UVMAS: Venus ultraviolet-visual mapping spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellucci, G.; Zasova, L.; Altieri, F.; Nuccilli, F.; Ignatiev, N.; Moroz, V.; Khatuntsev, I.; Korablev, O.; Rodin, A.

This paper summarizes the capabilities and technical solutions of an Ultraviolet Visual Mapping Spectrometer designed for remote sensing of Venus from a planetary orbiter. The UVMAS consists of a multichannel camera with a spectral range 0.19 << 0.49 μm which acquires data in several spectral channels (up to 400) with a spectral resolution of 0.58 nm. The instantaneous field of view of the instrument is 0.244 × 0.244 mrad. These characteristics allow: a) to study the upper clouds dynamics and chemistry; b) giving constraints on the unknown absorber; c) observation of the night side airglow.

Accurately Calculating the Solar Orientation of the TIANGONG-2 Ultraviolet Forward Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Z.; Li, S.

2018-04-01

The Ultraviolet Forward Spectrometer is a new type of spectrometer for monitoring the vertical distribution of atmospheric trace gases in the global middle atmosphere. It is on the TianGong-2 space laboratory, which was launched on 15 September 2016. The spectrometer uses a solar calibration mode to modify its irradiance. Accurately calculating the solar orientation is a prerequisite of spectral calibration for the Ultraviolet Forward Spectrometer. In this paper, a method of calculating the solar orientation is proposed according to the imaging geometric characteristics of the spectrometer. Firstly, the solar orientation in the horizontal rectangular coordinate system is calculated based on the solar declination angle algorithm proposed by Bourges and the solar hour angle algorithm proposed by Lamm. Then, the solar orientation in the sensor coordinate system is achieved through several coordinate system transforms. Finally, we calculate the solar orientation in the sensor coordinate system and evaluate its calculation accuracy using actual orbital data of TianGong-2. The results show that the accuracy is close to the simulation method with STK (Satellite Tool Kit), and the error is not more than 2 %. The algorithm we present does not need a lot of astronomical knowledge, but only needs some observation parameters provided by TianGong-2.

Coronagraph observations and analyses of the ultraviolet solar corona

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kohl, John L.

1989-01-01

The major activities on the Spartan Ultraviolet Coronal Spectrometer project include both scientific and experimental/technical efforts. In the scientific area, a detailed analysis of the previously reported Doppler dimming of HI Ly-alpha from the July 1982 rocket flight has determined an outflow velocity at 2 solar radii from sun center to be between 153 and 251 km/s at 67 percent confidence. The technical activities include, several improvements made to the instrument that will result in enhanced scientific performance or in regaining a capability that had deteriorated during the delay time in the launch date. These include testing and characterizing the detector for OVI radiation, characterizing a serrated occulter at UV and visible wavelengths, fabricating and testing telescope mirrors with improved edges, testing and evaluating a new array detector system, modifying the slit mask mechanism and installing a mask in the instrument to block the Ly-alpha resonance line when the electron scattered component is being observed.

Interface definition for the Far Ultraviolet Spectrometer Experiment S169

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fastie, W. G.

1971-01-01

A final contract for development, fabrication, test and flight of the ultraviolet spectrometer experiment on an Apollo space mission is reported. Two interface control documents were completed and signed off and three more were essentially completed. Supporting preliminary concepts formulation, design study and component investigation, specification and subcontract negotiation were accomplished.

Contamination control program plan for the ultraviolet spectrometer experiment, revision E

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilmore, D. B.

1972-01-01

The contamination control program plan delineates the cleanliness requirements to be attained and maintained, and the methods to be utilized, in the fabrication, handling, test, calibration, shipment, pre-installation checkout and installation for the ultraviolet spectrometer experiment prototype, qualification and flight equipment.

EUNIS; Extreme-Ultraviolet Normal-Incidence Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Roger J.; Davila, Joseph M.; Fisher, Richard R. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

GSFC is in the process of assembling an Extreme-Ultraviolet Normal Incidence Spectrometer called EUNIS, to be flown as a sounding rocket payload. The instrument builds on the many technical innovations pioneered by our highly successful SERTS experiment, which has now flown a total of ten times, most recently last summer. The new design will have somewhat improved spatial and spectral resolutions, as well as two orders of magnitude greater sensitivity, permitting high signal/noise EUV spectroscopy with a temporal resolution near 1 second for the first time ever. In order to achieve such high time cadence, a novel detector system is being developed, based on Active-Pixel-Sensor electronics, a key component of our design.

The Apollo 17 far ultraviolet spectrometer experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fastie, W. G.

1972-01-01

The Apollo 17 command service module in lunar orbit will carry a far ultraviolet scanning spectrometer whose prime mission will be to measure the composition of the lunar atmosphere. Additional observations will include the spectral lunar albedo, the temporary atmosphere injected by the engines of the lunar exploration module, the solar system atmosphere, the galactic atmosphere and the spectra of astronomical sources, including the earth. A detailed description of the experimental equipment which observes the spectral range 1180 to 1680 A, the observing program and broad speculation about the possible results of the experiment, are presented.

Development and testing of the ultraviolet spectrometer for the Mariner Mars 1971 spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farrar, J. W.

1972-01-01

The Mariner Mars 1971 ultraviolet spectrometer is an Ebert-Fastie type of the same basic design as the Mariner Mars 1969 instrument. Light enters the instrument and is split into component wavelengths by a scanning reflection diffraction grating. Two monochrometer exit slits allow the use of two independent photomultiplier tube sensors. Channel 1 has a spectral range of 1100 to 1692 A with a fixed gain, while Channel 2 has a spectral range of 1450 to 3528 A with an automatic step gain control, providing a dynamic range over the expected atmosphere and surface brightness of Mars. The scientific objectives, basic operation, design, testing, and calibration for the Mariner Mars 1971 ultraviolet spectrometer are described. The design discussion includes those modifications that were necessary to extend the lifetime of the instrument in order to accomplish the Mariner Mars 1971 mission objectives.

Wide-Field Ultraviolet Spectrometer for Planetary Exospheres and Thermospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fillingim, M. O.; Wishnow, E. H.; Miller, T.; Edelstein, J.; Lillis, R. J.; Korpela, E.; England, S.; Shourt, W. V.; Siegmund, O.; McPhate, J.; Courtade, S.; Curtis, D. W.; Deighan, J.; Chaffin, M.; Harmoul, A.; Almatroushi, H. R.

2016-12-01

Understanding the composition, structure, and variability of a planet's upper atmosphere - the exosphere and thermosphere - is essential for understanding how the upper atmosphere is coupled to the lower atmosphere, magnetosphere and near-space environment, and the Sun. Ultraviolet spectroscopy can directly observe emissions from constituents in the exosphere and thermosphere. From such observations, the structure, composition, and variability can be determined.We will present the preliminary design for a wide field ultraviolet imaging spectrometer for remote sensing of planetary atmospheres. The imaging spectrometer achieves an extremely large instantaneous 110 degree field of view with no moving scanning mirror. The imaging resolution is very appropriate for extended atmospheric emission studies, with a resolution of better than 0.3 degrees at the center to 0.4 degrees at the edges of the field. The spectral range covers 120 - 170 nm, encompassing emissions from H, O, C, N, CO, and N2, with an average spectral resolution of 1.5 nm. The instrument is composed of a 2-element wide-field telescope, a 3-element Offner spectrometer, and a sealed MCP detector system contained within a compact volume of about 40 x 25 x 20 cm. We will present the optical and mechanical design as well as the predicted optical performance.The wide instantaneous FOV simplifies instrument and spacecraft operations by removing the need for multiple scans (either from a scan mirror or spacecraft slews) to cover the regions of interest. This instrumentation can allow for two-dimensional spectral information to be built up with simple spacecraft operation or just using spacecraft motion. Applications to the terrestrial geocorona and thermosphere will be addressed as well as applications to the upper atmospheres of other planetary objects.

Calibration of a microchannel plate based extreme ultraviolet grazing incident spectrometer at the Advanced Light Source

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

Bakeman, M. S.; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720; Tilborg, J. van

We present the design and calibration of a microchannel plate based extreme ultraviolet spectrometer. Calibration was performed at the Advance Light Source (ALS) at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). This spectrometer will be used to record the single shot spectrum of radiation emitted by the tapered hybrid undulator (THUNDER) undulator installed at the LOASIS GeV-class laser-plasma-accelerator. The spectrometer uses an aberration-corrected concave grating with 1200 lines/mm covering 11-62 nm and a microchannel plate detector with a CsI coated photocathode for increased quantum efficiency in the extreme ultraviolet. A touch screen interface controls the grating angle, aperture size, and placementmore » of the detector in vacuum, allowing for high-resolution measurements over the entire spectral range.« less

Spiders in Lyot Coronagraphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivaramakrishnan, Anand; Lloyd, James P.

2005-11-01

In principle, suppression of on-axis stellar light by a coronagraph is easier on an unobscured aperture telescope than on one with an obscured aperture. Recent designs such as the apodized pupil Lyot coronagraph, the ``band-limited'' Lyot coronagraph, and several variants of phase-mask coronagraphs work best on unobscured circular aperture telescopes. These designs were developed to enable the discovery and characterization of nearby Jovian or even terrestrial exoplanets. All of today's major space-based and adaptive optics-equipped ground-based telescopes are obscured-aperture systems with a secondary mirror held in place by secondary support ``spider'' vanes. The presence of a secondary obscuration can be dealt with by ingenious coronagraph designs, but the spider vanes themselves cause diffracted light, which can hamper the search for Jovian exoplanets around nearby stars. We look at the problem of suppressing spider vane diffraction in Lyot coronagraphs, including apodized pupil and band-limited designs. We show how spider vane diffraction can be reduced drastically and in fact contained in the final coronagraphic image, within one resolution element of the geometric image of the focal plane mask's occulting spot. This makes adaptive optics coronagraphic searches for exojupiters possible with the next generation of adaptive optics systems being developed for 8-10 m class telescopes such as Gemini and the Very Large Telescopes.

SOLAR-B Mission Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) Instrument Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doschek, George A.

2001-01-01

This Monthly Progress Report covers the reporting period through June 2001, Phase C/D, Detailed Design and Development Through Launch Plus Thirty Days, for selected components and subsystems of the Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) instrument, hereafter referred to as EIS Instrument Components. This document contains the program status through the reporting period and forecasts the status for the upcoming reporting period.

Solar-B Mission Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) Instrument Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doschek, George A.

2002-01-01

This Monthly Progress Report covers the reporting period August 2002 of the Detailed Design and Development through Launch plus Thirty Days, Phase C/D, for selected components and subsystems of the Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) instrument, hereafter referred to as EIS Instrument Components. This document contains the program status through the reporting period and forecasts the status for the upcoming reporting period.

SOLAR-B Mission Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) Instrument Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doschek, George A.

2001-01-01

This Monthly Progress Report covers the reporting period July 2001 of the Detailed Design and Development through Launch plus Thirty Days, Phase C/D, for selected components and subsystems of the Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) instrument, hereafter referred to as EIS Instrument Components. This document contains the program status through the reporting period and forecasts the status for the upcoming reporting period.

Test of prototype ITER vacuum ultraviolet spectrometer and its application to impurity study in KSTAR plasmas.

PubMed

Seon, C R; Hong, J H; Jang, J; Lee, S H; Choe, W; Lee, H H; Cheon, M S; Pak, S; Lee, H G; Biel, W; Barnsley, R

2014-11-01

To optimize the design of ITER vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectrometer, a prototype VUV spectrometer was developed. The sensitivity calibration curve of the spectrometer was calculated from the mirror reflectivity, the grating efficiency, and the detector efficiency. The calibration curve was consistent with the calibration points derived in the experiment using the calibrated hollow cathode lamp. For the application of the prototype ITER VUV spectrometer, the prototype spectrometer was installed at KSTAR, and various impurity emission lines could be measured. By analyzing about 100 shots, strong positive correlation between the O VI and the C IV emission intensities could be found.

High-resolution crystal spectrometer for the 10-60 A extreme ultraviolet region

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

Beiersdorfer, P.; Brown, G.V.; Goddard, R.

2004-10-01

A vacuum crystal spectrometer with nominal resolving power approaching 1000 is described for measuring emission lines with wavelength in the extreme ultraviolet region up to 60 A. The instrument utilizes a flat octadecyl hydrogen maleate crystal and a thin-window 1D position-sensitive gas proportional detector. This detector employs a 1-{mu}m-thick 100x8 mm{sup 2} aluminized polyimide window and operates at one atmosphere pressure. The spectrometer has been implemented on the Livermore electron beam ion traps. The performance of the instrument is illustrated in measurements of the newly discovered magnetic field-sensitive line in Ar{sup 8+}.

Normal-incidence EXtreme-Ultraviolet imaging Spectrometer - NEXUS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dere, K. P.

2003-05-01

NEXUS is the result of a breakthrough optical design that incorporates new technologies to achieve high optical throughput at high spatial (1 arcsec) and spectral (1-2 km s-1) resolution over a wide field of view in an optimal extreme-ultraviolet spectral band. This achievement was made possible primarily by two technical developments. First, a coating of boron-carbide deposited onto a layer of iridium provided a greatly enhanced reflectivity at EUV wavelengths that would enable NEXUS to observe the Sun over a wide temperature range at high cadence. The reflectivity of these coatings have been measured and demonstrated in the laboratory. The second key development was the use of a variable-line-spaced toroidal grating spectrometer. The spectrometer design allowed the Sun to be imaged at high spatial and spectral resolution along a 1 solar radius-long slit and over a wavelength range from 450 to 800 Å, nearly an entire spectral order. Because the spectrograph provided a magnification of about a factor of 6, only 2 optical elements are required to achieved the desired imaging performance. Throughput was enhanced by the use of only 2 reflections. The could all be accomodated within a total instrument length of 1.5m. We would like to acknowledge support from ONR

Solar maximum mission/ultraviolet spectrometer and polarimeter studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henze, William, Jr.

1993-01-01

This final report for NASA Contract No. NAS8-35921 describes various studies performed for the Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter (UVSP) experiment, one of several instruments on the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) satellite which was launched on 14 February 1980. The UVSP consisted primarily of a Gregorian telescope and an Ebert-Fastie spectrometer with a polarimeter that could be inserted into the light path. The spacecraft and most of the instruments, including the UVSP, operated successfully until 23 November 1980, when part of the SMM attitude control system (fine pointing control) failed. The UVSP was then unable to observe the Sun until 18 April 1984, when the SMM was visited by the space shuttle and the attitude control module was replaced by astronauts. The SMM mission ended when the spacecraft reentered the atmosphere of the Earth and was thereby destroyed on 2 December 1989. The topics covered in this report include the following: (1) ultraviolet stellar polarimetry (probably the first such attempted measurement); no polarization as detected and the upper limits, based on the sensitivity as determined by the observed count rate, are rather high; (2) an investigation into the possible position of the UVSP wavelength drive after it became stuck on 26 April 1985; (3) fast timing tests for sit-and-state observations involving one or two detectors; (4) development of computer subroutines to allow the calculation of the component of the SMM spacecraft orbital velocity along the line of sight to the Sun at any desired time during the 1984/1985 period when the UVSP wavelength drive was operating properly; (5) listing of published research papers; (6) description of the UVSP catalog of observations; and (7) description of UVSP calibration report and data users guide.

Ultraviolet spectrometer and polarimeter (UVSP) software development and hardware tests for the solar maximum mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bruner, M. E.; Haisch, B. M.

1986-01-01

The Ultraviolet Spectrometer/Polarimeter Instrument (UVSP) for the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) was based on the re-use of the engineering model of the high resolution ultraviolet spectrometer developed for the OSO-8 mission. Lockheed assumed four distinct responsibilities in the UVSP program: technical evaluation of the OSO-8 engineering model; technical consulting on the electronic, optical, and mechanical modifications to the OSO-8 engineering model hardware; design and development of the UVSP software system; and scientific participation in the operations and analysis phase of the mission. Lockheed also provided technical consulting and assistance with instrument hardware performance anomalies encountered during the post launch operation of the SMM observatory. An index to the quarterly reports delivered under the contract are contained, and serves as a useful capsule history of the program activity.

Multidimensional spectrometer

DOEpatents

Zanni, Martin Thomas; Damrauer, Niels H.

2010-07-20

A multidimensional spectrometer for the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, and a method for making multidimensional spectroscopic measurements in the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The multidimensional spectrometer facilitates measurements of inter- and intra-molecular interactions.

Gemini Planet Imager coronagraph testbed results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivaramakrishnan, Anand; Soummer, Rémi; Oppenheimer, Ben R.; Carr, G. Lawrence; Mey, Jacob L.; Brenner, Doug; Mandeville, Charles W.; Zimmerman, Neil; Macintosh, Bruce A.; Graham, James R.; Saddlemyer, Les; Bauman, Brian; Carlotti, Alexis; Pueyo, Laurent; Tuthill, Peter G.; Dorrer, Christophe; Roberts, Robin; Greenbaum, Alexandra

2010-07-01

The Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) is an extreme AO coronagraphic integral field unit YJHK spectrograph destined for first light on the 8m Gemini South telescope in 2011. GPI fields a 1500 channel AO system feeding an apodized pupil Lyot coronagraph, and a nIR non-common-path slow wavefront sensor. It targets detection and characterizion of relatively young (<2GYr), self luminous planets up to 10 million times as faint as their primary star. We present the coronagraph subsystem's in-lab performance, and describe the studies required to specify and fabricate the coronagraph. Coronagraphic pupil apodization is implemented with metallic half-tone screens on glass, and the focal plane occulters are deep reactive ion etched holes in optically polished silicon mirrors. Our JH testbed achieves H-band contrast below a million at separations above 5 resolution elements, without using an AO system. We present an overview of the coronagraphic masks and our testbed coronagraphic data. We also demonstrate the performance of an astrometric and photometric grid that enables coronagraphic astrometry relative to the primary star in every exposure, a proven technique that has yielded on-sky precision of the order of a milliarsecond.

GADICON spectrometer for ionosphere far-ultraviolet observation: prototype design, manufacturing, and testing.

PubMed

Yu, Lei

2016-08-20

The design, manufacturing, and testing of an imaging spectrometer prototype that will address new scientific requirements by the observation of the lower atmosphere's impact on the ionosphere are presented. The two sided lateral limb observation covering 130-180 nm far-ultraviolet (FUV) region allows the instrument to perform particle measurements in the daytime and nighttime. In this paper, we focus upon the working design principle, observation, and calibration.

Toward a Next Generation Solar Coronagraph: Development of a Compact Diagnostic Coronagraph on the ISS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, K.-S.; Bong, S.-C.; Choi, S.; Yang, H.; Kim, J.; Baek, J.-H.; Park, J.; Lim, E.-K.; Kim, R.-S.; Kim, S.; Kim, Y.-H.; Park, Y.-D.; Clarke, S. W.; Davila, J. M.; Gopalswamy, N.; Nakariakov, V. M.; Li, B.; Pinto, R. F.

2017-10-01

The Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute plans to develop a coronagraph in collaboration with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and to install it on the International Space Station (ISS). The coronagraph is an externally occulted one-stage coronagraph with a field of view from 3 to 15 solar radii. The observation wavelength is approximately 400 nm, where strong Fraunhofer absorption lines from the photosphere experience thermal broadening and Doppler shift through scattering by coronal electrons. Photometric filter observations around this band enable the estimation of 2D electron temperature and electron velocity distribution in the corona. Together with a high time cadence (<12 min) of corona images used to determine the geometric and kinematic parameters of coronal mass ejections, the coronagraph will yield the spatial distribution of electron density by measuring the polarized brightness. For the purpose of technical demonstration, we intend to observe the total solar eclipse in August 2017 with the filter system and to perform a stratospheric balloon experiment in 2019 with the engineering model of the coronagraph. The coronagraph is planned to be installed on the ISS in 2021 for addressing a number of questions (e.g., coronal heating and solar wind acceleration) that are both fundamental and practically important in the physics of the solar corona and of the heliosphere.

Absolute sensitivity calibration of an extreme ultraviolet spectrometer for tokamak measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guirlet, R.; Schwob, J. L.; Meyer, O.; Vartanian, S.

2017-01-01

An extreme ultraviolet spectrometer installed on the Tore Supra tokamak has been calibrated in absolute units of brightness in the range 10-340 Å. This has been performed by means of a combination of techniques. The range 10-113 Å was absolutely calibrated by using an ultrasoft-X ray source emitting six spectral lines in this range. The calibration transfer to the range 113-182 Å was performed using the spectral line intensity branching ratio method. The range 182-340 Å was calibrated thanks to radiative-collisional modelling of spectral line intensity ratios. The maximum sensitivity of the spectrometer was found to lie around 100 Å. Around this wavelength, the sensitivity is fairly flat in a 80 Å wide interval. The spatial variations of sensitivity along the detector assembly were also measured. The observed trend is related to the quantum efficiency decrease as the angle of the incoming photon trajectories becomes more grazing.

Technology development towards WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poberezhskiy, Ilya; Zhao, Feng; An, Xin; Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; Belikov, Ruslan; Cady, Eric; Demers, Richard; Diaz, Rosemary; Gong, Qian; Gordon, Brian; Goullioud, Renaud; Greer, Frank; Guyon, Olivier; Hoenk, Michael; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Kern, Brian; Krist, John; Kuhnert, Andreas; McElwain, Michael; Mennesson, Bertrand; Moody, Dwight; Muller, Richard; Nemati, Bijan; Patterson, Keith; Riggs, A. J.; Ryan, Daniel; Seo, Byoung-Joon; Shaklan, Stuart; Sidick, Erkin; Shi, Fang; Siegler, Nicholas; Soummer, Rémi; Tang, Hong; Trauger, John; Wallace, J. Kent; Wang, Xu; White, Victor; Wilson, Daniel; Yee, Karl; Zhou, Hanying; Zimmerman, Neil

2014-08-01

NASA's WFIRST-AFTA mission concept includes the first high-contrast stellar coronagraph in space. This coronagraph will be capable of directly imaging and spectrally characterizing giant exoplanets similar to Neptune and Jupiter, and possibly even super-Earths, around nearby stars. In this paper we present the plan for maturing coronagraph technology to TRL5 in 2014-2016, and the results achieved in the first 6 months of the technology development work. The specific areas that are discussed include coronagraph testbed demonstrations in static and simulated dynamic environment, design and fabrication of occulting masks and apodizers used for starlight suppression, low-order wavefront sensing and control subsystem, deformable mirrors, ultra-low-noise spectrograph detector, and data post-processing.

Research in extreme ultraviolet and far ultraviolet astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowyer, C. S.

1985-01-01

The Far Ultraviolet imager (FUVI) was flown on the Aries class sounding rocket 24.015, producing outstanding results. The diffuse extreme ultraviolet (EUV) background spectrometer which is under construction is described. It will be launched on the Black Brant sounding rocket flight number 27.086. Ongoing design studies of a high resolution spectrometer are discussed. This instrument incorporates a one meter normal incidence mirror and will be suitable for an advanced Spartan mission.

An H-band Vector Vortex Coronagraph for the Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme-adaptive Optics System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kühn, J.; Serabyn, E.; Lozi, J.; Jovanovic, N.; Currie, T.; Guyon, O.; Kudo, T.; Martinache, F.; Liewer, K.; Singh, G.; Tamura, M.; Mawet, D.; Hagelberg, J.; Defrere, D.

2018-03-01

The vector vortex is a coronagraphic imaging mode of the recently commissioned Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics (SCExAO) platform on the 8 m Subaru Telescope. This multi-purpose high-contrast visible and near-infrared (R- to K-band) instrument is not only intended to serve as a VLT-class “planet-imager” instrument in the northern hemisphere, but also to operate as a technology demonstration testbed ahead of the ELTs-era, with a particular emphasis on small inner-working angle (IWA) coronagraphic capabilities. The given priority to small-IWA imaging led to the early design choice to incorporate focal-plane phase-mask coronagraphs. In this context, a test H-band vector vortex liquid crystal polymer waveplate was provided to SCExAO, to allow a one-to-one comparison of different small-IWA techniques on the same telescope instrument, before considering further steps. Here we present a detailed overview of the vector vortex coronagraph, from its installation and performances on the SCExAO optical bench, to the on-sky results in the extreme AO regime, as of late 2016/early 2017. To this purpose, we also provide a few recent on-sky imaging examples, notably high-contrast ADI detection of the planetary-mass companion κ Andromedae b, with a signal-to-noise ratio above 100 reached in less than 10 mn exposure time.

An extreme ultraviolet spectrometer experiment for the Shuttle Get Away Special Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conway, R. R.; Mccoy, R. P.; Meier, R. R.; Mount, G. H.; Prinz, D. K.; Young, J. M.; Carruthers, G. R.

1984-01-01

An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectrometer experiment operated successfully during the STS-7 mission in an experiment to measure the global and diurnal variation of the EUV airglow. The spectrometer is an F 3.5 Wadsworth mount with mechanical collimator, a 75 x 75 mm grating, and a bare microchannel plate detector providing a spectral resolution of 7 X FWHM. Read-out of the signal is through discrete channels or resistive anode techniques. The experiment includes a microcomputer, 20 Mbit tape recorder, and a 28V, 40 Ahr silver-zinc battery. It is the first GAS payload to use an opening door. The spectrometer's 0.1 x 4.2 deg field of view is pointed vertically out of the shuttle bay. During the STS-7 flight data were acquired continuously for a period of 5 hours and 37 minutes, providing spectra of the 570 A to 850 A wavelength region of the airglow. Five diurnal cycles of the 584 A emission of neutral helium and the 834 A emission of ionized atomic oxygen were recorded. The experiment also recorded ion events and pressure pulses associated with thruster firings. The experiment is to fly again on Mission 41-F.

Ultraviolet Raman Wide-Field Hyperspectral Imaging Spectrometer for Standoff Trace Explosive Detection.

PubMed

Hufziger, Kyle T; Bykov, Sergei V; Asher, Sanford A

2017-02-01

We constructed the first deep ultraviolet (UV) Raman standoff wide-field imaging spectrometer. Our novel deep UV imaging spectrometer utilizes a photonic crystal to select Raman spectral regions for detection. The photonic crystal is composed of highly charged, monodisperse 35.5 ± 2.9 nm silica nanoparticles that self-assemble in solution to produce a face centered cubic crystalline colloidal array that Bragg diffracts a narrow ∼1.0 nm full width at half-maximum (FWHM) UV spectral region. We utilize this photonic crystal to select and image two different spectral regions containing resonance Raman bands of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) and NH 4 NO 3 (AN). These two deep UV Raman spectral regions diffracted were selected by angle tuning the photonic crystal. We utilized this imaging spectrometer to measure 229 nm excited UV Raman images containing ∼10-1000 µg/cm 2 samples of solid PETN and AN on aluminum surfaces at 2.3 m standoff distances. We estimate detection limits of ∼1 µg/cm 2 for PETN and AN films under these experimental conditions.

Autonomous portable solar ultraviolet spectroradiometer (APSUS) - a new CCD spectrometer system for localized, real-time solar ultraviolet (280-400 nm) radiation measurement.

PubMed

Hooke, Rebecca; Pearson, Andy; O'Hagan, John

2014-01-01

Terrestrial solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation has significant implications for human health and increasing levels are a key concern regarding the impact of climate change. Monitoring solar UV radiation at the earth's surface is therefore of increasing importance. A new prototype portable CCD (charge-coupled device) spectrometer-based system has been developed that monitors UV radiation (280-400 nm) levels at the earth's surface. It has the ability to deliver this information to the public in real time. Since the instrument can operate autonomously, it is called the Autonomous Portable Solar Ultraviolet Spectroradiometer (APSUS). This instrument incorporates an Ocean Optics QE65000 spectrometer which is contained within a robust environmental housing. The APSUS system can gather reliable solar UV spectral data from approximately April to October inclusive (depending on ambient temperature) in the UK. In this study the new APSUS unit and APSUS system are presented. Example solar UV spectra and diurnal UV Index values as measured by the APSUS system in London and Weymouth in the UK in summer 2012 are shown. © 2014 Crown copyright. Photochemistry and Photobiology © 2014 The American Society of Photobiology. This article is published with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland and Public Health England.

High-resolution ultraviolet observations of interstellar lines toward Zeta Persei observed with the balloon-borne ultraviolet stellar spectrometer

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

Snow, T.P.; Lamers, H.J.G.L.M.; Joseph, C.L.

1987-10-01

The balloon-borne ultraviolet stellar spectrometer payload has been used to obtain high-resolution data on interstellar absorption lines toward Zeta Per. The only lines clearly present in the 2150-2450 region were several Fe II features, which show double structure. The two velocity components were sufficiently well separated that it was possible to construct separate curves of growth to derive the Fe II column densities for the individual components. These column densities and the component velocity separation were then used to compute a realistic two-component curve of growth for the line of sight to Zeta Per, which was then used to reanalyzemore » existing ultraviolet data from Copernicus. The results were generally similar to an earlier two-component analysis of the Copernicus data, with the important exception that the silicon depletion increased from near zero to about 1 dex. This makes the Zeta Per depletion pattern quite similar to those derived for other reddened lines of sight, supporting the viewpoint that the general diffuse interstellar medium has a nearly constant pattern of depletions. 31 references.« less

Fine Guidance Sensing for Coronagraphic Observatories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brugarolas, Paul; Alexander, James W.; Trauger, John T.; Moody, Dwight C.

2011-01-01

Three options have been developed for Fine Guidance Sensing (FGS) for coronagraphic observatories using a Fine Guidance Camera within a coronagraphic instrument. Coronagraphic observatories require very fine precision pointing in order to image faint objects at very small distances from a target star. The Fine Guidance Camera measures the direction to the target star. The first option, referred to as Spot, was to collect all of the light reflected from a coronagraph occulter onto a focal plane, producing an Airy-type point spread function (PSF). This would allow almost all of the starlight from the central star to be used for centroiding. The second approach, referred to as Punctured Disk, collects the light that bypasses a central obscuration, producing a PSF with a punctured central disk. The final approach, referred to as Lyot, collects light after passing through the occulter at the Lyot stop. The study includes generation of representative images for each option by the science team, followed by an engineering evaluation of a centroiding or a photometric algorithm for each option. After the alignment of the coronagraph to the fine guidance system, a "nulling" point on the FGS focal point is determined by calibration. This alignment is implemented by a fine alignment mechanism that is part of the fine guidance camera selection mirror. If the star images meet the modeling assumptions, and the star "centroid" can be driven to that nulling point, the contrast for the coronagraph will be maximized.

Coronagraph for astronomical imaging and spectrophotometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vilas, Faith; Smith, Bradford A.

1987-01-01

A coronagraph designed to minimize scattered light in astronomical observations caused by the structure of the primary mirror, secondary mirror, and secondary support structure of a Cassegrainian telescope is described. Direct (1:1) and reducing (2.7:1) imaging of astronomical fields are possible. High-quality images are produced. The coronagraph can be used with either a two-dimensional charge-coupled device or photographic film camera. The addition of transmission dispersing optics converts the coronagraph into a low-resolution spectrograph. The instrument is modular and portable for transport to different observatories.

Exploration of the environments of nearby stars with the NICMOS coronagraph: instrumental performance considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Glenn; Thompson, Rodger I.; Smith, Bradford A.; Terrile, Richard J.

1998-08-01

The Near IR Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS), installed into the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in February 1997, incorporates a coronagraphic imaging capability. The coronagraph is comprised of two optical elements. The camera 2 field divider mirror, upon which the HST f/24 input beam is imaged, includes a 170 micrometers diameter hole which contains approximately 93 percent of the encircled energy from a stellar Point Spread Function (PSF) at a wavelength of 1.6 micrometers . The coronagraphic hole lowers both the diffracted energy in the surrounding region by reducing the high spatial frequency components of the occulted core of the PSF< and down stream scattering. The geometrical radius of this occulting spot, when re-imaged through the camera 2 f/45 optics, is approximately 4 pixels at the detector focal plane. An oversized cold pupil-plane mask, with radial structures co-aligned with the HST secondary mirror spider, acts over the whole 19.1 inch by 19.2 field to further reduce the diffracted energy in the direction of the spider vanes. The absolute performance levels of the coronagraph were ascertained during the servicing mission observatory verification program. Using a differential imaging strategy we expect to achieve statistically significant detectors of sub-stellar companions at 1.6 micrometers with a (Delta) H of approximately 10 and separations as close as 0.5 inch. The NICMOS environments of nearby stars programs is exploiting this capability in systematic surveys of nearby, and young stars searching for brown dwarfs and giant planets, and protoplanetary disks around main-sequence stars.

Study of a coronagraphic mask using evanescent waves.

PubMed

Buisset, Christophe; Rabbia, Yves; Lepine, Thierry; Alagao, Mary-Angelie; Ducrot, Elsa; Poshyachinda, Saran; Soonthornthum, Boonrucksar

2017-04-03

The evanescent wave coronagraph (EvWaCo) is a specific kind of band-limited coronagraph using the frustrated total internal reflection phenomenon to produce the coronagraphic effect (removing starlight from the image plane in order to make the stellar environment detectable). In this paper, we present a theoretical and experimental study of the EvWaCo coronagraphic mask. First, we calculate the theoretical transmission and we show that this mask is partially achromatic. Then, we present the experimental results obtained in unpolarized light at the wavelength λ≈900 nm and relative spectral bandwidth Δλ/λ≈6%. In particular, we show that the coronagraph provides a contrast down to a few 10^-6 at an angular distance of about ten Airy radii.

Computer program design specifications for the Balloon-borne Ultraviolet Stellar Spectrometer (BUSS) science data decommutation program (BAPS48)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, R. M.

1975-01-01

The Balloon-Borne Ultraviolet Stellar Spectrometer (BUSS) Science Data Docummutation Program (BAPS48) is a pulse code modulation docummutation program that will format the BUSS science data contained on a one inch PCM tracking tape into a seven track serial bit stream formatted digital tape.

WFIRST Coronagraph Technology Development Testbeds: Status and Recent Testbed Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Fang; An, Xin; Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; cady, eric; Gordon, Brian; Greer, Frank; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Kern, Brian; Lam, Raymond; Marx, David; Moody, Dwight; Patterson, Keith; Poberezhskiy, Ilya; mejia prada, camilo; Gersh-Range, Jessica; Eldorado Riggs, A. J.; Seo, Byoung-Joon; Shields, Joel; Sidick, Erkin; Tang, Hong; Trauger, John Terry; Truong, Tuan; White, Victor; Wilson, Daniel; Zhou, Hanying; JPL WFIRST Testbed Team, Princeton University

2018-01-01

As a part of technology development for the WFIRST coronagraph instrument (CGI), dedicated testbeds are built and commissioned at JPL. The coronagraph technology development testbeds include the Occulting Mask Coronagraph (OMC) testbed, the Shaped Pupil Coronagraph/Integral Field Spectrograph (SPC/IFS) testbed, and the Vacuum Surface Gauge (VSG) testbed. With its configuration similar to the WFIRST flight coronagraph instrument the OMC testbed consists of two coronagraph modes, Shaped Pupil Coronagraph (SPC) and Hybrid Lyot Coronagraph (HLC), a low order wavefront sensor (LOWFS), and an optical telescope assembly (OTA) simulator which can generate realistic LoS drift and jitter as well as low order wavefront error that would be induced by the WFIRST telescope’s vibration and thermal changes. The SPC/IFS testbed is a dedicated testbed to test the IFS working with a Shaped Pupil Coronagraph while the VSG testbed is for measuring and calibrating the deformable mirrors, a key component used for WFIRST CGI's wavefront control. In this poster, we will describe the testbed functions and status as well as the highlight of the latest testbed results from OMC, SPC/IFS and VSG testbeds.

Calibration of the Voyager Ultraviolet Spectrometers and the Composition of the Heliosphere Neutrals: Reassessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben-Jaffel, Lotfi; Holberg, J. B.

2016-06-01

The data harvest from the Voyagers’ (V 1 and V 2) Ultraviolet Spectrometers (UVS) covers encounters with the outer planets, measurements of the heliosphere sky-background, and stellar spectrophotometry. Because their period of operation overlaps with many ultraviolet missions, the calibration of V1 and V2 UVS with other spectrometers is invaluable. Here we revisit the UVS calibration to assess the intriguing sensitivity enhancements of 243% (V1) and 156% (V2) proposed recently. Using the Lyα airglow from Saturn, observed in situ by both Voyagers, and remotely by International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE), we match the Voyager values to IUE, taking into account the shape of the Saturn Lyα line observed with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. For all known ranges of the interplanetary hydrogen density, we show that the V1 and V2 UVS sensitivities cannot be enhanced by the amounts thus far proposed. The same diagnostic holds for distinct channels covering the diffuse He I 58.4 nm emission. Our prescription is to keep the original calibration of the Voyager UVS with a maximum uncertainty of 30%, making both instruments some of the most stable EUV/FUV spectrographs in the history of space exploration. In that frame, we reassess the excess Lyα emission detected by Voyager UVS deep in the heliosphere, to show its consistency with a heliospheric but not galactic origin. Our finding confirms results obtained nearly two decades ago—namely, the UVS discovery of the distortion of the heliosphere and the corresponding obliquity of the local interstellar magnetic field (˜ 40^\\circ from upwind) in the solar system neighborhood—without requiring any revision of the Voyager UVS calibration.

High Contrast Imaging with NICMOS - I: Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks with Coronagraphic Polarimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, G.; Hines, D. C.

2007-06-01

HST's Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS), with its highly stable point spread function, very high imaging Strehl ratio (panchromatically > 98% over its entire 0.8 - 2.4 micron wavelength regime) and coronagraphic imaging capability, celebrated its tenth anniversary in space earlier this year. These combined instrumental attributes uniquely contribute to its capability as a high-contrast imager as demonstrated by its continuing production of new examples of spatially resolved scattered-light imagery of both optically thick and thin circumstellar disks and sub-stellar companions to young stars and brown dwarfs well into the (several) Jovian mass range. We review these capabilities, illustrating with observationally based results, including examples obtained since HST's entry into two gyro guiding mode in mid 2005. The advent of a recently introduced, and now commissioned and calibrated, coronagraphic polarimetry mode has enabled very-high contrast 2 micron imaging polarimetry with 0.2 spatial resolution. Such imagery provides important constraints in the interpretation of disk-scattered starlight in assessing circumstellar disk geometries and the physical properties of their constituent grains. We demonstrate this new capability with observational results from two currently-executing HST programs obtaining 2 micron coronagraphic polarimetric images of circumstellar T-Tauri and debris disks.

LOCKYER (Large Optimized Coronagraph for KeY Emission line Research): A SMEX Mission to Provide Crucial Measurements of the Genesis of the Solar Wind and CMEs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Y. K.; Vourlidas, A.; Korendyke, C.; Laming, J. M.

2016-12-01

The LOCKYER mission is designed to uncover the physical processes of acceleration and heating of the quiescent and transient solar wind. It builds on the success of the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) on SOHO with a massive increase in effective area at Lyman-alpha (200x larger than UVCS), thanks to a modern optical design and the use of a 4m boom. The larger effective area enables spectral line observations from many ions, including He II (at 1640 Å), allowing us to access the region where the coronal plasma transitions from fluid to kinetic behavior. In addition, a visible light channel provides simultaneous high-resolution coronagraphic images for the global coronal structure and dynamics creating a greatly-expanded UVCS-LASCO `hybrid' instrument within the tight constraints of a SMEX mission. The LOCKYER mission aims to answer the following questions: 1) What are the physical processes responsible for the heating and acceleration of the primary (proton, electron, helium) and secondary (minor ion) plasma components of the fast and slow solar wind? 2) How are CMEs heated and accelerated? LOCKYER would greatly advance our knowledge of how and where the solar wind is formed, and how the variations in coronal microphysics impact the solar wind and heliosphere. The LOCKYER measurements are highly complementary to the Solar Probe Plus and Solar Orbiter measurements and provide detailed empirical descriptions of the coronal plasma at heights where the primary energy and momentum addition occur.

Phase-shifting coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hénault, François; Carlotti, Alexis; Vérinaud, Christophe

2017-09-01

With the recent commissioning of ground instruments such as SPHERE or GPI and future space observatories like WFIRST-AFTA, coronagraphy should probably become the most efficient tool for identifying and characterizing extrasolar planets in the forthcoming years. Coronagraphic instruments such as Phase mask coronagraphs (PMC) are usually based on a phase mask or plate located at the telescope focal plane, spreading the starlight outside the diameter of a Lyot stop that blocks it. In this communication is investigated the capability of a PMC to act as a phase-shifting wavefront sensor for better control of the achieved star extinction ratio in presence of the coronagraphic mask. We discuss the two main implementations of the phase-shifting process, either introducing phase-shifts in a pupil plane and sensing intensity variations in an image plane, or reciprocally. Conceptual optical designs are described in both cases. Numerical simulations allow for better understanding of the performance and limitations of both options, and optimizing their fundamental parameters. In particular, they demonstrate that the phase-shifting process is a bit more efficient when implemented into an image plane, and is compatible with the most popular phase masks currently employed, i.e. fourquadrants and vortex phase masks.

A coronagraph for operational space weather predication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Middleton, Kevin F.

2017-09-01

Accurate prediction of the arrival of solar wind phenomena, in particular coronal mass ejections (CMEs), at Earth, and possibly elsewhere in the heliosphere, is becoming increasingly important given our ever-increasing reliance on technology. The potentially severe impact on human technological systems of such phenomena is termed space weather. A coronagraph is arguably the instrument that provides the earliest definitive evidence of CME eruption; from a vantage point on or near the Sun-Earth line, a coronagraph can provide near-definitive identification of an Earth-bound CME. Currently, prediction of CME arrival is critically dependent on ageing science coronagraphs whose design and operation were not optimized for space weather services. We describe the early stages of the conceptual design of SCOPE (the Solar Coronagraph for OPErations), optimized to support operational space weather services.

Threshold raw retrieved contrast in coronagraphs is limited by internal polarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breckinridge, James

&M requirements on: 1. Lyot coronagraph mask and stop size, configuration, location and composition, 2. Uniformity of the complex reflectance of the highly reflecting metal mirrors with their dielectric overcoats, and 3. Opto-mechanical layout. Once these requirements are developed polarization aberration mitigation studies can begin to identify a practical solution to compensate polarization errors, not unlike the more developed technology of A/O compensates for pointing and manufacturing errors. Several methods to compensate for chromatic aberration in coronagraphs further compounds the complex PSF errors that require compensation to maximize the best retrieved raw contrast in the presence of exoplanets in the vicinity of stars. Internal instrument polarization introduces partial coherence into the wavefront to distort the speckle-pattern complex-field in the dark hole. An additional factor that determines retrieved raw contrast is our ability to effectively process the polarizationdistorted field within the dark hole. This study is essential to the correct calculation of exoplanet coronagraph science yield, development of requirements on subsystem devices (mirrors, stops, masks, spectrometers, wavefront error mitigation optics and opto-mechanical layout) and the development of exoplanet retrieval algorithms.

Simulating the WFIRST coronagraph integral field spectrograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizzo, Maxime J.; Groff, Tyler D.; Zimmermann, Neil T.; Gong, Qian; Mandell, Avi M.; Saxena, Prabal; McElwain, Michael W.; Roberge, Aki; Krist, John; Riggs, A. J. Eldorado; Cady, Eric J.; Mejia Prada, Camilo; Brandt, Timothy; Douglas, Ewan; Cahoy, Kerri

2017-09-01

A primary goal of direct imaging techniques is to spectrally characterize the atmospheres of planets around other stars at extremely high contrast levels. To achieve this goal, coronagraphic instruments have favored integral field spectrographs (IFS) as the science cameras to disperse the entire search area at once and obtain spectra at each location, since the planet position is not known a priori. These spectrographs are useful against confusion from speckles and background objects, and can also help in the speckle subtraction and wavefront control stages of the coronagraphic observation. We present a software package, the Coronagraph and Rapid Imaging Spectrograph in Python (crispy) to simulate the IFS of the WFIRST Coronagraph Instrument (CGI). The software propagates input science cubes using spatially and spectrally resolved coronagraphic focal plane cubes, transforms them into IFS detector maps and ultimately reconstructs the spatio-spectral input scene as a 3D datacube. Simulated IFS cubes can be used to test data extraction techniques, refine sensitivity analyses and carry out design trade studies of the flight CGI-IFS instrument. crispy is a publicly available Python package and can be adapted to other IFS designs.

Coronagraphic mask design using Hermite functions.

PubMed

Cagigal, Manuel P; Canales, Vidal F; Valle, Pedro J; Oti, José E

2009-10-26

We introduce a stellar coronagraph that uses a coronagraphic mask described by a Hermite function or a combination of them. It allows the detection of exoplanets providing both deep starlight extinction and high angular resolution. This angular resolution depends on the order of the Hermite function used. An analysis of the coronagraph performance is carried out for different even order masks. Numerical simulations of the ideal case, with no phase errors and perfect telescope pointing, show that on-axis starlight is reduced to very low intensity levels corresponding to a gain of at least 25 magnitudes (10(-10) light intensity reduction). The coronagraphic throughput depends on the Hermite function or combination selected. The proposed mask series presents the same advantages of band limited masks along with the benefit of reducing the light diffracted by the mask border thanks to its particular shape. Nevertheless, for direct detection of Earth-like exoplanets it requires the use of adaptive optics facilities for compensating the perturbations introduced by the atmosphere and by the optical system.

A New Concept of Coronagraph using Axicon Lenses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Jae Ho

2017-06-01

High-contrast direct imaging of faint objects nearby bright stellar is essential to investigate planetary systems. The goal of such effort is to find and characterize planets similar to Earth that is a challenging task due to it requires a high angular resolution and high dynamic range detections concurrently. A coronagraph that can be suppressed the bright stellar light or active galactic nuclei during the direct detection of astrophysical activities became one of the essential instruments to image exoplanets. In this presentation, a novel concept of a coronagraph using axicon-lenses is will be presented that is conjunction with a method of noninterferometric quantitative phase imaging for direct imaging of exoplanets. The essential scheme of the axicon-lenses coronagraph is the apodization carried out by excluding evaginated images of the planetary systems by a pair of axicon lens. The laboratory based coronagraph imaging is carried out with the axicon-lenses coronagraph setup which included the axicon lenses optics and phase contrast imaging unit. A simulated stellar and its companion are provided by illuminating light through small holes drilled on a thin metal plate. Those diffracted light at the edge of the holes bears a similarity to the light from the bright stellar. The images are evaginated about the optical axis by passing the first axicon lens. Then the evaginated beams of its external area have cut off by an iris which means the suppressed its central light of the bright stellar light preferentially. A symbolic calculation also is carried out to verify the scheme of the the axicon-lenses coronagraph using the symbolic computation program. The simulation results are shown that the the axicon-lenses coronagraph has feature of ability to achieve the IWA smaller than l/D. The laboratory based coronagraph imaging and simulation results support its potentials in direct imaging for finding exo-planet and various astrophysical activities.

High Accuracy Ultraviolet Index of Refraction Measurements Using a Fourier Transform Spectrometer

PubMed Central

Gupta, Rajeev; Kaplan, Simon G.

2003-01-01

We have constructed a new facility at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to measure the index of refraction of transmissive materials in the wavelength range from the visible to the vacuum ultraviolet. An etalon of the material is illuminated with synchrotron radiation, and the interference fringes in the transmittance spectrum are measured using a Fourier transform spectrometer. The refractive index of calcium fluoride, CaF2, has been measured from 600 nm to 175 nm and the resulting values agree with a traditional goniometric measurement to within 1 × 10−5. The uncertainty in the index values is currently limited by the uncertainty in the thickness measurement of the etalon. PMID:27413620

Solar Energetic Particle Warnings from a Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

St Cyr, O. C.; Posner, A.; Burkepile, J. T.

2017-01-01

We report here the concept of using near-real time observations from a coronagraph to provide early warning of a fast coronal mass ejection (CME) and the possible onset of a solar energetic particle (SEP) event. The 1 January 2016, fast CME, and its associated SEP event are cited as an example. The CME was detected by the ground-based K-Cor coronagraph at Mauna Loa Solar Observatory and by the SOHO Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph. The near-real-time availability of the high-cadence K-Cor observations in the low corona leads to an obvious question: Why has no one attempted to use a coronagraph as an early warning device for SEP events? The answer is that the low image cadence and the long latency of existing spaceborne coronagraphs make them valid for archival studies but typically unsuitable for near-real-time forecasting. The January 2016 event provided favorable CME viewing geometry and demonstrated that the primary component of a prototype ground-based system for SEP warnings is available several hours on most days. We discuss how a conceptual CME-based warning system relates to other techniques, including an estimate of the relative SEP warning times, and how such a system might be realized.

First Steps on the Design of the Optical Differentiation Coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cagigal, M. P.; Canales, V. F.; Valle, P. J.; Sanchez-Blanco, E.; Maldonado, M.; Garcia-Vargas, M. L.; Sanchez-Blanco, E.; Maldonado, M.; Garcia-Vargas, M. L.

2010-10-01

We present the UC coronagraph, an instrument designed for exoplanet detection. It is based on a standard coronagraph where the occulting disc is substituted by a differentiation mask. The instrument includes the coronagraph itself, a star generator, and a telescope simulator. The coronagraph is mechanically independent of both auxiliary subsystems, to allow its use in an actual astronomical telescope. The turbulence generation will be simulated with a spatial light modulator (SLM) placed at the nominal pupil.

Laboratory performance of the shaped pupil coronagraphic architecture for the WFIRST/AFTA coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cady, Eric; Mejia Prada, Camilo; An, Xin; Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; Diaz, Rosemary; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Kern, Brian; Kuhnert, Andreas; Nemati, Bijan; Patterson, Keith; Poberezhskiy, Ilya; Riggs, A. J. Eldorado; Ryan, Daniel; Zhou, Hanying; Zimmer, Robert; Zimmerman, Neil T.

2015-09-01

One of the two primary architectures being tested for the WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph instrument is the shaped pupil coronagraph, which uses a binary aperture in a pupil plane to create localized regions of high contrast in a subsequent focal plane. The aperture shapes are determined by optimization, and can be designed to work in the presence of secondary obscurations and spiders - an important consideration for coronagraphy with WFIRST-AFTA. We present the current performance of the shaped pupil testbed, including the results of AFTA Milestone 2, in which ≍ 6 × 10-9 contrast was achieved in three independent runs starting from a neutral setting.

Laboratory Performance of the Shaped Pupil Coronagraphic Architecture for the WFIRST-AFTA Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cady, Eric; Mejia Prada, Camilo; An, Xin; Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatha; Diaz, Rosemary; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Kern, Brian; Kuhnert, Andreas; Nemati, Bijan; Patterson, Keith;

The ExtraSolar Planetary Imaging Coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clampin, M.; Lyon, R.

2010-10-01

The Extrasolar Planetary Imaging Coronagraph (EPIC) is a 1.65-m telescope employing a visible nulling coronagraph (VNC) to deliver high-contrast images of extrasolar system architectures. EPIC will survey the architectures of exosolar systems, and investigate the physical nature of planets in these solar systems. EPIC will employ a Visible Nulling Coronagraph (VNC), featuring an inner working angle of ≤2λ/D, and offers the ideal balance between performance and feasibility of implementation, while not sacrificing science return. The VNC does not demand unrealistic thermal stability from its telescope optics, achieving its primary mirror surface figure requires no new technology, and pointing stability is within state of the art. The EPIC mission will be launched into a drift-away orbit with a five-year mission lifetime.

The JWST/NIRCam Coronagraph: Mask Design and Fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krista, John E.; Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatha; Beichman, Charles A.; Echternach, Pierre M.; Green, Joseph J.; Liewer, Kurt M.; Muller, Richard E.; Serabyn, Eugene; Shaklan, Stuart B.; Trauger, John T.;

WFIRST: Coronagraph Systems Engineering and Performance Budgets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poberezhskiy, Ilya; cady, eric; Frerking, Margaret A.; Kern, Brian; Nemati, Bijan; Noecker, Martin; Seo, Byoung-Joon; Zhao, Feng; Zhou, Hanying

2018-01-01

The WFIRST coronagraph instrument (CGI) will be the first in-space coronagraph using active wavefront control to directly image and characterize mature exoplanets and zodiacal disks in reflected starlight. For CGI systems engineering, including requirements development, CGI performance is predicted using a hierarchy of performance budgets to estimate various noise components — spatial and temporal flux variations — that obscure exoplanet signals in direct imaging and spectroscopy configurations. These performance budgets are validated through a robust integrated modeling and testbed model validation efforts.We present the performance budgeting framework used by WFIRST for the flow-down of coronagraph science requirements, mission constraints, and observatory interfaces to measurable instrument engineering parameters.

Realistic Simulations of Coronagraphic Observations with WFIRST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizzo, Maxime; Zimmerman, Neil; Roberge, Aki; Lincowski, Andrew; Arney, Giada; Stark, Chris; Jansen, Tiffany; Turnbull, Margaret; WFIRST Science Investigation Team (Turnbull)

2018-01-01

We present a framework to simulate observing scenarios with the WFIRST Coronagraphic Instrument (CGI). The Coronagraph and Rapid Imaging Spectrograph in Python (crispy) is an open-source package that can be used to create CGI data products for analysis and development of post-processing routines. The software convolves time-varying coronagraphic PSFs with realistic astrophysical scenes which contain a planetary architecture, a consistent dust structure, and a background field composed of stars and galaxies. The focal plane can be read out by a WFIRST electron-multiplying CCD model directly, or passed through a WFIRST integral field spectrograph model first. Several elementary post-processing routines are provided as part of the package.

Small-Grid Dithers for the JWST Coronagraphs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lajoie, Charles-Philippe; Soummer, Remi; Pueyo, Laurent; Hines, Dean C.; Nelan, Edmund P.; Perrin, Marshall; Clampin, Mark; Isaacs, John C.

2016-01-01

We discuss new results of coronagraphic simulations demonstrating a novel mode for JWST that utilizes sub-pixel dithered reference images, called Small-Grid Dithers, to optimize coronagraphic PSF subtraction. These sub-pixel dithers are executed with the Fine Steering Mirror under fine guidance, are accurate to approx.2-3 milliarcseconds (1-s/axis), and provide ample speckle diversity to reconstruct an optimized synthetic reference PSF using LOCI or KLIP. We also discuss the performance gains of Small-Grid Dithers compared to the standard undithered scenario, and show potential contrast gain factors for the NIRCam and MIRI coronagraphs ranging from 2 to more than 10, respectively.

Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS) Overview from the Emirates Mars Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lootah, F. H.; Almatroushi, H. R.; AlMheiri, S.; Holsclaw, G.; Deighan, J.; Chaffin, M.; Reed, H.; Lillis, R. J.; Fillingim, M. O.; England, S.

2017-12-01

The Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS) instrument is one of three science instruments on board the "Hope Probe" of the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM). EMM is a United Arab Emirates' (UAE) mission to Mars, launching in 2020, to explore the global dynamics of the Martian atmosphere, while sampling on both diurnal and seasonal timescales. The EMUS instrument is a far-ultraviolet imaging spectrograph that measures emissions in the spectral range 100-170 nm. Using a combination of its one-dimensional imaging and spacecraft motion, it will build up two-dimensional far-ultraviolet images of the Martian disk and near-space environment at several important wavelengths: the Lyman beta atomic hydrogen emission (102.6 nm), the Lyman alpha atomic hydrogen emission (121.6 nm), two atomic oxygen emissions (130.4 nm and 135.6 nm), and the carbon monoxide fourth positive group band emission (140 nm-170 nm). Radiances at these wavelengths will be used to derive the column abundance of atomic oxygen, and carbon monoxide in the Martian thermosphere, and the density of atomic oxygen and atomic hydrogen in the Martian exosphere both with spatial and sub-seasonal variability. The EMUS instrument consists of a single telescope mirror feeding a Rowland circle imaging spectrograph with selectable spectral resolution (1.3 nm, 1.8 nm, or 5 nm), and a photon-counting and locating detector (provided by the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley). The EMUS spatial resolution of less than 300 km on the disk is sufficient to characterize spatial variability in the Martian thermosphere (100-200 km altitude) and exosphere (>200 km altitude). The instrument is jointly developed by the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder and Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in Dubai, UAE.

Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS) Overview from the Emirates Mars Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almatroushi, Hessa; Lootah, Fatma; Holsclaw, Greg; Deighan, Justin; Chaffin, Michael; Lillis, Robert; Fillingim, Matthew; England, Scott; AlMheiri, Suhail; Reed, Heather

2017-04-01

The Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS) instrument is one of three science instruments to be carried on board the Emirate Mars Mission (EMM), the "Hope Probe". EMM is a United Arab Emirates' (UAE) mission to Mars launching in 2020 to explore the dynamics in the Martian atmosphere globally, while sampling on both diurnal and seasonal timescales. The EMUS instrument is a far-ultraviolet imaging spectrograph that measures emissions in the spectral range 100-170 nm. Using spacecraft motion, it will build up two-dimensional far-ultraviolet images of the Martian disk and near-space environment at several important wavelengths: Lyman beta atomic hydrogen emission (102.6 nm), Lyman alpha atomic hydrogen emission (121.6 nm), atomic oxygen emission (130.4 nm and 135.6 nm), and carbon monoxide fourth positive group band emission (140 nm-170 nm). Radiances at these wavelengths will be used to derive the column abundance of atomic oxygen, and carbon monoxide in the Martian thermosphere, and the density of atomic oxygen and atomic hydrogen in the Martian exosphere both with spatial and sub-seasonal variability. EMUS consists of a single telescope mirror feeding a Rowland circle imaging spectrograph capable of selectable spectral resolution (1.3 nm, 1.8 nm, or 5 nm) with a photon-counting and locating detector (provided by the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley). The EMUS spatial resolution of less than 300km on the disk is sufficient to characterize spatial variability in the Martian thermosphere (100-200 km altitude) and exosphere (>200 km altitude). The instrument is jointly developed by the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder and Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in Dubai, UAE

Expected scientific performance of the three spectrometers on the extreme ultraviolet explorer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vallerga, J. V.; Jelinsky, P.; Vedder, P. W.; Malina, R. F.

1990-01-01

The expected in-orbit performance of the three spectrometers included on the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer astronomical satellite is presented. Recent calibrations of the gratings, mirrors and detectors using monochromatic and continuum EUV light sources allow the calculation of the spectral resolution and throughput of the instrument. An effective area range of 0.2 to 2.8 sq cm is achieved over the wavelength range 70-600 A with a peak spectral resolution (FWHM) of 360 assuming a spacecraft pointing knowledge of 10 arc seconds (FWHM). For a 40,000 sec observation, the average 3 sigma sensitivity to a monochromatic line source is 0.003 photons/sq cm s. Simulated observations of known classes of EUV sources, such as hot white dwarfs, and cataclysmic variables are also presented.

External occulter laboratory demonstrator for the forthcoming formation flying coronagraphs.

PubMed

Landini, Federico; Vives, Sébastien; Venet, Mélanie; Romoli, Marco; Guillon, Christophe; Fineschi, Silvano

2011-12-20

The design and optimization of the external occulter geometry is one of the most discussed topics among solar coronagraph designers. To improve the performance of future coronagraphs and to stretch their inner fields of view toward the solar limb, the new concept of coronagraphs in formation flight has been introduced in the scientific debate. Solar coronagraphs in formation flight require several mechanical and technological constraints to be met, mainly due to the large dimension of the occulter and to the spacecraft's reciprocal alignment. The occulter edge requires special attention to minimize diffraction while being compatible with the handling and integrating of large delicate space components. Moreover, it is practically impossible to set up a full-scale model for laboratory tests. This article describes the design and laboratory tests on a demonstrator for a coronagraph to be operated in formation flight. The demonstrator is based on the principle of the linear edge, thus the presented results cannot be directly extrapolated to the case of the flying circular occulter. Nevertheless, we are able to confirm the results of other authors investigating on smaller coronagraphs and provide further information on the geometry and tolerances of the optimization system. The described work is one of the results of the ESA STARTIGER program on formation flying coronagraphs ["The STARTIGER's demonstrators: toward a new generation of formation flying solar coronagraphs," in 2010 International Conference on Space Optics (ICSO) (2010), paper 39].

Laboratory Demonstration of Axicon-Lens Coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Jaeho; Jea, Geonho

2018-01-01

The results of laboratory based experiments of the proposed coronagraph using axicon-lenses that is conjunction with a method of noninterferometric quantitative phase imaging for direct imaging of exoplanets is will present. The light source is passing through tiny holes drilled on the thin metal plate is used as the simulated stellar and its companions. Those diffracted light at the edge of the holes bears a similarity to the light from the bright stellar. Those images are evaginated about the optical axis after the maximum focal length of the first axicon lens. Then the evaginated images of have cut off using the motorized iris which means the suppressed the central stellar light preferentially. Various length between the holes which represent the angular distance are examined. The laboratory experimental results are shown that the axicon-lens coronagraph has feature of ability to achieve the smaller IWA than l/D and high-contrast direct imaging. The laboratory based axicon-lens coronagraph imaging support the symbolic computation results which has potential in direct imaging for finding exoplanet and various astrophysical activities. The setup of the coronagraph is simple to build and is durable to operate. Moreover it can be transported the planets images to a broadband spectrometric instrument that able to investigate the constituent of the planetary system.

Speckle Noise in Highly Corrected Coronagraphs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloemhof, Eric E.

