Search for a radio counterpart to GRB 940301 with westerbork

The COMPTEL instrument onboard theCompton Gamma-Ray Observatory imaged the bright gamma-ray burst GRB 940301 within 1.6 hours of the event, with a mean 1 error radius of 1.5°. The error region was subsequently refined by combining the COMPTEL location with the arc derived from differences in the event arrival time at the Ulysses and BATSE detectors. Westerbork observations of the COMPTEL error region began on March 4 1994 at 21 cm, however coverage of the refined position was not obtained until 32 days after the GRB occurrence, by which time the operating wavelength had changed to 92 cm. We have constrained the level of variability of sources within the triangulation arc-COMPTEL 2 error box region to be less than 40 mJy (5 upper limit) at 92 cm 41 days after the burst.     

Center to limb variation of the intensity of the photospheric faculae

Center to limb variation of the excess brightness of photospheric facular granules was observed at 530 nm with a balloon-borne telescope of 10 cm aperture. Facular granules are found to be 9.2% and 16.2% brighter than the adjacent quiet region at cos = 0.65 and 0.50 respectively, being the angle between the Sun's normal and the line of sight. This observation, together with our earlier result (Hirayama, 1978), leads to facular models which are 600 K hotter than the photosphere if the diameter of facular granules is assumed to be 600 km, and 1000 K hotter if 150 km is assumed instead. It was also found that the soft X-ray bright points as observed with the Skylab do not correspond spatially to the photospheric facular granules near the polar region.     

Hard x-ray and gamma-ray imaging with solid state detectors

Solid state detectors are used in x-ray and gamma-ray astronomy primarily for their fine spectroscopy. For some cases (e.g., gamma-ray observations with Ge detectors), the spectroscopy and sensitivity requirements drive the design of the aperture systems and only moderate-quality imaging is possible. In other cases (e.g., hard x-ray observations), the detectors can be finely segmented for highquality imaging. The new room-temperature solid-state detectors like CdZnTe and HgI₂ are naturally well-suited for imaging. Because of their high atomic numbers, photoelectric absorption dominates over Compton scattering to >200 keV. This, combined with their high densities, allows thin detectors to be used with segmented contacts. Position resolution in the detector plane can be on 100 m scales giving sub-arcmin angular resolutions.     

Two-dimensional mapping of the Sun with the RATAN-600

We present two-dimensional solar maps at 2.7, 3.2, 4, and 8.2 cm computed from one-dimensional observations with the RATAN-600, using Earth rotation aperture synthesis techniques. Before the calculation of maps, the position of each scan was corrected with respect to the center of the solar disk and the scans were calibrated. The circular polarization scans were corrected for polarization cross-talk between the I and V channels. Subsequently, the quiet-Sun background emission was subtracted. After all corrections, a dirty map was computed by combining the scans at different position angles. The last step of the processing was an attempt to free the dirty map of the sidelobes, using the standard CLEAN procedure. The resolution of the clean maps at 2.7 cm was 0.5 by 6. Both active regions which were present on the solar disk were mapped. We studied the flux spectra of different types of sources: one was associated with a sunspot, the second was located over the neutral line of an active region, and the other was associated with the plage. The emission mechanism of the former was attributed to the gyroresonance process, while the short wavelength emission of the others was attributed to the free-free process. For the sunspot-associated source we estimated the magnetic field strengths at the base of the transition region and in the low corona.     

A multiplex imaging spectrometer for low energyX-ray astronomy

A multiplexX-ray image analyser is described. It consists in a time-modulated coded aperture associated with a solid state detector. The system combines the high efficiency and good spectral resolution of solid state spectrometers with the spatial resolution of the coded aperture (200 ).The device can be installed at the focus of a grazing incidence telescope to make images and spectra of faint astronomicalX-ray sources.     

