field campaign, which took place between June and September 2013 in a wind farm in Iowa, was designed to explore the interaction of multiple wakes in a range of atmospheric stability conditions. Based on lidar wind measurements, we extend, present, and apply a quantitative algorithm to assess wake parameters such as the velocity deficits, the size of the wake boundaries, and the location of the wake centerlines. We focus on wakes from a row of four turbines at the leading edge of the wind farm to explore variations between wakes from the edge of the row (outer wakes) and those from turbines in the center of the row (inner wakes). Using multiple horizontal scans at different elevations, a three-dimensional structure of wakes from the row of turbines can be created. Wakes erode very quickly during unstable conditions and can in fact be detected primarily in stable conditions in the conditions measured here. During stable conditions, important differences emerge between the wakes of inner turbines and the wakes of outer turbines. Further, the strong wind veer associated with stable conditions results in a stretching of the wake structures, and this stretching manifests differently for inner and outer wakes. These insights can be incorporated into low-order wake models for wind farm layout optimization or for wind power forecasting.

Three-dimensional structure of wind turbine wakes as measured by scanning lidar

DOE PAGES

Bodini, Nicola; Zardi, Dino; Lundquist, Julie K.

2017-08-14

The lower wind speeds and increased turbulence that are characteristic of turbine wakes have considerable consequences on large wind farms: turbines located downwind generate less power and experience increased turbulent loads. The structures of wakes and their downwind impacts are sensitive to wind speed and atmospheric variability. Wake characterization can provide important insights for turbine layout optimization in view of decreasing the cost of wind energy. The CWEX-13 field campaign, which took place between June and September 2013 in a wind farm in Iowa, was designed to explore the interaction of multiple wakes in a range of atmospheric stability conditions.more » Based on lidar wind measurements, we extend, present, and apply a quantitative algorithm to assess wake parameters such as the velocity deficits, the size of the wake boundaries, and the location of the wake centerlines. We focus on wakes from a row of four turbines at the leading edge of the wind farm to explore variations between wakes from the edge of the row (outer wakes) and those from turbines in the center of the row (inner wakes). Using multiple horizontal scans at different elevations, a three-dimensional structure of wakes from the row of turbines can be created. Wakes erode very quickly during unstable conditions and can in fact be detected primarily in stable conditions in the conditions measured here. During stable conditions, important differences emerge between the wakes of inner turbines and the wakes of outer turbines. Further, the strong wind veer associated with stable conditions results in a stretching of the wake structures, and this stretching manifests differently for inner and outer wakes. As a result, these insights can be incorporated into low-order wake models for wind farm layout optimization or for wind power forecasting.« less

Three-dimensional structure of wind turbine wakes as measured by scanning lidar

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

Bodini, Nicola; Zardi, Dino; Lundquist, Julie K.

The lower wind speeds and increased turbulence that are characteristic of turbine wakes have considerable consequences on large wind farms: turbines located downwind generate less power and experience increased turbulent loads. The structures of wakes and their downwind impacts are sensitive to wind speed and atmospheric variability. Wake characterization can provide important insights for turbine layout optimization in view of decreasing the cost of wind energy. The CWEX-13 field campaign, which took place between June and September 2013 in a wind farm in Iowa, was designed to explore the interaction of multiple wakes in a range of atmospheric stability conditions.more » Based on lidar wind measurements, we extend, present, and apply a quantitative algorithm to assess wake parameters such as the velocity deficits, the size of the wake boundaries, and the location of the wake centerlines. We focus on wakes from a row of four turbines at the leading edge of the wind farm to explore variations between wakes from the edge of the row (outer wakes) and those from turbines in the center of the row (inner wakes). Using multiple horizontal scans at different elevations, a three-dimensional structure of wakes from the row of turbines can be created. Wakes erode very quickly during unstable conditions and can in fact be detected primarily in stable conditions in the conditions measured here. During stable conditions, important differences emerge between the wakes of inner turbines and the wakes of outer turbines. Further, the strong wind veer associated with stable conditions results in a stretching of the wake structures, and this stretching manifests differently for inner and outer wakes. As a result, these insights can be incorporated into low-order wake models for wind farm layout optimization or for wind power forecasting.« less

Galactic Supernova Remnant Candidates Discovered by THOR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Loren; Wang, Yuan; Bihr, Simon; Rugel, Michael; Beuther, Henrik; THOR Team

2018-01-01

There is a considerable deficiency in the number of known supernova remnants (SNRs) in the Galaxy compared to that expected. Searches for extended low-surface brightness radio sources may find new Galactic SNRs, but confusion with the much larger population of HII regions makes identifying such features challenging. SNRs can, however, be separated from HII regions using their significantly lower mid-infrared (MIR) to radio continuum intensity ratios. We use the combination of high-resolution 1-2 GHz continuum data from The HI, OH, Recombination line survey of the Milky Way (THOR) and lower-resolution VLA 1.4 GHz Galactic Plane Survey (VGPS) continuum data, together with MIR data from the Spitzer GLIMPSE, Spitzer MIPSGAL, and WISE surveys to identify SNR candidates. To ensure that the candidates are not being confused with HII regions, we exclude radio continuum sources from the WISE Catalog of Galactic HII Regions, which contains all known and candidate H II regions in the Galaxy. We locate 76 new Galactic SNR candidates in the THOR and VGPS combined survey area of 67.4deg>l>17.5deg, |b|<1.25deg and measure the radio flux density for 52 previously-known SNRs. The candidate SNRs have a similar spatial distribution to the known SNRs, although we note a large number of new candidates near l=30deg, the tangent point of the Scutum spiral arm. The candidates are on average smaller in angle compared to the known regions, 6.4'+/-4.7' versus 11.0'+/-7.8', and have lower integrated flux densities. If the 76 candidates are confirmed as true SNRs, for example using radio polarization measurements or by deriving radio spectral indices, this would more than double the number of known Galactic SNRs in the survey area. This large increase would still, however, leave a discrepancy between the known and expected SNR populations of about a factor of two.

Using photometrically selected metal-poor stars to study dwarf galaxies and the Galactic stellar halo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Youakim, Kris; Starkenburg, Else; Martin, Nicolas; Pristine Team

2018-06-01

The Pristine survey is a narrow-band photometric survey designed to efficiently search for extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars. In the first three years of the survey, it has demonstrated great efficiency at finding EMP stars, and also great promise for increasing the current, small sample of the most metal-poor stars. The present sky coverage is ~2500 square degrees in the Northern Galactic Halo, including several individual fields targeting dwarf galaxies. By efficiently identifying member stars in the outskirts of known faint dwarf galaxies, the dynamical histories and chemical abundance patterns of these systems can be understood in greater detail. Additionally, with reliable photometric metallicities over a large sky coverage it is possible to perform a large scale clustering analysis in the Milky Way halo, and investigate the characteristic scale of substructure at different metallicities. This can reveal important details about the process of building up the halo through dwarf galaxy accretion, and offer insight into the connection between dwarf galaxies and the Milky Way halo. In this talk I will outline our results on the search for the most pristine stars, with a focus on how we are using this information to advance our understanding of dwarf galaxies and their contribution to the formation of the Galactic stellar halo.

Does the Galactic Bulge Have Fewer Planets?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2016-12-01

The Milky Ways dense central bulge is a very different environment than the surrounding galactic disk in which we live. Do the differences affect the ability of planets to form in the bulge?Exploring Galactic PlanetsSchematic illustrating how gravitational microlensing by an extrasolar planet works. [NASA]Planet formation is a complex process with many aspects that we dont yet understand. Do environmental properties like host star metallicity, the density of nearby stars, or the intensity of the ambient radiation field affect the ability of planets to form? To answer these questions, we will ultimately need to search for planets around stars in a large variety of different environments in our galaxy.One way to detect recently formed, distant planets is by gravitational microlensing. In this process, light from a distant source star is bent by a lens star that is briefly located between us and the source. As the Earth moves, this momentary alignment causes a blip in the sources light curve that we can detect and planets hosted by the lens star can cause an additional observable bump.Artists impression of the Milky Way galaxy. The central bulge is much denserthan the surroundingdisk. [ESO/NASA/JPL-Caltech/M. Kornmesser/R. Hurt]Relative AbundancesMost source stars reside in the galactic bulge, so microlensing events can probe planetary systems at any distance between the Earth and the galactic bulge. This means that planet detections from microlensing could potentially be used to measure the relative abundances of exoplanets in different parts of our galaxy.A team of scientists led by Matthew Penny, a Sagan postdoctoral fellow at Ohio State University, set out to do just that. The group considered a sample of 31 exoplanetary systems detected by microlensing and asked the following question: are the planet abundances in the galactic bulge and the galactic disk the same?A Paucity of PlanetsTo answer this question, Penny and collaborators derived the expected

A Speeding Binary in the Galactic Halo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2016-04-01

The recent discovery of a hyper-velocity binary star system in the halo of the Milky Way poses a mystery: how was this system accelerated to its high speed?Accelerating StarsUnlike the uniform motion in the Galactic disk, stars in the Milky Ways halo exhibit a huge diversity of orbits that are usually tilted relative to the disk and have a variety of speeds. One type of halo star, so-called hyper-velocity stars, travel with speeds that can approach the escape velocity of the Galaxy.How do these hyper-velocity stars come about? Assuming they form in the Galactic disk, there are multiple proposed scenarios through which they could be accelerated and injected into the halo, such as:Ejection after a close encounter with the supermassive black hole at the Galactic centerEjection due to a nearby supernova explosionEjection as the result of a dynamical interaction in a dense stellar population.Further observations of hyper-velocity stars are necessary to identify the mechanism responsible for their acceleration.J1211s SurpriseModels of J1211s orbit show it did not originate from the Galactic center (black dot). The solar symbol shows the position of the Sun and the star shows the current position of J1211. The bottom two panels show two depictions(x-y plane and r-z plane) of estimated orbits of J1211 over the past 10 Gyr. [Nmeth et al. 2016]To this end, a team of scientists led by Pter Nmeth (Friedrich Alexander University, Erlangen-Nrnberg) recently studied the candidate halo hyper-velocity star SDSS J121150.27+143716.2. The scientists obtained spectroscopy of J1211 using spectrographs at the Keck Telescope in Hawaii and ESOs Very Large Telescope in Chile. To their surprise, they discovered the signature of a companion in the spectra: J1211 is actually a binary!Nmeth and collaborators found that J1211, located roughly 18,000 light-years away, is moving at a rapid ~570 km/s relative to the galactic rest frame. The binary system consists of a hot (30,600 K) subdwarf and a

Binary stars in the Galactic thick disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izzard, Robert G.; Preece, Holly; Jofre, Paula; Halabi, Ghina M.; Masseron, Thomas; Tout, Christopher A.

2018-01-01

The combination of asteroseismologically measured masses with abundances from detailed analyses of stellar atmospheres challenges our fundamental knowledge of stars and our ability to model them. Ancient red-giant stars in the Galactic thick disc are proving to be most troublesome in this regard. They are older than 5 Gyr, a lifetime corresponding to an initial stellar mass of about 1.2 M⊙. So why do the masses of a sizeable fraction of thick-disc stars exceed 1.3 M⊙, with some as massive as 2.3 M⊙? We answer this question by considering duplicity in the thick-disc stellar population using a binary population-nucleosynthesis model. We examine how mass transfer and merging affect the stellar mass distribution and surface abundances of carbon and nitrogen. We show that a few per cent of thick-disc stars can interact in binary star systems and become more massive than 1.3 M⊙. Of these stars, most are single because they are merged binaries. Some stars more massive than 1.3 M⊙ form in binaries by wind mass transfer. We compare our results to a sample of the APOKASC data set and find reasonable agreement except in the number of these thick-disc stars more massive than 1.3 M⊙. This problem is resolved by the use of a logarithmically flat orbital-period distribution and a large binary fraction.

Contribution of large scale coherence to wind turbine power: A large eddy simulation study in periodic wind farms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatterjee, Tanmoy; Peet, Yulia T.

2018-03-01

Length scales of eddies involved in the power generation of infinite wind farms are studied by analyzing the spectra of the turbulent flux of mean kinetic energy (MKE) from large eddy simulations (LES). Large-scale structures with an order of magnitude bigger than the turbine rotor diameter (D ) are shown to have substantial contribution to wind power. Varying dynamics in the intermediate scales (D -10 D ) are also observed from a parametric study involving interturbine distances and hub height of the turbines. Further insight about the eddies responsible for the power generation have been provided from the scaling analysis of two-dimensional premultiplied spectra of MKE flux. The LES code is developed in a high Reynolds number near-wall modeling framework, using an open-source spectral element code Nek5000, and the wind turbines have been modelled using a state-of-the-art actuator line model. The LES of infinite wind farms have been validated against the statistical results from the previous literature. The study is expected to improve our understanding of the complex multiscale dynamics in the domain of large wind farms and identify the length scales that contribute to the power. This information can be useful for design of wind farm layout and turbine placement that take advantage of the large-scale structures contributing to wind turbine power.

Simulating Supernovae Driven Outflows in Dwarf Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, Jaimee-Ian

2018-01-01

Galactic outflows, or winds, prove to be a necessary input for galactic simulations to produce results comparable to observation, for it solves issues caused by what previous literature dubbed the “angular momentum catastrophe.” While it is known that the nature of outflows depends on the nature of the Interstellar Medium (ISM), the mechanisms behind outflows are still not completely understood. We investigate the driving force behind galactic outflows and the factors that influence their behavior, hypothesizing that supernovae within the galaxy drive these winds. We study isolated, high-resolution, smooth particle hydrodynamic simulations, focusing specifically on dwarf galaxies due to their shallow potential wells, which allow for more significant outflows. We find that outflows follow star formation (and associated supernovae) suggesting the causal relationship between the two. Furthermore, simulations with higher diffusivity differ little in star formation rate, but show significantly lower outflow rates, suggesting that environmental factors that have little effect on regulating star formation can greatly influence outflows, and so efficient outflows can be driven by a constant rate of supernovae, depending on ISM behavior. We are currently analyzing disk morphology and ambient density in order to comprehend the effect of supernovae on the immediate interstellar gas. By attaining greater understanding of the origin of galactic outflows, we will be able to not only improve the accuracy of simulations, we will also be able to gain greater insight into galactic formation and evolution, as outflows and resultant inflows may be vital to the regulation of galaxies throughout their lifetimes.

HEAO 1 measurements of the galactic ridge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Worrall, D. M.; Marshall, F. E.; Boldt, E. A.; Swank, J. H.

1981-01-01

The HEAO A2 experiment data was systematically searched for unresolved galactic disc emission. Although there were suggestions of non-uniformities in the emission, the data were consistent with a disc of half-thickness 241 + 22 pc and surface emissivity (2-10 keV) at galactic radius R(kpc) of 2.2 10 to the minus 7th power exp(-R/3.5) erg/sq cm to the (-2)power/s (R 7.8 kpc). giving a luminosity of approximately 4.4 10 to the 37th power erg S to the (-1) power. If the model is extrapolated to radii less than 7.8 kpc, the unresolved disc emission is approximately 1.4 10 to the 38th power erg S to the (-1) power (2-10 keV) i.e., a few percent of the luminosity of the galaxy in resolved sources. the disc emission has a spectrum which is significantly softer than that of the high galactic latitude diffuse X-ray background and it is most probably of discrete source origin.

Galactic civilizations - Population dynamics and interstellar diffusion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, W. I.; Sagan, C.

1981-01-01

A model is developed of the interstellar diffusion of galactic civilizations which takes into account the population dynamics of such civilizations. The problem is formulated in terms of potential theory, with a family of nonlinear partial differential and difference equations specifying population growth and diffusion for an organism with advantageous genes that undergoes random dispersal while increasing in population locally, and a population at zero population growth. In the case of nonlinear diffusion with growth and saturation, it is found that the colonization wavefront from the nearest independently arisen galactic civilization can have reached the earth only if its lifetime exceeds 2.6 million years, or 20 million years if discretization can be neglected. For zero population growth, the corresponding lifetime is 13 billion years. It is concluded that the earth is uncolonized not because interstellar spacefaring civilizations are rare, but because there are too many worlds to be colonized in the plausible colonization lifetime of nearby civilizations, and that there exist no very old galactic civilizations with a consistent policy of the conquest of inhabited worlds.

Vertical Shear of the Galactic Interstellar Medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benjamin, Robert A.

2000-01-01

The detection of UV absorption, 21 cm, H alpha and other diffuse optical emission lines from gas up to ten kiloparsecs above the plane of the Milky Way and other galaxies provides the first, opportunity to probe the rotational properties of the ionized "atmospheres" of galaxies. This rotation has implications for our understanding of the Galactic gravitational potential, angular momentum transport in the Galactic disk, and the maintenance of a Galactic dynamo. The available evidence indicates that gas rotates nearly cylindrically up to a few kiloparsecs. This is in contrast to the expectation that there should be a significant gradient in rotation speed as a function of height assuming a reasonable mass model for the Galaxy. For example, for a vertical cut at galactocentric radius R = 5 kpc in NGC 891 by Rand, the rotation speed is observed to drop by approximately 30 kilometers per second from z = 1 to 5 kpc and is expected to drop by 80 kilometers per second. Magnetic tension forces may resolve this discrepancy. Other possibilities will be examined in the near future.

CMEs, the Tail of the Solar Wind Magnetic Field Distribution, and 11-yr Cosmic Ray Modulation at 1 AU. Revised

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cliver, E. W.; Ling, A. G.; Richardson, I. G.

2003-01-01

Using a recent classification of the solar wind at 1 AU into its principal components (slow solar wind, high-speed streams, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) for 1972-2000, we show that the monthly-averaged galactic cosmic ray intensity is anti-correlated with the percentage of time that the Earth is imbedded in CME flows. We suggest that this correlation results primarily from a CME related change in the tail of the distribution function of hourly-averaged values of the solar wind magnetic field (B) between solar minimum and solar maximum. The number of high-B (square proper subset 10 nT) values increases by a factor of approx. 3 from minimum to maximum (from 5% of all hours to 17%), with about two-thirds of this increase due to CMEs. On an hour-to-hour basis, average changes of cosmic ray intensity at Earth become negative for solar wind magnetic field values square proper subset 10 nT.

Tracing the Solar Wind to its Origin: New Insights from ACE/SWICS Data and SO/HIS Performance Predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stakhiv, Mark

The solar wind is a hot tenuous plasma that continuously streams off of the Sun into the heliosphere. The solar wind is the medium through which coronal mass ejections (CMEs) travel from the Sun to the Earth, where they can disrupt vital space-based technologies and wreak havoc on terrestrial infrastructure. Understanding the solar wind can lead to improved predications of CME arrival time as well as their geoeffectiveness. The solar wind is studied in this thesis through in situ measurements of heavy ions. Several outstanding questions about the solar wind are addressed in this thesis: What is the origin of the solar wind? How is the solar wind heated and accelerated? The charge state distribution and abundance of heavy ions in the solar wind record information about their source location and heating mechanism. This information is largely unchanged from the Sun to the Earth, where it is collected in situ with spacecraft. In this thesis we use data from the Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer (SWICS) that flew on two spacecraft: Ulysses (1990 - 2009) and ACE (1998 - present). We analyze the kinetic and compositional properties of the solar wind with heavy ion data and lay out a unified wind scenario, which states that the solar wind originates from two different sources and regardless of its release mechanism the solar wind is then accelerated by waves. The data from these instruments are the best available to date but still lack the measurement cadence and distribution resolution to fully answer all of the solar wind questions. To address these issues a new heavy ion sensor is being developed to be the next generation of in situ heavy ion measurements. This thesis supports the development of this instrument through the analysis of the sensors measurement properties and the characterization of its geometric factor and efficiencies.

Resonance Trapping in the Galactic Disc and Halo and its Relation with Moving Groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pichardo, Barbara; Moreno, Edmundo; william, schuster B.

2015-08-01

With the use of a detailed Milky Way nonaxisymmetric potential, observationally and dynamically constrained, the eects of the bar and the spiral arms in the Galaxy are studied in the disc and in the stellar halo. Especially the trapping of stars in the disk and Galactic halo by resonances on the Galactic plane created by the Galactic bar has been analysed in detail. To this purpose, a new method is presented to delineate the trapping regions using empirical diagrams of some orbital properties obtained in the Galactic potential. In these diagrams we plot in the inertial Galactic frame a characteristic orbital energy versus a characteristic orbital angular momentum, or versus the orbital Jacobi constant in the reference frame of the bar, when this is the only nonaxisymmetric component in the Galactic potential. With these diagrams some trapping regions are obtained in the disc and halo using a sample of disc stars and halo stars in the solar neighborhood. We compute several families of periodic orbits on the Galactic plane, some associated with this resonant trapping. In particular, we nd that the trapping eect of these resonances on the Galactic plane can extend some kpc from this plane, trapping stars in the Galactic halo. The purpose of our analysis is to investigate if the trapping regions contain some known moving groups in our Galaxy. We have applied our method to the Kapteyn group, a moving group in the halo, and we have found that this group appears not to be associated with a particular resonance on the Galactic plane.

Galactic fly-bys: New source of lithium production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prodanović, Tijana; Bogdanović, Tamara; Urošević, Dejan

2013-05-01

Observations of low-metallicity halo stars have revealed a puzzling result: the abundance of Li7 in these stars is at least three times lower than their predicted primordial abundance. It is unclear whether the cause of this disagreement is a lack of understanding of lithium destruction mechanisms in stars or the non-standard physics behind the big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN). Uncertainties related to the destruction of lithium in stars can be circumvented if lithium abundance is measured in the “pristine” gas of the low metallicity systems. The first measurement in one such system, the small magellanic cloud (SMC), was found to be at the level of the pure expected primordial value, but is on the other hand, just barely consistent with the expected galactic abundance for the system at the SMC metallicity, where important lithium quantity was also produced in interactions of galactic cosmic rays and presents an addition to the already present primordial abundance. Because of the importance of the SMC lithium measurement for the resolution of the lithium problem, we here draw attention to the possibility of another post-BBN production channel of lithium, which could present an important addition to the observed SMC lithium abundance. Besides standard galactic cosmic rays, additional post-BBN production of lithium might come from cosmic rays accelerated in galaxy-galaxy interactions. This might be important for a system such is the SMC, which has experienced galaxy harassment in its history. Within a simplified but illustrative framework we demonstrate that large-scale tidal shocks from a few galactic fly-bys can possibly produce lithium in amounts comparable to those expected from the interactions of galactic cosmic-rays produced in supernovae over the entire history of a system. In case of the SMC, we find that only two such fly-bys could possibly account for as much lithium as the standard, galactic cosmic ray production channel. However, adding any a new

Implications of the IRAS data for galactic gamma ray astronomy and EGRET

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stecker, Floyd W.

1990-01-01

Using the results of gamma-ray, millimeter wave and far surveys of the galaxy, logically consistent picture of the large scale distribution of galactic gas and cosmic rays was derived, tied to the overall processes of stellar birth and destruction on a galactic scale. Using the results of the IRAS far-infrared survey of te galaxy, the large scale radial distributions of galactic far-infrared emission independently was obtained for both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere sides of the Galaxy. The dominant feature in these distributions was found to be a broad peak coincident with the 5 kpc molecular gas cloud ring. Evidence was found for spiral arm features. Strong correlations are evident between the large scale galactic distributions of far-infrared emission, gamma-ray emission and total CO emission. There is particularly tight correlation between the distribution of warm molecular clouds and far-infrared emission on a galactic scale. The 5 kpc ring was evident in existing galactic gamma-ray data. The extent to which the more detailed spiral arm features are evident in the more resolved EGRET (Energetic Gamma-Ray Experimental Telescope) data will help to determine more precisely the propagation characteristics of cosmic rays.

Evidence for accreted component in the Galactic discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Q. F.; Zhao, G.

2018-06-01

We analyse the distribution of [Mg/Fe] abundance in the Galactic discs with F- and G-type dwarf stars selected from the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fibre Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) archive. The sample stars are assigned into different stellar populations by using kinematic criteria. Our analysis reveals the chemical inhomogeneities in the Galactic thick disc. A few of metal-poor stars in the thick disc exhibit relatively low [Mg/Fe] abundance in respect to the standard thick-disc sample. The orbital eccentricities and maximum Galactocentric radii of low-α metal-poor stars are apparently greater than that of high-α thick-disc stars. The orbital parameters and chemical components of low-α stars in the thick disc suggest that they may have been formed in regions with low star formation rate that were located at large distances from the Galactic centre, such as infalling dwarf spheroidal galaxies.

The GALAH Survey and Galactic Archaeology in the Next Decade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martell, S. L.

2016-10-01

The field of Galactic Archaeology aims to understand the origins and evolution of the stellar populations in the Milky Way, as a way to understand galaxy formation and evolution in general. The GALAH (Galactic Archaeology with HERMES) Survey is an ambitious Australian-led project to explore the Galactic history of star formation, chemical evolution, minor mergers and stellar migration. GALAH is using the HERMES spectrograph, a novel, highly multiplexed, four-channel high-resolution optical spectrograph, to collect high-quality R˜28,000 spectra for one million stars in the Milky Way. From these data we will determine stellar parameters, radial velocities and abundances for up to 29 elements per star, and carry out a thorough chemical tagging study of the nearby Galaxy. There are clear complementarities between GALAH and other ongoing and planned Galactic Archaeology surveys, and also with ancillary stellar data collected by major cosmological surveys. Combined, these data sets will provide a revolutionary view of the structure and history of the Milky Way.

The Observed Galactic Annihilation Line: Possible Signature of Accreting Small Mass Black Holes in the Galactic Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Titarchuk, Lev; Chardonnet, Pascal

2006-01-01

Various balloon and satellite observatories have revealed what appears to be an extended source of 0.511 MeV annihilation radiation with flux of approx. 10(exp -3) photons/sq cm/s centered on the Galactic Center. Positrons from radioactive products of stellar explosions can account for a significant fraction of the emission. We discuss an additional source for this emission: namely e(+)e(-) pairs produced when X-rays generated from the approx. 2.6 x 10(exp 6) solar mass Galactic Center Black Hole interact with approx. 10 MeV temperature blackbody emission from 10(exp 17) g black holes within 10(exp 14-l5) cm of the center. The number of such Small Mass Black Holes (SMMBHs) can account for the production of the 10(exp 42) e(+)/s that produces the observed annihilation in the inner Galaxy when transport effects are taken into account. We consider the possibility for confirming the presence of these SMMBHs in the Galactic Center region with future generations of gamma-ray instruments if a blackbody like emission of approx. 10 MeV temperature would be detected by them. Small Mass Black Hole can be a potential candidate for dark (invisible) matter hal

Variations of Strahl Properties with Fast and Slow Solar Wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Figueroa-Vinas, Adolfo; Goldstein, Melvyn L.; Gurgiolo, Chris

2008-01-01

The interplanetary solar wind electron velocity distribution function generally shows three different populations. Two of the components, the core and halo, have been the most intensively analyzed and modeled populations using different theoretical models. The third component, the strahl, is usually seen at higher energies, is confined in pitch-angle, is highly field-aligned and skew. This population has been more difficult to identify and to model in the solar wind. In this work we make use of the high angular, energy and time resolution and three-dimensional data of the Cluster/PEACE electron spectrometer to identify and analyze this component in the ambient solar wind during high and slow speed solar wind. The moment density and fluid velocity have been computed by a semi-numerical integration method. The variations of solar wind density and drift velocity with the general build solar wind speed could provide some insight into the source, origin, and evolution of the strahl.

Spectral and Temporal Properties of Galactic Black Hole Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wheeler, J. Craig

1997-01-01

Kusunose, Mineshige & Yamada (1996; hereafter KMY) extended the model of Kusunose & Mineshige (1995) to the Galactic black hole candidates by considering nonthermal electron injection with gamma(EQ\\0(,\\s\\up2(less than),\\s\\do-l(_))) 10. The effects of pair escape and advection on the disk structure and general relativistic effects on the emission spectrum were also examined. They found that the energy spectral index (alpha)(sub x) of the power law X-rays is about-0.8 and-2.0 when 1(sub soft)/1 = 0.2 and 2, respectively, where 1(sub soft)/1 is the ratio of the compactness of the injected soft photons to that of the gravitational energy. The power law index was found to be nearly independent of the mass accretion which is consistent with the observed luminosity independence. The model with small 1(sub soft)/1 (less than 1) shows promise for explaining the low state observed in Galactic black hole candidates. Model fits were provided for GX339-4 and Cyg X- 1 data from COMPTEL and OSSE on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. The difference in emission spectra between thermal disks and the model of KMY appears only in the energy range greater than 100 keV. Li, Kusunose and Liang (1996) studied stochastic particle acceleration to produce nonthermal particle distributions which then were used in the model of Kusunose & Mineshige (1995) to model the spectrum above 1 Mev from GBHC's. Under certain conditions, stochastic electron acceleration overcame Coulomb and Compton losses resulting in a suprathermal electron population. Good fits were obtained by COMPTEL and OSSE observations of Cyg X-1 and GRO J0422+23. Kusunose & Mineshige (1996a) examined the role of electron-positron pairs in advection-dominated disks. They found that the results for advection-dominated disks without pairs are not qualitatively changed by including pairs. Summaries of work sponsored by this grant are given in Wheeler, Kim, Moscoso, Kusunose & Mineshige (1996) and Kusunose (1996) Work was also

Galactic Tidal Shocks Effects in Globular Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruz, F.; Aguilar, L.