2004-01-01

Speckles in a highly corrected adaptive optic imaging system have been studied through numerical simulations and through analytic and algebraic investigations of the Fourier-optical expressions connecting pupil plane and focal plane, which simplify at high Strehl ratio. Significant insights into the behavior of speckles, and the speckle noise caused when they vary over time, have thus been gained. Such speckle noise is expected to set key limits on the sensitivity of searches for companions around other stars, including extrasolar planets. In most cases, it is advantageous to use a coronagraph of some kind to suppress the bright primary star and so enhance the dynamic range of companion searches. In the current paper, I investigate speckle behavior and its impact on speckle noise in some common coronagraphic architectures, including the classical Lyot coronagraph and the new four quadrant phase mask (FQPM) concept.

Multiple detector focal plane array ultraviolet spectrometer for the AMPS laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feldman, P. D.

1975-01-01

The possibility of meeting the requirements of the amps spectroscopic instrumentation by using a multi-element focal plane detector array in a conventional spectrograph mount was examined. The requirements of the detector array were determined from the optical design of the spectrometer which in turn depends on the desired level of resolution and sensitivity required. The choice of available detectors and their associated electronics and controls was surveyed, bearing in mind that the data collection rate from this system is so great that on-board processing and reduction of data are absolutely essential. Finally, parallel developments in instrumentation for imaging in astronomy were examined, both in the ultraviolet (for the Large Space Telescope as well as other rocket and satellite programs) and in the visible, to determine what progress in that area can have direct bearing on atmospheric spectroscopy.

Common-Path Wavefront Sensing for Advanced Coronagraphs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallace, J. Kent; Serabyn, Eugene; Mawet, Dimitri

2012-01-01

Imaging of faint companions around nearby stars is not limited by either intrinsic resolution of a coronagraph/telescope system, nor is it strictly photon limited. Typically, it is both the magnitude and temporal variation of small phase and amplitude errors imparted to the electric field by elements in the optical system which will limit ultimate performance. Adaptive optics systems, particularly those with multiple deformable mirrors, can remove these errors, but they need to be sensed in the final image plane. If the sensing system is before the final image plane, which is typical for most systems, then the non-common path optics between the wavefront sensor and science image plane will lead to un-sensed errors. However, a new generation of high-performance coronagraphs naturally lend themselves to wavefront sensing in the final image plane. These coronagraphs and the wavefront sensing will be discussed, as well as plans for demonstrating this with a high-contrast system on the ground. Such a system will be a key system-level proof for a future space-based coronagraph mission, which will also be discussed.

SOHO Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) Mission Operations and Data Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kohl, John L.; Gurman, Joseph (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

The scientific goal of UVCS is to obtain detailed empirical descriptions of the extended solar corona as it evolves over the solar cycle and to use these descriptions to identify and understand the physical processes responsible for coronal heating, solar wind acceleration, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and the phenomena that establish the plasma properties of the solar wind as measured by 'in situ' solar wind instruments. This report covers the period from 01 February 2002 to 15 February 2003. During that time, UVCS observations have consisted of three types: 1) standard synoptic observations comprising, primarily, the H I Ly alpha line profile and the O VI 103.2 and 103.7 nm intensity over a range of heights from 1.5 to about 3.0 solar radii and covering 360 degrees about the sun, 2) sit and stare watches for CMEs, and 3) special observations designed by the UVCS Lead Observer of the Week for a specific scientific purpose. The special observations are often coordinated with those of other space-based and ground-based instruments and they often are part of SOHO joint observation programs and campaigns. Lead observers have included UVCS Co-Investigators, scientists from the solar physics community and several graduate and undergraduate level students. UVCS has continued to achieve its purpose of using powerful spectroscopic diagnostic techniques to obtain a much more detailed description of coronal structures and dynamic phenomena than existed before the SOHO mission. The new descriptions of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and coronal structures from UVCS have inspired a large number of theoretical studies aimed at identifying the physical processes responsible for CMEs and solar wind acceleration in coronal holes and streamers. UVCS has proven to be a very stable instrument. Stellar observations have demonstrated its stability. UVCS has required no flight software modifications and all mechanisms are operational. The UVCS O VI Channel with its redundant optical path for wavelengths near H I Ly alpha is capable of observing the entire UVCS wavelength range. Since December 1998, the O VI Channel has been used for all UVCS observations. Although the H I Ly alpha Channel and detector are still operational, increases in the dark count up to about 5 x 10(exp -4) counts/sec/pixel and an increase in high voltage current to within a factor of two of the maximum used in the laboratory before flight led to the decision to not use that detector at the present time. There is no significant decrease in the scientific capability of UVCS owing to the O VI channel redundant optical path. UVCS data, data analysis software, calibration files and the mission log are available from the SOHO archive and SAO. All UVCS data is now available to scientists and the general public via the SOHO Data Archive and SAO within three months of the observations. UVCS has resulted in 46 scientific papers in 2002. There were numerous presentations at scientific meetings. All requests for observation time by qualified outside users have been granted.

SOHO Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) Mission Operations and Data Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gurman, Joseph (Technical Monitor); Kohl, John L.

2004-01-01

The scientific goal of UVCS is to obtain detailed empirical descriptions of the extended solar corona as it evolves over the solar cycle and to use these descriptions to identify and understand the physical processes responsible for coronal heating, solar wind acceleration, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and the phenomena that establish the plasma properties of the solar wind as measured by "in situ" solar wind instruments. This report covers the period from 15 February 2003 to 14 April 2004. During that time, UVCS observations have consisted of three types: 1) standard synoptic observations comprising, primarily, the H I Lyalpha line profile and the 0 VI 103.2 and 103.7 nm intensity over a range of heights from 1.5 to about 3.0 solar radii and covering 360 degrees about the Sun, 2) sit and stare observations for major flare watches, and 3) special observations designed by the UVCS Lead Observer of the Week for a specific scientific purpose. The special observations are often coordinated with those of other space-based and ground-based instruments and they often are part of SOHO joint observation programs and campaigns. Lead observers have included UVCS Co-Investigators, scientists from the solar physics community and several graduate and undergraduate level students. UVCS has continued to achieve its purpose of using powerful spectroscopic diagnostic techniques to obtain a much more detailed description of coronal structures and dynamic phenomena than existed before the SOHO mission. The new descriptions of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and coronal structures from UVCS have inspired a large number of theoretical studies aimed at identifying the physical processes responsible for CMEs and solar wind acceleration in coronal holes and streamers. UVCS has proven to be a very stable instrument. Stellar observations have demonstrated its radiometric stability. UVCS has not required any flight software modifications and all mechanisms are operational. The UVCS 0 VI Channel with its redundant optical path for wavelengths near H I Lyalpha is capable of observing the entire UVCS wavelength range. The regions of the detector currently being used require different grating angles for direct OVI observations and redundant path H I Lyalpha observations, and so those can no longer be observed simultaneously. Since December 1998, the 0 VI Channel has been used for all UVCS observations. Although the H I Lyalpha Channel and detector are still operational, increases in the dark count up to about 5x10(exp 4) counts/sec/pixel and an increase in high voltage current to within a factor of two of the maximum used in the laboratory before flight led to the decision to not use that detector after 1998. The visible light channel functioned nominally during the reporting period. UVCS data, data analysis software, calibration files and the mission log are available from the SOHO archive and SAO. All UVCS data are now available within three months of the observations to scientists and the general public via the SOHO Data Archive and SAO. UVCS has resulted in 33 scientific papers in 2003. There were numerous presentations at scientific meetings. UVCS Education and Public Outreach activities involved nine members of the UVCS team. During the reporting period, there were over a dozen events directed at students and teachers, museum audiences, and public audiences via the mass media, internet and educational literature.

An eight-octant phase-mask coronagraph for the Subaru coronagraphic extreme AO (SCExAO) system: system design and expected performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murakami, Naoshi; Guyon, Olivier; Martinache, Frantz; Matsuo, Taro; Yokochi, Kaito; Nishikawa, Jun; Tamura, Motohide; Kurokawa, Takashi; Baba, Naoshi; Vogt, Frédéric; Garrel, Vincent; Yoshikawa, Takashi

2010-07-01

An eight-octant phase-mask (EOPM) coronagraph is one of the highest performance coronagraphic concepts, and attains simultaneously high throughput, small inner working angle, and large discovery space. However, its application to ground-based telescopes such as the Subaru Telescope is challenging due to pupil geometry (thick spider vanes and large central obstruction) and residual tip-tilt errors. We show that the Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics (SCExAO) system, scheduled to be installed onto the Subaru Telescope, includes key technologies which can solve these problems. SCExAO uses a spider removal plate which translates four parts of the pupil with tilted plane parallel plates. The pupil central obstruction can be removed by a pupil remapping system similar to the PIAA optics already in the SCExAO system, which could be redesigned with no amplitude apodization. The EOPM is inserted in the focal plane to divide a stellar image into eight-octant regions, and introduces a π-phase difference between adjacent octants. This causes a self-destructive interference inside the pupil area on a following reimaged pupil plane. By using a reflective mask instead of a conventional opaque Lyot stop, the stellar light diffracted outside the pupil can be used for a coronagraphic low-order wave-front sensor to accurately measure and correct tip-tilt errors. A modified inverse-PIAA system, located behind the reimaged pupil plane, is used to remove off-axis aberrations and deliver a wide field of view. We show that this EOPM coronagraph architecture enables high contrast imaging at small working angle on the Subaru Telescope. Our approach could be generalized to other phase-mask type coronagraphs and other ground-based telescopes.

The Large Angle Spectroscopic Coronagraph (LASCO): Visible light coronal imaging and spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brueckner, Guenter E.; Howard, Russell A.; Koomen, Martin J.; Korendyke, C.; Michels, D. J.; Socker, D. G.; Lamy, Philippe; Llebaria, Antoine; Maucherat, J.; Schwenn, Rainer

1992-01-01

The Large Angle Spectroscopic Coronagraph (LASCO) is a triple coronagraph being jointly developed for the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) mission. LASCO comprises three nested coronagraphs (C1, C2, and C3) that image the solar corona for 1.1 to 30 solar radii (C1: 1.1 to 3 solar radii, C2: 1.5 to 6 solar radii, and C3: 3 to 30.0 solar radii). The inner coronagraph (C1) is a newly developed mirror version of the classic Lyot coronagraph without an external occultor, while the middle coronagraph (C2) and the outer coronagraph (C3) are externally occulted instruments. High resolution coronal spectroscopy from 1.1 to 3 R solar radii can be performed by using a Fabry-Perot interferometer, which is part of C1. High volume memories and a high speed microprocessor enable extensive onboard image processing. Image compression by factors of 10 to 20 will result in the transmission of 10 to 20 full images per hour.

Small-Grid Dithering Strategy for Improved Coronagraphic Performance with JWST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lajoie, Charles-Philippe; Soummer, Remi; Pueyo, Laurent; Hines, Dean C.; Nelan, Edmund P.; JWST Coronagraphs Working Group

2015-01-01

Contrast performances for most coronagraph designs typically depend rather strongly on the accuracy of target acquisition. For JWST, target acquisition away from the center of the coronagraphs will allow for centroid measurement, which will in turn be used to command a small-angle maneuver (SAM) to accurately place the star behind the coronagraphic mask. With this approach, the SAM accuracy inherently limits the contrast performance of the coronagraphs, especially given that a reference star (or self-reference after telescope roll) might also be required. For such differential measurements, the reproducibility of the TA is therefore a very important factor. Here, we propose a novel coronagraphic observation concept whereby the reference PSF is first acquired using a standard TA, followed by coronagraphic observations on a small grid of dithered positions. Sub-pixel dithers (5-10mas each) provide a small reference PSF library that sample the possible variations in the PSF shape due to imperfect TAs. This small library can then be used for example with principal component analysis for PSF subtraction (e.g; LOCI or KLIP algorithms). Such very small dithers can be achieved with the JWST attitude control system without overhead and with higher accuracy than a SAM since they take advantage of the fine steering mirror under closed-loop fine guidance. We discuss and evaluate the performance gains from this observation scenario compared to the standard TA for MIRI Four-Quadrant Phase Mask coronagraphs and provide numerical simulations for a some astrophysical targets of interest.

Low-Order Aberrations in Band-limited Lyot Coronagraphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivaramakrishnan, Anand; Soummer, Rémi; Sivaramakrishnan, Allic V.; Lloyd, James P.; Oppenheimer, Ben R.; Makidon, Russell B.

2005-12-01

We study the way Lyot coronagraphs with unapodized entrance pupils respond to small, low-order phase aberrations. This study is applicable to ground-based adaptive optics coronagraphs operating at 90% and higher Strehl ratios, as well as to some space-based coronagraphs with intrinsically higher Strehl ratio imaging. We utilize a second-order expansion of the monochromatic point-spread function (written as a power spectrum of a power series in the phase aberration over clear aperture) to derive analytical expressions for the response of a ``band-limited'' Lyot coronagraph (BLC) to small, low-order, phase aberrations. The BLC possesses a focal plane mask with an occulting spot whose opacity profile is a spatially band-limited function rather than a hard-edged, opaque disk. The BLC is, to first order, insensitive to tilt and astigmatism. Undersizing the stop in the reimaged pupil plane (the Lyot plane) following the focal plane mask can alleviate second-order effects of astigmatism, at the expense of system throughput and angular resolution. The optimal degree of such undersizing depends on individual instrument designs and goals. Our analytical work engenders physical insight and complements existing numerical work on this subject. Our methods can be extended to treat the passage of higher order aberrations through band-limited Lyot coronagraphs by using our polynomial decomposition or an analogous Fourier approach.

Computed tomography imaging spectrometer (CTIS) with 2D reflective grating for ultraviolet to long-wave infrared detection especially useful for surveying transient events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muller, Richard E. (Inventor); Mouroulis, Pantazis Z. (Inventor); Maker, Paul D. (Inventor); Wilson, Daniel W. (Inventor)

2003-01-01

The optical system of this invention is an unique type of imaging spectrometer, i.e. an instrument that can determine the spectra of all points in a two-dimensional scene. The general type of imaging spectrometer under which this invention falls has been termed a computed-tomography imaging spectrometer (CTIS). CTIS's have the ability to perform spectral imaging of scenes containing rapidly moving objects or evolving features, hereafter referred to as transient scenes. This invention, a reflective CTIS with an unique two-dimensional reflective grating, can operate in any wavelength band from the ultraviolet through long-wave infrared. Although this spectrometer is especially useful for rapidly occurring events it is also useful for investigation of some slow moving phenomena as in the life sciences.

First Year of WFIRST/AFTA Coronagraph Technology Development: Testbed Progress Update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poberezhskiy, Ilya; Poberezhskiy, Ilya; Zhao, Feng; An, Xin; Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; Belikov, Rus; Cady, Eric; Diaz, Rosemary; Gordon, Brian; Guyon, Olivier; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Kern, Brian; Kuhnert, Andreas; Moody, Dwight; Muller, Richard; Nemati, Bijan; Patterson, Keith; Riggs, A. J.; Ryan, Daniel; Seo, Byoung-Joon; Sidick, Erkin; Shi, Fang; Tang, Hong; Trauger, John; Wallace, Kent; Wang, Xu; Wilson, Daniel; White, Victor; Yee, Karl; Zhou, Hanying; Zimmerman, Neil

2015-01-01

NASA's WFIRST/AFTA mission study includes the first high-contrast stellar coronagraph in space. This coronagraph will be capable of imaging and spectrally characterizing giant exoplanets similar to Neptune and Jupiter and possibly super-Earths, as well as circumstellar disks. After a transparent and rigorous downselect process, NASA chose in December of 2013 a primary design called an Occulting Mask Coronagraph (OMC) that combines two technical approaches, Shaped Pupil and Hybrid Lyot, in one instrument. The Phase-Induced Amplitude Apodization Complex Mask Coronagraph was selected as the backup design.The OMC coronagraph technologies were assessed to have the highest likelihood of passing the WFIRST/AFTA flight readiness gates and the ability to produce compelling science by working with the existing 2.4-meter telescope 'as is,' including its central obscuration, expected thermal drift, and the observatory pointing jitter. NASA set us the objective of maturing the WFIRST/AFTA coronagraph to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 by October 1, 2016. A set of technical milestones was agreed upon to track the progress toward achieving TRL 5.Substantial advances in WFIRST/AFTA coronagraph technology have been made during 2014, and the OMC progress is currently running ahead of the schedule laid out by the milestones. Our poster will present some of these key recent results to the community, including:(1) Fabrication and characterization of WFIRST/AFTA coronagraph pupil plane and focal plane masks designed to work with the existing 2.4 telescope.(2) Experimental results demonstrating high contrast achieved on a coronagraph testbed in narrowband and broadband light - first such results obtained with an obscured pupil.(3) Progress in the development of the low-order wavefront sensing and control subsystem that will use rejected starlight to sense and correct both high frequency pointing jitter and slow varying low order aberrations. This subsystem will be integrated with the

Stray-light analyses of the multielement telescope for imaging and spectroscopy coronagraph on Solar Orbiter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandri, Paolo; Fineschi, Silvano; Romoli, Marco; Taccola, Matteo; Landini, Federico; Da Deppo, Vania; Naletto, Giampiero; Morea, Danilo; Naughton, Denis; Antonucci, Ester

2018-01-01

The modeling of the scattering phenomena for the multielement telescope for imaging and spectroscopy (METIS) coronagraph on board the European Space Agency Solar Orbiter is reported. METIS is an inverted occultation coronagraph including two optical paths: the broadband imaging of the full corona in linearly polarized visible-light (580 to 640 nm) and the narrow-band imaging of the full corona in the ultraviolet Lyman-α (121.6 nm). METIS will have the unique opportunity of observing the solar outer atmosphere as close to the Sun as 0.28 AU and from up to 35 deg out-of-ecliptic. The stray-light simulations performed on the UV and VL channels of the METIS analyzing the contributors of surface microroughness, particulate contamination, cosmetic defects, and diffraction are reported. The results obtained with the nonsequential modality of Zemax OpticStudio are compared with two different approaches: the Monte Carlo ray trace with Advanced Systems Analysis Program (ASAP®) and a semianalytical model. The results obtained with the three independently developed approaches are in considerable agreement and show compliance to the requirement of stray-light level for both the UV and VL channels.

SPECKLE NOISE SUBTRACTION AND SUPPRESSION WITH ADAPTIVE OPTICS CORONAGRAPHIC IMAGING

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

Ren Deqing; Dou Jiangpei; Zhang Xi

2012-07-10

Future ground-based direct imaging of exoplanets depends critically on high-contrast coronagraph and wave-front manipulation. A coronagraph is designed to remove most of the unaberrated starlight. Because of the wave-front error, which is inherit from the atmospheric turbulence from ground observations, a coronagraph cannot deliver its theoretical performance, and speckle noise will limit the high-contrast imaging performance. Recently, extreme adaptive optics, which can deliver an extremely high Strehl ratio, is being developed for such a challenging mission. In this publication, we show that barely taking a long-exposure image does not provide much gain for coronagraphic imaging with adaptive optics. We furthermore » discuss a speckle subtraction and suppression technique that fully takes advantage of the high contrast provided by the coronagraph, as well as the wave front corrected by the adaptive optics. This technique works well for coronagraphic imaging with conventional adaptive optics with a moderate Strehl ratio, as well as for extreme adaptive optics with a high Strehl ratio. We show how to substrate and suppress speckle noise efficiently up to the third order, which is critical for future ground-based high-contrast imaging. Numerical simulations are conducted to fully demonstrate this technique.« less

Low-order wavefront sensing for coronagraphic telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subedi, Hari; Kasdin, Jeremy; Peter Varnai

2018-01-01

Space telescopes equipped with a coronagraph to detect and characterize exoplanets must have the ability to sense and control low-order wavefront aberrations. Most concepts for low-order wavefront sensing use the starlight rejected by the coronagraph to sense these aberrations. The sensor must be able to make precise estimates and be robust to photon and read noise. A thorough study of various differential low-order wavefront sensors (LOWFSs) would be beneficial for future space-based observatories designed for exoplanet detection and characterization. In this talk, we will expand on the comparison of different LOWFSs that use the rejected starlight either from the coronagraphic focal plane or the Lyot plane to estimate these aberrations. We will also present the experimental results of the sparse aperture mask (SAM) LOWFS that we have designed at the Princeton High Contrast Imaging Lab (PHCIL).

The Four-Quadrant Phase-Mask Coronagraph. I. Principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouan, D.; Riaud, P.; Boccaletti, A.; Clénet, Y.; Labeyrie, A.

2000-11-01

We describe a new type of coronagraph, based on the principle of a phase mask as proposed by Roddier and Roddier a few years ago but using an original mask design found by one of us (D. R.), a four-quadrant binary phase mask (0, π) covering the full field of view at the focal plane. The mutually destructive interferences of the coherent light from the main source produce a very efficient nulling. The computed rejection rate of this coronagraph appears to be very high since, when perfectly aligned and phase-error free, it could in principle reduce the total amount of light from the bright source by a factor of 108, corresponding to a gain of 20 mag in brightness at the location of the first Airy ring, relative to the Airy peak. In the real world the gain is of course reduced by a strong factor, but nulling is still performing quite well, provided that the perturbation of the phase, for instance, due to the Earth's atmosphere, is efficiently corrected by adaptive optics. We show from simulations that a detection at a contrast of 10 mag between a star and a faint companion is achievable in excellent conditions, while 8 mag appears routinely feasible. This coronagraph appears less sensitive to atmospheric turbulence and has a larger dynamic range than other recently proposed nulling techniques: the phase-mask coronagraph (by Roddier and Roddier) or the Achromatic Interfero-Coronagraph (by Gay and Rabbia). We present the principle of the four-quadrant coronagraph and results of a first series of simulations. We compare those results with theoretical performances of other devices. We briefly analyze the different limitations in space or ground-based observations, as well as the issue of manufacturing the device. We also discuss several ways to improve the detection of a faint companion around a bright object. We conclude that, with respect to previous techniques, an instrument equipped with this coronagraph should have better performance and even enable the imaging of

Requirements and Design Reference Mission for the WFIRST-AFTA Coronagraph Instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Demers, Richard T.; Dekens, Frank; Calvet, Rob; Chang, Zensheu; Effinger, Robert; Ek, Eric; Hovland, Larry; Jones, Laura; Loc, Anthony; Nemati, Bijan;

Study of sungrazing comets with space-based coronagraphs: new possibilities offered by METIS on boar Solar Orbiter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bemporad, Alessandro

Thanks to the launch of SOHO in the end of 1995 and to the continuous monitoring of the white light (WL) corona offered by the LASCO coronagraphs, it was discovered that sungrazing comets are much more common than previously thought. More than 2500 comets have been discovered over about 17 years, hence slightly less than a comet every 2 days is observed by coronagraphs. The white light emission seen by SOHO/LASCO and more recently also by the STEREO/SECCHI instruments provides information not only on the comet orbits (hence on its origin), but also on the dust-tail formation, dust-tail disconnection, occurrence of nucleus fragmentation and nucleus disintegration processes. Very interestingly, a few sungrazing comets have been also observed in the UV spectra by the SOHO UV Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) and the strong emission observed in the H I Lyman-alpha lambda 1216 Å line provided direct information also on the water outgassing rate, tail chemical composition, nucleus size and occurrence of nucleus fragmentations. Moreover, the UV cometary emission provides a new method to estimate physical parameters of the coronal plasma met by the comet (like electron density, proton temperature and solar wind velocity), in a way that these comets can be considered as “local probes” for the solar corona. Unique observations of comets will be provided in the next future by the METIS coronagraph on board the Solar Orbiter mission: METIS will contemporary observe the corona in WL and in UV (HI Lyman-alpha), hence will be a unique instrument to study at the same time the transiting comets and the solar corona being crossed by the comets. Previous results and new possibilities offered by METIS on these topics are summarized and discussed here.

Low-cost 3D printed 1  nm resolution smartphone sensor-based spectrometer: instrument design and application in ultraviolet spectroscopy.

PubMed

Wilkes, Thomas C; McGonigle, Andrew J S; Willmott, Jon R; Pering, Tom D; Cook, Joseph M

2017-11-01

We report on the development of a low-cost spectrometer, based on off-the-shelf optical components, a 3D printed housing, and a modified Raspberry Pi camera module. With a bandwidth and spectral resolution of ≈60  nm and 1 nm, respectively, this device was designed for ultraviolet (UV) remote sensing of atmospheric sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ), ≈310  nm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of both a UV spectrometer and a nanometer resolution spectrometer based on smartphone sensor technology. The device performance was assessed and validated by measuring column amounts of SO 2 within quartz cells with a differential optical absorption spectroscopy processing routine. This system could easily be reconfigured to cover other UV-visible-near-infrared spectral regions, as well as alternate spectral ranges and/or linewidths. Hence, our intention is also to highlight how this framework could be applied to build bespoke, low-cost, spectrometers for a range of scientific applications.

WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph shaped pupil masks: design, fabrication, and characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; White, Victor; Yee, Karl; Echternach, Pierre; Muller, Richard; Dickie, Matthew; Cady, Eric; Prada, Camilo Mejia; Ryan, Daniel; Poberezhskiy, Ilya; Kern, Brian; Zhou, Hanying; Krist, John; Nemati, Bijan; Eldorado Riggs, A. J.; Zimmerman, Neil T.; Kasdin, N. Jeremy

2016-01-01

NASA WFIRST-AFTA mission study includes a coronagraph instrument to find and characterize exoplanets. Various types of masks could be employed to suppress the host starlight to about 10-9 level contrast over a broad spectrum to enable the coronagraph mission objectives. Such masks for high-contrast internal coronagraphic imaging require various fabrication technologies to meet a wide range of specifications, including precise shapes, micron scale island features, ultralow reflectivity regions, uniformity, wave front quality, and achromaticity. We present the approaches employed at JPL to produce pupil plane and image plane coronagraph masks by combining electron beam, deep reactive ion etching, and black silicon technologies with illustrative examples of each, highlighting milestone accomplishments from the High Contrast Imaging Testbed at JPL and from the High Contrast Imaging Lab at Princeton University.

Berkeley extreme-ultraviolet airglow rocket spectrometer: BEARS.

PubMed

Cotton, D M; Chakrabarti, S

1992-09-20

We describe the Berkeley extreme-UV airglow rocket spectrometer, which is a payload designed to test several thermospheric remote-sensing concepts by measuring the terrestrial O I far-UV and extreme-UV dayglow and the solar extreme-UV spectrum simultaneously. The instrument consisted of two near-normal Rowland mount spectrometers and a Lyman-alpha photometer. The dayglow spectrometer covered two spectral regions from 980 to 1040 A and from 1300 to 1360 A with 1.5-A resolution. The solar spectrometer had a bandpass of 250-1150 A with an ~ 10-A resolution. All three spectra were accumulated by using a icrochannel-plate-intensified, two-dimensional imaging detector with three separate wedge-and strip anode readouts. The hydrogen Lyman-alpha photometer was included to monitor the solar Lyman-alpha irradiance and geocoronal Lyman-alpha emissions. The instrument was designed, fabricated, and calibrated at the University of California, Berkeley and was successfully launched on 30 September 1988 aboard the first test flight of a four-stage sounding rocket, Black Brant XII.

Technologies Required to Image Earth 2.0 with a Space Coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siegler, Nicholas

2017-01-01

NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP) guides the development of technology that enables the direct imaging and characterization of exo-Earths in the habitable zone of their stars for future space observatories. Here we present the coronagraph portion of the 2017 ExEP Technology Gap List, an annual update to ExEP's list of of technologies, to be advanced in the next 1-5 years. A coronagraph is an internal occulter that allows a space telescope to achieve exo-Earth imaging contrast requirements (more than 10 billion) by blocking on-axis starlight while allowing the reflected light of off-axis exoplanets be detected. Building and operating a space coronagraph capable of imaging an exo-Earth will require new technologies beyond those of WFIRST, the first high-contrast conronagraph in space. We review the current state-of-the-art performance of space coronagraphs and the performance level that must be achieved for a coronagraph..

The 1989 Solar Maximum Mission event list

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dennis, B. R.; Licata, J. P.; Tolbert, A. K.

1992-01-01

This document contains information on solar burst and transient activity observed by the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) during 1989 pointed observations. Data from the following SMM experiments are included: (1) Gamma Ray Spectrometer, (2) Hard X-Ray Burst Spectrometer, (3) Flat Crystal Spectrometer, (4) Bent Crystal Spectrometer, (5) Ultraviolet Spectrometer Polarimeter, and (6) Coronagraph/Polarimeter. Correlative optical, radio, and Geostationary Operational Satellite (GOES) X-ray data are also presented. Where possible, bursts or transients observed in the various wavelengths were grouped into discrete flare events identified by unique event numbers. Each event carries a qualifier denoting the quality or completeness of the observations. Spacecraft pointing coordinates and flare site angular displacement values from sun center are also included.

The 1988 Solar Maximum Mission event list

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dennis, B. R.; Licata, J. P.; Tolbert, A. K.

1992-01-01

Information on solar burst and transient activity observed by the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) during 1988 pointed observations is presented. Data from the following SMM experiments are included: (1) gamma ray spectrometer; (2) hard x ray burst spectrometer; (3) flat crystal spectrometers; (4) bent crystal spectrometer; (5) ultraviolet spectrometer polarimeter; and (6) coronagraph/polarimeter. Correlative optical, radio, and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) x ray data are also presented. Where possible, bursts, or transients observed in the various wavelengths were grouped into discrete flare events identified by unique event numbers. Each event carries a qualifier denoting the quality or completeness of the observation. Spacecraft pointing coordinates and flare site angular displacement values from sun center are also included.

An extensive coronagraphic simulation applied to LBT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vassallo, D.; Carolo, E.; Farinato, J.; Bergomi, M.; Bonavita, M.; Carlotti, A.; D'Orazi, V.; Greggio, D.; Magrin, D.; Mesa, D.; Pinna, E.; Puglisi, A.; Stangalini, M.; Verinaud, C.; Viotto, V.

2016-08-01

In this article we report the results of a comprehensive simulation program aimed at investigating coronagraphic capabilities of SHARK-NIR, a camera selected to proceed to the final design phase at Large Binocular Telescope. For the purpose, we developed a dedicated simulation tool based on physical optics propagation. The code propagates wavefronts through SHARK optical train in an end-to-end fashion and can implement any kind of coronagraph. Detection limits can be finally computed, exploring a wide range of Strehl values and observing conditions.

Scaled-model guidelines for formation-flying solar coronagraph missions.

PubMed

Landini, Federico; Romoli, Marco; Baccani, Cristian; Focardi, Mauro; Pancrazzi, Maurizio; Galano, Damien; Kirschner, Volker

2016-02-15

Stray light suppression is the main concern in designing a solar coronagraph. The main contribution to the stray light for an externally occulted space-borne solar coronagraph is the light diffracted by the occulter and scattered by the optics. It is mandatory to carefully evaluate the diffraction generated by an external occulter and the impact that it has on the stray light signal on the focal plane. The scientific need for observations to cover a large portion of the heliosphere with an inner field of view as close as possible to the photospheric limb supports the ambition of launching formation-flying giant solar coronagraphs. Their dimension prevents the possibility of replicating the flight geometry in a clean laboratory environment, and the strong need for a scaled model is thus envisaged. The problem of scaling a coronagraph has already been faced for exoplanets, for a single point source on axis at infinity. We face the problem here by adopting an original approach and by introducing the scaling of the solar disk as an extended source.

Optical measurements of the mirrors and of the interferential filter of the Metis coronagraph on Solar Orbiter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandri, P.; Sarra, P.; Radaelli, P.; Morea, D.; Melich, R.; Berlicki, A.; Antonucci, E.; Castronuovo, M. M.; Fineschi, S.; Naletto, G.; Nicolini, G.; Romoli, M.

2017-08-01

The paper describes the wavefront error measurements of the concave ellipsoidal mirrors M1 and M2, of the concave spherical mirror M0 and of the flat interferential filter IF of the Metis coronagraph. Metis is an inverted occultation coronagraph on board of the ESA Solar Orbiter mission providing a broad-band imaging of the full corona in linearly polarized visible-light (580 - 640 nm) and a narrow-band imaging of the full corona in the ultraviolet Lyman α (121.6 nm). Metis will observe the solar outer atmosphere from a close distance to the Sun as 0.28 A.U. and from up to 35deg out-of-ecliptic. The measurements of wavefront error of the mirrors and of the interferential filter of Metis have been performed in a ISO5 clean room both at component level and at assembly level minimizing, during the integration, the stress introduced by the mechanical hardware. The wavefront error measurements have been performed with a digital interferometer for mirrors M0, M1 and M2 and with a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor for the interferential filter.

The 1980 solar maximum mission event listing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Speich, D. M.; Nelson, J. J.; Licata, J. P.; Tolbert, A. K.

1991-01-01

Information is contained on solar burst and transient activity observed by the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) during 1980 pointed observations. Data from the following SMM experiments are included: (1) Gamma Ray Spectrometer, (2) Hard X-Ray Burst Spectrometer, (3) Hard X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer, (4) Flat Crystal Spectrometer, (5) Bent Crystal Spectrometer, (6) Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter, and (7) Coronagraph/Polarimeter. Correlative optical, radio, and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) x ray data are also presented. Where possible, bursts or transients observed in the various wavelengths were grouped into discrete flare events identified by unique event numbers. Each event carries a qualifier denoting the quality or completeness of the observations. Spacecraft pointing coordinates and flare site angular displacement values from Sun center are also included.

EUNIS: An Extreme-Ultraviolet Normal-Incidence Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Roger J.; Davila, Joseph M.; Fisher, Richard R. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

GSFC is in the process of assembling an Extreme-Ultraviolet Normal-Incidence Spectrometer called EUNIS, to be flown as a sounding rocket payload. This instrument builds on the many technical innovations pioneered by our highly successful SERTS experiment over its past ten flights. The new design will have somewhat improved spatial and spectral resolutions, as well as 100 times greater sensitivity, permitting EUV spectroscopy with a temporal resolution near 1-second for the first time ever. To achieve such high time cadence, a novel Active-Pixel-Sensor detector is being developed as a key component of our design. The high sensitivity of EUNIS will allow entirely new studies of transient coronal phenomena, such as the rapid loop dynamics seen by TRACE, and searches for non-thermal motions indicative of magnetic reconnection or wave heating. The increased sensitivity will also permit useful EUV spectra at heights of 2-3-R$ \\odot$ above the limb, where the transition between the static corona and the solar wind might occur. In addition, the new design features two independent optical systems, more than doubling the spectral bandwidth covered on each flight. Its 300-370\\AA\\ bandpass includes He-II 304\\AA\\ and strong lines from Fe-XI-XVI, extending the current SERTS range of 300-355\\AA\\ to further improve our ongoing series of calibration under-flights for SOHO/CDS and EIT. The second bandpass of 170-230\\AA\\ has a sequence of very strong Fe-IX-XIV lines, and will allow under-flight support for two more channels on SOHO/EIT, two channels on TRACE, one on Solar-B/EIS, and all four channels on the STEREO/EUVI instrument. First flight of the new EUNIS payload is scheduled for 2002 October.

Dynamic testbed demonstration of WFIRST coronagraph low order wavefront sensing and control (LOWFS/C)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Fang; Cady, Eric; Seo, Byoung-Joon; An, Xin; Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; Kern, Brian; Lam, Raymond; Marx, David; Moody, Dwight; Mejia Prada, Camilo; Patterson, Keith; Poberezhskiy, Ilya; Shields, Joel; Sidick, Erkin; Tang, Hong; Trauger, John; Truong, Tuan; White, Victor; Wilson, Daniel; Zhou, Hanying

2017-09-01

To maintain the required performance of WFIRST Coronagraph in a realistic space environment, a Low Order Wavefront Sensing and Control (LOWFS/C) subsystem is necessary. The LOWFS/C uses a Zernike wavefront sensor (ZWFS) with the phase shifting disk combined with the starlight rejecting occulting mask. For wavefront error corrections, WFIRST LOWFS/C uses a fast steering mirror (FSM) for line-of-sight (LoS) correction, a focusing mirror for focus drift correction, and one of the two deformable mirrors (DM) for other low order wavefront error (WFE) correction. As a part of technology development and demonstration for WFIRST Coronagraph, a dedicated Occulting Mask Coronagraph (OMC) testbed has been built and commissioned. With its configuration similar to the WFIRST flight coronagraph instrument the OMC testbed consists of two coronagraph modes, Shaped Pupil Coronagraph (SPC) and Hybrid Lyot Coronagraph (HLC), a low order wavefront sensor (LOWFS), and an optical telescope assembly (OTA) simulator which can generate realistic LoS drift and jitter as well as low order wavefront error that would be induced by the WFIRST telescope's vibration and thermal changes. In this paper, we will introduce the concept of WFIRST LOWFS/C, describe the OMC testbed, and present the testbed results of LOWFS sensor performance. We will also present our recent results from the dynamic coronagraph tests in which we have demonstrated of using LOWFS/C to maintain the coronagraph contrast with the presence of WFIRST-like line-of-sight and low order wavefront disturbances.

An active coronagraph using a liquid crystal array for exoplanet imaging: principle and testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xi; Ren, De-Qing; Zhu, Yong-Tian; Dou, Jiang-Pei

2012-05-01

High-contrast imaging coronagraphs, used for the detection of exoplanets, have always adopted passive coronagraph optical components. It is therefore impossible to actively optimize the coronagraphs to achieve their best performance. To solve this problem, we propose a novel high-contrast imaging coronagraph which combines a liquid crystal array (LCA) for active pupil apodization and a deformable mirror (DM) for phase correction. The LCA we use is an amplitude-only spatial light modulator. The LCA is well calibrated and compensates for its amplitude non-uniformity and nonlinear intensity responsivity. We measured the imaging contrasts of the coronagraph system with the LCA only and without the DM deployed. Imaging contrasts of 10-4 and 10-5 can be reached at an inner working angular distance of 2.5 and 5λ/D, respectively. A simulation shows that the phase errors on the coronagraph pupil limit the contrast performance. The contrast could be further improved if a DM is deployed to correct the phase errors induced by the LCA and coronagraph optics.

MiniCOR: A miniature coronagraph for an interplanetary CUBESAT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vourlidas, A.; Korendyke, C.; Liewer, P. C.; Cutler, J.; Howard, R.; Plunkett, S. P.; Thernisien, A. F.

2015-12-01

Coronagraphs occupy a unique place in Heliophysics, critical to both NAA and NOAA programs. They are the primary means for the study of the extended solar coorna and its short/long term activity. In addition coronagraphs are the only instrument that can image coronal mass ejections (CMEs) leaving the Sun and provide ciritical information for space weather forecasting. We descirbe a low cost miniaturzied CubeSat coronagraph, MiniCOR, designed to operate in deep space which will returndata with higher cadence and sensitivity than that from the SOHO/LASCO coronagraphs. MiniCOR is a six unit (6U) science craft with a tightly integrated, single instrument interplanetary flight system optiized for science. MiniCOR fully exploits recent technology advance in CubeSat technology and active pixel sensors. With a factor of 2.9 improvement in light gathering power over SOHO and quasi-continuous data collection, MiniCOR can observe the slow solar wind, CMEs and shocks with sufficient signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to open new windows on our understanding of the inner Heliosphere. An operating Minic'OR would prvide coornagraphic observations in support of the upcoming Solar Probe Plus (SPP) and Solar Orbiter (SO) missions.

Shaped pupil Lyot coronagraphs: high-contrast solutions for restricted focal planes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmerman, Neil T.; Eldorado Riggs, A. J.; Jeremy Kasdin, N.; Carlotti, Alexis; Vanderbei, Robert J.

2016-01-01

Coronagraphs of the apodized pupil and shaped pupil varieties use the Fraunhofer diffraction properties of amplitude masks to create regions of high contrast in the vicinity of a target star. Here we present a hybrid coronagraph architecture in which a binary, hard-edged shaped pupil mask replaces the gray, smooth apodizer of the apodized pupil Lyot coronagraph (APLC). For any contrast and bandwidth goal in this configuration, as long as the prescribed region of contrast is restricted to a finite area in the image, a shaped pupil is the apodizer with the highest transmission. We relate the starlight cancellation mechanism to that of the conventional APLC. We introduce a new class of solutions in which the amplitude profile of the Lyot stop, instead of being fixed as a padded replica of the telescope aperture, is jointly optimized with the apodizer. Finally, we describe shaped pupil Lyot coronagraph (SPLC) designs for the baseline architecture of the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope-Astrophysics Focused Telescope Assets (WFIRST-AFTA) coronagraph. These SPLCs help to enable two scientific objectives of the WFIRST-AFTA mission: (1) broadband spectroscopy to characterize exoplanet atmospheres in reflected starlight and (2) debris disk imaging.

Ames Coronagraph Experiment: Enabling Missions to Directly Image Exoplanets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belikov, Ruslan

2014-01-01

Technology to find biomarkers and life on other worlds is rapidly maturing. If there is a habitable planet around the nearest star, we may be able to detect it this decade with a small satellite mission. In the 2030 decade, we will likely know if there is life in our Galactic neighborhood (1000 nearest stars). The Ames Coronagraph Experiment is developing coronagraphic technologies to enable such missions.

Low-order aberration sensitivity of eighth-order coronagraph masks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaklan, Stuart B.; Green, Joseph J.

2005-01-01

In a recent paper, Kuchner, Crepp, and Ge describe new image-plane coronagraph mask designs that reject to eighth order the leakage of starlight caused by image motion at the mask, resulting in a substantial relaxation of image centroiding requirements compared to previous fourth-order and second-order masks. They also suggest that the new masks are effective at rejecting leakage caused by low-order aberrations (e.g., focus, coma, and astigmatism). In this paper, we derive the sensitivity of eighth-order masks to aberrations of any order and provide simulations of coronagraph behavior in the presence of optical aberrations.We find that the masks leak light as the fourth power of focus, astigmatism, coma, and trefoil. This has tremendous performance advantages for the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph.

Coronagraphic imaging of circumstellar material around evolved massive stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lomax, Jamie R.; Levesque, Emily; Wisniewski, John

2018-01-01

While many astronomical subfields (e.g. the solar, exoplanet, and disk communities) have been using coronagraphy to combat contrast ratio problems for years, the use of coronagraphic imaging techniques to probe the circumstellar environments of massive stars has been surprisingly underutilized. While current extreme adaptive optics coronagraphic imaging systems (e.g. GPI on Gemini South, SPHERE at the VLT, and SCExAO at Subaru) were built for the sole purpose of detecting exoplanets, their ability to provide large contrast ratios and small inner working angles means they can detect gas, dust, and companions that are closer to the central star than ever before. In this poster we present pilot studies of evolved massive stars using several coronagraphic imaging systems and summarize potential science gains this technique might provide.

Fully reflective deep ultraviolet to near infrared spectrometer and entrance optics for resonance Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulz, B.; Bäckström, J.; Budelmann, D.; Maeser, R.; Rübhausen, M.; Klein, M. V.; Schoeffel, E.; Mihill, A.; Yoon, S.

2005-07-01

We present the design and performance of a new triple-grating deep ultraviolet to near-infrared spectrometer. The system is fully achromatic due to the use of reflective optics. The minimization of image aberrations by using on- and off- axis parabolic mirrors as well as elliptical mirrors yields a strong stray light rejection with high resolution over a wavelength range between 165 and 1000nm. The Raman signal is collected with a reflective entrance objective with a numerical aperture of 0.5, featuring a Cassegrain-type design. Resonance Raman studies on semiconductors and on correlated compounds, such as LaMnO3, highlight the performance of this instrument, and show diverse resonance effects between 1.96 and 5.4eV.

Performance Assessment of a Plate Beam Splitter for Deep-Ultraviolet Raman Measurements with a Spatial Heterodyne Raman Spectrometer.

PubMed

Lamsal, Nirmal; Angel, S Michael

2017-06-01

In earlier works, we demonstrated a high-resolution spatial heterodyne Raman spectrometer (SHRS) for deep-ultraviolet (UV) Raman measurements, and showed its ability to measure UV light-sensitive compounds using a large laser spot size. We recently modified the SHRS by replacing the cube beam splitter (BS) with a custom plate beam splitter with higher light transmission, an optimized reflectance/transmission ratio, higher surface flatness, and better refractive index homogeneity than the cube beam splitter. Ultraviolet Raman measurements were performed using a SHRS modified to use the plate beam splitter and a matching compensator plate and compared to the previously described cube beam splitter setup. Raman spectra obtained using the modified SHRS exhibit much higher signals and signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio and show fewer spectral artifacts. In this paper, we discuss the plate beam splitter SHRS design features, the advantages over previous designs, and discuss some general SHRS issues such as spectral bandwidth, S/N ratio characteristics, and optical efficiency.

Apodized Pupil Lyot Coronagraphs designs for future segmented space telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

St. Laurent, Kathryn; Fogarty, Kevin; Zimmerman, Neil; N’Diaye, Mamadou; Stark, Chris; Sivaramakrishnan, Anand; Pueyo, Laurent; Vanderbei, Robert; Soummer, Remi

2018-01-01

A coronagraphic starlight suppression system situated on a future flagship space observatory offers a promising avenue to image Earth-like exoplanets and search for biomarkers in their atmospheric spectra. One NASA mission concept that could serve as the platform to realize this scientific breakthrough is the Large UV/Optical/IR Surveyor (LUVOIR). Such a mission would also address a broad range of topics in astrophysics with a multi-wavelength suite of instruments.In support of the community’s assessment of the scientific capability of a LUVOIR mission, the Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP) has launched a multi-team technical study: Segmented Coronagraph Design and Analysis (SCDA). The goal of this study is to develop viable coronagraph instrument concepts for a LUVOIR-type mission. Results of the SCDA effort will directly inform the mission concept evaluation being carried out by the LUVOIR Science and Technology Definition Team. The apodized pupil Lyot coronagraph (APLC) is one of several coronagraph design families that the SCDA study is assessing. The APLC is a Lyot-style coronagraph that suppresses starlight through a series of amplitude operations on the on-axis field. Given a suite of seven plausible segmented telescope apertures, we have developed an object-oriented software toolkit to automate the exploration of thousands of APLC design parameter combinations. In the course of exploring this parameter space we have established relationships between APLC throughput and telescope aperture geometry, Lyot stop, inner working angle, bandwidth, and contrast level. In parallel with the parameter space exploration, we have investigated several strategies to improve the robustness of APLC designs to fabrication and alignment errors and integrated a Design Reference Mission framework to evaluate designs with scientific yield metrics.

Low Order Wavefront Sensing and Control for WFIRST-AFTA Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shi, Fang; Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatha; Bartos, Randall; Hien, Randall; Kern, Brian; Krist, John; Lam, Raymond; Moore, Douglas; Moore, James; Patterson, Keith;

Effect of DM Actuator Errors on the WFIRST/AFTA Coronagraph Contrast Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sidick, Erkin; Shi, Fang

2015-01-01

The WFIRST/AFTA 2.4 m space telescope currently under study includes a stellar coronagraph for the imaging and the spectral characterization of extrasolar planets. The coronagraph employs two sequential deformable mirrors (DMs) to compensate for phase and amplitude errors in creating dark holes. DMs are critical elements in high contrast coronagraphs, requiring precision and stability measured in picometers to enable detection of Earth-like exoplanets. Working with a low-order wavefront-sensor the DM that is conjugate to a pupil can also be used to correct low-order wavefront drift during a scientific observation. However, not all actuators in a DM have the same gain. When using such a DM in low-order wavefront sensing and control subsystem, the actuator gain errors introduce high-spatial frequency errors to the DM surface and thus worsen the contrast performance of the coronagraph. We have investigated the effects of actuator gain errors and the actuator command digitization errors on the contrast performance of the coronagraph through modeling and simulations, and will present our results in this paper.

Coronagraph Focal-Plane Phase Masks Based on Photonic Crystal Technology: Recent Progress and Observational Strategy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murakami, Naoshi; Nishikawa, Jun; Sakamoto, Moritsugu; Ise, Akitoshi; Oka, Kazuhiko; Baba, Naoshi; Murakami, Hiroshi; Tamura, Motohide; Traub, Wesley A.; Mawet, Dimitri;

PISCES: An Integral Field Spectrograph Technology Demonstration for the WFIRST Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McElwain, Michael W.; Mandell, Avi M.; Gong, Qian; Llop-Sayson, Jorge; Brandt, Timothy; Chambers, Victor J.; Grammer, Bryan; Greeley, Bradford; Hilton, George; Perrin, Marshall D.;

PISCES: an integral field spectrograph technology demonstration for the WFIRST coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McElwain, Michael W.; Mandell, Avi M.; Gong, Qian; Llop-Sayson, Jorge; Brandt, Timothy; Chambers, Victor J.; Grammer, Bryan; Greeley, Bradford; Hilton, George; Perrin, Marshall D.; Stapelfeldt, Karl R.; Demers, Richard; Tang, Hong; Cady, Eric

2016-07-01

We present the design, integration, and test of the Prototype Imaging Spectrograph for Coronagraphic Exoplanet Studies (PISCES) integral field spectrograph (IFS). The PISCES design meets the science requirements for the Wide-Field InfraRed Survey Telescope (WFIRST) Coronagraph Instrument (CGI). PISCES was integrated and tested in the integral field spectroscopy laboratory at NASA Goddard. In June 2016, PISCES was delivered to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) where it was integrated with the Shaped Pupil Coronagraph (SPC) High Contrast Imaging Testbed (HCIT). The SPC/PISCES configuration will demonstrate high contrast integral field spectroscopy as part of the WFIRST CGI technology development program.

Hybrid Lyot coronagraph for WFIRST: high-contrast broadband testbed demonstration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Byoung-Joon; Cady, Eric; Gordon, Brian; Kern, Brian; Lam, Raymond; Marx, David; Moody, Dwight; Muller, Richard; Patterson, Keith; Poberezhskiy, Ilya; Mejia Prada, Camilo; Sidick, Erkin; Shi, Fang; Trauger, John; Wilson, Daniel

2017-09-01

Hybrid Lyot Coronagraph (HLC) is one of the two operating modes of the Wide-Field InfraRed Survey Telescope (WFIRST) coronagraph instrument. Since being selected by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in December 2013, the coronagraph technology is being matured to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 by 2018. To demonstrate starlight suppression in presence of expecting on-orbit input wavefront disturbances, we have built a dynamic testbed in Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in 2016. This testbed, named as Occulting Mask Coronagraph (OMC) testbed, is designed analogous to the WFIRST flight instrument architecture: It has both HLC and Shape Pupil Coronagraph (SPC) architectures, and also has the Low Order Wavefront Sensing and Control (LOWFS/C) subsystem to sense and correct the dynamic wavefront disturbances. We present upto-date progress of HLC mode demonstration in the OMC testbed. SPC results will be reported separately. We inject the flight-like Line of Sight (LoS) and Wavefront Error (WFE) perturbation to the OMC testbed and demonstrate wavefront control using two deformable mirrors while the LOWFS/C is correcting those perturbation in our vacuum testbed. As a result, we obtain repeatable convergence below 5 × 10-9 mean contrast with 10% broadband light centered at 550 nm in the 360 degrees dark hole with working angle between 3 λ/D and 9 λ/D. We present the key hardware and software used in the testbed, the performance results and their comparison to model expectations.

Measuring spatially varying, multispectral, ultraviolet bidirectional reflectance distribution function with an imaging spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hongsong; Lyu, Hang; Liao, Ningfang; Wu, Wenmin

2016-12-01

The bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) data in the ultraviolet (UV) band are valuable for many applications including cultural heritage, material analysis, surface characterization, and trace detection. We present a BRDF measurement instrument working in the near- and middle-UV spectral range. The instrument includes a collimated UV light source, a rotation stage, a UV imaging spectrometer, and a control computer. The data captured by the proposed instrument describe spatial, spectral, and angular variations of the light scattering from a sample surface. Such a multidimensional dataset of an example sample is captured by the proposed instrument and analyzed by a k-mean clustering algorithm to separate surface regions with same material but different surface roughnesses. The clustering results show that the angular dimension of the dataset can be exploited for surface roughness characterization. The two clustered BRDFs are fitted to a theoretical BRDF model. The fitting results show good agreement between the measurement data and the theoretical model.

Solar minimum Lyman alpha sky background observations from Pioneer Venus orbiter ultraviolet spectrometer - Solar wind latitude variation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ajello, J. M.

1990-01-01

Measurements of interplanetary H I Lyman alpha over a large portion of the celestial sphere were made at the recent solar minimum by the Pioneer Venus orbiter ultraviolet spectrometer. These measurements were performed during a series of spacecraft maneuvers conducted to observe Halley's comet in early 1986. Analysis of these data using a model of the passage of interstellar wind hydrogen through the solar system shows that the rate of charge exchange with solar wind protons is 30 percent less over the solar poles than in the ecliptic. This result is in agreement with a similar experiment performed with Mariner 10 at the previous solar minimum.

Up-down asymmetry measurement of tungsten distribution in large helical device using two extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectrometers

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

Liu, Y., E-mail: liu.yang@nifs.ac.jp; Zhang, H. M.; Morita, S.

Two space-resolved extreme ultraviolet spectrometers working in wavelength ranges of 10-130 Å and 30-500 Å have been utilized to observe the full vertical profile of tungsten line emissions by simultaneously measuring upper- and lower-half plasmas of LHD, respectively. The radial profile of local emissivity is reconstructed from the measured vertical profile in the overlapped wavelength range of 30-130 Å and the up-down asymmetry is examined against the local emissivity profiles of WXXVIII in the unresolved transition array spectrum. The result shows a nearly symmetric profile, suggesting a good availability in the present diagnostic method for the impurity asymmetry study.

Ultraviolet spectrometer and polarimeter (UVSP) catalog of observations. Volume 2: Experiments 30720-63057, April 1985 - February 1988

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henze, William, Jr.

1993-01-01

A catalog of observations (experiments) obtained by the Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter (UVSP) on the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) from Feb. 1980 to Nov. 1989 is presented. The information for each entry includes the time of each observation, the observed position of the Sun, the spacecraft roll angle, the slit used, and instrument parameters such as raster size, pixel spacing, wavelength, polarimeter usage, gate time, etc. The document is split into three volumes: Volume 1 contains experiments 1-30719 (February 1980-April 1985); Volume 2 contains experiments 30720-63057 (April 1985-February 1988); and Volume 3 contains experiments 63058-99771 (February 1988-November 1989).

Ultraviolet spectrometer and polarimeter (UVSP) catalog of observations. Volume 1: Experiments 1-30719, February 1980 - April 1985

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henze, William, Jr.

1993-01-01

A catalog of observations (experiments) obtained by the Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter (UVSP) on the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) from Feb. 1980 to Nov. 1989 is presented. The information for each entry includes the time of each observation, the observed position of the Sun, the spacecraft roll angle, the slit used, and instrument parameters such as raster size, pixel spacing, wavelength, polarimeter usage, gate time, etc. The document is split into three volumes: Volume 1 contains experiments 1-30719 (February 1980-April 1985); Volume 2 contains experiments 30720-63057 (April 1985-February 1988); and Volume 3 contains experiments 63058-99771 (February l988-November 1989).

ACCESS - A Science and Engineering Assessment of Space Coronagraph Concepts for the Direct Imaging and Spectroscopy of Exoplanetary Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trauger, John

2008-01-01

Topics include and overview, science objectives, study objectives, coronagraph types, metrics, ACCESS observatory, laboratory validations, and summary. Individual slides examine ACCESS engineering approach, ACCESS gamut of coronagraph types, coronagraph metrics, ACCESS Discovery Space, coronagraph optical layout, wavefront control on the "level playing field", deformable mirror development for HCIT, laboratory testbed demonstrations, high contract imaging with the HCIT, laboratory coronagraph contrast and stability, model validation and performance predictions, HCIT coronagraph optical layout, Lyot coronagraph on the HCIT, pupil mapping (PIAA), shaped pupils, and vortex phase mask experiments on the HCIT.

Fabrication of coronagraph masks and laboratory scale star-shade masks: characteristics, defects, and performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; Riggs, A. J. Eldorado; Cady, Eric; White, Victor; Yee, Karl; Wilson, Daniel; Echternach, Pierre; Muller, Richard; Mejia Prada, Camilo; Seo, Byoung-Joon; Shi, Fang; Ryan, Daniel; Fregoso, Santos; Metzman, Jacob; Wilson, Robert Casey

2017-09-01

NASA WFIRST mission has planned to include a coronagraph instrument to find and characterize exoplanets. Masks are needed to suppress the host star light to better than 10-8 - 10-9 level contrast over a broad bandwidth to enable the coronagraph mission objectives. Such masks for high contrast coronagraphic imaging require various fabrication technologies to meet a wide range of specifications, including precise shapes, micron scale island features, ultra-low reflectivity regions, uniformity, wave front quality, etc. We present the technologies employed at JPL to produce these pupil plane and image plane coronagraph masks, and lab-scale external occulter masks, highlighting accomplishments from the high contrast imaging testbed (HCIT) at JPL and from the high contrast imaging lab (HCIL) at Princeton University. Inherent systematic and random errors in fabrication and their impact on coronagraph performance are discussed with model predictions and measurements.

Coronagraphic Wavefront Control for the ATLAST-9.2m Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyon, RIchard G.; Oegerle, William R.; Feinberg, Lee D.; Bolcar, Matthew R.; Dean, Bruce H.; Mosier, Gary E.; Postman, Marc

2010-01-01

The Advanced Technology for Large Aperture Space Telescope (ATLAST) concept was assessed as one of the NASA Astrophysics Strategic Mission Concepts (ASMC) studies. Herein we discuss the 9.2-meter diameter segmented aperture version and its wavefront sensing and control (WFSC) with regards to coronagraphic detection and spectroscopic characterization of exoplanets. The WFSC would consist of at least two levels of sensing and control: (i) an outer coarser level of sensing and control to phase and control the segments and secondary mirror in a manner similar to the James Webb Space Telescope but operating at higher temporal bandwidth, and (ii) an inner, coronagraphic instrument based, fine level of sensing and control for both amplitude and wavefront errors operating at higher temporal bandwidths. The outer loop would control rigid-body actuators on the primary and secondary mirrors while the inner loop would control one or more segmented deformable mirror to suppress the starlight within the coronagraphic field-of view. Herein we discuss the visible nulling coronagraph (VNC) and the requirements it levies on wavefront sensing and control and show the results of closed-loop simulations to assess performance and evaluate the trade space of system level stability versus control bandwidth.

Antarctic Ultraviolet Radiation Climatology from Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lubin, Dan

2004-01-01

This project has successfully produced a climatology of local noon spectral surface irradiance covering the Antarctic continent and the Southern Ocean, the spectral interval 290-700 nm (UV-A, UV-B, and photosynthetically active radiation, PAR), and the entire sunlit part of the year for November 1979-December 1999. Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) data were used to specify column ozone abundance and UV-A (360- or 380-nm) reflectivity, and passive microwave (MW) sea ice concentrations were used to specify the surface albedo over the Southern Ocean. For this latter task, sea ice concentration retrievals from the Nimbus-7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) and its successor, the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) were identified with ultraviolet/visible-wavelength albedos based on an empirical TOMS/MW parameterization developed for this purpose (Lubin and Morrow, 2001). The satellite retrievals of surface albedo and UV-A reflectivity were used in a delta-Eddington radiative transfer model to estimate cloud effective optical depth. These optical depth estimates were then used along with the total ozone and surface albedo to calculate the downwelling spectral UV and PAR irradiance at the surface. These spectral irradiance maps were produced for every usable day of TOMS data between 1979-1999 (every other day early in the TOMS program, daily later on).

Crazy Engineering Starshade and Coronagraph

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-04-26

Episode 7 of Crazy Engineering series. Host Mike Meacham, Mechanical Engineer at JPL, learns about the two technologies NASA is investing in to image exoplanets: the Starshade and the Coronagraph. Mike interviews Nick Siegler, Program Chief Technologist, NASA Exoplanet Program in the Starshade lab and the High Contrast Imaging Testbed lab.

Tip/tilt optimizations for polynomial apodized vortex coronagraphs on obscured telescope pupils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fogarty, Kevin; Pueyo, Laurent; Mazoyer, Johan; N'Diaye, Mamadou

2017-09-01

Obstructions due to large secondary mirrors, primary mirror segmentation, and secondary mirror support struts all introduce diffraction artifacts that limit the performance offered by coronagraphs. However, just as vortex coronagraphs provides theoretically ideal cancellation of on-axis starlight for clear apertures, the Polynomial Apodized Vortex Coronagraph (PAVC) completely blocks on-axis light for apertures with central obscurations, and delivers off-axis throughput that improves as the topological charge of the vortex increases. We examine the sensitivity of PAVC designs to tip/tilt aberrations and stellar angular size, and discuss methods for mitigating these effects. By imposing additional constraints on the pupil plane apodization, we decrease the sensitivity of the PAVC to the small positional shifts of the on-axis source induced by either tip/tilt or stellar angular size; providing a route to overcoming an important hurdle facing the performance of vortex coronagraphs on telescopes with complicated pupils.

