Can Infrared Spectroscopy Be Used to Measure Change in Potassium Nitrate Concentration as a Proxy for Soil Particle Movement?

PubMed Central

Luleva, Mila Ivanova; van der Werff, Harald; Jetten, Victor; van der Meer, Freek

2011-01-01

Displacement of soil particles caused by erosion influences soil condition and fertility. To date, the cesium 137 isotope (137Cs) technique is most commonly used for soil particle tracing. However when large areas are considered, the expensive soil sampling and analysis present an obstacle. Infrared spectral measurements would provide a solution, however the small concentrations of the isotope do not influence the spectral signal sufficiently. Potassium (K) has similar electrical, chemical and physical properties as Cs. Our hypothesis is that it can be used as possible replacement in soil particle tracing. Soils differing in texture were sampled for the study. Laboratory soil chemical analyses and spectral sensitivity analyses were carried out to identify the wavelength range related to K concentration. Different concentrations of K fertilizer were added to soils with varying texture properties in order to establish spectral characteristics of the absorption feature associated with the element. Changes in position of absorption feature center were observed at wavelengths between 2,450 and 2,470 nm, depending on the amount of fertilizer applied. Other absorption feature parameters (absorption band depth, width and area) were also found to change with K concentration with coefficient of determination between 0.85 and 0.99. Tracing soil particles using K fertilizer and infrared spectral response is considered suitable for soils with sandy and sandy silt texture. It is a new approach that can potentially grow to a technique for rapid monitoring of soil particle movement over large areas. PMID:22163843

Classification by diagnosing all absorption features (CDAF) for the most abundant minerals in airborne hyperspectral images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mobasheri, Mohammad Reza; Ghamary-Asl, Mohsen

2011-12-01

Imaging through hyperspectral technology is a powerful tool that can be used to spectrally identify and spatially map materials based on their specific absorption characteristics in electromagnetic spectrum. A robust method called Tetracorder has shown its effectiveness at material identification and mapping, using a set of algorithms within an expert system decision-making framework. In this study, using some stages of Tetracorder, a technique called classification by diagnosing all absorption features (CDAF) is introduced. This technique enables one to assign a class to the most abundant mineral in each pixel with high accuracy. The technique is based on the derivation of information from reflectance spectra of the image. This can be done through extraction of spectral absorption features of any minerals from their respected laboratory-measured reflectance spectra, and comparing it with those extracted from the pixels in the image. The CDAF technique has been executed on the AVIRIS image where the results show an overall accuracy of better than 96%.

Spectral reflectance properties (0.4-2.5 μm) of secondary Fe-oxide, Fe-hydroxide, and Fe-sulphate-hydrate minerals associated with sulphide-bearing mine wastes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crowley, J.K.; Williams, D.E.; Hammarstrom, J.M.; Piatak, N.; Chou, I.-Ming; Mars, J.C.

2003-01-01

Diffuse reflectance spectra of 15 mineral species commonly associated with sulphide-bearing mine wastes show diagnostic absorption bands related to electronic processes involving ferric and/or ferrous iron, and to vibrational processes involving water and hydroxyl. Many of these absorption bands are relatively broad and overlapping; however, spectral analysis methods, including continuum removal and derivative analysis, permit most of the minerals to be distinguished. Key spectral differences between the minerals are illustrated in a series of plots showing major absorption band centres and other spectral feature positions. Because secondary iron minerals are sensitive indicators of pH, Eh, relative humidity, and other environmental conditions, spectral mapping of mineral distributions promises to have important application to mine waste remediation studies.

Numerical simulation of infrared radiation absorption for diagnostics of gas-aerosol medium by remote sensing data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voitsekhovskaya, O. K.; Egorov, O. V.; Kashirskii, D. E.; Shefer, O. V.

2015-11-01

Calculated absorption spectra of the mixture of gases (H2O, CO, CO2, NO, NO2, and SO2) and aerosol (soot and Al2O3), contained in the exhausts of aircraft and rocket engines are demonstrated. Based on the model of gas-aerosol medium, a numerical study of the spectral dependence of the absorptance for different ratios of gas and aerosol components was carried out. The influence of microphysical and optical properties of the components of the mixture on the spectral features of absorption of gas-aerosol medium was established.

THE 3–4  μ m SPECTRA OF JUPITER TROJAN ASTEROIDS

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

Brown, M. E., E-mail: mbrown@caltech.edu

To date, reflectance spectra of Jupiter Trojan asteroids have revealed no distinctive absorption features. For this reason, the surface composition of these objects remains a subject of speculation. Spectra have revealed, however, that the Jupiter Trojan asteroids consist of two distinct sub-populations that differ in the optical to near-infrared colors. The origins and compositional differences between the two sub-populations remain unclear. Here, we report the results from a 2.2–3.8 μ m spectral survey of a collection of 16 Jupiter Trojan asteroids, divided equally between the two sub-populations. We find clear spectral absorption features centered around 3.1 μ m in themore » less-red population. Additional absorption consistent with that expected from organic materials might also be present. No such features are see in the red population. A strong correlation exists between the strength of the 3.1 μ m absorption feature and the optical to near-infrared color of the objects. While, traditionally, absorptions such as these in dark asteroids are modeled as being due to fine-grain water frost, we find it physically implausible that the special circumstances required to create such fine-grained frost would exist on a substantial fraction of the Jupiter Trojan asteroids. We suggest, instead, that the 3.1 μ m absorption on Trojans and other dark asteroids could be due to N–H stretch features. Additionally, we point out that reflectivities derived from WISE observations show a strong absorption beyond 4 μ m for both populations. The continuum of 3.1 μ m features and the common absorption beyond 4 μ m might suggest that both sub-populations of Jupiter Trojan asteroids formed in the same general region of the early solar system.« less

Development of a Near-Ir Cavity Enhanced Absorption Spectrometer for the Detection of Atmospheric Oxidation Products and Organoamines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eddingsaas, Nathan C.; Jewell, Breanna; Thurnherr, Emily

2014-06-01

An estimated 10,000 to 100,000 different compounds have been measured in the atmosphere, each one undergoes many oxidation reactions that may or may not degrade air quality. To date, the fate of even some of the most abundant hydrocarbons in the atmosphere is poorly understood. One difficulty is the detection of atmospheric oxidation products that are very labile and decompose during analysis. To study labile species under atmospheric conditions, a highly sensitive, non-destructive technique is needed. Here we describe a near-IR incoherent broadband cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy (IBBCEAS) setup that we are developing to meet this end. We have chosen to utilize the near-IR, where vibrational overtone absorptions are observed, due to the clean spectral windows and better spectral separation of absorption features. In one spectral window we can simultaneously and continuously monitor the composition of alcohols, hydroperoxides, and carboxylic acids in an air mass. In addition, we have used our CEAS setup to detect organoamines. The long effective path length of CEAS allows for low detection limits, even of the overtone absorption features, at ppb and ppt levels.

VNIR spectral features observed by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity in hematite-bearing materials at Meridiani Planum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrand, W. H.; Bell, J. F.; Morris, R. V.; Joliff, B. L.; Squyres, S. W.; Souza, P. A.

2004-12-01

The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity was sent to Meridiani Planum based largely on MGS TES spectroscopic evidence of a large surface exposure of coarse grained gray hematite. The presence of hematite at Meridiani Planum has been confirmed through thermal infrared spectroscopy by the rover's Mini-TES instrument and by in-situ measurements by its Moessbauer (MB) spectrometer. Several types of hematite, as expressed by differences in MB spectral parameters, have been associated with various rocks and soils examined in Eagle crater and on the surrounding plains. The host materials include the small spherules (informally known as "blueberries") littering the floor of Eagle crater and the plains of Meridiani, the outcrop rock itself, specific types of soils, and two measurements on unique rocks in the Shoemaker's Patio area of Eagle crater. At the visible to near infrared (VNIR) wavelengths covered by the rover's multispectral Panoramic camera (Pancam), gray hematite is spectrally neutral. However, multispectral observations by Pancam of some of these hematite-bearing materials show discernable spectral features. Specifically, portions of the outcrop visible in the walls of Eagle crater display a strong 535 nm absorption feature. This feature resembles a similar feature in laboratory spectra of red hematite, but the characteristic 860 nm absorption of red hematite is either absent or is instead replaced by a longer wavelength absorption centered on Pancam's 900 nm channel. The blueberries display a deep and broad absorption centered on 900 nm and as well as an increase in reflectance in the 1009 nm band. The shape of the absorption feature in the blueberries is consistent with that seen in red hematite, but again the band minimum is displaced to a longer wavelength than would be expected for red hematite. The blueberries also lack the prominent absorption at the shortest wavelengths that would be expected of red hematite. The unique hematite-bearing (or coated) rocks at Shoemaker's Patio lack the very strong 535 nm band depth of other portions of the outcrop but still have a stronger 535 nm feature than most of the outcrop. Interestingly, VNIR spectra more consistent with that expected for red hematite have been found in cuttings released by grinding into outcrop by the rover's Rock Abrasion Tool. The cause of the observed spectral features in the portions of outcrop with strong 535 nm band depths and of the reddish rocks in the Shoemaker's Patio area is believed to be attributable either to red hematite mixed with other Fe3+ - bearing phases (such as jarosite and/or schwertmannite) or, at the longer wavelengths, with Fe2+ - bearing phases (such as pyroxenes). Determination of the nature of these iron-bearing materials will further elucidate the geologic, aqueous and diagenetic history of the rocks at Meridiani Planum.

Identification of spectrally similar materials using the USGS Tetracorder algorithm: The calcite-epidote-chlorite problem

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dalton, J.B.; Bove, D.J.; Mladinich, C.S.; Rockwell, B.W.

2004-01-01

A scheme to discriminate and identify materials having overlapping spectral absorption features has been developed and tested based on the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Tetracorder system. The scheme has been applied to remotely sensed imaging spectroscopy data acquired by the Airborne Visible and Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) instrument. This approach was used to identify the minerals calcite, epidote, and chlorite in the upper Animas River watershed, Colorado. The study was motivated by the need to characterize the distribution of calcite in the watershed and assess its acid-neutralizing potential with regard to acidic mine drainage. Identification of these three minerals is difficult because their diagnostic spectral features are all centered at 2.3 ??m, and have similar shapes and widths. Previous studies overestimated calcite abundance as a result of these spectral overlaps. The use of a reference library containing synthetic mixtures of the three minerals in varying proportions was found to simplify the task of identifying these minerals when used in conjunction with a rule-based expert system. Some inaccuracies in the mineral distribution maps remain, however, due to the influence of a fourth spectral component, sericite, which exhibits spectral absorption features at 2.2 and 2.4 ??m that overlap the 2.3-??m absorption features of the other three minerals. Whereas the endmember minerals calcite, epidote, chlorite, and sericite can be identified by the method presented here, discrepancies occur in areas where all four occur together as intimate mixtures. It is expected that future work will be able to reduce these discrepancies by including reference mixtures containing sericite. ?? 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mapping vegetation in Yellowstone National Park using spectral feature analysis of AVIRIS data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kokaly, Raymond F.; Despain, Don G.; Clark, Roger N.; Livo, K. Eric

2003-01-01

Knowledge of the distribution of vegetation on the landscape can be used to investigate ecosystem functioning. The sizes and movements of animal populations can be linked to resources provided by different plant species. This paper demonstrates the application of imaging spectroscopy to the study of vegetation in Yellowstone National Park (Yellowstone) using spectral feature analysis of data from the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS). AVIRIS data, acquired on August 7, 1996, were calibrated to surface reflectance using a radiative transfer model and field reflectance measurements of a ground calibration site. A spectral library of canopy reflectance signatures was created by averaging pixels of the calibrated AVIRIS data over areas of known forest and nonforest vegetation cover types in Yellowstone. Using continuum removal and least squares fitting algorithms in the US Geological Survey's Tetracorder expert system, the distributions of these vegetation types were determined by comparing the absorption features of vegetation in the spectral library with the spectra from the AVIRIS data. The 0.68 μm chlorophyll absorption feature and leaf water absorption features, centered near 0.98 and 1.20 μm, were analyzed. Nonforest cover types of sagebrush, grasslands, willows, sedges, and other wetland vegetation were mapped in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone. Conifer cover types of lodgepole pine, whitebark pine, Douglas fir, and mixed Engelmann spruce/subalpine fir forests were spectrally discriminated and their distributions mapped in the AVIRIS images. In the Mount Washburn area of Yellowstone, a comparison of the AVIRIS map of forest cover types to a map derived from air photos resulted in an overall agreement of 74.1% (kappa statistic=0.62).

In-flight spectral performance monitoring of the Airborne Prism Experiment.

PubMed

D'Odorico, Petra; Alberti, Edoardo; Schaepman, Michael E

2010-06-01

Spectral performance of an airborne dispersive pushbroom imaging spectrometer cannot be assumed to be stable over a whole flight season given the environmental stresses present during flight. Spectral performance monitoring during flight is commonly accomplished by looking at selected absorption features present in the Sun, atmosphere, or ground, and their stability. The assessment of instrument performance in two different environments, e.g., laboratory and airborne, using precisely the same calibration reference, has not been possible so far. The Airborne Prism Experiment (APEX), an airborne dispersive pushbroom imaging spectrometer, uses an onboard in-flight characterization (IFC) facility, which makes it possible to monitor the sensor's performance in terms of spectral, radiometric, and geometric stability in flight and in the laboratory. We discuss in detail a new method for the monitoring of spectral instrument performance. The method relies on the monitoring of spectral shifts by comparing instrument-induced movements of absorption features on ground and in flight. Absorption lines originate from spectral filters, which intercept the full field of view (FOV) illuminated using an internal light source. A feature-fitting algorithm is used for the shift estimation based on Pearson's correlation coefficient. Environmental parameter monitoring, coregistered on board with the image and calibration data, revealed that differential pressure and temperature in the baffle compartment are the main driving parameters explaining the trend in spectral performance deviations in the time and the space (across-track) domains, respectively. The results presented in this paper show that the system in its current setup needs further improvements to reach a stable performance. Findings provided useful guidelines for the instrument revision currently under way. The main aim of the revision is the stabilization of the instrument for a range of temperature and pressure conditions to be encountered during operation.

Hyperspectral analysis of clay minerals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janaki Rama Suresh, G.; Sreenivas, K.; Sivasamy, R.

2014-11-01

A study was carried out by collecting soil samples from parts of Gwalior and Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh in order to assess the dominant clay mineral of these soils using hyperspectral data, as 0.4 to 2.5 μm spectral range provides abundant and unique information about many important earth-surface minerals. Understanding the spectral response along with the soil chemical properties can provide important clues for retrieval of mineralogical soil properties. The soil samples were collected based on stratified random sampling approach and dominant clay minerals were identified through XRD analysis. The absorption feature parameters like depth, width, area and asymmetry of the absorption peaks were derived from spectral profile of soil samples through DISPEC tool. The derived absorption feature parameters were used as inputs for modelling the dominant soil clay mineral present in the unknown samples using Random forest approach which resulted in kappa accuracy of 0.795. Besides, an attempt was made to classify the Hyperion data using Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) algorithm with an overall accuracy of 68.43 %. Results showed that kaolinite was the dominant mineral present in the soils followed by montmorillonite in the study area.

Dimensionality-varied deep convolutional neural network for spectral-spatial classification of hyperspectral data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qu, Haicheng; Liang, Xuejian; Liang, Shichao; Liu, Wanjun

2018-01-01

Many methods of hyperspectral image classification have been proposed recently, and the convolutional neural network (CNN) achieves outstanding performance. However, spectral-spatial classification of CNN requires an excessively large model, tremendous computations, and complex network, and CNN is generally unable to use the noisy bands caused by water-vapor absorption. A dimensionality-varied CNN (DV-CNN) is proposed to address these issues. There are four stages in DV-CNN and the dimensionalities of spectral-spatial feature maps vary with the stages. DV-CNN can reduce the computation and simplify the structure of the network. All feature maps are processed by more kernels in higher stages to extract more precise features. DV-CNN also improves the classification accuracy and enhances the robustness to water-vapor absorption bands. The experiments are performed on data sets of Indian Pines and Pavia University scene. The classification performance of DV-CNN is compared with state-of-the-art methods, which contain the variations of CNN, traditional, and other deep learning methods. The experiment of performance analysis about DV-CNN itself is also carried out. The experimental results demonstrate that DV-CNN outperforms state-of-the-art methods for spectral-spatial classification and it is also robust to water-vapor absorption bands. Moreover, reasonable parameters selection is effective to improve classification accuracy.

Changes in the Far UV Spectrum of Eta Carinae Near the 2003 Minimum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iping, R. C.; Gull, T. R.; Sonneborn, G.; Massa, D.; Vieira, G. L.; Nielsen, K. E.

2004-01-01

High resolution 905-1180 spectra of \\eta Carinae have been obtained with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite at nine epochs between February 2000 and June 2003 . This period of time extends from the broad maximum up to the very beginning of the minimum of the 5.52-year period initially discovered by A. Damineli. The flux levels were unchanged between February 2000 through February 2003 with minor spectral differences. The X-Ray minimum started on June 29, 2003 . Three observations were accomplished on June 10, June 17 and June 27 leading up to the minimum. Substantial changes were present in the June 10 and June 17 spectra, but a very significant change occurred by June 27, 2003. Longward of 1100A, the overall flux dropped 10 to 30 %. Shortward of 1100A, there are spectral intervals with NO decrease in flux even down to the shortest wavelengths (920--950 ). This indicates that dust absorption has a negligible role in the observed spectral changes and that line absorptions play a major role. Throughout the spectrum there are intervals ranging in width of 3-10A with strong increased absorption. Significant absorptions may be associated with the red portion of the following stellar wind lines: C III 977, O VI 1031,1037, P V 1117, while other absorption features are much broader, more extended and not clearly associated with well-known spectral transitions. Given the complexity of the STIS echelle spectra taken in this period of time, many of these absorption features are likely due to multiple absorption lines

Surface materials map of Afghanistan: iron-bearing minerals and other materials

USGS Publications Warehouse

King, Trude V.V.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Dudek, Kathleen B.; Livo, Keith E.

2012-01-01

This map shows the distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of HyMap imaging spectrometer data of Afghanistan. Using a NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) WB-57 aircraft flown at an altitude of ~15,240 meters or ~50,000 feet, 218 flight lines of data were collected over Afghanistan between August 22 and October 2, 2007. The HyMap data were converted to apparent surface reflectance, then further empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements. The reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap data was compared to the spectral features of reference entries in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, ice, and snow. This map shows the spatial distribution of iron-bearing minerals and other materials having diagnostic absorptions at visible and near-infrared wavelengths. These absorptions result from electronic processes in the minerals. Several criteria, including (1) the reliability of detection and discrimination of minerals using the HyMap spectrometer data, (2) the relative abundance of minerals, and (3) the importance of particular minerals to studies of Afghanistan's natural resources, guided the selection of entries in the reference spectral library and, therefore, guided the selection of mineral classes shown on this map. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated. Minerals having similar spectral features were less easily discriminated, especially where the minerals were not particularly abundant and (or) where vegetation cover reduced the absorption strength of mineral features. Complications in reflectance calibration also affected the detection and identification of minerals.

Analysis of Shuttle Multispecral Infrared Radiometer measurements of the western Saudi Arabian shield.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rowan, Lawrence C.; Goetz, Alexander F.H.; Abbott, Elsa

1987-01-01

During the November 12–14, 1981, mission of the space shuttle Columbia, the Shuttle Multispectral Infrared Radiometer (SMIRR) recorded radiances in ten channels along a 100 m wide groundtrack across the western Saudi Arabian shield. The ten channels are located in the 0.5 to 2.4 μm region, with five positioned between 2.0 and 2.40 μm for measuring absorption features that are diagnostic of OH‐bearing and CO3‐bearing">CO3‐bearing minerals. This exceptionally well exposed area consists of late Proterozoic metamorphic, intermediate to silicic intrusive, and interlayered clastic sedimentary and intermediate silicic volcanic rocks that have not been studied previously using SMIRR data. Plots or traces of unnormalized SMIRR channel ratios were examined before field studies to locate areas with high spectral contrast, especially in the 2.0 μm to 2.40 μm channels. Reflectance spectra were measured in the laboratory for rock and soil samples collected in these areas, and the mineralogic causes of the main absorption features were determined using X‐ray diffraction. Laboratory SMIRR spectra were produced by convolving the ten SMIRR filters with the laboratory spectra. Then, normalized SMIRR reflectance spectra were generated along the groundtrack using normalization coefficients calculated for a field sample representing a uniform, low‐spectral contrast area. Field evaluation shows that unnormalized SMIRR ratio traces are useful, even without specific mineralogic information, for distinguishing rocks that are characterized by Al‐OH, Mg‐OH, and/or CO3">CO3">CO3, Fe3+">Fe3+, and Fe2+ absorption features. Analysis of field samples permits suites of minerals causing absorption features to be identified. However, specific mineral identification cannot be achieved consistently using the SMIRR ratio traces or normalized SMIRR spectra, because the Al‐OH and Mg‐OH absorption features can be caused by more than one of the minerals commonly present. The normalized SMIRR spectra are especially useful for identifying subtle Al‐OH and Mg‐OH absorption features that are difficult to identify in the unnormalized ratio traces and for comparing the relative intensities of absorption features. Al‐OH absorption is related to muscovite, smectite, illite, and kaolinite, whereas Mg‐OH absorption is caused by chlorite, amphibole, and biotite. The principal sources of error in using SMIRR spectral measurements for identifying mineral groups along the orbit 27 groundtrack are inaccuracies in field location and lithologic heterogeneity that is not represented adequately by field samples. Calibration errors may account for systematic albedo and absorption intensity differences between calculated laboratory SMIRR spectra and normalized SMIRR spectra. SMIRR instrument noise and atmospheric factors appear to be less important sources of error. However, as higher spectral and spatial resolution systems are developed for mineral identification, radiometric precision and atmospheric factors will become more important.

Reflectance spectroscopy (0.35-8 μm) of ammonium-bearing minerals and qualitative comparison to Ceres-like asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berg, Breanne L.; Cloutis, Edward A.; Beck, Pierre; Vernazza, Pierre; Bishop, Janice L.; Takir, Driss; Reddy, Vishnu; Applin, Daniel; Mann, Paul

2016-02-01

Ammonium-bearing minerals have been suggested to be present on Mars, Ceres, and various asteroids and comets. We undertook a systematic study of the spectral reflectance properties of ammonium-bearing minerals and compounds that have possible planetary relevance (i.e., ammonium carbonates, chlorides, nitrates, oxalates, phosphates, silicates, and sulfates). Various synthetic and natural NH4+-bearing minerals were analyzed using reflectance spectroscopy in the long-wave ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared, and mid-infrared regions (0.35-8 μm) in order to identify spectral features characteristic of the NH4+ molecule, and to evaluate if and how these features vary among different species. Mineral phases were confirmed through structural and compositional analyses using X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, and elemental combustion analysis. Characteristic absorption features associated with NH4 can be seen in the reflectance spectra at wavelengths as short as ∼1 μm. In the near-infrared region, the most prominent absorption bands are located near 1.6, 2.0, and 2.2 μm. Absorption features characteristic of NH4+ occurred at slightly longer wavelengths in the mineral-bound NH4+ spectra than for free NH4+ for most of the samples. Differences in wavelength position are attributable to various factors, including differences in the type and polarizability of the anion(s) attached to the NH4+, degree and type of hydrogen bonding, molecule symmetry, and cation substitutions. Multiple absorption features, usually three absorption bands, in the mid-infrared region between ∼2.8 and 3.8 μm were seen in all but the most NH4-poor sample spectra, and are attributed to fundamentals, combinations, and overtones of stretching and bending vibrations of the NH4+ molecule. These features appear even in reflectance spectra of water-rich samples which exhibit a strong 3 μm region water absorption feature. While many of the samples examined in this study have NH4 absorption bands at unique wavelength positions, in order to discriminate between different NH4+-bearing phases, absorption features corresponding to molecules other than NH4+ should be included in spectral analysis. A qualitative comparison of the laboratory results to telescopic spectra of Asteroids 1 Ceres, 10 Hygiea, and 324 Bamberga for the 3 μm region demonstrates that a number of NH4-bearing phases are consistent with the observational data in terms of exhibiting an absorption band in the 3.07 μm region.

Reflectance spectroscopy (0.35–8 μm) of ammonium-bearing minerals and qualitative comparison to Ceres-like asteroids

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berg, Breanne L.; Cloutis, Edward A.; Beck, P.; Vernazza, P.; Bishop, Janice L; Takir, Driss; Reddy, V.; Applin, D.; Mann, Paul

2016-01-01

Ammonium-bearing minerals have been suggested to be present on Mars, Ceres, and various asteroids and comets. We undertook a systematic study of the spectral reflectance properties of ammonium-bearing minerals and compounds that have possible planetary relevance (i.e., ammonium carbonates, chlorides, nitrates, oxalates, phosphates, silicates, and sulfates). Various synthetic and natural NH4+-bearing minerals were analyzed using reflectance spectroscopy in the long-wave ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared, and mid-infrared regions (0.35–8 μm) in order to identify spectral features characteristic of the NH4+ molecule, and to evaluate if and how these features vary among different species. Mineral phases were confirmed through structural and compositional analyses using X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, and elemental combustion analysis. Characteristic absorption features associated with NH4 can be seen in the reflectance spectra at wavelengths as short as ∼1 μm. In the near-infrared region, the most prominent absorption bands are located near 1.6, 2.0, and 2.2 μm. Absorption features characteristic of NH4+ occurred at slightly longer wavelengths in the mineral-bound NH4+ spectra than for free NH4+ for most of the samples. Differences in wavelength position are attributable to various factors, including differences in the type and polarizability of the anion(s) attached to the NH4+, degree and type of hydrogen bonding, molecule symmetry, and cation substitutions. Multiple absorption features, usually three absorption bands, in the mid-infrared region between ∼2.8 and 3.8 μm were seen in all but the most NH4-poor sample spectra, and are attributed to fundamentals, combinations, and overtones of stretching and bending vibrations of the NH4+ molecule. These features appear even in reflectance spectra of water-rich samples which exhibit a strong 3 μm region water absorption feature. While many of the samples examined in this study have NH4 absorption bands at unique wavelength positions, in order to discriminate between different NH4+-bearing phases, absorption features corresponding to molecules other than NH4+ should be included in spectral analysis. A qualitative comparison of the laboratory results to telescopic spectra of Asteroids 1 Ceres, 10 Hygiea, and 324 Bamberga for the 3 μm region demonstrates that a number of NH4-bearing phases are consistent with the observational data in terms of exhibiting an absorption band in the 3.07 μm region.

Understanding the features in the ultrafast transient absorption spectra of CdSe quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Cheng; Do, Thanh Nhut; Ong, Xuanwei; Chan, Yinthai; Tan, Howe-Siang

2016-12-01

We describe a model to explain the features of the ultrafast transient absorption (TA) spectra of CdSe core type quantum dots (QDs). The measured TA spectrum consists of contributions by the ground state bleach (GSB), stimulated emission (SE) and excited state absorption (ESA) processes associated with the three lowest energy transition of the QDs. We model the shapes of the GSB, SE and ESA spectral components after fits to the linear absorption. The spectral positions of the ESA components take into account the biexcitonic binding energy. In order to obtain the correct weightage of the GSB, SE and ESA components to the TA spectrum, we enumerate the set of coherence transfer pathways associated with these processes. From our fits of the experimental TA spectra of 65 Å diameter QDs, biexcitonic binding energies for the three lowest energy transitions are obtained.

Indications of the Mineralogy of Callisto and Mars from Reflectance Spectroscopy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calvin, Wendy Marie

1991-02-01

Remotely sensed reflectance spectra contain information on mineral identities, grain sizes, and abundances. This thesis consists of analysis of such spectra for two planetary objects, Callisto and Mars. Theoretical modeling of telescopic spectra of Callisto indicates that the surface consists of 20 to 45 wt% water ice at large grain sizes. In the spectral region beyond 3 μm absorption by hydrated mineral phases is dominant. The non-ice material is spectrally similar to hydrous alteration minerals that are commonly found in certain petrologic types of meteorites. New high-resolution data of Callisto are consistent with the findings of the modeling study. In addition, these new data have identified the presence of a small amount of fine-grained water ice on the leading hemisphere, through a characteristic absorption near 3.4 mum. Variations in the depth of this absorption feature indicate dynamic competition between processes which create and erode fine -grained water ice. Calibration and analysis of spectrometer data from the Mariner 6 and 7 space-craft has provided new information regarding the mineralogy of Mars. Laboratory measurements and theoretical calculations of CO_2 frosts have allowed an analysis of spectra taken over the martian south polar cap. The grain sizes in the seasonal cap are quite large and there may be evidence of contamination by water frost or dust. Analysis of Mariner spectra in non-polar regions have tentatively identified absorption features near 2.76 μm and 5.4 mum. The location of these features, and other absorptions identified from terrestrial observations, are consistent with the spectra of hydrous magnesium carbonates. The hydrous carbonates do not have strong spectral features typically associated with carbonates. Theoretical calculations of mixtures indicates that 10-30wt% of these minerals can be included and still be consistent with spectral observations. These minerals form on earth through weathering of mafic minerals with the production of amorphous iron oxides as byproducts, consistent with both present and inferred past martian environments. The presence of hydrous carbonates can provide a mechanism for having abundant carbonates on Mars while spectral searches for (anhydrous) carbonates will not find any evidence for them.

Infrared (2.08-14 micron) spectra of powered stony meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salisbury, J. W.; Daria, D. M.; Jarosewich, E.

1991-01-01

Infrared biconical reflectance spectra of 60 powdered meteorite samples, representing 50 different stony meteorites, were measured as analogues of asteroidal regolith. Representative samples were measured in directional hemispherical reflectance to assure that Kirchhoff's Law can be used to predict relative emissivity from the reflectance spectra. These spectral data confirm that the O-H fundamental absorption band near 2.9 microns is an extremely sensitive indicator of incipient alteration, which often has taken place in powdered meteorite samples exposed only to water vapor in the air. Such non-carbonaceous samples typically contain less than 1 percent water by weight. Likewise, the C-H fundamental absorption bands near 3.4 and 3.5 microns are equally sensitive indicators of contamination with volatile hydrocarbons, which can also be absorbed from the air. The heavy, macromolecular hydrocarbons native to chondrites do not display such heavy bands, making detection of these bands in remote sensing of asteroids unlikely. Despite the spectral artifacts introduced by alteration and hydrocarbon contamination, powdered stony meteorites display a wide variety of real spectral features that can be used for their identification, including residual reststrahlen bands, absorption bands, and the Christiansen feature. Researchers found that the wavelengths of the peaks or troughs of each of these spectral features can be used independently to infer meteorite composition, but the best results are obtained when the entire spectral curve is used, or at least the portion of it encompassed by the 8 to 14 micron atmospheric window, in a digital search library.

Chemometric analysis of correlations between electronic absorption characteristics and structural and/or physicochemical parameters for ampholytic substances of biological and pharmaceutical relevance.

PubMed

Judycka-Proma, U; Bober, L; Gajewicz, A; Puzyn, T; Błażejowski, J

2015-03-05

Forty ampholytic compounds of biological and pharmaceutical relevance were subjected to chemometric analysis based on unsupervised and supervised learning algorithms. This enabled relations to be found between empirical spectral characteristics derived from electronic absorption data and structural and physicochemical parameters predicted by quantum chemistry methods or phenomenological relationships based on additivity rules. It was found that the energies of long wavelength absorption bands are correlated through multiparametric linear relationships with parameters reflecting the bulkiness features of the absorbing molecules as well as their nucleophilicity and electrophilicity. These dependences enable the quantitative analysis of spectral features of the compounds, as well as a comparison of their similarities and certain pharmaceutical and biological features. Three QSPR models to predict the energies of long-wavelength absorption in buffers with pH=2.5 and pH=7.0, as well as in methanol, were developed and validated in this study. These models can be further used to predict the long-wavelength absorption energies of untested substances (if they are structurally similar to the training compounds). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Voyager 1 imaging and IRIS observations of Jovian methane absorption and thermal emission: Implications for cloud structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

West, R. A.; Kupferman, P. N.; Hart, H.

1984-01-01

Images from three filters of the Voyager 1 wide angle camera are used to measure the continuum reflectivity and spectral gradient near 6000 A and the 6190 A band methane/continuum ratio for a variety of cloud features in Jupiter's atmosphere. The dark barge features in the North Equatorial Belt have anomalously strong positive continuum spectral gradients suggesting unique composition. Methane absorption is shown at unprecedented spatial scales for the Great Red Spot and its immediate environment, for a dark barge feature in the North Equatorial Belt, and for two hot spot and plume regions in the North Equatorial Belt. Methane absorption and five micrometer emission are correlated in the vicinity of the Great Red Spot but are anticorrelated in one of the plume hot spot regions. Methane absorption and simultaneous maps of five micrometer brightness temperature is quantitatively compared to realistic cloud structure models which include multiple scattering at five micrometer as well as in the visible. Variability in H2 quadrupole lines are also investigated.

Voyager 1 imaging and IRIS observations of Jovian methane absorption and thermal emission - Implications for cloud structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

West, R. A.; Kupferman, P. N.; Hart, H.

1985-01-01

Images from three filters of the Voyager 1 wide angle camera are used to measure the continuum reflectivity and spectral gradient near 6000 A and the 6190 A band methane/continuum ratio for a variety of cloud features in Jupiter's atmosphere. The dark barge features in the North Equatorial Belt have anomalously strong positive continuum spectral gradients suggesting unique composition. Methane absorption is shown at unprecedented spatial scales for the Great Red Spot and its immediate environment, for a dark barge feature in the North Equatorial Belt, and for two hot spot and plume regions in the North Equatorial Belt. Methane absorption and five micrometer emission are correlated in the vicinity of the Great Red Spot but are anticorrelated in one of the plume hot spot regions. Methane absorption and simultaneous maps of five micrometer brightness temperature are quantitatively compared to realistic cloud structure models which include multiple scattering at five micrometer as well as in the visible. Variability in H2 quadrupole lines are also investigated.

Wavelength calibration of imaging spectrometer using atmospheric absorption features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Jiankang; Chen, Yuheng; Chen, Xinhua; Ji, Yiqun; Shen, Weimin

2012-11-01

Imaging spectrometer is a promising remote sensing instrument widely used in many filed, such as hazard forecasting, environmental monitoring and so on. The reliability of the spectral data is the determination to the scientific communities. The wavelength position at the focal plane of the imaging spectrometer will change as the pressure and temperature vary, or the mechanical vibration. It is difficult for the onboard calibration instrument itself to keep the spectrum reference accuracy and it also occupies weight and the volume of the remote sensing platform. Because the spectral images suffer from the atmospheric effects, the carbon oxide, water vapor, oxygen and solar Fraunhofer line, the onboard wavelength calibration can be processed by the spectral images themselves. In this paper, wavelength calibration is based on the modeled and measured atmospheric absorption spectra. The modeled spectra constructed by the atmospheric radiative transfer code. The spectral angle is used to determine the best spectral similarity between the modeled spectra and measured spectra and estimates the wavelength position. The smile shape can be obtained when the matching process across all columns of the data. The present method is successful applied on the Hyperion data. The value of the wavelength shift is obtained by shape matching of oxygen absorption feature and the characteristics are comparable to that of the prelaunch measurements.

Absorption spectrum of a two-level atom in a bad cavity with injected squeezed vacuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Peng; Swain, S.

1996-02-01

We study the absorption spectrum of a coherently driven two-level atom interacting with a resonant cavity mode which is coupled to a broadband squeezed vacuum through its input-output mirror in the bad cavity limit. We study the modification of the two-photon correlation strength of the injected squeezed vacuum inside the cavity, and show that the equations describing probe absorption in the cavity environment are formally identical to these in free space, but with modified parameters describing the squeezed vacuum. The two photon correlations induced by the squeezed vacuum are always weaker than in free space. We pay particular attention to the spectral behaviour at line centre in the region of intermediate trength driving intensities, where anomalous spectral features such as hole-burning and dispersive profiles are displayed. These unusual spectral features are very sensitive to the squeezing phase and the Rabi frequency of the driving field. We also derive the threshold value of the Rabi frequency which gives rise to the transparency of the probe beam at the driving frequency. When the Rabi frequency is less than the threshold value, the probe beam is absorbed, whilst the probe beam is amplified (without population inversion under certain conditions) when the Rabi frequency is larger than this threshold. The anomalous spectral features all take place in the vicinity of the critical point dividing the different dynamical regimes, probe absorption and amplification, of the atomic radiation. The physical origin of the strong amplification without population inversion, and the feasibility of observing it, are discussed.

Optical and photoconductivity spectra of novel Ag₂In₂SiS₆ and Ag₂In₂GeS₆ chalcogenide crystals.

PubMed

Chmiel, M; Piasecki, M; Myronchuk, G; Lakshminarayana, G; Reshak, Ali H; Parasyuk, O G; Kogut, Yu; Kityk, I V

2012-06-01

Complex spectral studies of near-band gap and photoconductive spectra for novel Ag(2)In(2)SiS(6) and Ag(2)In(2)GeS(6) single crystals are presented. The spectral dependences of photoconductivity clearly show an existence of spectral maxima within the 450 nm-540 nm and 780 nm-920 nm. The fundamental absorption edge is analyzed by Urbach rule. The origin of the spectral photoconductivity spectral maxima is discussed. Temperature dependences of the spectra were done. The obtained spectral features allow to propose the titled crystals as photosensors. An analysis of the absorption and photoconductivity spectra is given within a framework of oversimplified spectroscopic model of complex chalcogenide crystals. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy of plant leaves: A tool for ecological and botanical studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ribeiro da Luz, B.

2006-01-01

??? Attenuated total reflectance (ATR) spectra of plant leaves display complex absorption features related to organic constituents of leaf surfaces. The spectra can be recorded rapidly, both in the field and in the laboratory, without special sample preparation. ??? This paper explores sources of ATR spectral variation in leaves, including compositional, positional and temporal variations. Interspecific variations are also examined, including the use of ATR spectra as a tool for species identification. ??? Positional spectral variations generally reflected the abundance of cutin and the epicuticular wax thickness and composition. For example, leaves exposed to full sunlight commonly showed more prominent cutin- and wax-related absorption features compared with shaded leaves. Adaxial vs. abaxial leaf surfaces displayed spectral variations reflecting differences in trichome abundance and wax composition. Mature vs. young leaves showed changes in absorption band position and intensity related to cutin, polysaccharide, and possibly amorphous silica development on and near the leaf surfaces. ??? Provided that similar samples are compared (e.g. adaxial surfaces of mature, sun-exposed leaves) same-species individuals display practically identical ATR spectra. Using spectral matching procedures to analyze an ATR database containing 117 individuals, including 32 different tree species, 83% of the individuals were correctly identified. ?? The Authors (2006).

Io's Thermal Regions and Non-SO2 Spectral Features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smythe, W. D.; Soderblom, L. A.; Lopes, R. M. C.

2003-01-01

Several absorptions have been identified in the Galileo NIMS spectra of Io that are not related to SO2. [1,2]. These absorptions have band centers at 2.97, 3.15, 3.85, and 3.91 microns. There are also broad absorptions in the regions 1-1.3 and 3- 3.4 microns. Patterning noise in wavelength registration, arising from the pushbroom imaging and grating motion of the NIMS instrument have previously inhibited reliable mapping of weak absorptions. Recent improvements in techniques to remove the coherent pattern noise from the NIMS dataset have been made by Soderblom. This greatly improves the signal to noise ratio and enables mapping of weak spectral signatures such as the 3.15 micron absorption on Io.

Universal ultrafast signatures of photoexcitations in conjugated polymers: excitons and charge-transfer polarons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McBranch, Duncan W.; Kraabel, Brett; Xu, Su; Wang, Hsing-Lin; Klimov, Victor I.

1999-12-01

Using subpicosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, we have investigated the primary photoexcitations in thin films and solution of several phenylene-based conjugated polymers and an oligomer. We identify two features in the transient absorption spectra and dynamics that are common to all of the materials which we have studied from this family. The first spectral feature is a photoinduced absorption (PA) band peaking near 1 eV which has intensity-dependent dynamics which match the stimulated emission dynamics exactly over two orders of magnitude in excitation density. This band is associated with singlet intrachain excitons. The second spectral feature (observed only in thin films and aggregated solutions) is a PA band peaking near 1.8 eV, which is longer-lived than the 1 eV exciton PA band, and which has dynamics that are independent (or weakly-dependent) on excitation density. This feature is attributed to charge separated (interchain) excitations. These excitations are generated through a bimolecular process. By comparing to samples in which charged excitations are created deliberately by doping with C6O, we assign these secondary species as bound polarons.

Spectral Characteristics of Hayabusa 2 Near-Earth Asteroid Targets 162173 1999 JU3 and 2001 QC34

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilas, Faith

2008-04-01

Reflectance spectra of C-type near-Earth asteroid 162173 1999 JU3 were acquired on UT 2007 July 11, September 10 and 11. An absorption feature centered near 0.7 μm, and associated with the presence of iron-bearing phyllosilicates, is seen in the 2007 July 11 spectrum. The 2007 September spectrum shows a shallow absorption feature centered near 0.6 μm. In contrast, the reflectance spectrum of 162173 1999 JU3 obtained during its discovery apparition has no absorption feature, suggesting that the asteroid's surface covers the conjunction of two different geological units. The variation in the presence and absence of these features in reflectance spectra of the surface material of C-type asteroids is observed among main-belt asteroids. As the target for the planned Japanese mission Hayabusa 2, 162173 1999 JU3 could represent a sample of aqueously altered early solar system material. An alternative target for Hayabusa 2, 2001 QC34, was observed spectrally for the first time. Its reflectance spectrum has characteristics of a Q-class or O-class asteroid.

Evidence for sulphur implantation in Europa's UV absorption band

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lane, A. L.; Nelson, R. M.; Matson, D. L.

1981-01-01

The UV spectral characteristics of the Galilean satellites are investigated (using data from the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) spacecraft) as a function of the orbital position, large-scale areal variability, and temporal dynamics. The discovery of an absorption feature at 280 nm in Europa's reflection spectrum is reported and observations show that the absorption is strongest on the trailing hemisphere (central longitude 270 degrees). The feature resembles SO2 and seems to result from S-O bond formation between deeply implanted sulphur atoms and the adjacent damaged water-ice-lattice. The sulphur supposedly comes from energetic (hundreds of keV) sulphur ions that are present in the Jovian magnetosphere. An appropriate equilibrium condition can be found to match the observed spectral data if sputtering erosion occurs at no greater than approximately 20 meters per one billion years.

Detection of water and/or hydroxyl on asteroid (16) Psyche

USGS Publications Warehouse

Takir, Driss; Reddy, Vishnu; Sanchez, Juan A.; Shepard, Michael K.; Emery, Joshua P.

2016-01-01

In order to search for evidence of hydration on M-type asteroid (16) Psyche, we observed this object in the 3 μm spectral region using the long-wavelength cross-dispersed (LXD: 1.9–4.2 μm) mode of the SpeX spectrograph/imager at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility. Our observations show that Psyche exhibits a 3 μm absorption feature, attributed to water or hydroxyl. The 3 μm absorption feature is consistent with the hydration features found on the surfaces of water-rich asteroids, attributed to OH- and/or H2O-bearing phases (phyllosilicates). The detection of a 3 μm hydration absorption band on Psyche suggests that this asteroid may not be a metallic core, or it could be a metallic core that has been impacted by carbonaceous material over the past 4.5 Gyr. Our results also indicate rotational spectral variations, which we suggest reflect heterogeneity in the metal/silicate ratio on the surface of Psyche.

Detection of Water and/or Hydroxyl on Asteroid (16) Psyche

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takir, Driss; Reddy, Vishnu; Sanchez, Juan A.; Shepard, Michael K.; Emery, Joshua P.

2017-01-01

In order to search for evidence of hydration on M-type asteroid (16) Psyche, we observed this object in the 3 μm spectral region using the long-wavelength cross-dispersed (LXD: 1.9-4.2 μm) mode of the SpeX spectrograph/imager at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility. Our observations show that Psyche exhibits a 3 μm absorption feature, attributed to water or hydroxyl. The 3 μm absorption feature is consistent with the hydration features found on the surfaces of water-rich asteroids, attributed to OH- and/or H2O-bearing phases (phyllosilicates). The detection of a 3 μm hydration absorption band on Psyche suggests that this asteroid may not be a metallic core, or it could be a metallic core that has been impacted by carbonaceous material over the past 4.5 Gyr. Our results also indicate rotational spectral variations, which we suggest reflect heterogeneity in the metal/silicate ratio on the surface of Psyche.

DETECTION OF WATER AND/OR HYDROXYL ON ASTEROID (16) Psyche

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

Takir, Driss; Reddy, Vishnu; Sanchez, Juan A.

In order to search for evidence of hydration on M-type asteroid (16) Psyche, we observed this object in the 3 μ m spectral region using the long-wavelength cross-dispersed (LXD: 1.9–4.2 μ m) mode of the SpeX spectrograph/imager at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility. Our observations show that Psyche exhibits a 3 μ m absorption feature, attributed to water or hydroxyl. The 3 μ m absorption feature is consistent with the hydration features found on the surfaces of water-rich asteroids, attributed to OH- and/or H{sub 2}O-bearing phases (phyllosilicates). The detection of a 3 μ m hydration absorption band on Psyche suggestsmore » that this asteroid may not be a metallic core, or it could be a metallic core that has been impacted by carbonaceous material over the past 4.5 Gyr. Our results also indicate rotational spectral variations, which we suggest reflect heterogeneity in the metal/silicate ratio on the surface of Psyche.« less

Correlation between high-resolution remote-sensing imagery and detailed field mapping in Cordilleran Miogeocline

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

Feldman, S.C.; Taranik, J.V.

1986-05-01

Selected areas were mapped at a scale of 1:6000 in the southern hot Creek Range (south-central Nevada), which is underlain by Paleozoic autochthonous limestone, shale, and sandstone, Paleozoic allochthonous chert and siltstone, and Tertiary rhyolitic to dactitic ash flow tuff. The mapping was compared with computer-processed Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) data and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery. The AIS imagery of the Hot Creek Range was acquired in 1984 by a NASA C-130 aircraft; it has a spatial resolution of 12 m, and swath width of 380 m. The sensor was developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is themore » first in a series of NASA imaging spectrometers. The AIS collects 128 spectral bands, having a bandwidth of approximately 9 nm, in the short-wave infrared between 1.2 and 2.4 ..mu..m. This part of the spectrum contains important narrow spectral absorption features for the carbonate ion, hydroxyl ion, and water of hydration. Using computer-processed AIS imagery, therefore, the authors can separate calcite from dolomite, and kaolinite from illite and montmorillonite as well as differentiate geologic units containing these minerals. On the AIS imagery, the Upper Mississippian Tripon Pass Limestone shows a distinctive calcite absorption feature at 2.34 ..mu..m; this feature is not as pronounced in Cambrian and Ordovician limestones. The dolomitized Nevada Formation exhibits the dolomite absorption feature at 2.32 ..mu..m. Clay mineral absorption features near 2.2 ..mu..m can be distinguished in altered volcanics. Mineralogic identification was confirmed with field and laboratory spectroradiometer measurements, thin-section examination, and x-ray analysis. AIS results and field mapping were also compared to computer-processed Landsat TM imagery, the highest spectral and spatial resolution worldwide data set currently available.« less

Wavelength feature mapping as a proxy to mineral chemistry for investigating geologic systems: An example from the Rodalquilar epithermal system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Meer, Freek; Kopačková, Veronika; Koucká, Lucie; van der Werff, Harald M. A.; van Ruitenbeek, Frank J. A.; Bakker, Wim H.

2018-02-01

The final product of a geologic remote sensing data analysis using multi spectral and hyperspectral images is a mineral (abundance) map. Multispectral data, such as ASTER, Landsat, SPOT, Sentinel-2, typically allow to determine qualitative estimates of what minerals are in a pixel, while hyperspectral data allow to quantify this. As input to most image classification or spectral processing approach, endmembers are required. An alternative approach to classification is to derive absorption feature characteristics such as the wavelength position of the deepest absorption, depth of the absorption and symmetry of the absorption feature from hyperspectral data. Two approaches are presented, tested and compared in this paper: the 'Wavelength Mapper' and the 'QuanTools'. Although these algorithms use a different mathematical solution to derive absorption feature wavelength and depth, and use different image post-processing, the results are consistent, comparable and reproducible. The wavelength images can be directly linked to mineral type and abundance, but more importantly also to mineral chemical composition and subtle changes thereof. This in turn allows to interpret hyperspectral data in terms of mineral chemistry changes which is a proxy to pressure-temperature of formation of minerals. We show the case of the Rodalquilar epithermal system of the southern Spanish Gabo de Gata volcanic area using HyMAP airborne hyperspectral images.

Lithologic mapping of the Mordor, NT, Australia ultramafic complex by using the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rowan, L.C.; Mars, J.C.; Simpson, C.J.

2005-01-01

Spectral measurements made in the Mordor Pound, NT, Australia study area using the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), in the laboratory and in situ show dominantly Al-OH and ferric-iron VNIR-SWIR absorption features in felsic rock spectra and ferrous-iron and Fe,Mg-OH features in the mafic-ultramafic rock spectra. ASTER ratio images, matched-filter, and spectral-angle mapper processing (SAM) were evaluated for mapping the lithologies. Matched-filter processing in which VNIR + SWIR image spectra were used for reference resulted in 4 felsic classes and 4 mafic-ultramafic classes based on Al-OH or Fe,Mg-OH absorption features and, in some, subtle reflectance differences related to differential weathering and vegetation. These results were similar to those obtained by match-filter analysis of HyMap data from a previous study, but the units were more clearly demarcated in the HyMap image. ASTER TIR spectral emittance data and laboratory emissivity measurements document a wide wavelength range of Si-O spectral features, which reflect the lithological diversity of the Mordor ultramafic complex and adjacent rocks. SAM processing of the spectral emittance data distinguished 2 classes representing the mafic-ultramafic rocks and 4 classes comprising the quartzose to intermediate composition rocks. Utilization of the complementary attributes of the spectral reflectance and spectral emittance data resulted in discrimination of 4 mafic-ultramafic categories; 3 categories of alluvial-colluvial deposits; and a significantly more completely mapped quartzite unit than could be accomplished by using either data set alone. ?? 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Absorption Spectra of Gold Nanoparticle Suspensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anan'eva, M. V.; Nurmukhametov, D. R.; Zverev, A. S.; Nelyubina, N. V.; Zvekov, A. A.; Russakov, D. M.; Kalenskii, A. V.; Eremenko, A. N.

2018-02-01

Three gold nanoparticle suspensions are obtained, and mean radii in distributions - (6.1 ± 0.2), (11.9 ± 0.3), and (17.3 ± 0.7) nm - are determined by the transmission electron microscopy method. The optical absorption spectra of suspensions are obtained and studied. Calculation of spectral dependences of the absorption index of suspensions at values of the gold complex refractive index taken from the literature showed a significant deviation of experimental and calculated data in the region of 450-800 nm. Spectral dependences of the absorption of suspensions are simulated within the framework of the Mie-Drude theory taking into account the interband absorption in the form of an additional term in the imaginary part of the dielectric permittivity of the Gaussian type. It is shown that to quantify the spectral dependences in the region of the plasmon absorption band of nanoparticles, correction of the parameters of the interband absorption is necessary in addition to the increase of the relaxation parameter of the Drude theory. Spectral dependences of the dielectric permittivity of gold in nanodimensional state are refined from the solution of the inverse problem. The results of the present work are important for predicting the special features of operation of photonic devices and optical detonators based on gold nanoparticles.

Detailed Spectral Analysis of the 260 ks XMM-Newton Data of 1E 1207.4-5209 and Significance of a 2.1 keV Absorption Feature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mori, Kaya; Chonko, James C.; Hailey, Charles J.

2005-10-01

We have reanalyzed the 260 ks XMM-Newton observation of 1E 1207.4-5209. There are several significant improvements over previous work. First, a much broader range of physically plausible spectral models was used. Second, we have used a more rigorous statistical analysis. The standard F-distribution was not employed, but rather the exact finite statistics F-distribution was determined by Monte Carlo simulations. This approach was motivated by the recent work of Protassov and coworkers and Freeman and coworkers. They demonstrated that the standard F-distribution is not even asymptotically correct when applied to assess the significance of additional absorption features in a spectrum. With our improved analysis we do not find a third and fourth spectral feature in 1E 1207.4-5209 but only the two broad absorption features previously reported. Two additional statistical tests, one line model dependent and the other line model independent, confirmed our modified F-test analysis. For all physically plausible continuum models in which the weak residuals are strong enough to fit, the residuals occur at the instrument Au M edge. As a sanity check we confirmed that the residuals are consistent in strength and position with the instrument Au M residuals observed in 3C 273.

THE VIEWING ANGLES OF BROAD ABSORPTION LINE VERSUS UNABSORBED QUASARS

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

DiPompeo, M. A.; Brotherton, M. S.; De Breuck, C.

2012-06-10

It was recently shown that there is a significant difference in the radio spectral index distributions of broad absorption line (BAL) quasars and unabsorbed quasars, with an overabundance of BAL quasars with steeper radio spectra. This result suggests that source orientation does play into the presence or absence of BAL features. In this paper, we provide more quantitative analysis of this result based on Monte Carlo simulations. While the relationship between viewing angle and spectral index does indeed contain a lot of scatter, the spectral index distributions are different enough to overcome that intrinsic variation. Utilizing two different models ofmore » the relationship between spectral index and viewing angle, the simulations indicate that the difference in spectral index distributions can be explained by allowing BAL quasar viewing angles to extend about 10 Degree-Sign farther from the radio jet axis than non-BAL sources, though both can be seen at small angles. These results show that orientation cannot be the only factor determining whether BAL features are present, but it does play a role.« less

Doppler-free satellites of resonances of electromagnetically induced transparency and absorption on the D 2 lines of alkali metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sargsyan, A.; Sarkisyan, D.; Staedter, D.; Akulshin, A. M.

2006-11-01

The peculiarities of intra-Doppler structures that are observed in the atomic absorption spectrum of alkali metals with the help of two independent lasers have been studied. These structures accompany ultranarrow coherent resonances of electromagnetically induced transparency and absorption. With the D 2 line of rubidium taken as an example, it is shown that, in the scheme of unidirectional waves, the maximum number of satellite resonances caused by optical pumping selective with respect to the atomic velocity is equal to seven, while only six resonances are observed in the traditional scheme of saturated absorption with counterpropagating waves of the same frequency. The spectral position of the resonances and their polarity depend on the frequency of the saturating radiation, while their number and relative amplitude depend also on the experimental geometry. These features are of general character and should show themselves in the absorption spectrum on the D 2 lines of all alkali metals. An explanation of these features is given. The calculated spectral separations between the resonances are compared to the experimental ones, and their possible application is discussed.

Mapping the mineralogy and lithology of Canyonlands, Utah with imaging spectrometer data and the multiple spectral feature mapping algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, Roger N.; Swayze, Gregg A.; Gallagher, Andrea

1992-01-01

The sedimentary sections exposed in the Canyonlands and Arches National Parks region of Utah (generally referred to as 'Canyonlands') consist of sandstones, shales, limestones, and conglomerates. Reflectance spectra of weathered surfaces of rocks from these areas show two components: (1) variations in spectrally detectable mineralogy, and (2) variations in the relative ratios of the absorption bands between minerals. Both types of information can be used together to map each major lithology and the Clark spectral features mapping algorithm is applied to do the job.

Compositional Analyses and Implications of Visible/Near-Infrared Spectra of Outer Irregular Jovian Satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilas, Faith; Hendrix, Amanda

2017-10-01

The existence of a visible-near infrared absorption feature attributed to aqueous alteration products has been suggested in both grey and reddened broadband photometry of some outer irregular jovian satellites. Moderate resolution VNIR narrowband spectroscopy was obtained of the jovian irregular satellites JVI Himalia, JVII Elara, JVIII Pasiphae, JIX Sinope, JX Lysithea, JXI Carme, JXII Ananke and JXVII Callirrhoe in 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2010 using the MMT Observatory facility Red Channel spectrograph to confirm the presence of this feature. The spectra are centered near 0.64 μm in order to cover the 0.7-μm feature entirely (generally ranging from 0.57 to 0.83 μm). The spectra generally have a dispersion/element of ~0.6 nm (6Å) some spectra are smoothed. These spectra sample three prograde (i = 28o), four retrograde (i = 149o, 165o) and one independent satellite.We observe these findings among the spectra:- An absorption feature centered near 0.7 µm exists in the spectra of the three prograde (i = 28o) satellites. This feature is spectrally broader than the 0.7-µm feature observed in C-complex asteroids. None appears spectrally reddened. This suggests that these prograde satellites have a common parent body.- A different absorption feature appears in the spectra of the three retrograde (i = 149o) satellites, also suggesting a common parent body. Varying reddening is observed. This feature is similar in spectral location and width to the 0.7-µm feature.- Reddening is observed in the individual observation of JXI Carme (i = 165o), and independent satellite JIX Sinope, similar to the D-class asteroid spectra dominating the Trojan population. A suggested absorption feature is being investigated.Mixing modeling of combinations of both expected and proposed compositions including carbonaceous materials, phyllosilicates, mafic silicates, and other opaque materials, is currently underway. Results will be reported and discussed at the meeting.Acknowledgments: The MMT Observatory is a joint facility of the University of Arizona and the Smithsonian Institution. This research has been supported by SSERVI CLASS.

The Mysterious 6565 Å Absorption Feature of the Galactic Halo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sethi, Shiv K.; Shchekinov, Yuri; Nath, Biman B.

2017-12-01

We consider various possible scenarios to explain the recent observation of what has been called a broad Hα absorption in our Galactic halo, with peak optical depth τ ≃ 0.01 and equivalent width W≃ 0.17 \\mathringA . We show that the absorbed feature cannot arise from the circumgalactic and ISM Hα absorption. As the observed absorption feature is quite broad ({{Δ }}λ ≃ 30 \\mathringA ), we also consider CNO lines that lie close to Hα as possible alternatives to explain the feature. We show that such lines could also not account for the observed feature. Instead, we suggest that it could arise from diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) carriers or polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) absorption. While we identify several such lines close to the Hα transition, we are unable to determine the molecule responsible for the observed feature, partly because of selection effects that prevent us from identifying DIBs/PAHs features close to Hα using local observations. Deep integration of a few extragalactic sources with high spectral resolution might allow us to distinguish between different possible explanations.

The Copernicus ultraviolet spectral atlas of Sirius

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogerson, John B., Jr.

1987-01-01

A near-ultraviolet spectral atlas for the A1 V star Alpha CMa (Sirius) has been prepared from data taken by the Princeton spectrometer aboard the Copernicus satellite. The spectral region from 1649 to 3170 A has been scanned with a resolution of 0.1 A. The atlas is presented in graphs, and line identifications for the absorption features have been tabulated.

Exploring the Time Evolution of Cool Metallic Absorption Features in UV Burst Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belmes, K.; Madsen, C. A.; DeLuca, E.

2017-12-01

UV bursts are compact brightenings in active regions that appear in UV images. They are identified through three spectroscopic features: (1) broadening and intensification of NUV/FUV emission lines, (2) the presence of optically thin Si IV emission, and (3) the presence of absorption features from cool metallic ions. Properties (2) and (3) imply that bursts exist at transition region temperatures (≥ 80,000 K) but are located in the cooler lower chromosphere ( 5,000 K). Their energetic and dynamical properties remain poorly constrained. Improving our understanding of this phenomena could help us further constrain the energetic and dynamical properties of the chromosphere, as well as give us insight into whether or not UV bursts contribute to chromospheric and/or coronal heating. We analyzed the time evolution of UV bursts using spectral data from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). We inspected Si IV 1393.8 Å line profiles for Ni II 1393.3 Å absorption features to look for signs of heating. Weakening of absorption features over time could indicate heating of the cool ions above the burst, implying that thermal energy from the burst could rapidly conduct upward through the chromosphere. To detect the spectral profiles corresponding to bursts, we applied a four-parameter Gaussian fit to every profile in each observation and took cuts in parameter space to isolate the bursts. We then manually reviewed the remaining profiles by looking for a statistically significant appearance of Ni II 1393.3 Å absorption. We quantified these absorption features by normalizing the Si IV 1393.8 Å emission profiles and measuring the maximum fractional extinction in each. Our preliminary results indicate that Ni II 1393.3 Å absorption may undergo a cycle of strengthening and weakening throughout a burst's lifetime. However, further investigation is needed for confirmation. This work is supported by the NSF-REU solar physics program at SAO, grant number AGS-1560313.

Deriving leaf mass per area (LMA) from foliar reflectance across a variety of plant species using continuous wavelet analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Tao; Rivard, Benoit; Sánchez-Azofeifa, Arturo G.; Féret, Jean-Baptiste; Jacquemoud, Stéphane; Ustin, Susan L.

2014-01-01

Leaf mass per area (LMA), the ratio of leaf dry mass to leaf area, is a trait of central importance to the understanding of plant light capture and carbon gain. It can be estimated from leaf reflectance spectroscopy in the infrared region, by making use of information about the absorption features of dry matter. This study reports on the application of continuous wavelet analysis (CWA) to the estimation of LMA across a wide range of plant species. We compiled a large database of leaf reflectance spectra acquired within the framework of three independent measurement campaigns (ANGERS, LOPEX and PANAMA) and generated a simulated database using the PROSPECT leaf optical properties model. CWA was applied to the measured and simulated databases to extract wavelet features that correlate with LMA. These features were assessed in terms of predictive capability and robustness while transferring predictive models from the simulated database to the measured database. The assessment was also conducted with two existing spectral indices, namely the Normalized Dry Matter Index (NDMI) and the Normalized Difference index for LMA (NDLMA). Five common wavelet features were determined from the two databases, which showed significant correlations with LMA (R2: 0.51-0.82, p < 0.0001). The best robustness (R2 = 0.74, RMSE = 18.97 g/m2 and Bias = 0.12 g/m2) was obtained using a combination of two low-scale features (1639 nm, scale 4) and (2133 nm, scale 5), the first being predominantly important. The transferability of the wavelet-based predictive model to the whole measured database was either better than or comparable to those based on spectral indices. Additionally, only the wavelet-based model showed consistent predictive capabilities among the three measured data sets. In comparison, the models based on spectral indices were sensitive to site-specific data sets. Integrating the NDLMA spectral index and the two robust wavelet features improved the LMA prediction. One of the bands used by this spectral index, 1368 nm, was located in a strong atmospheric water absorption region and replacing it with the next available band (1340 nm) led to lower predictive accuracies. However, the two wavelet features were not affected by data quality in the atmospheric absorption regions and therefore showed potential for canopy-level investigations. The wavelet approach provides a different perspective into spectral responses to LMA variation than the traditional spectral indices and holds greater promise for implementation with airborne or spaceborne imaging spectroscopy data for mapping canopy foliar dry biomass.

3-µm Spectroscopy of Asteroid 16 Psyche

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takir, Driss; Reddy, Vishnu; Sanchez, Juan; Shepard, Michael K.

2016-10-01

Asteroid 16 Psyche, an M-type asteroid, is thought to be one of the most massive exposed iron metal object in the asteroid belt. The high radar albedos of Psyche suggest that this differentiated asteroid is dominantly composed of metal. Psyche was previously found to be featureless in the 3-µm spectral region. However, in our study we found that this asteroid exhibits a 3-µm absorption feature, possibly indicating the presence of hydrated silicates.We have observed Psyche in the 3-µm spectral region, using the long-wavelength cross-dispersed (LXD:1.9-4.2 µm) mode of the SpeX spectrograph/imager at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). For data reduction, we used the IDL (Interactive Data Language)-based spectral reduction tool Spextool (v4.1). Psyche was observed over the course of three nights with an apparent visual magnitude of ~9.50: 8 December 2015 (3 sets), 9 December 2015 (1 set), and 10 March 2016 (1 set). These observations have revealed that Psyche may exhibit a 3-µm absorption feature, similar to the sharp group in the 2.9-3.3-µm spectral range. Psyche also exhibits an absorption feature similar to the one in Ceres and Ceres-like group in the spectral 3.3-4.0-µm range. These 3-µm observational results revealed that Psyche may not be as featureless as once thought in the 3-µm spectral region.Evidence for the 3-µm band was found on the surfaces of many M-type asteroids and a number of plausible alternative interpretations for the presence of this 3-µm band were previously suggested. These interpretations include the presence of anhydrous silicates containing structural OH, the presence of fluid inclusions, the presence of xenolithic hydrous meteorite components on asteroid surfaces from impacts, solar wind-implanted H, or the presence of troilite. The detection of the Ceres-like feature in the 3.3-4.0-µm spectral range, however, would rule out some of these alternative interpretations, especially the solar wind-implanted H.

A graphical method to evaluate spectral preprocessing in multivariate regression calibrations: example with Savitzky-Golay filters and partial least squares regression

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In multivariate regression analysis of spectroscopy data, spectral preprocessing is often performed to reduce unwanted background information (offsets, sloped baselines) or accentuate absorption features in intrinsically overlapping bands. These procedures, also known as pretreatments, are commonly ...

The Copernicus ultraviolet spectral atlas of Vega

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogerson, John B., Jr.

1989-01-01

A near-ultraviolet spectral atlas for the A0 V star Alpha Lyr (Vega) has been prepared from data taken by the Princeton spectrometer aboard the Copernicus satellite. The spectral region from 2000 to 3187 A has been scanned with a resolution of 0.1 A. The atlas is presented in graphs with a normalized continuum, and an identification table for the absorption features has been prepared.

Plant phenolics and absorption features in vegetation reflectance spectra near 1.66 μm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokaly, Raymond F.; Skidmore, Andrew K.

2015-12-01

Past laboratory and field studies have quantified phenolic substances in vegetative matter from reflectance measurements for understanding plant response to herbivores and insect predation. Past remote sensing studies on phenolics have evaluated crop quality and vegetation patterns caused by bedrock geology and associated variations in soil geochemistry. We examined spectra of pure phenolic compounds, common plant biochemical constituents, dry leaves, fresh leaves, and plant canopies for direct evidence of absorption features attributable to plant phenolics. Using spectral feature analysis with continuum removal, we observed that a narrow feature at 1.66 μm is persistent in spectra of manzanita, sumac, red maple, sugar maple, tea, and other species. This feature was consistent with absorption caused by aromatic Csbnd H bonds in the chemical structure of phenolic compounds and non-hydroxylated aromatics. Because of overlapping absorption by water, the feature was weaker in fresh leaf and canopy spectra compared to dry leaf measurements. Simple linear regressions of feature depth and feature area with polyphenol concentration in tea resulted in high correlations and low errors (% phenol by dry weight) at the dry leaf (r2 = 0.95, RMSE = 1.0%, n = 56), fresh leaf (r2 = 0.79, RMSE = 2.1%, n = 56), and canopy (r2 = 0.78, RMSE = 1.0%, n = 13) levels of measurement. Spectra of leaves, needles, and canopies of big sagebrush and evergreens exhibited a weak absorption feature centered near 1.63 μm, short ward of the phenolic compounds, possibly consistent with terpenes. This study demonstrates that subtle variation in vegetation spectra in the shortwave infrared can directly indicate biochemical constituents and be used to quantify them. Phenolics are of lesser abundance compared to the major plant constituents but, nonetheless, have important plant functions and ecological significance. Additional research is needed to advance our understanding of the spectral influences of plant phenolics and terpenes relative to dominant leaf biochemistry (water, chlorophyll, protein/nitrogen, cellulose, and lignin).

Are Hyperion and Phoebe Linked to Iapetus?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jarvis, Kandy S.; Vilas, Faith; Larson, Stephen M.; Gaffey, Michael J.

1999-01-01

Narrowband reflectance spectra of the Saturnian satellites S VII Hyperion and S IX Phoebe were obtained across the 0.4 - 0.8 micron spectral region. The spectrum of Phoebe is similar to the spectrum of a C-class asteroid, with an absorption feature centered near 0.43 micron superimposed on the UV/blue intervalence charge transfer transition present in the spectrum. The spectrum of Hyperion shows the strong spectral slope apparent in spectra of many outer Solar System materials and attributed to organics. We use a linear mixing model to separate the reflectance spectrum of the dark material on Hyperion from the icy material. A distinct absorption feature centered at 0.67 micron is present. A slight inflection near 0.4 - 0.6 micron and change in slope near 0.73 micron suggesting the lower wavelength edge of an absorption are also present. These absorptions are very similar to those identified in the spectrum of the dark material on the surface of Iapetus, suggesting that the dark material on these two satellites is compositionally similar and has a similar origin. These absorption features are attributed to the (6)A(sub 1) yields (4)T(sub 2)(G) and (6)A(sub 1) yields (4)T(sub 1)(G) ferric charge transfer transitions in iron alteration minerals such as goethite and hematite that are products of the aqueous alteration of anhydrous silicates.

Io: Near-Infrared Absorptions Not Attributable to SO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirley, J. H.; Clark, R. N.; Soderblom, L. A.; Carlson, R. W.; Kamp, L. W.; Galileo NIMS Team

2001-11-01

The Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) onboard the Galileo spacecraft imaged the leading side of Jupiter's satellite Io at full spectral resolution and with triple Nyquist spatial sampling during the fifteenth orbital encounter (E15). New despiking and "dejittering" algorithms have been applied to this high S/N observation (15INHRSPEC01A). Spectral absorption features not attributable to SO2 are found between 3.0-3.4 microns and near 4.65 microns. The patterns of the spatial distributions of both absorbers differ from that of the omnipresent SO2. The broad 3.0-3.4 micron absorption is most pronounced in polar regions. Preliminary work suggests that the 4.65 micron feature may be associated with an unidentified sulfate mineral, while the 3.0-3.4 micron feature may result from the presence of more than one absorbing material. Hydrogen-bearing species are likely candidates. For example, H2O ice provides a good match for the absorption near 3.2 microns, but the absorption is shifted to wavelengths longer than that in pure H2O ice. If only one absorber is present, then hydrogen bonding of small numbers of H2O molecules could perhaps account for the shift. The absorption is weak; if H20 related, optical path lengths of a fraction of a micron are indicated. Portions of this research were carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Intercomparison of Carbonate Deposits on Mars: VNIR Spectral Character and Geologic Context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiseman, S.; Mustard, J. F.; Ehlmann, B. L.

2012-12-01

Carbonate-bearing deposits were identified on Mars at multiple locations using CRISM VNIR spectral data [1,2,3,4,5]. Carbonates exhibit distinctive C-O related absorption features near 2300, 2500, 3400 and 3900nm that can be used to identify specific carbonate phases (e.g., Mg-carbonates have band minima at 2300/2500nm and Fe-carbonates have minima at 2330/2530nm [6]). The features at 2300 and 2500nm are the focus of most CRISM analyses because this part of the spectral range is well calibrated, lacks strong contributions from thermal emission, and is not impacted by strong water-related absorptions near 3000nm (e.g., in Fe/Mg phyllosilicates). However, multiple other phases also exhibit features near 2300 and 2500nm.For carbonates, the depth of the 2500nm feature is stronger than at 2300nm as opposed to most Fe/Mg phyllosilicates. Mixing of the carbonate with other phases in CRISM pixels impacts the band centers and strengths of the 2300 and 2500nm features and therefore complicates identification of the carbonate phase(s) responsible for observed CRISM spectral features. In this study we analyze CRISM data fully corrected for the atmosphere using DISORT radiative transfer modeling [7,8] to evaluate CRISM spectra of multiple carbonate-bearing deposits. Rigorous intercomparison of CRISM spectra extracted from different images is affected by variable aerosol, CO2 and water vapor features left by the standard volcano scan empirical atmospheric correction [9]. While residual gas absorptions are commonly suppressed by ratioing, the appearance of spectral features in ratio spectra is impacted by spectral features in the dominator spectrum compromising detailed assessments of ratio spectra derived from different images. Atmospheric correction is particularly important for interpreting carbonate deposits because the 2500nm carbonate feature overlaps with atmospheric water vapor absorptions. In Nili Fossae, carbonates occur in association with olivine, smectite, serpentine [1,10], and possibly talc [11].These carbonates are hypothesized to have formed via alteration of olivine and/or serpentine under surface or low temperature hydrothermal conditions [1,11,12] Laboratory spectra of Mg carbonates (magnesite/hydromagnesite) are the closest matches to the Nili Fossae carbonates [1]. CRISM spectra of carbonates in and around Huygens basin are interpreted to be Fe and/or Ca carbonates [3], similar to carbonate spectra described by [2]. However, the CRISM carbonate-bearing spectra are mixed with Fe/Mg phyllosilicates [1,2,3], making a one to one comparison among Martian and laboratory carbonate spectra challenging. [1] Ehlmann et al. (2008), Sci., 322, 1828-1831, [2] Michalski and. Niles (2010), Nat. Geo., 3, 751-55, [3] Wray et al. (2011), LPSC, #2635, [4] Bishop et al. (2012), LPSC, #2330, [5] Carter and Poulet (2012), Icarus, [6] Gaffey (1987), JGR, 92, 1429-1440, [7] Stamnes et al. (1999), Appl. Opt., 27, 2502-2509, [8] Wolff et al. (2009), JGR, 11, [9] Wiseman et al., 2010, LPSC , #2461, [10] Ehlmann et al. (2010), GRL, 37, [11] Brown et al. (2010), EPSL, 297, 174-182. [12] Ehlmann et al. (2009), JGR, 114.

Thermal infrared spectroscopy and modeling of experimentally shocked plagioclase feldspars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, J. R.; Horz, F.; Staid, M.I.

2003-01-01

Thermal infrared emission and reflectance spectra (250-1400 cm-1; ???7???40 ??m) of experimentally shocked albite- and anorthite-rich rocks (17-56 GPa) demonstrate that plagioclase feldspars exhibit characteristic degradations in spectral features with increasing pressure. New measurements of albite (Ab98) presented here display major spectral absorptions between 1000-1250 cm-1 (8-10 ??m) (due to Si-O antisymmetric stretch motions of the silica tetrahedra) and weaker absorptions between 350-700 cm-1 (14-29 ??m) (due to Si-O-Si octahedral bending vibrations). Many of these features persist to higher pressures compared to similar features in measurements of shocked anorthite, consistent with previous thermal infrared absorption studies of shocked feldspars. A transparency feature at 855 cm-1 (11.7 ??m) observed in powdered albite spectra also degrades with increasing pressure, similar to the 830 cm-1 (12.0 ??m) transparency feature in spectra of powders of shocked anorthite. Linear deconvolution models demonstrate that combinations of common mineral and glass spectra can replicate the spectra of shocked anorthite relatively well until shock pressures of 20-25 GPa, above which model errors increase substantially, coincident with the onset of diaplectic glass formation. Albite deconvolutions exhibit higher errors overall but do not change significantly with pressure, likely because certain clay minerals selected by the model exhibit absorption features similar to those in highly shocked albite. The implication for deconvolution of thermal infrared spectra of planetary surfaces (or laboratory spectra of samples) is that the use of highly shocked anorthite spectra in end-member libraries could be helpful in identifying highly shocked calcic plagioclase feldspars.

[Bare Soil Moisture Inversion Model Based on Visible-Shortwave Infrared Reflectance].

PubMed

Zheng, Xiao-po; Sun, Yue-jun; Qin, Qi-ming; Ren, Hua-zhong; Gao, Zhong-ling; Wu, Ling; Meng, Qing-ye; Wang, Jin-liang; Wang, Jian-hua

2015-08-01

Soil is the loose solum of land surface that can support plants. It consists of minerals, organics, atmosphere, moisture, microbes, et al. Among its complex compositions, soil moisture varies greatly. Therefore, the fast and accurate inversion of soil moisture by using remote sensing is very crucial. In order to reduce the influence of soil type on the retrieval of soil moisture, this paper proposed a normalized spectral slope and absorption index named NSSAI to estimate soil moisture. The modeling of the new index contains several key steps: Firstly, soil samples with different moisture level were artificially prepared, and soil reflectance spectra was consequently measured using spectroradiometer produced by ASD Company. Secondly, the moisture absorption spectral feature located at shortwave wavelengths and the spectral slope of visible wavelengths were calculated after analyzing the regular spectral feature change patterns of different soil at different moisture conditions. Then advantages of the two features at reducing soil types' effects was synthesized to build the NSSAI. Thirdly, a linear relationship between NSSAI and soil moisture was established. The result showed that NSSAI worked better (correlation coefficient is 0.93) than most of other traditional methods in soil moisture extraction. It can weaken the influences caused by soil types at different moisture levels and improve the bare soil moisture inversion accuracy.

The origin of absorptive features in the two-dimensional electronic spectra of rhodopsin.

PubMed

Farag, Marwa H; Jansen, Thomas L C; Knoester, Jasper

2018-05-09

In rhodopsin, the absorption of a photon causes the isomerization of the 11-cis isomer of the retinal chromophore to its all-trans isomer. This isomerization is known to occur through a conical intersection (CI) and the internal conversion through the CI is known to be vibrationally coherent. Recently measured two-dimensional electronic spectra (2DES) showed dramatic absorptive spectral features at early waiting times associated with the transition through the CI. The common two-state two-mode model Hamiltonian was unable to elucidate the origin of these features. To rationalize the source of these features, we employ a three-state three-mode model Hamiltonian where the hydrogen out-of plane (HOOP) mode and a higher-lying electronic state are included. The 2DES of the retinal chromophore in rhodopsin are calculated and compared with the experiment. Our analysis shows that the source of the observed features in the measured 2DES is the excited state absorption to a higher-lying electronic state and not the HOOP mode.

Ground-Based VIS/NIR Reflectance Spectra of 25143 Itokawa: What Hayabusa will See and How Ground-Based Data can Augment Analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vilas, Faith; Abell, P. A.; Jarvis, K. S.

2004-01-01

Planning for the arrival of the Hayabusa spacecraft at asteroid 25143 Itokawa includes consideration of the expected spectral information to be obtained using the AMICA and NIRS instruments. The rotationally-resolved spatial coverage the asteroid we have obtained with ground-based telescopic spectrophotometry in the visible and near-infrared can be utilized here to address expected spacecraft data. We use spectrophotometry to simulate the types of data that Hayabusa will receive with the NIRS and AMICA instruments, and will demonstrate them here. The NIRS will cover a wavelength range from 0.85 m, and have a dispersion per element of 250 Angstroms. Thus, we are limited in coverage of the 1.0 micrometer and 2.0 micrometer mafic silicate absorption features. The ground-based reflectance spectra of Itokawa show a large component of olivine in its surface material, and the 2.0 micrometer feature is shallow. Determining the olivine to pyroxene abundance ratio is critically dependent on the attributes of the 1.0- and 2.0 micrometer features. With a cut-off near 2,1 micrometer the longer edge of the 2.0- feature will not be obtained by NIRS. Reflectance spectra obtained using ground-based telescopes can be used to determine the regional composition around space-based spectral observations, and possibly augment the longer wavelength spectral attributes. Similarly, the shorter wavelength end of the 1.0 micrometer absorption feature will be partially lost to the NIRS. The AMICA filters mimic the ECAS filters, and have wavelength coverage overlapping with the NIRS spectral range. We demonstrate how merging photometry from AMICA will extend the spectral coverage of the NIRS. Lessons learned from earlier spacecraft to asteroids should be considered.

Spectroscopic requirements for HALOE: An analysis of the HCl and HF channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rinsland, C. P.; Smith, M. A. H.; Park, J. H.; Harvey, G. A.; Russell, J. M., III; Richardson, D. J.

1982-01-01

Spectral line parameters that have absorption features within the HCl and HF channels of the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) were evaluated. Line positions and identification of stratospheric and solar absorption features in both channels are presented based on an analysis of high-resolution, balloon-borne solar occultation spectra. For the relevant HCl and HF lines and for transitions of the interfering species, the accuracy of the following spectral parameters was assessed: line positions, line strengths, lower state energies, air-broadened collisional half-widths, and temperature dependence of the air-broadened half-widths. In addition, since the HALOE instrument and calibration cells are filled with mixtures of HCl in N2 and HF in N2, the self-broadened and N2-broadened HF and HCl half-widths were also considered.

Molecular detection with terahertz waves based on absorption-induced transparency metamaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

G. Rodrigo, Sergio; Martín-Moreno, L.

2016-10-01

A system for the detection of spectral signatures of chemical compounds at the Terahertz regime is presented. The system consists on a holey metal film whereby the presence of a given substance provokes the appearance of spectral features in transmission and reflection induced by the molecular specimen. These induced effects can be regarded as an extraordinary optical transmission phenomenon called absorption-induced transparency (AIT). The phenomenon consist precisely in the appearance of peaks in transmission and dips in reflection after sputtering of a chemical compound onto an initially opaque holey metal film. The spectral signatures due to AIT occur unexpectedly close to the absorption energies of the molecules. The presence of a target, a chemical compound, would be thus revealed as a strong drop in reflectivity measurements. We theoretically predict the AIT based system would serve to detect amounts of hydrocyanic acid (HCN) at low rate concentrations.

The very high rotators in the late-B and early-A stars: Shell stars with Si IV and C IV features the case of HD 119921

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freireferrero, R.; Bruhweiler, Frederick C.; Grady, C. A.

1990-01-01

Study of several stars in the late B and early A spectral types shows that very high rotators are associated with shell characteristics (sometimes not detected at all in the visible spectra) and also with C IV and some Si IV spectral absorption features which can be explained by circumstellar phenomena superimposed over stellar metallic blends. These particularities are evidenced by comparison with other spectra of low and high rotators in the same spectral range. HD 119921, a star with similar characteristics to the other ones of the sample, is given special attention. A possible scenario is suggested to explain the observed superionization features.

Investigations on the 1.7 micron residual absorption feature in the vegetation reflection spectrum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verdebout, J.; Jacquemoud, S.; Andreoli, G.; Hosgood, B.; Sieber, A.

1993-01-01

The detection and interpretation of the weak absorption features associated with the biochemical components of vegetation is of great potential interest to a variety of applications ranging from classification to global change studies. This recent subject is also challenging because the spectral signature of the biochemicals is only detectable as a small distortion of the infrared spectrum which is mainly governed by water. Furthermore, the interpretation is complicated by complexity of the molecules (lignin, cellulose, starch, proteins) which contain a large number of different and common chemical bonds. In this paper, we present investigations on the absorption feature centered at 1.7 micron; these were conducted both on AVIRIS data and laboratory reflectance spectra of leaves.

Method for Balancing Detector Output to a Desired Level of Balance at a Frequency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sachse, Glenn W. (Inventor)

2003-01-01

A multi-gas sensor is provided which modulates a polarized light beam over a broadband of wavelengths between two alternating orthogonal polarization components. The two orthogonal polarization components of the polarization modulated beam are directed along two distinct optical paths. At least one optical path contains one or more spectral discrimination elements, with each spectral discrimination element having spectral absorption features of one or more gases of interest being measured. The two optical paths then intersect, and one orthogonal component of the intersected components is transmitted and the other orthogonal component is reflected. The combined polarization modulated beam is partitioned into one or more smaller spectral regions of interest where one or more gases of interest has an absorption band. The difference in intensity between the two orthogonal polarization components is then determined in each partitioned spectral region of interest as an indication of the spectral emission/absorption of the light beam by the gases of interest in the measurement path. The spectral emission/absorption is indicative of the concentration of the one or more gases of interest in the measurement path. More specifically, one embodiment of the present invention is a gas filter correlation radiometer which comprises a polarizer, a polarization modulator, a polarization beam splitter, a beam combiner, wavelength partitioning element, and detection element. The gases of interest are measured simultaneously and, further, can be measured independently or non-independently. Furthermore, optical or electronic element are provided to balance optical intensities between the two optical paths.