2001-07-01

We present results of a set of N--Body simulations of 105--particle King models in the presence of a realistic Galactic tidal field. Tidal effects over a cluster are dominated by two processes, differentiated by the way they produc e mass loss in the system. The first one is the Roche lobe overflow, which depend s directly on the ratio of cluster to the Roche lobe size. The second process is tidal heating, produced by the time varying part of the Galactic tide, which injects energy directly on the orbits of the stars inside the cluster.

The structure and content of the galaxy and galactic gamma rays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fichtel, C. E. (Editor); Stecker, F. W. (Editor)

1977-01-01

Gamma radiation investigations by COS-B and SAS-2 satellite are reported. Data from CO surveys of the galaxy and the galactic distribution of pulsars are analyzed. Theories of galactic gamma ray emission are explored.

Expert elicitation survey on future wind energy costs

DOE PAGES

Wiser, Ryan; Jenni, Karen; Seel, Joachim; ...

2016-09-12

Wind energy supply has grown rapidly over the last decade. However, the long-term contribution of wind to future energy supply, and the degree to which policy support is necessary to motivate higher levels of deployment, depends - in part - on the future costs of both onshore and offshore wind. In this paper, we summarize the results of an expert elicitation survey of 163 of the world's foremost wind experts, aimed at better understanding future costs and technology advancement possibilities. Results suggest significant opportunities for cost reductions, but also underlying uncertainties. Under the median scenario, experts anticipate 24-30% reductions bymore » 2030 and 35-41% reductions by 2050 across the three wind applications studied. Costs could be even lower: experts predict a 10% chance that reductions will be more than 40% by 2030 and more than 50% by 2050. Insights gained through expert elicitation complement other tools for evaluating cost-reduction potential, and help inform policy and planning, R & D and industry strategy.« less

Expert elicitation survey on future wind energy costs

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

Wiser, Ryan; Jenni, Karen; Seel, Joachim

Wind energy supply has grown rapidly over the last decade. However, the long-term contribution of wind to future energy supply, and the degree to which policy support is necessary to motivate higher levels of deployment, depends -- in part -- on the future costs of both onshore and offshore wind. Here, we summarize the results of an expert elicitation survey of 163 of the world's foremost wind experts, aimed at better understanding future costs and technology advancement possibilities. Results suggest significant opportunities for cost reductions, but also underlying uncertainties. Under the median scenario, experts anticipate 24-30% reductions by 2030 andmore » 35-41% reductions by 2050 across the three wind applications studied. Costs could be even lower: experts predict a 10% chance that reductions will be more than 40% by 2030 and more than 50% by 2050. Insights gained through expert elicitation complement other tools for evaluating cost-reduction potential, and help inform policy and planning, R&D and industry strategy.« less

Expert elicitation survey on future wind energy costs

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

Wiser, Ryan; Jenni, Karen; Seel, Joachim

Wind energy supply has grown rapidly over the last decade. However, the long-term contribution of wind to future energy supply, and the degree to which policy support is necessary to motivate higher levels of deployment, depends - in part - on the future costs of both onshore and offshore wind. In this paper, we summarize the results of an expert elicitation survey of 163 of the world's foremost wind experts, aimed at better understanding future costs and technology advancement possibilities. Results suggest significant opportunities for cost reductions, but also underlying uncertainties. Under the median scenario, experts anticipate 24-30% reductions bymore » 2030 and 35-41% reductions by 2050 across the three wind applications studied. Costs could be even lower: experts predict a 10% chance that reductions will be more than 40% by 2030 and more than 50% by 2050. Insights gained through expert elicitation complement other tools for evaluating cost-reduction potential, and help inform policy and planning, R & D and industry strategy.« less

Scientists Find X Rays from Stellar Winds That May Play Significant Role in Galactic Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2001-09-01

Colorful star-forming regions that have captivated stargazers since the advent of the telescope 400 years ago contain gas thousands of times more energetic than previously recognized, powered by colliding stellar winds. This multimillion-degree gas radiated as X rays is one of the long-sought sources of energy and elements in the Milky Way galaxy's interstellar medium. A team led by Leisa Townsley, a senior research associate in astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State University, uncovered this wind phenomenon in the Rosette Nebula, a stellar nursery. With the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the team found that the most massive stars in the nebula produce winds that slam into each other, create violent shocks, and infuse the region with 6-million-degree gas. The findings are presented in Washington, D.C., today at a conference entitled "Two Years of Science with Chandra." "A ghostly glow of diffuse X-ray emission pervades the Rosette Nebula and perhaps many other similar star-forming regions throughout the Galaxy," said Townsley. "We now have a new view of the engine lighting the beautiful Rosette Nebula and new evidence for how the interstellar medium may be energized." Townsley and her colleagues created a striking X-ray panorama of the Rosette Molecular Cloud from four images with Chandra's Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer. This is a swath of the sky nearly 100 light years across sprayed with hundreds of X-ray-emitting young stars. In one corner of the Rosette Molecular Cloud lies the Rosette Nebula, called an "H II region" because the hydrogen gas there has been stripped of its electrons due to the strong ultraviolet radiation from its young stars. This region, about 5,000 light years away in the constellation Monoceros, the Unicorn, has long been a favorite among amateur astronomers. The wispy, colorful display is visible with small telescopes. The Chandra survey reveals, for the first time, 6-million-degree gas at the center of the Rosette Nebula, occupying a

Implications of the IRAS data for galactic gamma-ray astronomy and EGRET

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stecker, F. W.

1990-01-01

Using the results of gamma-ray, millimeter wave and far infrared surveys of the galaxy, one can derive a logically consistent picture of the large scale distribution of galactic gas and cosmic rays, one tied to the overall processes of stellar birth and destruction on a galactic scale. Using the results of the IRAS far-infrared survey of the galaxy, the large scale radial distribution of galactic far-infrared emission were obtained independently for both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere sides of the Galaxy. It was found that the dominant feature in these distributions to be a broad peak coincident with the 5 kpc molecular gas cloud ring. Also found was evidence of spiral arm features. Strong correlations are evident between the large scale galactic distributions of far infrared emission, gamma-ray emission and total CO emission. There is a particularly tight correlation between the distribution of warm molecular clouds and far-infrared emission on a galactic scale.

NuSTAR View of the Black Hole Wind in the Galaxy Merger IRAS F11119+3257

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tombesi, F.; Veilleux, S.; Meléndez, M.; Lohfink, A.; Reeves, J. N.; Piconcelli, E.; Fiore, F.; Feruglio, C.

2017-12-01

Galactic winds driven by active galactic nuclei (AGNs) have been invoked to play a fundamental role in the co-evolution between supermassive black holes and their host galaxies. Finding observational evidence of such feedback mechanisms is of crucial importance and it requires a multi-wavelength approach in order to compare winds at different scales and phases. In Tombesi et al., we reported the detection of a powerful ultra-fast outflow (UFO) in the Suzaku X-ray spectrum of the ultra-luminous infrared galaxy IRAS F11119+3257. The comparison with a galaxy-scale OH molecular outflow observed with Herschel in the same source supported the energy-conserving scenario for AGN feedback. The main objective of this work is to perform an independent check of the Suzaku results using the higher sensitivity and wider X-ray continuum coverage of NuSTAR. We clearly detect a highly ionized Fe K UFO in the 100 ks NuSTAR spectrum with parameters N H = (3.2 ± 1.5) × 1024 cm-2, log ξ = {4.0}-0.3+1.2 erg s-1 cm, and {v}{out}={0.253}-0.118+0.061c. The launching radius is likely at a distance of r ≥ 16r s from the black hole. The mass outflow rate is in the range of {\\dot{M}}{out} ≃ 0.5-2 M ⊙ yr-1. The UFO momentum rate and power are {\\dot{P}}{out} ≃ 0.5-2 L AGN/c and {\\dot{E}}{out} ≃ 7%-27% L AGN, respectively. The UFO parameters are consistent between the 2013 Suzaku and the 2015 NuSTAR observations. Only the column density is found to be variable, possibly suggesting a clumpy wind. The comparison with the energetics of molecular outflows estimated in infrared and millimeter wavelengths support a connection between the nuclear and galaxy-scale winds in luminous AGNs.

Molecular clouds and galactic spiral structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dame, T. M.

1984-01-01

Galactic CO line emission at 115 GHz was surveyed in order to study the distribution of molecular clouds in the inner galaxy. Comparison of this survey with similar H1 data reveals a detailed correlation with the most intense 21 cm features. To each of the classical 21 cm H1 spiral arms of the inner galaxy there corresponds a CO molecular arm which is generally more clearly defined and of higher contrast. A simple model is devised for the galactic distribution of molecular clouds. The modeling results suggest that molecular clouds are essentially transient objects, existing for 15 to 40 million years after their formation in a spiral arm, and are largely confined to spiral features about 300 pc wide.

Gravitational lensing of active galactic nuclei.

PubMed Central

Hewitt, J N

1995-01-01

Most of the known cases of strong gravitational lensing involve multiple imaging of an active galactic nucleus. The properties of lensed active galactic nuclei make them promising systems for astrophysical applications of gravitational lensing; in particular, they show structure on scales of milliseconds of arc to tens of seconds of arc, they are variable, and they are polarized. More than 20 cases of strong gravitational lenses are now known, and about half of them are radio sources. High-resolution radio imaging is making possible the development of well-constrained lens models. Variability studies at radio and optical wavelengths are beginning to yield results of astrophysical interest, such as an independent measure of the distance scale and limits on source sizes. PMID:11607613

Gravitational lensing of active galactic nuclei.

PubMed

Hewitt, J N

1995-12-05

Most of the known cases of strong gravitational lensing involve multiple imaging of an active galactic nucleus. The properties of lensed active galactic nuclei make them promising systems for astrophysical applications of gravitational lensing; in particular, they show structure on scales of milliseconds of arc to tens of seconds of arc, they are variable, and they are polarized. More than 20 cases of strong gravitational lenses are now known, and about half of them are radio sources. High-resolution radio imaging is making possible the development of well-constrained lens models. Variability studies at radio and optical wavelengths are beginning to yield results of astrophysical interest, such as an independent measure of the distance scale and limits on source sizes.

XMM-NEWTON MEASUREMENT OF THE GALACTIC HALO X-RAY EMISSION USING A COMPACT SHADOWING CLOUD

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

Henley, David B.; Shelton, Robin L.; Cumbee, Renata S.

2015-02-01

Observations of interstellar clouds that cast shadows in the soft X-ray background can be used to separate the background Galactic halo emission from the local emission due to solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) and/or the Local Bubble (LB). We present an XMM-Newton observation of a shadowing cloud, G225.60–66.40, that is sufficiently compact that the on- and off-shadow spectra can be extracted from a single field of view (unlike previous shadowing observations of the halo with CCD-resolution spectrometers, which consisted of separate on- and off-shadow pointings). We analyzed the spectra using a variety of foreground models: one representing LB emission, andmore » two representing SWCX emission. We found that the resulting halo model parameters (temperature T {sub h} ≈ 2 × 10{sup 6} K, emission measure E{sub h}≈4×10{sup −3} cm{sup −6} pc) were not sensitive to the foreground model used. This is likely due to the relative faintness of the foreground emission in this observation. However, the data do favor the existence of a foreground. The halo parameters derived from this observation are in good agreement with those from previous shadowing observations, and from an XMM-Newton survey of the Galactic halo emission. This supports the conclusion that the latter results are not subject to systematic errors, and can confidently be used to test models of the halo emission.« less

Wind Plant Preconstruction Energy Estimates. Current Practice and Opportunities

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

Clifton, Andrew; Smith, Aaron; Fields, Michael

2016-04-19

Understanding the amount of energy that will be harvested by a wind power plant each year and the variability of that energy is essential to assessing and potentially improving the financial viability of that power plant. The preconstruction energy estimate process predicts the amount of energy--with uncertainty estimates--that a wind power plant will deliver to the point of revenue. This report describes the preconstruction energy estimate process from a technical perspective and seeks to provide insight into the financial implications associated with each step.

Evaluation of Galactic Cosmic Ray Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, James H., Jr.; Heiblim, Samuel; Malott, Christopher

2009-01-01

Models of the galactic cosmic ray spectra have been tested by comparing their predictions to an evaluated database containing more than 380 measured cosmic ray spectra extending from 1960 to the present.

The Magnetic Properties of Galactic OB Stars from the Magnetism in Massive Stars Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wade, Gregg A.; Grunhut, Jason; Petit, Veronique; Neiner, Coralie; Alecian, Evelyne; Landstreet, John; MiMeS Collaboration

2013-06-01

The Magnetism in Massive Stars (MiMeS) project represents the largest systematic survey of stellar magnetism ever undertaken. Comprising nearly 4500 high resolution polarised spectra of nearly 550 Galactic B and O-type stars, the MiMeS survey aims to address interesting and fundamental questions about the magnetism of hot, massive stars: How and when are massive star magnetic fields generated, and how do they evolve throughout stellar evolution? How do magnetic fields couple to and interact with the powerful winds of OB stars, and what are the consequences for the wind structure, momentum flux and energetics? What are the detailed physical mechanisms that lead to the anomalously slow rotation of many magnetic massive stars? What is the ultimate impact of stellar magnetic fields -- both direct and indirect -- on the evolution of massive stars? In this talk we report results from the analysis of the B-type stars observed within the MiMeS survey. The sample consists of over 450 stars ranging in spectral type from B9 to B0, and in evolutionary stage from the pre-main sequence to the post-main sequence. In addition to general statistical results concerning field incidence, strength and topology, we will elaborate our conclusions for subsamples of special interest, including the Herbig and classical Be stars, pulsating B stars and chemically peculiar B stars.

Propagation of Galactic cosmic rays: the influence of anisotropic diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AL-Zetoun, A.; Achterberg, A.

2018-06-01

We consider the anisotropic diffusion of cosmic rays in the large-scale Galactic magnetic field, where diffusion along the field and diffusion across the field proceeds at different rates. To calculate this diffusion, we use stochastic differential equations to describe the cosmic ray propagation, solving these numerically. The Galactic magnetic field is described using the Jansson-Farrar model for the Galactic magnetic field. In this paper, we study the influence of perpendicular diffusion on the residence time of cosmic rays in the Galaxy. This provides an estimate for the influence of anisotropic diffusion on the residence time and the amount of matter (grammage) that a typical cosmic ray traverses during its residence in the Galaxy.

The Galactic O-Star Catalog (GOSC) and the Galactic O-Star Spectroscopic Survey (GOSSS): current status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maíz Apellániz, J.; Alonso Moragón, A.; Ortiz de Zárate Alcarazo, L.; The Gosss Team

2017-03-01

We present the updates of the Galactic O-Star Catalog (GOSC) that we have undertaken in the last two years: new spectral types, more objects, additional information, and coordination with CDS. We also present updates for the Galactic O-Star Spectroscopic Survey (GOSSS). A new paper (GOSSS-III) has been published and ˜ 1000 targets have been observed since 2014. Four new setups have been added to our lineup and for two of them we have already obtained over 100 spectra: with OSIRIS at the 10.4 m GTC we are observing northern dim stars and with FRODOspec at the 2.0 m Liverpool Telescope we are observing northern bright stars. Finally, we also make available new versions of MGB, the spectral classification tool associated with the project, and of the GOSSS grid of spectroscopic standards.

A study of ultraviolet absorption lines through the complete Galactic halo by the analysis of HST faint object spectrograph spectra of active Galactic nuclei, 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burks, Geoffrey S.; Bartko, Frank; Shull, J. Michael; Stocke, John T.; Sachs, Elise R.; Burbidge, E. Margaret; Cohen, Ross D.; Junkkarinen, Vesa T.; Harms, Richard J.; Massa, Derck

1994-01-01

The ultraviolet (1150 - 2850 A) spectra of a number of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) observed with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS) have been used to study the properties of the Galactic halo. The objects that served as probes are 3C 273, PKS 0454-220, Pg 1211+143, CSO 251, Ton 951, and PG 1351+640. The equivalent widths of certain interstellar ions have been measured, with special attention paid to the C IV/C II and Si IV/Si II ratios. These ratios have been intercompared, and the highest values are found in the direction of 3C 273, where C IV/C II = 1.2 and Si IV/Si II greater than 1. These high ratios may be due to a nearby supernova remnant, rather than to ionized gas higher up in the Galactic halo. Our data give some support to the notion that QSO metal-line systems may arise from intervening galaxies which contain high supernova rates, galactic fountains, and turbulent mixing layers.

The black hole at the Galactic Center: Observations and models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharov, Alexander F.

One of the most interesting astronomical objects is the Galactic Center. It is a subject of intensive astronomical observations in different spectral bands in recent years. We concentrate our discussion on a theoretical analysis of observational data of bright stars in the IR-band obtained with large telescopes. We also discuss the importance of VLBI observations of bright structures which could characterize the shadow at the Galactic Center. If we adopt general relativity (GR), there are a number of theoretical models for the Galactic Center, such as a cluster of neutron stars, boson stars, neutrino balls, etc. Some of these models were rejected or the range of their parameters is significantly constrained with consequent observations and theoretical analysis. In recent years, a number of alternative theories of gravity have been proposed because there are dark matter (DM) and dark energy (DE) problems. An alternative theory of gravity may be considered as one possible solution for such problems. Some of these theories have black hole solutions, while other theories have no such solutions. There are attempts to describe the Galactic Center with alternative theories of gravity and in this case one can constrain parameters of such theories with observational data for the Galactic Center. In particular, theories of massive gravity are intensively developing and theorists have overcome pathologies presented in the initial versions of these theories. In theories of massive gravity, a graviton is massive in contrast with GR where a graviton is massless. Now these theories are considered as an alternative to GR. For example, the LIGO-Virgo collaboration obtained the graviton mass constraint of about 1.2 × 10‑22 eV in their first publication about the discovery of the first gravitational wave detection event that resulted of the merger of two massive black holes. Surprisingly, one could obtain a consistent and comparable constraint of graviton mass at a level around mg

Gas Flows in Dual Active Galactic Nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller Sanchez, Francisco; Comerford, Julia M.; Davies, Richard; Treister, Ezequiel; Privon, George C.; Nevin, Becky

2018-06-01

Dual Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are the Rosetta stone to understand the role of galaxy mergers in triggering nuclear activity and regulating black hole (BH) and galaxy growth. But very little is known about the physical processes required to effectively trigger AGN activity and regulate the growth of the two BHs. The work I will present here characterizes for the first time the properties of the stars, gas (molecular, ionized, and highly-ionized) and dust in all the confirmed dual AGN at z < 0.05, using Keck/OSIRIS, VLT/SINFONI, SOFIA/FORCAST, and HST data. I will focus on the interplay between the several complex processes observed in dual AGN, using as an example the prototypical merger system NGC 6240: vigorous star formation, two AGNs, outflowing winds of ionized gas, rippling dust and gas lanes, and tidal tails. In this galaxy, we observe for the first time a dual outflow of different species of gas: an AGN-driven outflow of highly-ionized gas to the northeast and a starburst-driven outflow of ionized hydrogen to the northwest. This shows that stellar feedback and supermassive black hole feedback can work in tandem to regulate the stellar growth of a galaxy after a merger event. These results open a new door to studies of dual AGN and AGN pairs in general, and enable dual AGN to be used, for the first time, for studies of galaxy evolution.

Dust in Extragalactic Reflection Nebulae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chris H.; Hodges-Kluck, Edmund J.

2017-08-01

Observational evidence for extragalactic dust has been recently found in the form of UV extragalactic reflection nebulae around edge-on spiral galaxies, but the nature of the dust is largely unknown. To derive dust parameters, UV fluxes from the spacecrafts GALEX and Swift have been compared with model UV halo SEDs, which have been created from galaxy template spectra and a silicate-graphite dust model. The model contains two free parameters, which are fractional composition and maximum grain size. These analyses have been done for a sample of 8 nearby edge-on spiral galaxies with bright UV halos, where the dust properties can be spatially resolved, such as inside and outside of galactic winds or as a function of height from the galactic disc. The dust properties give insight into how dust is expelled from the galactic disc, which can also be applied to understanding gaseous outflows from the galaxies as well.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: OGLE II. VI photometry of Galactic Bulge (Udalski+, 2002)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Udalski, A.; Szymanski, M.; Kubiak, M.; Pietrzynski, G.; Soszynski, I.; Wozniak, P.; Zebrun, K.; Szewczyk, O.; Wyrzykowski, L.

2003-09-01

We present the VI photometric maps of the Galactic bulge. They contain VI photometry and astrometry of about 30 million stars from 49 fields of 0.225 square degree each in the Galactic center region. The data were collected during the second phase of the OGLE microlensing project. We discuss the accuracy of data and present color-magnitude diagrams of selected fields observed by OGLE in the Galactic bulge. The VI maps of the Galactic bulge are accessible electronically for the astronomical community from the OGLE Internet archive (2 data files).

Probing the Physics of Core-Collapse Supernovae and Ultra-Relativistic Outflows using Pulsar Wind Nebulae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gelfand, Joseph

Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm to search the entire parameter space - allowing us to both determine the statistical and systematic errors of the derived quantities and make testable predictions for future observations. The results of this investigation are relevant to many areas of astrophysics. Particle acceleration occurs in many magnetized relativistic outflows, from active galactic nuclei to gamma-ray bursts, and insight into the acceleration mechanism present in PWNe would be directly applicable to these systems. Additionally, our modeling with help us determine if PWNe are the origin of the anomalous population of GeV cosmic ray electrons and positrons often theorized to be the result of decaying dark matter. Lastly, PWNe are expected to be an important class of sources for next-generation observatories like ATHENA, the Square Kilometer Array, and the Cherenkov Telescope Array, and our modeling will provide valuable insight into what can and cannot be discovered using these telescopes. This work directly address NASA's strategic objective to advance understanding of the fundamental physics of the universe by studying the behavior of matter and energy in extreme environments.

Dust and molecules in extra-galactic planetary nebulae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Hernandez, Domingo Aníbal

2015-08-01

Extra-galactic planetary nebulae (PNe) permit the study of dust and molecules in metallicity environments other than the Galaxy. Their known distances lower the number of free parameters in the observations vs. models comparison, providing strong constraints on the gas-phase and solid-state astrochemistry models. Observations of PNe in the Galaxy and other Local Group galaxies such as the Magellanic Clouds (MC) provide evidence that metallicity affects the production of dust as well as the formation of complex organic molecules and inorganic solid-state compounds in their circumstellar envelopes. In particular, the lower metallicity MC environments seem to be less favorable to dust production and the frequency of carbonaceous dust features and complex fullerene molecules is generally higher with decreasing metallicity. Here, I present an observational review of the dust and molecular content in extra-galactic PNe as compared to their higher metallicity Galactic counterparts. A special attention is given to the level of dust processing and the formation of complex organic molecules (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, fullerenes, and graphene precursors) depending on metallicity.

Does electromagnetic radiation accelerate galactic cosmic rays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eichler, D.

1977-01-01

The 'reactor' theories of Tsytovich and collaborators (1973) of cosmic-ray acceleration by electromagnetic radiation are examined in the context of galactic cosmic rays. It is shown that any isotropic synchrotron or Compton reactors with reasonable astrophysical parameters can yield particles with a maximum relativistic factor of only about 10,000. If they are to produce particles with higher relativistic factors, the losses due to inverse Compton scattering of the electromagnetic radiation in them outweigh the acceleration, and this violates the assumptions of the theory. This is a critical restriction in the context of galactic cosmic rays, which have a power-law spectrum extending up to a relativistic factor of 1 million.

Comparison of three methods for wind turbine capacity factor estimation.

PubMed

Ditkovich, Y; Kuperman, A

2014-01-01

Three approaches to calculating capacity factor of fixed speed wind turbines are reviewed and compared using a case study. The first "quasiexact" approach utilizes discrete wind raw data (in the histogram form) and manufacturer-provided turbine power curve (also in discrete form) to numerically calculate the capacity factor. On the other hand, the second "analytic" approach employs a continuous probability distribution function, fitted to the wind data as well as continuous turbine power curve, resulting from double polynomial fitting of manufacturer-provided power curve data. The latter approach, while being an approximation, can be solved analytically thus providing a valuable insight into aspects, affecting the capacity factor. Moreover, several other merits of wind turbine performance may be derived based on the analytical approach. The third "approximate" approach, valid in case of Rayleigh winds only, employs a nonlinear approximation of the capacity factor versus average wind speed curve, only requiring rated power and rotor diameter of the turbine. It is shown that the results obtained by employing the three approaches are very close, enforcing the validity of the analytically derived approximations, which may be used for wind turbine performance evaluation.

Comparison of Three Methods for Wind Turbine Capacity Factor Estimation

PubMed Central

Ditkovich, Y.; Kuperman, A.

2014-01-01

Three approaches to calculating capacity factor of fixed speed wind turbines are reviewed and compared using a case study. The first “quasiexact” approach utilizes discrete wind raw data (in the histogram form) and manufacturer-provided turbine power curve (also in discrete form) to numerically calculate the capacity factor. On the other hand, the second “analytic” approach employs a continuous probability distribution function, fitted to the wind data as well as continuous turbine power curve, resulting from double polynomial fitting of manufacturer-provided power curve data. The latter approach, while being an approximation, can be solved analytically thus providing a valuable insight into aspects, affecting the capacity factor. Moreover, several other merits of wind turbine performance may be derived based on the analytical approach. The third “approximate” approach, valid in case of Rayleigh winds only, employs a nonlinear approximation of the capacity factor versus average wind speed curve, only requiring rated power and rotor diameter of the turbine. It is shown that the results obtained by employing the three approaches are very close, enforcing the validity of the analytically derived approximations, which may be used for wind turbine performance evaluation. PMID:24587755

Chemical Composition of Galactic Disk Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishenina, T. V.; Basak, N. Yu.; Gorbaneva, T. I.; Soubiran, C.; Kovtyukh, V. V.

Abundances of Na, Al, Ca, in the stars of galactic disks are obtained. The separation of thin and stars on cinematic criterion was made early. The behavior of chemical element abundances with metallicity for studied stars was presented.

New constraints on all flavor Galactic diffuse neutrino emission with the ANTARES telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albert, A.; André, M.; Anghinolfi, M.; Anton, G.; Ardid, M.; Aubert, J.-J.; Avgitas, T.; Baret, B.; Barrios-Martí, J.; Basa, S.; Belhorma, B.; Bertin, V.; Biagi, S.; Bormuth, R.; Bourret, S.; Bouwhuis, M. C.; Bruijn, R.; Brunner, J.; Busto, J.; Capone, A.; Caramete, L.; Carr, J.; Celli, S.; Cherkaoui El Moursli, R.; Chiarusi, T.; Circella, M.; Coelho, J. A. B.; Coleiro, A.; Coniglione, R.; Costantini, H.; Coyle, P.; Creusot, A.; Díaz, A. F.; Deschamps, A.; de Bonis, G.; Distefano, C.; di Palma, I.; Domi, A.; Donzaud, C.; Dornic, D.; Drouhin, D.; Eberl, T.; El Bojaddaini, I.; El Khayati, N.; Elsässer, D.; Enzenhöfer, A.; Ettahiri, A.; Fassi, F.; Felis, I.; Fusco, L. A.; Galatà, S.; Gay, P.; Giordano, V.; Glotin, H.; Grégoire, T.; Gracia Ruiz, R.; Graf, K.; Hallmann, S.; van Haren, H.; Heijboer, A. J.; Hello, Y.; Hernández-Rey, J. J.; Hößl, J.; Hofestädt, J.; Hugon, C.; Illuminati, G.; James, C. W.; de Jong, M.; Jongen, M.; Kadler, M.; Kalekin, O.; Katz, U.; Kießling, D.; Kouchner, A.; Kreter, M.; Kreykenbohm, I.; Kulikovskiy, V.; Lachaud, C.; Lahmann, R.; Lefèvre, D.; Leonora, E.; Lotze, M.; Loucatos, S.; Marcelin, M.; Margiotta, A.; Marinelli, A.; Martínez-Mora, J. A.; Mele, R.; Melis, K.; Michael, T.; Migliozzi, P.; Moussa, A.; Navas, S.; Nezri, E.; Organokov, M.; Pǎvǎlaş, G. E.; Pellegrino, C.; Perrina, C.; Piattelli, P.; Popa, V.; Pradier, T.; Quinn, L.; Racca, C.; Riccobene, G.; Sánchez-Losa, A.; Saldaña, M.; Salvadori, I.; Samtleben, D. F. E.; Sanguineti, M.; Sapienza, P.; Schüssler, F.; Sieger, C.; Spurio, M.; Stolarczyk, Th.; Taiuti, M.; Tayalati, Y.; Trovato, A.; Turpin, D.; Tönnis, C.; Vallage, B.; van Elewyck, V.; Versari, F.; Vivolo, D.; Vizzoca, A.; Wilms, J.; Zornoza, J. D.; Zúñiga, J.; Gaggero, D.; Grasso, D.; ANTARES Collaboration

2017-09-01

The flux of very high-energy neutrinos produced in our Galaxy by the interaction of accelerated cosmic rays with the interstellar medium is not yet determined. The characterization of this flux will shed light on Galactic accelerator features, gas distribution morphology and Galactic cosmic ray transport. The central Galactic plane can be the site of an enhanced neutrino production, thus leading to anisotropies in the extraterrestrial neutrino signal as measured by the IceCube Collaboration. The ANTARES neutrino telescope, located in the Mediterranean Sea, offers a favorable view of this part of the sky, thereby allowing for a contribution to the determination of this flux. The expected diffuse Galactic neutrino emission can be obtained, linking a model of generation and propagation of cosmic rays with the morphology of the gas distribution in the Milky Way. In this paper, the so-called "gamma model" introduced recently to explain the high-energy gamma-ray diffuse Galactic emission is assumed as reference. The neutrino flux predicted by the "gamma model" depends on the assumed primary cosmic ray spectrum cutoff. Considering a radially dependent diffusion coefficient, this proposed scenario is able to account for the local cosmic ray measurements, as well as for the Galactic gamma-ray observations. Nine years of ANTARES data are used in this work to search for a possible Galactic contribution according to this scenario. All flavor neutrino interactions are considered. No excess of events is observed, and an upper limit is set on the neutrino flux of 1.1 (1.2) times the prediction of the "gamma model," assuming the primary cosmic ray spectrum cutoff at 5 (50) PeV. This limit excludes the diffuse Galactic neutrino emission as the major cause of the "spectral anomaly" between the two hemispheres measured by IceCube.

