A 256×256 pixel InSb FPA for SIRTF and other astronomical applications

As part of the NASA Space Infrared telescope Facility (SIRTF), a low noise multiplexer has been developed. The hybridization of this multiplexer to a high indium antimonide (InSb) photodiode array has resulted in a MWIR detector of outstanding performance. The multiplexer is made of a 256×256 array of source follower amplifiers on a 30 m square pitch. Random access binary decoders are used to access each pixel of the array, allowing any read-out scheme to be implemented. Dark current has been measured at temperatures ranging from 4K to 77K. Generation recombination currents dominate above 45K. With 100mV of reverse bias applied, less than 3×10^-17 A is typical below 50K with 8×10^-19 A (5 e^-/s) at 4K. Under the same conditions 0.25 pA was measured at 77K. Read noise has been measured as low as 186 e^- using non-correlated techniques. Detector QE is 50 to 80 % through the entire 1 to 5 m band.     

Period study of XY Ceti

A first period study of the eclipsing binary XY Ceti is presented. A new period (P=2^d.7807135), based on all available times of minima, is given. Period changes in different portions of the O–C diagram, with a new period, have been estimated. The total change in period (P/P) ranges from 1.1×10^–5 d to 1.2×10^–4 d, thus, P ranges from 3.1×10^–5 d to 3.3×10^–4 d. The O–C diagram suggests that the trend of the period has changed around the year 1959. Two portions of increasing and decreasing trends also reveal that the period changes (P/P) of the order of 10^–5 d are present, which are appreciably large.     

The system of old clusters in the magellanic clouds

IntegratedUBV colours have been computed for synthetic clusters older than one billion years and for two chemical composition: (a)Y=0.30;Z=10^–4 and (b)Y=0.30;Z=10^–2, taking into account the contribution to the integrated light of Main Sequence, subgiant, red giant and horizontal branch stars. It has been found that integrated colours depend onZ and allow an estimate of the metal content, however not generally. Horizontal branch stars contribute to the integrated colours of clusters not significantly and the contribution of stars in more advanced phases (e.g., asymptotic branch stars) is almost negligible.Old clusters in LMC and SMC have been studied in terms of colour calibrations and this analysis has been supplemented, when possible, by photometric and spectroscopic data of individual stars. It was found that in the LMC clusters withZ=10^–2 andt>5×10⁹ yr are lacking, clusters with relatively blue colours are similar, both in age and chemical composition, to the halo galactic globular clusters. Moreover, there is a group of clusters with 1×10⁹t5×10⁹. In the SMC clusters withZ=10^–2 andt>5×10⁹ yr are lacking and clusters with 1×10⁹t5×10⁹ are rare. Clusters with relatively blue colours are interpreted with the following parameters:t=5×10⁹ yr, 10^–4Z10^–3 andY=0.20.The implication of these results on the chemical history of the two galaxies is discussed.     

On the figure of the planet Mercury

The figure of Mercury is estimated in terms of an isostatic form of equilibrium which tends to be controlled by the situation near perihelion passage at the 32 resonance spin rate. The ratios of the principal moments of inertia for Mercury are: (1)(C–A)/C7×10^–5; (2)(C–B)/C5×10^–5 and (3)(B–A)/C2×10^–5. The thermal effect on Mercury's figure during solidification forces Mercury's rotation to be trapped in the 32 resonance lock as its spin rate is being slowed by tidal effects. It is shown that the process of trapping of Mercury has been naturally affected by the instantaneous solidification of Mercury into a shape with two thermal bulges, and that the two permanent thermal bulges stabilize the planet's rotation.     

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.     

Period variations in SZ Arietis

A new period (P=1^d.7175405) of the eclipsing binary system SZ Arietis has been presented. Period changes in different portions of the O-C diagram, with new period, have been estimated. The total change in period (P) ranges from 3.64×10^–5 d to 4.24×10^–4 d, which is appreciably large. However, leaving the unusual value, the average period change comes out to be of the order of 6×10^–5 d. The period changes around the years 1903, 1943, and 1977 are apparent in the O-C diagrams. A sinusoidal variation is also visible in the O-C diagrams which indicates that SZ Ari may be a three-body system, having a period of nearly 66 years.     