Optimization of coronagraph design for segmented aperture telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jewell, Jeffrey; Ruane, Garreth; Shaklan, Stuart; Mawet, Dimitri; Redding, Dave

2017-09-01

The goal of directly imaging Earth-like planets in the habitable zone of other stars has motivated the design of coronagraphs for use with large segmented aperture space telescopes. In order to achieve an optimal trade-off between planet light throughput and diffracted starlight suppression, we consider coronagraphs comprised of a stage of phase control implemented with deformable mirrors (or other optical elements), pupil plane apodization masks (gray scale or complex valued), and focal plane masks (either amplitude only or complex-valued, including phase only such as the vector vortex coronagraph). The optimization of these optical elements, with the goal of achieving 10 or more orders of magnitude in the suppression of on-axis (starlight) diffracted light, represents a challenging non-convex optimization problem with a nonlinear dependence on control degrees of freedom. We develop a new algorithmic approach to the design optimization problem, which we call the "Auxiliary Field Optimization" (AFO) algorithm. The central idea of the algorithm is to embed the original optimization problem, for either phase or amplitude (apodization) in various planes of the coronagraph, into a problem containing additional degrees of freedom, specifically fictitious "auxiliary" electric fields which serve as targets to inform the variation of our phase or amplitude parameters leading to good feasible designs. We present the algorithm, discuss details of its numerical implementation, and prove convergence to local minima of the objective function (here taken to be the intensity of the on-axis source in a "dark hole" region in the science focal plane). Finally, we present results showing application of the algorithm to both unobscured off-axis and obscured on-axis segmented telescope aperture designs. The application of the AFO algorithm to the coronagraph design problem has produced solutions which are capable of directly imaging planets in the habitable zone, provided end

An Optics Free Spectrometer for the Extreme Ultraviolet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Judge, D. L.; Daybell, M. D.; Hoffman, J. R.; Gruntman, M. A.; Ogawa, H. S.; Samson, J. A. R.

1994-01-01

The optics-free spectrometer is a photon spectrometer. It provides the photon spectrum of a broadband source by converting photons of energy E into electrons of energy E', according to the Einstein relation, E' = E - Ei. E, is the ionization threshold of the gas target of interest (any of the rare gases are suitable) and E is the incoming photon energy. As is evident from the above equation, only a single order spectrum is produced throughout the energy range between the first and second ionization potentials of the rare gas used. Photons with energy above the second ionization potential produce two groups of electrons, but they are readily distinguished from each other. This feature makes this device extremely useful for determining the true spectrum of a continuum source or a many line source. The principle of operation and the laboratory results obtained with a representative configuration of the optics-free spectrometer are presented.

Contamination from Skylab as determined from the solar coronagraph data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcguire, J. P.

1976-01-01

The white light solar coronagraph was one of the scientific telescopes flown on Skylab to study the sun. It studied the sun's atmosphere located from 0.5 to 5.0 solar radii above the sun's limb. Such a telescope is so sensitive to contamination around the spacecraft that it caused a major contamination abatement program to be initiated at the conception of Skylab. The coronagraph's data is analyzed showing the successfulness of that abatement program.

Stability Error Budget for an Aggressive Coronagraph on a 3.8 m Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaklan, Stuart B.; Marchen, Luis; Krist, John; Rud, Mayer

2011-01-01

We evaluate in detail the stability requirements for a band-limited coronagraph with an inner working angle as small as 2 lambda/D coupled to an off-axis, 3.8-m diameter telescope. We have updated our methodologies since presenting a stability error budget for the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph mission that worked at 4 lambda/D and employed an 8th-order mask to reduce aberration sensitives. In the previous work, we determined the tolerances relative to the total light leaking through the coronagraph. Now, we separate the light into a radial component, which is readily separable from a planet signal, and an azimuthal component, which is easily confused with a planet signal. In the current study, throughput considerations require a 4th-order coronagraph. This, combined with the more aggressive working angle, places extraordinarily tight requirements on wavefront stability and opto-mechanical stability. We find that the requirements are driven mainly by coma that leaks around the coronagraph mask and mimics the localized signal of a planet, and pointing errors that scatter light into the background, decreasing SNR. We also show how the requirements would be relaxed if a low-order aberration detection system could be employed.

End-to-End Assessment of a Large Aperture Segmented Ultraviolet Optical Infrared (UVOIR) Telescope Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feinberg, Lee; Rioux, Norman; Bolcar, Matthew; Liu, Alice; Guyon, Oliver; Stark, Chris; Arenberg, Jon

2016-01-01

Key challenges of a future large aperture, segmented Ultraviolet Optical Infrared (UVOIR) Telescope capable of performing a spectroscopic survey of hundreds of Exoplanets will be sufficient stability to achieve 10^-10 contrast measurements and sufficient throughput and sensitivity for high yield Exo-Earth spectroscopic detection. Our team has collectively assessed an optimized end to end architecture including a high throughput coronagraph capable of working with a segmented telescope, a cost-effective and heritage based stable segmented telescope, a control architecture that minimizes the amount of new technologies, and an Exo-Earth yield assessment to evaluate potential performance. These efforts are combined through integrated modeling, coronagraph evaluations, and Exo-Earth yield calculations to assess the potential performance of the selected architecture. In addition, we discusses the scalability of this architecture to larger apertures and the technological tall poles to enabling it.

The PIAA Coronagraph Prototype: First Laboratory Results.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pluzhnik, Eugene; Guyon, O.; Colley, S.; Gallet, B.; Ridgway, S.; Woodruff, R.; Tanaka, S.; Warren, M.

2006-12-01

The phase-induced amplitude apodization (PIAA) coronagraph combines the main advantages of classical pupil apodization with high throughput ( 100%), high angular resolution ( 2λ/D) and low chromaticity. These advantages can allow direct imaging of nearby extrasolar planets with a 4-meter telescope. The PIAA coronagraph laboratory prototype has been successfully manufactured and starts to operate at the Subary Telescope facility. We present here our first laboratory results with this prototype where we have achieved 2x10-6 contrast within 2 λ/D. We also discuss the main constrains limiting the contrast and describe our future efforts. This work was carried out under JPL contract numbers 1254445 and 1257767 for Development of Technologies for the Terrestrial Planet Finder Mission, with the support and hospitality of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.

Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph Optical Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basinger, Scott A.; Redding, David C.

2004-01-01

The Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph will rely heavily on modeling and analysis throughout its mission lifecycle. Optical modeling is especially important, since the tolerances on the optics as well as scattered light suppression are critical for the mission's success. The high contrast imaging necessary to observe a planet orbiting a distant star requires new and innovative technologies to be developed and tested, and detailed optical modeling provides predictions for evaluating design decisions. It also provides a means to develop and test algorithms designed to actively suppress scattered light via deformable mirrors and other techniques. The optical models are used in conjunction with structural and thermal models to create fully integrated optical/structural/thermal models that are used to evaluate dynamic effects of disturbances on the overall performance of the coronagraph. The optical models we have developed have been verified on the High Contrast Imaging Testbed. Results of the optical modeling verification and the methods used to perform full three-dimensional near-field diffraction analysis are presented.

SMM coronagraph observations of particulate contamination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

St. Cyr, O. C.; Warner, T.

1991-01-01

Some recent images taken by the white light coronagraph telescope aboard the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) observatory show bright streaks that are apparently caused by particles associated with the spacecraft. In this report we describe these observations, and we analyze the times of their occurrence. We demonstrate that the sightings occur most often near SMM's orbital dawn, and we speculate that thermal shock is the mechanism that produces the particles. Although these sightings have not seriously affected the coronagraph's scientific operations, the unexpected passage of bright material through the field of view of sensitive spaceborne telescopes can lead to data loss or, in some cases, serious detector damage. The topic of space debris has become a significant concern for designers of both manned and unmanned orbiting platforms. The returned samples from the SMM spacecraft and the observations reported here provide a baseline of experience for future orbital platforms that plan long duration missions.

Enhnacing the science of the WFIRST coronagraph instrument with post-processing.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pueyo, Laurent; WFIRST CGI data analysis and post-processing WG

2018-01-01

We summarize the results of a three years effort investigating how to apply to the WFIRST coronagraph instrument (CGI) modern image analysis methods, now routinely used with ground-based coronagraphs. In this post we quantify the gain associated post-processing for WFIRST-CGI observing scenarios simulated between 2013 and 2017. We also show based one simulations that spectrum of planet can be confidently retrieved using these processing tools with and Integral Field Spectrograph. We then discuss our work using CGI experimental data and quantify coronagraph post-processing testbed gains. We finally introduce stability metrics that are simple to define and measure, and place useful lower bound and upper bounds on the achievable RDI post-processing contrast gain. We show that our bounds hold in the case of the testbed data.

TPF coronagraph instrument design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaklan, S B.; Balasubramanian, K.; Ceperly, D.; Green, J.; Hoppe, D.; Lay, O. P.; Lisman, P. D.; Mouroulis, P. Z.

2005-01-01

For the past 2 years, NASA has invested substantial resources to study the design and performance of the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph (TPF-C). The work, led by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory with collaboration from Goddard Space Flight Center and several university and commercial entities, encompasses observatory design, performance modeling, materials characterization, primary mirror studies, and a significant technology development effort including a high-contrast imaging testbed that has achieved 1e-9 contrast in a laboratory experiment.

Statistical study of coronal mass ejection source locations: Understanding CMEs viewed in coronagraphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuming; Chen, Caixia; Gui, Bin; Shen, Chenglong; Ye, Pinzhong; Wang, S.

2011-04-01

How to properly understand coronal mass ejections (CMEs) viewed in white light coronagraphs is crucial to many relative researches in solar and space physics. The issue is now particularly addressed in this paper through studying the source locations of all the 1078 Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) CMEs listed in Coordinated Data Analysis Workshop (CDAW) CME catalog during 1997-1998 and their correlation with CMEs' apparent parameters. By manually checking LASCO and Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) movies of these CMEs, we find that, except 231 CMEs whose source locations cannot be identified due to poor data, there are 288 CMEs with location identified on the frontside solar disk, 234 CMEs appearing above solar limb, and 325 CMEs without evident eruptive signatures in the field of view of EIT. On the basis of the statistical results of CMEs' source locations, there are four physical issues: (1) the missing rate of CMEs by SOHO LASCO and EIT, (2) the mass of CMEs, (3) the causes of halo CMEs, and (4) the deflections of CMEs in the corona, are exhaustively analyzed. It is found that (1) about 32% frontside CMEs cannot be recognized by SOHO, (2) the brightness of a CME at any heliocentric distance is roughly positively correlated with its speed, and the CME mass derived from the brightness is probably overestimated, (3) both projection effect and violent eruption are the major causes of halo CMEs, and especially for limb halo CMEs the latter is the primary one, and (4) most CMEs deflected toward equator near the solar minimum; these deflections can be classified into three types: the asymmetrical expansion, the nonradial ejection, and the deflected propagation.

The far ultraviolet /1200-1900 A/ spectrum of Jupiter obtained with a rocket-borne multichannel spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giles, J. W.; Moos, H. W.; Mckinney, W. R.

1976-01-01

Far-ultraviolet spectra of Jupiter with a significant improvement in sensitivity and spectral resolution have been obtained from a sounding rocket by using a 10-channel spectrometer behind a pointing telescope. The major results obtained from these spectra are: (1) measurement of the Jovian H I 1216-A brightness (a comparison with other measurements indicates that the Ly-alpha emission is likely to be variable); (2) measurement of the wavelength-dependent albedo for Rayleigh-scattered solar radiation from about 1550 to 1875 A with approximately 25-A resolution, making it possible to set revised upper limits on the abundances of some of the minor constituents in the upper Jovian atmosphere; and (3) a demonstration that weak emissions between approximately 1250 and 1500 A and near 1600 A are probably the Lyman bands of H2 excited by low-energy electrons.

Demonstration of high contrast with an obscured aperture with the WFIRST-AFTA shaped pupil coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cady, Eric; Prada, Camilo Mejia; An, Xin; Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; Diaz, Rosemary; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Kern, Brian; Kuhnert, Andreas; Nemati, Bijan; Poberezhskiy, Ilya; Eldorado Riggs, A. J.; Zimmer, Robert; Zimmerman, Neil

2016-01-01

The coronagraph instrument on the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope-Astrophysics-Focused Telescope Asset (WFIRST-AFTA) mission study has two coronagraphic architectures, shaped pupil and hybrid Lyot, which may be interchanged for use in different observing scenarios. Each architecture relies on newly developed mask components to function in the presence of the AFTA aperture, and so both must be matured to a high technology readiness level in advance of the mission. A series of milestones were set to track the development of the technologies required for the instrument; we report on completion of WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph milestone 2-a narrowband 10-8 contrast test with static aberrations for the shaped pupil-and the plans for the upcoming broadband coronagraph milestone 5.

CONSTRUCTION OF A SMALL AUTOMATED CORONAGRAPH FOR OBSERVATIONS OF THE LUNAR Na EXOSPHERE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, Roy; Morgan, T. H.; Killen, R. M.

2013-10-01

We report on the final optical and mechanical design and the construction and initial testing of a small coronagraph at the Winer Observatory, near Sonoita, Arizona. The coronagraph includes a narrow band filter and low-light level camera to observe lunar exospheric sodium in the resonance lines of that element near 590 nm. Without the use of a coronagraph, the signal from sodium would be lost against light scattered by the Earth’s atmosphere and scattered light in the telescope. The design uses Commercial Off the Shelf Technology (COTS), and our goal is to obtain observations while the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission is still in orbit.

Exoplanet Coronagraph Shaped Pupil Masks and Laboratory Scale Star Shade Masks: Design, Fabrication and Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatha; White, Victor; Yee, Karl; Echternach, Pierre; Muller, Richard; Dickie, Matthew; Cady, Eric; Mejia Prada, Camilo; Ryan, Daniel; Poberezhskiy, Ilya;

Exoplanet coronagraph shaped pupil masks and laboratory scale star shade masks: design, fabrication and characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; White, Victor; Yee, Karl; Echternach, Pierre; Muller, Richard; Dickie, Matthew; Cady, Eric; Mejia Prada, Camilo; Ryan, Daniel; Poberezhskiy, Ilya; Zhou, Hanying; Kern, Brian; Riggs, A. J.; Zimmerman, Neil T.; Sirbu, Dan; Shaklan, Stuart; Kasdin, Jeremy

2015-09-01

Star light suppression technologies to find and characterize faint exoplanets include internal coronagraph instruments as well as external star shade occulters. Currently, the NASA WFIRST-AFTA mission study includes an internal coronagraph instrument to find and characterize exoplanets. Various types of masks could be employed to suppress the host star light to about 10-9 level contrast over a broad spectrum to enable the coronagraph mission objectives. Such masks for high contrast internal coronagraphic imaging require various fabrication technologies to meet a wide range of specifications, including precise shapes, micron scale island features, ultra-low reflectivity regions, uniformity, wave front quality, achromaticity, etc. We present the approaches employed at JPL to produce pupil plane and image plane coronagraph masks by combining electron beam, deep reactive ion etching, and black silicon technologies with illustrative examples of each, highlighting milestone accomplishments from the High Contrast Imaging Testbed (HCIT) at JPL and from the High Contrast Imaging Lab (HCIL) at Princeton University. We also present briefly the technologies applied to fabricate laboratory scale star shade masks.

Comet C/2011 W3 (Lovejoy) between 2 and 10 Solar Radii: Physical Parameters of the Comet and the Corona

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raymond, J. C.; Downs, Cooper; Knight, Matthew M.; Battams, Karl; Giordano, Silvio; Rosati, Richard

2018-05-01

Comet C/2011 W3 (Lovejoy) is the first sungrazing comet in many years to survive perihelion passage. We report ultraviolet observations with the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) spectrometer aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory satellite at five heights as the comet approached the Sun. The brightest line, Lyα, shows dramatic variations in intensity, velocity centroid, and width during the observation at each height. We derive the outgassing rates and the abundances of N, O, and Si relative to H, and we estimate the effective diameter of the nucleus to be several hundred meters. We consider the effects of the large outgassing rate on the interaction between the cometary gas and the solar corona and find good qualitative agreement with the picture of a bow shock resulting from mass loading by cometary neutrals. We obtain estimates of the solar wind density, temperature, and speed, and compare them with predictions of a global magnetohydrodynamic simulation, finding qualitative agreement within our uncertainties. We also determine the sublimation rate of silicate dust in the comet’s tail by comparing the visible brightness from the Large Angle Spectroscopic Coronagraphs with the Si III intensity from UVCS. The sublimation rates lie between the predicted rates for olivines and pyroxenes, suggesting that the grains are composed of a mixture of those minerals.

Low-signal, coronagraphic wavefront estimation with Kalman filtering in the high contrast imaging testbed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riggs, A. J. Eldorado; Cady, Eric J.; Prada, Camilo M.; Kern, Brian D.; Zhou, Hanying; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Groff, Tyler D.

2016-07-01

For direct imaging and spectral characterization of cold exoplanets in reflected light, the proposed Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) Coronagraph Instrument (CGI) will carry two types of coronagraphs. The High Contrast Imaging Testbed (HCIT) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been testing both coronagraph types and demonstrated their abilities to achieve high contrast. Focal plane wavefront correction is used to estimate and mitigate aberrations. As the most time-consuming part of correction during a space mission, the acquisition of probed images for electric field estimation needs to be as short as possible. We present results from the HCIT of narrowband, low-signal wavefront estimation tests using a shaped pupil Lyot coronagraph (SPLC) designed for the WFIRST CGI. In the low-flux regime, the Kalman filter and iterated extended Kalman filter provide faster correction, better achievable contrast, and more accurate estimates than batch process estimation.

WFIRST: Science with the coronagraphic instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macintosh, Bruce; Turnbull, Margaret; Lewis, Nikole K.; Roberge, Aki; Kasdin, Jeremy; WFIRST Coronagraph Science Investigation Teams, JPL Coronagraph Instrument Team

2018-01-01

The Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) is baselined to incorporate a coronagraphic instrument (CGI) for high-contast imaging and spectroscopy of extrasolar planets and circumstellar dust. CGI incorporates a pair of deformable mirrors to control the wavefront of light, occulting masks that control diffraction from the obscured WFIRST aperture, and two science modes: an integral field spectrograph and a direct imager. We give an overview of CGI’s architecture and science capabilities. CGI provides the first opportunity to fly a fully integrated active-optics coronagraph in space, paving the way for future missions such as HABEX or LUVOIR. The baseline science case includes spectroscopic characterization of known giant planets from 1-5 AU, photometric characterization of a broader sample, and searches for new lower-mass planets orbiting nearby stars. CGI will also be sensitive to extrsolar zodiacal dust associated with nearby stars, as well as debris disks and protoplanetary dust disks hosted by younger stars. These measurements will inform our understanding of planet formation and advance towards spectral characterization of earthilke planets.

Solar Imaging UV/EUV Spectrometers Using TVLS Gratings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Roger J.

2003-01-01

It is a particular challenge to develop a stigmatic spectrograph for UV, EUV wavelengths since the very low normal-incidence reflectance of standard materials most often requires that the design be restricted to a single optical element which must simultaneously provide both reimaging and spectral dispersion. This problem has been solved in the past by the use of toroidal gratings with uniform line-spaced rulings (TULS). A number of solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectrometers have been based on such designs, including SOHO/CDS, Solar-B/EIS, and the sounding rockets Solar Extreme ultraviolet Research Telescope and Spectrograph (SERTS) and Extreme Ultraviolet Normal Incidence Spectrograph (EUNIS). More recently, Kita, Harada, and collaborators have developed the theory of spherical gratings with varied line-space rulings (SVLS) operated at unity magnification, which have been flown on several astronomical satellite missions. We now combine these ideas into a spectrometer concept that puts varied-line space rulings onto toroidal gratings. Such TVLS designs are found to provide excellent imaging even at very large spectrograph magnifications and beam-speeds, permitting extremely high-quality performance in remarkably compact instrument packages. Optical characteristics of three new solar spectrometers based on this concept are described: SUMI and RAISE, two sounding rocket payloads, and NEXUS, currently being proposed as a Small-Explorer (SMEX) mission.

Compact advanced extreme-ultraviolet imaging spectrometer for spatiotemporally varying tungsten spectra from fusion plasmas.

PubMed

Song, Inwoo; Seon, C R; Hong, Joohwan; An, Y H; Barnsley, R; Guirlet, R; Choe, Wonho

2017-09-01

A compact advanced extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) spectrometer operating in the EUV wavelength range of a few nanometers to measure spatially resolved line emissions from tungsten (W) was developed for studying W transport in fusion plasmas. This system consists of two perpendicularly crossed slits-an entrance aperture and a space-resolved slit-inside a chamber operating as a pinhole, which enables the system to obtain a spatial distribution of line emissions. Moreover, a so-called v-shaped slit was devised to manage the aperture size for measuring the spatial resolution of the system caused by the finite width of the pinhole. A back-illuminated charge-coupled device was used as a detector with 2048 × 512 active pixels, each with dimensions of 13.5 × 13.5 μm 2 . After the alignment and installation on Korea superconducting tokamak advanced research, the preliminary results were obtained during the 2016 campaign. Several well-known carbon atomic lines in the 2-7 nm range originating from intrinsic carbon impurities were observed and used for wavelength calibration. Further, the time behavior of their spatial distributions is presented.

Modelling exoplanet detection with the LUVOIR Coronagraph: aberration sensitivity and error tolerances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juanola-Parramon, Roser; Zimmerman, Neil; Bolcar, Matthew R.; Rizzo, Maxime; Roberge, Aki

2018-01-01

The Coronagraph is a key instrument on the Large UV-Optical-Infrared (LUVOIR) Surveyor mission concept. The Apodized Pupil Lyot Coronagraph (APLC) is one of the baselined mask technologies to enable 1E10 contrast observations in the habitable zones of nearby stars. Both the LUVOIR architectures A and B present a segmented aperture as input pupil, introducing a set of random tip/tilt and piston errors, among others, that greatly affect the performance of the coronagraph instrument by increasing the wavefront errors hence reducing the instrument sensitivity. In this poster we present the latest results of the simulation of these effects for different working angle regions and discuss the achieved contrast for exoplanet detection and characterization, including simulated observations under these circumstances, setting boundaries for the tolerance of such errors.

Laboratory demonstration of an optical vortex mask coronagraph using photonic crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murakami, N.; Baba, N.; Ise, A.; Sakamoto, M.; Oka, K.

2010-10-01

Photonic crystal, artificial periodic nanostructure, is an attractive device for constructing focal-plane phase-mask coronagraphs such as segmented phase masks (four-quadrant, eight-octant, and 4N-segmented ones) and an optical vortex mask (OVM), because of its extremely small manufacturing defect. Recently, speckle-noise limited contrast has been demonstrated for two monochromatic lasers by using the eight-octant phase-mask made of the photonic crystal (Murakami et al. 2010, ApJ, 714, 772). We applied the photonic-crystal device to the OVM coronagraph. The OVM is more advantageous over the segmented phase masks because it does not have discontinuities other than a central singular point and provides a full on-sky field of view. For generating an achromatic optical vortex, we manufactured an axially-symmetric half-wave plate (ASHWP). It is expected that a size of the manufacturing defect due to the central singularity is an order of several hundreds nanometers. The ASHWP is placed between two circular polarizers for modulating a Pancharatnam phase. A continuous spiral phase modulation is then implemented achromatically. We carried out preliminary laboratory demonstration of the OVM coronagraph using two monochromatic lasers as a model star (wavelengths of 532 nm and 633 nm). We report a principle of the achromatic optical-vortex generation, and results of the laboratory demonstration of the OVM coronagraph.

Coronagraphic Imaging with HST and STIS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grady, C. A.; Proffitt, C.; Malumuth, E.; Woodgate, B. E.; Gull, T. R.; Bowers, C. W.; Heap, S. R.; Kimble, R. A.; Lindler, D.; Plait, P.

2002-01-01

Revealing faint circumstellar nebulosity and faint stellar or substellar companions to bright stars typically requires use of techniques for rejecting the direct, scattered, and diffracted light of the star. One such technique is Lyot coronagraphy. We summarize the performance of the white-light coronagraphic capability of the Space Telescope Imaging spectrograph, on board the Hubble Space Telescope.

Coronagraphic Observations of Lunar Sodium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunten, D. M.; Sprague, A. L.

1997-01-01

This grant supported an investigation of lunar sodium by our coronagraph and spectrograph on nearby Mount Lemmon. We report successful operation and data analysis during International Lunar Atmosphere Week, September 15 - 22, 1995, and submittal of a paper to Icarus. The core of the proposed work was to observe the lunar sodium atmosphere with our classical Lyot coronagraph and specially-built grating spectrograph on Mount Lemmon, a 9400-foot peak about an hour's drive from Tucson. It is optimized for low scattered light and for observing from the Moon's limb to an altitude of approx.1 lunar radius. The grating has 600 lines/mm and a blaze angle of 49 deg., and is used with a somewhat wide slit at a resolving power of about 5000. It is called DARRK for the initials of the people who designed it. The rejection of stray light from the Moon's disk is spectacularly good: when the sky is clear this light is absent right up to a few arcsec from the limb. We use an excellent 1024 by 1024 pixel CCD camera, operated at -100 C; the exposures are 10 to 30 min. Data reduction is done with IRAF running on a Sun Sparcstation.

Terrestrial Planet Finder coronagraph status and enabling technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ford, Virginia G.; Lisman, Douglas; Shaklan, Stuart B.; Ho, Timothy Y.; Kissil, Andrew; Kwack, Eug-Yun; Lowman, Andrew

2004-01-01

The goal of the Terrestrial Planet Finder Project Mission is to find life-bearing planets around nearby stars. Two types of instruments are competing for flight in 2015: a visible coronagraph and an infrared interferometer.

WFIRST: Managing Telescope Wavefront Stability to Meet Coronagraph Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noecker, Martin; Poberezhskiy, Ilya; Kern, Brian; Krist, John; WFIRST System Engineering Team

2018-01-01

The WFIRST coronagraph instrument (CGI) needs a stable telescope and active wavefront control to perform coronagraph science with an expected sensitivity of 8x10-9 in the exoplanet-star flux ratio (SNR=10) at 200 milliarcseconds angular separation. With its subnanometer requirements on the stability of its input wavefront error (WFE), the CGI employs a combination of pointing and wavefront control loops and thermo-mechanical stability to meet budget allocations for beam-walk and low-order WFE, which enable stable starlight speckles on the science detector that can be removed by image subtraction. We describe the control strategy and the budget framework for estimating and budgeting the elements of wavefront stability, and the modeling strategy to evaluate it.

Wavefront control performance modeling with WFIRST shaped pupil coronagraph testbed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Hanying; Nemati, Bijian; Krist, John; Cady, Eric; Kern, Brian; Poberezhskiy, Ilya

2017-09-01

NASA's WFIRST mission includes a coronagraph instrument (CGI) for direct imaging of exoplanets. Significant improvement in CGI model fidelity has been made recently, alongside a testbed high contrast demonstration in a simulated dynamic environment at JPL. We present our modeling method and results of comparisons to testbed's high order wavefront correction performance for the shaped pupil coronagraph. Agreement between model prediction and testbed result at better than a factor of 2 has been consistently achieved in raw contrast (contrast floor, chromaticity, and convergence), and with that comes good agreement in contrast sensitivity to wavefront perturbations and mask lateral shear.

Design and Fabrication of the All-Reflecting H-Lyman alpha Coronagraph/Polarimeter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoover, Richard B.; Johnson, R. Barry; Fineschi, Silvano; Walker, Arthur B. C., Jr.; Baker, Phillip C.; Zukic , Muamer; Kim, Jongmin

1993-01-01

We have designed, analyzed, and are now fabricating an All-Reflecting H-Lyman alpha Coronagraph/Polarimeter for solar research. This new instrument operates in a narrow bandpass centered at lambda 1215.7 A-the neutral hydrogen Lyman alpha (Ly-alpha) line. It is shorter and faster than the telescope which produced solar Ly-alpha images as a part of the MSSTA payload that was launched on May 13, 1991. The Ly-alpha line is produced and linearly polarized in the solar corona by resonance scattering, and the presence of a magnetic field modifies this polarization according to the Hanle effect. The Lyman alpha Coronagraph/Polarimeter instrument has been designed to measure coronal magnetic fields by interpreting, via the Hanle effect, the measured linear polarization of the coronal Ly-alpha line. Ultrasmooth mirrors, polarizers, and filters are being flow-polished for this instrument from CVD silicon carbide substrates. These optical components will be coated using advanced induced transmission and absorption thin film multilayer coatings, to optimize the reflectivity and polarization properties at 1215.7 A. We describe some of the solar imaging results obtained with the MSSTA Lyman alpha coronagraph. We also discuss the optical design parameters and fabrication plans for the All-Reflecting H-Lyman alpha Coronagraph/Polarimeter.

How to Design a Spectrometer.

PubMed

Scheeline, Alexander

2017-10-01

Designing a spectrometer requires knowledge of the problem to be solved, the molecules whose properties will contribute to a solution of that problem and skill in many subfields of science and engineering. A seemingly simple problem, design of an ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared spectrometer, is used to show the reasoning behind the trade-offs in instrument design. Rather than reporting a fully optimized instrument, the Yin and Yang of design choices, leading to decisions about financial cost, materials choice, resolution, throughput, aperture, and layout are described. To limit scope, aspects such as grating blaze, electronics design, and light sources are not presented. The review illustrates the mixture of mathematical rigor, rule of thumb, esthetics, and availability of components that contribute to the art of spectrometer design.

Berkeley extreme-ultraviolet airglow rocket spectrometer - BEARS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cotton, D. M.; Chakrabarti, S.

1992-01-01

The Berkeley EUV airglow rocket spectrometer (BEARS) instrument is described. The instrument was designed in particular to measure the dominant lines of atomic oxygen in the FUV and EUV dayglow at 1356, 1304, 1027, and 989 A, which is the ultimate source of airglow emissions. The optical and mechanical design of the instrument, the detector, electronics, calibration, flight operations, and results are examined.

NIRCam Coronagraphic Observations of Disks and Planetary Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beichman, Charles A.; Ygouf, Marie; Gaspar, Andras; NIRCam Science Team

2017-06-01

The NIRCam coronagraph offers a dramatic increase in sensitivity at wavelengths of 3-5 um where young planets are brightest. While large ground-based telescopes with Extreme Adaptive Optics have an advantage in inner working angle, NIRCam's sensitivity will allow high precision photometry for known planets and searches for planets with masses below that of Saturn. For debris disk science NIRCam observations will address the scattering properties of dust, look for evidence of ices and tholins, and search for planets which affect the structure of the disk itself.The NIRCam team's GTO program includes medium-band filter observations of known young planets having 1-5 Jupiter masses. A collaborative program with the MIRI team will provide coronagraphic observations at longer wavelengths. The combined dataset will yield the exoplanet’s total luminosity and effective temperature, an estimate of the initial entropy of the newly-formed planet, and the retrieval of atmospheric properties.The program will also make deep searches for lower mass planets toward known planetary systems, nearby young M stars and debris disk systems. Achievable mass limits range from ~1 Jupiter mass beyond 20 AU for the brightest A stars to perhaps a Uranus mass within 10 AU for the closest M stars.We will discuss details of the coronagraphic program for both the exoplanet and debris disk cases with an emphasis on using APT to optimize the observations of target and reference stars.

Photon-counting array detectors for space and ground-based studies at ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet /VUV/ wavelengths

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Timothy, J. G.; Bybee, R. L.

1981-01-01

The Multi-Anode Microchannel Arrays (MAMAs) are a family of photoelectric photon-counting array detectors, with formats as large as (256 x 1024)-pixels that can be operated in a windowless configuration at vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and soft X-ray wavelengths or in a sealed configuration at ultraviolet and visible wavelengths. This paper describes the construction and modes of operation of (1 x 1024)-pixel and (24 x 1024)-pixel MAMA detector systems that are being built and qualified for use in sounding-rocket spectrometers for solar and stellar observations at wavelengths below 1300 A. The performance characteristics of the MAMA detectors at ultraviolet and VUV wavelengths are also described.

Lessons from Coronagraphic Imaging with HST that may apply to JWST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grady, C. A.; Hines, Dean C.; Schneider, Glenn; McElwain, Michael W.

2017-06-01

One of the major capabilities offered by JWST is coronagraphic imaging from space, covering the near through mid-IR and optimized for study of planet formation and the evolution of planetary systems. Planning for JWST has resulted in expectations for instrument performance, observation strategies and data reduction approaches. HST with 20 years of coronagraphic imaging offers some experience which may be useful to those planning for JWST. 1) Real astronomical sources do not necessarily conform to expectations. Debris disks may be accompanied by more distant material, and some systems may be conspicuous in scattered light when offering only modest IR excesses. Proto-planetary disks are not constantly illuminated, and thus a single epoch observation of the source may not be sufficient to reveal everything about it. 2) The early expectation with NICMOS was that shallow, 2-roll observations would reveal a wealth of debris disks imaged in scattered light, and that only a limited set of PSF observations would be required. Instead, building up a library of spatially resolved disks in scattered light has proven to require alternate observing strategies, is still on-going, and has taken far longer than expected. 3) A wealth of coronagraphic options with an instrument may not be scientifically informative, unless there is a similar time investment in acquisition of calibration data in support of the science observations. 4) Finally, no one anticipated what can be gleaned from coronagraphic imaging. We should expect similar, unexpected, and ultimately revolutionary discoveries with JWST.

WFIRST: Guest observer science with the coronagraph instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levesque, Emily; Lomax, Jamie; Akeson, Rachel; Meshkat, Tiffany; WFIRST CGI GO working group

2018-01-01

In addition to the discovery and characterization of exoplanets, the coronagraph instrument (CGI) on WFIRST has the potential for ground-breaking discoveries in other fields through the Guest Observer (GO) program. 25% of the observing time in the primary mission will be made available to the GO community, and GO science with the CGI spans a broad range of scientific applications. These include imaging of binary and multiple asteroids and Kuiper Belt objects, the circumstellar environments of evolved giants and supergiants, debris disks around young stars, and the circumnuclear regions of active galactic nuclei. In this poster we summarize some of the key compelling science gains that can be pursued with the GO program and present preliminary analyses of the technical gains that the CGI will be able to offer over other contemporary coronagraphs, including those on JWST and ground-based observatories.

The PIAA Coronagraph: Optical design and Diffraction Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pluzhnik, E. A.; Guyon, O.; Ridgway, S.; Martinache, F.; Woodruff, R.; Blain, C.; Galicher, R.

2005-12-01

Properly apodized pupils are suitable for high dynamical range imaging of extrasolar terrestrial planets. Phase-induced amplitude apodization (PIAA) of the telescope pupil (Guyon 2003) combines the advantages of classical pupil apodization with full throughput, no loss of angular resolution and low chromaticity. Diffraction propagation effects can decrease both the achieved contrast and the spectral bandwidth of the coronagraph. We show here how the diffraction effects in the PIAA optics can be corrected by an appropriate optical design. The proposed hybrid coronagraph design preserves the 10-10 PSF contrast at ≈ 1.5 λ /d required for efficient exoplanet imaging over the whole visible spectrum. This work was carried out under JPL contract numbers 1254445 and 1257767 for Development of Technologies for the Terrestrial Planet Finder Mission, with the support and hospitality of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.

The Four-Quadrant Phase-Mask Coronagraph. II. Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riaud, P.; Boccaletti, A.; Rouan, D.; Lemarquis, F.; Labeyrie, A.

2001-09-01

In the first paper in this series, we described the principle of a coronagraph utilizing a four-quadrant phase mask and the results of numerical simulations obtained in the perfect case. In this second paper, we performed additional numerical simulations to assess in more detail the performances and limitations of this coronagraph under real conditions. The effect of geometrical parameters such as shape and size of both the phase mask and the Lyot stop is studied. We also analyze the effect of low- and high-order aberrations generated, for instance, by the atmospheric turbulence. An important issue is the wavelength dependence of the phase mask. We show that the performance decreases rapidly as the spectral bandwidth is increased, and as a consequence, we discuss the manufacturing of achromatized masks using multiple thin films. An optical concept is proposed.

Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph : technology and mission design studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ford, Virginia G.

2004-01-01

The Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) coronagraph study involves exploring the technologies that enable a coronagraph style instrument to image and characterize earth-like planets orbiting nearby stars. Testbeds have been developed to demonstrate the emerging technologies needed for this effort and an architecture study has resulted in designs of a facility that will provide the environment needed for the technology to function in this role. A broad community of participants is involved in this work through studies, analyses, fabrication of components, and participation in the design effort. The scope of activities - both on the technology side and in the architecture study side - will be presented in this paper. The status and the future plans of the activities will be reviewed.

METIS: the visible and UV coronagraph for solar orbiter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romoli, M.; Landini, F.; Antonucci, E.; Andretta, V.; Berlicki, A.; Fineschi, S.; Moses, J. D.; Naletto, G.; Nicolosi, P.; Nicolini, G.; Spadaro, D.; Teriaca, L.; Baccani, C.; Focardi, M.; Pancrazzi, M.; Pucci, S.; Abbo, L.; Bemporad, A.; Capobianco, G.; Massone, G.; Telloni, D.; Magli, E.; Da Deppo, V.; Frassetto, F.; Pelizzo, M. G.; Poletto, L.; Uslenghi, M.; Vives, S.; Malvezzi, M.

2017-11-01

METIS coronagraph is designed to observe the solar corona with an annular field of view from 1.5 to 2.9 degrees in the visible broadband (580-640 nm) and in the UV HI Lyman-alpha, during the Sun close approaching and high latitude tilting orbit of Solar Orbiter. The big challenge for a coronagraph is the stray light rejection. In this paper after a description of the present METIS optical design, the stray light rejection design is presented in detail together with METIS off-pointing strategies throughout the mission. Data shown in this paper derive from the optimization of the optical design performed with Zemax ray tracing and from laboratory breadboards of the occultation system and of the polarimeter.

High-contrast coronagraph performance in the presence of focal plane mask defects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidick, Erkin; Shaklan, Stuart; Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; Cady, Eric

2014-08-01

We have carried out a study of the performance of high-contrast coronagraphs in the presence of mask defects. We have considered the effects of opaque and dielectric particles of various dimensions, as well as systematic mask fabrication errors and the limitations of material properties in creating dark holes. We employ sequential deformable mirrors to compensate for phase and amplitude errors, and show the limitations of this approach in the presence of coronagraph image-mask defects.

Realistic Simulations of Coronagraphic Observations with Future Space Telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizzo, M. J.; Roberge, A.; Lincowski, A. P.; Zimmerman, N. T.; Juanola-Parramon, R.; Pueyo, L.; Hu, M.; Harness, A.

2017-11-01

We present a framework to simulate realistic observations of future space-based coronagraphic instruments. This gathers state-of-the-art scientific and instrumental expertise allowing robust characterization of future instrument concepts.

Designs and Materials for Better Coronagraph Occulting Masks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham

2010-01-01

New designs, and materials appropriate for such designs, are under investigation in an effort to develop coronagraph occulting masks having broad-band spectral characteristics superior to those currently employed. These designs and materials are applicable to all coronagraphs, both ground-based and spaceborne. This effort also offers potential benefits for the development of other optical masks and filters that are required (1) for precisely tailored spatial transmission profiles, (2) to be characterized by optical-density neutrality and phase neutrality (that is, to be characterized by constant optical density and constant phase over broad wavelength ranges), and/or (3) not to exhibit optical- density-dependent phase shifts. The need for this effort arises for the following reasons: Coronagraph occulting masks are required to impose, on beams of light transmitted through them, extremely precise control of amplitude and phase according to carefully designed transmission profiles. In the original application that gave rise to this effort, the concern has been to develop broad-band occulting masks for NASA s Terrestrial Planet Finder coronagraph. Until now, experimental samples of these masks have been made from high-energy-beam-sensitive (HEBS) glass, which becomes locally dark where irradiated with a high-energy electron beam, the amount of darkening depending on the electron-beam energy and dose. Precise mask profiles have been written on HEBS glass blanks by use of electron beams, and the masks have performed satisfactorily in monochromatic light. However, the optical-density and phase profiles of the HEBS masks vary significantly with wavelength; consequently, the HEBS masks perform unsatisfactorily in broad-band light. The key properties of materials to be used in coronagraph occulting masks are their extinction coefficients, their indices of refraction, and the variations of these parameters with wavelength. The effort thus far has included theoretical

A search for far-ultraviolet emissions from the lunar atmosphere.

PubMed

Fastie, W G; Feldman, P D; Henry, R C; Moos, H W; Barth, C A; Thomas, G E; Donahue, T M

1973-11-16

An ultraviolet spectrometer aboard the Apollo 17 orbiting spacecraft attempted to measure ultraviolet emissions from the lunar atmosphere. The only emissions observed were from a transient atmosphere introduced by the lunar landing engine. The absence of atomic hydrogen implies that solar wind protons are converted to hydrogen molecules at the lunar surface.

Post-processing of the HST STIS coronagraphic observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Bin; Pueyo, Laurent; Perrin, Marshall D.; Debes, John H.; Choquet, Élodie

2017-09-01

In the past 20 years, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) STIS coronagraphic instrument has observed more than 100 stars, obtaining more than 4,000 readouts since its installment on HST in 1997 and the numbers are still increasing. We reduce the whole STIS coronagraphic archive at the most commonly observed positions (Wedge A0.6 and A1.0) with new post-processing methods, and present our results here. We are able to recover all of the 32 previously reported circumstellar disks, and obtain better contrast close to the star. For some of the disks, our results are limited by the over subtraction of the methods, and therefore the major regions of the disks can be recovered except the faintest regions. We also explain our efforts in the calibration of its new BAR5 occulting position, enabling STIS to explore inner regions as close as 0.2 00 .

Recent achievements on ASPIICS, an externally occulted coronagraph for PROBA-3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renotte, Etienne; Buckley, Steve; Cernica, Ileana; Denis, François; Desselle, Richard; De Vos, Lieve; Fineschi, Silvano; Fleury-Frenette, Karl; Galano, Damien; Galy, Camille; Gillis, Jean-Marie; Graas, Estelle; Graczyk, Rafal; Horodyska, Petra; Kranitis, Nektarios; Kurowski, Michal; Ladno, Michal; Liebecq, Sylvie; Loreggia, Davide; Mechmech, Idriss; Melich, Radek; Mollet, Dominique; Mosdorf, Michał; Mroczkowski, Mateusz; O'Neill, Kevin; Patočka, Karel; Paschalis, Antonis; Peresty, Radek; Radzik, Bartlomiej; Rataj, Miroslaw; Salvador, Lucas; Servaye, Jean-Sébastien; Stockman, Yvan; Thizy, Cédric; Walczak, Tomasz; Zarzycka, Alicja; Zhukov, Andrei

2016-07-01

This paper presents the current status of ASPIICS, a solar coronagraph that is the primary payload of ESA's formation flying in-orbit demonstration mission PROBA-3. The "sonic region" of the Sun corona remains extremely difficult to observe with spatial resolution and sensitivity sufficient to understand the fine scale phenomena that govern the quiescent solar corona, as well as phenomena that lead to coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which influence space weather. Improvement on this front requires eclipse-like conditions over long observation times. The space-borne coronagraphs flown so far provided a continuous coverage of the external parts of the corona but their over-occulting system did not permit to analyse the part of the white-light corona where the main coronal mass is concentrated. The PROBA-3 Coronagraph System, also known as ASPIICS (Association of Spacecraft for Polarimetric and Imaging Investigation of the Corona of the Sun) is designed as a classical externally occulted Lyot coronagraph but it takes advantage of the opportunity to place the external occulter on a companion spacecraft, about 150m apart, to perform high resolution imaging of the inner corona of the Sun as close as ~1.1 solar radii. The images will be tiled and compressed on board in an FPGA before being down-linked to ground for scientific analyses. ASPIICS is built by a large European consortium including about 20 partners from 7 countries under the auspices of the European Space Agency. This paper is reviewing the recent development status of the ASPIICS instrument as it is approaching CDR.

The COronal Solar Magnetism Observatory (COSMO) Large Aperture Coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomczyk, Steve; Gallagher, Dennis; Wu, Zhen; Zhang, Haiying; Nelson, Pete; Burkepile, Joan; Kolinksi, Don; Sutherland, Lee

2013-04-01

The COSMO is a facility dedicated to observing coronal and chromospheric magnetic fields. It will be located on a mountaintop in the Hawaiian Islands and will replace the current Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (MLSO). COSMO will provide unique observations of the global coronal magnetic fields and its environment to enhance the value of data collected by other observatories on the ground (e.g. SOLIS, BBO NST, Gregor, ATST, EST, Chinese Giant Solar Telescope, NLST, FASR) and in space (e.g. SDO, Hinode, SOHO, GOES, STEREO, Solar-C, Solar Probe+, Solar Orbiter). COSMO will employ a fleet of instruments to cover many aspects of measuring magnetic fields in the solar atmosphere. The dynamics and energy flow in the corona are dominated by magnetic fields. To understand the formation of CMEs, their relation to other forms of solar activity, and their progression out into the solar wind requires measurements of coronal magnetic fields. The large aperture coronagraph, the Chromospheric and Prominence Magnetometer and the K-Coronagraph form the COSMO instrument suite to measure magnetic fields and the polarization brightness of the low corona used to infer electron density. The large aperture coronagraph will employ a 1.5 meter fuse silica singlet lens, birefringent filters, and a spectropolarimeter to cover fields of view of up to 1 degree. It will observe the corona over a wide range of emission lines from 530.3 nm through 1083.0 nm allowing for magnetic field measurements over a wide range of coronal temperatures (e.g. FeXIV at 530.3 nm, Fe X at 637.4 nm, Fe XIII at 1074.7 and 1079.8 nm. These lines are faint and require the very large aperture. NCAR and NSF have provided funding to bring the large aperture coronagraph to a preliminary design review state by the end of 2013. As with all data from Mauna Loa, the data products from COSMO will be available to the community via the Mauna Loa website: http://mlso.hao.ucar.edu

Astronomical Near-neighbor Detection with a Four-quadrant Phase Mask (FQPM) Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haguenauer, Pierre; Serabyn, Eugene; Mennesson, Bertrand; Wallace, James K.; Gappinger, Robert O.; Troy, Mitchell; Bloemhof, Eric E.; Moore, Jim; Koresko, Chris D.

2006-01-01

Direct detection of planets around nearby stars requires the development of high-contrast imaging techniques, because of their very different respective fluxes. We thus investigated the innovative coronagraphic approach based on the use of a four-quadrant phase mask (FQPM). Simulations showed that, combined with high-level wavefront correction on an unobscured off-axis section of a large telescope, this method allows high-contrast imaging very close to stars, with detection capability superior to that of a traditional coronagraph. A FQPM instrument was thus built to test the feasibility of near-neighbor observations with our new off-axis approach on a ground-based telescope. In June 2005, we deployed our instrument to the Palomar 200-inch telescope, using existing facilities as much as possible for rapid implementation. In these initial observations, using data processing techniques specific to FQPM coronagraphs, we reached extinction levels of the order of 200:1. Here we discuss our simulations and on-sky results obtained so far.

Ultraviolet spectrometer observations of Uranus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broadfoot, A. L.; Herbert, F.; Holberg, J. B.; Hunten, D. M.; Kumar, S.; Sandel, B. R.; Shemansky, D. E.; Dessler, A. J.; Linick, S.; Springer, R.

1986-01-01

The Voyager 2 UV spectrometer was used to scan the Uranus atmosphere at wavelengths from 500-1700 A with a field of view of 0.1 x 0.86 deg. The temperature and composition of the upper atmosphere were determined through occultations of light from gamma Pegasi, nu Geminorum and the sun. The data indicated a substantial gas density (100 million H atoms/cu cm) at about 28,000 km from the Uranus center, suggesting that gas drag plays a significant role in ring evolution. The distributions of CH4 and C2H2 in the lower atmosphere were also estimated. An electroglow emission was detected on the sunlit side, and attributed to emissions from atomic and molecular hydrogen excited by low energy electrons. An auroral glow was also observed, and exhibited evidence of an energy input equal to that of the electroglow. Finally, estimates of the C2H2 mixing ratio and the vertical column abundance of H2 are calculated.

[Optimum design of imaging spectrometer based on toroidal uniform-line-spaced (TULS) spectrometer].

PubMed

Xue, Qing-Sheng; Wang, Shu-Rong

2013-05-01

Based on the geometrical aberration theory, a optimum-design method for designing an imaging spectrometer based on toroidal uniform grating spectrometer is proposed. To obtain the best optical parameters, twice optimization is carried out using genetic algorithm(GA) and optical design software ZEMAX A far-ultraviolet(FUV) imaging spectrometer is designed using this method. The working waveband is 110-180 nm, the slit size is 50 microm x 5 mm, and the numerical aperture is 0.1. Using ZEMAX software, the design result is analyzed and evaluated. The results indicate that the MTF for different wavelengths is higher than 0.7 at Nyquist frequency 10 lp x mm(-1), and the RMS spot radius is less than 14 microm. The good imaging quality is achieved over the whole working waveband, the design requirements of spatial resolution 0.5 mrad and spectral resolution 0.6 nm are satisfied. It is certificated that the optimum-design method proposed in this paper is feasible. This method can be applied in other waveband, and is an instruction method for designing grating-dispersion imaging spectrometers.

A direct comparison of exoEarth yields for starshades and coronagraphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stark, Christopher C.; Cady, Eric J.; Clampin, Mark; Domagal-Goldman, Shawn; Lisman, Doug; Mandell, Avi M.; McElwain, Michael W.; Roberge, Aki; Robinson, Tyler D.; Savransky, Dmitry; Shaklan, Stuart B.; Stapelfeldt, Karl R.

2016-07-01

The scale and design of a future mission capable of directly imaging extrasolar planets will be influenced by the detectable number (yield) of potentially Earth-like planets. Currently, coronagraphs and starshades are being considered as instruments for such a mission. We will use a novel code to estimate and compare the yields for starshade- and coronagraph-based missions. We will show yield scaling relationships for each instrument and discuss the impact of astrophysical and instrumental noise on yields. Although the absolute yields are dependent on several yet-unknown parameters, we will present several limiting cases allowing us to bound the yield comparison.

The W. M. Keck Observatory Infrared Vortex Coronagraph and a First Image of HIP 79124 B

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serabyn, E.; Huby, E.; Matthews, K.; Mawet, D.; Absil, O.; Femenia, B.; Wizinowich, P.; Karlsson, M.; Bottom, M.; Campbell, R.; Carlomagno, B.; Defrère, D.; Delacroix, C.; Forsberg, P.; Gomez Gonzalez, C.; Habraken, S.; Jolivet, A.; Liewer, K.; Lilley, S.; Piron, P.; Reggiani, M.; Surdej, J.; Tran, H.; Vargas Catalán, E.; Wertz, O.

2017-01-01

An optical vortex coronagraph has been implemented within the NIRC2 camera on the Keck II telescope and used to carry out on-sky tests and observations. The development of this new L‧-band observational mode is described, and an initial demonstration of the new capability is presented: a resolved image of the low-mass companion to HIP 79124, which had previously been detected by means of interferometry. With HIP 79124 B at a projected separation of 186.5 mas, both the small inner working angle of the vortex coronagraph and the related imaging improvements were crucial in imaging this close companion directly. Due to higher Strehl ratios and more relaxed contrasts in L‧ band versus H band, this new coronagraphic capability will enable high-contrast, small-angle observations of nearby young exoplanets and disks on a par with those of shorter-wavelength extreme adaptive optics coronagraphs.

Advanced Speckle Sensing for Internal Coronagraphs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noecker, Charley; Shaklan, Stuart B.; Wallace, James K.; Kern, Brian D.; Give'on, Amir; Kasdin, Jeremy; Belikov, Ruslan; Kendrick, Steve

2011-01-01

A 4-8m telescope carrying a coronagraph instrument is a leading candidate for an anticipated flagship mission to detect and characterize Earth-size exoplanets in the 2020s. Many candidate coronagraph instruments have been proposed, and one has met many of the principal requirements for that mission. But the telescope and instrument will need exquisite stability and precise control of the incoming wavefront to enable detection of faint companions (10(exp -10) of the star) at an angular separation of 2-4 Airy radii. In particular, wavefront errors cause speckles in the image, and variations in those speckles can confound the exoplanet detection. This challenge is compounded by the background light from zodiacal dust around our Sun and the target star, which limits the speed with which we can estimate and correct the speckles. We are working on developing coherent speckle detection techniques that will allow rapid calibration of speckles on the science detector, allowing subtraction in post-processing or correction with deformable mirrors. The expected speed improvement allows a much quicker timeline for measurement & calibration, which reduces the required telescope stability requirement and eases both the flight system design and the challenge of ground testing. We will describe the experiments and summarize progress to date.

Advanced speckle sensing for internal coronagraphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noecker, Charley; Shaklan, Stuart; Wallace, James K.; Kern, Brian; Give'on, Amir; Kasdin, Jeremy; Belikov, Ruslan; Kendrick, Steve

2011-10-01

A 4-8m diameter telescope carrying a coronagraph instrument is a leading candidate for an anticipated flagship mission to detect and characterize Earth-size exoplanets in the 2020s.1 Many candidate coronagraph instruments have been proposed, and one is close to meeting some of the principal requirements for that mission. But the telescope and instrument will need exquisite stability and precise control of the incoming wavefront to enable detection of faint companions (10-10of the star) at an angular separation of 2-4 Airy radii. In particular, wavefront errors cause speckles in the image, and variations in those speckles can confound the exoplanet detection. This challenge is compounded by the background light from zodiacal dust around our Sun and the target star, which limits the speed with which we can estimate and correct the speckles. We are working on developing coherent speckle detection techniques that will allow rapid calibration of speckles on the science detector, allowing subtraction in post-processing or correction with deformable mirrors. The expected speed improvement allows a much quicker timeline for measurement & calibration, which reduces the required telescope stability requirement and eases both the flight system design and the challenge of ground testing. We will describe the experiments and summarize progress to date.

Development of two-channel prototype ITER vacuum ultraviolet spectrometer with back-illuminated charge-coupled device and microchannel plate detectors.

PubMed

Seon, C R; Choi, S H; Cheon, M S; Pak, S; Lee, H G; Biel, W; Barnsley, R

2010-10-01

A vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectrometer of a five-channel spectral system is designed for ITER main plasma impurity measurement. To develop and verify the system design, a two-channel prototype system is fabricated with No. 3 (14.4-31.8 nm) and No. 4 (29.0-60.0 nm) among the five channels. The optical system consists of a collimating mirror to collect the light from source to slit, two holographic diffraction gratings with toroidal geometry, and two different electronic detectors. For the test of the prototype system, a hollow cathode lamp is used as a light source. To find the appropriate detector for ITER VUV system, two kinds of detectors of the back-illuminated charge-coupled device and the microchannel plate electron multiplier are tested, and their performance has been investigated.

Assessment of Transition Element Speciation in Glasses Using a Portable Transmission Ultraviolet-Visible-Near-Infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) Spectrometer.

PubMed

Hunault, Myrtille; Lelong, Gérald; Gauthier, Michel; Gélébart, Frédéric; Ismael, Saindou; Galoisy, Laurence; Bauchau, Fanny; Loisel, Claudine; Calas, Georges

2016-05-01

A new low-cost experimental setup based on two compact dispersive optical spectrometers has been developed to measure optical absorption transmission spectra over the 350-2500 nm energy range. We demonstrate how near-infrared (NIR) data are essential to identify the coloring species in addition to ultraviolet visible data. After calibration with reference glasses, the use of an original sample stage that maintains the window panel in the vertical position enables the comparison of ancient and modern glasses embedded in a panel from the Sainte-Chapelle of Paris, without any sampling. The spectral resolution enables to observe fine resonances arising in the absorption bands of Cr(3+), and the complementary information obtained in the NIR enables to determine the contribution of Fe(2+), a key indicator of glassmaking conditions. © The Author(s) 2016.

The Terrestrial Planet Finder coronagraph dynamics error budget

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaklan, Stuart B.; Marchen, Luis; Green, Joseph J.; Lay, Oliver P.

2005-01-01

The Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph (TPF-C) demands extreme wave front control and stability to achieve its goal of detecting earth-like planets around nearby stars. We describe the performance models and error budget used to evaluate image plane contrast and derive engineering requirements for this challenging optical system.

Post-coronagraphic tip-tilt sensing for vortex phase masks: The QACITS technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huby, E.; Baudoz, P.; Mawet, D.; Absil, O.

2015-12-01

Context. Small inner working angle coronagraphs, such as the vortex phase mask, are essential to exploit the full potential of ground-based telescopes in the context of exoplanet detection and characterization. However, the drawback of this attractive feature is a high sensitivity to pointing errors, which degrades the performance of the coronagraph. Aims: We propose a tip-tilt retrieval technique based on the analysis of the final coronagraphic image, hereafter called Quadrant Analysis of Coronagraphic Images for Tip-tilt Sensing (QACITS). Methods: Under the assumption of small phase aberrations, we show that the behavior of the vortex phase mask can be simply described from the entrance pupil to the Lyot stop plane with Zernike polynomials. This convenient formalism is used to establish the theoretical basis of the QACITS technique. We performed simulations to demonstrate the validity and limits of the technique, including the case of a centrally obstructed pupil. Results: The QACITS technique principle is validated with experimental results in the case of an unobstructed circular aperture, as well as simulations in presence of a central obstruction. The typical configuration of the Keck telescope (24% central obstruction) has been simulated with additional high order aberrations. In these conditions, our simulations show that the QACITS technique is still adapted to centrally obstructed pupils and performs tip-tilt retrieval with a precision of 5 × 10-2λ/D when wavefront errors amount to λ/ 14 rms and 10-2λ/D for λ/ 70 rms errors (with λ the wavelength and D the pupil diameter). Conclusions: We have developed and demonstrated a tip-tilt sensing technique for vortex coronagraphs. The implementation of the QACITS technique is based on the analysis of the scientific image and does not require any modification of the original setup. Current facilities equipped with a vortex phase mask can thus directly benefit from this technique to improve the contrast

Signature of open magnetic field lines in the extended solar corona and of solar wind acceleration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antonucci, E.; Giordano, S.; Benna, C.; Kohl, J. L.; Noci, G.; Michels, J.; Fineschi, S.

1997-01-01

The observations carried out with the ultraviolet coronagraph spectrometer onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) are discussed. The purpose of the observations was to determine the line of sight and radial velocity fields in coronal regions with different magnetic topology. The results showed that the regions where the high speed solar wind flows along open field lines are characterized by O VI 1032 and HI Lyman alpha 1216 lines. The global coronal maps of the line of sight velocity were reconstructed. The corona height, where the solar wind reaches 100 km/s, was determined.

High Contrast Internal and External Coronagraph Masks Produced by Various Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatha; Wilson, Daniel; White, Victor; Muller, Richard; Dickie, Matthew; Yee, Karl; Ruiz, Ronald; Shaklan, Stuart; Cady, Eric; Kern, Brian;

High-Contrast Coronagraph Performance in the Presence of DM Actuator Defects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sidick, Erkin; Shaklan, Stuart; Cady, Eric

2015-01-01

Deformable Mirrors (DMs) are critical elements in high contrast coronagraphs, requiring precision and stability measured in picometers to enable detection of Earth-like exoplanets. Occasionally DM actuators or their associated cables or electronics fail, requiring a wavefront control algorithm to compensate for actuators that may be displaced from their neighbors by hundreds of nanometers. We have carried out experiments on our High-Contrast Imaging Testbed (HCIT) to study the impact of failed actuators in partial fulfillment of the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph optical model validation milestone. We show that the wavefront control algorithm adapts to several broken actuators and maintains dark-hole contrast in broadband light.

High-contrast coronagraph performance in the presence of DM actuator defects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidick, Erkin; Shaklan, Stuart; Cady, Eric

2015-09-01

Deformable Mirrors (DMs) are critical elements in high contrast coronagraphs, requiring precision and stability measured in picometers to enable detection of Earth-like exoplanets. Occasionally DM actuators or their associated cables or electronics fail, requiring a wavefront control algorithm to compensate for actuators that may be displaced from their neighbors by hundreds of nanometers. We have carried out experiments on our High-Contrast Imaging Testbed (HCIT) to study the impact of failed actuators in partial fulfilment of the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph optical model validation milestone. We show that the wavefront control algorithm adapts to several broken actuators and maintains dark-hole contrast in broadband light.

Fluorescence of molecular hydrogen excited by solar extreme-ultraviolet radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feldman, P. D.; Fastie, W. G.

1973-01-01

During trans-earth coast, the Apollo 17 ultraviolet spectrometer was scheduled to make observations of the far ultraviolet background in selected regions of the sky. In the course of one of these observations, the spacecraft fuel cells were routinely purged of excess hydrogen and water vapor. The ultraviolet fluorescence spectrum of the purged molecular hydrogen excited by solar extreme ultraviolet radiation is interpreted by absorption of solar L-beta and L-gamma radiation in the nearly resonant (6, 0) and (11, 0) Lyman bands. The results are deemed significant for ultraviolet spectroscopic investigations of the atmospheres of the moon and planets since Lyman-band fluorescence provides an unambiguous means of identification of molecular hydrogen in upper atmospheres.

X-ray and extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy on DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Victor, B. S.; Allen, S. L.; Beiersdorfer, P.; Magee, E. W.

2017-06-01

Two spectrometers were installed to measure tungsten emission in the core of DIII-D plasmas during a metal rings experimental campaign. The spectral range of the high-resolution (1340 spectral channels), variable-ruled grating X-ray and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (XEUS) extends from 10-71 dot A. The spectral range of the second spectrometer, the Long-Wavelength Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (LoWEUS), measures between 31-174 dot A. Three groups of tungsten lines were identified with XEUS: W38+-W45+ from 47-63 dot A, W27+-W35+ from 45-55 dot A, and W28+-W33+ from 16-30 dot A. Emission lines from tungsten charge states W28+, W43+, W44+, and W45+ are identified and the line amplitude is presented versus time. Peak emission of W43+-W45+ occurs between core Te=2.5-3 keV, and peak emission of W28+ occurs at core Te<=1.3 keV. One group of tungsten lines, W40+-W45+, between 120-140 dot A, was identified with LoWEUS. W43+-W45+ lines measured with LoWEUS track the sawtooth cycle. Sensitivity to the sawtooth cycle and the correlation of the peak emission with core electron temperature show that these spectrometers track the on-axis tungsten emission of DIII-D plasmas.