A polarized fast radio burst at low Galactic latitude

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petroff, E.; Burke-Spolaor, S.; Keane, E. F.; McLaughlin, M. A.; Miller, R.; Andreoni, I.; Bailes, M.; Barr, E. D.; Bernard, S. R.; Bhandari, S.; Bhat, N. D. R.; Burgay, M.; Caleb, M.; Champion, D.; Chandra, P.; Cooke, J.; Dhillon, V. S.; Farnes, J. S.; Hardy, L. K.; Jaroenjittichai, P.; Johnston, S.; Kasliwal, M.; Kramer, M.; Littlefair, S. P.; Macquart, J. P.; Mickaliger, M.; Possenti, A.; Pritchard, T.; Ravi, V.; Rest, A.; Rowlinson, A.; Sawangwit, U.; Stappers, B.; Sullivan, M.; Tiburzi, C.; van Straten, W.; ANTARES Collaboration; Albert, A.; André, M.; Anghinolfi, M.; Anton, G.; Ardid, M.; Aubert, J.-J.; Avgitas, T.; Baret, B.; Barrios-Martí, J.; Basa, S.; Bertin, V.; Biagi, S.; Bormuth, R.; Bourret, S.; Bouwhuis, M. C.; Bruijn, R.; Brunner, J.; Busto, J.; Capone, A.; Caramete, L.; Carr, J.; Celli, S.; Chiarusi, T.; Circella, M.; Coelho, J. A. B.; Coleiro, A.; Coniglione, R.; Costantini, H.; Coyle, P.; Creusot, A.; Deschamps, A.; de Bonis, G.; Distefano, C.; di Palma, I.; Donzaud, C.; Dornic, D.; Drouhin, D.; Eberl, T.; El Bojaddaini, I.; Elsässer, D.; Enzenhöfer, A.; Felis, I.; Fusco, L. A.; Galatà, S.; Gay, P.; Geißelsöder, S.; Geyer, K.; Giordano, V.; Gleixner, A.; Glotin, H.; Grégoire, T.; Gracia-Ruiz, R.; Graf, K.; Hallmann, S.; van Haren, H.; Heijboer, A. J.; Hello, Y.; Hernández-Rey, J. J.; Hößl, J.; Hofestädt, J.; Hugon, C.; Illuminati, G.; James, C. W.; de Jong, M.; Jongen, M.; Kadler, M.; Kalekin, O.; Katz, U.; Kießling, D.; Kouchner, A.; Kreter, M.; Kreykenbohm, I.; Kulikovskiy, V.; Lachaud, C.; Lahmann, R.; Lefèvre, D.; Leonora, E.; Lotze, M.; Loucatos, S.; Marcelin, M.; Margiotta, A.; Marinelli, A.; Martínez-Mora, J. A.; Mathieu, A.; Mele, R.; Melis, K.; Michael, T.; Migliozzi, P.; Moussa, A.; Mueller, C.; Nezri, E.; Pǎvǎlaş, G. E.; Pellegrino, C.; Perrina, C.; Piattelli, P.; Popa, V.; Pradier, T.; Quinn, L.; Racca, C.; Riccobene, G.; Roensch, K.; Sánchez-Losa, A.; Saldaña, M.; Salvadori, I.; Samtleben, D. F. E.; Sanguineti, M.; Sapienza, P.; Schnabel, J.; Seitz, T.; Sieger, C.; Spurio, M.; Stolarczyk, Th.; Taiuti, M.; Tayalati, Y.; Trovato, A.; Tselengidou, M.; Turpin, D.; Tönnis, C.; Vallage, B.; Vallée, C.; van Elewyck, V.; Vivolo, D.; Vizzoca, A.; Wagner, S.; Wilms, J.; Zornoza, J. D.; Zúñiga, J.; H.E.S.S. Collaboration; Abdalla, H.; Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.; Ait Benkhali, F.; Akhperjanian, A. G.; Andersson, T.; Angüner, E. O.; Arrieta, M.; Aubert, P.; Backes, M.; Balzer, A.; Barnard, M.; Becherini, Y.; Tjus, J. Becker; Berge, D.; Bernhard, S.; Bernlöhr, K.; Blackwell, R.; Böttcher, M.; Boisson, C.; Bolmont, J.; Bordas, P.; Bregeon, J.; Brun, F.; Brun, P.; Bryan, M.; Bulik, T.; Capasso, M.; Casanova, S.; Cerruti, M.; Chakraborty, N.; Chalme-Calvet, R.; Chaves, R. C. G.; Chen, A.; Chevalier, J.; Chrétien, M.; Colafrancesco, S.; Cologna, G.; Condon, B.; Conrad, J.; Cui, Y.; Davids, I. D.; Decock, J.; Degrange, B.; Deil, C.; Devin, J.; Dewilt, P.; Dirson, L.; Djannati-Ataï, A.; Domainko, W.; Donath, A.; Drury, L. O'c.; Dubus, G.; Dutson, K.; Dyks, J.; Edwards, T.; Egberts, K.; Eger, P.; Ernenwein, J.-P.; Eschbach, S.; Farnier, C.; Fegan, S.; Fernandes, M. V.; Fiasson, A.; Fontaine, G.; Förster, A.; Funk, S.; Füßling, M.; Gabici, S.; Gajdus, M.; Gallant, Y. A.; Garrigoux, T.; Giavitto, G.; Giebels, B.; Glicenstein, J. F.; Gottschall, D.; Goyal, A.; Grondin, M.-H.; Hadasch, D.; Hahn, J.; Haupt, M.; Hawkes, J.; Heinzelmann, G.; Henri, G.; Hermann, G.; Hervet, O.; Hinton, J. A.; Hofmann, W.; Hoischen, C.; Holler, M.; Horns, D.; Ivascenko, A.; Jacholkowska, A.; Jamrozy, M.; Janiak, M.; Jankowsky, D.; Jankowsky, F.; Jingo, M.; Jogler, T.; Jouvin, L.; Jung-Richardt, I.; Kastendieck, M. A.; Katarzyński, K.; Kerszberg, D.; Khélifi, B.; Kieffer, M.; King, J.; Klepser, S.; Klochkov, D.; Kluźniak, W.; Kolitzus, D.; Komin, Nu.; Kosack, K.; Krakau, S.; Kraus, M.; Krayzel, F.; Krüger, P. P.; Laffon, H.; Lamanna, G.; Lau, J.; Lees, J.-P.; Lefaucheur, J.; Lefranc, V.; Lemière, A.; Lemoine-Goumard, M.; Lenain, J.-P.; Leser, E.; Lohse, T.; Lorentz, M.; Liu, R.; López-Coto, R.; Lypova, I.; Marandon, V.; Marcowith, A.; Mariaud, C.; Marx, R.; Maurin, G.; Maxted, N.; Mayer, M.; Meintjes, P. J.; Meyer, M.; Mitchell, A. M. W.; Moderski, R.; Mohamed, M.; Mohrmann, L.; Morâ, K.; Moulin, E.; Murach, T.; de Naurois, M.; Niederwanger, F.; Niemiec, J.; Oakes, L.; O'Brien, P.; Odaka, H.; Öttl, S.; Ohm, S.; Ostrowski, M.; Oya, I.; Padovani, M.; Panter, M.; Parsons, R. D.; Pekeur, N. W.; Pelletier, G.; Perennes, C.; Petrucci, P.-O.; Peyaud, B.; Piel, Q.; Pita, S.; Poon, H.; Prokhorov, D.; Prokoph, H.; Pühlhofer, G.; Punch, M.; Quirrenbach, A.; Raab, S.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Renaud, M.; Reyes, R. De Los; Rieger, F.; Romoli, C.; Rosier-Lees, S.; Rowell, G.; Rudak, B.; Rulten, C. B.; Sahakian, V.; Salek, D.; Sanchez, D. A.; Santangelo, A.; Sasaki, M.; Schlickeiser, R.; Schulz, A.; Schüssler, F.; Schwanke, U.; Schwemmer, S.; Settimo, M.; Seyffert, A. S.; Shafi, N.; Shilon, I.; Simoni, R.; Sol, H.; Spanier, F.; Spengler, G.; Spies, F.; Stawarz, Ł.; Steenkamp, R.; Stegmann, C.; Stinzing, F.; Stycz, K.; Sushch, I.; Tavernet, J.-P.; Tavernier, T.; Taylor, A. M.; Terrier, R.; Tibaldo, L.; Tiziani, D.; Tluczykont, M.; Trichard, C.; Tuffs, R.; Uchiyama, Y.; Walt, D. J. Van Der; van Eldik, C.; van Rensburg, C.; van Soelen, B.; Vasileiadis, G.; Veh, J.; Venter, C.; Viana, A.; Vincent, P.; Vink, J.; Voisin, F.; Völk, H. J.; Vuillaume, T.; Wadiasingh, Z.; Wagner, S. J.; Wagner, P.; Wagner, R. M.; White, R.; Wierzcholska, A.; Willmann, P.; Wörnlein, A.; Wouters, D.; Yang, R.; Zabalza, V.; Zaborov, D.; Zacharias, M.; Zanin, R.; Zdziarski, A. A.; Zech, A.; Zefi, F.; Ziegler, A.; Żywucka, N.

2017-08-01

We report on the discovery of a new fast radio burst (FRB), FRB 150215, with the Parkes radio telescope on 2015 February 15. The burst was detected in real time with a dispersion measure (DM) of 1105.6 ± 0.8 pc cm-3, a pulse duration of 2.8^{+1.2}_{-0.5} ms, and a measured peak flux density assuming that the burst was at beam centre of 0.7^{+0.2}_{-0.1} Jy. The FRB originated at a Galactic longitude and latitude of 24.66°, 5.28° and 25° away from the Galactic Center. The burst was found to be 43 ± 5 per cent linearly polarized with a rotation measure (RM) in the range -9 < RM < 12 rad m-2 (95 per cent confidence level), consistent with zero. The burst was followed up with 11 telescopes to search for radio, optical, X-ray, γ-ray and neutrino emission. Neither transient nor variable emission was found to be associated with the burst and no repeat pulses have been observed in 17.25 h of observing. The sightline to the burst is close to the Galactic plane and the observed physical properties of FRB 150215 demonstrate the existence of sight lines of anomalously low RM for a given electron column density. The Galactic RM foreground may approach a null value due to magnetic field reversals along the line of sight, a decreased total electron column density from the Milky Way, or some combination of these effects. A lower Galactic DM contribution might explain why this burst was detectable whereas previous searches at low latitude have had lower detection rates than those out of the plane.

A Green Bank Telescope Survey of Large Galactic H II Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, L. D.; Armentrout, W. P.; Luisi, Matteo; Bania, T. M.; Balser, Dana S.; Wenger, Trey V.

2018-02-01

As part of our ongoing H II Region Discovery Survey (HRDS), we report the Green Bank Telescope detection of 148 new angularly large Galactic H II regions in radio recombination line (RRL) emission. Our targets are located at a declination of δ > -45^\\circ , which corresponds to 266^\\circ > {\\ell }> -20^\\circ at b=0^\\circ . All sources were selected from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer Catalog of Galactic H II Regions, and have infrared angular diameters ≥slant 260\\prime\\prime . The Galactic distribution of these “large” H II regions is similar to that of the previously known sample of Galactic H II regions. The large H II region RRL line width and peak line intensity distributions are skewed toward lower values, compared with that of previous HRDS surveys. We discover seven sources with extremely narrow RRLs < 10 {km} {{{s}}}-1. If half the line width is due to turbulence, these seven sources have thermal plasma temperatures < 1100 {{K}}. These temperatures are lower than any measured for Galactic H II regions, and the narrow-line components may arise instead from partially ionized zones in the H II region photodissociation regions. We discover G039.515+00.511, one of the most luminous H II regions in the Galaxy. We also detect the RRL emission from three H II regions with diameters > 100 {pc}, making them some of the physically largest known H II regions in the Galaxy. This survey completes the HRDS H II region census in the Northern sky, where we have discovered 887 H II regions and more than doubled the size of the previously known census of Galactic H II regions.

Gamma-ray Monitoring of Active Galactic Nuclei with HAWC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauer, Robert; HAWC Collaboration

2016-03-01

Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are extra-galactic sources that can exhibit extreme flux variability over a wide range of wavelengths. TeV gamma rays have been observed from about 60 AGN and can help to diagnose emission models and to study cosmic features like extra-galactic background light or inter-galactic magnetic fields. The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory is a new extensive air shower array that can complement the pointed TeV observations of imaging air Cherenkov telescopes. HAWC is optimized for studying gamma rays with energies between 100 GeV and 100 TeV and has an instantaneous field of view of ~2 sr and a duty cycle >95% that allow us to scan 2/3 of the sky every day. By performing an unbiased monitoring of TeV emissions of AGN over most of the northern and part of the southern sky, HAWC can provide crucial information and trigger follow-up observations in collaborations with pointed TeV instruments. Furthermore, HAWC coverage of AGN is complementary to that provided by the Fermi satellite at lower energies. In this contribution, we will present HAWC flux light curves of TeV gamma rays from various sources, notably the bright AGN Markarian 421 and Markarian 501, and highlight recent results from multi-wavelengths and multi-instrument studies.

Evaluating Galactic Cosmic Ray Environment Models Using RaD-X Flight Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norman, R. B.; Mertens, C. J.; Slaba, T. C.

2016-01-01

Galactic cosmic rays enter Earth's atmosphere after interacting with the geomagnetic field. The primary galactic cosmic rays spectrum is fundamentally changed as it interacts with Earth's atmosphere through nuclear and atomic interactions. At points deeper in the atmosphere, such as at airline altitudes, the radiation environment is a combination of the primary galactic cosmic rays and the secondary particles produced through nuclear interactions. The RaD-X balloon experiment measured the atmospheric radiation environment above 20 km during 2 days in September 2015. These experimental measurements were used to validate and quantify uncertainty in physics-based models used to calculate exposure levels for commercial aviation. In this paper, the Badhwar-O'Neill 2014, the International Organization for Standardization 15390, and the German Aerospace Company galactic cosmic ray environment models are used as input into the same radiation transport code to predict and compare dosimetric quantities to RaD-X measurements. In general, the various model results match the measured tissue equivalent dose well, with results generated by the German Aerospace Center galactic cosmic ray environment model providing the best comparison. For dose equivalent and dose measured in silicon, however, the models were compared less favorably to the measurements.

Probing the Galactic Structure of the Milky Way with H II Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Red, Wesley Alexander; Wenger, Trey V.; Balser, Dana; Anderson, Loren; Bania, Thomas

2018-01-01

Mapping the structure of the Milky Way is challenging since we reside within the Galactic disk and distances are difficult to determine. Elemental abundances provide important constraints on theories of the formation and evolution of the Milky Way. HII regions are the brightest objects in the Galaxy at radio wavelengths and are detected across the entire Galactic disk. We use the Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) to observe the radio recombination line (RRL) and continuum emission of 120 Galactic HII regions located across the Galactic disk. In thermal equilibrium, metal abundances are expected to set the nebular electron temperature with high abundances producing low temperatures. We derive the metallicity of HII regions using an empirical relation between an HII region's radio recombination line-to-continuum ratio and nebular metallicity. Here we focus on a subset of 20 HII regions from our sample that have been well studied with the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) to test our data reduction pipeline and analysis methods. Our goal is to expand this study to the Southern skies with the Australia Telescope Compact Array and create a metallicity map of the entire Galactic disk.

A pan-European quantitative assessment of soil loss by wind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borrelli, Pasqualle; Lugato, Emanuele; Panagos, Panos

2016-04-01

Soil erosion by wind is a serious environmental problem often low perceived but resulting in severe soil degradation forms. On the long-term a considerable part of topsoil - rich in nutrient and organic matters - could be removed compromising the agricultural productivity and inducing an increased use of fertilizers. Field scale studies and observations proven that wind erosion is a serious problem in many European sites. The state-of-the-art suggests a scenario where wind erosion locally affects the temperate climate areas of the northern European countries, as well as the semi-arid areas of the Mediterranean region. However, observations, field measurements and modelling assessments are extremely limited and unequally distributed across Europe. It implies a lack of knowledge about where and when wind erosion occurs, limiting policy actions aimed at mitigating land degradation. To gain a better understanding about soil degradation process, the Soil Resource Assessment working group of the Joint Research Centre carried out the first pan-European assessments of wind-erodible fraction of soil (EF) (Geoderma, 232, 471-478, 2014) and land susceptibility to wind erosion (Land Degradation & Development, DOI: 10.1002/ldr.2318). Today's challenge is to integrate the insights archived by these pan-European assessments, local experiments and field-scale models into a new generation of regional-scale wind erosion models. A GIS version of the Revised Wind Erosion Equation (RWEQ) was developed with the aim to i) move a step forward into the aforementioned challenges, and ii) evaluate the soil loss potential due to wind erosion in the agricoltural land of the EU. The model scheme was designed to describe daily soil loss potential, combining spatiotemporal conditions of soil erodibility, crust factor, soil moisture content, vegetation coverage and wind erosivity at 1 km2 resolution. The average soil loss predicted by GIS-RWEQ in the EU arable land ranges from 0 to 39.9 Mg ha-1 yr

Galactic Spiral Shocks with Thermal Instability in Vertically Stratified Galactic Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Chang-Goo; Kim, Woong-Tae; Ostriker, Eve C.

2010-09-01

Galactic spiral shocks are dominant morphological features and believed to be responsible for substructure formation within spiral arms in disk galaxies. They can also contribute a substantial amount of kinetic energy to the interstellar gas by tapping the (differential) rotational motion. We use numerical hydrodynamic simulations to investigate dynamics and structure of spiral shocks with thermal instability (TI) in vertically stratified galactic disks, focusing on environmental conditions (of heating and the galactic potential) similar to the Solar neighborhood. We initially consider an isothermal disk in vertical hydrostatic equilibrium and let it evolve subject to interstellar cooling and heating as well as a stellar spiral potential. Due to TI, a disk with surface density Σ0 >= 6.7 M sun pc-2 rapidly turns to a thin dense slab near the midplane sandwiched between layers of rarefied gas. The imposed spiral potential leads to a vertically curved shock that exhibits strong flapping motions in the plane perpendicular to the arm. The overall flow structure at saturation is comprised of the arm, postshock expansion zone, and interarm regions that occupy typically 10%, 20%, and 70% of the arm-to-arm distance, in which the gas resides for 15%, 30%, and 55% of the arm-to-arm crossing time, respectively. The flows are characterized by transitions from rarefied to dense phases at the shock and from dense to rarefied phases in the postshock expansion zone, although gas with too-large postshock-density does not undergo this return phase transition, instead forming dense condensations. If self-gravity is omitted, the shock flapping drives random motions in the gas, but only up to ~2-3 km s-1 in the in-plane direction and less than 2 km s-1 in the vertical direction. Time-averaged shock profiles show that the spiral arms in stratified disks are broader and less dense compared to those in unstratified models, and that the vertical density distribution is overall consistent

Southern Hemisphere Upper Thermospheric Wind Climatology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhadly, M. S.; Emmert, J. T.; Drob, D. P.

2017-12-01

This study is focused on the poorly understood large-scale upper thermospheric wind dynamics in the southern polar cap, auroral, and mid latitudes. The gaps in our understanding of the dynamic high-latitude thermosphere are largely due to the sparseness of thermospheric wind measurements. Using data from current observational facilities, it is unfeasible to construct a synoptic picture of the Southern Hemisphere upper thermospheric winds. However, enough data with wide spatial and temporal coverage have accumulated to construct a meaningful statistical analysis of winds as function of season, magnetic latitude, and magnetic local time. We use long-term data from nine ground-based stations located at different southern high latitudes and three space-based instruments. These diverse data sets possess different geometries and different spatial and solar coverage. The major challenge of the effort is to combine these disparate sources of data into a coherent picture while overcoming the sampling limitations and biases among the datasets. Our preliminary analyses show mutual biases present among some of them. We first address the biases among various data sets and then combine them in a coherent way to construct maps of neutral winds for various seasons. We then validate the fitted climatology against the observational data and compare with corresponding fits of 25 years of simulated winds from the National Center for Atmospheric Research Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model. This study provides critical insight into magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere coupling and sets a necessary benchmark for validating new observations and tuning first-principles models.

Statistical Comparison of Anomalous Cosmic Rays and Galactic Cosmic Rays during the Recently Consecutive Unusual Solar Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, L.; Zhang, H.

2014-12-01

Anomalous cosmic rays (ACRs) carry crucial information on the coupling between solar wind and interstellar medium, as well as cosmic ray modulation within the heliosphere. Due to the distinct origins and modulation processes, the spectra and abundance of ACRs are significantly different from that of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). Since the launch of NASA's ACE spacecraft in 1997, its CRIS and SIS instruments have continuously recorded GCR and ACR intensities of several elemental heavy-ions, spanning the whole cycle 23 and the cycle 24 maximum. Here we present a statistical comparison of ACR and GCR observed by ACE spacecraft and their possible relation to solar activity. While the differential flux of ACR also exhibits apparent anti-correlation with solar activity level, the flux of the latest prolonged solar minimum (year 2009) is approximately 5% lower than its previous solar minimum (year 1997). And the minimal level of ACR flux appears in year 2004, instead of year 2001 with the strongest solar activities. The negative indexes of the power law spectra within the energy range from 5 to 30 MeV/nuc also vary with time. The spectra get harder during the solar minimum but softer during the solar maximum. The approaching solar minimum of cycle 24 is believed to resemble the Dalton or Gleissberg Minimum with extremely low solar activity (Zolotova and Ponyavin, 2014). Therefore, the different characteristics of ACRs between the coming solar minimum and the previous minimum are also of great interest. Finally, we will also discuss the possible solar-modulation processes which is responsible for different modulation of ACR and GCR, especially the roles played by diffusion and drifts. The comparative analysis will provide valuable insights into the physical modulation process within the heliosphere under opposite solar polarity and variable solar activity levels.

Special Features of Galactic Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Efthymiopoulos, Christos; Voglis, Nikos; Kalapotharakos, Constantinos

This is an introductory article to some basic notions and currently open problems of galactic dynamics. The focus is on topics mostly relevant to the so-called `new methods' of celestial mechanics or Hamiltonian dynamics, as applied to the ellipsoidal components of galaxies, i.e., to the elliptical galaxies and to the dark halos and bulges of disk galaxies. Traditional topics such as Jeans theorem, the role of a `third integral' of motion, Nekhoroshev theory, violent relaxation, and the statistical mechanics of collisionless stellar systems are first discussed. The emphasis is on modern extrapolations of these old topics. Recent results from orbital and global dynamical studies of galaxies are then shortly reviewed. The role of various families of orbits in supporting self-consistency, as well as the role of chaos in galaxies, are stressed. A description is then given of the main numerical techniques of integration of the N-body problem in the framework of stellar dynamics and of the results obtained via N-Body experiments. A final topic is the secular evolution and self-organization of galactic systems.

The Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glenn, Jason; Aguirre, James; Bally, John; Battersby, Cara; Bradley, Eric Todd; Cyganowski, Claudia; Dowell, Darren; Drosback, Meredith; Dunham, Miranda K.; Evans, Neal J., II;

High-resolution spectrum of the Galactic center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahoney, W. A.; Ling, J. C.; Wheaton, W. A.

1993-01-01

Recent observations of the Galactic center region indicate the presence of a narrow gamma-ray line feature at 170 keV, and theoretical speculations suggest it may result from Compton backscattering of the 511 keV annihilation radiation. The high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometer on HEAO 3 observed the Galactic center in the fall of 1979 and in the spring of 1980. In view of the recent developments, the HEAO data were re-examined to search for this new feature and to look for possible correlations with the 511 keV line emisison. No evidence for such Compton backscattered radiation was found and the derived upper limits for emission in a line feature near 170 keV were well below previously reported fluxes, indicating possible time variability.

Multiplicity of the Galactic Senior Citizens: A high-resolution search for cool subdwarf companions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziegler, Carl; Law, Nicholas M.

2015-01-01

Cool subdwarfs, with spectral types late K and M, are the oldest members of the low-mass stellar population. Mostly present in the galactic halo, subdwarfs are characterized by their low metallicity and high proper-motions. Understanding their binary fraction could give key insights into the star formation process early in the Milky Way's history. However, because of their low luminosity and relative rarity in the solar neighborhood, binary surveys of cool subdwarfs have suffered from small sample sizes and large incompleteness gaps. It appears, however, that the binary fraction of red subdwarfs is much lower than for their main-sequence cousins. Using the highly efficient Robo-AO system, we present the largest high-resolution survey of subdwarfs yet. We find from 349 target cool subdwarfs, 39 are in multiple systems, 13 newly discovered, for a binary fraction of 11 ± 1.8%.

The Galactic Spaceship Tour Challenge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engel, Bill; Schmidt, Diane

2004-01-01

A science fiction problem was placed before the students, they had to plan a profitable trip for Galactic spaceship tour and for which group of five students was made to solve the problem, which would encourage cooperative efforts, and different people in the group could work on different aspects. An important part of this problem is that students…

The Milky Way, the Galactic halo, and the Halos of Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerhard, Ortwin

2015-08-01

The Milky Way, "our" Galaxy, is currently the subject of intense study with many ground-based surveys, in anticipation of upcoming results from the GAIA mission. From this work we have been learning about the full three-dimensional structure of the Galactic box/peanut bulge, the distribution of stars in the bar and disk, and the many streams in the Galactic halo. The data tell us that most of the Galactic bulge formed from the disk, and that a large fraction of the Galactic halo has been accreted from outside. Similarly, in many external galaxy halos there is now evidence for tidal streams and accretion of satellites. To see these features requires exquisite data - mostly very deep photometry, but some halo substructures have also been found with kinematic data. These observations illustrate how galaxy halos are still growing, and sometimes can be used to "time" the accretion events. In comparison with cosmological simulations, the structure of galaxy halos gives us a vivid illustration of the hierarchical nature of our Universe.

Modulation of galactic cosmic rays in solar cycles 22-24: Analysis and physical interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalinin, M. S.; Bazilevskaya, G. A.; Krainev, M. B.; Svirzhevskaya, A. K.; Svirzhevsky, N. S.; Starodubtsev, S. A.

2017-09-01

This work represents a physical interpretation of cosmic ray modulation in the 22nd-24th solar cycles, including an interpretation of an unusual behavior of their intensity in the last minimum of the solar activity (2008-2010). In terms of the Parker modulation model, which deals with regularly measured heliospheric characteristics, it is shown that the determining factor of the increased intensity of the galactic cosmic rays in the minimum of the 24th solar cycle is an anomalous reduction of the heliospheric magnetic field strength during this time interval under the additional influence of the solar wind velocity and the tilt angle of the heliospheric current sheet. We have used in the calculations the dependence of the diffusion tensor on the rigidity in the form K ij ∝ R 2-μ with μ = 1.2 in the sector zones of the heliospheric magnetic field and with μ = 0.8 outside the sector zones, which leads to an additional amplification of the diffusion mechanism of cosmic ray modulation. The proposed approach allows us to describe quite satisfactorily the integral intensity of protons with an energy above 0.1 GeV and the energy spectra in the minima of the 22nd-24th solar cycles at the same value of the free parameter. The determining factor of the anomalously high level of the galactic cosmic ray intensity in the minimum of the 24th solar cycle is the significant reduction of the heliospheric magnetic field strength during this time interval. The forecast of the intensity level in the minimum of the 25th solar cycle is provided.