Steady mass-loss from supermassive stars

Structures of Newtonian super-massive stars are calculated with the opacity for Comptor effectK ₀/(1 + T), whereK ₀=0.21(1 +X and =2.2×10^–9K^–1. The track of the Main-Sequence is turned right in the upper part of the HR diagram. Mass loss will occur in a Main-Sequence stage for a star with mass larger than a critical mass. The cause of mass loss and the expansion of the radius is continuum radiation pressure. The critical mass for mass loss is 1.02×10⁶ M for a Population I star, and 1.23×10⁵ M for Population III star. Mass loss rates expected in these stars are 3.3×10^–3 and 4.0×10^–3 M yr^–1, respectively.Paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984.     

Nucleosynthesis in neutron rich supernova ejecta

A nuclear reaction network of 903 different, strong and electromagnetic reactions, linking 107 chemical constituents is used to study the elements synthesized in the neutron rich material, ejected in supernova explosions. A large number of three body reactions virtually eliminates the usual bottle neck at theA=5 mass gap.For initially high temperatures and densities,T=10¹⁰K and =7×10⁸ gm/cm³, with expansion time scales of 10^–3–10^–2 sec, three differentn top ratios,n/p=4,n/p=3/2, andn/p1, are considered for the ejected matter. In all three cases, the material synthesized is preponderantly heavy. For then/p=4 model, the conditions at the charged particle freeze-out are ideal for the r-process. The onset of this rapid neutron capture phase is explicitly shown with a sequence of time lapse abundance plots.     

Intergalactic suprathermal grains

The physical conditions under which suprathermal grains may loose energy and the processes involving the grains (a3×10^–6 cm) destruction are investigated. It is found that the dust grain once attaining the velocityU (10⁵ cm s^–1) may attain suprathermal energy (v _g3×10⁸ cm s^–1) and subsequently may also attain relativistic energy are almost indestructible in the accelerating phase.     

Gamma-ray burst measurements with A 6.3 m2 array

Two flights from Alice Springs, Australia, were achieved in November 1977 and November 1978 with a plastic scintillator -burst detector, effective area 6.3 m², thickness 5 cm, energy response in the range 50 keV to 2 MeV. In 33 hr of good, high altitude data, two bursts were detected, yielding a rate corrected to an isotropic flux of at a size of 8.5×10^–9 erg cm^–2. One event, seen at 22.14 on 15 Nov 1978, was confirmed by spacecraft measurements. The second, too small to be detected by spacecraft, arrived from 0 hr RA, –13.2° Decl. ±12° and possibly comes from a confirmed -burst source location. A galactic origin with a source distribution originating from a relatively thick disk, is favoured by these results.     

A new limit on time dependence of the gravitational constant from gravity modified quantum electrodynamics

The time variation of the gravitational constantG is discussed in the light of the gravity modified form of quantum electrodynamics. From the experimental upper limit |a/| < 5 × 10^–15 yr^–1 on the time variation of the electromagnetic fine structure constant one finds |/G| < 5 × 10^–13 yr^–1.     

The coronal and transition region temperature structure of a solar active region

Using measurements of EUV and X-ray spectral lines we derive the differential emission measure vs electron temperature T from the transition region to the corona of an active region (10⁵ T <5 × 10⁶ K). The total emission measure and radiative losses are of order 3 × 10⁴⁸ cm^–3 and 4 × 10²⁶ ergss^–1 respectively. The emission measure at T > 10⁶ K (i.e. that mainly responsible for the X-ray emission) is about 75% of the total. We also examine the use of Mg x 625 Å as an indicator of coronal electron density. A set of theoretical energy balance models of coronal loops in which the loop divergence is a variable parameter is presented and compared with the observations. Particular attention is given to the limitations inherent in any such comparison.     

Flare loops heated by thermal conduction

A flare observed with the Hard X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (HXIS) was studied during its rise to maximum temperature and X-ray emission rate. Two proximate flare loops, of lengths 2.8 × 10⁹ cm and 1.1 × 10¹⁰ cm, rose to temperatures of 21.5 × 10⁶ K and 30 × 10⁶ K, respectively, in 30 s. Assuming equal heat flux F into each loop from a thermal source at the point where they met, we derive a simple relationship between temperature T and loop length , which gives a loop temperture ratio of 0.68, in close agreement with the observed ratio of 0.72. The observations imply that heating in each loop was maintained by a thermal flux of 5 × 10⁹ ergs cm^-2 s^-1. It is suggested that conductive heating adequately describes the rise and maximum phase emissions in the loops and that long flare loops reach higher temperatures than short loops during the impulsive phase because of an equipartition of energy between them at their point of interaction.     