Multi-Gas Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sachse, Glenn W. (Inventor); Wang, Liang-Guo (Inventor); LeBel, Peter J. (Inventor); Steele, Tommy C. (Inventor); Rana, Mauro (Inventor)

1999-01-01

A multi-gas sensor is provided which modulates a polarized light beam over a broadband of wavelengths between two alternating orthogonal polarization components. The two orthogonal polarization components of the polarization modulated beam are directed along two distinct optical paths. At least one optical path contains one or more spectral discrimination element, with each spectral discrimination element having spectral absorption features of one or more gases of interest being measured. The two optical paths then intersect, and one orthogonal component of the intersected components is transmitted and the other orthogonal component is reflected. The combined polarization modulated beam is partitioned into one or more smaller spectral regions of interest where one or more gases of interest has an absorption band. The difference in intensity between the two orthogonal polarization components is then determined in each partitioned spectral region of interest as an indication of the spectral emission/absorption of the light beam by the gases of interest in the measurement path. The spectral emission/absorption is indicative of the concentration of the one or more gases of interest in the measurement path. More specifically, one embodiment of the present invention is a gas filter correlation radiometer which comprises a polarizer, a polarization modulator, a polarization beam splitter, a beam combiner, wavelength partitioning element, and detection element. The gases of interest are measured simultaneously and, further, can be measured independently or non-independently. Furthermore, optical or electronic element are provided to balance optical intensities between the two optical paths.

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

Yang Bin; Jewitt, David, E-mail: yangbin@ifa.hawaii.ed, E-mail: jewitt@ucla.ed

Spectrally blue (B-type) asteroids are rare, with the second discovered asteroid, Pallas, being the largest and most famous example. We conducted a focused, infrared spectroscopic survey of B-type asteroids to search for water-related features in these objects. Our results show that the negative optical spectral slope of some B-type asteroids is due to the presence of a broad absorption band centered near 1.0 {mu}m. The 1 {mu}m band can be matched in position and shape using magnetite (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}), which is an important indicator of past aqueous alteration in the parent body. Furthermore, our observations of B-type asteroid (335)more » Roberta in the 3 {mu}m region reveal an absorption feature centered at 2.9 {mu}m, which is consistent with the absorption due to phyllosilicates (another hydration product) observed in CI chondrites. The new observations suggest that at least some B-type asteroids are likely to have incorporated significant amounts of water ice and to have experienced intensive aqueous alteration.« less

EXhype: A tool for mineral classification using hyperspectral data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adep, Ramesh Nityanand; shetty, Amba; Ramesh, H.

2017-02-01

Various supervised classification algorithms have been developed to classify earth surface features using hyperspectral data. Each algorithm is modelled based on different human expertises. However, the performance of conventional algorithms is not satisfactory to map especially the minerals in view of their typical spectral responses. This study introduces a new expert system named 'EXhype (Expert system for hyperspectral data classification)' to map minerals. The system incorporates human expertise at several stages of it's implementation: (i) to deal with intra-class variation; (ii) to identify absorption features; (iii) to discriminate spectra by considering absorption features, non-absorption features and by full spectra comparison; and (iv) finally takes a decision based on learning and by emphasizing most important features. It is developed using a knowledge base consisting of an Optimal Spectral Library, Segmented Upper Hull method, Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) and Artificial Neural Network. The performance of the EXhype is compared with a traditional, most commonly used SAM algorithm using Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data acquired over Cuprite, Nevada, USA. A virtual verification method is used to collect samples information for accuracy assessment. Further, a modified accuracy assessment method is used to get a real users accuracies in cases where only limited or desired classes are considered for classification. With the modified accuracy assessment method, SAM and EXhype yields an overall accuracy of 60.35% and 90.75% and the kappa coefficient of 0.51 and 0.89 respectively. It was also found that the virtual verification method allows to use most desired stratified random sampling method and eliminates all the difficulties associated with it. The experimental results show that EXhype is not only producing better accuracy compared to traditional SAM but, can also rightly classify the minerals. It is proficient in avoiding misclassification between target classes when applied on minerals.

Reflectance characteristics of dry plant materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elvidge, Christopher D.

1987-01-01

Chlorophyll and water obscure the absorption features of all other leaf constituents in the spectra of green leaves. The predominant near-IR and thermal IR spectral features of dry plant materials originate from lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. These compounds account for 80 to 98 percent of the dry weight in most plant materials.

Phase-dependent absorption features in X-ray spectra of X-ray Dim Isolated Neutron Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borghese, A.; Rea, N.; Coti Zelati, F.; Turolla, R.; Tiengo, A.; Zane, S.

2017-12-01

A detailed phase-resolved spectroscopy of archival XMM-Newton observations of X-ray Dim Isolated Neutron Stars (XDINSs) led to the discovery of narrow and strongly phase-dependent absorption features in two of these sources. The first was discovered in the X-ray spectrum of RX J0720.4-3125, followed by a new possible candidate in RX J1308.6+2127. Both spectral lines have similar properties: they are detected for only ˜ 20% of the rotational cycle and appear to be stable over the timespan covered by the observations. We performed Monte Carlo simulations to test the significance of these phase-variable features and in both cases the outcome has confirmed the detection with a confidence level > 4.6σ. Because of the narrow width and the strong dependence on the pulsar rotational phase, the most likely interpretation for these spectral features is in terms of resonant proton cyclotron absorption scattering in a confined high-B structure close to the stellar surface. Within the framework of this interpretation, our results provide evidence for deviations from a pure dipole magnetic field on small scales for highly magnetized neutron stars and support the proposed scenario of XDINSs being aged magnetars, with a strong non-dipolar crustal B-field component.

A Developed Spectral Identification Tree for Mineral Mapping using Hyperspectral Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gan, Fuping; Wang, Runsheng; Yan, Bokun; Shang, Kun

2016-04-01

The relationship between the spectral features and the composition of minerals are the basis of mineral identification using hyperspectral data. The reflectance spectrum of minerals results from the systematic combination of several modes of interaction between electromagnetic energy and mineral particles in the form of reflection and absorption. Minerals tend to have absorbing features at specific wavelengths with a characteristic shape, which can be used as diagnostic indicators for identification. The spectral identification tree (SIT) method for mineral identification is developed in our research to map minerals accurately and applied in some typical mineral deposits in China. The SIT method is based on the diagnostic absorption features of minerals through comparing and statistically analyzing characteristic spectral data of minerals. We establish several levels of identification rules for the type, group and species of minerals using IF-THEN rule according to the spectral identification criteria so that the developed SIT can be further used to map minerals at different levels of detail from mineral type to mineral species. Identifiable minerals can be grouped into six types: Fe2+-bearing, Fe3+-bearing, Mn2+-bearing, Al-OH-bearing, Mg-OH-bearing and carbonate minerals. Each type can be further divided into several mineral groups. Each group contains several mineral species or specific minerals. A mineral spectral series, therefore, can be constructed as "type-group-species-specific mineral (mineral variety)" for mineral spectral identification. It is noted that the mineral classification is based mainly on spectral reflectance characteristics of minerals which may not be consistent with the classification in mineralogy. We applied the developed SIT method to the datasets acquired at the Eastern Tianshan Mountains of Xinjiang (HyMap data) and the Qulong district of Xizang (Hyperion data). In Xinjiang, the two major classes of Al-OH and Mg-OH minerals were mapped firstly. Then montmorillonite, kaolinite and muscovite were identified in the area of the Al-OH bearing minerals, and chlorite and epidote were identified in the area of the Mg-OH bearing minerals. Muscovite of rich Al and poor Al were further identified in the area of muscovite. In Xizang, Al-rich and Al-poor muscovite, kaolinite, chlorite and malachite were identified using SIT method. In all, the developed SIT method can further reduce the effect of other materials and focus on targeted minerals. In particular, the discrimination accuracy will be improved when the most diagnostic absorption spectral features are used in the developed SIT method.

Absorption Efficiencies of Forsterite. I: DDA Explorations in Grain Shape and Size

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindsay, Sean S.; Wooden, Diane; Harker, David E.; Kelley, Michael S.; Woodward, Charles E.; Murphy, Jim R.

2013-01-01

We compute the absorption efficiency (Q(sub abs)) of forsterite using the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) in order to identify and describe what characteristics of crystal grain shape and size are important to the shape, peak location, and relative strength of spectral features in the 8 - 40 micron wavelength range. Using the DDSCAT code, we compute Q(sub abs) for non-spherical polyhedral grain shapes with a(sub eff) = 0.1 micron. The shape characteristics identified are: 1) elongation/reduction along one of three crystallographic axes; 2) asymmetry, such that all three crystallographic axes are of different lengths; and 3) the presence of crystalline faces that are not parallel to a specific crystallographic axis, e.g., non-rectangular prisms and (di)pyramids. Elongation/reduction dominates the locations and shapes of spectral features near 10, 11, 16, 23.5, 27, and 33.5 micron, while asymmetry and tips are secondary shape effects. Increasing grain sizes (0.1 - 1.0 micron) shifts the 10, 11 micron features systematically towards longer wavelengths and relative to the 11 micron feature increases the strengths and slightly broadens the longer wavelength features. Seven spectral shape classes are established for crystallographic a-, b-, and c-axes and include columnar and platelet shapes plus non-elongated or equant grain shapes. The spectral shape classes and the effects of grain size have practical application in identifying or excluding columnar, platelet or equant forsterite grain shapes in astrophysical environs. Identification of the shape characteristics of forsterite from 8 - 40 micron spectra provides a potential means to probe the temperatures at which forsterite formed.

Dimensionality-varied convolutional neural network for spectral-spatial classification of hyperspectral data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wanjun; Liang, Xuejian; Qu, Haicheng

2017-11-01

Hyperspectral image (HSI) classification is one of the most popular topics in remote sensing community. Traditional and deep learning-based classification methods were proposed constantly in recent years. In order to improve the classification accuracy and robustness, a dimensionality-varied convolutional neural network (DVCNN) was proposed in this paper. DVCNN was a novel deep architecture based on convolutional neural network (CNN). The input of DVCNN was a set of 3D patches selected from HSI which contained spectral-spatial joint information. In the following feature extraction process, each patch was transformed into some different 1D vectors by 3D convolution kernels, which were able to extract features from spectral-spatial data. The rest of DVCNN was about the same as general CNN and processed 2D matrix which was constituted by by all 1D data. So that the DVCNN could not only extract more accurate and rich features than CNN, but also fused spectral-spatial information to improve classification accuracy. Moreover, the robustness of network on water-absorption bands was enhanced in the process of spectral-spatial fusion by 3D convolution, and the calculation was simplified by dimensionality varied convolution. Experiments were performed on both Indian Pines and Pavia University scene datasets, and the results showed that the classification accuracy of DVCNN improved by 32.87% on Indian Pines and 19.63% on Pavia University scene than spectral-only CNN. The maximum accuracy improvement of DVCNN achievement was 13.72% compared with other state-of-the-art HSI classification methods, and the robustness of DVCNN on water-absorption bands noise was demonstrated.

Hyperspectral Features of Oil-Polluted Sea Ice and the Response to the Contamination Area Fraction

PubMed Central

Li, Ying; Liu, Chengyu; Xie, Feng

2018-01-01

Researchers have studied oil spills in open waters using remote sensors, but few have focused on extracting reflectance features of oil pollution on sea ice. An experiment was conducted on natural sea ice in Bohai Bay, China, to obtain the spectral reflectance of oil-contaminated sea ice. The spectral absorption index (SAI), spectral peak height (SPH), and wavelet detail coefficient (DWT d5) were calculated using stepwise multiple linear regression. The reflectances of some false targets were measured and analysed. The simulated false targets were sediment, iron ore fines, coal dust, and the melt pool. The measured reflectances were resampled using five common sensors (GF-2, Landsat8-OLI, Sentinel3-OLCI, MODIS, and AVIRIS). Some significant spectral features could discriminate between oil-polluted and clean sea ice. The indices correlated well with the oil area fractions. All of the adjusted R2 values exceeded 0.9. The SPH model1, based on spectral features at 507–670 and 1627–1746 nm, displayed the best fitting. The resampled data indicated that these multi-spectral and hyper-spectral sensors could be used to detect crude oil on the sea ice if the effect of noise and spatial resolution are neglected. The spectral features and their identified changes may provide reference on sensor design and band selection. PMID:29342945

Absorption, fluorescence and second harmonic generation in Cr3+-doped BiB3O6 glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuznik, W.; Fuks-Janczarek, I.; Wojciechowski, A.; Kityk, I. V.; Kiisk, V.; Majchrowski, A.; Jaroszewicz, L. R.; Brik, M. G.; Nagy, G. U. L.

2015-06-01

Synthesis, spectral properties and photoinduced nonlinear optical effects of chromium-doped BiB3O6 glass are studied in the present paper. Absorption, excitation and time resolved luminescence spectra are presented and luminescence decay behavior is discussed. Detailed analysis of the obtained spectra (assignment of the most prominent spectral features in terms of the corresponding Cr3+ energy levels, crystal field strength Dq, Racah parameters B and C) was performed. A weak photostimulated second harmonic generation signal was found to increase drastically due to poling by proton implantation in the investigated sample.

Quantitative characterization of crude oils and fuels in mineral substrates using reflectance spectroscopy: Implications for remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scafutto, Rebecca Del'Papa Moreira; Souza Filho, Carlos Roberto de

2016-08-01

The near and shortwave infrared spectral reflectance properties of several mineral substrates impregnated with crude oils (°APIs 19.2, 27.5 and 43.2), diesel, gasoline and ethanol were measured and assembled in a spectral library. These data were examined using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares (PLS) Regression. Unique and characteristic absorption features were identified in the mixtures, besides variations of the spectral signatures related to the compositional difference of the crude oils and fuels. These features were used for qualitative and quantitative determination of the contaminant impregnated in the substrates. Specific wavelengths, where key absorption bands occur, were used for the individual characterization of oils and fuels. The intensity of these features can be correlated to the abundance of the contaminant in the mixtures. Grain size and composition of the impregnated substrate directly influence the variation of the spectral signatures. PCA models applied to the spectral library proved able to differentiate the type and density of the hydrocarbons. The calibration models generated by PLS are robust, of high quality and can also be used to predict the concentration of oils and fuels in mixtures with mineral substrates. Such data and models are employable as a reference for classifying unknown samples of contaminated substrates. The results of this study have important implications for onshore exploration and environmental monitoring of oil and fuels leaks using proximal and far range multispectral, hyperspectral and ultraespectral remote sensing.

Plant phenolics and absorption features in vegetation reflectance spectra near 1.66 μm

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kokaly, Raymond F.; Skidmore, Andrew K

2015-01-01

Past laboratory and field studies have quantified phenolic substances in vegetative matter from reflectance measurements for understanding plant response to herbivores and insect predation. Past remote sensing studies on phenolics have evaluated crop quality and vegetation patterns caused by bedrock geology and associated variations in soil geochemistry. We examined spectra of pure phenolic compounds, common plant biochemical constituents, dry leaves, fresh leaves, and plant canopies for direct evidence of absorption features attributable to plant phenolics. Using spectral feature analysis with continuum removal, we observed that a narrow feature at 1.66 μm is persistent in spectra of manzanita, sumac, red maple, sugar maple, tea, and other species. This feature was consistent with absorption caused by aromatic C-H bonds in the chemical structure of phenolic compounds and non-hydroxylated aromatics. Because of overlapping absorption by water, the feature was weaker in fresh leaf and canopy spectra compared to dry leaf measurements. Simple linear regressions of feature depth and feature area with polyphenol concentration in tea resulted in high correlations and low errors (% phenol by dry weight) at the dry leaf (r2 = 0.95, RMSE = 1.0%, n = 56), fresh leaf (r2 = 0.79, RMSE = 2.1%, n = 56), and canopy (r2 = 0.78, RMSE = 1.0%, n = 13) levels of measurement. Spectra of leaves, needles, and canopies of big sagebrush and evergreens exhibited a weak absorption feature centered near 1.63 μm, short ward of the phenolic compounds, possibly consistent with terpenes. This study demonstrates that subtle variation in vegetation spectra in the shortwave infrared can directly indicate biochemical constituents and be used to quantify them. Phenolics are of lesser abundance compared to the major plant constituents but, nonetheless, have important plant functions and ecological significance. Additional research is needed to advance our understanding of the spectral influences of plant phenolics and terpenes relative to dominant leaf biochemistry (water, chlorophyll, protein/nitrogen, cellulose, and lignin).

Carbon Stars: There Is No Such Thing as a Dead Leg

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goebel, J. H.

1984-01-01

The spectra of carbon stars is discussed. Spectral flux curves, molecular bands, molecular absorptions, stellar temperatures, and comparison of emission features in various carbon stars are among the topics considered.

Effect of the solvent environment on the spectroscopic properties and dynamics of the lowest excited states of carotenoids

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

Frank, H.A.; Bautista, J.A.; Josue, J.

2000-05-11

The spectroscopic properties and dynamics of the lowest excited singlet states of peridinin, fucoxanthin, neoxanthin, uriolide acetate, spheroidene, and spheroidenone in several different solvents have been studied by steady-state absorption and fast-transient optical spectroscopic techniques. Peridinin, fucoxanthin, uriolide acetate, and spheroidenone, which contain carbonyl functional groups in conjugation with the carbon-carbon {pi}-electron system, display broader absorption spectral features and are affected more by the solvent environment than neoxanthin and spheroidene, which do not contain carbonyl functional groups. The possible sources of the spectral broadening are explored by examining the absorption spectra at 77 K in glassy solvents. Also, carotenoids whichmore » contain carbonyls have complex transient absorption spectra and show a pronounced dependence of the excited singlet state lifetime on the solvent environment. It is postulated that these effects are related to the presence of an intramolecular charge transfer state strongly coupled to the S{sub 1} (2{sup 1}A{sub g}) excited singlet state. Structural variations in the series of carotenoids studied here make it possible to focus on the general molecular features that control the spectroscopic and dynamic properties of carotenoids.« less

SECULAR CHANGES IN ETA CARINAE'S WIND 1998-2011

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

Mehner, Andrea; Davidson, Kris; Humphreys, Roberta M.

2012-05-20

Stellar wind-emission features in the spectrum of eta Carinae have decreased by factors of 1.5-3 relative to the continuum within the last 10 years. We investigate a large data set from several instruments (STIS, GMOS, UVES) obtained between 1998 and 2011 and analyze the progression of spectral changes in direct view of the star, in the reflected polar-on spectra at FOS4, and at the Weigelt knots. We find that the spectral changes occurred gradually on a timescale of about 10 years and that they are dependent on the viewing angle. The line strengths declined most in our direct view ofmore » the star. About a decade ago, broad stellar wind-emission features were much stronger in our line-of-sight view of the star than at FOS4. After the 2009 event, the wind-emission line strengths are now very similar at both locations. High-excitation He I and N II absorption lines in direct view of the star strengthened gradually. The terminal velocity of Balmer P Cyg absorption lines now appears to be less latitude dependent, and the absorption strength may have weakened at FOS4. Latitude-dependent alterations in the mass-loss rate and the ionization structure of eta Carinae's wind are likely explanations for the observed spectral changes.« less

Hyperspectral imaging using novel LWIR OPO for hazardous material detection and identification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruxton, Keith; Robertson, Gordon; Miller, Bill; Malcolm, Graeme P. A.; Maker, Gareth T.

2014-05-01

Current stand-off hyperspectral imaging detection solutions that operate in the mid-wave infrared (MWIR), nominally 2.5 - 5 μm spectral region, are limited by the number of absorption bands that can be addressed. This issue is most apparent when evaluating a scene with multiple absorbers with overlapping spectral features making accurate material identification challenging. This limitation can be overcome by moving to the long wave IR (LWIR) region, which is rich in characteristic absorption features, which can provide ample molecular information in order to perform presumptive identification relative to a spectral library. This work utilises an instrument platform to perform negative contrast imaging using a novel LWIR optical parametric oscillator (OPO) as the source. The OPO offers continuous tuning in the region 5.5 - 9.5 μm, which includes a number of molecular vibrations associated with the target material compositions. Scanning the scene of interest whilst sweeping the wavelength of the OPO emission will highlight the presence of a suspect material and by analysing the resulting absorption spectrum, presumptive identification is possible. This work presents a selection of initial results using the LWIR hyperspectral imaging platform on a range of white powder materials to highlight the benefit operating in the LWIR region compared to the MWIR.

Constraining Cometary Crystal Shapes from IR Spectral Features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wooden, Diane H.; Lindsay, Sean; Harker, David E.; Kelley, Michael S. P.; Woodward, Charles E.; Murphy, James Richard

2013-01-01

A major challenge in deriving the silicate mineralogy of comets is ascertaining how the anisotropic nature of forsterite crystals affects the spectral features' wavelength, relative intensity, and asymmetry. Forsterite features are identified in cometary comae near 10, 11.05-11.2, 16, 19, 23.5, 27.5 and 33 microns [1-10], so accurate models for forsterite's absorption efficiency (Qabs) are a primary requirement to compute IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs, lambdaF lambda vs. lambda) and constrain the silicate mineralogy of comets. Forsterite is an anisotropic crystal, with three crystallographic axes with distinct indices of refraction for the a-, b-, and c-axis. The shape of a forsterite crystal significantly affects its spectral features [13-16]. We need models that account for crystal shape. The IR absorption efficiencies of forsterite are computed using the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) code DDSCAT [11,12]. Starting from a fiducial crystal shape of a cube, we systematically elongate/reduce one of the crystallographic axes. Also, we elongate/reduce one axis while the lengths of the other two axes are slightly asymmetric (0.8:1.2). The most significant grain shape characteristic that affects the crystalline spectral features is the relative lengths of the crystallographic axes. The second significant grain shape characteristic is breaking the symmetry of all three axes [17]. Synthetic spectral energy distributions using seven crystal shape classes [17] are fit to the observed SED of comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp). The Hale-Bopp crystalline residual better matches equant, b-platelets, c-platelets, and b-columns spectral shape classes, while a-platelets, a-columns and c-columns worsen the spectral fits. Forsterite condensation and partial evaporation experiments demonstrate that environmental temperature and grain shape are connected [18-20]. Thus, grain shape is a potential probe for protoplanetary disk temperatures where the cometary crystalline forsterite formed. The forsterite crystal shapes (equant, b-platelets, c-platelets, b-columns - excluding a- and c-columns) derived from our modeling [17] of comet Hale- Bopp, compared to laboratory synthesis experiments [18], suggests that these crystals are high temperature condensates. By observing and modeling the crystalline features in comet ISON, we may constrain forsterite crystal shape(s) and link to their formation temperature(s) and environment(s).

Long-range, noncoherent laser Doppler velocimeter.

PubMed

Bloom, S H; Kremer, R; Searcy, P A; Rivers, M; Menders, J; Korevaar, E

1991-11-15

An experimental demonstration of a long-range, noncoherent laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) is presented. The LDV detects incoming Doppler-shifted signal photons by using the sharp spectral absorption features in atomic or molecular vapors. The edge of the absorption feature is used to convert changes in frequency to large changes in transmission. Preliminary measurements of wind velocity using seeded aerosols showed that the LDV results agreed with mechanical anemometer measurements to within the accuracy of the LDV measurements. With optimization the LDV will provide accurate range-resolved and vibration-tolerant wind-speed measurements at large distances.

Measurements of CO2, CH4, H2O, and HDO over a 2-km Outdoor Path with Dual-Comb Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rieker, G. B.; Giorgetta, F. R.; Coddington, I.; Swann, W. C.; Sinclair, L. C.; Cromer, C.; Baumann, E.; Newbury, N. R.; Kofler, J.; Petron, G.; Sweeney, C.; Tans, P. P.

2013-12-01

We demonstrate simultaneous sensing of CO2, CH4, H2O, and HDO over a 2-km outdoor open air path using dual-frequency-comb absorption spectroscopy (DCS). Our implementation of the DCS technique simultaneously offers broad spectral coverage (>8 THz, 267 cm-1) and fine spectral point spacing (100 MHz, 0.0033 cm-1) with a coherent eye-safe beam. The spectrometer, which is adapted from [Zolot et al., 2012], consists of two mutually coherent Erbium-doped fiber frequency-comb lasers which create a broad spectrum of perfectly spaced narrow linewidth frequency elements (';comb teeth') near 1.6 μm. The comb light is transmitted by a telescope and active steering mirrors from the roof of the NIST Boulder laboratory to a 50-cm flat mirror located 1 km away. The return light is received by a second telescope and carried via multimode fiber to a detector. The greenhouse gas absorption attenuates the teeth from the two combs that are coincident with the relevant molecular resonant frequencies. We purposefully offset the frequencies between the two frequency combs in a Vernier-like fashion so that each pair of comb teeth from the two combs results in a unique rf heterodyne beat frequency on the photodiode. The spectral spacing between subsequent comb teeth pairs is 100 MHz, far lower than the ~4 GHz linewidths of small molecule absorption features in the atmosphere. Because of the narrow comb linewidth, there is an essentially negligible instrument lineshape. The measured absorption spectrum can thus resolve neighboring absorption features of different species, and can be compared directly with HITRAN and recent greenhouse gas absorption models developed for satellite- and ground-based carbon observatories to determine the path-integrated concentrations of the absorbing species. Measurements covering the complete 30013←00001 absorption band of CO2 and absorption features of CH4, H2O and HDO between 1.6-1.67 μm were performed under a variety of atmospheric conditions. During windy conditions when the atmosphere is well-mixed and species concentrations are stable, long-time-average data (240 min) are used to achieve high signal-to-noise ratio for careful comparisons of different spectral absorption models to the measured spectrum. Shorter five minute time resolution spectra are used to track fluctuations in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations over diurnal cycles and different weather conditions, and compared with simultaneous point-sampled measurements using a commercial cavity ringdown-based gas sensor. A. M. Zolot, F. R. Giorgetta, E. Baumann, J. W. Nicholson, W. C. Swann, I. Coddington, and N. R. Newbury (2012), Direct-Comb Molecular Spectroscopy with Accurate, Resolved Comb Teeth over 43 THz, Opt. Lett., 37(4), 638-640. a) Transmitted intensity spectrum over the 2-km outdoor path showing the spectral intensity variations of the combs and fine structure from gas absorption. b) Background-corrected absorbance of CO2 (blue) fitted with a Hitran model (red). The CO2 concentration measured from the fit is 408 ppm.

Accurate predictions of iron redox state in silicate glasses: A multivariate approach using X-ray absorption spectroscopy

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

Dyar, M. Darby; McCanta, Molly; Breves, Elly

2016-03-01

Pre-edge features in the K absorption edge of X-ray absorption spectra are commonly used to predict Fe3+ valence state in silicate glasses. However, this study shows that using the entire spectral region from the pre-edge into the extended X-ray absorption fine-structure region provides more accurate results when combined with multivariate analysis techniques. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (lasso) regression technique yields %Fe3+ values that are accurate to ±3.6% absolute when the full spectral region is employed. This method can be used across a broad range of glass compositions, is easily automated, and is demonstrated to yield accurate resultsmore » from different synchrotrons. It will enable future studies involving X-ray mapping of redox gradients on standard thin sections at 1 × 1 μm pixel sizes.« less

Accurate predictions of iron redox state in silicate glasses: A multivariate approach using X-ray absorption spectroscopy

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

Dyar, M. Darby; McCanta, Molly; Breves, Elly

2016-03-01

Pre-edge features in the K absorption edge of X-ray absorption spectra are commonly used to predict Fe 3+ valence state in silicate glasses. However, this study shows that using the entire spectral region from the pre-edge into the extended X-ray absorption fine-structure region provides more accurate results when combined with multivariate analysis techniques. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (lasso) regression technique yields %Fe 3+ values that are accurate to ±3.6% absolute when the full spectral region is employed. This method can be used across a broad range of glass compositions, is easily automated, and is demonstrated to yieldmore » accurate results from different synchrotrons. It will enable future studies involving X-ray mapping of redox gradients on standard thin sections at 1 × 1 μm pixel sizes.« less

Spectral reflectance properties (0.4-2.5 um) of secondary Fe-oxide, Fe-hydroxide, and Fe-sulfate-hydrate minerals associated with sulfide-bearing mine waste

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crowley, J.K.; Williams, D.E.; Hammarstrom1, J.M.; Piatak, N.; Mars, J.C.; Chou, I-Ming

2006-01-01

Fifteen Fe-oxide, Fe-hydroxide, and Fe-sulphate-hydrate mineral species commonly associated with sulphide bearing mine wastes were characterized by using X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscope methods. Diffuse reflectance spectra of the samples show diagnostic absorption features related to electronic processes involving ferric and/or ferrous iron, and to vibrational processes involving water and hydroxyl ions. Such spectral features enable field and remote sensing based studies of the mineral distributions. Because secondary minerals are sensitive indicators of pH, Eh, relative humidity, and other environmental conditions, spectral mapping of these minerals promises to have important applications to mine waste remediation studies. This report releases digital (ascii) spectra (spectral_data_files.zip) of the fifteen mineral samples to facilitate usage of the data with spectral libraries and spectral analysis software. The spectral data are provided in a two-column format listing wavelength (in micrometers) and reflectance, respectively.

Constraints on the Compositions of Phobos and Deimos from Mineral Absorptions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fraeman, A. A.; Murchie, S. L.; Arvidson, R. E.; Rivkin, A. S.; Morris, R. V.

2013-01-01

The compositions of Phobos and Deimos have remained controversial despite multiple Earth- and space-based observations acquired during the last 40 years. Phobos is composed of at least two spectral units that are both dark yet distinct at visible to near infrared wavelenghts; a spectrally red-sloped "red" unit covers most of the moon and a less red-sloped "blue" unit is present in the ejecta of the approximately 9-km diameter impact crater Stickney [1,2]. Deimos is similar spectrally to Phobos' "red" unit [2]. Here we report results from mapping mineral absorptions on Phobos and Deimos using visible/near infrared observations from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM). We find evidence for an absorption feature at 0.65 m in the Phobos red unit and Deimos that is reproducible in observations from other instruments. The phase responsible is uncertain but may be a Fe-bearing phyllosilicate and/or graphite, consistent with the notion that Phobos and Deimos have compositions similar to CM carbonaceous chondrites [3].

Observational evidence of crystalline iron oxides on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, James F., III; Mccord, Thomas B.; Owensby, Pamela D.

1990-01-01

A series of new spectral observations of Mars was obtained at Mauna Kea Observatory in the 0.4-1.0-micron wavelength range during the extremely favorable 1988 opposition, which yielded new spectral reflectance and relative reflectance data for a number of distinct spots on the Martian surface at 500-600 km spatial resolution. The new spectra revealed absorptions at 0.62-0.72 micron and at 0.81-0.94 micron, both seen clearly for the first time. These absorption features are interpreted as Fe(3+) electronic transition bands that indicate the presence of crystalline ferric oxide or hydroxide minerals on the Martian surface.

Mineral mapping and applications of imaging spectroscopy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, R.N.; Boardman, J.; Mustard, J.; Kruse, F.; Ong, C.; Pieters, C.; Swayze, G.A.

2006-01-01

Spectroscopy is a tool that has been used for decades to identify, understand, and quantify solid, liquid, or gaseous materials, especially in the laboratory. In disciplines ranging from astronomy to chemistry, spectroscopic measurements are used to detect absorption and emission features due to specific chemical bonds, and detailed analyses are used to determine the abundance and physical state of the detected absorbing/emitting species. Spectroscopic measurements have a long history in the study of the Earth and planets. Up to the 1990s remote spectroscopic measurements of Earth and planets were dominated by multispectral imaging experiments that collect high-quality images in a few, usually broad, spectral bands or with point spectrometers that obtained good spectral resolution but at only a few spatial positions. However, a new generation of sensors is now available that combines imaging with spectroscopy to create the new discipline of imaging spectroscopy. Imaging spectrometers acquire data with enough spectral range, resolution, and sampling at every pixel in a raster image so that individual absorption features can be identified and spatially mapped (Goetz et al., 1985).

Use of imaging in the 0.46-2.36 [micrometers] spectral region for alteration mapping in the Cuprite mining district, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Abrams, Michael J.; Ashley, R.P.; Rowan, L.C.; Goetz, A.F.H.; Kahle, A.B.

1977-01-01

Color composites of Landsat MSS ratio images that display variations in the intensity of ferric-iron absorption bands are highly effective for mapping limonitic altered rocks, but ineffective for mapping nonlimonitic altered rocks. Analysis of 0.45-2.5 ?m field and laboratory spectra shows that iron-deficient opalites in the Cuprite mining district, Nevada, have an intense OH-absorption band near 2.2 ?m owing to their clay mineral and alunite contents and that this spectral feature is absent or weak in adjacent unaltered tuff and basalt. To evaluate the usefulness of this spectral feature for discriminating between altered and unaltered rocks, we generated color-ratio composite images from multispectral (0.46-2.36 ?m) aircraft data. The altered rocks in the district can be discriminated from unaltered rocks with few ambiguities; in addition, some effects of mineralogical zoning can be discriminated within the altered area. Only variations in amounts of limonite can be discerned in shorter wavelength aircraft data, Landsat MSS bands, and color aerial photographs.

Implication of Spectral Characteristic of Chlorite Based on Spectrums SWIR in Nuri Deposit of Tibet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Z.

2017-12-01

This contribution reports the spectral characterization of chlorite in Nuri deposit of Tibet. Nuri Cu polymetallic deposit locates in south rim of Eastern of Gangdise in Tibet. It is presented for large metallogenic scale and special mineralized combination. The study area is underlain extensively by lower Cretaceous rocks of Bima Formation, upper Cretaceous to Paleogene Danshiting Formation and the Quaternary Aeolian Sand. Intrusive bodies, which mainly are quartz diorite, granodiorite, monzonitic granitite, moyite, granite porphyry and so on, feature growth gigantic composite granitic batholith. Distribution of Chlorite is very significant for range and degree of influence of hydrothermal alteration in magmatic hydrothermal deposit. From measuring the spectral of rock and mineral using SVC portable spectrograph, it derived consequence of exists some main altered mineral chlorite. The spectra of chlorite show the absorption features at 1390, 2000, 2250, 2340nm which reflect either O-H stretching vibrations and/or Fe-OH and Mg-OH bending vibrations. Chlorite with Mg-rich shows a strong band at 2324 with a shoulder at 2245nm. The iron-rich chlorite has two absorption features which occur at 2356 and 2256nm. From 110 samples containing chlorite which measured in situ using SVC portable spectrometer, the secondary characteristic absorption wavelengths of chlorite were extracted using TSG software and the diagnosis absorption characteristic of chlorite near 2250nm wavelength is from 2232 to 2266nm. According to the absorption characteristics wavelength position near 2250nm, the samples containing chlorite divided into four categories, i.e. Mg-chlorite whose wavelength less than 2245nm, MgFe-chlorite whose wavelength between 2245 and 2250nm, FeMg-chlorite whose wavelength between 2250 and 2258nm, and Fe-chlorite whose wavelength greater than 2258nm. And then chemical composition of chlorite is analyzed by electron probe with JXA-8230 device which shows that the Fe and AlVI content of chlorite increase or Mg ion content decrease should cause the absorption wavelength of chlorite to shift to long wavelength. The result is very important meaning for mineral prospecting.

Development of a new approach based on midwave infrared spectroscopy for post-consumer black plastic waste sorting in the recycling industry.

PubMed

Rozenstein, Offer; Puckrin, Eldon; Adamowski, Jan

2017-10-01

Waste sorting is key to the process of waste recycling. Exact identification of plastic resin and wood products using Near Infrared (NIR, 1-1.7µm) sensing is currently in use. Yet, dark targets characterized by low reflectance, such as black plastics, are hard to identify by this method. Following the recent success of Midwave Infrared (MWIR, 3-12µm) measurements to identify coloured plastic polymers, the aim of this study was to assess whether this technique is applicable to sorting black plastic polymers and wood products. We performed infrared reflectance contact measurements of 234 plastic samples and 29 samples of wood and paper products. Plastic samples included black, coloured and transparent Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyethylene (PE), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Polypropylene (PP), Polylactic acid (PLA) and Polystyrene (PS). The spectral signatures of the black and coloured plastic samples were compared with clear plastic samples and signatures documented in the literature to identify the polymer spectral features in the presence of coloured material. This information was used to determine the spectral bands that best suit the sorting of black plastic polymers. The main NIR-MWIR absorption features of wood, cardboard and paper were identified as well according to the spectral measurements. Good agreement was found between our measurements and the absorption features documented in the literature. The new approach using MWIR spectral features appears to be useful for black plastics as it overcomes some of the limitations in the NIR region to identify them. The main limitation of this technique for industrial applications is the trade-off between the signal-to-noise ratio of the sensor operating in standoff mode and the speed at which waste is moved under the sensor. This limitation can be resolved by reducing the system's spectral resolution to 16cm -1 , which allows for faster spectra acquisition while maintaining a reasonable signal-to-noise ratio. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Precise Modelling of Telluric Features in Astronomical Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seifahrt, A.; Käufl, H. U.; Zängl, G.; Bean, J.; Richter, M.; Siebenmorgen, R.

2010-12-01

Ground-based astronomical observations suffer from the disturbing effects of the Earth's atmosphere. Oxygen, water vapour and a number of atmospheric trace gases absorb and emit light at discrete frequencies, shaping observing bands in the near- and mid-infrared and leaving their fingerprints - telluric absorption and emission lines - in astronomical spectra. The standard approach of removing the absorption lines is to observe a telluric standard star: a time-consuming and often imperfect solution. Alternatively, the spectral features of the Earth's atmosphere can be modelled using a radiative transfer code, often delivering a satisfying solution that removes these features without additional observations. In addition the model also provides a precise wavelength solution and an instrumental profile.

Spectral slopes of the absorption coefficient of colored dissolved and detrital material inverted from UV-visible remote sensing reflectance

PubMed Central

Wei, Jianwei; Lee, Zhongping; Ondrusek, Michael; Mannino, Antonio; Tzortziou, Maria; Armstrong, Roy

2017-01-01

The spectral slope of the absorption coefficient of colored dissolved and detrital material (CDM), Scdm (units: nm−1), is an important optical parameter for characterizing the absorption spectral shape of CDM. Although highly variable in natural waters, in most remote sensing algorithms, this slope is either kept as a constant or empirically modeled with multiband ocean color in the visible domain. In this study, we explore the potential of semianalytically retrieving Scdm with added ocean color information in the ultraviolet (UV) range between 360 and 400 nm. Unique features of hyperspectral remote sensing reflectance in the UV-visible wavelengths (360–500 nm) have been observed in various waters across a range of coastal and open ocean environments. Our data and analyses indicate that ocean color in the UV domain is particularly sensitive to the variation of the CDM spectral slope. Here, we used a synthesized data set to show that adding UV wavelengths to the ocean color measurements will improve the retrieval of Scdm from remote sensing reflectance considerably, while the spectral band settings of past and current satellite ocean color sensors cannot fully account for the spectral variation of remote sensing reflectance. Results of this effort support the concept to include UV wavelengths in the next generation of satellite ocean color sensors. PMID:29201583

Spectral slopes of the absorption coefficient of colored dissolved and detrital material inverted from UV-visible remote sensing reflectance.

PubMed

Wei, Jianwei; Lee, Zhongping; Ondrusek, Michael; Mannino, Antonio; Tzortziou, Maria; Armstrong, Roy

2016-03-01

The spectral slope of the absorption coefficient of colored dissolved and detrital material (CDM), S cdm (units: nm -1 ), is an important optical parameter for characterizing the absorption spectral shape of CDM. Although highly variable in natural waters, in most remote sensing algorithms, this slope is either kept as a constant or empirically modeled with multiband ocean color in the visible domain. In this study, we explore the potential of semianalytically retrieving S cdm with added ocean color information in the ultraviolet (UV) range between 360 and 400 nm. Unique features of hyperspectral remote sensing reflectance in the UV-visible wavelengths (360-500 nm) have been observed in various waters across a range of coastal and open ocean environments. Our data and analyses indicate that ocean color in the UV domain is particularly sensitive to the variation of the CDM spectral slope. Here, we used a synthesized data set to show that adding UV wavelengths to the ocean color measurements will improve the retrieval of S cdm from remote sensing reflectance considerably, while the spectral band settings of past and current satellite ocean color sensors cannot fully account for the spectral variation of remote sensing reflectance. Results of this effort support the concept to include UV wavelengths in the next generation of satellite ocean color sensors.

AVIRIS spectra of California wetlands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gross, Michael F.; Ustin, Susan L.; Klemas, Vytautas

1988-01-01

Spectral data gathered by the AVIRIS from wetlands in the Suisun Bay area of California on 13 October 1987 were analyzed. Spectra representing stands of numerous vegetation types (including Sesuvium verrucosum, Scirpus acutus and Scirpus californicus, Xanthium strumarium, Cynadon dactylon, and Distichlis spicata) and soil were isolated. Despite some defects in the data, it was possible to detect vegetation features such as differences in the location of the chlorophyll red absorption maximum. Also, differences in cover type spectra were evident in other spectral regions. It was not possible to determine if the observed features represent noise, variability in canopy architecture, or chemical constituents of leaves.

The Composition of the Iapetus Dark Material, Hyperion and Phoebe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stockstill, K. R.; Larson, S. M.; Vilas, F.; Gaffey, M. J.

1996-09-01

A linear mixing model has been used to separate the high-resolution visible/near-infrared reflectance spectrum of the Iapetus dark material from spectra of the leading and trailing sides of Iapetus. A distinct absorption feature centered at 0.67 mu m is apparent in the spectrum. A slight inflection covering 0.4 to 0.6 mu m and a change in slope near 0.73 mu m suggesting the lower wavelength edge of an absorption are also present. These absorption features are attributed to (6) A1 -> (4) T2(G) and (6) A1 -> (4) T1(G) charge transfer transitions in minerals such as goethite and hematite that are products of the aqueous alteration of anhydrous silicates. We confirm the strong, positive spectral slope attributed to organic material. Broadband photometry of Phoebe using ECAS filters was acquired on four nights in 1982 (Tholen and Zellner, Icarus, 1983). On two nights covering the same side of Phoebe, the photometry tested positively for an absorption feature centered at 0.7 mu m due to oxidized iron in phyllosilicates. The opposite side of Phoebe was covered by the other two observations. The spectral difference between two opposite sides of Phoebe suggests that an impact fragmented Phoebe's parent body, producing Phoebe at the junction of two different compositional units. High resolution reflectance spectra have been obtained of the Saturnian satellites Phoebe and Hyperion, the main candidates for a circumsaturnian origin of the Iapetus dark material. These will be discussed.

Influence of synchrotron self-absorption on 21-cm experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Qian; Wu, Xiang-Ping; Gu, Jun-Hua; Wang, Jingying; Xu, Haiguang

2012-08-01

The presence of spectral curvature resulting from the synchrotron self-absorption of extragalactic radio sources could break down the spectral smoothness feature. This leads to the premise that the bright radio foreground can be successfully removed in 21-cm experiments that search for the epoch of reionization (EoR). We present a quantitative estimate of the effect of the spectral curvature resulting from the synchrotron self-absorption of extragalactic radio sources on the measurement of the angular power spectrum of the low-frequency sky. We incorporate a phenomenological model, which is characterized by the fraction (f) of radio sources with turnover frequencies in the range of 100-1000 MHz and by a broken power law for the spectral transition around the turnover frequencies νm, into simulated radio sources over a small sky area of 10° × 10°. We compare statistically the changes in their residual maps with and without the inclusion of the synchrotron self-absorption of extragalactic radio sources after the bright sources of S150 MHz ≥100 mJy are excised. Furthermore, the best-fitting polynomials in the frequency domain on each pixel are subtracted. It has been shown that the effect of synchrotron self-absorption on the detection of the EoR depends sensitively on the spectral profiles of the radio sources around the turnover frequencies νm. A hard transition model, described by the broken power law with the turnover of spectral index at νm, would leave pronounced imprints on the residual background and would therefore cause serious confusion with the cosmic EoR signal. However, the spectral signatures on the angular power spectrum of the extragalactic foreground, generated by a soft transition model in which the rising and falling power laws of the spectral distribution around νm are connected through a smooth transition spanning ≥200 MHz in a characteristic width, can be fitted and consequently subtracted by the use of polynomials to an acceptable degree (δT < 1 mK). As this latter scenario seems to be favoured in both theoretical expectations and radio spectral observations, we conclude that the contamination of extragalactic radio sources by synchrotron self-absorption in 21-cm experiments is probably very minor.

Near-infrared diode laser absorption diagnostic for temperature and water vapor in a scramjet combustor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jonathan T. C.; Rieker, Gregory B.; Jeffries, Jay B.; Gruber, Mark R.; Carter, Campbell D.; Mathur, Tarun; Hanson, Ronald K.

2005-11-01

Tunable diode laser absorption measurements of gas temperature and water concentration were made at the exit of a model scramjet combustor fueled on JP-7. Multiplexed, fiber-coupled, near-infrared distributed feedback lasers were used to probe three water vapor absorption features in the 1.34 1.47 μm spectral region (2v1 and v1+v3 overtone bands). Ratio thermometry was performed using direct-absorption wavelength scans of isolated features at a 4-kHz repetition rate, as well as 2f wavelength modulation scans at a 2-kHz scan rate. Large signal-to-noise ratios demonstrate the ability of the optimally engineered optical hardware to reject beam steering and vibration noise. Successful measurements were made at full combustion conditions for a variety of fuel/air equivalence ratios and at eight vertical positions in the duct to investigate spatial uniformity. The use of three water vapor absorption features allowed for preliminary estimates of temperature distributions along the line of sight. The improved signal quality afforded by 2f measurements, in the case of weak absorption, demonstrates the utility of a scanned wavelength modulation strategy in such situations.

Exploration of faint absorption bands in the reflectance spectra of the asteroids by method of optimal smoothing: Vestoids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shestopalov, D. I.; McFadden, L. A.; Golubeva, L. F.

2007-04-01

An optimization method of smoothing noisy spectra was developed to investigate faint absorption bands in the visual spectral region of reflectance spectra of asteroids and the compositional information derived from their analysis. The smoothing algorithm is called "optimal" because the algorithm determines the best running box size to separate weak absorption bands from the noise. The method is tested for its sensitivity to identifying false features in the smoothed spectrum, and its correctness of forecasting real absorption bands was tested with artificial spectra simulating asteroid reflectance spectra. After validating the method we optimally smoothed 22 vestoid spectra from SMASS1 [Xu, Sh., Binzel, R.P., Burbine, T.H., Bus, S.J., 1995. Icarus 115, 1-35]. We show that the resulting bands are not telluric features. Interpretation of the absorption bands in the asteroid spectra was based on the spectral properties of both terrestrial and meteorite pyroxenes. The bands located near 480, 505, 530, and 550 nm we assigned to spin-forbidden crystal field bands of ferrous iron, whereas the bands near 570, 600, and 650 nm are attributed to the crystal field bands of trivalent chromium and/or ferric iron in low-calcium pyroxenes on the asteroids' surface. While not measured by microprobe analysis, Fe 3+ site occupancy can be measured with Mössbauer spectroscopy, and is seen in trace amounts in pyroxenes. We believe that trace amounts of Fe 3+ on vestoid surfaces may be due to oxidation from impacts by icy bodies. If that is the case, they should be ubiquitous in the asteroid belt wherever pyroxene absorptions are found. Pyroxene composition of four asteroids of our set is determined from the band position of absorptions at 505 and 1000 nm, implying that there can be orthopyroxenes in all range of ferruginosity on the vestoid surfaces. For the present we cannot unambiguously interpret of the faint absorption bands that are seen in the spectra of 4005 Dyagilev, 4038 Kristina, 4147 Lennon, and 5143 Heracles. Probably there are other spectrally active materials along with pyroxenes on the surfaces of these asteroids.

Interstellar silicate dust in the z = 0.685 absorber toward TXS 0218+357

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

Aller, Monique C.; Kulkarni, Varsha P.; Liger, Nicholas

2014-04-10

We report the detection of interstellar silicate dust in the z {sub abs} = 0.685 absorber along the sightline toward the gravitationally lensed blazar TXS 0218+357. Using Spitzer Space Telescope Infrared Spectrograph data, we detect the 10 μm silicate absorption feature with a detection significance of 10.7σ. We fit laboratory-derived silicate dust profile templates obtained from the literature to the observed 10 μm absorption feature and find that the best single-mineral fit is obtained using an amorphous olivine template with a measured peak optical depth of τ{sub 10} = 0.49 ± 0.02, which rises to τ{sub 10} ∼ 0.67 ±more » 0.04 if the covering factor is taken into account. We also detected the 18 μm silicate absorption feature in our data with a >3σ significance. Due to the proximity of the 18 μm absorption feature to the edge of our covered spectral range, and associated uncertainty about the shape of the quasar continuum normalization near 18 μm, we do not independently fit this feature. We find, however, that the shape and depth of the 18 μm silicate absorption are well matched to the amorphous olivine template prediction, given the optical depth inferred for the 10 μm feature. The measured 10 μm peak optical depth in this absorber is significantly higher than those found in previously studied quasar absorption systems. However, the reddening, 21 cm absorption, and velocity spread of Mg II are not outliers relative to other studied absorption systems. This high optical depth may be evidence for variations in dust grain properties in the interstellar medium between this and the previously studied high redshift galaxies.« less

Imaging trace gases in volcanic plumes with Fabry Perot Interferometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuhn, Jonas; Platt, Ulrich; Bobrowski, Nicole; Lübcke, Peter; Wagner, Thomas

2017-04-01

Within the last decades, progress in remote sensing of atmospheric trace gases revealed many important insights into physical and chemical processes in volcanic plumes. In particular, their evolution could be studied in more detail than by traditional in-situ techniques. A major limitation of standard techniques for volcanic trace gas remote sensing (e.g. Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy, DOAS) is the constraint of the measurement to a single viewing direction since they use dispersive spectroscopy with a high spectral resolution. Imaging DOAS-type approaches can overcome this limitation, but become very time consuming (of the order of minutes to record a single image) and often cannot match the timescales of the processes of interest for volcanic gas measurements (occurring at the order of seconds). Spatially resolved imaging observations with high time resolution for volcanic sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions became possible with the introduction of the SO2-Camera. Reducing the spectral resolution to two spectral channels (using interference filters) that are matched to the SO2 absorption spectrum, the SO2-Camera is able to record full frame SO2 slant column density distributions at a temporal resolution on the order of < 1s. This for instance allows for studying variations in SO2 fluxes on very short time scales and applying them in magma dynamics models. However, the currently employed SO2-Camera technique is limited to SO2 detection and, due to its coarse spectral resolution, has a limited spectral selectivity. This limits its application to very specific, infrequently found measurement conditions. Here we present a new approach, based on matching the transmission profile of Fabry Perot Interferometers (FPIs) to periodic spectral absorption features of trace gases. The FPI's transmission spectrum is chosen to achieve a high correlation with the spectral absorption of the trace gas, allowing a high selectivity and sensitivity with still using only a few spectral channels. This would not only improve SO2 imaging, but also allow for the application of the technique to further gases of interest in volcanology (and other areas of atmospheric research). Imaging halogen species would be particularly interesting for volcanic trace gas studies. Bromine monoxide (BrO) and chlorine dioxide (OClO) both yield absorption features that allow their detection with the FPI correlation technique. From BrO and OClO data, ClO levels in the plume could be calculated. We present an outline of applications of the FPI technique to imaging a series of trace gases in volcanic plumes. Sample calculations on the sensitivity and selectivity of the technique, first proof of concept studies and proposals for technical implementations are presented.

Near-infrared detection of potential evidence for microscopic organisms on Europa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dalton, J. Brad; Mogul, Rakesh; Kagawa, Hiromi K.; Chan, Suzanne L.; Jamieson, Corey S.

2003-01-01

The possibility of an ocean within the icy shell of Jupiter's moon Europa has established that world as a primary candidate in the search for extraterrestrial life within our Solar System. This paper evaluates the potential to detect evidence for microbial life by comparing laboratory studies of terrestrial microorganisms with measurements from the Galileo Near Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (NIMS). If the interior of Europa at one time harbored life, some evidence may remain in the surface materials. Examination of laboratory spectra of terrestrial extremophiles measured at cryogenic temperatures reveals distorted, asymmetric nearinfrared absorption features due to water of hydration. The band centers, widths, and shapes of these features closely match those observed in the Europa spectra. These features are strongest in reddish-brown, disrupted terrains such as linea and chaos regions. Narrow spectral features due to amide bonds in the microbe proteins provide a means of constraining the abundances of such materials using the NIMS data. The NIMS data of disrupted terrains exhibit distorted, asymmetric near-infrared absorption features consistent with the presence of water ice, sulfuric acid octahydrate, hydrated salts, and possibly as much as 0.2 mg cm(-3) of carbonaceous material that could be of biological origin. However, inherent noise in the observations and limitations of spectral sampling must be taken into account when discussing these findings.

Near-infrared detection of potential evidence for microscopic organisms on Europa.

PubMed

Dalton, J Brad; Mogul, Rakesh; Kagawa, Hiromi K; Chan, Suzanne L; Jamieson, Corey S

2003-01-01

The possibility of an ocean within the icy shell of Jupiter's moon Europa has established that world as a primary candidate in the search for extraterrestrial life within our Solar System. This paper evaluates the potential to detect evidence for microbial life by comparing laboratory studies of terrestrial microorganisms with measurements from the Galileo Near Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (NIMS). If the interior of Europa at one time harbored life, some evidence may remain in the surface materials. Examination of laboratory spectra of terrestrial extremophiles measured at cryogenic temperatures reveals distorted, asymmetric nearinfrared absorption features due to water of hydration. The band centers, widths, and shapes of these features closely match those observed in the Europa spectra. These features are strongest in reddish-brown, disrupted terrains such as linea and chaos regions. Narrow spectral features due to amide bonds in the microbe proteins provide a means of constraining the abundances of such materials using the NIMS data. The NIMS data of disrupted terrains exhibit distorted, asymmetric near-infrared absorption features consistent with the presence of water ice, sulfuric acid octahydrate, hydrated salts, and possibly as much as 0.2 mg cm(-3) of carbonaceous material that could be of biological origin. However, inherent noise in the observations and limitations of spectral sampling must be taken into account when discussing these findings.

Distribution of phyllosilicates on Ceres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ammannito, Eleonora; De Sanctis, Maria Cristina; Ciarniello, Mauro; Frigeri, Alessandro; Giacomo Carrozzo, Filippo; Combe, Jean Philippe; Ehlmann, Bethany; Marchi, Simone; McSween, Hap Y.; Raponi, Andrea; Castillo-Rogez, Julie C.; Toplis, Michael J.; Tosi, Federico; Longobardo, Andrea; Palomba, Ernesto; Pieters, Carle M.; Raymond, Carol A.; Schenk, Paul; Zambon, Francesca; Russell, Christopher T.

2016-04-01

Studies of the dwarf planet Ceres using ground-based and orbiting telescopes proposed a variety of possible surficial composition including water in clay minerals [1], ammoniated phyllosilicates [2], or a mixture of brucite, Mg2CO3 and iron-rich serpentine [3, 4]. But the lack of spectral data in the 2.5 to 2.9 μm interval has precluded definitive identifications. The Dawn spacecraft has been acquiring spectra of the surface of Ceres since January 2015 [5, 6, 7]. The average thermally corrected reflectance spectrum of Ceres shows that the 2.6-4.2μm region is characterized by a broad asymmetric feature, characteristic of H2O/OH bearing materials, with several distinct narrower absorption bands [8]. This spectrum is compatible with the presence on the surface of a mixture of ammoniated-phyllosilicates, Mg-phyllosilicates, carbonates, and dark materials [8]. A strong 2.7-μm absorption dominates the overall spectral properties, and it has been attributed to OH-stretching vibrations in phyllosilicates [9] while the weaker 3.05 μm absorption has been attributed to the presence of NH4+ in phyllosilicates [10]. The spectral parameters of the absorption features at 2.7 and 3.05 μm have been computed to study their position and intensity. The computed spectral position of both absorption features is remarkably homogeneous. The average values are 2.727±0.005 and 3.061±0.005 μm respectively. Since the position of both features is sensitive to the chemical composition of the phyllosilicates, we conclude that the composition of phyllosilicates does not significantly change across the mapped portion of Ceres' surface. The computed values are indicative of Mg-OH phases, like antigorite (Mg-serpentine) or saponite (Mg-smectite) [9]. The presence of Mg-, rather than Fe-serpentine on Ceres may be interpreted as an indication that alteration had been extensive, while the lack of geochemical variation indicates that this is true throughout the exposed upper layer with no significant compositional gradients. The computed spectral intensity of both absorption features shows some variability. For the 2.7 absorption, the average value is 0.251±0.006, while the range of variability is between 0.20 and 0.29. For the 3.05 absorption, the average value is 0.055±0.012, while the range of variability is between 0.03 and 0.09. Interestingly, the distributions of the intensities of the two bands broadly match. Among several possibilities, the most likely explanation for the variability in intensity is a changing abundance of phyllosilicates within the assemblage forming the surface of Ceres. In conclusion, while the chemical composition of the phyllosilicates is remarkably constant, their abundance is variable. The compositional homogeneity characterized by the pervasive presence of Mg- and NH4-bearing phyllosilicates indicates endogenous formation by a globally widespread and extensive alteration processes while the variations in the amount of phyllosilicate suggest the existence of a vertically stratified upper crust. References: [1] Lebofsky, L. et al. (1981) Icarus, 48, 453-459. [2] King T. et al. (1992) Science, 255, 1551-1553. [3] Rivkin A.S. et al. (2006) Icarus, 185, 563-567. [4] Milliken R.E. and Rivkin A.S. (2009) Nature Geosci., 2, 258-261. [5] Russell C.T. and Raymond C.A. (2011) Space Sci. Rev., 163, 3-23. [6] Russell C.T. et al. (2015) EPSC. [7] De Sanctis M.C. et al. (2011) Space Sci. Rev., 163, 329-369. [8] De Sanctis M.C. et al. (2015) Nature. [9] Bishop J.L. et al. (2008) ClayMiner., 43, 35-54. [10] Bishop J.L. et al. (2002) Planet. Space Sci., 50.

Infrared spectroscopy of Jupiter and Saturn

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knacke, Roger F.

1993-01-01

Infrared spectroscopy provides unique insights into the chemistry and dynamics of the atmospheres of Jupiter, Saturn, and Titan. In 1991 we obtained data at J, H, K, and M and made repeated observations of Titan's albedo as the satellite orbited Saturn. The J albedo is 12% +/- 3% greater than the albedo measured in 1979; the H and K albedos are the same. There was no evidence for variations at any wavelength over the eastern half of Titan's orbit. We also obtained low resolution (R=50) spectra of Titan between 3.1 and 5.1 microns. The spectra contain evidence for CO and CH3D absorptions. Spectra of Callisto and Ganymede in the 4.5 micron spectral region are featureless and give albedos of 0.08 and 0.04 respectively. If Titan's atmosphere is transparent near 5 microns, its surface albedo there is similar to Callisto's. In 1992 and 1993 we obtained further spectroscopic data of Titan with the UKIRT CGS4 spectrometer. We discovered two unexpected and unexplained spectral features in the 3-4 micron spectrum of Titan. An apparent emission feature near the 3 micron (nu sub 3) band of methane indicated temperatures higher than known to be present in Titan's upper stratosphere and may be caused by unexpected non-LTE emission. An absorption feature near 3.47 microns may be caused by absorption in solid grains or aerosols in Titan's clouds. The feature is similar but not identical to organics in the interstellar matter and in comets.

Iron oxide bands in the visible and near-infrared reflectance spectra of primitive asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jarvis, Kandy S.; Vilas, Faith; Gaffey, Michael J.

1993-01-01

High resolution reflectance spectra of primitive asteroids (C, P, and D class and associated subclasses) have commonly revealed an absorption feature centered at 0.7 microns attributed to an Fe(2+)-Fe(3+) charge transfer transition in iron oxides and/or oxidized iron in phyllosilicates. A smaller feature identified at 0.43 microns has been attributed to an Fe(3+) spin-forbidden transition in iron oxides. In the spectra of the two main-belt primitive asteroids 368 Haidea (D) and 877 Walkure (F), weak absorption features which were centered near the location of 0.60-0.65 microns and 0.80-0.90 microns prompted a search for features at these wavelengths and an attempt to identify their origin(s). The CCD reflectance spectra obtained between 1982-1992 were reviewed for similar absorption features located near these wavelengths. The spectra of asteroids in which these absorption features have been identified are shown. These spectra are plotted in order of increasing heliocentric distance. No division of the asteroids by class has been attempted here (although the absence of these features in the anhydrous S-class asteroids, many of which have presumably undergone full heating and differentiation should be noted). For this study, each spectrum was treated as a continuum with discrete absorption features superimposed on it. For each object, a linear least squares fit to the data points defined a simple linear continuum. The linear continuum was then divided into each spectrum, thus removing the sloped continuum and permitting the intercomparison of residual spectral features.

The Star-grazing Bodies in the HD 172555 System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grady, C. A.; Brown, Alexander; Welsh, Barry; Roberge, Aki; Kamp, Inga; Rivière Marichalar, P.

2018-06-01

Kiefer et al. reported the detection of infalling Ca II absorption in HD 172555, a member of the β Pictoris Moving Group (βPMG). We obtained HST Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph and Cosmic Origins Spectrograph spectroscopy of this star at 2 epochs separated by a week, and we report the discovery of infalling gas in resonant transitions of Si III and IV, C II and IV, and neutral atomic oxygen. Variable absorption is seen in the C II transitions and is optically thick, with covering factors which range between 58% and 68%, similar to features seen in β Pictoris. The O I spectral profile resembles that of C II, showing a strong low-velocity absorption to +50 km s‑1 in the single spectral segment obtained during orbital night, as well as what may be higher-velocity absorption. Studies of the mid-IR spectrum of this system have suggested the presence of silica. The O I absorption differs from that seen in Si III, suggesting that the neutral atomic oxygen does not originate in SiO dissociation products but in a more volatile parent molecule such as CO.

A Search for Variation in the Surface Mineralogical Composition of J VI Himalia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarvis, K. S.; Vilas, F.; Larson, S. M.; Gaffey, M. J.

1996-09-01

Diverse spectral data exist for Jupiter's moon J VI Himalia. The overall spectral shape suggests that it has the same mineralogical composition as a C-class asteroid, lending credibility to the theory that Himalia was a C-class asteroid that formed in or near the main asteroid belt and was ejected and captured into orbit around Jupiter. Using an algorithm developed earlier, ECAS photometry (Tholen and Zellner, 1984) of Himalia taken on one date only have tested positively for the presence of a 0.7- mu m feature attributed to an Fe(2+) -> Fe(3+) charge transfer transition in oxidized iron in phyllosilicates. The presence of this feature was confirmed by narrowband spectrophotometry obtained on one date in April, 1995. Narrowband spectrophotometry of Luu (1991) does not cover the full spectral range defined by the 0.7-mu m absorption feature, but is in good agreement with the ECAS photometry. However, no 3.0-mu m water of hydration absorption feature was observed in IR radiometry (A. S., Rivkin, per. comm.). Correlation between the 0.7-mu m feature and the 3.0-mu m feature has been demonstrated in spectra of low-albedo asteroids, and suggests that it should be present. A rough rotational period for Himalia of 9.2 - 9.8 hrs is known. Himalia could represent the junction of two different compositional units, produced when an impact fragmented Himalia's parent body. The presence of iron-bearing phyllosilicates on part of Himalia's surface supports the hypothesis that Himalia is a captured C-class asteroid. Rotationally-resolved spectra of Himalia could confirm a variation in composition; we have started a program to collect these data.

Distinctive Spectral Features of Exciton and Excimer States in the Ultrafast Electronic Deactivation of the Adenine Dinucleotide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stuhldreier, Mayra C.; Röttger, Katharina; Temps, Friedrich

We report the observation by transient absorption spectroscopy of distinctive spectro-temporal signatures of delocalized exciton versus relaxed, weakly bound excimer states in the ultrafast electronic deactivation after UV photoexcitation of the adenine dinucleotide.

Classification of river water pollution using Hyperion data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kar, Soumyashree; Rathore, V. S.; Champati ray, P. K.; Sharma, Richa; Swain, S. K.

2016-06-01

A novel attempt is made to use hyperspectral remote sensing to identify the spatial variability of metal pollutants present in river water. It was also attempted to classify the hyperspectral image - Earth Observation-1 (EO-1) Hyperion data of an 8 km stretch of the river Yamuna, near Allahabad city in India depending on its chemical composition. For validating image analysis results, a total of 10 water samples were collected and chemically analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Two different spectral libraries from field and image data were generated for the 10 sample locations. Advanced per-pixel supervised classifications such as Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM), SAM target finder using BandMax and Support Vector Machine (SVM) were carried out along with the unsupervised clustering procedure - Iterative Self-Organizing Data Analysis Technique (ISODATA). The results were compared and assessed with respect to ground data. Analytical Spectral Devices (ASD), Inc. spectroradiometer, FieldSpec 4 was used to generate the spectra of the water samples which were compiled into a spectral library and used for Spectral Absorption Depth (SAD) analysis. The spectral depth pattern of image and field spectral libraries was found to be highly correlated (correlation coefficient, R2 = 0.99) which validated the image analysis results with respect to the ground data. Further, we carried out a multivariate regression analysis to assess the varying concentrations of metal ions present in water based on the spectral depth of the corresponding absorption feature. Spectral Absorption Depth (SAD) analysis along with metal analysis of field data revealed the order in which the metals affected the river pollution, which was in conformity with the findings of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Therefore, it is concluded that hyperspectral imaging provides opportunity that can be used for satellite based remote monitoring of water quality from space.

ON THE LATE-TIME SPECTRAL SOFTENING FOUND IN X-RAY AFTERGLOWS OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

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

Wang, Yuan-Zhu; Liang, En-Wei; Lu, Zu-Jia

2016-02-20

Strong spectral softening has been revealed in the late X-ray afterglows of some gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The scenario of X-ray scattering around the circumburst dusty medium has been supported by previous works due to its overall successful prediction of both the temporal and spectral evolution of some X-ray afterglows. To further investigate the observed feature of spectral softening we now systematically search the X-ray afterglows detected by the X-ray telescope aboard Swift and collect 12 GRBs with significant late-time spectral softening. We find that dust scattering could be the dominant radiative mechanism for these X-ray afterglows regarding their temporal andmore » spectral features. For some well-observed bursts with high-quality data, the time-resolved spectra could be well-produced within the scattering scenario by taking into account the X-ray absorption from the circumburst medium. We also find that during spectral softening the power-law index in the high-energy end of the spectra does not vary much. The spectral softening is mainly manifested by the spectral peak energy continually moving to the soft end.« less

Environmental Temperature Effect on the Far-Infrared Absorption Features of Aromatic-Based Titan's Aerosol Analogs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gautier, Thomas; Trainer, Melissa G.; Loeffler, Mark J.; Sebree, Joshua A.; Anderson, Carrie M.

2016-01-01

Benzene detection has been reported in Titans atmosphere both in the stratosphere at ppb levels by remote sensing and in the thermosphere at ppm levels by the Cassini's Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer. This detection supports the idea that aromatic and heteroaromatic reaction pathways may play an important role in Titans atmospheric chemistry, especially in the formation of aerosols. Indeed, aromatic molecules are easily dissociated by ultraviolet radiation and can therefore contribute significantly to aerosol formation. It has been shown recently that aerosol analogs produced from a gas mixture containing a low concentration of aromatic and/or heteroaromatic molecules (benzene, naphthalene, pyridine, quinoline and isoquinoline) have spectral signatures below 500/cm, a first step towards reproducing the aerosol spectral features observed by Cassini's Composite InfraRed Spectrometer (CIRS) in the far infrared. In this work we investigate the influence of environmental temperature on the absorption spectra of such aerosol samples, simulating the temperature range to which aerosols, once formed, are exposed during their transport through Titans stratosphere. Our results show that environmental temperature does not have any major effect on the spectral shape of these aerosol analogs in the far-infrared, which is consistent with the CIRS observations.

Submillimeter Spectroscopic Study of Semiconductor Processing Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helal, Yaser H.

Plasmas used for manufacturing processes of semiconductor devices are complex and challenging to characterize. The development and improvement of plasma processes and models rely on feedback from experimental measurements. Current diagnostic methods are not capable of measuring absolute densities of plasma species with high resolution without altering the plasma, or without input from other measurements. At pressures below 100 mTorr, spectroscopic measurements of rotational transitions in the submillimeter/terahertz (SMM) spectral region are narrow enough in relation to the sparsity of spectral lines that absolute specificity of measurement is possible. The frequency resolution of SMM sources is such that spectral absorption features can be fully resolved. Processing plasmas are a similar pressure and temperature to the environment used to study astrophysical species in the SMM spectral region. Many of the molecular neutrals, radicals, and ions present in processing plasmas have been studied in the laboratory and their absorption spectra have been cataloged or are in the literature for the purpose of astrophysical study. Recent developments in SMM devices have made its technology commercially available for applications outside of specialized laboratories. The methods developed over several decades in the SMM spectral region for these laboratory studies are directly applicable for diagnostic measurements in the semiconductor manufacturing industry. In this work, a continuous wave, intensity calibrated SMM absorption spectrometer was developed as a remote sensor of gas and plasma species. A major advantage of intensity calibrated rotational absorption spectroscopy is its ability to determine absolute concentrations and temperatures of plasma species from first principles without altering the plasma environment. An important part of this work was the design of the optical components which couple 500 - 750 GHz radiation through a commercial inductively coupled plasma chamber. The measurement of transmission spectra was simultaneously fit for background and absorption signal. The measured absorption signal was used to calculate absolute densities and temperatures of polar species. Measurements of molecular species were demonstrated for inductively coupled plasmas.

The clumpy absorber in the high-mass X-ray binary Vela X-1

DOE PAGES

Grinberg, V.; Hell, N.; El Mellah, I.; ...

2017-12-15

Bright and eclipsing, the high-mass X-ray binary Vela X-1 offers a unique opportunity to study accretion onto a neutron star from clumpy winds of O/B stars and to disentangle the complex accretion geometry of these systems. In Chandra-HETGS spectroscopy at orbital phase ~0.25, when our line of sight towards the source does not pass through the large-scale accretion structure such as the accretion wake, we observe changes in overall spectral shape on timescales of a few kiloseconds. This spectral variability is, at least in part, caused by changes in overall absorption and we show that such strongly variable absorption cannotmore » be caused by unperturbed clumpy winds of O/B stars. We detect line features from high and low ionization species of silicon, magnesium, and neon whose strengths and presence depend on the overall level of absorption. Finally, these features imply a co-existence of cool and hot gas phases in the system, which we interpret as a highly variable, structured accretion flow close to the compact object such as has been recently seen in simulations of wind accretion in high-mass X-ray binaries.« less

The clumpy absorber in the high-mass X-ray binary Vela X-1

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

Grinberg, V.; Hell, N.; El Mellah, I.

Bright and eclipsing, the high-mass X-ray binary Vela X-1 offers a unique opportunity to study accretion onto a neutron star from clumpy winds of O/B stars and to disentangle the complex accretion geometry of these systems. In Chandra-HETGS spectroscopy at orbital phase ~0.25, when our line of sight towards the source does not pass through the large-scale accretion structure such as the accretion wake, we observe changes in overall spectral shape on timescales of a few kiloseconds. This spectral variability is, at least in part, caused by changes in overall absorption and we show that such strongly variable absorption cannotmore » be caused by unperturbed clumpy winds of O/B stars. We detect line features from high and low ionization species of silicon, magnesium, and neon whose strengths and presence depend on the overall level of absorption. Finally, these features imply a co-existence of cool and hot gas phases in the system, which we interpret as a highly variable, structured accretion flow close to the compact object such as has been recently seen in simulations of wind accretion in high-mass X-ray binaries.« less

Smile effect detection for dispersive hypersepctral imager based on the doped reflectance panel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Jiankang; Liu, Xiaoli; Ji, Yiqun; Chen, Yuheng; Shen, Weimin

2012-11-01

Hyperspectral imager is now widely used in many regions, such as resource development, environmental monitoring and so on. The reliability of spectral data is based on the instrument calibration. The smile, wavelengths at the center pixels of imaging spectrometer detector array are different from the marginal pixels, is a main factor in the spectral calibration because it can deteriorate the spectral data accuracy. When the spectral resolution is high, little smile can result in obvious signal deviation near weak atmospheric absorption peak. The traditional method of detecting smile is monochromator wavelength scanning which is time consuming and complex and can not be used in the field or at the flying platform. We present a new smile detection method based on the holmium oxide panel which has the rich of absorbed spectral features. The higher spectral resolution spectrometer and the under-test imaging spectrometer acquired the optical signal from the Spectralon panel and the holmium oxide panel respectively. The wavelength absorption peak positions of column pixels are determined by curve fitting method which includes spectral response function sequence model and spectral resampling. The iteration strategy and Pearson coefficient together are used to confirm the correlation between the measured and modeled spectral curve. The present smile detection method is posed on our designed imaging spectrometer and the result shows that it can satisfy precise smile detection requirement of high spectral resolution imaging spectrometer.

Reflectance and Mossbauer spectroscopy of ferrihydrite-montmorillonite assemblages as Mars soil analog materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bishop, J. L.; Pieters, C. M.; Burns, R. G.; Chang, S. (Principal Investigator)

1993-01-01

Spectroscopic analyses show that Fe(3+)-doped smectites prepared in the laboratory exhibit important similarities to the soils on Mars. Ferrihydrite has been identified as the interlayer ferric component in Fe(3+)-doped smectites by a low quadrupole splitting and magnetic field strength of approximately 48 tesla in Mossbauer spectra measured at 4.2 K, as well as a crystal field transition at 0.92 micrometer. Ferrihydrite in these smectites explains features in the visible-near infrared region that resemble the energies and band strengths of features in reflectance spectra observed for several bright regions on Mars. Clay silicates have met resistance in the past as Mars soil analogs because terrestrial clay silicates exhibit prominent hydrous spectral features at 1.4, 1.9, and 2.2 micrometers; and these are observed weakly, if at all, in reflectance spectra of Mars. However, several mechanisms can weaken or compress these features, including desiccation under low-humidity conditions. The hydration properties of the interlayer cations also effect band strengths, such that a ferrihydrite-bearing smectite in the Martian environment would exhibit a 1.9 micrometers H2O absorption that is even weaker than the 2.2 micrometers structural OH absorption. Mixing experiments demonstrate that infrared spectral features of clays can be significantly suppressed and that the reflectance can be significantly darkened by mixing with only a few percent of a strongly absorbing opaque material. Therefore, the absolute reflectance of a soil on Mars may be disproportionately sensitive to a minor component. For this reason, the shape and position of spectral features and the chemical composition of potential analogs are of utmost importance in assessing the composition of the soil on Mars. Given the remarkable similarity between visible-infrared reflectance spectra of soils in bright regions on Mars and Fe(3+)-doped montmorillonites, coupled with recent observations of smectites in SNC meteorites and a weak 2.2 micrometers absorption in some Mars soils, ferrihydrite-bearing smectites warrant serious consideration as a Mars soil analog.

Improving the accuracy of S02 column densities and emission rates obtained from upward-looking UV-spectroscopic measurements of volcanic plumes by taking realistic radiative transfer into account

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kern, Christoph; Deutschmann, Tim; Werner, Cynthia; Sutton, A. Jeff; Elias, Tamar; Kelly, Peter J.

2012-01-01

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is monitored using ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectroscopy at numerous volcanoes around the world due to its importance as a measure of volcanic activity and a tracer for other gaseous species. Recent studies have shown that failure to take realistic radiative transfer into account during the spectral retrieval of the collected data often leads to large errors in the calculated emission rates. Here, the framework for a new evaluation method which couples a radiative transfer model to the spectral retrieval is described. In it, absorption spectra are simulated, and atmospheric parameters are iteratively updated in the model until a best match to the measurement data is achieved. The evaluation algorithm is applied to two example Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) measurements conducted at Kilauea volcano (Hawaii). The resulting emission rates were 20 and 90% higher than those obtained with a conventional DOAS retrieval performed between 305 and 315 nm, respectively, depending on the different SO2 and aerosol loads present in the volcanic plume. The internal consistency of the method was validated by measuring and modeling SO2 absorption features in a separate wavelength region around 375 nm and comparing the results. Although additional information about the measurement geometry and atmospheric conditions is needed in addition to the acquired spectral data, this method for the first time provides a means of taking realistic three-dimensional radiative transfer into account when analyzing UV-spectral absorption measurements of volcanic SO2 plumes.

Spectral synthesis in the ultraviolet. II - Stellar populations and star formation in blue compact galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fanelli, Michael N.; O'Connell, Robert W.; Thuan, Trinh X.

1988-01-01

An initial attempt to apply optimizing spectral synthesis techniques to the far-UV spectra of blue compact galaxies (BCGs) is presented. The far-UV absorption-line spectra of the galaxies are clearly composite, with the signatures of the main-sequence types between O3 and mid-A. Most of the low-ionization absorption lines have a stellar origin. The Si IV and C IV features in several objects have P Cygni profiles. In Haro I the strength of Si IV indicates a significant blue supergiant population. The metal-poor blue compact dwarf Mrk 209 displays weak absorption lines, evidence that the stellar component has the same low metallicity as observed in the ionized gas. Good fits to the data are obtained the technique of optimizing population synthesis. The solutions yield stellar luminosity functions which display large discontinuities, indicative of discrete star formation episodes or bursts. The amount of UV extinction is low.

Silica-rich deposits and hydrated minerals at Gusev Crater, Mars: Vis-NIR spectral characterization and regional mapping

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rice, M.S.; Bell, J.F.; Cloutis, E.A.; Wang, A.; Ruff, S.W.; Craig, M.A.; Bailey, D.T.; Johnson, J. R.; De Souza, P.A.; Farrand, W. H.

2010-01-01

The Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Spirit has discovered surprisingly high concentrations of amorphous silica in soil and nodular outcrops in the Inner Basin of the Columbia Hills. In Pancam multispectral observations, we find that an absorption feature at the longest Pancam wavelength (1009 nm) appears to be characteristic of these silica-rich materials; however, spectral analyses of amorphous silica suggest that the ???1009 nm spectral feature is not a direct reflection of their silica-rich nature. Based on comparisons with spectral databases, we hypothesize that the presence of H2O or OH, either free (as water ice), adsorbed or bound in a mineral structure, is responsible for the spectral feature observed by Pancam. The Gertrude Weise soil, which is nearly pure opaline silica, may have adsorbed water cold-trapped on mineral grains. The origin of the ???1009 nm Pancam feature observed in the silica-rich nodular outcrops may result from the presence of additional hydrated minerals (specific sulfates, halides, chlorides, sodium silicates, carbonates or borates). Using the ???1009 nm feature with other spectral parameters as a "hydration signature" we have mapped the occurrence of hydrated materials along the extent of Spirit's traverse across the Columbia Hills from West Spur to Home Plate (sols 155-1696). We have also mapped this hydration signature across large panoramic images to understand the regional distribution of materials that are spectrally similar to the silica-rich soil and nodular outcrops. Our results suggest that hydrated materials are common in the Columbia Hills. ?? 2009 Elsevier Inc.

Features in the spectra of gamma-ray bursts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanek, Krzysztof Z.; Paczynski, Bohdan; Goodman, Jeremy

1993-01-01

Gravitational lensing of cosmological gamma-ray bursts by objects in the mass range about 10 exp 17 to 10 exp 20 g (femtolensing) may introduce complicated interference patterns that might be interpreted as absorption or emission lines in the bursts' spectra. This phenomenon, if detected, may be used as a unique probe of dark matter in the universe. The BATSE spectral data should allow one to detect such spectral features or to put significant upper limits on the cosmic density of a dark matter component that may be in the femtolensing range. Software to generate theoretical spectra has been developed, and it is accessible over the computer network with anonymous ftp.

Absorption spectrum of a two-level system subjected to a periodic pulse sequence

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

Fotso, H. F.; Dobrovitski, V. V.

We investigate how the quantum control of a two-level system (TLS) coupled to photons can modify and tune the TLS’s photon absorption spectrum. Tuning and controlling the emission and the absorption is of much interest e.g. for the development of efficient interfaces between stationary and flying qubits in modern architectures for quantum computation and quantum communication. We consider the periodic pulse control, where the TLS is subjected to a periodic sequence of the near-resonant Rabi driving pulses, each pulse implementing a 180° rotation. For small inter-pulse delays, the absorption spectrum features a pronounced peak of stimulated emission at the pulsemore » frequency, as well as equidistant satellite peaks with smaller spectral weights. As long as the detuning between the carrier frequency of the driving and the TLS transition frequency remains moderate, this spectral shape shows little change. Therefore, the quantum control allows shifting the absorption peak to a desired position, and locks the absorption peak to the carrier frequency of the driving pulses. Detailed description of the spectrum, and its evolution as a function time, the inter-pulse spacing and the detuning, is presented.« less

Absorption spectrum of a two-level system subjected to a periodic pulse sequence

DOE PAGES

Fotso, H. F.; Dobrovitski, V. V.

2017-06-01

We investigate how the quantum control of a two-level system (TLS) coupled to photons can modify and tune the TLS’s photon absorption spectrum. Tuning and controlling the emission and the absorption is of much interest e.g. for the development of efficient interfaces between stationary and flying qubits in modern architectures for quantum computation and quantum communication. We consider the periodic pulse control, where the TLS is subjected to a periodic sequence of the near-resonant Rabi driving pulses, each pulse implementing a 180° rotation. For small inter-pulse delays, the absorption spectrum features a pronounced peak of stimulated emission at the pulsemore » frequency, as well as equidistant satellite peaks with smaller spectral weights. As long as the detuning between the carrier frequency of the driving and the TLS transition frequency remains moderate, this spectral shape shows little change. Therefore, the quantum control allows shifting the absorption peak to a desired position, and locks the absorption peak to the carrier frequency of the driving pulses. Detailed description of the spectrum, and its evolution as a function time, the inter-pulse spacing and the detuning, is presented.« less

The Magellan Evolution of Galaxies Spectroscopic and Ultraviolet Reference Atlas (MegaSaura). II. Stacked Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rigby, J. R.; Bayliss, M. B.; Chisholm, J.; Bordoloi, R.; Sharon, K.; Gladders, M. D.; Johnson, T.; Paterno-Mahler, R.; Wuyts, E.; Dahle, H.; Acharyya, A.