Photodetectors on Coronagraph Mask for Pointing Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham

2007-01-01

It has been proposed to install a symmetrical array of photodetectors about the center of the mask of a coronagraph of the type used to search for planets orbiting remote stars. The purpose of this installation is to utilize the light from a star under observation as a guide in pointing the telescope. Simple arithmetic processing of the outputs of the photodetectors would provide indications of the lateral position of the center of the mask relative to the center of the image of the star. These indications could serve as pointing-control feedback signals for adjusting the telescope aim to center the image of the star on the mask. The widths of central mask areas available for placement of photodetectors differ among coronagraph designs, typically ranging upward from about 100 m. Arrays of photodetectors can readily be placed within areas in this size range. The number of detectors in an array could be as small as 4 or as large as 64. The upper limit on the number of detectors would be determined according to the extent of the occulting pattern and the number of functionalities, in addition to pointing control, to be served by the array.

Spherical Occulter Coronagraph Cubesat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davila, Joseph M. (Inventor); Rabin, Douglas M. (Inventor); Reginald, Nelson (Inventor); Gong, Qian (Inventor); Shah, Neerav (Inventor); Chamberlin, Phillip C. (Inventor)

2018-01-01

The present invention relates to a space-based instrument which provides continuous coronal electron temperature and velocity images, for a predetermined period of time, thereby improving the understanding of coronal evolution and how the solar wind and Coronal Mass Ejection transients evolve from the low solar atmosphere through the heliosphere for an entire solar rotation. Specifically, the present invention relates to using a 6U spherical occulter coronagraph CubeSat, and a relative navigational system (RNS) that controls the position of the spacecraft relative to the occulting sphere. The present invention innovatively deploys a free-flying spherical occulter, and after deployment, the actively controlled CubeSat will provide an inertial formation flying with the spherical occulter and Sun.

Wolter-Schwarzschild optics for the extreme-ultraviolet - The Berkeley stellar spectrometer and the EUV Explorer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malina, R. F.; Bowyer, S.; Finley, D.; Cash, W.

1979-01-01

The design, fabrication and performance of two Wolter-Schwarzschild grazing incidence optics are described. Both telescopes have been figured by single point diamond turning and have achieved better than 15-arcsec on-axis imaging. The telescope for the stellar spectrometer is an f/10 Type II system with an effective area of 225 sq cm at 250 A and 300 cm2 at 500 A. The primary has a maximum diameter of 38 cm and was fabricated in three elements. The copper-plated aluminum substrate was diamond turned; following nickel plating, the surface was polished and coated with evaporated gold. The performance during a sounding rocket flight is discussed. The prototype telescope for the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer is an f/1.24 Type I system with an effective field of view of 5.0-deg diameter. The telescope has a maximum diameter of 40 cm and was fabricated as a single element. The aluminum substrate is to be diamond turned; the nickel plated surface will be polished and electroplated with gold. The design choice and defocusing optimization aimed at maximizing the field of view and number of image pixels is examined.

APIC. Absolute Position Interfero-Coronagraph for direct exoplanet detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allouche, F.; Glindemann, A.; Aristidi, E.; Vakili, F.

2009-06-01

Context: For detecting and directly imaging exoplanets, coronagraphic methods are mandatory when the intensity ratio between a star and its orbiting planet can be as large as 10^6. In 1996, a concept of an achromatic interfero-coronagraph (AIC) was presented for detecting very faint stellar companions, such as exoplanets. Aims: We present a modified version of the AIC not only permitting these faint companions to be detected but also their relative position to be determined with respect to the parent star, a problem that was not solved in the original design of the AIC. Methods: In our modified design, two cylindrical lens doublets were used to remove the 180° ambiguity introduced by the AIC's original design. Results: Our theoretical study and the numerical computations show that the axis of symmetry is destroyed when one of the cylindrical doublets is rotated around the optical axis.

Pinhole X-ray/coronagraph optical systems concept definition study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zehnpfenning, T. F.; Rappaport, S.; Wattson, R. B.

1980-01-01

The Pinhole X-ray/Coronagraph Concept utilizes the long baselines possible in Earth orbit with the space transportation system (shuttle) to produce observations of solar X-ray emission features at extremely high spatial resolution (up to 0.1 arc second) and high energy (up to 100 keV), and also white light and UV observations of the inner and outer corona at high spatial and/or spectral resolution. An examination of various aspects of a preliminary version of the X-ray Pinhole/Coronagraph Concept is presented. For this preliminary version, the instrument package will be carried in the shuttle bay on a mounting platform, and will be connected to the occulter with a deployable boom such as an Astromast. Generally, the spatial resolution, stray light levels, and minimum limb observing angles improve as the boom length increases. However, the associated engineering problems also become more serious with greater boom lengths.

Prospects for the design of an ultraviolet imaging Fourier transform spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemaire, Philippe

2017-11-01

Recent results from solar observations in the far and extremeultraviolet (FUV/EUV) obtained from SOHO (SOlar and Heliospheric Observatory) and TRACE (Transition Region Camera) show the extreme variability of the solar atmosphere. Within the limited resolution of the instruments (1-2 arcseconds) horizontal and vertical velocities up-to 100 to 400 km s-1 have been measured. With an horizontal velocity of 100 km s-1 an one arsecond structure crosses the one arcsecond slit width of a classical slit spectrometer in less than 10 seconds. In the future, with higher angular resolution (e.g. 0.1 arcsecond), the capability to study small structures will be greatly reduced by a classical slit spectrometer. To be able to characterize the small scale solar atmospheric structures formed in the 104 K to 106 K temperature range (which emit in the 30 to 180 nm wavelength range) a spectrometer without slit (or with wide slit) is required. At the same time to obtain an accurate measurement of the doppler velocity an high spectral resolution is needed. The two requirements, high spectral resolution and large slit, are difficult to be simultaneously fulfilled with a classical slit spectrometer within the limited volume of a space instrumentation. Also, we propose to use an Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (IFTS) to provide simultaneously a bidimensionnal field and an accurate determination of line profiles and positions. The development of Fourier Transform Spectrometers (FTS), although popular in the infrared, has been very limited in the UV/FUV by the lack of very high quality beam splitter. Since 10 years, the use of diffraction gratings as beam splitters has been suggested and few intruments have been built ([Chak 94]; [Clea 92]; [File 00]). These instruments illustrate some applications in the new wavelength domain opened by using a beam splitter grating, but do not yet provide the full capabilities of an FTS. In this paper we present several optical schemes which can

ACTIVE REGION MOSS: DOPPLER SHIFTS FROM HINODE/EXTREME-ULTRAVIOLET IMAGING SPECTROMETER OBSERVATIONS

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

Tripathi, Durgesh; Mason, Helen E.; Klimchuk, James A.

2012-07-01

Studying the Doppler shifts and the temperature dependence of Doppler shifts in moss regions can help us understand the heating processes in the core of the active regions. In this paper, we have used an active region observation recorded by the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on board Hinode on 2007 December 12 to measure the Doppler shifts in the moss regions. We have distinguished the moss regions from the rest of the active region by defining a low-density cutoff as derived by Tripathi et al. in 2010. We have carried out a very careful analysis of the EIS wavelength calibrationmore » based on the method described by Young et al. in 2012. For spectral lines having maximum sensitivity between log T = 5.85 and log T = 6.25 K, we find that the velocity distribution peaks at around 0 km s{sup -1} with an estimated error of 4-5 km s{sup -1}. The width of the distribution decreases with temperature. The mean of the distribution shows a blueshift which increases with increasing temperature and the distribution also shows asymmetries toward blueshift. Comparing these results with observables predicted from different coronal heating models, we find that these results are consistent with both steady and impulsive heating scenarios. However, the fact that there are a significant number of pixels showing velocity amplitudes that exceed the uncertainty of 5 km s{sup -1} is suggestive of impulsive heating. Clearly, further observational constraints are needed to distinguish between these two heating scenarios.« less

Project Blue: Optical Coronagraphic Imaging Search for Terrestrial-class Exoplanets in Alpha Centauri

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morse, Jon; Project Blue team

2018-01-01

Project Blue is a coronagraphic imaging space telescope mission designed to search for habitable worlds orbiting the nearest Sun-like stars in the Alpha Centauri system. With a 45-50 cm baseline primary mirror size, Project Blue will perform a reconnaissance of the habitable zones of Alpha Centauri A and B in blue light and one or two longer wavelength bands to determine the hue of any planets discovered. Light passing through the off-axis telescope feeds into a coronagraphic instrument that forms the heart of the mission. Various coronagraph designs are being considered, such as phase induced amplitude apodization (PIAA), vector vortex, etc. Differential orbital image processing techniques will be employed to analyze the data for faint planets embedded in the residual glare of the parent star. Project Blue will advance our knowledge about the presence or absence of terrestrial-class exoplanets in the habitable zones and measure the brightness of zodiacal dust around each star, which will aid future missions in planning their observational surveys of exoplanets. It also provides on-orbit demonstration of high-contrast coronagraphic imaging technologies and techniques that will be useful for planning and implementing future space missions by NASA and other space agencies. We present an overview of the science goals, mission concept and development schedule. As part of our cooperative agreement with NASA, the Project Blue team intends to make the data available in a publicly accessible archive.

The Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme AO project: an XAO4ELT precursor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinache, F.

2011-09-01

A diffraction-limited 30-meter telescope theoretically provides a 10 mas resolution limit in the near infrared. Modern coronagraphs like the Vortex, the 8OPM and the PIAA offer the means to take full advantage of this angular resolution allowing to explore at high contrast, the innermost parts of nearby planetary systems to within a fraction of an astronomical unit: an unprecedented capability that will revolutionize our understanding of planet formation across the habitable zone. A precursor of such a system is the Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme AO project. SCExAO combines a high performance PIAA-based coronagraph downstream Subaru's AO188 AO system and a 1024-actuator MEMS DM. SCExAO employs advanced wavefront control schemes that make high contrast detection possible at 1 λ/D, providing for a few cases, the possibility to detect the light reflected by exoplanets. Moderate-high contrast detection in the super-resolution regime (<λ/D) is also possible using well calibrated closure quantities like closure-phase for a non-redundant (masked) aperture and its extension for to arbitrary apertures (Kernel-phase). Lessons learned from SCExAO's incremental deployment plan during its first 2011 engineering campaign provides insights that will guide future development of high contrast instrumentation on an ELT.

Low-resolution ultraviolet spectroscopy of several hot stars observed from Apollo 17

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1975-01-01

Low-resolution ultraviolet spectra were obtained for six early-type stars in 1972 December, using an Ebert spectrometer mounted in the service module of the Apollo 17 spacecraft. The spectrometer scanned from 1180 A to 1680 A, with a speed that varied with wavelength according to a program chosen for lunar studies. Spectral resolution was 11 A. The ultraviolet absolute calibration of the instrument was determined by comparison with National Bureau of Standards calibrated photodiodes, and is believed known to plus or minus 10 percent. The absolute intensities are in good general agreement with the observations of other stars and with the predictions of stellar model-atmosphere calculations.

End-to-End Assessment of a Large Aperture Segmented Ultraviolet Optical Infrared (UVOIR) Telescope Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feinberg, Lee; Bolcar, Matt; Liu, Alice; Guyon, Olivier; Stark,Chris; Arenberg, Jon

2016-01-01

Key challenges of a future large aperture, segmented Ultraviolet Optical Infrared (UVOIR) Telescope capable of performing a spectroscopic survey of hundreds of Exoplanets will be sufficient stability to achieve 10-10 contrast measurements and sufficient throughput and sensitivity for high yield Exo-Earth spectroscopic detection. Our team has collectively assessed an optimized end to end architecture including a high throughput coronagraph capable of working with a segmented telescope, a cost-effective and heritage based stable segmented telescope, a control architecture that minimizes the amount of new technologies, and an Exo-Earth yield assessment to evaluate potential performance.

Solar Wind Characteristics from SOHO-Sun-Ulysses Quadrature Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poletto, Giannina; Suess, Steve T.; Six, N. Frank (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Over the past few years, we have been running SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory)-Sun-Ulysses quadrature campaigns, aimed at comparing the plasma properties at coronal altitudes with plasma properties at interplanetary distances. Coronal plasma has been observed by SOHO experiments: mainly, we used LASCO (Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph Experiment) data to understand the overall coronal configuration at the time of quadratures and analyzed SUMER (Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation), CDS (Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer) and UVCS (Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer) data to derive its physical characteristics. At interplanetary distances, SWICS (Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer) and SWOOPS (Solar Wind Observation over the Poles of the Sun) aboard Ulysses provided us with interplanetary plasma data. Here we report on results from some of the campaigns. We notice that, depending on the geometry of the quadrature, i.e. on whether the radial to Ulysses traverses the corona at high or low latitudes, we are able to study different kinds of solar wind. In particular, a comparison between low-latitude and high-latitude wind, allowed us to provide evidence for differences in the acceleration of polar, fast plasma and equatorial, slow plasma: the latter occurring at higher levels and through a more extended region than fast wind. These properties are shared by both the proton and heavy ions outflows. Quadrature observations may provide useful information also on coronal vs. in situ elemental composition. To this end, we analyzed spectra taken in the corona, at altitudes ranging between approx. 1.02 and 2.2 solar radii, and derived the abundances of a number of ions, including oxygen and iron. Values of the O/Fe ratio, at coronal levels, have been compared with measurements of this ratio made by SWICS at interplanetary distances. Our results are compared with previous findings and predictions from modeling efforts.

X-ray and extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy on DIII-D

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

Victor, Brian S.; Allen, Steve L.; Beiersdorfer, P.

Two spectrometers were installed to measure tungsten emission in the core of DIII-D plasmas during a metal rings experimental campaign. The spectral range of the high-resolution (1340 spectral channels), variable-ruled grating X-ray and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (XEUS) extends from10–71more » $$\\dot{A}$$ . The spectral range of the second spectrometer, the Long-Wavelength Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (LoWEUS), measures between 31–174$$\\dot{A}$$ . Three groups of tungsten lines were identified with XEUS: W 38+-W 45+ from 47–63$$\\dot{A}$$ , W 27+-W 35+ from 45–55$$\\dot{A}$$ , and W 28+-W 33+ from 16–30$$\\dot{A}$$ . Emission lines from tungsten charge states W 28+, W 43+, W 44+, and W 45+ are identified and the line amplitude is presented versus time. Peak emission of W 43+-W 45+ occurs between core Te=2.5-3 keV, and peak emission of W28+ occurs at core Te 1:3 keV. One group of tungsten lines, W 40+-W 45+, between 120–140$$\\dot{A}$$ , was identified with LoWEUS. W 43+- W 45+ lines measured with LoWEUS track the sawtooth cycle. Furthermore, sensitivity to the sawtooth cycle and the correlation of the peak emission with core electron temperature show that these spectrometers track the on-axis tungsten emission of DIII-D plasmas.« less

X-ray and extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy on DIII-D

DOE PAGES

Victor, Brian S.; Allen, Steve L.; Beiersdorfer, P.; ...

2017-06-14

Two spectrometers were installed to measure tungsten emission in the core of DIII-D plasmas during a metal rings experimental campaign. The spectral range of the high-resolution (1340 spectral channels), variable-ruled grating X-ray and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (XEUS) extends from10–71more » $$\\dot{A}$$ . The spectral range of the second spectrometer, the Long-Wavelength Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (LoWEUS), measures between 31–174$$\\dot{A}$$ . Three groups of tungsten lines were identified with XEUS: W 38+-W 45+ from 47–63$$\\dot{A}$$ , W 27+-W 35+ from 45–55$$\\dot{A}$$ , and W 28+-W 33+ from 16–30$$\\dot{A}$$ . Emission lines from tungsten charge states W 28+, W 43+, W 44+, and W 45+ are identified and the line amplitude is presented versus time. Peak emission of W 43+-W 45+ occurs between core Te=2.5-3 keV, and peak emission of W28+ occurs at core Te 1:3 keV. One group of tungsten lines, W 40+-W 45+, between 120–140$$\\dot{A}$$ , was identified with LoWEUS. W 43+- W 45+ lines measured with LoWEUS track the sawtooth cycle. Furthermore, sensitivity to the sawtooth cycle and the correlation of the peak emission with core electron temperature show that these spectrometers track the on-axis tungsten emission of DIII-D plasmas.« less

Exploring Mercury's Surface in UltraViolet from Orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izenberg, N.

2017-12-01

The MESSENGER Mission's Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrometer (UVVS) component of its Mercury Atmosphere and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) instrument obtained approximately 4600 point observations of Mercury's surface in middle ultraviolet (MUV; 210 nm - 300 nm) and far ultraviolet (FUV; 119.1 - 122.5 nm and 129.2 - 131.5 nm) wavelengths over the course of its orbital mission, mostly in Mercury's southern hemisphere. Given the very low (<1 to 2 wt %) average abundance of iron in the silicates of Mercury observed by multiple MESSENGER instruments, the near- to middle-ultraviolet wavelengths encompassing the oxygen metal charge transfer band (<400 nm), which is more sensitive to the presence of iron than the classic 1 micron absorption band, provides potentially useful additional compositional insight into the top layer of Mercury's regolith. The presence of nano- and microphase carbon also has potentially significant expression in the ultraviolet, and the interplay and variation between carbon and iron in mercury surface materials is an active area of investigation. Analysis of middle-UV surface reflectance and parameters appear to support the presence of varying amounts of carbon in different spectral or geologic units on Mercury. Far-UV reflectance data is currently under-utilized, but analysis of lunar surface by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Lyman Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) indicate that the data are sensitive to both composition and space weathering. The far-UV reflectance from MASCS may provide similar information for the Mercury surface, complementing results from longer wavelengths. MESSENGER data products for surface reflectance include middle-UV reflectance spectra, ultraviolet far-UV reflectance values, combined middle-UV through near-infrared spectra (210 nm - 1450 nm), a global `spectral cube' of near-UV to near-IR, and an upcoming UV spectral cube.

End-to-end Coronagraphic Modeling Including a Low-order Wavefront Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krist, John E.; Trauger, John T.; Unwin, Stephen C.; Traub, Wesley A.

2012-01-01

To evaluate space-based coronagraphic techniques, end-to-end modeling is necessary to simulate realistic fields containing speckles caused by wavefront errors. Real systems will suffer from pointing errors and thermal and motioninduced mechanical stresses that introduce time-variable wavefront aberrations that can reduce the field contrast. A loworder wavefront sensor (LOWFS) is needed to measure these changes at a sufficiently high rate to maintain the contrast level during observations. We implement here a LOWFS and corresponding low-order wavefront control subsystem (LOWFCS) in end-to-end models of a space-based coronagraph. Our goal is to be able to accurately duplicate the effect of the LOWFS+LOWFCS without explicitly evaluating the end-to-end model at numerous time steps.

INSCAN PRO: a fast ultraviolet spectrometer design approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myer, Brian Walker; Dias, João. Mendanha

2013-11-01

Spectroscopy diagnostic techniques have applications in such diverse areas as mechanical and aerospace engineering, physical chemistry, optics, food and pharmaceutical industries. However, the technological state-of-the-art spectrometers do not allow very fast processes to be evaluated or controlled. This ability is crucial in the optimization of industrial processes (welding, burning flames, spark ignition, pulsed radiolysis…) where more theoretical-experimental analysis should be performed. The INSCAN project aims to overcome this technological limitation, to satisfy needs in academia and industrial markets, by developing a compact spectrometer with focal lengths less than 200 mm, taking into account three important aspects: acquisition rate of approximately 10 kHz spectra, spectral resolution on the order of 0.1 nm and operating in the spectral range 200 nm to 700 nm. Initial work is described on the optical design of the device and several possible approaches to achieve the specifications are considered. To guide the first order design, we relate the optical linewidth, spectral bandwidth and imaging properties to component characteristics. The symmetrical Czerny-Turner optical mount was chosen for its flexibility and elaborated using ZEMAX. Predictions made based on the simulated system are compared with calibration and characterization measurements on an experimental test bench used to refine the model assumptions.

Closing the contrast gap between testbed and model prediction with WFIRST-CGI shaped pupil coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Hanying; Nemati, Bijan; Krist, John; Cady, Eric; Prada, Camilo M.; Kern, Brian; Poberezhskiy, Ilya

2016-07-01

JPL has recently passed an important milestone in its technology development for a proposed NASA WFIRST mission coronagraph: demonstration of better than 1x10-8 contrast over broad bandwidth (10%) on both shaped pupil coronagraph (SPC) and hybrid Lyot coronagraph (HLC) testbeds with the WFIRST obscuration pattern. Challenges remain, however, in the technology readiness for the proposed mission. One is the discrepancies between the achieved contrasts on the testbeds and their corresponding model predictions. A series of testbed diagnoses and modeling activities were planned and carried out on the SPC testbed in order to close the gap. A very useful tool we developed was a derived "measured" testbed wavefront control Jacobian matrix that could be compared with the model-predicted "control" version that was used to generate the high contrast dark hole region in the image plane. The difference between these two is an estimate of the error in the control Jacobian. When the control matrix, which includes both amplitude and phase, was modified to reproduce the error, the simulated performance closely matched the SPC testbed behavior in both contrast floor and contrast convergence speed. This is a step closer toward model validation for high contrast coronagraphs. Further Jacobian analysis and modeling provided clues to the possible sources for the mismatch: DM misregistration and testbed optical wavefront error (WFE) and the deformable mirror (DM) setting for correcting this WFE. These analyses suggested that a high contrast coronagraph has a tight tolerance in the accuracy of its control Jacobian. Modifications to both testbed control model as well as prediction model are being implemented, and future works are discussed.

A coronagraph based on two spatial light modulators for active amplitude apodizing and phase corrections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dou, Jiangpei; Ren, Deqing; Zhang, Xi; Zhu, Yongtian; Zhao, Gang; Wu, Zhen; Chen, Rui; Liu, Chengchao; Yang, Feng; Yang, Chao

2014-08-01

Almost all high-contrast imaging coronagraphs proposed until now are based on passive coronagraph optical components. Recently, Ren and Zhu proposed for the first time a coronagraph that integrates a liquid crystal array (LCA) for the active pupil apodizing and a deformable mirror (DM) for the phase corrections. Here, for demonstration purpose, we present the initial test result of a coronagraphic system that is based on two liquid crystal spatial light modulators (SLM). In the system, one SLM is served as active pupil apodizing and amplitude correction to suppress the diffraction light; another SLM is used to correct the speckle noise that is caused by the wave-front distortions. In this way, both amplitude and phase error can be actively and efficiently compensated. In the test, we use the stochastic parallel gradient descent (SPGD) algorithm to control two SLMs, which is based on the point spread function (PSF) sensing and evaluation and optimized for a maximum contrast in the discovery area. Finally, it has demonstrated a contrast of 10-6 at an inner working angular distance of ~6.2 λ/D, which is a promising technique to be used for the direct imaging of young exoplanets on ground-based telescopes.

Spectrometer system for diffuse extreme ultraviolet radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Labov, Simon E.

1989-01-01

A unique grazing incidence spectrometer system has been designed to study diffuse line emission between 80 and 650 A with 10-30 A resolution. The minimum detectable emission line strength during a 5-min observation ranges from 100-2000 ph/sq cm sec str. The instrument uses mechanically ruled reflection gratings placed in front of a linear array of mirrors. These mirrors focus the spectral image on microchannel plate detectors located behind thin filters. The field of view is 40 min of arc by 15 deg, and there is no spatial imaging. This instrument has been fabricated, calibrated, and successfully flown on a sounding rocket to observe the astronomical background radiation.

Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph and Enabling Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ford, Virginia G.

2005-01-01

Starlight suppression research is Stowed in Delta IV-H advancing rapidly to approach the required contrast ratio. The current analysis of the TPF Coronagraph system indicates that it is feasible to achieve the stability required by using developing technologies: a) Wave Front Sensing and Control (DMs, control algorithms, and sensing); b) Laser metrology. Yet needed: a) Property data measured with great precision in the required environments; b) Modeling tools that are verified with testbeds.

Testbed Demonstration of Low Order Wavefront Sensing and Control Technology for WFIRST Coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Fang; Balasubramanian, K.; Cady, E.; Kern, B.; Lam, R.; Mandic, M.; Patterson, K.; Poberezhskiy, I.; Shields, J.; Seo, J.; Tang, H.; Truong, T.; Wilson, D.

2017-01-01

NASA’s WFIRST-AFTA Coronagraph will be capable of directly imaging and spectrally characterizing giant exoplanets similar to Neptune and Jupiter, and possibly even super-Earths, around nearby stars. To maintain the required coronagraph performance in a realistic space environment, a Low Order Wavefront Sensing and Control (LOWFS/C) subsystem is necessary. The LOWFS/C will use the rejected stellar light to sense and suppress the telescope pointing drift and jitter as well as low order wavefront errors due to the changes in thermal loading of the telescope and the rest of the observatory. The LOWFS/C uses a Zernike phase contrast wavefront sensor with the phase shifting disk combined with the stellar light rejecting occulting mask, a key concept to minimize the non-common path error. Developed as a part of the Dynamic High Contrast Imaging Testbed (DHCIT), the LOWFS/C subsystem also consists of an Optical Telescope Assembly Simulator (OTA-S) to generate the realistic line-of-sight (LoS) drift and jitter as well as low order wavefront error from WFIRST-AFTA telescope’s vibration and thermal drift. The entire LOWFS/C subsystem have been integrated, calibrated, and tested in the Dynamic High Contrast Imaging Testbed. In this presentation we will show the results of LOWFS/C performance during the dynamic coronagraph tests in which we have demonstrated that LOWFS/C is able to maintain the coronagraph contrast with the presence of WFIRST like line-of-sight drift and jitter as well as low order wavefront drifts.

The Extreme Ultraviolet spectrometer on bard the Hisaki satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshioka, K.; Murakami, G.; Yamazaki, A.; Tsuchiya, F.; Kagitani, M.; Kimura, T.; Yoshikawa, I.

2017-12-01

The extreme ultraviolet spectroscope EXCEED (EXtrem ultraviolet spetrosCope for ExosphEric Dynamics) on board the Hisaki satellite was launched in September 2013 from the Uchinoura space center, Japan. It is orbiting around the Earth with an orbital altitude of around 950-1150 km. This satellite is dedicated to and optimized for observing the atmosphere and magnetosphere of terrestrial planets such as Mercury, Venus, Mars, as well as Jupiter. The instrument consists of an off axis parabolic entrance mirror, switchable slits with multiple filters and shapes, a toroidal grating, and a photon counting detector, together with a field of view guiding camera. The design goal is to achieve a large effective area but with high spatial and spectral resolution. Based on the after-launch calibration, the spectral resolution of EXCEED is found to be 0.3-0.5 nm FWHM (Full Width at Half Maximum) over the entire spectral band, and the spatial resolution is around 17". The evaluated effective area is larger than 1cm2. In this presentation, the basic concept of the instrument design and the observation technique are introduced. The current status of the spacecraft and its future observation plan are also shown.

Final stress analysis report ultraviolet spectrometer S169

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, S.

1971-01-01

The stress analysis report verifies the structural integrity of the Apollo S-169 UV-spectrometer experiment. The methods by which the various members were analyzed are described. A detailed summary of results for the individual structural elements appears in the form of a table of minimum margins of safety. No negative margins of safety were experienced. It is concluded that the component structure is more than adequate to withstand the environmental load conditions given in the design criteria.

Extra Solar Planetary Imaging Coronagraph and Science Requirements for the James Webb Telescope Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clampin, Mark

2004-01-01

1) Extra solar planetary imaging coronagraph. Direct detection and characterization of Jovian planets, and other gas giants, in orbit around nearby stars is a necessary precursor to Terrestrial Planet Finder 0 in order to estimate the probability of Terrestrial planets in our stellar neighborhood. Ground based indirect methods are biased towards large close in Jovian planets in solar systems unlikely io harbor Earthlike planets. Thus to estimate the relative abundances of terrestrial planets and to determine optimal observing strategies for TPF a pathfinder mission would be desired. The Extra-Solar Planetary Imaging Coronagraph (EPIC) is such a pathfinder mission. Upto 83 stellar systems are accessible with a 1.5 meter unobscured telescope and coronagraph combination located at the Earth-Sun L2 point. Incorporating radiometric and angular resolution considerations show that Jovians could be directly detected (5 sigma) in the 0.5 - 1.0 micron band outside of an inner working distance of 5/D with integration times of -10 - 100 hours per observation. The primary considerations for a planet imager are optical wavefront quality due to manufacturing, alignment, structural and thermal considerations. pointing stability and control, and manufacturability of coronagraphic masks and stops to increase the planetary-to- stellar contrast and mitigate against straylight. Previously proposed coronagraphic concepts are driven to extreme tolerances. however. we have developed and studied a mission, telescope and coronagraphic detection concept, which is achievable in the time frame of a Discovery class NASA mission. 2) Science requirements for the James Webb Space Telescope observatory. The James Webb Space Observatory (JWST) is an infrared observatory, which will be launched in 201 1 to an orbit at L2. JWST is a segmented, 18 mirror segment telescope with a diameter of 6.5 meters, and a clear aperture of 25 mA2. The telescope is designed to conduct imaging and spectroscopic

Predicting Ly-alpha intensities in coronal streamers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noci, Giancarlo; Poletto, Giannina; Suess, Steven T.; Wang, A.-H.; Wu, S. T.

1992-01-01

SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) UVCS (Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer) will make long term observations of coronal streamers in UV lines, providing a new tool for the analysis of structures which have been known for decades but are still far from being adequately described. Work to evaluate the Lyman alpha brightness of coronal streamers is reported, adopting the streamer models obtained, via a time dependent numerical relaxation technique. This will yield understanding on the role of geometric versus physical factors in determining the streamer lyman alpha intensity and provide guidelines for UVCS observational operations. Future prospects along this line of research are summarized.

White Light Stray Light Test of the SOHO UVCS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gardner, L. N.; Gardner, L. N.; Fineschi, S.

1998-01-01

During the late stages of the integration phase of the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) instrument for the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) at MATRA-Marconi in Toulouse, France, SOHO Project management at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) became concerned that the elaborate stray light rejection system for the instrument had not been tested and might possibly be misaligned such that the instrument could not deliver promised scientific returns. A white light stray light test, which would place an upper bound on the value of UVCS's stray light rejection capability, was commissioned, conceived, and carried out. This upper bound value would be indicative of the weakest coronal features the spectrometer would be capable of discerning. The test was rapidly developed at GSFC in coordination with science team members from Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CFA) and was carried out at MATRA in late February 1995. The outcome of this test helped to justify similar, much desired tests with visible and far ultraviolet light at CFA in a facility specifically designed to perform such testing.

Photographic coronagraph, Skylab particulate experiment T025. [earth atmospheric pollution and Kohoutek Comet monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giovane, F.; Schuerman, D. W.; Greenberg, J. M.

1977-01-01

A photographic coronagraph, built to monitor Skylab's extravehicular contamination, is described. This versatile instrument was used to observe the earth's vertical aerosol distribution and Comet Kohoutek (1973f) near perihelion. Although originally designed for deployment from the solar airlock, the instrument was modified for EVA operation when the airlock was rendered unusable. The results of the observations made in four EVA's were almost completely ruined by the failure of a Skylab operational camera used with the coronagraph. Nevertheless, an aerosol layer at 48 km was discovered in the southern hemisphere from the few useful photographs.

Scaled model guidelines for solar coronagraphs' external occulters with an optimized shape.

PubMed

Landini, Federico; Baccani, Cristian; Schweitzer, Hagen; Asoubar, Daniel; Romoli, Marco; Taccola, Matteo; Focardi, Mauro; Pancrazzi, Maurizio; Fineschi, Silvano

2017-12-01

One of the major challenges faced by externally occulted solar coronagraphs is the suppression of the light diffracted by the occulter edge. It is a contribution to the stray light that overwhelms the coronal signal on the focal plane and must be reduced by modifying the geometrical shape of the occulter. There is a rich literature, mostly experimental, on the appropriate choice of the most suitable shape. The problem arises when huge coronagraphs, such as those in formation flight, shall be tested in a laboratory. A recent contribution [Opt. Lett.41, 757 (2016)OPLEDP0146-959210.1364/OL.41.000757] provides the guidelines for scaling the geometry and replicate in the laboratory the flight diffraction pattern as produced by the whole solar disk and a flight occulter but leaves the conclusion on the occulter scale law somehow unjustified. This paper provides the numerical support for validating that conclusion and presents the first-ever simulation of the diffraction behind an occulter with an optimized shape along the optical axis with the solar disk as a source. This paper, together with Opt. Lett.41, 757 (2016)OPLEDP0146-959210.1364/OL.41.000757, aims at constituting a complete guide for scaling the coronagraphs' geometry.

Pointing control system design and performance evaluation of TPF coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Kuo-Chia; Blaurock, Carl; Mosier, Gary E.

2004-09-01

The Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) project aims to detect and characterize extra-solar Earth-like planets. The coronagraph telescope is one of the two mission concepts being studied. To reject the star flux and detect the planet flux in the visible light range, the coronagraph telescope must achieve a rejection ratio on the order of a billion to one. Dynamic jitter, introduced by environmental and on-board mechanical disturbances, degrades the optical performance, as characterized primarily by contrast ratio. The feasibility of using passive vibration isolation combined with active attitude and line-of-sight (LOS) control systems to stabilize the spacecraft and the optical components to the requisite level is being studied. The telescope is also required to slew between targets or rotate around the LOS. The slew mode control law must be designed to balance the need for efficient large-angle maneuvers while simultaneously avoiding the excitation of flexible modes in order to minimize settling time. This paper provides an overview of the current control design concept and sensor/actuator topology for TPF Coronagraph and illustrates the fine pointing performance of the telescope. This performance is primarily a function of the rejection of high-frequency dynamic disturbances, in this case due to reaction wheel disturbance forces/torques transmitted through the passive isolation stage. Trade studies between isolator force rejection and disturbance level reduction via wheel redesign are also presented to illustrate the requirements imposed on current technologies. Finally, the paper summarizes preliminary results on the slew/settle performance of the telescope.

Modified tandem gratings anastigmatic imaging spectrometer with oblique incidence for spectral broadband

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Chengguang; Wang, Shurong; Huang, Yu; Xue, Qingsheng; Li, Bo; Yu, Lei

2015-09-01

A modified spectrometer with tandem gratings that exhibits high spectral resolution and imaging quality for solar observation, monitoring, and understanding of coastal ocean processes is presented in this study. Spectral broadband anastigmatic imaging condition, spectral resolution, and initial optical structure are obtained based on geometric aberration theory. Compared with conventional tandem gratings spectrometers, this modified design permits flexibility in selecting gratings. A detailed discussion of the optical design and optical performance of an ultraviolet spectrometer with tandem gratings is also included to explain the advantage of oblique incidence for spectral broadband.

White-light optical vortex coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanburapa, Prachyathit

An optical vortex is characterized by a dark core of destructive interference in a light beam. One of the methods commonly employed to create an optical vortex is by using a computer-generated hologram. A vortex hologram pattern is computed from the interference pattern between a reference plane wave and a vortex wave, resulting in a forked grating pattern. In astronomy, an optical vortex coronagraph is one of the most promising high contrast imaging techniques for the direct imaging of extra-solar planets. Direct imaging of extra-solar planets is a challenging task since the brightness of the parent star is extremely high compared to its orbiting planets. The on-axis light from the parent star gets diffracted in the coronagraph, forming a "ring of fire" pattern, whereas the slightly off-axis light from the planet remains intact. Lyot stop can then be used to block the ring of fire pattern, thus allowing only the planetary light to get through to the imaging camera. Contrast enhancements of 106 or more are possible, provided the vortex lens (spiral phase plate) has exceptional optical quality. By using a vortex hologram with a 4 microm pitch, and an f/300 focusing lens, we were able to demonstrate the creation of a "ring of fire" using a white light emitting diode as a source. A dispersion compensating linear diffraction grating of 4 microm pitch was used to bring the rings together to form a single white light ring of fire. To our knowledge, this is the first time a vortex hologram based OVC has been demonstrated, resulting in a well-formed white light ring of fire. Experimental results show measured power contrast of 1/515 when HeNe laser source was used as a light source and 1/77 when using a white light emitting diode.

The Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme AO Project: Progress and Upgrades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jovanovic, Nemanja; Martinache, F.; Guyon, O.; Clergeon, C.; Garrel, V.

2013-01-01

The Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme AO (SCExAO) instrument consists of a high performance Phase Induced Amplitude Apodisation (PIAA) coronagraph combined with an extreme Adaptive Optics (AO) system operating in the near-infrared (H band). The extreme AO system driven by the 2000 element deformable mirror will allow for Strehl ratios>90% to be achieved in the H-band when it goes closed loop. This makes the SCExAO instrument a powerful platform for high contrast imaging down to angular separations of the order of 1 λ/D. In this paper we report on the recent progress in regards to the development of the instrument, which includes the addition of a visible bench that makes use of the light at shorter wavelengths not currently utilized by SCExAO and closing the loop on the tip/tilt wavefront sensor. We will also discuss two exciting guest instruments which will expand the capabilities of SCExAO over the next few years; namely CHARIS which is a integral field spectrograph as well as VAMPIRES, a visible aperture masking experiment based on polarimetric analysis of circumstellar disks.

A Flight Photon Counting Camera for the WFIRST Coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrissey, Patrick

2018-01-01

A photon counting camera based on the Teledyne-e2v CCD201-20 electron multiplying CCD (EMCCD) is being developed for the NASA WFIRST coronagraph, an exoplanet imaging technology development of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, CA) that is scheduled to launch in 2026. The coronagraph is designed to directly image planets around nearby stars, and to characterize their spectra. The planets are exceedingly faint, providing signals similar to the detector dark current, and require the use of photon counting detectors. Red sensitivity (600-980nm) is preferred to capture spectral features of interest. Since radiation in space affects the ability of the EMCCD to transfer the required single electron signals, care has been taken to develop appropriate shielding that will protect the cameras during a five year mission. In this poster, consideration of the effects of space radiation on photon counting observations will be described with the mitigating features of the camera design. An overview of the current camera flight system electronics requirements and design will also be described.

Comparison of Simulated Contrast Performance of Different Phase Induced Amplitude Apodization (PIAA) Coronagraph Configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sidick, Erkin; Kern, Brian; Kuhnert, Andreas; Shaklan, Stuart

2013-01-01

We compare the broadband contrast performances of several Phase Induced Amplitude Apodization (PIAA) coronagraph configurations through modeling and simulations. The basic optical design of the PIAA coronagraph is the same as NASA's High Contrast Imaging Testbed (HCIT) setup at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Using a deformable mirror and a broadband wavefront sensing and control algorithm, we create a "dark hole" in the broadband point-spread function (PSF) with an inner working angle (IWA) of 2(f lambda/D)(sub sky). We evaluate two systems in parallel. One is a perfect system having a design PIAA output amplitude and not having any wavefront error at its exit-pupil. The other is a realistic system having a design PIAA output amplitude and the measured residual wavefront error. We also investigate the effect of Lyot stops of various sizes when a postapodizer is and is not present. Our simulations show that the best 7.5%-broadband contrast value achievable with the current PIAA coronagraph is approximately 1.5x10(exp -8).

Pointing Control System Design and Performance Evaluation for TPF Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Kuo-Chia; Blaurock, Carl; Mosier, Gary

2004-01-01

The Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) program aims to detect and characterize extra-solar Earth-like planets. The coronagraph telescope is one of the four mission concepts being studied. In order to reject the star flux and detect the planet flux in the visible light range, the coronagraph telescope must achieve a rejection ratio on the order of a billion to one. Dynamic jitter, introduced by environmental and on-board mechanical disturbances, degrades the optical performance, as characterized primarily by contrast ratio. The feasibility of using passive vibration isolation combined with active attitude and line-of- sight control systems to stabilize the spacecraft and the optical components to the requisite level is being studied. The telescope is also required to slew between targets. The slew mode control law must be designed to balance the need for efficient large-angle maneuvers while simultaneously avoiding the excitation of flexible modes in order to minimize settling time.

ALICE Data Release: A Revaluation of HST-NICMOS Coronagraphic Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagan, J. Brendan; Choquet, Élodie; Soummer, Rémi; Vigan, Arthur

2018-04-01

The Hubble Space Telescope NICMOS instrument was used from 1997 to 2008 to perform coronagraphic observations of about 400 targets. Most of them were part of surveys looking for substellar companions or resolved circumstellar disks to young nearby stars, making the NICMOS coronagraphic archive a valuable database for exoplanets and disks studies. As part of the Archival Legacy Investigations of Circumstellar Environments program, we have consistently reprocessed a large fraction of the NICMOS coronagrahic archive using advanced starlight subtraction methods. We present here the high-level science products of these re-analyzed data, which we delivered back to the community through the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes: doi:10.17909/T9W89V. We also present the second version of the HCI-FITS format (for High-Contrast Imaging FITS format), which we developed as a standard format for data exchange of imaging reduced science products. These re-analyzed products are openly available for population statistics studies, characterization of specific targets, or detected point-source identification.

Laboratory and On-Sky Validation of the Shaped Pupil Coronagraph's Sensitivity to Low-Order Aberrations with Active Wavefront Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Currie, Thayne; Lozi, Julien; Guyon, Olivier; Brandt, Timothy; Chilcote, Jeffrey; Skaf, Nour; Pathak, Prashant; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Kuhn, Jonas; Groff, Tyler D.;

Rocket flight performance of a preprototype Apollo 17 UV spectrometer S-169

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fastie, W. G.

1971-01-01

The design, construction, testing, calibration, flight performance and flight data of an Ebert ultraviolet spectrometer are described which is an accurate representation of the conceptual design of the Apollo 17 UV spectrometer. The instrument was flown in an Aerobee 350 rocket from Wallops Island, Va., at 7:10 p.m. EDT on June 10, 1971 to an altitude of 328 km with a solar elevation angle of about 11 deg.

Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph Observatory summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ford, Virginia; Levine-Westa, Marie; Kissila, Andy; Kwacka, Eug; Hoa, Tim; Dumonta, Phil; Lismana, Doug; Fehera, Peter; Cafferty, Terry

2005-01-01

Creating an optical space telescope observatory capable of detecting and characterizing light from extra-solar terrestrial planets poses technical challenges related to extreme wavefront stability. The Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph design team has been developing an observatory based on trade studies, modeling and analysis that has guided us towards design choices to enable this challenging mission. This paper will describe the current flight baseline design of the observatory and the trade studies that have been performed. The modeling and analysis of this design will be described including predicted performance and the tasks yet to be done.

Evaluation of gratings for the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mrowka, Stan; Martin, Chris; Bowyer, Stuart; Malina, Roger F.

1986-01-01

Extensive grating calibration facilities have been developed at the Space Sciences Laboratory at Berkley, which are now being used for the evaluation of the gratings for the spectrometer on the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer. Measurements of efficiency scattering and imaging quality can be made at wavelengths from 44A to 2500A.

Determining coronal electron temperatures from observations with UVCS/SOHO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fineschi, S.; Esser, R.; Habbal, S. R.; Karovska, M.; Romoli, M.; Strachan, L.; Kohl, J. L.; Huber, M. C. E.

1995-01-01

The electron temperature is a fundamental physical parameter of the coronal plasma. Currently, there are no direct measurements of this quantity in the extended corona. Observations with the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) aboard the upcoming Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) mission can provide the most direct determination of the electron kinetic temperature (or, more precisely, the electron velocity distribution along the line of sight). This measurement is based on the observation of the Thomson-scattered Lyman alpha (Ly-alpha) profile. This observation is made particularly challenging by the fact that the integrated intensity of the electron-scattered Ly-alpha line is about 10(exp 3) times fainter than that of the resonantly-scattered Ly-alpha component. In addition, the former is distributed across 50 A (FWHM), unlike the latter that is concentrated in 1 A. These facts impose stringent requirements on the stray-light rejection properties of the coronagraph/spectrometer, and in particular on the requirements for the grating. We make use of laboratory measurements of the UVCS Ly-alpha grating stray-light, and of simulated electron-scattered Ly-alpha profiles to estimate the expected confidence levels of electron temperature determination. Models of different structures typical of the corona (e.g., streamers, coronal holes) are used for this parameter study.

Dynamic interferometer alignment and its utility in UV Fourier transform spectrometer systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorval, Rick K.; Engel, James R.; Wyntjes, Geert J.

1993-01-01

Dynamic alignment has been demonstrated as a practical approach to alignment maintenance for systems in the infrared region of the spectrum. On the basis of work done by OPTRA, this technique was introduced in commercial Fourier transform spectrometer systems in 1982 and in various forms is now available from a number of manufacturers. This paper reports on work by OPTRA to extend the basic technique to systems operating in the ultraviolet. In addition, this paper reports the preliminary results of the development of an alignment system using a laser diode in place of a gas laser normally found in dynamic alignment systems. A unique optical system and spatial heterodyne technique allows for achievement of a metrology system with characteristics that fully satisfy the requirements of an ultraviolet spectrometer system.

An Off-Axis Four-Quadrant Phase Mask (FQPM) Coronagraph for Palomar: High-Contrast Near Bright Stars Imager

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haguenauer, Pierre; Serabyn, Eugene; Bloemhof, Eric E.; Troy, Mitchell; Wallace, James K.; Koresko, Chris D.; Mennesson, Bertrand

2005-01-01

Direct detection of planets around nearby stars requires the development of high-contrast imaging techniques because of the high difference between their respective fluxes. This led us to test a new coronagraphic approach based on the use of phase mask instead of dark occulting ones. Combined with high-level wavefront correction on an unobscured off-axis section of a large telescope, this method allows imaging very close to the star. Calculations indicate that for a given ground-based on-axis telescope, use of such an off-axis coronagraph provides a near-neighbor detection capability superior to that of a traditional coronagraph utilizing the full telescope aperture. Setting up a laboratory experiment working in near infrared allowed us to demonstrate the principle of the method, and a rejection of 2000:1 has already been achieved.

Complex refractive index of Martian dust - Mariner 9 ultraviolet observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pang, K.; Ajello, J. M.; Hord, C. W.; Egan, W. G.

1976-01-01

Mariner 9 ultraviolet spectrometer observations of the 1971 dust clouds obscuring the surface of Mars have been analyzed by matching the observed dust phase function with Mie scattering calculations for size distributions of homogeneous and isotropic material. Preliminary results indicate an effective particle radius of not less than 0.2. The real component of the index of refraction is not less than 1.8 at both 268 and 305 nm; corresponding values for the imagery component are 0.02 and 0.01. These values are consistent with those found by Mead (1970) for the visible and near-visible wavelengths. The refractive index and the absorption coefficient increase rapidly with decreasing wavelength in going from the visible to the ultraviolet, indicating the presence of an ultraviolet absorption band which may shield organisms from ultraviolet irradiation.

The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer mission - Overview and initial results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haisch, B.; Bowyer, S.; Malina, R. F.

1993-01-01

The history of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) astronomy is briefly reviewed, and an overview of the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer mission, launched into a near-earth (550 km) orbit on June 7, 1992, is presented. First, the principal objective of the mission are summarized. The instrumentation and operation of the mission are then described, with particular attention given to the sky survey instruments, the deep survey instrument, and the spectrometers. The discussion also covers the current view of the interstellar medium, early results from the mission, and future prospects for EUV astronomy.

Interstellar extinction in the ultraviolet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bless, R. C.; Savage, B. D.

1972-01-01

Interstellar extinction curves over the region 3600-1100 A for 17 stars are presented. The observations were made by the two Wisconsin spectrometers onboard the OAO-2 with spectral resolutions of 10 A and 20 A. The extinction curves generally show a pronounced maximum at 2175 plus or minus 25 A, a broad minimum in the region 1800-1350 A, and finally a rapid rise to the far ultraviolet. Large extinction variations from star to star are found, especially in the far ultraviolet; however, with only two possible exceptions in this sample, the wavelength at the maximum of the extinction bump is essentially constant. These data are combined with visual and infrared observations to display the extinction behavior over a range in wavelength of about a factor of 20.

Real-time radiative divertor feedback control development for the NSTX-U tokamak using a vacuum ultraviolet spectrometer

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

Soukhanovskii, V. A., E-mail: vlad@llnl.gov; Kaita, R.; Stratton, B.

2016-11-15

A radiative divertor technique is planned for the NSTX-U tokamak to prevent excessive erosion and thermal damage of divertor plasma-facing components in H-mode plasma discharges with auxiliary heating up to 12 MW. In the radiative (partially detached) divertor, extrinsically seeded deuterium or impurity gases are used to increase plasma volumetric power and momentum losses. A real-time feedback control of the gas seeding rate is planned for discharges of up to 5 s duration. The outer divertor leg plasma electron temperature T{sub e} estimated spectroscopically in real time will be used as a control parameter. A vacuum ultraviolet spectrometer McPherson Modelmore » 251 with a fast charged-coupled device detector is developed for temperature monitoring between 5 and 30 eV, based on the Δn = 0, 1 line intensity ratios of carbon, nitrogen, or neon ion lines in the spectral range 300–1600 Å. A collisional-radiative model-based line intensity ratio will be used for relative calibration. A real-time T{sub e}-dependent signal within a characteristic divertor detachment equilibration time of ∼10–15 ms is expected.« less

Real-time radiative divertor feedback control development for the NSTX-U tokamak using a vacuum ultraviolet spectrometer

DOE PAGES

Soukhanovskii, V. A.; Kaita, R.; Stratton, B.

2016-08-04

Here, a radiative divertor technique is planned for the NSTX-U tokamak to prevent excessive erosion and thermal damage of divertor plasma-facing components in H-mode plasma discharges with auxiliary heating up to 12 MW. In the radiative (partially detached) divertor, extrinsically seeded deuterium or impurity gases are used to increase plasma volumetric power and momentum losses. A real-time feedback control of the gas seeding rate is planned for discharges of up to 5 s duration. The outer divertor leg plasma electron temperature T e estimated spectroscopically in real time will be used as a control parameter. A vacuum ultraviolet spectrometer McPhersonmore » Model 251 with a fast charged-coupled device detector is developed for temperature monitoring between 5 and 30 eV, based on the Δn = 0, 1 line intensity ratios of carbon, nitrogen, or neon ion lines in the spectral range 300–1600 Å. A collisional-radiative model-based line intensity ratio will be used for relative calibration. A real-time T e-dependent signal within a characteristic divertor detachment equilibration time of ~10–15 ms is expected.« less

The Lockheed OSO-8 program. Task 2: Analysis of data from the high resolution ultraviolet spectrometer experiment. [carbon 4 and silicon 4 line and emission spectra from solar flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bruner, E. C., Jr.

1980-01-01

The complete set of C 4 time sequences generated by the University of Colorado high resolution ultraviolet spectrometer experiment on OSO-8 were examined in a comprehensive and systematic fashion. As a result a new limit is placed on the acoustic flux passing through the transition zone of the Sun's atmosphere. It is found to be three orders of magnitude too small to heat the corona, and is consistent with zero. In collaborative efforts, the properties of transient C 4 brightenings were examined in considerable detail.

A High Resolution Fourier-Transform Spectrometer for the Measurement of Atmospheric Column Abundances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cageao, R.; Sander, S.; Blavier, J.; Jiang, Y.; Nemtchinov, V.

2000-01-01

A compact, high resolution Fourier-transform spectrometer for atmospheric near ultraviolet spectroscopy has been installed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Table Mountain Facility (34.4N, 117.7 W, elevation 2290m).

Coronagraph particulate measurements. Skylab flight experiment T025

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenberg, J. M.; Schuerman, D. W.; Giovane, F.; Wang, R. T.; Hardy, D. C.

1975-01-01

Major results of the Skylab T025 Coronagraph experiment designed to monitor the particulate contamination about the spacecraft and to study the earth's atmospheric aerosol distribution are presented. A model for comet outbursts based on the properties of amorphous ice and ground based narrow-band and white light photography of comet Kohoutek ten days to perihelion are included. The effect of atmospheric refraction on the analysis of the T025 atmospheric data was also investigated.

General Tool for Evaluating High-Contrast Coronagraphic Telescope Performance Error Budgets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marchen, Luis F.

2011-01-01

The Coronagraph Performance Error Budget (CPEB) tool automates many of the key steps required to evaluate the scattered starlight contrast in the dark hole of a space-based coronagraph. The tool uses a Code V prescription of the optical train, and uses MATLAB programs to call ray-trace code that generates linear beam-walk and aberration sensitivity matrices for motions of the optical elements and line-of-sight pointing, with and without controlled fine-steering mirrors (FSMs). The sensitivity matrices are imported by macros into Excel 2007, where the error budget is evaluated. The user specifies the particular optics of interest, and chooses the quality of each optic from a predefined set of PSDs. The spreadsheet creates a nominal set of thermal and jitter motions, and combines that with the sensitivity matrices to generate an error budget for the system. CPEB also contains a combination of form and ActiveX controls with Visual Basic for Applications code to allow for user interaction in which the user can perform trade studies such as changing engineering requirements, and identifying and isolating stringent requirements. It contains summary tables and graphics that can be instantly used for reporting results in view graphs. The entire process to obtain a coronagraphic telescope performance error budget has been automated into three stages: conversion of optical prescription from Zemax or Code V to MACOS (in-house optical modeling and analysis tool), a linear models process, and an error budget tool process. The first process was improved by developing a MATLAB package based on the Class Constructor Method with a number of user-defined functions that allow the user to modify the MACOS optical prescription. The second process was modified by creating a MATLAB package that contains user-defined functions that automate the process. The user interfaces with the process by utilizing an initialization file where the user defines the parameters of the linear model

Ground Based Ultraviolet Remote Sensing of Volcanic Gas Plumes

PubMed Central

Kantzas, Euripides P.; McGonigle, Andrew J. S.

2008-01-01

Ultraviolet spectroscopy has been implemented for over thirty years to monitor volcanic SO2 emissions. These data have provided valuable information concerning underground magmatic conditions, which have been of utility in eruption forecasting efforts. During the last decade the traditionally used correlation spectrometers have been upgraded with miniature USB coupled UV spectrometers, opening a series of exciting new empirical possibilities for understanding volcanoes and their impacts upon the atmosphere. Here we review these technological developments, in addition to the scientific insights they have precipitated, covering the strengths and current limitations of this approach. PMID:27879780

Moon-based UV reflecting coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vial, J. C.; Koutchmy, S.; Smartt, R. N.

1994-06-01

UV observations of the solar disc, and above the limb, have evidenced a wide range of possible diagnostics, especially in the Lyman alpha line. On the disc, Lyman alpha traces the magnetic (sometimes unexpected) structuring of the top of the atmosphere; out from the limb, it allows measurement of radial velocities up to a few solar radii where most optical techniques fail. Other diagnostics include the kinematics of ejections (e.g. Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), but also small-scale rapidly evolving plasmoids). We propose a dual-channel reflecting coronagraph combining relatively-high angular resolution (0.2-0.4 inches) with large spatial (2.5 solar radii from Sun center) and temporal coverage. The advantages offered by a Moon-based instrument are discussed.

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.

Apodized Pupil Lyot Coronagraphs for Arbitrary Apertures. II. Theoretical Properties and Application to Extremely Large Telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soummer, Rémi; Pueyo, Laurent; Ferrari, André; Aime, Claude; Sivaramakrishnan, Anand; Yaitskova, Natalia

2009-04-01

We study the application of Lyot coronagraphy to future Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs), showing that Apodized Pupil Lyot Coronagraphs enable high-contrast imaging for exoplanet detection and characterization with ELTs. We discuss the properties of the optimal pupil apodizers for this application (generalized prolate spheroidal functions). The case of a circular aperture telescope with a central obstruction is considered in detail, and we discuss the effects of primary mirror segmentation and secondary mirror support structures as a function of the occulting mask size. In most cases where inner working distance is critical, e.g., for exoplanet detection, these additional features do not alter the solutions derived with just the central obstruction, although certain applications such as quasar-host galaxy coronagraphic observations could benefit from designs that explicitly accomodate ELT spider geometries. We illustrate coronagraphic designs for several ELT geometries including ESO/OWL, the Thirty Mirror Telescope, the Giant Magellan Telescope, and describe numerical methods for generating these designs.

High-contrast imager for Complex Aperture Telescopes (HiCAT): APLC/shaped-pupil hybrid coronagraph designs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

N'Diaye, Mamadou; Choquet, Elodie; Carlotti, Alexis; Pueyo, Laurent; Egron, Sylvain; Leboulleux, Lucie; Levecq, Olivier; Perrin, Marshall D.; Wallace, J. Kent; Long, Chris; Lajoie, Rachel; Lajoie, Charles-Philippe; Eldorado Riggs, A. J.; Zimmerman, Neil T.; Groff, Tyler Dean; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Vanderbei, Robert J.; Mawet, Dimitri; Macintosh, Bruce; Shaklan, Stuart; Soummer, Remi

2015-01-01

HiCAT is a high-contrast imaging testbed designed to provide complete solutions in wavefront sensing, control and starlight suppression with complex aperture telescopes. Primary mirror segmentation, central obstruction and spiders in the pupil of an on-axis telescope introduces additional diffraction features in the point spread function, which make high-contrast imaging very challenging. The testbed alignment was completed in the summer of 2014, exceeding specifications with a total wavefront error of 12nm rms with a 18mm pupil. Two deformable mirrors are to be installed for wavefront control in the fall of 2014. In this communication, we report on the first testbed results using a classical Lyot coronagraph. We have developed novel coronagraph designs combining an Apodized Pupil Lyot Coronagraph (APLC) with shaped-pupil type optimizations. We present the results of these new APLC-type solutions with two-dimensional shaped-pupil apodizers for the HiCAT geometry. These solutions render the system quasi-insensitive to jitter and low-order aberrations, while improving the performance in terms of inner working angle, bandpass and contrast over a classical APLC.

Results from the calibration of the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welsh, Barry Y.; Jelinsky, Pat; Vedder, Peter W.; Vallerga, John V.; Finley, David S.; Malina, Roger F.

1991-01-01

The paper describes the main features and selected results of the calibration of the scientific instruments to be flown on the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer in 1991. The instrument payload includes three grazing incidence scanning telescopes and an EUV spectrometer/deep survey instrument covering the spectral region 70-800 A. The measured imaging characteristics, the effective areas, and the details of spectral responses of the instruments are presented. Diagrams of the cross-sectional views of the scanning telescope and the deep-survey/spectrometer telescope are included.

Solar Coronal UV Spectroscopy for Solar Wind and SEP Acceleration Investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moses, John Daniel; Ko, Yuan-Kuen; Laming, John Martin; Strachan, Leonard; Tun Beltran, Samuel

2015-04-01

Of all the new areas of solar physics opened by the landmark SOHO mission, the scientific discoveries of the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) are unique in both the importance of the new questions raised by these observations and the lack of subsequent investigations to resolve these questions. For example, the first direct evidence of wave-particle coupling as an acceleration mechanism for the solar wind was obtained from UVCS spectro-coronagraphic observations, yet the real limits on the ratio of the parallel to perpendicular ion temperatures (with respect to the magnetic field) in coronal holes and streamers is still unresolved. Another unresolved issue is the role of suprathermal seed particles in rapid diffusive shock acceleration of SEPs. Although the theory has been placed on firmer theoretical ground by recent in situ investigations, observations of these suprathermal particles in the corona was never conclusively obtained with UVCS.Any follow-on UV Spectro-coronagraph must possess two improvements over UVCS in order to address the questions raised during the SOHO mission: 1) increased effective aperture and 2) improved spectrographic contrast (i.e. reduced scattered light). Technological developments in optics, optical design, UV detectors, composite structures, cleanliness control and electronics make it possible to achieve the requisite improvements in a next-generation UV spectro-coronagraph within the constraints of an affordable mission. We discuss specific instrument and mission approaches developed over the last 5 years and the feasibility of implementing them within the next 5 years.

Solar Coronal UV Spectroscopy for Solar Wind and Sep Acceleration Investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moses, J. D.; Laming, J. M.; Ko, Y. K.; Strachan, L.

2014-12-01

Of all the new areas of solar physics opened by the landmark SOHO mission, the scientific discoveries of the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) are unique in both the importance of the new questions raised by these observations and the lack of subsequent investigations to resolve these questions. For example, the first direct evidence of wave-particle coupling as an acceleration mechanism for the solar wind was obtained from UVCS spectro-coronagraphic observations, yet the real limits on the ratio of the parallel to perpendicular ion temperatures (with respect to the magnetic field) in coronal holes and streamers is still unresolved. Another unresolved issue is the role of suprathermal seed particles in rapid diffusive shock acceleration of SEPs. Although the theory has been placed on firmer theoretical ground by recent in situinvestigations, observations of these suprathermal particles in the corona were never conclusively obtained with UVCS. Any follow-on UV Spectro-coronagraph must possess two improvements over UVCS in order to address the questions raised during the SOHO mission: 1) increased effective aperture and 2) improved spectrographic contrast (i.e. reduced scattered light). Technological developments in optics, optical design, UV detectors, composite structures, cleanliness control and electronics make it possible to achieve the requisite improvements in a next-generation UV spectro-coronagraph within the constraints of an affordable mission. We discuss specific instrument and mission approaches developed over the last 5 years and the feasibility of implementing them within the next 5 years.

Preliminary optical design of the coronagraph for the ASPIICS formation flying mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vivès, S.; Lamy, P.; Saisse, M.; Boit, J.-L.; Koutchmy, S.