Extreme ultraviolet spectra of solar active regions and their analysis

Extreme ultraviolet spectra of several active regions are presented and analyzed. Spectral intensities of 3 active regions observed with the NRL Skylab XUV spectroheliograph (170–630 Å) are derived. From this data density sensitive line ratios of Mg viii, Si x, S xii, Fe ix, Fe x, Fe xi, Fe xii, Fe xiii, Fe xiv, and Fe xv are examined and typically yield, to within a factor of 2, electron pressures of 1 dyne cm^–2 (n _e T = 6 × 10¹⁵ cm^–3 K). The differential emission measure of the brightest 35 × 35 portion of an active region is obtained between 1.4 × 10⁴ K and 5 × 10⁶ K from HCO OSO-VI XUV (280–1370 Å) spectra published by Dupree et al. (1973). Stigmatic EUV spectra (1170–1710 Å) obtained by the NRL High Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph (HRTS) are also presented. Doppler velocities as a function of position along the slit are derived in an active region plage and sunspot. The velocities are based on an absolute wavelength scale derived from neutral chromospheric lines and are accurate to ±2 km s^–1. Downflows at 10⁵ K are found throughout the plage with typical velocities of 10 km s^–1. In the sunspot, downflows are typically 5 to 20 km s^–1 over the umbra and zero over the penumbra. In addition localized 90 and 150 km s^–1 downflows are found in the umbra in the same 1 × 1 resolution elements which contain the lower velocity downflows. Spectral intensities and velocities in a typical plage 1 resolution element are derived. The velocities are greatest ( 10 km s^–1) at 10⁵ K with lower velocities at higher and lower temperatures. The differential emission measure between 1.3 × 10⁴ K and 2 × 10⁶ K is derived and is found to be comparable to that derived from the OSO-VI data. An electron pressure of 1.4 dynes cm^–2 (n _e T = 1.0 × 10¹⁶ cm^–3 K) is determined from pressure sensitive line ratios of Si iii, O iv, and N iv. From the data presented it is shown that convection plays a major role in determining the structure and dynamics of the active region transition zone and corona.     

Thermal and non-thermal soft X-ray bursts

X-ray bursts observed for energies lower than 25 keV are usually interpreted as being produced by a thermal plasma with several million degrees of temperature.A small number of events recorded at Arcetri by real time telemetry of SOLRAD 9 satellite agrees with a thermal interpretation and gives temperatures ranging between 10 × 10⁶ and 30 × 10⁶K and emission measures, N _e ² dV, between 10⁴⁷ and 10⁴⁸ cm^–3.An impulsive event recorded on January 7, 1969 shows an anomalous behaviour. In this case the emission has been attributed to bremsstrahlung radiation from electrons with a power law energy distribution dN = KE ^- dE. The values of the spectral index and of the emission measure are given.A tentative interpretation of the event is suggested and the way to produce non-relativistic electrons with a power law energy distribution is investigated.     

Vacuum energy in cosmic dynamics

The analysis of the Th/U ratio in meteorites and the evolutionary ages of globular clusters favour values of the cosmic age of (19±5)×10⁹ yr. This evidence together with a Hubble parameterH ₀>70 km s^–1 Mpc^–1=(14×10⁹ yr)^–1 cannot be reconciled in a Friedmann model with =0. It requires a cosmological constant in the order of 10^–56 cm^–2, equivalent to a vacuum density _v =10^–29 g cm^–3 The Friedmann-Lemaître models (>0) with a hot big-bang have been calculated. They are based on a present value of the baryonic matter density of ₀=0.5×10^–30 g cm^–3 as derived from the primordial⁴He and²H abundances.For a Hubble parameter ofH ₀=75 km s^–1 Mpc^–1, our analysis favours a set of models which can be represented by a model with Euclidean metric (density parameter ₀=1.0, deceleration parameterq ₀=–0.93, aget ₀=19.7×10⁹ yr) and by a closed model with perpetual expansion (₀=1.072,q ₀=–1.0, aget ₀=21.4×10⁹ yr). A present density parameter close to one can indeed be expected if the conjecture of an exponential inflation of the very early universe is correct.The possible behaviour of the vacuum density is demonstrated with the help of Streeruwitz' formula in the context of the closed model with an inflationary phase at very early times.     