2018-01-01

We stack the rest-frame ultraviolet spectra of N = 14 highly magnified gravitationally lensed galaxies at redshifts 1.6< z< 3.6. The resulting new composite spans 900< {λ }{rest}< 3000 Å, with a peak signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 103 per spectral resolution element (∼100 km s‑1). It is the highest S/N, highest spectral resolution composite spectrum of z ∼ 2–3 galaxies yet published. The composite reveals numerous weak nebular emission lines and stellar photospheric absorption lines that can serve as new physical diagnostics, particularly at high redshift with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). We report equivalent widths to aid in proposing for and interpreting JWST spectra. We examine the velocity profiles of strong absorption features in the composite, and in a matched composite of z∼ 0 COS/HST galaxy spectra. We find remarkable similarity in the velocity profiles at z∼ 0 and z∼ 2, suggesting that similar physical processes control the outflows across cosmic time. While the maximum outflow velocity depends strongly on ionization potential, the absorption-weighted mean velocity does not. As such, the bulk of the high-ionization absorption traces the low-ionization gas, with an additional blueshifted absorption tail extending to at least ‑2000 km s‑1. We interpret this tail as arising from the stellar wind and photospheres of massive stars. Starburst99 models are able to replicate this high-velocity absorption tail. However, these theoretical models poorly reproduce several of the photospheric absorption features, indicating that improvements are needed to match observational constraints on the massive stellar content of star-forming galaxies at z∼ 2. We publicly release our composite spectra.

Comparison of visible and near-infrared reflectance spectra of CM2 carbonaceous chondrites and primitive asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vilas, F.; Hiroi, T.; Zolensky, M. E.

1993-01-01

Spectra of primitive asteroids (defined as C, P, and D classes and associated subclasses) were compared to the limited number of spectra of CM2 carbonaceous chondrites. An absorption feature located at 0.7 microns attributed to an Fe(+2) - Fe(+3) charge transfer absorption in iron oxides in phyllosilicates is apparent in some of the CM2 carbonaceous chondrite spectra and many of the asteroid spectra. Sawyer found a correlation between the area of the 0.7 micron feature and the mean semimajor axis of the asteroids. Spectra of a larger sample of carbonaceous chondrites, including 7 CM2 chondrites, covering a spectral interval of 0.30-2.5 microns were recently obtained using the Relab instrument at Brown University. These spectra were compared with spectrophotometric asteroid observations in a separate abstract. Those spectra of CM2 chondrites were isolated into the UV, visible and near-infrared spectral regions in order to compare them with high-quality narrowband reflectance spectra.

Quantifying mineral abundances of complex mixtures by coupling spectral deconvolution of SWIR spectra (2.1-2.4 μm) and regression tree analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mulder, V.L.; Plotze, Michael; de Bruin, Sytze; Schaepman, Michael E.; Mavris, C.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Egli, Markus

2013-01-01

This paper presents a methodology for assessing mineral abundances of mixtures having more than two constituents using absorption features in the 2.1-2.4 μm wavelength region. In the first step, the absorption behaviour of mineral mixtures is parameterised by exponential Gaussian optimisation. Next, mineral abundances are predicted by regression tree analysis using these parameters as inputs. The approach is demonstrated on a range of prepared samples with known abundances of kaolinite, dioctahedral mica, smectite, calcite and quartz and on a set of field samples from Morocco. The latter contained varying quantities of other minerals, some of which did not have diagnostic absorption features in the 2.1-2.4 μm region. Cross validation showed that the prepared samples of kaolinite, dioctahedral mica, smectite and calcite were predicted with a root mean square error (RMSE) less than 9 wt.%. For the field samples, the RMSE was less than 8 wt.% for calcite, dioctahedral mica and kaolinite abundances. Smectite could not be well predicted, which was attributed to spectral variation of the cations within the dioctahedral layered smectites. Substitution of part of the quartz by chlorite at the prediction phase hardly affected the accuracy of the predicted mineral content; this suggests that the method is robust in handling the omission of minerals during the training phase. The degree of expression of absorption components was different between the field sample and the laboratory mixtures. This demonstrates that the method should be calibrated and trained on local samples. Our method allows the simultaneous quantification of more than two minerals within a complex mixture and thereby enhances the perspectives of spectral analysis for mineral abundances.

Eta Carinae across the 2003.5 Minimum: Analysis in the Visible and Near Infrared Spectral Region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nielsen, K. E.; Kober, G. Vieira; Weis, K.; Gull, T.; Stahl, O.; Bomans, D. J.

2008-01-01

We present analysis of the visible through near infrared spectrum of eta Car and its ejecta obtained during the 'eta Car Campaign with the Ultraviolet Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) at the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT)'. This is a part of larger effort to present a complete eta Car spectrum, and extends the previously presented analyses with the Hubble Space Telescope/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (HST/STIS) in the UV (1240-3159 A) to 10,430 A. The spectrum in the mid and near UV is characterized by the ejecta absorption. At longer wavelengths, stellar wind features from the central source and narrow emission lines from the Weigelt condensations dominate the spectrum. However, narrow absorption lines from the circumstellar shells are present. This paper provides a description of the spectrum between 3060 and 10,430 A, including line identifications of the ejecta absorption spectrum, the emission spectrum from the Weigelt condensations and the P-Cygni stellar wind features. The high spectral resolving power of VLT/UVES enables equivalent width measurements of atomic and molecular absorption lines for elements with no transitions at the shorter wavelengths. However, the ground based seeing and contributions of nebular scattered radiation prevent direct comparison of measured equivalent widths in the VLT/UVES and HST/STIS spectra. Fortunately, HST/STIS and VLT/UVES have a small overlap in wavelength coverage which allows us to compare and adjust for the difference in scattered radiation entering the instruments apertures. This paper provide a complete online VLT/UVES spectrum with line identifications and a spectral comparison between HST/STIS and VLT/UVES between 3060 and 3160 A.

Eta Carinae across the 2003.5 Minimum: Analysis in the Visible and Near Infrared Spectral Region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nielsen, K. E.; Kober, G. Vieira; Weis, K.; Gull, T. R.; Stahl, O.; Bomans, D. J.

2009-01-01

We present an analysis of the visible through near infrared spectrum of Eta Car and its ejecta obtained during the "Eta Car Campaign with the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) at the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT)". This is a part of the larger effort to present a complete Eta Car spectrum, and extends the previously presented analyses with the Hubble Space Telescope/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (HST/STIS) in the UV (1240-3159 Angstrom) to 10,430 Angstrom. The spectrum in the mid and near UV is characterized by the ejecta absorption. At longer wavelengths, stellar wind features from the central source and narrow emission lines from the Weigelt condensations dominate the spectrum. However, narrow absorption lines from the circumstellar shells are present. This paper provides a description of the spectrum between 3060 and 10,430 Angstroms, including line identifications of the ejecta absorption spectrum, the emission spectrum from the Weigelt condensations and the P-Cygni stellar wind features. The high spectral resolving power of VLT/UVES enables equivalent width measurements of atomic and molecular absorption lines for elements with no transitions at the shorter wavelengths. However, the ground based seeing and contributions of nebular scattered radiation prevent direct comparison of measured equivalent widths in the VLT/UVES and HST/STIS spectra. Fortunately, HST/STIS and VLT/UVES have a small overlap in wavelength coverage which allows us to compare and adjust for the difference in scattered radiation entering the instruments' apertures. This paper provides a complete online VLT/UVES spectrum with line identifications and a spectral comparison between HST/STIS and VLT/UVES between 3060 and 3160 Angstroms.

Time Resolved Spectroscopy, High Sensitivity Power Spectrum & a Search for the X-Ray QPO in NGC 5548

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaqoob, Tahir

1999-09-01

Controversy surrounds the EXOSAT discovery of a QPO (period ~500 s) in NGC 5548 due to the data being plagued by high background and instrumental systematics. If the NGC 5548 QPO is real, the implications for the physics of the X-ray emission mechanism and inner-most disk/black-hole system are enormous. AXAF provides the first opportunity to settle the issue, capable of yielding power spectra with unprecedented sensitivity, pushing the limit on finding new features. Using HETG/ACIS we will also perform time-resolved spectroscopy of the ionized absorption features and Fe-K emission line, search for energy-dependent time lags in the continuum, between the continuum and spectral features, and between the spectral features. These data will provide powerful constraints on models of AGN.

Spectacle and SpecViz: New Spectral Analysis and Visualization Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Earl, Nicholas; Peeples, Molly; JDADF Developers

2018-01-01

A new era of spectroscopic exploration of our universe is being ushered in with advances in instrumentation and next-generation space telescopes. The advent of new spectroscopic instruments has highlighted a pressing need for tools scientists can use to analyze and explore these new data. We have developed Spectacle, a software package for analyzing both synthetic spectra from hydrodynamic simulations as well as real COS data with an aim of characterizing the behavior of the circumgalactic medium. It allows easy reduction of spectral data and analytic line generation capabilities. Currently, the package is focused on automatic determination of absorption regions and line identification with custom line list support, simultaneous line fitting using Voigt profiles via least-squares or MCMC methods, and multi-component modeling of blended features. Non-parametric measurements, such as equivalent widths, delta v90, and full-width half-max are available. Spectacle also provides the ability to compose compound models used to generate synthetic spectra allowing the user to define various LSF kernels, uncertainties, and to specify sampling.We also present updates to the visualization tool SpecViz, developed in conjunction with the JWST data analysis tools development team, to aid in the exploration of spectral data. SpecViz is an open source, Python-based spectral 1-D interactive visualization and analysis application built around high-performance interactive plotting. It supports handling general and instrument-specific data and includes advanced tool-sets for filtering and detrending one-dimensional data, along with the ability to isolate absorption regions using slicing and manipulate spectral features via spectral arithmetic. Multi-component modeling is also possible using a flexible model fitting tool-set that supports custom models to be used with various fitting routines. It also features robust user extensions such as custom data loaders and support for user-created plugins that add new functionality.This work was supported in part by HST AR #13919, HST GO #14268, and HST AR #14560.

Ultraviolet to optical spectral distributions of northern star-forming galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcquade, Kerry; Calzetti, Daniela; Kinney, Anne L.

1995-01-01

We report spectral energy distribution from the UV to the optical for a sample of 31 northern star-forming galaxies. We also present measurements for emission-line fluxes, continuum levels, and equivalent widths of absorption features for each individual spectrum as well as averages for the eight galactic activity classes, including normal, starburst, Seyfert 2, blue compact dwarf, blue compact, Low-Inonization Nuclear Emission Regions (LINER), H II, and combination LINER-H II galaxies.

TESTING RELATIVISTIC REFLECTION AND RESOLVING OUTFLOWS IN PG 1211+143 WITH XMM-NEWTON AND NuSTAR

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

Lobban, A. P.; Pounds, K.; Vaughan, S.

We analyze the broad-band X-ray spectrum (0.3–50 keV) of the luminous Seyfert 1/quasar PG 1211+143—the archetypal source for high-velocity X-ray outflows—using near-simultaneous XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations. We compare pure relativistic reflection models with a model including the strong imprint of photoionized emission and absorption from a high-velocity wind, finding a spectral fit that extrapolates well over the higher photon energies covered by NuSTAR . Inclusion of the high signal-to-noise ratio XMM-Newton spectrum provides much tighter constraints on the model parameters, with a much harder photon index/lower reflection fraction compared to that from the NuSTAR data alone. We show that puremore » relativistic reflection models are not able to account for the spectral complexity of PG 1211+143 and that wind absorption models are strongly required to match the data in both the soft X-ray and Fe K spectral regions. In confirming the significance of previously reported ionized absorption features, the new analysis provides a further demonstration of the power of combining the high throughput and resolution of long-look XMM-Newton observations with the unprecedented spectral coverage of NuSTAR .« less

Using spectral information in forensic imaging.

PubMed

Miskelly, Gordon M; Wagner, John H

2005-12-20

Improved detection of forensic evidence by combining narrow band photographic images taken at a range of wavelengths is dependent on the substance of interest having a significantly different spectrum from the underlying substrate. While some natural substances such as blood have distinctive spectral features which are readily distinguished from common colorants, this is not true for visualization agents commonly used in forensic science. We now show that it is possible to select reagents with narrow spectral features that lead to increased visibility using digital cameras and computer image enhancement programs even if their coloration is much less intense to the unaided eye than traditional reagents. The concept is illustrated by visualising latent fingermarks on paper with the zinc complex of Ruhemann's Purple, cyanoacrylate-fumed fingerprints with Eu(tta)(3)(phen), and soil prints with 2,6-bis(benzimidazol-2-yl)-4-[4'-(dimethylamino)phenyl]pyridine [BBIDMAPP]. In each case background correction is performed at one or two wavelengths bracketing the narrow absorption or emission band of these compounds. However, compounds with sharp spectral features would also lead to improved detection using more advanced algorithms such as principal component analysis.

Are leaf chemistry signatures preserved at the canopy level?

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

Borel, C.C.; Gerstl, S.A.W.

1994-05-01

Imaging spectrometers have the potential to be very useful in remote sensing of canopy chemistry constituents such as nitrogen and lignin. In this study under the HIRIS project the question of how leaf chemical composition which is reflected in leaf spectral features in the reflectance and transmittance is affected by canopy architecture was investigated. Several plants were modeled with high fidelity and a radiosity model was used to compute the canopy spectral signature over the visible and near infrared. We found that chemical constituent specific signatures such as absorptions are preserved and in the case of low absorption are actuallymore » enhanced. For moderately dense canopies the amount of a constituent depends also on the total leaf area.« less

Ultrafast transient absorption revisited: Phase-flips, spectral fingers, and other dynamical features

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

Cina, Jeffrey A., E-mail: cina@uoregon.edu; Kovac, Philip A.; Jumper, Chanelle C.

We rebuild the theory of ultrafast transient-absorption/transmission spectroscopy starting from the optical response of an individual molecule to incident femtosecond pump and probe pulses. The resulting description makes use of pulse propagators and free molecular evolution operators to arrive at compact expressions for the several contributions to a transient-absorption signal. In this alternative description, which is physically equivalent to the conventional response-function formalism, these signal contributions are conveniently expressed as quantum mechanical overlaps between nuclear wave packets that have undergone different sequences of pulse-driven optical transitions and time-evolution on different electronic potential-energy surfaces. Using this setup in application to amore » simple, multimode model of the light-harvesting chromophores of PC577, we develop wave-packet pictures of certain generic features of ultrafast transient-absorption signals related to the probed-frequency dependence of vibrational quantum beats. These include a Stokes-shifting node at the time-evolving peak emission frequency, antiphasing between vibrational oscillations on opposite sides (i.e., to the red or blue) of this node, and spectral fingering due to vibrational overtones and combinations. Our calculations make a vibrationally abrupt approximation for the incident pump and probe pulses, but properly account for temporal pulse overlap and signal turn-on, rather than neglecting pulse overlap or assuming delta-function excitations, as are sometimes done.« less

Relationship Between Iron Valence States of Serpentine in CM Chondrites and Their Aqueous Alteration Degrees

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mikouchi, T.; Zolensky, M.; Satake, W.; Le, L.

2012-01-01

The 0.6-0.7 micron absorption band observed for C-type asteroids is caused by the presence of Fe(3+) in phyllosilicates . Because Fe-bearing phyllosilicates, especially serpentine, are the most dominant product of aqueous alteration in the most abundant carbonaceous chondrites, CM chondrites, it is important to understand the crystal chemistry of serpentine in CM chondrites to better understand spectral features of C-type asteroids. CM chondrites show variable degrees of aqueous alteration, which should be related to iron valences in serpentine. It is predicted that the Fe(3+)/Sum of (Fe) ratios of serpentine in CM chondrites decrease as alteration proceeds by Si and Fe(3+) substitutions from end-member cronstedtite to serpentine, which should be apparent in the absorption intensity of the 0.6-0.7 micron band from C-type asteroids. In fact, the JAXA Hayabusa 2 target (C-type asteroid: 1993 JU3) exhibits heterogeneous spectral features (0.7 micron absorption band disappears by rotation). From these points of view, we have analyzed iron valences of matrix serpentine in several CM chondrites which span the entire observed range of aqueous alteration using Synchrotron Radiation X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (SR-XANES). In this abstract we discuss the relationship between obtained Fe(3+)/Sum of (Fe) ratios and alteration degrees by adding new data to our previous studies

Electromagnetic-radiation absorption by water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lunkenheimer, P.; Emmert, S.; Gulich, R.; Köhler, M.; Wolf, M.; Schwab, M.; Loidl, A.

2017-12-01

Why does a microwave oven work? How does biological tissue absorb electromagnetic radiation? Astonishingly, we do not have a definite answer to these simple questions because the microscopic processes governing the absorption of electromagnetic waves by water are largely unclarified. This absorption can be quantified by dielectric loss spectra, which reveal a huge peak at a frequency of the exciting electric field of about 20 GHz and a gradual tailing off toward higher frequencies. The microscopic interpretation of such spectra is highly controversial and various superpositions of relaxation and resonance processes ascribed to single-molecule or molecule-cluster motions have been proposed for their analysis. By combining dielectric, microwave, THz, and far-infrared spectroscopy, here we provide nearly continuous temperature-dependent broadband spectra of water. Moreover, we find that corresponding spectra for aqueous solutions reveal the same features as pure water. However, in contrast to the latter, crystallization in these solutions can be avoided by supercooling. As different spectral contributions tend to disentangle at low temperatures, this enables us to deconvolute them when approaching the glass transition under cooling. We find that the overall spectral development, including the 20 GHz feature (employed for microwave heating), closely resembles the behavior known for common supercooled liquids. Thus water's absorption of electromagnetic waves at room temperature is not unusual but very similar to that of glass-forming liquids at elevated temperatures, deep in the low-viscosity liquid regime, and should be interpreted along similar lines.

Compton scattering of self-absorbed synchrotron emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, He; Lei, Wei-Hua; Wu, Xue-Feng; Zhang, Bing

2013-11-01

Synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) scattering is an important emission mechanism in many astronomical sources, such as gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and active galactic nuclei. We give a complete presentation of the analytical approximations for the Compton scattering of synchrotron emission with both weak and strong synchrotron self-absorption. All possible orders of the characteristic synchrotron spectral breaks (νa, νm and νc) are studied. In the weak self-absorption regime, i.e. νa < νc, the electron energy distribution is not modified by the self-absorption process. The shape of the SSC component broadly resembles that of synchrotron, but with the following features: The SSC flux increases linearly with frequency up to the SSC break frequency corresponding to the self-absorption frequency νa; and the presence of a logarithmic term in the high-frequency range of the SSC spectra makes it harder than the power-law approximation. In the strong absorption regime, i.e. νa > νc, heating of low-energy electrons due to synchrotron absorption leads to pile-up of electrons, and form a thermal component besides the broken power-law component. This leads to two-component (thermal + non-thermal) spectra for both the synchrotron and SSC spectral components. For νc < νa < νm, the spectrum is thermal (non-thermal) dominated if ν _a > √{ν _m ν _c} (ν _a < √{ν _m ν _c}). Similar to the weak-absorption regime, the SSC spectral component is broader than the simple broken power-law approximation. We derive the critical condition for strong absorption (electron pile-up), and discuss a case of GRB reverse shock emission in a wind medium, which invokes νa > max(νm, νc).

Analysis of ground-based and VIRTIS-M/ROSETTA reflectance spectra of asteroid 2687 Šteins: A comparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markus, K.; Arnold, G.; Hiesinger, H.; Capaccioni, F.

2012-04-01

The asteroid 2687 Šteins was encountered by Rosetta in 2008. Prior to the fly-by, ground-based observations of Šteins were performed [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. We present a summary of ground-based VIS and NIR reflectance spectra of Šteins and compare them with VIRTIS-M-spectra obtained during the fly-by. On the basis of these spectral data we discuss the relationship to meteorite materials, and the classification of Šteins. The ground-based spectra cover a wavelength range from 0.4-2.5 µm. All spectra show a clear absorption feature at ~0.5 µm and a steep spectral slope between ~0.6-0.8 µm. At wavelengths >1 µm the spectra show a neutral to slightly reddish trend. The absorption band at ~0.5 µm is commonly linked to the feature at that wavelength in the oldhamite spectrum [7]. The oldhamite spectrum shows another weaker feature at 0.96 µm. This weaker feature at ~0.96 µm is visible in two of the ground-based spectra. Spectral slopes of most Earth-based spectra are comparable within arrow bars. The uniform spectral characteristics indicate a homogenous surface of Šteins. The VIRTIS-M-spectra of Šteins cover the wavelength range from 0.25-1 µm (VIS) and 1-5 µm (IR). The spectra show an overall flat behavior with a steep red slope at wavelengths <1 µm. The absorption feature located at ~0.5 µm is clearly visible. At wavelengths >3.5 µm thermal emission contributes significantly to the detected radiation. The thermal properties derived from VIRTIS-M long wavelength measurements suggest a thin regolith layer and a low porosity. The shape of the asteroid is consistent with the hypothesis that Šteins is a rubble-pile. Ground-based and fly-by spectra of Šteins are in good agreement with each other considering the overall spectral characteristics and the occurrence of the absorption feature at 0.5 µm. Prior to the Rosetta fly-by Šteins has been classified (by e.g. [1, 5]) as an E[II]-type asteroid (after [8, 9], also Xe after [10]). VIRTIS data suggest that Šteins can be classified as an igneous E-type asteroid, being a member of the E[II]-subclass. E-type asteroids are linked to aubrites, which are nearly monomineralic enstatite achondrites [11]. This interpretation is supported by comparative laboratory reflectance measurements. Although aubrites give the best agreement with Šteins spectra, several spectral features cannot be assigned unambiguously. Ti-rich minerals or space weathering implanted products were alternatively proposed to reproduce the observed spectral characteristics [1, 12]. Currently no meteorite in our present collection fits the Šteins spectra, indicating that Šteins is probably not the parent body of these meteorites. Because Šteins is a reduced anhydrous body, it can be argued that it formed in the inner planetary system and was scattered to the main belt. This opens interesting parallels between the E-type population and the formation of Mercury. [1] Barucci et al. (2005) A&A, 430, 313-317. [2] Dotto et al. (2009) A&A, 494, L29-L32. [3] Fornasier et al. (2007) A&A, 474, L29-L32. [4] Fornasier et al. (2008) Icarus, 196, 119-134. [5] Nedelcu et al. (2007) A&A, 473, L33-L36. [6] Weissman et al. (2008) Met. Planet. Sci, 43, 905-914. [7] Burbine at al. (2002) Met. Planet. Sci., 37, 1233-1244. [8] Tholen D. J. (1989) in Asteroids II, 1139-1150. [9] Gaffey and Kelley (2004) LPSC XXXV. Abstract #1812. [10] Bus and Binzel (2002) Icarus, 158, 146-177. [11] Keil (2010) Chem. Erde-Geochem., 70, 295-317. [12] Shestopalov et al. (2010) Planet. Space Sci., 58, 1400-1403.

How Does the Shape of the Stellar Spectrum Affect the Raman Scattering Features in the Albedo of Exoplanets?

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

Oklopčić, Antonija; Hirata, Christopher M.; Heng, Kevin, E-mail: oklopcic@astro.caltech.edu

The diagnostic potential of the spectral signatures of Raman scattering, imprinted in planetary albedo spectra at short optical wavelengths, has been demonstrated in research on planets in the solar system, and has recently been proposed as a probe of exoplanet atmospheres, complementary to albedo studies at longer wavelengths. Spectral features caused by Raman scattering offer insight into the properties of planetary atmospheres, such as the atmospheric depth, composition, and temperature, as well as the possibility of detecting and spectroscopically identifying spectrally inactive species, such as H{sub 2} and N{sub 2}, in the visible wavelength range. Raman albedo features, however, dependmore » on both the properties of the atmosphere and the shape of the incident stellar spectrum. Identical planetary atmospheres can produce very different albedo spectra depending on the spectral properties of the host star. Here we present a set of geometric albedo spectra calculated for atmospheres with H{sub 2}/He, N{sub 2}, and CO{sub 2} composition, irradiated by different stellar types ranging from late A to late K stars. Prominent albedo features caused by Raman scattering appear at different wavelengths for different types of host stars. We investigate how absorption due to the alkali elements sodium and potassium may affect the intensity of Raman features, and we discuss the preferred strategies for detecting Raman features in future observations.« less

Absorption spectroscopy of microalgae, cyanobacteria, and dissolved organic matter: Measurements in an integrating sphere cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pogosyan, S. I.; Durgaryan, A. M.; Konyukhov, I. V.; Chivkunova, O. B.; Merzlyak, M. N.

2009-12-01

A device for integrating cavity absorption measurements (ICAM) with an internal diameter of 80 mm suitable for field research is described. The spectral features of the light absorption by some cyanobacteria, green algae, and diatoms in the integrating sphere were studied and the dependences of the absorption on the cell concentration were determined in comparison with the conventional measurements in a 1-cm cuvette. The sensitivity of the chlorophyll estimation with the ICAM reached 0.2-0.5 mg m-3. The results of the ICAM application for the direct analysis of the natural phytoplankton and dissolved organic (“yellow“) matter in the Black Sea and the Sea of Japan are described.

Important Considerations When Using Hydroxyl Airglow Measurements to Determine Climate Trends of the Mesopause Region.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burns, G.; French, J.

2007-05-01

Spectral calibrations, airglow and possibly auroral contaminations, solar and telluric absorption features and the selection of transition probabilities can all influence rotational temperatures derived from measurements of hydroxyl airglow intensities. Consideration and examples are given of these influences. Measurements and analyses are outlined for data checking that should be undertaken if a hydroxyl airglow data set is to be used to determine climate trends. Multiple spectral calibrations should be conducted throughout the observing period, with regular inter- comparisons to other calibration sources also required. Uncertainties in spectral calibrations should be expressed as a temperature equivalent. Sufficient spectral scans at maximum resolution should be obtained under all extreme observing conditions (at the lowest solar depression angle operated both morning and night, moon and cloud both separately and combined, aurora and under conditions of enhanced atomic oxygen airglow, and under clear sky conditions but with high atmospheric water vapour content) so that an uncertainty for the derived rotational temperatures can be determined for the established data selection criteria. Once the varying emission and absorption features for the hydroxyl region of interest at your site are understood for the observing site, then the spectral resolution of the observing instrument can be reduced to increase temporal resolution with reasonable confidence. This confidence should be tested by investigating the average rotational temperatures derived from all possible line intensity ratios under the extreme observing conditions noted. If a spectral-fitting rotational temperature determination is used, the residuals from the fit should be summed and similarly examined. Hydroxyl measurements provide a cost effective means of monitoring the temperature of the climate-sensitive mesopause region on an almost nightly basis. If care is taken, they provide a valuable data set for investigating climate change.

Study on Remote Sensing Image Characteristics of Ecological Land: Case Study of Original Ecological Land in the Yellow River Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, G. Q.

2018-04-01

Takes the Yellow River Delta as an example, this paper studies the characteristics of remote sensing imagery with dominant ecological functional land use types, compares the advantages and disadvantages of different image in interpreting ecological land use, and uses research results to analyse the changing trend of ecological land in the study area in the past 30 years. The main methods include multi-period, different sensor images and different seasonal spectral curves, vegetation index, GIS and data analysis methods. The results show that the main ecological land in the Yellow River Delta included coastal beaches, saline-alkaline lands, and water bodies. These lands have relatively distinct spectral and texture features. The spectral features along the beach show characteristics of absorption in the green band and reflection in the red band. This feature is less affected by the acquisition year, season, and sensor type. Saline-alkali land due to the influence of some saline-alkaline-tolerant plants such as alkali tent, Tamarix and other vegetation, the spectral characteristics have a certain seasonal changes, winter and spring NDVI index is less than the summer and autumn vegetation index. The spectral characteristics of a water body generally decrease rapidly with increasing wavelength, and the reflectance in the red band increases with increasing sediment concentration. In conclusion, according to the spectral characteristics and image texture features of the ecological land in the Yellow River Delta, the accuracy of image interpretation of such ecological land can be improved.

Radiation characteristics and effective optical properties of dumbbell-shaped cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heng, Ri-Liang; Pilon, Laurent

2016-05-01

This study presents experimental measurements of the radiation characteristics of unicellular freshwater cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. during their exponential growth in F medium. Their scattering phase function at 633 nm average spectral absorption and scattering cross-sections between 400 and 750 nm were measured. In addition, an inverse method was used for retrieving the spectral effective complex index of refraction of overlapping or touching bispheres and quadspheres from their absorption and scattering cross-sections. The inverse method combines a genetic algorithm and a forward model based on Lorenz-Mie theory, treating bispheres and quadspheres as projected area and volume-equivalent coated spheres. The inverse method was successfully validated with numerically predicted average absorption and scattering cross-sections of suspensions consisting of bispheres and quadspheres, with realistic size distributions, using the T-matrix method. It was able to retrieve the monomers' complex index of refraction with size parameter up to 11, relative refraction index less than 1.3, and absorption index less than 0.1. Then, the inverse method was applied to retrieve the effective spectral complex index of refraction of Synechocystis sp. approximated as randomly oriented aggregates consisting of two overlapping homogeneous spheres. Both the measured absorption cross-section and the retrieved absorption index featured peaks at 435 and 676 nm corresponding to chlorophyll a, a peak at 625 nm corresponding to phycocyanin, and a shoulder around 485 nm corresponding to carotenoids. These results can be used to optimize and control light transfer in photobioreactors. The inverse method and the equivalent coated sphere model could be applied to other optically soft particles of similar morphologies.

Trident: A Universal Tool for Generating Synthetic Absorption Spectra from Astrophysical Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hummels, Cameron B.; Smith, Britton D.; Silvia, Devin W.

2017-09-01

Hydrodynamical simulations are increasingly able to accurately model physical systems on stellar, galactic, and cosmological scales; however, the utility of these simulations is often limited by our ability to directly compare them with the data sets produced by observers: spectra, photometry, etc. To address this problem, we have created trident, a Python-based open-source tool for post-processing hydrodynamical simulations to produce synthetic absorption spectra and related data. trident can (I) create absorption-line spectra for any trajectory through a simulated data set mimicking both background quasar and down-the-barrel configurations; (II) reproduce the spectral characteristics of common instruments like the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph; (III) operate across the ultraviolet, optical, and infrared using customizable absorption-line lists; (IV) trace simulated physical structures directly to spectral features; (v) approximate the presence of ion species absent from the simulation outputs; (VI) generate column density maps for any ion; and (vii) provide support for all major astrophysical hydrodynamical codes. trident was originally developed to aid in the interpretation of observations of the circumgalactic medium and intergalactic medium, but it remains a general tool applicable in other contexts.

SimBAL: A Spectral Synthesis Approach to Analyzing Broad Absorption Line Quasar Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terndrup, Donald M.; Leighly, Karen; Gallagher, Sarah; Richards, Gordon T.

2017-01-01

Broad Absorption Line quasars (BALQSOs) show blueshifted absorption lines in their rest-UV spectra, indicating powerful winds emerging from the central engine. These winds are essential part of quasars: they can carry away angular momentum and thus facilitate accretion through a disk, they can distribute chemically-enriched gas through the intergalactic medium, and they may inject kinetic energy to the host galaxy, influencing its evolution. The traditional method of analyzing BALQSO spectra involves measuring myriad absorption lines, computing the inferred ionic column densities in each feature, and comparing with the output of photonionization models. This method is inefficient and does not handle line blending well. We introduce SimBAL, a spectral synthesis fitting method for BALQSOs, which compares synthetic spectra created from photoionization model results with continuum-normalized observed spectra using Bayesian model calibration. We find that we can obtain an excellent fit to the UV to near-IR spectrum of the low-redshift BALQSO SDSS J0850+4451, including lines from diverse ionization states such as PV, CIII*, SIII, Lyalpha, NV, SiIV, CIV, MgII, and HeI*.

The correlated k-distribution technique as applied to the AVHRR channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kratz, David P.

1995-01-01

Correlated k-distributions have been created to account for the molecular absorption found in the spectral ranges of the five Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) satellite channels. The production of the k-distributions was based upon an exponential-sum fitting of transmissions (ESFT) technique which was applied to reference line-by-line absorptance calculations. To account for the overlap of spectral features from different molecular species, the present routines made use of the multiplication transmissivity property which allows for considerable flexibility, especially when altering relative mixing ratios of the various molecular species. To determine the accuracy of the correlated k-distribution technique as compared to the line-by-line procedure, atmospheric flux and heating rate calculations were run for a wide variety of atmospheric conditions. For the atmospheric conditions taken into consideration, the correlated k-distribution technique has yielded results within about 0.5% for both the cases where the satellite spectral response functions were applied and where they were not. The correlated k-distribution's principal advantages is that it can be incorporated directly into multiple scattering routines that consider scattering as well as absorption by clouds and aerosol particles.

Influence of environmental factors on spectral characteristic of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in Inner Mongolia Plateau, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Z. D.; Song, K. S.; Zhao, Y.; Du, J.; Ma, J. H.

2015-06-01

Spectral characteristics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) were examined in conjunction with environmental factors in the waters of 22 rivers and 26 terminal waters in Hulun Buir plateau, northeast China. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorous (TP) were significantly higher in terminal waters than rivers waters (p < 0.01). Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that non-water light absorption and anthropogenic nutrient disturbances might be the causes of the diversity of water quality parameters in Hulun Buir plateau. CDOM absorption in river waters was significantly lower than terminal waters (p < 0.01). Analysis of ratio of absorption at 250-365 nm (E250 : 365), specific UV absorbance (SUVA254), and spectral slope ratio (Sr) indicated that CDOM in river waters had higher aromaticity, molecular weight, and vascular plant contribution than in terminal waters. Furthermore, results showed that DOC concentration, CDOM light absorption, and the proportion of autochthonous sources of CDOM in plateau waters were all higher than in other freshwater rivers reported in the literature. The strong evapoconcentration, intense ultraviolet irradiance and landscape features of Hulun Buir plateau may be responsible for the above phenomenon. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that the environmental variables TSM, TN, and EC had a strong correlation with light absorption characteristics, followed by TDS and chlorophyll a. In most sampling locations, CDOM was the dominant non-water light-absorbing substance. Light absorption by non-algal particles often exceeded that by phytoplankton in the plateau waters. Study of these optical-physicochemical correlations is helpful in the evaluation of the potential influence of water quality factors on non-water light absorption in cold plateau water environments. And the study on organic carbon in plateau lakes had a vital contribution to global carbon balance estimation.

Time-domain terahertz spectroscopy and applications on drugs and explosives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, W. H.; Zhao, W.; Cheng, G. H.; Burnett, A. D.; Upadhya, P. C.; Cunningham, J. E.; Linfield, E. H.; Davies, A. G.

2008-03-01

Many materials of interest to the forensic and security services, such as explosives, drugs and biological agents, exhibit characteristic spectral features in the terahertz (THz) frequency range. These spectral features originate from inter-molecular interactions, involving collective motions of molecules. Broadband THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) system have been used to analyze a number of drugs-of-abuse and explosives that are of interest to the forensic and security services. These samples ranged from crystalline powders, pressed into pellets, to thin sheets of plastic explosives, and all being measured in transmission geometry in the frequency range 0.1 - 8 THz. To well understand the nature of the observed spectral features and the effects of thermal broadening on these far-infrared signatures, temperature-dependent THz-TDS measurements have also been performed at temperatures as low as 4 K, especially for two types of cocaine. Well-resolved low-frequency absorption peaks were observed in the frequency range 0.1 - 3 THz with high resolution. Some of absorption peaks were found clearly to become more intense and shift to higher frequencies as the temperature was reduced. The results confirm that the low-frequency collective modes are highly sensitive to the structural and spatial arrangement of molecules. Furthermore, a number of common postal packaging materials made from paper, cardboard, even several types of plastic, have been tested with drug sample to assess the ability of THz-TDS in a hostile detection environment.

Thermal infrared (2.5-13.5 μm) spectroscopic remote sensing of igneous rock types on particulate planetary surfaces

USGS Publications Warehouse

Salisbury, John W.; Walter, Louis S.

1989-01-01

Fundamental molecular vibration bands are significantly diminished by scattering. Thus such bands in spectra of fine particulate regoliths (i.e., dominated by <5-μm particles), or regoliths displaying a similar scale of porosity, are difficult to use for mineralogical or rock type identification. Consequently, other spectral features have been sought that may be more useful in spectroscopic remote sensing of composition. We find that mineralogical information is retained in overtones and combination tones of the fundamental molecular vibrations in the 3.0- to 7.0-μm region, but that relatively few minerals have a sufficiently distinctive band structure to be unambiguously identified with currently available techniques. More significantly, identification of general rock type, as defined by the SCFM chemical index (SCFM = SiO2/SiO2 + CaO + FeO + MgO), is possible using spectral features associated with the principal Christiansen frequency and with a region of relative transparency between the Si-O stretching and bending bands. However, environmental factors may affect the appearance and wavelengths of these features. Finally, prominent absorption bands may result from the presence of relatively small amounts of water, hydroxyl or carbonate, because absorption bands exhibited by these materials in the 2.7- to 4.0-μm region, where silicate spectra are otherwise featureless, increase strongly in spectral contrast with decreasing particle size. Such materials are thus detectable in very small amounts in a particulate regolith composed predominantly of silicate minerals.

Water in primitive solar system bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Bin

This is a dissertation on the physical properties, particularly, the water distribution in three small body populations of the solar system: (1) the Jovian Trojans, (2) the main-belt B-type asteroids and (3) the comets. Using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, I have sought diagnostic (especially water) features in the Trojans. My sample is focused on objects identified in previous measurements as being of special interest. I found that the high albedo Trojan (4709) Ennomos has a featureless spectrum and that its surface contains no more than 10% water ice. In addition, the organic-like features reported earlier for Trojans (617) Patroclus, (911) Agamemnon, (1143) Odysseus and (2797) Teucer were not confirmed. Furthermore, my observations of seven Trojan asteroids that have been formerly reported to show silicate-like absorption features did not confirm the features in their spectra. My broadband photometric observations of two Trojan families (the Eurybates and the 1986WD family) showed that five Eurybates Trojans and one 1986WD Trojan exhibit UV drop-offs, indicating the presence of hydrated minerals on these objects. B-type asteroids are rare, blue asteroids, of which 2 Pallas is the largest and most famous example. In a focused, spectroscopic study of 20 B-type asteroids, I found that optically similar B-type asteroids are spectrally diverse in the near infrared. The negative optical spectral slope is due to the presence of a broad absorption band centered near 1.0 mm, which can often be modeled using magnetite. The best meteorite analogs for B-types are the unusual CI and CM carbonaceous chondrites. In the NIR spectra of the outburst comet 17P/Holmes, I found two broad absorption bands with centers (at 2mm and 3mm, respectively) and overall shapes consistent with the presence of micron-sized water ice grains in the coma. These features together with the discovery of excess 3mm thermal emission, suggests that the coma of 17P/Holmes has two components (hot, refractory dust and cold ice grains) which are not in thermal contact. I also detected the 1.5- and 2-mm water ice absorption features in the two bright Oort cloud comets, C/ 2005L3 and C/2006W3.

Red and near-infrared fluorophores inspired by chlorophylls: consideration of practical brightness in multicolor flow cytometry and biomedical sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taniguchi, Masahiko; Hu, Gongfang; Liu, Rui; Du, Hai; Lindsey, Jonathan S.

2018-02-01

Demands in flow cytometry for increased multiplexing (for detection of multiple antigens) and brightness (for detection of rare entities) require new fluorophores (i.e., "colors") with spectrally distinct fluorescence outside the relatively congested visible spectral region. Flow cytometry fluorophores typically must function in aqueous solution upon bioconjugation and ideally should exhibit a host of photophysical features: (i) strong absorption, (ii) sizable Stokes shift, (iii) modest if not strong fluorescence, and (iv) narrow fluorescence band. Tandem dyes have long been pursued to achieve a large effective Stokes shift, increased brightness, and better control over the excitation and emission wavelengths. Here, the attractive photophysical features of chlorophylls and bacteriochlorophylls - Nature's chosen photoactive pigments for photosynthesis - are described with regards to use in flow cytometry. A chlorophyll (or bacteriochlorophyll) constitutes an intrinsic tandem dye given the red (or near-infrared) fluorescence upon excitation in the higher energy ultraviolet (UV) or visible absorption bands (due to rapid internal conversion to the lowest energy state). Synthetic (bacterio)chlorins are available with strong absorption (near-UV molar absorption coefficient ɛ(λexc) 105 M-1cm-1), modest fluorescence quantum yield (Φf = 0.05-0.30), and narrow fluorescence band (10-25 nm) tunable from 600-900 nm depending on synthetic design. The "relative practical brightness" is given by intrinsic brightness [ɛ(λexc) x Φf] times ηf, the fraction of the fluorescence band that is captured by an emission filter in a multicolor experiment. The spectroscopic features of (bacterio)chlorins are evaluated quantitatively to illustrate practical brightness for this novel class of fluorophores in a prospective 8-color panel.

RMS Spectral Modelling - a powerful tool to probe the origin of variability in Active Galactic Nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallick, Labani; Dewangan, Gulab chand; Misra, Ranjeev

2016-07-01

The broadband energy spectra of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are very complex in nature with the contribution from many ingredients: accretion disk, corona, jets, broad-line region (BLR), narrow-line region (NLR) and Compton-thick absorbing cloud or TORUS. The complexity of the broadband AGN spectra gives rise to mean spectral model degeneracy, e.g, there are competing models for the broad feature near 5-7 keV in terms of blurred reflection and complex absorption. In order to overcome the energy spectral model degeneracy, the most reliable approach is to study the RMS variability spectrum which connects the energy spectrum with temporal variability. The origin of variability could be pivoting of the primary continuum, reflection and/or absorption. The study of RMS (Root Mean Square) spectra would help us to connect the energy spectra with the variability. In this work, we study the energy dependent variability of AGN by developing theoretical RMS spectral model in ISIS (Interactive Spectral Interpretation System) for different input energy spectra. In this talk, I would like to present results of RMS spectral modelling for few radio-loud and radio-quiet AGN observed by XMM-Newton, Suzaku, NuSTAR and ASTROSAT and will probe the dichotomy between these two classes of AGN.

Observations of J002E3: Possible Discovery of an Apollo Rocket Body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jorgensen, K.; Rivkin, A.; Binzel, R.; Whitely, R.; Hergenrother, C.; Chodas, P.; Chesley, S.; Vilas, F.

2003-05-01

In early September 2002, spectral and photometric observations of J002E3 were made at IRTF and Mt. Biglow in an effort to determine whether the object was an asteroid or a human-made. Early observations yielded a possible spin-rate and orientation. Additional spectral observations were completed in May 2003 at the Air Force Maui Optical Supercomputing (AMOS) site. Through the modeling of common spacecraft materials, the observations of J002E3 show a strong correlation of absorption features to a combination of human-made materials including white paint, black paint, and aluminum. Absorption features in the near IR show a strong correlation with paint containing a titanium-oxide semiconductor. Using the material model and the orbital information, it was concluded that J002E3 is a human-made object from an Apollo rocket upperstage, most likely Apollo 12. In addition, the J002E3 observations were compared to spectral observations of other rocket bodies launched during a similar time and the results agree well. Results from the observations and modeling will be presented. This work has been a collaboration of governmental agencies, education institutions, and amateur astronomers. Funding agencies include National Research Council, NASA JSC, MIT, University of Arizona, and JPL.

Near-Infrared Spectrophotometry of Phobos and Deimos

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rivkin, A. S.; Brown, R. H.; Trilling, D. E.; Bell, J. F., III; Plassmann, J. H.

2002-01-01

We have observed the leading and trailing hemispheres of Phobos from 1.65 to 3.5 microns and Deimos from 1.65 to 3.12 microns near opposition. We find the trailing hemisphere of Phobos to be brighter than its leading hemisphere by 0.24 +/- 0.06 magnitude at 1.65 microns and brighter than Deimos by 0.98 +/- 0.07 magnitude at 1.65 microns. We see no difference larger than observational uncertainties in spectral slope between the leading and trailing hemispheres when the spectra are normalized to 1.65 microns. We find no 3-microns absorption feature due to hydrated minerals on either hemisphere to a level of approx. 5 - 10% on Phobos and approx. 20% on Deimos. When the infrared data are joined to visible and near-IR data obtained by previous workers, our data suggest the leading (Stickney-dominated) side of Phobos is best matched by T-class asteroids. The spectral slope of the trailing side of Phobos and leading side of Deimos are bracketed by the D-class asteroids. The best laboratory spectral matches to these parts of Phobos are mature lunar soils and heated carbonaceous chondrites. The lack of 3-microns absorption features on either side of Phobos argues against the presence of a large interior reservoir of water ice according to current models of Phobos' interior.

Near-Infrared Spectrophotometry of Phobos and Deimos

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rivkin, A. S.; Brown, R. H.; Trilling, D. E.; Bell, J. F., III; Plassmann, J. H.

2002-01-01

We have observed the leading and trailing hemispheres of Phobos from 1.65 to 3.5 microns and Deimos from 1.65 to 3.12 microns near opposition. We find the trailing hemisphere of Phobos to be brighter than its leading hemisphere by 0.24 +/- 0.06 magnitude at 1.65 microns and brighter than Deimos by 0.98 +/- 0.07 magnitude at 1.65 microns. We see no difference larger than observational uncertainties in spectral slope between the leading and trailing hemispheres when the spectra are normalized to 1.65 microns. We find no 3-micron absorption feature due to hydrated minerals on either hemisphere to a level of approx. 5-10% on Phobos and approx. 20% on Deimos. When the infrared data are joined to visible and near-IR data obtained by previous workers, our data suggest the leading (Stickney-dominated) side of Phobos is best matched by T-class asteroids. The spectral slope of the trailing side of Phobos and leading side of Deimos are bracketed by the D-class asteroids. The best laboratory spectral matches to these parts of Phobos are mature lunar soils and heated carbonaceous chondrites. The lack of 3-micron absorption features on either side of Phobos argues against the presence of a large interior reservoir of water ice according to current models of Phobos' interior.

Using the Properties of Broad Absorption Line Quasars to Illuminate Quasar Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yong, Suk Yee; King, Anthea L.; Webster, Rachel L.; Bate, Nicholas F.; O'Dowd, Matthew J.; Labrie, Kathleen

2018-06-01

A key to understanding quasar unification paradigms is the emission properties of broad absorption line quasars (BALQs). The fact that only a small fraction of quasar spectra exhibit deep absorption troughs blueward of the broad permitted emission lines provides a crucial clue to the structure of quasar emitting regions. To learn whether it is possible to discriminate between the BALQ and non-BALQ populations given the observed spectral properties of a quasar, we employ two approaches: one based on statistical methods and the other supervised machine learning classification, applied to quasar samples from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The features explored include continuum and emission line properties, in particular the absolute magnitude, redshift, spectral index, line width, asymmetry, strength, and relative velocity offsets of high-ionisation C IV λ1549 and low-ionisation Mg II λ2798 lines. We consider a complete population of quasars, and assume that the statistical distributions of properties represent all angles where the quasar is viewed without obscuration. The distributions of the BALQ and non-BALQ sample properties show few significant differences. None of the observed continuum and emission line features are capable of differentiating between the two samples. Most published narrow disk-wind models are inconsistent with these observations, and an alternative disk-wind model is proposed. The key feature of the proposed model is a disk-wind filling a wide opening angle with multiple radial streams of dense clumps.

"CHON" particles: The interstellar component of cometary dust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lien, David J.

1998-01-01

Interstellar dust is characterized by strong absorption in the ultraviolet and the mid-IR. Current models of interstellar dust are based on three chemically distinct components: a form of carbon (usually graphite), a silicate, and a blend of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or other carbonaceous material. Previous work using effective medium theories to understand the optical properties of cometary dust suggested that an amalgam of materials could reproduce the observed interstellar and cometary dust features. Recently, Lawler and Brownlee (1992) re-analyzed the PIA and PUMA-1 data sets from the Giotto flyby of P/Halley and discovered that the so-called "CHON" particles were actually composed of a blend of carbon-bearing and silicon-bearing materials. Based on effective medium theories, the absorption spectrum of such a material would display the spectral features of each of the components - strong UV absorption from the carbonaceous component and strong absorption in the IR from the silicate component. To test this idea, vapor-deposited samples were created using two different deposition techniques: sputtering with an argon RF magnetron and deposition from an argon plasma torch. Two different compositions were tested: a blend of graphite and silica in a 7:1 ratio and an amalgam of materials whose approximate composition matches the "CHON"-silicate abundances for the uncompressed PIA data set of Lawler and Brownlee: graphite, iron oxide, magnesium oxide, ammonium sulfate, calcium carbonate, and silica in mass ratios of 6:4.3:4:2.2:1:9. The samples were finely ground and pressed into 2" diameter disks using a 40 ton press. In all, four different experiments were performed: one with each of the compositions (C:SiO and "CHON") in both the RF magnetron and the plasma torch chambers. The RF magnetron created a uniform dark thin film on the substrate surface, and the plasma torch created a coating of small (<100 micron) diameter grey particles. The spectra of all four samples show a strong, broad absorption feature at around 220 nm as well as a strong but narrower absorption peak near 10 microns. The RF magnetron sputtered samples showed some sub-structure in the UV, and the peak of the absorption was shifted toward longer wavelengths. The UV absorption in the plasma torch deposited samples have no sub-structure, and the peak absorption is very near 220 nm. Strong absorption near 9 microns is seen in the spectra from both sample preparation techniques, and is consistent with the IR spectra of some terrestrial silicates. Other features, particularly at 6.2 and 8.6 microns, are seen in the interstellar medium. A strong feature near 2 microns is due to absorbed water in the sample. Based on the results of these experiments, there is evidence that a material with a composition similar to that detected in "CHON" particles in the coma of P/Halley have a spectral signature which reproduces the main absorption features of interstellar dust. This suggests that the "CHON" particles could be the interstellar component of cometary dust.

Spectral characterization of surface emissivities in the thermal infrared

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niclòs, Raquel; Mira, Maria; Valor, Enric; Caselles, Diego; García-Santos, Vicente; Caselles, Vicente; Sánchez, Juan M.

2015-04-01

Thermal infrared (TIR) remote sensing trends to hyperspectral sensors on board satellites in the last decades, e.g., the current EOS-MODIS and EOS-ASTER and future missions like HyspIRI, ECOSTRESS, THIRSTY and MISTIGRI. This study aims to characterize spectrally the emissive properties of several surfaces, mostly soils. A spectrometer ranging from 2 to 16 μm, D&P Model 102, has been used to measure samples with singular spectral features, e.g. a sandy soil rich in gypsum sampled in White Sands (New Mexico, USA), salt samples, powdered quartz, and powdered calcite. These samples were chosen for their role in the assessment of thermal emissivity of soils, e.g., the calcite and quartz contents are key variables for modeling TIR emissivities of bare soils, along with soil moisture and organic matter. Additionally, the existence of large areas in the world with abundance of these materials, some of them used for calibration/validation activities of satellite sensors and products, makes the chosen samples interesting. White Sands is the world's largest gypsum dune field encompassing 400 km^2; the salt samples characterize the Salar of Uyuni (Bolivia), the largest salt flat in the world (up to 10,000 km^2), as well as the Jordanian and Israeli salt evaporation ponds at the south end of the Dead Sea, or the evaporation lagoons in Aigües-Mortes (France); and quartz is omnipresent in most of the arid regions of the world such as the Algodones Dunes or Kelso Dunes (California, USA), with areas around 700 km2 and 120 km^2, respectively. Measurements of target leaving radiance, hemispherical radiance reflected by a diffuse reflectance panel, and the radiance from a black body at different temperatures were taken to obtain thermal spectra with the D&P spectrometer. The good consistency observed between our measurements and laboratory spectra of similar samples (ASTER and MODIS spectral libraries) indicated the validity of the measurement protocol. Further, our study showed the high precision achieved by in situ spectra of real covers (instead of laboratory measurements over microscopic portions of samples). Several spectral features were observed: 1) the high spectral contrast of gypsum in the TIR, which emissivity decreases from 0.98 up to 0.70 around 8.6 μm, 2) the broad absorption band of salt in the infrared (low emissivity at wavelengths lower than 16.7 μm), 3) the weak absorption feature of the quartz Reststrahlen bands (low emissivity between 7.7 and 9.7 μm, and near 12.6 μm), and 4) the absorption features near 11.4 μm and 14.0 μm characteristics of calcite.

Search for Feo and Pyroxene on MERCURY?S Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sprague, Ann L.; Emery, Joshua P.

Results from spectral observations of Mercury's surface in the wavelength range 0.8 to 5.5 micrometers will be reported. The data were obtained at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea Hawaii. We used SpeX a long slit imaging system developed at the IRTF for high resolving power spatially resolved spectroscopy throughout the solar system. We aligned the spectral slit with Mercury's geographic longitude and systematically moved it across the Earth-facing disk to obtain multiple disk-resolved spectral images. The entire data set provides spatial coverage of the Earth-facing disk limited only by atmospheric turbulence and the diffraction limit for each wavelength. We used SpeX in two spectral regions in the R 2000 mode. In the first case between 0.8 and 2.5 micrometer to search for the 0.9 to 1.0 micrometer reflectance absorption feature caused by the Fe2+ electronic transfer in FeO. We also measured the 4.5 to 5.5 micrometer flux from Mercury. This is a region of diagnostic features caused by the presence of volume scattering in pyroxene and olivine. These data will be compared to previous observations that showed an anomalous emission feature at 5.5 micrometer and to others that exhibited a feature closely resembling that from pyroxene.

A continuum from clear to cloudy hot-Jupiter exoplanets without primordial water depletion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sing, David K.; Fortney, Jonathan J.; Nikolov, Nikolay; Wakeford, Hannah R.; Kataria, Tiffany; Evans, Thomas M.; Aigrain, Suzanne; Ballester, Gilda E.; Burrows, Adam S.; Deming, Drake; Désert, Jean-Michel; Gibson, Neale P.; Henry, Gregory W.; Huitson, Catherine M.; Knutson, Heather A.; Lecavelier Des Etangs, Alain; Pont, Frederic; Showman, Adam P.; Vidal-Madjar, Alfred; Williamson, Michael H.; Wilson, Paul A.

2016-01-01

Thousands of transiting exoplanets have been discovered, but spectral analysis of their atmospheres has so far been dominated by a small number of exoplanets and data spanning relatively narrow wavelength ranges (such as 1.1-1.7 micrometres). Recent studies show that some hot-Jupiter exoplanets have much weaker water absorption features in their near-infrared spectra than predicted. The low amplitude of water signatures could be explained by very low water abundances, which may be a sign that water was depleted in the protoplanetary disk at the planet’s formation location, but it is unclear whether this level of depletion can actually occur. Alternatively, these weak signals could be the result of obscuration by clouds or hazes, as found in some optical spectra. Here we report results from a comparative study of ten hot Jupiters covering the wavelength range 0.3-5 micrometres, which allows us to resolve both the optical scattering and infrared molecular absorption spectroscopically. Our results reveal a diverse group of hot Jupiters that exhibit a continuum from clear to cloudy atmospheres. We find that the difference between the planetary radius measured at optical and infrared wavelengths is an effective metric for distinguishing different atmosphere types. The difference correlates with the spectral strength of water, so that strong water absorption lines are seen in clear-atmosphere planets and the weakest features are associated with clouds and hazes. This result strongly suggests that primordial water depletion during formation is unlikely and that clouds and hazes are the cause of weaker spectral signatures.

A continuum from clear to cloudy hot-Jupiter exoplanets without primordial water depletion.

PubMed

Sing, David K; Fortney, Jonathan J; Nikolov, Nikolay; Wakeford, Hannah R; Kataria, Tiffany; Evans, Thomas M; Aigrain, Suzanne; Ballester, Gilda E; Burrows, Adam S; Deming, Drake; Désert, Jean-Michel; Gibson, Neale P; Henry, Gregory W; Huitson, Catherine M; Knutson, Heather A; des Etangs, Alain Lecavelier; Pont, Frederic; Showman, Adam P; Vidal-Madjar, Alfred; Williamson, Michael H; Wilson, Paul A

2016-01-07

Thousands of transiting exoplanets have been discovered, but spectral analysis of their atmospheres has so far been dominated by a small number of exoplanets and data spanning relatively narrow wavelength ranges (such as 1.1-1.7 micrometres). Recent studies show that some hot-Jupiter exoplanets have much weaker water absorption features in their near-infrared spectra than predicted. The low amplitude of water signatures could be explained by very low water abundances, which may be a sign that water was depleted in the protoplanetary disk at the planet's formation location, but it is unclear whether this level of depletion can actually occur. Alternatively, these weak signals could be the result of obscuration by clouds or hazes, as found in some optical spectra. Here we report results from a comparative study of ten hot Jupiters covering the wavelength range 0.3-5 micrometres, which allows us to resolve both the optical scattering and infrared molecular absorption spectroscopically. Our results reveal a diverse group of hot Jupiters that exhibit a continuum from clear to cloudy atmospheres. We find that the difference between the planetary radius measured at optical and infrared wavelengths is an effective metric for distinguishing different atmosphere types. The difference correlates with the spectral strength of water, so that strong water absorption lines are seen in clear-atmosphere planets and the weakest features are associated with clouds and hazes. This result strongly suggests that primordial water depletion during formation is unlikely and that clouds and hazes are the cause of weaker spectral signatures.

Iron alteration minerals in the visible and near-infrared spectra of low-albedo asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vilas, Faith; Jarvis, Kandy S.; Gaffey, Michael J.

1994-01-01

Absorption features centered near 0.60-0.65 and 0.80-0.90 micrometers have been identified in the spectra of five low-albedo main-belt and outer-belt asteroids. These absorption features are attributed respectively to the (6)A(sub 1) goes to (4)T(sub 2)(G) and (6)A(sub 1) goes to (4)T(sub 1)(G) charge transfer transitions in minerals such as goethite, hematite, and jarosite that are products of the aqueous alteration of anhydrous silicates. A shoulder near 0.63 micrometers has also been identified in the absorption feature centered near 0.7 micrometers attributed to oxidized iron in phyllosilicates found predominantly in C- and G-class asteroids reflectance spectra. The coexistence of iron oxides with phyllosilicates in asteroids believed to have undergone aqueous alteration would be expected based upon analogy with terrestrial aqueous alteration and the observed mineralogy of carbonaceous chondrites. The number of low-albedo asteroids having only iron alteration absorption features compared to the number of low-albedo asteroids having spectral characteristics indicative of phyllosilicates is small. Either the conditions under which these asteroids formed are rare, or the iron alteration minerals could be formed in the interiors of objects where phyllosilicates dominate the surface mineralogy.

Use of airborne imaging spectrometer data to map minerals associated with hydrothermally altered rocks in the northern grapevine mountains, Nevada, and California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kruse, F.A.

1988-01-01

Three flightlines of Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) data, acquired over the northern Grapevine Mountains, Nevada, and California, were used to map minerals associated with hydrothermally altered rocks. The data were processed to remove vertical striping, normalized using an equal area normalization, and reduced to reflectance relative to an average spectrum derived from the data. An algorithm was developed to automatically calculate the absorption band parameters band position, band depth, and band width for the strongest absorption feature in each pixel. These parameters were mapped into an intensity, hue, saturation (IHS) color system to produce a single color image that summarized the absorption band information, This image was used to map areas of potential alteration based upon the predicted relationships between the color image and mineral absorption band. Individual AIS spectra for these areas were then examined to identify specific minerals. Two types of alteration were mapped with the AIS data. Areas of quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration were identified based upon a strong absorption feature near 2.21 ??m, a weak shoulder near 2.25 ??m, and a weak absorption band near 2.35 ??m caused by sericite (fine-grained muscovite). Areas of argillic alteration were defined based on the presence of montmorillonite, identified by a weak to moderate absorption feature near 2.21 ??m and the absence of the 2.35 ??m band. Montmorillonite could not be identified in mineral mixtures. Calcite and dolomite were identified based on sharp absorption features near 2.34 and 2.32 ??m, respectively. Areas of alteration identified using the AIS data corresponded well with areas mapped using field mapping, field reflectance spectra, and laboratory spectral measurements. ?? 1988.

Thermal Pressure in Diffuse H2 Gas Measured by Herschel [C II] Emission and FUSE UV H2 Absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velusamy, T.; Langer, W. D.; Goldsmith, P. F.; Pineda, J. L.

2017-04-01

UV absorption studies with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite have made important observations of H2 molecular gas in Galactic interstellar translucent and diffuse clouds. Observations of the 158 μm [C II] fine-structure line with Herschel trace the same H2 molecular gas in emission. We present [C II] observations along 27 lines of sight (LOSs) toward target stars of which 25 have FUSE H2 UV absorption. Two stars have only HST STIS C II λ2325 absorption data. We detect [C II] 158 μm emission features in all but one target LOS. For three target LOSs that are close to the Galactic plane, | {\\text{}}b| < 1°, we also present position-velocity maps of [C II] emission observed by Herschel Heterodyne Instrument in the Far Infrared (HIFI) in on-the-fly spectral-line mapping. We use the velocity-resolved [C II] spectra observed by the HIFI instrument toward the target LOSs observed by FUSE to identify [C II] velocity components associated with the H2 clouds. We analyze the observed velocity integrated [C II] spectral-line intensities in terms of the densities and thermal pressures in the H2 gas using the H2 column densities and temperatures measured by the UV absorption data. We present the H2 gas densities and thermal pressures for 26 target LOSs and from the [C II] intensities derive a mean thermal pressure in the range of ˜6100-7700 K cm-3 in diffuse H2 clouds. We discuss the thermal pressures and densities toward 14 targets, comparing them to results obtained using the UV absorption data for two other tracers C I and CO. Our results demonstrate the richness of the far-IR [C II] spectral data which is a valuable complement to the UV H2 absorption data for studying diffuse H2 molecular clouds. While the UV absorption is restricted to the directions of the target star, far-IR [C II] line emission offers an opportunity to employ velocity-resolved spectral-line mapping capability to study in detail the clouds’ spatial and velocity structures.

On-chip spectroscopy with thermally tuned high-Q photonic crystal cavities

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

Liapis, Andreas C., E-mail: andreas.liapis@gmail.com; Gao, Boshen; Siddiqui, Mahmudur R.

2016-01-11

Spectroscopic methods are a sensitive way to determine the chemical composition of potentially hazardous materials. Here, we demonstrate that thermally tuned high-Q photonic crystal cavities can be used as a compact high-resolution on-chip spectrometer. We have used such a chip-scale spectrometer to measure the absorption spectra of both acetylene and hydrogen cyanide in the 1550 nm spectral band and show that we can discriminate between the two chemical species even though the two materials have spectral features in the same spectral region. Our results pave the way for the development of chip-size chemical sensors that can detect toxic substances.

Theory and Simulation of Exoplanetary Atmospheric Haze: Giant Spectral Line Broadening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadeghpour, Hossein; Felfeli, Zineb; Kharchenko, Vasili; Babb, James; Vrinceanu, Daniel

2018-01-01

Prominent spectral features in observed transmission spectra of exoplanets are obscured. Atmospheric haze is the leading candidate for the flattening of spectral transmission of expolanetray occultation, but also for solar system planets, Earth and cometary atmospheres. Such spectra which carry information about how the planetary atmospheres become opaque to stellar light in transit, show broad absorption where strong absorption lines from sodium or potassium and water are predicted to exist. In this work, we develop a detailed atomistic theoretical model, taking into account interaction between an atomic or molecular radiator with dust and haze particulates. Our model considers a realistic structure of haze particulates from small seed particles up to sub-micron irregularly shaped aggregates. This theory of interaction between haze and radiator particles allows to consider nearly all realistic structure, size and chemical composition of haze particulates. The computed shift and broadening of emission spectra will include both quasi-static (mean field) and collisional (pressure) shift and broadening. Our spectral calculations will be verified with available laboratory experimental data on spectra of alkali atoms in liquid droplet, solid ice, dust and dense gaseous environments. The simplicity, elegance and generality of the proposed model makes it amenable to a broad community of users in astrophysics and chemistry. The verified models can be used for analysis of emission and absorption spectra of alkali atoms from exoplanets, solar system planets, satellites and comets.

III-V semiconductor resonators: A new strategy for broadband light perfect absorbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiaoshan; Chen, Jian; Liu, Jiasong; Huang, Zhenping; Yu, Meidong; Pan, Pingping; Liu, Zhengqi

2017-11-01

Broadband light perfect absorbers (BPAs) are desirable for applications in numerous optoelectronics devices. In this work, a semiconductor-based broadband light perfect absorber (S-BPA) has been numerically demonstrated by utilizing plasmonlike resonances of high-index semiconductor resonators. A maximal absorption of 99.7% is observed in the near-infrared region. By taking the absorption above 80% into account, the spectral bandwidth reaches 340 nm. The absorption properties mainly originate from the optical cavity modes induced by the cylinder resonators and ultrathin semiconductor film. These optical properties and simple structural features can maintain the absorber platform with wide applications in semiconductor optoelectronics.

Differential optical absorption spectrometer for measurement of tropospheric pollutants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evangelisti, F.; Baroncelli, A.; Bonasoni, P.; Giovanelli, G.; Ravegnani, F.

1995-05-01

Our institute has recently developed a differential optical absorption spectrometry system called the gas analyzer spectrometer correlating optical absorption differences (GASCOAD), which features as a detector a linear image sensor that uses an artificial light source for long-path tropospheric-pollution monitoring. The GASCOAD, its method of eliminating interference from background sky light, and subsequent spectral analysis are reported and discussed. The spectrometer was used from 7 to 22 February 1993 in Milan, a heavily polluted metropolitan area, to measure the concentrations of SO2, NO2, O3, and HNO2 averaged over a 1.7-km horizontal light path. The findings are reported and briefly discussed.

Growth and Spectral Assessment of Yb3+-Doped KBaGd(MoO4)3 Crystal: A Candidate for Ultrashort Pulse and Tunable Lasers

PubMed Central

Yu, Yi; Huang, Yisheng; Zhang, Lizhen; Lin, Zhoubin; Wang, Guofu

2013-01-01

In order to explore new more powerful ultrashort pulse laser and tunable laser for diode-pumping, this paper reports the growth and spectral assessment of Yb3+-doped KBaGd(MoO4)3 crystal. An Yb3+:KBaGd(MoO4)3 crystal with dimensions of 50×40×9 mm3 was grown by the TSSG method from the K2Mo2O7 flux. The investigated spectral properties indicated that Yb3+:KBaGd(MoO4)3 crystal exhibits broad absorption and emission bands, except the large emission and gain cross-sections. This feature of the broad absorption and emission bands is not only suitable for the diode pumping, but also for the production of ultrashort pulses and tunability. Therefore, Yb3+:KBaGd(MoO4)3 crystal can be regarded as a candidate for the ultrashort pulse and tunable lasers. PMID:23349892

Growth and spectral assessment of Yb(3+)-doped KBaGd(MoO4)3 crystal: a candidate for ultrashort pulse and tunable lasers.

PubMed

Yu, Yi; Huang, Yisheng; Zhang, Lizhen; Lin, Zhoubin; Wang, Guofu

2013-01-01

In order to explore new more powerful ultrashort pulse laser and tunable laser for diode-pumping, this paper reports the growth and spectral assessment of Yb(3+)-doped KBaGd(MoO(4))(3) crystal. An Yb(3+):KBaGd(MoO(4))(3) crystal with dimensions of 50×40×9 mm(3) was grown by the TSSG method from the K(2)Mo(2)O(7) flux. The investigated spectral properties indicated that Yb(3+):KBaGd(MoO(4))(3) crystal exhibits broad absorption and emission bands, except the large emission and gain cross-sections. This feature of the broad absorption and emission bands is not only suitable for the diode pumping, but also for the production of ultrashort pulses and tunability. Therefore, Yb(3+):KBaGd(MoO(4))(3) crystal can be regarded as a candidate for the ultrashort pulse and tunable lasers.

Using principal component analysis to understand the variability of PDS 456

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, M. L.; Reeves, J. N.; Matzeu, G. A.; Buisson, D. J. K.; Fabian, A. C.

2018-02-01

We present a spectral-variability analysis of the low-redshift quasar PDS 456 using principal component analysis. In the XMM-Newton data, we find a strong peak in the first principal component at the energy of the Fe absorption line from the highly blueshifted outflow. This indicates that the absorption feature is more variable than the continuum, and that it is responding to the continuum. We find qualitatively different behaviour in the Suzaku data, which is dominated by changes in the column density of neutral absorption. In this case, we find no evidence of the absorption produced by the highly ionized gas being correlated with this variability. Additionally, we perform simulations of the source variability, and demonstrate that PCA can trivially distinguish between outflow variability correlated, anticorrelated and un-correlated with the continuum flux. Here, the observed anticorrelation between the absorption line equivalent width and the continuum flux may be due to the ionization of the wind responding to the continuum. Finally, we compare our results with those found in the narrow-line Seyfert 1 IRAS 13224-3809. We find that the Fe K UFO feature is sharper and more prominent in PDS 456, but that it lacks the lower energy features from lighter elements found in IRAS 13224-3809, presumably due to differences in ionization.

Electromagnetic-radiation absorption by water.

PubMed

Lunkenheimer, P; Emmert, S; Gulich, R; Köhler, M; Wolf, M; Schwab, M; Loidl, A

2017-12-01

Why does a microwave oven work? How does biological tissue absorb electromagnetic radiation? Astonishingly, we do not have a definite answer to these simple questions because the microscopic processes governing the absorption of electromagnetic waves by water are largely unclarified. This absorption can be quantified by dielectric loss spectra, which reveal a huge peak at a frequency of the exciting electric field of about 20 GHz and a gradual tailing off toward higher frequencies. The microscopic interpretation of such spectra is highly controversial and various superpositions of relaxation and resonance processes ascribed to single-molecule or molecule-cluster motions have been proposed for their analysis. By combining dielectric, microwave, THz, and far-infrared spectroscopy, here we provide nearly continuous temperature-dependent broadband spectra of water. Moreover, we find that corresponding spectra for aqueous solutions reveal the same features as pure water. However, in contrast to the latter, crystallization in these solutions can be avoided by supercooling. As different spectral contributions tend to disentangle at low temperatures, this enables us to deconvolute them when approaching the glass transition under cooling. We find that the overall spectral development, including the 20 GHz feature (employed for microwave heating), closely resembles the behavior known for common supercooled liquids. Thus water's absorption of electromagnetic waves at room temperature is not unusual but very similar to that of glass-forming liquids at elevated temperatures, deep in the low-viscosity liquid regime, and should be interpreted along similar lines.

Use of spectral analogy to evaluate canopy reflectance sensitivity to leaf optical property

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baret, Frederic; Vanderbilt, Vern C.; Steven, Michael D.; Jacquemoud, Stephane

1993-01-01

The spectral variation of canopy reflectance is mostly governed by the absorption properties of the elements, hence the leaves, since their intrinsic scattering properties show very little spectral variation. The relationship between canopy reflectance and leaf reflectance measured at the red edge over sugar beet canopies was used to simulate canopy reflectance from leaf reflectance spectra measured over the whole spectral domain. The results show that the spectral analogies found allows accurate reconstruction of canopy reflectance spectra. Explicit assumptions about the very low spectral variation of leaf intrinsic scattering properties are thus indirectly justified. The sensitivity of canopy reflectance (rho(sub c)) to leaf optical properties can then be investigated from concurrent spectral variations of canopy (delta rho(sub c)/delta lambda) and leaf reflectance (delta rho(sub l)/delta lambda): (delta rho(sub c))/(delta rho(sub l)) = ((delta rho(sub c))/(delta lambda) ((delta rho( sub l))/(delta lambda))(sup -1)). This expression is strictly valid only when the optical properties of the soil background or the other vegetation elements such as bark are either spectrally flat or do not contribute significantly to canopy reflectance. Simulations using the SAIL and PROSPECT models demonstrate that the sensitivity of canopy reflectance to leaf reflectance is significant for large vegetation cover fractions in spectral domains where absorption is low. In these conditions, multiple, scattering enhances the leaf absorption features by a factor that can be greater than 2.0. To override the limitations of the SAIL model for the description of the canopy architecture, we tested the previous findings on experimental data. Concurrent canopy and leaf reflectance spectra were measured for a range of sugar beet canopies. The results show good agreement with the theoretical findings. Conclusions are drawn about the applicability of these findings, with particular attention to the potential detectability of leaf biochemical composition from canopy reflectance sensed from space.

Thermal Analysis of Unusual Local-scale Features on the Surface of Vesta

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tosi, F.; Capria, M. T.; DeSanctis, M. C.; Capaccioni, F.; Palomba, E.; Zambon, F.; Ammannito, E.; Blewett, D. T.; Combe, J.-Ph.; Denevi, B. W.;

Mapping advanced argillic alteration zones with ASTER and Hyperion data in the Andes Mountains of Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos, Yuddy; Goïta, Kalifa; Péloquin, Stéphane

2016-04-01

This study evaluates Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and Hyperion hyperspectral sensor datasets to detect advanced argillic minerals. The spectral signatures of some alteration clay minerals, such as dickite and alunite, have similar absorption features; thus separating them using multispectral satellite images is a complex challenge. However, Hyperion with its fine spectral bands has potential for good separability of features. The Spectral Angle Mapper algorithm was used in this study to map three advanced argillic alteration minerals (alunite, kaolinite, and dickite) in a known alteration zone in the Peruvian Andes. The results from ASTER and Hyperion were analyzed, compared, and validated using a Portable Infrared Mineral Analyzer field spectrometer. The alterations corresponding to kaolinite and alunite were detected with both ASTER and Hyperion (80% to 84% accuracy). However, the dickite mineral was identified only with Hyperion (82% accuracy).

Cometary science. The organic-rich surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko as seen by VIRTIS/Rosetta.

PubMed

Capaccioni, F; Coradini, A; Filacchione, G; Erard, S; Arnold, G; Drossart, P; De Sanctis, M C; Bockelee-Morvan, D; Capria, M T; Tosi, F; Leyrat, C; Schmitt, B; Quirico, E; Cerroni, P; Mennella, V; Raponi, A; Ciarniello, M; McCord, T; Moroz, L; Palomba, E; Ammannito, E; Barucci, M A; Bellucci, G; Benkhoff, J; Bibring, J P; Blanco, A; Blecka, M; Carlson, R; Carsenty, U; Colangeli, L; Combes, M; Combi, M; Crovisier, J; Encrenaz, T; Federico, C; Fink, U; Fonti, S; Ip, W H; Irwin, P; Jaumann, R; Kuehrt, E; Langevin, Y; Magni, G; Mottola, S; Orofino, V; Palumbo, P; Piccioni, G; Schade, U; Taylor, F; Tiphene, D; Tozzi, G P; Beck, P; Biver, N; Bonal, L; Combe, J-Ph; Despan, D; Flamini, E; Fornasier, S; Frigeri, A; Grassi, D; Gudipati, M; Longobardo, A; Markus, K; Merlin, F; Orosei, R; Rinaldi, G; Stephan, K; Cartacci, M; Cicchetti, A; Giuppi, S; Hello, Y; Henry, F; Jacquinod, S; Noschese, R; Peter, G; Politi, R; Reess, J M; Semery, A

2015-01-23

The VIRTIS (Visible, Infrared and Thermal Imaging Spectrometer) instrument on board the Rosetta spacecraft has provided evidence of carbon-bearing compounds on the nucleus of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The very low reflectance of the nucleus (normal albedo of 0.060 ± 0.003 at 0.55 micrometers), the spectral slopes in visible and infrared ranges (5 to 25 and 1.5 to 5% kÅ(-1)), and the broad absorption feature in the 2.9-to-3.6-micrometer range present across the entire illuminated surface are compatible with opaque minerals associated with nonvolatile organic macromolecular materials: a complex mixture of various types of carbon-hydrogen and/or oxygen-hydrogen chemical groups, with little contribution of nitrogen-hydrogen groups. In active areas, the changes in spectral slope and absorption feature width may suggest small amounts of water-ice. However, no ice-rich patches are observed, indicating a generally dehydrated nature for the surface currently illuminated by the Sun. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Spectral features of the tunneling-induced transparency and the Autler-Townes doublet and triplet in a triple quantum dot.

PubMed

Luo, Xiao-Qing; Li, Zeng-Zhao; Jing, Jun; Xiong, Wei; Li, Tie-Fu; Yu, Ting

2018-02-15

We theoretically investigate the spectral features of tunneling-induced transparency (TIT) and Autler-Townes (AT) doublet and triplet in a triple-quantum-dot system. By analyzing the eigenenergy spectrum of the system Hamiltonian, we can discriminate TIT and double TIT from AT doublet and triplet, respectively. For the resonant case, the presence of the TIT does not exhibit distinguishable anticrossing in the eigenenergy spectrum in the weak-tunneling regime, while the occurrence of double anticrossings in the strong-tunneling regime shows that the TIT evolves to the AT doublet. For the off-resonance case, the appearance of a new detuning-dependent dip in the absorption spectrum leads to double TIT behavior in the weak-tunneling regime due to no distinguished anticrossing occurring in the eigenenergy spectrum. However, in the strong-tunneling regime, a new detuning-dependent dip in the absorption spectrum results in AT triplet owing to the presence of triple anticrossings in the eigenenergy spectrum. Our results can be applied to quantum measurement and quantum-optics devices in solid systems.

USGS Digital Spectral Library splib06a

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Roger N.; Swayze, Gregg A.; Wise, Richard A.; Livo, K. Eric; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Sutley, Stephen J.

2007-01-01

Introduction We have assembled a digital reflectance spectral library that covers the wavelength range from the ultraviolet to far infrared along with sample documentation. The library includes samples of minerals, rocks, soils, physically constructed as well as mathematically computed mixtures, plants, vegetation communities, microorganisms, and man-made materials. The samples and spectra collected were assembled for the purpose of using spectral features for the remote detection of these and similar materials. Analysis of spectroscopic data from laboratory, aircraft, and spacecraft instrumentation requires a knowledge base. The spectral library discussed here forms a knowledge base for the spectroscopy of minerals and related materials of importance to a variety of research programs being conducted at the U.S. Geological Survey. Much of this library grew out of the need for spectra to support imaging spectroscopy studies of the Earth and planets. Imaging spectrometers, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Airborne Visible/Infra Red Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) or the NASA Cassini Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) which is currently orbiting Saturn, have narrow bandwidths in many contiguous spectral channels that permit accurate definition of absorption features in spectra from a variety of materials. Identification of materials from such data requires a comprehensive spectral library of minerals, vegetation, man-made materials, and other subjects in the scene. Our research involves the use of the spectral library to identify the components in a spectrum of an unknown. Therefore, the quality of the library must be very good. However, the quality required in a spectral library to successfully perform an investigation depends on the scientific questions to be answered and the type of algorithms to be used. For example, to map a mineral using imaging spectroscopy and the mapping algorithm of Clark and others (1990a, 2003b), one simply needs a diagnostic absorption band. The mapping system uses continuum-removed reference spectral features fitted to features in observed spectra. Spectral features for such algorithms can be obtained from a spectrum of a sample containing large amounts of contaminants, including those that add other spectral features, as long as the shape of the diagnostic feature of interest is not modified. If, however, the data are needed for radiative transfer models to derive mineral abundances from reflectance spectra, then completely uncontaminated spectra are required. This library contains spectra that span a range of quality, with purity indicators to flag spectra for (or against) particular uses. Acquiring spectral measurements and performing sample characterizations for this library has taken about 15 person-years of effort. Software to manage the library and provide scientific analysis capability is provided (Clark, 1980, 1993). A personal computer (PC) reader for the library is also available (Livo and others, 1993). The program reads specpr binary files (Clark, 1980, 1993) and plots spectra. Another program that reads the specpr format is written in IDL (Kokaly, 2005). In our view, an ideal spectral library consists of samples covering a very wide range of materials, has large wavelength range with very high precision, and has enough sample analyses and documentation to establish the quality of the spectra. Time and available resources limit what can be achieved. Ideally, for each mineral, the sample analysis would include X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron microprobe (EM) or X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and petrographic microscopic analyses. For some minerals, such as iron oxides, additional analyses such as Mossbauer would be helpful. We have found that to make the basic spectral measurements, provide XRD, EM or XRF analyses, and microscopic analyses, document the results, and complete an entry of one spectral library sample, all takes about

Monitoring cyanobacterial blooms by satellite remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kutser, Tiit; Metsamaa, Liisa; Strömbeck, Niklas; Vahtmäe, Ele

2006-03-01

Cyanobacterial blooms are attracting the increasing attention of environment agencies, water authorities, and human and animal health organizations, since they can present a range of amenity, water quality ant treatment problems, and hazards to human and animal health. The problem is especially acute in the Baltic Sea where cyanobacterial blooms occur every summer covering areas of more than 100 000 km 2. It has been shown that quantitative mapping of cyanobacteria during bloom conditions is possible with hyperspectral instruments. These sensors, however, cannot provide synoptic spatial coverage and high revisit times needed for near real-time monitoring of potentially harmful blooms. The aim was to estimate whether spectral resolution of multispectral sensors, which can provide needed coverage, is adequate for quantitative mapping of cyanobacteria and whether it is possible to separate potentially harmful blooms of cyanobacteria from waters dominated by algae using ocean colour satellites. The modelling results show that multispectral sensors like ALI, Landsat or MODIS are not capable of separating waters dominated by cyanobacteria from waters dominated by other algae species, as their spectral band configuration does not allow detecting absorption features caused by phycocyanin (present primarily in cyanobacteria) or any other spectral features that are characteristic to cyanobacteria only. MERIS bands 6 and 7 allow detecting phycocyanin absorption feature near 630 nm and a small peak in reflectance spectra near 650 nm characteristic to only cyanobacteria. Thus, MERIS can be used in detecting cyanobacteria if they are present in relatively high quantities. Unfortunately it is not possible to use MERIS for early warning of emerging potentially harmful blooms as the minimum biomass needed to cause features in reflectance spectra typical to cyanobacteria is higher than the biomass already considered as a bloom in the Baltic Sea.

Radial measurements of IMF-sensitive absorption features in two massive ETGs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaughan, Sam P.; Davies, Roger L.; Zieleniewski, Simon; Houghton, Ryan C. W.

2018-03-01

We make radial measurements of stellar initial mass function (IMF) sensitive absorption features in the two massive early-type galaxies NGC 1277 and IC 843. Using the Oxford Short Wavelength Integral Field specTrogaph (SWIFT), we obtain resolved measurements of the Na I 0.82 and FeH 0.99 indices, amongst others, finding both galaxies show strong gradients in Na I absorption combined with flat FeH profiles at ˜0.4 Å. We find these measurements may be explained by radial gradients in the IMF, appropriate abundance gradients in [Na/Fe] and [Fe/H], or a combination of the two, and our data are unable to break this degeneracy. We also use full spectral fitting to infer global properties from an integrated spectrum of each object, deriving a unimodal IMF slope consistent with Salpeter in IC 843 (x = 2.27 ± 0.17) but steeper than Salpeter in NGC 1277 (x = 2.69 ± 0.11), despite their similar FeH equivalent widths. Independently, we fit the strength of the FeH feature and compare to the E-MILES and CvD12 stellar population libraries, finding agreement between the models. The IMF values derived in this way are in close agreement with those from spectral fitting in NGC 1277 (x_{CvD}=2.59^{+0.25}_{-0.48}, x_{E-MILES}=2.77± 0.31), but are less consistent in IC 843, with the IMF derived from FeH alone leading to steeper slopes than when fitting the full spectrum (x_{CvD}=2.57^{+0.30}_{-0.41}, x_{E-MILES}=2.72± 0.25). This work highlights the importance of a large wavelength coverage for breaking the degeneracy between abundance and IMF variations, and may bring into doubt the use of the Wing-Ford band as an IMF index if used without other spectral information.