2017-11-01

Formation flyers open new perspectives and allow to conceive giant, externally-occulted coronagraphs using a two-component space system with the external occulter on one spacecraft and the optical instrument on the other spacecraft at approximately 100-150 m from the first one. ASPIICS (Association de Satellites Pour l'Imagerie et l'Interfromtrie de la Couronne Solaire) is a mission proposed to ESA in the framework of the PROBA-3 program of formation flying which is presently in phase A to exploit this technique for coronal observations. ASPIICS is composed of a single coronagraph which performs high spatial resolution imaging of the corona as well as 2-dimensional spectroscopy of several emission lines from the coronal base out to 3 R. The selected lines allow to address different coronal regions: the forbidden line of Fe XIV at 530.285 nm (coronal matter), Fe IX/X at 637.4 nm (coronal holes), HeI at 587.6 nm (cold matter). An additional broad spectral channel will image the white light corona so as to derive electron densities. The classical design of an externally occulted coronagraph is adapted to the detection of the very inner corona as close as 1.01 R and the addition of a Fabry-Perot interferometer using a so-called "etalon". This paper is dedicated to the description of the optical design and its critical components: the entrance optics and the FabryPerot interferometer.

Stray light rejection in giant externally-occulted solar coronagraphs: experimental developments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venet, M.; Bazin, C.; Koutchmy, S.; Lamy, P.

2017-11-01

The advent of giant, formation-flight, externally-occulted solar coronagraphs such as ASPIICS (Association de Satellites Pour l'Imagerie et l'Interférométrie de la Couronne Solaire [1,2,3,4]) selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) for its third PROBA (Project for On-Board Autonomy) mission of formation flying demonstration (presently in phase B) and Hi-RISE proposed in the framework of ESA Cosmic Vision program, presents formidable challenges for the study and calibration of instrumental stray light. With distances between the external occulter (EO) and the optical pupil (OP) exceeding hundred meters and occulter sizes larger than a meter, it becomes impossible to perform tests at the real scale. The requirement to limit the over-occultation to less than 1.05 Rsun, orders of magnitude to what has been achieved so far in past coronagraphs, further adds to the challenge. We are approaching the problem experimentally using reduced scale simulators and present below a progress report of our work.

Dynamics of the eruptive prominence of 6 May 1980 and its relationship to the coronal transient

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mein, N.; Schmieder, B.; Simon, G.; Tandberg-Hanssen, E.; Wu, S. T.

1982-01-01

The active prominence of the 6 May 1980 has been observed between 5.23 and 10.22 UT with the Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter (UVSP) on board the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) satellite. Intensities of 1548 A line of CIV and dopplershifts have been derived. A motion of the magnetic tube maintaining the prominence material is noted. This motion is followed by a coronal transient observed with the Coronagraph and Polarimeter (C/P) between 11 and 13 UT. It is suggested that the event is related to a MHD wave induced by a flare occurring behind the solar disk, and a MHD modeling of the perturbation is proposed.

Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph overview of technology development & system design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balasubramanian, Kunjuthapatham; Ford, Virginia; Mouroulis, Pantazis; Hoppe, Daniel; Shaklan, Stuart

2004-01-01

Astronomers have discovered over 150 planets orbiting other stars. NASA mission; Find and characterize terrestrial (or rocky) exo-planets that might harbor life (like Earth)liquid water on the planet (habitable zone). An atmosphere that indicates the presence of life water, oxygen, ozone, carbon dioxide, chlorophyll, and methane. Two missions under development: A coronagraph and an interferometer.

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.

The Copernicus ultraviolet spectral atlas Tau Scorpii

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogerson, J. B., Jr.; Upson, W. L., II

1977-01-01

An ultraviolet spectral atlas was presented for the B0 V star, Tau Scorpii. It was scanned from 949 to 1560 A by the Princeton spectrometer aboard the Copernicus satellite. From 949 to 1420 A the observations have a nominal resolution of 0.05 A. At the longer wavelengths, the resolution was 0.1 A. The atlas was presented in both tables and graphs.

Ultraviolet photometry from the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory. XXXII - An atlas of ultraviolet stellar spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Code, A. D.; Meade, M. R.

1979-01-01

Ultraviolet stellar fluxes are presented in graphs and tables for 164 bright stars in the spectral region from 1200 to 3600 A. The spectra represent a subset of OAO 2 spectrometer data on file at the National Space Science Data Center. The monochromatic flux is given in units of erg per (sq cm-s-A) with a spectral resolution of about 22 A in the region from 3600 to 1850 A and of approximately 12 A in the region from 1850 to 1160 A.

The Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme AO Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinache, Frantz; Guyon, O.; Lozi, J.; Tamura, M.; Hodapp, K.; Suzuki, R.; Hayano, Y.; McElwain, M. W.

2009-01-01

While the existence of large numbers of extrasolar planets around solar type stars has been unambiguously demonstrated by radial velocity, transit and microlensing surveys, attempts at direct imaging with AO-equipped large telescopes remain unsuccessful. Because they supposedly offer more favorable contrast ratios, young systems consitute prime targets for imaging. Such observations will provide key insights on the formation and early evolution of planets and disks. Current surveys are limited by modest AO performance which limits inner working angle to 0.2", and only reach maximum sensitivity outside 1". This translates into orbital distances greater than 10 AU even on most nearby systems, while only 5 % of the known exoplanets have a semimajor axis greater than 10 AU. This calls for a major change of approach in the techniques used for direct imaging of the direct vicinity of stars. A sensible way to do the job is to combine coronagraphy and Extreme AO. Only accurate and fast control of the wavefront will permit the detection of high contrast planetary companions within 10 AU. The SCExAO system, currently under assembly, is an upgrade of the HiCIAO coronagraphic differential imaging camera, mounted behind the 188-actuator curvature AO system on Subaru Telescope. This platform includes a 1000-actuator MEMS deformable mirror for high accuracy wavefront correction and a PIAA coronagraph which delivers high contrast at 0.05" from the star (5 AU at 100 pc). Key technologies have been validated in the laboratory: high performance wavefront sensing schemes, spider vanes and central obstruction removal, and lossless beam apodization. The project is designed to be highly flexible to continuously integrate new technologies with high scientific payoff. Planned upgrades include an integral field unit for spectral characterization of planets/disks and a non-redundant aperture mask to push the performance of the system toward separations less than lambda/D.

High Contrast Tests with a PIAA Coronagraph in Air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Totems, J.; Guyon, O.

2007-06-01

The Phase-Induced Amplitude Apodization Coronagraph, which allows high contrast imaging with a small inner working angle, is extremely attractive for future space and ground-based high contrast missions. An experiment is currently under development in our lab at the Subaru Telescope in Hilo, Hawaii, to qualify its capabilities. We will describe the optical configuration adopted and our efforts to stabilize the wavefront in order to improve its performance.

Proton radiation damage assessment of a CCD for use in a Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gow, J. P. D.; Mason, J.; Leese, M.; Hathi, B.; Patel, M.

2017-01-01

This paper describes the radiation environment and radiation damage analysis performed for the Nadir and Occultation for MArs Discovery (NOMAD) Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrometer (UVIS) channel launched onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) in 2016. The aim of the instrument is to map the temporal and spatial variation of trace gases such as ozone and dust/cloud aerosols in the atmosphere of Mars. The instrument consists of a set of two miniature telescope viewing optics which allow for selective input onto the optical bench, where an e2v technologies CCD30-11 will be used as the detector. A Geometry Description Markup Language model of the spacecraft and instrument box was created and through the use of ESA's SPace ENVironment Information System (SPENVIS) an estimate of the 10 MeV equivalent proton fluence was made at a number of radiation sensitive regions within NOMAD, including that of the CCD30-11 which is the focus of this paper. The end of life 10 MeV equivalent proton fluence at the charge coupled device was estimated to be 4.7 × 109 protons.cm-2 three devices were irradiated at different levels up a 10 MeV equivalent fluence of 9.4 × 109 protons.cm-2. The dark current, charge transfer inefficiency, charge storage, and cosmetic quality of the devices was investigated pre- and post-irradiation, determining that the devices will continue to provide excellent science throughout the mission.

Martian atmospheric O3 retrieval development for the NOMAD-UVIS spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hewson, W.; Mason, J. P.; Leese, M.; Hathi, B.; Holmes, J.; Lewis, S. R.; Iriwin, P. G. J.; Patel, M. R.

2017-09-01

The composition of atmospheric trace gases and aerosols is a highly variable and poorly constrained component of the martian atmosphere, and by affecting martian climate and UV surface dose, represents a key parameter in the assessment of suitability for martian habitability. The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) carries the Open University (OU) designed Ultraviolet and VIsible Spectrometer (UVIS) instrument as part of the Belgian-led Nadir and Occultation for MArs Discovery (NOMAD) spectrometer suite. NOMAD will begin transmitting science observations of martian surface and atmosphere back-scattered UltraViolet (UV) and visible radiation in Spring 2018, which will be processed to derive spatially and temporally averaged atmospheric trace gas and aerosol concentrations, intended to provide a better understanding of martian atmospheric photo-chemistry and dynamics, and will also improve models of martian atmospheric chemistry, climate and habitability. Work presented here illustrates initial development and testing of the OU's new retrieval algorithm for determining O3 and aerosol concentrations from the UVIS instrument.

Uric acid detection using uv-vis spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norazmi, N.; Rasad, Z. R. Abdul; Mohamad, M.; Manap, H.

2017-10-01

The aim of this research is to detect uric acid (UA) concentration using Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectrometer in the Ultraviolet (UV) region. Absorption technique was proposed to detect different uric acid concentrations and its UV absorption wavelength. Current practices commonly take a lot of times or require complicated structures for the detection process. By this proposed spectroscopic technique, every concentration can be detected and interpreted into an absorbance value at a constant wavelength peak in the UV region. This is due to the chemical characteristics belong to the uric acid since it has a particular absorption cross-section, σ which can be calculated using Beer’s Lambert law formula. The detection performance was displayed using Spectrasuite sofware. It showed fast time response about 3 seconds. The experiment proved that the concentrations of uric acid were successfully detected using UV-Vis spectrometer at a constant absorption UV wavelength, 294.46 nm in a low time response. Even by an artificial sample of uric acid, it successfully displayed a close value as the ones reported with the use of the medical sample. It is applicable in the medical field and can be implemented in the future for earlier detection of abnormal concentration of uric acid.

Computer assisted performance tests of the Lyman Alpha Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parkinson, W. H.; Kohl, J. L.

1979-01-01

Preflight calibration and performance tests of the Lyman Alpha Coronagraph rocket instrument in the laboratory, with the experiment in its flight configuration and illumination levels near those expected during flight were successfully carried out using a pulse code modulation telemetry system simulator interfaced in real time to a PDP 11/10 computer system. Post acquisition data reduction programs developed and implemented on the same computer system aided in the interpretation of test and calibration data.

Rocket-UV Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burgess, Julian; Westberg, Karl

1961-01-01

This is a report of the second three months (March-May 1961) of a program to design and fabricate an ultraviolet spectrometer and fine guidance control for use in an Aerobee-Hi rocket. The work is being done under Subcontract No. 1 under Contract NASr-3 between Princeton University and the National Aeronautical and Space Administration. The design goals for this instrument are described in the report for the first three month period (Perkin-Elmer Engineering Report No. 5906). The accomplishments of the second three month period include the solution of certain design problems, the establishment of an effective liaison system with personnel at Goddard Space Flight Center, and the completion of certain design and fabrication tasks.

The Copernicus ultraviolet spectral atlas of Gamma Pegasi

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogerson, J. B., Jr.

1985-01-01

An ultraviolet spectral atlas is presented for the B2 IV star Gamma Pegasi, which has been scanned from 970 to 1501 A by the Princeton spectrometer aboard the Copernicus satellite. From 970 to 1430 A the observations have a nominal resolution of 0.05 A. At the longer wavelengths the resolution is 0.1 A. The atlas is presented in graphs. Line identifications are also listed.

The Copernicus ultraviolet spectral atlas of Tau Scorpii

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogerson, J. B., Jr.; Upson, W. L., II

1977-01-01

An ultraviolet spectral atlas is presented for the B0 V star, Tau Scorpii. It has been scanned from 949 to 1560 A by the Princeton spectrometer aboard the Copernicus satellite. From 949 to 1420 A the observations have a nominal resolution of 0.05 A. At the longer wavelengths, the resolution is 0.1 A. The atlas is presented in both tables and graphs.

Post-Coronagraph Wavefront Sensor for Gemini Planet Imager

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallace, J. Kent; Burruss, Rick; Pueyo, Laurent; Soummer, Remi; Shelton, Chris; Bartos, Randall; Fregoso, Felipe; Nemati, Bijan; Best, Paul; Angione, John

2009-01-01

The calibration wavefront system for the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) will measure the complex wavefront at the apodized pupil and provide slow phase errors to the AO system to mitigate against image plane speckles that would cause a loss in contrast. This talk describes both the low-order and high-order sensors in the calibration wavefront sensor and how the information is combined to form the wavefront estimate before the coronagraph. We will show laboratory results from our calibration testbed that demonstrate the subsystem performance at levels commensurate with those required on the final instrument.

Metrology system for the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaklin, Stuart; Marchen, Luis; Zhao, Feng; Peters, Robert D.; Ho, Tim; Holmes, Buck

2004-01-01

The Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) employs an aggressive coronagraph designed to obtain better than 1e-10 contrast inside the third Airy ring. Minute changes in low-order aberration content scatter significant light at this position. One implication is the requirement to control low-order aberrations induced by motion of the secondary mirror relative to the primary mirror; sub-nanometer relative positional stability is required. We propose a 6-beam laser truss to monitor the relative positions of the two mirrors. The truss is based on laser metrology developed for the Space Interferometry Mission.

Vortex coronagraphs for the Habitable Exoplanet Imaging Mission concept: theoretical performance and telescope requirements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruane, Garreth; Mawet, Dimitri; Mennesson, Bertrand; Jewell, Jeffrey; Shaklan, Stuart

2018-01-01

The Habitable Exoplanet Imaging Mission concept requires an optical coronagraph that provides deep starlight suppression over a broad spectral bandwidth, high throughput for point sources at small angular separation, and insensitivity to temporally varying, low-order aberrations. Vortex coronagraphs are a promising solution that performs optimally on off-axis, monolithic telescopes and may also be designed for segmented telescopes with minor losses in performance. We describe the key advantages of vortex coronagraphs on off-axis telescopes such as (1) unwanted diffraction due to aberrations is passively rejected in several low-order Zernike modes relaxing the wavefront stability requirements for imaging Earth-like planets from <10 to >100 pm rms, (2) stars with angular diameters >0.1 λ / D may be sufficiently suppressed, (3) the absolute planet throughput is >10 % , even for unfavorable telescope architectures, and (4) broadband solutions (Δλ / λ > 0.1) are readily available for both monolithic and segmented apertures. The latter make use of grayscale apodizers in an upstream pupil plane to provide suppression of diffracted light from amplitude discontinuities in the telescope pupil without inducing additional stroke on the deformable mirrors. We set wavefront stability requirements on the telescope, based on a stellar irradiance threshold set at an angular separation of 3 ± 0.5λ / D from the star, and discuss how some requirements may be relaxed by trading robustness to aberrations for planet throughput.

The Phase-Induced Amplitude Apodization Coronagraph (PIAAC): A High Performance Coronagraph for Exoplanet Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guyon, O.; Pluzhnik, E.; Martinache, F.; Ridgway, S.; Galicher, R.

2004-12-01

Using 2 aspheric mirrors, it is possible to achromatically apodize a telescope beam without losing light (Phase-Induced Amplitude Apodization, PIAA). We propose a coronagraph concept using this technique: the telescope pupil is first apodized to yield a high contrast focal plane image, on which an occulting mask is placed. The exit pupil is then de-apodized to regain a large field of view. We show that the PIAAC combines all the qualities needed for efficient exoplanet imaging: full throughput, small inner working angle (1.2 l/d), high angular resolution (l/d), low sensitivity to tip-tilt, and large field of view (more than 200 l/d in diameter). We conclude that PIAAC is well adapted for exoplanet imaging with a 4m to 6m space telescope (TPF mission). This work was carried out under JPL contract numbers 1254445 and 1257767 for Development of Technologies for the Terrestrial Planet Finder Mission, with the support and hospitality of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.

Intercomparison of the LASCO-C2, SECCHI-COR1, SECCHI-COR2, and Mk4 Coronagraphs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frazin, Richard A.; Vasquez, Alberto M.; Thompson, William T.; Hewett, Russell J.; Lamy, Philippe; Llebaria, Antoine; Vourlidas, Angelos; Burkepile, Joan

2012-01-01

In order to assess the reliability and consistency of white-light coronagraph measurements, we report on quantitative comparisons between polarized brightness [pB] and total brightness [B] images taken by the following white-light coronagraphs: LASCO-C2 on SOHO, SECCHI-COR1 and -COR2 on STEREO, and the ground-based MLSO-Mk4. The data for this comparison were taken on 16 April 2007, when both STEREO spacecraft were within 3.1 deg. of Earth’s heliographic longitude, affording essentially the same view of the Sun for all of the instruments. Due to the difficulties of estimating stray-light backgrounds in COR1 and COR2, only Mk4 and C2 produce reliable coronal-hole values (but not at overlapping heights), and these cannot be validated without rocket flights or ground-based eclipse measurements. Generally, the agreement between all of the instruments’ pB values is within the uncertainties in bright streamer structures, implying that measurements of bright CMEs also should be trustworthy. Dominant sources of uncertainty and stray light are discussed, as is the design of future coronagraphs from the perspective of the experiences with these instruments.

The Copernicus ultraviolet spectral atlas of Beta Orionis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogerson, J. B., Jr.; Upson, W. L., II

1982-01-01

An ultraviolet spectral atlas is presented for the B8 Ia star Beta Orionis, which has been scanned from 999 to 1561 A by the Princeton spectrometer aboard the Copernicus satellite. From 999 to 1420 A the observations have a nominal resolution of 0.05 A. At the longer wavelengths the resolution is 0.1 A. The atlas is presented in graphs. Lines identified in the spectrum are also listed.

The Copernicus ultraviolet spectral atlas of Iota Herculis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Upson, W. L., II; Rogerson, J. B., Jr.

1980-01-01

An ultraviolet spectral atlas is presented for the B3 IV star Iota Herculis, which has been scanned from 999 to 1467 A by the Princeton spectrometer aboard the Copernicus satellite. From 999 to 1422 A the observations have a nominal resolution of 0.05 A. At the longer wavelengths the resolution is 0.1 A. The atlas is presented in graphs. Lines identified in the spectrum are also listed.

Spectroscopic observations of the extended corona during the SOHO whole sun month

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strachan, L.; Raymond, J. C.; Panasyuk, A. V.; Fineschi, S.; Gardner, L. D.; Antonucci, E.; Giordano, S.; Romoli, M.; Noci, G.; Kohl, J. L.

1997-01-01

The spatial distribution of plasma parameters in the extended corona, derived from the ultraviolet coronagraph spectrometer (UVCS) onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), was investigated. The observations were carried out during the SOHO whole month campaign. Daily coronal scans in the H I Lyman alpha and O VI lambda-lambda 1032 A and 1037 A were used. Maps of outflow velocities of O(5+), based on Doppler dimming of the O VI lines, are discussed. The velocity distribution widths of O(5+) are shown to be a clear signature of coronal holes while the velocity distributions for H(0) show a much smaller effect. The possible physical explanations for some of the observed features are discussed.

Vector wavefront propagation modeling for the TPF coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lieber, Michael D.; Neureuther, Andrew R.; Ceperley, Dan; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Ter-Gabrielyan, Nikolay

2004-10-01

The TPF mission to search for exo-solar planets is extremely challenging both technically and from a performance modeling perspective. For the visible light coronagraph approach, the requirements for 1e10 rejection of star light to planet signal has not yet been achieved in laboratory testing and full-scale testing on the ground has many more obstacles and may not be possible. Therefore, end-to-end performance modeling will be relied upon to fully predict performance. One of the key technologies developed for achieving the rejection ratios uses shaped pupil masks to selectively cancel starlight in planet search regions by taking advantage of diffraction. Modeling results published to date have been based upon scalar wavefront propagation theory to compute the residual star and planet images. This ignores the 3D structure of the mask and the interaction of light with matter. In this paper we discuss previous work with a system model of the TPF coronagraph and propose an approach for coupling in a vector propagation model using the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method. This method, implemented in a software package called TEMPEST, allows us to propagate wavefronts through a mask structure to an integrated system model to explore the vector propagation aspects of the problem. We can then do rigorous mask scatter modeling to understand the effects of real physical mask structures on the magnitude, phase, polarization, and wavelength dependence of the transmitted light near edges. Shaped mask technology is reviewed, and computational aspects and interface issues to a TPF integrated system model are also discussed.

Technology Advancement of the Visible Nulling Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyon, Richard G.; Clampin, Mark; Petrone, Peter; Thompson, Patrick; Bolcar, Matt; Madison, Timothy; Woodruff, Robert; Noecker, Charley; Kendrick, Steve

2010-01-01

The critical high contrast imaging technology for the Extrasolar Planetary Imaging Coronagraph (EPIC) mission concept is the visible nulling coronagraph (VNC). EPIC would be capable of imaging jovian planets, dust/debris disks, and potentially super-Earths and contribute to answering how bright the debris disks are for candidate stars. The contrast requirement for EPIC is 10(exp 9) contrast at 125 milli-arseconds inner working angle. To advance the VNC technology NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, in collaboration with Lockheed-Martin, previously developed a vacuum VNC testbed, and achieved narrowband and broadband suppression of the core of the Airy disk. Recently our group was awarded a NASA Technology Development for Exoplanet Missions to achieve two milestones: (i) 10(exp 8) contrast in narrowband light, and, (ii) 10(ecp 9) contrast in broader band light; one milestone per year, and both at 2 Lambda/D inner working angle. These will be achieved with our 2nd generation testbed known as the visible nulling testbed (VNT). It contains a MEMS based hex-packed segmented deformable mirror known as the multiple mirror array (MMA) and coherent fiber bundle, i.e. a spatial filter array (SFA). The MMA is in one interferometric arm and works to set the wavefront differences between the arms to zero. Each of the MMA segments is optically mapped to a single mode fiber of the SFA, and the SFA passively cleans the sub-aperture wavefront error leaving only piston, tip and tilt error to be controlled. The piston degree of freedom on each segment is used to correct the wavefront errors, while the tip/tilt is used to simultaneously correct the amplitude errors. Thus the VNT controls both amplitude and wavefront errors with a single MMA in closed-loop in a vacuum tank at approx.20 Hz. Herein we will discuss our ongoing progress with the VNT.

Electrospray-assisted ultraviolet aerodynamic particle sizer spectrometer for real-time characterization of bacterial particles.

PubMed

Jung, Jae Hee; Lee, Jung Eun; Hwang, Gi Byoung; Lee, Byung Uk; Lee, Seung Bok; Jurng, Jong Soo; Bae, Gwi Nam

2010-01-15

The ultraviolet aerodynamic particle sizer (UVAPS) spectrometer is a novel, commercially available aerosol counter for real-time, continuous monitoring of viable bioaerosols based on the fluorescence induced from living microorganisms. For aerosolization of liquid-based microorganisms, general aerosolization methods such as atomization or nebulization may not be adequate for an accurate and quantitative characterization of the microorganisms because of the formation of agglomerated particles. In such cases, biological electrospray techniques have an advantage because they generate nonagglomerated particles, attributable to the repulsive electrical forces among particles with unipolar charges. Biological electrosprays are quickly gaining potential for the detection and control of living organisms in applications ranging from mass spectrometry to developmental microbiology. In this study, we investigated the size distribution, total concentration, and fluorescence percentage of bacterial particles in a real-time manner by electrospray-assisted UVAPS. A suspension containing Escherichia coli as a test microorganism was sprayed in a steady cone-jet mode using a specially designed electrospray system with a point-to-orifice-plate configuration based on charge-reduced electrospray size spectrometry. With the electrospray process, 98% of the total E. coli particle number concentration had a size of <1 mum and the geometric mean diameter was 0.779 mum, as compared with the respective values of 78% and 0.907 mum after nebulization. The fractions of fluorescence responsive particles and of particles that contained viable organisms in culture were 12% and 7%, respectively, from the electrospray process and 34% and 24% from nebulization. These results demonstrate that (1) the presence of agglomerated particles can lead to markedly overestimated fluorescence and culturability percentages compared with the values obtained from nonagglomerated particles, and (2) electrospray

The coronagraphic Modal Wavefront Sensor: a hybrid focal-plane sensor for the high-contrast imaging of circumstellar environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilby, M. J.; Keller, C. U.; Snik, F.; Korkiakoski, V.; Pietrow, A. G. M.

2017-01-01

The raw coronagraphic performance of current high-contrast imaging instruments is limited by the presence of a quasi-static speckle (QSS) background, resulting from instrumental Non-Common Path Errors (NCPEs). Rapid development of efficient speckle subtraction techniques in data reduction has enabled final contrasts of up to 10-6 to be obtained, however it remains preferable to eliminate the underlying NCPEs at the source. In this work we introduce the coronagraphic Modal Wavefront Sensor (cMWS), a new wavefront sensor suitable for real-time NCPE correction. This combines the Apodizing Phase Plate (APP) coronagraph with a holographic modal wavefront sensor to provide simultaneous coronagraphic imaging and focal-plane wavefront sensing with the science point-spread function. We first characterise the baseline performance of the cMWS via idealised closed-loop simulations, showing that the sensor is able to successfully recover diffraction-limited coronagraph performance over an effective dynamic range of ±2.5 radians root-mean-square (rms) wavefront error within 2-10 iterations, with performance independent of the specific choice of mode basis. We then present the results of initial on-sky testing at the William Herschel Telescope, which demonstrate that the sensor is capable of NCPE sensing under realistic seeing conditions via the recovery of known static aberrations to an accuracy of 10 nm (0.1 radians) rms error in the presence of a dominant atmospheric speckle foreground. We also find that the sensor is capable of real-time measurement of broadband atmospheric wavefront variance (50% bandwidth, 158 nm rms wavefront error) at a cadence of 50 Hz over an uncorrected telescope sub-aperture. When combined with a suitable closed-loop adaptive optics system, the cMWS holds the potential to deliver an improvement of up to two orders of magnitude over the uncorrected QSS floor. Such a sensor would be eminently suitable for the direct imaging and spectroscopy of

Ultraviolet photometry from the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory. XXI - Absolute energy distribution of stars in the ultraviolet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bless, R. C.; Code, A. D.; Fairchild, E. T.

1976-01-01

The absolute energy distribution in the ultraviolet is given for the stars alpha Vir, eta UMa, and alpha Leo. The calibration is based on absolute heterochromatic photometry between 2920 and 1370 A carried out with an Aerobee sounding rocket. The fundamental radiation standard is the synchrotron radiation from 240-MeV electrons in a certain synchrotron storage ring. On the basis of the sounding-rocket calibration, the preliminary OAO-2 spectrometer calibration has been revised; the fluxes for the three program stars are tabulated in energy per second per square centimeter per unit wavelength interval.

Coronagraphic Observations of Lunar Sodium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunten, D. M.; Sprague, A. L.

1997-01-01

The core of the proposed work was to observe the lunar sodium atmosphere with our classical Lyot coronagraph and specially-built grating spectrograph on Mount Lemmon, a 9400-foot peak about an hour's drive from Tucson. It is optimized for low scattered light and for observing from the Moon's limb to an altitude of approx. 1 lunar radius. The grating has 600 lines/mm and a blaze angle of 49 deg, and is used with a somewhat wide slit at a resolving power of about 5000. It is called DARRK for the initials of the people who designed it. The rejection of stray light from the Moon's disk is spectacularly good: when the sky is clear this light is absent right up to a few arcsec from the limb. We use an excellent 1024 by 1024 pixel CCD camera, operated at -100 C; the exposures are 10 to 30 min. Data reduction is done with ERAF running on a Sun Sparcstation.

Designing and testing the coronagraphic Modal Wavefront Sensor: a fast non-common path error sensor for high-contrast imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilby, M. J.; Keller, C. U.; Haffert, S.; Korkiakoski, V.; Snik, F.; Pietrow, A. G. M.

2016-07-01

Non-Common Path Errors (NCPEs) are the dominant factor limiting the performance of current astronomical high-contrast imaging instruments. If uncorrected, the resulting quasi-static speckle noise floor limits coronagraph performance to a raw contrast of typically 10-4, a value which does not improve with increasing integration time. The coronagraphic Modal Wavefront Sensor (cMWS) is a hybrid phase optic which uses holographic PSF copies to supply focal-plane wavefront sensing information directly from the science camera, whilst maintaining a bias-free coronagraphic PSF. This concept has already been successfully implemented on-sky at the William Herschel Telescope (WHT), La Palma, demonstrating both real-time wavefront sensing capability and successful extraction of slowly varying wavefront errors under a dominant and rapidly changing atmospheric speckle foreground. In this work we present an overview of the development of the cMWS and recent first light results obtained using the Leiden EXoplanet Instrument (LEXI), a high-contrast imager and high-dispersion spectrograph pathfinder instrument for the WHT.

A General Tool for Evaluating High-Contrast Coronagraphic Telescope Performance Error Budgets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marchen, Luis F.; Shaklan, Stuart B.

2009-01-01

This paper describes a general purpose Coronagraph Performance Error Budget (CPEB) tool that we have developed under the NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program. The CPEB automates many of the key steps required to evaluate the scattered starlight contrast in the dark hole of a space-based coronagraph. It operates in 3 steps: first, a CodeV or Zemax prescription is converted into a MACOS optical prescription. Second, a Matlab program calls ray-trace code that generates linear beam-walk and aberration sensitivity matrices for motions of the optical elements and line-of-sight pointing, with and without controlled coarse and fine-steering mirrors. Third, the sensitivity matrices are imported by macros into Excel 2007 where the error budget is created. Once created, the user specifies the quality of each optic from a predefined set of PSDs. The spreadsheet creates a nominal set of thermal and jitter motions and combines them with the sensitivity matrices to generate an error budget for the system. The user can easily modify the motion allocations to perform trade studies.

Design And Demonstration Of Band-limited Hybrid Coronagraph Masks For Space Imaging And Spectroscopy Of Exoplanetary Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trauger, John T.; Moody, D. C.

2010-05-01

Among the leading architectures for the imaging and spectroscopy of nearby exoplanetary systems is the space coronagraph, which provides in principle very high (10 billion to one) suppression of diffracted and scattered starlight at very small separations (a few tenths of arcseconds) from the star. The concept of a band-limited Lyot coronagraph, introduced by Kuchner and Traub (2002), provides the theoretical basis for mathematically perfect starlight suppression. In practice, the optical characteristics of available materials and practical aspects of the fabrication processes impose limitations on contrast and spectral bandwidths that are achievable in the real world. Nevertheless, the band-limited Lyot coronagraph approach has produced the best laboratory validated performance among known types of internal coronagraph for contrast and spectral bandwidth, and alone it has demonstrated high-contrast imaging performance at levels required for exoplanet exploration. We report the design and fabrication of hybrid focal-plane masks for Lyot coronagraphy, composed of thickness-profiled metallic and dielectric thin films, vacuum deposited on a glass substrate. These masks are in principle band-limited in both the real and imaginary parts of the complex amplitude characteristics. Together with a deformable mirror for control of wavefront phase, these masks have the potential for contrast performance better than 10-9 at inner working angles of 3 lambda/D or better over spectral bandwidths of 20% or more, and with throughput efficiencies up to 60%. We report recent laboratory demonstrations of high contrast with nickel-dielectric masks, including the demonstration of 2x10-9 contrast with a 3 lambda/D inner working angle over 20% spectral bandwidths.

Linear-constraint wavefront control for exoplanet coronagraphic imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, He; Eldorado Riggs, A. J.; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Vanderbei, Robert J.; Groff, Tyler Dean

2017-01-01

A coronagraph is a leading technology for achieving high-contrast imaging of exoplanets in a space telescope. It uses a system of several masks to modify the diffraction and achieve extremely high contrast in the image plane around target stars. However, coronagraphic imaging systems are very sensitive to optical aberrations, so wavefront correction using deformable mirrors (DMs) is necessary to avoid contrast degradation in the image plane. Electric field conjugation (EFC) and Stroke minimization (SM) are two primary high-contrast wavefront controllers explored in the past decade. EFC minimizes the average contrast in the search areas while regularizing the strength of the control inputs. Stroke minimization calculates the minimum DM commands under the constraint that a target average contrast is achieved. Recently in the High Contrast Imaging Lab at Princeton University (HCIL), a new linear-constraint wavefront controller based on stroke minimization was developed and demonstrated using numerical simulation. Instead of only constraining the average contrast over the entire search area, the new controller constrains the electric field of each single pixel using linear programming, which could led to significant increases in speed of the wavefront correction and also create more uniform dark holes. As a follow-up of this work, another linear-constraint controller modified from EFC is demonstrated theoretically and numerically and the lab verification of the linear-constraint controllers is reported. Based on the simulation and lab results, the pros and cons of linear-constraint controllers are carefully compared with EFC and stroke minimization.

High-resolution crystal spectrometer for the 10-60 (angstrom) EUV region

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

Beiersdorfer, P; Brown, G V; Goddard, R

2004-02-20

A vacuum crystal spectrometer with nominal resolving power approaching 1000 is described for measuring emission lines with wavelength in the extreme ultraviolet region up to 60 Angstroms. The instrument utilizes a flat octadecyl hydrogen maleate (OHM) crystal and a thin-window 1-D position-sensitive gas proportional detector. This detector employs a 1 {micro}m-thick 100 x8 mm{sup 2} aluminized polyimide window and operates at one atmosphere pressure. The spectrometer has been implemented on the Livermore electron beam ion traps. The performance of the instrument is illustrated in measurements of the newly discovered magnetic field-sensitive line in Ar{sup 8+}.

Online investigations on ozonation products of pyrene and benz[ a]anthracene particles with a vacuum ultraviolet photoionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Shaokai; Zhang, Yang; Meng, Junwang; Shu, Jinian

The reaction products of ozone with pyrene and benz[ a]anthracene absorbed on azelaic acid particles under the pseudo-first-order reaction conditions have been investigated with a vacuum ultraviolet photoionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer (VUV-ATOFMS). The pyrene and benz[ a]anthracene particles with the initial concentrations of ˜1 mg m -3 are respectively exposed to ˜22 ppm ozone in a reaction chamber with a volume of ˜180 L. The time-of-flight mass spectra of the particulate ozonides are obtained. The assignments of the mass spectra reveal that 4-carboxy-5-phenanthrene-carboxyaldehyde (71%) and hydroxypyrene (23%) are the main solid state ozonides of pyrene, while 2-(2-formyl)phenyl-3-naphthoic acid (35%), hydroxybenz[ a]anthrone (30%), and benz[ a]anthracene-7,12-dione (18%) are the main solid state ozonides of benz[ a]anthracene. The pathways of the ozonations are proposed in the paper.

Vector scattering analysis of TPF coronagraph pupil masks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ceperley, Daniel P.; Neureuther, Andrew R.; Lieber, Michael D.; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Shih, Ta-Ming

2004-10-01

Rigorous finite-difference time-domain electromagnetic simulation is used to simulate the scattering from proto-typical pupil mask cross-section geometries and to quantify the differences from the normally assumed ideal on-off behavior. Shaped pupil plane masks are a promising technology for the TPF coronagraph mission. However the stringent requirements placed on the optics require that the detailed behavior of the edge-effects of these masks be examined carefully. End-to-end optical system simulation is essential and an important aspect is the polarization and cross-section dependent edge-effects which are the subject of this paper. Pupil plane masks are similar in many respects to photomasks used in the integrated circuit industry. Simulation capabilities such as the FDTD simulator, TEMPEST, developed for analyzing polarization and intensity imbalance effects in nonplanar phase-shifting photomasks, offer a leg-up in analyzing coronagraph masks. However, the accuracy in magnitude and phase required for modeling a chronograph system is extremely demanding and previously inconsequential errors may be of the same order of magnitude as the physical phenomena under study. In this paper, effects of thick masks, finite conductivity metals, and various cross-section geometries on the transmission of pupil-plane masks are illustrated. Undercutting the edge shape of Cr masks improves the effective opening width to within λ/5 of the actual opening but TE and TM polarizations require opposite compensations. The deviation from ideal is examined at the reference plane of the mask opening. Numerical errors in TEMPEST, such as numerical dispersion, perfectly matched layer reflections, and source haze are also discussed along with techniques for mitigating their impacts.

Compact Solid-State 213 nm Laser Enables Standoff Deep Ultraviolet Raman Spectrometer: Measurements of Nitrate Photochemistry.

PubMed

Bykov, Sergei V; Mao, Michael; Gares, Katie L; Asher, Sanford A

2015-08-01

We describe a new compact acousto-optically Q-switched diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) intracavity frequency-tripled neodymium-doped yttrium vanadate laser capable of producing ~100 mW of 213 nm power quasi-continuous wave as 15 ns pulses at a 30 kHz repetition rate. We use this new laser in a prototype of a deep ultraviolet (UV) Raman standoff spectrometer. We use a novel high-throughput, high-resolution Echelle Raman spectrograph. We measure the deep UV resonance Raman (UVRR) spectra of solid and solution sodium nitrate (NaNO3) and ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) at a standoff distance of ~2.2 m. For this 2.2 m standoff distance and a 1 min spectral accumulation time, where we only monitor the symmetric stretching band, we find a solid state NaNO3 detection limit of ~100 μg/cm(2). We easily detect ~20 μM nitrate water solutions in 1 cm path length cells. As expected, the aqueous solutions UVRR spectra of NaNO3 and NH4NO3 are similar, showing selective resonance enhancement of the nitrate (NO3(-)) vibrations. The aqueous solution photochemistry is also similar, showing facile conversion of NO3(-) to nitrite (NO2(-)). In contrast, the observed UVRR spectra of NaNO3 and NH4NO3 powders significantly differ, because their solid-state photochemistries differ. Whereas solid NaNO3 photoconverts with a very low quantum yield to NaNO2, the NH4NO3 degrades with an apparent quantum yield of ~0.2 to gaseous species.

Development of binary image masks for TPF-C and ground-based AO coronagraphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Jian; Crepp, Justin; Vanden Heuvel, Andrew; Miller, Shane; McDavitt, Dan; Kravchenko, Ivan; Kuchner, Marc

2006-06-01

We report progress on the development of precision binary notch-filter focal plane coronagraphic masks for directly imaging Earth-like planets at visible wavelengths with the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph (TPF-C), and substellar companions at near infrared wavelengths from the ground with coronagraphs coupled to high-order adaptive optics (AO) systems. Our recent theoretical studies show that 8th-order image masks (Kuchner, Crepp & Ge 2005, KCG05) are capable of achieving unlimited dynamic range in an ideal optical system, while simultaneously remaining relatively insensitive to low-spatial-frequency optical aberrations, such as tip/tilt errors, defocus, coma, astigmatism, etc. These features offer a suite of advantages for the TPF-C by relaxing many control and stability requirements, and can also provide resistance to common practical problems associated with ground-based observations; for example, telescope flexure and low-order errors left uncorrected by the AO system due to wavefront sensor-deformable mirror lag time can leak light at significant levels. Our recent lab experiments show that prototype image masks can generate contrast levels on the order of 2x10 -6 at 3 λ/D and 6x10 -7 at 10 λ/D without deformable mirror correction using monochromatic light (Crepp et al. 2006), and that this contrast is limited primarily by light scattered by imperfections in the optics and extra diffraction created by mask construction errors. These experiments also indicate that the tilt and defocus sensitivities of high-order masks follow the theoretical predictions of Shaklan and Green 2005. In this paper, we discuss these topics as well as review our progress on developing techniques for fabricating a new series of image masks that are "free-standing", as such construction designs may alleviate some of the (mostly chromatic) problems associated with masks that rely on glass substrates for mechanical support. Finally, results obtained from our AO coronagraph

SOHO Observations of a Coronal Mass Ejection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akmal, Arya; Raymond, John C.; Vourlidas, Angelos; Thompson, Barbara; Ciaravella, A.; Ko, Y.-K.; Uzzo, M.; Wu, R.

2001-06-01

We describe a coronal mass ejection (CME) observed on 1999 April 23 by the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS), the Extreme-Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT), and the Large-Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraphs (LASCO) aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). In addition to the O VI and C III lines typical of UVCS spectra of CMEs, this 480 km s-1 CME exhibits the forbidden and intercombination lines of O V at λλ1213.8 and 1218.4. The relative intensities of the O V lines represent an accurate electron density diagnostic not generally available at 3.5 Rsolar. By combining the density with the column density derived from LASCO, we obtain the emission measure of the ejected gas. With the help of models of the temperature and time-dependent ionization state of the expanding gas, we determine a range of heating rates required to account for the UV emission lines. The total thermal energy deposited as the gas travels to 3.5 Rsolar is comparable to the kinetic and gravitational potential energies. We note a core of colder material radiating in C III, surrounded by hotter material radiating in the O V and O VI lines. This concentration of the coolest material into small regions may be a common feature of CMEs. This event thus represents a unique opportunity to describe the morphology of a CME, and to characterize its plasma parameters.

VUV spectroscopy in impurity injection experiments at KSTAR using prototype ITER VUV spectrometer.

PubMed

Seon, C R; Hong, J H; Song, I; Jang, J; Lee, H Y; An, Y H; Kim, B S; Jeon, T M; Park, J S; Choe, W; Lee, H G; Pak, S; Cheon, M S; Choi, J H; Kim, H S; Biel, W; Bernascolle, P; Barnsley, R

2017-08-01

The ITER vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) core survey spectrometer has been designed as a 5-channel spectral system so that the high spectral resolving power of 200-500 could be achieved in the wavelength range of 2.4-160 nm. To verify the design of the ITER VUV core survey spectrometer, a two-channel prototype spectrometer was developed. As a subsequent step of the prototype test, the prototype VUV spectrometer has been operated at KSTAR since the 2012 experimental campaign. From impurity injection experiments in the years 2015 and 2016, strong emission lines, such as Kr xxv 15.8 nm, Kr xxvi 17.9 nm, Ne vii 46.5 nm, Ne vi 40.2 nm, and an array of largely unresolved tungsten lines (14-32 nm) could be measured successfully, showing the typical photon number of 10 13 -10 15 photons/cm 2 s.

The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowyer, S.; Malina, R. F.

1991-01-01

The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) mission, currently scheduled from launch in September 1991, is described. The primary purpose of the mission is to survey the celestial sphere for astronomical sources of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation with the use of three EUV telescope, each sensitive to a different segment of the EUV band. A fourth telescope is planned to perform a high-sensitivity search of a limited sample of the sky in the shortest wavelength bands. The all-sky survey is planned to be carried out in the first six months of the mission in four bands, or colors, 70-180 A, 170-250 A, 400-600 A, and 500-700 A. The second phase of the mission is devoted to spectroscopic observations of EUV sources. A high-efficiency grazing-incidence spectrometer using variable line-space gratings is planned to provide spectral data with about 1-A resolution. An end-to-end model of the mission, from a stellar source to the resulting scientific data, is presented. Hypothetical data from astronomical sources were processed through this model and are shown.

Planned Visible Emission Line Space Solar Coronagraph on-board Aditya-1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Jagdev

2012-07-01

An imaging visible emission line internally occulted coronagraph using 20 cm off axis parabolic mirror has been designed and planned to be launched in 2014. The coronagraph will have the facility to take images of the solar simultaneously, in the green [Fe xiv] and the red [Fe x] emission lines up to 1.5 solar radii with a frequency of about 3 Hz using 0.5 nm pass band filters and the images in continuum at 580 nm up to 3 solar radii. The satellite has been named as Aditya-1 and the scientific objectives of this payload are: (i) to investigate the existence of intensity oscillations for the study of wave driven coronal heating, (ii) to study the dynamics and formation of coronal loops and temperature structure of the coronal features, (iii) to study the origin, cause and acceleration of Coronal Mass Ejections (CME's) and other solar active features, and (iv) Coronal magnetic field topology and the 3-dimensional structures of the CMEs using polarization information. The fabrication of the pay load will be done in the laboratories of LEOS, SAC, ISAC, IIA and USO and launched by ISRO. Here we shall discuss the design and the realization of the mission.

A survey of ultraviolet interstellar absorption lines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bohlin, R. C.; Jenkins, E. B.; Spitzer, L., Jr.; York, D. G.; Hill, J. K.; Savage, B. D.; Snow, T. P., Jr.

1983-01-01

A telescope-spectrometer on the Copernicus spacecraft made possible the measurement of many ultraviolet absorption lines produced by the interstellar gas. The present survey provides data on ultraviolet absorption lines in the spectra of 88 early-type stars. The stars observed are divided into four classes, including reddened stars, unreddened bright stars, moderately reddened bright stars, and unreddened and moderately reddened faint stars. Data are presented for equivalent width, W, radial velocity V, and rms line width, D, taking into account some 10 to 20 lines of N I, O I, Si II, P II, S II, Cl I, Cl II, Mn II, Fe II, Ni II, Cu II, and H2. The data are based on multiple scans for each line. Attention is given to details of observations, the data reduction procedure, and the computation of equivalent width, mean velocity, and velocity dispersion.

Technology gap assessment for a future large-aperture ultraviolet-optical-infrared space telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolcar, Matthew R.; Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; Crooke, Julie; Feinberg, Lee; Quijada, Manuel; Rauscher, Bernard J.; Redding, David; Rioux, Norman; Shaklan, Stuart; Stahl, H. Philip; Stahle, Carl M.; Thronson, Harley

2016-10-01

The Advanced Technology Large Aperture Space Telescope (ATLAST) team identified five key technology areas to enable candidate architectures for a future large-aperture ultraviolet/optical/infrared (LUVOIR) space observatory envisioned by the NASA Astrophysics 30-year roadmap, "Enduring Quests, Daring Visions." The science goals of ATLAST address a broad range of astrophysical questions from early galaxy and star formation to the processes that contributed to the formation of life on Earth, combining general astrophysics with direct-imaging and spectroscopy of habitable exoplanets. The key technology areas are internal coronagraphs, starshades (or external occulters), ultra-stable large-aperture telescope systems, detectors, and mirror coatings. For each technology area, we define best estimates of required capabilities, current state-of-the-art performance, and current technology readiness level (TRL), thus identifying the current technology gap. We also report on current, planned, or recommended efforts to develop each technology to TRL 5.

Demonstration of Broadband Contrast at 1.2 Lambda/D for the EXCEDE Phase-Induced Amplitude Apodization Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sirbu, Dan; Thomas, Sandrine J.; Belikov, Ruslan; Lozi, Julien; Bendek, Eduardo; Pluzhnik, Eugene; Lynch, Dana H.; Hix, Troy; Zell, Peter; Schneider, Glenn;

Experimental Verification of Bayesian Planet Detection Algorithms with a Shaped Pupil Coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savransky, D.; Groff, T. D.; Kasdin, N. J.

2010-10-01

We evaluate the feasibility of applying Bayesian detection techniques to discovering exoplanets using high contrast laboratory data with simulated planetary signals. Background images are generated at the Princeton High Contrast Imaging Lab (HCIL), with a coronagraphic system utilizing a shaped pupil and two deformable mirrors (DMs) in series. Estimates of the electric field at the science camera are used to correct for quasi-static speckle and produce symmetric high contrast dark regions in the image plane. Planetary signals are added in software, or via a physical star-planet simulator which adds a second off-axis point source before the coronagraph with a beam recombiner, calibrated to a fixed contrast level relative to the source. We produce a variety of images, with varying integration times and simulated planetary brightness. We then apply automated detection algorithms such as matched filtering to attempt to extract the planetary signals. This allows us to evaluate the efficiency of these techniques in detecting planets in a high noise regime and eliminating false positives, as well as to test existing algorithms for calculating the required integration times for these techniques to be applicable.

Stochastic parallel gradient descent based adaptive optics used for a high contrast imaging coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Bing; Ren, De-Qing; Zhang, Xi

2011-08-01

An adaptive optics (AO) system based on a stochastic parallel gradient descent (SPGD) algorithm is proposed to reduce the speckle noises in the optical system of a stellar coronagraph in order to further improve the contrast. The principle of the SPGD algorithm is described briefly and a metric suitable for point source imaging optimization is given. The feasibility and good performance of the SPGD algorithm is demonstrated by an experimental system featured with a 140-actuator deformable mirror and a Hartmann-Shark wavefront sensor. Then the SPGD based AO is applied to a liquid crystal array (LCA) based coronagraph to improve the contrast. The LCA can modulate the incoming light to generate a pupil apodization mask of any pattern. A circular stepped pattern is used in our preliminary experiment and the image contrast shows improvement from 10-3 to 10-4.5 at an angular distance of 2λ/D after being corrected by SPGD based AO.

Plasma Heating During Coronal Mass Ejections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, N. A.; Shen, C.; Rimple, R.; Raymond, J. C.

2016-12-01

Several recent observational analyses have shown that plasma heating enters into the energy budget of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) at about the same order of magnitude as the kinetic energy. The ultimate source of the heating is the magnetic field, but the mechanisms by which magnetic energy is converted to thermal energy are poorly understood. We will review observational evidence for CME heating and discuss candidate mechanisms that may be responsible for the heating. We will discuss the Python implementation of a non-equilibrium ionization model and its application to CME plasma, and report on progress on modeling three events where the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) observed the same ejecta at multiple heights.

Planet detection and spectroscopy in visible light with a single aperture telescope and a nulling coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shao, Michael; Serabyn, Eugene; Levine, Bruce Martin; Beichman, Charles; Liu, Duncan; Martin, Stefan; Orton, Glen; Mennesson, Bertrand; Morgan, Rhonda; Velusamy, Thangasamy;

Reference ultraviolet wavelengths of CrIII measured by Fourier transform spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2008-10-01

We report CrIII ultraviolet (UV) transition wavelengths measured using a high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS), for the first time, available for use as wavelength standards. The doubly ionized iron group element spectra dominate the observed opacity of hot B stars in the UV, and improved, accurate, wavelengths are required for the analysis of astronomical spectra. The spectrum was excited using a chromium-neon Penning discharge lamp and measured with the Imperial College vacuum ultraviolet FTS. 140 classified 3d34s-3d34p CrIII transition lines, in the spectral range 38000 to 49000 cm-1 (2632 to 2041 Å), the strongest having wavelength uncertainties less than one part in 107, are presented.

Optimization of the occulter for the Solar Orbiter/METIS coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landini, Federico; Vivès, Sébastien; Romoli, Marco; Guillon, Christophe; Pancrazzi, Maurizio; Escolle, Clement; Focardi, Mauro; Antonucci, Ester; Fineschi, Silvano; Naletto, Giampiero; Nicolini, Gianalfredo; Nicolosi, Piergiorgio; Spadaro, Daniele

2012-09-01

METIS (Multi Element Telescope for Imaging and Spectroscopy investigation), selected to fly aboard the Solar Orbiter ESA/NASA mission, is conceived to perform imaging (in visible, UV and EUV) and spectroscopy (in EUV) of the solar corona, by means of an integrated instrument suite located on a single optical bench and sharing the same aperture on the satellite heat shield. As every coronagraph, METIS is highly demanding in terms of stray light suppression. Coronagraphs history teaches that a particular attention must be dedicated to the occulter optimization. The METIS occulting system is of particular interest due to its innovative concept. In order to meet the strict thermal requirements of Solar Orbiter, METIS optical design has been optimized by moving the entrance pupil at the level of the external occulter on the S/C thermal shield, thus reducing the size of the external aperture. The scheme is based on an inverted external-occulter (IEO). The IEO consists of a circular aperture on the Solar Orbiter thermal shield. A spherical mirror rejects back the disk-light through the IEO. A breadboard of the occulting assembly (BOA) has been manufactured in order to perform stray light tests in front of two solar simulators (in Marseille, France and in Torino, Italy). A first measurement campaign has been carried on at the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille. In this paper we describe the BOA design, the laboratory set-up and the preliminary results.

Electric field conjugation for ground-based high-contrast imaging: robustness study and tests with the Project 1640 coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, Christopher T.; Crepp, Justin R.; Vasisht, Gautam; Cady, Eric

2017-10-01

The electric field conjugation (EFC) algorithm has shown promise for removing scattered starlight from high-contrast imaging measurements, both in numerical simulations and laboratory experiments. To prepare for the deployment of EFC using ground-based telescopes, we investigate the response of EFC to unaccounted for deviations from an ideal optical model. We explore the linear nature of the algorithm by assessing its response to a range of inaccuracies in the optical model generally present in real systems. We find that the algorithm is particularly sensitive to unresponsive deformable mirror (DM) actuators, misalignment of the Lyot stop, and misalignment of the focal plane mask. Vibrations and DM registration appear to be less of a concern compared to values expected at the telescope. We quantify how accurately one must model these core coronagraph components to ensure successful EFC corrections. We conclude that while the condition of the DM can limit contrast, EFC may still be used to improve the sensitivity of high-contrast imaging observations. Our results have informed the development of a full EFC implementation using the Project 1640 coronagraph at Palomar observatory. While focused on a specific instrument, our results are applicable to the many coronagraphs that may be interested in employing EFC.

Note: Retrofitting an analog spectrometer for high resolving power in NUV-NIR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Andrew S.; Batishchev, Oleg V.

2017-11-01

We demonstrate how an older spectrometer designed for photographic films can be efficiently retrofitted with a narrow laser-cut slit and a modern μm-pixel-size imaging CMOS camera, yielding sub-pm resolution in the broad near ultraviolet to near infrared (NUV-NIR) spectral range. Resolving power approaching 106 is achieved. Such digital retrofitting of an analog instrument is practical for research and teaching laboratories.

Design and Performance of the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Mary L.; Shaklan, Stuart; Lisman, P. Doulas; Ho, Timothy; Mouroulis, Pantazis; Basinger, Scott; Ledeboer, Bill; Kwack, Eug; Kissil, Andy; Mosier, Gary;

Space-time resolving vacuum ultraviolet spectrometer based on a rotating polyhedral mirror

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Xiaodong; Xie, Jikang

2000-05-01

Using a rotating polyhedral mirror and a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) monochromater, a space-time resolving VUV diagnostic system is developed. Measurement of the O VI (103.2 nm) radiation on the HT-6M tokamak shows that the time resolution of the system is better than 4 ms and the space resolution is better than 2 cm. Compared with traditional instruments, this system has improved measurement efficiency, and error from shot-to-shot discharge variations is avoided.

Reference Ultraviolet Wavelengths of Cr III Measured by Fourier Transform Spectrometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

2008-01-01

We report Cr III ultraviolet (UV) transition wavelengths measured using a high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS), for the first time, available for use as wavelength standards. The doubly ionized iron group element spectra dominate the observed opacity of hot B stars in the UV, and improved, accurate, wavelengths are required for the analysis of astronomical spectra. The spectrum was excited using a chromium-neon Penning discharge lamp and measured with the Imperial College vacuum ultraviolet FTS. 140 classified 3d(exp 3)4s- 3d(exp 3)4p Cr III transition lines, in the spectral range 38,000 to 49,000 cm(exp -1) (2632 to 2041 A), the strongest having wavelength uncertainties less than one part in 10(exp 7), are presented.

Extreme ultraviolet photoionization of aldoses and ketoses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Joong-Won; Dong, Feng; Grisham, Michael E.; Rocca, Jorge J.; Bernstein, Elliot R.

2011-04-01

Gas phase monosaccharides (2-deoxyribose, ribose, arabinose, xylose, lyxose, glucose galactose, fructose, and tagatose), generated by laser desorption of solid sample pellets, are ionized with extreme ultraviolet photons (EUV, 46.9 nm, 26.44 eV). The resulting fragment ions are analyzed using a time of flight mass spectrometer. All aldoses yield identical fragment ions regardless of size, and ketoses, while also generating same ions as aldoses, yields additional features. Extensive fragmentation of the monosaccharides is the result the EUV photons ionizing various inner valence orbitals. The observed fragmentation patterns are not dependent upon hydrogen bonding structure or OH group orientation.

The far-ultraviolet emission spectrum of the K2 III star, Arcturus.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moos, H. W.; Rottman, G. J.

1972-01-01

A moderate-resolution far-ultraviolet spectrum of the K2 IIIp star Arcturus, obtained with a rocket-borne spectrometer, shows chromospheric emission features. Hydrogen L-alpha and O I (1303 A) are clearly identified. The O I (1304 A) stellar surface brightness is as great or greater than that of the sun. Other metal lines, including those of carbon, are weak compared to the O I line.

ASPIICS/PROBA-3 formation flying solar coronagraph: Stray light analysis and optimization of the occulter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landini, F.; Mazzoli, A.; Venet, M.; Vivès, S.; Romoli, M.; Lamy, P.; Massone, G.

2017-11-01

The "Association de Satellites Pour l'Imagerie et l'Interferometrie de la Couronne Solaire", ASPIICS, selected by ESA for the PROBA-3 mission, heralds the next generation of coronagraph for solar research, exploiting formation flying to gain access to the inner corona under eclipse-like conditions for long periods of time. A detailed description of the ASPIICS instrument and of its scientific objectives can be found in [1]. ASPIICS is distributed on the two PROBA 3 spacecrafts (S/C) separated by 150 m. The coronagraph optical assembly is hosted by the "coronagraph S/C" protected from direct solar disk light by the occulting disk on the "occulter S/C". The most critical issue in the design of a solar coronagraph is the reduction of the stray light due to the diffraction and scattering of the solar disk light by the occulter, the aperture and the optics. In the present article, we deal with two of these issues: - The analysis of the stray light inside the telescope. - The optimization of the external occulter edge, in order to eliminate the Poisson spot behind the occulter and to lower the stray light level going through the entrance pupil of the telescope. This work was performed in the framework of the ESA STARTIGER program which took place at the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (LAM) during a 6-month period from September 2009 to March 2010. In general, it is a very complicated task to combine the above two stray light issues together in the simulation and design phase as it requires to consider the propagation inside the telescope of the light diffracted by the external occulter. Actually, the present literature only reports diffraction calculations performed for simple occulting systems (i.e., two disks and serrated disk). A more pragmatic approach, also driven by the tight schedule of the STARTIGER program, is to separate the two contributions, and perform two different stray light analyses. This paper is dedicated to the description of both analyses

The Production of Titan's Ultraviolet Nitrogen Airglow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevens, Michael H.; Gustin, J.; Ajello, J. M.; Evans, J. S.; Meier, R. R.; Stewart, A. I. F.; Esposito, L. W.; McClintock, W. E.; Stephan, A. W.

2010-10-01

The Cassini Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) observed Titan's dayside limb on 22 June, 2009, obtaining high quality extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and far ultraviolet (FUV) spectra from a distance of only 60,000 km (23 Titan radii). The observations reveal the same EUV and FUV emissions arising from photoelectron excitation and photofragmentation of molecular nitrogen (N2) on Earth but with the altitude of peak emission much higher on Titan near 1000 km altitude. In the EUV, emission bands from the photoelectron excited N2 Carroll-Yoshino c4'-X system and N I and N II multiplets arising from photofragmentation of N2 dominate, with no detectable c4'(0,0) emission near 958 Å, contrary to many interpretations of the lower resolution Voyager 1 Ultraviolet Spectrometer data. The FUV is dominated by emission bands from the N2 Lyman-Birge-Hopfield a-X system and additional N I multiplets. We also identify several N2 Vegard-Kaplan A-X bands between 1500-1900 Å, two of which are located near 1561 and 1657 Å where C I multiplets were previously identified from a separate UVIS disk observation. We compare these limb emissions to predictions from a terrestrial airglow model adapted to Titan that uses a solar spectrum appropriate for these June, 2009 observations. Volume production rates and limb radiances are calculated, including extinction by methane and allowance for multiple scattering within the readily excited c4'(0,v') system, and compared to UVIS observations. We find that for these airglow data only emissions arising from processes involving N2 are present.

Cryogenic irradiation of an EMCCD for the WFIRST coronagraph: preliminary performance analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bush, Nathan; Hall, David; Holland, Andrew; Burgon, Ross; Murray, Neil; Gow, Jason; Jordan, Douglas; Demers, Richard; Harding, Leon K.; Nemati, Bijan; Hoenk, Michael; Michaels, Darren; Peddada, Pavani

2016-08-01

The Wide Field Infra-Red Survey Telescope (WFIRST) is a NASA observatory scheduled to launch in the next decade that will settle essential questions in exoplanet science. The Wide Field Instrument (WFI) offers Hubble quality imaging over a 0.28 square degree field of view and will gather NIR statistical data on exoplanets through gravitational microlensing. An on-board coronagraph will for the first time perform direct imaging and spectroscopic analysis of exoplanets with properties analogous to those within our own solar system, including cold Jupiters, mini Neptunes and potentially super Earths. The Coronagraph Instrument (CGI) will be required to operate with low signal flux for long integration times, demanding all noise sources are kept to a minimum. The Electron Multiplication (EM)-CCD has been baselined for both the imaging and spectrograph cameras due its ability to operate with sub-electron effective read noise values with appropriate multiplication gain setting. The presence of other noise sources, however, such as thermal dark signal and Clock Induced Charge (CIC), need to be characterized and mitigated. In addition, operation within a space environment will subject the device to radiation damage that will degrade the Charge Transfer Effciency (CTE) of the device throughout the mission lifetime. Irradiation at the nominal instrument operating temperature has the potential to provide the best estimate of performance degradation that will be experienced in-flight, since the final population of silicon defects has been shown to be dependent upon the temperature at which the sensor is irradiated. Here we present initial findings from pre- and post- cryogenic irradiation testing of the e2v CCD201-20 BI EMCCD sensor, baselined for the WFIRST coronagraph instrument. The motivation for irradiation at cryogenic temperatures is discussed with reference to previous investigations of a similar nature. The results are presented in context with those from a previous

Acceleration region of the slow solar wind in corona

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbo, L.; Antonucci, E.; Mikić, Z.; Riley, P.; Dodero, M. A.; Giordano, S.