Summary of ISO Detector Workshop

The Infrared Space Observatory successfullycarried out a wide range of astronomical observations in thewavelength range 2.4 m to nearly 200 m. To coverthis extremely broad range, a variety of detector technologies wereused by the instruments teams. As such ISO also proved to bean important test bed for the operation of these detectors ina low-background space environment. Over the two year mission,all the detector types have proven to be quite stable, withonly the Si:As IBC showing any long term degradation.Significant effort has been expended to cope with thebehaviour of the detectors under the space conditions bothoperationally and in ground processing. The main undesirableeffect can be classified as either transient responseanomalies or radiation effects. Overall sensitivity of theISO detectors was generally worse than predicted fromground-based measurements due to combinations of these twoclasses of phenomena. Splinter meetings were held to exchangespecific strategies for dealing with glitches, radiation curing,and transient effects. Plans for future actions were initiated.     

Square element antisymmetric coded apertures

This paper describes a method for constructing square element coded aperture patterns which possess 90° antisymmetry. The resulting patterns now make possible the removal of systematic detector background noise from a square pixel detector by means of antimask imaging using a single aperture, and without requiring full 180° aperture rotation.     

A realistic model for point-sources imaged on array detectors: The model and initial results

We have constructed a computer model for simulation of point-sources imaged on two-dimensional detectors. An attempt has been made to ensure that the model produces data that mimic real data taken with 2-D detectors. To be realistic, such simulations must include randomly generated noise of the appropriate type from all sources (e.g. source, background, and detector). The model is generic and accepts input values for parameters such as pixel size, read noise, source magnitude, and sky brightness. Point-source profiles are then generated with noise and detector characteristics added via our model. The synthetic data are output as simple integrations (onedimensional), as radial slices (two-dimensional), and as intensity-contour plots (three-dimensional). Each noise source can be turned on or off so that they can be studied separately as well as in combination to yield a realistic view of an image. This paper presents the basic properties of the model and some examples of how it can be used to simulate the effects of changing image position, image scale, signal strength, noise characteristics, and data reduction procedures.Use of the model has allowed us to confirm and quantify three points: 1) The use of traditionalsize apertures for photometry of faint point-sources adds substantial noise to the measurement which can significantly degrade the quality of the observation; 2) The number of pixels used to estimate the background is important and must be considered when estimating errors; and 3) The CCD equation normally used by the astronomical community consistently overestimates the signal-to-noise obtainable by a measurement while a revised equation, discussed here, provides a better estimator.     

Upgrading of some instrumentation devoted to increase space radiation environment understanding

Three methods permitting to characterize space and onboard spacecraft radiation environment have been developed and/or upgraded in our laboratories: MDU equipment with a semiconductor detector as sensitive element devoted to register energy deposition spectra in the Si-diode; a spectrometer of the linear energy transfer (LET) based on chemically etched polyallyldiglycolcarbonate (PADC) track etch detectors (TED); and thermoluminescent detectors (TLDs) with different dependences of relative TL yield on the LET of particles transferring their energy in them.We have used all these types of dosimetry equipments onboard spacecrafts since several years and succeeded to treat directly read data in terms of both quantitative and qualitative dosimetry characteristics and deduce from them related radiation risk.During last few years all these three types of detectors have been intensely studied to understand still better their possibilities to characterize space radiation fields. Particularly:

1.

Both PADC TED LET spectrometer and TLDs have been exposed in heavier ion beams with LET in water ranging from 1 to about 700 keV/μm with the goal to upgrade their calibration curves;

2.

A new method of MDU directly read data has been developed, permitting to measure not only dose in Si-detector, but also to estimate radiation protection quantities and the neutron contribution to the onboard exposure level;

3.

All three methods have been tested onboard spacecrafts during several missions.

Contribution presents, analyses and discusses the results obtained in items 1-3 and, also, the possibilities of these detectors to help in characterizing radiation fields during longer space missions, above 1 year.     

A CCD imaging spectrograph in the improved solar tower of Nanjing University

Since 1992 the solar tower telescope of Nanjing University (118°51 E, 32°03 N) as well as its multichannel solar spectrograph, originally established in 1982, have been reconstructed and a two-channel imaging spectrograph has been operated successfully. The apertures of the coelostat and the secondary mirror are both 60 cm. The spherical objective mirror, having an aperture of 43 cm and a focal length of 2170 cm, produces a solar image of 20 cm diameter. Two auxiliary telescopes using a small fraction of the coelostat's aperture were set up for guiding and H monochromatic monitoring. A multichannel spectrograph can be operated in six wavebands simultaneously. A CCD imaging spectrograph can be used for data acquisition at H and Caii K line wavebands automatically and simultaneously. The instrument consists of two CCD cameras, an image processor (SR-151), a personal computer, and a mechanical scanning device. The principal characteristics of the instruments are described. Some observational results are presented as examples.     