Carbon X-ray absorption spectra of fluoroethenes and acetone: A study at the coupled cluster, density functional, and static-exchange levels of theory

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

Fransson, Thomas; Norman, Patrick; Coriani, Sonia

2013-03-28

Near carbon K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectra of a series of fluorine-substituted ethenes and acetone have been studied using coupled cluster and density functional theory (DFT) polarization propagator methods, as well as the static-exchange (STEX) approach. With the complex polarization propagator (CPP) implemented in coupled cluster theory, relaxation effects following the excitation of core electrons are accounted for in terms of electron correlation, enabling a systematic convergence of these effects with respect to electron excitations in the cluster operator. Coupled cluster results have been used as benchmarks for the assessment of propagator methods in DFT as well as themore » state-specific static-exchange approach. Calculations on ethene and 1,1-difluoroethene illustrate the possibility of using nonrelativistic coupled cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) with additional effects of electron correlation and relativity added as scalar shifts in energetics. It has been demonstrated that CPP spectra obtained with coupled cluster singles and approximate doubles (CC2), CCSD, and DFT (with a Coulomb attenuated exchange-correlation functional) yield excellent predictions of chemical shifts for vinylfluoride, 1,1-difluoroethene, trifluoroethene, as well as good spectral features for acetone in the case of CCSD and DFT. Following this, CPP-DFT is considered to be a viable option for the calculation of X-ray absorption spectra of larger {pi}-conjugated systems, and CC2 is deemed applicable for chemical shifts but not for studies of fine structure features. The CCSD method as well as the more approximate CC2 method are shown to yield spectral features relating to {pi}*-resonances in good agreement with experiment, not only for the aforementioned molecules but also for ethene, cis-1,2-difluoroethene, and tetrafluoroethene. The STEX approach is shown to underestimate {pi}*-peak separations due to spectral compressions, a characteristic which is inherent to this method.« less

Carbon X-ray absorption spectra of fluoroethenes and acetone: a study at the coupled cluster, density functional, and static-exchange levels of theory.

PubMed

Fransson, Thomas; Coriani, Sonia; Christiansen, Ove; Norman, Patrick

2013-03-28

Near carbon K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectra of a series of fluorine-substituted ethenes and acetone have been studied using coupled cluster and density functional theory (DFT) polarization propagator methods, as well as the static-exchange (STEX) approach. With the complex polarization propagator (CPP) implemented in coupled cluster theory, relaxation effects following the excitation of core electrons are accounted for in terms of electron correlation, enabling a systematic convergence of these effects with respect to electron excitations in the cluster operator. Coupled cluster results have been used as benchmarks for the assessment of propagator methods in DFT as well as the state-specific static-exchange approach. Calculations on ethene and 1,1-difluoroethene illustrate the possibility of using nonrelativistic coupled cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) with additional effects of electron correlation and relativity added as scalar shifts in energetics. It has been demonstrated that CPP spectra obtained with coupled cluster singles and approximate doubles (CC2), CCSD, and DFT (with a Coulomb attenuated exchange-correlation functional) yield excellent predictions of chemical shifts for vinylfluoride, 1,1-difluoroethene, trifluoroethene, as well as good spectral features for acetone in the case of CCSD and DFT. Following this, CPP-DFT is considered to be a viable option for the calculation of X-ray absorption spectra of larger π-conjugated systems, and CC2 is deemed applicable for chemical shifts but not for studies of fine structure features. The CCSD method as well as the more approximate CC2 method are shown to yield spectral features relating to π∗-resonances in good agreement with experiment, not only for the aforementioned molecules but also for ethene, cis-1,2-difluoroethene, and tetrafluoroethene. The STEX approach is shown to underestimate π∗-peak separations due to spectral compressions, a characteristic which is inherent to this method.

Comparing the VIRTIS Spectrum of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko to Wild 2 and in Primitive Interplanetary Dust Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flynn, George

2016-04-01

The Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) instrument, a point spectrometer with high spectral resolution covering the range from 2 to 5 microns, on the ESA Rosetta spacecraft obtained spectra of the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The spectral region covered by VIRTIS has been well studied in meteorites, interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) collected by NASA from the Earth's stratosphere, and the samples of Comet 81P/Wild 2 that were delivered to Earth by the NASA Stardust spacecraft. Infrared spectra of the nucleus of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko acquired by VIRTIS show a broad absorption band observed at ~3.3 μm, a region of the spectrum where C-H, O-H, and N-H stretching features occur (Capaccioni et al., 2015). This broad feature is similar to the O-H feature exhibited by hydrous minerals, but shifted to a significantly longer wavelength. Capaccioni et al. (2015) compared the VIRTIS spectra to laboratory spectra of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites of the CI, CM, and CR types and concluded that none of the typical features of these meteorite spectra are compatible with the spectra of the surface of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Comparison of VIRTIS spectra of 67P/ Churyumov-Gerasimenko to the laboratory spectra of well-characterized extraterrestrial materials including the Wild 2 dust and the IDPs, a significant fraction of which are believed to be cometary, could aid in the interpretation of the 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko spectra. None of the Wild 2 particles examined by infrared spectroscopy exhibit an O-H feature, but this may be due to the high temperature reached during their capture in the aerogel collection medium. The O-H feature is also absent in all anhydrous IDPs. The hydrous IDPs exhibit varying strengths of both aliphatic C-H absorption features and the O-H absorption feature, but, as with the meteorites, the O-H feature occurs at a significantly shorter wavelength than the broad feature detected in 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Only one of the more than 50 IDPs analyzed by infrared spectroscopy has an infrared spectrum similar to that of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This large, hydrous IDP, L2021 C10, has a broad absorption feature centered at the same position as the feature observed in 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. In the case of L2021 C10 this feature is attributed to an O-H absorption feature in the position normally seen in hydrous minerals as well as a broad aromatic C-H feature, rarely detected in IDPs, and the aliphatic C-H feature seen in all IDPs examined thus far (Flynn et al., 2004). In the case of the VIRTIS spectrum of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko the apparent shift of the broad O-H feature may actually result from the superposition of O-H and aromatic C-H features, both at their normal wavelengths. References: Capaccioni, F. et al. (2015) Science, 347 no. 6220, DOI: 10.1126/science.aaa0628. Flynn, G. J. et al. (2004) Advances in Space Research, 33, 57-66.

Spectral Characteristics of Young Stars Associated with the Sh2-296 Nebula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandes, Beatriz; Gregorio-Hetem, Jane

Aiming to contribute to the understanding of star formation and evolution in the Canis Major (CMa R1) Molecular Clouds Complex, we analyze the spectral characteristics of a population of young stars associated with the arc-shaped nebula Sh2-296. Our XMM/Newton observations detected 109 X-ray sources in the region and optical spectroscopy was performed with Gemini telescope for 85 optical counterparts. We identified and characterized 51 objects that present features typically found in young objects, such as Hα emission and strong absorption on the Li I line.

Fröhlich resonance in carbon nanospiroids and the 2175 Å interstellar absorption feature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yastrebov, Sergey; Chekulaev, Maxim; Siklitskaya, Alexandra; Majewski, Jacek A.; Smith, Roger

2017-02-01

This paper demonstrates that a free electron gas model accurately simulates the spectral dependence of optical extinction spectra for carbon spiroids under the assumption that free electrons are confined in an homogeneous spherical particle owing to the delocalisation of π electrons that occurs in the actual spectral range. This effect can occur in the spiroid, rather than a spheroid (onion) due to the variable radii of the spiral turns as a function of distance from the centre, which are smaller than typical values for the spheroid.

Using a Weak CN Spectral Feature as a Marker for Massive AGB Stars in the Andromeda Galaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guhathakurta, Puragra; Kamath, Anika; Sales, Alyssa; Sarukkai, Atmika; Hays, Jon; PHAT Collaboration; SPLASH Collaboration

2017-01-01

The Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury (PHAT) survey has produced six-filter photometry at near-ultraviolet, optical and nearly infrared wavelengths (F275W, F336W, F475W, F814W, F110W and F160W) for over 100 million stars in the disk of the of the Andromeda galaxy (M31). As part of the Spectroscopic and Photometric Landscape of Andromeda's Stellar Halo (SPLASH) survey, medium resolution (R ~ 2000) spectra covering the wavelength range 4500-9500A were obtained for over 5000 relatively bright stars from the PHAT source catalog using the Keck II 10-meter telescope and DEIMOS spectrograph. While searching for carbon stars in the spectroscopic data set, we discovered a rare population of stars that show a weak CN spectral absorption feature at ~7900A (much weaker than the CN feature in typical carbon stars) along with other spectral absorption features like TiO and the Ca triplet that are generally not present/visible in carbon star spectra but that are typical for normal stars with oxygen rich atmospheres. These 150 or so "weak CN" stars appear to be fairly localized in six-filter space (i.e., in various color-color and color-magnitude diagrams) but are generally offset from carbon stars. Comparison to PARSEC model stellar tracks indicates that these weak CN stars are probably massive (5-10 Msun) asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in a relatively short-lived core helium burning phase of their evolution. Careful spectroscopic analysis indicates that the details of the CN spectral feature are about 3-4x weaker in weak CN stars than in carbon stars. The kinematics of weak CN stars are similar to those of other young stars (e.g., massive main sequence stars) and reflect the well ordered rotation of M31's disk.This research project is funded in part by NASA/STScI and the National Science Foundation. Much of this work was carried out by high school students and undergraduates under the auspices of the Science Internship Program and LAMAT program at the University of California Santa Cruz.

SHARDS: Survey for High-z Absorption Red & Dead Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez-González, P. G.; Cava, A.

2013-05-01

SHARDS, an ESO/GTC Large Program, is an ultra-deep (26.5 mag) spectro-photometric survey with GTC/OSIRIS designed to select and study massive passively evolving galaxies at z=1.0-2.3 in the GOODS-N field using a set of 24 medium-band filters (FWHM~17 nm) covering the 500-950 nm spectral range. Our observing strategy has been planned to detect, for z>1 sources, the prominent Mg absorption feature (at rest-frame ~280 nm), a distinctive, necessary, and sufficient feature of evolved stellar populations (older than 0.5 Gyr). These observations are being used to: (1) derive for the first time an unbiased sample of high-z quiescent galaxies, which extends to fainter magnitudes the samples selected with color techniques and spectroscopic surveys; (2) derive accurate ages and stellar masses based on robust measurements of spectral features such as the Mg_UV or D(4000) indices; (3) measure their redshift with an accuracy Δz/(1+z)<0.02; and (4) study emission-line galaxies (starbursts and AGN) up to very high redshifts. The well-sampled optical SEDs provided by SHARDS for all sources in the GOODS-N field are a valuable complement for current and future surveys carried out with other telescopes (e.g., Spitzer, HST, and Herschel).

Spectra of small Koronis family members

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, C.; Rivkin, A.; Trilling, D.; Moskovitz, N.

2014-07-01

The space-weathering process and its implications for the relationships between S- and Q-type asteroids and ordinary chondrite meteorites are long-standing problems in asteroid science. Although the visible and near-infrared spectra of S- and Q-type objects qualitatively show the same absorption features and quantitatively show evidence of the same minerals, the S types display increased spectral slopes and muted absorption features compared to the Q types. This spectral mismatch is consistent with the effects of the space weathering process. Binzel et al. provided the missing link between Q- and S-type bodies in near-Earth space by showing a reddening of spectral slope in objects from 0.1 to 5 km that corresponded to the transition from Q- to S-type spectra. This result implied that size, and therefore age, is related to the relationship between Q- and S-type. The existence of Q-type objects in the main belt was not confirmed until Mothe-Diniz and Nesvorny (2008) found them in young S-type clusters. To investigate the trend from Q to S in the main belt, we examined space weathering within the old main-belt Koronis family using a spectrophotometric survey (Rivkin et al. 2011, Thomas et al. 2011). Rivkin et al. (2011) identified several potential Q-type objects within the Koronis family. Our Q-type candidates were identified using broad-band spectrophotometry and could not be taxonomically classified on that basis alone. We obtained follow-up visible and near-infrared spectral observations of our potential Q-type objects, (26970) Elias, (45610) 2000 DJ_{48}, and (37411) 2001 XF_{152}, using Gemini and Magellan. We will present the results of these spectral follow-up observations. Observations of (26970) Elias demonstrate that the object is more consistent with the average Q-type spectrum than the average S-type spectrum.

A Search for H I Lyα Counterparts to Ultrafast X-Ray Outflows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kriss, Gerard A.; Lee, Julia C.; Danehkar, Ashkbiz

2018-06-01

Prompted by the H I Lyα absorption associated with the X-ray ultrafast outflow at ‑17,300 km s‑1 in the quasar PG 1211+143, we have searched archival UV spectra at the expected locations of H I Lyα absorption for a large sample of ultrafast outflows identified in XMM-Newton and Suzaku observations. Sixteen of the X-ray outflows have predicted H I Lyα wavelengths falling within the bandpass of spectra from either the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer or the Hubble Space Telescope, although none of the archival observations were simultaneous with the X-ray observations in which ultrafast X-ray outflows (UFOs) were detected. In our spectra broad features with FWHM of 1000 km s‑1 have 2σ upper limits on the H I column density of generally ≲2 × 1013 cm‑2. Using grids of photoionization models covering a broad range of spectral energy distributions (SEDs), we find that producing Fe XXVI Lyα X-ray absorption with equivalent widths >30 eV and associated H I Lyα absorption with {N}{{H}{{I}}}< 2× {10}13 {cm}}-2 requires total absorbing column densities {N}{{H}}> 5× {10}22 {cm}}-2 and ionization parameters log ξ ≳ 3.7. Nevertheless, a wide range of SEDs would predict observable H I Lyα absorption if ionization parameters are only slightly below peak ionization fractions for Fe XXV and Fe XXVI. The lack of Lyα features in the archival UV spectra indicates that the UFOs have very high ionization parameters, that they have very hard UV-ionizing spectra, or that they were not present at the time of the UV spectral observations owing to variability.

UV Spectroscopy of Lucy Mission Targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Cristina

2017-08-01

The Trojan asteroids are a significant population of primitive bodies trapped in Jupiter's stable L4 and L5 Lagrange regions. Their physical properties and existence in these particular orbits constrain the chemical and dynamical processes in our early Solar System. NASA's recently selected Lucy mission will perform the first reconnaissance of these asteroids and will answer many fundamental questions about the population. The compositions of the Trojans are not well understood. Spectroscopy and spectrophotometry in visible and near-infrared wavelengths show red slopes (spectra with reflectivity increasing towards the long wavelength end of the spectrum) and no diagnostic spectral absorption features. However, past spectral and photometric observations suggest there are unobserved features in ultraviolet wavelengths. We propose to obtain ultraviolet spectroscopy with WFC3 of four Trojan asteroids that are targets of the Lucy mission. Lucy will not have the capability to obtain ultraviolet spectra. The proposed observations can only be made using Hubble. We will determine if there are UV spectral features, as suggested by visible wavelength observations, and connect these features to candidate compositional components. These observations will enable connections between the compositions of Trojans and dynamical models of the early Solar System.

Transparency of 2μ m window of Titan's atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rannou, P.; Seignovert, B.; Le Mouélic, S.; Maltagliati, L.; Rey, M.; Sotin, C.

2018-02-01

Titan's atmosphere is optically thick and hides the surface and the lower layers from the view at almost all wavelengths. However, because gaseous absorptions are spectrally selective, some narrow spectral intervals are relatively transparent and allow to probe the surface. To use these intervals (called windows) a good knowledge of atmospheric absorption is necessary. Once gas spectroscopic linelists are well established, the absorption inside windows depends on the way the far wings of the methane absorption lines are cut-off. We know that the intensity in all the windows can be explained with the same cut-off parameters, except for the window at 2 μm. This discrepancy is generally treated with a workaround which consists in using a different cut-off description for this specific window. This window is relatively transparent and surface may have specific spectral signatures that could be detected. Thus, a good knowledge of atmosphere opacities is essential and our scope is to better understand what causes the difference between the 2 μm window and the other windows. In this work, we used scattered light at the limb and transmissions in occultation observed with VIMS (Visual Infrared Mapping Spectrometer) onboard Cassini, around the 2 μm window. Data shows an absorption feature that participates to the shape of this window. Our atmospheric model fits well the VIMS data at 2 μm with the same cut-off than for the other windows, provided an additional absorption is introduced in the middle of the window around ≃ 2.065 μm. It explains well the discrepency between the cut-off used at 2 μm, and we show that a gas with a fairly constant mixing ratio, possibly ethane, may be the cause of this absorption. Finally, we studied the impact of this absorption on the retrieval of the surface reflectivity and found that it is significant.

Analysis Of Irtf Spex Near-infrared Observations Of Uranus: Aerosol Optical Properties And Latitudinally Variable Methane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tice, Dane; Irwin, P. G. J.; Fletcher, L. N.; Teanby, N. A.; Hurley, J.; Orton, G. S.; Davis, G. R.

2012-10-01

We present results from the analysis of near-infrared spectra of Uranus observed in August 2009 with the SpeX spectrograph at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). Spectra range from 0.8 to 1.8 μm at a spatial resolution of 0.5” and a spectral resolution of R = 1,200. This data is particularly well-suited to characterize the optical properties of aerosols in the Uranian stratosphere and upper troposphere. This is in part due to its coverage shortward of 1.0 μm where methane absorption, which dominates the features in the Uranian near-infrared spectrum, weakens slightly. Another particularly useful aspect of the data is it’s specific, highly spectrally resolved (R > 4,000) coverage of the collision-induced hydrogen quadrupole absorption band at 825 nm, enabling us to differentiate between methane abundance and cloud opacity. An optimal-estimation retrieval code, NEMESIS, is used to analyze the spectra, and atmospheric models are developed that represent good agreement with data in the full spectral range analyzed. Aerosol single-scattering albedos that reveal a strong wavelength dependence will be discussed. Additionally, an analysis of latitudinal methane variability is undertaken, utilizing two methods of analysis. First, a reflectance study from locations along the central meridian is undertaken. The spectra from these locations are centered around 825 nm, where the collision-induced absorption feature of hydrogen is utilized to distinguish between latitudinal changes in the spectrum due to aerosol opacity and those due to methane variability. Secondly, high resolution retrievals from 0.8 - 0.9 μm portion of the spectrum and spectral resolutions between R = 4,000 and 4,500 are used to make the same distinction. Both methods will be compared and discussed, as will their indications supporting a methane enrichment in the equatorial region of the planet.

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

Liu, Yu-Qian; Modjaz, Maryam; Bianco, Federica B., E-mail: YL1260@nyu.edu, E-mail: mmodjaz@nyu.edu

Super-luminous supernovae (SLSNe) are tremendously luminous explosions whose power sources and progenitors are highly debated. Broad-lined SNe Ic (SNe Ic-bl) are the only type of SNe that are connected with long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Studying the spectral similarity and difference between the populations of hydrogen-poor SLSNe (SLSNe Ic) and of hydrogen-poor stripped-envelope core-collapse SNe, in particular SNe Ic and SNe Ic-bl, can provide crucial observations to test predictions of theories based on various power source models and progenitor models. In this paper, we collected all of the published optical spectra of 32 SLSNe Ic, 21 SNe Ic-bl, as well asmore » 17 SNe Ic, quantified their spectral features, constructed average spectra, and compared them in a systematic way using new tools we have developed. We find that SLSNe Ic and SNe Ic-bl, including those connected with GRBs, have comparable widths for their spectral features and average absorption velocities at all phases. Thus, our findings strengthen the connection between SLSNe Ic and GRBs. In particular, SLSNe Ic have average Fe ii λ 5169 absorption velocities of −15,000 ± 2600 km s{sup −1} at 10 days after peak, which are higher than those of SNe Ic by ∼7000 km s{sup −1} on average. SLSNe Ic also have significantly broader Fe ii λ 5169 lines than SNe Ic. Moreover, we find that such high absorption and width velocities of SLSNe Ic may be hard to explain with the interaction model, and none of the 13 SLSNe Ic with measured absorption velocities spanning over 10 days has a convincing flat velocity evolution, which is inconsistent with the magnetar model in one dimension. Lastly, we compare SN 2011kl, the first SN connected with an ultra-long GRB, with the mean spectrum of SLSNe Ic and of SNe Ic-bl.« less

NUSTAR and Suzaku x-ray spectroscopy of NGC 4151: Evidence for reflection from the inner accretion disk

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

Keck, M. L.; Brenneman, L. W.; Ballantyne, D. R.

We present X-ray timing and spectral analyses of simultaneous 150 ks Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and Suzaku X-ray observations of the Seyfert 1.5 galaxy NGC 4151. We disentangle the continuum emission, absorption, and reflection properties of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) by applying inner accretion disk reflection and absorption-dominated models. With a time-averaged spectral analysis, we find strong evidence for relativistic reflection from the inner accretion disk. We find that relativistic emission arises from a highly ionized inner accretion disk with a steep emissivity profile, which suggests an intense, compact illuminating source. We find a preliminary, near-maximal black hole spinmore » $$a\\gt 0.9$$ accounting for statistical and systematic modeling errors. We find a relatively moderate reflection fraction with respect to predictions for the lamp post geometry, in which the illuminating corona is modeled as a point source. Through a time-resolved spectral analysis, we find that modest coronal and inner disk reflection (IDR) flux variation drives the spectral variability during the observations. We discuss various physical scenarios for the IDR model and we find that a compact corona is consistent with the observed features.« less

NuSTAR and Suzaku X-ray Spectroscopy of NGC 4151: Evidence for Reflection from the Inner Accretion Disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keck, M. L.; Brenneman, L. W.; Ballantyne, D. R.; Bauer, F.; Boggs, S. E.; Christensen, F. E.; Craig, W. W.; Dauser, T.; Elvis, M.; Fabian, A. C.; Fuerst, F.; García, J.; Grefenstette, B. W.; Hailey, C. J.; Harrison, F. A.; Madejski, G.; Marinucci, A.; Matt, G.; Reynolds, C. S.; Stern, D.; Walton, D. J.; Zoghbi, A.

2015-06-01

We present X-ray timing and spectral analyses of simultaneous 150 ks Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and Suzaku X-ray observations of the Seyfert 1.5 galaxy NGC 4151. We disentangle the continuum emission, absorption, and reflection properties of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) by applying inner accretion disk reflection and absorption-dominated models. With a time-averaged spectral analysis, we find strong evidence for relativistic reflection from the inner accretion disk. We find that relativistic emission arises from a highly ionized inner accretion disk with a steep emissivity profile, which suggests an intense, compact illuminating source. We find a preliminary, near-maximal black hole spin a\\gt 0.9 accounting for statistical and systematic modeling errors. We find a relatively moderate reflection fraction with respect to predictions for the lamp post geometry, in which the illuminating corona is modeled as a point source. Through a time-resolved spectral analysis, we find that modest coronal and inner disk reflection (IDR) flux variation drives the spectral variability during the observations. We discuss various physical scenarios for the IDR model and we find that a compact corona is consistent with the observed features.

Trident: A Universal Tool for Generating Synthetic Absorption Spectra from Astrophysical Simulations

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

Hummels, Cameron B.; Smith, Britton D.; Silvia, Devin W.

Hydrodynamical simulations are increasingly able to accurately model physical systems on stellar, galactic, and cosmological scales; however, the utility of these simulations is often limited by our ability to directly compare them with the data sets produced by observers: spectra, photometry, etc. To address this problem, we have created trident, a Python-based open-source tool for post-processing hydrodynamical simulations to produce synthetic absorption spectra and related data. trident can (i) create absorption-line spectra for any trajectory through a simulated data set mimicking both background quasar and down-the-barrel configurations; (ii) reproduce the spectral characteristics of common instruments like the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph;more » (iii) operate across the ultraviolet, optical, and infrared using customizable absorption-line lists; (iv) trace simulated physical structures directly to spectral features; (v) approximate the presence of ion species absent from the simulation outputs; (vi) generate column density maps for any ion; and (vii) provide support for all major astrophysical hydrodynamical codes. trident was originally developed to aid in the interpretation of observations of the circumgalactic medium and intergalactic medium, but it remains a general tool applicable in other contexts.« less

The fastest disk wind in APM 08279+5255 and its acceleration mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagino, K.; Done, C.; Odaka, H.; Watanabe, S.; Takahashi, T.

2017-10-01

The luminous high-z quasar APM 08279+5255 has the most powerful ultra-fast outflow (UFO), which is claimed as the fastest disk wind with velocity of 0.7c. This extreme velocity is very important for constraining the physical mechanism to launch the UFOs because only magnetic driving mechanism can accelerate the winds up to velocities above 0.3c, at which radiation drag effects prevent radiation driving. We reanalyze all the observed data of this source with our spectral model of highly ionized disk winds constructed by 3D Monte Carlo radiation transfer simulation. This was applied to an archetypal disk wind in PDS 456, and successfully reproduced all the spectra observed with Suzaku in spite of their strong spectral variability. By applying our spectral model to APM 08279+5255, all the spectra observed with XMM-Newton, Chandra and Suzaku are explained with less extreme outflow velocities of 0.1-0.2c. In our analysis, the high energy absorption features, which were previously interpreted as absorption lines with extremely fast velocities, are produced by iron-K absorption edges from moderately ionized clumps embedded in the highly ionized wind. We also investigate the broadband SED, and find that it is X-ray weak and UV bright, which prefers the radiation driving.

Continuum definition for Ceres absorption bands at 3.1, 3.4 and 4.0 μm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galiano, A.; Palomba, E.; Longobardo, A.; Zinzi, A.; De Sanctis, M. C.; Raponi, A.; Carrozzo, F. G.; Ciarniello, M.; Dirri, F.

2017-09-01

The images and hyperspectral data acquired during various Dawn mission phases (e.g. Survey, HAMO and LAMO) allowed identifying regions of different albedo on Ceres surface, where absorption bands located at 3.4 and 4.0 μm can assume different shapes. The 3.1 μm feature is observed on the entire Ceres surface except on Cerealia Facula, the brightest spot located on the dome of Occator crater. To perform a mineralogical investigation, absorption bands in reflectance spectra should be properly isolated by removing spectral continuum; hence, parameters as band centers and band depths must be estimated. The problem in the defining the continuum is in the VIR spectral range, which ends at 5.1 μm even though the reliable data, where the thermal contribution is properly removed, stops at 4.2 μm. Band shoulders located at longer wavelengths cannot be estimated. We defined different continua, with the aim to find the most appropriate to isolate the three spectral bands, whatever the region and the spatial resolution of hyperspectral images. The linear continuum seems to be the most suitable definition for our goals. Then, we performed an error evaluation on band depths and band centers introduced by this continuum definition.

Spectral identification of geological units on the surface of Mars related to the presence of silicates from Earth-based near-infrared telescopic charge-coupled device imaging

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

Pinet, P.; Chevrel, S.

1990-08-30

During the September 1988 Mars opposition, the authors obtained new high spatial (100-150 km) and spectral ({Delta}{lambda}/{lambda} = 1%) resolution near-IR telescopic charge-coupled device images of Mars from Pic-du-Midi Observatory. These images allow the association of spectral units with morphologic surface units on Mars, especially within the dark regions which exhibit much greater variability than the bright regions. Mineralogical interpretation of the data leads to a global description of the surface state of alteration consistent with the spatial distribution of bright and dark regions, with the bright regions being more altered than the dark. Within the less altered regions, Fe{supmore » 2+} crystal field absorption bands are detected, indicative of the presence of mafic minerals (Opx, Cpx, O1) in agreement with a likely crustal basaltic composition. The most conspicuous Fe{sup 2+} absorption features are clearly related to the volcanic regions of the Syrtis Major Shield and Hesperia Planum unit. The strongest observed absorptions due to olivine and clinopyroxene are spatially associated with the restricted central caldera complex of Nili-Meroe Paterae (within Syrtis Major) and the Tyrrhena Patera unit (within Hesperia Planum) and indicate an ultramafic composition.« less

Spectral Ratio Biospheric Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rall, Jonathan A. R.; Knox, Robert G.

2004-01-01

A new active vegetation index measurement technique has been developed and demonstrated using low-power laser diodes to make horizontal-path lidar measurements of nearby deciduous foliage. The two wavelength laser transmitter operates within and adjacent to the 680 nm absorption feature exhibited by all chlorophyll containing vegetation. Measurements from early October through late November 2003 are presented and the results are discussed.

Environmental temperature effect on the far-infrared absorption features of aromatic-based Titan's aerosol analogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gautier, Thomas; Trainer, Melissa G.; Loeffler, Mark J.; Sebree, Joshua A.; Anderson, Carrie M.

2017-01-01

Benzene detection has been reported in Titan's atmosphere both in the stratosphere at ppb levels by remote sensing (Coustenis et al., 2007; Vinatier et al., 2007) and in the thermosphere at ppm levels by the Cassini's Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (Waite et al., 2007). This detection supports the idea that aromatic and heteroaromatic reaction pathways may play an important role in Titan's atmospheric chemistry, especially in the formation of aerosols. Indeed, aromatic molecules are easily dissociated by ultraviolet radiation and can therefore contribute significantly to aerosol formation. It has been shown recently that aerosol analogs produced from a gas mixture containing a low concentration of aromatic and/or heteroaromatic molecules (benzene, naphthalene, pyridine, quinoline and isoquinoline) have spectral signatures below 500 cm-1, a first step towards reproducing the aerosol spectral features observed by Cassini's Composite InfraRed Spectrometer (CIRS) in the far infrared (Anderson and Samuelson 2011, and references therein). In this work we investigate the influence of environmental temperature on the absorption spectra of such aerosol samples, simulating the temperature range to which aerosols, once formed, are exposed during their transport through Titan's stratosphere. Our results show that environmental temperature does not have any major effect on the spectral shape of these aerosol analogs in the far-infrared, which is consistent with the CIRS observations.

Near-Infrared Spectrophotometry of Phobos and Deimos

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rivkin, A. S.; Brown, R. H.; Trilling, D. E.; Bell, J. F., III; Plassmann, J. H.

2002-01-01

We have observed the leading and trailing hemispheres of Phobos from 1.65 to 3.5 micrometers and Deimos from 1.65 to 3.12 micrometers near opposition. We find the trailing hemisphere of Phobos to be brighter than its leading hemisphere by 0.24 plus or minus 0.06 magnitude at 1.65 micrometers and brighter than Deimos by 0.98 plus or minus 0.07 magnitude at 1.65 micrometers. We see no difference larger than observational uncertainties in spectral slope between the leading and trailing hemispheres when the spectra are normalized to 1.65 micrometers. We find no 3-micrometer absorption feature due to hydrated minerals on either hemisphere to a level of approximately 5-10% on Phobos and approximately 20% on Deimos. When the infrared data are joined to visible and nearby data obtained by previous workers, our data suggest the leading (Stickney-dominated) side of Phobos is best matched by T-class asteroids. The spectral slope of the trailing side of Phobos and leading side of Deimos are bracketed by the D-class asteroids. The best laboratory spectral matches to these parts of Phobos are mature lunar soils and heated carbonaceous chondrites. The lack of 3-micrometer absorption features on either side of Phobos argues against the presence of a large interior reservoir of water ice according to current models of Phobos' interior.

Calculation of Electronic and Optical Properties of AgGaO2 Polymorphs Using Many-Body Approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dadsetani, Mehrdad; Nejatipour, Reihan

2018-02-01

Ab initio calculations based on many-body perturbation theory have been used to study the electronic and optical properties of AgGaO2 in rhombohedral, hexagonal, and orthorhombic phases. GW calculations showed that AgGaO2 is an indirect-bandgap semiconductor in all three phases with energy bandgap of 2.35 eV, 2.23 eV, and 2.07 eV, in good agreement with available experimental values. By solving the Bethe-Salpeter equation (BSE) using the full potential linearized augmented plane wave basis, optical properties of the AgGaO2 polymorphs were calculated and compared with those obtained using the GW-corrected random phase approximation (RPA) and with existing experimental data. Strong anisotropy in the optical absorption spectra was observed, and the excitonic structures which were absent in the RPA calculations were reproduced in GWBSE calculations, in good agreement with the optical absorption spectrum of the rhombohedral phase. While modifying peak positions and intensities of the absorption spectra, the GWBSE gave rise to the redistribution of oscillator strengths. In comparison with the z-polarized response, excitonic effects in the x-polarized response were dominant. In the x- (and y-) polarized responses of r- and h-AgGaO2, spectral features and excitonic effects occur at the lower energies, but in the case of o-AgGaO2, the spectral structures of the z-polarized response occur at lower energies. In addition, the low-energy loss functions of AgGaO2 were calculated and compared using the GWBSE approach. Spectral features in the energy loss function components near the bandgap region were attributed to corresponding excitonic structures in the imaginary part of the dielectric function.

Interstellar PAH Analogs in the Laboratory: Comparison with Astronomical Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salama, Farid

2005-01-01

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are an important and ubiquitous component of carbon-bearing materials in space. PAHs are the best-known candidates to account for the IR emission bands (UIR bands) and PAH spectral features are now being used as new probes of the ISM. PAHs are also thought to be among the carriers of the diffuse interstellar absorption bands (DIBs). In the model dealing with the interstellar spectral features, PAHs are present as a mixture of radicals, ions and neutral species. PAH ionization states reflect the ionization balance of the medium while PAH size, composition, and structure reflect the energetic and chemical history of the medium. A major challenge for laboratory astrophysics is to reproduce (in a realistic way) the physical conditions that exist in the emission and/or absorption interstellar zones. An extensive laboratory program has been developed at NASA Ames to assess the physical and chemical properties of PAHs in such environments and to describe how they influence the radiation and energy balance in space and the interstellar chemistry. In particular, laboratory experiments provide measurements of the spectral characteristics of interstellar PAH analogs from the ultraviolet and visible range to the infrared range for comparison with astronomical data. This paper will focus on the recent progress made in the laboratory to measure the direct absorption spectra of neutral and ionized PAHs in the near-UV and visible range. Intrinsic band profiles and band positions of cold gas-phase PAHs can now be measured with high-sensitivity spectroscopy and directly compared to the astronomical data. Preliminary conclusions from the comparison of the laboratory data with astronomical observations will also be presented.

DFT/TD-DFT study of solvent effect as well the substituents influence on the different features of TPP derivatives for PDT application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dulski, Mateusz; Kempa, Marta; Kozub, Patrycja; Wójcik, Justyna; Rojkiewicz, Marcin; Kuś, Piotr; Szurko, Agnieszka; Ratuszna, Alicja; Wrzalik, Roman

2013-03-01

Spectral characteristics study of meso-tetraphenylporphyrin derivatives (TPP1 and TPP2) used as photosensitizers for utilization in photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been performed by density functional theory (DFT) and time dependent DFT (TD-DFT) calculations at B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory using PCM solvation model. The geometrical parameters of porphyrins have been studied for ground and excited-state geometry to deduce the influence of various substituents as well as solvent effect on the deformation of porphyrin ring. Two theoretical approaches - linear response (LR) and external iteration (EI) - have been performed to replicate absorption and fluorescence emission spectra. Experimental and theoretical investigations have shown that EI method reproduces the absorption energies very well for both singlet-singlet and triplet-triplet transitions, whereas the LR approach is more coherent with experimental fluorescence emission spectra. Spectral features and HOMO-LUMO band gap analysis have shown that TPP1 can be more useful in PDT. Calculations have revealed that two the highest occupied and two the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals are responsible for the Q-band absorption and are located mainly on the porphyrin ring. In order to verify the substituent effect on the activity of tested compounds in their ground and excited states, the molecular electrostatic potential surfaces have been analyzed.

Improved Surface and Tropospheric Temperatures Determined Using Only Shortwave Channels: The AIRS Science Team Version-6 Retrieval Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Susskind, Joel; Blaisdell, John; Iredell, Lena

2011-01-01

The Goddard DISC has generated products derived from AIRS/AMSU-A observations, starting from September 2002 when the AIRS instrument became stable, using the AIRS Science Team Version-5 retrieval algorithm. The AIRS Science Team Version-6 retrieval algorithm will be finalized in September 2011. This paper describes some of the significant improvements contained in the Version-6 retrieval algorithm, compared to that used in Version-5, with an emphasis on the improvement of atmospheric temperature profiles, ocean and land surface skin temperatures, and ocean and land surface spectral emissivities. AIRS contains 2378 spectral channels covering portions of the spectral region 650 cm(sup -1) (15.38 micrometers) - 2665 cm(sup -1) (3.752 micrometers). These spectral regions contain significant absorption features from two CO2 absorption bands, the 15 micrometers (longwave) CO2 band, and the 4.3 micrometers (shortwave) CO2 absorption band. There are also two atmospheric window regions, the 12 micrometer - 8 micrometer (longwave) window, and the 4.17 micrometer - 3.75 micrometer (shortwave) window. Historically, determination of surface and atmospheric temperatures from satellite observations was performed using primarily observations in the longwave window and CO2 absorption regions. According to cloud clearing theory, more accurate soundings of both surface skin and atmospheric temperatures can be obtained under partial cloud cover conditions if one uses observations in longwave channels to determine coefficients which generate cloud cleared radiances R(sup ^)(sub i) for all channels, and uses R(sup ^)(sub i) only from shortwave channels in the determination of surface and atmospheric temperatures. This procedure is now being used in the AIRS Version-6 Retrieval Algorithm. Results are presented for both daytime and nighttime conditions showing improved Version-6 surface and atmospheric soundings under partial cloud cover.

Terahertz spectral change associated with glass transition of poly-ε-caprolactone

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

Komatsu, Marina, E-mail: mkomatsu@toki.waseda.jp; Mizuno, Maya; Fukunaga, Kaori

2015-04-07

We measured absorption spectra of unidirectionally stretched poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) film in a range from 0.3 to 3.6 THz at temperatures from 10 to 300 K. Several absorption peaks were observed, when the electric field of THz waves was set in directions parallel and perpendicular to the stretching direction. The absorption bandwidths became significantly broad at around 200 K and above at least in two specific peaks. This temperature is close to the glass transition temperature of PCL. Further, it is shown by quantum chemical calculations that all the peaks obtained experimentally originate in skeletal vibrations of PCL. Therefore, it has become clear thatmore » a specific feature appears in the THz absorption spectrum of PCL associated with its glass transition.« less

Discrimination of poorly exposed lithologies in AVIRIS data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farrand, William H.; Harsanyi, Joseph C.

1993-01-01

One of the advantages afforded by imaging spectrometers such as AVIRIS is the capability to detect target materials at a sub-pixel scale. This paper presents several examples of the identification of poorly exposed geologic materials - materials which are either subpixel in scale or which, while having some surface expression over several pixels, are partially covered by vegetation or other materials. Sabol et al. (1992) noted that a primary factor in the ability to distinguish sub-pixel targets is the spectral contrast between the target and its surroundings. In most cases, this contrast is best expressed as an absorption feature or features present in the target but absent in the surroundings. Under such circumstances, techniques such as band depth mapping (Clark et al., 1992) are feasible. However, the only difference between a target material and its surroundings is often expressed solely in the continuum. We define the 'continuum' as the reflectance or radiance spanning spectral space between spectral features. Differences in continuum slope and shape can only be determined by reduction techniques which considers the entire spectral range; i.e., techniques such as spectral mixture analysis (Adams et al., 1989) and recently developed techniques which utilize an orthogonal subspace projection operator (Harsanyi, 1993). Two of the three examples considered herein deal with cases where the target material differs from its surroundings only by such a subtle continuum change.

Thermal infrared spectroscopy and modeling of experimentally shocked basalts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, J. R.; Staid, M.I.; Kraft, M.D.

2007-01-01

New measurements of thermal infrared emission spectra (250-1400 cm-1; ???7-40 ??m) of experimentally shocked basalt and basaltic andesite (17-56 GPa) exhibit changes in spectral features with increasing pressure consistent with changes in the structure of plagioclase feldspars. Major spectral absorptions in unshocked rocks between 350-700 cm-1 (due to Si-O-Si octahedral bending vibrations) and between 1000-1250 cm-1 (due to Si-O antisymmetric stretch motions of the silica tetrahedra) transform at pressures >20-25 GPa to two broad spectral features centered near 950-1050 and 400-450 cm-1. Linear deconvolution models using spectral libraries composed of common mineral and glass spectra replicate the spectra of shocked basalt relatively well up to shock pressures of 20-25 GPa, above which model errors increase substantially, coincident with the onset of diaplectic glass formation in plagioclase. Inclusion of shocked feldspar spectra in the libraries improves fits for more highly shocked basalt. However, deconvolution models of the basaltic andesite select shocked feldspar end-members even for unshocked samples, likely caused by the higher primary glass content in the basaltic andesite sample.

Spectral characteristics and feature selection of satellite remote sensing data for climate and anthropogenic changes assessment in Bucharest area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zoran, Maria; Savastru, Roxana; Savastru, Dan; Tautan, Marina; Miclos, Sorin; Cristescu, Luminita; Carstea, Elfrida; Baschir, Laurentiu

2010-05-01

Urban systems play a vital role in social and economic development in all countries. Their environmental changes can be investigated on different spatial and temporal scales. Urban and peri-urban environment dynamics is of great interest for future planning and decision making as well as in frame of local and regional changes. Changes in urban land cover include changes in biotic diversity, actual and potential primary productivity, soil quality, runoff, and sedimentation rates, and cannot be well understood without the knowledge of land use change that drives them. The study focuses on the assessment of environmental features changes for Bucharest metropolitan area, Romania by satellite remote sensing and in-situ monitoring data. Rational feature selection from the varieties of spectral channels in the optical wavelengths of electromagnetic spectrum (VIS and NIR) is very important for effective analysis and information extraction of remote sensing data. Based on comprehensively analyses of the spectral characteristics of remote sensing data is possibly to derive environmental changes in urban areas. The information quantity contained in a band is an important parameter in evaluating the band. The deviation and entropy are often used to show information amount. Feature selection is one of the most important steps in recognition and classification of remote sensing images. Therefore, it is necessary to select features before classification. The optimal features are those that can be used to distinguish objects easily and correctly. Three factors—the information quantity of bands, the correlation between bands and the spectral characteristic (e.g. absorption specialty) of classified objects in test area Bucharest have been considered in our study. As, the spectral characteristic of an object is influenced by many factors, being difficult to define optimal feature parameters to distinguish all the objects in a whole area, a method of multi-level feature selection was suggested. On the basis of analyzing the information quantity of bands, correlation between different bands, spectral absorption characteristics of objects and object separability in bands, a fundamental method of optimum band selection and feature extraction from remote sensing data was discussed. Spectral signatures of different terrain features have been used to extract structural patterns aiming to separate surface units and to classify the general categories. The synergetic analysis and interpretation of the different satellite images (LANDSAT: TM, ETM; MODIS, IKONOS) acquired over a period of more than 20 years reveals significant aspects regarding impacts of climate and anthropogenic changes on urban/periurban environment. It was delimited residential zones of industrial zones which are very often a source of pollution. An important role has urban green cover assessment. Have been emphasized the particularities of the functional zones from different points of view: architectural, streets and urban surface traffic, some components of urban infrastructure as well as habitat quality. The growth of Bucharest urban area in Romania has been a result of a rapid process of industrialization, and also of the increase of urban population. Information on the spatial pattern and temporal dynamics of land cover and land use of urban areas is critical to address a wide range of practical problems relating to urban regeneration, urban sustainability and rational planning policy.

Multisensor Analysis of Spectral Dimensionality and Soil Diversity in the Great Central Valley of California.

PubMed

Sousa, Daniel; Small, Christopher

2018-02-14

Planned hyperspectral satellite missions and the decreased revisit time of multispectral imaging offer the potential for data fusion to leverage both the spectral resolution of hyperspectral sensors and the temporal resolution of multispectral constellations. Hyperspectral imagery can also be used to better understand fundamental properties of multispectral data. In this analysis, we use five flight lines from the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) archive with coincident Landsat 8 acquisitions over a spectrally diverse region of California to address the following questions: (1) How much of the spectral dimensionality of hyperspectral data is captured in multispectral data?; (2) Is the characteristic pyramidal structure of the multispectral feature space also present in the low order dimensions of the hyperspectral feature space at comparable spatial scales?; (3) How much variability in rock and soil substrate endmembers (EMs) present in hyperspectral data is captured by multispectral sensors? We find nearly identical partitions of variance, low-order feature space topologies, and EM spectra for hyperspectral and multispectral image composites. The resulting feature spaces and EMs are also very similar to those from previous global multispectral analyses, implying that the fundamental structure of the global feature space is present in our relatively small spatial subset of California. Finally, we find that the multispectral dataset well represents the substrate EM variability present in the study area - despite its inability to resolve narrow band absorptions. We observe a tentative but consistent physical relationship between the gradation of substrate reflectance in the feature space and the gradation of sand versus clay content in the soil classification system.

Multisensor Analysis of Spectral Dimensionality and Soil Diversity in the Great Central Valley of California

PubMed Central

Small, Christopher

2018-01-01

Planned hyperspectral satellite missions and the decreased revisit time of multispectral imaging offer the potential for data fusion to leverage both the spectral resolution of hyperspectral sensors and the temporal resolution of multispectral constellations. Hyperspectral imagery can also be used to better understand fundamental properties of multispectral data. In this analysis, we use five flight lines from the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) archive with coincident Landsat 8 acquisitions over a spectrally diverse region of California to address the following questions: (1) How much of the spectral dimensionality of hyperspectral data is captured in multispectral data?; (2) Is the characteristic pyramidal structure of the multispectral feature space also present in the low order dimensions of the hyperspectral feature space at comparable spatial scales?; (3) How much variability in rock and soil substrate endmembers (EMs) present in hyperspectral data is captured by multispectral sensors? We find nearly identical partitions of variance, low-order feature space topologies, and EM spectra for hyperspectral and multispectral image composites. The resulting feature spaces and EMs are also very similar to those from previous global multispectral analyses, implying that the fundamental structure of the global feature space is present in our relatively small spatial subset of California. Finally, we find that the multispectral dataset well represents the substrate EM variability present in the study area – despite its inability to resolve narrow band absorptions. We observe a tentative but consistent physical relationship between the gradation of substrate reflectance in the feature space and the gradation of sand versus clay content in the soil classification system. PMID:29443900

Scientific issues and potential remote-sensing requirements for plant biochemical content

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peterson, David L.; Hubbard, G. S.

1992-01-01

Application of developments in imaging spectrometry to the study of terrestrial ecosystems, which began in 1983, demonstrate the potential to estimate lignin and nitrogen concentrations of plant canopies by remote-sensing techniques. Estimation of these parameters from the first principles of radiative transfer and the interactions of light with plant materials is not presently possible, principally because of lack of knowledge about internal leaf scattering and specific absorption involving biochemical compounds. From the perspective of remote-sensing instrumentation, sensors are needed to support derivative imaging spectroscopy. Biochemical absorption features tend to occur in functional groupings throughout the 1100- to 2500-nm region. Derivative spectroscopy improves the information associated with the weaker, narrower absorption features of biochemical absorption that are superimposed on the strong absolute variations due to foliar biomass, pigments, and leaf water content of plant canopies. Preliminary sensor specifications call for 8-nm bandwidths at 2-nm centers in four spectral regions (about 400 bands total) and a signal-to-noise performance of at least 1000:1 for 20 percent albedo targets in the 2000-nm region.

Reflection spectra and magnetochemistry of iron oxides and natural surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wasilewski, P.

1978-01-01

The magnetic properties and spectral characteristics of iron oxides are distinctive. Diagnostic features in reflectance spectra (0.5 to 2.4 micron) for alpha Fe2O3, gamma Fe2O3, and FeOOH include location of Fe3(+) absorption features, intensity ratios at various wavelengths, and the curve shape between 1.2 micron and 2.4 micron. The reflection spectrum of natural rock surfaces are seldom those of the bulk rock because of weathering effects. Coatings are found to be dominated by iron oxides and clay. A simple macroscopic model of rock spectra (based on concepts of stains and coatings) is considered adequate for interpretation of LANDSAT data. The magnetic properties of materials associated with specific spectral types and systematic changes in both spectra and magnetic properties are considered.

Searches for 3.5 keV Absorption Features in Cluster AGN Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conlon, Joseph P.

2018-06-01

We investigate possible evidence for a spectral dip around 3.5 keV in central cluster AGNs, motivated by previous results for archival Chandra observations of the Perseus cluster and the general interest in novel spectral features around 3.5 keV that may arise from dark matter physics. We use two deep Chandra observations of the Perseus and Virgo clusters that have recently been made public. In both cases, mild improvements in the fit (Δχ2 = 4.2 and Δχ2 = 2.5) are found by including such a dip at 3.5 keV into the spectrum. A comparable result (Δχ2 = 6.5) is found re-analysing archival on-axis Chandra ACIS-S observations of the centre of the Perseus cluster.

ARTS, the Atmospheric Radiative Transfer Simulator - version 2.2, the planetary toolbox edition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buehler, Stefan A.; Mendrok, Jana; Eriksson, Patrick; Perrin, Agnès; Larsson, Richard; Lemke, Oliver

2018-04-01

This article describes the latest stable release (version 2.2) of the Atmospheric Radiative Transfer Simulator (ARTS), a public domain software for radiative transfer simulations in the thermal spectral range (microwave to infrared). The main feature of this release is a planetary toolbox that allows simulations for the planets Venus, Mars, and Jupiter, in addition to Earth. This required considerable model adaptations, most notably in the area of gaseous absorption calculations. Other new features are also described, notably radio link budgets (including the effect of Faraday rotation that changes the polarization state) and the treatment of Zeeman splitting for oxygen spectral lines. The latter is relevant, for example, for the various operational microwave satellite temperature sensors of the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) family.

Influence of environmental factors on spectral characteristics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in Inner Mongolia Plateau, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Z. D.; Song, K. S.; Zhao, Y.; Du, J.; Ma, J. H.

2016-02-01

Spectral characteristics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) were examined in conjunction with environmental factors in the waters of rivers and terminal lakes within the Hulun Buir plateau, northeast China. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorous (TP) were significantly higher in terminal lakes than rivers waters (p < 0.01). Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that non-water light absorption and anthropogenic nutrient disturbances were the likely causes of the diversity of water quality parameters. CDOM absorption in river waters was significantly lower than terminal lakes. Analysis of the ratio of absorption at 250 to 365 nm (E250 : 365), specific ultraviolet (UV) absorbance (SUVA254), and the spectral slope ratio (Sr) indicated that CDOM in river waters had higher aromaticity, molecular weight, and vascular plant contribution than in terminal lakes. Furthermore, results showed that DOC concentration, CDOM light absorption, and the proportion of autochthonous sources of CDOM in plateau waters were all higher than in other freshwater rivers reported in the literature. The strong evapoconcentration, intense ultraviolet irradiance, and landscape features of the Hulun Buir plateau may be responsible for the above phenomenon. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that the environmental variables total suspended matter (TSM), TN, and electrical conductivity (EC) had a strong correlation with light absorption characteristics, followed by total dissolved solid (TDS) and chlorophyll a. In most sampling locations, CDOM was the dominant non-water light-absorbing substance. Light absorption by non-algal particles often exceeded that by phytoplankton in the plateau waters. Study of these optical-physicochemical correlations is helpful in the evaluation of the potential influence of water quality factors on non-water light absorption in cold plateau water environments. The construction of a correlation between DOC concentration and water quality factors may help contribute to regional estimates of carbon sources and fate for catchment carbon budget assessments.

Through BAL Quasars Brightly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chartas, George

2003-01-01

We report on an observation of the broad absorption line (BAL) quasar PG 1115+080 performed with the XMM-Newton observatory. Spectral analysis reveals the second case of a relativistic X-ray-absorbing outflow in a BAL quasar. The first case was revealed in a recent observation of APM 08279+5255 with the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. As in the case of APM 08279+5255, the observed flux of PG 1115+080 is greatly magnified by gravitational lensing. The relatively high redshift (z=1.72) of the quasar places the redshifted energies of resonant absorption features in a sensitive portion of the XMM- Newton spectral response. The spectrum indicates the presence of complex low-energy absorption in the 0.2-0.6 keV observed energy band and high-energy absorption in the 2-5 keV observed energy band. The high-energy absorption is best modeled by two Gaussian absorption lines with rest-frame energies of 7.4 and 9.5 keV. Assuming that these two lines axe produced by resonant absorption due to Fe XXV, we infer that the X-ray absorbers are outflowing with velocities of approx. 0.10c and approx. 0.34c respectively. We have detected significant variability of the energies and widths of the X-ray BALs in PG 1115+080 and APM 08279+5255 over timescales of 19 and 1.8 weeks (proper time), respectively. The BAL variability observed from APM 08279+5255 supports our earlier conclusion that these absorbers are most likely launched at relatively small radii of less than 10(exp 16)(Mbh/M8)(sup 1/2) cm. A comparison of the ionization properties and column densities of the low-energy and high-energy absorbers indicates that these absorbers are likely distinct; however, higher spectral resolution is needed to confirm this result. Finally, we comment on prospects for constraining the kinematic and ionization properties of these X-ray BALs with the next generation of X-ray observatories.

Revealing the ultrafast outflow in IRAS 13224-3809 through spectral variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, M. L.; Alston, W. N.; Buisson, D. J. K.; Fabian, A. C.; Jiang, J.; Kara, E.; Lohfink, A.; Pinto, C.; Reynolds, C. S.

2017-08-01

We present an analysis of the long-term X-ray variability of the extreme narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy IRAS 13224-3809 using principal component analysis (PCA) and fractional excess variability (Fvar) spectra to identify model-independent spectral components. We identify a series of variability peaks in both the first PCA component and Fvar spectrum which correspond to the strongest predicted absorption lines from the ultrafast outflow (UFO) discovered by Parker et al. (2017). We also find higher order PCA components, which correspond to variability of the soft excess and reflection features. The subtle differences between RMS and PCA results argue that the observed flux-dependence of the absorption is due to increased ionization of the gas, rather than changes in column density or covering fraction. This result demonstrates that we can detect outflows from variability alone and that variability studies of UFOs are an extremely promising avenue for future research.

Spectroscopic ellipsometry study of Cu2ZnSnS4 bulk poly-crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levcenko, S.; Hajdeu-Chicarosh, E.; Garcia-Llamas, E.; Caballero, R.; Serna, R.; Bodnar, I. V.; Victorov, I. A.; Guc, M.; Merino, J. M.; Pérez-Rodriguez, A.; Arushanov, E.; León, M.

2018-04-01

The linear optical properties of Cu2ZnSnS4 bulk poly-crystals have been investigated using spectroscopic ellipsometry in the range of 1.2-4.6 eV at room temperature. The characteristic features identified in the optical spectra are explained by using the Adachi analytical model for the interband transitions at the corresponding critical points in the Brillouin zone. The experimental data have been modeled over the entire spectral range taking into account the lowest E0 transition near the fundamental absorption edge and E1A and E1B higher energy interband transitions. In addition, the spectral dependences of the refractive index, extinction coefficient, absorption coefficient, and normal-incidence reflectivity values have been accurately determined and are provided since they are essential data for the design of Cu2ZnSnS4 based optoelectronic devices.

All-metal meta-surfaces for narrowband light absorption and high performance sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhengqi; Liu, Guiqiang; Fu, Guolan; Liu, Xiaoshan; Huang, Zhenping; Gu, Gang

2016-11-01

We report an experimental scheme for high performance sensing by an all-metal meta-surface (AMMS) platform. A dual-band resonant absorption spectrum with a bandwidth down to a single-digit nanometer level and an absorbance up to 89% is achieved due to the surface lattice resonances supported by the resonators array and their hybridization coupling with the particle plasmon resonances. The sensing application in the analysis of the sodium chloride solution has been demonstrated, where remarkable changes from a spectral ‘dark state’ to ‘bright state’ and vice versa are observed. Sensing performance factors of the figure of merit exceeding 50 and the spectral intensity change related FoM* up to 1075 are simultaneously achieved. The corresponding detection limit is as low as 8.849  ×  10-6 RIU. These features make such an AMMS-based sensor a promising route for efficient bio-chemical sensing, etc.

Probing the Martian atmosphere in the ultraviolet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindner, Bernhard Lee

1994-01-01

Ozone is a key to understanding atmospheric chemistry on Mars. The O3 abundance has been inferred from UV spectra by several spacecraft, with the most complete coverage provided by Mariner 9. The Mariner 9 UV spectrometer scanned from 2100 to 3500 Angstroms in one of its two spectral channels every 3 seconds with a spectral resolution of 15 Angstroms and an effective field-of-view of approximately 300 sq km. The only atmospheric absorption in the 2000 to 3000 Angstrom region was assumed to come from the Hardey band system of ozone, which has an opacity of order unity. Therefore, the amount of ozone was inferred by fitting this absorption feature with laboratory data of ozone absorption, as shown in Fig 1. Mars O3 shows strong seasonal and latitudinal variation, with column abundances ranging from 0.2 micron-atm at equatorial latitudes to 60 micron-atm over the northern winter polar latitudes (1 micron-atm is a column abundance of 2.689 x 10(exp 15) molecules cm(exp -2). However, the O3 abundance is never great enough to significantly affect atmospheric temperatures or surface temperatures and frost budgets.

The Missing Link: Early Methane ("T") Dwarfs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.

PubMed

Leggett; Geballe; Fan; Schneider; Gunn; Lupton; Knapp; Strauss; McDaniel; Golimowski; Henry; Peng; Tsvetanov; Uomoto; Zheng; Hill; Ramsey; Anderson; Annis; Bahcall; Brinkmann; Chen; Csabai; Fukugita; Hennessy; Hindsley; Ivezic; Lamb; Munn; Pier; Schlegel; Smith; Stoughton; Thakar; York

2000-06-10

We report the discovery of three cool brown dwarfs that fall in the effective temperature gap between the latest L dwarfs currently known, with no methane absorption bands in the 1-2.5 µm range, and the previously known methane (T) dwarfs, whose spectra are dominated by methane and water. The newly discovered objects were detected as very red objects in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey imaging data and have JHK colors between the red L dwarfs and the blue Gl 229B-like T dwarfs. They show both CO and CH(4) absorption in their near-infrared spectra in addition to H(2)O, with weaker CH(4) absorption features in the H and K bands than those in all other methane dwarfs reported to date. Due to the presence of CH(4) in these bands, we propose that these objects are early T dwarfs. The three form part of the brown dwarf spectral sequence and fill in the large gap in the overall spectral sequence from the hottest main-sequence stars to the coolest methane dwarfs currently known.

Spectral Absorption Properties of Atmospheric Aerosols

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bergstrom, R. W.; Pilewskie, P.; Russell, P. B.; Redemann, J.; Bond, T. C.; Quinn, P. K.; Sierau, B.

2007-01-01

We have determined the solar spectral absorption optical depth of atmospheric aerosols for specific case studies during several field programs (three cases have been reported previously; two are new results). We combined airborne measurements of the solar net radiant flux density and the aerosol optical depth with a detailed radiative transfer model for all but one of the cases. The field programs (SAFARI 2000, ACE Asia, PRIDE, TARFOX, INTEX-A) contained aerosols representing the major absorbing aerosol types: pollution, biomass burning, desert dust and mixtures. In all cases the spectral absorption optical depth decreases with wavelength and can be approximated with a power-law wavelength dependence (Absorption Angstrom Exponent or AAE). We compare our results with other recent spectral absorption measurements and attempt to briefly summarize the state of knowledge of aerosol absorption spectra in the atmosphere. We discuss the limitations in using the AAE for calculating the solar absorption. We also discuss the resulting spectral single scattering albedo for these cases.

Visual Spectroscopy of R Scuti (Poster abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Undreiu, L.; Chapman, A.

2015-06-01

(Abstract only) We are currently conducting a visual spectral analysis of the brightest known RV Tauri variable star, R Scuti. The goal of our undergraduate research project is to investigate this variable star's erratic nature by collecting spectra at different times in its cycle. Starting in late June of 2014 and proceeding into the following four months, we have monitored the alterations in the spectral characteristics that accompany the progression of R Sct's irregular cycle. During this time, we were given the opportunity to document the star's most recent descent from maximum brightness V~5 to a relatively deep minimum of V~7.5. Analysis of the data taken during the star's period of declining magnitude has provided us with several interesting findings that concur with the observations of more technically sophisticated studies. Following their collection, we compared our observations and findings with archived material in the hopes of facilitating a better understanding of the physical state of RV Tauri stars and the perplexing nature of their evolution. Although identification of the elements in the star's bright phase proved to be challenging, documenting clear absorption features in its fainter stage was far less difficult. As previously reported in similar studies, we identified prominent TiO molecular absorption bands near R Sct's faintest state, typical of mid-M spectral type stars. In addition to these TiO absorption lines, we report the presence of many more metallic lines in the spectral profiles obtained near star's minimum. Supportive of previously published hypotheses regarding the causation of its variability, we observed significant variation in the star's spectral characteristics throughout different phases of its cycle. We are hopeful that our observations will make a meaningful contribution to existing databases and help advance our collective understanding of RV Tauri stars and their evolutionary significance.

Visible-near infrared spectra of hydrous carbonates, with implications for the detection of carbonates in hyperspectral data of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harner, Patrick L.; Gilmore, Martha S.

2015-04-01

We present visible-near infrared (VNIR, 0.35-5 μm) spectra for a suite of hydrous carbonates that may be relevant to the surface of Mars. This includes VNIR spectra for ikaite, nesquehonite, synthetic monohydrocalcite and lansfordite over the 0.35-2.5 μm range that are new to the literature. The spectral features of the hydrous carbonates are dominated by absorptions at ∼1.0, 1.2, 1.4-1.5, 1.9 and 2.8 μm that are due to overtones and combinations of fundamental water and hydroxyl vibrations. Absorptions due to (CO3)2-, Mg-OH, Fe-OH, and/or water are seen at ∼2.3-2.5, 3.4, and 3.9 μm in hydrous Mg and Mg-Fe3+ carbonates containing hydroxyl groups, but are weaker than in the common anhydrous carbonates. When present in the hydrous carbonates, the positions of the centers of the 2.3 μm and/or 2.5 μm absorptions are often shifted relative to the anhydrous carbonates, which may be diagnostic. Some or all of the (CO3)2- absorptions typical of anhydrous carbonates are weak to absent in the hydrous carbonates, and thus this group may be difficult to distinguish from other hydrous minerals like sulfates, phyllosilicates or chlorides in Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) data using standard spectral search parameters for anhydrous carbonates. We present strategies for recognizing hydrous carbonates in CRISM data using combinations of spectral parameters that measure the intensity and shape of the water-related absorptions in these minerals.

Why we need detailed visible-range spectral data on Kuiper belt objects?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Busarev, V. V.

2001-05-01

Our understanding of Kuiper belt objects (KBOs)' nature may be based on two general scenarios of their origin. First, they could result from early accretional phases of the Solar System ``in situ". Then they are probably the most primitive and unprocessed bodies among known and should be mostly icy, with a very low content of silicate component. Second, a considerable portion of them (if not a majority) might have been thrown by Jupiter and other giant planets from their zones of accumulation. If so, they could include much more silicates (possibly up to 40%). To check the suppositions we need high-resolution visible and near-infrared spectral data on Centaurs (as possible `fugitives' from the Kuiper belt) and the KBOs. Because of faintness of the objects their physicochemical properties remain still little-known. Visible-range observations of the bodies by means of a spacecraft approaching to the belt could much help in solving the problem. Visible-infrared spectrophotometric observations of the objects showed a considerable diversity among them (Jewitt D. & J. Luu, 1998, Astron. J., 115, 1667-1670). It hints at a diversity in content of their matter. Spectral features of ices could not probably dominate in the visible range spectra of silicate-bearing KBOs. Reflectance spectra of principal gases' frosts are mainly flat and featureless in the range (Wagner J. K. et al., 1987, Icarus, 69, 14-28). Besides, silicates of KBOs are probably oxidized and hydrated to a high extent. Highly hydrated main-belt C-class asteroids have absorption bands at 0.43 and 0.6-0.8 microns (up to about 5%) (Vilas F. & M. J. Gaffey, 1989, Science, 246, 790-792 and Vilas F. et al., 1993, Icarus, 102, 225-231). Similar spectral features attributed to oxidized and hydrated silicates were also found on many M- and S-asteroids (e. g., Busarev V. V., 2001, LPSC XXXII, abstract 1927). The absorption bands are interpreted as caused by electronic processes in a bulk of oxidized silicates and hydrated clay minerals including structural OH-groups. Thus, the absorption features may be considered as indicators of a presence of oxidized and/or hydrated silicates on a solid body regardless of its position in the Solar System. For these reasons we have started visible-range spectroscopic observations of Centaurs and the KBOs on Russian 6-m telescope.

Herschel observations of extraordinary sources: Analysis of the full Herschel/HIFI molecular line survey of sagittarius B2(N)

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

Neill, Justin L.; Bergin, Edwin A.; Crockett, Nathan R.

2014-07-01

A sensitive broadband molecular line survey of the Sagittarius B2(N) star-forming region has been obtained with the Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared (HIFI) instrument on the Herschel Space Observatory, offering the first high spectral resolution look at this well-studied source in a wavelength region largely inaccessible from the ground (625-157 μm). From the roughly 8000 spectral features in the survey, a total of 72 isotopologues arising from 44 different molecules have been identified, ranging from light hydrides to complex organics, and arising from a variety of environments from cold and diffuse to hot and dense gas. We present a localmore » thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) model to the spectral signatures of each molecule, constraining the source sizes for hot core species with complementary Submillimeter Array interferometric observations and assuming that molecules with related functional group composition are cospatial. For each molecule, a single model is given to fit all of the emission and absorption features of that species across the entire 480-1910 GHz spectral range, accounting for multiple temperature and velocity components when needed to describe the spectrum. As with other HIFI surveys toward massive star-forming regions, methanol is found to contribute more integrated line intensity to the spectrum than any other species. We discuss the molecular abundances derived for the hot core where the LTE approximation is generally found to describe the spectrum well, in comparison to abundances derived for the same molecules in the Orion KL region from a similar HIFI survey. Notably, we find significantly higher abundances of amine- and amide-bearing molecules (CH{sub 3}NH{sub 2}, CH{sub 2}NH, and NH{sub 2}CHO) toward Sgr B2(N) than Orion KL and lower abundances of some complex oxygen-bearing molecules (CH{sub 3}OCHO in particular). In addition to information on the chemical composition of the hot core, the strong far-infrared dust continuum allows a number of molecules to be detected in absorption in the Sgr B2(N) envelope for the first time at high spectral resolution, and we discuss the possible physical origin of the kinematic components observed in absorption. Additionally, from the detection of new HOCO{sup +} transitions in absorption compared to published HCO{sup +} isotopic observations, we discuss constraints on the gas-phase CO{sub 2} abundance and compare this to observations of the ice composition in the Galactic center region, and to CO{sub 2} abundance estimates toward other high-mass star-forming regions. The reduced HIFI spectral scan and LTE model are made available to the public as a resource for future investigations of star-forming regions in the submillimeter and far-infrared.« less

FLORIS: phase A status of the fluorescence imaging spectrometer of the Earth Explorer mission candidate FLEX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraft, S.; Bézy, J.-L.; Del Bello, U.; Berlich, R.; Drusch, M.; Franco, R.; Gabriele, A.; Harnisch, B.; Meynart, R.; Silvestrin, P.

2013-10-01

The Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX) mission is currently subject to feasibility (Phase A) study as one of the two candidates of ESA's 8th Earth Explorer opportunity mission. The FLuORescence Imaging Spectrometer (FLORIS) will be an imaging grating spectrometer onboard of a medium sized satellite flying in tandem with Sentinel-3 in a Sun synchronous orbit at a height of about 815 km. FLORIS will observe vegetation fluorescence and reflectance within a spectral range between 500 nm and 780 nm. It will thereby cover the photochemical reflection features between 500 nm and 600 nm, the Chlorophyll absorption band between 600 and 677 nm, and the red-edge in the region from 697 nm to 755 nm being located between the Oxygen A and B absorption bands. By this measurement approach, it is expected that the full spectrum and amount of the vegetation fluorescence radiance can be retrieved, and that atmospheric corrections can efficiently be applied. FLORIS will measure Earth reflected spectral radiance at a relatively high spectral resolution of ~0.3 nm around the Oxygen absorption bands. Other spectral band areas with less pronounced absorption features will be measured at medium spectral resolution between 0.5 and 2 nm. FLORIS will provide imagery at 300 m resolution on ground with a swath width of 150 km. This will allow achieving global revisit times of less than one month so as to monitor seasonal variations of the vegetation cycles. The mission life time is expected to be at least 4 years. The fluorescence retrieval will make use of information coming from OLCI and SLSTR, which are onboard of Sentinel-3, to monitor temperature, to detect thin clouds and to derive vegetation reflectance and information on the aerosol content also outside the FLORIS spectral range. In order to mitigate the technological and programmatic risk of this Explorer mission candidate, ESA has initiated two comprehensive bread-boarding activities, in which the most critical technologies and instrument performance shall be investigated and demonstrated. The breadboards will include representative optics and dispersive elements in a configuration, which is expected to be very close to the instrument flight configuration. This approach follows the guideline to reach, before it goes into the implementation phase, a technology readiness level of at least 5. It thereby requires a demonstration of predicted performance in a configuration, where the basic technological components are integrated with reasonably realistic supporting elements such that it can be tested in a simulated environment. We will report, within the limits of the competitive nature of the industrial studies, on the currently running or planned preparatory activities. We will present the mission configuration, the imposed instrument requirements and the identified instrument concepts as derived by the Phase A studies.

Ozone height profiles using laser heterodyne radiometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jain, S. L.

1994-01-01

The monitoring of vertical profiles of ozone and related minor constituents in the atmosphere are of great significance to understanding the complex interaction between atmospheric dynamics, chemistry and radiation budget. An ultra high spectral resolution tunable CO2 laser heterodyne radiometer has been designed, developed and set up at the National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi to obtain vertical profiles of various minor constituents the characteristic absorption lines in 9 to 11 micron spectral range. Due to its high spectral resolution the lines can be resolved completely and data obtained are inverted to get vertical profiles using an inversion technique developed by the author. In the present communication the salient features of the laser heterodyne system and the results obtained are discussed in detail.

The High Resolution Chandra X-Ray Spectrum of 3C273

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fruscione, Antonella; Lavoie, Anthony (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The bright quasar 3C273 was observed by Chandra in January 2000 for 120 ksec as a calibration target. It was observed with all detector- plus-grating combinations (ACIS+HETG, ACIS+LETG, and HRC+LETG) yielding an X-ray spectrum across the entire 0.1-10 keV band with unprecedented spectral resolution. At about 10 arcsec from the nucleus, an X-ray jet is also clearly visible and resolved in the Oth order images. While the jet is much fainter than the nuclear source, the Chandra spatial resolution allows, for the first time, spectral analysis of both components separately. We will present detailed spectral analysis with particular emphasis on possible absorption features and comparison with simultaneous BeppoSAX data.

Soft X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy of High-Abrasion-Furnace Carbon Black

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

Muramatsu, Yasuji; Harada, Ryusuke; Gullikson, Eric M.

2007-02-02

The soft x-ray absorption spectra of high-abrasion-furnace carbon black were measured to obtain local-structure/chemical-states information of the primary particles and/or crystallites. The soft x-ray absorption spectral features of carbon black represent broader {pi}* and {sigma}* peak structures compared to highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). The subtracted spectra between the carbon black and HOPG, (carbon black) - (HOPG), show double-peak structures on both sides of the {pi}* peak. The lower-energy peak, denoted as the 'pre-peak', in the subtracted spectra and the {pi}*/{sigma}* peak intensity ratio in the absorption spectra clearly depend on the specific surface area by nitrogen adsorption (NSA). Therefore,more » it is concluded that the pre-peak intensity and the {pi}*/{sigma}* ratio reflect the local graphitic structure of carbon black.« less

Reduced chromium in olivine grains from lunar basalt 15555 - X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutton, S. R.; Jones, K. W.; Gordon, B.; Rivers, M. L.; Bajt, S.; Smith, J. V.

1993-01-01

The oxidation state of Cr in 200-micron regions within individual lunar olivine and pyroxene grains from lunar basalt 15555 was inferred using X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES). Reference materials had previously been studied by optical absorption spectroscopy and included Cr-bearing borosilicate glasses synthesized under controlled oxygen fugacity and Cr-doped olivines. The energy dependence of XANES spectral features defined by these reference materials indicated that Cr is predominantly divalent in the lunar olivine and trivalent in the pyroxene. These results, coupled with the apparent f(02)-independence of partitioning coefficients for Cr into olivine, imply that the source magma was dominated by divalent Cr at the time of olivine crystallization.

Thermophysical Properties of Matter - The TPRC Data Series. Volume 9. Thermal Radiative Properties - Coatings

DTIC Science & Technology

1972-01-01

Coatings - Normal Spectral Reflectance 67 32 Boron Nitride + Diatomaceous Earth Pigmented Coatings - Normal Spectral Reflectance 69 Notet Figure...Absorptance 106 53* Clay + Titanium Dioxide Plgmented Coatings - Normal Solar Absorptance 107 54 Dlatomaceous Earth ...Plgmented Coatings - Normal Spectral Reflectance 112 55* Dlatomaceous Earth Plgmented Coatings - Normal Solar Absorptance 116 56

Nitrogen dioxide sensing using a novel gas correlation detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kebabian, Paul L.; Annen, Kurt D.; Berkoff, Timothy A.; Freedman, Andrew

2000-05-01

A nitrogen dioxide point sensor, based on a novel nondispersive gas filter spectroscopic scheme, is described. The detection scheme relies on the fact that the absorption spectrum of nitrogen dioxide in the 400-550 nm region consists of a complicated line structure superimposed on an average broadband absorption. A compensating filter is used to remove the effect of the broadband absorption, making the sensor insensitive both to small particles in the optical path and to potentially interfering gases with broadband absorption features in the relevant wavelength region. Measurements are obtained using a remote optical absorption cell that is linked via multimode fibre optics to the source and detection optics. The incorporation of blue light emitting diodes which spectrally match the nitrogen dioxide absorption allows the employment of electronic (instead of mechanical) switching between optical paths. A sensitivity of better than 1.0 ppm m column density (1 s integration time) has been observed; improvements in electronics and thermal stabilization should increase this sensitivity.

Investigating Hydroxyl at Asteroid 951 Gaspra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granahan, James C.

2015-11-01

Recent investigations [Granahan, 2011; 2014] of Galileo Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) observations of asteroid 951 Gaspra have detected an infrared absorption feature near 2.8 micrometers. These were detected in NIMS data acquired by the Galileo spacecraft on October 29, 1991 at wavelengths ranging from 0.7 - 5.2 micrometers [Carlson et al., 1992]. This abstract presents a summary of the investigation to identify the material creating the 2.8 micrometer spectral absorption feature. The current best match for the observed 951 Gaspra feature is the phyllosilicate bound hydroxyl signature present in a thermally desiccated QUE 99038 carbonaceous chondrite as measured by Takir et al. [2013].The 951 Gaspra absorption feature has been compared to a variety of hydroxyl bearing signatures. Many phyllosilicates, hydroxyl bearing minerals, have absorption minima at different positions (2.7 or 2.85 micrometers). It also differs from similar absorptions in a potential R chondrite analog, LAP 04840. The spectra LAP 04840 has a 2.7 micrometer feature due to biotite and a 2.9 micrometer feature due to adsorbed water [Klima et al., 2007]. 2.8 micrometer absorption minima have been found for adsorbed hydroxyl on the Moon [McCord et al., 2011] and various carbonaceous chondrites [Calvin and King, 1997; Takir et al., 2013]. The best match, with a minimum Euclidean distance difference to the 951 Gaspra feature, is found in the spectrum of QUE 99038 [Takir et al., 2013]. This spectrum is the product of an infrared measurement of a sample that had its adsorbed water baked off and removed in a vacuum chamber. The remaining hydroxyl in the sample belongs to a mixture of phyllosilicates dominated by the presence of cronstedtite.References: Calvin, W. M., and T. V. King (1997), Met. Planet. Sci., 32, 693-702. Carlson, R. W., et al. (1992), Bull. American Astro. Soc., 24, 932. Granahan, J. C. (2011), Icarus, 213, 265-272. Granahan, J. C. (2014), 45th LPSC, #1092. Klima, R., C. et al. (2007), 38th LPSC, #1710. McCord, T. B., et al. (2011), JGR, 116, E00G05. Takir, D., et al. (2013), Met. Planet. Sci., 48, 1618-1637.

Phytoplankton Pigment Communities Can be Modeled Using Unique Relationships With Spectral Absorption Signatures in a Dynamic Coastal Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catlett, D.; Siegel, D. A.

2018-01-01

Understanding the roles of phytoplankton community composition in the functioning of marine ecosystems and ocean biogeochemical cycles is important for many ocean science problems of societal relevance. Remote sensing currently offers the only feasible method for continuously assessing phytoplankton community structure on regional to global scales. However, methods are presently hindered by the limited spectral resolution of most satellite sensors and by uncertainties associated with deriving quantitative indices of phytoplankton community structure from phytoplankton pigment concentrations. Here we analyze a data set of concurrent phytoplankton pigment concentrations and phytoplankton absorption coefficient spectra from the Santa Barbara Channel, California, to develop novel optical oceanographic models for retrieving metrics of phytoplankton community composition. Cluster and Empirical Orthogonal Function analyses of phytoplankton pigment concentrations are used to define up to five phytoplankton pigment communities as a representation of phytoplankton functional types. Unique statistical relationships are found between phytoplankton pigment communities and absorption features isolated using spectral derivative analysis and are the basis of predictive models. Model performance is substantially better for phytoplankton pigment community indices compared with determinations of the contributions of individual pigments or taxa to chlorophyll a. These results highlight the application of data-driven chemotaxonomic approaches for developing and validating bio-optical algorithms and illustrate the potential and limitations for retrieving phytoplankton community composition from hyperspectral satellite ocean color observations.

NUSTAR and SUZAKU X-ray spectroscopy of NGC 4151: Evidence for reflection from the inner accretion disk

DOE PAGES

Keck, M. L.; Brenneman, L. W.; Ballantyne, D. R.; ...

2015-06-15

We present X-ray timing and spectral analyses of simultaneous 150 ks Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and Suzaku X-ray observations of the Seyfert 1.5 galaxy NGC 4151. We disentangle the continuum emission, absorption, and reflection properties of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) by applying inner accretion disk reflection and absorption-dominated models. With a time-averaged spectral analysis, we find strong evidence for relativistic reflection from the inner accretion disk. We find that relativistic emission arises from a highly ionized inner accretion disk with a steep emissivity profile, which suggests an intense, compact illuminating source. We find a preliminary, near-maximal black hole spinmore » $$a\\gt 0.9$$ accounting for statistical and systematic modeling errors. We find a relatively moderate reflection fraction with respect to predictions for the lamp post geometry, in which the illuminating corona is modeled as a point source. Through a time-resolved spectral analysis, we find that modest coronal and inner disk reflection (IDR) flux variation drives the spectral variability during the observations. As a result, we discuss various physical scenarios for the IDR model and we find that a compact corona is consistent with the observed features.« less

NUSTAR and SUZAKU X-ray spectroscopy of NGC 4151: Evidence for reflection from the inner accretion disk

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

Keck, M. L.; Brenneman, L. W.; Ballantyne, D. R.

We present X-ray timing and spectral analyses of simultaneous 150 ks Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and Suzaku X-ray observations of the Seyfert 1.5 galaxy NGC 4151. We disentangle the continuum emission, absorption, and reflection properties of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) by applying inner accretion disk reflection and absorption-dominated models. With a time-averaged spectral analysis, we find strong evidence for relativistic reflection from the inner accretion disk. We find that relativistic emission arises from a highly ionized inner accretion disk with a steep emissivity profile, which suggests an intense, compact illuminating source. We find a preliminary, near-maximal black hole spinmore » $$a\\gt 0.9$$ accounting for statistical and systematic modeling errors. We find a relatively moderate reflection fraction with respect to predictions for the lamp post geometry, in which the illuminating corona is modeled as a point source. Through a time-resolved spectral analysis, we find that modest coronal and inner disk reflection (IDR) flux variation drives the spectral variability during the observations. As a result, we discuss various physical scenarios for the IDR model and we find that a compact corona is consistent with the observed features.« less

Infrared responsivity of a pyroelectric detector with a single-wall carbon nanotube coating.

PubMed

Theocharous, E; Engtrakul, C; Dillon, A C; Lehman, J

2008-08-01

The performance of a 10 mm diameter pyroelectric detector coated with a single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) was evaluated in the 0.8 to 20 microm wavelength range. The relative spectral responsivity of this detector exhibits significant fluctuations over the wavelength range examined. This is consistent with independent absorbance measurements, which show that SWCNTs exhibit selective absorption bands in the visible and near-infrared. The performance of the detector in terms of noise equivalent power and detectivity in wavelength regions of high coating absorptivity was comparable with gold-black-coated pyroelectric detectors based on 50 microm thick LiTaO(3) crystals. The response of this detector was shown to be nonlinear for DC equivalent photocurrents >10(-9) A, and its spatial uniformity of response was comparable with other pyroelectric detectors utilizing gold-black coatings. The nonuniform spectral responsivity exhibited by the SWCNT-coated detector is expected to severely restrict the use of SWCNTs as black coatings for thermal detectors. However, the deposition of SWCNT coatings on a pyroelectric crystal followed by the study of the prominence of the spectral features in the relative spectral responsivity of the resultant pyroelectric detectors is shown to provide an effective method for quantifying the impurity content in SWCNT samples.

Could G Asteroids be the Parent Bodies of the CM Chondrites?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burbine, T. H.; Binzel, R. P.