We present the results of a study concerning the physical parameters of the plasma of the extended corona in the low-latitude and equatorial regions, in order to investigate the sources of the slow solar wind during the minimum of solar activity. The equatorial streamer belt has been observed with the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) onboard SOHO from August 19 to September 1, 1996. The spectroscopic diagnostic technique applied in this study, based on the OVI 1032, 1037 Ålines, allows us to determine both the solar wind velocity and the electron density of the extended corona. The main result of the analysis is the identification of the acceleration region of the slow wind, whose outflow velocity is measured in the range from 1.7 up to 3.5 solar radii.

Signatures of Nonlinear Waves in Coronal Plumes and Holes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ofman, Leon

1999-01-01

In recent Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer/Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (UVCS/SOHO) White Light Channel (WLC) observations we found quasi-periodic variations in the polarized brightness (pB) in the polar coronal holes at heliocentric distances of 1.9-2.45 solar radii. The motivation for the observation is the 2.5D Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model of solar wind acceleration by nonlinear waves, that predicts compressive fluctuations in coronal holes. To help identify the waves observed with the UVCS/WLC we model the propagation and dissipation of slow magnetosonic waves in polar plumes using 1D MHD code in spherical geometry, We find that the slow waves nonlinearly steepen in the gravitationally stratified plumes. The nonlinear steepening of the waves leads to enhanced dissipation due to compressive viscosity at the wave-fronts.

Partially Filled Aperture Interferometric Telescopes: Achieving Large Aperture and Coronagraphic Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moretto, G.; Kuhn, J.; Langlois, M.; Berdugyna, S.; Tallon, M.

2017-09-01

Telescopes larger than currently planned 30-m class instruments must break the mass-aperture scaling relationship of the Keck-generation of multi-segmented telescopes. Partially filled aperture, but highly redundant baseline interferometric instruments may achieve both large aperture and high dynamic range. The PLANETS FOUNDATION group has explored hybrid telescope-interferometer concepts for narrow-field optical systems that exhibit coronagraphic performance over narrow fields-of-view. This paper describes how the Colossus and Exo-Life Finder telescope designs achieve 10x lower moving masses than current Extremely Large Telescopes.

The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malina, R. F.; Battel, S. J.

1989-01-01

The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) mission will be the first user of NASA's new Explorer platform. The instrumentation included on this mission consists of three grazing incidence scanning telescopes, a deep survey instrument and an EUV spectrometer. The bandpass covered is 80 to 900 A. During the first six months of the mission, the scanning telescopes will be used to make all-sky maps in four bandpasses; astronomical sources wil be detected and their positions determined to an accuracy of 0.1 deg. The deep survey instrument will survey the sky with higher sensitivity along the ecliptic in two bandpasses between 80 and 500 A. Engineering and design aspects of the science payload and features of the instrument design are described.

Plans for the extreme ultraviolet explorer data base

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, Herman L.; Dobson, Carl A.; Malina, Roger F.; Bowyer, Stuart

1988-01-01

The paper presents an approach for storage and fast access to data that will be obtained by the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE), a satellite payload scheduled for launch in 1991. The EUVE telescopes will be operated remotely from the EUVE Science Operation Center (SOC) located at the University of California, Berkeley. The EUVE science payload consists of three scanning telescope carrying out an all-sky survey in the 80-800 A spectral region and a Deep Survey/Spectrometer telescope performing a deep survey in the 80-250 A spectral region. Guest Observers will remotely access the EUVE spectrometer database at the SOC. The EUVE database will consist of about 2 X 10 to the 10th bytes of information in a very compact form, very similar to the raw telemetry data. A history file will be built concurrently giving telescope parameters, command history, attitude summaries, engineering summaries, anomalous events, and ephemeris summaries.

Passive isolator design for jitter reduction in the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blaurock, Carl; Liu, Kuo-Chia; Dewell, Larry; Alexander, James

2005-01-01

Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) is a mission to locate and study extrasolar Earth-like planets. The TPF Coronagraph (TPF-C), planned for launch in the latter half of the next decade, will use a coronagraphic mask and other optics to suppress the light of the nearby star in order to collect visible light from such planets. The required contrast ratio of 5e-11 can only be achieved by maintaining pointing accuracy to 4 milli-arcseconds, and limiting optics jitter to below 5 nm. Numerous mechanical disturbances act to induce jitter. This paper concentrates on passive isolation techniques to minimize the optical degradation introduced by disturbance sources. A passive isolation system, using compliant mounts placed at an energy bottleneck to reduce energy transmission above a certain frequency, is a low risk, flight proven design approach. However, the attenuation is limited, compared to an active system, so the feasibility of the design must be demonstrated by analysis. The paper presents the jitter analysis for the baseline TPF design, using a passive isolation system. The analysis model representing the dynamics of the spacecraft and telescope is described, with emphasis on passive isolator modeling. Pointing and deformation metrics, consistent with the TPF-C error budget, are derived. Jitter prediction methodology and results are presented. Then an analysis of the critical design parameters that drive the TPF-C jitter response is performed.

Retrieval of Total Ozone Amounts from Zenith-Sky Intensities in the Ultraviolet Region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bojkov, B. R.; Bhartia, P. K.; Hilsenrath, E.; Labow, G. J.

2004-01-01

A new method to determine the total ozone column from zenith-sky intensities in the ultraviolet region has been developed for the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Spectrometer (SSBUV) operating at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The total ozone column amounts are derived by comparing the ratio of measured intensities from three wavelengths with the equivalent ratios calculated by a radiative transfer model. The differences between the retrieved ozone column amounts and the collocated Brewer double monochromator are within 2% for the measurement period beginning in April 2001. The methodology, as well as the influences of the ozone profiles, aerosols, surface albedo, and the solar zenith angle on the retrieved total ozone amounts will be presented.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-04-01

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

Conceptual Design of the Coronagraphic High Angular Resolution Imaging Spectrograph (CHARIS) for the Subaru Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, Mary Anne; Groff, Tyler; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; McElwain, Michael W.; Galvin, Michael; Carr, Michael A.; Lupton, Robert; Gunn, James E.; Knapp, Gillian; Gong, Qian;

On Advanced Estimation Techniques for Exoplanet Detection and Characterization Using Ground-based Coronagraphs

PubMed Central

Lawson, Peter R.; Poyneer, Lisa; Barrett, Harrison; Frazin, Richard; Caucci, Luca; Devaney, Nicholas; Furenlid, Lars; Gładysz, Szymon; Guyon, Olivier; Krist, John; Maire, Jérôme; Marois, Christian; Mawet, Dimitri; Mouillet, David; Mugnier, Laurent; Pearson, Iain; Perrin, Marshall; Pueyo, Laurent; Savransky, Dmitry

2015-01-01

The direct imaging of planets around nearby stars is exceedingly difficult. Only about 14 exoplanets have been imaged to date that have masses less than 13 times that of Jupiter. The next generation of planet-finding coronagraphs, including VLT-SPHERE, the Gemini Planet Imager, Palomar P1640, and Subaru HiCIAO have predicted contrast performance of roughly a thousand times less than would be needed to detect Earth-like planets. In this paper we review the state of the art in exoplanet imaging, most notably the method of Locally Optimized Combination of Images (LOCI), and we investigate the potential of improving the detectability of faint exoplanets through the use of advanced statistical methods based on the concepts of the ideal observer and the Hotelling observer. We propose a formal comparison of techniques using a blind data challenge with an evaluation of performance using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) and Localization ROC (LROC) curves. We place particular emphasis on the understanding and modeling of realistic sources of measurement noise in ground-based AO-corrected coronagraphs. The work reported in this paper is the result of interactions between the co-authors during a week-long workshop on exoplanet imaging that was held in Squaw Valley, California, in March of 2012. PMID:26347393

On Advanced Estimation Techniques for Exoplanet Detection and Characterization using Ground-Based Coronagraphs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawson, Peter R.; Frazin, Richard; Barrett, Harrison; Caucci, Luca; Devaney, Nicholas; Furenlid, Lars; Gladysz, Szymon; Guyon, Olivier; Krist, John; Maire, Jerome;

On Advanced Estimation Techniques for Exoplanet Detection and Characterization Using Ground-based Coronagraphs.

PubMed

Lawson, Peter R; Poyneer, Lisa; Barrett, Harrison; Frazin, Richard; Caucci, Luca; Devaney, Nicholas; Furenlid, Lars; Gładysz, Szymon; Guyon, Olivier; Krist, John; Maire, Jérôme; Marois, Christian; Mawet, Dimitri; Mouillet, David; Mugnier, Laurent; Pearson, Iain; Perrin, Marshall; Pueyo, Laurent; Savransky, Dmitry

2012-07-01

The direct imaging of planets around nearby stars is exceedingly difficult. Only about 14 exoplanets have been imaged to date that have masses less than 13 times that of Jupiter. The next generation of planet-finding coronagraphs, including VLT-SPHERE, the Gemini Planet Imager, Palomar P1640, and Subaru HiCIAO have predicted contrast performance of roughly a thousand times less than would be needed to detect Earth-like planets. In this paper we review the state of the art in exoplanet imaging, most notably the method of Locally Optimized Combination of Images (LOCI), and we investigate the potential of improving the detectability of faint exoplanets through the use of advanced statistical methods based on the concepts of the ideal observer and the Hotelling observer. We propose a formal comparison of techniques using a blind data challenge with an evaluation of performance using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) and Localization ROC (LROC) curves. We place particular emphasis on the understanding and modeling of realistic sources of measurement noise in ground-based AO-corrected coronagraphs. The work reported in this paper is the result of interactions between the co-authors during a week-long workshop on exoplanet imaging that was held in Squaw Valley, California, in March of 2012.

On advanced estimation techniques for exoplanet detection and characterization using ground-based coronagraphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawson, Peter R.; Poyneer, Lisa; Barrett, Harrison; Frazin, Richard; Caucci, Luca; Devaney, Nicholas; Furenlid, Lars; Gładysz, Szymon; Guyon, Olivier; Krist, John; Maire, Jérôme; Marois, Christian; Mawet, Dimitri; Mouillet, David; Mugnier, Laurent; Pearson, Iain; Perrin, Marshall; Pueyo, Laurent; Savransky, Dmitry

2012-07-01

The direct imaging of planets around nearby stars is exceedingly difficult. Only about 14 exoplanets have been imaged to date that have masses less than 13 times that of Jupiter. The next generation of planet-finding coronagraphs, including VLT-SPHERE, the Gemini Planet Imager, Palomar P1640, and Subaru HiCIAO have predicted contrast performance of roughly a thousand times less than would be needed to detect Earth-like planets. In this paper we review the state of the art in exoplanet imaging, most notably the method of Locally Optimized Combination of Images (LOCI), and we investigate the potential of improving the detectability of faint exoplanets through the use of advanced statistical methods based on the concepts of the ideal observer and the Hotelling observer. We propose a formal comparison of techniques using a blind data challenge with an evaluation of performance using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) and Localization ROC (LROC) curves. We place particular emphasis on the understanding and modeling of realistic sources of measurement noise in ground-based AO-corrected coronagraphs. The work reported in this paper is the result of interactions between the co-authors during a week-long workshop on exoplanet imaging that was held in Squaw Valley, California, in March of 2012.

Search with Copernicus for ultraviolet emission lines in the planetary nebula NGC 3242

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwartz, R. D.; Snow, T. P., Jr.; Upson, W. L., II

1978-01-01

The high-excitation planetary nebula NGC 3242 has been observed with the ultraviolet telescope-spectrometer aboard Copernicus. Wavelength intervals corresponding to the emission lines of O VI at 1032 A, He II at 1085 A, Si III at 1206 A, and N V at 1239 A have been scanned. Upper limits to the observed fluxes are reported and compared with predicted emission-line fluxes from this object.

Rotatable Aperture Coronagraph for Exoplanetary Studies (RACES)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakrabarti, Supriya; Mendillo, Christopher; Mukherjee, Sunip; Martel, Jason; Cook, Timothy; Polidan, Ronald S.; Rafanelli, Gerard L.; Spencer, Susan B.; Wolfe, Douglas w.

2018-01-01

We present the design and expected performance of RACES, a suborbital mission concept to directly image exo-Jupiters with a rotatable non-circular aperture telescope. By using a high-aspect ratio elliptical or rectangular primary mirror (2.3m x 0.6m), this mission achieves the same angular resolution and inner working angle as a 2.3m dia telescope. Such an elliptical or rectangular system would fill the volume of a cylindrical launch vehicle more efficiently and by choosing the aspect ratio one can appropriately tailor its light gathering power. RACES can therefore serve as a pathfinder for future larger missions for exoplanetary explorations. For example, the system described here approaches the collecting area of the well studied EXO-C concept and exceeds its angular resolution. The mission concept, design studies, observation strategy and expected target yield for RACES will be presented, as well as simulations of the high contrast vector vortex coronagraph operating with an un-obscured elliptical aperture.

Ultra-portable, wireless smartphone spectrometer for rapid, non-destructive testing of fruit ripeness.

PubMed

Das, Anshuman J; Wahi, Akshat; Kothari, Ishan; Raskar, Ramesh

2016-09-08

We demonstrate a smartphone based spectrometer design that is standalone and supported on a wireless platform. The device is inherently low-cost and the power consumption is minimal making it portable to carry out a range of studies in the field. All essential components of the device like the light source, spectrometer, filters, microcontroller and wireless circuits have been assembled in a housing of dimensions 88 mm × 37 mm × 22 mm and the entire device weighs 48 g. The resolution of the spectrometer is 15 nm, delivering accurate and repeatable measurements. The device has a dedicated app interface on the smartphone to communicate, receive, plot and analyze spectral data. The performance of the smartphone spectrometer is comparable to existing bench-top spectrometers in terms of stability and wavelength resolution. Validations of the device were carried out by demonstrating non-destructive ripeness testing in fruit samples. Ultra-Violet (UV) fluorescence from Chlorophyll present in the skin was measured across various apple varieties during the ripening process and correlated with destructive firmness tests. A satisfactory agreement was observed between ripeness and fluorescence signals. This demonstration is a step towards possible consumer, bio-sensing and diagnostic applications that can be carried out in a rapid manner.

Ultra-portable, wireless smartphone spectrometer for rapid, non-destructive testing of fruit ripeness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Anshuman J.; Wahi, Akshat; Kothari, Ishan; Raskar, Ramesh

2016-09-01

We demonstrate a smartphone based spectrometer design that is standalone and supported on a wireless platform. The device is inherently low-cost and the power consumption is minimal making it portable to carry out a range of studies in the field. All essential components of the device like the light source, spectrometer, filters, microcontroller and wireless circuits have been assembled in a housing of dimensions 88 mm × 37 mm × 22 mm and the entire device weighs 48 g. The resolution of the spectrometer is 15 nm, delivering accurate and repeatable measurements. The device has a dedicated app interface on the smartphone to communicate, receive, plot and analyze spectral data. The performance of the smartphone spectrometer is comparable to existing bench-top spectrometers in terms of stability and wavelength resolution. Validations of the device were carried out by demonstrating non-destructive ripeness testing in fruit samples. Ultra-Violet (UV) fluorescence from Chlorophyll present in the skin was measured across various apple varieties during the ripening process and correlated with destructive firmness tests. A satisfactory agreement was observed between ripeness and fluorescence signals. This demonstration is a step towards possible consumer, bio-sensing and diagnostic applications that can be carried out in a rapid manner.

Computer vision applications for coronagraphic optical alignment and image processing.

PubMed

Savransky, Dmitry; Thomas, Sandrine J; Poyneer, Lisa A; Macintosh, Bruce A

2013-05-10

Modern coronagraphic systems require very precise alignment between optical components and can benefit greatly from automated image processing. We discuss three techniques commonly employed in the fields of computer vision and image analysis as applied to the Gemini Planet Imager, a new facility instrument for the Gemini South Observatory. We describe how feature extraction and clustering methods can be used to aid in automated system alignment tasks, and also present a search algorithm for finding regular features in science images used for calibration and data processing. Along with discussions of each technique, we present our specific implementation and show results of each one in operation.

Influence of misalignments on the performance of externally occulted solar coronagraphs. Application to PROBA-3/ASPIICS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shestov, S. V.; Zhukov, A. N.

2018-05-01

Context. The ASPIICS instrument is a novel externally occulted coronagraph that will be launched on board the PROBA-3 mission of the European Space Agency. The external occulter will be placed on one satellite 150 m ahead of the second satellite that will carry an optical instrument. During 6 h out of 19.38 h of orbit, the satellites will fly in a precise (accuracy around a few millimeters) formation, constituting a giant externally occulted coronagraph. The large distance between the external occulter and the primary objective will allow observations of the white-light solar corona starting from extremely low heights 1.1R⊙. Aims: We intend to analyze influence of shifts of the satellites and misalignments of optical elements on the ASPIICS performance in terms of diffracted light. Based on the quantitative influence of misalignments on diffracted light, we provide a recipe for choosing the size of the internal occulter (IO) to achieve a trade-off between the minimal height of observations and sustainability to possible misalignments. Methods: We considered different types of misalignments and analyzed their influence from optical and computational points of view. We implemented a numerical model of the diffracted light and its propagation through the optical system and computed intensities of diffracted light throughout the instrument. Our numerical approach is based on a model from the literature that considered the axisymmetrical case. Here we extend the model to include nonsymmetrical cases and possible misalignments. Results: The numerical computations fully confirm the main properties of the diffracted light that we obtained from semi-analytical consideration. We obtain that relative influences of various misalignments are significantly different. We show that the internal occulter with RIO = 1.694 mm = 1.1R⊙ is large enough to compensate possible misalignments expected to occur in PROBA-3/ASPIICS. Besides that we show that apodizing the edge of the

Toward a Next Generation Solar Coronagraph: Diffracted Light Simulation and Test Results for a Cone Occulter with Tapered Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Heesu; Bong, Su-Chan; Cho, Kyung-Suk; Choi, Seonghwan; Park, Jongyeob; Kim, Jihun; Baek, Ji-Hye; Nah, Jakyoung; Sun, Mingzhe; Gong, Qian

2018-04-01

In a solar coronagraph, the most important component is an occulter to block the direct light from the disk of the sun Because the intensity of the solar outer corona is 10-6 to 10-10 times of that of the solar disk (\\ir), it is necessary to minimize scattering at the optical elements and diffraction at the occulter. Using a Fourier optic simulation and a stray light test, we investigated the performance of a compact coronagraph that uses an external truncated-cone occulter without an internal occulter and Lyot stop. In the simulation, the diffracted light was minimized to the order of 7.6×10-10 \\ir when the cone angle θc was about 0.39°. The performance of the cone occulter was then tested by experiment. The level of the diffracted light reached the order of 6×10-9 \\ir at θc=0.40°. This is sufficient to observe the outer corona without additional optical elements such as a Lyot stop or inner occulter. We also found the manufacturing tolerance of the cone angle to be 0.05°, the lateral alignment tolerance was 45 \\um, and the angular alignment tolerance was 0.043°. Our results suggest that the physical size of coronagraphs can be shortened significantly by using a cone occulter.

Ultraviolet Raman scattering from persistent chemical warfare agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kullander, Fredrik; Wästerby, Pär.; Landström, Lars

2016-05-01

Laser induced Raman scattering at excitation wavelengths in the middle ultraviolet was examined using a pulsed tunable laser based spectrometer system. Droplets of chemical warfare agents, with a volume of 2 μl, were placed on a silicon surface and irradiated with sequences of laser pulses. The Raman scattering from V-series nerve agents, Tabun (GA) and Mustard gas (HD) was studied with the aim of finding the optimum parameters and the requirements for a detection system. A particular emphasis was put on V-agents that have been previously shown to yield relatively weak Raman scattering in this excitation band.

Rapid Acceleration of a Coronal Mass Ejection in the Low Corona and Implications of Propagation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gallagher, Peter T.; Lawrence, Gareth R.; Dennis, Brian R.

2003-01-01

A high-velocity Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) associated with the 2002 April 21 X1.5 flare is studied using a unique set of observations from the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE), the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS), and the Large-Angle Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO). The event is first observed as a rapid rise in GOES X-rays, followed by simultaneous conjugate footpoint brightenings connected by an ascending loop or flux-rope feature. While expanding, the appearance of the feature remains remarkably constant as it passes through the TRACE 195 A passband and LASCO fields-of-view, allowing its height-time behavior to be accurately determined. An analytic function, having exponential and linear components, is found to represent the height-time evolution of the CME in the range 1.05-26 R. The CME acceleration rises exponentially to approx. 900 km/sq s within approximately 20-min, peaking at approx.1400 m/sq s when the leading edge is at approx. 1.7 R. The acceleration subsequently falls off as a slowly varying exponential for approx.,90-min. At distances beyond approx. 3.4 R, the height-time profile is approximately linear with a constant velocity of approx. 2400 km/s. These results are briefly discussed in light of recent kinematic models of CMEs.

Extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy diagnostics of low-temperature plasmas based on a sliced multilayer grating and glass capillary optics.

PubMed

Kantsyrev, V L; Safronova, A S; Williamson, K M; Wilcox, P; Ouart, N D; Yilmaz, M F; Struve, K W; Voronov, D L; Feshchenko, R M; Artyukov, I A; Vinogradov, A V

2008-10-01

New extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectroscopic diagnostics of relatively low-temperature plasmas based on the application of an EUV spectrometer and fast EUV diodes combined with glass capillary optics is described. An advanced high resolution dispersive element sliced multilayer grating was used in the compact EUV spectrometer. For monitoring of the time history of radiation, filtered fast EUV diodes were used in the same spectral region (>13 nm) as the EUV spectrometer. The radiation from the plasma was captured by using a single inexpensive glass capillary that was transported onto the spectrometer entrance slit and EUV diode. The use of glass capillary optics allowed placement of the spectrometer and diodes behind the thick radiation shield outside the direction of a possible hard x-ray radiation beam and debris from the plasma source. The results of the testing and application of this diagnostic for a compact laser plasma source are presented. Examples of modeling with parameters of plasmas are discussed.

Fabrication and Characteristics of Free Standing Shaped Pupil Masks for TPF-Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; Echternach, Pierre M.; Dickie, Matthew R.; Muller, Richard E.; White, Victor E.; Hoppe, Daniel J.; Shaklan, Stuart B.; Belikov, Ruslan; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Vanderbei, Robert J.;

The Infrared Solar Spectrum Measured by the SOLSPEC Spectrometer Onboard the International Space Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thuillier, G.; Harder, J. W.; Shapiro, A.; Woods, T. N.; Perrin, J.-M.; Snow, M.; Sukhodolov, T.; Schmutz, W.

2015-06-01

A solar spectrum extending from the extreme ultraviolet to the near-infrared is an important input for solar physics, climate research, and atmospheric physics. Ultraviolet measurements have been conducted since the beginning of the space age, but measurements throughout the contiguous visible and infrared (IR) regions are much more sparse. Ageing is a key problem throughout the entire spectral domain, but most of the effort extended to understand degradation was concentrated on the ultraviolet spectral region, and these mechanisms may not be appropriate in the IR. This problem is further complicated by the scarcity of long-term data sets. Onboard the International Space Station, the SOLSPEC spectrometer measured an IR solar spectral irradiance lower than the one given by ATLAS 3, e.g. by about 7 % at 1 700 nm. We here evaluate the consequences of the lower solar spectral irradiance measurements and present a re-analysis of the on-orbit calibration lamp and solar data trend, which lead to a revised spectrum.

Ultraviolet photometry from the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory. II Interstellar extinction.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bless, R. C.; Savage, B. D.

1972-01-01

Evaluation of interstellar extinction curves over the region from 3600 to 1100 A for 17 stars. The observations were made by the two Wisconsin spectrometers on board the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2, with spectral resolutions of 10 and 20 A. The extinction curves generally show a pronounced maximum at 2175 plus or minus 25 A, a broad minimum in the region from 1800 to 1350 A, and finally a rapid rise to the far-ultraviolet. Large extinction variations from star to star are found, especially in the far-ultraviolet; however, with only two possible exceptions in this sample, the wavelength at the maximum of the extinction bump is essentially constant. These data are combined with visual and infrared observations to display the extinction behavior over a range in wavelength of about a factor of 20. The observations appear to require a multicomponent model of the interstellar dust.

A comparison of photospheric electric current and ultraviolet and X-ray emission in a solar active region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haisch, B. M.; Bruner, M. E.; Hagyard, M. J.; Bonnet, R. M.

1986-01-01

This paper presents an extensive set of coordinated observations of a solar active region, taking into account spectroheliograms obtained with the aid of the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) Ultraviolet Spectrometer Polarimeter (UVSP) instrument, SMM soft X-ray polychromator (XRP) raster maps, and high spatial resolution ultraviolet images of the sun in Lyman-alpha and in the 1600 A continuum. These data span together the upper solar atmosphere from the temperature minimum to the corona. The data are compared to maps of the inferred photospheric electric current derived from the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) vector magnetograph observations. Some empirical correlation is found between regions of inferred electric current density and the brightest features in the ultraviolet continuum and to a lesser extent those seen in Lyman-alpha within an active region.

Vacuum Ultraviolet Photodissociation and Fourier Transform-Ion Cyclotron Resonance (FT-ICR) Mass Spectrometry: Revisited.

PubMed

Shaw, Jared B; Robinson, Errol W; Paša-Tolić, Ljiljana

2016-03-15

We revisited the implementation of 193 nm ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) within the ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) cell of a Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer. UVPD performance characteristics were examined in the context of recent developments in the understanding of UVPD and in-cell tandem mass spectrometry. Efficient UVPD and photo-ECD of a model peptide and proteins within the ICR cell of a FT-ICR mass spectrometer are accomplished through appropriate modulation of laser pulse timing, relative to ion magnetron motion and the potential applied to an ion optical element upon which photons impinge. It is shown that UVPD yields efficient and extensive fragmentation, resulting in excellent sequence coverage for model peptide and protein cations.

The impact of radiation damage on photon counting with an EMCCD for the WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bush, Nathan; Hall, David; Holland, Andrew; Burgon, Ross; Murray, Neil; Gow, Jason; Soman, Matthew; Jordan, Douglas; Demers, Richard; Harding, Leon; Hoenk, Michael; Michaels, Darren; Nemati, Bijan; Peddada, Pavani

2015-09-01

WFIRST-AFTA is a 2.4m class NASA observatory designed to address a wide range of science objectives using two complementary scientific payloads. The Wide Field Instrument (WFI) offers Hubble quality imaging over a 0.28 square degree field of view, and will gather NIR statistical data on exoplanets through gravitational microlensing. The second instrument is a high contrast coronagraph that will carry out the direct imaging and spectroscopic analysis of exoplanets, providing a means to probe the structure and composition of planetary systems. The coronagraph instrument is expected to operate in low photon flux for long integration times, meaning all noise sources must be kept to a minimum. In order to satisfy the low noise requirements, the Electron Multiplication (EM)-CCD has been baselined for both the imaging and spectrograph cameras. The EMCCD was selected in comparison with other candidates because of its low effective electronic read noise at sub-electron values with appropriate multiplication gain setting. The presence of other noise sources, however, such as thermal dark signal and Clock Induced Charge (CIC), need to be characterised and mitigated. In addition, operation within a space environment will subject the device to radiation damage that will degrade the Charge Transfer Efficiency (CTE) of the device throughout the mission lifetime. Here we present our latest results from pre- and post-irradiation testing of the e2v CCD201-20 BI EMCCD sensor, baselined for the WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph instrument. A description of the detector technology is presented, alongside considerations for operation within a space environment. The results from a room temperature irradiation are discussed in context with the nominal operating requirements of AFTA-C and future work which entails a cryogenic irradiation of the CCD201-20 is presented.

Commissioning and first light results of an L'-band vortex coronagraph with the Keck II adaptive optics NIRC2 science instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Femenía Castellá, Bruno; Serabyn, Eugene; Mawet, Dimitri; Absil, Olivier; Wizinowich, Peter; Matthews, Keith; Huby, Elsa; Bottom, Michael; Campbell, Randy; Chan, Dwight; Carlomagno, Brunella; Cetre, Sylvain; Defrère, Denis; Delacroix, Christian; Gomez Gonzalez, Carlos; Jolivet, Aïssa; Karlsson, Mikael; Lanclos, Kyle; Lilley, Scott; Milner, Steven; Ngo, Henry; Reggiani, Maddalena; Simmons, Julia; Tran, Hien; Vargas Catalan, Ernesto; Wertz, Olivier

2016-07-01

On March 2015 an L'-band vortex coronagraph based on an Annular Groove Phase Mask made up of a diamond sub-wavelength grating was installed on NIRC2 as a demonstration project. This vortex coronagraph operates in the L' band not only in order to take advantage from the favorable star/planet contrast ratio when observing beyond the K band, but also to exploit the fact that the Keck II Adaptive Optics (AO) system delivers nearly extreme adaptive optics image quality (Strehl ratios values near 90%) at 3.7μm. We describe the hardware installation of the vortex phase mask during a routine NIRC2 service mission. The success of the project depends on extensive software development which has allowed the achievement of exquisite real-time pointing control as well as further contrast improvements by using speckle nulling to mitigate the effect of static speckles. First light of the new coronagraphic mode was on June 2015 with already very good initial results. Subsequent commissioning nights were interlaced with science nights by members of the VORTEX team with their respective scientific programs. The new capability and excellent results so far have motivated the VORTEX team and the Keck Science Steering Committee (KSSC) to offer the new mode in shared risk mode for 2016B.

A coronagraphic search for brown dwarfs around nearby stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakajima, T.; Durrance, S. T.; Golimowski, D. A.; Kulkarni, S. R.

1994-01-01

Brown dwarf companions have been searched for around stars within 10 pc of the Sun using the Johns-Hopkins University Adaptive Optics Coronagraph (AOC), a stellar coronagraph with an image stabilizer. The AOC covers the field around the target star with a minimum search radius of 1 sec .5 and a field of view of 1 arcmin sq. We have reached an unprecedented dynamic range of Delta m = 13 in our search for faint companions at I band. Comparison of our survey with other brown dwarf searches shows that the AOC technique is unique in its dynamic range while at the same time just as sensitive to brown dwarfs as the recent brown dwarf surveys. The present survey covered 24 target stars selected from the Gliese catalog. A total of 94 stars were detected in 16 fields. The low-latitude fields are completely dominated by background star contamination. Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests were carried out for a sample restricted to high latitudes and a sample with small angular separations. The high-latitude sample (b greater than or equal to 44 deg) appears to show spatial concentration toward target stars. The small separation sample (Delta Theta less than 20 sec) shows weaker dependence on Galactic coordinates than field stars. These statistical tests suggest that both the high-latitude sample and the small separation sample can include a substantial fraction of true companions. However, the nature of these putative companions is mysterious. They are too faint to be white dwarfs and too blue for brown dwarfs. Ignoring the signif icance of the statistical tests, we can reconcile most of the detections with distant main-sequence stars or white dwarfs except for a candidate next to GL 475. Given the small size of our sample, we conclude that considerably more targets need to be surveyed before a firm conclusion on the possibility of a new class of companions can be made.

Comparison of photospheric electric current and ultraviolet and x-ray emission in a solar active region

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

Haisch, B.M.; Bruner, M.E.; Hagyard, M.J.

This paper presents an extensive set of coordinated observations of a solar active region, taking into account spectroheliograms obtained with the aid of the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) Ultraviolet Spectrometer Polarimeter (UVSP) instrument, SMM soft x-ray polychromator (XRP) raster maps, and high spatial resolution ultraviolet images of the sun in Lyman-alpha and in the 1600 A continuum. These data span together the upper solar atmosphere from the temperature minimum to the corona. The data are compared to maps of the inferred photospheric electric current derived from the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) vector magnetograph observations. Some empirical correlation is foundmore » between regions of inferred electric current density and the brightest features in the ultraviolet continuum and to a lesser extent those seen in Lyman-alpha within an active region. 29 references.« less

A Fourier transform spectrometer without a beam splitter for the vacuum ultraviolet range: From the optical design to the first UV spectrum.

PubMed

de Oliveira, N; Joyeux, D; Phalippou, D; Rodier, J C; Polack, F; Vervloet, M; Nahon, L

2009-04-01

We describe a Fourier transform (FT) spectrometer designed to operate down to 60 nm (20 eV) on a synchrotron radiation beamline for high resolution absorption spectrometry. As far as we know, such an instrument is not available below 140 nm mainly because manufacturing accurate and efficient beam splitters remains a major problem at these wavelengths, especially if a wide bandwidth operation is desired. In order to overcome this difficulty, we developed an interferometer based on wave front division instead of amplitude division. It relies on a modified Fresnel bimirror configuration that requires only flat mirrors. The instrument provides path difference scanning through the translation of one reflector. During the scanning, the moving reflector is controlled by an optical system that keeps its direction constant within a tolerable value and provides an accurate interferometric measurement of the path difference variation. Therefore, a regular interferogram sampling is obtained, producing a nominal spectral impulse response and an accurate spectral calibration. The first results presented in this paper show a measured spectral resolution of delta(sigma)=0.33 cm-1 (interval between spectral samples). This was obtained with a sampling interval of 29 nm (path difference) and 512 K samples from a one-sided interferogram using a cosine FT. Such a sampling interval should allow the recording of large bandwidth spectra down to lambda=58 nm with an ultimate resolving power of 500,000 at this wavelength. In order to check the instrument performances, we first recorded an interferogram from a He-Ne stabilized laser. This provided the actual spectral impulse function, which was found to be fully satisfactory. The determination of the impulse response distortion and of the noise on the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectral range provided accurate information in the sampling error profile over a typical scan. Finally, the instrument has been moved to the SU5 undulator

Comparative analyses of the ultraviolet-B flux over the continental United State based on the NASA total ozone mapping spectrometer data and USDA ground-based measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Zhiqiang; Gao, Wei; Chang, Ni-Bin

2010-10-01

In recent years, the risk of health effects caused by the increased exposure to Ultraviolet-B (UVB) due to stratospheric ozone depletion has received wide attention. In the US, there are two ways to accurately measure the UVB. They include: 1) the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) Nimbus-7 total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS), and 2) the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) ground-based network. This paper compares these two sensors' data for the ultraviolet index (UVI) nationally and regionally to support possible public health, agricultural, and ecological analyses in the future. The major findings of our study are: 1) although there are discrepancies between these two data sets, the temporal correlation coefficients can be as high as 98%. 2) Both types of data sources depict the macroscopic spatial pattern of the UVI across the continental US.indicating a strong spatial correlation; 3) The two data sources are generally consistent though the UVI of the NASA TOMS data are often about 0.13-1.05 units larger than those of the USDA ground-based measurements; and 4) Varying differences can be seen between the Midwest and two coastal regions. While the level of the UVI on the west coast has shown a decreasing trend in the past few years, its counterpart on the east coast showed an opposite trend in between 2000 and 2005. It is hard to conclude that the changes are due to variations of total ozone concentrations in this study period. The USDA ground-based measurements may be better applied for time series analysis for public health, ecological, and agricultural applications due to their ability to provide intensive calibrated point measurements.

Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph 2005: Overview of Technology Development and System Design Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ford, Virginia G.

2005-01-01

Technology research, design trades, and modeling and analysis guide the definition of a Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph Mission that will search for and characterize earth-like planets around near-by stars. Operating in visible wavebands, this mission will use coronagraphy techniques to suppress starlight to enable capturing and imaging the reflected light from a planet orbiting in the habitable zone of its parent star. The light will be spectrally characterized to determine the presence of life-indicating chemistry in the planet atmosphere.

WFIRST: Update on the Coronagraph Science Requirements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douglas, Ewan S.; Cahoy, Kerri; Carlton, Ashley; Macintosh, Bruce; Turnbull, Margaret; Kasdin, Jeremy; WFIRST Coronagraph Science Investigation Teams

2018-01-01

The WFIRST Coronagraph instrument (CGI) will enable direct imaging and low resolution spectroscopy of exoplanets in reflected light and imaging polarimetry of circumstellar disks. The CGI science investigation teams were tasked with developing a set of science requirements which advance our knowledge of exoplanet occurrence and atmospheric composition, as well as the composition and morphology of exozodiacal debris disks, cold Kuiper Belt analogs, and protoplanetary systems. We present the initial content, rationales, validation, and verification plans for the WFIRST CGI, informed by detailed and still-evolving instrument and observatory performance models. We also discuss our approach to the requirements development and management process, including the collection and organization of science inputs, open source approach to managing the requirements database, and the range of models used for requirements validation. These tools can be applied to requirements development processes for other astrophysical space missions, and may ease their management and maintenance. These WFIRST CGI science requirements allow the community to learn about and provide insights and feedback on the expected instrument performance and science return.

The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer mission - Instrumentation and science goals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowyer, Stuart; Malina, Roger F.; Marshall, Herman L.

1988-01-01

NASA's Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) will carry out an all-sky survey from 80 to 800A in four bandpasses. It is expected that many types of sources will be detected, including white dwarfs and late type stars. A deep survey will also be carried out along the ecliptic which will have a limiting sensitivity a factor of 10 better than the all-sky survey in the bandpass from 80 to 300A. The payload includes a spectrometer to observe the brigher sources found in the surveys with a spectral resolution of 1 to 2A.

A rocket measurement of the extreme ultraviolet dayglow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christensen, A. B.

1976-01-01

Extreme ultraviolet spectra of the mid-latitude dayglow in the wavelength range of 550 to 1250A have been obtained with a rocket borne grating spectrometer at a resolution of 20A. Spectra were obtained in the altitude range of 140 to 280 km. The spectra are dominated by emissions from atomic multiplets and no molecular bands have been identified with certainty. The strongest emissions other than H Lyman-alpha are OI (989) and OII (834). Other prominent emissions include He I(584), N II(916) and N II(1085). An unexpected feature near 612A has an intensity comparable to He I(584).

Pseudoslit Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reuter, Dennis C.; McCabe, George H.

2004-01-01

The pseudoslit spectrometer is a conceptual optoelectronic instrument that would offer some of the advantages, without the disadvantages, of prior linear-variable etalon (LVE) spectrometers and prior slit spectrometers. The pseudoslit spectrometer is so named because it would not include a slit, but the combined effects of its optical components would include a spatial filtering effect approximately equivalent to that of a slit. Like a prior LVE spectrometer, the pseudoslit spectrometer would include an LVE (essentially, a wedge-like narrowband- pass filter, the pass wavelength of which varies linearly with position in one dimension) in a focal plane covering an imaging planar array of photodetectors. However, the pseudoslit spectrometer would be more efficient because unlike a prior LVE spectrometer, the pseudoslit spectrometer would not have to be scanned across an entire field of view to obtain the spectrum of an object of interest that may occupy only a small portion of the field of view. Like a prior slit spectrometer, the pseudoslit spectrometer could acquire the entire spectrum of such a small object without need for scanning. However, the pseudoslit spectrometer would be optically and mechanically simpler: it would have fewer components and, hence, would pose less of a problem of alignment of components and would be less vulnerable to misalignment.

A simple, low-cost, versatile CCD spectrometer for plasma spectroscopy

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

Den Hartog, D. J.; Holly, D. J.

1996-06-01

The authors have constructed a simple, low-cost CCD spectrometer capable of both high resolution ({Delta}{lambda} {le} 0.015 nm) and large bandpass (110 nm with {Delta}{lambda} {approximately}0.3 nm). These two modes of operation provide two broad areas of capability for plasma spectroscopy. The first major application is measurement of emission line broadening; the second is emission line surveys from the ultraviolet to the near infrared. Measurements have been made on a low-temperature plasma produced by a miniature electrostatic plasma source and the high-temperature plasma in the MST Reversed-Field Pinch. The spectrometer is a modified Jarrell-Ash 0.5 m Ebert-Fastie monochromator. Light ismore » coupled into the entrance slit with a fused silica fiber optic bundle. The exposure time (2 ms minimum) is controlled by a fast electromechanical shutter. The exit plane detector is a compact and robust CCD detector developed for amateur astronomy by Santa Barbara Instrument Group. The CCD detector is controlled and read out by a Macintosh{reg_sign} computer. This spectrometer is sophisticated enough to serve well in a research laboratory, yet is simple and inexpensive enough to be affordable for instructional use.« less

Doing Solar Science With Extreme-ultraviolet and X-ray High Resolution Imaging Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doschek, G. A.

2005-12-01

In this talk I will demonstrate how high resolution extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) and/or X-ray imaging spectroscopy can be used to provide unique information for solving several current key problems of the solar atmosphere, e.g., the morphology and reconnection site of solar flares, the structure of the transition region, and coronal heating. I will describe the spectra that already exist relevant to these problems and what the shortcomings of the data are, and how an instrument such as the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on Solar-B as well as other proposed spectroscopy missions such as NEXUS and RAM will improve on the existing observations. I will discuss a few particularly interesting properties of the spectra and atomic data for highly ionized atoms that are important for the science problems.

Ultraviolet absorption experiment MA-059

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donahue, T. M.; Hudson, R. D.; Anderson, J.; Kaufman, F.; Mcelroy, M. B.

1976-01-01

The ultraviolet absorption experiment performed during the Apollo Soyuz mission involved sending a beam of atomic oxygen and atomic nitrogen resonance radiation, strong unabsorbable oxygen and nitrogen radiation, and visual radiation, all filling the same 3 deg-wide field of view from the Apollo to the Soyuz. The radiation struck a retroreflector array on the Soyuz and was returned to a spectrometer onboard the Apollo. The density of atomic oxygen and atomic nitrogen between the two spacecraft was measured by observing the amount of resonance radiation absorbed when the line joining Apollo and Soyuz was perpendicular to their velocity with respect to the ambient atmosphere. Information concerning oxygen densities was also obtained by observation of resonantly fluorescent light. The absorption experiments for atomic oxygen and atomic nitrogen were successfully performed at a range of 500 meters, and abundant resonance fluorescence data were obtained.

A dense plasma ultraviolet source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, J. H.; Mcfarland, D. R.

1978-01-01

The intense ultraviolet emission from the NASA Hypocycloidal-Pinch (HCP) plasma is investigated. The HCP consists of three disk electrodes whose cross section has a configuration similar to the cross section of a Mather-type plasma focus. Plasma foci were produced in deuterium, helium, xenon, and krypton gases in order to compare their emission characteristics. Time-integrated spectra in the wavelength range from 200 nm to 350 nm and temporal variations of the uv emission were obtained with a uv spectrometer and a photomultiplier system. Modifications to enhance uv emission in the iodine-laser pump band (250 to 290 nm) and preliminary results produced by these modifications are presented. Finally, the advantages of the HCP as a uv over use of conventional xenon lamps with respect to power output limit, spectral range, and lifetime are discussed.

A comparison between different coronagraphic data reduction techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carolo, E.; Vassallo, D.; Farinato, J.; Bergomi, M.; Bonavita, M.; Carlotti, A.; D'Orazi, V.; Greggio, D.; Magrin, D.; Mesa, D.; Pinna, E.; Puglisi, A.; Stangalini, M.; Verinaud, C.; Viotto, V.

2016-07-01

A robust post processing technique is mandatory for analysing the coronagraphic high contrast imaging data. Angular Differential Imaging (ADI) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) are the most used approaches to suppress the quasi-static structure presents in the Point Spread Function (PSF) for revealing planets at different separations from the host star. In this work, we present the comparison between ADI and PCA applied to System of coronagraphy with High order Adaptive optics from R to K band (SHARK-NIR), which will be implemented at Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). The comparison has been carried out by using as starting point the simulated wavefront residuals of the LBT Adaptive Optics (AO) system, in different observing conditions. Accurate tests for tuning the post processing parameters to obtain the best performance from each technique were performed in various seeing conditions (0:4"-1") for star magnitude ranging from 8 to 12, with particular care in finding the best compromise between quasi static speckle subtraction and planets detection.

Laboratory demonstration of a broadband six-level phase mask coronagraph.

PubMed

Patru, Fabien; Baudoz, Pierre; Galicher, Raphaël; Cao, Qing; Wang, Kai; Xing, Lujing; Boussaha, Faouzi; Firminy, Josiane; Bonafous, Marion

2018-04-16

The six-level phase mask (SLPM) can be used in a focal plane as an efficient coronagraph [Opt. Express 22, 1884 (2014)]. It has several advantages: high-contrast imaging in broadband with small inner working angle; easy fabrication at low cost by photolithography and reactive ion etching processes; easy implementation with no need of pupil apodization. We present in this paper the first laboratory results demonstrating the high performance of a SLPM with an unobscured pupil. The on-axis attenuation reaches 2 × 10 -5 at λ = 800 nm and is better than 10 -4 over a 10% spectral bandwidth and better than 10 -3 over a 20% bandwidth. Finally, the detection of a planet can be achieved down to 1 λ/D.

Coronagraphic and low-emissivity astronomical reflector (CLEAR): heat trap design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siegmund, Walter A.

1998-08-01

The heat trap in a coronagraphic telescope is located at its prime focus and blocks the transmission of radiation from unwanted portions of the solar disk to subsequent optics in the telescope. This reduces light scattered and heat absorbed by these optics. For observations of the corona, the solar disk is completely blocked, whereas for observations of the disk, typically 90% or more of the disk is blocked. The proposed heat trap design is constructed largely of fused silica plates, partially coated with platinum, and cooled with air. It is robust and handles high irradiance, i.e., almost f megawatt/m(superscript 2) at f/3.75, without degrading the image quality of the telescope or contributing significant stray light to the focal surface.

Probing of Hermean Exosphere by ultraviolet spectroscopy: Instrument presentation, calibration philosophy and first lights results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mariscal, J. F.; Rouanet, N.; Maria, J. L.; Quémerais, E.; Mine, P. O.; Zuppella, P.; Suman, M.; Nicolosi, P.; Pelizzo, M. G.; Yoshikawa, I.; Yoshioka, K.; Murakami, G.

2017-11-01

PHEBUS (Probing of Hermean Exosphere by Ultraviolet Spectroscopy) is a double spectrometer for the Extreme Ultraviolet range (55-155 nm) and the Far Ultraviolet range (145-315 nm) dedicated to the characterization of Mercury's exosphere composition and dynamics, and surface-exosphere connections. PHEBUS is part of the ESA BepiColombo cornerstone mission payload devoted to the study of Mercury. The BepiColombo mission consists of two spacecrafts: the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO) and the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) on which PHEBUS will be mounted. PHEBUS is a French-led instrument implemented in a cooperative scheme involving Japan (detectors), Russia (scanner) and Italy (ground calibration). Before launch, PHEBUS team want to perform a full absolute calibration on ground, in addition to calibrations which will be made in-flight, in order to know the instrument's response as precisely as possible. Instrument overview and calibration philosophy are introduced along with the first lights results observed by a first prototype.

PROBING THE SOLAR WIND ACCELERATION REGION WITH THE SUN-GRAZING COMET C/2002 S2

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

Giordano, S.; Raymond, J. C.; Lamy, P.

Comet C/2002 S2, a member of the Kreutz family of sungrazing comets, was discovered in white-light images of the Large Angle and Spectromeric Coronagraph Experiment coronagraph on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) on 2002 September 18 and observed in H I Lyα emission by the SOHO Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) instrument at four different heights as it approached the Sun. The H I Lyα line profiles detected by UVCS are analyzed to determine the spectral parameters: line intensity, width, and Doppler shift with respect to the coronal background. Two-dimensional comet images of these parameters are reconstructed at the differentmore » heights. A novel aspect of the observations of this sungrazing comet data is that, whereas the emission from most of the tail is blueshifted, that along one edge of the tail is redshifted. We attribute these shifts to a combination of solar wind speed and interaction with the magnetic field. In order to use the comet to probe the density, temperature, and speed of the corona and solar wind through which it passes, as well as to determine the outgassing rate of the comet, we develop a Monte Carlo simulation of the H I Lyα emission of a comet moving through a coronal plasma. From the outgassing rate, we estimate a nucleus diameter of about 9 m. This rate steadily increases as the comet approaches the Sun, while the optical brightness decreases by more than a factor of 10 and suddenly recovers. This indicates that the optical brightness is determined by the lifetimes of the grains, sodium atoms, and molecules produced by the comet.« less

Space-based Coronagraphic Imaging Polarimetry of the TW Hydrae Disk: Shedding New Light on Self-shadowing Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poteet, Charles A.; Chen, Christine H.; Hines, Dean C.; Perrin, Marshall D.; Debes, John H.; Pueyo, Laurent; Schneider, Glenn; Mazoyer, Johan; Kolokolova, Ludmilla

2018-06-01

We present Hubble Space Telescope Near-Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer coronagraphic imaging polarimetry of the TW Hydrae protoplanetary disk. These observations simultaneously measure the total and polarized intensity, allowing direct measurement of the polarization fraction across the disk. In accord with the self-shadowing hypothesis recently proposed by Debes et al., we find that the total and polarized intensity of the disk exhibits strong azimuthal asymmetries at projected distances consistent with the previously reported bright and dark ring-shaped structures (∼45–99 au). The sinusoidal-like variations possess a maximum brightness at position angles near ∼268°–300° and are up to ∼28% stronger in total intensity. Furthermore, significant radial and azimuthal variations are also detected in the polarization fraction of the disk. In particular, we find that regions of lower polarization fraction are associated with annuli of increased surface brightness, suggesting that the relative proportion of multiple-to-single scattering is greater along the ring and gap structures. Moreover, we find strong (∼20%) azimuthal variation in the polarization fraction along the shadowed region of the disk. Further investigation reveals that the azimuthal variation is not the result of disk flaring effects, but is instead from a decrease in the relative contribution of multiple-to-single scattering within the shadowed region. Employing a two-layer scattering surface, we hypothesize that the diminished contribution in multiple scattering may result from shadowing by an inclined inner disk, which prevents direct stellar light from reaching the optically thick underlying surface component.

Astronaut operations requirements document for the White Light Coronagraph experiment s-052 for the Apollo Telescope Mount

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, C. L.

1973-01-01

Information necessary for successful performance of the observer's function in the White Light Coronagraph portion of the Apollo Telescope Mount experiments is presented. The pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight operations required to perform the S-052 experiment are described. A discussion of the scientific objectives of the experiment and a description of the hardware are provided.

The Image-Optimized Corona; Progress on Using Coronagraph Images to Constrain Coronal Magnetic Field Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, S. I.; Uritsky, V. M.; Davila, J. M.

2017-12-01

In absence of reliable coronal magnetic field measurements, solar physicists have worked for several decades to develop techniques for extrapolating photospheric magnetic field measurements into the solar corona and/or heliosphere. The products of these efforts tend to be very sensitive to variation in the photospheric measurements, such that the uncertainty in the photospheric measurements introduces significant uncertainty into the coronal and heliospheric models needed to predict such things as solar wind speed, IMF polarity at Earth, and CME propagation. Ultimately, the reason for the sensitivity of the model to the boundary conditions is that the model is trying to extact a great deal of information from a relatively small amout of data. We have published in recent years about a new method we are developing to use morphological information gleaned from coronagraph images to constrain models of the global coronal magnetic field. In our approach, we treat the photospheric measurements as approximations and use an optimization algorithm to iteratively find a global coronal model that best matches both the photospheric measurements and quasi-linear features observed in polarization brightness coronagraph images. Here we will summarize the approach we have developed and present recent progress in optimizing PFSS models based on GONG magnetograms and MLSO K-Cor images.

LADEE UVS (UltraViolet Visible Spectrometer) and the Search for Lunar Exospheric Dust: A Detailed Spectral Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wooden, Diane H.; Cook, Amanda; Colaprete, Anthony; Shirley, Mark; Vargo, Kara; Elphic, Richard C.; Hermalyn, Brendan; Stubbs, Timothy John; Glenar, David A.

2014-01-01

The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) executed science observations in lunar orbit spanning 2013-Oct-16- 2014-04-18 UT. LADEE's Ultraviolet/Visible Spectrometer (UVS) studies the composition and temporal variations of the tenuous lunar exosphere and dust environment, utilizing two sets of optics: a limb-viewing telescope, and a solar-viewer. The limb-viewing telescope observes illuminated dust and emitting gas species while the Sun is just behind the lunar limb. The solar viewer, with its diffuser, allows UVS to also stare directly at the solar disk as it approaches the limb, sampling progressively lower exosphere altitudes. Solar viewer "Occultation" activities occur at the lunar sunrise limb, as the LADEE spacecraft passes into the lunar night side, facing the Sun (the spacecraft orbit is near-equatorial retrograde). A loss of transmission of sunlight occurs by the occultation of dust grains along the line-of-sight. So-called "Inertial Limb" activities have the limb-viewing telescope pointed at the lit exosphere just after the Sun has set. Inertial Limb activities follow a similar progression of diminishing sampling altitudes but hold the solar elongation angle constant so the zodiacal light contribution remains constant while seeking to observe the weak lunar horizon glow. On the dark side of the moon, "Sodium Tail" activities pointed the limb-viewing telescope in the direction of the Moon's sodium tail (similar to anti-sunward), during different lunar phases. Of the UVS data sets, these show the largest excess of scattered blue light, indicative of the presence of small (approximately 100 nm) dust grains in the tail. Correlations are sought between dust in the sodium tail and meteor streams and magnetotail crossings to investigate impact- versus electrostatic-lofting. Once lofted, nanoparticles can become charged and picked up by the solar wind. The LADEE UVS Occultation, Inertial Limb, and Sodium Tail spectral datasets provide evidence of

Ultraviolet imaging detectors for the GOLD mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siegmund, O. H. W.; McPhate, J.; Curtis, T.; Jelinsky, S.; Vallerga, J. V.; Hull, J.; Tedesco, J.

2016-07-01

The GOLD mission is a NASA Explorer class ultraviolet Earth observing spectroscopy instrument that will be flown on a telecommunications satellite in geostationary orbit in 2018. Microchannel plate detectors operating in the 132 nm to 162 nm FUV bandpass with 2D imaging cross delay line readouts and electronics have been built for each of the two spectrometer channels for GOLD. The detectors are "open face" with CsI photocathodes, providing 30% efficiency at 130.4 nm and 15% efficiency at 160.8 nm. These detectors with their position encoding electronics provide 600 x 500 FWHM resolution elements and are photon counting, with event handling rates of > 200 KHz. The operational details of the detectors and their performance are discussed.

Medium-resolution far-ultraviolet spectroscopy of PKS 2155-304

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Appenzeller, I.; Mandel, H.; Krautter, J.; Bowyer, S.; Hurwitz, M.; Grewing, M.; Kramer, G.; Kappelmann, N.

1995-01-01

Using the Berkeley spectrometer of the Orbiting Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (ORFEUS) we observed the 87-117 nm UV spectrum of the BL Lac object PKS 2155-304 with about 0.5 A resolution. In addition to the expected interstellar lines we detected higher quantum number counterparts of the intergalactic Lyman alpha lines discovered earlier with IUE and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in the direction of PKS 2155-304. The Lyman discontinuities indicate for three of the redshifted clouds a combined H I column density of 2-5 x 10(exp 16)/sq cm, while the column density for another cloud appears to be well below 5 x 10(exp 15)/sq cm. No siginificant O VI absorption in the galactic halo toward PKS 2155-304 could be detected from our data. Assuming that saturation effects are negligible for these weak features, we obtain for the O VI column density toward PKS 2155-304 a 3 sigma upper limit of 2.7 x 10(exp 14)/sq cm.

Ultraviolet Studies of Jupiter's Hydrocarbons and Aerosols from Galileo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gladstone, G. Randall

2001-01-01

This is the final report for this project. The purpose of this project was to support PI Wayne Pryor's effort to reduce and analyze Galileo UVS (Ultraviolet Spectrometer) data under the JSDAP program. The spectral observations made by the Galileo UVS were to be analyzed to determine mixing ratios for important hydrocarbon species (and aerosols) in Jupiter's stratosphere as a function of location on Jupiter. Much of this work is still ongoing. To date, we have concentrated on analyzing the variability of the auroral emissions rather than the absorption signatures of hydrocarbons, although we have done some work in this area with related HST-STIS data.

Scientific Payload Of The Emirates Mars Mission: Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer (Emirs) Overview.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altunaiji, E. S.; Edwards, C. S.; Christensen, P. R.; Smith, M. D.; Badri, K. M., Sr.

2017-12-01

The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) will launch in 2020 to explore the dynamics in the atmosphere of Mars on a global scale. EMM has three scientific instruments to an improved understanding of circulation and weather in the Martian lower and middle atmosphere. Two of the EMM's instruments, which are the Emirates eXploration Imager (EXI) and Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer (EMIRS) will focus on the lower atmosphere observing dust, ice clouds, water vapor and ozone. On the other hand, the third instrument Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS) will focus on both the thermosphere of the planet and its exosphere. The EMIRS instrument, shown in Figure 1, is an interferometric thermal infrared spectrometer that is jointly developed by Arizona State University (ASU) and Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC). It builds on a long heritage of thermal infrared spectrometers designed, built, and managed, by ASU's Mars Space Flight Facility, including the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES), Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES), and the OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer (OTES). EMIRS operates in the 6-40+ µm range with 5 cm-1 spectral sampling, enabled by a Chemical Vapor-Deposited (CVD) diamond beamsplitter and state of the art electronics. This instrument utilizes a 3×3 detector array and a scan mirror to make high-precision infrared radiance measurements over most of a Martian hemisphere. The EMIRS instrument is optimized to capture the integrated, lower-middle atmosphere dynamics over a Martian hemisphere and will capture 60 global images per week ( 20 images per orbit) at a resolution of 100-300 km/pixel. After processing through an atmospheric retrieval algorithm, EMIRS will determine the vertical temperature profiles to 50km altitude and measure the column integrated global distribution and abundances of key atmospheric parameters (e.g. dust, water ice (clouds) and water vapor) over the Martian day, seasons and year.

Development and recent results from the Subaru coronagraphic extreme adaptive optics system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jovanovic, N.; Guyon, O.; Martinache, F.; Clergeon, C.; Singh, G.; Kudo, T.; Newman, K.; Kuhn, J.; Serabyn, E.; Norris, B.; Tuthill, P.; Stewart, P.; Huby, E.; Perrin, G.; Lacour, S.; Vievard, S.; Murakami, N.; Fumika, O.; Minowa, Y.; Hayano, Y.; White, J.; Lai, O.; Marchis, F.; Duchene, G.; Kotani, T.; Woillez, J.

2014-07-01

The Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics (SCExAO) instrument is one of a handful of extreme adaptive optics systems set to come online in 2014. The extreme adaptive optics correction is realized by a combination of precise wavefront sensing via a non-modulated pyramid wavefront sensor and a 2000 element deformable mirror. This system has recently begun on-sky commissioning and was operated in closed loop for several minutes at a time with a loop speed of 800 Hz, on ~150 modes. Further suppression of quasi-static speckles is possible via a process called "speckle nulling" which can create a dark hole in a portion of the frame allowing for an enhancement in contrast, and has been successfully tested on-sky. In addition to the wavefront correction there are a suite of coronagraphs on board to null out the host star which include the phase induced amplitude apodization (PIAA), the vector vortex, 8 octant phase mask, 4 quadrant phase mask and shaped pupil versions which operate in the NIR (y-K bands). The PIAA and vector vortex will allow for high contrast imaging down to an angular separation of 1 λ/D to be reached; a factor of 3 closer in than other extreme AO systems. Making use of the left over visible light not used by the wavefront sensor is VAMPIRES and FIRST. These modules are based on aperture masking interferometry and allow for sub-diffraction limited imaging with moderate contrasts of ~100-1000:1. Both modules have undergone initial testing on-sky and are set to be fully commissioned by the end of 2014.

Preliminary error budget analysis of the coronagraphic instrument metis for the solar orbiter ESA mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Da Deppo, Vania; Poletto, Luca; Crescenzio, Giuseppe; Fineschi, Silvano; Antonucci, Ester; Naletto, Giampiero

2017-11-01

METIS, the Multi Element Telescope for Imaging and Spectroscopy, is the solar coronagraph foreseen for the ESA Solar Orbiter mission. METIS is conceived to image the solar corona from a near-Sun orbit in three different spectral bands: in the HeII EUV narrow band at 30.4 nm, in the HI UV narrow band at 121.6 nm, and in the polarized visible light band (590 - 650 nm). It also incorporates the capability of multi-slit spectroscopy of the corona in the UV/EUV range at different heliocentric heights. METIS is an externally occulted coronagraph which adopts an "inverted occulted" configuration. The Inverted external occulter (IEO) is a small circular aperture at the METIS entrance; the Sun-disk light is rejected by a spherical mirror M0 through the same aperture, while the coronal light is collected by two annular mirrors M1-M2 realizing a Gregorian telescope. To allocate the spectroscopic part, one portion of the M2 is covered by a grating (i.e. approximately 1/8 of the solar corona will not be imaged). This paper presents the error budget analysis for this new concept coronagraph configuration, which incorporates 3 different sub-channels: UV and EUV imaging sub-channel, in which the UV and EUV light paths have in common the detector and all of the optical elements but a filter, the polarimetric visible light sub-channel which, after the telescope optics, has a dedicated relay optics and a polarizing unit, and the spectroscopic sub-channel, which shares the filters and the detector with the UV-EUV imaging one, but includes a grating instead of the secondary mirror. The tolerance analysis of such an instrument is quite complex: in fact not only the optical performance for the 3 sub-channels has to be maintained simultaneously, but also the positions of M0 and of the occulters (IEO, internal occulter and Lyot stop), which guarantee the optimal disk light suppression, have to be taken into account as tolerancing parameters. In the aim of assuring the scientific

Kinematic properties of solar coronal mass ejections: Correction for projection effects in spacecraft coronagraph measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, T. A.; Nandy, D.; Koepke, A. C.