DHIGLS: DRAO H I Intermediate Galactic Latitude Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blagrave, K.; Martin, P. G.; Joncas, G.; Kothes, R.; Stil, J. M.; Miville-Deschênes, M. A.; Lockman, Felix J.; Taylor, A. R.

2017-01-01

Observations of Galactic H I gas for seven targeted regions at intermediate Galactic latitude are presented at 1\\prime angular resolution using data from the DRAO Synthesis Telescope (ST) and the Green Bank Telescope (GBT). The DHIGLS data are the most extensive arcminute-resolution measurements of the diffuse atomic interstellar medium beyond those in the Galactic plane. The acquisition, reduction, calibration, and mosaicking of the DRAO ST data and the cross calibration and incorporation of the short-spacing information from the GBT are described. The high quality of the resulting DHIGLS products enables a variety of new studies in directions of low Galactic column density. We analyze the angular power spectra of maps of the integrated H I emission (column density) from the data cubes for several distinct velocity ranges. In fitting power-spectrum models based on a power law, but including the effects of the synthesized beam and noise at high spatial frequencies, we find exponents ranging from -2.5 to -3.0. Power spectra of maps of the centroid velocity for these components give similar results. These exponents are interpreted as being representative of the three-dimensional density and velocity fields of the atomic gas, respectively. We find evidence for dramatic changes in the H I structures in channel maps over even small changes in velocity. This narrow line emission has counterparts in absorption spectra against bright background radio sources, quantifying that the gas is cold and dense and can be identified as the cold neutral medium phase. Fully reduced DHIGLS H I data cubes and other data products are available at www.cita.utoronto.ca/DHIGLS.

Near-surface wind variability over the broader Adriatic region: insights from an ensemble of regional climate models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belušić, Andreina; Prtenjak, Maja Telišman; Güttler, Ivan; Ban, Nikolina; Leutwyler, David; Schär, Christoph

2018-06-01

Over the past few decades the horizontal resolution of regional climate models (RCMs) has steadily increased, leading to a better representation of small-scale topographic features and more details in simulating dynamical aspects, especially in coastal regions and over complex terrain. Due to its complex terrain, the broader Adriatic region represents a major challenge to state-of-the-art RCMs in simulating local wind systems realistically. The objective of this study is to identify the added value in near-surface wind due to the refined grid spacing of RCMs. For this purpose, we use a multi-model ensemble composed of CORDEX regional climate simulations at 0.11° and 0.44° grid spacing, forced by the ERA-Interim reanalysis, a COSMO convection-parameterizing simulation at 0.11° and a COSMO convection-resolving simulation at 0.02° grid spacing. Surface station observations from this region and satellite QuikSCAT data over the Adriatic Sea have been compared against daily output obtained from the available simulations. Both day-to-day wind and its frequency distribution are examined. The results indicate that the 0.44° RCMs rarely outperform ERA-Interim reanalysis, while the performance of the high-resolution simulations surpasses that of ERA-Interim. We also disclose that refining the grid spacing to a few km is needed to properly capture the small-scale wind systems. Finally, we show that the simulations frequently yield the accurate angle of local wind regimes, such as for the Bora flow, but overestimate the associated wind magnitude. Finally, spectral analysis shows good agreement between measurements and simulations, indicating the correct temporal variability of the wind speed.

The SILCC project - III. Regulation of star formation and outflows by stellar winds and supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatto, Andrea; Walch, Stefanie; Naab, Thorsten; Girichidis, Philipp; Wünsch, Richard; Glover, Simon C. O.; Klessen, Ralf S.; Clark, Paul C.; Peters, Thomas; Derigs, Dominik; Baczynski, Christian; Puls, Joachim

2017-04-01

We study the impact of stellar winds and supernovae on the multiphase interstellar medium using three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations carried out with FLASH. The selected galactic disc region has a size of (500 pc)2 × ±5 kpc and a gas surface density of 10 M⊙ pc-2. The simulations include an external stellar potential and gas self-gravity, radiative cooling and diffuse heating, sink particles representing star clusters, stellar winds from these clusters that combine the winds from individual massive stars by following their evolution tracks, and subsequent supernova explosions. Dust and gas (self-) shielding is followed to compute the chemical state of the gas with a chemical network. We find that stellar winds can regulate star (cluster) formation. Since the winds suppress the accretion of fresh gas soon after the cluster has formed, they lead to clusters that have lower average masses (102-104.3 M⊙) and form on shorter time-scales (10-3-10 Myr). In particular, we find an anticorrelation of cluster mass and accretion time-scale. Without winds, the star clusters easily grow to larger masses for ˜5 Myr until the first supernova explodes. Overall, the most massive stars provide the most wind energy input, while objects beginning their evolution as B-type stars contribute most of the supernova energy input. A significant outflow from the disc (mass loading ≳1 at 1 kpc) can be launched by thermal gas pressure if more than 50 per cent of the volume near the disc mid-plane can be heated to T > 3 × 105 K. Stellar winds alone cannot create a hot volume-filling phase. The models that are in best agreement with observed star formation rates drive either no outflows or weak outflows.

The Partition Between Terminal Speed and Mass Loss: Thin, Thick, and Rotating Line-Driven Winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gayley, K. G.; Onifer, A. J.

2003-01-01

Steady-state supersonic line-driven winds are important contributors to wind-blown bubbles in star forming regions. The key input to the bubble in the energy-conserving phase is the wind kinetic-energy flux, which involves both the mass-loss rate and the terminal speed. However, these quantities are themselves self-consistent parameters of the line-driving process, so relate to each other and to the resulting wind optical depth. This complex interrelation between optical depth, mass-loss, and wind speed lies at the heart of line-driven wind theory. Drawing on the successes and insights of ``CAK'' theory, I will convey a simplified view of how to unite these processes using the concept of effective opacity, with attention to the ramifications for nonspherical nebular and wind-blown structures. Recent extensions to nongray optically thick environments such as Wolf-Rayet winds and supernovae are also discussed.

The age of the Galactic disk - Inflow, chemical evolution, astration, and radioactivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clayton, Donald D.

1989-01-01

Theoretical models of Galactic evolution and observational data on the age of the Galaxy are compared, with a focus on recent results. Topics addressed include the infall of material and its effects on the age-metallicity relation, the distribution of metallicity, the present gas fraction and metallicity, and the age spectrum of interstellar nuclei; the chemical evolution of the solar neighborhood; the key results of nuclear cosmochronology; and astration effects on Galactic age. It is found that both nuclear cosmochronology and detailed stellar and Galactic evolution models tend to support an age of 12-16 Gyr.

The Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment. BVI Maps of Dense Stellar Regions. III. The Galactic Bulge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Udalski, A.; Szymanski, M.; Kubiak, M.; Pietrzynski, G.; Soszynski, I.; Wozniak, P.; Zebrun, K.; Szewczyk, O.; Wyrzykowski, L.

2002-09-01

We present the VI photometric maps of the Galactic bulge. They contain VI photometry and astrometry of about 30 million stars from 49 fields of 0.225 square degree each in the Galactic center region. The data were collected during the second phase of the OGLE microlensing project. We discuss the accuracy of data and present color-magnitude diagrams of selected fields observed by OGLE in the Galactic bulge. The VI maps of the Galactic bulge are accessible electronically for the astronomical community from the OGLE Internet archive.

Galactic Forces Rule the Dynamics of Milky Way Dwarf Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammer, Francois; Yang, Yanbin; Arenou, Frederic; Babusiaux, Carine; Wang, Jianling; Puech, Mathieu; Flores, Hector

2018-06-01

Dwarf galaxies populating the Galactic halo are assumed to host the largest fractions of dark matter, as calculated from their velocity dispersions. Their major axes are preferentially aligned with the Vast Polar Structure (VPOS) that is perpendicular to the Galactic disk, and we find their velocity gradients aligned as well. This finding results in a probability of random occurrence for the VPOS as low as ∼10‑5. It suggests that tidal forces exerted by the Milky Way are distorting dwarf galaxies. Here we demonstrate on the basis of the impulse approximation that the Galactic gravitational acceleration induces the dwarf line-of-sight velocity dispersion, which is also evidenced by strong dependences between both quantities. Since this result is valid for any dwarf mass value, it implies that dark matter estimates in Milky Way dwarfs cannot be deduced from the product of their radius to the square of their line-of-sight velocity dispersion. This questions the high dark matter fractions reported for these evanescent systems, and the universally adopted total-to-stellar mass relationship in the dwarf regime. It suggests that many dwarfs are at their first passage and are dissolving into the Galactic halo. This gives rise to a promising method to estimate the Milky Way total mass profile at large distances.

Interstellar Scattering Towards the Galactic Center as Probed by OH/IR Stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanlangevelde, Huib Jan; Frail, Dale A.; Cordes, James M.; Diamond, Philip J.

1992-01-01

Angular broadening measurements are reported of 20 OH/IR stars near the galactic center. This class of sources is known to have bright, intrinsically compact (less than or equal to 20 mas) maser components within their circumstellar shells. VLBA antennas and the VLA were used to perform a MKII spectral line VLBI experiment. The rapid drop in correlated flux with increasing baseline, especially for sources closest to the galactic center, is attributed to interstellar scattering. Angular diameters were measured for 13 of our sources. Lower limits were obtained for the remaining seven. With the data, together with additional data taken from the literature, the distribution was determined of interstellar scattering toward the galactic center. A region was found of pronounced scattering nearly centered on SgrA*. Two interpretations are considered for the enhanced scattering. One hypothesis is that the scattering is due to a clump of enhanced turbulence, such as those that lie along lines of sight to other known objects, that has no physical relationship to the galactic center. The other model considers the location of the enhanced scattering to arise in the galactic center itself. The physical implications of the models yield information on the nature of interstellar scattering.

Taking the Galactic Exoplanet Census with K2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christiansen, Jessie; CHAI (California/Hawaii/Arizona/Indiana) K2 Follow-up Consortium

2016-06-01

The NASA Kepler mission was designed and executed with the goal of measuring planet occurrence rates. The stellar sample, the science pipeline, and the planet candidate sample have all been chosen and characterised with an eye to generating uniform, robust statistical measurements. The subsequent K2 mission, however, has been much more open to all science goals, and subsequently the target selection, planet candidate generation and catalogue assembly have been substantially more ad hoc. Here we discuss the pathway forward to using the Galactic latitude coverage of K2 to begin the Galactic exoplanet census that will be continued by the NASA TESS mission.

Portable Wind Energy Harvesters for Low-Power Applications: A Survey.

PubMed

Nabavi, Seyedfakhreddin; Zhang, Lihong

2016-07-16

Energy harvesting has become an increasingly important topic thanks to the advantages in renewability and environmental friendliness. In this paper, a comprehensive study on contemporary portable wind energy harvesters has been conducted. The electrical power generation methods of portable wind energy harvesters are surveyed in three major groups, piezoelectric-, electromagnetic-, and electrostatic-based generators. The paper also takes another view of this area by gauging the required mechanisms for trapping wind flow from ambient environment. In this regard, rotational and aeroelastic mechanisms are analyzed for the portable wind energy harvesting devices. The comparison between both mechanisms shows that the aeroelastic mechanism has promising potential in producing an energy harvester in smaller scale although how to maintain the resonator perpendicular to wind flow for collecting the maximum vibration is still a major challenge to overcome for this mechanism. Furthermore, this paper categorizes the previously published portable wind energy harvesters to macro and micro scales in terms of their physical dimensions. The power management systems are also surveyed to explore the possibility of improving energy conversion efficiency. Finally some insights and research trends are pointed out based on an overall analysis of the previously published works along the historical timeline.

Corona accretion in active galactic nuclei and the observational test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, E.; Liu, B.; Taam, R.; Yuan, W.

2017-10-01

In this talk, we propose a new accretion model, in which the matter is accreted initially in the form of a vertically extended, hot gas (corona) to the central supermassive black hole by capturing the interstellar medium or the stellar wind in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). In this scenario, when the initial mass accretion rate is greater than about 0.01 \\dot M_{Edd}, at a critical radius r_{d}, part of the hot gas begins to condense on to the equatorial disc plane of the black hole, forming an inner cold accretion disc. Then, the matter is accreted in the form of a disc-corona structure extending down to the ISCO of the black hole. We calculate the theoretical structure and the corresponding emergent spectra of the model. It is shown that the model can naturally explain the origin of the X-ray emission in AGNs. Meanwhile the model predicts a new geometry of the accretion flow, which can very well explain some observations, such as the correlation between the hard X-ray slope Γ and the reflection scaling factor R found in AGNs. Finally, we discuss the potential applications of the model to high mass X-ray binaries.

InSight Planetary Protection Status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benardini, James; La Duc, Myron; Willis, Jason

The NASA Discovery Program’s next mission, Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSIght), consists of a single spacecraft that will be launched aboard an Atlas V 401 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base (Space Launch Complex 3E) during the March 2016 timeframe. The overarching mission goal is to illuminate the fundamentals of formation and evolution of terrestrial planets by investigating the interior structure and processes of Mars. The flight system consists of a heritage cruise stage, aeroshell (heatshield and backshell), and Lander from the 2008 Phoenix mission. Included in the lander payload are various cameras, a seismometer, an auxiliary sensor suite to measure wind, temperature, and pressure, and a mole to penetrate the regolith (<5 meters) and assess the subsurface geothermal gradient of Mars. Being a Mars lander mission without life detection instruments, InSight has been designated a PP Category Iva mission. As such, planetary protection bioburden requirements apply which require microbial reduction procedures and biological burden reporting. The InSight project is current with required PP documentation, having completed an approved Planetary Protection Plan, Subsidiary PP Plans, and a PP Implementation Plan. The InSight mission’s early planetary protection campaign has commenced, coinciding with the fabrication and assembly of payload and flight system hardware and the baseline analysis of existing flight spares. A report on the status of InSight PP activities will be provided.

The relationship between the galactic matter distribution, cosmic ray dynamics, and gamma ray production

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kniffen, D. A.; Fichtel, C. E.; Thompson, D. J.

1976-01-01

Theoretical considerations and analysis of the results of gamma ray astronomy suggest that the galactic cosmic rays are dynamically coupled to the interstellar matter through the magnetic fields, and hence the cosmic ray density should be enhanced where the matter density is greatest on the scale of galactic arms. This concept has been explored in a galactic model using recent 21 cm radio observations of the neutral hydrogen and 2.6 mm observations of carbon monoxide, which is considered to be a tracer of molecular hydrogen. The model assumes: (1) cosmic rays are galactic and not universal; (2) on the scale of galactic arms, the cosmic ray column (surface) density is proportional to the total interstellar gas column density; (3) the cosmic ray scale height is significantly larger than the scale height of the matter; and (4) ours is a spiral galaxy characterized by an arm to interarm density ratio of about 3:1.

IRAS and the Boston University Arecibo Galactic H I Survey: A catalog of cloud properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bania, Thomas M.

1992-01-01

The Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) Galactic Plane Surface Brightness Images were used to identify infrared emission associated with cool, diffuse H I clouds detected by the Boston University-Arecibo Galactic H I Survey. These clouds are associated with galactic star clusters, H II regions, and molecular clouds. Using emission-absorption experiments toward galactic H II regions, we determined the H I properties of cool H I clouds seen in absorption against the thermal continuum, including their kinematic distances. Correlations were then made between IRAS sources and these H II regions, thus some of the spatial confusion associated with the IRAS fields near the galactic plane was resolved since the distances to these sources was known. Because we can also correlate the BU-Arecibo clouds with existing CO surveys, these results will allow us to determine the intrinsic properties of the gas (neutral and ionized atomic as well as molecular) and dust for interstellar clouds in the inner galaxy. For the IRAS-identified H II region sample, we have established the far infrared (FIR) luminosities and galactic distribution of these sources.

Neutrino-heated winds from rotating protomagnetars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vlasov, Andrey D.; Metzger, Brian D.; Thompson, Todd A.

2014-11-01

We calculate the steady-state properties of neutrino-driven winds from strongly magnetized, rotating protoneutron stars (PNSs; `protomagnetars') under the assumption that the outflow geometry is set by the force-free magnetic field of an aligned dipole. Our goal is to assess protomagnetars as sites of r-process nucleosynthesis and gamma-ray burst engines using a more realistic outflow geometry than assumed in previous works. One-dimensional solutions calculated along flux tubes corresponding to different polar field lines are stitched together to determine the global properties of the flow at a given neutrino luminosity and rotation period. Protomagnetars with rotation periods of P ˜ 2-5 ms are shown to produce outflows more favourable for the production of third-peak r-process nuclei due to their much shorter expansion times through the seed nucleus formation region, yet only moderately lower entropies, as compared to normal spherical PNS winds. Protomagnetars with moderately rapid birth periods P ˜ 3-5 ms may thus represent a promising galactic r-process site which is compatible with a variety of other observations, including the recent discovery of possible magnetar-powered supernovae in metal-poor galaxies. We also confirm previous results that the outflows from protomagnetars with P ˜ 1-2 ms can achieve maximum Lorentz factors Γmax ˜ 100-1000 in the range necessary to power gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The implications of GRB jets with a heavy nuclei-dominated composition as sources of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays are also addressed.

New Insights on the Accretion Disk-Winds Connection in Radio-Loud AGNs from Suzaku

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tombesi, F.; Sambruna, R. M.; Reeves, J. N.; Braito, V.; Cappi, M.; Reynolds, S.; Mushotzky, R. F.

2011-01-01

From the spectral analysis of long Suzaku observations of five radio-loud AGNs we have been able to discover the presence of ultra-fast outflows with velocities ,,approx.0.1 c in three of them, namely 3C III, 3C 120 and 3C 390.3. They are consistent with being accretion disk winds/outflows. We also performed a follow-up on 3C III to monitor its outflow on approx.7 days time-scales and detected an anti-correlated variability of a possible relativistic emission line with respect to blue-shifted Fe K features, following a flux increase. This provides the first direct evidence for an accretion disc-wind connection in an AGN. The mass outflow rate of these outflows can be comparable to the accretion rate and their mechanical power can correspond to a significant fraction of the bolometric luminosity and is comparable to their typical jet power. Therefore, they can possibly play a significant role in the expected feedback from AGNs and can give us further clues on the relation between the accretion disk and the formation of winds/jets.

SPI measurements of Galactic 26Al

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diehl, R.; Knödlseder, J.; Lichti, G. G.; Kretschmer, K.; Schanne, S.; Schönfelder, V.; Strong, A. W.; von Kienlin, A.; Weidenspointner, G.; Winkler, C.; Wunderer, C.

2003-11-01

The precision measurement of the 1809 keV gamma-ray line from Galactic 26Al is one of the goals of the SPI spectrometer on INTEGRAL with its Ge detector camera. We aim for determination of the detailed shape of this gamma-ray line, and its variation for different source regions along the plane of the Galaxy. Data from the first part of the core program observations of the first mission year have been inspected. A clear detection of the 26Al line at =~ 5-7 sigma significance demonstrates that SPI will deepen 26Al studies. The line intensity is consistent with expectations from previous experiments, and the line appears narrower than the 5.4 keV FWHM reported by GRIS, more consistent with RHESSI's recent value. Only preliminary statements can be made at this time, however, due to the multi-component background underlying the signal at =~ 40 times higher intensity than the signal from Galactic 26Al.

The fuelling of active galactic nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shlosman, Isaac; Begelman, Mitchell C.; Frank, Julian

1990-01-01

Accretion mechanisms for powering the central engines of active galactic nuclei (AGN) and possible sources of fuel are reviewed. It is a argued that the interstellar matter in the main body of the host galaxy is channeled toward the center, and the problem of angular momentum transport is addressed. Thin accretion disks are not a viable means of delivering fuel to luminous AGN on scales much larger than a parsec because of the long inflow time and effects of self-gravity. There are also serious obstacles to maintaining and regulating geometrically thick, hot accretion flows. The role of nonaxisymmetric perturbations of the gravitational potential on galactic scales and their triggers is emphasized. A unified model is outlined for fueling AGN, in which the inflow on large scales is driven by gravitational torques, and on small scales forms a mildly self-gravitating disk of clouds with inflow driven by magnetic torques or cloud-cloud collisions.

The Solar Wind Charge-Transfer X-Ray Emission in the 1/4 keV Energy Range: Inferences on Local Bubble Hot Gas at Low Z

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koutroumpa, D.; Lallement, R.; Raymond, J. C.; Kharchenko, V.

2009-05-01

We present calculations of the heliospheric solar wind charge-exchange (SWCX) emission spectra and the resulting contributions of this diffuse background in the ROSAT 1/4 keV bands. We compare our results with the soft X-ray background (SXRB) emission detected in front of 378 identified shadowing regions during the ROSAT All-Sky Survey. This foreground component is principally attributed to the hot gas of the so-called Local Bubble (LB), an irregularly shaped cavity of ~50-150 pc around the Sun, which is supposed to contain ~106 K plasma. Our results suggest that the SWCX emission from the heliosphere is bright enough to account for most of the foreground emission toward the majority of low galactic latitude directions, where the LB is the least extended. On the other hand, in a large part of directions with galactic latitude above 30°, the heliospheric SWCX intensity is significantly smaller than the measured one. However, the SWCX R2/R1 band ratio differs slightly from the data in the galactic center direction, and more significantly in the galactic anticentre direction where the observed ratio is the smallest. Assuming that both SWCX and hot gas emission are present and their relative contributions vary with direction, we tested a series of thermal plasma spectra for temperatures ranging from 10 5 to 10 6.5 K and searched for a combination of SWCX spectra and thermal emission matching the observed intensities and band ratios, while simultaneously being compatible with O VI emission measurements. In the frame of collisional equilibrium models and for solar abundances, the range we derive for hot gas temperature and emission measure cannot reproduce the Wisconsin C/B band ratio. This implies that accounting for SWCX contamination does not remove these known disagreements between data and classical hot gas models. We emphasize the need for additional atomic data, describing consistently EUV and X-ray photon spectra of the charge-exchange emission of heavier solar

Deep Chandra observations of HCG 16. I. Active nuclei, star formation, and galactic winds

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

O'Sullivan, E.; Zezas, A.; Vrtilek, J. M.

2014-10-01

We present new, deep Chandra X-ray and Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope 610 MHz observations of the spiral-galaxy-rich compact group HCG 16, which we use to examine nuclear activity, star formation, and high-luminosity X-ray binary populations in the major galaxies. We confirm the presence of obscured active nuclei in NGC 833 and NGC 835, and identify a previously unrecognized nuclear source in NGC 838. All three nuclei are variable on timescales of months to years, and for NGC 833 and NGC 835 this is most likely caused by changes in accretion rate. The deep Chandra observations allow us to detect formore » the first time an Fe Kα emission line in the spectrum of the Seyfert 2 nucleus of NGC 835. We find that NGC 838 and NGC 839 are both starburst-dominated systems, with only weak nuclear activity, in agreement with previous optical studies. We estimate the star formation rates in the two galaxies from their X-ray and radio emission, and compare these results with estimates from the infrared and ultraviolet bands to confirm that star formation in both galaxies is probably declining after galaxy-wide starbursts were triggered ∼400-500 Myr ago. We examine the physical properties of their galactic superwinds, and find that both have temperatures of ∼0.8 keV. We also examine the X-ray and radio properties of NGC 848, the fifth largest galaxy in the group, and show that it is dominated by emission from its starburst.« less

Deep Chandra Observations of HCG 16. I. Active Nuclei, Star Formation, and Galactic Winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Sullivan, E.; Zezas, A.; Vrtilek, J. M.; Giacintucci, S.; Trevisan, M.; David, L. P.; Ponman, T. J.; Mamon, G. A.; Raychaudhury, S.

2014-10-01

We present new, deep Chandra X-ray and Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope 610 MHz observations of the spiral-galaxy-rich compact group HCG 16, which we use to examine nuclear activity, star formation, and high-luminosity X-ray binary populations in the major galaxies. We confirm the presence of obscured active nuclei in NGC 833 and NGC 835, and identify a previously unrecognized nuclear source in NGC 838. All three nuclei are variable on timescales of months to years, and for NGC 833 and NGC 835 this is most likely caused by changes in accretion rate. The deep Chandra observations allow us to detect for the first time an Fe Kα emission line in the spectrum of the Seyfert 2 nucleus of NGC 835. We find that NGC 838 and NGC 839 are both starburst-dominated systems, with only weak nuclear activity, in agreement with previous optical studies. We estimate the star formation rates in the two galaxies from their X-ray and radio emission, and compare these results with estimates from the infrared and ultraviolet bands to confirm that star formation in both galaxies is probably declining after galaxy-wide starbursts were triggered ~400-500 Myr ago. We examine the physical properties of their galactic superwinds, and find that both have temperatures of ~0.8 keV. We also examine the X-ray and radio properties of NGC 848, the fifth largest galaxy in the group, and show that it is dominated by emission from its starburst.

Momentum-driven Winds from Radiatively Efficient Black Hole Accretion and Their Impact on Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brennan, Ryan; Choi, Ena; Somerville, Rachel S.; Hirschmann, Michaela; Naab, Thorsten; Ostriker, Jeremiah P.

2018-06-01

We explore the effect of momentum-driven winds representing radiation-pressure-driven outflows from accretion onto supermassive black holes in a set of numerical hydrodynamical simulations. We explore two matched sets of cosmological zoom-in runs of 24 halos with masses ∼1012.0–1013.4 M ⊙ run with two different feedback models. Our “NoAGN” model includes stellar feedback via UV heating, stellar winds and supernovae, photoelectric heating, and cosmic X-ray background heating from a metagalactic background. Our fiducial “MrAGN” model is identical except that it also includes a model for black hole seeding and accretion, as well as heating and momentum injection associated with the radiation from black hole accretion. Our MrAGN model launches galactic outflows, which result in both “ejective” feedback—the outflows themselves that drive gas out of galaxies—and “preventative” feedback, which suppresses the inflow of new and recycling gas. As much as 80% of outflowing galactic gas can be expelled, and accretion can be suppressed by as much as a factor of 30 in the MrAGN runs when compared with the NoAGN runs. The histories of NoAGN galaxies are recycling dominated, with ∼70% of material that leaves the galaxy eventually returning, and the majority of outflowing gas reaccretes on 1 Gyr timescales without AGN feedback. Outflowing gas in the MrAGN runs has a higher characteristic velocity (500–1000 km s‑1 versus 100–300 km s‑1 for outflowing NoAGN gas) and travels as far as a few megaparsecs. Only ∼10% of ejected material is reaccreted in the MrAGN galaxies.

IRAS 18357-0604 - an analogue of the galactic yellow hypergiant IRC +10420?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, J. S.; Negueruela, I.; González-Fernández, C.

2014-01-01

Context. Yellow hypergiants represent a short-lived evolutionary episode experienced by massive stars as they transit to and from a red supergiant phase. As such, their properties provide a critical test of stellar evolutionary theory, while recent observations unexpectedly suggest that a subset may explode as Type II supernovae. Aims: The galactic yellow hypergiant IRC +10420 is a cornerstone system for understanding this phase since it is the strongest post-RSG candidate known, has demonstrated real-time evolution across the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram and been subject to extensive mass loss. In this paper we report on the discovery of a twin of IRC +10420 - IRAS 18357-0604. Methods: Optical and near-IR spectroscopy are used to investigate the physical properties of IRAS 18357-0604 and also provide an estimate of its systemic velocity, while near- to mid-IR photometry probes the nature of its circumstellar environment. Results: These observations reveal pronounced spectral similarities between IRAS 18357-0604 and IRC +10420, suggesting comparable temperatures and wind geometries. IR photometric data reveals a similarly dusty circumstellar environment, although historical mass loss appears to have been heavier in IRC +10420. The systemic velocity implies a distance compatible with the red supergiant-dominated complex at the base of the Scutum Crux arm; the resultant luminosity determination is consistent with a physical association but suggests a lower initial mass than inferred for IRC +10420 (≲20 M⊙ versus ~40 M⊙). Evolutionary predictions for the physical properties of supernova progenitors derived from ~18-20 M⊙ stars - or ~12-15 M⊙ stars that have experienced enhanced mass loss as red supergiants - compare favourably with those of IRAS 18357-0604, which in turn appears to be similar to the the progenitor of SN2011dh; it may therefore provide an important insight into the nature of the apparently H-depleted yellow hypergiant progenitors of some Type

Feeding the fire: tracing the mass-loading of 107 K galactic outflows with O VI absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chisholm, J.; Bordoloi, R.; Rigby, J. R.; Bayliss, M.