1995-09-01

Since almost all meteorites are believed to be derived from asteroidal source bodies, the comparison of asteroid and meteorite spectra should allow for possible meteorite parent bodies to be identified. However only two asteroids with unique spectral characteristics, 4 Vesta with the basaltic achondrites [1] and near-Earth asteroid 3103 Eger with the aubrites [2], have been convincingly linked with any meteorite type. Farinella et al. [3] has done a study of 2355 numbered main-belt asteroids to determine which asteroids have the highest probability of having their fragments injected into the 3:1 mean motion and the nu6 secular resonance regions. Interestingly, asteroids with the third (19 Fortuna), tenth (1 Ceres) and eleventh (13 Egeria) highest theoretical total fragment delivery efficiencies are G-asteroids, a moderately rare type of asteroid with approximately ten known members. (Vesta has the fifth highest theoretical total fragment delivery efficiency.) G-asteroids tend to have the strongest ultraviolet, 0.7 micrometers and 3 micrometers absorption features of all C-type (B, C, F and G) asteroids, appearing to indicate that G-asteroids are at the upper range of the aqueous alteration sequence in the asteroid population. (The 0.7 micrometers feature is apparently due to iron oxides in hydrated silicates and the 3 micrometers feature is apparently due to hydrated minerals.) Meteorites that have reflectance spectra with a 3 micrometers feature of comparable intensity to those of the G-asteroids are the CI, CM and CR chondrites. However, G-asteroids (like all C-types) have ultraviolet absorption features that are weaker than previously measured meteorite spectra. Comparisons of reflectance spectra between Ceres and meteorite samples appear to indicate that Ceres is compositionally different from almost all known carbonaceous chondrites. Both Fortuna and Egeria have an absorption feature centered around 0.7 micrometers [4] that is similar in structure and strength to those found in many CM chondrites. The visible and near-infrared spectrum of Fortuna [5] matches very well the spectra of CM chondrites Murchison (bulk powder) [6] and LEW90500 (particle sizes less than 100 micrometers) [7]. However, the ultraviolet absorption feature is still weaker in Fortuna's spectrum. A spectrum of a bulk powder of LEW90500 does have an ultraviolet feature that matches Fortuna's feature, but this spectrum is substantially bluer than Fortuna in the near-infrared. Egeria's ultraviolet absorption feature also matches very well the ultraviolet feature in LEW90500Us (bulk powder) spectrum, but this spectrum is slightly redder than Egeria [5] in the near-infrared. The question is how unique is any postulated linkage between the CM chondrites and the G-asteroids. The problem is that approximately two-thirds of all C-type asteroids have 3 micrometers absorption features [8] and approximately three-fourths have 0.7 micrometers absorption features [4]. However of all observed C-type asteroids, Fortuna and Egeria appear to be two of the best spectral matches for the CM chondrites. Coupled with the high probability that these two asteroids are injecting large numbers of fragments into meteorite-supplying resonances, G-asteroids Fortuna and Egeria appear to be possible CM chondrite parent bodies. Acknowledgments: This research is supported by NASA Grant Number NAGW-2049. References: [1] Binzel R. P. and Xu S. (1993) Science, 260, 186-191. [2] Gaffey M. J. et al. (1992) Icarus, 100, 95-109. [3] Farinella P. et al. (1993) Icarus, 101, 174-187. [4] Sawyer S. R. (1991) Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Texas, Austin. [5] Bell J. F. et al. (1988) LPS XIX, 57-58. [6] Gaffey M. J. (1976) JGR, 81, 905-920. [7] Hiroi T. et al. (1993) Science, 261, 1016-1018. [8] Jones T. D. et al. (1990) Icarus, 88,172-192.

Lithium K(1s) synchrotron NEXAFS spectra of lithium-ion battery cathode, anode and electrolyte materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braun, Artur; Wang, Hongxin; Shim, Joongpyo; Lee, Steven S.; Cairns, Elton J.

The lithium(1s) K-edge X-ray absorption spectra of lithium-ion battery relevant materials (Li metal, Li 3N, LiPF 6, LiC 6, and LiMn 1.90Ni 0.10O 4) are presented. The Li and LiC 6 spectra are discussed and compared with literature data. The Li in lithium-intercalated carbon LiC 6, typically used as anode battery electrode material, could be clearly identified in the spectrum, and a presumed purely metallic character of the Li can be ruled out based on the chemical shift observed. The Li in corresponding cathode electrode materials, LiMn 1.90Ni 0.10O 4, could be detected with near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, but the strong (self-) absorption of the spinel lattice provides an obstacle for quantitative analysis. Owing to its ionic bonding, the spectrum of the electrolyte salt LiPF 6 contains a sharp π-resonance at 61.8 eV, suggesting a distinct charge transfer between Li and the hexafluorophosphate anion. In addition, LiPF 6 resembles many spectral features of LiF, making it difficult to discriminate both from each other. Residual electrolyte on anodes or cathodes poses a problem for the spectroscopic analysis of the electrodes, because its Li spectrum overshadows the spectral features of the Li in the anode or cathode. The electrolyte must be removed from electrodes prior to spectroscopic analysis.

Enhancement of Fe diffusion in ZnSe/S laser crystals under hot isostatic pressing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gafarov, Ozarfar; Martinez, Alan; Fedorov, Vladimir; Mirov, Sergey

2017-02-01

Many organic molecules have strong and narrow absorption features in the middle Infrared (mid-IR) spectral range. The ability to directly probe absorption features of molecules enables numerous mid-IR applications in non-invasive medical diagnosis, industrial processing and process control, environmental monitoring, etc. Thus, there is a strong demand for lasers operating in mid-IR spectral range. Transition metal (TM) doped II-VI semiconductors such as Fe/Cr:ZnSe/S are the material of choice for fabrication of mid-IR gain media due to favorable combination of properties: a four level energy structure, absence of excited state absorption , broad mid-IR vibronic absorption and emission bands. Despite the significant progress in post-growth thermal diffusion technology of TM:II-VI fabrication there are still some difficulties associated with diffusion of certain TM's in these materials. In this work we address the issue of poor diffusion of Fe in ZnSe/S polycrystals. It is well known that with the temperature increase the diffusion rate of impurity also increases. However, simple application of high temperatures during the diffusion process is problematic for ZnSe/S crystals due to their strong sublimation. The sublimation processes can be suppressed by application of high pressures. Hot isostatic pressing was utilized as the means for simultaneous application of high temperatures (1300°C) and high pressures (1000atm, 3000atm). It was determined that diffusion coefficient of Fe was improved 13 and 14 fold in ZnSe and ZnS, respectively, as compared to the standard diffusion at 950°C. The difference in diffusion coefficients can be due to strong increase in the grain size of polycrystals.

First Asteroid Spectrometric Observations with BTA: 3045 Alois

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Busarev, V. V.; Burenkov, A. N.; Pramskij, A. G.

2001-11-01

BTA, Russian 6-m telescope, was mainly used for faint stars and extragalactic objects observations. We have firstly performed with the telescope spectrometric observations of a main belt asteroid, 3045 Alois, and are planning to use it for Centaurs and Kuiper Belt objects spectrometry. We have obtained some results of the observations. Spectra of Alois were recorded on two nights of March 2001 (29/30 and 30/31) with a long slit spectrograph (UAGS + CCD) in the .38-.80 um spectral range. HD105633 (G5) [1] considered as a solar analog was also observed, and the data were used for calculation the asteroid reflectance spectra. It was found that reflectance spectra of Alois obtained on different nights have various continuum slopes and absorption features. The reflectance spectrum on 29/30 March had a flat continuum in the range .44-.65 um and absorption bands at .5 um (ab. 7 % with respect to the continuum) similar to that found on the E-type asteroid 2035 Stearns [2], and at .80 um (ab. 25 %). Another one on 30/31 March had a red continuum in the range .40-.67 um and absorption bands at .43 um (ab. 6 %) resembling absorption features found on some C-, M- and S-type asteroids [3, 4], and at .80 um (ab. 17 %). From the data and taking into account the mean heliocentric distance of 3045 Alois (3.13 AU) we suppose that the asteroid having irregular spectral characteristics may be of M- or E-type and possibly hydrated. Unfortunately, its albedo and rotational period remain still unknown. [1] Mermilliod J.-C. (1994) Bull. Inf. CDS 45, 3. [2] Fornasier S. and Lazzarine M. (2001) Icarus 152, 127-133. [3] Vilas F. et al. (1993) Icarus 102, 225-231. [4] Busarev V. V. (2001) LPSC XXXII, abs. 1927.

[Study of the Detecting System of CH4 and SO2 Based on Spectral Absorption Method and UV Fluorescence Method].

PubMed

Wang, Shu-tao; Wang, Zhi-fang; Liu, Ming-hua; Wei, Meng; Chen, Dong-ying; Wang, Xing-long

2016-01-01

According to the spectral absorption characteristics of polluting gases and fluorescence characteristics, a time-division multiplexing detection system is designed. Through this system we can detect Methane (CH4) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) by using spectral absorption method and the SO2 can be detected by using UV fluorescence method. The system consists of four parts: a combination of a light source which could be switched, the common optical path, the air chamber and the signal processing section. The spectral absorption characteristics and fluorescence characteristics are measured first. Then the experiment of detecting CH4 and SO2 through spectral absorption method and the experiment of detecting SO2 through UV fluorescence method are conducted, respectively. Through measuring characteristics of spectral absorption and fluorescence, we get excitation wavelengths of SO2 and CH4 measured by spectral absorption method at the absorption peak are 280 nm and 1.64 μm, respectively, and the optimal excitation wavelength of SO2 measured by UV fluorescence method is 220 nm. we acquire the linear relation between the concentration of CH4 and relative intensity and the linear relation between the concentration of SO2 and output voltage after conducting the experiment of spectral absorption method, and the linearity are 98.7%, 99.2% respectively. Through the experiment of UV fluorescence method we acquire that the relation between the concentration of SO2 and the voltage is linear, and the linearity is 99.5%. Research shows that the system is able to be applied to detect the polluted gas by absorption spectrum method and UV fluorescence method. Combing these two measurement methods decreases the costing and the volume, and this system can also be used to measure the other gases. Such system has a certain value of application.

BROADBAND TRANSMISSION SPECTROSCOPY OF THE SUPER-EARTH GJ 1214b SUGGESTS A LOW MEAN MOLECULAR WEIGHT ATMOSPHERE

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

Croll, Bryce; Jayawardhana, Ray; Albert, Loic

We use the Wide-field Infrared Camera (WIRCam) on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope to observe four transits of the super-Earth planet GJ 1214b in the near-infrared. For each transit, we observe GJ 1214 in two bands nearly simultaneously by rapidly switching the WIRCam filter wheel back and forth for the duration of the observations. By combining all our J-band ({approx}1.25 {mu}m) observations we find a transit depth, analogous to the planet-to-star radius ratio squared, in this band of (R{sub PJ} /R{sub *}){sup 2} = (1.338 {+-} 0.013)%-a value consistent with the optical transit depth reported by Charbonneau and collaborators. However, our best-fitmore » combined K{sub s}-band ({approx}2.15 {mu}m) transit depth is deeper: (R{sub PKs} /R{sub *}){sup 2} = (1.438 {+-} 0.019)%. Formally, our K{sub s}-band transits are deeper than the J-band transits observed simultaneously by a factor of (R{sub PKs} /R{sub PJ}){sup 2} = 1.072 {+-} 0.018-a 4{sigma} discrepancy. The most straightforward explanation for our deeper K{sub s}-band transit depth is a spectral absorption feature from the limb of the atmosphere of the planet; for the spectral absorption feature to be this prominent, the atmosphere of GJ 1214b must have a large-scale height and a low mean molecular weight. That is, its atmosphere would have to be hydrogen/helium dominated and this planet would be better described as a mini-Neptune. However, recently published observations from 0.78 to 1.0 {mu}m, by Bean and collaborators, show a lack of spectral features and transit depths consistent with those obtained by Charbonneau and collaborators. The most likely atmospheric composition for GJ 1214b that arises from combining all these observations is less clear; if the atmosphere of GJ 1214b is hydrogen/helium dominated, then it must have either a haze layer that is obscuring transit-depth differences at shorter wavelengths or significantly different spectral features from what current models predict. Our observations disfavor a water-world composition, but such a composition will remain a possibility for GJ 1214b until observations reconfirm our deeper K{sub s}-band transit depth or detect features at other wavelengths.« less

Atomic gas in debris discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hales, Antonio S.; Barlow, M. J.; Crawford, I. A.; Casassus, S.

2017-04-01

We have conducted a search for optical circumstellar absorption lines in the spectra of 16 debris disc host stars. None of the stars in our sample showed signs of emission line activity in either Hα, Ca II or Na I, confirming their more evolved nature. Four stars were found to exhibit narrow absorption features near the cores of the photospheric Ca II and Na I D lines (when Na I D data were available). We analyse the characteristics of these spectral features to determine whether they are of circumstellar or interstellar origins. The strongest evidence for circumstellar gas is seen in the spectrum of HD 110058, which is known to host a debris disc observed close to edge-on. This is consistent with a recent ALMA detection of molecular gas in this debris disc, which shows many similarities to the β Pictoris system.

J6 Himalia: New Compositional Evidence and Interpretations for the Origin of Jupiter's Small Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vilas, Faith; Jarvis, K.; Larson, S.; Gaffey, M.

1999-01-01

New narrowband spectrophotometric data of J6 Himalia, some of which are spatially resolved, support its C-type classification. The new spectra confirm the presence of a weak absorption feature centered near 0.7 micron attributed to oxidized iron in phyllosilicates, products of aqueous alteration, which varies in depth on opposite sides of the satellite. Evaluation of older UBV photometry of J6 and J7 Elara compared to UBV photometry of C-class (and subclass) asteroids showing spectral evidence of the 0.7-microns absorption feature suggests that J6 Himalia is an F-class asteroid. We propose that the parent body of the prograde Jovian satellites originated as part of the Nysa asteroid family. Evolutionary models of the Jovian system are used to address the capture and dispersal of the irregular satellites.

Further characterization of spectral features attributable to titanium on the moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, R. G.; Parkin, K. M.; Loeffler, B. M.; Leung, I. S.; Abu-Eid, R. M.

1976-01-01

The following transitions are observed in the electronic absorption spectra of lunar titanaugites: Fe(2+) spin-allowed and spin-forbidden crystal field; Ti(3+) spin allowed and Jahn-Teller split crystal field; Ti(3+)-Ti(4+) CT; Fe(2+)-Ti(4+) CT; and O(2-)-Fe(2+), Ti(3+), Ti(4+) CT. Of these, the transitions involving Ti(3+) are unique to lunar or nonferric-bearing titanaugites. All titanaugites have the Fe(2+) crystal field and Fe(2+)-Ti(4+) CT transitions in common. These features in the diffuse reflectance spectra of lunar materials give rise to the '1.0 band' and to the observed absorption around 0.5-0.6 micron, respectively. Since regolith contains a variety of phases with coexisting Fe(2+), Ti(3+), and Ti(4+) ions, several metal-metal charge transfer processes are possible.

Airborne Remote Sensing of Trafficability in the Coastal Zone

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

validation instruments: Analytical Spectral Devices (ASD) full-range spectrometer; light weight deflectometer ( LWD ), which measures dynamic deflection...liquid water absorption features. The corresponding bearing strength measured by the LWD was high at the shoreline site and low at the backdune site...REVIEW REMOTE SENSING FIGURE 7 Correlation of in situ grain size, moisture, and bearing strength measurements. Scatterplot of percent moisture vs LWD

Science and Technology of Chemicals and Biological Sensing at Terahertz Frequencies

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-02-28

modeling of spores of Bacillus subtilis, and (3) detection of surprisingly narrow THz absorption resonances in polysaccharides , particularly...is si on [d B ] Fig. 4. 15 Polysaccharides Most of the biomass on the planet consists of saccharides. Understanding their THz dynamics should...specifically in the THz regime, one expects rotational spectral features or vibrational spectra of weaker bonds and larger masses. Polysaccharides have

Petrological Mapping of the Crater Boguslawsky

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wöhler, C.; Evdokimova, N. A.; Feoktistova, E. A.; Grumpe, A.; Kapoor, K.; Berezhnoy, A. A.; Shevchenko, V. V.

2015-10-01

An analysis of orbital spectral data of the crater Boguslawsky, the intended target region of the Russian Luna-Glob mission, is performed. We have constructed a high- resolution DEM of the crater Boguslawsky, based on which the temperature regime on the surface is investigated. The depth of the OH absorption feature is analysed.The content of the main elements is estimated, and a petrologic map is constructed accordingly.

Spectral changes in conifers subjected to air pollution and water stress: Experimental studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Westman, Walter E.; Price, Curtis V.

1988-01-01

The roles of leaf anatomy, moisture and pigment content, and number of leaf layers on spectral reflectance in healthy, pollution-stressed, and water-stressed conifer needles were examined experimentally. Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) and giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron gigantea) were exposed to ozone and acid mist treatments in fumigation chambers; red pine (Pinus resinosa) needles were artificially dried. Infrared reflectance from stacked needles rose with free water loss. In an air-drying experiment, cell volume reductions induced by loss of turgor caused near-infrared reflectance (TM band 4) to drop after most free water was lost. Under acid mist fumigation, stunting of tissue development similarly reduced band 4 reflectance. Both artificial drying and pollutant fumigation caused a blue shift of the red edge of spectral reflectance curves in conifers, attributable to chlorophyll denaturation. Thematic mapper band ratio 4/3 fell and 5/4 rose with increasing pollution stress on artificial drying. Loss of water by air-drying, freeze-drying, or oven-drying enhanced spectral features, due in part to greater scattering and reduced water absorption. Grinding of the leaf tissue further enhanced the spectral features by increasing reflecting surfaces and path length. In a leaf-stacking experiment, an asymptote in visible and infrared reflectance was reached at 7-8 needle layers of red pine.

TIME-VARIABLE ALUMINUM ABSORPTION IN THE POLAR AR URSAE MAJORIS, AND AN UPDATED ESTIMATE FOR THE MASS OF THE WHITE DWARF

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

Bai, Yu; Justham, Stephen; Liu, JiFeng

2016-09-01

We present spectra of the extreme polar AR Ursae Majoris (AR UMa), which display a clear Al i absorption doublet, alongside spectra taken less than a year earlier in which that feature is not present. Re-examination of earlier SDSS spectra indicates that the Al i absorption doublet was also present ≈8 years before our first non-detection. We conclude that this absorbing material is unlikely to be on the surface of either the white dwarf (WD) or the donor star. We suggest that this Al i absorption feature arises in circumstellar material, perhaps produced by the evaporation of asteroids as theymore » approach the hot WD. The presence of any remaining reservoir of rocky material in AR UMa might help to constrain the prior evolution of this unusual binary system. We also apply spectral decomposition to find the stellar parameters of the M dwarf companion, and attempt to dynamically measure the mass of the WD in AR UMa by considering both the radial velocity curves of the H {sub β} emission line and the Na i absorption line. Thereby we infer a mass range for the WD in AR UMa of 0.91 M {sub ⊙} < M {sub WD} < 1.24 M {sub ⊙}.« less

Time-variable Aluminum Absorption in the Polar AR Ursae Majoris, and an Updated Estimate for the Mass of the White Dwarf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Yu; Justham, Stephen; Liu, JiFeng; Guo, JinCheng; Gao, Qing; Gong, Hang

2016-09-01

We present spectra of the extreme polar AR Ursae Majoris (AR UMa), which display a clear Al I absorption doublet, alongside spectra taken less than a year earlier in which that feature is not present. Re-examination of earlier SDSS spectra indicates that the Al I absorption doublet was also present ≈8 years before our first non-detection. We conclude that this absorbing material is unlikely to be on the surface of either the white dwarf (WD) or the donor star. We suggest that this Al I absorption feature arises in circumstellar material, perhaps produced by the evaporation of asteroids as they approach the hot WD. The presence of any remaining reservoir of rocky material in AR UMa might help to constrain the prior evolution of this unusual binary system. We also apply spectral decomposition to find the stellar parameters of the M dwarf companion, and attempt to dynamically measure the mass of the WD in AR UMa by considering both the radial velocity curves of the H β emission line and the Na I absorption line. Thereby we infer a mass range for the WD in AR UMa of 0.91 M ⊙ < M WD < 1.24 M ⊙.

Phosphorus K-edge XANES spectroscopy of mineral standards

PubMed Central

Ingall, Ellery D.; Brandes, Jay A.; Diaz, Julia M.; de Jonge, Martin D.; Paterson, David; McNulty, Ian; Elliott, W. Crawford; Northrup, Paul

2011-01-01

Phosphorus K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy was performed on phosphate mineral specimens including (a) twelve specimens from the apatite group covering a range of compositional variation and crystallinity; (b) six non-apatite calcium-rich phosphate minerals; (c) 15 aluminium-rich phosphate minerals; (d) ten phosphate minerals rich in either reduced iron or manganese; (e) four phosphate minerals rich in either oxidized iron or manganese; (f) eight phosphate minerals rich in either magnesium, copper, lead, zinc or rare-earth elements; and (g) four uranium phosphate minerals. The identity of all minerals examined in this study was independently confirmed using X-ray powder diffraction. Minerals were distinguished using XANES spectra with a combination of pre-edge features, edge position, peak shapes and post-edge features. Shared spectral features were observed in minerals with compositions dominated by the same specific cation. Analyses of apatite-group minerals indicate that XANES spectral patterns are not strongly affected by variations in composition and crystallinity typical of natural mineral specimens. PMID:21335905

[Study on THz spectra and vibrational modes of benzoic acid and sodium Benzoate].

PubMed

Zheng, Zhuan-Ping; Fan, Wen-Hui; Yan, Hui; Liu, Jia; Xu, Li-Min

2013-03-01

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy was employed to measure the terahertz absorption spectra of benzoic acid and sodium benzoate at room temperature. The origins of the measured features of benzoic acid were summarized based on previous study. Density functional theory was used to compute and analyze the molecular structure and vibrational modes of sodium benzoate in monomer. Based on the obtained results, the authors found that the THz spectral features can be used to distinguish benzoic acid and sodium benzoate totally; the essential reason for the THz spectral difference between benzoic acid and sodium benzoate is that the electrovalent bond of sodium benzoate affects the values of covalent bond lengths and bond angles, as well as the molecular interactions and arrangement in unit cell; the measured features of benzoic acid and sodium benzoate come from the collective vibrations except the peaks located at 107 cm-1 of benzoic acid and 54 cm-1 of sodium benzoate.

Near-Infrared Band Strengths of Molecules Diluted in N2 and H2O Ice Mixtures Relevant to Interstellar and Planetary Ices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richey, Christina Rae; Gerakines, P.A.

2012-01-01

The relative abundances of ices in astrophysical environments rely on accurate laboratory measurements of physical parameters, such as band strengths (or absorption intensities), determined for the molecules of interest in relevant mixtures. In an extension of our previous study on pure-ice samples, here we focus on the near-infrared absorption features of molecules in mixtures with the dominant components of interstellar and planetary ices, H2O and N2. We present experimentally measured near-infrared spectral information (peak positions, widths, and band strengths) for both H2O- and N2-dominated mixtures of CO (carbon monoxide), CO2 (carbon dioxide), CH4 (methane), and NH3 (ammonia). Band strengths were determined during sample deposition by correlating the growth of near-infrared features (10,000-4000 per centimeter, 1-2.5 micrometers) with better-known mid-infrared features (4000-400 per centimeter, 2.5-25 micrometers) at longer wavelengths.

Infrared Space Observatory Observations of Far-Infrared Rotational Emission Lines of Water Vapor Toward the Supergiant Star VY Canis Majoris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neufeld, David A.; Feuchtgruber, Helmut; Harwit, Martin; Melnick, Gary J.

1999-01-01

We report the detection of numerous far-infrared emission lines of water vapor toward the supergiant star VY Canis Majoris. A 29.5-45 micron grating scan of VY CMa, obtained using the Short-Wavelength Spectrometer (SWS) of the Infrared Space Observatory at a spectral resolving power lambda/delat.lambda of approximately 2000, reveals at least 41 spectral features due to water vapor that together radiate a total luminosity of approximately 25 solar luminosity . In addition to pure rotational transitions within the ground vibrational state, these features include rotational transitions within the (010) excited vibrational state. The spectrum also shows the (sup 2)product(sub 1/2) (J = 5/2) left arrow (sup 2)product(sub 3/2) (J = 3/2) OH feature near 34.6 micron in absorption. Additional SWS observations of VY CMa were carried out in the instrument's Fabry-Perot mode for three water transitions: the 7(sub 25)-6(sub 16) line at 29.8367 micron, the 4(sub 41)-3(sub 12) line at 31.7721 micron, and the 4(sub 32)-3(sub 03) line at 40.6909 micron. The higher spectral resolving power lambda/delta.lambda of approximately 30,000 thereby obtained permits the line profiles to be resolved spectrally for the first time and reveals the "P Cygni" profiles that are characteristic of emission from an outflowing envelope.

Reflection spectra of bio-organic materials in the 2.5-4 micron region and the interpretation of the infrared spectrum of Mars.

PubMed

Rea, D G; Belsky, T; Calvin, M

1964-01-01

The nature and assignment of the Martian spectral features observed by W. M. Sinton in the 3-4 micron region have been re-examined. It is shown that it is not possible to state unequivocally that there are absorption bands at 2710 (3.69 microns), 2790 (3.58 microns) and 2900 (3.45 microns) cm-1. Rather the possibility of the presence of true reflection features complicates the issue and enables only a wide range to be specified for the corresponding resonant frequencies. To clarify the assignment of these a large number of pure organic and inorganic solids, together with a selection of biological samples, have been recorded in reflection. The assignment of the features to organic matter, implying the presence of life on the Martian maria, is found to be improbable. While inorganic carbonates have bands in this region, they also do not provide a satisfactory explanation of the observations. The assignment of these Martian spectral features is then an open question.

Extreme Variability in a Broad Absorption Line Quasar

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

Stern, Daniel; Jun, Hyunsung D.; Graham, Matthew J.

CRTS J084133.15+200525.8 is an optically bright quasar at z = 2.345 that has shown extreme spectral variability over the past decade. Photometrically, the source had a visual magnitude of V ∼ 17.3 between 2002 and 2008. Then, over the following five years, the source slowly brightened by approximately one magnitude, to V ∼ 16.2. Only ∼1 in 10,000 quasars show such extreme variability, as quantified by the extreme parameters derived for this quasar assuming a damped random walk model. A combination of archival and newly acquired spectra reveal the source to be an iron low-ionization broad absorption line quasar withmore » extreme changes in its absorption spectrum. Some absorption features completely disappear over the 9 years of optical spectra, while other features remain essentially unchanged. We report the first definitive redshift for this source, based on the detection of broad H α in a Keck/MOSFIRE spectrum. Absorption systems separated by several 1000 km s{sup −1} in velocity show coordinated weakening in the depths of their troughs as the continuum flux increases. We interpret the broad absorption line variability to be due to changes in photoionization, rather than due to motion of material along our line of sight. This source highlights one sort of rare transition object that astronomy will now be finding through dedicated time-domain surveys.« less

On the limitations of statistical absorption studies with the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys I-III

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lan, Ting-Wen; Ménard, Brice; Baron, Dalya; Johnson, Sean; Poznanski, Dovi; Prochaska, J. Xavier; O'Meara, John M.

2018-07-01

We investigate the limitations of statistical absorption measurements with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) optical spectroscopic surveys. We show that changes in the data reduction strategy throughout different data releases have led to a better accuracy at long wavelengths, in particular for sky line subtraction, but a degradation at short wavelengths with the emergence of systematic spectral features with an amplitude of about 1 per cent. We show that these features originate from inaccuracy in the fitting of modelled F-star spectra used for flux calibration. The best-fitting models for those stars are found to systematically overestimate the strength of metal lines and underestimate that of Lithium. We also identify the existence of artefacts due to masking and interpolation procedures at the wavelengths of the hydrogen Balmer series leading to the existence of artificial Balmer α absorption in all SDSS optical spectra. All these effects occur in the rest frame of the standard stars and therefore present Galactic longitude variations due to the rotation of the Galaxy. We demonstrate that the detection of certain weak absorption lines reported in the literature is solely due to calibration effects. Finally, we discuss new strategies to mitigate these issues.

On the limitations of statistical absorption studies with the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys I-III

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lan, Ting-Wen; Ménard, Brice; Baron, Dalya; Johnson, Sean; Poznanski, Dovi; Prochaska, J. Xavier; O'Meara, John M.

2018-04-01

We investigate the limitations of statistical absorption measurements with the SDSS optical spectroscopic surveys. We show that changes in the data reduction strategy throughout different data releases have led to a better accuracy at long wavelengths, in particular for sky line subtraction, but a degradation at short wavelengths with the emergence of systematic spectral features with an amplitude of about one percent. We show that these features originate from inaccuracy in the fitting of modeled F-star spectra used for flux calibration. The best-fit models for those stars are found to systematically over-estimate the strength of metal lines and under-estimate that of Lithium. We also identify the existence of artifacts due to masking and interpolation procedures at the wavelengths of the hydrogen Balmer series leading to the existence of artificial Balmer α absorption in all SDSS optical spectra. All these effects occur in the rest-frame of the standard stars and therefore present Galactic longitude variations due to the rotation of the Galaxy. We demonstrate that the detection of certain weak absorption lines reported in the literature are solely due to calibration effects. Finally, we discuss new strategies to mitigate these issues.

Remote sensing of the Canadian Arctic: Modelling biophysical variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Nanfeng

It is anticipated that Arctic vegetation will respond in a variety of ways to altered temperature and precipitation patterns expected with climate change, including changes in phenology, productivity, biomass, cover and net ecosystem exchange. Remote sensing provides data and data processing methodologies for monitoring and assessing Arctic vegetation over large areas. The goal of this research was to explore the potential of hyperspectral and high spatial resolution multispectral remote sensing data for modelling two important Arctic biophysical variables: Percent Vegetation Cover (PVC) and the fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fAPAR). A series of field experiments were conducted to collect PVC and fAPAR at three Canadian Arctic sites: (1) Sabine Peninsula, Melville Island, NU; (2) Cape Bounty Arctic Watershed Observatory (CBAWO), Melville Island, NU; and (3) Apex River Watershed (ARW), Baffin Island, NU. Linear relationships between biophysical variables and Vegetation Indices (VIs) were examined at different spatial scales using field spectra (for the Sabine Peninsula site) and high spatial resolution satellite data (for the CBAWO and ARW sites). At the Sabine Peninsula site, hyperspectral VIs exhibited a better performance for modelling PVC than multispectral VIs due to their capacity for sampling fine spectral features. The optimal hyperspectral bands were located at important spectral features observed in Arctic vegetation spectra, including leaf pigment absorption in the red wavelengths and at the red-edge, leaf water absorption in the near infrared, and leaf cellulose and lignin absorption in the shortwave infrared. At the CBAWO and ARW sites, field PVC and fAPAR exhibited strong correlations (R2 > 0.70) with the NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) derived from high-resolution WorldView-2 data. Similarly, high spatial resolution satellite-derived fAPAR was correlated to MODIS fAPAR (R2 = 0.68), with a systematic overestimation of 0.08, which was attributed to PAR absorption by soil that could not be excluded from the fAPAR calculation. This research clearly demonstrates that high spectral and spatial resolution remote sensing VIs can be used to successfully model Arctic biophysical variables. The methods and results presented in this research provided a guide for future studies aiming to model other Arctic biophysical variables through remote sensing data.

Spatial variability in the seasonal south polar CAP of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calvin, Wendy M.; Martin, Terry Z.

1994-10-01

The first comprehensive discussion of the south seasonal polar cap spectra obtained by the Mariner 7 infrared spectrometer in the short-wavelength region (2-4 microns) is presented. The infrared spectra is correlated with images acquired by the wide-angle camera. Significant spectral variation is noted in the cap interior and regions of varying water frost abundance, CO2 ice/frost cover, and CO2-ice path length can be distinguished. Many of these spectral variations correlate with heterogeneity noted in the camera images, but certain significant infrared spectral variations are not discernible in the visible. Simple reflectance models are used to classify the observed spectral variations into four regions. Region I is at the cap edge, where there is enhanced absorption beyond 3 microns inferred to be caused by an increased abundance of water frost. The increase in water abundance over that in the interior is on the level of a few parts per thousand or less. Region II is the typical cap interior characterized by spectral features of CO2 ice at grain sizes of several millimeters to centimeters. These spectra also indicate the presence of water frost at the parts per thousand level. A third, unusual region (III), is defined by three spectra in which weak CO2 absorption features are as much as twice as strong as in the average cap spectra and are assumed to be caused by an increased path length in the CO2. Such large paths are inconsistent with the high reflectance in the visible and at 2.2 microns and suggest layered structures or deposition conditions that are not accounted for in current reflectance models. The final region (IV) is an area of thinning frost coverage or transparent ice well in the interior of the seasonal cap. These spectra are a combination of CO2 and ground signatures.

Spatial variability in the seasonal south polar cap of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calvin, Wendy M.; Martin, Terry Z.

1994-01-01

The first comprehensive discussion of the south seasonal polar cap spectra obtained by the Mariner 7 infrared spectrometer in the short-wavelength region (2-4 microns) is presented. The infrared spectra is correlated with images acquired by the wide-angle camera. Significant spectral variation is noted in the cap interior and regions of varying water frost abundance, CO2 ice/frost cover, and CO2-ice path length can be distinguished. Many of these spectral variations correlate with heterogeneity noted in the camera images, but certain significant infrared spectral variations are not discernible in the visible. Simple reflectance models are used to classify the observed spectral variations into four regions. Region I is at the cap edge, where there is enhanced absorption beyond 3 microns inferred to be caused by an increased abundance of water frost. The increase in water abundance over that in the interior is on the level of a few parts per thousand or less. Region II is the typical cap interior characterized by spectral features of CO2 ice at grain sizes of several millimeters to centimeters. These spectra also indicate the presence of water frost at the parts per thousand level. A third, unusual region (III), is defined by three spectra in which weak CO2 absorption features are as much as twice as strong as in the average cap spectra and are assumed to be caused by an increased path length in the CO2. Such large paths are inconsistent with the high reflectance in the visible and at 2.2 microns and suggest layered structures or deposition conditions that are not accounted for in current reflectance models. The final region (IV) is an area of thinning frost coverage or transparent ice well in the interior of the seasonal cap. These spectra are a combination of CO2 and ground signatures.

A TALE OF TWO MYSTERIES IN INTERSTELLAR ASTROPHYSICS: THE 2175 A EXTINCTION BUMP AND DIFFUSE INTERSTELLAR BANDS

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

Xiang, F. Y.; Zhong, J. X.; Li Aigen, E-mail: jxzhong@xtu.edu.cn, E-mail: lia@missouri.edu

2011-06-01

The diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) are ubiquitous absorption spectral features arising from the tenuous material in the space between stars-the interstellar medium (ISM). Since their first detection nearly nine decades ago, over 400 DIBs have been observed in the visible and near-infrared wavelength range in both the Milky Way and external galaxies, both nearby and distant. However, the identity of the species responsible for these bands remains as one of the most enigmatic mysteries in astrophysics. An equally mysterious interstellar spectral signature is the 2175 A extinction bump, the strongest absorption feature observed in the ISM. Its carrier also remainsmore » unclear since its first detection 46 years ago. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules have long been proposed as a candidate for DIBs as their electronic transitions occur in the wavelength range where DIBs are often found. In recent years, the 2175 A extinction bump is also often attributed to the {pi}-{pi}* transition in PAHs. If PAHs are indeed responsible for both the 2175 A extinction feature and DIBs, their strengths may correlate. We perform an extensive literature search for lines of sight for which both the 2175 A extinction feature and DIBs have been measured. Unfortunately, we found no correlation between the strength of the 2175 A feature and the equivalent widths of the strongest DIBs. A possible explanation might be that DIBs are produced by small free gas-phase PAH molecules and ions, while the 2175 A bump is mainly from large PAHs or PAH clusters in condensed phase so that there is no tight correlation between DIBs and the 2175 A bump.« less

Outer layers of a carbon star: The view from the Hubble Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, H. R.; Ensman, Lisa M.; Alexander, D. R.; Avrett, E. H.; Brown, A.; Carpenter, K. G.; Eriksson, K.; Gustafsson, B.; Jorgensen, U. G.; Judge, Philip D.

1995-01-01

To advance our understanding of the relationship between stellar chromospheres and mass loss, which is a common property of carbon stars and other asymptotic giant branch stars, we have obtained ultraviolet spectra of the nearby N-type carbon star UU Aur using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). In this paper we describe the HST observations, identify spectral features in both absorption and emission, and attempt to infer the velocity field in the chromosphere, upper troposphere, and circumstellar envelope from spectral line shifts. A mechanism for producing fluoresced emission to explain a previously unobserved emission line is proposed. Some related ground-based observations are also described.

Study on the THz spectrum of methamphetamine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ning, Li; Shen, Jingling; Jinhai, Sun; Laishun, Liang; Xu, Xiaoyu; Lu, Meihong; Yan, Jia

2005-09-01

The spectral absorption features of methamphetamine (MA), one of the most widely consumed illicit drugs in the world, are studied experimentally by Terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS), and the characteristic absorption spectra are obtained in the range of 0.2 to 2.6 THz. The vibrational frequencies are calculated using the density functional theory (DFT). Theoretical results show significant agreement with experimental results, and identification of vibrational modes are given. The calculated results further confirm that the characteristic frequencies come from the collective vibrational modes. The results suggest that use of the THz-TDS technique can be an effective way to inspect for illicit drugs.

Methods for Retrievals of CO2 Mixing Ratios from JPL Laser Absorption Spectrometer Flights During a Summer 2011 Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menzies, Robert T.; Spiers, Gary D.; Jacob, Joseph C.

2013-01-01

The JPL airborne Laser Absorption Spectrometer instrument has been flown several times in the 2007-2011 time frame for the purpose of measuring CO2 mixing ratios in the lower atmosphere. This instrument employs CW laser transmitters and coherent detection receivers in the 2.05- micro m spectral region. The Integrated Path Differential Absorption (IPDA) method is used to retrieve weighted CO2 column mixing ratios. We present key features of the evolving LAS signal processing and data analysis algorithms and the calibration/validation methodology. Results from 2011 flights in various U.S. locations include observed mid-day CO2 drawdown in the Midwest and high spatial resolution plume detection during a leg downwind of the Four Corners power plant in New Mexico.

Intensity-Stabilized Fast-Scanned Direct Absorption Spectroscopy Instrumentation Based on a Distributed Feedback Laser with Detection Sensitivity down to 4 × 10−6

PubMed Central

Zhao, Gang; Tan, Wei; Jia, Mengyuan; Hou, Jiajuan; Ma, Weiguang; Dong, Lei; Zhang, Lei; Feng, Xiaoxia; Wu, Xuechun; Yin, Wangbao; Xiao, Liantuan; Axner, Ove; Jia, Suotang

2016-01-01

A novel, intensity-stabilized, fast-scanned, direct absorption spectroscopy (IS-FS-DAS) instrumentation, based on a distributed feedback (DFB) diode laser, is developed. A fiber-coupled polarization rotator and a fiber-coupled polarizer are used to stabilize the intensity of the laser, which significantly reduces its relative intensity noise (RIN). The influence of white noise is reduced by fast scanning over the spectral feature (at 1 kHz), followed by averaging. By combining these two noise-reducing techniques, it is demonstrated that direct absorption spectroscopy (DAS) can be swiftly performed down to a limit of detection (LOD) (1σ) of 4 × 10−6, which opens up a number of new applications. PMID:27657082

Mid-Infrared Properties of OH Megamaser Host Galaxies. I. Spitzer IRS Low- and High-Resolution Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willett, Kyle W.; Darling, Jeremy; Spoon, Henrik W. W.; Charmandaris, Vassilis; Armus, Lee

2011-03-01

We present mid-infrared spectra and photometry from the Infrared Spectrograph on the Spitzer Space Telescope for 51 OH megamasers (OHMs), along with 15 galaxies confirmed to have no megamaser emission above L OH = 102.3 L sun. The majority of galaxies display moderate-to-deep 9.7 μm amorphous silicate absorption, with OHM galaxies showing stronger average absorption and steeper 20-30 μm continuum emission than non-masing galaxies. Emission from multiple polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), especially at 6.2, 7.7, and 11.3 μm, is detected in almost all systems. Fine-structure atomic emission (including [Ne II], [Ne III], [S III], and [S IV]) and multiple H2 rotational transitions are observed in more than 90% of the sample. A subset of galaxies show emission from rarer atomic lines, such as [Ne V], [O IV], and [Fe II]. Fifty percent of the OHMs show absorption from water ice and hydrogenated amorphous carbon grains, while absorption features from CO2, HCN, C2H2, and crystalline silicates are also seen in several OHMs. Column densities of OH derived from 34.6 μm OH absorption are similar to those derived from 1667 MHz OH absorption in non-masing galaxies, indicating that the abundance of masing molecules is similar for both samples. This data paper presents full mid-infrared spectra for each galaxy, along with measurements of line fluxes and equivalent widths, absorption feature depths, and spectral indices.

Constraining Cometary Crystal Shapes from IR Spectral Features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wooden, D. H.; Lindsay, S.; Harker, D. E.; Kelley, M. S.; Woodward, C. E.; Murphy, J. R.

2013-12-01

A major challenge in deriving the silicate mineralogy of comets is ascertaining how the anisotropic nature of forsterite crystals affects the spectral features' wavelength, relative intensity, and asymmetry. Forsterite features are identified in cometary comae near 10, 11.05-11.2, 16, 19, 23.5, 27.5 and 33 μm [1-10], so accurate models for forsterite's absorption efficiency (Qabs) are a primary requirement to compute IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs, λFλ vs. λ) and constrain the silicate mineralogy of comets. Forsterite is an anisotropic crystal, with three crystallographic axes with distinct indices of refraction for the a-, b-, and c-axis. The shape of a forsterite crystal significantly affects its spectral features [13-16]. We need models that account for crystal shape. The IR absorption efficiencies of forsterite are computed using the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) code DDSCAT [11,12]. Starting from a fiducial crystal shape of a cube, we systematically elongate/reduce one of the crystallographic axes. Also, we elongate/reduce one axis while the lengths of the other two axes are slightly asymmetric (0.8:1.2). The most significant grain shape characteristic that affects the crystalline spectral features is the relative lengths of the crystallographic axes. The second significant grain shape characteristic is breaking the symmetry of all three axes [17]. Synthetic spectral energy distributions using seven crystal shape classes [17] are fit to the observed SED of comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp). The Hale-Bopp crystalline residual better matches equant, b-platelets, c-platelets, and b-columns spectral shape classes, while a-platelets, a-columns and c-columns worsen the spectral fits. Forsterite condensation and partial evaporation experiments demonstrate that environmental temperature and grain shape are connected [18-20]. Thus, grain shape is a potential probe for protoplanetary disk temperatures where the cometary crystalline forsterite formed. The forsterite crystal shapes (equant, b-platelets, c-platelets, b-colums - excluding a- and c-columns) derived from our modeling [17] of comet Hale-Bopp, compared to laboratory synthesis experiments [18], suggests that these crystals are high temperature condensates. By observing and modeling the crystalline features in comet ISON, we may constrain forsterite crystal shape(s) and link to their formation temperature(s) and environment(s). References: [1] Campins, H., Ryan, E.V. 1989. ApJ, 341, 1059 [2] Crovisier, J., et al. 1997. Science, 275, 1904 [3] Wooden, D.H., et al. 1999. ApJ, 517, 1034 [4] Wooden, D.H., et al. 2004. ApJL, 612, L77 [5] Harker, D.E., et al. 2002. ApJ, 580, 579 [6] --. 2004, ApJ, 615, 1081 [7] Lisse, C.M., et al. 2006. Icarus 195, 941-944. [8] Lisse, C.M., et.al. 2007. Icarus 191, 223-240. [9] Kelley, M.S., et al. 2010, LPSC, 41, #2375 [10] Harker, D.E., et al. 2011, AJ, 141, 26 [11] Draine, B.T., & Flatau, P.J. 1994, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A, 11, 1491 [12] Draine, B.T., & Flatau, P.J. 2008, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A, 25, 2693 [13] Fabian, D., et al., 2001, A&A, 378, 228 [14] Tamanai, A., et al. 2006. ApJ, 648, L147 [15] Tamanai, A., et al. 2009. ASP Conf. Ser., 414, 438 [16] Koike, C., et al. 2010. ApJ, 709, 983 [17] Lindsay, S.S., et al. 2013, ApJ, 766, 54 [18] Tsuchiyama, A. 1998. Mineralogical J., 20, 59 [19] Kobatake, H., et al., 2008. Icarus, 198, 208 [20] Takigawa, A., et al.. 2009. ApJL, 707, L97

Temperature and pressure dependence of dichloro-difluoromethane (CF2C12) absorption coefficients for CO2 waveguide laser radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harward, C. N.

1977-01-01

Measurements were performed to determine the pressure and temperature dependence of CFM-12 absorption coefficients for CO2 waveguide laser radiation. The absorption coefficients of CFM-12 for CO2 waveguide laser radiation were found to have no spectral structure within small spectral bandwidths around the CO2 waveguide laser lines in the CO2 spectral band for pressures above 20 torr. All of the absorption coefficients for the CO2 laser lines studied are independent of pressure above 100 torr, except for the P(36) laser CO2 spectral band. The absorption coefficients associated with the P(42) line in the same band showed the greatest change with temperature, and it also has the largest value of all the lines studied.

Extending the McDonald Observatory Serendipitous Survey of UV/Blue Asteroid Spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vilas, Faith; Cochran, A. L.

1999-01-01

Moderate resolution asteroid spectra in the 350 - 650 nm spectral range acquired randomly over many years (Cochran and Vilas, Icarus v 127, 121, 1997) identified absorption features in spectra of some of the asteroids. A feature centered at 430 nm was identified in the spectra of some low-albedo asteroids (C class and subclass), similar to the feature identified by Vilas et al. (Icarus, v. 102, 225,1993) in other low-albedo asteroid spectra and attributed to a ferric iron spin-forbidden transition in iron alteration minerals such as jarosite. Features at 505 nm and 430 nm were identified in the spectrum of 4 Vesta. The 505-nm feature is highly diagnostic of the amount and form of calcium in pyroxenes. This suggested further research on the sharpness and spectral placement of this feature in the spectra of Vesta and Vestoids (e.g., Cochran and Vilas, Icarus v. 134, 207, 1998). In 1997 and 1998, additional UV/blue spectra were obtained at the 2.7-m Harlan J. Smith telescope with a facility cassegrain spectrograph. These included spectra of low-albedo asteroids, the R-class asteroid 349 Dembowska, and the M-class asteroid 135 Hertha. These spectra will be presented and identified features will be discussed.

Reflectance Spectra Comparison of Orbital Debris, Intact Spacecraft, and Intact Rocket Bodies in the GEO Regime

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barker, Ed; Abercromby, Kira J.; Abell, Paul

2009-01-01

A key objective of NASA s Orbital Debris program office at Johnson Space Center (JSC) is to characterize the debris environment by way of assessing the physical properties (type, mass, density, and size) of objects in orbit. Knowledge of the geosynchronous orbit (GEO) debris environment in particular can be used to determine the hazard probability at specific GEO altitudes and aid predictions of the future environment. To calculate an optical size from an intensity measurement of an object in the GEO regime, a 0.175 albedo is assumed currently. However, identification of specific material type or types could improve albedo accuracy and yield a more accurate size estimate for the debris piece. Using spectroscopy, it is possible to determine the surface materials of space objects. The study described herein used the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) to record spectral data in the 0.6 to 2.5 micron regime on eight catalogued space objects. For comparison, all of the objects observed were in GEO or near-GEO. The eight objects consisted of two intact spacecraft, three rocket bodies, and three catalogued debris pieces. Two of the debris pieces stemmed from Titan 3C transtage breakup and the third is from COSMOS 2054. The reflectance spectra of the Titan 3C pieces share similar slopes (increasing with wavelength) and lack any strong absorption features. The COSMOS debris spectra is flat and has no absorption features. In contrast, the intact spacecraft show classic absorption features due to solar panels with a strong band gap feature near 1 micron. The two spacecraft are spin-stabilized objects and therefore have solar panels surrounding the outer surface. Two of the three rocket bodies are inertial upper stage (IUS) rocket bodies and have similar looking spectra. The slopes flatten out near 1.5 microns with absorption features in the near-infrared that are similar to that of white paint. The third rocket body has a similar flattening of slope but with fewer features of white paint - indicating that the surface paint on the SL-12 may be different than the IUS. This study shows that the surface materials of debris appear different spectrally than intact rocket bodies and spacecraft and therefore are not believed to be solar panel material or pristine white paint. Further investigation is necessary in order to eliminate materials as possible choices for the debris pieces.

Reflectance Spectra Comparison of Orbital Debris, Intact Spacecraft, and Intact Rocket Bodies in the GEO Regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albercromby, Kira J.; Abell, Paul; Barker, Ed

2009-03-01

A key objective of NASA's Orbital Debris program office at Johnson Space Center (JSC) is to characterize the debris environment by way of assessing the physical properties (type, mass, density, and size) of objects in orbit. Knowledge of the geosynchronous orbit (GEO) debris environment in particular can be used to determine the hazard probability at specific GEO altitudes and aid predictions of the future environment. To calculate an optical size from an intensity measurement of an object in the GEO regime, a 0.175 albedo is assumed currently. However, identification of specific material type or types could improve albedo accuracy and yield a more accurate size estimate for the debris piece. Using spectroscopy, it is possible to determine the surface materials of space objects. The study described herein used the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) to record spectral data in the ~ 0.65 to 2.5 micron regime on eight catalogued space objects. For comparison, all of the objects observed were in GEO or near-GEO. The eight objects consisted of two intact spacecraft, three rocket bodies, and three catalogued debris pieces. Two of the debris pieces stemmed from Titan 3C transtage breakup and the third is from COSMOS 2054. The reflectance spectra of the Titan 3C pieces share similar slopes (increasing with wavelength) and lack any strong absorption features. The COSMOS debris spectrum has a slight slope and has no absorption features. In contrast, the intact spacecraft show classic absorption features due to solar cells with a strong band gap feature near 1 micron. The two spacecraft were spin-stabilized objects and therefore have solar panels surrounding the outer surface. Two of the three rocket bodies are inertial upper stage (IUS) rocket bodies and have similar looking spectra. The slopes flatten out near 1.5 microns with absorption features in the near-infrared that are similar to that of white paint. The third rocket body has a similar flattening of slope but with fewer features of white paint - indicating that the surface paint on the SL-12 may be different than the IUS. This study shows that the surface materials of debris appear different spectrally than intact rocket bodies and spacecraft and therefore are not believed to be solar cell material or pristine white paint. Further investigation is necessary in order to eliminate materials as possible choices for the debris pieces.

Simulating Ru L 3 -Edge X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy with Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory: Model Complexes and Electron Localization in Mixed-Valence Metal Dimers

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

Van Kuiken, Benjamin E.; Valiev, Marat; Daifuku, Stephanie L.

2013-05-30

Ruthenium L3-edge X-ray absorption (XA) spectroscopy probes unoccupied 4d orbitals of the metal atom and is increasingly being used to investigate the local electronic structure in ground and excited electronic states of Ru complexes. The simultaneous development of computational tools for simulating Ru L3-edge spectra is crucial for interpreting the spectral features at a molecular level. This study demonstrates that time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) is a viable and predictive tool for simulating ruthenium L3-edge XA spectroscopy. We systematically investigate the effects of exchange correlation functional and implicit and explicit solvent interactions on a series of RuII and RuIII complexesmore » in their ground and electronic excited states. The TDDFT simulations reproduce all of the experimentally observed features in Ru L3-edge XA spectra within the experimental resolution (0.4 eV). Our simulations identify ligand-specific charge transfer features in complicated Ru L3-edge spectra of [Ru(CN)6]4- and RuII polypyridyl complexes illustrating the advantage of using TDDFT in complex systems. We conclude that the B3LYP functional most accurately predicts the transition energies of charge transfer features in these systems. We use our TDDFT approach to simulate experimental Ru L3-edge XA spectra of transition metal mixed-valence dimers of the form [(NC)5MII-CN-RuIII(NH3)5] (where M = Fe or Ru) dissolved in water. Our study determines the spectral signatures of electron delocalization in Ru L3-edge XA spectra. We find that the inclusion of explicit solvent molecules is necessary for reproducing the spectral features and the experimentally determined valencies in these mixed-valence complexes. This study validates the use of TDDFT for simulating Ru 2p excitations using popular quantum chemistry codes and providing a powerful interpretive tool for equilibrium and ultrafast Ru L3-edge XA spectroscopy.« less

Absorption spectroscopy at the ultimate quantum limit from single-photon states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whittaker, R.; Erven, C.; Neville, A.; Berry, M.; O'Brien, J. L.; Cable, H.; Matthews, J. C. F.

2017-02-01

Absorption spectroscopy is routinely used to characterise chemical and biological samples. For the state-of-the-art in laser absorption spectroscopy, precision is theoretically limited by shot-noise due to the fundamental Poisson-distribution of photon number in laser radiation. In practice, the shot-noise limit can only be achieved when all other sources of noise are eliminated. Here, we use wavelength-correlated and tuneable photon pairs to demonstrate how absorption spectroscopy can be performed with precision beyond the shot-noise limit and near the ultimate quantum limit by using the optimal probe for absorption measurement—single photons. We present a practically realisable scheme, which we characterise both the precision and accuracy of by measuring the response of a control feature. We demonstrate that the technique can successfully probe liquid samples and using two spectrally similar types of haemoglobin we show that obtaining a given precision in resolution requires fewer heralded single probe photons compared to using an idealised laser.

Characterization of light absorption by chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in the upper layer of the Red Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kheireddine, Malika; Ouhssain, Mustapha; Calleja, Maria Ll.; Morán, Xosé Anxelu G.; Sarma, Y. V. B.; Tiwari, Surya P.; Jones, Burton H.

2018-03-01

The absorption coefficient of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) is a major variable used in developing robust bio-optical models and understanding biogeochemical processes. Over the last decade, the optical properties of CDOM in the open sea have been intensely studied. However, their variations in clear water are poorly documented, particularly in the Red Sea, owing to the absence of in situ measurements. We performed several cruises in the Red Sea to investigate the spatial distribution of the absorption coefficient of CDOM. The spectral absorption coefficients were determined from 400 nm to 740 nm using a WETLabs ac-s hyper-spectral spectrophotometer. In general, we found a latitudinal gradient in the CDOM absorption coefficient at 443 nm (aCDOM(443)) from south to north that is likely influenced by the exchange of water through the strait of Bab-el-Mandeb and the thermohaline circulation of the Red Sea. However, high aCDOM(443) values were observed in the northern Red Sea due to the existence of a sub-mesoscale feature that may induce an increase in phytoplankton production and lead to CDOM production. The aCDOM(443) covaried with the chlorophyll a concentration ([Chl a],) despite a high scatter. Furthermore, the aCDOM(443) for a given [Chl a] concentration was higher than those predicted by global ocean bio-optical models. This study advances our understanding of CDOM concentration in the Red Sea and may help improve the accuracy of the algorithms used to obtain CDOM absorption from ocean color.

Spectroscopic Determination of Aboveground Biomass in Grasslands Using Spectral Transformations, Support Vector Machine and Partial Least Squares Regression

PubMed Central

Marabel, Miguel; Alvarez-Taboada, Flor

2013-01-01

Aboveground biomass (AGB) is one of the strategic biophysical variables of interest in vegetation studies. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) for estimating the AGB of grasslands from field spectrometer data and to find out which data pre-processing approach was the most suitable. The most accurate model to predict the total AGB involved PLSR and the Maximum Band Depth index derived from the continuum removed reflectance in the absorption features between 916–1,120 nm and 1,079–1,297 nm (R2 = 0.939, RMSE = 7.120 g/m2). Regarding the green fraction of the AGB, the Area Over the Minimum index derived from the continuum removed spectra provided the most accurate model overall (R2 = 0.939, RMSE = 3.172 g/m2). Identifying the appropriate absorption features was proved to be crucial to improve the performance of PLSR to estimate the total and green aboveground biomass, by using the indices derived from those spectral regions. Ordinary Least Square Regression could be used as a surrogate for the PLSR approach with the Area Over the Minimum index as the independent variable, although the resulting model would not be as accurate. PMID:23925082

AVIRIS performance during the 1987 flight season: An AVIRIS project assessment and summary of the NASA-sponsored performance evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vane, Gregg; Porter, Wallace M.; Reimer, John H.; Chrien, Thomas G.; Green, Robert O.

1988-01-01

Results are presented of the assessment of AVIRIS performance during the 1987 flight season by the AVIRIS project and the earth scientists who were chartered by NASA to conduct an independent data quality and sensor performance evaluation. The AVIRIS evaluation program began in late June 1987 with the sensor meeting most of its design requirements except for signal-to-noise ratio in the fourth spectrometer, which was about half of the required level. Several events related to parts failures and design flaws further reduced sensor performance over the flight season. Substantial agreement was found between the assessments by the project and the independent investigators of the effects of these various factors. A summary of the engineering work that is being done to raise AVIRIS performance to its required level is given. In spite of degrading data quality over the flight season, several exciting scientific results were obtained from the data. These include the mapping of the spatial variation of atmospheric precipitable water, detection of environmentally-induced shifts in the spectral red edge of stressed vegetation, detection of spectral features related to pigment, leaf water and ligno-cellulose absorptions in plants, and the identification of many diagnostic mineral absorption features in a variety of geological settings.

Spectroscopic Methods of Remote Sensing for Vegetation Characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokaly, R. F.

2013-12-01

Imaging spectroscopy (IS), often referred to as hyperspectral remote sensing, is one of the latest innovations in a very long history of spectroscopy. Spectroscopic methods have been used for understanding the composition of the world around us, as well as, the solar system and distant parts of the universe. Continuous sampling of the electromagnetic spectrum in narrow bands is what separates IS from previous forms of remote sensing. Terrestrial imaging spectrometers often have hundreds of channels that cover the wavelength range of reflected solar radiation, including the visible, near-infrared (NIR), and shortwave infrared (SWIR) regions. In part due to the large number of channels, a wide variety of methods have been applied to extract information from IS data sets. These can be grouped into several broad classes, including: multi-channel indices, statistical procedures, full spectrum mixing models, and spectroscopic methods. Spectroscopic methods carry on the more than 150 year history of laboratory-based spectroscopy applied to material identification and characterization. Spectroscopic methods of IS relate the positions and shapes of spectral features resolved by airborne and spaceborne sensors to the biochemical and physical composition of vegetation in a pixel. The chlorophyll 680nm, water 980nm, water 1200nm, SWIR 1700nm, SWIR 2100nm, and SWIR 2300nm features have been the subject of study. Spectral feature analysis (SFA) involves isolating such an absorption feature using continuum removal (CR) and calculating descriptors of the feature, such as center position, depth, width, area, and asymmetry. SFA has been applied to quantify pigment and non-pigment biochemical concentrations in leaves, plants, and canopies. Spectral feature comparison (SFC) utilizes CR of features in each pixel's spectrum and linear regression with continuum-removed features in reference spectra in a library of known vegetation types to map vegetation species and communities. SFC has been applied to map the distributions of minerals in soils and rocks; however, its application to characterize vegetation cover has been less widespread than SFA. Using IS data and the USGS Processing Routines in IDL for Spectroscopic Measurements (PRISM; http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2011/1155/), this talk will examine requirements for and limitations in applying SFA and SFC to characterize vegetation. A time series of Airborne Visible/InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data collected in the marshes of Louisiana following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill will be used to examine the impact of varying leaf water content on the shapes of the SWIR 1700, 2100, and 2300 nm features and the implications of these changes on vegetation identification and biochemical estimation. The USGS collection of HyMap data over Afghanistan, the largest terrestrial coverage of IS data to date, will be used to demonstrate the characterization of vegetation in arid and semi-arid regions, in which chlorophyll absorption is often weak and soil and rock mineral absorption features overlap vegetation features. Hyperion data, overlapping the HyMap data, will be presented to illustrate the complications that arise when signal-to-noise is low. The benefits of and challenges to applying a spectroscopic remote sensing approach to imaging spectrometer data will be discussed.

Modeling the reflectance spectrum of Callisto 0.25 to 4.1μm

USGS Publications Warehouse

Calvin, Wendy M.; Clark, Roger N.

1991-01-01

The reflectance spectrum of Callisto from 0.2 to 4.1 μm is modeled using a simultaneous intimate plus areal mixture solution of ice and dark material which satisfies absorption band depths and reflectance levels. The model uses the radiative transfer theory based on Hapke's (1981, J. Geophys. Res. 86, 3039–3054) work, optical constants of materials and includes effects of grain size and abundance of each material. The best-fitting models contain 20–45 wt% ice in the optical surface. The models indicate that the ice component of the surface is fairly large gained and that the ice cannot account for major spectral features beyond approximately 2.5 μm. In this spectral region other hydrated minerals must dominate. A variety of reasonably well-fitting models were found and the amount of ice determined for these best fits was mathematically removed from the original Callisto spectrum. All of the spectra determined for the non-material were quite similar to each other and have absorption features that resemble hydrated silicates bearing both oxidation states of iron. Certain features in the Callisto non-ice spectrum can be duplicated by mixtures of Fe- and Mg-end member serpentines. Discrepancies indicate that other phases, possibly opaque minerals, are also required to match the entire spectrum. The unusual Fe-serpentines are commonly found in the matrices of primitive cabodnaceous chondrites, suggesting that other matrix phases may also be likely candidates for the Callisto non-ice material.

Research of the NH3 Lines in the Region λ 6475 Å Band of Jupiter Spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atai, Adalat; Mikailov, Khidir Mustafa; Farziyev, Zabit

Context. In 2014, spectral observations of separate areas on the disk of Jupiter in the visible spectrum were made by means of the echelle-spectrometer installed in Cassegrain 2-meter mirror telescope's focus of Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory. The echellespectrometer equipped with the CCD camera provided spectral resolution R=14000 with dispersion of 10 Å/mm. Aims. Features of the intensity change of the ammonia absorption lines at 6475 Å were studied for the spectra of different details of Jupiter's disk. The absorption line 6495.7 Å for ammonia was found only in the GRS spectrum of Jupiter. Methods. Earlier that line was noted in the laboratory spectrum of Giver; it was absent in the spectrum obtained by Mason; in the theoretical spectrum of ammonia it was noted at 6495.9 Å. Comparison of characteristics of the ammonia line in the spectra of various details allows investigating horizontal inhomogeneity of ammonia distribution on the Jupiter's disk. Results.

Optimal methodologies for terahertz time-domain spectroscopic analysis of traditional pigments in powder form

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Taewoo; Lee, Howon; Sim, Kyung Ik; Kim, Jonghyeon; Jo, Young Chan; Kim, Jae Hoon; Baek, Na Yeon; Kang, Dai-ill; Lee, Han Hyoung

2017-05-01

We have established optimal methods for terahertz time-domain spectroscopic analysis of highly absorbing pigments in powder form based on our investigation of representative traditional Chinese pigments, such as azurite [blue-based color pigment], Chinese vermilion [red-based color pigment], and arsenic yellow [yellow-based color pigment]. To accurately extract the optical constants in the terahertz region of 0.1 - 3 THz, we carried out transmission measurements in such a way that intense absorption peaks did not completely suppress the transmission level. This required preparation of pellet samples with optimized thicknesses and material densities. In some cases, mixing the pigments with polyethylene powder was required to minimize absorption due to certain peak features. The resulting distortion-free terahertz spectra of the investigated set of pigment species exhibited well-defined unique spectral fingerprints. Our study will be useful to future efforts to establish non-destructive analysis methods of traditional pigments, to construct their spectral databases, and to apply these tools to restoration of cultural heritage materials.

Synthetic Spectral Ananlysis of the Nova-Like Variable KQ Mon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolfe, Aaron; Sion, E.

2011-01-01

KQ Mon is classified as a nova-like variable with an uncertain orbital period of 0.128 d. Optical spectra (Zwitter, T. & Munari, U.1994, A&AS, 107, 503) reveal no emission lines but strong Balmer absorption features. High speed flickering has been observed indicative of accretion. IUE spectra reveal deep absorption lines due to C III, C II, Si III, Si IV, C IV, He II but no P Cygni profiles indicative of outflow. Its classification in Ritter and Kolb (2006) as a UX UMa type nova-like is uncertain. We have carried out the first synthetic spectral analysis of the IUE archival spectra of KQ Mon with realistic accretion disk models with vertical structure and high gravity photosphere models. The results of our model atmosphere and model accretion disk analyses are presented. We discuss the properties that we have derived for KQ Mon and compare KQ Mon with other nova-like variables viewed at low inclination. This work was supported in part by NSF grant AST0807892 to Villanova University.

Finite temperature effects on the X-ray absorption spectra of energy related materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pascal, Tod; Prendergast, David

2014-03-01

We elucidate the role of room-temperature-induced instantaneous structural distortions in the Li K-edge X-ray absorption spectra (XAS) of crystalline LiF, Li2SO4, Li2O, Li3N and Li2CO3 using high resolution X-ray Raman spectroscopy (XRS) measurements and first-principles density functional theory calculations within the eXcited electron and Core Hole (XCH) approach. Based on thermodynamic sampling via ab-initio molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we find calculated XAS in much better agreement with experiment than those computed using the rigid crystal structure alone. We show that local instantaneous distortion of the atomic lattice perturbs the symmetry of the Li 1 s core-excited-state electronic structure, broadening spectral line-shapes and, in some cases, producing additional spectral features. This work was conducted within the Batteries for Advanced Transportation Technologies (BATT) Program, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Program under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

Attosecond transient absorption probing of electronic superpositions of bound states in neon. Detection of quantum beats

DOE PAGES

Beck, Annelise R; Bernhardt, Birgitta; Warrick, Erika R.; ...

2014-11-07

Electronic wavepackets composed of multiple bound excited states of atomic neon lying between 19.6 and 21.5 eV are launched using an isolated attosecond pulse. Individual quantum beats of the wavepacket are detected by perturbing the induced polarization of the medium with a time-delayed few-femtosecond near-infrared (NIR) pulse via coupling the individual states to multiple neighboring levels. All of the initially excited states are monitored simultaneously in the attosecond transient absorption spectrum, revealing Lorentzian to Fano lineshape spectral changes as well as quantum beats. The most prominent beating of the several that were observed was in the spin–orbit split 3d absorptionmore » features, which has a 40 femtosecond period that corresponds to the spin–orbit splitting of 0.1 eV. The few-level models and multilevel calculations confirm that the observed magnitude of oscillation depends strongly on the spectral bandwidth and tuning of the NIR pulse and on the location of possible coupling states.« less

Comparative NEXAFS study of the selected icefish hard tissues and hydroxyapatite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrova, O. V.; Nekipelov, S. V.; Sivkov, D. V.; Mingaleva, A. E.; Nikolaev, A.; Frank-Kamenetskaya, O. V.; Bazhenov, V. V.; Vyalikh, D. V.; Molodtsov, S. L.; Sivkov, V. N.; Ehrlich, H.

2017-11-01

The structure of native Champsocephalus gunnari icefish otoliths, scales, teeth, bones and pristine hydroxyapatite (HA) were examined using Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. NEXAFS Cls-absorption spectra of the selected icefish hard tissues indicate that otoliths contain anion [CO3]2-. NEXAFS P2p-spectra clearly indicate the absence of phosphorus atoms only within otoliths and scales samples. However, the icefish teeth and bones P2p-spectra demonstrate identical spectral feature typical for the HA. NEXAFS Ca2p-spectra of the icefish hard tissues studied also shows features, which are in good correspondence with HA spectra. Interestingly, there is a red shift ≈ 0.1 eV of the 2p1/2,3/2 → 3d transition energies in NEXAFS Ca2p-spectra of teethes and bones of the C. gunnari in comparison to HA.

Importance of the green color, absorption gradient, and spectral absorption of chloroplasts for the radiative energy balance of leaves.

PubMed

Kume, Atsushi

2017-05-01

Terrestrial green plants absorb photosynthetically active radiation (PAR; 400-700 nm) but do not absorb photons evenly across the PAR waveband. The spectral absorbance of photosystems and chloroplasts is lowest for green light, which occurs within the highest irradiance waveband of direct solar radiation. We demonstrate a close relationship between this phenomenon and the safe and efficient utilization of direct solar radiation in simple biophysiological models. The effects of spectral absorptance on the photon and irradiance absorption processes are evaluated using the spectra of direct and diffuse solar radiation. The radiation absorption of a leaf arises as a consequence of the absorption of chloroplasts. The photon absorption of chloroplasts is strongly dependent on the distribution of pigment concentrations and their absorbance spectra. While chloroplast movements in response to light are important mechanisms controlling PAR absorption, they are not effective for green light because chloroplasts have the lowest spectral absorptance in the waveband. With the development of palisade tissue, the incident photons per total palisade cell surface area and the absorbed photons per chloroplast decrease. The spectral absorbance of carotenoids is effective in eliminating shortwave PAR (<520 nm), which contains much of the surplus energy that is not used for photosynthesis and is dissipated as heat. The PAR absorptance of a whole leaf shows no substantial difference based on the spectra of direct or diffuse solar radiation. However, most of the near infrared radiation is unabsorbed and heat stress is greatly reduced. The incident solar radiation is too strong to be utilized for photosynthesis under the current CO 2 concentration in the terrestrial environment. Therefore, the photon absorption of a whole leaf is efficiently regulated by photosynthetic pigments with low spectral absorptance in the highest irradiance waveband and through a combination of pigment density distribution and leaf anatomical structures.

Dust around Mira variables: An analysis of IRAS LRS spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slijkhuis, S.

1989-01-01

The spatial extent and spectral appearance of the thin dust shell around Mira variables is determined largely by the dust absorptivity, Q(sub abs)(lambda), and the dust condensation temperature T(sub cond). Both Q(sub abs)(lambda) and T(sub cond) are extracted from IRAS low-resolution spectra (LRS) spectra. In order to do this, the assumption that the ratio of total power in the 10 micron feature to that in the 20 micron feature should be equal to that measured in other amorphous silicates (e.g., synthesized amorphous Mg2SiO4). It was found that T(sub cond) decreases with decreasing strength of the 10 micron feature, from T(sub cond) = 1000 K to 500 K (estimated error 20 percent). A value for the near-infrared dust absorptivity could not be determined. Although this parameter strongly affects the condensation radius, it hardly affects the shape of the LRS spectrum (as long as the optically thin approximation is valid), because it scales the spatial distribution of the dust. Information on the magnitude of the near-infrared dust absorptivity may be deduced from the unique carbon star BM Gem. This star has a LRS spectrum with silicate features indication an inner dust shell temperature of at least 1000 K. However, on the basis of observations in the 1920s-30s one may infer an inner dust shell radius of at least 6x10(exp 12)m. To have this high temperature at such a large distance, the near-infrared absorptivity of the dust must be high.

Measuring Black Hole Spin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garmire, Gordon

1999-09-01

WE PROPOSE TO CARRY OUT A SYSTEMATIC STUDY OF EMISSION AND ABSORPTION SPECTRAL FEATURES THAT ARE OFTEN SEEN IN X-RAY SPECTRA OF BLACK HOLE BINARIES. THE EXCELLENT SENSITIVITY AND ENERGY RESOLUTION OF THE ACIS/HETG COMBINATION WILL NOT ONLY HELP RESOLVE AMBIGUITIES IN INTERPRETING THESE FEATURES, BUT MAY ALLOW MODELLING OF THE EMISSION LINE PROFILES IN DETAIL. THE PROFILES MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION ON SUCH FUNDAMENTAL PROPERTIES AS THE SPIN OF BLACK HOLES. THEREFORE, THIS STUDY COULD LEAD TO A MEASUREMENT OF BLACK HOLE SPIN FOR SELECTED SOURCES. THE RESULT CAN THEN BE DIRECTLY COMPARED WITH THOSE FROM PREVIOUS STUDIES BASED ON INDEPENDENT METHODS.

A re-evaluation of laser heterodyne radiometer ClO measurements. [for stratospheric chemistry studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menzies, R. T.

1983-01-01

Previously reported measurements of stratospheric ClO using a balloon-borne laser heterodyne radiometer, launched from Palestine, Texas, are re-evaluated as a result of recent spectroscopic data. A spectral feature which was observed during September, 1978 and November, 1979 flights was incorrectly identified as a ClO absorption line, while a second feature observed during the latter flight with somewhat limited sensitivity is now believed to be due to ClO. This new interpretation results in a measured ClO profile which falls off more rapidly with decreasing altitude than the previous results indicated.

The Galah Survey: Classification and Diagnostics with t-SNE Reduction of Spectral Information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Traven, G.; Matijevič, G.; Zwitter, T.; Žerjal, M.; Kos, J.; Asplund, M.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Casey, A. R.; De Silva, G.; Freeman, K.; Lin, J.; Martell, S. L.; Schlesinger, K. J.; Sharma, S.; Simpson, J. D.; Zucker, D. B.; Anguiano, B.; Da Costa, G.; Duong, L.; Horner, J.; Hyde, E. A.; Kafle, P. R.; Munari, U.; Nataf, D.; Navin, C. A.; Reid, W.; Ting, Y.-S.

2017-02-01

Galah is an ongoing high-resolution spectroscopic survey with the goal of disentangling the formation history of the Milky Way using the fossil remnants of disrupted star formation sites that are now dispersed around the Galaxy. It is targeting a randomly selected magnitude-limited (V ≤ 14) sample of stars, with the goal of observing one million objects. To date, 300,000 spectra have been obtained. Not all of them are correctly processed by parameter estimation pipelines, and we need to know about them. We present a semi-automated classification scheme that identifies different types of peculiar spectral morphologies in an effort to discover and flag potentially problematic spectra and thus help to preserve the integrity of the survey results. To this end, we employ the recently developed dimensionality reduction technique t-SNE (t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding), which enables us to represent the complex spectral morphology in a two-dimensional projection map while still preserving the properties of the local neighborhoods of spectra. We find that the majority (178,483) of the 209,533 Galah spectra considered in this study represents normal single stars, whereas 31,050 peculiar and problematic spectra with very diverse spectral features pertaining to 28,579 stars are distributed into 10 classification categories: hot stars, cool metal-poor giants, molecular absorption bands, binary stars, Hα/Hβ emission, Hα/Hβ emission superimposed on absorption, Hα/Hβ P-Cygni, Hα/Hβ inverted P-Cygni, lithium absorption, and problematic. Classified spectra with supplementary information are presented in the catalog, indicating candidates for follow-up observations and population studies of the short-lived phases of stellar evolution.

The Galah Survey: Classification and Diagnostics with t-SNE Reduction of Spectral Information

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

Traven, G.; Zwitter, T.; Žerjal, M.

Galah is an ongoing high-resolution spectroscopic survey with the goal of disentangling the formation history of the Milky Way using the fossil remnants of disrupted star formation sites that are now dispersed around the Galaxy. It is targeting a randomly selected magnitude-limited ( V ≤ 14) sample of stars, with the goal of observing one million objects. To date, 300,000 spectra have been obtained. Not all of them are correctly processed by parameter estimation pipelines, and we need to know about them. We present a semi-automated classification scheme that identifies different types of peculiar spectral morphologies in an effort tomore » discover and flag potentially problematic spectra and thus help to preserve the integrity of the survey results. To this end, we employ the recently developed dimensionality reduction technique t-SNE ( t -distributed stochastic neighbor embedding), which enables us to represent the complex spectral morphology in a two-dimensional projection map while still preserving the properties of the local neighborhoods of spectra. We find that the majority (178,483) of the 209,533 Galah spectra considered in this study represents normal single stars, whereas 31,050 peculiar and problematic spectra with very diverse spectral features pertaining to 28,579 stars are distributed into 10 classification categories: hot stars, cool metal-poor giants, molecular absorption bands, binary stars, H α /H β emission, H α /H β emission superimposed on absorption, H α /H β P-Cygni, H α /H β inverted P-Cygni, lithium absorption, and problematic. Classified spectra with supplementary information are presented in the catalog, indicating candidates for follow-up observations and population studies of the short-lived phases of stellar evolution.« less

Small main-belt asteroid spectroscopic survey: Initial results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xu, Shui; Binzel, Richard P.; Burbine, Thomas H.; Bus, Schelte J.

1995-01-01

The spectral characterization of small asteroids is important for understanding the evolution of their compositional and mineralogical properties. We report the results of a CCD spectroscopic survey of small main-belt asteroids which we call the Small Main-belt Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey (SMASS). Spectra of 316 asteroids were obtained, with wavelength coverage ranging from 4000 to 10000 A (0.4 to 1 micrometers). More than half of the objects in our survey have diameters less than 20 km. Survey results include the identification of the first object resembling ordinary chondrite meteorites among the main-belt asteroids (Binzel, R. P., et al, 1993) and observations of more than 20 asteroids showing basaltic achondrite spectral absorption features that strongly link Vesta as the parent body for the basaltic achondrite meteorites (Binzel, R. P., and S. Xu 1993). A potential Mars-crossing asteroid analog to ordinary chondrite meteorites (H chondrites), 2078 Nanking, is reported here. Through a principal component analysis, we have assigned classifications to the members of our sample. The majority of the small main-belt asteroids belong to S and C classes, similar to large asteroids. Our analysis shows that two new classes are justified which we label as J and O. Small asteroids display more diversity in spectral absorption features than the larger ones, which may indicate a greater variation of compositions in the small asteroid population. We found a few candidates for olivine-rich asteroids within the S class. Although the total number of olivine-rich candidates is relatively small, we present evidence suggesting that such objects are more prevalent at smaller sizes.

0.7-2.5 μm Spectra of Hilda Asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Ian; Brown, Michael E.; Emery, Joshua P.

2017-09-01

The Hilda asteroids are primitive bodies in resonance with Jupiter whose origin and physical properties are not well understood. Current models posit that these asteroids formed in the outer solar system and were scattered along with the Jupiter Trojans into their present-day positions during a chaotic episode of dynamical restructuring. In order to explore the surface composition of these enigmatic objects in comparison with an analogous study of Trojans, we present new near-infrared spectra (0.7-2.5 μm) of 25 Hilda asteroids. No discernible absorption features are apparent in the data. Synthesizing the bimodalities in optical color and infrared reflectivity reported in previous studies, we classify 26 of the 28 Hildas in our spectral sample into the so-called less-red and red sub-populations and find that the two sub-populations have distinct average spectral shapes. Combining our results with visible spectra, we find that Trojans and Hildas possess similar overall spectral shapes, suggesting that the two minor body populations share a common progenitor population. A more detailed examination reveals that while the red Trojans and Hildas have nearly identical spectra, less-red Hildas are systematically bluer in the visible and redder in the near-infrared than less-red Trojans, indicating a putative broad, shallow absorption feature between 0.5 and 1.0 μm. We argue that the less-red and red objects found in both Hildas and Trojans represent two distinct surface chemistries and attribute the small discrepancy between less-red Hildas and Trojans to the difference in surface temperatures between the two regions.

0.7–2.5 μ m Spectra of Hilda Asteroids

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

Wong, Ian; Brown, Michael E.; Emery, Joshua P., E-mail: iwong@caltech.edu

The Hilda asteroids are primitive bodies in resonance with Jupiter whose origin and physical properties are not well understood. Current models posit that these asteroids formed in the outer solar system and were scattered along with the Jupiter Trojans into their present-day positions during a chaotic episode of dynamical restructuring. In order to explore the surface composition of these enigmatic objects in comparison with an analogous study of Trojans, we present new near-infrared spectra (0.7–2.5 μ m) of 25 Hilda asteroids. No discernible absorption features are apparent in the data. Synthesizing the bimodalities in optical color and infrared reflectivity reportedmore » in previous studies, we classify 26 of the 28 Hildas in our spectral sample into the so-called less-red and red sub-populations and find that the two sub-populations have distinct average spectral shapes. Combining our results with visible spectra, we find that Trojans and Hildas possess similar overall spectral shapes, suggesting that the two minor body populations share a common progenitor population. A more detailed examination reveals that while the red Trojans and Hildas have nearly identical spectra, less-red Hildas are systematically bluer in the visible and redder in the near-infrared than less-red Trojans, indicating a putative broad, shallow absorption feature between 0.5 and 1.0  μ m. We argue that the less-red and red objects found in both Hildas and Trojans represent two distinct surface chemistries and attribute the small discrepancy between less-red Hildas and Trojans to the difference in surface temperatures between the two regions.« less

A resonant absorption line in the ASCA spectrum of NGC 985?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicastro, F.; Fiore, F.; Brandt, N.; Reynolds, C. S.

1999-01-01

We present timing and spectral analyses of the ASCA observation of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 985. The 0.6-10keV spectrum of this source is complex: large residuals are evident below 1keV when fitting the spectrum with a power-law model. Fitting a warm absorber model to the 0.6-2.5keV spectrum gives α=1.12+/-0.04, LogNWAH=21.97+/-0.08 and LogU=0.06+/-0.09, but the residuals continue to show a deficit of counts between 0.9 and 1keV. Adding an absorption line improves the fit, and the energy of the line is consistent with that of Kα NeIX-X resonant absorption lines. Hence, we confirm the presence of an ionized absorber along the line of sight to this source and interpret the further 1keV spectral feature as the first detection of a strong resonant absorption line associated with this system. The extrapolation of this model above 2.5keV produces large positive residuals above 3-4keV. Fitting the data with a broken power law plus warm absorber model gives an acceptable χ2 and Δα~0.5. A narrow iron line at 6.4keV (quasar frame) of equivalent width 138+64-110eV is also present in the ASCA data.

Absorption Mode FT-ICR Mass Spectrometry Imaging

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

Smith, Donald F.; Kilgour, David P.; Konijnenburg, Marco

2013-12-03

Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry offers the highest mass resolving power for molecular imaging experiments. This high mass resolving power ensures that closely spaced peaks at the same nominal mass are resolved for proper image generation. Typically higher magnetic fields are used to increase mass resolving power. However, a gain in mass resolving power can also be realized by phase correction of the data for absorption mode display. In addition to mass resolving power, absorption mode offers higher mass accuracy and signal-to-noise ratio over the conventional magnitude mode. Here we present the first use of absorption mode formore » Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry imaging. The Autophaser algorithm is used to phase correct each spectrum (pixel) in the image and then these parameters are used by the Chameleon work-flow based data processing software to generate absorption mode ?Datacubes? for image and spectral viewing. Absorption mode reveals new mass and spatial features that are not resolved in magnitude mode and results in improved selected ion image contrast.« less

Spectral characteristics of the iron oxides with application to the Martian bright region mineralogy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherman, D. M.; Burns, R. G.; Mee Burns, V.

1982-01-01

Reflectance spectra of eight polymorphs of FeOOH and Fe2O3 are determined in order to clarify the nature and significance of the iron oxide mineralogy on Mars. The effect of other components that might interfere with iron oxide absorption features is qualitatively constrained through the use of the Kebulka-Munk theory. It is found that the effect of temperature complicates the identification of a given Fe(3+) phase based on the position of the 6A1-4T1 absorption feature. While the Fe(3+) crystal field transitions are spin forbidden, most of the iron oxide polymorphs exhibit anomalously intense crystal field absorption features due to magnetic coupling between adjacent FeO6 octahedra. It is suggested that the resulting deviations from observed remotely sensed reflectance spectra of Mars may provide a basis for the exclusion of many iron oxide phases as significant components of the Martian Fe(3+) mineralogy. A comparison of these results with the visible region spectra of Martian bright regions indicates that the predominant Fe(3+)-bearing phase may be a magnetically disordered material, such as amorphous gels, some ferric sulphates, and other minerals in which Fe(3+) ions in the crystal structure are not magnetically coupled.

Multispectral detection of cutaneous lesions using spectroscopy and microscopy approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borisova, E.; Genova-Hristova, Ts.; Troyanova, P.; Pavlova, E.; Terziev, I.; Semyachkina-Glushkovskaya, O.; Lomova, M.; Genina, E.; Stanciu, G.; Tranca, D.; Avramov, L.

2018-02-01

Autofluorescence, diffuse-reflectance and transmission spectral, and microscopic measurements were made on different cutaneous neoplastic lesions, namely basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, and dysplastic and benign lesions related. Spectroscopic measurements were made on ex vivo tissue samples, and confocal microscopy investigations were made on thin tissue slices. Fluorescence spectra obtained reveal statistically significant differences between the different benign, dysplastic and malignant lesions by the level of emission intensity, as well by spectral shape, which are fingerprints applicable for differentiation algorithms. In reflectance mode the most significant differences are related to the influence of skin pigments - melanin and hemoglobin. Transmission spectroscopy mode gave complementary optical properties information about the tissue samples investigated to that one of reflectance and absorption spectroscopy. Using autofluorescence detection of skin lesions we obtain very good diagnostic performance for distinguishing of nonmelanoma lesions. Using diffuse reflectance and transmission spectroscopy we obtain significant tool for pigmented pathologies differentiation, but it is a tool with moderate sensitivity for non-melanoma lesions detection. One could rapidly increase the diagnostic accuracy of the received combined "optical biopsy" method when several spectral detection techniques are applied in common algorithm for lesions' differentiation. Specific spectral features observed in each type of lesion investigated on micro and macro level would be presented and discussed. Correlation between the spectral data received and the microscopic features observed would be discussed in the report.