A search for high energy gamma-rays from solar active regions

The Elliot model for solar flares predicts weak -ray emission from the flare region prior to large flares. A search has been made for such -radiation of energy > 50 MeV. The experiment was performed using balloon-borne detectors flown from an equatorial station during the 1967/1968 solar maximum. A number of small flares were observed, but no associated -rays were detected. A limit of 2.3 × 10⁴ photons/cm² s was placed on the emission from an importance 1N flare. The general lack of major solar activity during the period of the balloon flights precluded a test for the Elliot model.     

The NRL SOLRAD X-ray detectors: A summary of the observations and a comparison with the SMS/GOES detectors

The Naval Research Laboratory flew solar X-ray ionization chamber detectors on a series of Solar Radiation (SOLRAD) satellites from 1960 through 1979. The flare responses of the SOLRAD 11 detectors are compared with those of the similar NOAA SMS/GOES detectors during two periods of common observations. The nominal GOES fluxes exceed those of SOLRAD 11 by a factor of 1.5–2 in the 0.5–4 Å band, but fall below those of SOLRAD by a factor of 2–4 in the 1–8 Å band. Significant passband differences account for these relationships between the detector responses. Since the X-ray detectors are standardized among the various SOLRAD satellites, and all detectors are closely matched among the various SMS/GOES satellites, these conversion factors allow the SOLRAD flare observations to serve as proxies for GOES X-ray observations prior to the GOES era. We summarize the detector characteristics and data sources of the 0.5–3 Å and 1–8 Å detectors for the SOLRAD series.     

Charge composition of medium energy cosmic-ray nuclei from neon to iron

Charge composition of cosmic-ray nuclei from neon to iron has been studied in a stack of cellulose nitrate plastic detectors exposed in a balloon flight over Fort Churchill. 401 cosmic-ray nuclei of 10Z26 stopping in the detector system have been analysed. Fluxes of individual nuclei have been extrapolated to the top of the atmosphere. Relative abundances, obtained from these fluxes, have been compared with those obtained by other investigators.     

Compact Two-Dimensional Array of Stressed GE:GA Detectors

We have developed a 4 × 8 array of stressed Ge:Ga detectors. This array detector has a high density format ofentrance pupils so that we can minimize the size of the cameraoptics. The cutoff wavelength of the detector is about 170 m, and the detector's NEP is better than 10¹⁶ WHz^-1/2. We are going apply this array detector toballoon-borne astronomical observations. Furthermore, we aredeveloping this detector into a 5 × 15 array detector that will be placed onboard the IRIS satellite to be launched in 2003.     

Room temperature solid-state detectors for Gamma ray burst spectroscopy

We have evaluated several solid state detectors which offer excellent energy resolution at room temperature for soft X-rays. For soft X-rays (< 1 keV to 20 keV), silicon P-intrinsic-N (PIN) and avalanche-mode photodiodes (APD's) have been studied. Using commercially available charge sensitive pre-amplifiers, these photodiodes provide 1 keV resolution without cooling. Their detection efficiencies are limited to about 20 keV and 15 keV, respectively. To overcome this constraint, we have studied thick (1.5 mm) PIN detectors made by Micron Semiconductor Ltd., U.K., as well as compound semiconducting materials with high Z constituents such as CZT and PbI₂. PbI₂ allows high detection efficiencies of photons up to 100 keV with detectors 100–300 microns thick. These new detectors offer the capability to study the low-energy spectral evolution of Gamma ray bursts (GRBs). A matrix of these detectors could be used as an image plane detector with moderate spatial resolution for imaging.     

