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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

The Best Studied Crab In Astronomy: Searching For Variability In Vhe Emission From The Crab Nebula, Christina Bourantas, Kate Cowger, Avery Archer Oct 2019

The Best Studied Crab In Astronomy: Searching For Variability In Vhe Emission From The Crab Nebula, Christina Bourantas, Kate Cowger, Avery Archer

Annual Student Research Poster Session

The Crab Nebula is the remnant of a powerful stellar explosion first observed in 1054 AD and has been extremely well studied for decades. previous very high energy (VHE); GeV) studies have observed no variability in the nebula flux making the Crab a standard reference tool for gamma-ray telescopes. As part of the VERITAS (Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System) collaboration, we continue monitoring the nebula’s flux to understand the VERITAS telescopes and physical processes occurring within the nebula. We are analyzing over 80 hours of data from 2017 and 2018 from VERITAS Collaboration, developing and adding to a …


Probing Physical Conditions In The Crab Nebula With Emission Line Analysis, Xiang Wang Jan 2016

Probing Physical Conditions In The Crab Nebula With Emission Line Analysis, Xiang Wang

Theses and Dissertations--Physics and Astronomy

We present a range of steady-state photoionization simulations, corresponding to different assumed shell geometries and compositions, of the unseen postulated rapidly expanding outer shell to the Crab Nebula. The properties of the shell are constrained by the mass that must lie within it, and by limits to the intensities of hydrogen recombination lines. In all cases the photoionization models predict very strong emission from high ionization lines that will not be emitted by the Crab’s filaments, alleviating problems with detecting these lines in the presence of light scattered from brighter parts of the Crab. The NIR [Ne VI] λ 7.652 …


A Search For Enhanced Very High Energy Gamma-Ray Emission From The 2013 March Crab Nebula Flare, P. T. Reynolds, Et Al Dec 2013

A Search For Enhanced Very High Energy Gamma-Ray Emission From The 2013 March Crab Nebula Flare, P. T. Reynolds, Et Al

Physical Sciences Publications

In 2013 March, a flaring episode from the Crab Nebula lasting ~2 weeks was detected by Fermi-LAT (Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope). The Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) provides simultaneous observations throughout this period. During the flare, Fermi-LAT detected a 20 fold increase in flux above the average synchrotron flux >100 MeV seen from the Crab Nebula. Simultaneous measurements with VERITAS are consistent with the non-variable long-term average Crab Nebula flux at TeV energies. Assuming a linear correlation between the very high energy flux change >1 TeV and the flux …


A Survey Of Molecular Hydrogen In The Crab Nebula, E. D. Loh, J. A. Baldwin, Z. K. Curtis, Gary J. Ferland, C. R. O'Dell, A. C. Fabian, Philippe Salomé May 2011

A Survey Of Molecular Hydrogen In The Crab Nebula, E. D. Loh, J. A. Baldwin, Z. K. Curtis, Gary J. Ferland, C. R. O'Dell, A. C. Fabian, Philippe Salomé

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We have carried out a near-infrared, narrowband imaging survey of the Crab Nebula, in the H2 2.12 μm and Brγ 2.17 μm lines, using the Spartan Infrared camera on the SOAR Telescope. Over a 2.8 × 5'.1 area that encompasses about 2/3 of the full visible extent of the Crab, we detect 55 knots that emit strongly in the H2 line. We catalog the observed properties of these knots. We show that they are in or next to the filaments that are seen in optical-passband emission lines. Comparison to Hubble Space Telescope [S …


The Crab And Galactic Anticentre Region Observed By Comptel, A W. Strong, K Bennett, H Bloemen, H Deboer, R Buccheri, M Busetta, W Collmar, A Connors, R Diehl, J W. Den Herder, W Hermsen, L Kuiper, J Lockwood, G G. Lichti, John R. Macri, Mark L. Mcconnell, D Morris, R Much, James M. Ryan, V. Schonfelder, G. Simpson, J G. Stacy, H Steinle, B Swanenburg, M Varendorff, C Winkler, C De Vries Jan 1993

The Crab And Galactic Anticentre Region Observed By Comptel, A W. Strong, K Bennett, H Bloemen, H Deboer, R Buccheri, M Busetta, W Collmar, A Connors, R Diehl, J W. Den Herder, W Hermsen, L Kuiper, J Lockwood, G G. Lichti, John R. Macri, Mark L. Mcconnell, D Morris, R Much, James M. Ryan, V. Schonfelder, G. Simpson, J G. Stacy, H Steinle, B Swanenburg, M Varendorff, C Winkler, C De Vries

Physics & Astronomy

The Galactic anticenter region including the Crab nebula has been observed with the COMPTEL gamma-ray telescope on the Gamma Ray Observatory. A map of the region in the 1-30 MeV energy range is presented. The total spectrum of the Crab is derived as well as that of the pulsed and unpulsed components. Upper limits on the pulsar Geminga are also presented.