2008-01-01

One of the main sources of uncertainty in quantifying the kinematic properties of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) using coronagraphs is the fact that coronagraph images are projected into the sky plane, resulting in measurements which can differ significantly from their actual values. By identifying solar surface source regions of CMEs using X-ray and Hα flare and disappearing filament data, and through considerations of CME trajectories in three-dimensional (3-D) geometry, we have devised a methodology to correct for the projection effect. We outline this method here. The methodology was automated and applied to over 10,000 CMEs in the Coordinated Data Analysis Workshop (CDAW) (SOHO Large Angle Spectroscopic Coronagraph) catalog spanning 1996-2005, in which we could associate 1961 CMEs with an appropriate surface event. In the latter subset, deprojected speeds, accelerations, and launch angles were determined to study CME kinematics. Our analysis of this subset of events reconfirms some important trends, notably that previously uncovered solar cycle variation of CME properties are preserved, CMEs with greater width have higher speeds, and slower CMEs tend to accelerate while faster CMEs tend to decelerate. This points out that statistical trends in CME properties, recovered from plane-of-sky measurements, may be preserved even in the face of more sophisticated 3-D measurements from spacecrafts such as STEREO, if CME trajectories are predominantly radial. However, our results also show that the magnitude of corrected measurements can differ significantly from the projected plane-of-sky measurements on a case-by-case basis and that acceleration is more sensitive to the deprojection process than speed. Average corrected speed and acceleration tend to be a factor of 1.7 and 4.4 higher than their projected values, with mean corrected speed and acceleration magnitudes being on the order of 1000 km/s and 50 m/s2, respectively. We conclude that while using the plane

UV Resonant Raman Spectrometer with Multi-Line Laser Excitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lambert, James L.; Kohel, James M.; Kirby, James P.; Morookian, John Michael; Pelletier, Michael J.

2013-01-01

A Raman spectrometer employs two or more UV (ultraviolet) laser wavel engths to generate UV resonant Raman (UVRR) spectra in organic sampl es. Resonant Raman scattering results when the laser excitation is n ear an electronic transition of a molecule, and the enhancement of R aman signals can be several orders of magnitude. In addition, the Ra man cross-section is inversely proportional to the fourth power of t he wavelength, so the UV Raman emission is increased by another fact or of 16, or greater, over visible Raman emissions. The Raman-scatter ed light is collected using a high-resolution broadband spectrograph . Further suppression of the Rayleigh-scattered laser light is provi ded by custom UV notch filters.

Solar wind acceleration in the solar corona

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giordano, S.; Antonucci, E.; Benna, C.; Kohl, J. L.; Noci, G.; Michels, J.; Fineschi, S.

1997-01-01

The intensity ratio of the O VI doublet in the extended area is analyzed. The O VI intensity data were obtained with the ultraviolet coronagraph spectrometer (UVCS) during the SOHO campaign 'whole sun month'. The long term observations above the north pole of the sun were used for the polar coronal data. Using these measurements, the solar wind outflow velocity in the extended corona was determined. The 100 km/s level is running along the streamer borders. The acceleration of the solar wind is found to be high in regions between streamers. In the central part of streamers, the outflow velocity of the coronal plasma remains below 100 km/s at least within 3.8 solar radii. The regions at the north and south poles, characterized by a more rapid acceleration of the solar wind, correspond to regions where the UVCS observes enhanced O VI line broadenings.

Occulting focal plane masks for Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph: design, fabrication, simulations and test results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; Hoppe, Daniel J.; Halverson, Peter G.; Wilson, Daniel W.; Echternach, Pierre M.; Shi, Fang; Lowman, Andrew E.; Niessner, Albert F.; Trauger, John T.; Shaklan, Stuart B.

2005-01-01

Occulting focal plane masks for the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph (TPF-C) could be designed with continuous gray scale profile of the occulting pattern such as 1-sinc2 on a suitable material or with micron-scale binary transparent and opaque structures of metallic pattern on glass. We have designed, fabricated and tested both kinds of masks. The fundamental characteristics of such masks and initial test results from the High Contrast Imaging Test bed (HCIT) at JPL are presented.

Subaru Near Infrared Coronagraphic Images of T Tauri

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayama, Satoshi; Tamura, Motohide; Hayashi, Masahiko; Itoh, Yoichi; Fukagawa, Misato; Suto, Hiroshi; Ishii, Miki; Murakawa, Koji; Oasa, Yumiko; Hayashi, Saeko S.; Yamashita, Takuya; Morino, Junichi; Oya, Shin; Naoi, Takahiro; Pyo, Tae-Soo; Nishikawa, Takayuki; Kudo, Tomoyuki; Usuda, Tomonori; Ando, Hiroyasu; Miyama, Shoken M.; Kaifu, Norio

2006-04-01

High angular resolution near-infrared (JHK) adaptive optics images of T Tau were obtained with the infrared camera Coronagraphic Imager with Adaptive Optics (CIAO) mounted on the 8.2m Subaru Telescope in 2002 and 2004. The images resolve a complex circumstellar structure around a multiple system. We resolved T Tau Sa and Sb as well as T Tau N and S. The estimated orbit of T Tau Sb indicates that it is probably bound to T Tau Sa. The K band flux of T Tau S decreased by ˜ 1.7 Jy in 2002 November compared with that in 2001 mainly because T Tau Sa became fainter. The arc-like ridge detected in our near-infrared images is consistent with what is seen at visible wavelengths, supporting the interpretation in previous studies that the arc is part of the cavity wall seen relatively pole-on. Halo emission is detected out to ˜2''from T Tau N. This may be light scattered off the common envelope surrounding the T Tauri multiple system.

Study of an astronomical extreme ultraviolet rocket spectrometer for use on shuttle missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowyer, C. S.

1977-01-01

The adaptation of an extreme ultraviolet astronomy rocket payload for flight on the shuttle was studied. A sample payload for determining integration and flight procedures for experiments which may typically be flown on shuttle missions was provided. The electrical, mechanical, thermal, and operational interface requirements between the payload and the orbiter were examined. Of particular concern was establishing a baseline payload accommodation which utilizes proven common hardware for electrical, data, command, and possibly real time monitoring functions. The instrument integration and checkout procedures necessary to assure satisfactory in-orbit instrument performance were defined and those procedures which can be implemented in such a way as to minimize their impact on orbiter integration schedules were identified.

Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) spectrometer design and performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macenka, Steven A.; Chrisp, Michael P.

1987-01-01

The development of the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) has been completed at JPL. This paper outlines the functional requirements of the spectrometer optics subsystem, and describes the spectrometer optical design. The optical subsystem performance is shown in terms of spectral modulation transfer functions, radial energy distributions, and system transmission at selected wavelengths for the four spectrometers. An outline of the spectrometer alignment is included.

Ultraviolet Extensions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Side-by-Side Comparison Click on image for larger view

This ultraviolet image from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows the Southern Pinwheel galaxy, also know as Messier 83 or M83. It is located 15 million light-years away in the southern constellation Hydra.

Ultraviolet light traces young populations of stars; in this image, young stars can be seen way beyond the main spiral disk of M83 up to 140,000 light-years from its center. Could life exist around one of these far-flung stars? Scientists say it's unlikely because the outlying regions of a galaxy are lacking in the metals required for planets to form.

The image was taken at scheduled intervals between March 15 and May 20, 2007. It is one of the longest-exposure, or deepest, images ever taken of a nearby galaxy in ultraviolet light. Near-ultraviolet light (or longer-wavelength ultraviolet light) is colored yellow, and far-ultraviolet light is blue.

What Lies Beyond the Edge of a Galaxy The side-by-side comparison shows the Southern Pinwheel galaxy, or M83, as seen in ultraviolet light (right) and at both ultraviolet and radio wavelengths (left). While the radio data highlight the galaxy's long, octopus-like arms stretching far beyond its main spiral disk (red), the ultraviolet data reveal clusters of baby stars (blue) within the extended arms.

The ultraviolet image was taken by NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer between March 15 and May 20, 2007, at scheduled intervals. Back in 2005, the telescope first photographed M83 over a shorter period of time. That picture was the first to reveal far-flung baby stars forming up to 63,000 light-years from the edge of the main spiral disk. This came as a surprise to astronomers because a galaxy's outer territory typically lacks high densities of star-forming materials.

The newest picture of M83 from the Galaxy Evolution Explorer is shown at the right, and was taken over a longer period of

A new membrane inlet interface of a vacuum ultraviolet lamp ionization miniature mass spectrometer for on-line rapid measurement of volatile organic compounds in air.

PubMed

Hou, Keyong; Wang, Junde; Li, Haiyang

2007-01-01

A novel membrane inlet interface coupled to a single-photon ionization (SPI) miniature time-of-flight mass spectrometer has been developed for on-line rapid measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light source for SPI was a commercial krypton discharge lamp with photon energy of 10.6 eV and photon flux of 10(10) photons/s. The experimental results showed that the sensitivity was 5 times as high as obtained with the traditional membrane inlet. The enrichment efficiency could be adjusted in the range of 10 to 20 times for different VOCs when a buffer cell was added to the inlet interface, and the memory effect was effectively eliminated. A detection limit as low as 25 parts-per-billion by volume (ppbv) for benzene has been achieved, with a linear dynamic range of three orders of magnitude. The rise times were 6 s, 10 s and 15 s for benzene, toluene and p-xylene, respectively, and the fall time was only 6 s for all of these compounds. The analytical capacity of this system was demonstrated by the on-line analysis of VOCs in single puff mainstream cigarette smoke, in which more than 50 compounds were detected in 2 s. Copyright 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Configuration and calibration of a flat field grating spectrometer in the wavelength range 7-60 Å with a Manson ultrasoft x-ray source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Y.; Shi, Z.; Fei, Z.; Jin, X.; Xiao, J.; Hutton, R.; Zou, Y.

2011-06-01

An ultrasoft x-ray and extreme ultraviolet spectrometer built and calibrated in the wavelength range of 7-60 Å is reported here. Details of the alignment of this flat field spectrometer with both a laser and a telescope are presented. The light path function rather than a standard calibration function, i.e. a polynomial function, is introduced as the fit function, which gives good agreement with the spectrometer design values and makes the calibration more reliable when extended to the region outside the points used for calibration, compared with a standard calibration function. The calibration results of a Manson ultrasoft x-ray source (model 2) with source targets of Cu, Fe and Ti are presented with all the peaks marked.

Post-processing images from the WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph testbed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmerman, Neil T.; Ygouf, Marie; Pueyo, Laurent; Soummer, Remi; Perrin, Marshall D.; Mennesson, Bertrand; Cady, Eric; Mejia Prada, Camilo

2016-01-01

The concept for the exoplanet imaging instrument on WFIRST-AFTA relies on the development of mission-specific data processing tools to reduce the speckle noise floor. No instruments have yet functioned on the sky in the planet-to-star contrast regime of the proposed coronagraph (1E-8). Therefore, starlight subtraction algorithms must be tested on a combination of simulated and laboratory data sets to give confidence that the scientific goals can be reached. The High Contrast Imaging Testbed (HCIT) at Jet Propulsion Lab has carried out several technology demonstrations for the instrument concept, demonstrating 1E-8 raw (absolute) contrast. Here, we have applied a mock reference differential imaging strategy to HCIT data sets, treating one subset of images as a reference star observation and another subset as a science target observation. We show that algorithms like KLIP (Karhunen-Loève Image Projection), by suppressing residual speckles, enable the recovery of exoplanet signals at contrast of order 2E-9.

Absorption spectra of localized surface plasmon resonance observed in an inline/picoliter spectrometer cell fabricated by a near ultraviolet femtosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiraishi, Masahiko; Nishiyama, Michiko; Watanabe, Kazuhiro; Kubodera, Shoichi

2018-03-01

Absorption spectra based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) were obtained with an inline/picoliter spectrometer cell. The spectrometer cell was fabricated into an optical glass fiber by focusing a near UV (NUV) femtosecond laser pulses at a wavelength of 400 nm with an energy of 30 μJ. The laser beam was focused from two directions opposite to each other to fabricate a through-hole spectrometer cell. A diameter of the cell was approximately 3 μm, and the length was approximately 62.5 μm, which was nearly equal to the core diameter of the optical fiber. Liquid solution of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with a diameter of 5-10 nm was injected into the spectrometer cell with its volume of 0.4 pL. The absorption peak centered at 518 nm was observed. An increase of absorption associated with the increase of the number of nanoparticles was in agreement with the numerical calculation based on the Lambert-Beer law.

Ultraviolet-Absorption Spectroscopic Biofilm Monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Micheels, Ronald H.

2004-01-01

An ultraviolet-absorption spectrometer system has been developed as a prototype instrument to be used in continuous, real-time monitoring to detect the growth of biofilms. Such monitoring is desirable because biofilms are often harmful. For example, biofilms in potable-water and hydroponic systems act as both sources of pathogenic bacteria that resist biocides and as a mechanism for deterioration (including corrosion) of pipes. Biofilms formed from several types of hazardous bacteria can thrive in both plant-growth solutions and low-nutrient media like distilled water. Biofilms can also form in condensate tanks in air-conditioning systems and in industrial heat exchangers. At present, bacteria in potable-water and plant-growth systems aboard the space shuttle (and previously on the Mir space station) are monitored by culture-plate counting, which entails an incubation period of 24 to 48 hours for each sample. At present, there are no commercially available instruments for continuous monitoring of biofilms in terrestrial or spaceborne settings.

Spatially Resolved Spectroscopy and Coronagraphic Imaging of the TW Hydrae Circumstellar Disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberge, Aki; Weinberger, Alycia J.; Malumuth, Eliot M.

2005-04-01

We present the first spatially resolved spectrum of scattered light from the TW Hydrae protoplanetary disk. This nearly face-on disk is optically thick, surrounding a classical T Tauri star in the nearby 10 Myr old TW Hya association. The spectrum was taken with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) STIS CCD, providing resolution R~360 over the wavelength range 5250-10300 Å. Spatially resolved spectroscopy of circumstellar disks is difficult because of the high contrast ratio between the bright star and faint disk. Our novel observations provide optical spectra of scattered light from the disk between 40 and 155 AU from the star. The scattered light has the same color as the star (gray scattering) at all radii except the innermost region. This likely indicates that the scattering dust grains are larger than about 1 μm all the way out to large radii. From the spectroscopic data, we also obtained radial profiles of the integrated disk brightness at two position angles, over almost the same region as previously observed in HST WFPC2 and NICMOS coronagraphic images (35 to 173 AU from the star). The profiles have the same shape as the earlier ones, but show a small azimuthal asymmetry in the disk not previously noted. Our STIS broadband coronagraphic images of TW Hya confirm the reality of this asymmetry, and show that the disk surface brightness inside 140 AU has a sinusoidal dependence on azimuthal angle. The maximum brightness occurs at a position angle of 233.6d+/-5.7d east of north. This might be caused by the combination of forward scattering and an increase in inclination in the inner region of the disk, suggesting that the TW Hya disk has a warp like that seen in the β Pictoris debris disk.

Electric Field Reconstruction in the Image Plane of a High-Contrast Coronagraph Using a Set of Pinholes around the Lyot Plane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giveona, Amir; Shaklan, Stuart; Kern, Brian; Noecker, Charley; Kendrick, Steve; Wallace, Kent

2012-01-01

In a setup similar to the self coherent camera, we have added a set of pinholes in the diffraction ring of the Lyot plane in a high-contrast stellar Lyot coronagraph. We describe a novel complex electric field reconstruction from image plane intensity measurements consisting of light in the coronagraph's dark hole interfering with light from the pinholes. The image plane field is modified by letting light through one pinhole at a time. In addition to estimation of the field at the science camera, this method allows for self-calibration of the probes by letting light through the pinholes in various permutations while blocking the main Lyot opening. We present results of estimation and calibration from the High Contrast Imaging Testbed along with a comparison to the pair-wise deformable mirror diversity based estimation technique. Tests are carried out in narrow-band light and over a composite 10% bandpass.

APODIZED PUPIL LYOT CORONAGRAPHS FOR ARBITRARY APERTURES. IV. REDUCED INNER WORKING ANGLE AND INCREASED ROBUSTNESS TO LOW-ORDER ABERRATIONS

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

N'Diaye, Mamadou; Pueyo, Laurent; Soummer, Rémi, E-mail: mamadou@stsci.edu

The Apodized Pupil Lyot Coronagraph (APLC) is a diffraction suppression system installed in the recently deployed instruments Palomar/P1640, Gemini/GPI, and VLT/SPHERE to allow direct imaging and spectroscopy of circumstellar environments. Using a prolate apodization, the current implementations offer raw contrasts down to 10{sup –7} at 0.2 arcsec from a star over a wide bandpass (20%), in the presence of central obstruction and struts, enabling the study of young or massive gaseous planets. Observations of older or lighter companions at smaller separations would require improvements in terms of the inner working angle (IWA) and contrast, but the methods originally used for thesemore » designs were not able to fully explore the parameter space. We propose a novel approach to improve the APLC performance. Our method relies on the linear properties of the coronagraphic electric field with the apodization at any wavelength to develop numerical solutions producing coronagraphic star images with high-contrast region in broadband light. We explore the parameter space by considering different aperture geometries, contrast levels, dark-zone sizes, bandpasses, and focal plane mask sizes. We present an application of these solutions to the case of Gemini/GPI with a design delivering a 10{sup –8} raw contrast at 0.19 arcsec and offering a significantly reduced sensitivity to low-order aberrations compared to the current implementation. Optimal solutions have also been found to reach 10{sup –10} contrast in broadband light regardless of the aperture shape, with effective IWA in the 2-3.5 λ/D range, therefore making the APLC a suitable option for the future exoplanet direct imagers on the ground or in space.« less

UV spectroscopy with the CETUS multi-object spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kendrick, Stephen E.; Woodruff, Robert; Hull, Anthony; Heap, Sara; Kutyrev, Alexander; Purves, Lloyd; Danchi, William

2018-01-01

The ultraviolet multi-object spectrograph (MOS) for the Cosmic Evolution Through UV Spectroscopy (CETUS) concept is a slit-based instrument allowing multiple simultaneous observations over a wide field of view. The UV MOS will be able to target up to 100 objects at a time without the issues of confusion with nearby sources or unwanted background like zodiacal stray light. The multiplexing will allow over 100,000 galaxies to be observed over a typical mission lifetime which greatly enhances the scientific yield. The MOS utilizes a next-generation micro-shutter array, an efficient aspheric Offner-like spectrometer design with a convex grating, and nanotube light traps for suppressing unwanted wavelengths. The optical coatings are also designed for optimizing the UV throughput while minimizing out-of-band signal at the detector.

Neutral Mass Spectrometer (NMS) for the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collier, Michael R.; Mahaffy, Paul R.; Benna, Mehdi; King, Todd T.; Hodges, Richard

2011-01-01

The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission currently scheduled for launch in early 2013 aboard a Minotaur V will orbit the moon at a nominal periselene of 50 km to characterized the lunar atmosphere and dust environment. The science instrument payload includes a neutral mass spectrometer as well as an ultraviolet spectrometer and a dust detector. Although to date only He, Ar-40, K, Na and Rn-222 have been firmly identified in the lunar exosphere and arise from the solar wind (He), the lunar regolith (K and Na) and the lunar interior (Ar-40, Rn-222), upper limits have been set for a large number of other species, LADEE Neutral Mass Spectrometer (NMS) observations will determine the abundance of several species and substantially lower the present upper limits for many others. Additionally, LADEE NMS will observe the spatial distribution and temporal variability of species which condense at nighttime and show peak concentrations at the dawn terminator (e,g, Ar-40), possible episodic release from the lunar interior, and the results of sputtering or desorption processes from the regolith. In this presentation, we describe the LADEE NMS hardware and the anticipated science results.

Spherical grating spectrometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Donoghue, Darragh; Clemens, J. Christopher

2014-07-01

We describe designs for spectrometers employing convex dispersers. The Offner spectrometer was the first such instrument; it has almost exclusively been employed on satellite platforms, and has had little impact on ground-based instruments. We have learned how to fabricate curved Volume Phase Holographic (VPH) gratings and, in contrast to the planar gratings of traditional spectrometers, describe how such devices can be used in optical/infrared spectrometers designed specifically for curved diffraction gratings. Volume Phase Holographic gratings are highly efficient compared to conventional surface relief gratings; they have become the disperser of choice in optical / NIR spectrometers. The advantage of spectrometers with curved VPH dispersers is the very small number of optical elements used (the simplest comprising a grating and a spherical mirror), as well as illumination of mirrors off axis, resulting in greater efficiency and reduction in size. We describe a "Half Offner" spectrometer, an even simpler version of the Offner spectrometer. We present an entirely novel design, the Spherical Transmission Grating Spectrometer (STGS), and discuss exemplary applications, including a design for a double-beam spectrometer without any requirement for a dichroic. This paradigm change in spectrometer design offers an alternative to all-refractive astronomical spectrometer designs, using expensive, fragile lens elements fabricated from CaF2 or even more exotic materials. The unobscured mirror layout avoids a major drawback of the previous generation of catadioptric spectrometer designs. We describe laboratory measurements of the efficiency and image quality of a curved VPH grating in a STGS design, demonstrating, simultaneously, efficiency comparable to planar VPH gratings along with good image quality. The stage is now set for construction of a prototype instrument with impressive performance.

Ultraviolet Laser Lithography of Titania Photonic Crystals for Terahertz-Wave Modulation.

PubMed

Kirihara, Soshu; Nonaka, Koki; Kisanuki, Shoichiro; Nozaki, Hirotoshi; Sakaguchi, Keito

2018-05-18

Three-dimensional (3D) microphotonic crystals with a diamond structure composed of titania microlattices were fabricated using ultraviolet laser lithography, and the bandgap properties in the terahertz (THz) electromagnetic-wave frequency region were investigated. An acrylic resin paste with titania fine particle dispersions was used as the raw material for additive manufacturing. By scanning a spread paste surface with an ultraviolet laser beam, two-dimensional solid patterns were dewaxed and sintered. Subsequently, 3D structures with a relative density of 97% were created via layer lamination and joining. A titania diamond lattice with a lattice constant density of 240 µm was obtained. The properties of the electromagnetic wave were measured using a THz time-domain spectrometer. In the transmission spectra for the Γ-X direction, a forbidden band was observed from 0.26 THz to 0.44 THz. The frequency range of the bandgap agreed well with calculated results obtained using the plane⁻wave expansion method. Additionally, results of a simulation via transmission-line modeling indicated that a localized mode can be obtained by introducing a plane defect between twinned diamond lattice structures.

Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer's (EMUS) Prediction of Oxygen OI 135.6 nm and CO 4PG Emissions in the Martian Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almatroushi, H. R.; Lootah, F. H.; Deighan, J.; Fillingim, M. O.; Jain, S.; Bougher, S. W.; England, S.; Schneider, N. M.

2017-12-01

This research focuses on developing empirical and theoretical models for OI 135.6 nm and CO 4PG band system FUV dayglow emissions in the Martian thermosphere as predicted to be seen from the Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS), one of the three scientific instruments aboard the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) to be launched in 2020. These models will aid in simulating accurate disk radiances which will be utilized as an input to an EMUS instrument simulator. The developed zonally averaged empirical models are based on FUV data from the IUVS instrument onboard the MAVEN mission, while the theoretical models are based on a basic Chapman profile. The models calculate the brightness (B) of those emissions taking into consideration observation geometry parameters such as emission angle (EA), solar zenith angle (SZA) and planet distance from the sun (Ds). Specifically, the empirical models takes a general form of Bn=A*cos(SZA)n/cos(EA)m , where Bn is the normalized brightness value of an emission feature, and A, n, and m are positive constant values. The model form shows that the brightness has a positive correlation with EA and a negative correlation with SZA. A comparison of both models are explained in this research while examining full Mars and half Mars disk images generated using geometry code specially developed for the EMUS instrument. Sensitivity analyses have also been conducted for the theoretical modeling to observe the contributions of electron impact on atomic oxygen and CO2 to the brightness of OI 135.6nm, in addition to the effect of electron temperature on the CO2± dissociative recombination contribution to the CO 4PG band system.

Diffraction modeling of finite subband EFC probing on dark hole contrast with WFIRST-CGI shaped pupil coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Hanying; Krist, John; Nemati, Bijan

2016-08-01

Current coronagraph instrument design (CGI), as a part of a proposed NASA WFIRST (Wide-Field InfraRed Survey Telescope) mission, allocates two subband filters per full science band in order to contain system complexity and cost. We present our detailed investigation results on the adequacy of such limited number of finite subband filters in achieving full band dark hole contrast with shaped pupil coronagraph. The study is based on diffraction propagation modeling with realistic WFIRST optics, where each subband's complex field estimation is obtained, using Electric Field Conjugation (EFC) wavefront sensing / control algorithm, from pairwise pupil plane deformable mirror (DM) probing and image plane intensity averaging of the resulting fields of multiple (subband) wavelengths. Multiple subband choices and probing and control strategies are explored, including standard subband probing; mixed wavelength and/or weighted Jacobian matrix; subband probing with intensity subtraction; and extended subband probing with intensity subtraction. Overall, the investigation shows that the achievable contrast with limited number of finite subband EFC probing is about 2 2.5x worse than the designed post-EFC contrast for current SPC design. The result suggests that for future shaped pupil design, slightly larger over intended full bandwidth should be considered if it will be used with limited subbands for probing.

Linear Thermal Expansion Measurements of Lead Magnesium Niobate (PMN) Electroceramic Material for the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karlmann, Paul B.; Halverson, Peter G.; Peters, Robert D.; Levine, Marie B.; VanBuren, David; Dudik, Matthew J.

2005-01-01

Linear thermal expansion measurements of nine samples of Lead Magnesium Niobate (PMN) electroceramic material were recently performed in support of NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph (TPF-C) mission. The TPF-C mission is a visible light coronagraph designed to look at roughly 50 stars pre- selected as good candidates for possessing earth-like planets. Upon detection of an earth-like planet, TPF-C will analyze the visible-light signature of the planet's atmosphere for specific spectroscopic indicators that life may exist there. With this focus, the project's primary interest in PMN material is for use as a solid-state actuator for deformable mirrors or compensating optics. The nine test samples were machined from three distinct boules of PMN ceramic manufactured by Xinetics Inc. Thermal expansion measurements were performed in 2005 at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in their Cryogenic Dilatometer Facility. All measurements were performed in vacuum with sample temperature actively controlled over the range of 270K to 3 10K. Expansion and contraction of the test samples with temperature was measured using a JPL developed interferometric system capable of sub-nanometer accuracy. Presented in this paper is a discussion of the sample configuration, test facilities, test method, data analysis, test results, and future plans.

Spectral transmission of the pig lens: effect of ultraviolet A+B radiation.

PubMed

Artigas, C; Navea, A; López-Murcia, M-M; Felipe, A; Desco, C; Artigas, J-M

2014-12-01

To determine the spectral transmission curve of the crystalline lens of the pig. To analyse how this curve changes when the crystalline lens is irradiated with ultraviolet A+B radiation similar to that of the sun. To compare these results with literature data from the human crystalline lens. We used crystalline lenses of the common pig from a slaughterhouse, i.e. genetically similar pigs, fed with the same diet, and slaughtered at six months old. Spectral transmission was measured with a Perkin-Elmer Lambda 35 UV/VIS spectrometer. The lenses were irradiated using an Asahi Spectra Lax-C100 ultraviolet source, which made it possible to select the spectral emission band as well as the intensity and exposure time. The pig lens transmits all the visible spectrum (95%) and lets part of the ultraviolet A through (15%). Exposure to acute UV (A+B) irradiation causes a decrease in its transmission as the intensity or exposure time increases: this decrease is considerable in the UV region. We were able to determine the mean spectral transmission curve of the pig lens. It appears to be similar to that of the human lens in the visible spectrum, but different in the ultraviolet. Pig lens transmission is reduced by UV (A+B) irradiation and its transmission in the UV region can even disappear as the intensity or exposure time increases. An adequate exposure intensity and time of UV (A+B) radiation always causes an anterior subcapsular cataract (ASC). Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Sensor system development for the WSO-UV (World Space Observatory-Ultraviolet) space-based astronomical telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayes-Thakore, Chris; Spark, Stephen; Pool, Peter; Walker, Andrew; Clapp, Matthew; Waltham, Nick; Shugarov, Andrey

2015-10-01

As part of a strategy to provide increasingly complex systems to customers, e2v is currently developing the sensor solution for focal plane array for the WSO-UV (World Space Observatory - Ultraviolet) programme, a Russian led 170 cm space astronomical telescope. This is a fully integrated sensor system for the detection of UV light across 3 channels: 2 high resolution spectrometers covering wavelengths of 115 - 176 nm and 174 - 310 nm and a Long-Slit Spectrometer covering 115 nm - 310 nm. This paper will describe the systematic approach and technical solution that has been developed based on e2v's long heritage, CCD experience and expertise. It will show how this approach is consistent with the key performance requirements and the overall environment requirements that the delivered system will experience through ground test, integration, storage and flight.

Research in extreme ultraviolet and far ultraviolet astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Labov, S. E.

1985-01-01

Instruments designed to explore different aspects of far and extreme ultraviolet cosmic radiation were studied. The far ultraviolet imager (FUVI) was flown on the Aries sounding rocket. Its unique large format 75mm detector mapped out the far ultraviolet background radiation with a resolution of only a few arc minutes. Analysis of this data indicates to what extent the FUVI background is extra galactic in origin. A power spectrum of the spatial fluctuations will have direct consequences for galactic evolution.

Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wdowiak, T. J.

1993-01-01

Wide-field imaging systems equipped with objective prisms or gratings have had a long history of utility in groundbased observations of meteors and comets. Deployment of similar instruments from low Earth orbit would allow the first UV observations of meteors. This instrument can be used for comets and Lyman alpha coronae of Earth-orbit-crossing asteroids. A CaF2 prism imaging spectrograph designed for stellar observations was used aboard Skylab to observe Comet Kohoutek (1973f), but its 1300-A cut-off precluded Lyman alpha images and it was not used for observation of meteors. Because the observation of the UV spectrum of a meteor has never been attempted, researchers are denied the opportunity to obtain composition information from spectra at those wavelengths. We propose construction of a flight instrument functioning in the 1100-3200 A spectral range that is suitable for a dedicated satellite ('Quick Star') or as a space-station-attached payload. It can also be an autonomous package in the space shuttle cargo bay.

Correlation spectrometer

DOEpatents

Sinclair, Michael B [Albuquerque, NM; Pfeifer, Kent B [Los Lunas, NM; Flemming, Jeb H [Albuquerque, NM; Jones, Gary D [Tijeras, NM; Tigges, Chris P [Albuquerque, NM

2010-04-13

A correlation spectrometer can detect a large number of gaseous compounds, or chemical species, with a species-specific mask wheel. In this mode, the spectrometer is optimized for the direct measurement of individual target compounds. Additionally, the spectrometer can measure the transmission spectrum from a given sample of gas. In this mode, infrared light is passed through a gas sample and the infrared transmission signature of the gasses present is recorded and measured using Hadamard encoding techniques. The spectrometer can detect the transmission or emission spectra in any system where multiple species are present in a generally known volume.

Responsivity calibration of the LoWEUS spectrometer

DOE PAGES

Lepson, J. K.; Beiersdorfer, P.; Kaita, R.; ...

2016-09-02

We performed an in situ calibration of the relative responsivity function of the Long-Wavelength Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (LoWEUS), while operating on the Lithium Tokamak Experiment (LTX) at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The calibration was accomplished by measuring oxygen lines, which are typically present in LTX plasmas. The measured spectral line intensities of each oxygen charge state were then compared to the calculated emission strengths given in the CHIANTI atomic database. Normalizing the strongest line in each charge state to the CHIANTI predictions, we obtained the differences between the measured and predicted values for the relative strengths of the other linesmore » of a given charge state. We find that a 3rd degree polynomial function provides a good fit to the data points. Lastly, our measurements show that the responsivity between about 120 and 300 Å varies by factor of ~30.« less

An overview of the extreme ultraviolet explorer and its scientific program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malina, Roger F.; Finley, David S.; Jelinsky, Patrick; Vallerga, John; Bowyer, Stuart

1987-01-01

NASA's Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) will carry out an all-sky survey from 8 to 90 nm in four bandpasses; the limiting sensitivity will be between 2 to 3 orders of magnitude fainter than the hot white dwarf HZ 43. A deep survey will also be carried out along the ecliptic which will have a limiting sensitivity of 1 to 2 orders of magnitude fainter than the all-sky survey in the bandpass from 8 to 50 nm. The payload also includes a spectrometer which will be used to observe the brighter sources found in the surveys with a spectral resolution of 1 to 2 A.

SiC/Mg multilayer coatings for SCORE coronagraph: long term stability analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelizzo, Maria Guglielmina; Fineschi, Silvano; Zuppella, Paola; Corso, Alain Jody; Windt, David L.; Nicolosi, Piergiorgio

2011-10-01

SiC/Mg multilayers have been used as coatings of the Sounding-rocket CORonagraphic Experiment (SCORE) telescope mirrors launched during the NASA HERSCHEL program. This materials couple has been largely studied by researchers since it provides higher performances than a standard Mo/Si multilayer; the SCORE mirrors show in fact a peak reflectance of around 40% at HeII 30.4 nm. Nevertheless, long term stability of this coating is an open problem. A study on the aging and stability of this multilayer has been carried on. SiC/Mg multilayer samples characterized by different structural parameters have been deposited. They have been measured just after deposition and four years later to verify degradation based on natural aging. Experimental results and analysis are presented.

The development and test of a deformable diffraction grating for a stigmatic EUV spectroheliometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Timothy, J. Gethyn; Walker, A. B. C., Jr.; Morgan, J. S.; Huber, M. C. E.; Tondello, G.

1992-01-01

The objectives were to address currently unanswered fundamental questions concerning the fine scale structure of the chromosphere, transition region, and corona. The unique characteristics of the spectroheliometer was used in combination with plasma diagnostic techniques to study the temperature, density, and velocity structures of specific features in the solar outer atmosphere. A unified understanding was sought of the interplay between the time dependent geometry of the magnetic field structure and the associated flows of mass and energy, the key to which lies in the smallest spatial scales that are unobservable with current EUV instruments. Toroidal diffraction gratings were fabricated and tested by a new technique using an elastically deformable substrate. The toroidal diffraction gratings was procured and tested to be used for the evaluation of the Multi-Anode Microchannel Array (MAMA) detector systems for the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) and UV Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) instruments on the SOHO mission.

A New Optical Aerosol Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fonda, Mark; Malcolmson, Andrew; Bonin, Mike; Stratton, David; Rogers, C. Fred; Chang, Sherwood (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

An optical particle spectrometer capable of measuring aerosol particle size distributions from 0.02 to 100 micrometers has been developed. This instrument combines several optical methods in one, in-situ configuration; it can provide continuous data collection to encompass the wide dynamic size ranges and concentrations found in studies of modeled planetary atmospheres as well as terrestrial air quality research. Currently, the system is incorporated into an eight liter capacity spherical pressure vessel that is appropriate both for flowthrough and for in-situ particle generation. The optical sizing methods include polarization ratio, The scattering, and forward scattering detectors, with illumination from a fiber-coupled, Argon-ion laser. As particle sizes increase above 0.1 micrometer, a customized electronics and software system automatically shifts from polarization to diffraction-based measurements as the angular scattering detectors attain acceptable signal-to-noise ratios. The number concentration detection limits are estimated to be in the part-per-trillion (ppT by volume) range, or roughly 1000 submicron particles per cubic centimeter. Results from static experiments using HFC134A (approved light scattering gas standard), flow-through experiments using sodium chloride (NaCl) and carbon particles, and dynamic 'Tholin' (photochemical produced particles from ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated acetylene and nitrogen) experiments have been obtained. The optical spectrometer data obtained with particles have compared well with particle sizes determined by electron microscopy. The 'Tholin' tests provided real-time size and concentration data as the particles grew from about 30 nanometers to about 0.8 micrometers, with concentrations ranging from ppT to ppB, by volume. Tests are still underway, to better define sizing accuracy and concentration limits, these results will be reported.

Ultraviolet light curves of beta Lyrae: Comparison of OAO A-2, IUE, and Voyager Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kondo, Yoji; Mccluskey, George E.; Silvis, Jeffery M. S.; Polidan, Ronald S.; Mccluskey, Carolina P. S.; Eaton, Joel A.

1994-01-01

The six-band ultraviolet light curves of beta Lyrae obtained with the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO) A-2 in 1970 exhibited a very unusual behavior. The secondary minimum deepened at shorter wavelength, indicating that one was not observing light variations caused primarily by the eclipses of two stars having a roughly Planckian energy distribution. It was then suggested that the light variations were caused by a viewing angle effect of an optically thick, ellipsoidal circumbinary gas cloud. Since 1978 beta Lyrae has been observed with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite. We have constructed ultraviolet light curves from the IUE archival data for comparison with the OAO A-2 results. We find that they are in substantial agreement with each other. The Voyager ultraviolet spectrometer was also used to observe this binary during a period covered by IUE observations. The Voyager results agree with those of the two other satellite observatories at wavelengths longer than about 1350 A. However, in the wavelength region shorter than the Lyman-alpha line at 1216 A, the light curves at 1085 and 965 A show virtually no light variation except an apparent flaring near phase 0.7, which is also in evidence at longer wavelengths. We suggest that the optically thick circumbinary gas cloud, which envelops the two stars completely, assumes a roughly spherical shape when observed at these shorter wavelengths.

Absolute far-ultraviolet spectrophotometry of hot subluminous stars from Voyager

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holberg, J. B.; Ali, B.; Carone, T. E.; Polidan, R. S.

1991-01-01

Observations, obtained with the Voyager ultraviolet spectrometers, are presented of absolute fluxes for two well-known hot subluminous stars: BD + 28 deg 4211, an sdO, and G191 - B2B, a hot DA white dwarf. Complete absolute energy distributions for these two stars, from the Lyman limit at 912 A to 1 micron, are given. For BD + 28 deg 4211, a single power law closely represents the entire observed energy distribution. For G191 - B2B, a pure hydrogen model atmosphere provides an excellent match to the entire absolute energy distribution. Voyager absolute fluxes are discussed in relation to those reported from various sounding rocket experiments, including a recent rocket observation of BD + 28 deg 4211.

Interfacing an aspiration ion mobility spectrometer to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer

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

Adamov, Alexey; Viidanoja, Jyrki; Kaerpaenoja, Esko

2007-04-15

This article presents the combination of an aspiration-type ion mobility spectrometer with a mass spectrometer. The interface between the aspiration ion mobility spectrometer and the mass spectrometer was designed to allow for quick mounting of the aspiration ion mobility spectrometer onto a Sciex API-300 triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The developed instrumentation is used for gathering fundamental information on aspiration ion mobility spectrometry. Performance of the instrument is demonstrated using 2,6-di-tert-butyl pyridine and dimethyl methylphosphonate.

Demonstrating Broadband Billion-to-One Contrast with the Visible Nulling Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hicks, Brian A.; Lyon, Richard G.; Petrone, Peter, III; Miller, Ian J.; Bolcar, Matthew R.; Clampin, Mark; Helmbrecht, Michael A.; Mallik, Udayan

2015-01-01

The key to broadband operation of the Visible Nulling Coronagraph (VNC) is achieving a condition of quasi- achromatic destructive interference between combined beams. Here we present efforts towards meeting this goal using Fresnel rhombs in each interferometric arm as orthogonally aligned half wave phase retarders. The milestone goal of the demonstration is to achieve 1 × 10-9 contrast at 2/D over a 40 nm bandpass centered at 633 nm. Rhombs have been designed and fabricated, and a multi-step approach to alignment using coarse positioners for each rhomb and pair has been developed to get within range of piezo stages used for fine positioning. The previously demonstrated narrowband VNC sensing and control approach that uses a segmented deformable mirror is being adapted to broadband to include fine positioning of the piezo-mounted rhombs, all demonstrated in a low-pressure environment.

Characterization of photoluminescence spectra from poly allyl diglycol carbonate (CR-39) upon excitation with the ultraviolet radiation of various wavelengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Ghazaly, M.; Al-Thomali, Talal A.

2013-04-01

The induced photoluminescence (PL) from the π-conjugated polymer poly allyl diglycol carbonate (PADC) (CR-39) upon excitation with the ultraviolet radiation of different wavelengths was investigated. The absorption and attenuation coefficients of PADC (CR-39) were recorded using a UV-visible spectrometer. It was found that the absorption and attenuation coefficients of the PADC (CR-39) exhibit a strong dependence on the wavelength of ultraviolet radiation. The PL spectra were measured with a Flormax-4 spectrofluorometer (Horiba). PADC (CR-39) samples were excited by ultraviolet radiation with wavelengths in the range from 260 to 420 nm and the corresponding PL emission bands were recorded. The obtained results show a strong correlation between the PL and the excitation wavelength of ultraviolet radiation. The position of the fluorescence emission band peak was red shifted starting from 300 nm, which was increased with the increase in the excitation wavelength. The PL yield and its band peak height were increased with the increase in the excitation wavelength till 290 nm, thereafter they decreased exponentially with the increase in the ultraviolet radiation wavelength. These new findings should be considered carefully during the use of the PADC (CR-39) in the scientific applications and in using PADC (CR-39) in eyeglasses.

Design of a grazing incidence EUV imaging spectrometer for the solar orbiter ESA mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Da Deppo, Vania; Poletto, Luca

2017-11-01

The paper describes the optical design and performance of an extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) spectrometer for imaging spectroscopy to be part of the scientific payload of the Solar Orbiter (SOLO) mission. The main scientific objectives are to study the solar polar region and observe in detail the evolution of corona structures from a favourable point of view at only 45 solar radii from the Sun (0.2 AU). The instrument concept is based on a grazing incidence telescope, (1200 m focal length, 18 arcmin x 18 arcmin FoV), in Wolter configuration couple to a normalincidence VLS grating spectrometer, which preserve the stigmaticity in an extended spectral region and in the whole field-of-view. The spectral range covered by the instrument is the 116-126 nm region at the first order and the 57-63 nm region at the second order. The spectral resolving element is 65 mÅ (I order), corresponding to a velocity resolution of 16 km/s.

EIT Observations of Coronal Mass Ejections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gurman, J. B.; Fisher, Richard B. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Before the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), we had only the sketchiest of clues as to the nature and topology of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) below 1.1 - 1.2 solar radii. Occasionally, dimmings (or 'transient coronal holes') were observed in time series of soft X-ray images, but they were far less frequent than CME's. Simply by imaging the Sun frequently and continually at temperatures of 0.9 - 2.5 MK we have stumbled upon a zoo of CME phenomena in this previously obscured volume of the corona: (1) waves, (2) dimmings, and (3) a great variety of ejecta. In the three and a half years since our first observations of coronal waves associated with CME's, combined Large Angle Spectroscopic Coronagraph (LASCO) and extreme ultra-violet imaging telescope (EIT) synoptic observations have become a standard prediction tool for space weather forecasters, but our progress in actually understanding the CME phenomenon in the low corona has been somewhat slower. I will summarize the observations of waves, hot (> 0.9 MK) and cool ejecta, and some of the interpretations advanced to date. I will try to identify those phenomena, analysis of which could most benefit from the spectroscopic information available from ultraviolet coronograph spectrometer (UVCS) observations.

Obituary: Edmond M. Reeves, 1934-2008

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noyes, Robert; Parkinson, William

2009-01-01

infrared solar spectrum in 1951, recognized at around 180 nm the prominent CO features in the shock tube spectra and in the solar spectra. The identification was confirmed by comparing the high-temperature laboratory spectra with published solar spectra taken by the Naval Research Laboratory with a rocket-borne spectrograph. Ed's work for the Solar Satellite Project included planning and carrying out laboratory, Vacuum UV absolute-intensity calibrations of the early rocket and satellite spectrometers. He set the requirement that the solar spectroscopic instruments have radiometric calibrations in the Vacuum UV, traceable to a laboratory standard. The space missions began with rocket experiments in the early 1960s, progressed to the Orbiting Solar Observatory [OSO] program in the mid-1960s, and culminated in the Extreme Ultraviolet Spectroheliometer on the Apollo Telescope Mount [ATM] of the Skylab missions in 1973 and 1974. Ed received NASA's Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal in 1974. This sequence of space instruments laid much of the early groundwork for our current understanding of the outer solar atmosphere. For example, the OSO observations revealed for the first time coronal "holes," which we now know are the seat of the fast solar wind. Another experiment of particular interest and importance to solar physics resulted from the launch of a rocket-borne objective grating spectrograph into the path of totality of a solar eclipse from Wallops Island, Virginia, on 7 March 1970. This lucky "rocket group" included Ralph Nicholls from York University, Canada; Reg Garton and Bob Speer from Imperial College, London; Bob Wilson, then from Culham in the UK; and, of course, Leo Goldberg and colleagues from HCO, a group made up of mentors, advisors, teachers, and friends of Ed's. The eclipse spectrogram revealed strong emission from neutral hydrogen (Lyman-alpha) in the solar corona. The discovery of the Lyman-alpha corona inspired the project for a Lyman-alpha coronagraph

Electric Field Reconstruction in the Image Plane of a High-Contrast Coronagraph Using a Set of Pinholes Around the Lyot Plane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giveon, Amir; Kern, Brian; Shaklan, Stuart; Wallace, Kent; Noecker, Charley

2012-01-01

The pair-wise estimation has been used now on various testbeds with different coronagraphs with the best contrast results to date. Pinholes estimate has been implemented and ready to be tested in closed loop correction. Pinholes estimate offers an independent method. We hope to improve the calibration process to gain better estimates.

Measurement of the solar ultraviolet radiation at ground level in Bangi, Malaysia

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

Aljawi, Ohoud; Gopir, Geri; Duay, Abdul Basit

2015-04-24

Understanding the amount of ultraviolet (UV) radiation received by human, plant, and animal organisms near the earth’s surface is important to a wide range of fields such as cancer research, agriculture and forestry. The solar ultraviolet spectral irradiance at ground level was measured using the Avantes spectrometer for the period of January to March 2014 at Bangi (2°55´N, 101°46´E, 50 m above sea level) in Malaysia. These data were used to estimate the diurnal variation of UV irradiance (300 – 400 nm). The maximum irradiance of UV radiation was 45 W m{sup −2} on horizontal surface. The maximum irradiance ofmore » UV received in the local noon time, and the minimum values of UV irradiance was received in the local morning time. It is found a bigger value of UV radiation was observed on clear sky in January. The estimation of daily flux average of UV irradiance was (921± 91) kJ m{sup −2}.« less

New measurements on water ice photodesorption and product formation under ultraviolet irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruz-Diaz, Gustavo A.; Martín-Doménech, Rafael; Moreno, Elena; Muñoz Caro, Guillermo M.; Chen, Yu-Jung

2018-03-01

The photodesorption of icy grain mantles has been claimed to be responsible for the abundance of gas-phase molecules towards cold regions. Being water a ubiquitous molecule, it is crucial to understand its role in photochemistry and its behaviour under an ultraviolet field. We report new measurements on the ultraviolet (UV) photodesorption of water ice and its H2, OH, and O2 photoproducts using a calibrated quadrupole mass spectrometer. Solid water was deposited under ultra-high-vacuum conditions and then UV-irradiated at various temperatures starting from 8 K with a microwave discharged hydrogen lamp. Deuterated water was used for confirmation of the results. We found a photodesorption yield of 1.3 × 10-3 molecules per incident photon for water and 0.7 × 10-3 molecules per incident photon for deuterated water at the lowest irradiation temperature, 8 K. The photodesorption yield per absorbed photon is given and comparison with astrophysical scenarios, where water ice photodesorption could account for the presence of gas-phase water towards cold regions in the absence of a thermal desorption process, is addressed.

NEOCE: a new external occulting coronagraph experiment for ultimate observations of the chromosphere, corona and interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damé, Luc; Fineschi, Silvano; Kuzin, Sergey; Von Fay-Siebenburgen, Erdélyi Robert

Several ground facilities and space missions are currently dedicated to the study of the Sun at high resolution and of the solar corona in particular. However, and despite significant progress with the advent of space missions and UV, EUV and XUV direct observations of the hot chromosphere and million-degrees coronal plasma, much is yet to be achieved in the understanding of these high temperatures, fine dynamic dissipative structures and of the coronal heating in general. Recent missions have shown the definite role of a wide range of waves and of the magnetic field deep in the inner corona, at the chromosphere-corona interface, where dramatic and physically fundamental changes occur. The dynamics of the chromosphere and corona is controlled and governed by the emerging magnetic field. Accordingly, the direct measurement of the chromospheric and coronal magnetic fields is of prime importance. The solar corona consists of many localised loop-like structures or threads with the plasmas brightening and fading independently. The plasma evolution in each thread is believed to be related to the formation of filaments, each one being dynamic, in a non-equilibrium state. The mechanism sustaining this dynamics, oscillations or waves (Alfvén or other magneto-plasma waves), requires both very high-cadence, multi-spectral observations, and high resolution and coronal magnetometry. This is foreseen in the future Space Mission NEOCE (New External Occulting Coronagraph Experiment), the ultimate new generation high-resolution coronagraphic heliospheric mission, to be proposed for ESA M4. NEOCE, an evolution of the HiRISE mission, is ideally placed at the L5 Lagrangian point (for a better follow-up of CMEs), and provides FUV imaging and spectro-imaging, EUV and XUV imaging and spectroscopy, and ultimate coronagraphy by a remote external occulter (two satellites in formation flying 375 m apart minimizing scattered light) allowing to characterize temperature, densities and

Development of far- and deep-ultraviolet surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor using aluminum thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanabe, Ichiro; Tanaka, Yoshito Y.; Ryoki, Takayuki; Watari, Koji; Goto, Takeyoshi; Kikawada, Masakazu; Inami, Wataru; Kawata, Yoshimasa; Ozaki, Yukihiro

2016-09-01

We investigated the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of aluminum (Al) thin films with varying refractive index of the environment near the films in the far‒ultraviolet (FUV, <= 200 nm) and deep‒ultraviolet (DUV, <= 300 nm) regions. By using our original FUV‒DUV spectrometer which adopts an attenuated total reflectance (ATR) system, the measurable wavelength range was down to the 180 nm, and the environment near the Al surface could be controlled. In addition, this spectrometer was equipped with a variable incident angle apparatus, which enabled us to measure the FUV‒DUV reflectance spectra (170-450 nm) with various incident angles ranging from 45° to 85°. Based on the obtained spectra, the dispersion relation of Al‒SPR in the FUV and DUV regions was obtained. In the presence of various liquids (HFIP, water, alcohols etc.) on the Al film, the angle and wavelength of the SPR became larger and longer, respectively, compared with those in the air (i.e., with no materials on the film). These shifts correspond well with the results of simulations performed according to the Fresnel equations, and can be used in the application of SPR sensors. FUV‒DUV‒SPR sensors (in particular, FUV‒SPR sensors) with tunable incident light wavelength have three experimental advantages compared with conventional visible‒SPR sensors, as discussed based on the Fresnel equations, i.e., higher sensitivity, more narrowly limited surface measurement, and better material selectivity.

Monolithic spectrometer

DOEpatents

Rajic, Slobodan; Egert, Charles M.; Kahl, William K.; Snyder, Jr., William B.; Evans, III, Boyd M.; Marlar, Troy A.; Cunningham, Joseph P.

1998-01-01

A monolithic spectrometer is disclosed for use in spectroscopy. The spectrometer is a single body of translucent material with positioned surfaces for the transmission, reflection and spectral analysis of light rays.

Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer and Airborne Emission Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glavich, T.; Beer, R.

1996-01-01

The Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) is an instrument being developed for the NASA Earth Observing System Chemistry Platform. TES will measure the distribution of ozone and its precursors in the lower atmosphere. The Airborne Emission Spectrometer (AES) is an aircraft precursor to TES. Applicable descriptions are given of instrument design, technology challenges, implementation and operations for both.

Monolithic spectrometer

DOEpatents

Rajic, S.; Egert, C.M.; Kahl, W.K.; Snyder, W.B. Jr.; Evans, B.M. III; Marlar, T.A.; Cunningham, J.P.

1998-05-19

A monolithic spectrometer is disclosed for use in spectroscopy. The spectrometer is a single body of translucent material with positioned surfaces for the transmission, reflection and spectral analysis of light rays. 6 figs.

Psoralen-ultraviolet A treatment with Psoralen-ultraviolet B therapy in the treatment of psoriasis.

PubMed

Ahmed Asim, Sadaf; Ahmed, Sitwat; Us-Sehar, Najam

2013-05-01

To compare the conventional psoralen-ultraviolet A treatment with psoralen-ultraviolet B therapy in the treatment of psoriasis. We studied 50 patients of plaque type psoriasis who were selected to receive either conventional psoralen-ultraviolet A or psoralen-ultraviolet B treatment. There was no significant difference between the two treatment groups in the number of patients whose skin cleared of psoriasis or the number of exposures required for clearance. Profile of side effects and disease status was also similar after three months of follow up. Psoralen-ultraviolet B treatment is as effective as conventional psoralen-ultraviolet A in the treatment of psoriasis. Further long term studies are needed to assess the safety of psoralen-ultraviolet B.

The far-ultraviolet /1180-1950 A/ emission spectrum of Arcturus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckinney, W. R.; Giles, J. W.; Moos, H. W.

1976-01-01

The far-ultraviolet (1180-1950 A) emission spectrum of the K2 IIIp star, Arcturus, has been obtained with a rocket-borne multichannel spectrometer. The use of multiple detectors gave an increase in effective observing time and permitted an improvement in spectral resolution over two previous rocket measurements. H I at 1216-A and O I at 1304 A are the only identified emissions, and the observed H I 1216-A flux is low compared with previous observations. A third unidentified feature was observed at 1511 A. The absence of many lines found in emission from the sun is striking. The absence of certain features implies that the coronal temperature must be either below 50,000 K or above 350,000 K.

Psoralen-ultraviolet A treatment with Psoralen-ultraviolet B therapy in the treatment of psoriasis

PubMed Central

Ahmed Asim, Sadaf; Ahmed, Sitwat; us-Sehar, Najam

2013-01-01

Objective: To compare the conventional psoralen-ultraviolet A treatment with psoralen-ultraviolet B therapy in the treatment of psoriasis. Methodology: We studied 50 patients of plaque type psoriasis who were selected to receive either conventional psoralen-ultraviolet A or psoralen-ultraviolet B treatment. Results: There was no significant difference between the two treatment groups in the number of patients whose skin cleared of psoriasis or the number of exposures required for clearance. Profile of side effects and disease status was also similar after three months of follow up. Conclusion: Psoralen-ultraviolet B treatment is as effective as conventional psoralen-ultraviolet A in the treatment of psoriasis. Further long term studies are needed to assess the safety of psoralen-ultraviolet B. PMID:24353623

The University of Colorado OSO-8 spectrometer experiment. IV - Mission operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, E. R.; Bruner, E. C., Jr.

1979-01-01

The remote operation of two high-resolution ultraviolet spectrometers on the OSO-8 satellite is discussed. Mission operations enabled scientific observers to plan observations based on current solar data, interact with the observing program using real- or near real-time data and commands, evaluate quick-look instrument data, and analyze the observations for publication. During routine operations, experiments were planned a day prior to their execution, and the data from these experiments received a day later. When a shorter turnaround was required, a real-time mode was available. Here, the real-time data and command links into the remote control center were used to evaluate experiment operation and make satellite pointing or instrument configuration changes with a 1-90 minute turnaround.

Grazing incidence extreme ultraviolet spectrometer fielded with time resolution in a hostile z-pinch environment.

PubMed

Williamson, K M; Kantsyrev, V L; Safronova, A S; Wilcox, P G; Cline, W; Batie, S; LeGalloudec, B; Nalajala, V; Astanovitsky, A

2011-09-01

This recently developed diagnostic was designed to allow for time-gated spectroscopic study of the EUV radiation (4 nm < λ < 15 nm) present during harsh wire array z-pinch implosions. The spectrometer utilizes a 25 μm slit, an array of 3 spherical blazed gratings at grazing incidence, and a microchannel plate (MCP) detector placed in an off-Rowland position. Each grating is positioned such that its diffracted radiation is cast over two of the six total independently timed frames of the MCP. The off-Rowland configuration allows for a much greater spectral density on the imaging plate but only focuses at one wavelength per grating. The focal wavelengths are chosen for their diagnostic significance. Testing was conducted at the Zebra pulsed-power generator (1 MA, 100 ns risetime) at the University of Nevada, Reno on a series of wire array z-pinch loads. Within this harsh z-pinch environment, radiation yields routinely exceed 20 kJ in the EUV and soft x-ray. There are also strong mechanical shocks, high velocity debris, sudden vacuum changes during operation, energic ion beams, and hard x-ray radiation in excess of 50 keV. The spectra obtained from the precursor plasma of an Al double planar wire array contained lines of Al IX and AlX ions indicating a temperature near 60 eV during precursor formation. Detailed results will be presented showing the fielding specifications and the techniques used to extract important plasma parameters using this spectrometer. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Investigating the 3.3 micron infrared fluorescence from naphthalene following ultraviolet excitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Richard M.; Leone, Stephen R.

1994-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) type molecules are proposed as the carriers of the unidentified infrared (UIR) bands. Detailed studies of the 3.3 micrometer infrared emission features from naphthalene, the simplest PAH, following ultraviolet laser excitation are used in the interpretation of the 3.29 micrometer (3040 cm(sup -1)) UIR band. A time-resolved Fourier transform spectrometer is used to record the infrared emission spectrum of gas-phase naphthalene subsequent to ultraviolet excitation facilitated by an excimer laser operated at either 193 nm or 248 nm. The emission spectra differ significantly from the absorption spectrum in the same spectral region. Following 193 nm excitation the maximum in the emission profile is red-shifted 45 cm(sup -1) relative to the absorption maximum; a 25 cm(sup -1) red-shift is observed after 248 nm excitation. The red-shifting of the emission spectrum is reduced as collisional and radiative relaxation removes energy from the highly vibrationally excited molecules. Coupling between the various vibrational modes is thought to account for the differences between absorption and emission spectra. Strong visible emission is also observed following ultraviolet excitation. Visible emission may play an important role in the rate of radiative relaxation, which according to the interstellar PAH hypothesis occurs only by the slow emission of infrared photons. Studying the visible emission properties of PAH type molecules may be useful in the interpretation of the DIB's observed in absorption.

ASPIICS: a giant, white light and emission line coronagraph for the ESA proba-3 formation flight mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamy, P. L.; Vivès, S.; Curdt, W.; Damé, L.; Davila, J.; Defise, J.-M.; Fineschi, S.; Heinzel, P.; Howard, Russel; Kuzin, S.; Schmutz, W.; Tsinganos, K.; Zhukov, A.

2017-11-01

Classical externally-occulted coronagraphs are presently limited in their performances by the distance between the external occulter and the front objective. The diffraction fringe from the occulter and the vignetted pupil which degrades the spatial resolution prevent useful observations of the white light corona inside typically 2-2.5 solar radii (Rsun). Formation flying offers and elegant solution to these limitations and allows conceiving giant, externally-occulted coronagraphs using a two-component space system with the external occulter on one spacecraft and the optical instrument on the other spacecraft at a distance of hundred meters [1, 2]. Such an instrument ASPIICS (Association de Satellites Pour l'Imagerie et l'Interférométrie de la Couronne Solaire) has been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) to fly on its PROBA-3 mission of formation flying demonstration which is presently in phase B (Fig. 1). The classical design of an externally-occulted coronagraph is adapted to the formation flying configuration allowing the detection of the very inner corona as close as 0.04 solar radii from the solar limb. By tuning the position of the occulter spacecraft, it may even be possible to reach the chromosphere and the upper part of the spicules [3]. ASPIICS will perform (i) high spatial resolution imaging of the continuum K+F corona in photometric and polarimetric modes, (ii) high spatial resolution imaging of the E-corona in two coronal emission lines (CEL): Fe XIV and He I D3, and (iii) two-dimensional spectrophotometry of the Fe XIV emission line. ASPIICS will address the question of the coronal heating and the role of waves by characterizing propagating fluctuations (waves and turbulence) in the solar wind acceleration region and by looking for oscillations in the intensity and Doppler shift of spectral lines. The combined imaging and spectral diagnostics capabilities available with ASPIICS will allow mapping the velocity field of the corona both in the

Radiometric and spectral stray light correction for the portable remote imaging spectrometer (PRISM) coastal ocean sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haag, Justin M.; Van Gorp, Byron E.; Mouroulis, Pantazis; Thompson, David R.

2017-09-01

The airborne Portable Remote Imaging Spectrometer (PRISM) instrument is based on a fast (F/1.8) Dyson spectrometer operating at 350-1050 nm and a two-mirror telescope combined with a Teledyne HyViSI 6604A detector array. Raw PRISM data contain electronic and optical artifacts that must be removed prior to radiometric calibration. We provide an overview of the process transforming raw digital numbers to calibrated radiance values. Electronic panel artifacts are first corrected using empirical relationships developed from laboratory data. The instrument spectral response functions (SRF) are reconstructed using a measurement-based optimization technique. Removal of SRF effects from the data improves retrieval of true spectra, particularly in the typically low-signal near-ultraviolet and near-infrared regions. As a final step, radiometric calibration is performed using corrected measurements of an object of known radiance. Implementation of the complete calibration procedure maximizes data quality in preparation for subsequent processing steps, such as atmospheric removal and spectral signature classification.