Interferometry of Saturn and its rings at 1.30-cm wavelength

We present interferometric observations of Saturn and its ring system made at the Hat Creek Radio Astronomy Observatory at a wavelength of 1.30 cm. The data have been analyzed by both model-fitting and aperture synthesis techniques to determine the brightness temperature and optical thickness of the ring system and estimate the amount of planetary limb darkening. We find that the ring optical depth is close to that observed at visible wavelenghts, while the ring brightness temperature is only 7 ± 1°K. These observational constraints require the ring particles to be nearly conservative scatterers at this wavelength. A conservative lower limit to the single-scattering albedo of the particles at 1.30-cm wavelength is 0.95, and if their composition is assumed to be water ice, then this lower limit implies an upper limit of 2.4 m for the radius of a typical ring particle. The aperture synthesis maps show evidence for a small offset in the position of Saturn from that given in the American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac. The direction and magnitude of this offset are consistent with that found from a similar analysis of 3.71-cm interferometric data which we have previously presented (F.P. Schloerb, D.O. Muhleman, and G.L. Berge, 1979b, Icarus39, 232–250). Limb darkening of the planetary disk has been estimated by solving for the best-fitting disk radius in the models. The best-fitting radius is 0.998 ± 0.004 times the nominal Saturn radius and indicates that the planet is not appreciably limb dark at 1.30 cm. Since our previous 3.71-cm data also indicated that the planet was not strongly limb dark (F.P. Schloerb, D. O. Muhleman, and G.L. Berge, 1979a, Icarus39, 214–230), we feel that the limb darkening is not strongly wavelength dependent between 1.30 and 3.71 cm. The difference between the best-fitting disk radii at 3.71 and 1.30 cm is +0.007 ± 0.007 times the nominal Saturn radius and suggests that the planet is more limb dark at 1.30 cm than at 3.71 cm. Models of the atmosphere which have NH₃ as the principal source of microwave opacity predict that the planet will be less limb dark at 1.30 cm. However, the magnitude of the effect predicted by the NH₃ models is ?0.009 and only marginally different from the observed value.     

Observations of solar chromospheric fine structures in the light of Lyman-α

A Cassegrain telescope with a resolution of 2 sec of arc was successfully flown in an Aerobee-150 rocket from White Sands Missile Range on October 20, 1965. A pinhole, 33 in diameter, was placed at the focus of the telescope, followed by a photo-ionization detector with a lithium-fluoride window. The instrument was kept pointed at the sun by a biaxial solar pointing control.Results indicate that in Lyman- the solar surface shows structures whose characteristic dimensions can be as small as 2 sec of arc, which corresponds to the limit of instrumental resolution. Larger structures with very sharp gradients have also been found. Intensity ratios between bright and dark areas are typically a factor of 1.7. Isophote maps of two small selected areas are discussed in this paper. The results were obtained in an undisturbed (free of plages) portion of the solar disk.Jointly sponsored by the Office of Naval Research and the National Science Foundation.     

Reconstruction of objects by direct demodulation

High resolution reconstruction of complicated objects from incomplete and noisy data can be achieved by solving modulation equations iteratively under physical constraints. This direct demodulation method is a powerful technique for dealing with inverse problem in general case. Spectral and image restorations and computerized tomography are only particular cases of general demodulation. It is possible to reconstruct an object in higher dimensional space from observations by a simple lower dimensional instrument through direct demodulation. Our simulations show that wide field and high resolution images of space hard X-rays and soft-rays can be obtained by a collimated non-position-sensitive detector without coded aperture masks.     

Threshold effects onV/V max for gamma-ray bursts

The interpretation of the observed-ray burstV/V _max statistic in terms of spatial distributions is model-dependent. Detection of-ray bursts requires the counting rate in one or more detectors to exceed a thresholdC _lim determined from a time-dependent background rateB(t). The sampling depth of the burst detector is thus time-dependent, and, if burst sources are non-uniform in space, the observedV/V _max distribution will be affected byB(t). We demonstrate this effect with a simple geometric distribution of standard candles and argue thatV/V _max statistic without information on threshold variations is insufficient for rigorous data analysis. Peak count rates and threshold values must be given separately for all events in order to facilitate a meaningful comparison of observations with theoretical distribution models.