Interplanetary acceleration of energetic particles at 1 and 5 AU

Energetic particle (0.1 to 100 MeV protons) acceleration is studied by using high resolution interplanetary magnetic field and plasma measurements at 1 AU (HEOS-2) and at 5 AU (Pioneer 10). Energy changes of a particle population are followed by computing test particle trajectories and the energy changes through the particle interaction with the time varying magnetic field. The results show that considerable particle acceleration takes place throughout the interplanetary medium, both in the corotating interaction regions (CIR) (5 AU), and in quiet regions (1 AU). Although shocks may contribute to acceleration we suggest statistical acceleration within the CIRs is sufficient to explain most energetic particle observations (e.g., McDonaldet al., 1975; Barnes and Simpson, 1976).The first and second order statistical acceleration coefficients which include transit time damping and Alfvén resonance interactions, are found to be well represented byD _T 8.5×10^–6 T ^0.5 MeV s^–1 andD _TT 4×10^–6 T ^1.5 MeV² s^–1 at 5 AU.By comparison, Fisk's estimates (1976), based on quasi-linear theory for transit-time damping, gaveD _TT 5×10^–7 T MeV² s^–1 at 1 AU.     

The neutrino radiation for a hot neutron star formation and the envelope outburst problem

With the equations of neutrino heat conductivity being used, the neutrino light curve is calculated for the spherically symmetrical collapse of an iron-oxygen 2M star (Figure 1) up to the formation of a hot hydrostatically equilibrium neutron star. The total energy, radiated in the form of muon and electron neutrinos, is 5.8×10⁵³ erg (0.16Mc ²). The mean neutrino particle energy is 12 MeV for all the time the collapse proceeds. The maximum neutrino luminosity value is equal to 3×10⁵³ erg s^–1. For a 10M star collapse, the luminosity maximum 3×10⁵⁴ erg s^–1 takes place just at the moment of the formation of a black hole inside the collapsing star. The total radiated energy in this case is about 0.08Mc ². The set of calculations, allowing for the deposition of momentum by means of neutrino-nuclear coherent scattering, brings us to a conclusion that the envelope outburst is only possible if the scattering cross-section is 50 times larger than the value experimentally accepted (inequality 20)).     

On the distribution of material as a function of temperature in the post-flare loop system of 12 August 1970

Observations of the post-flare loop system formed after the east limb proton flare of 12 August 1970 include (a) sets of filtergrams from which photographic subtractions have been constructed and (b) spectra from which a distribution of electron density as a function of temperature for three coronal regions are derived. The filtergrams show no indications of radial velocities in excess of 80 km/s. The spectra indicate an increase in density at the tops of the loops with most of the material at a relatively cool temperature: N 6.0 × 10¹⁰, T = 3 × 10⁵K. The distribution functions obtained for areas just above and just below loops indicate a lower electron density and the presence of material at high temperatures, N 2.0 × 10¹⁰ and T 2.6 × 10⁶K (above the loops) and T _e > > 4.4 × 10⁶K for material below the loops.     

The accretion matter at the disk rim in Her X-1/HZ Her

The Crosa and Boynton (1980) empirical model for discrete mass transfer in Her X-1 is further developed. The photometric features of the light curve (peaks of an hour duration and 0.3–0.7 ^m amplitude, steps near orbital phase =0); and the linear polarization bursts are assumed to be due to the formation and eclipses of the plasma blobs produced by discrete transfer of matter from optical star surface and its interaction with the accretion disc rim. The long lifetime (20^h) of the cold (3×10⁴ K) blob extending up to 10¹¹ cm above the disc plane, as well as the deep X-ray flickerings (300 s) during the X-ray absorption dips are assumed to arise from a dispersal of accreting matter by the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a blob moving through a hot corona of the disk atT _c =3×10⁶ K andn _c =3×10¹¹ cm^–3. Thermal equilibrium in the corona and in the blobs are supported by X-ray flux. Within the first few hours after its formation a blob disintegrates into drops withr=5×10⁹ cm,T=3×10⁴ K, andn=3×10¹³ cm^–3 which move then along Keplerian orbits. Frictional interactions of the drops with the corona destroy them on a 20^h time-scale. The proposed model makes it possible to interpret the diverse observational facts and to predict numerous observational displays in the optical, UV, and X-ray bands. The first results of our optical-spectrum observations of blobs are briefly described.