A Panchromatic Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer for the NASA Geostationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, Yen-Hung; Key, Richard; Sander, Stanley; Blavier, Jean-Francois; Rider, David

2011-01-01

This paper summarizes the design and development of the Panchromatic Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (PanFTS) for the NASA Geostationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events (GEO-CAPE) Mission. The PanFTS instrument will advance the understanding of the global climate and atmospheric chemistry by measuring spectrally resolved outgoing thermal and reflected solar radiation. With continuous spectral coverage from the near-ultraviolet through the thermal infrared, this instrument is designed to measure pollutants, greenhouse gases, and aerosols as called for by the U.S. National Research Council Decadal Survey; Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond1. The PanFTS instrument is a hybrid instrument based on spectrometers like the Tropospheric Emissions Spectrometer (TES) that measures thermal emission, and those like the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO), and the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) that measure scattered solar radiation. Simultaneous measurements over the broad spectral range from IR to UV is accomplished by a two sided interferometer with separate optical trains and detectors for the ultraviolet-visible and infrared spectral domains. This allows each side of the instrument to be independently optimized for its respective spectral domain. The overall interferometer design is compact because the two sides share a single high precision cryogenic optical path difference mechanism (OPDM) and metrology laser as well as a number of other instrument systems including the line-of-sight pointing mirror, the data management system, thermal control system, electrical system, and the mechanical structure. The PanFTS breadboard instrument has been tested in the laboratory and demonstrated the basic functionality for simultaneous measurements in the visible and infrared. It is set to begin operations in the field at the California Laboratory for Atmospheric Remote Sensing (CLARS) observatory on Mt. Wilson

Diffraction gratings metrology and ray-tracing results for an XUV Raman spectrometer at FLASH

PubMed Central

Dziarzhytski, Siarhei; Siewert, Frank; Gwalt, Grzegorz; Seliger, Tino; Rübhausen, Michael; Weigelt, Holger; Brenner, Günter

2018-01-01

The extreme-ultraviolet double-stage imaging Raman spectrometer is a permanent experimental endstation at the plane-grating monochromator beamline branch PG1 at FLASH at DESY in Hamburg, Germany. This unique instrument covers the photon energy range from 20 to 200 eV with high energy resolution of about 2 to 20 meV (design values) featuring an efficient elastic line suppression as well as effective stray light rejection. Such a design enables studies of low-energy excitations like, for example, phonons in solids close to the vicinity of the elastic line. The Raman spectrometer effectively operates with four reflective off-axial parabolic mirrors and two plane-grating units. The optics quality and their precise alignment are crucial to guarantee best performance of the instrument. Here, results on a comprehensive investigation of the quality of the spectrometer diffraction gratings are presented. The gratings have been characterized by ex situ metrology at the BESSY-II Optics Laboratory, employing slope measuring deflectometry and interferometry as well as atomic force microscopy studies. The efficiency of these key optical elements has been measured at the at-wavelength metrology laboratory using the reflectometer at the BESSY-II Optics beamline. Also, the metrology results are discussed with respect to the expected resolving power of the instrument by including them in ray-tracing studies of the instrument. PMID:29271763

Spectrometer for shot-to-shot photon energy characterization in the multi-bunch mode of the free electron laser at Hamburg

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

Palutke, S., E-mail: steffen.palutke@desy.de; Wurth, W.; Deutsches Elekronen Synchrotron

The setup and first results from commissioning of a fast online photon energy spectrometer for the vacuum ultraviolet free electron laser at Hamburg (FLASH) at DESY are presented. With the use of the latest advances in detector development, the presented spectrometer reaches readout frequencies up to 1 MHz. In this paper, we demonstrate the ability to record online photon energy spectra on a shot-to-shot base in the multi-bunch mode of FLASH. Clearly resolved shifts in the mean wavelength over the pulse train as well as shot-to-shot wavelength fluctuations arising from the statistical nature of the photon generating self-amplified spontaneous emissionmore » process have been observed. In addition to an online tool for beam calibration and photon diagnostics, the spectrometer enables the determination and selection of spectral data taken with a transparent experiment up front over the photon energy of every shot. This leads to higher spectral resolutions without the loss of efficiency or photon flux by using single-bunch mode or monochromators.« less

Electrons in the solar corona. III - Coronal streamers analysis from balloon-borne coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dollfus, A.; Mouradian, Z.

1981-03-01

The solar corona is discussed on the basis of observations made during a 5-hour period in France in September 1971. Using a balloon at an altitude of 32,000 m, the solar corona was cinematographed from 2 to 5 solar radii with an externally occulted coronagraph. It is noted that motions in coronal features, when they occur, exhibit deformations of structures with velocities not exceeding a few tens of km/s. Several streamers were often involved simultaneously; these variations are compatible with magnetic changes or sudden reorganizations of lines of forces. Intensity and polarization measurements are shown to give the electron density with height in the quiet corona above the equator. Three-dimensional structures and localizations of the streamers are deduced from combined photometry, polarimetry, and ground-based K coronametry.

Evidence for a current sheet forming in the wake of a coronal mass ejection from multi-viewpoint coronagraph observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patsourakos, S.; Vourlidas, A.

2011-01-01

Context. Ray-like features observed by coronagraphs in the wake of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are sometimes interpreted as the white light counterparts of current sheets (CSs) produced by the eruption. The 3D geometry of these ray-like features is largely unknown and its knowledge should clarify their association to the CS and place constraints on CME physics and coronal conditions. Aims: If these rays are related to field relaxation behind CMEs, therefore representing current sheets, then they should be aligned to the CME axis. With this study we test these important implications for the first time. Methods: An example of such a post-CME ray was observed by various coronagraphs, including these of the Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric investigation (SECCHI) onboard the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) twin spacecraft and the Large Angle Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The ray was observed in the aftermath of a CME which occurred on 9 April 2008. The twin STEREO spacecraft were separated by about 48° on that day. This significant separation combined with a third “eye” view supplied by LASCO allow for a truly multi-viewpoint observation of the ray and of the CME. We applied 3D forward geometrical modeling to the CME and to the ray as simultaneously viewed by SECCHI-A and B and by SECCHI-A and LASCO, respectively. Results: We found that the ray can be approximated by a rectangular slab, nearly aligned with the CME axis, and much smaller than the CME in both terms of thickness and depth (≈0.05 and 0.15 R⊙ respectively). The ray electron density and temperature were substantially higher than their values in the ambient corona. We found that the ray and CME are significantly displaced from the associated post-CME flaring loops. Conclusions: The properties and location of the ray are fully consistent with the expectations of the standard CME theories for post-CME current

The SPEDE spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papadakis, P.; Cox, D. M.; O'Neill, G. G.; Borge, M. J. G.; Butler, P. A.; Gaffney, L. P.; Greenlees, P. T.; Herzberg, R.-D.; Illana, A.; Joss, D. T.; Konki, J.; Kröll, T.; Ojala, J.; Page, R. D.; Rahkila, P.; Ranttila, K.; Thornhill, J.; Tuunanen, J.; Van Duppen, P.; Warr, N.; Pakarinen, J.

2018-03-01

The electron spectrometer, SPEDE, has been developed and will be employed in conjunction with the Miniball spectrometer at the HIE-ISOLDE facility, CERN. SPEDE allows for direct measurement of internal conversion electrons emitted in-flight, without employing magnetic fields to transport or momentum filter the electrons. Together with the Miniball spectrometer, it enables simultaneous observation of γ rays and conversion electrons in Coulomb excitation experiments using radioactive ion beams.

Extreme Ultraviolet Spectra of Few-Times Ionized Tungsten for Divertor Plasma Diagnostics

DOE PAGES

Clementson, Joel; Lennartsson, Thomas; Beiersdorfer, Peter

2015-09-09

The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emission from few-times ionized tungsten atoms has been experimentally studied at the Livermore electron beam ion trap facility. The ions were produced and confined during low-energy operations of the EBIT-I electron beam ion trap. By varying the electron-beam energy from around 30–300 eV, tungsten ions in charge states expected to be abundant in tokamak divertor plasmas were excited, and the resulting EUV emission was studied using a survey spectrometer covering 120–320 Å. It is found that the emission strongly depends on the excitation energy; below 150 eV, it is relatively simple, consisting of strong isolated linesmore » from a few charge states, whereas at higher energies, it becomes very complex. For divertor plasmas with tungsten impurity ions, this emission should prove useful for diagnostics of tungsten flux rates and charge balance, as well as for radiative cooling of the divertor volume. Several lines in the 194–223 Å interval belonging to the spectra of five- and seven-times ionized tungsten (Tm-like W VI and Ho-like W VIII) were also measured using a high-resolution spectrometer.« less

Optical design of a stigmatic spectroheliometer for photometric studies of dynamic phenomena at extreme-ultraviolet wavelengths

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huber, M. C. E.; Timothy, J. G.

1977-01-01

The design of a stigmatic spectroheliometer for photometric studies of dynamic phenomena in the solar atmosphere at extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelengths is described. The normal-incidence spectrometer requires only one reflective surface, and is equipped with a series of exit slits and associated one-dimensional detector arrays that are mounted at the secondary (vertical) foci of the concave diffraction grating. It is shown that such a spectrometer mounted at the focus of an off-axis paraboloid telescope mirror of the size employed in the EUV spectroheliometer flown on Skylab could record monochromatic images of a 2 x 2 (arcmin) sq field-of-view with a spatial resolution element of 1 x 1 (arcsec) sq in a time of 4 s, 24 s, or 4 min, depending on whether the region studied is flaring, active, or quiet. The resulting spectroheliograms would have an average photometric precision of 10% and a spectral purity of 0.1 A.

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

PubMed

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

2009-08-17

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

Design, fabrication and performance of two grazing incidence telescopes for celestial extreme ultraviolet astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lampton, M.; Cash, W.; Malina, R. F.; Bowyer, S.

1977-01-01

The design and performance of grazing incidence telescopes for celestial extreme ultraviolet (EUV) astronomy are described. The telescopes basically consist of a star tracker, collimator, grazing incidence mirror, vacuum box lid, vacuum housing, filters, a ranicon detector, an electronics box, and an aspect camera. For the survey mirror a Wolter-Schwarzschild type II configuration was selected. Diamond-turning was used for mirror fabrication, a technique which machines surfaces to the order of 10 microns over the required dimensions. The design of the EUV spectrometer is discussed with particular reference to the optics for a primarily spectroscopic application and the fabrication of the f/10 optics.

Absolute Wavelength Calibration of the IDSII Spectrometer for Impurity Ion Velocity Measurements in the MST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baltzer, M.; Craig, D.; den Hartog, D. J.; Nornberg, M. D.; MST Team

2014-10-01

The MST operates two Ion Doppler Spectrometers (IDS) for high time-resolution passive and active measurements of impurity ion emission. Absolutely calibrated measurements of flow are difficult because the spectrometers record data within 0.3 nm of the line of interest, and commercial calibration lamps do not produce lines in this narrow range . Four calibration methods were investigated. First, emission along the chord bisecting the poloidal plane was measured as it should have no time-averaged Doppler shift. Second, a calibrated CCD spectrometer and the IDSII were used to observe the same plasma from opposing sides so as to measure opposite Doppler shifts. The unshifted line is located halfway between the two opposing measurements. Third, the two fibers of the IDSI were positioned to take absolute flow measurements using opposing views. Substituting the IDSII for one of the IDSI fibers, absolute measurements of flow from the IDSI were used to calibrate the IDSII. Finally, an optical system was designed to filter an ultraviolet LED, providing a known wavelength source within the spectral range covered by the IDSII. The optical train is composed of an air-gapped etalon and fused silica lenses. The quality of calibration for each of these methods is analyzed and their results compared. Preliminary impurity ion velocity measurements are shown. This work has been supported by the US DOE and the NSF.

A Hybrid Lyot Coronagraph for the Direct Imaging and Spectroscopy of Exoplanet Systems: Recent Results and Prospects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trauger, John; Moody, Dwight; Gordon, Brian; Krist, John; Mawet, Dimitri

2011-01-01

We report our best laboratory contrast demonstrations achieved to date. We review the design, fabrication, performance, and future prospects of a hybrid focal plane occulter for exoplanet coronagraphy. Composed of thickness-profiled metallic and dielectric thin films vacuum deposited on a fused silica substrate, the hybrid occulter uses two superimposed thin films for control over both the real and imaginary parts of the complex attenuation pattern. Together with a deformable mirror for adjustment of wavefront phase, the hybrid Lyot coronagraph potentially exceeds billion-to one contrast over dark fields extending to within angular separations of 3 lambda/D (3 x the cosmological constant / diameter of the telescope) from the central star, over spectral bandwidths of 20 percent or more, and with throughput efficiencies up to 60 percent. We report laboratory contrasts of 3 x 10 (sup -10) degrees over 2 percent bandwidths, 6 x 10 (sup -10) degrees over 10 percent bandwidths, and 2 x 10 (sup -9) over 20 percent bandwidths, achieved across high contrast fields extending from an inner working angle of 3 lambda/D to a radius of 15 lambda/D. Occulter performance is analyzed in light of recent experiments and optical models, and prospects for further improvements are summarized. The science capabilities of the hybrid Lyot coronagraph are compared with requirements of the ACCESS mission, a representative exoplanet space telescope concept study for the direct imaging and spectroscopy of exoplanet systems. This work has been supported by NASA's Technology Demonstration for Exoplanet Missions (TDEM) program.

Ultraviolet absorption hygrometer

DOEpatents

Gersh, M.E.; Bien, F.; Bernstein, L.S.

1986-12-09

An ultraviolet absorption hygrometer is provided including a source of pulsed ultraviolet radiation for providing radiation in a first wavelength region where water absorbs significantly and in a second proximate wavelength region where water absorbs weakly. Ultraviolet radiation in the first and second regions which has been transmitted through a sample path of atmosphere is detected. The intensity of the radiation transmitted in each of the first and second regions is compared and from this comparison the amount of water in the sample path is determined. 5 figs.

Connection between the CMEs in the coronagraph and the MCs near the Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, C.; Wang, Y.

2016-12-01

Magnetic Clouds (MCs) are thought to be a subset of the interplanetary counterparts of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) near the Earth. Using different models, the parameters of MCs are obtained based on the in situ observations. In recent, the propagation speed, the expansion speed, and poloidal speed of MCs are obtained based on the velocity-modified cylindrical force-free flux rope model developed by Wang et al. (2015). In this work, we first make the association between the MCs recorded by WIND and their source CMEs observed by SOHO. Then, the parameters of these MCs obtained by the model developed by Wang et al. (2016) will be compared with the parameters of the CMEs during their propagation in the coronagraph. The parameters of CMEs are obtained by the GCS model using multiple observations from SOHO and STEREO.

Line identifications in the ultraviolet spectra of Tau Herculis, B5 IV, and Zeta Draconis, B6 III

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Underhill, A. B.; Adelman, S. J.

1976-01-01

Tables of the lines found on two tracings each of the ultraviolet spectrum of Tau Her, B5 IV, and Zeta Dra, B6 III, made by the Copernicus satellite and possible identifications are given. The ranges 1025-1451A for Tau Her and 1035 to 1425A for Zeta Dra are covered by the U2 spectrometer at a resolution of 0.2A; the ranges 2028 to 2959A for Tau Her and 2000 to 3000A for Zeta Dra are covered by the V2 spectrometer at a resolution of 0.4A. The observed density of lines in the U2 region is 1.1 lines/A for Tau Her and 1.7 lines/A for Zeta Dra. In the V2 region it is 0.8 lines/A for Tau Her and 0.9 lines/A for Zeta Dra.

Flight Integral Field Spectrograph (IFS) Optical Design for WFIRST Coronagraphic Exoplanet Demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gong, Qian; Groff, Tyler D.; Zimmerman, Neil; Mandell, Avi; McElwain, Michael; Rizzo, Maxime; Saxena, Prabal

2017-01-01

Based on the experience from Prototype Imaging Spectrograph for Coronagraphic Exoplanet Studies (PISCES) for WFIRST, we have moved to the flight instrument design phase. The specifications for flight IFS have similarities and differences from the prototype. This paper starts with the science and system requirement, discusses a number of critical trade-offs: such as IFS type selection, lenslet array shape and layout versus detector pixel accuracy, how to accommodate the larger Field Of View (FOV) and wider wavelength band for a potential add-on StarShade occulter. Finally, the traditional geometric optical design is also investigated and traded: reflective versus refractive, telecentric versus non-telecentric relay. The relay before the lenslet array controls the chief angle distribution on the lenslet array. Our previous paper has addressed how the relay design combined with lenslet arraypinhole mask can further compress the residual star light and increase the contrast. Finally, a complete phase A IFS optical design is presented.

Bulk and integrated acousto-optic spectrometers for molecular astronomy with heterodyne spectrometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chin, G.; Buhl, D.; Florez, J. M.

1981-01-01

A survey of acousto-optic spectrometers for molecular astronomy is presented, noting a technique of combining the acoustic bending of a collimated coherent light beam with a Bragg cell followed by an array of sensitive photodetectors. This acousto-optic spectrometer has a large bandwidth, a large number of channels, high resolution, and is energy efficient. Receiver development has concentrated on high-frequency heterodyne systems for the study of the chemical composition of the interstellar medium. RF spectrometers employing acousto-optic diffraction cells are described. Acousto-optic techniques have been suggested for applications to electronic warfare, electronic countermeasures and electronic support systems. Plans to use integrated optics for the further miniaturization of acousto-optic spectrometers are described. Bulk acousto-optic spectrometers with 300 MHz and 1 GHz bandwidths are being developed for use in the back-end of high-frequency heterodyne receivers for astronomical research.

Coronagraphic Observations of the Lunar Sodium Exosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Killen, R. M.; Johnson, J. D.; Morgan, T. H.; Potter, A. E.

2017-12-01

We have designed, built and installed a small robotic coronagraph at the Winer Observatory in Sonoita, Arizona, in order to observe the sodium exosphere out to one-half degree around the Moon. Observations are obtained remotely every available clear night from our home base at Goddard Space Flight Center. Our data encompass lunations in 2015, 2016, and 2017, thus we have a long baseline of sodium exospheric calibrated images. We employ an Andover temperature-controlled 1.5 Å wide narrow-band filter centered on the sodium D2 line, and a similar 1.5 Å filter centered blueward of the D2 line by 5 Å. Exposures of 10 minutes are required to image the sodium corona at good signal to noise. Autoguiding is performed locking onto a small bright crater each night. Following each onband-offband exposure pair, on- and off-band images of the lunar surface are collected by taking a 0.1- 0.5 second exposures with the open filter. The sodium is calibrated using the counts in the open Moon images and the Hapke function. We use both dark and bright Hapke parameters for comparison check using Mare and highlands, respectively. In order to obtain the sodium profile around the entire limb, the images are transformed using a polar transform and the profiles are extracted automatically. We have derived zenith column abundances and surface abundances around the lunar limb for each observation and we fit these observations with a 3-dimensional model. We compare our lunar model derived from these observations with the data from the spectrograph onboard the LADEE spacecraft.

Extreme ultraviolet spectra of Venusian airglow observed by EXCEED

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nara, Yusuke; Yoshikawa, Ichiro; Yoshioka, Kazuo; Murakami, Go; Kimura, Tomoki; Yamazaki, Atsushi; Tsuchiya, Fuminori; Kuwabara, Masaki; Iwagami, Naomoto

2018-06-01

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectra of Venus in the wavelength range 520 - 1480 Å with 3 - 4 Å resolutions were obtained in March 2014 by an EUV imaging spectrometer EXCEED (Extreme Ultraviolet Spectroscope for Exospheric Dynamics) on the HISAKI spacecraft. Due to its high sensitivity and long exposure time, many new emission lines and bands were identified. Already known emissions such as the O II 834 Å, O I 989 Å, H ILy - β 1026 Å, and the C I 1277 Å lines (Broadfoot et al., 1974; Bertaux et al., 1980; Feldman et al., 2000) are also detected in the EXCEED spectrum. In addition, N2 band systems such as the Lyman-Birge-Hopfield (a 1Πg - X 1Σg+) (2, 0), (2, 1), (3, 1), (3, 2) and (5, 3) bands, the Birge-Hopfield (b1Πu - X 1 Σg+) (1, 3) band, and the Carroll-Yoshino (c 4‧ 1 Σu+ - X 1Σg+) (0, 0) and (0, 1) bands together are identified for the first time in the Venusian airglow. We also identified the CO Hopfield-Birge (B 1Σ+ - X 1Σ+) (1, 0) band in addition to the already known (0, 0) band, and the CO Hopfield-Birge (C 1Σ+ - X 1Σ+) (0, 1), (0, 2) bands in addition to the already known (0, 0) band (Feldman et al., 2000; Gérard et al., 2011).

Direct Analysis of Organic Compounds in Liquid Using a Miniature Photoionization Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer with Pulsed Carrier-Gas Capillary Inlet.

PubMed

Lu, Xinqiong; Yu, Quan; Zhang, Qian; Ni, Kai; Qian, Xiang; Tang, Fei; Wang, Xiaohao

2017-08-01

A miniature ion trap mass spectrometer with capillary direct sampling and vacuum ultraviolet photoionization source was developed to conduct trace analysis of organic compounds in liquids. Self-aspiration sampling is available where the samples are drawn into the vacuum chamber through a capillary with an extremely low flow rate (less than 1 μL/min), which minimizes sample consumption in each analysis to tens of micrograms. A pulsed gas-assisted inlet was designed and optimized to promote sample transmission in the tube and facilitate the cooling of ions, thereby improving instrument sensitivity. A limit of detection of 2 ppb could be achieved for 2,4-dimethylaniline in a methanol solution. The sampling system described in the present study is specifically suitable for a miniature photoionization ion trap mass spectrometer that can perform rapid and online analysis for liquid samples. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Direct Analysis of Organic Compounds in Liquid Using a Miniature Photoionization Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer with Pulsed Carrier-Gas Capillary Inlet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Xinqiong; Yu, Quan; Zhang, Qian; Ni, Kai; Qian, Xiang; Tang, Fei; Wang, Xiaohao

2017-08-01

A miniature ion trap mass spectrometer with capillary direct sampling and vacuum ultraviolet photoionization source was developed to conduct trace analysis of organic compounds in liquids. Self-aspiration sampling is available where the samples are drawn into the vacuum chamber through a capillary with an extremely low flow rate (less than 1 μL/min), which minimizes sample consumption in each analysis to tens of micrograms. A pulsed gas-assisted inlet was designed and optimized to promote sample transmission in the tube and facilitate the cooling of ions, thereby improving instrument sensitivity. A limit of detection of 2 ppb could be achieved for 2,4-dimethylaniline in a methanol solution. The sampling system described in the present study is specifically suitable for a miniature photoionization ion trap mass spectrometer that can perform rapid and online analysis for liquid samples.

Ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopy for effluent analysis in a molten salt electrochemical cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, J. F.; Pellin, M. J.; Calaway, W. F.; Hryn, J. N.

2003-08-01

An apparatus that combines gas phase spectroscopy over two wavelength ranges for analysis of effluent from a molten salt electrochemical cell is described. The cell is placed in a quartz tube that is sealed at the top with a cap containing feedthrus for power, thermometry, and gas flow. A resistance furnace brings the cell assembly to the desired temperature while the cap remains cooled by water. Inert gas continually purges the cell headspace carrying effluent from the electrolysis sequentially through two gas cells, one in a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer and one in a fiber-optic coupled ultraviolet visible spectrometer. Strong vibrational absorptions in the IR can easily identify common effluent components such as HCl, CO, CO2, and H2O. Electronic bands can identify IR-inactive molecules of importance including Cl2 and O2. Since the absorptivity of all of these species is known, determinations of the gas concentration can be made without using standards. Spectra from the electrolysis of molten MgCl2 are shown and discussed, as well as the limit of detection and inherent time resolution of the apparatus as implemented.

Compact Infrared Spectrometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mouroulis, Pantazis

2009-01-01

Concentric spectrometer forms are advantageous for constructing a variety of systems spanning the entire visible to infrared range. Spectrometer examples are given, including broadband or high resolution forms. Some issues associated with the Dyson catadioptric type are also discussed.

Real-time monitoring of trace-level VOCs by an ultrasensitive lamp-based VUV photoionization mass spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, W. Q.; Shu, J. N.; Zhang, P.; Li, Z.; Li, N. N.; Liang, M.; Yang, B.

2015-11-01

In this study, we report on the development of a lamp-based vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometer (VUV-PIMS) in our laboratory; it is composed of a radio-frequency-powered VUV lamp, a VUV photoionizer, an ion-migration lens assembly, and a reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer. By utilizing the novel photoionizer consisting of a photoionization cavity and a VUV light baffle, the baselines of the mass spectra decreased from 263.6 ± 15.7 counts to 4.1 ± 1.8 counts. A detection limit (2σ) of 3 pptv was achieved for benzene after an acquisition time of 10 s. To examine its potential for real-time monitoring applications of samples, the developed VUV-PIMS was employed for the continuous measurement of urban air for 6 days in Beijing, China. Strong signals of trace-level volatile organic compounds, such as benzene and its alkylated derivatives, were observed in the mass spectra. These initial experimental results reveal that the instrument can be used for the online monitoring of trace-level species in the atmosphere.

21 CFR 872.6350 - Ultraviolet detector.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ultraviolet detector. 872.6350 Section 872.6350...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6350 Ultraviolet detector. (a) Identification. An ultraviolet detector is a device intended to provide a source of ultraviolet light which is used...

21 CFR 872.6350 - Ultraviolet detector.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Ultraviolet detector. 872.6350 Section 872.6350...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6350 Ultraviolet detector. (a) Identification. An ultraviolet detector is a device intended to provide a source of ultraviolet light which is used...

21 CFR 872.6350 - Ultraviolet detector.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Ultraviolet detector. 872.6350 Section 872.6350...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6350 Ultraviolet detector. (a) Identification. An ultraviolet detector is a device intended to provide a source of ultraviolet light which is used...

21 CFR 872.6350 - Ultraviolet detector.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Ultraviolet detector. 872.6350 Section 872.6350...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6350 Ultraviolet detector. (a) Identification. An ultraviolet detector is a device intended to provide a source of ultraviolet light which is used...

21 CFR 872.6350 - Ultraviolet detector.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Ultraviolet detector. 872.6350 Section 872.6350...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6350 Ultraviolet detector. (a) Identification. An ultraviolet detector is a device intended to provide a source of ultraviolet light which is used...

Deep Imaging Search for Planets Forming in the TW Hya Protoplanetary Disk with the Keck/NIRC2 Vortex Coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruane, G.; Mawet, D.; Kastner, J.; Meshkat, T.; Bottom, M.; Femenía Castellá, B.; Absil, O.; Gomez Gonzalez, C.; Huby, E.; Zhu, Z.; Jenson-Clem, R.; Choquet, É.; Serabyn, E.

2017-08-01

Distinct gap features in the nearest protoplanetary disk, TW Hya (distance of 59.5 ± 0.9 pc), may be signposts of ongoing planet formation. We performed long-exposure thermal infrared coronagraphic imaging observations to search for accreting planets, especially within dust gaps previously detected in scattered light and submillimeter-wave thermal emission. Three nights of observations with the Keck/NIRC2 vortex coronagraph in L‧ (3.4-4.1 μm) did not reveal any statistically significant point sources. We thereby set strict upper limits on the masses of non-accreting planets. In the four most prominent disk gaps at 24, 41, 47, and 88 au, we obtain upper mass limits of 1.6-2.3, 1.1-1.6, 1.1-1.5, and 1.0-1.2 Jupiter masses (M J), assuming an age range of 7-10 Myr for TW Hya. These limits correspond to the contrast at 95% completeness (true positive fraction of 0.95) with a 1% chance of a false positive within 1″ of the star. We also approximate an upper limit on the product of the planet mass and planetary accretion rate of {M}{{p}}\\dot{M}≲ {10}-8 {M}{{J}}2 {{yr}}-1 implying that any putative ˜0.1 M J planet, which could be responsible for opening the 24 au gap, is presently accreting at rates insufficient to build up a Jupiter mass within TW Hya’s pre-main-sequence lifetime.

Extreme ultraviolet spectra of S IX and S X relevant to solar coronal plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Safdar; Kato, Hiroyuki; Nakamura, Nobuyuki

2017-10-01

We present extreme ultraviolet laboratory spectra of highly charged S IX and S X measured using a compact electron beam ion trap. The data were recorded using a flat-field grazing incidence spectrometer in the wavelength range between 210 and 290 Å. The beam energy was tuned for three different values at 365, 410 and 465 eV while keeping electron beam current constant at 10 mA. By measuring the beam energy dependence, we identified several lines originating from S IX and S X ions with the support of collisional-radiative modeling. We compared them with the present calculations and transitions listed in the NIST data base and found in good agreement.

Survey of ultraviolet shuttle glow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spear, K. A.; Uckler, G. J.; Tobiska, K.

1985-01-01

The University of Colorado Get Away Special (GAS) project utilizes the efforts of its students to place experiments on the shuttle. The objective of one experiment, the shuttle glow study, is to conduct a general survey of emissions in the ultraviolet near vehicle surfaces. An approximate wavelength range of 1900 to 3000 A will be scanned to observe predominant features. Special emphasis will be placed on studying the band structure of NO near 2000 A and the Mg+ line at 2800 A. The spectrometer, of Ebert-Faste 1/8-meter design, will perform the experiment during spacecraft night. It will be oriented such that the optical axis points to the cargo bay zenith. In order to direct the field-of-view of the instrument onto the shuttle vertical stabilizer (tail), a mirror assembly is employed. The mirror system has been designed to rotate through 7.5 degrees of arc using 10 positions resulting in a spatial resolution of 30 x 3 cm, with the larger dimension corresponding to the horizontal direction. Such a configuration can be attained from the forwardmost position in the cargo bay. Each spatial position will be subjected to a full spectral scan with a resolution on the order of 10 A.

SOHO EIT Carrington maps from synoptic full-disk data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, B. J.; Newmark, J. S.; Gurman, J. B.; Delaboudiniere, J. P.; Clette, F.; Gibson, S. E.

1997-01-01

The solar synoptic maps, obtained from observations carried out since May 1996 by the extreme-ultraviolet imaging telescope (EIT) onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), are presented. The maps were constructed for each Carrington rotation with the calibrated data. The off-limb maps at 1.05 and 1.10 solar radii were generated for three coronal lines using the standard applied to coronagraph synoptic maps. The maps reveal several aspects of the solar structure over the entire rotation and are used in the whole sun month modeling campaign. @txt extreme-ultraviolet imaging telescope

A smog chamber study coupling a photoionization aerosol electron/ion spectrometer to VUV synchrotron radiation: organic and inorganic-organic mixed aerosol analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baeza-Romero, María Teresa; Gaie-Levrel, Francois; Mahjoub, Ahmed; López-Arza, Vicente; Garcia, Gustavo A.; Nahon, Laurent

2016-07-01

A reaction chamber was coupled to a photoionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer based on an electron/ion coincidence scheme and applied for on-line analysis of organic and inorganic-organic mixed aerosols using synchrotron tunable vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photons as the ionization source. In this proof of principle study, both aerosol and gas phase were detected simultaneously but could be differentiated. Present results and perspectives for improvement for this set-up are shown in the study of ozonolysis ([O3] = 0.13-3 ppm) of α-pinene (2-3 ppm), and the uptake of glyoxal upon ammonium sulphate. In this work the ozone concentration was monitored in real time, together with the particle size distributions and chemical composition, the latter taking advantage of the coincidence spectrometer and the tuneability of the synchrotron radiation as a soft VUV ionization source.

New scientific results with SpIOMM: a testbed for CFHT's imaging Fourier transform spectrometer SITELLE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drissen, L.; Alarie, A.; Martin, T.; Lagrois, D.; Rousseau-Nepton, L.; Bilodeau, A.; Robert, C.; Joncas, G.; Iglesias-Páramo, J.

2012-09-01

We present new data obtained with SpIOMM, the imaging Fourier transform spectrometer attached to the 1.6-m telescope of the Observatoire du Mont-Megantic in Québec. Recent technical and data reduction improvements have significantly increased SpIOMM's capabilities to observe fainter objects or weaker nebular lines, as well as continuum sources and absorption lines, and to increase its modulation efficiency in the near ultraviolet. To illustrate these improvements, we present data on the supernova remnant Cas A, planetary nebulae M27 and M97, the Wolf-Rayet ring nebula M1-67, spiral galaxies M63 and NGC 3344, as well as the interacting pair of galaxies Arp 84.

High Resolution X-Ray Spectroscopy of zeta Puppis with the XMM-Newton Reflection Grating Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kahn, S. M.; Leutenegger, M. A.; Cottam, J.; Rauw, G.; Vreux, J.-M.; denBoggende, A. J. F.; Mewe, R.; Guedel, M.

2000-01-01

We present the first high resolution X-ray spectrum of the bright O4Ief supergiant star Puppis, obtained with the Reflection Grating Spectrometer on- board XMM-Newton. The spectrum exhibits bright emission lines of hydrogen-like and helium-like ions of nitrogen, oxygen, neon, magnesium, and silicon, as well as neon-like ions of iron. The lines are all significantly resolved, with characteristic velocity widths of order 1000 - 1500 km/ s. The nitrogen lines are especially strong, and indicate that the shocked gas in the wind is mixed with CNO-burned material, as has been previously inferred for the atmosphere of this star from ultraviolet spectra. We find that the forbidden to intercombination line ratios within the helium-like triplets are anomalously low for N VI, O VII, and Ne IX. While this is sometimes indicative of high electron density, we show that in this case, it is instead caused by the intense ultraviolet radiation field of the star. We use this interpretation to derive constraints on the location of the X-ray emitting shocks within the wind that agree remarkably well with current theoretical models for this system.

NEW Fe IX LINE IDENTIFICATIONS USING SOLAR AND HELIOSPHERIC OBSERVATORY/SOLAR ULTRAVIOLET MEASUREMENT OF EMITTED RADIATION AND HINODE/EIS JOINT OBSERVATIONS OF THE QUIET SUN

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

Landi, E.; Young, P. R.

2009-12-20

In this work, we study joint observations of Hinode/EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) and Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Solar Ultraviolet Measurement of Emitted Radiation of Fe IX lines emitted by the same level of the high energy configuration 3s {sup 2}3p {sup 5}4p. The intensity ratios of these lines are dependent on atomic physics parameters only and not on the physical parameters of the emitting plasma, so that they are excellent tools to verify the relative intensity calibration of high-resolution spectrometers that work in the 170-200 A and 700-850 A wavelength ranges. We carry out extensive atomic physics calculations to improve themore » accuracy of the predicted intensity ratio, and compare the results with simultaneous EIS-SUMER observations of an off-disk quiet Sun region. We were able to identify two ultraviolet lines in the SUMER spectrum that are emitted by the same level that emits one bright line in the EIS wavelength range. Comparison between predicted and measured intensity ratios, wavelengths and energy separation of Fe IX levels confirms the identifications we make. Blending and calibration uncertainties are discussed. The results of this work are important for cross-calibrating EIS and SUMER, as well as future instrumentation.« less

System design of the CRISM (compact reconnaissance imaging spectrometer for Mars) hyperspectral imager

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silverglate, Peter R.; Fort, Dennis E.

2004-01-01

CRISM (Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars) is a hyperspectral imager that will be launched on the MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter) in August 2005. The MRO will circle Mars in a polar orbit at a nominal altitude of 325 km. The CRISM spectral range spans the ultraviolet (UV) to the mid-wave infrared (MWIR), 400 nm to 4050 nm. The instrument utilizes a Ritchey-Chretien telescope with a 2.06º field of view (FOV) to focus light on the entrance slit of a dual spectrometer. Within the spectrometer light is split by a dichroic into VNIR (visible-near infrared) (λ <= 1.05 μm) and IR (infrared) (λ >= 1.05 μm) beams. Each beam is directed into a separate modified Offner spectrometer that focuses a spectrally dispersed image of the slit onto a two dimensional focal plane (FP). The IR FP is a 640 x 480 HgCdTe area array; the VNIR FP is a 640 x 480 silicon photodiode area array. The spectral image is contiguously sampled with a 6.55 nm spectral spacing and an instantaneous field of view of 60 μradians. The orbital motion of the MRO pushbroom scans the spectrometer slit across the Martian surface, allowing the planet to be mapped in 558 spectral bands. There are four major mapping modes: A quick initial multi-spectral mapping of a major portion of the Martian surface in 59 selected spectral bands at a spatial resolution of 600 μradians (10:1 binning); an extended multi-spectral mapping of the entire Martian surface in 59 selected spectral bands at a spatial resolution of 300 μradians (5:1 binning); a high resolution Target Mode, performing hyperspectral mapping of selected targets of interest at full spatial and spectral resolution; and an atmospheric Emission Phase Function (EPF) mode for atmospheric study and correction at full spectral resolution at a spatial resolution of 300 μradians (5:1 binning). The instrument is gimbaled to allow scanning over +/-60° for the EPF and Target modes. The scanning also permits orbital motion compensation, enabling

System design of the CRISM (compact reconnaissance imaging spectrometer for Mars) hyperspectral imager

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silverglate, Peter R.; Fort, Dennis E.

2003-12-01

CRISM (Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars) is a hyperspectral imager that will be launched on the MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter) in August 2005. The MRO will circle Mars in a polar orbit at a nominal altitude of 325 km. The CRISM spectral range spans the ultraviolet (UV) to the mid-wave infrared (MWIR), 400 nm to 4050 nm. The instrument utilizes a Ritchey-Chretien telescope with a 2.06º field of view (FOV) to focus light on the entrance slit of a dual spectrometer. Within the spectrometer light is split by a dichroic into VNIR (visible-near infrared) (λ <= 1.05 μm) and IR (infrared) (λ >= 1.05 μm) beams. Each beam is directed into a separate modified Offner spectrometer that focuses a spectrally dispersed image of the slit onto a two dimensional focal plane (FP). The IR FP is a 640 x 480 HgCdTe area array; the VNIR FP is a 640 x 480 silicon photodiode area array. The spectral image is contiguously sampled with a 6.55 nm spectral spacing and an instantaneous field of view of 60 μradians. The orbital motion of the MRO pushbroom scans the spectrometer slit across the Martian surface, allowing the planet to be mapped in 558 spectral bands. There are four major mapping modes: A quick initial multi-spectral mapping of a major portion of the Martian surface in 59 selected spectral bands at a spatial resolution of 600 μradians (10:1 binning); an extended multi-spectral mapping of the entire Martian surface in 59 selected spectral bands at a spatial resolution of 300 μradians (5:1 binning); a high resolution Target Mode, performing hyperspectral mapping of selected targets of interest at full spatial and spectral resolution; and an atmospheric Emission Phase Function (EPF) mode for atmospheric study and correction at full spectral resolution at a spatial resolution of 300 μradians (5:1 binning). The instrument is gimbaled to allow scanning over +/-60° for the EPF and Target modes. The scanning also permits orbital motion compensation, enabling

Real-time monitoring of trace-level VOCs by an ultrasensitive compact lamp-based VUV photoionization mass spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, W. Q.; Shu, J. N.; Zhang, P.; Li, Z.; Li, N. N.; Liang, M.; Yang, B.

2015-06-01

In this study, we report on the development of a compact lamp-based vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photoionization mass spectrometer (PIMS; hereafter referred to as VUV-PIMS) in our laboratory; it is composed of a radio frequency-powered VUV lamp, a VUV photoionizer, an ion-immigration region, and a reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer. By utilizing the novel photoionizer consisting of a photoionization cavity and a VUV light baffle, extremely low background noise was obtained. An ultrasensitive detection limit (2σ) of 3 pptv was achieved for benzene after an acquisition time of 10 s. To examine its potential for application in real-time sample monitoring, the developed VUV-PIMS was employed for the continuous measurement of urban air for six days in Beijing, China. Strong signals of trace-level volatile organic compounds such as benzene and its alkylated derivatives were observed in the mass spectra. These initial experimental results reveal that the instrument can be used for the online monitoring of trace-level species in the atmosphere.

Development of an electron momentum spectrometer for time-resolved experiments employing nanosecond pulsed electron beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Yaguo; Shan, Xu; Liu, Zhaohui; Niu, Shanshan; Wang, Enliang; Chen, Xiangjun

2018-03-01

The low count rate of (e, 2e) electron momentum spectroscopy (EMS) has long been a major limitation of its application to the investigation of molecular dynamics. Here we report a new EMS apparatus developed for time-resolved experiments in the nanosecond time scale, in which a double toroidal energy analyzer is utilized to improve the sensitivity of the spectrometer and a nanosecond pulsed electron gun with a repetition rate of 10 kHz is used to obtain an average beam current up to nA. Meanwhile, a picosecond ultraviolet laser with a repetition rate of 5 kHz is introduced to pump the sample target. The time zero is determined by photoionizing the target using a pump laser and monitoring the change of the electron beam current with time delay between the laser pulse and electron pulse, which is influenced by the plasma induced by the photoionization. The performance of the spectrometer is demonstrated by the EMS measurement on argon using a pulsed electron beam, illustrating the potential abilities of the apparatus for investigating the molecular dynamics in excited states when employing the pump-probe scheme.

The Extreme Ultraviolet Normal Incidence Spectrograph (EUNIS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oegerle, William (Technical Monitor); Rabin, D.; Davila, J.; Thomas, R. J.; Engler, C.; Irish, S.; Keski-Kuha, R.; Novello, J.; Nowak, M.; Payne, L.;

Coronagraphic Observations of the Lunar Sodium Exosphere Near the Lunar Surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Potter, A. E.; Morgan, T. H.

1998-01-01

The sodium exosphere of the Moon was observed using a solar coronagraph to occult the illuminated surface of the Moon. Exceptionally dust-free atmospheric conditions were required to allow the faint emission from sunlight scattered by lunar sodium atoms to be distinguished from moonlight scattered from atmospheric dust. At 0300 UT on April 22, 1994, ideal conditions prevailed for a few hours, and one excellent image of the sodium exosphere was measured, with the Moon at a phase angle of 51 deg, 81 % illuminated. Analysis of the image data showed that the weighted mean temperature of the exosphere was 1280 K and that the sodium column density varied approximately as cosine-cubed of the latitude. A cosine-cubed variation is an unexpected result, since the flux per unit area of solar photons and solar particles varies as the cosine of latitude. It is suggested that this can be explained by a temperature dependence for the sputtering of sodium atoms from the surface. This is a characteristic feature of chemical sputtering, which has been previously proposed to explain the sodium exosphere of Mercury. A possible interaction between chemical sputtering and solar photons is suggested.

Neutral Kaon Spectrometer 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaneta, M.; Beckford, B.; Fujii, T.; Fujii, Y.; Futatsukawa, K.; Han, Y. C.; Hashimoto, O.; Hirose, K.; Ishikawa, T.; Kanda, H.; Kimura, C.; Maeda, K.; Nakamura, S. N.; Suzuki, K.; Tsukada, K.; Yamamoto, F.; Yamazaki, H.

2018-04-01

A large-acceptance spectrometer, Neutral Kaon Spectrometer 2 (NKS2), was newly constructed to explore various photoproduction reactions in the gigaelectronvolt region at the Laboratory of Nuclear Science (LNS, currently ELPH), Tohoku University. The spectrometer consisted of a dipole magnet, drift chambers, and plastic scintillation counters. NKS2 was designed to separate pions and protons in a momentum range of less than 1 GeV/ c, and was placed in a tagged photon beamline. A cryogenic H2/D2 target fitted to the spectrometer were designed. The design and performance of the detectors are described. The results of the NKS2 experiment on analyzing strangeness photoproduction data using a 0.8-1.1 GeV tagged photon beam are also presented.

Fourier Transform Spectrometer System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Joel F. (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) data acquisition system includes an FTS spectrometer that receives a spectral signal and a laser signal. The system further includes a wideband detector, which is in communication with the FTS spectrometer and receives the spectral signal and laser signal from the FTS spectrometer. The wideband detector produces a composite signal comprising the laser signal and the spectral signal. The system further comprises a converter in communication with the wideband detector to receive and digitize the composite signal. The system further includes a signal processing unit that receives the composite signal from the converter. The signal processing unit further filters the laser signal and the spectral signal from the composite signal and demodulates the laser signal, to produce velocity corrected spectral data.

APIC: Absolute Position Interfero Coronagraph for direct exoplanet detection: first laboratory results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allouche, Fatmé; Glindemann, Andreas; Aristidi, Eric; Vakili, Farrokh

2010-07-01

For the detection and direct imaging of exoplanets, when the intensity ratio between a star and its orbiting planet can largely exceed 106, coronagraphic methods are mandatory. In 1996, a concept of achromatic interferocoronagraph (AIC) was presented by J. Gay and Y. Rabbia for the detection of very faint stellar companions, such as exoplanets. In an earlier paper, we presented a modified version of the AIC permitting to determine the relative position of these faint companions with respect to the parent star, a problem unsolved in the original design of the AIC. Our modification lied in the use of cylindrical lens doublets as field rotator. By placing two of them in one arm of the interferometric set-up of AIC, we destroyed the axis of symmetry induced by the AIC's original design. Our theoretical study, along with the numerical computations, presented then, and the preliminary test bench results aiming at validating the cylindrical lens doublet field rotation capability, presented in this paper, show that the axis of symmetry is destroyed when one of the cylindrical doublets is rotated around the optic axis.

Lunar orbital mass spectrometer experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lord, W. P.

1971-01-01

The design, development, manufacture, test and calibration of five lunar orbital mass spectrometers with the four associated ground support equipment test sets are discussed. A mass spectrometer was installed in the Apollo 15 and one in the Apollo 16 Scientific Instrument Module within the Service Module. The Apollo 15 mass spectrometer was operated with collection of 38 hours of mass spectra data during lunar orbit and 50 hours of data were collected during transearth coast. The Apollo 16 mass spectrometer was operated with collection of 76 hours of mass spectra data during lunar orbit. However, the Apollo 16 mass spectrometer was ejected into lunar orbit upon malfunction of spacecraft boom system just prior to transearth insection and no transearth coast data was possible.

Tropospheric and Airborne Emission Spectrometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glavich, Thomas; Beer, Reinhard

1996-01-01

X This paper describes the development of two related instruments, the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) and the Airborne Emission Spectrometer (AES). Both instruments are infrared imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometers, used for measuring the state of the lower atmosphere, and in particular the measurement of ozone and ozone sources and sinks.

Electronics for a Spectrometer

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-01-24

NASA has provided part of the electronics package for an instrument called the Double Focusing Mass Spectrometer, which is part of the Swiss-built Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis ROSINA instrument.

Deep UV to NIR Space Telescopes and Exoplanet Coronagraphs: A Trade Study on Throughput, Polarization, Mirror Coating Options and Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; Shaklan, Stuart; Give'on, Amir; Cady, Eric; Marchen, Luis

2011-01-01

The NASA Exoplanet program and the Cosmic Origins program are exploring technical options to combine the visible to NIR performance requirements of a space coronagraph with the general astrophysics requirements of a space telescope covering the deep UV spectrum. Are there compatible options in terms of mirror coatings and telescope architecture to satisfy both goals? In this paper, we address some of the main concerns, particularly relating to polarization in the visible and throughput in the UV. Telescope architectures employing different coating options compatible with current technology are considered in this trade study.

Measurements of density dependent intensity ratios of extreme ultraviolet line emission from Fe X, XI, and XII

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimizu, Erina; Ali, Safdar; Tsuda, Takashi; Sakaue, Hiroyuki A.; Kato, Daiji; Murakami, Izumi; Hara, Hirohisa; Watanabe, Tetsuya; Nakamura, Nobuyuki

2017-05-01

We report high-resolution density dependent intensity ratio measurements for middle charge states of iron in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral wavelength range of 160-200 Å. The measurements were performed at the Tokyo EBIT laboratory by employing a flat-field grazing incidence spectrometer installed on a low energy compact electron beam ion trap. The intensity ratios for several line pairs stemming from Fe X, Fe XI and Fe XII were extracted from spectra collected at the electron beam energies of 340 and 400 eV by varying the beam current between 7.5 and 12 mA at each energy. In addition, the effective electron densities were obtained experimentally by imaging the electron beam profile and ion cloud size with a pinhole camera and visible spectrometer, respectively. In this paper, the experimental results are compared with previous data from the literature and with the present calculations performed using a collisional-radiative model. Our experimental results show a rather good agreement with the calculations and previous reported results.

Shock-layer-induced ultraviolet emissions measured by rocket payloads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caveny, Leonard H.; Mann, David M.

1991-08-01

Hypervelocity missiles in the continuum and near-continuum atmosphere produce high temperature shocklayers (i.e., greater than 4000 K at 3.5 km/s and 9000 K at 5.5 km/s). Atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen react and the products are excited to produce nitrogen oxide gamma-band radiation. Analyses and shock tube experiments explored the reaction chemistry and the emissions. Two rocket experiments were conducted to obtain ultraviolet (UV) data under flight conditions using innovative onboard instruments. The first (Bow Shock 1) flew onboard a Terrier-Malemute in April 1990; the second (Bow Shock 2) flew aboard a Strypi XI (Castor 1/Antares IIa/Star 27) in February 1991. The principal instruments were: (1) scanning UV spectrometers, from 190 to 400 nm, (2) quartz fiber-optic coupled photometers to measure selected spectral features, and (3) atomic oxygen (130.4 nm) and hydrogen Lyman-alpha (121.6 nm) detectors. Bow Shock 1 acquired new data on the spectral intensity from UV emissions at 3.5 km/s between 40 and 70 km. For example, at 55 km, the observations included well-defined spectra of nitrogen oxide gamma-band UV emitters with signal strengths more than 10 times stronger than recent theory predicted. Significant signal strength persisted to 70 km, 20 km higher than anticipated. Bow Shock 2 extended the velocity to 5 km/s. An additional scanning spectrometer and 8 photometers observed the downstream shock structures and shock plume interactions. Initial data interpretations indicate that aerodynamic interactions significantly enhance plume emissions.

Repeatability of in vitro measurements of the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) by spectrophotometry with automatic sampling.

PubMed

Hoffmann, K; Kesners, P; Bader, A; Avermaete, A; Altmeyer, P; Gambichler, T

2001-11-01

Spectrophotometric assessment (in vitro) is the most established method for determining the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of textiles. Apart from stringent requirements for measurement precision, practical methods are required for the routine determination of the UPF. We report here spectrophotometric measurements of textiles using a newly developed autosampler. Measurement precision was evaluated under repeatable conditions. Fifteen different textiles were spectrophotometrically assessed for the determination of the UPF. Sample handling inside the spectrophotometer was performed with a computer-controlled sampling device, capable of loading and unloading a textile sample from a magazine as well as rotating the sample perpendicular to the spectrometer beam. In order to evaluate the repeatability of measurements, one sample of each textile was assessed eight times under the same conditions in the same laboratory. A mean percentage of the standard error of 1% [E(UPF)] was calculated for the UPF measurements. For UPFs >30, a significantly higher E(UPF) was found (r=0.78; P<0.001). E(UV) (3.9%) of ultraviolet A (UVA) transmission differed significantly from E(UV) (1.1 %) of ultraviolet B (UVB) transmission (P<0.05). Though a slight decrease of repeatability was observed for UVA transmission measurements and UPFs higher than 30, our data indicate a high measurement precision under repeatable conditions. In conclusion, spectrophotometric measurements of textiles with the aid of the autosampler presented have been shown to be highly practical, time saving and precise.

Detection of latent fingerprints by ultraviolet spectral imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wei; Xu, Xiaojing; Wang, Guiqiang

2013-12-01

Spectral imaging technology research is becoming more popular in the field of forensic science. Ultraviolet spectral imaging technology is an especial part of the full spectrum of imaging technology. This paper finished the experiment contents of the ultraviolet spectrum imaging method and image acquisition system based on ultraviolet spectral imaging technology. Ultraviolet spectral imaging experiments explores a wide variety of ultraviolet reflectance spectra of the object material curve and its ultraviolet spectrum of imaging modalities, can not only gives a reference for choosing ultraviolet wavelength to show the object surface potential traces of substances, but also gives important data for the ultraviolet spectrum of imaging technology development.

Transmitting and reflecting diffuser. [for ultraviolet light

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keafer, L. S., Jr.; Burcher, E. E.; Kopia, L. P. (Inventor)

1973-01-01

A near-Lambertian diffuser is described which transmits and reflects ultraviolet light. An ultraviolet grade fused silica substrate is coated with vaporized fuse silica. The coating thickness is controlled, one thickness causing ultraviolet light to diffuse and another thickness causing ultraviolet light to reflect a near Lambertian pattern.

International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boehm, Karl-Heinz

1992-01-01

The observation, data reduction, and interpretation of ultraviolet spectra (obtained with the International Ultraviolet Explorer) of Herbig-Haro objects, stellar jets, and (in a few cases) reflection nebulae in star-forming regions is discussed. Intermediate results have been reported in the required semi-annual reports. The observations for this research were obtained in 23 (US1) IUE shifts. The spectra were taken in the low resolution mode with the large aperture. The following topics were investigated: (1) detection of UV spectra of high excitation Herbig-Haro (HH) objects, identification of emission lines, and a preliminary study of the energy distribution of the ultraviolet continuum; (2) details of the continuum energy distribution of these spectra and their possible interpretation; (3) the properties of the reddening (extinction) of HH objects; (4) the possible time variation of strong emission lines in high excitation HH objects; (5) the ultraviolet emission of low excitation HH objects, especially in the fluorescent lines of the H2 molecule; (6) the ultraviolet emission in the peculiar object HH24; (7) the spatial emission distribution of different lines and different parts of the continuum in different HH objects; and (8) some properties of reflection nebula, in the environment of Herbig-Haro objects. Each topic is discussed.

High-resolution Fourier-transform extreme ultraviolet photoabsorption spectroscopy of 14N15N

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heays, A. N.; Dickenson, G. D.; Salumbides, E. J.; de Oliveira, N.; Joyeux, D.; Nahon, L.; Lewis, B. R.; Ubachs, W.

2011-12-01

The first comprehensive high-resolution photoabsorption spectrum of 14N15N has been recorded using the Fourier-transform spectrometer attached to the Desirs beamline at the Soleil synchrotron. Observations are made in the extreme ultraviolet and span 100 000-109 000 cm-1 (100-91.7 nm). The observed absorption lines have been assigned to 25 bands and reduced to a set of transition energies, f values, and linewidths. This analysis has verified the predictions of a theoretical model of N2 that simulates its photoabsorption and photodissociation cross section by solution of an isotopomer independent formulation of the coupled-channel Schrödinger equation. The mass dependence of predissociation linewidths and oscillator strengths is clearly evident and many local perturbations of transition energies, strengths, and widths within individual rotational series have been observed.

Detector arrays for photometric measurements at soft X-ray, ultraviolet and visible wavelengths

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Timothy, J. G.; Mount, G. H.; Bybee, R. L.

1979-01-01

The construction and modes of operation of the Multi-Anode Microchannel Array (MAMA) detectors are described, and the designs of spectrometers utilizing them are outlined. MAMA consists of a curved microchannel array plate, an opaque photocathode (peak quantum efficiency of 19% at 1216 A), and a multi-anode (either discrete- or coincidence-anode) readout array. Designed for use in instruments on spaceborne telescopes, MAMA can be operated in a windowless configuration in extreme-ultraviolet and soft X-ray wavelengths, or in a sealed configuration at UV and visible wavelengths. Advantages of MAMA include low applied potential (less than 3.0 kV), high gain (greater than 10 to the 6th electrons/pulse), low sensitivity to high-energy charged particles, and immunity to external magnetic fields of less than 500 Gauss

Determination of technical readiness for an atmospheric carbon imaging spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mobilia, Joseph; Kumer, John B.; Palmer, Alice; Sawyer, Kevin; Mao, Yalan; Katz, Noah; Mix, Jack; Nast, Ted; Clark, Charles S.; Vanbezooijen, Roel; Magoncelli, Antonio; Baraze, Ronald A.; Chenette, David L.

2013-09-01

The geoCARB sensor uses a 4-channel push broom slit-scan infrared imaging grating spectrometer to measure the absorption spectra of sunlight reflected from the ground in narrow wavelength regions. The instrument is designed for flight at geostationary orbit to provide mapping of greenhouse gases over continental scales, several times per day, with a spatial resolution of a few kilometers. The sensor provides multiple daily maps of column-averaged mixing ratios of CO2, CH4, and CO over the regions of interest, which enables flux determination at unprecedented time, space, and accuracy scales. The geoCARB sensor development is based on our experience in successful implementation of advanced space deployed optical instruments for remote sensing. A few recent examples include the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) on the geostationary Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS GEO-1) and the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS), along with sensors under development, the Near Infared camera (NIRCam) for James Webb (JWST), and the Global Lightning Mapper (GLM) and Solar UltraViolet Imager (SUVI) for the GOES-R series. The Tropospheric Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (TIMS), developed in part through the NASA Instrument Incubator Program (IIP), provides an important part of the strong technological foundation for geoCARB. The paper discusses subsystem heritage and technology readiness levels for these subsystems. The system level flight technology readiness and methods used to determine this level are presented along with plans to enhance the level.

Future Directions in Ultraviolet Spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sonneborn, George (Editor); Moos, Warren; VanSteenberg, Michael

2009-01-01

The 'Future Directions in Ultraviolet Spectroscopy' conference was inspired by the accomplishments of the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) Mission. The FUSE mission was launched in June 1999 and spent over eight years exploring the far-ultraviolet universe, gathering over 64 million seconds of high-resolution spectral data on nearly 3000 astronomical targets. The goal of this conference was not only to celebrate the accomplishments of FUSE, but to look toward the future and understand the major scientific drivers for the ultraviolet capabilities of the next generation fo space observatories. Invited speakers presented discussions based on measurements made by FUSE and other ultraviolet instruments, assessed their connection with measurements made with other techniques and, where appropriate, discussed the implications of low-z measurements for high-z phenomena. In addition to the oral presentations, many participants presented poster papers. The breadth of these presentation made it clear that much good science is still in progress with FUSE data and that these result will continue to have relevance in many scientific areas.

VEGAS: VErsatile GBT Astronomical Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bussa, Srikanth; VEGAS Development Team

2012-01-01

The National Science Foundation Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation (NSF-ATI) program is funding a new spectrometer backend for the Green Bank Telescope (GBT). This spectrometer is being built by the CICADA collaboration - collaboration between the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and the Center for Astronomy Signal Processing and Electronics Research (CASPER) at the University of California Berkeley.The backend is named as VErsatile GBT Astronomical Spectrometer (VEGAS) and will replace the capabilities of the existing spectrometers. This backend supports data processing from focal plane array systems. The spectrometer will be capable of processing up to 1.25 GHz bandwidth from 8 dual polarized beams or a bandwidth up to 10 GHz from a dual polarized beam.The spectrometer will be using 8-bit analog to digital converters (ADC), which gives a better dynamic range than existing GBT spectrometers. There will be 8 tunable digital sub-bands within the 1.25 GHz bandwidth, which will enhance the capability of simultaneous observation of multiple spectral transitions. The maximum spectral dump rate to disk will be about 0.5 msec. The vastly enhanced backend capabilities will support several science projects with the GBT. The projects include mapping temperature and density structure of molecular clouds; searches for organic molecules in the interstellar medium; determination of the fundamental constants of our evolving Universe; red-shifted spectral features from galaxies across cosmic time and survey for pulsars in the extreme gravitational environment of the Galactic Center.

Resolution-enhanced Mapping Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kumer, J. B.; Aubrun, J. N.; Rosenberg, W. J.; Roche, A. E.

1993-01-01

A familiar mapping spectrometer implementation utilizes two dimensional detector arrays with spectral dispersion along one direction and spatial along the other. Spectral images are formed by spatially scanning across the scene (i.e., push-broom scanning). For imaging grating and prism spectrometers, the slit is perpendicular to the spatial scan direction. For spectrometers utilizing linearly variable focal-plane-mounted filters the spatial scan direction is perpendicular to the direction of spectral variation. These spectrometers share the common limitation that the number of spectral resolution elements is given by the number of pixels along the spectral (or dispersive) direction. Resolution enhancement by first passing the light input to the spectrometer through a scanned etalon or Michelson is discussed. Thus, while a detector element is scanned through a spatial resolution element of the scene, it is also temporally sampled. The analysis for all the pixels in the dispersive direction is addressed. Several specific examples are discussed. The alternate use of a Michelson for the same enhancement purpose is also discussed. Suitable for weight constrained deep space missions, hardware systems were developed including actuators, sensor, and electronics such that low-resolution etalons with performance required for implementation would weigh less than one pound.

Ultraviolet Enceladus

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-09-23

Looking beyond Saturn's south pole, this was the Cassini spacecraft's view of the distant, icy moon Enceladus on July 28, 2004. The planet itself shows few obvious features at these ultraviolet wavelengths, due to scattering of light by molecules of the gases high in the atmosphere. Enceladus is 499 kilometers (310 miles) wide. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera at a distance of 7.4 million kilometers (4.6 million miles) from Saturn through a filter sensitive to ultraviolet wavelengths of light. The image scale is 44 kilometers (27 miles) per pixel of Saturn. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA06483