2018-02-01

Galactic outflows regulate the amount of gas galaxies convert into stars. However, it is difficult to measure the mass outflows remove because they span a large range of temperatures and phases. Here, we study the rest-frame ultraviolet spectrum of a lensed galaxy at z ˜ 2.9 with prominent interstellar absorption lines from O I, tracing neutral gas, up to O VI, tracing transitional phase gas. The O VI profile mimics weak low-ionization profiles at low velocities, and strong saturated profiles at high velocities. These trends indicate that O VI gas is co-spatial with the low-ionization gas. Further, at velocities blueward of -200 km s-1 the column density of the low-ionization outflow rapidly drops while the O VI column density rises, suggesting that O VI is created as the low-ionization gas is destroyed. Photoionization models do not reproduce the observed O VI, but adequately match the low-ionization gas, indicating that the phases have different formation mechanisms. Photoionized outflows are more massive than O VI outflows for most of the observed velocities, although the O VI mass outflow rate exceeds the photoionized outflow at velocities above the galaxy's escape velocity. Therefore, most gas capable of escaping the galaxy is in a hot outflow phase. We suggest that the O VI absorption is a temporary by-product of conduction transferring mass from the photoionized phase to an unobserved hot wind, and discuss how this mass-loading impacts the observed circum-galactic medium.

Testing Intermittence of the Galactic Star Formation History along with the Infall Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeuchi, Tsutomu T.; Hirashita, Hiroyuki

2000-09-01

We analyze the star formation history (SFH) of the Galactic disk by using an infall model. Based on the observed SFH of the Galactic disk, we first determine the timescale of the gas infall into the Galactic disk (tin) and that of the gas consumption to form stars (tsf). Since each of the two timescales does not prove to be determined independently from the SFH, we first fix tsf. Then, tin is determined so that we minimize χ2. Consequently, we choose three parameter sets: [tsf (Gyr),tin (Gyr)]=(6.0, 23), (11, 12), and (15, 9.0), where we set the Galactic age as 15 Gyr. All of the three cases predict almost identical star formation history. Next, we test the intermittence (or variability) of the star formation rate (SFR) along with the smooth SFH suggested from the infall model. The large value of the χ2 statistic supports the violent time variation of the SFH. If we interpret the observed SFH with smooth and variable components, the amplitude of the variable component is comparable to the smooth component. Thus, intermittent SFH of the Galactic disk is strongly suggested. We also examined the metallicity distribution of G dwarfs. We found that the true parameter set lies between [tsf (Gyr),tin (Gyr)]=(6, 23) and (11, 12), though we need a more sophisticated model including the process of metal enrichment within the Galactic halo.

77 FR 29633 - Alta Wind VII, LLC, Alta Wind IX, LLC, Alta Wind X, LLC, Alta Wind XI, LLC, Alta Wind XII, LLC...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-18

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EL12-68-000] Alta Wind VII, LLC, Alta Wind IX, LLC, Alta Wind X, LLC, Alta Wind XI, LLC, Alta Wind XII, LLC, Alta Wind XIII, LLC, Alta Wind XIV, LLC, Alta Wind XV, LLC, Alta Windpower Development, LLC, TGP Development Company, LLC...

75 FR 23263 - Alta Wind I, LLC; Alta Wind II, LLC; Alta Wind III, LLC; Alta Wind IV, LLC; Alta Wind V, LLC...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-03

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EL10-62-000] Alta Wind I, LLC; Alta Wind II, LLC; Alta Wind III, LLC; Alta Wind IV, LLC; Alta Wind V, LLC; Alta Wind VI, LLC; Alta Wind VII, LLC; Alta Wind VIII, LLC; Alta Windpower Development, LLC; TGP Development Company, LLC...

Elucidation of kinematical and dynamical structure of the Galactic bulge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yano, T.; Gouda, N.; Ueda, H.; Koyama, H.; Kan-ya, Y.; Taruya, A.

2008-07-01

Future space mission of astrometric satellite, GAIA and JASMINE (Japan Astrometry Satellite Mission for Infrared Exploration), will produce astrometric parameter, such as positions, parallaxes, and proper motions of stars in the Galactic bulge. Then kinematical information will be obtained in the future. Accordingly it is expected that our understanding of the dynamical structure will be greatly improved. Therefore it is important to make a method to construct a kinematical and dynamical structure of the Galactic bulge immediately.

Radiation protection issues in galactic cosmic ray risk assessment.

PubMed

Sinclair, W K

1994-01-01

Radiation protection involves the limitation of exposure to below threshold doses for direct (or deterministic) effects and a knowledge of the risk of stochastic effects after low doses. The principal stochastic risk associated with low dose rate galactic cosmic rays is the increased risk of cancer. Estimates of this risk depend on two factors (a) estimates of cancer risk for low-LET radiation and (b) values of the appropriate radiation weighting factors, WR, for the high-LET radiations of galactic cosmic rays. Both factors are subject to considerable uncertainty. The low-LET cancer risk derived from the late effects of the atomic bombs is vulnerable to a number of uncertainties including especially that from projection in time, and from extrapolation from high to low dose rate. Nevertheless, recent low dose studies of workers and others tend to confirm these estimates. WR, relies on biological effects studied mainly in non-human systems. Additional laboratory studies could reduce the uncertainties in WR and thus produce a more confident estimate of the overall risk of galactic cosmic rays.

Searches for point sources in the Galactic Center region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

di Mauro, Mattia; Fermi-LAT Collaboration

2017-01-01

Several groups have demonstrated the existence of an excess in the gamma-ray emission around the Galactic Center (GC) with respect to the predictions from a variety of Galactic Interstellar Emission Models (GIEMs) and point source catalogs. The origin of this excess, peaked at a few GeV, is still under debate. A possible interpretation is that it comes from a population of unresolved Millisecond Pulsars (MSPs) in the Galactic bulge. We investigate the detection of point sources in the GC region using new tools which the Fermi-LAT Collaboration is developing in the context of searches for Dark Matter (DM) signals. These new tools perform very fast scans iteratively testing for additional point sources at each of the pixels of the region of interest. We show also how to discriminate between point sources and structural residuals from the GIEM. We apply these methods to the GC region considering different GIEMs and testing the DM and MSPs intepretations for the GC excess. Additionally, we create a list of promising MSP candidates that could represent the brightest sources of a MSP bulge population.

Radiation protection issues in galactic cosmic ray risk assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sinclair, W. K.

1994-01-01

Radiation protection involves the limitation of exposure to below threshold doses for direct (or deterministic) effects and a knowledge of the risk of stochastic effects after low doses. The principal stochastic risk associated with low dose rate galactic cosmic rays is the increased risk of cancer. Estimates of this risk depend on two factors (a) estimates of cancer risk for low-LET radiation and (b) values of the appropriate radiation weighting factors, WR, for the high-LET radiations of galactic cosmic rays. Both factors are subject to considerable uncertainty. The low-LET cancer risk derived from the late effects of the atomic bombs is vulnerable to a number of uncertainties including especially that from projection in time, and from extrapolation from high to low dose rate. Nevertheless, recent low dose studies of workers and others tend to confirm these estimates. WR, relies on biological effects studied mainly in non-human systems. Additional laboratory studies could reduce the uncertainties in WR and thus produce a more confident estimate of the overall risk of galactic cosmic rays.

Diffuse X-ray sky in the Galactic center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koyama, Katsuji

2018-01-01

The Galactic diffuse X-ray emission (GDXE) in the Milky Way Galaxy is spatially and spectrally decomposed into the Galactic center X-ray emission (GCXE), the Galactic ridge X-ray emission (GRXE), and the Galactic bulge X-ray emission (GBXE). The X-ray spectra of the GDXE are characterized by the strong K-shell lines of the highly ionized atoms, and the brightest lines are the K-shell transition (principal quantum number transition of n = 2 → 1) of neutral iron (Fe I-Kα), He-like iron (Fe XXV-Heα), and He-like sulfur (S XV-Heα). Accordingly, the GDXE is composed of a high-temperature plasma of ˜7 keV (HTP) and a low-temperature plasma of ˜1 keV, which emit the Fe XXV-Heα and S XV-Heα lines, respectively. The Fe I-Kα line is emitted from nearly neutral irons, and hence the third component of the GDXE is a cool gas (CG). The Fe I-Kα distribution in the GCXE region is clumpy (Fe I-Kα clump), associated with giant molecular cloud (MC) complexes (Sagittarius A, B, C, D, and E) in the central molecular zone. The origin of the Fe I-Kα clumps is the fluorescence and Thomson scattering from the MCs irradiated by past big flares of the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*. The scale heights and equivalent widths of the Fe I-Kα, Fe XXV-Heα, and Fe XXVI-Lyα (n = 2 → 1 transition of H-like iron) lines are different among the GCXE, GBXE, and GRXE. Therefore, their structures and origins are separately examined. This paper gives an overview of the research history and the present understandings of the GDXE, while in particular focusing on the origin of the HTP and CG in the GCXE.

Advancing Development and Greenhouse Gas Reductions in Vietnam's Wind Sector

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

Bilello, D.; Katz, J.; Esterly, S.

2014-09-01

Clean energy development is a key component of Vietnam's Green Growth Strategy, which establishes a target to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from domestic energy activities by 20-30 percent by 2030 relative to a business-as-usual scenario. Vietnam has significant wind energy resources, which, if developed, could help the country reach this target while providing ancillary economic, social, and environmental benefits. Given Vietnam's ambitious clean energy goals and the relatively nascent state of wind energy development in the country, this paper seeks to fulfill two primary objectives: to distill timely and useful information to provincial-level planners, analysts, and project developers asmore » they evaluate opportunities to develop local wind resources; and, to provide insights to policymakers on how coordinated efforts may help advance large-scale wind development, deliver near-term GHG emission reductions, and promote national objectives in the context of a low emission development framework.« less

Introduction to Galactic Chemical Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matteucci, Francesca

2016-04-01

In this lecture I will introduce the concept of galactic chemical evolution, namely the study of how and where the chemical elements formed and how they were distributed in the stars and gas in galaxies. The main ingredients to build models of galactic chemical evolution will be described. They include: initial conditions, star formation history, stellar nucleosynthesis and gas flows in and out of galaxies. Then some simple analytical models and their solutions will be discussed together with the main criticisms associated to them. The yield per stellar generation will be defined and the hypothesis of instantaneous recycling approximation will be critically discussed. Detailed numerical models of chemical evolution of galaxies of different morphological type, able to follow the time evolution of the abundances of single elements, will be discussed and their predictions will be compared to observational data. The comparisons will include stellar abundances as well as interstellar medium ones, measured in galaxies. I will show how, from these comparisons, one can derive important constraints on stellar nucleosynthesis and galaxy formation mechanisms. Most of the concepts described in this lecture can be found in the monograph by Matteucci (2012).

Exact axially symmetric galactic dynamos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henriksen, R. N.; Woodfinden, A.; Irwin, J. A.

2018-05-01

We give a selection of exact dynamos in axial symmetry on a galactic scale. These include some steady examples, at least one of which is wholly analytic in terms of simple functions and has been discussed elsewhere. Most solutions are found in terms of special functions, such as associated Lagrange or hypergeometric functions. They may be considered exact in the sense that they are known to any desired accuracy in principle. The new aspect developed here is to present scale-invariant solutions with zero resistivity that are self-similar in time. The time dependence is either a power law or an exponential factor, but since the geometry of the solution is self-similar in time we do not need to fix a time to study it. Several examples are discussed. Our results demonstrate (without the need to invoke any other mechanisms) X-shaped magnetic fields and (axially symmetric) magnetic spiral arms (both of which are well observed and documented) and predict reversing rotation measures in galaxy haloes (now observed in the CHANG-ES sample) as well as the fact that planar magnetic spirals are lifted into the galactic halo.

Wind Power Forecasting Error Frequency Analyses for Operational Power System Studies: Preprint

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

Florita, A.; Hodge, B. M.; Milligan, M.

2012-08-01

The examination of wind power forecasting errors is crucial for optimal unit commitment and economic dispatch of power systems with significant wind power penetrations. This scheduling process includes both renewable and nonrenewable generators, and the incorporation of wind power forecasts will become increasingly important as wind fleets constitute a larger portion of generation portfolios. This research considers the Western Wind and Solar Integration Study database of wind power forecasts and numerical actualizations. This database comprises more than 30,000 locations spread over the western United States, with a total wind power capacity of 960 GW. Error analyses for individual sites andmore » for specific balancing areas are performed using the database, quantifying the fit to theoretical distributions through goodness-of-fit metrics. Insights into wind-power forecasting error distributions are established for various levels of temporal and spatial resolution, contrasts made among the frequency distribution alternatives, and recommendations put forth for harnessing the results. Empirical data are used to produce more realistic site-level forecasts than previously employed, such that higher resolution operational studies are possible. This research feeds into a larger work of renewable integration through the links wind power forecasting has with various operational issues, such as stochastic unit commitment and flexible reserve level determination.« less

North Galactic Plane Structure with IPHAS Be Stars.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gkouvelis, L.; Fabregat, J.; IPHAS Consortium

2016-11-01

Our goal is to investigate the spiral structure of the Northern Galactic plane using as tracers the classical Be stars detected by INT Photometric Hα Survey (IPHAS). IPHAS scans the 29oGalactic disk in the anticenter direction.

Galaxy IC 3639 with Obscured Active Galactic Nucleus

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-01-07

IC 3639, a galaxy with an active galactic nucleus, is seen in this image combining data from the Hubble Space Telescope and the European Southern Observatory. This galaxy contains an example of a supermassive black hole hidden by gas and dust. Researchers analyzed NuSTAR data from this object and compared them with previous observations from NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory and the Japanese-led Suzaku satellite. The findings from NuSTAR, which is more sensitive to higher energy X-rays than these observatories, confirm the nature of IC 3639 as an active galactic nucleus that is heavily obscured, and intrinsically much brighter than observed. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21087

Slow Solar Wind: Observations and Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbo, L.; Ofman, L.; Antiochos, S. K.; Hansteen, V. H.; Harra, L.; Ko, Y.-K.; Lapenta, G.; Li, B.; Riley, P.; Strachan, L.;

FERMI BUBBLES AND BUBBLE-LIKE EMISSION FROM THE GALACTIC PLANE

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

De Boer, Wim; Weber, Markus, E-mail: wim.de.boer@kit.edu, E-mail: markus.weber2@kit.edu

2014-10-10

The diffuse gamma-ray sky revealed ''bubbles'' of emission above and below the Galactic plane, symmetric around the center of the Milky Way, with a height of 10 kpc in both directions. At present, there is no convincing explanation for the origin. To understand the role of the Galactic center, one has to study the bubble spectrum inside the disk, a region that has been excluded from previous analyses because of the large foreground. From a novel template fit, which allows a simultaneous determination of the signal and foreground in any direction, we find that bubble-like emission is not only found inmore » the halo, but in the Galactic plane as well, with a width in latitude coinciding with the molecular clouds. The longitude distribution has a width corresponding to the Galactic bar with an additional contribution from the Scutum-Centaurus arm. The energy spectrum of the bubbles coincides with the predicted contribution from CRs trapped in sources (SCRs). Also, the energetics fits well. Hence, we conclude that the bubble-like emission has a hadronic origin that arises from SCRs, and the bubbles in the halo arise from hadronic interactions in advected gas. Evidence for advection is provided by the ROSAT X-rays of hot gas in the bubble region.« less

Detection of Another Molecular Bubble in the Galactic Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsujimoto, Shiho; Oka, Tomoharu; Takekawa, Shunya; Yamada, Masaya; Tokuyama, Sekito; Iwata, Yuhei; Roll, Justin A.

2018-04-01

The l=-1\\buildrel{\\circ}\\over{.} 2 region in the Galactic center has a high CO J = 3–2/J = 1–0 intensity ratio and extremely broad velocity width. This paper reports the detection of five expanding shells in the l=-1\\buildrel{\\circ}\\over{.} 2 region based on the CO J = 1–0, 13CO J = 1–0, CO J = 3–2, and SiO J = 8–7 line data sets obtained with the Nobeyama Radio Observatory 45 m telescope and James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. The kinetic energy and expansion time of the expanding shells are estimated to be {10}48.3{--50.8} erg and {10}4.7{--5.0} yr, respectively. The origin of these expanding shells is discussed. The total kinetic energy of 1051 erg and the typical expansion time of ∼105 yr correspond to multiple supernova explosions at a rate of 10‑5–10‑4 yr‑1. This indicates that the l=-1\\buildrel{\\circ}\\over{.} 2 region may be a molecular bubble associated with an embedded massive star cluster, although the absence of an infrared counterpart makes this interpretation somewhat controversial. The expansion time of the shells increases as the Galactic longitude decreases, suggesting that the massive star cluster is moving from Galactic west to east with respect to the interacting molecular gas. We propose a model wherein the cluster is moving along the innermost x 1 orbit and the interacting gas collides with it from the Galactic eastern side.

Understanding EROS2 observations toward the spiral arms within a classical Galactic model framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moniez, M.; Sajadian, S.; Karami, M.; Rahvar, S.; Ansari, R.

2017-08-01

Aims: EROS (Expérience de Recherche d'Objets Sombres) has searched for microlensing toward four directions in the Galactic plane away from the Galactic center. The interpretation of the catalog optical depth is complicated by the spread of the source distance distribution. We compare the EROS microlensing observations with Galactic models (including the Besançon model), tuned to fit the EROS source catalogs, and take into account all observational data such as the microlensing optical depth, the Einstein crossing durations, and the color and magnitude distributions of the catalogued stars. Methods: We simulated EROS-like source catalogs using the HIgh-Precision PARallax COllecting Satellite (Hipparcos) database, the Galactic mass distribution, and an interstellar extinction table. Taking into account the EROS star detection efficiency, we were able to produce simulated color-magnitude diagrams that fit the observed diagrams. This allows us to estimate average microlensing optical depths and event durations that are directly comparable with the measured values. Results: Both the Besançon model and our Galactic model allow us to fully understand the EROS color-magnitude data. The average optical depths and mean event durations calculated from these models are in reasonable agreement with the observations. Varying the Galactic structure parameters through simulation, we were also able to deduce contraints on the kinematics of the disk, the disk stellar mass function (at a few kpc distance from the Sun), and the maximum contribution of a thick disk of compact objects in the Galactic plane (Mthick< 5 - 7 × 1010M⊙ at 95%, depending on the model). We also show that the microlensing data toward one of our monitored directions are significantly sensitive to the Galactic bar parameters, although much larger statistics are needed to provide competitive constraints. Conclusions: Our simulation gives a better understanding of the lens and source spatial distributions in

Planck 2015 results. XXVIII. The Planck Catalogue of Galactic cold clumps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Planck Collaboration; Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.; Ashdown, M.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Banday, A. J.; Barreiro, R. B.; Bartolo, N.; Battaner, E.; Benabed, K.; Benoît, A.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bernard, J.-P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bielewicz, P.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonavera, L.; Bond, J. R.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F. R.; Boulanger, F.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Butler, R. C.; Calabrese, E.; Catalano, A.; Chamballu, A.; Chiang, H. C.; Christensen, P. R.; Clements, D. L.; Colombi, S.; Colombo, L. P. L.; Combet, C.; Couchot, F.; Coulais, A.; Crill, B. P.; Curto, A.; Cuttaia, F.; Danese, L.; Davies, R. D.; Davis, R. J.; de Bernardis, P.; de Rosa, A.; de Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Désert, F.-X.; Dickinson, C.; Diego, J. M.; Dole, H.; Donzelli, S.; Doré, O.; Douspis, M.; Ducout, A.; Dupac, X.; Efstathiou, G.; Elsner, F.; Enßlin, T. A.; Eriksen, H. K.; Falgarone, E.; Fergusson, J.; Finelli, F.; Forni, O.; Frailis, M.; Fraisse, A. A.; Franceschi, E.; Frejsel, A.; Galeotta, S.; Galli, S.; Ganga, K.; Giard, M.; Giraud-Héraud, Y.; Gjerløw, E.; González-Nuevo, J.; Górski, K. M.; Gratton, S.; Gregorio, A.; Gruppuso, A.; Gudmundsson, J. E.; Hansen, F. K.; Hanson, D.; Harrison, D. L.; Helou, G.; Henrot-Versillé, S.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Herranz, D.; Hildebrandt, S. R.; Hivon, E.; Hobson, M.; Holmes, W. A.; Hornstrup, A.; Hovest, W.; Huffenberger, K. M.; Hurier, G.; Jaffe, A. H.; Jaffe, T. R.; Jones, W. C.; Juvela, M.; Keihänen, E.; Keskitalo, R.; Kisner, T. S.; Knoche, J.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lamarre, J.-M.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Lawrence, C. R.; Leonardi, R.; Lesgourgues, J.; Levrier, F.; Liguori, M.; Lilje, P. B.; Linden-Vørnle, M.; López-Caniego, M.; Lubin, P. M.; Macías-Pérez, J. F.; Maggio, G.; Maino, D.; Mandolesi, N.; Mangilli, A.; Marshall, D. J.; Martin, P. G.; Martínez-González, E.; Masi, S.; Matarrese, S.; Mazzotta, P.; McGehee, P.; Melchiorri, A.; Mendes, L.; Mennella, A.; Migliaccio, M.; Mitra, S.; Miville-Deschênes, M.-A.; Moneti, A.; Montier, L.; Morgante, G.; Mortlock, D.; Moss, A.; Munshi, D.; Murphy, J. A.; Naselsky, P.; Nati, F.; Natoli, P.; Netterfield, C. B.; Nørgaard-Nielsen, H. U.; Noviello, F.; Novikov, D.; Novikov, I.; Oxborrow, C. A.; Paci, F.; Pagano, L.; Pajot, F.; Paladini, R.; Paoletti, D.; Pasian, F.; Patanchon, G.; Pearson, T. J.; Pelkonen, V.-M.; Perdereau, O.; Perotto, L.; Perrotta, F.; Pettorino, V.; Piacentini, F.; Piat, M.; Pierpaoli, E.; Pietrobon, D.; Plaszczynski, S.; Pointecouteau, E.; Polenta, G.; Pratt, G. W.; Prézeau, G.; Prunet, S.; Puget, J.-L.; Rachen, J. P.; Reach, W. T.; Rebolo, R.; Reinecke, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Renault, C.; Renzi, A.; Ristorcelli, I.; Rocha, G.; Rosset, C.; Rossetti, M.; Roudier, G.; Rubiño-Martín, J. A.; Rusholme, B.; Sandri, M.; Santos, D.; Savelainen, M.; Savini, G.; Scott, D.; Seiffert, M. D.; Shellard, E. P. S.; Spencer, L. D.; Stolyarov, V.; Sudiwala, R.; Sunyaev, R.; Sutton, D.; Suur-Uski, A.-S.; Sygnet, J.-F.; Tauber, J. A.; Terenzi, L.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Tristram, M.; Tucci, M.; Tuovinen, J.; Umana, G.; Valenziano, L.; Valiviita, J.; Van Tent, B.; Vielva, P.; Villa, F.; Wade, L. A.; Wandelt, B. D.; Wehus, I. K.; Yvon, D.; Zacchei, A.; Zonca, A.

2016-09-01

We present the Planck Catalogue of Galactic Cold Clumps (PGCC), an all-sky catalogue of Galactic cold clump candidates detected by Planck. This catalogue is the full version of the Early Cold Core (ECC) catalogue, which was made available in 2011 with the Early Release Compact Source Catalogue (ERCSC) and which contained 915 high signal-to-noise sources. It is based on the Planck 48-month mission data that are currently being released to the astronomical community. The PGCC catalogue is an observational catalogue consisting exclusively of Galactic cold sources. The three highest Planck bands (857, 454, and 353 GHz) have been combined with IRAS data at 3 THz to perform a multi-frequency detection of sources colder than their local environment. After rejection of possible extragalactic contaminants, the PGCC catalogue contains 13188 Galactic sources spread across the whole sky, I.e., from the Galactic plane to high latitudes, following the spatial distribution of the main molecular cloud complexes. The median temperature of PGCC sources lies between 13 and 14.5 K, depending on the quality of the flux density measurements, with a temperature ranging from 5.8 to 20 K after removing the sources with the top 1% highest temperature estimates. Using seven independent methods, reliable distance estimates have been obtained for 5574 sources, which allows us to derive their physical properties such as their mass, physical size, mean density, and luminosity.The PGCC sources are located mainly in the solar neighbourhood, but also up to a distance of 10.5 kpc in the direction of the Galactic centre, and range from low-mass cores to large molecular clouds. Because of this diversity and because the PGCC catalogue contains sources in very different environments, the catalogue is useful for investigating the evolution from molecular clouds to cores. Finally, it also includes 54 additional sources located in the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds.

Planck 2015 results: XXVIII. The Planck Catalogue of Galactic cold clumps

DOE PAGES

Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.; ...

2016-09-20

Here, we present the Planck Catalogue of Galactic Cold Clumps (PGCC), an all-sky catalogue of Galactic cold clump candidates detected by Planck. This catalogue is the full version of the Early Cold Core (ECC) catalogue, which was made available in 2011 with the Early Release Compact Source Catalogue (ERCSC) and which contained 915 high signal-to-noise sources. It is based on the Planck 48-month mission data that are currently being released to the astronomical community. The PGCC catalogue is an observational catalogue consisting exclusively of Galactic cold sources. The three highest Planck bands (857, 454, and 353 GHz) have been combinedmore » with IRAS data at 3 THz to perform a multi-frequency detection of sources colder than their local environment. After rejection of possible extragalactic contaminants, the PGCC catalogue contains 13188 Galactic sources spread across the whole sky, i.e., from the Galactic plane to high latitudes, following the spatial distribution of the main molecular cloud complexes. The median temperature of PGCC sources lies between 13 and 14.5 K, depending on the quality of the flux density measurements, with a temperature ranging from 5.8 to 20 K after removing the sources with the top 1% highest temperature estimates. Using seven independent methods, reliable distance estimates have been obtained for 5574 sources, which allows us to derive their physical properties such as their mass, physical size, mean density, and luminosity.The PGCC sources are located mainly in the solar neighbourhood, but also up to a distance of 10.5 kpc in the direction of the Galactic centre, and range from low-mass cores to large molecular clouds. Because of this diversity and because the PGCC catalogue contains sources in very different environments, the catalogue is useful for investigating the evolution from molecular clouds to cores. Finally, it also includes 54 additional sources located in the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds.« less

Shape and evolution of wind-blown bubbles of massive stars: on the effect of the interstellar magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Marle, A. J.; Meliani, Z.; Marcowith, A.