[Rapid assessment of critical quality attributes of Chinese materia medica (II): strategy of NIR assignment].

PubMed

Pei, Yan-Ling; Wu, Zhi-Sheng; Shi, Xin-Yuan; Zhou, Lu-Wei; Qiao, Yan-Jiang

2014-09-01

The present paper firstly reviewed the research progress and main methods of NIR spectral assignment coupled with our research results. Principal component analysis was focused on characteristic signal extraction to reflect spectral differences. Partial least squares method was concerned with variable selection to discover characteristic absorption band. Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy was mainly adopted for spectral assignment. Autocorrelation peaks were obtained from spectral changes, which were disturbed by external factors, such as concentration, temperature and pressure. Density functional theory was used to calculate energy from substance structure to establish the relationship between molecular energy and spectra change. Based on the above reviewed method, taking a NIR spectral assignment of chlorogenic acid as example, a reliable spectral assignment for critical quality attributes of Chinese materia medica (CMM) was established using deuterium technology and spectral variable selection. The result demonstrated the assignment consistency according to spectral features of different concentrations of chlorogenic acid and variable selection region of online NIR model in extract process. Although spectral assignment was initial using an active pharmaceutical ingredient, it is meaningful to look forward to the futurity of the complex components in CMM. Therefore, it provided methodology for NIR spectral assignment of critical quality attributes in CMM.

Using Whispering-Gallery-Mode Resonators for Refractometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matsko, Andrey; Savchenkov, Anatoliy; Strekalov, Dmitry; Iltchenko, Vladimir; Maleki, Lute

2010-01-01

A method of determining the refractive and absorptive properties of optically transparent materials involves a combination of theoretical and experimental analysis of electromagnetic responses of whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) resonator disks made of those materials. The method was conceived especially for use in studying transparent photorefractive materials, for which purpose this method affords unprecedented levels of sensitivity and accuracy. The method is expected to be particularly useful for measuring temporally varying refractive and absorptive properties of photorefractive materials at infrared wavelengths. Still more particularly, the method is expected to be useful for measuring drifts in these properties that are so slow that, heretofore, the properties were assumed to be constant. The basic idea of the method is to attempt to infer values of the photorefractive properties of a material by seeking to match (1) theoretical predictions of the spectral responses (or selected features thereof) of a WGM of known dimensions made of the material with (2) the actual spectral responses (or selected features thereof). Spectral features that are useful for this purpose include resonance frequencies, free spectral ranges (differences between resonance frequencies of adjacently numbered modes), and resonance quality factors (Q values). The method has been demonstrated in several experiments, one of which was performed on a WGM resonator made from a disk of LiNbO3 doped with 5 percent of MgO. The free spectral range of the resonator was approximately equal to 3.42 GHz at wavelengths in the vicinity of 780 nm, the smallest full width at half maximum of a mode was approximately equal to 50 MHz, and the thickness of the resonator in the area of mode localization was 30 microns. In the experiment, laser power of 9 mW was coupled into the resonator with an efficiency of 75 percent, and the laser was scanned over a frequency band 9 GHz wide at a nominal wavelength of approximately equal to 780 nm. Resonance frequencies were measured as functions of time during several hours of exposure to the laser light. The results of these measurements, plotted in the figure, show a pronounced collective frequency drift of the resonator modes. The size of the drift has been estimated to correspond to a change of 8.5 x 10(exp -5) in the effective ordinary index of refraction of the resonator material.

Coordinated analyses of orbital and spirit rover data to characterize surface materials on the cratered plains of Gusev Crater, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lichtenberg, K.A.; Arvidson, R. E.; Poulet, F.; Morris, R.V.; Knudson, A.; Bell, J.F.; Bellucci, G.; Bibring, J.-P.; Farrand, W. H.; Johnson, J. R.; Ming, D. W.; Pinet, P.C.; Rogers, A.D.; Squyres, S. W.

2007-01-01

Comparison of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's Pancam (0.4 to 1.0 ??m) and Mars Express Observatoire pour la Mineralogie l'Eau, les Glaces et l'Activite?? (OMEGA) (0.4 to 2.5 ??m) spectral reflectance data over Spirit's traverses shows that Gusev cratered plains are dominated by nanophase ferric-oxide-rich dust covering weakly altered basaltic sands. This interpretation is also consistent with both observations from OMEGA data covering plains beyond the traverse region and interpretations of data from the other payload instruments on the Spirit Rover. OMEGA observations of relatively low albedo regions where dust has presumably been stripped by dust devils show negative spectral reflectance slopes from 1.5 to 2.5 ??m and moderately masked spectral features which are indicative of olivine or pyroxene. High-albedo regions north and south of the Spirit landing site have flat spectral reflectance slopes and few spectral features, although all spectra have a nanophase ferric-oxide absorption edge between 0.4 and 0.75 ??m. Comparison of THEMIS-derived thermal inertia values with OMEGA-derived spectral parameters shows that although the dust cover can be optically thick (0.4 to 2.5 ??m wavelength region) in some areas, it is not thick enough (???1 cm) to mask the thermal inertia of the underlying substrate for areas included in this study. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union.

ESO Large Program on physical studies of Trans-Neptunian objects and Centaurs: Final results of the visible spectrophotometric observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fornasier, S.; Doressoundiram, A.; Tozzi, G. P.; Barucci, M. A.; Boehnhardt, H.; de Bergh, C.; Delsanti, A.; Davies, J.; Dotto, E.

2004-07-01

The Large Program on physical studies of TNOs and Centaurs, started at ESO Cerro Paranal on April 2001, has recently been concluded. This project was devoted to the investigation of the surface properties of these icy bodies through photometric and spectroscopic observations. In this paper we present the latest results on these pristine bodies obtained from the spectrophotometric investigation in the visible range. The newly obtained spectrophotometric data on 3 Centaurs and 5 TNOs, coming from 2 observing runs at the Very Large Telescope (VLT), show a large variety of spectral characteristics, comprising both gray and red objects in the two different populations. A very broad and weak absorption feature, centered around 7000 Å , has been revealed in the spectrum of the gray TNO 2003 AZ84. This absorption is very similar to a feature observed on low albedo main belt asteroids and attributed to the action of the aqueous alteration process on minerals. This process was previously also claimed as the most plausible explanation for some peculiar visible absorption bands observed on 2000 EB173 and 2000 GN171 in the framework of the Large Program (Lazzarin et al. \\cite{Lazzarin03}; de Bergh et al. \\cite{Bergh04}). This detection seems to reinforce the hypothesis that aqueous alteration might have taken place also at such large heliocentric distances. We also report the results of a spectroscopic investigation performed outside the Large Program on the very interesting TNO 2000 GN171 during part of its rotational period. This object, previously observed twice in the framework of the Large Program, had shown during the early observations a very peculiar absorption band tentatively attributed to aqueous alteration processes. As this feature was not confirmed in a successive spectrum, we recently repeated the investigations of 2000 GN171, finding out that it has an heterogeneous composition. Finally an analysis of the visible spectral slopes is reported for all the data coming from the Large Program and those available in literature. Based on observations obtained at the VLT Observatory Cerro Paranal of European Southern Observatory, ESO, Chile, in the framework of programs 167.C-0340(G), 071.C-0500.

Principal Components Analysis Studies of Martian Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klassen, D. R.; Bell, J. F., III

2001-11-01

We present the principal components analysis (PCA) of absolutely calibrated multi-spectral images of Mars as a function of Martian season. The PCA technique is a mathematical rotation and translation of the data from a brightness/wavelength space to a vector space of principal ``traits'' that lie along the directions of maximal variance. The first of these traits, accounting for over 90% of the data variance, is overall brightness and represented by an average Mars spectrum. Interpretation of the remaining traits, which account for the remaining ~10% of the variance, is not always the same and depends upon what other components are in the scene and thus, varies with Martian season. For example, during seasons with large amounts of water ice in the scene, the second trait correlates with the ice and anti-corrlates with temperature. We will investigate the interpretation of the second, and successive important PCA traits. Although these PCA traits are orthogonal in their own vector space, it is unlikely that any one trait represents a singular, mineralogic, spectral end-member. It is more likely that there are many spectral endmembers that vary identically to within the noise level, that the PCA technique will not be able to distinguish them. Another possibility is that similar absorption features among spectral endmembers may be tied to one PCA trait, for example ''amount of 2 \\micron\\ absorption''. We thus attempt to extract spectral endmembers by matching linear combinations of the PCA traits to USGS, JHU, and JPL spectral libraries as aquired through the JPL Aster project. The recovered spectral endmembers are then linearly combined to model the multi-spectral image set. We present here the spectral abundance maps of the water ice/frost endmember which allow us to track Martian clouds and ground frosts. This work supported in part through NASA Planetary Astronomy Grant NAG5-6776. All data gathered at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility in collaboration with the telescope operators and with thanks to the support staff and day crew.

Development and Evaluation of a Spectral Analysis Method to Eliminate Organic Interference with Cavity Ring-Down Measurements of Water Isotope Ratios.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Z.; Kim-Hak, D.; Popp, B. N.; Wallsgrove, N.; Kagawa-Viviani, A.; Johnson, J.

2017-12-01

Cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) is a technology based on the spectral absorption of gas molecules of interest at specific spectral regions. The CRDS technique enables the analysis of hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope ratios of water by directly measuring individual isotopologue absorption peaks such as H16OH, H18OH, and D16OH. Early work demonstrated that the accuracy of isotope analysis by CRDS and other laser-based absorption techniques could be compromised by spectral interference from organic compounds, in particular methanol and ethanol, which can be prevalent in ecologically-derived waters. There have been several methods developed by various research groups including Picarro to address the organic interference challenge. Here, we describe an organic fitter and a post-processing algorithm designed to improve the accuracy of the isotopic analysis of the "organic contaminated" water specifically for Picarro models L2130-i and L2140-i. To create the organic fitter, the absorption features of methanol around 7200 cm-1 were characterized and incorporated into spectral analysis. Since there was residual interference remaining after applying the organic fitter, a statistical model was also developed for post-processing correction. To evaluate the performance of the organic fitter and the postprocessing correction, we conducted controlled experiments on the L2130-i for two water samples with different isotope ratios blended with varying amounts of methanol (0-0.5%) and ethanol (0-5%). When the original fitter was not used for spectral analysis, the addition of 0.5% methanol changed the apparent isotopic composition of the water samples by +62‰ for δ18O values and +97‰ for δ2H values, and the addition of 5% ethanol changed the apparent isotopic composition by -0.5‰ for δ18O values and -3‰ for δ2H values. When the organic fitter was used for spectral analysis, the maximum methanol-induced errors were reduced to +4‰ for δ18O values and +5‰ for δ2H values, and the maximum ethanol-induced errors were unchanged. When the organic fitter was combined with the post-processing correction, up to 99.8% of the total methanol-induced errors and 96% of the total ethanol-induced errors could be corrected. The applicability of the algorithm to natural samples such as plant and soil waters will be investigated.

Nonlinear Optics and Coherent Optical Control of Single Electron Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-08-01

Gammon, L. J. Sham, "On- Resonant Trion Rabi Oscillations and Spin Quantum Beats in a Singly Charged InAs Quan- tum Dot, " QELS 2008. EDUCATIONAL...perimentally that the strong coupling leads to new spectral features, such as Rabi side bands in the absorption, and strikingly, the amplification of a...see the Mollow spectrum suggesting that negatively charged dots may not behave cor- rectly allowing for Rabi oscillations. Fortu- nately, our

Infrared Space Observatory Observations of Far-Infrared Rotational Emission Lines of Water Vapor toward the Supergiant Star VY Canis Majoris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neufeld, David A.; Feuchtgruber, Helmut; Harwit, Martin; Melnick, Gary J.

1999-06-01

We report the detection of numerous far-infrared emission lines of water vapor toward the supergiant star VY Canis Majoris. A 29.5-45 μm grating scan of VY CMa, obtained using the Short-Wavelength Spectrometer (SWS) of the Infrared Space Observatory at a spectral resolving power λ/Δλ of ~2000, reveals at least 41 spectral features due to water vapor that together radiate a total luminosity of ~25 Lsolar. In addition to pure rotational transitions within the ground vibrational state, these features include rotational transitions within the (010) excited vibrational state. The spectrum also shows the 2Π1/2(J=5/2)<--2Π3/2(J=3/2) OH feature near 34.6 μm in absorption. Additional SWS observations of VY CMa were carried out in the instrument's Fabry-Perot mode for three water transitions: the 725-616 line at 29.8367 μm, the 441-312 line at 31.7721 μm, and the 432-303 line at 40.6909 μm. The higher spectral resolving power λ/Δλ of approximately 30,000 thereby obtained permits the line profiles to be resolved spectrally for the first time and reveals the ``P Cygni'' profiles that are characteristic of emission from an outflowing envelope. Based on observations with ISO, an ESA project with instruments funded by ESA Member States (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK) with the participation of ISAS and NASA.

Collision-induced absorption in the region of the ν2 + ν3 band of carbon dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baranov, Yu. I.

2018-03-01

The IR absorption spectra of pure carbon dioxide in the region of the forbidden ν2 + ν3 vibrational transition at 3004 cm-1 have been recorded using a Fourier-transform spectrometer. A multipass-optical cell with the path length of 100 m was used in the study. The data were taken at room temperature of 294.8 K with a resolution of 0.02 cm-1 over the spectral region 2500-3500 cm-1. A sample pressures varied from 207 to 463 kPa (2.04-4.57 atm). The measured binary absorption coefficients provide the band integrated intensity value of (2.39 ± 0.04) ∗ 10-4 cm-2 amagat-2. The result is compared with those from previous works. The observed band profile features are discussed.

Bound-to-bound midinfrared intersubband absorption in carbon-doped GaAs /AlGaAs quantum wells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malis, Oana; Pfeiffer, Loren N.; West, Kenneth W.; Sergent, A. Michael; Gmachl, Claire

2005-08-01

Bound-to-bound intersubband absorption in the valence band of modulation-doped GaAs quantum wells with digitally alloyed AlGaAs barriers was studied in the midinfrared wavelength range. A high-purity solid carbon source was used for the p-type doping. Strong narrow absorption peaks due to heavy-to-heavy hole transitions are observed with out-of-plane polarized light, and weaker broader features with in-plane polarized light. The heavy-to-heavy hole transition energy spans the spectral range between 206 to 126 meV as the quantum well width is increased from 25 to 45 Å. The experimental results are found to be in agreement with calculations of a six-band k •p model taking into account the full band structure of the digital alloy.

Imaging-based molecular barcoding with pixelated dielectric metasurfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tittl, Andreas; Leitis, Aleksandrs; Liu, Mingkai; Yesilkoy, Filiz; Choi, Duk-Yong; Neshev, Dragomir N.; Kivshar, Yuri S.; Altug, Hatice

2018-06-01

Metasurfaces provide opportunities for wavefront control, flat optics, and subwavelength light focusing. We developed an imaging-based nanophotonic method for detecting mid-infrared molecular fingerprints and implemented it for the chemical identification and compositional analysis of surface-bound analytes. Our technique features a two-dimensional pixelated dielectric metasurface with a range of ultrasharp resonances, each tuned to a discrete frequency; this enables molecular absorption signatures to be read out at multiple spectral points, and the resulting information is then translated into a barcode-like spatial absorption map for imaging. The signatures of biological, polymer, and pesticide molecules can be detected with high sensitivity, covering applications such as biosensing and environmental monitoring. Our chemically specific technique can resolve absorption fingerprints without the need for spectrometry, frequency scanning, or moving mechanical parts, thereby paving the way toward sensitive and versatile miniaturized mid-infrared spectroscopy devices.

Analyte-induced spectral filtering in femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy

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

Abraham, Baxter; Nieto-Pescador, Jesus; Gundlach, Lars

Here, we discuss the influence of spectral filtering by samples in femtosecond transient absorption measurements. Commercial instruments for transient absorption spectroscopy (TA) have become increasingly available to scientists in recent years and TA is becoming an established technique to measure the dynamics of photoexcited systems. Furthermore, we show that absorption of the excitation pulse by the sample can severely alter the spectrum and consequently the temporal pulse shape. This “spectral self-filtering” effect can lead to systematic errors and misinterpretation of data, most notably in concentration dependent measurements. Finally, the combination of narrow absorption peaks in the sample with ultrafast broadbandmore » excitation pulses is especially prone to this effect.« less

Analyte-induced spectral filtering in femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Abraham, Baxter; Nieto-Pescador, Jesus; Gundlach, Lars

2017-03-06

Here, we discuss the influence of spectral filtering by samples in femtosecond transient absorption measurements. Commercial instruments for transient absorption spectroscopy (TA) have become increasingly available to scientists in recent years and TA is becoming an established technique to measure the dynamics of photoexcited systems. Furthermore, we show that absorption of the excitation pulse by the sample can severely alter the spectrum and consequently the temporal pulse shape. This “spectral self-filtering” effect can lead to systematic errors and misinterpretation of data, most notably in concentration dependent measurements. Finally, the combination of narrow absorption peaks in the sample with ultrafast broadbandmore » excitation pulses is especially prone to this effect.« less

Infrared airborne spectroradiometer survey results in the western Nevada area

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, W.; Chang, S. H.; Kuo, J. T.

1982-01-01

The Mark II airborne spectroradiometer system was flown over several geologic test sites in western Nevada. The infrared mineral absorption bands were observed and recorded for the first time using an airborne system with high spectral resolution in the 2.0 to 2.5 micron region. The data show that the hydrothermal alteration zone minerals, carbonates, and other minerals are clearly visible in the airborne survey mode. The finer spectral features that distinguish the various minerals with infrared bands are also clearly visible in the airborne survey data. Using specialized computer pattern recognition methods, it is possible to identify mineralogy and map alteration zones and lithologies by airborne spectroradiometer survey techniques.

Coherent population trapping with a controlled dissipation: applications in optical metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicolas, L.; Delord, T.; Jamonneau, P.; Coto, R.; Maze, J.; Jacques, V.; Hétet, G.

2018-03-01

We analyze the properties of a pulsed coherent population trapping protocol that uses a controlled decay from the excited state in a Λ-level scheme. We study this problem analytically and numerically and find regimes where narrow transmission, absorption, or fluorescence spectral lines occur. We then look for optimal frequency measurements using these spectral features by computing the Allan deviation in the presence of ground state decoherence and show that the protocol is on a par with Ramsey-CPT. We discuss possible implementations with ensembles of alkali atoms and single ions and demonstrate that typical pulsed-CPT experiments that are realized on femto-second timescales can be implemented on micro-seconds timescales using this scheme.

NIR integral field spectroscopy of high mass young stellar objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murakawa, K.; Lumsden, S. L.; Oudmaijer, R. D.; Davies, B.; Hoare, M. G.

2013-03-01

We present K-band Integral Field Spectroscopy of six high mass young stellar objects (IRAS~18151-1208, AFGL~2136, S106~IRS4, V645 Cyg, IRAS~19065+0526, and G082.5682+ 00.4040) obtained using the adaptive optics assisted NIFS instrument mounted on the Gemini North telescope. The targets are chosen from the Red MSX Source survey led by University of Leeds. The data show the spectral features of Brγ, H2, and gas phase CO emissions and absorptions with a spectral resolution of R ≈ 5500, which allow a three-dimensional spectro-astrometric analysis of the line emissions. We discuss the results of the ionized jets and winds, and rotating CO torus.

Spectral observations of the extreme ultraviolet background.

PubMed

Labov, S E; Bowyer, S

1991-04-20

A grazing incidence spectrometer was designed to measure the diffuse extreme ultraviolet background. It was flown on a sounding rocket, and data were obtained on the diffuse background between 80 and 650 angstroms. These are the first spectral measurements of this background below 520 angstroms. Several emission features were detected, including interplanetary He I 584 angstroms emission and geocoronal He II 304 angstroms emission. Other features observed may originate in a hot ionized interstellar gas, but if this interpretation is correct, gas at several different temperatures is present. The strongest of these features is consistent with O V emission at 630 angstroms. This emission, when combined with upper limits for other lines, restricts the temperature of this component to 5.5 < log T < 5.7, in agreement with temperatures derived from O VI absorption studies. A power-law distribution of temperatures is consistent with this feature only if the power-law coefficient is negative, as is predicted for saturated evaporation of clouds in a hot medium. In this case, the O VI absorption data confine the filling factor of the emission of f < or = 4% and the pressure to more than 3.7 x 10(4) cm-3 K, substantially above ambient interstellar pressure. Such a pressure enhancement has been predicted for clouds undergoing saturated evaporation. Alternatively, if the O V emission covers a considerable fraction of the sky, it would be a major source of ionization. A feature centered at about 99 angstroms is well fitted by a cluster of Fe XVIII and Fe XIX lines from gas at log T = 6.6-6.8. These results are consistent with previous soft X-ray observations with low-resolution detectors. A feature found near 178 angstroms is consistent with Fe X and Fe XI emission from gas at log T = 6; this result is consistent with results from experiments employing broad-band soft X-ray detectors.

Identification of F impurities in F-doped ZnO by synchrotron X-ray absorption near edge structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Na-Phattalung, Sutassana; Limpijumnong, Sukit; Min, Chul-Hee; Cho, Deok-Yong; Lee, Seung-Ran; Char, Kookrin; Yu, Jaejun

2018-04-01

Synchrotron X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) measurements of F K-edge in conjunction with first-principles calculations are used to identify the local structure of the fluorine (F) atom in F-doped ZnO. The ZnO film was grown by pulsed laser deposition with an Nd:YAG laser, and an oxyfluoridation method was used to introduce F ions into the ZnO films. The measured XANES spectrum of the sample was compared against the first-principles XANES calculations based on various models for local atomic structures surrounding F atoms. The observed spectral features are attributed to ZnF2 and FO defects in wurtzite bulk ZnO.

Hydrogen peroxide vapor cross sections: A flow cell study using laser absorption in the near infrared

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhodes, B. L.; Ronney, P. D.; DeSain, J. D.

2018-01-01

The absorption spectra of vapors of concentrated hydrogen peroxide/water mixtures (without a carrier gas) were characterized at wavelengths from 1390 to 1470 nm utilizing a near-infrared diode laser. Low pressures were employed to examine these spectral features near the Doppler-broadened limit. An advantageous portion of the spectra near 1420 nm containing several distinct H2O2 peaks and one well-known H2O peak (for calibration) was identified and the cross-sections of these peaks determined. These cross section values can be employed to measure vapor-phase concentrations of H2O2 in propulsion, atmospheric chemistry, and sterilization applications.

ATMOS Spacelab 1 science investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, J. H.; Smith, M. A. H.; Twitty, J. T.; Russell, J. M., III

1979-01-01

Existing infrared spectra from high speed interferometer balloon flights were analyzed and experimental analysis techniques applicable to similar data from the ATMOS experiment (Spacelab 3) were investigated. Specific techniques under investigation included line-by-line simulation of the spectra to aid in the identification of absorbing gases, simultaneous retrieval of pressure and temperature profiles using carefully chosen pairs of CO2 absorption lines, and the use of these pressures and temperatures in the retrieval of gas concentration profiles for many absorbing species. A search for a new absorption features was also carried out, and special attention was given to identification of absorbing gases in spectral bandpass regions to be measured by the halogen occultation experiment.

Discrete dipole approximation models of chrystalline forsterite: Applications to cometary crystalline silicates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindsay, Sean Stephen

The shape, size, and composition of crystalline silicates observed in comet comae and external proto-planetary disks are indicative of the formation and evolution of the dust grains during the processes of planetary formation. In this dissertation, I present the 3 -- 40 mum absorption efficiencies( Qabs) of irregularly shaped forsterite crystals computed with the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) code DDSCAT developed by Draine and Flatau and run on the NASA Advanced Supercomputing facility Pleiades. An investigation of grain shapes ranging from spheroidal to irregular indicate that the strong spectral features from forsterite are sensitive to grain shape and are potentially degenerate with the effects of crystal solid state composition (Mg-content). The 10, 11, 18, 23, and 33.5 mum features are found to be the most crystal shape sensitive and should be avoided in determining Mg-content. The distinct spectral features for the three shape classes are connected with crystal formation environment using a condensation experiment by (Kobatake et al., 2008). The condensation experiment demonstrates that condensed forsterite crystal shapes are dependent on the condensation environmental temperature. I generate DDSCAT target analog shapes to the condensed crystal shapes. These analog shapes are represented by the three shape classes: 1) equant, 2) a, c-columns, and 3) b-shortened platelets. Each of these shape classes exhibit distinct spectral features that can be used to interpret grain shape characteristics from 8 --- 40 mum spectroscopy of astronomical objects containing crystalline silicates. Synthetic spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of the coma of Hale-Bopp at rh = 2.8 AU are generated by thermally modeling the flux contributions of 5 mineral species present in comets. The synthetic SEDs are constrained using a chi2- minimization technique. The mineral species are amorphous carbon, amorphous pyroxene, amorphous olivine, crystalline enstatite, and crystalline forsterite. Using the DDSCAT computed absorption efficiencies for a large variety of forsterite crystal shapes, which are computed for 66 grain sizes between 0.1 -- 5.0 mum, the flux contribution of irregularly shaped forsterite is computed. The forsterite flux contribution is then summed with the amorphous and crystalline enstatite contributions to generate the total synthetic SED. The DDSCAT forsterite grain shape synthetic SEDs reveal that the crystalline silicates in the coma of Hale-Bopp are irregular in shape with two distinct shape characteristics related to specific formation mechanisms: 1) equant grains with sharp ( ≲ 90°) angles between the faces, edges, and vertices that formed as high temperature condensates in the inner 1 -- 3 AU radial region of the Solar System's protoplanetary disk; and 2) c-shortened platelet shapes that likely formed from collisional processing of the crystals. The 8 -- 40 mum silicate spectral features of Hale-Bopp's coma are compared to the silicate spectral features of the comae of 17P/Holmes during 2007 outburst and 9P/Tempel 1 during the Deep Impact experiment to show that the silicate features with crystalline resonances are remarkably similar. The similarity in silicate spectral features suggests that the grain populations in the comae of these comets are similar in shape, size, and compositon. However, Hale-Bopp is a nearly isotropic comet (NIC) that dynamically came from the Oort cloud, and 17P and 9P are ecliptic comets (ECs) that dynamically came from the Scattered Disk. The different dynamical source regions yet similar silicate (amorphous and crystalline) grain populations suggest that ECs and NICs innately have similar grains and that the typically weaker silicate features of ECs are an effect of the surface grains becoming compacted with numerous perihelion passages. Hence, the differences in silicate between ECs and NICs are the result of grain structure and not grain composition. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

The Mineralogy of the Youngest Lunar Basalts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staid, M. I.; Pieters, C. M.

1999-01-01

The last stage of lunar volcanism produced spectrally distinct basalts on the western nearside of the Moon, which remain unsampled by landing missions. The spectral properties of these late-stage basalts are examined using high-spatial-resolution Clementine images to constrain their mineralogic composition. The young high-Ti basalts in the western Procellarum and Imbrium Basins display a significantly stronger ferrous absorption than earlier mare basalts, suggesting that they may be the most Fe-rich deposits on the Moon. The distinct long-wavelength shape of this ferrous absorption is found to be similar for surface soils and materials excavated from depth. The pervasive character of this absorption feature supports the interpretation of abundant olivine within these late-stage lunar deposits. Important distinctions exist between the early-stage eastern maria and the late-stage western basalts, even though both appear to be Ti-rich. For example, the western maria are more radiogenic than eastern deposits. Telescopic spectra of the high-Ti western maria also exhibit a unique combination of a strong 1 micron feature and a relatively weak or attenuated 2-micron absorption. Pieters et al. concluded that the unusual strength and shape of the 1-micron absorption in western basalts results from an additional absorption from abundant olivine and/or Fe-bearing glass. Either mineralogy could produce the strong long wavelength 1-micron band, but a glassy Fe-rich surface could only form by rapid cooling along the exterior surfaces of flows. Clementine UV-VIS data of late-stage basalts are examined for regions in Oceanus Procellarum and Mare Imbrium. The spectral properties of western regions are compared to the sampled Apollo 11 basalts in Mare Tranquillitatis, which contain similar albedos and UV-VIS spectral properties. For reference, the western basalts are also compared to the low-Ti and Fe-rich basalts in Mare Serenitatis (mISP). Serenitatis basalts have the strongest mafic absorption of any eastern nearside maria in Clementine imagery. Unlike previous Earth-based and Galileo imagery, Clementine data resolve the spectral properties of immature crater deposits small enough to sample individual volcanic flows. A strategy has been developed to reevaluate lunar basalt types using Clementine imagery of such fresh mare craters and their associated soils. To allow direct comparisons between regions, scatter plots of useful spectral parameters were constructed by sampling a fixed number of evenly spaced pixels from each mare region. Scatter plots comparing the mare study areas are shown. Since mature soils dominate the surfaces exposed, the density distribution of each data cloud has been presented after a root stretch to enhance the visibility of the less-abundant immature materials. Five-color spectra were also collected for all fresh craters within each mare region and grouped according to size. The UV-VIS ratio has been used extensively to estimate Ti in mature soils and plots of this parameter against 0.75-micron reflectance are included for each mare region. The UV-VIS ratio coupled with the 0.75-micron parameter has been applied more recently to estimate Ti content across many lunar materials. High-Ti basalts plot in the upper left portion because of their low-albedo and high-UV-VIS ratio values. Clementine UV-VIS ratio values for the Procellarum HDSA unit are similar to, but slightly lower than, HDWA Apollo 11 basalts. These values are consistent with previous evaluations of the western high Ti basalts using telescopic and Apollo gamma-ray data, which suggest only a minor difference in TiO, contents between these mare deposits. The Imbrium hDSA and Serenitatis mISP basalts are seen to be progressively less dark and blue, consistent with the previously noted decreasing amount of weight percent TiO2. The scatter plot captures the micron absorption strength and albedo of large areas for each study region over a range of optical maturities. This scatter plot allows trends related to maturity to be evaluated. Materials whose soil surfaces have not achieved optical maturity are slightly brighter and display a stronger ferrous band. For each basalt type, the result is a roughly parallel range of values for these spectral parameters forming a distinct "weathering cloud" of data. The western HDSA and hDSA basalts, show a much stronger mafic ratio than the Tranquillitatis basalts for both mature soils and immature crater materials. Despite a higher abundance of opaques (which should subdue absorption features) the western HDSA and hDSA mare units also exhibit a stronger mafic ratio than the Fe-rich Serenitatis basalts. These combined properties indicate an exceptionally high abundance of mafic minerals and suggest that the Eratosthenian deposits within Procellarum may be the most Fe-rich basalts extruded on the surface of the Moon. It is difficult to estimate the FeO content of these young basalts since returned samples demonstrate that all lunar soils contain a fraction of foreign materials and mare soils have a lower weight percent FeO than their associated basalts. We are in the process of considering such sample information and mixing issues in order to estimate the actual FeO abundances of the mafic-rich western basalts. Regions that represent the most immature materials within each mare area were selected by identifying pixels that correspond to the lower-right limit of each mare unit's 1 micron vs. 0.75 micron scatter plot cloud. These spectra, shown, allow comparisons of the strong ferrous absorption for the most crystalline materials within each basalt type. The shape of the 1 micron feature is much flatter and centered at a longer wavelength in the spectra of the western Procellarum basalts compared to the eastern Serenitatis and Tranquillitatis basalts. Additional information contained in original.

Optical Hydrogen Absorption Consistent with a Thin Bow Shock Leading the Hot Jupiter HD 189733b

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cauley, P. Wilson; Redfield, Seth; Jensen, Adam G.; Barman, Travis; Endl, Michael; Cochran, William D.

2015-09-01

Bow shocks are ubiquitous astrophysical phenomena resulting from the supersonic passage of an object through a gas. Recently, pre-transit absorption in UV metal transitions of the hot Jupiter (HJ) exoplanets HD 189733b and WASP12-b have been interpreted as being caused by material compressed in a planetary bow shock. Here we present a robust detection of a time-resolved pre-transit, as well as in-transit absorption signature around the HJ exoplanet HD 189733b using high spectral resolution observations of several hydrogen Balmer lines. The line shape of the pre-transit feature and the shape of the timeseries absorption provide the strongest constraints on the morphology and physical characteristics of extended structures around an exoplanet. The in-transit measurements confirm the previous exospheric Hα detection, although the absorption depth measured here is ∼50% lower. The pre-transit absorption feature occurs 125 minutes before the predicted optical transit, a projected linear distance from the planet to the stellar disk of 7.2 Rp. The absorption strength observed in the Balmer lines indicates an optically thick, but physically small, geometry. We model this signal as the early ingress of a planetary bow shock. If the bow shock is mediated by a planetary magnetosphere, the large standoff distance derived from the model suggests a large planetary magnetic field strength of Beq = 28 G. Better knowledge of exoplanet magnetic field strengths is crucial to understanding the role these fields play in planetary evolution and the potential development of life on planets in the habitable zone.

Broadband Transmission Spectroscopy of the Super-Earth GJ 1214b Suggests a Low Mean Molecular Weight Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croll, Bryce; Albert, Loic; Jayawardhana, Ray; Miller-Ricci Kempton, Eliza; Fortney, Jonathan J.; Murray, Norman; Neilson, Hilding

2011-08-01

We use the Wide-field Infrared Camera (WIRCam) on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope to observe four transits of the super-Earth planet GJ 1214b in the near-infrared. For each transit, we observe GJ 1214 in two bands nearly simultaneously by rapidly switching the WIRCam filter wheel back and forth for the duration of the observations. By combining all our J-band (~1.25 μm) observations we find a transit depth, analogous to the planet-to-star radius ratio squared, in this band of (RPJ /R *)2 = (1.338 ± 0.013)%—a value consistent with the optical transit depth reported by Charbonneau and collaborators. However, our best-fit combined K s-band (~2.15 μm) transit depth is deeper: (RPKs /R *)2 = (1.438 ± 0.019)%. Formally, our K s-band transits are deeper than the J-band transits observed simultaneously by a factor of (RPKs /RPJ )2 = 1.072 ± 0.018—a 4σ discrepancy. The most straightforward explanation for our deeper K s-band transit depth is a spectral absorption feature from the limb of the atmosphere of the planet; for the spectral absorption feature to be this prominent, the atmosphere of GJ 1214b must have a large-scale height and a low mean molecular weight. That is, its atmosphere would have to be hydrogen/helium dominated and this planet would be better described as a mini-Neptune. However, recently published observations from 0.78 to 1.0 μm, by Bean and collaborators, show a lack of spectral features and transit depths consistent with those obtained by Charbonneau and collaborators. The most likely atmospheric composition for GJ 1214b that arises from combining all these observations is less clear; if the atmosphere of GJ 1214b is hydrogen/helium dominated, then it must have either a haze layer that is obscuring transit-depth differences at shorter wavelengths or significantly different spectral features from what current models predict. Our observations disfavor a water-world composition, but such a composition will remain a possibility for GJ 1214b until observations reconfirm our deeper K s-band transit depth or detect features at other wavelengths. Based on observations obtained with WIRCam, a joint project of CFHT, Taiwan, Korea, Canada, France, at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) which is operated by the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada, the Institute National des Sciences de l'Univers of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique of France, and the University of Hawaii.

Differential Radiometers Using Fabry-Perot Interferometric Technique for Remote Sensing Determination of Various Atmospheric Trace Gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Georgieva, E. M.; Heaps, W. S.; Wilson, E. L.

2007-01-01

New type of remote sensing instrument based upon the Fabry-Perot inte rferometric technique has been developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Fabry-Perot interferometry (FPI) is a well known, powerful spectroscopic technique and one of its many applications is to be use d to measure greenhouse gases and also some harmful species in the at mosphere. With this technique, absorption of particular species is me asured and related to its concentration. A solid Fabry-Perot etalon is used as a frequency filter to restrict the measurement to particular absorption bands of the gas of interest. With adjusting the thicknes s of the etalon that separation (in frequency) of the transmitted fri nges can be made equal to the almost constant separation of the gas a bsorption lines. By adjusting the temperature of the etalon, which changes the index of refi-action of its material, the transmission fring es can be brought into nearly exact correspondence with absorption li nes of the particular species. With this alignment between absorption lines and fringes, changes in the amount of a species in the atmosph ere strongly affect the amount of light transmitted by the etalon and can be related to gas concentration. The instrument that we have dev eloped detects the absorption of various atmospheric trace gases in d irect or reflected sunlight. Our instrument employing Fabry-Perot interferometer makes use of two features to achieve high sensitivity. The first is high spectral resolution enabling one to match the width of an atmospheric absorption feature by the instrumental band pass. The second is high optical throughput enabled by using multiple spectral lines simultaneously. For any species that one wishes to measure, thi s first feature is available while the use of multiple spectral features can be employed only for species with suitable spectra and freedom from interfering species in the same wavelength region. We have deve loped an instrument for use as ground based, airborne and satellite s ensor for gases such as carbon dioxide (1570 nm), oxygen (762 nm and 768 nm lines sensitive to changes in oxygen pressure and oxygen temper ature) and water vapor (940 nm). Our current goal is to develop an ul tra precise, inexpensive, ground based device suitable for wide deplo yment as a validation instrument for the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) satellite. We show sensitivity measurements for CO2, 02, and H2 O, compare our measurements to those obtained using other types of sensors and discuss some of the peculiarities that must be addressed in order to provide the very high quality column detection required for solving problems about global distribution of greenhouse gases and cl imatological models. In another area of research we are interested in developing a small-size channel for CO2 capable of doing simultaneous measurements with the AERONET (Aerosol Robotic Network) at NASA, God dard to study the hypothesis that atmospheric aerosols affect the reg ional terrestrial carbon cycle. We present recent data from our groun d based measurements of O2, CO2, H2O and (13)CO2 and discuss extensio n of the technique to new species and applications.

Mars analog minerals' spectral reflectance characteristics under Martian surface conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poitras, J. T.; Cloutis, E. A.; Salvatore, M. R.; Mertzman, S. A.; Applin, D. M.; Mann, P.

2018-05-01

We investigated the spectral reflectance properties of minerals under a simulated Martian environment. Twenty-eight different hydrated or hydroxylated phases of carbonates, sulfates, and silica minerals were selected based on past detection on Mars through spectral remote sensing data. Samples were ground and dry sieved to <45 μm grain size and characterized by XRD before and after 133 days inside a simulated Martian surface environment (pressure 5 Torr and CO2 fed). Reflectance spectra from 0.35 to 4 μm were taken periodically through a sapphire (0.35-2.5 μm) and zinc selenide (2.5-4 μm) window over a 133-day period. Mineral stability on the Martian surface was assessed through changes in spectral characteristics. Results indicate that the hydrated carbonates studied would be stable on the surface of Mars, only losing adsorbed H2O while maintaining their diagnostic spectral features. Sulfates were less stable, often with shifts in the band position of the SO, Fe, and OH absorption features. Silicas displayed spectral shifts related to SiOH and hydration state of the mineral surface, while diagnostic bands for quartz were stable. Previous detection of carbonate minerals based on 2.3-2.5 μm and 3.4-3.9 μm features appears to be consistent with our results. Sulfate mineral detection is more questionable since there can be shifts in band position related to SO4. The loss of the 0.43 μm Fe3+ band in many of the sulfates indicate that there are fewer potential candidates for Fe3+ sulfates to permanently exist on the Martian surface based on this band. The gypsum sample changed phase to basanite during desiccation as demonstrated by both reflectance and XRD. Silica on Mars has been detected using band depth ratio at 1.91 and 1.96 μm and band minimum position of the 1.4 μm feature, and the properties are also used to determine their age. This technique continues to be useful for positive silica identifications, however, silica age appears to be less consistent with our laboratory data. These results will be useful in spectral libraries for characterizing Martian remote sensed data.

Direct and Quantitative Photothermal Absorption Spectroscopy of Individual Particulates

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

1(a). By taking the ratio of the spectral absorption efficiency of the microwire to the corresponding volumetri - cally equivalent thin film, an...of D¼ 983 nm. For further comparison, the theoretical spectral absorption efficiency for a volumetri - cally equivalent (t¼ 983p/4 nm) thin film, Qabs

Reflectance spectroscopy of organic compounds: 1. Alkanes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Roger N.; Curchin, John M.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Swayze, Gregg A.

2009-03-01

Reflectance spectra of the organic compounds comprising the alkane series are presented from the ultraviolet to midinfrared, 0.35 to 15.5 μm. Alkanes are hydrocarbon molecules containing only single carbon-carbon bonds, and are found naturally on the Earth and in the atmospheres of the giant planets and Saturn's moon, Titan. This paper presents the spectral properties of the alkanes as the first in a series of papers to build a spectral database of organic compounds for use in remote sensing studies. Applications range from mapping the environment on the Earth, to the search for organic molecules and life in the solar system and throughout the universe. We show that the spectral reflectance properties of organic compounds are rich, with major diagnostic spectral features throughout the spectral range studied. Little to no spectral change was observed as a function of temperature and only small shifts and changes in the width of absorption bands were observed between liquids and solids, making remote detection of spectral properties throughout the solar system simpler. Some high molecular weight organic compounds contain single-bonded carbon chains and have spectra similar to alkanes even when they fall into other families. Small spectral differences are often present allowing discrimination among some compounds, further illustrating the need to catalog spectral properties for accurate remote sensing identification with spectroscopy.

Reflectance spectroscopy of organic compounds: 1. Alkanes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, R.N.; Curchin, J.M.; Hoefen, T.M.; Swayze, G.A.

2009-01-01

Reflectance spectra of the organic compounds comprising the alkane series are presented from the ultraviolet to midinfrared, 0.35 to 15.5 /??m. Alkanes are hydrocarbon molecules containing only single carbon-carbon bonds, and are found naturally on the Earth and in the atmospheres of the giant planets and Saturn's moon, Titan. This paper presents the spectral properties of the alkanes as the first in a series of papers to build a spectral database of organic compounds for use in remote sensing studies. Applications range from mapping the environment on the Earth, to the search for organic molecules and life in the solar system and throughout the. universe. We show that the spectral reflectance properties of organic compounds are rich, with major diagnostic spectral features throughout the spectral range studied. Little to no spectral change was observed as a function of temperature and only small shifts and changes in the width of absorption bands were observed between liquids and solids, making remote detection of spectral properties throughout the solar system simpler. Some high molecular weight organic compounds contain single-bonded carbon chains and have spectra similar to alkanes even ' when they fall into other families. Small spectral differences are often present allowing discrimination among some compounds, further illustrating the need to catalog spectral properties for accurate remote sensing identification with spectroscopy.

Estimation of canopy carotenoid content of winter wheat using multi-angle hyperspectral data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Weiping; Huang, Wenjiang; Liu, Jiangui; Chen, Pengfei; Qin, Qiming; Ye, Huichun; Peng, Dailiang; Dong, Yingying; Mortimer, A. Hugh

2017-11-01

Precise estimation of carotenoid (Car) content in crops, using remote sensing data, could be helpful for agricultural resources management. Conventional methods for Car content estimation were mostly based on reflectance data acquired from nadir direction. However, reflectance acquired at this direction is highly influenced by canopy structure and soil background reflectance. Off-nadir observation is less impacted, and multi-angle viewing data are proven to contain additional information rarely exploited for crop Car content estimation. The objective of this study was to explore the potential of multi-angle observation data for winter wheat canopy Car content estimation. Canopy spectral reflectance was measured from nadir as well as from a series of off-nadir directions during different growing stages of winter wheat, with concurrent canopy Car content measurements. Correlation analyses were performed between Car content and the original and continuum removed spectral reflectance. Spectral features and previously published indices were derived from data obtained at different viewing angles and were tested for Car content estimation. Results showed that spectral features and indices obtained from backscattering directions between 20° and 40° view zenith angle had a stronger correlation with Car content than that from the nadir direction, and the strongest correlation was observed from about 30° backscattering direction. Spectral absorption depth at 500 nm derived from spectral data obtained from 30° backscattering direction was found to reduce the difference induced by plant cultivars greatly. It was the most suitable for winter wheat canopy Car estimation, with a coefficient of determination 0.79 and a root mean square error of 19.03 mg/m2. This work indicates the importance of taking viewing geometry effect into account when using spectral features/indices and provides new insight in the application of multi-angle remote sensing for the estimation of crop physiology.

Type II Supernova Spectral Diversity. I. Observations, Sample Characterization, and Spectral Line Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutiérrez, Claudia P.; Anderson, Joseph P.; Hamuy, Mario; Morrell, Nidia; González-Gaitan, Santiago; Stritzinger, Maximilian D.; Phillips, Mark M.; Galbany, Lluis; Folatelli, Gastón; Dessart, Luc; Contreras, Carlos; Della Valle, Massimo; Freedman, Wendy L.; Hsiao, Eric Y.; Krisciunas, Kevin; Madore, Barry F.; Maza, José; Suntzeff, Nicholas B.; Prieto, Jose Luis; González, Luis; Cappellaro, Enrico; Navarrete, Mauricio; Pizzella, Alessandro; Ruiz, Maria T.; Smith, R. Chris; Turatto, Massimo

2017-11-01

We present 888 visual-wavelength spectra of 122 nearby type II supernovae (SNe II) obtained between 1986 and 2009, and ranging between 3 and 363 days post-explosion. In this first paper, we outline our observations and data reduction techniques, together with a characterization based on the spectral diversity of SNe II. A statistical analysis of the spectral matching technique is discussed as an alternative to nondetection constraints for estimating SN explosion epochs. The time evolution of spectral lines is presented and analyzed in terms of how this differs for SNe of different photometric, spectral, and environmental properties: velocities, pseudo-equivalent widths, decline rates, magnitudes, time durations, and environment metallicity. Our sample displays a large range in ejecta expansion velocities, from ˜9600 to ˜1500 km s-1 at 50 days post-explosion with a median {{{H}}}α value of 7300 km s-1. This is most likely explained through differing explosion energies. Significant diversity is also observed in the absolute strength of spectral lines, characterized through their pseudo-equivalent widths. This implies significant diversity in both temperature evolution (linked to progenitor radius) and progenitor metallicity between different SNe II. Around 60% of our sample shows an extra absorption component on the blue side of the {{{H}}}α P-Cygni profile (“Cachito” feature) between 7 and 120 days since explosion. Studying the nature of Cachito, we conclude that these features at early times (before ˜35 days) are associated with Si II λ 6355, while past the middle of the plateau phase they are related to high velocity (HV) features of hydrogen lines. This paper includes data gathered with the 6.5 m Magellan Telescopes located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile; and the Gemini Observatory, Cerro Pachon, Chile (Gemini Program GS-2008B-Q-56). Based on observations collected at the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere, Chile (ESO Programs 076.A-0156, 078.D-0048, 080.A-0516, and 082.A-0526).

MSL/Mastcam Multispectral Observations of Lower Mt. Sharp Units: Spectral Evidence of Distinct Alteration Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wellington, D. F.; Bell, J. F., III; Johnson, J. R.; Fraeman, A. A.; Kinch, K. M.; Godber, A.; Rice, M. S.

2016-12-01

The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover reached the lower units of Mt. Sharp in Gale Crater approximately two years ago. Along the traverse, Mastcam multispectral observations have documented the visible/near-IR spectral variability of drill tailings, bedrock, float rocks, fines, and other materials, recording a set of diverse reflectance properties in twelve unique filters over wavelengths 400-1100 nm. The most recent multi-filter images include new spectral diversity not encountered in near-field imaging acquired earlier in the mission. Since departing Marias Pass ( sol 1072), the rover has sampled material from the Stimson sandstone unit four times at two widely separated locations. These drill pairs were designed to investigate alteration regions visible as bright haloes bordering fractures in the bedrock. Drill fines and piles of dumped sample material from these sites (at Bridger Basin and on the Naukluft Plateau) were targeted for multispectral observations, which quantify the differences in overall reflectance and spectral shape between the unaltered Stimson material and the light-toned haloes. In the latter, high reflectances and relatively flat spectral shapes are consistent with interpretations of silica enrichment from other instruments. Mastcam spectra of the portions of the underlying Murray Formation (mudstone) that were encountered on first approach to the Bagnold dunes, and again upon exiting the Naukluft Plateau, are consistent with the presence of crystalline hematite. Variations in the relative strength of hematite absorption features in different locations may suggest possible differences in relative and/or absolute abundances of hematite of varying degrees of crystallinity. Dune materials have low reflectances with a broad, shallow absorption near 1-µm consistent with an olivine-bearing basaltic composition. We present these and other examples of spectral variability encountered by the rover during its ascent up the lower slopes of Mt. Sharp.

Gold nanorod reshaping in vitro and in vivo using a continuous wave laser

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yu; Shah, Anant; Ruenraroengsak, Pakatip; Gallina, Maria Elena; Hanna, George B.; Cass, Anthony E. G.; Porter, Alexandra E.; Bamber, Jeffrey; Elson, Daniel S.

2017-01-01

Gold nanorods (GNRs) are increasingly being investigated for cancer theranostics as they possess features which lend themselves in equal measures as contrast agents and catalysts for photothermal therapy. Their optical absorption spectral peak wavelength is determined by their size and shape. Photothermal therapy using GNRs is typically established using near infrared light as this allows sufficient penetration into the tumour matrix. Continuous wave (CW) lasers are the most commonly applied source of near infrared irradiation on GNRs for tumour photothermal therapy. It is perceived that large tumours may require fractionated or prolonged irradiation. However the true efficacy of repeated or protracted CW irradiation on tumour sites using the original sample of GNRs remains unclear. In this study spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy are used to demonstrate that GNRs reshape both in vitro and in vivo after CW irradiation, which reduces their absorption efficiency. These changes were sustained throughout and beyond the initial period of irradiation, resulting from a spectral blue-shift and a considerable diminution in the absorption peak of GNRs. Solid subcutaneous tumours in immunodeficient BALB/c mice were subjected to GNRs and analysed with electron microscopy pre- and post-CW laser irradiation. This phenomenon of thermally induced GNR reshaping can occur at relatively low bulk temperatures, well below the bulk melting point of gold. Photoacoustic monitoring of GNR reshaping is also evaluated as a potential clinical aid to determine GNR absorption and reshaping during photothermal therapy. Aggregation of particles was coincidentally observed following CW irradiation, which would further diminish the subsequent optical absorption capacity of irradiated GNRs. It is thus established that sequential or prolonged applications of CW laser will not confer any additional photothermal effect on tumours due to significant attenuations in the peak optical absorption properties of GNRs following primary laser irradiation. PMID:29045438

Overview of the observations of symbiotic stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Viotti, Roberto

1993-01-01

The term Symbiotic stars commonly denotes variable stars whose optical spectra simultaneously present a cool absorption spectrum (typically TiO absorption bands) and emission lines of high ionization energy. This term is now used for the category of variable stars with composite spectrum. The main spectral features of these objects are: (1) the presence of the red continuum typical of a cool star, (2) the rich emission line spectrum, and (3) the UV excess, frequently with the Balmer continuum in emission. In addition to the peculiar spectrum, the very irregular photometric and spectroscopic variability is the major feature of the symbiotic stars. Moreover, the light curve is basic to identify the different phases of activity in a symbiotic star. The physical mechanisms that cause the symbiotic phenomenon and its variety are the focus of this paper. An astronomical phenomenon characterized by a composite stellar spectrum with two apparently conflicting features, and large variability has been observed. Our research set out to find the origin of this behavior and, in particular, to identify and measure the physical mechanism(s) responsible for the observed phenomena.

In vivo imaging of scattering and absorption properties of exposed brain using a digital red-green-blue camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishidate, Izumi; Yoshida, Keiichiro; Kawauchi, Satoko; Sato, Shunichi; Sato, Manabu

2014-03-01

We investigate a method to estimate the spectral images of reduced scattering coefficients and the absorption coefficients of in vivo exposed brain tissues in the range from visible to near-infrared wavelength (500-760 nm) based on diffuse reflectance spectroscopy using a digital RGB camera. In the proposed method, the multi-spectral reflectance images of in vivo exposed brain are reconstructed from the digital red, green blue images using the Wiener estimation algorithm. The Monte Carlo simulation-based multiple regression analysis for the absorbance spectra is then used to specify the absorption and scattering parameters of brain tissue. In this analysis, the concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin and that of deoxygenated hemoglobin are estimated as the absorption parameters whereas the scattering amplitude a and the scattering power b in the expression of μs'=aλ-b as the scattering parameters, respectively. The spectra of absorption and reduced scattering coefficients are reconstructed from the absorption and scattering parameters, and finally, the spectral images of absorption and reduced scattering coefficients are estimated. The estimated images of absorption coefficients were dominated by the spectral characteristics of hemoglobin. The estimated spectral images of reduced scattering coefficients showed a broad scattering spectrum, exhibiting larger magnitude at shorter wavelengths, corresponding to the typical spectrum of brain tissue published in the literature. In vivo experiments with exposed brain of rats during CSD confirmed the possibility of the method to evaluate both hemodynamics and changes in tissue morphology due to electrical depolarization.

Multispectral imaging of absorption and scattering properties of in vivo exposed rat brain using a digital red-green-blue camera.

PubMed

Yoshida, Keiichiro; Nishidate, Izumi; Ishizuka, Tomohiro; Kawauchi, Satoko; Sato, Shunichi; Sato, Manabu

2015-05-01

In order to estimate multispectral images of the absorption and scattering properties in the cerebral cortex of in vivo rat brain, we investigated spectral reflectance images estimated by the Wiener estimation method using a digital RGB camera. A Monte Carlo simulation-based multiple regression analysis for the corresponding spectral absorbance images at nine wavelengths (500, 520, 540, 560, 570, 580, 600, 730, and 760 nm) was then used to specify the absorption and scattering parameters of brain tissue. In this analysis, the concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin and that of deoxygenated hemoglobin were estimated as the absorption parameters, whereas the coefficient a and the exponent b of the reduced scattering coefficient spectrum approximated by a power law function were estimated as the scattering parameters. The spectra of absorption and reduced scattering coefficients were reconstructed from the absorption and scattering parameters, and the spectral images of absorption and reduced scattering coefficients were then estimated. In order to confirm the feasibility of this method, we performed in vivo experiments on exposed rat brain. The estimated images of the absorption coefficients were dominated by the spectral characteristics of hemoglobin. The estimated spectral images of the reduced scattering coefficients had a broad scattering spectrum, exhibiting a larger magnitude at shorter wavelengths, corresponding to the typical spectrum of brain tissue published in the literature. The changes in the estimated absorption and scattering parameters during normoxia, hyperoxia, and anoxia indicate the potential applicability of the method by which to evaluate the pathophysiological conditions of in vivo brain due to the loss of tissue viability.

Observing the Fast X-ray Spectral Variability of NLS1 1H1934-063 with XMM-Newton and NuSTAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frederick, Sara; Kara, Erin; Reynolds, Christopher S.

2017-08-01

The most variable active galactic nuclei (AGN), taken together, are a compelling wellspring of interesting accretion-related phenomena. They can exhibit dramatic variability in the X-ray band on a range of timescales down to a few minutes. We present the exemplifying case study of 1H1934-063 (z = 0.0102), a narrow-line Seyfert I (NLS1) that is among the most variable AGN ever observed with XMM-Newton. We present spectral and temporal analyses of a concurrent XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observation taken in 2015 and lasting 120 ks, during which the source exhibited a steep (factor of 1.5) plummet and subsequent full recovery of flux that we explore in detail here. Combined spectral and timing results point to a dramatic change in the continuum on timescales as short as a few ks. Similar to other highly variable Seyfert 1s, this AGN is quite X-ray bright and displays strong reflection spectral features. We find agreement with a change in the continuum, and we rule out absorption as the cause for this dramatic variability observed even at NuSTAR energies. We compare detailed time-resolved spectral fitting with Fourier-based timing analysis in order to constrain coronal geometry, dynamics, and emission/absorption processes dictating the nature of this variability. We also announce the discovery of a Fe-K time lag between the hard X-ray continuum emission (1 - 4 keV) and its relativistically-blurred reflection off the inner accretion flow (0.3 - 1 keV).

Spectroscopic studies of two spectral variants of light-harvesting complex 2 (LH2) from the photosynthetic purple sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum.

PubMed

Niedzwiedzki, Dariusz M; Bina, David; Picken, Nichola; Honkanen, Suvi; Blankenship, Robert E; Holten, Dewey; Cogdell, Richard J

2012-09-01

Two spectral forms of the peripheral light-harvesting complex (LH2) from the purple sulfur photosynthetic bacterium Allochromatium vinosum were purified and their photophysical properties characterized. The complexes contain bacteriochlorophyll a (BChl a) and multiple species of carotenoids. The composition of carotenoids depends on the light conditions applied during growth of the cultures. In addition, LH2 grown under high light has a noticeable split of the B800 absorption band. The influence of the change of carotenoid distribution as well as the spectral change of the excitonic absorption of the bacteriochlorophylls on the light-harvesting ability was studied using steady-state absorption, fluorescence and femtosecond time-resolved absorption at 77K. The results demonstrate that the change of the distribution of the carotenoids when cells were grown at low light adapts the absorptive properties of the complex to the light conditions and maintains maximum photon-capture performance. In addition, an explanation for the origin of the enigmatic split of the B800 absorption band is provided. This spectral splitting is also observed in LH2 complexes from other photosynthetic sulfur purple bacterial species. According to results obtained from transient absorption spectroscopy, the B800 band split originates from two spectral forms of the associated BChl a monomeric molecules bound within the same complex. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Near ultraviolet absorption spectral properties of chromophoric dissolved organic matter in the north area of Yellow Sea].

PubMed

Wang, Lin; Zhao, Dong-Zhi; Yang, Jian-Hong; Chen, Yan-Long

2010-12-01

Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) near ultraviolet absorption spectra contains CDOM molecular structure, composition and other important physical and chemical information. Based on the measured data of CDOM absorption coefficient in March 2009 in the north area of Yellow Sea, the present paper analyzed near ultraviolet absorption spectral properties of CDOM. The results showed that due to the impact of near-shore terrigenous input, the composition of CDOM is quite different in the north area of Yellow Sea, and this area is a typical case II water; fitted slope with specific range of spectral band and absorption coefficient at specific band can indicate the relative size of CDOM molecular weight, correlation between spectral slope of the Sg,275-300), Sg,300-350, Sg,350-400 and Sg,250-275 and the relative size of CDOM molecular weight indicative parameter M increases in turn and the highest is up to 0.95. Correlation between a(g)(lambda) and M value increases gradually with the increase in wavelength, and the highest is up to 0.92 at 400 nm; being correlated or not between spectral slope and absorption coefficient is decided by the fitting-band wavelength range for the spectra slope and the wavelength for absorption coefficient. Correlation between Sg,275-300 and a(g)(400) is the largest, up to 0.87.

Optimization of Immunolabeled Plasmonic Nanoparticles for Cell Surface Receptor Analysis

PubMed Central

Seekell, Kevin; Price, Hillel; Marinakos, Stella; Wax, Adam

2011-01-01

Noble metal nanoparticles hold great potential as optical contrast agents due to a unique feature, known as the plasmon resonance, which produces enhanced scattering and absorption at specific frequencies. The plasmon resonance also provides a spectral tunability that is not often found in organic fluorophores or other labeling methods. The ability to functionalize these nanoparticles with antibodies has led to their development as contrast agents for molecular optical imaging. In this review article, we present methods for optimizing the spectral agility of these labels. We discuss synthesis of gold nanorods, a plasmonic nanoparticle in which the plasmonic resonance can be tuned during synthesis to provide imaging within the spectral window commonly utilized in biomedical applications. We describe recent advances in our group to functionalize gold and silver nanoparticles using distinct antibodies, including EGFR, HER-2 and IGF-1, selected for their relevance to tumor imaging. Finally, we present characterization of these nanoparticle labels to verify their spectral properties and molecular specificity. PMID:21911063

Composition of Titan's surface from Cassini VIMS

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCord, T.B.; Hansen, G.B.; Buratti, B.J.; Clark, R.N.; Cruikshank, D.P.; D'Aversa, E.; Griffith, C.A.; Baines, E.K.H.; Brown, R.H.; Dalle, Ore C.M.; Filacchione, G.; Formisano, V.; Hibbitts, C.A.; Jaumann, R.; Lunine, J.I.; Nelson, R.M.; Sotin, Christophe

2006-01-01

Titan's bulk density along with Solar System formation models indicates considerable water as well as silicates as its major constituents. This satellite's dense atmosphere of nitrogen with methane is unique. Deposits or even oceans of organic compounds have been suggested to exist on Titan's solid surface due to UV-induced photochemistry in the atmosphere. Thus, the composition of the surface is a major piece of evidence needed to determine Titan's history. However, studies of the surface are hindered by the thick, absorbing, hazy and in some places cloudy atmosphere. Ground-based telescope investigations of the integral disk of Titan attempted to observe the surface albedo in spectral windows between methane absorptions by calculating and removing the haze effects. Their results were reported to be consistent with water ice on the surface that is contaminated with a small amount of dark material, perhaps organic material like tholin. We analyze here the recent Cassini Mission's visual and infrared mapping spectrometer (VIMS) observations that resolve regions on Titan. VIMS is able to see surface features and shows that there are spectral and therefore likely compositional units. By several methods, spectral albedo estimates within methane absorption windows between 0.75 and 5 ??m were obtained for different surface units using VIMS image cubes from the Cassini-Huygens Titan Ta encounter. Of the spots studied, there appears to be two compositional classes present that are associated with the lower albedo and the higher albedo materials, with some variety among the brighter regions. These were compared with spectra of several different candidate materials. Our results show that the spectrum of water ice contaminated with a darker material matches the reflectance of the lower albedo Titan regions if the spectral slope from 2.71 to 2.79 ??m in the poorly understood 2.8-??m methane window is ignored. The spectra for brighter regions are not matched by the spectrum of water ice or unoxidized tholin, in pure form or in mixtures with sufficient ice or tholin present to allow the water ice or tholin spectral features to be discerned. We find that the 2.8-??m methane absorption window is complex and seems to consist of two weak subwindows at 2.7 and 2.8 ??m that have unknown opacities. A ratio image at these two wavelengths reveals an anomalous region on Titan that has a reflectance unlike any material so far identified, but it is unclear how much the reflectances in these two subwindows pertain to the surface. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Goldschmidt crater and the Moon's north polar region: Results from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cheek, L.C.; Pieters, C.M.; Boardman, J.W.; Clark, R.N.; Combe, J.-P.; Head, J.W.; Isaacson, P.J.; McCord, T.B.; Moriarty, D.; Nettles, J.W.; Petro, N.E.; Sunshine, J.M.; Taylor, L.A.

2011-01-01

Soils within the impact crater Goldschmidt have been identified as spectrally distinct from the local highland material. High spatial and spectral resolution data from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) on the Chandrayaan-1 orbiter are used to examine the character of Goldschmidt crater in detail. Spectral parameters applied to a north polar mosaic of M3 data are used to discern large-scale compositional trends at the northern high latitudes, and spectra from three widely separated regions are compared to spectra from Goldschmidt. The results highlight the compositional diversity of the lunar nearside, in particular, where feldspathic soils with a low-Ca pyroxene component are pervasive, but exclusively feldspathic regions and small areas of basaltic composition are also observed. Additionally, we find that the relative strengths of the diagnostic OH/H2O absorption feature near 3000 nm are correlated with the mineralogy of the host material. On both global and local scales, the strongest hydrous absorptions occur on the more feldspathic surfaces. Thus, M3 data suggest that while the feldspathic soils within Goldschmidt crater are enhanced in OH/H2O compared to the relatively mafic nearside polar highlands, their hydration signatures are similar to those observed in the feldspathic highlands on the farside.

Uncovering the Terahertz Spectrum of Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate.

PubMed

Ruggiero, Michael T; Korter, Timothy M

2016-01-21

Terahertz vibrational spectroscopy has evolved into a powerful tool for the detection and characterization of transition metal sulfate compounds, specifically for its ability to differentiate between various hydrated forms with high specificity. Copper(II) sulfate is one such system where multiple crystalline hydrates have had their terahertz spectra fully assigned, and the unique spectral fingerprints of the forms allows for characterization of multicomponent systems with relative ease. Yet the most commonly occurring form, copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate (CuSO4·5H2O), has proven elusive due to the presence of a broad absorption across much of the terahertz region, making the unambiguous identification of its spectral signature difficult. Here, it is shown that the sub-100 cm(-1) spectrum of CuSO4·5H2O is obscured by absorption from adsorbed water and that controlled drying reveals sharp underlying features. The crystalline composition of the samples was monitored in parallel by X-ray diffraction as a function of drying time, supporting the spectroscopic results. Finally, the terahertz spectrum of CuSO4·5H2O was fully assigned using solid-state density functional theory simulations, helping attribute the additional absorptions that appear after excessive drying to formation of CuSO4·3H2O.

Airborne Remote Earth Sensing (ARES) Program: an operational airborne MWIR imaging spectrometer and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bishop, Kevin D.; Diestel, Michael J.

1996-11-01

Since 1993, the Airborne Remote Earth Sensing (ARES) Program has collected a wide variety of mid-wave infrared hyperspectral data on an interesting assortment of atmospheric, geologic, urban and chemical emission/absorption features. Flown in NASA's high altitude WB-57F aircraft, the ARES sensor is a 75 channel cryo-cooled prism spectrometer covering the 2 - 6 micrometers spectral region, and is capable of up or down-looking measurements over a wide range of collection geometries. Sensor characteristics, pointing capabilities, and overall performance are discussed. Highlights from some of the recent data collections, such as the 1993 and 95 thermal mapping of the active lava flow areas from the Kilauea volcano; the 1993 collection of the direct solar specular reflection off high altitude (ice) cloud layers over West Texas; upper atmospheric H2O vapor sounding using the 6 micrometers solar absorption spectra; Sulfur Dioxide detection from a coal burning power plant in Page, AZ (SO2 in emission) and from the Pu'u O'o vent of the Kilauea volcano (SO2 in absorption); and MWIR imagery from various terrestrial and urban background scenes, including West Los Angeles, and the Capitol area of Washington, D.C. Supporting spectral analysis and radiometric modeling are presented.

Europa in the Far-UV: Spatial and Spectral Analysis from HST Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, Tracy M.; Retherford, Kurt D.; Roth, Lorenz; Hendrix, Amanda R.; McGrath, Melissa; Alday, Juan; Saur, Joachim; Molyneux, Philippa M.; Raut, Ujjwal; Teolis, Benjamin

2017-10-01

We present a spatial and spectral analysis of Europa using far-UV observations from 1999 - 2015 made by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Disk-integrated observations show that the far-UV spectrum from ~130 nm - 170 nm is blue (increasing albedo with decreasing wavelength) for the studied hemispheres: the leading, trailing, and anti-Jovian hemispheres. At Lyman-alpha (121.6 nm), the albedo of the trailing hemisphere continues the blue trend, but it reddens for the leading hemisphere. At wavelengths shorter than 133.5 nm, the leading hemisphere, which is brighter than the trailing hemisphere at near-UV and visible wavelengths, becomes darker than the trailing hemisphere. We find no evidence of a sharp water-ice absorption edge at 165 nm on any hemisphere of Europa, which is intriguing since such an absorption feature has been observed on most icy moons. This suggests the possibility that radiolytic alteration by Jovian magnetospheric plasma has made the surface more strongly absorbing, masking the absorption edge. We will also present a spatial map of Lyman-alpha across the entire surface of Europa. This map can then be used to distinguish variable H emissions in the atmosphere from surface reflectance, improving our ability to detect potential plumes occurring on the disk of Europa during an observation.

Light-induced autofluorescence and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in clinical diagnosis of skin cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borisova, E.; Pavlova, E.; Kundurjiev, T.; Troyanova, P.; Genova, Ts.; Avramov, L.

2014-05-01

We investigated more than 500 clinical cases to receive the spectral properties of basal cell (136 patients) and squamous cell carcinoma (28), malignant melanoma (41) and different cutaneous dysplastic and benign cutaneous lesions. Excitation at 365, 385 and 405 nm using LEDs sources is applied to obtain autofluorescence spectra, and broad-band illumination in the region of 400-900 nm is used to detect diffuse reflectance spectra of all pathologies investigated. USB4000 microspectrometer (Ocean Optics Inc, USA) is applied as a detector and fiber-optic probe is used for delivery of the light. In the case of in vivo tumor measurements spectral shape and intensity changes are observed that are specific for a given type of lesion. Autofluorescence origins of the signals coming from skin tissues are mainly due to proteins, such as collagen, elastin, keratin, their cross-links, co-enzimes - NADH and flavins and endogenous porphyrins. Spectral features significant into diffuse spectroscopy diagnosis are related to the effects of re-absorption of hemoglobin and its forms, as well as melanin and its concentration in different pathologies. We developed significant database and revealed specific features for a large class of cutaneous neoplasia, using about 30 different spectral peculiarities to differentiate cutaneous tumors. Sensitivity and specificity obtained exceed 90%, which make optical biopsy very useful tool for clinical practice. These results are obtained in the frames of clinical investigations for development of significant "spectral features" database for the most common cutaneous malignant, dysplastic and benign lesions. In the forthcoming plans, our group tries to optimize the existing experimental system for optical biopsy of skin, and to introduce it and the diagnostic algorithms developed into clinical practice, based on the high diagnostic accuracy achieved.

Terahertz Absorption and Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy of Solvated Biopolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jing; Plaxco, Kevin; Allen, S. James

2006-03-01

Biopolymers are expected to exhibit broad spectral features in the terahertz frequency range, corresponding to their functionally relevant, global and sub-global collective vibrational modes with ˜ picosecond timescale. Recent advances in terahertz technology have stimulated researchers to employ terahertz absorption spectroscopy to directly probe these postulated collective modes. However, these pioneering studies have been limited to dry and, at best, moist samples. Successful isolation of low frequency vibrational activities of solvated biopolymers in their natural water environment has remained elusive, due to the overwhelming attenuation of the terahertz radiation by water. Here we have developed a terahertz absorption and circular dichroism spectrometer suitable for studying biopolymers in biologically relevant water solutions. We have precisely isolated, for the first time, the terahertz absorption of solvated prototypical proteins, Bovine Serum Albumin and Lysozyme, and made important direct comparison to the existing molecular dynamic simulations and normal mode calculations. We have also successfully demonstrated the magnetic circular dichroism in semiconductors, and placed upper bounds on the terahertz circular dichroism signatures of prototypical proteins in water solution.

UV Reflectance of Jupiter's Moon Europa and Asteroid (16) Psyche

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, T. M.; Retherford, K. D.; Roth, L.; Hendrix, A.; McGrath, M. A.; Cunningham, N.; Feaga, L. M.; Saur, J.; Elkins-Tanton, L. T.; Walhund, J. E.; Molyneux, P.

2017-12-01

Surface reflectance observations of solar system objects in the UV are not only complimentary to longer wavelength observations for identifying surface composition, but can also reveal new and meaningful information about the surfaces of those bodies. On Europa, far-UV (FUV) spectral observations made by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) show that the surface lacks a strong water ice absorption edge near 165 nm, which is intriguing because such a band has been detected on most icy satellites. This may suggest that radiolytic processing by Jupiter's magnetosphere has altered the surface, causing absorption at wavelengths longward of the H2O edge, masking this feature. Additionally, the FUV spectra are blue (increasing albedo with shorter wavelengths), and regions that are observed to be dark in the visible appear bright in the FUV. This spectral inversion, also observed on the Moon and some asteroids, may provide insight into the properties of the surface material and how they are processed.We also explore the UV reflectance spectra of the main belt asteroid (16) Psyche. This asteroid is believed to be the metallic remnant core of a differentiated asteroid, stripped of its mantle through collisions. However, there is speculation that the asteroid could have formed as-is from highly reduced metal-rich material near the Sun early in the formation of the solar system. Further, spectral observations in the infrared have revealed pyroxene and hydroxyl on the asteroid's surface, complicating the interpretation that (16) Psyche is a pure metallic object. Laboratory studies indicate that there are diagnostic spectral features in the UV that could be useful for determining the surface composition. We obtained HST observations of Psyche from 160 - 300 nm. Preliminary results show a featureless, red-sloped spectrum, inconsistent with significant amounts of pyroxene on the surface. We will present the spectra of Europa and the asteroid (16) Psyche and discuss the unique details unveiled by studies of these objects in the UV.

Laser-induced plasma characterization through self-absorption quantification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, JiaJia; Zhang, Lei; Zhao, Yang; Yan, Xingyu; Ma, Weiguang; Dong, Lei; Yin, Wangbao; Xiao, Liantuan; Jia, Suotang

2018-07-01

A self-absorption quantification method is proposed to quantify the self-absorption degree of spectral lines, in which plasma characteristics including electron temperature, elemental concentration ratio, and absolute species number density can be deduced directly. Since there is no spectral intensity involved in the calculation, the analysis results are independent of the self-absorption effects and the additional spectral efficiency calibration is not required. In order to evaluate the practicality, the limitation for application and the precision of this method are also discussed. Experimental results of aluminum-lithium alloy prove that the proposed method is qualified to realize semi-quantitative measurements and fast plasma characteristics diagnostics.

Water ice and sub-micron ice particles on Tethys and Mimas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scipioni, Francesca; Nordheim, Tom; Clark, Roger Nelson; D'Aversa, Emiliano; Cruikshank, Dale P.; Tosi, Federico; Schenk, Paul M.; Combe, Jean-Philippe; Dalle Ore, Cristina M.

2017-10-01

IntroductionWe present our ongoing work, mapping the variation of the main water ice absorption bands, and the distribution of the sub-micron particles, across Mimas and Tethys’ surfaces using Cassini-VIMS cubes acquired in the IR range (0.8-5.1 μm). We present our results in the form of maps of variation of selected spectral indicators (depth of absorption bands, reflectance peak height, spectral slopes).Data analysisVIMS acquires hyperspectral data in the 0.3-5.1 μm spectral range. We selected VIMS cubes of Tethys and Mimas in the IR range (0.8-5.1 μm). For all pixels in the selected cubes, we measured the band depths for water-ice absorptions at 1.25, 1.5 and 2.02 μm and the height of the 3.6 μm reflection peak. Moreover, we considered the spectral indictors for particles smaller than 1 µm [1]: (i) the 2 µm absorption band is asymmetric and (ii) it has the minimum shifted to longer λ (iii) the band depth ratio 1.5/2.0 µm decreases; (iv) the reflection peak at 2.6 µm decreases; (v) the Fresnel reflection peak is suppressed; (vi) the 5 µm reflectance is decreased relative to the 3.6 µm peak. To characterize the global variation of water-ice band depths, and of sub-micron particles spectral indicators, across Mimas and Tethys, we sampled the two satellites’ surfacees with a 1°x1° fixed-resolution grid and then averaged the band depths and peak values inside each square cell.3. ResultsFor both moons we find that large geologic features, such as the Odysseus and Herschel impact basins, do not correlate with water ice’s abundance variation. For Tethys, we found a quite uniform surface on both hemispheres. The only deviation from this pattern shows up on the trailing hemisphere, where we notice two north-oriented, dark areas around 225° and 315°. For Mimas, the leading and trailing hemispheres appear to be quite similar in water ice abundance, the trailing portion having water ice absorption bands lightly more suppressed than the leading side.References[1] Clark, R., et al., 2013. Observed ices in the solar system. In: Gudipati, M. S., Castillo-Rogez, J. (Eds.), The Science of Solar System Ices. Vol. 356. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Springer Science+Business Media New York, p. 3.

Hot spots of Io

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pearl, J. C.; Sinton, W. M.

1982-01-01

The size and temperature, morphology and distribution, variability, possible absorption features, and processes of hot spots on Io are discussed, and an estimate of the global heat flux is made. Size and temperature information is deconvolved to obtain equivalent radius and temperature of hot spots, and simultaneously obtained Voyager thermal and imaging data is used to match hot sources with specific geologic features. In addition to their thermal output, it is possible that hot spots are also characterized by production of various gases and particulate materials; the spectral signature of SO2 has been seen. Origins for relatively stable, low temperature sources, transient high temperature sources, and relatively stable, high-tmperature sources are discussed.

Measuring Atmospheric Abundances and Rotation of a Brown Dwarf with a Measured Mass and Radius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birkby, Jayne

2015-08-01

There are no cool brown dwarfs with both a well-characterized atmosphere and a measured mass and radius. LHS 6343, a brown dwarf transiting one member of an M+M binary in the Kepler field, provides the first opportunity to tie theoretical atmospheric models to the observed brown dwarf mass-radius diagram. We propose four half-nights of observations with NIRSPAO in 2015B to measure spectral features in LHS 6343 C by detecting the relative motions of absorption features during the system's orbit. In addition to abundances, we will directly measure the brown dwarf's projected rotational velocity and mass.

Detection of spectral line curvature in imaging spectrometer data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neville, Robert A.; Sun, Lixin; Staenz, Karl

2003-09-01

A procedure has been developed to measure the band-centers and bandwidths for imaging spectrometers using data acquired by the sensor in flight. This is done for each across-track pixel, thus allowing the measurement of the instrument's slit curvature or spectral 'smile'. The procedure uses spectral features present in the at-sensor radiance which are common to all pixels in the scene. These are principally atmospheric absorption lines. The band-center and bandwidth determinations are made by correlating the sensor measured radiance with a modelled radiance, the latter calculated using MODTRAN 4.2. Measurements have been made for a number of instruments including Airborne Visible and Infra-Red Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS), SWIR Full Spectrum Imager (SFSI), and Hyperion. The measurements on AVIRIS data were performed as a test of the procedure; since AVIRIS is a whisk-broom scanner it is expected to be free of spectral smile. SFSI is an airborne pushbroom instrument with considerable spectral smile. Hyperion is a satellite pushbroom sensor with a relatively small degree of smile. Measurements of Hyperion were made using three different data sets to check for temporal variations.

High-resolution molybdenum K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy analyzed with time-dependent density functional theory.

PubMed

Lima, Frederico A; Bjornsson, Ragnar; Weyhermüller, Thomas; Chandrasekaran, Perumalreddy; Glatzel, Pieter; Neese, Frank; DeBeer, Serena

2013-12-28

X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is a widely used experimental technique capable of selectively probing the local structure around an absorbing atomic species in molecules and materials. When applied to heavy elements, however, the quantitative interpretation can be challenging due to the intrinsic spectral broadening arising from the decrease in the core-hole lifetime. In this work we have used high-energy resolution fluorescence detected XAS (HERFD-XAS) to investigate a series of molybdenum complexes. The sharper spectral features obtained by HERFD-XAS measurements enable a clear assignment of the features present in the pre-edge region. Time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) has been previously shown to predict K-pre-edge XAS spectra of first row transition metal compounds with a reasonable degree of accuracy. Here we extend this approach to molybdenum K-edge HERFD-XAS and present the necessary calibration. Modern pure and hybrid functionals are utilized and relativistic effects are accounted for using either the Zeroth Order Regular Approximation (ZORA) or the second order Douglas-Kroll-Hess (DKH2) scalar relativistic approximations. We have found that both the predicted energies and intensities are in excellent agreement with experiment, independent of the functional used. The model chosen to account for relativistic effects also has little impact on the calculated spectra. This study provides an important calibration set for future applications of molybdenum HERFD-XAS to complex catalytic systems.

Energy transfer in purple bacterial photosynthetic units from cells grown in various light intensities.

PubMed

Niedzwiedzki, Dariusz M; Gardiner, Alastair T; Blankenship, Robert E; Cogdell, Richard J

2018-05-03

Three photosynthetic membranes, called intra-cytoplasmic membranes (ICMs), from wild-type and the ∆pucBA abce mutant of the purple phototrophic bacterium Rps. palustris were investigated using optical spectroscopy. The ICMs contain identical light-harvesting complex 1-reaction centers (LH1-RC) but have various spectral forms of light-harvesting complex 2 (LH2). Spectroscopic studies involving steady-state absorption, fluorescence, and femtosecond time-resolved absorption at room temperature and at 77 K focused on inter-protein excitation energy transfer. The studies investigated how energy transfer is affected by altered spectral features of the LH2 complexes as those develop under growth at different light conditions. The study shows that LH1 → LH2 excitation energy transfer is strongly affected if the LH2 complex alters its spectroscopic signature. The LH1 → LH2 excitation energy transfer rate modeled with the Förster mechanism and kinetic simulations of transient absorption of the ICMs demonstrated that the transfer rate will be 2-3 times larger for ICMs accumulating LH2 complexes with the classical B800-850 spectral signature (grown in high light) compared to the ICMs from the same strain grown in low light. For the ICMs from the ∆pucBA abce mutant, in which the B850 band of the LH2 complex is blue-shifted and almost degenerate with the B800 band, the LH1 → LH2 excitation energy transfer was not observed nor predicted by calculations.

Detection and quantification of snow algae with an airborne imaging spectrometer.

PubMed

Painter, T H; Duval, B; Thomas, W H; Mendez, M; Heintzelman, S; Dozier, J

2001-11-01

We describe spectral reflectance measurements of snow containing the snow alga Chlamydomonas nivalis and a model to retrieve snow algal concentrations from airborne imaging spectrometer data. Because cells of C. nivalis absorb at specific wavelengths in regions indicative of carotenoids (astaxanthin esters, lutein, beta-carotene) and chlorophylls a and b, the spectral signature of snow containing C. nivalis is distinct from that of snow without algae. The spectral reflectance of snow containing C. nivalis is separable from that of snow without algae due to carotenoid absorption in the wavelength range from 0.4 to 0.58 microm and chlorophyll a and b absorption in the wavelength range from 0.6 to 0.7 microm. The integral of the scaled chlorophyll a and b absorption feature (I(0.68)) varies with algal concentration (C(a)). Using the relationship C(a) = 81019.2 I(0.68) + 845.2, we inverted Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer reflectance data collected in the Tioga Pass region of the Sierra Nevada in California to determine algal concentration. For the 5.5-km(2) region imaged, the mean algal concentration was 1,306 cells ml(-1), the standard deviation was 1,740 cells ml(-1), and the coefficient of variation was 1.33. The retrieved spatial distribution was consistent with observations made in the field. From the spatial estimates of algal concentration, we calculated a total imaged algal biomass of 16.55 kg for the 0.495-km(2) snow-covered area, which gave an areal biomass concentration of 0.033 g/m(2).