Gamma-Ray Observations Of The Crab Region Using A Coded-Aperture Telescope, Mark L. Mcconnell, P. P. Dunphy, D J. Forrest, E. L. Chupp, A Owens Oct 1987

Gamma-Ray Observations Of The Crab Region Using A Coded-Aperture Telescope, Mark L. Mcconnell, P. P. Dunphy, D J. Forrest, E. L. Chupp, A Owens

Physics & Astronomy

The region of the Galactic anticenter, including the Crab Nebula, was observed during a balloon flight of the University of New Hampshire Directional Gamma-Ray Telescope employing the coded-aperture imaging technique to image celestial gamma-radiation between 160 keV and 9.3 MeV. The background systematics are treated with a simple and relatively straightforward correction procedure. The results demonstrate that the coded-aperture procedure is a viable approach for imaging not only point sources of radiation, but also extended sources of emission. The results for the Crab's photon spectrum are consistent with a power-law spectrum. Upper limits on the flux levels of line emission …


Cosmic Rays And The Emission-Line Regions Of Active Galactic Nuclei, Gary J. Ferland, R. F. Mushotzky Nov 1984

Cosmic Rays And The Emission-Line Regions Of Active Galactic Nuclei, Gary J. Ferland, R. F. Mushotzky

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We discuss the effects that the synchrotron emitting relativistic electrons, which are known to exist throughout many distance scales in active nuclei, could have on the emission-line regions that characterize these objects. Detailed models of both the inner, dense, broad-line region and the outer, lower density, narrow-line region are presented, together with the first models of the optically emitting gas often found within extended radio lobes. We show that, in all cases, if the relativistic gas that produces the synchrotron radio emission is mixed with the gas in the emission-line region, then significant changes in the emission-line spectrum will result. …


Ultraviolet Spectrum Of The Crab Nebula, K. Davidson, T. R. Gull, S. P. Maran, T. P. Stecher, R. A. Fesen, R. A. Parise, C. A. Harvel, Menas Kafatos, V. L. Trimble Jan 1982

Ultraviolet Spectrum Of The Crab Nebula, K. Davidson, T. R. Gull, S. P. Maran, T. P. Stecher, R. A. Fesen, R. A. Parise, C. A. Harvel, Menas Kafatos, V. L. Trimble

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Data from 65 hours of observation of the Crab Nebula with the International Ultraviolet Explorer are reported, together with new ground-based spectrophotometry. We have measured the important C IV λ1549, He II λ1640, and C III] λ1908 emission line intensities and placed upper limits on other ultraviolet features for the brightest filamentary region in the nebula. We have also measured some ultraviolet continuum surface brightnesses at two places in the Crab. The emission lines imply an average ionic abundance ratio n(C^+2)/n(O^+2 ) in the range from 0.4 to 1.5 in the observed gaseous condensations. The elemental abundance ratio of carbon …


Preliminary Report On Iue Spectra Of Crab Nebula, K. Davidson, T. R. Gull, S. P. Maran, T. P. Stecher, Menas Kafatos, V. L. Trimble Jan 1981

Preliminary Report On Iue Spectra Of Crab Nebula, K. Davidson, T. R. Gull, S. P. Maran, T. P. Stecher, Menas Kafatos, V. L. Trimble

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Books and Book Chapters

The Crab Nebula is marginally observable with the IUE. Observations of the optically brightest filamentary regions, made with IUE in August 1979, show the C IV x1549, He II x1640, and C III] x1909 emission lines. The intensities of these lines have been compared with visual-wavelength data. It appears that carbon is not overabundant in the Crab; carbon/- oxygen is approximately "normal" oxygen is slightly scarcer than "normal" as a fraction of the total mass.