2015-12-01

Context. The winds of massive stars create large (>10 pc) bubbles around their progenitors. As these bubbles expand they encounter the interstellar coherent magnetic field which, depending on its strength, can influence the shape of the bubble. Aims: We wish to investigate if, and how much, the interstellar magnetic field can contribute to the shape of an expanding circumstellar bubble around a massive star. Methods: We use the MPI-AMRVAC code to make magneto-hydrodynamical simulations of bubbles, using a single star model, combined with several different field strengths: B = 5, 10, and 20 μG for the interstellar magnetic field. This covers the typical field strengths of the interstellar magnetic fields found in the galactic disk and bulge. Furthermore, we present two simulations that include both a 5 μG interstellar magnetic field and a warm (10 000 K) interstellar medium (ISM) and two different ISM densities to demonstrate how the magnetic field can combine with other external factors to influence the morphology of the circumstellar bubbles. Results: Our results show that low magnetic fields, as found in the galactic disk, inhibit the growth of the circumstellar bubbles in the direction perpendicular to the field. As a result, the bubbles become ovoid, rather than spherical. Strong interstellar fields, such as observed for the galactic bulge, can completely stop the expansion of the bubble in the direction perpendicular to the field, leading to the formation of a tube-like bubble. When combined with an ISM that is both warm and high density the bubble is greatly reduced in size, causing a dramatic change in the evolution of temporary features inside the bubble such as Wolf-Rayet ring nebulae. Conclusions: The magnetic field of the interstellar medium can affect the shape of circumstellar bubbles. This effect may have consequences for the shape and evolution of circumstellar nebulae and supernova remnants, which are formed within the main wind-blown bubble

WISEGAL. WISE for the Galactic Plane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noriega-Crespo, Alberto

There is truly a community effort to study on a global scale the properties of the Milky Way, like its structure, its star formation and interstellar medium, and to use this knowledge to create accurate templates to understand the properties of extragalactic systems. A testimony of this effort are the multi-wavelength surveys of the Galactic Plane that have been recently carried out or are underway from both the ground (e.g. IPHAS, ATLASGAL, JCMT Galactic Plane Survey) or space (GLIMPSE, MIPSGAL, HiGAL). Adding to this wealth of data is the recent release of approximately 57 percent of the whole sky by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) team of their high angular resolution and sensitive mid-IR (3.4, 4.6, 12 and 22 micron) images and point source catalogs, encompassing nearly three quarters of the Galactic Plane, including the less studied regions of the Outer Galaxy. The WISE Atlas Images are spectacular, but to take full advantage of them, they need to be transformed from their default Data Number (DN) units into absolute surface brightness calibrated units. Furthermore, to mitigate the contamination effect of the point sources on the extended/diffuse emission, we will remove them and create residual images. This processing will enable a wide range of science projects using the Atlas Images, where measuring the spectral energy distribution of the extended emission is crucial. In this project we propose to transform the W3 (12 micron) and W4 (22 micron) images of the Galactic Plane, in particular of the Outer Galaxy where WISE provides an unique data set, into a background-calibrated, point-source subtracted images using IRIS (DIRBE IRAS Calibrated data). This transformation will allow us to carry out research projects on Massive star formation, the properties of dust in the diffuse ISM, the three dimensional distribution of the dust emission in the Galaxy and the mid/far infrared properties of Supernova Remnants, among others, and to perform a

Planck intermediate results. XXX. The angular power spectrum of polarized dust emission at intermediate and high Galactic latitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Planck Collaboration; Adam, R.; Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Banday, A. J.; Barreiro, R. B.; Bartlett, J. G.; Bartolo, N.; Battaner, E.; Benabed, K.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bernard, J.-P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bielewicz, P.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonavera, L.; Bond, J. R.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F. R.; Boulanger, F.; Bracco, A.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Butler, R. C.; Calabrese, E.; Cardoso, J.-F.; Catalano, A.; Challinor, A.; Chamballu, A.; Chary, R.-R.; Chiang, H. C.; Christensen, P. R.; Clements, D. L.; Colombi, S.; Colombo, L. P. L.; Combet, C.; Couchot, F.; Coulais, A.; Crill, B. P.; Curto, A.; Cuttaia, F.; Danese, L.; Davies, R. D.; Davis, R. J.; de Bernardis, P.; de Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Delouis, J.-M.; Désert, F.-X.; Dickinson, C.; Diego, J. M.; Dolag, K.; Dole, H.; Donzelli, S.; Doré, O.; Douspis, M.; Ducout, A.; Dunkley, J.; Dupac, X.; Efstathiou, G.; Elsner, F.; Enßlin, T. A.; Eriksen, H. K.; Falgarone, E.; Finelli, F.; Forni, O.; Frailis, M.; Fraisse, A. A.; Franceschi, E.; Frejsel, A.; Galeotta, S.; Galli, S.; Ganga, K.; Ghosh, T.; Giard, M.; Giraud-Héraud, Y.; Gjerløw, E.; González-Nuevo, J.; Górski, K. M.; Gratton, S.; Gregorio, A.; Gruppuso, A.; Guillet, V.; Hansen, F. K.; Hanson, D.; Harrison, D. L.; Helou, G.; Henrot-Versillé, S.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Herranz, D.; Hivon, E.; Hobson, M.; Holmes, W. A.; Huffenberger, K. M.; Hurier, G.; Jaffe, A. H.; Jaffe, T. R.; Jewell, J.; Jones, W. C.; Juvela, M.; Keihänen, E.; Keskitalo, R.; Kisner, T. S.; Kneissl, R.; Knoche, J.; Knox, L.; Krachmalnicoff, N.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lamarre, J.-M.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Lawrence, C. R.; Leahy, J. P.; Leonardi, R.; Lesgourgues, J.; Levrier, F.; Liguori, M.; Lilje, P. B.; Linden-Vørnle, M.; López-Caniego, M.; Lubin, P. M.; Macías-Pérez, J. F.; Maffei, B.; Maino, D.; Mandolesi, N.; Mangilli, A.; Maris, M.; Martin, P. G.; Martínez-González, E.; Masi, S.; Matarrese, S.; Mazzotta, P.; Meinhold, P. R.; Melchiorri, A.; Mendes, L.; Mennella, A.; Migliaccio, M.; Mitra, S.; Miville-Deschênes, M.-A.; Moneti, A.; Montier, L.; Morgante, G.; Mortlock, D.; Moss, A.; Munshi, D.; Murphy, J. A.; Naselsky, P.; Nati, F.; Natoli, P.; Netterfield, C. B.; Nørgaard-Nielsen, H. U.; Noviello, F.; Novikov, D.; Novikov, I.; Pagano, L.; Pajot, F.; Paladini, R.; Paoletti, D.; Partridge, B.; Pasian, F.; Patanchon, G.; Pearson, T. J.; Perdereau, O.; Perotto, L.; Perrotta, F.; Pettorino, V.; Piacentini, F.; Piat, M.; Pierpaoli, E.; Pietrobon, D.; Plaszczynski, S.; Pointecouteau, E.; Polenta, G.; Ponthieu, N.; Popa, L.; Pratt, G. W.; Prunet, S.; Puget, J.-L.; Rachen, J. P.; Reach, W. T.; Rebolo, R.; Remazeilles, M.; Renault, C.; Renzi, A.; Ricciardi, S.; Ristorcelli, I.; Rocha, G.; Rosset, C.; Rossetti, M.; Roudier, G.; Rouillé d'Orfeuil, B.; Rubiño-Martín, J. A.; Rusholme, B.; Sandri, M.; Santos, D.; Savelainen, M.; Savini, G.; Scott, D.; Soler, J. D.; Spencer, L. D.; Stolyarov, V.; Stompor, R.; Sudiwala, R.; Sunyaev, R.; Sutton, D.; Suur-Uski, A.-S.; Sygnet, J.-F.; Tauber, J. A.; Terenzi, L.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Tristram, M.; Tucci, M.; Tuovinen, J.; Valenziano, L.; Valiviita, J.; Van Tent, B.; Vibert, L.; Vielva, P.; Villa, F.; Wade, L. A.; Wandelt, B. D.; Watson, R.; Wehus, I. K.; White, M.; White, S. D. M.; Yvon, D.; Zacchei, A.; Zonca, A.

2016-02-01

The polarized thermal emission from diffuse Galactic dust is the main foreground present in measurements of the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) at frequencies above 100 GHz. In this paper we exploit the uniqueness of the Planck HFI polarization data from 100 to 353 GHz to measure the polarized dust angular power spectra CℓEE and CℓBB over the multipole range 40 <ℓ< 600 well away from the Galactic plane. These measurements will bring new insights into interstellar dust physics and allow a precise determination of the level of contamination for CMB polarization experiments. Despite the non-Gaussian and anisotropic nature of Galactic dust, we show that general statistical properties of the emission can be characterized accurately over large fractions of the sky using angular power spectra. The polarization power spectra of the dust are well described by power laws in multipole, Cℓ ∝ ℓα, with exponents αEE,BB = -2.42 ± 0.02. The amplitudes of the polarization power spectra vary with the average brightness in a way similar to the intensity power spectra. The frequency dependence of the dust polarization spectra is consistent with modified blackbody emission with βd = 1.59 and Td = 19.6 K down to the lowest Planck HFI frequencies. We find a systematic difference between the amplitudes of the Galactic B- and E-modes, CℓBB/CℓEE = 0.5. We verify that these general properties are preserved towards high Galactic latitudes with low dust column densities. We show that even in the faintest dust-emitting regions there are no "clean" windows in the sky where primordial CMB B-mode polarization measurements could be made without subtraction of foreground emission. Finally, we investigate the level of dust polarization in the specific field recently targeted by the BICEP2 experiment. Extrapolation of the Planck 353 GHz data to 150 GHz gives a dust power 𝒟ℓBB ≡ ℓ(ℓ+1)CℓBB/(2π) of 1.32 × 10-2 μKCMB2 over the multipole range

Einstein Observations of Galactic supernova remnants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seward, Frederick D.

1990-01-01

This paper summarizes the observations of Galactic supernova remnants with the imaging detectors of the Einstein Observatory. X-ray surface brightness contours of 47 remnants are shown together with gray-scale pictures. Count rates for these remnants have been derived and are listed for the HRI, IPC, and MPC detectors.

Supernova remnants and pulsar wind nebulae with Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eger, Peter

2015-08-01

The observation of very-high-energy (VHE, E > 100 GeV) gamma rays is an excellent tool to study the most energetic and violent environments in the Galaxy. This energy range is only accessible with ground-based instruments such as Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) that reconstruct the energy and direction of the primary gamma ray by observing the Cherenkov light from the induced extended air showers in Earths atmosphere. The main goals of Galactic VHE gamma-ray science are the identification of individual sources of cosmic rays (CRs), such as supernova remnants (SNRs), and the study of other extreme astrophysical objects at the highest energies, such as gamma-ray binaries and pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe). One of the main challenges is the discrimination between leptonic and hadronic gamma-ray production channels. To that end, the gamma-ray signal from each individual source needs to be brought into context with the multi-wavelength environment of the astrophysical object in question, particularly with observations tracing the density of the surrounding interstellar medium, or synchrotron radiation from relativistic electrons. In this review presented at the European Cosmic Ray Symposium 2014 (ECRS2014), the most recent developments in the field of Galactic VHE gamma-ray science are highlighted, with particular emphasis on SNRs and PWNe.

The population of planetary nebulae near the Galactic Centre: chemical abundances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mollá, M.; Cavichia, O.; Costa, R. D. D.; Maciel, W. J.

2017-10-01

In this work, we report physical parameters and abundances derived for a sample of 15 high extinction planetary nebulae located in the inner 2° of the Galactic bulge, based on low dispersion spectroscopy secured at the SOAR telescope using the Goodman spectrograph. The new data allow us to extend our database including older, weaker objects that are at the faint end of the planetary nebulae luminosity function. The data provide chemical compositions for PNe located in this region of the bulge to explore the chemical enrichment history of the central region of the Galactic bulge. The results show that the abundances of our sample are skewed to higher metallicities than previous data in the outer regions of the bulge. This can indicate a faster chemical enrichment taking place at the Galactic centre.

Global solar wind variations over the last four centuries.

PubMed

Owens, M J; Lockwood, M; Riley, P

2017-01-31

The most recent "grand minimum" of solar activity, the Maunder minimum (MM, 1650-1710), is of great interest both for understanding the solar dynamo and providing insight into possible future heliospheric conditions. Here, we use nearly 30 years of output from a data-constrained magnetohydrodynamic model of the solar corona to calibrate heliospheric reconstructions based solely on sunspot observations. Using these empirical relations, we produce the first quantitative estimate of global solar wind variations over the last 400 years. Relative to the modern era, the MM shows a factor 2 reduction in near-Earth heliospheric magnetic field strength and solar wind speed, and up to a factor 4 increase in solar wind Mach number. Thus solar wind energy input into the Earth's magnetosphere was reduced, resulting in a more Jupiter-like system, in agreement with the dearth of auroral reports from the time. The global heliosphere was both smaller and more symmetric under MM conditions, which has implications for the interpretation of cosmogenic radionuclide data and resulting total solar irradiance estimates during grand minima.

Global solar wind variations over the last four centuries

PubMed Central

Owens, M. J.; Lockwood, M.; Riley, P.

2017-01-01

The most recent “grand minimum” of solar activity, the Maunder minimum (MM, 1650–1710), is of great interest both for understanding the solar dynamo and providing insight into possible future heliospheric conditions. Here, we use nearly 30 years of output from a data-constrained magnetohydrodynamic model of the solar corona to calibrate heliospheric reconstructions based solely on sunspot observations. Using these empirical relations, we produce the first quantitative estimate of global solar wind variations over the last 400 years. Relative to the modern era, the MM shows a factor 2 reduction in near-Earth heliospheric magnetic field strength and solar wind speed, and up to a factor 4 increase in solar wind Mach number. Thus solar wind energy input into the Earth’s magnetosphere was reduced, resulting in a more Jupiter-like system, in agreement with the dearth of auroral reports from the time. The global heliosphere was both smaller and more symmetric under MM conditions, which has implications for the interpretation of cosmogenic radionuclide data and resulting total solar irradiance estimates during grand minima. PMID:28139769

FUSE Observations of Galactic and LMC Novae in Outburst

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huschildt, P. H.

2001-01-01

This document is a collection of five abstracts from papers written on the 'FUSE Observations of Galactic and LMC Novae in Outburst'. The titles are the following: (1) Analyzing FUSE Observations of Galactic and LMC Novae; (2) Detailed NLTE Model Atmospheres for Novae during Outburst: Modeling Optical and Ultraviolet Observations for Nova LMC 1988; (3) Numerical Solution of the Expanding Stellar Atmosphere Problem; (4) A Non-LTE Line-Blanketed Expanding Atmosphere Model for A-supergiant Alpha Cygni; and (5) Non-LTE Model Atmosphere Analysis of the Early Ultraviolet Spectra of Nova Andromedae 1986. A list of journal publications is also included.

Unusual Metals in Galactic Center Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hensley, Kerry

2018-03-01

Far from the galactic suburbs where the Sun resides, a cluster of stars in the nucleus of the Milky Way orbits a supermassive black hole. Can chemical abundance measurements help us understand the formation history of the galactic center nuclear star cluster?Studying Stellar PopulationsMetallicity distributions for stars in the inner two degrees of the Milky Way (blue) and the central parsec (orange). [Do et al. 2018]While many galaxies host nuclear star clusters, most are too distant for us to study in detail; only in the Milky Way can we resolve individual stars within one parsec of a supermassive black hole. The nucleus of our galaxy is an exotic and dangerous place, and its not yet clear how these stars came to be where they are were they siphoned off from other parts of the galaxy, or did they form in place, in an environment rocked by tidal forces?Studying the chemical abundances of stars provides a way to separate distinct stellar populations and discern when and where these stars formed. Previous studies using medium-resolution spectroscopy have revealed that many stars within the central parsec of our galaxy have very high metallicities possibly higher than any other region of the Milky Way. Can high-resolution spectroscopy tell us more about this unusual population of stars?Spectral Lines on DisplayTuan Do (University of California, Los Angeles, Galactic Center Group) and collaborators performed high-resolution spectroscopic observations of two late-type giant starslocated half a parsec from the Milky Ways supermassive black hole.Comparison of the observed spectra of the two galactic center stars (black) with synthetic spectra with low (blue) and high (orange) [Sc/Fe] values. Click to enlarge. [Do et al. 2018]In order to constrain the metallicities of these stars, Do and collaborators compared the observed spectra to a grid of synthetic spectra and used a spectral synthesis technique to determine the abundances of individual elements. They found that

Heliosphere Responds to a Large Solar Wind Intensification: Decisive Observations from IBEX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McComas, D. J.; Dayeh, M. A.; Funsten, H. O.; Heerikhuisen, J.; Janzen, P. H.; Reisenfeld, D. B.; Schwadron, N. A.; Szalay, J. R.; Zirnstein, E. J.

2018-03-01

Our heliosphere—the bubble in the local interstellar medium produced by the Sun’s outflowing solar wind—has finally responded to a large increase in solar wind output and pressure in the second half of 2014. NASA’s Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) mission remotely monitors the outer heliosphere by observing energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) returning from the heliosheath, the region between the termination shock and heliopause. IBEX observed a significant enhancement in higher energy ENAs starting in late 2016. While IBEX observations over the previous decade reflected a general reduction of ENA intensities, indicative of a deflating heliosphere, new observations show that the large (∼50%), persistent increase in the solar wind dynamic pressure has modified the heliosheath, producing enhanced ENA emissions. The combination of these new observations with simulation results indicate that this pressure is re-expanding our heliosphere, with the termination shock and heliopause already driven outward in the locations closest to the Sun. The timing between the IBEX observations, a large transient pressure enhancement seen by Voyager 2, and the simulations indicates that the pressure increase propagated through the heliosheath, reflected off the heliopause, and the enhanced density of the solar wind filled the heliosheath behind it before generating significantly enhanced ENA emissions. The coming years should see significant changes in anomalous cosmic rays, galactic cosmic radiation, and the filtration of interstellar neutral atoms into the inner heliosphere.

Constraints on Galactic Neutrino Emission with Seven Years of IceCube Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aartsen, M. G.; Ackermann, M.; Adams, J.; Aguilar, J. A.; Ahlers, M.; Ahrens, M.; Samarai, I. Al; Altmann, D.; Andeen, K.; Anderson, T.; Ansseau, I.; Anton, G.; Argüelles, C.; Auffenberg, J.; Axani, S.; Bagherpour, H.; Bai, X.; Barron, J. P.; Barwick, S. W.; Baum, V.; Bay, R.; Beatty, J. J.; Becker Tjus, J.; Becker, K.-H.; BenZvi, S.; Berley, D.; Bernardini, E.; Besson, D. Z.; Binder, G.; Bindig, D.; Blaufuss, E.; Blot, S.; Bohm, C.; Börner, M.; Bos, F.; Bose, D.; Böser, S.; Botner, O.; Bourbeau, J.; Bradascio, F.; Braun, J.; Brayeur, L.; Brenzke, M.; Bretz, H.-P.; Bron, S.; Burgman, A.; Carver, T.; Casey, J.; Casier, M.; Cheung, E.; Chirkin, D.; Christov, A.; Clark, K.; Classen, L.; Coenders, S.; Collin, G. H.; Conrad, J. M.; Cowen, D. F.; Cross, R.; Day, M.; de André, J. P. A. M.; De Clercq, C.; DeLaunay, J. J.; Dembinski, H.; De Ridder, S.; Desiati, P.; de Vries, K. D.; de Wasseige, G.; de With, M.; DeYoung, T.; Díaz-Vélez, J. C.; di Lorenzo, V.; Dujmovic, H.; Dumm, J. P.; Dunkman, M.; Eberhardt, B.; Ehrhardt, T.; Eichmann, B.; Eller, P.; Evenson, P. A.; Fahey, S.; Fazely, A. R.; Felde, J.; Filimonov, K.; Finley, C.; Flis, S.; Franckowiak, A.; Friedman, E.; Fuchs, T.; Gaisser, T. K.; Gallagher, J.; Gerhardt, L.; Ghorbani, K.; Giang, W.; Glauch, T.; Glüsenkamp, T.; Goldschmidt, A.; Gonzalez, J. G.; Grant, D.; Griffith, Z.; Haack, C.; Hallgren, A.; Halzen, F.; Hanson, K.; Hebecker, D.; Heereman, D.; Helbing, K.; Hellauer, R.; Hickford, S.; Hignight, J.; Hill, G. C.; Hoffman, K. D.; Hoffmann, R.; Hokanson-Fasig, B.; Hoshina, K.; Huang, F.; Huber, M.; Hultqvist, K.; In, S.; Ishihara, A.; Jacobi, E.; Japaridze, G. S.; Jeong, M.; Jero, K.; Jones, B. J. P.; Kalacynski, P.; Kang, W.; Kappes, A.; Karg, T.; Karle, A.; Katz, U.; Kauer, M.; Keivani, A.; Kelley, J. L.; Kheirandish, A.; Kim, J.; Kim, M.; Kintscher, T.; Kiryluk, J.; Kittler, T.; Klein, S. R.; Kohnen, G.; Koirala, R.; Kolanoski, H.; Köpke, L.; Kopper, C.; Kopper, S.; Koschinsky, J. P.; Koskinen, D. J.; Kowalski, M.; Krings, K.; Kroll, M.; Krückl, G.; Kunnen, J.; Kunwar, S.; Kurahashi, N.; Kuwabara, T.; Kyriacou, A.; Labare, M.; Lanfranchi, J. L.; Larson, M. J.; Lauber, F.; Lennarz, D.; Lesiak-Bzdak, M.; Leuermann, M.; Liu, Q. R.; Lu, L.; Lünemann, J.; Luszczak, W.; Madsen, J.; Maggi, G.; Mahn, K. B. M.; Mancina, S.; Maruyama, R.; Mase, K.; Maunu, R.; McNally, F.; Meagher, K.; Medici, M.; Meier, M.; Menne, T.; Merino, G.; Meures, T.; Miarecki, S.; Micallef, J.; Momenté, G.; Montaruli, T.; Moore, R. W.; Moulai, M.; Nahnhauer, R.; Nakarmi, P.; Naumann, U.; Neer, G.; Niederhausen, H.; Nowicki, S. C.; Nygren, D. R.; Obertacke Pollmann, A.; Olivas, A.; O'Murchadha, A.; Palczewski, T.; Pandya, H.; Pankova, D. V.; Peiffer, P.; Pepper, J. A.; Pérez de los Heros, C.; Pieloth, D.; Pinat, E.; Plum, M.; Price, P. B.; Przybylski, G. T.; Raab, C.; Rädel, L.; Rameez, M.; Rawlins, K.; Reimann, R.; Relethford, B.; Relich, M.; Resconi, E.; Rhode, W.; Richman, M.; Robertson, S.; Rongen, M.; Rott, C.; Ruhe, T.; Ryckbosch, D.; Rysewyk, D.; Sälzer, T.; Sanchez Herrera, S. E.; Sandrock, A.; Sandroos, J.; Sarkar, S.; Sarkar, S.; Satalecka, K.; Schlunder, P.; Schmidt, T.; Schneider, A.; Schoenen, S.; Schöneberg, S.; Schumacher, L.; Seckel, D.; Seunarine, S.; Soldin, D.; Song, M.; Spiczak, G. M.; Spiering, C.; Stachurska, J.; Stanev, T.; Stasik, A.; Stettner, J.; Steuer, A.; Stezelberger, T.; Stokstad, R. G.; Stößl, A.; Strotjohann, N. L.; Sullivan, G. W.; Sutherland, M.; Taboada, I.; Tatar, J.; Tenholt, F.; Ter-Antonyan, S.; Terliuk, A.; Tešić, G.; Tilav, S.; Toale, P. A.; Tobin, M. N.; Toscano, S.; Tosi, D.; Tselengidou, M.; Tung, C. F.; Turcati, A.; Turley, C. F.; Ty, B.; Unger, E.; Usner, M.; Vandenbroucke, J.; Van Driessche, W.; van Eijndhoven, N.; Vanheule, S.; van Santen, J.; Vehring, M.; Vogel, E.; Vraeghe, M.; Walck, C.; Wallace, A.; Wallraff, M.; Wandler, F. D.; Wandkowsky, N.; Waza, A.; Weaver, C.; Weiss, M. J.; Wendt, C.; Westerhoff, S.; Whelan, B. J.; Wickmann, S.; Wiebe, K.; Wiebusch, C. H.; Wille, L.; Williams, D. R.; Wills, L.; Wolf, M.; Wood, J.; Wood, T. R.; Woolsey, E.; Woschnagg, K.; Xu, D. L.; Xu, X. W.; Xu, Y.; Yanez, J. P.; Yodh, G.; Yoshida, S.; Yuan, T.; Zoll, M.; IceCube Collaboration

2017-11-01

The origins of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos remain a mystery despite extensive searches for their sources. We present constraints from seven years of IceCube Neutrino Observatory muon data on the neutrino flux coming from the Galactic plane. This flux is expected from cosmic-ray interactions with the interstellar medium or near localized sources. Two methods were developed to test for a spatially extended flux from the entire plane, both of which are maximum likelihood fits but with different signal and background modeling techniques. We consider three templates for Galactic neutrino emission based primarily on gamma-ray observations and models that cover a wide range of possibilities. Based on these templates and in the benchmark case of an unbroken {E}-2.5 power-law energy spectrum, we set 90% confidence level upper limits, constraining the possible Galactic contribution to the diffuse neutrino flux to be relatively small, less than 14% of the flux reported in Aartsen et al. above 1 TeV. A stacking method is also used to test catalogs of known high-energy Galactic gamma-ray sources.

Finding evolved stars in the inner Galactic disk with Gaia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quiroga-Nuñez, L. H.; van Langevelde, H. J.; Pihlström, Y. M.; Sjouwerman, L. O.; Brown, A. G. A.

2018-04-01

The Bulge Asymmetries and Dynamical Evolution (BAaDE) survey will provide positions and line-of-sight velocities of ~20, 000 evolved, maser bearing stars in the Galactic plane. Although this Galactic region is affected by optical extinction, BAaDE targets may have Gaia cross-matches, eventually providing additional stellar information. In an initial attempt to cross-match BAaDE targets with Gaia, we have found more than 5,000 candidates. Of these, we may expect half to show SiO emission, which will allow us to obtain velocity information. The cross-match is being refined to avoid false positives using different criteria based on distance analysis, flux variability, and color assessment in the mid- and near-IR. Once the cross-matches can be confirmed, we will have a unique sample to characterize the stellar population of evolved stars in the Galactic bulge, which can be considered fossils of the Milky Way formation.

Ordinary Dark Matter versus Mysterious Dark Matter in Galactic Rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallo, C. F.; Feng, James

2008-04-01

To theoretically describe the measured rotational velocity curves of spiral galaxies, there are two different approaches and conclusions. (1) ORDINARY DARK MATTER. We assume Newtonian gravity/dynamics and successfully find (via computer) mass distributions in bulge/disk configurations that duplicate the measured rotational velocities. There is ordinary dark matter within the galactic disk towards the cooler periphery which has lower emissivity/opacity. There are no mysteries in this scenario based on verified physics. (2) MYSTERIOUS DARK MATTER. Others INaccurately assume the galactic mass distributions follow the measured light distributions, and then the measured rotational velocity curves are NOT duplicated. To alleviate this discrepancy, speculations are invoked re ``Massive Peripheral Spherical Halos of Mysterious Dark Matter.'' But NO matter has been detected in this UNtenable Halo configuration. Many UNverified ``Mysteries'' are invoked as necessary and convenient. CONCLUSION. The first approach utilizing Newtonian gravity/dynamics and searching for the ordinary mass distributions within the galactic disk simulates reality and agrees with data.

Wind Resource Assessment | Wind | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Resource Assessment Wind Resource Assessment A map of the United States is color-coded to indicate the high winds at 80 meters. This map shows the wind resource at 80 meters for both land-based and offshore wind resources in the United States. Correct estimation of the energy available in the wind can

Constraining Galactic cosmic-ray parameters with Z ≤ 2 nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coste, B.; Derome, L.; Maurin, D.; Putze, A.

2012-03-01

Context. The secondary-to-primary B/C ratio is widely used for studying Galactic cosmic-ray propagation processes. The 2H/4He and 3He/4He ratios probe a different Z/A regime, which provides a test for the "universality" of propagation. Aims: We revisit the constraints on diffusion-model parameters set by the quartet (1H, 2H, 3He, 4He), using the most recent data as well as updated formulae for the inelastic and production cross-sections. Methods: Our analysis relies on the USINE propagation package and a Markov Chain Monte Carlo technique to estimate the probability density functions of the parameters. Simulated data were also used to validate analysis strategies. Results: The fragmentation of CNO cosmic rays (resp. NeMgSiFe) on the interstellar medium during their propagation contributes to 20% (resp. 20%) of the 2H and 15% (resp. 10%) of the 3He flux at high energy. The C to Fe elements are also responsible for up to 10% of the 4He flux measured at 1 GeV/n. The analysis of 3He/4He (and to a lesser extent 2H/4He) data shows that the transport parameters are consistent with those from the B/C analysis: the diffusion model with δ ~ 0.7 (diffusion slope), Vc ~ 20 km s-1 (galactic wind), Va ~ 40 km s-1 (reacceleration) is favoured, but the combination δ ~ 0.2, Vc ~ 0, and Va ~ 80 km s-1 is a close second. The confidence intervals on the parameters show that the constraints set by the quartet data can compete with those derived from the B/C data. These constraints are tighter when adding the 3He (or 2H) flux measurements, and the tightest when the He flux is added as well. For the latter, the analysis of simulated and real data shows an increased sensitivity to biases. Using the secondary-to-primary ratio along with a loose prior on the source parameters is recommended to obtain the most robust constraints on the transport parameters. Conclusions: Light nuclei should be systematically considered in the analysis of transport parameters. They provide independent

78 FR 29364 - Exelon Corporation, Exelon Wind 1, LLC, Exelon Wind 2, LLC, Exelon Wind 3, LLC, Exelon Wind 4...

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2013-05-20

...-005, QF07-55-005, QF07-56-005, QF07-257-004] Exelon Corporation, Exelon Wind 1, LLC, Exelon Wind 2, LLC, Exelon Wind 3, LLC, Exelon Wind 4, LLC, Exelon Wind 5, LLC, Exelon Wind 6, LLC, Exelon Wind 7, LLC, Exelon Wind 8, LLC, Exelon Wind 9, LLC, Exelon Wind 10, LLC, Exelon Wind 11, LLC, High Plains...

The Formation and Evolution of Galactic Disks with APOGEE and the Gaia Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Chengdong; Zhao, Gang; Zhai, Meng; Jia, Yunpeng

2018-06-01

We explore the structure and evolutionary history of Galactic disks with Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment data release 13 (DR13 hereafter) and Gaia Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution data. We use the [α/M] ratio to allocate stars into particular Galactic components to elucidate the chemical and dynamical properties of the thin and thick disks. The spatial motions of the sample stars are obtained in Galactic Cartesian and cylindrical coordinates. We analyze the abundance trends and metallicity and [α/M] gradients of the thick and thin disks. We confirm the existence of metal-weak thick-disk stars in Galactic disks. A kinematical method is used to select the thin- and thick-disk stars for comparison. We calculate the scale length and scale height of the kinematically and chemically selected thick and thin disks based on the axisymmetric Jeans equation. We conclude that the scale length of the thick disk is approximately equal to that of the thin disk via a kinematical approach. For the chemical selection, this disparity is about 1 kpc. Finally, we get the stellar orbital parameters and try to unveil the formation scenario of the thick disk. We conclude that the gas-rich merger and radial migration are more reasonable formation scenarios for the thick disk.