Detection and Quantification of Snow Algae with an Airborne Imaging Spectrometer

PubMed Central

Painter, Thomas H.; Duval, Brian; Thomas, William H.; Mendez, Maria; Heintzelman, Sara; Dozier, Jeff

2001-01-01

We describe spectral reflectance measurements of snow containing the snow alga Chlamydomonas nivalis and a model to retrieve snow algal concentrations from airborne imaging spectrometer data. Because cells of C. nivalis absorb at specific wavelengths in regions indicative of carotenoids (astaxanthin esters, lutein, β-carotene) and chlorophylls a and b, the spectral signature of snow containing C. nivalis is distinct from that of snow without algae. The spectral reflectance of snow containing C. nivalis is separable from that of snow without algae due to carotenoid absorption in the wavelength range from 0.4 to 0.58 μm and chlorophyll a and b absorption in the wavelength range from 0.6 to 0.7 μm. The integral of the scaled chlorophyll a and b absorption feature (I0.68) varies with algal concentration (Ca). Using the relationship Ca = 81019.2 I0.68 + 845.2, we inverted Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer reflectance data collected in the Tioga Pass region of the Sierra Nevada in California to determine algal concentration. For the 5.5-km2 region imaged, the mean algal concentration was 1,306 cells ml−1, the standard deviation was 1,740 cells ml−1, and the coefficient of variation was 1.33. The retrieved spatial distribution was consistent with observations made in the field. From the spatial estimates of algal concentration, we calculated a total imaged algal biomass of 16.55 kg for the 0.495-km2 snow-covered area, which gave an areal biomass concentration of 0.033 g/m2. PMID:11679355

Breath Analysis Using Laser Spectroscopic Techniques: Breath Biomarkers, Spectral Fingerprints, and Detection Limits

PubMed Central

Wang, Chuji; Sahay, Peeyush

2009-01-01

Breath analysis, a promising new field of medicine and medical instrumentation, potentially offers noninvasive, real-time, and point-of-care (POC) disease diagnostics and metabolic status monitoring. Numerous breath biomarkers have been detected and quantified so far by using the GC-MS technique. Recent advances in laser spectroscopic techniques and laser sources have driven breath analysis to new heights, moving from laboratory research to commercial reality. Laser spectroscopic detection techniques not only have high-sensitivity and high-selectivity, as equivalently offered by the MS-based techniques, but also have the advantageous features of near real-time response, low instrument costs, and POC function. Of the approximately 35 established breath biomarkers, such as acetone, ammonia, carbon dioxide, ethane, methane, and nitric oxide, 14 species in exhaled human breath have been analyzed by high-sensitivity laser spectroscopic techniques, namely, tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS), cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS), integrated cavity output spectroscopy (ICOS), cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy (CEAS), cavity leak-out spectroscopy (CALOS), photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS), quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS), and optical frequency comb cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy (OFC-CEAS). Spectral fingerprints of the measured biomarkers span from the UV to the mid-IR spectral regions and the detection limits achieved by the laser techniques range from parts per million to parts per billion levels. Sensors using the laser spectroscopic techniques for a few breath biomarkers, e.g., carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, etc. are commercially available. This review presents an update on the latest developments in laser-based breath analysis. PMID:22408503

Sensitivity of high-spectral resolution and broadband thermal infrared nadir instruments to the chemical and microphysical properties of secondary sulfate aerosols in the upper-troposphere/lower-stratosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sellitto, Pasquale; Legras, Bernard

2016-04-01

The observation of upper-tropospheric/lower-stratospheric (UTLS) secondary sulfate aerosols (SSA) and their chemical and microphysical properties from satellite nadir observations (with better spatial resolution than limb observations) is a fundamental tool to better understand their formation and evolution processes and then to estimate their impact on UTLS chemistry, and on regional and global radiative balance. Thermal infrared (TIR) observations are sensitive to the chemical composition of the aerosols due to the strong spectral variations of the imaginary part of the refractive index in this band and, correspondingly, of the absorption, as a function of the composition Then, these observations are, in principle, well adapted to detect and characterize UTLS SSA. Unfortunately, the exploitation of nadir TIR observations for sulfate aerosol layer monitoring is today very limited. Here we present a study aimed at the evaluation of the sensitivity of TIR satellite nadir observations to the chemical composition and the size distribution of idealised UTLS SSA layers. The sulfate aerosol particles are assumed as binary systems of sulfuric acid/water solution droplets, with varying sulphuric acid mixing ratios. The extinction properties of the SSA, for different sulfuric acid mixing ratios and temperatures, are systematically analysed. The extinction coefficients are derived by means of a Mie code, using refractive indices taken from the GEISA (Gestion et Étude des Informations Spectroscopiques Atmosphériques: Management and Study of Spectroscopic Information) spectroscopic database and log-normal size distributions with different effective radii and number concentrations. High-spectral resolution pseudo-observations are generated using forward radiative transfer calculations performed with the 4A (Automatized Atmospheric Absorption Atlas) radiative transfer model, to estimate the impact of the extinction of idealised aerosol layers, at typical UTLS conditions, on the brightness temperature (BT) spectra observed by satellite instruments. We isolated a marked and typical spectral signature of these aerosol layers between 700 and 1200 cm-1, due to the absorption bands of the sulfate and bisulfate ions and the undissociated sulfuric acid, with the main absorption peaks at 1170 and 905 cm-1 (sulfuric acid vibrational bands). The dependence of the residual aerosol spectral BT signature to the sulfuric acid mixing ratio, and effective number concentration and radius, as well as the role of interfering parameters like the ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and ash absorption, and temperature and water vapour profile uncertainties, are analysed and critically discussed. The information content (degrees of freedom and retrieval uncertainties) of synthetic satellite observations is estimated for different instrumental configurations. High spectral resolution (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI)-like pseudo-observations) and broadband spectral features (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager (SEVIRI)-like pseudo-observations) approaches are proposed and discussed.

UNTANGLING THE NEAR-IR SPECTRAL FEATURES IN THE PROTOPLANETARY ENVIRONMENT OF KH 15D

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

Arulanantham, Nicole A.; Herbst, William; Gilmore, Martha S.

2017-01-10

We report on Gemini/GNIRS observations of the binary T Tauri system V582 Mon (KH 15D) at three orbital phases. These spectra allow us to untangle five components of the system: the photosphere and magnetosphere of star B, the jet, scattering properties of the ring material, and excess near-infrared (near-IR) radiation previously attributed to a possible self-luminous planet. We confirm an early-K subgiant classification for star B and show that the magnetospheric He i emission line is variable, possibly indicating increased mass accretion at certain times. As expected, the H{sub 2} emission features associated with the inner part of the jetmore » show no variation with orbital phase. We show that the reflectance spectrum for the scattered light has a distinctive blue slope and spectral features consistent with scattering and absorption by a mixture of water and methane ice grains in the 1–50 μ m size range. This suggests that the methane frost line is closer than ∼5 au in this system, requiring that the grains be shielded from direct radiation. After correcting for features from the scattered light, jet, magnetosphere, and photosphere, we confirm the presence of leftover near-IR light from an additional source, detectable near minimum brightness. A spectral emission feature matching the model spectrum of a 10 M {sub J}, 1 Myr old planet is found in the excess flux, but other expected features from this model are not seen. Our observations, therefore, tentatively support the picture that a luminous planet is present within the system, although they cannot yet be considered definitive.« less

A Moderate Resolution NIR Spectral Library of Weak-Lined T Tauri Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, Rachel; Covey, K. R.

2013-01-01

We present a spectral library of high-quality moderate resolution (R ~ 3500) NIR spectra for 44 weak-lined T Tauri Stars (WTTS) in the Taurus-Auriga Molecular Cloud. These spectra, obtained with the TripleSpec spectrograph on the Astrophysical Research Consortium (ARC) 3.5 meter telescope, provide full coverage of the J, H, and K near-infrared bands in a single epoch. Analyzing these spectra, along with those of dwarf and giant spectral type standards from the SpeX Spectral Library, we have identified several elemental and molecular absorption lines that vary in strength with respect to each star's spectral type and luminosity class. Calibrating each of these features as a spectral type indicator, we provide a detailed characterization for each of the WTTSs in our sample, identifying each star's NIR spectral type and line-of-sight extinction, estimated both from the shape of the overall continuum and from the fluxes of the Paschen beta and Brackett gamma emission lines. In addition to improving our understanding of the properties of these WTTSs, this well characterized spectral library will be a valuable resource for analyses of the NIR continuum veiling and line emission present in the spectra of accreting classical T Tauri stars. This research was made possible by NSF Grant AST-1004107.

A broadband Tm/Ho-doped fiber laser tunable from 1.8 to 2.09 µm for intracavity absorption spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fjodorow, Peter; Hellmig, Ortwin; Baev, Valery M.

2018-04-01

A broadband tunable Tm/Ho-doped fiber laser is developed for sensitive in situ measurements of intracavity absorption spectra in the spectral range of 4780-5560 cm-1. This spectral range includes an atmospheric transmission window enabling sensitive measurements of various species. The spectral bandwidth of laser emission varies from 20 to 60 cm-1 and is well suitable for multicomponent spectroscopy. The sensitivity achieved in cw operation corresponds to an effective absorption path length of L eff = 20 km, with a spectral noise of less than 1%. The spectroscopic system is applied for measurements of absorption spectra of H2O, NH3 and for simultaneous in situ detection of three isotopes of CO2 in human breath, which is important for medical diagnostics procedures.

Infrared reflectance spectra: Effects of particle size, provenance and preparation

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

Su, Yin-Fong; Myers, Tanya L.; Brauer, Carolyn S.

2014-09-22

We have recently developed methods for making more accurate infrared total and diffuse directional - hemispherical reflectance measurements using an integrating sphere. We have found that reflectance spectra of solids, especially powders, are influenced by a number of factors including the sample preparation method, the particle size and morphology, as well as the sample origin. On a quantitative basis we have investigated some of these parameters and the effects they have on reflectance spectra, particularly in the longwave infrared. In the IR the spectral features may be observed as either maxima or minima: In general, upward-going peaks in the reflectancemore » spectrum result from strong surface scattering, i.e. rays that are reflected from the surface without bulk penetration, whereas downward-going peaks are due to either absorption or volume scattering, i.e. rays that have penetrated or refracted into the sample interior and are not reflected. The light signals reflected from solids usually encompass all such effects, but with strong dependencies on particle size and preparation. This paper measures the reflectance spectra in the 1.3 – 16 micron range for various bulk materials that have a combination of strong and weak absorption bands in order to observe the effects on the spectral features: Bulk materials were ground with a mortar and pestle and sieved to separate the samples into various size fractions between 5 and 500 microns. The median particle size is demonstrated to have large effects on the reflectance spectra. For certain minerals we also observe significant spectral change depending on the geologic origin of the sample. All three such effects (particle size, preparation and provenance) result in substantial change in the reflectance spectra for solid materials; successful identification algorithms will require sufficient flexibility to account for these parameters.« less

Infrared reflectance spectra: effects of particle size, provenance and preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Yin-Fong; Myers, Tanya L.; Brauer, Carolyn S.; Blake, Thomas A.; Forland, Brenda M.; Szecsody, J. E.; Johnson, Timothy J.

2014-10-01

We have recently developed methods for making more accurate infrared total and diffuse directional - hemispherical reflectance measurements using an integrating sphere. We have found that reflectance spectra of solids, especially powders, are influenced by a number of factors including the sample preparation method, the particle size and morphology, as well as the sample origin. On a quantitative basis we have investigated some of these parameters and the effects they have on reflectance spectra, particularly in the longwave infrared. In the IR the spectral features may be observed as either maxima or minima: In general, upward-going peaks in the reflectance spectrum result from strong surface scattering, i.e. rays that are reflected from the surface without bulk penetration, whereas downward-going peaks are due to either absorption or volume scattering, i.e. rays that have penetrated or refracted into the sample interior and are not reflected. The light signals reflected from solids usually encompass all such effects, but with strong dependencies on particle size and preparation. This paper measures the reflectance spectra in the 1.3 - 16 micron range for various bulk materials that have a combination of strong and weak absorption bands in order to observe the effects on the spectral features: Bulk materials were ground with a mortar and pestle and sieved to separate the samples into various size fractions between 5 and 500 microns. The median particle size is demonstrated to have large effects on the reflectance spectra. For certain minerals we also observe significant spectral change depending on the geologic origin of the sample. All three such effects (particle size, preparation and provenance) result in substantial change in the reflectance spectra for solid materials; successful identification algorithms will require sufficient flexibility to account for these parameters.

Mining the HST "Advanced Spectral Library (ASTRAL)": The Evolution of Winds from non-coronal to hybrid giant stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nielsen, Krister E.; Carpenter, Ken G.; Kober, Gladys V.; Rau, Gioia

2018-01-01

The HST/STIS treasury program ASTRAL enables investigations of the character and dynamics of the wind and chromosphere of cool stars, using high quality spectral data. This paper shows how the wind features change with spectral class by comparing the non-coronal objects (Alpha Ori, Gamma Cru) with the hybrid stars (Gamma Dra, Beta Gem). In particular we study the intrinsic strength variation of the numerous FeII profiles observed in the near-ultraviolet HST spectrum that are sensitive to the wind opacity, turbulence and flow velocity. The FeII relative emission strength and wavelengths shifts between the absorption and emission components reflects the acceleration of the wind from the base of the chromosphere. We present the analysis of the outflowing wind characteristics when transitioning from the cool non-coronal objects toward the warmer objects with chromospheric emission from significantly hotter environments.

Integrated electrochromic aperture diaphragm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deutschmann, T.; Oesterschulze, E.

2014-05-01

In the last years, the triumphal march of handheld electronics with integrated cameras has opened amazing fields for small high performing optical systems. For this purpose miniaturized iris apertures are of practical importance because they are essential to control both the dynamic range of the imaging system and the depth of focus. Therefore, we invented a micro optical iris based on an electrochromic (EC) material. This material changes its absorption in response to an applied voltage. A coaxial arrangement of annular rings of the EC material is used to establish an iris aperture without need of any mechanical moving parts. The advantages of this device do not only arise from the space-saving design with a thickness of the device layer of 50μm. But it also benefits from low power consumption. In fact, its transmission state is stable in an open circuit, phrased memory effect. Only changes of the absorption require a voltage of up to 2 V. In contrast to mechanical iris apertures the absorption may be controlled on an analog scale offering the opportunity for apodization. These properties make our device the ideal candidate for battery powered and space-saving systems. We present optical measurements concerning control of the transmitted intensity and depth of focus, and studies dealing with switching times, light scattering, and stability. While the EC polymer used in this study still has limitations concerning color and contrast, the presented device features all functions of an iris aperture. In contrast to conventional devices it offers some special features. Owing to the variable chemistry of the EC material, its spectral response may be adjusted to certain applications like color filtering in different spectral regimes (UV, optical range, infrared). Furthermore, all segments may be switched individually to establish functions like spatial Fourier filtering or lateral tunable intensity filters.

Merged beam laser design for reduction of gain-saturation and two-photon absorption in high power single mode semiconductor lasers.

PubMed

Lysevych, M; Tan, H H; Karouta, F; Fu, L; Jagadish, C

2013-04-08

In this paper we report a method to overcome the limitations of gain-saturation and two-photon absorption faced by developers of high power single mode InP-based lasers and semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA) including those based on wide-waveguide or slab-coupled optical waveguide laser (SCOWL) technology. The method is based on Y-coupling design of the laser cavity. The reduction in gain-saturation and two-photon absorption in the merged beam laser structures (MBL) are obtained by reducing the intensity of electromagnetic field in the laser cavity. Standard ridge-waveguide lasers and MBLs were fabricated, tested and compared. Despite a slightly higher threshold current, the reduced gain-saturation in MBLs results in higher output power. The MBLs also produced a single spatial mode, as well as a strongly dominating single spectral mode which is the inherent feature of MBL-type cavity.

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

Vidmer, Alexandre, E-mail: alexandre@vidmer.com; Sclauzero, Gabriele; Pasquarello, Alfredo

The infrared absorption spectra of jennite, tobermorite 14 Å, anomalous tobermorite 11 Å, and normal tobermorite 11 Å are simulated within a density-functional-theory scheme. The atomic coordinates and the cell parameters are optimized resulting in structures which agree with previous studies. The vibrational frequencies and modes are obtained for each mineral. The vibrational density of states is analyzed through extensive projections on silicon tetrahedra, oxygen atoms, OH groups, and water molecules. The coupling with the electric field is achieved through the use of density functional perturbation theory, which yields Born effective charges and dielectric constants. The simulated absorption spectra reproducemore » well the experimental spectra, thereby allowing for a detailed interpretation of the spectral features in terms of the underlying vibrational modes. In the far-infrared part of the absorption spectra, the interplay between Ca and Si related vibrations leads to differences which are sensitive to the calcium/silicon ratio of the mineral.« less

Long-slit optical spectroscopy of powerful far-infrared galaxies - The nature of the nuclear energy source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Armus, Lee; Heckman, Timothy M.; Miley, George K.

1989-01-01

Optical spectroscopic data are presented for a sample of 47 powerful far-IR galaxies chosen for IR spectral shape, and for six other IR-bright galaxies. The stellar absorption lines expected from a population of old stars are generally very weak in the nuclei of the galaxies. Very weak Mg I absorption is found in regions well off the nucleus, implying that the visible spectrum is dominated by young stars and not by an AGN. At least one, and probably five, of the galaxies have detectable WR emission features, providing additional evidence for a young stellar population. About 20 percent of the galaxies have strong Balmer absorption lines, indicating the presence of a substantial intermediate-age stellar population. The equivalent width of the H-alpha emission line can be modeled as arising from a mixture of a large young population and an intermediate-age population of stars.

Low-Latitude Ethane Rain on Titan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dalba, Paul A.; Buratti, Bonnie J.; Brown, R. H.; Barnes, J. W.; Baines, K. H.; Sotin, C.; Clark, R. N.; Lawrence, K. J.; Nicholson, P. D.

2012-01-01

Cassini ISS observed multiple widespread changes in surface brightness in Titan's equatorial regions over the past three years. These brightness variations are attributed to rainfall from cloud systems that appear to form seasonally. Determining the composition of this rainfall is an important step in understanding the "methanological" cycle on Titan. I use data from Cassini VIMS to complete a spectroscopic investigation of multiple rain-wetted areas. I compute "before-and-after" spectral ratios of any areas that show either deposition or evaporation of rain. By comparing these spectral ratios to a model of liquid ethane, I find that the rain is most likely composed of liquid ethane. The spectrum of liquid ethane contains multiple absorption features that fall within the 2-micron and 5-micron spectral windows in Titan's atmosphere. I show that these features are visible in the spectra taken of Titan's surface and that they are characteristically different than those in the spectrum of liquid methane. Furthermore, just as ISS saw the surface brightness reverting to its original state after a period of time, I show that VIMS observations of later flybys show the surface composition in different stages of returning to its initial form.

Modeling the contributions of phytoplankton and non-algal particles to spectral scattering properties in near-shore and lagoon waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vadakke-Chanat, Sayoob; Shanmugam, Palanisamy

2017-03-01

Particular attention was focused on modeling the spectral scattering properties of phytoplankton (bph(λ)) and non-algal particles (detrital organic and inorganic sediments bNAP(λ)) from absorption and attenuation measurements in near-shore and lagoon waters. The absorption line height (aLH(676)) measured above a linear background between 648 nm and 714 nm in particulate and dissolved organic matter absorption spectra (ap(λ)) is a spectral feature that is primarily associated with the chlorophyll with significantly less pigment package effect compared to the blue peak, and hence it is solely attributed to the phytoplankton absorption (aph). The correlation of aph(λ) with bph(λ) in terms of the spectral shape and the relation of aLH(676) with chlorophyll concentration hold the key to derive bph(648) from the aLH(676) measurements. bNAP(648) values are then determined by subtracting the bph(648) from bp(648), allowing the power-law model to derive the bNAP(λ). In-situ determination of bph (λ) is subsequently achieved by subtracting the featureless bNAP(λ) from bp(λ) provided by the ac-s sensor. These data form the basis for the development of models for independent estimates of bph(λ) and bNAP(λ) based on the measurements of aLH and suspended sediment concentration or turbidity. The validity of this method was demonstrated in a wide variety of samples from coastal and inland environments. Comparison of the modeled and measured spectral variations of bph(λ) showed the mean relative percent difference between these two data to be within 20%. bNAP(λ) predictions also had an error a few percent and the correlation coefficient close to unity. When comparing the modeled bph(λ) with laboratory culture data, the results were exceptionally good although discrepancies in size and refractive index of cells of monospecific lab culture samples and natural assemblages due to the simultaneous presence of different species. The proposed approach and models are highly instrumental in investigating the scattering properties of phytoplankton and non-living constituents, and will provide new tools for improving our current understanding of particle dynamics, advancing biogeochemical and ecosystem modeling, and assessing phytoplankton blooms and sediment plumes within inland and coastal environments.

X-ray Absorption and Emission Spectroscopy of CrIII (Hydr)Oxides: Analysis of the K-Pre-Edge Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frommer, Jakob; Nachtegaal, Maarten; Czekaj, Izabela; Weng, Tsu-Chien; Kretzschmar, Ruben

2009-10-01

Pre-edge spectral features below the main X-ray absorption K-edge of transition metals show a pronounced chemical sensitivity and are promising sources of structural information. Nevertheless, the use of pre-edge analysis in applied research is limited because of the lack of definite theoretical peak-assignments. The aim of this study was to determine the factors affecting the chromium K-pre-edge features in trivalent chromium-bearing oxides and oxyhydroxides. The selected phases varied in the degree of octahedral polymerization and the degree of iron-for-chromium substitution in the crystal structure. We investigated the pre-edge fine structure by means of high-energy-resolution fluorescence detected X-ray absorption spectroscopy and by 1s2p resonant X-ray emission spectroscopy. Multiplet theory and full multiple-scattering calculations were used to analyze the experimental data. We show that the chromium K-pre-edge contains localized and nonlocalized transitions. Contributions arising from nonlocalized metal-metal transitions are sensitive to the nearest metal type and to the linkage mode between neighboring metal octahedra. Analyzing these transitions opens up new opportunities for investigating the local coordination environment of chromium in poorly ordered solids of environmental relevance.

Two-photon absorption by spectrally shaped entangled photons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oka, Hisaki

2018-03-01

We theoretically investigate two-photon excitation by spectrally shaped entangled photons with energy anticorrelation in terms of how the real excitation of an intermediate state affects two-photon absorption by entangled photons. Spectral holes are introduced in the entangled photons around the energy levels of an intermediate state so that two-step excitation via the real excitation of the intermediated state can be suppressed. Using a three-level atomic system as an example, we show that the spectral holes well suppress the real excitation of the intermediate state and recover two-photon absorption via a virtual state. Furthermore, for a short pulse close to a monocycle, we show that the excitation efficiency by the spectrally shaped entangled photons can be enhanced a thousand times as large as that by uncorrelated photons.

New Results on Hydration in M-Type Asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landsman, Zoe A.; Campins, Humberto; Pinilla-Alonso, Noemí; Emery, Joshua P.; Lorenzi, Vania

2014-11-01

The M-type asteroids are a taxonomic group considered to be a candidate source of iron meteorites due to spectral and albedo similarities; however, because the spectra of M-type asteroids lack strong diagnostic absorption features in the near-infrared (NIR), their composition is difficult to constrain. High-resolution NIR spectroscopy and radar studies have shown that a metallic interpretation is unlikely to be valid for the majority of M-types. Many show weak absorption features attributed to mafic silicates (Hardersen et al. 2005, 2011; Ockert-Bell et al. 2010; Fornasier et al. 2010). Radar results show evidence for elevated metal content on the surfaces of most M-type asteroids, but few are likely to be entirely metal (Shepard et al. 2010). Surprisingly, spectrophotometric studies in the 3-μm region have indicated that hydrated minerals are relatively common among the M-type population, confounding interpretations of M-types as highly thermally processed (Rivkin et al. 1995, 2000). The shape of the 3-μm band, diagnostic of hydrated and hydroxylated minerals, is relevant to an asteroid’s thermal history (Rivkin et al. 2002, Takir & Emery 2012). To characterize this region, we have conducted a 2 - 4 μm spectroscopic study of six M-type asteroids using SpeX at NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility. In its LXD mode, SpeX allows us to investigate the 3-μm band at spectral resolutions unavailable during previously published studies. We report the presence of a 3-μm feature on all six asteroids, indicating hydrated minerals on the asteroids’ surfaces. We have also detected rotational variability of the 3-μm feature in asteroid (216) Kleopatra, which, interestingly, had been interpreted as “dry” in previous work (Rivkin et al. 2000). On all of our target asteroids, the 3-μm band depths are < 10%, and there is apparent variation in the shape of the feature among them. We discuss the impact of our results on interpretations of M-type asteroid composition.

Water Ice on Pluto

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-10-16

The Ralph instrument on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft detected water ice on Pluto's surface, picking up on the ice's near-infrared spectral characteristics. (See featured image from Oct. 8, 2015.) The middle panel shows a region west of Pluto's "heart" feature -- which the mission team calls Tombaugh Regio -- about 280 miles (450 kilometers) across. It combines visible imagery from Ralph's Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) with infrared spectroscopy from the Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array (LEISA). Areas with the strongest water ice spectral signature are highlighted in blue. Major outcrops of water ice occur in regions informally called Viking Terra, along Virgil Fossa west of Elliot crater, and in Baré Montes. Numerous smaller outcrops are associated with impact craters and valleys between mountains. In the lower left panel, LEISA spectra are shown for two regions indicated by cyan and magenta boxes. The white curve is a water ice model spectrum, showing similar features to the cyan spectrum. The magenta spectrum is dominated by methane ice absorptions. The lower right panel shows an MVIC enhanced color view of the region in the white box, with MVIC's blue, red and near-infrared filters displayed in blue, green and red channels, respectively. The regions showing the strongest water ice signature are associated with terrains that are actually a lighter shade of red. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20030

Multi-spectral fiber spectroscopy in 0,4-16μm range for biomedical applications(Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artyushenko, Viacheslav

2017-02-01

Various biomedical applications of fiber optics in a broad spectral range 0,4-16μm span from endoscopic imaging and Photo Dynamic Diagnostics (PDD) to laser power delivery for minimal invasive laser surgery, tissue coagulation and welding, Photo Dynamic Therapy (PDT), etc. Present review will highlight the latest results in advanced fiber solutions for a precise tissue diagnostics and control of some therapy methods - for so called "theranostic". Spectral fiber sensing for label free analysis of tissue composition helps to differentiate malignant and normal tissue to secure minimal invasive, but complete tumor removal or treatment. All key methods of Raman, fluorescence, diffuse reflection & MIR-absorption spectroscopy will be compared when used for the same spot of tissue - to select the most specific, sensitive and accurate method or to combine them for the synergy enhanced effect. The most informative spectral features for distinct organs/ tumor can be used to design special fiber sensors to be developed for portable and low cost applications with modern IT-features. Examples of multi-spectral tissue diagnostics promising for the future clinical applications will be presented to enable reduced mortality from cancer in the future. Translation of described methods into clinical practice will be discussed in comparison with the other method of optical diagnostics which should enhance modern medicine by less invasive, more precise and more effective methods of therapy to be fused with in-vivo diagnostics sensors & systems.

The UV reflectance of Patroclus: Exploring the surface composition and origins of Jupiter Trojans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molyneux, Pippa

2017-08-01

(617) Patroclus is a binary system comprising two almost equally sized Trojan asteroids, Patroclus and Menoetius. (617) Patroclus has never been observed in the UV spectral region, which contains important diagnostic features of major Trojan surface constituents inferred from fits to visible-near IR spectra. Previous spectral observations have not been spatially resolved, precluding a direct spectral comparison of the two bodies. We propose to obtain full surface UV reflectance maps of both Patroclus and Menoetius using the STIS G230L mode, to search for characteristic absorption features of silicates, carbons/graphites and NH3, which together make up the major inferred Jupiter Trojan surface constituents, and for signs of ''spectral bluing'' that occurs for space-weathered objects. The Jupiter Trojans are believed to represent the most readily accessible Kuiper Belt material in the solar system, having been scattered from that region to their current orbits following a dynamical instability. A direct spectral comparison of Patroclus and Menoetius, indicating whether the objects share a common origin and evolution, will explore the hypothesis that the system is a rare binary survivor of this scattering. (617) Patroclus is also a target of the upcoming Lucy mission, and constraints on surface composition would represent a valuable input to instrument configuration and observation planning work for the mission. As Lucy will not carry a UV instrument, the proposed observations would remain unique and complementary to the results of the mission.

Complete Hard X-Ray Surveys, AGN Luminosity Functions and the X-Ray Background

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tueller, Jack

2011-01-01

AGN are believed to make up most of the Cosmic X-Ray Background (CXB) above a few keV, but this background cannot be fully resolved at energies less than 10 keV due to absorption. The Swift/BAT and INTEGRAL missions are performing the first complete hard x-ray surveys with minimal bias due to absorption. The most recent results for both missions will be presented. Although the fraction of the CXB resolved by these surveys is small, it is possible to derive unbiased number counts and luminosity functions for AGN in the local universe. The survey energy range from 15-150 keV contains the important reflection and cutoff spectral features dominate the shape of the AGN contribution to the CXB. Average spectral characteristics of survey detected AGN will be presented and compared with model distributions. The numbers of hard x-ray blazars detected in these surveys are finally sufficient to estimate this important component's contribution the cosmic background. Constraints on CXB models and their significance will be discussed.

Copernicus observations of the N v resonance doublet in 53 early-type stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbott, D. C.; Bohlin, R. C.; Savage, B. D.

1982-01-01

UV spectra in the wavelength interval 1170-1270 A are presented for 53 early-type stars ranging in spectral type from O6.5 V to B2.5 IV. The sample includes four Wolf-Rayet stars, seven known Oe-Be stars, and six galactic halo OB stars. A qualitative analysis of the stellar N v doublet reveals that: (1) N v is present in all stars hotter and more luminous than type B0 for the main sequence, B1 for giants, and B2 for supergiants; (2) shell components of N v and an unidentified absorption feature at 1230 A are present in about half of the stars; (3) the column density of N v is well correlated with bolometric luminosity over the spectral range O6 to B2; and (4) the ratio of emission to absorption equivalent width is a factor of 2 smaller in the main sequence stars than in supergiants, which suggests that the wind structure changes as a star evolves. For several stars, this ratio is too small to be explained by traditional wind models.

Effects of spectrometer band pass, sampling, and signal-to-noise ratio on spectral identification using the Tetracorder algorithm

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swayze, G.A.; Clark, R.N.; Goetz, A.F.H.; Chrien, T.H.; Gorelick, N.S.

2003-01-01

Estimates of spectrometer band pass, sampling interval, and signal-to-noise ratio required for identification of pure minerals and plants were derived using reflectance spectra convolved to AVIRIS, HYDICE, MIVIS, VIMS, and other imaging spectrometers. For each spectral simulation, various levels of random noise were added to the reflectance spectra after convolution, and then each was analyzed with the Tetracorder spectra identification algorithm [Clark et al., 2003]. The outcome of each identification attempt was tabulated to provide an estimate of the signal-to-noise ratio at which a given percentage of the noisy spectra were identified correctly. Results show that spectral identification is most sensitive to the signal-to-noise ratio at narrow sampling interval values but is more sensitive to the sampling interval itself at broad sampling interval values because of spectral aliasing, a condition when absorption features of different materials can resemble one another. The band pass is less critical to spectral identification than the sampling interval or signal-to-noise ratio because broadening the band pass does not induce spectral aliasing. These conclusions are empirically corroborated by analysis of mineral maps of AVIRIS data collected at Cuprite, Nevada, between 1990 and 1995, a period during which the sensor signal-to-noise ratio increased up to sixfold. There are values of spectrometer sampling and band pass beyond which spectral identification of materials will require an abrupt increase in sensor signal-to-noise ratio due to the effects of spectral aliasing. Factors that control this threshold are the uniqueness of a material's diagnostic absorptions in terms of shape and wavelength isolation, and the spectral diversity of the materials found in nature and in the spectral library used for comparison. Array spectrometers provide the best data for identification when they critically sample spectra. The sampling interval should not be broadened to increase the signal-to-noise ratio in a photon-noise-limited system when high levels of accuracy are desired. It is possible, using this simulation method, to select optimum combinations of band-pass, sampling interval, and signal-to-noise ratio values for a particular application that maximize identification accuracy and minimize the volume of imaging data.

Mid-infrared interferometric variability of DG Tauri: Implications for the inner-disk structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varga, J.; Gabányi, K. É.; Ábrahám, P.; Chen, L.; Kóspál, Á.; Menu, J.; Ratzka, Th.; van Boekel, R.; Dullemond, C. P.; Henning, Th.; Jaffe, W.; Juhász, A.; Moór, A.; Mosoni, L.; Sipos, N.

2017-08-01

Context. DG Tau is a low-mass pre-main sequence star, whose strongly accreting protoplanetary disk exhibits a so-far enigmatic behavior: its mid-infrared thermal emission is strongly time-variable, even turning the 10 μm silicate feature from emission to absorption temporarily. Aims: We look for the reason for the spectral variability at high spatial resolution and at multiple epochs. Methods: Infrared interferometry can spatially resolve the thermal emission of the circumstellar disk, also giving information about dust processing. We study the temporal variability of the mid-infrared interferometric signal, observed with the VLTI/MIDI instrument at six epochs between 2011 and 2014. We fit a geometric disk model to the observed interferometric signal to obtain spatial information about the disk. We also model the mid-infrared spectra by template fitting to characterize the profile and time dependence of the silicate emission. We use physically motivated radiative transfer modeling to interpret the mid-infrared interferometric spectra. Results: The inner disk (r < 1-3 au) spectra exhibit a 10 μm absorption feature related to amorphous silicate grains. The outer disk (r > 1-3 au) spectra show a crystalline silicate feature in emission, similar to the spectra of comet Hale-Bopp. The striking difference between the inner and outer disk spectral feature is highly unusual among T Tauri stars. The mid-infrared variability is dominated by the outer disk. The strength of the silicate feature changed by more than a factor of two. Between 2011 and 2014 the half-light radius of the mid-infrared-emitting region decreased from 1.15 to 0.7 au. Conclusions: For the origin of the absorption we discuss four possible explanations: a cold obscuring envelope, an accretion heated inner disk, a temperature inversion on the disk surface and a misaligned inner geometry. The silicate emission in the outer disk can be explained by dusty material high above the disk plane, whose mass can change with time, possibly due to turbulence in the disk. Based on observations made with the ESO Very Large Telescope Interferometer at Paranal Observatory (Chile) under the programs 088.C-1007 (PI: L. Mosoni), 090.C-0040 (PI: Th. Ratzka), and 092.C-0086 (PI: Th. Ratzka).

Near-infrared spectroscopy of primitive solar system objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luu, Jane; Jewitt, David; Cloutis, Edward

1994-01-01

We have obtained near-infrared (H and K band at lambda/Delta(lambda) is approximately 480 to 600) spectra of a sample of primitive objects including 2 Centaur objects (2060 Chiron and 5145 Pholus) and 16 P- and D-type asteroids. The spectra were obtained at the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope using the cooled grating spectrometer CGS4, and were used to search for chemically diagnostic vibrational features in these primitive objects. Pholus exhibits broad adsorption features at 2.07 and 2.27 micrometers, as well as a weak feature at 1.72 micrometers. The 1.72- and 2.27-micrometer features are similar to those seen in a laboratory tar sand sample. No distinct absorption features are found in other objects, including Chiron, which displays a spectrally neutral continuum. A comparison of the P- and D-type asteroid spectra with laboratory measurements of organic solids shows no compelling evidence for hydrocarbon overtones seen in terrestrial bituminous tar sands.

Application of a Terahertz Multi-Frequency Radiation Source Based on Quantum-Cascade Lasers for Identification of Substances Basing on the Amplitude-Spectral Analysis of the Scattered Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aksenov, V. N.; Angeluts, A. A.; Balakin, A. V.; Maksimov, E. M.; Ozheredov, I. A.; Shkurinov, A. P.

2018-05-01

We demonstrate the possibility of using a multi-frequency terahertz source to identify substances basing on the analysis of relative amplitudes of the terahertz waves scattered by the object. The results of studying experimentally the scattering of quasi-monochromatic radiation generated by a two-frequency terahertz quantum-cascade laser by the surface of the samples containing inclusions of absorbing substances are presented. It is shown that the spectral features of absorption of these substances within the terahertz frequency range manifest themselves in variations of the amplitudes of the waves at frequencies of 3.0 and 3.7 THz, which are scattered by the samples under consideration.

Direct spectral evidence of single-axis rotation and ortho-hydrogen-assisted nuclear spin conversion of CH3F in solid para-hydrogen.

PubMed

Lee, Yuan-Pern; Wu, Yu-Jong; Hougen, Jon T

2008-09-14

Observation of two weak absorption lines from the E (K = 1) level and one intense feature from A (K = 0) for degenerate modes nu(4) and nu(6) of CH(3)F provides direct spectral evidence that CH(3)F isolated in p-H(2) rotates about only its symmetry axis, and not about the other two axes. An interaction between A and E vibrational levels caused by the partially hindered spinning rotation is proposed. Conversion of nuclear spin between A and E components of CH(3)F is rapid when p-H(2) contains some o-H(2), but becomes slow when the proportion of o-H(2) is much decreased.

Triplet exciton dissociation and electron extraction in graphene-templated pentacene observed with ultrafast spectroscopy.

PubMed

McDonough, Thomas J; Zhang, Lushuai; Roy, Susmit Singha; Kearns, Nicholas M; Arnold, Michael S; Zanni, Martin T; Andrew, Trisha L

2017-02-08

We compare the ultrafast dynamics of singlet fission and charge generation in pentacene films grown on glass and graphene. Pentacene grown on graphene is interesting because it forms large crystals with the long axis of the molecules "lying-down" (parallel to the surface). At low excitation fluence, spectra for pentacene on graphene contain triplet absorptions at 507 and 545 nm and no bleaching at 630 nm, which we show is due to the orientation of the pentacene molecules. We perform the first transient absorption anisotropy measurements on pentacene, observing negative anisotropy of the 507 and 545 nm peaks, consistent with triplet absorption. A broad feature at 853 nm, observed on both glass and graphene, is isotropic, suggesting hole absorption. At high fluence, there are additional features, whose kinetics and anisotropies are not explained by heating, that we assign to charge generation; we propose a polaron pair absorption at 614 nm. The lifetimes are shorter at high fluence for both pentacene on glass and graphene, indicative of triplet-triplet annihilation that likely enhances charge generation. The anisotropy decays more slowly for pentacene on graphene than on glass, in keeping with the smaller domain size observed via atomic force microscopy. Coherent acoustic phonons are observed for pentacene on graphene, which is a consequence of more homogeneous domains. Measuring the ultrafast dynamics of pentacene as a function of molecular orientation, fluence, and polarization provides new insight to previous spectral assignments.

To v∞ and beyond! The He I absorption variability across the 2014.6 periastron passage of η Carinae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, Noel D.; Madura, Thomas I.; St-Jean, Lucas; Moffat, Anthony F. J.; Gull, Theodore R.; Russell, Christopher M. P.; Damineli, Augusto; Teodoro, Mairan; Corcoran, Michael F.; Walter, Frederick M.; Clementel, Nicola; Groh, José H.; Hamaguchi, Kenji; Hillier, D. John

2016-09-01

We have monitored the massive binary star η Carinae with the CTIO/Small and Moderate Aperture Research Telescope System 1.5 m telescope and CHIRON spectrograph from the previous apastron passage of the system through the recent 2014.6 periastron passage. Our monitoring has resulted in a large, homogeneous data set with an unprecedented time-sampling, spectral resolving power, and signal to noise. This allowed us to investigate temporal variability previously unexplored in the system and discover a kinematic structure in the P Cygni absorption troughs of neutral helium wind lines. The features observed occurred prior to the periastron passage and are seen as we look through the trailing arm of the wind-wind collision shock cone. We show that the bulk of the variability is repeatable across the last five periastron passages, and that the absorption occurs in the inner 230 au of the system. In addition, we found an additional, high-velocity absorption component superimposed on the P Cygni absorption troughs that has been previously unobserved in these lines, but which bears resemblance to the observations of the He I λ10830 Å feature across previous cycles. Through a comparison of the current smoothed particle hydrodynamical simulations, we show that the observed variations are likely caused by instabilities in the wind-wind collision region in our line of sight, coupled with stochastic variability related to clumping in the winds.

Molecular spectroscopy of CH Cygni in the 1998-2000 active phas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotnik-Karuza, D.; Jurdana-Sepic, R.; Majlinger, Z.

The subject of this study is the very peculiar symbiotic binary CH Cygni, in particular the physical conditions in the photosphere of its cool component. The latter has been classified as an M late type giant due to its spectral appearance in the optical and near IR spectral region during quiescent and active phases. Several consecutive spectra obtained with different exposure times covering the region lambda 4800-9000 A were obtained on 24/25 November 1999 which means that they belong to the 1998-2000 active phase. We have concentrated our investigations on the TiO absorption bands which are the most outstanding feature in these spectra. The bands, some of which give evidence of a partly resolved rotational structure, have been identified as members of the alpha, gamma, gamma prim, beta, delta, phi and epsilon band systems. Measurement of the band head relative intensities and some other features in their structure have led to determination of temperatures of the coolest layers in the red giant's photosphere.

Iron-absorption band analysis for the discrimination of iron-rich zones

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rowan, L. C. (Principal Investigator)

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Study has concentrated on the two primary aspects of the project, structural analysis through evaluation of lineaments and circular features and spectral analyses through digital computer-processing techniques. Several previously unrecognized lineaments are mapped which may be the surface manifestations of major fault or fracture zones. Two of these, the Walker Lane and the Midas Trench lineament system, transect the predominantly NNE-NNW-trending moutain ranges for more than 500 km. Correlation of major lineaments with productive mining districts implies a genetic relationship, the 50 circular or elliptical features delineated suggest a related role for Tertiary volcanism. Color-ratio composites have been used to identify limonitic zones and to discriminate mafic and felsic rock by combing diazo color transparencies of three different ratios. EROS Data Center scene identification number for color composite in this report is ER 1 CC 500. Refinement of enhancement procedures for the ratio images is progressing. Fieldwork in coordination with both spectral and structural analyses is underway.

Determining the material type of man-made orbiting objects using low-resolution reflectance spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jorgensen, Kira; Africano, John L.; Stansbery, Eugene G.; Kervin, Paul W.; Hamada, Kris M.; Sydney, Paul F.

2001-12-01

The purpose of this research is to improve the knowledge of the physical properties of orbital debris, specifically the material type. Combining the use of the fast-tracking United States Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) telescopes with a common astronomical technique, spectroscopy, and NASA resources was a natural step toward determining the material type of orbiting objects remotely. Currently operating at the AFRL Maui Optical Site (AMOS) is a 1.6-meter telescope designed to track fast moving objects like those found in lower Earth orbit (LEO). Using the spectral range of 0.4 - 0.9 microns (4000 - 9000 angstroms), researchers can separate materials into classification ranges. Within the above range, aluminum, paints, plastics, and other metals have different absorption features as well as slopes in their respective spectra. The spectrograph used on this telescope yields a three-angstrom resolution; large enough to see smaller features mentioned and thus determine the material type of the object. The results of the NASA AMOS Spectral Study (NASS) are presented herein.

The puzzling spectrum of HD 94509. Sounding out the extremes of Be shell star spectral morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowley, C. R.; Przybilla, N.; Hubrig, S.

2015-06-01

Context. The spectral features of HD 94509 are highly unusual, adding an extreme to the zoo of Be and shell stars. The shell dominates the spectrum, showing lines typical for spectral types mid-A to early-F, while the presence of a late/mid B-type central star is indicated by photospheric hydrogen line wings and helium lines. Numerous metallic absorption lines have broad wings but taper to narrow cores. They cannot be fit by Voigt profiles. Aims: We describe and illustrate unusual spectral features of this star, and make rough calculations to estimate physical conditions and abundances in the shell. Furthermore, the central star is characterized. Methods: We assume mean conditions for the shell. An electron density estimate is made from the Inglis-Teller formula. Excitation temperatures and column densities for Fe i and Fe ii are derived from curves of growth. The neutral H column density is estimated from high Paschen members. The column densities are compared with calculations made with the photoionization code Cloudy. Atmospheric parameters of the central star are constrained employing non-LTE spectrum synthesis. Results: Overall chemical abundances are close to solar. Column densities of the dominant ions of several elements, as well as excitation temperatures and the mean electron density are well accounted for by a simple model. Several features, including the degree of ionization, are less well described. Conclusions: HD 94509 is a Be star with a stable shell, close to the terminal-age main sequence. The dynamical state of the shell and the unusually shaped, but symmetric line profiles, require a separate study.

Synthesis, spectral features and biological activity of some novel hetarylazo dyes derived from 6-amino-1,3-dimethyluracil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yousefi, Hessamoddin; Yahyazadeh, Asieh; Yazdanbakhsh, Mohammad Reza; Rassa, Mehdi; Moradi-e-Rufchahi, Enayat O.'llah

2012-05-01

A series of hetarylazoaminouracil dyes were prepared by coupling of 6-amino-1,3-dimethyluracil with eight diazotized heterocyclic amines in nitrosyl sulphuric acid. The prepared azo dyes were characterized by UV-Vis, FT-IR, 13C NMR, 1H NMR spectroscopic techniques and elemental analysis. The solvatochromism of dyes was evaluated with respect to wavelength of maximum absorption (λmax) in seven solvents with different polarities: acetic acid, methanol, water, chloroform, acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl formamide. The effects of acid, base and concentration of the dye on the visible absorption spectra were also reported. In addition, the antimicrobial activity of the synthesized dyes was evaluated on Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus leuteus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Carbon Dioxide Line Shapes for Atmospheric Remote Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Predoi-Cross, Adriana; Ibrahim, Amr; Wismath, Alice; Teillet, Philippe M.; Devi, V. Malathy; Benner, D. Chris; Billinghurst, Brant

2010-02-01

We present a detailed spectroscopic study of carbon dioxide in support of atmospheric remote sensing. We have studied two weak absorption bands near the strong ν2 band that is used to derive atmospheric temperature profiles. We have analyzed our laboratory spectra recorded with the synchrotron and globar sources with spectral line profiles that reproduce the absorption features with high accuracy. The Q-branch transitions exhibited asymmetric line shape due to weak line-mixing. For these weak transitions, we have retrieved accurate experimental line strengths, self- and air-broadening, self- and air-induced shift coefficients and weak line mixing parameters. The experimental precision is sufficient to reveal inherent variations of the width and shift coefficients according to transition quantum numbers.

Spectral properties of molecular iodine in absorption cells filled to specified saturation pressure.

PubMed

Hrabina, Jan; Šarbort, Martin; Acef, Ouali; Burck, Frédéric Du; Chiodo, Nicola; Holá, Miroslava; Číp, Ondřej; Lazar, Josef

2014-11-01

We present the results of measurement and evaluation of spectral properties of iodine absorption cells filled at certain saturation pressure. A set of cells made of borosilicate glass instead of common fused silica was tested for their spectral properties in greater detail with special care for the long-term development of the absorption media purity. The results were compared with standard fused silica cells and the high quality of iodine was verified. A measurement method based on an approach relying on measurement of linewidth of the hyperfine transitions is proposed as a novel technique for iodine cell absorption media purity evaluation. A potential application in laser metrology of length is also discussed.

Configuration of Pluto's Volatile Ices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grundy, William M.; Binzel, R. P.; Cook, J. C.; Cruikshank, D. P.; Dalle Ore, C. M.; Earle, A. M.; Ennico, K.; Jennings, D. E.; Howett, C. J. A.; Linscott, I. R.; Lunsford, A. W.; Olkin, C. B.; Parker, A. H.; Parker, J. Wm; Protopapa, S.; Reuter, D. C.; Singer, K. N.; Spencer, J. R.; Stern, S. A.; Tsang, C. C. C.; Verbiscer, A. J.; Weaver, H. A.; Young, L. A.; Berry, K.; Buie, M. W.; Stansberry, J. A.

2015-11-01

We report on near-infrared remote sensing by New Horizons' Ralph instrument (Reuter et al. 2008, Space Sci. Rev. 140, 129-154) of Pluto's N2, CO, and CH4 ices. These especially volatile ices are mobile even at Pluto's cryogenic surface temperatures. Sunlight reflected from these ices becomes imprinted with their characteristic spectral absorption bands. The detailed appearance of these absorption features depends on many aspects of local composition, thermodynamic state, and texture. Multiple-scattering radiative transfer models are used to retrieve quantitative information about these properties and to map how they vary across Pluto's surface. Using parameter maps derived from New Horizons observations, we investigate the striking regional differences in the abundances and scattering properties of Pluto's volatile ices. Comparing these spatial patterns with the underlying geology provides valuable constraints on processes actively modifying the planet's surface, over a variety of spatial scales ranging from global latitudinal patterns to more regional and local processes within and around the feature informally known as Sputnik Planum. This work was supported by the NASA New Horizons Project.

Direct Observations of Clouds on Brown Dwarfs: A Spitzer Study of Extreme Cases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgasser, Adam; Cruz, Kelle; Cushing, Michael; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Looper, Dagny; Lowrance, Patrick; Marley, Mark; Saumon, Didier

2008-03-01

Clouds play a fundamental role in the emergent spectral energy distributions and observed variability of very low mass stars and brown dwarfs, yet hey have only been studied indirectly thus far. Recent indications of a broad silicate grain absorption feature in the 8-11 micron spectra of mid-type L dwarfs, and evidence that the strength of this absorption varies according to broad-band near-infrared color, may finally allow the first direct studies of clouds and condensate grain properties in brown dwarf atmospheres. We propose to observe a sample of 18 ``extreme'' L dwarfs - objects with unusually blue and red near-infrared colors - with IRAC and IRS to study the 8-11 micron feature in detail (including grain size distributions and bulk compositions), and to constrain advanced condensate cloud atmosphere models currently in development. Our program provides a unique examination of the general processes of cloud formation by focusing on the relatively warm photospheres of late-type brown dwarfs.

Thermal emission spectra of Mars (5.4-10.5 microns) - Evidence for sulfates, carbonates, and hydrates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pollack, James B.; Roush, Ted; Witteborn, Fred; Bregman, Jesse; Wooden, Diane; Stoker, Carol; Toon, Owen B.

1990-01-01

Spectra of the Martian thermal emission in the 5.4-10.5 micron region are reported. Emission features at 7.8 and 9.7 microns are attributed to surface silicates, and an emission feature at 6.1 micron is attributed to a molecular water component of the surface material. An absorption band at 8.7 micron and a possible one at 9.8 microns is attributed to sulfate or bisulfate anions probably located at a distorted crystalline site, and an absorption band at 6.7 microns is attributed to carbonate or bicarbonate anions located in a distorted crystalline site. Spectral simulations indicate that the sulfate- and carbonate-bearing minerals are contained in the same particles of airborne dust as the dominant silicate minerals, that the dust optical depth is about 0.6 at a reference wavelength of 0.3 micron over the area of the observed spots, and that sulfates and carbonates constitute 10-15 percent and 1-3 percent by volume of the airborne dust, respectively.

OPTICAL HYDROGEN ABSORPTION CONSISTENT WITH A THIN BOW SHOCK LEADING THE HOT JUPITER HD 189733B

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

Cauley, P. Wilson; Redfield, Seth; Jensen, Adam G.

Bow shocks are ubiquitous astrophysical phenomena resulting from the supersonic passage of an object through a gas. Recently, pre-transit absorption in UV metal transitions of the hot Jupiter (HJ) exoplanets HD 189733b and WASP12-b have been interpreted as being caused by material compressed in a planetary bow shock. Here we present a robust detection of a time-resolved pre-transit, as well as in-transit absorption signature around the HJ exoplanet HD 189733b using high spectral resolution observations of several hydrogen Balmer lines. The line shape of the pre-transit feature and the shape of the timeseries absorption provide the strongest constraints on themore » morphology and physical characteristics of extended structures around an exoplanet. The in-transit measurements confirm the previous exospheric Hα detection, although the absorption depth measured here is ∼50% lower. The pre-transit absorption feature occurs 125 minutes before the predicted optical transit, a projected linear distance from the planet to the stellar disk of 7.2 R{sub p}. The absorption strength observed in the Balmer lines indicates an optically thick, but physically small, geometry. We model this signal as the early ingress of a planetary bow shock. If the bow shock is mediated by a planetary magnetosphere, the large standoff distance derived from the model suggests a large planetary magnetic field strength of B{sub eq} = 28 G. Better knowledge of exoplanet magnetic field strengths is crucial to understanding the role these fields play in planetary evolution and the potential development of life on planets in the habitable zone.« less

Hydrodynamic stability and Ti-tracer distribution in low-adiabat OMEGA direct-drive implosions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, Tirtha R.

We discuss the hydrodynamic stability of low-adiabat OMEGA direct-drive implosions based on results obtained from simultaneous emission and absorption spectroscopy of a titanium tracer added to the target. The targets were deuterium filled, warm plastic shells of varying thicknesses and filling gas pressures with a submicron Ti-doped tracer layer initially located on the inner surface of the shell. The spectral features from the titanium tracer are observed during the deceleration and stagnation phases of the implosion, and recorded with a time integrated spectrometer (XRS1), streaked crystal spectrometer (SSCA) and three gated, multi-monochromatic X-ray imager (MMI) instruments fielded along quasi-orthogonal lines-of-sight. The time-integrated, streaked and gated data show simultaneous emission and absorption spectral features associated with titanium K-shell line transitions but only the MMI data provides spatially resolved information. The arrays of gated spectrally resolved images recorded with MMI were processed to obtain spatially resolved spectra characteristic of annular contour regions on the image. A multi-zone spectroscopic analysis of the annular spatially resolved spectra permits the extraction of plasma conditions in the core as well as the spatial distribution of tracer atoms. In turn, the titanium atom distribution provides direct evidence of tracer penetration into the core and thus of the hydrodynamic stability of the shell. The observations, timing and analysis indicate that during fuel burning the titanium atoms have migrated deep into the core and thus shell material mixing is likely to impact the rate of nuclear fusion reactions, i.e. burning rate, and the neutron yield of the implosion. We have found that the Ti atom number density decreases towards the center in early deceleration phase, but later in time the trend is just opposite, i.e., it increases towards the center of the implosion core. This is in part a consequence of the convergent effect of spherical geometry. The spatial profiles of Ti areal densities in the implosion core are extracted from space-resolved spectra and also evaluated using 1D spherical scaling. The trends are similar to the Ti number density spatial profiles. The areal densities extracted from data and 1D spherical scaling are very comparable in the outer spherical zones of the implosion core but significantly deviate in the innermost zone. We have observed that approximately 85% of the Ti atoms migrate into the hot core, while 15% of the atoms are still on the shell-fuel interface and contributing to the absorption. In addition, a method to extract the hot spot size based on the formation of the absorption feature in a sequence of annular spectra will be discussed. Results and trends are discussed as a function of target shell thickness and filling pressure, and laser pulse shape.

Using Single-Scattering Albedo Spectral Curvature to Characterize East Asian Aerosol Mixtures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jing; Carlson, Barbara E.; Lacis, Andrew A.

2015-01-01

Spectral dependence of aerosol single-scattering albedo (SSA) has been used to infer aerosol composition. In particular, aerosol mixtures dominated by dust absorption will have monotonically increasing SSA with wavelength while that dominated by black carbon absorption has monotonically decreasing SSA spectra. However, by analyzing SSA measured at four wavelengths, 440, 675, 870, and 1020 nm from the Aerosol Robotic Network data set, we find that the SSA spectra over East Asia are frequently peaked at 675 nm. In these cases, we suggest that SSA spectral curvature, defined as the negative of the second derivative of SSA as a function of wavelength, can provide additional information on the composition of these aerosol mixtures. Aerosol SSA spectral curvatures for East Asia during fall and winter are considerably larger than those found in places primarily dominated by biomass burning or dust aerosols. SSA curvature is found to increase as the SSA magnitude decreases. The curvature increases with coarse mode fraction (CMF) to a CMF value of about 0.4, then slightly decreases or remains constant at larger CMF. Mie calculations further verify that the strongest SSA curvature occurs at approx. 40% dust fraction, with 10% scattering aerosol fraction. The nonmonotonic SSA spectral dependence is likely associated with enhanced absorption in the shortwave by dust, absorption by black carbon at longer wavelengths, and also the flattened absorption optical depth spectral dependence due to the increased particle size.

The reaction of fully reduced cytochrome c oxidase with oxygen studied by flow-flash spectrophotometry at room temperature. Evidence for new pathways of electron transfer.

PubMed Central

Hill, B C; Greenwood, C

1984-01-01

Absorption changes during the O2 reaction of reduced bovine cytochrome c oxidase were investigated by the rapid-reaction technique of flow-flash spectrophotometry in the Soret, visible and near-i.r. spectral regions. New features in the time courses of absorption change were observed relative to the earlier findings reported by Greenwood & Gibson [(1967) J. Biol. Chem. 242, 1782-1787]. These new features arise in the Soret and near-i.r. regions and allow the reaction to be described at all wavelengths as a composite of three exponential processes. There is a rapid O2-sensitive phase detectable in the Soret and visible region. The second phase has a rate that is somewhat less dependent on O2 concentration than is the fastest phase rate and is detectable in all three spectral regions. The rate of the third phase is almost independent of the O2 concentration and is also detectable in all spectral regions. Analysis of the three phases gives their rates and absorption amplitudes. The fast phase reaches a rate of 2.5 X 10(4) s-1 at the highest O2 concentration available at 20 degrees C, whereas the phase of intermediate rate is limited at a value of 7 X 10(3) s-1 and the slow phase rate is limited at 700 s-1. The ratios of the kinetic difference spectra for the fast phase and the slow phase do not correspond to the spectra of the individual haem centres. A branched mechanism is advanced that is able to reconcile the kinetic and static difference spectra. This mechanism suggests that some of the cytochrome a is oxidized along with cytochrome a3 in the initial O2-sensitive phase. In addition, the model requires that CuA is oxidized heterogeneously. This fits with the complex time course of oxidation observed at 830 nm while retaining CuA as virtually the sole contributor to absorbance at this wavelength. PMID:6326750

Thermal-infrared spectral observations of geologic materials in emission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christensen, Philip R.; Luth, Sharon J.

1987-01-01

The thermal-infrared spectra of geologic materials in emission were studied using the prototype Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES). A variety of of processes and surface modifications that may influence or alter the spectra of primary rock materials were studied. It was confirmed that thermal emission spectra contain the same absorption features as those observed in transmission and reflection spectra. It was confirmed that the TES instrument can be used to obtain relevant spectra for analysis of rock and mineral composition.

Cassini/VIMS observations of the moon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Belluci, G.; Brown, R.H.; Formisano, V.; Baines, K.H.; Bibring, J.-P.; Buratti, B.J.; Capaccioni, F.; Cerroni, P.; Clark, R.N.; Coradini, A.; Cruikshank, D.P.; Drossart, P.; Jaumann, R.; Langevin, Y.; Matson, D.L.; McCord, T.B.; Mennella, V.; Miller, E.; Nelson, R.M.; Nicholson, P.D.; Sicardy, B.; Sotin, Christophe

2002-01-01

In this paper, we present preliminary scientific results obtained from the analysis of VIMS (Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer) lunar images and spectra. These data were obtained during the Cassini Earth flyby in August 1999. Spectral ratios have been produced in order to derive lunar mineralogical maps. Some spectra observed at the north-east lunar limb, show few unusual absorption features located at 0.357, 0.430 and 0.452 ??m, the origin of which is presently unknown. ?? 2002 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of Mn laser ablation in methane atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krstulović, N.; Labazan, I.; Milošević, S.

2006-02-01

Laser ablation of Mn target in vacuum and in the presence of CH4 was studied under 308 nm laser irradiation. Time-resolved emission using gated detection and scanning monochromator and absorption using the cavity ring-down spectroscopy were used to study vaporized plume. In the CH4 atmosphere we observed transitions identified as C2 and MnH bands, while these spectral features were not detected in emission spectra. This is a clear evidence of importance in combining both spectroscopic techniques in laser vaporized plume study.

Spectrometer Baseline Control Via Spatial Filtering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burleigh, M. R.; Richey, C. R.; Rinehart, S. A.; Quijada, M. A.; Wollack, E. J.

2016-01-01

An absorptive half-moon aperture mask is experimentally explored as a broad-bandwidth means of eliminating spurious spectral features arising from reprocessed radiation in an infrared Fourier transform spectrometer. In the presence of the spatial filter, an order of magnitude improvement in the fidelity of the spectrometer baseline is observed. The method is readily accommodated within the context of commonly employed instrument configurations and leads to a factor of two reduction in optical throughput. A detailed discussion of the underlying mechanism and limitations of the method are provided.

Optical Properties of Multi-Layered Insulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, Heather M.; Abercromby, Kira J.; Barker, Edwin

2007-01-01

Multi-layer insulation, MLI, is a material used on rocket bodies and satellites mainly for thermal insulation. MLI can be comprised of a variety of materials, layer numbers, and dimensions based on its purpose. A common composition of MLI consists of outer facing copper-colored Kapton with an aluminized backing for the top and bottom layers and the middle consisting of alternating layers of DARCON or Nomex netting with aluminized Mylar. If this material became separated from the spacecraft or rocket body its orbit would vary greatly in eccentricity due to its high area to mass (A/m) and susceptibility to solar radiation pressure perturbations. Recently a debris population was found with high A/m, which could be MLI. Laboratory photometric measurements of one intact piece and three different layers of MLI is presented in an effort to predict the characteristics of a MLI light curve and aid in identifying the source of the new population. For this paper, the layers used will be consistent with the common MLI mentioned in the above paragraph. Using a robotic arm, the piece was rotated from 0-360 degrees in one degree increments along the object s longest axis. Laboratory photometric data was recorded with a CCD camera using various filters (Johnson B, Johnson V and Bessell R). The measurements were taken at an 18 degree (light-object-camera) phase angle. As expected, the MLI pieces showed characteristics similar to a bimodal magnitude plot of a flat plate, but with more photometric features, dependant upon the layer of MLI. Time exposures varied from piece to piece such that the amount of pixels saturated would be minimal. In addition to photometric laboratory measurements, laboratory spectral measurements are shown for the same MLI samples. Spectral data will be combined to match the wavelength region of photometric data so a measure of truth can be established for the photometric measurements. Spectral data shows a strong absorption feature near 4800 angstroms, which is due to the copper color of Kapton. If the debris is MLI and the outer layer of copper coloring of Kapton is present, evidence would be seen spectrally by the specific absorption feature as well as using R-B (red-blue) light curves. Using laboratory photometric measurements and the results from spectral laboratory measurements, an optical property database is provided for an object with a high A/m. The benefits of this database for remote optical measurements of orbital debris are shown by illustrating the optical properties expected for a high A/m object, specifically common satellite and rocket body MLI.

Infrared spectra and crystal chemistry of scapolites: implications for Martian mineralogy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swayze, G.A.; Clark, R.N.

1990-01-01

Near-infrared and midinfrared spectra of a wide range of scapolite compositions were studied to determine the cause of the 2.36-??m features that have been correlated with similar features in the near-IR spectrum of Mars. We attribute the 2.36-??m features to vibrations caused by HCO-3 and HSO-4 in the anion sites of scapolite. The 2.36-??m absorption complex consists of four overlapping bands. The relative intensities of all four bands vary according to the HCO-3/HSO-4 ratio and disordered anion site occupancy. The positional disorder of HCO-3 and HSO4 in the low-symmetry anion site of scapolite gives the 2.36-??m band complex a unique spectral signature not likely to be duplicated in any other mineral. -from Authors

Mid-infrared crystalline supermirrors with ultralow optical absorption (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deutsch, Christoph; Cole, Garrett D.; Follman, David; Heu, Paula; Bjork, Bryce J.; Franz, Chris; Alexandrovski, Alexei L.; Heckl, Oliver H.; Ye, Jun; Aspelmeyer, Markus

2017-02-01

Substrate-transferred crystalline coatings are a groundbreaking new concept for the fabrication of ultralow-loss mirrors. The single-crystal lattice structure of these substrate-transferred GaAs/AlGaAs Bragg mirrors exhibits the lowest mechanical losses and hence unmatched Brownian noise performance, which nowadays limits the stability of precision optical interferometers. Another outstanding feature of these coatings is the wide spectral coverage of the GaAs/AlGaAs material platform. Limited by interband absorption at short wavelengths and the reststrahlen band at long wavelengths, crystalline coatings can be employed as low-loss multilayers from approximately 900 nm up to 5 μm and beyond. Excellent optical performance has been demonstrated in the near-infrared with excess optical losses (scatter + absorption) as low as 3 parts per million (ppm), enabling cavity finesse values up to 360,000 at 1.55 μm. Our first attempts at applying crystalline coatings in the mid-infrared has resulted in mirrors with excess optical losses of 159 and 242 ppm at 3.3 and 3.7 μm, respectively. Remarkably, these results are already on par with current state-of-the-art amorphous mirror coatings. Absorption measurements based on photothermal common-path interferometry (PCI) reveal that the optical losses are largely dominated by optical scatter. Via, PCI, we have confirmed absorption losses below 10 ppm at 3.7 μm, showing the enormous potential of GaAs/AlGaAs Bragg mirrors at mid-infrared wavelengths. An optimized fabrication process, which is currently under development, can efficiently suppress optical scatter due to accumulated growth defects on the surface. Ultimately, we foresee excess losses significantly less than 50 ppm in the mid-infrared spectral region.

Brown carbon absorption in the red and near-infrared spectral region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffer, András; Tóth, Ádám; Pósfai, Mihály; Eddy Chung, Chul; Gelencsér, András

2017-06-01

Black carbon (BC) aerosols have often been assumed to be the only light-absorbing carbonaceous particles in the red and near-infrared spectral regions of solar radiation in the atmosphere. Here we report that tar balls (a specific type of organic aerosol particles from biomass burning) do absorb red and near-infrared radiation significantly. Tar balls were produced in a laboratory experiment, and their chemical and optical properties were measured. The absorption of these particles in the range between 470 and 950 nm was measured with an aethalometer, which is widely used to measure atmospheric aerosol absorption. We find that the absorption coefficient of tar balls at 880 nm is more than 10 % of that at 470 nm. The considerable absorption of red and infrared light by tar balls also follows from their relatively low absorption Ångström coefficient (and significant mass absorption coefficient) in the spectral range between 470 and 950 nm. Our results support the previous finding that tar balls may play an important role in global warming. Due to the non-negligible absorption of tar balls in the near-infrared region, the absorption measured in the field at near-infrared wavelengths cannot solely be due to soot particles.

Detection of significant differences between absorption spectra of neutral helium and low temperature photoionized helium plasmas

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

Bartnik, A.; Wachulak, P.; Fiedorowicz, H.

2013-11-15

In this work, spectral investigations of photoionized He plasmas were performed. The photoionized plasmas were created by irradiation of helium stream, with intense pulses from laser-plasma extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source. The EUV source was based on a double-stream Xe/Ne gas-puff target irradiated with 10 ns/10 J Nd:YAG laser pulses. The most intense emission from the source spanned a relatively narrow spectral region below 20 nm, however, spectrally integrated intensity at longer wavelengths was also significant. The EUV radiation was focused onto a gas stream, injected into a vacuum chamber synchronously with the EUV pulse. The long-wavelength part of the EUVmore » radiation was used for backlighting of the photoionized plasmas to obtain absorption spectra. Both emission and absorption spectra in the EUV range were investigated. Significant differences between absorption spectra acquired for neutral helium and low temperature photoionized plasmas were demonstrated for the first time. Strong increase of intensities and spectral widths of absorption lines, together with a red shift of the K-edge, was shown.« less

Spectral radiation analyses of the GOES solar illuminated hexagonal cell scan mirror back

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fantano, Louis G.

1993-01-01

A ray tracing analytical tool has been developed for the simulation of spectral radiation exchange in complex systems. Algorithms are used to account for heat source spectral energy, surface directional radiation properties, and surface spectral absorptivity properties. This tool has been used to calculate the effective solar absorptivity of the geostationary operational environmental satellites (GOES) scan mirror in the calibration position. The development and design of Sounder and Imager instruments on board GOES is reviewed and the problem of calculating the effective solar absorptivity associated with the GOES hexagonal cell configuration is presented. The analytical methodology based on the Monte Carlo ray tracing technique is described and results are presented and verified by experimental measurements for selected solar incidence angles.

Dielectric properties of semi-insulating Fe-doped InP in the terahertz spectral region.

PubMed

Alyabyeva, L N; Zhukova, E S; Belkin, M A; Gorshunov, B P

2017-08-04

We report the values and the spectral dependence of the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric permittivity of semi-insulating Fe-doped InP crystalline wafers in the 2-700 cm -1 (0.06-21 THz) spectral region at room temperature. The data shows a number of absorption bands that are assigned to one- and two-phonon and impurity-related absorption processes. Unlike the previous studies of undoped or low-doped InP material, our data unveil the dielectric properties of InP that are not screened by strong free-carrier absorption and will be useful for designing a wide variety of InP-based electronic and photonic devices operating in the terahertz spectral range.

XANES study of hydrogen incorporation in a Pd-capped Nb thin film

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

Ruckman, M.W.; Reisfeld, G.; Jisrawi, N.M.

X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) measurements were used to probe the H-charging-induced electronic structure changes of a 2400 {Angstrom} Nb film capped with Pd. These results are discussed in terms of {ital ab initio} linear augmented plane-wave (LAPW) band-structure calculations for this material. The Pd-L{sub 3}-edge XANES clearly manifested the spectral (Pd-d state related) changes expected for Pd-hydride formation, a white line feature degradation, and the appearance of a Pd-H antibonding feature at 6 eV above the threshold. The Nb-L{sub 2,3} edge changes with H charging show a distinct enhancement of the white line strength; a feature 6 eV abovemore » the edges, associated with Nb-H antibonding states in analogy with the Pd results; the suppression of a threshold-onset feature of Nb metal; and a shift of the centrum of the white line feature towards the threshold. Comparison of the Nb sphere projection of the d{sub 3/2} component of the LAPW density of states (DOS) to the Nb-L{sub 2}-edge spectra yields good basic agreement with the observed spectral changes. In particular, the substantial theoretical reduction in the DOS at, and just above, the Fermi energy (E{sub f}) is directly related to the near threshold Nb-L{sub 2,3} spectral changes. The more modest white line enhancement in the theoretical DOS is noted and discussed. Nb-K-edge XANES are also discussed in terms of the Nb-site p-state projected LAPW DOS. This last comparison indicates a p-state reduction near E{sub f} upon H charging of the Nb. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}« less

Integrated J- and H-band spectra of globular clusters in the LMC: implications for stellar population models and galaxy age dating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyubenova, M.; Kuntschner, H.; Rejkuba, M.; Silva, D. R.; Kissler-Patig, M.; Tacconi-Garman, L. E.

2012-07-01

Context. The rest-frame near-IR spectra of intermediate age (1-2 Gyr) stellar populations are dominated by carbon based absorption features offering a wealth of information. Yet, spectral libraries that include the near-IR wavelength range do not sample a sufficiently broad range of ages and metallicities to allow for accurate calibration of stellar population models and thus the interpretation of the observations. Aims: In this paper we investigate the integrated J- and H-band spectra of six intermediate age and old globular clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Methods: The observations for six clusters were obtained with the SINFONI integral field spectrograph at the ESO VLT Yepun telescope, covering the J (1.09-1.41 μm) and H-band (1.43-1.86 μm) spectral range. The spectral resolution is 6.7 Å in J and 6.6 Å in H-band (FWHM). The observations were made in natural seeing, covering the central 24″ × 24″ of each cluster and in addition sampling the brightest eight red giant branch and asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star candidates within the clusters' tidal radii. Targeted clusters cover the ages of ~1.3 Gyr (NGC 1806, NGC 2162), 2 Gyr (NGC 2173) and ~13 Gyr (NGC 1754, NGC 2005, NGC 2019). Results.H-band C2 and K-band 12CO (2-0) feature strengths for the LMC globular clusters are compared to the models of Maraston (2005). C2 is reasonably well reproduced by the models at all ages, while 12CO (2-0) shows good agreement for older (age ≥ 2 Gyr) populations, but the younger (1.3 Gyr) globular clusters do not follow the models. We argue that this is due to the fact that the empirical calibration of the models relies on only a few Milky Way carbon star spectra, which show different 12CO (2-0) index strengths than the LMC stars. The C2 absorption feature strength correlates strongly with age. It is present essentially only in populations that have 1-2 Gyr old stars, while its value is consistent with zero for older populations. The distinct spectral energy distribution observed for the intermediate age globular clusters in the J- and H-bands agrees well with the model predictions of Maraston for the contribution from the thermally pulsing AGB phase. Conclusions: In this pilot project we present an empirical library of six LMC globular cluster integrated near-IR spectra that are useful for testing stellar population models in this wavelength regime. We show that the H-band C2 absorption feature and the J-, H-band spectral shape can be used as an age indicator for intermediate age stellar populations in integrated spectra of star clusters and galaxies. Based on observation collected at the ESO Paranal La Silla Observatory, Chile, Prog. ID 078.B-0205.Table 2 is available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.orgJ- and H-spectra are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/543/A75

[Spectral absorption properties of the water constituents in the estuary of Zhujiang River].

PubMed

Wang, Shan-shan; Wang, Yong-bo; Fu, Qing-hua; Yin, Bin; Li, Yun-mei

2014-12-01

Spectral absorption properties of the water constituents is the main factor affecting the light field under the surface of the water and the spectrum above the surface of the water. Thus, the study is useful for understanding of the water spectral property and the remote reversing of water quality parameters. Absorption properties of total suspended particles, non-algal particles, phytoplankton and CDOM were analyzed using the 30 samples collected in July 2013 in the estuary of Zhujiang River. The results indicated that: (1) the non-algal particles absorption dominated the absorption of the total suspended particles; (2) the absorption coefficient of the non-algal particles, which mainly came from the terrigenous deposits, decreased exponentially from short to long wavelength. In addition, the average value and spatial variation of the slope S(d) were higher than those in inland case- II waters; (3) the absorption coefficient of phytoplankton in 440 nm showed a better polynomial relationship with chlorophyll a concentration, while the absorption coefficient of phytoplankton in 675 nm linearly related with the chlorophyll a concentration. Moreover, the influence of accessory pigments on phytoplankton absorption coefficient mainly existed in the range of short wavelength, and Chlorophyll a was the main influencing factor for phytoplankton absorption in long wavelength. The specific absorption coefficient of phytoplankton decreased the power exponentially with the increase of the chlorophyll a concentration; (4) CDOM mainly came from the terrigenous sources and its spectral curve had an absorption shoulder between 250-290 nm. Thus, a piecewise S(g) fitting function could effectively express CDOM absorption properties, i.e., M value and S(g) value in period A (240-260 nm) showed a strong positive correlation. The M value was low, and the humic acid had a high proportion in CDOM; (5) the non-algal particles absorption dominated the total absorption in the estuary of Zhujiang River, and the contribution of the phytoplankton absorption to the total absorption was far lower than that of the non-algal particles. While the contribution of the CDOM was the lowest. The contribution of the CDOM absorption to the total absorption was relatively larger when the content of humic acid was higher.

Probing gas and dust in the tidal tail of NGC 5221 with the type Ia supernova iPTF16abc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferretti, R.; Amanullah, R.; Goobar, A.; Petrushevska, T.; Borthakur, S.; Bulla, M.; Fox, O.; Freeland, E.; Fremling, C.; Hangard, L.; Hayes, M.

2017-10-01

Context. Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) can be used to address numerous questions in astrophysics and cosmology. Due to their well known spectral and photometric properties, SNe Ia are well suited to study gas and dust along the lines-of-sight to the explosions. For example, narrow Na I D and Ca II H&K absorption lines can be studied easily, because of the well-defined spectral continuum of SNe Ia around these features. Aims: We aim to study the gas and dust along the line-of-sight to iPTF16abc, which occurred in an unusual location, in a tidal arm, 80 kpc from centre of the galaxy NGC 5221. Methods: Using a time-series of high-resolution spectra, we have examined narrow Na I D and Ca II H&K absorption features for variations in time, which would be indicative for circumstellar (CS) matter. Furthermore, we have taken advantage of the well known photometric properties of SNe Ia to determine reddening due to dust along the line-of-sight. Results: From the lack of variations in Na I D and Ca II H&K, we determine that none of the detected absorption features originate from the CS medium of iPTF16abc. While the Na I D and Ca II H&K absorption is found to be optically thick, a negligible amount of reddening points to a small column of interstellar dust. Conclusions: We find that the gas along the line-of-sight to iPTF16abc is typical of what might be found in the interstellar medium (ISM) within a galaxy. It suggests that we are observing gas that has been tidally stripped during an interaction of NGC 5221 with one of its neighbouring galaxies in the past 109 yr. In the future, the gas clouds could become the locations of star formation. On a longer time scale, the clouds might diffuse, enriching the circum-galactic medium (CGM) with metals. The gas profile along the line-of-sight should be useful for future studies of the dynamics of the galaxy group containing NGC 5221. Based on observations collected at the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere under ESO DDT programme 297.D-5005(A), P. I. Ferretti.

Moderate-resolution spectral standards from lambda 5600 to lambda 9000

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Lori E.; Strom, Karen M.

1995-01-01

We present a grid of stellar classification spectra of moderate resolution (R approximately 1500) in the range lambda lambda 5600-9000 A, compiled from high signal-to noise spectra of 275 stars, most in the open clusters Praesepe and M67. The grid covers dwarfs from types B8 through M5, giants from G8 through M7, and subgiants from F5 through K0. We catalog atomic and molecular absorption features useful for stellar classification, and demonstrate the use of luminosity-sensitive features to distinguish between late-type dwarf and giant stars. The entire database is made available in digital format on anonymous ftp and through the World Wide Web.

Magnetic circular dichroism of chlorofullerenes: Experimental and computational study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Štěpánek, Petr; Straka, Michal; Šebestík, Jaroslav; Bouř, Petr

2016-03-01

Magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra of C60Cl6, C70Cl10 and C60Cl24 were measured and interpreted using a sum-over-state (SOS) protocol exploiting time dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). Unlike for plain absorption, the MCD spectra exhibited easily recognizable features specific for each chlorinated molecule and appear as a useful tool for chlorofullerene identification. MCD spectrum of C60Cl24 was below 400 nm partially obscured due to scattering and low solubility. In all cases a finer vibrational structure of the electronic bands was observed at longer wavelengths. The TDDFT simulations provided a reasonable basis for interpretation of the most prominent spectral features.

Anomalous photoluminescence in InP1−xBix

PubMed Central

Wu, Xiaoyan; Chen, Xiren; Pan, Wenwu; Wang, Peng; Zhang, Liyao; Li, Yaoyao; Wang, Hailong; Wang, Kai; Shao, Jun; Wang, Shumin

2016-01-01

Low temperature photoluminescence (PL) from InP1−xBix thin films with Bi concentrations in the 0–2.49% range reveals anomalous spectral features with strong and very broad (linewidth of 700 nm) PL signals compared to other bismide alloys. Multiple transitions are observed and their energy levels are found much smaller than the band-gap measured from absorption measurements. These transitions are related to deep levels confirmed by deep level transient spectroscopy, which effectively trap free holes and enhance radiative recombination. The broad luminescence feature is beneficial for making super-luminescence diodes, which can theoretically enhance spatial resolution beyond 1 μm in optical coherent tomography (OCT). PMID:27291823

The plumes of IO: A detection of solid sulfur dioxide particles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howell, R. R.; Cruikshank, D. P.; Geballe, T. T.

1984-01-01

Spectra of Io obtained during eclipse show a narrow deep absorption feature at 4.871 microns, the wavelength of the Nu sub 1 + Nu sub 3 band of solid SO2. The 4 micron radiation comes from volcanic hot spots at a temperature too high for the existence of solid SO2. It is concluded that the spectral feature results from SO2 particles suspended in plumes above the hot spots. The derived abundance of approximately 0.0003 gm/sq cm may imply an SO2 solid-to-gas ratio of roughly one for the Loki plume, which would in turn suggest that it is driven by the SO2 rather than by sulfur.

UV photoabsorption cross sections of CO, N2, and SO2 for studies of the ISM and planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Peter L.; Rufus, J.; Yoshino, K.; Parkinson, W. H.; Stark, Glenn; Pickering, Juliet C.; Thorne, A. P.

2002-01-01

We report high-resolution laboratory measurements of photoabsorption cross sections of CO, N2, and SO2 in the wavelength range 80 to 320 nm. The motivation is to provide the quantitative data that are needed to analyze observations of absorption by, and to model photochemical processes in, the interstellar medium and a number of planetary atmospheres. Because of the high resolution of the spectrometers used, we can minimize distortion of the spectrum that occurs when instrument widths are greater than the widths of spectral features being measured. In many cases, we can determine oscillator strengths of individual rotational lines - a unique feature of our work.

Optical Asymmetry and Nonlinear Light Scattering from Colloidal Gold Nanorods.

PubMed

Lien, Miao-Bin; Kim, Ji-Young; Han, Myung-Geun; Chang, You-Chia; Chang, Yu-Chung; Ferguson, Heather J; Zhu, Yimei; Herzing, Andrew A; Schotland, John C; Kotov, Nicholas A; Norris, Theodore B

2017-06-27

A systematic study is presented of the intensity-dependent nonlinear light scattering spectra of gold nanorods under resonant excitation of the longitudinal surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The spectra exhibit features due to coherent second and third harmonic generation as well as a broadband feature that has been previously attributed to multiphoton photoluminescence arising primarily from interband optical transitions in the gold. A detailed study of the spectral dependence of the scaling of the scattered light with excitation intensity shows unexpected scaling behavior of the coherent signals, which is quantitatively accounted for by optically induced damping of the SPR mode through a Fermi liquid model of the electronic scattering. The broadband feature is shown to arise not from luminescence, but from scattering of the second-order longitudinal SPR mode with the electron gas, where efficient excitation of the second order mode arises from an optical asymmetry of the nanorod. The electronic-temperature-dependent plasmon damping and the Fermi-Dirac distribution together determine the intensity dependence of the broadband emission, and the structure-dependent absorption spectrum determines the spectral shape through the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. Hence a complete self-consistent picture of both coherent and incoherent light scattering is obtained with a single set of physical parameters.

Estimating Water Ice Abundance from Short-Wave Infrared Spectra of Drill Cuttings at Cryogenic Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roush, Ted L.; Colaprete, Anthony; Kleinhenz, Julie; Cook, Amanda

2017-01-01

NASA's Resource Prospector (RP) mission intends to visit a lunar polar region to characterize the volatile distribution. Part of the RP payload, the Near-infrared Volatile Spectrometer System (NIRVSS) is a spectrometer operating from 1600-3400 nm that provides sensitivity to water ice, and other volatiles. For multiple years, the NIRVSS system has been incorporated into on-going RP payload testing in a cryogenic vacuum facility at Glenn Research Center. Soil tubes of lunar simulants, prepared with known amounts of water, are placed in the vacuum chamber and cooled to cryogenic temperatures (soil temperatures of 110-170 K) and placed under low vacuum (a few x 10(exp -6) Torr). During these tests NIRVSS continuously measures spectra of soil cuttings emplaced onto the surface by a drill. Real time processing of NIRVSS spectra produces two spectral parameters associated with water ice absorption features near 2000 and 3000 nm that can be used to inform decision making activities such as delivery of the soil to a sealable container. Post-test collection and analyses of the soils permit characterization the water content as a function of depth. These water content profiles exhibit the characteristics of a vacuum desiccation zone to depths of about 40 cm. Subsequent to completion of the tests, NIRVSS spectra are processed to produce two spectral parameters associated with water ice absorption features near 2000 and 3000 nm. These features can be evaluated as a function of time, and correlated with drill depth, and other measurements, throughout the drilling activities. Until now no effort was attempted to quantitatively relate these parameters to water abundance. This is the focus of our efforts to be presented.