IDENTIFICATION OF A POPULATION OF X-RAY-EMITTING MASSIVE STARS IN THE GALACTIC PLANE

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

Anderson, Gemma E.; Gaensler, B. M.; Kaplan, David L.

2011-02-01

We present X-ray, infrared, optical, and radio observations of four previously unidentified Galactic plane X-ray sources: AX J163252-4746, AX J184738-0156, AX J144701-5919, and AX J144547-5931. Detection of each source with the Chandra X-ray Observatory has provided sub-arcsecond localizations, which we use to identify bright infrared counterparts to all four objects. Infrared and optical spectroscopy of these counterparts demonstrate that all four X-ray sources are extremely massive stars, with spectral classifications: Ofpe/WN9 (AX J163252-4746), WN7 (AX J184738-0156 = WR121a), WN7-8h (AX J144701-5919), and OIf{sup +} (AX J144547-5931). AX J163252-4746 and AX J184738-0156 are both luminous, hard, X-ray emitters with strong Femore » XXV emission lines in their X-ray spectra at {approx}6.7 keV. The multi-wavelength properties of AX J163252-4746 and AX J184738-0156 are not consistent with isolated massive stars or accretion onto a compact companion; we conclude that their X-ray emission is most likely generated in a colliding-wind binary (CWB) system. For both AX J144701-5919 and AX J144547-5931, the X-ray emission is an order of magnitude less luminous and with a softer spectrum. These properties are consistent with a CWB interpretation for these two sources also, but other mechanisms for the generation of X-rays cannot be excluded. There are many other as yet unidentified X-ray sources in the Galactic plane, with X-ray properties similar to those seen for AX J163252-4746, AX J184738-0156, AX J144701-5919, and AX J144547-5931. This may indicate a substantial population of X-ray-emitting massive stars and CWBs in the Milky Way.« less

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

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

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

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

Portable Wind Energy Harvesters for Low-Power Applications: A Survey

PubMed Central

Nabavi, Seyedfakhreddin; Zhang, Lihong

2016-01-01

Energy harvesting has become an increasingly important topic thanks to the advantages in renewability and environmental friendliness. In this paper, a comprehensive study on contemporary portable wind energy harvesters has been conducted. The electrical power generation methods of portable wind energy harvesters are surveyed in three major groups, piezoelectric-, electromagnetic-, and electrostatic-based generators. The paper also takes another view of this area by gauging the required mechanisms for trapping wind flow from ambient environment. In this regard, rotational and aeroelastic mechanisms are analyzed for the portable wind energy harvesting devices. The comparison between both mechanisms shows that the aeroelastic mechanism has promising potential in producing an energy harvester in smaller scale although how to maintain the resonator perpendicular to wind flow for collecting the maximum vibration is still a major challenge to overcome for this mechanism. Furthermore, this paper categorizes the previously published portable wind energy harvesters to macro and micro scales in terms of their physical dimensions. The power management systems are also surveyed to explore the possibility of improving energy conversion efficiency. Finally some insights and research trends are pointed out based on an overall analysis of the previously published works along the historical timeline. PMID:27438834

Predicting Near-surface Winds with WindNinja for Wind Energy Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagenbrenner, N. S.; Forthofer, J.; Shannon, K.; Butler, B.

2016-12-01

WindNinja is a high-resolution diagnostic wind model widely used by operational wildland fire managers to predict how near-surface winds may influence fire behavior. Many of the features which have made WindNinja successful for wildland fire are also important for wind energy applications. Some of these features include flexible runtime options which allow the user to initialize the model with coarser scale weather model forecasts, sparse weather station observations, or a simple domain-average wind for what-if scenarios; built-in data fetchers for required model inputs, including gridded terrain and vegetation data and operational weather model forecasts; relatively fast runtimes on simple hardware; an extremely user-friendly interface; and a number of output format options, including KMZ files for viewing in Google Earth and GeoPDFs which can be viewed in a GIS. The recent addition of a conservation of mass and momentum solver based on OpenFOAM libraries further increases the utility of WindNinja to modelers in the wind energy sector interested not just in mean wind predictions, but also in turbulence metrics. Here we provide an evaluation of WindNinja forecasts based on (1) operational weather model forecasts and (2) weather station observations provided by the MesoWest API. We also compare the high-resolution WindNinja forecasts to the coarser operational weather model forecasts. For this work we will use the High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model and the North American Mesoscale (NAM) model. Forecasts will be evaluated with data collected in the Birch Creek valley of eastern Idaho, USA between June-October 2013. Near-surface wind, turbulence data, and vertical wind and temperature profiles were collected at very high spatial resolution during this field campaign specifically for use in evaluating high-resolution wind models like WindNinja. This work demonstrates the ability of WindNinja to generate very high-resolution wind forecasts for wind energy

Diurnal evolution of wind structure and data availability measured by the DOE prototype radar system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirth, Brian D.; Schroeder, John L.; Guynes, Jerry G.

2017-11-01

A new Doppler radar prototype has been developed and deployed at Texas Tech University with a focus on enhancing the technologies’ capability to contribute to wind plant relevant complex flow measurements. In particular, improvements in data availability, total data coverage, and autonomous operation were targeted to enable contributions to a wider range of wind energy applications. Doppler radar offers rapid scan speeds, extended maximum range and excellent along-beam range resolution allowing for the simultaneous measurement of various wind phenomena ranging from regional and wind plant scales to inflow and wake flow assessment for an individual turbine. Data examples and performance improvements relative to a previous edition of the technology are presented, including insights into the influence of diurnal atmospheric stability evolution of wind structure and system performance.

Sagittarius A* as an origin of the Galactic PeV cosmic rays?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujita, Yutaka; Murase, Kohta; Kimura, Shigeo S.

2017-04-01

Supernova remnants (SNRs) have commonly been considered as a source of the observed PeV cosmic rays (CRs) or a Galactic PeV particle accelerator ("Pevatron"). In this work, we study Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), which is the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus of the Milky Way Galaxy, as another possible canditate of the Pevatron, because it sometimes became very active in the past. We assume that a large number of PeV CRs were injected by Sgr A* at the outburst about 107 yr ago when the Fermi bubbles were created. We constrain the diffusion coefficient for the CRs in the Galactic halo on the condition that the CRs have arrived on the Earth by now, while a fairly large fraction of them have escaped from the halo. Based on a diffusion-halo model, we solve a diffusion equation for the CRs and compare the results with the CR spectrum on the Earth. The observed small anisotropy of the arrival directions of CRs may be explained if the diffusion coefficient in the Galactic disk is smaller than that in the halo. Our model predicts that a boron-to-carbon ratio should be energy-independent around the knee, where the CRs from Sgr A* become dominant. It is unlikely that the spectrum of the CRs accelerated at the outburst is represented by a power-law similar to the one for those responsible for the gamma-ray emission from the central molecular zone (CMZ) around the Galactic center.

Reconfinement and loss of stability in jets from active galactic nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gourgouliatos, Konstantinos N.; Komissarov, Serguei S.

2018-02-01

Jets powered by active galactic nuclei appear impressively stable compared with their terrestrial and laboratory counterparts—they can be traced from their origin to distances exceeding their injection radius by up to a billion times1,2. However, some less energetic jets get disrupted and lose their coherence on the scale of their host galaxy1,3. Quite remarkably, on the same scale, these jets are expected to become confined by the thermal pressure of the intra-galactic gas2. Motivated by these observations, we have started a systematic study of active galactic nuclei jets undergoing reconfinement via computer simulations. Here, we show that in the case of unmagnetized relativistic jets, the reconfinement is accompanied by the development of an instability and transition to a turbulent state. During their initial growth, the perturbations have a highly organized streamwise-oriented structure, indicating that it is not the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, the instability which has been the main focus of the jet stability studies so far4,5. Instead, it is closely related to the centrifugal instability6. This instability is likely to be behind the division of active galactic nuclei jets into two morphological types in the Fanaroff-Riley classification7.

TEV GAMMA-RAY OBSERVATIONS OF THE GALACTIC CENTER RIDGE BY VERITAS

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

Archer, A.; Buckley, J. H.; Bugaev, V.

2016-04-20

The Galactic Center ridge has been observed extensively in the past by both GeV and TeV gamma-ray instruments revealing a wealth of structure, including a diffuse component and the point sources G0.9+0.1 (a composite supernova remnant) and Sgr A* (believed to be associated with the supermassive black hole located at the center of our Galaxy). Previous very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray observations with the H.E.S.S. experiment have also detected an extended TeV gamma-ray component along the Galactic plane in the >300 GeV gamma-ray regime. Here we report on observations of the Galactic Center ridge from 2010 to 2014 by themore » VERITAS telescope array in the >2 TeV energy range. From these observations we (1) provide improved measurements of the differential energy spectrum for Sgr A* in the >2 TeV gamma-ray regime, (2) provide a detection in the >2 TeV gamma-ray emission from the composite SNR G0.9+0.1 and an improved determination of its multi-TeV gamma-ray energy spectrum, and (3) report on the detection of VER J1746-289, a localized enhancement of >2 TeV gamma-ray emission along the Galactic plane.« less

Diffuse Gamma Rays Galactic and Extragalactic Diffuse Emission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moskalenko, Igor V.; Strong, Andrew W.; Reimer, Olaf

2004-01-01

Diffuse gamma rays consist of several components: truly diffuse emission from the interstellar medium, the extragalactic background, whose origin is not firmly established yet, and the contribution from unresolved and faint Galactic point sources. One approach to unravel these components is to study the diffuse emission from the interstellar medium, which traces the interactions of high energy particles with interstellar gas and radiation fields. Because of its origin such emission is potentially able to reveal much about the sources and propagation of cosmic rays. The extragalactic background, if reliably determined, can be used in cosmological and blazar studies. Studying the derived average spectrum of faint Galactic sources may be able to give a clue to the nature of the emitting objects.

Galactic Hearts of Glass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Click on image for larger graph

This artist's concept shows delicate greenish crystals sprinkled throughout the violent core of a pair of colliding galaxies. The white spots represent a thriving population of stars of all sizes and ages. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope detected more than 20 bright and dusty galactic mergers like the one depicted here, all teeming with the tiny gem-like crystals.

When galaxies collide, they trigger the birth of large numbers of massive stars. Astronomers believe these blazing hot stars act like furnaces to produce silicate crystals in the same way that glass is made from sand. The stars probably shed the crystals as they age, and as they blow apart in supernovae explosions.

At the same time the crystals are being churned out, they are also being destroyed. Fast-moving particles from supernova blasts easily convert silicates crystals back to their amorphous, or shapeless, form.

How is Spitzer seeing the crystals if they are rapidly disappearing? Astronomers say that, for a short period of time at the beginning of galactic mergers, massive stars might be producing silicate crystals faster than they are eliminating them. When our own galaxy merges with the Andromeda galaxy in a few billion years, a similar burst of massive stars and silicate crystals might occur.

Crystal Storm in Distant Galaxy The graph (see inset above) of infrared data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope tells astronomers that a distant galaxy called IRAS 08752+3915 is experiencing a storm of tiny crystals made up of silicates. The crystals are similar to the glass-like grains of sand found on Earth's many beaches.

The data were taken by Spitzer's infrared spectrograph, which splits light open to reveal its rainbow-like components. The resulting spectrum shown here reveals the signatures of both crystalline (green) and non-crystalline (brown) silicates.

Spitzer detected the same

The black hole at the Galactic Center: observations and models in a nutshell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharov, Alexander

2017-12-01

The Galactic Center (Sgr A*) is a peculiar place in our Galaxy (Milky Way). Our Solar system is located at a distance around 8 kpc from the Galactic Center (GC). There were a number of different including exotic ones such as boson stars, fermion balls, neutrino balls, a cluster of neutron stars. Some of these models are significantly constrained with consequent observations and now supermassive black hole with mass around 4 × 106 M ⊙ is the preferable model for GC. Moreover, one can test alternative theories of gravity with observations of bright stars near the Galactic Center and and observations of bright structures near the black hole at the Galactic Center to reconstruct shadow structure around the black hole with current and future observational VLBI facilities such as the Event Horizon Telescope. In particular, we got a graviton mass constraint which is comparable and consistent with constraints obtained recently by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration.

Probing the Outflowing Multiphase Gas ∼1 kpc below the Galactic Center

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

Savage, Blair D.; Kim, Tae-Sun; Wakker, Bart P.

Comparison of interstellar medium (ISM) absorption in the UV spectrum of LS 4825, a B1 Ib−II star d  = 21 ± 5 kpc from the Sun toward l  = 1.°67 and b  = −6.°63, with ISM absorption toward an aligned foreground star at d  < 7.0 ± 1.7 kpc, allows us to isolate and study gas associated with the Milky Way nuclear wind. Spectra from the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph show low-ionization absorption out to d  < 7 kpc (e.g., O i, C ii, Mg ii, Si ii, Fe ii, S ii) only between 0 and 40 km s{sup −1}, while absorption at d  > 7 kpc, ∼1 kpc below themore » Galactic plane, is complex and spans −290 to +94 km s{sup −1}. The intermediate and high ions Si iii, C iv, Si iv, and N v show extremely strong absorption with multiple components from −283 to 107 km s{sup −1}, implying that the ISM ∼1 kpc below the Galactic center has a substantial reservoir of plasma and more gas containing C iv and N v than in the Carina OB1 association at z  = 0 kpc. Abundances and physical conditions are presented for many absorption components. The high ion absorption traces cooling transition temperature plasma probably driven by the outflowing hot gas, while the extraordinarily large thermal pressure, p / k  ∼ 10{sup 5} cm{sup −3} K{sup −1}, in an absorption component at −114 km s{sup −1} probably arises from the ram pressure of the outflowing hot gas. The observations are consistent with a flow whose ionization structure in the high ions can be understood through a combination of nonequilibrium radiative cooling and turbulent mixing.« less

Improved cosmic-ray injection models and the Galactic Center gamma-ray excess

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlson, Eric; Linden, Tim; Profumo, Stefano

2016-09-01

Fermi-LAT observations of the Milky Way Galactic Center (GC) have revealed a spherically symmetric excess of GeV γ rays extending to at least 10° from the dynamical center of the Galaxy. A critical uncertainty in extracting the intensity, spectrum, and morphology of this excess concerns the accuracy of astrophysical diffuse γ -ray emission models near the GC. Recently, it has been noted that many diffuse emission models utilize a cosmic-ray injection rate far below that predicted based on the observed star-formation rate in the Central Molecular Zone. In this study, we add a cosmic-ray injection component which nonlinearly traces the Galactic H2 density determined in three dimensions, and find that the associated γ -ray emission is degenerate with many properties of the GC γ -ray excess. Specifically, in models that utilize a large sideband (4 0 ° ×4 0 ° surrounding the GC) to normalize the best-fitting diffuse emission models, the intensity of the GC excess decreases by approximately a factor of 2, and the morphology of the excess becomes less peaked and less spherically symmetric. In models which utilize a smaller region of interest (1 5 ° ×1 5 ° ) the addition of an excess template instead suppresses the intensity of the best-fit astrophysical diffuse emission, and the GC excess is rather resilient to changes in the details of the astrophysical diffuse modeling. In both analyses, the addition of a GC excess template still provides a statistically significant improvement to the overall fit to the γ -ray data. We also implement advective winds at the GC, and find that the Fermi-LAT data strongly prefer outflows of order several hundred km/s, whose role is to efficiently advect low-energy cosmic rays from the inner-few kpc of the Galaxy. Finally, we perform numerous tests of our diffuse emission models, and conclude that they provide a significant improvement in the physical modeling of the multiwavelength nonthermal emission from the GC region.

THE BOLOCAM GALACTIC PLANE SURVEY. VIII. A MID-INFRARED KINEMATIC DISTANCE DISCRIMINATION METHOD

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

Ellsworth-Bowers, Timothy P.; Glenn, Jason; Battersby, Cara

2013-06-10

We present a new distance estimation method for dust-continuum-identified molecular cloud clumps. Recent (sub-)millimeter Galactic plane surveys have cataloged tens of thousands of these objects, plausible precursors to stellar clusters, but detailed study of their physical properties requires robust distance determinations. We derive Bayesian distance probability density functions (DPDFs) for 770 objects from the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey in the Galactic longitude range 7. Degree-Sign 5 {<=} l {<=} 65 Degree-Sign . The DPDF formalism is based on kinematic distances, and uses any number of external data sets to place prior distance probabilities to resolve the kinematic distance ambiguity (KDA)more » for objects in the inner Galaxy. We present here priors related to the mid-infrared absorption of dust in dense molecular regions and the distribution of molecular gas in the Galactic disk. By assuming a numerical model of Galactic mid-infrared emission and simple radiative transfer, we match the morphology of (sub-)millimeter thermal dust emission with mid-infrared absorption to compute a prior DPDF for distance discrimination. Selecting objects first from (sub-)millimeter source catalogs avoids a bias towards the darkest infrared dark clouds (IRDCs) and extends the range of heliocentric distance probed by mid-infrared extinction and includes lower-contrast sources. We derive well-constrained KDA resolutions for 618 molecular cloud clumps, with approximately 15% placed at or beyond the tangent distance. Objects with mid-infrared contrast sufficient to be cataloged as IRDCs are generally placed at the near kinematic distance. Distance comparisons with Galactic Ring Survey KDA resolutions yield a 92% agreement. A face-on view of the Milky Way using resolved distances reveals sections of the Sagittarius and Scutum-Centaurus Arms. This KDA-resolution method for large catalogs of sources through the combination of (sub-)millimeter and mid-infrared observations of

Modelling the thermal X-ray emission around the Galactic centre from colliding Wolf-Rayet winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, Christopher M. P.; Wang, Q. Daniel; Cuadra, Jorge

2017-11-01

We compute the thermal X-ray emission from hydrodynamic simulations of the 30 Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars orbiting within a parsec of Sgr A*, with the aim of interpreting the Chandra X-ray observations of this region. The model well reproduces the spectral shape of the observations, indicating that the shocked WR winds are the dominant source of this thermal emission. The model X-ray flux is tied to the strength of the Sgr A* outflow, which clears out hot gas from the vicinity of Sgr A*. A moderate outflow best fits the present-day observations, even though this supermassive black hole (SMBH) outflow ended ~100 yr ago.

Galactic X-ray emission from pulsars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harding, A. K.

1981-01-01

The contribution of pulsars to the gamma-ray flux from the galactic plane is examined using data from the most recent pulsar surveys. It is assumed that pulsar gamma-rays are produced by curvature radiation from relativistic particles above the polar cap and attenuated by pair production in the strong magnetic and electric fields. Assuming that all pulsars produce gamma-rays in this way, their luminosities can be predicted as a function of period and magnetic field strength. Using the distribution of pulsars in the galaxy as determined from data on 328 pulsars detected in three surveys, the local gamma-ray production spectrum, the longitude profile, and the latitude profile of pulsar gamma-ray flux are calculated. The largest sources of uncertainty in the size of the pulsar contribution are the value of the mean interstellar electron density, the turnover in the pulsar radio luminosity function, and the average pulsar magnetic field strength. A present estimate is that pulsars contribute from 15 to 20 % of the total flux of gamma-rays from the galactic plane.

The Galactic Magnetic Field as Viewed from the VLA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Eck, Cameron; Brown, Jo-Anne

2009-05-01

Interstellar magnetic fields play critical roles in many astrophysical processes. Yet despite their importance, our knowledge about magnetic fields in our Galaxy remains limited. For the field within the Milky Way much of what we do know comes from radio astronomy, through observations of polarization and Faraday rotation measures (RMs) of extragalactic sources and pulsars. A high angular density of RM measurements in several critical areas of the Galaxy is needed to clarify the Galactic magnetic field structure. Understanding the overall structure of the magnetic field will subsequently help us determine the origin and evolution of the field. In an effort to determine the overall structure of the field, Sun et al. (2008) produced 3 models of the Galactic magnetic field based on RM measurements available at the time. These models made distinct predictions for RMs in a region of the inner Galaxy at low Galactic latitude. Using observations made with the Very Large Array (VLA), we have determined RMs for sources in this critical region. In this talk we will present the results of our study and show how the RMs strongly support the ASS+RING model.

A relationship between galactic cosmic radiation and tree rings.

PubMed

Dengel, Sigrid; Aeby, Dominik; Grace, John

2009-11-01

Here, we investigated the interannual variation in the growth rings formed by Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) trees in northern Britain (55 degrees N, 3 degrees W) over the period 1961-2005 in an attempt to disentangle the influence of atmospheric variables acting at different times of year. Annual growth rings, measured along the north radius of freshly cut (frozen) tree discs and climatological data recorded at an adjacent site were used in the study. Correlations were based on Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients between the annual growth anomaly and these climatic and atmospheric factors. Rather weak correlations between these variables and growth were found. However, there was a consistent and statistically significant relationship between growth of the trees and the flux density of galactic cosmic radiation. Moreover, there was an underlying periodicity in growth, with four minima since 1961, resembling the period cycle of galactic cosmic radiation. * We discuss the hypotheses that might explain this correlation: the tendency of galactic cosmic radiation to produce cloud condensation nuclei, which in turn increases the diffuse component of solar radiation, and thus increases the photosynthesis of the forest canopy.

Gas and dust spectral analysis of galactic and extragalactic symbiotic stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angeloni, Rodolfo

2009-02-01

Symbiotic stars are recognized as unique laboratories for studying a large variety of phenomena that are relevant to a number of important astro-physical problems. This PhD thesis deals with a spectral analysis of galactic and extragalactic symbiotic stars. The former are mainly D-type symbiotic stars for which a comprehensive study, from radio to X-ray spectral region, has been performed. With the latter, we refer to symbiotic stars in the Magellanic Clouds, to be analyzed mainly in the IR range. The common theoretical scenario that lies in the background of this work is the colliding-wind model, developed already during the 80's, supported by first observational evidence at the beginning of 90's (mainly thanks to Nussbaumer and collaborators), and finally completed with detailed and powerful hydrodynamical simulations by various authors in these recent years. In the light of this scenario, we have tried to interpret gas and dust spectra of our targets in a unique and self-consistent way. The spectral analysis has been performed by means of the numerical code SUMA, developed at the Instituto Astronomico e Geofisico of the University of Sao Paulo by Sueli M. Viegas (Aldrovandi) and Marcella Contini from the School of Physics and Astronomy of the Tel-Aviv University.

A model for the origin of high-energy cosmic rays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jokipii, J. R.; Morfill, G. E.

1985-01-01

It is suggested that cosmic rays, up to the highest energies observed, originate in the Galaxy and are accelerated in astrophysical shock waves. If there is a galactic wind, in analogy with the solar wind, a hierarchy of shocks ranging from supernova shocks to the galactic wind termination shock is expected. This leads to a consistent model in which most cosmic rays, up to perhaps 10 to the 14th eV energy, are accelerated by supernova shocks, but that particles with energies of 10 to the 15th eV and higher are accelerated at the termination shock of the galactic wind. Intermediate energies may be accelerated by intermediate-scale shocks, and there may be larger scale shocks associated with the Local Group of galaxies.

O Star Wind Mass-Loss Rates and Shock Physics from X-ray Line Profiles in Archival XMM RGS Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, David

O stars are characterized by their dense, supersonic stellar winds. These winds are the site of X-ray emission from shock-heated plasma. By analyzing high-resolution X-ray spectra of these O stars, we can learn about the wind-shock heating and X-ray production mechanism. But in addition, the X-rays can also be used to measure the mass-loss rate of the stellar wind, which is a key observational quantity whose value affects stellar evolution and energy, momentum, and mass input to the Galactic interstellar medium. We make this X-ray based mass-loss measurement by analyzing the profile shapes of the X-ray emission lines observed at high resolution with the Chandra and XMM-Newton grating spectrometers. One advantage of our method is that it is insensitive to small-scale clumping that affects density-squared diagnostics. We are applying this analysis technique to O stars in the Chandra archive, and are finding mass-loss rates lower than those traditionally assumed for these O stars, and in line with more recent independent determinations that do account for clumping. By extending this analysis to the XMM RGS data archive, we will make significant contributions to the understanding of both X-ray production in O stars and to addressing the issue of the actual mass-loss rates of O stars. The XMM RGS data archive provides several extensions and advantages over the smaller Chandra HETGS archive: (1) there are roughly twice as many O and early B stars in the XMM archive; (2) the longer wavelength response of the RGS provides access to diagnostically important lines of nitrogen and carbon; (3) the very long, multiple exposures of zeta Pup provide the opportunity to study this canonical O supergiant's X-ray spectrum in unprecedented detail, including looking at the time variability of X-ray line profiles. Our research team has developed a sophisticated empirical line profile model as well as a computational infrastructure for fitting the model to high-resolution X-ray spectra

Flux-limited sample of Galactic carbon stars

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

Claussen, M.J.; Kleinmann, S.G.; Joyce, R.R.

Published observational data (including IRAS observations) for a flux-limited sample of 215 Galactic carbon stars (CSs) selected from the 2-micron sky survey of Neugebauer and Leighton (1969) are compiled in extensive tables and graphs and analyzed statistically. The sample is found to penetrate a volume of radius 1.5 kpc, and the local CS space density and surface density are calculated as log rho0 (per cu kpc) = 2.0 + or - 0.4 and log N (per sq kpc) = 1.6 + or - 0.2, respectively. The total Galactic mass-return rate from these CSs is estimated as 0.013 solar mass/yr, implyingmore » a time scale of 0.1-1 Myr for the CS evolutionary phase and a mass of 1.2-1.6 solar mass for the (probably F-type) main-seqence progenitors of CSs. 81 references.« less

A multistressor, multitrait approach to assessing the effects of wind and dust on Eucalyptus tereticornis.

PubMed

Leonard, Ryan J; McArthur, Clare; Hochuli, Dieter F

2016-08-01

Plants are routinely subjected to multiple environmental stressors, and the ability to respond to these stressors determines species survival and ecological breadth. Despite stressors such as wind and dust significantly influencing plant development, morphology, and chemistry, the combined influence of these factors is yet to be investigated. We used a manipulative glasshouse approach to compare the morphological, physiological, and biomechanical responses of Eucalyptus tereticornis to the independent and combined effects of wind and dust. Wind decreased both E. tereticornis height and stem flexural stiffness. Additionally, wind had no effect on leaf physiology, nor did dust have any significant effect on any of the traits measured. Our results suggest that wind and dust in combination may have an additive effect on several plant traits and provide new insight into the effects and importance of studying wind, dust, and different stress combinations. © 2016 Botanical Society of America.

Monitoring the Galactic - Search for Hard X-Ray Transients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, Francis

Hard X-ray transients with fluxs from ~1 to ~30 mCrab are a common feature of the galactic plane with apparent concentrations in specific regions of the plane. Concentrations in the Scutum and Carina fields probably indicate an enhancement of Be X-ray binaries along the tangent direction of two spiral arms. The frequency of outbursts suggest that at any one time 1 or 2 transients are active in the Scutum field alone. We propose weekly scans of the galactic plane to understand this population of sources. The scans will also monitor about 50 already known sources with better spectral information than available with the ASM.

An Electron-positron Jet Model for the Galactic Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, M. L.

1983-01-01

High energy observations of the galactic center on the subparsec scale seem to be consistent with electron-positron production in the form of relativistic jets. These jets could be produced by an approximately 1,000,000 solar mass black hole dynamo transportating pairs away from the massive core. An electromagnetic cascade shower would develop first from ambient soft protons and then nonlinearly; the shower using itself as a scattering medium. This is suited to producing, cooling and transporting pairs to the observed annihilation region. It is possible the center of our galaxy is a miniature version of more powerful active galactic nuclei that exhibit jet activity.

An electron-positron jet model for the Galactic center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, M. L.

1983-01-01

High energy observations of the galactic center on the subparsec scale seem to be consistent with electron-positron production in the form of relativistic jets. These jets could be produced by an approximately 1,000,000 solar mass black hole dynamo transporting pairs away from the massive core. An electomagnetic cascade shower would develop first from ambient soft protons and then nonlinearly, the shower using itself as a scattering medium. This is suited to producing, cooling and transporting pairs to the observed annihilation region. It is possible the center of our galaxy is a miniature version of more powerful active galactic nuclei that exhibit jet activity.

An electron-positron jet model for the Galactic center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burns, M. L.

1983-07-01

High energy observations of the galactic center on the subparsec scale seem to be consistent with electron-positron production in the form of relativistic jets. These jets could be produced by an approximately 1,000,000 solar mass black hole dynamo transporting pairs away from the massive core. An electomagnetic cascade shower would develop first from ambient soft protons and then nonlinearly, the shower using itself as a scattering medium. This is suited to producing, cooling and transporting pairs to the observed annihilation region. It is possible the center of our galaxy is a miniature version of more powerful active galactic nuclei that exhibit jet activity.