Estimating Water Ice Abundance from Short-wave Infrared Spectra of Drill Cuttings at Cryogenic Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roush, T. L.; Colaprete, A.; Kleinhenz, J.; Cook, A.

2017-12-01

NASA's Resource Prospector (RP) mission intends to visit a lunar polar region to characterize the volatile distribution. Part of the RP payload, the Near-infrared Volatile Spectrometer System (NIRVSS) is a spectrometer operating from 1600-3400 nm that provides sensitivity to water ice, and other volatiles. For multiple years, the NIRVSS system has been incorporated into on-going RP payload testing in a cryogenic vacuum facility at Glenn Research Center. Soil tubes of lunar simulants, prepared with known amounts of water, are placed in the vacuum chamber and cooled to cryogenic temperatures (soil temperatures of 110-170° K) and placed under low vacuum (a few x 10-6 Torr). During these tests NIRVSS continuously measures spectra of soil cuttings emplaced onto the surface by a drill. Real time processing of NIRVSS spectra produces two spectral parameters associated with water ice absorption features near 2000 and 3000 nm that can be used to inform decision-making activities such as delivery of the soil to a sealable container. Post-test collection and analyses of the soils permit characterization the water content as a function of depth. These water content profiles exhibit the characteristics of a vacuum desiccation zone to depths of about 40 cm. Subsequent to completion of the tests, NIRVSS spectra are processed to produce two spectral parameters associated with water ice absorption features near 2000 and 3000 nm. These features can be evaluated as a function of time, and correlated with drill depth, and other measurements, throughout the drilling activities. Until now no effort was attempted to quantitatively relate these parameters to water abundance. This is the focus of our efforts to be presented.

SUBARU/HDS STUDY OF HE 1015-2050: SPECTRAL EVIDENCE OF R CORONAE BOREALIS LIGHT DECLINE

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

Goswami, Aruna; Aoki, Wako, E-mail: aruna@iiap.res.in

2013-02-01

Hydrogen deficiency and a sudden optical light decline of about 6-8 mag are two principal characteristics of R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars. The high latitude carbon star HE 1015-2050 was identified as a hydrogen-deficient carbon star from low-resolution spectroscopy. Photometric data of the Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey gathered between 2006 February and 2012 May indicate that the object exhibits no variability. However, a high-resolution (R {approx} 50, 000) optical spectrum of this object obtained with the 8.2 m Subaru telescope using High Dispersion Spectrograph on the 2012 January 13 offers sufficient spectral evidence that the object is a cool HdCmore » star of RCB type undergoing light decline. In contrast to the Na I D broad absorption features seen in the low-resolution spectra on several occasions, the high-resolution spectrum exhibits Na I D{sub 2} and D{sub 1} features in emission. A few emission lines due to Mg I, Sc II, Ti I, Ti II, Fe II, and Ba I are also observed in the spectrum of this object for the first time. Such emission features combined with neutral and singly ionized lines of Ca, Ti, Fe, etc., in absorption are reportedly seen in RCBs spectra in the early stage of decline or during the recovery to maximum. Further, the light decline of RCBs is ascribed to the formation of a cloud of soot that obscures the visible photosphere. The presence of such circumstellar material is evident from the polarimetric observations with an estimated V-band percentage polarization of {approx}1.7% for this object.« less

The composition of Martian aeolian sands: Thermal emissivity from Viking IRTM observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edgett, Kenneth S.; Christensen, Philip R.

1992-01-01

Aeolian sands provide excellent surfaces for the remote determination of the mineralogic composition of Martian materials, because such deposits consist of relatively well-sorted, uniform particle sizes and might consist of chemically unaltered, primary mineral grains derived from bedrock. Dark features on the floors of Martian craters are controlled by aeolian processes and many consist largely of unconsolidated, windblown sand. Measurement of the thermal emissivity of geologic materials provides a way to identify mid-infrared absorption bands, the strength and positions of which vary with mineral structure and composition. The Viking Infrared Thermal Mapper (IRTM) had four surface-sensing mid-IR bands, three of which, the 7, 9, and 11 micron channels, correspond to absorption features characteristic of carbonates, sialic, and mafic minerals, respectively. In this study, the highest quality IRTM data were constrained so as to avoid the effects of atmospheric dust, clouds, surface frosts, and particle size variations (the latter using data obtained between 7 and 9 H, and they were selected for dark intracrater features such that only data taken directly from the dark feature were used, so as to avoid thermal contributions from adjacent but unrelated materials. Three-point emissivity spectra of Martian dart intracrater features were compared with laboratory emission spectra of minerals and terrestrial aeolian sands convolved using the IRTM response function to the four IRTM spectral channels.

Looking for the Coldest Atmospheres: a Search for Planetary Mass Companions around T and Y Brown Dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fontanive, Clemence

2017-08-01

We propose to obtain WFC3/IR imaging of the very coolest brown dwarfs (T < 800 K) to search for substellar and planetary-mass companions to these objects. Companions discovered by this program would likely be analogues of the 250 K brown dwarf WISE 0855 and would provide vital benchmark objects for theoretical models, closing the gap in mass and temperature between brown dwarfs and planets. Finding such an object as a member of a binary system would be even more valuable as it would allow for the measurement of dynamical masses. We recently placed the first constraints to date on the binary frequency for brown dwarfs with spectral types >T8. This program will triple our current sample size, a requirement in order to confirm our current results and compare substellar binary properties for various spectral type and age populations. The WFC3/IR plate will allow us to probe near equal-mass binaries down to separations of 0.2 (2-3 AU for the typical distances of our targets). True cool companions should show strong absorption around 1.4 um as a result of the deep water absorption band observed at that wavelength in substellar spectra. We therefore propose observations in the WFC3 F127M and F139M filters which will allow us to robustly identify bona fide candidates and distinguish them from background stars based on this spectral feature. Most of our targets lack suitable NGS AO guide stars or LGS AO tip-tilt stars to be observed with ground-based telescopes, and the 1.4 um water band is often unobservable from the ground due to telluric water absorption. WFC3 on HST is thus the only instrument suitable for these observations.

Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy of Atmospheric Trace Gases HCl, NO and SO2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haridass, C.; Aw-Musse, A.; Dowdye, E.; Bandyopadhyay, C.; Misra, P.; Okabe, H.

1998-01-01

Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectral data have been recorded in the spectral region 400-4000/cm of hydrogen chloride and sulfur dioxide with I/cm resolution and of nitric oxide with 0.25 cm-i resolution, under quasi-static conditions, when the sample gas was passed through tubings of aluminum, copper, stainless steel and teflon. The absorbance was measured for the rotational lines of the fundamental bands of (1)H(35)Cl and (1)H(37)Cl for pressures in the range 100-1000 Torr and for the (14)N(16)O molecule in the range 100-300 Torr. The absorbance was also measured for individual rotational lines corresponding to the three modes of vibrations (upsilon(sub 1) - symmetric stretch, upsilon(sub 2) - symmetric bend, upsilon(sub 3) - anti-symmetric stretch) of the SO2 molecule in the pressure range 25-150 Torr. A graph of absorbance versus pressure was plotted for the observed rotational transitions of the three atmospherically significant molecules, and it was found that the absorbance was linearly proportional to the pressure range chosen, thereby validating Beer's law. The absorption cross-sections were determined from the graphical slopes for each rotational transition recorded for the HCl, NO and SO2 species. Qualitative and quantitative spectral changes in the FT-IR data will be discussed to identify and characterize various tubing materials with respect to their absorption features.

5-ALA/PpIX fluorescence detection of gastrointestinal neoplasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borisova, Ekaterina G.; Vladimirov, Borislav; Terziev, Ivan; Ivanova, Radina; Avramov, Latchezar

2009-07-01

In the recent study delta-ALA/PpIX is used as fluorescent marker for dysplasia and tumor detection in esophagus, stomach and colon. ALA is administered per os six to eight (depending on the lesion location) hours before measurements at dose 20mg/kg weight. High-power light-emitting diode at 405 nm is used as an excitation source. Special opto-mechanical device is built for the LED to use the light guide of standard video-endoscopic system. Through endoscopic instrumental channel a fiber is applied to return information about fluorescence to microspectrometer. The fluorescence detected from tumor sites has very complex spectral origins. It consists of autofluorescence, fluorescence from exogenous fluorophores and re-absorption from the chromophores accumulated in the tissue investigated. Spectral features observed during endoscopic investigations could be distinct as the next regions: 450-630 nm region, where tissue autofluorescence is observed; 630-710 nm region, where fluorescence of PpIX is clearly pronounced; 530-580 nm region, where minima in the autofluorescence signal are observed, related to re-absorption of oxy-hemoglobin in this spectral area. Endogenous and exogenous fluorescence spectra are used to develop simple but effective algorithm, based on dimensionless ratio of the signals at 560 and 635 nm, for differentiation of normal/abnormal gastrointestinal tissues. Very good correlation between fluorescence signals and histology examination of the lesions investigated is achieved.

Similarities in STXM-NEXAFS Spectra of Atmospheric Particles and Secondary Organic Aerosol Generated from Glyoxal, α-Pinene, Isoprene, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, and d-Limonene

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

Shakya, Kabindra M.; Liu, Shang; Takahama, Satoshi

2013-02-06

Functional group composition of particles produced in smog chambers are examined using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) with near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy in order to identify characteristic spectral signatures for secondary organic aerosol (SOA). Glyoxal uptake studies showed absorption for mainly alkyl, carbon-nitrogen (C-N), and carboxylic carbonyl groups. The SOA formed from the photooxidation of α-pinene (with and without isoprene) showed stronger absorptions for alkyl and carbonyl groups than the glyoxal studies. The mass ratio of carbonyl to acid group was larger in α-pinene-only experiments relative to the mixed α-pinene-isoprene experiments. The chamber particle spectra were comparedmore » with the ambient particle spectra from multiple field campaigns to understand the potential SOA sources. One hundred nineteen particles from six field campaigns had spectral features that were considered similar to the chamber-SOA particles: MILAGRO-2006 (9 particles), VOCALS-2008 (42 particles), Whistler-2008 (22 particles), Scripps Pier-2009 (9 particles), Bakersfield-2010 (25 particles), and Whistler-2010 (12 particles). These similarities with SOA formed from glyoxal, α-pinene (with and without isoprene), 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and limonene provide spectroscopic evidence of SOA products from these precursors in ambient particles.« less

Mapping CTTS dynamics of Na- in tetrahydrofurane with ultrafast multichannel pump-probe spectroscopy.

PubMed

Shoshana, O; Pérez Lustres, J L; Ernsting, N P; Ruhman, S

2006-06-14

Using multichannel femtosecond spectroscopy we have followed Na- charge transfer to solvent (CTTS) dynamics in THF solution. Absorption of the primary photoproducts in the visible, resolved here for the first time, consists of an asymmetric triplet centered at 595 nm, which we assign to a metastable incompletely solvated neutral atomic sodium species. Decay of this feature within approximately 1 ps to a broad and structureless solvated neutral is accompanied by broadening and loss of spectral detail. Kinetic analysis shows that both the spectral structure and the decay of this band are independent of the excitation photon frequency in the range 400-800 nm. With different pump-probe polarizations the anisotropy in transient transmission has been charted and its variation with excitation wavelength surveyed. The anisotropies are assigned to the reactant bleach, indicating that due to solvent-induced symmetry breaking, the CTTS absorption band of Na- is made up of discreet orthogonally polarized sub bands. None of the anisotropy in transient absorption could be associated with the photoproduct triplet band even at the earliest measurable time delays. Along with the documented differences in the spatial distribution of ejected electrons across the tested excitation wavelength range, these results lead us to conclude that photoejection is extremely rapid, and that loss of correlations between the departing electron and its neutral core is faster than our time resolution of approximately 60 fs.

Remote sensing for environmental site screening and watershed evaluation in Utah Mine lands - East Tintic mountains, Oquirrh mountains, and Tushar mountains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rockwell, Barnaby W.; McDougal, Robert R.; Gent, Carol A.

2005-01-01

Imaging spectroscopy-a powerful remote-sensing tool for mapping subtle variations in the composition of minerals, vegetation, and man-made materials on the Earth's surface-was applied in support of environmental assessments and watershed evaluations in several mining districts in the State of Utah. Three areas were studied through the use of Landsat 7 ETM+ and Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data: (1) the Tintic mining district in the East Tintic Mountains southwest of Provo, (2) the Camp Floyd mining district (including the Mercur mine) and the Stockton (or Rush Valley) mining district in the Oquirrh Mountains south of the Great Salt Lake, and (3) the Tushar Mountains and Antelope Range near Marysvale. The Landsat 7 ETM+ data were used for initial site screening and the planning of AVIRIS surveys. The AVIRIS data were analyzed to create spectrally defined maps of surface minerals with special emphasis on locating and characterizing rocks and soils with acid-producing potential (APP) and acid-neutralizing potential (ANP). These maps were used by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for three primary purposes: (1) to identify unmined and anthropogenic sources of acid generation in the form of iron sulfide and (or) ferric iron sulfate-bearing minerals such as jarosite and copiapite; (2) to seek evidence for downstream or downwind movement of minerals associated with acid generation, mine waste, and (or) tailings from mines, mill sites, and zones of unmined hydrothermally altered rocks; and (3) to identify carbonate and other acid-buffering minerals that neutralize acidic, potentially metal bearing, solutions and thus mitigate potential environmental effects of acid generation. Calibrated AVIRIS surface-reflectance data were spectrally analyzed to identify and map selected surface materials. Two maps were produced from each flightline of AVIRIS data: a map of iron-bearing minerals and water having absorption features in the spectral region from 0.35 ?m to 1.35 ?m and a map of minerals (including clays, sulfates, micas, and carbonates) having absorptions in the spectral region from 1.45 ?m to 2.51 ?m. Several methods were used to verify the AVIRIS mapping results, including field checking of selected locations with a portable spectrometer, visual inspection of the AVIRIS reflectance spectra, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of field samples. The maps of iron-bearing minerals derived from analysis of the visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) regions of the electromagnetic spectrum were shown to be more consistently reliable in indicating the presence of jarosite than were the maps generated from analysis of the short-wave infrared (SWIR) region. When present in abundance, phyllosilicate minerals tend to dominate the SWIR and mask the spectral features of jarosite in that wavelength region. The crystal field absorptions of jarosite in the VIS and NIR spectral regions will commonly be present regardless of whether the Fe-OH absorption feature near 2.27 ?m can be detected. For this reason, the VIS and NIR were preferable to the SWIR for the remote spectroscopic identification of jarosite (and other iron-bearing minerals). Large exposures of unmined hydrothermally altered rocks occur throughout the three study areas. These rocks commonly contain sulfide or sulfate minerals that produce sulfuric acid upon subaerial oxidation. The acid may be introduced into local surface and ground water and thus lower the baseline (that is, the premining) pH for a watershed. The three study areas also have widespread exposures of rocks with acid-neutralizing potential. Lithologies containing carbonates and (or) other acid-buffering minerals-such as sedimentary limestones and dolomites and propylitically altered igneous rocks-were mapped with the AVIRIS data throughout the Oquirrh and East Tintic Mountains and locally in the Antelope Range and Tushar Mountains. Because elevated levels o

Constraints on iron sulfate and iron oxide mineralogy from ChemCam visible/near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy of Mt. Sharp basal units, Gale Crater, Mars

DOE PAGES

Johnson, Jeffrey R.; Bell, James F.; Bender, Steve; ...

2016-07-01

Relative reflectace point spectra (400–840 nm) were acquired by the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity in passive mode (no laser) of drill tailings and broken rock fragments near the rover as it entered the lower reaches of Mt. Sharp and of landforms at distances of 2–8 km. Freshly disturbed surfaces are less subject to the spectral masking effects of dust, and revealed spectral features consistent with the presence of iron oxides and ferric sulfates. Here, we present the first detection on Mars of a ~433 nm absorption band consistent with small abundancesmore » of ferric sulfates, corroborated by jarosite detections by the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) X-ray diffraction instrument in the Mojave, Telegraph Peak, and Confidence Hills drilled samples. The disturbed materials near the Bonanza King region also exhibited strong 433 nm bands and negative near-infrared spectral slopes consistent with jarosite. ChemCam passive spectra of the Confidence Hills and Mojave drill tailings showed features suggestive of the crystalline hematite identified by CheMin analyses. The Windjana drill sample tailings exhibited flat, low relative reflectance spectra, explained by the occurrence of magnetite detected by CheMin. Passive spectra of Bonanza King were similar, suggesting the presence of spectrally dark and neutral minerals such as magnetite. Long-distance spectra of the “Hematite Ridge” feature (3–5 km from the rover) exhibited features consistent with crystalline hematite. The Bagnold dune field north of the Hematite Ridge area exhibited low relative reflectance and near-infrared features indicative of basaltic materials (olivine, pyroxene). Light-toned layers south of Hematite Ridge lacked distinct spectral features in the 400–840 nm region, and may represent portions of nearby clay minerals and sulfates mapped with orbital near-infrared observations. The presence of ferric sulfates such as jarosite in the drill tailings suggests a relatively acidic environment, likely associated with flow of iron-bearing fluids, associated oxidation, and/or hydrothermal leaching of sedimentary rocks. Combined with other remote sensing data sets, mineralogical constraints from ChemCam passive spectra will continue to play an important role in interpreting the mineralogy and composition of materials encountered as Curiosity traverses further south within the basal layers of the Mt. Sharp complex.« less

Constraints on iron sulfate and iron oxide mineralogy from ChemCam visible/near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy of Mt. Sharp basal units, Gale Crater, Mars

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

Johnson, Jeffrey R.; Bell, James F.; Bender, Steve

Relative reflectace point spectra (400–840 nm) were acquired by the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity in passive mode (no laser) of drill tailings and broken rock fragments near the rover as it entered the lower reaches of Mt. Sharp and of landforms at distances of 2–8 km. Freshly disturbed surfaces are less subject to the spectral masking effects of dust, and revealed spectral features consistent with the presence of iron oxides and ferric sulfates. Here, we present the first detection on Mars of a ~433 nm absorption band consistent with small abundancesmore » of ferric sulfates, corroborated by jarosite detections by the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) X-ray diffraction instrument in the Mojave, Telegraph Peak, and Confidence Hills drilled samples. The disturbed materials near the Bonanza King region also exhibited strong 433 nm bands and negative near-infrared spectral slopes consistent with jarosite. ChemCam passive spectra of the Confidence Hills and Mojave drill tailings showed features suggestive of the crystalline hematite identified by CheMin analyses. The Windjana drill sample tailings exhibited flat, low relative reflectance spectra, explained by the occurrence of magnetite detected by CheMin. Passive spectra of Bonanza King were similar, suggesting the presence of spectrally dark and neutral minerals such as magnetite. Long-distance spectra of the “Hematite Ridge” feature (3–5 km from the rover) exhibited features consistent with crystalline hematite. The Bagnold dune field north of the Hematite Ridge area exhibited low relative reflectance and near-infrared features indicative of basaltic materials (olivine, pyroxene). Light-toned layers south of Hematite Ridge lacked distinct spectral features in the 400–840 nm region, and may represent portions of nearby clay minerals and sulfates mapped with orbital near-infrared observations. The presence of ferric sulfates such as jarosite in the drill tailings suggests a relatively acidic environment, likely associated with flow of iron-bearing fluids, associated oxidation, and/or hydrothermal leaching of sedimentary rocks. Combined with other remote sensing data sets, mineralogical constraints from ChemCam passive spectra will continue to play an important role in interpreting the mineralogy and composition of materials encountered as Curiosity traverses further south within the basal layers of the Mt. Sharp complex.« less

Thermal emission and absorption of radiation in finite inverted-opal photonic crystals

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

Florescu, Marian; Stimpson, Andrew J.; Lee, Hwang

We study theoretically the optical properties of a finite inverted-opal photonic crystal. The light-matter interaction is strongly affected by the presence of the three-dimensional photonic crystal and the alterations of the light emission and absorption processes can be used to suppress or enhance the thermal emissivity and absorptivity of the dielectric structure. We investigate the influence of the absorption present in the system on the relevant band edge frequencies that control the optical response of the photonic crystal. Our study reveals that the absorption processes cause spectral broadening and shifting of the band edge optical resonances, and determine a strongmore » reduction of the photonic band gap spectral range. Using the angular and spectral dependence of the band edge frequencies for stop bands along different directions, we argue that by matching the blackbody emission spectrum peak with a prescribed maximum of the absorption coefficient, it is possible to achieve an angle-sensitive enhancement of the thermal emission/absorption of radiation. This result opens a way to realize a frequency-sensitive and angle-sensitive photonic crystal absorbers/emitters.« less

Spectral Clustering of Hermean craters hollows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucchetti, Alice; Pajola, Maurizio; Cremonese, Gabriele; Carli, Cristian; Marzo, Giuseppe; Roush, Ted

2017-04-01

The Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS, Hawkins et al., 2007) onboard NASA MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) spacecraft, provided high-resolution images of "hollows", i.e. shallow, irregular, rimless, flat-floored depressions with bright interiors and halos, often found on crater walls, rims, floors and central peaks (Blewett et al., 2011, 2013). The formation mechanism of these features was suggested to be related to the depletion of subsurface volatiles (Blewett et al., 2011, Vaughan et al., 2012). To understand the hollows' mineralogical composition, which can provide new insights on Mercury's surface characterization, we applied a spectral clustering method to different craters where hollows are present. We chose, as first test case, the 20 km wide Dominici crater due to previous multiple spectral detection (Vilas et al., 2016). We used the MDIS WAC dataset covering Dominici crater with a scale of 935 m/pixel through eight filters, ranging from 0.433 to 0.996 μm. First, the images have been photometrically corrected using the Hapke parameters (Hapke et al., 2002) derived in Domingue et al. (2015). We then applied a statistical clustering over the entire dataset based on a K-means partitioning algorithm (Marzo et al., 2006). This approach was developed and evaluated by Marzo et al. (2006, 2008, 2009) and makes use of the Calinski and Harabasz criterion (Calinski, T., Harabasz, J., 1974) to identify the intrinsically natural number of clusters, making the process unsupervised. The natural number of ten clusters was identified and spectrally separates the Dominici surrounding terrains from its interior, as well as the two hollows from their edges. The units located on the brightest part of the south wall/rim of Dominici crater clearly present a wide absorption band between 0.558 and 0.828 μm. Hollows surrounding terrains typically present a red slope in the VNIR with a possible weak absorption band centered at 0.748 μm, while the interior of Dominici crater shows almost no absorption between 0.558 and 0.828 μm, but a possible absorption towards the IR is still evident. This detection is similar to what was described in Vilas et al. (2016), even if it is not located in the crater center as previously reported. The application of the clustering technique provides results similar to those reported in Vilas et al. (2016) and permits a deeper detailed study of the terrain spectral differences such as the discrimination of areas with a possible diagnostic absorption indicative of sulfides (e.g. MgS as suggested by Vilas et al., 2016). In addition, we were able to separate possible intermediate terrains that can be defined as "spectral transition" terrains, likely a mixture between the previously mentioned terrains (MgS, Vilas et al., 2016), or new compositional units. The next step is to choose other targets to apply the same clustering technique in order to characterize the different crater hollows presented on Hermean surface.

Directly Insight Into the Inter- and Intramolecular Interactions of CL-20/TNT Energetic Cocrystal through the Theoretical Simulations of THz Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Shi, Lu; Duan, Xiao-Hui; Zhu, Li-Guo; Liu, Xun; Pei, Chong-Hua

2016-03-03

Compared with cocrystal coformers, an explosive cocrystal has distinctive packing arrangements and complex intermolecular interactions. Identifying the spectral signatures of an explosive cocrystal and understanding the molecular low-frequency modes by means of the spectrum in the terahertz range are of great worth to the explicit mechanism of cocrystal formation. In this work, on the basis of the joint molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and solid-state density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we have investigated the terahertz (THz) absorption spectra of the CL-20/TNT cocrystal and its different directions as well as cocrystal coformers and determined the systematic and all-sided assignments of corresponding THz vibration modes. The THz spectral comparison of the cocrystal with different directions and the cocrystal coformers indicates that the CL-20/TNT cocrystal has five fresh low-frequency absorption features as unique and discernible peaks for identification, in which 0.25, 0.73, and 0.87 THz are attributed to intensive crystalline vibrations; 0.87 THz is also caused by C-H···O hydrogen-bonding bending vibrations; 1.60 and 1.85 THz features originate from C-H···O hydrogen-bond stretching vibrations. Additionally, the THz spectrum of the (001) direction of the CL-20/TNT cocrystal verifies that the molecular conformation of the CL-20 is the same as that in the β-polymorph, other than the initial conformation of raw material ε-CL-20.

A combined experimental and theoretical spectroscopic protocol for determination of the structure of heterogeneous catalysts: developing the information content of the resonance Raman spectra of M1 MoVO x .

PubMed

Kubas, Adam; Noak, Johannes; Trunschke, Annette; Schlögl, Robert; Neese, Frank; Maganas, Dimitrios

2017-09-01

Absorption and multiwavelength resonance Raman spectroscopy are widely used to investigate the electronic structure of transition metal centers in coordination compounds and extended solid systems. In combination with computational methodologies that have predictive accuracy, they define powerful protocols to study the spectroscopic response of catalytic materials. In this work, we study the absorption and resonance Raman spectra of the M1 MoVO x catalyst. The spectra were calculated by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) in conjunction with the independent mode displaced harmonic oscillator model (IMDHO), which allows for detailed bandshape predictions. For this purpose cluster models with up to 9 Mo and V metallic centers are considered to represent the bulk structure of MoVO x . Capping hydrogens were used to achieve valence saturation at the edges of the cluster models. The construction of model structures was based on a thorough bonding analysis which involved conventional DFT and local coupled cluster (DLPNO-CCSD(T)) methods. Furthermore the relationship of cluster topology to the computed spectral features is discussed in detail. It is shown that due to the local nature of the involved electronic transitions, band assignment protocols developed for molecular systems can be applied to describe the calculated spectral features of the cluster models as well. The present study serves as a reference for future applications of combined experimental and computational protocols in the field of solid-state heterogeneous catalysis.

Mid-infrared Study of Stones from the Sutters Mill Meteorite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nuevo, Michel; Sandford, Scott A.; Flynn, George; Wirick, Sue

2013-01-01

The Sutter's Mill meteorite fell in northern California on April 22, 2012, and numerous pieces have been recovered and studied with several analytical techniques [1]. We present a Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis of fragments from several stones of the meteorite. Methods and analysis: Infrared spectra of samples SM2 and SM12 were recorded with a Nicolet iN10 MX FTIR microscope in the mid-IR range (4000-650/cm; spectral resolution 4/cm), while samples SM20 and SM30 were analyzed with a synchrotron-based Nicolet Continuum IR microscope in the same range. Samples were deposited on a clean glass slide, crushed with either a stainless steel roller tool or between 2 slides, and placed directly on the focal plane of the microscopes. Results: IR spectra of non-fusion crust samples show several absorption features associated with minerals such as olivines, phyllosilicates, carbonates (calcite and dolomite), and pyroxenes, as well as organics [2]. The carbonates display a main, broad band centered at 1433/cm, with additional bands at 2515/cm, 1797/cm, 882/cm, and 715/cm. Features associated with phyllosilicates include a symmetric Si-O stretching mode band centered at 1011/cm and several O-H stretching mode bands?a broad band centered at 3415/cm that is probably due to adsorbed H2O, and occasionally a much weaker, narrower feature centered near 3680/cm due to structural O-H. Features observed in the 2985-2855/cm range suggest the presence of aliphatic -CH3 and -CH2- groups. However, some of these bands show unusual relative intensities, mainly because of carbonate overtone bands that fall in the same spectral range, which can make the identification of C-H stretching bands problematic. The positions and relative strengths of the aliphatic -CH2- and -CH3 features, where they can be distinguished from overlapping carbonate bands, are consistent with those in interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and Murchison. Finally, the absence of a strong C=O absorption feature near 1700/cm distinguishes the organics in the Sutter's Mill meteorite from that in most IDPs and in Murchison, but is consistent with the organic matter in Tagish Lake.

Diagnosis of Breast Cancer Based on FT-IR Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkatachalam, P.; Rao, L. Lakshmana; Kumar, N. Krishna; Jose, Anupama; Nazeer, Shaiju S.

2008-11-01

Breast cancer is one of the most important malignant forms of cancer and a great threat to life for women. In the present study, the spectral characteristics of human breast tissues in normal and cancerous state have been investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) absorption spectroscopy in the spectral region from 4000 to 400 cm-1. Several spectral differences were detected in the frequency regions N-H stretching, C-H vibrations, amide bands and 900-1300 cm-1. The ratio of intensities of the bands of A3300/A3015 & A1650/A1550, A2924/A2853, A1080/A1236, A1204/A1650, A1055/A1467 and A1045/A1467 provide conformational changes of protein, lipids, nucleic acids, collagen, carbohydrates and glycogen respectively in the human breast tissues. There are obvious differences in the spectral features between normal and cancerous tissues because of changes in molecular compositions and structures that accompany the transformation from a normal to a cancerous state. The differences suggest that the spectral information are useful for the diagnosis of breast cancer and may serve as a basis for conformational changes in tissue components during carcinogenesis.

The red edge in arid region vegetation: 340-1060 nm spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Terrill W.; Murray, Bruce C.; Chehbouni, A.; Njoku, Eni

1993-01-01

The remote sensing study of vegetated regions of the world has typically been focused on the use of broad-band vegetation indices such as NDVI. Various modifications of these indices have been developed in attempts to minimize the effect of soil background, e.g., SAVI, or to reduce the effect of the atmosphere, e.g., ARVI. Most of these indices depend on the so-called 'red edge,' the sharp transition between the strong absorption of chlorophyll pigment in visible wavelengths and the strong scattering in the near-infrared from the cellular structure of leaves. These broadband indices tend to become highly inaccurate as the green canopy cover becomes sparse. The advent of high spectral resolution remote sensing instrument such as the Airborne Visible and Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) has allowed the detection of narrow spectral features in vegetation and there are reports of detection of the red edge even for pixels with very low levels of green vegetation cover by Vane et al. and Elvidge et al., and to characterize algal biomass in coastal areas. Spectral mixing approaches similar to those of Smith et al. can be extended into the high spectral resolution domain allowing for the analysis of more endmembers, and potentially, discrimination between material with narrow spectral differences. Vegetation in arid regions tends to be sparse, often with small leaves such as the creosote bush. Many types of arid region vegetation spend much of the year with their leaves in a senescent state, i.e., yellow, with lowered chlorophyll pigmentation. The sparseness of the leaves of many arid region plants has the dual effect of lowering the green leaf area which can be observed and of allowing more of the sub-shrub soil to be visible which further complicates the spectrum of a region covered with arid region vegetation. Elvidge examined the spectral characteristics of dry plant materials showing significant differences in the region of the red edge and the diagnostic ligno-cellulose absorptions at 2090 nm and 2300 nm. Ray et al. detected absorption at 2100 nm in AVIRIS spectra of an abandoned field known to be covered by a great deal of dead plant litter. In order to better study arid region vegetation remote sensing data, it is necessary to better characterize the reflectance spectra of in situ, living, arid region plants.

Using dimers to measure biosignatures and atmospheric pressure for terrestrial exoplanets.

PubMed

Misra, Amit; Meadows, Victoria; Claire, Mark; Crisp, Dave

2014-02-01

We present a new method to probe atmospheric pressure on Earth-like planets using (O2-O2) dimers in the near-infrared. We also show that dimer features could be the most readily detectable biosignatures for Earth-like atmospheres and may even be detectable in transit transmission with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The absorption by dimers changes more rapidly with pressure and density than that of monomers and can therefore provide additional information about atmospheric pressures. By comparing the absorption strengths of rotational and vibrational features to the absorption strengths of dimer features, we show that in some cases it may be possible to estimate the pressure at the reflecting surface of a planet. This method is demonstrated by using the O2 A band and the 1.06 μm dimer feature, either in transmission or reflected spectra. It works best for planets around M dwarfs with atmospheric pressures between 0.1 and 10 bar and for O2 volume mixing ratios above 50% of Earth's present-day level. Furthermore, unlike observations of Rayleigh scattering, this method can be used at wavelengths longer than 0.6 μm and is therefore potentially applicable, although challenging, to near-term planet characterization missions such as JWST. We also performed detectability studies for JWST transit transmission spectroscopy and found that the 1.06 and 1.27 μm dimer features could be detectable (SNR>3) for an Earth analogue orbiting an M5V star at a distance of 5 pc. The detection of these features could provide a constraint on the atmospheric pressure of an exoplanet and serve as biosignatures for oxygenic photosynthesis. We calculated the required signal-to-noise ratios to detect and characterize O2 monomer and dimer features in direct imaging-reflected spectra and found that signal-to-noise ratios greater than 10 at a spectral resolving power of R=100 would be required.

Verification of small-scale water vapor features in VAS imagery using high resolution MAMS imagery. [VISSR Atmospheric Sounder - Multispectral Atmospheric Mapping Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menzel, Paul W.; Jedlovec, Gary; Wilson, Gregory

1986-01-01

The Multispectral Atmospheric Mapping Sensor (MAMS), a modification of NASA's Airborne Thematic Mapper, is described, and radiances from the MAMS and the VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (VAS) are compared which were collected simultaneously on May 18, 1985. Thermal emission from the earth atmosphere system in eight visible and three infrared spectral bands (12.3, 11.2 and 6.5 microns) are measured by the MAMS at up to 50 m horizontal resolution, and the infrared bands are similar to three of the VAS infrared bands. Similar radiometric performance was found for the two systems, though the MAMS showed somewhat less attenuation from water vapor than VAS because its spectral bands are shifted to shorter wavelengths away from the absorption band center.

Use of PZT's for adaptive control of Fabry-Perot etalon plate figure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skinner, WIlbert; Niciejewski, R.

2005-01-01

A Fabry Perot etalon, consisting of two spaced and reflective glass flats, provides the mechanism by which high resolution spectroscopy may be performed over narrow spectral regions. Space based applications include direct measurements of Doppler shifts of airglow absorption and emission features and the Doppler broadening of spectral lines. The technique requires a high degree of parallelism between the two flats to be maintained through harsh launch conditions. Monitoring and adjusting the plate figure by illuminating the Fabry Perot interferometer with a suitable monochromatic source may be performed on orbit to actively control of the parallelism of the flats. This report describes the use of such a technique in a laboratory environment applied to a piezo-electric stack attached to the center of a Fabry Perot etalon.

Reflectance spectroscopy of fresh whole leaves for the estimation of chemical concentration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curran, Paul J.; Dungan, Jennifer L.; Macler, Bruce A.; Plummer, Stephen E.; Peterson, David L.

1992-01-01

Remotely sensed plant-canopy data in the visible and near-IR ranges are used to establish relations between the canopy reflectance and the chemical content of the leaves. The mathematical relation is generated by means of stepwise regression based on the derivative reflectance at certain wavelengths. Fourier filtering and sample control are used to minimize instrument noise and spectral overlap respectively, and absorption features are noted that correspond to sugar and protein. The coefficients of determination between estimated and measured concentrations are at least 0.82 for such substances as starch and chlorophyll. It is recommended in the analysis of remotly sensed canopy data that the chemicals with strong spectral overlaps with the chemical of interest be accounted for in order to estimate foliar chemical concentrations accurately.

A fully functionalized metamaterial perfect absorber with simple design and implementation.

PubMed

Fu, Sze Ming; Zhong, Yan Kai; Tu, Ming Hsiang; Chen, Bo Ruei; Lin, Albert

2016-10-26

Broadband perfect metamaterial absorbers have been drawing significant attention in recent years. A close-to-unity absorption over a broad spectral range is established and this facilitates many photonic applications. A more challenging goal is to construct a broadband absorber with a tailored spectral absorption. The spectral absorption control and spectral shaping are very critical in many applications, such as thermal-photovoltaic, thermal emitters, spectrum imaging system, biomedical and extraterrestrial sensing, and refractive index sensor. In this work, one-dimensional (1D) planar stacking structure is designed to achieve the ultimate goal of a functionalized absorber with a fully tailorable spectral absorption. The lithography and etching process are totally eliminated in this proposed structure, and the fabrication is fully compatible with the regular silicon IC processing. By using ~2 nm ultra-thin metallic layers with a 10-pair (10X) SiO 2 /Si 3 N 4 integrated dielectric filter, we can achieve decent spectral response shaping. The planar configuration of the ultra-thin-metal metamaterial perfect absorber (MPA) is the key to the easy design/integration of the dielectric filters on top of the MPA. Specifically, band-rejected, high-pass, low-pass and band-pass structure are constructed successfully. Finally, experimental evidence to support our simulation result is also provided, which proves the feasibility of our proposal.

[The Study on the Far-FTIR and THz Spectra of Azitromycin Drugs with Different Physical Forms].

PubMed

Yang, Yu-ping; Fan, Li-jie; Cui, Bin; Chen, Gen-xiang; Zhang, Zhen-wei; Zhang, Cun-lin

2015-11-01

Far Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (Far-FTIR) and terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) were used to measure the fingerprint spectra of Azitromycin suspension, capsule, tablet and dispersible tablet under vacuum and nitrogen conditions, respectively. In the frequency range of 0.2-15 THz, highly resolved spectral features for Azitromycin suspension were measured and some minor differences were observed between domestic and exotic Azitromycin Suspension, such as linewidth broadening and additional peaks. As same time, for the domestic Azitromycin capsule, tablet and dispersible tablet, the absorption baselines in the range of 0.2-2.7 THz rise with the increase of frequency while absorption peaks become weaker due to the scattering of bigger particles and smaller amount of Azitromycin. Also, the additional peaks are caused by the absorption of filling materials. In parallel with the qualitative measurement, the THz absorption spectra for mixtures of polyethylene (PE) powders and exotic Azithomycin suspension with different concentrations were also measured. According to the linear correlation between the concentration and the absorption intensity, the concentration of effective component can be evaluated accurately. This means that THz-TDS method is suitable for the quality inspection and evaluation of the mixed Azithromycin system.

Modern Progress and Modern Problems in High Resolution X-ray Absorption from the Cold Interstellar Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corrales, Lia; Li, Haochuan; Heinz, Sebastian

2018-01-01

With accurate cross-sections and higher signal-to-noise, X-ray spectroscopy can directly measure Milky Way gas and dust-phase metal abundances with few underlying assumptions. The X-ray energy band is sensitive to absorption by all abundant interstellar metals — carbon, oxygen, neon, silicon, magnesium, and iron — whether they are in gas or dust form. High resolution X-ray spectra from Galactic X-ray point sources can be used to directly measure metal abundances from all phases of the interstellar medium (ISM) along singular sight lines. We show our progress for measuring the depth of photoelectric absorption edges from neutral ISM metals, using all the observations of bright Galactic X-ray binaries available in the Chandra HETG archive. The cross-sections we use take into account both the absorption and scattering effects by interstellar dust grains on the iron and silicate spectral features. However, there are many open problems for reconciling X-ray absorption spectroscopy with ISM observations in other wavelengths. We will review the state of the field, lab measurements needed, and ways in which the next generation of X-ray telescopes will contribute.

Accurately Measuring the Color of the Ocean on Earth and from Space: Uncertainties Revisited and A Report from the Community-Led Spectral Absorption Workshop to Update and Revise the NASA Inherent Optical Properties Protocol

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neeley, Aimee Renee

2014-01-01

The color of the ocean (apparent optical properties or AOPs) is determined by the spectral scattering and absorption of light by its dissolved and particulate constituents.The absorption and scattering properties of the water column are the so-called inherent optical properties.

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

PubMed

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

2016-07-08

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

Developing Automated Spectral Analysis Tools for Interstellar Features Extractionto Support Construction of the 3D ISM Map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puspitarini, L.; Lallement, R.; Monreal-Ibero, A.; Chen, H.-C.; Malasan, H. L.; Aprilia; Arifyanto, M. I.; Irfan, M.

2018-04-01

One of the ways to obtain a detailed 3D ISM map is by gathering interstellar (IS) absorption data toward widely distributed background target stars at known distances (line-of-sight/LOS data). The radial and angular evolution of the LOS measurements allow the inference of the ISM spatial distribution. For a better spatial resolution, one needs a large number of the LOS data. It requires building fast tools to measure IS absorption. One of the tools is a global analysis that fit two different diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) simultaneously. We derived the equivalent width (EW) ratio of the two DIBs recorded in each spectrum of target stars. The ratio variability can be used to study IS environmental conditions or to detect DIB family.

Dynamical effects in x-ray absorption spectra of graphene and monolayered h -BN on Ni(111)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusz, J.; Preobrajenski, A. B.; Ng, May Ling; Vinogradov, N. A.; Mårtensson, N.; Wessely, O.; Sanyal, B.; Eriksson, O.

2010-02-01

We present first-principles calculations of x-ray absorption spectra of graphene and hexagonal BN monolayer on the Ni(111) substrate. Including dynamical core-hole screening effects according to the theory of Mahan-Nozières-de Dominics (MND) results in an overall good agreement with previously published experimental data and our new observations. This approach provides a unified first-principles description of the electronic structure and core excitations in the sp2 -bonded materials on metal surfaces and a better insight into the dynamics of screening effects. We demonstrate in particular that the observed spectral features of graphene and hexagonal BN can be well reproduced with the MND theory, and that they are determined by a delicate balance between initial and final-state effects.

ASTER spectral analysis and lithologic mapping of the Khanneshin carbonatite volcano, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mars, John C.; Rowan, Lawrence C.

2011-01-01

Advanced Spaceborne Thermal and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data of the early Quaternary Khanneshin carbonatite volcano located in southern Afghanistan were used to identify carbonate rocks within the volcano and to distinguish them from Neogene ferruginous polymict sandstone and argillite. The carbonatitic rocks are characterized by diagnostic CO3 absorption near 11.2 μm and 2.31–2.33 μm, whereas the sandstone, argillite, and adjacent alluvial deposits exhibit intense Si-O absorption near 8.7 μm caused mainly by quartz and Al-OH absorption near 2.20 μm due to muscovite and illite.Calcitic carbonatite was distinguished from ankeritic carbonatite in the short wave infrared (SWIR) region of the ASTER data due to a slight shift of the CO3 absorption feature toward 2.26 μm (ASTER band 7) in the ankeritic carbonatite spectra. Spectral assessment using ASTER SWIR data suggests that the area is covered by extensive carbonatite flows that contain calcite, ankerite, and muscovite, though some areas mapped as ankeritic carbonatite on a preexisting geologic map were not identified in the ASTER data. A contact aureole shown on the geologic map was defined using an ASTER false color composite image (R = 6, G = 3, B = 1) and a logical operator byte image. The contact aureole rocks exhibit Fe2+, Al-OH, and Fe, Mg-OH spectral absorption features at 1.65, 2.2, and 2.33 μm, respectively, which suggest that the contact aureole rocks contain muscovite, epidote, and chlorite. The contact aureole rocks were mapped using an Interactive Data Language (IDL) logical operator.A visible through short wave infrared (VNIR-SWIR) mineral and rock-type map based on matched filter, band ratio, and logical operator analysis illustrates: (1) laterally extensive calcitic carbonatite that covers most of the crater and areas northeast of the crater; (2) ankeritic carbonatite located southeast and north of the crater and some small deposits located within the crater; (3) agglomerate that primarily covers the inside rim of the crater and a small area west of the crater; (4) a crater rim that consists mostly of epidote-chlorite-muscovite–rich metamorphosed argillite and sandstone; and (5) iron (Fe3+) and muscovite-illite–rich rocks and iron-rich eolian sands surrounding the western part of the volcano. The thermal infrared (TIR) rock-type map illustrates laterally extensive carbonatitic and mafic rocks surrounded by quartz-rich eolian and fluvial reworked sediments. In addition, the combination of VNIR, SWIR, and TIR data complement one another in that the TIR data illustrate more laterally extensive rock types and the VNIR-SWIR data distinguish more specific varieties of rocks and mineral mixtures.

Estimating Achievable Accuracy for Global Imaging Spectroscopy Measurement of Non-Photosynthetic Vegetation Cover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dennison, P. E.; Kokaly, R. F.; Daughtry, C. S. T.; Roberts, D. A.; Thompson, D. R.; Chambers, J. Q.; Nagler, P. L.; Okin, G. S.; Scarth, P.

2016-12-01

Terrestrial vegetation is dynamic, expressing seasonal, annual, and long-term changes in response to climate and disturbance. Phenology and disturbance (e.g. drought, insect attack, and wildfire) can result in a transition from photosynthesizing "green" vegetation to non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV). NPV cover can include dead and senescent vegetation, plant litter, agricultural residues, and non-photosynthesizing stem tissue. NPV cover is poorly captured by conventional remote sensing vegetation indices, but it is readily separable from substrate cover based on spectral absorption features in the shortwave infrared. We will present past research motivating the need for global NPV measurements, establishing that mapping seasonal NPV cover is critical for improving our understanding of ecosystem function and carbon dynamics. We will also present new research that helps determine a best achievable accuracy for NPV cover estimation. To test the sensitivity of different NPV cover estimation methods, we simulated satellite imaging spectrometer data using field spectra collected over mixtures of NPV, green vegetation, and soil substrate. We incorporated atmospheric transmittance and modeled sensor noise to create simulated spectra with spectral resolutions ranging from 10 to 30 nm. We applied multiple methods of NPV estimation to the simulated spectra, including spectral indices, spectral feature analysis, multiple endmember spectral mixture analysis, and partial least squares regression, and compared the accuracy and bias of each method. These results prescribe sensor characteristics for an imaging spectrometer mission with NPV measurement capabilities, as well as a "Quantified Earth Science Objective" for global measurement of NPV cover. Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.

Aging behavior of near atmospheric N2 ambient sputtered/patterned Au IR absorber thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaur, Surender P.; Kothari, Prateek; Rangra, Kamaljit; Kumar, Dinesh

2018-03-01

Near atmospheric N2 ambient sputtered Au thin films exhibit significant spectral absorptivity over medium to long wave infrared radiations. Thin films were found adequately robust for micropatterning using conventional photolithography and metal lift off processes. Since long term spectral absorptivity is major practical concern for Au blacks, this paper reports on aging behavior of near atmospheric Ar and Ar + N2 (1:1) ambient sputtered infrared absorber Au thin films. Comparative analysis on electrical, morphological and spectral absorption behavior of twenty-five weeks room temperature/vacuum aged Au infrared absorber thin films is performed. The Ar and Ar + N2 ambient sputtered Au thing films have shown anticipated consistency in their physical, electrical and spectral properties regardless the long term aging in this work.

Carbon stars in the X-Shooter Spectral Library

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonneau, A.; Lançon, A.; Trager, S. C.; Aringer, B.; Lyubenova, M.; Nowotny, W.; Peletier, R. F.; Prugniel, P.; Chen, Y.-P.; Dries, M.; Choudhury, O. S.; Falcón-Barroso, J.; Koleva, M.; Meneses-Goytia, S.; Sánchez-Blázquez, P.; Vazdekis, A.

2016-05-01

We provide a new collection of spectra of 35 carbon stars obtained with the ESO/VLT X-Shooter instrument as part of the X-Shooter Spectral Library project. The spectra extend from 0.3 μm to 2.4 μm with a resolving power above ~8000. The sample contains stars with a broad range of (J - K) color and pulsation properties located in the Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds. We show that the distribution of spectral properties of carbon stars at a given (J - K) color becomes bimodal (in our sample) when (J - K) is larger than about 1.5. We describe the two families of spectra that emerge, characterized by the presence or absence of the absorption feature at 1.53 μm, generally associated with HCN and C2H2. This feature appears essentially only in large-amplitude variables, though not in all observations. Associated spectral signatures that we interpret as the result of veiling by circumstellar matter, indicate that the 1.53 μm feature might point to episodes of dust production in carbon-rich Miras. Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, Paranal, Chile, Prog. ID 084.B-0869(A/B), 085.B-0751(A/B), 189.B-0925(A/B/C/D).Tables 1, B.1, E.1, E.2 are also available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/589/A36The reduced spectra are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/589/A36

The CarbonSat candidate mission for imaging greenhouse gases from space: concepts and system requirements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sierk, B.; Caron, J.; Bézy, J.-L.; Löscher, A.; Meijer, Y.; Jurado, P.

2017-11-01

CarbonSat is a candidate mission for ESA's Earth Explorer program, currently undergoing industrial feasibility studies. The primary mission objective is the identification and quantification of regional and local sources and sinks of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). The mission also aims at discriminating natural and anthropogenic fluxes. The space-borne instrument will quantify the spatial distribution of CO2 and CH4 by measuring dry air column-averaged mixing ratios with high precision and accuracy (0.5 ppm for CO2 and 5 ppb for CH4). These products are inferred from spectrally resolved measurements of Earth reflectance in three spectral bands in the Near Infrared (747-773 nm) and Short Wave Infrared (1590-1675 nm and 1925-2095 nm), at high and medium spectral resolution (0.1nm, 0.3 nm, and 0.55 nm). Three spatially co-aligned push-broom imaging spectrometers with a swath width <180 km will acquire observations at a spatial resolution of 2 x 3 km2 , reaching global coverage every 12 days above 40 degrees latitude (30 days at the equator). The targeted product accuracy translates into stringent radiometric, spectral and geometric requirements for the instrument. Because of the high sensitivity of the product retrieval to spurious spectral features of the instrument, special emphasis is placed on constraining relative spectral radiometric errors from polarisation sensitivity, diffuser speckles and stray light. A new requirement formulation targets to simultaneously constrain both the amplitude and the correlation of spectral features with the absorption structures of the targeted gases. The requirement performance analysis of the so-called effective spectral radiometric accuracy (ESRA) establishes a traceable link between instrumental artifacts and the impact on the level-2 products (column-averaged mixing ratios). This paper presents the derivation of system requirements from the demanding mission objectives and report preliminary results of the feasibility studies.

Reflectance spectroscopy of pigmented cutaneous benign and malignant lesions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borisova, E.; Jeliazkova, Al.; Pavlova, E.; Troyanova, P.; Kundurdjiev, T.; Pavlova, P.; Avramov, L.

2014-10-01

For the DRS measurements of skin benign, dysplastic and malignant lesions in vivo we applied halogen lamp (LS-1, OceanOptics Inc, Dunedin, Fl, USA) as a continuous light source in the region of 400-900 nm, optical probe (6+1 fibers) for the delivery of illumination and diffuse reflected light from the skin investigated and microspectrometer USB4000 (OceanOptics Inc., Dunedin, Fl, USA) for a storage and display of the spectra detected. As a diffuse reflectance standard Spectralon® plate was used to calibrate the spectrometer. The reflectance spectra obtained from normal skin in identical anatomic sites of different patients have similar spectral shape features, slightly differ by the reflectance intensity at different wavelengths, depending on the particular patient' skin phototype. One could find diagnostically important spectral features, related to specific intensity changes for a given wavelength due to specific pigments appearance, slope changes by value and sign for the reflectance spectra curves in a specific spectral range, disappearance or manifestation of minima, related to hemoglobin absorption at 410-420 nm, 543, 575 nm. Based on the observed peculiarities multispectral analysis of the reflectance spectra of the different lesions was used and diagnostically specific features are found. Discrimination using the DRS data obtained between benign compound and dermal nevi (45 cases), dysplastic nevi (17 cases) and pigmented malignant melanoma (41 cases) lesions is achieved with a diagnostic accuracy of 96 % for the benign nevi vs. MM, and 90 % for the dysplastic nevi vs. MM.

Location of γ -ray emission and magnetic field strengths in OJ 287

DOE PAGES

Hodgson, J. A.; Krichbaum, T. P.; Marscher, A. P.; ...

2017-01-06

We report the γ-ray BL Lac object OJ 287 is known to exhibit inner-parsec “jet-wobbling”, high degrees of variability at all wavelengths and quasi-stationary features, including an apparent (≈100°) position-angle change in projection on the sky plane. Sub-50 micro-arcsecond resolution 86 GHz observations with the global mm-VLBI array (GMVA) supplement ongoing multi-frequency VLBI blazar monitoring at lower frequencies. Using these maps, together with cm/mm total intensity and γ-ray observations from Fermi-LAT from 2008-2014, we aim to Observations with the GMVA offer approximately double the angular resolution compared with 43 GHz VLBA observations and enable us to observe above the synchrotronmore » self-absorption peak frequency. Fermi-LAT γ-ray data were reduced and analysed. The jet was spectrally decomposed at multiple locations along the jet. From this, we could derive estimates of the magnetic field using equipartition and synchrotron self-absorption arguments. How the field decreases down the jet provided an estimate of the distance to the jet apex and an estimate of the magnetic field strength at the jet apex and in the broad line region. Combined with accurate kinematics, we attempt to locate the site of γ-ray activity, radio flares, and spectral changes. Strong γ-ray flares appeared to originate from either the so-called core region, a downstream stationary feature, or both, with γ-ray activity significantly correlated with radio flaring in the downstream quasi-stationary feature. Magnetic field estimates were determined at multiple locations along the jet, with the magnetic field found to be ≥1.6 G in the core and ≤0.4 G in the downstream quasi-stationary feature. Finally, we therefore found upper limits on the location of the VLBI core as ≲6.0 pc from the jet apex and determined an upper limit on the magnetic field near the jet base of the order of thousands of Gauss.« less

Detection of HCN and C2H2 in ISO Spectra of Oxygen-Rich AGB Stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carbon, Duane F.; Chiar, Jean; Goorvitch, David; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Cool oxygen-rich AGB stars were not expected to have organic molecules like HCN in either their photospheres or circumstellar envelopes (CSEs). The discovery of HCN and CS microwave emission from the shallowest CSE layers of these stars was a considerable surprise and much theoretical effort has been expended in explaining the presence of such organics. To further explore this problem, we have undertaken a systematic search of oxygen-rich AGB stellar spectra in the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) data archive. Our purposes are to find evidence regarding critical molecular species that could be of value in choosing among the proposed theoretical models, to locate spectral features which might give clues to conditions deeper in the CSEs, and to lay the groundwork for future SIRTF (Space Infrared Telescope Facility) and SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) observations. Using carefully reduced observations, we have detected weak absorption features arising from HCN and possibly C2H2 in a small number of oxygen-rich AGB stars. The most compelling case is NML Cyg which shows both HCN (14 microns) and CO2 (15 microns). VY CMa, a similar star, shows evidence for HCN, but not CO2. Two S-type stars show evidence for the C-H bending transitions: W Aql at 14 microns (HCN) and both W Aql and S Cas at 13.7 microns (C2H2). Both W Aql and S Cas as well as S Lyr, a SC-type star, show 3 micron absorption which may arise from the C-H stretch of HCN and C2H2. In the case of NML Cyg, we show that the HCN and CO2 spectral features are formed in the CSE at temperatures well above those of the outermost CSE layers and derive approximate column densities. In the case of the S-stars, we discuss the evidence for the organic features and their photospheric origin.

Location of γ -ray emission and magnetic field strengths in OJ 287

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

Hodgson, J. A.; Krichbaum, T. P.; Marscher, A. P.

We report the γ-ray BL Lac object OJ 287 is known to exhibit inner-parsec “jet-wobbling”, high degrees of variability at all wavelengths and quasi-stationary features, including an apparent (≈100°) position-angle change in projection on the sky plane. Sub-50 micro-arcsecond resolution 86 GHz observations with the global mm-VLBI array (GMVA) supplement ongoing multi-frequency VLBI blazar monitoring at lower frequencies. Using these maps, together with cm/mm total intensity and γ-ray observations from Fermi-LAT from 2008-2014, we aim to Observations with the GMVA offer approximately double the angular resolution compared with 43 GHz VLBA observations and enable us to observe above the synchrotronmore » self-absorption peak frequency. Fermi-LAT γ-ray data were reduced and analysed. The jet was spectrally decomposed at multiple locations along the jet. From this, we could derive estimates of the magnetic field using equipartition and synchrotron self-absorption arguments. How the field decreases down the jet provided an estimate of the distance to the jet apex and an estimate of the magnetic field strength at the jet apex and in the broad line region. Combined with accurate kinematics, we attempt to locate the site of γ-ray activity, radio flares, and spectral changes. Strong γ-ray flares appeared to originate from either the so-called core region, a downstream stationary feature, or both, with γ-ray activity significantly correlated with radio flaring in the downstream quasi-stationary feature. Magnetic field estimates were determined at multiple locations along the jet, with the magnetic field found to be ≥1.6 G in the core and ≤0.4 G in the downstream quasi-stationary feature. Finally, we therefore found upper limits on the location of the VLBI core as ≲6.0 pc from the jet apex and determined an upper limit on the magnetic field near the jet base of the order of thousands of Gauss.« less

Space Weathering of Silicate Asteroids: An Observational Investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacLennan, Eric M.; Emery, Joshua; Lindsay, Sean S.

2017-10-01

Solar wind exposure and micrometeoroid bombardment are known to cause mineralogical changes in the upper few microns of silicate grains (by forming amorphous “composition” rims with embedded nano-phase Fe0). These processes, jointly called space weathering (SW), affect the light-scattering properties and subsequently the geometric albedo and spectral parameters (spectral slope and band depth). Earth’s Moon exhibits the well known “lunar-style” of SW: albedo decrease, spectral slope increase, and absorption band suppression. However, space mission images of (243) Ida and (433) Eros suggest that different SW “styles” exist among the silicate-bearing (olivine and pyroxene) S-complex asteroids, which exhibit diagnostic absorption features near 1 & 2 μm. While Eros generally shows only albedo differences between younger and older locations, Ida’s surface only shows changes in spectral slope and band depth. It is not clear if these SW styles are unique to Ida and Eros or if they can be observed throughout the entire asteroid population.We hypothesize that the SW styles seen on Eros and Ida also exist on other asteroid surfaces. Additionally, we hypothesize that increased solar wind exposure, smaller regolith particles, higher olivine abundance, and older asteroid surfaces will increase the observed degree of SW. Our dataset includes publicly available Visible (0.4-0.8 μm) and Near Infrared (~0.7-2.5 μm) reflectance spectra of silicate-bearing asteroids (those with 1 & 2 μm bands) from the PDS and the SMASS, S3OS2 and MIT-UH-IRTF spectral surveys. We have also conducted a spectral survey with the IRTF/SpeX targeting 52 silicate asteroids for which we have constraints for regolith grain sizes from interpretation of thermal-IR data. The relevant band parameters to SW and to interpreting mineralogical properties are calculated using the band analysis code, SARA. Geometric albedos are calculated using thermal-IR data from WISE/NEOWISE. Using these derived parameters, we search for potential SW styles among different spectral classes and for correlations with the factors listed above. Analysis on a subset of S-types suggests that heliocentric distance correlates with spectral slope and band depth but not albedo.

Trojan Asteroids: Spectral Groups, Volatiles, and Rotational Variation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emery, J. P.; Takir, D.; Stamper, N. G.; Lucas, M. P.

2017-12-01

Trojan asteroids comprise a substantial population of primitive bodies confined to Jupiter's stable Lagrange regions. ecause they likely became trapped in these orbits at the end of the initial phase of planetary formation and subsequent migration, the compositions of Trojans provide unique perspectives on chemical and dynamical processes that shaped the Solar System. Ices and organics are of particular interest for understanding Trojan histories. Published near-infrared (0.7 to 4.0 mm) spectra of Trojans show no absorption bands due to H2O or organics. However, if the Trojan asteroids formed at or beyond their present heliocentric distance of 5.2 AU and never spent significant amounts of time closer to the Sun, they should contain H2O ice. Two VNIR spectral groups exist within the Trojans: 2/3 of large Trojans form a cluster with very red (D-type-like) spectral slopes, while the other 1/3 cluster around less-red (P-type-like) slopes. Visible colors of smaller Trojans suggest that the ratio of red to less-red Trojans decreases with decreasing size, from which Wong and Brown (2015; AJ 150:174) suggest that the interiors of all Trojans are represented by the less-red spectral group. In order to further test the hypothesis that Trojans contain H­2O ice and complex organics and to test the result from visible colors that the spectral group ratio changes with size, we have measured near-infrared (0.8 - 2.5 μm) spectra of small ( 35 to 75 km) Trojans from both swarms using the SpeX spectrograph at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). We have also measured 2 - 4 μm spectra of several Trojans to search for spectral signatures of H2O and organics. We confirm that the two spectral groups persist to smaller sizes, and we still detect no absorption features that would be diagnostic of composition. The spectrum of two large Trojans show evidence of spectral slope variations with rotation, but spectra of several others do not. We will present the new spectra and discuss them in the context of Trojan compositions and origins.

Tunable diode laser measurements of HO2NO2 absorption coefficients near 12.5 microns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

May, R. D.; Molina, L. T.; Webster, C. R.

1988-01-01

A tunable diode laser spectrometer has been used to measure absorption coefficients of peroxynitric acid (HO2NO2) near the 803/cm Q branch. HO2NO2 concentrations in a low-pressure flowing gas mixture were determined from chemical titration procedures and UV absorption spectroscopy. The diode laser measured absorption coefficients, at a spectral resolution of better than 0.001/cm, are about 10 percent larger than previous Fourier transform infrared measurements made at a spectral resolution of 0.06/cm.

Non-water-ice constituents in the surface material of the icy Galilean satellites from the Galileo near-infrared mapping spectrometer investigation

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCord, T.B.; Hansen, G.B.; Clark, R.N.; Martin, P.D.; Hibbitts, C.A.; Fanale, F.P.; Granahan, J.C.; Segura, M.; Matson, D.L.; Johnson, T.V.; Carlson, R.W.; Smythe, W.D.; Danielson, G.E.

1998-01-01

We present evidence for several non-ice constituents in the surface material of the icy Galilean satellites, using the reflectance spectra returned by the Galileo near infrared mapping spectrometer (NIMS) experiment. Five new absorption features are described at 3.4, 3.88, 4.05, 4.25, and 4.57 ??m for Callisto and Ganymede, and some seem to exist for Europa as well. The four absorption bands strong enough to be mapped on Callisto and Ganymede are each spatially distributed in different ways, indicating different materials are responsible for each absorption. The spatial distributions are correlated at the local level in complex ways with surface features and in some cases show global patterns. Suggested candidate spectrally active groups, perhaps within larger molecules, producing the five absorptions include C-H, S-H, SO2, CO2, and C???N. Organic material like tholins are candidates for the 4.57- and 3.4-??m features. We suggest, based on spectroscopic evidence, that CO2 is present as a form which does not allow rotational modes and that SO2 is present neither as a frost nor a free gas. The CO2, SO2, and perhaps cyanogen (4.57 ??m) may be present as very small collections of molecules within the crystal structure, perhaps following models for radiation damage and/or for comet and interstellar grain formation at low temperatures. Some of the dark material on these surfaces may be created by radiation damage of the CO2 and other carbon-bearing species and the formation of graphite. These spectra suggest a complex chemistry within the surface materials and an important role for non-ice materials in the evolution of the satellite surfaces. Copyright 1998 by the American Geophysical Union.

Impact of Chromophoric dissolved organic matter on light absorption in lake water on the Tibetan Plateau, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nima, Ciren; Hamre, Børge; Frette, Øyvind; Erga, Svein Rune; Chen, Yi-Chun; Zhao, Lu; Sørensen, Kai; Norli, Marit; Stamnes, Jakob J.

2017-02-01

Ground-based measurements of optical properties are rare for water in lakes on the Tibetan Plateau (TP). We analyzed the spectral absorption of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) for water samples from Lake Namtso (LN) on the TP. The mean value of the spectral slope S280-500 for CDOM absorption was found to be 0.036 nm-1, whereas the corresponding mean value for S350-500 was found to be 0.015 nm-1, implying that when comparing spectral slope values with published values, the wavelength range used for deriving them should be considered.

In situ measurements of the optical absorption of dioxythiophene-based conjugated polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, J.; Schwendeman, I.; Ihas, B. C.; Clark, R. J.; Cornick, M.; Nikolou, M.; Argun, A.; Reynolds, J. R.; Tanner, D. B.

2011-05-01

Conjugated polymers can be reversibly doped by electrochemical means. This doping introduces new subband-gap optical absorption bands in the polymer while decreasing the band-gap absorption. To study this behavior, we have prepared an electrochemical cell allowing in situ measurements of the optical properties of the polymer. The cell consists of a thin polymer film deposited on gold-coated Mylar behind which is another polymer that serves as a counterelectrode. An infrared transparent window protects the upper polymer from ambient air. By adding a gel electrolyte and making electrical connections to the polymer-on-gold films, one may study electrochromism in a wide spectral range. As the cell voltage (the potential difference between the two electrodes) changes, the doping level of the conjugated polymer films is changed reversibly. Our experiments address electrochromism in poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and poly(3,4-dimethylpropylenedioxythiophene) (PProDOT-Me2). This closed electrochemical cell allows the study of the doping induced subband-gap features (polaronic and bipolaronic modes) in these easily oxidized and highly redox switchable polymers. We also study the changes in cell spectra as a function of polymer thickness and investigate strategies to obtain cleaner spectra, minimizing the contributions of water and gel electrolyte features.

On the Detectability of CO Molecules in the Interstellar Medium via X-Ray Spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joachimi, Katerine; Gatuzz, Efrain; Garcia, Javier; Kallman, Timothy R.

2016-01-01

We present a study of the detectability of CO molecules in the Galactic interstellar medium using high-resolution X-ray spectra obtained with the XMM-Newton Reflection Grating Spectrometer. We analysed 10 bright low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) to study the CO contribution in their line of sights. A total of 25 observations were fitted with the ISMabs X-ray absorption model which includes photoabsorption cross-sections for Oi, Oii, Oiii and CO. We performed a Monte Carlo (MC) simulation analysis of the goodness of fit in order to estimate the significance of the CO detection. We determine that the statistical analysis prevents a significant detection of CO molecular X-ray absorption features, except for the lines of sight towards XTE J1718-330 and 4U 1636-53. In the case of XTE J1817-330, this is the first report of the presence of CO along its line of sight. Our results reinforce the conclusion that molecules have a minor contribution to the absorption features in the O K-edge spectral region. We estimate a CO column density lower limit to perform a significant detection with XMM-Newton of N(CO) greater than 6 x 10(exp 16) per sq cm for typical exposure times.

Direct Imaging Detection of Methane in the Atmosphere of GJ 504 b

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Janson, Markus; Brandt, Timothy; Kuzuhara, Masayuki; Spiegel, David; Thalmann, Christian; Currie, Thayne; Bonnefoy, Mickael; Zimmerman, Neil; Sorahana, Satoko; Kotani, Takayuki;

Spectroscopic Evidence for the Asteroidal Nature of the July 2009 Jovian Impactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lisse, Carey; Orton, Glenn; Yanamandra-Fisher, Padma; Fletcher, Leigh; Depater, Imke; Hammel, Heidi

2010-05-01

The collision of a large object with Jupiter on July 19, 2009, heated its atmosphere, modified its composition and generated a prominent field of deposited particulate debris. Low-resolution 7-24 μm spectroscopy of the impact field obtained using the T-ReCS mid-infrared camera/spectrometer on Gemini/South on 24 July 2009 has revealed an excess 9-μm absorption in the impact debris in addition to that supplied by hot ammonia created in the impact. We have searched for candidate materials that would best fit the spectral feature near 9 μm, and find that the feature cannot be matched with candidate materials in Jupiter's atmosphere. A search through a large suite of gaseous and solid absorption spectra (c.f Lisse et al. 2008, 2009) revealed that the major competent matches were for (a) obsidian, a glassy silica, and (b) quartz and cristobalite, crystalline silicas, kinetic alteration products of primitive body ferromagnesian silicates formed at high pressures and temperatures over 1500 K. There are also weak features at 10 - 11 um consistent with olivine absorptions. While the high temperatures required to create silicas are also high enough to destroy the non-refractory water and organics dominating icy cometary bodies, and thus destroy their spectral signal, there was no detectable absorption due to pyroxene materials, which, along with olivines in roughly equal measure, comprise the majority of refractory silicaceous species found in comets (Lisse et al. 2007). This suggests that the impacting body was not a comet, but an olivine-rich differentiated body similar to asteroids that are abundant in the outer regions of the main asteroid belt (Lodders and Fegley 1998). We speculate that the weak structural strength of bulk cometary material causes a comet impactor to catastrophically disrupt at higher altitudes and lower temperatures than a strong, dense asteroidal body, so that the cometary refractory dust component remains relatively cold and unaltered through blowback and Jovian surface deposition, while asteroidal dust is heated enough to be transformed from silicates to silicas. Ancillary evidence for the asteroidal nature of the impactor arises from the singular nature of the impact site, the existence of asteroidal orbits consistent with the observed geometry (Chodas 2009, Orton et al. 2010), and the differences between the observed 2009 opacity spectra of the debris and the observed debris opacity created in July 1994 by the SL9 fragments. Nicholson et al. (1995) noted the presence of a non-gaseous component of their spectrum of the SL9 R fragment impact, which they fit with the 'astronomical silicate' of Draine (1985). Griffith et al. (1997) also required an opacity source besides NH3 gas in order to explain the spectral continuum associated with debris from the L fragment, inferring that it was most likely the result of a silicate feature similar to those in comets (Hanner et al. 1994). Both of these are consistent with increased opacity in the 10-12 μm region due to a mix of stratospheric debris consisting of olivines and pyroxenes, typically found in comets, without any additional opacity at ~9 um due to silica.

A Spectral Comparison of the M Asteroid 75 Eurydike and S Asteroid 27 Euterpe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Busarev, V. V.

1996-09-01

75 Euridyke and 27 Euterpe were observed under small phase angles and air mass differences with the same reference star of solar type (HD11170) in the course of a night. A scanning spectrophotometer operating in the mode of photon counting in the {3380--7617 Angstroms} range with a resolution of {48 Angstroms} mounted on the 1.25-m telescope in Crimea was used. The obtained reflectance spectra are similar in general shapes to those of other asteroids of corresponding classes [1]. So the bodies may have ordinary contents. On the spectra there are the following absorption features exeeded the error limits (RMSD). For 75 Eurydike these are at {5100 Angstroms} ( ~ 10% with a width of ~ {200 Angstroms}) and {6300 Angstroms} ( ~ 8% with a width of ~ {300 Angstroms}). For 27 Euterpe there are {5100 Angstroms} and {5650 Angstroms} (3--4% with widths of {200 Angstroms}), {6000 Angstroms} and {6550 Angstroms} (2--3% with widths of {400--500 Angstroms}) weak absorption bands. The common spectral features on the bodies at {5100 Angstroms} and {5650 Angstroms} may be a result of crystal-field transitions of Fe(2+) in pyroxenes as in lunar those [2]. The specific absorption band for 75 Eurydike at {6300 Angstroms} may be caused by charge transfer transitions Fe(2+) -Fe(3+) in oxidized pyroxenes as on Earth [4]. The features on the 27 Euterpe's spectra at {6000 Angstroms} and {6550 Angstroms} may arise in oxidized Fe-Ni metal and spinel-group minerals as on other S asteroids [3]. The results show that regolithes of both M and S asteroids may contain pyroxenes and Fe-Ni metal including their oxidized states as common factors influencing optical properties of the bodies. REFERENCES: 1. Chapman C. R. and M. J. Gaffey 1979. In: "Asteroids"(T. Gehrels, Ed.), p. 655--687. Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson. 2. Hazen R. M. et al. 1978. In: "Proc. LPSC 9th", p. 2919--2934. 3. Hiroi T. and F. Vilas 1996. "Icarus", V.119, p. 202--208. 4. Wagner J. K. et al. 1987. "Icarus", V.69, p. 14--28.

Reflectance Spectra Diversity of Silica-Rich Materials: Sensitivity to Environment and Implications for Detections on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rice, M. S.; Cloutis, E. A.; Bell, J. F., III; Bish, D. L.; Horgan, B. H.; Mertzman, S. A.; Craig, M. A.; Renault, R. W.; Gautason, B.; Mountain, B.

2013-01-01

Hydrated silica-rich materials have recently been discovered on the surface of Mars by the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Spirit, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM), and the Mars Express Observatoire pour la Mineralogie, l'Eau, les Glaces, et l'Activite'(OMEGA) in several locations. Having been interpreted as hydrothermal deposits and aqueous alteration products, these materials have important implications for the history of water on the martian surface. Spectral detections of these materials in visible to near infrared (Vis NIR) wavelengths have been based on a H2O absorption feature in the 934-1009 nm region seen with Spirit s Pancam instrument, and on SiOH absorption features in the 2.21-2.26 micron range seen with CRISM. Our work aims to determine how the spectral reflectance properties of silica-rich materials in Vis NIR wavelengths vary as a function of environmental conditions and formation. Here we present laboratory reflectance spectra of a diverse suite of silica-rich materials (chert, opal, quartz, natural sinters and synthetic silica) under a range of grain sizes and temperature, pressure, and humidity conditions. We find that the H2O content and form of H2O/OH present in silica-rich materials can have significant effects on their Vis NIR spectra. Our main findings are that the position of the approx.1.4 microns OH feature and the symmetry of the approx.1.9 microns feature can be used to discern between various forms of silica-rich materials, and that the ratio of the approx.2.2 microns (SiOH) and approx.1.9 microns (H2O) band depths can aid in distinguishing between silica phases (opal-A vs. opal-CT) and formation conditions (low vs. high temperature). In a case study of hydrated silica outcrops in Valles Marineris, we show that careful application of a modified version of these spectral parameters to orbital near-infrared spectra (e.g., from CRISM and OMEGA) can aid in characterizing the compositional diversity of silica-bearing deposits on Mars. We also discuss how these results can aid in the interpretation of silica detections on Mars made by the MER Panoramic Camera (Pancam) and Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mast-mounted Camera (Mastcam) instruments.

High-resolution reflectance spectra of Mars in the 2.3-μm region: evidence for the mineral scapolite

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Roger N.; Swayze, Gregg A.; Singer, Robert B.; Pollack, James B.

1990-01-01

patially resolved reflectance spectra of Mars in the 2.2- to 2.4-μm spectral region were obtained in August 1988 using the NASA 3-m Infrared Telescope Facility. The spectra show weak absorption features due to Martian atmospheric carbon monoxide and a surface mineral. Both CO and the mineral absorptions are composed of overlapping narrow features, but in many locations, such as Hellas, Chryse, Eden, and Moab, the mineral absorptions are quite strong, at least 3 times stronger than at the most absorbing wavelengths of CO near 2.33 μm. Therefore CO complicates the analysis of the surface mineral but does not always overwhelm its signature. Model removal of the Martian atmospheric CO has been performed, and the remaining absorption bands are identified as scapolite. Relatively strong absorptions that match bands in the spectrum of scapolite and have little or no CO absorption interference are seen near 2.41, 2.39, and 2.29 μm. Absorption also occurs at the scapolite bands at 2.36 and 2.33 μm, but the analysis is complicated by uncertainty in the atmospheric CO removal at these wavelengths. Weaker scapolite bands are seen at 2.44 and 2.23 μm where there is virtually no atmospheric interference. The scapolite bands observed on Mars are due to HCO3− and HSO4− ions in the scapolite structure. The bicarbonate and bisulfate contents appear to vary with location: the scapolite in Hellas is more bisulfate-rich relative to that in the Chryse/Moab/Eden area. Other locations contain little (Arabia, Syrtis Major, Hellespontica, and Isidis) or no scapolite (e.g., Margaritifer, Ausonia, and Erythraeum). The calculated abundances are unconstrained because the amounts of HCO3− and HSO4− in the Martian scapolites as well as their grain sizes are not known. If the scapolites contain about 3 wt % of each, near the maximum possible, the scapolite abundances probably range from about 5 wt % scapolite at Eden and Hellas; 3–5% at Chryse, Moab, and Oxia Palus; 2–3% at Arabia, Syrtis Major, and Isidis; to less than 2% at Hellespontica, Syrtis Minor, and Margaritifer, assuming a relatively large grain size of 50–100 μm. If the characteristic grain sizes are smaller or the HCO3− and HSO4− contents are lower, the scapolite abundances required to match the observed band depths would be higher. The mineral bands are apparent in many of the Mars spectra measured, so it appears to be widely but not uniformly distributed. The newly observed fine structure also varies greatly in both depth and spectral detail with location on Mars. Thus there appears to be regional variations in composition. The mineral phases appear to reflect local or regional geology and are not primarily contained in the homogeneous, globally redistributed aeolian dust. Higher spectral resolution Martian spectra in the 2.3-μm region as well as at 3.9 μm are needed to confirm the scapolite identification and to constrain its abundance.

Visible and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of Hephaestus Fossae Cratered Cones, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dapremont, A.; Wray, J. J.

2017-12-01

Hephaestus Fossae are a system of sub-parallel fractures on Mars (> 500 km long) interpreted as near-surface tensional cracks [1]. Images of the Martian surface from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment have revealed cratered cones within the Hephaestus Fossae region. A volcanic origin (cinder/tuff cones) has been proposed for these features based on morphometric measurements and fine-scale surface characteristics [2]. In an effort to further constrain the origin of these cones as the products of igneous or sedimentary volcanism, we use data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM). We take advantage of CRISM's S (0.4 - 1.0 microns) and L (1.0 - 3.9 microns) detector wavelength ranges to investigate the presence or absence of spectral signatures consistent with previous identifications of igneous and mud volcanism products on Mars [3,4]. Hephaestus Fossae cratered cone rims exhibit a consistent nanophase ferric oxide signature. We also identify ferrous phases and 3-micron absorptions (attributed to fundamental vibrational stretch frequencies in H2O) on the crater rims of several cones. Mafic signatures on cratered cone rims support an igneous provenance for these features. The 3-micron absorptions are consistent with the presence of structurally bound or adsorbed water. Our CRISM observations are similar to those of small edifice features in Chryse Planitia, which were interpreted as mud volcanism products based on their enrichment of nanophase ferric minerals and 3-micron absorptions on summit crater rims [3]. Hydrothermal activity was invoked for a Coprates Chasma pitted cone (scoria/tuff cone) based on CRISM identification of partially dehydrated opaline silica, which we do not observe in Hephaestus Fossae [4]. Our spectral observations are more consistent with mud volcanism, but we do not definitively rule out an igneous volcanic origin for the cones in our study region. We demonstrate that VNIR spectroscopy is a valuable tool in developing criteria to determine the origin (igneous/sedimentary/periglacial) of cone features on Mars. [1] Skinner and Tanaka (2007) Icarus 186: 41-59. [2] Dundas et al (2007) LPSC XXXVIII Abs #2116. [3] Komatsu et al (2016) Icarus 268: 56-75. [4] Brož et al (2017) Earth and Planetary Sci Letters 473: 122-130.

The spectrum of (136199) Eris between 350 and 2350 nm: results with X-Shooter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez-Candal, A.; Pinilla-Alonso, N.; Licandro, J.; Cook, J.; Mason, E.; Roush, T.; Cruikshank, D.; Gourgeot, F.; Dotto, E.; Perna, D.

2011-08-01

Context. X-Shooter is the first second-generation instrument for the ESO-Very Large Telescope. It is a spectrograph covering the entire 300-2480 nm spectral range at once with a high resolving power. These properties enticed us to observe the well-known trans-Neptunian object (136199) Eris during the science verification of the instrument. The target has numerous absorption features in the optical and near-infrared domain that have been observed by different authors, showing differences in these features' positions and strengths. Aims: Besides testing the capabilities of X-Shooter to observe minor bodies, we attempt to constrain the existence of super-volatiles, e.g., CH4, CO and N2, and in particular we try to understand the physical-chemical state of the ices on Eris' surface. Methods: We observed Eris in the 300 - 2480 nm range and compared the newly obtained spectra with those available in the literature. We identified several absorption features, measured their positions and depth, and compare them with those of the reflectance of pure methane ice obtained from the optical constants of this ice at 30 K to study shifts in these features' positions and find a possible explanation for their origin. Results: We identify several absorption bands in the spectrum that are all consistent with the presence of CH4 ice. We do not identify bands related to N2 or CO. We measured the central wavelengths of the bands and compared to those measured in the spectrum of pure CH4 at 30 K finding variable spectral shifts. Conclusions: Based on these wavelength shifts, we confirm the presence of a dilution of CH4 in other ice on the surface of Eris and the presence of pure CH4 that is spatially segregated. The comparison of the centers and shapes of these bands with previous works suggests that the surface is heterogeneous. The absence of the 2160 nm band of N2 can be explained if the surface temperature is below 35.6 K, the transition temperature between the alpha and beta phases of this ice. Our results, including the reanalysis of data published elsewhere, point to a heterogeneous surface on Eris. Observations made during X-Shooter Science Verification, program 60.A-9400(A), PIs: Alvarez-Candal and Mason.

In situ phytoplankton absorption, fluorescence emission, and particulate backscattering spectra determined from reflectance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roesler, Collin S.; Pery, Mary Jane

1995-01-01

An inverse model was developed to extract the absortion and scattering (elastic and inelastic) properties of oceanic constituents from surface spectral reflectance measurements. In particular, phytoplankton spectral absorption coefficients, solar-stimulated chlorophyll a fluorescence spectra, and particle backscattering spectra were modeled. The model was tested on 35 reflectance spectra obtained from irradiance measurements in optically diverse ocean waters (0.07 to 25.35 mg/cu m range in surface chlorophyll a concentrations). The universality of the model was demonstrated by the accurate estimation of the spectral phytoplankton absorption coefficents over a range of 3 orders of magnitude (rho = 0.94 at 500 nm). Under most oceanic conditions (chlorophyll a less than 3 mg/cu m) the percent difference between measured and modeled phytoplankton absorption coefficents was less than 35%. Spectral variations in measured phytoplankton absorption spectra were well predicted by the inverse model. Modeled volume fluorescence was weakly correlated with measured chl a; fluorescence quantum yield varied from 0.008 to 0.09 as a function of environment and incident irradiance. Modeled particle backscattering coefficients were linearly related to total particle cross section over a twentyfold range in backscattering coefficents (rho = 0.996, n = 12).

Iodine absorption cells quality evaluation methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hrabina, Jan; Zucco, Massimo; Holá, Miroslava; Šarbort, Martin; Acef, Ouali; Du-Burck, Frédéric; Lazar, Josef; Číp, Ondřej

2016-12-01

The absorption cells represent an unique tool for the laser frequency stabilization. They serve as irreplaceable optical frequency references in realization of high-stable laser standards and laser sources for different brands of optical measurements, including the most precise frequency and dimensional measurement systems. One of the most often used absorption media covering visible and near IR spectral range is molecular iodine. It offers rich atlas of very strong and narrow spectral transitions which allow realization of laser systems with ultimate frequency stabilities in or below 10-14 order level. One of the most often disccussed disadvantage of the iodine cells is iodine's corrosivity and sensitivity to presence of foreign substances. The impurities react with absorption media and cause spectral shifts of absorption spectra, spectral broadening of the transitions and decrease achievable signal-to-noise ratio of the detected spectra. All of these unwanted effects directly influence frequency stability of the realized laser standard and due to this fact, the quality of iodine cells must be precisely controlled. We present a comparison of traditionally used method of laser induced fluorescence (LIF) with novel technique based on hyperfine transitions linewidths measurement. The results summarize advantages and drawbacks of these techniques and give a recommendation for their practical usage.