An electron-positron jet model for the galactic center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burns, M. L.

1983-03-01

High energy observations of the galactic center on the subparsec scale seem to be consistent with electron-positron production in the form of relativistic jets. These jets could be produced by an approximately 1,000,000 solar mass black hole dynamo transportating pairs away from the massive core. An electromagnetic cascade shower would develop first from ambient soft protons and then nonlinearly; the shower using itself as a scattering medium. This is suited to producing, cooling and transporting pairs to the observed annihilation region. It is possible the center of our galaxy is a miniature version of more powerful active galactic nuclei that exhibit jet activity.

Fast dynamos, cosmic rays, and the Galactic magnetic field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, E. N.

1992-01-01

It is suggested here that the dynamo believed to be responsible for the magnetic field of the Galaxy is a fast dynamo due to the dynamical reconnection of the azimuthal field of the Galaxy as the field is deformed by the instability of the gaseous disk and the rapid inflation of magnetic lobes by the cosmic-ray gas to form the Galactic halo. The reconnection of adjacent lobes carries out both the alpha effect and field dissipation essential for the existence of the Galactic alpha-omega dynamo. The azimuthal field is generated primarily in the gaseous disk, while the alpha effect is carried out in the halo.

The K2 Galactic Archaeology Program Data Release. I. Asteroseismic Results from Campaign 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stello, Dennis; Zinn, Joel; Elsworth, Yvonne; Garcia, Rafael A.; Kallinger, Thomas; Mathur, Savita; Mosser, Benoit; Sharma, Sanjib; Chaplin, William J.; Davies, Guy; Huber, Daniel; Jones, Caitlin D.; Miglio, Andrea; Silva Aguirre, Victor

2017-01-01

NASA's K2 mission is observing tens of thousands of stars along the ecliptic, providing data suitable for large-scale asteroseismic analyses to inform galactic archaeology studies. Its first campaign covered a field near the north Galactic cap, a region never covered before by large asteroseismic-ensemble investigations, and was therefore of particular interest for exploring this part of our Galaxy. Here we report the asteroseismic analysis of all stars selected by the K2 Galactic Archaeology Program during the mission's “north Galactic cap” campaign 1. Our consolidated analysis uses six independent methods to measure the global seismic properties, in particular the large frequency separation and the frequency of maximum power. From the full target sample of 8630 stars we find about 1200 oscillating red giants, a number comparable with estimates from galactic synthesis modeling. Thus, as a valuable by-product we find roughly 7500 stars to be dwarfs, which provide a sample well suited for galactic exoplanet occurrence studies because they originate from our simple and easily reproducible selection function. In addition, to facilitate the full potential of the data set for galactic archaeology, we assess the detection completeness of our sample of oscillating red giants. We find that the sample is at least nearly complete for stars with 40 ≲ {ν }\\max /μHz ≲ 270 and {ν }\\max ,{detect}< 2.6× {10}6\\cdot {2}-{\\text{Kp}} μHz. There is a detection bias against helium core burning stars with {ν }\\max ˜ 30 μHz, affecting the number of measurements of {{Δ }}ν and possibly also {ν }\\max . Although we can detect oscillations down to {\\text{Kp}} = 15, our campaign 1 sample lacks enough faint giants to assess the detection completeness for stars fainter than {\\text{Kp}} ˜ 14.5.

A Search for New Galactic Magnetars in Archival Chandra and XMM-Newton Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muno, M. P.; Gaensler, B. M.; Nechita, A.; Miller, J. M.; Slane, P. O.

2008-06-01

We present constraints on the number of Galactic magnetars, which we have established by searching for sources with periodic variability in 506 archival Chandra observations and 441 archival XMM-Newton observations of the Galactic plane (| b| < 5°). Our search revealed four sources with periodic variability on timescales of 200-5000 s, all of which are probably accreting white dwarfs. We identify 7 of 12 known Galactic magnetars, but find no new examples with periods between 5 and 20 s. We convert this nondetection into limits on the total number of Galactic magnetars by computing the fraction of the young Galactic stellar population that our survey covered. We find that easily detectable magnetars, modeled after persistent anomalous X-ray pulsars (e.g., with LX = 1035 ergs s-1 [0.5-10.0 keV] and Arms = 12% ), could have been identified in ≈5% of the Galactic spiral arms by mass. If we assume that three previously known examples randomly fall within our survey, then there are 59+ 92-32 in the Galaxy. Barely detectable magnetars (LX = 3 × 1033 ergs s-1 and Arms = 15% ) could have been identified throughout ≈0.4% of the spiral arms. The lack of new examples implies that <540 exist in the Galaxy (90% confidence). Similar constraints are found by considering the detectability of transient magnetars in outburst. For assumed lifetimes of 104 yr, the birth rate of magnetars is between 0.003 and 0.06 yr-1. Therefore, the birth rate of magnetars is at least 10% of that for normal radio pulsars, and could exceed that value, unless transient magnetars are active for gtrsim105 yr.

HST/COS OBSERVATIONS OF GALACTIC HIGH-VELOCITY CLOUDS: FOUR ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS SIGHT LINES THROUGH COMPLEX C

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

Shull, J. Michael; Stevans, Matthew; Danforth, Charles

2011-10-01

We report ultraviolet spectra of Galactic high-velocity clouds (HVCs) in Complex C, taken by the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), together with new 21 cm spectra from the Green Bank Telescope. The wide spectral coverage and higher signal-to-noise ratio, compared to previous HST spectra, provide better velocity definition of the HVC absorption, additional ionization species (including high ions), and improved abundances in this halo gas. Complex C has a metallicity of 10%-30% solar and a wide range of ions, suggesting dynamical and thermal interactions with hot gas in the Galactic halo. Spectra in the COSmore » medium-resolution G130M (1133-1468 A) and G160M (1383-1796 A) gratings detect ultraviolet absorption lines from eight elements in low-ionization states (O I, N I, C II, S II, Si II, Al II, Fe II, P II) and three elements in intermediate- and high-ionization states (Si III, Si IV, C IV, N V). Our four active galactic nucleus sight lines toward Mrk 817, Mrk 290, Mrk 876, and PG 1259+593 have high-velocity H I and O VI column densities, log N{sub Hi}= 19.39-20.05 and log N{sub Ovi}= 13.58-14.10, with substantial amounts of kinematically associated photoionized gas. The high-ion abundance ratios are consistent with cooling interfaces between photoionized and collisionally ionized gas: N(C IV)/N(O VI) {approx} 0.3-0.5, N(Si IV)/N(O VI) {approx} 0.05-0.11, N(N V)/N(O VI) {approx} 0.07-0.13, and N(Si IV)/N(Si III) {approx}0.2.« less

Extragalactic gamma-ray background from AGN winds and star-forming galaxies in cosmological galaxy-formation models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamastra, A.; Menci, N.; Fiore, F.; Antonelli, L. A.; Colafrancesco, S.; Guetta, D.; Stamerra, A.

2017-10-01

We derive the contribution to the extragalactic gamma-ray background (EGB) from active galactic nuclei (AGN) winds and star-forming galaxies by including a physical model for the γ-ray emission produced by relativistic protons accelerated by AGN-driven and supernova-driven shocks into a state-of-the-art semi-analytic model of galaxy formation. This is based on galaxy interactions as triggers of AGN accretion and starburst activity and on expanding blast waves as the mechanism to communicate outwards the energy injected into the interstellar medium by the active nucleus. We compare the model predictions with the latest measurement of the EGB spectrum performed by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi) in the range between 100 MeV and 820 GeV. We find that AGN winds can provide 35 ± 15% of the observed EGB in the energy interval Eγ = 0.1-1 GeV, for 73 ± 15% at Eγ = 1-10 GeV, and for 60 ± 20% at Eγ ≳10 GeV. The AGN wind contribution to the EGB is predicted to be larger by a factor of 3-5 than that provided by star-forming galaxies (quiescent plus starburst) in the hierarchical clustering scenario. The cumulative γ-ray emission from AGN winds and blazars can account for the amplitude and spectral shape of the EGB, assuming the standard acceleration theory, and AGN wind parameters that agree with observations. We also compare the model prediction for the cumulative neutrino background from AGN winds with the most recent IceCube data. We find that for AGN winds with accelerated proton spectral index p = 2.2-2.3, and taking into account internal absorption of γ-rays, the Fermi-LAT and IceCube data could be reproduced simultaneously.

Galactic Cosmic-ray Transport in the Global Heliosphere: A Four-Dimensional Stochastic Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Florinski, V.

2009-04-01

We study galactic cosmic-ray transport in the outer heliosphere and heliosheath using a newly developed transport model based on stochastic integration of the phase-space trajectories of Parker's equation. The model employs backward integration of the diffusion-convection transport equation using Ito calculus and is four-dimensional in space+momentum. We apply the model to the problem of galactic proton transport in the heliosphere during a negative solar minimum. Model results are compared with the Voyager measurements of galactic proton radial gradients and spectra in the heliosheath. We show that the heliosheath is not as efficient in diverting cosmic rays during solar minima as predicted by earlier two-dimensional models.

Search for Gamma-Ray Emission from Galactic Novae using Fermi-LAT Pass 8

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buson, Sara; Franckowiak, Anna; Cheung, Teddy; Jean, Pierre; Fermi-LAT Collaboration

2016-01-01

Recently Galactic novae have been identified as a new class of GeV gamma-ray emitters, with 6 detected so far with the Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT) data. Based on optical observations we have compiled a catalog of ~70 Galactic novae, which peak (in optical) during the operations of the Fermi mission. Based on the properties of known gamma-ray novae we developed a search procedure that we apply to all novae in the catalog to detect these slow transient sources or set flux upper limits using the Fermi-LAT Pass 8 data set. This is the first time a large sample of Galactic novae has been uniformly studied.

A Low-metallicity Molecular Cloud in the Lower Galactic Halo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez, Audra K.; Wakker, Bart P.; Benjamin, Robert A.; French, David; Kerp, Juergen; Lockman, Felix J.; O'Toole, Simon; Winkel, Benjamin

2013-11-01

We find evidence for the impact of infalling, low-metallicity gas on the Galactic disk. This is based on FUV absorption line spectra, 21 cm emission line spectra, and far-infrared (FIR) mapping to estimate the abundance and physical properties of IV21 (IVC135+54-45), a galactic intermediate-velocity molecular cloud that lies ~300 pc above the disk. The metallicity of IV21 was estimated using observations toward the subdwarf B star PG1144+615, located at a projected distance of 16 pc from the cloud's densest core, by measuring ion and H I column densities for comparison with known solar abundances. Despite the cloud's bright FIR emission and large column densities of molecular gas as traced by CO, we find that it has a sub-solar metallicity of log (Z/Z ⊙) = -0.43 ± 0.12 dex. IV21 is thus the first known sub-solar metallicity cloud in the solar neighborhood. In contrast, most intermediate-velocity clouds (IVC) have near-solar metallicities and are believed to originate in the Galactic Fountain. The cloud's low metallicity is also atypical for Galactic molecular clouds, especially in light of the bright FIR emission which suggest a substantial dust content. The measured I 100 μm/N(H I) ratio is a factor of three below the average found in high latitude H I clouds within the solar neighborhood. We argue that IV21 represents the impact of an infalling, low-metallicity high-velocity cloud that is mixing with disk gas in the lower Galactic halo. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained from MAST at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with program No. 12275. The Green Bank Telescope is part of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory which is a Facility of the National Science Foundation, operated by Associated Universities, Inc.

Shocks and metallicity gradients in normal star-forming galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, I.-Ting

Gas flow is one of the most fundamental processes driving galaxy evolution. This thesis explores gas flows in local galaxies by studying metallicity gradients and galactic-scale outflows in normal star-forming galaxies. This is made possible by new integral field spectroscopy data that provide simultaneously spatial and spectral information of galaxies. First, I measure metallicity gradients in isolated disk galaxies and show that their metallicity gradients are remarkably simple and universal. When the metallicity gradients are normalized to galaxy sizes, all the 49 galaxies studied have virtually the same metallicity gradient. I model the common metallicity gradient using a simple chemical evolution model to understand its origin. The common metallicity gradient is a direct result of the coevolution of gas and stellar disk while galactic disks build up their masses from inside-out. Tight constraints on the mass outflow rates and inflow rates can be placed by the chemical evolution model. Second, I investigate galactic winds in normal star-forming galaxies using data from an integral field spectroscopy survey. I demonstrate how to search for galactic winds by probing emission line ratios, shocks, and gas kinematics. Galactic winds are found to be common even in normal star-forming galaxies that were not expected to host winds. By comparing galaxies with and without hosting winds, I show that galaxies with high star formation rate surface densities and bursty star formation histories are more likely to drive large-scale galactic winds. Finally, lzifu, a toolkit for fitting multiple emission lines simultaneously in integral field spectroscopy data, is developed in this thesis. I describe in detail the structure of the toolkit and demonstrate the capabilities of lzifu.

Elsaesser variable analysis of fluctuations in the ion foreshock and undisturbed solar wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Labelle, James; Treumann, Rudolf A.; Marsch, Eckart

1994-01-01

Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) fluctuations in the solar wind have been investigated previously by use of Elsaesser variables. In this paper, we present a comparison of the spectra of Elsaesser variables in the undisturbed solar wind at 1 AU and in the ion foreshock in front of the Earth. Both observations take place under relatively strong solar wind flow speed conditions (approximately equal 600 km/s). In the undisturbed solar wind we find that outward propagating Alfven waves dominate, as reported by other observers. In the ion foreshock the situation is more complex, with neither outward nor inward propagation dominating over the entire range investigated (1-10 mHz). Measurements of the Poynting vectors associated with the fluctuations are consistent with the Elsaesser variable analysis. These results generally support interpretations of the Elsaesser variables which have been made based strictly on solar wind data and provide additional insight into the nature of the ion foreshock turbulence.

MOCCA-SURVEY Database I: Galactic Globular Clusters Harbouring a Black Hole Subsystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Askar, Abbas; Sedda, Manuel Arca; Giersz, Mirek

2018-05-01

There have been increasing theoretical speculations and observational indications that certain globular clusters (GCs) could contain a sizeable population of stellar mass black holes (BHs). In this paper, we shortlist at least 29 Galactic GCs that could be hosting a subsystem of BHs (BHS). In a companion paper, we analysed results from a wide array of GC models (simulated with the MOCCA code for cluster simulations) that retained few tens to several hundreds of BHs at 12 Gyr and showed that the properties of the BHS in those GCs correlate with the GC's observable properties. Building on those results, we use available observational properties of 140 Galactic GCs to identify 29 GCs that could potentially be harbouring up to a few hundreds of BHs. Utilizing observational properties and theoretical scaling relations, we estimate the density, size and mass of the BHS in these GCs. We also calculate the total number of BHs and the fraction of BHs contained in a binary system for our shortlisted Galactic GCs. Additionally, we mention other Galactic GCs that could also contain significant number of single BHs or BHs in binary systems.

A 1420 MHz Catalog of Compact Sources in the Northern Galactic Plane

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

Taylor, A. R.; Leahy, D. A.; Sunstrum, C.

We present a catalog of compact sources of radio emission at 1420 MHz in the northern Galactic plane from the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey. The catalog contains 72,758 compact sources with an angular size less than 3′ within the Galactic longitude range 52° <  ℓ  < 192° down to a 5 σ detection level of ∼1.2 mJy. Linear polarization properties are included for 12,368 sources with signals greater than 4 σ{sub QU} in the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey (CGPS) Stokes Q and U images at the position of the total intensity peak. We compare CGPS flux densities with cataloged flux densities in themore » Northern VLA Sky Survey catalog for 10,897 isolated unresolved sources with CGPS flux density greater than 4 mJy to search for sources that show variable flux density on timescales of several years. We identify 146 candidate variables that exhibit high fractional variations between the two surveys. In addition, we identify 13 candidate transient sources that have CGPS flux density above 10 mJy but are not detected in the Northern VLA Sky Survey.« less

Chandra Deep X-ray Observation of a Typical Galactic Plane Region and Near-Infrared Identification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ebisawa, K.; Tsujimoto, M.; Paizis, A.; Hamaguichi, K.; Bamba, A.; Cutri, R.; Kaneda, H.; Maeda, Y.; Sato, G.; Senda, A.

2004-01-01

Using the Chandra Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer Imaging array (ACIS-I), we have carried out a deep hard X-ray observation of the Galactic plane region at (l,b) approx. (28.5 deg,0.0 deg), where no discrete X-ray source has been reported previously. We have detected 274 new point X-ray sources (4 sigma confidence) as well as strong Galactic diffuse emission within two partidly overlapping ACIS-I fields (approx. 250 sq arcmin in total). The point source sensitivity was approx. 3 x 10(exp -15)ergs/s/sq cm in the hard X-ray band (2-10 keV and approx. 2 x 10(exp -16) ergs/s/sq cm in the soft band (0.5-2 keV). Sum of all the detected point source fluxes account for only approx. 10 % of the total X-ray fluxes in the field of view. In order to explain the total X-ray fluxes by a superposition of fainter point sources, an extremely rapid increase of the source population is required below our sensitivity limit, which is hardly reconciled with any source distribution in the Galactic plane. Therefore, we conclude that X-ray emission from the Galactic plane has truly diffuse origin. Only 26 point sources were detected both in the soft and hard bands, indicating that there are two distinct classes of the X-ray sources distinguished by the spectral hardness ratio. Surface number density of the hard sources is only slightly higher than observed at the high Galactic latitude regions, strongly suggesting that majority of the hard X-ray sources are active galaxies seen through the Galactic plane. Following the Chandra observation, we have performed a near-infrared (NIR) survey with SOFI at ESO/NTT to identify these new X-ray sources. Since the Galactic plane is opaque in NIR, we did not see the background extragalactic sources in NIR. In fact, only 22 % of the hard sources had NIR counterparts which are most likely to be Galactic origin. Composite X-ray energy spectrum of those hard X-ray sources having NIR counterparts exhibits a narrow approx. 6.7 keV iron emission line, which

Estimations of Kappa parameter using quasi-thermal noise spectroscopy: Applications on Wind spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinović, M.

2017-12-01

Quasi-thermal noise (QTN) spectroscopy is an accurate technique for in situ measurements of electron density and temperature in space plasmas. The QTN spectrum has a characteristic noise peak just above the plasma frequency produced by electron quasi-thermal fluctuations, which allows a very accurate measurement of the electron density. The size and shape of the peak are determined by suprathermal electrons. Since this nonthermal electron population is well described by a generalized Lorentzian - Kappa velocity distribution, it is possible to determinate the distribution properties in the solar wind from a measured spectrum. In this work, we discuss some basic properties of the QTN spectrum dependence of the Kappa distribution parameters - total electron density, temperature and the Kappa index, giving an overview on how instrument characteristics and environment conditions affect quality of the measurements. Further on, we aim to apply the method to Wind Thermal Noise Receiver (TNR) measurements. However, the spectra observed by this instrument usually contain contributions from nonthermal phenomena, like ion acoustic waves below, or galactic noise above the plasma frequency. This is why, besides comparison of the theory with observations, work with Wind data requires development of a sophisticated algorithm that distinguish parts of the spectra that are dominated by the QTN, and therefore can be used in our study. Postulates of this algorithm, as well as major results of its implementation, are also presented.

A Three Dimensional Picture of Galactic Center Mass Flows From Kiloparsec to Subparsec Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mills, Elisabeth A.

2018-06-01

The centers of galaxies host extreme and energetic phenomena, from the amassing of incredibly dense reservoirs of gas to nuclear starbursts producing tens to hundreds of solar masses per year to accreting supermassive black holes launching jets. All of these are found on compact scales from hundreds of parsecs to less than a microparsec. The nearest laboratory for examining these processes is the center of our own Milky Way Galaxy. Although the black hole is not currently active and the star formation rate is relatively low, it is still our best opportunity for detailed insight into the processes that regulate the growth of the central supermassive black hole. By providing access to mid and far infrared wavelengths, SOFIA plays a unique role in connecting large and small scales in the Galactic center and studying the cycling of gas through this region. In this talk I will highlight several key open questions and outline the role that SOFIA continues to play in answering them.

The Milky Way, the Galactic Halo, and the Halos of Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerhard, Ortwin

2016-08-01

The Milky Way, ``our'' Galaxy, is currently the subject of intense study with many ground-based surveys, in anticipation of upcoming results from the Gaia mission. From this work we have been learning about the full three-dimensional structure of the Galactic box/peanut bulge, the distribution of stars in the bar and disk, and the many streams and substructures in the Galactic halo. The data indicate that a large fraction of the Galactic halo has been accreted from outside. Similarly, in many external galaxy halos there is now evidence for tidal streams and accretion of satellites. To study these features requires exquisite, deep photometry and spectroscopy. These observations illustrate how galaxy halos are still growing, and sometimes can be used to ``time'' the accretion events. In comparison with cosmological simulations, the structure of galaxy halos gives us a vivid illustration of the hierarchical nature of our Universe.

A Discovery of a Compact High Velocity Cloud-Galactic Supershell System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Geumsook; Koo, Bon-Chul; Kang, Ji-hyun; Gibson, Steven J.; Peek, Joshua Eli Goldston; Douglas, Kevin A.; Korpela, Eric J.; Heiles, Carl E.

2017-01-01

High velocity clouds (HVCs) are neutral hydrogen (HI) gas clouds having very different radial velocities from those of the Galactic disk material. While some large HVC complexes are known to be gas streams tidally stripped from satellite galaxies of the Milky Way, there are relatively isolated and small angular-sized HVCs, so called “compact HVCs (CHVCs)”, the origin of which remains controversial. There are about 300 known CHVCs in the Milky Way, and many of them show a head-tail structure, implying a ram pressure interaction with the diffuse Galactic halo gas. It is, however, not clear whether CHVCs are completely dissipated in the Galactic halo to feed the multi-phase circumgalactic medium or they can survive their trip through the halo and collide with the Galactic disk. The colliding CHVCs may leave a gigantic trail in the disk, and it had been suggested that some of HI supershells that require ≧ 3 x 1052 erg may be produced by the collision of such HVCs.Here we report the detection of a kiloparsec (kpc)-size supershell in the outskirts of the Milky Way with the compact HVC 040+01-282 (hereafter, CHVC040) at its geometrical center using the “Inner-Galaxy Arecibo L-band Feed Array” HI 21 cm survey data. The morphological and physical properties of both objects suggest that CHVC040, which is either a fragment of a nearby disrupted galaxy or a cloud that originated from an intergalactic accreting flow, collided with the disk ˜5 Myr ago to form the supershell. Our results show that some compact HVCs can survive their trip through the Galactic halo and inject energy and momentum into the Milky Way disk.

The Geminga pulsar wind nebula in the mid-infrared and submillimetre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greaves, J. S.; Holland, W. S.

2017-10-01

The nearby middle-aged Geminga pulsar has crossed the Galactic plane within the last ∼0.1 Myr. We present archival data from Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and from SCUBA and SCUBA-2 on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope to assess whether any mid-infrared and submillimetre emission arises from interaction of the pulsar wind nebula with the interstellar medium. A candidate shell and bow shock are reported. Given the low pulsar velocity and local density, dust grains appear able to penetrate into the nebula. A compact source seen towards the pulsar is fitted with a dust spectrum. If confirmed as a real association at higher resolution, this could be a circum-pulsar disc of at least a few Earth-masses, in which future planets could form.

Advances in wind erosion modelling in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borrelli, Pasquale; Lugato, Emanuele; Alewell, Christine; Montanarella, Luca; Panagos, Panos

2017-04-01

Soil erosion by wind is a serious environmental problem often resulting in severe forms of soil degradation. Wind erosion is also a phenomenon relevant for Europe, although this land degradation process has been overlooked until very recently. The state-of-the-art literature presents wind erosion as a process that locally affects the semi-arid areas of the Mediterranean region as well as the temperate climate areas of the northern European countries. Actual observations, field measurements and modelling assessments, however, are all extremely limited and highly unequally distributed across Europe. As a result, we currently lack comprehensive understanding about where and when wind erosion occurs in Europe, and the intensity of erosion that poses a threat to agricultural productivity. Today's challenge is to integrate the insights of local experiments and field-scale models into a new generation of large-scale wind erosion models. While naturally being less accurate than field-scale models, these large-scale modelling approaches still provide essential knowledge about where and when wind erosion occurs and can disclose the level of risk for agricultural productivity in specific areas. Here, we present a geographic information system (GIS) version of the RWEQ (named GIS-RWEQ) to quantitatively assess soil loss by wind over large study areas (Land Degradation & Development, DOI: 10.1002/ldr.2588). The model designed to predict the daily soil loss potential at a ca. 1 km2 spatial resolution shows high consistency with local measurements reported in literature. The average soil loss predicted by GIS-RWEQ for the European arable land totals 62 million Mg yr-1, with an average area-specific soil loss of 0.53 Mg yr-1. The JRC model RUSLE2015, for the same area estimates 295 million Mg yr-1 of soil loss due to water erosion. Notably, soil loss by wind erosion in the European arable land could be as high as 20% of water erosion, even though the areas affected are mainly

TeV Gamma Rays From Galactic Center Pulsars

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

Hooper, Dan; Cholis, Ilias; Linden, Tim

Measurements of the nearby pulsars Geminga and B0656+14 by the HAWC and Milagro telescopes have revealed the presence of bright TeV-emitting halos surrounding these objects. If young and middle-aged pulsars near the Galactic Center transfer a similar fraction of their energy into TeV photons, then these sources could dominate the emission that is observed by HESS and other ground-based telescopes from the innermost ~10^2 parsecs of the Milky Way. In particular, both the spectral shape and the angular extent of this emission is consistent with TeV halos produced by a population of pulsars. The overall flux of this emission requiresmore » a birth rate of ~100-1000 neutron stars per Myr near the Galactic Center, in good agreement with recent estimates.« less

Is EIA part of the wind power planning problem?

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

Smart, Duncan Ewan; Stojanovic, Timothy A., E-mail: tas21@st-andrews.ac.uk; Warren, Charles R.

2014-11-15

This research evaluates the importance and effectiveness of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) within wind farm planning debates, drawing on insights from case studies in Scotland. Despite general public support for renewable energy on the grounds that it is needed to tackle climate change and implement sustainable development, many proposed wind farms encounter significant resistance. The importance of planning issues and (EIA) processes has arguably been overlooked within recent wind farm social acceptability discourse. Through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and textual analysis of EIA documents, the characteristics of EIA are assessed in terms of its perceived purpose and performance. Themore » data show that whilst respondents perceive EIA to be important, they express concerns about bias and about the inability of EIA to address climate change and wind farm decommissioning issues adequately. Furthermore, the research identifies key issues which impede the effectiveness of EIA, and reveals differences between theoretical and practical framings of EIA. The paper questions the assumption that EIA is a universally applicable tool, and argues that its effectiveness should be analysed in the context of specific development sectors. The article concludes by reviewing whether the recently amended EIA Directive (2014/52/EU) could resolve identified problems within national EIA practice. - Highlights: • Evaluation of EIA for onshore wind farm planning in Scotland. • EIA is important for multiple aspects of onshore wind farm planning. • Multiple substantive deficiencies of relevance to wind farm planning exist in EIA. • Further research into EIA effectiveness for specific development types is required. • Directive 2014/52/EU may improve EIA effectiveness within wind farm planning.« less

Turbulence effects on a full-scale 2.5 MW horizontal axis wind turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chamorro, Leonardo; Lee, Seung-Jae; Olsen, David; Milliren, Chris; Marr, Jeff; Arndt, Roger; Sotiropoulos, Fotis

2012-11-01

Power fluctuations and fatigue loads are among the most significant problems that wind turbines face throughout their lifetime. Turbulence is the common driving mechanism that triggers instabilities on these quantities. We investigate the complex response of a full-scale 2.5 MW wind turbine under nearly neutral thermal stratification. The study is performed in the EOLOS Wind Energy Research Field Station of the University of Minnesota. An instrumented 130 meter meteorological tower located upstream of a Clipper Liberty C96 wind turbine is used to characterize the turbulent flow and atmospheric conditions right upstream of the wind turbine. High resolution and synchronous measurements of the wind velocity, turbine power and strain at the tower foundation are used to determine the scale-to-scale interaction between flow and the wind turbine. The structure of the fluctuating turbine power and instantaneous stresses are studied in detail. Important insights about the role of turbulent and coherent motions as well as strong intermittent gusts will be discussed. Funding was provided by Department of Energy DOE (DE-EE0002980) and Xcel Energy through the Renewable Development Fund (grant RD3-42).

Wind Energy Modeling and Simulation | Wind | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Wind Energy Modeling and Simulation Wind Turbine Modeling and Simulation Wind turbines are unique wind turbines. It enables the analysis of a range of wind turbine configurations, including: Two- or (SOWFA) employs computational fluid dynamics to allow users to investigate wind turbine and wind power